Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/48

40 They ordered the old bow of Khovugu to be brought in a cart, for it was so large. Then Khovugu again assumed his former appearance of a giant, seized Khaduin-Dziugê, and cut him in ten pieces. His sister he bound to the tail of nine horses and tore her in pieces. He took his cattle, his people, and his mother, and returned home. He married the middle one of the maidens, that is, Nogon-darēkhu.

The narrator at the end of his story only remarked the three maidens were, Tsagan Darēkhu, Nogon Darēkhu, and Nar Khandjēt.—(A Khotogait from the Bai-Bulik guard-station.)

In the North country lived Bai gu ê ider Khan; in the East country, Erēn tsain mêrgên. Once upon a time, Bai gu ê ider Khan ordered to beat the drum; they beat on the big drum; big people collected together; they beat on the little drum; little people collected together. To the assembly Bai gu ê ider Khan gave the order—"I have heard that there is a certain Erēn tsain mêrgên who has many horses, cattle, and nations; let three men go forth and spy the wealth of Erēn tsain mêrgên."

Three mêrgên (officers) went forth to the land of Erēn tsain mêrgên. They rode for a month, till they came to the plain in which were the herds of horses of Erēn tsain mêrgên; they took ten days to ride through the herds of horses; five days and nights to ride through the herds of camels; twenty days and nights to ride through the flocks of sheep. After that they met an old man quite white; he was the father of Erēn tsain; he was seated on an enormous roan horse, and was clothed in a cloak made from sixty-eight sheep, and in a hat of eighteen foxes' skins. Still further, on a small plain, stood the mare of Erēn tsain; then, on a large plain, they saw a great tent with eighteen stanchions, and by it a stable which had on one side the image of Tsonkabē; on the second, of Ochēr Van; on the third, of Mandjēshēre; on the fourth, of Khonēsuin-bodēsattêi. In the tent with Erēn tsain mêrgên were two dogs, Asuir and Basuir, besides them, other animals, Shar êrên mogoe, Khar ēren mogoe, Altuin dziugêi, and Mengun dziugêi. When the messengers returned he ordered the drum to be beaten, collected the nation, and