Amir Hamza conferred Shaddad’s horse Shabrang on Landhoor, making a gift of that peerless steed to him. In the meanwhile, Amar had arrived there, and he severed and raised Shaddad’s head on a lance.
When Zhopin saw that the horizon was clear and Mehr-Nigar had been left alone, he decided it was an opportune time to overpower her and take her away. Entering Amir Hamza’s pavilion with that plan, he killed the few guards who were standing at the door, gained admission to Mehr-Nigar’s quarters, and entered her bedchamber. Mehr-Nigar fired a barrage of arrows at him. Figuring that Mehr-Nigar must abhor him, Zhopin dealt her delicate body a blow of his sword and was about to strike again when Amir Hamza arrived on the scene. Zhopin was cornered and, finding escape impossible, he attacked Amir Hamza. Amir parried his blow and returned it as Zhopin was trying to escape. Amir’s sword cut through his skull, his neck, and his spinal column, and Zhopin fell dead in his tracks.
Amir Hamza found Mehr-Nigar at death’s door and he dispatched Amar to call Buzurjmehr there to witness her condition. While Amar was gone to fetch Buzurjmehr, Mehr-Nigar succumbed to her wounds and joined the company of the houris in heaven. Amir Hamza let out a cry and fell unconscious.
When Amir came to after an hour, he laughed and cried in turns maniacally, driving himself to the edge of his life. When Amar arrived with Buzurjmehr, he found Mehr-Nigar lifeless and Amir Hamza in a frenzy of grief. Amar was deeply troubled and said to Khvaja Buzurjmehr, “Pray do something to dispel Amir’s frenzy and return him to his senses!” Khvaja said, “O Amar! Amir Hamza will get well by himself on the twenty-first day from today. Do not have any worries in this regard.”
Despite his frenzy, Amir Hamza prepared biers for Mehr-Nigar, Qubad, and Amar Hamza, and departed for Mecca in an entourage of his friends and companions. Amir came upon a pleasant field as they approached Mecca, where he ordered graves dug for his family members, and he buried these three there. He camped at that place for the night as he did not wish to enter the city yet. It is said that after twenty-one days had passed, Amar saw Prophet Ibrahim in his dream and drank a goblet of pure wine from his hand. Prophet Ibrahim said to Amir, “My son, it is against reason to reduce yourself to such a pitiable state for the sake of a woman. In your life you will find thousands like her. Many women will enter your service who would be far superior to Mehr-Nigar.”
Amir Hamza awoke and opened his eyes and asked Amar Ayyar, “Where am I? What happened to me? Tell me truly, what has my condition been?” Amar Ayyar gave him a detailed account of all that had passed, and informed Amir as to his condition since the incident. Amir Hamza then told Amar and his friends what he had seen in the realm of dreams. His companions responded, “Sire, you are the progeny of Prophet Ibrahim. It is only proper that he should appear to counsel you in your dreams. Who else would do so, if he did not? Every parent feels his child’s pain.” Amir said, “In any event, I gave my word to Mehr-Nigar. To keep it, I shall become a devotee at her shrine and spend the last breaths of my life there. All of you may return home now, and do not bother me with anything anymore.”
Amar Ayyar counseled him against following this course of action, but Amir Hamza spurned his advice. He took leave of everyone and, delegating the throne to his grandson Sa’ad bin Amar Hamza, he sent him toward Egypt. Amar Ayyar beseeched Amir Hamza, “O Amir! Do not send me away. Allow me to remain in your company.” Amir answered, “Muqbil’s presence will suffice me. There is no need for you to stay here.”
After everyone had left, Amir Hamza shaved his head, put on beggarly clothes, and spent his nights and days sweeping Mehr-Nigar’s grave. Whenever sleep overcame him, he lay down at the foot of her grave.
OF THE ARRIVAL OF QAROON AKKA BIN FURHAD-AKKA AND KULIYAT BIN GALEEM AYYAR, AND OF THEIR TAKING AMIR HAMZA AND MUQBIL VAFADAR PRISONER
The narrators of sweet discourse and the excellent stylists thus ride the galloping steed of the pen into the narrative’s domain telling us that the news of Amir Hamza becoming a devotee at Mehr-Nigar’s shrine spread far and wide. Seditious heads rose and recalcitrant souls stirred, and they all found the freedom to plan and plot Amir Hamza’s murder. Thus it was that Qaroon Akka bin Furhad-Akka, who considered the might of Rustam an object of derision compared with his own, and who did not even fear demons much less human beings, resolved in his heart to kill Amir Hamza. He gathered a mighty army and started from his abode. On the way to Mecca he met Kuliyat, the son of Galeem Ayyar who had murdered Qubad, and joined forces with him. Traveling together, they arrived in the environs of Mecca in a few days.
They captured Amir Hamza and Muqal Vafadar by deceit and Qaroon Akka began inflicting pain and suffering on Amir Hamza.
Qarron Akka constructed a column one hundred and twenty yards high and attached bells to it at intervals, and hung Amir Hamza from the top. He made it his practice to whip Amir daily, sprinkle salt on him, wrap him up in freshly skinned hides, and hang him up from the pole of uqabain to avenge the death of his elders.
After some days had passed, he informed Naushervan of these circumstances. The emperor summoned his privy counselors and asked them, “What is your opinion in this matter? Shall I order Hamza’s death or order his release?” All of them spoke with one voice, saying, “Now that even Mehr-Nigar is dead, you should not show any special consideration to Hamza out of the regard you had for the princess. You should humiliate him in the same manner in which he disgraced you.” The faithless Naushervan accepted their counsel as judicious, and departed for Mecca with his army. He arrived at his destination within a few days and showed much favor to Qaroon Akka.
A merchant conveyed the news of these events to Amar Ayyar who immediately headed for Mecca. In Mecca, Khvaja Abdul Muttalib summoned Amir Hamza’s old companions and commanders by dispatching letters to them, and they, too, expressed great surprise at the news. Khvaja Abdul Muttalib also sent a letter with Umayya Zamiri, Amar Ayyar’s father, to Aadi.
It happened that Kuliyat Ayyar caught sight of Umayya Zamiri hastening on his way. He arrested Umayya Zamiri and presented him before Naushervan, who bastinadoed him and demanded to know where he was headed. Trying to save his dear life, Umayya Zamiri confessed the details of his mission. After reading the letters, Naushervan had him killed.
It so happened that Amar Ayyar arrived in Mecca the very next day and immediately learned the details of his father’s murder. Kuliyat became informed of Amar’s arrival and ordered his ayyars to arrest Amar upon sight. Upon his orders everyone set out to catch Amar.
One day Kuliyat saw Amar walking alone outdoors and ran after him. They had gone for some distance in this manner with Kuliyat chasing Amar when Amar produced a flower steeped in a drug from his zambil and threw it to the ground. Kuliyat picked it up and smelled it. The moment he did so he fell unconscious, and Amar found his chance and cut off his enemy’s head. At once, Amar went to the pole of uqabain and saw Amir Hamza and Muqbil Vafadar chained to it. Amar climbed the pole and removed Muqbil’s fetters and stuck Kuliyat Ayyar’s head on the pole of uqabain. He stuffed cotton in all the bells so that they did not ring.
However, Amar had not noticed one bell that was placed above Amir Hamza’s head. Since he had not stuffed it with cotton, when Amar tried to bring Amir down his head struck the bell and it rang loudly. The infidels rushed there from all corners and began shooting arrows at them. Amar jumped down from the column and disappeared.
When the infidels reached the column they saw Kuliyat Ayyar’s head displayed there. They went to Qaroon Akka to give him the news of Kuliyat Ayyar’s murder. When Bakhtak heard this as well, he said, “None but Amar Ayyar could have done this.” Qaroon Akka said, “If you were to advise it, I would kill Hamza!” Bakhtak shook from terror at Qaroon Akka’s words and said, “Until Amar is captured, you must drive such thoughts from your mind!”
Now hear of Amar. He sent messages to Amir’s champions and commanders to come to his aid.
Amir Hamza’s commanders started to arrive in Mecca daily and his champion wa
rriors all began gathering there.
Qaroon Akka departed with Hamza for his city, and after reaching his destination within a few days, began inflicting even greater pain and punishment on him.
Now back to Amir’s camp: Sa’ad Amar Hamza also arrived in Mecca, and champion soldiers, kings, and princes came there daily until the armies were established as before. Qaroon Akka enclosed himself within the citadel and reinforced its ramparts and crenelations.
Khvaja Amar Ayyar was on the lookout for a chance to break into this citadel, and one night he managed to sneak into the fortress disguised as a merchant. He made friends with a clothier there and convinced him that they had been friends of old, and he thus began a partnership in his shop. Amar did his best to seek out Amir Hamza but could not discover where he had been imprisoned.
It so happened that around this time Qaroon Akka’s sister, Farzana, saw Prophet Ibrahim in her dreams. He instructed her in the Act of Faith and gave her these auspicious tidings: “O Farzana! You and Hamza will become a pair and the Creator will grant you an illustrious son from Hamza’s seed. Go forth and secure his release.” Upon waking from the dream, Farzana immediately repaired to her brother’s house and took Hamza back to her home after bribing and rewarding his guards. In the morning Qaroon Akka heard that Amir Hamza had disappeared. He sent his men in all directions to find some trace of him, but they returned empty-handed. Qaroon Akka said to his vizier, “If Hamza had returned to his camp, we would have heard the sound of festive music. Let us find where he is hiding through ramal.” After making the calculations, the vizier began to laugh. When Qaroon Akka asked him the reason for his laughter he answered, “Hamza has been released by Farzana Bano. She has been biding her time in pleasure in Hamza’s company.” When Qaroon Akka sent one of his female attendants to Farzana’s house to inquire about these matters, Farzana flew into a rage. She tore out her hair and wept, and then said, “It is a marvel that my honor should be considered so cheap that a vizier should accuse me of infidelity. Just because I did not agree to submit to his pleasure and fulfill his carnal desires, that vile man has maligned and accused me in this manner. When have I ever even seen Hamza? Whoever so wishes can take the trouble of searching for him here.” The slave girl returned to Qaroon Akka and narrated all that Farzana had said to her. In his rage, Qaroon Akka put his vizier to the sword that very moment to avenge Farzana’s name and honor. Then Qaroon Akka continued to search for Hamza as before.
Meanwhile, Hamza was able to make contact with Amar Ayyar through one of Farzana’s slave girls and they planned their escape from that place.
Amar took Amir to a blacksmith’s shop, where Amir picked up a hammer and began pounding away at a piece of iron to make himself a sword.
Qaroon Akka arrived there with Bakhtak and confronted Amir, who overpowered Qaroon and took him prisoner. Bakhtak ran away to inform Naushervan about these events and they escaped through a back door. When Qaroon Akka refused to convert to the True Faith, Amir Hamza ordered him to be killed. Amar severed his head and hung it upon the door of the castle and burned his body. Everyone occupied themselves with festivities, as their mission had been accomplished and their desires fulfilled.
Now hear of Naushervan. As he was making his escape toward Ctesiphon, he came upon an army led by two valiant and courageous brothers, Sar-Barahna Tapishi and Dewana Tapishi, who had come to assist the emperor with their armies. Naushervan himself set up camp there and received the brothers with great favor and showed them much honor and told them his tale of woe from beginning to end. The two princes pledged their swords in Naushervan’s service. Bakhtak said, “Now Hamza cannot escape alive. Such champion warriors were never before pitted against him.”
Now for news of Amir Hamza. He wedded Farzana Bano at an auspicious moment and enjoyed her for forty nights and forty days. On the forty-first day, Amir Hamza held court and discovered that the princes of Tapish had come to aid Naushervan. Amir headed onward to challenge them and battle lines were drawn.
First Sar-Barahna Tapishi rode into the battlefield, and after reciting martial songs, sought combat. Landhoor rode out on Shabrang and stood opposite him.
Until evening the two of them fought with their maces. Finally the drums were sounded to suspend combat. Amir asked Landhoor, “What is your estimation of Sar-Barahna Tapishi’s prowess?” Landhoor answered, “O Sahibqiran, I never saw even a dev of Qaf—let alone a human being on Earth—who could be said to be his equal.” Amir laughed and then said, “O Landhoor, his body is made of steel. Spear, sword, and mace will have no effect on it; he will not die by those weapons.”
The next day Madi-Karib fought with Sar-Barahna. Whenever Madi struck him with his mace, Sar-Barahna took it on his head without a single hair being harmed on his body. Madi-Karib tired of dealing blows, but Sar-Barahna remained unperturbed. Suddenly dust rose on the horizon from the direction of the forest and the ayyars from both camps brought news that Aljosh Barbari had come with forty thousand troops to aid Naushervan. When he finally arrived Naushervan saw that Aljosh Barbari was ninety yards tall. After sounding the drums to suspend combat, Naushervan returned with him to his pavilion and arranged revels for him.
The next morning, Sar-Barahna Tapishi entered the arena and cried out with great vigor, “O Hamza, why do you not come out to fight me yourself? Is this the proof of your courage?” Before Amir could go out to confront him, a dust cloud grew from the direction of the forest, and when the scissors of the wind cut it apart, everyone saw forty orange standards on the horizon. Amar said to Amir Hamza, “O Sahibqiran, it is the same Naqabdar Naranji-Posh who used to come to aid me in my hour of need!”
The Naqabdar soon arrived there and arrayed his army on one side and stationed his champions in battle positions. Addressing the infidel army, the Naqabdar declared, “Any Gueber whose claim on courage has made him vain must first fight me. Then he may fight the followers of the True Faith.” Amir Hamza sent a message to the Naqabdar through Amar that his bravery, resolve, and chivalry were now plainly revealed to him but since Sar-Barahna had already challenged him and called him out by his name, he would answer the challenge. Amir asked the Naqabdar to make sure to call on him at the end of the day. The Naqabdar acquiesced to Amir’s wishes.
Amir Hamza rode into the arena on Ashqar Devzad and said to Sar-Barahna Tapishi, “It is a waste of time to fight you with weapons. You and I must test our strength by trying to lift each other from the ground. If my feet rise from the ground I will submit to you, and if I lift your feet above the ground you must submit to me.” Sar-Barahna agreed to it. Amir dismounted and Sar-Barahna joined him and began exerting himself to lift Amir Hamza by his waistband. He struggled at this until he sank knee-deep into the ground, but Amir did not budge. Sar-Barahna finally gave up in frustration.
Then Amir made his war cry. Most of the men in the infidel army fell into a faint, and many of them suffered burst eardrums. Amir Hamza caught Sar-Barahna Tapishi by his waist and lifted him up above his head on his very first attempt. He whirled him over his head seven times and then threw him to the ground. Amir Hamza tied him up, and gave him into Amar’s custody.
Dewana Tapishi came charging at Hamza with drawn sword upon seeing his brother being taken prisoner but Amir Hamza overpowered him as well. With a heavy heart Naushervan announced the end of hostilities for the day and both armies went back to their camps.
Then the Naqabdar headed for Amir’s pavilion. Amir received the Naqabdar with great honor and respect, and expressed his gratitude to the Naqabdar for coming to Amar’s assistance during his absence. Naqabdar Naranji-Posh said bashfully, “O Amir, do not make me melt away with shame. I feel mortified that such a long time has passed since your return from Qaf and you have faced countless trials and tribulations in which I was unable to help you.”
From the softness of the Naqabdar’s voice Amir reasoned that it was a woman. He caught the Naqabdar’s hands and led her to another pavilion, saying, “I can bear the excitement no longer, nor
can I tell you the secret reason for my acting in this wise. Please forgive my offense and do not hold me to blame.” Amir Hamza lifted the Naqabdar’s veil without delay uncovering cheeks that were the envy of the moon and a face that was as resplendent as the sun. Amir Hamza fell unconscious, overwhelmed by this woman’s beauty. Amar’s eyes were also blinded and filled by the radiance of the Naqabdar’s aspect. Amar sprinkled Amir Hamza’s face with rose water and the essences of musk and orange blossom, and said to the Naqabdar, “Pray forgive me this license, but I request you in God’s name to press your face against Amir’s without delay so that when he inhales your perfume he is restored to his senses and receives comfort from the closeness of your body.” With an embarrassed look Naranji-Posh, who had nursed the desire for such an opportunity for a long time and had lived in that hope, immediately pressed her face to Amir’s and brought extreme joy to Amir Hamza by kissing and caressing him. Amir opened his eyes and Amar immediately brought wine. They had had two goblets each when all their shame and embarrassment left them, and Amir seated the Naqabdar in his lap and inquired about her past.
The Naqabdar narrated her story thus: “My name is Naranj Peri. A long time ago I left Mount Qaf and made my dwelling on Koh-e Silan. My throne was flying in the air the day you were fighting Gustham, and I fell into a swoon after beholding your face, which was the very picture of the sun’s resplendence. When my vizier’s daughter, Nairanj Peri, saw that I had fainted, she carried me back to Koh-e Silan. I learned that the moment my vizier’s daughter took me to my dwelling on Koh-e Silan, you had departed for Mount Qaf with Abdur Rahman Jinn. I could do nothing else but pray for your safety and await your arrival. When I learned that you had vouchsafed Mehr-Nigar to Amar’s care, and her father Naushervan had decided to snatch her from you by force, I delegated some messenger perizads to inform me at once if an army ever threatened to overwhelm Amar’s force. Thus it happened that whenever I heard that Amar was in danger of being overwhelmed in a battle, I would arrive for his assistance without delay.”
The Adventures of Amir Hamza Page 47