Sorceress Hasina cast a spell that drained Landhoor’s power and might; he felt his limbs become lifeless. Alam Shah pinned Landhoor to the ground and gave him prisoner to Laqa’s soldiers, who incarcerated Landhoor with other commanders of Amir Hamza’s camp. As the trickster, Tarar the Speedster, had already captured and imprisoned Amir Hamza in a cave, there was nobody who could challenge Alam Shah. The prince now drew his sword and attacked the army of True Believers.
Amir Hamza’s surviving army commanders saw no choice but to fight back. The King of the True Believers charged into the arena and Laqa’s armies also attacked. King Saad made his war declaration,
“I am the king of kings, majestic as Faridun the Great
I am the spring to the splendorous garden of Kaikaus
and Jamshed
My arm is as strong as Bahman’s arm
I am brazen-bodied like Isfandiar!”
The two surging armies clashed with a roar and merged in sword combat. The cling-clang of arms and war slogans of champions mixed with the cries of the injured and dying.
The commanders of the True Believers’ army showed consideration to Alam Shah and avoided harming him. The prince, however, injured and maimed many and martyred several of them.
When Alam Shah injured King Saad too, the royal attendants carried their king away on a movable throne. The tricksters valiantly transported the women of Amir Hamza’s camp on their backs to the safety of the hills. The army commanders emptied out their camp and pavilions and, along with King Saad and their men, took refuge in a mountain pass.
Alam Shah charged into the empty camp and secured the Pavilion of Suleiman. Finding that he had no challengers, Alam Shah ordered his attendants to carry away the pavilion. Later, he ordered that drums be struck in Laqa’s camp to call the warriors to camp.
Alam Shah declared, “Tomorrow I will attack the mountain hideout where the True Believers have taken refuge and kill every single one of them.” Laqa returned to the fortress showering gold on Alam Shah’s head as a holy offering to ward off any harm that might befall him. The warriors rested and celebrations began in the fortress of Mount Agate.
Alam Shah said in the court, “Now I should be married to Princess Hasina. I have obtained the Pavilion of Suleiman. Soon I will bring back Hamza’s head too.”
Hasina, who was only too eager to lie with the prince, said to Bakhtiarak, “Do not make further delays. Marry me now to the prince.” Bakhtiarak answered, “You will spoil my plan with your impatience, but I will do as you wish. Prepare yourself to be married so that you can take your pleasure with the prince.”
Sorceress Hasina returned to her abode and ordered her attendants to decorate the garden and adorn her quarters. They released water in the watercourses, pruned the trees, and festooned the summerhouse where all the instruments of musical assembly were provided. Revels were organized in the Pavilion of Suleiman too, for the pleasure of Prince Alam Shah. Musicians, singers and dancers regaled the assembly. Goblets of roseate wine were passed. The revels continued and Alam Shah sat bedecked as a bridegroom on the throne.
Leaving Laqa’s camp occupied in merrymaking, let us hear an account of Amir Hamza’s camp. King Saad lay bleeding and unconscious in the mountain pass and his champions and nobles were also injured. When the king regained his senses, he said, “Raise me onto my steed’s saddle, fasten me to it and send me into the battlefield. To lay down my life fighting is far preferable to me than an ignoble existence such as this!” At these words, the women gathered there wept and wailed. When the dizziness subsided and the king again opened his eyes, he said, “Our camp encountered all these troubles because Amar Ayyar was not with us. We have many tricksters but they are tricksters in name alone. There are none that are capable of getting us out of this trouble.”
The trickster Chalak was cut to the quick by these words. He said to himself, I should kill that whore Hasina or lay down my life in the endeavor. He put on his trickster’s livery and set out for the Fortress of Mount Agate.
When Chalak arrived in Laqa’s court he witnessed wedding arrangements underway. He disguised himself as an attendant and asked a passerby, “Whose wedding is taking place here?” The man gave Chalak all the details regarding sorceress Hasina’s nuptials with Prince Alam Shah and told him that Hasina would be wed from her garden. Chalak obtained the directions to Hasina’s garden and headed there.
Chalak disguised himself as a sorcerer, marked his body with sandalwood powder, plaited his hair and smeared it with dust. He tied the portraits of Sameri and Jamshed to his arms, put on a saffron-colored waistcloth and affixed a diamond tablet on his forehead; it was carved with the words, “Special Aide to Emperor Afrasiyab.” It made his forehead look like it was carved out of diamond. Carrying a trident and chaffing dish, the false sorcerer entered Hasina’s garden. To any who asked his particulars, Chalak replied, “I am sent by Emperor Afrasiyab.”
When the news was conveyed to sorceress Hasina she came out of her bridal chamber to welcome the false sorcerer, who introduced himself as Makkar the Cunning. Hasina took him into the summerhouse and asked him to make himself comfortable. Makkar gave her a letter and said, “I don’t have orders to sit down. The emperor has sent you this message and awaits an answer.”
Hasina read the letter given her. It read:
“Well done, O Hasina! You accomplished a great deed by destroying Hamza’s camp. I brought back some fruit from my visit to the Garden of Sameri, which I distributed among my faithful servants. I offer you your share by the hand of the sorcerer Makkar. By eating this fruit you will receive the gift of longevity, since the Garden of Sameri is full of marvels. I bind you by an oath on my life that you eat this fruit when you receive it. Allow only your close confidantes to remain in your presence when you eat it lest the shadow of an impure person is cast on the fruit and defiles it. Then you must speedily put an end to the battle and return to court to receive lands and riches as your reward. End of the letter. Regards.”
Hasina was overjoyed upon reading the letter and sent all her slave girls to await her outside the garden. She allowed only a handful of close confidantes, who were most immaculately clean, to remain by her side. After making these arrangements, she said to Makkar, “Please present the fruit sent by the emperor.”
The false sorcerer sent for trays, then took out many brightly colored, shining and fresh fruit from his pocket and arranged them on the trays. He made a respectful bow before the fruit then offered it to Hasina. The sorceress put the tray on her head as a sign of respect and said, “There is no end to the emperor’s kindnesses. He never fails to remember or show favor to his slave girls. As the emperor has bound me by an oath on his life to eat the fruit, I wish to eat it in your presence, O Makkar, so that you can bear witness to my actions before the emperor.”
Then Hasina ate the fruit and also offered some to her confidantes. As soon as they ate the drug-laced fruit, Hasina and her companions fell unconscious. Chalak slaughtered Hasina and beheaded her attendants. Immediately, their magic spirits caused an uproar and sorcerers and sorceresses ran into the garden.
Chalak took advantage of the spreading darkness to remove Amir Hamza’s protective necklace from Hasina’s neck and escape after jumping over the garden wall.
In the meanwhile, the turmoil continued and sorcerers ran in all directions in the ensuing confusion.
Now hear of what passed in the Pavilion of Suleiman, where Alam Shah sat dressed as a bridegroom. When Hasina was killed the spell she had cast on him was removed. The prince fell unconscious as the spell was broken. When he came to he found himself sitting in Laqa’s court dressed like a Laqa worshipper.
He asked the courtiers, “What are my circumstances?” They replied, “You prostrated yourself before Lord Laqa and today is the day of your wedding.” Then they gave Alam Shah a complete account of how he fell in Hasina’s love and fought and routed the camp of the True Believers.
Alam Shah rose in a blazing rage and cried, “Al
as, that infidel made a staunch True Believer like me prostrate myself before him and murder my companions by my own hand!” Alam Shah drew his sword and made his war declaration,
“Alam Shah, the Prince of Elephant Might
My might made the throne of Marzuq tremble
I am the one whose name in every assembly
Will be now proclaimed Rustam Elephant-Body!”
A sword fight broke out in Laqa’s court. Amir Hamza’s army commanders Landhoor, Hashim Swordfighter and others, who had been imprisoned together in a tent, were also freed of sorceress Hasina’s spells upon her death. When they heard Alam Shah’s war cry and the rising racket reached them, they broke their fetters and rushed out swinging the chains that had imprisoned them. They killed the guards, snatched their weapons and charged into Laqa’s court.
In the meanwhile, Alam Shah fought his way out of the court and fell upon Laqa’s camp. Taken unawares, Laqa’s soldiers defended themselves as best they could but by that time Alam Shah had already killed thousands, throwing Laqa’s camp into upheaval.
Chalak rushed to the mountain pass to apprise his army of the news. The commanders who were not too badly injured quickly marshalled their men and charged Laqa’s forces.
It is recounted that Amir Hamza, who was thrown into a cave by the trickster Tarar the Speedster, regained consciousness after a day. He broke his bonds, removed the stone that blocked the cave entrance and came out.
However, he lost his way in the mountains and wandered for two days. Then he came upon a woodcutter and hired him as a guide to find his way back to his camp. Amir Hamza arrived at his camp when Alam Shah charged Laqa’s camp. Amir Hamza recited the Most Great Name and rendered useless the magic spells cast by sorceress Hasina’s companions. A pitched sword battle now raged between the two camps. Heads flew off shoulders and were kicked around like beggars’ bowls.
Finally, Laqa’s army was defeated. The false god took refuge in the fortress of Mount Agate while the sorcerers retreated into Hoshruba.
Amir Hamza’s army captured the war booty and brought back the Pavilion of Suleiman. It was set up at the same spot in Hamza’s camp where it had stood earlier. The wounds of the injured were sutured. The army bivouacked, the bazaars opened up, and the women of Amir Hamza’s camp returned from their mountain refuge. The trickster Chalak presented the protective necklace to Amir Hamza, who rewarded him with a robe of honor.
In the meanwhile, at Bakhtiarak’s behest, King Suleiman Amber-Hair again sent a message to Afrasiyab. It read:
“O Afrasiyab, I request you in Lord Laqa’s name to send someone else to aid our lord. Sorceress Hasina crossed Lord Laqa by falling in love with Hamza’s son, therefore our lord destroyed her. Now he again awaits your help. It is hoped you will presently carry out his wishes.”
The message was sent to the mountain, the gong was rung, and the magic claw materialized and carried off the letter.
SORCERER AAFAT AND PRINCESS HILAL MAGIC-WRINGER
Now hear of what passed in the tilism. Afrasiyab sat in the Apple Garden when the magic claw that had carried off sorceress Lamae Lightning-Bolt brought her before him. The emperor removed the spell that held her and returned her to consciousness. After hearing sorceress Lamae’s account, Afrasiyab beat his head in shame and chagrin. He sent off sorceress Lamae to her land and thought of assigning sorceress Chashmak Zan Lightning-Bolt to the campaign against Mahrukh.
At that moment, a sorcerer named Aafat, who was one of the emperor’s close confidants and illustrious commanders, laughed at Afrasiyab. Afrasiyab, who grieved at his recent reversals, was enraged by Aafat’s ill-timed laughter. The emperor said, “O insolent man, how dare you laugh instead of consoling your master and weeping at his circumstances?” Aafat replied, “O Emperor, I laugh when I consider the rising fortunes of Amar Ayyar and Mahrukh Magic-Eye and how they humiliate your devotees, the renowned sorcerers of the tilism, who are the equals of Sameri and Jamshed. Amar trounced them and all of them turned tail. Verily, it’s a near impossibility to triumph over Amar.” Afrasiyab was incensed by these inauspicious words and said, “O ill-natured, worthless man, go away and never come back! How dare you dispirit and dishearten my courtiers by impertinently praising the enemy before them?”
Being of a noble nature, Aafat could not hold back after hearing Afrasiyab’s harsh words. Aafat said, “O Afrasiyab, it is such displays of vanity that brought Lord Sameri’s wrath down on you. As we know,
“Any who raised the head of vanity was condemned
To this day the Tutor of Angels115 walks in ignominy.”
“You have not renounced your arrogance despite repeated humiliations. I speak true. You will never be able to kill Amar Ayyar. Everyday I feel more inclined to believe that his faith is indeed the true faith.”
Afrasiyab said, “It appears to me that you have joined Amar, which is why you sing his praises and take his side. I’ll teach you a lesson for your insolence. I would like to see how Amar saves you now.”
Afrasiyab ordered the sorcerers present in his court to arrest Aafat. When the sorcerers rose to arrest him Aafat tried to counter their spells but was overwhelmed by their greater number and was pinioned by them.
Afrasiyab ordered, “Take him across the River of Flowing Blood into Zahir and burn him alive in the open field that stretches from the Dome of Light and overlooks Mahrukh’s camp so that she too, may witness his terrible end and take admonition from it. That area is also accessible to the tricksters. I would like to see who dares to release him. Tonight this man of ill fortune should remain imprisoned in the execution grounds. Come morning, I will arrive at the Dome of Light and sit in the window that overlooks Mahrukh’s camp to witness the burning of Aafat on the pyre, and the helplessness of his sympathisers.”
Several thousand sorcerers led Aafat away. The entire region of Batin rang with the news and sorceress Aafat’s wife, Princess Hilal Magic-Wringer, also received the tidings. She headed out with several hundred beautiful slave girls to see her husband for the last time. Aafat’s friends and attendants wept and wailed and accompanied the princess, their hair dishevelled and collars rent. But they followed her at a distance because of their fear of the Emperor of Hoshruba.
When the party of sorcerers leading Aafat as prisoner arrived in Zahir a great hue and cry arose in that region.
Empress Heyrat’s magic birds brought her the news and she rode out on her throne to witness the sight. All the officers of her camp accompanied her. Magic bugles tooted and the criers made proclamations that anyone who rebelled against the Emperor of Hoshruba would be likewise punished and experience a similar plight.
In due time, the news also reached Queen Mahrukh’s camp that Aafat was condemned to be burned alive for the words he spoke in favor of Amar and Mahrukh. Everyone, including Amar Ayyar, received the news and became restive. Mahrukh ordered that the magic trumpet should be sounded and readied her army to attack and snatch Aafat from Afrasiyab’s clutches. Then Amar said to her, “O queen, if you were able to triumph over the armies of the Emperor of Hoshruba, we, the tricksters, would have speedily killed the emperor instead of undergoing any hardships. It is impossible for you to snatch Aafat from them. I advise instead that some of your sorcerers should fly into the sky by magic and hide there, and some more should invoke magic to sink into the ground. A part of our army should lie in wait here and another part should prepare to ambush. When they hear my war cry and witness Afrasiyab lying unconscious, they should attack the enemy camp and start the carnage. However, you must make these arrangements under cover of night. Let the remainder of the day pass without these preparations or your intentions will be revealed to the enemy. I must, however, start now and plan some trickery.”
Amar Ayyar went on his way. He arrived in the wilderness and blew his whistle to summon his trickster companions. When they gathered, Amar informed them about their mission. Each trickster described the trickery he would perform to achieve his end. Amar approved of the trickery they de
scribed, which will be revealed in due time. Afterwards, the tricksters left on their respective missions and Amar went his own way.
On the other side, villainous sorcerers led Aafat into the field. Empress Heyrat’s entourage also arrived and was stationed on one side of the field. Afrasiyab had ordered that a pyre be built and Aafat kept incarcerated during the night.
When the bride of the day arrived in the house of lamentations dressed in black, and the evening of sorrows displayed her mourning face, a guard and vigil was deputed on sorcerer Aafat. Empress Heyrat’s entourage bivouacked in their place. The vigil squads remained on the alert and constantly made rounds of the camp. A sorcerer named Tadbir, appointed to supervise the building of the pyre, ordered that the forest be cut down to obtain wood.
As advised by Amar, Queen Mahrukh and half of her army slipped away under cover of darkness. Once they arrived near their marks, they invoked magic, flew to the sky, and sank into the ground as planned, to lie in ambush.
The trickster Burq the Frank reached the open field and saw sorcerer Tadbir supervising the arrangements for the pyre. Burq disguised himself as a woodcutter and, carrying an axe on his shoulder, went before him.
He said to Tadbir, “As I was cutting a tree, a flame leapt out of its trunk and turned into a fairy and started dancing. I ran away in fright and came to report it so that you may also witness this marvel.” Tadbir was greatly surprised. He accompanied the false woodcutter, who led him to a deserted place where he made Tadbir unconscious with an egg of oblivion, put on his clothes, and assumed his disguise. He bound the real Tadbir and threw him into a cave, then returned to the field and resumed work.
When building the pyre, Burq left a cavity in the middle that could accommodate up to three persons. While Burq made these arrangements, Qiran the Ethiope dug a tunnel from the forest leading up to the cavity in the pyre. Disguised as sorcerers, the tricksters Zargham and Jansoz helped prepare the pyre and threw large amounts of drugs onto the logs.
Hoshruba Page 42