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

Overview

Ishanashte’s marriage tale presents this dragon-god as a divine-looking man wearing speckled garments in a house near a dead whale. He feeds a starving visitor freely, admires the valuable objects the youth has brought and offers his own treasures in exchange. During his absence his wife identifies him as a jealous dragon-god and says that he is making counterfeits of the youth’s valuables. The narrative does not independently describe the manufacture, but he returns carrying both sets.

Following the bear-goddess’s advice, the youth asks for her rather than for the offered treasures. A thunderclap immediately stuns him, and the house disappears. The woman explains that this was her husband leaving in anger, after which she and the youth live together. No dragon-shaped body, wings, fire-breathing, combat or later revenge is narrated. The host’s divine identity and the explanation of the thunder are conveyed by his wife; he is not identified with a named Japanese or Chinese dragon.

Speckled humanlike appearanceJealous departureThunder and disappearance of a house
01

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

    x, The Man who Married the Bear-Goddess, pp.12–14; Ishanashte, 9 November1886; labelled translated literally. Folk-Lore Society XXII. Page markers from the 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. x, The Man who Married the Bear-Goddess, pp.12–14

Complete cache chamberlain-aino-10.txt; master chamberlain-aino.html/.txt. Ishanashte, 9 November1886; labelled translated literally. Actual Ainu original not collated. Source-specific divine or transformed identity; no genericJapanese/Chinese identification. Preface distinguishes male named informants, memory and literal methods, and separately expurgated illustrated adaptations.

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 — x, The Man who Married the Bear-Goddess, pp.12–14Research 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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