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VIII.. MYTHS OF THE REINDEER KORYAK OF THE TAIGONOS PENINSULA.

    21. How Eme'mqut married Sun-Man's Daughter 162
22.

How Creator frightened the Kalau

164
23.

How Creator went Sealing

165
24.

One-who-paints-his-Belly and the Kala-Woman

166
25.

How Miti' played Tricks on her Husband

168
26

How the Reindeer-Breeders tried to take Creator's Herd

170
27.

Little-Bird-Man and the Kala-Woman

171
28. How Can-a'vile went Fishing 174
29.

How Moon-Woman revived Creator's Son

175
30.

How One-who-paints-his-Belly killed the Kalau

177
31.

How Miti' and Creator fooled Each Other

178
32.

The Kala-Woman and the Mouse Children

181
33.

How Yiñe'a-ñe'ut married a Dog

183
34.

How Creator stole Fish from the Reindeer-Breeders             

183
35.

How Creator ate the Winter Supply of Berries

184
36.

Tricks of the Fox

184
37.

Creator's Fight with the Kalau

185
38.

Eme'mqut and the Wolves

186
39. How Eme'mqut took a Kala's Wives 187
40. The Wind People 188
41. To'leq the Fox 188
42. How Creator saved his People during a Famine 190
43. How the Dead punished some Noisy Boys 191
44. How Sculpin-Man ate his Companions 192
45. Yiñe'a-ñe'ut's Adventures and Creator's Tricks

193


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 JOCHELSON, THE  KORYAK.

21.  How Eme'mqut married Sun-Man's Daughter.

         It was at the time when Creator (Tenanto'mwan) lived. A son by the name of Eme'mqut was born to him. Creator caused him to look ugly, and
to be lean, wretched, and dirty. He used to dress him, not in clothes of reindeer-skins, but in those of seal-skin, as poor people do. He did it purposely
to make people laugh at his son.

         Once in the summer the Reindeer people wandered over to the sea. They met Eme'mqut; and a Reindeer man, Envious-One (Nipai'vaticñin),
laughed at him. "I am afraid you won't be able to get Sun-Man's (Teike'm- tila'n) daughter," he said mockingly. "You are better than I, and you cannot
get her, either," replied Eme'mqut. But Envious-One said, "No one, not even people better looking than you and I, can get her. You can see their tracks
leading to her, but nobody has ever seen tracks leading back. All perish there.    How can you  expect to get her?"

Eme'mqut ran home, and, skipping down the steps of the ladder, he fairly rolled into the house. Creator asked him, "Why did you come into the house rolling down the ladder?" Eme'mqut replied, "If you were of my age, and your comrades laughed at you, you would feel as sad as I do. Envious- One told me that I could not get Sun-Man's daughter, that people leave their tracks going to her, but never get back."

         Creator said, "If you want to go, do so, but first call on Yiñe'a-ñe'ut. She will tell you what to do." Yiñe'a-ñe'ut and Can'a'i-ña'ut lived by them-
selves. Their hut was built on a tall tree. Eme'mqut set out on his journey. He arrived at the tree where his sisters lived, and climbed up. Yiñe'a-ñe'ut
said to her sister, "Go and see if somebody is not climbing up our tree. It is shaking."

         Can'a'i-ña'ut   went   out   and   looked   around.     She  did not recognize her brother, came back to her sister, and said,  "Some kind of a monster is coming up."     But   Yiñe'a-ñe'ut   was   a   shaman,  and knew who was coming to them. She took the cutting-board,  went out to meet her brother, and struck him on the forehead with the board.     Eme'mqut was stunned, and fell to the ground. Yiñe'a-ñe'ut returned into the house, and said to  her sister,   " Go  and see if I struck him  dead."    Can-a'i-ña'ut went to look at him, and then told her sister that   Eme'mqut was split in two,  and that  from  out  of his skin  appeared the real  Eme'mqut,  handsome,  clever, and in fine  clothes.     Then  his sisters took Eme'mqut   into   their   house.      Yiñe'a-ñe'ut   asked   him,    "What   brought   you here?    You  must be planning to go somewhere."     Em'mqut replied,  "Envious- One   told   me   that   I   would   not   be   able  to get Sun-Man's daughter,  and  I want to get her."

         Yiñe'a-ñe'ut   gave   her   brother   two  iron mice, iron sledges, and an iron


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dog-salmon,   and   said   to  him,   "Go,  and  take  Envious-One along.     He  must know the way there,  since he laughed at you."

         Eme'mqut went to Envious-One, and said to him, "Let us go together to the place where you saw Sun-Man. Even at the risk of death let us go." Envious-One replied, "I can not go. I have nobody to leave in the house." But Eme'mqut said, "No, you shall go with me! Next time you won't laugh at people." Then Envious-One went with him. They soon came to the fiery sea (me'lo-i-a'ñqan). The blazing waves were licking the rocky coast, and were castino- out human bones. Eme'mqut and Envious-One took a rest on the shore, ate some meat, entered the iron dog-salmon, and launched out upon the sea. Soon they found themselves on the opposite shore. They went on, and came to the fiery mountain. It was all aglow. Then they got into the iron sledge, harnessed the iron mice to it, and went over the mountain. Then they beheld the camp of Sun-Man. Somebody in the camp shouted, "For the first time, guests are coming here! Never before  have visitors reached this place. Let us meet them, and play a game of ball with them. Throw a ball to them !" Eme'mqut and Envious-One played ball with the people from the Sun camp, and Eme'mqut beat them all. Then the people from the Sun camp shouted, "That will do:  it seems that nobody can beat him."

         Then they took Eme'mqut to the camp. Eme'mqut asked, "Where is Sun-Man's tent?" It was pointed out to him. He entered the tent. Sun-Man asked him, "What did you come here for? Nobody ever calls on us." Eme'mqut replied, "I have come to see you. They told me that I could not get your daughter in marriage; that those who try to reach your tent leave their tracks going, but that no tracks lead back." Sun-Man answered, "I have no daughter." But Eme'mqut said, "Very well. I'll stay with you for a time, and will serve you. People would not say that Sun-Man has a daughter if it were not true." Eme'mqut remained with Sun-Man, and worked for him. Once in the night the younger son of Sun-Man woke Eme'mqut, saying, " Guest, wake up! Look at that stone table on which they pound meat and blubber. Mother hid my sister under it." Eme'mqut awoke, went to the stone, and got Sun-Man's daughter. But no sooner had he taken her than her mother awoke, took her daughter from Eme'mqut, put her under her hair braids, and went to sleep again. Eme'mqut fell asleep too; but the boy soon called him again. "Wake up!" he said. "Mother put my sister under her braids. Go and take her." Eme'mqut went and got Sun-Man's daughter; but her mother awoke, took her away, and hid her in her bracelet.

         Eme'mqut fell asleep again. The boy called him for the third time, saying, "Mother put my sister in her bracelet." Eme'mqut arose, took Sun-Man's daughter, and married her. They lived there. Envious-One was married to the other daughter of Sun-Man.

         Later   on   Eme'mqut   and   Envious-One  started for their home with  their


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wives and Sun-Man's son. On their way they met no blazing sea and no burning mountain. They came to Envious-One's house first. He remained at home with his wife. Eme'mqut, with his wife and her brother, continued his journey. When they were approaching his house, Illa' was outside. He shouted into the house, "Eme'mqut has come with his wife!" Creator replied, "The bones of our son have long been white." But Illa' said, "Why, really, Eme'mqut and his wife have arrived." Then Miti' came out to meet them, carrying  a fire-brand, and Creator slaughtered many reindeer. Creator pulled out of the ground a post to which dogs used to be tied, and a herd of reindeer came from out of the ground. Creator married Yiñe'a-ñe'ut to Sun-Man's son. They lived quietly together. With the approach of winter, they would wander over to the camp of Sun-Man, and toward summer they would return to Creator's village.    That's all.

Told by A'vvac, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp on
Kilimadja River, April 20,  1901.

22.  How Creator frightened the Kalau.

         It was at the time when Creator (Tenanto'mwan) lived. His provisions had given out, and his people were suffering from hunger. He proposed to go hunting. He started off, and reached the settlement of the Maritime kalau. They had plenty of food. An immense quantity of dried salmon 1 hung in the house. Creator turned into a raven, flew into the underground house, and croaked, "Kho, kho, kho!" All the kalau became frightened, left their house, and ran away to the wilderness, saying, "What kind of a terrible spirit has come here?" Creator ran home, and said to his wife and children, "Let us move quickly. I have found a place abounding in food." They started on their reindeer-sledges, and settled in the underground house of the kalau.

         When the kalau had recovered from their fright, the oldest among them said, "I am going to see what is going on in our house." He arrived at the house, met Creator outside, and said to him, "Why did you take possession of our house?" Creator replied, "Is this your house? I made it." But the kala said, "This is my underground house, and that storehouse there is mine." Then Creator said, "Let us ask them who has made them, — you, or I." The kala was the first to ask the storehouse, "Did I not build you?" The storehouse said nothing, it kept silent. Then Creator put the question, and the storehouse answered, "You built me." Thereupon they came to the under- ground  house.     Creator   said to  the kala,   "Well,  ask it who  made it."     The


1  Salmo  lagocephalus.


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JOCHELSON, THE KORYAK.

kala asked; but the house gave no answer whatever, while to Creator's question it replied, "Yes, you built me." Thus it was with all the things near the house. Finally they entered the house, and asked the seats who made them. They said nothing in reply to the kala's question, but to that of Creator they said that he had built them. The posts and crosse-bams, the hearth and the oil-lamps, in the underground house, replied to the same effect. "There," said Creator to the kala, "if you had made the house, the things would have replied to you, and not to me." He gave the old kala a thrashing, and turned him out. The kala went away crying, and said to his wife and children, "The house is ours, but I could not recover it. Creator has settled down there. We have asked all the things who made them, and they would not give me an answer, but they did answer him." Kala-Woman  (Ka'la-ña'ut) said to her husband, "Let us go there together." They went, and Kala-Woman and Miti' now put questions to various things, asking them who had made them, beginning with the grass with which the storehouse was covered. "Who has plucked you, and covered the storehouse with you ?" asked Kala-Woman; but the grass was silent. When Miti' put the question, the grass replied, "You plucked  me, you covered the storehouse with me." Then they went into the house, and asked the pails, kettles, bags, chamber-vessels, and other things, who had made them, and they all answered that Miti' had made them. Thereupon the kalau were turned out of the house. They went to their children in the wilderness,  and all died of starvation.

         Creator remained in the kalau's house. When summer came, and the sea-fish appeared at the mouths of the river, he moved to his old village, and went fishing.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp,
on the Topolovka River, April 13, 1901.

23.  How Creator went Sealing.

         Creator (Tenanto'mwan) went sealing. He saw a seal come out of the water and lie down. He had neither harpoon-line, nor harpoon, nor harpoon- shaft. "I do not feel like going home for a harpoon, but there is no one to send for it," said Creator. "I will send my penis." He cut off his penis, and said to it, "Go to Miti' and ask her for a harpoon-line and a harpoon." He went. He came into Miti"s house, and stood there. She did not recognize him. "A red head has come, he cannot speak, keeps quiet, it must be a Russian," thought Miti'. She called Illa', her nephew. Illa' came in. The Penis said, "Opo pondro, opo pondro." — "What is it you say?" asked Illa'. "We do not understand you." The Penis could not make them understand, and returned to  Creator empty-handed.     Creator asked  him,  "Well, have you


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JOCHELSON, THE  KORYAK.

not brought anything?" He only replied, "Bl-bl-bl." Creator thought that his wife did not want to give him a harpoon. He put the penis back in its place, and went home. He entered the underground house, and Miti' said to him, "A Russian was here a while ago." Creator asked, "What kind of a Russian may have been here?" Miti' answered, "Yes, a Russian with a red head has been here, but we could not understand him. He only said, O pondro, opo pondro." "It was not a Russian," said Creator. "I cut off my penis, and sent it to get a harpoon for me.     I had nothing to catch seals with."    That's all.

Told  by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 13, 1901.

24.  One-who-paints-his-Belly and the Kala-Woman.

         Eme'mqut lived with his brothers, One-who-paints-his-Belly (Na'ñqa-ka'le) and Big-Light (Qeskin'a'qu), and with his cousins. Once Eme'mqut went out fox-hunting on his snowshoes. He overtook the foxes, and killed them with his  club. Suddenly he beheld a kala-woman sitting before him. She said to him, "Give me your snowshoes, I wish to sit on them a little while." He answered, "It is getting late now. I am fox-hunting, I have no time to stop." She said, "If you will not let me have them, I shall call our hounds, and they will tear you to pieces." Then Eme'mqut gave her his snowshoes. She sat down on them. Her anus had teeth, and she tore the straps on the snow- shoes, and at the same time called her "dogs." She had bears in place of dogs. Two bears came running, and tore up Eme'mqut, who, being without snowshoes, was unable to run away from them. The kala's house was not far from that place. Young-Kala (Oai-Kala) came out, and shouted to his father, "Look, sister has something large and black." The old kala said to his children, "Go to your sister. She seems to have procured some food." They went,  and dragged the murdered Eme'mqut into the house.

         After   some   time,   Creator   said   to Big-Light,   "What is the matter with Eme'mqut that he does not come back?     Go  and  look for him."

         Big-Light put on his snowshoes, and went away. He reached the place where Kala-Woman was sitting. She asked him for his snowshoes to sit on for a little while. He said to her, "I have no time. I am looking for my brother." — "If you will not give them to me," said Kala-Woman again, "I shall call my bear-dogs, and they will tear you to pieces." Then Big-Light gave her his snowshoes. She sat down on them, and her anus ate the straps with its teeth. Then she shouted  for the bears to come. They came running, and tore up Big-Light. Young-Kala again came out of the underground house, and shouted to his father, "There is something black near sister." The kala went, and dragged Big-Light's body home,  and ate it.

      Long did  Creator wait for the return of his sons.     Finally he said to his


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nephew Illa', "Go and look for your cousins." Illa' put on his snowshoes, and went He also came to the place where Kala-Woman was sitting. She said, "Give me your snowshoes, I wish to sit down on them." — "I will not give them to you," answered Illa'. "I am in a hurry, looking for my cousins." — "If you will not give them to me," she said, "I shall call my dogs, and they will tear you to pieces." Then Illa' gave her his snowshoes. She sat down on them, and her toothed anus gnawed off the straps. Then she called her bear-dogs. They came running. Illa' cried, but the bears tore him to pieces. Again Young-Kala came out of the underground house, and, seeing something black near his sister, he shouted to his father, "Sister has caught something."    The kala came running,  dragged Illa"s body home, and ate it.

         Creator said to his youngest son, Self-created (Tomwo'get), "Go and look for your brothers." He also put on his snowshoes, and went. He reached the place where Kala-Woman was sitting. She asked him for his snowshoes to sit on for a little while. He gave her his snowshoes without saying anything. She sat down on them, and ate up the straps with her anus. Then she called the bears, and they tore up Self-created. Young-Kala came outside again, and, seeing something lying near his sister, he shouted to his father, "Sister has again caught something!" The kala went, dragged Self-created to the house, and devoured him.

         Creator said to his son One-who-paints-his-Belly,  "Stop painting your belly. Go and look for your brothers."     One-who-paints-his-Belly was sitting, painting his  belly with charcoal.    He replied,   "How eager you are, father!    You are hurrying me so,  I have made the design on my belly crooked with my finger. Wait till I finish painting my belly, and I will go then."    But Creator again said   to his son,  "Stop painting your belly.     Go and look for your brothers." One-who-paints-his-Belly asked for a hammer.     Thereupon he took some twigs and   put   them   on   instead   of snowshoes, put the hammer in his bosom, and started  off.     On his way he uprooted a larch-tree,  and took it along.     Soon he   reached   the place where Kala-Woman was sitting.     She said to him,   "Is that you, One-who-paints -his-Belly?"     He di d not reply.     "Give me your snow- shoes, I wish to sit down on them," she continued.     "I shall not give you my snowshoes," he replied.     "I shall call our dogs," she said, "and they will tear you   to pieces." —  "Call them," he replied,   "I will club them with the tree." She called the bears.    They came running, and One-who-paints-his-Belly killed both  of them with his tree.    Then he threw himself upon  Kala-Woman, and tore off her breeches.     She said, "Stop! do not touch me."    But he answered, "I  will   not   let you off that way.    You killed my brothers.     I shall first see how   you   ate   up   the   straps   on   my   brothers' snowshoes."     He took off her breeches,   turned  her back up,  and,  seeing the teeth in  her anus,  said,   "This is what you used to eat the straps."     He broke the teeth out with his hammer, or drove them into her body.     Thus he killed her.


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         Then he went to the place where traces of his brothers' blood remained, stamped upon it with his foot, and all of them arose alive. He said to them, "There is the Kala-Woman lying with her anus turned up, whose teeth have eaten the straps on your snowshoes, and there are the bears that killed you. What weaklings you are! A woman took away your snowshoes from you, and the bears tore you up. Could you not do the way I did?" Then they all went home.

         Young-Kala went out of the house again to look around, and noticed two dead bodies near his sister. The other kalau ran up to her, and saw that their sister and the -bears were killed.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April  13, 1901.

25.  How Miti' played Tricks on her Husband.

         Creator (Tenanto'mwan) lived with his wife Miti'. Once he said to his wife, "Let us take a drive on seal-skins down the hill." They did so, and landed on the roof of a kala's house. Creator fell down into the entrance. Miti' did not take her husband out, but went home. Creator crept out alone, and ran after Miti'. He came home, struck his wife, and turned her out of the house, saying, "You have no relatives, I found you in the wilderness. Now go back to where you came from."

         Miti' went out. She cut off her breasts, her buttocks, and her vulva, and told them to become human beings. They became four men. Miti' said to them, " Let us fool Creator. I will go home; and you come there later and tell him that you are my brothers, and that you came to take me with you." Then she cut off a piece of skin from her leg, and said, "Turn into a little bird,  and fly to  our house before the others arrive."

         Miti' left them all, and went home. When her daughters saw her, they said to their father, "Mother is coming back." Creator said to her, "Come in. I really found you in the wilderness, but there is no use of your going back." Miti' went in, and said, "Now I am going to stay here, I am not going away any  more."

         All of a sudden the little bird began to twitter on the roof. Creator asked his wife what kind of a bird it was. She looked at it, and said, "It probably came from my country. I presume its coming means that my relatives are coming."

         Soon the four men arrived. Miti' said, "These are my four brothers." The four men said, "We learned that Creator beats his wife and upbraids her for not having relatives, and therefore we came to take her with us." Creator said,   "Very   well,   take   her   along.     I  will go  and get some seal-blubber for


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you from the summer house." Miti"s brothers replied, "You need not walk there: take our reindeer." They gave him their reindeer, and he started off; but he could not reach the storehouse. The reindeer shied, and knocked Creator against a house-pole, so that his face and forehead became swollen, and his eyes were about closed. He left the reindeer, and groped his way into the house. Miti"s brothers said to him, "You do not seem to be able to drive our reindeer." They continued, "Probably we shall have to go without the blubber that you promised us."

         They started off with Miti'. As soon as they had left the house, Miti' retransformed the visitors into the parts of her body, and put them where they belonged; but she put her breasts on her back, her buttocks in front, and her vulva behind.

         Then she returned home. Yiñe'a-ñe'ut said to her father, "Look! mother has returned." Creator asked his wife, "Why did you come back?" Miti' replied, "I longed for my younger daughter." — "Well, stay here," said Creator.

         When evening came, they went to bed. In bed. Creator said, "Is it possible that you have your breasts on your back?" She replied, "Don't touch me again! don't you know that I have my breasts on my back ?" He touched her again, and asked, "Is it possible that you have your vulva on your back too?" She answered, "Do not touch me! don't you know that it is on my back?" Next morning when they arose, Creator said to his wife, "Miti', henceforth. let us live properly, and give up quarrelling and fooling each other. Make some pudding for me." Miti' replied, " I am not going to do any cooking: I have no edible roots." Creator said, "Then I will go to the camps of Taigonos,1 and will marry a Reindeer-Koryak woman. They make nice pud- dings." —  "Go on," said she.

         As soon as he had gone, Miti' cooked all kinds of pies and puddings. Then she ran after her husband, went past him, and then turned back to meet him. When she met him, she lay down on the ground, spreading her legs upward. She thrust her head into the snow, and grew so large that she obstructed his way. Creator went right into Miti"s anus, as if it were a house. After he had gone in, her anus closed. Then she ran home, pulled Creator out, and gave him some pudding. While in her anus, Creator became bald- headed. Miti' asked him, "Why is your head so bald?" He answered, "It always was so." Then he said to his wife, "Let us stop fooling, let us live in a proper way." Miti' answered, "You are always the mischief-maker. Now let us live peacefully.     After that they lived quietly.     That's all.

Told  by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 13, 1901


1 The Peninsula of Taigonos lies between  the bays of Gishiga and  Penshina.

22—JESUP   NORTH   PA.CIFIC   EXPED.,  VOL.   VI.


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26.  How the Reindeer-Breeders tried to  take  Creator's  Herd.

         Creator (Tenanto'mwan) possessed three herds of reindeer. The Chukchee and the Reindeer Koryak learned that he had many reindeer, and said to one another, "Let us go and kill Creator, and drive off his reindeer." Several camps joined forces, and started out toward the house of Creator. On their way they met Envious-One (Nipai'vaticñin). He said to them, "Take me along. I know where he lives, I will take you right there." He led them over a ridge of mountains. When they reached'the summit, Envious-One said to his companions, "Stay here over night. I will go ahead alone, and find out how many people there are." — "Go on, and count the people," said his companions. Envious-One drove off. He reached Creator's house, went halfway down the ladder, stopped, looked about, quickly counted the people, climbed up again, and hurried back to the camp. He said to  his comrades, "Creator has two sons and a nephew."

          Creator had seen Envious-One just before he left, and said to his sons, "That was no guest. He was surely counting the people to learn our strength, intending to attack us afterward. Go and gather the herds: we will leave." The sons soon drove up the reindeer, and Creator went away with his herds, leaving at home Illa' and his sister Kïlu'. Creator ordered them not to tell in what direction they had gone.

         Early in the morning the Chukchee and the Reindeer Koryak arrived, but failed to find Creator. They met Illa' outside, and asked, "Where did Creator go?" He answered, "I don't know. This morning, when we got up, he was gone. Yesterday Envious-One came here, looked at the house, and ran away. The old man must have suspected an attack." The new-comers said to him, "How is it that you don't know where Creator has gone to? Don't you live in one house? We shall kill you, unless you tell us." Then Illa' said, "You can still see him yonder, travelling with his herds over the sea-ice."

         The Chukchee and Reindeer Koryak started off in pursuit of Creator. Miti' saw them from a distance, and shouted to her husband, "We are pursued!" Creator put a bit of snow in his mouth, spat it out behind him, and then the sea-ice between them and the shore melted away. The Chukchee and the Reindeer Koryak remained on shore, and Creator floated away on the ice-fields with his people and herds,  and his pursuers  could  not reach  him.

         "Let Creator remain on the ice," said the Chukchee and the Reindeer Koryak: "there are no pastures, and the reindeer will perish." After a short while Creator took some more snow in his mouth, chewed it, and spat it out on the ice, and a pasture appeared there. His reindeer ate of the moss. Moreover, the reindeer of the  Chukchee and Koryak, who were encamped on


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JOCHELSON, THE KORYAK.

the seashore, were starving for lack of fodder, so that the pursuers were com- pelled to return. They reached Creator's house, and said, "Let us go and kill Illa'." They went down into the underground house, and said to Illa', " We are going to kill you." — " Well, kill me," he answered. But the Chuk- chee and the Reindeer Koryak replied, "No, we will first have a contest in shamanism, and, in case you prove stronger than ourselves, we will not kill you."    One of the  Reindeer people began his incantations.

         In the mean time Creator said to Eme'mqut, "Go and rescue your cousin: they want to kill him." Eme'mqut was a shaman. He started off, reached their house, peeped inside, and heard them pronouncing their incantations. He made himself invisible to them. One of the Reindeer people uttered his incantation, and berries grew up on the floor of the house. At once Kïlu' began to pick the berries. Then another man took his turn, and roots began to grow. Kïlu' stored away some roots. Then they made Illa' take his turn. Eme'mqut caught him by the hair and pulled him up. "Well," said the Rein- deer people, "you seem to be stronger than we. None of our shamans has ever risen in the air.     We will not kill you."

         When the Reindeer people left, Eme'mqut entered the house, and said to Illa', "Well, Illa', you have become a shaman: now show what you can do. Rise up in the air." Illa' began to beat the drum, but nothing happened. He could not rise in the air. Then Eme'mqut caught his hair, lifted him up, and said,   "See!  it was  I who lifted you up before, lest they should kill you."

         Creator returned home. He lived there quietly. The Reindeer people ceased to make war on him, because they could not overcome him.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 13, 1901.

27.   Little-Bird-Man and the Kala-Woman.

         Goose-Man (Itu'mtila'n) lived with his family. When autumn came, the Goose people wished to fly away, but were detained by a violent snowstorm. They said to Little-Bird-Man (Pici'qala'n), "Pronounce your incantations, that it may clear up." He commenced his incantations, went outside, and said, "Let it clear up;"  and it cleared up. On the following morning the Goose people got ready to fly, and called Little-Bird-Man, but they were unable to waken him. They knocked him so much over his head that it was all swollen; but Lìttle-Bird-Man never woke up. The Goose people flew away, leaving him behind.

         When the Goose people had left, Little-Bird-Man awoke. He walked over to the place where the Goose camp had been, looking for something to eat; but the Goose people had left only one cloud-berry, while everything else


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had been eaten up.     Little-Bird-Man  said,   "This is  enough for me;  I  do  not eat much," and remained in the place where the Goose camp had been.

Seeing that the Goose people were gone, Kala-Woman (Kala-ña'ut) said, "I will go and look at their camping-place: perhaps they have left something." She went, and found Little-Bird-Man.     She said,  "Little-Bird-Man, why did you remain  here?"    He answered,  "I was so sound asleep that the Goose people could not wake me up."     Kala-Woman examined all that had been left by the Goose people, and noticed the cloud-berry.     Little-Bird-Man said, "Don't eat it: it was left for me."    But she ate the berry, just the same, and said, "Later on I will pick many berries for you."    Then she said, "Let us play now: let us have a contest.    We will see whose body can endure the most heat.     Let us roast each other and see who will get burnt."    They fetched wood.     Little-Bird-Man brought  a  stone-pine-tree branch into Kala-Woman's underground house, and it  became   a   large  pile.     Kala-Woman brought poplar-wood, which does not produce   intense heat.     Kala-Woman made a fire on the hearth, and said to Little-Bird-Man,  "Get up on the cross-beam."    He got up, and she closed the entrance   of the   house,   so   that   no heat could escape.     Kala-Woman added more   and   more  wood   to   the   fire;   but Little-Bird-Man found a hole in the cover of the entrance-opening; and whenever he felt very hot, he flew outside, shouting to Kala-Woman, "Add more wood.     It is not hot here."    Finally she said,   "Come   down.     You   are   so   small,   and still I cannot roast you."    He went down. . Then she took off all her clothes, and got up on the cross-beam. Little-Bird-Man put stone-pine-wood into the fire, which produces intense heat. Soon Kala-Woman began to roast.    She ran from one part of the cross-beam to another, and shouted, "How could you stand such heat, Little-Bird-Man?" — "Well,"  he answered,  "sit there a little longer.    When I was sitting there, I did  not  say  that   it was hot."    But Kala-Woman could not endure the heat any longer,  came down  from the cross-beam, and said,  "You have endured it, but   I   cannot.    Now let us arrange another contest.     Let us see whose legs are   stronger." —  "All   right!"   answered   Little-Bird-Man.     They went to get some stones.     Little-Bird-Man brought a small pebble, put it on the floor, and it   became   a huge bowlder.     Kala-Woman also brought a stone.     "Well,  let us throw stones at each other, and try to break our legs," she said.     "I shall first   throw   at   you."    "All   right,"   said  Little-Bird-Man,   "but turn up your eyes while throwing."     Kala-Woman half closed her eyes, and threw her stone. Little-Bird-Man   raised   himself  on   his   wings,   let   the   stone   pass under, and returned to his place again.    Then  he crushed a red bilberry, and painted his leg with it.    Kala-Woman asked,   "Well,  Little-Bird-Man,  have I broken your leg?" —  "No, you only scratched it," he replied.     "Well, if your thin little leg did not get broken,  then surely you  will not be  able to  break  my stout leg." Little-Bird-Man threw his large stone, and smashed her leg.     He jumped away from   her,   and   sang,   "I have broken  Kala-Woman's leg!  now she will have

 


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to walk on one leg." To this she replied, "No, both my legs are sound. Just come up here and sit down on my palm." — "No, you are lying! You only wish to eat me," said Little-Bird-Man, and flew away.

         Magpie-Woman (Vaki'thi-ña'ut) came flying along. Kala-Woman said to her "Go to my parents, and tell them that Little-Bird-Man has broken their daughter's leg.  She has done no harm to him, and he has broken her leg." Magpie-Woman flew away. She came to the kalau, and sat down on the entrance-hole. The old kalau said to his children, "Throw something at her! What business has she to sit there?" Magpie-Woman said, "You wish to drive me away, and I have brought news from your daughter. Little-Bird-Man has broken her leg." The old kala said, "You lie! She is so strong, how could the small Little-Bird-Man break her leg?"

         Then Raven-Woman (Ve'sve-ñe'ut) came flying to Kala-Woman, who said to her, "Go and let my father and mother know that Little-Bird-Man has broken my leg." Raven-Woman flew away, and alighted on the roof of the underground house of the kalau, near the entrance-opening. " Throw something at her!" said the old kala. "Why does she sit near the entrance-opening?" Raven-Woman replied, "Do not drive me away. I have brought news from your daughter.     Little-Bird-Man has broken her leg."

         The   old   Kala-Woman  then   said   to   her   husband,   "Let us go and see what has happened to our daughter."    They went to look for their daughter. When they reached her,  she said to them,  "I did no harm to Little-Bird-Man, and he broke my leg."    The old woman said to her husband, "We must call some one to cure her.    Let us call Magpie-Woman.     Let her cure her."    They sent for Magpie-Woman.    She came,  and repeated over and over,  "Die, die, and   then   we shall eat you."    Kala-Woman  cried to her mother,   "She keeps on   saying that I should die.     Drive her away."     Magpie-Woman was turned out.     Then   the   old  woman said,   "Let us call in  Raven-Woman."    She was called.     She   came,   and also said all the time,   "Die,  die, we shall eat you." Kala-Woman   again   cried,   "She is not trying to cure me at all.    She wants me to die.    Turn her out."    They turned out Raven-Woman too.    Thereupon the old woman said,   "Call Puffin-Woman (Yata'qe-ñe'ut)." 1    They called her. She came and treated her.     She began to search for the pieces of bone from the broken leg, and found them all except one piece.     She looked and looked for that, but could not find it.     Finally they discovered that the old kala, not knowing that it was a part of his daughter's shin-bone, had made a "cogged drum" 2   (va'ni-ya'yai) out of it.     Puffin-Woman took the bone instrument from him,   and  tried   to   fit   it   on.     There   was   still   a   part   of the bone missing. Nevertheless she cured Kala-Woman.     Her leg improved, but it did not grow together right.


1   The species of puffin mentioned is Fratercula cornìculata.

2   A musical instrument (a Jew's-harp) made  of bone.


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         Thereupon Kala-Woman went again to the wilderness. She met Little-Bird-Man, and said to him, " Well, Little-Bird-Man, behold! I am well again." He replied, "You have recovered only for a time." — "No, I have completely recovered," said Kala-Woman. "Let us have a race. You run over firm ground, and I will run over swampy ground." — "All right," said Little-Bird- Man. As soon as they had started, Kala-Woman broke her leg again, and could not extricate herself from the mire. "Little-Bird-Man," she said, "come, alight on my palm, I will hug you." — "No," he replied, "I will not come: you want to eat me." He left her in the mire, and flew away. When the tide came in, she was drowned. Soon after that, the old kala-man went fishing. He put out his net, and it caught Kala-Woman. He pulled and pulled, but could not draw in his net. The old kala-woman said, "You must have caught a whale in your net." When the tide receded, the kala found his daughter in the net. She was dead, and her leg was broken. They began to cry, went home, and never went fishing again.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April, 1901.

28.  How Can'a'vile went fishing.

         Creator (Tenanto'mwan) and Öan'a'vile lived in one village, in an under-ground  house.     Once   upon  a time Can'a'vile said to his wife,  "I am going to   the  river  to   fish."     He set his nets, and caught a great quantity of fish. He   dragged the fish out upon the bank of the river, and said,  "Now I will eat  a  raw   head."     He  began   to eat it,  and shut his eyes.    Meanwhile the wolves came, grabbed the fish, and fought over them.    Can'a'vile said, "Don't fight: just take as much as you like;" but when he opened his eyes, neither wolves nor fish were there.    They had left nothing.    They carried away what they   could  not  eat.     Then   he   said  to himself,  "I will make a raft and go down the river to my house."     He built a raft and started off.     When passing by the Wolves'  settlement,  he heard them shout,  "Can-a'vile, is that you?" — "Yes," he said.    Then the old Wolf said to him,   "Not long ago my children ate   your   fish.     I   am   old   now,   and   cannot procure anything to repay you. Take a wolf-skin for your bedding."     Can-a'vile took the wolf-skin, and proceeded. When he reached his home, Creator came out to meet him, and asked, "Where did   you   get   a   wolf?"    "I   killed  him while hunting," answered  Can-a'vile. "Well,  I shall go and let your wife know about it."     He went,  and shouted, " Ili'lin-ñe'ut,   your   husband   has   caught a wolf.     Go  out and meet him,  and dance over the wolf."    She came out and danced,  singing,  "Thin penis, thick penis!"     (Git-a'lqa,  U'm-a'lqa!)

         On   the   next   morning   Can'a'vile   went   fishing   again.     He came to the


 

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river,  set the nets, and procured much fish. He got ready to go home, and said,  "I shall first eat a raw head." He began to eat a head, and shut his eyes. Then came the Bears, grabbed the fish, and fought among themselves. "Don't take it from one another: there is enough for all of you," said Can-a'vile. When   he   was   through   eating the head, and opened his eyes, the fish were all gone.

          Then he made a raft and started for home. When he was passing the Bears' settlement, they shouted to him, "Can-a'vile, is that you?" — "It is I," he answered. "Well, wait a little," said the old Bear. "My children ate up all of your fish. In exchange take a bear-skin for your bedding." Can'a'- vile took the bear-skin and went home. Creator met him again, and said, "Why, Can-a'vile, you killed a bear! I shall go and tell your wife about it." He went, and shouted into the house, " Ik'hn-ñe'ut, come out and meet your husband: he has killed a bear." She came out and danced, singing, "Thin
penis, thick penis!" Then they entered the house, and Can-a'vile gave up fishing.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April, 1901.

29.  How Moon-Woman revived Creator's Son.

         It was at the time when Creator (Tenanto'mwan) lived. He had many reindeer and two sons. Eme'mqut and Big-Light (Oesknra'qu). Big-Light was a strong fighter and a runner. He won in all contests. The brothers slept in the wilderness, among the herd. Once Eme'mqut got up in the morning and found his brother gone. Eme'mqut went home. His father asked him, "Where is your brother?" He answered, "We lay down together in the evening.    I got up in the morning, and could not find him anywhere."

         Eme'mqut  went   to   look   for   his   brother   everywhere.     He drove in all directions, did not sleep at night.     He was always looking for him.     He visited all   the   camps,   but   nowhere   did   he  find his brother.     He exhausted all his reindeer, so that he could not ride any more.    Then he walked on in search of him.    Once,  while he was passing a night in the wilderness,  he lay down on a hill and looked at the moon.     He said to her,   "What are you thinking about up there?"    The Moon descended to the earth, and said to Eme'mqut, "And   what   are  you   thinking  about?"     "I   am   thinking   of my   brother," he   answered.      "I   cannot   find   him   anywhere." —   "If you   compensate   me, I will tell you where he is," said the Moon.     "What do you want me to give you?" asked Eme'mqut.     "No, I don't want any pay," said the Moon.     "What, then,   am   I   supposed  to do to have you tell me of him?" asked Eme'mqut. "If you marry me, I'll tell you," answered the Moon.     "Then I will marry you. Only  tell me where my brother is," said Eme'mqut.     "You will deceive me,"


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said the Moon. "No, I will not deceive you," answered Eme'mqut. "Look here! I will embrace you in token of my promise." He embraced the Moon; but she said once more, "No, you will deceive me." Then Eme'mqut put his hand into her trousers, felt of her privates, and said, "Well, now I will not deceive you. It is just the same as if I had married you." Then she said to him, "Your brother was killed by the kalau who live in the sea, upon an island. They skinned him, and are now using his skin instead of that of a reindeer."

         Eme'mqut went home and told his father about it. Creator replied, "If I send you, you will fail to rescue him.    Rather I will go myself."

         He set out on his journey. Soon he arrived on the kala island, and caused all the kalau to fall asleep. Then he descended into their underground house, took his son's skin, and went out. While coming out of the house, he saw an iron barrel, and found out that inside of it was a daughter of the kalau.    He took the barrel along and went home.

         As  soon   as  he   arrived, he sent for Moon-Woman (Ya'chi-ña'ut).    She came, and Creator said to her,  "Revive my son."    She took Big-Light's skin out   of doors,   and  beat it against the river-ice.     First the finger-nails of the young man re-appeared, then his hands.    Then his body began to grow, and finally the entire man re-appeared.     Moon-Woman continued to beat him against the  ice   until he revived and could stand on his feet.     After that, Eme'mqut married Moon-Woman, and Big-Light married the daughter of the kala people.

         Once Creator said,   "If we go on living quietly, without undertaking any-thing, the kala-islanders may come and devour us all."    He went out, and saw an underground house of other kalau.     Not far off a herd was pasturing.    He approached the herd, and all the reindeer rushed upon him with their antlers, trying to kill him.    Creator said,   "Don't throw yourselves upon me!    I came to take all of you to my house."    Then they stopped jumping upon him, and followed   him.     He  reached the house of the kalau;  and the chamber-vessel, the dishes, and other articles assailed him.     But he said to them also, "Don't throw yourselves upon me!     I came to  take you along."     And they stopped. Then Creator took everything along.     He carried away the underground house too,   and led away its inhabitants,  the kala people.     Those kala people were not cannibals.

         The others, the kala-islanders, woke up, and, not finding the human skin, they said, "Creator has come, and has taken our skin away. Let him have it: what do we want it for?" Then the old kala looked out of the house, and, seeing that his daughter was missing, he said, " Since he took my daughter, we will go to his house and kill all his people." The kalau started out for Creator's house; but, as soon as they approached, the reindeer threw them- selves upon them. Then the kalau said, "Let us go down underground, and enter   the   house   from   below."    They  did so.     They entered the house from


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under ground; but here they were assailed by the chamber-vessel, the dishes, and other domestic articles. The kalau had to return. "It is impossible to approach them; let us go  back," they said.

         When they were gone, Creator said to Big-Light, "Take your wife over to her parents." Good-Kamak-Woman (Pa'1-kama'ka-ña'ut) — that was the name of Big-Light's wife — said, "We must not go to my parents: they might eat my  husband." But Creator said, "Never you mind. Go to them, they will not eat  him."

         The young people started off. When they drove up to the house of the kalau, Big-Light shouted to them, " Come out and meet your daughter!" But the kalau replied, "We have no daughter. Creator stole her from us." Then Good-Kamak-Woman herself looked into the house, and said to her mother, "Here I am!" Then the kalau came out to meet her. Good-Kamak-Woman said to them, "Don't eat my husband! Creator has sent you whale-blubber, seal-blubber,  and meat.     Eat that."

         "All right," they answered: "we shall not eat your husband." Big-Light and his wife staid for a time with the kalau, and returned to Creator. Later on Creator sent word to the kalau to come and live with him. "We will kill whales, and eat them together," he said.

         The kalau went over to Creator's, and settled there. Creator killed whales, and fed the kalau with blubber, and they gave up eating human beings.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April, 1901.

30.   How One-who-paints-his-Belly killed the Kalau.

         It was at the time when Creator (Tenanto'mwan) lived. His son Eme'mqut made himself a new pair of snowshoes, and said, "I am going to try them." He put on his snowshoes and started. Suddenly he beheld a kala planing sledge-runners with an adze. He said to Eme'mqut, "Eh, a guest has come!" Eme'mqut answered, "Yes, a guest has come." Then the kala said, "Turn around, there is somebody driving reindeer."  Eme'mqut looked back and said, "Where.'" At the same time the kala knocked him over the head, and killed him. He dragged him home. Young-Kala (Oai-Ka'la) saw his father, and shouted to his mother, "Go and meet father! he is carrying human flesh." They ate Eme'mqut up.

         Creator said to his younger son, Big-Light (Qeskin'a'qu), "Go and look for your brother, he is staying away so long." Big-Light went. He came up to the same kala. "Ah," said the latter, "a guest has come!" — "I did not come to pay a visit," replied Big-Light. "I am looking for my brother." The   kala   said   to   him,   "Turn   around,   there is somebody driving reindeer."

23— JESUP    NORTH   PACIFIC   EXPED.,   VOL.   VI.


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JOCHELSON, THE  KORYAK.

Big-Light turned around,  and the kalau  hit him  over  the head with his adze, and killed him.     He dragged the body home,  and they  ate it.

         Then   Creator  said   to   Illa',   "Go and look for your cousin."     He went, and   also   came to the same kala.     "Ah,  a guest has come!"  said the latter. "I have not come for a visit," replied Illa'. "I am looking for my cousins." The kala said to him, "Turn around, there is somebody driving reindeer." He turned back, and the kala hit him also with his adze, and killed him. The kala hauled him home, and they ate him.

         Finally Creator said to his oldest son, One-who-paints-his-Belly (Na'ñqa-ka'le), "Go and look for your brothers." He replied, "How eager you are, father! You made me paint my belly wrong. Wait till I have painted my belly lengthwise and crosswise. Then I will go." After a little while he went out, put on a pair of dug-out canoes in place of snowshoes, and went away. He reached the kala. " Aha, a guest has come!" said the kala. " I am no guest for you," rejoined One-who-paints-his-Belly. "I have come to look for my brothers. It is you who killed them." The kala said, "Turn around, there is somebody driving reindeer." — "Who will be driving there?" replied One- who-paints-his-Belly. "I have come all alone." He took the adze away from the kala, killed him with it, carried his body to the kala's underground house, and threw it down. Then he went up to the place where the blood of his brothers was still visible, kicked it with his feet, and they all arose alive. "Oh, you weaklings!" he said to them. "Could you not take away the adze from the kala, and kill him with it, the way I have done?" They all went home and continued to live as before, and the kalau ceased to attack them.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 16, 1901.

31. How Miti' and Creator fooled Each Other.

         Creator (Tenanto'mwan) lived in affluence.    He had given his two daughters   in marriage, — one to Twilight-Man (Gi'thihla'n),  and the other to Fog-Man (Yiña'mtila'n).    His third daughter was still a little girl.    When summer came,  Creator caught two whales.     Then he said to his wife,  " How shall we celebrate the whale feast?    We have no berries.     There is no one to pick them.     Our  daughters   are   away,   and   you   cannot go to gather them while you  have to look after a small child."     He meditated a little, then he added,  "Well, I will  go myself."    He took pails, put them into a plaited-grass bag, and went away. Soon   he   heard   voices,   as   if women were picking berries not far from him. "I am all alone: how shall I pick berries?    How am I to gather many?"     He  thought a little, then he cut off his penis and testicles, transformed them into human beings, and gave them his pails, saying,   "Go and pick some berries;" and he himself lay down on the grass.     The people whom he had made started


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off  singing,   "We are grandfather's, we are grandfather's!"     They went towards the'   place where the voices were heard,  and found Creator's daughters there. Yiñe'a-ñe'ut   guessed   by   their   song  that her father was playing a trick, and said to them,   "Sit down.    We will pick berries, and then you may take them to   the   old   man."     The   women   gathered   a   plentiful  supply of berries,  and handed them to Creator's messengers, who took the berries to him.     Creator took them,  re-transformed the  people into the parts of his body, put them in their   places,   and   carried   the   berries   home.      " Here,   I   have  brought some berries,"   he   said   to   Miti';   "and   now   I   ought   to go and dig roots for the pudding.    Without it,  the whale feast is impossible."     He took the bags, with the   mattocks   for   digging   roots,   and went out again.     Again he cut off his privates,   transformed them into human beings,  gave them his bags and mat- tocks,   and   sent   them to  dig roots.     They went,  but they did not dig roots. They   only   sang,   "And we are grandfather's, we are grandfather's."    Yiñe'a- ñe'ut   met them again,  recognized them,  and said,   "Sit down here.     We will dig roots for you."    The women dug roots, and sent the people back to Creator. Creator   re-transformed   them,   put them back in their places,  and carried the bags  with  the roots home.     " Here! I have brought some roots," he said to Miti'.     "We need nothing else.     Now we can celebrate the whale feast."    Miti' and   Creator   made   preparations   for   the feast.     They invited their daughters and all the  Reindeer people.

         Yiñe'a-ñe'ut said to her father, "I do not know who the three people were who came to us while we were picking berries and digging roots. They were all bald." Creator answered, "Well, I sent my instruments. I was too lazy to go picking berries myself."

         Creator finished celebrating the whale feast. His daughters and the other guests had gone home. Winter had come and gone, and summer had come again. The time for fishing and hunting sea-mammals had arrived, and Creator said to his wife, "Stay here with your daughter on the seashore, and put in supplies of seal and whale blubber for the winter. I am going up the river in our skin boat with my sons to fish." — "How can I, a woman all alone with a little girl, put in supplies of blubber without the help of men? How can I catch sea-animals?" asked Miti'.

         "Well," answered Creator, "stay here, anyway: you can at least watch the house."

         So Miti' with her little daughter remained at home, while Creator and his sons went fishing up the river.

         On the following day Miti' got up, took her little tent along, and went to the seashore. She saw a ringed seal1 swimming in the sea; and she shouted to it, "Come to me! let us lie down together." The ringed seal came ashore, and  lay   down   with  Miti' in her tent; but,  as soon as it had gone to sleep,


1  Phoca hispida.


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Miti' stunned it with a club and carried it home. On the following morning Miti' went to the shore again, and saw a spotted seal.1 She said to the spotted seal "Come here! let us lie down together." The seal came out on the shore, and lay down with Miti'; but, as soon as it had gone to sleep, Miti' stunned it and carried it home. On the morning of the third day she went again to the shore, and saw a thong-seal 2   in the sea;  and she shouted to it,  " Come on lie down with me!" The thong-seal came ashore, and lay down with Miti'; but   as soon as it had gone to sleep,  Miti' stunned it and carried it home.

         On the fourth day Miti' said to her daughter, " Now let us go out together. Take along a harpoon for white whales." 3 Her daughter took the harpoon, and they started off. Soon they saw a white whale in the sea; and Miti' called to it, "Come on! let us lie down together." The white whale came ashore, and lay down with Miti'. As soon as the whale had gone to sleep, Miti"s daughter took hold of the harpoon, and thrust it into the whale. Then mother and daughter killed it, cut it to pieces, and carried the blubber and meat into the storehouse near their home.

         On the next day Miti' said to her daughter, "Take some whaling-harpoos along to-day." She took the harpoons, and the two women went to the shore. Soon they saw a whale in the sea; and Miti' said to him, "Come ashore! lie down with me." The whale came ashore, and lay down with Miti'; but, as soon as it had gone to sleep, Miti"s daughter harpooned it, cut it up, and carried it over to the storehouse.     After this they did not go to the seashore any more.

         When Creator came back from fishing, Miti' said to him, "You and your sons live by yourselves, and my daughter and I will live by ourselves. You may live on the product of your labor, and we on that of ours." Thus they lived in separate houses.

         Once   Creator  said   to   his   sons,   "I   am   going to my wife to eat some whale-skin and whale-blubber."     He went to his wife, and said, "Miti', I have come to eat some whale skin and blubber." —  "Well," she answered, "I will prepare a meal for you."     She went outside, cut off her vulva, brought it into the underground house, and pounded it up with some blubber.     Creator asked, "What are you pounding?"     She replied,  "I am pounding a whale's lip."     She set   the food before him.     He  ate of it and went home.     Then  Miti' said to her daughter,  "I am going  to  my husband's house to  have some dried fish." She   went   to   Creator's.     He  exclaimed,   "Miti',  have you  come to pay me a visit?"     She   answered,   "Eh!   I   came   to   eat  a little of your dried fish." — "Well,   I   will   prepare   a  meal for you," said  Creator.     He went outside,  cut off  his   penis,   brought   it   into   the   underground   house,   and   pounded  it up. "What   are   you   pounding?"   asked   Miti'.      "It   is   a   kind   of fish," answered Creator.     "It is a long time since I have caught any  of this  kind.     It tastes good. He set the fish before her, and she ate of it, but immediately recognized


1  Phoca Ochotensis.                      2 Erygnatus  Bavbatus.                               3 Delphinopterus  leucas.

 


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it and spat it out. Then Creator said, "Did I not fool you nicely?" She replied,  "You did not fool me, for I recognized what you gave me, and spat it out;  but you did eat my vulva."

         Then Creator said,   "Well,  Miti', let us stop fooling: let us live together again."    And they again settled down together.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 16, 1901.

32.  The Kala-Woman and the Mouse Children.

         The Mouse children were once playing, and Kala-Woman (Ka'la-ña'ut), passing by, saw them, caught them, and carried them home. She put them into her breeches, tied them up, and hung them over the cross-beam of the underground house, saying, "Let them ferment a little, then I shall eat them." On the next morning Kala-Woman went out, leaving the Mouse children hanging on the cross-beam.

         Soon Fox-Woman (Yaya'ca-ña'ut) came. The Mouse children said, "Fox- Woman, take us down." — "How can I take you down, you are too high up?" replied Fox-Woman. But the Mouse children said to her, "Ask Cross- Beam to bend down, and say that in return you will give it some mouse-fat." Fox-Woman said, "Cross-Beam, get up still higher. In return I will give you some mouse-fat." Cross-Beam got up higher, and the Mouse children began to cry. Then Fox-Woman said, "Cross-Beam, bend down to the ground, I will give you some mouse-fat." Cross-Beam bent down, and Fox-Woman untied the breeches, let out the Mouse children, and told them to fetch some moss. The little ones brought the moss, Fox-Woman filled Kala-Woman's breeches with it, and hung them up on the cross-beam again. Then Fox-Woman led off the Mouse children, saying, "You go ahead, and I will brush away your footprints with my tail."

         Soon   Kala-Woman   came   home,  and wished to  eat the Mouse children. She   took  her   breeches   off  the  cross-beam,   untied them, but found nothing inside   but   moss.      "These   are   Fox-Woman's  tricks,  and nobody else's," she said.     "I will run to her now."    She went to Fox-Woman's house, and said, "It is you who carried off my food-supply." — "No, not I," replied Fox-Woman. "Don't   you   see   that   I   am   sick,   and am unable to go out?    I  have fever. Just look into the chamber-vessel.     How red with blood my urine is!"    Kala- Woman   looked,   and   said,    "Yes,   that   is   right."      As   a matter of fact,  the chamber-vessel   contained a decoction  of alder-bark prepared by  Fox-Woman. "There is a high cliff facing the sea: go there.     I always empty my chamber- vessel there."     Kala-Woman took the chamber-vessel and went out to empty it.     Fox-Woman   ran stealthily after her.     Whenever  Kala-Woman heard her


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steps and looked back, Fox-Woman would turn into a bush. When Kala-Woman reached the cliff and emptied the vessel, Fox-Woman pushed her from behind, and she was hurled to death. Fox-Woman herself fell down, but had time enough to jump into the water, and was not killed. When she got ashore, she was all wet, and began to dry herself. She pulled off her skin took out her eyes, took off her vulva, and hung them all up to dry. Then she lay down in the sun, and fell asleep.

         About that time Creator said to Miti', "I am going to take a walk on he seashore." He went. He came to the shore, found the sleeping Fox-Woman and resolved to make fun of her. He took some water in his mouth, poured it into the vagina of Fox-Woman, and burst out laughing. His laughing woke Fox-Woman up, and in her fright she started running without having time to take her eyes along. She ran without knowing whither. Suddenly she felt some bilberries (Vaccinium uliginosum L.) under her feet. She said to the berries, "Give me some eyes." She was given two berries. Fox-Woman put them into her empty eye-sockets. She could see a little, but everything appeared as in a haze. She ran on farther, and found some mountain-cran- berries (Vaccinium vitis idcea L.). She said to these berries also, "Give me some eyes." She was given two berries. Fox-Woman put them into her eye-sockets in place of the bilberries; and now she could see better, but everything appeared red to her. She ran farther, and found some black crow- berries (Empetrum nigrum L.). "Give me some eyes," Fox-Woman said. She was given two berries. She set them in place of the mountain- cranberries, and ran home with them. There she said, "Creator has frightened me. I am going to play a trick on him in return." She went to the place where Creator used to go out sea-hunting, and transformed herself into a little boy. Soon Creator came, carrying a seal-stomach filled with fat. As soon as the boy saw Creator, he began to cry. Creator thought to himself, "I will take the boy home, and bring him up like my own son." He put him on his shoulders and carried him toward his home ; but Fox-Woman drank all the fat from the stomach, jumped off Creator's shoulders, laughed, and said, "Creator, you frightened me so much that I ran away without my eyes, and now I have fooled you." — "Well, you will not fool me again," said Creator. "Yes, I will!"  replied Fox-Woman.

         After some time Creator went again for seal-fat. He filled his mouth with fat, that Fox-Woman might not steal it again. Suddenly Fox-Woman came running to meet him, and exclaimed, "I bring  you news!" Creator could not control himself any longer, spat out the fat, and said, "Tell me what kind of news." Fox-Woman replied, "Well, you said I would not fool you again." That's all.

Told by Yociga'vyiñin, a Reindeer Koryak man, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 16,  1901.


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33.   How  Yiñe'a-ñe'ut  married  a Dog.

         Once Creator (Tenanto'mwan)  said to his daughter Yiñe'a-ñe'ut,  "Go and feed   our   dog."     She  went to  feed it, but the dog refused to take any food. He only threw himself upon her and embraced her.     She went to her father, and said,   "The dog does not want  to eat,  he only throws himself upon me." But   Creator   said,   "Never   mind!  try once more."    She obeyed, but the dog again   threw   himself  upon her.     After this he came to Yiñe'a-ñe'ut at night, and   lay   down   with   her.      Finally   Creator   said,   "The   dog must be killed." The people   killed   him,   and   threw   his   body   away,  but as soon as it grew dark, he came   to   life,   and   again came to Yiñe'a-ñe'ut.     Then Creator said, "Throw him into an ice-hole."     He was thrown into an ice-hole; but at night he came to Yiñe'a-ñe'ut all wet.    Then Creator ordered the people to cut the dog   to   pieces,   and   to  throw the  body into  an ice-hole.     They cut him into small pieces, and threw them into the ice-hole; but at night he came back to Yiñe'a-ñe'ut in the form  of a man.    Then he married her.

         Yiñe'a-ñe'ut's cousin Kïlu' envied her. She went out to their dog, but he did not throw himself upon her. She went into the underground house, how-ever, and said, "The dog is throwing himself upon me;" but nobody paid any attention to her words. At night she took the dog into the house, and put him down by her side. The dog tried to escape, but she kept him. On the following morning Kïlu' said to her people, "The dog came to me in the night, throw him into the water;" but nobody threw the dog into the water. Then she went herself and threw the dog into the ice-hole. The dog was drowned. Kïlu' waited for him at night, but the dog never returned.

Yiñe'a-ñe'ut's husband went hunting, and killed wild reindeer; and Kïlu' remained single.    Thus she lived.    That's all.

Told by Qaiciva'ñten, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 17, 1901.

34.  How Creator stole Fish from the  Reindeer-Breeders.

         Creator (Tenanto'mwan) sent his reindeer-herd into the mountains for the summer, and he himself remained on the river. There was no fish in the river, and he was starving. The Reindeer people who had gone up the river had good luck in fishing. Creator followed them. When he was near them, he went into the woods, cut off his penis, transformed it into a raven, and said, "Fly to the Reindeer people, and bring me the dried fish that they have hung up." The raven flew to the Reindeer people, and at night stole their dried fish. He carried it into the woods to Creator. In the morning, when the   Reindeer people arose, they asked each  other,   "How  did it happen that


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our fish disappeared ?" but they never discovered the cause of it.     Creator put his   penis   back   in  its place,  carried the  fish  home,  and thus  put in  a  supply of food   for   the   entire   summer.      When the snow had  fallen,  Creator's  sons drove the herds back, and he was no longer in need of food.    That's all.

Told by Ñe'uñuto, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April, 17, 1901.

35.  How Creator ate the Winter Supply of Berries.

         Creator (Tenanto'mwan) was once left without tobacco. "I am going to town for some tobacco," he said. He got ready for the journey. He left the house;  but, instead of going to town, he went from the roof of the underground house down through the roof-opening into the porch,1 and ate the berries which had been gathered by the women and stored there for winter use. He staid there for several days; and his people were waiting for him, and wondering why he was staying away so long. Finally they said to Miti"s brother, Little- Charm-Man (Ikle'mtila'n), "Try your shamanistic powers, and find out what has happened to the old man."

         He pronounced his incantations, and said, " My breath is being drawn toward the porch." They went to the porch, and found Creator there, sitting with his hand in the bag of berries, and eating. They said to him, "Didn't you go to town? We have been waiting for you, and now you are sitting here." He replied, "I have come back from town, and came in here first to have some berries after the insults I received from the Russian chief, who scolded me." They asked him, "What did the Russian chief say to your" He answered,  "He called me a seal-skin thimble."

Told by Ñe'uñuto, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April
17, 1901.

36.  Tricks of the  Fox.

         Once Fox (Yã'yol) said to his children, "I am going to get some eggs." e went to the woods, and saw an Eagle's nest on a tree. He put some grass-stalks into his ears, knocked with them over the tree, and said to Eagle, "Throw me down an egg. If you don't, I will knock the tree over with these stalks, and break it." Eagle became frightened, and threw one egg down. "Throw down another," said Fox. "That's enough. I will not throw down any more," replied Eagle; but Fox said, "Throw it down. If I knock down the tree, I will take them all." Eagle was frightened, and threw down another egg. Then Fox laughed, and said, "I fooled you nicely. How could I have knocked down a whole tree with these small stalks of grass ?"


1 See p.   14, Footnote 4.


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JOCHELSON, THE KORYAK.

         Eagle  grew angry,  threw himself upon  Fox,  grasped him with his talons, lifted   him   in   the   air,   flew out to sea,  and threw him  down  upon  a solitary island      Fox remained on that island.    He  lived there, and thought to himself, " Am   I really going to die  on  this island ?"     He began to  utter incantations; and seals, walrus, and whales appeared near the island.     "What are you talking and singing about?" they asked Fox.     "This is what I was singing and talking about" Fox replied:   "are there more animals in the waters of the sea, or on the   dry   land?" —   "Certainly   there   are   more in the waters of the sea," the sea-animals   said.      "Well,   let us see,"  said  Fox.     "Get up  on the surface of the   water,   and   form   a   raft  from this island to the land;  and I will take a walk over you, and count you all."    They all came up to  the surface of the water   and formed a raft;  and  Fox ran  over their backs, pretending to count them, but,  as soon as he reached land,  he jumped ashore  and went home.

         On his way Fox met Bear, who was Fox's cousin. Fox asked him, "Cousin, do you fear anybody on earth?" — "No, I fear nobody," answered Bear. "Not even the two-legged ones?" asked Fox. "I am not only not afraid of them, but I am in search of them,  for  I  eat them."

         Fox ran ahead, and met two men. He said to them, "Follow me, I will show you a Bear. He says that he is not afraid of you. I will run ahead, and lead him to meet you." Fox went and brought Bear. The men shot arrows from their bows, and wounded Bear. Both Bear and Fox fled. Fox said to Bear, "Let me treat your wound, and I will soon cure you." Fox heated a sharp stone, and pushed it into the wound. Bear died. Fox cut him up, carried the meat home, and said to his children, "Here, I have killed a bear."    That's all.

Told by Ñe'uñuto, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 17, 1901.

37.  Creator's Fight with the  Kalau.

         Once   Creator (Tenanto'mwan) said to Miti',   "I am going to fetch some timber.     Our   sledges are old,  I have to  make new runners.     We may have to   change   our   camp   soon."     He  went to the woods.    Suddenly he saw an underground house, from the opening of which smoke  was rising.     "I will go into this house," thought Creator.     "I feel hungry; I will eat something there." He   went   into   the   underground   house;   and  the kalau who lived there said, "Aha,   food has come  of its own  accord!"     One  of the kalau asked  Creator, "Do   you   grow fat,  or not?" —  "I  usually grow so fat from good food  that my   fat  just   hangs down, and grease runs from my fingers."     When the old kala heard  this,  he  said  to  his  children,   "Let  us  give him good food, let him grow fat:  he will  taste  better then."     Thus the kalau becran to fatten Creator,

24--JESUP   NORTH   PACIFIC   EXPED.,   VOL.   VI.


186

JOCHELSON, THE  KORYAK.

and looked after him well. They would not let him outside without a guard, lest he might run away. Once Creator went outside together with the old kala. The latter had made an adze; and Creator said to him, "Give me your adze, I will sharpen it for you." The kala gave his adze to Creator. Creator sharpened the adze, and said to the kala, " Look! there is a flock of geese flying." When the kala looked up, Creator cut off his head with the adze. Then he fled. He came home running, and said to his sons, "Let us move from here quick." His sons asked him, "Why so quick?" He said to them, "I got to the kalau. They were fattening me in order to kill me; and I have killed the old man who was watching me, and run away. Now his sons will pursue us."

         The kala's sons were not at home when Creator killed their father. They had gone to the Reindeer Koryak, hunting for human flesh. When they returned home, and saw that their father had been killed, they ran in pursuit of Creator.

         Creator appealed to Universe (Ña'iñinen), and said, "The kala's sons are pursuing me. What shall I use to defend myself? They have arrows with eyes, which direct their course so that they will hit every time." Universe gave him an iron mouth, and said,   "Catch their arrows with this mouth."

         The kala's sons caught up with Creator, and fought with him. As soon as they would send an arrow, he would catch it with his iron mouth. Thus they shot all their arrows; and Creator caught them with his mouth, and swallowed them.     Being without arrows, the kalau ran away.

         Afterward Creator spat out all the arrows, and gave them to his sons. They hunted wild reindeer with them. As soon as they shot an arrow, it would fly of itself on the reindeer. They killed off the kalau with these arrows, and people ceased to fear them.

Told by Ñe'uñuto, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 17, 1901.

38.  Eme'mqut and  the  Wolves.

         Once Eme'mqut said, "I am going to drive with my wife to cousin Big- Light's (Qeskin-a'qu) to pay him a visit." Big-Light was the son of Brother (Qaitaka'lñin),  who was  Creator's brother.

         They went, lost their way, and got into a settlement of the Wolves. It was the Wolves who had caused this to happen, because previously Eme'mqut had killed many wolves. "Now," the Wolves said, "we will not let you off: you have killed many of our children." — "Well, I am in your hands now," said  Eme'mqut.     "Kill  me."

         The   Wolves   conducted   Eme'mqut   and   his   wife  into  their underground


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JOCHELSON, THE KORYAK. 

house     They would  not let them outside without a guard.     The  Wolves did not go to sleep at night, but kept watch over Eme'mqut and his wife, because  they wished to kill them  in the morning.     But Eme'mqut caused the Wolves to  fall sound asleep, and he and his wife  escaped.     When the Wolves woke up in the morning,  and saw  that Eme'mqut and his wife were gone, they ran in pursuit of them.     When  Eme'mqut saw that the  Wolves were catching up  ith them,  he produced a chip of wood from  his bosom, and threw it behind him    and   it   turned   into   a   dense forest.     The Wolves,  however,  made their way  through   the   forest.     Then   Eme'mqut   took out a pebble, and threw it back   over   his   shoulder,  and a high  mountain-ridge arose between them and the Wolves; but the Wolves got across the mountain-ridge.    Then Eme'mqut took   out  his arrow with eyes, shot it at the  Wolves,  and it killed off all of them.    Thereupon Eme'mqut went on  his way to  Big-Light's.    That's all.

Told by Ñe'uñuto, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April  I8, 1901.

39.   How Eme'mqut took a Kala's Wives.

         Envious-One (Nipai'vaticñin) was Eme'mqut's cousin. He was practising for the races, and one night he ran a very long time in order to exercise his legs. Suddenly he noticed that he had run up to the underground house of a kala. Cautiously he got up on the roof, looked into the opening, and saw the kala sitting with two pretty wives, one on each side of him. Then he ran home. He entered his underground house, and told his cousin Yiñe'a-ñe'ut what he had seen. Eme'mqut heard him talking, and asked Envious-One what he was talking about. "Nothing," answered the latter. "Nothing!" said Eme'mqut. "I heard you tell her that you had found a kala sitting with his two pretty wives." — "Yes, I found him. But you cannot get his wives," replied Envious-One. "He is stronger than you." — "Yes, I will take them," said Eme'mqut.

         He assaulted his cousin Kïlu', killed her, cut off her leg, and went to the kala with her leg. As soon as he arrived, he swung the leg before him. This made the kala sick, and he died. Then Eme'mqut carried off his wives to his house, and married them. He brought Kïlu"s leg along, put it back in its place, and revived Kïlu'. Then he went outside, pulled out the post to which the dogs used to be tied, and reindeer came from the hole he had made. A large herd came out,  and Eme'mqut lived  in affluence.     That's all.

Told by Ñe'uñuto, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 18,   1901.


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40. The Wind People.

         It was at the time when Creator (Tenanto'mwan) lived. Once a violent snow-storm broke out, and it blew incessantly. Creator got ready to go to Wind-Man's (Kiti'himtila'n) village to find out why the storm was raging so incessantly. He took a skin boat instead of a sledge, to which he hitched mice instead of reindeer, and he started. He came to the village of the Wind people (Kiti'y-ni'myisa'n). All the inhabitants of the village surrounded him, and laughed at his sledge and reindeer. "How will you carry off our presents on such reindeer?" they asked. "Just put them into the boat, and do not mind how I carry them off." The Wind people took out all the food and clothes they had, and loaded the skin boat heaping full. Creator drove back his mice, which dragged the loaded skin boat home, and then returned to the village of the Wind people. They loaded his skin boat again, and he carried off everything they had. Creator's mice gnawed off all the straps of the Wind people's sledges and of the harness. The Wind people could not drive any more, and the snow-storm ceased.     That's  all.

Told  by  Qaiciva'ñten,  a  Reindeer  Koryak  woman,  in
camp on Topolovka River, April 18, 1901.

41. To'leq the Fox.

         There  was a Fox.     His name was To'leq.     Once upon a time he went fishing  with   a   frame   net.     He came to the river and set the net.    Soon a Bear   came  to   the   opposite bank, and shouted to Fox, asking him,  "Where is  your ford?"    Fox pretended not to see or hear him, and kept on singing, shouting,   and   repeating,   "What   a   lot   of  mosquitoes!     Oh,   I  am bitten  by them   all   over!"     Bear  shouted  still  louder,   "Hey!   I  shall  cross to  the other side, and kill you,  if you  do  not listen  to  me."     Then  Fox answered,   "Well, I have been  calling you  for a long time.     There is a ford up yonder."     Bear crossed   the   river,   came   to   Fox,   and   said,    "What  a lot  of fish  you  have! Give  me your net.     I  shall  catch still  more."     Fox gave him  the net.     Bear went into the water and set the net.     At the same time Fox made an arrow out   of  urine,   and   a  bow out of excrement,  and shot  Bear in  the  side.     He wounded him,  and shouted,   "The Chukchee are assailing us!"     Bear got out of the water with difficulty.     Fox said,  "Let me cure you."     He heated a stone and   put   it   into   the   wound.     Bear   screamed,   "Oh,   how painful!     You are killing   me."     Fox   answered,   "No,  as soon as the pain  is over,  you will feel better."     But   Bear   soon   fell   down   dead.     Fox heated some stones  red-hot, and   broiled   the   bear-meat,   saying,   "I  will broil the meat,  and then take it home."    Suddenly, however,  a Wolf ran up to him, and said,  "Give me some


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JOCHELSON, THE KORYAK.

of    'our   meat?"     Fox   replied,    "Indeed,   I  killed a bear.    Just wait until the meat is done, then I will give you some."     Wolf waited until he became sleepy. He said to Fox,   "I  am going to take a  nap.     Wake me up when the meat is ready."     As   soon  as  Wolf was asleep,  Fox took all  the bones,  put them too-ether,   and   tied   them   to   Wolf's   tail.      Then  he struck him  in  the belly, and   shouted,   "Get up!     The  Chukchee are assailing us."    Wolf jumped up, and    not   being   quite   awake,   fled   at   once.     The   bones   on   his tail rattled as   he   ran   along,   and   he   ran   faster and faster until his strength gave out. Then he stopped, looked at his tail,  and saw the bones that were tied to it. "Well"   said   he,   "Fox   has   fooled  me.     I'll get even with him when I find him !"    He entered his house, took some pieces of dried fish, and went in search of  Fox.     He   saw him at a distance,  and scattered the pieces of fish on the ice.    Fox found them, ran home, and said to his brothers and sisters,  "I found some pieces of fish on the ice: let us go and pick them up."    They all followed him.    Suddenly they saw Wolf  approaching.    They were about to run away, when To'leq said,   "Don't run away!     Let him  come  near us, we can always get   away   from   him:   he   is   not   as   fleet   of  foot   as we  are."     When  Wolf approached, the Foxes began to pass water.     Their urine ran under them, so
that their tails froze to the ice.     Only the old Master Fox ran away, because his tail was not shaggy, having lost most of its hair.     Wolf stunned the Foxes with a club, and killed them.

         In   the   World   of the Dead (Ne'nenqal) To'leq said to his brothers and sisters,   "I will tell you a story."     He said,   "Creator lived.     Once he said to Miti',  'Make some pudding.'     She obeyed, and they began to eat."    Suddenly To'leq shouted, "Get up!" and his brothers and sisters got up, and all ran home.

         When   Wolf  learned that the  Foxes had revived,  he went to Bear,  and said,   "Let   us   go   and   kill  To'leq: he roasted and ate your brother."    Bear and   Wolf  set   out   in search of To'leq, who said to his brothers and sisters, "Boil some fish-glue for me."    They obeyed.     To'leq took the glue and glued up   one   of his   eyes,   made   his   face crooked on  one side,  bent his leg, and glued   it   so that it should stay in that position.    Then he went out to meet Bear and Wolf.     "You  are not looking for me,  I suppose?    There are many To'leqs about in this country.     Was your To'leq blind in one eye?" — "No," answered   Wolf,   "he   was   not." —   "Did he have a lame leg and a crooked mouth?" continued Fox.     "No," said Wolf,   "he was not lame, and his mouth was straight." —  "Then it must have been another To'leq.     Why,  then, did you come to kill me?"    Then  Wolf and  Bear left To'leq,  saying,  "There are many Foxes in this country: let us go and seek the right one."    That's all.

Told by Ñe'uñuto, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April  18, 1901.


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                      JOCHELSON, THE  KORYAK.
42.   How  Creator saved  his People  during a  Famine.

         It was at the time when Creator (Tenanto'mwan) lived. All his sons went hunting wild reindeer. They took along with them their herd of domestic reindeer. Creator was unsuccessful in fishing, and his family was starving. Finally he said to his wife and daughters, "Let us move away from here. If  we remain here, we shall die of starvation. Let us take no unnecessary things along, only our wearing-apparel and our tent:  that is all."

         Creator's daughters asked him, "Where shall we go?" — "Just take your travelling-bags along.     I will tell you  afterward where we are going."

         When they got their bags ready, and put them on their shoulders, Creator said to his wife and daughters, "Now let us each put his head into his anus." Creator and his daughters did accordingly, but Miti' put it into her vagina instead of her anus. Then every one of them commenced to live inside of himself. Creator arranged it so that they could see one another; but they could not see Miti', for she had gone the wrong way. Creator said to his daughter, "Miti' must have gone to live on another stream." They called to her, "Miti', where are you?" She replied to their call, "I went along a bright
stream." Then Creator said to his daughters, "Stay here and wait, and I will go and bring your mother." He pulled out his head from his anus, and saw that Miti' had pushed her head into the wrong place. He pulled her head out, and pushed it into her anus, and put his own head back into his anus. Then they all found themselves at the same place with their daughters. They caught some salveline (Salvelinus Malma Walb.). Creator ordered them to eat the fish, but not to cure it.    Thus they lived for a long time.

         Eme'mqut and his brothers came back from hunting.     They brought along a great many wild reindeer that they had killed, and also drove back Creator's herd of domestic reindeer ;  but no  one came out of the underground house to meet them.     Eme'mqut said to his brothers,   "Go  and let the reindeer off to pasture, meanwhile I will go  down and  see what has happened.     It looks as if they were all dead."     Eme'mqut descended into the underground house, and saw   his   father,   mother,   and   sisters   all sitting coiled up,  with their bags on their   shoulders,   and   each with his head in  his anus.     He pushed them,  and they pulled out their heads.     They had been feeding on their excrement inside of their intestines,  and this was what they called their salveline.     Miti' came out with a piece in her hand.     Eme'mqut looked at them, began to spit, and said, "Fy! you have been eating excrement."     But Creator said,  "Had we not eaten our excrement, we shoald have died of starvation long ago."

         Thereupon they ate the wild reindeer, and slaughtered the domestic ones. Thus they commenced to live on nice food.     That's all.

Told  by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 18, 1901.


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JOCHELSON, THE KORYAK. 

 

43.  How the  Dead punished  some  Noisy Boys.

         There was such a large village that one end of it could not be see from the other end. There were many boys and young men in the village. They were always playing games. They would play all night long. In the same village there lived an old woman, who also had a boy. She said to him, "Play with the children during the day, and in the evening come home to sleep: don't play at night." The boy minded her; and as soon as the sun had set, he would leave the play-ground and go home to sleep, while the other children would play until late at night. Once they played about so much that they nearly broke the old woman's underground house.

         One night when everybody in the village was asleep, the old woman heard a dog bark. She went out to look for it, but when she was outside she did not hear anything. She returned into the house, and again heard the dog barking, even nearer than before. After some time she again went out, but could not hear anything there. She returned into the house, and again heard the dog bark, still nearer than before. She sat awhile, and suddenly saw a kala come out of the ground. He had a human face and a dog's body. The kala asked the old woman, "Does your boy play late at night?" — "No, he goes to bed at sunset;  but the other boys and young men don't go to bed at night. The eyes of the old people are sore, for they cannot get any sleep." The kala said, "The ancient people, that is, the dead (peni'nelau), have sent me to kill all the young men."

         Thereupon the kala disappeared under the ground. When outside the house, he emerged from under the ground and began to kill the people. He broke the underground houses one after another, killed the people, and dragged their bodies out. Thus he killed all the inhabitants of the village in a single night.

         The next morning the old woman got up, went outside, and not a single voice   was   heard.     She   went   into   the   broken  houses,  and did not find any people.     Only   the   traces of the blood  of the killed were seen leading away from  the village.    The old woman went home, took a bag and a knife, and went   off,   following   the   bloody   tracks.      When   she   found the bodies of the people, she cut off their little fingers,  took them  back to the village, and let them down into the underground houses.     In the  evening she herself and her son   went   to   bed,   as  usual.     On  the following morning they arose,  and dis- covered that all the people had come to life;  but they talked  so quietly that their   voices   could   hardly   be   heard.     The   youths   ceased   playing   at  night. From now on, the people of all the underground houses invited the old woman to   their   houses;   while before they would  not  let  her  in,   notwithstanding her


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JOCHELSON, THE  KORYAK.

entreaties.     The   old woman said,   "I will  live  alone,  as before."     The  people said to her,   "If you had not revived us,  we should all of us be dead."
         Thus they lived.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 18, 1901.

44.  How Sculpin-Man ate his Companions.

         Sculpin-Man 1 kamti1'n) and Dog-Salmon-Man2 (Ene'mtila'n) lived in one village. Salveline-Man3 (Viti'mtila'n) and Tom-Cod-Man4 (Vaxne'mtila'n) lived with them.

         Once   Sculpin-Man   said   to   Dog-Salmon-Man,   to   Salveline-Man,   and to Tom-Cod-Man,   "Let us go and hunt wild reindeer."    They went hunting, but they   did   not   take any provisions along.    They walked all day, and did not kill   one   reindeer.      "Now  we   have   to   go to sleep without having had any food,"   they   said.     They   stopped   for   the night, built a fire, and, hungry as they were, lay down.    Sculpin-Man took a piece of wood and began to whittle out a pointed stick.     Dog-Salmon-Man and Salveline-Man asked him,   "What are  you   doing   there?"    Sculpin-Man replied,   "Eh!  nothing,  it is just a stick to beat out my fur coat." —  "No," they rejoined,  "you are getting ready to broil   something,   perhaps  some fish." —  "What kind of fish should I broil?" said   Sculpin-Man.     "Where   should   I  get fish?"     They went to bed; and as soon   as   they   had   gone   to   sleep,   Sculpin-Man got up,  took Tom-Cod-Man, killed him, put him on his spit, broiled him, and ate him.     On the following morning Dog-Salmon-Man and Salveline-Man got up; and, since they did not find Tom-Cod-Man, they said to Sculpin-Man "Where is our comrade?"    Didn't he go somewhere?" —  "Why do you ask me?"  Sculpin-Man replied.     "He may felt  like   going  home,  and has left us."     Sculpin-Man,   Dog-Salmon-Man,  and have Salveline-Man went on, but did not procure any game on that day, either. They   were   very   hungry  when they settled  down for the  night.     When  they were getting ready to go to bed, Sculpin-Man again began to whittle a piece of wood.     "What are you doing there?     What do you want to roast?" asked Dog-Salmon-Man and Salveline-Man.     "This is a snow-beater for my fur coat," replied  Sculpin-Man.     When his friends had gone to  sleep,  he got up,  killed Salveline-Man, broiled him on the spit, and ate him.     On the following morning, when they arose, Dog-Salmon-Man asked, "Where did Salveline-Man disappear to?"    "Perhaps he went home in the night," answered Sculpin-Man.

         Sculpin-Man and Dog-Salmon-Man went on, and killed no game on that day, either. They stopped for the night, and Sculpin-Man again began to whittle out a stick.     Dog-Salmon-Man said to him,  "You seem to be preparing


1  Cotus guadricornus.                                     2  Oncorhynchus keta.

3 Salvelinus malma Walb.                                 4  Eleginus Navaga.


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JOCHELSON, THE KORYAK. 

to broil fish : are you not going to broil some dog-salmon ?" — " Where should I get fish around here5 I simply wish to beat my fur coat." When Dog- Salmon-Man had gone to sleep, Sculpin-Man killed, broiled, and ate him. On the next day he arose and went back home. When he came to his village, the inhabitants asked him, "Where are your comrades ?" He replied, "I wrestled with them and overcame them, — Tom-Cod-Man at our first halting-place, Salveline-Man at the second, and Dog-Salmon-Man at the third." The inhabitants of the village understood that Sculpin-Man had eaten his comrades.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 18, 1901.

45.  Yiñe'a-ñe'ut's  Adventures and Creator's Tricks.

         A daughter, Yiñe'a-ñe'ut, was born to Creator (Tenanto'mwan). Miti', his wife, kept her separate from her birth up. She put her into a little hut placed upon a tall tree near the river. There Miti' used to carry food to her. She did not nurse her herse f, but she would let her suck a nipple cut off from a reindeer-doe.    Thus Yiñe'a-ñe'ut grew up in her little house.

         Every year the spring overflow of the river would little by little under-mine the bank, so that the ground near the tree upon which Yiñe'a-ñe'ut's little hut stood gradually crumbled away, and the tree finally fell into the water. The little hut broke to pieces; and Yiñe'a-ñe'ut fell into the water, and was carried down the river by the current. At that time the Fish-Men (Ene'mtila'nu)1  were going down to the sea on a raft, and they beheld Yiñe'a- ñe'ut. The old Fish-Man said to his sons, "Quick! catch that girl! One of you will marry her." They dragged Yiñe'a-ñe'ut out of the water, put her on the raft, and went on. Fish-Man's oldest son, whose name was Oeta' (i. e., dog-salmon, Oncorkynchus Keta), married Yiñe'a-ñe'ut. Soon the Fish- Men went ashore. Reindeer people lived not far from the shore, and the Fish-Men went to their camp. Only the old Fish-Woman (Ene'm-ñe'ut) and Yiñe'a-ñe'ut remained on the raft. The old woman said to her daughter-in-law, "We have nothing to go for, they will bring our food over here."

         At the camp one of the Reindeer people, Twilight-Man (Gi'thihla'n), asked the Fish-Men, "Whom have you left on your raft?" Oeta' replied, "My wife and mother are left there. My mother is very old: she is unable to walk far."

         As soon as he heard this, Twilight-Man stopped eating, jumped out of the tent, and ran to the raft. He came running to the women, grabbed Yiñe'a- ñe'ut,   carried her to his house, and hid her.     The old  Fish-Woman cried to


 1 E'nem means  "fish" and also "dog-salmop," for the latter is regarded as the genuine fish.     Other Koryak
names for dog-salmon are qetãqet and ligi'-ana'n ("genuine  fish").

25—JESUP   north   PACIFIC   EXPED.,   VOL.   VI.


194

 JOCHELSON, THE  KORYAK.

her son, "Qeta', your wife is being carried away !" The Fish-Men came running, and the old woman told them that Twilight-Man had stolen Yiñe'a-ñe'ut; but the Fish-Men did not look for her, and continued on their journey to their own country, in  the sea.

         Once Creator said to his wife, "Go to see your daughter, take some food to her. I am always thinking of her." Miti' took some food and went to Yiñe'a-ñe'ut's hut; but she soon returned, and said to her husband, "The tree fell into the water, and was carried off by the current, together with Yiñe'a-ñe'ut." — "No wonder that I think of her all the time!" said Creator. "It didn't use to be that way with me before. Well, nothing can be done now: we cannot get her back."

         Soon Yiñe'a-ñe'ut gave birth to a son, whom she had conceived from Twilight-Man. She said to her husband, "Father and mother are no doubt thinking that I have been drowned: it would be nice if they could see me and my son." Twilight-Man's father heard what she had said, and asked his son, "What did your wife say to you?" He replied that she would like to have her parents see her. "Well, take her over to her father and mother's," said the old man. "Let them not grieve over her. They may think that she has perished." Twilight-Man prepared for their journey. Yiñe'a-ñe'ut made some pudding.    At last they started off with a long train of reindeer-sledges.

         They drove up to Creator's house. Illa' went outside, saw the train, and called to Miti', "Come out! your daughter is coming!" — "Which daughter?" replied Miti'. "The one who was carried off by the water." — "Look here! they have come," said Illa'. "Take out a fire-brand." Miti' took out a fire-brand;  but when she had climbed halfway up the ladder, Kïlu' upset it, and Miti' fell back into the underground house. Kïlu' set the ladder back, and was the first one to meet them. Then Miti' came out with her fire-brand. Then Twilight-Man slaughtered some reindeer. Creator also slaughtered a few
of his reindeer. Twilight-Man and his wife staid at Creator's for some time, and then drove back home; and Creator with his sons remained at his place.

         Summer came. Eme'mqut and his brothers went to sea, hunting seals, white whales,  and whales;  Creator staid at home to put in a supply of wood.

         One morning Creator went out to gather wood. He was walking along, saying to himself, "Pshaw! I am so tired! I am sick of carrying wood." He strolled along the seashore. There he found two dead dog-salmon. They were old, and had many teeth.1 They had been carried out to sea by the river, and then cast ashore by the waves. Creator came up to the fishes, kicked them with his foot, and said, "Become father and mother to me." They turned into an old man and an old woman, and Creator became a young


  1 The salmon  Oncorhynchus die after spawning.    They change their looks and "grow old," as the Koryak
 The head becomes bigger, and large teeth appear in  the lower jaw.


I95

JOCHELSON, THE KORYAK.

girl.  He stamped the gravel on the seashore with his foot, and it became a reindeer-herd. Creator said to the old people, "Let us move over to my house:  my son  will  come to  look for  me,  and  I  will fool him."

        The old people obeyed, and stopped not far from Creator's underground house. Eme'mqut and his brothers came home from hunting. Miti' said to her son " Father has been gone quite a while: he went for wood, and has never come back. We have been a long time without wood. A bear must have devoured him." Creator's sons started out in search of their father. They went to the seashore where he used to get driftwood, and found his footprints on the sand of the beach; but when they came to the open plain, the traces disappeared.    They gave up their search  and went home.

         Once Eme'mqut said to his mother, "I am going up that hill to see if there are not some' wild reindeer there." Eme'mqut went. He reached the top of the hill, and saw a tent and a herd of reindeer grazing around it. He approached the tent. A young girl was sitting outside, and was scraping a reindeer-skin with a scraper. The girl said, " Aha! a guest has come! — Where you are going to?" — "I am not a guest," Eme'mqut replied. "I am looking for father." — "Why are you looking for him?" said the girl. "He is a sly old fellow. He has played a trick on you and gone off somewhere far away. Stop looking for him. He will come back. The bears will not eat him up."

         "First I will go into your tent and take a rest," said Eme'mqut. "Come in," said the girl, "I will treat you." She slaughtered a reindeer, cooked the meat in a large pot, and set it before Eme'mqut. He ate some of it and went home. Then he said to his mother, "Some Reindeer people are camping on the hill, — an old man and an old woman and their daughter. The girl looks exactly like father when he was young." — "Go there once more and look: it may be that it is he himself," said  Miti'.

         On the next day Eme'mqut went up the hill with his brothers. When they arrived, the girl grew angry. "It looks as if they had guessed my trick," thought Creator. Flowever, the girl slaughtered a reindeer, and set the meat before the guests. Big-Light (Oeskin'a'qu) noticed a little bell hanging on the cross-pole of the sleeping-tent. He went up to look at it; but the girl cried, "Don't touch the bell! When guests come, they touch everything. You must not touch it." After that she fed them quickly, and sent them off home. They arrived home, and said to their mother, "If father had ever told us that he had a sister, we should think that that girl was his sister. But Miti' replied, it is he himself.     Let us all go  together and call  on them to-morrow."

         On the following day, Miti' turned into a young man. She went to the camp with her sons. When they arrived, Creator thought to himself, "They have come again to-day, and in greater numbers than yesterday." The new- comers   said   to   the girl,   "Your folks  will  surely  move  away from  here soon,


196  

 JOCHELSON, THE  KORYAK.

and we have said to one another, 'As long as the camp is near us, let us pay them a visit.'" — "Come into the tent," answered the girl. She slaughtered a reindeer, and cooked the reindeer-meat. Then she said, pointing to Miti', "This is the first time that I have seen this man." Eme'mqut said, "This is a Reindeer man. He came to serve for Miti'." The girl said, "Miti' is an old woman, and bad-looking. Why should he work for her?" But Miti' replied, "I heard that the old man got lost, and Miti' had become a widow: so I came to take her." — "What do you want to take her for?" the girl repeated. " She has daughters. Why does she not give you one of her daughters ? Her old man will surely come back."

         At that time Big-Light noticed two little bells and a needle-case hanging on the cross-pole of the sleeping-tent, and began to play and rattle with them. They were the penis and testicles of Creator. When Big-Light noticed this, he shouted,  "Don't touch these things!     Their root is in my heart."

        Then Miti' touched them. Creator again shouted, "Don't touch them!" but she did not mind him. Creator shouted again and again; and finally his voice changed to his own voice, and his tent turned into a rock. Instead of the old people, two dead dog-salmon were lying on the ground again, and Creator appeared in his real shape. But Miti' still continued to be a man. Then Creator's sons conducted him home; and Miti' ran ahead, became an old woman again, and sat down in her place.

         When Creator entered his underground house, he did not go up to Miti', but sat in another place. She said to him, "You have been away for such a long time, didn't you long for me? Why do you sit down so far from
me now?"

         "Well," Creator replied, "I will sit here, since a Reindeer man is working for  you."     She   said   to her husband,  " Who  should serve for me!     It was I myself who   appeared  as a young  man.     You were fooling me,  and I fooled you still more."

         Thereupon   Creator   went   up  to  her,  and  they lived as before.     Creator caught a whale, and Yiñe'a-ñe'ut came with her husband to attend the whale feast.    That's all.

Told by Ty'kken, a Reindeer Koryak woman, in camp
on Topolovka River, April 19, 1901.