Information portal of the Institute of Literature and Art named after Mukhtar Auezov

Koblandy marries the beautiful Kortka

Once upon a time,
A man of wealth Toktar
was living a cushy life.
He had all sorts of wealth,
the full of cattle ninety groves,
to fettle those herds — ninety slaves,
Yestimshe was a lead of slaves.
Seems nothing wrong,
all is in wellness,
but Toktarbay was childless.
With that he couldn’t stop crying,
mind fixed of God,
he was in praying,
as the cattle can depleted ownerless.
Doing the round of all sacred site,
he was asking God for a child.
A horse dedicated in the name of saint,
and the sheep sacrifice to the Korasan,
recommending his soul to God,
he fell down bone-tired
and full of spiny reed all his round.
He turned to pray to a nurse of souls,
the nurse of souls gave an earnest,
the nurse of souls sent a message to Toktarbay:
«Get up quickly. God has given you a baby.”

It was a prophetic dream,
He would have a daughter and a son,
So the old lady and old man
met each other in fine.
«Seems God granted us a wish,
and the God
cheers the heart» saying this he hurried up
to made a day of his wife,
But the poor old couple
bored in waiting to no avail.
Then God Zhappar sent a reliance
suddenly and just barely,
there happened a prodigy.
So, again and again,
Toktarbay, in his nineties
dedicated horses in the name of saints,
and to the Korasan sacrificed sheeps,
recommended his soul to God,
and one more time sacrificed his herds.

So, when he came, some days later to home, in nine months and ten days the old lady Analyk in her sixties had contractions of labor pains, even expulsive labor pains. She gave a birth to a daughter and a son, an to top it all – he was handsome. The likes of wealthy Toktarbay has invited whole country, has organized a party, has gifted many poor, in-need people and has named his son. He had a big affair and fed the poor. They named the boy Koblandy and the girl Karlyga. The people ate, enjoyed and left the party at the end.

The heart is seized with perfect calm,
The worls is not small anymore,
Toktarbay’s heart sings with pleasure,
And seems he became hugely wealthy further.

The boy reached the age of six. Thinking of grazing the vast herds of cattle, he chose a light bay with a mole, joined Yestimshe and experienced hunting with hounds and hawking, and has been living the life of Riley.
Once he heard a clatter and chatter outside. Koblandy asked:
— Hey, Yestimshe, what is that about? And Yestimshe said followings:
— There is an old lady Koklen in Kyzylbash, she is a king. And this old lady put a high column in the middle of the land, placed a golden tenge-money on its very top and saying «Whoever is a man of spirit and has a strong religion, can do the shot» and promising “Whoever hits the center of the target, my daughter – the beautiful Kurtka will marry him.» The heroes from all over the world can not shoot at a target of one hundred sazhen and hit the tenge. And Koblandy replied:
— If I join it and can hit the target, do you thing the old lady gives her blessing to me to marry her daughter? Yestimshe said:
— «Even if you hit the target, you won’t get her». If you ask why, there is a tall man of forty arshin named Kyzyl yer (Red Man) and he is the greatest enemy of God. He is in love with this girl and said «I would marry her even if I hit the target or not». He won’t let you marry her even if you hit the target. You are immaturate, impuberal and he is out of your league.
So passed a few days. Went by a few nights. But the noice was not quite, and little Koblandy bent down and went there. He started watching. One by one many were shooting, but no one could hit.
Meanwhile it was Koblandy’s turn. He shot a bow, hit the target, so the tenge scattered in the air and fell down to the ground. Seeing this, the old lady Koklen said:
– Oh, my dear torch, I see you are the Muslim. You earned this not for your strength, but for the nobility of your religion. I also convert to your religion by faith, and I bless your marriage with my daughter.
During the wedding party to marry her daughter, the old lady handed over a dower loaded on ninety camels and said:
— One of a female essence is being an enemy of a man, my dear. Never allow with goodwill heart-to-heart talk with her. My daughter has no tongue, speaks thickly, like a tree eaten by worms. Never yell at her angrily as «I’ll teach you», nor cause actual bodily harm.
They were almost leaving when the forty arshin Kyzyl yer came across.
«I cannot allow to leave my sister without organizing a party with plenty of games for forty days and wedding ceremony for forty days» he said. Koblandy asked:
— What do you play, hero? Kyzyl yer answered:
— Let’s play “pick up tenge from the ground”.
Koblan was agree and saying “Deal» picked up the tenge from the ground, and riding his light bay with a mole horse galloped away. Kyzyl yer couldn’t pick it up as his horse was untamed. Koblandy said:
— Oh, hero, seems your horse is untamed. When I was young, I used to tie this horse’s back and ruled this fractious horse. Now it’s more soft horse – saying these he encitingly deceived the hero. So, there is a common saying “The hero is harum-scarum, and the rich is indifferent”.
Here Kyzyl yer replied:
«Then tie my hands and feet in the same way» and even gave his saddlebow straps to tie. Koblandy asked:
— If this one saddlebow strap is enough to tie your hands and feet? Kyzyl yer said:
— I used to tie a lot of enemies with that saddlebow strap. It’s made of witch’s skin lived during Shanshar Khan’s period. It’s very strong rope and wouldn’t part.
At his request Koblandy tied Kyzyl yer with his saddlebow strap, pulled with a calf skin whip the mottled horse, and the horse galloped off with a mighty heave, killed the hero by hitting him to mountains, rocks and stones. At that moment, the girl said to Kurtka:
— Kyzyl yer has two small children, Aganas and Toganas. You should kill them. Otherwise, when they grow up, would take revenge for the death of their father.
— Don’t be so sure. It remains to be seen, said Koblandy and they left that place.

Kortka takes care of horse Taiburyl

They moved to live in a different place. There were herds of horses among that places. And the beautiful Kurtka kept an eye on a one mare:
«Oh, hero, you should to buy this mare even if you have to give me for it» she said. Koblandy replied:
— If I give you then I should receive cattles of whole one tribe. But Kurtka said:
– This mare is pregnant and has a roan foal inside. If it gives a birth safely then I will give you this foal, as a bay horse is not suitable for riding during battles, and to join disputes, and is bred of cut-plug horse.
Then the hero agreed:
«I would learn who is owner of the herd» and went to talk with horseherd, who were sleeping at the foothiil.
— Whose herd is this? – he asked. The chief of the ninety slaves was Karakoshek:
— They belong to Salimbay – was the answer. He learned the real states of things and it turned out that Salimbay is a younger brother of his father Toktarbay. Koblandy batyr told to Koshek:
— Go to see Salimbay and say that your kid brother is starting a family. And also tell him to take my ninety loaded up camels in change of the old roan horse. Karakoshek went to see the owner and delivered the message from Koblandy.

Salimbay’s voice rose highly,
words tumbled from lips easily
and he spoke almost crying:
«Oh my dear, kid brother,
what a day we are having.
Let the God bless you,
invisible 40 sacred geniuses
always holding you.
And let us live faultless and see it with you”
Wait here, Koshek a little bit,
You mean this serios, indeed,
nice to hear, in very truth.
No doubt,
about the mare I don’t mind,
Only wish my dear torch,
achieve his good fortune.
So, dear Koshek, I’m embarrassed,
don’t say that you are lied,
I’m loading a sledge with worly goods.
I have three wives,
pregnant is the midwife,
I was just dedicate it,
to a baby coming to a life.
Why he is asking for a mare,
Just take it, we’re aware,
And be proud of own desire
To say his father
“I took the thing admired”.

Koshek was a nice guy,
Hearing it from Salimbay,
went out and rode away.
The answer was clear enough,
and without hesitation,
he delivered Salimbay’s reaction.
Koblandy was admired
Took the mare,
And came to his wife high hearted,
As God granted him a wish.
He was rounding around the mare,
wanted to know,
what means this affair.

When filled with milk the udder,
When the owner shows labour.
Happy end comes out,
And the mare gave a birth.
Kurtka catched it to her hands,
cared much from rains and winds,
from colds and hots
wrapped it to warm clothes.
A while after a little foal,
got strogher and played a role,
rounding near the male.

They were staying there for a few days more, take care of the mare and foal, feed them. The foal had an insatiable appetite and feeding by mother mare was not enough. So, he brought herds of fourty mares with only one stallion. “To become more stronger and have more good appetite” they fatten the foal to the gills, even added red medicine to it’s meal. After the foal improved in strength they moved to their country and built a house at the horde near his father Tokhtar. Koblandy asked his father:
— Dad, do you know anything about our herds’ welfare after I left? Tokhtar replied:
— Oh dear, how can I know? I thought you were probably among the herds. Hearing this, Koblandy did not even stay for a while at house, did not event drink the fermented honey, but immediately joined Yestimshe pasturing cattle at the foot of Karaspan mountain, continued hunting with hounds and hawking and went on dealing with the cattle. At that time, among the “forty thousand family of kiyat tribes” there lived a rich man named Saim and he had son Karaman. He was the was born in the same year and was the same age as Koblandy.
Karaman was leading the army with forty thousand warriors, including people of Karakozy, Akkozy, Kosdaulet, Karabukan tribes and holding a black-and-white flag as so happened that Kazan from Kalmykia built two cities Karakala and Syrlykala on the Kazakh land, accordingly captured the Muslim land. When Karaman heard that «Koblandy batyr from Karakypshak was staying among Karaspan mountain and hunting with hounds and hawking together with his slave Yestimshe, he said: “we are same age, were born in the same year” Let’s go there and see him. If he wishes to join us, we will continue together”, so they came to visit the place where Koblandy Batyr was living. Koblandy slaughtered a barren pasture-fed horse for every tent was built. Next day when they were leaving Karaman said followings:

Karaman batyr invites Koblandy to go for war-trip to capture Kazan

Karaman’s voice rose highly,
words tumbled from lips easily:
«I’m Karaman, Saiym’s son,
and I’m going to Kazan.
Why not you join us, dear peer,
I would like to beseech for here.
My contemporary, my friend,
My coeval of same age
We were born in same year together,
So I belive, my peer,
the enemy cannot stand,
if you came across them as a fighter.
We are head for Kazan city,
Why not you join us,
We are the brave tiger?”

Here Koblandy told a good game,
told a great ball game,
there was a sweet twinkle
on his face,
and he spoke so beautiful,
as saker falcon whistle,
«I have Kurtka waiting me at home,
And only she knows
pros and cons”.
Only this was said
and slave Yestimshe kept the course,
to note Kurtka and took the fastest horse.
There are white fabrics on the market,
Young colt plays in the circuit,
There is nothing wrong in this writ.
But here to note,
Yestimshe left away by rode,
when the night crowed,
and for bed everyone was called.

Yestimshe came to the yurt,
Living Kurtka in it,
It was just near Toktarbay’s yurt.
It was early morning,
When everyone was sleeping,
Yestimshe talked to a woman,
Staying outside her homeland.
«Are you at home, lady Kurtka,
Are you here, lady Kurtka,
You were born as a woman,
No chance, as if only you were a man,
You could lead all among.

Turned to fate issue to talk now,
After riding a red-horse as I know.
If the poor rides a horse,
the thief prepares a pole
with a running noose.
Aryslan wants to take the road,
to fight with enemy crowded.

Only Kazanat should be used for ride,
To protect against the enemy’s fight,
need to wear a belt sharbolat1,
and for body needs a zhalankat2
confide the soul to Zhappar God.
The dearest Koblandy is not alone,
There are many helpmates known,
Hey Kurtka, please let me know,
If the bay horse ready and waiting,
For the hero to go fighting? ”

Hearing Yestimshe’s express,
Kurtka opened her lashes,
moved flirtatious, cutesy
and saucy as flashes,
with a great play of golden shashbau
plaited in hair
whimpered as in milk mare,
as riffle of laughter,
she groaned a healthy sigh,
like a puppy squeaking,
like a star shining,
Kurtka started talking,
raised up her golden cap was wearing,
to Yestimshe who was waiting:
«The world full of men with dog sense,
living just for passion in essence.
Two yaerlings and one sheep,
is enough for one dagger, hence.
I see you were sent
For the horse at home, with weak joint.
Abase myself before my dear,
and my warm greats to the peer,
to the beloved hero of the nation.
to my coeval and friend with same intend,
to contemporaries and to whom with same kismet,
no one can carry out atrocity,
event a wolf cannot commit a villainy,
to anyone following and coming,
when I’m on a pale horse with marking,
and using a whip for running,
the party has another fun with the great talker,
goat and lamp meat tastes much differ,
satan and demon are also vary,
the same for born son and slave diversify.
To inform a wife like me,
You were sent I see.
Abase myself before my dear,
and my warm greats to the peer,
to beloved tiger of the nation
the for letting me be aware.

God forbid the slaves,
Let me never was left alone at graves,
If my sultan obey his wife that feeling trouble,
Send him my appeal,
He shouldn’t join this travel,
Should got no share of the haul,
Or his little lady will cry in all.
The mountain has an axis,
Oh, Almighty, you have boundless kindless,
If to know, how friendly can be coevals.
Say my greatings to my sultan,
So again and again,
If he obeys his wife,
He shouldn’t join this ride,
Also our lovely bay,
Is behind for forty-three days”.

Lady Kurtka who is born smart,
Sent back the slave with this comment.
The hero was embarrassed,
As there was a hope to bay horsed,
Inspite having many untamed horses.
Seems this shouldn’t be an argument for the man,
As per mind of peer like Karaman,
So he incited his friend to talk again,
And sent back someone to his woman.

Karaman incited as follows:
«We go there with mottoes,
To fight against and kill Kazan,
Capture the city and share trophies.
To take some Persian girls,
And put them in our bosoms.
Tumble grass1 full in the garden,
A felt cloak1, men are putting.
It’s uncanny to resurrected from the dead.
If the God returns things received?
Hey, my dear coeval,
What is the matter with you?
If to pay attention to woman sayings
And apply for advice in every cases,
Don’t you think, this type of man,
Can be also called woman? ”

Koblandy decides to go for war-trip

Should to see Kabylandy’s state,
He was pouring with sweat,
Hair stood on end,
Heart jumps out of his chest.
If abdominal part2 of kulan to collect,
Probably a fur cap can make.
So, having the same willing,
Karaman’s words were bone-chilling.2

As words hurt more than swords,
He saddled up the horse,
The batyr took his sword and hasten to village,
For all his is worth.
If only he was holding his weapon,
To fight with the foemen,
To destroy Kalmyk demon,
Then, no offense.
But the terrible thing is that,
The batyr thinks is the right,
To cut off head of his wife
Waiting with hope only things bright.

The gate used to close spaces,
We have the Prophet for happiness,
Lady Kurtka sitting at home,
Sighed hearing the horse clattered along.
«Probably this is my sultan,
riding a horse nearby around”.

Lady Kurtka opened doors hastily,
And gazed outside closely,
Gazing attentively,
She knew her hubby.
Kurtka felt guilty, but not intended,
Only the horse unprepared.
She was crying and in grieves to the heart,
As Kurtka was in awe of the hero,
was stood with her head low.

Now Kurtka in confusion,
Turned pale with fear,
Turned to ran around the house,
stepped at skirt of her dress.
But she found the right call,
Hold the horse by headstall.
The horse she was tube-feeding,
And at warm home careing,
Now nearby her was walking,
As she hope for a favorable turning.

Not a bay, but grey, the three-year old colt
Not seen the blue sky from born.
Taiburyl came out the shelter,
Went into the fresh air,
Felt the liberty of free walk,
Enjoyed the taste of scope,
Glint in the eyes,
Full of pith and was going intense.

The bay played out by jump,
twelve stretched out hands long a lap,
Seeing a grey stone in front of it,
Chewed as gnawing the bid.
When the bay jumped to the air,
Lady Kurtka fall down to the ground,
She is just a female,
But strong, as a male.

Kurtka was crying and said follows:

“The mountain has an axis,
The Almighty has boundless kindless,
There is no balance in meaning less,
Coevals have no limits in friendlies,
Hey dear bay horse,
You could even ascend to heavens,
What a pity,
But you are behind for forty-three days”

If the village gathers,
There would be a whole market.
At anywhere a man can be burried
If suddenly died.
He saw the bay within line of sights,
So forgoting about his charges and fights,
Paid attention to his bayhorse.

Then Koblandy said:

«I was busy with in-wintered herd,
I was busy with out-wintered herd,
I was thinking of summer pasture for herd,
Oh my God, I was so busy,
And forgot about my baby,
Even was so fullish,
Was to killing her ready.
The feather bed is softening,
Barley, wheat has peeling,
After the hero approached
Even she was in fear,
Looking down to the ground,
Sweetly sobbing and groaning.

Here Koblandy said:

«The feather bed is softening,
Barley, wheat has peeling,
Sweetly sobbing my Kurtka,
Seeing me was some groaning.
You can be the light,
During the dark night.
If I back safe and sound,
After this trip out,
Even if you are woman,
I would make you a ruler-khan.»

Koblandy also added follows:

«I’m a master of oratory,
A leader among contemporary,
Oh my dear Kurtka,
Even if I you are a woman,
You are bigger and above of others,
And best of the wives,
And dear Kurtka,
Say me, why are you groaning?
Even if you have a reason
for the value of a young man.
As your husband, your tiger,
Is alive and sitting here.»

Then Kurtka said:

“A fish can come outer,
At the edge of summer water,
In the name of the game.
You are the falcon, I am the shulen1,
When you return from far away
If I can hold myself,
Just have a look at yourself?”

Then Koblandy said:

«I’m good colored among horses,
And the one with thin bristles.
Unfortunately, I’m alone
And has no older brother, nor elder brother,
So, I cannot allow take a breather.

1 shulen -a male eagle

I am a desired kid,
Of Toktarbay and Analyk
They dedicated horses to the saints,
to the Korasan sacrificed sheeps,
recommended to God their souls.
So I beg you, no offense
I’m going to stay with
Lovely old parents.”

Whipped hardly Koblandy,
ambling on favorite Tobylgy.
Came to stay around,
To Toktar’s horde there build.
The lake is beauty with a sail,
And the buds without needle.
The old couple living in the horde,
«Wish our baby come to see us» said.
As soon as they said, they heard,
Coming to see their son by rode.

Both of them came at once,
Hold the helter to lead the horse,
Helped to shorten the reins,
And cut short the right rein.
They served a syrup juice,
To their only single son.
Again and again,
They took good care of their son,
The old couple were admired and delighted,
So sent him to sleep before the sunset.

On the bed were soft blankets,
Koblandy that night was sleepless.
Begged son of the old couple,
Enjoyed the beems of parents kindness.
Need to here mention,
Koblandy was handsome.
«Look at me, my smart son» said
his father lying on one side.
«Look at me, my dear son” said
his mother on the other side.
In the middle — Koblandy,
was turning round every time.
So in next twenty-four hours,
He didn’t sleep a wink on their kindly fight.

There was morning’s tender light,
The morning star is also sat,
Koblandy was sleeping,
And old couple were him hugging,
The bay horse, Kurtka prepared,
Taiburyl she has saddled,
Also she put some more feed,
The grey three-year old colt,
Never has been slept,
When all in all prepared,
Kurtka brought the Taiburyl,
Before the white horde.
… Taiburyl horse he rode,
Suit of armor he wore.
He sheathe the sword at his waist,
Prayed for Allah and asked help.

Koblandy was some lately,
As the troop left more early,
So Koblandy galloped away, went with a roar.
Toktarbay, who is in his ninetieth,
Analyk in her sixties,
And his sister Karlyga,
His wife – the lady Kurtka,
All four followed him crying
«Better you should kill us» saying.

They were following till noon,
Here Karlyga asked for listening:
«When people bless you, you go on with anything,
But if no desire, you start for nothing.
God created to mean weak points,
The steel things with golden hilts.
The gerfalcon flies,
relying on its tail and wings.

My dear lonely brother,
For this adventure you had a desire.
I’m thistle of clay places and stuck,
As a spakling on the top of a fur cap.
I wish my dear brother,
Got expected result from this desire,
Came safe and sound after the adventure,
And return back to his country,
And to his people in soonest future.
But what a pity to me here staying,
So, please tell me my brother,
About a peace offering, hereafter.
Dear brother, swan with tears my eyes,
We accept the fate, but all refuse.
I wish my dear brother,
Came safe and sound after the adventure,
And return back to his country,
And to his people in soonest future.
What a pity to me,
How can I compete with you!
I have a bunch of gold, thanks my fate,
When I have a brother near me, I’m all satisfied,
When my brother is far away,
I would feel as injured.
Crow quill is for my writing,
Duck feathers are for my warming,
Oh my milk brother,
You were my mentor, when I’m in mourn.

You are my dear, we argued during nursing,
As foals we were prancing,
Were born and grew up together,
And had in same time cord cutting.
Dear brother, who did you entrust,
full of groves your camels herding?
Filled with milk their udder,
The droves of horses,
And who did you trust herding,
full of sheeps your yards?
Never mind all that, say me first and all above,
Whom did you leave to the care of
Your father Toktarbay in his ninethies,
Your mother Analyk in her sixties
Your lovely sister Karlyga,
Say me, whom did you entrust poor me?
Kurtka, Koklen’s daughter,
Your soulmate, birth to earth,
And your near and dear,
Now tell me, my brother,
Whom did you left and entrust her?”

Hearing Karlyga’s message,
Koblandy was sad and fatigued,
And thingking many about the people,
Unable to bear it,
Leaning on a white spear,
He wept bitterly.
A goose would back else,
To the place where built the nest.
Always good with the peers,
The plays and laughs.
Trickled down tears from the eyes,
These were blood mixed cries,
keeping down his head, couldn’t bring out words,
Without showing his sister,
he wiped eyes with his sleeves.

Here Koblandy added:

«There are stones in the mountains, mottled,
There can be tears when a man fatigued.
You have long plaits covering your back,
Honey, listen to my remark.
If i’m late and missing for a long,
Crowded Kipchak
living at Karaspan mountains along,
Won’t leave you here,
Come on, my dear.

That’s a dear,
When you cry and call me brother,
It catches me sharply,
Don’t cry so piteously.
I am an only son of my parents,
I’m going to fight with enemies,
So, please don’t hurt me much.

Even if you are a girl,
I would be rather without a dream,
Than saying you are a small human being.
Oh my sister Karlyga,
Let me kiss your smiling cheeks.
I was hunting for swans in the lake,
Just only when was acute take,
A fish can come outer,
At the edge of summer water,
In the name of the game.
If you were a man, I beleive,
You won’t let me go my own,
Even if you are a girl,
I wouldn’t say you are a small being.

I sell cattle at the market,
For boyak1 and sheeting changed.
My sale horse made and matched,
To the sorrel of Arka light-colored.
Now, listen me my dear,
May the Almighty God,
Don’t hurt me and be alright.

My dear good girl Karlyzhan,
I entrust to Sarysu,
full of groves my camels,
The droves of horses with fully udder,
I entrust to enemy’s hunter.
Full of sheeps my yards
I entrust to hungry wolves.
To the young wolves,
With the like hammer — fangs.
My father Toktarbay in his ninethies
I trust to my Goodness.
My mother Analyk in her sixties
I trust to to Fatima.
And my sister Karlyga
I trust to Karashash.
Lady Kurtka, my complete and soul mate,
I trust to the wrestler friend.
There are four of you, and I am alone.
I entrust to God.»

When they cleared that he would leave,
As he made up his mind,
Now the beautiful Kutrka
Turned to talk the hero:
«You are good colored among horses,
And the one with thin bristles
You don’t have no older, nor elder brothers,
You are the only child of your parents,
You are the desired kid of your parents,
Who in their turn, dedicated horses to the saints.
After all happened to them,
How can you leave them all by alone?
You keep going on,
My loneliness won’t have sizing.
And my sultan, if you’re really leaving,
You should try breastfeeding,
Of my dear mother-in-law.
You are brunet by nature,
Plenty wash wouldn’t make you brighter.
God created you capricious,
Don’t think, you would hold by adviser.
You always hold your ground,
My sultan, now you going around
To the irreligious enemy,
And you are going there alone.
Goodbye, my sultan, and always mind,
We would worry what can happen to you?

Seeing the ranges and mountains,
Galloping on Taiburyl horse of yours.
That time you would find out
Good dignity of mine.
You would back when so happened,
Toktarbay in his ninethies
With no warm wearing on him,
even in short coat till kneel,
suffered much and shepherding
kaffir’s sheep and serving them.
Or maybe you would back,
When Analyk in her sixties
Weaving ropes, weaving wools,
And the kurt1 is making.
Let’s talk about your sister Karlyga
Keeping in hands her abada1,
Kitchen utensils around her belt,
Brewing, serving tea for enemy’s men,
as her brother, you would see these, I mean.
Blue boots are the strongest,
Autumn maturity are the best,
After you left me alone,
The strongest of the enemy.

1 kurt – meal product made of drying fermented milk

Would prefer to marry me,
Hope you would back till this happen.
I liked riding horses,
famous man praised.
God may have a lot to do
Saved to slave, whom alive.

Goodbye, my sultan,
Be safe, my sultan
Sniper masterly shot
The bosom of a flying bird.
The hand of faith,
Doubles the water in lake.
For everything you are desperate,
But one thing you missed,
And never say “you are my dear Kurtka”
When you look at the truth face,
At the edge of Issrapyl bridge,
At the Prophet’s wedding,
Don’t forget that I’m waiting.
I’m your poor Kurtka,
Oh my dear sultan, these are all my saying.»

With that, Lady Kurtka remained to stay. Koblandy continued to keep go. So, Kurtka added here:
– «Oh dear mother-in-law! I advise you to climb to that poplar tree, cross your legs, lay your chest bare and call him saying “My dear son, try a breastfeed for the last time”, and he should come to you. When he came, all four of us should grab him at once and cry out saying “To whom you are leaving us, you should stop here or kill us with your own hands”, so there is a hope that, first he would be ashamed of God, the second of you, and the third all of us and maybe woudn’t go to the trip.”
Hearing this, the poor old woman ran to the tree, the old lady in her sixtieth fell down but didn’t stop, had some while rest and took her chest bared out and called: «My dear, Koblandy, come here and nurse your mother.”
Koblan feeling that this would caught him, decided not to stop. But the God did not grant the wish. At that time Analyk first trusted to God, and second to the saints, thus blessed her son.

«First of all, Zhappar Allah Almighty,
Did you hear me,
Don’t make me cry.
Thirteen-year-old Koblandy,
Kissed my eyes.
Muhammad is also only son,
Wish him to remember you,
in “ummah-umbetim”1 praying.
And when you are in hardness,
And feeling a death,
you should remember and then come helps,
Gauss, Giyas – the two halves, two souls,
Omar, Osman — shahariar, are muslim friends,
Twenty-eight prophets,
The Prophet Khidr on the land,
The Prophet Elijah in the water
We scarify to each of you,
Or we are lost, without you.

We came over the hills,
We talk about grandfathers.
Hey Hirsute Aziz named Ykylas,
Worry, we’re all dead, please bear up us.
If is proud of itself a nice horse,
One day can fall into a hole,
Excavated outside the city.
If is proud of itself a falcon,
One day can captured,
To the cage of a falconer.
Twin born Blue Stallion,
You’re on your way.»
If only Koblandy, after this trip,
Came back safe and sound,
Then grey stallion born of twins,
Would dedicated for you, good heavens!
The grey bull born of twins,
The Prophet, dedicated for your bless.
The grey ran born of twins
Oh Hazrat, dedicated for your bless
Seems it’s my fate,
To gave a birth to a son in my sixtieth.
Save my only daughter,
Don’t let us see the harder,
Muhammad is also alone,
Wish to remember in ummah praying.
And my dear son for trip leaving,
I trust over to you.

1 “Umbetim” — a person who submits to the Muslim religion

If he gets lost, manage him the way,
Look after him as shepherd after ewe,
Also for any other trouble,
Sweep away from my baby,
Oh dear Hirsute Baba Aziz.

You are the patron of the lake,
You are the patron of the road,
Dear Kambar, you should also save.
Why did outstanding Karaman,
start this trip to Kazan town?
And who else can protect the one
Who is the heir to the throne?»,
The mouth of the river,
A man has a braiding collar,
And the Saints’s brother.
Not the Bakhar,
But Kumkent is the city-shahar,
Where the hens are crowing,
The donkeys are galloping.
Mullah, imam-khatib are near,
Imamah on a head as a wear,
Like an eagle in their hug,
And Subhan Allah is a logo.

High heeled boots he wears,
The fastest optimal for his rides,
His black gun is ready in a drug bag,
The straight steel trunk,
Also the heir to the throne
I handed over to you.

Waited ten month for pregnancy,
And bent my spine for my baby,
Walked on a frosty day for prenatal care,
Leaned against the door for maternity care,
On a cloudy day rotated,
On the icy cradle leaned,
Woke up only he whined,
Wish everyone pray for the benefit,
Of my precious son-kobegen1.1
The ribs were tilted,
My hands were bent,
When I took him in my arms, they were blunt,
But when I kiss him, I was satisfied,
Oh my tiny tot, my infant.
The strong horses won’t die in severe cold,
If feed by the reed.
Taiburyl serves correctly,
During the race trial.
My only son goes to the enemy
Who built far away a city.

Going for this trip my baby
I just hand over to you,
I just trust to you,
Oh lion named Ghali.
He is riding Taiburyl,
There would a place shadowy.
I entrust my dear son,
Khidr Baba and Elijah to you.

God holds the truth and treats well,
Sinners would end up in Hell.
Going to the trip
to deserts of Samarkand Shahizin
I entrust my dear son to you.
If I don’t pray, you left him for my care,
If you don’t hold, it’s your care.
My Prince, may Khidr Baba hold you,
May God bless and help you,
Be patient with the small way.
If you support my dear son,
A strong hunting bird, Almighty can send,
So, this is your care and your trust.
The redheads are unreligious,
But my son within the ummah,
Wish pray for him in the name of ummah,
I entrust my dear son,
Oh Muhammad, oh friend of God to you «

Қызылбас бөтен, бұл – үмбет,
Үмбетім деп еске алғын,
Қозымды сізге тапсырдым,
Алланың досы Мұхаммед».

Riding horse Taiburyl,
Which rides hell foe leather.
The one who saw Koblandy,
Worry if ready to dispapear.
Their lips were trembling,
And in sweat soaking,
Both old woman and man,
Stayed put, just to God praying.

Then bay horse galloped away,
Knowing nothing about the way.
But Kurtka cathched them anyway.
Koblan hero knows that she is unique,
Seems he expected it,
So, approaching them she is resumed.

– You would start your trip here. And when you got and join them, at the end of Alalai of the Synsylama bridge Karaman would send seventeen querrillas to spy out the land. They would climb to the top of Induly mountain and seeing the cities Syrlykala and Karakala at the Kazan territory would predict that «This is a one-day trip» and would back to report that. But even if they say it’s close, it can turn to a probably forty-day trip. After Karaman hears that it can take eight-day far and by, he would say “Whoever has a fastest racehorse, would lead the group” and gallop away. But you shouldn’t follow him. Because, I had a gaze on horses of the troops and saw a blue-roan without mane used by Karaman. It’s hoof would touch the ground, and would have forehead burn-injured, backache by long using a saddle, a girth gall, heavy sweating and occurs heat stroke, accordingly cannot gallop faster. Seems, there are no horse breeders in their country. If there was a horse breeder, there won’t be a horse that could outrun it. Again, you shouldn’t start riding with him. «Even if you are late for a few days, God willing you would outrace.»

Harkee was the command to the bay,
Hearing this it galloped off the way.
It rode fast as it’s feet carry them.
Kurtka’s dignity is known to Koblan.
Warriors left earlier,
Occupied on Alalai river,
They pitched camp along there,
So cathed the hero them here.
Koblandy batyr came,
Bed down for the night men.
Warrioirs were at that place,
Kurtka mentioned as a case,
At the river Synsylama,
Seventeen of them were elected,
Went to spy out the land,
And Koblan saw all that.

Then Koblan thought: “Kurtka’s main message was true. Now he was worry about “his land to be captured by the enemy”, but decided to let it go fow now as «Whatever happens, it happens on God willing.»
Then Karaman gathered all warriors and announced followings: «Whoever has a fastest racehorse, would lead the group». This time Koblandy did not join. He did not listen them. He paid no heed to his peer, even. Karaman left leading the large group of warriors. Koblandy climbed to the top of a hill Zhontobe and was having a rest. He had a habit to sleep over forty days.

Koblandy galloped towards Kazan city

Taiburyl was tied up,
Played with it’s bridle around,
This game was not enough.
So it sidled past,
To to a sleeping hero, so fast.
It came closer to sleeping hero
and landed a punch to his chest.

Mountains gave back
the sound of hooves,
Then the hero woke up,
Looked around, had quickly wrap up.
But there was no one, except himself,
And there was no time to sleep,
He should to rush for help.

The snowy peaks rise up
And reeds and rushes all around.
Taiburyl is as big as a camel,
It plays with it’s rider.
It takes any obstacle,
A pit, a ravine for it the same,
It jumps over them and rushes forward,
Like thunder booms,
with its four hooves,
even it doesn’t touch the ground.
The grass sings beneath the feet,
It’s ears were in bath of sweat.

The rider was pleased with the horse.
He said: «Kind to me my draw lots,
Because my wife born for great deeds.
She said the words to me
now my heart sings with joy:
«Taiburyl is winged and is your horse.»
I would like to test these words,
But tell me first, Taiburyl:
How do you feel, my horse?

You are my horse, winged and swift-footed.
To me you should pledged support,
To keep me safe and sound.
All the virtues that you possess should exalt:
Silver and gold is your wool,
Your tail is fluffy and your mane is soft.
I see Kortka said the truth:
— You’re, Buryl, are the best horse!

My flying horse, do not be afraid,
You won’t sweat, you won’t be delayed:
Do you feel, there is fresh breeze?!
None of four-legged can outstrip you,
But you, my racer, help me,
I’m a falcon among saddlers.
You know it’s my traits:
No one two-legged can outrun me,
For any case, you run as free as the air.

Far away is our home land,
Where horses graze by the river moist
Our horses in the reeds…
And still in my ears
ring out the words, words of my people:
«You are the hero, you are the batyr, Koblandy!»
So rush faster than the blessing,
To save my face in esteem,
And live up to reputation of heroic honour!
You have four legs.
Now stretch your strength,
If you’re my companion and honorable friend,
You must never fall behind,
From the birds that sailed through the azure sky!

The hostile army is still far away,
Forty days should take the way.
In a twink flew by this line,
Forty days is a long time,
But it wouldn’t take so longer,
For the horse, like you are.
Taiburyl, listen to me:
Kazan Khan, who is stronger than many,
Staying from here forty days away
Heroic fast ride you owe to me,
So, please show me,
In the here and right now!
If you won’t show me, and you feel fear,
— I’ll be offended by you here,
And Kurtka, too, in her village there.
So, my horse, count the cost!»

The rider waved his whip in the wind
and hit the horse on the hip.
The whip burned the horse,
And not just a hip.
It began to burn the heart,
And blood flowed from the wound,
it became as a hot stream
And as a drink for the raven.

The heavy blow of hero’s,
Continued to burn the horse.
Suddenly it acquired a singular gift —
The horse here found voice.
«The same a pine tree or a plane tree, it said,
Has no mercy by dry hot wind.
You whip up your whip,
Gave blows, but no quarter given to my skin.
If the horse is mighty and winged —
Then it’s mane is neat.
If the rider shows courage,
Then his soul is noble.
My lord, remember from now on:
You have a merciless thong
I’ve stand a blow, but you should know,
Blows nearly choked the life out of me!
Your parents are elderly people,
And you are their only son,
You’ve decided that by yourself,
Can take on the Kyzylbash army alone,
And, taking revenge on me,
You think to ride there at one stroke.
Well, I’ll help you,
because I amble masterly,
I’ll use first both my right feet,
And then use both left feet.
But you, too, rider, help me:
To make our deeds come true,
And to prevent to lie down poor me
In the middle of one of the roads,
Don’t jerk the bit hardly.

God created me as a horse,
And saved me as the best for you.
To Kazan, to the enemy troops,
There are forty days to go.
Koblandy, here you want me,
Kyzylbash’s army to be reached,
In a single moment.
That’s the way even a bird can’t fly,
Well, if I’m matching and score so high?

But I will multiply my strength,
So be it, I here promise,
Even it would hard, on time I’ll arrive.
But remember, you are my brave rider,
What I have to say this time to you:
If the afternoon pray time is not over,
Cannot be started an evening pray,
You will find yourself in front of a fortress
The wall that surrounds the city,
You will got the Kyzylbash meare.
If I can not make it – stab me with a dagger,
Yes, Koblandy, stab your horse!»

Then Koblan rejoiced at hearing it,
He shouted: «Hait, my aster, hait.
And Tyburyl flew like a blizzard,
As a storm that suddenly agitated.
Sweat rolls of the side of its ears,
It’s galloping as flying,
And hoofs even don’t grounding.
Mountains rose or grass lay down.
Cannot recognized from afar.
It meets a rock on the path.
And the rock turns to gleeds.

In turn keep running or flying as eagle,
It brings the far distance closer!
Under the hooves of four
The steel can turn to clay.
It will not lose his honour!
Ears have become sharper
Than the reeds on the riverbank.

On the run gasping for breath,
Like a rawhide it went all limp,
But by noon it’s strength strained,
And at full throttle galloped,
And the spirit rushed at full speed
As if broke free from it’s tether,
And twisting an iron string.

Koblandy, made much headway,
Passing by sparsely populated way,
Even didn’t think to catch up warriors,
That rushed to the campaign yesterday.
Late in the afternoon
He saw a pass in the distance,
I saw a rider and a horse.
Koblandy rode up to the rider,–
It was Kara-Bukan, a warrior.

“Hello!”, Koblandy exclaimed:
“Is there anyone ahead?”
In response the rider said:
«You look at that mountain ridge,
There rides Kosdaulet.
I see that your horse is good,
You can catch up with leaders!»
Here Taiburyl gave the shivers,
Jumped up the steep rocks,
Koblan caught up with the rider:
As was said, tt was the warrior Kosdaulet.
«Hey boy!”, Koblandy exclaimed,
Who goes ahead?»
In response the rider said:
«We lost track of you long ago.
You are lost, they say, aren’t you?
Behind that steep cliff over there.
«Our bold Akkozy is riding.»
After overcoming a steep pass,
Koblandy rode to the rider.
He said: «Hey boy, hello,
Who is galloping there over those rocks?»
Akkozy said in response:

«We rode at high speed, but still couldn’t see you near us.
So decided: Koblandy cannot find us,
He had lost his way,
Since you’re here, open your eyes:
Beyond that mossy mountains
You’ll see Karakozy!»
After overcoming a steep pass,
Koblandy rode to the rider.

«Hello!” Koblandy exclaimed,
“Is there anyone ahead?»
“Wait, my torch” he replied,
“Let me think, and keep you wait.
Here we left yesterday,
The night darkness was replaced by heat of the day,
And thy peers we lost in this morning.
He flashed by like scissors
At the mistress in thin hands,
Srapkled like raindrops,
As if a whirlwind had blown over him.
Maybe in the clouds now he’s riding?»

The rider waved his whip in the hot wind
and hit the horse on the hip.
The hit burned Taiburyl.
The swift horse took a leap,
Over the rocks of the ridge.
Koblandy firmly holds his spear,
On the left, the mountain stream murmurs,
On the right, the light of the evening star comes
breaking through the day sky.
Where are the tracks of Karaman’s horse?
Taiburyl flew like a blizzard:
It turned out that it was a winged horse!

Overtook all his friends Karaman,
He was faster than the wind,
and swept all before him,
Aspiring to his goal.
But Koblan caught up with him, too,
And said words a few:
«Is it all your strongest single force?
Is this your vaunted horse,
Which is stronger than the others?
Exactly in twelve days from now.
Come to my tent to visit,
That today in the evening,
I will set up at the foot of the mountain…
You didn’t wait for the right time,
Oh, Batyr, you’ve bucket your horse.
You called me a woman.
You re my friend,
And you ought never to have done this.
Look around, Karaman,
How many of your brave men are here,
Look here now, Karaman,
What a perfect this bred by woman horse!
Even though my Kortka is a woman,
But her destiny is high,
She has no equal on the earth!
A horse bred by my wife
Will jump over the ridge!
Would you like to ride with me?
Or is there no strength in your horse?
I’m late, but look at me,
I’m in the lead,
You’re far behind.
You should ride faster from now on:
As all know, you would die before stay behind.»

Kyyat tribe warriors,
Gallaping in a hurry among mountain roads,
But Koblan doesn’t look back,
He gallops steadfastly onward,
It is impossible to catch up with him,
And the Kyyat noisy army
Gets tired and behind him.
Buryl rushed into run:
With the mighty power of its hooves
Into clay turned the stones!
Like a lightning bolt shape,
Tyburyl carries itself over the highest ridge.
Turning into a ferocious wind,
Through the deepest cliff
Taiburyl is carried itself.

Here is the lake covered
With reed thickets that rustling,
Where lots of geese are shrieking,
Here are the lake shores,
On which bullrush grows,
With snowwhite swans glint.
Lake Shigendi is also here,
The green is reflected till peaks,
And seagulls have arrived and fly over there.
Here is the lake of copper-red water,
Copper-red as ore,
The bird’s song is keenly heard,
It’s a lapwing’s quite shelter.

Here are the lakes Kotan and Kumra.
Twins with generous moisture.
The horse went at full gallop,
By jumping five lakes crossed,
And the mountain peaks appeared.
The horse’s run is amazing,
The snow on the mountains is dazzling.
Many ridges, mountain pass,
Kara-Tau, where a khan was on summer pasture,
Ala-Tau, where a bay was on summer pasture, —
The horse has passed all of them.
The mountain is curved, become darken,
Like a camel’s neck, a mountain,
And these mountain’s peaks,
Sharp like girl’s breasts.
Two mountains – Atasu and Manashi.
There’s not a soul around here.
Here the grass is not tasty for cattle,
Here water is not clean for people,
Not good places they are,
So, Koblandy rode them through.
Over deserts without water,
Over wide lakes that full of water,
Above the mountains disguised with snows,
Above the land where only sands,
Where the grassless salt marshes
Over the Earth, whose power and beauty
The birds in sing in the forest.
Over the land where the berries are countless,
Where labors and hardships are countless,
Above the land that in snow fell asleep,
Above the land that has forgotten peace,
Drunk with human blood,
Where meadowsweet blossoms in the field,
Where the fruit falls from the branches, —
Koblandy flew by on his horse.
Like thunder before a summer rain,
Taiburyl rumbles on the road,
And the ground trembles all around
With the powerful hooves thump.
The horse is stronger than the steppe blizzard.
Quarter longer two front legs,
Than the hind legs.
It runs like no other,
Even hooves doesn’t touch the ground.
The goose that flew out together,
Lost in its vapor.
Sweat is pouring down its chest,
And it rushes forward,
And Buryl stretches out
Five hundred more fathoms long.
To the height it rushes,
Stones fly under the hooves.
It seems that the Kyzylbash troop
From flintlocks shot upwards.

Look at Buryl:
At the strongest of the horses
The rider is as light as tebetey ,
Hope the rider not fall!
The horse has a heroic scope,
It opened a mouth wide,
And the dust it raised on the various hills,
Blended into one line.
At the hour when the sunset has blotted out
The streams and the grass and the dew,
The stallion Tyburyl went mad!
It was burning like a fire,
The kulan and the argali feared
to cross its path fiery.
On the meadow or on the field,
It didn’t let birds to breathe,
On the lake’s damp shore
It didn’t let the herons to fly,
As it crushed them on flying.
If you don’t want to, then don’t believe it,
But it was trampling in the grass
Whether it’s a bustard, or a peewit,
And for hawks and falcons
It was an unexpected yield,
As the food was served for them
Under the horse’s hooves.
Over the arid steppe plain,
That never knew the river breath,
Over the deserted wilderness,
Where were afraid to fly the moths,
Over the high icy mountains,
Where never took flight the eagles,
Over the salt marsh vapours
A lonely rider galloped by.

The homeland is far from him.
If the enemy attacks him,
The Kipchak tribes wouldn’t help…
The midpost prayer is over,
And the evening one starts some later,
Both the horse and the rider understood
That the appointed time is coming!
Kobland looked ahead:
Are there any city gates in sight?
The young batyr saw then,
The country of Aytatyr beyond the mountain,
Where meadows from end to end
Overgrown with wheatgrass and other green.

So many white and grey sheeps,
Were grazing by meadow grass!
And Kazan Khan’s numerous and strong racers,
were grazing by five poplar trees.
On Buryl, faster than the wind,
Koblandy galloped off and shouted suren ,
Loud cries of the hero rent the air,
A grey-piebald strong horses,
Into a handful he immediately gathered,
And, keeping them together, drove them further.

Having captured the Kyzylbash cattle
He reached the city gate.
Covering his face with a shield,
Into Syrly-city he stormed.
Inflaming with furious flames,
He turned the city to ashes.
Raised a cloud of dust,
Blood spilled in the streets.
He plunged the enemy into darkness.
He tore off the felt of enemy’s yurt
And used it as a sweat cloth.

He cut in half the frame of the yurt,
And turned it into firewood.
He gave no mercy to his enemies.
Here sayings are true:
Fighting a whole army alone,
Koblandy, Toktarbay’s son,
A hero whose deeds are bright,
Destroyed the Syrly city!

Near the town, they say,
Kaskyrly mountain,
above the city rising.
Koblandy, whose feat is great,
On a horse that is winged,
To the top of the mountain rode,
To rest for the time being he decided,
and to see if Kortka was right.

The Battle with Kazan Khan

He saw from afar,
After twelve days had passed.
The dust has blown up in the clouds,
And heard the stomping of horses:
This was the Kyyat army,
Having rushed to capture Kyrly city,
To take away the city of Kyrly,
To raise the devil to Kazan Khan.

With deep ditches in six rows,
Encircling the city around.
The city was surrounded,
Also by brave men taking duty, all sided,
Forty thousand, they are in amount,
So it was hard to enter Kyrly,
The enemy is entrenched in the city.
Karaman couldn’t do anything
To overcome the immense moat,
To jump over the six rows
And reach the city gates.

For whole three days he circled around —
The army did not advance forward.
He realised that cannot capture Kyrly,
So on his horse up the mountain he rode.
He rode there at the dawn,
Saw Koblandy sitting on the mountain
In a camping tent he was resting.

Karaman says here to him:
«Let’s remember one truth:
If I swing an axe,
The rock will stand, will not collapse.
Good is the one who remembers no evil.
Won’t you come with me
To fight with the Kyzylbash country?
Without you I’m weak, I won’t be able
To defeat the enemy».
Koblandy said in response:
«If I can compare a hill and a mountain range?
Or what if I compare a thoroughbred horse and a gelding.
Who calls a mane as a rump?
Who cannot differ the honey and the sugar?
The words of the past, thou shalt understand the absurdity.
You have not destroyed the fortress, understand.

Don’t get me wrong,
But, I hope, you understand the absurdity of the previous said.
And you didn’t destroy the fortress, I mean.
So how does a woman destroy the fort?
Not knowing how to fight,
How dare you call me a woman
Call so, the real hero,
Saying your abuse three times?
You rushed to leave me behind,
But now it’s your turn to remind,
And burn with shame, Karaman.
Get out of my sight forever,
To remember the lonely truth clearly:
Even though you’re a man,
I will not take you in return of my woman.
As there is no earning!
Why do I speak about Kurtka, now?
So cheap is your price, you should know,
Even doesn’t cost the words,
She said in anguish:
«My darling, thou art faraway and alone!»
A brave man of the Kiyat tribe
was stung by this discussed:
«Because of a woman still
Are you angry with me, my friend?
Well, then, I’ll go back without you.
If I am destined by fate.
I will capture the enemy’s fort,
If not, then I will die with fame,
We won’t meet you again!»
So saying, he drove his horse,
Keeping a grudge in a pure heart.

Suddenly, Koblandy was saddened:
«Because of a woman’s saying
Is angry with me a friend!»
At the horse that Kortka bred,
He jumped up and headlong galloped,
Catching up with Karaman, he said:
«You pay shot, my friend!”
And Karaman loudly laughed,
To reconcile with his peer he was glad,
Almost jumping out of his skin with joy!

He rode up together with Koblandy
Towards his mighty warrior army,
Joined their thick ranks,
That surrounded around a wide, long foss.
The hero Koblandy here sais,
To Taiburyl these words:

«We have been given to fight together.
We’ve been friends for a long time,
Our friendship is forever.
Kurtka told me of you,
«It’s a horse, but it can fly.»
Kurtka is woman, that was a mother for you.
Will you jump over the foss,
Say me Taiburyl, over those six rows?
Behind the seventh is the city wall.
Maybe the task is difficult at all?
How are you feeling, my animal?
Will you jump over or not?»

The swift-foot steed responded
It’s upper lip wiggled,
A lower lip a little twitched,
and, with difficulty in controlling itself,
it started speaking and hoarsely whispered:

«Are you really on a foreign soil,
Going to take it out on me?
If you say that Kurtka
Has become a good mother to me,
Then, our friendship is knitted,
And I wouldn’t sell my sweat!
Here I speak with an open mind,
Even know that Koblan is stubborn:
I will serve the hero,
Let’s defeat the enemies!
Saint Kambar – is the patron of horses,
And he holds me as a solid stronghold.
I’ll prove that I’m the best horse,
I’ll jump over and reach the gates,
If I can’t reach it, I’ll die in harness,
I will die for my master.
Know that my vows are firm,
Koblandy, wish me now good fortune!»

The hero rushed to fight.
«Hait!» was the command to the steed.
Buryl bent over for a moment,
Threw back quickly, after stretched out,
And galloped off swiftly.
Before it was an immense moat,
Over the six rows it jumped!

The city wall was behind the seventh.
Now look at the horse:
It took a leap like a hare,
Flew faster than an arrow,
And the both, the horse and the rider,
Arrived to the Kyrly center!

Taiburyl galloped off, raising the dust,
Ddug up the city with its hooves.
That’s how Koblandy penetrated,
showing courage, the enemy camp.
Karaman lagged behind him,
Although he was young and handsome.
Stepped onto the threshold, Karaman
But he couldn’t penetrate the fortress,
For the warrior it was hard,
Bow to his friend.

And the news has come to the enemies,
That the Kyyat army has arrived.
And are ready to fight.
From one side is the head of the Kyzylbash,
who is Khan Kazan.
From other side is Koblan,
Who has the fearlessness of a lion,
And rushed into an unequal battle.
He saw in front of him
Forty thousand horsemen,
on their powerful steeds.
The infinitely powerful noisy army,
Looks like clouds dark,
Raising their green flag.
The enemy swept down the battle.
Koblan has the courage of a lion.
The hero has rolled up his sleeves,
He’s impatient and a hot head.
His white arms he bared,
He hastens to the fight.
Who is rushing towards him?
Who rides a horse raven-colored,
with a white bald spot on its forehead?
Who is hastening to fight?

He wears a chain mail of iron,
Holds a shield in front of him,
He sits in his saddle a black cap wearing,
In the middle of Kyrly fortress,
His horse’s tail and mane
He has tied in tight knots.
This is the very one who knows no shame,
who has shaken the earth with violence,
The one who can forty times a day
Can make an inroad upon the herds.
He is Kyzylbash’s strongman and braggart,
He has killed Kazakhs more than once;
He’s the one who’s dangerous to the enemy,
He’s the one whose eyelids are in the snow,
Covered with ice, whose eyelashes,
And the one Kyzylbash’s army who leads,
May sleep once in twelve days,
May be hungry for thirteen days,
Who, may lead a raven horse and never gets off;
The one who is pine for trouble and worry,
If God does not send him an enemy,
Who has a brocade on the shaft,
To make it soft for the hand
When to strike with a spear deadly,
Who looks like a snowstorm,
If anger rages within him,
This is the fearsome Kazan himself!

He says: «Hey kid, wait a bit,
Don’t go away, I’ll take care of you!»
If came to blows the enemy,
Who can stand of such a call?
This is khan’s son Karaul,
This is feudal’s son Begaul,
These are the thirty khan’s nobles,
They call them «Yessaul».
They are idle youths and hanger-on,
They don’t know the honest work,
From every family ten warriors,
They call to gather their troops.
They chase the poor people on foot,
Under the blows of their stinging whips,
Blood of the serfs is being shed at the gates!

Now, you look at them:
Kyzylbash’s youth, forty thousand of them,
Rush all over to hasten a fight.
Behind the troop rides a troop,
Each has ten strong men.
Then a gaze is fixed on Koblan.
This is Kazan Khan, head of the brave men.
But Koblandy wasn’t daunted,
As steady is the hero’s mind!
And then the head of the Kyzylbash
Pronounces such words:

«You Kirghiz, seems have arrived from Ala-Tau,
Then why do you look down?
Why is your horse weary?
As if you came from the world’s end?
And why it’s mane in dust?
As if it passed the wild ground?
Why you yourself are weary,
Your eyes blazed red with fury,
As if someone has disturbed your sleep?
Where are you going, young Kirghiz,
Riding on a roan horse,
Tell me in which site,
You would stay for the night?

For us you are a stranger,
You’re wearing brocade colored,
Tell me, who is your father?
And Who is your mother?
I want to know, whose son you are?
This is me, Kazan hero is speaking,
Answer now to me,
Mind that, tell it like it is,
And mind also, don’t joke with me,
Be afraid to meet my wrath severe
It will burn you like fire!
I’m saying with no intention to hurt you:
Thou hast a chain mail and a horse,
Give them to me willingly,
before my hand didn’t touch thee.

Koblandy said in response:
«Wait a minute, you stinking dog,
It’s humiliating for me
To give to irreligious a horse.
Take your time, and I’ll rest,
Is here my long-maned,
As my horse is always with me.
Kyzylbash, you’ve completely gone crazy.
You stupid, you haven’t arrived yet,
but talking about a horse.
If you’re impudent and you can’t wait, —
Come up in plain sight
I’ll settle my score with you.

You have a despicable father,
How could you dare, you jerk,
Talk about my father?
Thou hast a wicked mother,
So thou want to hear it, bleeder.

The name of my good mother?
Thou, whose speech sounds blasphemy,
And conceived in fornication by a whore!
When you see my wrathfull face,
You would feel a shiver in your filthy heart,
Thou wilt never enter again,
At that gate that you have erected!

You dress like the shah,
You smell of hops, Kyzylbash,
Every day you are drunken,
Oh, the brainless, swaggering Kazan!
But now you will take off your brocade,
I’m going to tread you to pieces.
Warrior, prepare yourself for death,
If you can, own warm blood
You will drink from your neck!

A hero who is drawn to goodness,
No words from despicable foe desires,
Before the battle with him.
A fierce anger appeared on my face,
like rain with snow.
Look at me: I am a Kazakh,
This world will not be in tears.
As long as my life lasts.
Fighting with Kyzylbash to the death,
I will not leave alive my enemies,
And people like you, more than once
Gave me their own horses!

I’d cut you with a glance of my sword,
You’d yell: «I’ve cut you to pieces!»
With a spear I’d pierced you,
You’d shout: «I have frightened you!»
I’d kill you with a bow,
You’d say: «I was taken by surprise.»
I’d kill thee with a rifle, —
You’d be offended: my shot is bad!
You’re sitting on a horse, Kazan,
There are countless of yours, but I am alone.
Here comes to you a little man,
Start the battle of honor,
Kill him, if you can!»

So the opponents entered the battle,
But at first, they talked to each other
like two friends, knowing each one another.
But then Shaitan got to them,
Yes, who else can do so, but a demon.
The points of the long spears rose up,
And stained them with stream of blood.
On the grass, in the middle of the dawn dew.
The steeds crouched like dogs,
And sweat broke out on the saddles,
As sweat ready turn into ice.
Once the rider spit on the ground,
Every spit becomes blood!

They tried to cut each other apart.
But each one’s sword broke.
Their saber here they took,
It’s edge became blunt.
Blood was rushing to their eyes,
As their lives decided to renounce.
Two brave men clenched their body,
Like two ferrets hungry.
Stretched the skin of the girths,
were untied their armours’ rings.

Koblandy defended his honour
Here came to him the good fortune:
He knocked the enemy out of his saddle,
So made him to sit by the horsetail,
And plunged into Kazan, his exterminating spear.
The mighty enemy swayed,
his crescent-shaped banner felt,
And from his body blood gushed out.
Koblandy, in a hurry to win,
Attacked the enemy again,
And his soul left his body.
So, breaking into the enemy’s camp,
Koblan destroyed Kazan.
At noon the Khan fell at the gate,
And his mouth was filled with sand.

The high rank noble is groaned,
The Kyzylbash began to shout,
To be heard by all the people.
They picked the dead man up and carried away…
There’s no brave leader,
Who will lead the fight now?

Koblandy destroys the enemy army

Kyzylbash’s army is crowded,
Like forty thousand sheep.
They cannot escape defeat:
Koblandy is a real brave man.
And it’s too late to turn back
Seems the earth is cramped every moment
There’s no turning back,
The whole universe clenched into a fist
For the fighters and for their horses.
On one hill they all crowded.
Only one thing on everyone’s mind:
To kill Koblandy during the battle.
They have lost their prop
Kazan Khan by the Creator punished.
And to their strife put an end.
Bragging about their numbers,
Took an arrow each warrior,
Koblandy, who was born and acring as a lion,
On their land they’ve surrounded.

Koblandy saw that he was
surrounded by the Kyzylbash,
He saw that he was alone,
And he drew words from his heart:

«God, do you see my trouble?
I’ll look to the west, I look to the east –
But can’t see a support anywhere.
Are there men of the Kipchak family –
Who will come to help me?
I rode off on a roan horse,
To put an end to a predatory enemy.
During I’m fighting for my honor,
And I will defeat the Kyzylbash,
Who will bring home the news
of such a heroism of mine?

Become my support, Oh Lord,
Let the opponents overcome,
Because I am alone.
If, pierced by a steel lance
I’ll fall, bleeding the sand,
Who will bring me to my home?
Who will show my elders
The horse that beneath under me
And the armor now I’m wearing?
Help me in this war!
Even if the arrows pierce through
The armour that Daut made, —
I will still defeat the enemy.
Help my spear,
Help my arrow,
Made in the Bukhara land,
Let the bow made in Bulghar
Sows death and doom all around,
Let my enemy be crushed
With the precious stock of my gun!

I swear I won’t regret
The strength of the heart
and the strength of the hands
That my eyes will be sharp
But you, my Bulgarian bow,
And you, the Bukhara’s arrow,
Swear to me that in battle
You will support my strength,
And won’t break in half.
I will, here I take an oath
To defeat insidious enemies
But you too, my gun, do swear
Me dear gun, do not be lazy
And you will spew fire from the trunk.
You, chain mail, took care of me,
Protected me ever since.
If would not shoot at point-blank range,
The bullets won’t pierce you.

King Daut made you.
You are not afraid of rainy nights
You are not afraid of the sultry rays
You are not afraid of sharp swords
You are not afraid of enemy picks.
Your collar is golden
Your sleeves are solid copper.
I promise to defeat the enemies
But you protect me too,
Give me an oath: that to the white chest,
That parents are dear much
Won’t turn the enemy’s bullet! «

Above words Koblandy said,
And in anticipation of distant trouble
Taiburyl neighed, trembled.
Straightening its heroic stature,
Koblan to the attack rushed.
Taiburyl ran over the stones,
Creaked its hooves,
As if snow lay underfeet.
There was a neighing angry,
As if it threatened the earth with death.
Look at Koblan, at the lion:
Over his eyebrows he pulled the helmet,
He was thirsted for enemy blood.
Good people, listen to this
All by my own narration!

Like a forest that is wide and dense
Forty thousand enemies rustled,
But the hero Koblandy believed,
As if were forty people there.
His eyes were firm,
From the heroic ages snow was falling,
And the eyelashes were covered in ice.
Even if the body it reaches,
The arrow as a thorn for him!
Kyzylbash, in a crowd standing,
Felt that death had come!

Behind him having no friends
Being rich only in courage and strength,
Koblandy, like a wolf to lambs,
Suddenly attacked a hostile army,
And Kyzylbash warriors began to destroy.
Like a kulan overtaken by a leopard,
The mighty Koblan raced to the goal,
Like a river he shed the enemy’s blood.
With a bloody hand
Koblandy squeezed all harder
A banner soaked in scarlet blood.
He saw a ravine on the left,
There were three thousand horses,
He saw a ravine on the right,
There were six thousand horses,
The horses can be useful for him,
He here thought: «I’ll take
These horses on the back way,
Taiburyl, you fly forward,
The enemy must be attacked!»

He showed his power to his enemies,
Forty thousand he drove alone
The frightener of regiments and troops.
Here he rushes, breathing heavily,
Far away from his own and lonely,
He is tired, and his soul
At this moment in hand of the enemy.
When he turns around, there is no road,
There is no help and no friend!
But the Kyzylbash army is running,
From the saddles falling off at a gallop,
But they can’t resist
To a lonely daredevil.
Is it necessary to stand still,
If the enemy has turned back?
If the enemy is trembling and running,
Do they ask the enemy a question:
How to chop you, with an ax or a sword?
Koblandy is merciless in battle,
By his dear spear
Blood flows in a crimson stream.
The Kyzylbash’s arrogant army
Koblandy forced to run.
He cut them in half.
Be amazed at his deeds
Six hot days and nights
He exterminated those strongmen,
That they were loyal to their leader,
And did not flee from the field of war.
Afternoon of the seventh day
All the opponents were killed.
The frightener of regiments and troops,
Koblandy was left alone
In the middle of a silent land.
He stood leaning on a spear,
And in his soul the thought grew:
He will fulfill his desire,
To the ground he will destroy the city
Let Kyrly-kala perish!

In his pray he praised
Glorious seven forefathers,
He became stronger than solid granite.
He did not let out of the city
No gentlemen, no cattle.
At the gates rose menacingly the dust,
The suburb is burning, everything is in blood:
That retribution itself is burning!
Those whose dress is always made of silk
Who always have bangs
He turned these noble wives into widows,
And he turned the landlords into slaves.
He took away so much good
So much silver and gold,
That in any way, could not be counted.
Like wool trampled underfoot
Kyzylbash important nobility.

We decided to banish deception,
Only the truth is dear for us:
He destroyed the stronghold of the enemy,
And severe punishment works
Lasted seventeen days.
Koblandy drove out of the gate
Landlords, cattle, and horses,
He drove them in front of him …

Did not engage in battle with the enemy
From the Kiyat tribe leaders,
And they are not happy
With the victory of someone else.
They look at the prey,
The prey that much turned out.
Seems that a low soul
Those leaders possessed.
Those leaders reasoned
Sitting in a marching tent,
From the battle far away, on the mountain:

«Koblandy, returning home,
Would tell his relatives, his friends,
That the enemy himself he destroyed,
And the loot of battle
To the Kiyat army he gifted,
For we could there to fight;
We are worth nothing, thay said!
And for us, this word is trouble,
Will despise us the people.
Better let Koblandy die,
This daredevil terrible-eyed,
This lonely Kipchak! «

The conversation lasted till midnight
Between the traitors in the tent.
The fiends of evil have decided
To kill Koblandy at dawn,
It was decided, but it did not come true
What was born in an evil soul:
Collusion, sneaky deception
By the hero Karaman was discovered.
«Only the most despicable horseman
will denigrate a companion-friend!»
So said the hero Karaman,
He nipped the evil in the bud,
This word burned everyone.

They rested for five straight days,
The cattle were fed with dense grass.
Only the sixth day lit up,
Decided to return back
Brave men of the Kiyat tribe.
With interest, Koblandy rewarded them,
With the loot of battle
Turned out to be rich everyone.
Karaman was filled with longing:
«Will I really come back,
Without touching the enemy?
Hey, fate, you’re hard on me!»

The leader of the Kiyat tribe
Stared at his peer
And he said: “My brother, my friend,
You are a leopard in battle,
I saw your courage.
But too wicked is my fate:
My spear wasn’t let
To penetrate deep into the enemy’s heart.
Koblandy, my peer and my brother!
Good people say
That not far from here
There’s a khan of Kobikty.

My companion, help to me
Steal the horses of enemy!
I will join the battle again,
In the meantime, the loots of battle –
The Kazan Khan’s herds
We will assign to the Kiyat family:
Let their warriors watch the horses.
If the khan of Kobikty, is the miscreant,
On my way he would stay,
With a spear him I will destroy.
He is a mighty batyr, they say,
The victory over him is an honor!
You will see, Koblan, that is in me
There is courage and there is strength.
I didn’t show them in the war,
I didn’t hit the enemy with a spear,–
So come with me together!»

Koblandy agrees with him:
“If you want it — let’s go,
Where appropriate, we will defeat the enemy! «

Koblandy is captured

Batyrs saddled their horses,
That the lightning flashed brighter
In their golden equipment,
Rode the hilly path
They rode some fun sharing,
They rode without praying,
Forgetting the wise ancestors to remember.
At the hour on their journey when they started,
The army into sleep plunged.
Under the shelter of the night darkness
At dawn there were friends
Near the Kobikty city.
They saw the grass in silver
The shore of the blue Cuba lake.
It was the herding time.
Two peers were shocked
With a number of mismatched horses.
A scream burst out
Stronger than the thunder.
With an imperious cry into a single handful
Horses were collected
And drove in front of them
Through the lakeside soft path,
Where the bushes were shining and green.

Among these stolen horses
There was a horse of Kobikty himself.
Like feathered inhabitants of nests,
He spread his mighty tail.
It was quick-footed, wing footed
Apparently, it was breed on time,
It looked down on the world!
Smelling dust from afar
Raised its head, began to yawn,
With a proud neigh called the owner.
But, realizing that strangers came,
He parted the horses’ herds,
It ran back from the enemies,
To get to the city in soon:
After the wigned feet, gray horse!
The batyrs chased together
Behind the winged, gray horse,
They left and couldn’t catch up it.
And then lowered to the ground
Its mane, its bangs Taiburyl.
It blamed Koblandy in a soul
That the rider rushed to,
And drove his horse ahead of time:
The Taiburyl should have cared for
Forty days and three more days!
Koblandy is now convinced,
That Kortka was right:
Her words were confirmed…
The east turned red and flamed.
The brilliance of the dawn star has faded.
At this time, laid down to rest
Koblandy at the foot of mount.
At this time, the winged and fleet
The gray ran into the city with a roar,
The dust trembled under the horse.
Hearing the sound of its hooves,
Kobikty got angry and says:
«The enemy attacked the horses!»
His face was dark with rage,
The soul became thirsty for revenge.
Kobikty saddled the horse
And on the gray at full speed
He rushed to the mountains foot,
Kobikty galloped with a club,
Similar to a horse’s head.
At the hour when the east blazed,
The morning star has disappeared,
Like a raging mountain stream,
With a cry: «These are my flocks!»,
With a cry: «Get away from my horses!»
And, sparkling with his chain mail,
Kobikty caught up with two batyrs,
To Karaman he said the follows:

“The people have a lead,
Didn’t you think about it?
The earth has a master
Over the horses there is an arbiter,
Over the people there is a ruler, —
Didn’t you think about it?
My horses were on the pasture,
Who are you, who broke into my herd?
The horses were grazing by the lake water –
Who are you, who became the beginning of the trouble?
The horses were grazing on a green meadow —
Who are you, whom I can punish?
Who are you, answer me now,
Who are you, who have disturbed their peace?»
«If you were born a hero,
You will always find a way
whenever and wherever,
Even a villain would be paid with kind
If you are truly good … «
Thinking so, decided Karaman
The courage to show his own:
And threw a spear at Kobikty.
But didn’t help the Great God
Show his courage to Karaman.
That spear with his club,
Similar to a horse’s head
Kobikty like a ball hit it off.
And the enemy set off at a gallop,
He grabbed him by the neck,
Savagely, he twisted him,
Like a puppy squeaks Karaman!
Kobikty, the mighty rider,
Puts him under the knee.
With whom will he fight again?
He brought guile to the rescue,
He decided to capture in a snare
Koblandy, in a dream immersed:
If he wakes up a little – he won’t be able to overcome…
Look, in a nine-layer seine
Was caught by Kobikty the brave man!
Making sure that the enemy is captured,
«Get up!», Kobikty shouted.
Does not want to disturb his sleep,
Batyr Koblandy does not wake up.
How could he even think
To become a victim of such a disaster?
The enemy took the weapon off him,
There was nothing left on him.
He sleeps carelessly and sleep is deep,
The white light is far from him.
A stupid case is to blame for this:
The free falcon was caught in a snare,
He was captured on the land of a stranger!

Koblandy stretched his legs,
Turned over to the right side
Apparently, the warrior is unaware,
That he fell into the enemy’s snare.
Began to break a strong seine,
Five knots untied at once.
To look at Koblan is scary,
He is distraught, ready to cry.
Heavily in anger he breathes,
Apparently, his happiness was lost!
The two daredevil of same age
Kobikty put in irons,
Tied with saddlebow straps,
And drove their horses with his own.

It was a time for the great pray.
Shadows fell on the meadows.
Two batyrs in a foreign country
Were the prey of the enemy.
Khan Kobikty drove to the city.
Before dark he drove the fortress,
He rode along the walls and loopholes,
As if he had come home from hunting,
Two batyrs, like two foxes,
Catched in the thicket of the forest,
Tied with saddlebow straps:
He took a strong revenge on his enemies!
He dismounted at the wall.
On his face visible swelling…
He had a daughter Karlyga,
As a soul, she was dear to him.
White face, upturned nose,
Was bright the look of her gray eyes…
He exclaimed, in a strong voice:
«Karlyga, are you at home now,
Or are you not at home now?
Remember: God’s order is terrible,
We will all be at the underground.
My crooked and curved sword,
will be broken in the battle,
And the soul with passions,
Will finally find peace.
I took two warriors captive:
When you will get married,
You will take them as a dowry,
These two slaves, my daughter.
A blue fly will sit on the eyebrow –
They won’t be able to drive it away.
Make them some crackers,
And put them in prison,
In the stuffy night let them yearn.»

Although she is a woman
Born in this city
Karlyga was noble,
Revered in this country
Bay with yellowish marking horse
she was riding.
She took two batyrs under her arms,
She carried them like two bags,
And made them crackers
Two captured heroes
locked up tightly
So that no one can escape.

Kobikty in the evening gathered
All their people at the feast,
To his son Birshimbay said:
“Koblandy I have tightly bound,
And the Kipchaks are no longer strong.
Go to inform Alshagyr, the khan of the country,
That it’s time to attack
And seize power over the Kipchaks,
That seven generations of revenge
Should break out sooner.
Take as a gift for the happy news
Two girls — Kanikey, Tinikey,
His two beautiful sisters
Two good Kalmyk girls.
Hurry up, my son, hurry up! «

He’s devious mind in his years,
Birshimbay leaves the feast.
Here at full speed he rushes:
For the happy news to Alshagyr
He’ll get two beautiful sisters!
Let him ride, forgetting about the rest,
We will tell about another girl,
Let’s talk about something else.

The beautiful Karlyga helps the prisoners to escape

Karlyga returned home,
She was thoughtful and strict,
And began to remember the past.
Her mother was Kazakh:
Like a loot she was taken.
Taken from kin by the war
As a child and being an orphan,
She became a wife of Kobikty.
When her death hour has come
Just before the spirit her faded
To Karlyga she said:
“If you were born by me,
You must marry a Kazakh man, —
In your soul keep my testament. «

Although the mother was a woman, —
She had a heroic personality.
Maternal dying testament
in Karlyga’s soul preserved.
Shone like an inner light …

Karlyge in a few days
Wanted to look at the prisoners.
Koblandy appeared before her –
And her chest was filled with trembling:
The power of the ancestors was alive in him,
The fearlessness of a lion was boiling in him.
And, by his loveliness embarrassed,
Kobikty’s daughter was confused,
She couldn’t take a step forward.
What kind of power burned her?

Karlyga returned home.
A knot has been tied in her soul,
It is impossible to untangle it by herself!
Sweet oppression fell on her heart,
Isn’t it really oppression?
With Koblandy she fell in love!
She couldn’t sit in one place in the house,
She is languishing, sighing and sad,
Only the prisoner’ features she reminds,
Kobikty’s daughter will burst into tears.

…Quietly she went out of the house.
Her road is difficult today.
Here she goes through the narrow streets,
A turn, after another turn,
Here are two friends sitting in a dungeon.
The heroes are surprised,
They can not understand: «Is this the light of dawn?
But now it’s not sunrise, it’s sunset time!
They can not understand: » Is this the light of the moon?
It came up from the wrong side!»
Like the day, the dungeon is light:
This is Karlyga, has brought her light!

Karlyga led the conversation:
«Here, in the wild is the green space,
Here the aytatyr grass grows,
Cattle graze on the lawns
Meet spring all living things
Only you, batyrs, are in captivity!
Warlords, are you villains?
What kind of thought have you cherished?
Batyrs, what do you have in mind?
Are you languishing for nothing in prison?
Will you remember Karlyga,
If I help you to escape?
Or, having reached the home side,
You will tell as braggarts,
As if by yourself managed it
And escape from the enemy’s dungeon,
And Karlyga has no deal in it?
My flock was grazing the meadow,
Didn’t you drive the horses?
Karaman answered her:
«I am powerless, I am exhausted,
Even can’t open the lock.
Look at my torments,
Untie my hands,
If you allow me, I will run away,
And will never forget Karlyga!»

Koblandy then says:
«You can run, you faint heart,
Get away from me!
Maybe the bluebird of happiness has left me,
But I’m not crushed yet!
And to you, the oppressor’s daughter.
I also say: I will not run away,
I will first take revenge on the enemy!

No, I’m not a fugitive.
I’ll settle accounts with your father,
My heart for revenge is thirsted!
The lakeside of Kozdi, in summer,
And Mount Karaspan, in winter.
They are my favorite shelters!
When I was six, I already rode a horse,
When I have reached the age of thirteen
I surprised the world with my courage.
No one is stronger than me!
Kipchak’s sword is my tamga .
But for the enemy my sword carries death,
I have inspired fear among Kyzylbash.
Hearing my name: «Koblandy!»
Stones fell from the mountain ranges,
In the mountains start burning the gorges.

I have had strength in me, since childhood,
For my people I am the stronghold.
Don’t rush, Karlyga,
You don’t know me, nothing about my soul.
I’ll bring you my home, with your uncovered face
I’ll take you away on my horse!

With a poor mother and a senile man,
Am I destined to meet?
I am in sad at the foreign land…
Do you know, Karlyga,
Why I’m in captivity, in prison?
Your father captured me,
At that moment when an unknown spirit
Took away my sight and my hearing,
I fell into a careless sleep.
I did not offer a prayer
to my seven wise forefathers.
and thus I fell into the enemy’s hands.
Otherwise, tell me Karlyga,
Would I suddenly become a prisoner?

Take care, my friend Karaman,
Send my best regards when you got home,
To the babbling brook of spring water
And the meadow, the beautiful grass,
Singing at dawn the nightingales,
To the white-headed mountain Karaspan,
And say hello, too,
To all friends of my infant years
To all old women and old men,
All spearmen and all deadly marksmen,
To hanting birds and catching dogs,
Inclidung eagles and greyhounds,
And fruits dipped in dew!

Well, this light world is great!
To all Kazakhs say my regards,
Tell them not to cry
That I’m all by alone here,
And now I was put into irons.
Oh, my Azuly lakes,
Oh, my high mountains with passes,
Where I had summer pasture,
Where I had winter pasture,
With the herds I roamed,
And with shepherds we stayed for over night!

If there anyone among my people,
Who will go to look for me,
If I fall asleep dead?
And where one can find
A support on the difficult road?
I have no older brother,
I have no younger brother!
Now I have only one sorrow,
That I am far away from my native places.
Would it make me feel better if I said
That Kazakhs are countless?
But I won’t say these words,
As I don’t have a habit of calling for help.

forty arches long arrows
With a golden notch,
Made of pine a bow precious.
And a silver spear —
They are all my belongings.
I am a prisoner of Kyzylbash tribe,
If I would die here,
There is no shroud even,
To cover my body.

I have a companion — Taiburyl.
Who will take care of the horse
In a foreign land of Kyzylbash?
Ninety-year-old Toktar,
My powerless and old father,
Analyk, my grey-haired mother,
Tired of weeping for me.
Karlygash, my dear sister,
Your pain is acute and heavy.
Dear Kortka, your batyr is in captivity,
Will he see his wife again?»

The batyr’s speech was firm.
Karlyga understood then,
That he hates his enemies,
He won’t get out of the dungeon!
She begged in tears.
Both with Karaman they begged him,
That the Kazakh should escape from dungeon,
But Koblandy stood on his own.

«I lifted both of you by the armpits,
And carried here like two sacks,
But today you became more heavier,
I can’t move you, anyway!»
Karaman hit the idea by Karlyga
And he added the follows:
«He is in the deep dungeon
Sat tightly, and by his ancestors forgotten.
Thus, even a whole army of women
Can’t even lift him up».

«Karaman, then said Karlyga,
If life is dear to you,
Hurry to the herds,
Galloping by your horse,
Bring here Taiburyl.
I know exactly what to do.
A faithful horse is the soul of a brave man,
Their hearts beat together.
Karaman, you should tie up joints
of Taiburyl horse,
So that the harness dig in the meat joints
The horse having unusual laceration,
Would let out a shrill yell.
And then, leaving the dungeon,
Koblandy, to save his horse, will run.»

Karlyga hurried home,
to the herds Karaman.
He will sacrifice his life,
To save his friend
who is now a prisoner of war,
and rot in the dungeon!
He got to the herds
Of Kobikty tribe’s countless horses,
He caught and sat on his horse,
And when darkness fell
He rode back to the city on it,
leading Tyburyl by the nose.
By the dungeon, in the darkness of the night,
Karlyga together with Karaman
Tied up Taiburyl tightly in its joints
So that had dug into meat its’ harness.
The horse screamed, echoing the darkness.
The hero Koblan heard
moan and call of his companion-friend.
And could not bear, he broke the chains,
He turned the dungeon into ashes.
And when he became free, he shouted in his heart:
«Kill me if you should.
But, don’t touch my horse!»

Karlyga says to him:
«A flame burns my heart,
I can’t tolerate such fire.
I love you, dear batyr,
And the cramped and wide world
has become a burden for me.
Koblandy, if only together with you
I could leave this world,
I’d be happy with my fate,
And would fulfill my mother’s covenant…

Now listen here, warrior.
Holding your precious spear
Riding on your Buryl horse,
To the herd ride at once,
Steal the horses of different colours.
And if the grey horse will run away from you,
You shouldn’t chase it, dzhigit.
Hope the God will help me from the heights
And I’ll prevent Kobikty
To sat on his grey horse:
Even though I was born a woman,
I’ll take the Khan’s wings to my hands.
Also, trust your friend.
By the way, look at my deeds,
I’ve saved your weapons
I saved it for you,
And mow, follow me.»

Two friends as bright as the moon,
Karlyga led to the barn,
Where she kept their weapons.
She hastened Koblandy to wear
In an expensive armour,
She brought his faithful sword
So, proved that she is a true friend.
She helped him to sat on a horse.
She pledged love to him.
And gave him to touch her hand.

Riding his stately horse
Wearing the armour reliable
Koblandy bade her a fond farewell.
And being protected by his iron
put his spear on his shoulder,
With his faithful friend, his brother.
He rode the way familiar.
Where the bushes quietly rustled,
They saw Kobikty’s herd,
And the two of them stole the herd.

Between two wide lakes,
Named Kuba and Sary,
The grey horse looked over the expanse,
Its ears became sharp,
It spread its tail like a bird,
Its forelock to the stars raised,
and looked at the moon and yawned…
Isn’t this my host galloping here?
It called to its host by neighing,
But saw two enemies,
So, rushed back to the city.
«Let it run away,
We’ll save the others” friends say,
And they didn’t chase after the grey.

Karlyga joins two heroes

Kobikty hears the trample of his horse,
He turned dark with anger, like the night,
By rage his features were distorted,
He shouted: «Karlyga, my daughter,
Where are you and why are you so slow?
Saddle up my horse, right now!»

Karlyga was waiting for these words
and came to her father’s call:
«The patron of horses came back home,
Seems it wants fodder or some water.
Go to sleep, father, don’t be afraid of trouble,
We’ll beat any enemy!»

Putting her father’s suspicions to sleep,
She saddled the bedbug,
with a golden patterned saddle,
The horse’s name was Akmonshak.
She wore a knight’s saddle,
She strapped a sword to her belt,
And decided to put a chain mail
On her girlish slim figure,
On the top she twisted the braid,
And with a nagai hat it covered,
and pushing aside the damp fog,
at dawn she rode away
to follow her glorious companions on the trail.
She took some food on her way,
Only Koblandy she had on her mind…

She caught up with two friends,
That had stolen her father’s herds.
The three riders followed their way
To the rising sun farther to south.
After reaching Sary expanses,
After a difficult half-day heat
The horse Akmonshak was tired,
The step became slow and sluggish.
Akmonshak doesn’t eat, nor drinks,
And it doesn’t want to run forward.
It turned out that there was it’s brother
among the stolen herds,
and it was galloping, anxious.
Raised its forelock to the stars,
Looking around, started yawning,
calling to his owner with a loud neighing,
But suddenly recognized the strangers
And rushed away in complete confusion:
Seems its a very faithful horse.
The riders chased it in threes,
But couldn’t catch up with the horse.
«What will happen now?» – worrying,
Karlyga sighed in longing.
Two heroes said here:
«It is clear that the horse
disappeared in the distance.
Apparently, we can’t catch it,
So, we will continue on our way,
Without the swift horse.»
Here in some remote place
A sandy hill they have reached.
Let them gaze from its height,
Let me tell you here about Kobikty.

A white armour in nine layers he was wearing
That was specially created for fighting.
This steel is thick emough
To turn a rifle, a spear, a sword!
Karlyga says here: — Listen, Koblandy,
This is the only way to defeat the enemy!
Where the belly is covered
With the steel white armour
Four clasps-hooks are missing,
To be blown in the breeze.
If you’re a daredevil leader,
If you’re a real marksman,
Then right in the gut aim your enemy.
If you don’t kill Kobikty
Kobikty will kill both of you!»

Karaman hearing these words
Felt fear in his soul.
But Koblandy sent forward both,
Karaman and Karlyga,
Surrounded by reeds, hills, and marshes,
He was stayed there alone
Koblandy was waiting the enemy…

At this time, like the wind,
Akmonshak’s brother — the winged and swift horse,
reached the city’s gate.
Like the thunder roars its hooves rattle,
Kobikty gets up from sleep,
Calls his daugher Karlyga,
Oh, God! She has run away!
Kobikty became dark like the night,
His soul is ablaze by fierce anger.
He saddled the horse
that seemed like the wind,
took the fodder for one day,
and in his hand he has a club,
the club like a horse’s head!

He said, jumping on his horse:
«I do not know, if I will stay alive,
Or trampling the grass, will fall died.»
As the custom-charter dictates,
He bade farewell to the people,
And at sunrise, early in the morning,
he rode on, faster than a storm,
After the enemy who stole the horses.

As the great hero
Kobikty was known to his people,
He wanted to destroy the enemy.
The east was a blaze of scarlet.
Like a mountain rushing stream,
Its white armour was glittering.
Koblandy on his lonesome,
Saw him from afar.
Rage flared up in him then,
He shouted: «Come here,
You cannot pull from my hands!»
He took a mighty bow in his hands.
And says to himself:
“Has it really gone out
the bright light of my sharp eyes?
Or became weak my hands?
Or I’m at the edge of my doom?
Or maybe the forefathers
that were everywhere and everytime with me,
Don’t want to help me in trouble,
And they want to pass me by?
Or my arrows are not marks now?
Oh, my holy ancestors,
Give me the strength of your hands,
For I have condemned my enemy to death!
Where is my comrade? Where is my friend?
I am alone in my misfortune!»