In her dream, Selenga found herself standing on a vast, endless steppe. The landscape stretched in every direction—green and golden grasslands beneath a clear sky. A cool, clean wind swept across the plains.
In the distance, two enormous stone monuments rose from the earth, their shadows stretching long across the ground.
As Selenga drew closer, she noticed strange letters carved into the stones. The script looked unfamiliar, yet somehow it seemed to speak to her.
The Words of Bilge Khan
An elderly man with a white beard appeared beside her, holding a thin reed in his hand.
“What do these stones say?” Selenga asked.
The man smiled gently. “These are the words of Bilge Khan.”
“Who was Bilge Khan?”
“A great ruler of the Göktürk Empire, who lived in the eighth century. When his brother Kültigen died, he ordered these monuments built in his memory. And on these stones, he had his most important messages carved for his people.”
“What messages?”
The old man traced his finger along the carved letters. "He tells his people: 'If you were hungry, you shall be fed. If you were naked, you shall be clothed. If you were small, you shall grow strong.' Then he warns them: 'Do not be deceived by foreigners. Follow your own wisdom.'"
The First Turkish Writing
“Is this written in Turkish?” Selenga asked.
“Ancient Turkish,” the man replied. “And it is very important.”
“Why?”
“Because these are the oldest known writings in the Turkish language, created by Turks themselves. We call them the Orhun Inscriptions.”
Selenga studied the letters carefully. They had their own unique style—angular, upright, and strong.
“Who created these letters?” she wondered.
"The Turks developed them themselves. But over the centuries, the script was forgotten. It wasn't until 1893 that a Danish scholar named Vilhelm Thomsen finally deciphered them."
“A foreigner solved our own ancient writing?”
"Yes. And that's when the Turkish people rediscovered their own script."
Selenga's Name
“How would you write my name in these letters?” Selenga asked.
The man thought for a moment, then took a carved tool and pressed it into a small piece of clay. The letters appeared separately, each one distinct and clear.
He handed the clay to Selenga.
There it was—her own name, written in an alphabet she had never seen before.
“Your name in the Orhun script,” the man said. “These letters are the first voice of the Turkish people.”
Selenga held the small piece of clay carefully. Her name was written there, in letters that were over 1,300 years old.
The River
Selenga looked around at the endless steppe. Rolling hills stretched to the horizon, and in the distance, a river gleamed in the sunlight.
“What is that river called?” she asked.
“The Selenga River,” the man answered.
Selenga turned to him in surprise. “What?”
“The Selenga River. It flows from Mongolia into Siberia and is mentioned in many ancient Turkish and Mongol texts.”
Selenga gazed at the river in wonder.
A river that shared her name.
“So I come from this place?” she whispered.
“Your name comes from these lands. It carries a voice that is thousands of years old.”
Waking Up
Selenga woke to find a book beside her bed. She picked up her pen and wrote on a piece of paper:
“Selenga. Orhun. Göktürks.”
She called out to her father. “Dad! Where are the Orhun Monuments?”
“In Mongolia,” he answered from the other room.
“Can we visit them someday?”
There was a long pause.
“One day,” her father said. “One day we will.”
What We Learned
1. The Orhun Inscriptions are the oldest known written records created by Turks in their own language, dating back to the eighth century during the Göktürk Empire.
2. These stone monuments were commissioned by Bilge Khan in memory of his brother Kültigen and contain important messages about leadership, prosperity, and national pride.
3. The Orhun script features distinctive angular letters and represents a unique achievement in the history of writing. Today, it is recognized by UNESCO as an important cultural heritage.
4. The inscriptions were deciphered in 1893 by Danish linguist Vilhelm Thomsen, allowing the world to read these ancient Turkish words once again.
5. The Selenga River is a real river that flows from Mongolia into Siberia and held significant importance in ancient Türk and Mongol geography and culture.
Questions to Discuss with Your Child
1. How would you feel if you discovered that your name appeared in an ancient river or place from thousands of years ago?
2. Why do you think it's important for people to have their own written language?
3. If a piece of writing can last over 1,300 years, what message would you want to carve in stone for people to read in the future?