Once upon a time there lived one glorious bakharchi. When he got married, he did not go to the bride on the first night, but on the second day he ordered her to pack him for the journey. The bride was surprised, but silently obeyed. Bakharchi left and soon found himself in a large village, where a magnificent wedding was held in the Khan’s palace. On the streets, heralds shouted the Khan's decree: whoever does not come to the wedding will be killed. Bakharchi went to the feast with everyone, but on the way he met an old man who gave him advice - not to drink the first horn.
- What awaits me if I don’t follow your advice? - asked the bakharchi.
- The first time you will have to defeat the strongest nuker, otherwise your head will be cut off. If you dare to drink the first horn a second time, you will have to win the horse race, otherwise your head will be cut off. But the worst thing will happen if you are the first to drain the horn for the third time. Then they will test your wife’s fidelity, and if she cheats, then you will not lose your head.
He thanked the old man and went to the wedding among the young people.
Soon the toastmaster poured a full horn of wine and offered to drink, but no one dared to accept it. An awkward silence lasted for a long time. Finally the bakharchi stood up and drained the horn in one gulp.
After that, everyone cheered up and the feast began.
After the feast, the bakharchi went to spend the night with the old man.
- Well, son, did you listen to my advice? - he asked.
“No, father, I couldn’t refuse the honor of drinking the first horn,” answered the bakharchi.
The old man scolded him and spent a long time trying to persuade him not to be the first to raise his horns the next evening.
But even on the second day, the bakharchi turned out to be the only daredevil and was the first to take the horn.
Having learned about this, the old man was even more upset and for a long time tried to persuade the bakharchi not to commit a reckless act at least for the third time. But the third time he could not stand the bakharchi and was the first to drain the horn. And after that he was immediately taken into custody.
The next morning a large crowd gathered in the market square. And so they brought the bakharchi and the strongest khan’s nuker, and they began to fight. Before they had time to come together, the bakharchi threw the nuker high and laid him on his shoulder blades.
Then the racing began. And then the bakharchi on his horse overtook the best horseman, who rode out on the fastest Khan’s argamak.
And again the bakharchi was taken into custody, and the khan’s son and the vizier, a famous handsome man and reveler, were sent to his wife.
They came to the farmer's wife, pretended to be her husband's kunaks, conveyed greetings from him and asked for an overnight stay.
- Come in, kunaki. After all, it is said: let there not be a day without a guest! - she greeted the guests.
The farmer's wife fed them well and put them to bed in the best room. But she noticed that the guests were whispering and felt something was wrong. So she lay down on the maid's bed, and put the maid on her bed.
At night, the guests crept up to the maid, tore the Ring from her finger, cut off her braid and ran away. The hostess, who came running in response to the noise, saw the crying maid and realized that they wanted to dishonor her. She immediately saddled her horse, dressed in her husband’s clothes, took his weapon and galloped after him.
Soon she reached the fugitives, attacked them with a saber in
hands and forced him to surrender. Then, under threat of death, she ordered them to undress and drove them naked to the khan. Near their native village, both fell to their knees and, in tears, asked for their clothes back.
“We agree to everything,” they prayed, “just give us back our clothes.” After all, we are entering our village!
“Okay,” answered the bakharchi’s wife, “so be it, but I will put my mark on you *.”
The Khan's son did not agree, but the vizier began to persuade him,
- Who will know about this mark? We can’t go home naked, it’s better to agree.
The girl heated up her brand and branded the khan's son and vizier in the same way as slaves are usually branded. And they both had to carry home the mark of shame.
Hearing that the khan's son and the vizier had returned, the people began to gather in the market square. Soon the guards brought the bakharchi, and then the khan came out with his entourage and began to question his son and the vizier.
“What can you tell us about the piety of this fellow’s wife?” - asked the khan.
In response, the son and the vizier pulled out the cut braid and ring and said:
- These are his wife’s things, our khan!
- Cut off the head of the daredevil! - the khan ordered and prepared to leave the square.
But at this time a handsome young man appeared before the khan.
“Listen to me, Khan, before you execute this man.”
- Well, keep it short. “I don’t have time,” the khan grumbled dissatisfiedly.
“I’m looking for two runaway slaves,” said the young man, “and they are here.”
- Who are they, please indicate.
“And here they are,” and the young man pointed to the khan’s son and vizier. Then a commotion arose, taking advantage of which the vizier and
Khan's son wanted to run away. But they were grabbed and pushed into the middle.
The khan did not want to undress his son and vizier in front of all the people, but he had to give in to the demands of the jamaat. And everyone saw a mark on the buttocks of the vizier and the khan’s son.
“These two pathetic liars did not seduce the baker’s wife at all.”
“Chi,” said the young man. “They just thieves cut off the maid’s braid and stole her ring.” His real wife is in front of you, and here is my ring! - With these words, the young man took off his parakha and everyone saw golden braids.
Then the bakharchi rushed to hug his wife, and neither the nukers nor the guards could restrain him. And the khan quickly took his disgraced son and vizier to the palace.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru