Semetey's trip to Talas. Part - 2
There was this Belyokbay, a close friend of Manas, the chief over the forty cripples guarding Manas's treasury. He himself was a cripple, ugly in appearance. After Manas's death, Abike and Kyobesh beat Belyokbay and his forty cripples during the division of property and drove them into the mountains like dogs. Since then, he wandered in the mountains, living off hunting.
That day, Belyokbay had a dream: he dreamed that Semetey had arrived.
Waking up, he called his forty cripples, told them about his dream, climbed onto a watch stone to see what was around and where Bakai was. Looking around, he saw that Bakai was doing something in just a shirt, bent over. Looking closer, he noticed that there seemed to be another person near Bakai.
Belyokbay, taking his forty cripples and the gray horse he had fed and watered for twelve years to slaughter when Semetey arrived, went towards Bakai. When he approached, he saw that the long-awaited Semetey had indeed arrived.
- This is how God arranges our affairs, - said Belyokbay and joyfully fell on Semetey's chest.
He told him everything he had experienced and endured. It turned out that both he and all his forty cripples had no clothes and walked naked.
Seeing this, Semetey led them to the place where Kanikei had hidden the treasures and dressed them all from head to toe.
Then, together with Bakai, Semetey left, while Belyokbay and his people were ordered to stay in place and a day for his return was set.
On the way, Bakai told Semetey about Manas's campaigns, showing the lands around them as they passed.
- During your father's life, the sultan, we did not encounter lands and peoples that did not submit to us. During Manas's campaigns, surrounded by forty choro, we never met anyone who opposed us. During your father's life - the leopard Manas, life in Talas was a continuous and daily celebration.
Your father always obeyed me in everything, called me Bakai-khan, and did not make a single decision without my advice. But not even thirty days passed after your father's eyes - the leopard Manas - closed forever, and we began to endure insults and persecutions.
Bakai detailed to Semetey the sufferings endured by his mother from the scoundrels Abike and Kyobesh, how she fled with the infant son of Manas and the old Chiyyrda with his help from persecution to her father Temir-khan in Bukhara.
- The tortures endured by Kanikei and her fleeing to Bukhara - all this is the work of your grandfather.
When they approached the place, Bakai pointed his hand into the distance.
- Do you see there - that is the aiyl of Jakyp. You stay here for now, and I will go there and find out what good and bad thoughts your grandfather has. But I foresee that he cannot have any good thoughts about you. You cannot go into his yurt without taking the necessary precautions. He has prepared a pit for us, forty mah deep, and a poisoned buza. Be careful if you sit down to eat and drink, otherwise you will perish.
Having said this and leaving Semetey, Bakai headed to the aiyl of Jakyp. Upon arriving there, he came to Jakyp.
Seeing Bakai, Jakyp flew into a rage:
- You dog, Bakai, it was you who persuaded the bitch Kanikei to leave us and helped her escape to her homeland! For what you have done and for killing sixty of my batyrs, I will now deal with you and cut off your head, - and saying this, he became even more furious.
Bakai replied to him:
- Don't get so worked up, you old man, cunning head! Everything you say is the absolute truth. I have now come to settle accounts for all the offenses you have caused me over the past twelve years. I have brought with me the orphan Semetey. You cunning head, don't be brave! Now I have enough strength against you. I will tear your head off myself, - saying this, Bakai also became furious. Hearing that Semetey had arrived, Jakyp immediately changed his face and said:
- My dear Bakai-khan! Is it true that God has sent me such joy? Has the orphan left from the unfortunate Manas really come? My dear, bright seer, take all my possessions for the joyful news you have brought me, and if that is not enough for you, take my life, but quickly show my eyes the only orphan.
Saying this, he got up from his place and tearfully began to implore Bakai to bring Semetey quickly.
Bakai could not immediately understand where the truth began and where the lie ended in Jakyp's words, which put him in great difficulty. He decided to check him another way and, not showing any signs, said:
- I will bring him to you right now, - and went out himself, mounted his horse, rode a little way, and then, secretly returning, began to eavesdrop, standing by the wall of the yurt. At that time, Jakyp called his old woman Bakdyolet and said to her:
- The orphan Semetey, left from the bloodsucker Manas, is alive and has come here. He will not let me and my six sons die in peace. What all Manas did to me! From the free Altai, where I lived peacefully, he moved me here and took all my possessions and scattered them to the wind. There will be no good from Semetey either, so while he is still weak, he must be destroyed. When they arrive, pour honey for Bakai, and mix poison for Semetey, let him drink and disappear from this world like smoke from fire.
Hearing Jakyp's words, Bakdyolet jumped up as if stung and said:
- You unfortunate old man, may you die a vile death! You are not a Muslim, since you have such vile thoughts in your head! May you perish like a base victim, along with your six sons! Have you forgotten that during Manas's life we dressed as no one else did, ate what other people never eat, and since Manas died, tell me, what do we see and what do we eat? Six khans are not even worthy of the place where Manas sat!
Jakyp, trembling all over with rage, got up from his place and said:
- You do not want to do what I say, so here is for that! - and with a blow of his stick, he struck her head until it bled. Then, fearing for her life, she obediently began to do everything Jakyp ordered.
Bakai, hiding in his ambush, heard all this and hastened to tell Semetey in detail.
- When we are with Jakyp, - he instructed the young man, - I will drink what is offered to me, and you watch, do not drink and do not take it in your hands, but tell Jakyp: "You drink first, dear grandfather."
After this, Semetey entered Jakyp's house with a greeting. The old man embraced him and began to cry loudly, saying:
- The one left from the lion, my dear son, are you alive and well? Manas is dead, you went to your maternal grandfather, because of this my black eyes have clouded. But wherever you were, I am happy that you are alive and well. I have constantly inquired about you and your well-being from those who have been in your lands. I have heard everything, I have also heard that my beloved Kanikei, having made a vow, let the horse Taytora run at the holiday.
Saying this, he began to pretend to cry even more and started kissing Semetey while lamenting.
- My dear little foal, you must be tired and want to drink. Old woman, bring him something to drink, - he addressed his wife.
Bakdyolet brought the prepared drink and served it as she was ordered. Bakai drank his share at once, while the old woman, at that time, squinting her eyes and biting her lips, shook her head, trying to somehow warn Semetey. Then he got up from his place and, bringing the drink to Jakyp, said:
- Grandfather, please drink first.
- Drink yourself, my dear light, for you must be tired from the road and are suffering from thirst. Drink! - the old man said affectionately.
- No, grandfather, you drink first. It would be rude of me to drink before you, - and saying this, he persistently offered him the drink.
- After your father Manas died, - said Jakyp, - I swore not to take drinks in my mouth. For a young, tired person to drink buza after the road is a good thing. Therefore, my only dear, drink, I ask you once more.
- No, grandfather, if you cannot drink it all, then at least try, - said Semetey and with these words began to bring the bowl to Jakyp's lips. As soon as the bowl approached the old man's mouth, the poison scorched his beard and mustache.
- If you do not drink, grandfather, who will drink? - continued Semetey. Let the dog drink this treat then, - and with these words, he spilled everything that was in the bowl towards the doors.
The dog near the door, as soon as it smelled the spilled drink, curled up and died, burned by the poison.
Semetey was filled with terrible anger and raised the bowl over Jakyp's head, causing Jakyp's hair to singe and his head to become bald immediately.
Grabbing him by the nape, Semetey wanted to kill him, but he realized that he might be accused of killing his grandfather and that this could disgrace him, so he decided not to kill Jakyp.
While Jakyp and Semetey were grappling with each other, Bakai took the white khurjun of Manas that lay on Jakyp's folded bed, carried it out of the house, and placed it on the saddle of his tailless horse. When Semetey exited Jakyp's yurt, Bakai said to him:
- Here is your reward from your grandfather. Wait, you will live and see much more interesting things.
After this, they headed to Belyokbay. Having handed him the khurjun of Manas taken from Jakyp, they rode on. Along the way, Bakai recalled the heroic deeds of Manas again, how they defeated enemies, especially praising the glorious feats of Almambet. He told how Almambet fled from China when he became Manas's choro, and how he performed military feats together with Manas.
- During the campaign against Beidzhin, - he recounted, - during the great war with the Chinese, Almambet, dying from wounds, said to me: - "My wife Aruuke is now expecting a child, if she gives birth to a boy, then I ask you, my brother Bakai, to name him Kulchoro." When Almambet died, a miracle occurred: Aruuke carried the child in her womb for another six years. When he was born, we named him Kulchoro, as Almambet had bequeathed.
After giving birth to Kulchoro, Aruuke died less than three years later, and Kulchoro was left an orphan. He was taken in and raised by Almambet's younger wife, the daughter of the Chinese khan Esenkhan, Burulcha.
After Manas's death, Abike decided to take Burulcha as his wife, but she flatly refused to marry him, for which Abike began to persecute her, cut her hair, beat her like a dog, and sent her to the shepherds. She had nothing to wear, a tattered black yurt became her home, and for several years now Burulcha has been working as a simple milkmaid.
Kulchoro turned six this year. These six scoundrels turned him into a slave and forced him to herd sheep. Learning that Kulchoro had slaughtered one of the sheep he was herding for some widow and orphans, these dogs threw him into the water and beat him. Unable to endure the mockery and beatings, the poor boy fled and, they say, is hiding in the mountains.
While Bakai was telling all this, he and Semetey crossed over the mountain ridge and saw before them a lonely black tattered yurt. From the people, they learned that this yurt belonged to Burulcha, and that she lived here with Kulchoro.
Approaching the blackened yurt, Semetey and Bakai saw Burulcha. They leaned on their axes and, crying loudly, swayed from side to side, and then dismounted.
Burulcha was without clothes and hungry. By her appearance, she could be called dead without a grave: to call her alive, there was no life in her. In such a terrible condition, the travelers found Burulcha!
Semetey. Semetey's trip to Talas. Part - 1