Temujin, the eldest son, is especially dangerous – his eyes burn like fire and his face is chiselled like rock. Having got in a fight over fish, he shot an arrow from a bow at the carelessly sitting Behter, who is also the son of Yesugei through from his second wife, Sosha. Can we trust the one who killed his brother over prey; can we expect sympathy from him? We saw how at the moment of his birth he tenaciously held a blood clot in his hand. If we do not break them now, while they are still fragile like twigs, then when they grow we will not be able to overcome them. TODOIN: And how exactly are we to break them? TARGUDAI HRIPHUN: Let’s move away from here for now, and when they rise at dawn, we will leave them homeless and destitute. All of their property, all of their livestock we will take with us. By themselves, they will die of hunger; and if they don’t perish, then you will return and finish them.
* * *
Holding a suckling infant, Hoelun-Ujin is surrounded by her small children. The people of the Taishuyt tribe left, leaving the family to fend for themselves. Having placed all his belongings on a wide Kazakh cart, Targudai also begins to leave. HOELUN: Targudai! During your life, weren’t you like a pillow for Yesugei? You helped him lay down and were his shadow when he got up. How can you walk away, leaving me in solitude with little children, driving all our cattle ahead of you? In this wild steppe where only wolves howl, we will die of hunger. Show respect to the spirit of the deceased Yesugei. TARGUDAI: And the river was full – but it flowed. And the cliffs stuck out here – but were ground to dust. And the mountain rose here – but they crumbled. Without looking at anyone, Targudai leaves. Hoelun-Ujin sits among the children for a long time, lost in thought. Suddenly, as if frightened by something, she jumps up. HOELUN: Temuge, take Temulen and put her on your back. You all need to quickly get to the forest thickets, and there you’ll find shelter. Targudai has evil on his mind. They won’t let us
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