The savage Grey-eyed Men from whom he sprung -- 
The fighting Bourchikoun by minstrels sung --
On ev'ry daring dead of theirs he hung;
And loved to hear of Kabul Khan, the feared, 
Who died because he dared, one long-gone day, 
In anger and in scorn, to pull the beard
Of some forgotten emp'ror of Cathay.
He learned that Toghrul, Kara'it Khan, was bound
By oath in friendship to his sire and knew
That when he came to rule this might redound
In benefit to him, for friends are few
Where life is hard and pasture scant and jinn
About to turn the hearts of one's own kin --
And thus the childish thoughts of Timujin.

While Timujin was held by love's sweet sway
Yesukai, smiling grimly, rode away, 
The bargain made against the wedding day.
But all too brief this happy interlude -- 
Already Fate had cast him on the stream.
A Mongol warrior brought the summons rude,
On lathered mount, that woke him from his dream
And, still half child half man, proclaimed him king.
"Yesukai, poisoned, dying sends for  you!
"That," cried the warrior, "is the word I bring."
Tight lipped, the man-child mounted then and flew
Across the desert to his father's side,
Nor spared himself nor horse upon that ride,
Yet ere he came the Yakka Khan had died.