Lay of Bondandi (Kolyma version)

Bondandi is urged to hunt elk for bedding and coverlets but instead encounters a boat of girls from upstream. Though the girls approach him warmly, offering to cook and pick berries, he rejects them and hides in his cabin. Upset and frightened by his rejection, the girls weep, curse their misfortune, and lament being driven away by Bondandi.

Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Love and Betrayal: The girls’ affectionate approach towards Bondandi and his subsequent rejection highlight themes of unrequited love and emotional betrayal.

Community and Isolation: Bondandi’s choice to isolate himself from the approaching girls reflects themes of solitude versus social interaction.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts lessons on hospitality, social interaction, and the consequences of rejecting communal bonds.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Helen Dauroff, a Russian creole woman, in the village of Pokhotsk, winter of 1900.

Bondandi, get up, get up!
Go and kill an elk
For our bedding,
For child’s coverlet.
A boat comes from upstream
With such nice girls,
With such long-nosed ones!
I saw the girls
And hid in the cabin.
The girls came there,
They tugged at me,
They pressed me down.

We girls we have come
To cook fat soup for you,
To pick berries for you.’
He repulsed the girls,
And hid in the cabin.
The girls wept aloud,
The girls whimpered low,
They were much frightened,
And cursed their luck,
‘Bondandi drove us off,
Bondandi drove us away.

► Continue reading…

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Sister and brother married

A sister, desiring to marry her brother, deceives him by disguising herself as a new woman in their camp. The brother unknowingly marries her, and they have a son. When the boy learns the truth from a Snow-Bunting, the father investigates. Discovering the incestuous deceit, he sets a trap with a spell-bound ax, which kills his sister. He and his son continue living together afterward.

Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Family Dynamics: The narrative explores complex relationships within a family, particularly the taboo of incest.

Divine Punishment: The brother invokes a spell-bound ax to punish his sister for her deceit, resulting in her death.

Forbidden Love: The sister’s desire to marry her brother represents a romantic connection defying societal and familial expectations.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chuvan Lore

Learn more about the Chuvan people

Told by Anne Sosykin, a Russianized Chuvantzi woman, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900.

There was a sister who wanted to marry her brother. One time while the brother was out hunting she sewed a new tent cover and prepared new poles also. Then she dug a long underground passage away from their house, and at the end of it she pitched her new tent. She said to her brother, “A strange woman has come to our camp. You should marry her. After that I will go away.” He said, “Better stay with us.” — “No, I will go and look for a husband; but you must go and visit that woman.” As soon as he was gone, she changed her clothing, and arranged her hair in a different manner. Then she dived into the underground passage and made off to the new tent. There she sat down and when her brother came in he saw her working on skins. He went back home; but she was there before him, and put on her former dress. She asked him, “Did you see her?” — “Yes, I saw her. She looks very much like you.” — “Don’t be silly! Women are alike, just like larch-cones; you hesitate too long. Marry her, the sooner the better. I will go and look for a husband.”

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The following morning he went to the woman’s tent, and spent the whole day there. He paid his suit and married her. The sister pretended to go away, but she had gone to the new tent and stayed there. There they lived. In due time she brought forth a boy, who grew up and became able to shoot. His father made a bow and arrows for him. The boy shot at a Snow-Bunting, which grew angry, and said to him, “You good-for-nothing! do not shoot at me! Better think that you are the child of a brother who married his own sister.” The boy went to his mother, and said, “The Snow-Bunting is abusing me. It says that I am the child of a brother who married his own sister.” She only said, “Do not say that to your father!” When the man came home, the boy wanted to tell him; but just as he began and said “Father!” his mother gave him a spanking and drove him away. This was repeated several times. Then the father took notice and said, “Wife! bring me some wild sheep meat.” She went to the storehouse. Then the boy began again, “Here, father!” — “What is it, child?” — “Snow-Bunting said to me that I am the child of a brother who married his own sister.” — “Ah, ah!” said the father. He took his big ax and ground it well on the whetstone. Then he hung it up just above the entrance. He laid a spell upon it and said to the ax, “If she is really my sister, fall down and split her head.” The woman entered smiling; but, as soon as she had shut the door, the ax fell down and split her head. So she died, and he prepared for her funeral. They lived on, he and his boy.

The end.

A Markova tale

Three brothers—Grass-Leg, Bladder, and Little-Finger—face tragic misfortunes while eating blood soup. Little-Finger drowns trying to take marrow, Grass-Leg breaks his leg attempting to help, and Bladder laughs so hard he bursts. Their father, upon learning of these calamities from his wife, becomes enraged and kills her in anger, leaving the family in ruin.

Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Tragic Flaw: Each character exhibits a flaw leading to their demise—Little-Finger’s overreaching curiosity, Grass-Leg’s impulsive rescue attempt, Bladder’s excessive mirth, and the father’s uncontrollable anger.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts lessons on the consequences of unchecked emotions and actions, illustrating how individual flaws can lead to personal and familial ruin.

Cunning and Deception: The story subtly reflects on the deceptive nature of appearances and actions, where seemingly harmless situations lead to fatal outcomes, emphasizing the unpredictability of life.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chuvan Lore

Learn more about the Chuvan people

Told by Katherine Alin, a Russianized Chuvantzi girl, twelve years of age, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900.

There were three brothers. One was Grass-Leg, another was Bladder, the third was Little-Finger. One time they ate blood-soup. Little-Finger saw some marrow, and wanted to take it; but he fell into the soup and was drowned. Grass-Leg wanted to help him, but in his hurry broke his leg, seeing which, Bladder laughed till he burst of laughter. Their father went and asked his wife, “Where are our children?” She told him. He was so angry that he killed her.

The end.

► Continue reading…

A Markova tale

White-Cap, a duck, acts strangely while being groomed by her granddaughter, scaring the girl into fleeing. Alone and lonely, the girl encounters a snow-bunting, which teases her with playful and absurd questions about her life, alluding to a life surrounded by dog-made tools and hardships. Their exchange ends with the bird mentioning a jay extinguishing her fire and flying off, leaving the tale unresolved.

Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The snow-bunting engages the girl in a series of playful and absurd questions, showcasing wit and subtle deceit in their conversation.

Illusion vs. Reality: The girl’s perception of her grandmother’s behavior and the snow-bunting’s teasing questions blur the lines between reality and imagination.

Conflict with Nature: The girl’s fear of natural elements, such as drowning in the river or getting splinters from a willow, reflects a struggle against natural forces.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chuvan Lore

Learn more about the Chuvan people

Told by Mary Alin, a Russianized Chuvantzi woman, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900.

There was a duck who called herself White-Cap. She asked her granddaughter to louse her.

“O granny! there are no lice on your forehead, but plenty on the back of your head.”

“Gete, gete!” said the old woman in duck language. “There are none on the back of the head, but quite a good many on the forehead, gete, gete, gete!”

“O granny! Why do you talk like that? You never did so before.” “Gete, gete, I always talked like the gray geese that pass high above me. They made me lose my wits, gete, gete, gete!”

The girl was frightened and ran away.

► Continue reading…

For some time she remained alone, then she felt lonely and sat down on a high stone. A snow-bunting perched on a cranberry-bush. The girl asked it, “What do you want?”

“Pitititi do you feel warm?” — “I do feel warm.”

“Pitititi, why do you not bathe in the river?” — “I am afraid, lest I should drown.”

“Pitititi, why do you not hold on to a willow?” — “I am afraid to get a splinter in my palm.”

“Pitititi, why do you not put on mittens?” — “I am afraid, lest they should be torn.”

“Pitititi, why do you not mend them?” — “I am afraid the needle might break.”

“Pitititi, why do you not sharpen it?” — “I am afraid the whetstone might split, and brother would blame me.”

“What is your bed?” — “A dogskin.”

“What is your pillow?” — “A dog’s neck.”

“What are your spoons?” — “Dog’s paws.”

“What are your forks?” — “Dog’s claws.”

“What is your kettle?” — “A dog skull.”

“What is your sledge?” — “Dog’s cheek-bones.”

“What are your ladles?” — “Dog’s shoulder blades.”

“What are your titbits?” — “Dog’s tongue.”

“What are your cups?” — “Dog’s teeth.”

“And where is your fire?” — “A jay passed by and extinguished it.”

“And where is the jay?” — “It flew away to the mountain to peck at the larch gum.”

The end.

A Markova tale

An old man and woman live simply, the man hunting and the woman cooking. After he locks her out to keep his reindeer meat, she leaves in search of human company. Guided by a snow-bunting, she deceives various villagers into trading up from a goose to a doe. While traveling with animals, they betray her. Defeated, she returns to the old man, resuming their modest life.

Source:
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Trials and Tribulations: The old woman endures a series of challenges, including being locked out by the old man and the betrayals by animals, testing her resilience.

Loss and Renewal: After facing betrayal and defeat, the old woman returns to the old man, symbolizing a cycle of loss and the renewal of their simple life together.

Family Dynamics: The story explores the relationship between the old man and the old woman, their separation, and eventual reunion, shedding light on their interpersonal dynamics.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chuvan Lore

Learn more about the Chuvan people

This tale like some others, was indicated as a real Markova tale, in contrast to others which were indicated as Lamut, Yukaghir, or Chuvantzi tales, or again, as Russian tales coming from Russia. It represents, however, a mixture of elements, Russian and native.

Told by Anne Sosykin, a Russianized Chukchee woman, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900.

There was an old man and an old woman. The old man used to catch hares and bring them to his old woman. She cooked them, and they ate together. One time the old man brought a fat reindeer. The old woman jumped for joy. “Ah, the fat reindeer!” She skinned it and dressed it and chopped it; and then she put some of it into a large kettle, which she hung up over the fire. The meat was nearly done. Then the old man said to himself, “This old woman will consume all my meat. Eh, old woman, fetch some water!” The old woman took a pail and went down to the river. The old man in a moment secured the door on the inside and waited in silence. The old woman came back and could not open the door. “What is the matter with this door?” — “Oh, nothing! I have fastened it on this side.” — “Why did you do so?” — “Oh, I was afraid you would eat all my fat meat.” The old woman climbed to the roof. “Old man, I put the foot of a hare behind the chimney. Please throw it out to me.” He did so. The old woman took the foot and went away. After some time she grew weary and sat down to rest. A magpie was flying by. “O magpie! please tell me where there are human people.” — “I will not tell you. When you lived with the old man, each time that I wanted to perch on the fish racks, you would hurl sticks at my head, I will tell you nothing.”

► Continue reading…

The old woman went on and after a while sat down again. A raven was flying by. “O Raven! please tell me where there are human people.” — “I will not tell you. When you lived with the old man each time I wanted to perch on the fish racks you would hurl lumps of earth at my head. I will tell you nothing. He flew off, and the old woman went on. After a while she sat down to rest. A snow-bunting flew past. “O, Snow-Bunting! please do tell me, where there are human people.” — “I will tell you. When you lived with the old men and whenever I perched upon the fish racks, you would do nothing to me; and when you were dressing fish for drying, you would leave for us some pieces of roe and liver. Follow me, I will show you the way.”

The snow-bunting flew away, and the old woman followed. After some time she saw a village. She entered one of the houses. The people bade her welcome, and gave her shelter and food. After the meal they said, “O old woman! we have prepared a couch for you on which you may sleep.” The next morning they gave her a goose, because they had a plentiful supply of wild and tame geese. They also showed her the way. She went on and came to other people. “Old woman, this couch is for you. Go to sleep.” She looked around, and saw that these people owned many swans: so she said to them. “Please give my goose a place among your swans.” Next morning she asked them, “Where is my little swan?” — “How is that. Did you not have a gosling?” — “No, I swear I had a little swan. I call God and the King to witness that I had a young swan.” So they gave her a swan. She took it and went on until she came to other people who had plenty of does. “Please put my swan among your does. It wants to be among your does.” They put it among the does. The next morning she asked, “Where is my doe?” — “Why, mother, you had a swan.” — “No, I swear I had a doe.” They gave her a doe and she went out. The next time she slept she stole a sledge and a reindeer-harness. She attached the doe to the sledge, and, seating herself on the sledge, drove on, singing lustily, “On, on, on! Run along the track, harness not mine, on without stopping! Other man’s sledge will never break down.” An arctic fox jumped up. “Here, granny, take me along on your sledge!” — “Sit down, you S… of a B…, your anus on the stanchion!” She drove on. A wolverene jumped up. “Here, granny, take me along on your sledge!” “Sit down, you S… of a B…, your anus on the stanchion.”

They drove on. A bear jumped up. “Here, granny, take me along on your sledge!” “Sit down, you S… of a B…, your anus on the stanchion!” The bear sat down on the sledge and it broke. “Oh, goodness! Go and bring me some wood. I will repair the sledge.” The arctic fox went and fetched a rotten log. “That is good for nothing,” said the old woman. The wolverene went and brought a crooked pole. “That is good for nothing,” said the old woman. The bear went and fetched a whole tree forked at about the middle. “That is too bad,” said the old woman. She went herself, and meanwhile they devoured the doe and ran off. The old woman came back, and there was no doe, nor any of her companions. So she left the sledge and went back to the old man. He had eaten his reindeer, and was catching hares again: he took the old woman back and they lived as before.

The end.

A Lamut tale

A man or Monster builds fish traps and stockpiles nine storehouses of fish but consumes them all in nine days. Seeking food, he finds a Lamut village, scaring away its people except a talking needle case. Tricked into injuring himself during a game, the Monster is taunted by the needle case. The villagers return, attack, and ultimately kill the Monster, ending his menace.

Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Good vs. Evil: The villagers confront and eliminate the Monster, representing the triumph of good over malevolence.

Cunning and Deception: The needle case deceives the Monster into injuring himself, showcasing the use of wit to achieve a goal.

Supernatural Beings: The Monster exhibits extraordinary abilities, such as consuming vast amounts of fish and surviving significant injury.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Evens (Lamut) Lore

Learn more about the Evens (Lamut)

Told by Mary Alin, a Russianized Chuvantzi woman, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900.

There was a man or perhaps a Monster. He prepared a fish trap of willow, and made a weir across the river. He put the fish trap in a suitable place and waited for the catch. After a while he listened, and heard the fish trap whistle. “Eh, fish trap! are you whistling?” — “Yes, I am whistling because the water runs through me.” After a while he asked again, “Eh, fish trap I are you choking now?” — “Yes, I am,” said the fish trap. So the man drew out the fish trap, and it was full of the choicest fish. He constructed a drying rack, and hung up the fish. Then he asked again, “Eh, fish trap! are you choking?” Again he pulled out the fish trap, and it was full of the best fish. Thus he worked for nine days. He built nine fish racks and filled every one with the precious fish. Then he built nine storehouses and stored his dried fish in them. After that he began to live on the fish. The first day he consumed one storehouse full. The second day he finished the second storehouse. Thus in nine days he was through with all his stores of dried fish. Then he said, “I have nothing to eat, so I will go and try to find a dwelling.”

► Continue reading…

He walked about, and after a while saw a village. He felt full of joy. “Oh, now I shall have a meal!” Then he sang aloud, “Nia’hu, nia’hu, there live some people! I shall have a meal, and I shall have much joy from it!” Some Lamut boys were kicking a football. A needle case shouted from within a work bag, “Take care! The Monster is coming. Hear him roar!” “What do we hear! It is you that roar.” And the Monster sang again, “Nia’hu, nia’hu, there live some people!” They heard his voice, and ran away. Only the needle case was left among the offal. The Monstrous old man came to the village and passed from house to house. Not a soul was there. Only a gray jay was skipping from one drying rack to another. “Here, grandfather! come play with us! Let us have a skipping-match!” — “I cannot skip.” He skipped once and once again. The third time he tried he broke one of his legs. He drew out a small knife and cut off his leg. “See here!” said the Monster, “my marrow is quite fat.” At that moment the Needle Case jumped up from the heap of offal and sang, “Goldia, goldia, nesoya, koroya. The monstrous old man has broken his leg! Ub-chub, chub!” “Oh, oh! stop your shouting! Take this little knife.” “I do not want it.” “Then take a little marrow of this bone.” — “I do not eat it, Ub-chub-chub!” As soon as the people heard his voice, they came with knives and axes and attacked the Monster. Some struck him with axes, some cut him with knives. At last they killed him. They turned the body over and examined its back. They found that a long whetstone had entered his anus fully a foot.

The end.

A Lamut tale

A Lamut camp is destroyed by mysterious invaders, leaving three sisters as the sole survivors. The eldest sister infiltrates the enemy camp, discovers their weakness—a maggot-infested reindeer liver—and destroys it, killing the invaders, including their shaman leader. She reunites with her sisters, shows them the lifeless enemy camp, and they claim the camp’s resources for themselves, triumphing over their foes.

Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The eldest sister uses her wit to infiltrate the enemy camp, gain their trust, and uncover their weakness.

Trials and Tribulations: The sisters face the hardship of losing their family and home, testing their resilience and resourcefulness.

Revenge and Justice: The eldest sister’s actions serve as retribution against the invaders, restoring balance and avenging her family’s demise.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Evens (Lamut) Lore

Learn more about the Evens (Lamut)

Told by Anne Sosykin, a Russianized Chuvantzi woman, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900.

There was a Lamut camp. An old Lamut had three daughters, who were not married. Another family made their camp nearby. I do not know whether they were men or spirits. They attacked the Lamut, and killed all of them. The three sisters fled. The strangers dried the flesh of their victims. They split the bones and extracted the marrow. The sisters were very hungry. The oldest one said, “I will go to them. I am very hungry. Perhaps they will not kill me.”

They bade her welcome and offered her meat. It seems, they gave her flesh of one of her own people, for she could not eat it. The master of the house was the shaman of the camp. In the evening he said to his wife and the visiting girl, “I will sleep this night with both of you.” So they lay down side by side. The shaman copulated first with the one, then with the other. When they lay there tired, the girl asked the mistress, “Do you live on the flesh of those Lamut people?” — “It is so,” she answered.

► Continue reading…

The shaman suddenly jumped up. “Ah! my heart is throbbing. It forbodes something.” — “What does it forbode?” asked his wife. “Is there anybody stronger than you are?” — “Lie down!” said the guest, “since you are my new husband.” He lay down. The guest asked again, “Eh, sister, do you ever suffer from any illness?” — “Never,” answered the mistress. “In the valley down there is a reindeer that belongs to my husband. Its liver is full of reindeer fly maggots. Whoever gets this liver kills all of us. This is our only fear.” — “Ah, sister!” answered the guest, “it is time to sleep.”

Soon they slept. The Lamut woman crept out of the tent. She took the bow and arrows, put on her snowshoes, and went to look for the reindeer. She saw it in the valley, close to a group of larch trees. It was spotted, and its antlers stood upright. She tried to approach, but it ran away. At last she came within range of it and killed it. Then she opened it and extracted the liver. It was full of maggots. She destroyed these one by one. Soon there was heard a great lamentation from the camp of the invaders. “Arai, arai.” [in the Lamut language, “Alas, alas!”] She came to the shaman’s tent. He jumped up; but when she destroyed the largest maggot, he fell back dead. Then she went to her sisters. “Ah, sisters! I have killed them all.” — “How is it possible?” said the sisters. “It is not true.” — “Indeed, let us go and look at them!” They arrived at the camp. All their enemies were stone-dead. They carried out the bodies, and took everything in the camp for themselves.

The end.

Lamut tale

A Lamut man marries a magical stone woman who later saves him by eliminating a water spirit he secretly meets. Angry over his betrayal, the stone wife is eventually killed by the man after he falls for the revived water girl. He burns his stone wife and chooses to live with the water girl in her world, leaving his past behind.

Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The narrative features a magical stone woman and a water spirit, both integral to the plot.

Love and Betrayal: The man’s relationships with the stone woman and the water spirit highlight themes of love, infidelity, and betrayal.

Transformation: The stone transforming into a living woman and the man’s transition to the water world illustrate physical and existential transformations.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Evens (Lamut) Lore

Learn more about the Evens (Lamut)

Told by Anne Sosykin, a Russianized Chuvantzi woman, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900

There was a Lamut man, who traveled about looking for a wife. One time he found a stone in the likeness of a person. He took it home and put it near the fireplace. He awoke in the morning, and said to the stone, “There, wife, cook some food!” Since the stone never stirred, he got up and cooked the food himself. Then he went off to look for game. He came back in the evening, and said again to the stone, “Wife, cook some food!” But since the stone never stirred, he cooked the food himself. He awoke next morning, and, lo! the stone wife was cooking food. They lived together as husband and wife.

After a while he went to a river and walked along the bank. He felt thirsty; he found a water-hole and stooped down. When about to drink, he saw a girl down below, who was combing her long glossy hair. “Ah, come here! let us play!” She came out, and they played shooting at each other with bow and arrows. At last he looked up. The sun was already setting.

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“Ah! it is late. I must go home. He went home, but his wife pouted at him. “Why are you so late? Before this you used to come in time.” — “I have been tracking a fox.” The following morning he arose early and went to the river. The water girl was already down there in the water, combing her hair. “Come along, let us play!” They played again till sunset. When he came home, his wife was very angry. “Why are you so late?” He gave no answer, thinking of the girl, and promising himself, “Tomorrow morning I shall getup still earlier.” The wife, however, caused a heavy sleep to fall upon him. Early in the morning the stone woman arose. She put on her husband’s clothes, took his bow and arrows, and on snowshoes went to the river following her husband’s tracks. She came to the water-hole and looked down. The girl was there, combing her hair. “Come along, let us play.” — “Ah! my heart is in a flurry. I feel as if we had never played before.” — “Oh, nonsense! Well, at least come up a little! Let me have a look at you.” The other one appeared out of the water up to her armpits. Then the stone wife shot at her and pierced her breast with an arrow. Blood spurted from her breast and from her back. The girl dropped back, and the stone woman returned to her home. She put her husband’s clothes in their former place, also his bow and snowshoes. Then she removed the sleeping-spell from him. He jumped up, and saw that the sun was already high up in the sky. He took his bow, put on his snowshoes, and hurried to the river. The girl, however, was not to be seen. “Ah!” said he with many lamentations, “she is no more! I do not want to stay here either.” He jumped into the water and sank down. His ears rustled, his body tingled all over. Then he found himself in a new world. He found a beaten track, and walked on. After a while he came to a city. All the houses of the city were covered with black calico. Apart from the others stood a little house in which lived a little old woman. He entered. The old woman asked, “Where do you come from?” — “I am from the other world. What has happened here! Is anybody sick? Why all this black calico?” — “Our chief’s daughter is sick. Somebody hit her with an arrow.” — “I want to heal her.” The old woman hurried to the chief: “A man has come to our city who offers to heal your daughter.” The chief ordered that the visitor be brought in. As soon as he entered the house, the girl moaned aloud, “Aah!” He touched the arrow, and in a moment she was dead. Then he asked for some men’s clothes. These he put on her body, and on himself he put her clothes. “Well, father and mother, take your last farewell. I will watch the body all by myself.” After sunset there came two young birds, two spoonbills. Two high larch trees stood there. The spoonbills alighted on the trees.

O sister! get up!
Let us play, and let us flutter about!
O sisters! I cannot play,
I cannot flutter.
O sisters! my wings are broken,
My feathers fell down.
O sister! who broke your wings?
Who plumed your feathers?
O sisters! he who broke them.
He lies down like one dead.

The spoonbills alighted on the ground, and turned into young girls. They came to the one who was dead. The first girl blew upon her, the second girl spat upon her. Then she jumped up, and exclaimed, “Ah, ah, ah! I slept very long! Now I am up again.” “Ah! without our aid, you would have slept forever.” They stayed there till the following morning. When the other people awoke, they carried her to her parents. The mother immediately fell in a swoon. She came to herself only in the evening, and they married the girl to the visitor. They lived together. One time he said, “I want to visit my former wife.” As soon as the stone wife saw him, she jumped up. “Ah! my husband is coming, my husband is coming!” She whetted her teeth, ready to bite; but the man strung his how and shot her. She fell back. “Ah! so it is. I wanted to devour you, but you got ahead of me.” He built a great fire and burned the woman. Then he went back to the water girl and lived with her.

A Yukaghir tale

The tribal name “Yukaghir” is mentioned in the title as well as in the text of this tale. Still the unknown words occurring in it were indicated as belonging to the Chuvantzi language, though nobody was able to translate them. The Chuvantzi may have been a branch of the Yukaghir.

Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Good vs. Evil: The story depicts the struggle between the lazy man and his wife against Yaghishna, representing the classic battle between opposing forces.

Transformation: The man’s evolution from laziness to an active lifestyle signifies a significant personal change.

Supernatural Beings: Yaghishna, referred to as “the unclean,” embodies a supernatural entity influencing mortal affairs.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Anne Pleskov, an old Russianized native woman, in the village of Vakarena, the Anadyr River, autumn of 1899.

There was a Yukaghir man and his wife. He was exceedingly lazy. He was all the time lying in his tent, and did not want to go out. The woman chopped the wood and looked after the traps and snares. She also prepared their food. He would lie on the skins in the tent. She would come home and cook the dinner.

Then she would ask, “Will you eat?”
“Why! If I must! chemechina!”

One time the woman went out, and saw somebody coming. It was Yaghishna, the unclean. The woman came back, and sang out:

Ke, ke, ke, ke, ke,
Chomunda gałunda
Batkina deka
Comunda riteka!

► Continue reading…

“Oh!” said she, “old man, there comes Yaghishna!” He remained lying down. She went out again, and the female enemy was already nearby. She entered again. “Oh, she is here! Get up, old man! or I shall leave you.” He remained lying there, as before. The third time she entered, and sang out:

Ke, ke, ke, ke, ke,
Batkina ta’lik
Chomunda richalik!

“Oh, there, old man! get up! She is at the door. “Ah!” said he, “I shall get up and chemechina, I shall put on my breeches and chemechina, I shall put on my coat and chemechina, I shall put on my boots and chemechina, I shall take my quiver and chemechina, I shall take my bow and chemechina, I shall take my arrow and chemechina.” So he got up, took his bow and arrows, and rushed out of the house. He tried to shoot at the monster, but all his arrows that hit her body rebounded as from hard stone. The woman sang again:

Ke, ke, ke, ke, ke,
Chomunda galunda!

Old man, do not aim at her body: try as hard as you can to take aim at her anus, then you will kill her.”

He had only one arrow left, so he aimed at her anus. The arrow pierced her, passed through the body, and came out at the mouth. She fell down like a big mountain. They ran to her, and chopped up her body with a broad spear and with an ax. The old woman said, “Old man! Let us pile up some wood. Let us burn her.” They heaped up a pile of wood. Then they put her on top of it and burned her up. They threw the ashes to all four winds. The old man went back into the tent and wanted to lie down. “Oh, old man! don’t lie down! Oh, old man! don’t lie down! Let us rather go and see whether she has left anyone behind in her house. They may come here and destroy us unawares.”

They followed in her tracks, and finally found a house. They stole up to it. Nobody was stirring there. They found a chink and looked through it. The house was empty: so they entered and looked about. There was nothing of any use, mere rubbish and dirt. A large wooden dish stood in the middle of the house, bottom upward. The old man stumbled over the dish, and it turned right-side up. A number of small children jumped out of it, like so many peas, and ran about:

Oh, oh, mama ta kakacha,
Mama ta vakeca!

They broke the heads of all of the children. Then they set fire to the house and went home. From that time on the old man became quite active. He went hunting and brought back food and clothing. They lived in good style and had everything desired. So they have lived up to the present time.

Yukaghir tale

Two sisters encounter Kosetoka, a monster. When he approaches the first sister playing dead, he rejects her as spoiled meat. The second sister challenges him to a “game” on the ice, tricking him into removing his testicles. He falls dead, and she returns home triumphantly claiming she killed him through her clever, brutal strategy.

Source
Tales of Yukaghir, Lamut, and Russianized Natives of Eastern Siberia
by Waldemar Bogoras
The American Museum of Natural History
Anthropological Papers, Vol. 20, Part 1
New York, 1918

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The sister’s deceptive game leads to the monster’s demise.

Supernatural Beings: The encounter with Kosetoka, a malevolent spirit.

Trials and Tribulations: The sisters confront and overcome a life-threatening challenge.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Anne Sosykin, a Russianized Chuvantzi woman, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900.

There were two sisters. One time they walked about and met Kosetoka [a bad spirit]. The first sister saw him, and immediately let herself fall down, pretending to be dead. He came to her and investigated the body. He found an aperture in the hind part, and said, “Ah! this is the wound.” Then he put his finger into the wound and smelled of it. “Ah!” said he, “bad odor. Probably she was killed long ago.” Then he stooped down and smelled of the pretended wound. “Too bad!” said he, “I will not eat of it.”

The other sister was deaf, and did not hear his words. All at once she looked back and saw the monster. “Ah, ah!” said he, “this is fresh meat. I will cook some of it for today.” She retorted, “Better let us go and have a little play! After that you may eat me.” They went to a lake which was frozen. “Let us have our play hereon the ice.” The woman had two round stone scrapers concealed in her bosom. “Here, sister! what shall we play!” asked the monster.

► Continue reading…

The woman put her hand into her bosom and took out one of the scrapers. This she jerked out suddenly, and threw it on the ice. It rolled down with much noise. “Ah sister! you have there some very nice playthings.” — “You also have similar playthings between your legs. There are two of them. You may tear off one and throw it on the ice.” He put his hand between his legs and roared with pain. “Quick!” said the woman, “tear it off and throw it down!” He threw his testicle down on the ice. It made a shuffling noise and stuck to the ice. “Ah, ah!” roared the monster, “now it is your turn!” The woman jumped up and jerked out the other scraper. Doing this, she also roared feigning great suffering. “Go along! It is your turn now!” — “Ah, sister! it is too painful.” — “For shame, I, a woman, can stand as much.” He tore off the other testicle, and immediately fell down on the ice. He was dead and the woman ran home. “Ah, ah!” said she to her sister, “I have killed him. We tried a new game, all of my own invention, and I killed Kosetoka.”

The end.