A Lamut tale

A man or Monster builds fish traps and stockpiles nine storehouses of fish but consumes them all in nine days. Seeking food, he finds a Lamut village, scaring away its people except a talking needle case. Tricked into injuring himself during a game, the Monster is taunted by the needle case. The villagers return, attack, and ultimately kill the Monster, ending his menace.

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

► Themes of the story

Good vs. Evil: The villagers confront and eliminate the Monster, representing the triumph of good over malevolence.

Cunning and Deception: The needle case deceives the Monster into injuring himself, showcasing the use of wit to achieve a goal.

Supernatural Beings: The Monster exhibits extraordinary abilities, such as consuming vast amounts of fish and surviving significant injury.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Evens (Lamut) Lore

Learn more about the Evens (Lamut)

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

There was a man or perhaps a Monster. He prepared a fish trap of willow, and made a weir across the river. He put the fish trap in a suitable place and waited for the catch. After a while he listened, and heard the fish trap whistle. “Eh, fish trap! are you whistling?” — “Yes, I am whistling because the water runs through me.” After a while he asked again, “Eh, fish trap I are you choking now?” — “Yes, I am,” said the fish trap. So the man drew out the fish trap, and it was full of the choicest fish. He constructed a drying rack, and hung up the fish. Then he asked again, “Eh, fish trap! are you choking?” Again he pulled out the fish trap, and it was full of the best fish. Thus he worked for nine days. He built nine fish racks and filled every one with the precious fish. Then he built nine storehouses and stored his dried fish in them. After that he began to live on the fish. The first day he consumed one storehouse full. The second day he finished the second storehouse. Thus in nine days he was through with all his stores of dried fish. Then he said, “I have nothing to eat, so I will go and try to find a dwelling.”

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He walked about, and after a while saw a village. He felt full of joy. “Oh, now I shall have a meal!” Then he sang aloud, “Nia’hu, nia’hu, there live some people! I shall have a meal, and I shall have much joy from it!” Some Lamut boys were kicking a football. A needle case shouted from within a work bag, “Take care! The Monster is coming. Hear him roar!” “What do we hear! It is you that roar.” And the Monster sang again, “Nia’hu, nia’hu, there live some people!” They heard his voice, and ran away. Only the needle case was left among the offal. The Monstrous old man came to the village and passed from house to house. Not a soul was there. Only a gray jay was skipping from one drying rack to another. “Here, grandfather! come play with us! Let us have a skipping-match!” — “I cannot skip.” He skipped once and once again. The third time he tried he broke one of his legs. He drew out a small knife and cut off his leg. “See here!” said the Monster, “my marrow is quite fat.” At that moment the Needle Case jumped up from the heap of offal and sang, “Goldia, goldia, nesoya, koroya. The monstrous old man has broken his leg! Ub-chub, chub!” “Oh, oh! stop your shouting! Take this little knife.” “I do not want it.” “Then take a little marrow of this bone.” — “I do not eat it, Ub-chub-chub!” As soon as the people heard his voice, they came with knives and axes and attacked the Monster. Some struck him with axes, some cut him with knives. At last they killed him. They turned the body over and examined its back. They found that a long whetstone had entered his anus fully a foot.

The end.

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A Lamut tale

A Lamut camp is destroyed by mysterious invaders, leaving three sisters as the sole survivors. The eldest sister infiltrates the enemy camp, discovers their weakness—a maggot-infested reindeer liver—and destroys it, killing the invaders, including their shaman leader. She reunites with her sisters, shows them the lifeless enemy camp, and they claim the camp’s resources for themselves, triumphing over their foes.

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 eldest sister uses her wit to infiltrate the enemy camp, gain their trust, and uncover their weakness.

Trials and Tribulations: The sisters face the hardship of losing their family and home, testing their resilience and resourcefulness.

Revenge and Justice: The eldest sister’s actions serve as retribution against the invaders, restoring balance and avenging her family’s demise.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Evens (Lamut) Lore

Learn more about the Evens (Lamut)

Told by Anne Sosykin, a Russianized Chuvantzi woman, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900.

There was a Lamut camp. An old Lamut had three daughters, who were not married. Another family made their camp nearby. I do not know whether they were men or spirits. They attacked the Lamut, and killed all of them. The three sisters fled. The strangers dried the flesh of their victims. They split the bones and extracted the marrow. The sisters were very hungry. The oldest one said, “I will go to them. I am very hungry. Perhaps they will not kill me.”

They bade her welcome and offered her meat. It seems, they gave her flesh of one of her own people, for she could not eat it. The master of the house was the shaman of the camp. In the evening he said to his wife and the visiting girl, “I will sleep this night with both of you.” So they lay down side by side. The shaman copulated first with the one, then with the other. When they lay there tired, the girl asked the mistress, “Do you live on the flesh of those Lamut people?” — “It is so,” she answered.

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The shaman suddenly jumped up. “Ah! my heart is throbbing. It forbodes something.” — “What does it forbode?” asked his wife. “Is there anybody stronger than you are?” — “Lie down!” said the guest, “since you are my new husband.” He lay down. The guest asked again, “Eh, sister, do you ever suffer from any illness?” — “Never,” answered the mistress. “In the valley down there is a reindeer that belongs to my husband. Its liver is full of reindeer fly maggots. Whoever gets this liver kills all of us. This is our only fear.” — “Ah, sister!” answered the guest, “it is time to sleep.”

Soon they slept. The Lamut woman crept out of the tent. She took the bow and arrows, put on her snowshoes, and went to look for the reindeer. She saw it in the valley, close to a group of larch trees. It was spotted, and its antlers stood upright. She tried to approach, but it ran away. At last she came within range of it and killed it. Then she opened it and extracted the liver. It was full of maggots. She destroyed these one by one. Soon there was heard a great lamentation from the camp of the invaders. “Arai, arai.” [in the Lamut language, “Alas, alas!”] She came to the shaman’s tent. He jumped up; but when she destroyed the largest maggot, he fell back dead. Then she went to her sisters. “Ah, sisters! I have killed them all.” — “How is it possible?” said the sisters. “It is not true.” — “Indeed, let us go and look at them!” They arrived at the camp. All their enemies were stone-dead. They carried out the bodies, and took everything in the camp for themselves.

The end.

Yukaghir tale

Two sisters encounter Kosetoka, a monster. When he approaches the first sister playing dead, he rejects her as spoiled meat. The second sister challenges him to a “game” on the ice, tricking him into removing his testicles. He falls dead, and she returns home triumphantly claiming she killed him through her clever, brutal strategy.

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

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The sister’s deceptive game leads to the monster’s demise.

Supernatural Beings: The encounter with Kosetoka, a malevolent spirit.

Trials and Tribulations: The sisters confront and overcome a life-threatening challenge.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Anne Sosykin, a Russianized Chuvantzi woman, in the village of Markova. Recorded by Mrs. Sophie Bogoras, winter of 1900.

There were two sisters. One time they walked about and met Kosetoka [a bad spirit]. The first sister saw him, and immediately let herself fall down, pretending to be dead. He came to her and investigated the body. He found an aperture in the hind part, and said, “Ah! this is the wound.” Then he put his finger into the wound and smelled of it. “Ah!” said he, “bad odor. Probably she was killed long ago.” Then he stooped down and smelled of the pretended wound. “Too bad!” said he, “I will not eat of it.”

The other sister was deaf, and did not hear his words. All at once she looked back and saw the monster. “Ah, ah!” said he, “this is fresh meat. I will cook some of it for today.” She retorted, “Better let us go and have a little play! After that you may eat me.” They went to a lake which was frozen. “Let us have our play hereon the ice.” The woman had two round stone scrapers concealed in her bosom. “Here, sister! what shall we play!” asked the monster.

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The woman put her hand into her bosom and took out one of the scrapers. This she jerked out suddenly, and threw it on the ice. It rolled down with much noise. “Ah sister! you have there some very nice playthings.” — “You also have similar playthings between your legs. There are two of them. You may tear off one and throw it on the ice.” He put his hand between his legs and roared with pain. “Quick!” said the woman, “tear it off and throw it down!” He threw his testicle down on the ice. It made a shuffling noise and stuck to the ice. “Ah, ah!” roared the monster, “now it is your turn!” The woman jumped up and jerked out the other scraper. Doing this, she also roared feigning great suffering. “Go along! It is your turn now!” — “Ah, sister! it is too painful.” — “For shame, I, a woman, can stand as much.” He tore off the other testicle, and immediately fell down on the ice. He was dead and the woman ran home. “Ah, ah!” said she to her sister, “I have killed him. We tried a new game, all of my own invention, and I killed Kosetoka.”

The end.

Story about Yaghishna

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

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

► Themes of the story

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

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

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

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

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

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

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

That is all.

Story of the tom-cat and the cock

This is the Kolyma version of the well-known Old World story. Among the Russians of Europe several versions of it are known, mostly in rhymed prose. The Kolyma version is also in rhymed prose; but its form seems to be more ancient, and some of its details are not without interest.

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 She-Fox uses deceitful tactics to lure the Cock and capture him.

Trials and Tribulations: The Cock faces challenges, including abduction and the need for rescue.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts lessons about trust, caution, and the consequences of naivety.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

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

There lived a Tom-Cat and a Cock. The Tom-Cat went to fetch fuel, and ordered the Cock to bake pancakes. Meanwhile there came a She-Fox and sang:

O Cock, my Cock! let me in!
We two shall play with little gold rings.
But the Cock refused to let her in.

Then she sang again:

O Cock, my Cock! the golden crest,
The battered head, the silken beard,
Permit me at least to warm one single nail.

The Cock felt compassion, and pierced with a needle a little hole in the window-skin. The She-Fox thrust her nail in through the hole, and tore off the window-skin.

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Then she caught the Cock and carried him off through the window. The Cock sang aloud:

O Cat, my Cat!
The Fox is carrying me off
Beyond the dark forest,
Beyond the high mountains,
Beyond the white rocks,
Beyond the round lakes.

But the cat heard nothing and the Cock cried again:

O Cat, my Cat!
The Fox is carrying me off
Beyond the dark forest,
Beyond the high mountains,
Beyond the white rocks,
Beyond the round lakes.

The Cat heard this time, and chased the Fox. He swung over her head his mighty sword, but she slipped into her furrow and was gone. So the Cock went to market and bought for himself a fine dulcimer. Then he came to the Fox’s house, and sang thus:

Jingle, jingle, my fine dulcimer,
My golden one, my sonorous one!
Are you at home, O my red fox!
In your warm nest?
The first daughter of yours is the Small-Stuffed-One,
The second daughter is Palachelka.
The son is Valorous.
He went up the sky
Clap my little staff
At the oaken door-sill.
Bring me, O fox!
An oven-baked cake.

So the Fox said to the Small-Stuffed-One, “Go and give him this oven-baked-cake.” She went with the cake, but he struck her on the head and killed her.

He hid the carcass under the sand,
And the little skin under a heavy stone,
Lest the people see anything.

Then he sang again:

Jingle, jingle, my fine dulcimer,
My golden one, my sonorous one!
Are you at home, O fox!
In your warm nest?
You are
Quite fair of face,
But your husband is unfair.
Clap my little staff
Upon the oaken door-sill,
Bring me, O Fox!
An oven-baked-cake.

“Ah,” said the Fox, “go, Palachelka, and give him this oven-baked cake.” She went with the cake but he killed her likewise. Then he sang again:

“Ah!” said the Fox, “Go, little Cock, and give him this oven-baked cake!”

The Cock went with the cake, but the Tom-Cat caught the Cock and hurried back to his home. [According to another version, likewise from the Kolyma, the Tom-Cat killed also the mother Fox. He found the Cock firmly frozen in a block of ice, lying in the corner. He broke the ice, and thawed the Cock’s body before the fire. The Cock came to life, and crowed lustily.]

He gave the cock a sound thrashing. “Another time, whoever comes, you must not forget to keep the door tightly closed.” After that they lived happily.

Story of a foolish woman

A man with a foolish wife decides to test her by switching animals between deadfalls and nets. When they find treasure, the wife reveals it to the chief officer, leading to embarrassment for both. The wife demands a new dress, and the husband gives her a bull’s skin, causing chaos in church. Eventually, he punishes her severely, restoring her to her former self.

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 husband deceives his wife by swapping the hare and barbot between the deadfall and fish net, testing her gullibility.

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts lessons on the consequences of foolishness and the importance of discretion, as the wife’s indiscretions lead to public embarrassment and punishment.

Conflict with Authority: The wife’s interaction with the chief officer, driven by her lack of discretion, brings the couple into conflict with local authority, resulting in further complications.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by John Sukhomyasoff, a Russian creole, the clerk of the church in the village of Nishne-Kolymsk, the Kolyma country, summer of 1896.

Once upon a time, there lived a man who had a foolish wife. He beat her and chastized her in every way, but could do nothing with her. One time he said to himself, “Let me test her! Perhaps she will become more sensible.” He had some deadfalls in the woods, and some fish nets in the water. He said to her, “Let us go and have a look at them!” They set off. The man examined a deadfall, and found in it a hare; then he found in a fish net a large barbot. He put the barbot into the deadfall, and the hare into the fish net.

That done, he called his wife. They came to the deadfall, and she saw the barbot. “Oh, oh!” said the woman, “how is it now? Barbots are caught in deadfalls!” — “So they are,” answered the man. They came to the fish net, and the hare was caught in its meshes. “And how is this?” said the woman. “Hares are caught in fish nets!” — “So they are,” answered the man.

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They went back to the village, and passed the chief officer’s house. Some cows in the stable were lowing loudly. “Who is that crying?” asked the woman. “It is the chief officer,” said the man. “His women flog him most mercilessly.” — “Poor thing!” said the woman, “he cries so vehemently,” — “Why, he feels pain, therefore he is crying.”

They came home and found a treasure of silver money. “Mind,” said the man, “do not tell any one about it, lest it should be taken from us.” After a while, they had a quarrel. The woman grew angry. She went to the chief officer and told him everything. The chief officer gave immediate orders to bring the man. “Why, you scoundrel! you found a treasure and told me nothing of it.” — “What treasure?” said the man. “I swear, I found nothing!” — “You did, you did!” said the woman. “You are crazy,” said the man. “When did I find the treasure?” — “Ah, when? Just at the time when we caught a barbot in a deadfall and a hare in a net.” — “What did you say?” asked the chief officer, much astonished. “Yes, yes!” repeated the woman, “at that very time, when the women flogged you in the stable. You cried most vehemently.” The chief officer grew angry and turned her out of the house. Her husband gave her a severe thrashing.

However, she was in no way down-hearted. She ill-used the man worse than ever. “It is because you buy no good clothes for me,” repeated the woman, “therefore the people set little value by me, and even turn me out of their houses; and when I pass on the street, no man greets me with as much as a bow.” — “Why, you thrice fool!” said the man, but she would not stop at all. “Tomorrow is a holiday,” said she, “buy me a new dress, or I will give you no rest or quiet.” — “All right!” said the man, “I will buy you a new dress, very costly. You may put it on and go to church.” — “What dress, what dress?” insisted the woman. “Be quiet!” said the man. “It is too late now. Go to sleep. Early in the morning I shall bring you that precious dress.” She went to sleep. The man went to the stable and slaughtered a young bull. He took off the skin in one piece, horns and hoofs, muzzle and tail, and everything withal. This he carried home for his wife. Early in the morning the bells tolled for morning service. The woman jumped up and nudged her husband. “Get up, will you! Where is my new dress?” — “I will bring it presently,” said the man. “Ah, here it is! The woman wanted to strike a fire. “O don’t!” said the man, “listen to the bells! You must hurry! Come here! I will help you dress.” So he helped her into the bull skin, and then sewed it up. He put the horns’ and the tail in their proper places. “Now you look quite well,” said he. “Be off to church!” She hurried on, like a cow walking on her hind legs. Whoever met her fell down with fright. “Ah,” said the woman, “see how they bow to me this time!” She came to the church, and pushed aside all the people with those heavy hoofs. She gored all the ladies, — the wife of the priest, and the daughters of the chief officer, — and took her place in front of all, close to the priest. All the people looked at her and were much frightened. Women ceased saying their prayers, and clerks and chanters stopped singing. The priest came out and said to them. “What is the matter with you? Why did you stop singing?” Then he saw the woman. “Oh, oh! is it the Devil. Who is there with horns and tail?” The people meanwhile one by one backed out of the church. The priest took the censer and tried to expel the Devil. He put plenty of incense into the censer and filled the whole church with dense smoke. The woman sneezed violently, and muttered, “Too much honor, too much honor!” Then she left the church and went home. “Ah!” said she, “this time it was just as I wanted it. The people gave me the best place, in front of all; the children on the street fell down before me; and the priest in the church never ceased bowing before me, and he filled the whole church with clouds of incense in my special honor.” The husband said, “You are not my wife, you are a cow. Your talk is like the lowing of a cow.” He put a halter on her neck and led her into the stable. There he tied her to a post, took the heavy horsewhip that he used on the old bulls and stallions and flogged her with all his might. He cut the bull hide into strips, so severely did he flog her. He chastized her so long that she swooned; then he let up and poured cold water over her head. After that he flogged her again, so that she swooned a second time. At last the whole bullskin fell from her body in mere shreds. “Now you are again a woman!” said the man, and he led her back into the house.

A Christmas story

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

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

► Themes of the story

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

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

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

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

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

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

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

That is all.

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.

The woman’s head

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

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

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The narrative features a supernatural girl from the sea who abducts the protagonist with the intent to marry and consume him.

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

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

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.