Work in progress

This is (one of) the creation myth(s) of the Ainu, the aborigines of Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan. Taken from General Survey and Analysis of Japanese Folktales, Volume I: Hokkaido (Ainu). Dohosha, Tokyo, 1989. Motif-index '119: Decent of the Creation God(s)' (Stith-Thompson A1210). See also the conversation which prompted this and the (shorter, alternate) entry A723656.

Long ago when there was nothing on the earth, in
heaven the gods discussed the making of the Land.
And so it happened that Mosir-kar-kamuy (land-creating-god)
was to go down to the lower realm,
and it was decided that the hard-working, brave
Reep-kamuy (dog-god) and I with my excellent
night vision should accompany him, and that Ikat-kar-kamuy
(creator-goddess) should follow on
later. In the lower realm were demons and devils,
born of the mud, who each night demolished the
newly-made Land. So I was set to watch over
things at night, and came to be called Mosir-sikam-kamuy
(land-protecting-god) or Kotan-kor-kamuy
(village-protecting-god). But as
Mosirkarkamuy made the mountains and the rivers,
and Ikatkarkamuy made the trees and the plants,
and the Land grew gradually larger, there came to
be places beyond my view.

I had them create a chikisani (spring elm) on top
of a hill, and I kept watch for the devils from
the top, but in time the view from the top of the
tree worsened too. Next I had them create me a
pinni (swamp ash) where the leaves are clumped
only at the tip, and I moved there. The spirit of
the spring elm seems to have been a goddess, and
on moonlit nights and bright days she took on the
form of a divine princess so I called her
Princess Chikisani. And after they had made all
sorts of animals Mosirkarkamuy and Ikatkarkamuy
went back to heaven for a while, taking Reepkamuy
with them. All the gods in heaven wanted to take
a look at the state of the lower realm, but were
stopped by the most senior god of all. But it was
decided that Reepkamuy and I would live
permanently on earth, and that our families would
come with us. Then the two creator gods came down
once more to the lower realm to create the Aynu
¹
(people), and Mosirkarkamuy and Ikatkarkamuy saw
each others naked bodies and created six men and
women.²

One fine day when Princess Chikisani had taken on
her goddess form, the uncouth Sikanna-kamuy
(thunder-god) came along, determined to see the
lower realm no matter what. Caught by the beauty
of the divine princess, Sikannakamuy landed on
her, turning her into a ball of flame. After a
time there was a second explosion, and there came
the sound of a crying baby from within the flames.
Princess Iresh- sapo, the younger sister of the
Sun God was sent by heaven to raise this child
born of Princess Chikisani and Sikannakamuy, and
a Nursery Castle was build. Princess Chikisani
was burnt away completely, but a clump of spring
elms sprang up on the hill. The charcoal that was
left from the burning of Princess Chikisani was
placed in the hearth of the Nursery Castle, to
protect it from flying sparks. A round lump of
earth was left in the workplace of Mosirkarkamuy
and Ikatkarkamuy, and one day it exploded
becoming birds and insects and fishes, and so
the Land was completed. Finally, on the top of a
mountain near the Nursery Castle, Sinot-mintar,
the playground of the gods. And all the gods in
heaven came riding their Sintaa to visit the Land.

The Aynu, who were living in caves, without
language, came to see the spectacle, and through
exchanges with the gods learnt to speak. And the
women, with better memories, learnt to sing, and
dance, and speak. They made houses in imitation
of the castle, and eventually came to make and
use tools. And thus 10 years passed, and
Aynu-Rakkur, the child born of Princess Chikisani and
Sikannakamuy, grew to be a fine young deity.