The Tale of Joomart and Adile

JOOMBART AND ADIL

In ancient times, there were khans among neighboring peoples—Joombart-khan and Adil-khan. Joombart-khan was just and sought for all people to live equally well. He worked until noon, and in the second half of the day, he walked among the people, noticing if there were any hungry or poorly dressed.

Adil-khan was quite different. People said of him that he was a man who played on dark strings. When he needed to learn something, he would summon someone for interrogation and always conducted it from behind a screen, believing that a person who saw the fearsome ruler before him would either become confused in his thoughts out of fear or start to flatter and fawn.

Thus, Joombart-khan and Adil-khan were very different. And it was not difficult for the viziers to sow discord between the two khans.

Learning that Adil-khan was waging war against him, Joombart-khan said to his people:
— The strength is not on our side, and since I have caused the war, it is better for me to leave so that Adil-khan does not destroy the innocent people.

With these words, Joombart-khan left the palace. He wandered for a long time through mountains and valleys, steppes and forests, until one night he stumbled upon a poor, dilapidated hut. Entering it, he saw an old man and an old woman, who, judging by their appearance, had lived in deep poverty for a long time.

Greeting the hospitable hosts, Joombart-khan asked:
— What news is there among your people?

And the old man replied:
— Two khans have quarreled. Joombart-khan has disappeared, and Adil-khan has announced a large reward for anyone who finds him, promising to give as much gold as Joombart-khan weighs...

Joombart-khan looked again at the miserable surroundings of the hut and decided to help the elderly couple who had taken him in:
— I am Joombart-khan. Since Adil-khan has announced a reward for my head, there will surely be some villain who will catch me and receive the gold. So it is better that you do it...

— Oh, no! — protested the old man and the old woman. — Cursed be the money if it is worth a human life!

— You will not be the cause of my death, — Joombart-khan replied, — but the one who promised the reward for my capture. Would it be better if the money fell into the hands of a villain or a traitor?

They argued for a long time until finally Joombart-khan convinced the old man and the old woman of his correctness. And then they tied his hands behind his back and led him to Adil-khan.

They had not gone far—Joombart-khan and the old man and woman—when suddenly they were stopped by three strong horsemen.

— Who is this? — one of them asked, pointing at the prisoner.

— This is Joombart-khan; we caught him and are taking him to Adil-khan.

— Who would believe that you caught Joombart-khan! — the horsemen laughed. — But we will be believed, so we will take him.

And now the horsemen led Joombart-khan, while the old man and woman followed behind. But soon five armed riders appeared, who in turn took Joombart-khan... In total, about twenty people brought the prisoner to Adil-khan. After placing Joombart-khan in a dungeon, he began to find out who deserved the reward. But everyone started shouting that each of them should receive the deceptive money, and only the old man and woman stood silently aside.

Then Adil-khan ordered Joombart to be brought and asked him:
— Who caught you?

— I was caught by that old man and old woman, and these wicked ones took me from them by force.

Adil-khan ordered the robbers to be punished and the old man and woman to be rewarded as promised.

The old man and woman received the gold, bowed low to Joombart-khan, expressing words of gratitude, and happily went on their way.

Adil-khan was surprised and asked Joombart-khan:
— Why did they thank you so much?

And then Joombart-khan told him that he had left his people to avoid bloodshed, and upon meeting the old man and woman, he decided to do one last good deed for them.

Adil-khan pondered. "This man," he thought, "is devoted to his people, not sparing either wealth or life. Yet my viziers deceived me, calling him a treacherous murderer, and because of them, I almost became a murderer myself... It is not I, but Joombart-khan who deserves to lead our two peoples!"

Having decided this, Adil-khan announced his will to those gathered, adding that if Joombart-khan did not mind, he would gladly serve as his first vizier.

And so it was done. And since then, the two peoples have lived happily and joyfully, in friendship and harmony.

Kyrgyz Tales