Traditional Stories
Reindeer, Crow, and Evil Spirit
There was a herder who had only a few reindeer. An evil spirit kept coming around chasing those reindeer off in all directions.
The crow decided to help the herdsman.
The evil spirit wanted to fly, and the crow agreed to help him if he wouldn't bother those reindeer any more.
The evil spirit got up on the back of the crow's neck. Up they went until the earth looked the size of a sealskin.
They went further, until the earth looked the size of a dish, and still further, until the whole earth looked the size of the heel part of a boot sole.
Then the crown turned over and dropped the evil spirit.
Now he was flying! When he flew right side up he laughed, "Ho, ho, ho!" When he flew upside down he pulled in his breath, "Ahhhh!"
Over and over he went until he landed back on the earth. He landed headfirst and sank into the ground so that only his legs were sticking up.
The herder came back from gathering up his reindeer, and he was delighted. At last he had a place to tie them to!
