The Kyrgyz Bugu (or known as the Deer) tribe consider their first ancestor a "Mother Deer." A legend foretells how in ancient times when the earth was covered in forest, a Kyrgyz tribe lived on the banks of Yenesei River near Lake Baikal (in what is now modern-day Russia). Constant fighting occurred between the Kyrgyz tribe and neighboring tribes. When cattle were stolen, wars broke out, leading to the destruction of houses and many casualties.

One day, a beautiful bird appeared and told the Kyrgyz tribe by the Yenesei River that a calamity was coming. But the tribe members ignored the prophecy. Soon after, their leader Kulchoo died. As the tribe prepared to bury him, they heard a noise and their enemies arrived to attack them. Defenseless and taken by surprise, they were killed until no one remained.

A young boy and girl from the tribe had gone into the woods to collect mushrooms, so they escaped the slaughter of their tribe. When they returned, they discovered all their family and friends, including their parents, had died, their homes destroyed, and the river flowed red with blood. Their enemies boasted about the slaughter and the two children waited until they were sure all of their enemies had left before searching for food and help.

Tormented by hunger and fear, they saw signs of civilization at the foot of the mountain. They hurried down only to discover the signs of life were their enemies feasting and celebrating. They rushed forward, begging for food, having been overcome with hunger and forgetting their fear. One kind old woman took pity on them and provided boiled meat. However, others identified them as belonging to the Kyrgyz tribe they killed, so they carried them to the Khan. There, the Khan sat on his white carpet and drank Koumiss (translator's note: a drink made from mare's milk, which was also used as medicine). The Khan became furious that they survived and ordered the old woman to kill them.

She took them to a cliff overlooking the Yenesei River and prepared to throw them over it. Instead, she prayed to the river to accept them and take pity on them since there was no other place on earth for them. She also asked for forgiveness. She heard a voice and a large maral deer with big black eyes and milk. The deer explained to the old woman that hunters killed her children and she wanted to nurse the two human children.

Surprised, the old woman said, "You don't know man. They have no respect for animals - or each other. All you are doing is inviting pain and suffering. Why do you want to do that?"

The mother deer replied she would take the children away as she had plenty of milk to feed and care for them. She assured the old woman she would be a good mother. The old woman gave her consent and the children followed the deer. The deer took them far away, over the mountains to Lake Issyk-Kul where she nursed and raised the. There, the two children got married and had two sons, known as Tynymsejit and Alesejit. They called their new tribe the Bugu, the tribe of the Mother Deer.

Tynymsejit moved to the Naryn region with his family, while Alesejit remained around Lake Issyk-Kul. At some point later, the harmony shared between the Bugu and the deer came to an end. In the Issyk-Kul region, some people killed deer and used their antlers as decorations for their graves. The deer left, disappearing deep into the mountains. 

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