How Story-telling Began Among Mongols

Along, long time ago, the terrible Black Plague descended on Central Asia and began its assault on the people of Mongolia. Thousands, young and old, died a quick but painful death; those caught in the plague's deadly clutches had no chance of surviving.

Men and women who remained healthy tried to save their lives. Fleeing in panic, they cried out to each other: "We must try to escape! Fate will decide the Destiny of the suffering!"

Among the sick was a ten-year-old boy called Tarvaa. For days Tarvaa's body battled the forces of Death, but finally, weak and feverish, the young man lost all awareness of this world.

Papercut illustration by N.Baatartsogt

Tarvaa's spirit thought that young Tarvaa had died. It rose up out of the boy's body and began the sad journey to the Underworld.

After many difficulties, the spirit of Tarvaa arrived before the portal of the Kingdom of the Underworld and was led to the presence of its Great Khan.

The Khan was most surprised to see such a young spirit. He asked sternly, "Why did you leave your body while it was still alive? Why are you here in my Kingdom?"

Trembling with fright, the spirit replied, "Begging your pardon, Great Khan, but all my family and all my friends who remained in that World stood over my body and said I was dead. Then they ran away. I did not wait for the terrible last moment, but simply left on my journey to you."

The Khan was touched by the simplicity and honesty of Tarvaa's spirit. He told the spirit gently, "Young spirit, your Time has not yet come. You do not belong here. You must return to your master. But before you set out on your long journey home, I will grant you one gift. You may choose and take back with you anything from my Kingdom that you desire."

It was only then that the spirit of Tarvaa looked about him. As far as his eye could see in the dim light of the Kingdom of the Underworld were every Pleasure and every Pain to be had in Life: Wealth and Poverty, Good Fortune and Bad, Happiness and Sadness, Music and Song, Rich Food and Clothing, Amusement and Laughter, Ballads and Dance, and many, many other temptations, both good and bad.

Papercut illustration by N.Baatartsogt

The spirit of Tarvaa wandered among all these wondrous treasures for some time. It looked to the right, then to the left, but selected nothing. Only after a long search did it finally stop and stare: it had spied the one thing that Tarvaa was to value most in life.

Hesitatingly, the spirit pointed to something deep in the shadows, then looked back questioningly in the direction of the Khan. The Great Khan nodded his consent with a fatherly smile. This is how the gift of Tales and Legends was bestowed upon the spirit of Tarvaa.

The Khan then instructed the spirit, "Now return home at once. Use this gift well in Life, and do not come here again until you have been called!"

After days and nights, the spirit finally reached the body of Tarvaa. To its distress, it found that a crow had dug out Tarvaa's eyes in its absence. Though sad and frightened by the terrible condition of its now sightless body, the spirit did not dare disobey the orders of the Khan. Silently, it slipped back into the boy's still-sleeping flesh.

Young Tarvaa recovered from the fearsome Black Plague and, though blind, lived to be an old, old man.

Papercut illustration by N.Baatartsogt

Throughout his long life, Tarvaa would travel to the far corners of the Mongol lands recounting wonderful Tales and Legends to his people.

They were stories not only from his own country, but also delightful tales that he learned from faraway lands. In this way, Blind Tarvaa, known and loved by Mongolians as the greatest storyteller of all time, used well the gift bestowed upon his spirit by the Great Khan of the Underworld.

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