The Book of Dede Korkut

Description

The Book of Dede Korkut is a collection of twelve stories set in the heroic age of the Oghuz Turks, a nomadic tribe who had journeyed westwards through Central Asia from the ninth century onwards. The stories are peopled by characters as bizarre as they are unforgettable: Crazy Karchar, whose unpredictability requires an army of fleas to manage it; Kazan, who cheerfully pretends to necrophilia in order to escape from prison; the monster Goggle-eye; and the heroine Chichek, who shoots, races on horseback and wrestles her lover. Geoffrey Lewis's classic translation retains the odd and oddly appealing style of the stories, with their mixture of the colloquial, the poetic and the dignified, and magnificently conveys the way in which they bring to life a wild society and its inhabitants. This edition also includes an introduction, a map and explanatory notes. Contents Map Introduction 1. Boghach Khan Son of Dirse Khan 2. How Salur Kazan’s House was Pillaged 3. Bamsi Beyrek of the Grey Horse 4. How Prince Uruz Son of Prince Kazan was Taken Prisoner 5. Wild Dumrul Son of Dukha Koja 6. Kan Turali Son of Kanli Koja 7. Yigenek Son of Kazilik Koja 8. How Basat Killed Goggle-eye 9. Emren Son of Begil 10. Segrek Son of Ushun Koja 11. How Salur Kazan was Taken Prisoner and How His Son Uruz Freed Him 12. How the Outer Oghuz Rebelled against the Inner Oghuz and How Beyrek Died 13. The Wisdom of Dede Korkut Notes