The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights

by vol 02 (tr Malcolm C

  When he heard what ‘Ajib had to say, Tarkanan’s anger was roused and he swore by the truth of the fire that he would both avenge ‘Ajib and allow no one to worship anything but his goddess, the fire. He called for his son and told him: ‘Prepare to go to Iraq to destroy everyone there. You are to tie up all those who do not worship fire, and torture them as an example to others. Instead of killing them, however, you are to bring them to me and I shall torment them in various ways, giving them the cup of humiliation to drain, before making an example of them to teach a lesson to all the people of this age.’ To accompany the prince his father picked a force of eighty thousand horse, eighty thousand giraffe riders and ten thousand elephants, each with howdahs of sandalwood latticed with gold, whose plates and nails were made of silver and gold and which were covered with canopies of gold and emeralds. There were also war litters, each carrying eight men armed with various weapons. The prince himself was the champion of his age, unequalled in his bravery, his name being Ra‘d Shah.

  Ra‘d Shah spent ten days in making his preparations and his army then set off like a storm cloud, arriving at Oman after a two-month march and surrounding the city, to the delight of ‘Ajib, who was certain of victory. Al-Jamraqan, Sa‘dan and all the Muslim champions came out to the battlefield as drums were beaten and horses neighed. Al-Kailajan looked down over this scene before going back to tell Gharib. Gharib, as we have said, mounted and rode among the infidels, waiting for a challenger to come out to begin the fight. Sa‘dan the ghul came out to challenge and was met by an Indian champion, whom he instantly struck down with his mace, crushing his bones and leaving him stretched out on the ground. A second opponent was killed and a third overthrown, and Sa‘dan continued to fight until he had killed thirty warriors. At this point he was faced by an Indian champion named Battash al-Aqran, the uncle of Tarkanan and the hero of the age, who was worth five thousand riders on the battlefield. ‘Arab thief,’ Battash cried, ‘are you so proud of yourself that you dare kill the kings and champions of India and capture its riders? This is your last day on earth.’ On hearing this, Sa‘dan’s eyes reddened; he charged at Battash and struck at him with his club, but the blow missed and, unbalanced by its force, Sa‘dan fell to the ground. Before he could recover, he had been tied up and the Indians dragged him off to their camp.

  Al-Jamraqan, seeing his comrade captured, cried out: ‘Oh for the religion of Abraham, the Friend of God!’ and, urging on his horse, he made for Battash. The two circled round each other for a while, but Battash then attacked, seized hold of al-Jamraqan’s mail coat, pulled him from his saddle and threw him to the ground, after which the Indians tied him up and dragged him to their camp. Champion after champion came out to face Battash, until he had taken twenty-four leaders captive, to the great distress of the Muslims. On seeing this, Gharib drew from beneath his knee the golden mace of Barqan, king of the jinn, weighing a hundred and twenty ratls.

  Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the six hundred and sixty-first night, SHE CONTINUED:

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that when Gharib saw what had happened to his champions, he drew the golden mace of Barqan, king of the jinn. At his prompting, the sea horse carrying him bounded on like a gust of wind, and when he had reached the centre of the field he shouted: ‘God is greater! Victory and triumph; may God abandon those who reject the religion of Abraham, the Friend of God!’ He charged against Battash and struck him to the ground with a blow from his mace. He then turned towards the Muslims and, seeing his brother Sahim there, he said: ‘Tie up this dog.’ Sahim rushed forward and after tying Battash tightly he took him off, leaving the Muslims to wonder at this display of prowess, while the unbelievers said to each other: ‘Who is this rider who has come out from their ranks and captured our comrade?’ While this was going on, Gharib was repeating his challenge and when another Indian leader came out to face him he struck him with his mace, stretching him out on the ground. Al-Kailajan and al-Qurajan tied him up and handed him over to Sahim, after which Gharib went on capturing champion after champion until by the end of the day he had taken fifty-two of the Indian leaders prisoner.

  The drums then sounded the recall and Gharib left the field, making for the Muslim camp. The first to meet him was Sahim, who kissed his foot in his stirrup and exclaimed: ‘May your hand never wither, champion of the age! Tell us who you are.’ At that, Gharib lifted up the chain mail that screened his face and, on recognizing him, Sahim shouted out: ‘Muslims, this is your lord and king, Gharib, who has come from the land of the jinn!’ On hearing that, they jumped down from their horses and came up to him, kissing his feet in his stirrups and greeting him in delight at his safe return, before going back with him into the city. There he took his seat on the royal throne as his overjoyed people flocked around him. Food was produced and they ate, after which Gharib told them of all his experiences on Mount Qaf with the tribes of the jinn. They were filled with astonishment and gave thanks to God for his safety.

  He then ordered them to go off to their beds, and when they had gone, only the marids, al-Kailajan and al-Qurajan, who had never left his side, remained with him. He asked them: ‘Can you take me to Kufa so that I may enjoy the company of my womenfolk and then bring me back at the end of the night?’ ‘Master,’ they told him, ‘this is the easiest of requests.’ The distance from Kufa to Oman is a sixty-day journey for a fast rider and al-Kailajan said to al-Qurajan: ‘I shall carry him there and you can bring him back.’ Al-Kailajan then carried Gharib with al-Qurajan flying beside him, and it was only an hour before they had reached Kufa and deposited Gharib by the palace door. He went in to see his uncle, al-Damigh, who rose at the sight of him and greeted him. ‘How are my wives, Kaukab al-Sabah and Mahdiya?’ Gharib asked, and al-Damigh assured him that they were both in good health. A eunuch went to tell the ladies of his arrival, at which they raised a cry of joy and rewarded the eunuch for his good news. When Gharib came in they rose to greet him and then, after some conversation, al-Damigh entered and Gharib astonished the three of them by telling of his experiences with the jinn.

  For the rest of the night until nearly dawn Gharib slept with Kaukab al-Sabah. He then went out to the marids and, after saying goodbye to his family, his wives and his uncle, al-Damigh, he mounted on the back of al-Qurajan, with al-Kailajan flying alongside him. Before the darkness had cleared away he was back in the city of Oman, where he and his men armed themselves. He had ordered the city gates to be opened when a horseman rode up from the infidel army bringing with him al-Jamraqan, Sa‘dan the ghul and the other captured Muslim leaders whom he had set free, and whom he now handed over to Gharib. The Muslims were delighted at their safe return and having armed themselves, they mounted and prepared for the fight as the war drums were beaten. For their part, the infidels rode out and formed up in their ranks.

  Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the six hundred and sixty-second night, SHE CONTINUED:

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that when the Muslims had ridden out to the battlefield, the battle was opened by Gharib, who drew al-Mahiq, the sword of Japheth, and rode out between the ranks shouting: ‘Those who recognize me know enough of the damage that I can do, and I tell those who do not know me that I am Gharib, king of Iraq and Yemen. I am Gharib, the brother of ‘Ajib.’ When Ra‘d Shah, the son of the Indian king, heard this, he called to his commanders telling them to bring him ‘Ajib, which they did. He then said: ‘You know that this is your quarrel and you are responsible for it. It is your brother who is here on the field of battle; go out to meet him and bring him to me as a prisoner so that I may make an example of him by hanging him upside-down on a camel and taking him to India.’ ‘O king,’ said ‘Ajib, ‘send someone else to fight him, as I am unwell this morning.’ At this, Ra‘d Shah snorted and roared and then said: ‘I swear by the truth of the fire with its sparks, and by light, dark and heat, if you don’t
go out to meet your brother and fetch him to me quickly, I shall end your life by cutting off your head.’

  ‘Ajib plucked up his courage and rode out, and when he approached Gharib he called out: ‘Arab dog, vilest of all those who knock in tent pegs, do you dare to vie with kings? Take what is coming to you, for here is good news of your death.’ ‘What king are you?’ said Gharib when he heard this, and ‘Ajib replied: ‘I am your brother, and this is your last day on earth.’ When Gharib was certain that this was indeed ‘Ajib, he shouted: ‘Revenge for my father and mother!’ He gave his sword to al-Kailajan before charging at ‘Ajib and striking him so terrible a blow with his mace that he almost knocked out ‘Ajib’s ribs. He then seized him by the collar of his coat of mail and dragged him from his saddle, hurling him on to the ground. The marids then pounced on him, tied him tightly and led him away, abased and humiliated.

  Gharib, in his delight at having captured his enemy, recited these lines:

  I have achieved my goal; my distress is at an end;

  To You, my Lord, be praise and thanks.

  I grew up humble, poor and lowly,

  But God has granted me my every wish.

  I have taken the lands and overcome their peoples,

  But were it not for You, my Lord, I would be nothing.

  When Ra‘d Shah saw the result of the duel between ‘Ajib and his brother, he called for his horse, took up his weapons and armed himself, after which he rode out on to the field. When he came near Gharib he shouted: ‘Wood carrier, vilest of the Arabs, have you become so mighty that you capture kings and champions? Dismount, allow your hands to be tied, kiss my foot and set free my champions. Then come with me in chains to my own kingdom, where I shall pardon you and appoint you as shaikh of our lands so that you can have a mouthful of bread to eat.’ On hearing this, Gharib almost fell over laughing and then said: ‘Mad dog, mangy wolf, you are about to see against whom fortune’s wheel will turn.’ He then called to Sahim to fetch him the prisoners, and when they had been brought he cut off their heads, at which Ra‘d Shah set upon him with force and fury and the two of them continued to attack, retire and clash until as night fell the drums sounded the recall.

  Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the six hundred and sixty-third night, SHE CONTINUED:

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that when the drums sounded the recall, both adversaries broke away from each other and retired to their own camps, where their men congratulated them on their safety. ‘It is not like you to have to fight for so long,’ the Muslims told Gharib, to which he replied: ‘I have fought with many champions and chiefs, but I have never seen anyone who could strike better blows than this prince. I considered drawing Japheth’s sword and killing him with a blow that would shatter his bones, but I delayed because I thought that I would take him prisoner and allow him to share in the faith of Islam.’ So much for Gharib, but as for Ra‘d Shah, when he went to his pavilion and took his seat on his throne, the Indian leaders came and asked him about his opponent. He said: ‘I swear by the truth of the fire with its sparks that never in all my life have I seen a champion like this man, but tomorrow I shall capture him and lead him away humiliated and abased.’ Next morning the war drums sounded and the armies prepared for battle; they hung their swords from their shoulders, raised their war cries, mounted their fine horses and rode out from their tents, until the whole land, with its hills, valleys and open plains, was filled with men.

  The first to start the fight was King Gharib, the bold rider, the great lion, who rode to and fro challenging his enemies to come out to face him and calling: ‘Let no idle weakling come out to face me today.’ Before the words were out of his mouth, Ra‘d Shah appeared, mounted on an elephant that looked like a huge dome, on whose back was a howdah secured by bands of silk, with its mahout perched between its ears. This man carried a prong in his hand with which he would strike the elephant to make it swing to the right or the left. When it came close to Gharib’s horse, the horse shied away at the sight of a creature that it had never seen before and Gharib dismounted; leaving his horse in the care of al-Kailajan, Gharib drew his sword al-Mahiq and advanced on foot towards Ra‘d Shah until he was in front of the elephant. It had been Ra‘d Shah’s custom when he found himself overmatched by any champion to take with him on his howdah something called a lasso, this being a species of net, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top, with rings fastened to its lower end through which passed a silken cord. He would make for his opponent and his horse, cover them with the net and then pull the cord. The rider would be unseated and Ra‘d Shah, who had won many victories in this way, would take him prisoner. When Gharib approached, Ra‘d Shah lifted up the net he was holding and threw it so that it spread out over him and then pulled him up on to the elephant’s back. He then shouted to the elephant to take him back to his army. Al-Kailajan and al-Qurajan had not left Gharib, and when they saw what had happened to him they seized hold of the elephant while Gharib himself struggled in the net until he had torn through it. The marids then attacked Ra‘d Shah, tied him up with a fibre rope and led him off. The two armies then charged each other like the meeting of twin seas or two mountains clashing, while the dust rose up into the sky. The fighters were blinded in the fury of the fight; blood flowed and the battle continued to rage with no shortage of cuts and thrusts until, when night fell, drums sounded the recall and both sides separated.

  Of the Muslims who were present that day, many were killed and most were wounded, thanks to those of the enemy who were riding on elephants and giraffes. Gharib found this hard to bear and after he had given orders for the wounded to be treated, he turned to his commanders and asked them for their advice. ‘O king,’ they told him, ‘the elephants and the giraffes are the cause of the trouble, and if we could be safe from them we would have the upper hand.’ Al-Kailajan and al-Qurajan said: ‘We shall draw our swords, attack the enemy and kill most of them,’ but at that point one of al-Jaland’s Omani counsellors came forward and guaranteed to deal with the Indian army if Gharib obediently followed his advice. Gharib turned to his commanders and told them to follow whatever instructions this expert gave them. ‘To hear is to obey,’ they replied.

  Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the six hundred and sixty-fourth night, SHE CONTINUED:

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that Gharib told his commanders that they were to follow whatever instructions this expert gave them. The man picked out ten of them and asked them what force they had, to which they replied that they had ten thousand men. He then took them to the treasury, where he armed five thousand of them with muskets and taught them how to shoot. When dawn broke, the infidels made their preparations; their fully armed infantry were preceded by the beasts, elephants and giraffes, carrying their own fighting men. Gharib came out with his champions; the ranks were drawn up and, to the sound of the drums, the commanders advanced as the beasts moved forwards. At this point the Omani shouted to the marksmen, who busied themselves with their arrows and their leaden bullets before loosing off a volley. The shot penetrated the ribs of the beasts, who screamed and turned on the Indian champions and their infantry, crushing them underfoot. The Muslims then charged, encircling the Indians from left to right as the elephants trampled them, scattering them throughout the open plains. The Muslims pursued them with their Indian swords and only a few of the elephants and giraffes escaped.

  Gharib and his men went back delighted by their victory, and the next morning the spoils were distributed. After a pause of five days Gharib took his seat on his royal throne and sent for his brother ‘Ajib. ‘Dog,’ he said to him, ‘why do you collect kings to oppose me, when it is the Omnipotent God Who aids me against you? If you accept Islam, you will be saved, and because of that I shall not avenge my father and mother on you but will restore you to your throne and subordinate myself to you.’ ‘Ajib, however, when he heard what his br
other had to say, insisted that he would never abandon his religion and was put in irons with a hundred strong slaves to guard him. Gharib then turned to Ra‘d Shah and asked him what he had to say about Islam, to which he replied: ‘Master, I will accept your religion, for were it not fine and true, you would never have defeated us. If you stretch out your hand, I shall bear witness that there is no god but God and that Abraham, His Friend, is the apostle of God.’ Gharib was pleased by his conversion and asked him whether the sweetness of faith was firmly fixed in his heart. When Ra‘d Shah replied that it was, Gharib asked whether he would go back to his own lands. ‘O king,’ Ra‘d Shah answered, ‘my father will kill me for having abandoned his religion.’ ‘I shall come with you,’ Gharib told him, ‘and with the help of God, the Generous, the Bountiful, I shall establish you as king so that the lands and the people obey you,’ at which Ra‘d Shah kissed his hands and feet.

  The Omani whose advice had led to the rout of the Indians now received great quantities of wealth as a reward, and Gharib then summoned al-Kailajan and al-Qurajan, telling them, when they had answered the summons, to carry him to India. ‘To hear is to obey,’ they said. Gharib took with him al-Jamraqan and Sa‘dan, who were carried by al-Qurajan, while al-Kailajan carried Gharib himself together with Ra‘d Shah. The marids then set off for India…

  Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the six hundred and sixty-fifth night, SHE CONTINUED: