᭿ Chapters 1 and 2 first published in Onon, Urgunge (trs & ed), The Secret History of the Mongols: The Life and Times of Chinggis Khan, London, Curzon Press, 2001 ᭿ Chapters 7 and 8 first published in De Rachewiltz, Igor (trs), The Secret History of the Mongols: A Mongolian Epic Chronicle of the Thirteenth Century, Leiden: Brill, 2006 5

THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE MONGOLS

Chapters 1 and 2 translated by Urgunge Onon

Chapters 7 and 8 translated by Igor De Rachewiltz

CHAPTER 1 [1] Chinggis69 Qahan was born with his destiny ordained by Heaven above.70 He was descended from Börte Chino, whose name means ‘greyish white wolf’,71 and Qo’ai-maral, the wolf’s spouse, whose name means beautiful doe, who crossed the lake72 and settled at the source of the Onon River at Burqan-qaldun,73 where Batachi-qan74 was born to them. [2] The son of Batachi-qan was Tamacha. The son of Tamacha was Qorichar-mergen. The son of Qorichar-mergen was A’ujam-boro’ul. The son of A’ujam-boro’ul was Sali-qacha’u. The son of Sali-qacha’u was Yeke-nidün. The son of Yeke-nidün was Sem-sochi. The son of Sem-sochi was Qarchu.75 [3] The son of Qarchu, Borjigidai-mergen, had Mongqoljin-qo’a as his wife. The son of Borjigidai-mergen, Toroqoljin-bayan, had a wife called Boroqchin-qo’a, a young man-servant called Boroldai-suyalbi, and two fine geldings,76 Dayir77 and Boro.78 Toroqoljin had two sons, Duwa-soqor and Dobun-mergen.79 [4] Duwa-soqor had a single eye in the middle of his forehead. Through it, he could see for a distance of three journeys.80 [5] One day, Duwa-soqor climbed Burqan-qaldun with his younger brother, Dobun-mergen. Looking down from Burqan-qaldun, Duwa-soqor spied a group of people coming downstream along the Tünggelik.81 [6] He said: ‘Among those people moving camp towards us is a beautiful girl in the front seat of a black-covered wooden cart. If she has not already been given to anyone, let us request her for you, young brother Dobun-mergen.’ He sent his younger brother Dobun-mergen to take a look. 120 THE HISTORY OF MONGOLIA

[7] Having reached the group, Dobun-mergen found a girl of true beauty and good reputation. Her name, Alan Qo’a,82 was well known; she had not yet been given to any man. [8] Barqujin-qo’a, the daughter of Barqudai-mergen, Lord of the Köl Barqujin low- land,83 who had been given to Qorilartai-mergen, the Lord of the Qori-Tümeds,84 was a member of the group. In the land of the Qori-Tümeds, at Ariq-usun,85 Barqujin-qo’a, wife of Qorilartai-mergen, had given birth to the girl Alan Qo’a. [9] Qorilartai-mergen had fallen out with his people when they banned each other from hunting sable, squirrel, and other wild animals in the Qori-Tümed lands. Because of this ban, they formed the Qorilar86 clan. He deemed Burqan-qaldun, rich in wild animals and gazelles, a good place. Shinchi-bayan87 established [shamanistic] deities as the spirit-lords88 of Burqan-galdun89 while he was travelling in the direction of Uri[y]- angqai. Alan Qo’a, daughter of the Qori Tümed Qorilartal-mergen born at Ariq-usun, was there requested [by Duwa-soqor] in marriage. This is how she came to be the wife of Dobun-mergen. [10] Having joined Dobun-mergen, Alan Qo’a bore him two sons, Bügünütei and Belgünütei. [11] Duwa-soqor, the older brother, had four sons. Duwa-soqor died soon after- wards. After Duwa-soqor’s death, his four sons no longer looked upon their uncle Dobun-mergen as kin, but despised him and moved away. They split into four clans that became the Four Peoples.90 [12] One day, Dobun-mergen set out to go hunting on Toqochaq Peak. In a forest, he met an Uri[y]angqad[ai] man who had killed a three-year-old deer and was roasting its ribs and rectum. [13] Dobun-mergen said: ‘Friend,91 give me some of the meat, as my share.’92 ‘I will,’ said the hunter. Keeping the lungs, head, and skin,93 he gave [the rest of] the meat of the three-year-old deer to Dobun-mergen. [14] Dobun-mergen loaded up the three-year-old deer. While continuing on his way, he met a poor man leading his young son. [15] Dobun-mergen asked: ‘Who are you?’ The man replied: ‘I am a man called Ma’aliq of the Baya’uds and in distress. I will give you this son of mine in exchange for part of that beast’s flesh.’ [16] On hearing those words, Dobun-mergen tore off one of the deer’s hind-legs and gave it to the man. He then took the boy back to his yurt, where the boy worked as a servant. [17] Not long afterwards, Dobun-mergen died. After his death, despite the loss of her husband, Alan Qo’a bore three more sons called Buqu-qatagi, Buqatu-salji, and Bodonchar-mungqaq.94 [18] Belgünütei and Bügünütei, the two sons born earlier to Dobun-mergen, talked together about their mother Alan Qo’a behind her back: ‘This mother of ours has produced three sons, without [our father’s] older brother, younger brother, or cousins95 or any husband. Only the Ma’aliq Baya’ud man lives in this yurt. They are probably his three sons.’ Alan Qo’a sensed what they were saying behind her back.