by Mir Amman
‘“These words scared the king. He stood trembling with folded hands before the Brahmin boys. He tried to appease them but the boys would not sit down. Meanwhile, all the nobles present there spoke ill of the Master of Port. They said, ‘Indeed, he is a wicked man and a great oppressor. We cannot relate before Your Majesty his many crimes and offences. Whatever the Mother of the Brahmins has conveyed about him is entirely true. How can it be false? It is the verdict of the Great Idol.’
‘“When the king found that all had the same opinion about the Master of Port, he regretted what he had said earlier. He gave me a robe of honour and an order written in his own hand under his personal seal. He also wrote a letter to the Mother of the Brahmins. Then he presented many trays of gold sovereigns and jewels to the boys and saw them off.
‘“I went back to the temple highly pleased and presented myself before the old woman. Besides the formal address and respectful compliments the king had written: ‘On your command this Muslim has been appointed the Master of Port and given the robe of honour. He is now at liberty to put the former Master of Port to death. This Turk is now also the owner of all his property and wealth and he may dispose of it in any way he likes. I hope I am forgiven.’ The Mother of Brahmins was pleased at this. She ordered, ‘Let them beat the drums at the temple’s drum-house.’ She also asked for five hundred soldiers who were good marksmen to escort me with instructions to ‘get hold of the Master of Port and hand him over to this Muslim who may put him to death in any way he likes. Also take care that no one except him, who is dear to me, enters the female apartments. Give him all his treasure and wealth. You should return only when he relieves you and you get a letter of approbation from him to that effect.’ She then gave me a robe of honour in the name of the Great Idol and granted me leave.
‘“When I reached the port a messenger went ahead and informed the Master of Port of my arrival. He was surprised to see me there. I was already full of rage. I drew my sword and severed his head in one blow. I ordered arrested all the officials there—the treasurer and clerks and guards—to be arrested, and took possession of all the papers. I entered the house and met the princess. We embraced each other and wept and thanked God. We wiped off each other’s tears. Then I came out and took my seat and gave robes to the officers of the port and reinstated them to their respective posts. To the rest of the staff I gave rewards. I gave presents to the soldiers who had escorted me and rich clothes to the officers and granted them leave.
‘“After a week I took with me costly jewels, rolls of brocade, embroidered cloth, shawls and valuable rarities from different lands to present to the king, the nobles, the Mother of the Brahmins and the priests and went to the temple. I placed my presents before the Mother as my offering. She gave me a title and another robe of honour. Then I went to the king and presented a huge sum and valuable gifts. I related to His Majesty the maladministration and the acts of oppression and tyranny of the former Master of Port to justify my act. The king, the nobles and the merchants were pleased at this. The king treated me kindly and before granting me leave gave me a robe of honour, a title and an estate and thus exalted me. When I came out I gave the servants and attendants of the palace so much that all of them praised me and prayed for my prosperity.
‘“In short, I was soon well off and lived with ease and comfort in that country after marrying the princess, and I thanked God. All the citizens were happy with my administration. Once a month I went to the temple and also saught the king’s audience. The king exalted me more and more till at last he took me as one of his advisers. He wouldn’t do anything without consulting me. I led a completely carefree life but God alone knows that I often thought of these brothers of mine and was anxious to know about their welfare.
‘“After two years a caravan of merchants arrived from Zerbad on its way to Persia. They wished to proceed by sea. It was the custom that the chief of every caravan presented rarities of different lands to me and as the Master of Port I used to visit them to collect one tenth ad volerum duty on their goods in transit and issue them the clearance certificate. So the merchants from Zerbad also came to me and presented valuable gifts. I went to their camp. I saw there two men in rags who brought packages on their heads before me. After my inspection they carried them back. They worked very hard, indeed. I looked searchingly at them and found that they were my own brothers. Out of shame I did not like to see them in that condition. So when I retired to my place I asked my men to bring them to me. When they brought them I gave them new clothes and kept them with me. But these vile beings again made a plot to kill me. One night they stole upon me in my sleep although there were guards at my door. This faithful dog lay under my bed. The moment they drew their swords from their scabbards the dog barked and rushed at them. This woke all the others up. I also woke up and the guards caught them. Everyone cursed and reproached them that in spite of so much kindness shown to them they behaved in that vile manner.
‘“Your Majesty, I too was alarmed by now, for as they say: ‘For once it may be a fault, twice too, but a third time it means that the man is really base.’ So I made up my mind to have them confined. But then I thought that if I had them put in prison, who would look after them? And that they might well do some other mischief. So I put each of them in a cage so that they might always remain before me and not do anything wicked, and that I might also be at rest. As for this dog, I care much for it because it is faithful. An ungrateful man is worse than a faithful animal. This then is the story of my life and I have related it all. Now it is at the sweet will of Your Majesty to put me to death or grant me my life.”
‘I praised the Khwaja for his righteousness and said, “Now I have no doubt about your goodness and benevolence. Their shameless and base conduct proves the adage that ‘a dog’s tail remains crooked even if it is buried deep for twelve years.” Then I asked him about the twelve rubies in his dog’s collar.
The Merchant’s Son of Azerbaijan
The Khwaja said, “May Your Majesty live a hundred and twenty years! Three or four years passed since I had become the Master of Port. One day from my housetop which was quite high, I was watching the sights of the sea and the woods around. All of a sudden there appeared two human figures in the woods. I knew there was no highway there. I looked at them through a glass and found that they had a strange appearance. I sent the guards to call them. When they came I found that one of them was a man and the other a woman. I sent the woman to the princess in the seraglio and called the man before me. He was a young man of twenty or twenty-two years of age who had turned quite dark due to exposure to the sun. His long unkempt hair and uncut nails seemed to suggest that he was a man of the woods. He was carrying a child of three or four years of age on his shoulder and two sleeves of a garment filled with something heavy hung like a big necklace around his neck. I wondered at his condition and asked him, ‘Who are you, man? What country do you belong to? And how is it that you are reduced to this condition?’ The young man burst into tears and taking off the two stuffed sleeves from around his neck he placed them before me and said, ‘I am hungry! For God’s sake, please, give me something to eat first. For a long time I have been feeding on leaves and vegetation and I have no strength left within me.’ At once I got him bread and meat and wine and he began to eat. Meanwhile, my eunuch brought from the seraglio a number of bags which the young man’s wife had been carrying. When they were opened I found they contained gems and precious stones of every kind. Each of them could easily compensate the revenue of a king and each one vied with the others in beauty of shape and brilliance of hue. The entire hall was filled with their light and sparkle.”
‘“After the young man had eaten and had had something to drink, he looked composed. I asked him, ‘Where did you get all these gems and precious stones?’ He said, ‘My homeland is Azerbaijan. Ever since I was separated from my parents in my boyhood I have known many a hardship; for a long time I have lived like one in a grave; more than once I have escaped from the j
aws of death.’ I said, ‘Young man, let me know the details so that I may follow what you say.’ He then related to me this story:
‘“My father was a merchant. He used to go on journeys to India, Turkey, China Katay and Farang. When I was ten years old he intended to set out for India and wished to take me with him. My mother and aunts and others said I was yet a child and not old enough to go on a journey but my father would not listen to them and said, “He is old enough to accompany me in my travels. If I don’t take him with me now I will carry this desire unfulfilled into my grave. He is a grown-up boy; and if he does not learn now, when will he?” Thus he took me with him and set out.
‘“We travelled safely and reached India. There we sold our goods and buying some rarities we went to Zerbad. This was also a safe journey. There too we bought and sold goods and embarked on board a ship to return quickly to our country. After about a month on sea there was a storm. Stormy winds and heavy rains tossed us about. It became all dark from sky to earth. The master and the crew of the ship heaved deep sighs and beat their heads. For ten days we remained at the mercy of the winds and waves. On the eleventh day the ship struck a rock and broke into several pieces. I do not know what became of my father, our servants and our goods. I found myself alone on a wooden plank. For three days and nights it floated at the mercy of the waves. On the fourth day it drifted ashore and with the little strength that was left in me I crawled onto the land. There I could see some fields at a distance. Many people had assembled there. They were dark-coloured and wore no clothes. They were saying something to me which I could not understand. There were some houses nearby. There were gram fields where people parched the gram in the fire that they lit. Perhaps it was their only food. They also gestured to me to eat some. I took a handful of the grams and parching them began to eat. After drinking a little water I fell asleep in a corner of the field. When I woke up after a short while, one of these people came to me and showed me a path. I plucked some green ears of gram and went the way he had shown. It was a vast plain, like the proverbial one of Judgement Day. For four days I went along that path. I ate some gram when I felt hungry. At long last I saw a fort and proceeding further I found it was very high, made of stone and each side about four miles in length. Its stone gate was made of single slab. It was closed and there was a big lock on it. There ”was no trace of a human being. Going further I saw a hillock, the earth of which was as black as collyrium. I passed over the hillock and saw a big city. It had a boundary wall with many bastions. A river flowed on one side. I reached the gate and reciting the name of God entered the city. I saw a man dressed like the people of Farang seated on a stool. When he heard me recite the name of God and saw that I was a stranger he called me to him. I went up to him and paid him my respects. He returned my greetings with kindness. He laid before me some bread and butter, and a roasted chicken and wine and asked me to partake of it. After taking a little of it I fell asleep.
‘“When I woke up the night had set in. I washed myself. He again dined me and said, ‘My dear boy, relate to me your story.’ I told him of my plight. He asked, ‘But why have you come here?’ I felt annoyed and said, ‘Perhaps you have gone mad. After being through that calamity and suffering so much pain I saw a human habitation and so came here and you ask me why I have come here!’ He said, ‘Well, go to sleep now. Whatever I have to say, I will say tomorrow.’
‘“In the morning he said, ‘Bring from that small room a spade, a sieve and a leather bag.’ I thought, ‘He has fed me but God alone knows what labour he will now put me to!’ Anyway, I took the things out and placed them before him. He said, ‘Take these things and go to that hillock; dig the earth a yard deep, collect and pass through this sieve whatever you find there. That which does not pass through this sieve, bring to me.’ I took the implements and went there. I dug the ground as deep as he had advised. I collected what I found there and put in the leather bag all that could not be made to pass through the sieve. Actually these were all precious stones of different hues. Their brilliance dazzled my eyes. I took a bagful of them to that man. He said, ‘Take all that you have brought and leave this place. It is not good for you to stay in this city.’ I said, ‘You think it is an act of kindness on your part to give me these stones. Of what use will they be to me? I cannot eat them when I am hungry. Even if you give me more of these, they will not help me.’ The man laughed at this and said, ‘I take pity on you and advise you so, for you also belong to Persia like me. The choice will be entirely yours, of course. But if you are so determined to stay in this city, take my ring with you. When you reach the city’s main street you fill find a man with a white beard sitting there. He is my elder brother and resembles me. Give him the ring. He will look after you. I have no jurisdiction over the city. You should act according to his advice or else you may lose your life for nothing.’ Taking the ring from him and paying my respects I took my leave and entered the city.
‘“It was a city full of grandeur. All the lanes and streets were clean. Men and women were freely buying and selling goods. They were all well-dressed. Enjoying my stroll in the city I reached the main street. It was so thickly crowded that if a saucer were thrown it would have glided on the heads of the people. It was difficult to find the path. When the crowd grew thinner I pushed my way through it and at last found the man I was looking for. He was sitting on a low table and a staff studded with precious stones lay before him. I greeted him and gave him the seal-ring. He gave me an angry look and said, ‘Why have you come here? Didn’t my foolish brother warn you?’ I said, ‘Yes, he did. I have come here of my own accord.’ Then I related to him my story. He got up and took me to his house. It was like a royal palace with many servants in attendance. He took me to his private apartment and said with affection, ‘O son, what a folly you have committed! It is as though you have dug your own grave. Who the wretch would like to come to this accursed city!’ I said, ‘I have already related to you my circumstances. My fate has brought me here. Now kindly let me know the custom of this place so that I may also know why you and your brother advise me not to stay here.’ The kindly old man said, ‘The king and the citizens are exceedingly strange. They have an idol in a temple here. From inside the idol, Satan himself tells the name and religion of every visitor. In this way the king comes to know about every traveller who comes here. He then takes him to the temple and asks him to prostrate before the idol. It is well for him if he does it, or else they drown the poor man in the sea. If he tries to escape from the sea his private parts become so long and heavy that he drags them along the ground and is thus unable to walk. This city is accursed. I pity your youth. I have, however, thought of a plan so that you may live and escape the impending doom for some time at least.’ I anxiously asked, ‘May I know what it is?’ He replied, ‘I will get you married to the vizier’s daughter.’ I said, ‘But why should the vizier give his daughter in marriage to a poor fellow like me until I embrace their faith. And this I am not going to do.’ He said, ‘It is the custom of this city that if a person prostrates himself in front of that idol and asks for the hand of even the king’s daughter, they will give her in marriage to him to please him even if he is a beggar. They would never disappoint and grieve him. Moreover, I am in the confidence of the King and he favours me. The officers and the nobles also respect me much. Twice a week they go to worship in the temple. They will assemble there tomorrow. I’ll take you there with me.’ With these words he gave me food and drinks and sent me to bed.
‘“Next morning he asked me to accompany him to the temple. There I saw that people came, worshipped the Idol and left. The king and the nobles squatted with the priests on the floor with their heads uncovered. Unmarried girls and boys, as beautiful as the houris and ghilman, stood in rows all around. The kind old man said to me, ‘Now do as I say.’ I agreed and said, ‘I will do whatever you tell me to.’ He asked me to kiss the king’s hands and feet with respect and then hold the vizier’s robe which I did. The king asked, ‘Who is he and
what does he want?’ He said, This young man is my relation. He has come here from afar to kiss Your Majesty’s feet and hopes that the vizier will give his daughter in marriage to him and thus exalt him if the Great Idol and Your Majesty approve it.’ The king said, ‘He is welcome if he embraces our religion and faith.’ Immediately there started the beating of drums in the drum-house of the temple. They gave me a rich robe to wear and then putting a black cord around my neck dragged me to the seat of the Great Idol and made me prostrate before it. Just then a voice issued from inside the Idol which said, ‘You, son of Khwaja, it is good for you to be among my worshippers. Now wait and see how I bestow my kindness and favours on you.’ On these words all those present there prostrated themselves before it, rolled on the floor and said, ‘Of course, thou art the lord, truly so.’
‘“In the evening the king along with the vizier rode to the latter’s palace. After performing the rites they gave the vizier’s daughter in marriage to me and got us settled in a separate house. They also gave me a handsome dowry and said, ‘By the command of the Great Idol we have given her in marriage to you.’ When I saw her I found she had all the beauty of the legendary Padmini and really looked like a fairy. In the morning after taking my bath I waited on the King. He bestowed on me the robe of marriage and ordered that I should regularly attend his court. After a few days he included me among his counsellors. He was always pleased with me and gave me robes and presents from time to time. I lived in ease and comfort. My wife had brought me plenty of everything including gold and jewels.
