Motif
Closed-eye magical transit over water
closed_eye_magical_transit_over_water
A motif of the Sacred Waters and Passage Through Water family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
inuit
-
The Central Eskimo FEASTS, RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR. / CUSTOMS AND REGULATIONS CONCERNING BIRTH, SICKNESS, AND DEATH. / TALES AND TRADITIONS. / ITITAUJANG.; lines 8688-8711 confidence: medium
Ititaujang shuts his eyes; a backbone becomes a kayak and carries him over the lake. When he briefly opens his eyes, the kayak swings and becomes a backbone again; shutting his eyes allows him to land on the island.
The passage links Ititaujang’s successful water crossing to keeping his eyes shut; a brief look causes the kayak to revert toward a backbone, while shutting his eyes restores the journey.
read in the book →