My grandfather

Comment

Recorded from Nikolaj Lixachev in 1986. The storyteller's grandfather Semen, a Jasachnaja Yukaghir from the Ushkan clan, was born in the 1860s and died in about 1936. He lived on the river Mamontova, a tributary on the left bank of the Jasachnaja. He was a powerful shaman, who could heal and hypnotize people. His father Batat was considered the most powerful Yukaghir shaman, who had a shaman's costume and a tambourine made from horse skin. Batat started teaching his son shamanism late, apparently because he was afraid of being outclassed by him. The events described in this story date from the early 1930s.

Translation

(24-1) My grandfather was a shaman. (24-2) He got mad and walked around for three years. (24-3) He became a shaman by walking around like that. (24-4) When he became one he walked around outside in winter and summer for three years. (24-5) He became a shaman by walking around like that. (24-6) After he became a shaman he did not shamanize like a regular shaman. (24-7) He was simple. (24-8) At the time when they were taking koulaks, they also wanted to take him saying: "You are a shaman, we will trial you." (24-9) That's what happened. (24-10) He said then: "Take me, if you need." (24-11) They said: "We will come tomorrow. Take out your nets." (24-12) Then he went and took out his nets. (24-13) "We will come tomorrow to you." (24-14) They came in the evening, sat down and said: "Well, old man, show us what kind of experience you have." (24-15) Then he said: "Ok, I will show you." (24-16) He closed the window in the house, stuck four knives in the door and said: "Now you won't be able to get out of the house." (24-17) Then he whistled. (24-18) When he whistled, the door opened, and water came. (24-19) The water reached the ceiling. (24-20) Burbots came together with that water. (24-21) Burbotes came, played and left. (24-22) He said: "Did you see it?" (24-23) They said: "Yes, we did." (24-24) Three people, two Russians and one Yakut, an interpreter. (24-25) Then he said: "What can you see now?" (24-26) They said: "What will you show us? Show!" (24-27) He whistled again. (24-28) When he whistled, the door opened, and bears came. (24-29) Bears came and started fighting. (24-30) They fought and broke everything in the yurt. (24-31) That's what happened. (24-32) He said: "Well, do you see?" (24-33) They said: "Yes, we do. (24-34) And what will you show now?" (24-35) Show us what other experience you have." (24-36) Let it be so. (24-37) He whistled again, and horses came. (24-38) Horses came and started fighting. (24-39) They fought beating each other's bodies and biting each other with their teeth. (24-40) He said: "Well, do you see?", and they said: "We do." (24-41) The door opened and the horses went out. (24-42) He said again: "Do you see now? Do you see a man?" (24-43) They said: "Yes. (24-44) He stands with one leg inside and another leg outside. (24-45) We can see half of the man." (24-46) Half of the man. He has just been cut in two. (24-47) It was a cut man. (24-48) His heart was doing and his blood was running. (24-49) He said: "Do you see?" (24-50) Then that man disappeared, went out. (24-51) They said: "Yes, we see. (24-52) What will you show us now?" they said. (24-53) The old man said: "Let us go down to the river bank. I will hold water on a plate and you will shoot your gun at me three times, directly at my heart." (24-54) They said: "No, you will die." (24-55) "No, I won't die. (24-56) Shoot three gun bullets in the middle of the plate. (24-57) They didn't agree. (24-58) They said: "What are you going to do now then?" (24-59) They went down to the bank of the Kolyma. (24-60) He said: "Do you see?" "Yes, we do," they said. (24-61) They stood on their knees on the bank of the river. (24-62) He said: "If the fish comes, take it immediately." (24-63) A lot of fish came with the wave. (24-64) Fishes started swimming there. (24-65) They took them. (24-66) They took it, sat down and then stood up. He said: "Stood up," and they stood up. (24-67) "Well, are you holding it?" (24-68) "Yes, we are." (24-69) Then they saw that they were standing holding their penises. (24-70) That's what happnened. (24-71) They got embarrassed. (24-72) "Ok, we won't bother you again. (24-73) You better stay."