"The father did not sleep well that night,
as he was so worried. In the morning, he
got up and used his magic to ask where
the child may have been taken. When
he asked, he was told where the amajurjuk
had taken the child."
I am always happy to receive books from Inhabit Media in Iqaluit, Nunavut. Their books are written to share traditional stories from the Inuit culture with all children, as well as other stories from their Arctic communities.
In this book, the Amajurjuk is wandering through the frozen landscape when she hears a baby crying. The sound is coming from a nearby iglu. She steps inside to find a blind woman and her child alone. The woman cannot see her scary visitor and thus shows no fear. Seeing an opportunity to steal the child away, the amajurjuk offers help. She puts the child in her wooden amauti, and leaves. Only then does the mother sense something is wrong.
When her husband returns from hunting, she pores out her story and her sorrow. The following morning, he uses his magic to find out where the amajurjuk is. So begins his quest to find his child and return home with her. When he arrives at the described place, he is fearful of meeting the ogress inside her lair. He decides to wait for his chance to grab his child and escape. It takes patience and preparation.
The second time the amajurjuk lets the child outside on a braided sinew, the father grabs the child, ties a rock to the sinew, and finds a hiding place. The amajurjuk is furious and exits her lair. Seeing no one, and threatened by a tiny bird that would like to eat her big toe, she flees - and disappears.
Elder Levi Illuitok tells a powerful and hopeful story, and Ben Shannon creates expressive characters and often terrifying images. In the end, love wins out and father and daughter make their return home.
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