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APRIL, 1888.)
CHINGHIZ KHAN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
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them with. When they were grown up they all have you done? How came you to act thus had indications that they belonged to a royal when you ought to have been thinking of relineage, and, although scantily fed, grew up venging yourselves on the Taijuts P" Thus did strong and were famous wrestlers. We are Khoilun rebuke her sons." Some time after further told they made a fishing rod of thorns, this Tarkhutai Kiriltuk remarked that Temujin and also made nets with which they caught and his brothers who had been abandoned by fish for their mother in the river Onon. On himself and his people had grown up like wild one occasion when Temujin was fishing with animals, and taking some companions with him his brothers Khasar, Bektur and Belgutei, he went out to ascertain what had become of he secured a golden-coloured fish. Bektur them. Temujin and his mother on their and Belgutei took it away from him, and approach were afraid and went into the forest, Temujin and Khasar complained of this to where he made an arbour out of some branches their mother. She remonstrated" with them for a residence while he hid his two little for quarrelling thus, and remarked that beyond brothers and sister, Khachain, Temuge and their own kin they had no friends, just as a Temulun in the cleft of a rock. Khasar was horse has no lash but his own tail, adding out shooting and encountered the Taijuts, who that if they continued to quarrel they would shouted to him: "We only want your eldest not be able to revenge themselves on the brother, the others we do not want." Temujin Taijuts. Temujin and Khasar were offended overheard this and fled into the wood. The that their mother did not side with them, re- Taijuts went in pursuit as far as the hill Ter. marking that if they were to be always treated guneh. Temajin disappeared in the thick of thus, how were they to live together? Both the wood which was thereupon surrounded by brothers then threw the door-curtain violently the Taijuts. After he had passed three days aside. Bektur at this time sat on a hillock there he determined to leave it, but as he was pasturing his horse. His two offended brothers setting out the saddle fell off unexpectedly, crept up to him, one from before and the other upon which he said to himself, “Granting that from behind, and determined to shoot him. the saddle will sometimes fall off when the Bektur saw them, and asked them if in lieu of girths are tight-How can it do so when the necessity of revenging themselves on the fastened with a breastband also P” The misTaijuts they were going to treat him like you fortune made him think that heaven was would a hair in the eye or a mole on the against his trying to escape. He turned back face. He entreated them at least to spare again and stayed another three days, but just Belgutei, and then drew himself together, sit- | as he was leaving the wood again he noticed ting with his feet drawn up and awaited their that a large white stono, the size of a yurt arrows. They shot at him from before and or tent, had fallen down and closed his path. behind, until he was dead. When Khoilun This seemed another interposition of providence, heard of what they had done she remarked : so he turned again and spent another three " You, Temujin, at your birth held a clot of days. All this time he had eaten nothing. black blood in your hand; you two are like dogs Finally he determined to go out rather than biting your own ribs, like hawks falling on the die there. He accordingly took his knife with rocks, lions boiling with unconquerable hatred, which he made arrows and cut a path round the serpents swallowing your prey alive, eagles stúne which had fallen across the road, along swooping at a shadow, great fish which devour which he led his horse and descended the hill. their prey silently, mad camels biting the heels The Taijuts who were on the lookout caught of their own young, wolves seeking their him and carried him off. Tarkhutai ordered that food in snow and wind, ducks' who, unable to the Chinese wooden collar known as the cangue drive away their young ones, eat them, tigers was to be put upon him, that he was to be takon whose ferocity you cannot restrain. What round to all the various encampments, and
1
10 Yuan-chao-pi-shi, 37, 38.
11 The Altan Topchi says that on another occasion Bektur took a bullfinch which Khasar had shot.
13 Altan Topchi says he was looking after eight geld. inge.
13 Chinese ducks are the symbols of fidelity.
1. Yuan-ch'ao-pi-shi, p. 38-40 ; Ssanang Setzen, p. 65; 1 Altan Topchi.
