A Markova tale

A shaman visited a village where people mysteriously vanished nightly. Keeping watch, he discovered a black dog attacking a man, severing his arm. The shaman killed the dog, accidentally attaching its limb—revealed to be a woman’s arm—to the man. Tracking the dog’s trail, he uncovered the village priest’s wife as the culprit, who had been using dark magic to destroy the villagers. She was executed for her deeds.

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 shaman and a woman capable of transforming into a black dog, indicating interactions with supernatural entities.

Cunning and Deception: The priest’s wife deceives the villagers by secretly transforming into a dog to harm them, highlighting themes of deceit.

Divine Punishment: The shaman uncovers the priest’s wife’s malevolent actions and ensures she faces retribution for her transgressions.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chuvan Lore

Learn more about the Chuvan people

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

The people of a village began to vanish, and nobody knew what happened to them. There was a shaman. He traveled through that country and came to the village. The people were quite sad and sorrowful. “What is the matter with you?” — “We do not know. Every night somebody vanished. We have tried to watch, but cannot discover anybody.” — “Oh, is that so? Let me try to keep watch over you.” Evening came, and it was time to go to sleep. The people were hiding in boxes and bags. “Oh, have no fear! I shall keep a vigilant watch over you.” He took a sword and waited in the darkness. The people snored soundly, partly freed from their fear. All at once a black dog glided noiselessly in through the window and seized a workman, a fellow-traveler of the shaman. He struck the dog with his sword. The dog had torn off the man’s one arm with the shoulder blade, and the shaman cut off the corresponding limb of the dog. In the hurry of the moment, the shaman took the limb of the dog and applied it to the body of the man, and it stuck to his body.

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In the morning he saw that the new arm was not the leg of a dog, but a woman’s arm, white of skin and with rings on the fingers. “Ah!” said the shaman, “let me try to find that dog.” He went out and followed the bloody tracks. They led to the house of the chief of the village close to the church. It was the house of the parish priest. The shaman entered, and saluted the priest with civility. The priest looked sad, “Ah, my friend! please sit down! I am not able to treat you as is becoming. My wife is sick.” — “Ah, is that so! And what is the cause of her suffering?” — “We do not know. She is alone in her room and does not want us to enter. All we know is that she is not well. Please do help her if you can!” The shaman went to the room of the patient. The entrance was locked; he said nothing and suddenly broke the door and entered.

The woman was lying on the bed well wrapped up in a thick blanket. He pulled that off, and she lay before them quite naked. Her right arm was gone, along with the shoulder blade. Close to her side lay the bloody arm of a man, which would not stick to her body. “Ah, here you are!” said the shaman. “Reverend father, it is your wife who destroyed half of the village. Had it not been for me, she would have taken you also.” — “Ah, ah!” exclaimed the priest, “Mother what is the matter with you. Now, I understand it. She would give me of her enchanted drink, so that I slept throughout the night like one dead, and she would steal away in the darkness.” So they took her and tore her in two.

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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.”

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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.

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!

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“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.

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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.

Story about Yaghishna

A girl encounters two boys claiming to be her brothers. After sinking into the ground and rising again, she strikes them when they mock her. Returning home to find all wood burned, she meets Yaghishna, who wants her as a daughter. Rejecting the offer with a condition that Yaghishna die soon, she is struck and scattered into gravel.

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 character Yaghishna is depicted as a she-monster, representing interactions with mystical entities.

Conflict with Authority: The girl’s rejection of Yaghishna’s offer to become her daughter, coupled with the condition that Yaghishna must die soon, signifies a challenge to an authoritative figure.

Cunning and Deception: The girl’s clever response to Yaghishna’s proposal demonstrates the use of wit to navigate a dangerous situation.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Annie Korkin, a Russianized Yukaghir girl, aged fourteen, in the village of Pokhotsk, the Kolyma country, summer of 1895.

There was a young girl. She walked about, and saw two boys coming. She shouted to them, “Who are you?” — “We are your brothers.” — “And where are you going?” — “We are going to your house.” She sat down on the ground and sank through it. The brothers came to the house, and cried bitterly. Then they went down the road the girl had descended before them. They came to the girl, and cried again, “Why should the earth refuse to carry you? You are probably too clumsy to walk upon it.” She felt very angry. Therefore, she jumped up to the earth’s surface, and struck both boys on the face. Then she went home. Not a single piece of wood was left there. The two boys, while crying, had burnt up all the fuel, to dry their tears before the fire. She left the house and went away. After a while she met Yaghishna. The she-monster said, “I want to take you for my daughter. Would you like to be my daughter?” “I should like it on one condition.” — “What is that? Speak!” — “On condition that you die very shortly.”

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Yaghishna was very angry, and struck her face. “If I die shortly, I want no daughters.” She first slapped her right cheek, and then the left, — and flew away snorting with anger. The girl fell down and was scattered about as gravel. After a while Yaghishna came back. She looked for the girl, but she was not to be found. Only some gravel lay scattered all around. “Is it you?” But the gravel was silent. “Who made you fall down?” The gravel was dumb.

That is all.

Story about two girls

Two girls encounter mysterious men who warn of Yaghishna’s approach. When she attacks them, they miraculously survive and kill her. They return home, only to be confronted by fiery, vengeful horses that cannot harm them. Ironically, when the elder sister tries to light a candle in gratitude, they both burn to death.

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 girls encounter Yaghishna, a supernatural entity, and mysterious men from the “Upper Land,” indicating interactions with otherworldly beings.

Divine Intervention: The girls’ miraculous survival against Yaghishna’s attack and the fiery horses suggests the influence of higher powers protecting them.

Tragic Flaw: The elder sister’s attempt to light a candle in gratitude, leading to their demise, highlights a fatal mistake stemming from good intentions.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Mary Shkuleff, a Russian creole girl, in the village of Pokhotsk, the Kolyma country, summer of 1895.

There were two girls. They had plenty to eat, and knew nothing bad. One time they were walking about, and saw some men on horseback ride by. They went home, and found five men in their house, before the burning fire. “Who are you?” — “We are people from the Upper Land. We came from on high, and Yaghishna is also coming. She is not very far off.” — “Ah! we are afraid. Take us along!” — “How can we take you? Our horses are few, and we are too many for them.” Indeed, only two horses were tied to the posts opposite the entrance. The girls cried from fright. Meanwhile Yaghishna came. She took both girls and laid them down on the ground. Then she struck them with a big knife; but the knife could not cut them, and not a single wound was inflicted upon either of them. She raised her knife again; but one of the girls snatched it out of her hands, and struck her directly in the heart. She died. The girls started for home.

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They arrived there and wanted to have some tea. They prepared it, and were going to drink it. The elder sister said, “I am very hungry. Go and look in the storehouse. Perhaps you will find at least a dried fishskin.” Indeed, she found a piece of fishskin, and they ate of it. In the meantime they heard the clattering of hoofs outside. They saw horses that were breathing fire, and that sought revenge for the death of Yaghishna. They struck at the girls with their iron hoofs, and trampled them down; but they could not inflict upon them even the slightest wound. So they went away, all covered with foam and even their breath of fire was extinguished.

The girls wanted to thank God for their salvation. The elder one took a thin wax taper and wanted to light it; but with the taper her own finger flamed up. She was burnt to death, and her sister with her.

That is all. They live and live, and get much that is good. I visited them recently. They washed their house.

Story about Yaghishna

A young girl is left with Yaghishna, who tasks her with watching a spark. Disobeying, the girl opens a forbidden storehouse, frees magical reindeer, and escapes across a river. When Yaghishna attempts to cross, she drinks the river, falls in, and is killed. The girl refuses to help her, and Yaghishna offers her body parts as tools.

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

Forbidden Knowledge: The girl is explicitly instructed not to open a particular storehouse, yet her curiosity leads her to defy this prohibition, unveiling hidden truths.

Supernatural Beings: Yaghishna herself is depicted with supernatural attributes, such as her ability to drink vast amounts of water and her menacing presence.

Conflict with Authority: The girl’s actions represent a challenge to Yaghishna’s dominance and control, highlighting a struggle against an oppressive figure.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Mary Shkuleff, a Russian creole girl, in the village of Pokhotsk, the Kolyma country, summer of 1895.

There lived an old man and an old woman. They had a small girl still in her swaddling clothes. They swathed her tightly and put her upon the bed. Then they heard Yaghishna coming. They were frightened, and ran off, leaving the girl behind.

Yaghishna came in shuffling over the floor with her bristle-soled frozen boots. She seized the old man and the old woman, but forgot to take the girl. Then she came back and felt with her bands on the bed. She found the girl, put her into the corner behind the chimney, and covered her with a large dish.

Yaghishna kindled a large fire, then she put a cast-iron frying-pan upon the fire and said aloud, “O girl! get up!” And the girl got up. Then she said again, “Take off your swaddling clothes.” And the girl did so. “Now, come here!” And the girl went to her.

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She slapped her upon the face, and asked her, “For what did your mother bring you forth?” — “She brought me forth to carry water for you.” — “I am strong enough. I shall carry it myself.” She gave her another box on the ear, and asked again, “For what did your mother bring you forth?” — “She brought me forth to chop wood for you.” — “I am strong enough. I shall chop it myself.” She gave her another box on the ear, and asked the same question, “For what did your mother bring you forth?” — “She brought me forth to make fire for you.” — “I am strong enough. I shall make it myself.”

She put out the fire in the chimney, leaving only one small spark. Then she said, “Stay here and watch this spark. If it should go out, I shall tear you in two when I get back home.” She prepared to go away, and warned the girl. “Keep house and take good care of everything. You may open and visit all the storehouses. There is only one which you must not open. It is the one tied with a bark thread and sealed with excrement. This storehouse is forbidden to you.” Yaghishna flew away. The girl thought, “Why should I not examine this storehouse?” She went straight to it, tore off the bark thread, and broke the excrement seal. The storehouse was filled with charmed reindeer, neither living nor dead. She led all these reindeer out of the storehouse, and tied them one after another to a long heavy line. Then she pulled in one end of the line and threw it across the river. It flew off and carried her along with it. She dragged the reindeer across, and waited for Yaghishna. In the evening Yaghishna came home, and saw the storehouse open and empty. She went to the river, but the girl was on the other side. Yaghishna asked, “You opened my storehouse?” — “I did,” said the girl. “You took my reindeer?” — “I did,” answered the girl. “You fled across the river?” — “I did,” still answered the girl. “And how did you do it?” asked Yaghishna eagerly. “I drank up all the water and dried up the river,” said the girl. Yaghishna stooped down and drank of the river. She drank and drank, and became full like a water-bag; but the river still flowed on, as before. “I shall cross,” said Yaghishna angrily. “Ah! it is too sticky here.” Indeed, the river bank was covered with slime. “Say! what did you take hold of when you left, this bank?” — “I took hold of a tree and then of a bush, and last of all of a small weed,” said the girl. Yaghishna caught hold of a weed, and it broke off. She fell into the water, and her belly burst. A stream of water came out of it and carried her off to the middle of the river, and downstream. “Ah, ah!, help me out!” cried Yaghishna. “No, I will not,” answered the girl. Then Yaghishna shouted to the girl when passing by:

Take my head for your cup,
Take my fingers for your forks,
Take my joints for your supports,
Take my buttocks for your mortar,
Take my legs for a stone-scraper handle,
Take my backbone for your scraping-board.

Story of Kundarik

A young boy named Kundarik outwits Yaghishna, a threatening creature who demands his parents give him up. Through clever tricks, he escapes her attempts to kill him, ultimately trapping her in a deep hole covered with green wood. He then reunites with his parents, successfully defeating the menacing Yaghishna.

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

Trickster: Kundarik embodies the trickster archetype, using his wit and intelligence to outmaneuver Yaghishna.

Supernatural Beings: Yaghishna represents a supernatural entity, adding an element of the otherworldly to the tale.

Family Dynamics: The story revolves around the relationship between Kundarik and his parents, emphasizing the lengths to which they go to protect each other.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Mary Shkuleff, a Russian creole girl, in the village of Pokhotsk, the Kolyma country, summer of 1895

There lived an old man and an old woman. They had a little son, whose name was Kundarik. [or Kundirik (in the Anadyr), a small bird (Acanthis exilipes)] One evening they made a fire in the house and noticed that somebody was sitting on the roof, close to the chimney-opening. It was Yaghishna. They were much frightened, but Yaghishna said, “Give me your boy, otherwise I shall swallow you.”

They ran off, leaving the boy who was sitting on the window-sill. Yaghishna called, “Kundar, where are you?” — “I am here in the house.” She entered the house, but he was not there. “Kundar, where are you?” — “I am here, outside the house.” She went out, and he was not there. She took the woman’s scraper and the whetstone and wanted to kill him with them, but he turned into an ermine and fled. She went in pursuit, and soon overtook him.

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Then she said, “O my boy! I want to defecate.” He answered, “Heretofore, when father wanted to defecate, I used to bring from the woods a big elk head, and we would defecate all around it.” She said, “All right! bring it here.” He went into the woods and brought back a stump with many roots which were sharp-pointed like so many spikes. “Here it is.” She seated herself over the stump; but just then the boy pushed her over so that she fell back and was impaled on one of the roots. Then the boy ran off again, but Yaghishna followed him, stump and all, and, overtook him. Then she said, “I want to sleep.” The boy answered, “When father wanted to sleep, he would dig a hole in the ground and sleep in that.” — “All right! Dig a hole for me.” For three days they dug the hole, the boy with his knife, and Yaghishna with her nails. The hole was deep, just like a grave. Yaghishna descended into the hole, and soon was snoring loudly. When she was fast asleep, the boy began to cut down green wood, and he threw it into the hole. In a very short time he had covered Yaghishna quite well, and she could not get out. After that he fled to his father and mother, and they continued to live together.

That is all.

A Christmas story

In ancient times, girls practiced a divination ritual on Christmas Eve, “wedding the snow” to predict their future marriages. While performing the ritual near a water-hole, they were frightened by a mysterious, fiery stove. They sought refuge with an old woman, who saved them by making them wear copper saucepans on their heads, confusing the stove.

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

Ritual and Initiation: The girls engage in a traditional divination practice to predict their marital futures, highlighting cultural rites of passage.

Supernatural Beings: The appearance of the fiery stove as a menacing entity introduces a supernatural element to the narrative.

Cunning and Deception: The old woman’s clever tactic of using saucepans to disguise the girls demonstrates the use of wit to outsmart the supernatural threat.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Mary Dauroff, a Russian creole woman, in the village of Pokhotsk, summer of 1896.

It was in olden times that some girls went to wed the snow. [It is a kind of old Russian divination, practised on Christmas Eve or Twelfth Night. Young girls “wed the snow,” and, according to the marks left on the snow by their fingers, foretell the future chiefly in reference to their possible marriage during the coming year.] They came to a water-hole, sat down, and traced a magic circle all around themselves upon the snow. They were seated on a bearskin. One of the paws of the skin projected accidentally beyond the circle, but not one of the girls noticed it. All at once the skin under them began to move. The water in the water-hole bubbled as in a kettle, and something made its appearance out of the water. They were horribly frightened and rushed away. Nearest to the river stood the small house of an old woman. She was pious and wealthy. She had among other things a great number of saucepans, large and bright, made of solid copper.

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She met them in the entrance, and ordered them immediately to put the saucepans on their heads as caps. Then they sat down and waited. After a few moments the door was torn open, and in rushed a large stove, all of black iron, breathing fire from all its openings. All at once all the saucepans were pulled down with great violence. That done, the phantom departed. Most certainly the saucepans had been mistaken by it for the heads of girls, so the girls were saved.

That is all.