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This story happened at the end of the nineteenth century, when Yakutia It was part of the Russian Empire and was divided into uluses (districts). To each of these, the Toyon-Prince was among the wealthy Yakuts. ABOUT the ruler of one of the central uluses and speech will be discussed.
This prince was heartless and oppressive even in those days. is he robbed the peasants, built himself almost the royal mansions, sucked out all the juices from the poor and severely punished his subjects for the slightest offense. In this case, the tribute to the population of the toyon is working collected and sent to the center, so the higher ranks were him satisfied and did not intend to replace with anyone else.
Importunate kumalaan
One late autumn evening, Kumalaan approached the prince’s house – a wandering beggar – and asked to spend the night. Then it was ordinary phenomenon: the wanderers were given dinner and overnight, and they for it did any housework. However this tramp was so ragged and wretched that the prince, throwing an arrogant upon him look, did not want to shelter the unfortunate and ordered to drive him with the yard. According to the then customs, this was unacceptable: the owner had to feed kumalaan at least yesterday’s turnip and let him in a pig’s stable.
A photo from open sources
Apparently, the beggar thought about this, because soon again appeared at the porch. Toyon was seriously angry. He decided grab and flog the insolent, first find out why he shows such perseverance and continues to bother him. When Kumalaan was dragged before the princely eyes, he asked him a question:
“Have I not made it clear that there is no place for you here?” Why don’t you get out?
The beggar humbly replied:
“I need to spend the night somewhere, and I’m very hungry.” Nights already too cold to sleep in the open. I’m sorry but me nowhere else to go.
The prince chuckled coldly:
“And what is the use of letting such a racket to me?” What are you ready to pay for my hospitality?
Suddenly the wanderer said:
– If it interests you, I’m good at telling olonkho.
What is olonkho
For reference: olonkho is a type of oral epic Yakut people, central to local folklore. These are long (often several tens of thousands of lines) poems, narrating about the eternal struggle of good and evil. Performed them olonkhosuty – highly respected folk storytellers who specialized exclusively in this form of epic art. Experienced olonkhosuts had a multifaceted talent: they needed was to demonstrate singing and acting, as well as have remarkable oratorical abilities and gift improvisation. Record long olonkho performed for seven days, day and night. Narrators took a break just for short sleep, snacks and other natural needs (both ones and listeners).
A photo from open sources
Unsurprisingly, in times when there was no television, The Internet, and books too (in pre-revolutionary Yakutia there wasn’t printed literature), to have a good olonkhosut under its roof It was a great honor.
But the arrogant prince did not immediately believe the tramp:
– Oh really? Are you really an olonkho master? Such a rascal? ..
– Right. And people really like the way I sing.
The owner gloomyly invited the guest to the house, but before that he said:
“Well, you’ll tell me and my wife tonight.” But if we don’t like your olonkho, I will order to flog you the most strong whip.
They decided on that. Toyon again did not show hospitality, ordering the guest to be thrown to the floor in the coldest corner of the house tough skin. He himself had a hearty dinner with his family, and the beggar he ordered only sour curd, stale bread and water to be brought. The guest gratefully accepted the treat and, at the call of the prince, went entertain your masters.
A fire was burning in the dark bedroom, the princely couple lay on beds awaiting submission. The tramp sat by the stove and, along the way warming up, began the narration. To the great surprise of the spouses, the poem turned out to be very interesting, and olonkhosut simply performed it masterfully. Expressing approval from time to time, the prince listened with half an hour, and then he needed to go away for little need. Toyon ordered Kumalaan to pause, and he left the house and went to latrine.
Nightmare journey
The evening sky was covered with lead clouds, dripping cold rain. Before the prince had time to get to the restroom, someone suddenly grabbed him by the shoulders and tore him off the ground. Scared to death toyon looked up and saw a huge black vulture, blowing him to the sky. Fighting a gigantic bird was pointless and dangerous: the prince could fall down and crash. Therefore, having entrusted himself to fate, he chose not to move.
They flew for a long time. The air managed to become icy, and the prince completely stiffened. Finally, the vulture went downstairs, dumped its prey on some glade and hid.
A photo from open sources
A huge bonfire burned in the meadow, around which they danced nude women. One of them went to the toyon and, grabbing it like child, stuck his nipple in his mouth. Liquid poured from my chest but the prince immediately realized that it was not milk, but human blood. In order not to choke, he began to swallow it and drank until until he felt that no more would fit into him.
Having drunk the prince, the woman burst out laughing and said:
– Your soul is black as coal, and there is no place among people for such the monster. We give you a new look. Now go and do evil without all restrictions!
The man looked at himself and was horrified: ulcers covered his body, ulcers and tumors. A flock of creepy creatures came from somewhere. They are tore off his skin, broke his neck and turned his head back, removed the scalp, and then cut off the claws of the lips, ears, nose and eyelids. The pain was unbearable. Then the black vulture flew in again, and, seizing the prince twitching in agony, he dragged him somewhere. In the end finally he found himself in an empty night glade.
Toyon (or who it was now) looked around and realized that he located in the forest near his home. Unhappy crawled to him to ask the servants for help, but with the dawn I realized that sunlight burns him like a flame. Prince hid in a nearby abandoned booth. The next night he also failed to get close to people – they scared him. Toyon was terribly hungry, but could not eat berries or mushrooms. Once upon a time in his some farmers came in a booth. Prince attacked them and gobbled up literally to the bone. After that, he only ate human flesh, and went on for so many months. The killer stopped thinking humanly and lived only to satisfy his unending hunger.
Once, a shaman with a tambourine appeared at a booth and began to shred. It was it is clear that he came to expel evil spirits from which he turned former rich and despot. The shaman went into a trance and set about beat the tambourine. With every blow, the prince felt growing pain, it seemed that they were going to turn it inside out …
A happy ending
When the torment became completely unbearable and the cannibal realized that his end came, he … suddenly woke up in his warm bed. His his wife slept next to a sound sleep, a fire burned out in the stove. Sitting near the olonkhosut stove smiled and asked the owner:
– Well, how do you like my olonkho? Enough or will I continue?
Toyon came to himself with difficulty and realized that in front of him was a strong shaman. And the long months of princely suffering were only the illusion that this sorcerer posed as the tramp.
A photo from open sources
The landlord fell to his knees and begged himself forgiveness, swearing that will change its attitude towards people. On his orders, the “beggar” was fed the most exquisite dishes found in the house, washed and dressed in an expensive outfit, bed him in the guest bedroom. In the morning the prince gave olonkhosut his best stallion, and even and did not regret the money with provisions. The shaman thanked for such a reception, said goodbye to the spouses and rushed off about their business.
Yakutia time
