Kesar – Son of God, Episode 05

Chapter Two

"The Story of Habu Dongbu"
Episode 05

Translation: Engineer Ghulam Mehdi

Mon Pang had brought a type of wood known as "Than" to the hearth; as the heat of the fire intensified, 
the fragrance of the burning "Than" began to purify the home. This had a transformative effect: 
Habu Dongbu was transformed into a handsome and powerful young man. His face was so radiant that no one dared to gaze directly at him. 
He wore a golden scarf tied around his head, and his appearance was nothing short of princely.
Habu Dongbu waited until morning, then climbed onto the roof of the house, from where he saw three men from a land known as "Tarogi Tarvil"...
They were arriving, accompanied by three horses they intended to sell in the village of Habu Dongbu. Addressing his parents, the boy said:
"I see three 'Wind Horses' brought here from Eastern Trugi Truvil for sale.
O my father Panq! Arrange the funds for the horses; the price of one horse is one hundred and one gold coins."
I see three wind-horses brought here from Tirugi-Tirvel for sale.  
The price of the second horse is one hundred and one silver coins.  
I see three wind-horses brought here from Eastern Tirugi-Tirvel for sale.  
The price of the third horse is one hundred and one turquoises.
Upon hearing Habu Dongbu's voice, Moon Pang woke up and said to his wife:
"Thun must have worked a miracle to purify both the house and the boy."
His wife thought the sound she heard was Habu Dongbu screaming as he burned in the fire.
Then, Moon Pang looked up at the roof and saw that Habu Dongbu had transformed into a handsome prince, 
his face radiating a beautiful glow.
The couple then approached Habu Dongbu with a flattering air.
As soon as the horse trader reached them, Habu Dongbu selected a horse, and Moon Panq purchased it for him.
Then Habu Dongbu said: "Well, my dear parents, prepare a delicious meal for me—one worthy of a feast—to sustain me 
until I reunite with my brothers who have gone to capture the fortress of Serenpo Dere Rogha. 
Only I can capture that fortress, and they might run into trouble as they approach it."
His foster mother prepared the meal; then Habu Dongbu set off to join his brothers, 
accompanied by his two dogs, Satargan and Zarqan.
Habu Dongbu searched thoroughly for his brothers in "Manawar" (a village in Gilgit). That evening, as darkness fell, 
they spotted a light shining from a window of the fort belonging to Serinpo Dare Rogha in "Danyor" (a village in Gilgit). 
Habu Dongbu stood up in his horse's saddle, aimed an arrow toward the light, and said to his brothers: 
"If this arrow extinguishes the light, I shall be able to conquer the fort; otherwise, we shall return home." 
He shot the arrow; the light went out, and the fort was plunged into darkness. 
Habu Dongbu and his brothers shouted with joy, knowing they could now conquer the fort. 
However, the brothers were utterly exhausted by this time and fell asleep one by one. 
Habu Dongbu tethered the dogs to a large Chinar tree (*Shing Gyal*) and lay down to sleep as well.
Serinpo Dere Rogha was furious at the actions of Habu Dongbu and his brothers and decided to punish them. 
As he stealthily approached the sleeping brothers, the dogs began to bark, but the boys were in such a deep slumber that they did not hear the sound. Serinpo Dere Rogha moved closer. 
At this, the dogs strained against their chains; they uprooted the *chinar* tree to which they were tethered and lunged at Serinpo. Terrified that the dogs would tear him apart, 
Serinpo Dere Rogha fled toward the Kargah Gorge (in Gilgit) and climbed a rock to escape the dogs, which were still dragging the heavy tree behind them. However, they remained at the base of the rock, barking furiously at him.
Serinpo Dere Rogha was furious at this action by Habu Dongbu and his brothers and decided to punish them. 
As he stealthily approached the sleeping brothers, the dogs began to bark, but the boys were in such a deep sleep that they did not hear the sound. 
Serinpo Dere Rogha drew even closer; at this, the dogs began straining against their chains.
They uprooted the poplar tree, roots and all, and lunged toward Sirinpo. Sirinpo Daray Rogha became terrified that the dogs would tear him apart. 
He ran toward the "Kargah" gorge (a place in Gilgit) and climbed a rock so that the dogs—which were still dragging the heavy tree—could not pursue him. 
However, they remained at the base of the rock, barking furiously at him.
The next morning, when Habu Dongbu woke up, he discovered that both his dogs were missing and the poplar tree had been uprooted.
Leaving his sleeping brothers behind, he mounted his horse and set out to follow the trail left on the ground by the dragging of the tree trunk.
Upon reaching the vicinity of the enclosure, he heard the spirited barking of dogs and recognized them as his own—"Satargan" and "Zargan." 
As he drew closer, he saw Serinpo Darye Rogha sitting on a rock, with the dogs still barking at him from below. 
Habu Dongbu raised his bow and aimed an arrow at Serinpo Darye Rogha. Serinpo Darye Rogha began to beg for his life and offered to become Habu Dongbu's servant. 
Habu Dongbu decided to consult the Lama before killing Serinpo Darye Rogha. He left his dogs at the enclosure to guard Serinpo Darye Rogha and addressed them thus:
"Do not let Serinpo escape!"
"Justify your presence;
if you let him go,
then feeding you is a waste."
Then Habu Dongbu spurred his horse, causing it to gallop like lightning, and before long, he reached the Lama's *gompa*. 
He called out to the Lama: "Should I spare the life of Serinpo Dere Rogha, or should I kill him, O Lama?" The Lama replied:
"O Habu, it is better to kill Serinpo Dere Rogha than to let him go."
Its flesh shall transform into twelve precious substances.
Flay its hide and cast it aside, wishing that it becomes the fertile land of Mon-Panq.
Pluck out its eyes and cast them aside, wishing that they become lakes in the land of Ling.
Scatter its entrails, wishing that they become the irrigation canals of Ling.
Cast aside his ribs, and they shall become the pastures of Ling—namely, "Shingzogo Brook" and "Yangzogo Brook."
Cast aside the flesh of his belly, and it shall become the meadows of Ling.
Cast aside his bones, and they shall become the trees and forests of Ling.
Cast forth and scatter his blood, and it shall transform into flowing springs.
Cast aside his skull, and it shall transform into "Shelkhar Demkhar" (King Gesar's palace).
And so it shall continue...
Thus, you must, by all means, slay Serinpo Dere Rogha."
Habu Dongbu returned to Kargah, killed Serinpo Dare Rogha with an arrow, and began to skin the carcass.
However, the hide refused to separate from the body. As he pondered his next move, 
his horse told him that he would never be able to skin the body by ordinary means; instead, 
he needed to light a fire and gather some pegs. He was to place the pegs in the fire, 
and the moment the hide separated from the body, he should drive them into the ground. In this way, 
he could successfully complete the task of skinning Serinpo Dare Rogha.
Habu Dongbu followed his horse's advice, and the hide successfully came away. He tossed the hide into the air and wished for it to become as soft as silk.
And it turned out exactly as he had wished. In this way, he fulfilled all twelve of his wishes, after which he returned to the manor to tell his brothers the story.
When he arrived, he found his brothers eating. He told them that he had killed Serinpo Dre-Rogha, 
and that they could now enter Denyur Serinpo Dre-Rogha's fortress. So, they entered the fortress, looted its contents, and returned home. The spoils included "Mame Gobzang" (Serinpo Dre-Rogha's wife), 
his horse "Kuling Yang Karmo," and his cow "Zomo Ruyonmo." His brothers brought everything to "Yashirat Katsa" (where Khangchak Mechak's family lived).
Fasangkha Rasakis, the most clever and brave of all the brothers, could not sleep. He kept watching the spoils, planning to choose the most valuable thing for himself. He carefully examined all the spoils,
among which Mamay Gobzang, Kalingyang Karmo and Zomu Ruwonmo shone most brightly in the darkness. He considered these three things to be the most valuable of the spoils. The next day,
He devised a plan to ask his brothers if he could take just these three items, leaving the rest of the wealth to be divided among them. The next morning, he presented his proposal to his brothers: 
that they give him Mame Gobzing as his wife, along with the horse and the crooked-horned *zomo* cow, as he had never possessed such things before. If they agreed, he would make no claim to the remaining assets. 
The brothers consented without hesitation, thinking that the rest of the wealth would now be theirs. Thus, Phasangkhā Raskis returned home with three new possessions... 
(To be continued)