Story of the fish-woman

A poor man caught a fish-girl named Sherkala with an old hook and took her home. She cleaned his house and prepared meals, but he caught no fish. One day, he secretly watched her transform into a girl and reveal her fish skin. He burned it, and Sherkala, heartbroken, melted away into the sea.

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 man’s discovery of Sherkala’s true nature and his subsequent actions lead to irreversible consequences, underscoring the dangers of uncovering hidden truths.

Supernatural Beings: Sherkala herself is a mythical creature, embodying elements beyond the natural world.

Love and Betrayal: The bond formed between the man and Sherkala is broken by his betrayal when he burns her fish skin, leading to her departure.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Innocent Korkin, a Russianized Yukaghir man, in the village of Pokhotsk, the Kolyma country, summer of 1896.

There was a poor man who lived alone. He had no fish nets, nor even a fish hook. So he went to the merchants, asking for a hook. The first and the second merchant gruffly refused him. A third one gave him an old hook, without point. He took it and prepared a long fishing-rod for it. Armed with this, he went every day to the sea to angle. He was fishing the whole day long, and caught nothing. The next day likewise he caught nothing. The third day he cast his fishing rod, and could not pull back the line, it was so heavy. “Ah!” thought he, “it must be some large fish.” He pulled at it with all his might, and at last he brought to the surface Sherkala, the fish-girl. “What is it?” said he to himself. “Is it my good luck, or is it my bad luck?” He was ready to throw her back into the water; but then he bethought himself, and said, “I am very poor. I can lose nothing by it, let me take her home!” He took Sherkala home and laid her down in the corner of his house.

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The next morning he went fishing again. He caught nothing at all; but when he came home, his house looked quite festive. Everything was well cleaned and in good order; a good meal stood ready on the table; but nobody was there, and Sherkala lay in the corner just as before. From that time on everything continued in that manner. He caught no fish; but somebody kept the house in good order, and cooked excellent meals of nothing. When he stayed at home, the dinner would not appear, so that he was obliged to go out every morning. One day he pretended to depart; but, instead of going away, he lay down on the earth bench close to the window. He lay there very quietly; but after a while he lifted his head and looked through the window. Sherkala arose as far as her tail, and then turned into a young girl. She ripped up her own belly and took out fish-roe, which she put into the kettle. Then she swept the floor and put everything in good order. The man suddenly rushed in and caught the fish skin of Sherkala, which lay on the floor. He threw it into the fire, and burned it. “What have you done,” said the girl. “We lived so happily, and now I must go away.” She fell down and melted away into sea water.

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The woman’s head

A lazy young man is abducted by a supernatural girl from the sea who plans to marry and eat him. After receiving advice from an old man, he outlasts her in a battle for position during the night and kills her using iron tools. He escapes in a canoe, and the girl’s head, now a stone, follows him. Her parents die in pursuit, and the canoe and head remain as landmarks.

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 supernatural girl from the sea who abducts the protagonist with the intent to marry and consume him.

Cunning and Deception: The protagonist employs cleverness to outmaneuver the supernatural girl, ultimately leading to her demise.

Transformation: The supernatural girl’s head transforms into a stone, symbolizing the permanence of her defeat and the end of her malevolent influence.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Nicholas Rupatcheff, a Russianized Yukaghir man, in the village of Sukharnoye, the Kolyma country, winter of 1896.

There was a village on the seashore which had ten or fifteen houses. One of the inhabitants had a lazy son. All he did was to walk along the seashore, singing songs. One day he left the village, and walked so far that he lost sight of the houses. He strolled on, singing lustily. All of a sudden, he saw a canoe of iron moving across the sea directly towards him. He stopped and waited for it. A young, pretty girl was seated in the canoe. She had in her hands a large double paddle, also of iron, but she did not paddle at all. Nevertheless, the canoe moved on, cutting the water like a living thing. It came to the shore. The girl extended the iron blade toward the man, and said to him “Here, young man! put your pretty head upon the iron blade. I want to louse you with my gentle fingers.” — “No,” said he, “I have no lice, and so I do not want to do as you request.” — “Ah! at least lay your pretty cheek upon this iron blade. I want to admire your gentle beauty.” He felt flattered, and stooped down toward the iron blade.

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All at once his face stuck firmly to the iron. She drew the paddle back, and pulled him down along with it into the canoe. Immediately the canoe moved off across the sea, going back the way it had come. He prayed to the girl, “Oh, please, let me go! I want to go back to my father and mother, or at least to bid them farewell.” — “No,” said the girl, “I shall not let you go. In former times, whenever your parents sent you for water and for wood, or tried to urge you to go hunting, you were too indolent to follow their advice: now I shall hunt for you and fetch everything. You shall stay at home and be my husband.” He cried aloud, and asked her to let him go; but she refused.

They crossed the sea and went to another country. They arrived at a large house on the shore. It had three sets of drying poles, all well filled with human flesh, heads, and whole arms with heads, and legs with feet. He cried still louder than before, and refused to enter. She called to him; but he went away along the seashore, down the village, from house to house. The last house of all was small, a mere hut. A small old man lived in it, quite lean and bowed down. His head was white, like that of a polar hare. The old man addressed him, and said, “O, young man! are you also a human being, as I am? If you are, why did you come here? The people who live here are man-eaters. They feed on human flesh, and they even tried to induce me to do the same; but I refused. Therefore I am so lean, that they will not even eat me.” The old man continued, “This young woman is the worst of all. She feeds on her husbands after their bridal night. Bear this in mind: After supper you will go to sleep and she will try to induce you to lie down next to the wall, while she herself will take her place on the outer side. You must be firm and take the place on the outer side. Even though she should ask you with fair words, and abuse you with bad words, and push you and crawl over you, be firm and hold your place! If you succeed in keeping it, you will live; if not, you will perish, and I shall perish along with you. Then you will copulate. She will try to tire you out and put you to sleep; but you must be stronger than she, and tire her, in your turn, and make her sleep. Then you will know what to do to her. Now go home! It is growing late. She is looking for you, and she may come here also. Rather go of your own will. She will give you human flesh to eat. Be sure not to swallow even a single morsel. Try to hide the meat in your clothes or on your body. Otherwise you will also turn into a man-eater, and will never get back to your native place.”

The young man went back to the house of his cannibal bride. She cooked plenty of fat human meat, and gave some to her father and mother to eat. Then she invited her husband to sit down to the meal. He took one morsel after another; but he ate none, and hid every one of them in the bosom of his coat. After the meal they prepared to lie down. Then began their struggle for places. Neither wanted to lie nearest the wall. They crept over each other; the girl scratched him in doing so, and he paid her in kisses. Still each time he returned to the outer side. At last she was conquered by his kisses, and let him stay. After that they copulated; and he proved so strong and untiring that he exhausted all her strength and made her sleep. As soon as she began to snore, he lifted his head and groped gently in the darkness beneath the pillow. He found just beneath the pillow, at the outer side, which the woman wanted for herself, two iron instruments, — a long awl and a very sharp and narrow knife. She used these to kill the men in their sleep. He took both, and pointed the knife straight at her heart, and the awl at her anus. Then he exclaimed, “Iron to iron,” and both entered and met within her body. Iron scratched iron. The woman died instantly. He cut off her head, took a long narrow bag filled with odd shreds of skins and pieces of clothing, put this bag under the coverlet, and then placed the head on it. He tucked the cover in all around; then he made a fire, and cooked the flesh of the woman for the breakfast meal. When it was done, he cut it up carefully and laid it in a dish in good order. He skimmed off the fat from the soup, and put it in a cup close to the dish.

This breakfast he carried off to the sleeping room of the old people. Then he crept out, and hurried to the shore. There on the sand lay two canoes, one of iron, and the other of wood. He took the iron awl and pierced the wooden canoe in twenty places. Then he called the old man who had given him advice, and bade him go aboard the iron canoe. He himself followed, and said to the iron canoe, “O, canoe of iron! go to the place from which you brought us!” And the canoe rushed across the sea, going to the shore inhabited by human kind.

The old people heard him get up and work; but they thought it was their daughter, because she was wont to kill her husbands in the night time and to cook their flesh in the morning for breakfast, so they dozed again most quietly. Finally, when they awoke, they saw their breakfast close by, quite ready and waiting for them. “Ah, ah!” said the old woman, “our gentle child has made everything ready, but where is she? Why does she not come to eat with us? Go, man, and look into her sleeping room.” He looked there and came back. “She is sleeping,” said he. “The night must have been quite tiresome.” So they took their meal. The old woman took one morsel, but she could not swallow it. “Ah, old man! I cannot eat alone. It is perhaps because our daughter does not eat with us. I am sure she is hungry. Please go and waken her! Let her eat, and then go to sleep again!” So he went once more to the sleeping room and to their daughter’s bed. “Get up, child!” said he merrily and tugged at the coverlet. The head fell off the bed and rolled to the door.

It opened the door and rolled down the slope toward the sea. It rushed into the sea and rolled on over the billows in pursuit of the fugitives. The old people also hurried down to the sea. “Ah!” they shouted, “where is he? We will catch him, and swallow him alive.” But the iron canoe was gone, so they took the wooden one and set off in it. After a while it filled with water. “Why,” said the old man, “you old one! cease passing water!” — “No,” said his wife, “it is you who are passing water.” They quarrelled for some time and then sank to the bottom of the sea.

The two fugitives arrived safely at their own place. The woman’s head followed behind; but, on coming to the shore it turned into a big round boulder, which is there even now, and is called “Woman’s Head.” The canoe is also there; turned to stone. The double paddle is broken in two. Whoever passes by must give a sacrifice to the owner of the place, then he will be successful in love-suit not matrimonial.

[The stone canoe and the woman’s head are said to lie on the Arctic shore somewhere near the mouth of the Baranikha River, east of the Kolyma River, in a part of the country at present uninhabited. The natives say that in former times, before the coming of the Russians, a considerable village stood here, but at present there are no visible traces of it.]

Tale of a shaman

A Kolyma head man’s assistant, a young one-eyed shaman, performs a miraculous ritual to heal a tribute chief’s dying wife. Despite his small stature, he expels seven shamans and restores the woman to health through extraordinary means. Rewarded with a horse, he sends it magically to his family, refusing excess riches and demonstrating humility and power.

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 centers on a young shaman who performs miraculous rituals, showcasing interactions with the supernatural realm.

Trials and Tribulations: The shaman faces the challenge of healing a dying woman, testing his abilities and resolve.

Sacred Objects: The shaman utilizes special items or rituals imbued with spiritual significance during his healing process.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Nicholas Kusakoff, a Russian creole, in the village of the Pokhotsk, in the Kolyma country, summer of 1896.

There was the head man of a village. I do not know exactly whether it was a village of Yukaghir or of the Yakut clan.

[For the last hundred years, the northern Miatushski clan has been living on the Great Anui River, in the Lower Kolyma country. This clan has been superficially Russianized. Their way of living is quite Russo-Yukaghir. They have no cattle, and catch their fish not in the lakes, but in the Great Anui and Kolyma rivers.]

This head man used to gather tribute among his clansmen. Then he carried it southward to the town of Yakutsk on the river Aldan. On the Aldan lived the tribute chief of their tribe. [This indicates that they were probably Yakut. The tribute chief in local Russian is голова (literally, “head”). This chief was elected by several clans related to one another and forming together one tribal branch.]

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One time this Kolyma head man came to the Aldan tribute chief. The wife of the latter was suffering very much from one day to the next and they were afraid she might die. The Kolyma head man, seeing her condition said to the tribute chief, “Have no care about my dinner, I will go elsewhere.” The tribute chief answered, “You were my guest in times of good fortune. Will you go away in these evil hours?” So the Kolyma head man entered, and saw sitting there in the house around a table, seven people, all quite unknown to him. He asked the tribute chief, “Who are these people — your workmen or your guests?” — “Oh, oh!”, said the tribute chief, “what are you thinking of! These people are no workmen, nor are they simple guests. They are shamans, all seven of them. They have come here for nine days, and they practise their art all the while; but we do not see any help. My wife is getting worse and worse. O friend! Your Kolyma country is renowned for its shamans and magicians; and you too, come from a country far distant, and you select your assistant from the whole community without doubt with great care. I am sure that you pay attention also to this (i.e., to magic). Can you not ask your assistant? Perhaps he knows enough to get for us at least temporary relief, even if for only a couple of hours.” — “I cannot tell. Indeed, as a young man, he suffered from fits, and perhaps he really is able to practise the art of shamanism, though I do not know whether for himself only or also in behalf of other people. [Fits of shamanistic hysteria. Among the Russian creoles and Russianized natives, both on the Anadyr and the Kolyma, women often have so-called “fits” (припадки). The patient, during the fit, sings improvised tunes, and even pronounces words of an unknown language. When coming to herself, she pretends not to remember what she has done. Such singing is also called shamanistic, and probably all this really represents the remnants of a more ancient shamanistic practice.] However, we may call him here, and see what he can do. Where is he? Go and call him.”

They brought the assistant. He was a small fellow, quite young, with only one eye. The house master asked him, “Here, you, of Kolyma birth, perhaps you have some knowledge of this matter, some shamanistic power or magical force. Have a look at my wife, and try to help her somehow!” — “All right!” said the fellow. “If I were in my own place, or if I had at least my own shamanistic garment, I might try to do something.” To this the tribute chief answered, “If you only will try, I will procure the necessary garment and all appurtenances.” The man was silent for a while. Then he said, “I will try to practise, as far as I may and know. But if she should die, do not be angry with me!” — “Oh, no! surely not! Do whatever you like. Before the beginning, however, give me a few hours only. Let me have one more look at her, though she is suffering.” They brought the shamanistic garment and arrayed him in it. The garment was too large for him. He looked in it just like a stump in an overcoat. The owner of the garment said, “Tie him up with a girdle. He will tear off all the tassels.” One man went up to him and said, “Let me gird you up!” — “Wait a while,” said the Kolyma shaman, “then you may gird me. I will give you a signal.” So he began to practise. He croaked three times like a raven; then he roared three times like a bear; then he howled three times like a wolf. After that he stood up. His head pierced the roof, and the garment burst between the shoulders. Then the door flew open, and the seven shamans were hurled out of the house like seven shreds of skin. They died on the spot. He began to practise. After some time he went to the patient, and cut her body into small pieces. Each piece he took into his hands and put into his mouth, sucked it all around, and then blew on it. He put them together, and blew upon them three times. They joined again, and were covered with a new skin. He blew three times more, and the body breathed. After that he stepped toward the entrance and sang for an hour, then for another hour. At the beginning of the third hour, the woman came to herself, and turned over on the other side. She even asked for a little piece of meat to be put into her mouth. So he went back to her from the door, and asked her, “How do you feel?” — “I feel numb all over!” He resumed his singing and performed until dawn. Then he stopped and ordered all the people to lie down to sleep. When they awoke, the woman awoke with them, and asked for food and drink. They put another piece of meat into her mouth. From this time on she recovered rapidly, and after three days she was able to take food and drink without assistance.

After that the tribute chief took his best horse, renowned in that region for its swiftness. He put on it a saddle of silver, a bridle of steel inlaid with silver, and a saddle cloth embroidered with silk. To the saddle he tied a pouch containing two hundred rubles in cash. Then he took the horse to the Kolyma shaman, but the shaman refused to accept anything. So the tribute chief felt greatly afraid, and with much insistence and almost in tears, begged him to take something. At last, the shaman consented. He took the horse; but the bridle and the saddle, together with the saddle cloth, he took off and gave them back to the master. He also took thirty rubles only, and those not in silver, but in paper money. He rolled them up and tucked them into the horse’s left ear. Then he blew upon the horse and struck it with his staff; and the horse soared up on high, flew away, and vanished. They asked him, “Where did you send it?” — “I sent it to my mother and sister. This will last them until my return.”

Small-Pox, a Yukaghir tale

A solitary man encounters Small-Pox, a fearsome woman with fiery eyes and sharp teeth. She demands to find humans, but he tricks her into entering a bladder, drying her out until she’s powerless. Small-Pox promises to spare his kin, marked by red tufts on their caps. Weakened, she’s set adrift, leaving his people untouched.

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 protagonist’s clever tactics in trapping Small-Pox highlight the use of wit to overcome danger.

Supernatural Beings: Small-Pox is personified as a fearsome woman with supernatural attributes, such as fiery eyes and sharp teeth.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts wisdom on the importance of intelligence and resourcefulness in confronting and overcoming threats.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

First version told by Nicholas Vostriakoff, the head man of the Vostriakoff clan of the Russianized Yukaghir in the village Omolon, at the confluence of the Omolon and Kolyma rivers, summer of 1896.

Second version told by Timothy, a Tunguso-Yukaghir, on the western tundra of the Kolyma, spring of 1895.

There lived a man all by himself. One time a woman came to him. She was Small-Pox. She was tall and lean of body, her teeth were long and sharp, and her eyes burned like glowing coals.

“Where are the other people?” asked Small-Pox. “I do not know.” — “How is it that you do not know? Are you not human-born? Where are your house and village mates?” — “No,” said the man, “as long ago as I can remember, I always lived all alone.”

Small-Pox stayed with him. Every morning and every evening she climbed a very high tree and listened in every direction. One time she descended, and said, “Yonder to the east, I can hear early in the morning and late in the evening the ringing of iron;” and indeed, there were young men chopping wood, and young girls carrying water from the river in iron pails.

For this reason, even at present, our old men forbid young men and girls to chop wood and to carry water early in the morning or late in the evening. Every one must prepare the wood and bring the daily store of water in broad daylight.

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“Oh!” said Small-Pox, “human people are living on that side. You must carry me to those people.” — “And how shall I carry you to them? Here is a bladder of the ptarmigan. Creep into it. I will carry you concealed in the bladder.” She entered the bladder which he tied up with a, cord, and then hung it up before the fireplace to dry. The bladder was drying up more and more, and she was drying with it. Day and night she struggled within the bladder, but by no means could she pierce it and come out. After a while she became quite shrivelled up, — mere bones and dried skin; and even her voice was hardly audible.

“Oh, let me go!” pleaded Small-Pox in a hoarse whisper. “I promise I will never touch any man whatever of your house and kin.” — “And how will you recognize my house and kin?” — “Let the people of your house and kin wear small red tufts on their caps.” For this reason the Yukaghir people of our clan wear red tufts on their caps even at the present time.

Then the man opened the bladder and took out Small-Pox. She was so weak that she could not stand up, — a mere soul without a body. He put her on a board and sent it floating down the river. “Go wherever you choose! Land wherever you may!”

Told by Nicholas Vostriakoff, the head man of the Vostriakoff clan of the Russianized Yukaghir in the village Omolon, at the confluence of the Omolon and Kolyma rivers, summer of 1896.

Second version

There was a large Yukaghir village on the Indighirka River. In that village lived a powerful shaman. One time he beat the drum; then he went out of the house and said, “A great disease is coming towards us, the like of which we have never seen.” There was a crossway where three small trails converged into a single one which was very broad and straight. He went to the crossway and hid under the roots of a large tree. Lying there, he listened for those whose approach he had foreseen. Three sisters were coming along the road. They were riding red horses, their coats were as red as fire, and their hair was burning like lightning. The younger sisters were inquiring of the oldest one, “Where shall we go this time?” The eldest sister answered, “This time go on without me. Near by there is a large Yukaghir village. A powerful shaman lives there. I want to take him away.” — “Do not speak so loud!” answered the other sister, “somebody may overhear you.” — “Who should overhear me? Deep woods are all around us.” The shaman, however, was hidden under the roots of a tree, and heard all. He ran home, and said to his house people, “Get the meal ready. At mealtime she will come to the people eating food.” He had a magic iron box, sealed with a magic seal. He opened it and put it upon the table, close to himself. They ate, and during the meal a long red hair fell upon the table, at the left hand side of the shaman. All at once he caught the hair and put it into the box. He closed it and sealed it up with the magic seal. “Now make a big fire,” said he to the people. They made a big fire, and he put the box into it, and began to rake the fire. Soon the box was glowing red. Then a wail, like that of a human voice was heard from the box. “Oh, set me free! I cannot stand it.” — “Ah, you cannot!” said the shaman, and raked the fire. Thus, he roasted her for three days and three nights. On the fourth day there was a faint squeal like the voice of a red fox. “Oh, please let me go! I cannot stand it.” Then he asked the other people of the village, “What shall I do to her? Shall I really set her free? You are the shaman,” said the people, “do what you think best. We cannot tell.” — “All right,” said the shaman, “let me have a look at her.” He opened the box. A red girl was sitting within it, half dead with exhaustion, mere skin and bones, dryer than a withered leaf. “Now you may go,” said the shaman, “but be sure not to forget our treatment of you.” “I shall not forget. But I am very weary, I cannot walk. Give me some food and a drink of water.” So he kept her for three days, and gave her food and water. After that she grew a little stronger; so she went to the woods, found her own horse, and hurried off. When departing, she swore to herself that she would never go back to that awful place. So she came to the crossway. Her sisters had been waiting for her for two days. “Where have you been so long?” — “Oh, the Yukaghir shaman caught me and nearly murdered me. He put me into a box and burned me in the fire.” — “There you are! Did we not warn you not to be so loud in your boasting lest somebody should overhear you?” — “You did. And where have you been?” — “Oh, we have had some little fun. We slew the people of one village, and in another we left only one boy and one girl.” After that the sisters rode on.

The girl from the grave-box

Two brothers set traps in the wilderness. The elder wishes for a girl and is visited by a mysterious woman nightly. When the younger brother alerts their father, the elder is forcibly taken home. The father discovers the woman is a grave spirit and destroys her remains. The elder pines away and is buried beside her. The family then abandons the region.

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 mysterious woman visiting the elder brother is revealed to be a grave spirit, highlighting interactions with entities beyond the natural realm.

Divine Punishment: The father’s destruction of the grave spirit’s remains leads to the elder son’s decline and death, suggesting retribution from supernatural forces for disturbing the dead.

Family Dynamics: The interactions between the brothers and their father reflect complex familial relationships, especially when dealing with extraordinary circumstances.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Katherine Rumiantzev, a Russianized Yukaghir woman, at the village of Pokhotsk in the lower Kolyma country, summer of 1896.

Some Lamut were living in three tents. One of them had two sons. They had set their deadfalls at distant places: so the father sent his sons to visit these traps. They came to the traps and walked along all day. They stopped for the night at the farthest traps. Then the elder brother said to the younger one, “Oh, I wish we could find here some girl to be our assistant! It is tedious work to cut firewood and cook food. Have we not enough to do with the traps?” — “Do not say so!” said the younger brother. “Why do you wish for a girl? We are in the wilderness. If anybody comes, it will be some monster or spirit.” The first brother replied, “Be it who it may, I should like to have a girl for an assistant.” In the middle of the night a girl came, handsome, like the sunrise. The older brother took her for his wife. When day was coming, she went away, but the next evening she came again. They lived in this manner.

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A week passed. Then the younger brother said in the morning, “How long shall we remain here? Our father and mother must be anxious on our behalf.” But the other one refused to listen. He said, “You may go home, but I shall stay here.” The younger brother went home on his snowshoes, and told his parents what had happened. His father called together several neighbors, all men, and they went to bring the young man. He refused to come and cried for vexation; but they bound him hand and foot, tied him to a reindeer-sledge, and took him home. The father said, “Now, I shall stay and see who lived with him, — a human being or some impure creature.” So he remained there for a night, made a fire, and waited. After sunset the girl came. When she saw that another man was in the house, she wailed aloud, and went back into the heart of the woods. She was wailing all the way back, till at last her voice died out. Next morning the father followed in her tracks. He came to a small river, which he followed upstream. At last he found on the bank an ancient wooden grave-box. The tracks of the girl led to that grave-box, and then vanished. The old man opened the box and saw a skeleton. The bones held together only by the dry sinew. He cut the skeleton, disjointed all the bones, and laid them down in four separate places.

[Grave-boxes made of wood were used by the Yukaghir. They are met with in the country of the Kolyma, chiefly in deep woods, on the banks of some lonesome little river, as described in the tale. This tale expresses the superstitious fear of the ancient grave-boxes common to all the peoples of the country, the remainder of the Yukaghir included.]

After that the young man began to droop and pine and suffer. When walking, he would even stumble over the grass. When near to death, he said, “As you have done to my love, so do also to me.” So they took his body to the grave-box, gathered the bones of the girl together, and laid him by their side. After that they left the country and went far off.

The end.

The monster with iron teeth

Three brothers encounter monsters with iron teeth during their journey. The eldest fights the creatures while his brothers flee. Gradually, the elder brothers turn monstrous themselves. The youngest flees alone, outsmarts a pursuing monster with an old kettle, and reaches safety in a village. After reporting the monsters, a priest curses them, restoring peace to the area.

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 brothers encounter monstrous entities with iron teeth, representing interactions with otherworldly creatures.

Trials and Tribulations: The brothers face a series of challenges, including battles with the monsters and the transformation of the eldest brother.

Cunning and Deception: The youngest brother uses his wits to outsmart a pursuing monster, demonstrating the use of intelligence to overcome danger.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Nicholas Kusakoff, a Russian creole (cossack), at the village of Pokhotsk in the Kolyma country, summer of 1896.

There were three brothers. One time they traveled together in lonely places. The first night they stopped at a way house. [Small log cabins are built in various places for the use of travelers, especially along the trading routes. They are called in local Russian иоварня (“cooking-house”).] They made a fire, cooked some bread-soup, and had supper. [Затчранъ, a kind of soup prepared of bread-crumbs or flour roasted in butter, and then boiled in water. In former times it was generally used in these regions for breakfast or supper. At present brick-tea is substituted for it.] While they were eating, a board of the floor was lifted up. There appeared a monster with iron teeth, two feet long. [In local Russian it is called “heretic” (еретикъ). In colloquial Russian, in Europe and Asia, “heretic” is used as a synonym for “devil” or “evil spirit”] The eldest brother said to the other two, “Go out and get the dogs and sledges ready. I will stay here. And you must wait outside for me.”

► Continue reading…

They took their bread-soup and went out of the house. They could hear the eldest brother within fighting with the monster. They did not know in what way, but could only hear great noise and gnashing of teeth. Before sunrise their brother came out of the house. They started off on their sledges. They drove till dark. Then they saw another log cabin. They entered, made a fire, and prepared some soup. As soon as they had swallowed a spoonful or two, a board was lifted in one of the front corners of the house and up came the Monster with Iron Teeth. The oldest brother made the other two go out and he fought the monster alone. The next morning, when he came out, they saw that he had turned into a quite different being. All his blood, and his face, were no longer human. He was more like a devil. The second brother said to the youngest one, “Look at him! He has iron teeth at least half a foot long.”

They drove onward again until evening. It had grown quite dark when they came to another log cabin. They made a fire and prepared soup. When they were half through with their meal, there appeared a woman with iron teeth, covered with blood, who rushed at them. The eldest brother: also fought the woman. The other two exchanged looks, and slipped out of doors. Then they turned their sledges back and drove homeward. They traveled the whole night and the next day. Then they came to the log cabin in which the second fight with the Monster of Iron Teeth had taken place. They made a fire and prepared their soup. Then they heard outside the shuffling of snowshoes. They were so much frightened, that neither dared to go out. Then the door opened of itself, and the oldest brother entered. He was very angry. “Why are you making so much trouble for me? If you want to leave me behind, why do you stop in this very place?” He had hardly finished these words, when the Monster with Iron Teeth appeared. They fought again; and the eldest brother said, “Go away! Do not wait for me any longer! But mind you do not stop at the first log cabin. When I am through with this fight, I shall give chase; and if I catch you in the first log cabin, I shall fight the first monster, but I shall also punish you.”

They drove away from there, crying for fear. They traveled throughout the night and the next day. After sunset they came to the log cabin, and of course wanted to pass it, but they could not induce their dogs to pass by. All the dogs rushed in and fought as if they were worrying somebody to death. No one was to be seen, however. They wrangled with the dogs far into the evening, and at last dragged them out of the house. They were quite tired and hungry; and the second brother at last proposed, “Let us stay here over night!” The youngest answered, “How could we do that? The monster will appear, and then our brother; and he warned us beforehand that he will punish us.” The second brother answered, “Curse him for a fool! I do not fear him at all. I myself have become as bad as he.” The youngest brother looked up, and saw that the second brother also had iron teeth half a foot long. He was so badly frightened that he could not speak. Meanwhile the shuffling of snowshoes was heard outside, and there entered a being similar to their brother in face and body; but they did not recognize him. He said not a single word, but rushed at the second brother. They fought like wolves. The youngest brother slipped outside, took his dogs, and fled. He drove on until midnight, and heard nothing. After midnight, however, he heard a voice like a distant shaman’s call. The voice said, “A man is pursuing his own brother. He wants to gnaw at his bones, to eat of his meat, to drink of his blood!” The youngest brother out of fright, urged his dogs on with all his might. In the meantime he said to himself, “When he overtakes me, how shall I defend myself?” He remembered having heard from older people, that, when pursued by a monster, one may defend oneself by striking the monster with an old kettle. Then the monster will fall down and will be unable to follow for a couple of hours, which at least will give respite at the most critical moment. So he loosened the kettle, and made ready for the blow. Kettle in hand, he watched when the monster should reach the sledge. When it was at hand, he uttered an incantation and struck its face with the blackened kettle. The monster fell face down, and cried aloud, “Oh, you are too clever for me! I shall catch you, nevertheless. The village is yet far off. I shall rest for a couple of hours; then I shall catch you, drink of your blood, eat of your meat and gnaw your bones.” The other one urged his dogs to the limit of their strength. He knew, that the village was not very far away. They moved on. The monster gave pursuit again. Then they heard the bell in the church belfry ringing. He crossed himself, and said, “Thank God, I am safe now!” And the monster shouted from behind, “You are safe; but I shall catch you somewhere in time to come.” The young man reached the village, and straightway went to the priest. He said that in such and such places in the woods there were monsters; that these monsters were probably unburied corpses, which walk abroad and attack human beings. The priest listened to him, and then laid a curse of the Church upon the monsters; that they should cease to appear and make trouble. After that all the people traveled about without fear or danger, and they met with nothing extraordinary.

The end.

Grass-Blade-Girl

An old woman finds a miraculous blade of grass that transforms into a girl, Grass-Blade-Girl, whose beauty and magical abilities attract a suitor. On her journey to her husband’s home, she is abducted by the witch Yaghishna, who impersonates her. Eventually, the truth is revealed, and the suitor kills Yaghishna. Grass-Blade-Girl returns to her rightful place as his wife, embodying resilience and renewal.

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

Transformation: The metamorphosis of the grass blade into a human girl highlights themes of change and transformation.

Supernatural Beings: The witch Yaghishna represents the involvement of supernatural entities influencing human affairs.

Trials and Tribulations: Grass-Blade-Girl’s journey, including her abduction and eventual rescue, illustrates the challenges and adversities she faces.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Katherine Rumiantzev, a Russianized Yukaghir woman, in the village of Pokhotsk, in the Kolyma country, summer of 1896.

An old woman lived all alone. She had no children. One time she went for a walk. She saw a patch of yellow grass. One blade was growing higher than any of the others. She gathered that grass for her bedding, and kept this long blade apart. She carried the grass home, put it under her mat and slept over it. In the night time the long blade became warm from the heat of her body.

In the morning the old woman mounted to the roof to open the chimney hole. Then she heard something crying in the house. It was the grass-blade which had turned into a little girl. The old woman swathed her in thin skins, fed her and nursed and caressed her. Thus Grass-Blade-Girl lived in her house and grew up. When the time came for her to be married she was a wonderful girl. When she wept her tears were costly pearls. When she smiled, her smile was all precious stones. She would swing her right sleeve, and sables and martens would drop from it.

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She would swing her left sleeve, and red foxes would fall out of it. She was also very pretty. The like of her was not to be met. A strong young man heard about her, and went to pay suit to her.

On his departure, he told his brothers, who had remained at home, to make arrows and to feather them well, that he might shoot with them sables and foxes for his future bride. He ordered them also to prepare bags for the skins, and boxes for the precious stones and pearls.

He went to the old woman and saw the girl. She was all that people had stated her to be. Pearls and precious stones dropped from her mouth, sables and foxes fell from her sleeves. He offered his suit, and was accepted. Then he married her and took her to his house. On the way, they passed the house of Yaghishna. Just as they were right opposite it, the bride said, “Oh, my dear! I am very thirsty. Bring me some water.” He took the ice-pick and went to a lake. He cut through the ice, but there was no water. The bottom was dry. He tried another place, and still another. There was no water anywhere, and at last he went so far toward the middle of the lake, that he disappeared from the sight of the woman. In the meantime the dogs of the, team scented the house of Yaghishna. So they rushed off with the sledge, and she could not keep them back. They arrived at Yaghishna’s door. The witch came out, took the young woman by the hand, and led her into the house. She made her take a place on a new reindeer skin, and went to prepare some food and hot tea for her; but when she took the first cup of tea, the witch unexpectedly pulled out the bedding from under her seat, and the young woman fell into an underground cellar a hundred fathoms deep, a hundred fathoms wide, and quite dark.

She prayed and prayed to be let out: “O grandmother! help me out! I will give you anything you may ask of me.” — “All right,” said the witch, “take off your clothes and give them to me, then I will help you out.” The young woman took off her clothes, saving only her undershirt, and made them into a bundle. The witch dropped a long line into the cellar. The young woman tied the bundle to the line. The witch pulled up the bundle, put on the clothes, and all at once became exactly like the young bride. So she took her place upon the sledge, and hurried back to the former place. After some time the husband came. He brought some water, but the bride refused to take it. “I do not want it. I did not ask you at all to fetch any water.” They even had a quarrel. “Why,” said the young man, “you were so thirsty. Have I not cut the ice maybe in twenty places to get water for you?”

After that they continued on their way. When they reached home all the people gathered to look upon the bride; but she had neither pearls nor sables. She coughed and spat, blew her nose; and only once a small glass bead fell down, which, moreover, was pierced awry. In due time, however, she bore a son. Her husband was an excellent hunter. He brought home geese and swans, reindeer and elks. The house was full of meat and of all kinds of skins. He passed most of his time in the open air, and paid no attention to the ways of his wife with their little boy. One time, however, he came home, and his wife prepared some dinner for him. While waiting for it, he took up the boy, who began to cry. “There,” said the man, “the boy is crying. It is time to give him some food.” The witch took the boy and turned her face toward the wall. After that she began to take off her left boot. He looked on with great wonder, and thought, “What is this? I wanted her to suckle the boy, and she takes off her boots.” The woman took off the boot, and instead of the breast she gave the boy her left heel to suck. He was very angry. “Why,” said her husband, “is this the way you feed our boy? Truly, you have grown up in the wild country, and you are of wild blood. You are good for nothing. I took you for a treasure, and instead you are an unclean thing. You suckle your boy in this unhallowed way. Tomorrow morning I shall take you back to your mother. I do not want you any longer.” They quarrelled all night long, and did not sleep. The next morning he carried her back to her mother. They arrived there, and lo, Grass-Blade-Girl was living with the old woman again.

She had been left quite naked in the underground cellar of Yaghishna’s house. When groping about in the cellar, she found it full of dead bodies of men and women. She heaped them up and mounted to the top. In this way she succeeded in making her escape. The Witch, though living far away in the house of the young man, became aware directly of the flight of her prisoner. She sent some bears and wolves in pursuit, which overtook the fugitive. They tore her to pieces, and the blood flowed all over the ground. A new thin yellowish-green grass grew up from the blood. The old woman found the grass, and gathered it; and so again she had in her house the same Grass-Blade-Girl, as before.

The young man carried his wife back to her mother, and found there also this Grass-Blade-Girl. He recognized her immediately as his former bride. They had supper, and then lay down to sleep. The old woman said to Grass-Blade-Girl, “Tell us a tale.” So the girl began, “There lived an old woman. She found a yellowish-green grass blade and took it home. She put it under her bedding. The next morning she went out to open the chimney-hole, and something was crying within the house. The grass-blade had turned into a little girl. The girl grew up, and a young man came and married her. He took her to his house. On the way she asked for a drink. The bridegroom went for some water. Near the trail stood the house of Yaghishna. The dogs scented it and rushed there.”

As soon as she reached this place in the story, Yaghishna grew angry and interrupted her. “Enough of your prattling! We want to sleep. No need of your silly tales!” — “Not so fast,” said the husband. He took Yaghishna and with twelve new arrows he shot her dead in front of the house. Then he carried Grass-Blade-Girl to his house.

The end.

A bear tale

A beautiful Tungus girl is abducted by a bear and becomes his wife. Rescued by her shaman brother-in-law, who defeats the bear in a mystical battle, she returns home, traumatized but alive. Months later, she gives birth to a boy with bear ears, named Bear-Ear, who grows into a mighty hunter, blending human and bear traits.

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 bear exhibits human-like behavior, abducting a woman and providing for her, indicating a supernatural aspect.

Quest: The shaman brother-in-law embarks on a mystical journey to rescue the abducted woman.

Family Dynamics: The narrative explores complex relationships, including the woman’s abduction, her marriage to the bear, and the birth of their hybrid child.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Nicholas Kusakoff, a Russian creole in the village of Pokhotsk, in the Kolyma country, summer of 1896.

A clan of the Tungus lived in three tents. The family in the first tent had two daughters. The elder daughter was married, and the younger lived at home. She was very pretty; and her parents made her sit in her sleeping room all the time, lest any strange eye should behold her beauty. An old woman lived with her, who gave her drink and food, and acted as a nurse. Even her parents rarely visited her. Once in a while in the night time she would go noiselessly to their sleeping room to be caressed by them.

One time when she was sitting alone in her sleeping room the lower edge of the cover was lifted up. No human hand appeared, but the flap of the cover continued to be lifted up, and at last there appeared a bear’s muzzle. The girl was so badly frightened that she could not cry. The bear entered the sleeping room as far as his belly, and then caught the girl.

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He covered her mouth with his huge paw, and carried her off to his lair. It was in the middle of the fall; so he put her into the lair, and went in himself. He stopped up the entrance, as bears do, and they slept. They slept most of the time, but sometimes the girl would wake up and feel hungry. Then she would make known to the bear by signs that she wanted food. He would growl, stretch out one of his paws toward her, and she would suck at the thickest part of it. After she had sucked a while, fat would drip from it. She felt satisfied and went to sleep again. One time, as the days grew longer, the girl was awakened by a heavy weight that was pressing her down. She was unable to resist, and so became the wife of the bear.

At last the warm season came again. The bear left his lair and roamed about, looking for food. Every day he brought back all kinds of game — reindeer, hare, or at least ptarmigan. He never came home without something. He ate the raw meat. She could not eat it. So she prayed to the bear, “O bear! grandfather. You see I cannot eat raw meat. How shall I subsist? Please bring me some fire!”

[The Russianized natives of the Kolyma have a very strong superstitious fear of the bear. They never mention its name, but call him “he” or “grandfather.” The bear is considered as a mighty shaman, the man of the wood. “He knows everything,” say the people. None of them dares to attack a bear, even when the latter comes to the fishing camp and plunders the stores of dried fish and oil. Even the setting of deadfalls for bears is considered by most people as a sin against the bear. It is curious to notice that among the natives (Yukaghir, Tungus, Chukchee) this kind of superstitious fear and worship, though it also exists, is never felt to such an extent as among the Russian creoles and the Russianized natives.]

He let forth a growl and set off. For a long time he did not return. Then he brought in his mouth a firebrand. He procured a knife and an ax (goodness knows where he got them!); and, moreover, he brought her large masses of every kind of meat. She made a fire, and roasted the meat on wooden spits. On this she lived all the time.

All the snow had melted off, and patches of last year’s berries appeared. She roamed about, picking berries for her own food and also for the bear. Once she heard a human voice. She hurried to the place whence it came. It was the voice of her brother-in-law. He was a great shaman, and since the fall had been looking for her on land and on water, but had found no trace of her. Now she heard his call. She hurried to the spot, pretending, however, to pick berries along the way. He came toward her, and they met, “What is the matter with you?” asked the shaman. “Who caught you and carried you away?” She answered, “A bear carried me away, and made me his wife. He keeps me close to the lair, and does not allow me to wander far away.” — “Ah!” said the man, “even now when you go back, he will be very angry, and he will give you a severe thrashing with his heavy paws. Then you must say to him, ‘O, grandfather! why do you beat me thus? The berries are getting scarce, and, moreover, I feel a great longing for my parents and family, and this makes me restless.’ Be that as it may, you must come again to this place.” Then she went back. The bear was very angry. He pawed the ground and threw it about in great lumps. Then he caught the woman and gave her a severe thrashing. The woman said, “O, grandfather! why do you torture me so? The berries are getting scarce, and, besides, a longing for my people overpowers me. I am growing restless, and cannot stay in the same place.” The bear ceased beating her. The next morning she awoke and prepared some food for herself. She ate her meal, and then set off, pretending to go berrying. As soon, however, as she was out of sight of the bear, she ran as fast as her legs would carry her to the place where she had met her brother-in-law who was already there expecting her. He said, “You must run on with all your might.” He dropped to the ground, and turned into a big bear with a bell on his left ear. He rushed off to meet the other bear. On his departure, he said to her, “Run as fast as you can, but in running try to listen behind you. When the earth begins to tremble and to sway right and left, then know that we have met. Listen to the bell! If it rings with a full sound, then know that I have conquered; but if the sound grows fainter, then it is that he has vanquished me. Know then that you also will not live.” She ran off, but tried to listen. At last the ground trembled. The bell was ringing quite loud; but gradually the sound grew fainter and fainter, and then ceased altogether. “Oh,” thought the woman, “we are lost!” She ran off in more haste than ever. Then all at once the bell sounded again, stronger and stronger. Her brother-in-law had vanquished the other one and was coming back. She arrived at home, but did not enter neither the sleeping room of her parents nor her own. She entered the sleeping room of her sister who was sleeping. She fell down at her side and lost consciousness. Her brother-in-law arrived soon after her and resumed the form of a man. He awakened his wife and their parents, and they tried to restore the girl. She was very ill, however, and swooned again and again. The bear spirit was tormenting and oppressing her. After three days she came to, and in a few months she gave birth to a boy, who had bear-ears. This boy grew up and became a strong hunter. His name was Bear-Ear.

That is all.

A Yukaghir tale

A clever Yukaghir girl is carried away by a whirlwind to a mountain. Using wit, she climbs the rock, overcoming rivals and meeting One-Side, a strange being with magical servants. Destroying his helpers, she proves her resourcefulness and earns her place. Ultimately, she reunites with her transformed husband and returns to her mourning parents, whose joy turns them to ashes.

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

Quest: The girl’s journey, initiated by the whirlwind, leads her to a mountain where she undertakes a series of tasks to achieve her goals.

Supernatural Beings: Encounters with entities like One-Side and his magical servants highlight interactions with the supernatural.

Cunning and Deception: The protagonist’s use of deceit, particularly in dealing with her fellow captives, underscores this theme.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Innocent Korkin, a Russianized Yukaghir man, in the village of Pokhotsk, the Kolyma country, summer of 1895.

Once upon a time there were some Yukaghir people. They had an only daughter, who was very active and clever. One time when she was walking, a whirlwind carried her off to the mountains. A big rock, which extended from the ground up to heaven was standing there. The whirlwind carried her there and left her close to the rock. She sat there, and after awhile she saw a bluejay flying by. “O Jay, go to my father and mother and say to them, “Your daughter asks you for some glue and a glue pot, for a line, and for climbing hooks.” — “I will not go. When you were still living with your father and mother, you were nasty; whenever I wanted to pick up some meat, you drove me away. I will not help you.”

A snow-bunting passed by. She said to it, “Go and tell my father and mother, ‘Your daughter would dearly love to have some glue and a glue-pot, a line, and some climbing hooks’.”

► Continue reading…

“I will go. When you were still living with your father and mother, you were very nice. I used to come and peck at the drying meat, and you would even leave for me some spare bit or a piece of dried roe; so I will help you. My wings are young. I will bring each and everyone one of the things you asked for.” And really it brought everything. The girl felt glad, and sang aloud.

O jay, blue jay!
Give me your talons
To mount the rock
And to get my overcoat.
O bunting, snow-bunting!
Give me your talons
To mount the rock
And to get my overcoat.
Keyom-da, Keyom-da,
Keyom-da, Keyom-da!

After some time the whirlwind brought another girl there, and then a third one. The first one said to her fellow-prisoners, “Why, sisters! there is no use to sit here and wait. Let us try to climb the rock! She prepared three lines and three sets of climbing-hooks. Then she threw her line upward. It caught around the stone, and she climbed up. The other two followed. When half way up, she asked of one, “Well, now, sisters, perhaps we shall find only one man there, and all three of us are going to marry him. Shall we then have quarrels and fights, as usual?” — “Of course we shall,” said the other. So the first one, without more ado, cut off the line; and the unhappy girl fell down and was killed. Then she asked the second girl, “Well, now, sister, perhaps we shall find only one man and we shall both of us marry him. Shall we then have quarrels as usual?” — “Of course we shall,” answered the girl. So she cut her line, and the poor girl fell back to the ground. After that she herself climbed to the top of the rock. She was full of joy, so she danced and sang:

How active she is!
How clever she is!
She climbed the rock.
Keyom-da, keyom-da,
Keyom-da, keyom-da!
The active ones climbed to the top
The slow ones all perished.
Keyom-da, keyom-da,
Keyom-da, keyom-da!

The top of the mountain was a high plateau. She walked across it and after a while she saw a house, well arranged and quite large. She entered. The furniture and appurtenances were of the best, but people there were none. Along the walls stood long rows of boxes and bags filled to the brim with costly furs. She opened one box and entered it. Then she closed the lid above her, and waited for events. In the evening a man came. It was One-Side. He had one leg, one arm, one side, one eye. As soon as he entered, he said aloud, “Chimney, burn! Teapot, bubble! Kettle, cook food! Take off my boots! they are too heavy.” He lay down. The chimney began to burn, the teapot bubbled, the meat in the kettle was done just right. His clothes and boots were taken off and hung up to dry. Still the girl could not see anybody. The next morning One-Side went off. Then the girl left the box, and again investigated the house. Not a living person was in it. At last behind the chimney she saw a large flint stone. She lifted it; and under it there were mice and ermine, worms, flies, mosquitoes, and all kinds of larvae, as many kinds as existed in the surrounding country. Some were sewing and some were weaving, some scraping skins, and some again currying soft hides. These were the female assistants of One-Side. The girl felt jealous and angry. She filled with water the largest kettle that she could find. She hung it over the fire and when the water was scalding hot, she poured it over the vermin, and scalded them all to death. After that she crept back into the box and waited till evening. One-Side came home, and called aloud, “Chimney, burn! Kettle, bubble! Let meat be cooked! Take off my boots! I am very tired.” He waited and waited, but nothing happened. The chimney did not burn, the kettle did not bubble, and nobody came to take off his boots. “What is the matter with them? Perhaps my incantations have lost their power. Maybe I am going to die. Then let me have a last look upon my peltries. Before I die, I want to see once more my wealth, my goods, peltries, and clothes.” He carried all his bags and boxes into the middle of the house and opened them one by one. At last he found the girl. “Ah, it is you!” said One-Side. “Come out! You have destroyed all my people. It seems you object to having servants and female assistants: so now just stir about yourself and make yourself useful. Get the household things ready. In the morning three reindeer herds will come to you. You must catch the living-reindeer and harness them to the sledges, and then move away to another place. He did not indicate the place where she was to go. Early in the morning, before sunrise, she awoke, arranged all the sledges, and was ready to move. Then the three reindeer herds came to her. She caught all the pack-reindeer and attached them to the sledges. After that she drove on in front of the first line of sledges, as is customary. She looked back and saw all three lines of sledges, ever so long. Thereupon she rejoiced, and struck up her song:

What an active one,
What a clever one!
I arose early,
And got myself ready.
My moving road,
Just like a new-spun thread,
So straight it is,
So finely it is done.

Then she continued:

I wish I had some poor tent poles!
I should pitch my tent
And sleep in it alone.

Then she saw some tent poles on the trail. They were of the poorest kind; but she took them and pitched her tent. She slept alone in this tent; and the next morning she moved on; and so throughout the day from sunrise to sunset. She sang again:

I wish I had some good tent poles!
I should pitch my tent,
My husband would come
To sleep with me.

She saw some tent poles on the trail. They were of good quality. So she pitched a large tent, new and handsome. In the evening a young man came who wanted to stay. She saw him coming, and met him outside. “Who are you, and what do you want?” — “I am your husband.” — “No you are not! My husband is one-sided, and his name is Li’giman.” — “I say I am your husband.” He went out and climbed a tree. Then he turned to the sun once, twice, three times, and was again one-sided. “There!” said he, “you would not believe me, although I am your husband. See, now! I am one-sided again.” She felt much joy that he was really her husband. He turned three times toward midnight and became again a young man, quite handsome, and clad in white skins. They entered the house and slept there. In the morning they moved on. On the way they saw a lake. Some people were playing football on the ice. One of them shouted, “Ah, ah! Run home and tell the chief that his daughter is coming.” They came to a village. The front house was covered with black skins as a sign of mourning. It was the house of her father and mother. They arrived at the house. The old people ran out and rejoiced. From mere joy they fell down and became ashes that were scattered by the wind.

The end.

Reindeer-Born

A Tungus man, fearing the reindeer-eating foster son Reindeer-born, flees and finds an iron house with a beautiful woman. She gives him a magical neckerchief to protect him. When Reindeer-born pursues, the man hides behind a tree, and the kerchief transforms into a saw that kills Reindeer-born. The man returns to the iron house and marries the woman.

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 tale features Reindeer-Born, a creature with both human and reindeer characteristics, highlighting interactions with entities beyond the natural realm.

Cunning and Deception: The protagonist employs cleverness to escape and ultimately defeat Reindeer-Born, showcasing the use of wit to overcome challenges.

Sacred Objects: The magical neckerchief given by the mysterious woman serves as a powerful artifact that transforms into a saw, playing a crucial role in the story’s resolution.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Innocent Karyakin, a Tundra Yukaghir man, on the western tundra of the Kolyma country, winter of 1895.

There was a Tungus man who had a large reindeer herd, and no son at all. One time he came to his herd, and saw that a doe had brought forth a fawn which looked quite human. “What is this?” asked the man. “This is a small boy,” said the doe. “I brought forth for you. Take him and have him for a son.”

The Tungus took the boy, who grew up quickly. Every day he would swallow live reindeer, — one in the morning, another at noon, and still another in the evening, — three meals a day, three living reindeer. So this man, who was rich in reindeer, soon had almost none at all, and was poor. Then he felt afraid, and said to himself, “He will finish the reindeer-herd, and next it will be my turn.” He left his house and goods, and fled away, not knowing where he was going. He walked on for a long time. Then he saw an iron house.

► Continue reading…

In the house was a very pretty girl, so pretty that all the food she swallowed was visible though her transparent body. He thought in his mind, “Oh, I wish I had a wife like that girl!” And she answered immediately, “Really, you wish it?” She knew his thoughts, though he had not uttered a single word. She called him in and gave him food and drink. Then they lay down to sleep together. He stayed in that iron house three days and three nights. On the fourth morning his wife said, “It seems that you area runaway.” He said, “Maybe I am.” — “From whom were you running? I wish you would tell me the truth.” Then he said, “I took a foster child from the herd, Reindeer-Born; and I was afraid he would eat me up, together with my last reindeer.” — “All right,” said the woman, “have no more fear! Go back to your home. Here, take this neckerchief, and if the Reindeer-born should see you and should pursue you, run to some tree and hide behind it. Reindeer-born will not be able to catch you. And it Reindeer-born should not desist, touch the tree with this neckerchief.”

The man went back and came to his house. All at once he saw Reindeer-born, who rushed straight for him. The man turned about and ran for his life. He came to a tree, and hid behind it. Reindeer-born gave chase, and ran straight into the tree, striking his forehead against it with all his might. “Ah!” said Reindeer-born, “Your strength is greater than mine. I cannot make you fall.” In the meantime the man took the neckerchief and touched the tree with it; and instantly the kerchief turned into iron, and its outward shape was similar to that of a saw. This saw sawed at the tree and cut it down. The tree fell and struck Reindeer-born directly upon the head. It broke his head as if it had been an egg-shell, and killed him outright. The man returned to the iron house and lived there, having the young woman as a wife.