Olga says that in the past gigantic snakes lived on the steppe and that they chased people. She recounts a story that she heard in her childhood about an old man who was chased by a giant snake. As one should do in such a situation, the man galloped towards the sun. It is believed that these snakes could kill people with their tail. Small snakes with horns, by contrast, are beneficial to people. Kalmyks use a snake’s horn for various purposes. Olga says that Kalmyks imagine thunder as a dragon roaring in the sky and lightning as a one-legged white bird running from the dragon. The bird can get tired and sneak into one’s house through a pipe or windows. That is why it is forbidden to look out of the window during lightening. This white bird can also sneak underneath a woman’s white dress. Hence, the ban on wearing a white dress.