Herodotus

The people of the Great Steppe—endowed with a soul as wide and poetic as their boundless expanses—have passed down myths and legends about their native land from generation to generation for centuries, where every river, lake, gorge, and pass has its own beautiful, sad, or funny story.

This book will introduce you to the amazing, colorful, heroic mythology of the Kazakhs. You can expect stories about the eternal Tengri and the Mother-Fire Ot-Ene, about great snakes and winged steeds—tulpаrs, about treacherous demons, and, of course, mighty batyrs: the Kazakh Odyssey of Alpamys, the folk protector Er-Targyn, the faithful companion Er-Tostik, and the splendid warrior Gаukhar-batyr. Legends about the inexhaustible beauty of nature, sincere love for one’s home, courage and kindness, and the clash of good and evil will not only let you touch the ancient and truly folk Kazakh culture, but also remind you of something truly important.

Contents:
Chapter 1. The Great Steppe

The Kazakh ethnos: the beginning

From the Andronov culture to the Huns

“Where the Turks stopped”

Proud name—Kazakh

Chapter 2. Legends of the Ancestors

The distinctive mythology of the Kazakh people

Religion of the sky

Pantheon of gods

Tengri

Umаy

Ot-Ene

Erklik

Enduring ideas of Tengrianism

Tengrian protective spirits and Muslim saints

Korkyt

Chapter 3. Tales about Animals

If there is a horse, there are many celebrations…

The horse— the batyr’s wings

Ships of the desert

Mushеl

Crime and Punishment: the legend of the groundhogs

Legend of snakes that destroyed a city

The dark whirlpool of waters

Cuckoo “Nest is needed”

The swallow—the faithful friend of humans

Chapter 4. The Grandeur of Nature

Magic of the Kazakh Steppe

Bayanаul—blessed land

Burabay—earthly paradise

Balkhash—the lake of love

Sаyram-su—the symbol of endless love

Inseparable sisters, or the secret land

Shaytаnkol—the devil’s lake

Myla, beauty with white legs…

Love turned into stone

Sad Asan

Tolagay—the faithful to his kin

Eight batyrs—no enemy will pass

The mountain of the just wolf

Karaganda! Karaganda everywhere!

Manyrаk—the memory of how cruelty to an animal led to the downfall of a tribe

Markаkol—the lamb and the lake

A thousand horses

Eshkiolmes—where a goat is fed, a person will be fed too

The mysterious fire of Shyrak Tas

Barsakelmes: go and you won’t come back

Chapter 5. Kazakh Demonology

Aruakhi—revered spirits of ancestors

Albasty—don’t go into her path

Forest sprite Sorel—the husband of albasty

Ergezhayly—the inconspicuous enemy of the batyr

Kuldіrgіsh, “making laughter”

The malicious shimyrin

The black demon Teyran

Obyr— a spirit that is by no means kind

Zheztуrnаk— a copper claw

Tautay-Lak— a cruel demoness

Konyaк— a belt-foot

The incredible transformation of kemрir

Айdаhаr— the dragon-shapeshifter

Only for children!

Not everything is so scary: meet momо

Curious tyrant—keeper of treasures

Izykh—kind spirits

Chapter 6. Tales of Batyrs

Batyr—the protector of Kazakh land

Koblandy-batyr

“Lonely warrior” Zheke-batyr

Kushikbay—the angry batyr

Enchanted batyr Masat

Alpamys’ Odyssey

Er-Targyn—the great warrior

Er-Tostik—the brave hero and faithful companion

The three brothers-batyrs

Warrior Gаukhar-batyr

Chapter 7. Music—the Soul of the Kazakh People

Eternal music

Zhetygen—“seven songs”

Magic dutar

Dombyra: legends about the instrument

A song about all-consuming love

“Black news,” or How an opening appeared in the dombra

Dombra and the child of light Nurtolae

Kobyz and the melody of the heart

Sleep, my boy—go to sleep

Doe and Korkyt

Sybyzgy—small but mighty