The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 06: (From Barbarossa to Dante)
Dante Alighieri · en
In the spring of 1202, Temudjin set out to attack the tribes Antshi
and Tshagan. These were doubtless the subjects of Wangtshuk and
Tsaghan, mentioned by Ssanang Setzen. They were probably Tungusian
tribes. The western writers tell us that Temudjin gave orders to his
soldiers to follow up the beaten enemy, without caring about the
booty, which should be fairly divided among them. His relatives,
Kudsher, Daritai, and Altun, having disobeyed, were deprived of their
share, and became, in consequence, his secret enemies. Ssanang Setzen
has much more detail, and his narrative is interesting because, as
Schmidt suggests, it apparently contains the only account extant of
the conquest of the tribes of Manchuria. He says that while Temudjin
was hawking between the river Olcho and the Ula, Wangtshuk Khakan, of
the Dschurtschid (Niutchi Tartars of Manchuria), had retired from
there. Temudjin was angry, and went to assemble his army to attack the
enemy's capital. But as a passage was forbidden him across the river
Ula, and the road was blockaded, the son of Toktanga Baghatur Taidshi,
named Andun Ching Taidshi, coupled ten thousand horses together by
their bridles, and pressed into the river, forced a passage, and the
army then began to besiege the town.
Temudjin sent word to Wangtshuk, and said, "If you will send me ten
thousand swallows and one thousand cats then I will cease attacking
the town"; upon which the required number was procured. Temudjin
fastened some lighted wool to the tail of each and let them go; then
the swallows flew to their nests in the houses, and the cats climbed
and jumped on the roofs; the city was fired, by which means Temudjin
conquered Wangtshuk Khakan, and took his daughter Salichai for his
wife. He then marched farther eastward to the river Unegen, but he
found it had overflowed its banks, whereupon he did not cross it, but
sent envoys to Tsaghan Khakan of the Solongos, _i.e._, of the Solons.
"Bring me tribute, or we must fight," he said; upon which Tsaghan
Khakan was frightened, sent him a daughter of Dair Ussun, named Kulan
Goa, with a tent decorated with panther skins, and gave him the tribes
of Solongos and Bughas as a dowry, upon which he assisted Tsaghan
Khakan, so that he brought three provinces of the Solongos under his
authority.
Ssanang Setzen at this point introduces one of those quaint sagas,
which, however mythical in themselves, are true enough to the peculiar
mode of thought of the Mongols to make them very instructive. The saga
runs thus: