Among the vanishing cultures of the world, the Ainu of north-east Asia stand out for the startling richness of their oral literature.

These thirteen beautiful Ainu chants were collected by Chiri Yukie in 1922 -- the first Ainu literature to be written down by an Ainu. This book presents new English translations of Chiri's remarkable work.

Originally written in "yukar" form, a type of chant used by female storytellers among the Ainu villages of Hokkaido, these stories tell of the relationship between mankind and the world of spirits. Each "yukar" is narrated by a spirit -- fox, whale,...