Tales the Eskimos tell, selected and retold . that theywere afraid. They huddled together, sayingnothing. Then another man spoke, I wish the cliffwould fall over and bury these foolish, noisychildren.* No sooner had he spoken than partof the cliff toppled over. The children felldown towards the foot and it looked as if theywould be buried by the big rocks. But as they fell each one was turned intoa pretty sea pigeon with red feet. To this veryday they dwell at the foot of the cliffs, whereyou can hear them screaming as if they werestill playing a very noisy game. 15 THE SCULPING DANCE The scul
Tales the Eskimos tell, selected and retold . that theywere afraid. They huddled together, sayingnothing. Then another man spoke, I wish the cliffwould fall over and bury these foolish, noisychildren.* No sooner had he spoken than partof the cliff toppled over. The children felldown towards the foot and it looked as if theywould be buried by the big rocks. But as they fell each one was turned intoa pretty sea pigeon with red feet. To this veryday they dwell at the foot of the cliffs, whereyou can hear them screaming as if they werestill playing a very noisy game. 15 THE SCULPING DANCE The sculping dance is an Eskimo dancethat tells a story and teaches a lesson. Thedancer pretends to be a young man who hasfallen in love with a pretty girl, whom he callsMillak. He has travelled far to look for finefurs, because he thinks the girl will marry himif he shows himself to be a good hunter. Now he has killed a fine seal and he isoverjoyed. He is going to sculp the seal, thatis, he is going to skin it with the fat left stickingto the 16 The sculping dance is like a play with twoactors, the hunter and the dead seal. A smallboy, wrapped in a shawl or skin, pretends tobe the dead seal, while the hunter stands withhis skinning knife ready. He begins to danceabout the animal and in a chanting tone to singabout his great joy. He thinks that he has beenhelped by Torngarsoak, one of the great spiritsof the Eskimos, and by his own torngak orspirit helper. Imagine that the dance is about to begin:Today joy comes to I am I have hunted and caught —(Weary I was)Torngarsoak helped me .. .Now I have killed a very good beast . .Now I am glad.(Cold I I was.) But Torngarsoak helped me; 17 (Now I am glad.) Now I shall take off the skin, And when it is done I shall return to the village. Then they will say, What a great hunter is he, What a great hunter w^ho goes Far to the North where no tribesman Ever has gone before. Great is the hunter who brings Fur o
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