Erkei-Mergen and the Seven Suns
Long ago, seven suns rose in the sky simultaneously, drying up all rivers and vegetation on earth. Men and animals struggled to survive in the unbearable heat. A famous archer named Erkei-Mergen stepped forward to save the world. Using his divine bow, he shot down the extra suns one by one, restoring balance to the world. The story explains the origin of the single sun and moon in the sky and is one of the most widespread Mongol folktales about the regulation of celestial bodies, reflecting the ancient Mongols' interest in natural phenomena and their origins.