A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

Overview

Kumagdlak lives with his wife apart from others. When she sees an umiak and kayaks approaching, his injured leg prevents easy movement. She finds his arrows trembling with his distress. The narration attributes their animation to his power, describes their points as human shinbone and says his breath gives them life. Their behaviour is tied to this owner and crisis, not a claim about ordinary arrows.

From his entrance he shoots across the boats, then sends an arrow through the leading enemy’s bowstring and into the man himself. His wife continues handing him arrows while the attackers’ shots miss. Another inherited object, the thong from his childhood carrying pouch, supplies his defence against incoming weapons. The survivors flee by sea, but he raises a storm that kills them. The living arrows belong to a complete defensive and retaliatory sequence; the story does not give each one a separate personality or name.

Tremble with their owner’s fearLife imparted by his breathCooperate in defence against raiders
01

Origins & earliest records

The volume’s final source list assigns this narrative to Polar Inuit of Smith Sound. Knud Rasmussen collected the material; W. Worster edited and translated the 1921 English selection. No individual storyteller is named here. Worster states that he selected and edited versions, including omissions; this is not an unabridged performance transcript.

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Records & interpretation

The complete Kumagdlak and the living arrows narrative and its final source-list attribution were inspected. The episode begins on printed p. 93.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Eskimo Folk-Tales

    Knud Rasmussen, collector; W. Worster, editor and English translator · 1921

    Kumagdlak and the living arrows, begins printed p. 93. Complete narrative and source-list entry.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Primary textRasmussen/Worster 1921: Kumagdlak and the living arrowsResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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