The Epic of "Manas". The Tale of How Khan Alooke, Upon Seeing Manas, Fled from Fergana

A Tale of How Khan Alooke, Upon Seeing Manas, Fled from Fergana

In the hands of the Chinese was then
Our blessed Turkestan.
The people were ruled in Fergana
By the Chinese Khan Alooke.
Cruel and merciless was
This Khan to the Turkic peoples.
And whoever did not flatter him,
Was slaughtered like a sheep.
To poverty he brought the people
With a burdensome tax.
One hundred thousand ingots of gold
And as many sable skins
Were collected only in Margilan.
And all the pretty maidens
He took into his harem.
He hung a yoke around the necks
Of the Turkic sons like a lock.
The people suffered and endured,
But could do nothing.
Kyrgyz khans from all over Talas
Manas summoned to his council:
— Dear ones, I have invited you,
To hear your counsel!
Alooke — the Khan of Fergana
Sent a messenger for us to leave,
Before it’s too late, the land.
Or for me to go to him,
As a submissive subject, a servant.
And if anyone objects,
He threatens again with punishment.
If you agree with me —
We will go to Fergana with war!
We did not return
To lick the dirty boots
Of the Chinese!
— Manas, we are always ready
For Turkestan, for our native land
To go with you into mortal battle!
And we all have one goal —
To cleanse the land of the enemy! —
Said Chubak — son of Akbalta.
Manas ordered to saddle the horses.
And immediately the kerney sounded,
Calling the heroes to battle.
When Alooke saw
The troops that the hero Manas led,
It seemed to him,
That the dragon himself was coming to him,
And on either side were
Cheetahs, tigers, wolves, lions,
Above him, a mighty eagle
Flapped its wings. With its claw
It would lift the horse with the rider
And carry him alive into the sky.
And old Alooke understood:
Manas is strong, invincible,
And if he comes to Fergana,
Then all the people will follow him.
And there was only one way out —
To take the treasury, flee to Beijing!
He ordered his viziers
To gather the treasures quickly,
To leave the throne and Margilan,
To abandon the Turkestan land
And hastily flee to China.
Manas with his retinue
Caught up with the caravan
And took from the Chinese
The plundered goods here:
Gold and silver,
He took the concubines and harem,
Freed the slaves and servants
And declared freedom to all.
Khan Alooke dismounted from his horse,
Like a slave, knelt down,
Asked for mercy for the people:
— I will not hide — I am your enemy, Manas,
I have seized your lands,
I have killed, exiled, enslaved
Many Turkic sons.
Such is the law of the living land —
The struggle for life. The law of war!
In the world survives he
Who takes or kills.
Now I see, Khan Manas,
It seems, your turn has come.
And there is no forgiveness from you—
I ask for mercy for the people!
The khans fight, and the people
Are driven to death like cattle.
And I swear by my khan's honor:
I will not return here with war!
I give you my own son Booke
As a hostage.
Let him live with you,
And if I do not keep my word,
You may kill Booke.
— I came here from Altai,
To drive you from my land
Forever and ever,
And if you do not leave,
I will destroy your people!
But you turned out to be wiser:
To not lose your people,
You decided to leave Fergana.
For this wisdom, Alooke,
I grant you your life!
And get out quickly —
I give you two days and a night! —
Said the Kyrgyz Khan to him.
— Oh, Khan Manas! Thank you! —
Said Alooke with a bow.
And he presented his sword in golden scabbard
As a gift to Manas.
Having designated his own son
As a hostage,
Without spilling a drop of blood
From either side,
Alooke went to China.
And he was satisfied with his fate,
That he was returning alive!
When he approached his khanate,
To Beijing with the army,
His youngest son Konurbai
Met his father with the retinue.
Konur at seventeen years
Wore a military amulet.
He reproached his father for that,
That he so simply and easily
Left his throne in Fergana.
— And if power had been given to me,
I would have shown the Kyrgyz,
How to fight on horseback!
The Kazakh and Burut nomads
Live in the valleys by clans,
They will never create
A united force in the mountains!
— Oh, my son, young Konurbai!
Do not reproach your father in vain!
The people were free, nomadic —
Now they have become completely different!
And if before each clan
Lived separately in the mountains, scattered,
Manas gathered from all tribes
A strong state, a stronghold.
He became powerful, invincible.
But if you, my young son,
Can crush the Kyrgyz —
Prove it on the battlefield!
Restore my honor and glory!
And this battle command
Konurbai firmly remembered —
Pride awakened in him.
And the Khan of the Kyrgyz, er-Manas
Became his sworn enemy.

The Epic of "Manas". The Return of the Kyrgyz from Altai to Their Homeland