Before leaving on my journey, they brought me a cup of kumis so my mouth wouldn’t dry from the long journey under the sun. HOELUN: So, the kumis was poisoned. Now, lie down and don’t move. I’ll call the doctor. Together, arm in arm, they enter the sleeping compartment. HASAR: Tomorrow my father will get up and lead me to catch a wild onager. HACHIUN: I want to go too. HASAR: You can’t. You’re not old enough yet; an onager, the kicking kind, can kill if you’re not careful. Better for you to stay at home and play with little Temuge. A strained moan ‘ah, ah’ is heard from the inner compartment. A little later, the silence is broken by the burning, desperate cry of Hoelun, ‘Oh, my lord! My Lord, for what?’ which seems to deafen the ears. Lying in the cradle, Temulen, waking due to the shrill scream, becomes worried and starts crying loudly. As the alarmed children rise, Hoelun comes in, her hair loose and her tear-stained face looking down in confusion. HASAR: Mum, mum, what happened, why are you screaming? HOELUN: Your father has passed away. You’ve been left orphaned and I a widow. (Hoelun starts to swing the cradle.) The children rush to their mother, hug her and cry. What days await us?! There are many such enemies that could have poisoned your father! To them, in addition, we are kindred enemies who are fighting for the khanate (ruling powers/position of Mongolia). They will not hesitate to destroy you, fearing that having matured, you will press them in the struggle for the khanate. Will I be able to protect you, or am I destined to lose you during my lifetime? Oh, Lord! There is no grief worse than the grief of a mother who has lost her child. Save them, keep my children healthy! To my fledgling chicks, where is the right, where is the left that does not understand our pain? Be a patron to these orphans, oh, Lord! Don’t cry, don’t cry, my dears. And you, tiny Temulen, please stop screaming in the cradle. The cradle starts to swing harder and harder. The crying and roaring of the children grows.
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A gang of Taishuyt under the command of Targudai Hriphun.
TARGUDAI HRIPHUN: That’s it, Yesugei is
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