The Eighth Tribe, 1974 (1. évfolyam, 1-7. szám)
1974-12-01 / 7. szám
Page Six THE EIGHTH TRIBE December, 1974 THE ROAD OF HOSTS After Atilla’s death, the Hun Empire was left without a leader. Who would be worthy to pick up the Sword of God, fallen from Atilla’s hand? Some wanted his oldest son, Aladar. Others preferred his youngest son, Csaba. Aladar was already a great warrior and a wise leader. On the other hand, Csaba was Atilla’s favorite, at his birth, the Táltos had read from the stars that he would be the one who would save the Huns from final destruction. The need for this, however was hard to see right then, in the midst of the huge empire. Seated all over the land, around thousands and thousands of campfires, the Huns were still in their forty day mourning period, after their Leader’s death. Many songs of praise arose from the campfire gatherings, in remembrance of Atilla’s glorious deeds. Slowly, however, more and more songs, coming from the lips of the minstrels, told about Aladar’s heroism or about the prophecy regarding Csaba. As the river returned to its muddy old bed, hiding forever Atilla’s final resting place, his huge empire began to crumble, too. First the Huns split into two parties, one wanting Aladar for their king, the other wanting Csaba. Then, making use of the dissent among the Huns, the vassal kings and other conquerred nations began to break away. When the two Hun armies bore down on each other, to decide on the battlefield whether Aladar or Csaba should be the new king, their strongest allies, the Goths, turned against them, too, while the smaller Barbarian kings just disappeared into the dense forests of the Western mountains, looting the treasures of the Huns and taking gold and silver by the wagon-load. The war between the Huns lasted for two long years. Aladar was dead. He fell on the battlefield, where brother fought against brother. After his death, Csaba was finally able to unite the remainder of the Huns, forty thousand warriors, and struck back at the belligerent Goths, like a wounded leopard. At the same time, he ordered women and children to be loaded in wagons and moved Eastward across the plain, into the Transylvanian mountains. After defeating the enemy, Csaba led his remaining warriors into the mountains, too, stopping beneath the steep cliffs of Oltárkő (Altar-Rock). “On those cliffs above”, he said, “my Father’s bird, the TURUL, builds his nest. This country, surrounded by mountains and forests, was made for you, my people, by UR, our God. There is plenty of game in the forests, and plenty of fish in the brooks and rivers. In time you will love this land so much that you will not be able to live anywhere else. Huns, people of Atilla, this is your land, there is no other place for you on the face of this Earth.” Atilla’s remaining Huns bowed their heads. They loved the wide open plains where they were born and raised, where they could race the wind on thundering hooves, but they knew that defeated and small in number, they would soon be annihilated by ravaging enemies. The mountains and forests offered safety and protection. Therefore they did not protest. Only Lady Reka asked her son a question. “And thou, my Son? Why speakest thou as we were to stay but thou not?” she wondered. “I must go back to Scythia, the old homeland,” Csaba answered, “to find the Magyars and lead them here. United with them we shall retake Atilla’s land, our own country, from the usurpers.” Csaba divided his army. He left behind the married, the wounded and the old, to protect the women and children. With the young warriors, he prepared for the journey back to Scythia. “Wait, my Son”, his Mother beseeched him, “thou wilt not have to wait for long!” Csaba waited. After a short while, Lady Reka passed away quietly and peacefully. Csaba buried her on the flowering bank of a lovely brook, which has ever since been called Reka Brook. At length the time came for Csaba and his warriors to leave. Tears flowed as parents bade farewell to their children. The old RABONBAN (Prophet) had evil dreams that night. He was worried when he spoke to Csaba. “I dreamed of a muddy sea surrounding us, a sea of hostile people. What will happen to us if thou shouldest not come hack in time? The last of the Huns will all perish here, like a small island in the midst of raging waters!” “If danger should threaten my people here”, Csaba answered, “thou shouldst send a message to me by means of fire and water, wind and earth, and wherever I might be, I shall return to the rescue.” No sooner had Csaba left with his men, than hostile neighbors fell upon the Szekelys (left-handed families). The Rabonban prayed for help and UR heard his prayer. He sent a fiery flash to Earth that set the forest on fire in front of Csaba and his warriors.
