|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 5
"Ha, thou art Maisanguaq," his toothless jaws chattered. "Thou bearest
no one good will. Seldom dost thou smile. For this I like thee."
He laughed harshly. Maisanguaq impatiently repeated his question:
"Can Sipsu invoke the great curse? Ha, what dost thou mean? Art thou
a fool? Have not many died upon the word of Sipsu, Sipsu whose spirits
never desert him! Harken! Did not Sipsu go unto the mountains in his
youth? Did he not hear the hill spirits speaking? Did he not carry
food to them, and wood and arrow points for weapons? And in _ookiah_
(winter) did they not strike? Did they not kill one Otaq, who hated
Sipsu? Did Sipsu not go unto the lower land of the dead--did he not
speak to those who freeze in the dark? Yea, did Sipsu not learn how
the world is kept up, and the souls of nature are bound together? And
hath he not the power to separate them, yea, as a man from his shadow?"
"Thou evil-tongued wretch, well doth Maisanguaq believe thee! Here--I
promise thee meat. I follow Ootah upon the chase. There are walrus on
the sea. Invoke the curse of destruction upon Ootah--and I will give
thee meat for the long winter."
"Ootah--Ootah--yah--hah! Ootah!" Sipsu snapped the name viciously.
"With joy shall I bring the great evil unto Ootah. For hath he not
despised my art, hath he not scoffed at my spirits! But thou--what
reason hast thou to desire his death?"
"Ootah findeth favor with Annadoah," said Maisanguaq briefly. "I would
she never make his _kamiks_ (boots)."
"Yea, and she shall not. She shall not!" the old man shrieked in a
sudden access of rage. "So saith Sipsu, whose spirits never fail."
Lying on the floor Sipsu closed his eyes and, moving his head up and
down, called repeatedly:
"_Quilaka Nauk_! _Quilaka Nauk_! Where are my spirits? Where are my
spirits?"
Presently he rose, and swaying his body crooned:
"_Tassa quilivagit_! _Tassa quilivagit_! My spirits are here--they
are here! _Tassa quilivagit_!"
Grasping a drum made of animal tissue strung over a rib-bone he began
to dance. He beat a slow, uneasy measure on the drum. His face
grinned hideously. His voice at times rose to a harsh shriek, then
suddenly it trailed away until it seemed like the voice of one speaking
very far off. In a curious sort of intermittent crooning and shrieking
ventriloquism he called down curses upon Ootah. His dance increased;
he beat the drum frenziedly. His legs twisted under him, he described
short running circles and jumped up and down in accesses of hysteria.
His scraggy arms, with their tattered clothes, writhed in the air as he
beat the drum above him. His head began to nod from side to side; his
eyes glowed like coals; his tongue hung from his mouth; foam gathered
at his lips.
"Ootah! Ootah! May his _kaneg_ (head) swell with the great fire! May
he see horrors that do not exist--what the wicked dead dream in their
frigid hell! May the wrath of the spirits descend upon him! May the
wrath of the spirits descend upon him!"
Sipsu uttered short howls. Maisanguaq joined in the incantation, and
re-echoed the blighting curses.
"May he suffer from _kangerdlugpoq_ (terrible body pains). May they
end not! May he lie awake forever! May he never sleep! May his teeth
chatter during the great dark!"
Sipsu groaned. He worked himself into an ecstasy of torture. His form
became a black whirling figure in the dim tent.
"May Ootah's eyes close, may the lids swell; may they burn with fire."
"May he never see the light of day--may he never aim the arrow--may his
harpoons strike forever in the darkness!" Maisanguaq replied
rancorously. "May the wrath of the spirits descend upon him!"
"May Ootah's tongue fasten to his mouth--may it be as the tongues of
dead _ahmingmah_ (musk oxen)," chanted Sipsu. "May he never speak--may
Annadoah never hear his voice," chorused Maisanguaq.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|