Togrul came with aid quickly. Temudjin sent to Sachai Baiki and Daichu
of the Churkis and asked help of them also. He waited six days for
reinforcements, but no man appeared from the Churkis. Thereupon he with
Togrul marched down the Ulcha and fell on the Tartars. He was on one
bank, and Togrul on the other. The Tartars could not retreat since the
Golden Khan’s men were pursuing, so they raised a strong fortress
against them. Temudjin and Togrul broke into this fortress; many
Tartars were slain, and many captured, among them their leader.
Temudjin put this man to death in revenge for his father. Immense booty
was taken by Temudjin and his ally in captives, in cattle and property
of all sorts; among other things taken was a silver cradle and a cloth
of gold which lay over it. Temudjin received praise for his action.
Without striking a blow the Kin minister had accomplished his mission,
and later he took to himself, before his sovereign, the merit of making
Togrul and Temudjin do his work for him. He gave Temudjin the title
Chao Huri, and to Togrul the title of Wang Khan was given. “I am
thankful,” said the minister. “When I return I will report all to my
sovereign, and win for you a still higher title.” Then he departed.
Temudjin, and Togrul now Wang Khan, and thus we shall call him
hereafter, went to their own places also.
In the captured Tartar camp a boy was discovered; he had a gold ring in
his nose, around his waist was a belt edged with sable and it had
golden tassels. They took the lad straightway to Hoelun, who made him
her sixth son, and named him. He was known ever after as Shigi Kutuku.
Temudjin had left at Halil Lake many people; while he was absent the
Churkis stripped fifty of these men, tore their clothes off, and slew
ten of them. Temudjin was enraged at this action.
“Why endure deeds of this kind from the Churkis?” exclaimed he. “At our
feast in the forest they cut Belgutai in the shoulder. When I was
avenging my father and uncle they would not give aid to us, they went
to our enemies and helped them, now I will punish those people
befittingly.”
So he led out his men to ruin the Churkis. At Dolon Boldau on the
Kerulon he captured every Churki warrior except Sachai Baiki, and
Daichu who rushed away empty-handed. Temudjin hunted these two men
untiringly till he caught them. “We have not done what we promised,”
said they in reply to his questions. They stretched out their necks as
they said this, and Temudjin cut their heads off. He returned after
that to Dolon Boldau and led off into slavery what remained of the
Churkis.
The origin of the Churkis was as follows: Kabul Khan, Temudjin’s great
grandfather, had seven sons. Of these the eldest was Okin Barka. Kabul
chose strong, daring, skilled archers and gave them as attendants to
Okin Barka. No matter where they went those attendants vanquished all
who opposed them, and at last no man dared vie with such champions,
hence they received the name Churki.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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