Qiqirn facts for kids
Qiqirn is a large, bald dog spirit from Inuit mythology. The Inuit are native people who live in the Arctic regions of Canada, Greenland, and Alaska. This spirit dog has hair only on its feet, mouth, and the tips of its ears and tail.
When Qiqirn is near, people and dogs can become very sick or even die. However, Qiqirn is scared of humans. If an angakkuq (a traditional spiritual healer or shaman) sees it, the spirit dog will run away. Another similar spirit in Inuit stories is called keelut. It is also a harmful earth spirit that looks like a hairless dog.
Qiqirn in Stories
The Story of Quiquern
The Qiqirn spirit appears in a famous short story by Rudyard Kipling. It's called "Quiquern" and is part of his book, "The Second Jungle Book". In Kipling's tale, Quiquern is a huge, ghostly dog. It has no teeth and no hair. It also has many legs, sometimes six or eight pairs!
People say Quiquern wanders around before important events happen. When it appears, dogs sometimes go crazy. In the story, two young Inuit hunters are trying to find food. Their tribe is starving. They think Quiquern is guiding them.
A Surprising Discovery
The hunters follow the many-legged "spirit." They soon discover it is not a spirit at all. It is actually two sled dogs whose collars got tangled together. This made them look like one creature with many legs.
Even though it wasn't a spirit, the hunters realized something important. The dogs they found were well-fed. This meant the "spirit" had guided them to a place where there was food. So, in the end, it still helped them find what they needed for their tribe.
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