Behind their procession, forty elephants chained together brought forward Laqa’s encrusted throne surmounted by its pearl canopy. Beside Laqa sat Naushervan’s son, Faramurz. The bird of ill omen, the Lord Swine of Faith and the Prince of Infidels, to wit Bakhtiarak the Faithless, sat fanning Laqa with his kerchief. Laqa’s throne was surrounded by many sanguinary commanders from different warrior tribes, who marched astride fairy-faced steeds.
They were followed by a several-hundred-thousand-strong force led by the commanders of Faramurz’s army. Suleiman Amber-Hair’s forces brought up the rear, led into the battlefield by his army commanders.
Amir Hamza beheld the foe’s vast armies and, turning his heart to thoughts of God, said, “O Lord! The foe’s army is like an army of ants and locusts, but You are Mighty and Unsurpassable still.” Amir ordered his army to bivouac bordering the arena.
The war drums and timbals were sounded as he took command of his forces.
A very large, numerous army came out
The Earth started shaking, the sky filled with fear
The dust from Earth rose to the pinnacle of heavens
Column after column rolled out, warrior after warrior marched
Luxurious pavilions were set up. The pegs, poles and stakes were organized and screens were erected. Row after row of tents, canopies and enclosures filled the camp. The commanders were provided pavilions while the troopers were housed in tents. As the army was lodged, shopkeepers, traders, greengrocers, butchers and bakers spread out and set up shops. A magistrate was deputed for every section of the bazaar. The busy shops presented the picture of the bazaar of a metropolis.
Before long it was evening. Glass lights were lit in the camp along the passageways and lamps were kindled in shops. Everyone in the camp returned to their allotted stations and four commanders were deputed to keep vigil with several thousand troopers under their command. The magistrates began their rounds and culprits were taken to task. The horns trilled and cries of “Keep awake! Keep alert!” rang out.
Both armies remained on alert, camped by the battlefield for one day and one night. The next day in the evening, the false Ijlal ordered his sorcerers to beat the drums of war. Suleiman Amber-Hair, Laqa and all the kings present there ordered their armies to follow suit. Champions of the day of skirmishing and lions of the forest of carnage struck the kettledrums for battle. The field of carnage boomed and the vault of heaven reverberated with the sound.
The spies brought the news to Amir Hamza. After bowing to him, they proclaimed, “May you enjoy the wealth of longevity longer than Khizr and your treasury be richer than Kaikhusrau’s. May the foe of dark fortune waver and be routed before your might. Today the drums of war have been struck in the impure camp of the infidels, and their whole army of eunuchs is bent on waging war. It is certain that tomorrow they will descend in the arena to fan the fires of strife and mischief. As to the rest, all is in a good way.”
Amir Hamza looked toward King Saad who said, “O Amir, order by the Almighty’s consent, grace and succor that drums of war should answer from our camp, too, and the Timbal of Sikander be struck. May what the Scribe of Fortune and the Writer of Destiny has engraved on our brows come to pass.”23
The tricksters headed where the Timbal of Sikander and the Music Band of Suleiman were kept. The cover of the Timbal of Sikander had been removed and the masters of the kettledrums stood ready. They had awaited the king’s orders ever since the enemy’s kettledrums had been heard. When the tricksters delivered the word, they struck the timbal. The Earth and the heavens trembled at its sound, the Eagle of the Heavens24 fluttered its wings in terror at the blast, the Bull of the Earth25 felt its heart sink. The whole world was shaken from mountains to the deserts.
Amir Hamza’s camp heard the call to battle. Young and old, the brave and renowned alike were alerted that come the dawn, the Angel of Death would ply his trade in men’s lives: that heads would fly off necks and garlands of wounds would be distributed. The king adjourned his court early and every commander returned to his designated pavilion. The final preparations for skirmishing and battle were made. The swords were polished and furbished and the bows heated and straightened over the fire.
While the courageous occupied their minds with maneuvers for the battlefield, the cowardly scratched their faces with despair. The valiant observed enemy positions with joyous interest and lily-livered ones racked their minds to find some avenue of escape. While the faces of the gallant were ruddy with valor as they surveyed their coats of mail, helm and armor, the craven stared blankly with blanched faces.
In the enemy camp, the clapper-drums were beaten; chillies and fragrant gum-resin smouldered in fires. Sorcerers wrought their magic and outlined magic circles with blood on the ground. The pitch-faced magic spirit Kalva was being summoned in every corner. Two watches into the night, criers circulated in both camps to raise the warriors’ spirits. The camps rang with these sounds throughout the night. Finally it was time for the Emperor of the Russet Throne of the East26 to make his appearance with all its magnificence and grandeur. The darkness of the night fled in disarray before the advance guard of dawn.
At sunrise, fully armed troopers and warriors from both camps began pouring into the battlefield in strings, arrays and groups. Amir Hamza said his morning prayers in his Roving Prayer Tent and solicited the Lord Almighty’s help. Raising his hands in prayer, he asked for victory in the court of God and entreated that the Unsurpassable and Mighty One return him triumphant against the army of villains.
“You who are eternal in Your kingdom
You who represent the morn in night’s darkness
Humble me, I have before me a huge task
Solve it for You are the only aid of mine.”
As Amir was engrossed in his prayers, Muqbil Vafadar, commander of the archers and noble Amir Hamza’s slave, presented himself and said, “Amen!” When Amir inquired about his army’s readiness, Muqbil replied,
“The two armies descended in the arena
Together assembled are in vastness a Mount Qaf.
“They await the august arrival of Your Lordship.” Amir said, “Bring my chest of weapons.” Muqbil produced the chest in which Amir Hamza’s arms and armor were kept. Amir Hamza decorated his august and distinguished self with the holy accoutrements, sporting the helm of Hud, the mail of Daud, the bow of Saleh, the spear of Sam, and foot-guards, thigh guards and cuirass, and stepped out.
He found his groom waiting for him, holding the reins of his steed, Ashqar Demon-Born, which was fully caparisoned and saddled. The groom saluted Amir and presented the horse. Ashqar neighed with pleasure at the sight of his master. Amir Hamza traced with his finger the letters ‘Help O Ali!’27 on his steed’s neck and put his distinction-bestowing foot in the stirrup that eagerly awaited it. He raised himself into the saddle holding the horse’s mane. The rein holder adjusted the folds of Amir Hamza’s robe and all the onlookers loudly exclaimed, “In the name of Allah!”
Holding his dragon-like, two-pronged spear in his right hand, and catching in his left the reins of his steed that was Zephyr’s envy, Amir recited the naad-e Ali28 and spurred Ashqar Demon-Born.
After sending their respective forces into the battlefield, Amir Hamza’s five hundred and fifty-five commanders and progeny presented themselves before him with great majesty. Among his commanders were:
Karit Shield-Whirler
Noman bin Munzir Shah Yemeni
Aamir Rodbari
Saif the Ambidextrous
Abul-Adan the Warrior
Tauq bin Heyran the Warrior
Jamhur World-Conflagrer
Tartus Hatchet-Thrower
Faraz Aad Maghrebi
Among Amir Hamza’s progeny were:
Alam Shah
Malik Qasim
Isfandiar Shah Gilani
Darab World-Conqueror
Iraj bin Qasim
Khurshid bin Hashim
Hashim Swordfighter
Kari
b the Courageous
Asad bin Karib
Besides them, Amir Hamza’s two deputies were also in attendance:
Landhoor bin Saadan
Malik Azhdar
With his army commanders as his riding companions, Amir Hamza arrived at the august entrance of the private pavilion of the Shadow of God, the Master of Suleiman’s Throne, the Refuge of the World, Master of the Most Esteemed Seat, King Saad, and awaited his arrival in the place of audience.
Suddenly, the royal chamber’s panels parted with a loud whirring noise and the signs of the king’s approach manifested themselves.
Twelve thousand children, beautiful as the moon, marched out from the entrance wearing lavish golden costumes, sporting gold bracelets, carrying pots of aromatic unguents, and sprinkling powdered aloe-wood and ambergris. They were followed by thousands of candelabra holders in crimson uniforms holding gold and silver candelabra. Behind them walked others holding enchased crystalline goblets with lit candles. Thousands of palace guards and eunuchs followed them, overseeing the various arrangements. Surrounded by the royal servants, the king’s throne was brought forward on the shoulders of female palanquin bearers dressed in costly and precious skirts, wearing bracelets with crocodile-head finials, sporting fish-shaped earrings, medals and jewelery. Each and every one of them was uniquely charming, and their bodies were ripe with the bloom and vigour of youth.
The royal attendants shouted, “In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and Merciful!” Amir Hamza, along with his commanders, stood at their designated stations to salute the king. The moment he appeared, all bowed their heads in submission. A macebearer shouted, “O Powerful King and Lord of the World, Amir Hamza, the Lord of the Auspicious Planetary Conjunction, stands before you!” As the king raised his eyes, Amir made a bow. The king placed his hand on his heart to express his love for him. Amir made a salute. All the other commanders presented themselves, offered salutes and kissed the foot of the throne. The king ordered everyone to mount their steeds. The commanders surrounded the royal throne and escorted it to the battlefield. The drums were struck and the criers shouted war chants.
The stars in the heaven flickered at the break of dawn and the wafting morning breeze was as fragrant as the ambergris. Fanned by a spring gale, the king headed with great pomp and circumstance toward the battlefield.
Suleiman Amber-Hair’s armies were positioned on the opposite side of the arena with Laqa and Faramurz’s forces. The heavy-set warriors and majestic and mighty champions sat astride rhinoceroses, regarding their enemy with fierce frowns. Broad-swords hung from their necks. They carried maces on their shoulders and spears in their hands.
The battlefield seemed ready to explode into hostilities when the sky became overcast with lowering, pitch-black clouds, lightning began dancing above the arena and the sorcerers’ army poured into the arena led by the false Ijlal atop his magic dragon. Hurling lightning bolts, showering stones, blowing bugles and horns, and ringing bells and gongs the sorcerers took their positions.
The thunderous approach of both armies cleft the heart of the Bull of the Earth, made the birds forget the direction to their nests, and sent shivers down the spines of combatants. The billowing dust changed the sphere of air into a sphere of dust. The mirror of sky was clouded and the fountain of sun was blocked.
The billowing dust from the hooves of the steeds
Made the layers of Earth six, and eight the skies29
Finally, the groundsmen came forward and began dextrously levelling the battlefield with mattocks and tidying the trenches and ambuscades. They carried away the pebbles, stones, twigs and thorns in piles, and cleaned the ground of the shrubbery and bushes until it shone like a mirror. Then it was the water-carriers’ turn to sprinkle the ground, every one of them a veritable Khizr. Wearing their uniforms of gold tissue and red cotton waistcloths, with water bowls belted to their waists and waterskins mounted with sprinklers slung over their shoulders, they went about their business and, with their labours, put to shame the showers of August.
Soon all the dirt and dust was settled and the warriors were able to see their adversaries’ faces. They beheld the warriors dressed in mail and armor, and every soldier covered in metal from the spire of their helmets to the toe of their foot guards. Everywhere one looked one saw warriors clad in iron.
The armies arranged themselves in combat formations, including the vanguard and the rearguard, the center and the flanks, the ambuscade and the exit guards; all fourteen positions were drawn and reinforced like the Rampart of Sikander.30 The pugnacious foot-soldiers of the vanguard stood like the bulwark. Troopers surged like waves in a sea of warriors. Horses stood muzzle to muzzle, flank to flank, tail to tail, and hoof to hoof. They pushed back any criers from the enemy camp that advanced and pushed forward criers from their camp. The music of war filled the air and the horses neighed and reared.
Suddenly, the musical voices of minstrel boys floated on the air. Wearing colorful dresses and sporting turbans tied on their heads at an angle, they melodiously sang the transient world’s denunciation to the accompaniment of sarod,31 and proclaimed: “O warriors, neither the mighty Sam nor Nariman remain. The sanguinary champions have left no mark on the face of Earth and sleep in death. The iron-bodied warriors no longer remain among the high and the low of the land. In the flash of an eye, old man heavens has interred many rank-destroying warriors and formidable youths as renowned as Rustam. Only their valour is spoken of still; the account of their courage alone keeps them alive. Battles are a wonderful test.
“Everyone is allotted a five-day life
Majnun is gone, it is now my time.
“In the darkness of the battle, sword is the only flame that guides. The head and the neck long for separation. Indeed, a terrible conflict consuming warriors is the true life. Earn renown O warriors! Skirmish and win laurels! The one whose foot retreats today will never again walk with his head held high.”
The criers then left the arena but their speech acted like heady Portuguese wine on the valiant warriors – the lions of the forest of courage. They became intoxicated with valor and their eyes became bloodshot. They kissed the hilts of their swords and stirred restlessly in their saddles.
The false Ijlal ordered sorcerers Intizam the Arranger and Munsarim the Organizer to fly his dragon by magic into the arena. They clapped their hands after reciting a spell and the magic dragon flew to the center of the arena. The false Ijlal exclaimed, “O Hamza, you are in the presence of Lord Laqa. Prostrate yourself before him without delay or else I shall pulp your head. Come into the arena now and fulfill all your heart’s desires.” Amir Hamza turned Ashqar Demon-Born’s head toward the royal throne and his standard-bearer unfurled the dragon-shaped standard.
It was announced that no one but Amir Hamza may answer the sorcerer’s challenge. All the commanders and captains of the army dismounted. The army’s colors were displayed. Amir Hamza arrived before King Saad’s throne, dismounted and requested permission for combat. The king offered Amir a decoction of sugar and herbs in the goblet of demon Ifrit’s skull.32 Amir drank it and handed the empty cup to the king’s royal guard. After imbibing the cup of royal favor, receiving a robe of honor and permission for combat, Amir again climbed into the saddle like the bright sun climbs up into the sky.
The commanders bid goodbye to Hamza, who spurred his horse toward the field. Ashqar Demon-Born charged like a lion into the arena.
The horse that was like lightning and wind
A demon of a fairy born
More delicate than the flow of water its stride
Faster than speed itself its gait
The softness of his ears and mane recalled
The spikenard, the musk willow, a spikenard bouquet
Ashqar Demon-Born reached the false Ijlal in just a few strides.
After exchanging challenges with Amir Hamza for some time, the false Ijlal produced a crested coconut from his sack and began reciting incantations. But what others took f
or his invocation was, in fact, a message to Amir Hamza in the Jinni language. He said, “I am not a sorcerer but your trusted servant, Amar Ayyar. You may now recite the Most Great Name and capture me, but do so in a way that I receive neither injury nor break any limbs. You are a portly fellow whereas I am bony and thin.” Amir Hamza looked closely at him. Seeing the telltale mole on the white of Amar’s left eye, he was astonished at Amar’s trickery.
The false Ijlal now blew on the coconut and hurled it at Amir Hamza, who recited the Most Great Name to counteract it and everyone saw the coconut fall to the ground without inflicting any harm on him. Giving rein to his horse, Amir Hamza recited the Most Great Name again and blew it on the false Ijlal, which caused the magic dragon to return to its essence and become a lump of lentil flour. The false Ijlal dismounted and the onlookers saw him attack Amir Hamza with his trident. Amir Hamza dismounted too and, foiling the false sorcerer’s blow, lifted him up by his waistband. Amir Hamza exclaimed, “O horde of sorcerers, regard that I have captured your commander!”
At these words, the army of sorcerers attacked Amir Hamza from all sides.
He gave the false Ijlal into the custody of a trickster who had accompanied Hamza into the arena. While the trickster retired to his encampment with his captive, Amir Hamza recited the Most Great Name and attacked the enemy. At that moment, Prince Faramurz and Suleiman Amber-Hair also ordered their commanders to go to the aid of the sorcerers.
The King of True Believers also sounded his war cry. The two armies collided and dark clouds inundated the arena from all sides in which swords danced like lightning.
The two armies merged and one army became
The world the floor of the Judgment Day became
In the heat of the battle, Ijlal’s deputies summoned the commanders of their army and advised them that it would be improper for them to continue fighting since their leader had been taken prisoner, and it remained to be seen whether or not he would submit allegiance to Hamza. They advised them to pull out and submit to their leader’s choice once the conflict was decided. All the sorcerers pulled out from the conflict while Laqa and Suleiman Amber-Hair’s forces gave fight. Many vain heads rolled down off their necks. The camp of the True Believers rang with their champions’ war cries.
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