The Reindeer-Breeder and the Ai’wan

A reindeer-breeding family’s youngest daughter is mistreated by her Ai’wan in-laws after they slaughter her herd. Guided by the Upper Being, she journeys through a magical winter landscape, reunites with her family, and ultimately seeks revenge. Her husband, who was swallowed by a whale, is gruesomely executed by her and her sisters for his past violence.

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

Conflict with Authority: The young woman faces mistreatment from her in-laws, who exert power over her after slaughtering her reindeer herd.

Journey to the Otherworld: Guided by the Upper Being, she embarks on a journey through a magical winter landscape, symbolizing a venture into a realm beyond the ordinary.

Revenge and Justice: She ultimately seeks retribution for the wrongs committed against her, culminating in the execution of her husband and his family.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Viye’nto the Blind, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

A wealthy reindeer-breeder lived on the seashore. He had no sons, but four daughters, who kept watch over the herd. He had two large herds, and two daughters as herdsmen in each herd. Nearest to him lived an Ai’wan, in a permanent settlement, — a wicked old man, a doer of violence, — because he had five sons. He said to his eldest son, “Go and ask for one of the girls in marriage; and if they refuse, we will take one of their herds.” After a while he himself went over to his reindeer-breeding neighbor, and spoke thus:

“Well, then, we are neighbors. For quite a long time we have talked to each other. You get your food from your herd, your source of life, and I get mine from man’s exertions.” — “Yes, that is so!” says the reindeer-breeder. “Would it not, then, be better for us to join forces? You could give over one of your sources of life to your daughter, and keep the other one for yourself.”

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“All right! I consent.” — “You could wander with the reindeer, and some of us would help you. And the others would also stay on the seashore, subsisting on sea-meat. My eldest son and I — we should wander inland along with you, and for the summer-time we should come back to the seashore. If we feel dull, we might visit each other, tasting new food in common.” — “All right!” said the reindeer-breeder.

He listened to the Ai’wan’s words, and consented to act according to his offer. Therefore he gave his youngest daughter in marriage to the Ai’wan’s son, along with one herd. Spring came. The reindeer-breeder went away, and the son-in-law remained behind. Then the snow melted, and summer came. The son of the Ai’wan says, “A reindeer-herd is a bad thing. I do not want it. I can live by hunting, killing walrus and whale. Hunting is a joyful pursuit.” Therefore with the first snow he wanted to visit the village, and went there, taking the herd along. When he was near the village, he cried, “Oh, tie up the dogs. The herd is coming!” Then the herd also, that was a little behind, came to the village. He said, “Let us slaughter the whole herd! I do not want it. Slaughter the driving-reindeer while still in harness! Let us eat meat!” They began slaughtering. The driving-reindeer were stabbed while still in harness. The ground grew all red with blood. At last they had enough, and cried, “Give a part of this meat to the poor, to those who are starving!”

The woman was sorrowful on account of the herd. Her sisters-in-law took her handsome clothes made of spotted fawn-skins from her. These clothes they put on themselves, and had her clothed in old bad hairless seal-skin. At last she could not suffer it any longer, and left the village by night, taking with her a single reindeer, one of her own driving-team, — a single one, that had escaped being butchered. She led it along behind her, having no sledge to drive. It was midwinter, cold and dreary. Travelling was hard, and the snow heavy. Dawn came, and the sun rose. It grew light around her, though the walking was not easier than before. She moved on, leading her reindeer, and plodding through the snow; but in reality she was ascending skywards along a ray of light, because the Upper Being, the Being of the Reindeer people, saw her and knew all about her. His compassion toward the reindeer was very great, because they were slaughtered; and it was his intention to cheer her up after her loss. So she was walking upon the ground under the thick-falling snow, but was moving skyward, though she did not notice it. She was tired and cold, since food there was none, and her clothes were very poor. At last the reindeer spoke in human language. It exclaimed, “Halloo!” She answered, “Halloo!” — “You are quite tired. Mount, at least, upon my back! I will carry you a little onward. I feel sorry for you.” She mounted the reindeer, and after a while felt still colder, and also more fatigued and hungry. The reindeer stopped, and scraped the snow with its hoof, as if preparing a place for camping: Then it says, “Halloo!” She answers, “Halloo!” — “At least, eat something! and you will be warmer.” She looked down, and saw upon the snow a round place scraped bare. There upon the ground lay something like boiled meat. She ate of it, and felt warm. Then she looked ahead of her, and saw a reindeer-herd. Looking still more attentively, she recognized the reindeer. They were those of her father. Some spotted ones she recognized as her own reindeer. All these were the sacrificed reindeer, those given away, which after that became the reindeer of the Upper Being. Then at last she said, “Whose reindeer are these? They look like the reindeer of my father, but whose camp may this be?” And this was the camp of the Upper Being, of the Deity of the Reindeer people. The Old Being is in his house. His appearance is different from that of men. He has ears on his temples, a big nose, and a broad mouth across his whole face. He says to his daughter, “What kind of a woman is staying there on the outskirts of our camp? Why does she not come over here and enter? Who knows? Perhaps it is the same poor thing whose herd was slaughtered of late by the Ai’wanat, the sedentary dwellers. I saw how the ground grew red with blood. This was a great pity. Go and call her to come along.” The daughter of the Upper Being came to the woman, and said, “Friend, why do you not come to the house? Father bade me call you there.”

“Well, well! we are entering,” cried the girl. The Upper Being looked upon the woman and waved his hand. Even a tear rose to his eye. “Oh, then it is really you! Your poor herd! — But why did your father, being a reindeer-breeder, listen to the words of a sedentary Ai’wan? Oh, how badly they acted toward you!” He drew from the floor near his seat a big stopper. A round hole was revealed in the floor. “Here! look down!” She looked down, and there was her father’s house. He made her descend through that hole. She walked along, leading her single reindeer. The reindeer spoke again, and said, “When you arrive home, do not accept anointing with blood from their reindeer. Anoint yourself from your own reindeer!” They reached the camp early in the morning. The people in the tents were still sleeping. She sat upon a sledge. She sang aloud, but did not enter the tent. Her mother awoke. “Oh, oh! Why is it that the herdsmen in the herd are so heedless? They yell their songs so loudly, that even here in the camp we cannot sleep.” Then she said to a second daughter, “Go out and see what it is! Why are they singing the tunes of that one, the deceased one?” For the Ai’wanat have said that she is dead. At the first meeting they declared that she was gone, and, besides, had taken all the herd. They said that the herd was visited by lameness, became greatly reduced, and then was gone altogether, even to the last reindeer. The daughter went out and looked on. “Who are you, sitting here, clad in old seal-skin? Where do you come from?” — “Where do I come from! After you gave me away to the Ai’wanat, you soon forgot me. You have not even thought of paying me a visit: so I have come to you on a visit.” And really how could they have visited her, since the Ai’wanat declared that she was dead? The girl rushed back into the sleeping-room. “Oh,” says she, “she is here!” As soon as the father heard it, he jumped out quite naked. “Oh, oh, here you are!” They were quite glad, and laughed all the time. She said, “Do not bring the herd for the anointing-sacrifice. I will anoint from my own reindeer.” So they lived on.

In the mean time her recent husband, the Ai’wan, the old man’s son, the violence-doer, the slaughterer of reindeer, wanted to visit an island in the bay. He said, “I will go by canoe, taking my long harpoon with me, and maybe I shall land there and stay there for a while.” He paddled off, and on the way saw a whale, a very big one. He was going to throw his harpoon at the whale; but the whale drew a breath and pulled him in, and he was soon in the whale’s inside, in complete darkness. Oh, it is bad there! He hardly keeps alive, slicing the whale’s intestines with his knife, and eating them raw. He defecates also. The bowels of the whale are all covered with filth. The whale rushes from place to place. It is suffering acute pain. Its interior is being cut up. At last the whale died. The wind bore it away to the open sea. It was carried to and fro all the way around the land where live the Ai’wanat, and then it was stranded on the very shore where that reindeer-breeder took up his abode. Then the Ai’wan cut through one of the whale’s sides with his knife, and at last got out of it. He looked before him and recognized the houses. “Well,” says he in his mind, “what will they do to me when she is dead? Anyway, I am now on firm ground.” He walked to the tents. Then he said to the old man, “I was swallowed by a whale, and now I have landed here. I said before, ‘At least, here are some strangers’ houses, and these are our houses.’ What though she was struck down by disease and then died, and even took along the herd with her, and it has been reduced by lameness and then destroyed! Notwithstanding all this, I am still yours, as before.”

The old man said, “All right! Come in!” He entered the house. The woman concealed herself for a while. They had a meal. All at once the woman appeared. “Here you are, you violence-doer! You slaughtered all my herd quite wantonly. I shall also try to do violence.” They caught him, the women only, tore the clothes from his back, pinioned him. Then they cut off all the flesh from his bones, slice by slice. He was still alive. Gradually he lost his force, and died.

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The Re’kken

An evil spirit (Re’kken) family attempts to exterminate humans, but the Upper Being intervenes by removing an infant from their sledge. The Killer-Whale couple adopts the child, refusing to return it. After the Winds threaten them, they surrender the infant, ultimately halting the ke’let’s human-hunting expeditions and teaching them a lesson about their destructive practices.

► Themes of the story

Good vs. Evil: The struggle between the malevolent Re’kken and the benevolent actions of the Upper Being highlights the classic conflict between opposing forces.

Divine Intervention: The Upper Being’s direct involvement in removing the infant and influencing events showcases the gods’ influence on mortal affairs.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts a lesson about the repercussions of destructive practices and the importance of compassion and understanding.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Viye’nto the Blind, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October 1900.

There lived once a people that were Re’kken [evil spirits]. They were rich in reindeer and had a large herd. One of them wanted to visit men. He said to his wife, “Let us go toward men!” The weather was cold. The wife answered, “It is too cold (to travel).” He said, “That is nothing. Let us go, if we are really hunters! Of course, we shall leave the herd and the herdsmen here, also the heavy tent. We shall go alone with a light tent to visit them.” Then they went. The Upper Being saw their moving train of sledges, which was very long. He said, “Oh, how wonderful! They are again at it! They are exterminating mankind. The people are all the time asking me for help, but still they are being exterminated. I am sorry for it. Therefore I want to give a lesson, at least to this one; and so I want to make his mind broader than it is at present.” He took his staff and went away. The Re’kken and his wife were sleeping while on the way. He came to a covered sledge and lifted the cover.

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A little infant was sleeping there, one year old, in a little cap. On the top of the cap was fastened a tassel made of human fingers. He touched the tassel with his staff. The fingers stuck to the staff. He drew the child out of the covered sledge, and took it away from there. He took it to his wife.

“There, I have brought it.” — “All right!” — “But what is to be done with it?” — “I do not know. I never had any children.” — “I had better go to Killer-Whale. Perhaps he knows.” Killer-Whale and his wife live in a big stone house. They too are childless. The Upper Being came, put the child near the entrance, and then went away. After a while the husband said to the wife, “I want to make water. I will go out.” He went out, and saw the infant. It was still sleeping. He was very glad. He called to his wife, “I have found an assistant! We have an assistant! Now we shall not be lonesome in our old age. Let us try and raise this child.” — “All right!”

The ke’let are going back. They found people, killed many of them, and are carrying the game home. They arrived home. The tent was put up, and the woman started to put up the sleeping-room. The husband said, “I will look at the infant.” He opened the covered sledge. Only then did they discover that it was not there. The husband said, “Halloo!” — “Halloo!” — “Where is the child? Have you carried it into the tent.” — “No, it is in the sledge.” — “I say it is not here!” — “Where is it, then? Perhaps the neighbors have taken it. But why should they take the infant child of other people? No, somebody else has played this trick upon us while we were sleeping. What for! Oh, oh!”

The woman sought the shaman. He was a Raven. “Oh, oh, oh! who comes here?” — “It is I. My husband sends me. He says, ‘I am feeling sad. Let the knowing-one come!’” — “A-ta-ta-ta, I am coming!”

“There, you have come here!” — “Yes, I have come! What do you want?” — “Somebody has taken away the infant. Can you not find it?” — “All right! I will try.” The Raven flew away to the house of Killer-Whale. “Halloo!” — “Halloo!” — “Who is there?” — “It is I. I come to fetch the infant.” — “You shall not have it.” — “Oh, give it back, since I come for it!” — “I shall not give it up.” — “Oh, you will not?” The Raven flew upwards, and dropped on the house a big stone pillar. The stone pillar rebounded. The house of Killer-Whale was too strong. The Raven came back, and said, “I could not do it.” — “Alas!” said the house-master, “if even you could not do it!”

The next day he says again to his wife, “I am feeling sad. Go and bring two Winds, — West-Wind, the cold one; and East-Wind, the biting one.” The two Wind-brothers came then. “What do you want?” — “Somebody has robbed me of my little infant. You are looking everywhere. Will you not look for it?” — “All right!” They went away. On the way they passed near by the house of the Upper Being. Says East-Wind, “Why are we passing by so? This is the Upper Being. Let us at least ask him too! What will he say? Halloo!” — “Halloo!” — “Well, a ke’le family have lost their little infant. They are living in sorrow. And we are looking for their child. Do you not know where it is?” — “Oh, yes! they are living in sorrow, and at the same time every year they go to the people and steal away so many! Mankind is lessening in number. Let them learn that lesson. Still we shall go.”

They arrived at Killer-Whale’s house. “Halloo!” — “Halloo!” — “I came to get the child that I brought here lately.” — “You shall not have it.” — “How is it that I shall not have it, since I brought it myself? Give it back!” — “Ho, I will not. I will raise it for an assistant to myself.” — But how can you refuse, since you are my own creation? I gave to your eyes the faculty of seeing. How dare you refuse!” — “I do refuse.” — “Oh, you refuse! — Enter, Winds!” Both winds entered Killer-Whale’s house. It grew very cold. The Killer-Whales felt cold. Then they were frozen, and they died. After that he said to the Winds, “Now go out!” They went out. The house grew warmer, and the Killer-Whales returned to life again. “What now! will you give back the child?” — “Oh, yes! we will!” — “Then quick, make haste!” — “All right, in a moment!” — “There, take it, and give it to its parents!” From that time the ke’let stopped coming to this country.

The Sacrifice to the dead

A lone girl discovers her entire community has died mysteriously. Following her father’s spectral guidance, she preserves their legacy by cooking meals for the deceased, then relocates to the herd. After the first snowfall, she returns, sacrificing a portion of the reindeer and leaving the abandoned settlement intact, symbolizing a ritualistic transition and survival.

► Themes of the story

Sacrifice: The girl offers part of the reindeer herd to honor the deceased.

Ancestral Spirits: The father’s spirit influences her actions.

Ritual and Initiation: She performs rituals to honor the dead and transitions into a new role within her community.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Viye’nto the Blind, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

There was a group of houses standing on the shore, — a long row of houses. One girl awoke early in the morning, and began to scrape skins. At last the sun rose, still no man left the sleeping-room. The sun mounted high, but nobody appeared.

She says, “Where are they? I will go and see. What are they doing there?” She looked in, and saw that all the people were lying down, as if asleep. They were dead, all of them. She alone, of the whole camp, was alive. Then she says, “What shall I do?” She went and carried water to all the houses, hung up the kettles, and cooked food. When the food was ready, she said, “There, eat!”

She went home and lay down to sleep. As soon as she shut her eyes, she heard the voice of her father. She was not asleep, but only had her eyes shut.

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Her father was saying, “We are content that you have cooked food. Tomorrow, when you get up and spend the day, do not go to sleep in the inner room, lie down in the outer tent. The next night take a place outside of the tent, then at a distance from the tent. For ten days keep moving your sleeping-place away until you reach the herd. There remain until the snow shall fall upon the earth. After that come here again and bring the herd — not all of it: bring the lesser portion. This must be given to us.”

She slept through the night. In the morning she again brought water and cooked food in all ten houses. She went to sleep in the outer tent.

The next night she slept outside of the tent. Then she moved off, and at last came to the herd. The herdsmen asked, “What has happened?” — “All the people in the houses are dead.” — “Oh, oh!” — “We must not go home. Only when the first snow comes shall we go there.” — “All right!” They remained with the herd. When snow fell and the ground was covered, they came nearer, and brought the herd — one part of it: the lesser portion they brought to the camp. The larger part was to become their own herd in the future. They slaughtered the reindeer that were brought, and offered them in sacrifice. They also left there the houses and everything that was in them. They took for themselves only the things in the summer pile. They left and went away.

The end.

Raven and Owl

A tale of competitive hunting unfolds as Raven and Owl quarrel over a hare, with Owl initially overpowering Raven. Fox then intervenes, challenging Owl and ultimately forcing him to relinquish the prey through physical confrontation. The myth illustrates a complex hierarchy of predators, where boastful claims and physical prowess determine temporary possession of the hunted animal.

► Themes of the story

Trickster: Raven embodies the trickster archetype, using cunning and bold assertions in an attempt to outwit Owl and claim the hare.

Good vs. Evil: The narrative presents a moral dichotomy, with Raven’s deceit and Fox’s aggression contrasting with Owl’s initial rightful claim, reflecting the struggle between opposing forces.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts lessons about the consequences of deceit and the dynamics of power, illustrating that boastfulness and trickery may lead to downfall.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Raa’nau, a Maritime Chukchee man, in the village of Mi’s-qan, April, 1901.

Raven and Owl fought for a hare. Owl caught Raven by the throat with one of his claws. Raven cries, “Don’t you dare to eat my hare! I wish to eat it. I am the hunter,” because he is so fond of big talking. Owl was silent, but he clutched Raven’s throat so tightly that Raven gave way. Owl took the hare and wanted to eat it.

Then a Fox assaulted him. The Fox cried, “I am a great hunter! I kill everything, even the mouse and the spermophylus.” Owl was silent, and wanted to eat the hare. They fought. Fox bit Owl’s back. He was the stronger of the two. Owl desisted and flew up. From mere shame he quite refused to perch again on that place.

The silent one also was not a victor.

The end.

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Story of Raven and Wolverene

A Raven and Wolverene family brutally mistreat the Raven’s daughter-in-law, forcing her to live like a dog. The Raven’s shaman son eventually rescues her by cutting her tongue’s binding. Later, he transforms a dog and its feces into a man and child, who exact revenge on the abusive Wolverene family through a complex, supernatural retribution.

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The narrative includes the shaman’s act of cutting the binding on the woman’s tongue, symbolizing a release from oppression, and the metamorphosis of a dog and its feces into a man and child to enact revenge.

Revenge and Justice: The mistreated daughter-in-law’s plight is avenged through supernatural means, leading to the downfall of the abusive Wolverene family.

Trickster: The Raven’s shaman son employs cunning and supernatural abilities to deceive and punish the Wolverene family, embodying the trickster archetype.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

This tale and the next one, though not exactly referring to the creation of the world, still belong to the Raven cycle: therefore I have placed them here.

Told by Ae’ttiqai, a Reindeer Chukchee man, in a camp near the village of A’chon, April, 1901.

Once there lived Raven and Wolverene. Wolverene took Raven’s girl for a daughter-in-law. They ill-treated her, beat her all the time; then they tied her tongue with a thread, smeared her face all over with fish-roe, made her put on clothing of walrus-hide. They kept her with the dogs, and fed her like a dog, with bones crushed and boiled down to extract the marrow. She had to drink from a chamber-vessel.

Raven’s son is a shaman. One morning he awoke, and said, “Oh, I see my sister in a bad state! They are treating her quite badly.” — “Oh,” says the Raven, “then let us go and visit her!” — “All right! Go and do so!” Raven came to the Wolverene’s house. “You have come!” — “Yes, I have come. Where is the young woman?” — “Her eyes are troubling her. She is sitting in the dark sleeping-room, and cannot go out.” — “Oh, oh!” In reality, however, she was there, clad in walrus-hide. He did not recognize her. In the sleeping-room, in the dark, a young Wolverene woman was sitting, a daughter of their own, “Oh, oh! that female slave, the loathsome one! Why is she staring so at you? If she comes near you, strike her with a stick! She is stinking!”

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Indeed when she seeks to approach him, he strikes her with a stick. “Keep off, you stinking one!” They ate supper. She was given a blunt-edged knife, and could not keep up with the others. Her knife was almost edgeless. They say, “How slow she is, your meat-carver, that one who sits at your side! If she lags behind once more in carving meat for you, strike her again and again!”

She could not carve with that edgeless knife. So he struck her again with a stick, nor was he able to recognize her. They lay down to sleep. “Let her lie at your side, and let her carry the chamber-vessel for you! Only you must be careful of her. She is given to biting in the night-time. She always bites; such is her wont. If she tries to bite you, strike her again with redoubled strength!” They slept. And really she took the father’s hand and carried it to her mouth, in order to make him touch her tied tongue. He started up, and cried, “Oh, oh! Really she wants to bite.” He struck her with redoubled force. He did not recognize his own daughter. In the morning he returned home. One more night has passed. In the morning his son got up, and said, “Oh, I see my sister in quite a bad state!” — “Let me visit her again!” — “No! This time I will visit her.” He went to the Wolverenes. “You have come?” — “Yes, I have come.” That one clad in walrus-hide is standing near the entrance. He looked, and recognized her, being a shaman. “That female slave, why is she staring so at the new-comer? Beat her with a stick!” — “For what shall I beat her? She also is curious to know. She wants to be with the other people.” They ate supper. She was given the very worst knife. She could not carve meat with it. “How lazy she is! Strike her! She refuses to carve for you.” — “For what shall I beat her? She needs a proper instrument for carving.” And he gave her his own knife.

They went to sleep. She had to sleep again at his side. “Be careful! She bites in the night-time.” — “Does she, eh?” — They put out the light. She took her brother’s hand and put it into her mouth. He touched the string with which her tongue was tied. Then he took out another knife, a small one, and cut the thread.

It was so tight, it snapped on being cut. The people awoke. “What snapped with such force?” — “My belt snapped.” They slept again. “Oh,” says he softly to his sister, “thus they are treating you!” — “Yes!” — “Well, tomorrow morning, when I am about going away, be near my sledge.” The next morning they brought his reindeer. “Why does my sister not come out of the sleeping-room? I am going, and want to see her.” There in her sleeping-room sits their woman, feigning illness. They entered the sleeping-room as if to ask her. “No, she is unwell, she cannot go out.” — “Tell her that I want to see her. Let her come out!” The people of the house entered the sleeping-room again. “No, she refuses. She cannot come out.” — “Oh, how false are your words! Is not this my sister standing by the sledge?” She jumped upon the sledge. He made the reindeer run at full speed. They cry from behind, “Oh, oh! He has carried off our female slave, our household woman-worker!” He made the reindeer run. So he came home. “There,” he says, “see what they have done with your daughter!” — “Oh,” says the Raven, “and I did not recognize her.” The young Raven-shaman called for his dog, and made him defecate. He turned the dog into a man, and the faeces into an infant. These two he made into a father with a little son. They were driving a spotted-reindeer team. Bells were on the sledge. Everything was quite neat, but it was only a dog with its faeces. The man drives on, singing. In the camp of the offenders they heard his song and the tinkling of the bells. “Oh, a good one is passing by! — a man from a wealthy camp.” When they drew nearer to the camp, the infant cried. The women felt sorry. “Oh, stay for a while! The child is crying, — a motherless child. Probably the mother is dead.” He came and stopped. “Who are you?” — “We are going to the spring fair. My people are coming behind.” — “Oh, but where is your female companion?” — “She has been carried away by the Red Ke’le (Small-Pox).” — “Oh, poor little child! Where shall we put it?” Whichever woman comes near, the infant cries still stronger. At last that one approached, the feigning one with the ailing eyes. The infant stretches out its hands toward her. “It is because her face has a likeness to that of its mother.” — “Well, come in!” says the woman. They entered. “If I am like the mother, treat me as you treated her.” He copulated with her. Then he turned into a dog, and they remained together as dogs do. He dragged her onward over stones and roots of trees, tore her body all to pieces. The infant turned into faeces. Only some excrement remained upon the bed.

The end.

The Hare tale

The ke’let steal the sun, plunging the earth into darkness. Hare cleverly retrieves it, kicking it into the sky, where it becomes fixed. Pursued by the ke’let, Hare seeks refuge with Eagle, who tricks the ke’let into flying too high and dropping to earth. Hare then buries the ke’let underground, restoring light and peace to the world

► Themes of the story

Creation: The tale explains how the sun became fixed in the sky, illuminating the world.

Trickster: Hare uses cleverness to outwit the ke’let and retrieve the sun.

Good vs. Evil: The narrative depicts the battle between Hare (good) and the ke’let (evil).

► 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.

In the olden time it was dark on the earth. The ke’let stole the sun and took it away to their house. There they played ball with it. Hare said, “Let me get back the sun!” He climbed up on the tent of the ke’let and looked in. They were playing ball with the sun. He dropped from above down into the tent. “Oh, oh! we have found a fat little hare!” — “Do not hurt me! I will give you plenty of oil.” — “Oh, will you?” — “How many kettles have you?” — “Two kettles.” He kicked the sun with his toe, and nearly made it jump out of the vent-hole. Then he jumped up himself and almost did the same. Still he fell down again. “Oh, oh, we have found a fat little hare!” — “Do not hurt me! I will fill you up with oil.” — “Oh, will you?” — “How many kettles have you?” — “Three kettles.” He kicked the sun, and it bounded upwards out of the vent-hole, shot high into the air, and stuck to the sky. Before this it had been loose. Then he jumped up himself, got out, and fled away. The ke’le gave chase.

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The little Hare came to the Eagle. “Oh, oh, hide me! A ke’le is pursuing me!” — “All right!” The Eagle hid him in his right arm-pit. Then the ke’le came. “Have you not seen my little Hare?” — “Yes, I saw him. He climbed upwards straight to the zenith.” — “Oh, how can I follow him there!” — “Well, mount upon my back, I will take you up!”

He carried the ke’le upwards. After a long while he said, “Look down upon the earth! What size does it appear to be?” — “The size of a big lake!” — “Oh, let us fly still higher up!” They flew. “Look down again! What size has the earth now?” — “The size of a small lake.” — “Oh, let us fly still higher up! — Look down on the earth! What size has it now?” — “The size of a spread tent-cover.” — “Oh, let us fly still higher up! — What size has the earth now?” — “The size of a thong-seal hide!” — “Oh, let us fly still higher up! — What size has the earth now?” — “The size of a boot-sole (made of thong-seal hide)!” — “Oh, we are drawing near our destination now! — What size has the earth now?” — “The size of a patch (on the sole).” — “Oh, we have nearly reached our destination! — What size has the earth now?” — “The size of a worm-hole in a reindeer-skin.” — “No earth, it has quite vanished.” — “Ah, ah! I am so tired! I have lost all my strength. I have sprained my back.” He dropped the ke’le. The ke’le fell down. He falls, he falls, he falls. At last he reached the earth, and entered the ground, head foremost, up to the waist. Then the Eagle said to the Hare, “Your tormentor is enfeebled. Have no fear, and go out! Have a look at him!”

The Hare made a stone maul, and hurried to the ke’le. The ke’le’s legs were protruding from the ground. He hammered him with the stone maul upon the soles, and drove him into the ground altogether. Since that time the ke’let have continued to move beneath, within the ground.

Raven tale

Raven, the self-created being, and his wife live on a barren world. Prompted by her, Raven creates earth, water, mountains, and living creatures through mystical means. Their offspring, born humanlike, populate the land but are only male. A Spider-Woman introduces females, enabling humanity to multiply. Raven teaches them intimacy, ensuring the survival of mankind.

► Themes of the story

Creation: The narrative explains how the world and life began through Raven’s creative acts.

Origin of Things: The story provides explanations for natural phenomena and the origins of humanity.

Divine Intervention: Raven, a self-created being, intervenes to shape the world and its inhabitants.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Variations of this tale, with several different episodes, are to be met with everywhere among the Chukchee. At the same time some notion or the Flood is also present. This was probably borrowed from the Russian.

First version told by Ae’ttin-qeu, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

Second version told by Rike’wgi, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

Third version told by Va’le, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

Raven and his wife live together, — the first one, not created by any one, Raven, the one self-created. The ground upon which they live is quite small, corresponding only to their wants, sufficient for their place of abode. Moreover, there are no people on it, nor is there any other living creature, nothing at all, — no reindeer, no walrus, no whale, no seal, no fish, not a single living being. The woman says, “Ku’urkil.” [the name of the Raven] — “What?” — “But we shall feel dull, being quite alone. This is an unpleasant sort of life. Better go and try to create the earth!” — “I cannot, truly!” — “Indeed, you can!” — “I assure you, I cannot!” — “Oh, well I since you cannot create the earth, then I, at least, shall try to create a ‘spleen-companion.’” — “Well, we shall see!” said Raven.

“I will go to sleep,” said his wife. “I shall not sleep,” said Ku’urkil. “I shall keep watch over you. I shall look and see how you are going to be.” — “All right!” She lay down and was asleep. Ku’urkil is not asleep. He keeps watch, and looks on. Nothing! she is as before. His wife, of course, had the body of a raven, just like himself. He looked from the other side: the same as before. He looked from the front, and there her feet had ten human fingers, moving slowly. “Oh, my!” He stretches out his own feet, — the same raven’s talons. “Oh,” says he, “I cannot change my body!” Then he looks on again, and his wife’s body is already white and without feathers, like ours. “Oh, my!” He tries to change his own body, but how can he do so? Although he chafes it, and pulls at the feathers, how can he do such a thing? The same raven’s body and raven’s feathers! Again he looks at his wife. Her abdomen has enlarged. In her sleep she creates without any effort.

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He is frightened, and turns his face away. He is afraid to look any more. He says, “Let me remain thus, not looking on!” After a little while he wants to look again, and cannot abstain any longer. Then he looked again, and, lo! there are already three of them. His wife was delivered in a moment. She brought forth male twins. Then only did she awake from her sleep.

All three have bodies like ours, only Raven has the same raven’s body. The children laugh at Raven, and ask the mother, “Mamma, what is that?” — “It is the father.” — “Oh, the father! Indeed! Ha, ha, ha!” They come nearer, push him with their feet. He flies off, crying, “Qa, qa!” They laugh again. “What is that?” — “The father.” — “Ha, ha, ha! the father!” They laugh all the time. The mother says, “O children! you are still foolish. You must speak only when you are asked to. It is better for us, the full-grown ones, to speak here. You must laugh only when you are permitted to. You have to listen and obey.” They obeyed and stopped laughing.

Raven said, “There, you have created men! Now I shall go and try to create the earth. If I do not come back, you may say, ‘He has been drowned in the water, let him stay there!’ I am going to make an attempt.” He flew away. First he visited all the benevolent Beings, and asked them for advice, but nobody gave it. He asked the Dawn, — no advice. He asked Sunset, Evening, Mid-day, Zenith, — no answer and no advice. At last he came to the place where sky and ground come together. There, in a hollow, where the sky and the ground join, he saw a tent. It seemed full of men. They were making a great noise. He peeped in through a hole burnt by a spark, and saw a large number of naked backs. He jumped away, frightened, ran aside, and stood there trembling. In his fear he forgot all his pride in his recent intentions.

One naked one goes out. “Oh! it seemed that we heard some one passing by, but where is he!” — “No, it is I,” came an answer from one side. “Oh, how wonderful! Who are you?” — “Indeed, I am going to become a creator. I am Ku’urkil, the self-created one.” — “Oh, is that so?” “And who are you?” — “We have been created from the dust resulting from the friction of the sky meeting the ground. We are going to multiply and to become the first seed of all the peoples upon the earth. But there is no earth. Could not somebody create the earth for us?” — “Oh, I will try!” Raven and the man who spoke flew off together. Raven flies and defecates. Every piece of excrement falls upon water, grows quickly, and becomes land. Every piece of excrement becomes land, — the continent and islands, plenty of land. “Well,” says Raven, “Look on, and say, is this not enough?” — “Not yet,” answers his companion. “Still not sufficient. Also there is no fresh water; and the land is too even. Mountains there are none.” — “Oh,” says Raven, “shall I try again?” He began to pass water. Where one drop falls, it becomes a lake; where a jet falls, it becomes a river. After that he began to defecate a very hard substance. Large pieces of that excrement became mountains, smaller pieces became hills. The whole earth became as it is now.

Then he asks, “Well, how is it now?” The other one looked. “It seems still not enough. Perhaps it would have been sufficient if there had not been so much water. Now some day the water shall increase and submerge the whole land, even the mountain-tops will not be visible.”

Oh, Raven, the good fellow, flew farther on. He strains himself to the utmost, creates ground, exhausts himself, and creates water for the rivers and lakes. “Well, now, look down! Is this not enough?” — “Perhaps it is enough. If a flood comes, at least the mountain-tops will remain above water. Yes, it is enough! Still, what shall we feed upon?”

Oh, Raven, the good fellow, flew off, found some trees, many of them, of various kinds, — birch, pine, poplar, aspen, willow, stone-pine, oak. He took his hatchet and began to chop. He threw the chips into the water, and they were carried off by the water to the sea. When he hewed pine, and threw the chips into the water, they became mere walrus; when he hewed oak, the chips became seals. From the stone-pine the chips became polar bears; from small creeping black birch, however, the chips became large whales. Then also the chips from all the other trees became fish, crabs, worms, every kind of beings living in the sea; then, moreover, wild reindeer, foxes, bears, and all the game of the land. He created them all, and then he said, “Now you have food! hm!” His children, moreover, became men, and they separated and went in various directions. They made houses, hunted game, procured plenty of food, became people. Nevertheless they were all males only. Women there were none, and the people could not multiply. Raven began to think, ‘What is to be done?’ A small Spider-Woman (Ku’rgu-ne’ut) is descending from above on a very slender thread. “Who are you?” — “I am a Spider-Woman!” — “Oh, for what are you coming here?” — “Well, I thought, ‘How will the people live, being only males, without females?’ Therefore I am coming here.” — “But you are too small.” — “That is nothing. Look here!” Her abdomen enlarged, she became pregnant, and then gave birth to four daughters. They grew quite fast and became women. “Now, you shall see!”

A man came, — that one who was flying around with Raven. He saw them, and said, “What beings are these, so like myself and at the same time quite different? Oh, I should like to have one of them for a companion! We have separated, and live singly. This is uncomfortable. I am dull, being alone. I want to take one of these for a companion.” — “But perhaps it will starve!” — “Why should it starve? I have plenty of food. We are hunters, all of us. No, I will have it fed abundantly. It shall not know hunger at all.”

He took away one woman. The next day Raven went to visit them, made a hole in the tent-cover, and peeped through. “Oh,” says he, “they are sleeping separately in opposite corners of the sleeping-room. Oh, that is bad! How can they multiply?”

He called softly, “Halloo!” — “Halloo!” The man awoke and answered him. “Come out here! I shall enter.” He entered. The woman lay quite naked. He drew nearer. He inhaled the odor of her arm [instead of kissing]. His sharp beak pricked her. “Oh, oh, oh!” — “Be silent! We shall be heard.” He pushed her legs apart and copulated with her. Then he repeated it again. The other one was standing outside. He felt cold, and said, “It seems to me that you are mocking me.” — “Now, come in! You shall know it too. This is the way for you to multiply.” The other one entered. The woman said, “It is a good thing. I should like to repeat it once more.” The man answered, “I do not know how.” — “Oh, draw nearer!” He says, “Oh, wonderful!” — “Do this way, and thus and thus.” They copulated. Therefore girls understand earlier than boys how to copulate. In this manner human kind multiplied.

(second version)

The Creator lived with his wife. There was nothing, no land, no mountains, only water and above it the sky; also a little piece of ground, just large enough for them to sleep on at night. Creator said to his wife, “Certainly, we feel downcast. We must create something to be company for us.” — “All right!” They each took a spade and started to dig the ground, and to throw it in all directions. They dug a ditch so large and deep, that all water flowed down to it. Only the lakes remained in deep hollows, and the rivers in clefts and ravines. The large ditch became the sea. After that they created various animals and also men. Then they went away. Only the Raven they forgot to create. They left on their camping-place a large outer garment (ni’glon [a winter garment, loose and broad, made of thick autumn skins of full-grown reindeer]). Raven came out from it in the night-time. He went to visit the Creator. “Oh, who are you?” — “I am Ku’urkil, the self-created one.” — “How strange! Self-created! I thought I had created everything, and now it appears that you are of separate origin.” — “Yes, yes! I am Ku’urkil, the self-created one.” — “All right! — Here, you, bring a few pieces of fly-agaric. Let him eat them, and be full of their force!” Raven ate the fly-agaric. “Oh, oh, I am Ku’urkil! I am the son of the ni’glon. I am Ku’urkil! I am the son of the ni’glon.” — “Ah, indeed! And I believed that you were self-created. And now it appears that you are the son of the ni’glon, you are one of mine, created by me, you liar!”

The end.

(third version)

When Raven was arranging the earth, one time he carried in his lap a heap of stones. He felt fatigued, and threw down the stones one by one. The stones turned into islands and cliffs on the main shore. Then he set his stone house in the western part of Mi’s-qan Bay (Holy Cross Bay) and crossed to Ki’imin (Cape Prince of Wales on the American shore).

Proverbs, riddles, sayings

The riddles contained in this section were collected among the River Chukchee living on the Middle Anadyr River. They probably arose under Russian influence. Some of them have even been translated from the Russian. On the whole, the Chukchee have no riddles. Of short productions of this kind, they have only a very few proverbs and brief sayings, some of which are given here, while others were published in my “Chukchee Materials.” They have also some so-called “comic tales,” and word-games, a few of which are given here.

► Themes of the story

Moral Lessons: Many proverbs convey ethical teachings or insights into human behavior.

Cunning and Deception: Some riddles and sayings involve wit or cleverness, highlighting the value of intelligence.

Conflict with Nature: The Chukchee’s close relationship with their environment is evident in references to animals and natural phenomena.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Proverbs

1. Listening to a liar is like drinking warm water: one can get no satisfaction from it.
2. A desire to defecate is more imperious than any great officer.
3. Even a small mouse has anger.
4. My temper is as smooth as tallow.
5. He repented of it even to his very buttocks.
6. A small herd is like a short lasso.
7. To a lazy camp-assistant an old reindeer for slaughter (and food).

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Riddles

1. Once an old one with nine holes. — Man.
2. Once outside, it is coming down, down; it enters; it lies down. — An axe.
3. It enters from outside with clothes; it is undressed in the outer tent. — The alder tree [Alder-bark is peeled off and used for tanning-purposes.]
4. An old woman is made to break wind by an angry old man. — Bears copulating.
5. A grass-bound shoulder-blade — A ring on the finger [A bone of a reindeer or seal shoulder-blade bound around with grass is used in divination.]
6. I have four holes and only one road. — A wooden house [The River Chukchee live in wooden huts of simple construction. Each hut has a chimney, smoke-hole, and one window. These, with the entrance, make the four holes of the riddle.]
7. I move along – but without trace; I cut – but draw no blood. — A moving boat.
8. It is round, has an eye, is used by women. After use it is thrown away. — Iron scraper [The iron blade of the scraper is round with a hole in the centre.]
9. Its eye is poked by women; it gets angry, bites its lip, and ascends skyward. — The lamp [When the lamp burns badly, the woman pokes it (in the eye). Then when it is “angry” and still refuses to burn brightly, it is lifted up on the stand.]
10. I have a headache, my nose bleeds. Stop my nose bleeding! — Fly-agaric [The eating of fly-agaric causes, after the intoxication assuaged by a new dose of the same drug.]

Word-Games

1. I raced down from a hill-top and nearly fell down.
2. Right-hand double antler-blade reindeer-buck, left-hand double-blade reindeer-buck.
3. A dried scar left by a reindeer-halter, an instrument (hatchet) for working on sledge-runners, — such eyes had the little old man.
4. Like a she-dog with tufts of old hair on her ears, so was he in the foot-race.
5. A quite young woman, in running fast, caught her boot-strings on an excrescence of a tree-trunk, and, stumbling over a hummock, nearly struck her nose against the ground.

Short Comic Tales

1. Once the root of Polygonum viviparum scratched its head on the ice.
2. Once a great raven performed the thanksgiving ceremonial in a narrow house, and his tendons became cramped.
3. A little bird married the hole in the edge of a walrus-hide, and its penis was skinned.

The shaman and the Ke’let

Shaman Tno’tirgin encounters Nota’rme, a ke’le chief who seeks to destroy him. After a complex confrontation involving strategic negotiations and a magical dog, Tno’tirgin initially survives Nota’rme’s attack. However, in a subsequent conflict, Nota’rme ultimately defeats Tno’tirgin, demonstrating the ke’le’s power on their own territory.

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The narrative centers on Tno’tirgin, a shaman, and his encounters with the ke’let, supernatural entities in Chukchee belief.

Cunning and Deception: Throughout the tale, Tno’tirgin employs strategic negotiations and disguises to navigate his confrontations with the ke’let.

Trials and Tribulations: The shaman undergoes a series of challenges, including battles and strategic encounters, testing his abilities and resolve.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Qora’wge, a Reindeer Chukchee man of the Telqa’p tundra, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

Once — of whom shall I speak (now)? One time Tno’tirgin, [a man, indeed] a shaman, walked up river. Then he saw two men driving reindeer.

“Oh, well, now, where are you going?” — “Well, then, we are going to Tno’tirgin’s in search of food. In (our) search we are going to yonder settlement.” — “Is that so? Really! But where is Tno’tirgin?” — “Yes, where is he? We do not know, we have not found him.” — “Really? Well, now, I also do not know. He is quite unknown to me.” — “The fact is, we are sent by Nota’rme to look for food in Tno’tirgin’s (camp).” — “Really?” — “We are [in] the vanguard. In the rear the pack-sledges of Nota’rme are slowly moving on.” — “Indeed!”

Oh, he killed them there, he stabbed all of them. Tno’tirgin, this earthly man, killed the ke’let, being a shaman.

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Then he departed and went home. Evening came, and they slept. The morning, about dawn, he woke up and went to the same place up river.

There he saw two young women taking water from the river. “Ah! so you came for water?” — “Yes!” — “You women, whose (women) are you?” — “We are Nota’rme’s.” — “Indeed! Where are your houses?” — “They are here, only they are not visible from this place.” — “Oh, that is it!”

The ke’le-women, while taking water, sing a song, one of Tno’tirgin’s. “Oh, whose lullaby are you singing?” [The best praise of a Chukchee song is to say that it puts people to sleep.] — “It is Tno’tirgin’s.” — “Really! Then this Tno’tirgin must be a man with pretty songs, with a pretty manner of singing.”

The ke’le-women said, “It seems to us that you are Tno’tirgin.” — “Oh, well, how can I be Tno’tirgin? I do not know him. He is quite unknown to me. I have never seen him.” — “Really!” — “Then sing it again!” — “All right!” They sang on.

They [finished] finished drawing water. Then they went home. Tno’tirgin followed, and went after them. At the same time Nota’rme, the chief, the strong one, was sitting on a sledge, sheltered from the wind, — Nota’rme, the ka’mak, the ke’le.

“Oh, here you are!” — “Yes!” — “You have come?” Tno’tirgin asked him. (He answered,) “Yes! Indeed, I am here. I am going to Tno’tirgin’s.” — “Are you?” — “But then it is not known, we do not know, where Tno’tirgin is.” — “Really!” — “Where he is, I do not know. I have not seen Tno’tirgin.”

Then Tno’tirgin asked of Nota’rme, “Well, now, if you had found Tno’tirgin, would you have done anything to him?” — “Oh, yes! if I had found him, I should of course have finished with him, because last year he killed all my people who were sent by me on reindeer (to look for human prey).” — “Oh, indeed!” — “Yes!”

Close to Nota’rme was a dog of giant size tied to the sledge. What now! Tno’tirgin seized Nota’rme. He caught him, (and said,) “Oh, here I am! I am Tno’tirgin.” — “Eh!” — “Oh, at last we have met [each other]! I am going to kill you! Why, you too have (of late) almost killed me.” “Oh, let me go! I shall not come to you. I am carrying antlers. We came here also carrying antlers. [The Chukchee carry reindeer-antlers to the funeral-places of their parents and relatives.] But I will send them (to the place rightly) from here.” — “No, indeed! I am going to kill you. In vain you are trying to deceive me. At last we have met!”

“Well, then, I will give you that dog there.” — “I do not want it. You are deceiving me. No, indeed, I am going to kill you.” — “Indeed, I do not want to deceive you. Why should I?” — “Oh, well! Then let me take it now to my house!” — “No, you could not [own] keep it as your own dog. If you should take it now openly to your house, you could not have it for your own. Let it be! In due time I will cause it to be born for you to a pregnant female dog.” — “All right!” — “Yes!” He let him go.

“Oh, oh, women, hurry up! We are going to change camp. We are going back (to our own country)! Let us carry those antlers quickly to their place!” They carried away the antlers, and took them (to their destination). When they had done so, they went back, and fled to their own country.

Tno’tirgin also came back. Summer came. He lived close to the river, at its mouth. After a while a great mass of fish came to the river, so that it was quite filled with fish, and even the water could not flow down because of the fish. Some of the fish leaped to the shore, so full was the river. When he awoke in the morning, a number of whales and other sea-game were stranded on the shore, and even leaped up shore.

After that a female dog brought forth pups. He looked over the puppies. Some were actual whelps. One, however, was [born] the dog of a ke’le. This dog of the ke’le grew up with Tno’tirgin and became quite large, — a huge dog, of the size of a reindeer. Therefore it remained tied to a big iron chain, in the inner room, or in the outer room, near the wall.

Then again Nota’rme came to Tno’tirgin. The houses of the settlement were quite numerous. Nota’rme’s people surrounded all the houses with nets, so that a number of souls were caught in them. Thus they were killing (human) people.

The people of Tno’tirgin and all his neighbors, however, were sleeping quite soundly, and not one of them would wake up. Then the big dog that was chained up began to bark at its master, “Bow wow!” Still the master slept. Oh, oh! they did not even hear this deep and loud voice.

At last, out of mere compassion, the dog snapped the chain in two and rushed on the sleeping master. Then it bit him in the finger. Then the master woke up at last, and came out at some place, somewhere up high. He killed a great many ke’let [Tno’tirgin and the dog]. The dog also helped him in this.

Right after that, Nota’rme fled. Some (ke’let) were killed. The people of Tno’tirgin remained quite safe.

One of the next years Tno’tirgin, in his turn, went to make war against the ke’le, against the people of Nota’rme. He came to his place. Nota’rme said, “You have come!” — “Oh, I tell you! you have almost killed me! Now I have come to you openly. Well, now, let us have fight!” — “Eh! First let us go into the house and have a meal!” — “No, I do not want it. I refuse.” — “Ah, all right!” He killed Tno’tirgin.

The ke’le is quite strong on his own ground. And for what did he go to the ke’le? (The ke’le) killed him, and murdered all (his people).

The man who visited the polar bears

A man marries a Polar-Bear woman and pursues her after her brothers take her away. After overcoming supernatural challenges, including defeating monstrous Kocha’tkoo beings, he experiences a transformative journey involving shape-shifting, encounters with celestial beings, and a mystical descent through different realms. His adventure culminates in becoming a shaman among mice and receiving cryptic guidance.

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The protagonist undergoes a transformative journey, encountering shape-shifting and supernatural beings, reflecting physical, emotional, or spiritual changes.

Supernatural Beings: Interactions with entities like the Kocha’tkoo monsters and celestial beings highlight encounters with spirits, gods, or monsters.

Underworld Journey: The protagonist’s descent through different realms symbolizes a venture into a realm of the dead or unknown territories.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Qo’tirgin, a Maritime Chukchee man, in the village of Mi’s-qan, November, 1900.

Once (there were) two Polar-Bear women. They landed (on shore. They were) very pretty. On the land a man saw them. He married one, and took her home and anointed her [a part of the marriage ritual]. The man walked around all the time, and brought home wild reindeer. The Polar-Bear woman soon brought forth two boys.

During one of the usual walks of the man, the brothers came to the shore, — the Polar Bears. They wanted to take her away to their home. The woman obeyed. She said, “I will only put the children into my ear.” They went away to the country of the Polar Bears.

The man came home, [the husband], but the wife was not there. He questioned his mother, and said, “Where is the woman?” — “Her brothers long ago carried away that Polar-Bear woman.”

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He said to his mother, “Make some (new) boots for me.” He himself worked and made a bow and arrows. The mother made boots for him. Oh, she finished (them). Then he departed.

He shot (an arrow) towards the open (sea), and land was created. This was the path of his arrow. When this land had been gone through and the boots worn out, he threw away the boots and shot again. Again (a strip) of land was created in the same direction.

He put on other boots and departed again. The strip of land came to an end. He again threw away his boots, put on other boots, shot (an arrow), and a new strip of land was created. Only one arrow remained (in his possession). Again (the land) came to an end, a shore appeared. He shot again. No arrows were left, but he passed the night on the confines of a settlement.

The next morning he saw children walking along in the open. (These were his sons.) They grew up very fast. He asked them, “Have you a father?” — “We have not. (Our) uncles brought us here.” — “Who is your mother?” — “She is a Polar-Bear woman.” Then he told them, “You are children of mine.”

The children went home, and said to their mother, “Our father has come.” — “Where can he have come from? What kind of a father? It is far. How could he do it? He lives on the other side of the sea. There, let me go and have a look myself.” She went to him and saw him. She said to him, “What do you want? Two Kocha’tkoo monsters [in the shape of polar bears of gigantic size] we have for neighbors. They will kill you.” He said, “Have I come for life? I came for death.”

[The set of] her brothers had gone to sea to seek game, — [the set of] those Polar Bears. Then he entered. The brothers came back, and all at once said, “Oh, oh, our house smells (of something) bad. What have you brought in? The house smells of something from the mainland!”

The wife said, “What smell can that be! It is only my husband who has come.” Then the brothers said, “Oh, why did you not say that long ago? Gracious! we have frightened him.”

All at once the father-in-law said, “Oh, tomorrow morning the Kocha’tkoot will arrange for some game with you, and they will kill you.” The Kocha’tkoot, indeed, very soon were heard (to exclaim), “Oh, let us arrange some game for our guest!”

Oh, the father-in-law said, “Let all the people slide down hill!” Their sliding-place was surrounded by water. They would dive into it and enter the water. From there they would bring back large round bowlders.

He said, “I cannot dive.” The father-in-law said, “You must use my mittens and all my clothes. As soon as you are submerged, a large bowlder will be there under the water. This (one) you must throw up the shore.”

He threw the bowlder, and it landed far inland. Then the father-in-law called aloud, “Oh, oh, the mainland man! He is not to be vanquished, after all!” Then again the Kocha’tkoo said, “Oh, well! let us have a wrestling-match!” The father-in-law said, “Oh, now what can I do for you? You must think of it yourself. This time he is going to kill you. In truth, how (strong) are you [yourself]?” — “In truth, till now I was (considered) a fairly good one.”

(The man) made a spear. Then the Kocha’tkoo attacked him. (The man) fought with the spear, and tired (the monster-beast) out. Then he struck at his mouth with the spear. The blood (flowed). After that he cut all the tendons on his legs, and so made him incapable of standing up. Again the father-in-law called aloud, “Oh, oh! our guest is not to be vanquished!”

He slew (the Kocha’tkoo). The father-in-law said, “Indeed, take your wife home!” He put on the clothes of his father-in-law. Four of the family, his brothers-in-law, went with him to bring the brother-in-law home. They landed (on the shore). The people immediately wanted to attack the Polar Bears. The man put aside the hood (of his clothing). It was the forehead-skin of the polar bear. He pushed it off thus. Till then they were attacking them.

The man said, “Oh, we have arrived!” Then the others said, “Oh, (we have) nearly (killed you)!” The brothers-in-law were much frightened. They arrived at his house. But the brothers-in-law refused to enter because of the smell. Oh, they went home, they departed. These (here, the Bears) came to their house. The father died, the sons wandered to another country. The people saw them and killed them all.

This brother-in-law heard of this, made a war-expedition (against those people), and slew them all. After this slaying he ascended to heaven. He lived with the Morning-Dawn. When he had staid there for some time, his family promised in sacrifice a white-haired dog. This (dog) his family promised to the Morning-Dawn.

In a short time the dog came there. It was breathless, Morning-Dawn said to the man, “Oh, this is your dog, which comes to look for you, sent by your family!” He opened a trunk, and said to him, “There, see your (own) people!”

And there was that people quite near [vertically] (under them). And all at once tears came (to his eyes), and he cried. Immediately it rained there, from these tears of his. Morning-Dawn said to the man, “There, wipe off your tears! That is enough.”

He brushed away the tears. Then the rain ceased. He also saw his herd. (Morning-Dawn said to him, “A barren doe you must give me when you reach home. I have a desire for it. And when you get back, do not enter (your house) at once. First anoint yourself with (pulverized) stone. When that is done, give me the barren doe.”

Then he got back, rubbed some stone, anointed himself. Then he slaughtered the barren doe, offered it as a sacrifice. He entered the house, slept (through) the night, and then turned into a woman. He looked for his penis. “Gracious! indeed, I am a man!” It had turned into a vulva.

He had (a suit of) armor in a pile of his goods. He said, “Well, then, I have (a suit of) armor.” He took it out. But it turned into female attire, into a woman’s overcoat. A man from the (Upper) Beings came to woo him. He said to him, “What do you want?” The one (who had) turned into a woman asked him this. He spoke thus: “I came as a suitor (for your hand).” — “I am not a woman, I am a man.”

The suitor said to him, “Indeed, you are a woman. For that very reason I have come to you.” He said, “Now, here! See my spear!” He looked at it. It turned into a needle-case. He copulated with (this one). (The visitor) took his wife home [and brought her there]. His herd was very large. He took a barren doe and anointed her [with it], but the blood did not adhere. He took a castrated buck and anointed her, but the blood was too slippery. He took another reindeer, but its blood was also bad. (He took) an old doe, its blood was bad. He took a doe three years old, its blood was bad. He took a doe two years old, its blood was bad. He took a buck three years old, its blood was like water. He took a buck two years old, its blood was bad.

He took a small lean fawn, its blood was good. He anointed her. They slept again. As soon as she looked at her husband, on awaking, she saw that it was a stone pillar. [Pillars of stone, which are often found in the mountains of this country, are considered by the Chukchee to be petrified men, reindeer, horses, etc.] She said, “Who has made such a laughing-stock of me? Probably human people (shamans).” Then she cried.

The Zenith visited her. (He asked,) “Why are you crying?” — “Some mischievous beings have acted thus towards me.” — “There. I will take you to my house!” He took her there, — a big house. She slept there. The penis (of this person) began to grow. She said, “It seems, however, that I am a woman.” Thus she said (to herself) in her innermost (thoughts). Just then the Zenith said, “This happened to you because you married among the Polar Bears. Go home!”

The spear that had become a needle-case again became a spear. The Zenith said, “Let Spider-Woman lower you down.” She attached him to a thread, and said, “Close your eyes!” Then she said, “On the way there is a dark house. As soon as you feel thirsty, feel around with your palms, (and) you will find some berries. With these you may quench your thirst (literally, ‘there you drink’). When you have finished with that, there will appear a small bright spot. You must go toward it.”

He reached it and went through, and it was this world of ours. He departed, and came to a people that were mice. “Oh, a guest!” — “Yes!” — “Oh, well, enough! Tomorrow our people will prepare a thanksgiving ceremonial. One man is not well. You must stay over night.” He staid there over night (as he thought) but it was a whole year. He took part in their ceremonial. Oh, he became a (great) shaman. (They were suffering of) a throat (disease). The mice were dying. It was only a snare spread by human children for mice, which tightened so on the throat of the mice that they were strangled.

“We will give you afterwards some thin reindeer-skin in payment, as soon as this one is cured. Also, of beings farther on, every kind [of those beings] shall be informed about you.”

He snapped (the noose in two). “Egegegegei’!” (The patient) breathed again. (They gave him) thin reindeer-skins in payment. He departed. On the way, as soon as he looked at those reindeer-skins, they were only leaves and grass.

Again he travelled on, and he saw a Hairy Maggot. (The Maggot) said to him, “Oh, oh! a guest?” — “Yes!” — “Oh, there! the mischievous beings are about to wrong you again!” — “Ah, ah!” — “Just assume my body. On the way there is an ermine, very active one. You must assume my body. Then let him catch you. You must fall on your back [fall down]. Put your many legs close (around him! With these) you shall kill him. Then come out, and your house will be visible quite near by.”

That is all.