After hearing this speech, Amir Hamza kissed Naranj Peri’s sugary lips and said, “My life, you slew the enemy with your relentless sword, and now you have put me to the sword of your chivalry and lofty conduct.” He asked Amar Ayyar to read their nuptials, and he married Naranj Peri and spent the whole night in pleasure seeking.
In the morning, Amir bathed, changed, and held court. He ordered Sar-Barahna Tapishi and Dewana Tapishi to be brought before him. They acknowledged Amir Hamza as their master and converted to the True Faith. Afterward Amir Hamza retired to the women’s quarters and occupied himself in pleasure-seeking with Naranj Peri.
One day the battle drums were sounded from the enemy camp, and Amir headed for the battleground. Aljosh Barbari fought with Sarkob the Turk that day and humiliated him on the battlefield.
In the meanwhile a dust cloud formed on the horizon and four brothers, Samoom Aadi, Sina Aadi, Qubad Aadi, and Me’aad-Raz Aadi, arrived from the Alburz to help Naushervan with four thousand fully equipped warriors of the Aadi tribe.
An onager suddenly broke into the encampment for the followers of the True Faith and injured hundreds of men. Amir Hamza turned his attention toward the beast and gave it chase. The onager escaped and Amir Hamza followed in pursuit, riding Ashqar Devzad. By late in the day the onager had traversed a great distance and Amir had crossed over the borders of another land. As soon as it was evening, the onager disappeared from his view, leaving Amir Hamza confounded and wondering where it had gone. When he was unable to find any trace of it, Amir hunted and roasted a wild animal, and after eating and drinking he fell asleep under a tree.
When Amir Hamza awoke the next morning, he again caught sight of the onager and again gave chase. The onager disappeared into a garden, and Amir followed him inside. He searched every corner of the garden, looking behind every bush and shrub, but the onager had vanished as if it had never existed.
Amir Hamza was challenged by the master of that garden, Qunduz Sar-Shaban, but Amir overpowered him and he converted to the True Faith. Amir hid his identity from Qunduz and told him that he was Amir Hamza’s brother Sa’ad Shami, but Qunduz suspected that he was Amir Hamza in person.
Qunduz hosted Amir for a few days. One day Amir asked him, “What land is it whose borders I have crossed?” Qunduz answered, “This is the land of Kharsana, the kingdom of Fatah Nosh. He has a daughter who is a paragon of beauty. Kings and princes from every land have sought her hand, but she flatly refuses everyone’s suit.” Amir said to him, “O Qunduz, take me to the city of that princess.” Qunduz replied, “Very well, I am bound to your service.”
The next day, Amir left with Qunduz for the princess’s city. They had gone some ten kos when Qunduz said, “Let us dismount to eat and take some rest.” They stopped and roasted two goats. Amir was unable to eat a whole goat by himself, but Qunduz ate his goat and then ate the leftover roast from Amir’s share as well. Then they traveled onward. After they had gone quite some distance, Qunduz said, “It is impossible for me to take another step for the pangs of my hunger.” Amir wondered at Qunduz’s speech and figured that Qunduz was a match for Aadi in his appetite.
Amir saw an encampment of merchants close by and went and met their leader, Karvan, who offered them food, and they joined his caravan, which was also traveling to Kharsana. Amir hid his real identity from Karvan as well, who was pleased to learn that he was Abdul Muttalib’s son Sa’ad Shami, as Karvan was Abdul Muttalib’s friend.
Amir Hamza offered to provide protection to the caravan from the bandit Faulad, for which Karvan offered him one fifth part of the profit from his merchandise. However, Amir refused it, much to the surprise and anger of Qunduz, who was only too willing to keep his share. The bandit Faulad was killed by Qunduz, who was reprimanded by Hamza, as Qunduz had not given Faulad a chance to convert to the True Faith.
In a few days they arrived in Kharsana. Amir Hamza passed his time in great comfort and pleasure and gave away so much in charity that all the mendicants of the city became men of means. Slowly the news traveled to King Fatah Nosh. Rabia Plas Posh, the king’s daughter, also heard this news and said to herself, The diviners often predicted that Hamza would arrive in this town someday and marry me. Perhaps the man in question is Hamza. She said to her attendants, “Go and see who that man is who has surpassed Hatim in generosity.” When the female attendants went and saw Amir Hamza at the caravanserai, they said among themselves, “This young man greatly resembles the portrait our mistress keeps with her. Indeed it seems that he is the subject of that picture!” All of them went before the princess and reported what they had seen. Rabia Plas Posh was delighted to hear this.
It so happened that Nasai, the son of the king of Farang, attacked Kharsana. Fatah Nosh enclosed himself in the fortress. Slowly the noise of this attack reached Amir Hamza’s ears. Amir asked the people of the city, “What is the reason for all the commotion? What is afoot that we hear this noise and rioting?” Those who were in the know told Amir, “The king of Farang had asked for the hand of Princess Rabia Plas Posh for Prince Nasai, and the princess turned down the proposal. It is for this reason that the prince has attacked the city.
Amir decorated himself with his arms and armor, mounted Ashqar Devzad, and prepared to go to battle. When the magistrate of the city did not open the city gates to let them out, Qunduz killed him with a blow of his mace, which made Amir angry with him.
King Fatah Nosh learned that the stranger who distributed alms at the inn was heading out to fight the prince of Farang. Fatah Nosh immediately rode out to meet Amir and said to him, “O dear friend, I would like to help you in every possible way. I wish to attach my forces to yours, although they are much fewer than the enemy’s hordes.” Amir answered, “I have no need to take your army with me. You may go to the roof of the fortress and witness the spectacle there.” Amir headed for the battlefield with Qunduz, and Rabia Plas Posh went to the roof of the fortress, and with unbraided hair she supplicated God, praying, “O Almighty God! Pray take this young man into your care, for he goes to do battle and takes on this hardship for the sake of strangers.”
The Farangis thought that the two men coming out of the fortress had been sent to make a peace offering. As a precaution, they sent a rider toward them to discover their intentions. Qunduz had an altercation with the soldier, who attacked him with a sword, but Qunduz foiled his attack and dealt him a blow with his mace that made that Farangi soldier sink into the ground along with his horse. Upon witnessing this, Prince Nasai ordered one of his champion warriors to go and take both men captive without delay. Qunduz sent that soldier to the same land to which he had earlier dispatched the other trooper. In a short time, forty Farangi champion warriors lay dead at the hands of Qunduz.
The Farangis were terrified and said to one another, “These two men are not humans. They are from the race of jinns.”
The king of Kharsana was greatly pleased by this scene, and when he learned that one of the two strangers who fought for him had introduced himself as Hamza’s brother, he suspected that it was Hamza himself, hiding his identity.
To cut a long story short, when all forty champion warriors sent to fight him had been killed by Qunduz, the standard-bearer of the Farangi army himself came to fight Qunduz. Qunduz also attacked him with his mace, but the man caught his weapon and tried to snatch it from his hands. Qunduz called out, “O brother Sa’ad Shami, come quickly to my aid, or else my mace will be snatched from me and I will be overpowered by this infidel!” Amir Hamza roared so mightily that it shook the entire expanse of the desert. The riders of the Farangi army fell from their horses into ditches, and their horses, finding their saddles empty, ran toward the forest. The arm of the standard-bearer of the Farangi army grew limp, and Qunduz exerted himself and snatched his mace from his grasp. The standard-bearer drew the sword from his scabbard and dealt a blow to Qunduz, but Amir Hamza threw his companion out of harm’s way and struck the standard-bearer with his sword, severing his arm at the shoulder. A great comm
otion broke out in the Farangi army and Prince Nasai fled from the battlefield. Amir Hamza and Qunduz followed them for a distance of four kos and slaughtered thousands of Farangis, sparing none who came within the reach of their weapons.
Upon witnessing this excellent victory, Fatah Nosh emerged from the fortress with his army and looted the goods and riches of the Farangis with great abandon. Fatah Nosh said to his men, “No one may take a single item from this loot, for all of it is the property of Sa’ad Shami. Beware and make sure that no one touches or appropriates it.” Rabia Plas Posh opened the gates of the treasury with a view to offering a sacrifice for Amir’s life, and distributed a great many riches among the destitute. There was not one beggar in the whole city who did not become rich that day.
When Amir Hamza returned triumphant and victorious to the city, Fatah Nosh conducted him in an entourage to the fortress and put all the loot before him. Amir embraced him and said, “Distribute this wealth among your men as their reward.” Qunduz was shocked into silence upon hearing Amir’s words. Fatah Nosh arranged a royal feast in Amir’s honor and broke bread with him and joined him as his drinking fellow. Qunduz grew giddy with wine and picked a fight with one of Fatah Nosh’s commanders, Yalan. Amir Hamza asked him to cease fighting and admonished him for conducting himself in that manner.
The revels continued for several days. One day Fatah Nosh took his vizier aside and said to him, “If Rabia is agreeable, no better match could be found for her than this man. Go and find out her intentions.” The vizier broached the subject with Princess Rabia, who lowered her head and replied, “I shall obey the king’s wishes in this matter.”
Upon hearing Rabia’s message, Fatah Nosh told Amir of his desire to make him his son-in-law. Amir Hamza agreed to his proposal with pleasure and enthusiasm, and the wedding preparations began immediately. On the day of the wedding, Amir remembered Amar and said, “It is a pity that Amar is not here today. Were he present, he would be gladdened by this event.”
Now hear of Amar. The same day that Amir left the camp in pursuit of the onager, Amar had followed him. Amar had trekked past the same places that Amir had on his way to Kharsana.
God willed it so that Amar arrived at Fatah Nosh’s doorstep two hours before the nuptials. He said to the guards, “Go and tell your king that my runaway slave, Sa’ad Shami, has sought refuge with him and hidden himself here. It is my desire that he be immediately arrested and brought as a prisoner to me.” The guards went and conveyed Amar’s message to the king’s court in Amar’s same words.
Amir Hamza asked them, “Describe that man’s shape and guise to me and tell me how he is dressed and what are his mien and manners.” The guards replied, “He is some thirteen yards tall and sports a red broadcloth cap that rises a full five yards from his head. The two feathers attached to his cap move by themselves independent of the movement of the air, and he is dressed in a felt robe. A hamper hangs around his neck, a bow is secured to his body, two feathers and a few arrows without arrowheads or tail feathers are stuck at his waist. He is carrying a paper shield on his back and wields a staff weighing eighteen maunds. Over his felt robe he is wearing a flowing gown that is so long and loose that a lion cub could easily hide in its sleeve.” Upon hearing this description, Amir Hamza headed out of the court, and all those who heard the description marveled to the very limits of marveling.
Amar rushed forward and fell at Amir Hamza’s feet, and Amir Hamza embraced him and showed him great kindness and favor. Then Amir Hamza led him by hand into King Fatah Nosh’s court and introduced him to the king by describing Amar’s trickery, his cunning, and his faithfulness. When it was time to read the nuptials, Amir said to Amar, “Quickly go and fetch some qadi8 to conduct the ceremony, but make sure he is a follower of the True Faith and a believer.”
Amar left the court, changed his garb, and disguised himself as a holy man by sticking a two-yard-long flowing white beard on his face. Then he put on a loose shirt that was so large that a baby simurgh could be carried in its sleeve, tied a turban on his head that was closer to a dome in its dimensions, and arrived in the assembly limping and carrying a staff several yards long. All those present, including Amir Hamza and Fatah Nosh, received Amar with great deference. Amir Hamza seated him at a higher station on his right and asked him to conduct the nikah ceremony. Amar followed his wishes and read the sermon in such sweet and warbling tones that the eyes of everyone in the audience filled up with tears and the entire assembly fell into a trance.
The king put a thousand dirhams before Amar, who said, “I would never accept such a meager offering, and will not take a farthing less than five thousand dirhams.” Qunduz replied, “O mulla, if these thousand dirhams are of no use to you, then pray grant them to me. If they do not have any value for you, allow me to have them.” Amar immediately stuffed the money into his shoe and disappeared after giving Qunduz a blow with his staff. After a while Amar again entered the assembly and put his foot over Qunduz’s head and danced in such a clownish manner that whoever saw him broke into uncontrollable laughter. Fatah Nosh was greatly pleased by Amar’s antics.
Thereafter, rounds of goblets of colorful wines were served and the guests began dancing in a state of giddiness. The king richly rewarded Amar Ayyar and spread joy throughout the whole assembly with his liberality and munificence. The celebrations were held for seven days and seven nights. On the eighth day, Amir Hamza said to Amar Ayyar, “Return to the camp, and I will follow you in a few days. I will spend a little more time here enjoying myself.” Amar returned to the camp and Amir retired to the palace to seek pleasure with Rabia Plas Posh. After some days the keeper of the palace presented himself before Amir and gave him the auspicious news that Rabia Plas Posh was with child. Amir said, “I will stay here until my son is born and will not make any plans to go anywhere else.” Rabia Plas Posh replied, “O Sa’ad Shami, what you propose is also my heart’s desire. Now at last I have seen some happy moments and passed some days and nights of joy.”
OF AMIR’S DEPARTURE FOR THE LAND OF FATAH NOSH’S BROTHER, FATAH YAR; OF AMIR SLAYING A DRAGON; AND OF THE BIRTH OF PRINCE ALAM SHAH ROOMI
The narrators of sweet discourse and the scribes of legends thus relate that Fatah Nosh’s younger brother, Fatah Yar, ruled a land neighboring Kharsana. Fatah Yar wrote a letter to his brother stating that he was desirous of meeting his son-in-law.
Fatah Nosh showed the letter to Amir Hamza. Amir said, “There is no harm in this visit. I will go and take on the hardship of the journey for his sake.” So, Amir Hamza departed for Fatah Yar’s land the following day. When Amir arrived, Fatah Yar received him and conducted him into the city. He seated Amir on a golden throne and was conversing with him when all of a sudden a commotion was heard without. Amir asked Fatah Yar, “What is this noise and disturbance?” Fatah Yar answered, “A dragon lives near this city, and when he exhales, a flame darts from his mouth for a distance of seven kos, burning everything in its path. When the dragon inhales, everything for a distance of seven kos gets sucked into his open mouth. This city has lived with this scourge for many years, and all things animate and inanimate have been marked by his shadow. The dragon has just exhaled, causing all this commotion in the city and setting all creation to great ferment and turmoil.”
Amir said, “It is a shame that Fatah Nosh never breathed a word about this dragon to me; otherwise I would have rid you of this scourge many days ago and crushed the dragon’s head. In any event, I would like you to appoint someone to lead me to the dragon’s lair.” Fatah Yar said, “I shall accompany you myself.” Amir saddled Ashqar and took Qunduz and headed out. Fatah Yar took his army along and rode out with Amir. Everyone wondered in their hearts how that man would kill the dragon and overpower such a monster. When Amir saw that the dragon was about to inhale, he dismounted and went toward him. As he approached the dragon, Amir drew his dagger, rushed at the monster, and, pressing his dagger to the dragon’s scales cut through them all the way to his spine, killing the drag
on. Such a huge amount of smoke billowed from the dragon’s mouth that it became dark for many kos around, and the sky resembled a ball of smoke.
When the air finally dissipated the smoke cloud, Fatah Yar went with his army and saw the dragon lying dead, heaped up like a small hillock. He kissed Amir Hamza’s hands and arms, and thanked him for ridding him of that monster.
After spending a few days with Fatah Yar, Amir Hamza returned to Kharsana, at which time Rabia Plas Posh’s pregnancy came to an end. At an auspicious moment, an illustrious son was born to Amir and a long awaited star appeared in the heavens of his expectations. Amir Hamza named the boy Alam Shah Roomi. Fatah Nosh flung open the doors of his treasury and the destitute received from it whatever was appropriate to their need. When Amir’s son was forty days old, Amir took his leave of Fatah Nosh and Rabia Plas Posh, and said, “When this boy comes of age, you must send him to the camp of Amir Hamza.” Fatah Nosh put Amir under strict oath and said, “Tell me whether your name is Sa’ad Shami or Hamza.” Amir answered, “Indeed I am Hamza himself.” Fatah Nosh was greatly pleased by that and Qunduz was also beside himself with joy. He began telling everyone proudly, “Verily, none but Hamza had the wherewithal to overpower me.” Rabia Plas Posh also offered thanks that she was the wife of Hamza, a legend of his time. In due course Amir Hamza departed for his camp with Qunduz.
Amir Hamza’s camp, meanwhile, was engaged in daily warfare with Naushervan’s forces. One day both armies had just arrayed themselves in battle formations when Amir arrived at his camp with Qunduz. His companions kissed his feet and told him of their campaign. Amir Hamza offered words of comfort to everyone.
The Adventures of Amir Hamza Page 48