We begin with the name of Allah and implore His help.
Shortly after the time of the Prophet, there appeared in the Bayat tribe a man by the name of Dede Korkut. He was the wise man of the Oghuz people. He used to prophesy and bring reports from the unknown world beyond, having been divinely inspired. He once said: "In the end, the sovereignty shall again be held by the Kayi tribe, and no one shall be able to deprive this tribe of the kingdom until the day of doom". With this statement, Dede Korkut was referring to the ruling Ottoman dynasty. He made many such predictions. Dede Korkut was an adviser of the Oghuz people in all vital matters, and nothing was done before he was consulted. Whatever advice he gave was accepted and acted upon.
Among his wise sayings were those which follow:
Nothing goes well without mentioning the name of Allah. No one can prosper without the will of Almighty Allah. Nothing happens if it was not already written down in the beginning. No one dies before his appointed hour. The dead cannot come back to life. The departed soul does not return. A young man may gather mountains of wealth. He can dispose of only as much as his appointed share. The sea cannot be filled, though the roaring rivers all flow into it. Allah does not love the haughty or help him to prosper. An adopted son cannot be like a real one; when he grows up, he goes away and shows no gratitude. No hill can be made of ash. The son-in-law cannot be a substitute for a son. The black donkey does not become a mule by wearing a bridle. A slave woman does not become a lady by putting on expensive clothes. Snow will melt before summer, no matter how thick it is. Lush grass shall wither before fall. Old cotton is of no use for making good cloth. An old enemy cannot be a friend. Distances cannot be covered without spurring the horse. The opponent will not retire in defeat unless the steel sword is drawn. Fame cannot be gained without generosity. A girl cannot become a lady unless she has good breeding from her mother. A son cannot be generous unless he sees generosity in his own father. The son is the work of the father; he is the apple of his eye. A worthy son is the fire of one's hearth. What can the son do if his father dies without leaving him any wealth? What good is the wealth of the father if the son is unlucky?
Oh, my khan, may Allah preserve you from those who bring bad luck.
Dede Korkut spoke on another occasion, and let us hear, my khan, what he said.
A treacherous young man cannot mount a well-bred horse when it is running; it is better that he does not try. It is better that the mean and the base do not use the sharp sword. For the brave, a stick is as good as a sword and an arrow. Dark homes unfrequented by visitors might better fall down. Grass that is no good for the horse might better never grow. Bitter waters that are no good for man might better not spring. The seed of an unworthy son that does not perpetuate his father's name had better not drop into his mother's womb; if it is dropped there, he might better not be born. The son should be a worthy one, carrying on the fame of the father. Those who lie should be thrust out of this world, but may men of truth live forever.
May you, oh, my khan, live a hundred years. May Allah protect you from evil, and may your prosperity be lasting.
Once Dede Korkut said:
Only the deer know where the grasslands are. Only the wild donkey knows where the green grass is. Only the camel knows the different trails. Only the fox knows the scent of the seven streams. Only the lark knows when the caravan passes in the night. Only the mother knows who the father of her son is. Only the horse knows whether his rider is light or heavy. Only the mule knows how heavy its load is. Only the patient knows where the pain is. Only the brain feels the ache of the foolish head. Only the minstrel with his big lute goes from land to land and from prince to prince. Only He knows who is stingy and who is generous.
May you always have minstrels singing and playing in your presence. May Allah protect you, oh, my khan, from terrible calamity.
Let us see, my khan, what Dede Korkut said on another occasion.