The sandalwood forest is the home of your tiger, why didn’t show your stripes.
I, Chichun Yexei, am your life mate.
Why didn’t show me your real face?
I always keep you in my heart.
Don’t you know my loyalty?”
The Lion Kong knew it was time for him to reveal his identity.
When Chichun finished the song, the young man lying on the ground was gone. She looked around and saw a heroic figure, who was tall and sturdy. White teeth shone on his florid face. His waist was hard with muscles and his feet stood firmly on the ground. He wore white armour and mounted on a red Heavenly horse. It seemed that he was a deity hailing from Heaven. The Lion King placed a hada scarf indicating “safety day and night” on the neck of Chichun Yexei and told her: “I am the Lion King Gesar. Now I am looking for revenge on King Bacham. He killed my brother Chatsa, stole my wife and invaded my homeland of Ling. Thanks for your kindness and company during this time. Please give me your advice and suggestions. I am asking you to come home with me after I defeat the enemy.”
Gesar and Chichun swore to be husband and wife and to spend the rest of their lives together forever.
Chichun Yexei pointed to the west: “My king, behind the snow-capped mountain there are wild yaks coloured yellow, white and black which house the souls of the Prince of the Yellow Tent, King Bacham and the Prince of the Black Tent respectively. The soul of Tsinpa Merotse is housed in a wild red yak. In order to defeat the Hor king and princess, the first thing you should do is cut off the horns of the yellow, white and black yaks.”
Gesar did as he was told and went to the back of the snow-capped mountain where he found a herd of yaks. It was easy to tell the yaks housing human souls since they were strong and fierce. Gesar turned into an eagle. He swiftly swooped down and perched on the yellow yak’s head and chopped off its horns. He chopped off the horns of the white and black yaks in the same way. Then he turned to do the same to the red one that housed the soul of Tsinpa Merotse. However, he suddenly did not feel very well, so he let go of it and returned to his normal state.
It was now three years since Queen Sengcham Cholmo had been kidnapped and brought to Hor. She had had no choice but to become wife of King Bacham and she gave birth to a child. One day, King Bacham and Sengcham Cholmo were playing with their child in the highest part of the palace. Upon looking out of the window, Sengcham Cholmo saw a man in shabby dress coming toward the palace. He had a monkey in his hand. Cholmo said to King Bacham: “My lord, please bring the monkey man in to perform. We could have some fun.”
The King and the two princes of Hor had been feeling ill ever since Gesar chopped off the yaks’ horns. Just now King Bacham was in low spirits. When he heard what Cholmo said, he agreed immediately.
The monkey man was escorted into the palace to entertain the royal family. King Bacham and the little boy were quite pleased. The monkey man took his reward when the performance came to an end, and was about to leave. The little boy started to cry when he saw the monkey man leaving. King Bacham asked the monkey man if he could keep performing a little longer.
Cholmo heard that the monkey man had travelled a lot. She thought he may have been to the State of Ling or the evil state. After Bacham left, she asked him: “I have something to ask you. If you tell me the truth, I will reward you with food and clothes that will be enough for the rest of your life.”
“I will tell you everything I know.”
“Do you know anything about Gesar who is the Lion King?”
“Yes, he came to the north to tame a monster. However, he failed and has been dead for several years.”
Cholmo’s heart sank at this news. She took off all the golden ornaments from her hair.
“You can take these. I no longer need them. I will go to join the Lion King. My only wish is that you will use some of the money to make offerings to the Lion King Gesar and his wife Sengcham Cholmo.” Suddenly she snatched the knife from the old man’s waist and brought it towards her chest.
The old man was shocked and made a quick move to take the knife back.
He said: “Sister, don’t do that. I was just kidding. Gesar has tamed Nortsam and he is now in Hor to take his revenge.”
Cholmo was very suspicious.
“Now I will tell you the truth,” said the old beggar. The smile on his face rang a bell with Cholmo. She remembered it as the same expression Gesar wore when he grabbed the tail of her horse to prevent her from jumping into the Poritungco Lake. Was it possible that the old beggar could be Gesar himself?
Gesar knew it was not a good occasion for him to spend too much time revealing his true self. He took the meal and money he had been given and he left the palace. On his way out, he ran into Tsinpa Merotse.
“Follow me,” Merotse said, walking toward a secluded forest.
When they arrived there, Tsinpa Merotse performed a kowtow to him, saying: “Lion King Gesar, please accept my sincerest respects.” He then presented a hada scarf and an emerald ring from his finger. He said: “I am guilty but I have had difficulties.”
Merotse told him the facts of the war between the Hor and Ling and pleaded for mercy: “Lion King, please spare my life. I will present gold, silver and silk to you. Will you forgive me?”
