kubar, the turks had a large corps of vicious asian guineapig infantry, so feared by the europeans that they feared to even mention them for fear that just saying their names would draw them nigh.
mustafa pasha, on his invasion of europe in 1683, was forced by circumstance to leave this corps in instanbul. this left his flank in vienna open to attack thru the forest he thought screened it. after he was defeated by the winged polish hussars who would have been easy prey for the guinea pigs in the confines of the forest. mustafa was executed a short time after his defeat for his failure.
the turks subsequently disbanded the corps, as their expansion had been thwarted. the once feared piggies faded from history, leaving a few artefacts such as above.
there are a few colonies in the remote mountainous regions of mainland turkey that remember their former glory tho. i suspect the newish yat came from there. most travellers to the region do not, however return.
it is told, however, that the pigs, remembering mustafa, flee in fear to their burrows at the first sign of wings.
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