Collected and recorded by
Out of a world of ice and snow come the folktales and traditions of the native peoples of Greenland and Labrador. Collected and originally published in 1875 by a Danish explorer who lived for 20 years among the people of the North, this classic of folklore, myths and legends preserves the authentic voice of these indigenous peoples.
Tales and Traditions of the Eskimo has preserved 150 tales and traditions, including “The Blind Man Who Recovered His Sight,” “The Faithless Wife,” “The Old Bachelor,” The Sons Who Avenged their Mother,” The Child-Monster,” “A Visit to the Giants,” and many more. Rink has also provided an extensive introduction describing the way of life of the Far North.
I have looked long and hard for a collection of stories from the traditions of the Far North — and am delighted to be able to make this book available. These are tales unique for the unusual combination of both drama and spare simplicity — reflecting, in my opinion, the same qualities as the dramatic and spare lands they come from. The tales are approrpriate for a wide range of ages, depending upon the specific tale. Most of them would fascinate children 9 years old or older — a few are adult stories.