tantly wriggled1 out. With one stroke he smote2 the ogre neck-deep into the ground, and, without waiting for him to free himself, he swiftly unsheathed his dagger3 and thrust the blade deep into the ogre's pate4. Ku-nan thus ended the Tiger King's life.
He pulled the carcass out of the ground and, dragging it by one leg, caught up with his pony5. He and the girl then returned to her home. When the old shepherd saw that Ku-nan had rescued his daughter, he was very happy, and gave him her hand in marriage.
Ku-nan stayed the night in their yurt and, when day grew light, again set off with his wife on their pony. But just as they were preparing to leave they heard a howling wind approaching from the north. Ku-nan turned to look and saw ten or so tigers coming in hot pursuit. They were those he had left fighting over the sheep-bone the day before. Ku-nan hurriedly sent his wife into the yurt. He shot an arrow and killed the tiger in the lead. Then he unsheathed his dagger and strode forward to meet them.
A furious combat ensued. In one breath he slayed seven or eight of them, but the remaining three attacked him with even redoubled fierceness. Ku-nan felt himself utterly6 exhausted7. Just as he was on the point of collapse8, the old shepherd, at the head of about ten young lads, rushed to the rescue. They brought with them poles for breaking in horses. They helped Ku-nan catch the three tigers and thus relieved him from danger. He thanked them for their help and gave them all the tigers he had slain9. Taking his wife he remounted his pony and proceeded home.
When the Khan saw that Ku-nan had slain the Tiger King and had brought home a beautiful wife besides, he felt very happy and at the same time envious10. He ordered Ku-nan's wife to make him a cloak out of the Tiger King's skin, and not to miss a single hair of the pelt11. Ku-nan's wife did as the Khan bade her and let her husband take the cloak to him.
When the Khan saw the cloak he was extremely pleased. He thought of showing himself off in his domain12 in all his majesty13. He wanted everybody to know that he, the Khan, possessed14 a precious cloak made of the Tiger King's skin.
A platform was er
ected in front of the Khan's yurt. He invited the officials from all over the land of the Khans to eat and drink and carouse15. A little way across stood a great multitude of people who had come from every corner of the land to see the Khan's Tiger King cloak.
After a while amidst the blare of music the Khan ambled16 across the platform with a self-satisfied air. He made a sweeping17 gesture with his hand, and a well-dressed servant climbed up, bearing a yellow bundle. He opened it up and took out the glistening18 golden colored cloak made of the Tiger King's skin. He paraded it for everyone to see, then helped the Khan to put it on. No sooner had the Khan put on the cloak than he turned into a fierce motley-colored tiger. It made a deafening19 roar and bounded off the platform and attacked the throng20, biting and wounding many people. The officials were so scared they leaped onto their horses and made off for all they were worth.
At that moment Ku-nan fortunately arrived on the scene. When he saw a tiger chasing people and mauling them, he was horrified21. He thought of shooting the beast with his arrow, but unluckily he had left his arrow-bag at home; even the dagger was not at his girdle. As he was fumbling22 helplessly, the tiger suddenly charged in his direction. He stood his ground and waited till the beast had come within reach. Then with the swiftness of an eagle he grabbed its tail, jerked it into the air and in a single breath smote it ten times upon the ground. The tiger lay bruised23, maimed and bleeding and soon died. Because the beast was formerly24 the Khan, people went to bury it.
From then on Ku-nan went out hunting every day, riding his dapple pony, and on his return he would share his kill with poor Alads around the neighborhood. Besides, he often cured the poor of their eye diseases with his precious pearl: as soon as old people looked at it, their dim sight would become clear; as soon as the blind rolled it round the orbit of their eyes, they would be able to see. Thanks to his help the poor Alads began to sing their joyful25 songs again and their lives became very pleasant.
