The Nart husband Badynoko, quick-eyed, fearless, was a soul for the Narts, was a thunderstorm for the Chints. He was strong, daring, A hundred blows were equal to the swing of Badynoko’s sword. He was famous everywhere - Both near and far, And with a special habit, And with a special landing, And with a special grip. They said everywhere: “Badynoko is the strongest of all!” “Badynoko is the bravest of all!”
The thirst for a glorious deed took possession of him again. He saddles the bay horse, puts on his armor, and rides out of the yard. The horse is lean, powerful, rides and gallops through the mountains, flames rush ahead, behind - like clouds - birds rise. And the dark-skinned rider, towering like a tent, rushes, sparkling with steel. On the right a greyhound gallops, on the left a greyhound gallops, And, spreading its wings, two tamed eagles soar smoothly on the sides. The glorious husband Badynoko is a lonely rider, He never looked for easy trails for a hike: Here he rushes along the rocks, Crosses the deep, stormy Psyzh without a ford, And the bay horse Badynoko runs dry from the stream.
So the pasture of the sledges scattered widely. The horseman sees seven roads, the Shepherd is at a crossroads. The horseman addresses the shepherd at the crossroads: “Let the flock increase!”
“Live forever, good horseman, Nart husband Badynoko! You came from afar, You arrived because of Psyzh. I see you for the first time, But I have known you for a long time: You have become the strongest defense of the Nart land. The famous hero, You visit my hut, Talk to me, Taste bread and salt. I will slaughter a cow, I will slaughter a ram, In honor of you I I’ll open a barrel of light sano, And I’ll get thirty measures of golden millet, I won’t skimp, I’ll feed the bay with the most delicious grass!”
“Thirty measures,” said the horseman, “You yourself will eat for your health, If you want, you can also eat the ram, Eat the cow’s meat, Drink a barrel of light sano yourself for your health, Feed your flock with the most delicious grass, May Abundance and joy be with you! Just tell me honestly, What I hear everywhere, So that I know which path I should rush!”
This is how the old man answered: “During the day I tend the flock, At night I sleep like the dead, - I don’t know anything, famous hero!”
“How are you grazing flocks in such a crowded place, but you don’t know, old man, what news the Narts have?”
Having uttered this word, the bay Nart husband Badynoko drives away in anger. Two eagles soar from above, Two greyhounds gallop from the side. A stern horseman rides, And the shepherd remembered the word, He shouted from afar:
“Hey, hero Badynoko! You have become a soul for the Narts, You have become a thunderstorm for the Chints! I appreciate your glory, I like your appearance, I don’t like carelessness! I will look at you, - You are a famous daredevil. Don’t take for gossip what I tell you.
The path winds to Alidzh's house, winds and breaks, like a cobweb. This ancient, white and long House gave way, but did not fall: The house is supported by Hundreds of pillars, - Each was pulled by Eight oxen!
There is a gate there, - You are unlikely to get through, There is a swamp there, - Your horse will get stuck, The rider will feel ashamed and offended. In Alidzh's house It's too late, it's early, the Narts are walking, the Narts are dashing, they drink sano, they dance, they play men's games, - to the envy of many! There are many beauties in Alija's house, but she surpasses them in beauty, the one who walks with a fox's gait, who has witchcraft power, who does not grow old, but gets younger. This gouache With a girlish face, With a gentle appearance, So majestic! The Narts desire More than glory, More than Sano, the Mother of Satan. Old and young are drawn to her!
In Alij's house You will meet Nasren: Bearded Nart is a regular there, Glorious Sosruko is a regular there! In Alija’s house you will be consoled by singing and dancing, you will be entangled in a girl’s caress!”
Badynoko got angry, Badynoko became inflamed, Like a dry tree: “Hey, old man, talkative shepherd, How did you decide to say to me a stupid word like this: That my proud steed Will become a prisoner of the swamp, That I won’t enter the gates, That Thin-browed ones will win over me? I have never strived for rich treats, for cheerful chants, for the pleasures of love. I wander around the lagoons, I don’t come to visit young wives and girls, I despise their pleasures, and I put on my battle armor for high affairs: My destiny is to defend the truth!”
Having said this, he waves a whip, woven from the skin of a bison, The whip whistles, and this whistle is heard in the seven gorges And reaches the eighth, Scares timid, sleeping goats, - Dogs catch timid goats. The dogs miss them, - Two eagles overtake them. They run away from the birds, - the bay horse overtakes them, throws flames, burns the grass along the roadside. Hot steam swirls above him, rushing like a relentless shadow. A brave horseman rides and gallops, the one whose arrows soar in the sky...
A girl came out of a stone house with a jug. I met a giant and saw a bay man. She ran back into the old house and said a word to the lady:
“Satan, our radiance, Who is smarter and more beautiful than you? Who can compare in beauty With thin-browed gouache, Who tells fortunes on beans? Your hem is embroidered with gold, Your appearance breathes with youth, Your eyes are the sun, your teeth are pearls. Your mind is famous everywhere, Whoever appears will exclaim: “You are a beauty, you are a miracle!” A mighty horseman has arrived to us. I don’t know where from, I don’t know him by sight, - He’s in our region for the first time.”
She embroidered with Satan, She shone with beauty, And she held gold embroidery on her knees. As the girl ran in, told this news, she trembled like Satan, and dropped her sewing, and asked in confusion:
“What is this man like? Where is he rushing? What is his appearance? What is his horse like? Come and look!”
The girl came out and soon returned and said:
“His appearance is extraordinary. His horse is powerful, he is beautiful, He is proud, like a master. Oh, in what words will I tell about this alp? From his nostrils he throws flames, burning our herbs. Ahead is the fog swirling, or is it a thick cloud? A flock of jackdaws is rushing behind.
The horseman rushes, approaching us and towering, like a tent. On the right are greyhounds, on the left are greyhounds, from above are large eagles soaring. On the right, through the clouds, the Sun is shining, on the left, loose snow is falling. Now moving forward, now lowering, the giant's sword glitters like steel. The incomparable husband is important and stately, the Sun of the universe is above his head. It can be seen that the horseman is formidable in battle, It is seen that the Enemy trembles before him. Who is this horseman, whose equipment glitters with gold and silver? No, I don’t know who this horseman is: He is unknown to our region!”
Satan, the sun of the Narts, runs up to the window, opens the window, and, opening it, exclaims:
“This is the Nart Badynoko, the Lone Rider, the Glory of the Nart region. He, crushing his enemies, became the soul of the Narts, became a thunderstorm for the Chints. It is not a thick cloud rushing ahead of him, it is not a flock of jackdaws rushing behind him, it is his horse that is breathing hotly and angrily, it is the clods that are thrown straight into the sky by its hooves. The fire burns the roadside grass, It’s the majestic horse that drops foam on the ground. It wasn’t the sun-faced rider that seemed like a tent to us, but the double-headed peak that seemed like a tent to us!
The hero Badynoko is the pinnacle of Nart power, a stronger giant cannot be found in the universe. But I want to check: This priceless knight, Will this husband resist my young, imperishable beauty? Quickly give me a mirror, Bring me a comb, Comb my braids, Draw up my eyebrows: We must be ready to lure Badynoko!”
Oh, Alidzh’s home, Igrisch is an ancient place! Satan, like a bride, puts on colorful expensive outfits, whitens her cheeks, blushes and darkens her eyebrows. Satan is ready: Who will compete with imperishable beauty? Satanei ordered the Black-eyed girl: “Bring Badynoko!”
She went along the road, And the bay, thin-legged gallops, slowing down his running: Then his strict rider, showing respect to the unknown girl, slows down the horse’s running. The girl exclaims: “The Nart husband of Badynoko, a Warrior covered in glory, a Warrior with a double-headed pike, majestic, stern: Turn around for a moment!”
Slowing down the bay horse's pace, the brave Nart turned around, said a word of greeting, and in response he heard:
“Enter the house of Alija, Famous warrior. Here is the abode of fun. In honor of you, we will slaughter both a bull and a ram, In honor of you, we will open a barrel of light sano, We will arrange a rich feast. Here you will hear many sonorous songs and toasts, Here you will see many thin-browed beauties. Good, daring knight, Perhaps you will visit us!”
Badynoko replied to the black-eyed girl: “May Alija’s house be Abundant and bright! Let the guests taste both the bull and the ram, Let your guests drain the barrel of light sano! Let your guests raise all the bowls for toasts, Let your guests embrace the thin-browed beauties! I am obsessed with another Noble goal, I do not strive for fun, For rich treats, For chants beautiful, For the pleasures of love! I don’t go through the lagoons to visit young women, I don’t sleep in their arms! I love to give them fair spoils, I fight against evil, And goodness is my custom. Fighting with the light power, I seek the evil one, To destroy him, a free knight and a warrior, I call only the one who is worthy! Titles of the brave sledge!”
“Possessing light power, Are you looking for a brave Nart? I’ll bring Shauei!” “I don’t need Shauei: He’s from the clan of the obstinate.” “I’ll bring Panuco!” “I don’t need Panuko: I don’t tolerate arrogant people!”
So saying, Badynoko rode away from the girl... And then Satan puts on leggings, Satan puts on a gold-woven dress, and Satan covers her braids with a scarf, and she takes the Gilded staff in her hands. Satan on stilts Puts his slender legs on And hurries along the road, Like a young fox, Stepping softly, softly, towards Badynoko. He approaches Badynoko and makes a speech: “Famous Badynoko, Rest in our house! You have become a soul for the Narts, You have become a thunderstorm for the Chints, You, whose exploits are known, But whose face we do not know! We glorify you everywhere, You are beautiful, powerful and slender. Do not equate me with talkative, quarrelsome women: I sit in the saddle like a warrior! Consider it shameful, hero, to stay in our house, If there is no Sosruko in the house, I will arrange a feast, I will open a barrel of sano, I will slaughter a bull for dinner, If I need rest, I will give you rich rest: Take off your armor and take a nap, You will rest, Badynoko!
“I don’t see temptation In this idle fun, In the treats of the rich, In beautiful songs, In the pleasures of love. I don’t go through the lagoons To visit young girls. Fighting with black power, Wielding the power of truth, I am looking for the villain, To destroy him!”
So said Badynoko, the Lone Rider. Here the gouasha tears off his golden-woven scarf, exposes the gouasha's snow-white neck, - The brave man is not seduced by the snow-white neck. The gouasha lowers the gold-woven dress, the gouasha exposes the snow-white breasts,— The brave man is not seduced by the snow-white breasts. Offends the gouache, Offends cruelly the proud gaze of Badynoko. The gouasha exposes the snow-white thighs, - Badynoko does not look at the naked gouache, Badynoko says:
“Don’t try in vain, you will disgrace yourself. I never spend the night visiting beauties. I am looking for a conversation, a free knight and warrior, only one who is worthy of the title of a brave sart!”
Ashamed of Satan, she covered herself with a veil and Badynoko said:
“If you are looking for the Narts, Bogatyr Badynoko, - Not far from here there is a lopsided house, low and ancient. Men are feasting there, there is sanitary drinking going on: This is the Narts’ delight. Laughter rings, loud talk... And Nasren is their thamada, And Sosruko is their cook. Enter this lopsided house, Badynoko, Radiant with victory. Taste the sanity of Narts, taste the strength of Narts!” Badynoko galloped, the Lone Rider, the pinnacle of Nart power. Here is the house, lopsided, low, old. Men feast there, Bowls go around in circles, Everyone wishes each other Longevity and happiness. As the horseman swung his whip, the ancient house shook, the ceiling shook, and the bowls fell to the floor. The one who drank choked, The one who sat stood up in fear, The one who stood ran away: Everyone ran in all directions. But the damask Sosruko looked through the crack in the door and saw Badynoko. And Sosruko exclaimed:
“H-hey, stupid Narts, Why are you in fright? Didn’t you recognize the Giant in chain mail? That is the pinnacle of courage, the hero Badynoko, the Lonely rider, Who became the soul of the Narts, Who became the thunderstorm for the Chints!”
Everyone took a deep breath, the burden fell from their shoulders! At this time, the hero Badynoko got off his horse and heard the thamada’s word:
“Glorified Nart! We are glad of Your arrival: You have arrived to drink Sano. You were born to us for joy, And for enemies - for destruction. So taste the sweetness of Sano, bright Sano, Radiant with victory, Come in, Nart-companion!”
Burkas are laid out in front of the Narta guest, counting seven, And Badynoko is brought into the kunatskaya with honor, They bring a cup to the guest and ask him to dance. Although he was tired from the road, he jumped onto the tripod, round, small table, started to dance joyfully, he spun like a whirlwind, without shaking the seasoning, without spilling even a drop, and, having danced, jumped onto the floor. Here the damask Sosruko began a merry dance, Bowls with hot seasoning swirled around the edges, Without spilling even a drop. He danced and jumped to the floor. Here the white-headed Nasren began to dance joyfully, The bowls with hot seasoning swirled around the edges, But He never spilled even a drop.
Famous Narts Say to Batarazu: “Show me how you dance!” Obeying the order, he began to dance quickly. The bataraz for fun circled around the seasonings, but didn’t spill a drop, jumped onto the plank floor and made such a roar, as if peals of thunder swept over the fields. Khasa Nartov is in alarm: “Turn away the terrible lightning flame, oh gods!”
Sosruko becomes angry. He thrusts the sword into the ground, runs along its hilt on his toes. Badynoko became angry: The glorified sword pierces the ground with its hilt and proudly runs along the blade on its toes, and the plank floor trembles! And, overwhelmed with delight, everyone exclaimed loudly: “Live forever, Badynoko, Our brave leader, You have become the soul of the Narts, You have become a thunderstorm for the Chints!”
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru