out whether the stories told about the existence of an under-world were
true. So one day he penetrated into an immense cavern (since washed away
by the waves) at the river-mouth of Sarubutsu. All was dark in front,
all was dark behind. But at last there was a glimmer of light a-head.
The man went on, and soon emerged into Hades. There were trees, and
villages, and rivers, and the sea, and large junks loading fish and
seaweed. Some of the people were Ainos, some were Japanese, just as in
the every-day world. Among the number were some whom he had known when
they were alive. But, though _he_ saw _them_, _they_,--strange to
say,--did not seem to see _him_. Indeed he was invisible to all,
excepting to the dogs; for dogs see everything, even spirits, and the
dogs of Hades barked at him fiercely. Hereupon the people of the place,
judging that some evil spirit had come among them, threw him dirty food,
such as evil spirits eat, in order, as they thought, to appease him. Of
course he was disgusted, and flung the filthy fish-bones and soiled rice
away But every time that he did so the stuff immediately returned to the
pocket in his bosom, so that he was greatly distressed.
At last, entering a fine-looking house near the beach, he found his
father and mother,--not old, as they were when they died, but in the
heyday of youth and strength. He called to his mother, but she ran away
trembling. He clasped his father by the hand, and said: "Father! don't
you know me? can't you see me? I am your son." But his father fell
yelling to the ground. So he stood aloof again, and watched how his
parents and the other people in the house set up the divine symbols, and
prayed in order to make the evil spirit depart.
In his despair at being unrecognized he did depart, with the unclean
offerings that had been made to him still sticking to his person,
notwithstanding his endeavours to get rid of them. It was only when,
after passing back through the cavern, he had emerged once more into the
world of men, that they left him free from their pollution. He returned
home, and never wished to visit Hades again. It is a foul
place.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte, 22nd July, 1886.)
xxxvii.--_The Child of a God._
There was a very beautiful woman, who was still without a husband. A man
had already been fixed upon to become her husband, but he had not yet
lain with her. Nevertheless the woman suddenly was with child. For this
reason she was greatly surprised. As for other people, they thought
thus: "She has probably become with child through lying with some other
man." That was what other people said. The man who was to be her husband
was very angry. But he could not know whence it was that she was with
child.
Then she was delivered. She bore a little snake. She was greatly
ashamed. Her mother took the little snake, went out, and spoke thus,
with tears: "What god has deigned to beget a child in my daughter?
Though he should deign to beget one, it would at least be well if he
had begotten a human child. But this little snake we human beings cannot
keep. As it is the child of the god who begot it, he may as well keep
it." So saying, she threw it away. Then the old woman went in.
This being so, afterwards there was the noise of a baby crying. The old
woman went out, and looked. It was a nice baby. Then the old woman
carried it in. The woman who had given birth to the child rejoiced with
tears. Then the baby was found to be a boy, and was kept. Gradually he
grew big. After a time he became a man. Then, being a very fine man, he
killed large numbers both of deer and of bears.
The woman who had given birth to him was alone astonished. What had
happened was that, while she slept, the light of the sun had shone upon
her through the opening in the roof. Thus had she become with child.
Then she dreamt a dream, which said: "I, being a god, have given you a
child, because I love you. When you die, you shall truly become my wife.
Your and my son, when he gets a wife, shall have plenty of children."
The woman dreamt thus, and worshipped. Then that son of hers, when
pursued by the bears, could not be caught. He was a great hunter, a very
rich man.
Then the woman died, without having had a human husband. Afterwards her
son, getting a wife, had children, and became rich. His descendants are
living to this day.--(Translated literally. Told by Penri, 21st July,
1886.)
xxxviii.--_Buying a Dream._
A certain thickly populated village was governed by six chiefs, the
oldest of whom lorded it over the other five. One day he made a feast,
brewed some rice-beer, and invited the other five chiefs, and feasted
them. When they were departing, he said: "To-morrow each of you must
tell me the dream which he shall have dreamt over-night; and if it is a
good dream I will buy it."
So next day four of the chiefs came and told their dreams. But they were
all bad dreams, not worth buying. The fifth, however, did not come,
though he was waited for at first, and then sent for several times. At
last, when brought by force, he would not open his lips. So the senior
chief flew into a rage, and caused a hole to be dug in front of the door
of his own house, and had the man buried in it up to his chin, and left
there all that day and night.
Now the truth was that the senior chief was a bad man, that the junior
chief was a good man, and that this junior chief had forgotten his
dream, but did not dare to say so. After dark, a kind god,--the God of
the Privy,--came and said: "You are a good man. I am sorry for you, and
will take you out of the hole." This he did; and, at that very moment,
the chief remembered how he had dreamt of having been led up the bank of
a stream through the woods to the house of a goddess who smiled
beautifully, and whose room was carpeted with skins; how she had
comforted him, fed him plenteously, and sent him home in gorgeous array,
and with instructions for deceiving and killing his enemy, the senior
chief. "I suppose you remember it all now," said the God of the Privy;
"it was I who caused you to forget it, and thus saved you from having it
bought by the wicked senior chief, because I am pleased with the way in
which you keep the privy clean, not even letting grass grow near it. And
now I will show you the reality of that of which before you saw only the
dream-image."
So the man was led up the bank of a stream through the woods to the
house of the goddess, who smiled beautifully, and whose room was
carpeted with skins. She was the badger-goddess. She comforted him, fed
him plenteously, and said: "You must deceive the senior chief, saying
that the god of door-posts, pleased at your being buried near him, took
you out, and gave you these beautiful clothes. He will then wish to have
the same thing happen to him." So the man went back to the village, and
appeared in all his splendid raiment before the senior chief, who had
fancied him to be still in the hole,--a punishment which would be
successful if it made him confess his dream, and also if it killed him.
Then the good junior chief told him the lies in which the badger-goddess
had instructed him. Thereupon the senior chief caused himself to be
buried in like fashion up to the neck, but soon died of the effects.
Afterwards the badger-goddess came down to the village, and married the
good man, who became the senior of all the chiefs.--(Written down from
memory. Told by Ishanashte, 16th November, 1886.)
xxxix.--_The Baby in the Box._
There was once a woman who was tenderly loved by her husband. At last,
after some years, she bore him a son. Then the father loved this son
even more than he loved his wife. She therefore thought thus: "How
pleasant it used to be formerly, when my husband loved me alone! But
now, since I have borne him this nasty child, he loves it more than he
does me. It will be well for me to make away with it."
Thus thinking, she waited till her husband had gone off bear-hunting in
the mountains, and then put the baby into a box, which she took to the
river and allowed to float away. Then she returned home. Later on, her
husband came back; and she, with feigned tears, told him that the baby
had disappeared--stolen or strayed,--and that she had vainly searched
all round about the house and in the woods. The man lay down, like to
die of grief, and refused all food. Only at length, when he saw that his
wife, too, went without her food, did he begin to eat a little, fearing,
in his affection for her, that she too might die of hunger. However, it
was only when he was present that she fasted. She ate her fill behind
his back.
At last, one day, not knowing what to do to rouse him, she said to him:
"Look here! I will divert you with a story." Then she told him the whole
story exactly as it had happened, being herself, all the while, under
the delusion that she was telling him an ancient fairy-tale. Then he
flew into a rage, took his bludgeon, beat her to death, and then threw
her corpse out-of-doors. This was the way in which the gods chose to
punish her.
Then the husband, knowing now that his search must be made down the
stream, started off. At last, after seeking for a long time, he came to
a lonely house, where he found a very venerable-looking old man, an old
woman, and their middle-aged daughter, and also a boy. He said to the
old man: "I come to ask whether you know anything of my little boy, who
was placed in a box and set to float down the stream." The old man
replied: "One day, when my daughter here went to draw water from the
river, she found a box with a little boy in it. We knew not whether the
child was a human creature, a god, or a devil. So doubtless he is yours.
We have kept the box too. Here it is. You can judge by looking at it."
It turned out to be the same box, and the same boy. So the father
rejoiced. Then the old man said: "Remain here. I will give to you for
wife this daughter of mine, my only child. Live with us as long as my
old wife and I remain alive. Feed us, and then you shall inherit from
me." The man did so. When the old people died, he inherited all their
possessions; and then, with his new wife and his beloved son, returned
to his own village. So you see that, even among us Ainos, there are
wicked women.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte, 17th
November, 1886.)
xl.--_The Bride Bewitched._
There was once a very beautiful girl who had many suitors. But, as soon
as she was married to one, and he lay down beside her and then stretched
out his hand towards her vagina, a voice came from it, warning him to
desist. This so much alarmed the bridegroom that he fled. This happened
nine or ten times, till at last the girl was in despair; for none would
now wed her, and her old father was put to shame. They plunged her into
the water of the river, but it had no effect. So at last, in her grief,
she ran to the mountains, and threw herself down at the foot of a
magnolia-tree.
When, after some difficulty, she fell asleep, she dreamt that the tree
was a house, outside of which she was lying, and from the window of
which a lovely goddess popped out her head and said: "What has happened
is in no way your fault. Your beauty has caused a wicked fox to fall in
love with you. It is he who has got into your vagina, and who speaks out
of it, in order to prevent the approach of any ordinary mortal husband.
He, too, it is who has lured you out here, to carry you away altogether.
But do not allow yourself to become subject to his influence. I will
give you some beautiful clothes, and cause you to reach your house in
safety. You must tell your father all about me." Then the girl awoke and
went home. Her father exorcised the fox at last by carving an exact
likeness of his daughter, and offering it to the fox with respectful
worship. Then she married, and gave birth to children, and was happy all
her life.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte, 17th November,
1886.)
xli.--_The Wicked Stepmother._
In ancient days, when men were allowed to have several wives, a certain
man had two--one about his own age, the other quite young,--and he loved
them both with equal tenderness. But when the younger of the two bore
him a daughter, his love for his daughter made him also perhaps a little
fonder of the mother of the child than of his other wife, to the
latter's great rage. She revolved in her mind what to do, and at last
feigned a grave illness, pretending not to be able even to eat, though
she did eat when everybody's back was turned. At last, being to all
appearance on the point of death, she declared that one thing alone
could cure her. She must have the heart of her little step-child to eat.
On hearing this, the man felt very sad, and knew not what to do; for he
loved this wicked wife of his and his little daughter equally dearly.
But at last he decided that he might more easily get another daughter
than another wife whom he would love as much as he did this one. So he
commanded two of his servants to carry off the child to the forest while
her mother was not looking, to slay her there, and bring back her heart.
So they took her. But, being merciful men, they slew, instead of her, a
dog that came by that way, and brought the child back secretly to her
mother, who was much frightened to hear what had happened, and who fled
with the child. Meanwhile the dog's heart was brought to the
step-mother, who was so overjoyed at the sight of it, that she declared
she required no more. So, without even eating it, she left off
pretending to be sick.
For some time after this, she lived alone with her husband. But at last
he was told of what had happened, and he grew very sullen. She, seeing
this, wished for a livelier husband. So one day, when her husband was
out hunting, a young man, beautifully dressed all in black, came and
courted her, and she flirted with him, and showed him her breasts. Then
they fled together, and came to a beautiful house with gold mats, where
they slept together. But when she woke in the morning it was not a house
at all, but a rubble of leaves and branches in the midst of the forest;
and her new husband was nothing but a carrion-crow perching overhead,
and her own body, too, was turned into a crow's, and she had to eat
dung.
But the former husband was warned in a dream to take back his younger
wife and his child, and the three lived happily together ever after.
From that time forward most men have left off the bad habit of having
more than one wife.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte,
November, 1886.)
xlii.--_The Clever Deceiver._
A long, long time ago there was a rascal, who went to the mountains to
fetch wood. As he did not know how to amuse himself, he climbed to the
top of a very thick pine-tree. Having munched some rice he stuck it
about the branches of the tree, so as to make it look like birds' dung.
Then he went back to the village, to the house of the chief, and spoke
thus to him: "I have found a place where a beautiful peacock has its
nest. Let us go there together! Being such a poor man, I feel myself
unworthy of going too near the divine bird. You, being a rich man,
should take the peacock. It will be a great treasure for you. Let us
go!"
So the chief went there with him. When the chief looked, there truly
were many traces of birds' dung near the top of the tall pine-tree. He
thought the peacock was there. So he said: "I do not know how to climb
trees. Though you are a poor man you do know how to do so. So go and get
the peacock, and I will reward you well. Go and get the divine peacock!"
So the poor man climbed the tree. When he was half way up it, he said:
"Oh! sir, your house seems to be on fire." The chief was much
frightened. Owing to his being frightened, he was about to run home.
Then the rascal spoke thus: "By this time your house is quite burnt
down. There is no use in your running there." The rich man thought he
would go anywhere to die; so he went towards the mountains. After he had
gone a short way, he thought thus: "You should go and see even the
traces of your burnt house." So he went down there. When he looked, he
found that his house was not burnt at all. He was very angry, and wanted
to kill that rascal. Then the rascal came down. The chief commanded his
servants, saying: "You fellows! this man is not only poor, but a very
badly behaved deceiver. Put him into a mat, and roll him up in it
without killing him. Then throw him into the river. Do this!" Thus spoke
the chief.
The servants put the rascal into the mat, and tied it round tight. Then
two of them carried him between them on a pole to the river-bank. They
went to the river. The rascal spoke thus: "Though I am a very bad man, I
have some very precious treasures. Do you go and fetch them. If you do
so, it can be arranged about their being given to you. Afterwards you
can throw me into the river." Hearing this, the two servants went off to
the rascal's house.
Meanwhile a blind old man came along from somewhere or other. His foot
struck against something wrapped up in a mat. Astonished at this, he
tapped it with his stick. Then the rascal said: "Blind man! If you will
do as I tell you, the gods will give you eyes, and you will be able to
see. So do so. If you will untie me and do as I tell you, I will pray to
the gods, and your eyes will be opened." The blind old man was very
glad. He untied the mat, and let the rascal out. Then the rascal saw
that, though the man was old and blind, he was dressed very much like a
god. The rascal said: "Take off your clothes and become naked, whereupon
your eyes will quickly be opened." This being so, the blind old man took
off his clothes. Then the rascal put him naked into the mat, and tied it
round tight. Then he went off with the clothes, and hid.
Shortly afterwards, the two men came, and said: "You rascal! you are
truly a deceiver. So, though you possess no treasures, you possess
plenty of deceit. So now we shall fling you into the water." The blind
old man said: "I am a blind old man. I am not that rascal. Please do
not kill me!" But he was forthwith flung into the river. Afterwards the
two men went home to their master's house.
Afterwards the rascal put on the blind old man's beautiful clothes. Then
he went to the chief's house and said: "My appearance of misbehaviour
was not real. The goddess who lives in the river was very much in love
with me. So she wanted to take and marry my spirit after I should have
been killed by being thrown into the river. So my misdeeds are all her
doing. Though I went to that goddess, I felt unworthy to become her
husband, because I am a poor man. I have arranged so that you, who are
the chief of the village, should go and have her, and I have come to
tell you so. That being so, I am in these beautiful clothes because I
come from the goddess." Thus he spoke. As the chief of the village saw
that the rascal was dressed in nothing but the best clothes, and thought
that he was speaking the truth, he said: "It will be well for me to be
tied up in a mat, and flung into the river." Therefore this was done,
just as had been done with the rascal, and he was drowned in the water.
After that, the rascal became the chief, and dwelt in the drowned
chief's house. Thus very bad men lived in ancient times also. So it is
said.--(Translated literally. Told by Ishanashte, 18th July, 1886.)
xliii.--_Yoshitsune._
[It has been generally believed, both by Japanese and Europeans who
have written about the Ainos, that the latter worship Yoshitsune, a
Japanese hero of the twelfth century, who is said,--not, indeed, by
Japanese historians, but by Japanese tradition,--to have fled to
Yezo when the star of his fortune had set. The following details
concerning Yoshitsune bear so completely the stamp of the myth, that
they may, perhaps, be allowed a place in this collection. It should
be mentioned that Yoshitsune is known to the Ainos under the name of
_Hongai Sama_. _Sama_ is the Japanese for "Mr." or "Lord." _Hongai_
is the form in which, according to a regular law of permutation
affecting words adopted into Aino from Japanese, the word _Hõgwan_,
which was Yoshitsune's official title, appears! The name of _Hongai
Sama_ is, however, used only in worship, not in the recounting of
the myth. Mr. Batchelor, whose position as missionary to the Ainos
must give his opinion great weight in such matters, thinks that the
Ainos do _not_ worship Yoshitsune. But I can only exactly record
that which I was told myself.]
Okikurumi, accompanied by his younger sister Tureshi[hi], had taught the
Ainos all arts, such as hunting with the bow and arrow, netting and
spearing fish, and many more; and himself knew everything by means of
two charms or treasures. One of these was a piece of writing, the other
was an abacus; and they told him whence the wind would blow, how many
birds there were in the forest, and all sorts of other things.
One day there came,--none knew whence,--a man of divine appearance,
whose name was unknown to all. He took up his abode with Okikurumi, and
assisted the latter in all his labour with wonderful ability. He taught
Okikurumi how to row with two oars instead of simply poling with one
pole, as had been usual before in Aino-land. Okikurumi was delighted to
obtain such a clever follower, and gave him his sister Tureshi[hi] in
marriage, and treated him like his own son. For this reason the stranger
got to know all about Okikurumi's affair, even the place where he kept
his two treasures. The result of this was that one day when Okikurumi
was out hunting in the mountains the stranger stole these treasures and
all that Okikurumi possessed, and then fled with his wife Tureshi in a
boat, of which they each pulled an oar. Okikurumi returned from the
mountains to his home by the seaside, and pursued them alone in a boat;
but could not come up to them, because he was only one against two. Then
Tureshi excreted some large foeces in the middle of the sea, which
became a large mountain in the sea, at whose base Okikurumi arrived. But
so high was it that Okikurumi could not climb over it. Moreover, even
had not the height prevented him, the fact of its being nothing but
filthy foeces would have done so. As for going round either side of
it, that would have taken him too much out of the way. So he went home
again, feeling quite spiritless and vanquished, because robbed of his
treasures.
This is the reason why, ever since, we Ainos have not been able to
read.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte, 25th November,
1886.)
V.--SCRAPS OF FOLK-LORE.
xliv.--_The Good Old Times._
In ancient days, rivers were very conveniently arranged. The water
flowed down one bank, and up the other, so that you could go either way
without the least trouble. Those were the days of magic. People were
then able to fly six or seven miles, and to light on the trees like
birds, when they went out hunting. But now the world is decrepit, and
all good things are gone. In those days people used the fire-drill.
Also, if they planted anything in the morning, it grew up by mid-day. On
the other hand, those who ate of this quickly-produced grain were
transformed into horses.--(Written down from memory. Told by Ishanashte,
November, 1886.)
xlv.--_The Old Man of the Sea._
The Old Man of the Sea (_Atui koro ekashi_) is a monster able to swallow
ships and whales. In shape it resembles a bag, and the suction of its
mouth causes a frightfully rapid current. Once a boat was saved from
this monster by one of the two sailors in it flinging his loin-cloth
into the creature's open mouth. That was too nasty a morsel for even
this monster to swallow; so it let go its hold of the boat.--(Written
down from memory. Told by Ishanashte, July, 1886.)
xlvi.--_The Cuckoo._
The male cuckoo is called _kakkok_, the female _tutut_. Both are
beautiful birds, and live in the sky. But in spring they come down to
earth, to build their beautiful bottle-shaped white nests. Happy the man
who gets one of these nests, and lets no one else see it. He will become
rich and prosperous. Nevertheless, it is unlucky for a cuckoo to light
on the window-sill and look into the house; for disease will come there.
If it lights on the roof, the house will be burnt down.--(Written down
from memory. Told by Penri, 16th July, 1886.)
xlvii.--_The [Horned] Owl._
There are six owls,--brethren. The eldest of them is only a little
bigger than a sparrow. When perching on a tree, it balances itself
backwards, for which reason it is called "The Faller Backwards." The
youngest of the six has a very large body. It is a bird which brings
great luck. If anyone walks beneath this bird, and there comes the sound
of rain falling on him, it is a very lucky thing. Such a man will become
very rich. For this reason the youngest of the six owls is called "Mr.
Owl."
[The rain here mentioned is supposed to be a rain of gold from the owl's
eyes.]--(Translated literally. Told by Penri, 16th July, 1886.)
xlviii.--_The Peacock in the Sky._
A cloudless sky has a peacock in it, whose servants are the eagles. The
peacock lives in the sky, and only descends to earth to give birth to
its young. When it has borne one, it flies back with it to the
sky.--(Written down from memory. Told by Penri, July, 1886, and by
Ishanashte, November, 1886.)
xlix.--_Trees turned into Bears._
The rotten branches or roots of trees sometimes turn into bears. Such
bears as these are termed _payep kamui_, _i.e._ "divine walking
creatures," and are not to be killed by human hand. Formerly they were
more numerous than they are now, but they are still sometimes to be
seen.--(Written down from memory. Told by Penri, July, 1886.)
l.--_Coition._