The work is a retelling of Altai cosmogonic, anthropogony, eschatological myths, as well as myths about the nomination of animals, about the origin of the tongue, about the flood, etc. The book presents Landysheväs observations on the mythological and cosmogonic representations of the Turks by the in the middle of the XIX century. He used translator M.V. Chevalkov, who also collaborated with V. Radlov, V. Verbitsky and others. Chevalkov participated in the Altai epic performance, where he served “as a singer and servant”. Legends and myths told by Chevalkov were based on that work. The book also included the legends told by Yefim Kortoy (d. 1880). He spent a significant part of his life passed on the Chinese border, and therefore his religious ideas were syncretic in nature (containing elements of Buddhism).

Landyshev’s storytelling logic was built on the analogy of the Biblical subjects. At first he told about the creation of the world by Ulgen, one of the main gods of the Altai shamanistic pantheon, (the story is distinguished from the Biblical one by the story of the many created worlds), then he told about the creation of man from reeds and clay. It was said that God breathed in human being a soul and mind. The heroes were created by Ulgen. Ulgen gave people the fire, and his servant Yar Chechen gave names to animals, and showed man’s death. Retelling fragments of the Altai epic, Landyshev cited myths about the ruler of the underworld Erlik. One of the central places in that mythological system was occupied by the flood myth, after which the modern world arose. After the flood, Erlik taught people to perform special ritual, so the shamans appeared. And after the flood a variety of languages ​​arose. Landyshev’s essay concludes with a story about the end of the world and the salvation of those who remain faithful to Ulgen.

This work is of great importance for the study of Altai mythology.