Laqa sent her off after offering her such words of comfort and hope.
Sorceress Khumar flew away with Laqa’s letter. She soon arrived in the court of Afrasiyab, where he awaited Laqa’s reply. Khumar presented it, along with the letter trickster Chalak had written, showed the emperor her shaved head, and narrated all that had passed.
Afrasiyab trembled with fright upon learning that abuses were addressed to Laqa in his name. He was also deeply grieved that his beloved Khumar’s hair had been shaved off. Afrasiyab became convinced that Sarsar had produced someone in Amar’s disguise to impress him with her resourcefulness. He ordered that Amar, who had been tied to a column in the Apple Garden, be brought before him.
Amar had already heard Khumar’s entire account. He said to himself, One of my disciples must have shaved this whore’s head and created a ruse for my release.
The sorcerers untied Amar and put spells on him so that he could not escape and presented him before Afrasiyab. When the emperor asked him who he was, Amar replied, “Your Excellency, Sarsar told me that she would present me before you in Amar’s disguise, that I would be imprisoned, and when it was night, she would set me free and give me five thousand rupees. In return, I had to state before you that I was Amar when, in fact, I am a prostitute from the region of Zahir.”
Afrasiyab said to the sorcerers, “Remove your spells from Amar.” Then he said to him, “You are free to go where you please.” He also rewarded Amar five thousand rupees for revealing the truth of the matter. Amar saluted Afrasiyab, collected his reward, and left the Apple Garden. Thinking that a calamity might soon follow upon the discovery of the truth and that he would be recognized and recaptured, Amar wrapped himself in his cape of invisibility.
In the Apple Garden, Afrasiyab called out, “Send for that whore and sham trickster girl Sarsar!”
The sorcerers conveyed the message to Sarsar, who rested in another part of the vast Apple Garden. When she heard the emperor’s unexpected summons she arrived shaking and trembling with fear. Afrasiyab ordered, “Tie her up!” The sorcerers tied Sarsar to a column and gave her a thrashing at Afrasiyab’s orders. Sarsar cried out, “What is my crime?” Afrasiyab replied, “O evil bitch, this is your reward for disgracing me before Lord Laqa! Read this message from him! You brought me a prostitute disguised as Amar Ayyar. Tell me the truth now or I will have your nose cut off from the root.”
Sarsar replied, “That is not true. I satisfied myself that the man was Amar.” Sorceress Khumar said, “See for yourself! Amar shaved off my hair. Why would I shave my own head just to show you to be a liar?” Sarsar addressed Afrasiyab, “Your Excellency should not believe me or anybody else but consult the Book of Sameri. If I have lied you should put me to death. But I would not have my name sullied for anyone who had her head shaved to bring disgrace on others.” Khumar was incensed and said, “O whore! Do not cast aspersions on me! You have some cheek covering your crime by accusing others!” Sarsar retorted, “You are a whore yourself! Except for my lord emperor’s, I won’t listen to anyone’s abuse!”
Feeling angry at them, Afrasiyab said, “Such altercations are unseemly in my presence.” Then he looked into the Book of Sameri and learned that Khumar’s head had been shaved by Chalak, that Sarsar spoke the truth, and that he had made an error in releasing Amar. Afrasiyab now set Sarsar free, conferred a robe of honor on her and said, “Amar will not be able to cross over the River of Flowing Blood. Hasten and arrest him and bring him to me.”
Sarsar departed in Amar’s pursuit and Afrasiyab adjourned the court. His ministers, commanders, and courtiers returned to their homes.
Sorceress Khumar nursed malice in her heart toward Sarsar for what had happened in the court that day. The trickster girl felt the same toward Khumar. We will hear more about it in the following pages.
Now hear of Amar Ayyar. He had put on the cape of invisibility as he came out of the Apple Garden. When he had traveled far enough away, he took it off and disguised himself as an Aghori fakir.120 He tied on a waistcloth, covered himself with a rag and, carrying a carafe of wine in one hand and holding a human skull under his other arm, he headed onwards, shouting inanities. It was his plan to find and kill a sorcerer in whose disguise he could cross the River of Flowing Blood.
Amar was engrossed in these thoughts when he was sighted by the trickster girl Sarsar, who had pursued him. She recognized Amar in the fakir’s disguise and challenged him by blocking his path and drawing her short sword. Amar had no choice but to fight.
As the two tricksters fought together, a sorcerer who lived in that wilderness happened on the scene.
When Amar saw him coming, he shouted, “Look who is behind you!” Amar got closer and hit Sarsar with an egg of oblivion as she turned. He caught Sarsar in his arms as she sank unconscious to the ground and put her into the zambil. He tried to run away but the sorcerer was already on his head and recited a spell that made Amar’s feet stick to the ground.
The sorcerer said, “O Aghori, why did you fight with the woman? And what did you do with her when I approached? How did you make her disappear all of a sudden?” Amar replied, “That woman was my wife. As I was hungry, I ate her up.” The sorcerer marvelled when he heard this and said, “I always sought but never found a way to gain admission to the court. Now I have found a wonderful one; there would be no sorcerer at the emperor’s court who could swallow a person whole in one bite.” The sorcerer caught Amar with a magic claw, recited a spell, and flew away with him.
It so happened that after Afrasiyab’s court adjourned, his first minister, Baghban Magic-Gardener, retired to his garden where he sat drinking wine with his wife, sorceress Gulchin.
As the sorcerer carrying Amar flew past, sorceress Gulchin saw him carrying a man and said to her husband, “Send for him. Let’s find out who they are.” Baghban recited a spell to stop the sorcerer. He was an ordinary sorcerer and could not fly after Baghban’s spell was cast. He descended and saluted the emperor’s minister. Baghban asked, “Who did you take captive?” He replied, “I saw him fighting with his wife. Then all of a sudden he ate her up. I was surprised by that and decided to take him before the emperor.”
Baghban also marvelled when he heard that account and scrutinized Amar with his magic gaze. As Baghban was a mighty sorcerer, the power and heat of his gaze made Amar’s makeup evaporate and fly in sparks from his body. Baghban removed his magic gaze from Amar’s body and said to the sorcerer, “This is Amar Ayyar, not an Aghori fakir.” He asked Amar, “Who was the woman you ate up?” Amar replied, “I don’t let my wife come out before strangers nor leave her alone at home, I keep her with me in my zambil. She is a matchless trickster girl herself. When I took her out from my zambil in the wilderness she started fighting. Then this sorcerer arrived. As he was a stranger, I put her back into my zambil. I did not eat her.”
When sorceress Gulchin heard this she said to Amar, “I wish to see your wife. Take her out of the zambil.” Amar answered, “I will not take her out before strangers. Dismiss the men and give me some money. Then I will show her to you.” Gulchin dismissed the men from the garden. Baghban, however, kept sitting there. He said, “O Amar, bring out your wife before me. I will liberally reward you.” Amar said, “There would be no harm done if you showed me the money first.” Baghban and his wife sent for much gold and riches and offered it to Amar, who stowed it away. Amar then retired to a corner of their garden, pulled out Sarsar’s head and changed her appearance with trickster’s makeup. Then he returned, pulled Sarsar out of his zambil and put her before them.
Gulchin saw a comely girl of breathtaking beauty and said, “O Amar, your wife is indeed very pretty. Now restore her to consciousness.” Amar replied, “She will run away if I do so.” Gulchin said, “She would not dare run away from my presence.” Amar said, “If she is unable to escape she will tell you all kinds of lies. She will say that she is the trickster girl Sarsar. Then you will turn against me.” Both Baghban and Gulchin swore that they would not beli
eve a word she said. Amar tied Sarsar to a tree and gave her a restorative.
When Sarsar came to, she saw Baghban and Gulchin sitting before her. She said, “O emperor’s minister, why have you tied me to this tree? Don’t believe a word this cameleer’s son Amar tells you. Give him to me so I can take him before the emperor, who awaits his capture.” Amar said, “O whore, why would you wish to take me before your lover, the emperor? Today I will cut off your nose.” Sarsar cursed Amar.
Both Baghban and Gulchin took it for a marital feud. Gulchin said to Amar, “Your wife has a sharp tongue, indeed.” Amar slapped Sarsar roundly and said, “O whore, will you ever wag your tongue again in my presence?” Baghban and Gulchin laughed at this spectacle. Sarsar said to them, “Ridiculing me will not bode well with you. I’ll tell the emperor that his minister has joined hands with Amar.” Baghban asked, “How would you gain entrance to the emperor’s court?” Sarsar answered, “I am the trickster girl Sarsar. I have a seat at the emperor’s court.” Amar interjected, “Didn’t I tell you that she would claim to be Sarsar? She is a sly one, surely.” Amar slapped Sarsar some more.
Sarsar related to Baghban all that had passed in the court, including Afrasiyab’s intentions before Amar’s arrest and the counsels held in the court, and said, “If I were not Sarsar, how would I know these details?” Baghban became apprehensive and plucked a fruit from a tree; he recited and blew a spell over it whereupon the fruit opened and a bird of beautiful plumage emerged and warbled melodiously, “The woman who is tied up is Sarsar!” After making this utterance the bird flew away.
Baghban apologized to Sarsar and set her free. While Baghban and Gulchin were occupied with Sarsar, Amar found the opportunity to put on his cape of invisibility and disappear. When Sarsar was released, she shouted, “Where did that wretch of a trickster go?” Amar replied, “I am here.” Baghban felt frightened as he could hear Amar’s voice but not see him. Sarsar said to them, “I must leave now.” Amar called out, “I will also accompany you.”
Sarsar exited the garden but Amar stayed behind to think of some way to rob the place and murder the sorcerers. After Sarsar was gone, Gulchin said to Baghban, “Because of Sarsar’s threats, Amar also went away. I have heard of his many talents. If he were here I would have liked him to display them for us.” Amar answered, “I am here but invisible to you because you are sorcerers; you would arrest me and take me before Afrasiyab.”
When Gulchin heard his voice, she said, “I swear by Lord Sameri that we would not deceive you.” Amar said, “Very well. Arrange for some money so that I may reveal myself.” When Gulchin put out an offering for Amar he took off his cape of invisibility and appeared.
Gulchin greeted Amar with respect and seated him. Then she said, “We are very anxious to hear you sing. Please regale us by singing a little for us.” Amar produced a pipe and tied ankle-bells to his feet. He sang and danced and sent the audience into raptures of joy. The birds in the garden forgot their songs and listened, entranced, to Amar’s voice. The flowers in that garden lent their ears to his melodious strains and the leaves rustled in applause of his honeyed notes. The tress swayed, the flower buds sat tight-lipped on branches, and the hearts of love-struck nightingales filled to bursting with fervor.
He sang the tappa121 with such mastery
That every strain set the soul aflutter
The strains, they rose with a power that
Made restive every accompanying beat
His gatkari122 was a string of light drops
Like a sparkler it continuously sparkled
The narcissi looked up at its sound
The flowers lent it their fragrant ears
The trees swayed with an enchanted fervor
And the cypress stood riveted and straight
The birds fell down from the trees entranced
The doors and walls became wonderstruck
The stones in the lake bed turned to water
The fountains, they broke into sprays
The odes of love the ringdoves sang
The nightingales flooded the garden with their tears
The strange power that the ragas have
Their talent to melt to water stones
Such an air and ambience in the garden it created
All hearts became of tenderness full
A scene of such marvel was painted there
Even the breeze issued dancing from the trees
Amar received jewels worth hundreds of thousands of rupees in reward and won over the assembly with his talent.
In the meanwhile, Afrasiyab returned to his court and consulted the Book of Sameri to learn what had passed with Sarsar after she left to capture Amar. He learned of her misadventures and discovered that Baghban sat listening to Amar Ayyar’s song.
Enraged, Afrasiyab said to himself, It is a great shame that my first minister should embrace my enemy; a travesty that one of the most celebrated officers of the empire joins hands with the foe. He shut the book in anger and clapped. A magic slave popped up from the ground. Afrasiyab commanded him, “Amar is singing in Baghban’s garden. Go and bring both Amar and Baghban to me.” After receiving his orders the magic slave departed.
In Baghban’s garden, Amar took a pause during singing and heard a whirring sound. When he looked up he saw a magic slave swooping down. Amar quickly put on the cape of invisibility and disappeared. When the magic slave came down with a blinding flash, it did not find Amar. It caught Baghban by his waist, shouted, “I came from Emperor Afrasiyab!” and carried away the minister. A terrified Gulchin realized that calamity would now strike them.
The magic slave brought Baghban to Afrasiyab. At the sight of him the Emperor rose with a whip in his hand, gave Baghban a few lashes and said, “O traitor! How dare you socialize with and entertain my enemy in your house?” Baghban truthfully related to the emperor all that had passed from the time the sorcerer brought Amar, to Sarsar’s feuding with Amar Ayyar. Then Baghban entreated Afrasiyab, saying, “This meek subject,
“Being a humble slave of your Majesty
Beholden as always to the salt of your vassalage,
would never ever dream of treason. Now the just emperor should release me so that I may produce that sly trickster in your excellent presence.”
Afrasiyab detected the redolence of truth in his minister’s words. He released Baghban, who departed in a fury to arrest Amar.
Now hear of Amar Ayyar. After the magic slave carried off Baghban and the threat moved away, Amar removed his cape of invisibility and said to Gulchin, “I have thought of a way to ward off Afrasiyab’s anger. I would share it with you if you accompany me to the summerhouse.”
Gulchin rose and followed Amar. When they entered the summerhouse Amar made her unconscious with an egg of oblivion, wrapped her in a rug and hid her in a corner of the summerhouse. Then Amar took out his trickster’s paints and lotions and disguised himself as Gulchin. He attired himself in her clothes and returned to take her seat in the garden. The slave girls asked, “Where did Amar Ayyar go?” The false Gulchin answered, “He possesses the power of invisibility. God knows where he disappeared.” The slave girls believed her and did not ask further questions.
In the meanwhile, Baghban returned and made the same query of the false Gulchin. She replied, “Amar disappeared even as the magic slave swooped down.” Baghban said, “I’m going in search of that wretch; the emperor humiliated me before everyone on account of him. I’ll arrest him because he won’t be able to cross the river, and take him before the emperor.” Baghban then recited a spell and flew away.
Amar said to himself, When Baghban is unable to locate me after a close search, he will use magic to discover where I’m hiding. He will learn that I am in his garden in Gulchin’s guise and speedily arrest me. The false Gulchin sent for Baghban’s daughters, sorceresses Nihal and Samar, who arrived at their mother’s summons. After expressing tokens of maternal love and affection for the girls, the false Gulchin said, “Your father has gone i
n search of Amar, who is a veritable monster. Let us depart and track Amar too, lest he should inflict any harm on your father, or we attract the emperor’s anger in case your father is unsuccessful in catching him.” Sorceress Nihal said, “Very well, mother, let us go.”
The false Gulchin asked her to send for a flying throne. Nihal hit a magic citron on the ground. The earth cleft and smoke issued out in a column rising up to the heavens. After a moment, a flying throne approached and descended near them. The false Gulchin left sorceress Samar behind to safeguard the house and sat on the throne with Nihal, to whom she said, “Let us see whether you know enough magic to make this throne fly, or if you’ve been wasting your time in idle play.” Nihal recited a spell and the throne became airborne. As they flew near the banks of the River of Flowing Blood, the false Gulchin began to mumble, pretending to recite a spell. A moment later, she said to Nihal, “My magic has alerted me that Amar has crossed the river into Zahir. However, he has not yet emerged from the wilderness. If we hurry, we can apprehend him yet.”
Nihal hastened the throne onwards. They flew over the River of Flowing Blood and crossed into Zahir.
Now hear of Baghban Magic-Gardener. He searched for Amar in all directions but failed to find any trace of him. Baghban finally untied a statue from his wrist, recited a spell and said, “O image of Sameri, I ask you in Lord Sameri’s name to give me Amar’s whereabouts.” The statue spoke, “Amar has landed across the river disguised as your wife. He is accompanied by your daughter, whom he is about to kill and then make his escape.”
Upon hearing this, Baghban tied the statue to his wrist again and speedily flew toward Zahir. He soon arrived where Amar had landed. As Amar was about to make Nihal unconscious with an egg of oblivion, Baghban shouted, “Beware, O wretch! I have arrived! You won’t escape from me now!”
Hoshruba Page 45