And So
Befell, That A Great Multitude Of Enemies Met With Him.
And for to
give good example hardiness to his people, he was the first that
fought, and in the midst of his enemies encountered, and there he
was cast from his horse, and his horse slain.
And when his folk
saw him at the earth, they were all abashed, and weened he had been
dead, and flew every one, and their enemies after and chased them,
but they wist not that the emperor was there. And when the enemies
were far pursuing the chase, the emperor hid him in a thick wood.
And whet, they were come again from the chase, they went and sought
the woods if any of them had been hid in the thick of the woods;
and many they found and slew them anon. So it happened that as
they went searching toward the place that the emperor was, they saw
an owl sitting upon a tree above him; and then they said amongst
them, that there was no man because that they saw that bird there,
and so they went their way; and thus escaped the emperor from
death. And then he went privily all by night, till he came to his
folk that were full glad of his coming, and made great thankings to
God Immortal, and to that bird by whom their lord was saved. And
therefore principally above all fowls of world they worship the
owl; and when they have any of their feathers, they keep them full
preciously instead of relics, and bear them upon their heads with
great reverence; and they hold themselves blessed and safe from all
perils while that they have them upon them, and therefore they bear
their feathers upon their heads.
After all this the Chan ordained him, and assembled his people, and
went upon them that had assailed him before, and destroyed them,
and put them in subjection and servage. And when he had won and
put all the lands and countries on this half the Mount Belian in
subjection, the white knight came to him again in his sleep, and
said to him, Chan! the will of God Immortal is that thou pass the
Mount Belian. And thou shalt win the land and thou shalt put many
nations in subjection. And for thou shalt find no good passage for
to go toward that country, go [to] the Mount Belian that is upon
the sea, and kneel there nine times toward the east in the worship
of God Immortal, and he shall shew the way to pass by. And the
Chan did so. And anon the sea that touched and was fast to the
mount began to withdraw him, and shewed fair way of nine foot
breadth large; and so he passed with his folk, and won the land of
Cathay that is the greatest kingdom of the world.
And for the nine kneelings and for the nine foot of way the Chan
and all the men of Tartary have the number of nine in great
reverence.
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