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A Tale of Four Dervishes (Penguin Classics)

Page 9

by Mir Amman


  ‘“Three years passed in this way. In the fourth year a merchant who had travelled far and wide came to my father’s court. He brought my father many a present from different countries. He was well received and my father favoured him with an audience. After the formal greetings my father said, ‘You have been to many lands. Have you ever come across a truly learned physician? Or have you heard of one?’ The merchant said, ‘Sir, I have been to many countries but the best physician I know of is a long-haired gusā’īln. He lives in a Mahadev temple built on a rock in the middle of a river in Hindustan. He has a fine house there in a lovely garden. Once a year, on the festival of Shivratri to be precise, he comes out of his house and takes a swim in the river. On his way back he examines the urine and feels the pulse of each of the sick and afflicted persons who come from far and wide and assemble at his door. He prescribes medicines and retires to his place. He is in fact the Plato of this age. God has given him such healing powers that his prescriptions prove to be highly efficacious and all kinds of afflictions are cured in no time. I have myself witnessed all this and praised God who has created such men. The prince may be taken to him for consultation if Your Majesty be pleased. I am sure that the prince will be completely cured by him. The change of climate too will certainly do him good.’ My father, the king, was pleased to agree with the merchant and said, ‘Well, maybe my son gets well at his hands and his lunacy is cured.’ He then appointed an experienced and distinguished nobleman of his court to accompany me. Arrangements were made for everything that might be needed. Many boats, large and small, were provided.* And so we embarked on them and he saw us off.

  ‘“Travelling stage by stage we arrived at the place of the jogi. The change of climate had a soothing effect on my nerves. But still there was no break in my silence nor in my tears. The thought of the fairy still remained fresh in my mind. If ever I uttered any words they were these:

  What a fairy I set my eyes on I do not know;

  But my heart was well-composed a little while ago!

  About four thousand sick people assembled on the rock during the two or three months since we reached there. Everyone of them believed that, God willing, the gusā’īn would completely cure all of them when he came out of his hut. On the appointed day the jogi appeared in the morning like the sun. He bathed in the river, swam across and came back. He rubbed ash over his body and thus made his fair form appear like burning coal in the ashes. On his forehead he made a mark with sandalwood powder. He tucked his dhoti between his legs and placed his angochha on his shoulders. He then tied his long hair in a knot, and put on his sandals. From his looks it appeared that the whole world meant little to him. He took his inkstand, studded with precious stones, and paper under his arm and after examining each and everyone prescribed medicines. Then he came to me. When our eyes met he stood still, paused for a moment and then said, ‘Come along with me.’ I followed him. He led me into a garden and asked me to reside there in a neat private apartment. Then he retired to his place. After forty days he came to me and was pleased to find me better. He advised me to amuse myself in the garden and gave me a china pot full of medicine to be taken Half a spoonful daily before breakfast. Then he departed. I acted upon his advice. I felt I gained strength of body and peace of mind. But the pangs of love remained as acute as before, for the fairy’s lovely form always remained before my eyes.

  ‘“One day I found a book on a niche. I took it down and as I read it I knew that it contained information about all that related to the world and religion. It was like an ocean of knowledge gathered in a small vessel. I read it every day and became quite adept in the science of physic and the mystic art of calling the spirits at my command. A year passed in this way and the appointed day of joy came again. The jogi came out of his house. I paid him my respects. Handing over his inkstand to me he asked me to accompany him. I followed him. When he walked out of the gate the huge crowd of people who had assembled there prayed for his long life. Seeing me with the gusā’īln, the nobleman and the merchant who had taken me there fell at his feet. They thanked him and said, ‘It is by your kindness and care that the prince has made such an improvement.’ He went to the river, bathed in it and said his prayers as usual. On his way back, he examined the sick and afflicted. Among the lunatics there was a handsome young man who could hardly stand because of weakness. He asked me to take the young man with me. After prescribing medicines for all he took us to his private room. There he opened the young man’s skull a little. He was just about to seize with his pincers the centipede which had firmly clung to his brain when I at once said, ‘Better if you hold it with a pair of hot pincers. Then it will uncling itself. Otherwise it will not release its grip and that can be fatal.’

  ‘“The jogi looked at me and stood up. Without uttering a word he went to a corner of the garden, made a noose of his long hair round his neck and hanged himself. I reached him only to find him dead. I felt sorry for him but the only thing I could do was to bury his dead body. As I took it down from the tree, two keys dropped down from his hair. I picked them up and then laid that holy treasure of excellence under the earth. I tried the keys in all the locks of the rooms one by one and succeeded in opening two of them. They were both filled with jewels and precious stones. A locked chest, covered in velvet with gold plates fixed on it, was kept in a corner. I opened the chest and found a book therein which had the Great Name of God and the different modes of worship and prayers to call the djinn, fairies and the spirits and to control the sun. I was only too glad to find such a great treasure and started learning things from the book. I opened the garden gate and asked the nobleman and others who had accompanied me to put those jewels and books on the boats. Then we set sail for home. As we approached our country, the king, my father, learning of our arrival came to receive us riding on his horse. With affection he embraced me. I kissed his feet and said, ‘May this humble being be allowed to live in the same garden-palace?’ He said, ‘Look here, my son, I think that the place has been inauspicious and I have forbidden them to keep it in good shape. So it is in no condition for you to live in. Live anywhere you please, preferably in the fort itself and within my sight. A garden may be laid out there for you as you please.’ I was, however, bent upon having the same garden for my residence. I, therefore, got it renewed and well-adorned like the Garden of Eden, and started living there.

  ‘“There I practised the spell which could enable me to call the djinn at my command. For forty days I abstained from meat and said my prayers to call the spirits. When the forty days were over, there came a terrible duststorm at midnight. Many huge buildings collapsed and mighty trees were uprooted. Then an army of fairies appeared and a throne descended from the sky. A person, richly attired and with a jewelled crown on his head, was sitting on it. I paid my respects to him. He returned my salutations and said, ‘Why give me trouble, my friend? What do you want from me?’ I humbly said, ‘This humble being has been in love with your daughter for long. For her I have suffered much and wandered about in pain. Though alive I feel dead without her. I know I have done this at the risk of my life but I am desperate. All my hopes rest on you. Kindly consider my humble request and do me the favour of letting me see her. Thus you shall give me my life anew and it will be an act of real charity.

  ‘“Thus informed of my heart’s desire, he said, ‘Man is made of earth and we are made of fire. It is difficult for the two to remain together.’ I assured him that I only desired to see her and that I had no other wish. From his throne he said, ‘Man does not keep his word. He may make a promise in time of need but he forgets it soon. Whatever I say is for your good alone. Remember, if ever you intend to do anything else both of you will be ruined. You may even lose your life.’ I again swore to him and said, ‘I shall not do anything which may bring us ruin. I only wish to see her.’ We were talking to each other when all of a sudden the fairy we were talking about appeared. She was perfectly adorned. The throne of the king of fairies disappeared. I was beside myself
with joy and with all fondness I embraced her and recited this verse:

  Why shouldn’t my mistress come to me

  With her eyebrows, each like a bow?

  I prepared for it for long

  And made a vow!

  We lived together in that garden and enjoyed ourselves. With her in my embrace I would only enjoy her outward charm, for I dreaded to think of any other joy. Finding me true to my word the fairy was surprised and at times she would say, ‘You are so true to your word, my dear, but take one friendly piece of advice from me. You should always take care of your book lest the djinn should take it one day.’ I said, ‘I hold it dear to me as my life and guard it as I should.’

  ‘“But one day as Satan would decoy me, in my passion for her I thought, ‘How long, after all, shall I restrain myself? Come what may, I must have her!’ I clasped her to my breast and intended to indulge with her. That very moment I heard a sound that said, ‘Give me the book for it contains the Great Name of God. Do not desecrate it.’ In that moment of passion I had no other consideration. I took the book and gave it, little realizing whom I was giving it to, and then I recklessly aimed to indulge with her. Realizing my foolish act the fairy said, ‘Alas, you did commit the mistake and forgot my advice.’ This much she had said when she fainted and I saw a djinn standing by her bed, holding the book in his hand. I wanted to get hold of him and take back the book after severely beating him when another djinn appeared and taking the book from him, ran off. I started reciting all the charms and incantations I had learnt, with the result that the djinn standing nearby turned into a bull. But alas, the fairy still did not regain her consciousness. She lay there as senseless as before and then disappeared. I was so disturbed. All my joys turned into bitterness. I lost all interest in the company of men from that very day and confined myself to this garden. Just to amuse myself I make a vase of emerald branches and mounting on that bull I go every month to the place where you saw me. There I break the vase into pieces and kill a slave. I do this all so that the people there may take pity on me and some pious man may one day pray to God and I get what I wish in my heart. This is all about my madness and lunacy, my friend.”

  ‘I wept on hearing his story and said, “You have really suffered too much in love, O prince! But I swear by God that I hereby give up my personal ambitions. Henceforth I shall wander about in woods and on mountains and do whatever I can for you.” After giving my word I took my leave. For five years I wandered about from place to place but did not find any trace of the fairy. At last in my disappointment I climbed a mountain to hurl myself down into the valley. But a veiled horseman appeared and said mysteriously, “Don’t waste your life; in a few days you are destined to fulfil your heart’s desire.”

  ‘O holy men of God, I have at last joined you here and now I hope that by the grace of God happy days are ahead and all those who are despondent will get what they wish.’

  When the second dervish finished the story of his life the night had passed and it was nearly dawn. Azad Bakht, the king, still unseen by the dervishes, returned to his palace. After having his bath and saying his prayers he dressed himself in the royal dress and sat on his throne in the Hall of Public Audience. He ordered a guard to go to the place of the four dervishes and bring them along. When the guard reached there he saw that the dervishes were ready to take leave of each other for the day after washing themselves. He said to them, ‘The king has called you all in his presence. Please come with me.’ The four dervishes looked at each other and said to the guard, ‘We are masters of our will! What have we to do with the kings of the world?’ The guard said, ‘Holy Sirs, what does it matter? Please, come with me.’ The four dervishes then recollected what Murtaza (Ali), the veiled rider who had prevented the first and the second dervish from committing suicide, had promised them. They realized that the time had come when their troubles would end, as had been foretold. So gladly they went along with the guard.

  When they reached the fort and appeared before the king they blessed him saying, ‘May you prosper ever more!’ The king then went to the Hall of Private Audience and sent for a few chief nobles of his court. He also asked for the dervishes to be conducted there. When they were ushered in, he politely asked them to take their seats and said, ‘Where do you hail from? And where do you want to go?’ They replied, ‘May you have a long life and prosper ever more. We are fakirs and have been wandering for long, and as it is said that a fakir’s home is where the evening overtakes him, how can we relate what we have seen in this transitory world?’ Azad Bakht comforted them and got the table laid. After breakfast he said, ‘Please relate to me how you have fared in your lives. I shall do for you whatever I can.’ The dervishes replied, ‘We are sorry, for we have not the strength to relate what has happened to us; nor will the king be pleased to hear it.’ The king smiled and said, ‘I was present at the place where you were relating your adventures last night. So I have heard the adventures of two of you. Now I wish the other two also to relate theirs. Have no worry now, for as it is said, “the presence of dervishes wards off evil”; please stay here with me for a few days.’

  The dervishes hesitated and sat there in silence. They did not have the power to speak before him. When Azad Bakht saw that they could not speak as they were perhaps overawed, he said, ‘There is no one in this world who has not met with strange happenings in his life. I am a king, yet a strange event has also happened to me. First let me relate it to you. Kindly listen to it.’ The dervishes said, ‘Your Majesty, you are all kindness to us. Be good enough to relate it.’

  The Tale of Azad Bakht

  Azad Bakht, said:

  ‘O holy men, you are masters of your will;

  Please hear the adventures of a king;

  Hear now whatever I saw or heard;

  To you I relate it all!

  Your attention, please!

  ‘When my father passed away and I ascended the throne I was in the prime of my life and the whole of Turkey was under my dominion. One day a merchant from Badakhshan arrived in my capital. He had with him a lot of merchandise. I was told that such a big merchant had never visited the capital before. I sent for him. He presented me many rarities from different lands. Every present was costly, indeed. One of them was a ruby in a little box. It had a fine shape and colour and was just a little less then an ounce in weight. I had never seen or heard of such a ruby before. I liked it and amply rewarded the merchant for it. I granted him permission to travel freely in my kingdom and allowed his goods to be transported duty free. I also issued orders to accord him due hospitality and protection and to indemnify his damage or loss. The merchant regularly attended my court. He was well-versed in the manners of the royal court and charming in his conversation. Every morning I sent for the ruby from the royal jewel-store and amused myself looking at it.

  ‘One day I was holding court in the Hall of Public Audience. The nobles and high officials took their seats according to their ranks. The ambassadors and personal emissaries of many kings who had come to felicitate me on my accession to the throne were also present. I sent for the ruby, as was my practice, and the officer of the royal jewel-store brought it. With a word of praise I gave it to the Ambassador of Farang to appreciate its beauty. With a smile he praised it by way of flattery. It is was passed on from hand to hand and all of them said, “It is sheer good luck that such a ruby has come into Your Majesty’s possession. No other king has ever possessed such a precious stone.” My father’s vizier, who was a man of wisdom and held the same position under me, was also present. With respect he said, “May I say a few words if I am granted my life?” I granted him permission to speak. He said, “Your Majesty, you are a mighty king and it does not befit a king to lavish so much praise on a mere piece of stone. No doubt, it is unique in shape and colour and weight, yet it is only a piece of stone. The ambassadors of different countries are present here. When they return to their countries they will certainly relate it to others and say: ‘What a strange king he is who
has got a ruby from somewhere and makes so much of it and shows it to everyone in his court.’ Just imagine, how every king and rajah will laugh at you! Your Majesty, there is a merchant in Nishapur who has twelve such rubies, each more than an ounce in weight, and yet he has sewn them on to a dog’s collar and the cur is adorned with them.”

  ‘I felt much offended at this remark and said in anger, “Let this vizier be put to death!” Immediately the executioners held him and as they were dragging him off for execution, the ambassador of the king of Farang came forward and stood before me with folded arms. I asked him, “What do you want?” He submitted, “May I know the vizier’s fault?” I said, “What greater fault can there be than to lie and that too before kings?” He replied, “But Your Majesty, it is not yet proved that he has told a lie. Maybe what he says is true. It is not just to kill an innocent person like him.” I said, “But it is unbelievable. A merchant takes great pains to earn profit, wandering about from place to place and saving every penny he earns. He will not waste precious gems on a dog’s collar.” He said, “Nothing is surprising before the power of God; what the vizier has said may be true. Indeed, merchants and holy men of God, more than anyone else, may come across such rarities, for they travel far and wide and collect whatever they think worth collecting. It will be more advisable to put the vizier in prison if he is guilty of being a liar as you think him to be. Viziers are the advisers of kings and it does not behove a king to get a vizier executed even before it is ascertained that he has told a lie and to forget all about his long loyal service. Your Majesty will be pleased to remember that former kings made prisons for this very reason. If a king is offended by someone he may imprison the person. It is possible that after his anger subsides he may relent or that the innocence of the person is proved. Thus the king will save himself from the guilt of shedding innocent blood and will not have to answer for it on the Day of Judgment.”

 

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