`` In three days we shall lie down and go . Will your tornaq do nothing ? Sing her an angekok 's song to make her come here . '' He began to sing in the high-pitched howl of the magic songs , and the gale went down slowly . In the middle of his song the girl started , laid her mittened hand and then her head to the ice floor of the hut . Kotuko followed her example , and the two kneeled , staring into each other 's eyes , and listening with every nerve . He ripped a thin sliver of whalebone from the rim of a bird-snare that lay on the sleigh , and , after straightening , set it upright in a little hole in the ice , firming it down with his mitten . It was almost as delicately adjusted as a compass-needle , and now instead of listening they watched . The thin rod quivered a little -- the least little jar in the world ; then it vibrated steadily for a few seconds , came to rest , and vibrated again , this time nodding to another point of the compass . `` Too soon ! '' said Kotuko . `` Some big floe has broken far away outside . '' The girl pointed at the rod , and shook her head . `` It is the big breaking , '' she said . `` Listen to the ground-ice . It knocks . '' When they kneeled this time they heard the most curious muffled grunts and knockings , apparently under their feet . Sometimes it sounded as though a blind puppy were squeaking above the lamp ; then as if a stone were being ground on hard ice ; and again , like muffled blows on a drum ; but all dragged out and made small , as though they travelled through a little horn a weary distance away . `` We shall not go to Sedna lying down , '' said Kotuko . `` It is the breaking .
The XXXXX has cheated us .
angekok days ground-ice grunts knockings mitten seconds sleigh tornaq whalebone