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

Overview

Koča´tkɵ names the threatening monsters who live near the Polar-Bear family in Qo´tirġịn’s tale. Bogoras’s footnote describes the form as a polar bear of gigantic size. The human visitor’s wife warns him of two such neighbours, but the subsequent fatal fight follows one individual. The visitor first survives a diving-and-boulder contest using his Polar-Bear father-in-law’s clothing and mittens. When the monster calls for wrestling, the father-in-law says he can no longer help. The man uses a spear, exhausts his opponent, strikes its mouth and cuts its leg tendons before killing it.

The monster is distinct from the visitor’s hospitable Polar-Bear relatives. The full tale continues through the journey home, later family deaths, a heavenly visit, bodily transformations and encounters with mice and a Hairy Maggot. Those subsequent episodes do not describe Koča´tkɵ reviving or identify the later antagonists as the same creature. The name is retained in the historical transcription without claiming an independently verified modern spelling.

Gigantic polar-bear form in the collector’s noteDangerous diving and wrestling contestsMouth wounded by a spearLeg tendons cut before death
01

Origins & earliest records

Chukchi; Qo´tirġịn, a Maritime Chukchee man; Mị´s·qạn, November 1900

02

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 Qo´tirġịn, a Maritime Chukchee man · 1910

    Jesup North Pacific Expedition, Volume VIII, Part I; Chukchee Texts II.20, (The Man who visited the Polar Bears.), pp. 112–119; Koča´tkɵ pp. 113–115 and p. 113 footnote

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, full ending and all footnotes read

Waldemar Bogoras, Chukchee Mythology (1910)

Chukchee Texts, II. Myths and Tales. Chukchee Texts II.20, (The Man who visited the Polar Bears.), pp. 112–119; Koča´tkɵ pp. 113–115 and p. 113 footnote

Cache bogoras1910-cm21.html/.txt. Two neighbours mentioned, single named-type opponent killed; monster separate from hospitable polar-bear family; all later sequel read. Native/interlinear text not collated.

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References

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

  1. Historical recorded narrative and English translationBogoras, Chukchee Texts II.20, (The Man who visited the Polar Bears.), pp. 112–119; Koča´tkɵ pp. 113–115 and p. 113 footnoteResearch 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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