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3-1 Three
Qalandar and Five Women of Bagadaad
In the
reign of Haroon-al Rasheed, there lived a porter at Bagadaad. He was very
humble and intelligent man. One day he was sitting at his place with his
basket to be hired, that a tall young lady whose face was hidden behind
veil, came there and asked him to follow her. The porter got very happy to
get one customer, he picked up his basket and followed her saying her
"Good Morning." The woman stopped before a closed door which she
knocked and an old man came out of the house. The woman gave him some
money and the old man went inside the house and brought a large jar of
wine. He kept that jar in the basket of the porter and both the porter and
the woman set out again.
Next
she stopped at a fruit and flower shop. There she bought a large quantity
of fruits and flowers, then she proceeded again to stop at a butcher's
shop, then a grocer's shop and then a poultry shop. The porter could not
carry so much in his basket, so he said to her - "Madam, If you had
told me before, that you would buy so much, I could have brought a cart or
a horse with me." The woman smiled and said - "I have not
finished yet." Then she bought various kinds of scents and spices and
came to a palace and knocked the door. The woman who opened the door was
quite a beaauty and the porter could make out that she was not a slave.
She spoke to the woman with the porter - "Why don't you come in, my
sister? This poor man is so heavily laden that he is about to fall."
So all three went inside, passed through a court, to a platform where
stood a throne of amber supported by four ebony columns. In the middle of
the court was a marble basin in which water was coming from a golden
lion's mouth.
All
was beautiful, but the porter was especially attracted to a third woman
who was sitting on the throne. She was more beautiful than the other two.
She was the eldest. This woman's name was Zubaidaa, the second one was
Ameenaa, and the third one who hired him was Zaidee. At the order of
Zubaidaa, Ameenaa and Zaidee took the basket from the porter and paid him
handsomely. But the porter didn't go away even after taking his money, so
Zubaidaa asked him what was it he was waiting for? Did he want more money?
The porter said - "Oh Madam, You have already given me lots of money,
but I was so surprised to see the three beautiful women living here by
themselves. A company of women without men is as dull as the company of
men without women." The he told them some stories and persuaded them
to ask him to let him stay for dinner with them.
The
women were amused at the man's stories and thus he was allowed to stay.
Zubaidaa said - "But listen, If we are allowing you to stay here, it
is on the condition that you will behave properly with utmost politeness,
and you will keep our way of living as secret which by chance you have
seen." Then they sat down at the table for dinner to eat those dishes
which were brought by Ameenaa.
Ameenaa
poured some wine in a cup, she first drank some herself according to Arab
custom, then filled it for her sisters. When the porter's turn came to
drink, he kissed Ameenaa's hand and sang a song composed in the praise of
wine. All women were very happy and the dinner lasted than the usual time.
When the Sun was about to set, Zaidee said to the porter - "Now you
may go. It is time for you to go." The porter said - "Madam, How
can you ask me to go in this situation - when I have drunk wine and seen
you, I can never find my house. Let me be here till morning, when I will
be in my senses, I will go when you like." Ameenaa said - "Let
him stay in return of the amusement he has give to us." Zubaidaa said
- "If you wish my sister. But if you are staying here, I have to put
one more condition - don't ask any question about what you see; if you ask
you might have to hear what you don't like."
Then
Ameenaa brought supper and lit the hall with many candle lights. They all
sat at the table to eat, drink and to enjoy. In the meantime they heard a
knock on the door. Zaidee rose to open the door. She soon came back
reporting that three Qalandar, all blind with right eye, all clean shaven
head, face and eyebrows, begged for admittance; as they newly arrived in
Bagadaad and the night had already fallen." She further said -
"They look pleasant but you can never tell, their presence may look
odd."
Zubaidaa
and Ameenaa didn't want to let them in, and Zaidee knew the reason, but
she pleaded their case so strongly that Zubaidaa asked her to let them in
with the condition that it is none of their business what doesn't concern
them; and be sure that they should the note written on the door -
"Whoever interrupts which is no business of his, will have to hear
the truth that will not please him." Thus the those Qalandar were
admitted, they thanked the women for their courtesy. One Qalandar saw the
porter whose dress was very unlike to their own. He said - "He is
certainly one of our Arab brothers who has rebelled against our
ruler." The porter, half drunk half awake scolded him - "Mind
your own business, didn't you read the note written on the door?"
"I am sorry." And the matter was smoothed out and the supper
began in good mood. When Qalandar had finished their food, they expressed
their desire to play to their hostess if there was any instrument in the
house. Zaidee brought two instruments - some flutes and a tambourine. Each
Qalandar took an instrument and started playing and the women sang song.
In the
midst of this entertainment, a knock was heard on the door. That evening
the Caliph had left his palace with his Vazeer Jyaafar and Masaroor, the
chief of the eunuchs wearing merchant's dresses. They were passing
by this house and as they heard the sound of music and laughter, the
Caliph wished to go to this house. The Vazeer said - "Some ladies
might be enjoying themselves and it does not look good for you to go like
this amongst them." But the Caliph insisted that he would go. Zaidee
opened the door carrying a taper in the hand. The Vazeer got surprised to
see her beauty, he bowed to her and said - "We are three merchants
coming from Moosool. We got late to reach our inn and its doors were
closed. We were just wandering around for shelter that we heard music and
saw lights on in this house, so we came this side. If you could give us
shelter till tomorrow morning. If you will allow us, we will also help you
in spending your time happily."
Zaidee
told them that she should first ask her sisters, if they would allow them
to stay there. She went inside and soon came back to let them in to spend
their night there. Zubaidaa said to them - "You may as many eyes as
you can, but no tongues and ask no questions about anything you see,
however strange you may find it." The Vazeer agreed and then all
drank to welcome the newcomers.
While
the Vazeer was talking to women, the Caliph was thinking "who they
could be and why these three Qalandar lost their right eye only?" He
wanted to ask this but could not because Zubaidaa's condition, so he also
started talking. After a while Qalandar danced some curious dances which
entertained everybody.
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