112
ESKIMO FOLK-TALES
with terror. And stones, even those which lie on level ground, and not on any slope at all, roll in fear towards men.
Thus the thunder comes with the south-westerly gales; there is a noise and crackling in the air, as of dry skins shaken, and the sky glows from time to time with the fire from their firestone. Great rocks, and everything which stands up high in the air, begin to glow.
When this happens, men use to take out a red dog, and cut its ear until the blood comes, and then lead the beast round about the house, letting the blood drip everywhere, for then the house will not take fire.
A red dog was the only thing they feared, those girls who were turned to thunder.
