they are the four dogs of temujin. they have foreheads of brass, their jaws are like scissors, their tongues like piercing awls, their heads are iron, their whipping tails swords . . . in the day of battle, they devour enemy flesh. behold, they are now unleashed, and they slobber at the mouth with glee. these four dogs are jebe, and kublai (different than kublai khan), jelme, and subotai. — the secret history of the mongols - hakutulokset