Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/437

 The Killing of the K/iazar Kings. 403,

Christians, and the Mussulmans, consider it lawful to sell their children and to sell each other.

"As to the government of the Khozars, the personage who occupies the first place bears the title of khakan of the Khozars ; he ranks above the king of the Khozars ; but it is from the latter that he receives his dignity. When they would appoint a khakan, they bring the person whom they have in view and draw a cord tightly round his neck ; when he is on the point of choking, they say to him, ' How long do you wish to keep this dignity } ' He answers, ' So many years.' If he dies before the fixed term, they trouble themselves no more about him ; but if, when the time comes, he is not dead, they put him to death.

" The dignity of the khakan is reserved for persons of a certain birth. The khakan has no power to command or to forbid ; only they have the greatest regard for him, and when they enter his presence, they bow the head. No one but the king may enter his house, and the king does not visit him except in extraordinary cases. When the king enters the presence of the khakan, he prostrates himself on the ground and adores him. Then he rises and waits for the khakan to allow him to approach. In critical circumstances it is customary for the khakan to come forth ; but neither the Turks nor the other infidel nations of the country may see him ; they are obliged to retire and avoid meeting him, out of respect for his rank. When the khakan is dead and buried, no one may pass before his tomb, except on foot and with bowed head ; a rider may not remount his horse till the tomb is out of sight.

" One of the things which show the great respect of the Khozars for their king, is that sometimes the king desires the death of one of them, even one of the most powerful, and yet he does not wish to incur the responsibilty for his death. Thereupon he orders the person to kill himself, and the man, going home, puts an end to his life.

" The dignity of khakan is reserved for certain families^