The Girl-Warrior of Siberia

Illustrated By: Suzie Chang

ONCE A GREAT KAHN RULED the largest tribe in Siberia. He had many subjects and extensive herds of cattle and horses, but he had only one child, a daughter, and her name was Altyn-Aryg (say it like this: AL-tin AHYR-Ig).

Altyn Aryg was born with unusual strength and with continual training could defeat any warrior, but of this her father took no notice.  At a young age she showed unusual talent on a horse and with constant practice could unhorse any challenger, but of this her father took no notice. She found homes for lost lambs and settled disputes among the people, but of this her father also took no notice. 

When the Khan grew old, he said to his wife, a woman as old as he, "We have no sons and my strength is leaving me. A daughter cannot govern such a numerous people and will not be able to look after so many herds."

Overhearing this, his daughter stepped forward and said, "Father, I'm ready.  Why can't I rule the people and manage the whole herd?"

"The task is too great for you," said he.

"If it is your decision not to give me my people and my herd," said the maiden, "I cannot live here anymore. I am leaving."

Altyn-Aryg's parents pleaded with her to stay, but her heart was set. With her sword in hand, she marched out of the tent, leapt upon her milk-white horse and rode off.

The maiden traveled for a long time. One day, she came to a land of devastation - of crushed plants and cracked earth.  From weeping villagers, she learned of a giant snake that was terrifying the people. This snake was so enormous that a horse would take a day to gallop along its spine.  Its mouth was so huge that his lower jaw lay on the ground while the upper jaw brushed the sky.

She learned that when this enormous monster took over a territory, it demanded tribute of 1000 cattle a year.  If a tribe refused to pay, the monster would swallow the entire tribe, whole.  Even when the tribe paid, the people also had to give the monster the best of their harvest and most of their wealth besides.  Khans in nearby lands feared the monster might sweep them away, too, and wept, and paid him tribute so he would not come to them. The survivors left were desperate.

"I hear you," said Alytn Aryg.  "I will find this monster and defeat it."

"Stranger, no one can!" whispered the villager, coughing.  "Our finest heroes were sent to defeat the monster, and they were swallowed."

"I have come a long way already and will go further if I must," said Altyn-Aryg. "If the monster is fated to die, he will die. If I am fated to die, I will die."

She was so determined that the villagers told her of the land where the horrible snake was known to live.  She leapt on her milk-white horse and galloped to this uninhabited valley, a wasteland where nothing was alive, with no birds flitting about in the skies, and no insects scurrying along on the ground.  In this dry desert, she found the back of the enormous snake monster.

The Khan's daughter rode along the body of the snake, as long as a river, and finally reached its monstrous head.  She dismounted from her horse, drew her sword and stepped up to its gigantic head. 

"Pay me tribute, or BE my tribute!" hissed the monster snake, blowing steam that filled the air like a hurricane.

In a steely voice, Altyn-Aryg said, "I do not pay tribute to a monster."  

"Then prepare to die!" said the monster, opening its upper jaw that brushed the sky. 

"I'll save you the trouble," said Altyn-Aryg, and she jumped in.  The snake's jaws snapped shut behind her, and the Girl-Warrior winded her way through the snake's fangs and jumped down into the snake's throat.  Down, down, the monster's throat and into its belly. 

There she saw many living persons as well as birds and beasts. Reaching the monster's heart, she turned to the heroes who sat despairing, and said, "I'm here to help.  How can this monster be killed?"

One of the heroes said, "Lady, if we could kill the beast we would.  We tried and cannot.  There is no escape!" 

"This monster's heart is too hard," said another hero. "None of our swords can pierce it." 

"Give me your swords!" said Altyn-Aryg.  The heroes handed her all their 100 swords.  With each one she stabbed and slashed at the heart but she could not kill the beast because each time she struck, the sword broke. 

She took many swords and all of them broke. She realized the heroes must have lost courage since all their swords were unbroken. Finally she had only one sword left - her own.  She took a close look at the spot in the heart where she'd been striking, the spot where she'd already broken 100 swords, and noticed one hairline crack. 

Taking out her own sword, she cried aloud to the heroes, "See what will be!" and lunged at the hairline crack with all her might. This time, the sword drove deep into the snake's heart.  She dragged the sword out and the snake's black blood oozed onto her hands.  The snake gasped and shuddered, and its mouth fell open. 

With these words the Snake Prince died.

The other humans rejoiced and escaped from his jaws, the birds flew away and the wild beasts ran off. When the heroes came out they cheered the tsar's daughter and said, "You saved us all! We will pay you as we paid the Snake Prince."

The maiden answered, "There is no need to pay tribute. Go and resume your former lives. But those who wish to follow me may return with me to my land."

And so the Tsar's daughter took many herdsmen and their cattle with her and returned to the home of her parents. Her father immediately issued a feast to celebrate his daughter's return. He said, "Where have you been, my daughter?"

She related how she had slain the Snake Prince and had brought back the new herdsmen and their cattle. Praising her highly, the tsar said, "It is well that you used your strength to free the heroes and beasts and birds. I give you now my people and my herds. I know my time is soon at hand."

As so the Tsar's daughter received her father's full inheritance, and when he died she became the ruler of the land.

• What did the Tsar think was the most important quality in a ruler?  Do you agree? Explain.