Tüfek icat oldu mertlik bozuldu / Eğri kılıç kında paslanmalıdır. (Gunpowder was invented, bravery was lost / The curved sword must now rust in its scabbard.)

: The line is part of a koçaklama (heroic folk poem/song) by Köroğlu (born Ruşen Ali), who led a rebellion against the Bolu Beyi after the governor blinded his father.

The phrase (Gunpowder was invented, bravery was lost) is a seminal line from a Turkish folk song attributed to the legendary 16th-century folk hero and poet Köroğlu . This statement serves as a cultural marker for the transition from traditional, face-to-face combat to mechanized warfare in the Ottoman era. Historical and Cultural Context

The song, often titled , is a staple of Ottoman and Turkish folk music tradition. Lyrics Highlights :

: Variations of the song are recorded in regions like Kastamonu , with versions archived by musicologists such as Muzaffer Sarısözen.