The Secret History of the Mongols
Chapter 1
§1 This is the account of the origin of Chinggis Khan. The birth of the Blue-Wolf Borte Chinu-a was ordained by heaven above. His wife was the Beautiful Doe, Quva Maral, and having crossed the sea, they made their home at Burqan-Qaldun, near the source of the Onan river, and it was there that their son, Batci-Qan, was born.
§2 Batachi-Qan in turn had a son named Tamaca, and Tamaca had a son named Qoricar the Wise, and Qorichar the Wise had a son named Ajugam Boroghul, and Ajugham Boroghul had a son named Sali Qacaghu, and Sali Qachaghu had a son who was named Yeke-Nidün the Wide-Eyed, and Yeke Nidün the Wide-Eyed had a son named Sem Soci, and Sem Soci had a son named Qarcu.
§3 And the son of Qarcu was Borjigidai the Wise, whose wife was Mongoljin the Beautiful, Borjigidai the Wise had a son called Toroguljin the Rich, who had a wife called Borogjin the Beautiful, a manservant named Boroldai Suyalbi, and two swift horses, Dair and Boro. Toroguljin had two sons, Duwa the Blind, and Dobun the Wise.
§4 Although Duwa Suqur only had a single eye, in the middle of his forehead, he could see to a distance of three days’ journey with it.
§5 One day, Duwa Suqur and his younger brother Dobun Mergen climbed up on top of Burqan Qaldun. Looking out from the precipice Duwa Suqur could see a certain detachment of people moving along a tributary of the Tünggelik river.
§6 “Amongst these approaching nomads below”, said Duwa Suqur, “next to the donkey of the black wagon there is a beautiful maiden. My dear brother, if she has not been promised to another man, we shall ask her for you!” and with that he sent Dobun Mergen to find out.
§7 When Doubun Mergen reached the group he discovered that she was truly beautiful, and of good reputation. Her name was Alan Goa, and she had not yet been promised to any man.
§8 As for this group of people, the Lord of the Köl-Bargujin valley Bargudai-Mergen’s daughter, a girl named Bargujin-Goa, had been given in marriage to Qorilartai-Mergen, a Qori-Tümed prince, and there in the land of the Qori-Tümed, at Arig-Usun, from Qorilartai-Mergen’s wife Bargujin-Goa was born the girl named Alan-Goa.
§9 The land of the Qori-Tümeds was rich in sable, squirrel and wild game, but because of arguments and hunting prohibitions among the Qori-Tümeds, Qorilartai Mergen decided to leave, and so taking the clan name ‘Qorilar’ and saying that the land of Burqan-Qaldun was rich in game and hunt, and that it was a good place, he set off towards Burqan-Bosqaghsan and Sichi-Bayan of the Uriangqai - the lords of Burqan-Qaldun. And it was here at Arigh-Usun, at the place of her birth, that Dobun Mergen asked to marry and then took as his wife, Alan-Goa, daughter of Qorilartai-Mergen of the Qori-Tümed. And their line was as follows...
§10 When Alan Goa came to Dobun Mergen she bore him two sons, Bugunutai and Belgunutai.
