Bahloo the Moon, and the Daens

Bahloo the moon asked earth people to carry his “dogs” (three snakes) across a creek, promising them rebirth if they agreed. Fearing the snakes’ deadly bites, they refused. Bahloo demonstrated their harmlessness but, angered by their refusal, cursed them to never rise again after death, unlike him. The earth people, resentful, began killing snakes, but Bahloo ensured their enduring presence as a reminder of their defiance.

Source
Australian Legendary Tales
collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker
London & Melbourne, 1896

► Themes of the story

Divine Punishment: Bahloo, a celestial being, punishes the earth people for their refusal to assist him, decreeing that they will not experience rebirth after death.

Supernatural Beings: The narrative features Bahloo, the moon deity, and his “dogs,” which are snakes with significant roles in the myth.

Origin of Things: The tale explains the perpetual presence of snakes on earth as a consequence of the people’s defiance, providing an origin story for their existence.

► From the same Region or People

Australia
- Narran Lore

Learn more about the Aboriginal Australians

Bahloo the moon looked down at the earth one night, when his light was shining quite brightly, to see if any one was moving. When the earth people were all asleep was the time he chose for playing with his three dogs. He called them dogs, but the earth people called them snakes, the death adder, the black snake, and the tiger snake. As he looked down on to the earth, with his three dogs beside him, Bahloo saw about a dozen daens, or black fellows, crossing a Creek. He called to them saying, “Stop, I want you to carry my dogs across that creek.”

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But the black fellows, though they liked Bahloo well, did not like his dogs, for sometimes when he had brought these dogs to play on the earth, they had bitten not only the earth dogs but their masters; and the poison left by the bites had killed those bitten. So the black fellows said, “No, Bahloo, we are too frightened; your dogs might bite us. They are not like our dogs, whose bite would not kill us.”

Bahloo said, “If you do what I ask you, when you die you shall come to life again, not die and stay always where you are put when you are dead. See this piece of bark. I throw it into the water.” And he threw a piece of bark into the creek. “See it comes to the top again and floats. That is what would happen to you if you would do what I ask you: first under when you die, then up again at once. If you will not take my dogs over, you foolish daens, you will die like this,” and he threw a stone into the creek, which sank to the bottom. “You will be like that stone, never rise again, Wombah daens!”

But the black fellows said, “We cannot do it, Bahloo. We are too frightened of your dogs.”

“I will come down and carry them over myself to show you that they are quite safe and harmless.” And down he came, the black snake coiled round one arm, the tiger snake round the other, and the death adder on his shoulder, coiled towards his neck. He carried them over. When he had crossed the creek he picked up a big stone, and he threw it into the water, saying, “Now, you cowardly daens, you would not do what I, Bahloo, asked you to do, and so forever you have lost the chance of rising again after you die. You will just stay where you are put, like that stone does under the water, and grow, as it does, to be part of the earth. If you had done what I asked you, you could have died as often as I die, and have come to life as often as I come to life. But now you will only be black fellows while you live, and bones when you are dead.”

Bahloo looked so cross, and the three snakes hissed so fiercely, that the black fellows were very glad to see them disappear from their sight behind the trees. The black fellows had always been frightened of Bahloo’s dogs, and now they hated them, and they said, “If we could get them away from Bahloo we would kill them.” And thenceforth, whenever they saw a snake alone they killed it. But Babloo only sent more, for he said, “As long as there are black fellows there shall be snakes to remind them that they would not do what I asked them.”

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A Markova tale

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

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

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The narrative features a shaman and a woman capable of transforming into a black dog, indicating interactions with supernatural entities.

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

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

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chuvan Lore

Learn more about the Chuvan people

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

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

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

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

Sister and brother married

A sister, desiring to marry her brother, deceives him by disguising herself as a new woman in their camp. The brother unknowingly marries her, and they have a son. When the boy learns the truth from a Snow-Bunting, the father investigates. Discovering the incestuous deceit, he sets a trap with a spell-bound ax, which kills his sister. He and his son continue living together afterward.

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 explores complex relationships within a family, particularly the taboo of incest.

Divine Punishment: The brother invokes a spell-bound ax to punish his sister for her deceit, resulting in her death.

Forbidden Love: The sister’s desire to marry her brother represents a romantic connection defying societal and familial expectations.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chuvan Lore

Learn more about the Chuvan people

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

There was a sister who wanted to marry her brother. One time while the brother was out hunting she sewed a new tent cover and prepared new poles also. Then she dug a long underground passage away from their house, and at the end of it she pitched her new tent. She said to her brother, “A strange woman has come to our camp. You should marry her. After that I will go away.” He said, “Better stay with us.” — “No, I will go and look for a husband; but you must go and visit that woman.” As soon as he was gone, she changed her clothing, and arranged her hair in a different manner. Then she dived into the underground passage and made off to the new tent. There she sat down and when her brother came in he saw her working on skins. He went back home; but she was there before him, and put on her former dress. She asked him, “Did you see her?” — “Yes, I saw her. She looks very much like you.” — “Don’t be silly! Women are alike, just like larch-cones; you hesitate too long. Marry her, the sooner the better. I will go and look for a husband.”

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The following morning he went to the woman’s tent, and spent the whole day there. He paid his suit and married her. The sister pretended to go away, but she had gone to the new tent and stayed there. There they lived. In due time she brought forth a boy, who grew up and became able to shoot. His father made a bow and arrows for him. The boy shot at a Snow-Bunting, which grew angry, and said to him, “You good-for-nothing! do not shoot at me! Better think that you are the child of a brother who married his own sister.” The boy went to his mother, and said, “The Snow-Bunting is abusing me. It says that I am the child of a brother who married his own sister.” She only said, “Do not say that to your father!” When the man came home, the boy wanted to tell him; but just as he began and said “Father!” his mother gave him a spanking and drove him away. This was repeated several times. Then the father took notice and said, “Wife! bring me some wild sheep meat.” She went to the storehouse. Then the boy began again, “Here, father!” — “What is it, child?” — “Snow-Bunting said to me that I am the child of a brother who married his own sister.” — “Ah, ah!” said the father. He took his big ax and ground it well on the whetstone. Then he hung it up just above the entrance. He laid a spell upon it and said to the ax, “If she is really my sister, fall down and split her head.” The woman entered smiling; but, as soon as she had shut the door, the ax fell down and split her head. So she died, and he prepared for her funeral. They lived on, he and his boy.

The end.

Story of elk’s head

A family suffers a series of devastating losses. After their daughter chokes on a meal and dies, the grieving mother gives birth to a son, only to die immediately with the child. The distraught father lashes out at his wife’s corpse, prompting her to rise and strike him before dying again, ultimately causing his own violent demise.

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

Loss and Renewal: The narrative depicts a family experiencing profound losses—the death of their daughter, followed by the mother’s death during childbirth. The brief renewal through the birth of a son is overshadowed by subsequent tragedies.

Divine Punishment: The father’s act of striking his deceased wife results in immediate retribution, leading to his own demise, suggesting a form of divine or supernatural punishment.

Tragic Flaw: The father’s inability to cope with grief leads him to a rash action—striking his deceased wife—which precipitates his own death, illustrating a fatal flaw in his character.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Yukaghir Lore

Learn more about the Yukaghir people

Told by Marie Dauroff, a Russian creole girl, aged fifteen, in the village of Nishne-Kolymsk, the Kolyma country, summer of 1896.

There were an old man and an old woman. They had one daughter. They said to her, “Go to the roof and bring the elk’s head.” She brought the elk’s head. They chopped it up small and cooked it in a kettle. They ate of it, and in one day they finished it. Then they said again to the girl, “Go to the roof and bring the mare’s tongue.” She brought the tongue. They cut it up small, and then fried it in a frying-pan. Then they wanted to eat of it; but the first morsel stuck in the throat of the girl, and she fell down, with the rattle of death in her throat.

The old man and the old woman cried for grief, but the girl soon died. The old woman cried so much, that she brought forth a boy. The old man felt joyful, so he wanted to celebrate the birth. He kindled a large fire, and went to the roof to get a leg of elk; but before he came back, the old woman had died along with the boy.

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The old man was frantic with grief. He cried at first; then he struck the old woman, and said, “Why did the ‘black ruin’ take you this time? You never even felt slightly indisposed.” The old woman was so angry, that she jumped up, struck the old man on the head, and died again. The old man fell down and scattered all around in their ashes.

The end. They lived and lived, and live till now, but get nothing good whatever.

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.

Big-Raven and Fox

Big-Raven, walking along the sand-spit, encounters various seals and whales, which he throws into the sea. He finds a good whale and calls the nearby Chukchee people, but fearing them, he enters the whale’s mouth to gather oil. A fox observes him, and in gratitude for the oil, sends him a poisoned cake, which ultimately kills him.

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

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The fox’s act of disguising poison as a gift exemplifies deceit to achieve a personal goal.

Supernatural Beings: Big-Raven and the fox possess anthropomorphic qualities, engaging in human-like actions and communication.

Divine Punishment: Big-Raven’s fate—death by poisoned cake—can be interpreted as retribution for his earlier actions, such as kicking sea creatures back into the water.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Koryak Lore

Learn more about the Koryak people

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

Big-Raven walked along the sand-spit, and found a small ringed-seal. He said, “It seems that if it were a good catch, it would not lie so far (from the water).” He kicked it, and threw it into the sea. He walked farther on, and found a spotted seal. He said as before, “It seems that if it were a good catch, it would not lie so far (from the water).” He kicked it into the sea.

Then he found a thong-seal, and kicked it into the sea. He found a white-whale, and threw it into the water. He found a whale, and another whale, quite big (bowhead whale), and he threw it in still farther. He walked on, and found a striped whale. (Then he said,) “Here is a good whale!”

Then he called aloud to the neighboring people. A number of Chukchee rushed for the whale, knife in hand.

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They were approaching. He looked on them and felt frightened. So he entered the mouth of the whale. There he began to suck in the whale-oil. He filled his mouth full, then he jumped out and flew away.

A fox saw him. “Where do you come from?” – “From the whale.” She says, “What?” He says, “From the whale.” She said again, “What?” – “From the whale!” Then the oil dropped down directly on her back.

“That is good. I gathered some oil.” She wrung out her coat in a dogs’ trough. Big-Raven also gathered oil for himself. Then the small fox prepared a cake of berries and other vegetable material, and sent it to Big-Raven to show her gratitude. With these return-payments, however, she killed him [evidently by poison mixed with the berries].

The kamak and his wife

A group of people lived peacefully until a Kamak and his wife demanded blubber, consuming it daily and threatening to eat the villagers once it ran out. The villagers fled to the sky via an arrow-formed road. The Kamaks searched for them, using divination and crude methods, but their plans backfired hilariously and fatally. The villagers later returned, rid the area of the Kamaks, and lived happily without fear of spirits.

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

► Themes of the story

Conflict with Authority: The villagers face oppression from the Kamak and his wife, who demand resources and threaten their lives.

Cunning and Deception: The villagers cleverly escape by creating an arrow-formed road to the sky, outsmarting the Kamak and his wife.

Divine Punishment: The Kamak and his wife meet a fatal end due to their own misguided actions, suggesting a form of cosmic justice.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Koryak Lore

Learn more about the Koryak people

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

Some people lived in a certain place. One day a kamak and his wife looked down (through the entrance-hole). They said, “Halloo! have you not some blubber?” – “There is some in the cache.” They entered the cache, and began to eat blubber. Then they sang, “It tastes well. We are eating blubber.” The next morning it was the same. “Halloo! have you not some blubber?” – “There is some in the porch.” – “It tastes well. We are eating blubber; but when you have no more blubber, tomorrow we shall eat you.”

They fled upwards in the night-time. They threw an arrow (upwards), and it became a road. They fled along this road.

Those came again. “Halloo! have you not some blubber?” But there was no answer. “Let us jump in! They are hidden somewhere.” They entered, and searched in all the corners. There was nothing.

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They said, “Let us try the divining-stone!” [Literally “let us act with the grandmother”. “Grandmother” is used also for “divining-stone”. The reason is probably that divination with stones is chiefly practised by women, and that the divining-stone, though usually a round pebble or a piece of bone ornamented with beads and tassels, represents a female guardian of the family.] (The kamak-woman) made (her husband) stand with his legs apart. She used his penis as a divining-stone. “If they have fled to the morning dawn, we shall follow them. If they have fled to the sunset, we shall follow them. To the seaside also we shall follow them. If they have fled upwards, what then? God would not treat us very pleasantly. How can we follow them?”

He began to sway his penis. “Shall we go out through the same opening without any fear [without shame]. Let us go out through the vent-hole in the roof of the porch!” The kamak-woman said, “Take me on your shoulders!” He took her on his back. “Oh, you are strangling me!” (His head) thrust itself into her anus. “Oh, you are playing mischief!”

Finally they both died, and lay there. His head slipped into her anus. After a while (the fugitives) said, “Let us visit the house!” They visited it, and dragged out his head with an iron hook, and his head had become (quite) hairless.

“Oh, oh?” They threw them into the direction of the sunset. Then they lived and were happy. They were not harmed by spirits.

That is all.

How Eme’mqut became a cannibal

Eme’mqut, married to Grass-Woman, becomes a cannibalistic killer, consuming his own father-in-law Root-Man. Grass-Woman escapes and tricks him with strategically placed lice. Big-Raven intervenes, ultimately forcing Eme’mqut to consume himself, starting with his toes and ending with his neck. After his death, mysterious visitors arrive, and the family settles permanently, abandoning their wandering lifestyle.

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

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: Grass-Woman cleverly uses lice to deceive Eme’mqut, leading to his downfall.

Divine Punishment: Big-Raven intervenes to punish Eme’mqut for his cannibalistic actions, forcing him to consume himself.

Loss and Renewal: Following Eme’mqut’s demise, the family abandons their nomadic lifestyle, settling permanently and marking a new beginning.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Koryak Lore

Learn more about the Koryak people

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

Big-Raven lived with his people. Eme’mqut married Grass-Woman. Eme’mqut said to his wife, “Let us go out.” She said, “It seems that you are going to do wrong.” He said, “Why should I? This time I shall not do so.” He went out into the open country and came home, having killed wild reindeer. Then he staid for a night in the open. After that he staid for two nights and very soon all the time. Grass-Woman went for a visit to her father Root-Man. She came and looked through the vent-hole, she quietly looked in and saw that just then Eme’mqut had split Root-Man in twain. He was eating his own father-in-law.

Grass-Woman went to her open-country house and entered it. She put one small louse into the inner room, and another into the storehouse. Then she fled to Big-Raven’s house. She came to Big-Raven’s and said, “I don’t know what has happened to Eme’mqut.”

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They constructed a raised platform. Oh, Eme’mqut came to the open-country house, and he called, “Grass-Woman!” and it answered from the house, “Oh!” He came to the storehouse and called again, “Grass-Woman!” and it answered from the storehouse “Oh!” He recognized the voice of those small lice. He said, “The deuce! She is deceiving me!” He said, “Maybe I shall not be able to eat those people!” He came (to Big-Raven’s house). The people were sitting on a raised platform. Eme’mqut said, “Maybe I shall not be able to eat them, since they have constructed a platform!”

He approached, and began to lick with his tongue (the supports of the platform). Big-Raven cut at his tongue with a hatchet. He broke the edge of the hatchet; and when he examined it, it was quite jagged, like the broken gums (of an old man). (He did) the same with an axe; then he examined it, and it was also all jagged.

Big-Raven said, “Well then, Grass-Woman, give him his own offspring!” She dropped their small son into his mouth, and he spat out mere broken bones. Then Big-Raven said to him, “Well, then listen to me! Since you are like that, listen to me! just do try and eat your own body!” Immediately he began to gnaw the points of the nails of his own toes. After that he consumed his legs; then his body, arms, and shoulders. At last merely the neck was left, merely the throat. Then only did he die. After a while they burned him.

One time they were sitting in the dark. Their fire had just gone out, and Yini’a-na’wgut said to her sister, “Let us go and stop up the smoke-hole!” They stopped up the smoke-hole; and then they began to say, “Those two are coming back! (One of them) is carrying something on his shoulders. It seems to be Eme’mqut, carrying his little son.” (Indeed,) those two came and said, “Bring out the fire!” The women carried out the fire. They fed the fire (with sacrifice). Then only did the new-comers enter.

From that time on he ceased to say, “Let us go to the open country!” They staid at home all the time. They lost all desire to roam in all directions and to all places. They staid at home at the same place.

That is all.

The Mouse-Girls

A young Mouse-Girl loses a tooth while pilfering puddings and claims she was shot by the Envious-One from heaven. Her grandmother and Ermine-Woman investigate, discovering the truth through a tooth-fitting test. Exposed for her mischief, the girl is scolded by her mother and told to die, ultimately succumbing after failing to strangle herself on a forked twig.

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

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The girl’s falsehood about her injury exemplifies deceit to avoid punishment.

Family Dynamics: The interactions between the Mouse-Girl, her mother, and grandmother highlight familial relationships and responses to misconduct.

Divine Punishment: The girl’s claim of being punished by a celestial being reflects themes of retribution from higher powers.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Koryak Lore

Learn more about the Koryak people

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

Mouse-Girl said, “Let us play!” They played, and one of them lost a tooth, the youngest one of all. They said to her, “How did you lose this tooth?” She said, “I was shot by the Envious-One from heaven. By his arrow I lost my tooth. Now I shall die, how can I live?” They said to her, “Do not stay outside! Let us carry you into the house!” They carried her home.

Her mother said, “What has happened to you?” “I was shot from the sky by the Envious-One with an arrow.” The mother said, “Let us call grandmother!” They called her, they brought her to the house. She began to practise shamanism, in order to find out where the small daughter got her suffering. She said, “My breath does not fit anywhere.” Then she wanted to go to the porch. Ermine-Woman said, “Halloo! I will go to the porch, I will inspect the puddings.”

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The small girl pilfered there, and so she lost her tooth. They looked at the puddings, and saw that one made of stone-pine nuts had been gnawed at. There she left a tooth. Indeed, when pilfering she lost a tooth. Ermine-Woman brought in the tooth.

“Whose tooth is it?” Ermine-Woman said, “On which of the small girls shall we try this tooth?” She said to one of the small girls, “Open your mouth!” That one opened her mouth. She applied the tooth, but it did not fit. In the same way it did not fit any of those small girls. Ermine-Woman said, “Let us try it on the little suffering girl!” She tried it, and it fitted her well. Ermine-Woman said, “She was pilfering.” What should she do?

Her mother scolded her, and said, “Go and die! Strangle yourself on a forked twig!” She (went, and very soon) came back. She said, “I could not strangle myself on a forked twig.” [The natives believe that the mice actually commit suicide by strangling themselves in a forked willow-twig.] Mother scolded her, and said again, “There, go away!” She went away, and then only she died.

That is all.

The adventures of the brothers

A group of brothers embarks on a perilous sea journey, facing mysterious lands, talking gulls, magical creatures, and treacherous spirits. Guided by warnings and elder wisdom, they navigate dangers, often thwarted by the youngest brother’s foolishness. After countless trials—including encounters with a giant bird, a mouse-woman, and a witch — they return home transformed, only to turn to stone upon arrival, marking the end of their tale.

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

► Themes of the story

Trials and Tribulations: Throughout their journey, the brothers encounter various obstacles and tests, including interactions with talking gulls, magical creatures, and treacherous spirits.

Supernatural Beings: The narrative features encounters with entities such as talking gulls, a giant bird, a mouse-woman, and a witch, highlighting interactions with the supernatural.

Divine Punishment: The ultimate fate of the brothers—being turned into stone—can be interpreted as a form of retribution for their actions during the journey.

► From the same Region or People

North Asia
- Chukchee Lore

Learn more about the Chukchee people

This tale represents a clever intermixture of some elements of Russian or Turko-Mongol origin with others which are genuine Chukchee.

Told by Rike’wgi, a Maritime Chukchee man, at Mariinsky Post, October, 1900.

A company of brothers went to sea in a boat. They were caught by a foul wind and carried away to another land. They lost their way in a dense fog, but at last they sighted land. It was an extraordinary land, a quite dark one. They spoke thus: “Oh, my! we have come to a strange land.” They walked for a while, and saw people that were gulls. The gulls could also speak in the manner of men. “Oh, here are those people from the mainland!” — “Yes!” — “What is the matter with you?” — “We were badly treated by the wind.” — “Oh, how terrible!” — “But we are dying!” The Gull people said, “You shall not die. Go down slowly along that sea-beach yonder, then you will not die. Indeed, [on your way] there is a stranded carcass (lying on the beach). You must not eat of it. Otherwise you will die. When you shall have passed it by, then you will see the carcass of a hunch-backed whale stranded (on the beach). You may eat some of its liver.”

They were quite hungry when they found the carcass of the hunch-backed whale. They ate of its liver. One of the brothers was [a fool, even] quite foolish. (He said,) “I wish we could eat a little more!” The eldest brother said, “(What you have eaten) is enough. You would die.”

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They departed again, and saw people that were gulls ( Larus glaucus). “Oh, where are you from?” — “We were badly treated by the sea. We have lost our country. And so we are dying.” — “Indeed, you shall not die. Go down again slowly along the seashore. There you will see the stranded carcass of a whale (Balaenoptera velifera). You must pass it by. Then you will see another carcass, that of a sea-lion (Eumetopias Stelleri). Of that you may eat your fill.”

They departed from there, and saw the stranded carcass of a whale. They passed by it; and the foolish brother said again, “Oh, let us eat of it!” The eldest brother said, “Such is he, the quite foolish one. — You (actually) want to die.” They left there again, and saw people that were gulls of a smaller size.

“Oh, here are those people from the mainland!” — “Yes!” — “What is the matter with you?” — “We were badly treated by the sea.” — “Oh, then move on slowly. You will see the stranded carcass of a white whale. Do not eat of it. After that you will find the stranded carcass of a walrus. You may eat your fill of that. That place is near to a settlement. A strong man lives in it.”

They departed, and saw the stranded carcass of a white whale. They passed it by. The foolish brother said again, “Let us eat!” The eldest brother again gave him a scolding, and said thus [spoke to him]: “What do you want, you greedy one?” They passed by it again. Then they found the stranded carcass of a walrus. They ate a full meal of it.

After that they travelled a little longer, and then landed. They brought their boat to the shore and buried it in the sand, so that it was not to be seen. Then they slept. They awoke (in the morning), and, lo! a man was walking along the shore. He was full of fear. Now he would come near, and again he would flee.

The foolish brother was quite eager. He said, “Let me catch him!” The eldest one said, “Wait, wait!” They were keeping him back like a dog. Then the other man approached again. The foolish one rushed at him. This foolish brother was also very strong. “Oh, let us kill him!” — “Wait a bit! We will question him first.” They kept him down on the ground. Then they asked him, “Are your people numerous?” — “Yes!” — “Have you strong men?” — “Yes, one strong man, and he does much violence. He takes away everybody’s provisions.” — “Oh, do not tell him about us! We will visit him.”

Evening came again. They sent the foolish one to get provisions. He went, and stole provisions from a cache. He came back and brought a load of whale-skin, ever so big. “Egegegei’, I was almost up to their houses!” — “What did you do that for? Do you want to die?” Thus spoke the eldest brother, as before.

Morning came. A man from that place paddled out in a canoe. The canoe was quite large. He caught many seals. They looked into his canoe, and the canoe was filled [separate boat] (with seals), among them thong-seals. “Halloo! haul me up on shore!” The people did not hear. So he landed. He was very angry. He carried a walrus-penis. With this he began to strike about among all the people there, the neighbors.

Then he went back to the canoe. “Haul me up on shore!” Of course the people knew better now. So the entire number went to the seashore. He was taking the thong-seals with one [single] hand, and, sitting in the canoe, was hurling them ashore. So strong was he.

The foolish one said, “Oh, indeed! I shall be able to manage him all right.” — “Now, there! be quiet, will you?” They came there in the evening. A big jaw-bone house was standing there. The house-master was squirming upon his back in the inner room. Then he saw them. “O guests!” — “Yes!” — “Tomorrow we will arrange a thanks-giving ceremonial.”

They passed a night there, and the people were arranging the ceremonial. The master brought in a big stone. They entered, and the entrance was closed. The foolish one spoke to the other brothers. “Oh, but they are going to kill us!” All these men had ermine-skins hanging down from their belts.

Meanwhile the lamps were put out. That stone was a very old one. It was covered all over with dried blood. They brought it in. The guests put on their ermine-skins (in the dark). After that they burrowed [themselves] in holes under the bases of the house-poles. Meanwhile the master was swaying in the dark in a ceremonial dance, and the stone was clattering all around in the house, “Piw, piw!”

He ceased swaying, and said, “Oh, where are the guests?” and in a moment they were in their former places upon the pillow. Light the lamp!” The foolish one said, “Oh, oh! but it is a good merry house for thanksgiving ceremonials.” — “Oh, oh, how wonderful! Oh, my! which way have they gone? Oh, there! let us try it again!”

They brought in some slabs of whalebone. They were covered with dried blood. They were really murderous. Then, again, “Oh, put out the lamp!” They put out the lamp. Those men again concealed themselves in the same place. The master swayed again in his dance; and those slabs of whalebone were doing thus: “Cig, Cig!” Thus they clicked. If these men had remained on the surface, they would have been cut down by the whalebone slabs.

Again he called, “Oh, egegegegei’!” They were sitting in their former places. “Oh, where are the guests?” — “Here we are!” — “Oh, oh, wonderful!” Again the foolish one said, “Oh, oh, my! but it is a good merry house for thanksgiving ceremonials!” — “Oh, again!” They put out the lamp again. This time they fled upwards, close to the vent-hole.

Then a sling began to hurl stones about in the sleeping-room, so that the jaw-bone house was shaking. Again the master ceased swaying. Oh, they were sitting in their former places. “Oh, where are the guests? Probably this time (they are killed).” — “Oh, indeed, here we are!” — “How wonderful! Light the lamps!” Again the foolish one said, while the lamps were being lighted, “Oh, my! what a good merry house for a thanksgiving ceremonial! We feel merry.”

“Oh, bring the Maritime woman for a dance!” They brought her. Again, “Oh, put out the lamp,” The old woman danced. They hid themselves under the stone. Oh, oh! the jawbone house swayed to one side, and even the ground bent to one side. This time the foolish one was hit upon the head.

Then again, “Enough! Light the lamp!” Oh, they appeared, and the head of that one was covered with blood. Then one of the guests, the eldest brother, said, “Oh, now it is our turn. Listen! And so also put out the lamp!” He began swaying in a ceremonial dance, and a big stone from a mountain rolled into the jawbone house. And it crushed even all the (stands made of) ribs of whale. There was a great clatter. The stone rolled about like thunder, and still more thunder approached.

“There, enough! You will hit the children upon the head!” Still it continued. And as to the strong man, the present performer of the ceremonial, the stones that were rolling around in his house also broke his bones and killed him.

Then a little old man, a neighbor of his, called out, “Ogogogoi’, now the people will have a rest from game-robbing in a quite different manner for this one was robbing from his neighbors all their provisions.

The people were very glad. The brothers ceased (killing). The old man said, “On the seashore (on your way) lies a big thong-seal: it lies on the shore with half of its body out of the water. Do not pass by it at a distance, but go quite close to it, just by the tip of its nose. If you pass at a distance, it will right away kill you. When you shall have passed it, farther on there is a young seal lying on the shore, out of the water up to the middle of its body. Do not attack it, only pass it by. When you have passed it, you will see there a young thong-seal. You may attack that.”

Oh, indeed, they departed. They passed the first one close to the tip of its nose, and saw the young seal. The foolish one spoke again: “Oh, we are too hungry! I wish we might kill this one!” The eldest brother said, “You are so greedy!” — “But it is because we are hungry.” — “Such a one are you, that you cannot keep your big greedy jaws quiet.”

They passed it, and saw the young thong-seal. They slew it and had a meal. Just then they saw that a man was coming down the river. This was the master of the first thong-seal (they had passed) on their road. He asked them, “Have you met nothing on the way?” — “Nothing.” — “Oh, there! he has not seen them!”

They departed again. This time they saw the Giant Bird. It sat crouching on the sea-beach. They passed it from the water-side. When they were moving at a great distance, (the bird stretched out its neck) and swallowed them, together with the boat. [They made promises,] they were so frightened. They promised (to the spirits) a white-haired dog in their house. Then they came out through the anus (quite safe), only their heads had become bald (and they had lost) their hair.

They departed again, and saw some people who were mice, who were digging earth. They dug out underground houses. They passed a night there. One old woman was still sleeping, — an old mouse-woman. The foolish one said, “Oh, we are suffering from thirst! I will go and have a drink in the house!” The eldest brother said, “(Go,) but do not play any foolish tricks!”

Oh, he came to that house, and saw the old woman. She had her eyes closed, and had not hailed him at all. Then that man, the foolish one, stood (there for a while). Then he came near the old woman. He took out his penis and directed it toward her nose. Then she stirred up and snuffed around. She spoke thus, quite alone: “Oh, indeed! where does this smell here of husbands come from?”

She moved on and snuffed around. Then the other one laughed. He laughed on the sly when going out of the house. “Oh, oh! Who has made me a laughing-stock (of the people)?” She, however, heard this low laugh of his. “Let his penis grow in length!” He went to the boat. His penis was growing very fast, his trousers were soon quite filled with it. He came to the boat, and his eldest brother scolded him. “I told you not to play silly tricks!” — “Indeed, I played no tricks! I only saw an old woman who had not hailed me at all. All at once I took out my penis and directed it toward her nose. She snuffed around, and then said, ‘Whence, again, comes this smell here of husbands?’ Then, on going out, I laughed a little. She said, ‘Who has made me a laughing-stock? Let his penis grow in length!’”

“Oh, sorrows! Quick! let us push off!” The boat was very soon filled with the penis. They tried to cut it off, but the remaining piece still continued to grow. At last they were coming home. The eldest brother was a shaman. So the eldest brother addressed that old woman, the mischievous one.

“Oh, you old woman! thrust something between your own legs!” Then the old woman (sat) down upon the ground undressed, and began to shove her posterior parts to and fro. She thrust into her vulva a splinter of wood, and so killed herself.

Those men came home. They brought out into the open a shaggy dog and slaughtered it. Their wives had become decrepit from age. The foolish one, on landing, was already quite bloodless, because they were cutting off his penis all the time.

As soon as they landed, they went to sleep. Then they turned to stone, and never again awoke.

Oh, the end! The wind has been killed.