Grand Abduction

By Kadir I. Natho

This book is based on the abduction of the only daughter of General Zass, the most cruel of all Russian generals of the Russo-Caucasian War (17631864), who used to cut off the heads of Circassians and keep them placed on bayonets or poles in his Prichni-Okop fortification. In order to punish him for this cruelty and to awaken in him a sense of human compassion, three Adyghe (Circassian) heroes risked their lives against all odds to abduct his only daughter. They brilliantly accomplished that dangerous undertaking and punished him for some time, but after keeping her as a respectful guest, they took her back to her parents in the Russian fortification, where the rift and deep disagreement instantly flares up especially between the beloved daughter and her father, concerning the cruel Russian treatment of the Circassians in that war.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524573003

Kadir I. Natho

Kadir I. Natho was born in 1927 in Hatramtook, Anapa region, Caucasus. He became a refugee in 1943; survived World War II, escaped the First and Second Forced Repatriations to the Soviet Union in 1945 and 1947 from Austria and Italy, respectively; lived in various European countries; and moved to Jordan in 1948. He emigrated from Amman to the United States in 1956 and settled in New York City in 1959. He graduated from the School of American Journalism and Henry George School of Social Science (science of political economy), studied English literature, and took writing courses. His short stories were translated into Turkish and published in Kuzey Kafkasya, one of which was included in the Anthology of the Short Stories of the Caucasus in Turkey. He published a collection of his short stories, Old and New Tales of the Caucasus, in 1969, and a novel, Nicholas and Nadiusha, in 1978, which was translated and published in Russian and Circassian, in Maikop in 1992 and 1993 under the titles of Otchuzhdionyie and Tsif Lyiekher (Outcasts). A part of this novel was also translated in Kabardian and published in a series in the newspaper Adyghe Psale and in the literary magazine Oshhamakho (Elbrus) in 2007 and was included in the Selections of Literature for Reading for eleventh graders in 2013. He wrote a three-act play, Medea, in Circassian, for the State Theater of the Republic of Adyghe, the premiere of which was held in Maikop on April 28–29, 2009, which was well received even by the Russians. It was performed again and again in Maikop, Krasnodar, Nalchik, and Moscow and received first prize in the North Caucasian Drama Festival in Maikop. His Old and New Tales of the Caucasus was included in the student literature of the State University of Adyghey in 2007. He published Circassian History in 2009, which was translated in Turkish, Arabic, and Russian and published in Maikop, Republic of Adyghey; Ankara, Turkey; and in Amman, Jordan, and was translated in Kabardian, in Cherkessk in 2014. He published Memoirs in 2010, which was published in Turkish in Turkey in May 2014 and translated in Russian in Maikop. He translated and published Adighe Khabze, Custom and Traditions, by Professor Seraby Mafedzev and published Grand Abduction in 2017, based on the fact that Circassians had abducted the daughter of General Zass during the Russo-Caucassian War (1786–1864) and now has submitted for publishing the translation of the first volume of History of Adyghe Literature. He acquired G. A. Press in New York City, and, in the 1960s, published for years books and periodicals for Russian and Ukrainian authors and organizations, and his own bilingual magazine, the Circassian Star, in English and Circassian, in order to disseminate Circassian history, culture, and folklore and to revive the national consciousness of the Circassian diaspora. He devoted his time and energy to helping the Circassian community in the United States; was chairman of the Permanent Council of the Circassian Benevolent Association in Wayne, New Jersey (1987–1991); was president of the CBA (1991–1998); and was a delegate of the CBA in the Congress of the International Circassian Association in Nalchik (1991 and 2000), in Maikop (1993), in Cherkessk (1996), and in Krasnodar (1998). He organized the Institute of Circassian Studies as a branch of the CBA for the study of Circassian history, culture, and folklore and translated the books Heroic Epos, NARTS and Its Genesis, by Asker Gadagatl.

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Copyright © 2017 by Kadir I. Natho.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016921501

ISBN:      Hardcover   978-1-5245-7302-7

                Softcover     978-1-5245-7301-0

                eBook           978-1-5245-7300-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Rev. date: 12/31/2016

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Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

THE ATALIQ AND HIS QAN

THE CONCEPTION OF THE IDEA

THE ADVICE OF THE ATALIQ

UBIKH ALETSOOK MEETS THE HERO ELDERS

Chapter Two

THREE ADYGHES SET OUT TO PROCHNI-OKOP

Chapter Three

THE DAUGHTER OF GENERAL ZASS AMONG THE ADYGHES

MESSENGER FROM GENERAL ZASS

THE FIRST INVITATION OF THE BEAUTIFUL GUEST

THE FEAST OF WELCOME

THE FEAST, DANCES, AND GAMES

Horse Race

Shooting Hard-Boiled Eggs And Picking Up Hazelnuts

Taking The Flag

THE CAPTIVATING BEAUTIFUL GUEST

KATERINA BACK WITH THE YESHEQOS

GOSHSIME, KATERINA, AND HER COMPANIONS

Chapter Four

THE DECISION OF TAKING KATERINA FROM GOSHSIME

TAKING BACK HIS BELOVED DAUGHTER TO GENERAL ZASS

KATERINA AND HER PARENTS BACK HOME

This book is based on the Circassian abduction of the daughter of General Zass during the Russo-Circassian War (1763–1864).

I dedicate this book

to all the Circassian patriots,

who sacrificed their lives defending

their people, freedom, and country.

Prologue

Most of interesting stories become legends in time. So did the story of this incredible Grand Abduction, which is still vivid in Adyghe¹ (Circassian) folklore. One hundred fifty years has passed since the day this heroic feat was accomplished during the Russo-Caucasian War, which was fought from 1763 to 1864.

Thanks to the exemplary bravery of the sons of this small nation and their ardent love for their freedom and country they had fired the imagination of the best minds of the world by their exemplary heroic resistance of the frenzied colonization aggression of the gigantic war machine of the Tsarist Imperial Russia for a whole century with an unmatched stamina and heroism in the annals of history! It would be well to note here that the distant ancestors of these brave men had gained their mettle, stamina, military prowess, and valor through resisting for centuries ceaseless incursions of Sumerians, Schythians, Avars, Huns, Mongols and, later on, of the Roman, Byzantine, and other great empires of the world.

The idea of this Grand Abduction was conceived by Ubikh Aletsook who has carried it out with the help of two renowned Circassian veteran heroes, Khirtsizhiqo² Ale and, his good old friend, Inaliqo Shogenizh.

According to legend, the main purpose for this dangerous mission was to punish General Zass for cutting off the heads of the Circassians and hanging them on long poles in his Prochni-Okop fortification and to let him and all the Russians know that Circassians are not savages as they portrayed them to be to the civilized world.

Chapter One

THE ATALIQ AND HIS QAN

Prince Aletsook Berzeg was the son of the distinguished Prince Tamby Berzeg, the legendary leader of the Ubikhs, one of Adyghe tribes. This dashing young hero, whom his people fondly called later Ubikh Aletsook, was, from the first days of his infancy, given for upbringing to his Atalyq,³ Sheretliqo Tighuzhiqo Qizbek.

The honor of becoming an Ataliq was not bestowed easily on anyone in those days. Tighuzhiqo Qizbek had earned it by becoming by that time distinguished national hero, the dread of Russian fortifications and prominent champion of Adyghe Khabze⁴ not only of the Natkhuagia tribe but also of the entire Circassian nation.

The rigid methods of upbringing of Tighuzhiqo Qizbek had developed Ubikh Aletsook by the age of eighteen into a strong, agile, and cunning warrior, superb equestrian and, above all, a highly respectable upright and eloquent man with a great sense of personal pride and self-respect. This outstanding Ataliq did not only give rigid physical and moral training to his Qan⁵ but also introduced him to influential people in Circassia and neighboring countries, took him to attend national meetings, to listen, to speak and to participate in discussions and arguments until he became eloquent young man, well able to present his case, argue, persuade and to convince people.

When he was sixteen years of age, his Atalyq purchased for him a black Sholokh stallion, the best breed of Adyghe horses, and helped him train it to enter fearlessly in battle and attack the enemy, not to accept or obey any other person, and never to leave his master helplessly in any situation.

When Tighuzhiqo Qizbek was satisfied that he has developed his Qan into powerful athlete, perfect in manners, bearing and conduct, and an accomplished master in handling his weapons and horse, he took him back to his parents with full Circassian traditional ceremony, dressed in white Adyghe tsey,⁶ golden Astrakhan hat, red Morocco boots, armed with dagger, sword, two pistols and a rifle in the manner of light Circassian Cavalry, mounted on the black Sholokh stallion and accompanied by two hundred festively dressed Adyghe mounted escort, taking with him expensive presents for the parents of his qan.

Prince Tamby Berzeg, the father of this young prince, who was informed about the event, without showing undue filial affection or anxiety as befitted his name and station, welcomed them with pompous feast, dances, horse races and other entertainments that lasted for three days. And everyone who saw young Prince Aletsook Berzeg, erect, tall, with slim waist and powerful broad shoulders, could not help being absolutely fascinated by the impressive stature and beauty of this young Ubikh prince.

THE CONCEPTION OF THE IDEA

Shortly after Tighuzhiqo Qizbek returned home in his Natkhuagia, he began fighting more actively the Russian armed forces and Cossack regiments in his country. His qan, Ubikh Aletsook, lived home for a while, pampered by his parents, relatives and everyone who visited them. He soon began to spend his evenings in their family hachesh,⁷ listening with pleasure to stories, legends, and heroic songs, which were being related by some famous Geguakos⁸ and some men. He learned here to enjoy watching men conducting themselves with great propriety, learning the history of his people, the names of national heroes and their heroic feats.

Gradually, however, the sedentary life began to bore him and began to long for the active life to which he was used from infancy. Moreover, he learned more in this hachesh about the crimes and atrocities the invading Russian and Cossack armed forces were committing in his country. People spoke day and night about the so-called Expeditionary Punitive Russian Armed Forces that kept suddenly attacking villages at early dawn, robbing and massacring their inhabitants, setting fire on these villages and driving away all their cattle with Adyghe men, women, and children they could catch alive. He also kept hearing that certain cruel Russian general by the name of Zass, whom Adyghes branded Black Devil, was cutting off the heads of the Adyghes, whom he killed, hung them on long poles and kept them in Prochni-Okop fortification in which he resided! This and the fact that Russians called Adyghes savages stunned him completely and developed the idea of taking his revenge on this general for his cruelty.

Accordingly, he began learning more about the life of this cruel Russian general, thinking how best he can take his revenge on him and found out that he has one single daughter whom he loved more than his own life and decided abducting her would be the cruelest punishment he can inflict on him. He finally disclosed this idea to some of his friends but not one of them dared to take with him the risk of the venture. To his great surprise and dismay, they all told him the same thing: It simply cannot be done! To try it would be vain suicide!

This reaction of his friends had disappointed him strongly. Nevertheless, he could not help thinking about the idea, about the difficulties involved in carrying it out, feeling strongly that he had to do it somehow, but well aware he could not do it by himself . . . Gradually, he began to feel guilty for staying home and leading sedentary life, for not doing anything against the enemy that is ravaging his country and finally joined his Ataliq, Tuguzhiqo Qizbek, and became his right hand in defending his people from the invading Russian and Cossack armed forces.

They tirelessly fought side by side against invading Russian armed forces from day to day and frequently conducted raids on Russian fortifications, which were built in the land of the Circassians. In all these battles and encounters, he was always very careful never to overdo his valiant Ataliq but soon he became widely known for his unmatched bravery, power, and swift meteoric action in every battle. As a result, the deep mutual respect, love, and strong bond between Ubikh Aletsook and his distinguished Ataliq grew from day to day and from year to year.

THE ADVICE OF THE ATALIQ

Tighuzhiqo Qizbek, with his mounted Circassian men, raided Varenikovsky Fortification in the spring of 1850. They had practically routed the armed forces of General Babich when Tsitsianov arrived with strong reinforcement and surrounded Circassians in order to rescue the Russian armed forces. The battle became heated, glittering swords clashing, rifles, pistols, and cannons firing and exploding. Greatly outnumbered, Adyghe mounted men offered fierce resistance to the enemy. In the heat of this action, Ubikh Aletsook saw that ten Cossack horsemen had attacked three Circassian mounted men, flew at the Cossacks with frightful roar and cut them down. Having just rescued those mounted men, he saw that his Ataliq was defending himself desperately from four Cossack horsemen. So he swerved around his steed, darted furiously to rescue his Ataliq, knocked down one Cossack horseman with the breast of his black stallion and cut down the other. Tighuzhiqo Qizbek himself slew one of the Cossacks, despite the fact that he was heavily wounded on his left arm. The last Cossack, seeing the fate of his companions, turned around and fled.

Ubikh Aletsook tied the wound of his Ataliq, brought him home and nursed him for two weeks with his foster mother. The wound was healing well and fast and he began to walk again and to take care of himself although his entire body was covered with marks of similar old