Alan Qo’a and the Five Arrows
In this legend from Mongolia, preserved in The Secret History of the Mongols, Alan Qo’a raises five sons. The two eldest wonder about the birth of their younger brothers. Their mother gathers them around a few arrows to teach them the strength of unity.
AbūʿAtā — Darāmad
Pouya Khoshravesh (kamancheh)
KUG Dastgāhi Corpus, Institute of Ethnomusicology, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (source)
While she was a widow, Alan Goa gave birth to three sons;While a widow Alan Goa bore three sons; the eldest was Buga Hatagi, the second Tusalchi, the third Boduanchar. The two sons whose father was DobenThe two sons born of Doben said once to each other: “Our mother has no husband, no brother of our father has ever been in this yurt, our round tentever been in this yurta, still she has three sons. There is only one man in the house, he has lived with us always; is he not their father?”
Alan Goa learned that the two elder brothers were wondering about the other threewere curious concerning the other three, so one day she called in her five sons. She seated them together, gave each one an arrow and told him to break it.so one day she called in her five sons and seating them together gave each one an arrow and told him to break it. Each broke his arrow. She then bound five arrows firmly together and ordered her sons to break themcommanded to break them—not one of the brothers could break the five arrows when tied in a bundle.
“You are in doubtYe are in doubt,” said she then to her eldest and second sonseldest and second son, “as to who is the father of my third, fourth and fifth sons. You wonder, and with reason, for you do not know that a golden-hued man makes his way to this yurt.Ye wonder, and with reason, for ye know not that a golden hued man makes his way to this yurta. He enters through the door by which light comes, he enters through the smoke hole in the roof like sunshine.he enters in through the smoke hole like sunshine. The brightness which comes from him fills me when I look at him. Going off on the rays of the sun or the moon he runs like a swift yellow dog till he vanishes. Stop talking carelessly.Cease talking idly. Your three youngest brothers are children of Heaven, and no one may compare them to ordinary menno one may liken them to common men. When they are khans, great rulers, you will know this.When they are khans ye will know this.”
Alan Goa instructed her sons then, and said to them: “You all are my children, you are all sons of mine.Ye all are my children, ye are all sons of mine. If you stand apartIf ye stand apart like those five broken arrows it will be very easy to break you, but if you keep one mind and one spiritbut if ye keep one mind and one spirit no man on earth will be able to injure you, you will be like those five arrowsye will be like those five arrows in the bundle.”
Alan Goa died soon after this talk with her children.