The Tale of Manas. The Interrogation Conducted by Khan Alooke
THE INTERROGATION CONDUCTED BY ALOOKE-KHAN IN ANDIJAN
Having repelled all attackers, slaughtering everyone who resisted, destroying all who argued, with a fearsome cry, a fierce appearance, and an angry gaze, Khan Alooke seized the throne in Margilan. He held all six cities, including Kokand and Margilan, firmly in his grasp. Anyone who rose from the people, he imprisoned in an iron cage; any brave soul who dared to lift their head, he annihilated; in his anger, everyone feared him, afraid that he would completely destroy them and devastate the entire nation; so that no one dared to even contradict him and silently endured all humiliations and sufferings. None of those who opposed him survived; whoever he captured did not leave unscathed. With each passing day, the Khan's fury grew, and if anyone did not pay tribute on time, they faced numerous hardships and deprivations, and could even be executed.
He demanded six thousand ingots of silver and a thousand otter pelts as tribute. From among the girls, he selected skilled artisans with small mouths, large eyes, and the most beautiful features. The people, stripped bare, starving to the point of exhaustion, humiliated and insulted, began to wander the world in search of sustenance. If the Khan became enraged, he would throw so many young men into a pit that many perished, even those who were very young. He left none of his enemies alive; thousands of strong men would immediately pounce on the unfortunate at the slightest gesture of his hand, so much so that much more could be told about the atrocities of Khan Alooke – and here came Aikodjo from Andijan to complain to Manas himself:
– There are countless horrors to tell about Alooke; they are beyond counting. He wears impenetrable armor, and this accursed infidel has a vast army. This wicked man is clad in chainmail, and he can cut down anyone he attacks. And don’t even ask about his sorcery. A tiger has given birth to him thirteen times, fearing only his shout; no one could approach him. If you go further, you will encounter an elephant that kills a man with its spear-like trunk. Alooke is not a simple Khan; listen to me, dear Manas. He even keeps a rhinoceros, and he has plenty of other beasts. Further, he has a snake that kills anyone who approaches him. And even further, he has a predator whose strength is equal to that of nine tigers. He has bears and wolves, watched over by a sorcerer. No one can return from there; there is a plethora of all sorts of things.
Kokand Khan Kozubek and Margilan Khan Malabek tried to confront him, but many of his strong men could not withstand the pressure, and others were captured by Alooke, who taught them a good lesson; those who survived barely escaped. It seemed as if he was going to crush the whole world; when he marched with his army, such dust rose around him. Just thinking about all the atrocities of Alooke makes my whole body tremble, my son Manas. I come from Andijan, and I am fit to be your father. And here I have come to you, having learned that Manas has returned to his people, that he now resides in Talas. I have heard much about you, tiger-like Manas, and now I stand before you. Unite the Kyrgyz people and crush the army of this bloodthirsty Khan Alooke. If you are indeed a brave man, then free the already few Kyrgyz from Alooke.
With tears in his eyes, Aikodjo pleaded in a colorful robe, while all forty knights led by Bakay and Manas listened attentively. The magnanimous one could not restrain himself upon hearing about the atrocities of Alooke, and in anger, he commanded to send messengers to all corners of the earth and immediately began to prepare for the campaign. A little time passed, and Manas, with forty knights, towering like Ala-Too, led by Bakay under a banner with a golden crescent, all mounted on swift horses, set out directly from the camp on a campaign against Alooke, raising clouds of dust behind them.
Forced to recount what they should have told six years ago, eighty sorcerers and magicians of Khan Alooke’s court were in turmoil. They did not know how to present this event, running around in fear, and finally, led by the chief sorcerer, they dared to approach Alooke, falling to the ground, their heads bowing to the earth with every bow.
The chief sorcerer began his speech:
– Great Khan Alooke, here we all stand before you. Do you know what we know, have you understood what we have understood?
A vast abyss awaits you; the mighty Manas is coming to you. Manas will not spare you, so we will be in dire straits. Manas will not leave you in peace here in Andijan. We cannot defeat him; no one can overcome this wicked man. He grew up in Altai, and when he matured, they say he attacked the people of Khan Esen, defeated them, and annihilated them; then, attacking Beijing, he caused turmoil there as well. He killed the hero Kochku, destroyed all the strong men and giants, and he buried the heroes Orgo and Dongo headfirst in the ground, shedding enough blood and committing acts never before seen. He gathered all the scattered Kyrgyz from around the world, amassed knights, and his entire army is now performing feats. In some places, they say he slaughtered the Chinese and Manchus like sheep. This hero, the wicked Manas, has a hostile appearance; his bravery is terrifying for us. Manas is not a simple man; he is not a weakling who will spare us. He is coming here to liberate these lands, to shed our blood, to take away our plunder. He rides a swift horse, with a huge army, ready to strike us down with a devastating blow, like a downpour, sending arrows upon us like hail, sending bullets upon us. He is coming right here. How can they not swarm over us, how can they not surround us on all sides, how can they not take all our livestock, how can they not send us wandering, how can they not destroy us all to the last man? Manas can do such things; he has a centuries-old vendetta against us, and he will surely begin to take revenge on us. How many years have we ruled here? Let us not delay; let us gather all the people and return to our home in China. Before it is too late, let us leave, for we have heard that Manas is bloodthirsty, that no one can stand against him. I tremble all over; my insides turn from fear. Margilan is not our land; Manas is not from our people. My Khan Alooke, listen to us; let us move through the mountains and return to our home in China. Let all the accumulated gold choke on it; let us gather all our belongings on mules and head back to China.
Hearing all this, Alooke, who had been slaughtering the Kyrgyz mercilessly and oppressing the people, changed completely in countenance; his whole body trembled. He ordered all his aides, commanded to beat the drums, commanded to light fires on the watchtowers, and sent word to all his people.
Immediately, loyal men gathered around him, ready to go with him even to death; the elders with clear minds gathered, the experts in all intrigues gathered, the strong men with clubs gathered, the giants with huge fists gathered, all gathered together and stood before their ruler.
No longer the furious bloodsucker, but a bewildered Alooke-Khan, trying not to reveal his fear, spoke to his people with a slightly trembling voice, standing on a platform:
– O, my people! Margilan and Andijan have ceased to be our domain. I address you, my heroes, so that nothing remains on your conscience: prepare horses, two for each of you. Open the treasury, distribute all the immeasurable wealth, distribute all the red gold and pure silver, give it to everyone indiscriminately. Load the yellow gold onto mules. Move faster and prepare for the journey. If you fall into the hands of Manas, do not think that you will survive.
Upon hearing the order, the guards rushed to prepare for flight, the treasurers began to open the treasury, and everyone hurriedly loaded their wealth onto mules and camels, and Alooke-Khan, dressed in iron chainmail, headed straight for Beijing with the other Chinese.
Having lined up all the pack animals, appointing an elder for every hundred people, the numerous army hurriedly fled. Various rumors began to spread through the ranks, discontent grew, and gossip and chatter ensued.
– Are we really destined to die on the way to the imperial court? After all, we have to walk for about six months in the scorching heat, where, if you place a jug of cold water on your head, even that will heat up, and the water inside will boil. For forty days, the heat scorches in this desert, and hardly any person or beast will survive such a long journey. Are we really destined to become carrion on high passes, to suffer from thirst, to languish from heat, and to starve? Yet he said that he would not let us be wronged, that he would forever rule the six Kokand cities with Samarkand on the edge, that we would always possess these lands, would collect tribute from the local inhabitants, would gather wealth, and would celebrate our livestock. And he also promised that even if the worst calamities struck and if armies surged like a flood, he would not let them overcome us; with such heroes and strong men, he would not allow anyone to wrong us.
What kind of calamities are these, that this worthless Alooke is fleeing to Beijing, scaring us all, driving ahead all the pack animals and losing all the wealth he has acquired along the way?
Alooke, riding on a swift trotter, dressed in a silk robe, did not know, did not even realize the fatigue of the other people. Such is fate: in great agony and suffering, without any hope of survival, without rest by day, without sleep by night, they rode day and night, and upon reaching Jylgyn-Talaa, crossing Tash-Kechuu, beyond Ak-Dzhar, in the steppes of Kulan and Ak-Chiy, they unloaded their burdens and allowed the people and livestock to rest.
Seated on selected, purebred horses with strong lungs, solid hooves, and wide rumps, dressed in iron armor and wearing helmets, Azhybai and Khan Bakay, forty knights led by the elder Kyrgyl, rode alongside the stern Manas. They loudly blew trumpets and beat drums so hard that the eardrums almost burst; they carried ammunition loaded on forty red camels. Dressed in a blue silk robe, riding on his steed, Kokcholok, with a banner in hand, led the army.
Strong-bodied, fierce in anger, thirsting for blood, the best spearmen, swordsmen, slingers, and archers, whole squads, encouraging brave Manas, challenging the accursed Alooke, as if ready to conquer eighteen thousand worlds, chased after the enemies. Calling everyone to battle, summoning all their foes, disobeying anyone, like a wife who has lost her husband, some threw themselves into battle. “Scout in Andijan, find out about Alooke’s strength,” commanded Bakay to the hero Azhybai, and sent along with him the smartest and most resourceful young men for reconnaissance.
When Azhybai, along with Kuldur and Chalybay, continuously traversed the entire path, when he reached the edge of Ak-Talaa, Aralbay came out to meet them. After they greeted each other, Aralbay began his words:
– Kuldur and Chalybay, hero Azhybai, do not rush, wait a bit, rein in your horses. I have heard from those who have come to me that Manas is arriving with his forty knights. They say the accursed Alooke fled to China, leaving behind the red gold and pure silver he had taken with him. It is as if a snake swallowed everyone; in Margilan, no one is left except for the yard dogs.
Having learned everything about Alooke from Aralbay, the three returned from reconnaissance and told their detachment everything they had heard and seen.
– O, elder Bakay of heroic strength, listen to everything about Alooke. He is like the last woman; he is not a man at all.
If he were a man, he would fight to the last drop of blood. He would arrange such a battle where we would meet face to face, where we would shoot arrows and guns, where we would fight to the death. It is a pity that our forty knights did not confront the enemy’s army; they did not resist our opponents; they fled.
Upon learning of the enemy troops' flight, the forty knights were slightly disheartened. Noticing the disappointment of the forty knights, the son of Baya, Bakay, who always found something to say, who always knew what to do, addressed the warriors with these words:
– Let someone quicker come out from the spearmen, let someone stronger come out from the masters of battle on the berdysh. We will have to go day and night, sparing no horses; we will move without rest, without sleep, without complaining about the hardships of the journey. Step forward, those who are brave and strong. We will catch up to such a hero as Alooke in one go; we will pursue tirelessly and catch up once more. We will corner the arrogant Alooke, despite his noble blood; we will not allow this filthy pig to reach China. Since he is the lord of China, we must chase the accursed Alooke all the way to Beijing; those who are brave, come with us.
– We will all go! – shouted all the knights.
The other warriors supported them.
With loud cries and battle cries, the detachment moved on, led by brave Manas.
They rode through mountains and valleys, covered half the land, and after a few days reached the Lop River. Beyond the mountains stretched a haze, with no end or edge in sight; this boundless land knows no borders. Led by the fortunate Bakay, a huge army moved, pursuing the enemy to the ends of the earth.
The Tale of Manas. How Manas Sowed Wheat and Bought Himself Akkulu
