Shauei always said to the Nart horsemen:
- Even when traveling alone, do not be afraid to meet enemies, even if there are many of them. But if you meet a lone rider, do not stop him from following his path, do not attack him!
One day, Shauei, at the head of a large detachment, went on a hike. The sleds rode for a long time along the banks of rivers, along mountain ranges, along wide valleys, and at the intersection of roads they met a lone rider. Shauei greeted him as befits him on the road, and, without asking anything, rode on.
But ten sledges from Shauei’s detachment fell behind, chased the rider and, having overtaken him, blocked his path.
“I don’t touch you, don’t touch me either,” said the horseman.
But the sledges only surrounded him more closely, trying to take away his weapons and tear off his rich armor.
- Let me go! “I haven’t done anything wrong to you,” a lone rider admonished the ten sledges.
- Don't listen to him! We will deal with him properly! - the sledges shouted, trying to pull the rider off his horse.
Seeing that persuasion was useless, the rider broke free from their hands, threw the sledges off their horses one after another, and then tied the reins to the horses and drove them off. The horses rushed off, dragging their riders behind them.
Meanwhile, Shauei and his detachment settled down to rest. Then the sledges noticed that their detachment was missing ten horsemen.
- Where are our comrades? Where did they go? - everyone asked each other.
- Did anything bad happen to them? — Shauei was alarmed. - I have to find them. If I'm gone for a long time, come home.
Shauei rushed back and after a while he noticed a dark cloud ahead. Approaching him, Shauei saw that it was a lone horseman galloping, and the Nart horses were rushing ahead, dragging their riders.
- Bon voyage! - Shauei shouted, catching up with the rider.
- Long life! - he answered greeting with greeting and reined in his horse.
“These sledges you are driving were in my detachment.” Tell me, what wrong did they do to you? - Shauei asked.
“They didn’t do anything too bad.” But they prevented me from driving, blocking the road. And I was forced to do this to them.
“I believe that they are guilty before you, but this time forgive them and let them go for my sake.” Who knows, maybe we will meet again and you will need my help!
“Have it your way,” said the rider. “I’ll let them go for your sake.”
Having freed the sledge, the lone rider silently continued on his way. Shauei ordered ten sledges to join the detachment, and he himself followed the lone rider and, having caught up with him, asked:
- If you don’t disdain me, identify yourself. Tell me where and why you are going.
- I won’t tell you my name. The time will come - you yourself will find out what my name is, if you are a real man. And I am going to Shauei, the son of Kanj, the only son of Na Ribgei. If it's not a burden to you, be my companion.
“It is a great honor to accompany such a brave knight.” “I will willingly go with you wherever you want,” replied Shauei.
They drove for a long time in silence. When they arrived at Kange's house, the unknown horseman said to his companion:
“Go and tell Shauei that a guest has come to see him.” If Shauei wishes to receive me, tell him that I intend to stay with him for a year. That's one thing. Tell him also that my horse needs a haystack and a bag of corn every day. And I myself will eat one lamb and one cauldron of millet paste every day. This is the second one. And third: my horse and I need worthy table companions. If Shauei agrees to all three conditions, I will be his guest. If not, let him say it directly. I'm waiting for an answer.
Without identifying himself to the guest, Shauei entered the house and told his father everything as it was.
- What should we do, father? - in conclusion he asked Kange. “To tell the truth, I want to get to know the unknown horseman better.” It is clear from everything that the knight is the bravest of the brave. But can we fulfill its terms? What should I do?
Kanj thought and said:
- Invite him. This man, apparently, has heard about your courage and came to you for a reason. There is not a sled in our village that you would not help: one you gave a herd of horses, another a flock of sheep. The Narts love you. They will not allow us to disgrace ourselves in front of the guest. If we don’t have enough income, they can help us.
Returning to the horseman, Shauei told him that Kanzha’s son was glad to have a guest, and escorted him to the kunatskaya, and he himself returned to the house. Having exchanged ordinary rags for rich clothes, Shauei went to the kunatskaya.
“Welcome, my guest,” he said warmly, shaking the young man’s hand. - There is no better joy than the arrival of a guest!
“Son of Kanja Shauei,” said the young man. “Do you know what I wish by becoming your guest?”
“Yes, I know that,” Shauei answered.
“Then feed my horse, as you promised, and first find him a table companion.” Order that everything that should be prepared is prepared for me, and also find a Nart with whom I would not be ashamed to sit at the table.
“A treat awaits you, and I am ready to become yours with the meal.” In our herd we will find a feeder to match your horse.
Shaueya and the guest went to the Nart Field. Herds of Kanzh grazed there. First, they examined the gray horses, but did not find any suitable ones. And among the bays the guest did not see the one he was looking for. We switched to the blacks, but even here there was no worthy horse.
Returning with nothing, the guest saw Jamidezh grazing alone.
“This horse is fit to be my table companion!” - said the guest.
“I’m glad,” Shauei replied. - This is my horse.
Jamidej was brought into the courtyard and placed next to the guest's horse. A stack of hay was placed in front of both of them. And Shauei and his guest sat down at the table, and each of them ate a lamb and a cauldron of millet paste.
Six months passed like this. Now Jamidej was already short of one heap. After finishing his own, he began to eat his neighbor's hay. And his share became not enough for Shauei. Then the guest said:
- It's enough to sit at home. Let's go and take a walk along the Nart Field.
Leaving home every day in the morning and returning in the evening, they walked their horses. A whole month passed like this. From abundant food, the mighty horses became even stronger, and from racing over mountains and valleys, they became faster and more resilient.
“Now,” the guest said to Shauei, “even though I was only with you for half the agreed time, it’s time for me to get ready to go.” I have urgent business waiting for me. If you want, we'll go together.
“I will gladly accompany you and be happy to help you, my dear guest,” answered Shauei.
Having put on armor, the guest and Shauei set off on a hike.
They traveled for a whole month without food or drink, without rest or sleep, because the guest was in a hurry. A month later they reached the intermarium and dismounted in a meadow. A cave was visible nearby. Shauei's guest entered it and brought out one scythe, one short pitchfork and one long pitchfork, one wooden shovel and one large cauldron. He placed all this in front of Shauei and said:
“I’ll go to bed now and sleep for a whole month, while you mow without rest or sleep.” When you mow this meadow, sweep up three haystacks. Before you wake me up, boil hay dust in a cauldron for three days. In three days the brew will thicken, then wake me up.
The guest went to bed. And Shauei began to mow hay and swept away three haystacks so high that when he looked at them, his hat fell off his head. Three days before waking up the guest, Shauei poured hay dust into the cauldron and boiled it until the brew thickened. Just three days passed and he woke up the guest.
- Ready? - asked the guest waking up.
- Everything is ready.
Then the guest called his horse and, taking a shovel, began to coat it with hay dust thickened like glue. Then he made the horse roll in the sand and coated him again. And so many times - either he coated the horse with glue, or he made him roll and roll in the sand. Finally the cauldron was empty, and the horse's skin became tan.
Then the guest saddled his horse and said:
“Now, Shauei, I must cross this vast sea.” You do as I say: as soon as it gets dark, set fire to the first haystack. At midnight, set fire to the second swarm. And look at the sea all the time, without taking your eyes off. If nothing is visible, set fire to the third haystack. Don't take your eyes off the sea! If white foam appears on the waves, it means my job has ended successfully and I am returning. And if you see red foam, know that my business has turned out badly. Red foam is my blood. Then decide for yourself whether you should return home or look for me.
Having said this, the guest jumped on his horse and set off into the vast sea.
And Shauei remained on the shore and did not take his eyes off the sea. As it got dark, he set fire to the first haystack. At midnight I set fire to the second one, but saw neither red nor white foam on the waves. Then he set fire to the third stack and a bright red sea appeared before his eyes. Black-purple foam ran across the crests of the waves.
- Jamidezh, come to me! - Shauei shouted, and he instantly appeared from the darkness. Shauei jumped into the saddle and grabbed his sword. - Jump over the sea, Jamidezh! Our friend is dying!
- Jump, jump! I knew that this couldn’t happen without us! - Jamidez responded. And, jumping over the sea, they landed on the land of the giants.
And immediately the light faded, the wind whistled, and snow began to fall. Huge rocks flew up and fell to the ground with a roar. Stones rained down from the black sky. In the noise of the storm, angry screams were heard: these were the people raging, sensing the approach of a person.
Shauei walked far and wide across the land and did not find his guest. He climbed to the top of the rock and shouted:
- Hey, hey, hey, my guest, my friend, respond!
Shauei shouted a second and third time, but did not hear an answering scream. Then he jumped off his horse and hit the ground with his fist three times. It became quiet on the earth.
- Hey, my guest, where are you? - Sha Wei called loudly, and in response the guest’s voice came from behind a huge rock:
- The son of Kanj, Shauei, the only son of Narib is gay! Look for me between the diverging and converging rocks!
As soon as the giants heard the name of Shauei, the storm began to rustle again and stones fell from the sky. But Shauei, not noticing anything, whipped his horse, and he jumped from a running start into a crevice between two closing and opening rocks. There lay the bound guest of Shauei, and above him, with sharp knives raised, sat twelve foreigners. An instant, and the guest would have been dead, but Shauei, with a drawn sword, rushed at them like a flame, and with one blow cut off everyone’s heads. The rocks began to close in, but Shauei rested his hands on them and pushed them apart even wider.
Quickly untying the guest, Shauei carried him out of the gorge in his arms. Having reached the shore, they saw a herd of horses. They were wild and mighty horses. Having caught the black stallion, Shauei and his guest drove the entire herd across the sea. But as soon as they drove away from the shore, the black stallion broke free and swam back.
“That’s bad,” the guest shook his head. “The stallion ran away, we can’t go any further.” Others killed by you have three more older brothers, each with twelve heads. Now the black stallion will rush them here one after another.
The guest had not finished speaking these words when a twelve-headed giant appeared on a black stallion, threatening and cursing.
- Don't make noise! - the guest shouted. - If you want to fight, fight! As a newcomer, you have the right to the first strike. Hit!
-Whom to beat? - the foreigner shouted. - Isn’t it you, brainiac! Well, get it! - and the giant, pulling the string of a huge bow, released an arrow, but the guest jumped to the side, and the arrow flashed past. Then the guest pulled the bowstring, and the steel arrow instantly pierced the inj’s heart. The horse collapsed, and the black stallion rushed back again and immediately returned with another twelve-headed giant. This one cursed even more furiously.
- Why did you shout like a grumpy old woman! - the guest stopped him. - If you want to fight, start. The first blow is yours.
Inyzh took aim and fired an arrow, but the guest jumped to the side and the arrow flew past. Immediately the guest sent a response arrow, and he fell dead. And the black horse turned and rushed off.
- There is only one person left. But it is not easy to defeat him. He does not recognize weapons. He will want to fight me. If we come out of this fight alive, then it will be the end for everyone else.
Before the guest had time to say this, the eldest foreigner rushed forward, panting with rage, on a black stallion. Fire flew out of his twelve throats.
-Who dared to step on my land? - the foreigner thundered. -Who killed my brothers? Who stole our herd? Just let it show, I'll rip his stomach open! It used to be that seven Nart brothers would not let us live; they had been killed long ago. They have a sister, but she cannot reach our lands. The father and mother of the dead were blinded by tears. Who from the Nart family could have come here? I heard that some Shauei, the son of Kanzh and Naribgeya, appeared among the Narts, and that he promised to become an invincible warrior. But that will happen later, but for now he’s a sucker, he belongs in the cradle. He couldn’t have ended up here as soon as he was born! - the old man screamed in twelve voices.
- Why are you so noisy! I am not the son of Kange, I am not Shauei. There will be time, he will show himself to you. Not an empty word! If you want to fight, fight. The first blow is yours,” said the guest, standing in front of him.
- Okay, so be it, let's fight and play. “But let our horses fight first,” the other hissed angrily.
Chasing the guest's horse, the crow grabbed it with his teeth, but only bit off the glue and sand, not getting to the skin, and the guest's horse each time snatched large pieces of living meat from the crow, so that soon only bones remained from him. The black horse died.
The foreigner became even more angry:
- Your horse ruined mine! Now you won’t see my light! Let's start the game: who will drive whom into the ground.
He grabbed the other guest and drove him into the ground up to his knees. The guest grabbed the inyzha and drove it into the ground up to his ankles. Another time, he picked up the guest’s horse and drove it into the ground up to his waist, but the guest only drove it into the ground up to his knees. He lifted the other guest for the third time, slammed him into the ground up to his shoulders and shouted, raising his sword:
- Say goodbye to your head! If you have something to say before you die, say it!
- Take your time, inyzh! I will speak for him! - Shauei shouted, appearing as if out of the ground. He grabbed the double-edged sword with his hand in the air and pulled it away from the guest’s head.
- If you rely on your own strength, then play with me. If you defeat me, chop off both of our heads.
“I’ll be messing around with you for a long time!” - Inyzh burst out laughing. He grabbed Shauei tightly, but did not move him from his place. I tried another time, but I couldn’t get it off the ground. For the third time, the inyzh grabbed Shauei and pulled him up with all his might, but Shauei did not flinch.
- Well, anyway, now it’s my turn. Speak your dying word.
“I have nothing left to say, but before I die, I want to find out who you are.”
- My name is Shauei, son of Kanzha, only son of Naribgeya.
“I knew that my family would die from you!” - the foreigner froze.
- Whether you knew it or not, you will die, just like your brothers died!
And Shauei cut off all twelve heads of the last inizh with one blow of his sword.
Running up to his guest, Shauei pulled him out of the ground, and they set off on the way back, driving a herd of Inyzh horses in front of them.
So they reached the fork in the seven roads.
“Now we’ll say goodbye, Shauei,” said the guest. - Our paths diverge. I'm glad I got to know you. Thank you for cordially welcoming me into your home and helping me in my important work. After all, these foreigners killed seven of my Nart brothers. You helped me take revenge for them. Farewell, Shauei! But before you part ways, know that I'm not a man, I'm a girl. My name is Shhatsfitsa. Look at me.
Shauei saw with amazement how, freed from the steel helmet, the girl’s black braids descended to the ground. The girl was beautiful. Her face radiated light. Admired by the unprecedented beauty of the girl, Shauei involuntarily reached out to her, but she covered her face with black braids, and it became dark. The beauty has disappeared. Only from afar came her voice:
- Kanj's son, Shauei, is the only son of Narib gay. Let the light of my face illuminate the path of your life! May my love always shine for you. I'm waiting for you!
And immediately the darkness dissipated, day returned to the earth, but the girl was nowhere to be found.
Shauei stood for a long time in the wide field, wondering how to find the beauty.
For the first time thinking about marriage, he decided to return home, prepare for a long journey and find the beauty at any cost.
And the girl returned to her father and mother and told them that the Inyzhi had been beheaded, that her seven brothers had been avenged.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru