The “Miraculous Deer”
Nobody can state for certain where Hungarians are
from exactly, but some myths and hypotheses may give us a picture about our
nation’s origins. One of these stories tells the legend of the “Miraculous Deer”
that supposedly led our ancestors to their homeland. Studying the story, we can
find the significance of it and its symbolism concerning the Hungarian nation
and history.
According to the legend,
one day two brothers, Hunor and Magor, set off hunting with their knights on
the steppe to provide meat for their families. This hunting, however, was a
special occasion, one that they would have never expected. While they were
chasing their prey, the brothers bumped into a mighty white stag that they
started pursuing. The Miraculous Deer, however, was always one step ahead of
them so that they could not get hold of it. Following the king of the forests,
the pursuers finally found themselves in a beautiful, abundant land, Levedia.
As Hunor and Magor were admiring the splendour of the landscape, the deer
vanished. This adventure resulted in Hunor and Magor’s marriage with two
princesses of that land. At this point, the history of the Huns and Hungarians
began.
Many historians surmise
that there is a strong relationship between the two nations of the Huns and
Hungarians (Magyar people). The legend of the Miraculous Deer also tries to
explain this presumption as it tells a story about two brothers who are, of
course, close to each other, as they perform their daily responsibilities
together. The two nations, according to experts, are highly connected
concerning religion and culture. On the other hand, we cannot state this today,
as the two “families” were separated from each other hundreds, if not thousands
of years ago. That is for sure nonetheless, that their origins are basically
the same as it appears in both of their prehistories.
Studying the legend,
however, what can we educe from the Miraculous Deer concerning only the Magyar
people? The answer obviously is that the ancestors of Hungarians led a hunting
lifestyle which their descendants followed throughout decades. Before the
foundation of the Hungarian state, the Magyar lived a nomadic lifestyle which
means that they did stock-raising and seasonally wandered from one place to
another to settle for a while. This is what we see in the legend: Hunor and
Magor also found a (livable) place for their families.
Looking into the more
recent history of the Hungarian nation, it is observable that we have not lived
in freedom most of the time. The symbol of the stag is a quite contentious, as
its figure traditionally means special powers, such as immortality for those who
are protected by the deer. Despite having been oppressed by different nations
(Turks, Austrians), Hungary has survived and is still around, nonetheless. This
can be seen as immorality if we would like to interpret this part of our
history in light of the legend.
Concluding these
observations, such legends may have little truth in themselves, but at least
they definitely help form a national identity. In addition, these myths
contribute to understanding national history and also the thinking of a nation.
Not only do they help understand the way the nations think, but also
individuals who all follow their own “Miraculous Deer” during a lifetime.
Cseri Donatella
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