Lakes are sometimes found in the middle of the desert Steppe. At night, the Moon and Stars are reflected there, and during the day, the Sun warms the water for weary travelers.
Once, a group of nomads stopped for the summer not far from such a lake. After all, where there is water, there are always good animal pastures. One poor nomad had a daughter, an old horse and one cow. They lived in poverty, but the father loved his little daughter dearly. The girl loved to look at the water’s surface so much that her father decided to call her little Dolgan – a small wave. The girl grew up, helped her father tend to the animals, and in the evenings, they went fishing on the shore of the lake.
One evening they were fishing. They waited long for a bite and admired the water’s surface. Suddenly, the man felt the tug of a fish caught on the hook. He pulled the fish out of the water and was about to put it in the basket, when suddenly the fish said in a human voice, “Let me go, and I will help you.” “But if I let you go, my daughter will have nothing to eat today,” said her father. “Please let me go home, where my kids are waiting for me. I’ll be useful to you in the future,” said the fish. “Father, let’s let her go to her kids, and we’ll drink milk tea today,” said Dolgan. The father agreed and released the fish. At night they drank milk tea and went to bed hungry.
The next evening they went fishing again. Again, the father caught the fish, and again it asked him to let it go. “Let me go, and I will be useful to you,” said the fish. The girl again persuaded her father to release the fish, and at night they drank only milk tea.
The next morning, Dolgan fell ill. She was very weak because she had not been eating well for three days. In the evening, the father went fishing again and caught the fish. “Well, today I won’t let you go,” he said, “ My daughter is ill and weak without food. I have to feed her. I’ll fry you and eat you.” The fish replied, “You are a good person, and I will be useful to you. Let me go, and then go home to fetch a strong rope.” “No, no,” said the father, “You won’t fool me again. I’ll roast you for dinner!” The fish replied, “Run home to get a rope, and I will help you.” The father thought for a moment and decided to bring the rope. But, he thought to himself, “I’ll bring the rope, and then I’ll come back and catch the fish and won’t let it go again.”
The father went home and returned to the lake with an old strong rope. “Throw the rope into the lake and when I give the word, pull it with all your might,” said the fish. The father threw the rope, but the fish swam away. “So I’m a fool”, the father thought, “I lost the rope and didn’t catch the fish.” Suddenly, the fish returned with the rope and said, “Pull the rope with all your might.” The father pulled, pulled, and pulled until at last he saw a chest covered with silt. He pulled it ashore. The father opened the chest and gazed in wonder. It was full of gold and silver.
“Thank you for having a good heart and for raising a good daughter,” said the fish, “You let me go to my children, and I give you this chest as a thank you for sparing my life.” The father answered, “It is you who has given us a new life. I’m sorry I wanted to eat you.” The fish replied, “It was an exchange. My life in return for prosperity and health for your daughter. I wish happiness for you and Dolgan.” The fish waved its tail and disappeared into the lake.
Since then, the Children of the Steppe have had a ritual of exchanging life. When a person is not doing well, they release a fish into the lake.
