The princess asked Muqbil, “Who is this man and what are his name and particulars?” Muqbil replied, “He is none other than Khvaja Amar, who is renowned to the ends of the world for his roguery!” The princess was much fascinated by Amar’s general cast.
Upon entering his court, Hamza had seated Mehr-Nigar by his side and poured crimson wine for her into crystal goblets. The princess, too, picked up a ewer and cup, and plied Hamza with wine while Amar sat and sang.
Before the dawn appeared, Hamza, accompanied by Muqbil and Amar, escorted Princess Mehr-Nigar to her palace, and parted from her with the firm promise to meet again.
Some eunuchs lay awake when the princess and the nanny entered the palace and, sighting these two dark-clad figures, they raised the roof with cries of “Thief! Thief!” But when dawn broke, no sign even of the thief of henna could be descried.
In the morning the head of the eunuchs sounded his drum, and submitted to Empress Mehr-Angez: It would be seemly to appoint some commander at the princess’s palace on night watch who will do the rounds of vigil with adroitness and skill!” The empress found his counsel to her liking, and informed the emperor who delegated the warrior Antar Teghzan with a contingent of four hundred troops and foot soldiers to watch over the princess’s palace.
Now to Hamza who waited for Princess Mehr-Nigar until the middle of the night. But when the princess did not arrive and he learned of the deputation of Antar Teghzan’s guard to the princess’s palace, he became most inconsolable from the pangs of his heart, and sent for his nocturnal costume.
When Amar noticed Amir in this state, he broke into tears and threw himself at Hamza’s feet, imploring him thus: “O Hamza! I would to God that you not set foot from your pavilion this night. May God forbid even the likelihood that Antar should see you, and inflict some harm upon you!”
Hamza, who was in tears until now, involuntarily burst out laughing, and said, “O Amar! What has got hold of your senses that you frighten me with the prospect of death? I do not give the least thought to the day of my dying. But indeed, if you should put a premium on your life, you are at liberty not to accompany me.” Having said this, Hamza took Muqbil and headed for the palace of Princess Mehr-Nigar. And as Amar could not help but accompany him for better or for worse, he followed in his train.
Approaching Bagh-e Bedad, they saw Antar’s night patrol armed with torches doing their rounds. Amir Hamza and his companions hid themselves in a dense coppice that was close by, and after the night patrol had passed, Hamza left Muqbil to stand guard as before under the palace wall, while he climbed up with Amar. Hamza found Princess Mehr-Nigar sitting dressed in her finery awaiting him, with all the paraphernalia of the assembly laid before her. She was surrounded by a profusion of wax tapers, and flanked on one side by Tarar Khooban, the lover of Muqbil Vafadar, and on the other side by Fitna Bano, the nanny’s daughter and Amar’s faithful beloved. The princess’s eyes were riveted on the roof, and cheerfully but with yearning eyes she kept watch for Hamza’s arrival.
The nanny said, “O Princess. Today it is well-nigh impossible for the Sahibqiran to find his way here, as Antar is on night vigil with four hundred troops and foot soldiers.” The princess replied, “O Nanny! If the Sahibqiran is at all constant in his love, then even if the emperor’s whole army had been put on vigil duty he would yet make sure to visit before long! Indeed, I have a premonition that he shall be here soon!”
At these words Hamza rejoiced in his heart and came down from the palace roof. Then the princess said to the nanny, “Witness now how I had told you that the Sahibqiran would be here any moment!”
The princess rose and led the Sahibqiran by the hand to her throne, and the two exchanged many words of mutual longing and desire. The princess filled cups of roseate wine with her own hand and plied Amir with them, who drank with his arm around the princess’s neck. Presently their lips joined, their bosoms pressed together in the frenzy of passion, and Amar began to sing and prelude.
Greatly taken with Amar’s pleasantries, the princess said to him, “Do you feel a desire for any of these beauties?” Amar said to her, “I dare not broach this subject as she is one of your boon companions and enjoys precedence over all your other attendants. There is no likelihood of her welcoming my advances. Nay, she will answer the very mention of my name with abuse and vilification!” The princess gave her pledge that Amar was at liberty to seek the company of the one he preferred. Then Amar nimbly leapt over to snuggle next to Tarar Khooban, and began making sheep’s eyes at her. She began to abuse Amar at once, and with knitted brows rose in great indignation from his side.
The princess asked Amar, “What says she? Does she dare to revile and imprecate you?” Amar responded, “What has she to say? She indulges in dalliance and plays the coquette, but rejoices in her heart of hearts!”
The princess rolled down laughing. Then she said, “O Amar, tell me truly what attracted you to her!” Amar answered, “She is laden with jewels, and first and foremost that was what attracted me to her.”
At this reply the princess and the assembly again burst out laughing. As Tarar Khooban began to feel the teasing, the princess said to her, “Indeed you are a veritable jade and a grump! Amar is of the same rank as Amir Hamza, and he is the Lord of Tricksters and Rogues. I swear by your head that you shall find no better man to attach yourself to!”
After these pleasantries had passed, Amir taught the princess the vow of fidelity to the One God and instructed her in the Act of Faith. The princess converted to the True Faith and said to Amir Hamza, “I shall remain faithful to you, and never step out of your authority for as long as I shall live!” Amir replied, “And until I have taken you as my wife with betrothal, I shall never have eyes for another woman!”
While these vows were being mutually exchanged, the morning star rose in the heavens. Amir Hamza took leave of the princess, and climbed down from the palace roof along with Amar and Muqbil and headed for his encampment.
On their way they were challenged by Antar’s night patrol, and the guards gave them chase. Amir drew his sword and dispatched a dozen or so of his pursuers to Hell, and then returned safe and sound to his camp.
When it was daylight, Antar Teghzan found only his own men among those slain and discovered no stranger among them. He narrated the details to the emperor and gave him a complete account of what had passed in the night. As per custom, when the Sahibqiran presented himself at the court that day, the emperor said to him, “O Abul-Ala, I would like that you take the trouble to guard the palace so that the thief who visited it last night is captured or put to death, since your men are renowned for their vigilance!”
Amir replied, “I am faithful as ever, and I hear and obey!”
But Bakhtak said in his heart upon hearing these tidings, The emperor has given the lamb into the guardianship of the wolf. Alas and alack, and a thousand plagues on such sagacity!
After receiving the royal orders, Hamza delegated Muqbil with a strong force of two hundred for the night vigil and, at the third hour of the night he took Amar along as before to pay a visit to the princess, and they spent the whole night drinking and listening to Amar’s songs. At the approach of dawn Amir took leave of the princess, after biding the whole night in great merriment, and returned to Tal Shad-Kam.
When the court assembled that day, Amir presented himself and submitted to the emperor: “Your humble servant stood vigil the whole night, but never did I see even the ghost of a thief!” The emperor said, “It was from fear of you that nobody set foot there.” The emperor then conferred a robe of honor on Hamza.
Bakhtak then begged of the emperor, “Pray deputize Qaran Deoband today to night patrol as he is a Sassanid commander of noble birth, and this shall test his skill and diligence!” The emperor agreed to Bakhtak’s counsel.
When the court adjourned, Amir returned to Tal Shad-Kam accompanied by his friends and companions. Qaran Deoband picked three hundred warriors from among his troops and deployed his night pat
rol at the onset of evening. The princess was most perturbed upon hearing the news of Qaran’s deputation, and said to her nanny, “Today Qaran Deoband is appointed on night vigil. It is nonetheless certain that Amir will not be deterred in his resolve to pay me a visit. I wish somebody would take my message to him that he must not plan on visiting today, or even give it a thought!” The nanny replied, “Amir is not such an arrant fool: He will master his passion, as he puts a premium on his name and honor.”
Now hear of Hamza who sent for his nocturnal livery when the night was a little advanced in hours. Amar beat his head at this, and said, “O Hamza! What devil has possessed you that your patience runs short for the length of a night?”
Amir said: “O Amar! Indeed love and patience have no affinity with each other. Who has the wherewithal to deter me from this undertaking?” Amar said in response, “But Qaran Deoband is not one to show any qualms in confronting you and he will not look the other way!” Amir replied, “If I should let the fear of Qaran prevail upon me I might as well give up all thoughts of love and desire now!” Thus, he donned his nocturnal livery and headed out of his pavilion toward the princess’s palace, with Muqbil and Amar alongside him.
From far away they made out small coveys of guards patrolling the place, and upon arriving near Bagh-e Bedad, Amir saw Qaran installed in a chair, commanding his troops to be on the alert and look sharp.
Leaving Muqbil to stand guard, he climbed up with Amar and gained the roof.
When he beheld the princess, Amir was beside himself with joy and hurried to embrace her. They passed the night in great merriment and, at the approach of dawn, Amir sought to leave, making preparations for his departure while bidding the princess adieu. Amar climbed down the rope first, and when it was Hamza’s turn, Qaran rushed upon him and dealt him a blow of the sword.
Amir escaped the blow, which fell on the rope instead, cutting it in two. Although Muqbil tried to break Hamza’s fall, he never stood a chance under Hamza’s weight, and the Sahibqiran’s head struck against the wall, wounding him enough to bleed. Muqbil then unleashed a barrage of arrows and Amar a hail of stones from his slingshot, and they injured several of Qaran’s companions. When Qaran realized that the thief was Hamza, he did not pursue him. Instead, he took the rope, which was marked with Hamza’s name, and presented it to the emperor.
The emperor flew into a rage when he saw this evidence. He sent for Buzurjmehr and said to him, “Regard this deed of Hamza, O Khvaja! Tell me if it is commensurate with the profession of nobility, or fair recompense for my hospitality!” Buzurjmehr replied, “This evidence is fabricated! Hamza is not one to commit so indelicate an act, and raise his eyes at the royal harem with nefarious intent!”
Qaran responded to this, saying, “Hamza’s head struck against the wall and he was wounded and bloodied. You may send for him and witness it for yourself!” The emperor dispatched a mace bearer with the summons to bring back Amir.
Now hear how after Hamza had reached his pavilion, and was back among his confidants, he thought in his heart, Qaran will surely give an account of my injury before the emperor and then I will be held up to shame and my name will be made to bear the greatest ignominy!
He supplicated without cease to the Shielder of Blemishes and Hearer of Petitions.
Hamza was occupied with prayers when sleep at last overcame him and he was suddenly lost in dream. He beheld that he was in the presence of the prophet Ibrahim who stroked his head gently with his hand, and said to him, “Rise, O Hamza! The injury of your head is healed, and not the least sign of a wound now remains!” When Amir opened his eyes, he discovered that indeed no sign of injury was left on his head.
Presently he was informed of the emperor’s summons, and brought himself to the emperor’s presence accompanied by his companions. By a clever stratagem the emperor made him uncover his head, and upon looking closely he could not find even a sign of a swelling, let alone a wound. Then the emperor held Buzurjmehr’s words as true, and severely rebuked Qaran for casting malicious aspersions on Hamza. He conferred a rich robe of honor on Hamza, and had Qaran driven away from the court.
One day Buzurjmehr said to the emperor before the whole court, “Ever since the Khusrau54 of the dominion of India, King Landhoor bin Saadan Shah, has ascended the throne, the royal treasury has not received the required tribute from his dominion. The emperor’s response was: “What is to be done about this menace?”
Now, as Buzurjmehr was a most sagacious man of great address, and well versed in the ways of the world, he had quickly determined that Hamza’s beloved could be none other than Princess Mehr-Nigar. And when the thief could not be apprehended, Buzurjmehr became further convinced in his view that these night exploits were indeed Hamza’s doings. He said in his heart, Amir’s head is filled with the wine of adolescence, and he is blind to all considerations of what is seemly and what is aberrant! If this leads to an untoward incident, nothing will be gained but disrepute. And as I am Hamza’s aid and abettor, I shall also be vilified, and my name will be sullied. He therefore resolved on a course of action, and thought of bringing up the matter of Landhoor’s revolt. He well knew that nobody would consent to undertake this perilous adventure, except for Hamza.
Thinking that Hamza would be cured of his calamitous love if he were sent on a campaign for a while, Buzurjmehr said to the emperor, “Have it declared that arrogance in his might has led the Khusrau of India astray from obedience to you, and that he assumes that the world has nobody to offer as his equal. Let us then see who pledges to undertake the campaign against Landhoor and subjugate that rebel.”
OF KING SAADAN SHAH’S BROTHER SHAHPAL SENDING AN EPISTLE IN CONDEMNATION OF LANDHOOR, AND OF HAMZA’S RESOLVE TO DEPART FOR INDIA TO CHASTISE HIM
The steed of all riders of the arena of narrative, that charger of horse breakers of the field of ancient legends, thus springs with ardor and gallops through the expanse of the page, revealing that talk of King Landhoor’s refractory ways had not yet been brought up in court when cries of “Redress!” and “Succor!” were heard, and a plaintiff’s lamentations and pleadings for mercy were conveyed to the righteous ears of Naushervan the Just.
Following the emperor’s orders, Bakhtak emerged from the court and received a memorandum from the plenipotentiary of the king of Ceylon, King Shahpal, who had written:
May it be known to the discerning regard of the Emperor of the Seven Climes, that in the past my brother, Saadan Shah, used to be the master of crown and writ.
One day he was separated from his party while chasing a quarry. He arrived near a fountain half dead with thirst, and beheld a woman of extraordinary stature about to lift three filled water skins on her shoulders. Saadan Shah said to her, “I have gone thirsty for three days: Give me some water.” Immediately that woman threw out the water in the water skins and set about refilling them. Greatly vexed by her deed, Saadan Shah resolved in his heart that once he had quenched his thirst he would spill the blood of her life as she had spilled the water of the water skins.
Later, that woman filled up a bowl with water and put it before Saadan Shah. But hardly had he taken a few draughts when she stayed his hand and began to ask him who he was, what his name was, and from which land and city he hailed. Saadan Shah said to her, “Allow me to quench my thirst, and then ask me what you may!” But the woman did not desist. King Saadan Shah had a few sips more, and drew his sword with the intention to murder the woman. She said, “O stranger, what is my crime that you are bent upon my murder?” Saadan Shah replied, “First, I had told you that I had gone thirsty for three days and was dying for a drop of water! But you drained away the three water skins. Then you began refilling them, purposely indulging in procrastination. And when at last you did give me some water and I began drinking, you did not let me have my fill, but interrupted my drinking every few sips.
Upon hearing this the woman laughed out, and then said, “First give me your name and particulars, then I will answer your questions!” Saa
dan Shah said, “I am the king of these dominions, and my name is Saadan Shah.” She answered, “Fie on you that even though you are the potentate of twelve thousand isles, you are bereft of all sense and reason.” To this Saadan Shah said, “Can you prove what you say, or do you speak idly?”
She replied, “I kept you from drinking too quickly for the reason that you were thirsty of many days, and in your greed you would have drunk with excess. I reasoned that if you drank the water swiftly, and it affected the lungs, you would die to no purpose!”
When Saadan Shah heard the rationale for her conduct, he marveled to the limits of marveling at her sagacity, and became hopelessly enamored of her propriety and sense. He said to her, “Do you have any dependents or do you live by yourself?” She replied, “I have no protector but God. I have no guardian to speak of.”
Saadan Shah brought her with him to the city and betrothed her, and after some days the woman was with child. And then Saadan Shah died and I ascended the throne.
After the period appointed for gestation the woman bore a son who measured five yards in height. After some time the woman also died, and I named the boy Landhoor and busied myself with his caring. God had also blessed me with a boy the day Landhoor was born, and I named that boy Jaipur.
When the boys were five years old, one day in the way of disciplining him, a dry nurse slapped Landhoor, which caused his cheek to swell. Landhoor picked up that dry nurse and smashed her to the ground, and she soon grew cold and met her end. The guards escaped in terror of Landhoor, and gave me a detailed account of the incident. I ordered that Landhoor be thrown before a rutting elephant. When the elephant made to pick up Landhoor with his trunk, Landhoor caught hold of it and gave it such a violent pull that it tore from the root. Roaring with agony, the elephant ran amok causing great upheaval in the city.
The Adventures of Amir Hamza Page 15