They all fell to weeping bitterly, saying they would never be disobedient again, if only they could get away from the giant.
Just outside of the cave was a tall post with the giant’s totem, which was a large whale. Mi-e-rak-puk tied the parka to the post and left it hanging there.
Pretty soon, one of the children saw a bird fly by. They all began to sing:
“Please come and set us free, For if we must stay here, Then eaten up we’ll be.”
But the bird was a sea gull, and flapping his beautiful gray wings he sailed past them as though he heard nothing. Then they all fell to crying again.
After a while a weasel came along, and they started again to sing:
“O Weasel, if you are kind, Please come and set us free. For if we must stay here, Then eaten up we’ll be.”
But the weasel went along about his business, and never even turned his head around.
Then the children spied some little mice playing around the foot of the post, and sang their song to them; but the wretched little creatures only frisked their little tails and scampered away.
At last a fox came by, the kind called “cross fox” because he has a beautiful dark cross on his back.
When the fox reached the post, he stopped and sniffed the air and looked up.
Then the little children sang their song once more, and the fox freed them by biting the rawhide rope with which they were tied to the post. But there was one little girl who had fallen asleep, way down deep in one of the sleeves of the parka, and didn’t hear the others when they tumbled out, which they did in such a hurry that they did not notice her absence.
The fox, who was very wise, suggested that they fill the coat with the white reindeer moss which grew so abundantly about them, so that the giant, seeing the coat so full, might think the children were still inside of it. Quickly they set to work and stuffed it out; then, hearing the giant coming, hid themselves behind a clump of low bushes nearby, and watched.
Pretty soon he came striding along with a huge jade knife in his hand which he was busily sharpening on a great boulder he had picked up in front of his cave.
He smacked his lips as he walked along, just as if he were tasting something good.
When he came to the post, he raised the knife and slashed open one of the sleeves, saying, “Now, my little birds, you are going to make me a fine dainty for my dinner!”