Katyutayuuq Spirit (c.1985)

“The stories of the first people of long ago went like this: Some migrants were traveling this day leaving one lot of them behind. In the night, while it was dark, those who were left behind were entered upon by big Katyutayuuq. When it came in, the big Katyutayuuq said, “He is mine, he is mine, he is mine, he is mine” (i.e., mine to eat).

Big Brown, Big Stomach, Short Throat, Big Daughter, Big Tail, and Big Ptarmigan—those are quite a few, but I do not know the name of three — those ones were come in upon. The big Katyutayuuq was scratched by the One-Who-Says-‘Uriu’ (the call of the Ptarmigan). The One-Who-Says-‘Uriu’ scratched a long time, almost all night long. Big Katyutayuuq’s face was all mangled up. Because it was mangled, it went outside during the night. Then they sat up frightened all night long, not going out even when it became dawn. Only when it was fully day did they go out, for they were afraid of the big Katyutayuuq with its great big head and breasts on the cheeks, two big ones. So the story goes. That’s all; I stop.”

Story by Davidialuk Alasua Amittu from Inuit Stories: Povungnituk, Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1988