Many-legged escape reindeer in Vịyê´nto’s tale

Overview

In Vịyê´nto’s first Reindeer-Born version, the survivor’s upper-world wife lends him a reindeer with many legs for his visit to his former home. She instructs him to cut off and throw away its extra legs if pursued, continuing until only the ordinary four remain; if danger persists, he must kill and abandon the animal. He follows these directions when the devouring child pursues him. Eating each discarded limb delays the child, and consuming the final carcass gives the man time to reach his escape tree. The reindeer is not restored afterward. Its exact initial leg count is unstated. The translation calls it a reindeer for flight or emergency, but the pursuit does not explicitly describe wings or movement through the air.

Origins & earliest records

Chukchi narratives; Mariinsky Post, October 1900

Records & interpretation

Complete English narrative, ending and attached notes read; title page, introduction and HTML transcription limitations inspected.

Selected bibliography

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

1. 01

   Chukchee Mythology

   Waldemar Bogoras, recorder and translator; narrated by Vịyê´nto the Blind · 1910

   Jesup North Pacific Expedition, Volume VIII, Part I; Chukchee Tales II.11, (Reindeer-Born.), first version, pp. 173–175; mount chiefly p. 174

Family & connections

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Primary records and illustrations

References

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

1. Historical recorded narratives and English translationBogoras, Reindeer-Born, two versionsResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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