Comment
Recorded from Grigorij Shalugin (1923-?) in 1987. The content of this text shows some parallels with Text
27 and may describe the same events.
Translation
(22-1) The collective farm sent us on a business trip to see how many reindeer there were.
(22-2) After counting them and loading them we went back. On the way we didn't meet a single person.
(22-3) We travelled for a long time, then reached a large collective farm and took the reindeer, a hundred and fifty reindeer. I had travelled for about half a month.
(22-4) They gave us a special guide.
(22-5) We crossed six rivers and reached the village council. We went to see what sort of house stood in the forest.
(22-6) We all went. There was a very high shining hill there.
(22-7) When we approached on the road, my friends said: "We have reached an interesting place."
(22-8) There was a large, very large pile there.
(22-9) All sort of hare skins, even fox skins were there, all sort of cartridges, a pot, a jar, a mug, a kettle, all sort of sticks and ropes.
(22-10) Everything was there.
(22-11) Then the guide said: "In the olden days, in the time of the ancient people, when people roamed on reindeer they used to stop here to have a rest. When they sat there, there was an old woman, a grandmother.
(22-12) That old woman had two children.
(22-13) They saw that old woman had drowned under the snow sitting on a reindeer, her body was broken.
(22-14) Her children looked and asked what happened, but she didn't answer.
(22-15) She didn't answer at all. Her voice disappeared and she waved her hand.
(22-16) She said: "Well, go away."
(22-17) They went away, spent two nights somewhere, and came again.
(22-18) They looked there: only the top of a reindeer horn was seen.
(22-19) Their mother was there, but only a pile of snow remained from her.
(22-20) So we, people, should know, that when we are here, when we are in the vicinity we can only see the head of the reindeer, its horn."
(22-21) That woman was not there. There were old piles gathered there, up to about that high on a man.
(22-22) Such piles were gathered there.
(22-23) Then we walked further and came to a place on lake Protoka.
(22-24) There were clearings there. There was a cross standing in one clearing.
(22-25) I said: "What about this cross?" He said: "It is also here.
(22-26) People fought with a wild man here.
(22-27) They fought him and defeated him.
(22-28) A monument is erected for that, a pole."
Glosses