The Tungusic creation myths are traditional stories of the creation of the world belonging to the Tungusic peoples of Siberia. In one well known version the story begins when nothing exists but a vast primordial ocean. Buga, their central deity, set fire to this water, and following a long struggle the flames consumed much of the water, exposing dry, hard land. Then Buga created the light and separated it from darkness, and descended to the newly created land. There he confronted Buninka, the devil, and a dispute arose between them over who had created the world. Buninka was spiteful and tried to injure Buga's creation. He broke Buga's twelve-stringed lyre, and Buga angrily challenged Buninka to make a fir-tree and raise it to stand fast and firm in the middle of the sea. Buga agreed he wo