Indian Antiquary Vol 12

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 49

FEBRUARY, 1883.)
CHINGHIZ KHAN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
37
as stone, and you my army who environ me like
wall, and whose files are like a field of reeds, hear my words:- In times of peaceful play, be united like the fingers of a hand; but in times of war, pounce like a falcon which is over its prey. When at sport rove about like flies, but in the day of battle rush down like an eagle which is striking its quarry. What we can do or not do the future will tell. Whether we shall accomplish it the tutelary spirit of our raler will inform him.” He then went after Khazar, and when he had overtaken him he sent him the following message, -"He who breaks with his relatives will only have small share of the booty. If kinsmen fall out they will be as strangers when the enemy has to be spoiled. You may get together a party, but you cannot bind them with ties of blood. You may secure subjects, but not a brother." These words reconciled Khazar, who made peace with his elder brother."
This is not the only Saga reported by these authorities in reference to the quarrels of Chinghiz with his brothers. In the Altan Topchi we read how on one occasion Jingir Bukhi, of the Taijiut tribe, having dug a hole in his tent, covered it with felt, and invited Chinghiz, with sinister intentions, to go and see him, saying to him, why should we strive against one another, we are not strangers. When Chinghiz set out, his mother, Ukgelen Eke, said to him, -"Do not despise the poisonous snake because it is thin, nor make light of deceitful friends. One must not be too confiding, one must be vigilant." Thereupon Chinghiz said to his brothers,—“You Khabatu Khazar guard the bow and arrows, and you Buke Belgetei look after the drink. You Khochiga watch the horses, and you Oitu-Ochikhu keep by my side: we do not know what awaits us." When they reached the camp of the Taijiut, Chinghiz, having entered the tent, would have sat down in the midst of the piece of felt covering the pitfall, but Ochikhu stopped him, and planted him on the edge of it. Belgetei having noticed a crippled woman cutting off the left stirrup of his horse he broke her leg, while she cut open his shoulder. A struggle now ensued, Khazar's arrows did not miss their mark, while Belgetei, laying about him with a basin of airak or
spirit, helped Chinghiz on to the back of a white stallion belonging to Toktogakhu, the Khorchin, for which service the latter was afterwards created a terkhan." Ssanang Setzen also tells the story. He makes out that on this occasion Chinghiz was asked to a feast by the Taijiut, Büke Chilger, with the words, "For. merly we knew not thine excellence, and lived at strife with thee. We have now learnt that thou art not deceitful, and that thy tutelary spirit is in fact a Bogda of the race of the gods. Our old hatred is stifled and gone, condescend to enter our small house." In this edition of the story, Chinghiz, in addition to the instructions he gives his brothers to look after him, is also said to have ordered his nine örlöks to go in with him and his three hundred and nine body-guards to surround the yurt.
It also says that after Belgetei had punished the old woman who cut off the stirrup by striking her on the leg, one Büri Büke wounded his horse with his sword, while it makes the nine örlöks gather round their master and help him to mount the white mare of Toktangha Taiji of the Khorchin, whereupon a struggle began, which ended in the subjugation of the enemy." While the Saga is told in this detached way by the author just quoted, the Altan Topchi links it on to another which is told me a separate incident by Seanang Setzen.
To revert to the Altan Topchi, we read that after his escape from the Taijiut,Chinghiz blamed Khazar for having allowed the stirrup to be cut off. Belgetei was also charged by Chinghiz with having deliberately taken him by the left hand when mounting him on his horse. He was seized and pinioned to a one horse araba or waggon. When all had lain down to sleep he moved away carrying this on his back, "and had a conference with Khazar. "Chinghiz," he said, “punishes us unjastly, he subjugated the four foreign countries and the five peoples with the help of Belgetei's strength and Khazar's skilful archery." When Chingbiz heard of their conversation, wishing to quell their pride, he dressed himself as an aged peasant engaged in selling long yellow bows. The two brothers said to him-“Whence art thon old man, we have not seen thee before ?” He replied -"I am a poor
11 Suanang Setzen, pp. 71-73.
Op. cit., pp. 181 and 182.
Sanang Setaon, p. 81.