The commander of those devs caught sight of Amir, let out a cry, and said, “Aaargh! My friends, woe unto us that the Quake of Qaf has reached this place!” He ran at Amir and smote him with a box tree so mightily that from its shock the Earth cried out, “Have mercy on me!” Amir managed to foil his attack and dealt him a mighty blow with his sword. The dev received such a vicious cut from its blade that he fell to the ground in two pieces. When the devs saw that, they ran off to inform Ra’ad Shatir.
Amir was standing at the gates of the castle when he heard a voice exclaim, “O Amir! Shahpal and Aasman Peri are imprisoned in the castle of Sufaid Boom.”
Amir headed for Sufaid Boom, and when he reached its gates he saw that the castle had a hundred towers and each tower was manned by devs in different forms. Some had heads of lions, some of horses, others of peacocks, crows, or wolves. The gates of the castle were manned by a dragon that spewed fire profusely. His mouth was wide enough that it extended to the portals of the castle and was like a trap laid around the entrance. Then Amir heard the same voice again, saying, “O Hamza! The destruction of this tilism is not given to you. Your grandson instead is destined to break it, and he will be titled the Latter-day Rustam.”
Amir said to himself, I am a boy myself yet! Those who are imprisoned here will certainly not remain incarcerated until then and spend the rest of their lives in jail! The voice again called out, “Beyond undertaking to secure the prisoners’ release, do not take it into your head to destroy this tilism. Recite the Most Great Name and then blow on the dragon, and he will turn away and you will prevail over him.”
When the Sahibqiran recited the Most Great Name over the dragon, he turned away and left. Amir went inside and found a garden where Emperor Shahpal was sitting with his companions, lamenting his wretched fate. Hamza released them, broke open the door of the castle’s dome and found Aasman Peri hanging there upside down, close to her death, and Quraisha sitting and crying. The Sahibqiran reunited them with Shahpal.
Aasman Peri was most remorseful and greatly mortified at her deeds. She threw herself at Hamza’s feet and said, “O Hamza, forgive me my trespasses. I will send you to your world for certain six months from now.”
Amir made no reply. He gathered all the prisoners he had freed and headed out of the castle. As they exited they saw Ra’ad Shatir Dev coming toward them with several thousand devs whose footsteps made the whole world tremble with terror. He lifted a heavy stone and threw it at Amir’s head. Amir eluded his attack and dealt him a sword blow that felled him. The devs who accompanied Ra’ad Shatir carried off his corpse to Samandoon Hazar-Dast Dev.
Amir meanwhile brought Shahpal and his entourage back to Gulistan-e Irum and all of them relaxed upon reaching their homeland.
Six months later, Amir again had a disturbing dream. When he asked Aasman Peri to send him to his world, she asked him to wait yet another year. When Amir complained to Shahpal he arranged to send Amir back but Aasman Peri again arranged things that stopped Amir from leaving.
Some transcribers write that Amir Hamza divorced Aasman Peri that day, while some contradict this account and consider it a false tradition.5
The narrator has it that Emperor Shahpal was so troubled by Aasman Peri’s disobedient speech that he gave up his crown and throne. Aasman Peri inherited his kingdom. She had it broadcast throughout Qaf that whoever dared to take Hamza to his world would be punished severely. Then Aasman Peri said to Khvaja Abdur Rahman, “Find out who the woman is whom Hamza loves, what she is like in her appearance, and where she lives!” Khvaja Abdur Rahman made calculations by geomancy and declared, “Indeed Hamza is justified in his passion. Her beauty is such that even her attendants surpass you by far in comeliness! The woman herself is secured within the walls of the castle of Devdad.” Aasman Peri had a map made of the castle of Devdad, and then sent for the perizads and said to them, “Go to the world of humans and fetch Mehr-Nigar from this castle!” Immediately at her orders, the perizads departed to fetch Mehr-Nigar for Aasman Peri.
Before I continue in this tale, let me first give an account of Landhoor bin Saadan.
Be it known that after Landhoor was released from prison and returned to the city, one day a perizad brought him the news of the approach of Sufaid Dev. Landhoor went out to encounter Sufaid Dev. He killed him at once and did not let that blackguard draw another breath.6
Landhoor’s war cry resounded throughout the whole expanse of Qaf and was also carried to the ears of Amir Hamza, who was at that moment skirmishing with Ra’ad Shatir. Amir’s war cry was likewise carried to the ears of Landhoor. Hearing a familiar war cry, they both marveled and wondered at the incident. Hamza said to himself, “It can’t be Landhoor. Surely, there is no likelihood of his being in Qaf!” And Landhoor convinced himself of the same.
After Landhoor had killed Sufaid Dev and relieved that wretch’s accursed body of the burden of its unclean head, he said to the king, “I have slain your enemy. Pray send me to my home now and fulfill your promise.” The king immediately ordered a throne for Landhoor and Arshivan Perizad, and ordered the devs to carry them to the world of humans.
Now hear of Bahram Gurd, the emperor of China. After prevailing over the Sagsars, he was again lamenting the loss of Landhoor one day when Landhoor’s throne descended from the skies into Bahram’s castle.
Bahram rushed to embrace him. Festive music played in the castle. In the midst of the celebrations, Bahram said to Landhoor, “I was fighting the Sagsars when someone threw a letter before me, which I picked up. A palm was imprinted on the letter, and it was written in strange characters!” When Bahram sent for the letter and handed it to Landhoor, Arshivan revealed that it was the letter dispatched by his mother.
OF ZEHRA MISRI’S DISAPPEARANCE FROM THE ROOF OF THE CASTLE AND OF HER BEING PRESENTED BEFORE AASMAN PERI
Now hear a few words of the story of one afflicted by separation, who had become a human incarnation of the longing gaze: to wit, Princess Mehr-Nigar. Night and day she occupied herself with mourning her separation from Amir. She would lie disheveled and unkempt in her bed and bore alone the burden of her boundless grief and countless sorrows.
Her companions worried that Mehr-Nigar would slowly slide into a state of frenzy and that the extremes of her passion would overwhelm her senses. They assured her that Amir would return in a few days and that her grief would be allayed by the grace of the munificent God. One day they persuaded her with their entreaties to accompany them to the roof of the castle, where they showed her the greenery of the pastures and diverted her humors with gossip.
They had not been standing there long when a little cloud appeared in the sky along with a dark mist. Slowly that small cloud glided over the castle and covered its whole expanse. Blinding bolts of lightning began striking then, and deafening claps of thunder sounded. Suddenly and unexpectedly, a claw materialized in the sky from nowhere. This claw came down from the cloud and grabbed Zehra Misri, who was standing next to Mehr-Nigar, carrying her off in the flash of an eye. The terrified attendants and companions of the princess collapsed unconscious. They raised a great hue and cry, and the very image of doomsday was replicated in the shouting and chaos that ensued. Everyone, young or old, was distressed by this tragic disappearance.
Now hear a little of what passed with Zehra Misri. When she saw that she was sitting on a throne that was bearing her away in the sky and nothing but darkness could be seen all around her, she asked the devs carrying the throne, “Who are you and where are you taking me?” They answered, “Aasman Peri, who is Hamza’s wife, ordered us to bring her Mehr-Nigar, the daughter of Naushervan. Therefore we are taking you to Aasman Peri.”
Zehra Misri reasoned that Hamza must have made a marriage in Qaf and that his new wife had sent for Mehr-Nigar so that she might kill her. She understood then that since the devs did not recognize Mehr-Nigar, they mistook her for Mehr-Nigar.
When Zehra Misri reached Gulistan-e Irum, her eyes were lined with the collyrium of Suleiman so
that she might see all those present. When Zehra Misri was presented before Aasman Peri, she was crestfallen to behold Zehra’s beauty. Addressing Zehra Misri, she said, “Are you Mehr-Nigar, the daughter of Naushervan?” Zehra Misri made obeisance and said, “My name is Zehra Misri and I am the daughter of Abdul Aziz, the king of Egypt, and the wife of Muqbil Vafadar. Even in my dreams I cannot seek an equal footing with Mehr-Nigar.”
Aasman Peri asked her, “Speak the truth, Zehra Misri, am I more beautiful or is Mehr-Nigar?” Zehra Misri yielded with folded arms, saying, “I regret any disrespect to you, but there is greater beauty to be found in the soles of the feet of the attendants who wait on Mehr-Nigar than in your face!”
Aasman Peri was enraged by her reply and said to her slaves, “Send her to the executioners and have them behead her!” At once, the executioners carried Zehra Misri to the execution grounds.
It so happened that Quraisha was headed at this time for the court. Seeing a crowd gathered, she went where Zehra Misri was sitting and asked the executioner, “Who is she and what is her crime?” He answered, “I do not know. The sovereign of peris has ordered her beheading!” Quraisha then asked Zehra Misri and upon hearing the story, Quraisha began trembling with rage. She took Zehra Misri along with her to the court and said to Aasman Peri, “What was her crime that you sent for her from the realm of men and ordered her killed? It appears that if Mehr-Nigar had been brought here she would have suffered the same fate. You would have cared neither for the feelings of the Sahibqiran nor for the wrath of God. Mehr-Nigar is also someone in whose person the honor of the Sahibqiran resides, and she is a hundred thousand times worthier of respect and reverence than you because she is the Sahibqiran’s first wife. My hands are tied because you are my mother; otherwise, with a single stroke of my dagger I would cut you in two without fear of consequences.”
Aasman Peri trembled to witness Quraisha’s fury. Quraisha sent for a throne for Zehra Misri and ordered the bearers to carry it back to where they had caught her.
Now, Samandoon Hazar-Dast Dev’s dwelling was along the path they took. When he saw the throne flying away with a woman, he ordered the devs to bring it down and asked Zehra Misri, “Who are you and where are you headed?” Zehra Misri submitted her detailed account to him, whereupon he had the devs killed and said to Zehra Misri, “I am setting you the duty of rocking my son’s cradle and making sure that he sleeps comfortably.” Dealt this new hand by fortune, Zehra Misri was forced to accept the duty of tending the baby dev’s cradle.
Now hear of Khvaja Amar. When he heard the hue and cry in the women’s quarters, he went there and learned that a claw had come down from the skies and taken away Zehra Misri. Amar trembled with rage and said to Mehr-Nigar, “I counseled you a hundred thousand times not to do anything without first seeking my advice, but all of that was to no avail. If that claw had carried you off, how would have I shown my face to Hamza or have ever found you? My twelve years of labor would have come to naught!” Having said this, he lashed Mehr-Nigar three times so hard that she was unable to bear the violence and fell to the floor writhing like a tumbler pigeon from the ecstasies of pain. Amar’s treatment of her rankled in her heart. She felt loathing for him and said in her heart, It was all because I fell in love with Hamza that I was lashed today at the hands of a lowly cameleer’s son and had to bear this humiliation.
After night had fallen she scaled down the walls of the castle with a rope and headed toward the camp of her brothers. Then she had a change of heart and decided that she must not appear before her brothers or present herself at their court. She saw a horse that belonged to Hurmuz. Donning a man’s disguise and throwing a veil on her face, she rode the horse into the forest and removed herself from Amar’s guard and vigil.
Now hear of Amar. When he left the women’s quarters after lashing Mehr-Nigar, he felt too ashamed at his actions to return there. He decided that he would apologize to Mehr-Nigar in the morning and make every effort to win her over. At the end of the night, Amir Hamza appeared to Amar in his dreams and addressed him thus: “O Amar, was it a seemly manner in which you treated Mehr-Nigar and gave her such pain? Because of your treatment, she has now taken to the forest and fallen into a thousand hardships!” Amar awoke from that distressful dream, and when he rushed into the women’s quarters, he discovered that Mehr-Nigar was not in her bed. Amar became very anxious for her safety. When he climbed to the top of the castle he saw the rope hanging there. Amar climbed down by the same rope and followed Mehr-Nigar’s footprints. Tracing them, he approached Hurmuz’s pavilion and learned that Mehr-Nigar had been there and had ridden away. Amar followed the hoofprints of the horse in the hope of discovering her path.
Now hear of Mehr-Nigar. Before daylight she had traveled a distance of fifty kos when suddenly a sovereign of that land, King Ilyas[?], arrived there on horseback. Mehr-Nigar hid herself behind the trunk of a tree but the king saw from a distance that a veiled rider had hidden from him. He approached her and said, “Tell me who you are, and what has brought you into this jungle.” Mehr-Nigar answered, “I am a traveler and have been sent here by the revolutions of the heavens and a fated misfortune!” The king asked, “Would you like to enter my service?” She replied, “I have no need to enter anyone’s service!” From her voice, the king suspected that the veiled rider was a woman. He extended his hand and pulled off her veil and beheld a woman whose beauty would have blinded the sun itself. He immediately brought her down from her horse, put her into a litter, and comforted her with many sweet words. King Ilyas carried her to his abode and put her in excellently furnished quarters. He provided her with every item of luxury and comfort and gave her much in which to find delight and pleasure. When he tried to enter her quarters and ravish her, Mehr-Nigar said to him, “Beware not to take another step forward or you will receive a grievous injury!” Frightened by her threat, the king returned to his quarters gnashing his teeth with anger.
It so happened that Khvaja Nihal7 arrived in the service of King Ilyas, who told him that he had caught a fairy-faced creature in the forest who spurned him and rejected his advances.
Khvaja Nihal said, “If I could see her, I would say a charm over her that would make her surrender before you.” The king immediately led Khvaja Nihal to her quarters. Nihal recognized Mehr-Nigar and called her loudly by name. Mehr-Nigar recognized him as well and opened the door. After learning the whole story from Mehr-Nigar, Khvaja Nihal counseled her and told her that she must not give herself to distress as he would release her from the clutches of the king. After allaying Mehr-Nigar’s worries, he returned to the king and declared to him, “Pray order the guards to allow me to come and go freely to see her at any hour of night or day. I will be able to persuade her on the third day from today.”
After taking his leave, Khvaja Nihal bought two horses and brought them to the door of the house where Mehr-Nigar was kept. That same night he rode out of the city with her.
The next day the king sent for Khvaja Nihal, but he was not found at his dwelling. Then the guards arrived to report that the woman the king had kept in the house was no longer there. The king reasoned that Khvaja Nihal had eloped with her, and he went in pursuit of him at the head of an intrepid army.
It was getting close to afternoon when Mehr-Nigar saw a dust cloud rising behind them and said, “O Khvaja! Spur on your horse, for the king’s army is approaching!” While Khvaja Nihal stood still watching the approaching dust cloud, Mehr-Nigar entered the forest to hide from the eyes of that rascal and escape from his clutches. In the meantime, the king reached Khvaja Nihal. The king killed him, and then began searching for Mehr-Nigar. After he had been thwarted and disappointed in his search, King Ilyas returned grieving to his palace.
By the next day Mehr-Nigar was feeling famished when she came across a field of melons. She asked the man who tended the field for one melon. He brought several melons and Mehr-Nigar ate every single one of them. That dotard, who was well into his nineties, said to Mehr-Nigar, “O life of
the world! If you agree to live with me, I will make sure that whatever you wish for is provided.” Mehr-Nigar thought that perhaps he suffered from melancholy.
After she had eaten her fill of the melons, she asked him, “Do you have any family?” He answered, “I have ten sons, eleven daughters, and one wife.” Mehr-Nigar then said, “How would I live with you when you already have a wife?” He answered, “I will divorce my wife for your sake.” Mehr-Nigar replied, “Very well, then, go and divorce her while I wait for you here!”
That simple man rushed home, and Mehr-Nigar left him money for the melons and rode away. When the melon grower returned to the fields after divorcing his wife, he did not find Mehr-Nigar there and began crying out loudly, “Oh, my peri! Ah, my peri! Where have you gone?”
Mehr-Nigar continued riding until evening when she reached a forest that abounded in wild beasts. Mehr-Nigar dismounted her horse and climbed a tree. In the morning a lion killed her horse. Mehr-Nigar tied all his trappings to a tree trunk and started out from there on foot.
That evening she reached the outskirts of a small village where there were some farms and a big pond where a huge tree stood. Mehr-Nigar climbed up that tree and spent the night in its branches. In the morning the head of the village sent his handmaiden to fetch him water from the pond for his bath. Looking into the water of the pond she saw the reflection of Mehr-Nigar’s face and imagined that it was her own reflection. The sense of her own beauty made her so vain that she refused to carry water for anyone. Her master gave her a good thrashing and sent her back to carry the water but again she saw the reflection and her vanity was stirred. When her master sent her back a third time, Mehr-Nigar, who had noticed the handmaiden coming there more than once, figured that some mischief would now transpire. She climbed down from the tree and rushed away.
The Adventures of Amir Hamza Page 38