Story about a crazy old man

An old hunter empties his three storehouses of food after a prophetic dream, disregarding his wife’s protests. When hunger strikes, they desperately search for scraps. A fly lands on their meager soup, leading to a comical confrontation where the wife is killed by her husband’s hatchet. He then chokes on a fish bone and dies.

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

Prophecy and Fate: The old man’s actions are driven by a prophetic dream about impending death, influencing his decisions and leading to the story’s tragic outcome.

Tragic Flaw: The old man’s impulsive and irrational behavior, stemming from his dream, serves as a tragic flaw that brings about the demise of both himself and his wife.

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts lessons on the dangers of impulsive decisions, the importance of prudence, and the repercussions of not valuing one’s resources.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

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

There was an old man and an old woman. The old man was a good hunter: so he filled three large storehouses with the game he killed. One storehouse was full of reindeer and elks, another of seals and walrus, and a third was full of fish. They had plenty to eat. One morning he awoke, and said to his wife, “Listen, old woman! I dreamed last night that we were going to die. If this is so, then there is no need of all these stores of food. I want you to go to the first storehouse and throw all the food out to the ravens and the crows.” The old woman refused; but he was so angry that she finally went and did as she was bidden. She worked all day long, and was very tired. Then she went back to the old man. The next day she emptied another storehouse; and the next day she emptied the third one, and threw all the fish back into the water. “Let us swim off,” said the old man. The fish, however, was dead and dry, so it could not swim.

► Continue reading…

The following morning they awoke quite early. Neither was dead; and, moreover, both felt very hungry, but all their food was gone. “Ah!” said the old man, “You, old woman, go to the storehouses and look among the rubbish. Perhaps you will find some scraps.” The old woman really found some scraps, and brought them home. A few of them were reindeer meat, others were seal blubber, and a third kind were some heads of dried fish. They put all this into a large kettle and prepared a soup. They ate of it. All at once a fly settled on the brim of the kettle. Oh! both felt alarmed. The old woman seized her culver-tail, and the old man a hatchet, and both attacked that nasty fly. The old woman struck at it with the culver-tail, and overthrew the kettle. The old man threw his hatchet at it, but the hatchet hit the old woman and broke her head. She fell down dead. The old man ate the remainder of the soup, and a fish bone stuck in his throat of which he also died.

The end.

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Story of five brothers

Five brothers face a brutal winter ordeal. Two become frightened by wolf tracks, while the other three encounter a devastating snowstorm. They are tossed by ice and river currents, nearly buried, and ultimately freeze into the river. When spring arrives, one briefly awakens, only to die again, trapped in the melting ice.

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

Conflict with Nature: The brothers struggle against harsh winter conditions, including snowstorms and freezing temperatures.

Tragic Flaw: The brothers’ fear and actions in response to natural signs, like wolf tracks, contribute to their downfall.

Family Dynamics: The story centers on the relationships and fates of the five brothers.

► 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 five brothers. Two of them were walking about, and saw on the trail some wolf’s tracks, quite fresh, but covered with a little snow. They were frightened, and hastened home; but their three brothers were not there. They sat down on the bed and cried bitterly. Then they went out and saw someone coming. It was their eldest brother. They hugged him and kissed him. Then all three fell down senseless. A snowstorm came and covered them up. They almost ceased breathing. The eldest one, however, succeeded in getting up. He crept home, but a blast of wind carried him off to the river. Then he fell down again, and became senseless as before. He was frostbitten all over and as cold as ice. The wind was so strong that it broke the ice on the river. All the ice moved onward down the river, and the eldest brother moved with it. The other two were also there. They were nearly dead. The ice crumbled to pieces.

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They fell into the water, and were rocked to and fro by the waves and at last carried to the shore. There was a steep bank, where the flow of the water rushed by with great force. They were dragged to the bank, and then under the wall of earth overhanging the water. It fell down on them and nearly buried them. They were carried off however, back to the open water. The river was now free of ice. Two boats were paddling by; and all at once the bow of one of them split and the boat filled with water. The paddlers had to swim for their lives. Everything floated to the surface and the boat sank to the bottom. In ten days the river froze again. The three brothers who had been buried by the fall of earth and carried off by the water were frozen into the ice. They stuck there quite firmly, and stayed there until spring. In the spring the ice began to melt from the heat of the sun. The three brothers melted with it. One of them opened his eyes and looked up. His eyelashes were full of ice. So he died again, worse than ever.

That is the end.

Story of hungry children

A family descends into tragedy after the younger daughter chokes to death. The father beats the children, the mother kills him with an oven rake, and the older son subsequently murders his mother, younger brother, and sister. Ultimately, Yaghishna arrives and decapitates the remaining boy, ending the family’s brutal story.

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

► Themes of the story

Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on the interactions within a family, highlighting how dire circumstances can strain and ultimately destroy familial bonds.

Conflict with Authority: The story depicts the breakdown of parental authority and the ensuing chaos when traditional family roles are disrupted.

Tragic Flaw: The characters’ inability to cope with their desperate situation leads them to commit irreversible acts, underscoring human vulnerabilities.

► 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 two sons and two daughters. They sent the younger daughter to get provisions. “Go to the roof and bring the reindeer leg that is there.” She brought it. They took off the skin, broke the bone and extracted the marrow. They put it on a plate and ate it. Then the old woman sent the younger son: “Go and bring the reindeer tongue that is outside.” He brought the tongue. They cut it up small and ate of it. One morsel stuck in the throat of the younger daughter, and she died. The mother cried much. Then she sent the elder boy to get from the roof the remaining food; but he found nothing there, and came back empty-handed. The mother cried more bitterly than ever, “How shall we live now? We have nothing to eat. The old man said, “Do not be afraid! We shall find something. Till now we always have found something.” He went into the storehouse and found a piece of bread.

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He brought this to his wife. She was very glad, and ate it. The children, however, whimpered again, “Mother, we are hungry!” She said, “I have nothing. Go ask your father.” They went to their father. “Father we are hungry!” The old man was furious. “I have nothing at all for you! Go away!” The younger boy cried louder than the others, so the father caught him and gave him a flogging. “I have nothing. Go and look in the storehouse!” He took the other boy and gave him a flogging. The old woman seized the oven rake and struck the old man on the back. He fell down and died. The night passed. In the morning the children awoke, but the old woman slept on. They wanted to waken her, but were unable to do so. One of them took up an ax and struck her on the loins. The old woman was cut in two. After that they cried again; but the older boy said, “Why do you cry? We did it ourselves, so there is no reason for crying. The younger boy quarrelled with him, until he took him by the neck and thrust him into the oven which was burning brightly. He shut the door, and the younger boy was burned to death. The little sister cried, so he put her too into the burning oven. She tried to creep out, but he struck her on the head. Then he said, “Now I am left alone. I will go away from this place.” Then he saw a cloud of dust coming down the road. It was Yaghishna. She came to the house and entered it. Then she took that boy by the nape of his neck. With her large knife she struck him on the head. The head jumped off and rolled away. Yaghishna went home.

So they have lived till now, but get nothing good whatever. [One of the usual final refrains of the Russian folk-stories. The most frequently used are: “They live and live and get much of the good”; “They lived and lived, and live till now.” But in northeastern Asia, with the ill-starred creoles, the first refrain changed to a negative “They live and live, and get nothing good whatever”.]

Story of an old woman and her three daughters

An old woman sends her three daughters to a Bad Merchant for food, but each daughter fails to obtain help. Frustrated, the mother beats them, eventually killing Whetstone and then the other daughters. Overwhelmed by grief and despair, she ultimately takes her own life, ending the family’s suffering in a brutal cycle of violence.

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

► Themes of the story

Family Dynamics: The narrative centers on the relationships within a family, highlighting the interactions between the mother and her daughters.

Conflict with Authority: The daughters’ reluctance to obey their mother’s commands and the ensuing consequences illustrate a struggle against parental authority.

Tragic Flaw: The mother’s inability to manage her frustration and anger leads to the demise of her daughters and herself, showcasing a fatal character flaw.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Annie Shkuleff, a Russian creole girl aged twelve years, in the village of Pokhotsk, Kolyma country, winter of 1896

An old woman had three daughters. One was Stone-Scraper, another was Scraping-Board, and the third was Whetstone. The old woman sent Stone-Scraper to the Bad Merchant. She said, “Go to him and ask him for some food.” Stone-Scraper said, “I will not go.” Stone-Scraper refused to go. The old woman gave her a flogging, and said to Scraping-Board, “Go to the Merchant.” Scraping-Board said to Stone-Scraper, “Let us go together!” They went out, and stood for some time outside. Then they came back. They did not enter the Bad Merchant’s house. They said to their mother, “The merchant was not at home.” She sent Whetstone, “Go to the Merchant, ask him for some food.” Whetstone went out, and also stood for some time outside. Then she went back, “Why did you come so soon?” cried the mother. “He is not at home.” The old woman went herself, and said to the Merchant, “Were my girls here, have they lied to me?”

► Continue reading…

He said, “They were not here.” She went back and gave them a thrashing. She flogged Whetstone to death, and sent the other back to the Merchant. They went and stood at the door, without speaking. “What do you want?” said the Bad Merchant. “Go away!” So they went. They told their mother, “The Merchant drove us away.” She grew angry, ran to the Merchant and reproached him with tears. “Why did you drive away my little girls?” — “They had nothing to do here,” said the Merchant. “And now I will drive you away too. Be gone!” She went home. There she sat down on her bed and cried bitterly. She cried for a long time, then she jumped up and killed both her daughters. She struck them on the head with a club. After that she sat down again on the bed and cried more bitterly than before. She took her knife and stabbed herself through the heart.

That is all.

A tale of the Chukchee invasion

A group of Lamut men, divided about potential threats, separate their reindeer herds. Despite warnings from elders about being cautious, young men boast of their strength. Suddenly, Chukchee enemies attack at dawn, overwhelming them. During the pursuit, a young woman and an infant are struck by arrows. The men, including those who previously bragged, flee, abandoning their wounded and exhausted reindeer.

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

Conflict with Authority: The younger men dismiss the elders’ cautionary advice, leading to disastrous consequences.

Good vs. Evil: The narrative depicts the Chukchee attackers as a malevolent force overwhelming the Lamut people.

Tragic Flaw: The arrogance and overconfidence of the young men result in their downfall.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Evens (Lamut) Lore

Learn more about the Evens (Lamut)

Told by Hirkan, a Lamut man from the desert of Chaun, in the village of Nishne-Kolymsk, winter of 1896.

At the time of the freezing of water some Lamut men crossed the mountain ridge near the Wolverene River. They came to the upper course of the Chogodon River and lived there. They wanted to separate their reindeer herds. In doing this, they talked among themselves. One said, “We must be very careful. From the east enemies may come to kill us and to drive our herds away.” Another man, young and hasty, answered, “All right, let them come! We can kill them all.” An old man, the oldest of all, whose son and son-in-law were the most active and swift of foot said, “Do not say so! You must be on your guard, and show no arrogance.” Still another young man said, “You are too much afraid, a whole family of cowards. Let them come! We can destroy all of them.” Another old man said, “Ah! stop talking! The evil one is watching for every rash word. He punishes arrogant people.”

After that they separated their herds and went to sleep.

► Continue reading…

In the morning at dawn there came from the east enemies as numerous as flees. Even the snowy mountains grew black with the multitude of men. They were the Chukchee. They moved on in large herds like reindeer. They attacked the tents in front, and were killing the people. At that very time those in the rear gathered a few things and moved off. They rode along. The Chukchee saw them and followed afoot, so nimble and light of foot were they.

One of the pursuers shot an arrow and hit a young woman. She sank down on the neck of her reindeer. Her husband, however, — the one who first said, “We can kill all of them,” — only glanced back, and hastily cut off the halter of her reindeer, which was attached to his own saddle. After that he galloped on more headlong than ever.

The Chukchee followed on. Another of them shot an arrow, and hit a cradle. [Among the Tungus and the Lamut, cradles of small children are so constructed that they may form one half of the usual pack load of a pack reindeer so they may be carried along with infants on the reindeer back.] The infant fell out. His father (the one who said, “We may kill all of them”) glanced back, and cut off the reindeer halter. That done, he rode on with all possible speed. They rode across the mountain-ridge, and fled to steep rocks along the narrowest paths, so that the Chukchee sledges could not follow their riding reindeer. Whenever a pack reindeer fell down exhausted, they would not stop to take off the load, but would leave it there, load and all. At last they came to the mountains of Oloi. The pursuers were not there, so they stopped, and after a while pitched their camps.

Eme’mqut and Envious-One

Eme’mqut and Envious-One compare the beauty of their wives. Envious-One, after pampering his wife with whale-blubber, grows obsessed with her appearance. When Eme’mqut’s wife is revealed, Envious-One is so overwhelmed by her beauty that he faints and suffers from a severe reaction. Eventually, he recovers, but declares he’s had enough, and they part ways.

Source
Koryak Texts
by Waldemar Bogoras
American Ethnological Society
Publications, Volume V
(edited by Franz Boas)
E. J. Brill – Leyden, 1917

► Themes of the story

Moral Lessons: The story highlights the consequences of excessive envy and obsession with superficial appearances.

Conflict with Authority: Envious-One’s actions can be seen as challenging societal norms or expectations regarding beauty and comparison.

Tragic Flaw: Envious-One’s downfall is caused by his own excessive envy and obsession with appearances.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Koryak Lore

Learn more about the Koryak people

Collected in the village of Kamenskoye, on Penshina Bay, with the help of Nicholas Vilkhin, a half-Russianized Koryak, Decmber 1900 – April, 1901.

[…] The next morning Eme’mqut saw Envious-One, and he said to him, “Where did you see him? Let us go and visit him.” Again they visited him, and said to him. “Oh, wait! we are going to roast the omasum on a flat stone.” Then Eme’mqut left Envious-One.

He began to busy himself with the omasum, and to roast it. He finished this. Then he went away. After some time he took a fine girl for a wife. Envious-One brought to his home his former (wife) Little U’wen. After a long time they said to each other. “Come here! Let us compare the beauty of our wives!”

Envious-One said, “All right! I will bring her.” She had an overcoat fringed with reindeer-mane. He took her along. While on the way, he washed her quite frequently with (liquid from) the chamber-vessel, and (by rubbing) forced the blood into her face.

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Then those two came. Eme’mqut’s wife was hidden. They were going to bring the wives. Envious-One fed his wife sumptuously, giving her plenty of whale-blubber. “Let us compare the beauty of our wives!”

They brought them in. “Ah, but she has long lashes! She has large buttocks!” All the time he kept jumping over to his wife and re-arranging the parting of her hair. “Oh, surely she will came out the victor!” Then they brought forth Eme’mqut’s wife. Envious-One swooned at the first look.

He had a diarrhea from that whale-blubber. [It seems that he had eaten some whale-blubber with his wife.] They took away the woman. Then he recovered his senses. He said, “I have slept.” And really he began to eat again the matter vomited from his insides. They brought in the woman again. He swooned.

That vomited matter, which he tried to swallow came out again. They took her away. He recovered his senses, and ate again that matter vomited from his insides. Then (he said), “I do not want it. Go away! I have had enough!”

The end.

The Raven and the girls

Raven tricks girls into surrendering a seal but faces their clever revenge. The girls humiliate Raven with pranks involving faeces, bladders, and red tassels, leading him to misinterpret reality, even mistaking his tattooed reflection for a bride. Obsessed, he dismantles his home to offer gifts to his “wife.” His delusions end tragically when, seeking union, Raven drowns in the river.

Source
The Jessup North Pacific Expedition
edited by Franz Boas
Memoir of the American Museum
of Natural History – New York
Volume VIII
1. Chukchee Mythology
by Waldemar Bogoras
Leiden & New York, 1910

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The Raven, a classic trickster figure, deceives the girls to obtain the seal.

Illusion vs. Reality: The Raven is misled by illusions, such as mistaking his own reflection for a bride, leading to his downfall.

Tragic Flaw: The Raven’s gullibility and arrogance contribute to his eventual demise.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

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

One time a company of little girls found upon the seashore a little seal. Then Raven saw them. Therefore they put the little seal under their bodies. “What is that?” — “A splinter of wood.” — “Still it has whiskers.” — “It is a whiskered splinter.” — “Still it has eyes.” — “It is a splinter with eyes.” — “Still it has paws.” — “It is a splinter with paws.”

Then he pushed them apart. He took the seal and brought it home. (His house-mates) skinned it, had supper, and then went to sleep. Some cooked meat was left in the kettle. The little girls (came in the night-time), ate up (the meat), then they defecated into the kettle.

After a while the (Raven) husband awoke, and said to his wife, who was sleeping, “Eh, I am hungry! Give me some cooked (meat).” The wife, with eyes shut, stretched her hand toward the kettle and took the faeces. “Oho! it is faeces.”

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The company of girls staid outside. Raven put on his clothes, and called to his wife, “Give me my wretched bow, give me my wretched arrow!” They, however, were only the fire-drill and its bow.

Oh, the little girls fled! “Grandpa, grandpa! we shall louse you, we shall louse you!” — “Oh, what have I done to my little grand-daughters! I have frightened them!” Then they loused him. When he fell asleep, they fastened a bladder under his anus, and then wakened him. “Oh, now wake up! You must defecate yonder on that good dry place.” He obeyed and defecated. The faeces fell down into the bladder, pat, pat! He turned back toward them, and saw nothing.

Then he came home and said to his wife, “How very strange! I defecated over yonder, but I could not see my faeces. Still they clattered down.” — “Well, now, turn to this side!” And there his anus had a bladder (tied to it).

He called again, “Here, give me my wretched bow! I will shoot them down. Give me my wretched arrow!” He visited them again. “Grandpa, grandpa, eat some diarrhoea excrement!” — “I do not want it.” — “Then let us louse you!” — “Oh, what have I done to my little grand-daughters!” He threw away the bow and slept again. They loused him and made him go to sleep.

This time they fastened over his eyes some red tassels. Then they wakened him again. “Oh, go there and look at your house!” He obeyed again. He looked upon the house, and began to cry, “Oh, oh! the house is ablaze!” His wife went out and walked around the house, but saw nothing. “Look up here! Oh, your eyes have things fastened on them!”

Again (he grew angry, and the girls called to him,) “Grandpa, grandpa, let us louse you, let us louse you!” They loused him, and he went to sleep. Then they tattooed his face. After that they wakened him again. “Wake up, there! Have a drink of this clear water!” Then he saw in the water his own tattooed face. “I will marry you, eh!” Still it was (no woman), but his own body and tattooed face.

“Shall I bring my tent, eh?” Then he called out to himself, “She consents, she consents!” After that he went home. He began to break down his tent. His wife said, “What are you doing?” — “Be silent!” — “Oh, but it is only your (own) face, that is tattooed!” — “Oh, you are jealous, you are jealous!” — “Really, your face is tattooed!” — “What do you want, what do you want?”

Oh, he carried away the flat stone (anvil), together with the stone hammer. Again he came and looked down. “Here you are!” Still it is his own former face. He put down the flat stone. It went under. Then the stone hammer. It also went under. “Oh, I have married a wife from the Reindeer tribe! She accepted them!” Oh, now the poles, they floated on the surface. “Those she has refused! Now the tent-cover!” It was carried down by the stream. “Now it is my turn.”

When he was in the water, his head grew giddy, and he also floated on the surface. The stream carried him down the river. “Oh, the skies are moving!” Still it was the stream that was carrying him away. “Oh, oh! the skies are swinging!” Then he was drowned.

The white-faced bear

An Aleut hunter’s relentless pursuit of bears defies warnings, leading him to confront a fearsome white-faced bear with human origins, cursed by a shaman. Though spared initially, the hunter breaks his promise, joining a hunt against the bear. Recognized despite his disguise, the bear enacts a brutal revenge, destroying the hunter, his allies, and the shaman, before returning to solitude.

Source
A Kadiak Island Story
collected by F.A. Golder
The Journal of American Folklore
Vol. 20, No. 79, Oct. – Dec., 1907

► Themes of the story

Revenge and Justice: The transformed bear seeks vengeance against those who wronged him, as well as against a hunter who breaks his promise, illustrating the pursuit of retribution and the restoration of personal justice.

Tragic Flaw: The hunter’s hubris and relentless pursuit of bears, despite warnings, lead to his downfall, demonstrating how personal weaknesses can result in tragedy.

Supernatural Beings: The involvement of a shaman and the transformation of a human into a bear introduce elements of the supernatural, emphasizing interactions with mystical forces.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Arctic Region
  - Aleutian Lore

Learn more about the Aleut people

In a village there lived a mighty bear-hunter. For three years he had been constantly hunting and had killed so many bears that his friend tried to persuade him to stop, fearing he would get himself into trouble. For, said his friend, if he persisted in hunting one more year he would come across a very large bear who might kill him. The hunter, however, made light of this advice and said that he would attack every bear he came across. A few days later he went out hunting and saw a bear with two cubs. He decided that this could not be the bear of which his friend had spoken and he attacked the mother and, after some difficulty, killed her. The little ones in the mean time ran away.

► Continue reading…

On the hunter’s return home, his friend questioned him of the doings of the day, and when told of the adventure, attempted once more to get him to give up hunting, but without success.

Not many days later, while on the way to the hunting-ground, he met a stranger who, in the course of conversation, told him that near his village there were a great many bears. “Many of them,” continued the stranger, “did our hunters kill, but there is one who is invincible, and who has taken the life of many of our men. Each time that he kills a man he tears him, and examines him carefully, as if in search for some marks on the body. He is unlike other bears, in that his head and feet are white.” Here they parted. The stranger continued his way, while the hunter proceeded to the hunting-ground. On his way he stopped near a fish creek, hoping to find game there. He waited all night without seeing any, and in the morning went on farther. First he walked up a high hill, then down until he came to a small bluff. Below was a level tundra on which many bears were to be seen. Not judging it wise to attack so many at once, he concluded to wait until they separated. Among the number he noticed one whose head and feet were white. The words of the stranger then came back to him, and he decided that this must be the dreadful bear of which he had spoken; and so he (the hunter) made up his mind to keep an eye on him, and kill him the first favorable opportunity that offered itself.

The history of the white-faced bear is as follows. At one time he was a human being and a very successful bear-hunter. In fact, too successful for his own good; for he aroused the envy of his friends, who plotted to kill him. They went to a shaman (medicine-man) who lived in the woods and begged him to transform the man into a beast. He advised them to kill the bear and secure the skin up to the joints. This was to be tanned and placed under his pillow, and when he had slept on it he would become a bear. After the skin had been prepared, the shaman with some of the hunters started for the man’s hut, The skin was put under his pillow, then all hid to see the result. In due time he came and went to sleep, but on awaking found himself a bear. The shaman told his companions that the only way to distinguish him from his companions would be by his head and feet, which were white.

Towards evening all the bears that had been on the tundra began to separate except the white-faced bear. He was about the last to move, and, when he did get up, he shook himself three times and acted in every way as if he were deeply enraged. His next move was towards the bluff, where the hunter sat perfectly quiet, hoping he would not be noticed. But the bear approached him, and when face to face asked: — “What are you doing here?”

“I came out to hunt.”

“Is it not enough that you have killed all my family, and just recently you have killed my wife, that you now come to take my life? Had you injured my children the other day, I would now tear you to pieces. I will, however, spare your life this time on the promise that you will hunt bears no more. All the bears you saw to-day are the children of my brothers. Should I ever run across you hunting, I wall tear you to pieces.”

Too glad to get off so easily, the hunter started straight for home, not even hunting on the way. His friend met him and inquired what luck he had, especially, whether he had come across a white-faced bear. When he had replied in the affirmative, the friend cautioned him against attacking. For a whole week the hunter remained at home, and then decided to go again, and begged his friend to go with him, but the latter refused on the plea that he was no bear-hunter and would not know what to do. Six others were, however, persuaded to go along. During two days they hunted at various places without finding anything to kill. On the third day the hunter conducted them to the creek where he had been before, and there they passed the night. In the morning he led them to the bluff, from where many bears were to be seen — but the white-faced bear was not noticeable among them. Thus encouraged the hunter told his companions to follow him. As they advanced one of the men exclaimed,” Look at that strange-looking beast. His face and paws are white.” When the hunter caught sight of him, he ordered his fellows to go back as quietly and as swiftly as they could, as that particular bear had a bad reputation. They went around another mountain where more bears were seen. Here they attacked and killed seven, one for each.

Loaded with their spoil they started homeward. They had advanced but a short distance when they heard a noise behind them, and, on looking around, saw the white-faced bear hurrying after them. As he came closer the hunter aimed, and as he was on the point of shooting his bowstring broke. The others shot, but without producing any effect.

“Why do you shoot at me?” said the bear to the friends of the hunter;

“I never harmed you. This man (pointing to the hunter) has killed my wife and nearly all my family. I warned him that, if I ever found him hunting, I would tear him, and this I shall now do. You may go. I will not harm you.”

Glad to be left alive, the six men hurried away as fast as they could, while the bear turned to the hunter and said: — “You have killed all my family, and I had you in my power and I let you off on the promise that you would never hunt bear any more, and here you are back again. This time I will do to you as you did to mine.”

The man pleaded to be allowed to live one night more, so that he could go home. At first the bear refused, but he finally consented, even to spare his life altogether, if he would tell him who transformed him into a beast. To this the hunter agreed, and it was arranged that on the following evening the two should meet at a certain place and proceed together to the home of the shaman.

On reaching home, the hunter found his six companions there talking excitedly of the day’s events. They were not a little surprised to see him. He told them that he was going back tomorrow, and asked their company. They positively refused, and even attempted to dissuade him from the undertaking; but he kept his word and met the bear at the fish creek as had been previously planned. The two walked a long time until they reached a village in the midst of a forest. A light shone from every barrabara except one, the home of the shaman.

“This is the place,” said the man.

“I will remain here,” ordered the bear, “and you go in and tell him that there is a man outside wishing to speak to him.”

The man set about carrying out the order, but found the skin-door tied; and therefore reported to the bear that the shaman was out. The bear contradicted his statement and sent him back again with instructions to cut the door and walk in. He did so; and on entering heard some one say: “Who is that that dares come in here?”

“It is I,” said the hunter.

“What do you wish?”

“There is a man outside who wishes to speak to you.”

If the shaman had not been sleepy he would have suspected something wrong and would not have gone out, but under the circumstances his mind was not very clear, and he fell into the trap. When the two men came near the bear the old man was very much frightened and was about to withdraw, had not the bear blocked his way, and said: “For a number of years you have tortured me and made my life a burden by keeping me in this condition. I now demand that you give me back my human form immediately, otherwise I shall tear you to pieces.” The shaman promised to do as he was asked if he would follow him into his hut. Before going in the bear told the hunter to meet him in that neighborhood the next day. All night the shaman worked hard with the bear, and by morning succeeded in getting the skin off, so that in place of the bear a human being appeared. The shaman asked for the bear’s skin, which the man gave him, except that of the face and paws, which he cut off and kept. In taking leave, the man-bear told him never to transform any one again for, if he did he would surely come back and kill him.

As agreed upon, the bear-man met the hunter and cautioned him against going out to hunt bear. Among other things he said: “You may hear of people gathering together to hunt and kill me, for I may become a bear once more; but join not with them. If I find you in their company, I shall kill you.”

With this understanding they parted; and for the three or four weeks following the hunter remained at home, apparently intending to keep his promise. But one day he met two young men from a far-off village who had come to beg assistance. They said that about their village there were a great many bears, of whom many had been killed by the hunters. But there was one bear, whose head and feet were white, whom the hunters could not destroy, although all the hunters of the village had attacked him at once. Realizing their helplessness, it was decided to ask aid from the other villages. This bit of news excited the hunter very much. He knew at once who the bear in question was, and was therefore eager to hunt him; yet at the same time fear restrained him from any hasty action. He finally hit on the plan of changing his clothes and painting his face so that his former foe would not know him. In this disguise he arrived at the village, where he saw a great many hunters making ready for the grand hunt. Some were making new bows and arrows, others were repairing the old ones, and all were excitedly talking about the bear. The morning after his coming a large crowd of men, including the hunter, set out on the trail of the bear, whom they found without much difficulty. On seeing them approach, the bear raised himself, then shook himself, his hair stood up straight, giving the impression of great anger. This whole performance he repeated a second time, frightening very much the hunters, who said, “We are all in great danger and cannot escape; but must stay here and fight.”

These actions over, the bear made a jump, stopping before the hunter, whom he accused of perfidy and ungratefulness, tore him in pieces, pawed out a hole and covered him up. The others were terrified more than ever on hearing the bear talk, and at the same time were too excited to do anything. Before they could collect themselves he turned on them, accusing them of attacking him without cause, and proceeded to revenge himself. He chased them back to the village, tearing them up as he went along, not resting until he had them all, including the old shaman. This done he turned back to the woods and fields to rest undisturbed.

Koikoiusa

A young man disobeys his father’s warning and encounters the giant Meechem Aleu, who kills him after a brief conversation. His father, Koikoiusa, tracks down the giant, avenging his son by secretly killing Aleu’s children and later defeating the giant in combat. Despite his victory, Koikoiusa mourns his son’s tragic fate for the rest of his life.

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

► Themes of the story

Revenge and Justice: Koikoiusa seeks retribution for his son’s death by killing the giant and his children.

Tragic Flaw: The son’s disobedience leads to his untimely death.

Family Dynamics: The story explores the relationship between father and son, highlighting themes of obedience, loss, and mourning.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Arctic Region
  - Aleutian Lore

Learn more about the Aleut people

Unga story

A certain young man had three sisters, two brothers, a mother, and a father whose name was Koikoiusa. The last-named told this son that he wished him to marry, and that in the spring or summer he would take him to a village to get him a wife. In the mean time he made him a one-hatch bidarka, and from the top of the barabara watched and trained the boy in the handling of it.

Each day’s practice made the boy more proficient, until the father felt that the boy could take care of himself, and gave him permission to go anywhere in the bay that he pleased, so long as he did not go outside of it and around the point.

► Continue reading…

Several days later, while the father was in the barabara, the boy decided to go around the point and take a peep and come right back before his father came out. When he had passed the forbidden line, he saw coming towards him a frightfully large bidarka, in which sat a monstrously huge man using the jaw-bones of a whale for paddles.

The boy learned, but too late, why his father told him to keep in sight. This giant’s name was Meechem Aleu. He was chief of a village, and killed every one that passed by there. Meechem Aleu seized the boy’s bidarka, and asked, “Where are you going?” — “Where are you going?” the boy replied boldly. — “I live here.” — “If you have a daughter, take me to her and I will marry her,” said the young man. “Come with me! and if I have a daughter, you shall marry her.” Telling him to take the lead, the giant came behind and drove his spear into the boy’s back, killing him.

Koikoiusa, when he came out of the hut and could nowhere find his son, suspected what had happened. In the evening he put on his kamalayka (shirt made of intestines), got into his bidarka, and went to the village of the giant. Quietly landing and stealthily crawling to the barabara of Meechem Aleu, he listened; and this is what he heard the giant say to his men, “He came towards me; I pulled his bidarka to me and asked him where he was going. He replied by asking me the same question. I told him I lived here. The young fool then asked me if I had a daughter, to take him to her and he would marry her. This made me angry, and I told him to paddle ahead of me to the village, and if I had a daughter he should marry her. When we had gone a short distance, I threw the spear at him, the bidarka turned over, and down he went. The last I saw of him were the white soles of his torbasas (soft seal-skin shoes).”

This account amused the audience a great deal, but Koikoiusa wept bitterly. With his kamalayka he wiped the hot tears away, but they flowed on “until the folds of the kamalayka were full.” A little later he heard the warriors leave Meechem Aleu’s house, and the voice of the giant telling his two boys to go to sleep, but to be on the alert during the night; and if the wind changed, they were to go down to the beach and make fast the bidarkas.

When those inside had retired, Koikoiusa slipped quietly back to his boat, from which he took his sharp stone knife and the spear with the sharp stone point, and sneaked to the giant’s home. They were all asleep, and did not hear him lift the grass mat, or notice him as he crawled through the door. Without waking any one, he went to where the boys slept and cut their heads off, and, tying them together by the hair, hung them right over Meechem Aleu, and went outside to see what would follow. Pretty soon he heard the giant call, “Hi, hi, hi! Wake up, boys! It is raining outside. I feel the drops on my face. Go and tie the bidarkas.” When he had called two or three times and no one answered, he got up and lighted the straw wick in his stone lamp. What he saw made him weep; and between sobs he repeated several times, “Ai-Ai-Yah. Koikoiusa has done this because I killed his boy.”

Koikoiusa, who was listening, heard the words, and answered by coughing three times, which meant a challenge. He went to his bidarka and paddled for home. On the way he fished and caught a very large halibut, and, having selected a favorable spot, he landed and covered the fish with sand. He also sharpened some prongs and antlers which he found, and concealed them near the halibut. Meechem Aleu, whom he expected, soon afterwards made his appearance. When Koikoiusa saw him coming, he pulled off his parka (fur cloak) and stationed himself near the halibut in an attitude of defence. Koikoiusa, though powerful, was so small that he could barely reach to the breast of the giant; but this proved an advantage, for the giant was unable to get a good hold. The little man was quick, and by twisting and pushing he forced the big man to slip on the halibut. He fell with such force that the prongs and antlers penetrated his body, and before he could clear himself Koikoiusa cut his head off. From here Koikoiusa went back to his own village, and during the rest of his life he bewailed the sad fate of his son.

A Story for Husbands

An Aleut man, passionate about hosting a grand play, was betrayed when his guests abandoned him, taking his wife. Stricken with shame, he sought her, finding her remarried in another village. He publicly humiliated and punished her, later reconciling but abandoning his carefree ways. This cautionary tale warns against neglecting responsibility in relationships and misplacing blame for infidelity.

Source
The Songs and Stories of the Aleuts
collected by F.A. Golder
The Journal of American Folklore
Vol. 20, No. 77, Apr. – Jun., 1907

► Themes of the story

Love and Betrayal: The protagonist’s wife abandons him during his grand play, leading to feelings of betrayal.

Revenge and Justice: Upon discovering his wife’s infidelity, the man seeks her out, publicly humiliates, and punishes her, believing he is administering justice.

Tragic Flaw: The man’s excessive passion for hosting plays leads to his neglect of personal relationships, resulting in his wife’s departure.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Arctic Region
  - Aleutian Lore

Learn more about the Aleut people

There was a certain merry Aleut, who was exceedingly fond of plays (evening gatherings, the usual time and ways of amusing themselves); and when present at such, would masquerade in various masks and dance. One time he decided to give a play (party) such as would astonish and arouse the envy of all. The preparations for this occasion were especially tiresome and of long duration, and when everything was ready he went to the different villages to invite guests. When the guests arrived they, as customary, encamped on the beach in their traveling tents.

► Continue reading…

The impatient host could hardly wait till evening, and at the proper time he sent his wife to bring the masks, while he commenced singing the songs which he had composed for this special occasion, and playing on the drum.

It was already late, and still his guests did not come, neither did his wife bring the masks. He waited awhile, and then began singing and playing as before. In this manner he, being heated and in an ecstatic state, sang and played the whole night, entirely by himself. As it began to dawn, he came to himself and realized the situation; and a little later went out in the street, and what does he see? His guests had all gone home; and to his great shame they added the greatest insult in taking his young wife with them. The unfortunate play-lover tore off all the clothes and ornaments which he had on, put on shabby clothing, and for three days he neither ate nor drank. On the third day he was told that two bidarkas came from that village from whence his former guests were. He requested that the new-comers be invited to his house, and after seating them gave orders that they be treated with the best he had. When they commenced eating, he too began eating and drinking. While eating, he told them of his misfortune and grief, and then asked them whether they knew or had heard where they had taken his wife, and to which village. His guests told him that his wife was in their village, and was already married, living in the largest barrabara, situated in the very centre of the village, dressed always in her gala parka, and always painted; and in the middle of each day she sat near the fire sewing for her new husband a kamalayka from sea-lion’s intestines. After thanking his guests for the information he dismissed them.

The following day he went to the village where his wife was, and found her in the very place and situation as his late guests had described to him. At that time all the men from the village were out hunting. He then, not saying a word, seized his wife by her long hair, dragged her outside, tore off her holiday attire, leaving her naked, and in this condition dragged and placed her in his bidarka. Bringing her home, he tied her outside the barrabara, at the entrance, and left her there in the same state (naked). In this condition and position he kept her three days, then pulled her inside and shut her in, in some kind of a storeroom for seven days, and still in the same state, while he himself sat near the entrance. There he sat for seven days without eating and drinking, neither did he appease the hunger and thirst of his wife. At the expiration of that time he went to sea to hunt, but before going he told his mother that in his absence she should wash his wife, dress, and feed her. Returning from the hunt in the evening, he went to his house and met his wife with such a face and expression as if nothing at all had happened, and began to live with her in peace and harmony, as formerly; but his passion for play turned to hate, and he became more careful and thoughtful on account of his wife.

This story is composed for the benefit of those who, being themselves cause of the disobedience and unfaithfulness of their wives, throw the blame on them.