Like all young Narts, even after his marriage Kanj spent a lot of time on campaigns and was rarely at home. Returning from a campaign, he always thought: “Perhaps my wife Naribgea has already given birth to a son? God of life, great Psatha, make it so!”
But Kange's wish did not come true. The years passed, and Kange grew old, remaining childless.
But in fact, Kange’s wife had children, but no one knew about it. Whenever the homelands came, Naribgea lay down in front of a blazing hearth, and the child fell straight into the fire. When the baby was thrashing and screaming, dying in the flames, the mother said:
- This one is not worthy to be my son, he is burning in fire.
So Kanzha’s wife gave birth nine times, and all nine of her sons died in the flames of the hearth.
Kange thought more and more anxiously that he would die without leaving offspring. He came for advice to Satana, his great mentor, and told her:
- Satanay-guasha! Deep grief brought me to you. You see - I have grown old, my beard has turned white. My seventeen brothers' sons have grown up, but I still don't have a son. When I was young, I did not have the chance to find a bride among the Nart girls and was destined to marry a giantess. Perhaps she gives birth to children, but kills them? Let me have at least one and only son! Please advise what to do? If you don't teach me what to do, I will die childless.
Sataney, after thinking, replied:
- Don’t go anywhere, stay home. Find out when your wife gets sick, and when the time comes for her to give birth, call me, maybe I will help you.
Kanj returned home. When he noticed that Naribgea was heavy and the homelands were about to begin, he called Satan.
“I found out that you were about to give birth, and I came to help you,” Sataney said to Kanzha’s wife.
She was delighted:
- Thank you. You are the only one who remembered me. The Nart women are apparently afraid of me and never come in.
Before she had time to say this, she felt prenatal pangs. Out of habit, Naribgea lay down in front of the blazing hearth. Sataney ran to the fire and held up her hem to catch the child being born. But the boy, having broken through the hem of Satan, fell into the very thick of the fire. He was swaddled in flames, but he did not cry. The glowing coals amused him; he tossed them around and laughed.
Looking at him, his mother said proudly:
- Finally, I gave birth to a worthy son, he will be a brave Nart, take him.
Satanei and Kanzh immediately decided that the boy who played with fire should be raised on the icy peak of Oshkhomakho.
So the son of Kanzha, the only son of Naribgeya, on the very first day of his life got to the top of the impregnable Mountain of Happiness.
Leaving his son in the care of Satan, Kanj descended from the top of Oshkhomakho, heading home. He had not walked even a hundred steps when a sonorous child's voice came to him from above. Looking back, Kange saw his newborn son running along the ice ledges and scaring the eagles, shouting: “Shoo! Shu! Shoo! Shoo!”
"Miracles! - thought Kange. - This boy will be a hero. He was just born, but he’s already running around and scattering fierce mountain eagles. I suffered long and bitterly without having children, but now I am happy: I have a worthy son!”
With a light heart, Kange returned home.
And Satanei, on the top of Oshkhomakho, cut out a cradle from the ice and, having laid the child, placed the cradle in front of the entrance to the ice cave.
Long icicles hung over the entrance. During the day, under the hot rays of the sun, the icicles melted.
Satanei placed the cradle so that cold water dripped into the boy’s mouth, replacing his mother’s milk. In the evening the icicles froze, and the boy fell asleep.
Breastfeeding her with ice water, cradling her in an ice cradle, she raised her son Kange with Satan until he started teething. Then his food became nuts and pheasant meat.
Years have passed. Kange's son, Kanjoko, grew from a child to a teenager. One day Satanei told him:
“My son, it’s time for you to leave the ice cave.” Go to the Nart Field. There you will see a herd of horses. Take one you like and come back. Here's your bridle.
Did Satan say or not say these words, did Kanzhoko hear or not these words, but he jumped from the top of Oshkhomakho straight into the Nart Field. Seeing a huge herd, he grabbed the first horse he came across and galloped to Satan.
She came out to meet him from the ice cave.
“Now show me, my son, how you control a horse.” If you are a brave sled, the horse will play under you.
Kanjoko hit the horse with a whip, the horse bolted and threw off the rider.
- No, you are not yet fit to be a Nart rider. It’s too early for you to leave the cave,” said Sataney, 437 and Kanzhoko remained to live on the top of Oshkhomakho. Satanei instructed him in courage and fed him nuts, game, and venison. And the young man’s horse was grazing on the green slope of the mountain.
A year has passed. Again Satanei led Kanjoko out of the cave and ordered her to mount her horse:
“I’ll see how mature you are, whether you can force the horse to play under you!”
The young man lashed the horse with a whip, the horse rushed and bolted, the rider swayed, but did not fall.
“No, you are not a Nart rider yet,” said Satanei, and Kanzhoko remained to live in the cave, and Sataney fed him nuts, game, venison and boar meat, taught the young man horseback riding and throwing heavy stones.
A year passed, and she again said to Kanjoko:
- Show your horsemanship. Make your horse play and dance under you, if you are a brave Nart!
The young man whipped the horse so hard that it flew over to another ridge of Oshkhomakho, rushed down, ran around the great Nart Field, again galloped to the top and for a long time rushed up and down, delighting the rider.
- Enough! - Satanei shouted. “I see that you are a real Nart rider.” But this horse is not good for you. Visit the Nart herd again and look for a worthy horse.
The young man took the bridle and went down to the Nart Field. The horses shied away from his voice when he beckoned them with a cry: “Pshey, pshey!” But one shabby brown horse, whose one ear was eleven cubits long, came up to the young man and stuck his shaggy head into the bridle.
“You couldn’t be found worse in the whole herd,” Kanzhoko said indignantly, “you’re no good for me,” and, driving away the shabby horse, he went on. But the brown one ran forward and stuck his head into the bridle again.
- I told you that I don't need you. Fuck off! Kanjoko shouted impatiently. He walked in the other direction, holding the bridle ready for the horse he liked. But the brown one again found himself in front and, having waited for Kanzhoko, again stuck his head into the bridle.
- Get lost, you damned one! - Kanjoko was completely angry. “I told you that you are not worthy of me.” Don't you dare catch my eye!
The brown horse answered in a human voice:
“If you are a rider worthy of me, I will be a horse worthy of you.” Don't look that I'm not a zist. Although they make fun of me, they gave me the nickname “Jamidezh,” but this means “Reliable Brown.” Test me first, and then tell me whether I’m good for you or not.
In the name of the Peak of Happiness, I swear to you, Kanzhoko, Unshakable fidelity. I will be an unchanging friend, a brave, devoted horse. I will fall through the ground if I humiliate your honor! Curse me, Kanjoko, if I turn out to be a coward!
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru