Page:Zakhar Berkut(1944).djvu/180

 you to put up barricades on your trail and useless to build engines for hurling stones, all of which will prove fruitless against his superior forces.”

“Evidently your Burunda is beginning to fear us if he has thought of trying to frighten us. It’s a good sign. Go on, tell us what else he told you to say to us.”

“No, elder, you must not consider the words of the Mongolian commander so lightly. His threat is half the punishment and his punishment is terrible, like the punishment of God! Please heed the rest of what behadir Burunda commands me to say to you. The goal of his march is Uhri, the kingdom of the Magyars which had submitted to the rule of the great Jinghis Khan but now rebels and refuses to recognize his sovereignty. To punish this insurgence the great Jinghis Khan sent his army to the West. Should it be your concern to check its progress?”

“Behadir Burunda, the commander of a part of that vast army, wishes to depart from here amicably. He holds prisoner one of your own men, your son, elder Zakhar. This is all he wants you to do: Raze your barricades and allow	the Mongolian army to get out of the valley. In exchange for this, he will return the prisoner to you alive and well. Think how advantageous for you is Burunda’s benign proposition. Your resistance is useless, no matter what you do, the Mongols will eventually level your fortifications and will go their way. But they don’t want to lose any more time in your valley or to spill any of your blood and are ready to give back your man for their passage through. If your decision is unfavorable, it’s understood that certain death by horrible torture awaits him and for you also awaits a bloody massacre in which, despite your best efforts, you will be crushed and destroyed utterly. Choose then for yourselves what is best!”

The Tukholian elders listened attentively to Tuhar Wolf’s speech and upon some of the points it was apparent they agreed.