Once upon a time there lived a Khan of Birds, and he had an angry, domineering wife. She does whatever she wants, but the khan cannot say a word. Once upon a time the evil Khansha decided to try bird meat. The khan ordered to carry out his wife’s will. The Khansha has tasted all kinds of bird meat, but everything is not enough for her.
“Now I want to try eagle owl meat,” she told her husband.
The khan sent a fast hawk for the owl. The hawk found the owl and conveyed the khan's order:
- The khan is calling you to his place. The Khansha decided to taste your meat.
The owl thought and said:
“I can’t fly during the day, my eyes can’t see anything.” You go, and at night I will appear to the khan.
The hawk flew away and conveyed the owl's words to the khan. The night passed, the day passed, and still no sign of the owl. Khansha gets angry and reproaches Khan:
- What kind of bird khan are you, since the owl doesn’t come to you! Will I try his meat soon?
“Soon, soon,” the khan answers her. “When night comes, he will fly.”
The day passed and the night passed, but the owl was still gone.
Trouble in the Khan's camp. The servant birds squeak, they are afraid to catch the Khansha’s eye, there’s no chance the evil Khansha will peck.
Finally, at the end of the third night, an owl appeared to the khan. The angry khan asks him:
- Why did you, pop-eyed, hesitate when I called you?
— On the first night I attended a big gathering. That’s why I was delayed, my khan,” the owl answers calmly.
“What was there?” the khan asked.
— We argued about which trees there are more after a storm: felled or standing.
- And what kind of trees are there more? - the khan continues to be curious.
- There are more dumped, my khan.
- Why more?
“Because the wind bent many trees, and they are also considered felled, my khan.”
- Well, okay, where were you on the second night? - asks Owl Khan.
“I was late at the big gathering, my khan.”
-What were they arguing about? - the khan became interested again.
— We argued about what happens more in a year: tskei or nights. We decided that there are more nights in a year than days.
- Why?
- Because on a cloudy day the sun is not visible, and it is also considered night, my khan.
- Okay, where were you last night?
- Already close to your aal, I lingered at another big gathering, my khan.
-What were they arguing about? - the khan asked curiously.
— They argued about who is more on earth: men or women. They decided that there were more women than men.
“Why are there more women?” the khan was surprised.
- Because men who fulfill stupid whims cannot consider themselves men, my khan.
— Does this also apply to khans?
“Yes, my khan,” the owl humbly answered and closed his eyes, round as bowls, as a sign of submission.
The khan began to sniffle and began to think:
“It was in vain that I obeyed my wife and destroyed many birds.”
And the khan forbade his khansha from killing birds from then on. And the birds rejoiced and thanked the wise owl.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru