Tag: 13. Revenge and Justice

Retribution or restoration of order

The polygamist

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

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

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

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

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

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Chukchee people

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

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

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

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

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

The end.

Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page

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

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.

Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page

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.

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

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

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.

Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page

A tale of the Raven Ku’urkil

A Raven transforms into a man who marries a woman but humiliates her family by consuming an entire reindeer carcass through defecation. After faking death and transforming his genitals into sewing implements, he abandons his wife. With a Fox’s cunning assistance, his wife tricks him into a final, shameful death by exploiting his jealousy and pride.

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

Trickster: Ku’urkil embodies the trickster archetype, using cunning and deception throughout the story.

Family Dynamics: The story delves into complex family relationships, including marriage and interactions with in-laws.

Revenge and Justice: The tale concludes with Ku’urkil’s wife, with the help of a fox, orchestrating his downfall as retribution for his misdeeds.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Chukchee people

This is the mythical name of Raven. It is pronounced in different ways, according to the localities: Ku’rkil, Ku’urkil, Qu’urkil, Qu’urqil.

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

Once (upon a time) there was a (young) girl, a daughter of Ku’urkil. Her father made a public call for suitors. Everybody assembled, suitors from every land, — the Wolf, the Wolverene, the Bear, the Wild Reindeer, the Mouse, the Fox.

The Hares also heard of the news. They spoke thus: “Oh, let us also go and be suitors!” (One of them said,) “Oh, no! Why, I have no sledge!” — “Oh, well, do try!” Then he consented.

They came to the place. A rod (was set down as a target for a shooting-contest among the suitors). Then the others began to shoot. The Wolf shot, and could not (hit the mark). Then the Wolverene shot, and could not (hit the mark). Then the Fox also could not (hit the mark). Then the Mouse shot, and could not (hit the mark).

After that the Hare shot with a bow of grass. He hit the rod, and it fell down. Then they scrambled to see who was the strongest; and all said, “Oh, let her sit down first on my sledge!” The Wolf said, “Let her (sit down) first with me!” But (the sledge) broke down.

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Then the Wolverene said, “Oh, with me!” (The sledge) again broke down. Then the Hare also said, “Oh, with me too!” His sledge was of grass. Still, though she sat down upon it with a thump, it did not break.

So he married her. He took her home. They came to his mother. The mother was staying simply under a heap of drifted snow. They had no house. “Oh, there! I have brought a woman.”

Then the mother began to sing, “Strange-ers’ daughte-er simply under drift sno-ow!” Oh, the son said, “Well, now, let me go on a search.” He kicked (with his foot) a hummock: it turned into a house. He kicked some small willow-boughs: they turned into a train of sledges. Then he found bushes of black stunted willow, and kicked them, and they turned into a reindeer-herd.

He came back to his mother. “Oh, now let us go to our house!” They came to the house. The mother-in-law said to the woman, “Enter with your eyes closed!” The woman entered with her eyes closed. Then the old woman said, “Look up!” She looked up.

The inner room was of white skins. All kinds of objects (of value) were hanging around in the inner room, — beads, ear-rings, bead necklaces.

Then she brought forth a child. They went visiting to dispel their loneliness. They came to the father. Ku’urkil came out, and then he said to his wife, “It seems to me that I have seen our daughter.” The wife said, “Where may our daughter have come here from?” He said, “Still I saw her.” The mother came out also, with one sleeve dangling down [an attitude much in use among Chukchee women]. They entered the house.

Then Ku’urkil’s son, the brother of the young woman, came home from a walk in the open. The father said, “Our son-in-law has come here. What shall we give him to eat?” The son said, “All right! Let me go on a search!”

He went to an old camping-place, and found there a dead puppy, which had died from (having) too many lice. It was quite lean.

When he came back, the father asked him, “Well?” And it was only a small puppy, exceedingly lean. Oh, the father-in-law said, “Hi! the son-in-law is hungry, cook some meat for him!” They did the cooking, but he could not eat anything. He felt too much aversion (to eating).

“Oh!” (exclaimed the Raven,) “how very extraordinary! Now, then, let me go for a walk myself!” He also went to an old camping-place of the Reindeer people. He found there some excrement, simply an outpouring from diarrhoea. He brought this home. “Now, here! this is (at least) more slippery (for swallowing).”

Then the son-in-law became angry, and began to chide: “Oh, the deuce! What have they brought? How can I eat this?” He felt much aversion (to it). “We do not feed on such things.”

They went away. The next morning the father-in-law went to visit them. When he came to them, they were about to move camp, and the tents were already broken down. The son-in-law said, “Oh, goodness! we are going to move! and just at this time you come! Up to yesterday you could not come!” [Then the son-in-law said,] “Well, now, anyway, have a reindeer slaughtered for you.” The father-in-law said, “Oh, I will slaughter it myself, with your leave.”

He had the reindeer slaughtered when they were ready to start. He slew a fat (doe whose) fawn (had) died (in the spring). The son-in-law said, “I will carry it for you.” He said, “No, I will carry it myself.” They went away with their (pack-sledges, — a whole) train. Still before they vanished from sight, (he began to eat). He ate the whole day long of that reindeer-carcass, and pecked at it.

After that he passed a night there near the carcass. While eating, he was also defecating upon the carcass. The son came to see him, and looked on at his doings. “What are you doing?” — “Oh, I am tired out! I have worked till this moment.”

“Well, let me bring a sledge!” The son departed. (He came home) and said to his mother, “Oh, your husband has made the whole reindeer-carcass into mere excrement.” The mother said, “Oh, he will come all alone (i.e., empty-handed)!” (The Raven’s son) hauled the sledge, and came (to the father). “Oh, you have come?” (said the Raven,) and he had almost consumed the (whole) carcass. “Where is the carcass?” — “There it is!” — “Is it?” said the son.

They went away, and came (to the house). “Miti’!” She paid no attention. “Oh, I have a slaughtered reindeer!” (Still) she paid no attention. “Are you not glad?” Then the wife gave utterance. “For what should I be glad?” — “Oh, here is a slaughtered reindeer!” — “What reindeer?” — “The fawnless doe!” — “But it seems that you have brought only the skeleton, mere bones.” — “Oh, look here, come out! It is simply white with fat!” But in reality it was his excrement, which looked white upon the carcass. “It seems that it is the skeleton covered with excrement.”

In a moment [from mere confusion] he was dead from mere shame; or, rather, he simulated death. His wife carried him to the funeral place. She put him into an old jawbone house. Then she went home. As soon as they went home, he also went away. He came to some Reindeer people. He cut off his penis (and made it) into a needle-case; his testicles (he made) into thimbles, and the hair of his pubes into needles. He found a husband among the Reindeer people. He hung his needle-case with its appurtenances (up on his sitting-place); and when the other (women) came near, he would cry out, “(Beware!) You will break my needles!” lest they should look on them. The needle-case was simply his penis.

At the same time the wife, forsaken by him, was crying (in her house). A small Fox visited her. (The Fox said,) “What is the matter with you? — “My husband is dead.” — “Well, what of that! It seems that he has found a husband among the Reindeer people.” (The Fox) said, “Make some reindeer, — the reindeer of excrement, the sledge of excrement. Make this, and then go away, [and say thus:] — Certainly she (i.e., the Raven turned into a woman) will come out with one sleeve dangling, she likes the newcomers much. — So when they say to you, ‘Where are you going?’ you just say, ‘Ku’urkil has died. Now I am going to make suit to his wife, Ku’urkil’s wife.’ Then you must say, ‘I am going away.’”

She went away [came home] (and did all this). Then again she was found by the Fox. (The Fox) said, “Make (a likeness of) a man’s head with hair upon it, and put it close to yourself on the outer side of your pillow. When evening comes, put it down there. Then in a short time that husband of yours, the one you have seen today, who has come out with one sleeve dangling, he will come.”

When evening came, Ku’urkil felt restless, he grew jealous, then he grew mad and wanted to come out. They could not keep him back.

He went out, and went away. He came to his wife, and called out, “O Miti’!” She paid no attention. “O Miti’!” — “Ho!” — “I have revived!” — “Oh!” — “With whom are you sleeping?” — “A suitor came to me.” (Just so she spoke as) she had been taught by the Fox. “Oh, I have come back, I have revived!” Then the woman said, “It seems that I have seen you recently. You came out with one sleeve dangling.” He died again from shame. This time he did it in earnest. Verily, he died, was dead from shame, simply rolled down.

That is all.

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The orphan

An abused orphan, ridiculed for his lack of shamanistic knowledge, sings a seemingly trivial song, “Otototoi’, otatatai’,” at a ceremonial gathering. After being beaten, he encounters a ke’le spirit in an abandoned house. Empowered by the ke’le, he returns to the ceremony. The ke’le’s voice terrifies the abusive community before it devours them in retribution

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

Transformation: The orphan undergoes a significant change from a defenseless child to an empowered individual through his encounter with the ke’le spirit.

Divine Intervention: The ke’le spirit’s involvement represents a supernatural force influencing mortal affairs, aiding the orphan in his quest for justice.

Revenge and Justice: The narrative centers on the orphan’s retribution against those who abused him, culminating in the ke’le spirit punishing the community.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Once (there was) an orphan child who lived quite by himself [quite alone]. In that place there lived numerous people. The people beat him all the time, and they always treated him violently. The neighbors were all the time striking him. Some of the people arranged a thanksgiving ceremonial. He came to that house, together with the other guests. Then they said, “Oh, you take part in the ceremonial!” — “Oh, how can I take part in the ceremonial? I have no (shamanistic knowledge). I am wholly ignorant.” — “Oh, then just sing a little.” Then he began to take part in the ceremonial, and simply sang a song: “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” “Oh, what is it? Why does he use this bad little song?” They gave him a sound thrashing. He was defenceless. Then they ordered him again: “Well, then, take part in the ceremonial.” — “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” They gave him another thrashing.

► Continue reading…

There was an old jaw-bone house, quite ancient and empty [the jaw-bone house]. He went there in the dark, and there he sang into this house, “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” Then from the dark, from within, the ke’le answered, “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” He sang again, “Otototoi’!” and it answered, “Otototoi’!” from within.

Then the ke’le called him: “O child!” Till then he had no assistant spirits, not a single one. “O child!” — “Ho!” — “What do you want?” — “Oh, enough of this! The people treat me very badly and with violence, all the people.” — “Oh, well, go out!” The ke’le made him go out. He went out, and went again to those who were performing the thanksgiving ceremonial. “Oh, indeed, take part in the ceremonial! Oh, where have you come from? Take part in the ceremonial, will you?”

He again began to take part in the ceremonial, and sang as before, “Otototoi’!” — “Ah, ah, what a song he is using again!” He continued, notwithstanding, “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” Then from within, from underground, came the answer “Otototoi’!”

One old man from a neighboring house heard this. The others were noisy, and heard nothing. “Well, now, stop your noise! I heard something. A voice came to me.” — “Where should he find such a voice, this scamp?” Then again it came from within.

“Oh, my! What is it? The voice gradually approached. They heard it, all of them. “Oh, there! Stop it! Oh!” They felt afraid. Notwithstanding, it continued, “Otototoi’!” — “And now you may jostle me with your elbows, as before.” — “Otototoi’, otatatai’!” With one breath the ke’le swallowed all the people, the doers of violence. He killed them all.

The end.

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The Ai’wan and the Reindeer-Breeder

A rivalry unfolds between an Ai’wan whale hunter and a reindeer breeder. The reindeer breeder tricks and kills the Ai’wan, claiming his whale. The Ai’wan’s son avenges him by drowning the breeder, marrying his widow, and slaughtering his herd. A Spider-Woman helps the widow summon her first husband’s spirit to punish the Ai’wan. Bound and humiliated, the Ai’wan bargains his family’s freedom but meets a gruesome end.

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

Revenge and Justice: The Ai’wan’s son avenges his father’s death by drowning the reindeer-breeder who killed him.

Supernatural Beings: A Spider-Woman aids the widow in summoning her deceased husband’s spirit to punish the Ai’wan.

Love and Betrayal: The Ai’wan’s son marries the widow of his father’s killer, intertwining themes of union and treachery.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Qo’tirgin, a Maritime Chukchee man, in the village Mi’s-qan, in March, 1901.

In olden times there was an Ai’wan warrior who hunted whales. He had killed a whale. He had a reindeer-breeding neighbor. The son of this neighbor said to his old father, “Now, then, go to the whale-hunter (and ask for some meat).” — “All right!” The Ai’wan said to the old man, “Oh, what do you want?” — “My son sent me.” — “Did he?” He turned out the upper part of his trousers. Then he filled it full with blubber. The old man came home. “What result?” But he felt angry. “Why did you not go yourself?”

Then the son went, in his turn. He came to the Ai’wan. The latter was cutting the whale (in the shallow water). One of his mates said to him, “The reindeer-breeder has come to you.” Then he came to the shore. A walrus-hide destined to be split, with the blubber not yet scraped away, lay buried in the sand. He dug for it with his nails. Somehow then he took it by the holes in the edge with two fingers, and, ceasing to dig any more, shook off the sand. He pulled it out, so strong was he. He spread it upon the ground, the blubber upwards, to serve as a wrestling-place.

► Continue reading…

Then they took off their clothes, the Ai’wan and the reindeer-breeder, and they wrestled. It was quite slippery just to tread upon that blubber. The Ai’wan extended his hands.

Then he was attacked by the reindeer-breeder. The latter, catching him by the head, caused it to spring off. The head rolled down upon the ground. He is still standing with extended hands, headless. Then only did the others say, “Oh, how wonderful! the head has sprung off!” The Ai’wan fell down and died. The reindeer-breeder took possession of the whale and went home. His father asked him, “Eh?” — “I came back.” — “What result?” — “Indeed, I took the whole whale.” — “Oh, you are wonderful! Still we have remained without maritime neighbors.”

They went for the whale with a train of pack-sledges. He stood on the seashore. That Ai’wan who was killed had sons; and while the reindeer-breeder, the victor of yesterday, was standing on the shore, the son of the Ai’wan concealed a long thong in the sand (across his path). He tugged at the thong, (tripped up the reindeer-breeder,) and made him fall into the water.

So he was drowned and died. The Ai’wan took the wife of the reindeer-breeder (and also his herd). Nevertheless he did not care very much about the reindeer, only slaughtered them all the time in great numbers. Still he ate no meat, only the tongues of the reindeer. Every morning he slaughtered reindeer. On waking up, he would say to his wife, that of the reindeer-breeder, “Put my clothes on me!” On her refusal, he would beat her so hard that her head would become all swollen from the blows of his stick. “Oh, bring the herd to the house!” Then again he slaughters reindeer. The wife cried, sorrowing for the reindeer, “Why are you crying?” — “So!” — “You are mourning for your husband?” — “No!” — “Then why are you crying?” He was ready for violence.

A small Spider-Woman visited this one who was secretly crying. She came down to that place. “You are married to the Ai’wan?” — “Oh, yes!… And he is all the time exterminating the herd. The whole time he is slaughtering, but he eats only tongues, and consumes no meat.” — “Oh, right away prepare some clothes. When you are ready with them, when you have finished them, promise to the sea a shy reindeer-buck. Then offer to the sea those clothes.” She promised. Then she threw those clothes in the direction of the sea. The Ai’wan was asleep. The wife remained outside, and continued to cry. All at once her husband appeared in the distance from the direction of the sea, the one who was drowned the other day. The wife brushed away her tears. “What is there? Methinks, my husband.” Then he came, “Oh, my! you have come!” — “Yes. Why are you crying?” — “Why, this Ai’wan here, who stays with us, has almost exterminated our whole herd.” Her husband questioned her, and said to her, “Oh, let us seize him!”

They seized him and carried him outside. Then they laid him, stretched out on his back, on a dung-hill. They fastened his hands (to the ground) with spikes. And every morning all the neighbors, on awakening, would pour (the contents of) their chamber-vessels into his mouth. Still he lived. Thus they poured into his mouth urine and excrement. “Oh, let me go! I shall give you my wives. Have them for slaves.” — “Oh, but we do not (want them).” — “I shall give you my riches.” — “I do not believe you!” — “Indeed, I shall give you my wives and children. And you shall have (my) children for slaves.” And, indeed, he was a rich Ai’wan. So they unbound him. The reindeer-breeder followed him. He gave his wives, and his children for reindeer-herdsmen.

Then he brought to his home the small old woman, the Ai’wan old woman, the mother of this one, who before that used to employ evil charms. He took a reindeer, a quite unbroken one; then he undressed her, and attached her (to it) by the ankle. Thus he tied her to the unbroken reindeer. The reindeer ran away. It was winter-time. Then the reindeer dragged her away, at first to the reindeer-herd, then to the open country. After that the reindeer brought her back, and her backbone was all (torn off) and destroyed. From there the reindeer took her to the reindeer-herd again, running. After a while it brought her back, and her whole body was destroyed. Merely her legs were left unbroken. After that, before (the time when) only her legs were left, he unharnessed the reindeer.

Before he freed it, it fell down and died. Then the master began to cough in the manner of a reindeer; and he was tearing (the ground) all the time, reindeer-like. After that he fell, swooning. Then he died.

Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page

The Girl and the Skull

An isolated young woman secretly keeps a human skull as a companion, drawing the ire of her parents. They abandon her in the wilderness, where she laments her misfortune. The skull advises her to burn it, transforming into a wealthy husband. She prospers, but when her parents visit, she exacts revenge by serving them marrow-filled bones that lead to their demise, symbolizing betrayal and vengeance.

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

Revenge and Justice: The woman enacts retribution against her parents for abandoning her by serving them marrow-filled bones, leading to their death.

Family Dynamics: The narrative explores the strained relationship between the woman and her parents, culminating in betrayal and abandonment.

Cunning and Deception: The woman deceives her parents about the skull, and later, her act of serving them marrow-filled bones is a cunning form of revenge.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Rịke´wġi, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, in October, 1900.

Once upon a time there was an old man and his wife. They were three in the family. Their daughter was the third. The daughter was a girl unmarried, without a husband. This daughter had a separate sleeping-room. They had two sleeping-rooms. That of the daughter was separate. She was sleeping all by herself. The parents were sleeping together. The (young) woman went out and was walking about there. Then she found a bare skull lying in the wilderness. She put it into one leg of her breeches and took it home, this human skull. She carried it into her sleeping-room. There she concealed it. She made a cap, puckered (along the border). With that cap she covered the skull. Then every evening, as soon as the sleeping-rooms had been put in order, the woman sets the skull near the rear wall, then she laughs at it. And that bare skull also laughs a little, “Hm!” Her mother heard it, and said, “What may she be laughing at, this one?” — “I am laughing only at a cap, newly made and adorned.”

► Continue reading…

Thus she deceives her mother. Then every time when she awakes in the morning, she puts the skull in the bottom of the bag, lest they should find it.

Once, when the girl was again walking outside, her mother took out the contents of her daughter’s bag-pillow.[The pillows of the sleeping-rooms serve as bags.] She was looking for something, and therefore searched in the bag-pillow of her daughter. Suddenly she caught that skull by the mouth and took it out. She was startled. “Oh, oh, oh, horror! horror! [Keke´ is an interjection of fear, used by women.] What has become of our daughter? How very strange! Our [quite] unmarried daughter has become a ke´lẹ, she has become an abomination, an object of fear. [The root of this word signifies “superstitious fear.” It is also applied to the peculiar sounds supposed to be characteristic of the voice of the spirits.] Oh, wonder! what is she now? Not a human being. In truth, she is a ke´lẹ.”

The father presently said, “Oh, let us leave! No need of her. You speak to her to-morrow, and invite her to a walk outside with you.”

Just as before (the mother) filled her bag-pillow and closed it in the same manner. The girl came back, it grew dark, and they lay down to sleep. Again she set (the skull) in the evening before herself, and laughed at it, “Hi, hi!” And the other answered, “Hm!”

“How wonderful you are, O woman! Why are you laughing so, being alone, quite alone in your sleeping-room?” — “No, indeed! I am only laughing at a cap, newly made and adorned.”

On the next day the mother said, “Let us go and fetch fuel.” They gathered fuel, cut wood, and broke off (branches of) bushes. Then the mother said, “The wood-binding is too short. I will go and get some more. Surely, I shall be back soon.” — “No, indeed, I will go.” — “No, I.” — “Ah, well, go and get it.”

So the mother went home. When she came home, her husband had broken camp and loaded a boat. He loaded the tent on the boat. They were setting off for the opposite shore. They left their daughter and cast her off. When they had almost finished, the girl could not wait any longer; therefore she went to look. She was moving along the steep river-bank when she saw that boat loaded, and (her father’s) work finished. Oh, she ran on and rushed to them. Just as she came, they went aboard and her father pushed off. The girl held on to the steering-paddle, but her father struck her with a paddle on the wrist. [“Genuine paddle,” in contrast to the large and broad steering-paddle.] So she let go of the steering-paddle. They left her, and set off far away for the other shore.

The daughter was left quite alone at the camp-site. Even though a house had been there, there was now nothing at all, no house. Therefore she began to weep, and put that bare skull outside. Then she pushed it with her foot, and said, weeping, “This one is the cause of (it) all. [“Is the cause” is used as an expression of spite, as a kind of compound interjection.] What has he done, the bad one? They have left me, they have cast me off. Oh, dear!”

Then the bare skull been to speak, “You make me suffer, indeed. Do not push me with your foot. Better let me go and procure a body for myself, only do not push me so. Go and make a wood-pile, make a fire, then throw me into the flames.” — “Oh, all right! Then, however, I shall quite alone. I can talk with you at least.” — “Obey me, indeed. You are suffering, quite vainly we suffer together. I shall procure a body for myself.”

Oh, she made a fire. It blazed up. Then the skull spoke to her again, and said, “Well, now, throw me into the fire! Then stay with head drawn back into the collar of your dress, in this manner, and do not look up. Indeed, no matter who may look upon you, or what voices you may hear, do not look up!”

She obeyed, threw (the skull) into the fire, then staid with head drawn back and bent down. Thus she remained. Then the fire blazed up with a noise for a long time. Then it went out. She remained with her head bent down, then she began to hear a noise, a clattering of runners; then also, “Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!” from a herd; loud voices, “Ah, ah, ah; ah, ah, ah!” and whistling. Then a caravan clattered by, still she continued to sit with head bent down. The clattering came nearer, and the cries, “Waġo´, yaġo´!” Then a man called her from the front. “Well, there, what are you doing? Oh, she looked up. A large caravan was coming. The herd was quite big. The man, her husband, was standing in front of her, clad in a shirt made of thin furs, in the best of skins.

They built a camp, and put up the tent. He was quite rich in reindeer. Then, in truth, she began to feel quite well.

In the beginning of the cold, early in the fall, (the parents of the woman) saw smoke rising. “Come, say, what settlement have we noticed just now? Come, let us go and visit it.” They crossed with a boat, her parents, the father with the mother, “Oh, sit down in the outer tent. I shall cook some food for you.” She prepared for cooking, and filled the kettle with meat and fat.

While she was cooking, she broke some thigh-bones to extract the marrow. When the meal was finished, she gave them the marrow (with the bone splinters). “Eat this marrow!” They ate the marrow, but the thigh-bone splinters stuck in their throats and pierced them. Thus she killed them, and they died.

Finished. I have killed the wind. [On the shores inhabited by the Chukchee, wind and bad weather continue for weeks, preventing all hunting and travelling. During those days the people stay in the inner room of the house and while away the time of unavoidable leisure by telling endless stories. The story-telling is considered a magic means of laying the wind. This idea is expressed in the last sentence. The same idea prevails among some American tribes.]

Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page

The Ai´wan Shamans

This is the tale of a man cast adrift on Arctic ice, rescued by walrus spirits, and transformed into a walrus to evade capture by enemy tribes. Amid cycles of war, revenge, and diplomacy between coastal peoples, shamans wielded extraordinary powers, engaging in cosmic confrontations. Ultimately, even “Children’s Death” repents after mystical encounters, signaling hope for harmony and renewal.

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

Transformation: The protagonist undergoes a physical change, becoming a walrus to escape his enemies.

Supernatural Beings: The story features interactions with walrus spirits and shamans possessing extraordinary powers.

Revenge and Justice: The narrative includes cycles of war and retribution between coastal peoples.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Chukchee people

Told by Rịke´wġi, A Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

Once in olden times, the Ai´wan and the people of St. Lawrence Island were at war. One man from this shore met with misfortune through the wind. While on the icefields he was carried away and spent two months on the icefields. One day there was a fog, and no land was to be seen. Then he heard the roaring of walrus. Still he remained with head drawn back into his coat. Then he was visited by another man, by a shaman, who found him sleeping on [the surface of] the ice and awakened him, “Oh, how wonderful, you are here?” The other one looked up and, indeed, he wept aloud. The shaman said, “Do not weep! A settlement, though of St. Lawrence people, is quite near.”

Then, suddenly, they saw it. They came ashore. A number of houses were there. The people were clad in bird-skin clothes. Those of St. Lawrence Island are also Ai´wan, their language being the same.

► Continue reading…

They took hold of the strangers, they took captive those two men. They bound the shaman, the other one they killed with a drill, having perforated his head at the crown. After that they set free the shaman, intending to keep him as a slave.

He passed there only one night.

When they were about to go to sleep, he went out and shouted toward the sea, calling the walrus spirit. Immediately from afar came the walrus. Oh, oh, the walrus came. Indeed, they were (as numerous) as sand. He walked along over their heads and went away. Then also the walrus which he had passed would come up in front. An old male walrus said, “Oh, now we are nearing the land. Your people are eager to pursue us. Oh, therefore some of us are going away. It seems that your people are bad.” Oh, he said to two walrus, two year old ones, “Let us carry away our guest.” By one of them he was made to sit on its body, and it dashed on, plunging along. The old walrus, the one that was most clever, followed it (like a leader). When one walrus got tired, he was made to sit on the other one.

When night came, they found a floe of sea-ice. The old walrus said, “Oh, all the people are tired. Let the people go to sleep.” They put the man on [the surface of] the sea-ice. The old walrus said to the man, “Oh, you may sleep on [the surface of] the sea-ice. We will sleep by your side on the water.” They inflated the crops on their throats and floated on the water like bladders. In due time the old walrus awoke. “Now let the people go along. Oh, my! you must be hungry.” — “Oh yes!” said the man. It was still dark. The old walrus dived to the bottom of the sea and saw something like the [motionless star] Polar Star. He bent over it and it proved to be a shellfish. The little man was fed with those shellfish. They were quite warm and even hot. Probably the walrus cook them secretly, therefore they may have been hot.

They set off and moved on till midnight. The old walrus said, “It seems we are nearing land.” They moved on, and before the land was near, the dawn came. “Oh, you must be hungry again.” — “Oh yes!” The walrus again plunged down. This time he brought some shellfish of oblong shape. He ate again. “Now we are going to leave you. As soon as we shall see a floe of sea-ice, though a small one, we shall leave you on it.” Then they saw one. “Well, your people will be here this [dawn] morning. We are beginning to feel afraid.” They put him on the ice. “Oh, what are you doing, you are leaving me alone.” — “It is quite certain, that they will come.”

Then he was told by the walrus, “When you are overtaken by sleep, roar like a walrus, when you are going to sleep.” Then the walrus dashed on, plunging on the way. They went away, very far to the open sea. Soon after that he began to be overtaken by sleep. So he roared like a walrus and immediately turned into one.

When the dawn of the day came, some people approached in a boat and began to move along towards him. Before they were too near, he awoke. Just when the bowman was going to throw the harpoon, he said, “Oh, what are you going to do unto me?” — “Oh, dear! Is it not wonderful? You have become a walrus, and we came near killing you. Oh, whence did you come back?” — “Truly, it is bad. We come from a settlement of men. My companion, however, is not with me. Those people are wrong-doers. They drilled through his head and killed him.” He entered the house. “Oh, what news?” — “Truly, it is pitiful. Evil-doers are those people.”

The summer came. They went to war, the men of Uñi´sak, and probably from every neighboring settlement a number of boats assembled. Then a large company of boats set off. All boats were overloaded (with warriors). Before they were too near, they saw a cluster of houses of the St. Lawrence people standing on the seashore. In the rear of the houses was a bay of St. Lawrence Island; there actually a large part of the boatsmen went ashore. They walked along in the fog from the rear, just out of sight of the islanders. Then an old man, one of the crew said, “Oh, howl like wolves!” They had not been seen by the St. Lawrence people and they were not expected by them. Now, when they uttered their howls, another old man, one from St. Lawrence Island, said, “Oh, now they are coming.” The young men said, “But we are on an island.” — “Give answer to them!” So they roared like walrus. Then the old man, one of the boat’s crew, said again, “Oh, where are you? Now they have become our quarry.”

The larger part, those who had landed in the rear (of the houses), were still unknown to the St. Lawrence people. Those from St. Lawrence island hid by the seashore. But those from the boats attacked them from the rear and a slaughter ensued. The St. Lawrence women were already strangling themselves from mere fright. The others, at the same time, were mincing a large quantity of walrus blubber with their kitchen-knives, (preparing a meal for the victors). It was a great slaughter. Many St. Lawrence women were put on board the boats and brought over here.

Some years passed. The fourth year, the St. Lawrence people went to war. They landed in the night-time and found the people sleeping. So they started to murder them, thrusting their spears from outside under the outer tent-cover, all around the sleeping-room, and stabbing the sleepers. A small orphan child hid himself somewhere near the house, while they were still killing some of the sleepers, and before they had time to go to another house. He awakened all the neighbors. They rushed out. Then those from St. Lawrence Island fled to the open sea. Two men staid behind on the ice-floe.

They lived on the ice-floe. Before the strong winds of autumn begin to blow, they came to steal some meat and so were taken captive. “Oh, we will not kill you.” They, however, struggled on, not heeding these words. The next night, they stole some warm clothes and departed again. They went away together over the sea-ice, they walked along over the newly-frozen sea. The ice was salt and yielded under every step.

Then they came to the shore. A St. Lawrence old man asked them, “Well, what kind of men are the land-people?” — “Oh, they are deucedly good.” — “Oh, Oh,” said the St. Lawrence old man, “Now let the (two) people become friendly to each other.”

Summer came again. “Oh well, now let the people set off.” Then the people of St. Lawrence Island came over here. They brought a quantity of p. 14 wooden vessels, walrus hides, everything they had. They landed and the people became friends. So they distributed their vessels among our people. An old man from this side said, “Indeed, what will you give as return presents?” The visitors were clothed in bird skins. “What kind of skins are these?” — “Reindeer-skins.” — “And what is a reindeer?” Then they showed them the reindeer-muzzles. They examined them. They said, “Oh, thus they are; like the holes in a boat cover, (namely in the walrus-hide cover, all along the border). [The skin of a reindeer-head with its eye-holes and nostrils resembles in a way the walrus-hide covering of the skin-boat, with its holes around the edge. The resemblance lies in the appearance of the holes.] Now then, eat some of the meat!” They cooked fat meat. “Oh, just like blubber!” They ate of it. “Oh, oh, quite exquisite!”

After that they went away. One man was left. He was a shaman, and he was treated just like the former one (i. e. he was bound). When winter came, they set him free. The shaman had a sledge. So he departed in the night-time. He was hauling the sledge loaded with walrus-blubber. He moved on until he felt tired. It was full moon. At that time he was overtaken by another shaman, one from the western country. That shaman also was hauling a sledge. The former heard only a noise above; that western shaman was flying along. On both sides he had long knives, which he used as wings. The other shaman who was hauling the sledge was startled and fled. When he was approached by the other one, just on his arrival, he also fled up with his sledge. Still, the other one was about to overtake him. Before he could catch up with him, (the other one) dived under ground, only the sledge remained there on the ground. Oh, the other one was unable to pursue him, the western shaman.

Then he sat down. “Oh, oh, oh; indeed; indeed! Not without reason was he talked about. Really I am much interested in seeing you.” It seems that shaman was called Ke´mneku. [This passage is not clear. The narrator did not know exactly what each shaman did.] “No shaman from any country whatsoever can vanquish me.” Then Ke´mneku spoke to the ground downward. “Nevertheless you have frightened me. I thought you were a ke´lẹ. Now come here.” He appeared. “Give me your necklace. Let me give you this knife in exchange.” — “No, I do not want to give it to you.” — “Then I shall not be believed. Please, do give it to me.” — “No, I won’t.” — “Then I will give you this big knife. Please, give me your necklace.”

Then they exchanged their (assistant) spirits. And the other one gave him the necklace. He gave him the knife. The western shaman said to the other one, “Now then, move about with the knives.” All at once the other one moved upwards in this manner. Then Ke´mneku said, after they had exchanged even their bodies, “Well, now put on the necklace; go away and fly up, just as I did. You will fly up, then sink down to the ground and plunge in.” The other one flew up. Then, slowly moving he fell down, plunged into the ground, but (when he was in as far as) the middle of his body, he stuck fast. “Oh, I have been unable to do it. Give me your wrist-bands!” — “I will not give them to you.” — “Then I will give you the tassel from my back. It is my tail, my guide in motion.”

Then he consented. The western shaman said to him, after the tassel had been given [then he said to him], “Well now, fly up just as I did.” He [himself] flew up and just went up clattering. The shaman from St. Lawrence Island said to the other one, “Well, now it is your turn.” He gave him the wrist-bands. “You will fly up, then you will fall down again and plunge into the ground.” Then the western shaman flew up. Slowly moving he fell down. Then he plunged into the ground and was submerged as in water. After a while he re-appeared. He said, “Oh, oh, indeed; Ke´mneku is talked about. How is it now? I am unable (to pursue him). Still before this in my own mind I thought I could hardly be pursued by anyone. Oh, oh, truly; Ke´mneku has been talked about. How is it now? You have vanquished me. Oh, let us go away!” Then the western shaman flew up. They were travelling at night. In one night they travelled flying through every land. Ke´mneku said. “I am going away.”

The western shaman came home. He said to his companions, “I saw a shaman from St. Lawrence Island. I was unable to follow him.” — “You lie.” — “Indeed, it is true.” — “Well then, what kind (of a shaman) was he?” He showed the necklace. “This is his necklace.” — “You lie. You have stolen it somewhere.” — “Indeed, no!” — “Well then, what kind (of a shaman) was he?” Then he flew up with easy motion, then fell back to the ground and plunged in, as though it had been water. “Oh, really, you have acquired new shamanistic powers.”

His father said to him, “Well now, let us see, whether he has really acquired new shamanistic powers. Go on, look for Children’s-Death.” He flew away night after night and travelled among all kinds of beings. Nothing. He came back to the house. By his father he was told, “What is the matter with you? You cause delay. Oh, surely he lied (to the people).” He departed again. This time he went underground. Then he came back and said, “I have been unable to do it.” By his father he was told, “Oho, what is the matter with you?” By his son, the western shaman, (the father) was told, “Oh, but I could not find him among any kind of beings.”

After that he went to the Being-of-Darkness. Then at last he saw a man; a mere mouth. This was Children’s-Death. By the Darkness he was questioned, “What do you want?” — “By my father I have been sent. I was told, ‘Go and look for Children’s-Death.'” — “Oh, oh, and for what purpose?” — “Only to show him to the people.” — “Well, surely, he is in my neighbor’s house.” He went there. There was an old man who dwelled in those regions, a mere mouth, smeared all around with dried blood. The shaman entered. “Oh, at last I see you.” The other one questioned him. (He replied,) “By my father you are bidden to come.” — “And for what purpose?” — “He said thus, ‘I want to see the old woman yonder.'” [At first Children’s-Death is called a man, now a woman.] She refused to go. “For what purpose?” — “They only want to see you. My father said, ‘Go and look for Children’s-Death.'” — “Oh, but I refuse.” — “Please come! It seems they will not believe me.”

Then she consented . She said to him, “Sit down on my body.” Then she flew up with him. A great noise spread around. It was very loud. And the whole world clattered and resounded. His father said, “Oh, what is the matter again? The world is full of noise. It appears that really he has acquired new shamanistic powers.” In coming he let her plunge underground, and after that appear in the outer tent. “What luck?” — “It seems that this time I brought Children’s-Death.” — “Now bring her here. I want to see her.” She was as large as a tree. Still she decreased in size very quickly; and he put her on the palm of his hand before he showed her to them, so small had she come to be. Before she dwindled away, he spat on her, and she grew again. Then, on becoming thus, she decreased again in size. He made her plunge underground, then he made her appear. Then he took her in the other hand, and she became as large as before.

“Oh, that is you! You are the source of sorrow among every kind of beings, to those that have children. To whomsoever a child is born, it dies suddenly, and you are the cause of it. You are Children’s-Death. Now we will bind you.” They tied her with thongs, but she broke them all. Then they tied her with a grass-blade. She was struggling the whole night, but the grass-blade proved to be tough, (it could) not be broken by her. The whole night through there was clamor and weeping. Then they said to her, “Will you do evil the same as before?” — “Oh, no! not now; not from now on. I will cease doing so.” — “Oh, but it seems to us, you will do evil again. You are bad, you are the source of trouble. You kill new-born children.” — “Oh, no! I have been made to obey by the angry ones (evil-minded conjurers). From now on, I shall not obey them. I repent having done so (heretofore). Oh, indeed! Set me free.” — “But it seems you will do evil again. Well, we will set you free.” — “From now on, I will turn to the Life-Giving-Being. Now the new-born child shall grow up, it shall die only in its old age.” Then they set her free.

She departed. Darkness asked her, “Well, how were you treated by the human beings?” — “Oh, I have been cruelly treated by them. Now I repent. Whatsoever I may be ordered to do by the angry ones, from now on I shall not obey them.” Darkness said, “That is your way. Though you say now, ‘I shall not obey the angry ones,’ still you lie. It seems, when you will be hungry again, you will comply again with their requests.” Nevertheless, when the angry ones spoke again, she paid no attention to them. Oh, but are the children dying only owing to the angry ones?

Again the (shaman’s) father sent him, “Go and look for Death, by whom people are killed.” Then again he sought among all kinds of beings, but could not find him. “What luck?” — “Oh, nothing.” — “Oho, I thought you were a shaman!” He departed again, this time underground. Again he could not find Death, and came back. “What luck?” — “Oh, I could not find him.” — “Oh, but what is the matter with you?” That was a wonderful father. Then he travelled along the crevices in the ground, and saw Iu´metun. [Iu´metun is a spirit of nightmare, living in the open country and hiding in the crevices of the ground. He is much dreaded by the Chukchee.] Iu´metun was black like coal, and had only three fingers on each hand. “Oh, that is you. You are the source of death.” Iu´metun said, “What do you want?” — “I have come to visit you.” — “Oh, now you are meddling again with my affairs. No live being has ever been able to see me, and now you have seen me. I was not, however, to be seen by anybody.” — “My father bids you come.” — “Where to and for what purpose?” — “They only want to see you.” They departed. “What luck?” — “Yes, now I have brought him.” — “Well, bring him here.”

Then he showed him to them. He was no larger than a reindeer-fly. “Ah, here you are! You are Iu´metun. You kill everybody without illness. We say, ‘How wonderful, what has killed him?’ And it is you.” — “No, I am not the one.” — “Indeed, you are the one. If you are not the one, then, indeed, I cannot become black. But if you are really Iu´metun, I shall become black from you.” — “No, truly, I am not the one. Set me free.” Indeed, he renounced his own body. “Now we will bind you.” Meanwhile he was induced to touch the man’s skin. All at once the place where he had been touched reddened, and then became black. “What now, then? Indeed, you are Iu´metun.” — “Oh, truly I am not he.” — “Yes, you are. You are evil, you are a source of trouble. Why do you meddle with the affairs of man?” — “Oh, the Ground-Beings (evil spirits) tell me to do so.”

“Also, when a man is alone in the open country, you meddle with him. Oh, we will tie you up.” — “Oh, set me free! From now on treat the clefts of the ground with offerings. And when a shaman accuses me as the cause of suffering of a man, that shaman shall be able to cure him. Every source of illness of man shall be seen by the shamans, and even by merely breathing on the skin, they shall set (the sick) right. Also when a ransom is paid to the spirits, a single bead shall be used by the shaman as a sufficient payment. But when in a serious illness a reindeer is presented as ransom, let it be a buck, well broken, because if it struggles, it is not good for the suffering body. Also by incantations suffering shall be alleviated.” Then the old man said to him, “You lie.” — “No, I do not. I was not a murderer of my own free will; the Ground-Beings told me so. Set me free. Now, even when an orphan-child wanders alone in the open country, I shall not meddle with him. Indeed, also an orphan-child shall be able to sleep safely in the open country.” — “But surely, you deceive us.” — “No, indeed! Set me free. Now I shall turn to the Merciful-Being, and I will help every orphan-child. I have been induced to do wrong by the Ground-Beings. From now on, let the Ground-Beings be placated by offerings. Let a dog be killed, let it be stabbed (with an iron knife). Also let blood be sprinkled on the ground. Sausages let also be [stabbed] offered. The Sea-Beings also must be made friendly, When the people are unable to find game, something small may be used, a small root of Polygonum viviparum. It must be thrown into the sea. Then sea-game shall appear again, and all kinds of sea-game shall be taken. Also a man who has trouble with his young children may call as a shaman a little old beggar-woman. [Among the Pacific Chukchee, čata´m-yêɛ´čhịn means “beggar-woman,” though both words signify “moon.” Some tale must underlie this term, but I have been unable to secure it.] Then the child’s clothes must be pinned in some unusual manner. Let them be quite friendly to the conjurer. And when the conjurer comes, let them give her some small presents. She may take home some sausage. A part of it has to be thrown to the Incantation-Beings. Then the child shall cease to suffer. Oh, set me free! They set him free. Unfortunately he proved a liar.

The end.

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The Unfaithful Husband

At Eekakhlee, a shaman feigned death to escape his wife and live with two young women far away. Guided by a bird, the wife found him and, in vengeance, killed the women. Transforming into a bear, she confronted her husband and devoured him and his belongings, exacting retribution for his betrayal. Thus ended the shaman’s deceitful life.

Source
Two Aleut Tales
recorded by Rev. T. I. Lavrischeff
American Anthropologist
Vol. 30, Issue 1, January-March 1928

► Themes of the story

Revenge and Justice: The wife’s actions in seeking out her husband and punishing him for his betrayal highlight themes of retribution.

Transformation: The wife’s metamorphosis into a bear signifies a physical change driven by emotional turmoil.

Love and Betrayal: The narrative is rooted in the husband’s betrayal of his marital bond and the ensuing consequences.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Aleut people

Eekakhlee was the name given in the old days to present Johnstone Point on Hinchinbrook island, and the mountains between there and Nutchek were called Keeliagat.

At Eekakhlee lived an old man with his wife. They existed comfortably, but the old man did not love his spouse and hoped to desert her. As he was a shaman, or sorcerer, it was easy for him to go into a trance and appear as dead.

His wife buried him, according to custom, in a cave on a mountain, and his bows, arrows, clothing and bidarkas were laid beside him in a cavern.

For three days the disconsolate widow came to the cave to weep and wail. When she came on the fourth day she did not find the body nor the bidarkas and clothing. Stupefied, she stood there puzzled by the disappearance of the corpse. Search for traces of it were fruitless and her grief increased.

► Continue reading…

But a little bird on a tree sang to her:

“Cheer up, thee! up.
“Far beyond the Kiliagat the old man lives.
“Cheer up, cheer up.”
“Far more than before, he enjoys his life.”

At first the woman paid no attention to the bird and went to her house. On the next day she renewed her search, but the bird again sang the same song. The old woman asked it, “Where is my husband?” At this the feathered creature chirped:

“On the top of the mount,
Near the peaceful bay,
The old man lives quietly there.
He does not love thee,
He will not come back;
Two nice girls entertain him there.”

Still skeptical the old woman replied, “If you tell me the truth, take flight to the place where he lives.” Thereupon the bird set out, with the Woman following silently.

It was a long journey across the forest, through brush and over mountains, but from time to time the bird rested, permitting the old woman to catch up with it. Finally they came to the top of a hill near the bay at Nutchek. From this spot the wife saw her husband in a bidarka far out to sea. Just below her on a sandy beach she espied two attractive girls. Quietly descending, the old woman stopped behind a tree to observe them. The girls were cooking soup and when it was ready she stepped out.

“Hello, girls,” the wife exclaimed, “I see you have prepared your soup in the right way. Now I will show you best how to drink it.” With this she seized the pan and turned it over the heads of the girls.

“That is the way the old man used to eat his soup in our birthplace,” she gloated.

When both girls were dead the old woman made the feature of one appear as though she were scolding and the other seem to be laughing. Then she set their bodies on the beach and again hid herself behind a tree.

The old man came back and saw the maidens, one apparently angry and the other laughing.

“Why do you quarrel?” he asked. “Live in peace. I love you both. I have brought two otters as a present for you. Do not fight.”

Upon hearing these words the old woman turned herself into a bear, an easy thing for her to do, as she was also a shaman. Then she sprang upon her husband, exclaiming, “Here am I – your wife. You left me without your care and food. I have suffered very much. Now that I have found you here you shall die. Akcheenkoo.”

And with that she ate up the old man, together with his bidarkas.

Such was the end of the unfaithful husband of old Eekakhlee.

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Ughek

In a large village, Ughek, a disliked half-witted man, is abandoned by his community. Facing loneliness and the threat of a sea-monster, he devises a plan, using a stone as a trap. The monster is killed, and Ughek cooks its meat. When villagers return, he tricks them into eating the cursed feast, killing them all, and lives alone with his stone forever.

Source
Eskimo and Aleut Stories from Alaska
collected by F.A. Golder
The Journal of American Folklore
Vol. 22, No. 83, Jan. – Mar., 1909

► Themes of the story

Revenge and Justice: He seeks retribution against the villagers who mistreated and abandoned him.

Conflict with Nature: The confrontation with the sea-monster represents a struggle against natural forces.

Community and Isolation: Ughek’s initial isolation and subsequent actions highlight themes of belonging and estrangement.

► From the same Region or People

Learn more about the Aleut people

Karluk story

In a large and populous village lived a half-witted man named Ughek. On account of his meanness he was much disliked by all the people. To the evening parties where the men gathered in the large hall to play, sing and dance in a circle, he was never invited. The women were not permitted to take part in these festivities; but when bringing in the cooked seal-meat, ducks, and berries and oil, for the men, they were allowed to dance in and, after depositing the food, to dance out again. Ughek, who resented the treatment he was receiving, got even with his neighbors by hiding near the dance-hall; and as the women passed, he plucked the dress of one, pinched a second and tripped a third, and in this way made himself thoroughly disagreeable to the community.

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The chief determined to put up with him no longer. He therefore called a meeting, which decided to leave the village for a time; but Ughek should not be taken. The next day the village, except for Ughek, was deserted. For two days he did not mind his new situation; but at the end of that time he began to fear lest the schwichileghk (sea-monster, half-human and half beast, which is covered on the body with sea-shells and on the head with kelp) would come out at low tide and eat him, as he had done to others.

On the evening of the third day he gathered all the oil lamps from the other barabaras into his own, filled them with oil, and lighted them. This done, he played on the drum, sang, and danced. Every now and then he turned his head toward the beach, and once his attention was drawn to a stone. He went out to it, and said, “You are here alone, as I am. It is lonely for you. Come with me. In the barabara where I am it is pleasant, many people are dancing. Come with me.” Since the stone made no answer, he attempted to force it to come with him by carrying it, but he could not lift it. He went once more into his hut, continuing his singing. Again he approached the stone, asking it to share his joys, and again the stone refused. The attempt to move it was a little more successful, for he advanced it two steps at least. He went back to his music, and from there to the stone. The third time he transported it as far as the doorstep. He danced and sang a little more, and finally got the stone inside, and said, “I am all alone. The people have gone and left me to starve. I am afraid of the schwichileghk. I will put you over the door, and, if he comes, you fall on him and kill him.”

Having placed the stone over the door, Ughek was free to go on with his entertainment. About midnight his joy was cut short by the odor of kelp, which became stronger with each minute. Ughek had his eyes on the skin door, which fluttered, and through which a moment later a head of kelp was seen, and from it these words came in a roaring voice: “It has been a long time since I have eaten anything, but now I shall have a good feast.” The schwichileghk, for it was he, advanced slowly, but when about halfway in, the stone fell down and killed him.

Ughek raised the stone, cut the monster into small pieces, which he cooked, and filled all the dishes he could find in the village. Not many days later the villagers returned, and Ughek, on hearing them, ran off and hid. Not seeing any trace of Ughek, the chief and his people concluded that he was dead, and celebrated the event with a dance. As the women were advancing with their cooked meats, Ughek sneaked in and played his old tricks on them. One of them ran into the dance-hall, shouting excitedly, “You thought Ughek dead, but he is not. He just now tripped me.” It was decided to call him in, and invite him to tell all that happened to him during their absence. Ughek came in, and began playing on the drum, singing and dancing. That done, he asked permission of the chief to set refreshments before the people. When this was granted, he went out and brought in the cooked schwichileghk. Each person took a piece of meat, chewed and swallowed it, and dropped dead. Ughek himself returned to his hut to live with his stone, and there he is now.

Running and expanding this site requires resources: from maintaining our digital platform to sourcing and curating new content. With your help, we can grow our collection, improve accessibility, and bring these incredible narratives to an even wider audience. Your sponsorship enables us to keep the world’s stories alive and thriving. ♦ Visit our Support page