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YASHPEH
International Folktales Collection

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Story No. 2118


Kĭlu' and the Bumblebees

Book Name:

Koryak Texts

Tradition: Koryak, Russia, Kamchatka

[1] Eme'mqut lived with his people. He married Kĭlu', but they were childless. One time Eme'mqut went into the open (country). He followed a river upstream. Then he saw numerous people. Some of them were women. Their bodies were resplendent with the reflection of light. All the men wore jackets of broadcloth, all the women wore calico overcoats. Eme'mqut hurried to them. He fell in love, and began to help those people. They were fishing with drag-nets. Very soon he married a Bumblebee-Woman. Those people were Bumblebee people. His new wife brought forth numerous children.

Then Kĭlu' became restless, and could not sleep. She came to the river, and followed it up-stream. Then she looked around, and saw those fishermen. Eme'mqut was there with them pulling in the nets. Kĭlu' approached them. She trampled to death Eme'mqut's new wife, who scattered around a large quantity of fly-eggs. All the eggs became Bumblebees. The fishermen also turned to Bumblebees. Eme'mqut could do nothing, so he went home. That is all.

Comments:

[1] Compare W. Jochelson, The Koryak, l. c., No. 107, p. 294.

The text was taken down in the village of Kamenskoye, from the lips of Maritime Koryak women or girls, from Yu'łta-ña'ut.

Abstract:

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