About a boy who saved his city
Long time ago there lived khan Janybek who was famous for his cruel raids to neighboring khanates.
Once countless troops of Janybek sieged the city of khan Sultanmamyt. The inhabitants of the city were declared to surrender in three days otherwise the whole city threatened to be burned to ashes.
Khan Sultanmamyt gathered a council of aksakals[1]. The aksakals thought for a long time how to get out of this misfortune but nothing would come into their minds. So when the third day came around and the council still was on, a little boy in his old chapan[2] came riding his foal. The little boy respectfully greeted aksakals and said:
“Would you please send me to khan Janybek? I will try to free my city from the hostile siege”.
Once the aksakals heard it, they laughed. Sultanmamyt khan angrily replied:
“Out you go little boy, you are too small to intervene into such matters”.
But one of the old men said:
“My dear khan, anger is an enemy, and wisdom is a friend. Perhaps he indeed could save our city. Allow us, please, send him to khan Janybek”.
Old men thought over and over, argued and then finally decided to send the boy to Janybek khan.
Then the little boy asked to find him the oldest camel in the city and a goat with the longest beard. The aksakals were surprised why the boy would need a camel and a goat. But nevertheless they gave him what he asked.
The boy sat on a camel, lead a goat by its rope, and came to the enemies.
As soon as Janybek khan saw a little boy he got furious.
“Surely an older ambassador with a little more beard couldn't be found in the whole khanate of Sultanmamyt!”
But the boy with a calm voice replied:
“Dear Janybek khan, if you want to speak to the oldest one you can speak to this camel.
And if you prefer someone with a beard, here is the goat”.
Janybek khan liked boy’s quick wittinedness:
“You are brave and smart and I want to reward you with anything you want, so, ask me”.
“My dear khan, may I ask you to give me a land which my camel's skin can hold?”
Janybel khan grinned when he heard his request and agreed to give him the amount of land the boy had asked.
Then the boy killed the old camel and cut its skin into thinnest stripes. Afterwards he tied them into one single long, the longest belt and circled the invaded city.
Only then Janybek khan realized that the boy outwitted him, and got very upset. But he couldn’t do anything about it. So he gave the city back and left with his troops forever.
[1] Aksakal: ak –white, sakal – beard, refers to old respected men in communities, who served as advisors, judges, community leaders.
[2] Chapan – a coat
Translated by Elga J.
Illustatrations: Erik Bulatov, Oleg Vasilyev