While living in his father’s house, Shauei once heard that the Narts were organizing horse racing competitions and were gathering for this at the old Uazirmes. Shauei began to ask his father to let him go to the races. Kange disagreed for a long time. He thought that it was too early for his son to compete with the best riders; he was afraid that he would only disgrace himself in front of the sledges. But Shauei asked so persistently that in the end Kange allowed him to go.
Putting on beggar's rags, Shauei jumped on his horse and cheerfully shouted:
- My Jamidezh, I’m going on an important matter, ride faster!
“Even to the ends of the world, my Shauey!” Dzhamidezh responded loudly.
Either galloping or ambling, Dzhamidezh rushed through the mountains and valleys and, reaching a wide river, stopped. No matter how Shauei urged him, the horse did not budge. Shauei lashed him with his whip, but Jamidezh did not move. Shauei hit harder, but Jamidez seemed to have grown into the ground. Angry, Shauei beat the horse until it bled, but Jamidezh didn’t even blink. He only asked Shauei:
- Why are you beating me?
- Because you don’t want to cross the river. There has never been a time when you chickened out. Why are you standing rooted to the spot now?
“Until you tell me where we’re going, I won’t take a step.”
- Jamidezh! I know your worth, but you’re just a horse and I don’t have to tell you about my intentions! - Shauei shouted angrily. Take me to the other side, otherwise you will pay with your head! You don’t yet know what Shauei, son of Kange, is like!
“If you don’t want to, don’t say it, but I won’t budge either.” Deal with me as you please. You can kill me, but you cannot intimidate me. “And I know Shauei, son of Kange, well,” answered Jamidezh.
Shauei whipped him in anger until he was exhausted, and Jamidezh never moved. Then Shauei said meekly:
- Jamidezh, fearless Nart horse! I won't hide from you. We are going to old man Uazirmes, where horsemen gather for the races. There you and I will experience the art of the Nart riders and the strength of their horses.
“The reason I’m standing still is because I know where you’re going.” We cannot go there until I have three iron girths forged by the blacksmith Dabech. I'll have to fly through the air instead of running on the ground. In flight, the leather girths will burst and the wind will throw you to the ground. If you want me to take part in the races, we’ll go to Dabech first.
Shauei obeyed.
When a ragamuffin on a languid nag drove up to the door of the forge, Dabech did not recognize his grandson.
- Good fire, grandfather Dabech! - Shauei greeted the blacksmith.
Dabech looked at him in surprise and, turning away, continued to work.
“I ask you, grandfather Dabech, to make three girths for my horse,” said Shauei, hiding his offense.
“Girths are made of leather, and I’m not a saddler,” Dabech answered gloomily, without raising his head.
“I need iron girths, not leather, that’s why I turned to you,” objected Shauei.
Dabech looked at the ragamuffin from under his brows.
“If his horse needs iron girths, then the rider is a mighty hero, although you can’t tell by his appearance. We need to test him,” thought Dabech.
“Okay,” he said, “I’ll make three iron girths, just help me fan the fire if you can.”
“I don’t know if I can, but I’ll try,” Shauei answered, as if he doubted his strength.
Dabech placed a long bar of iron on the smoldering coals, and Shauei took the bellows.
- Start! - Dabech ordered.
As Shauei began to blow the bellows, the walls of the forge crackled, crumbled into pieces and were scattered by the wind, and Dabech himself was thrown up and down, along with fragments of iron, ash and soot.
- Stop it! - Dabech yelled, - I’ll make you as many iron girths as you want, just calm down!
Shauei put down the bellows, and Dabech, all black with soot, approached the forge. He forged girths and riveted them to Jamidej's saddle.
Shauei said goodbye to the blacksmith, mounted his horse and went to the races.
He quickly rushed to Uazirmes and was still late: there were no longer any participants in the competition. Uazirmes, seeing a young ragamuffin on a pathetic nag, asked mockingly:
-What do you need, rider?
“I will compete with the riders if you, good Uazirmes, allow me,” answered Shauei.
“Are you laughing, or what?” Uazir Mess became angry. “The riders rode off yesterday, it’s time for them to return.” Where can you catch up with them, and even on this half-dead nag! By the time you get to the race site, everyone will already be here.
“Even though I’m late, you allow me to go to the sledges.” “Maybe I’ll catch up with them, and if I don’t, I’ll meet them on the way and admire their art,” Shauei insisted.
“Give him permission, let him go,” advised the sledges standing nearby. “Would it be a pity for you if his screaming nag fell along the road, and he himself returned home on foot!”
Uazirmes laughed and allowed Shauey to go to the races.
Whipping the skinny sides of Dzhamidezh with a twig, pounding him with his heels, Shauei rode out of the yard. Until we got out of the Nart village, Dzhamidezh fell on all four hooves and swayed from side to side. Looking after him, the sledges laughed.
But as soon as the village was out of sight, Jamidez shook himself and flew. When he landed in the valley where the races were to begin, the sledges were not there yet.
“My Dzhamidezh,” said Shauei, “let’s wander through the fresh meadow, nibble the grass, and I’ll pine before the sledges arrive.”
And Shauei lay down on the hillock.
The sledges arrived at the race site a day and a half after Shauei. Seeing the sleeping man, they laughed:
- This knight, apparently, also came to the races! Just let him sleep better, it suits him better!
Without waking Shauei, the sledges stood in a row and galloped back.
At this time, Uazirmes, looking into the distance from the hill and seeing nothing but a cloud of dust, shouted to the sledges standing nearby:
- I told you whose horse will gallop first! Well, of course, my piebald! There he is, ahead of everyone - my tireless Kulanizh! Look at the sledges, look!
And Shauei, waking up and seeing that the Narts had already galloped away, jumped on Dzhamidezh and flew to the Nart village. He rushed to Uazirmes when there was no trace of the Nart riders.
Uazirmes, seeing that it was not his frisky Kulanizh who came first, but Shauei’s lame-legged horse, almost cried with frustration.
“You are apparently worried about the fate of the riders, good Uazirmes!” Nothing happened to them. they are just very tired. I will now go to meet them and deliver them safe and sound!
Turning his horse, Shauei rushed towards the sledge. He caught them halfway, took them off their horses and tied them to the sides of Dzhamidezh so that the heads and legs of the sledges stuck out in all directions. Having thrown Kulanizh onto the back of his horse, Shauei galloped towards Uazirmes, driving ahead the Nart horses tied with bridles.
What could I say to those sledges who came out to meet the riders!
The horsemen dangled on Jamidezh’s sides, pitiful and helpless. Looking at them, everyone fell silent in involuntary fear of Shauei.
In the evening, Uazirmes arranged a feast in honor of the Nart races. The Narts, having tied their horses, gathered in the house. Shauei also came, leaving Jamidej with the Nart horses. After some time, Uazirmes’ wife ran in to the feasting party:
“Narts, the guest’s horse bit your horses!”
Uazirmes went out and saw that all the horses were bitten. He wanted to take Jamidej aside, but he threw him away.
Uazirmes returned to the feasters and asked Shauei to place his horse separately so that he would not bite the Nart horses to death.
Shauei took Jamidej to another hitching post and returned to the feast.
Having proclaimed a heroic toast in honor of the unknown rider, the Narts placed gifts intended for the winner in front of Shauei.
But Shauei, to the surprise of everyone, refused the award.
“I didn’t come here to receive gifts.” Give them to women and children. I just wanted to admire the skill of the riders and the training of the horses. Now I know everything I need,” Shauei said.
Without identifying himself, he said goodbye to the sledge, jumped on Dzhamidezh and flew away like a bird.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru