Choru Fulfills His Wishes with Flying Colors, and Zhaotoin Depresses with All Hopes Dashed to Pieces
The grand Horse Racing meet was held as scheduled. The beautiful Marlung Grassland was full of happiness. There were cuckoos and sparrows singing sweetly, and the blue sky was covered with sapphire and white clouds. The vast grassland was adorned with fresh red flowers and green grass. There was a sea of bobbling heads at the Tatang Chamo meet. The heroes and warriors participating in the Horse Racing in the Ling area were bright and brave. Everyone turned over in his mind that he was destined to be winner of kingship. Everyone faithfully prayed to deities, and firmly believed that Buddhist Guardians would help them.
Darong King Zhaotoin, his son Tongtan and others were in high spirits with their heads held up. They believed that the Horse Racing was a gift for King Zhaotoin from Diamond King With a Horse Head; it was the blessing for them offered by deities. As Yocha horse was recognized as a fine horse with the fastest speed, King Zhaotoin was expected to be the winner.
The people from Chichu, Chinchu and Chunchu tribes took their designated position respectively. They were each convinced that their team would achieve success.
The Chunchu clan led by chief manager Rongcha Chageng knew exactly who would succeed. Twenty years before, deities foretold that this Horse Racing was prepared for Choru who could properly ascend the throne of the State of Ling. However, Choru was not in their racing team. Where did Choru go? Why didn’t Choru come here? The chief manager and Chatsa took a sweeping glance at the crowd of people. People from the Chunchu tribe were anxiously looking for Choru.
At the moment, Choru was staying at home. He received gifts and wishes as the following:
“Presenting heart-felt wishes that Choru is to ascend the square gold throne;
giving gold precious saddles engraved with beautiful flowers, wishing Choru as hero to serve with distinction in war for the country;
offering ‘wishful pearls’ and ‘wishful success’, wishing Choru as hero to subdue evils and demons;
giving treasure stirrups decorated with white-snail rings, wishing Choru to make great contributions to people;
presenting rattan whips with power of ‘having wishes fulfilled’, wishing Choru to overthrow the king without kindness and become a good husband of my daughter Sengchan Cholmo.”
After the blessing, the Choru family prepared well the accoutrements for the Heavenly horse. Both father and daughter of Chalho saw Choru ride the fine Heavenly horse to the Horse Racing field with high speed. They also soon went to the tent to watch the Horse Racing.
“Here comes Choru!” a shout spread through the crowd. Therefore, everyone knew the rival of Darong Tongtsan and the Yocha horse had come. At that time, Sengcham Cholmo also had two sisters. She kept her joy to herself. The person present in public was the magnificently dressed Choru who was in the race and would be her intended husband and King of Ling Garpo.
So Cholmo thought. Watching fixedly, she stood in amazement. She rubbed her eyes, not believing them. Surely, it was Choru; but, how could he appear like this? He wore a broad-rimmed sheepskin cap which was poor and unsuitable, and was dressed in a calfskin coat, split at the seams. In addition, he walked in a pair of red leather boots that revealed his toes. Even the gold saddle and silver stirrups on the horse were tattered. He was just a beggar! How could he join the contest?
Cholmo couldn’t believe the beggar was her husband-to-be. She felt extremely sad. Suddenly, a lovely bee flew to her and sang beside her for a while. Cholmo immediately understood that the present Choru was his latest incarnation. In her anxiety, Cholmo forgot that Choru possessed super-natural powers of magical transformation.
People of the Chunchu Tribe saw Choru was scared out of his wits. They all felt extremely disappointed and left the site with low spirits. Only Chatsa and the chief manager knew in their minds: No matter what happened, the throne of Ling Garpo was bound to be Choru’s.
As King Darong Zhaotoin saw Choru in such a terrible predicament, he felt very happy. Because the prediction of Diamond King With a Horse Head was absolutely right, Darong’s family would be destined to be the winner. Zhaotoin shouted to the brothers of the Chunchu Tribe who were looking depressed:
“Brothers, please get ready! Cheer up, the Horse Racing is going to begin.”
Such a shouting revealed exultation and arrogance. Of course, when they saw Choru was panic-stricken, Zhaotoin was beamish. People were convinced that the winner today would be Zhaotoin: no one could match him.
At the foot of the Ngayoti Mountain, all warriors queued up well. As the Horse Racing started, numerous horses ran very quickly, just like banks of clouds rolling on the grassland. Soon, 30 distinguished heroes of Ling Garpo raced ahead.
On the Gori Mountain, there were 13 rooms for burning incense and praying to Buddha. At that moment, people lit branches of cypress for auspicious smoke. At once, smoke curled out of those rooms and was hanging over the sky. Additionally, a Buddha lamp was lit along the holy utensils, full of twinkling lights. On hearing the Conch bugle calling for a period of time, people were dazed out with admiration and muttering incantation. They prayed to Buddha and the Buddhist Guardian. They also faithfully sang the praises for battle heroes.
People watching the Horse Racing on the Loti Mountain were no less over-wrought than those participating in the Horse Racing. Even those most vivacious seven sisters enjoyed the racing with wide open eyes, for fear that they would miss any detail on the Horse Racing field.
In no time, the innumerable horse groups ran increasingly far away on the Horse Racing field. Lachoin Logor Chaya suddenly thought of one thing and said to Cholmo in a low voice:
“Sister Cholmo, I dreamed last night, about….”
“Just speak a litter louder, don’t talk in whispers with Cholmo! If you want to speak, just speak out, let us listen to it!”
Zhuoluo Baige Natse deliberately talked to Lachoin.
