Monday, May 4, 2015

Follow the Stag - A Hungarian Foundation Myth




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

No comments:

Post a Comment