Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
A Tuvan people's tale called Boktu-Kiriš Bora-Šeelei,
of which there are many different versions.
The briefest of these wonderfully interesting tales,
a short one, finished in just fifteen minutes,
I present to your attention. Once upon a time...
Once upon a time, in the very earliest morning of time, before the long, long ago,
at the end of the bad times, before the good times,
when the deer and doe, the wild elk stag and elk doe overflowed from their woods,
the mountain goat, the hare, and the grouse overflowed from their forests,
a rich, wonderful, and plentiful good time it was, so they say.
Once upon a time, (riding along) on a mixed-gait brown horse with black mane and tail,
named Ajan-Kula,
was spledid as gold, handsomely dressed (Boktu-Kiriš),
with his younger sister Bora-Seelei,
Boktu-Kiriš of the Sayin clan. He was going along wasn't he?
Once upon a time Boktu-Kiriš and Bora-Šeelei,
these two siblings, had meat (piled) higher than their shoulders,
and livestock reaching higher than their heads.
In a southern land in a hollow on a hill they rounded up
the herd of gray horses.
In a forest on a northen slope
they rounded up the striped and spotted cows.
On a wide and even plain
they rounded up the brown and yellow camels.
At a cliff in a ravine they rounded up
their sheep and goats--they were as numerous as tumbleweeds and nearly didn't fit into their pen.
Amazingly rich, wealthy, and hard-working
were the siblings, so they say.
And so it was that elder brother Boktu-Kiriš
hunted animals of the forested mountain ridge.
He was a brave archer,
he could butcher wild animals, sharpen tools, do blacksmithing and carpentry.
Bora-Šeelei his younger sister
herder the livestock, watched the cattle,
filled up the food and milk containers,
and could sew and make anything.
The sibling were extremely skilled, so they say.
Once upon a time, her elder brother Boktu-Kiriš
went hunting on the forested mountain ridge,
and disappeared without a trace.
Bora-Šeelei his younger sister
was a person who could read divining bones.
When she had laid out the divining bones, she saw (that)
her elder brother, on a northern slope named Arzaity in the Ala mountains,
had died.
And his horse Ajan-Kula stood crying at his side, so it seemed.
And so it was that his younger sister Bora-Šeelei
was a shape changer.
She immediately changed into a hawk,
and flew to that place.
She began to speak with Ajan-Kula, his horse.
Ajan-Kula said:
A poor horse like me, what could I do?
(I was) tracking animals, galloping along,
and I failed to notice a bear's den.
When my two arms went into that hole and I suddenly fell down,
Boktu-Kiriš of the Sayin clan, my good master,
having fallen off me, broke his neck and died.
And that's it," said (the horse), crying, "that's what happened."
Bora-Šeelei his younger sister
swallowed her bitterness about her elder brother,
and she sat and cried and cried.
But no matter how much she may have cried,
she understood that crying was of no use or help, so she made herself stop crying.
To find out how she could make her brother live again,
she began to lay out her divining bones.
When she laid out the divining bones, she saw
(what would happen) if Bora-Šeelei the younger sister
would become Boktu-Kiriš the elder brother,
by changing into the man
born to rule the lands directly to the north.
(And if he would take) the beautiful daugher of Šang Khan,
the golden princess Angyr-Chechen, as his wife
and marry her, then that very same golden princess
would protect Boktu-Kiriš, even from death.
And even if he had died, she would make him live again,
because the princess possessed such strong magic.
So the divining bones showed.
Now poor Bora-Šeelei his younger sister
was a shape changer.
She began to make her elder brother Boktu-Kiriš by changing herself into him.
After changing and changing,
she looked at herself in the mirror. When she looked at herself in the mirror,
she had a thin black beard and thick black braid of hair,
her forehead was steep, her head was shaved bald in front, and her eyes were striped and big as a tea-bowl.
Her mouth like a devil's was extremely large.
Sne was just like her brother, like his face and head,
and she had strong, strong muscles,
full-grown and big like a wrestler's.
She had become just like a bear, but nevertheless
she still had a girl's figure,
created and carved out with two ***.
And she had something created to give birth to children,
a noble and kind golden door,
she still had her woman's genitals, the same as before, so it seemed.
"Even though I've changed, what good is it?"
she asked her horse Ajan-Kula.
Her horse Ajan-Kula said:
"Those two *** of yours and your girl's genitals,
you cannot change in any way.
However, by using various methods,
even your two *** and your woman's genitals
I will not let anyone see.
As your elder brother Boktu-Kiriš, as a man,
overcoming and winning all the competitions,
born to rule in the lands directly to the nort,
(taking) Šang Khan's beautiful, golden daughter,
Angyr-Chechen, the golden princess,
and bringing her as his wife to wed,
you are the person who's able to bring your dead brother back to life.
Hurry up now, put on the shoes and the clothes of your elder brother,
and let's go, the two of us.
For the announced competiton is just about to begin.
As for all the suitors,
they have already gathered to compete,"
said the horse.
As soon as the horse said so, what could younger sister Bora-Šeelei do?
So that her dead elder brother would not rot and stink,
she magically turned him into frozen meat.
She put him into the mouth of a black cave,
magically concealed the caves mouth with a vertical cliff,
put on her brother's shoes and clothes,
took up his bow and arrows, mounted the horse Ajan-Kula,
and made the horse fly away directly to the north.
When she came in a straight northerly direction and arrived at Šang Khan's campsite,
there were horses and people spread out as far as the eye could see.
After having talked to people,
(she found out) the announced competition would begin tomorrow.
Šang Khan had announced three events:
"First of all we will find out who is the bravest archer;
we will see who of the suitors will not miss the target with bow and arrow.
During the second competition we will find out who is the strongest wrestler.
During the third competition we will find out who is the most agile horseback rider.
To the winner of those three competitions, to the bravest suitor,
I shall give my daughter as a wife,
together with all her gold and silver, and with all her livestock,
and with her slaves,"
Šang Khan announced.
So, even the poorest men began to prepare for the competition.
And the next day what did all the men do?
At the foot of Bashky-Tangdy mountain,
they began to prepare their bows and arrows.
At the foot of the Songu-Tangdy mountain, there were three wild animals already chained up.
there were three wild animals already chained up.
These wild, predatory animals were a cruel bear,
a dangerous lion, and a bloodthirsty gray wolf.
They all threatened the livestock, the wild animals,
and the peasants of the Khan's state, creating dangerous conditions,
and becoming more aggressive.
So, by the firm law of the Khan,
they were sentenced to be killed.
The Khan's entire army went after them with shouts,
caught them alive, accompanied with a great barking of dogs, and chained them up.
All those men with bows and arrows were to go from the foot of Bashky mountain
down to the foot of the Songu mountain to shoot (them), don't you say?
Okay, the competition has begun!
All the men began to make the arrows shoot.
The many men shot until noon,
but not a single man's arrow reached the targets.
But the man by the name Boktu-Kiriš with a short black beard,
although carrying his bow and arrows,
did not shoot, but simply walked around like this.
"What kind of man are you?
Why don't you shoot, friend?" asked the others.
When they asked him he said: "My elder brothers,
I have never taken part in a competition,
so I am afraid,
I'm afraid and my heart will not let me do it," he answered.
"Oh! You're just a little woman,
you aren't a woman, are you, friend?" asked the other men.
"Well, I can be a woman, I can be whatever.
but what can I do, my elder brothers?
That is just the way I am," he said.
and he just kept standing right there in that same way.
All the men kept shooting until evening,
but not a single one of their arrows reached the target.
At the very end only the man by the name of Boktu-Kiriš,
with a short black beard, remained.
"You are the only man left, shoot!"
the other men said.
Only after that the hero began to prepare himself for shooting.
What could the poor guy do, poor Boktu-Kiriš?
He moved his bow up and down to aim the first arrow,
then pulled, pulled, pulled it back and shot.
His arrow broke right through the forehead bone of the cruel bear.
And having shot through the flat shoulder blade of it,
put out its black liver
with the very first shot.
The hero (readied) his second shot,
pulled, pulled, pulled back and let fly,
and shot out the teeth of the dangerous lion,
then shot apart its six twisted necks.
Then the hero, taking the third arrow,
pulled, pulled, pulled, pulled back and let fly.
And having shot out the guts of the bloodthirsty gray wolf,
he shot its round head right off.
"The first competition was won by the young man who's come from the south
and goes by the name Boktu-Kiriš!" announced the Khan.
Then the Khan's spy, who secretly knew all,
ran quickly to him and whispered in his ear:
"Look, Khan, that very man, the one whom they call Boktu-Kiriš,
is not a man at all, but a woman.
check it tomorrow during the wrestling," he asked the Khan.
"And how are we supposed to check it?" asked the Khan.
"Well, an announcement of the Khan is something not to be disregarded, is it?
Tomorrow, during the wrestling, say that everybody must wrestle naked, shirtless.
Then the *** of the woman will be revealed!"
So, the Khan put out an announcement:
"Everybody will wrestle shirtless and naked tomorrow!"
Having heard this, she who had changed into her elder brother Boktu-Kiriš,
younger sister Bora-Šeelei,
came running pell-mell to her horse Ajan-Kula.
"What can I do now, my good horse?
It turns out that everybody will have to wrestle shirtless and naked tomorrow.
What shall I do about my two ***?" she asked, didn't she?
And her horse Ajan-Kula said:
"It's fine, just fine.
Inside the nine-layered saddle blanket belonging to your brother,
there's a short-haired hide of a bear that was shot down in early autumn.
From that very same bear hide,
cut out a round piece that will fit your chest,
and when you've glued it tightly over your ***,
well, that's that.
Then you'll be a hairy chested man!"
Having done just that,
the next day, our poor hero took off his shirt,
threw it aside,
and sat down among the many wrestlers.
The eyes of all the wrestlers, competitors, and other men
were on the chest of the young man named Boktu-Kiriš.
"What kind of creature is it?
Its chest cannot be compared in any way to a man's chest.
It is such a manly chest,
and on top of all that, it has bear hair growing out of it.
He must still have some bear ancestry,
so there's no way a man can wrestle with him.
What kind of creature is it?
Many of the wrestlers' calves began to tremble.
So the wrestling began!
Being changed into her poor brother Boktu-Kiriš,
younger sister Bora-Šeelei was made to begin wrestling.
When a very strong wrestler came up, waving his arms in an eagle dance,
she tripped him with the speed of a kite,
and dropped him upside down on top of his head.
When another very strong wrestler strutted up to her,
she took his ankle with the courage of an eagle,
flung him over her shoulder, and threw him down.
When an amazingly strong wrestler ran up to her,
she ran towards him simultaneously with the agility of a falcon
and made him fall down in a flash.
When another very strong wresler approached, trying to frighten her,
she slipped between his legs with the agility of a hare,
and she made him fall very painfully on his tailbone on the bare ground.
So, throwing one after the other,
she beat all of the wrestlers by throwing them on their backs.
"In the second competition it is the young man who comes from the south
named Boktu-Kiriš who has won," the Khan announced.
But the Khan's spy, who knew all the secrets, ran quickly to him
and whispered in his ear: "It's so, weird, my dear Khan,
that man of yours whom they call Boktu-Kiriš
is not a man at all, it's a woman.
Check it tomorrow during the horserace," he said.
"Well, how are we supposed to check it?" The Khan asked.
"Well, who would diregard an announcement by the Khan?
Make everybody race naked tomorrow.
And thus let the girl's female genitals be revealed.
So the Khan made an announcement:
"Tomorrow everybody will race on horseback naked!"
Having heard this, being changed into her brotherBoktu-Kiriš,
younger sister Bora-Šeelei came quickly to her horse Ajan-Kula,
running pell-mell, and had a talk.
"What shall I do now, my good horse?
It turns out that tomorrow everybody must race horseback naked.
so what should I do about my woman's genitals?"
Then her horse said:
"As for that, it's just fine.
Way over there in a striped mountain forest called Arzaity,
on its norther side in a lake are swimming a lot of white geese.
Among those white geese,
there's a white gander with big red bill like a fist.
Having killed that white gander,
and peeled off its skin, take the white gander's parts,
and make from them a man's testicles,
and take its fist-like big red beak,
together with its neck, and make from them a man's genitals,
and when you've magically glued shut your woman's genitals with them,
that's that!
If you need to ***,
then you'll raise the beak of the goose to ***,
and let the *** trickle out through it," the horse said, didn't he?
Having done exactly so,
the next day among the numerous men,
being changed into her poor brother Boktu-Kiriš,
younger sister Bora-Šeelei sat there naked.
The eyes of all the men were on the man named Boktu-Kiriš.
"What kind of man is this? With such a chest,
and on top of all that, bear's hair is growing out of it.
And as for his genitals, his testicles are as heavy as a teapot,
there's no way a person could even lift them.
His genitals are like the beak of a bird,
like a horn, and to top it all, covered all over with teeth.
He's such a strange creature!"
While they were wondering and gaping,
the start-man began to count down.
"One, two, three!" as soon as he counted down, all the men
whipped their horses with riding crops and charged off.
But the one who had changed into her brother Boktu-Kiriš,
younger sister Bora-Šeelei stayed behind,
because she could also change into a gray hare.
But while she was changed into a gray hare,
it wasn't proper for her to compete with people.
So, she didn't actually change into one,
but simply took on the running speed of a gray hare.
And with the running speed of a gray hare, she ran far away.
She immediately passed the men who were running way over there.
Hah! before the guys had even reached the halfway point of the race-course,
(to reach the place) where all the people were headed up by the Khan and the queen,
Boktu-Kiriš came running up to that place, and what did she do next?
She ran three circles around the gathered crowd.
Then, in order to put her clothes back on,
she ran off, back towards Bashky mountain.
"Well, in the third competition
the young man from the south,
Boktu-Kiriš, has won.
I'm giving him as a wife my beautiful daughter.
My golden princess Angyr-Chechen
I hereby give to my son-in-law, Boktu-Kiriš.
I'm also giving half of all my mighty army and slaves.
I'm also giving him the good half of my livestock,"
the Khan announced.
And the deceitful spy, who lied
and desired to win all the Khan's prizes,
was given a sound beating with a riding crop and chased away.
And what did poor Boktu-Kiriš do next?
(She took) Šang Khan's beautiful daughter,
golden princess Angyr Chechen,
and traveled back to the homeland.
When they came up close to the yurt,
"Well, the yurt camp is not far from here,
I'll go to unbutton the door," she said.
"You come running after me," she said.
And having reached the yurt camp,
(went) to that cave she had put her dead brother in,
and took him out.
Having brought him and placed him on the bed in the yurt,
and magically thawed him out,
she hid herself.
And Šang Khan's beautiful daughter, the golden princess Angyr-Chechen,
when she arrived at the camp,
saw her husband, who had just made her run (to the yurt),
lying there dead on top of the bed.
And what could a princess with magic powers do then?
She took out her silver ring,
(and she said) "If it is truly my husband Boktu-Kiriš,
let his broken bones join together,
let his torn up guts recover,"
she said, and magically made it happen.
And then his broken backbone healed.
"Well, if this is truly my husband Boktu-Kiriš, he will stand up.
and surely come running (to me)," she said, working her magic.
After then he really did stand up and came running right to her.
(And he said) "Oh, ***! Did I oversleep?
In this dream of mine,
Šang Khan's beautiful daugher, golden princess Angyr-Chechen, and I
were going to marry, right?
I thought that it was just a dream,
but I really did marry,
and bring her home, apparently," he said.
And as for the golden princess Angyr-Chechen,
he took her and kissed and licked her, and everybody simply admired them.
And when they looked over yonder, (they saw) his younger sister Bora-Šeelei
together with her own lover,
Kara-Chüvelekti, the brave son of Karaty Khan.
Here they came laughing and walking together.
So right after that, the two siblings, with his brother-in-law and her sister-in-law,
the four of them together,
encamped their yurt on the hilly lands,
and brought their livestock up to the high ground,
they evened out the vales and hills,
and have gone on living there ever since. The end.
Clap your hands!