is the fifty-headed Altuir Kharni Manguis; if he can be got it is well; there is no other man like thee, and there is no other horse on which to ride like thy chestnut. Go and bring Manguis here!’ He will not return alive from Manguis."
On the morrow the White Khan required the son of Êlsuin the aged, so he saddled his chestnut horse and rode to the khan. The khan he did not salute; he did not salute the khan's lady; he demanded that they should at once tell him what they needed. The khan said: "There is no man like thee; there is no horse like thy chestnut; ride to the South country and bring hither the fifty-headed Manguis. If thou bringest him I will give thee the name of Erēn tsain Gunuin Khara!" Having heard these words the hero rejoiced, and rode to the South country. A year of riding he changed into a month; a month of riding he changed into one day. On the road he met a white tent in which lived an old woman. "Who art thou, and whence comest thou?" asked the old woman. "I go to obtain Manguis," replied the son of Elsuin the aged. "Thou wilt perish," said she; "Manguis is strong, and thou wilt not overcome him." The hero rode further; all at once his horse stopped. "Why hast thou stopped?" said the son of Elsuin the aged. "See that black spot; what is it, in your opinion?" asked the horse. "I think it is far, far away—some mountain-ridge." "No; that is Manguis!" The horse told the hero to tie himself to her by a rope eighty-eight fathoms long, and himself to sit in a well, and that when Manguis fell upon his horse to catch him while he was fleeing and spurring the steed.[1] The son of Êlsuin the aged seized him (Manguis) and led him to the khan. When the wind blew in the khan's country, and the rain came, old people said, "That is Manguis going about; Gunuin Khara is leading him."
Fifty-six days after Manguis was taken to the khan terror seized the khan, and he ordered Gunuin Khara to let him go. A month passed. The two councillors again came to the khan and began to advise him to send Gunuin Khara to a far country—"Order him to ride to the South country and procure for thee the daughter of Erēb suin Khan, the maiden Saikhan sangē Abakhai." On the morrow the
- ↑ This is not clear. (C.T.G.)
