Blessed gift of joy is bestowed upon Man

In a time known to the Kanglanek people, humans lived without joy. Their days were filled with work, eating, and sleeping, one day indistinguishable from the next. Among them lived a man and his wife near the sea, raising three sons eager to become skilled hunters like their father. As the boys grew, their parents took comfort in knowing they would be cared for in their old age. However, tragedy struck when the two eldest sons vanished while hunting, leaving the parents in deep sorrow and fear for their youngest, Ermine, who had begun accompanying his father on hunts.

Ermine preferred hunting caribou, while his father sought sea creatures. Gradually, Ermine was allowed to hunt alone inland. One day, he saw a mighty eagle circling above. As Ermine prepared to shoot, the eagle landed nearby, transformed into a young man, and revealed he had killed Ermine’s brothers. He threatened to do the same to Ermine unless he promised to hold a festival of song at home. Ermine, unfamiliar with the concept of song and festivals, agreed to learn from the eagle’s mother. Together, they journeyed to a high mountain where the young eagle’s home stood.

Upon reaching the summit, they heard a loud, rhythmic sound, which the young eagle explained was his mother’s heartbeat. Inside the house, Ermine met the eagle’s aged mother, who agreed to teach him the ways of song and dance. She instructed Ermine and the eagle to build a feast hall, larger and grander than ordinary homes, where many could gather. The mother eagle taught them to create songs, beat drums, and dance with joy. Once their preparations were complete, she advised Ermine to collect meat and seek out men to join the festival. Despite initially feeling alone, Ermine found people in pairs, dressed in various animal furs, who gladly accepted his invitation.

Ermine’s festival was a joyous event filled with song, laughter, and gifts. As dawn broke, the guests departed, transforming into wolves, foxes, and other forest creatures, revealing themselves as the animals sent by the eagle. The power of joy had united animals and humans in celebration. Later, Ermine revisited the eagle, whose mother, rejuvenated by the festival’s joy, thanked him for sharing the gift of song. Thus, the Kanglanek people recount how joy came to humanity, and the eagle became a revered symbol of festivity and song.

This retelling respects the living tradition of the Kanglanek people, whose cultural heritage continues to thrive.