Peter Berbekin

Comment

Recorded from Dmitrij D'jachkov in 1986. Several versions of this tale were recorded from the Kolyma Yukaghirs. The tale goes back to the Siberian Russian tale about Fedor Bermjatin, but it was considerably changed by the Yukaghir folklore tradition. Fuller versions of this text have been published elsewhere.

Translation

(12-1) Petr Berbekin used to go hunting. (12-2) He went hunting. (12-3) On the way he found a house and entered it. (12-4) The old woman Tibeshka came. (12-5) She said: "Oh, you came? (12-6) You came, Petr Berbekin?" she said. (12-7) "Yes, I came," he said. (12-8) She said: "Be my husband." (12-9) He said: "I will be." (12-10) "Sleep here, if you didn't sleep." (12-11) That old woman Tibeshka was away all the time. (12-12) She always went somewhere. She had a small child who was lying in the middle of the house. (12-13) He was lying down and speaking. (12-14) The old woman Tibeshka was always away. She would bring some food and they would eat it. (12-15) One day the small child spoke. (12-16) He said to Petr Berbekin: "My mother has killed nothing today. She will kill you and eat you. (12-17) Escape," he said. (12-18) "How can I escape?" he answered. (12-19) He said: "There are three poplar trees standing next to our house. (12-20) Cut down these three poplars and throw their logs into the water." (12-21) Then Petr Berbekin took an axe, cut these logs, and threw them into the water. (12-22) He was going to make a boat from the log that floated and float on it. (12-23) "Because our mother will eat us." (12-24) Then Petr Berbekin quickly made a boat from the trunk of the middle of the three poplars, the one that floated down the river. (12-25) He cut away at it and prepared it, so he could use it. (12-26) When he made a boat, it floated down the river. (12-27) As soon as he went on a boat, that old woman came there. (12-28) She shouted: "Petr Berbekin, don't do that. You left my child, where are you going, leaving my child behind?" (12-29) "Eh, I am leaving, I won't come back here," he answered. (12-30) "I won't come back to you. Bring up our child there," he said. (12-31) Then the old woman pulled out her child making him cry and said: "One half for you, one half for me." (12-32) She tore that child in two and threw it to Petr Berbekin. (12-33) When she threw it, that child said: "It's true, she will throw me to you. (12-34) Watch out. (12-35) I won't reach you." (12-36) That half of the child felt down far away from Petr Berbekin. (12-37) Then Petr Berbekin went further on. (12-38) That old woman shouted to Petr Berbekin: "Next time you won't escape from Aplataj." (12-39) Well, what was he to do? (12-40) He was trying to float away. (12-41) He met a man. (12-42) When he met him, that man said: "Petr Berbekin, is it you?" (12-43) "Yes, it's me ," he said. (12-44) "You won't escape from me." (12-45) "Eh, why won't I escape from you?" (12-46) "Let's see," he said. (12-47) Then that man wound himself all around Petr Berbekin and remained like that. (12-48) Petr Berbekin walked along carrying that man. He didn't come off. (12-49) He wasn't afraid of anything and travelled like that. (12-50) "Eh, I am not afraid. I am not afraid either of earth or of fire or of water. I am not afraid of anything," he said. (12-51) That Aplataj was winding himself around him. There are such winding trees called Aplataj trees. (12-52) So one day Petr Berbekin said: "Oh, I would like to eat some eglantine" and was going to go up to the forest. But Aplataj said: "Don't, don't. Don't go up there." (12-53) "Eh, as though I would listen to you," he answered. (12-54) So he carried Aplataj on himself. The latter had wound himself around him and sucked on him. (12-55) So they went up to the forest. (12-56) There was very much eglantine there. (12-57) When he was going to go up he heard: "Don't, don't. Don't go up, you will be stuck there." (12-58) Petr Berbekin didn't listen to him, he lay down on his back and rubbed his back. (12-59) Then Aplataj flew away. (12-60) He said: "Oh, too bad, you have escaped." (12-61) That's what he shouted, but he was no longer there. (12-62) Petr Berbekin floated back on his boat and returned home. (12-63) So he escaped from Aplataj. (12-64) That's how he defeated Aplataj. (12-65) Earlier the old woman Tibeshka had said: "Look, there's no way you will escape from Aplataj." (12-66) However, he did escape, and now walks around everywhere.