Translated by A.A.Goldman

The Rescuing of the Hero Khaan Dgargystay
(excerpt from the epic "Nyurgun Bootur the Swift")

Galloping on the black stallion, which was born standing on the edge of the heavens, Nyurgun Bootor the Swift did not dismount from his horse foe several days, until he reached the muddy black swamp, flaming with fire. There, stuck up to his chest in mud, the noble hero Khaan Dgargystay was sinking. He used to lift into his shoulders the octangular stone pillar, that had been set on the high ridge of the three-layered white heavens in ancient times. And the wight of that pillar equaled the weight of one fourth of the whole world. Khaan Dgargystay used to defeat anyone in a single fair fight. But he was deceived by the hero of the lower world Aat Mogoidon, who decoyed him into the swamp and there Khaan Dgargystay got tangled in ninety loops of the magic lasso Ap-Charay.

Khaan Dgargystay saw Nyurgun Bootur and spoke these words:

"I shall never get out of here: the magic lasso is too strong.

I do not think you will ever be able to help me. Nobody yet get out of this swamp alive."

And Nyurgun Bootur answered him:

"If I do not help you abandon you, then I shall defame myself.

I am a descendant of ayii; like you, and we can never abandon each other in misfortune."

Then, standing on the edge of the swamp, he cried out, calling his elder sister - the famous woman-shaman Ayii Umsur:

"Dear sister, the magic keeper of the eight heavens, Ayii Umsur Udagan, if you are in heaven - come down and if you are down on earth-come up. Now I will rush into the fiery swamp, from where nobody has ever returned. I am beg­ging you to come to my aid and give me the magic lash with eight tails, that turn into eight swards, so that I can slash the magic lasso Ap-Charay, which is hold­ing the hero Khaan Dgargystay tightly in its trap.

Then Nyurgun Bootur turned into a white falcon and flew up on a rock in order to rush down from it into the swamp.

His elder sister, the famous shaman Ayii Umsur heard his call, and turned into an enormous bird. She came and sat on the frozen snowy tops of the ancient fur trees, massive as a mountain, and she breathed out thick white fog, so that nobody could see her. And her stare turned into two fiery beams. Then Ayii Um-suur Udagan threw the magic lash with eight tails to her brother.

Nyurgun Bootur seized the magic lash and shouted to Khaan Dgargystay:

"Now I will fly down to the swamp like an arrow and split the magic lasso Ap-Charay with the lash of my sister. And you summon all your strength as quickly as possible, and jump up on a firm place with all your might."

Having spoken, Nyurgun Bootur timed into a falcon and, folding his wings, he sprang like an arrow into the black swamp mud and split the lasso Ap-Charay into eight parts with the one swing of the heavenly lash, weaking, the blash mud let her captive, the hero gathered all his streangth and instantly jumped to the stony bank.

And the swamp howled angrily and tried to catch Nyurgun Bootur with the cut ends with the magic lasso Ap-Charay. It grasped his legs and threw him headfast into the swamp. But Nyurgun Bootur remained alive and sprang up from the boggy quag: the beam-reins of his elder sister, which were wound around his body tightly, saved him. Once more Nyurgun Bootur split the lasso Ap-Charay, loosening the fetters, and he flew up on the stony bank. Then he gave the magic lash back to the great shaman - his elder sister Ayii Umsuur.

But the hero Khaan Dgargystay, taking out his sword, rushed in a huge gallop to the dwelling of the giant Aat Mogoidon. The monster Aat Mogoidon was ready to defend himself. Turning his three snake heads from side to side, it stood on its six feet and waved its six arms, which held a sword in each one.

They fought for a long time, but finally Khaan Dgargystay managed to cut one of monster's heads, and at once the swards fell from his arms, and Aat Mogoidoons huge body sank on its two feet. But the monster was still strong enough, because he had four swards of Khaan Dgargystay asked him not to in­ tervene in the fight and let Khaan Dgargystay himself avenge the monster for his fraud and guile. A long time passed before Khaan Dgargystay managed to slay the remaining two heads of Aat Mogoidoon.

And the noble heroes rode different ways, listening keenly for anyone's cry for help or for any attack by evil spirits on mankind.