A Creation Myth from Tremjugan
This is the first of the bear-feast mythical songs — the song from which all the others derive. It is called ʌăŋₒə̑ʌtə̑pə̑t tiγₒəm ʌăŋₒə̑ʌtə̑p, "the mythical song that gives birth to all other mythical songs," and also kån iki ʌăŋəʌtəp, "the Prince's song." It is always performed first during the bear feast ceremony. The ʌăŋəʌtəp ("bringing-in song") is the genre by which a deity is sung into the house hosting the feast, entering the dwelling through the performance itself to participate in the ceremony. Among the Eastern Khanty, the ʌăŋəʌtəp is principally an epic genre, covering the deeds and journeys of a deity.
The deity at the centre of this song is kån iki, the "Golden Prince" — the youngest son of the supreme Sky God and the main protector of the Surgut Khanty people. The song tells how, in the beginning, seven sons were lowered on a golden rope to the water; how a spotted nutcracker dropped a pine cone that became the first island; and how the Prince established the cycle of Khanty life — hunting through the short autumn, trapping sable and squirrel, building a raft from bark-bared trees, and floating downstream to the crane-trodden confluence of two rivers to trade furs for silk with Griška's son Romeńka, a Russian merchant remembered in Eastern Khanty mythology. Performers of this song describe it as teaching the Khanty to hunt and to trade.
Collected by the Finnish ethnographer K. F. Karjalainen at the village of Tremjugan on the Tromagan River, a tributary of the Ob, in Eastern Khanty territory. The informant was Al. Kētšəmep. The date recorded in the manuscript is 9 December 1899 (Julian calendar), corresponding to 22 December 1899 (Gregorian). Published in Csepregi, Márta, ed., K. F. Karjalainen's Eastern Khanty Text Collection (1899–1901), Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seuran Toimituksia 279, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, 2024. The song consists of 284 lines and 525 words. This is the first English verse translation from the Khanty source.
A hundred sacred songs,
a hundred songs —
from here, from the wooded —
Great God,
my good father,
mighty one —
to the peopled water,
to the manned water,
at the far end of a golden rope,
seven sons
he lowers.
In the middle of the nourishing Vagelʹ —
Great God,
my good father —
seven sons
he lowers.
To the good water
of this nourishing Vagelʹ
he swings me —
the prince
of the far headwater
of the nourishing Vagelʹ.
In the middle of this grassy lake
fringed with rime-frost,
this lake with a centre —
at the time of the birth
of the first world —
your auntie,
the spotted nutcracker of the wood,
with an elbow-length
great yellow pine cone,
she flew —
she made it fly.
Down onto the holy ground
heard of by beasts —
she dropped it.
Behold.
Spotted nutcracker, sand martin —
a little island,
the size of a soup-ladle's bowl,
the size of a mug's bowl —
a little island.
And there appeared
a great island,
wooded with the trees of spirit-men.
Behold.
The raftered house
full of forest spirits —
I am sitting in it.
Behold.
Great God,
my good father —
an autumn short as a dog's leg,
an autumn of early snow,
he is preparing.
Behold.
By the next day
it is crossed.
Great God,
my good father —
how many hoarfrost-mouthed mornings
he is preparing!
From the side of the northern sky,
many swarms of notched-bellied creatures —
the woven burbot-rope,
the leather rope,
is torn.
This nourishing Vagelʹ,
my good water —
with Nenets girls,
with Nenets boys,
many nomadizing
caravans of sleighs
beyond the reach of a split arrow —
they float toward the north,
downstream.
Behold.
At one time — behold —
your toiling man made it:
the hardwood,
the softwood,
with sturgeon-glue,
with sticky hand —
alas, it froze.
Behold.
My bow's work,
its good beginning —
I am making it.
Behold.
My arrow's work,
its good beginning —
I am making it.
Behold.
Toward the upper forest —
like a forest spirit
with a basket on his back —
well I go upward.
Behold.
At the side of the upper forest —
a house covered with clawed bearskin,
a house covered with frozen bearskin —
I have it.
The beginning of the day
is crossed.
Male sable cubs
with bent claws,
squirrels caught by the noose
with bent claws —
a wealth of them,
onto the full belt
I hang them up.
Behold.
Many hoarfrost-mouthed sacks,
many hampers —
I am filling them.
Behold.
Great God,
my good father,
mighty one —
the man who brings summer —
his two tattooed hands
upon the peopled water
he is placing.
Behold.
The nourishing Vagelʹ's
good water
comes to mind.
Behold.
Many hoarfrost-mouthed sacks,
many hampers —
onto the two-legged,
shoulder-drawn sledge
I load them.
Behold.
The good water
of the nourishing Vagelʹ —
I arrive there.
Behold.
At my good waters
of the nourishing Vagelʹ —
many streams
deep as a pot's mouth —
a she-bear,
a he-bear —
their breathing throats
are sounding.
Behold.
The nourishing Vagelʹ,
my good water —
toward the north,
downstream —
ice frozen by wind,
hand-sized ice —
it is floated.
Behold.
From bark-bared tree —
a good raft
I make.
Behold.
Many wet-mouthed sacks,
many hampers —
onto the good raft
of bark-bared tree
they are carried up.
Many wet-mouthed sacks,
many hampers —
they are carried up.
Behold.
From my good water
of the nourishing Vagelʹ —
the good raft
of bark-bared tree —
toward the north,
downstream —
I am floating it.
Behold.
The crossing of two rivers
trodden by cranes —
I arrive there.
Behold.
In earlier times —
Griška's son Romeńka,
a merchant of the city,
my friend —
to the crossing
of the two rivers
he would come.
If he arrives earlier —
the good beast
expected of old —
for me he is waiting.
Behold.
If I arrive earlier —
the good beast
expected of old —
then well I wait.
Behold.
While I am watching —
Griška's son Romeńka,
my friend,
is coming.
Behold.
Griška's son Romeńka,
my friend —
his hand full
of expensive goods.
With my buddy,
Griška's son Romeńka —
hand full
of expensive goods —
the two of us
are standing.
Behold.
While I was waiting —
many wet-mouthed sacks,
many hampers —
from above
are lowered down.
Behold.
My buddy,
Griška's son Romeńka —
behold —
the endless strands of silk
he brought,
his wares —
to the shore
are carried.
Behold.
My house of rotten wood,
covered with birchbark —
its rotten wood —
full to bursting —
having packed it:
my house of rotten wood,
covered with birchbark —
Griška's son Romeńka,
my buddy —
behold —
downstream on the water,
around the start of his going —
alas, he is going.
Behold.
Colophon
Translated from Eastern Khanty (Tremjugan dialect) phonematic transcription by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, March 2026.
Source: K. F. Karjalainen's field notes, village of Tremjugan, Tromagan River, 9 December 1899 (Julian) / 22 December 1899 (Gregorian). Informant: Al. Kētšəmep. Published in Csepregi, Márta, ed., K. F. Karjalainen's Eastern Khanty Text Collection (1899–1901), Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seuran Toimituksia 279, Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, 2024. DOI: sus.22
Translation method: Independent verse translation from the Khanty phonematic source text. K. F. Karjalainen's original Finnish glosses (1899, public domain) served as the primary interpretive bridge. Csepregi's 2024 scholarly apparatus (notes, commentary, content summary) was consulted for cultural context and for resolving words specific to the bear-feast register and the mythological vocabulary. The English verse was composed independently; Csepregi's English rendering was consulted after drafting for verification only.
Notes on the translation:
Vagelʹ (wăɣə̑ʎ): The Khanty name for a river (identified by dictionaries as the Vogulka), which in the song functions as the mythological homeland-river of the Prince. The epithet ʌȧntəŋ ("nourishing") is its permanent attribute. The Prince's full title is ʌȧntəŋ wăɣə̑ʎ kŏɣₒ tŏj kån — "prince of the far headwater of the nourishing Vagelʹ."
The Golden Prince (kån iki, sårńi kån iki): The youngest son of the supreme Sky God (Numi-Tŏrə̑m) and the main protector of the Surgut Khanty. In the song, the Prince speaks in the first person, narrating the cycle of the year.
Behold (wəʌe): An emphatic particle or filler that marks the end of many verb-lines in this song. It appears twenty-eight times. Csepregi glosses it as "'as [conjunction]; behold [emphatic particle]'." It has no direct equivalent in English; "behold" preserves its ritual cadential function.
"Short as a dog's leg" (ȧmp kü̆r wȧni): An image for the brevity of the autumn — the hunting season is so short it can be crossed in a single day.
"Hoarfrost-mouthed" (påčə̑m oŋpi̮ / păčə̑m oŋpi̮): An epithet applied to sacks and hampers. Whether it means "frost-covered" (hoarfrosted) or "dampened" (soaked) is unclear from the source; the singer may alternate between the two. The image is of containers standing out in the cold.
The compound bow (lines 89–105): The song describes the construction of a traditional Khanty composite bow: hardwood (ʌəʌ) forming the inner arch, softwood (kutˊ, birch) forming the outer part, joined with glue cooked from sturgeon.
"Trees of spirit-men" (ʌuŋk ko juɣ): Yellow pine, the sacred tree of the Khanty, regarded as God's tree. The word pȧj (island) refers specifically to an island where yellow pines grow.
"Beast expected of old" (iʌi ʌȧɣʌəm jəm wåjə̑ɣ): The friends — the Prince and Romeńka — call each other "good beast" or "good animal" as a term of affection, part of the Khanty kinship-vocabulary that extends to include both bears and trusted companions.
Griška's son Romeńka (kəriškȧ păɣ romə̑ńka): Grigorʹevič Roman — probably a real historical figure, a Russian merchant who became embedded in Eastern Khanty mythology as the Prince's trading partner and friend.
A Good Works Translation. NTAC + Claude.
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Source Text
Eastern Khanty (Tremjugan dialect), phonematic transcription
K. F. Karjalainen, 9/22 December 1899. Informant: Al. Kētšəmep.
ʌăŋₒə̑ʌtə̑pə̑t tiγₒə̑m ʌăŋₒə̑ʌtə̑p
(kåniki ʌăŋₒə̑ʌtə̑p)
såt ʌăŋₒə̑ʌtə̑p
såt arəɣ
tˊeʌ jukkə̑ŋ –
ən[ə]ʌ tŏrə̑m ko
jəm jəɣəm
i̮ʌi̮ʌə̑m ko
jåkkə̑ŋ jəŋkȧ
kujə̑ŋ jəŋkȧ
sårə̑ń səɣəʌ
kŏɣₒ tŏjnə̑
ʌȧpət păɣ
ä̆sʌiʌəɣəʌ.
ʌȧntəŋ wăɣə̑ʎ
kü̆tpȧʌnə
ən[ə]ʌ tŏrə̑m ko
jəm jəɣəm
ʌȧpət păɣ
ä̆sʌiʌəɣəʌ.
tem ʌȧntəŋ wăɣə̑ʎ
jəm jəŋkȧ
mȧnem ḷȧtˊijəɣəʌ,
ʌȧntəŋ wăɣə̑ʎ
kŏɣₒ tŏj kån.
tem săjkŏni̮
pompə̑ʌår
jä̆čəŋ [ʌår]
jä̆čənə
åʌə̑ŋ tŏrə̑m
tiɣₒəm ʌȧtnə
wŏn[t] wårə̑p
iminiŋe
kü̆nŋi kŏɣₒi̮t
ən[ə]ʌ nåɣə̑r
ʌəɣₒ ʌəɣəʌ
ʌəɣəʌtəttəɣ.
wåjə̑[ɣ] koʌə̑m
jiməŋ məɣȧ
iʌə rəɣəptəttəɣ wəʌe.
wårə̑p kătˊaŋ
əj pȧj
ʌəj oɣₒ ʌŏɣₒi̮t
keɣₒ[ə]ḷ oɣₒ ʌŏɣₒi̮t
əj pȧj
ʌuŋ[k] ko juɣə̑p
ən[ə]ʌ pȧj
tŏɣₒə̑teɣₒəntəɣʌən wəʌe.
jü̆ḷiʌi
ʌiɣəp kåt
mȧnə åmsi̮ʌəʌi wəʌe.
ən[ə]ʌ tŏrə̑m ko
jəm jəɣəm
ȧmp kü̆r wȧni
kăr[ə̑] səɣₒəs
ʌəɣₒ tˊi wərəntəʌən wəʌe.
pȧ kătʌa
keʌɣəntəʌi.
ən[ə]ʌ tŏrə̑m ko
jəm jəɣəm
sŏjə̑ŋ ŏŋə̑p
ȧr ȧʌəŋ
məɣₒ ü̆rɣəʌ
wərəntəʌən.
jiʌəŋ tŏrə̑m
pä̆ḷkəʌi
čŏmʌə̑ŋ kŏṇpi̮
jåɣḷaki̮
ȧr părə̑
tåkə̑nʌa
səɣi ńur
piɣₒʌi [ńur]
tåkə̑nʌa.
tem ʌȧntəŋ wăɣə̑ʎ
jəm jəŋkȧm
jărɣan ä̆ɣₒeŋ
[jărɣan] păkə̑ŋ
ȧr kisḷəmneŋ
ä̆ɣₒti ńåʌ
jŏɣₒə̑tʌə̑ɣ
ȧr ȧnȧs
ăɣₒə̑s wăʌi̮
ăɣₒə̑s jəŋk
čupə̑ʌnam
tˊutnə̑ nåpti̮ʌəʌi wəʌe.
tˊi mətȧ ʌȧtnə wəʌe
wərəŋ kuje̮
wərənti,
ʌəʌɣəʌȧ
kutˊɣə̑ʌa
kåni̮ soɣₒ
əjməŋ kö̆t
ʌəɣₒ ti påti̮təʌi wəʌe.
jăɣₒʌam wər
jəm åʌə̑ŋ
mȧnə wərəntəʌi wəʌe,
ńuʌə̑ŋ wər
jəm åʌə̑ŋ
mȧnə wərəntəʌi wəʌe.
ut wŏnti̮
pä̆ḷkəʌȧ
ki̮ntə̑ŋ čö̆ṇ[č]pi
wŏn[t] jü̆ḷi
mȧ jəm keʌɣəntəʌəm wəʌe.
ut wŏnti̮
pä̆ḷkəʌnə
kü̆ṇčəŋ iksŏɣₒ
ḷəɣmȧŋ kåt
pä̆ɣₒəŋ iksŏɣₒ
ḷəɣmȧŋ kåt
mȧ tăjʌə̑m.
kătʌi̮n åʌə̑ɣ
keʌɣəntəʌi.
moɣₒḷə̑[ŋ] kü̆ṇ[č]pi
mokkuj ńŏɣₒə̑s
moɣₒḷə̑[ŋ] kü̆ṇ[č]pi
ʌis ʌȧŋki
tȧrniʌiʌ
tä̆ʌən əntəp
mȧnə ri̮ɣə̑ttəʌi wəʌe.
påčə̑m oŋpi̮
ȧr ki̮rə̑ɣ
ȧr jəŋəʌ
mȧnə pănɣə̑ntəʌi wəʌe.
ən[ə]ʌ tŏrə̑m ko
jəm jəɣəm
i̮ʌi̮ʌə̑m ko
jåkkə̑ŋ jəŋkȧ
ʌŏŋə̑tə̑ ko
jəɣtən kö̆tɣən
ʌəɣₒ tˊi pănɣə̑ntəʌɣən wəʌe.
ʌȧntəŋ wăɣə̑ʎ
jəm jəŋkȧ
nȧmən nămʌaɣtəʌi wəʌe.
påčə̑m oŋpi̮
ȧr ki̮rə̑ɣ
påčə̑m oŋpi̮
ȧr jəŋəʌ
kit kü̆r pəntȧp
wånə̑ŋ ăɣₒə̑ʌ
mȧnə ʌiʌti̮təʌi wəʌe.
ʌȧntəŋ wăɣə̑ʎ
jəm jəŋkȧ
nȧmən jŏɣₒti̮ʌəʌi wəʌe.
ʌȧntəŋ wăɣə̑ʎ
jəm jəŋkȧmnə
put oŋ məʌit
ȧr såjə̑m
nȧŋəm wåjə̑ɣ
kåʌə̑ɣ wåjə̑ɣ
ʌȧʌəm tur
nȧmən wərəntəʌən wəʌe.
ʌȧntəŋ wăɣə̑ʎ
jəm jəŋkȧm
ăɣₒə̑s wăʌi̮
ăɣₒə̑s jəŋk
čupə̑ʌnam
tü̆ʌəɣ påtə̑m
kö̆təŋ jä̆ŋₒkₒ
ăɣₒə̑s wăʌi̮
ăɣₒə̑s jəŋk
čupə̑ʌnam
ʌəɣₒ tˊi nåpti̮ʌəʌi wəʌe.
ńăksə̑m juɣ
jəm toɣə̑tʌə̑
mȧnə wərəntəʌi wəʌe.
păčə̑m oŋpi̮
ȧr ki̮rə̑ɣ
ȧr jəŋəʌ
ńȧksəm juɣ
jəm toɣə̑tʌə̑
nȧmən ȧʌti,
păčə̑m oŋpi̮
ȧr ki̮rə̑ɣ
ȧr jəŋəʌ
nȧmən ȧʌti̮ʌəʌȧt wəʌe.
ʌȧntəŋ wăɣə̑ʎ
jəm jəŋkȧmi
ńȧksəm juɣ
jəm toɣə̑tʌə̑
ăɣₒə̑s wăʌi̮
ăɣₒə̑s jəŋk
čupə̑ʌnam
mȧnə nåpti̮ʌəʌi wəʌe.
tårə̑ɣʌa
pŏrmi̮ʌə̑ʌi̮
kȧt ȧsɣən
jåɣə̑rta
mȧnə jŏɣₒti̮ʌəʌi wəʌe.
siri tŏrə̑m
wăʌə̑mnə̑
kəriškȧ păɣ
romə̑ńka
toɣə̑ʌ wåčə̑ŋ
tˊŏrə̑s ko
ʌoksə̑m iki
kȧt ȧsɣən
jåɣə̑rta
jŏɣₒə̑ttə̑ wä̆r tăjaʌ.
ʌəkₒ sȧr jŏɣₒti̮ʌəʌən kuntə̑
iʌi ʌȧɣʌəm
jəm wåjə̑ɣ
ʌəɣₒ mȧn[t] ʌȧɣʌi̮ʌəʌən wəʌe.
mȧ sȧr jŏɣₒti̮ʌə̑ʌə̑m kuntə̑
iʌi ʌȧɣʌəm
jəm wåjə̑ɣ
tət jəm ʌȧɣʌi̮ʌəʌəm wəʌe.
mȧnə ʌeɣi̮ʌətȧʌnə
kəriškȧ păɣ
romə̑ńka
ʌoksə̑m iki
ʌəɣₒ tˊi jəɣₒi̮ʌəʌən wəʌe.
kər[iškȧ] păɣ
rom[ə̑ńka]
ʌoks[ə̑m] i[ki]
tinəŋ tȧs
pȧḷŋən kö̆t
kər[iškȧ] păɣ
rom[ə̑ńka]
ʌ[oksə̑m] i[ki]
ḷiŋkinȧt
tinəŋ uč
pȧḷŋən kö̆t
minnə ʎuʎə̑ɣʌəʌi wəʌe.
mȧ tˊi tuɣi̮
ʌä̆ɣəʌmȧmpə
păčə̑m oŋpi̮
ȧr ki̮rə̑ɣ
ȧr jəŋəʌ
nȧmən wi̮ɣə̑ʌtəʌȧt wəʌe.
kər[iškȧ] păɣ
rom[ə̑ńka]
ʌ[oksə̑m] i[ki]
ḷiŋki wəʌe
ʌəɣₒ tˊi tuɣmaʌ
koʌȧpi
oɣə̑ʌ jermȧk
kuʌi̮ʌi̮ʌ
utə̑n ȧʌti̮ʌəɣʌi wəʌe.
ńåʌ tŏntə̑ɣ
ḷəɣₒmȧŋ kutə̑m
təɣₒrəŋ juɣə̑ʌ
tˊȧki tȧŋȧt
tä̆ʌiʌȧ
påni̮ʌə̑maʌ
ńåʌ tŏntə̑ɣ
ḷ[əɣₒmȧŋ] k[utə̑m]
t[əɣₒrəŋ] j[uɣə̑ʌ]
kəriškȧ păɣ
r[omə̑ńka]
ʌ[oksə̑m] i[ki]
ḷiŋki wəʌe
jəŋkət i̮ʌ
mən[ə]m åʌə̑ŋnam
ʌəɣₒ tˊi məni̮ʌəɣʌən wəʌe.
Source Colophon
Source text: Eastern Khanty (Tremjugan dialect) phonematic transcription by K. F. Karjalainen, 9/22 December 1899. Informant: Al. Kētšəmep. Manuscript pages 16–32. Published in Csepregi, Márta, ed., K. F. Karjalainen's Eastern Khanty Text Collection (1899–1901), Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seuran Toimituksia / Mémoires de la Société Finno-Ougrienne 279. Helsinki: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Seura, 2024. DOI: sus.22. The text is presented under the publisher's open-access policy.
Staged at: Tulku/Tools/uralic/khanty_bear_songs_csepregi2024.txt
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