A long time ago, they say, a One-Legged Man settled not far from the house of Tyr the Spider. But between his house and Tyr's house there were impenetrable thickets.
The one-legged man didn't want people to see him. Therefore, he left his hut only at night. When it became completely dark, he climbed onto a large termite mound in the middle of the thickets and shouted:
- Hey, Tyr, answer me: have you ever seen me? Tyr woke up from a loud scream and answered:
- No, I've never seen you. What are you like?
“I’m handsome, truly handsome, more handsome than all the men in the world!” - One-Legged boasted.
Then he descended from the termite mound and walked to his place. Along the way he danced and sang with joy. It's good that no one has ever seen him!
And this happened every night. Every night the One-Legged One prevented Tyr from sleeping.
And Tyr the Spider got tired of all this. And one evening he said to his eldest wife:
- When our neighbor screams again at night and asks:
“Tyr, have you seen me?” - answer him for me: “No, I didn’t see what you are like?” In the meantime, I’ll look at this handsome guy.
And Tyr crept into the bushes before dark and hid near a large termite mound.
It had barely begun to get dark. The one-legged man climbed onto the termite mound and began shouting:
- Wow, Tyr! Have you ever seen me? Answer! Wow!
“No, I’ve never seen you,” his wife answered for Tyr. “What are you like?” Who do you look like?
- I’m handsome, you couldn’t imagine anything more beautiful! - shouted One-Legged. - I am the most handsome of all men!
And he returned to his place, dancing with joy. But Tyr managed to get a good look at him. He ran back to his hut and said to his eldest wife:
- Oh wife, do you know who our neighbor is? Do you know who bothers us every night? Freak of freaks. He has one leg, one arm, half a body and half a head with one eye, one ear, one nostril and one huge tooth in his mouth!
All Tyr's wives began to laugh, and they laughed so much, they laughed so much that they almost suffocated.
The next night, One-Legged again climbed onto a termite mound in the thickets and again screamed:
- Tyr, wow! Have you ever seen me?
- Whoa! - answered Tyr. - Yes, I saw you.
- Then tell me, what am I like? - One-Legged asked hastily.
- You are a freak of freaks with one leg, one arm, half a body and half a head: you have one eye, one ear, one nostril and only one big tooth in your mouth. That's what you are!
The one-legged man became furious. His only eye was bloodshot. He thought that no one would see him, and everyone would consider him handsome! Shaking his spear, he rushed through the bushes to Tyr's hut, singing:
My mother saw me, but Tyr did not see, -
Where could he have seen me?
My father saw me, but Tyr did not see, -
Where could he have seen me?
Tyur won't live anymore if he saw me -
Where could he have seen me?
I'll skin him if he saw me -
Where could he have seen me?
Tyr heard this song and ran away. Tyr ran as fast as he could from the terrible One-Legged One and sang plaintively:
-Oh-ho-ho, it’s bad for Tyur—worse than a dog! One-legged death gallops after him in the darkness. Oh-ho-ho, it’s bad for Tyur—the animals will devour him because he only believes his own eyes.
Tyr ran with all his might, but One-Legged galloped after him, keeping pace. So he chased Tyr day after day for many years, and Tyr could not escape from him. And there was no end in sight to this chase.
Meanwhile, Tyr's sons grew up. One day they said to their mothers, the wives of Tyr:
- We will kill One-Legged and save father! They forged spearheads, forged long knives and short throwing knives. They got ready for the road and set off in the footsteps of Tyr. They met people.
-Have you seen the One-Legged One? - asked the sons of Tyr. - He's chasing our father.
“They ran here five years ago,” the people answered.
The sons of Tyr ran faster. They stopped again and asked the people:
-Have you seen the One-Legged One? He's stalking our father.
“They ran here three years ago,” they were told. The sons of Tyr ran even faster. They stopped again and asked:
“Have you seen our father Tyr and One-Legged?”
“They ran here a year ago,” the people answered. The sons of Tyr ran faster and faster, stopped, asked, and ran on. And finally the people said to them:
“Your father Tyr and One-Legged ran through here last night.”
With the last of their strength, the sons of Tyr started running. And finally, from afar, they heard the song of the One-Legged One:
Tyur won't live anymore if he saw me. - Where could he have seen me? I'll skin him if he saw me, - Where could he see me?
And then they saw both and heard Tyr’s plaintive song:
Oh-ho-ho, it’s bad for Tyur, the animals will devour him Because he only believes his eyes.
Oh, how sorry the sons of Tyr felt for their father! They rushed like gazelles. They caught up with One-Legged and pierced him with spears.
When One-Legged fell, Tyr also fell exhausted. And he said:
- O my sons, you saved me from cruel death. How nice it is to have sons! Cut out the heart of this terrible man and give it to me - let his power pass into me. And so they did. And then everyone returned home together.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru