The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2 / Page 523 (Color Image)

0523	The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.2

CHAPS. ÌII.-IV. KING CAIDU'S VALIANT DAUGHT IZ

463

CHAPTER III.

1VHAT THE GREAT KAAN SAID TO THE MISCHIEF DONE BY KAIDU HIS NEPHEW.

+(TIHAT were Caidu not of his own Imperial blood, he

would make an utter end of him, &c.)

CHAPTER IV.

OF THE EXPLOITS OF KING CAIDU'S VALIANT DAUGHTER.

Now you must know that King Caidu had a daughter

whose name was AIJARUC, which in the Tartar is as much

as to say " The Bright Moon." This damsel was very

beautiful, but also so strong and brave that in all her

father's realm there was no man who could outdo her in

feats of strength. In all trials she showed greater strength

than any man of them.'

Her father often desired to give her in marriage, but

she would none of it. She vowed she would never

marry till she found a man who could vanquish her in

every trial ; him she would wed and none else. And

when her father saw how resolute she was, he gave a

formal consent in their fashion, that she should marry

whom she list and when she list. The lady was so tall

and muscular, so stout and shapely withal, that she was

almost like a giantess. She had distributed her challenges

over all the kingdoms, declaring that whosoever should

come to try a fall with her, it should be on these conditions,

viz., that if she vanquished him she should win from him

100 horses, and if he vanquished her he should win her

to wife. Hence many a noble youth had come to try his

strength against her, but she beat them all ; and in this

way she had won more than lo,000 horses.

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