that he should no longer devour people. Dzalmaus demanded gold. Kerpek Shêshên came forth from the throat of Dzalmaus and departed not knowing where to obtain gold. On the road there met him a man all in white, his head also was bound with a white fillet. The white man asked Kerpek Shêshên where he was going. The hedgehog informed him. Then the white man (he was Musa Pëigambar, the prophet Moses) led him to a great water, and dug into it with his staff, and broke out a lump of gold like a horse's head. Kerpek Shêshên took the gold to Dzalmaus, and then he ceased to eat people.—(Kirghis tribes of Tarbagatai.)
2. The Baigus (bird).
In a former time lived Dzehrael Dzalmaus Pëigambar. He hunted birds and ate them. He threaded the birds captured by a hole in the beak, and fastened them to a rope. All the birds were captured except the baigus. Dzalmaus considers how he may catch also the baigus. Sunkar, the falcon, offered himself, but Dzalmaus said:—"No, Sunkar will catch him and hide, let Karchega, the vulture, catch him." The vulture flew off and found the baigus, and said: "Baigus! baigus! What wilt thou do? The khan requires thee." The baigus hid his head and made pretence for some time, saying: "My head aches, I will not go." The vulture said to him politely, "Come out, let us converse!" After a little while the baigus came forth—the vulture seized him, laid him under her wing, and carried him off. Then the baigus cried out:—
"Thy ridges are hard!
They have destroyed my life!"
The vulture arrived at the tent of Dzalmaus, she held her prey under her wing. "Where is the baigus?" asked Dzalmaus. "I have it not," said the vulture. "I'll cut off your head," said Dzalmaus. Then the vulture gave him the bird. The baigus asked a word and began to say:—
"My head is as a finger,
The flesh on me is that of a sparrow:
I have no flesh to eat,
Nor blood to satisfy the appetite."
