The Mansi in the Northern Urals have a favorite lake - Vatka-Tur. Not far from him lived the hunter Zakhar with his family. He was hardworking, he walked around the taiga all day long and hunted. He knew the habits of every animal, knew how to track a cunning fox, find bear dens in winter, and catch elk. Only he never caught deer - Zakhar pitied them.
One summer, Zakhar went to the lake to check the nets he had set up. Quiet on the lake. All you can hear is a fish splashing or a duck fluttering... Suddenly he sees a handsome deer standing not far from him. The hunter looked at him intently - the oar fell out of his hands, and the deer started, froze for a moment, then proudly raised its head with a gray spot on its forehead and ran away.
Summer has passed. Autumn came and went. Winter has come. And winter in the Urals is harsh and snowy. It became difficult for Zakhar to live with his family. The yurt is very thin, and there is no luck in the hunt.
Zakhar went into the forest. One day goes by, then another, he is exhausted, but he cannot find the trail of the beast. He went out to the swamp and saw: on the edge of the swamp, a herd of deer was grazing and among them was one with a gray spot on his forehead.
Zakhar began to slowly crawl towards the deer. It has already crawled quite close. If only he could be with the prey, the hunter’s heart trembled and he felt sorry for killing the deer. The deer sensed that the man was close and sped off.
Just as Zakhar wanted to turn back, he suddenly sees: a large and strong deer is walking straight towards him, head down. Zakhar was frightened, and the deer stopped near him and said in a human voice:
- Hello, Zakhar! I've known you for a long time. I see how you work, wander through the taiga, but you have no luck.
Zakhar answers:
“Thank you, proud deer, for warming me with your kind words.”
“Be in this place again tomorrow,” said the deer and, raising his head high, ran away.
The next day, as soon as the first ray of sun appeared, Zakhar went to the swamp. The handsome deer was already waiting for him.
“I will be your friend and assistant,” he said. “Sit on me!”
A deer rushed quickly through the taiga. There was so much joy and surprise when Zakhar returned home!
Life became easier for Zakhar: the deer freed him from the most difficult work. Everyone is used to the good deer. And the hunter decided to thank him for his kindness. In the evenings, they sat with the whole family and carved and trimmed every branch - they made the deer such antlers as no one else had. And now the antlers are ready - strong, branchy, beautiful!
In the spring, when the snow began to melt, Zakhar harnessed the reindeer and put the whole family on the sled.
- Let's go! - Zakhar shouted.
And they rushed across the endless taiga.
Here is Lake Vatka-Tur. Zakhar freed the deer from the team and led him to the place where he first saw it. Zakhar's eldest son brought the antlers prepared for the deer.
- This is for you, dear deer! - said Zakhar.
The deer proudly shook its head with its new antlers. He walked along the shore of the lake and dug the ground with a sharp horn.
“Thank you, deer, for your help,” said Zakhar. “Go to freedom.”
- And thank you, man! With such horns, even a wolf is not afraid of me! - said the deer and, shaking his beautiful antlers goodbye, disappeared into the forest.
Since that time, all deer have had antlers and are friends with humans.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru