the Ike Mongols. For in the multitude of their cattle they had need of watering-places, and in Mongolia they found themselves pressed for want of room.[1]—(A Zain Shaben man.)
6. The Marmot.
α. Tarbagan, that is the marmot, was formerly a man, an archer; not a single beast, not a single bird, not at the longest distance, did he miss. Then he cut off his thumb and buried it in the ground and said, "Be a marmot." From that time forth he himself ceased to shoot.—(Written from Uryankhait Mongols of the Altai Mountains.)
β. In olden times were two great hunters, Duai-sokhor and Dondugul Mêrgên. They destroyed many animals, so God changed them, one into a marmot, the other into a beaver (kunduz). The latter has narrow eyes (the legend perhaps confounds the beaver with the otter, which in the Altai tongue is called Kamdu), therefore a hunter (Mêrigên) is called Dual sokhor.—(Written from a Tarbagatai Kirghis of the Chubaraigir tribe.)
In old times there were two great hunters (mêrgên) Djaik and Tokhtogul; the fate of the latter the narrator did not know. From Djaik not a single beast, not a single bird, could escape. All the beasts and birds prayed to God, "He is rooting us all out." God buried him in the ground and said, "Thou could'st not live in concord on the earth; live in a hole under the earth and feed on roots,"—(Written from a Tarbagatai Kirghis of the Baidjigit tribe.)
The marmot formerly was a rich man, by surname Karun bai. He had thousands of horses, of oxen, of camels, of sheep. To him came beggars, blind men, lame men, old men begging alms. Karumbai would give them nothing. Then the beggars turned to God in their grief, and began to say, "Taksuir (Lord)! vainly thou gavest to Karunbai such great wealth. We poor people go to him for alms, and he never will give anybody anything." God asked Karunbai, "Dost thou give alms?" "No," replied Karunbai, "why should I
- ↑ Can this be an allusion to the invasion of Europe by the Huns?
