Most Eskimo of Northern Canada have an Old Woman legend. The Eskimo of the central arctic called her SEDNA.

Two giants co-existed peacefully along side the Eskimo. No one knew where they came from or their names. They had a girl child who had an enormous appetite and little concern for what she ate. One night the giants were awaken to the realisation that their daughter was chewing on their limbs.

Horrified, the giants gathered up the girl and rowed her out to the middle of the sea. There they began to cut off her fingers and toes and throw them into the sea. The fingers and toes turned into whales and seals. On seeing this, the giants threw the entire girl into the sea and paddled furiously for home.

The girl became SEDNA, Mother of the Sea. SEDNA controlled all the elements of the sea. She, when angry, could create storms and other bad conditions. She could tell the seals and whales to move away from hunting grounds.