The Book of Oğuz

“Let it be!” they said. “Its memory stands above here.” Only after this did they find joy.

On a day among days, Ay Qağan’s eyes teared up, enduring [labor]. She gave birth to a baby boy. That child’s face and complexion resembled the sky, his mouth was a fiery red, his eyes crimson, and his hair and eyebrows were black. He was more beautiful than the good fairies. After that child drank milk from his mother’s breasts, he would drink no more [from it]. Better yet, he [would] desire meat, food, and wine. His tongue began to come out [and he began to speak].

After forty days, he grew up. He [could now] walk and play. His feet had become like the feet of an ox, his waist like that of a wolf, and his shoulders like that of a sable, and his chest like that of a bear. His entire body had grown full with hair. He would stand guard over the livestock, mount horses, and hunt game. After [many] days and nights, he became a man.

During this age, in this place, there was a great forest, [wherein] there were many rivers and lakes. There were many a game and many birds that came [to inhabit it]. [However,] in this forest, there existed a giant monster. It would eat livestock and people [alike]. Its [actions] crushed the people, [causing] hardship and agony.

Oğuz Qağan was a bold and quick-tempered man. [So,] he wished to hunt this monster. One day among days, he went on the hunt. He took with him a spear, a bow, some arrows, a sword, and a shield. He [also] took a deer. Using the branches of a Willow tree, he tied that deer to the tree and left. After this, the next day came. At dawn, he arrived to see that the monster had taken the deer. Once more, he took a bear and tied it to the tree with his golden waistbelt and left. After this, the next day came. At dawn, he arrived to see that the monster had taken the bear.

Once more, he stood at the base of the tree himself. The monster arrived, striking Oğuz’s shield with its head. With his spear, Oğuz striked at the head of the monster, killing it [with his blow]. With his sword, he cut the monster’s head off. Taking its head, he went [on his way]. Once more, he returned to see a gyrfalcon standing [near the corpse of the beast,] eating its innards. With his bow and arrow, he killed the gyrfalcon and cut its head off. After that, he said “[let] this be the memory of the gyrfalcon. [The monster] ate the deer and then he ate the bear, [but] my spear killed it, for it is iron. The gyrfalcon ate the monster, but my bow and arrow killed it, for [my arrows] were like the wind.” [After] saying this, he left. [Thus,] is this the memory of the monster.

One day among days, Oğuz Qağan was praying to Täŋri, when a darkness came. A light beam pierced through the sky, burning brighter than the sun or moon. Oğuz Qağan walked [closer] to see who was in the middle of the light beam. [He saw that] it was a girl. She was sitting alone. She was a beautiful girl.