The Tale of the Shipwreck Saved by a Fox

Tales from the Otoshibe Area

This is a story told among the Ainu of Yu-rap, where fur-seal hunting once thrived. Long ago, all the fur-seal hunting boats in the bay were shipwrecked by fierce winds. While everybody on board struggled, one old man faced heavenwards and began to pray. A large mass of white cloud came down from the peak of Mount Yurappudake, and circled the boats. At that moment, the cloud became a fox the size of a large bear, and began to swim, guiding the boats. It is said that the boats followed the fox to arrive safely to shore around Kurohage and Akahage. This story was also told in “Ainu Densetsu-shu” (A Collection of Ainu Legends). [Sarashina 1981: 21-22]