Aerg's heroic deeds are countless, even God cannot remember them all, not to mention people. They said about him: Aerg is the extinguisher of fire, Aerg is the one who was tested by the lightning god Afa. The old people I met said that he fought with fire. They say that with each feat his strength and power increased, and his beauty became even more amazing. He accompanied the Almighty on his journey - may we not lose the light emanating from him!
[Aerg in Abkhaz mythology corresponds to the Archangel Michael.]
Once upon a time, God, angry with the wicked Atsans, sent cotton snow to the ground and set it on fire. The Atsans burned down, but disaster came to the earth. All living beings ran out of the forest and entered the rivers. The wolf and the roe deer then stood nearby, fleeing the fire. The patron of the forest, Mzythua, and the patron of wild animals, Azhveipsh, went to God, but God could not accept them because the Higher Powers, or archangels, were visiting him. Then they went to the sun god Shashua, from whom golden rays emanate. Shashuy saw everything in their eyes. He saw how at this time Aerg fought against the fire.
[Atsans are first-born gnomes.]
Aerg collected fire and drove it into the river. At that moment, water and fire fell in love with each other and made peace. Since then, this place has become known as the Shore Without Water, because the water has dried up.
After this heroism, God began to trust Aerg in everything, and Shashuy awarded him the name - Hero of Lightning (Afi-rkhatsa). Thus, life on earth was saved, and Azhveipsh fulfilled his vow: he sacrificed the best animal to God and said a prayer, holding the heart and liver of a lamb impaled on a walnut stick.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru