A Tale of Four Dervishes (Penguin Classics)

by Mir Amman

  “News of this grand building activity soon reached the king, the father of the princess. It was a big surprise to him. He inquired of his men about the princess who was responsible for this but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. To convince the king of their ignorance they even swore with their hands on their ears. So the king sent one of his nobles to the princess with the message that he wished to visit those buildings and also know about her royal family and country.

  ‘“The princess was very happy to receive this message and wrote to the king, ‘May God keep you! I am very glad to know of your wish to visit this poor abode. In fact, it will be a great honour to me. Blessed is the place where you tread and the dwellers on whom your shadow falls! May they thus be honoured and exalted by your kindly glance! I, the humblest of your servants, request that tomorrow, being Thursday and an auspicious day, will be more auspicious than the New Year’s Day to me if Your Majesty will please grace us by your visit just as the sun brightens the worthless particles. May I also humbly request you to partake of whatever this humble being has to serve? To a stranger like me, it will certainly be an act of Your Majesty’s kindness. To say anything more will be to exceed the bounds of respect!’ She also made some presents to the nobleman who had brought the king’s message and saw him off.

  ‘”The king read the letter and sent her his word that he would visit the next day. The princess ordered her servants to make preparations for the king’s reception and the grand feast so that he might be pleased and that whosoever, high and low, might accompany him should feel well-attended and satisfied. (On her directions such varieties of food were prepared that if a Brahmin girl had tasted them, she would have sworn by them, although she never takes such food.)

  ‘“In the evening the king, seated on his uncovered throne, arrived at the princess’s palace. The princess with her ladies-in-waiting proceeded to receive him. As she saw the king she made the royal obeisance with such respectful manners that the king was all the more impressed. With respect she accompanied the king to the precious throne. She had prepared a platform of 1,25,000 coins of silver for the king. A hundred and one trays of jewels and gold sovereigns and woollen shawls, silks, and two elephants and ten Arabian horses with their caparisons studded with precious stones, were also presented to him. After that she stood in respect before him with folded arms. The king politely asked her, ‘Which country are you the princess of? And how is it that you have come here?’ The princess, after paying her obeisance humbly said, This humble slave is the same offender who was sent to this wilderness by Your Majesty in a fit of anger. All that Your Majesty sees here is the wonderful doing of God.’ These words warmed the king’s heart. He rose and hugged her and made her sit near his throne. But he still wondered at what he saw. He asked the queen and the other princesses to be sent for at once. They came and seeing the princess there they wept with joy and embraced her and thanked God. The princess presented so much gold and jewels to her mother and sisters that the riches of the whole world could not equal even a part of it. The king asked them to take their seats and they partook of what was laid on the table for them.

  ‘“Thereafter the king often visited the princess as long as he lived. At times he took her with him to his palace. When he passed away, the princess got his kingdom as she was the most competent to rule.

  ‘“So, dear young man, this is all. The wealth given by God never exhausts, provided the beneficiary remains of good intent; the more one spends of it, the more one gets. To doubt God’s power and grace is forbidden in every religion.”

  ‘After relating all this the old lady said, “Now if you still wish to proceed to Neemroz to bring any explanation of the strange event that has been related to you, you should leave at once.” I said, “I am leaving for the place at this very moment. God willing, I shall return soon.”

  ‘Thus I took my leave and with trust in God I set out for Neemroz.’

  Tale of the Prince of Neemroz

  ‘It took me one year to reach Neemroz. I faced many difficulties on the way. On reaching there I saw that all the citizens, rich or poor, were really clad in black as I had been told. After a few days when the new moon appeared and it was the first day of the month following, all the citizens, high and low, young and old, men and women, went out with their king and assembled on a vast plain. Away from my country and wealth, almost like a beggar, I also followed them, wondering about what was to come. In the meantime, a young man appeared from the woods. He was riding a bull and foaming at the mouth as he made a bellowing cry. I had reached there after a hard and perilous journey only to unravel the mystery but on seeing the young man I was so wonderstruck that I stood transfixed. It was only after the young man had performed his cruel deed and left and the citizens started going back to the city that I realized I had done nothing.

  Thinking that I would have to wait for another month I blamed myself for it. Helpless then, I also came back with the others.

  ‘I counted the days of that one month like the month of Ramzan (month of fasts). At last when the new moon appeared, I was happy as if it signified the festival of Eid. On the first of the lunar month, the king and the citizens again assembled at the same place. This time I was determined to learn all about the strange event, come what may. Suddenly the young man appeared, as before, mounted on a yellow bull. When he came near he got off the bull and sat down on the ground. In one hand he held a naked sword and in the other the bull’s halter. He gave a vase to his attendant who showed it to everyone and carried it back to his master. Everyone wailed and wept to see the vase. The young man broke the vase and with one stroke severed the head of his attendant from his body. Then he mounted his bull and started back towards the woods. I followed him fast but the citizens seized me and said, “What are you doing? Why do you want to lose your life? If you cannot bear it there are other ways you can put an end to it.” Earnestly I pleaded with them to let me go and I tried to get out of their hold but I could not. Three or four men held me firmly and took me back to the city.

  ‘It was such a painful shock. I had to wait another month. On the first day of the next lunar month the citizens again assembled there. I got up early at prayer time and went to the woods much before the others and hid myself at a place by which the young man had to pass. I did not wish anybody to deter me from my appointed task this time. The young man appeared as usual and returned after he had gone through the whole exercise. I ran after him. Hearing the sound of my footsteps he turned round the halter of the bull making a loud noise and frowned at me with rage. He drew his sword and threatened to charge at me. I stooped down and with utmost respect stood before him with folded hands. He seemed to understand these respectful manners and said to me, “O you wretched fellow, you were on the point of death. Luckily you are saved. You have still some life to live, it seems. Get away and don’t follow me.” With these words he took out a jewelled dagger suspended from his waist and throwing it before me he said, “At the moment I have only this dagger with me to give you. Take it to the king and you will get whatever you want.”

  ‘I was so awed by his fearful looks that I could not even move from my place or utter a word. I choked in my throat and my feet became heavy. The young man raised an awful cry and set out again. I said to myself, “Come what may, to let him go like this will not be fair. I will never get such an opportunity again.” Regardless of the consequences, I followed him. He turned towards me and threatened to kill me. I lowered my head and entreated him in the name of all that was sacred and said,“ O you, who are the Rustam of the day, give me such a blow that will cut me clean in two; let not a fibre remain intact so that I may be relieved of this miserable life. I pardon you my blood.” He said, “You, the devil be, why do you bring your blood on me by making me commit the crime? Get away. Is your life such a great burden to you?” I did not mind his words and kept on following him. He pretended not to take any notice.

  ‘We had gone about three or four miles into the woods when I saw
a building. The young man went up to its door and screamed once. The door opened. He entered and closed the door after him. I remained outside, wondering about it all. After a short while a servant came out and said, “Come now; you are called in. It seems the angel of death is hovering over your head. It is your bad luck, perhaps, that has brought you here.” “It is my good fortune!” I said and went with him into the garden. He conducted me to the place where the young man was sitting. I lowered my head in respect to him and he gestured me to sit down which I did, but kept my distance. He was sitting on a low table and the tools of a goldsmith lay before him. He had just finished carving a branch of emeralds. When it was time for him to wind up his work, all the servants hid themselves in rooms. I also hid myself in a room. The young man locked all the rooms except mine and went to the corner of the garden and started beating the bull. The bull cried out in pain and I trembled with fear. But since I had taken so many risks to unravel the mystery and although I trembled with fear, I slowly opened the door of my room and hid myself behind a tree to see what was going on. The young man threw down the stick and after unlocking one of the rooms, entered it. In an instant he came out and fondly patted the bull’s back and kissed its muzzle. He put some grass before it and came towards the place where I had hidden myself. I quickly ran off into the room. The young man unlocked the rooms and all the servants came out. Some of them brought him water. He performed his ablution and after saying his prayers asked, “Where is that stranger?” No sooner had he said this, than I ran out and stood before him. He gestured me to sit down. Still keeping my distance, I took my seat.

  Meanwhile the table was laid. He took his meal and also made me share it with him. After the dishes had been removed and we had washed our hands, he asked the servants to leave and take rest. When we were left alone he said to me, “Tell me, my friend, what calamity has befallen you that you are seeking your death?” I related to him the events of my life and said, “I look to your kindness alone to fulfil my wish.” He heaved a sigh and in a thoughtless mood exclaimed, “O God, Thou alone knowest the pangs of love! One who has not known even a thorn-prick, how can he know the agony of others! He alone can fathom the pain of love who has felt it:

  Let the tortures of love a lover tell,

  Not a feigner, but a lover indeed!”

  He tried to pull himself together but again a sigh issued from his heart, and the house echoed with it. I became convinced that he too was afflicted with love and that his malady was the same as mine. Taking courage I said, “I have told you all about my life; now do me a favour and kindly let me know about the events of your life. I will then first try to help you as much as I can in getting your heart’s desire fulfilled.” Accepting me as an intimate friend suffering from the same malady he said, “Listen, my friend! My heart is afflicted with this pain. I am the prince of Neemroz. The king, my father, called all the astrologers together at my birth and ordered them to cast my horoscope and ascertain the future course of my life. All of them after consulting each other said, ‘By the grace of God, the prince is born under such an auspicious zodiac sign and at such an hour that he ought to rank as great as Alexander in the extent of his dominion and be equal to Naushervan in justice. He will be proficient in all the sciences and crafts and in whatever other branches of knowledge that might interest him. He will make such a name for himself by his charity and bravery that people will forget even Hatim and Rustam before him. But until he is fourteen he is exposed to great danger if he happens to see the sun or the moon. In fact, chances are that if he sees them he may go mad, recklessly shed people’s blood and, becoming a cynic, take to the woods to live among birds and beasts. Guard him well; he shouldn’t see the sun or the moon or even look towards the sky. If he is so guarded during the first fourteen years he will reign in peace and prosperity for the rest of his life.’

  ‘“On hearing this the king ordered a garden to be laid out and got many apartments built in it. He ordered that I should be brought up in a vault with a dome lined with felt so that the light of the sun or the moon might not come in. With my wet-nurse and other female-servants I was brought up in that grand palace with the best care in the world. An experienced learned tutor was appointed to teach me the different sciences and crafts and all the styles of calligraphy. My father, the king, was keenly interested in me and kept himself informed of my progress every day. That very place was my world. I played with toys and flowers; and every delicacy was there for me to eat. I took whatever I wished. By the time I was ten, I had already made myself proficient in different branches of learning and craft.

  ‘“One day an astonishing flower suddenly appeared high above in one of the ventilators of the vault. Even as I looked at it, it grew larger and larger. I tried to reach out for it but the more I stretched my hand towards it, the further away it moved. I was all the more surprised. As I kept my eyes fixed on it, I heard a loud laugh. Looking in that direction I discovered that the felt ceiling was broken in one place and a face as bright as the full moon appeared through it. I nearly fainted seeing it. However, I managed to stay on my feet and looked up again. To my astonishment I saw a throne studded with jewels raised on the shoulders of fairies. A fairy, elegantly dressed in shiny clothes and with a jewelled crown on her head, was sitting on it. She sipped some wine from the emerald-studded cup she held in her hand. Very slowly the throne descended and rested on the floor. The fairy beckoned me to sit by her side on the throne. She talked to me endearingly. Pressing her lips to mine and making me also drink a cup of that rosy wine she said, ‘Man is unfaithful, I know, yet my heart is set on you.’ She was so endearing. I was lost in her charms. It was as if I had tasted all the joys of life in that instant and felt that I had not lived till then.

  ‘“But listen now to what followed and how our joys were marred. Carefree as we sat enjoying ourselves, four fairies descended from the heavens and said something in my beloved’s ear. On hearing it she turned pale and said to me, ‘My dear, I wish I could remain here with you for some time more and come here again and again or else take you with me, but the revolution of heavens does not let two persons remain together in peace. So farewell, my dear. May God keep you!’ These words disturbed me much and I lost my senses. I cried, ‘When shall we meet again? What do these dreadful words mean? Return soon if you wish to see me alive, otherwise you will regret it. Or else tell me your name and place so that I may be able to meet you.’ She said, ‘God forbid, may you live a hundred and twenty years! If we live, we shall meet again. I am the daughter of the king of the djinn and live on the Mountain Qāf at the end of the world.’ The fairies then lifted the throne and it vanished into the sky as mysteriously as it had come down. As long as it remained in sight our eyes were fixed on each other. When it was out of sight I was completely lost. It seemed as if I was possessed of some evil spirit. Sadness sat heavy on my heart and the world appeared all dark to me. Distressed and confounded, I wept bitterly and threw dust over my head and tore my clothes. I lost interest even in food and drink, and became indifferent to everything, good or bad:

  What strange afflictions this love may cause;

  It makes the heart restless and sad!

  My nurse and tutor knew my condition. Trembling with fear they went to the king and said, ‘Such is, unfortunately, the condition of the prince. We simply do not know how this calamity has befallen him. He has even lost his sleep and appetite.’ The king immediately came to the garden-palace. He was accompanied by the vizier, nobles of the court, experienced physicians, learned astrologers and wise and holy men. He was distressed to see me restless and crying. He wept and with affection clasped me to his breast and gave orders for my treatment. The physicians prescribed medicines to soothe my nerves and strengthen my heart. The holy men wrote charms and amulets to be taken and worn by me. They also tried to exorcise the evil spirits. The astrologers suggested that alms be given since the misfortune according to them was brought by the revolution of the stars and the planets. In short, every on
e advised according to his profession. But I alone knew how I felt. No one’s effort and advice was of any avail. My madness increased day by day and my body weakened for want of nourishment. I cried and moaned night and day.