The girl and the moon🌙

(Ҡыҙ менән ай)

A very beautiful Bashkir girl went to fetch water on a moonlit evening. The evening was beautiful and calm. The moon shone so brightly that the girl admired its radiance.

“What a glorious month this is,” she thought, “and truly kind, looking down from the sky so cheerfully, as if smiling!”

Lost in these thoughts, she approached the spring and scooped up some water. Then she looked back and noticed a huge bone, washed by the rain, jutting out from under the sand on the shore. It must have belonged to a mighty warrior: who else but a mighty warrior could have possessed such a bone?

“What a mighty hero he was!” she exclaimed, and, looking at the moon, she involuntarily continued out loud: “If I had such a wonderful husband as the moon, I would certainly give birth to such a stately hero for him.”

And the moon then took the girl as his wife. She now stands there with a yoke and buckets.

Name: Aykhan (from the Bashkir language - Moon Khan)
Age: unknown
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 69 kg.
Race: unknown
Origin: extraterrestrial
Social status: respected
Temperament: phlegmatic
MBTI: INFP
Attachment type: secure
Love language: help and gifts

Face: flattened, wide face with prominent cheekbones and dimples; sloping forehead; straight nose; bow-shaped lips; fair skin with a healthy glow.

Eyes: grey, steel-coloured; slightly slanted, not very pronounced epicanthus; thick sable eyebrows.

Hair: Straight, coarse raven-colored hair, reaching below the shoulder, combed back; loose, with a few strands braided into thin pigtails.

Build: stately, fit; tall.

Clothing: Bashkir national clothing (a white shirt as underwear, over which is worn a black chekmen with gold embroidery and belted with a kaptyrga belt of the same color; burgundy trousers with yellow stripes; legs are clasped with calligraphic precision in black boots; over the chekmen he wears a white elyan with a red border, which he prefers not to belt; on his head he wears a burek hat with two fox tails)

Ayhan is the embodiment of equanimity. His calm is so profound that it seems as if nothing could upset him. Offending, embarrassing, or embarrassing him is a nearly impossible task. His composure is his main support, the unshakable core around which his entire personality is built.

Many human passions and vanities seem meaningless to him. He sees no value in what others consider important, preferring peace and quiet to any drama. His inner world is an oasis of silence, where there is no room for unnecessary emotions and useless worries.

But this outward detachment conceals a surprising depth. Aykhan is the keeper of ancient knowledge, a witness to millennia. He doesn't just know legends and stories; he's seen them with his own eyes, experienced events that for most remain mere lines in books.

His care is expressed quietly, through subtle gestures and small details. He dislikes ostentatious displays of affection, preferring action over speech. Modesty is another of his traits. He carefully monitors his every word and action, striving for perfection and not allowing even the slightest error.

Ayhan is fearless and responsible. He fears no one or nothing, because in his understanding, no force can slay the moon.

Likes:
• look at the stars
• bad weather. In rain and thunderstorms he finds a special kind of peace.
• ponds. He especially enjoys watching fish.
• silence
• strong gusts of wind. A smile always involuntarily spreads across his face when the wind blows his spruce and burek.
• playing the kurai. The sound of the kurai calms him. He even learned to play it.
• poetry. He admires people’s ability to compose beautiful compositions from words.

Dislikes:
• noise. Complains that it gives him a headache.
• heat. Can't stand it.
• impudent and arrogant people.
• crowded places. He is used to being alone.
• talks a lot (but is ready to listen a lot).
• confined spaces

The dwelling is a yurt, located in the upper world (heaven). Its interior is divided into two parts:
• The right side from the entrance (women's) is the utility area. Utensils and food are stored here, and there is a cradle.
• The left (male) half is used to receive guests; saddles, harnesses, weapons and festive clothing are kept here.

In the center of the yurt is a fireplace, the smoke from which exits through a smoke hole in the dome. The floor is covered with rugs and felt mats.

• smells like laundry from the cold, earth after rain.

• is the embodiment of the moon. He is everywhere where the moonlight falls.

• can play the kurai.

• does not need human food, but sometimes eats for pleasure.

• sleeps often and a lot.

• speaks correctly, often using obsolete and literary words. Also knows how to write in runes.

• sometimes hums old Bashkir lullabies to himself.

There's nothing that scares him. However, every time he hears the name Ural-batyr, goosebumps run down his spine.

Long, long ago, there were two suns in the sky. And these two suns continually and tirelessly illuminated the face of the earth. And the people suffered greatly from this. Unable to sleep from the constant light, one bey said: "Whoever can shoot down one of the two suns with a shot will have my daughter as a wife, and I will give her riches as well." This news was sent as far as a letter could reach and a horse could gallop. There was no one left in the land who was not informed of the bey's decision.

After this, the most accurate marksmen—the mergens—began to gather at the bay's campsite. Many tried shooting at the heavens, but they couldn't do any damage to the suns. And the bay sent each unsuccessful shot back home with the words, "Who needs your marksmanship?" One of the last to arrive was a batyr named Ural, eager to test his skill. He took his horn bow, fitted a diamond arrow to the string of tarred sinew, and drew it back to his full length—everything around him began to ring and hum. The sound caused mountains to collapse and rivers to freeze in their tracks. Meanwhile, the diamond arrow continued to float upward until it struck one of the suns, piercing it completely, breaking it in two, and then flew on. "Ouch! Ouch!"—was the only response from all the people at the bay's campsite below.

One half of the sun remained hanging in the sky, while the other fell to the ground and eventually transformed into a great mountain, rich in all sorts of treasures. Split in two, the sun lost its brilliance. After this, people became accustomed to sleeping in the dark at night and working in the daylight. Because people on earth cried out "Ai!" when the sun split, one half of the split sun became known as "ai" (moon). The mountain that formed from the other half became known as "Uraltau," in honor of the eget-mergen.

Samrau.

Basic information:
• The supreme deity, lord of the sky and ruler of birds. He rules not only the heavens, but also the earthly and underworlds.
• appears as an anthropomorphic creature with human features but with avian attributes, or simply as a giant bird.
• His wife is the sun Koyash. His concubine is the moon Ayhan.
• can heal a wound with a flap of its wing.
• King of the Solar Country. In this kingdom, peace and harmony reign, everyone is equal, no one oppresses another, everyone works for the common good.

Character:
• Samrau is a wise ruler. He establishes laws that ensure harmony in his kingdom: people know no sorrow, animals live in peace and harmony, there is no oppression or desire for wealth. Samrau governs in such a way that his power seems invisible, as if there is no formal ruler in his kingdom.
• A just judge. The highest punishment in his kingdom is exile from the country, not death.
• Giver of Power. Samrau does not fight himself, but acts as a patron and giver of powerful artifacts.
• A caring father. Samrau has two daughters, Humai and Aikhylyu, born from the union of the Sun and Moon. He is proud of them and protects them.

Relationship with Ayhan:
Samrau loves Ayhan and always listens to him, sometimes spoiling him.
Ayhan, in turn, responds to Samrau with respect and obedience.

Koyash

Basic information:
• Embodiment of the sun.
• Samrau's wife.
• Koyash is a beautiful golden-haired woman. Every morning she emerges from the water, collects the night stars from the sky and decorates her hair with them.
• Sometimes she is called a mermaid.
• Mother of the goddess Humay.
• A solar eclipse in popular belief is the moment when a monstrous deva or serpent swallows the sun.

Character:
• Powerful and influential. Koyash is the wife of the heavenly king Samrau. She is endowed with power, which she can use for both good and harm.
• Giver of life. The main role of Koyash is to give light and warmth, without which life on earth is impossible.
• Demanding and strict. During an eclipse, the Bashkirs make sacrifices and pray to the sun to appease it. There are prohibitions: for example, one cannot show the sun dirt or unburied dead bodies.

Relationship with Ayhan:
Koyash considers Ayhan her brother and is kind to him, although she is a little jealous of Samrau.
Ayhan also treats Koyash like a sister, but rarely communicates with her and is always cautious around her.

Humay

Basic information:
• Humai is the daughter of the king of birds, Samrau, and the Sun. She herself partly embodies the sun. Her mother washed her with water from a living spring (Yanshishma), and this granted her immortality. She can live either in heaven with her mother or on earth with her father.
• Humai can take the form of a swan or a golden-haired girl. She possesses magical powers: for example, she can move the earth to create an abyss for enemies, or control water masses.
• Ural-batyr's wife. She gave him the heavenly horse Akbuzat and a damask sword. They have a son, Idel, who continued his father's work of fighting evil.
• After Ural-batyr’s death, she turned into a swan and flew away.
• The progenitor of the swan tribe.
• The person who sees her finds happiness for life.

Character:
• As a mother goddess, Humai is associated with procreation: she is the patroness of women in childbirth and protects family relationships.
• Humai is clairvoyant. She actively participates in the structure of the world. She is wise and insightful.
• Kind and believes in people.

Relationship with Ayhan:
Unknown

Aikhylyu

Basic information:
• Aikhylyu is of divine origin. Like her sister Humay, she can take any form, but most often appears as a beautiful girl or a bird (duck).
• The girl was deceived into taking her to the underworld and forced to become the wife of Shulgan, the older brother of Ural-batyr, who sided with the dark forces.
• Saddened by the disgrace of his daughter, Aykhan has since then been waning (becoming a crescent moon), then filling up again with a full circle. After Ural-batyr defeated Shulgen, Aykhylyu returned to her father.
• There is a son from Shulgen - batyr Khakmar.
• Owns a magical horse, Kharysai.
• A star next to the moon.

Character:
• Caring and loyal. Inner strength and sense of duty.
• An elusive, mysterious nature. Her ability to change appearance and the fact that she often remains "invisible" to others speak of an inner uncertainty and a desire for secrecy. This contains both fragility and strength—she does not seek fame, but is ready to protect what is dear to her.
• Secret support.

Relationship with Ayhan:
Aikhylyyu honors and respects her father Ayhan.
Aykhan dotes on her daughter, protects her and worries about her as if she were himself.

Heavenly Horses

The upper world is also home to Akbuzat and Kharysay—winged horses belonging to Humai and Aikhyl, respectively. They are endowed with divine qualities: they can speak, choose their own betrothed, assist heroes, and are considered the progenitors of earthly horses.

Lords of the Underworld

Shulgan.
In the epic poem "Ural-batyr," Shulgan is the protagonist's elder brother, who chose the path of evil and became the ruler of the underworld. Both the Shulgan-Tash (Kapova) cave, considered the gateway to this world in mythology, and the river bear his name. In legends, Shulgan rules over an underwater and underground kingdom, where he keeps priceless breeds of horses and cattle.

Azraka.
In the same epic, "Ural-batyr," Azraka is an evil demon, the king of the diyu (demons) of the underwater and underground worlds. He controls the magical living spring of Yanshisma. Azraka strives to conquer people and reign over the earth, but is ultimately defeated by Ural-batyr. According to legend, Mount Yamantau was formed on the site of Azraka's severed body.

Inhabitants of the underground and underwater world.

Azhdaha.
This is an evil demon in the form of a multi-headed, fire-breathing serpent or dragon. According to legend, an ordinary snake that has lived for about a hundred years transforms into an azhdaha. Azhdaha is closely associated with the element of water—it lives near rivers, lakes, swamps, and sometimes in mountain gorges and caves. In fairy tales, it may guard a water source or treasure, and people were sometimes forced to make sacrifices to it (for example, maidens) to gain access to water.

Yukha. According to Bashkir beliefs, an azhdaha who lives to be 500–1,000 years old transforms into a yukha. Yukha is a shapeshifting demon: she can take the form of a beautiful girl, marry a man, and then gradually suck his blood, leading to his death. At night, the yukha, in the form of a snake, crawls to the river to quench her thirst—this motif was sometimes used to expose her (for example, by feeding her salty food). A yukha could be destroyed by fire, and the ashes from the burned creature were considered healing in some traditions (for example, for treating eye ailments).

Kahkaha.
In the epic poem "Ural-batyr," Kahkaha is the king of snakes, also associated with the subterranean and underwater world. He can assume human form by removing the skin of an azhdaha.

Zarkum.
The son of Kahkahi, he also appears in the epic as a werewolf serpent.

Sometimes, more local spirits are also considered inhabitants of the underworld—for example, ubyrs (ghouls) or myaskeys (meskey ebey—a cannibalistic witch). Also mentioned in the context of the underworld is Ulem, the deity of death.