Marzak saw that his work there was done, and that they had all been blinded. He went before Naushervan and said, “I have blinded Hamza and all of his companions.” Naushervan asked him, “How are we to know that you tell the truth?” He answered, “Strike the drums of war and you will soon have your proof. Their whole camp has been blinded, and none will answer the call.” Naushervan immediately ordered the drums of war to be beaten.
Upon hearing the enemy’s call to war, Amir and his companions sent for water to wash their faces. Then they realized that they could see nothing, and all of them were blind. Amir said, “Go and look for Marzak!” But Marzak was nowhere to be found. Amir said to his friends, “It is a terrible calamity that we cannot see and the enemy has struck the drums of war. If we do not go into the battlefield, they will advance on our camp in broad daylight and steal all we have. We must arrange our fighting ranks.” With this, Amir went into the field and ordered his army into battle arrays.
Witnessing this, Naushervan said to Marzak, “If they were blind, they would not enter the arena.” That villain answered, “Send someone to fight them and you will soon learn the truth.” Naushervan sent one of the Aadi champions, who entered the arena and challanged Amir’s camp for combat. Hardam led his horse into the arena to face him and, swinging his mace, landed a powerful blow on him, which killed the Aadi warrior. One after another, Naushervan sent six Aadi warriors, and all of them were defeated.
Then Naushervan ordered his army to surround Hardam, cut off his escape route, and then kill him. When Naushervan’s army attacked Hardam, he struck them with his mace, killing hundreds of infidels. They could not withstand his blows and at last turned tail. From a safe distance, they began showering Hardam with arrows. Since Hardam was wearing Prophet Daud’s seven-piece suit of armor, the arrows were ineffective and the barrage of the archers caused him no harm. Finally, Bakhtak said, “Friends, Hardam is wearing Daud’s seven-piece suit of armor. If you aim at his foot, he will presently fall!” The archers followed Bakhtak’s advice, whereupon Hardam called out to Amir Hamza, “O Amir, now I need your aid. Come quickly to rescue me from the hands of infidels!” Amir took Ashqar’s reins and said to him in the Jinni language, “Right now I am completely blind. Lead me wherever you see the infidels so that I may rout them!” Amir plunged into the enemy ranks astride Ashqar and slew many of them, making heaps from the corpses of the faithless.
Naushervan said to his army, “All the men in the enemy ranks are blind. Keep your spirits up, and seek out and kill every single one of them.” At Naushervan’s encouragement, his soldiers fought for some time but finally turned away. Amir returned to his pavilion in victory and triumph, and said to his companions, “It would not bode well for us to stay here until our sight is restored. We must head for some nearby city and seek treatment there for our blindness. Then we can worry about the enemy and prepare for the war with leisure.” The champion Chob-Gardaan said, “Three days’ journey from here is my city, Ardabil, which is well fortified. If Your Honor so wishes, you may retire there until your sight is fully restored to you.” Amir’s camp marched for Ardabil that same day.
Thinking that they were blind, Naushervan gave them chase and ordered his army to pursue them. Amir had stayed behind with four warriors and he attacked the enemy ranks. That day Amir’s sword saw more action and he killed more infidels than ever. Finally, the enemy forces turned tail and fled, and not a single infidel remained behind. Amir entered the city of Ardabil in triumph and victory and finally was relieved of all his anxieties and worries. He fortified the city gates and filled the moats with water, cutting off all avenues for the enemy to enter within. He sent reinforcements to the battlements and began supplicating God Almighty to restore the sight to his eyes. Naushervan arrived and attacked the fortress, but when the fortified army inflicted many casualties on his soldiers, he put a cordon around the castle and camped.
OF HASHIM BIN HAMZA AND HARIS BIN SA’AD ENTERING AMIR HAMZA’S SERVICE, AND OF AMIR’S EYES BEING CURED WITH THE HOLY KHIZR’S HELP
The narrator has said that a son was born to Amir Hamza by Hardam’s sister, who named the child Hashim. A son was also born to Sa’ad bin Amar Hamza by Hardam’s niece, and she named him Haris. The two boys, who were granduncle and grandnephew by relation, had now reached the age of nine, and they felt great love and affection for each other because they were of the same age. They went hunting together and took meals in each other’s company. It was Hashim’s custom that when he hunted a lion, he always roasted and ate its heart, for which reason he had become known as Hashim the Lion-Eater. When the news reached them that Amir was camped within the fort of Ardabil, the two boys headed there from Baru with a large army. They arrived there in a few days to find the infidels besieging the city and their standards hoisted everywhere.
Hashim and Haris drew their swords and, without the least fear or anxiety, attacked the encampment of the dastardly infidels like lions tearing into a flock of sheep. They showed such excellent swordsmanship and fought so bravely that the infidels lost their nerve. Thousands of infidels became the prey of the crocodile of their swords, and were flung by them into the embrace of the denizens of Hell. Finally, the enemy fled from the vicinity of the fortress and camped at a distance that was many bow shots away from it. The armies of the True Faith reasoned that they had been sent aid from the Future State. They opened the gates of the city and welcomed Hashim and Haris inside. Both of them kissed Amir’s feet, informed him of their names and pedigrees, and narrated to him the whole account of their lives.
Amir Hamza felt a strange and boundless joy that could not be described. Hashim submitted to Amir, saying, “It would be better if you returned with us to Baru, where your army can take rest and everyone can be comfortably accommodated.” Amir ordered the timbal to be struck to announce their departure, and headed for Baru.
The army of the infidels followed them. When Amir entered the fortress of Baru with all his camp and entourage, the infidels laid siege to the place and set up camp.
Amir made tearful supplications night and day to God to restore his sight, and petitioned the Court of Heaven for a cure to his blindness. One day the holy Khizr appeared beside him and crushed a leaf and dropped a few drops of its liquid into Amir’s eyes with his hands. Immediately, Amir’s eyes lit up with vision and all the darkness and haze over them were cast away. Sight was restored to Amir’s eyes and, ennobled by his meeting with the holy Khizr, Amir said, “I have been cured because of you, but all my friends are also handicapped by blindness.” Then Khvaja Khizr gave Amir a few leaves and told him to squeeze their juice into his friends’ eyes. After instructing him, the holy Khizr disappeared. Amir squeezed the sap of these leaves into his friends’ eyes, and it revived their vision too.
Amar Ayyar said to Amir, “It is plain that all this was the doing of Bakhtak, whose idiocy has made him blind to all reason. I shall prepare a punishment for him, if you would so order, and avenge our suffering.” Amir said, “He will receive his punishment in due time. It is not at all agreeable to me to cause grief to anyone.” Amar remained quiet, but come evening, he dressed up as a cook and went to Bakhtak’s pavilion and said to the guards, “Inform His Honor without delay that a cook has arrived at his doors from Greece who is a master of sweet and savory cuisine but is peerless in cooking the hareesa.”14 Bakhtak ordered him to come to his pavilion, but feared lest the cook should turn out to be Amar. Then he told himself that Amar had been blinded, and the person who had called on him must genuinely be a cook. Still, Bakhtak sent many ayyars to investigate the matter. The ayyars decided after conferring together that if the cook was indeed Amar in disguise, he would avenge himself on them for impeding him if they revealed his identity. They went back to the pavilion and told Bakhtak that Amar Ayyar was with Hamza in his camp. Bakhtak was satisfied and ordered Amar to make the hareesa. Amar made such a delicious stew that Bakhtak licked the entire bowl and went before Naushervan to extol Amar’s talents. Naushervan appoi
nted Amar as the royal chef.
One night Amar put a three-maund pot on the fire and filled it with water. In the middle of the night Amar drugged all the other cooks and entered Bakhtak’s pavilion. He saw Bakhtak’s eyes shut tight in sleep. Amar blew several mithcals of a soporific powder into Bakhtak’s nostrils, whereupon Bakhtak sneezed and was taken unconscious. Amar rolled him up in a sheet and carried him to the kitchen, where he threw him into the pot of boiling water. Once he was fully blanched, Amar buried his skin and skull in the ground and covered the hole cleverly. Then Amar made a fine hareesa from Bakhtak’s flesh and laid out the dish for the king’s meal. The king offered portions of the dish to many of his nobles and ate it praising Amar’s handiwork.
It so happened that while Naushervan was being served, the soup ladle brought up one of Bakhtak’s fingers, which bore a ring given him by the emperor. Seeing the finger, Naushervan stopped eating and asked one of the cooks, “Whose finger is this? What is it doing in our food and why did you cook it?” The cook said nothing, but recognized the ring as Bakhtak’s. Naushervan said to his attendants, “Go and see what Bakhtak is doing and bring him before me.” When the men went into Bakhtak’s pavilion they found his bed empty, and no one could tell them what had become of him. After conducting a search for him, they told the emperor that Bakhtak was missing from his pavilion. The emperor then realized that the hareesa had been made from Bakhtak’s flesh. He became sick and vomited until he was beside himself with illness and pain. Amar made himself scarce and fled to Hamza’s camp.
In the meantime, Buzurjmehr arrived in the court. Naushervan said to him, “I have saved you a share of the hareesa. Have some and enjoy this delectable dish.” Buzurjmehr made an excuse and said, “I have already had my meal.” Then Naushervan said, “I understand why you do not eat and make excuses for not partaking of the hareesa. You must have learned about the matter by ramal but did not care to inform me.” Buzurjmehr answered, “It is against the custom of wise men to speak without being spoken to.” Buzurjmehr’s words fully convinced Naushervan that he had known of the matter. In his anger, Naushervan ordered Buzurjmehr to be blinded, and his eyes were lined with indigo. Then Naushervan put Hurmuz on the throne and went away to Ctesiphon.
Buzurjmehr now went before Amir Hamza and said to him, “My son, I have heard that the advent of the Last Prophet15 (may God’s peace and blessings be upon him) has been announced. Send me to Mecca so that I may take bliss in his sacred presence.” Amir sent Buzurjmehr to Mecca.
Khvaja Abdul Muttalib greeted Buzurjmehr warmly and received him in the finest traditions of hospitality, and took him to kiss the feet of the Last Prophet. When Buzurjmehr came before the luminous aspect of the Prophet, he picked up some dust from under his shoes and applied it to his eyes, whereupon his sight was immediately restored, and by the grace of this act his eyes filled with the light of divine knowledge as well. This miracle of the Holy Prophet became renowned in every corner of the world.
Now hear of Hurmuz. After Naushervan departed for Ctesiphon and left him in charge, he conferred a robe of ministerial rank on Siyavush bin Buzurjmehr and made him his first minister. He showed him much regard and honor and gave him a seat to the right of his throne. He also appointed Bakhtiarak bin Bakhtak—who surpassed his father in deceit and evildoing—as his minister and gave him a seat to the left of his throne. Within a few days Bakhtiarak wormed his way into Hurmuz’s graces and became so firmly entrenched that Hurmuz never did anything without first consulting him, and it seemed as if Bakhtiarak himself were the real emperor.
One day Hurmuz said to Bakhtiarak, “O minister of sound advice, we must think of some way to have Hamza killed with all his sons, relatives, and friends.” He replied, “The Bakhtaris are known to be cannibals. If we can solicit their aid, I have no doubt that your purposes will be served.” Bakhtiarak then wrote a letter on behalf of Hurmuz addressed to Gaolangi, the king of Rakham, in which he complained of Hamza and wrote that the Arab had wreaked havoc in his empire and held its citizens in his power, and was now headed to destroy his kingdom and inflict the same fate on him.
Gaolangi sent his son-in-law Marzaban Zardhasht with thirty thousand soldiers riding lions. When Marzaban arrived at Baru, Hurmuz greeted him and brought him into his camp.
Amir was apprised of these events. In the morning, Amir headed for the arena and arranged his army in battle formations. Marzaban sent a lion rider into the arena, who faced the camp of the Arabs and declared, “He who wishes to have his soul extracted by my hands should come forward into the arena to display his courage, for I am his Angel of Death.” Amir’s commanders said to their leader, “Our horses will shy away from even the spoor of the lion, for they have never before seen this beast. It would be better for us to fight the lion riders on foot, and it would be a wiser strategy not to send riders to encounter these blackguards.” Amir said, “How will someone on foot prevail over a rider?” Hardam said, “O Amir, you well know that I always fight on foot. Pray order me to answer the lion rider’s challenge and fight him.” Amir said, “Go forth! I give you into the protection of God!”
When the lion rider attacked, Hardam swung his mace and dealt a blow to the lion rider that crushed him and his mount into dust. Amar Ayyar rushed forward and cut off the lion’s head and threw it before the horses so that they could smell it. Amir said to him, “What purpose will it serve?” Amar answered, “I am familiarizing the horses with this smell so that they no longer fear the lions and do not shy away.”
One after another, Hardam killed forty lion riders before the end of the day. Finally, Marzaban faced Hardam himself, delivering him a mighty blow. Hardam tried to pull the weapon from Marzaban’s hands by winding the chain of his mace around it, but not only was he unable to do so, he began losing his grip on his own mace. Hardam immediately called out to Amir, “Hasten to my aid, O Amir!”
Amir spurred on Ashqar and bellowed so loudly that Marzaban’s limbs went numb and he looked up to the heavens to see if they were crashing down on him. Hardam pulled his mace from his adversary’s hands. Marzaban then dealt a blow to Amir. He struck two more blows in succession, but Amir stood his ground and did not budge an inch. Then it was Amir’s turn. He swung his mace and landed such a powerful blow on Marzaban that many in the infidel army were deafened by the sound of its impact, and every pore of Marzaban’s body broke with sweat. Then Marzaban realized that Hamza was a mighty champion and as strong and powerful as a rutting elephant. He turned tail and fled with Amir Hamza in pursuit. As Amir’s steed caught up with Marzaban’s, Amir dealt him a powerful blow of his sword that cut Marzaban’s arm and knocked his weapon from his hands. With his mouth spewing blood profusely and his arm severed, Marzaban went before Hurmuz and said to him, “O Prince, Hamza is both stronger and mightier than I. If you wish to be delivered from his hands, you must depart to Qaza-va-Qadar16 to seek refuge with Saryal bin Salasal, who is one hundred and forty yards tall, a great warrior, and a majestic and magnificent king.”
Hurmuz consulted the kings in his court and they said with one voice, “You must follow the course that results in Hamza’s death.” Siyavush bin Buzurjmehr said, “I would not advise you to go there.” Bakhtiarak retorted, “Indeed he would say that, for one always tends to favor those of one’s own faith.” Siyavush kept his silence. The next day Hurmuz departed and headed with his army toward Qaza-va-Qadar.
Saryal greeted Hurmuz and conducted him to his castle. That night, when they sat down to eat, Hurmuz saw a roasted boar lying before Saryal, who offered Hurmuz a piece of its meat with his own hand. When Hurmuz tried to refuse it on some pretext,17 Marzaban whispered in his ear, “Saryal will take offense if you do not eat that piece of meat.” Against his will Hurmuz put the meat in his mouth but immediately spat it out. Saryal took offense at this and said to his companions, “Go and feed yourselves on Hurmuz’s men, for the gods Lat and Manat have sent you all these goats as their gift. Go and sink your teeth into their tender flesh!” Saryal’s people
fell upon Hurmuz’s army and began capturing and eating them. Trapped in this terrible scrape, Hurmuz became fearful and helpless.
Hurmuz cursed Bakhtiarak and his advice a thousand times and, addressing Siyavush, said, “O Khvaja’s son! Indeed I would have saved myself this disgrace and embarrassment had I followed your advice. We must find a way to escape and use some strategy to flee from this place.” Siyavush replied, “You will not be able to escape from here without Hamza’s assistance. There is nothing I can do about it.” Hurmuz said, “Why would Hamza come to my help at all?” Siyavush replied, “Since Hamza is a generous, munificent, and high-minded man, he will certainly rescue you if you ask him for help.” Hurmuz said, “If you are of that mind, then go to him on my behalf and explain my plight to him.” The next day Siyavush went before Amir Hamza and interceded for Hurmuz and sought his help. Amir said, “I would assist Hurmuz on the condition that he sincerely and truthfully convert to the True Faith.” Siyavush returned to tell Hurmuz what Amir Hamza had said to him.
Hurmuz went before Amir in the middle of the night and cried copious tears while narrating to him his tale of woe. Amir instructed him in the Act of Faith and comforted and consoled him. He seated Hurmuz on the throne and ordered a meal and shared it with him. Hurmuz said, “O Amir, show me this favor: Send me to Ctesiphon in safety.” Amir answered, “You are free to go where you wish and do as you please, but do not fall away from the True Faith now, or else you will dearly regret it and repent your decision.” With these words, Amir sent Hurmuz away.
Saryal was enraged by Hurmuz’s departure. He immediately sounded the drums of war and went to the arena with his whole army to do battle. Amir also organized his army into fighting ranks. Catching sight of Amir Hamza, Saryal came forward on horseback and challenged his army. Ceylon’s Black Lion, King Landhoor, took Amir’s leave and confronted Saryal.
The Adventures of Amir Hamza Page 54