A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

Overview

In Ishanashte’s brief account, Atui koro ekashi, translated as the Old Man of the Sea, can swallow ships and whales. It resembles a bag, and suction from its mouth produces a violently rapid current. A boat carrying two sailors escapes when one throws his loincloth into the open mouth: the monster finds the object too disgusting to swallow and releases the boat. No humanlike old man’s body, tentacles, defeat in combat or death is described. The supplied name and this particular episode are retained without identifying the being with similarly translated sea figures from other traditions.

Baglike formMouth suctionCapacity to swallow ships and whales
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Origins & earliest records

Ainu oral narrative in Chamberlain’s historical English collection

02

Records & interpretation

Complete numbered tale, ending, attached notes, title and collection introductions read; teller and recording method retained.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Aino Folk-Tales

    Basil Hall Chamberlain, collector and English translator; narrative by Ishanashte · 1888

    xlv, The Old Man of the Sea, p.53; Ishanashte, July1886; written down from memory. Folk-Lore Society XXII. Page markers from English transcription, not independent scan collation.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Primary records and illustrations

Complete English narrative and edition context read

Aino Folk-Tales

Basil Hall Chamberlain; Folk-Lore Society XXII,1888; introductionEdwardB.Tylor. xlv, The Old Man of the Sea, p.53

Complete cache chamberlain-aino-45.txt; master chamberlain-aino.html/.txt. Ishanashte, July1886; written down from memory. Actual Ainu original not collated. Sacred narrative scoped to named historical telling; original English prose public domain, no image reuse.

Inspect the digitized plate · Source collection manifest

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Historical English record of a named Ainu tellingChamberlain, Aino Folk-Tales — xlv, The Old Man of the Sea, p.53Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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