THE AINOS OF YEZO, JAPAN. 485 



A VISIT TO THE UNDERWOKLD. 



By Professor Chamberlain. 



A handsome aud brave young Aino, skillful iu the chase, one day pursued a large 

 bear into tbe recesses of the mountains. On and on ran the bear*, aud still the young 

 fellow pursued it up heights and crags more and more dangerous, but without ever 

 being able to get near enough to shoot it with his poisoned arrow. At last on a 

 bleak mountain summit, the bear disappeared down a hole in the ground. The 

 young Aino followed in, and found himself in an immense cavern, at the far extrem- 

 ity of which was a gleam of light. Toward this he groped his way. aud, on emerg- 

 ing, found himself in another world. All was as in the world of men, but more 

 beautiful. There were trees, houses, villages, human beiugs. With them, however, 

 the young hunter had no concern. What he wanted was his bear, which had totally 

 disappeared. The best plan seemed to be to seek it in the remoter mountain district 

 of this new world underground. So he followed up a valley, aud, beiug tired aud 

 hungry, picked the grapes and mulberries that were hanging on tho trees, aud ate 

 them while walking leisurely along. 



Suddenly, happening to look down on his own body for some reason or other, what 

 was his horror to find himself transformed into a serpent ! His very tears and cries 

 on the discovery of the metamorphosis were changed into snake's hisses. What was 

 he to do? To go back like this to his native world, where snakes are hated, would 

 be certain death. No plan presented itself to his mind. But unconsciously he wan- 

 dered, or rather crept aud glided, back to the mouth of the cavern that led home to 

 the world of men; and there, at the foot of a pine tree of extraordinary size and 

 height, ho fell asleep. To him then, in a dream, there appeared tho goddess of the 

 pine tree and said : " I am sorry to see you in this state. Why did you eat the poi- 

 sonous fruits of Hades? The only thing for you to do, if you wish to recover your 

 original shape, is to climb to the top of this pine tree and fling yourself down. Then 

 you may, perhaps, become a human being again." On awaking from this dream the 

 young man, or rather snake, as he found himself still to be, was filled half with 

 hope, half with fear. But he decided to try the goddess' remedy. So gliding up the 

 tall pine tree, he reached its topmost branch, and, after a little hesitation, flung him- 

 self down. Crash ho went. When he came to his senses he found himself standing 

 at the foot of the tree ; and close by was tho body of an immense serpent, all ripped 

 open, so as to allow of his having crawled out of it. After offering up thanks to the 

 pine tree and setting up divine symbols in its honor, he hastened to retrace his steps 

 through the long tunnel-like cavern, through which he had originally come iuto 

 Hades. 



After walking for a certain time he emerged into the world of men, to find himself 

 on the mountain top whither he had pursued the bear which he had never seen 

 again. On reaching home he dreamt a second time. It was the same goddess of the 

 pine tree who appeared before him and said : " I come to tell you that you can not 

 stay long in the world of men after once eating the grapes aud mulberries of Hades. 

 There is a goddess in Hades who wishes to marry you. She it was who, assuming 

 the form of a bear, lured you into the cavern and thence to the underworld. You 

 must make up your mind to come away." 



And so it fell out. The youug man awoke, but a grave sickness overpowered him. 

 A few days later he went a second time to the underworld, and returned no more to 

 the world of the living. 



PANAUMBE PENAUMBE AND THE WEEPING FOXES. 



By Professor Chamherlain. 



There were Panaumbe and Peuanmbe. Panaumbe went dowu to the bank of the 

 river and called out: "Oh, you fellows on thecliff behind yonder cliff; ferry me across." 

 They replied : '* We must first scoop out a canoe. Wait for us," After a little while 



