The false Saba Raftar said to Sarsar in a whisper, “I am Burq, my dear mistress. Not only did you take my master captive but you also run about in full view of strangers without a veil. What would you say if I clipped the tip of your nose as a reprimand?” Sarsar began crying and asking for help. The false Saba Raftar said, “Give a good thrashing to this enemy trickster.”
When Sarsar was beaten black and blue she cried out to Afrasiyab, “Your Excellency, why do you not consult the Book of Sameri. It will reveal my true identity.”
Afrasiyab liked her counsel and sent for the Book of Sameri. At that moment the false Saba Raftar said, “Your Excellency, I would like to share a confidence with you. But I must whisper it in your ear.” As Afrasiyab leaned toward her, she plucked Afrasiyab’s crown with one hand, and smacked him with the other. Then she cried out, “I am Burq the Frank!” and ran to escape.
Afrasiyab ordered, “Don’t let him get away!”
Reciting their spells, the sorcerers ran to catch Burq. In the ensuing chaos, Amar Ayyar, who was now free, began looting the place. He took out the Net of Ilyas and with one sweep carried away Heyrat’s betel box, golden vanity box, and jewel-encrusted chair, stowing it all in his zambil.
In panic, Afrasiyab stood on his throne and recited a spell that sent thousands of magic slaves running to his assistance. Amar put on the cape of invisibility and climbed down the Dome of Light. Burq also rushed downstairs. Sorcerers targeted him with their spells but, because Burq possessed Jamshed’s mantle, the spells had no effect on him. Those who drew near to arrest him found their bodies breaking out in flames and catching fire from the power of Jamshed’s mantle. Thus, all the sorcerers returned unsuccessful.
Afrasiyab ordered the real Sarsar and Saba Raftar to be released and offered them words of consolation and comfort.
Amar and Burq now began looting the City of Disregard. Amar flung the Net of Ilyas on shops and swept away their entire contents to the very last carpet on the floor. When the hue and cry rose in the marketplace shops started shutting down in panic.
A passer by asked a shopkeeper, “Why all the commotion?” The shopkeeper answered, “Amar Ayyar has entered the city and is ransacking the bazaar.” The passerby thought it unlikely that Amar alone could ransack the whole city, reckoning that he must have brought his whole army to help him. He went on his way and said to all he met, “Run for your lives! The enemy armies have invaded. Blood is flowing in the streets.”
A man who heard that account ran in terror. Seeing him run, others also ran. Soon they began stampeding in all directions. Everyone kept repeating, “The enemy army has invaded.”
People ran down the streets holding the hands of their children. Some inquired after safe conduits to escape with their families. One man began crying loudly that all of them were trapped and doomed.
The braves armed themselves and sat with great aplomb outside their homes, ready to give their lives to defend their honor. Their acquaintances brought them news constantly, reporting, “Sirs, you must not stay here. Why give your life for nothing? The jewelers’ market was put to the sword. The square is being looted. We are leaving. You must join us.” But the braves answered them, “We will first challenge the intruders and if that does not deter them we will fight to our last breath. Our swordplay will teach a fine lesson to the invaders.”
Amar Ayyar and Burq the Frank continued their ravages in the disorder that prevailed. The money traders lost their money bags and the jewellers their jewel boxes. The haberdashery was looted, the clothiers’ bundles disappeared, pots and pans vanished before people’s eyes. People dropped all their belongings and ran to save their lives. Others jumped into their neighbors’ empty houses to pillage and steal. Some thought it best to throw their arms, armor and belongings into empty wells for safekeeping. Some took refuge in cellars. One man called others claiming that his brother was employed in Amar Ayyar’s army and he possessed a note guaranteeing reprieve to all who took refuge with him.
When Afrasiyab was apprised of this upheaval in the city and told that the populace was running to seek refuge from Prince Asad’s forces, he ordered that sorcerers should set out and destroy the army of the foe. As the sorcerers departed on their mission Afrasiyab and Heyrat also came down from the Dome of Light.
The empress recited a spell and immediately hundreds of thousands of dragons materialized and charged toward the city.
Amar Ayyar took refuge under Daniyal’s Tent and Burq the Frank put on Jamshed’s mantle. They hid themselves as the dragons swallowed people in the streets. The sight confirmed the rumors that the enemy army had attacked the city. It resulted in even greater chaos and pandemonium. When the dragons returned to Empress Heyrat after swallowing the citizens of the City of Disregard, she said to Afrasiyab, “My dragons swallowed up the entire enemy army!”
While she was making this claim, a sorcerer carrying a bundle on his back arrived in Afrasiyab’s court and saluted the emperor. Afrasiyab asked him what he had brought. The sorcerer replied, “I have brought you Amar Ayyar!” and started untying the bundle. As everyone leaned forward to see, the sorcerer jumped up and smacked Afrasiyab and took away his second crown too. Then he called out, “I am Burq the Frank,” and ran away.
Afrasiyab’s minister, Sanat Magic-Maker, recited a powerful spell that caused the loss of consciousness in everyone except Afrasiyab and Heyrat. However, it had no effect on Burq because of Jamshed’s mantle. Everyone regained consciousness after Sanat Magic-Maker recited a counterspell.
In the meanwhile, the trickster girl, Shamima Tunneler, arrived and stood in a corner after saluting Afrasiyab. The emperor said to her, “Go and bring me Amar Ayyar.” Shamima replied, “If Your Excellency does not take offense, I can suggest a method to capture Amar Ayyar.” Afrasiyab bid her speak but Shamima requested privacy. Afrasiyab granted her request and met her in seclusion. The trickster girl jumped up and whacked Afrasiyab and took off the emperor’s third crown, declaring, “I am Burq the Frank!” Again the trickster ran and escaped.
This time, Afrasiyab’s second ranking minister, Sarma Ice-Hurler, cast a spell and slabs of ice began falling from the sky. It became freezing cold and the teeth chattered in people’s mouths. These calamities killed hundreds of sorcerers in the city. Sarma Ice-Hurler finally revoked his spell and said, “By now Amar Ayyar and Burq the Frank must have been killed.”
Just then a sorcerer came running into the court and exclaimed, “Your Excellency, I seek redress. I am being looted.” As Afrasiyab clapped to see what passed with Amar Ayyar, the sorcerer suddenly cried, “Burq the Frank stands behind you ready to steal your crown!” When Afrasiyab turned around, the sorcerer jumped up, clouted Afrasiyab, snatched his fourth crown and made away with it, crying, “I am Burq the Frank!”
Afrasiyab’s third ranking minister, Baghban Magic-Gardener, tore off and flung one of the garlands from around his neck. Immediately, thousands of beds of roses sprang up all over. The flowers soon bloomed and red birds88 flew out of them and began searching everywhere for Amar and Burq. But Amar lay in the safety of Daniyal’s Tent and Burq could not be located because of the power of Jamshed’s mantle.
Unable to find the tricksters, the red birds began landing on the citizenry. The moment a bird landed on anyone’s head he lost his mind and, roaring with passion and reciting love couplets, headed for the jungle. The whole city was overtaken by a strange madness and people embraced and kissed each other. Seeing that his spell had failed to capture any trickster, Baghban Magic-Gardener revoked it.
Suddenly, Burq appeared before them without a disguise. Afrasiyab recited a spell and everyone saw the floating, life-sized Magic Mirror materialize, which displayed his image at its center. From a distance, Burq threw a stone at it but it was deflected by the mirror.
Afrasiyab’s fourth minister, Abriq Mount-Splitter, recited a spell over some magic stones and hurled them at Burq. Those stones became giant hills and flew toward Burq. But because he was in possession of Ja
mshed’s mantle they seemed to him only the size of pebbles. However, when they fell on the city – heaven’s mercy – they buried and killed thousands of inhabitants, causing great upheaval in the city. The powerful sorcerers managed to emerge from under them by reciting counterspells but many ordinary sorcerers died upon impact. Abriq Mount-Splitter finally revoked his magic upon hearing the furore.
Amar emerged from Daniyal’s Tent and, wearing his cape of invisibility, continued to loot the city. He then moved Daniyal’s Tent to where Afrasiyab stood. The courtiers saw Amar lying on a jewel-enchased bed inside the tent while two fairies pressed his legs. Afrasiyab declared to his courtiers, “Amar seems a most powerful sorcerer. Are there any among you who can overcome and arrest him?” A sorcerer named Tamtaraq stepped forward at the emperor’s call and, reciting a spell, stepped into Daniyal’s Tent. Immediately, his legs went up and his head went down and he was suspended upside down, all his magic forgotten.
Amar got up from the bed and made a coal fire. Then he cut off a piece of Tamtaraq’s flesh. When he howled with pain, Amar said to him, “O bastard, I will now roast you as I am partial to sorcerer flesh!” Hearing this speech, the sorcerers were terrified. Tamtaraq’s brother, Waqwaq, came running and said to Amar, “Don’t eat my brother! I will pay you a thousand gold pieces.” Amar answered, “I would not settle for less than five thousand.” Waqwaq replied, “Very well! You will have your five thousand gold pieces but you must release my brother.” He brought five thousand gold pieces and piled them near Daniyal’s Tent.
Amar first made Tamtaraq unconscious and cut off the tip of his tongue. Then with a sweep of the Net of Ilyas, he collected the gold pieces and threw Tamtaraq out.
Waqwaq carried away his brother. Seeing that Tamtaraq was unable to speak and discovering that the tip of his tongue had been severed, Waqwaq was enraged. He targeted Amar with all kinds of magic, raining stones on Daniyal’s Tent and lighting an inferno around it. But he was unable to inflict any harm on Amar or the tent.
Amar now pulled out the four columns of Daniyal’s Tent and raised it over his head like a parasol. Both Amar and Burq headed out of the court.
When Afrasiyab consulted the Book of Sameri he saw it had become blank. He said, “I will also leave now!” and departed.
At that moment, a dark dust cloud rose and thousands of gongs and bells rang out in the skies. The conveyance of another Afrasiyab arrived with great pomp and ceremony and everyone paid him their respects.
It so happened that after Burq deceived Afrasiyab in Saba Raftar’s disguise, Afrasiyab looked in the palm of his left hand to read his fortune and learned that for him the next two watches of the day would be inauspicious; it would be best for him to depart and save himself the disgrace he would expose himself to by remaining there longer. Afrasiyab clapped and softly called out, “Come, O my magic double!” It immediately materialized and replaced Afrasiyab, and the emperor disappeared. The sorcerers present in the court were too occupied with the tricksters’ antics to notice the change.
Afrasiyab now addressed his magic double in the Magic Mirror, “You may leave now! I regret the indignities you suffered at the hands of the tricksters!” At these words, Afrasiyab’s magic double dissolved away in the mirror.
Now, when Afrasiyab consulted the Book of Sameri he saw written there:
“Magic had no effect on Burq because he was in possession of Jamshed’s mantle. What pressing need had you to acquire a piece of Lord Jamshed’s clothing and a gift of the tilism? It was on account of this contumely that your double was buffeted and disgraced by Burq. Had you stayed in the court, you’d have suffered the same fate.”
Seeing the resourcefulness and reach of the tricksters, Afrasiyab was enraged and said to his trickster girls, “Fools! Did I depute you so that the tricksters could wreak havoc in my city?” Sarsar replied, “O mighty emperor! I had arrested Amar Ayyar at your august orders even though he is the Prince of Tricksters and it was no easy task to capture him. But Your Excellency did not deem my protestations worthy of your attention. However, I will fulfill your wishes again.”
Afrasiyab said, “Burq can cross over the River of Flowing Blood because he is in possession of Jamshed’s mantle. But Amar does not have any tilism gifts and will not be able to cross. If he took the route from where Prince Asad entered the tilism, he would not have to cross the river. However, the distance to his camp would grow longer. The path would stretch to become equal to the length Prince Asad has traveled into the tilism. You must follow Amar and arrest him regardless of the route he chooses. Once you have accomplished your mission, send me the news and remain stationed across the River of Flowing Blood. I will kill Amar in full view of Mahrukh Magic-Eye and her camp.”
Sarsar left after receiving her orders.
Be it known that the City of Disregard had forty doors, each of which opened onto a different path. Some doors led out of Hoshruba. Other doors led out of the region of Batin to the banks of the River of Flowing Blood. Yet other doors led from Batin directly into Zahir, bypassing the river.
Sarsar thought that Amar must have taken the latter route. To search for him she followed the path that bypassed the river and entered Zahir.
SORCERER NAMRUD
After Sarsar left, Afrasiyab addressed his court, saying, “I find myself in a bind. Whenever I dispatch someone to capture Bahar, he is promptly killed. Is there no one among you who can go and bring me Bahar as a prisoner?”
A sorcerer named Namrud rose from his seat and said, “The servants of the Emperor are not helpless before rebels like Bahar. I ask leave to depart on the campaign. In the flash of an eye, I will bring her to you as a captive.” Afrasiyab answered, “Very well! You have my permission. Take the army along.”
Namrud replied, “It would be unworthy of me to fight Bahar with an army’s help. Moreover, it is difficult to identify tricksters when they infiltrate a large army to work their mischief. I shall not take any attendants along either. I will barge directly into Mahrukh Magic-Eye’s camp and arrest Bahar. I’ll see how they stop me!”
Namrud invoked his magic, grew wings, and flew away.
Now hear of Burq the Frank. He was able to cross over the River of Flowing Blood by virtue of Jamshed’s mantle. But when he arrived in the region of Zahir he was seen by the trickster girls Shamima, Sunubar and Tez Nigah. They challenged him and both parties drew swords. Although Burq was all alone, he acquitted himself with great distinction. Soon Jansoz also happened by and joined Burq in the fight. The two of them fought their way out of the trickster girls’ cordon. Burq, who was fearful of someone snatching Jamshed’s mantle from him, separated from Jansoz and headed out on his own.
The trickster girls pursued them. Finding Jansoz alone, they surrounded him. Sunubar threw her snare rope at him from behind. As Jansoz jumped out of its loops Shamima threw another that entangled him. Jansoz fell down and Tez Nigah quickly made him unconscious with an egg of oblivion. With Shamima’s help she made a bundle of him and gave it to Sunubar, saying, “Take him to the emperor. The two of us will now look for the other tricksters.”
As Sunubar carried the bundle to Afrasiyab’s court she was sighted by the trickster Zargham. He ran two miles ahead of Sunubar and spread out the loops of his snare rope along her path and covered them with grass. Holding the other end of the snare rope in his hands, Zargham hid himself in the bushes and waited.
When Sunubar approached the trap her heartbeat quickened with a sense of foreboding. As a precautionary measure, she called out, “O trickster, I recognize you!” Zargham thought that Sunubar had indeed recognized him and decided to come out of the bushes, but then paused and wondered if Sunubar only pretended to have seen him. He decided to remain hidden a little longer. While he made these calculations, Sunubar loaded and fired her slingshot. The stone fell close to Zargham. Now he was convinced that Sunubar had indeed seen him. He was about to emerge from his hiding place when Sunubar shot her sling in another direction. Zargham concluded that S
unubar had made those claims in pretence to deceive her enemies. He remained hidden and on the alert.
After satisfying herself that nobody lay in ambush for her and the dread she felt was only on account of her solitude, Sunubar leapt to continue on her way and landed right in the middle of Zargham’s trap. She was about to make a second leap and clear it when Zargham roared like a lion. As Sunubar momentarily hesitated, he pulled the end of the snare rope; its loops closed on Sunubar and she fell down. In one leap Zargham reached her side and made her unconscious with an egg of oblivion. Then he untied Jansoz and restored him to consciousness.
Zargham was tying Sunubar to a tree when Sarsar arrived there in her search of Amar. Seeing that the tricksters had taken Sunubar prisoner, Sarsar drew her short sword and charged them, shouting, “O wretches, now you won’t escape from my hands!”
Zargham and Jansoz drew daggers and confronted her, saying, “Our lady, the day master Amar conquers you he will make you sift grain and turn the hand mill. He provides his wives neither food nor clothes and makes them press his legs all night besides.” Sarsar said, “May I inter your master in a deep grave! May his life end in the prime of youth! I will show you whose lady I am! I will teach you wretches a fine lesson!”
Sarsar showered them with abuse and started fighting. Her short sword and their daggers flashed liked lightning. Sarsar fought her way to where Sunubar lay and hit her in the face with an egg of awareness. Sunubar sneezed and regained consciousness. She also joined the fray and the tricksters no longer had the upper hand against Sarsar. However, Sarsar did not wish to be deterred from her mission to catch Amar and sped away in the middle of the fight. Seeing her escape, Sunubar too, ran away after dodging the tricksters.
When Sarsar arrived at the banks of the River of Flowing Blood she saw Amar wandering on the other side, searching for a way to cross again into Zahir. Sarsar crossed over into Batin and threw a muslin kerchief steeped in perfume drug along Amar’s path. When Amar passed along he noticed an expensive kerchief lying on the ground with its corners knotted up. Amar picked it up and found fifty gold pieces tied from one corner, some rupees and coins from another, and sweet betel nuts and cardamoms from a third. He thought it must have been dropped there by one of Batin’s noble sorcerers.
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