contend in three games, I have come hither." "Tsa !" [1] said the khan. "Contend !" The three games were shooting, wrestling, and racing. On the morrow the three competitors began to shoot. There were appointed a black stone as big as a cow in the near distance, and a white stone as big as a sheep in the far distance ; these were the targets. Têngriēn Khu and Urtu Sharē Khun shot short. Gunuin Khara" shot his arrow, not only reached the target, but flew straight to the mountains on the other side of the target. In wrestling Gunuin Khan laid both competitors on the ground ; in racing, also, the chestnut horse came in first. Erēbsuin Khan had to give him Sangē Abakhai. Three days they feasted. Sangē Abakhai cautioned Gunuin Khara that when gifts were brought him he should not accept the mares, the cows, the camels, the rams ; but should ask that they might foal, calve, produce young camels and lambs. So Gunuin Khara did, and when he started, after them a whole herd stretched. On his arrival in his own country he became khan. — (Chērēn Dorchja, a native of Zain Shabēn.)
35. Khabul-dêi Mêrgên and Bogu (the Stag).
There was a stag with 220 deer. In the same time lived Khabul-dêi Mêrgên, who had a grey horse and a white dog. Once the stag went to the mountain Ulan Baidzē, where Khabul-dêi was then hunting ; seeing the stag, the hunter shot an arrow, and the stag fled home with a broken leg. His mother said to him: "Thou hast been to the mountain Ulan Baidzē ; do not go there ; do not run in the shady wood ; the cold water of streams that do not freeze thou must not drink." With these words she died. Nevertheless, the stag determined to go to Ulan Baidzē. The sound of an arrow was heard. The stag looked first to one side and then to the other ; one-half of his 220 deer were gone. "Where can they have gone?" thinks the stag. He ran in the shady wood. Again shooting is heard, and the remaining deer are gone. Then Khobul-dêi, riding his grey horse, and leading his white dog in a leash, began to pursue the stag. The stag fled. On the way he drank water from an unfreezing stream.
- ↑ Tsa, perhaps same as Manchu Chá ! "All right !" (C.T.G.)
