Now hear of the King of Ayyars. That day he had gone to meet Mehr-Nigar and both he and the princess shed many tears of sorrow.
Mehr-Nigar said to Amar, “Today it has been full eighteen years since Amir departed.” Amar said, “The evening of the day is yet far away. It is not at all beyond the power of the Almighty Lord to send Amir in safety and peace to you before the day is out. Take yourself to the roof of the fortress and take some fresh air.”
Amar’s suggestion pleased Mehr-Nigar and she did as he bid her. She went to the roof of the fortress and began admiring the bloom of the flowers and the grassy plain. It so happened that a flock of black-barred geese came flying overhead. Mehr-Nigar shot an arrow at them saying to herself, If this hits a bird in the middle it would be an omen that I am destined to meet Hamza today, and I will see him and receive bliss from his sight and hold him in my arms after all this time. Her arrow pierced the wing of a goose flying in the middle and the bird fell right before Amir Hamza. He slaughtered the bird and put it aside. Reading Mehr-Nigar’s name on the arrowhead, he began kissing it with amorous fervor.
Amar witnessed this and became enraged at the man’s actions. He walked up to him and said, “O wicked fakir! You do not know the majesty of the name written on the arrowhead that you so shamelessly kiss. Come, give me the arrow! I have forgiven you on this occasion since you are a mendicant, but if you show impertinence again in this manner, you will receive your due punishment.” Amir Hamza replied, “Do not waste my time with this idle talk. Go and frighten someone who will believe you. A common ayyar like yourself will never frighten me.”
Amar grew furious at these words and, untying the sling from his head and loading it with a carved and polished stone, let fly at Amir Hamza. But Amir Hamza dodged it. Then he threw it at Amar who realized that the fakir was no easy prey and that he could not prevail over him with violence. To obtain the arrow from him, Amar thought of tempting him with money. Amar approached Hamza and said, “I will give you five hundred rupees if you hand over the arrow to me!” Hamza did not consent to the proposal. Then Amar said, “Take a thousand rupees and give me the arrow!” Amir answered, “In Qaf I scattered such amounts to common folk on account of Hamza. I do not think you can impress me with your wealth with offers of such paltry sums!”
Amar sat down when he heard those words and asked, “How long ago was it that you saw Hamza?” Amir Hamza answered, “Just six months ago.” Amar inquired, “Was there anything that Amir told you?” Hamza answered, “As I was leaving he asked me to send his greetings to his father and give him the news of his welfare.” Amar asked, “Did he say anything else?” Hamza answered, “Yes, he also told me that should I meet his companions I should convey to them his fond wishes!” Amar asked, “Did he send any other messages for anyone else?” Hamza answered, “There is a message that he enjoined me to convey to Mehr-Nigar, his rosy-cheeked beloved and faithful lover!” Amar said, “Pray do not make delay and tell me what it was.” Amir said, “I shall not tell you and go against his wishes. I shall only whisper it in Mehr-Nigar’s ears.” Amar answered, “How can Mehr-Nigar appear before you? She remains behind the veil and is a person of great dignity and majesty!” Hamza answered, “Very well, then! If she does not wish to hear it, I have no desire to convey it to her either.”
Amar was thus forced to go before Mehr-Nigar. When he entered the palace he saw signs of celebration. Everyone was beside themselves with joy and seemed jubilant and happy. Amar inquired, “What is the cause for this jubilation? Has it been occasioned by some happy tidings someone has brought?” Princess Mehr-Nigar answered, “I shot an arrow at a goose to determine my lot of destiny and learn my fortune. That arrow pierced the wing of the goose, but the bird pierced with the arrow has fallen near the fortress walls. Pray fetch it from there and do me this kindness. I have often tried and tested this method of determining my fate and found it reliable and true. By all means Amir will arrive this evening, and for certain I will be reunited with him today.”
Amar said to himself that it was for the best that Mehr-Nigar’s attention was finally diverted. Mehr-Nigar again said to Amar, “Khvaja, the bird I shot with my arrow has fallen under the castle wall. Kindly fetch it yourself or send someone to bring it!” Amar answered, “A fakir arrived today and sat down under the wall. The bird pierced with the arrow fell before him and he slaughtered it and kept it. He is holding the arrow in his hand. He states that he has come from Qaf with a message from Amir for you, which he will whisper only in your ears in exact fulfillment of Amir Hamza’s wishes. He will give me neither the arrow nor the message from Hamza.”
Upon hearing Amar’s words, Mehr-Nigar’s anxiety grew ten-fold. She said to Amar, “Khvaja! For God’s sake send that fakir into my presence without delay!” Amar brought Hamza into the palace and seated him in front of a curtain and said, “O fakir! Mehr-Nigar is sitting behind this curtain. Now you may convey to her Hamza’s message.” Amir said, “Hamza made me swear on his head that I should whisper his message in Mehr-Nigar’s ear alone. If she wishes to hear the message, she must come before me, otherwise I will depart this instant.” At this, Amir Hamza rose.
Unable to think of anything else, Amar went behind the curtain and brought out Fitna Bano, the daughter of Mehr-Nigar’s nanny, draped in a mantle. He presented her to Amir Hamza and said, “O dervish, the rosy-cheeked beloved and Hamza’s faithful lover is standing before you. Speak what you must and do not remain silent even a moment longer.” Amir Hamza replied, “Let her show me her face so that I can ascertain whether it is Princess Mehr-Nigar.” When Amar removed the veil from Fitna Bano’s face, Amir Hamza said, “This is not Mehr-Nigar but Fitna Bano. Hamza gave me a description of her as well and informed me about her.” Having no further ruse or pretext to remain concealed, Mehr-Nigar appeared before Amir Hamza herself and was forced to expose her face to him. Amir saw her miserable state, her wan face, her dry lips, her tearful eyes, and the grimy clothes in which she was dressed. Tears welled up in Amir’s eyes also to witness her condition, but he successfully hid them from the others so that his identity was not revealed.
Amar said, “O dervish, this is Mehr-Nigar! Now say what you wish to say.” Hamza answered, “I would still make the same condition I made before. I shall whisper Hamza’s message into Mehr-Nigar’s ear.” Amar was enraged and sent for Muqbil and a few other commanders and said to them, “Stand ready outside the chamber with drawn swords. The moment the fakir emerges, kill him and cut him into pieces.” Then Mehr-Nigar bent her head close and brought her ear near Amir’s lips. Amir Hamza said in a whisper, “O life of Hamza, it is not some fakir but I myself.” At these words, he removed his headgear and Mehr-Nigar saw the dark mole, the Hashimi vein, and the Ibrahimi ringlet. The moment she saw them, Mehr-Nigar let out a cry, Amir also exclaimed a sigh, and both were taken unconscious, for the ardor of their passion had made them lose possession of their senses.
When Amar looked closely at Amir’s forehead he finally recognized that the fakir was Hamza in person.
The unconscious couple slowly regained consciousness before his eyes. Hamza embraced Amar and Muqbil and showed great favor to everyone. He broke into tears, and everyone cried copious tears of joy along with him. Jubilation spread within and without the castle.
The narrator tells that the noise of congratulations and felicitations and the music reached Naushervan’s ears, and his ayyars told him that Hamza’s return had been announced, at which Bakhtak said, “Your Honor, it might very well be another one of Amar’s tricks!” But Buzurjmehr said, “According to my calculations it is very probable that Hamza has arrived and that is why I have returned from Basra to meet him!”
Now hear of Ashqar Devzad. When he headed into the forest he beheld Naushervan’s horses grazing there as well. This made him furious and he killed some of them with his hooves, and the others who tried to confront him were badly injured. The few who remained galloped toward their camp with Ashqar in pursuit. It was evening and the unnerve
d horses flooded into their camp, causing the tent ropes to snap and the ropes to drop from people’s hands. People rushed to catch Ashqar, but he tore them apart with his jaws and disemboweled them with his hooves. He severed their heads with his powerful kicks and with his teeth he relieved their necks of the burden of their heads. Men fell on their faces to the ground and Ashqar killed thousands in the camp of the infidels. Naushervan’s army thought that Hamza’s forces had made a night raid on their camp. They armed themselves and, confusing their own army for the army of Hamza, killed and slaughtered one another until morning. When they looked around in the morning, they saw not a single enemy among the dead, and found not a single casualty except their own. When Naushervan beheld Ashqar, he was captivated by the sight of the majestic steed. He ordered that every effort be made to catch the horse. But Ashqar severely injured anyone who attempted to capture him.
Meanwhile, Amir Hamza said to Amar, “The whole night a commotion has been heard from Naushervan’s camp that has continued until now. Find out what it is all about and the reason for the racket.” At that moment an ayyar presented himself and gave a detailed account of what had passed in Naushervan’s camp. Hamza said to Amar, “He is my horse. Go and say to him, ‘O son of Arnais and Laneesa, the Sahibqiran has sent for you.’ He will accompany you directly!” Following Amir’s orders, Amar gave the message to Ashqar and the horse followed him quietly. Amir came down from the fortress and embraced Ashqar and praised Amar before him and said to the horse, “O Ashqar, Amar will take care of you and look after your every comfort.”
The next day Aadi Madi-Karib arrived there with Zehra Misri, Khvaja Aashob, and Khvaja Bahlol. Amir sent Zehra Misri to Mehr-Nigar inside the fortress. Amir kept Khvaja Aashob and Khvaja Bahlol in his own company. Amir Hamza made Amar and Aadi embrace each other and renew their friendship. Then he said to Amar, “Aasman Peri will bring you many gifts from Qaf that will please you greatly!” The news made Amar very happy. He blessed Amir Hamza and in all love and sincerity offered to sacrifice himself to ward off any calamities from Hamza’s head.
The third book is ended. God willing, the remainder of the narrative will be given in Book Four.
BOOK FOUR
The Beginning of the Fourth Book of the Dastan of the Sahibqiran,
the Conqueror of the World, the Quake of Qaf, the Latter-day Suleiman,
Amir Hamza the Magnificent, Son of Khvaja Abdul Muttalib
The warriors of the field of fables and the soldiers of the domain of legends thus gallop on the steeds of pens across the arena of the page to reveal that when Naushervan and Bakhtak and other nobles of his court learned of Hamza’s arrival from Qaf, Bakhtak said to the emperor, “Hamza has returned from Qaf after eighteen years and did not pay his respects to Your Honor. He wishes to take the daughter of the Emperor of the Seven Concentric Circles by might. It would be most judicious to sound the drums of war and confront him, as he has returned worn and exhausted, and Your Honor has a force of intrepid warriors at your command.” Duped by Bakhtak’s words, Naushervan ordered the war drums beaten. Upon hearing this, the Sahibqiran, too, ordered the call answered from his camp. When the battle arrays were drawn, a Sassanid warrior named Koh-Paikar came forward to challenge Amir. After a long fight, Amir finally killed him.
The moment Koh-Paikar fell dead to the ground, Naushervan called out to his army, “Do not let this Arab escape alive!” The moment the orders were given, the army fell upon Amir Hamza, and the armies of the True Faith also charged forward bellowing “God is great!” The deafening clang of swords filled the field where forty thousand of Naushervan’s men were cut down in the course of one hour. Naushervan’s army beat a retreat, unable to withstand the blinding glimmer of the swords of the soldiers of the True Faith. Breaking with custom, Amir gave chase to the retreating army and kept cutting through swaths of them with his sword, following them up to a distance of four kos.
After God had sent him triumph and victory, Amir returned to the pavilion of Jamshed.1 Preparations for a feast were made, and before long the spring of song bubbled forth, music enveloped them, and the place rang with the sound of festivities.
The narrator has said that after the festivities were over, Amir Hamza asked Amar what had passed with him in his absence. Amar related everything to him in detail. Amir Hamza sent for Khvaja Aashob and Khvaja Bahlol, and asked them what they wished to do now. They answered, “We would like to become merchants.” Amir gave them gold pieces and bid them adieu and wrote them a note to the effect that they should never be interrupted in the course of their business.
Next, Amir asked Amar, “Did Landhoor or Bahram ever come to visit you in my absence and bring you any gifts?” Amar answered, “Many a time I wrote to them describing the vulnerability of my situation, but I never received a reply.” Then Amar told him about the Naqabdar clad in an orange veil that would come to his aid with his forty thousand troops. Upon hearing this account, Amir became furious with rage and said, “From today onward, if I hear anyone even mention Landhoor or Bahram’s name in my camp, I will have the speaker’s tongue extracted from his neck and will visit a terrible punishment on him.”
When the news of Amir Hamza’s return reached Ceylon, Landhoor and Bahram were overjoyed. Landhoor said to Bahram, “We have been in this land some twenty or twenty-two years. There was no end to the terrors the infidels visited on Amar, yet none of us were able to bring him any aid. I am sure that the story of our indolence must grieve Amir no end. Come what may, we must present ourselves now before the Sahibqiran to kiss his feet and seek his forgiveness. If we fail to do so, people will brand us as ingrates.” Bahram replied, “Very well.” Bahram headed for China and Landhoor put in place a valiant force against his enemy, the Sagsars, and arrived at Amir’s court within a few days.
After allowing Landhoor to see him, Amir censured him publicly. Landhoor recounted his adventures and offered many apologies to Amir, and he apprised Amir of Bahram’s circumstances as well. Then Amir pardoned him and seated him by his side and restored him to the rank of his companion. Amir then asked Amar, “Do you have any news of where Naushervan has escaped to?” Amar folded his arms humbly and replied, “He has gone to Maghreb, whose king deputized one of his commanders with an army of five hundred thousand warriors to assist him.” Amir then ordered, “Proclaim it to our soldiers that they should make ready to overwhelm Naushervan’s army!” The royal pavilion was set up where Amir had indicated and all preparations were made for revels. The Sahibqiran and his worthy and venerable champions entered the court and all of them indulged in that assembly of revelry. The Sahibqiran was occupied with these matters when his ayyars brought intelligence that Muqbil Vafadar was on his way there, having taken captive both Prince Hurmuz and the ill-fated Bakhtak.
Be it known that the day the pitched battle was fought, Prince Hurmuz and the wily Bakhtak had sneaked away with five thousand troops in the middle of the war to seize Mehr-Nigar from the fortress. There Muqbil lay in wait for them with his forty thousand archers. He slaughtered the enemy force and took Hurmuz and Bakhtak prisoner. He now led them before Amir Hamza, who expressed great pleasure at the valuable work done by Muqbil.
The Sahibqiran said to Hurmuz, “If you will convert to the True Faith, you can have this throne and empire and rule it happily.” Bakhtak, whose heart was fast sinking, told himself that Hurmuz was destined to receive whatever fate had in store for the prince, but his own survival surely did not seem at all likely. He made a signal to Hurmuz and the two of them pretended to convert to the True Faith and enter its fellowship. The Sahibqiran surrendered the throne to Hurmuz and made him the king of his armies. He appointed Bakhtak his vizier and counselor in all matters big and small. Amir was overjoyed and he ordered festive music to start playing.
Three days later, Amir was happily admiring the view of the green expanse that stretched around him when three beautiful peacocks descended from the sky. Amir dispatched Muqbil Vafadar and Amar Ayyar to investigate the occurrence, w
hereupon the peacocks disappeared into thin air. The narrator tells that those peacocks were in fact Abdur Rahman Jinn, Salasal Perizad, and Akvana Peri who had been sent by Aasman Peri disguised as peacocks to bring her news of Amir Hamza.
After some time passed, they presented themselves before Amir Hamza, in their true shape, and after making obeisance gave him news of Aasman Peri’s arrival. Amir was delighted to see them and said to Amar, “Congratulations are in order because Aasman Peri has arrived with great fanfare bearing gifts from Qaf for you.” Amar was most pleased to hear these happy tidings. The whole night was spent in festive assembly and in the morning Amir Hamza got ready and mounted his steed to go welcome Aasman Peri.
When Amir arrived at the Pavilion of Suleiman, Aasman Peri came with Quraisha to the entrance of the pavilion to greet Amir, and with a small laugh, addressed Amir thus: “You left us behind so we came by ourselves to visit you. We have also brought wedding gifts for Mehr-Nigar.” Amir said, “Give me the details now of all you have brought with you, and present everything to me.” Aasman Peri answered, “I have brought the Pavilion of Suleiman, the Music Band of Suleiman, the tent of the Char-Bazar of Bilqis,2 all kinds of jewels, and other gifts from Qaf.” Amir was delighted with it all. He kissed Quraisha’s forehead and embraced her, and he also embraced Aasman Peri and kissed her many times. All the devs, peris, and jinns who had accompanied Aasman Peri presented themselves and made obeisance to Amir, who looked upon them with favor and inquired after the welfare of each one of them individually. Then Amir said to Aasman Peri, “In Qaf, I often used to mention the name of Amar Ayyar to you. He has come with me, desirous to see you and make you an offering.” Aasman Peri said, “Send for Amar Ayyar and present him before us.”
The Adventures of Amir Hamza Page 42