Week 10 Story: The Terrible Fate of Papik
My name is Papik, and I married a beautiful woman in my settlement. My wife had a brother who was skillful in hunting. So, I decided to go out with him so that we may hunt together. However, with every hunt, I came home with nothing, while my wife's brother came home with plenty of seals. With each passing hunt, I become increasingly more jealous and envious.
So, one day while my wife's brother and I were out hunting, I plotted to rid myself of my great envy. My wife's brother was out on his kayak, hunting a group of black seals. I came up behind him in my own kayak, harpoon in hand and ready to strike its target. Instead of striking one of the seals in the group, my harpoon found its target in the side of my wife's brother.
He let out a cry of pain and looked at me with his tearful eyes. I pulled upon the line of my harpoon, overturning him from his kayak and into the freezing waters. So, I watched as his life slowly left his body and made my way back home to my wife, knowing that I would no longer be envy of her brother.
I was silent upon coming home, and my wife's mother was quite angry. She accused me of killing her son, to which I denied greatly. She was adamant in her accusation and told me what she would eat me alive for the murder of her son. Her threat frightened me, though I had some doubt that she would follow through with her threat.
The next day, I heard news of my wife's mother apparent death, drowning herself near the shore while covered with her bearskin. Now her threat frightened me greatly, for surely she would haunt me as a ghost.
Many months passed without any instances, for I was too frightened to venture out to hunt. Eventually, I ceased to remember her threat and decided to go out to hunt with my fellow men. So, I picked a place a bit farther off than the other men and set down my line.
I had only faintly heard the sound of creaking snow and ice when I was encased in a thick and ominous fog. Frantically, I looked around for my fellow men, but they were nowhere to be found. Out of the fog, I could make out a large figure, towering and eerie. I called out to it, only to be met with a roar so ferocious and powerful that I fell down on the snow. I shouted for help from my fellow men and was utterly helpless as this evil beast loomed over me.
So, I knew the time of my doom had come. The beast pounced toward me, grabbing me with its powerful claws and crushing me with its muscular jaw. I was left with cuts all over my body, and my life had left my body just as my wife's brother's life had left his.
Author's Note: The story I wrote for this week was based off of the story of Papik, Who Killed His Wife's Brother. The original story tells of Papik, who often went hunting with his wife's brother, Ailaq. However, Ailaq always brought home the rewards from the hunt, while Papik came home empty-handed. So, Papik grew so envious of Ailaq that he killed him. Ailaq's mother accuses Papik of murder, to which Papik denied. Ailaq's mother then swears to exact her revenge upon Papik in the form of a ghost. She then appears before Papik as he is out hunting on the ice and attacks him as a massive bear. After, the evil beast makes its way towards the settlement, where dogs and men were afraid to bark or approach. Eventually, the beast was slain with harpoons, and the bones were discovered to be human, suggesting that this was the mother of Ailaq. My rendition of the original story illustrates the perspective of Papik to readers. His emotions are revealed in further detail, and readers can envision how he might have felt as he was surrounded by fog and the evil beast came upon him. His utter fear and resentment is purposely conveyed to readers and results in a fresh take on an original story.
Bibliography: Papik, Who Killed His Wife's Brother from Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rasmussen with illustrations by native Eskimo artists (1921)
So, one day while my wife's brother and I were out hunting, I plotted to rid myself of my great envy. My wife's brother was out on his kayak, hunting a group of black seals. I came up behind him in my own kayak, harpoon in hand and ready to strike its target. Instead of striking one of the seals in the group, my harpoon found its target in the side of my wife's brother.
He let out a cry of pain and looked at me with his tearful eyes. I pulled upon the line of my harpoon, overturning him from his kayak and into the freezing waters. So, I watched as his life slowly left his body and made my way back home to my wife, knowing that I would no longer be envy of her brother.
I was silent upon coming home, and my wife's mother was quite angry. She accused me of killing her son, to which I denied greatly. She was adamant in her accusation and told me what she would eat me alive for the murder of her son. Her threat frightened me, though I had some doubt that she would follow through with her threat.
The next day, I heard news of my wife's mother apparent death, drowning herself near the shore while covered with her bearskin. Now her threat frightened me greatly, for surely she would haunt me as a ghost.
Many months passed without any instances, for I was too frightened to venture out to hunt. Eventually, I ceased to remember her threat and decided to go out to hunt with my fellow men. So, I picked a place a bit farther off than the other men and set down my line.
I had only faintly heard the sound of creaking snow and ice when I was encased in a thick and ominous fog. Frantically, I looked around for my fellow men, but they were nowhere to be found. Out of the fog, I could make out a large figure, towering and eerie. I called out to it, only to be met with a roar so ferocious and powerful that I fell down on the snow. I shouted for help from my fellow men and was utterly helpless as this evil beast loomed over me.
So, I knew the time of my doom had come. The beast pounced toward me, grabbing me with its powerful claws and crushing me with its muscular jaw. I was left with cuts all over my body, and my life had left my body just as my wife's brother's life had left his.
Ferocious Bear Roaring - Courtesy of Salt Lake Running Company
Author's Note: The story I wrote for this week was based off of the story of Papik, Who Killed His Wife's Brother. The original story tells of Papik, who often went hunting with his wife's brother, Ailaq. However, Ailaq always brought home the rewards from the hunt, while Papik came home empty-handed. So, Papik grew so envious of Ailaq that he killed him. Ailaq's mother accuses Papik of murder, to which Papik denied. Ailaq's mother then swears to exact her revenge upon Papik in the form of a ghost. She then appears before Papik as he is out hunting on the ice and attacks him as a massive bear. After, the evil beast makes its way towards the settlement, where dogs and men were afraid to bark or approach. Eventually, the beast was slain with harpoons, and the bones were discovered to be human, suggesting that this was the mother of Ailaq. My rendition of the original story illustrates the perspective of Papik to readers. His emotions are revealed in further detail, and readers can envision how he might have felt as he was surrounded by fog and the evil beast came upon him. His utter fear and resentment is purposely conveyed to readers and results in a fresh take on an original story.
Bibliography: Papik, Who Killed His Wife's Brother from Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rasmussen with illustrations by native Eskimo artists (1921)
Hi jackie great job! one of my greatest fears is encountering a bear who would attack. They are not only massive but fast and can climb and swim! Definitely powerful creatures! Theres not really much you could do if you encounter them. I like how stayed true with the story itself but gave more perspective into the view of Papik. Letting the readers understand his emotions, thoughts, and regrets. A mothers wrath is certaintly scary especially when she’s a bear! I would have loved to see the the wifes brother come for revenge as well and see more into his perspective and reaction to his murder. As for suggestions you did really well I don’t really have any except maybe assigning names to the characters like the mother and brother so it flowed better than wifes brother. Its something I tend to do as well so im trying to work on it.Great job! I also enjoyed how you were detailed in the surroundings and the emotions its definitely something I need to work on!
ReplyDeleteHi Jackie,
ReplyDeleteA lesson that stood out to me in this story is that karma will come back and get you. Papik was so envious of his wife's brother that he did something that he knew was not right, but jealousy overtook him. He then died later in the story while out hunting as well. I like how dark this story was. It made me wonder what was coming next and kept me on my toes while reading it. Great job on being descriptive when Papik was surrounded by fog. It made the story that much more interesting because I knew what Papik was feeling.