The Tale of Manas. The Great Campaign. The Quarrel of Almambet with Chubak.

The Great Campaign. The Quarrel of Almambet with Chubak.

After Almambet's departure, forty choro of Manas began to play in ordo, splitting into two parts. The leaders of the game were Kyrgyl, Chubak's comrade, and Azhybay, from Almambet's squad. Four mares were designated as the prize. The side of Kyrgyl lost. As the game neared its end, Jaynak from Kyrgyl's party struck the khan with a tompo, knocking him down, who was lying close to the boundary.

- You threw without asking those around you. You struck from the side, that is not fair, that doesn't count! - said Bozool, who was playing on Azhybay's side, and, taking the khan, put him back in the middle. A quarrel began between the two sides.

Yrchiyuul, playing on Kyrgyl's side, started to argue with Bozool.

- You stand out no more than the others, Bozool, yet you constantly elevate yourself. After all, Kyrgyl is a man equal to your father. How dare you attack a worthy aksakal with insults? - reproached Yrchiyuul.

- Yrchiyuul! Just know your songs and keep quiet! No one appointed you as a mediator in this quarrel. If you say I am bold, then I am indeed bold. If you start arguing with me, you'll see that I am above you, my word is sharper than yours, and my Almambet surpasses your Chubak. If your memory serves you, during the last baige, when people were appointed as prizes for the winners, I was the first prize - and you were only seventh. So draw your conclusions from that, - replied Bozool.

Greatly offended, Yrchiyuul galloped off to complain to Chubak.

- If we are to speak, then your word, batyr, is equal to the word of Manas. If we compare the roots of our lineage, then your father, batyr, is equal to the father of Manas. Yet Manas preferred to you the wandering Chinese Almambet. Since we set out on the campaign, Almambet has become the khan, the best horse belongs to Almambet, and the eyes of the people are on Almambet, and the scout is Almambet. Better to die than to endure such shame as God has sent us! Better for God to punish me for my mistake or you for yielding your place to Alme! Even now in the game of ordo, Bozool exalted Almambet, and he has left no word unsaid in praise of him and in humiliation of you!

Chubak was greatly angered at Almambet, incited by Yrchiyuul's words. He donned his battle armor, mounted his horse Kokteke, struck the dobulybas, and, gathering all the warriors from the Noyguta clan, set off.

- I will destroy the cursed Kalmyk wherever I find him, and I will go on reconnaissance myself, - decided Chubak.

Six khans who had plotted a rebellion before the campaign joined him, and they all set out against Alme, despite the efforts of those around them to dissuade them.

At that time, the old man Bakai was patrolling the steppes. Learning of the brewing quarrel, he rushed to Manas and informed him. Manas chose the horse Aksargyl as a gift for Chubak and sent six men to ask him to return. But Chubak shouted at the messengers in anger:

- Am I not worth a better horse than Aksargyl? - and knocked one of the messengers off his horse.

Then Manas sent him his Akkulu as a gift, appointing Bakai as the messenger. Chubak, seeing the respected aksakal, stopped and poured out his grievance to him:
- If you and Manas come from Nogoy, then I trace my lineage from Noyguta. I have been with Manas since I was thirteen years old, and from that time until now I have been his kazatash, when he mounted a horse, tabaktash in campaign food, and ate with him from one dish. I have always been loyal and faithful to him and have always obeyed him in everything. How many times have I saved him in terrible battles, riding up and toppling the enemy! How many times have I diverted enemy spears from him and deflected enemy arrows! When the mighty Salyk began to overwhelm Manas, and Kankoru faced the shame of being defeated by a woman, I intervened and, grabbing their horses by the reins, separated the fighters, risking my own life. But despite all this, Manas distances me from himself, excludes me from participating in councils. Am I speaking the truth? Answer me, Bakai-aga!

Is your Manas greater than Chubak? Did Noygut yield in anything to Nogoy? Is Chubak less brave than Manas?

Do not block my path, Bakai! Worthy elder, whom I honor, do not hold back my horse's reins!

By stopping me, do not stoke my grievance... Let my words reach your heart. Do not become an obstacle before me! I carry my strike against the slave Almambet. If I am destined to die by the hand of this slave from Anzhi - then I will die!

Thus Chubak was heated. But wise Bakai comforted the angry batyr:

- My child, Chubak! Wait a little, listen to my words. For the bird in the sky, though it flies on wings, lands on the ground on its tail. For both of us, Manas is Manas. He is the handle of our people. So why are you angry at the unfortunate exile Alme, who is devoted to the Kyrgyz by blood and spirit, who leads us on a difficult campaign against Beijin? If Almambet has gone on reconnaissance now, it is not for the glory of the Chinese, but for the glory of the Kyrgyz. Do you not understand this? And then, if he has become the khan of the campaign, the khanship was taken not from you, but from me.
If you break away from us, the enemies will rejoice immediately: "Aha, the Kyrgyz are divided, now they will be easy to defeat!"

Listen to me, Chubak, here is my advice: the khanship has gone, but it has gone from me. So why are you stirring up the people, what is your goal?

While Bakai and Chubak were arguing, Manas himself rode up to them and said:

- If you regret not participating in the reconnaissance so much, then let’s go. I will take you to Alme.

And they set off in pursuit of the brave scouts. Bakai, however, led all of Chubak's army back to the camp.

The Tale of Manas. The Great Campaign. Almambet Becomes the Head of the Army