Old people say that the song was born in distant India, where the goddess of Song taught this art to people. People of other tribes, coming to India, listened with pleasure to singers and singers, imbued with the performance of skilled musicians. They bitterly regretted that there were no songs at all in their area. The goddess, the patroness of music and songs, heard about this and ordered the song to fly over the Himalayan mountains to teach the people there to compose songs and play musical instruments.
The messenger-song flew for a long time over high mountain ranges covered with glacial shells, over bottomless deserts, over wide rivers and lakes, looking out where people lived. Finally, she reached the borders of the Khalkhas country and landed on the ground not far from a small camp.
When night fell and people returned to their yurts along with their herds of sheep and herds of horses, she began to sing and play various instruments. The Mongols heard unfamiliar sounds and at first did not understand anything. Experienced people explained that these sound like forests. They wanted to immediately go to the place where the envoy stopped for the night, but they were very tired and wanted to sleep. “If the song has flown to us,” they thought, “then it won’t be too late in the morning to listen to it and learn to sing it.” With that we went to bed, not waking up until the morning.
In the morning we got up and went to the place where the song was heard, the music sounded. However, during the night they forgot what they had heard the day before. Meanwhile, the Song flew further. A stray dog remained in the place where she spent the night. She sat and, raising her head, howled protractedly, complaining about her fate.
The Khalkhas looked at each other and said: “That means what this song is, it’s not at all difficult to learn.” They began to imitate and were unable to learn skillful singing. Therefore, to this day, as soon as a Mongol mounts a horse and sets off, he raises his head and starts a drawn-out song, in which to an unaccustomed ear only grief and melancholy can be heard, although, of course, there are countless cheerful songs among this people.
True, other people say that it was not like that, as the Mongols learned lingering, mournful songs. Skilled singers, Kazakhs, lived next to them. The fame of their songs spread far and wide. The Mongols were jealous of their neighbors and wanted to adopt their songs. How can I do this? They did not live very friendly with them. Therefore, they were afraid that the Kazakhs would not teach good songs, and they did not want to adopt bad ones.
The Mongols decided to use a trick. They chose a quick guy among their family and sent him to their neighbors so that he would secretly listen to their songs and remember them well.
The guy climbed a high mountain, where their lands bordered the Kazakh possessions, and began to look out where people lived. He spotted a large camp and began to secretly make his way to it. The road was difficult among rocks and stones; a lot of time passed before he descended to the place where he saw the camp.
The guy waited until darkness fell on the ground, and, approaching the village, hid behind a hillock. He did not know that the Kazakhs had migrated to another place and where there was a camp, only a fireplace with cold ash and a lame dog that could not follow its owners remained.
The dog was sad that he was left alone. Raising her muzzle, she howled at the moon, complaining about her unfortunate lot. The guy thought that it was the Kazakhs singing and tried to remember the mournful tune more firmly. When I returned, I taught other people to sing like that. Therefore, until now, the songs of the Mongols are mostly drawn-out and mournful.
Meanwhile, the messenger-Song flew to the borders of Tuva. They had already heard that a divine messenger had appeared in their area. They greeted her with honor, brought her to the yurt, treated her properly, and provided her with accommodation for the night. However, the impatience of the Tuvan people was so great that they asked the song not to postpone training until the morning. All night, without closing their eyes, they learned songs and playing various instruments. The heavenly messenger showed them how to play the sonorous topshur, the violin - ikili, the reed pipe - shoor, the mouth harp - komus, and other instruments.
Since then, Tuvans have been famous among other nations as skilled singers and musicians, especially distinguished by the art of throat singing - koomei kai.
Little by little, the Tuvans learned to compose their songs and everyone, young and old, sings there. They have songs for all occasions: they pour out joy and sadness, grief and happiness in their songs. The Song had a good stay on Tuvan soil. Finally, I flew to Altai.
In those days, there were very few people on the eastern border of the Altai land. Therefore, it so happened that, crossing the border of Altai, Song did not notice the Telengit camp among the high mountains and dense forests. Her songs only touched the edge of this land, echoing in the steep rocks, fleetingly rolling through the gullies and valleys. The Song flew high in the blue sky. And therefore, only those who listened very carefully to the Song and its echoes were able to pick up and learn to sing. And life for the Telengits at that time was hard, painless in the harsh mountains, and that’s why they had few singers, whose fame crossed the borders of their region. True, among them were the famous singers Kalan and Kolondi; the memory still lives on among the people. No one remembers others like them. But among the Telengits there were many famous storytellers - kaichi.
The Song flew into the heart of Altai and rejoiced. The snow caps and glaciers on the mountain tops reminded her of the Himalayas. At this time, the clear-voiced cuckoo sang its song, announcing the arrival of spring. Everything around was blooming and pleasing to the eye. Among the green meadows, the surface of the lakes shone blue, reflecting the cloudless sky; along the steep slopes, breaking out from under the ice shell, crystal streams of countless streams and rivers jumped from stone to stone, a gentle breeze rustled in the foliage of the trees. It seemed that not only people, but the entire Altai land were waiting for the messenger of the Goddess of Song.
Everywhere they showed her honor and respect. Wherever she stayed, many people came there to learn songs and the art of playing musical instruments. That is why, for a long time, there have been so many skilled singers and musicians in the Altai ulus, whom the people respect as the most respected people.
Since then, Altai people and song have become inseparable. No matter what a person does: whether he is tending sheep, going about his business, tanning leather or mowing grass, he always sings. And he has a problem with the song. They sing not only the songs that the heavenly messenger from India taught them. They added a lot of new ones.
Previously, it was considered a shame if a boy or girl was unable to compose at least one of his own songs. A girl never went on a date unless the young man circled her yurt and played the komus. There were such masters that they could extract from this simple instrument not only wonderful melodies, but also pronounce words of love on it.
And how many different songs are sung at weddings and at games where young people from the surrounding areas gather. If you liked the song that someone composed here, then they will immediately learn it and it will go for a walk throughout the entire Altai land. With a ringing song you can declare your love, give praise to a worthy person, or even make fun of someone if you deserve it.
There are so many Altai songs, they are inescapable as long as the beauty and power of Altai exists. In spring, when everything is in bloom, it seems as if Altai itself is singing. Wise elders always instruct the young so that they do not part with their native song. After all, as long as it exists, it means that the very soul of the people is alive. With a song, a person doesn’t care about anything - he can overcome mountains, swim across rivers.
True, they also tell a different story about how the Altaians learned to sing songs. When the Heavenly Lord created the world and populated it with living beings, he was the last to send man to earth.
The man was weak and helpless, he couldn’t do anything. A man wandered restlessly on the earth among other animals. His lot was pitiful. In winter and summer he wandered through forests, mountains and valleys in search of food. He had neither a permanent place to live nor a roof over his head where he could hide from bad weather and cold. From such a life, the man was in anguish, his soul did not find peace, he did not know joy and fun. And he had nothing to console himself with.
The man began to ask the Heavenly Lord to give him something to dispel his sadness and sadness. The Heavenly Lord heard human groans and sent a bird to earth. A bird flew to a man and began to sing wonderful songs to him. The man perked up, all his sorrows and sorrows flew away from him, as if miraculous power had poured into his body. The man asked the bird to give him her songs.
“I will teach you my songs,” answered the bird, “if you fulfill my request.”
The man really wanted to learn wonderful songs, so he agreed without hesitation.
“In the place where you are standing now,” said the bird, “you will build yourself a house and you will always live in it.” You will build a sanctuary nearby, where you will glorify the Heavenly Lord. When you have completed everything, different birds will flock to you, from whom you will learn beautiful songs.
As soon as the man began to work: carrying stones, chopping wood, kneading clay in order to build his house and sanctuary, birds flocked to him and sang such songs to him that he did not notice fatigue. Having finished his work, the man fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, I felt fresh and cheerful, and felt joy in my soul. After all, he remembered all the songs that the birds sang to him when he worked.
Unable to contain the joy that overwhelmed him, he ran out into the green meadow and began to dance. He danced and sang songs. They seemed to come together for him on their own. And those songs glorified everything that he saw around him: beautiful flowers, high mountains, clear rivers, blue lakes, green taiga - everything that lived and grew on this earth. He sang about everything that filled his soul.
From then on, man began to find consolation in song when trouble came, and poured out joy in beautiful words and sounds when something good happened to him. Therefore, they say that in Altai there are songs for all occasions and there is no person who has not sung his own song in his life.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru