Hoshruba

by Musharraf Ali Farooqi

  Badiuz Zaman bowed his head in gratitude before the Judge of Mankind’s Needs and comforted and consoled the princess.

  Amar had put on the cape of invisibility the moment the demon appeared. He thought, Now it is for Badiuz Zaman and the princess to decide on the course of action they wish to follow. The idiot has invited this calamity on himself. If it were for me he would have been comfortably home by now. I will now return to Hamza and tell him his son has been corrupted, and narrate his escapades.

  When the demon was killed, Amar showed himself again and said, “Beware O worthless boy! Leave this instant and hurry away, otherwise another misfortune will soon befall us!”

  Badiuz Zaman said to Tasveer, “I will now take your leave!” She replied, “I will also come with you as I have nothing left to keep me here. When these tidings reach Afrasiyab, I will surely be put to death.” Badiuz Zaman asked the attendants to bring his horse and, seating the princess by his side, said to the attendants, “You are merely the attendants. No one will take you to task for what happened here. Once we leave you may also depart to where you wish, or join us at our camp.” Then Prince Badiuz Zaman headed for his camp with Amar.

  Emperor Afrasiyab was waiting expectantly in the Apple Garden for Sharara to send him Amar’s head when the whirlwinds brought Sharara’s corpse there instead, and her magic spirits called out, “O Emperor of Sorcerers, Sharara was killed!” Afrasiyab became crimson with rage. He looked into the Book of Sameri to discover the whereabouts of Sharara’s killer and of Badiuz Zaman, who had been in her prison. He discovered how Amar had killed Sharara, how both he and Badiuz Zaman had arrived in Tasveer’s garden, how Badiuz Zaman had killed the sorcerer Muhafiz, and how Amar and Badiuz Zaman were now headed for their camp with Princess Tasveer.

  SORCERER AZHDAR DRAGON-MOUTH

  Emperor Afrasiyab immediately recited an incantation and clapped. The sorcerer Azhdar Dragon-Mouth emerged from the ground spewing fire from his mouth, nose and ears, and made a salutation to Afrasiyab. Silver crescents covered his entire body and from elbow to shoulder idols were tied to his arms. Afrasiyab said, “Hasten O Azhdar, and detain Badiuz Zaman and Tasveer, who are headed with Amar toward the camp of the True Believers. Imprison them in the prison chamber of Hoshruba! But do not take Amar prisoner, instead allow him to return to Hamza and give him the news. That will terrify Hamza and he will desist from stepping into this land.”

  Azhdar Dragon-Mouth left immediately.

  Badiuz Zaman had come many miles from Tasveer’s garden when suddenly Azhdar Dragon-Mouth emerged from a bush in the shape of a dragon and blocked their path. Amar immediately put on the cape of invisibility but the prince rode ahead to confront the beast, and shot an arrow at him. The dragon spewed out a ball of fire and burned the arrow in flight. Badiuz Zaman shot many arrows, which the dragon burned likewise. Then the dragon opened his mouth and, drawing in air, swallowed Badiuz Zaman and Tasveer whole.

  Amar Ayyar hurled many stones at Azhdar Dragon-Mouth with his sling, but none of them touched him. The dragon called out, “Go and narrate this event to Hamza, O Amar, and warn him that this is the wilderness of the tilism and he is forewarned against trespassing within its bounds. It is impossible for Badiuz Zaman to be released now. Hamza should reconcile himself to never again seeing his son, for anyone who comes here to rescue him will suffer a similar fate and be killed. I did not have orders to capture you, otherwise you would not have escaped me either!”

  Azhdar Dragon-Mouth then disappeared and Amar headed for Hamza’s camp, weeping and wailing, rending his tunic and throwing ashes on his head.

  After traversing his journey, Amar arrived in the court where Amir Hamza was giving attendance. Amar made a salutation and sat on his Hoopoe Throne.16 Amir Hamza and the king and all the chieftains asked him about his exploits. After offering the ritual salutations and blessings, Amar narrated the whole story of Badiuz Zaman and Princess Tasveer. Amir Hamza replied, “All praise to the Lord of Creation that my son still lives. We must find a way to conquer the tilism. For the present we have a battle on hand with Suleiman Amber-Hair. Once I have taken care of this matter, I will nominate someone to conquer Hoshruba.” Amir Hamza then busied himself with preparations for the battle.

  OF SULEIMAN AMBER-HAIR SENDING A MISSIVE TO EMPEROR OF HOSHRUBA AFRASIYAB TO COME TO LAQA’S AID, AND OF AFRASIYAB DISPATCHING SORCERER IJLAL AGAINST AMIR HAMZA WITH FORTY THOUSAND SORCERERS, AND OF AMAR AYYAR’S TRICKERIES

  The wonder workers of the book of eloquence and the composers of rarities of speech describe the court of rhetoric with a sorcerer’s pen and paint it with these colorful words of the tale:

  When Amir Hamza’s armies (in whose footsteps victory follows) entered Mount Agate in pursuit of Laqa, Suleiman Amber-Hair beheld Amir Hamza’s numerous forces, his equipage and retinue, and realized he would be unable to fight such a mighty army alone. He sent out missives with this message to the kings of the bordering lands:

  “Lord Laqa has sought refuge with me after suffering reverses at the hands of Hamza. You must needs rush to his aid, not out of any consideration for me but because he is your God. You must kill his foes and restore him to his divine throne. If you make delay after reading these words, the wrath of His Lordship will wipe you out of existence. His Lordship Laqa indulges these creatures who persecute him only out of mercy. He desists from killing them and maintains that these creatures were made in the reveries of his drunken sleep. As he was oblivious of himself in the ecstasies of his inebriation, his pen of destiny wrote them down as rebellious and vain. Now that destiny cannot be altered. It is for this reason that our Lord is unable to efface their existence and is so wroth with them that when these creatures beseech him with their contrite pleas, he scorns them and flies away from them. Seeing no hope of their redemption in Lord Laqa, these creatures have vowed wholesale rebellion against him. It is therefore incumbent upon you to arrive here post-haste to assist our Lord.”

  Having written this, Suleiman Amber-Hair sent it out to all the kings of the lands of Kohistan. He also wrote a letter to Afrasiyab, the Master of the Tilism, and dispatched it to the mountain situated between Mount Agate and Hoshruba. A wooden mallet and a magic drum were kept atop it for communication between the two lands. Whenever a message from Suleiman was received, the drum was struck and Afrasiyab sent a magic claw to fetch the message.

  After Afrasiyab had sent for the letter and read it, he wrote the following reply and sent it to the mountaintop:

  “It is a great honor for me to come to the aid of Lord Laqa. He must wish to bestow honor on his slaves by not destroying his rebellious creatures himself, instead seeking one of his minions to distinguish himself in the campaign. Lord Laqa’s will be done! Hamza and his armies are of absolutely no consequence. I hereby send a mighty sorcerer in Lord Laqa’s service at the head of a forty-thousand-strong army of sorcerers. He will destroy the entire army of Hamza upon arrival in just one day.”

  Suleiman Amber-Hair’s messenger awaited the reply. He brought it at once before his master, whom it pleased immensely, and Suleiman Amber-Hair began preparation for battle.

  SORCERER IJLAL

  Leaving him busy with these arrangements, we return to Afrasiyab, who, after sending his reply, recited an incantation and clapped, whereupon a wisp of cloud materialized in the skies and descended to the ground. The sorcerer Ijlal, who was a king of one of the sixty thousand lands of Hoshruba and commanded an army of forty thousand sorcerers, dismounted that cloud, bowed to Afrasiyab, and asked, “Why has my master sent for me?” Afrasiyab said, “Lord Laqa has arrived in Mount Agate. He is being pestered by some creatures who have earned divine wrath and condemnation. Go forth and destroy them and rid Lord Laqa of their evil.” Ijlal answered, “As you please!” He rode the cloud back to his abode and commanded his army to get ready to march. Then he prepared himself for the journey and warfare and mounted a magic dragon. All his sorcerers also sat on magic swans, demoiselle cranes, flamingos, peacocks and dragons
made of paper and lentil flour. Wielding tridents and pentadents and carrying their apparatus of sorcery in sacks of gold cloth hanging from their necks, they departed toward Mount Agate with great pomp and ceremony, dripping wax over flaming, chaffing dishes and burning gugal17 to cast spells.

  Suleiman Amber-Hair and Laqa were seated in the royal palace in Mount Agate when suddenly a dark cloud filled the sky, a whirlwind began to blow and hailstones started falling. Familiar with these signs, Suleiman Amber-Hair realized they heralded the arrival of a sorcerer and immediately departed with the nobles of his court to receive him. Upon reaching the fort’s gates, he beheld Ijlal arriving with his forty thousand sorcerers displaying their magic works. They were clad in saffron-colored waistcloths, and the leaves of sweet marjoram, thorn apples, and swallow wort were stuck in their belts.

  Suleiman greeted them and conducted them into the fortress where Laqa sat on a throne. Ijlal and his companions prostrated themselves before him and made offerings. Ijlal sat to the right of Laqa’s throne.

  Suleiman lodged Ijlal’s army in a scenic place and arranged a feast in his honor in the garden adjacent to the palace.

  The garden was lavishly decorated for the occasion. Charming cupbearers, singers as musical as Venus, courtesans as beautiful as the moon, and jasmine-bosomed musicians presented themselves. Laqa adjourned the court and retired to that garden to indulge in pleasant diversions.

  The spies carried all these tidings to Amir Hamza. He said, “Our protector is the One God who has no partners.” Amar Ayyar, who was present in the court, said, “O Amir, ever since I arrived here, I have not set foot inside the fortress of Mount Agate. Now I desire to see its sights and witness the feast given for Ijlal.” Hamza replied, “They are all sorcerers. Be warned! They might recognize and arrest you.” Amar Ayyar answered, “Let what is destined come to pass! I wish to do a little commerce inside the fort.” Hamza replied with a smile, “Then go in God’s name. I, for one, would never bar you from conducting your business.”

  Sporting all his trickster’s apparatus, Amar Ayyar headed for Mount Agate. Upon seeing some officers of Suleiman Amber-Hair’s army deputed at the fortress gates, he disguised himself as a sorcerer. Then he went forth wearing clogs, a saffron waistcloth and a sack around his neck, and idols tied to his upper arm. Those who saw him did not accost him, taking him for one of the sorcerers from Ijlal’s army.

  Amar entered the city and found himself in a bustling marketplace with grand-looking shops on both sides of the stone-paved street. Leafy maulsari18 trees lined the street on two sides and buyers, sellers, visitors, and all description of humanity thronged the place, which rang with the clinking of water-carriers’ bowls and brokers’ loud voices. Besides the crowds that thronged every quarter, Amar saw well-built buildings and a profusion of fine, stylish and captivating chambers. In the course of his perambulations, he arrived near the royal palace and observed the attendants heading to the garden where a feast had been arranged in Ijlal’s honor. Amar accompanied them there and beheld the lavish scale of the festivities and the sumptuous arrangements that had been made for the occasion. He regarded a breezy and most wondrously refreshing garden nurtured by the True Gardener’s bountiful hand. It rang with the carolling of birds and was redolent with myriad-colored blossoms.

  The glow of lamps in the garden by the lake recalled to one’s mind the radiance of lovers’ hearts. A sumptuous carpet had been spread there, and Ijlal sat on a throne watching the dance. It was a carefree and happy picture with Suleiman Amber-Hair attending upon Ijlal, and wine being drunk.

  Absorbed in these sights, Amar stationed himself behind Ijlal. He noticed a building in front of Ijlal’s throne from where every so often a beauty gazed at Ijlal after parting the curtains hanging at the entrance. Amar saw that Ijlal’s eyes were also fixed on her. With the assembly absorbed in the dance recital, nobody noticed that Ijlal’s attention was elsewhere. Amar thought that perhaps that garden was adjacent to Suleiman Amber-Hair’s harem and the women were watching the dance recital from its doors and rooftop. He reckoned that the one watching Ijlal’s was perhaps one of Suleiman Amber-Hair’s wives or daughters. Amar moved toward the house and stood by the curtain.

  When one of the female attendants came out, Amar said to her, “My wife is in the queen’s service. I would be indebted to you if you could send her out.” The attendant replied, “It’s the king’s daughter, Princess Nasreen Amber-Hair, who is watching the dance from behind the curtain. The queen is in another room to which I don’t have access. You may inquire about your wife in the room to your right.” Amar answered, “Very well!” and moved away, having learned that it was the princess with whom Ijlal was exchanging glances.

  Amar now thought of some trickery. He went to a deserted corner of the garden and disguised himself as a macebearer. He tied a turban and pinned it with a medal, put on a singlet of crinkled cloth and, sporting a flowing white beard and wielding a staff of vermiculated metalwork, he stationed himself near the door, resting his back against the wall with the curtain’s folds caught behind him. When Princess Nasreen tried to lift the curtain, she found it stuck and tried to pull it out. Amar called out, “If that happens once more I will report to the king that the women behind this curtain make overtures to Ijlal.”

  The princess was stunned and mortified to hear that. She did not try to look out again, certain that if she did, the macebearer who witnessed her indiscretion would report her to her father.

  When Ijlal noticed that the door from where the girl was gazing out at him was now blocked by an old macebearer, he became restless and wished to have him removed. However, he was unable to do anything about it because he realized that if King Suleiman found out, it would grieve him to learn that Ijlal showed designs on his harem by having the macebearer removed from his post of duty.

  However, Ijlal grew more restless with every passing moment and he continued to look toward the door that Amar had blocked. Amar now made a sign to Ijlal indicating that he wished to speak to him privately. Reckoning that the macebearer must be the girl’s confidant and carried a message from her, Ijlal got up from his seat. King Suleiman thought he had retired to answer the call of nature. Ijlal did not take any attendants along. Gesturing to Amar to follow him, he went to a flower garden and asked Amar why he had signalled to him.

  Amar blessed Ijlal and replied, “O noble king, this slave has been Princess Nasreen Amber-Hair’s attendant since her childhood and has raised her from an infant. She keeps no secrets from me. She has fallen in love with you and sends the message that if you truly love her you must ask her father to have a house reserved for you, to which only you and your most trusted and devoted sorcerers have access. You may order your sorcerers to fly her bed to your dwelling from the roof of her palace where she would be asleep at the appointed time. She will spend the night with you and in the morning the sorcerers may return her to her house. It was to convey this message that I sought a private moment with you. Now tell me when you will send for the princess so that I may tell her to sleep on the roof of her palace on that day.”

  Ijlal was in seventh heaven. He conferred his pearl necklace upon Amar and replied, “I would shower you with riches. Tell the princess that I too languish in separation from her. I shall have the house reserved today and the princess may go to sleep on the roof tomorrow evening when I will send for her.”

  After securing this promise Amar said to him, “Now you may go and make the preparations.” Ijlal returned ecstatic to the assembly and began watching the dance recital as before.

  Amar went back to the curtained door and entered the harem wearing his cape of invisibility. There he beheld Princess Nasreen Amber-Hair sitting with her attendants and watching the dance recital. Amar uncovered his head and limbs and approached the princess, proclaiming: “I am the Martyr No Torso and shall devour you all!” Seeing the spectre, the princess and her attendants fell on their faces in terror. Amar rubbed a drug-potion on their faces to render them unconsci
ous. After hurriedly locking the chamber from the inside, he sat down to disguise himself as the princess. After putting on the princess’s clothes he put her into the zambil. Once he was done with the disguise, he administered a restorative drug to the attendants, who came to their senses and found the princess beside them.

  When the attendants were fully recovered, they said to the false princess, “O Princess of the World, in the name of Lord Laqa, let us leave this house; otherwise that monster will eat us up.” She answered, “I proved of a stronger constitution than you crazy girls. I kept my senses when all of you had fainted.” They said, “May our lives be sacrificed to protect yours. Come what may, we will not allow you to stay here a moment longer.”

  Without any suspicion, they conducted the false princess to the royal palace where she saw a most lavishly decorated house with numerous rooms and balconies, and a summerhouse replenished with all delights. Colorful drapes hung from every portico. The place was appointed with royal comforts and had a profusion of lattices and tapestries.

  On arrival, the false princess ordered her bed to be made and a golden throne provided for her. Her slave girls began decorating Princess Nasreen’s chamber. In this manner, the false princess learned the whereabouts of Princess Nasreen’s bedroom. She retired there and lay down in great comfort.

  Leaving the false Princess Nasreen reposing there, let us return to Ijlal. He requested King Suleiman to provide him a secluded house outside the city where he could prepare magic to deploy against Hamza. Suleiman gave orders that a house be provided for Ijlal and all furnishings and other comforts be arranged for him. The royal servants immediately furnished one in a royal garden outside the city.