Mongolia - The swallow and the marmot

In Mongolia most fairy tales are linked to the world of nature, to pass on to the youngest the culture of respect for the environment and how important it is to save and protect one's own land, also through tradition.

One example is the tale of the swallow and the marmot.

Once upon a time there were 7 suns in the world. All of humanity suffered because of the heat produced by these 7 suns. One day, a man who felt he was the strongest of all said: “With 7 arrows I will put out the seven suns that afflict humanity, and if I do not succeed I will cut off my thumb, I will drink nothing more and I will withdraw into a cave until the end of my days.”

So he began to shoot his arrows and one after another he put out 6 suns, and in the end only one was left, the last.

As he was about to shoot his last arrow, a swallow flew past that wanted to protect the last sun, and so the arrow split the swallow's tail into two parts. It is said that only since then have swallows had a forked tail.

The man shooting the arrows then cut off his thumb, drank no more water and withdrew into a cave.

This is how Mongolian elders explain the marmot's missing thumb: they say that every morning it looks towards the sun thinking of its lost thumb.

Also read about the sacred animals of the Mongolians >>