Jirtdan

Once upon a time, in a village, there lived a tiny boy called Jirtdan. He was only a hand tall, but his mind was as big as a mountain. Sometimes the village children would not let him join their games because he was so small.

One day the village children went into the forest to gather firewood. Jirtdan followed them. "You're too small, you'll get left behind," they said. "I won't be any trouble," said Jirtdan, and he climbed into one of the children's pockets. While they were gathering wood, it grew dark and the children lost their way.

In the distance they saw a light. When they walked towards it, they came to a huge house. An old woman opened the door: "Oh, my little ones, this is the house of the Div! Quick, hide in that corner!" But when the Div came home, he sniffed the air: "I smell humans here!" He found the children. He laughed a huge laugh: "Sleep here tonight. In the morning I'll deal with you."

The children trembled with fear. But Jirtdan did not sleep at all. At midnight the Div called out: "Who isn't asleep?" "Jirtdan isn't asleep!" came the answer. "Why not?" "Every night my mother brings me water in a sieve. I can't sleep without a drink."

Grumbling, the Div took the sieve and went to the spring. He filled the sieve with water, and the water ran out. He filled it again, and again it ran out. All night long he struggled at the spring.

Meanwhile Jirtdan woke the children: "Shhh! Quick, follow me." He found the way by looking at the stars. While the Div was busy with the sieve, the children crossed the forest and reached the village just before dawn. When their mothers and fathers saw them, they cried with joy.

Back in the village, the children lifted Jirtdan onto their shoulders. "What would we have done without you?" they said. And from that day on, no game was ever played without Jirtdan.

This tale tells us: a person's worth is not measured by their height. A calm and clever heart can outwit even the biggest giant.