Seal Island
"My grandfather had brought me up, feeding me on the flesh of sea-animals which he brought home. Thus we lived. One year, as usual, my grandfather went out to sea…
From: 1912 C.E. To: 1912 C.E.
Location: Hokkaido, Japan
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
Seal Island
My grandfather had brought me up, feeding me on the flesh of sea-animals which he brought home. Thus we lived. One year, as usual, my grandfather went out to sea to kill some animals, that I might have something to eat. When he came home, late in the afternoon, he had killed no game. Then he said to me, "I have been on the island where I go every year to get game for our living, but there was not one seal on the island. I heard their roaring, though, far out at sea, the roaring of old beasts. So I thought that the old seals had wandered away from our island to another place. It is a long time since the island that has fed us for so long has been crowded with seals. Now there is not one animal left there; so I came back without killing anything." This is what my grandfather said.
From the moment I heard his words, I kept thinking how I might reach this far-off island. The thought kept me awake nights. One night, when my grandfather was sound asleep, I went down to the seashore. There I took the boat which my grandfather used for hunting, pulled it out on the water, and steered in the direction of the other sea. Rowing with all my strength, I soon came in sight of an island far out at sea. A few more strokes of the oars brought me quite close to it, and at last I was able to land.
There were lots of seals everywhere. But from the end of the island a miserable little man appeared. He approached, and soon began to scold me. "Why did you come? Why did you come out on this island? The creatures here are much worse than elsewhere, so why did you come? It is very dangerous to stay here. Hide your boat in yonder cave in the rock, fill it with killed seals, and secrete yourself among their bodies. The awful god of the island is near, so you must hide before he sees you."
The god then arrived; and I heard him ask, "What is this boat?" And Self-brought-up-Man answered, "It is my boat." "But the little sitting-board is fastened to it with a rope which was twisted with the left hand, and it smells like the smell of a human being," said the evil god again. "I am only half god and half man," Self-brought-up-Man answered, "so the boat may be human, and its smell is human." "Self-brought-up-Man," said the god, "you are mighty and fearless, and so are your deeds; but to-day we shall measure our powers." This is what he said, and I heard it.
Then the evil god went home; and Self-brought-up-Man turned towards me, and said, "My child, go back to your village as quickly as you can; and when you are sailing near the head of the island, carve an "inau" out of a birch- tree, and one out of an ash-tree, and put them into your boat. Carve out an "inau" from the "uita" tree, which is the tree of the evil god, and leave it on the island. Your father was a great friend of mine in my youth, therefore I warn you not to come here again, because this land is very dangerous. When you have gone, and are in the middle of the sea, you will hear the din and roar of the battle between the god and myself, and a bloody rain will fall on your boat from above. This will be a sign that I am hurt.
But you will go farther still, and again a bloody rain will fall (at the rear of your boat this time), and you will look back and see me kill that evil god. As long as you are away from home, your grandfather will be uneasy about you. He is walking to and fro on the path on which you went away, to the end of it, leaning on a big stick. He knows that you are on this island, and he is praying to me to help you. His words strike the clouds, and his prayers fall on my head from above. Direct your boat under that rainbow!"
On looking up, I saw that I was near my home, and my grandfather was walking on the sand of the shore, leaning on a thick stick. He was looking so hard up at the sky, and was praying so fervently, that he never noticed me, though I landed just in front of him. I took two seals out of the boat, one in each hand, carried them to my grandfather, and threw them down in front of him. He was so frightened that he fell down on his back. Then only did he look at me, and he was very glad to see me. He patted me on the back and on the chest, and began to scold me gently. "What have you been doing? Why did you go to that island? If it had not been for my friend, the god Samaye (Self-brought-up-Man) I should see your body no more."
So I went home, skinned the dead animals, cut out quantities of meat, cooked it, and gave my grandfather to eat. After a time my grandfather said to me, "I am old, and my death is near. After I am dead, do not go to the island whence you have just come, because it is dangerous for you."
Bibliography
Bronislas Pilsudski, "Ainu Folk-Lore," The Journal of American Folklore 25, no. 95 (1912): doi:10.2307/534469.
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