" The skulls of foxes
are also fastened to the sacred posts outside the huts; they are
regarded as charms against evil spirits, and are consulted as
oracles. Yet it is expressly said, "The live fox is revered just as
little as the bear; rather they avoid it as much as possible,
considering it a wily animal." The bear can hardly, therefore, be
described as a sacred animal of the Aino, nor yet as a totem; for
they do not call themselves bears, and they kill and eat the animal
freely. However, they have a legend of a woman who had a son by a
bear; and many of them who dwell in the mountains pride themselves
on being descended from a bear. Such people are called "Descendants
of the bear" (_Kimun Kamui sanikiri_), and in the pride of their
heart they will say, "As for me, I am a child of the god of the
mountains; I am descended from the divine one who rules in the
mountains," meaning by "the god of the mountains" no other than the
bear. It is therefore possible that, as our principal authority, the
Rev. J. Batchelor, believes, the bear may have been the totem of an
Aino clan; but even if that were so it would not explain the respect
shown for the animal by the whole Aino people.
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