The White Ship (Aitmatov novel)

"The White Ship" is a story of a young boy who grows up with his grandfather, Momun, on the shores of Issyk-Kul Lake.

He finds particular interest in the stories that his grandfather tells him about the Horned Mother Deer that is sacred to the Bugu tribe.

A series of tragedies occurs at the end of the novella, and a hunting party kills a sacred deer with Momun and the boy as witnesses.

Longing for love and acceptance, he dives into the waters of a stream nearby to "turn into a fish" and swim towards Issyk-Kul in search of his father.

A controversy surrounded the novel after publication due to its graphic and violent depictions of Soviet Kyrghyz reality as well as hints of child suicide.