Eskimo Stories

Animal Stories Of The North

Translated by Fainna Solasko
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Illustrated by Y.Rachov

Try To Catch Me

An Eskimo Story told by Kivagme

One summer day Vamyngu, a young frog, saw Crane standing on one leg, dozing.

What a long-legged bird that is! I've never seen another like it" Vamyngu said to herself. She was a very curious frog and went hop-hop-hop to get a closer look.

Crane, meanwhile, was dozing and paying no attention to anything.

"Are you tired of standing on both legs, or does one leg ache?" Vamyngu asked. She was dying to know why Crane had the toes of one foot curled up into a fist.

"No, it doesn't ache, Crane replied grumpily. "I'm just sleepy."

"What s your name?" Vamyngu persisted.

"Siatylgak."

"Why are you cross?"

"I'm not."

"Then let's play, ‘cause I've nothing to do."

"I've had my fill of playing."

"Then let's hop and jump."

"I've had my fill of hopping and jumping."

Then let's have a race! I'll hop away, and you try to catch me."

"I've had my fill of catching."

"Whom did you catch?" Vamyngu asked and looked around. "There's nobody here."

"I caught chatterboxes like you. I've done so much catching my stomach is about to burst. We'll put off our race till tomorrow," Crane said and shut his eyes again.

Vamyngu blinked hard but could not make head or tail of what Crane had said.

Can you?

Eskimo Stories