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The Unga uligers represent the next stage of the development of the Buryat epic, it is marked by the emerging tendency of becoming free from the mythological ideas. But still there are many elements inherent in the beast trapping epic and animistic ideas. The epic heroes are endowed with magic abilities involving those of werewolf abilities and all facts of magic affect on nature and natural objects.
The formation of the Unga epic was conditioned first of all by the social changes taking place in the period of disintegration and breakdown of the tribal system and the development of the awareness of inequality in the property status, i.e. the property inequalities. The ethnic groups coming from the feudal Mongolia might have accelerated the process. The Unga epics show that the material interests, the capture, confiscation and annexation grow into the prime cause of the contradictions, emerging in the society. The spread of the “Geser” epic among the Buryats appeared to be most timely since at this time the Bulagats of the Circum-Angaria had already passed over to cattle-breeding management. Due to the decomposition of the generic structure in the society there started the formation of the elements of the feudal class relations. Such development of the social process, no doubt, brought about the corresponding changes in the consciousness of the people enriching and renewing the whole system of their ideas and views.
In order to get a certain idea of the Unga variant of the “Geser” epic one can get acquainted with the text “Abai Geser” (12537 lines) written down by I. N. Madason in 1940-1941 from Pyokhon Petrov, a gifted epic-teller from the Khadakhan ulus or settlement of the Nukut district, the Irkutsk province.
The two opposing camps of the western and eastern deities or heavenly beings conflict with each other because each of them wishes to get hold of the rich and prospering middle Segen Sebdeg tengri. In contrast to the Imegenov’s version Pyokhon Petrov’s narrative is provided with “The celestial prologue” devoted to the account of the disease of Naran Gokhon (The sunny beauty). She is the daughter of Naran Dulan Tengri (the heaven of the Sun warmth). The disease was inflicted on her by Atai Ulan tengri who was head of the eastern (left-side) celestials. In case she dies the 55 western kind deities or celestials will have to submit to the 44 eastern evil tengris. Owing to the advice given by Manzan Gurme grandy, who was the progenitress of the western deities Bukhe-Beligte khubun (the son of the head of the western deities, future Geser) catches the magic white lark capable of healing the girl.
Upon the whole the account of the celestial life in Petrov’s variant somewhat differs from the laconic Imegenov’s variant . Petrov’s variant is noted for its being more detailed due to its plenitude, the abundance of the deities, their hierarchical ranks and functions. In the Ekhirit-bulagat variant the evil Ataa Ulan is defeated by small Geser when he was still a child whereas in the Unga variant account is given of all the battles of the deities: of the sons of Khan Khyrmos and Atai Ulan, then of the tengris personifying the atmospheric, weather phenomena (summer, winter mists, hoarfrost, winds and others). Then entering into the struggle are the elder celestials and their horses. Khan Khirmos defeats Atai ulan with the help of his son Bukhe Beligte who pierces with his spear the big toe of the right leg of his adversary where kept was his soul.
In “Abai Geser” given in detail is the origin on the earth of the monsters like the evil Sharablin khans; the mighty many-eyed monster Gal Dulme khan (the khan of the Fire and Heat), the woods Host - the swallower of the Orgoli - the white deer; Sherem Minata devil (the devil with the cast-iron whip) inhabiting the other side of the land of Death; Abarga Sesen mangadkhai inhabiting the desert land of Khonin Khoto; Lobsogoldoi the Black mangadkhai and his three sisters Yonkhoboi who appeared from the cut-off parts of Atai-Ulan and his three sisters Yonkhoboi who appeared from the cut parts of the body of Atai Ulan and his three sons.
In the Unga Geseriade one can observe the generalization, the systematization of the myths that are to give account of the appearance of the evil and monsters in the frame of the mythological outlook.
The monsters start destroying all the living on the Earth. There starts the drought and wholesale deaths. The people die, the cattle fall. The deities learn about that from a she-shaman who makes an offering of the tears and phlegm of the sick people to the head of the western (right-side) kind deities Khan Khormusta.
To save the people from the evil and revive the life upon the Earth the heavenly council sends to the Earth the middle son of Khan Khormusta whose name is Bukhe Beligte, the latter then is born for the second time in a childless family who were driven away, those were khan Sengelen and Naran Gokhon, Naran Dulan tengri’s daughter.
The contents of the Petrov’s variant narrates of Geser’s struggle with the monsters who appeared from the remains of Atai Ulan tengri. The hero’s mission on the Earth is formulated in the introduction to the epic which is the following: “He punished the invaders, He curbed the haughty, he tamed the sharp-toothed, he killed predators, beasts of prey – The great Abai Geser, the mighty Abai Geser. He is as tall as eighty cubit, his life duration is eight generations”.
This variant consists of the following main chapters:
- The prologue of the celestials. The battle of the western and eastern celestials. The overthrow of Atai Ulan and his sons onto the Earth. The appearance of the monsters there;
- The wholesale deaths and devastation on the earth, the death of all the living;
- Sending of Bukhe-Beligte, the middle son of the head of the western celestials, onto the earth in order to save the people;
- The miraculous conception and the second birth of the hero. The deeds in childhood of the hero - snotnose;
- The matchmaking and marriage Tumen Yargalan. The second marriage to Urmai Gokhon.
- The hero gains his own true bogatur’s look, becomes Abai geser Bogdo Khan. His marriage to bogatyr-woman Alma-mergen, the daughter of the Lord of seas Lobson;
- Geser’s battle with the Master of the woods Orgoli - The white deer. His victory over the monster;
- The victory over the Abarga enormous snake.
- The betrayal of Geser’s uncle, the black-souled Khara Soton-noyon who sends illness on him;
- To save his wife Tumen Yarlagan went to Abarga Sesen;
- The battle and Geser’s victory over Abarga Sesen mangadkhai;
- The wife gives the hero the stupefying food and Geser forgets about his home;
- The Sharablin khns capture Urmai Gokhon;
- The three celestial sisters - the saviours (the cuckoos) restore Geser’s memory;
- Geser’s campaign against the Sharablin khans. The turning of Geser to a baby - abandoned child, just a foundling and adoption by the khans. The victory and freeing Urmai Gokhon;
- The campaign and victory over Gal Dulme khan;
- Lobsogoi the black mangadkhai having turned into a lama turns Geser to a donkey;
- Alma Mergen khatan sets Geser free;
- The victory of Geser over Lobsogoi, his confinement to a hole – underground;
- Geser’s battle with Sherem Minata devil and the victory over him with the help of the magic wool-carding twig;
- Geser saves the subjects of the Chinese Gumen Sesen khan. P. Petrov’s variant has some additional episodes: “Sagan-Bator” (The white bogatyr), “the four epigones of the world”, “The solitary tree”, that are not found in the other variants of the “Geser” epic.
The similarity with the Mongolian “Geser” is observed in the chapters and episodes of P. Petrov’s variant where it is narrated of Geser’s birth, his deeds in childhood, trial of the sons by Sargal noyon, the sharablin war, the Chinese Gumen Sesen khan.
The Unga version of the “Geser” epic is a vast epical work wherein the events are shown at the background of the whole of the Universe comprising both the Sky, the Earth and the Underground. Observed in the epic is the intensification of the motives developing the theme of the bogatyr heroic deeds, the struggle with the enemies. The epic of Geser is the highest development of the Unga heroic epic involving the traditional system of the epical creative activity of the Buryat people.
