Materials-Ucaskoma-3-4

The people of Tóḱes were formerly many people. The wife of one man became big with child. This man was angered (and) beat his wife with a thong (made of the skin of) a sea-lion. (He) was not (however) very angry, (only) a little angered, (he) slept with (his) wife (and) was heart-eased. Now (his wife) bore; two female children were. Now these maidens grew up. One maiden practised sorcery, this maiden's name, Saúnnonnu (1-6).

Formerly, however, about Sireto were no islands in the sea. Saúnnonnu was the child of a sea-god, and the other girl the daughter of a land-god. The woman (their mother) then, although (she) had for husband a man, (yet her) daughters were not the children of man: one, the child of a sea-god, (and) one, the child of a land-god. Saúnnonnu therefore, being the child of a sea-god, now making (pratice of) sorcery in Sireto, brought an island out directly beyond that sea. (7-13).

Formerly, this island, when it was at first brought out by Saúnnonnu, the island had only one year-old-seals. (It) had two names: 'Tukara koro mosiri' (the island of one year-old-seals) (and) 'Pomp'e koro mosiri' (the island of little seals). Afterwards, on this island were very many little seals, (and) round about the island were many. Now this Saúnnonnu sailed to this island brought out of the sea, (and) Saúnnonnu lived on this island atop of an island reef. While Saúnnonnu was there, her kinsfolk went there to the island in canoes: filling and filling the canoes with plenty of seals, they would sail (back) to the shore. The kinsfolk of Saúnnonnu lived very well. (14-22).

Now the people living in a certain village (happened to) quarrel; the quarrel (was) serious, Therefore the kinsfolk of Saúnnonnu - one great canoe-full, people (in) plenty, her kinsfolk bearing children in arms, women also, - all went to that island. When Saúnnonnu saw (her) kinsfolk arriving there, (she) received all the kinsfolk; not (one) returned (23-28).

Afterwards, after this (there) were no little seals on the island; afterwards only sea-lions lived (there). (It) being so, now again (there) were no sea-lions, only many sea-bears. Sea-lions are now (seen) on this island one by one. Such was the ancient tradition (29-32).

Formerly to this island there went Ainus: thanks to this, having killed seals, little seals also - on this island having killed different (kinds of) seals with full boats (they) returned home coming with (them) as far as Taraika: thanks to (this) ate well and fatly. Since, after that the Russians now have gone to that island, to that island the Ainus do not go. The Ainus all now live as if weeping (33-39).

This island having been brought forth before by the Ainus... now owing to the Russians the Ainus do not go there and do not catch seals; the Ainus think of nothing else more (than) of this island; all the Ainus, even the women, as if weeping regretfully think (of it) (40-44).

On this island now only Russians journeying there, kill sea-bears, fill their boats (with them) and although (they) gel a good price, do not give the Ainus one boat even to fill with sea-bears. Therefore the old old men and also the aged women, all recalling (this) strongly, shed tears (45-49).

Thus think the old men and women, therefore the young people think also thus: at any rate this island of sea-beara- the ancient tradition being such, the Russian officials - (they) being so many - at any rate should consider this island of sea-bears, (we) wish to profit (by) it together (with them). All the Ainus also think thus. However, what the Russian functionaries think, we do not know: therefore no young Ainu ever speaks to a Russian functionary without reflection (50 - 57).

   This tradition relates to the famous Robbin - Island in Patience Bay, a place where the Otaria ursina, famous for its costly fur, comes in great numbers in summer. The island, as the Ainus say. has no very ancient origin; and the tradition connected with it is a favorite with the Ainus of the North-East shore of Saghalien. I have heard it from many Ainus. and give here one of the fullest and clearest versions.
Near the cape of Patience, on the other side of it and more to North, there was, says the Ainu legend, another island, which was first seen by the woman mentioned in the above story. The island daily came out of the sea at night and again hid itself in the sea at daybreak. This island was covered with a forest of firs, and therefore was named hufkara mosiri, 'forest island', or porop koro mosiri, 'great sei - calves possessing island'. The island has now disappeared, but the old men of Taraika say that they saw the wonderful phenomenon in their youth.

1. Toḱeś, the name of a settlement of Ainus now no longer in existence at a short distance from the cape of Patience. The word is comp. of to, 'a lake'+ ḱeś, 'the end'.
poron an, instead of porono an.
maćihi, 'the wife'. It is evident that the woman was not yet actually the wife of the Ainu, but was his betrothed. In such cases, though less frequently now than formerly, the fiancee is called ćiresḱe maći, 'the brought up wife', if the girl is younger than her intended, and ukoreśḱe maći, 'mutually brought up wife', if they have about same age. This the story-teller has forgotten to explain. The whole story is told in a very abridged fashion; because, I think, the narrator chiefly intended to point out to me bow unjustly the Ainus had been deprived of their right to hunt on Robbin-Island, and to ask for my intercession in the matter.
2. etaśṕe, 'a sea-lion, Otaria Stelleri'.
3. ramu pirika, 'the soul good; to be satisfied', opposed to the ramu ven, 'the soul bad; to be angry'. This short description of the quarrel gives an idea of the primitive facile relations between wife and husband, which have existed almost without change till the present day. She was unfaithful, he gave her a beating, and the offence was at once 'condoned'.
4. tupu, or tup or tu, 'two'.
mirokupo or ḿerokupo or mirekupo, 'a girl', seems to be comp. of mire, 'to clothe (act. verb.) + ku, 'a person' + po, 'a child'. Po is often a sign of the diminutive. Little girls are often nurses, and clothe children.
5. tusu, 'to   make a practice of Shamanism, to practise sorcery'.
6. Saunnonnu, comp. of sа, used in compounds and means 'near the sea' + un + nonnu, 'a flower'. The elder sister (as is told in another version) was named Magunnonnu, which means 'flower of tract of land away from the sea'; for mag or max see 1. 177. According to one of the versions, the former was born on the sea-shore, and the other a little further, towards the forest. This explains their names.
7. Śiret or śireto, comp. of śiri, 'the earth', + eto, 'a limit'. The Ainus give this name to capes, which form an angle in the general coast-line, as Capes Krylion, Aniva and Patience in Saghalien.
8. atuj kamui, 'the god of the sea'.
jaun, comp. of ja, 'the land' + un, see 1. 177.
hoko or hoku, 'a husband', comp. of ho, 'from', + ku, 'a person'. So called (I think) because the husband comes from outside to his wife's family.
10. śinex or śine, 'one'.
15. tukara or pomṕe, are the names of a seal one year old, of the species pakuj, Phoca vitulina Linn. – the most often met with in any part of the Saghalien coast. Pomṕe, comp. of pom or pon, 'a little' + ṕe or pe, 'a thing'.
17. tēkoro, 'very', the first syllable is lengthened in proportion to the intensity of the quality which is affirmed.
18. Here the narrator explained that the girl, having in one of her incantations received a revelation that she was the daughter of a Sea-god, did not wish to remain on the mainland and went to the next island.
19. jokofpe, or ekoxpe, 'a single rock in the sea'.
20. iśirankuri, comp. of i, 'her' + śirankuri, see 2. 8.
ta-еnе; tа, 'this'; еnе, a syn. of оnnе and охtа, 'to, into'.
22. рirikano аn means 'lived richly'; Cf. 1. 355.
23. ukoćaruvenaxći, 'abused each other'; comp. of ukо, see 1. 39 + ćaruve (ćari + ven), 'to abuse' + aхći or xći.
utomoje, 'a quarrel, gossip'; comp. of u, see 1. 66 + tomo or tоm, 'the side' je, 'to talk, to say'.
25. oj, 'much, many'; Japanese ōi also means 'many'. The syllable may be shorter or longer, according to the speaker's wish to denote a greater or smaller quantity or number. Cf. 17.
tenkorośi, 'they carried in the arms'; comp. of ten or tem, 'the arms stretched out, a fathom (measure)'. + koro, 'to have' + śi, pl. sign.
29. tax or ta, 'this'.
31. onne, 'a sea-bear. Ottaria ursina'. Cf. 1. 10.
śine ranḱе, 'one by one'; as to ranḱe, see 1. 29.
33. atui kamui, is the name of any kind of seal. Cf. 8, and also 1. 83.
35. usan or usa an, 'being diverse, diverse'.
ехоśibi, 'to return'; for е see 1. 5.
36. еib́еkopirika, 'ate   well', comp. of е + ib́е, 'to   eat', + ko, 'to', + pirika, 'good, well'. There is also eib́ekoven, with the contrary meaning; imi (or ib́e) kopirikare, 'to give many robes' (or much eating) is also used.
37. nućа, the name given to the Russian people by the Ainus of Saghalien only. The Ainus of Yeso call them 'Rus' (Japanese Roshia, Russia); nuća is a word altered from the Ghilyak loća.
40. śkaxte or śikaxte, 'to cause to grow; as to tе, see 1. 107; śikax 'to grow'.
nete, 'being'; nе, 'to be', + tе, see 1. 93. Cf. 1. 322.
41. ikoja, a technical term for seal-hunting.
42. veomantepe, 'a remembered thing'; pе, 'a thing'; veomante, comp. of vе, see 1. 237 + omante, 'to send', see 1. 107.
44. ośkorope, 'a thing regretted'; comp. of oś, 'back' + koro 'to have' + pe.
46. penźаj, 'a great ship'; seems to be a corrupt Japanese word.
аtаjhe, 'a price, a paying'; as to he, see 1. 25; ataj or ataje is a Japanese word atai, 'a value'. The pure Ainu synonym is śirí.
47. temo, a particle meaning 'even, though', now used only by the people who also speak Japanese, and it is taken from that language. Demo in Jap. means 'even', or   'every' after a substantive.
kоntе, 'to give'; cf. kondy, see 1. 365 and 410.
48. huśko ćaća, 'the old, old men', or 'the very old men'.
paxko – is a Japanese word for 'old woman' instead of ikonnox (from the root ikoni, 'a sickness') or оnnе maxneku.
52. ćаngi, 'an officer, a government clerk', is used only by the Ainus of the North, whose neighbours are the Ghilyaks and the Oroks; this word being used by these tribes, and also by those on the Amur.
53. okаj, syn. of porono: 'much, many' (Perhaps from Jap. ōkii, 'great').
ukokanapa, 'to do together'; partly Ainu, and partly corrupt Japanese kanai, 'to agree with'. Often used, when several people work together, mostly in fishing.
57. etaraka, 'thoughtlessly'.

In Taraika six rich men lived. One rich man went up to the Oroks, (where) there was an Orok's house; the reindeer were many. This rich man entered an Orok's house (and) sat near the fire. The Oroks gave as food to that rich man the stomach of reindeer smeared with reindeer dung. This rich man took offence and did not eat. Thereupon (he) went down home to Taraika and told (the offence) to the five rich men (who) remained at home (1-6).

Thereupon (they) all went up to the house of this Orok with (their) comrades, killed the Oroks, (and) also killed all the women. One young male Orok, this alone ran away; among reindeer running (he) mounted a reindeer; having mounted ran away (arid) escaped. To Unei (he) ran away (and) escaped. Having gone there, (he) related (what had happened). Thereupon afterwards the Oroks made also many bows, (they) made also many arrows (7-13).

Thereupon, afterwards presently winter came. In Tarankotan were many people fishing with lines. Thereupon suddenly from the lake of Tarankotan plenty of these reindeer came down. The Oroks sat upon the reindeers; on (their) backs (they) had quivers (with) arrows put in fully. (They) came down near to the Ainus. The Ainus then did not know anything (and) fished with lines. These Oroks shot with bows at the people fishing with lines through the ice (holes) in the river. (They) killed all these Ainus (14-20).

One Ainu only - (he) had nothing in his hand - went running towards Taraika. The reindeer also went running, although (they) did not overtake this Ainu. Just in the midst, (between) Taránkotan and the mouth of the river of Taraika, there was the grave of a de°.d man; was a tomb. (He) opened the roof (and) took the bone bow (which) the people (had formerly) thrown (inside to the) dead man, strung the cord; there were two arrows (also) and having put an arrow on (to) the bow, (he awaited) the reindeer (which) were coming after (him) and stood in readiness for the Oroks (21-27).

Now the Oroks came near. He bent the bow against (them), the cord of the bow broke, he could do nothing, to do anything was impossible. After that the Oroks shot with bows (and) then killed (him). This being so. (they) came to (the village of) Siska. Now it was dark. (It) being (already) dark - now in Siska the people lived in earth-houses - these Oroks came to the yards of the earth-houses, took much grass, set fire (to it) (and) threw (it inside) through the holes of the earth-houses (28-34).

(They) put into the earth-houses much burning grass (and) certainly the inside of the earth-houses burnt violently; (they) tore ofF the covering of the chimneys, (and) also set fire to the holes of the chimneys; (they) also put in the burning grass through the doors. (With) all this village (they) did so. (They) killed all the Ainus, not one was (left). These Oroks went to the (village of) Taraika (35-40).

In Taraika six rich men put on cuirasses also, and day and night kept watch. Thereupon the Oroks went, having seen the Ainus, the rich men looking so dressed; (and) having taken fright went (away), passing across the lake; went (away) quite. At (the village of) Nokoro also they made war in such manner. Doing thus they went (along the shore) from this sea (i. e. the Bay of Patience); quite till (they) reached Karer. The Ainus lived in earth-houses; (they) set fire to the grass, put (it) in through the holes, (and) burned down all the houses (41-48).

After that (they) seized goodly women, led them to (their own) lands. The Oroks married (them), made wives (of them), (and) had children by them. The Oroks seized the women of

the Rarer Ainus in the war (and) had children by them7 therefore the Ainus are the kinsmen (of) the Oroks. Now warring (is) finished. After this, although the Ainus are also angered (against) the Oroks, the former cannot make war. If the Oroks will be insolent to the Ainus in such (case) the Ainus also will have an angry heart (49-56).
If the Oroks like to fight the first, then the (Ainu) people will fight with pleasure. But the (Ainu) people will not fight first. After this, in Taraika two men learned to fight; (one) drew the bow. (and) one man stood at a distance; thereafter plenty of people all stood together; all the people carrying bows, laid (blunt) wooden arrows first upon the bows; when (they) had put (the arrows) on the bows - one man staying at some distance - all the people shot at that man. with (blunt) wooden arrows (57-64).

He dodged away (from) all the arrows, at the same time (he) seized (them) all with (his) hands, (he) seized many of these arrows; (he) made (that) not one arrow hit him. (That) being so, previously the people practised with (blunt) wooden
arrows, (and) not one of these people hit (that) man: - - because it was so. now if all the people shoot at once with real iron arrows, (and) if the people miss also, now at last (it) will be well. Now, shot from the bows, these numerous arrows, all (directed) towards the man; - these numerous arrows whea they flew at him (he) dodged away from them: at the same time (he) seized (them) all; not one arrow did (he) allow to hit him (65-72).

This being so - another man - did the people - as they had done formerly, there being plenty of men on one side and again one man alone being on the other, - shoot at this man with arrows; although all those men shot, (they) could not (hit him). Now in Taraika there were two men very able in (such) amusements. Now therefore the Oroks made war with the Ainus; (and) now those two Ainus being so able in the sports - the other Ainus also were possessed with sense of strength. Now. even though the Oroks should fight, the Ainus also would not have a terrified heart. If the Oroks would first (begin) the war, the Ainus also with pleasure (are)
awaiting the war. Although (they) await till to-day that the Oroks (shall) make war first, (still these) could not. Formerly the Ainus did evil to the Oroks. therefore the Ainus let them win. (That) being so. the Ainus cannot fight first (73 - 87).

As to the person of the narrator, see Remarks to N. 2. The broken diction already noticed is found here at its highest point of irregularity. The war between the Oroks and the Ainus forms the subject of this legend. I have heard many various versions of it, even amongst the Ghilyaks, but one essential feature is that the war sprang from a misunderstanding on the subject of the treatment of a guest. Another relates to the burning of the Ainu dwellings, and a third makes the Oroks related to the Ainas, because they took wives from that tribe.
1. ivan, 'six', see 1. 35.
     Orakata, the name of the Oroko tribe.
2. tunakaj, 'the reindeer'. Cervus Tarandus Linn.
4. erexći, comp. of е, 'to eat' + re + xći. The Oroks like the stomach of the reindeer, and wished, it seems, to give a warm reception to the Ainu. He was disgusted with the dish and took it as an offence. This misunderstanding of tribal customs was the cause of a cruel war.
6. ohaćirun, a special word   for to 'remain at home'; it seems to be comp. of oha, 'empty' + ći, is contr. from ćiśe, 'a house' + run, contr. from orun, 'being inside' (comp. of or-o, 'to put in' + un, see 1. 177).
7. utarhićin, comp. of utarhi, 'the people, the relatives, the   servants', see 1. 357 + ćin, the pl. suffix of nouns. Here this suffix is added to a word that has by itself the pl. signification.
      makapaxći is the pl. of makan, 'to go up'. Cf. 1. 144.
8. temo, see 3. 47.
11. Unej, the Ainu name of a village of the Oroks near the mouth of the Tymi (the Ghilyak name; the Ainus call it Tomo); the same village is called bv the Oroks Toriśa.
12. aj, 'an arrow'. Before the war, the inhabitants of Saghalien and Yeso had made ready a great number of arrows.
14. matajta or mata, 'the winter'.
     Таrаn kotan, the name of a village that no longer exists, situated on the left arm of thcs delta of the river Poronaj ('great river'). Таrаn, seems to be comp. of tаrа и rаrа, 'the eyebrow' + an; kotan see 1.1. Perhaps the position of the eyebrows, branching off from each other, may have suggested this.
15. toho or to, 'the lake'.
17. śeći, pl. of śе, 'to have or carry on the back'.
     koehanḱeno, 'near'; comp. of kо + е, used also before certain adverbs; Cf. 1. 5 + hanḱe, 'near' + nо.
18. eramiśkari or eramuśkari, 'I do not know'. Comp. of е + ramu, 'the soul, mind' + еśkari, 'to be stopped'.
21. orupiśne, 'in the hand', parhaps from upiś, 'two, a pair'.
22. omaj, instead of oman; the n before j = j.
23–24. neva… tura, 'and..., and' a correlative conjunction.
24. rajku ni, syn. of poro ni, 'a tomb, a grave', which is built of wood above the earth, and therefore the word ni is used. Rajku, comp. of raj, 'to die' + ku, 'a person'.
poro ni, literally means 'a large tree'. The actual meaning of this can be made out only by the context. The graves above the surface of the ground are built only by the Ainus of Saghalien, and only for the rich among them; the custom seems to have been introduced from the tribes of the Amur, perhaps from the Oltchi.
   kamuphi, 'a roof. comp. of kamu, 'to cover' + p or pе, 'a thing' + hi.
25. poniku, 'a bow made of bone'; comp. of poni, 'a bone' + ku, 'a bow'. The outside of such wooden bows is covered with thin layers of bone. The Ainus got these bows formerly from the Amur region; they were also named mojkani, 'a mojka wood'; mojka being the name of the animal, the bones of which, as they say, are used for that purpose.
tuśi, a term meaning 'to stretch a string'; contr. from tu, 'a string', + uśi, 'to stretch'.
26. uarikirexći is the 3^rd pers. pl. of ariki, 'to come'; cf. 1. 107 (Japanese ariki, 'to walk').
28. etoboxḱе, 'to pull (a bow)'.
29. ene kar iśam, 'cannot'; literally 'anything do there is not'.
31. Śiśka, is the name of the right tributary stream nearest the mouth of the Poronaj ('great river'), also of the village that stood of old on the bank of this river. Another Ainu name for it is Śikka.
33. hokujkaxći, 'to set fire to'; comp. of hokuj, 'to burn' + ka, 'to do' + xći.
    mun, 'a grass', syn. kina, see 1. 4. But the latter is oftener used for growing grass, and mun for 'dry grass'.
34. puj, 'a hole'; the earth-houses, like the huts built above the surface of the ground, have a hole in the top of the roof, just over the fire.
36. ḱento, 'an earth-house chimney', which is stopped up at night, to keep the warmth inside.
      seśḱе, 'to cover up'; here the word is used as a noun, for seśḱеp, 'a cover'.
38. uto 'a door'; syn. of apa.
41. kusari, 'a cuirass', the syn. is hajufpe. The Ainus used the Japanese cuirasses (gusoku, which they named Soźugu or yoroi). But they also themselves made cuirasses: 1) ot cords and old nets covered an inch or more thick with adhesive earth, and 2) of the skin of a kind of salmon (ćiraj), also covered with earth (ḱеpun hajufpe).
45. Nokoro, the name of an ancient village in the neighbourhood of Tarajka. The word is comp. of nо or nох, 'a cape', + kоrо, 'having'.
      Urajkići, 'made war'; the word is comp. of u, see 1. 66 + rajki, 'to kill' + ći, the pl. sign.
      Таn аtui, 'this sea'; it is the Ainu name of the Bay of Patience.
49. pirika, here means 'useful'. The Oroks took the women they liked, Cf. 1. 355.
50. samaxći, 'married'; from sam, 'to rnarry'.
      kopо, 'children with them', i. e. born of these women.
53. jaośkiri, 'the first', derived from jaj, 'oneself, and + hośki, 'before'.
55. jajesaranaxći, 'to be aggressive'; its root is sarа, an archaic word for 'war'.
56. kumpene is a syn. of kusu iki, see 1. 344 (the particle that forms the future tense).
58. kiror an, 'to feel a pleasure': kiroro means 'a force, physical strength'. The Ainus of Taraika, who never had been subjugated by the Japanese nor forced to work for them, are known to be very brave, independent people, with a fierce character, more inclined to brawls and more revengeful than the Ainus of the southern parts of Saghalien.
59. ham utara ki kumpene, instead of utara ham ki kumpene, 'the people will not do'.
60. ejajćakaśno, 'taught themselves'; comp. of е + jaj + ćakaśno, see 2. 207.
61. śinejk, 'one place'; the root is śinе, 'one'.
62. etanto, the name of a special arrow without an iron head, used by children and young people for amusement and to learn archery.
63. nea, placed at the end of a phrase after a verb, means 'when'.
    ojaxta, 'in another place'; comp. of oja, 'other' + oxta.
   еtaraśiḱe, 'when (he) stayed'; comp. of etaraś, 'to stay' + hiḱе, 'when', see 1. 170.
65. tekihićin, 'the hands'; comp. of teki + hi + ćin.
66. ne kumpе, syn. of nе ampe, see 1. 154.
68. jajan, 'true, real, genuine'; comp. of jaj, 'oneself' + an, 'being'. They also say
   jajan ajnu, 'a rich man', syn. of niśpa.
74. arikiriḱeva, 'from one side'; comp. of ari, 'a half' + ikiri, 'a seam, a side' + ḱeva, 'from'.
75. tava, instead of tata, 'there'.
78. ćiki, 'if'; syn. of kusu nejḱe; Cf. 1. 400.
83. śikaotere, according to the narrator, means the same as tere, 'wait'.
85. śimaḱetari jara kići, 'let them defeat them'. Japanese makeru, 'to he defeated'. For śi, see 2. 8.