Three brothers lived in Nunligran: the eldest, Viyutku, a strongman, the middle, Anika, a spearman, and the youngest, Suplyakyn, a runner. All three were the best warriors and successful hunters.
One day, fellow villagers told them that a fugitive had arrived from the south and was running to the north. Viyutku ordered to call the fugitive to him. Viutku asked him:
-Where did you come to us from, man? What news did you bring from distant lands? The man said:
“I’m running from there, from the south.” Again the Tannits came to our coastal villages, plundered property, killed men, and took our women and children with them.
Viutku said:
- A-ah, that’s how it is! Where did they get to? How far is it from here?
– Now the Tannits are still far away.
Viutku said:
– If they are far away, stay here with us. We will prepare to meet the enemy. Are you afraid to die for your people?
The man remained in Nunligran. After this, many more fugitives arrived from the south. All those who fled from the Tannits were kept by Viyutka in Nunligran. And when there were a lot of people, Viyutku divided all the men into three groups: fighters, runners and spearmen.
Every day, Viyutku organized military training for all men and youths, and post-war games: runners competed in running, wrestlers competed in wrestling and weight lifting, and spearmen competed in throwing spears at targets and in fencing.
So Viyutka kept all the men under his command.
When the days became longer, Viyutku began to send his younger brother, Suplyakyn the runner, on reconnaissance to Kaninik Bay. Suplyakyn ran on a long-range reconnaissance mission and returned to Nunligran by sunset. So he went on reconnaissance many times, but the enemies still did not show up. Meanwhile, Viyutku continued to train the people in military affairs. He ordered people to keep all their dogs on a leash so that they would become angrier. One day Suplyakyn went again to see if enemies were coming along the coast of Kaninik Bay. I climbed the mountain - you can see far all around. Suddenly Suplyakyn sees a man in light summer clothes climbing up the mountain. The man walked straight towards Suplyakgn. Having met, they began to ask each other about the news. The man who came from the Tannits said:
- Oh, it turns out there’s another person here! Suplyakyn replied:
- Yes, I’m a man, but who are you? The stranger said:
- I am a Tannyt man, and whose are you? Suplyakyn said: “I am a Nunligran resident, a hunter of sea animals.” The alien-tannyt said:
“I was sent by my boss to see if people live nearby.” The chief leads us to the northern people, but in all the places we passed we did not find people, all the inhabitants left their villages and went somewhere. In other places there are women, old people and children, but no men; they probably went north.
Suplyakyn said:
- Ah, so they all went to the far north. They went far to Unazik. Then Suplyakyn said again:
- It’s good that I met you here. But I’m looking for Tannits, I want to become a shepherd or driver for them. Here the Nunligrans live nearby, do nothing, and suspect nothing of the arrival of the Tannits. I want to go to you. How far are you located?
Tannit man said:
– In half a month our caravan will be here. Suplyakyn said:
- Ah, well, I’ll be back for now, and in a few days I’ll go to meet you if you take me in with you.
Then Suplyakyn turned and went home, and the Tannyt man retraced his steps.
Suplyakyn came to Nunligran and told Viyutk:
“Soon the Tannits will come to us.” I saw their scout. He said that in half a month they would come to Nunligran. I told him that the Nunligrans know nothing and are not preparing for war. The scout retraced his steps.
The next day, Viyutka gathered all the people. When the people gathered, Viyutku told them:
“We must meet the Tannits halfway.” We must catch them on the way when their caravan crosses the mountains. During the campaign, the Tannit weapons are tied to the sledges. Let's attack them by surprise. Get your dogs ready. All the people agreed with their leader. They began to prepare equipment: bows, arrows, spears and slings. Travel food and spare shoes were strapped to the sledges.
The next day we went on a hike. Many dog teams made up a large caravan of Nunligrans. They walked and walked for many days. Finally they approached the Tannirith Mountains. We stopped secretly in the gorge of the Tannirith Mountains, behind the ridge. Viyutku began to instruct his warriors:
- When we climb the Tannirith ridge, line up there in pairs, unnoticed by the enemy. Without letting go of your dogs, be on your guard. When I shout to you, immediately release the dogs and rush screaming at the enemy caravan. And the runners and spearmen do not let the Tannits run away, catch up and kill. When you win, act at your own discretion, and Aniki and Suplyakyn will help you.
So they began to wait for the Tannits as cover. At this time, Viyutku continued to teach warriors the craft of war. People learned to use spears and bows well, and they threw from slings with such force that they broke whale spines. And Viyutka himself, throwing from his sling at the base of the whale’s jaw, smashed it to pieces.
One day Suplyakyn, climbing the ridge, saw a caravan of Tannits. Having quickly descended, he informed Viyutku about this.
The warriors lined up in pairs, each holding a pair of dogs in front of him. We secretly climbed to the top of the ridge, but not to the ridge itself. Only Viyutku and his brothers climbed to the top of the ridge to inspect the Tannyt caravan. The Tannit caravan was ascending Tannirith.
As soon as the head of the caravan rose to the Tannirith ridge, Viyutku shouted a battle cry.
People shouting Ira! Ira! Ira! – they rushed forward, releasing the dogs. The dogs, barking, attacked the reindeer sleds and began to tear and crush the reindeer. The frightened reindeer quickly rushed in different directions, crushing the Tannits with their feet and sleds. The Tannits were confused and did not have time to arm themselves. Their weapons were tied to the sledges, they found themselves without reindeer and without weapons. Those who wanted to escape were overtaken by runners and spearmen under the command of Anika and Suplyakyn.
Viyutku's warriors quickly put an end to the Tannits, leaving two enemy warriors alive, according to ancient custom. Viyutku told these people:
– Go and tell your people how you fought with the shore people. Let them remember for the future that when they go to war against us, they must inform us about this. Tell them that we are ready and will wait for the tannits.
Viyutku ordered to give those people food for the road and spare shoes. After that they left.
The Tannits left a lot of booty after the battle. Viyutka divided all the captured goods - spears, cauldrons, knives, tobacco - among his warriors. After this, the coastal caravan returned to Nunligran.
All winter until spring, Viyutka taught the Nunligrans how to use a sling. He organized competitions in running and javelin throwing. When spring came, Viyutku began calling people from Takyvak north to Alyauk.
People from the northern villages arrived in Nunligran in large canoes. Viutku said:
“For many years the Tannyt robbers have not allowed us to live in peace.” For the first time we all gathered together in a large army. We must punish the Tannits.
The entire army sailed on large canoes to the country of the Tannits. A few days later they landed on Tannyt land. Here, without showing themselves to the enemy, we rested for three days. After this, Viyutku went to show himself to the Tannits from the mountain. The Tannits saw him. We got ready and came closer to the beret. The two troops were stationed not far from each other. We spent the night here.
The next morning, the Tannit leader began to walk back and forth between his tent and the shore, holding two bows in his hands.
Viyutku also began to walk between his tent and the shore, holding two bows in his hands. When the sun rose higher, the Tannit leader raised two bows. Viutku noticed this and did the same. Viyutku then said. to his comrades:
- War has been declared. However, you are in no hurry. Only when I give you a sign, throw your slings at the enemy army.
Then a Tannit warrior began to descend from the hill with a spear.
When he lowered himself, Viyutku said to his brother Anik:
- Well, go meet him halfway.
The Tannits began to place the sledges around. Now Aniku began to rise. Approached the enemies. Tannyt and Aniku entered the circle of sledges and began to fight with spears. Suddenly Viyutku and his army saw a man thrown into the air with a spear. As he fell to the ground, another drove a spear into his chest. It turns out that it was Aniki who killed his opponent. Then Viyutku shouted:
– Forward to the Tannits! Now we will win! Then the Nunligran slingers hurled their slings at the Tannit camp. Crackling and screams arose in the enemy camp. And the Unazik, Yanrakinot and Sirenik archers fired their well-aimed arrows. Then everyone rushed to the Tannit camp. The Tannit army was completely defeated. Their leader shouted:
– Stop killing my warriors! Viutku said:
“It’s already late, the coastal people took revenge on their enemies with honor.” Your tannyts are almost all destroyed.
Everyone who tried to escape was overtaken by Suplyakyn with the Sireniki and Unazik runners. Only three Tannits were left alive by Viyutku's warriors. Those who remained were told:
“Go and tell all your people that the coastal people have united and will no longer allow the Tannits to raid their villages.”
After this, Viyutku ordered the Tannits’ property to be loaded into the canoes: cauldrons, knives, skins, furs, bells and tobacco. The canoes were loaded, launched, and the northerners sailed home.
In Nunligran, Viyutku divided the spoils equally among all the warriors. People from the northern villages returned home. This was the last war with the Tannits. Since then, the Tannits have stopped attacking the northern coastal people.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru