In the old days there lived one poor man. He had nine sons and one daughter. The older brothers did not stand out in any way, and the youngest had golden hair. His name was Totambay. They all had one mare. She foaled every year, but each time a black cloud descended from the sky and kidnapped the foal. The brothers took turns guarding, but could not do anything.
It was the turn of the younger brother to guard the foal. He went to the steppe after the mare and waited for a black cloud to appear. By morning, Totambai dozed off, but was awakened by some noise: a black cloud was descending from the sky. Totambai shot at this cloud. The cloud shook and something fell out of it onto the ground. It turned out to be a woman's finger. When Totambai came home, he saw that his sister was missing one finger. Totambai pretended not to notice anything, and when the brothers arrived, he told them that their sister was a witch. The brothers did not believe it and kicked their younger brother out of the house.
Totambai went to the neighboring khanate and hired himself as a shepherd there. Every time he drove the herd to the river for watering, the khan’s daughters bathed there. This happened for several days. The youngest daughter noticed the golden-haired shepherd and fell in love with him.
The eldest daughters married rich and noble. The father received a lot of kalym for them. The youngest daughter chose a shepherd for herself, but the father did not give consent. The daughter married against her father’s will and received nothing from him: what she wore was what she wore.
Totambai and his wife live for a year, then they live for two... Khan does not want to see his poor son-in-law. But one day the khan fell ill. Messengers were sent to different parts for healers and sorcerers. There were a lot of them. Day and night they cast spells and fortunes, called upon the unclean spirits submissive to them, but they could not do anything - the khan did not recover. Finally one of them told the khan that he could get better if he ate wild goat meat. The khan called his beloved daughters and their husbands and told them to get him wild goat meat. The sons-in-law gathered to hunt. Totambai also asked, but the khan laughed at him. Totambai repeated his request, and the khan gave him a horse, but a very run-down one.
Totambai soon killed several goats, but the khan's sons-in-law killed none. They were ashamed, and they began to ask Totambai to give up the goats to them. Totambai agreed, but on one condition: to put a brand under everyone’s shirt. They agreed.
The hunters returned to the palace. Khan was pleased. They cooked the meat and fed it to the khan. He recovered quickly. Favorite sons-in-law were awarded.
One day the khan again called his favorites and told them:
“I had five daughters, but only three remain.” Two daughters were stolen by terrible giants - dyau. I ask you to find and release them. For this you will receive all my wealth.
The khan's beloved sons-in-law agreed to fulfill the khan's request and went to look for dyau. Totambai did not lag behind them. They drove for a long time through deserted places, got tired and decided to rest. Totambai easily endured all these difficulties; he did not stop on the way, but continued to move on.
Totambai goes and has a look. Suddenly he sees five white yurts standing. Totambai arrived and stopped. A zhigit entered the first yurt and saw a woman sitting. She asked Totambai who he was and where he was from? Totambai told everything. Then the woman said that she was the khan’s daughter, and her sister lived in the neighboring yurt. Soon the Dyau returned and entered into a duel with Totambai. They fought for a long time, and finally Totambai killed the boy. The sisters began to thank their savior. Then they got ready and went with Totamba to their father.
On the way back, Totambai met the khan’s favorites, tired and hungry. Totambai fed them and invited them to rest with him. They agreed. Totambai usually slept forty days and forty nights. And while he was sleeping, the khan's sons-in-law took the women and went ahead to get what they had promised from the khan.
Khan kept his word. He was glad to see his daughters return, arranged for her, and gave all his wealth to his sons-in-law. About Totambai, his sons-in-law said that he died on the road.
That lasted forty days, and towards the end of that Totambai returned. He told the khan how he killed wild goats, dyau, and that his favorites did nothing. Khan didn't believe it. Then Totambai called his favorites braggarts and asked the khan to make them undress and look at the brand under their shirts. Khan did just that. And when he was convinced that Totambai was right, he drove the deceivers away from him, and transferred the wealth to Totambai.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru