The girl in the stone chest

A poorly dressed orphan suitor seeks a girl locked in a stone chest, receiving magical help from a Mouse-woman to enter. After obtaining mysterious wolf-skin trimming through a cunning encounter with a giant, he consummates his marriage, with his father-in-law dying shortly after his return.

Source
The Jessup North Pacific Expedition
edited by Franz Boas
Memoir of the American Museum
of Natural History – New York
Volume VIII
1. Chukchee Mythology
by Waldemar Bogoras
Leiden & New York, 1910

► Themes of the story

Forbidden Knowledge: The suitor gains secret information from the Mouse-woman on how to access the stone chest, leading him to the concealed girl.

Cunning and Deception: The suitor uses cleverness to outwit the giant, obtaining the desired wolf-skin trimming through stealth.

Supernatural Beings: The Mouse-woman and the giant represent otherworldly entities that influence the suitor’s journey.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

This tale is probably borrowed from the Russian or from the Yukaghir, or at least is strongly influenced by the folk-lore of these peoples.

Told by Nikon Rite’greu, a River Chukchee man in a settlement “By the Cliffs,” on the Middle Anadyr.

There lived an old man who had an only daughter. He kept her in a large stone chest. Although her suitors were many, they could not do anything, since the girl was shut up in the chest. She was sitting there, with a lamp. She was very pretty. All the time she was sewing and preparing new clothes for herself. An orphan, poorly dressed, also wanted to be a suitor. He lost his way, however, in a storm. At last he saw a house. “Who is there?” — “I am here.” — “Who are you?” — “I lost my way in a storm.” — “Indeed!” The woman returned to the sleeping-room. “He, you! There is meat in the store-room. [Ya’nak, “in the background of the tent, behind the sleeping-room”] Take some and eat it.” — “I will.” He went to the store-room. A Mouse-woman come out from there, and asked him, “Who are you?” — “I am a suitor.” — “All right! I will give you some of my saliva. Rub that upon the stone, then you will find a nail. Press that nail down. The chest will open, and let you in.” He rubbed. The trunk opened. He saw a naked girl, who was lying on her back fast asleep. He pressed her down. “Ah, ah, ah!” cried the girl; and the father cried from the sleeping-room, “I knew he was not a stray visitor, he is a suitor. — Well, then, if you have become my son-in-law, go and procure some good trimming for my fur-shirt collar.”

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“All right!” But he did not know what kind of trimming was wanted. He set off, and at last was out of the bright world, and entered the dark one. He walked in the dark, and soon heard noise and thunder. A man was snoring. He came nearer, and found a house as large as a mountain. His ears rang with the noise. He entered, however, and saw a man as big as a tall tree. He was asleep and snoring. He had a very long beard. He caught him by the beard and wound his hand twice in it. Then he pulled up his head and drew the pillow from under the sleeping one. He emptied the pillow-bag, and rummaged among the contents. He found a piece of wolf-skin all clotted. He put it into his bosom; then he caught the sleeping man by the beard, just as before, and put his head upon the pillow. After that, instead of going out, he jumped up, caught hold of one of the roof-poles, and passed through the vent-hole to the top of the tent. There he also lay down to sleep, and snored too. The large one awoke. “Who is snoring there on top of the tent, disturbing my sound sleep so shamelessly?” He looked for the footprints; but all of them led only to the tent, and none led out. The large one was puzzled, then he lay down and snored again. Then the other one left. Before he returned home, he grew old. Just as he came, his father-in-law dropped down and died.

The end.

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Tale about Qolento’

A sickly orphan boy, guided by a ke’le spirit, transforms and embarks on a quest to capture a murderous ke’le’s wife. With magical provisions and his eight uncles, he sails across the sea, defeats the ke’le, claims his wife, and receives substantial rewards, ultimately becoming a prosperous reindeer breeder.

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The protagonist undergoes a significant change from a weak, sickly boy to a prosperous individual, highlighting themes of personal growth and metamorphosis.

Divine Intervention: The ke’le spirit’s guidance plays a crucial role in the boy’s journey, representing the influence of supernatural forces in human affairs.

Quest: The boy’s journey across the sea to capture the ke’le’s wife exemplifies a classic quest narrative, involving a challenging journey undertaken to achieve a specific goal.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Nuten-qeu’, a Maritime Chukchee man from the village of Nunae’mun, in the village of Uni’sak at Indian Point, May, 1900

Near the village Nuna e’mun in a place called Ci’ni, an orphan boy lived with his aged grandmother. The boy was all covered with scabs, and so weak was he that he could hardly move about. The grandmother was unable to get much food. So they suffered great hunger. One time the boy was sitting alone in the sleeping-room in utter darkness. Then he heard a voice, “Egegegegei’.” A ke’le came to him in the darkness. “Oh, I have come! “Egegegegei’!” and still louder, “Egegegegei’.” — “Ah, ah! What is coming there? Is the (Spirit of) Epilepsy coming?” — “No, I am not coming to strike you down with epilepsy. I come through compassion for you. Why are you lying thus?” — “I am unwell.” — “Oh, indeed! Have you eaten anything today?” — “Nothing at all.” — “There, eat that!” The boy stretched out his hand in the darkness, and there was in it a little piece of dried meat. He put it into his mouth and began to chew. The meat in his mouth gradually grew larger. He swallowed, but still his mouth was full. He ate and ate, and his belly became full. When he wanted no more, the food vanished.

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“Well, then, go across the sea and take the pretty young wife from the bad murderous ke’le who is living there. Take your eight uncles as paddlers in the boat.” Indeed, the grandmother had a younger brother, who lived in Nunae’mun, and who had eight sons. “But they will not go.” — “Send your grandmother to Nunae’mun: they will obey. Now I am going. Brrr!” [The so-called moomga’tirgin (“gibbering”), a characteristic sound somewhat similar to the buzzing of a fly. It is supposed to be the voice of the ke’le.] The ke’le went out. He was still lying in the darkness. The old grandmother came home. “Oh, oh, I am so tired! I am hardly able to procure food at my age. Well, I have brought some few scraps. Here, eat!” — “No.” — “What is the matter with you? Are you dying?” — “No.” — “Then what is the matter?” — “I have had enough.” — “What have you had?” — “Oh, cease! I want to send you to Nunae’mun, that you may call my eight uncles as boat-paddlers on a journey of mine.” — “Where are you going?” — “I am going to get the pretty young wife of the old ke’le, who lives across the sea.” — “Oh, you shall not!” — “Now, then, I shall kill you!” The grandmother went out of the house, sat close by, and wept bitterly. She covered her face with her palms. “How can I get to Nunae’mun? It is too far for me.” While she was weeping, she was carried to Nunae’mun quite unawares. She looked up and said, “Is not this a boat-support of my father, made of whale-ribs!” Then she saw her younger brother, who was working on something near his house. He gave her a cordial welcome. “Oh, indeed! have you come?” — “Yes.” — “What is the matter with you? Are you suffering from hunger!” — “No, but my little grandson has ordered me to take your sons as boat-paddlers. He is going to bring here the young wife of a ke’le from across the sea.” He did not say a word against this order. “Oh, hurry up! Go down to the water, get the skin boat ready; cause no delay!” They began to cover the frame of the boat with a skin covering. “Oh, how strange you are! Why are you taking old skins? You are from a family so strong in numbers. The people will point at you. You will be put to shame. The people will say, ‘This numerous family are but bad hunters, since there are no new skins on their boat.’” They listened to his words, and took the hides of walrus newly killed. When everything was ready, they paddled toward the boy’s place.

The boy was lying in the inner room in utter darkness, as before. He was very weak, and covered all over with scabs. “Egegegegei’!” and again, still louder, “Egegegegei’! I have come again!” It was the ke’le. “What are you doing?” — “I am lying down.” — “What for?” — “Because I am very lame.” Then he hears in the darkness, “Toq, toq, toq.” The ke’le passed water in a chamber-vessel. “There, take that, and wash yourself with it all over your body!” He took off his clothes and washed his face and his whole body with this urine. Then he felt of his body with his hands. Oh, it was sleek all over, and his hand just slid along over his skin. “There, put those on!” He took breeches, outer and inner ones, and put them on. “There, also this!” It was a double fur shirt. He felt of it with his hands in the dark. It was covered all over with tassels. The ke’le gave him also a cap, boots, and a scarf. All these he put on. He gave him a small piece of dried meat. “Now, that is your provision for the journey. This will suffice for the whole crew. And here is fresh water and a strike-a-light. Take this small parcel. When you want to rest yourself, unfold it, and then you will see. And this is a paddle, — the arm of a still-born infant, along with the shoulder-blade. The arm is the shaft, and the shoulder-bone the blade. Now I am going. Brrr!” The ke’le vanished. The uncles were coming. “Who is that standing there on the shore?” — “It is your nephew,” says the old woman. “But they say that he is quite lame.” — “It seems that he is well now.” As soon as they landed, he came to meet them. “Let us push off!” — “But we have no provisions, nor fresh water.” — “I have.” They pushed off. While paddling, they asked one another, “But where are his provisions?” Still they have not the heart to ask him. They paddled for a long time, and now were quite far from the shore. Evening came. He asked, “Are you hungry?” — “Yes!” He took his small piece of dried meat and detached for each one a tiny shred no larger than half of a human nail. They looked at it and thought, “Now we are starving to death. Our life is finished.” They began to chew. The meat grew within the mouth. They swallowed, but it was still there. Their bellies were quite full. At last they wanted no more. Then the food vanished. “Do you want a drink?” — “Yes!” He unfolded the parcel and threw it upon the water. It was a small skin rug. It turned into a little island. A small lake was in the middle of this island. They landed on the island, drank from the lake, and eased themselves on the firm ground. After that they took their places in the boat. He took the skin rug by one edge and pulled it aside. Everything vanished. He rolled the parcel up and put it in its former place. The uncles paddled on. Night came. They felt quite exhausted. Then the boy said, “Now you may sleep! I will paddle myself.” He took the infant’s arm and paddled with it. The boat rushed forward more quickly than an American steamer (literally, lelue’tvet, “whisker boat”), more quickly than a flying bird. With such swiftness it moved onward the whole night. The next morning the other men awoke and took their turn in paddling; but the boat moved much more slowly, though there were eight of them.

On the third day there appeared from afar the mountain-ridge near the shore. On the shore was a settlement, — a large group of jaw-bone houses. “Who comes here?” — “Qolento’!” — “Where from?” — “From Nunae’mun.” — “What for?” — “To take the ke’le’s wife from him.” — “Oh, oh! do not speak so loud. He will hear you. How strange you are! He will hear, and then he will eat all of you. Better take wives here.” — Oh, the paddlers were frightened! “It is land. Let us land here.” — “Oh, you good-for-nothings! you are the cause of the delay. Paddle on.” The ke’le was sitting on a cliff with his wife. He had eyes of fire, and a long tongue lolling down on his breast.

“Who is coming?” — “Qolento’.” — “What for?” — “For you to eat. I have come, and have brought eight companions.” Oh, he was glad! “Whom shall I eat first, whom shall I eat first?” — “How strange you are! They have paddled so long, they are quite exhausted. First give them food.” — “All right! Bring some whale-skin, walrus-blubber, reindeer-fat, and reindeer-tenderloin. Let them eat their fill.” They ate. Now, whom shall I eat first, whom shall I eat first?” — “How strange you are! They have not slept. Let them rest themselves. You shall eat them tomorrow morning. They shall not go away, since I brought them for your food.” They slept. Early in the morning the ke’le called out, “Qolento’, get up! Whom shall I eat first, whom shall I eat first?” Qolento’ had a small stone. He selected one paddler and drew a line with this stone all over his body, from the crown of his head to the tip of his toes. Then he pushed him forward. “Here, eat him!” The ke’le wanted to chew, but could not do anything. He left him, and he rose to his feet. “Oh, he is too tough! I cannot eat him. Give me some one with meat more tender!” — “Then take this one!” But this one was also as hard as stone. He could do nothing to any of the eight. “Oh, is there no one who is more tender?” — “Perhaps I am. Try me!” As soon as the ke’le wanted to catch him, he struck him with the stone upon the head and killed him. His wife was quite young, of human origin, had hardly once been slept with. Qolento’ took her for himself. She said, “But he has another wife, an old one. She is very bad. She will kill you.” — “We shall see!” — “Yes, she will, even with copulating she will kill you, with her vulva, which has strong teeth.” — “Oh, oh!” — “And also with her anus, which also has teeth.” — “Oh, oh!”

Qolento’ had a retriever [an implement for securing killed seals floating upon the water before the go down]. It had long hooks. He brought it along. A stamping of feet was heard from without, and a voice called, “Where is that Qolento’; the mischievous one? He has carried away other men’s wives. He has killed my husband. There, now! let him take me, and fare as my husband fared.” — “All right!” They entered the sleeping-room. “Copulate with me!” The woman lay down and spread her legs apart. He took his stone, still covered with her husband’s blood, and shoved it into her vulva. She caught it greedily, and all her teeth stuck in it. She turned toward him her anus. “Copulate also into the anus!” He shoved into the anus the retriever with many hooks. All the teeth of the anus stuck into the retriever. She tried to chew it, but could do nothing. So at last she choked herself to death with it and was destroyed.

He took the other woman. She was very pretty. He took also all the property. They came back to the settlement. No one came to meet them, so frightened were they. Then Qolento’ called out, “Come out! I have killed him.” Oh, they rushed onward. They caught the best of their girls and put them into the boat for wives for the paddlers, and the girls consented with joy.

They left, and went across the sea. When they were nearing Nunae’mun, they saw upon the cliff eight large tents. Each tent had a reindeer-herd of its own, two herdsmen, and a large bag of tobacco in the outer tent. “This is your reward for the journey.” The front house had two herds, and two bags of tobacco for the master. “From now on be reindeer-breeders! So they left Nunae’mun for Chi’ni, and became reindeer-breeders. They lived there.

That is all.

Reindeer-Born

A herdsman survives a murderous infant ke’le by fleeing to his sacrificial being’s realm. Marrying a woman there, he later returns home, outwits the ke’le using clever tricks, and receives help from wolves who ultimately kill the monster, allowing him to return to his new wife and herd.

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The narrative centers around a ke’le, a malevolent supernatural entity born from a reindeer, and the herdsman’s interactions with beings from another realm.

Cunning and Deception: The herdsman uses clever strategies to outwit the ke’le, showcasing the theme of using wit to overcome adversaries.

Sacred Spaces: The herdsman’s arrival in the realm of his Sacrifice-receiving Being and his marriage to the woman there highlight the significance of holy or spiritually significant locations in the narrative.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

First version was told by Viye’nto the Blind, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

The second version was told by U’ttiqai, a Reindeer Chukchee man, in a camp on the Opu’ka River, near the Koryak Frontier, February, 1901

There was an old man who had a large herd. He had also six sons, who kept watch over the herd by night and day. One day a tumor began to grow upon the neck of the largest buck. This tumor grew larger and larger, and after nine days it burst, and a little infant dropped down from it. It was a boy in a combination-suit, with a diaper, who was already walking. The elder son said, “This is a strange reindeer! Let us slaughter it! And the boy is also strange. No need of him! Let us kill him too!” The old man retorted, “Why do you want to kill him? Maybe he is the real master [the protecting-genius] of the herd. It is sinful to kill him. Also the large buck may still look (i.e., may still be living).” — “All right!”

They took the boy home. In the evening there came a storm. The eldest son went to the herd for his night watch. The infant meanwhile exterminated the whole family. He was a ke’le. Then he rushed toward the herd. The herdsman heard the clattering of his feet, and turned back. He saw him coming, but this one did not notice him. He was looking only at the reindeer. Every reindeer that he could overtake, he would immediately swallow, and run for another one.

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“Oh,” says the herdsman, “is this the real master of the herd? he destroys the whole herd. Oh, the father! I should like to talk with him now.”

Meanwhile the pursuing one was drawing nearer. He had already swallowed quite a number of reindeer. The herdsman thought, “Let me leave the herd and go away. No need of this master for me!” He left the herd and Red across the tundra. On the other end of the pasture-land there was a large tree. He climbed to the top, reached the very tip, then dropped from it upwards, not downwards. Thus he reached the country where dwelled his Being (va’irgin), his own Sacrifice-receiving Being of his.

He came to a camp. A single large house was standing there. A single woman was living in it, old enough, but healthy and strong. She was in looks similar to a young one. Men there were none. The woman was sitting and carefully patching one of her fur stockings. “Oh, oh! a guest!” — “Yes, I am a guest!” — “Where do you come from?” — “Oh, I came from afar. I am from the people of the lower space.” — “And where is your house?” — “I have no house. I have no kinsmen. I am tramping around aimlessly.” — “Well, since you have brought sacrifices to me for a long time, so that I have become rich through you; and, moreover, as men there are none here, and the house lacks a master; and since, living without a husband, I feel quite dull, — if you want to, you may marry me, and be master of the house.” He married her, and they lived on. Their herd was quite large. The woman was a fat one, with a large broad pelvis, good for sleeping with, a skilful seamstress, one who kept the whole house in the best of order. After some time, the man, however, began to feel dull. He thought of his former country, of the herd, the family, his father and brothers. “Oh, if I could only have a look upon all this!” The woman says, “Why are you so sad? What are you thinking about?” — “Nothing,” he answered. The woman, however, said, “I understand you quite well. You are sad because you think, ‘Oh, if I could see once more my old house and family, the country and the herd!’ Well, I am not going to stand in your way. Go and visit them! I won’t be angry with you for that!” He sprang up. “Oh, yes, yes!” She said again, “Here, take it! This is my reindeer with many legs, — a reindeer for flight, for an emergency. Drive it there! If anybody should pursue you, cut off one of its legs, and throw it away. If he should continue to pursue you, cut off another leg; and go on doing so until the reindeer has but four legs left. Then if he should still pursue you, kill the reindeer, leave it behind, and flee.”

He descended to earth directly toward his own tent. He tethered the reindeer, and looked into the tent through a little hole. That infant was sitting in the house. He made a large fire, and cut off one of his own legs. He roasted that over the fire. He was slicing off the roasted crust of the meat and swallowing it piece by piece. All at once he turned his head and saw the new-comer, who was looking through the hole. “Oh, oh! you have come!” — “Yes, I have come.” — “Well, then, come in!” — “Where are the other people?” — “They are among the herd.” Thus the ke’le deceives him. The man brought with him a quantity of food. They ate together. “Oh,” says the ke’le, “now I feel sleepy!” — “All right! Then let me louse you in your sleep!” He loused him and put him fast asleep. After that he looked around in the tent, and saw in the corner some old human bones. “Oh,” said he, “let me rather flee from here!” He took off his outer garment, filled it with ashes, and hung it up on a cross-pole just above the hearth. After that he fled. The ke’le awoke and again felt hunger. “Where has he vanished to, this one?” And he looked around, then upwards. He saw something big hanging down. He caught his knife, then opened his mouth, and threw the knife upwards at the hanging thing. But instead of fresh blood, a shower of ashes fell down, filled his mouth, and got into his eyes. “Oh,” said he, “what a scamp! I will pursue him!”

When he was quite near, the man cut off one leg of his reindeer and threw it down; while the ke’le was eating it, he fled farther on, then he cut off another leg; and so on till the reindeer had but four legs, as ordinary reindeer. The ke’le again drew quite near, so he killed the reindeer. While the ke’le was eating it, he reached the tree from which he had ascended before, and climbed to its top. The ke’le came to the tree, and, instead of climbing it, he began to gnaw through it, and penetrated into the interior of it. There he was gradually ascending from below upwards.

A small bird was chirping on a bough, “Pichi’k, pichi’k!” — “O bird! help me in my need! My murderer is coming up!” — “Ah, ah! Pichi’k, pichi’k!” Two big wolves are coming. They asked the bird, “What do you want?” — “Oh, oh, this master of mine wants help! His murderer is approaching.” — “Where is he?” — “In the inside of the tree.” — “Ah, well, when we shall fight with him, and the blood shall flow in streams, look carefully at the color of the blood. Should the blood be red, then it is ours, and you may say, ‘I am going to die.’ Should the blood be dark, then say, ‘Ah, ah! They are killing him at last.’” They penetrated into the tree, caught the murderer, and a fight began. Oh, what a clatter, noise, grinding of teeth! Then some blood oozed out. It was red. “Oh,” said he, “then I am going to die!” After a while a big stream of black blood rushed down, large as a torrent. “Oh,” said he, “I am glad! My murderer is near his end!” The Wolves came out, and said, “Well, we have killed your enemy at last.”

He returned to his house of the upper country, and lived there with his wife and herd.

Second version

Two people are living, a man and a wife. They bring forth children; but their children fare very badly, because, before having hair on their testicles, they die. The woman is with child and is delivered, but the children die one after another. The old man says, “Oh, it is bad! I will go to the herd and look among the reindeer (for a remedy).” He reached the herd, and saw that one of the reindeer-bucks had a tumor on his neck. Every day this tumor grows larger. At last it ripened and became quite big. Then it burst, and a small boy dropped out of it. The old man took him and carried him to his wife. He said to her, “Give him the breast!” She suckled the boy, because her breasts were just with milk. He grew up soon, and began to go to the herd to keep watch over it. One time, coming back from the herd, he said, “Some of the reindeer are lost!” — “Oh, where are they?” — “I do not know. I looked for them, but I could not find them.” The next day some of the reindeer were lost again. On the following day the same was repeated. The old man said, “Oh, it is strange! Where do these reindeer go?” He quietly followed the son; and when they reached the herd, he saw that his son was destroying reindeer. He would catch a reindeer, put it into his mouth, and swallow it at once. The old man went back to his wife. He said to her, “Oh, it is very strange! Our little son from the reindeer-tumor is destroying the herd. He catches reindeer and swallows them.” They felt afraid, and fled. On their way they met a large Thunder-Bird. “What do you want?” — “We have fared badly. The boy born from a reindeer-tumor is destroying all our herd.” — “Is that so? Well, enter here!” — “Where?” — “Here!” The Thunder-Bird opened his mouth. “Come in!” They entered. In the bird’s interior they found a house, with a lamp and other necessaries. They lived there, and brought forth three sons. Thenceforward their children did not die. One time the old man said, “Let me go and look at our former house!” He went out and crept softly towards the house. There was no house. The boy had eaten up all the covering from the poles. He was looking around and muttering, “Where are those that were destined for my food?” Oh, the old man fled, frightened! All at once the boy scented him. He rushed onward, following the scent. He came to the Thunder-Bird, and said, “Where have you put those people that are destined for my food?” — “They are here!” — “Let them out!” — “No, it is shameful, since they are my guests. I cannot deliver them.” — “Oh, I am hungry! Which way have they taken?” — “This way!” The Thunder-Bird opened his mouth, the ke’le plunged in, but the Thunder-Bird caught him with his beak, and crushed him to pieces. “Well, come out! Your enemy is destroyed… Go home and do not grieve about your herd. You shall have a herd.” They went away, being five of them, together with their sons. The old man gathered reindeer-excrement and piled it up in one place. After five days he visited it. It had turned into a large herd. They lived, and bred reindeer. Soon they became a large settlement. All the time they were bringing forth children.

The monster-woman

A weary hunter encounters a grotesque, one-eyed woman with a monstrous mouth in an underground dwelling. Sensing her predatory nature, he cleverly uses stones to disable her dangerous teeth, rendering her sexually harmless. After neutralizing her threat, he takes her home as a house-slave, transforming a potentially deadly encounter into a strategic survival and subjugation scenario.

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The woman undergoes a physical change when the hunter removes her teeth, rendering her harmless and altering her nature.

Cunning and Deception: The hunter employs clever tactics to deceive the monster-woman and protect himself from harm.

Conflict with Nature: The hunter faces a struggle against a natural force embodied in the monstrous woman, representing a confrontation with a dangerous aspect of the natural world.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Enmu’wgi, a Maritime Chukchee man, in the village Uni’sak, at Indian Point, May, 1901

A man who had a wife went to hunt wild reindeer. He walked around all day, and could not find anything. Evening came. He felt cold. His house was too far away. So he thought, “Where shall I find a suitable place for the night? There is no fuel, nor a human dwelling.” At last he saw traces of a sledge. He followed these. The trail became harder. A dog barked. He saw an underground house. A woman is cooking seal-meat over a lamp, — a strange-looking woman, with one eye in her forehead and her mouth quite big and all awry, still a stout person, with large breasts. She said, “All right! Till now I have not seen a man. Now I have found a husband.” He thinks, “Certainly, she is plump and full-breasted, but her face looks too strange. I will not marry her.”

They ate supper, then the lamp was put out. The woman moves toward him, he moves away. They reached the corner. “Sleep with me!” — “No, I refuse!” — “Yes, do sleep with me!”

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He listens. Something in her body is grinding its teeth like a dog. “I say, sleep with me!” — “No, I am tired. Let it be tomorrow morning.” — “Well! Then at least louse me.” She lighted the lamp again. He loused her, and made her sleep on his lap. He thinks, “What is it in her body that grinds its teeth like a dog? Let me have a look at it.” He looked, and saw that she had plenty of teeth there, as in a wolf’s mouth. “Oh, oh!” says he. He crept out noiselessly. The seashore was full of stones. He took two stones, long and round, of just the size of the membrum virile. Then he went back into the sleeping-room and fell asleep. In the morning she wakened him. “Oh, get up! Make me a wife! Copulate with me!” — “All right!” he says. One of the stones he put between his legs and thrust it into her vulva. Oh, it clashed and ground the teeth. He tore it out. Almost all the teeth were sticking in the stone. Then he used the other one, and drew it back, together with the membrane in which grew the roots of the teeth. Then her vulva became like any woman’s. “Well,” he said, now let us try!” He put his own membrum in there and copulated with her one time and another. She became quite peaceful. He took her home and made her a house-slave.

Sacrifice to the sea

A Maritime man, facing a storm at sea, promises the sea his youngest daughter in exchange for survival. He fulfills his vow by sacrificing her on the shore. A Sea-Being rescues and marries her. Later, she invites her parents to her new home, ultimately avenging herself by pushing her father to his death in the sea.

► Themes of the story

Sacrifice: The father offers his youngest daughter to the sea to ensure his own survival during a storm.

Divine Intervention: A Sea-Being intervenes by rescuing the sacrificed daughter and marrying her.

Revenge and Justice: The daughter avenges her forced sacrifice by causing her father’s death.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Ai’wan, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900

There lived one time a Maritime man. He had eight children. The youngest was a girl. One day he went to hunt walrus. A storm came up, and he was carried out to sea. He was tossed about and nearly drowned. Then he said to the sea, “Oh sea! calm yourself! Do so, that I may still look upon the world! I will give you the best that I have, the nearest to my heart, the foremost dog, the leader of the team, one with a spotted skin I will give you.” The sea did not calm itself. “Oh, then, my youngest daughter, unmarried, a good one, clad in spotted skins! I will give her to you!”

After that the sea smoothed down. He landed on the shore. Then he went up the shore, and entered the house. All the children were with him except the daughter, who still remained on the shore. The mother came out from the house. “Oh, oh, my child! you have roughed the storm!” She was quite sad.

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She looked down at the ground, and said, “Yes!” — “Come in, change your clothes, put on some dry ones.” She entered, downcast, as before. Just as she changed her clothes, the father entered. He took her by the hand, took his spear, and went to the seashore. Then he turned to the sea, and said, “O sea! do not be angry. That which I promised, I give you now.” He pierced her with the spear, and left the body lying there on the shore. An abundance of blood covered the whole beach. It grew dark. She is lying on the sand lifeless. A certain man, a kind of Sea-Being (A’nqa-va’irgin) came to her and pushed her lightly with his toe. “Halloo! Get up! Let us go home!” Then after a little while, again, “Halloo! Get up! Let us go home!” At last she awoke and sat up: “Egegegegei’. I have slept quite long.” He took her to his house and married her. They lived quite well and contented. They had a large reindeer-herd.

The daughter, of course, did not return home. Since the father said nothing, her mother thought, “Let me go and look for her! Where may she be?” She arrived at the place. The blood-stains were on the ground, but the body had disappeared. She found and followed some footprints along the seashore. At last she came to a cliff. The tracks ran upward to the very top. She climbed up, and found a settlement on the very top. Her daughter was busy scraping skins. “Oh, it is here you are staying?” — “Yes.” She lived for some time with her daughter; then the daughter said, “Go and fetch father. I should like to see him also.” The old man was brought and pampered with food. The next morning the sea was rough again. She said to her father, “Let us go and have a look at the sea!” They went to the very edge of the cliff. She said to him, “Look down upon the sea! How rough it is again!” He looked down upon the sea. She pushed him from behind, and he fell down, broke his back, and was taken by the sea.

The end.

The giant

I obtained this tale in the Chukchee language from a man who from his early youth lived with the Eskimo just as much as with the Chukehee. He said that the tale is of Eskimo (Ai’wan) origin. It is difficult, however, to separate folk-lore originally Chukehee from that of Asiatic Eskimo provenience.

► Themes of the story

Mythical Creatures: The narrative features a giant, referred to as Lo’lhilin, who interacts with humans.

Transformation: The youngest brother, initially a regular human, is taken by the giant and eventually grows to become like the giants themselves.

Family Dynamics: The tale involves the relationships between eight brothers, highlighting the youngest’s unique fate compared to his siblings.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by I’rmi, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

Once there lived eight brothers. Seven of them paddled off in a skin boat. The eighth and youngest one staid at home. He went angling. Lo’lhilin, the big man, passed by, and caught him up. He said, “I will carry this home as a toy for my children.” He carried him upon his palm, and tossed him over to his wife. “There, here is a toy for our children!” And at the same time it is a man.

The children played with the living toy, and fed it with their food. So the man began to grow, attained their size, and became a Lo’lhilin.

The brothers landed, and looked around for him. They could not find him, and called out his name. Then he came, took them up, boat and all, and put all this high up on a cliff. Even now they are still there.

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The polygamist

A polygamist strikes his older wife during a dance, causing her to flee on an ice floe. Rescued by Sun-Man, she is given shelter and gifts. She returns home, creates a new dwelling through magical means, reunites with her poorly dressed daughters, and provides them with beautiful clothes, arousing her husband’s younger wife’s envy.

► Themes of the story

Divine Intervention: The older wife is rescued by Sun-Man, a divine figure, who provides her with shelter and gifts.

Magic and Enchantment: She uses magical means to create a new dwelling and improve her situation.

Revenge and Justice: The older wife’s return and improved status serve as a form of justice against her husband’s earlier mistreatment.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Nuwa’t, a Reindeer Chukchee man, in the camp near the village Mi’s-qan, April, 1901

There lived a polygamist (li’milin). He had two wives. By the older wife he had two daughters; by the younger, no children at all. Still he loved the younger wife best. The elder one he did not love at all. One time, at a thanksgiving ceremonial, both women danced. The man with his drum was dancing too. He struck the older wife in the face. She grew angry and went away to the seashore. The ice-floe was separated from the shore by a narrow crack. She jumped over, although she had not even put on her upper garment. The ice was carried away far into the open sea, and at last reached another land.

She landed close to a rock, which was quite steep. All the time she was thinking, “Oh, I have left my two daughters behind me! I made them miserable orphans. From now on they will be badly dressed, clad in worn-out skins, wronged by everybody.” She saw a man upon the rock. He was very large and tall.

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He was Sun-Man (Terkae’-la’ul). His shirt had a hood. The hood was drawn over his face, and the sleeves were drawn over his hands. Still he was full of light, and his head was encircled by a halo. She said to herself, “It seems, he wants to kill me. All right! Let him kill me! My life is a torment to me.” He answered from beneath his hood, “Why should I kill you? On the contrary, I pity you. Therefore I made you come to this land of mine, for you have not come by accident, and still less by your own will. I led you here unbeknown to you.” He took her hand and helped her up the rock. There she saw a large house. It was resplendent with light, and the sleeping-room was aglow with brightness. On both sides of the sleeping-room there were round vessels filled with food. Some contained boiled meat, others were full of tallow, others again were filled with fermented leaves, and some were empty. He said, “All these are sacrificial vessels. The people gave them to me, and some who wanted to cheat me gave me empty vessels. I took everything, as I never refuse a sacrifice.” They lived together. They brought forth a son, then two children more. After a time Sun-Man said, “Well, now, we are from different lands; and you are not homeless, you have your own native country. So go back to your country! Take your children along. On the way you shall not starve. I will procure food for you, also a shelter wherein to rest by night. So far I have made you secure.”

He cut small pieces from his outer tent, also from the sleeping-room, and from every bag of provisions. These pieces he handed over to her, and said, “Put them down into a mitten. Then you may go.” He made her descend along a sun-ray, because they were in the upper world. She thought it was a steep rock, but in reality it was a separate world. She came to the earth. Then she took those pieces out of the mitten and spat upon them. A house was created there, standing upon the shore, not worse than that of the Sun-Man, with bags full of meat, and with various kinds of food. She lived there. Two young girls were walking on the beach, gathering seaweed. “Oh, oh! What girls are those? Are they not daughters of mine? How poorly clad they are! How thinly dressed!” She called them in, and saw that they were really her daughters. “Oh, oh! I am not dead. I am your mother. I have come back to you!” She gave them pretty clothes of spotted fawn-skins. Then they went home, and she went along with them. Their step-mother and her husband were sitting in the sleeping-room. “Where is your seaweed?” The girls did not answer, as if hearing nothing. “Why do you not answer?” Then at last they flung the seaweed into the sleeping-room. Their step-mother sprang out. “Why do they fling things like that?” She saw their pretty clothes. “Where did they get such clothes? Let me follow them.” She followed them, and came to that house. She saw that it was very large, and filled with all kinds of provisions. Then she envied them that were having their meals in that house.

The end.

The visitor

A starving family seeking survival encounters a reindeer herd’s camp. After being initially welcomed, they are later displaced by a neighboring hunter. A running competition resolves their conflict, with the pedestrian winning decisively, ultimately leaving him alone in the wilderness.

► Themes of the story

Conflict with Nature: The family’s struggle against starvation and harsh environmental conditions.

Community and Isolation: The transition from being welcomed into a community to experiencing isolation.

Trials and Tribulations: The challenges faced by the family, including displacement and the running competition.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Rike’wgi, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

Two men lived as neighbors in the same camp. One had a number of children. They remained for a long time in the country Ve’qan, but saw no wild reindeer there. They were without (food). They lived on a few stray ptarmigan, and were nearly starving. The Reindeer people from Ye’lkan did not come there this year for pasturage: so the whole autumn they had no “genuine food” (i.e., reindeer-meat). They suffered from hunger, and were starving. Then one of the men said to the other, “Let us go and look for other people! Where do they dwell?” They went afoot, because they had no dogs. The last one was eaten a long time ago. The one who had children, made a small covered sledge, and, together with his wife, they dragged it along. After a while both men said, “Let us separate! I will go to the right, and you go to the left.” So they separated. The one who had children went to the left, dragging his covered sledge. It was growing dark.

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He said to his wife, “Stay here and wait for me. I will go a little farther on.” He put his wife and children into the covered sledge, heaped snow around the sledge, so that they would be warm, then he went along. It grew quite dark. Then he saw a herd. It was very large, and spread around like water, — big-antlered bucks, spotted fawns. The herdsmen asked him, “Where do you come from?” — “We come from afar. We lived there quite alone, and were nearly starved because the Reindeer people had not come that way.” — “Oh, oh! you are alone?” — “No, I have a family. I left them behind. I put them in a covered sledge, and heaped snow around it so that they would be warm.” — “Ah, ah! So they will come tomorrow!” — “Oh, yes! I shall bring them myself, dragging the sledge. It is quite near.” — “Oh, well! let it be tomorrow. It is too dark to go now. As to the houses, they are also near. You would see them from here, like black dots under the snow-covered cliff, if it were not too dark now. So it is settled for the morning. Let us go, then, to the houses!” They came to the camp. An old man from the front house heard them coming. “Oh, oh! a guest! Where do you come from?” — “I come from afar. We lived in the country Ve’qan, and were nearly starved. So we started on foot to look for other people.” — “Ah, ah! You there, in the outer tent! cook intestines, cook fat meat! We will feed the new-comer.” They ate. “Have you any companions?” — “Yes, I did have. I left them behind in a covered sledge. I heaped snow around it, so that they would be warm.” — “Oh, well! It is too late now. Let it be tomorrow.” — “Yes, yes! I will bring them myself.” — “Nay, they shall be brought with a good driving-team.” In the morning he drove there with the reindeer of the old man. “Halloo!” No answer. “Halloo!” louder than before. Then the woman heard, and answered, “Halloo!” — “Are you alive?” — “Yes, we are; but the smallest one, the suckling, has died.” — “Oh, oh! What can we do!” They went to the camp. “There, there!” A sleeping-room is put up for them, and new bed-skins are spread on the floor. “This is your sleeping-room. You may live in it.” They remained in the camp. One day they went for a visit to a neighbor. The neighbor said to the new-comer, “Where do you live?” — “Where can I live? I live with those to whom I came first.” — “Well, of course, they took you in, but this will last only for a time. Then the old man will send you away.” — “Oh, oh! What am I to do?” — “Come over to me! You shall be my camp-assistant.” — “Oh, oh I how can I leave? What can I say to them? I came to their camp first.” — “Well, then, if you want me to, I will go there myself and take you and your family away.” — “All right! Do come! Or, still better, let us go directly there, and settle the affair at once!” They went to the camp. The old man said, “You have come back!” — “Oh, yes! but we are going to leave. This one has come to take us away!” — “So! But why did you not go to him in the beginning? You came to me first of all. All right! Go away! Begone! Hurry up!”

They left. A moon passed by, and a new moon rose. The neighbors came to settle the offence. They said, “Let us arrange a running-match! We will see then who is really the best man.” — “All right!” They arranged a running-match, and as a prize for the winner they set a fox-skin and a beaver-skin. They started. The poor one, the pedestrian, who for a long time had been used to going on foot, ran along quite lightly, hardly touching the ground with his feet. He ran and ran; and in a short time he outran all the others, and vanished from view. In due time he took the hill (as agreed upon), and then came back. But then the others were still out of sight, to such an extent did he outrun them all. He waited for them some time, but at last felt cold and entered the sleeping-room. At last they came far behind. All the people felt ashamed, because they were such poor runners. They had no desire to enter the sleeping-room; so they harnessed their reindeer, and attached them to the sledges. Then all the visitors left. The next morning the others also left. He was left quite alone, in the country.

The end.

Story of Object-of-Loathing

An overworked herdsman scorned by his uncle, encounters supernatural Wolves and a Polar Bear who guide him toward a new life. After bold acts involving marriage and wealth, including outsmarting a wealthy reindeer-breeder, he gains a wife and half of the man’s herd. Establishing his own camp, he transforms from a scorned outcast to a prosperous and independent man.

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The protagonist evolves from a scorned herdsman to a prosperous and independent man.

Cunning and Deception: The protagonist employs clever tactics to outsmart a wealthy reindeer-breeder, securing marriage and wealth.

Quest: His journey to seek a wife and establish his own camp signifies a personal quest for a better life.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Rike’wgi, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

Object-of-Loathing (Ekirka’irgin) lives with his uncle. He stays with the herd. All the time he is busy with the reindeer; but his uncle chides him, saying, “You good-for-nothing!” He is alone with the herd, — the only herdsman. One time, while he was with the herd, some people came, driving reindeer. They were Wolves. They said, “We want to slaughter reindeer.” — “Oh, how can I do the slaughtering? I am afraid of my uncle.” — “Why are you afraid? This is your herd. You are the sole herdsman.” — “No! I am afraid!” Notwithstanding, they slaughtered reindeer, and carried them away on their sledges.

He went home, and on the way he met a person clad in white skin. It was a Polar Bear. The Polar Bear said, “If you slaughter reindeer for strange people, then better go away and look for a wife. Over there lives a wealthy reindeer-breeder. You might try for his daughter.”

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Object-of-Loathing went there. He gathered a sledgeful of fuel, — a very large sledge, so large that he was not able to haul it along. Then the Wolves came, a number of them. They said, “We will attach ourselves to the sledge, and haul it along.” So they did. “Sit down,” they said. He sat down, but they trotted on.

They came to the camp of the rich reindeer-breeder. The one clad in white skin said to him beforehand, “When they go to sleep, catch the youngest girl, that one in the corner.” They went to sleep. Then he caught the youngest girl, that one in the corner. She cried aloud, “Oh, oh! What is he doing? He caught me!” The master of the house awoke. He said, “What noise is this? You have wakened me, you scamps! This loathsome new-comer, why is he making trouble? — There, you, give me a stick!” He caught hold of the wooden handle of a scraper and rushed at those who were quarrelling; but before he had time to strike, the whole sleeping-room filled with wolves. They howled all around. All the people, in utmost fear [Em-yi’mgumga, in fear before supernatural things; for instance, before spirits, the dead, etc.; this is a special term for such kind of fear], rushed out quite naked, the house-master still with a stick in his hand. They fled to the neighboring house. Meanwhile he took the girl and carried her to his home. The next morning the father-in-law sends for Object-of-Loathing in soft and pleasing words: “Let him come and visit me!” The reindeer-herd was brought. It was a large herd. “Cut it in two!” It was cut in halves. “There, take one half!” Object-of-Loathing took the wife and the herd. He settled separately, established his own camp, and lived there.

The orphan

An orphan boy raised by an old woman, born to a dog-woman, seeks a wife among a tribe with a swift, selective daughter. Despite her initial rejection and challenging running competition, he outmaneuvers her during the race, ultimately catching and carrying her home. Through his exceptional speed and determination, he succeeds in winning her as his wife.

► Themes of the story

Hero’s Journey: The orphan embarks on a transformative adventure, evolving from a humble beginning to achieving his goal of winning the maiden’s hand.

Cunning and Deception: The orphan uses his wit and strategy to outmaneuver the swift maiden during the race.

Transformation: The orphan undergoes personal growth, transitioning from a boy who hunts small birds to a man capable of winning a formidable challenge.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Rike’wgi, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

The parents of an only daughter, being very old, are living with her. The daughter, who is very able-bodied, goes hunting, and brings home wild reindeer. At the same time she refuses all suitors. No matter how many suitors come, and they are many, she invites them to have a running-match. Leaving them behind, she says, “There is no need of them. They are bad.” Altogether, she is too light-footed for them.

An orphan boy, clad in dog-skin, born from a dog-woman, lives with an old woman, and grows up very fast. He made a small bow. With this bow he kills small birds. With these birds he feeds the old woman. But every time the neighbors’ children meet him, they shout, “Oh, oh! it stuck in his teeth! (i.e., the meat of the small birds). They notice the meat sticking in his teeth, and pick it out from there.

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He made dead-falls, caught hares, and fed the old woman. Meanwhile he grew up quickly, and soon became full-grown. Then he caught wild reindeer. The old woman said, “When will you become a full-grown man? Begone, and look for a wife!” — “All right!”

He came to the people with an only daughter. “For what do you come?” — “I come looking for a bride!” — “It is useless. She will leave you behind.” — “No, I am able (to outrun her).” — “Then wait a while. She is not here. She will come in the evening.” In the evening she did come, and brought a reindeer-carcass. “Oh,” say the old people, “one more suitor has come!” — “I do not want him. Let him go away!” — “Why so? I have come to you with an honest heart.” — “Well, then, tomorrow morning we will see what sort of a man you are.” — “Very well! I shall win. I shall take you for a wife.” The next morning they awoke before daybreak. They started running. They were to mount a high hill on their way, then to come back. The girl put on her racing-dress, but the young man put on his armor. The girl runs far ahead, because she is very swift; but when halfway along, he began to catch up with her, this small orphan boy clad in dog-skin. She was tired from the exertion. Then he passed her, brushing her on the way with the wind from the skirt of his armor. [The lower part of the Chukchee armor is similar in form to a skirt. Sometimes it hangs down more or less loose. The swiftness of the young man must have been very great, since the movement of that heavy armor produced wind.] She staggered and sat down. He said, “Eh, eh! let her rest a while! — I will finish the hill alone. Yes, surely, I am able (to do it). When I show myself on the top, coming back, then you begin again.” Indeed, when he appeared on the top, she jumped up and ran ahead. With fresh energy she ran very fast, but the young man ran still faster. He overtook her halfway, caught her in his arms, and carried her onwards. He carried her thus toward her house, put her into the sleeping-room, and copulated with her. So he made her his wife.