Childhood of Manas
The Kalmyks, who had also attended the celebration and were intoxicated from drinking kumys and vodka, returned home and excitedly discussed what they had just seen.
– Well, well, – one of them said excitedly. – This burut threw a feast for the whole world. Are they bragging to us or what? These vagabonds slaughtered hundreds of livestock, gave out gold and silver to people, and vodka flowed like a river…
Another chimed in:
– Hey, you ignorant ones, did you notice one thing? The Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and Argyns immediately united in competitions in wrestling, in pulling from saddles, in spear fighting…
A third one also added his word:
– And these Kipchaks Baydzhigit and Nogai Er Eshtak stood up for them. Otherwise, we would have seen something else, oh, what a pity…
And so they dispersed that day to their ails.
After a while, the leader of the Kalmyks, Dushan, gathered all the best from the Kara-Kalmak and Manchus and began:
– Oh, people! Most of you have attended the celebration at the house of the bay Jakyp and have seen everything with your own eyes. You have witnessed how much wealth was distributed and how much livestock was slaughtered. They, it turns out, named the boy Chon Jindi (Big Fighter). Will he not become a scourge for the Chinese and Kalmyks when he grows up – that is the question. Let’s send a messenger to Beijing and inform our khan Esen about the deeds of the buruts. What do you think about this?
The enraged Kalmyks took the best horses and sent a messenger to Beijing.
The messenger galloped day and night across rivers and passes, through mountains, and finally, after many days, reached Beijing.
He hurried to present himself before Khan Esen and, with horror in his eyes, as if someone was chasing him, began to speak quickly:
– Oh, great khan! From the distant buruts, from the Ala-Too mountains, a certain Jakyp has come and settled among us, exhausted and worn out. He turned out to be hardworking, so he sowed wheat, acquired livestock, and soon became wealthy. Recently his wife gave birth, and Jakyp slaughtered an immeasurable number of livestock and distributed mountains of meat and lakes of sauce to guests, gave away an endless amount of wealth, oh, my khan. He named his son Big Fighter.
– Hey, ignorant one, stop those words! It is customary for all peoples to hold a celebration and ask for blessings when a son is born. If he has enough livestock and wealth, should he not have arranged a feast in honor of his son, or should he have hidden him from people? He did the right thing by slaughtering livestock and giving his son a worthy name. It is vile of you to rush here with the news that he slaughtered a lot of livestock, and it is the scoundrel Dushan who sent you to me. Surely, you there at the feast gorged yourselves on meat as if you had never seen food, and you must have drunk kumys and vodka to the point of delirium. I do not intend to be disgraced before the whole world because you are filled with envy towards a wealthy man. Get out of my sight!
Esen did not listen to the envious gossip and sent the messenger away.
Days passed, and Manas could not walk until he was five years old, and people called him "the sitting one of Jakyp." Finally, Manas turned seven. No one would have thought that in the future he would become a fearless hero. People called him Big Fighter, and until he was eight, he remained a half-wit, an unruly fighter, so everyone assumed that he would not change. The boy indeed grew up to be a restless and quarrelsome child, his mischief was excessive, and he often made other children cry. He gathered around him forty of his peers, and one day bay Jakyp caught them playing away from the village but close to the village of the Kalmyks and Manchus. And he drove them all back to his village along with Manas. On the way, he scolded his son:
– Oh, son, you will lead me to sin. We have already lost our land and moved here to Altai to live in harmony and peace with the local peoples. I fear that because of your mischief, my livestock, which I have gathered little by little, will be plundered, and you will send me wandering. What do you think, did we leave our native lands and come here to Altai out of a good life? Son, our people, who would protect us, restore our lost dignity, and make us equal among equals, are too far from us. What will happen to a handful of Kyrgyz if we are destroyed by the Chinese and Kalmyks while defending you? They will take revenge for their land, my son, they already suspect that you – Manas – have been born to me.
Manas frowned and remained silent. On the way, they met Akbalta.
– Uncle Akbalta, my son Big Fighter will surely lead me to great troubles. His quarrelsomeness is already irritating the Kalmyks and Manchus. God forbid, if tomorrow the enraged Kalmyks plunder me and take all my livestock.
– Hey, you, wealthy Jakyp, stop reproaching your son, may your words be cursed. Your fortune, wealth, power, and success – all of them are embodied in your son. The boy must be mischievous, and if he is not, it is better for him not to exist. How many tears did you shed while he was in your womb? After all, then all your wealth was worth nothing. I thought you were a wise man, but it turned out not to be so. Now listen to me carefully, Jakyp. Where is the Kyrgyz people wearing white kalpaks? Where are the Ala-Too mountains, along whose slopes the noisy rivers rush with their clear waters, where the argali and mountain rams roam along the cliffs, over which the golden eagles soar? And all your wealth and all your livestock will barely suffice to ensure that they do not disappear after one drought or one invasion of the enemy.
– But, uncle Akbalta, it is sad and painful when everything that has been earned through hard work and one’s own sweat is squandered and taken away.
– Hey, you, wealthy Jakyp, come to your senses. Be reasonable. This mischievous boy of yours will settle down over time, he will be useful for the people's cause. Perhaps it is your son who will lead us back to our homeland in Ala-Too, to his Kyrgyz people.
– So be it, uncle Akbalta.
– Thank God, Jakyp. It is better for us to keep him away from the eyes of people, let him be in a safe place so that the Kalmyks and Manchus do not learn about Manas. And let us teach him what he does not know himself, let us give him good knowledge.
Enraged Jakyp, not fully listening to Akbalta’s words, rushed home and pounced on Chiyyrdy:
– Hey, old woman! It turns out that God did not give us a son, but some kind of devil. Calm your son down; if you do not do this, then sooner or later the Chinese and Kalmyks will take us captive. Then we will howl.
– What’s wrong with you, husband, what happened to make you so angry?
– Eh, how you do not understand! The world has never seen such a mischievous boy as your son. He went with his friends and beat up twelve Kalmyk and Manchu boys. He caused a big scandal. Your son brings us nothing but troubles. Apparently, we asked God not for a son, but for some kind of devil. The parents and relatives of those twelve boys will not let us go. And maybe all the Kalmyks will gather and attack us. Driven out of the Kyrgyz lands, we have acquired a little livestock here, we have accumulated some wealth, and now they will plunder us and throw us to the winds.
– Come here, my son, – Chiyyrdy embraced Manas and kissed him on the cheeks. – Husband, do not be angry with the son that God has given us in our old age, do not grieve over vain thoughts. I carried him in my womb for nine months, so how can I not endure one of his mischiefs? I hope everything will work out somehow. By the way, the head shepherd Oshpur came today; maybe we can send our son with him. So that they do not covet him.
– You are wise, my wife. And the son lacks sense if he boasts of our little wealth. Let him go with the livestock, let him see how hard everything is earned. Let him learn the value of wealth. There is no need to pamper him; we will give him to Oshpur as an assistant, let him grow strong in work.
Bay Jakyp, having consulted with his wife, invited Oshpur to him.
After asking about this and that, bay Jakyp immediately got to the point:
– I called you for this reason, Oshpur. Please take my Big Fighter with you. Let him experience the hard work of a shepherd, let him sweat in the heat, freeze in the cold, let him go hungry for a while, let him suffer a bit. If he dares to disobey you, do not look at the fact that he is my son, give him a good beating.
– Alright, friend, alright. Let it be so, – Oshpur was the first to rise in a sign of respect.
– Our dear Oshpurbay, – Chiyyrdy slightly teared up. – You grew up with us from a young age and have become almost one of us. You know about us; we were wealthy but childless, we dreamed of a child all our lives, and now, in our old age, God has given us a son. Perhaps we spoiled him, and he became mischievous. We can no longer handle him; we are too old. We give him to you for four years. God is the judge, Oshpurbay, raise him as you see fit; he is completely at your disposal.
Oshpurbay left with Manas. Days went by, and Manas was growing up. Immediately upon arrival, Oshpur gave the boy his horse Toruchaar and appointed him the leader among the forty boys. Manas became even more mischievous than before. Ready to fight even with mountains, but not finding worthy opponents, he rampaged among the children, and one day he ordered his friends to slaughter several lambs; they began to play in ordo, and in the evening, when the boiled lamb was ready, they ate the tender meat and then went to sleep.
In the morning, Manas woke up in fright, and the boys scattered in all directions like partridges from a falcon's attack.
He jumped up, looked – four of his friends lay dead in different places. Seeing this, the enraged Manas, with eyes burning with thirst for revenge, hastily dressed in warrior armor, jumped on Toruchaar, whipped the horse with a whip, and rushed towards the hero chasing the boys on a spotted stallion. The head shepherd of horses, Kandzharcol, reared his horse, gripped his black club tightly, and galloped to meet him.
– Ah, you scoundrel, Kandzharcol! We, forty-one frolicking boys, peacefully grazed our sheep and did no harm to anyone. Did we take your horses or sit on the spotted mare of your beloved wife – why did you kill the unfortunate four?..
– You will be the fifth! – the enraged Kandzharcol charged at Manas.
– You have truly lost your mind; I hoped you would stop, but you wouldn’t. Now I will show you.
Having lost four faithful companions in an instant, the furious Manas charged at the rapidly approaching Kandzharcol and struck him on the head with his black club. The hero's head split in two, his brains splattered on the ground, and he fell from his spotted stallion.
Having lost four companions at once, Manas mourned for a long time. At the same time, he thanked God for being able to save the others. He gathered all the scattered friends:
– My unfortunate friends, listen to me carefully, let all of you be my knights.
– We agree! We agree! – all the boys shouted.
Manas sent half of the boys to gather firewood and the other half to slaughter several sheep, and they got to work. When they finished slaughtering the sheep and gathering firewood, it turned out that they had no flint. Just then, the old Jyrinta appeared, searching for a lost sheep in the area.
– Grandfather, lend us your flint, – one of the boys asked the old man.
– Here, take it, – the good-for-nothing old man did not give the flint.
Looking large and broad-shouldered, like a mighty hero, the Kalmyk laughed at the little children.
Manas, who understood the Kalmyk's foolish insults, was greatly offended. The enraged youth grabbed the old man by the throat.
– When we asked politely, you did not give us your flint; if you do not give it now, I will take it by force from the foolish Kalmyk!
The old Kalmyk tried to drag the youth on his horse. Enraged Manas, grabbing the old man's collar, overturned him from his horse and threw him to the ground. He kicked him two or three times. Forgetting about the torn belt and the pouch with the flint, the old man, barely coming to his senses, limped to his horse, barely mounted it, and, constantly urging the horse, disappeared from sight. When he had ridden far away, he climbed a hill and looked at the boys for a long time. Then he cursed in Kalmyk: "Okmur kumka," and with a triumphant shout, he galloped away to his people over the pass.
The head shepherd of sheep, Oshpurbay, who had gone out in the morning to look for Manas, saw the boys from afar. In different places, cauldrons were set up, and smoke was rising into the sky. Manas sat surrounded by all forty boys. Manas himself stood in the middle, like a mountain. And before Oshpur's eyes, an amazing picture opened up.
On one side of Manas, a leopard with black spots was preparing to jump, digging the ground with its paws, and on the other side – a lion with a bluish short mane. Upon seeing Manas himself, Oshpur's heart began to pound. His strength weakened, and his whole body trembled. "A young heart with a thick fist and roughness with an elephant-like body," this quarrelsome son of Jakyp has apparently already matured. If he gets into a fight, the opponent will not fare well. And if he attacks, it will not be good for that one. This means that Manas is now at the age when he is ready to cause a commotion among the Kalmyks and Manchus. If I touch on the subject of the slaughtered sheep, this stubborn fighter might break my bones. It is better for me to tell everything to bay Jakyp; let him deal with his son himself.
Oshpur rushed on a fast horse, sometimes loosening the reins, sometimes using the whip, without turning anywhere or stopping, and by the beginning of twilight, he was already at bay Jakyp's house. He greeted everyone, exchanged pleasantries, asked about life, and finally, Oshpur began his speech:
– My brother, I found no other way but to complain about your son.
– What happened, what occurred? – Jakyp and the old woman looked at Oshpur in confusion.
– For now, everything is peaceful, my brother, but your son has gathered forty knights for himself and appointed himself sultan. Like wolves, they have slaughtered all the sheep and are holding feasts everywhere. After gorging themselves on meat, the forty boys hold races on the third, and the winners lift Manas up and openly pronounce his real name. If you do not give your son a warning now, he will soon not let us live peacefully in Altai. He will constantly sow discord. My brother, you know that just yesterday the envoy of khan Esen, having learned that Manas has appeared among the buruts, is searching everywhere, trying to find him and kill him.
Before Oshpur could finish his speech, Chiyyrdy, unable to bear it, burst into tears and quietly said to bay Jakyp:
– My husband, although God has given us much livestock, we had no children until old age, and now we have finally found Manas. Do not be angry that he slaughtered a few lambs. Who do we have besides Manas? After all, it is for him that we raised so much livestock: if he wants, he can slaughter as much as he wants; if he wants, he can save and multiply it. Well, he slaughtered some sheep; what’s so terrible about that?..
Bay Jakyp sat in silence, digging the ground with a stick. And Oshpur continued his speech:
– Sister Chiyyrdy, if I said something bad, do not be offended. You did not give birth to a boy but to a hero. At twelve years old, he is doing such things. If you listen to what people say, it turns out that the head shepherd of horses, Kandzharcol, has become a victim of Manas. If this continues, because of your son, numerous Kalmyks and Manchus will not let us live here peacefully. They oppress all of us, beat us so that there is no life from them. Just the other day, old man Jyrinta told such a story that it made my bones ache. Listen to me, calm your son down right now.
Bay Jakyp, without raising his head, even without moving, continued to sit in silence.
– My husband, why are you frowning? After all, they say: "A boy must be mischievous, and if he is not, it is better for him not to exist." Do not be upset that your son is a little mischievous. May God grant him health, and then he will fill your granaries with bread, fill your house with gold and silver, and the pastures near the ails will be colorful with a multitude of livestock, and what is lacking, he will replenish, what was taken away, he will return. He will bring us back to our native lands of Ala-Too; he will unite us with our Kyrgyz people. Do not be angry over a few sheep; on the contrary, support and bless him.
Jakyp shouted at Chiyyrdy:
– What, have you lost your mind? Is livestock lying on the road for you? Or does someone just fill your pen with livestock? How much effort have I put in, how much sweat have I shed? To acquire all this livestock, my beard has turned gray, do you understand, old woman?
– Do not be so protective of your livestock, dear. On this side, you have the Kangai, on the other – the Chinese. The time will come when we will have to fight to the death, to fight to the last drop of blood. Altai will never become our homeland, and the Kalmyks, Chinese, and Manchus will never become our kin. Let us rather return to our homeland quickly. Let us quickly reach our native people, give away all the livestock for this and return to our native land, to the Kyrgyz people, my dear.
Oshpur, who had been silent until then, pleaded:
– My esteemed one, take your son back; he will not listen to me anyway. You handle him somehow.
No matter how much bay Jakyp tried to hold on, the words of his old woman Chiyyrdy and Oshpur pierced him to the bone, and tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. He was filled with anxiety, his thoughts scattered in different directions, and that night he hurried on his way with Oshpur. When the horses grew tired, they only stopped for the night, and in the morning they hastily set off again, and thus by noon they reached the river. Along the shore, in different places, hearths had been dug in a row, cauldrons were hung everywhere, and the sheep of bay Jakyp had been slaughtered in huge numbers, as if there was some kind of feast going on. It seemed that shepherds, beggars, and beggars, widows, and orphans had gathered from all corners. They surrounded each cauldron. At first, bay Jakyp was angry at his son's antics and dismounted with a frowning face. And he addressed his son, who hurried to meet him:
– My son, are you alive, are you healthy? I sent you here to gain wisdom and life experience, and you have done such things that everyone is talking about. Why did you suddenly start slaughtering so many sheep and treating everyone, my son?
– Forgive me, father.
Manas knelt down.
– Do not be upset about the slaughtered livestock. This is just a small fraction of what the Chinese and Kalmyks take from you. It is better that these unfortunate ones eat their fill.
Bay Jakyp liked his son's worthy response. He took him by the shoulders and told him to get up.
– I am pleased with you, my son. It turns out I misunderstood you, my foolish head. They say: "By blessing, a people multiplies, and by rain, the earth fills." You did well, my son. What does it matter about the livestock, as long as your head is intact, you can acquire as much livestock as you want later. Always be generous and help the poor and the needy.
The meat was cooked, and the food was ready. Everyone was served a full dish, making no distinction between guests. When people had eaten their fill, both old and young spoke in unison the words of blessing:
– Live long, Manas!
– May all your wishes come true, Manas!
– Be happy, and may luck be with you!
Most of those gathered barely made it to their horses and harnesses, and as they were just getting up from their places, dust rose in the distance, and with loud shouting, the army of the Kara-Kalmak appeared. Their black banners fluttered in the wind, and the terrible noise of the Kalmyks frightened the people present here.
Having heard various rumors, the Khan of the Chinese, Esen, dressed all his warriors in battle armor, mounted them on swift steeds, armed them to the teeth, and sent them to the Kyrgyz in forty households to slaughter them all, to plunder their homes, and to bind bay Jakyp and bring him to him.
The rumbling giant Kochku pounced on bay Jakyp with all his fury:
– Bay Jakyp, you came to Altai as a beggar, here you acquired numerous wealth, countless livestock, and became arrogant. We have an order from Khan Esen. You must give your son Manas to Khan Esen. If you do not give him to him, we will punish you, and you will die before your time. I will destroy the insignificant Kyrgyz and take revenge for all.
Jakyp was saddened by Kochku's words:
– Hero Kochku, what have we done to make you so furious?
– Look at you, look at you… Bay Jakyp, I will plunder all your wealth if you do not give Manas; I will uproot your lineage. I do not like your words; it is better to give us Manas and fulfill the will of our khan! Hurry up and comply.
The silence of bay Jakyp further enraged Kochku, and he became even more furious. Most people patiently listened to the giant's insults and did not know what to answer.
A lot of time passed, and not waiting for Jakyp's answer, Kochku called his nearest warriors:
– Hey, warriors! Blow the trumpets and beat the drums! Take all the livestock that is in the valley and all the livestock that is in the mountains from the Kyrgyz!..
Receiving the order from Kochku, seven hundred heroes raised dust with the hooves of their horses, began shooting from rifles and launching deadly arrows in different directions, frightening the people and starting to drive the horses – some from the lowlands, others from the ravines, alarming everyone around.
The people, led by Akbalta and the gray-bearded elders, silently swallowed their resentment and did not dare to resist, fearing that they themselves would be destroyed or taken captive, while their children were all frightened and gloomily watched what was happening. The news of the attack also reached Manas, who was having fun with his forty friends. Hearing this news, Manas asked: "What is this, that while we are alive, the Kalmyks attack our people and take our livestock? How can I, being alive, endure all this?" And he donned battle armor, armed himself, jumped on his horse Toruchaar, and rushed to help.
– I will destroy all the heroes of Khan Esen. I will defeat the scoundrels who attacked my peaceful people and will chase them all the way to Beijing.
He whipped his Toruchaar, his eyes burned, his rage overflowed, he hurried his friends, and he himself hurried, and soon they caught up with the Kalmyks driving the horses. With a fiery gaze, all enraged, big-mouthed, with a dark face and blue eyes, fourteen-year-old young Manas spurred his horse, prepared his spear, shouted angrily, and the forty friends running alongside shouted the battle cry "Manas!" and pounced on the enemy. Fortune favored Manas, and he pierced his spear into the enemies, and those who did not fall, he cut off their heads. And the excited Toruchaar became more and more enthusiastic, fueled by the shouts of his master, he opened his mouth wide, from which white foam flowed, he threw his hooves into the sky and, like a hare, jumped a distance of three to four meters. The experienced in battle and skilled in fighting forty friends split into four squads and beat everyone they encountered on their way. Relatives of the Kyrgyz, who knew how to ride and fight with clubs, joined them. All seven hundred Kalmyk heroes, recently confident in their impunity and hoping for an easy profit, lay dead here and there.
Seeing his warriors sprawled on the ground, the giant Kochku became enraged, shouted angrily, took a few puffs from his pipe, and, flaring his nostrils and ruffling his hair, charged at young Manas, trying to grab him, bind him, and take him to Khan Esen to receive honors and wealth from him.
Manas calmly addressed the standing Kochku:
– Hero Kochku, be reasonable, listen to me. Let us resolve this matter peacefully.
– You are not of the age for me to talk to you, brat. You are only fourteen. I will not be me if I do not destroy your entire lineage of buruts led by your father Jakyp! I will take revenge on you for all my slain heroes!
– Hero Kochku, it turns out you have truly gone mad. I thought we would get along. And now, here you go…
Never having seen such a duel before, young Manas struck the wildly raging, pale with rage, and furious giant Kochku with his spear. The mountain-like Kochku fell to the ground from the direct hit of the spear, like a crumbling rock.
Akbalta and Jakyp, who rushed to the battlefield, began to separate the heroes. Angered at his son, Jakyp lamented:
– My only son! What kind of fight have you started? After all, you will kill the Kalmyk hero Kochku, then we will not escape misfortune. And what if tomorrow numerous Kalmyks and Manchus demand ransom from us for the murder of Kochku? What if they consider us scoundrels and destroy the entire lineage of the Kyrgyz?
At that moment, Akbalta jumped on Jakyp:
– Bay Jakyp, you are angry for no reason. If it is destined to die – even if you hide in a golden chest, your end will find you anyway. If it is prescribed by fate, whether you like it or not, you will die. Do not interfere with your son.
Inspired by Akbalta's words, the enraged Manas swung his sword and cleaved the half-dead giant Kochku in two.
Akbalta gathered all the peoples related to the Kyrgyz, evenly divided the horses captured in battle among them, and addressed the people with these words:
– My dear relatives, finally, the day has come for the Kyrgyz of forty families. The Creator has given us such a brave and courageous son as Manas, ready to gather and unite the people. May the Lord send us grace.
Let us unite around Manas and go to Ala-Too. Until now, we have been neither alive nor dead… We were no different from the dead, and now Manas has restored our dignity. Gather for the journey.
The Kyrgyz of forty families, longing for their homeland, immediately began to prepare for the journey, not hiding their joy.
At that moment, no one thought that they would have to fight for a long time and that they would lose many of their best warriors in battles.
The Tale of Manas. Birth of Manas.