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(don’t) come closer child

An Inuit Folklore Haiku

By Oneg In The ArcticPublished 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago 1 min read
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Kids skip cross clear ice

Crackling below, listen

Qalupalik comes

~

In Inuit folklore, the Qalupaliit are strange creatures that live below the ice and in bodies of water in the Arctic. They are a cautionary tale told to children who misbehave and don’t listen. The tale is told to also scare children from going too far out on the ice alone, for they can be snatched and never returned.

The image was created by Michael Goodwin.

You can learn more about the Qalupaliit here:

fact or fictionchildrens poetry

About the Creator

Oneg In The Arctic

A queer storyteller and poet of arctic adventures, good food, identity, mental health, and more.

Co-founder of Queer Vocal Voices

Water is Life ✊

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Excellent storytelling

    Original narrative & well developed characters

  2. Easy to read and follow

    Well-structured & engaging content

  3. Expert insights and opinions

    Arguments were carefully researched and presented

  1. Eye opening

    Niche topic & fresh perspectives

  2. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

  3. On-point and relevant

    Writing reflected the title & theme

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Comments (10)

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  • Christian Bass2 years ago

    Feels like a Stephen King novel, brought to its point. Great.

  • Babs Iverson3 years ago

    Awwww!!! Love it!!!

  • Judey Kalchik 3 years ago

    I bet your student adore you! This is brilliant.

  • A great take on the challenge , love your word,images and the video

  • Oooo, this was so fascinating! You can even write a story using this Qalupaliit. Like some sort of a ice boogeyman, lol!

  • JBaz3 years ago

    Love it

  • Gina C.3 years ago

    Fascinating! Loved learning something new :)

  • Cathy holmes3 years ago

    This is a wonderful, educational piece. Very well done.

  • Heather Hubler3 years ago

    I absolutely love when author's add personal and/or historical notes! It makes the whole experience so rich :) Great idea and loved the haiku itself.

  • Jess3 years ago

    Love this unique and suspenseful take on the challenge, as well as the cultural education. Looking forward to more!

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