[1] Rep-un-Kamuy is an important figure in Ainu mythology because the sea represents opportunities for harvests that could not be found on land: fishing, the hunting of whales, and maritime trading expeditions.
When he arrives at home, he is visited by a sea wren, who tells him that the humans are cutting up the whales using sickles and axes — that is, not showing proper respect to the animal or to Rep-un-Kamuy as the gift-giver.
A short time later, he sets out again, and he happens to pass the same village, where he finds that the sea wren has lied: the humans are dressed in ritual robes and cutting the flesh from the whales with sacred swords, in the proper manner.
Moved by this display of piety, Rep-un-Kamuy assures the humans that the bounty of the sea will keep them from famine.
[1] Rep-un-Kamuy is also credited with saving a village on Hokkaido from a giant spider, Yaushikep, by pulling it into the sea from Uchiura Bay and transforming it into the octopus-like creature Akkorokamui.