This epic taigan was named Kumayik, not by chance: The name Kumayik is the symbol of good skills and bravery. Once upon a time, there lived a virtuous Kyrgyz who was a good cattle-breeder and a successful hunter. He had two dogs: one for shepherding and the other for hunting- a taigan. Hunting was the way of life for this early Kyrgyz. Generations and generations before him were hunters, and weapons were inherited with great pride and respect. The taigan was the indispensable partner for his forefathers and for him.

One day, a family of wolves settled close to the hunter’s home. His neighbors were troubled, as the wolfs hunted cattle and their howl ruled the night. In one of the wolf raids on the settlement, the hunter was able to slay the alpha male. But the she-wolf managed to escape. She knew the dangers posed to her wolfcubs by the hunter and his dogs. So, she continued raiding alone with great bravery and danger to herself, killing the puppies of the hunting dogs, the future hunters of her bloodline. The hunter conceived a plan to catch the she-wolf. But she was too clever, evading his many traps and ambushes. And no dog would dare confront the she-wolf, for she had become very strong and powerful, with the vengeance of a mother defending her offspring.

So the hunter decided to enlist the mountain golden eagle, hoping it could catch the she - wolf. But even the golden eagle was no match, and was killed also. As a last hope, the hunter decided to tame the largest bird of them all, much bigger than the golden eagle: the snow vulture. The hunter climbed to highest rock, to the nest of the flying beast and captured its young. In Kyrgyz this bird is called kumay. Kumay is bigger than the golden eagle, but not as brave. To embolden the nestling and nurture its malice, the hunter raised the young vulture using the same harsh training methods as for hunting dogs: solitary confinement. The hunter did not reveal his pupil to anyone. He labored and constructed a deep dug-out for the nestling.

This, however, did not escape the attention of the she-wolf, who observed with great trepidation. For she knew that people are the source of harm against her kind. She tried to penetrate the dug-out many times, but without success.

Some time later, inside the dug-out resounded the bark of a puppy.

In spite of this, the hunter continued to feed the beast meat and boiled talkan. (Talkan is roasted maize flour, from which Kyrgyz people prepared very useful and curative, non-alcoholic drink called maksim.)

Time passed and the young snow vulture emerged from its dug-out as a strong, clever and invulnerable dog. The very sight of this specimen was enough to make the she-wolf flee. The hunter named this dog Kumayik, in honor of its birth as a kumay.

Kumayik served the hunter with honor and courage, and left behind many puppies. It is very interesting, that in every brood there was only one puppy. And that is why even now days the Kyrgyz call a lone puppy in the brood Kumayik. Many Kyrgyz hunters are convinced that a sole puppy grows up stronger, more clever and brave than other dogs. Perhaps this is because lone puppy has more food and receives more training from its parents. Hunters believe that wolfs feel very threatened by such a puppy, and make every effort to destroy it.

In ancient times, the nomadic kyrgyz had two breed of dogs: the Kyrgyz borzoi taigan and the Kyrgyz sheep-dog. The taigan still exists as a pure breed today, and is the most capable hunter. The kyrgyz sheep-dog - which was one of the breeds that fostered the later breed of Middle Asia sheep-dog in the nursery of “Red dawn” - is now on the verge of disappearance. Only a few Kyrgyz sheep-dog remain in the remotest parts of the country. The main factor behind the waning of this breed is cross-breeding.

Kyrgyz people highly appreciate a good dog. Sometimes, they would even trade many cattle for one good puppy. And if one ever needs an example of such a venerable dog, they only need to remember the story of Kumayik.