Comment
Recorded from
Vasilij Shalugin
in 1990. The tale provides an explanation of the spots on the Moon, but the Yukaghirs also have another myth about it, see Text
17. This tale probably describes the ancient exogamic relations between two Yukaghir clans which had the hare and lynx as totems. However, if the hare clan Ushkan is well known from Jochelson's materials, there is no information on the existence of the lynx clan. In the ancient matrilocal system of marriage the man became a member of his wife's clan and did not give presents to her family. When the patrilocal system started to spread, men had to pay a ransom for the bride and were supposed to give presents to her relatives. The tale reflects this stage.
Translation
(18-1) A long time ago a hare boy walked and ran everywhere. He didn't stay in one place.
(18-2) Once in the night he walked between several rivers, chasing a lynx.
(18-3) He ran after the lynx.
(18-4) He was running, not being afraid of anybody. He left everything behind and arrived.
(18-5) At that time all the people lived there.
(18-6) All sort of birds, animals, foxes, hares, squirrels, and lynxes, all of them who lived there asked that hare.
(18-7) They said: "It would be nice if we had such a crafty shaman.
(18-8) It would be nice if he were our son-in-law and could feed us."
(18-9) Then they found the hare there and said: "Marry the daughter of the lynx.
(18-10) Then we will multiply like hares.
(18-11) Then nobody will defeat the lynx."
(18-12) The hare gave such a promise and said: "I will marry her."
(18-13) He said: "If it's needed, we will get married and will live together."
(18-14) Then they gave an order to the hare and said: "If you want to marry her, make a ring."
(18-15) They asked him to make it.
(18-16) There wasn't a person who could do things well there.
(18-17) Looking for such a person, they came to an old man.
(18-18) That old man started making a ring.
(18-19) They finished making it and sent it.
(18-20) However, first they made the rings too small, so the lynxes couldn't put them on their fingers. They widened the other rings and made them too big.
(18-21) Then they took them and gave those rings to some other animals.
(18-22) They made more of them
(18-23) Winter finished, and spring was about to come.
(18-24) They worked and gave rings to elks, wild reindeer, and foxes. They all and the bear have a ring on their skin.
(18-25) This is the case with foxes, dogs, all birds, and wild reindeer.
(18-26) They look as though they have a ring on the hand or foot.
(18-27) They worked in winter when the day was short. The old man didn't finish it and said: "Let's go to the ice and work there on the bank of the lake."
(18-28) So they worked but didn't finish it at all. It was always wrong. They couldn't finish it in any way.
(18-29) Before they managed to make it well, a glutton walked there. It kept catching the hares and eating them. It took them to the lynx's daughters and said: "Eat them."
(18-30) The hare and that old man were busy together and said: "We will work by the Moonlight on the bank of the lake."
(18-31) When they worked there, people came and said: "The glutton is going to take your woman.
(18-32) She said that she wouldn't marry you, she would marry the glutton."
(18-33) Then the hare became unhappy and started shamanizing.
(18-34) He shamanized and got mad and made that old man mad as well.
(18-35) He became a shaman thinking about that girl. He thought: "I will never be with the daughter of the lynx."
(18-36) At that time he hadn't finished making the ring and threw it away. He had made it the wrong size.
(18-37) When he walked around shamanizing the hare and the man stuck there on the Moon. They became like the heads of the Moon lakes.
(18-38) They stuck there, and live on the Moon till now.
(18-39) The old man works the forge, and the hare stands opposite him and watches.
(18-40) This is the end.
Glosses