Liliia Zdor tells the story of the giant Lelgyl’yn

“‘Let’s go to the sea, everyone, to hunt by the sea.’ A strong wind had risen – so strong that it carried away the giant ice floe. On this ice floe were six hunters, and they were swept out to sea. The wind drove them for a long time across the ocean. Finally, they saw land. When they were thrown ashore, they saw a man of enormous size – so large that at first, they thought he was a rock. But it turned out to be the giant named Lelgyl’yn. His nose, eyes, and whole body were like a human’s, but his hair resembled a forest. ‘Where do you come from?’ the giant asked the hunters. ‘The wind carried the ice floe we were on out to sea, and it brought us here to your land,’ they replied. ‘And who are you? Are you humans?’ the giant asked again. ‘Yes, we are humans!’ ‘I can bring you home. Do you want that?’ the giant offered. ‘We would love that!’ the people rejoiced.

Then he placed them on the fingers of his gloves and walked softly on his way. He wandered across the sea as if walking through a shallow swamp. Along the way, he grabbed a whale, swallowed it, and continued walking. When he reached the shore, he let the people go and suddenly began to yawn. And with a heavy yawn, he said, ‘I am very tired! I will now lie down and sleep.’ He lay down and slept through the entire autumn and winter. He slept very deeply. In the fall, winds and storms came. The waves of the surf reached his body, and the water froze on him as he slept. Eventually, bears found him and gnawed at his cheek. In spring, he woke up, felt his face and then his cheek, and said: ‘What? Did I sleep so deeply that my face went completely numb!’”

Self-recorded. Fairbanks, 2024.