3-4-2 Three
Qalandar and Five Women of Bagadaad:
The
Story of the Second Qalandar
The
second Qalandar started his story - "Madam, To tell you, how I lost
my right eye, I will have to tell you the story of my whole life. When
I was a baby, I was very clever and intelligent. As my father knew this he
paid his attention to my education. I learnt reading, writing, then Quraan,
history, poetry, geography etc subjects. But what I liked most was to
write Arabic characters. Soon I mastered this and reached as far as India.
When
the Sultaan of Indies saw such an strange interest in a young prince, he
sent an ambassador, laden with rich presents, to my father to visit his
court. So we started for India. After the travel for a month we saw a lots
of dust coming towards us. We found that it was because some 50 robbers
were coming towards us. We were about 25 people, so there was no use of
fighting with them, we just tried to tell them who we were and where we
were going. They had no business with our information, so after a brief
struggle all of our followers were made prisoners. I got a chance so I
rode on my horse and ran away very fast until the hors died because of a
wound.
I was
in a new country, I didn't know it. Luckily I was not wounded much, so I
walked the whole day and came to a cave in a mountain. There I ate some
fruits which I gathered on my way, and slept. I wandered around for the
whole month not knowing where I was. Then one day I saw a big city in
front of me. I was so happy to see the city thinking that once more I will
be in the midst of the human beings. My condition was very bad - my body
became black, my clothes were torn and my shoes were torn so I had to
throw them.
I
entered the city, and asked a tailor where I was. I told him my whole
story, but what he told me only increased my trouble. He said - "Be
careful, whatever you have told me, never tell any other one because this
country's king is your father's greatest enemy. He will be very happy to
have you in his power." I made up my mind that I will obey the
tailor. He gave me some food to eat which I ate with great pleasure. Then
he offered me his own house to stay which also I gladly accepted.
After
a few days when I have recovered from my hardships, the tailor asked me if
I could do something for living. He knew that in our religion even the
princes had to learn some profession to work in their bad times. I told
him that I was a grammarian and a poet but my main interest was writing.
He said - "It is of no use here. It is better that you put on a short
coat, go to woods and cut the wood. By this way you will be able to earn
some money, and wait for your better times. I can provide you with the axe
and a cord.
I
didn't like to do this work, but there was no alternative, so I accepted
it. The next day he introduced me to some poor wood cutters. I went to the
woods with them and on the very first day I cut lots of wood to get a fair
amount of money. Gradually I became more skilled in that and I returned
all that money to the tailor, he lent me.
It was
after a year, that I went a little forward than the usual place to cut the
wood. I saw a long stretch of green grass there spread up to very far
away. I started cutting wood there. As I was hitting my axe on a root of a
tree, I saw an iron ring there and after removing some earth from the
ring, I found a trap door there. I opened it and went down. I found that I
was in a very big palace there as brilliantly lighted as any other palace
above the earth. There was a long gallery. A very beautiful woman was
coming in that gallery.
I
walked fast towards her and bowed to her. She asked - "Who are you, a
man or a genie?" "I am a man, I have nothing to do with
Genie." "But how have you come here? I have been living here for
the last 25 years, but I have never seen any man here before, you are the
fist man I am seeing now." I was very impressed by her beauty so I
politely said to her - "First I am very grateful for this meeting,
which is not only a consolation for me in my sorrow, but I may make you
happier too." And I told him who I was, and how I happened to be
there.
She
took a sigh and said - "You said right, I am a prisoner here. I am
the daughter of Ebony Isle. My father married me to a cousin of mine, but
on the very day of my wedding a Genie snatched me from there and kept me
here. For a long time I wept and wept. I could not tolerate the Genie to
come near me, but now I am used to his presence. I have lot many clothes
and jewels. He comes to visit me every 10th day since I have come here;
but if I need him any other time, I only have to touch a Talismaan which
is hung in my chamber. Now he will come after five days so till then you
may be my guest."
I was
so much attracted to her that I did not refuse her offer. She guided me to
bath and gave me rich clothes to wear according to my rank. Then we ate
most delicate food in her very best room. Next day after eating the
dinner, I could not resist myself and asked her to return to her world
with me. She said - "That is impossible, but I will be happy if you
stay here with me. You may visit the forest every 10th day. The Genie is
very jealous with anybody and will not tolerate that a man should come to
me."
I said
- "Princess, You are falsely afraid of the Genie. I will break his
Talismaan and I will kill him." The Princess foresaw the consequences
and asked me not to touch his Talismaan. She said - "If you will
touch it, it will ruin both of us. I know him much better than you."
But the wine I had drunk, gave me a kick and I kicked the Talismaan. It
fell down in thousand pieces.
As my
foot touched the Talismaan, it became dark all over and a fearful noise
was heard. The palace shook to its very foundation. I got scared, I asked
- "Princess, What is happening?" She was worried for me, she
cried - "Run for your life or you are lost." I ran towards the
trap door leaving behind my axe, but I was too late. The palace opened and
the Genie appeared. He asked the Princess angrily - "What is the
matter that you sent for me like this?" She replied quickly - "I
was feeling pain in my heart. I wanted to take this little bottle that I
slipped and fell against the Talismaan. That is all." Genie cried -
"You are a liar. Then how did this axe and shoes come here?" She
said - "I have never seen them here before. You might have picked
them up on the road unknowingly while coming here." At this the Genie
beat her. I could hear Princess' groans. In this time I had taken off my
rich clothes and put on my old clothes. I opened the trap door, came out
in the forest and went home.
My
friend tailor was worried about me, but I didn't tell him anything about
my adventure. I was just sorry for my actions. At the same time the tailor
came to me and told me that an old man was standing on the door and he had
brought my axe and shoes. He picked up them from the road and had brought
them to me asking my address. I should better go and speak to him myself.
I was speechless and my legs trembled. Before he asked me the reason of
this, the old man entered the room with my axe and shoes.
He
said - "I am Genie - the son of the daughter of Eblis, Prince of the
Genie. Are they not your axe and shoes?" Before I could reply
anything, he lifted me up and dropped me on the earth. He stamped his foot
and we found ourselves in the same palace in front of the Princess. She
was lying on the floor. He asked her - "Is this man not you
lover?" She said slowly - "I don't know him, I have never seen
him." "You are the cause of his all sufferings." "Why
I should be the cause of his suffering, when I don't know him?" Genie
took out his sword and giving it to her said - "Then come and cut his
head off." The Princess said - "I am too weak to hold this
sword, and even if I am strong, why should I put an innocent man to
death?"
Then
he addressed me - "If she is stranger to you, then take this sword
and cut her head. I will free you." "Certainly" I said and
made a sign to the Princess of not worrying. But I flung open the sword on
the floor and said - "I am a coward that I cannot kill even a woman
who is unknown to me and who is already half dead, I do not deserve to
live. I surrender to you, but I cannot obey you." Then he took the
sword and cut off one hand of the princess. Seeing this I got unconscious.
When I
regained my consciousness, the Genie said - "I could have killed you
too, but I will not kill you, I will not turn you into a dog, or an
ass, or a lion or a bird. Tell me what you would like to be?" I said
- "If you want to spare my life, spare it altogether. Pardon my crime
as the best man forgave his neighbor who was envious with him."
Contrary
to my hopes, the Genie liked to hear the story of these two neighbors; and
Madam, as I think you will also like to hear their story. If it may please
you, I will tell you that also."
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