Tales from Cucuzadeh, Part I

As told to this humble bele by Ciallmhar Prestarnir.

If you treat your horse poorly, your horse can drown you, but if you treat your horse well, then you will be blessed with many horses.

This tale dates back to the times when a horse was the difference between life and death. Horses were a sign of wealth, prestige, and honor.

Once many years ago, there were two brothers, Yowann and Xurxo. Xurxo was kind and generous, while Yowann was lazy and greedy.

When their father gave the brothers their first horses. Yowann paraded around on his horse in front of all of his friends, collecting compliments. Xurxo fed his horse, named his horse (Ruta), talked to Ruta, groomed Ruta, made a small shelter for Ruta. That night when the boys went to bed, Yowann tied his horse, (which he still had not feed or named) to a small bush, while Xurxo, put Ruta in his shelter, talked to him, comforted him, before falling asleep.

In the morning Yowann’s horse was gone, while Ruta was in his shelter. So Yowann, angry at his horse, went stalking about to find him. Yowann found his horse frolicking in a bend in the great river. In a fury, Yowann charged out to grab his horse, but his horse deftly danced away. Again and again Yowann grabbed at his horse and again and again, his horse moved away just out of reach, this went on and on all day. As darkness crept up, Yowann was exhausted, in vain final effort he lunged at his horse, and once again his horse easily moved just out of reach.

This time Yowann realized he made a mistake, the water was deep, and fast moving, exhausted Yowann was swept away to his just rewards. Xurxo and Ruta searched for many days and nights for his brother Yowann, sadly to no avail.

Ruta and Xurxo were inseparable. Ruta gave Xurxo many fine steeds, and Xurxo treated all of his herd with great kindness and respect, as Xurxo did all living beings. When Xurxo became chief of this people, he continued to act with great honor, bringing about a golden age for his people.