Semetei. Semetei's Trip to Aychurek. Part - 2

Let Semetey, exercising the right of a bridegroom, lie in the palace of Aichurek. Leaving him in peace, we will move on to the story of Chinkodjo and Toltoy.

***
Ajibai, Aichurek's brother, was known for his remarkable eloquence, but he was a coward. Tyumenbai, another brother, was not eloquent, but he was brave.

More than eighty days, the established period for waiting for Chinkodjo and Toltoy, had passed, and there were seven more days. Climbing up the tower, Ajibai and Tyumenbai saw that Chinkodjo and Toltoy, surrounding the city, were advancing. They had as many troops as ants in an anthill, and seeing them, Ajibai nearly fell from fear off the tower. After consulting, the brothers decided among themselves that they could not give Aichurek to such terrible enemies.

- Chinkodjo and Toltoy are formidable enemies, - they said, - pitying the girl, we will doom our father Akhun-khan and all the Afghan people. To save them from trouble, we will bring gifts and tribute to the enemies.

And they drove a multitude of livestock, threw up a white banner, and, placing their hands on their chests in a sign of submission, came to Toltoy and Chinkodjo themselves. At that time, Chinkodjo, calling Toltoy, boasted:

- As long as I am alive, I will proclaim you khan of the whole world. You see how much livestock they are driving us as a gift. Now I will take Aichurek for you.

But Toltoy replied:

- I do not trust their words. It is best to crush their strength completely and take their girls and young women as war booty. Nothing else will do for them, and I will never believe their promises.

To this, Chinkodjo said:

- Do not say that, brave Toltoy, but rather remember that a wife taken by force will never be a good wife. Therefore, I will send matchmakers and take her as my wife willingly.

He made all his army dismount, divided all the people into tens, and divided the livestock brought by the Afghans as a gift among the warriors for slaughter. Then Chinkodjo arrived at Djibai and Tyumenbai and asked them:

- Will you give us Aichurek or not? If you do not give her, know that I will kill all your people, destroy the whole city, and take her by force.

Then Djibai said:

- To tell the truth, we do not even think of giving you Aichurek and are deceiving you, because the matchmaking between Manas and Akhun-khan was arranged even before their children were born. Manas's son, Semetey, grew up an orphan in Bukhara, but now, having reached adulthood, he has moved to Talas. He has awakened a thirst for blood, he killed his grandfather Jakyp, his uncles Abike and Kyobesh, and slaughtered the remaining forty choro from his father. If one fine day he comes and asks us: "Where is my bride Aichurek?" - what will we answer him? He can destroy us all. And you should know that Aichurek, turning into a white swan, has flown away, and where she is - we do not know. Chinkodjo, getting angry, said:

- The vagabond Semetey is not braver than me. I have defeated his brave but foolish father Manas six times with my own hands. I know better than anyone how to deal with Semetey.

- Well, we agree, - replied the frightened Ajibai, - if Aichurek does not obey us, we will give her to you bound. Still, tell me, who among you thinks of taking her as a wife?

Chinkodjo said:

- Toltoy will take her, and if she does not like him, then I will take her.

Angered, Tyumenbai replied:

- May you be cursed, fools by birth! Do we have to give Aichurek for both of you? We can only give her to one of you! - and having said this, he got into an argument with Chinkodjo, said many bold words to him, and rudely insulted both of them. A fight broke out between them, so that those around had a hard time separating them.

Ajibai promised Chinkodjo:

- If we do not keep our word and do not give you Aichurek, may my ancestors be kapyra! Let Toltoy come for her no later than in seven days.

After that, the brothers returned to the city. On the way, Tyumenbai severely scolded Ajibai for his cowardice.
Upon returning home, they began to look for a convenient opportunity to somehow deceive and take Aichurek and give her to Chinkodjo and Toltoy. To this end, they came to her in her golden palace. But Aichurek already knew all their plans in advance.

- We decided to give you to Chinkodjo and Toltoy, because if we do not do this, they will destroy our city and all our people, - Ajibai said to her.

Aichurek, not showing any sign, replied, cunningly smiling:

- If you killed a man and gave me as payment for the murder, or took a large tribute from them, and first ordered to bring Toltoy's horse Surkoen and Chinkodjo's black horse, then I would agree.

Ajibai and Tyumenbai, exchanging glances so that Aichurek would not notice, said:

- We will take the horses you mentioned, and in addition, we will take many other livestock.

Meanwhile, Toltoy believed the promise given by Ajibai and Tyumenbai, and the agreed seven days seemed to him like seven years. Bored and unable to find a place for himself from excitement to wait calmly, he told those around him about how in ancient times the funeral for khan Kyokyote was arranged and how during this funeral Koshoy-khan defeated the Chinese buffoon Joloy, and Manas defeated Konurbai.

- If we now take the bride from the son of this bloodsucker, Semetey, - said Toltoy to those around him, - we will do something bad. Taking Aichurek, we will dig our own grave. Let us take her by force today, but what will we do tomorrow? Death will come to us from Semetey! Let's better leave this matter.

Hearing these words, Chinkodjo fell into a great rage.

- Semetey is not braver than me, - he said, - I have no less courage than he does. I can easily defeat Semetey, and if I measure myself against him, I will finish you off too, Toltoy, for your worthless words!

Finally, the days appointed according to the agreement with Ajibai and Tyumenbai passed. Toltoy was invited to go for Aichurek as a bridegroom, but he began to evade this under various pretexts and showed no desire to go. Chinkodjo was angry and scolded him, and Toltoy, fearing him and feeling as if he were tied by the neck, finally, against his will, gathered to go to the city of Akhun-khan as Aichurek's bridegroom.

Toltoy's attendants, pouring full vessels of arak, began to drink with him for courage, and when he became tipsy, they put him on a horse and sent him on his way. As he departed, he said:

- My death has come anyway!

Semetey. Semetey's journey to Aichurek. Part - 1