The Korpokkur of Tokachi

A long time ago, there lived a race of small people called korpokkur (meaning “people beneath the butterburs”) in this region. These korpokkur were extremely quiet and softhearted. Even when they caught animals and fish, instead of eating it all for themselves, they secretly left some in the houses of the village. However, no one had ever been able to see them before.

One day, as a korpokkur was secretly leaving meat and fish in the doorway as usual, a wicked Ainu man dragged in the korpokkur by its hand. On its lips and the back of its hand were some beautiful tattoos. The korpokkur, angered by the mistreatment, said, “I thought I would keep living here, but now I will move to another land. However, this land will gradually waste and wither away, so call it Tokapuchi.” The korpokkur disappeared. Ever since then, the land came to be called Tokapuchi.

Excerpt translated from: 更科源蔵　アイヌ伝説集より　アイヌの伝説　ページ26

Translation note: This legend is set in a district of Hokkaido currently called Tokachi, which is suspected to have originated from the Ainu word tokapuchi according to the Dai Nihon Chimei Jisho by Yoshida Tōgo. At the end of the story, the korpokkur calls the place Tokapuchi because it is an Ainu word that can refer to plants withering at the bank of a swamp.