488 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890 



Then the honorable ancestors met and went to kill this fish, but found themselves 

 unable to accomplish their end, though they attempted to do so for many days. 



Because then they very much desired to kill the lisb, the gods, who had a special 

 regard for the welfare of Ainu land, sent help from heaven. 



Aud the gods descending, they seized the great trout with their hands (claws). 



Upon this it plunged mightily and went to the bottom of the lake with great force. 



Then the gods put forth all their power, and, drawing the great trout to the sur- 

 face of the water, brought it ashore. 



Upon this all the honorable ancestors drew their swords and chopped the fish till 

 they quite killed it. 



The Ainu appear to have a special dread of largo lakes, because they say that 

 every now and again one of the monster fish suddenly puts in an appearance and com- 

 mences its destructive work of swallowing animals and human beings. Only a few 

 hundred years ago, they say, one of these awful fish was found dead upon the shores 

 of the Shikot-to (Chitose Lake). This monster had swallowed a large deer, horns 

 aud all, but the horns caused a severe attack of indigestion to come on, which the 

 fish could not get over; uay, the horns were so long that they protruded from its 

 stomach and caused its death. 



It is to the actions of one of these monstrous fish that all earthquakes, of which 

 thero are many occurrences in Yezo, are to be traced. The earth, i. e., so far as Ainu 

 laud is concerned, is supposed to rest upon the back of one of these creatures ; and 

 whenever it moves, the world, as a matter of course, must feel the effects aud move 

 also. This earthquake-causing fish is sometimes called Tokushish, i. e., "trout," and 

 sometimes Moshiri ikkewe chep, i. e., " the backbone fish of the world." 



LEGEND OF OK1KURUMI IN LOVE. 

 By Mr. John Batciielor. 



The goddess felt louely and gazed upou the inside and surveyed the outside of the 

 house. 



She w r ent out, and behold, 



The clouds were floating and waving about in beautiful terraces upon the horizon 

 over Ainu land. Yes, that is what she saw. 



So she returned into the house backwards and took down the needlework. 



Again she looked at the point of her needle and fixed her gaze upon the eye end 

 thereof. 



Theu came a little bird, called " water wagtail," and sat upon the window shutter 

 aud wagged its tail up and down and waved it from right to left. 



Then two chirps and three chirps came to her and touched the inside surface of 

 her ears, and what she heard was this : 



The mighty Okikurumi, who is the governor of all Ainu land, went out of doors 

 for a little while and, seeing yon, has fallen ill of love on your account. 



And though two bad fish aud two good fish were placed before him for food he 

 refused to eat. 



Now, if Okikurumi should die, the soul of Ainu land will depart. 



Then the little bird called " water wagtail," waving its tail, spake two words to 

 her aud said : " Have mercy upon us, that Okikurumi may live." 



Thus then, by simply looking out upon the world, Okikurumi fell go sick of love 

 that, though two bad fish and two good fish were set before him, he could not eat. 



Dear, dear, how badly he felt. 



Therefore the form of a woman resembling the goddess was made and sent down 

 to Okikurumi. 



The house was set in order ; that woman who was sent down put thiugs to rights. 



Then Okikurumi looked through his sleeve and saw the beautiful woman. 



