There once lived a poor young man with his mother. His name was Usub. He was a handsome lad, but none of the lasses wanted to marry him. And one day he got his friends together and told them:
"Hey, old mates, there is no girl in our village who wants to marry me, because I am poor. I have the only way to get out of this lousy situation: to go to another village and bring a bride to my house by deception."
His friends readily agreed to help him. Usub borrowed suitable clothing from his fellows, mounted a black horse and set off to the village of Gasnee, together with his six mates. The friends learned on their way, that one substantial farmer from that village - Agha - had a young daughter of striking beauty. She was also clever with her needle. Even the son of wealthy parents could only dream of such a wife...
Before they entered the village, Usub turned to his friends and said:
"I'm going to visit Agha and to spend the night in his house. You have to stay the night in the nearest gorge. And in the morning, let one of you come to me galloping on the horse and say: `Usub-agha, your people with your herds arrived at the foot of Mount Alaghyaz. We await your order, where to stop over.' And in the evening, let the second friend come to me and say: `Usub-agha, we brought your herds to the hillsides of Alaghyaz.' The next morning, the third fellow should also say something like this - in order to exalt me. And each of you should come to me with his report in due time."
Then Usub found the house of Agha and came in to visit him, but the host did not know who the guest was and he hated to ask him about it. Till late at night Usub spoke to the master about this and that. Agha treated him with decorum and finally invited the guest to stay at his house. The young man spent the night in a large room on a soft bed.
Early in the morning, one friend of Usub began to ask villagers, where Usub-agha had stopped. A local peasant told him:
"There was a guest to our Agha, but we don't know his name and who he is."
The friend of Usub came to the house of Agha. He said hello to the master and bowed at the feet of Usub:
"Peace be with you, Usub-agha! The folks have nomadized to Mount Alaghyaz. Thank God, all is going strong. We are waiting for your command, where to set up our encampment."
Agha became convinced that his guest was "out of the top drawer" and immediately ordered to kill two sheep. Then he convened the rich villagers and gave a feast. In less than an hour, there came the second fellow. He bowed down before Usub-agha:
"May your shadow never grow less! Your father sent me to tell you, that we have already moved half of the flock of sheep to another pasture. Thank God, everything is running smoothly."
The generous master entertained the fellow with dignity and respect and let him go with God's blessing. In the evening, there came galloping the third friend of Usub-agha and reported about his herd of horses. The next morning, three more friends of Usub came to him, bowing at his feet, and reported that everything is under control at his homestead and all is well in his house. The whole village was intrigued, wondering at the wealth of Usub-agha.
Meanwhile Usub had grown to love the daughter of Agha. The old master delayed the guest's departure for a few days. And Usub had enough time to talk to the attractive lass. He got to know her, and she then consented to marry him. In the evening, Usub called her mother and said quietly:
"Mother, I have a secret. You know that I am Agha, and my wealth is so considerable that it is impossible to count it. However, I have committed a great sin - I disgraced your daughter. I love her and I'm not going to reject her. But now the wedding cannot take place, because you know our customs: it's a shame - to bring a woman to the house instead of a virgin. Let me take her away secretly, in the night."
"What can I do? I would be glad if my daughter was not dishonoured. But all is in the hands of the Almighty! Have it your own way, my son." - replied the frustrated woman.
At night she packed up belongings of her daughter and said goodbye to her with tears in her eyes. Usub and his chosen one mounted their horses and rode away. Usub brought his bride to his house, and only then she learned with horror that Usub-Agha was poor and needy. But what could she do under these circumstances? She had to roll up her sleeves and get to work.
Meanwhile her mother spent the time thinking about her and her unhappy fate. One day, she said to her husband, Agha:
"Father, you know, Usub-agha had taken our daughter without your permission. We know nothing about her! Go and take the bride price from her husband, and pay a visit to the young couple at the same time."
The next morning Agha went on a journey. After a while, he found the right village and asked a shepherd, coming towards him:
"Peace be unto you, good man! Tell me, for the sake of the Almighty, where is the house of Usub-agha?" The shepherd was very surprised and replied:
"Dear, I have been living here for ages, but for the first time I hear that Usub-agha is living in this village."
"Why don't you know him? He had recently stolen a girl from the clan of Gasnee!" The shepherd chuckled and pushed his fellow to the side:
"Yea, this is Usub the poor, who deceived a father and took his daughter away!"
Only then Agha realized how badly he was "bought and sold"! But what could he do with it? He could not turn back the clock and could not return without seeing his daughter. Thus he came to the house of Usub and took a good look round the house. He understood that his daughter and his son-in-law lived in poverty, but God had already sent them a son! Agha was happy to see his grandson and therefore was not so angry.
His daughter and Usub were overjoyed to see their father and marshalled him to the seat of honour. Agha tasted the lamb pilaf, cooked by his daughter, and invited Usub to sit down next to him.
"Well, bandit, you got stuff in you, if you managed to take my daughter by trick! But tell me, for the sake of God, why hadn't you come to me?" - asked Agha his son-in-law.
"Father, I am already grateful for your kindness, that you have not been asking the bride price for your daughter." - replied the young man. - "The Almighty had given us a son, and there is no end to our joy!"
For a few more days, Agha had been visiting his son-in-law, and then he returned home with a quiet conscience.
And for a long time after that, the villagers remembered Usub the poor who married the daughter of Agha.
![The Tale of Usub, Who Was Getting Married [Славянский Владимир Владимирович]](/img/s/slawjanskij_wladimir_wladimirowich/thetaleofusubwhowasgettingmarried/thetaleofusubwhowasgettingmarried-1.jpg)