(Later, Vallaki Vistani) The Guardian of Ghakis
Legends say the Guardian of Ghakis was born, or created, in a time when the land was young. It was pet, mount, and guardian for the White Sun. Every day the god rode across the sky on the back of this enormous creature, nearly as brilliant white as the god himself. Every night they would return and it would guard the White Sun's home high, high, high up on Mount Ghakis to the south - and their brilliance faded, and the other gods took their moments.
But when the sun god vanished, the guardian had no master. In its loss it became feral with rage. Already large beyond proportions, they say it grew as big as a dragon, and could tear apart a warhorse as easily as a man tears a piece of bread! Yet no matter how wild it became, it never gave up guarding the mountain - as if stubbornly waiting for the return of its master.
Of course nobody knows exactly what it is—no one has seen it in untold time! Many use this as proof to say it never existed, or that met its end long ago. But maybe it's because giorgio is stupid enough to venture close to where it lives. Or maybe still, this thing is very good at selecting its meals… and no one lives to tell the tale!
As for us? We tell our little ones if they misbehave, we will tie them to a donkey and send it running out through a clearing in the middle of the night, so that the mighty Guardian of Ghakis will come flying by and snatch them up, donkey and all!