The Successors of Genghis Khan - Robert Bedrosian's Armenian ...

BEGINNING OF THE HISTORY OF TOLUI KHAN
coats. And since the road taken by Qa'an was long, Tolui Khan twisted
and turned and traveled slowly until the next year. His men were left
without provisions, and things came to such a pass that they ate the
flesh of human beings and dead animals, and dry grass. Forming a
jerge, he came down on to the plain, and at a place which they call
Tungqan Qahalqa they came face to face with the main army of
Altan-Khan. Tolui Khan, as has been recounted in detail in the history
of Qa'an,19 exerted great efforts so that by excellent strategy he
defeated all that great army, which was twice the size of his own;
then, finding a ford over the Qara-Moren, which had never been
forded before, [he] crossed it and, triumphant and victorious, joined
his brother. Qa'an was greatly pleased and delighted at his arrival.
He praised his brother, and they feasted and celebrated because of
their rejoicing.
His latter end and the cause of his illness and death
After Tolui Khan had returned from the aforesaid war he came to his
brother Ogetei. Having been engaged in that campaign for some
considerable time, Qa'an had left Toqolqu Cherbi with a great army
to finish with Altan-Khan and had returned home. Tolui Khan accompanied
his brother. It so happened that Qa'an was overtaken with
an illness and, as is their custom, the qams had gathered together and
exercising their craft had made a spell for his illness and were washing
it in water. It was at this juncture that Tolui Khan arrived. In earnest
supplication he turned his face toward the heavens and said: "O
great and eternal God, if Thou art angry because of sins, my sins are
greater than his, and I have killed more men in battle, and carried
off their wives and children, and enslaved their mothers and fathers.
And if Thou wishest to take Thy servant to Thee because of his fairness
of face, elegance of stature, and many accomplishments, then I am
more fitting and suitable. Take me instead of Ogetei, and cure him
of this sickness, and lay his sickness upon me." He uttered these words
with all possible earnestness and, taking the cup of water in which the
qams had washed the spell for Qa'an's sickness, he drank it down. By
divine providence Qa'an recovered, and Tolui Khan, having taken
19 See above, pp. 33—38.
I67