Giants and the First People

Pyrenean mythology includes numerous giants, the jentilak, who preceded current humans. Unlike the stupid giants of many folklores, jentilak possessed great knowledge and skill:

The Builders

Jentilak constructed: - Megalithic monuments (every dolmen and menhir attributed to them) - Ancient bridges spanning impossible gorges - Circular stone huts still used by shepherds - The original mountain paths and passes

Their building methods remain mysterious. Stories describe them tossing massive stones like pebbles, or singing stones into place. Modern engineers studying their attributed works find constructions that seem to defy ancient technological capabilities.

The Teachers

Before departing, jentilak taught humans essential skills: - Metallurgy (why Basque iron was medieval Europe's finest) - Cheese-making (the techniques for mountain cheeses) - Weather prediction (signs still used by shepherds) - The calendar (based on lunar and solar observations)

Their Departure

Various stories explain why jentilak left: - Christianity's arrival (they couldn't bear church bells) - The birth of a jentil child with a strange mark (prophecy of their end) - Climate change (the mountains grew too cold) - Human ingratitude (we stopped honoring their teachings)

Most versions include jentilak retreating underground or overseas, with promises to return when humanity proves worthy of their knowledge again.

Pedro the shepherd of Roncal, speaking in 1954: "My grandfather saw the last jentil. He was ancient even then, living in a cave above the tree line. Grandfather brought him cheese and bread, and the jentil taught him the weather signs—which clouds bring snow, which wind brings wolves. When the jentil died, he was too heavy to move, so grandfather walled up the cave. It's still there, though I won't say where. The jentilak deserve their peace."