An old man warns his three sons not to climb the roof, but the eldest and middle sons ignore him and both meet Gege-Woman, who catches fish with her breeches. They each reject her food and are devoured by wolves, bears, and wolverines. The youngest son, however, marries her, and with his father’s help, traps the beasts. Gege-Woman chases him, but after a fight with another woman, both die. The son and his family become rich.
Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918
► Themes of the story
Supernatural Beings: Gege-Woman herself is a supernatural entity capable of summoning wolves, bears, and wolverines to enforce her will.
Trials and Tribulations: The youngest son’s journey involves overcoming the peril posed by Gege-Woman, surviving her pursuit, and ultimately leading his family to prosperity.
Conflict with Authority: The sons’ decision to ignore their father’s explicit warning highlights a classic struggle between youthful defiance and parental authority, resulting in severe repercussions for the elder siblings.
► From the same Region or People
Learn more about the Chuvan people
In Russian, Гегйка Баба which probably means “woman who cried ‘gege’!
Told by Mary Alin, a Russianized Chuvantzi woman. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, in the village of Markova, the Anadyr country, winter of 1900.
There was an old man and his wife. They had three sons. The old man said to his sons, “Listen, my children! Do not climb the roof, do not climb to the upper beam.” The next morning the elder son climbed to the roof and mounted the upper beam. He saw from there, on the seashore, that a young woman was catching fish with her own breeches. He descended and went to the shore. Gege-Woman was there catching fish with her breeches. “Ah, you have come!” — “Yes, I have.” — “Do you want to take me for your wife? If so, I will cook some food for you.” — “All right!”
They went home. Gege-Woman cooked some fish, and offered it to her future husband; but he pushed it off, and the fish fell to the ground. “Who wants to eat of your nasty fish, Breeches-Caught?” He left the house; but Gege-Woman followed him, and called aloud, “Gege, wolves, gege, bears, gege, wolverines, poz, poz, poz!” [one of the calls addressed to the dog-team] So the wolves, the bears, and the wolverines came and devoured him. The old man had lost the first son.
► Continue reading…
The second son, mounted the roof, and saw Gege-Woman catching fish with her breeches. He went the same way, and came to the shore. “O young man! take me for your wife. If you are willing, I will cook some food for you.” — “All right!” They went home, and she cooked some fish and offered it to her visitor; but he pushed it off. “Who wants to eat of your nasty fish, Breeches-Caught?” He left the house; but she followed him, and called aloud, “Gege, bears, gege, wolves, gege, wolverines, poz, poz, poz!” Bears, wolves and wolverines came and devoured him. The old man had lost his second son.
The third and the youngest son mounted the roof, and saw Gege-Woman. He went to the seashore. “O young man! take me for your wife. I will cook some food for you.” “All right!” He ate of the food. So they lived together. She forbade the bears and the wolves to devour the young man. Meanwhile the old man built a number of deadfalls and other traps. He caught all the bears and wolves and wolverines one by one. Then he said to his boy, “You may go away. There is nobody left to destroy you.” That very night he fled from there. Gege-Woman followed him. He saw a small stream of smoke coming out of the ground, and plunged down. It was the underground house of Haihai-Woman. [in Russian Гайгайка Баба “woman crying ‘hai, hai!’”] “Oh, oh I give me back my husband!” “I will not. He shall be mine.” So the two women fought and killed each other. He went out, and fled to his parents’ house. They visited the houses of the dead woman, and took everything there was. So they grew rich.
That is all.
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Dreamtime Whispers 