''The Curse of the Viking Grave'' is a children's

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

by Farley Mowat, first published in 1966. It is a sequel to the award-winning ''

Lost in the Barrens ''Lost in the Barrens'' is a children's novel by Farley Mowat, first published in 1956. Later editions used the title ''Two Against the North''. It won Governor General's Award in 1956 and the Canada Library Association Book of the Year for Ch ...

''. Set in the Canadian north, it is a novel of adventure and survival, with much information about the northern land and its peoples.

Main characters

*Jamie Macnair, 15-year-old Scottish Canadian orphan *Peetyuk Anderson, the son of an English trapper and an Ihalmiut woman *Awasin Meewasin, the son of the chief of the

Cree The Cree ( cr, néhinaw, script=Latn, , etc.; french: link=no, Cri) are a Indigenous peoples of the Americas, North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations in Canada ...

s at Thanout Lake *Angeline Meewasin, Awasin's sister, the daughter of the chief of the Crees

Plot summary

The novel is set in the northern Manitoban forests and in the Barrens to the north. Jamie, Awasin, and Peetyuk divide their time between studying with Jamie's uncle, Angus Macnair, and trapping in the woods. When the Chipeweyan camp nearby succumbs to deadly influenza, the boys help with supplies and nurse the survivors, while Angus travels south in search of medical help. However, Angus contracts pneumonia on the journey and is hospitalized. Jamie is anxious both to obtain money for Angus's treatment and to avoid being placed with Child Welfare. He prepares to return to the Viking tomb he discovered (in ''Lost in the Barrens'') which he believes may contain valuable archaeological relics. The boys and Awasin's sister, Angeline, set out to the still frozen north by dog sled and cariole and eventually meet up with Peetyuk's people, with whom they stay until the thaw. They realize that the Ihalmiut are struggling to survive, and so they decide that most of the profits from the grave should go to help them. The medicine man tells them the story of the heroic Viking known as Koonar and claims that a curse will descend on anyone who disturbs his rest. Defying the curse, Jamie uncovers a sword, a soapstone box, and other ancient pieces. Planning to take the artifacts to

Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1 ...

, the travelers set out again, this time by canoe, and brave the treacherous Big River which leads to

Hudson Bay Hudson Bay ( crj, text=ᐐᓂᐯᒄ, translit=Wînipekw; crl, text=ᐐᓂᐹᒄ, translit=Wînipâkw; iu, text=ᑲᖏᖅᓱᐊᓗᒃ ᐃᓗᐊ, translit=Kangiqsualuk ilua or iu, text=ᑕᓯᐅᔭᕐᔪᐊᖅ, translit=Tasiujarjuaq; french: b ...

Film adaptation

''Lost in the Barrens II: The Curse of the Viking Grave'', a film based on the novel, was made for television in 1991, directed by Michael Scott. It was described as having the look and feel of a 1930s Saturday matinee adventure film.

References

1966 Canadian novels Novels by Farley Mowat Canadian children's novels Novels set in Manitoba McClelland & Stewart books Canadian novels adapted into films 1966 children's books Novels set in the Northwest Territories {{Canada-novel-stub