The epic of Er-Tostuk is the story of one of the legendary heroes of the Turks. Er-Tostuk is a powerful and the only humble hero in history who killed the dragon.
It is one of the oldest Turkish Epics where , the ancestor of Er-Tostuk İlemen Clan, takes place. The birth and growth of Er-Tostuk takes place in a legendary way. He says "mother" two days after birth and "father" six days later.
The name of Er-Tostuk is given by a person with a white beard who suddenly appeared. Er-Tostuk, who is of marriage age, marries Kenceke-Hatun. He fights with Urum and the Crimean Khans, after a great loss and decides to live a quiet life with his children, one day he sets out to hunt. One day, Er-Tostuk sets out to hunt. While chasing a gazelle, he sees his little baby just at the beginning of the water when he shoots his arrow. And he doesn't hunt the gazelle. Meanwhile, a cloud of fog appears in the forest. This cloud does not pass for weeks. It takes tens of days as if living in a lost world. Finally, when the clouds begin to clear, he sees a tall tree in the distance. It comes next to the big tree in the middle of the fog, whose peak touches the sky.
The cubs tell their mothers that Er-Tostuk killed the dragon. Thereupon, the eagle tells Er-Tostuk that "ask me whatever you wish." Er-Tostuk does not want anything. He tells that he is doing it to help the offspring in trouble Phoenix insists. Er-Tostuk does not want anything again. When the phoenix asks the third time, he asks for something courtesy so as not to turn the bird back.
- He says "take me home with my children and wife." Er-Tostuk is very surprised. Ask for kingdom, country, territory, whatever you want from me. He says "I will give you whatever you want. You are a hero who killed the cruel Dragon. You want to go home to your children or your spouse." In surprise, the bird takes Er-Tostuk on his back and the journey begins. Taking forty rams and forty overalls of water with them they set out.
However, during the journey, all the food was consumed, and Er-Tostuk cut off a part of the left side of his abdomen and gave it to the Phoenix bird, took out his eye and fed it to the bird, and finally the skies opened and they reached the earth. The bird swallows Er-Tostuk again and returns to Mount Kaf after returning as a perfectly healthy young man. Finally reaching his home, Er-Tostuk goes to his wife Kenceke-Hatun. Although Kenceke-Hatun does not know him first, he later realizes that this young man is Er-Tostuk and is very happy and they live a happy life together.
The only hero who kills the dragon, Er-Tostuk, is a trait that no hero has as much humility as a hero. This story has been envied by all mighty Turkish Emperors. Because of this distinctive feature, it is the character that Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Dynasty is also adored. For this reason, he carved a picture of the Dragon and Phoenix in the story on his wedge, which he never took away from. This knife is now one of the most important treasures of Topkapı Palace. This embroidery symbolizes the story of the great Turkish hero who killed only Ejerha in history. He inspires Turkish leaders with his humble personality as much as a Hero. The epic is a guide and symbolizes the story of a humble personality... (Great success awaits a just and powerful ruler on the horizon).
