It was a very long time ago. In one aul there lived a blind khan. He was evil, cruel and greedy. The village residents did not like him. And the children - he had three sons - were afraid of their father. One day the khan called his sons and said:
- Find a place where I have never set foot, and bring a handful of earth from there. I will apply this earth to my eyes and immediately I will see.
The sons bowed to their father and promised to fulfill his will.
The eldest son set off on the long journey first. He rode on his horse all day without stopping, and finally reached the spring.
“I’ve already moved far from home,” he thought, “probably my father wasn’t here.” He rested at the spring, took a handful of earth and set off on the way back.
When I arrived home and gave the land to my father, he touched it with his hands and said:
- No, son!.. This land is not good for me... I have been to the spring where you took this land many times. I got there in just a few hours. I set off early in the morning, and as soon as the sun began to warm the earth, I returned home, having time to rest at the spring and drink water. No, no, this land will not help me!..
Then the khan's middle son set off. He rode for two days and stopped under the shade of a large oak tree, rested, took a handful of earth and went home.
When the khan picked up the land brought by his middle son, he exclaimed:
- It’s not good, it’s not good!.. I know: you took this land under a big oak tree. I usually went there in the morning, and by lunchtime I was already home. This earth will not heal me!..
And so the youngest son set off. His name was Aslan. He rode for a long time. And on the road he met an old shepherd who invited him to his kosh to rest.
[Kosh is a shepherd’s dwelling in the pasture.]
Aslan told the shepherd about his blind father, about his request and about his brothers.
“I knew your father,” said the shepherd, “he sometimes spent the night with me.” Leaving the house in the morning, he made his way to my kosh by nightfall. If you want to get to a place where your father has never set foot, you will have to drive for a long, long time. But you can’t get there on a horse like yours. Take my black horse, ride and remember: don’t do anything without consulting him.
Aslan thanked the shepherd, mounted a black horse and set off on a long journey.
It is difficult to say whether it was a long or short journey. Only suddenly he sees: a chicken is sitting on the road and is all sparkling, all glowing, as if strewn with diamonds. Aslan fell in love. He really liked her. And he asks his horse:
– Can I take this chicken with me?
“Well,” the horse answers, “take it, only then give it to the owner of the house where you will have to spend the night.”
This is what Aslan did: he took the chicken and gave it to the khan, with whom he stayed for the night.
When Aslan woke up in the morning, he saw that many people had gathered near the khan’s house.
“Whoever hits the thimble with a gun, the khan will give his daughter as his wife,” they said in the crowd.
- Maybe I should try my luck too? – Aslan asked his black horse.
“Well,” the horse answered, “try.” You ask people for permission, and if they say yes, then shoot. Aslan did just that. He approached the crowd, bowed to the khan and all the people and asked:
“Can I, your guest, shoot too?” He was allowed. He fired and knocked off the thimble. Khan announced to everyone about his daughter’s engagement that same day.
But among those close to the khan there were envious people who decided to destroy Aslan at any cost.
They went to the khan and said:
- Nobody knows this man. Before you give your daughter to him, you need to test him.
Khan agreed and ordered them to come up with test conditions.
Then the envious people went to the old witch and asked her:
- Teach us how to remove an intruder. She advised:
- Go to the khan and tell him: the diamond hen that the stranger gave you should also have a diamond rooster. If the khan sends this man for the diamond rooster, he will never return here.
That’s what the khan’s associates did.
The Khan thought: he really wanted to have a diamond rooster. He called his guest and said:
- Find and bring me a diamond rooster just like the hen, and I will marry my daughter to you.
Aslan was upset. He went to his black horse and said:
- Khan demands that I bring him a diamond rooster. What should I do? Where to look for it?
The horse thought for a moment, then answered:
“Tell the khan to order his servants to dig a deep hole on the outskirts of the village and place a hundred carts of millet around it.”
Aslan did just as the horse taught him: he asked the khan to order a deep hole to be dug and a hundred carts of millet to be placed near it. And the khan fulfilled his request.
When evening came, Aslan and his horse hid in this hole, and the horse said:
“Early in the morning, birds from all over the world will gather at this mountain of millet. Among them will be a diamond rooster - their king. Until he says: “Eat,” the birds will not peck the millet, but as soon as he says, you quickly grab the rooster.
Everything turned out just as the horse said.
Many birds flocked to the millet mountain, and when the rooster shouted: “Eat!”, Aslan jumped out of the hole, caught the rooster and carried it to the khan.
The Khan was delighted. Richly rewarded Aslan. And I loved him even more. And he ordered his daughter to prepare for the wedding.
But those close to the khan did not calm down: they began to envy Aslan more than ever, and hated him even more.
Again they went to the old witch with the question of how to destroy Aslan.
The old woman thought deeply and finally said:
– There is a magical tour somewhere in the world. His fur is all covered with diamonds, his horns are golden, his hooves are silver. No one has yet managed to catch him. If the khan sends his guest after him, he will not be able to catch the tour and will never return here.
Evil envious people immediately ran to the khan to beg him to test the newcomer again. They told the khan about the magical tour. And the khan really wanted to have a magical tour, with wool covered with diamonds, with golden horns and silver hooves. He called Aslan to him and ordered him to find and catch the tur.
“And then,” said the khan, “we’ll have a wedding.” Aslan was saddened.
"What to do? What should I do? - he thought.
He went to his black horse and told him what test the khan had come up with for him.
And the horse listened to Aslan and said:
– Behind Bald Mountain there is a gorge. Let the khan send his people there and order them to make this gorge deep and deep. Then you and I will think about how we can catch a magical tour there.
Aslan went to the khan and told him everything that the horse ordered. The Khan sent his servants, and they carried out the order: they made the gorge deep, very deep. Aslan mounted his faithful horse and galloped towards the gorge.
“Wait for me here in the gorge before sunrise,” the horse said to Aslan. “At dawn, I will bring the aurochs here, and you prepare a lasso and stand in the narrowest place of the gorge.” Tur will try to jump out of the gorge, but it is now so deep that he will not be able to do this. Then he will try to slip through a narrow place, between two rocks. This is where you throw the lasso over his horns.
Having said this, the horse disappeared. By sunrise, as promised, he drove the tour into the gorge. I was rushing around the gorge and wanted to jump out, but the gorge was very deep. Aslan contrived to throw a lasso over the horns of the aurochs and caught him.
The khan was very happy when he saw the aurochs, sparkling with diamonds, with golden horns and silver hooves. He hugged Aslan. I didn’t know where to plant him or what to treat him with. And he ordered his daughter to prepare for the wedding.
But the envious people did not stop. Again they ran to the witch.
“You deceived us, old woman, and for this - death to you!” - they shouted.
- Wait, don't kill me! – she asked them. - I will come up with a task for the guest that he will never be able to complete! You'll see, this time he will certainly die, or I'm not a witch!
- Speak quickly! – the khan’s associates hurried her. – But remember: if this time the groom does not die, you will die!..
“Then listen,” the old woman began. - There is a miracle horse at the bottom of the ocean. He himself is golden, and his tail is covered in diamonds. If your guest catches this horse, then do whatever you want with me!
Those close to the khan ran to their ruler and told him about the golden miracle horse. They persuaded him to give Aslan one more, final test.
The khan called his favorite and ordered him to get the miracle horse from the bottom of the sea.
“As soon as you do this,” said the khan, “I will give you half of my wealth and my daughter will be your wife that same day.”
Aslan cried: “I can’t fulfill such an order from the khan! How can I get to the bottom of the sea?” And again he went with his grief to the black horse.
“Don’t grieve ahead of time,” the black horse reassured him. “You’d better tell the khan to order his servants to pour a mountain of sand on the seashore and bring a hundred carts of resin to this mountain.” Then we will try to catch the golden miracle horse.
Aslan went to the khan and told him everything that the black horse ordered.
On the same day, the khan ordered the servants to pour mo- on the shore. dig a mountain of sand and bring a hundred carts of resin. When everything was ready, Aslan mounted his favorite black horse and galloped to the seashore.
The horse ordered him to melt the resin from one cart first and pour it into the sand. And when Aslan did this, the horse began to lie on the sand. Then he ordered to pour tar on himself and again fell out all over the sand. And this continued until all the resin and all the sand were gone, and the horse became the size of a mountain. Then he said to Aslan:
“At dawn, that same golden miracle horse will come out of the sea to graze, and with him a whole herd of golden-maned horses. As soon as the golden horse sees us, he will immediately pounce on me. And we will fight!.. If he puts me on my knees, you run now, otherwise he will kill you. If I put him on his knees, you quickly throw a bridle on him. But at that moment a girl will come out of the water and tell you: “Let’s throw stones - whoever throws it further, or let’s fight!” You answer her: “Everyone can throw stones, let’s fight better!” When you start fighting, don’t pull her towards you, let her pull you. And at this time, hold on to me. If the girl cannot pull you over, she will say: “Now you pull me towards you.” Then you hit her with a whip, knock the cap off her head, grab her by the hair and hold her tight. She will ask to let you go, but you don’t let go until she says: “For the sake of the golden horse, let me go, and I will do whatever you want.”
As soon as the horse finished speaking, a miracle horse emerged from the water, followed by a whole herd of golden-maned horses.
The miracle horse saw the black horse and immediately pounced on him. I wanted to bite him, but my teeth were stuck in resin and sand. And no matter how hard he tried to bite, he failed.
And the black horse bit the miracle horse and brought him to his knees. Then Aslan, remembering the order of his horse, put a bridle on the miracle horse.
Suddenly the sea became agitated, seethed... And from its depths a girl of unprecedented beauty emerged onto the crest of the wave.
-You dare to steal my herd! - she exclaimed. - Let's throw stones or fight: whoever wins over whom is the winner!
- Let's fight better! - Aslan answered. - And everyone can throw stones!..
“Okay,” said the girl, “pull me towards you!”
“No, pull first,” Aslan said.
The girl pulled him towards her with such force that if he had not been holding on to his horse, she would have immediately pulled him over. But the black horse was the size of a mountain, Aslan held on tightly to him, and no matter how hard the girl tried, she could not move them from their place.
- All! – she finally said, lowering her hands. – Now you pull me towards you!
Then Aslan used a kamcho to knock her cap off her head and grab her by the hair. She tried to break free, but he held tightly, and finally the girl asked:
[Kamcha – whip.]
- For the sake of the miracle horse, let me go. I will do whatever you want!
- Be my sister! - Aslan said.
“Well,” the girl answered. “You defeated me, and I agree.” Just know: I am the mistress of the underwater kingdom, and we will have to go down to the bottom of the sea to take all my riches with us.
Aslan agreed, and they went to the bottom together; sea...
Aslan was surprised when he saw that at the bottom of the sea there were houses, palaces, people, and fields on which a herd of golden-maned horses grazed.
He was even more surprised as he watched how the queen of the sea collected her countless riches into one small drain. When everything was finished, Aslan collected land from the sea and, together with the queen, ascended to land.
Here they mounted a miracle horse and rode to the khan. Aslan took the bride, and together they went to Aslan's father. The black horse followed them.
On the way they stopped at an old shepherd, the owner of a black horse. Aslan thanked the old man, returned the horse and gave him a herd of golden-maned horses.
Aslan affectionately said goodbye to his faithful friend, the black horse, and rode on with his bride and his named sister.
They settled not far from the village where Aslan’s father lived. The sea princess took out all the riches from her thimble. and instantly houses and streets grew, people appeared. In the center of the village, a beautiful palace was built of its own accord, where the young people settled.
A few days later, Aslan mounted the golden miracle horse, seated his wife and sister next to him, and they went to their father. By this time, Aslan's brothers were already married and lived with their wives in distant villages.
Aslan first of all gave his father the land that he got from the bottom of the sea. The father applied this earth to his eyes and immediately received his sight.
But it is clear that what they say is true: the one whose heart is blind is blind. The khan regained his sight - he saw the countless wealth of his son, his beautiful wife and envied his son. The khan decided to get rid of him and take possession of all the wealth, and take his beautiful wife to his place.
One day the khan invited his son to his place for dinner, but asked him to come alone. And the khan put poison in the cauldron where meat was being prepared for his son. The sea queen, sensing something unkind, gave Aslan a small dog with her and said:
- Eat only what the dog will eat.
When they sat down at the table, the son threw a piece of meat to the dog, but she did not eat it. Then the son also gave up meat.
A few days later, the khan ordered his servants to dig a deep hole in front of his house and cover it with felt. Then he sent a servant to his son with a request to come to him.
The son was going to visit his father, and the named sister again gave him the dog and said:
- Just go where this dog goes.
So they went to the khan: the dog in front, Aslan behind her. When they approached the khan's house, the dog did not step on the felt, but... went, pressing closely against the wall of the house.
Aslan followed her and therefore did not fall into the hole. Then the khan conceived a new trick: he quietly poured sleeping powder into the cup from which his son drank. And when Aslan fell asleep, he chained him.
After some time, Aslan woke up and saw chains on his hands and feet. My father stood nearby and smiled.
- What have you done, father! - Aslan shouted, he immediately broke the chains and stood up.
The khan was frightened. But he was cunning and cunning. What the old people say is true: there is no dog so angry that it doesn’t wag its tail.
“My son,” he said affectionately, “I just wanted to test your strength.” If you manage to break the iron chains, then no enemies can cope with you!..
The son believed the kind words and said: ; – It’s true, father!.. You can only deal with me by tearing out the hair from my mustache.
“Let me check,” the father said, still affectionately, and pulled out one hair from his son’s mustache.
And then he chained his son again, and he could no longer move his arm or leg. However, the son did not believe in his father’s deceit and asked:
- Now release me, father, you are convinced of the correctness of my words...
But the cruel khan shouted:
– Now you will see how I will free you!..
He called his servants and ordered them to throw his son from the mountain into the abyss...
Aslan lay motionless at the bottom of a deep gorge. And around him there is green grass... Thick, tall... Birds are flying... And suddenly one bird sat on his shoulder and spoke in a human voice:
– You are lying on the grass, which heals all ailments and gives a person extraordinary strength!..
Aslan was delighted, made an effort, extended his hand, picked some grass, and began to chew it. And I immediately felt healthy and stronger than I had ever been before.
Aslan got up, crawled out of the gorge and went home. When he approached the village, he saw that the khan and his servants had surrounded his palace and were trying to break into it.
His wife and the sea princess stand on the roof of the palace and shoot at them with arrows. And the gates of the palace are guarded by a golden miracle horse. He does not allow anyone into the palace. Kills everyone who dares to approach the gate.
Aslan, in torn, dirty clothes, with a face covered in dust, pretended to be a wanderer. He approached his father, bowed... But he did not recognize him.
-Who are you and where are you from? - the khan asked him.
“I am a poor wanderer, a tramp,” answered Aslan. “If you order, I’ll go and grab for you those beauties that are on the roof of the palace.” And I will be your servant.
“If you can do this, I will make you rich, give you half of my wealth and this palace, just bring them to me!” - answered the khan.
Aslan headed towards the palace, and as soon as he approached the gate, the golden miracle horse immediately recognized him and let him into the palace. He climbed onto the roof, the women joyfully rushed to him. Together they went down into the courtyard, sat on the golden miracle horse and rode out of the gate.
Only then did the khan recognize his son and tremble with anger and hatred.
- Grab him! - he shouted to his servants. “Tie and kill me right now, and take the beautiful princess to my house.”
Only the sun does not rise from the west and the moon does not shine during the day. The khan's servants did not move from their place to carry out the order of their master. None of them dared to approach the miracle horse: he was snoring angrily, smoke was coming from his nostrils, and sparks were flying from under his hooves.
Then the khan himself wanted to shoot at Aslan, but the horse hit him with its hoof, and the cruel khan fell dead.
Aslan began to rule the village and lived happily with his wife and named sister.
No wonder people say: no matter how long the night is, the day is.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru