Chapter 160: Chapter 37 Batron Festival_1
Yan Shi stood up. Despite being sturdy, the member of the Tubari tribe was much shorter than him. Seeing Yan Shi, the man instinctively took a step back. Yan Shi asked, "Brother, we’re just passing by. Where did all the people here go? Are they out pasturing?"
Now recovered from his initial shock, the Tubari tribesman grinned and explained, "Today isn’t a day for herding. Are you not aware? Today is our Batron Festival. The festival’s about to start so all the people have gone to celebrate. Our tribe, along with a few other nearby ones, have gathered on the other side. I just came back to get something else you wouldn’t have found anyone. The celebration is about to begin. Do you outsiders want to join us? It’s going to be quite lively."
The group gathered around and Ah Dai asked, "Elder brother, what does the Batron Festival mean?"
The man replied, "You don’t even know that? Batron, in our Tubari tribe’s ancient language, means warrior. So, the festival is also known as the Festival of Warriors. Each tribe will select their warriors to partake in today’s celebration. I better hurry along now. The Batron Festival is held annually and is one of our tribe’s most important festivals."
Xuan Yue said excitedly, "Let’s go, let’s go. We want to see too. Please take us with you."
At the sight of Xuan Yue’s beautiful face, the Tubari man’s eyes lit up. He praised, "What a beautiful young girl you are! My name is Tubari. We welcome you all to our festival."
Yan Shi and Yan Li exchanged glances. They had heard that the Tubari tribe’s Batron Festival was interesting and the biggest celebration of the Tubari tribe. Now that they had the chance to witness it and they wanted to buy horses from the Tubari people, they asked, "Elder brother, could you please guide us? We outsiders hope not to cause any trouble at your celebration."
Tubari laughed heartily and said, "How could you be a problem? We Tubari people love making friends. By being here, you are our friends." Suddenly, the low sound of a horn echoed from the distance. Tubari quickly prompted them, "We need to hurry. The festival is about to start." With that, he gestured for them to follow him quickly towards the east.
The group exchanged glances and hurriedly followed. Xuan Yue was the most excited, her eyes filled with curiosity for the new adventure awaiting.
Following Tubari through the herd of sheep and cattle, they suddenly saw a spectacular sight. The oasis was on a higher ground, so they hadn’t been able to see it before. Now, they could see Tubari tribespeople covering the landscape. They were divided into three large groups, dressed simply. Many of the Tubari youths were bare-chested, constantly shouting in excitement. Most were astride tall horses, their faces beaming with joy. In the middle of the Tubari crowd was a large open space with several bonfires, each roasting either a whole cow or sheep. The aroma of the meat wafted over, stimulating the appetites of Ah Dai and the others.
Tubari explained, "Come on, let’s go. It’s about to start. I’m from the Northern Tribe, situated over there in the north. The other two are the Southern Tribe and the Eastern Tribe. While our three tribes aren’t the strongest among the Tubari tribes, our strong bonds and control of the oasis make life here comfortable. With that, he led them to the Tubari people in the north. Seeing the newcomers, the tribe members greeted them with simple smiles and gestures of welcome.
The sound of the horn blared, and the tens of thousands of Tubari people fell silent. From the north, east, and south, fast horses emerged, racing towards the center of the field. At the moments before collision, the riders pulled their reins, the horses rearing up simultaneously with a loud neigh. Their impressive horsemanship was a sight to behold. Ah Dai thought to himself, no wonder the Tubari cavalry is so renowned.
Yan Li was eager to give it a try. Among his tribe, he was well-known for his horse riding skills. Seeing the Tubari tribesmen who were adept in horsemanship, he was itching to join.
The three groups of horsemen gathered in the center of the field, surrounded by cheering tribespeople. The atmosphere was extremely lively. The leaders of the three groups, all hearty men in their forties, raised their swords, chanting something with their riders.
After a while, the chanting ceased, and the leader from the north shouted loudly, "Brothers and sisters, today is our annual Batron Festival, the day our warriors are born. We, the Tubari people, have gained many new warriors over the past year..."
Tubari explained to the four of them, "That man is the chieftain of our tribe, the strongest among the three tribes. The Batron festival is divided into two parts: various competitions followed by a big feast. Only on this day do Tubari people not work or herd; everyone can enjoy themselves. The prior competitions mainly consist of horsemanship, wrestling, and archery. Are you interested in participating?"
