Bakhtak then said, “It would be little wonder if Hamza is defeated today by this youth and dies at his hands.” The narrator has reported that Amir Hamza made several war cries that day and yet they did not perturb Badiuz Zaman in the slightest. Finally, Amir Hamza came into a rage and drew both Samsam and Qumqam from his scabbards to deal blows to Badiuz Zaman and strike that youth with his lustrous swords. Then Quraisha appeared before him, stayed his hand, and informed him that Badiuz Zaman was his son and her brother. Amir was greatly surprised and wondered who had borne him such a son.
Then Quraisha narrated to him the whole incident of the wooden chest and told him everything that holy Khizr had said. Paternal love stirred in Amir Hamza’s heart and he pressed Badiuz Zaman to his breast with joy. He called out to Amar, “Regard that this illustrious boy is my son! He is a piece of my heart and the light of my life. The Almighty God has sent him to strengthen my arm.” Amir Hamza returned to his camp to the notes of festive music and he ordered forty days of celebrations.
Now, the narrator states that Samandoon Hazar-Dast Dev had escaped Qaf12 for fear of Amir and taken refuge in Mount Alburz, considering that place a safe haven. When he received word of Amir Hamza’s arrival, he used subterfuge to infiltrate Amir’s camp one night after two watches had passed. As he entered the camp, he beheld the pavilion of Sa’ad bin Amar Hamza, and upon going inside, he found Sa’ad deep asleep. He made him unconscious and carried him away to his sanctuary across he river. In the morning Amir Hamza received news that Sa’ad had disappeared from his tent. He said to Amar, “We must consult Buzurjmehr to find out what has passed with Sa’ad.”
Buzurjmehr told Amar who had kidnapped Sa’ad and where he was imprisoned and told Amar that only if Amir went there alone would Sa’ad be found alive.
Upon receiving the news from Amar, Amir Hamza immediately took leave of his companions and waded across the river on Ashqar’s back. When Amir arrived near the castle, the devs recognized him and alerted Samandoon, who left his castle with several thousand devs to face him.
When Amir saw Samandoon, he said, “O accursed creature, why did you put me to the inconvenience of this journey? You will see what an example I make of you.” Samandoon ordered one of his devs who was held as a champion among them to arrest the human and speedily carry out his orders. Any dev who tried to capture Amir that day died at his hands. Then Samandoon pleaded with the devs but none of them dared approach Amir Hamza. Upon that Samandoon grew full of dread and hurled a several-hundred-maund rock at Amir, who foiled the attack and dealt Samandoon a sword blow that severed all seven of his hands in one blow, causing the hearts of the devs to burst with fear. Samandoon escaped and returned after a moment intact as before, and began fighting with Amir. And this same story repeated itself all that day until evening.
That night the devs retired to the castle and Amir fell asleep under a tree. The holy Khizr appeared to him in his dreams and said, “The Fountain of Life lies under the castle grounds. First, go and plug its source, and then fight the dev. Otherwise, you will keep fighting with him for the rest of your life and he will not be killed.” Amir started from his dream and went to the castle that very moment and plugged the fountain that the holy Khizr had identified13 with refuse and debris.
In the morning Samandoon emerged from the castle and arranged his army. As before, he hurled a thousand-maund stone at Amir’s head. Amir foiled his attack and dealt the dev a sword blow that cut his neck in half and left it hanging from his torso. He turned tail and ran off, with Amir in pursuit. Amir saw that when the dev searched for the fountain and could not find it, he bashed his head against the ground and gave up his life. The devs who had accompanied him ran away pell-mell like rampaging camels. Amir cut off Samandoon’s head and hung it from his saddle straps, and then fed his vile corpse to the beasts of the desert. Amir next began searching for Sa’ad bin Amar Hamza. His quest finally led him to a chamber where he found Sa’ad lying unconscious. Amir recited the prayer of Ibrahim over some water and washed Sa’ad’s face with it.
Sa’ad regained consciousness, and Amir led Sa’ad out of the castle. The next day Amir seated Sa’ad on Ashqar and headed for his camp. When they reached the river, Amir said to Sa’ad, “Remain in the saddle because you do not know how to swim.” Amir himself crossed the river holding onto Ashqar’s tail.
They arrived at their camp to witness a pitched battle being fought. Amir Hamza threw the head of Samandoon Hazar-Dast toward the camp of the infidels and called out, “This was the same dev who kidnapped my grandson. I went to kill him and have brought back his head.” The infidels were stunned to see the dev’s head and marveled greatly at its size, realizing that a dev who had such a giant head could be no smaller in size than a mountain. They realized, too, that it would be impossible for them to fight one who could kill so mighty a dev.
They were yet discussing this when a dust cloud rose from the forest. Ayyars from both camps rushed there to learn whether it was an enemy or a friend who had arrived. They learned that Bakhya Shutarban and Malik Ashtar had arrived with intrepid warriors and a vast army to assist Naushervan.
Naushervan sent Hurmuz and other kings to receive them.
THE DASTAN OF AJAL BIN ABDUL MUTTALIB, YOUNGER BROTHER OF AMIR HAMZA, LORD OF THE AUSPICIOUS PLANETARY CONJUNCTION
Narrators of sweet discourse relate that another son had been born to Khvaja Abdul Muttalib after Amir Hamza. Thus the oyster of nobility had revealed another pearl whom Khvaja named Ajal. Ajal had traversed twelve years of his life when Qalmaq Shah advanced on Mecca with his army to do battle with its citizens, who secluded themselves in their fortress. The news of their anxiety reached Ajal and he solicited Khvaja Abdul Muttalib for arms and a horse so that he could fight the infidels and slay every single man in his camp. Khvaja Abdul Muttalib laughed and replied, “Just consider your years and where you stand in your life, and then regard your ambition to fight a mighty commander like Qalmaq. I have eleven other sons, but it was only given to Hamza to fight with thousands of warriors and remain fearless before armies of hundreds of thousands of men.” Ajal responded, “God is our savior. I am Hamza’s brother after all.” As Ajal’s insistence to fight Qalmaq Shah kept growing, people said to Khvaja Abdul Muttalib, “Why do you hold Ajal back from fighting? He is full of courage and exceedingly brave.” Forced by everyone to give his consent, Abdul Muttalib provided Ajal with a horse and suitable weapons. Ajal exited the fort with great magnificence astride his horse. Qalmaq Shah saw a youth on horseback and some footmen coming toward him from the direction of the fortress and reasoned that he was headed there to plead for peace on behalf of the citizens of Mecca. Qalmaq dispatched a rider to meet them and find out his intention. Ajal exchanged words with the rider and overpowered him and took him prisoner. In this way Ajal took forty soldiers prisoner and, beside himself with rage, Qalmaq Shah faced Ajal himself and aimed his mace at Ajal’s head. Ajal foiled the blow and landed his own mace on Qalmaq Shah, the impact of which killed his horse instantly. Qalmaq Shah tried to hamstring Ajal’s horse, but the youth quickly dismounted and, securing a hold on Qalmaq Shah’s belt, raised him above his head. After spinning him around, he slammed him to the ground. Ajal climbed on his chest and pinioned Qalmaq Shah. Hearing of the incident, Qalmaq Shah’s army prepared to charge Ajal with their full force, but Qalmaq Shah signaled to them to desist from it.
Ajal said to Qalmaq Shah, “Your life shall be spared if you convert to the True Faith. Otherwise, I will kill you immediately without the least fear of your army and warriors.” Qalmaq Shah replied, “O Ajal, I will convert to the True Faith on condition that you grant my wish of finding me service with Hamza.” Ajal answered, “The thing that you wish for you would have received even without asking.” Qalmaq Shah then converted to the True Faith and Ajal embraced him and took him to his father. Abdul Muttalib conferred robes of honor on both Ajal and Qalmaq Shah and made them gifts of a great many jewels.
The next day, Ajal set out to see his
brother. On the way he met Karib Madi, who was Aadi’s son by Gustham’s daughter and was headed in the same direction to meet his father. They traveled together and arrived at Mount Alburz.
Upon arriving at his destination, Ajal called out, “Any of Hamza’s sons who has a claim to courage should come out to face me!” Ajal first tested his strength against Alam Shah. When fighting Badiuz Zaman, Ajal was overpowered, but he wished to test Hamza’s strength. Amir overpowered him with great difficulty, then asked him, “Tell me truthfully who you are and give me the name and station of your father and grandfather.” Ajal replied, “I am your brother, and the son of Abdul Muttalib.” Amir embraced him, and his heart filled with fraternal love at the sight of his brother.
In the meanwhile, Karib Madi entered the arena and stood there like a fierce lion. Amir asked Ajal, “Do you recognize this man?” Ajal professed his ignorance. Karib Madi dealt Amir such a powerful blow of his mace that sweat broke from every pore in his body and darkness fell before his eyes. Nevertheless, Amir withstood the blow and caught Karib by his waist. Amir kicked Karib’s horse out from under him and lifted the boy into the air, while the horse flew ten paces from the force of Amir’s kick and its heart burst from the impact. Karib Madi said, “O Amir! Do not slam me on the ground, for I am your slave, the son of Madi-Karib.” Amir put him lightly on the ground and embraced him. Then he called Aadi Madi-Karib and said to him, “Congratulations on your son!” He replied, “O Amir, he showed great irreverence toward you. Kill him and extract his brains from his skull.” Amir replied, “I have forgiven him his trespasses and absolved him of them.”
The next morning, Bakhya Shutarban came into the arena and challenged the followers of the True Faith. That day he fought Shaban Taifi but neither of them was able to overpower the other. The next day he fought Qais Qeemaz Khavari and their combat yielded no result. On the third day Badiuz Zaman finally overpowered him and took him prisoner.
When Malik Ashtar saw his uncle thus humiliated in the arena, he said to Naushervan, “Hamza’s sons are truly mighty and brave. How easily did that youth capture my uncle!” Naushervan answered, “All of Hamza’s progeny are cut from the same cloth.” Malik Ashtar said, “Let the hostilities remain suspended for the day. I will fight him tomorrow so that none may get the chance to say that Malik Ashtar was able to capture Hamza’s son because he was tired from earlier combat.” The drums announcing the day’s end were struck in Naushervan’s camp at his orders, and he returned to his pavilion.
In the meantime, a messenger arrived from Kharsana and presented Amir with a letter from Fatah Nosh, who had written: “Marzooq Farangi has attacked us and we have received untold losses at his hands. Either come yourself or send Rustam-e Peel-Tan. Otherwise, you will lose the dominion of Kharsana and its people will lose their faith.”
Rustam-e Peel-Tan then left for Kharsana but did not consent to take the army with him and claimed that he alone would rout the enemy.
He arrived there within a few days, reaching his destination with courage and resolve. He beheld the armies of Farang besieging the fortress, resolved upon taking it by force. Rustam immediately made his war cry and sought combat. Marzooq Shah Farangi sent his elder son to fight Rustam. His name was Malia, and he was a fifty-yard-tall giant. After killing Malia in combat Rustam drew his sword and fell upon the army of the infidels just as a lion tears into a herd of goats. A great unrest grew among the ranks of the Farangis and turmoil took over.
Marzooq saw that Malia’s death had broken his army’s spirits and robbed them of all courage. He went forward to challenge Rustam, but even that did not revive his army’s spirits, and they retreated like a pack of foxes. Realizing that he would not be able to prevail over his adversary alone, Marzooq followed his retreating army with his companions. Rustam gave him chase for a distance of four kos, and with his sword he made heaps of dead infidels.
By that time Fatah Nosh had arrived at Rustam’s aid with his army. He said to Rustam: “Now you have chased the enemy for four kos and inflicted grave losses on them. It would be against custom to follow them any farther. We do not wish to pursue them any longer.” Rustam disagreed and said to him, “You should return to take care of the castle and strengthen its defenses lest the enemy, seeing the castle lying defenseless, should trick us and advance on it.” While Fatah Nosh returned to his fortress and sent a complete account of the events to Amir Hamza, Rustam continued in his pursuit of the enemy.
In short, Rustam crossed into the frontiers of another land while chasing and killing the enemy. When it was night he fell asleep under a tree, and in the morning he rode off again in pursuit of Marzooq Shah’s fleeing army.
Now hear of Amir. The day Rustam departed for Kharsana, Naushervan’s daughter Mehr-Afroze was delivered of a son whom Amir named Mehr Shah. He ordered celebrations for forty nights and forty days and revels were held on a prodigous scale.
After the celebrations were over, Amir heard the drums of war from the enemy camp and ordered the Timbal of Sikander to be struck in reply. He ordered his camp to make preparations for battle and arrived in the arena with his forces. The hostilities had not yet begun when a messenger arrived with Fatah Nosh’s letter. Amir read the letter and said to his friends, “Mark Rustam’s childishness! He pursued Marzooq Shah all alone knowing full well that he had a large army at his command. He threw himself into this danger with open eyes. I must now go to his aid. All of you should pay your allegiance to Badiuz Zaman in my absence.” Then Amir said to Amar, “I am taking five champion warriors with me. The rest of the army shall remain here under your command.”
Amir took with him King Landhoor, Shaban Taifi, Karib Madi, Istaftanosh, and Qeemaz Khavari and headed toward Kharsana at great speed—making two and three days’ journeys in a single day—and soon arrived at his destination. Fatah Nosh greeted Amir, conducted him into the fortress, and ordered festivities in his honor with all manner of dishes prepared for the occasion. Amir said to him, “I can barely swallow food, much less participate in festivities. I cannot rest easy until I have killed my enemy.” The celebrations were canceled, and after resting there for the night, Amir headed in pursuit of Marzooq Shah’s army.
Now hear of Marzooq Shah. When Rustam kept pursuing him for days, Marzooq reasoned that it was not Hamza but his son who had been following them because a retreating enemy was not followed for more than four kos, and wise and experienced commanders avoided such follies. Rustam had been following them, he decided, only on account of his inexperience, and with that realization, all fear and anxiety left him. He turned back to face Rustam. Marzooq Shah drew his sword and attacked the youth. Rustam parried his blow and struck Marzooq a blow that severed his hand. Marzooq pulled back his horse and called out to his army, “Kill him! Do not let him advance another step or escape!”
At his command, the whole army attacked Rustam, who took swords in both hands and fought back, piling up heaps of the slain. However, in the combat that ensued Rustam himself was wounded and his horse was killed. The infidels tried to take him prisoner, but no one could muster the courage to lay hands on him. Rustam finally climbed atop a rock and began shooting arrows at the infidels.
In the meanwhile, Amir Hamza arrived there with his warriors. Seeing Rustam lying wounded, Hamza and his companions fell upon the enemy host and attacked the ranks of the miscreants.
A great confusion took hold of the infidels after they heard Amir Hamza’s war cry. Amir killed thousands of infidels. Marzooq Shah turned tail and shut himself in his fortress. Amir Hamza approached Rustam, and after putting bandages of noshidaru on his wounds, turned his attention again to the foe.
Marzooq Shah realized that Hamza would not be deterred from taking the fortress. Once inside he would conduct wholesale carnage, and Marzooq’s wife, children, and family would all be murdered, finding no reprieve at Hamza’s hands. Marzooq left the fortress with his sons and grandsons holding their swords in their teeth. Presenting his wife and children to Amir, Marzooq fell down a
t Hamza’s feet and asked for reprieve. Amir said to him, “If you convert, along with your sons and family, to the True Faith and give your daughter in marriage to Rustam, I will spare your life and the lives of your family, and forgive all you have done.” Marzooq immediately converted to the True Faith with his sons and promised his daughter to Rustam in marriage.
Marzooq escorted Amir Hamza and his companions into the fortress and arranged a marriage assembly. Amir sent Landhoor to fetch Rustam and wedded him to Marzooq’s daughter. While Amir’s son retired to the nuptial bed to indulge in pleasure seeking, Amir and his companions busied themselves in revelry.
After some days, Amir returned to Kharsana with Marzooq and arranged a meeting to establish peace between Fatah Nosh and him. The next day Amir departed toward Mount Alburz with his companions, and arrived there in the midst of the battle.
When he saw Amir Hamza had rejoined his camp, Malik Ashtar called out, “O Hamza, where had the fear of me driven you? Now your death has herded you back here, and you will taste the sweetmeat of doom from my hands.” Amir answered him, “O warrior, champions do not indulge in idle boasting. Come, deal me the blow you take most pride in!” Amir defeated Malik Ashtar in combat, and he converted to the True Faith. Amir returned with Malik Ashtar to his pavilion to the sound of festive music and seated him on a golden throne. Amir sent for Bakhya Shutarban, who also converted to the True Faith without objection and wore the ring of slavery in his ear. Amir ordered him to be set free and provided him with a golden throne as well. After some time all of them sat down together to have a meal. Goblets of wine were passed in rounds and the dancers danced the whole night. When it was morning, it was announced that Zhopin Faulad-Tan had arrived to aid Naushervan, and had a vast army at his command. Amir remained quiet upon hearing this news and continued with the festivities.
The Adventures of Amir Hamza Page 52