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71-2 - The
Sayings of Haykar the Sage:
Haykar Escapes Death
Now
when Haykar had told all these things to his boy Naadaan, he thought that
he would remember all these things and he will not disobey him. He gave
all his money, black slaves, his concubines, his horses and camels, to his
boy. Also bidding and forbidding were left in the youth's control. And he
was promoted and preferred by the King like his maternal uncle, or even
more. The old Vazeer used to go to the King just to greet him once in a
while.
When
Naadaan saw that all was in his control, he started talking to his uncle
rudely, raised his voice against him, and blamed him whenever he did
something. He started beating his Negro slaves and handmaidens. He
drove his father also out of his place. Haykar sent this intimation to the
King also. The King called Naadaan and said to him - "So long Haykar is alive, nobody can take control of his household
or meddle with
his fortune." This controlled Naadaan and he stopped going to his
uncle.
Naadaan
had a younger brother Naudaan, so Haykar adopted him, tendered him, and
honored him with great honor and gave his all possessions and appointed
him the controller of his household and affairs. When Naadaan saw this, he
became jealous and start complaining that his father had removed him from
being beneficiary and had preferred his younger brother, so he would kill
him soon.
After
a long while he wrote a letter to Akhyaash Abn Shaah, the physician of the
King of Persia, and Ajam or Barbariyaa Land - "Greetings to you from
Sankhareeb, King of Assyria and Nineveh and from his Vazeer and Secretary
Haykar. When this letter will reach you, arise immediately and come to
meet me at Buqaat Nisrin, the lowland of the Eglantine of Assyria and
Nineveh, that I may give you the kingdom without any fight."
Furthermore he wrote a second letter in Haykar's name to Pharaoh, Lord of
Misra with this content - "Greetings to you from me. On receiving
this letter, come straight to Buqaat Nisrin immediately, that I can give
you the kingdom without any fight and slaughter."
Naadaan's
writing was somewhat similar to his uncle's writing. He folded the two letters
and sealed them with Haykar's signet and cast them in the royal palace. After
which he went and wrote a letter to his uncle from the King - "All my
salutations to my Vazeer and Secretary Haykar. On receiving this letter,
you and your people, with arms and armor, should march to meet me at the
Buqaat Nisrin. However when you see me approach you, make a mimic fight
for that messengers from Pharaoh, King of Egypt, have been sent to test
the strength of our armies. Accordingly, let them stand in fear of us,
because they are our foes." He sealed this letter and sent it to
Haykar through one of the royal pages, and he himself carried the letters,
addressed to the Physician of the King of Persia and the King of Egypt, to the King, opened them
there, showed their seal, and read them aloud.
When
Sankhareeb heard the contents of the letters, he admired the contents but
got severely angry with Haykar and cried - "What I have done to Haykar, that he
should write such letters to my enemies? Is this my reward for the
benefits I have showered upon him?" Naadaan replied - "Do not be
grieved or angry, rather let us go to Buqaat Nisrin and look into the
matter, whether it is true or false."
So
when Thursday came Naadaan rose and taking the King and his Vazeers and
army-officers marched over the wastes to the Lowland of Eglantine and
arrived there. Sankhareeb looked upon Haykar and saw his host aligned in
battle against himself. And when the Vazeer saw the King approached him,
he challenged him for a battle. But he could not understand that what kind
of pit was dug for him by Naadaan. But seeing this the King got very angry.
Then
Naadaan said to the King - "See, What this fellow has done. But you
don't worry, nor you be sorrowful. You may go to your palace and I will
bring Haykar to you in chains. I will defeat your enemies." So when
Sankhareeb had gone home, Naadaan went to his uncle and said - "The King
has been very happy with you and thanks you for acting as he has instructed you to
act. He has sent me to tell you that now you may send your people back and you
yourself should be presented to him in chains."
Haykar
said "OK." and let him bind his hands and feet with a chain. Naadaan took him
in this way to the King where he found the King reading another forged
letter, also sealed with the ministerial sign. He entered the room and
prostrated in front of the King. The King said - "O Haykar, Tell me
what wrong did I do to you that you returned me with such a deed?"
And showed him the two papers written in his hand writing. Seeing them Haykar trembled, he could not speak anything for a while. His all
knowledge and reasoning was gone. He just could not say anything. The King
ordered to slay him without the city witness. Naadaan cried aloud to his father -
"O Haykar, What did you get by playing this trick?"
Now
the name of the executioner was Aboo Sumaik the Pauper. The King asked
him to cut his neck in front of the Minister's door and place his head at
a distance of 100 ells (some 4,500" = 125 yards) away from his body.
Hearing this Haykar cried - "O Lord, If you want to kill me, you may
kill, but I am not at fault, some evil-doer has written these letters in exactly the same writing
as mine. I wish that he should suffer. The page striped off his outer
garment and took him away from there.
When
he was taken to be killed, he sent a word to his wife Shagaftinee -
"Come soon to meet me along with 1,000 maidens whom you will dress in
red silk, that they can keep an eye on me when I die. Bring a table and
food and drink for the executioners so that they can eat and drink
well." His wife obeyed him, for she was also wise and sharp-witted.
So when the guards and executioner etc came to Haykar's door, they found
the table laid out with delicious dishes and fine wine, so they fell to
eating and drinking till they were satisfied and thanked to the
housemaster.
Then
Haykar took the executioner Aboo aside in private and said to him -
"O Aboo, While the King Sarhadoon, the father of the King Sankhareeb,
determined to slay you, I took you and hid you in a secret place until the
King decided to call for you; besides I cooled his temper everyday till he
was pleased to call you, and then I presented you to him. Do the same at
this moment for me too, because the King will surely repent for his this
action, for I am innocent. And when you will bring me to him alive and
well, he will
rejoice in you. You will be regarded more than ever. I am sure that my
nephew has betrayed me.
Know,
that below my mansion there is an underground place which is not known to
anybody. You may hide me there with the consent of my wife Shagaftinee.
Also I have a slave who is to be executed, in my prison; put my clothes on
him and order your people to kill him. Since they are drunk, they wouldn't
know to whom they had killed. And lastly command them to keep his head 100
cubits away from the body, and give the body to my slaves till they keep
it in the tomb. So please, do this good deed to me."
Hearing this the executioner did the same and informed about the execution
of Haykar to the King.
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