"The medieval steppe was a world of horsemen, warriors, and poets, where the values of loyalty, courage, and hospitality defined life. Among the Oghuz Turks - nomadic peoples who roamed Central Asia - these ideals were preserved in the Book of Dede Korkut, a collection of epic tales passed down through generations. Attributed to the bard and elder Dede Korkut himself, these sayings offer a glimpse into the mindset of medieval nomadic warriors and the lessons they believed worth remembering."
"A thirteenth section - which may have been placed either at the beginning or the end of the work - departs from narrative and instead offers the wisdom of Dede Korkut himself in a series of concise sayings and pieces of advice. Here are fifteen of our favourites: 1. Unless one calls on God, no work prospers; unless God grants, no man grows rich."
The Book of Dede Korkut preserves Oghuz Turkic values through epic tales and concise sayings. Twelve linked narratives recount battles, adventures, and family honour centered on heroic figures. A thirteenth section departs from narrative form to present aphorisms and practical maxims attributed to Dede Korkut. The sayings emphasize reliance on God, the limits and transience of wealth, the permanence of enmity, the necessity of decisive action in conflict, the link between generosity and fame, and the formative role of parental example for children. The collection reflects the moral code and social priorities of medieval nomadic life.
Read at Medievalists.net
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