when words were like magic

In the earliest times when both people and animals lived on earth
a person could become an animal if he wanted to
and an animal could become a human being
sometimes they were people and sometimes animals
and there was no difference
all spoke the same language.
That was the time when words were like magic
the human mind had mysterious powers
a word spoken by chance might have strange consequences
it would suddenly come alive
and what people wanted to happen could happen
all you had to do was say it
Nobody could explain this:
that's the way it was.

Inuit poem