Page 100 - Animals of the Sakhalin Region in myths and legends
P. 100
He did just that. He swung his mighty tail and rushed into the depths
of the river. So, cutting through the dense streams of water, the Sturgeon
rushed, leaving long ropes behind it.
Soon, the Sturgeon feels — it seems that he has become light. I looked
back: his steel armor, which had served him faithfully for centuries,
as if someone had taken it off him, and they plunged into the murky
depths of the river. Again the Sturgeon hit the water with its tail — but
the former strength is gone, there are no longer those waves that were
crushing everything in their path. The Sturgeon again floated to the
surface of the water and looked around — it turns out that it became
the size of a small stump of a log. The once mighty and omnipotent
Sturgeon became ashamed, and out of vexation he quickly plunged
into the river, away from the eyes of animals, birds and people. While
swimming under water, I suddenly felt that I was confused. It was he
who fell into the net, woven by a man from the veins of a tree, from
coarse threads of spruce. The sturgeon began to torn and rush, but
became even more confused. And, exhausted, he wept. Meanwhile, from
the direction of the Ob slope came the weak words of little Christmas
Tree:
— Never brag about your strength, never brag about your strength.
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