Once upon a time, in a distant khanate, there lived a tribe. There were two rich men in the tribe - a big rich man, Ulug-bai, and a small rich man, Biche-bai - and two judges. The first judge was of a higher rank than the second, and the second was of lower rank than the first.
An old man, Cholben, lived in this tribe with his son Orlan-ool. They had one cow and one goat.
And old man Bagaytyk lived. His daughter Chechen-kys was the most beautiful in the entire tribe. And they didn’t have any livestock, not even a dog at the door of the yurt. The old man went into the taiga every day to look for roots. And the daughter, a great skilled craftswoman, sewed robes made of black silk and robes made of black leather for the rich. This is what they lived for.
The old men Cholben and Bagaytyk were neighbors, often visited each other, started long conversations, and agreed to marry their children.
The rumor about this reached the ears of Beache-bay.
“Is it possible that the beggar Cholben will marry such a beauty to his ragamuffin Orlan-ool?!” he shouted. - No! The beautiful Chechen-kys will be my son’s wife!
The rumor about this reached the ears of Ulug-bai.
“No, Chechen-Kys will be my son’s wife,” he said. - After all, I have more cattle and goods, gold and silver than Beach Bay! And he himself should be afraid of me and not marry the beauty. Tomorrow I'm going to old man Bagaytyk.
The next morning Ulug-bai said to his wife:
“There’s absolutely no point in giving good gifts to a poor man.” All he needs is one piece of cheese and one araki coger. And in the evening I will bring the beautiful Chechen-kys.
[Kogerzhik is a flat leather flask for araki.]
Biche-bai also began to get ready to visit Bagaytyk. He cooked a goat leg and took some araki cogerjik.
Meanwhile, old man Cholben slaughtered his last goat, boiled it, asked good people for araki and brought these treats to old man Bagaytyk. They began to celebrate and shout, and started a long conversation.
Ulug-bai has arrived. Beach-bye has arrived. Both began to marry the beauty to their sons.
Old man Bagaytyk did not know what to do. I was afraid to refuse rich people, I didn’t want to offend my friend. He began to run back and forth: first he would run out of the yurt, then he would run in again. He thinks and thinks.
Chechen-kys asked:
- What's wrong with you, father? You are so confused.
- Oh daughter! Who should grieve if not me! And Ulug-bai and Biche-bai are both wooing you for their sons. But our friend Cholben is sitting with me. And now I don’t know who to refuse, who to give consent to.
- Oh father, there is nothing to grieve here. Accept gifts from everyone and say that the answer will be in three days.
Old man Bagaytyk returned to the yurt and said as his daughter advised. The matchmakers left their gifts and left.
“In three days the old man will give me his consent,” said Ulug-bai. - Do you, Beache-bai, compete with me, with my wealth!
“Even though you are Ulug-bai, even though you are the richest of all, it was not you, but I who brought the old man meat, a whole goat’s leg.” The old man will give his consent to me!” said Beache-bye.
They walked and argued all the way.
Poor Cholben thought: “How can I compete with the bais!.. Will the beautiful Chechen-kys really become the daughter-in-law of one of them?”
Three days later the Bai's servants came for an answer.
“Tell them, father, let the suitors come to our yurt with gifts in three months.” “Whose gift is better will become my husband,” Chechen-kys told her father.
Old man Bagaytyk announced the decision to the servants. Ulug-bai counted out fifty lans of silver to his son.
[Lan is a monetary unit.]
- Go to the merchants. Whatever you like, buy it as a gift for the bride.
Biche-bai gave his son forty lans of silver.
Old man Cholben sold his cow for twenty-five lans and gave them to Orlan-ool.
Three guys went to the bazaars to look for the most valuable gifts. We walked for a very long time, the third month was ending. Finally they saw a beautiful patterned cart on eight wheels made of strong steel. It cost fifty lans of silver.
“Why is it so expensive?” asked the Bai’s sons.
“Because she herself, without horses, can cover a three-month journey in three days,” answered the merchant.
The cart was bought by the son of Ulug Bay.
Then they saw a mirror with a silver frame. It cost forty lans of silver.
“Why is it so expensive?” asked the Bai’s sons.
“Because in this mirror you can see any corner of the earth you want,” answered the merchant.
The mirror was bought by Biche-bai's son.
Orlan-ool thought that the best gifts had already been bought, but still continued to look. He approached a Chinese man who was selling medicinal herbs. He had a small wooden box. It contained such a small pile of powder that it could fit in a raven's eye. The box cost twenty-five lans.
- Why is it so expensive? “What’s in it?” the guy asked.
“This powder contains all the healing herbs of all nine ridges,” answered the Chinese. “The herbs are crushed in a golden mortar and sifted through the finest sieve.” This powder can revive a person even three days after death.
Orlan-ool bought a box. Bai's sons began to laugh at him and boast about their gifts. Biche-bai's son waved the mirror and said:
- Well, mirror, show me where the beautiful Chechen-Kys is now?
The mirror showed an old yurt. The beautiful Chechen-kys was dead. Old man Bagaytyk was sitting next to the body. He was crying.
Bai's sons said:
- Let's go on an eight-wheeled cart - we'll be in time for the funeral. We won't take him with us.
“Take me,” Orlan-ool asked. “After all, I have a healing powder with which I will revive Chechen-kys.”
Bai's sons rushed at him to take away the powder. Then Orlan-ool grabbed them by the belts and pressed them to the ground. Ulugh Bay's son said:
- Okay, you will go on a cart, but if it breaks down on the road, you will work for me for fifty years.
Orlan-ool agreed. Biche-bai's son said:
“If your powder revives Chechen-kys, then I think our fathers will agree to give you your twenty-five lans.”
Three days later, an eight-wheeled cart arrived in Aal. Orlan-ool poured powder made from medicinal herbs from all nine ridges into the beauty’s mouth. The girl came to life.
And again Ulug-bai, Biche-bai and old man Cholben began to argue: whose daughter-in-law would be the beautiful Chechen-kys.
“The main thing is the eight-wheeled cart,” said Ulug-bai. “They managed to return on it in time.”
“No, the main thing is the mirror,” said Beach-bye. — Otherwise, how would they know about the death of Chechen-Kys?
Let's go to the judges. The judges thought for a long time, and the junior judge suggested:
- We need to call Chechen-kys. Let her resolve the old people's dispute herself.
Chechen-kys said:
“I cannot resolve such a dispute, because they are arguing about me.” But if I were a judge, I would decide it in favor of the one who suffered the most losses.
The senior judge called the bais and the old man to him.
“Your son did not suffer any losses,” he said to Ulug-bai. - He now has a magic cart. He will not marry Chechen-kys.
“And your son did not suffer any losses,” he said to Beach Bay. — He now has a magic mirror. He will not marry Chechen-kys.
“And your son,” he said to old man Cholben, “has nothing left.” He revived the beauty with healing powder. He marries Chechen-kys.
This ended the dispute. The whole tribe gathered for the wedding of Orlan-ool and Chechen-kys. And they began to enjoy happiness and contentment, and the people - peace and prosperity.
[Orlan-ool - Daring guy.
Chechen-kys - Graceful girl.]
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru