Semetey. The Move of Semetey from Bukhara to Talas. Part - 1

The relocation of Semetey from Bukhara to Talas.

By this time, forty choro had returned home. They arrived just as this clash was taking place. Akylai came out to them and said:

- You have seen much good from Manas. Therefore, if you want to please me, his former wife, take revenge on that worthless orphan Semetey, who beat Kyobesh without you and left, taking all our possessions. Please, avenge my grievance on this scoundrel!

Then from among the choro, Shuutu stepped forward and said:
- Can anyone be happy who goes against the spirit of Manas? Can anyone survive who stands against Semetey?

He spoke many frightening words to the forty choro, scaring them so much that none of them dared to defend Kyobesh.

Meanwhile, Bakai and Semetey, after the slaughter, traveled a great distance without stopping and, upon arriving at their lodging, lay down to sleep. In the morning, Bakai said to Semetey:

- Last night I had a fateful dream that I had not seen in twelve years. This means that today I must either die or rejoice beyond measure.

Semetey began to assure him that this dream was a harbinger of happiness and good fortune. Climbing up a mountain ridge, they looked into the distance and suddenly saw a cloud of thick dust; while they were guessing what this dust was, a galloping red horse appeared.

Bakai understood first what was happening and said:

- My unfortunate orphan, it is Taibuurul seeking you; this is the very horse that will serve you in your campaigns.

As they spoke, Taibuurul, joyfully neighing, ran up to Semetey, sniffed him, and extended his neck to him. Seeing him, Semetey thought:

- Although this horse is just an animal, it seems to act this way out of respect for my father's memory. Could I be worse than him?

Along with Taibuurul came a gray mare of Manas, who had been hiding and became invisible. In memory of Manas, Semetey and Bakai slaughtered her at that very spot as a sacrifice.

Then, traveling further, they found many Kyrgyz who could not bear the unbearable taxes of Kyobesh and had fled to the mountains. Many people, upon learning that Semetey, the son of the gray-maned Manas, had arrived, passed this joyful news to one another; some galloped from aiyl to aiyl and, gathering in crowds, joyfully slaughtered sacrifices: the wealthy - mares, and the poor - rams.

Manas's sister Kardyga, fearing that Abike with Kyobesh and the forty choro would harm Bakai and Semetey, had been observing everything from the sidelines and was always on guard. Only when she saw that Semetey had armed himself with his father's armor and mounted Taibuurul did she decide that now the enemies would not be able to defeat him. Calming down, she quietly left them and headed home.

And Semetey, sitting on Taibuurul, continued on his way with Bakai. And then Manas's dog - Kumayik came out to meet him. Taking her, they rode further. Then Akshumkar flew out to meet them, bringing his chick, wishing to give it to the son of Manas. Semetey took Akshumkar's chick. Bakai tied silk leashes to it, and Semetey placed it on his arm.

Having caught Akshumkar, Semetey joyfully decided to slaughter the Aqtulpar he had received in Bukhara and bring it as a sacrifice in memory of Manas. But Bakai dissuaded him, reminding him that this would upset Temir-khan, who had gifted him this horse.

- Bakai-khan, aba! I must leave today, - said Semetey to him, - because the day has come when I promised my mother and grandmother to return to them. I will lose them if I do not fulfill my promise, - he said, and he and Bakai agreed that after staying in Bukhara, Semetey would return again to Talas.

What Semetey had dreamed of came true. He mounted Taibuurul, donned Manas's armor, placed Akshumkar on his arm, loaded Aqtulpar with cargo, and took Kumayik with him. Firmly embracing Bakai, he bid him farewell and rode towards Bukhara.

***

Setting off on his journey, encouraging Taibuurul with the reins, Semetey said to himself:

- If I do not arrive today, my mother and grandmother will die of longing.

At that moment, old Chiyyrdy indeed fell ill and lay down in bed. Kanykey also began to worry, saying:

- Why is my unfortunate one so late? When will he finally arrive?

She climbed up to Temir-khan's tower, took the large spyglass left by Manas, and began to look at the road along which Semetey was supposed to arrive. Peering closely, she saw a man riding along the road, holding Akshumkar on his arm and leading Kumayik behind him. This man looked exactly like Manas. It was her son Semetey.

Seeing Semetey approaching, Kanykey ran down from the tower, rushed to Chiyyrdy, and said:

- Joyful news! Our gray-maned orphan is returning!

Hearing this news, the weakened Chiyyrdy cried out in joy, suddenly gaining strength, and got up from her bed.

Learning that Semetey was coming, Temir-khan and Ismail, together with Kanykey, went out to meet him. When they met, Kumayik, who had not seen Kanykey for twelve years, began to hide her head in her embrace with a whimper: like a person, she shed tears, expressing her sorrow and joy. This dog understood and felt everything like a human. Meeting her, Kanykey was so moved that she cried.

Seeing Kanykey's and Kumayik's tears, everyone around also cried, sympathizing with them. And among the people, there was such talk: "It seems that happiness and good fortune of his father, the lion Manas, have passed on to Semetey; he has become even greater and more beautiful than Manas himself."

When Kanykey heard these words, she was afraid that Semetey might be cursed, so she ordered nine bulls to be slaughtered and distributed them to the people.

In anger, Semetey said to Kanykey:

- Where is my people and where is my homeland? You, running away to Bukhara as a vagabond, have disgraced my name. I will elevate Sarytaza-aba to khan, and I myself will immediately move to Talas. I will make Bakai and Sarytaza khans, and my relatives Abike, Chinkodjo, Kulchoro, the son of Almanbet, and Kanchoro, the son of Chubak, my battle companions. I will gather a large army from the Kyrgyz and go with them to take revenge on the Chinese khan Konurbai for my father Manas. I will declare a merciless war on the numerous Chinese people, like ants.

Temir-khan began to implore Semetey, saying:

- My dear unfortunate one, why are you in such a hurry? Perhaps you have been told that a large army is already coming from China or Kokand? If indeed the enemies are coming, tell me, I will immediately gather a large number of the Bukhara people and provide you with a great army. Tell me the whole truth, my gray-maned!

Semetey replied to him:

- I will not go with a large army into the land of my native Kyrgyz people living in Talas; I will go to my homeland to fatten horses there, gather brave men, and go with them into battle to avenge the death of my father Manas. Before starting the campaign against China, I will notify you and the other khans with my letters to gather a large army and assist me.

Temir-khan said to Semetey:

- I raised you from a young age, I made you the Bukhara khan, and now, if you leave, what will happen to us? What strength will we have left? After all, we are surrounded by hostile peoples. If you leave us, enemies may attack and defeat us, - he said, pleading with his grandson not to leave.

He wanted to somehow convince Semetey to stay with his words, and therefore he deceived and frightened him. But Semetey did not listen to Temir-khan and even began to get angry with him.

When Temir-khan realized that Semetey would leave despite everything, he gathered a council of elders to discuss how best to send Semetey off.

Temir-khan said:

- Semetey, the orphan of Manas, we have raised since childhood, hiding him from everyone. Now he can tell us: "You separated me from my relatives and my homeland since I was an infant." Saying this, he may become angry, destroy Bukhara, and cause us irreparable harm. Would it not be better, agreeing with him, to send him off to his homeland peacefully so that he does not ruin us?

Having made this decision, Temir-khan and Ismail invited Semetey to them and said:

- If you have decided to go - go, just do not forget us. Take whatever you want with you - take it all, here is all our property for you, here is the people, we will not spare our heads for you.

By Semetey's order, Sarytaza was summoned to Bukhara, dressed in Temir-khan's golden robe, and elevated to khan. His name since then became Sary-khan.

Temir-khan drove a thousand of his tulpars before Semetey, offering him to choose as many as he needed. Kanykey chose a black-maned tulpar, which she rode when she was a girl.

Sary-khan liked the tulpar Tuuchunak, and he chose it for himself. Then Temir-khan opened his storerooms full of gold, loaded eight camels with them, covered the loads with silks and carpets, and tied golden reins to the camels. He allocated eighty warriors for loading the camels.

- It cannot be allowed, - he said to his courtiers, - that Semetey leaves Bukhara empty-handed, so gather girls younger than sixteen and older than thirteen, and whichever one pleases Semetey, let him take her.

Then they gathered among the subjects of Bukhara all the girls younger than sixteen and older than thirteen and brought them before Semetey. When the girls passed before him one by one, he chose one - the one whose beauty could not be compared to the moon or the sun; she was a precious ruby. This girl was the daughter of Shatemir-khan, and her name was Chachykey.

When this happened, Shatemir came to Temir-khan and said:

- The groom of Chachykey was Chinkodjo. What shall we do now? I myself like that Semetey is taking her, but tell me, what should we do?

Temir-khan replied:

- I will answer to Chinkodjo myself, so you live peacefully.

Then Temir-khan slaughtered a hundred yalu mares and organized a great celebration, giving Chachykey to Semetey.

Semetey. The trip of Semetey to Talas. Part - 4