Most of the learned agree that Japhet was a prophet. He had nine sons, Toork, Hirz, Suklub,* Roos,* Munsuk, Cheen,* Komari, Kymul and Mazukh; some say he had but eight sons, and that Komari and Kymul are one.
The sons and descendants of Noah lived together at Babul, until they became incommoded by their increasing numbers; and it is related that one night God confused their speech, and gave every tribe a different language, and that when they found they could not understand each other, they separated.
It is said that Noah divided the earth into three parts. From the east to the west, the country lying immediately to the north of the equinoctial line, the inhabited islands to the south of that line, which islands are situated between the seas of Hind and China, and the part of the world denominated Habesh, were given to Ham.
The country from the sea of China to the Fortunate islands,* which is the third part of the third region or climate in longitude, and the third part of the fifth climate, or the centre of the inhabited world, were given to Sham or Shem.
The territory from the sea of China to the mountains of Kamroon, from the White mountains to the boundary of Russia, and from the third remaining part of the fifth climate, to the darkness of the pole, was given to Japhet.*
The whole earth was peopled from these three sons of Noah, and it is related that, because the countries of Tooraun and Toorkistan fell into the share of Japhet, he is therefore called the father of the Toorks; and as the countries of Iran, Ajem, and Ahwauz, were allotted to Shem, for that reason he is called the father of Ajem. Hindoostan and Africa also being allotted to Ham, he is called the father of Hind. Japhet, being the eldest son of Noah, inherited the gift of prophecy, and as this book relates to his descendants only, no further mention will be made of his brethren.
Japhet, when he separated from Noah, went to the east. On his quitting his father, he requested him to teach him a prayer to God, to obtain rain when it should be required, Noah taught him the name of God, and traced the all-powerful characters of God’s name on a stone which he gave to Japhet; and to this day the Turks possess a stone which is said to cause rain to fall when it is required: this stone is called Jideltáshe and Sangí Yedeh, and by the Arabs Hajar-ul-matar. Similar stones are found in the bodies of different animals. It is said that this secret was disclosed to Noah by Gabriel, and that he was instructed, when he wanted rain, to repeat the name of God, to breathe on the stone, and throw it in water, and rain would then fall. When Japhet died, his younger sons elected Toork, the eldest, to supply his place.