0 A narrative song of lament.
1 He has two masters; the one called master xūpatow lives in the city, the other called master xāŕikow [stays] by the reindeer.
2 He (that is the master) has two thousand reindeer.
3 His own name is 'The youngest of the three wera'.
4 He has a sister, his younger sister takes care of the tent and cooks.
5 The name of his sister is 'Her hair is like a nettle'.
6 Master xāŕikow said ("presented"): "'The youngest of the three wera', will you go to the large village?"
7 Of course, I am going to the same merriment.
8 Today is a holiday in the large village. 'The youngest of the three wera', harness the reindeer for me!
9 'The youngest of the three wera' said: "Which one (of these) will you take?"
10 You know that yourself.
11 'The youngest of the three wera' took his lasso and two reins, went to the herd, arrived at the herd.
12 He threw the lasso only four times at lord xāŕikow's four white reindeer oxen, then he tied them.
13 He wrapped his lasso, he caught four colored reindeer with it, he tied the four colored ones as well.
14 He went up to the tent.
15 There were eight reindeer oxen there: four white oxen, four colored.
16 He arrived at the tent.
17 Master xāŕikow has donned his Sowik fur.
18 He has already harnessed eight reindeer oxen.
19 'The youngest of the three wera' entered the tent.
20 He asked his sister for his boots, he said: "Give me my boots! I'm putting them on. Give me my Malitsa!"
21 His sister said: "Don't revel too much, your beverages can stay!"
22 She also said: "The Russian's things are fake."
23 Master xāŕikow calls outside, [he] said: "Lead the reindeer oxen to me!"
24 We went on two roads, [and] arrived at the small village.
25 [And] so we left the small village.
26 From here we went on two roads again, so we met in the large village.
27 So we went to master xūpatow's yard.
28 Master xūpatow came out of the house.
29 When it's a holiday, he dresses in rich clothes.
30 Master xūpatow stretched out his hand.
31 'The youngest of the three wera' said: "Good day, my friend!"
32 Master xūpatow said: "Come in!"
33 He took off his Sowik fur.
34 The three of us entered.
35 He let us sit down in the clean room.
36 So we sat down on the chairs.
37 He brought all kinds of food, [and] everything [else], he kept incessantly offering us spirits.
38 I was almost drunk.
39 Master xūpatow said: "'The youngest of the three wera' should stay with me for the summer! I don't have any companions to go hunting with!"
40 xāŕikow said: "But I need my reindeer herder."
41 Master xāŕikow's spirits kept coming. I was nearly drunk. "I am not staying."
42 xāŕikow said then: "Lead the four white reindeer oxen home!"
43 They tied the four white reindeer oxen behind his sleigh.
44 Lord xūpatow said: "Your sleigh is now full. I have loaded it with bread roll, wheat bread, [and] one and a half wedro of spirits." 
45 'The youngest of the three wera', go home!
46 I went home.
47 I left the small village.
48 Two reindeer drivers were approaching from the opposite direction, along the road.
49 We all stopped.
50 They also said: "You have been very drunk."
51 I said: "I have a lot of spirits."
52 I took half a wedro.
53 We sat down there close to the road.
54 I began pouring the spirit into an iron cup.
55 My eyes darkened.
56 I lifted my head.
57 I was lying on the road.
58 I almost caught a cold. There was no sleigh, there was nothing there.
59 Where should I go now?
60 I must go home.
61 My head hurts.
62 So I am walking along the road.
63 A reindeer driver approached from the opposite direction: a virgin, my younger sister.
64 She has three black reindeer oxen with her.
65 She said: "What happened?"
66 My reindeer, eight reindeer oxen along with the sleigh were gone.
67 His sister said: "For now take my three reindeer oxen with the sleigh! Go to the small village to your right hand, go to the large village to your right hand again! Behind the village you'll arrive at a large road. Drive along that road! There will be a small house there, pass by this house! Then go (on) again, till you come to the third house. The eight reindeer oxen will be tied there. They are still revelling."
68 His sister also said: "Don't hit them! Come back on this road!"
69 She also said: "I am going back."
70 I arrived at my tent.
71 I unharnessed my sleigh.
72 I stepped into the tent.
73 The virgin, my younger sister, brought in the wedro.
74 Because he brought a lot of food, we live well.
75 During the pre-winter period the weather stays good.
76 The sun was high [in the sky], the snow began to melt.
77 I am driving to the large village again.
78 There I lead two thousand (reindeer) next to the tent, there I lead four hundred reindeer oxen into a circle.
79 I tied four reddish ones, I harnessed four reddish ones, I began to drive.
80 He drives for one day.
81 At noon I stopped in the large village, I stopped by master xūpatow's and master xāŕikow's house.
82 My two masters came out together.
83 Master xāŕikow stretched out his hand, master xūpatow stretched out his hand as well.
84 'The youngest of the three wera' stepped inside.
85 They prepared all kinds of food, [and] put (them) on the table.
86 They pour the spirits.
87 I almost felt warm [from the drink].
88 So I said: "The udders of our reindeer became big. When will your food be ready?"
89 Master xāŕikow said: "'The youngest of the three wera', I'll go and ask about it myself."
90 Master xāŕikow also said: "I'll live here for two weeks. On the third week I'll come with the sleigh!"
91 'The youngest of the three wera' said: "How many sleighs will it be?"
92 Master xāŕikow said then: "Twenty sleighs are needed."
93 I took half a wedro (of spirits) with me, I took food with me.
94 I went home.
95 I started my sleigh.
96 My younger sister said: "Well, now you behaved well."
97 I entered the tent.
98 He said to his younger sister: "I have half a wedro of spirits, given by my masters, it is in the back of the sleigh."
99 She brought the spirits in for me, she put it next to my knees.
100 Give me a little of the spirit!
101 I am not even taking a sip. Drink it yourself!
102 I poured it into an iron cup, I drank two cups of the spirits.
103 The virgin, my younger sister, "Her hair is like a nettle", my younger sister rarely drank.
104 I myself drank two [more] cups of brandy again.
105 So my younger sister said: "'The youngest of the three wera', you will suffer."
106 So I'm revelled all night long, drinking by myself.
107 Virgin, my younger sister, take another sip!
108 My younger sister said so: "I do not like it."
109 I forced [my way], she hardly took it in her hand.
110 My younger sister, drink it!
111 She drank.
112 You will suffer.
113 This suffering (of yours) is no suffering at all.
114 So we live well, we live like this for two weeks.
115 The third week arrived.
116 Prepare my sleigh!
117 I lead two thousand (reindeer) next to the tent, we lead four hundred reindeer oxen into a circle.
118 I tied the reindeer oxen for twenty sleighs.
119 I told my younger sister: "Harness [reindeer] to your sleigh! We want to drive into the large village!"
120 We brought out twenty sleighs.
121 In the middle of the day, we stopped in the large village, in master xūpatow's and master xāŕikow's yard.
122 'The youngest of the three wera', you are here indeed!
123 'The youngest of the three wera' said: "I have no concern."
124 I entered.
125 In master xūpatow's house spirit is being poured.
126 Sometime master xāŕikow was heard saying: "Go away when you're done eating! I don't have anything [for you]."
127 Master xūpatow said: "Next time you should be ready for things like this!"
128 Master xāŕikow said: "I will not be in the way, at the mouth of the Calf-river, there will I live."
129 The evening set in.
130 'The youngest of the three wera' said: "Let's go now! It's dark [outside]."
131 We went home, we unharnessed my reindeer oxen.
132 Master xāŕikow entered the tent.
133 xāŕikow's wife is a woman with beautiful face.
134 Master xāŕikow says to his wife: "Bring me spirits! I have nothing to do near the reindeer."
135 He said: "'The youngest of the three wera', sit down here!"
136 Master xāŕikow brought in a small keg with spirits made of copper.
137 All night long we revelled like this.
138 As we drink, it began to dawn.
139 Master xāŕikow is quite wordless.
140 'The youngest of the three wera' said: "We have been drinking for seven days."
141 The virgin, the younger sister said: "You drank like a fish. It's enough now!"
142 'The youngest of the three wera' rose and went out.
143 The two thousand were done calving.
144 I said: "It [the herd] has to be taken away, to the mouth of the Calf-river must it be taken, it's time for master xūpatow's arrival."
145 Then we went on the migration-trip.
146 We went on two roads.
147 We settled ourselves on the hillside of a headland at the mouth of Calf-river.
148 Master xūpatow's boat with three sails became visible.
149 When we settled, we kept on revelling.
150 They stopped their boats, there are twenty Russian workers on the boats.
151 Master xūpatow brought five Russians.
152 He said (to 'The youngest of the three wera'): "You're still drunk."
153 To this I said: "I'm not that drunk."
154 To this I said: "I must take with me my own brass-barrelled rifle which I use for polar bear hunting."
155 'The youngest of the three wera' said: "I fell asleep, I don't know whether we are staying or [we are] going."
156 Master xūpatow said: "'The youngest of the three wera', it's time for you to get up."
157 I stood up.
158 I rub my eyes, I look around, there is no land anywhere, there's nothing.
159 Master xūpatow said: "Is it bad for you to eat?"
160 To this I said: "My head is still sick."
161 Master xūpatow gave me a cup (of spirit).
162 To this I said: "Give me a another cup as well! My eyes will become good again!"
163 After I drank the two cups of spirits there, I took the brass-barrelled one on my shoulder, I hung my powder horns around my neck.
164 To this I said: "Stop at the edge of the earth-like ice!"
165 They stopped xūpatow's boat, they threw the anchor onto the ice.
166 To this I said: "Come with a small boat!"
167 They (that is the seals) were lying on the top of the ice, in a rather long row.
168 I loaded my brass-barrelled rifle.
169 The feet of three seals are just like roots.
170 We shot one.
171 The other seals dived into the water.
172 I went a little further from here.
173 I loaded the brass-barrelled one again.
174 There are five seals, three of them remained.
175 Seven Russians came onto the boat.
176 To this I said: "Are your pots ready?"
177 So the Russians said: "Our pots are ready."
178 I sat down in the boat.
179 So we reached the big boat.
180 Master xūpatow came, [and] said: "If you go for a short time, you will earn about three hundred rubles."
181 So I hunt, I hunt for three weeks. xūpatow's boat is full of the goods of the sea. The fourth week arrives.
182 Master xūpatow said: "Now it's enough, my boat is full, we have a lot of preys". He pulled up the sail. We slide (slowly) along the edge of the other ice. "Throw 'The youngest of the three wera' into the water as a sacrifice!"
183 To this I said: "Let's get closer to the ice!"
184 I threw the brass-barrelled one on the ice. After the rifle I jumped myself.
185 'The youngest of the three wera', you won't be able to live long in this place.
186 I cried for seven days in this place.
187 After I stopped crying, the wind smashed the big ice, my ice broke into two pieces.
188 I jumped on the other large ice.
189 The end of this great ice (ice floe) isn't visible.
190 This is how I live.
191 A dense-furred polar bear passed by close to me.
192 I took the brass-barrelled one [and] shot him with a cracking sound, it fell onto [it's] nose.
193 I skinned him, ate raw meat, my heart became good.
194 I guarded it, in the protection of the ice, I took it there to keep my prey safe.
195 I fell sleep on the bear's fur.
196 While I sleep like this, things doesn't seem so bad.
197 I live like this, I cry again and again and I fall asleep again.
198 I don't know if it is midsummer or not, I forget the days.
199 My bear's meat ran out.
200 I stood up.
201 When I look around, the end of my ice is not visible, its sides are visible, I look in the direction of it's sides, the two waters are visible; lengthwise nothing was visible.
202 I took my bearskin on my shoulders.
203 So I walk, [and] so I walk on my feet to the other end.
204 A polar bear walks between the pieces of ice.
205 I loaded my brass-barrelled rifle again, it came closer as well, it approached like that.
206 I laid down my rifle onto the ice, my rifle boomed, the polar bear jumped up three times.
207 There I skinned (it) as well, I skinned it well.
208 I skinned it for a Malitsa.
209 If it rains, I wear it as a Sowik fur.
210 At this place, the middle of summer has visibly passed.
211 I live like this.
212 The ice was almost small.
213 To this place I threw my head [laid my head to sleep], (as far as I know) autumn time has arrived.
214 At this time the male reindeer grow new hair.
215 I fell asleep again.
216 The ice became even smaller.
217 I lifted my head, around this time it snows on the real land.
218 I threw my head again [laid down my head to sleep], so I fell asleep.
219 Over my head someone can be heard saying: "'The youngest of the three wera', it's clear that you will die. Try (to get over) to the other ice floe. On this place you'll probably die."
220 I stood up.
221 I look at both sides: there is no one there, among the clouds flew a swan.
222 The ice floe beneath my feet swims quickly along with another one, the two ice floes quickly collided [into each other].
223 Their two edges collided, the pieces of the ice floe under my feet flew apart.
224 I threw my bearskin over onto the big ice floe, I threw over the brass-barrelled one.
225 After my rifle I jumped as well.
226 A little further on the ice, I began to walk again.
227 I became hungry.
228 I walk like this between the pieces of ice.
229 A polar bear jumped on the ice, he isn't very big.
230 I reloaded my rifle, I leaned against the edge of the ice.
231 It jumped up three times, I went next to it, there was no life in it (anymore).
232 The Sowik on me began to lose it's hair.
233 I took off my Sowik, I threw it away.
234 I skinned (it) without damaging [it].
235 It was very fat.
236 I ate a little [of it] heartily.
237 I fell asleep next to my meat.
238 After I was done sleeping, I sat up.
239 Today's glorious day is very warm.
240 I scraped off my little fur-coat well with a knife, so it was dry.
241 I cut it around under the chin.
242 He cut its two paws for the sleeves's place.
243 I turned around my little bear-fur, I cut it to be a hand's length.
244 I dressed into my little bear-fur, it reached to my knees.
245 I cut off the end of the snout, I laid the end of the snout on the ice.
246 I made a fairly good Sowik from that bearskin for myself, I sewed it together with its own fur.
247 I dressed into it again, it's truly gorgeous.
248 The autumn weather came again.
249 I live like this.
250 I fell asleep again.
251 I lifted my head, my big ice floe became small again.
252 The fourth summer stood behind me.
253 While I sleep, I lay my back to sleep steadily.
254 My ice floe slowly became smaller.
255 Where should I go (forth)?
256 My ice became the size of the floor of a large tent.
257 I threw my ring into the water, this ring probably won't bring me back to life.
258 I fell asleep again.
259 I don't know how long I might have slept, the great midsummer came again.
260 It was now clear that I will have to die, there is no ice around, it (that is the ice) became just as big as woman's sleigh.
261 I look into the water before the tip of the ice, there twinkles a ring, it seems to burn like fire.
262 I caught it, the ice that held me was almost standing firmly there.
263 Land came into view, it is not far for a good man.
264 My ice began to slide forward.
265 There is a small wind.
266 It starts to slide again, then it stops again.
267 After some time it stood firmly.
268 I stuck the brass-barrelled one upright into the water, I wanted to try whether it is shallow.
269 I stuck it in there again, it went up to the shoulders.
270 I slowly started toward the land.
271 The eyes see dark.
272 So I walked on earth.
273 While I walk like this, the water was thigh-high.
274 I turned back to my ice.
275 I bowed three times, I bowed my head: "You saved a dying man."
276 So I got on the shore's sand.
277 I went along the shore's sand, about fifty fathoms far.
278 A driver was driving there, he had four (reindeer) oxen.
279 The marks of their hooves are as long as the length of elk-steps.
280 His sleigh was quite wide.
281 I threw the brass-barrelled one across the sleigh tracks, I began to measure them.
282 The barrel of the brass-barrelled one is one fathom long, the gun holster is on it.
283 This is the measure.
284 I thought to myself, his sleigh is wide enough.
285 Hunched, I proceeded along the traces, like that I climbed to the real land.
286 After I reached the real land, there I sat down on a hill.
287 The weather is autumn-like.
288 Somewhere bellowing could be heard, a male reindeer could be heard, his voice is similar to bones.
289 I stood up again.
290 Somehow I went that way.
291 I rub my eyes, there are three tents on a large earth-ridge.
292 While I watch there, the tents are pulled down.
293 They brought their reindeer.
294 They lead their reindeer oxen quickly in a semicircle, they hurry to link them in caravans in pairs.
295 It's not too far.
296 While I go like this, the first caravans starts off.
297 By the tents remained one caravan.
298 Jumpily of course it [the caravan] is harnessed, it starts off, but the collar falls, it falls a second time, [and] a third time.
299 Like that I came within hearing range.
300 I said so: "Girl, listen to my words! I'm looking for warmth, I'm looking for fire for myself."
301 Then [she] went, [she] drove so quickly ("that her smoke just went").
302 Somewhere there she reached the first caravan, the one that recently left.
303 When they saw me, they settled three tents at once.
304 So I walk slowly, I sit down again, I get up again.
305 I arrive a the tent.
306 They cut wood from the trunks brought here by the sea.
307 Three bright eyed [persons] sat together.
308 I sat down on the ground.
309 The Eldest Bright Eye said: "Our comrade is probably dying."
310 They spoke like this: "Take off your Sowik!"
311 I split it at the place which is a little drier with the knife.
312 The Eldest Bright Eye said: "What kind of man is he, show me his mouth."
313 Then he hid (that means put in the sleigh) my rifle, along with the powder horn he hid it there.
314 I entered the tent slowly, I follow the Bright Eye.
315 They sat me in the back half of the tent.
316 The wife's eyes were black.
317 In the back of the tent nothing could be seen due to the iron jewelries that belonged to Bright Eye's wife.
318 They boil the pot, of course.
319 I took off my belt, the Eldest Bright Eye hung it behind the tent pole.
320 The silver belt is like the the sun's radiance.
321 [They] gave me a blanket.
322 I ate some food heartily.
323 The put me to sleep, they gave me another pillow, then I fell asleep.
324 I slept like a dead for seven days.
325 After a week I could hear them speak, the Old Bright Eye could be heard saying: "I don't know whether you're alive or dead. If he would get up, I would ask him where he came from."
326 I slowly moved my two toes, [and] opened my eyes.
327 My eyes went to the upper opening of the tent, my eyes followed the copper poles, they are like blood which has lost its colour.
328 Then I lifted my blanket half-way.
329 It was a bright, colorful women's jacket, the other (pieces) were made of beaver fur, it was a women's jacket decorated with beaver fur.
330 I went to the pit to do my business (that is to relieve myself).
331 After I finished my business, I looked in both directions.
332 While I look, I see the same one (that is the sleigh) with the beak-shaped bow made of copper, its runner is made of pure copper.
333 The handle bar held by the Eldest Bright Eye is decorated with silver.
334 I see his reindeer's wealth again: the edge of the herd isn't visible.
335 After I was done looking, I entered the tent.
336 Black Eye, the Eldest Bright Eye's wife sprinkled water on my hands with a ladle.
337 I wash my face.
338 She gave me wood chips, I dried my face well.
339 Next to the Eldest Bright Eye's knees, [that was where] I sat down.
340 She brought meat in an iron bowl, in the other bowl she brought some fat.
341 So we sat down to eat.
342 Like that we eat well.
343 After we finished our food, the Eldest Bright Eye threw himself on his back [and slept] for a little time.
344 You groom candidate, I haven't asked yet, the resident of which land might you be.
345 I'm not the resident of a real land. I'm a resident of the Small Land, a villager. You may have heard or you may not heard of 'The youngest of the three wera'?
346 His wife, Black Eye said: "Eldest Bright Eye, his reputation is not heard of in this land. My father told me (often): [he] is the resident of a distant land."
347 "I was drifted on the ice on the sea for five years.
348 Then I said, I will not die.
349 With xāŕikow I lived for seven years --- (he tells his life story which is written above). (The end is missing!).