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

Overview

A man searching everywhere for his missing wife reaches an oak that proves to be a dwelling containing a kindly old man. Identifying himself as the tree’s god, the host knows about the loss and offers food and tobacco. He then supplies a golden horse and orders the man to ride through the streets of heaven singing. The heavenly inhabitants find the earthly visitor’s smell intolerable, and their chief promises that his wife will be found if he leaves.

Back at the oak, the husband complains that the journey has not restored her. The god now explains that a demon below the earth has stolen her and keeps her inside a box. The strange spectacle in heaven has fixed the captor’s attention upwards, allowing the oak-god to enter unnoticed and free her. He restores her to her husband, gives them the horse, and forbids further journeys to heaven while instructing them to breed from it. No battle with the demon, personal name for the tree deity, or subsequent punishment of the captor is supplied.

Oak as divine dwellingKnowledge of a hidden abductionRescue through distraction
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

    xvii, The Man who lost his Wife, pp.21–22; Ishanashte, 21 July1886; written down from memory. 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. xvii, The Man who lost his Wife, pp.21–22

Complete cache chamberlain-aino-17.txt; master chamberlain-aino.html/.txt. Ishanashte, 21 July1886; written down from memory. 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 — xvii, The Man who lost his Wife, pp.21–22Research 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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