The Legend of Menash-un-mat-kenas

Tales from the Yakumo Area

There was a place called “Menas” (a person of Menashi District, Nemuro Province) “un” (there is) “mat-kenas” (daughters). In that place, two “Menas mat” (daughters of the East) built a makeshift shack, and lived there. When a young man from Yu-rap Kotan inquired while passing through the area, the two young women told him that they had fled due to infighting between the Ainu in Menas, and arrived there by boat. The young man waited for the snow to melt in spring, and then accompanied the two sisters in their safe return to Menas.