So saying, Choru mounted the Changgar Pegar walking stick, quickly left Chipu and ran northward. Gormo prayed loudly: “I wish good luck to the Ling Tribe in everything they do. Just as all rivers run into the sea and the foals follow their mothers, follow us, please!”
Gormo’s voice echoed back from the mountains for a long time. To pay their respects, a total of 13 valleys in the surrounding area gathered and faced the direction that Gormo and her son Choru headed for.
Setting off from the Jinshajiang River, a tributary in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, the mother and her son went through innumerable hardships, which were made by the deities to temper Choru’s will power, before settling in Yulong Songtog where the winding Yellow River made its first U-turn.
In the six mountains of Kamlung, not far from their dwelling place, there were many horrible shrews. They made holes in the black soil on the top of the mountain, gnawed at the shrubs scattered over the mountainside and ate all the grass on the plain. Anyone travelling there would be covered by dust and if yaks were there they would die from starvation. Choru realized that it was time to get rid of these disgusting shrew demons. He put three stones as big as a sheep’s kidney into a special bag. Whispering a spell Choru threw the stones at the shrews. With a roll of thunder the three stones hit the shrew king and his ministers. All the rest were shaken to death with their heads broken and bleeding.
After eliminating the shrew demons Choru displayed his magic powers again to defeat the Hor bandits. The local merchants thus regained their property which had been robbed. They were so thankful they decided to share their property with Choru. Making a gesture of refusal with his hand, Choru said: “I don’t want your property now. Later when you go to do business in the Han areas and pass by here, you should present me, Choru, with the hada scarf and give me some Han tea as a tribute. Now, please go to Mazhog Logo Karlung in the Yellow River Valley and build a palace for me. I shall be responsible for all the expense thus created. From now on, wherever you go, you will be under my protection.”
Having the chance to repay the obligation, the merchants readily agreed. When Choru became eight years old, he knew the time for the Ling Tribe to move to the Yellow River Valley was right. So he prayed to the Dragon king Chona Rinchin, his father-in-law, for heavy snow in the Ling area.
From the first day of the 10th Tibetan month the snow began to fall so heavily day and night that the Ling area was completely covered with a white carpet of snow. Only the treetops on the peaks could be seen.
This gave rise to great anxiety among the people of the Ling area. The Old Chief pondered: “It seems that the snow is not going to stop. If we remain here, I’m afraid that neither the people nor the livestock can survive the winter. Migration is a must. But where is the right place to move?” So, the Old Chief sent four brave men to look in all directions. Consequently, the area in the Yellow River Valley took their fancy. But who was the master? Without his permission the migration could bring on a war.
Just when they were at their wits’ end, several horse caravans came towards them. These were the Han and Tibetan merchants going to pay tribute of Han tea to Choru. When they saw them the Old Chief’s men asked: “My kindhearted people, could you please tell us who the master in this place is? If we want to move here whose permission should we go to ask for?” They replied: “Here used to be home to the Hor bandits. Later there came a child called Choru. He was very young but quite ambitious. With his magic powers, he defeated the bandits and brought peace to this place. We pay tribute to him for his protection. In this way, we have no problems passing through here. If you want to move here, you should ask Choru.” The merchants then carried on their way.
Learning that the local master was Choru, the Old Chief’s men could not decide what to do. Since Choru had been exiled by the Ling Tribe, how could they go to ask for his help? They went back to the Ling area quickly and reported to the Old Chief. The Old Chief along with Chatsa and Dainma all realized that it was time for the Ling Tribe to migrate to the Yellow River Valley according to the prophecy. However, the three made no sign that they knew about any prophecy.
Chatsa said: “The migration is inevitable and necessary but Choru is the master of that land. I suggest that every tribe send a representative to go with me to ask for Choru’s forgiveness.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Later that night, Chatsa together with six representatives from the Ling tribes set out for the Yellow River Valley.
Knowing that they would come, Choru decided to take them down a peg or two. When the party set foot on Yulong Garda Chamo, Choru stood in their way, with a special stone-throwing bag in hand: “Hey, where are you from? How dare you trespass upon my territory? I’ll have all of you buried here!” So saying, Choru threw the stones which hit the cliff in the distance.
Chatsa Shigar jumped out of his saddle immediately and presented a white hada scarf: “My honourable Ngagyi Choru, long-lived Choru! Don’t you know me Chatsa Shigar, your elder brother? These are six wise men from the Ling area. We came here to ask for a settling place in the Yellow River Valley because the Ling area is suffering terribly from severe blizzards.…”
Not allowing Chatsa to finish, Choru eagerly ran forward and gave his elder brother a warm embrace.
“Oh, it is Brother Shigar and the families in the Ling area. I didn’t recognize you. Don’t pick on me, please. Mother and I live in this land where bandits and demons run wild. We have to be cautious!” With these words, Choru invited the seven into his tent.
When everybody had taken their seat, Chatsa and his companions related to Choru the story of the snow disaster again. Choru presented each of them with a hada scarf and a gold coin and at the same time joyfully granted them their request.
The six tribes of Ling were called together to discuss the migration when the party returned to the Ling area. They told the people that the Yellow River Valley had lush grass, sufficient water and was rich in nature.
