THE AINOS OF YEZO, JAPAN. 489 



He got up greatly rejoicing; he ate some food ; strength came hack to his body, 

 and — the woman was gone. 



Okiknrumi saw he hart been deceived, but there was nothing to be done and noth- 

 ing to say ; so he got well. 



POIYAUMBE. 



By Mr. John Batchei.or. 



We three, my younger sister, my dear brother, aud I, were always together. 



One night I was quite unable to sleep ; but, whether what I now relate was seen in 

 a dream or whether it really took place, I do not know. 



Now I saw upon the tops of the mountains, which lie towards the source of our 

 river, a great herd of male deer feeding by themselves. At the head of this great 

 herd there was a very large speckled buck ; even its horns wore speckled. At the 

 head of the herd of female deer there was a speckled doe skipping about in front of 

 its fellows. So I sat up in my bed, buckled my belt, winding it once around my body, 

 aud tied my hat strings under my chin. I then fastened my leggings, made of gi'ass, 

 to my legs, slipped on my best boots, stuck my favorite sword in my girdle, took my 

 quiver sling in my hand, seized my bow, which was made of yew and ornamented 

 with cherry bark, by the middle, aud sallied forth. 



The dust upon the road by the river side was flying about. I was taken up by the 

 wind and really seemed to go along upon the clouds. Now, my elder brother and 

 younger sister were coming along behind me. 



Aud as we went along, in truth, we saw that the mighty mountains were covered 

 with great herds of bucks aud does; the bucks had a speckled male at their head, 

 even its horns were speckled ; there was also a speckled female deer skipping about 

 at the head of the does. 



On coming near them I took an arrow out of my quiver and shot into the thickest 

 of the herd, so that the mountains became covered with the multitude of those which 

 had tasted poison (i.e., which had been hit with poisoned arrows). Aud my older 

 brother, shooting into the thickest of the herd of does, killed so many that the grass 

 was completely covered with their bodies ; within a very short time the whole herd, 

 both of bucks and does, was slain. How was it that that which but a short time since 

 was a deer became a man? That I can not tell. 



With angry words he said to me: " Because you are a brave Poiyaumbe aud your 

 fame has spread over many lands, you have come hither with a purpose of picking a 

 quarrel with me, but, however brave you may be, I think you will probably hud that 

 you are mistaken." 



When he had spoken so much, this lordly person drew his sword with a flash and 

 struck at me with powerful strokes ; iu return I also flashed out my sword, but when 

 I hit at him with mighty blows there was no corresponding clashing sound. It was 

 extremely difficult to come upon him; it was as though the wind caught the point 

 of my sword. Though this was the case, though it was difficult to strike him, and 

 though I did not realize that I was struck, yet much blood spurted out of my body. 

 That abominable bad man was also bleeding profusely. 



Whilst things were going on iu this way, my elder brother and younger sister met 

 with the speckled doe and both attacked it with drawn swords. With great fear 

 they fought ; and when T looked I saw that my elder brother was cut in twain ; as 

 he fell he put out his hands aud raised himself from the earth. I then drew my 

 sword and cut him twice or thrice, so that he became a living man again. Then rid- 

 ing upon a sound like thuuder, he quickly ascended to the skies aud agaiu engaged 

 in the fight. I now heard a sound as of another person being slain elsewhere ; it was 

 my younger sister who was killed. With a great sound she rode upon the sun (i. e., 

 she died with a groan). Upon this the bad foreign woman boasted, and said that she 

 had slain my younger sister aud thrown her to the earth. Then the two, the woman 



