A Bear Ceremony Song from Munkesz Village
This is the first of the five "Simple Bear Songs" — standalone narratives that tell the complete arc of the bear's life from the bear's own mouth. Unlike the ceremonial descent songs and dawn songs that are performed at specific moments of the bear feast, these songs narrate the full cycle: summer wandering through berry forests and pine-cone groves, the coming of autumn and the digging of the winter den, the arrival of the hunter with his dogs and axes, the killing, the elaborate multi-night ceremony with its feasting and games, the division of the bear's flesh among the people, and finally the spirit's ascent back to heaven on an iron ladder — where the Sky Father sends it back to the forest to begin again. The song is first-person theology: the bear is both the one who dies and the one who watches its own ceremony from the guest-corner. Death is not an ending but a turning in a perpetual cycle between heaven and earth. Recorded by Bernát Munkácsi among the Mansi people of Munkesz village on the upper Sosva River, Western Siberia, and published in his Vogul Népköltési Gyűjtemény, Volume III: Medveénekek (Bear Songs), Budapest, 1893. No complete English translation of this song has previously existed.
The Fifth Section: Specimens of the Simple Bear Song
Haja-haj, haja-haj!
Through the joyful summer of warm pillows,
through the joyful summer of sweaty pillows
that Lofty Golden my dear father made —
the mouth of my never-full barrel
I fill,
the mouth of my never-full pack
I fill.
The berry-bearing many sandbars —
in great numbers I walk them.
The cone-bearing many pine-groves —
as I walk among them,
as I gaze upward:
such fine, such excellent cones
stand up above!
Upward I climb,
and the cones I knock down below.
Then I descend again,
and the cones I gather together.
On a village-sized great cache-heap
I sit.
On a city-sized great cache-heap
I sit.
When my village-sized, city-sized cache
is finished —
onward I walk.
The berry-bearing, berry-filled forest,
the bird-cherry-bearing, bird-cherry forest —
with the Mighty Animal's long strides
I walk onward.
Into my never-full barrel-mouth,
little animal, onward I gather.
Into my never-full pack-mouth,
little animal, onward I fill.
As I walk —
to a green-leafed, beautiful path
I arrive, Noble Little Animal.
Back-fat for lying through winter —
I gather.
Chest-fat for lasting through winter —
I gather.
Noble Little Animal's two little stars —
see how they gaze:
Lofty Golden my dear father
has turned the season to autumn.
His thick-grained, grainy snow
is falling.
An earth-house for lying through winter —
to build one,
a mound impenetrable to a man's nose
I search for,
a mound impenetrable to a dog's nose
I search for.
As I search — at last —
to what named, name-worthy river
I have come!
To what famed, fame-worthy river
I have come!
I gaze toward the left:
a tall cliff stands there.
I gaze toward this side:
a great earth-mound stands there.
An earth-house for lying through winter —
what a fine little mound
that would make!
My right-side little paw
I thrust in:
as much earth as would fill five marten-cushion skins
falls tumbling out.
My left-side little paw
I plunge in:
as much earth as would fill six marten-cushion skins
falls tumbling out.
An earth-house with crossbeams —
I build it.
Moss I go about tearing,
and three armfuls
I carry home.
Noble Little Animal, the curling-up one —
my tufted head, my beautiful head,
into my crossbeamed earth-house
I carry in now.
My drowsy throat
barely falls asleep,
my drowsy tongue
barely falls asleep —
with wau, wau! — noble cries —
they block my doored house's door,
they block my smoke-holed house's smoke-hole.
Noble Little Animal's two little stars —
see how they gaze:
an elk-bull-sized hunting dog
runs about.
An elk-calf-sized hunting dog
runs about.
Noble Little Animal's two little stars
gaze into the distance:
What manner of full-tufted, tufted man
approaches!
What manner of full-faced, handsome man
approaches!
I look at the hand on one side:
a shoulder-blade-sized axe
he carries.
I look at the hand on the other side:
a long-ironed, long splitting-wedge
he carries.
My doored house's little door —
with a green-wood beam
they block it shut.
My smoke-holed house's smoke-hole —
with a green-wood beam
they block it shut.
My roofed house's little roof —
they pierce it through.
Through my little pierced hole
they pour in snow.
When I see the bright spot —
Noble Little Animal's
round little animal-head —
as I push it toward the light —
with the long, long iron splitting-wedge
they pierce through at once.
Noble Little Animal — when I grew dizzy —
A looped rope they cast upon me.
From my doored house's little door
they drag me out.
Noble Little Animal's five buttons —
counting, they unfasten.
My back-meat, the gathering for the pot-pole —
they place in a good spot.
My chest-meat, the gathering for the breast —
they place in a good spot.
In a bird-cherry-wood hooped cradle
they lay me.
In a bird-cherry-wood hooped cradle
they settle me.
On a little six-legged sleigh
they set me.
To a village of daughters, the Animal's four cries —
counting them, they carry me.
To a village of sons, the Animal's five cries —
counting them, they carry me.
To a great-timbered, great house
they carry me.
To a food-rich, bountiful house
they carry me.
Many, many men of the village
kick up the game-yard with snow-play.
Many, many men of the city
stamp down the game-yard with snow-play.
Into the doored house's door —
with my four Animal-cries,
counting them, they carry me in.
With my five Animal-cries,
counting them, they carry me in.
At the far end of the guest-compartment
of the guest-compartmented house,
on a five-board shelf —
they place me.
Many dishes of lake-food
they bring before me.
Many dishes of Ob-food
they bring before me.
In a nest bountiful with lake-food
I sit.
In a nest bountiful with Ob-food
I sit.
As I sit — at last —
many hump-backed men
step in, many in number.
Many pot-bellied men
step in, many in number.
All the many games there are —
they play them all.
All the hand-skills there are —
they show them all.
All the foot-skills there are —
they show them all.
Noble Animal's four nights —
counting them, they celebrate.
Noble Animal's five nights —
counting them, they keep.
On the sixth day's dawning —
with a fine antlered-animal sacrifice
they stand before me.
With a fine hoofed-animal sacrifice
they stand before me.
When the antlered, the hoofed sacrifice
is slain —
Noble Little Animal — they undress me.
Noble Little Animal's little hands —
they undress.
Into an iron-bowed, bowed cauldron
they place me.
There they cook me.
Many, many men of my village
divide me, marten-division style.
Many, many women of my city
divide me, game-division style.
When they have divided —
from the noble corner of the guest-compartment,
in the noble form of a mole,
I rise.
Together with my fine antlered-animal sacrifice,
I rise.
Before Lofty Golden my dear father
I place my marten-fur prayer.
Before Lofty Sky my dear father
I place my game-fur supplication:
"Lately, when I brought down
a fine red-headed bird —
the noble head of the headed animal
I called up, offering it to you.
Lofty Golden my dear father!
If only now you would lower
an iron ladder for me —
with this antlered-animal sacrifice of mine,
with this hoofed-animal sacrifice of mine,
let me climb!"
Lofty Golden my dear father
heard.
An iron ladder
he lowered.
With my antlered-sacrifice hands,
with my hoofed-sacrifice hands,
upward I climb.
When I reached Lofty Sky my dear father —
what a strange-made iron post
stands there!
My fine little antlered sacrifice,
my fine little hoofed sacrifice —
there I tie them.
Into the golden-crossed holy house
where Lofty Sky my dear father dwells —
I enter.
To Lofty Sky my dear father
I speak:
"Lofty Sky, my dear father,
where does your enchantment send me?"
Lofty Sky my dear father
answers:
"To the berry-bearing berry grove —
bound away!
To the cone-bearing cone grove —
bound away!"
My food-eating, food-full mind —
joy fills it.
With five animal leaps I bounded away.
With four animal bounds I bounded away.
Haja-haj!
Colophon
Translated from Mansi (Vogul) source text via Munkácsi Bernát's Hungarian intermediary translation. Source: Munkácsi, Bernát. Vogul Népköltési Gyűjtemény, III. kötet: Medveénekek (Bear Songs). Budapest: Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, 1893. Fifth Section (Ötödik szakasz: Az egyszerű medveének mutatványai), Song I (Múnkeszfalvi «állat»-ének), pp. 238–253. Archive.org identifier: f1vogulnpklt03munkuoft. Public domain.
The Hungarian translation was the primary intermediary; the Mansi source text (presented below) was consulted for proper nouns, ritual formulae, and structural verification. Munkácsi's parenthetical glosses — identifying ritual metaphors such as "five buttons" (claws), "barrel" and "pack" (stomach), "pot-pole gathering" (back-meat), and "two little stars" (eyes) — have been absorbed into the translation where they clarify meaning, and noted in the colophon where they might otherwise be opaque.
Ritual notes: The bear ceremony (medveünnep) lasted four nights for a female bear, five for a male. The "four cries" and "five cries" correspond to the gendered processional calls. The "five buttons" are the bear's claws, ritually "unfastened" (skinned). The spirit departs in the form of a mole — small, humble, earthbound — and ascends to the Sky Father on an iron ladder with its sacrifice. The Sky Father sends it back to the berry-groves. The cycle begins again.
Good Works Translation (AI-assisted). Translated by Iläm, Tulku Life 263 of the New Tianmu Anglican Church, for the Good Works Project. First English translation. March 2026.
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Source Text
Mansi (Vogul) — Múnkeszfalvi «állat»-ének
Muiin-kesin uj-erV
Kajajüjin, kajajüjin!
Numi-Sorni äském varüdlém
sank qsmdn käsin tü,
muriém qsmdn käsin tü,
ta'intettöl squt-süntém
5 ta'intépte'im,
ta'intettal paip-süntém
ta'intépte'im,
pilä sästém saw rqs
sawa jqmililém,
10 pakwä patém saw suj
sawa jqmililém,
pakwä patém saw suj
jqmiliméin xalté,
nqn'alé kwoss sunsile'im:
15 ta mortés jqmés pákwét
numén tülile'it!
nqn' tül ta yänyile'im,
pákwét jolä ta paywtile'im,
tül jolä ta va'ile'im,
20 pákwét akwán ti atiliéném,
paul-jänV jänV poti
elä ti ünttildlé'im,
üs-jänV jänV poti
elä ti ünttildlé'im,
25 paul-jänV, üs-jänV potim
xqlémd jui-pält
elä ta jämitälé'im.
pilä sästém pilin vör,
tämä sästém lqinin vör
30 vojle-önle xqsä üsil
elä ta jqmililém.
ta'intettal squt-süntém
vojle elä atililé'im,
ta'intettal paip-süntém
35 vojle elä ta'intéptilém,
toy jqmné xalémt
när löptdn jqmés tqnyné
vojle önle ti joyte'im.
täl xujné sis-vöj
40 väre'im,
täl xöltné ma'il-vöj
väre'im.
Vojle-önle kitV xös
akli'-mat-ert xumté sunsile'im:
45 Numi-Sorni äsikém
takwsi-pälV jemtildlém,
qsin sampd samin tüjtä
ti patildli.
täl xujné mä-kwol
50 värunkwé
xum-nol peltal mä-sayl
kinsile'im,
amp-nol peltal mä-sayl
kinsile'im.
55 toy kinsiléném xalté akw'-mat-ért
manä nampä namin jäkwén
neildsém!
inanä sijpä sijin jäkwén
neildsém!
60 älem-pdl numpél sunsile'im:
lulü kerds ti qnlilálém;
ti päl numpél sunsile'im:
jänV mä-sayl qnlilálém.
täl xujné mä-kwol
65 värunkwé
manä jqmés mä-sayl
alndtd!
jqmés-päl qlné kätläp-palém
pinémtilém:
70 at noys qsmdn xurV
kwon ti patilali;
vorti-päl qlné kätläp-palém
ämérmatilém;
xqt noys qsmdn xurV
75 kwon ti patilali.
mä sirpd sirin kwol
ti väri'im.
xdsli manltänkwé
tül ti jqmile'im,
80 xürém äl-tä'il
jü ti totile'im.
vojle-önle närtäp xum
sayin punkém, vesin punkém
mä sirpd sirin kwolémné
85 jü ti tülttilém.
Ojilmatné turém-jer
alä ojilmatawé,
ojilmatné nelmém-jer
alä ojilmatawé:
90 vou-voun jqmés turél
äwin kwol äwim ti lül'awé,
surmin kwol sürmém ti lül'awé.
vojle-önle kitV xös
xumle sunsililé'im:
95 xar-päsV janit loni
ti xajti,
uj-pösV janit loni
ti xajti.
vojle-önle kitV xös
100 elä kwoss sunsile'im:
manä xurip sayä sästém sayin xum
jissentäli,
manä xurip vesä sästém vééin xum
jissentäli!
105 akw'-pdl qlné katd sunsililém:
xdr-ndrém janit sairép
qnsüalii;
akw'-pdl qlné katd sunsililém:
kérd xqsd xqsd lujmds.
110 äwin kwol äwirisém
när jiw jdnV norél
lap ti tqortdlilawe;
surmin kwol surémrisém
när jiw jdnV norél
115 lap ti tqortdlilawe,
aldn kwol alarisém
ndl-dsél ti pasdtawé;
ndl-dsérisém tüjtél
ta tdrdtdlawé.
120 posin md kasélamém-kemt,
vojle-önle äwän uj äwdrisém
tü kwoss ndrémdtdlililém:
kérd xqsd xqsd lujmdsrisél
tdrd pütmalilawé.
125 vojle-önle xqt tormém-kemt
lésin kwdlyél pattilawdsém,
äwin kwol dwirisém nél
kwon ta xdttildlwdsém.
vojle-önle at kenném
130 lowintimé ünwilawé.
püt-jiwém vötn' utd
jqmés mdn pinilawé,
ma'ilém vdtn' utd
jqmés mdn pinilawé.
135 l'dm-jiw qlné kisin dpdn
elä ünttildlwém,
l'dm-jiw qlné kisin dpdn
elä xujiptdlwém,
xqt lä'ilép mdn ldtdn
140 numén tdltilawém,
äyin paulén uj nild rqnyém
lowintimé totawé;
piyin paulén ujat rqnyém
lowintimé totawé.
145 jiwä jdnV jdnV kwolné
ta totilawém,
tepä losit losit kwolné
ta totilawém.
paul saw saw xumim
150 tüjt-jonyil jqmés kän
sdnywe'it;
üs saw saw xumim
tüjt-jonyil jqmés kän
jelile'it.
155 äwin kwol äwiné
uj nild rqnyém rqnyimé
jü ti tülawém,
uj at rqnyém rqnyimé
jü ti tülawém.
160 muli-kwol muli-pdl qulén,
at part pinim normän,
tü ta ünttilahwém,
tür-tep saw sän
saw totilawé,
165 Äs-tep saw sän
saw totilawé.
tür-tep sunin piüt
ünlile'im,
Äs-tep sunin piüt
170 ünlile'im.
toy ünléném xalté akw'-mat-ért
sis-moksér saw xum
saw sdltildli,
sorx-moksér saw xum
175 saw sdltilali,
xotit qlné saw jonyil
pusén jonyile'it,
xotit qlné küt-apér
pusén xöltile'it,
180 xotil' qlné la'il-apér
pusén xöltile'it.
vojle-önle nilä étem
lowintimé totilawé,
vojle-önle at étem
185 lowintimé qnsilawé,
xqtit xö'il numpél
äntin uj jqmés jirél
ti lülilawém,
toxin uj jqmés jirél
190 ti lülilawém.
äntin uj, toxin uj jirém
alilémd jui-pdlt
vojle-önle äwäkém
ti anywilawe,
195 vojle-önle kätläkäyém
ti anywilawéV,
kérin mirpd nurin pütné
nalu ta pétilawét,
nalu ta pajtilawét.
200 paul saw saw xumim
noys-ürt ta ürtyate'it,
üs saw saw najim
uj-ürt ta ürtyate'it.
toy ürtyaténdnl jui-pdlt,
205 muli-pdl jqmés samnél,
nemlé lenkél' jqmés xuril
kwon ta kwälildlé'im,
äntin uj jqmés jirém jot
kwon ta kwälildlé'im.
210 Numi-Sorni äsikémné
noys-pojkém ti pintlé'im,
Tqrém-öni jäikémné
uj-pojkém ti pintle'im:
«umöléx, kélpin punkép jqmés sänsi-ke
215 aliläslém,
punkin uj jqmés punkd
nanén rqnxiläslém,
Numi-Sorni äsikém!
an nan kér-xänyéltép
220 oss tdräténulén mönt;
am ti äntin uj jirém jot,
am ti toxin uj jirém jot
nqnx oss xänysém mönt!»
Numi-Sorni äsikém
225 ti xölilämd,
kér qlné xänyéltép
ti tdrdtämd;
äntin uj jirin kätél,
toxin uj jirin kätél
230 numél minile'im.
Tqrém-öni äsikémné
nqnxd joytilamém-kemt,
manä telem kér änkwäl'
ti lültiläli!
235 äntin uj jqmés jirkém,
toxin uj jqmés jirkém
tü ta néxildlilém.
Tqrém-öni äsikém ünliléné
sorni sirpd jelpin kwolén
240 jü ti sälte'im.
Tqrém-öni äsikém numpél
xumté läwe'im:
«Numi-Tqrém äsikém äném
xotdl joltildlilén?»
245 Numi-Tqrém äsikém
taw qs läwtdli:
«pilä telem pilin suj
elä poryxilälén,
päkwd telem päkwin suj
250 elä poryilälén!»
tey téné tepin nqmtém
saitilél jäktawé.
lij at pätil elä ti tdrmatsém,
uj nilä poryil elä ti poryimasém,
255 kajajüjin!
Source Colophon
Mansi (Vogul) source text: Munkácsi Bernát, Vogul népköltési gyűjtemény III. kötet: Medveénekek (Budapest: Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, 1893), Fifth Section (Ötödik szakasz), Song I, pp. 238–253. Phonetic transcription by Munkácsi from oral performance recordings, Munkesz village, upper Sosva River region, western Siberia, 1880s fieldwork. Archive.org identifier: f1vogulnpklt03munkuoft. Public domain.
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