The Washington herald., 1911-10-01

try never forget III"
.ho;- bors and girls alike shall grow up
s+rong and hardy, for the lives OF both
o, ond women are full of work and
do,,sr and there is little chance for the
puny or the timid.
So they tell to one another the storg Oh
Kagsossuk, who lived long time ago. ana
who was made unhappy from his very
hobrbood bv reason of his small size and
feebIe strength. Even his .ce was wan
and male. instead Of being round and RED
and hard like those of his brothers and
sister; and he used to cling eagerly to his
mothers side till she grew impatient and
sent him out with his playfellows. Here
bowever, the little boy was much worse
off for he was not sturdy enough to take
his mart in the children's rough games. So
he would stand alone and miserable while
they taunted him, or sang, in rude chorus
cruel little rhymes that his infrmities sus-
gested.
What a fine fisherman you'll make ne
of these days, Kagsossuk!' they used TO
GOV n him. for the children of that far on
time were not always kind, whatever they
may he nowadays. who will row your
boat do you think. and who will throw
vour spear, and who will bring home the
fish that you will catch? Ho, Kagsossuk
You will have to sit in the hut the year
round and be tended by women"
What the little boy minded in these
ieers was their probable truth. Such
wonders lay in store for the strong men
who went out to seek them! Must they
remain forever hidden from fim. alone,
Kagsossuk. the weakling? He had lis
tened we'll to the tales Of his father, and
his fathers father. men of great PROV
ess on water and ice, so that he not only
knew the ways of wild fierce beasts. but
something also of the spirits that dwell
in air and rock and sea. Could II he,
he wondered, that he would never ne
strong enough to find the kajarissat.
the mysterious giants who had been seen
only at the most remote fishing stations.
whose home was always upon floating
ice and whose delightfully."- exciting occu-
patton was the breeding of storms and
tempests, which they could sometimes
rause by a mere breath? And how he
longed to see those sea spirits who were
The special enemies of disobedient chill
dren, but from whom he, being always
dutiful. had nothing to fear. How dear
" he should love to provide himself. in
starting out on his grown-up adventures,
with plenty of raw meat and foxes tails,
delicacies for which these spirits were
ravenously greedy. and in acknowledge
ment of which they were always willing
TO give success in fishing or huntin".
Then there was the cruel spirit who
lived in a rock, in the form of a woman.
The little boy shivered deliciOusly when
ever he thought of her for he knew that
if you passed her dwelling place at night
she would peer out at you, with wild
jests and loud laughter. trying her best
to make you laugh with her. But this
you must never do, for at the first sign
Of laughter she would catch and kill
you.
What fine thing it would be, too, TO
be on good terms with the powerful
spirit of the moon, known as the friend
and ally of strong men! The especially
favored were even asked by this hos
pitable spirit to his own dwelling place
where they were served by a woman
whose face was the most beautiful ever
seen-but whose back was like the back
of a skeleton. But encounters with such
as these were for strong men, doughty
fishermen, mighty killers of game. Poor
little Kagsossuk, with his slim legs and
arms, and short stature, knew that he
should never behold them-nor the mer-
men and mermaidens, nor the Tornit.
most powerful of the land spirits, twice
as large as the largest men-nor yet
Tornarsuk. greatest of all spirits, most
powerful of all, seldomest seen of the
eyes of men.
One day. scorned by his compa mons.
Kagsossuk wandered alone. thinking of
the great deeds that he feared must al
ways lie beyond his power. Suddenly
there appeared before him a stranger,
with smiling. friendly mien and mysteri-
ously familiar face.
"Kagsossuk." asked the stranger gen
tly, as though reading the child's thoughts,
do you wish to be strong, stronger than
your father and your fathers father"
" wish for it with all my heart" said
the boy.
Then do as l tell you" the stranger
commanded. with an air of gentle author
ity. Climb to the top of yonder rock
and make sure that you are alone. Then
let your heart call loudly upon the Spirit
of Strength. When he comes see that
y,u have no fear Of him"
Before Kagsossuk could reply the
stranger had vanished, so the boy then
climbed with all his might to the top Of
the rock, an exploit that seemed to con-
sumo all his strength. Following the
strangers instructions. he made in
ward appeal to the Spirit Of Strength.
Almost in an instant he saw standing he.
fore him a great gray fox. Kagsossuk
would have screamed for help, but he
seemed to. hear a voice behind him say.
You are attaining your wish," so by this
ha knsyv that the Suirif had chosa, e.