Now, get up. Yes… like this… Stand and look each other in the face. Borte and Temujin look each other in the face. Only now do they realise for what purpose this ritual is being executed. Temujin, stroke Borte’s hair like this. Temujin strokes Borte’s hair. DAI SETSEN: A long life to you to both! (He wipes his eyes with a handkerchief. Satin, having also shed a tear, kisses Borte on the forehead). YESUGEI: I will not hide it, matchmaker, the one and only weakness in my boy is that he is afraid of dogs. So, try to keep him away from them. DAI SETSEN: Dogs don’t get angry around good people. Oh God, save your mortal servants from tamed hounds. YESUGEI: Son, stay here for a week. Listen to the instructions of grandfather Dai, delve into his words, and in a week I’ll come and pick you up. Yesugei’s house. Night. Mongolian houses look different to Kazakh yurts in their external appearance, but in their interior decoration, they are not too dissimilar. The only difference between the house of Yesugei and the house of Dai Setsen is on the kerege (lattice walls of the yurt), where many different weapons are suspended at the top – spears, sabres, bows, armour and other attributes of military life. Having put seven-year-old Hasar, five-year-old Hachiun and three-year-old Temuge to bed whilst breastfeeding Temulen, her five-month-old daughter, Yesugei’s wife, Hoelun-Ujin puts her daughter in a cradle after she begins to cry. HASAR: Mum, when will dad and Temujin arrive? HOELUN: Well, they were supposed to return yesterday, but for some reason they are late. They’ll probably arrive soon. HASAR: Father said – ‘as soon as I return, I will take you to catch onagers.’ Why is he so late? HOELUN: To catch onagers? HASAR: Yes. He has already caught one onager, and now he wants to tame him. HOELUN: Onagers are wild animals so it won’t be so easy; they aren’t horses after all. HASAR: Mom, why did father take Temujin with him? HOELUN: Do you really want to know? HASAR: Yes, please. Temujin promised to take me fishing. HOELUN: Temujin grew up; he has become a zhigite. Father took with him to marry him off with a girl. HASAR: Marry him
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