Bogach Khan

Long ago, every year Bayindir Khan, the great khan of the Oghuz, held a great feast. At this feast he seated the Oghuz lords in three separate tents. Those who had sons he seated in the white tent, those who had daughters in the red tent, and those who had no children at all in the black tent. In the black tent black felt was spread, and black mutton stew was set before them. "God has cursed whoever has neither son nor daughter, so we curse him too," it was said.

There was a brave lord called Dirse Khan. He had no children. One day he came to the feast, and the servants led him to the black tent. Dirse Khan was deeply hurt: "What do I lack, that you seat me in the black tent?" he said. "You have no son or daughter," they told him. Angry and grieving, Dirse Khan went home.

He told his wife what had happened. His wife gave him this advice: "Get up, pitch your tent, have stallions, camels and rams slaughtered. Gather the lords of the Inner and Outer Oghuz. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, free the debtor from his debt. Heap up meat like a hill, have mare's milk drawn like a lake. Give a great feast and make a wish. Perhaps God will give us a son." Dirse Khan did what his wife said. He gave a great feast, and the lords raised their hands and prayed. Before long Dirse Khan had a son.

The boy grew up and reached the age of fifteen. Now Bayindir Khan had a bull and a camel. Twice a year they were made to fight. The bull was so strong that if it struck a stone with its horns, it would grind the stone to flour. One day, as Dirse Khan's son was playing knucklebones in the square with three other boys, the bull was let loose. Everyone ran, but Dirse Khan's son did not run. When the bull came at him, the boy struck it on the forehead with his fist, and the bull backed away. The boy pushed against the bull's forehead, and they strained against each other for a while. At last the boy stepped aside, the bull crashed to the ground, and the boy finished it off.

Dede Korkut came and gave the boy a name: "This boy killed a bull in Bayindir Khan's square. Let his name be Bogach, the Bull. I have given you your name; may God give you long life." Dirse Khan gave his son a lordship and a throne. Bogach Khan began to live with forty warriors.

But Dirse Khan's forty warriors were jealous of Bogach. They talked among themselves: "This boy will speak ill of us to his father and take our place. Let's speak ill of him first." They went to Dirse Khan and lied: "Your son has gone astray. He comes to you and shows you no respect, and he harms the people." At first Dirse Khan did not believe it, but the forty warriors repeated it so often that in the end he grew angry.

During a hunt, the forty warriors stirred Dirse Khan up against his son. In his anger Dirse Khan drew his bow and shot an arrow at his son. The arrow struck Bogach in the shoulder, and Bogach fell from his horse. Dirse Khan left his son lying on the ground and went home. As Bogach lay there bleeding, Hizir on his grey horse appeared, stroked his wound three times and said: "Boy, you will not die of this wound. Mountain flowers and your mother's milk shall be your ointment." And he vanished.

When Bogach's mother saw that her son had not come home, she asked Dirse Khan: "Where is my son?" Dirse Khan could not answer. His mother mounted her horse with forty slender maidens and went out to search for her son. She searched the mountains and the riverbanks and at last found her son lying wounded. Bogach said to his mother, "Don't cry, Mother. Hizir on his grey horse came and said that mountain flowers and a mother's milk are the cure." His mother gathered mountain flowers with her maidens, drew her own milk, mixed them together and spread them on her son's wound. In forty days Bogach's wound had healed.

Meanwhile, when the forty warriors learned that Bogach had recovered, they were afraid. If his father found Bogach, their lie would come out. They seized Dirse Khan, tied his hands and began to carry him off to the land of the enemy. His mother told Bogach: "My son, those who turned your father against you are now taking him to the enemy. Get up and rescue your father." Bogach said to his mother, "Mother, my father shot an arrow at me, but he is my father. I'll rescue him."

Bogach mounted his horse with his forty warriors and rode after those who were carrying off his father. When the forty warriors saw Bogach, they did not recognise him, and they asked Dirse Khan, "A horseman is coming towards us. Who is he?" "Let me go and I'll speak with him," said Dirse Khan. The father did not recognise his son, but the son recognised his father. Bogach drew his sword and charged at the forty warriors. He struck some of them down, drove off the rest and untied his father's bonds.

When Dirse Khan recognised his son, he burst into tears and embraced him: "My son, I shot an arrow at you, and you saved me!" "Father, they deceived you," said Bogach. "You are my father." Father and son went home together. When his mother saw them both, she wept with joy. When Bayindir Khan heard of this, he gave Bogach a lordship and a throne.

Dede Korkut came, played his kopuz and said: "A son who keeps his father's name alive is good. A mother's milk is a cure, and a father's honour is high. May the lying tongue wither, and the jealous heart burn." And he prayed: "May your native black mountains never crumble, may your shady tree never be cut down. May your white-bearded father's place be heaven, and your white-haired mother's place be paradise."

This story tells us: before believing liars, we must seek the truth. And true heroism is being able to forgive and rescue even a father who has wronged you. A mother's love can heal even the deepest wound.