Semetei. First Encounters with Enemies. Part - 2

After Muradyl's death, the remaining Chinese could not resist and fled. The entire numerous enemy army was ruthlessly slaughtered. Semetey, Bakay, Kulchoro, and Kanchoro let the captured horses into their herds and continued their journey towards their ails.

The bullet that hit Semetey from Konurbay lodged in his bone. While fighting Muradyl, in the heat of the moment he did not feel the pain of the wound. When the battle ended and the heroes had traveled some distance, clots of black blood began to flow from Semetey's mouth, and he started to lose consciousness. Bakay gave him various medicinal remedies, but they were of no use.

Semetey felt very heavy-hearted that he was wounded not in battle, but through his own carelessness.

- If I had died fighting Konurbay one-on-one, I would have been satisfied, but if I die now - it means I have wasted my youth.

He was very sad and mourned over this, but did not say a word to his comrades. Semetey's illness worsened, and Bakay, calling Kulchoro, said to him:

- We will take him to a secluded place and wait, while you choose the six best horses and, without stopping anywhere day or night, ride to Semetey's ailing for Aichurek. Only she, stepping over Semetey, can extract the bullet lodged in his body. If she cannot do anything either, then there is nothing to be done - it means fate has decreed we lose our tiger. Look, do not tell Kanykey or Chiyyrdy anything about the serious injury of the gray horse. If you inform them about this, their hearts will break from grief.

Kulchoro, following Bakay's orders, without sleep or rest, changing horses, arrived in Talas. Seeing Kulchoro, Aichurek's face changed.

- Poor boy, tell me, what news have you brought here? You look so sad.

Kulchoro, taking Aichurek aside and remaining alone with her, told her everything from beginning to end.

- From the very beginning, I kept telling him: "Do not go on this campaign alone," she began to lament. "Beidzhin is no joking ground, and the Chinese are serious enemies. I told him: 'If you want to fight Konurbay and avenge your father's death, take an army with you that would shake the earth, gather enough supplies, check the preparations, and only then set out on the campaign.'" For these words, he began to scold me, saying: "You foolish woman, your hair is long, but your mind is short, why do you meddle in men's affairs?" Not only did he say this to me, but he struck me hard on the back, nearly killing me. I knew that this misfortune would happen to you even before you set out.

Kulchoro said to her:

- There is no benefit in you mourning here. It is better to set out with me immediately and try to extract the bullet lodged in Semetey's body.

After asking about Semetey's whereabouts, Aichurek, instantly transforming into a swan, flew there.

Kulchoro went to see Kanykey and Chiyyrdy, but did not tell them anything about what had happened. Kanykey gave him more military supplies and provisions. Loading all this onto the horses, he set off on the return journey.

Meanwhile, Semetey's health continued to deteriorate. Bakay was filled with fear; he had only one thought: to save Semetey's life at all costs. Clots of black blood were increasingly flowing from Semetey's mouth, and he kept falling into unconsciousness. To prevent the wound from becoming infected, Bakay immersed him in water, tying him up so that the current would not carry him away.

At that moment, suddenly strange sounds were heard from the west. When Bakay looked back, he saw a white swan soaring high above them in the sky. Upon closer inspection, he recognized Aichurek. She descended to the ground, took on human form, and, bowing low to Bakay, began to ask him about Semetey's condition. Bakay shared his fears with her. Aichurek approached the tied-up Semetey in the water and, quickly stepping over the wounded man, extracted the bullet from the wound (83). As soon as the bullet was out, Semetey breathed freely and began to feel better.

At that moment, with the military supplies received from Kanykey, Kulchoro arrived. They began to give Semetey the medicines sent by Kanykey, his wound started to heal quickly, and soon the place where it had been became as it was before.

When Semetey recovered from his wound, he called Bakay and said:

- Bakay-aba, I have healed from my wound. Now I will go again to fight Konurbay. Be my standard-bearer!

Bakay replied:

- My son, keep in mind the words of the elder. Revenge for the gray horse is a good and just cause. I promise to hold your banner and lead the campaign, but remember: it is not easy to deal with Konurbay; four of us will not be able to do anything. Listen to me, let us return to our ails now. There we will gather all the people, equip a large army, prepare enough military supplies, and next year we will go to fight Konurbay. Agree with what I have said, my lion, I beg you!

Kulchoro, irritated by Bakay's words, said:

- You are afraid for no reason, aba! Has life become so sweet to you in old age? Do you not know that if someone is destined to die, he will die even sitting at home? If you do not go, then I will go alone and destroy the Chinese and avenge the gray horses.

Semetey liked this speech; he praised Kulchoro in his heart and decided to go on a campaign against China. Kanchoro did not dare to refuse and, against his will, filled with fear, still set off with them.

When the three heroes made this decision, Bakay, ashamed to return to Talas alone, also decided to go with them. They sent Aichurek back to their ail, and the four of them set off again on the road to Beidzhin to fight Konurbay.

Let them go their way, and now let us listen to what is happening with Konurbay.

Gathering all his subjects, Konurbay addressed them with these words:

- As you all know, during the Great Campaign we killed the Kyrgyz heroes - Almambet, Chubak, Syrgak, and many others, while Manas, having received a severe wound, returned to his country and soon died from those wounds. We caused the Kyrgyz people a great deal of trouble and suffering. From Manas, there is a son - Semetey, from Almambet - Kulchoro, from Chubak - Kanchoro. These young men turned out to be even braver than their fathers. They have decided to take revenge on us for the deaths of Manas, Almambet, Chubak, and other heroes we killed.

To fight Semetey and Kulchoro one-on-one is beyond the strength not only of the numerous Chinese people, as thick as cow's hair, but of the entire world. If they manage to come here, they will destroy our entire nation.

Konurbay told those gathered how the Kyrgyz heroes exterminated the numerous army of Muradyl and ordered that the entire nation begin preparing for war. He commanded that the city be surrounded by a wall forty spans thick.

Gathering all his giants and a large army, Konurbay set out against Semetey with a huge supply of military provisions and headed for Talas.

One morning, while Bakay was performing ablution, he noticed a thick cloud of dust in the east. Seeing the rising dust, he guessed that the numerous troops of Konurbay were approaching. He hastily called Kulchoro and said:
- What I have seen, you also see, and what I know - do you know? There, Konurbay is coming with an army under which the earth is bending. The time has come when you can be of use. If you want to show your bravery, now you can do it.

Upon hearing Bakay's words, Kulchoro, rejoicing as if he were going to a celebration, began to put on his armor and prepare for battle. Semetey did not like that Kulchoro wanted to go into battle alone. But Kulchoro, jumping on his Surkoyen and receiving Bakay's blessing, galloped off to meet the numerous army of Konurbay.

To duel with Kulchoro, a giant named Tokshuger, as tall as a hill and capable of knocking down a camel with a single punch, emerged from Konurbay's warriors.

As soon as they clashed, Kulchoro knocked Tokshuger down with the first blow and cut off his head. The second giant to engage Kulchoro was Orok; Kulchoro immediately knocked him off his horse and beheaded him. When both giants, on whom Konurbay had high hopes, were defeated and beheaded, he angrily ordered his warriors:

- Surround this Kulchoro and capture him alive!

The Chinese heroes immediately obeyed the order and surrounded Kulchoro.

Semetey and Bakay watched all this from a distance. When they saw that Kulchoro was in danger, they could not bear it and, with a battle cry in honor of Manas, rushed at the enemies. Semetey charged like a whirlwind. To Konurbay, he appeared as an angel of death. From excitement, his heart froze, and blood rushed to his throat.

- While I am still alive and healthy, I must flee, otherwise, in the end, they will kill me too, - he thought.
With this decision, he began to whip his horse Alghara and set off to flee to Beidzhin. Fearing that he would be caught from behind, he cast a spell to summon rain.

The battle, despite the rain, continued for several days. The heroes slaughtered the numerous warriors coming from China like falcons among a flock of crows. Few of the numerous Chinese warriors escaped and fled; almost all of them perished on the spot.

And Konurbay, returning home, described Semetey as follows:

I have seen many giants and heroes,
But I have not met anyone like Semetey.
His ear shell is the size of a shield,
His open eyes are equal in size to the star Cholpon.
His hand is strong, his heart is like stone.
With immense power, fearless,
He is broad-shouldered.
Not only China, but the whole world
He can destroy.
He does not resemble other youths:
No one can look at him.
If you look at him from the front,
He appears like an ajidaru,
If you look at him from behind,
He hides the strength of six thousand heroes.
His might is immeasurable:
He does not resemble other people.
Near Semetey
There are young men who resemble him.
If you look at them,
Each of them is as tall as half a mountain.
They can crush anyone they meet on the way,
They can pierce any man with a spear.
They come to us with war.
I do not know if they will leave anyone alive?
Prepare for battle, my heroes!
You are my equals, not retreating in a fight,
Not returning from the red fire,
Having made noise in many places,
Raising the striped banner and standard!
Can a person live at such a time without preparing for battle?
So prepare yourselves too, my heroes!
This time there will be a great battle,
It will be called - the Small Campaign.
We must not lose our honor and glory in it!

Semetey. First Encounters with Enemies. Part - 1