As the Chan's Son was journeying along as before, laden with Ssidi,
Ssidi inquired of him as formerly who should tell a tale. But the Son
of the Chan shook his head without speaking a word, and Ssidi began as
follows:--
"Many years ago Guchanasschang reigned over a certain happy land. This
Chan had a wife and a son, whose name was Sunshine (Narrani Garral).
Upon the death of his first wife the Chan married a second; and by her
likewise he had a son, and the name of his second son was Moonshine
(Ssarrani Garral). And when both these sons were grown up, the wife of
the Chan thought to herself, 'So long as Sunshine, the elder brother,
lives, Moonshine, the younger, will never be Chan over this land.'
"Some time after this the wife of the Chan fell sick, and tossed and
tumbled about on her bed from the seeming agony she endured. And the
Chan inquired of her, 'What can be done for you, my noble spouse?' To
these words the wife of the Chan replied, 'Even at the time I dwelt
with my parents I was subject to this sickness. But now it is become
past bearing. I know, indeed, but one way of removing it; and that way
is so impracticable, that there is nothing left for me but to die.'
Hereupon spake the Chan, 'Tell unto me this way of help, and though it
should cost me half my kingdom thou shalt have it. Tell me what thou
requirest.' Thus spake he, and his wife replied with the following
words, 'If the heart of one of the Chan's sons were roasted in the fat
of the Gunsa (a beast); but thou wilt not, of course, sacrifice
Sunshine for this purpose; and I myself bare Moonshine, his heart I
will not consume. So that there is now nothing left for me but to
die.' The Chan replied, 'Of a surety Sunshine is my son, and
inexpressibly dear unto me; but in order that I may not lose thee, I
will to-morrow deliver him over to the Jargatschi' (the servants of
Justice).
"Moonshine overheard these words and hastened to his brother, and
said, 'To-morrow they will murder thee.' When he had related all the
circumstances, the brother replied, 'Since it is so, do you remain at
home, honouring your father and mother. The time of my flight is
come.' Then said Moonshine with a troubled heart, 'Alone I will not
remain, but I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.'
"Because the following day was appointed for the murder, the two
brothers took a sack with baling-cakes from the altar, crept out at
night, for it was the night of the full moon, from the palace, and
journeyed on day and night through the mountainous country, until they
at length arrived at the course of a dried-up river. Because their
provender was finished, and the river afforded no water, Moonshine
fell to the earth utterly exhausted. Then spake the elder brother,
full of affliction, 'I will go and seek water; but do you watch an
instant until I come down from the high places.'
"After some vain attempts Sunshine returned, and found that his
brother had departed this life. After he had with great tenderness
covered the body of his brother with stones, he wandered over high
mountains, and then arrived at the entrance of a cave. Within the cave
sat an aged Arschi. 'Whence comest thou?' inquired the old man, 'thy
countenance betokeneth deep affliction.' And when the youth had
related all that had passed, the old man, taking with him the means of
awakening the dead, went with the youth to the grave, and called
Moonshine back to life. 'Will ye be unto me as sons?' Thus spake the
old man, and the two young men became as sons unto him.
"Not far from this place there reigned a mighty Chan of fearful power;
and the time was approaching in this country when the fields were
watered, but the crocodiles prevented this. The crocodiles frequented
a marsh at the source of the river, and would not allow the water to
stream forth until such times as a Son of the Tiger-year[2] had been
offered to them as food. After a time it happened that when search
had been made in vain for a Son of the Tiger-year, certain people drew
nigh unto the Chan, and said, 'Near unto the source of the river
dwelleth the old Arschi, and with him a Son of the Tiger-year. Thither
led we our cattle to drink, and we saw him.'
[2] Among the Calmucs every year has its peculiar name, and
persons born in any year are called the children of that
year.
"When he heard this, the Chan said, 'Go and fetch him.'
"Accordingly the messengers were despatched for him, and when they
arrived at the entrance of the cave, the Arschi himself came forth.
'What is it that ye seek here?' inquired the aged Arschi. 'The Chan,'
replied they, 'speaketh to thee thus: Thou hast a Son of the
Tiger-year. My kingdom hath need of him: send him unto me.' But the
Arschi said, 'Who could have told you so? who, indeed, would dwell
with an old Arschi?'
"Thus speaking he retired into his cave, closed the door after him,
and concealed the youth in a stone chest, placed the lid on him, and
cemented up the crevices with clay, as if it was from the distillation
of arrack. But the messengers having broken down the door, thrust
themselves into the cave, searched it, and then said, 'Since he whom
we sought is not here, we are determined that nothing shall be left in
the cave.' Thus speaking, they drew their swords; and the youth said,
out of fear for the Arschi, 'Hurt not my father; I am here.'
"And when the youth was come forth, the messengers took him with
them; but the Arschi they left behind them weeping and sorrowing. When
the youth entered into the palace of the Chan, the daughter of the
Chan beheld him and loved him, and encircled his neck with her arms.
But the attendants addressed the Chan, saying, 'To-day is the day
appointed for the casting of the Son of the Tiger-year into the
waters.' Upon this the Chan said, 'Let him then be cast into the
waters!' But when they would have led him forth for that purpose, the
daughter of the Chan spake and said, 'Cast him not into the waters, or
cast me into the waters with him.'
"And when the Chan heard these words, he was angered, and said,
'Because this maiden careth so little for the welfare of the kingdom,
over which I am Chan, let her be bound fast unto the Son of the
Tiger-year, and let them be cast together into the waters.' And the
attendants said, 'It shall be according as you have commanded.'
"And when the youth was bound fast, and with the maiden cast into the
waters, he cried out, 'Since I am the Son of the Tiger-year, it is
certainly lawful for them to cast me into the waters; but why should
this charming maiden die, who so loveth me?' But the maiden said,
'Since I am but an unworthy creature, it is certainly lawful for them
to cast me into the waters; but wherefore do they cast in this
beauteous youth?'
"Now the crocodiles heard these words, felt compassion, and placed
the lovers once more upon the shore. And no sooner had this happened
than the streams began to flow again. And when they were thus saved,
the maiden said to the youth, 'Come with me, I pray you, unto the
palace?' and he replied, 'When I have sought out my father Arschi,
then will I come, and we will live together unsevered as man and
wife.'
"Accordingly the youth returned to the cave of the old Arschi, and
knocked at the door. 'I am thy son,' said he. 'My son,' replied the
old man, 'has the Chan taken and slain; therefore it is that I sit
here and weep.' At these words the son replied, 'Of a verity I am thy
son. The Chan indeed bade them cast me into the waters; but because
the crocodiles devoured me not, I am returned unto you. Weep not, O my
father!'
"Arschi then opened the door, but he had suffered his beard and the
hair of his head to grow, so that he looked like a dead man. Sunshine
washed him therefore with milk and with water, and aroused him by
tender words from his great sorrow.
"Now when the maiden returned back again to the palace, the Chan and
the whole people were exceedingly amazed. 'The crocodiles,' they
exclaimed, 'have, contrary to their wont, felt compassion for this
maiden and spared her. This is indeed a very wonder.' So the whole
people passed around the maiden, bowing themselves down before her.
But the Chan said, 'That the maiden is returned is indeed very good.
But the Son of the Tiger-year is assuredly devoured.' At these words
his daughter replied unto him, 'The Son of the Tiger-year assuredly is
not devoured. On account of his goodness his life was spared him.'
"And when she said this, all were more than ever surprised. 'Arise!'
said the Chan to his ministers, 'lead this youth hither.' Agreeably to
these commands, the ministers hastened to the cave of the aged Arschi.
Both Arschi and the youth arose, and when they approached unto the
dwelling of the Chan, the Chan said, 'For the mighty benefits which
this youth has conferred upon us, and upon our dominions, we feel
ourselves bound to go forth to meet him.'
"Thus spake he, and he went forth to meet the youth, and led him into
the interior of the palace, and placed him upon one of the seats
appropriated to the nobles. 'O thou most wondrous youth!' he
exclaimed, 'art thou indeed the son of Arschi?' The youth replied, 'I
am the Son of a Chan. But because my stepmother, out of the love she
bare to her own son, sought to slay me, I fled, and, accompanied by my
younger brother, arrived at the cave of the aged Arschi.'
"When the Son of the Chan related all this, the Chan loaded him with
honours, and gave his daughters for wives unto the two brothers, and
sent them, with many costly gifts and a good retinue, home to their
own kingdom. Thither they went, drew nigh unto the palace, and wrote a
letter as follows:--'To the Chan their father, the two brothers are
returned back again.'
"Now the father and mother had for many years bewailed the loss of
both their sons, and their sorrows had rendered them so gloomy that
they remained ever alone.
"On receipt of this letter they sent forth a large body of people to
meet their children. But because the wife of the Chan saw both the
youths approaching with costly gifts and a goodly retinue, so great
was her envy that she died."
"She was very justly served!" exclaimed the Son of the Chan.
"Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken words! Ssarwala missdood
jonkzang." Thus spake Ssidi, and burst from the sack through the air.
Thus Ssidi's fifth relation treats of Sunshine and his brother.