The mouse and the snow-bunting

A Mouse and a Snow-Bunting lived together during winter, with Mouse having plenty of food and Snow-Bunting having little. Mouse allowed Snow-Bunting to eat from her store but grew annoyed when Snow-Bunting ate all her provisions. Snow-Bunting grew weak and almost starved until spring arrived, allowing her to find food again. The story concludes with the arrival of summer and birds.

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 relationship between Mouse and Snow-Bunting reflects familial bonds, with Mouse initially providing shelter and food, akin to a caregiver’s role.

Community and Isolation: Snow-Bunting’s reliance on Mouse’s provisions highlights the dynamics of communal support and the consequences of isolation when resources are scarce.

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts lessons on the importance of preparedness and the potential consequences of over-reliance on others.

► 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, the Kolyma country, summer of 1896.

There was a Mouse and a Snow-Bunting. Winter came, the coldest season of the year. Mouse gathered plenty of provisions, stacks of roots, and heaps of grain; but Snow-Bunting gathered much less of everything. She found that the snow fell too thick, and the cold came too early. Then Mouse coiled herself up in her warm nest; but Snow-Bunting did not prepare her hut, and felt cold.

Snow-Bunting came to Mouse, and said, “I should like to live with you.” — “All right!” said Mouse, “then leave your cold hut and come over to my nest!” Snow-Bunting went to live with her.

The next morning Mouse brought a root for her breakfast, Snow-Bunting did the same. At dinner time Mouse brought a few grains and Snow-Bunting did the same. At supper time Mouse brought a root, Snow-Bunting did the same.

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Then Mouse said to Snow-Bunting, “Why, sister! I have plenty of provisions, and you have much less than I. Moreover, my provisions are of better quality than yours. At present, however, the days are short, let us feed on your provisions! Afterwards, when the days are longer, we will feed on my provisions.” Oh, Snow-Bunting was very glad! “I am willing.” She brought her provisions, and continued bringing them morning and evening, until everything was spent. A month passed, then another month. Snow-Bunting said to Mouse, “Now, sister, I have nothing more.” — “All right!” said Mouse. She opened her storehouse. At first she brought the breakfast, then she brought the dinner and also the supper, for Snow-Bunting and for herself. A week passed, and Mouse felt annoyed thinking that she had to share her food with Snow-Bunting. Therefore, the next morning she brought a root for herself, and for Snow-Bunting nothing. About dinner time she brought some seeds for herself, and for Snow-Bunting nothing. Then Snow-Bunting cried from grief. “Why, sister, you are acting unfairly toward me. You eat all by yourself, and give me nothing at all.” — “Ah, the deuce!” said the Mouse, “I give you lodging, and now I must also feed you! If that is the case, I will drive you out into the cold. Snow-Bunting cried, more, grieved than ever, “Ah, sister! even if you do not give me food, at least do not drive me out from a warm place!” So they continued to live. Mouse continued to eat of her provisions and Snow-Bunting ate nothing, and became very lean, mere bones without flesh, a soul without a body. Perhaps she might have starved to death, had not the month of March come in, as good chance would have it, mild and quiet, and brought unusual warmth, the bright sun shining from a cloudless sky. Some bunches of grass and hillocks became bare of snow; so that Snow-Bunting could go there at mid-day and look for grains left from the preceding year, and peck at the berries safely hidden under the snow. At last summer came. The ice in the rivers broke up and then came all kinds of birds, large and small. The birds alighted on the lakes, rivers and sea. On the shore of a lake, in thick grass, lived a toad, which was a transformed girl, the daughter of a prince, etc.

[This pretty tale is used as a kind of introduction to the well-known story of a young prince who married the transformed Toad-Girl: I omit the story itself, however, which treats throughout of princes and princesses, and has nothing whatever to do with the life of northeastern Asia.]

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A story of Machekur

Machekur, despite his wife’s warnings, frequently visited the Mice-Girls. One day, after eating a large portion of fish-roe pudding, he fell asleep. The Mice-Girls attached a bladder to his anus, causing him to suffer from diarrhea. When he tried to relieve himself, the bladder burst, and the mess flowed out, leaving him embarrassed and distressed.

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

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts a lesson about the consequences of ignoring warnings and engaging in inappropriate behavior, as Machekur suffers due to his disregard for his wife’s advice.

Cunning and Deception: The Mice-Girls use cunning to deceive Machekur, showcasing their cleverness in executing the prank.

Family Dynamics: The interaction between Machekur and his wife highlights the dynamics of marital relationships and the repercussions of neglecting a partner’s counsel.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

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

Machekur lived with his wife Machekur-woman.

[In Russian Мачекуръ and Мачекуриха. This tale represents only one of the well-known episodes of the story of Raven and the Mice. I give it here because of the names Machekur and Machekur-Woman, which have replaced the usual Kutq (Ku’rgil) and Miti. Perhaps these names belong to some Yukaghir version of the story.]

Their neighbors were three Mice-Girls. The old man used to pay them frequent visits. Finally, the old woman grew angry, and said, “Cease going there! They will do something unpleasant to you.” The old man, however, paid no attention to these warnings. One time the Mice-Girls offered him some fat pudding, made of fish-roe mixed with oil. He ate so much that he could not eat any more, and fell asleep. They took a large bladder and fastened it to the old man’s anus.

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He awoke and went home, and on account of the quantity of oil he had swallowed, he had diarrhoea. So he would sit down and try to defecate; but when he stood up, no faeces were to be seen on the ground. In the meanwhile, after three or four attempts, he felt something heavy attached to his buttocks. He went to his wife, and said, “Machekur-Woman! I tried to defecate, but it seems in vain, for I saw no faeces on the ground. Meantime I feel as if my intestines had gone out of my anus.” “Sit down!” said the woman. But he remained standing. “Sit down!” she again shouted, and he was much frightened, and flopped down upon a bench. The bladder burst, and the faeces flowed around.

The end.

Stepmother and stepdaughter

An old man’s first daughter is mistreated by her stepmother. Desperate, she asks her father to take her to the “Unclean Idol,” who, impressed by her kindness to his vermin children, rewards her with riches. The stepmother sends her own daughter to the Idol, but she mistreats the vermin, and the Idol kills her. The father returns with only her bones.

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 complex relationships within a blended family, highlighting the mistreatment of the stepdaughter by her stepmother.

Trials and Tribulations: The stepdaughter endures significant hardships and challenges imposed by her stepmother, testing her resilience and character.

Cunning and Deception: The stepmother’s deceitful nature is evident in her ill-treatment of the stepdaughter and her ulterior motives.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Taken down by Innocent Beresken, a cossack of Kolyma from the words of a Russian creole woman, Mary Beresken, in the village “Crosses” (“Кресты”) in the Kolyma country, winter of 1895.

There was an old man with his wife. They had one daughter. After some time the old woman died. He married another woman, and also had a daughter by her. The woman hated her stepdaughter and ill-used her in a thousand ways. As soon as the father was gone, the stepmother abused the girl with words and blows. Then she would push her out of the house, unfed and unclad. In the evening, the father would come home, and say, “O daughter! why have you such a tired look? Perhaps my new wife does not act quite fair toward you?” — “No,” the daughter would say, “she does nothing wrong to me.” Thus she would refuse to complain. They lived in this way, and the young girl suffered much. At last she could endure it no longer; so when the father came back in the evening, she said, “O father! take me away! I cannot live here any longer. Take me rather to the Unclean Idol.” [a monster] The father said, “Why, my child, if you feel so badly, I will rather stay here and watch over you. Perhaps then life will become more bearable for you.”

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So the next day he did not go hunting, but stayed at home. His wife, however, was so angry with him, that she began to ill-use both him and her stepdaughter. She even beat the latter worse than ever. The old man tried to stop his wife, but she struck him also. Then he said, “O child! you were right, I cannot bear to look upon your distress, and I have no power to help you: rather than have you stay here I will carry you away to the Unclean Idol. He shall eat you all at once, and there will be an end to this sorrow.”

In the morning he attached his dogs to his sledge, and said to his daughter, “Now get ready! We will go to the Unclean Idol.” His wife was very glad, and helped her stepdaughter get ready to depart. The old man said to the girl, “You must take from the fireplace some ashes and a few coals, and put them into a handkerchief. When you feel hungry, take a kettle and put into it some of these ashes and coals. This will serve you as food.” So they went away and drove for a long time. They came to the house of the Unclean Idol. He was not at home. So the father said, “O child! I will go back and you must stay here and wait for the house master.” He went away. The daughter stayed there, full of sorrow. Evening came, and she felt hungry: she took a kettle and put into it some ashes and coals. She put the kettle near the fire. After some time she looked into it, and it was full to the brim of cooked fat and meat. She put the food into a bowl of birch wood, on a shelf she found a horn spoon and went to eat. All at once a board of the flooring was lifted up, and from there appeared a great number of mice and toads, ermines, and all kinds of small vermin. They piped, “We are children of the Unclean Idol. Our father has not come back for several days, and we feel hungry. Give us some food too from your birch bowl with your horn spoon! We know those things very well. They are of our own house.” So she fed the whole pack, giving to one a spoonful, and to another half a spoonful, and in the end nothing was left for herself. The vermin had enough, and went back under the flooring, and the girl lay down to sleep quite hungry.

Early in the morning there was heard a great noise and clatter. The Unclean Idol came flying with his broad paper wings, alighted, and entered the house. “Oh, oh, oh! We heard nothing, we saw nothing, the little Russian bone came to the house of its own free will.” All at once a board was lifted, as before, and his vermin children spurted out in all directions; and they piped, “O father! do not do her any harm! She treated us kindly, and gave us food to eat. You must reward her for this. Otherwise, we might have died of starvation.” “Ah!” said the Unclean Idol, “she is clever.” He brought a sable overcoat and a bagful of silver money. “This is my present to you. When your father comes again, you may take this and go home with him.” He stayed for a while and departed again. In the meantime her father felt very sorry about her, and at last said to himself, “Let me go, at least, and have a look at the little bones of my dear daughter.” So he set off, and came to that house. The Unclean Idol was not there. He entered the house, and his daughter was sitting there quite ready to depart. She was clad in a sable overcoat and had in her hand a bagful of silver money. She said, “O father! let us go back to our house!” They set off. The stepmother waited for them at home. Her small bitch, however, also waited near the entrance, and then she began to bark: “Bow-wow! the old man is coming, and he is bringing his daughter and her money is rattling in the bag.” The woman struck the dog with a stick, and ordered, “You little fool! you had better say, ‘The old man is coming and is bringing his daughter, and her bones are rattling in the bag.’” But the dog was quite firm. She would cease for a little while, but as soon as the woman stepped away, she would bark louder than before: “Bow-wow! the old man is coming; he is bringing his daughter, and her money is rattling in the bag.” At last the old man came to the house, and the woman saw the sable coat and the money of her stepdaughter. She looked on with much envy, and then said to the old man, “Now, you must take my own daughter also, and carry her to the Unclean Idol’s house. Let him give her too similar presents.” He took the daughter of his second wife and carried her over to the Idol’s house. He left her there and returned home. Evening came. She felt hungry: so she put some ashes and coals into the kettle, and put it near the fire. In due time the kettle was full to the brim with cooked fat and meat. As soon as she was about to eat, a board of the flooring was lifted up; and the vermin children of the Unclean Idol appeared from there, more numerous than ever. She grew very angry; and struck at them in all directions. She even broke the legs and arms and backs of several. So they scurried back, piping and crying. In the morning, the Unclean Idol came home. He asked the animals, “Well, now, children, and this one, how did she act toward you?” — “Ah! she beat us mercilessly. Our legs, arms, and backs are dislocated or broken. All of us are suffering.” The Unclean Idol grew angry. He caught the girl and tore her in two. Then he swallowed both parts, and vomited the bones into the corner. After a while her mother said to the old man, “Now, go and bring my daughter back. Take care lest you leave behind any of her presents.” The old man went to the house of the Unclean Idol who was not at home when he arrived. He opened the entrance, but the girl was not to be seen. Only some bones were heaped in the corner. He looked at them, and recognized them as the remnants of his daughter. So he put them into a bag and started home. Her mother waited on them with great impatience; but the little bitch barked again: “Bow-wow! the old man is coming back, and the girl’s bones are rattling in the bag!” “Ah, you little fool! rather say ‘The girl’s money is rattling in the bag.’” The old man came. She rushed out and caught the bag. It was filled with bones. “Ah, ah! where is my little girl?” “I found only her bones, so I brought them home.” The woman wailed aloud, but it was too late.

The end.

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 She-Monster

Three orphaned sisters fend for themselves until the eldest becomes a cannibalistic monster. The younger sisters flee, one falling prey to the monster, while the youngest escapes and marries a man. Years later, the She-Monster returns, harming her niece and nephew. The husband kills her, destroying her remains. The family moves away, finally finding peace.

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 between three orphaned sisters, highlighting the complexities and eventual tragedy within their family.

Transformation: The eldest sister undergoes a horrifying change, becoming a cannibalistic monster, which drives the plot and the actions of the other characters.

Cunning and Deception: The youngest sister employs cleverness to escape her monstrous sibling, showcasing the use of wit for survival.

► 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.

There lived a family. They had three daughters and no sons. After some time the father and the mother died. The girls remained alone. They hunted game and caught fish, and in the summer time picked berries and gathered roots. They never knew a man. One time the eldest sister stayed at home. The other two went berrying. They came home. The youngest wanted to be petted: so she dropped into the other sister’s lap, and said, “O, my sister! I am so very hungry! Give me something to eat.” The eldest sister said, “Why, then go to the storehouse, and pick out a piece of the very best dried fish. That is the food for you.” Then she laughed.

The youngest sister looked up at her, and saw pieces of raw meat sticking out all around between her teeth. She felt frightened, and whispered to her second sister, “Why, sister, look about! all our stores of dried meat, reindeer, and elk, are gone! and why are the teeth of our eldest sister filled with pieces of meat?”

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The second sister refused to believe it; and, still, she also was afraid to look up, lest she should see those horrible teeth. After a few days the two younger sisters went for a visit to the graves of their parents. They invited the eldest one to go with them, but she refused. They arrived at the graves, and found that they had been dug open. The body of the father had been eaten up, and of the body of the mother only a part was left. This was the doing of their eldest sister. They sorrowed and cried aloud. Then they went back, and on the way they talked to each other. “O, sister! we cannot go home. She will finish eating our mother, then she will come for us. Let us rather leave in time! Let us run to the open country, or let us flee across the blue sea!” Just then they saw on high a flock of wild geese flying. They shouted upward to the geese, “O geese! drop down to us a feather apiece!” The geese, ever so many, dropped down for them a feather apiece. The girls gathered the feathers and stuck them between their fingers. Then they flew up, and followed the geese. The youngest sister said to the second one, “O sister dear! she will doubtless pursue us. Take care, though, if she should call to you, and shout, and ask for an answer, not to take any heed! and especially do not look back at her.”

Then the eldest sister actually went in pursuit. They flew on high, she ran below on the ground, and cried out, “O sisters dear! why have you forsaken me? Have we not been nursed at the same mother’s breast? Have we not been begotten in the same mother’s womb? And now you leave me behind! How shall I live alone, without your company?” The second sister was moved with compassion: so she looked back and down. In a moment the She-Monster opened her mouth, and the girl fell directly into it. The She-Monster swallowed her without chewing. The youngest sister flew on, and did not look back, notwithstanding all her cries and entreaties. She flew onward; the eldest sister ran in pursuit. At last the She-Monster gave up, and at the last only shouted, “This time you do not want to look at me! But later you will be married, and you will have a boy and a girl. The girl will sit on an earth bench, [the Russian log cabin and the Yakut hut are surrounded by a low earth wall up to the window-sills. This wall serves also as a bench] and she will play with her little scissors; and the boy will play with his bow and arrows. Then I shall come to you.” The other one flew on.

At last she saw a small house, standing all alone. She sat down near the chimney-hole, and looked down through the chimney. A young man was sitting near the fireplace, feathering his arrows. He did this for some time. Then he was lacking a white feather for the last arrow. So he said, “Oh, I wish I had one more feather!” In a moment she tore away one of her feathers and let it drop through the chimney. He caught it, and looked up, but no one was there. So he finished the arrow, and brought some more arrows and feathers, and resumed the feathering. After a while he was again lacking one feather for the last arrow. This time it was a black feather. “Oh,” said he, “I wish I had one more feather.” And immediately she let drop a black feather. After that she dropped a third feather. Then he said, “Who are you? If you are really human, come down and let me look at you, and if you are an evil spirit, then remain invisible.” She took off her feathers and turned into her former self. Then she descended into the house. He took her for a wife.

They lived together for a long time, and she brought forth, first a boy, then a girl. The husband went out every day to go in search of game. The children were growing up. One spring day they were playing on the earth bench in front of the house. Then suddenly appeared her eldest sister, the She-Monster. She hugged the children and kissed them. In doing this she bit off the upper lip of the boy and the under lip of the girl. They shrieked, and ran to their mother. Their faces were covered with blood. O, she became so frightened! “Who has been treating you like this? Or perhaps you have been fighting with others?” — “Oh, no! It was our aunt, who kissed us.” Then the eldest sister entered. They did not even salute each other. Then the human sister wanted to go out. “Do not do that,” said the Monster. “But I want to ease myself.” — “All right! but make the utmost haste. Hardly step out of the house before you are back again.” She sat down near the fireplace and waited for her. The human sister went out of the house, and the boy slipped out after her. They ran to one of their storehouses. Standing there was an old wooden box. They squeezed themselves into this box. Then the woman said, “O, wooden box! henceforth be an iron storehouse standing high upon twelve iron supports.” The wooden box turned into an iron storehouse with twelve supports, and they were safe within. The boy called for his father, and she called for her husband. The eldest sister went out and saw the girl: so she caught her and swallowed her. Merely the feet stuck out from her mouth.

After a while, she spit out her small bones. She came to the iron storehouse and gnawed at the supports, and splinters of iron flew in all directions. Then the iron storehouse rocked to and fro, with only three supports left. All of a sudden the man came up. He struck the She-Monster with his sword and killed her. He chopped her into small pieces and burned her in the fire. She was burning, and every kind of worms and vermin crawled out of her body. He gathered them all, scraped them up with a shovel, and thrust them back into the fire. At last her body was destroyed, and he threw the ashes to all four winds. The remaining bones he threw into the sea. Then they went to another country. They lived there.

Tale about Chu’mo

Three sisters adopt a mysterious stone baby, Chu’mo, who grows into a giant and devours their food. Discovering its monstrous nature, they trick and destroy it with boiling fat but must flee from its vengeful pursuit. Using magical items to create barriers, they ultimately escape, only to face Chu’mo’s mother, who locks them away in revenge.

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 sisters employ clever tactics to destroy Chu’mo, using boiling fat and magical items to escape its pursuit.

Transformation: Chu’mo’s ability to change size—from a baby to a giant—highlights themes of physical transformation.

Family Dynamics: The bond and cooperation among the three sisters are central to the narrative, showcasing their collective efforts to overcome challenges.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Anne Vastriakoff, a Russianized Yukaghir woman, in the village Omolon at the confluence of the Omolon River with the Kolyma River, in the autumn of 1896.

There were three sisters. They knew no men, and subsisted by hunting wild reindeer. They also wandered about gathering roots and berries and every sort of thing that the earth produces. One time the eldest sister said, “I wish we had at least one baby.” As soon as she spoke these words, she glanced at a rock, and saw a severed piece which had a human face and looked like a baby.

“Ah, sisters!” exclaimed the girl, “come here and see! I have found a baby in the rock.” So they took the child of the stone and carried it home. They made a cradle, and put the baby in it. Then they rocked the cradle with much zeal.

After a while the baby began to cry and became like a human being. The next day the two elder sisters went, as usual, to hunt wild reindeer, but they left the youngest sister at home. “Stay at home and nurse the infant,” they said to her.

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As soon as they went away, the baby began to cry louder and louder. At first the girl rocked the cradle, but the baby was not to be thus silenced. At last a sudden fright seized her without any apparent reason. She could not stand it, so she hid herself under the bed and tried to listen to what would happen next. The baby cried as before. Then it ceased, and seemed also to be listening for something. It was listening to hear whether anyone might suddenly enter. Then quite unexpectedly the baby said with a deep man’s voice, „Chu’mo, Chu’mo, make yourself large!” In the same instant, it left the cradle and rose to its feet. It said again, „Chu’mo, Chu’mo, make yourself large!” And lo, its head reached the very roof. It gathered all the dried meat and fat, sausages and tongues, hanging from the rafters, and devoured all this most ravenously. Then it heard some voices. They were those of two elder sisters coming home from hunting. In the same moment it said aloud, „Chu’mo, Chu’mo, make yourself small!” So it became quite small, and was lying in the cradle and crying, just as before. The youngest sister, however, came out of her hiding-place and ran with all her might to meet the other sister. „O elder ones!” she sobbed out, “I will not stay at home alone any longer. You may stay there yourself if you want to.” — “What is the matter with you?” asked the eldest sister. “It is thus and so,” answered the youngest one. The eldest sister was very angry. “You certainly are not telling the truth. How can a baby leave the cradle and make itself large?” The next morning, however, the youngest sister refused to stay, so the eldest sister ordered the second one to stay at home in her stead. The other two went away hunting. The girl stayed at home and rocked the cradle; but the baby cried incessantly, and at last a great fright took possession of her, quite unaccountable, and she too hid herself under the bed and listened for what would happen next. The child cried and cried. Then it became still, and also began to listen. Nobody came, however, so the baby said again with a man’s deep voice, „Chu’mo, Chu’mo, make yourself large!” At that very moment it dropped to the floor and rose to its feet. Then it said again, „Chu’mo, Chu’mo, make yourself large!” and its head reached to the roof. It gathered all the dried meat and fat, sausages and tongues, hanging from the rafters, and devoured them most greedily. Then it heard human voices. They were those of the two other sisters, who were coming home and talking to each other. It said instantly, „Chu’mo, Chu’mo, make yourself small!” and all at once it was small again and in the cradle, as before. The middle sister crept out of her hiding-place and ran out to meet the sister. „Oh,” said she, „it is too awful! I will not stay here any longer.” “And what is the matter with you?” asked the eldest sister. “This and this,” said the middle sister. “Oh, please! enough of this! How can a little baby leave the cradle and become large?”

The next morning, however, the two younger sisters refused to stay at home: so the eldest sister remained. The two others went off hunting reindeer. The eldest sister rocked the cradle; but the baby cried and cried, and at last there came over her also without any cause a terrible fright and she hid under the bed and listened for what might happen next. The baby cried and cried. Then it stopped and began to listen. Nobody came, however: so it said aloud with its deep bass voice, „Chu’mo, Chu’mo, make yourself large!” It dropped to the floor and rose to its feet. Then it said again. „Chu’mo, Chu’mo, make yourself large!” and its head reached the roof. It gathered all the dried meat and fat, sausages, and tongues, hanging upon the rafters, and ate them all. Then it heard distant voices. The two other sisters were coming home. So it said very quickly, „Chu’mo, Chu’mo, make yourself small!” and it was again small and lay in the cradle. The eldest sister left her hiding place and hurried to meet the other sisters. „Oh, indeed! you were quite right. It is awful! What shall we do?” They talked for a long time, trying to find a way to get rid of Chu’mo. At last they took a kettle and filled it with reindeer meat. They hung it over a large fire to cook the meat. When the meat was done, they took it out, leaving the liquid and the fat to boil in the kettle. Then the eldest sister took the baby in her arms and said in a caressing way, “Look up there! A birdie is passing there.” The baby looked up, and at that moment the girl threw it into the kettle. They had nine driving reindeer: so they left behind everything else they had, and, taking these nine reindeer, they fled. Each sister drove one reindeer, leading the other two behind her sledge as relays. They hurried off at top speed. Chu’mo went in pursuit, kettle and all.

The fire was burning, the kettle was bubbling, the iron sides were clattering as Chu’mo gave chase to the three sisters. After a while he approached them. Then the youngest sister took her ivory comb and said to it, “O comb of ivory! You were a comb, now turn into a mountain of ivory, from earth to heaven, and from east to west.” She threw the comb back over her shoulder, and it turned into a big mountain, from earth to heaven, from east to west. It was just behind them: so they stopped close to it, took a rest, and ate a meal; then they attached fresh reindeer and hurried on. Chu’mo came to the ivory mountain and began to gnaw at it. Splinters of ivory flew in every direction. He gnawed it through, and went across, kettle and all, and gave chase again.

The youngest sister said, “Here, my sisters! put your ear to the ground. Perhaps he is pursuing us again.” They put an ear to the ground, and indeed the kettle was clattering quite close behind. Then the second sister took out a piece of flint. She said to the flint, “O flint! you were a piece of flint. Now turn into a mountain of flint, from earth to heaven, from east to west.” Then she threw the flint back over her shoulder. It turned instantly into a mountain of flint. They stopped near the mountain, and took a rest. They also had a meal, and, attaching fresh reindeer, started on again. Chu’mo came to the mountain and gnawed it. Chips of flint flew in every direction. He gnawed it through and went across it, kettle and all.

The second sister said to the other, “O sister! put your ear to the ground and try to hear whether he is following us again?” They listened, and, lo! the kettle was rattling quite close behind. Then the oldest sister took out a piece of steel from a strike-a-light. She said to the steel, “O steel! you were part of a strike-a-light and produced fire. Now turn into a river of fire from earth to heaven, from east to west.” Then she threw the steel back over her shoulder, and it turned into a river of fire, from earth to heaven, from east to west. Chu’mo came to that river and tried to cross it, but he was confused by the fire and perished there. „Ah,” he called after the sisters, „you ran away from me; but nevertheless my mother will catch you.” The sisters were hurrying on. All the reindeer fell and perished from exhaustion. The sisters sped onward on foot. At last they came to a river. It was quite deep, and there was no ford, so that they could not cross it. On the other side of the river sat an old woman scraping a skin. “Oh, grandmother! help us to cross the river!” “Ah, you dogs! cross it by your own skill.” “O grandmother! we cannot. Do help us!” The old woman stretched one of her legs across the river like a bridge, and they crossed over on it. „Where do you come from?” asked the old woman. „We ran away from Chu’mo. He wanted to eat us, but we burned him in a river of fire.” — „O, you dogs! Chu’mo is my only son. I shall punish you for it.” So she locked them in an empty storehouse, and hurried to help Chu’mo.

[After this follows the well-known episode detailing how the Fox saved the girls from the She-Monster, leaving in their stead clothes filled with twigs and ashes to be swallowed by the Monster. The narrator, however, declared that she had forgotten the details, and left the tale unfinished.]

The Alder-Block

This tale represents a version of the well-known European story. Several details, however, belong to the native life. The underground oven is a primitive device, although it is not used at present in northeastern Asia, being superseded by the so-called Russian oven, made of bricks or of beaten earth. In more ancient times, the oven dug in the ground may have been used by the natives.

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: Alder-Block Boy embarks on a journey across the sea to explore the world’s wonders, demonstrating the classic quest motif.

Family Dynamics: The relationship between Alder-Block Boy and his foster mother underscores themes of familial bonds and responsibilities.

Conflict with Authority: Alder-Block Boy challenges the witch Yagha and her daughters, who represent malevolent authority figures, by defying and defeating them.

► 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 1895.

There lived an old woman who had neither son nor daughter. One time after cooking supper, she climbed to the roof of her house to stop up the chimney hole. Then she heard from within a small child’s voice. She was much frightened, but still she descended hastily and ran into the house. An infant boy was lying on the floor. She swathed him in swaddling clothes, and prepared food for him. She fed him on blood soup and minced meat, and he grew from year to year. She gave him the name Alder-Block. He was an excellent carpenter, and made excellent canoes of boards and of hollowed tree trunks. One time he said to his foster mother, “Mother, let me leave. I want to visit all the wonders of earth and sea.” The woman said, “How can that be? And who will then procure food for me? You are almost full-grown. All my hope lies in you.” Nevertheless, he left at night and went away across the sea. He traveled and traveled, and at last he saw an island. On the island there stood a house. In it lived the witch, Yagha.

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[(Баба-Яга literally, “(old) woman Yagha”) is a she-monster often appearing in Old-Russian folk stories. It is presumed that in the Star mythology the witch Yagha was the personification of winter. Yaghishna is, properly speaking, the name of the daughter of Yagha, formed with the Old-Russian suffix shna, vna. Daughters of Yagha often appear in Russian tales; but their name, Yaghishna, Is known only in the Kolyma stories. And, by the way, those stories confuse the mother and her daughters, and call the witch Yagha also Yaghishna. Yagha, Yaghishna of the Russian tales of northeastern Asia, often appears as a being more like the American Snenek than the Old-Russian Yagha]

[Yagha] had three daughters, one Five-Eyes Girl; another, Six-Eyes Girl; and the third, Eight-Eyes Girl. She herself had ten eyes. The witch Yagha saw the canoe, and said to her daughters, “Here, girls! get ready! a small reindeer is coming from the sea. Do try and lure it hither.” The eldest daughter cooked flour-cakes. She filled a birchbark vessel as big as a man with them, and put it on the shore as a decoy. She hid herself near by in order to catch the boy as soon as he should land. The boy saw the birchbark vessel full of cakes. He came close to the shore, and said aloud, “First eye, fall asleep! second eye, fall asleep! third eye, fall asleep! fourth eye, fall asleep! fifth eye, fall asleep!” The girl fell asleep. He emptied the birchbark vessel into his canoe. He threw the vessel into the water, approached the girl, and, taking off his breeches, he defecated upon her head. After that he struck her back with the paddle, and broke her back. That done, he paddled away across the sea, back to his mother. So he brought to his mother all those cakes. She was much astonished. She asked him, “O child, Alder-Block Boy! where did you get all these cakes?” — “At such and such a place.” The boy told her everything. The old woman was very much scared. “Now,” she said, “I will not let you go even one step from my side. The witch Yagha will devour you.” That very night, as soon as the old woman had fallen asleep, Alder-Block descended toward the water, boarded his canoe, and set off again. The girls saw him, as before. They prepared a vessel with cakes, and put it out on the shore. The second sister hid nearby, ready to catch him. He paddled to the shore, and called out aloud, “First eye, fall asleep! second eye, fall asleep! third eye, fall asleep! and fourth and fifth and sixth eye fall asleep!” Again, the girl fell asleep. He emptied the vessel into his canoe. Then he defecated upon the girl, and broke her back with a blow of his paddle. Then he paddled back across the sea with his booty. The girl, however, came to, and crawled to her mother. The mother sprinkled her with the water of life and youth, and the girl became as sound as before.

The boy’s mother took the cakes, but she reproached him. “O, child, you go away secretly in the night time. I shall lose you and shall not know where to find you. The witch Yagha will devour you. Do stop these awful doings!” The very same night the boy went again. This time the youngest daughter tried to catch him. She also put upon the shore a vessel full of cakes, and hid near by. He paddled shoreward, and counted aloud, “First eye, fall asleep! second eye, fall asleep! third eye, fall asleep! Fourth and fifth and sixth and seventh and eighth, do fall asleep!” He took the cakes and defecated upon the girl. Then he struck her with the paddle upon the back and paddled away. The girl could hardly crawl back to her mother. The next day he came again. This time it was Yaghishna herself who tried to catch him. She put the vessel upon the shore and hid near by. He counted aloud, “First eye, fall asleep! second eye, fall asleep! third and fourth, fall asleep! fifth and sixth and seventh, do fall asleep! eighth and ninth, do fall asleep!” but he forgot the tenth eye. He took the vessel and emptied it into his canoe, but the witch did not stir. He took off his breeches and wanted to defecate upon her; then she caught him by the breeches and carried him home. “There you, dogs, you could not catch this small reindeer, but I have caught him.” They had an oven dug in the ground. The Yaghishna said, “I will call my brother; meanwhile cook this reindeer for our meal. When brother and I come back, we will have a meal of him.” She set off. The eldest daughter brought an iron shovel, and said to the boy, “Well, Alder-Block, sit down on the shovel.” He spread his legs and stretched his arms. She tried to put him down into the oven, but could not do it. “Why,” said she, “Alder-Block, you hold your body too clumsily. Sit down on the shovel, then draw up your legs and keep your arms together.” — “How together? I do not know how. You had better show me how.” — “Look here, you booby!” She took a seat on the shovel and held her body quite close. So he thrust her into the oven, snatched the shovel back, and shut the oven door. In this way he killed the eldest daughter of Yaghishna. The second daughter came and asked him, “Oh, Alder-Block, what makes it smell so strong here of something singed?” — “It does indeed,” said Alder-Block, “Your sister singed a leg of mine, and also an arm, but in the end took pity on me and allowed me to live.” — “I will show you what pity is. Sit down on the shovel, go your way down into the oven.” He spread his legs and stretched his arms just as before. By no means could she thrust him down the oven. “Oh, there! Alder-Block, you hold yourself quite in a wrong way. Draw up your legs and keep your arms together.” — “How together? I do not know how.” “Even so, you booby!” She sat down on the shovel and drew up her legs. He immediately thrust her down into the oven and shut the oven door. There she was roasted. The third one came too, the youngest one. “You, there, Alder-Block! why does it smell so here of something singed?” — “Yes, it does,” said Alder-Block. “Your second sister singed a leg of mine, and then also an arm. Then she took pity on me and let me live.” — “Oh, I will teach you what pity is! Sit down on the shovel, go your way down into the oven.” He spread his legs and stretched his arms. She could not thrust him in. “Oh, there, Alder-Block! You do not hold yourself right. You must draw up your legs and keep your arms together.” — “I do not know how. You must show me how.” She sat down on the shovel, and he thrust her into the oven. After a while all three were done just right. He took them out of the oven, and drew them up to the ground. Then he prepared the meal, cut the meat, and laid it out on dishes and in troughs. All these he arranged on a large table. He put the table near the large bed of Yaghishna, where she usually took her meals and concealed all three heads under the bed near her seat. He hid himself behind the chimney and waited for Yaghishna. After a while she came back. She was driving the mortar, urging it with a pestle, and effacing the traces of the sledge with a big broom. She had not found her brother at home. So she came all alone. She entered the house, and saw the food all ready for a meal: so she felt gratified, and exclaimed, “See there! my daughters have prepared the meal, and they themselves are gone, perhaps for a little walk.” She took a seat near the table and tried to eat, but the first mouthful stuck in her throat. “Oh, oh, oh!” said the witch, “what is the matter? Why does even the first mouthful stick so in my throat? Is it possible that Alder-Block is a kinsman of mine?” She took another morsel, but could not swallow it at all. She spat it out, and looked down under the bed, and there were the three heads of her daughters. She clapped her hands and wailed aloud, “Ah, you hound, Alder-Block! You have eaten all my daughters, and none has stuck in your throat.” She looked around, and found the boy behind the chimney. “Ah, ah, now I have you.” She caught him by the nape of the neck and hurled him across the room and back again. After a few kicks and pushes, he felt nearly dead. Then he called aloud, “O, granny! that is enough. I want to ease myself before I die.” — “Go, then, and ease yourself.” He ran to her storehouse. She had there two wells, — one full of water of life and youth, the other full of water of death. He drank his fill of the water of life and youth, then he changed the places of both wells. After that he came back. He caught Yaghishna and threw her across the room and back again. After a few kicks, she felt very feeble, and asked of him, “O, Alder-Block! I want to ease myself.” — “All right, you may go.” She went to the storehouse, and wanted to drink of the water of life and youth, but instead she drank of the water of death. After that she went back, hardly being able to move. As soon as she stepped over the sill, her belly burst, and she dropped down stone dead. The boy gathered all her wealth — the costly furs, dried meat and fish, and all kinds of provisions — and took it to his mother. He also took along the water of life and youth. His mother drank of the water and became quite young, like a fresh berry. He became immensely rich.

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.

Raven tale

A childless couple prays to God and is granted children. Their daughter is abducted by Raven-Man, and their sons, attempting rescues, perish. The youngest son, armed with cunning and determination, outsmarts Raven-Man, burns him, and revives his brothers with the water of life. They reunite, return home, and their parents, overwhelmed with joy, turn 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

Divine Intervention: The childless couple prays to God and is granted children, highlighting the influence of deities in human affairs.

Trickster: Raven-Man embodies the trickster archetype, using cunning and deceit, while the youngest son employs wit to outsmart him.

Family Dynamics: The narrative explores complex family relationships, including the bond between siblings and the lengths they go to for each other.

► 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.

There once upon a time lived a man and his wife. They had neither son nor daughter. They lived together for a long time. Then they talked to each other. The old woman said, “Well, old man, what do you think? We are getting old, and we have no children. Who will take care of us when we are still older? Who will bring us food?” So they prayed to God, and at last God gave them a daughter. The daughter grew up rapidly to womanhood. One day she went berrying. Then Raven-Man caught her and carried her away. The old couple wandered about, looking for their daughter, but could not find her. So they prayed again to God, and asked for a son. God heard their prayer again, and gave them a son. They nursed him and fed him, and soon he was full grown. The young man said to his father and mother, “Did you never have any other son or daughter? I long to have a brother or a sister.” They did not tell him. “We had none whatever.”

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He walked about in the vicinity, and shot in every direction with his blunt arrow. One time his arrow entered the house of the old woman, Underskin, through the chimney-hole. He almost cried for fright, still he went in to ask for his arrow. The old woman, Underskin, went out to meet him. “O you bad boy! Why are you wronging me? I am old and without defence. Why are you shooting at my house? Rather than shoot at my house, you had better shoot at Raven-Man, it was he who carried off your own sister.” The boy cried aloud and went home. “Ah!” said he, “father and mother! You did not want to tell me about my unfortunate sister, but Underskin has told me all. Now, you cannot keep me back. I shall go and search for her.”

He set off, and after a long journey, he saw a house in the desert. He entered it, and his sister was sitting on a bench. “Why did you come?” she said to him. “Raven-Man will kill you.” — “Ah, he has taken you! Let him kill me! I shall not demur.” She gave him food and drink. After a while Raven came. He croaked three times, then dropped upon the roof, and turned into a young man. Raven-Man entered the house, sniffed around, and then exclaimed, “Ah, ah, ah! We did not hear it, we did not see it, the Russian body came to us of its own will; not a strange man, either, but my own brother-in-law. There, wife, go and bring us some nuts! We will have some fun with them.” The woman brought some iron nuts, about four dozen of them. They began cracking nuts; but while the young man was trying to open one nut, Raven-Man was ready with two or three. Then Raven said, “Go now and get ready a steam bath in which we may steam our little bones.” She prepared the steam bath. They went to the bath house. Raven said, “You enter first,” and the young man said, “No, you enter first.” Raven got the better of the young man and pushed him into the bath house. It was as hot as an oven there, so the young man was roasted. Raven took out the body and ate it. Then he went home, and said to his wife, “Go and get your brother’s bones, pick them clean, put them into a bag, and hang them up on a tree.” [The ancient Yukaghir used to gather the bones of their dead in pouches, and carried them along, or put them away in secret places.] She cried for a long time; then she sewed up a pouch, gathered all the bones, and put them into the pouch which she hung high up on a tree.

The parents waited and waited, but their son never came home. So the old people prayed again to God, “O God! give us a child, a son or a daughter.” So God gave them another son. The boy grew up, and inquired of his parents, “O father and mother! was there never at any time another brother or a sister of mine?” They denied it more strongly than ever, lest he too should go away. He walked about, playing with his bow and blunt arrow; and one time he sent an arrow into the house of the old woman Underskin through the chimney-hole. Underskin went out. She was very angry. “Why do you shoot at me? I am old and defenceless. You had better shoot at Raven-Man, who carried off your sister and killed your brother.” He went to his father and mother, and cried for vexation.” Oh, father and mother I you did not want to tell me; but old woman Underskin has told me everything. She told me that I had a sister and a brother, but that they were taken by Raven-Man. I shall go and look for them, whether you are willing or not. I shall go away.” They tried arguments and tears; but he paid no heed, and set off instantly. After a long journey, he arrived at the house. His sister was sitting inside. “Why did you come?” she said. “He will devour you.” — “Let him do it! I shall not demur. He devoured my brother, and I am no better than he.” So she gave him food and drink, and they waited for Raven. Raven flew homeward croaking, “food, food, food” [in Russian, Кормъ, кормъ, кормъ imitative of the sound of the croaking]. He alighted on the roof and turned into a young man. He entered the house. “Ah, ah, ah! we heard nothing, we saw nobody, but the little Russian bone came to us of its own will. He is Dot a strange man, he is my own brother-in-law. Go wife, and bring us some iron nuts! We will have some fun with them.” So she went and brought some iron nuts, about four dozen of them. They cracked nuts; but while the young man was struggling with a single one, Raven was ready with two or three. Then he said again, “Go and prepare a steam bath for us. We want to take a bath.” She heated the bath house. They went there. Raven said, “You enter first,” and the young man said, “No, you go in first.” Raven had his way and pushed the young man in. The bath house was so hot that the young man was roasted alive. Raven drew out the body and ate it. He went home and said to his wife, “Go and pick clean his bones, then gather them into a pouch and hang them high up on a tree.” She cried bitterly, then she made a pouch and went there. She gathered all the bones, even the smallest joints, and put them into the pouch which she hung high up on a tree.

The parents waited and waited, but the boy never came. And how could he? So they prayed to God, “O God! give us a son or a daughter.” God heard again, and gave them a son, the very last one to be given. The boy grew up and became strong of body. He also said to his parents, “O my father; and my mother! I want to know whether lever had any brothers or any sisters?” They were less willing than ever before to tell him, lest he too should go away and perish. So he walked about and played with his bow, and at last he shot an arrow into the chimney-hole of old woman Underskin. She went out quite angry, “Why do you shoot at me. I am old and defenceless. Better shoot at Raven-Man. He took away your sister and destroyed your brothers. He is a better target for your shooting.” He cried aloud and went to his parents. “Oh, father and mother! You did not want to tell me, but old woman Underskin has told me the truth. Raven-Man destroyed my brothers and carried off my sister. I shall go and look for him, no matter whether you are willing or not to give me your blessing.” They wanted to keep him back, and almost died with sorrow. Still he set off. After a long journey he found the house, and his sister was sitting in it. She recognized him all at once, and cried bitterly, “Why did you come? He will devour you like the others.” — “Let him do it! I shall not object. He ate my elder brothers, let him finish the whole breed!” She gave him food and drink, and they waited. Raven-Man flew home, and croaked, “Food, food, food!” He alighted on the roof of the house and turned into a strong man. He entered and said, “Oh, oh, oh! we heard nothing, we saw nobody; but the little Russian bone entered of its own will, not a strange man, either, my own brother-in-law. Go, wife, and bring us some iron nuts. We will have some fun with them.” She brought the iron nuts, four dozen of them. They cracked the nuts; but while Raven was trying to open a single one, the young man was through with two or three. “Oh, oh,” said Raven-Man, “you are a good one, O brother mine! You crack the nuts even quicker than I do.” — “Why,” said the young man, “I crack them in the only way that I know.” — “All right!” said Raven-Man. “Now, wife, go and get the steam bath ready. We want to steam our little bones.” So she went to the bath house and heated it. All the while she was crying most bitterly. Her whole face became swollen with crying. At last she came home. Raven looked up at her, and said, “There, woman, it seems you have been crying again. Take care, lest I swallow you some day!” — “Ah, brother mine!” said the young man, “so you swallow human beings?” — “Oh no!” answered Raven-Man, “it is only a little joke. Nevertheless let us go and have our steam bath. You must be tired from your long journey.” So they went to the bath house; and one said to the other, “You enter first,” and the other said, “You enter first. You are my guest.” — “And you are my host.” The young man had his way and pushed Raven into the bath house. Then he set fire to it and burnt it up together with Raven. He scattered the ashes to the winds. Then he asked his sister, “Where are the bones of our brothers?” She climbed to the tree and took them down. He entered the storehouse, and there was preserved a bottle containing the water of life and youth. He took the bones of the oldest brother and joined them all together. Then he sprinkled them with the water of life and youth. The first time he sprinkled the bones they were covered with flesh; the next time he sprinkled, the flesh was covered with skin; the third time he sprinkled, the young man sat up, and said, “Ah, ah, ah! I slept too long, but I am quite refreshed. — “Ah!” said the youngest brother, “if it had not been for me, you would not have awakened at all.” Then he did the same with the bones of the second brother, and restored him also to life. They gathered all the goods Raven had in his house, and went home, all four of them. They went to their father and mother. The old people were quite joyful, and from very joy they became ashes that were scattered around.

The end.

Bear, Wolverene, and Wolf story

Bear, Wolverene, and Wolf, brothers, clash over marriage. When the youngest Wolf seeks the middle Wolverene’s daughter, he is rejected due to their different origins. Bear arbitrates, limiting Wolf to two or three offspring and Wolverene to one child. Wolverene curses Bear to winter-long sleep, making him vulnerable to hunters. Their conflict shapes the reproductive patterns of their species.

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 and conflicts among Bear, Wolverene, and Wolf, who are brothers. The tension arises when Wolf seeks to marry Wolverene’s daughter, leading to familial discord.

Conflict with Authority: Bear assumes the role of an arbitrator, making authoritative decisions about the reproductive capacities of Wolf and Wolverene, which reflects a challenge to personal desires by an authoritative figure.

Transformation: The curses imposed lead to significant changes in the natural behaviors of the animals, such as Bear’s hibernation and the reproductive patterns of Wolf and Wolverene.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Evens (Lamut) Lore

Learn more about the Evens (Lamut)

Told by Ulashkan, a Lamut man, on the Molonda River, in the Kolyma country, summer of 1895.

Bear, Wolverene, and Wolf, being brothers, lived side by side. The youngest brother paid suit to the daughter of the middle one. “No,” said the middle one, “How is it that you ask me for my daughter? We cannot join. You are born from the snow, and I am born from the earth.” [The polar wolf is of light gray color, sometimes almost dirty white. The wolverene is brown.] Wolf grew angry and made complaint to Bear. Bear bore judgment and ordered, “If that is so, you must part.” He said to Wolf, “Your temper is worst of all, you shall bring forth not more than two or three children.” Wolf departed sorrowfully. Bear said to Wolverene, “You have a daughter, and refuse her to suitors, so you must not bring forth more than one, child.” He blamed Wolverene, and said, “If you had given your daughter in marriage, our people would be more numerous, so you must meet your fate in the wooden thing.” [deadfall made of logs]

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Wolverene also grew angry, and retorted, “And you must meet your fate underground.” [in the bear-lair when sleeping in winter, and tracked by the hunters] Wolverene laid a curse upon Bear: “You must sleep throughout the winter, and your fate will come to you while you are insensible to it.”

So the Bear’s word caused young wolves to be born by two’s and three’s, and wolverenes singly. The Wolverene’s word caused the Bear to sleep throughout the winter, so that hunters kill him in his sleep.