The Creation Myth: Kayra Khan and the Birth of Good and Evil

The Creation Myth: Kayra Khan and the Birth of Good and Evil

Before anything else, there was water. There was no earth, moon, sky, or sun. Only God Kayra Khan (Kuday) existed, but He was lonely and bored. A voice from the water told Him, "create." So, He created someone like Himself and called him "Kişi" (Person). Both of them were flying on the water like black geese. God Kayra Khan was not thinking about anything. Meanwhile, Kişi found the wind and stirred the water. He splashed water on Kayra Khan's face. Thinking that he was more powerful than God, he wanted to fly higher. But he couldn't; he fell into the water and sank to the bottom. He was about to drown and shouted, "Help me!" asking for help from Kayra Khan.
God Kayra Khan allowed it, and Kişi emerged from the water without drowning. Then God said, "Let there be a solid rock!" A rock rose from the bottom of the water. Kayra Khan and Kişi sat on this rock. Kayra Khan ordered Kişi to dive into the water and bring soil from the bottom. Kişi obeyed God's command. He brought the soil to Kayra Khan. While Kayra Khan spread the soil brought by Kişi on the water, He commanded, "Let it be the Earth!"
The command was fulfilled, and the Earth was created. Kayra Khan again commanded Kişi, "Dive into the water and bring soil from the bottom!" This time, when Kişi dived, he thought of taking soil for himself. He filled both of his hands with soil, and to hide one handful from Kayra Khan, he put it in his mouth. His intention was to create his own place secretly. He brought the soil to Kayra Khan. As Kayra Khan spread the soil over the water, He commanded, "Let it be the Land!"
As the soil brought by Kişi was spreading like Kayra Khan's soil on the water, the soil in Kişi's mouth also started to grow and expand. Kişi got scared; he couldn't breathe and was dying. He started running away, but wherever he went, he felt the presence of God Kayra Khan right beside him. He couldn't escape from Him. Helpless, he began to plead with God, saying, "God! True God! Help me." Kayra Khan asked Kişi, "Why did you hide the soil in your mouth?" Kişi replied, "I hid it to create a place for myself." Kayra Khan said, "Then spit it out and be free." As Kişi spat out the soil from his mouth, small hills formed. Kayra Khan said, "Now you have become sinful, you defied me, you thought of evil. From now on, those who follow you, those who think of evil like you, will be like you - wicked. Those who follow me will be good and pure, they will see the sun and light. I have taken the name of Kurbustan; from now on, your name will be Erlik. Those who hide their sins from me will be your people, those who hide their sins from you will be my people."


On the Earth, a tree without branches and leaves sprouted. Kayra Khan did not like the tree without branches and leaves. Looking at a tree without branches and leaves was not beautiful. He commanded, "Let the tree have nine branches!" The tree without branches suddenly became a tree with nine branches. Kayra Khan said, "From each root of the nine branches, let nine people come forth; they will be nine nations!" Erlik heard a loud noise during this process. He wondered what it was. He asked Kayra Khan the reason for the noise. Kayra Khan replied, "I am a ruler, and you are a ruler in your own right. The ones making the noise are my people!" Erlik got bored and thought, "Let me go and see these people." There were not only people but also wild animals, birds, and many other creatures. Erlik wondered how Kayra Khan created them and what they ate. While he was pondering, people began to eat the fruits of the tree. Erlik observed that people were only eating the fruits on one side of the tree and not touching the ones on the other side. He asked people the reason for this. They replied, "God has forbidden us to eat the fruits on that side. We only eat the fruits on the side where God permits, the ones facing the sunrise. The snake and the dog you see are guarding the forbidden fruits on that side." Erlik was delighted with this answer. Erlik approached a man named Doğanay (Törüngey) who was born from humans. He said, "Doganay, Kayra Khan lied to you. Actually, you should eat the forbidden fruits. They are sweeter. Try them, and you will see." Erlik entered the mouth of a sleeping snake and told it to climb the tree. The snake climbed the tree and ate the forbidden fruits. Doğanay's wife Ece (Eje) came to them. Erlik told Doğanay and Ece to eat the forbidden fruits. Doğanay, keeping his promise to Kayra Khan, did not eat the forbidden fruits. However, Ece could not resist and ate them. The fruits were very sweet. She took some in her hand and put them in Doğanay's mouth. Suddenly, Doğanay and Ece lost their feathers. They felt ashamed and ran away, each hiding behind a tree.


Kayra Khan arrived. The people had hidden in corners. Kayra Khan shouted, "Doğanay! Ece! Doğanay! Ece! Where are you?" Doğanay and Ece said, "We are behind the trees. We can't face you; we are ashamed." Later, they explained what had happened. Kayra Khan knew what had transpired and gave individual punishments to each. He first punished the snake that was the first to eat the forbidden fruits. Kayra Khan said to Erlik, "Now you have become a part of Erlik." Humans will be your enemies; they will hit and crush you when they see you!" He turned to Ece and said, "You followed Erlik's words. You ate the forbidden fruits. You will endure your punishment. You will give birth to children. You will experience pain during childbirth. Eventually, you will die, and you will taste death." Turning to Doğanay, Kayra Khan said, "You ate what Erlik showed you. You did not listen to my words. Erlik's men live in his world, in the world of darkness. They will be deprived of my light. Körmös (Devil, Erlik) has become my enemy; you will also become his enemy. If you had listened to me, you would have been like me. Because you did not listen, you will have nine sons and nine daughters. From now on, I will not create humans. Humans will be born from you."
Kayra Khan also scolded Erlik. He asked him angrily, "Why did you deceive my people?" Erlik replied, "I wanted, but you did not give, so I stole from you. Now, I will keep stealing. If they run away with horses, I will make them fall and steal them.