Tradition: Ossetian Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Wheel of Balsæg, Cutting Wheel, Barsæg, Marsug
Category: Flame
The Myth
Barcädžy Calh, the Wheel of Balsæg, is a terrifying supernatural weapon in the form of a razor-sharp metal wheel covered in steel teeth, with flames bursting from its surface. It is an intelligent and malevolent automaton capable of moving by itself. When unleashed, the blazing wheel rolls down from the heavens and races across the earth, setting plains and forests ablaze as it charges toward the Black Sea. Only birch trees escape its fiery destruction.
The Wheel plays a central role in the death of Soslan, also known as Sosryko, one of the greatest Nart heroes. After Soslan’s horse is brought down by arrows striking the vulnerable undersides of its hooves, the jealous Syrdon calls upon the Wheel to destroy the hero. Soslan pursues the fiery machine and manages to capture it, but it breaks free and rushes at him, slicing through his knees—the one vulnerable part of his otherwise invulnerable body. Mortally wounded, Soslan is left to die. His sons pursue the Wheel into the Black Sea, but they cannot save their father. Before his death, Soslan takes revenge on Syrdon from beyond the grave, while his nephew later avenges him by breaking the Wheel in half.
The Wheel’s ownership varies between tellings. In some stories, it is sent by the Daughter of the Sun; in others, it belongs to Father Ojnon, identified with John the Baptist. Its master, Balsæg, remains mysterious, and the Wheel itself sometimes appears in simplified versions of the tale as a deadly training discus. Whatever its origin, the blazing Wheel remains a fearsome force of destruction, combining supernatural intelligence, razor-sharp steel, and a trail of fire.
Sources
Barcadzy Calh.” A Book of Creatures. November 9, 2015. https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/11/09/barcadzy-calh/