Yakut Mythology


According to the Yakut Mythology, the universe consists of three worlds, which were formed after the long war between the tribes of Uluu Toion (“toion” means “leader” in Yakut language), Ürüng Aiyy Toion and the leader of evil spirits Arsan Duolai.

The end of the world was coming. Then the opposing sides stopped the battle and arranged to divide the universe into three separate worlds. The upper world was given to the tribes of Ürüng Aiyy Toion and Uluu Toion, the middle – to mankind and the underworld – to the tribes of Arsan Duolai.

According to the worldview of Yakut People, the upper world consists of several layers. The 3rd, 7th and 9th sky are mentioned in the myths. They are situated one above another. Upmost sky is considered to be the habitat of the tribe of Ürüng Aiyy Toion. The other layers are inhabited by other deities headed by Uluu Toion. The upper world was considered to be the cold place.

According to one version, the kind deities created the earth very beautiful and smooth but the evil spirit trampled and scraped it – that’s why the rivers, lakes and mountains occurred. After the creation of the earth Ürüng Aiyy Toion created the human being. He made the statues of the people, placed them in the stone house and told the keeper not to let the evil spirit come in. But it bribed the keeper, entered the house and mucked the statues. Having seen this, Ürüng Aiyy Toion moulded the keeper into the dog and turned the statues inside out. Since that time the people are angry and unpredictable.

The underworld is described as the gloomy land hardly lightened by nicked sun and moon. The whole this world is covered by bog on which ugly iron trees grow.

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