Mitos y leyendas: The Creation of the Mountains

Mitos y leyendas shares with you a version of a legend about the origin of the mountains.

Fantastic beings inhabit the earth but they do not have a relationship of peace.

The battle they have is violent.

Thousands of years ago, at the dawn of Inuit history, a traveler pursued a herd of caribou into unknown lands, where he encountered two kinds of inhabitants.

On one side were the tiny elves, cheerful creatures that always sang and could fit in the palm of your hand.

On the other side lurked the Tuniqs, feared colossi that were up to five times larger than an average Inuit.

These giants, known for their ferocity in battle, did not hesitate to capture the Inuit to satisfy their hunger. However, their intelligence left much to be desired, allowing the Inuit to cleverly evade their attacks.

Inuit Chase

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On a fateful day, a hunter was spotted by a Tuniq, unleashing a ruthless pursuit.

Another hungry Tuniq joined the hunt. Despite the speed and agility of the Inuit, he soon found himself cornered by the giants.

Faced with inevitable capture, the Inuit asked, «Why are you chasing me?» The Tuniqs, in unison, replied, «Because we are hungry and we wish to devour you.»

With cunning, the Inuit retorted, «I am just a small Inuit, how could two giants like you satisfy your appetite with my scant flesh? Which one of you will devour me?»

Giant’s Quarrel

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Confused, the two giants began to argue with each other over the right to devour the Inuit. «I saw him first!» «Thanks to me you caught him!»

After a brief but intense discussion, the Inuit proposed that the two Tuniqs resolve their dispute in combat, voluntarily offering himself as the prize for the winner.

Thus began a titanic battle that shook the earth for days and nights. Every blow and every fall of the giants shaped the terrain, creating deep valleys, gentle hills, and large ravines.

The fight lasted until both giants, exhausted, fell to the ground with a final crash.

Mountains

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Seizing the opportune moment, the Inuit pierced the hearts of the Tuniqs with his arrows and returned triumphantly to his village.

Over millennia, both the giants and the cunning Inuit disappeared, but the mountains and valleys formed during their epic struggle endured as silent witnesses to that legendary confrontation.

The wisdom of the small was his salvation and also demonstrates that there may always be a solution to a difficulty that we encounter at some point in existence.

Mitos y leyendas bids you farewell for now and hopes that you enjoyed the legend of the origin of the mountains. See you later!