Nightbringer | The Arthurian Online Encyclopedia

Adlet

Erqigdlet, Erqigdlit

In the chilling realms of Inuit mythology, amidst the frozen landscapes of Greenland, the Labrador, and the Hudson Bay coasts, roams a fearsome race known as the Adlet, also called Erqigdlet or Erqigdlit. These creatures, born of the union between an Inuit woman and a ferocious, giant red dog, embody the eerie fusion of human and canine traits, straddling the line between beast and man.

Described in legend as beings with the lower bodies of dogs and the upper bodies of men, the Adlet command both awe and terror with their formidable appearance. Some tales speak of their wolf-like heads, complete with long snouts, pointed ears, and piercing yellow eyes that gleam with an otherworldly intelligence. Their long, sinewy tails sway with each purposeful stride, while their powerful legs propel them swiftly across the icy tundra.

In the oral traditions of the Inuit people, the Adlet are depicted as towering figures, their stature and strength matched only by their insatiable hunger for flesh. Some stories paint them as cannibals, preying upon unwary travelers who dare to venture too close to their icy domain. With the speed of the wind and the ferocity of the arctic wolf, they hunt their prey relentlessly, their howls echoing across the frozen expanse like a harbinger of doom.

Yet, amidst the fear and dread that surrounds them, there is a tragic undercurrent to the tale of the Adlet. Born of an unnatural union, they are both outcasts and pariahs, shunned by both human and canine alike. Their existence is a reminder of the blurred boundaries between the human and animal worlds, a testament to the mysteries and wonders of the natural world.

In the frozen wastelands of the North, where the line between myth and reality grows thin, the legend of the Adlet endures as a cautionary tale, a reminder of the dangers that lurk in the shadows and the untamed wilderness that lies beyond the safety of the hearth. Yet, amidst the darkness, there is also a glimmer of humanity – a reminder that even the most fearsome creatures are capable of love, longing, and the desire for acceptance in a world that often fears what it cannot understand.


Origin | Inuit