Once long long ago there was a fisherman and his family living in the tundra all alone. One day after eating supper he dumped the bones and the broth into the river. At that time he had a net (white fish kind) set in the river which was 100 feet away from their camp.

One day when the fisherman went to check his net he saw a little man called a yukcuaraq "How come you're taking my fish" he yelled at him. But the yukcuaraq just laughed and ran away. So the man went home with nothing.

The next day the fisherman went to check his net again. When he got there he found the yukcuaraq taking his fish again. The fisherman said, "I didn't set the net for you to take my fish!" The yukcuaraq just laughed again and dragged off his long arms where he had stored the fish. And so once more when the fisherman got home he and his family nothing to eat.

Early the next morning the fisherman checked his net again and there the yukcuaraq was getting his fish for the third time. The fisherman said, "Quit taking the fishes!" The yukcuaraq laughed again and said, "They're mine." And away he went dragging his long arms and the fish behind him.

That evening while his family was asleep the fisherman lay awake in bed. Suddenly he heard someone come into the mud house through the doorway. So he got up and looked around. Then the same yukcuaraq jumped on him and they started fighting. They fought and fought and every time the fisherman tried grabbing the yukcuaraq his hands would slip. This was because the yukcuaraq was all slimey and slippery. There was no way of grabbing the little man. Then the fisherman tried to get his hands on seal oil so he could touch the yukcuaraq with some of it. When he finally managed to do this the yukcuaraq suddenly vanished and was never seen or heard from again.

Akqa taumani angun ilani yullqumi witaluneng. Qirarming, autuciq irrnirmi nerarluteng tauna angun inrit, imarquaq-llu quggmun quvluqi. Tuani quvyangrrluni.

Autaucik irrnirmi tuana angun paqti quvanii. teqellrani yukcuaramiq tangirtuq quvaini niqirrluqu. Tuam angun piuk, "ciin pitaunqa tiguaqi!" yukcuaraq ninglaqirrluni. ayaqartuq. Tauna angun utertuq niqinauni.

Unauqani tauna angun autam paqti quvauni, teqilrani autam yukcuaraq autam qivyani niqairai. Tuana angun qanrtuq, "Tuana quvauk eliqsitaqa elipinun neqaunga tegus-qiluqi!" Yukcuaraq ninglaqirluni ayaqartuq tallini qamurluqu niqit iqrarluqi. Autam tauna angun niqinani ataum utertuq.

Unuaqarani autam quvyai paqtai autaum tuam yukcuaraum quvai niqit tirulinai autam. Tuana angun qanirtuq, "Tuana qivyak elliksitaqa elipinun neqangqa tegusqiluqi! Yukcuaraq ninglaqirluni ayaqartuq tallini qamurqu tunuani. Tuana angun niqinani utirtuq. Unuaqatcagami ataum qivauni paqti autaum cali yukcuaram quvyani niqialla. Pingayrluni. qanirtuq angun, "Quvyak tuavit eliqsitaqa tegisqiluqi!" "Wii piqangqa" qanirtuq yukcuaraq.

Unugmi angun witimsiuraluni taqiluarluni acimini. Qaqmai inituq kina itertuq. Maqluni qiyartarluni-llu. Yukcuaraum calnga callucimaqilriq. tuana angun tiluaqaqu pirisiyaglini tusuganaqu. Tuwa-llu angun inqaqarra uquk. Yukcuaram teggaqa tuam angun gacauyak uguq agtuvqarluqu. Tuall-llu yukcuaraq qalraluni tamaryartuq. tangirilraqun gacauyartaur-ulluni.

JOE KAGANAK