The Adventures of Amir Hamza Read online

  Praise for

  THE ADVENTURES OF AMIR HAMZA

  “This remarkable translation … is a wonder and a revelation—a classic of epic literature.… The story line itself is endlessly diverting and inventive, and the prose of the translation is beautifully rendered.… For the modern American reader, The Adventures of Amir Hamza has importance beyond mere aesthetic enjoyment.”

  —The New York Times Book Review

  “A true marvel of literary and intellectual engineering, The Adventures of Amir Hamza marks the passage of oral narrative into print and synthesizes translation, varying editions and genres into one coherent work.”

  —The Washington Post Book World

  “Non-Urdu-speaking readers can at last appreciate an epic ‘on par with anything in the Western canon.’ And, with luck, the classical pantheon populated by indomitable Achilles, cunning Odysseus and righteous King Arthur will now be joined by a new beloved hero: mercurial, mighty Amir Hamza, astride his winged demon steed, soaring to the heavens.”

  —Time International

  “I was also bowled over by a remarkable new translation of The Adventures of Amir Hamza, the Iliad and Odyssey of the medieval Persian world: a rollicking, magic-filled heroic saga, full of myth and imagination. It is the first time it has been translated into English and it is as close as is now possible to the world of the Mughal campfire—those night gatherings of soldiers, Sufis, musicians and camp followers one sees in Mughal miniatures—a storyteller beginning his tale in the clearing of a forest as the embers of the blaze glow red and eager, firelit faces crowd around.”

  —New Statesman, “Books of the Year 2007”

  “How wonderful that English-speaking readers now have access to one of the great classical narratives of popular Persian and Islamic culture. The universal appeal of The Adventures of Amir Hamza lies in its colorful, playful, and simply beautiful rendition of a world that is both fabulous and greatly entertaining.”

  —AZAR NAFISI, author of Reading Lolita in Tehran

  “Farooqi’s The Adventures of Amir Hamza is for a seasoned, patient, and curious reader.… Students of world literature and Eastern languages will absolutely swoon if they are fortunate enough to receive this new translation.”

  —The Austin Chronicle

  “A spectacular and literally marvelous Islamic epic that ought to be almost as often spoken of as the Tales of the 1,001 Nights.”

  —The Buffalo News

  “As the first complete English translation of a medieval classic that has been in danger of neglect, this is a landmark work in its very conception—invaluable to students of Islamic heritage and Arabic literature—but the excellence of its execution makes it a fantasy-adventure that can be relished by readers of all backgrounds.”

  —Business Standard

  “It is indeed a wonderful book, replete with poetry, elegant turns of phrase, choice abuses, jokes, drama and suspense.… Quite simply, this dastaan in any language is an antidote to the cares of this world.”

  —India Today

  “The Indo-Islamic Dastan-e Amir Hamza is a rip-roaring, bawdy, magical journey into the fantastic life and exploits of Amir Hamza, the paternal uncle of the prophet Muhammad.… The story is reminiscent of the tales of Homer and King Arthur and The Arabian Nights. Farooqi’s … English translation from the Urdu is masterful.… Destined to become a classic.”

  —Library Journal

  “Captivating … A must-have for serious Near Eastern collections and fans of epic literature from any culture.”

  —Booklist

  “A refreshing and eminently readable translation, a gem of exceptional brilliance … a piece of fantastic literature.”

  —MUHAMMAD UMAR MEMON, professor of Urdu, Persian, and Islamic studies, University of Wisconsin

  “There is simply no other book in the history of literature quite like The Adventures of Amir Hamza. Part romance, part morality play, part trickster fable, this is traditional story-telling at its poetic height.”

  —REZA ASLAN, author of No god but God:

  The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam

  “Extraordinary. Farooqi has translated into English what most of us thought was untranslatable. The adventures of Hamza have beguiled readers in many languages for centuries. This translation from Urdu should interest all students of Eastern literatures.”

  —C. M. NAIM, professor emeritus of Urdu Studies, University of Chicago

  “Possibly one of the most important fantasy events of the year … Farooqi’s energetic and stylish translation … captures brilliantly the insouciant delights of the storyteller’s voice, and gives us a highly readable version of a major work of world literature that few of us even knew about. The Modern Library has done us a big favor.”

  —Locus

  “What a find it is! Farooqi’s translation is both elegant and earthy.… One is tempted to think that only a malevolent enchantress of great power could have kept The Adventures of Amir Hamza from a mainstream American audience for so long.”

  —The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction

  “The translation by Musharraf Ali Farooqi is a bravura performance.… Nothing that readers in India, or elsewhere, have read would have prepared them for its lightness, deftness and frothiness.”

  —Hindustan Times

  “Stupendous … a major achievement & Farooqi has opened a window to a very different world.”

  —Calcutta Telegraph

  2012 Modern Library Paperback Edition

  Translation copyright © 2007 by Musharraf Ali Farooqi

  Abridgement copyright © 2012 by Musharraf Ali Farooqi

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Modern Library, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

  MODERN LIBRARY and the TORCHBEARER Design are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  This abridgement is based on the 2007 edition of The Adventures of Amir Hamza by Ghalib Lakhnavi and Abdullah Bilgrami, translated by Musharraf Ali Farooqi, published by Modern Library, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

  eISBN: 978-0-679-60389-4

  www.modernlibrary.com

  Cover design: Gabrielle Bordwin

  Cover painting: © V&A Images, Victoria and Albert Museum

  v3.1

  CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  INTRODUCTION by Musharraf Ali Farooqi

  A NOTE ON THE TEXT

  THE ADVENTURES OF AMIR HAMZA

  BOOK ONE

  Of Buzurjmehr’s Birth, and of the Contents of the Book Becoming Conspicuous

  Of the Emperor’s Visit to Alqash’s Bagh-e Bedad, and of the Festivities Held in that Heavenly Abode

  Of Alqash Taking the Innocent Buzurjmehr Prisoner, and of His Deliverance From Alqash’s Clutches, and of the Emperor’s Assembling His Prudent Ministers to Ask Them of the Dream, and Vowing Punishment on Them

  Of Buzurjmehr’s Relating the Emperor’s Dream at the Appointed Hour, and of Alqash’s Life Being Claimed in Retribution

  Of Dil-Aaram’s Expulsion from the Emperor’s Favor and of Her Returning to His Good Graces

  Of the Emperor’s Arrival at Qubad’s House and His Restoring Dil-Aaram to Honor, and of His Feasting and Drinking

  Regarding the Birth of Naushervan and Bakhtak, and Buzurjmehr’s Predictions, and of Naushervan’s Falling in Love With Mehr-Angez

  Of Buzurjmehr’s Journey to China With Troops and Retinue, His Return With Princess Mehr-Angez, and the Nuptials of the Seeker and the Sought

  Of Buzurjmehr’s Arrival in
Mecca and Searching for Signs of Hamza’s Birth, and of the Birth of Hamza, Muobil, and Amar

  Hamza’s Cradle is Carried off to Mount Qaf, and that Sun of Excellence Shines on the Mount of Brilliance

  Of Buzurjmehr’s Return to Ctesiphon, and the News of Bahram Gurd’s Insurrection in China

  Of Amar Stealing the Ruby, and the Three Boys Being Sent to the Academy

  Of Amar Leading Hamza into the Neighbor’s Garden, and of Amar Stealing Dates and Hamza Pulling Down Three Trees

  Of Hamza, Muqbil, and Amar Becoming Blessed and Acquiring Occult Gifts

  Of Hamza Exacting Tribute from the King of Yemen, and of the Fortunate King’s Conversion to the Folds of the True Faith

  Of the Rise of Hashsham bin Alqamah Khaibari and His March on Ctesiphon From Khaibar

  Of Muqbil Vafadar’s Audience Before Naushervan, Ruler of the Empyrean

  Of Amir Hamza’s Encounter With Aadi Madi-Karib

  Of Amir Hamza’s Arrival in Mecca and His Receipt of Naushervan’s Epistle

  Of Amir Hamza’s Entry into Ctesiphon and His Occupying of Rustam’s Throne

  Of Gustham’s Entry into Ctesiphon Along With Bahram Gurd, Emperor of China

  Of Amir Hamza’s First Tryst With the Apogee of Elegance, Princess Mehr-Nigar

  Of Princess Mehr-Nigar’s Anxiety After Parting With Amir Hamza and of Her Going Forth to Seek Him in His Camp

  Of King Saadan Shah’s Brother Shahpal Sending an Epistle in Condemnation of Landhoor, and of Hamza’s Resolve to Depart for India to Chastise Him

  Of Another Storm, and Hamza’s Ships Being Driven Into the Whirlpool of Sikander, and of the Deliverance of These Poor Souls from the Tempest; and of Their Arriving in the Lands of Ceylon and Exacting Tribute from the Khusrau of India, Landhoor bin Saadan Shah

  Of Landhoor Doing Battle With the Sahibqiran, and His Surrendering to the World Conqueror

  Of Amir’s Setting Out for Ctesiphon Accompanied by Landhoor With Great Pomp and Array After His Triumph and Victory

  Of Aulad bin Marzaban Being Taken Captive, and A Grief-Stricken and Remorse-Bitten Aulad Being Sent as Prisoner to Naushervan at Amir Hamza’s Orders

  Of Rumors of Princess Mehr-Nigar’s Death Being Spread by Bakhtak’s Mother, Saqar Ghar Bano, of Hamza Becoming Distressed Upon Hearing Them, and of Amar Killing Saqar Ghar Bano and Burying the Bawd in the Leaves

  BOOK TWO

  Of The Mysterious Voice Enjoining Amir from Drinking, and of Amar Keeping Hamza from Imbibing the Poisoned Water by Prophet Khizr’s Injunctions

  Of Haam, Saam, and Mehd Zarrin Kamar Converting to the True Faith and Swearing Allegiance to Amir, and of Their Paying the Tribute and Becoming His Followers

  Of Amir Marching on Greece, and of His Betrothing His Heart-Ravishingly Beloved Naheed Maryam

  Of Amir’s Marching to Conquer Egypt and of the Ruler of Egypt Taking Him Prisoner by Deceit

  Of the Pigeon Bringing the Missive into Ctesiphon; of the Conspiracy to Kill Landhoor, Bahram, and Others; and of Amar Making an Unexpected Appearance

  Of Amar Setting Out for Egypt in Pursuit of the Pigeon and Killing Him Close to its City Gates, and of His Securing Hamza’s Release After Much Toil and Affliction

  Of Amar Swindling and Duping Sarhang Misri’s Ayyars

  Of Amir Hamza’s Release from the Well of Yusuf, and of His Regaining His Freedom With Zehra Misri’s Assistance

  Of Zhopin Conducting A Night Raid on Amir Hamza’s Camp, and of Amir Disappearing Wounded from the Battlefield

  Of the Arrival of Abdur Rahman Jinn, Minister of the Emperor of Qaf, for the Purpose of Carrying Away Amir Hamza to His Dominion

  Of Gustham Dying at Amir’s Hands and of His Being Slain Along With His Army

  Of Amir’s Journey to Mount Qaf and the Beginning of His Eighteen-Year Stay

  Of What Passed With Amir Hamza on the Way to Mount Qaf

  Of Naushervan Learning of Amir’s Departure to Qaf and His Dispatching An Army Toward Mecca

  Of Naushervan Sending His Elder Son, Hurmuz, to Chastise Amar Ayyar

  The Pen’s Charger, Coerced by the Reins of Discourse, Renders An Account of the Lord of the Auspicious Planetary Conjunction, the Conqueror of the World, the Most Munificent and Bounteous, Amir Hamza the Magnificent

  The Dastan Changes Course to Give an Account of Khvaja Amar Ayyar

  Of Khvaja Nihal’s Departure for Mecca to Bring Back Mehr-Nigar, and of His Dying at Amar’s Hands

  Of Qaran Fil-Gardan’s Departure to Chastise Amar, and of His Being Killed at the Hands of the Naqabdar

  Of the Arrival of Zhopin’s Brothers Jahandar Kabuli and Jahangir Kabuli at Naushervan’s Orders to Assist Hurmuz and Faramurz

  Of Ifrit Dev Seeking Refuge in Tilism-e Shehristan-e Zarrin at the Counsel of His Mother, Maloona Jadu

  Of the Arrival of King Landhoor bin Saadan, the Khusrau of India, at the Gates of the Fort of Sabir and Sabur

  An Account of the Events that Passed With the Sahibqiran, the Conqueror of the World, the Quake of Qaf, the Latter-Day Suleiman, Amir Hamza the Magnificent

  Of The Notorious Khvaja Amar, the Prince of Ayyars, and of the Princes Hurmuz and Faramurz

  Of Naqabdar Naranji-Posh’s Ayyar Securing Amar’s Release from His Captivity

  Of the Return Journey of the Lord of the Auspicious Planetary Conjunction from the Lands of Qaf to the Confines of Earth

  BOOK THREE

  Of the Khusrau of India, Landhoor bin Saadan, Arriving At the Fortress of Ceylon and Routing Muhlil Sagsar and Malik Ajrook; and of the Departure of Bahram Gurd, the Emperor of China, Toward the Clime of China, and His Giving Audience at the Seat of His Kingdom

  Of Khvaja Amar Ayyar’s Moving to the Castle of Devdad from the Fort of Salasal Hisar Along With Mehr-Nigar and the Followers of the True Faith

  Of Aasman Peri Marching With an Intrepid Army on Sabz Nigar and Laying the City to Ruin, and of Her Taking Sabz-Posh and Rehan Peri as Prisoners and Incarcerating Them in the Zandan-e Suleimani

  Of Zehra Misri’s Disappearance from the Roof of the Castle and of Her Being Presented Before Aasman Peri

  Of the King of Ayyars and the Peerless Dagger Thrower Khvaja Amar Ayyar

  Of amir Hamza’s Arrival at the Domicile of Samandoon Hazar-Dast Dev, and of His Freeing Zehra Misri from His Clutches

  An Account of the Prince of Ayyars, Khvaja Amar bin Umayya Zamiri

  BOOK FOUR

  Of Amir’s Departure for Mecca, and of His Taking Prisoner Shaddad Abu-Amar Habashi, and of His Converting to the True Faith

  Of Hurmuz’s Arrival in Ctesiphon and Learning of Naushervan’s Captivity, and of His Departure to Secure His Release

  Of the Arrival of Qaroon Akka bin Furhad-Akka and Kuliyat bin Galeem Ayyar, and of Their Taking Amir Hamza and Muqbil Vafadar Prisoner

  Of Amir’s Departure for the Land of Fatah Nosh’s Brother, Fatah Yar; of Amir Slaying A Dragon; and of the Birth of Prince Alam Shah Roomi

  Of Amir’s Departure Toward the City of Khavar in Pursuit of Naushervan, and of His Converting Qeemaz Shah, the Ruler of Khavar, to the True Faith

  Of Amir’s Departure for Gilan and King Gunjal’s Converting to the True Faith, and of Amir’s Marriage to Gili-Savar, the Daughter of King Gunjal

  Of Amir’s Departure for the Fire Temple of Namrud to Bring Back Naushervan, and of His Marrying Naushervan’s Second Daughter Upon Their Return

  Of Amir Hamza’s Departure for Mount Alburz

  The History of Prince Badiuz Zaman Being Born to Gili-Savar, the Daughter of King Gunjal; and of the Prince Being Put into A Chest and Dropped into the River; and of Quraisha, Daughter of Aasman Peri, Rearing the Prince at the Command of the Holy Khizr

  The Dastan of Ajal bin Abdul Muttalib, Younger Brother of Amir Hamza, Lord of the Auspicious Planetary Conjunction

  Of Hakim Marzak’s Entry into Amir’s Camp at Bakhtak’s Bidding, and of His Blinding Amir Hamza Along With His Commanders

  Of Hashim bin Hamza and Haris bin Sa’ad Enterin
g Amir Hamza’s Service, and of Amir’s Eyes Being Cured With the Holy Khizr’s Help

  Of Rustam, Qunduz Sar-Shaban, and Aljosh Barbari Dying at the Hands of Ahriman Sher-Gardaan, the Master of Bakhtar

  Of Amir’s Departure for Bakhtar, and of His Killing King Kakh Bakhtar

  Of Amir’s Departure for Nestan, and of His Killing King Sang Andaz Khunkhvar Nestan

  Of Amir’s Departure for Mecca, and of His Attaining Martyrdom in the Victorious Service of Prophet Muhammad; and the Culmination of the Dastan

  Dedication

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  THE HISTORY OF THE LEGEND

  LIST OF CHARACTERS, HISTORIC FIGURES, DEITIES, AND MYTHICAL BEINGS

  SELECTED SOURCES

  NOTES

  ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR

  INTRODUCTION

  Musharraf Ali Farooqi

  I grew up in Hyderabad, Pakistan, whose climate during summertime closely resembles that of Hell. Temperatures can reach 50°C (approximately 120°F), and in the absence of air-conditioning, a three-hour nap is considered the best answer to nature’s excesses.

  My younger brother Arif and I came up with another, more entertaining alternative. We would improvise a spear by affixing a butter knife to the tip of a bamboo pole and go into the courtyard to hunt the lizards and chameleons that lived in the crevices of the brick walls and the wind catchers on the roof of our house. The authorities never learned of the carnage, because we always eliminated all signs of it. The corpses were fed to Mano—a fellow hunter and a fine specimen of a marmalade cat. That was how we passed our afternoons before we discovered books.

  Everyone from my generation is familiar with the children’s titles published by the house of Ferozsons. A few of these were translations of English-language classics, but the rest were written in Urdu. My older sisters had accumulated about a hundred of these titles, and in a city lacking in public libraries, this was a considerable treasure. After inheriting the collection from our sisters, Arif and I developed an unhealthy appetite for these stories. The schoolwork suffered, and I was often caught under the covers with bound paper and a pencil light. All this was probably enough to send my parents into a panic, and they decided to remove the temptation from the path. The storybooks were put in an iron chest, which was locked up and placed in the storage room. We tried but were unable to find the key during our periodic searches.