ABSTRACT
The Lord heard of this boasting of theirs, and thought to himself: ‘I shall covertly humble the pride of these youngsters.’ So he turned himself into a poor old man, and went around the tents offering a longish bow for sale. When Khasar and Belgütei encountered him, they mocked him, and said: ‘I say, old man, what use is that bow of yours, except as a little bow to shoot moles with?’ The old man said: ‘Why do you mock me before you have seen anything? First look, then understand!’ Laughing and jeering at him, Belgütei tried to string the bow, but he lacked the strength to do it. The old man strung it for him. Khasar took it, and tried to draw it, but could not do so. Then, before their very eyes, the old man turned into an old man with snow-white hair, mounted on a blue mule with a blaze. With an arrow from that longish bow he shot a rock apart, and said:
‘You two young fellows! Before you use big words, Chew them over well.’
