1. Ma'ne And Mana'qton : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 182 III. -- WAR TALES1 (qlletkin plt, "[Of those] who led war tidings"). 1. MAN AND MANAQTON. There were two brothers, Man and Manaqton. In war times Manaqton was taken captive by the Russians, and put into a dark prison. They fed him and gave him to drink...
15. L'mln Lu'mnl : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 15. LMLN LML (A STORY ABOUT A POLYGAMIST.) Once (there lived) a polygamist. He said to his wives, "One (of you) have a fur shirt made, and the other have some trousers made, and let them be all white." They finished the clothes, and all of them went out...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 4 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 2. (QOLNTO.) A man lived at the village of Kiini. He had two sons. The Sun-Chief (Tirk-erem1) sent his men to this country. The people came to the man, and said, "The Sun-Chief wants one of your sons in his employ." He had him for a while; then he became...
6 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 6. (THE AIWAN AND THE REINDEER-BREEDER.) In olden times there was an Aiwan warrior who hunted whales. He had killed a whale. He had a reindeer-breeding neighbor. The son of this neighbor said to his old father, "Now, then, go to the whale-hunter (and ask...
20 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 20. (THE MAN WHO VISITED THE POLAR BEARS.) Once (there were) two Polar-Bear women, They landed (on shore. They were) very pretty. On the land a man saw them. He married one, and took her home and anointed her.1 The man walked around all the time, and brought...
2 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 26 2. (THE WOMAN AND THE LAKE-SPIRIT.)1 A girl refused to be married at the behest of her father. "To whom do you want to be married? You do not consent to be married to a man. Perhaps to a kel you want to be married." She paid no attention (to her father's...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 9 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 7. (THE POLYGAMIST.) There lived a polygamist (lmln). He had two wives. By the older wife he had two daughters; by the younger, no children at all. Still he loved the younger wife best. The elder one he did not love at all. One time, at a thanksgiving...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 8 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 8. (THE GIANT.1) Once there lived eight brothers. Seven of them paddled off in a skin boat. The eighth and youngest one staid at home. He went angling. Lolhln, the big man, passed by, and caught him up. He said, "I will carry this home as a toy for my children...
2. The Re'kkn : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 160 2. THE REKK. There lived once a people that were Rekk.1 They were rich in reindeer and had a large herd. One of them wanted to visit men. He said to his wife, "Let us go toward men!" The weather was cold. The wife answered, "It is too cold (to travel)."...
3 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 28 3. (THE GIRL AND THE SKULL.) Once upon a time there was an old man and his wife. They were three in the family. Their daughter was the third. The daughter was a girl unmarried, without a husband. This daughter had a separate sleeping-room. They had two...
7 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 7. (THE VISIT OF THE KELET.) Once a small house stood alone in the wilderness. The kelet were going to visit it. Only a woman and her children were at home. The man, her p. 52 husband was with the herd. On the rear side of the house was a funeral-place,2...
Next : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 4. (THE YOUTH WHO RECEIVED SUPERNATURAL POWERS FROM THE KELET.) Once upon a time there was another man who lived in a single house. There were only three of them. The son was suffering, so the parents (even) could not sleep. A strong gale was blowing...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 6 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 10. (THE MONSTER-WOMAN.) A man who had a wife went to hunt wild reindeer. He walked around all day, and could not find anything. Evening came. He felt cold. His house was too far away. So he thought, "Where shall I find a suitable place for the night? There is...
18. Two Shamans : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 100 18. TWO SHAMANS (EELT IRQ). There were two shamans. One was Teququ, the other Rowa.1 (They lived in) a village. Then the Rekke attacked them: they wanted to murder them. The Rekke (pitched) camp (close to them). In the evening the people laughed...
9 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 9. (THE ORPHAN.) Once (there was) an orphan child who lived quite by himself [quite alone]. In that place there lived numerous people. The people beat him all the time, p. 59 and they always treated him violently. The neighbors were all the time striking him...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 2 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 186 IV. TALES OF RUSSIANIZED NATIVES. 1. (SEA-JUMPER.1) There were an old man and an old woman. They had two sons. The elder son wanted to sharpen his knife. In doing this he broke the whetstone. Then his father was angered, and beat him with a spear-shaft...
1. The Sacrifice To The Dead : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 159 II. -- MISCELLANEOUS TALES. 1. THE SACRIFICE TO THE DEAD. There was a group of houses standing on the shore, -- a long row of houses. One girl awoke early in the morning, and began to scrape skins. At last the sun rose, still no man left...
1 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 124 III. -- INCANTATIONS. 1. (INCANTATION ON BEHALF OF A SICK PERSON.1) When a man is suffering, they call the Man from the Upper Region, and they speak thus: "Well, then, come down! I want to use you for my assistant. Indeed, what shall I do? Shall I find...
Title Page : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 6 p. 7 II. -- MYTHS AND TALES. 1. (THE AIWAN SHAMANS.) Once in olden times, the Aiwan and the people of St. Lawrence Island were at war. One man from this shore met with misfortune through the wind. While on the icefields he was carried away and spent two...
9. Incantation To Bring Back The Dying : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 9. INCANTATION TO BRING BACK THE DYING.2 When a man has (just) died, (another person) goes into the open, while (the dead) is still lying in the inner room. That man goes out and talks to the Morning Dawn, to the Upper Being. He says, "Oh, my mind is uncert...
5. Fortifying Incantation Against The Coming : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 5. FORTIFYING INCANTATION AGAINST THE COMING OF KELET (TANOMATKN WAN).1 I make the house of human people into a (closed) iron ball [house]. It has no entrance and no windows, and there is only a small vent-hole (on the top). I put around (this hole)...
5 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 5. (CONTEST WITH THE KELET.) "Free Translation." One time there was a man whose sons were all dying. He became old, and was left without sons. Then in his old age a male child was born to him. The child grew, and began to construct a boat. While the father w...
7. To Cure A Sick Man : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 7. TO CURE A SICK MAN.2 When a man (suffering from disease) is about to die, and has become quite weak, he is carried (out of the house), though with great effort, and (his body) is rubbed all over with something; (for instance,) with a little snow. Then...
14. A Tale Of The Raven Ku'urkl : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 14. A TALE OF THE RAVEN KUURKL2 (KUURKL LML). Once (upon a time) there was a (young) girl, a daughter of Kuurkl.2 p. 78 Her father made a public call for suitors. Everybody assembled, suitors from every land, -- the Wolf, the Wolverene, the Bear, the Wild...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 11 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 5. (STORY OF OBJECT-OF-LOATHING.) Object-of-Loathing (krkarn) lives with his uncle. He stays with the herd. All the time he is busy with the reindeer; but his uncle chides him, saying, "You good-for-nothing!" He is alone with the herd, -- the only herdsm...
14 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 14. (THE GIRLS AS AVENGERS.) There was a hunter, a very good one, the only one in the village. He was killing ringed seals, large thong-seals. Five brothers, doers of violence, robbed the people of their food. Two daughters of the hunter grew up, and said...
10 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 10. (UMQQI'S ADVENTURE.) This, indeed, is not a story, it is actual fact concerning somewhat ancient times. A certain man lived in the olden time. In those days the kel evil spirits were going around visible, just like our own people, quite openly. Then...
1. Raven Tale : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 150 p. 151 CHUKCHEE TALES. I. -- CREATION TALES.1 1. RAVEN TALE.2 "First Version." Raven and his wife live together, -- the first one, not created by any one, Raven, the one self-created. The ground upon which they live is quite small, corresponding only...
2. The Hare Tale : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 2. THE HARE TALE. In the olden time it was dark on the earth. The kelet stole the sun and took it away to their house. There they played ball with it. Hare said, "Let me get back the sun!" He climbed up on the tent of the kelet and looked in. They were playing...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 13 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 162 3. (THE REINDEER-BREEDER AND THE AIWAN.) A wealthy reindeer-breeder lived on the seashore. He had no sons, but four daughters, who kept watch over the herd. He had two large herds, and two daughters as herdsmen in each herd. Nearest to him lived...
10. Incantation A Woman Rejected : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 10. INCANTATION (USED BY) A WOMAN REJECTED BY HER HUSBAND AND JEALOUS OF HER RIVAL (WAN EUSQT UWQUIT NKU LNYO).1 Then you are this woman! You have so much of my husband's love, that he begins to reject me. But you are not a human being. I make you into carri...
Untitled. Part 1 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 5. (THE BOY WHO MARRIED THE SUN.) A man lived in a Maritime settlement. He had seven grown-up sons. They were travelling in a boat, and hunting whales and walruses. One time they went to sea, and saw a large overhanging cliff, quite similar to a house. At th...
16 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 16. (THE WOMAN WHO MARRIED THE MOON AND THE KEL.) There was a house. A woman of the human people (who lived in it) was deserted by her husband. She was starving, and (at last) was crawling on all fours from mere starvation. She was very hungry. Then she saw...
12 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 12. (THE CHILDREN CARRIED AWAY BY A GIANT.) One time a man was hunting whales. And he killed a great number of whales. They departed in skin boats. Two children were playing on the seashore, -- one a girl, the other a boy. The father was hunting whales...
6. For Hunting Sea Game : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 132 6. FOR HUNTING SEA-GAME.1 This is an incantation for (hunting) sea-game. When hunters, having gone out in a boat, have found a herd of walrus sleeping on the ice, and the ice is not solid, (so that) the boat makes a noise striking against small pieces...
V.Proverbs, Riddles, Sayings : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 146 V. -- PROVERBS, RIDDLES, SAYINGS. The riddles contained in this section were collected among the River Chukchee living on the Middle Anadyr River. They probably arose under Russian influence. Some of them have even been translated from the Russi...
Iv.Songs : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 138 IV. -- SONGS. 1.1 From what country is that traveller, who is being drawn by dogs? On his way returning he came to be without a whip. Then I will make haste and walk onwards. Then I will make haste and walk to the song. Truly, let us be joyful! 2. Those...
13 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 13. (THE GIRL IN THE STONE CHEST.1) There lived an old man who had an only daughter. He kept her in a large stone chest. Although her suitors were many, they could not do anything, since the girl was shut up in the chest. She was sitting there, with a lamp...
17 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 17. (BATTLE WITH THE TANT.) In the olden times, in some (part of the country,) people were at war. There were a "set of brothers" with a sister. The girl was quite nimble (from constant exercise). They were attacked by Tant. There were probably three [of them]...
Untitled : Sacred-Texts Asia CHUKCHEE MYTHOLOGY BY WALDEMAR BOGORAS [Leiden & New York, 1910] Title Page CONTENTS. I. INTRODUCTION. II. MYTHS AND TALES 1. (The Aiwan Shamans.) 2. (The Woman and the Lake-Spirit.) 3. (The Girl and the Skull.) 4. (The Youth who received Supernatural Powers from the Kelet.) 5...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 12 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 4. (THE ORPHAN.1) The parents of an only daughter, being very old, are living with her. The daughter, who is very able-bodied, goes hunting, and brings home wild reindeer. At the same time she refuses all suitors. No matter how many suitors come, and they are...
To Cure A Sick Man : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 192 3. (HARE STORY.1) There was a Hare. He lived with his wife. They had no children. The Hare said to his wife, "O wife! I am going now to the Man-Slayer to see what he is doing." He attached his reindeer to the sledge and went away. After a while he saw...
19 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 19. (THE MAN WHO MARRIED A SKY-GIRL.) Once there was a father.1 He had five (grown-up) sons. The sixth one was a boy, a young lad, indeed a half-grown youth. All the others were big, ever so big. Then their father grew quite old and decrepit. Oh, he felt ill...
3. Incantation For Taming Wild Reindeer : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 3. INCANTATION FOR TAMING WILD REINDEER (QAALVAT-WAN).1 When a wild reindeer-buck that has just shed his hair joins a domesticated herd, [the man] the owner [of the herd] says, "Let us try and make of him a tame reindeer! Let him create offspring for us!" He...
Chukchee Mythology.Title Page : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Next THE JESSUP NORTH PACIFIC EXPEDITION Edited By FRANZ BOAS MEMOIR OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM Of NATURAL HISTORY NEW YORK VOLUME VIII I. -- CHUKCHEE MYTHOLOGY By WALDEMAR BOGORAS [Leiden & New York, 1910] {Reduced To HTML By Christopher M. Weimer, Oct. 2003} Next
11 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 11. (THE ADVENTURES OF THE BROTHERS.)1 A company of brothers went to sea in a boat. They were caught by a foul wind and carried away to another land. They lost their way in a dense fog, but at last they sighted land. It was an extraordinary land, a quite dark...
Untitled. Part 2 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 4. (RAVEN AND SHE-FOX.1) A Raven married a Fox-Woman. They had nothing to eat. The Raven said, "Now I am going to the Sea-Spirit." His wife laughed. "How will you find him?" -- "Oh, I shall, I know the sea!" The Raven flew away, p. 194 and came to the middle...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 10 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 6. (THE VISITOR.) Two men lived as neighbors in the same camp. One had a number of children. They remained for a long time in the country Veqn, but saw no wild reindeer there. They were without (food). They lived on a few stray ptarmigan, and were nearly...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 3 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 185 3. (WAR WITH THE TANT.) There lived two brothers, ntourn and Aqalqan. Their houses were very poor. Some Tant warriors came, ten in number, all driving reindeer, and also all able-bodied. They murdered all the people near the lake. ntourn and Aqalq...
3. Story Of Raven And Wolverene : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 3. STORY OF RAVEN AND WOLVERENE.1 Once there lived Raven and Wolverene. Wolverene took Raven's girl for a daughter-in-law. They ill-treated her, beat her all the time; then they tied her tongue with a thread, smeared her face all over with fish-roe, made her...
8 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 8. (THE CHILD-MONSTER.) One time some people lived in an underground house. It had three sleeping-rooms. That of the son was on the eastern side; that of the father was on the western side; the third one was in the middle, on the rear side of the house. This...
I.Introduction : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 3 I. -- INTRODUCTION. The following series of texts was recorded by me during the years 1900 and 1901 in various villages on the Pacific Coast of the Chukchee Peninsula, between Mariinsky Post and Uisak. A number of tales are here given with interlinear...
8. Incantation For Pains In The Stomach : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 8. INCANTATION FOR PAINS IN THE STOMACH (NANQATLKN WAN).1 I call Quurkl.2 This abdomen (of mine) I make into a bay (of the sea). (The bay) is frozen, (altogether) bound with ice. (Plenty) of rubbish is there. All this rubbish is frozen there in (the ice of)...
13. The Raven And The Girls : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 75 13. THE RAVEN AND THE GIRLS (VALVY-LML). One time a company of little girls found upon the seashore a little seal. Then Raven saw them. Therefore they put the little seal under their bodies. "What is that?" -- "A splinter of wood." -- "Still it h...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 7 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 9. (SACRIFICE TO THE SEA.) There lived one time a Maritime man. He had eight children. The youngest was a girl. One day he went to hunt walrus. A storm came up, and he was carried out to sea. He was tossed about and nearly drowned. Then he said to the sea, "Oh...
4. Raven And Owl : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 4. RAVEN AND OWL. Raven and Owl fought for a hare. Owl caught Raven by the throat with one of his claws. Raven cries, "Don't you dare to eat my hare! I wish to eat it. I am the hunter," because he is so fond of big talking. Owl was silent, but he clutched...
4 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 4. (INCANTATION TO WARD OFF KELET).1 When evening comes, I tie up two big bears on either side of the entrance of my (house), and I speak thus: "Oh, you are so big (and strong)! At your side nothing ill can befall me [from anywhere]." p. 130 If some kel should...
2. Pintail Duck Incantation : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 2. PINTAIL-DUCK INCANTATION (VALOK-WAN, YELKEKIN WAN).1 (A MIDDLE-ANADYR INCANTATION.) This is to call game. I call every game, every living thing, from the very first limit of creation. A young pintail-duck I use for my leader, it is (so clever) [in hiding]...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 1 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 2. (REINDEER-BORN.) There lived a man who had one son. This son was all the time with the reindeer-herd. One time he came to the herd and saw that one reindeer-doe had an abscess on her ear. The night passed. The next morning he went to his father and said, "O...
21 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 21. (THE SHAMAN AND THE KELET.) Once -- of whom shall I speak (now)? One time Totirn, [a man, indeed] a shaman, walked up river. Then he saw two men driving reindeer. "Oh, well, now, where are you going?" -- "Well, then, we are going to Totirn's in search...
12. Tale About Qolento : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next 12. TALE ABOUT QOLNTO. Near the village Nunmun in a place called Cini, an orphan boy lived with his aged grandmother. The boy was all covered with scabs, and so weak was he that he could hardly move about. The grandmother was unable to get much food. So they...
To Cure A Sick Man. Part 5 : Sacred-Texts Asia Index Previous Next p. 173 11. (REINDEER-BORN.) There was an old man who had a large herd. He had also six sons, who kept watch over the herd by night and day. One day a tumor began to grow upon the neck of the largest buck. This tumor grew larger and larger, and after nine days...