Did the Khan Have a Head?

A long time ago there lived a khan (1) who had a very violent temper. He was so soirascible that all the people were scared to even look at him. One day the khan set out for a long journey and his ministers, his entourage of servants and his guides were riding with him. They rode and rode until the khan wanted to take a rest underneath an isolated tree. His servants spread out a cushion on the ground for him to sit on. But the khan complained about his seat saying: "I am a khan and so I can't possibly sit with you on the ground like a dog. Arrange a raised seat for me!"

The servants became very anxious and asked each other: "But how shall we arrange a raised seat for our khan on this flat ground?" When they didn't know what else to do, they said: "Let's bend this tree down and seat our khan in a raised position."

But as soon as they had pulled down the top of the tree and had laid the khan under it, the tree's top snapped back up. The khan was pulled up, too, before he fell back down onto the ground. The servants were getting very confused and while they helped the khan up again and rested him against the tree they realised that his head was missing. Now the servants panicked.

"Has a branch of the tree maybe chopped off the khan's head?" they asked themselves. So they started out and searched for the head. And they actually did find a head laying not far from the tree. But there was nobody who had ever looked at the khan. That was why they couldn't find somebody who could tell if this head was the head of their khan. Or if the khan had even had a head.

"Well, what shall we do now?" they asked and then they decided to go and ask the khan's counsellor. Surely he would be able to tell them if the khan had had a head to begin with.

So they went to the old counsellor of the khan and asked him. But the counsellor only shook his grey head and told them: "Only God would know, my children. I don't know whether the khan once did have a head or if he never did have one. Whenever I was with the khan, I kneeled down in front of him and I never looked at his face. I do know, though, that he wore a hat with the small  knot and the peacock feather (2) as special decoration by the khaan(3). But really, my children, I don't know whether he did have a head or not. But why don't you go to see the khatan (4) about it."

So the servants went to see the khatan and they asked her. The khatan replied: "Oh, I don't know about that. I never had the heart to look into the khan's angry face or his piercing eyes. But his sparse, bristly beard did sting me when he kissed me. If he did have a head or if he didn't, that I truly don't know, my servants."

And so the servants couldn't find out if their khan once did have a head or if never had one.

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(1) The title of the khan  - with one "a" - is somewhat similar to that of a prince. During the existence of the Mongolian Empire the kings of the four mior empires were called khan while the emporer was called khaan. (back to the text)

(2) Both the knob and the peacock feather worn at the hat are badges of rank. In this special case they show the appreciation by the khaan. (back to the text)

(3) The Mongolian title of the khaan is similar to the English king. (back to the text)