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Alika said.
    Sulu said, "When Papa killed his last bear, he put its skull over in a corner and Mama decorated it with beads. Why?"
    "To make its spirit happy. Inu said to always do that."
    Sulu asked, "How does Inu know so much about the spirits of the bears?"
    "Because Inu has been to bear country on the other side of the moon. Like I said, the soul of the bear, the
tornaq,
does not die with the body," Alika said.
    Sulu asked, "Do you think
nanuk
is part human?"
    "It is said that when the bears are in their own houses, they are naked like us, but they put their hides back on when they go outside."
    Sulu asked, "Is it true that long ago
nanuk
took turns being human and even married humans?"
    Alika nodded. "They are much like us. As you know, they can stand on their hind legs, sit down or lean against a hummock. You know the skinned carcass of the bear resembles our bodies. Think about that, Sulu."
    Sulu asked, "Is there any time of the year when
nanuk
is more dangerous?"
    Alika replied, "It all depends on the food supply. One time before you were born, the seals just disappeared. No one knows why they swam away, but the bears were starving and so were we. Then some of the bears came to our village, and Papa stood guard and shot them. It was their survival or ours."
    Sulu asked, "What makes the bear so dangerous?"
    "Papa said that the thin bear is always more dangerous than the fat bear. It is only hunger that causes them to attack humans. I think they are the most dangerous in late summer, when the water is still open and they haven't had many meals. Remember Jimi?"
    "Yes."
    A bear had come into the village and carried Jimi away. He was ten years old, the same age as Sulu. His remains were found two miles from the dwellings, causing much sorrow as well as fright.
    "I hope that doesn't happen to us," Sulu said. "A bear eating me!"
    "Papa always told us to stay away from
nanuk
until we are very experienced hunters. And we must never mistake its speed. It looks slow when it walks along, but an eyeblink will show you just how fast it can run. Suddenly, those jaws that can take an arm off have you by the shoulder. But remember this, Sulu: The bear will let off a slight puff of air before it attacks. If you hear it, shoot. This has happened to Papa a few times. The bear surprised him, and he heard the soft puffs. One time the bear was only five arm-lengths away. Hungry bears will stalk you and come up behind you."
    Sulu said, "I will run."
    Alika said, "You'd better run very fast."
    Sulu yawned.
    "Go to sleep now, Sulu."
    "I will. Thank you for talking." Then he added, "Someday I'll carve a bear of ivory and give it to you." Papa had three walrus tusks waiting for that day. Teacher Etukak would not permit ivory for a while. Sulu could use only soapstone or wood.
    Alika said, "I know it will be beautiful. Now go to sleep."

    Newborn bergs can be five hundred feet
high and reach twice as deep underwater. A berg fifty to
a hundred feet high may have swordlike spikes on
its face because of the way it has melted.

7
    In the middle of the strait, more than fifty miles below Nunatak, Alika, Sulu, and Jamka stood in front of their new home as they floated slowly along. They were looking up at the mock moons. They had seen these friendly moons many times before, but they still watched them because they'd been told the spirits had planted them up there especially for Inuit eyes.
    There were times when the circling moon was visible, but the surrounding small ones were missing. Alika and Sulu wondered where they had gone and why. Inu had once said the small missing moons were asleep below the horizon and would return to be with the moon after they rested.
    Soon, Alika and Sulu crawled down the low entrance tunnel, barely two feet high, followed by Jamka. Then Alika placed a block of hard snow in the tunnel to ward off any wind that might come up. Jamka would again nestle between them in the dank chill. The bedding was already on the sleeping