QUEBEC-RESEARCH-L ArchivesArchiver > QUEBEC-RESEARCH > 2004-07 > 1090533351
Subject: Excerpt Of History Folklore
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 17:55:51 EDT
"Once long ago, Man went hunting along the water's edge for seals. To Man's
delight, many seals were crowded together along the seashore. He would
certainly bring home a great feast for Woman and Son. He crept cautiously towards the
seals. The seals grew restless. Man slowed down, suddenly, the seals began to
slip into the water. Man was frantic. His feast was getting away.
Then Man saw a single seal towards the back of the group. It was not moving
as quickly as the others. Ah! Here was his prize. He imagined the pride on
Woman's face, the joy in Son's eyes. Their bellies would be filled for many days
from such a seal.
Man crept towards the last seal. It did not see him, or so Man thought.
Suddenly, it sprang away and slipped into the water. Man rose to his feet. He was
filled with a strange emotion. He felt water begin to drip from his eyes. He
touched his eyes and tasted the drops. Yes, they tasted like salty water.
Strange choking sounds were coming from his mouth and chest.
Son heard the cries of Man and called Woman. They ran to the seashore to find
out what was wrong with Man. Woman and Son were alarmed to see water flowing
out of Man's eyes.
Man told them about the shore filled with seals. He told how he had hunted
them, and how every seal had escaped his knife. As he spoke, water began to flow
from the eyes of Woman and Son, and they cried with Man. In this way, people
first learned to weep.
Later, Man and Son hunted a seal together. They killed it and used its skin
to make snares for more seals."
An Eskimo story......................"The First Tears"