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.
The Book of Dede Korkut, one of the great monuments of medieval Turkic literature, is a collection of epic tales that were passed down orally before being written down toward the end of the Middle Ages. Most of the work consists of twelve tales of battles, adventures, and family honour, all linked by the presence of Dede Korkut (“Grandfather Korkut”).
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.
2. When a man has wealth as massive as the black mountain, he piles it up and gathers it in and seeks more, but he can eat no more than his portion.
3. Though the rivers rage and overflow, the sea is not filled.
4. The black donkey does not become a mule by wearing a bridle. A slave woman does not become a lady by putting on expensive clothes.
5. Though the snow falls in huge flakes it does not last till summer; the fleecy green grass does not last till autumn.
6. Worn cotton does not become cloth; the old enemy does not become a friend.
7. Distances cannot be covered without spurring the horse. The opponent will not retire in defeat unless the steel sword is drawn.
8. Fame cannot be gained without generosity.
9. A daughter does not take advice except from her mother’s example; a son does not become hospitable except from his father’s example.
Opening folio of a 16th-century manuscript of The Book of Dede Korkut – Kitab-i Dedem Korkut – Mscr.Dresd.Ea.86
10. A son is all a father needs; he is one of his two eyes.
11, If a man has a lucky son he is an arrow in his quiver; if he has an unlucky son he is a cinder on his hearth.
12. For the brave, a stick is as good as a sword and an arrow.
13. Grass that is no good for the horse might better never grow. Bitter waters that are no good for man might better not spring.
14. The lake cannot be a hill, the son-in-law cannot be a son.
15. Dark homes unfrequented by visitors might better fall down.
The sayings of the Book of Dede Korkut capture the values of a medieval steppe society where faith, bravery, and honour were central to life. For the nomadic Oghuz Turks, these short lessons carried as much weight as the epic tales themselves, guiding warriors and families alike. Centuries later, their words still echo with clarity, reminding us how medieval peoples of the steppe understood the fragility of fortune and the importance of living with courage and integrity.
These sayings were taken from two translations of the Book of Dede Korkut – The Book of Dede Korkut: A Turkish Epic, translated by Faruk Sumer, Ahmet E. Uysal and Warren S. Walker, and the Penguin Classics’ version, The Book of Dede Korkut, translated by Geoffrey Lewis.
Top Image: Steppe warriors in battle – Bibliothèque nationale de France, Supplément Persan 1443 f.10v
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.
The Book of Dede Korkut, one of the great monuments of medieval Turkic literature, is a collection of epic tales that were passed down orally before being written down toward the end of the Middle Ages. Most of the work consists of twelve tales of battles, adventures, and family honour, all linked by the presence of Dede Korkut (“Grandfather Korkut”).
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.
2. When a man has wealth as massive as the black mountain, he piles it up and gathers it in and seeks more, but he can eat no more than his portion.
3. Though the rivers rage and overflow, the sea is not filled.
4. The black donkey does not become a mule by wearing a bridle. A slave woman does not become a lady by putting on expensive clothes.
5. Though the snow falls in huge flakes it does not last till summer; the fleecy green grass does not last till autumn.
6. Worn cotton does not become cloth; the old enemy does not become a friend.
7. Distances cannot be covered without spurring the horse. The opponent will not retire in defeat unless the steel sword is drawn.
8. Fame cannot be gained without generosity.
9. A daughter does not take advice except from her mother’s example; a son does not become hospitable except from his father’s example.
10. A son is all a father needs; he is one of his two eyes.
11, If a man has a lucky son he is an arrow in his quiver; if he has an unlucky son he is a cinder on his hearth.
12. For the brave, a stick is as good as a sword and an arrow.
13. Grass that is no good for the horse might better never grow. Bitter waters that are no good for man might better not spring.
14. The lake cannot be a hill, the son-in-law cannot be a son.
15. Dark homes unfrequented by visitors might better fall down.
The sayings of the Book of Dede Korkut capture the values of a medieval steppe society where faith, bravery, and honour were central to life. For the nomadic Oghuz Turks, these short lessons carried as much weight as the epic tales themselves, guiding warriors and families alike. Centuries later, their words still echo with clarity, reminding us how medieval peoples of the steppe understood the fragility of fortune and the importance of living with courage and integrity.
These sayings were taken from two translations of the Book of Dede Korkut – The Book of Dede Korkut: A Turkish Epic, translated by Faruk Sumer, Ahmet E. Uysal and Warren S. Walker, and the Penguin Classics’ version, The Book of Dede Korkut, translated by Geoffrey Lewis.
Top Image: Steppe warriors in battle – Bibliothèque nationale de France, Supplément Persan 1443 f.10v
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