They say that a certain pious and wise sultan named Sanjar ruled in one country, and with extraordinary care he delved into the affairs of the state and his subjects, without relying on his entourage. Having exchanged his rich vestments for the simple clothes of a tramp, he walked through the streets of the city at night, and during the day, in the dress of a kalandar, he went to the bazaar, where many people gathered, and there, unrecognized, he delved into all sorts of feuds, so that his judgment would be just and his greatness glorified.
One day, sitting on a souf near a seller of fried pistachios, he saw a handsome young man in the clothes of a qalandar. He was a moon-faced handsome man, in whose appearance one could easily discern nobility. And everyone who looked at him could not hide his admiration. However, the young man’s brow was marked with deep sadness, and the Sultan understood the confusion of his soul and the courage with which he overcame suffering. The Sultan called the young man to him and said:
- O wanderer, you are so young and beautiful! What prompted you to put on the robes of a Qalandar and renounce everything worldly?
And the Sultan read the verse:
Can a friend understand what is hidden in the soul of a suffering friend, If he is inextricably linked with him, like a nail with pulp
finger To reject worldly wealth, it is very difficult to force
find, As a wanderer who has chosen a goal, it is very difficult to turn away from the path.
“O hidden under the guise of a Qalandar,” said the young man, “why are you opening my wounds?” What good is it to you to have me, a poor wanderer who can’t stop his pain?! A lot of time has already passed since evil fate deprived me of the mercy of Allah, but to this day I am overwhelmed with sadness and consumed by spiritual bitterness. I came to this city, unknown to anyone, hoping to hide my grief from others, and you force me to remember my suffering again.
The Sultan expressed his favor towards him and said affectionately:
- Calm down, oh young man, and tell me your story. If, moreover, you tell me about what you saw in life and what you see as its meaning, I will be very grateful to you.
And the young man began his story.
“The story of my life is sad and painful, and the story about it is long and tedious.”
And he read the verse:
I need a very long, quiet moonlit night, so that I can tell the story of my life in full.
“In that case,” said the Sultan, “deign to tell me where your refuge is, and in the evening I will send for you.”
The young man named the monastery Kalandarov, and then the Sultan said to the pistachio seller:
“Tonight I will be your guest.” The pistachio seller prepared all kinds of
dishes and a beautifully decorated seat for the guest of honor. Sultan Sanjar came to him, sat down in a place of honor, and ordered to bring the young Qalandar. As soon as the young man crossed the threshold of the pistachio seller’s house, he immediately realized that in front of him was none other than the Sultan. He greeted the Sultan with due respect and sat down in the place reserved for him. At the end of the meal, the Sultan, turning to the young man, said:
- Die, O young man, the sadness and confusion of your soul and tell me your whole story.
“Willingly,” answered the young man. “But to do this, you must either leave your place of honor and sit next to me, or allow me to approach you.”
The Sultan sat down next to the young man, and he began his story.
- O Sultan, ruler of the universe! Let it be known to you that my father was a successful merchant. His wealth was countless. One day he called me to him and said: “O my child, you have already reached the legal age, and I decided to take you with me on a long journey. I want you to comprehend good and evil, to experience all the hardships of life, because after my death you will be left alone and the burden of worries may be unbearable for you.” We left the city limits and set off on a long journey, and covered many roads and passed many cities and villages. But one day our caravan lost its way. Waiting
In the morning we were forced to make a halt. At night we were attacked by robbers. I woke up from loud screams and to my horror I saw that my father had been killed. Fearing that my father's fate would befall me, I jumped on my horse and rushed off into the desert. At the end of a long day I reached the gates of a certain city, but it was already dark, the gates of the city were locked. I begged the guards to let me into the city, but they remained deaf to my pleas. And not far from the city gates there was a low hill, and at its foot lay a huge stone. It was behind this stone that I settled down for the night. The night, however, was moonless, and from the fear I experienced I could not sleep. Suddenly I saw a man climb over the city wall with a lit lantern in his hands. Two more followed. They were carrying something heavy! Before I had time to think that these must be thieves and that they apparently wanted to divide the booty here, they suddenly disappeared, as if they had fallen through the ground, but soon appeared again for a short time and then disappeared completely. I thought that they had hidden the loot somewhere nearby, and began to carefully explore the surroundings. Suddenly I felt a shallow hole, and in it there was a person.
“Oh, merciless ones,” the man said with a groan, “what do you want from me?” Let me die in peace.
I began to calm him down:
“I’m not the one you should be afraid of.” Then the man groaned:
“Oh friend, if you want to help me, quickly take me away from here to a safe place and try to heal my wounds.” My resurrection will bring you happiness, and if I die, your conscience will be calm, for your noble deed will serve as a consolation to it.
Having learned that the man needed help, I put him on my shoulders and, when morning came, entered the city. Soon I saw a small, miserable house and for some reason decided that there was only one person living in it.
late widow. In response to my knock, a poorly dressed old woman opened the door.
- Who are you? - she asked me.
“A stranger looking for shelter,” I answered. The old woman took me into the house and said:
“Sit here,” she left.
I unrolled the carpet in which the wounded man was wrapped, and a certain charming creature appeared to my amazed gaze.
Seeing this unearthly beauty, I almost lost consciousness. But gradually coming to my senses, I sighed heavily and said:
- O moon-faced one, O pearl of beauty! Who did you such harm? Why is fate so unkind to you?
The girl raised her eyelids with difficulty.
“O noble young man,” she whispered, “if Allah pleases to spare my life, I will tell you without concealment. your story. And if I am destined to die, let my secret go with me to the grave.
I examined the girl and found several knife wounds on her body. Having washed the wounds, I anointed them with healing potions and began to care for her with great care. However, her health was getting worse hour by hour. One day, looking at me with eyes full of prayer, the girl said:
- O noble young man, you suffer with me, not knowing whether there is any good in it. Fulfill my request, and it will make my fate easier and yours.
“I listen and obey,” I answered.
“In this city,” she continued, “there is an excellent doctor.” Only he is able to say exactly what awaits the patient. However, he does not go to everyone. If you have some gold, go to this doctor and beg him to come to me. Maybe he will be seduced by money, or maybe a feeling of compassion will awaken in him, and he will be able to heal me. Explain to the doctor that the robbers beat your brother half to death, and you found him and brought him home. If the doctor says
If I get better, you will nurse me back to health. Otherwise, you will leave me to the mercy of fate so that my deliverance can come faster.
After hearing these words, I went to the doctor. Arriving at his home, I saw a lot of people - the sick were waiting for his appearance. After a long time, the doctor left the house and, without saying a word to anyone, went to the Shah's palace. We followed him in silence. Having completed his daily examination of the Shah, the doctor left the palace. Then all the sufferers rushed to him and began vying with each other to talk about their illnesses. I also told him about my trouble. My prayers and lamentations had an effect, the doctor looked at me with a sympathetic glance and said:
- Okay. I’ll go see you first, and then I’ll go on other matters.
After examining the patient, the doctor gave me three pills and said:
“Let her swallow one pill now, the second before bed, and the third at dawn.” After this, you must come to me and tell me what effect the pills had on the patient.
With these words he left.
I did everything as the doctor ordered, but in the morning, when I had to give the last pill, blood gushed from the patient’s throat. I immediately ran to the doctor and told him about it. The doctor was extremely pleased with my news and, explaining that stagnant blood had come out of the patient, promised that she would soon recover.
Having thanked Allah for his mercy, I returned home, and, as soon as she saw me, the girl asked:
- O noble youth, do you have anything to eat?
I brought her food, and she tasted it, and a blush appeared on her face.
Little by little she began to get better, and one favorable day she completely recovered.
Soon the girl developed an interest in clothes and jewelry, and she became so beautiful that I could not take my eyes off her. Shocked and amazed, I was speechless and could not find the courage to confess my feelings to her. And she, as if sensing that I had fallen into a love net, said:
- O noble young man, I know the desire that gripped your soul, but I ask you to be patient a little longer. I will belong to you alone, for you saved me from certain death and awakened ardent love in me.
“O rarest of beauties,” I answered her, “do not please me with your promises, for only Allah knows what awaits me tomorrow.” “But in my heart I thought that it was still better to remain in hope than to experience hopelessness.”
On an auspicious day, while buying medicine for a sick woman, I met a healer. I often visited his shop, and we soon became close friends. One day he invited me to visit. And I was overcome by doubts about how I could spend the whole evening apart from my beloved. When I told her about this, she smiled and replied:
- If you go to a healer, try not to stay there for more than three days.
- Allah Almighty! - I exclaimed. - Every hour of separation from you is like death for me,
“Well, go ahead,” she said. - Just fulfill one of my requests first.
The girl asked me to bring paper and ink and, having written a note, ordered me to take it to the market and hand it to a tall, gray-bearded old man, the owner of a gold jewelry shop, and then, having received from him the item she needed, return home.
I took the note and took it to the jewelry row and gave it to the gray-bearded old man. Seeing a certain seal on that paper, he bent in a respectful bow and handed me a small casket. When
I brought it to the girl, she took a key from her bosom, unlocked the casket, and I saw that the casket was full of amazing jewelry. Having chosen several pearls, she handed them to me and said:
- Go to the city, buy a rich estate. Hire servants and make sure that they and their families have housing on that estate. When you've done all this, take me there...
After a week, everything was ready: a rich estate, the interior of which was decorated with carpets and lined with expensive vases, opened its doors to my sun-faced beloved.
“And now you are free and can go to visit the healer,” she said.
And I went to the witch doctor's shop. When I arrived there, the medicine man ordered his servant to bring two horses, and we mounted them and rode to his dwelling. When we arrived there, I saw that the healer was fabulously rich. The stable is full of Arabian horses, the servants are dressed in expensive dresses and belted with gold sashes. “How can I invite him to my place,” I was saddened, “after all, both he and his servants will laugh at my poverty.” So we entered the house. Soon musicians, singers and beautiful moon-faced dancers appeared. They played and sang, and then the butler brought cups of intoxicating drinks, and those cups were passed around. The drunkenness went to my head and I lost track of time. It seemed to me as if I had only been here for a day, but in fact the feast lasted forty days and forty nights. When the intoxication passed, I, having asked the owner’s permission, went home. I found the girl sad. Looking at me reproachfully, she said:
- O pretending to be in love, drive me out of your heart! For you, thorns and a rose, a nightingale and a raven, fire and smoke are equal. And she read the beyt:
Be able to distinguish good deeds from unkind and nasty deeds, because there are many insincere and hypocritical people in life,
I fell at her feet and began to beg for forgiveness.
- Oh beloved! My soul belongs to you alone! I am ready to sacrifice my life for you. My eyes may look at others, but in my heart I have only you. And I read the poems:
In the bright cups of tulips flaming around, The blackness of sadness is hidden - look, my gentle friend. For the years that I spent in a fog, forgive me, - I will live, keeping your image in my heart day and night!
So, after many passionate pleas, I with difficulty begged her forgiveness.
I am in the hands of a capricious woman - in her cruel power: She doesn’t drive me away, but she doesn’t let me die of passion.
After several days, the beauty who had captured my heart looked at me questioningly and said:
- O noble young man, do you know that custom commands that hospitality be returned with hospitality? You stayed with the healer for forty days and forty nights, and your treat in his honor should be no less rich.
- O most beautiful of the beautiful! - I answered. - Can I invite him to my place after his fabulously rich house? After all, he will laugh at my poverty!
“Don’t let this bother you,” the girl consoled me. “It’s your job to invite, and I’ll take care of everything else.”
After hearing these words, I went to the healer and asked him to come visit me in the evening. The healer agreed. I waited for him in the shop, and at dusk we mounted our horses and set off.
On the way, we saw a beautiful palace, like paradise, and wanted to pass by, but servants in rich clothes stopped us and said:
“You have come, gentlemen, because they are waiting for you in this palace.”
When I dismounted, several people ran up to me and, after paying due honors, invited me to follow them. The luxurious decoration of the palace left me in amazement. The healer and I sat down on a beautiful carpet, leaning on silk pillows. And immediately the musicians began to play, the singers sang and the moon-faced beauties began to dance. The sweet sounds of the tanbur burned my heart. I have never heard more tender melodies anywhere. My beloved threw such a feast that the feathers themselves would have been thrown into the ground. amazement. And a verse came to my mind:
If Allah wants to give wealth to his servant, even an ordinary stone brings wealth to him.
So we feasted until late, and I fell asleep next to my friend, the healer. At dawn, barely awakening from sleep, I found myself lying in my former poor house, and numerous servants and maids had disappeared along with the heavenly palace. In amazement, I rose to my feet and saw a dead healer on the floor with his severed head on his chest. I started calling for help, but there was no one in the house. Then I rushed out into the street. Here several horsemen stopped me, they dismounted and, having given me the due honors, addressed me with the following words:
- Glory to you, oh most worthy young man! From now on, the beautiful malika belongs to you. The sun of happiness has illuminated you, you are bathed in the rays of the moon, your sadness has turned into joy. You are destined to become the Shah's son-in-law.
They dressed me in rich robes, placed a crown on my head, seated me on a thoroughbred Arabian horse and took me with great honor to the Shah's palace. Entering the Shah's chambers, I saw him sitting on the throne. He hugged me warmly and pressed me to his heart.
“From now on you will be my son,” he said affectionately. “My daughter rightfully belongs to you.”
With these words, he seated me next to him and, turning to the viziers, ordered:
— Get ready for the wedding: decorate the city, treat everyone as expected.
As soon as he had time to say this, several viziers approached the throne and, bowing in respect, reported:
- O almighty Shah! Envoys arrived from the state of Zangbar. They demand that you accept them immediately.
The Shah was forced to agree. Then envoys from Zangbar entered. They duly greeted the Shah and presented him with gifts from their lord and a sealed letter. Having asked the permission of the Shah, the Vizier broke the seal and read: “With this message, I, Gaakh Zangbara, wish to inform Shah Suleiman that I have a son whom I love more than life itself. Having heard about the incomparable beauty of your daughter, my son fell in love with her with all his might. Her beautiful eyelashes, like arrows, pierced his heart, and he knows no peace day or night. Upon receipt of the gifts and this message, I ask you to immediately send your daughter to Zangbar, otherwise I will go to war against you and raze your possessions to the ground, and take your daughter away by force.”
Confusion reigned in the hall. The Shah turned to the wisest of the wise for advice, and they responded:
- O noble sir! The well-being of the country depends on your will. Reason commands that you send your daughter to Zangbar, and compensate this young man for the loss with rich offerings.
The Shah heeded their advice, and preparations for departure began. No wonder the poet said: The evil sky never unites those born for each other, - The wheel of fate has lost its way, and the soul burns and suffers.
After three days, the one who stole my heart was placed on a golden stretcher to be sent to Zangbar. And no one inquired about my sadness or remembered my loss. I made sure
that good is not always rewarded with good, that as soon as someone gets out of trouble, he immediately forgets his benefactor. Happiness turned away from me, and I sobbed bitterly. I was overcome with sadness, and I ran out of the palace and saw that the Shah’s daughter was about to be taken away. Tears flowed naturally from my eyes, but then a certain Ethiopian came up to me and said:
- Do you want to go with us to Zangbar? I will make you a friend of my shahzade.
And I said:
- I want to.
He brought the horse to me, and we set off. When I managed to get closer to the stretcher, the sobs of my beloved reached my ears. And then my soul was torn into pieces.
After a long time we reached Zangbar. The accompanying people went about their business, and the malika was taken to the palace. I was left alone. Suddenly, not far from the chambers assigned to Malika, I saw a small house. In response to my knock, an old woman opened the door.
-Who are you? she asked.
“I am a poor wanderer and I ask you to give me shelter.”
She invited me into the house and said:
- Oh young man! This night the wedding of Shahzadeh and Malika will take place in the palace. I will go there, and I will leave you at home with my daughter, because I am ready to consider you my son. <
The world darkened in my eyes, and, consumed by passion for my beloved, I fell on my face before the old woman.
“Oh mother, I pray you, take me with you to the palace, I dream of enjoying the sight of the wedding feast.”
- Have you lost your mind! - she exclaimed. “After all, this is the palace of the Shah, it is surrounded by numerous guards, and without the highest permission it is impossible to get there.”
With screams and sobs, I began to kiss her feet.
- Oh mother, I will give you a precious pearl. “I took the pearl out of my bosom and gave it to the old woman.
Greed showed on her face and she said:
- Oh my son! Dress in my daughter's dress, put a veil on your head and follow me. Somehow I will take you to the palace. After all, I am shahzade’s nurse, I am a second mother for him. I don't think anyone will dare stop me. “She sat me down in front of the mirror and began to blush my cheeks and darken my eyes, like a girl.
With generosity you can atone for all sins in advance, with cunning you can even force a lion to serve you.
Finally we went to the palace. When the old woman was asked who came with her, she answered that I was her daughter, who had long dreamed of visiting the Shah’s palace. And since this night the shahzade’s wish would come true, she, the old woman, wanted her daughter’s long-standing dream to also come true today. Some maids, believing the old woman’s fabrications, hugged and kissed me and said:
- Oh mother, it turns out you have such a beautiful daughter!
Soon I, along with several maids, entered the malika’s chambers. I saw her sitting on a richly decorated throne under a canopy. However, her face was sad, and I almost lost my mind with grief.
My heart sank, pierced by the pain of separation, as if a treasure was in front of me, but was not given into my hands.
I looked around the room, looking for a place where I could hide. And then I noticed a staircase leading to the balcony. I climbed those stairs and hid on the balcony. Meanwhile, a maid entered the room and ordered everyone to leave, because the groom was coming here any minute. And indeed, after some time
the groom appeared. Ugly as a diva, he was also drunk and could barely stand on his feet. When he was brought to the throne of the malika, he ordered the servants to leave, and he himself locked the door with a key and, hugging the malika, intended to lift his veil. Malika pushed him away and said with a feeling of disgust:
- O vile scoundrel, don’t you dare touch me!
Then the Ethiopian became terribly angry:
“Many beauties of the world would be happy to experience my favor, but you call me a scoundrel.” If so, I will act differently.
Having said this, he drew Malika to his chest. Malika, having gathered all her strength, escaped from his embrace. Then the Ethiopian became furious and began to tear her clothes.
- Oh Kasim! - Malika cried. - Hear my call, come to my aid.
I could no longer restrain myself, I rushed from the balcony into the room and, snatching a dagger, plunged it into the Ethiopian’s chest. He fell dead. I cut off the Ethiopian's head, placed it on his chest and exclaimed, turning to the malika:
- I'm here, dear.
Malika opened her eyes wide:
-Where did you come from?
“Don’t ask me about that,” I answered. Then he hurriedly wrapped the malika in a carpet, put it on his shoulders and hurriedly left the room. The people in the courtyard were busy with their own business, and no one noticed how I walked to the palace wall and, having climbed over it, left the palace. Arriving at the old woman’s house, I unrolled the carpet and saw my moon-faced self.
“Oh Kasim,” said Malika. - They will certainly find us here! What to do?
“We are at the mercy of fate,” I answered and led my beloved to the balcony. There we spent the night.
Morning has come. In the palace they were waiting for the groom to appear, but he was still not there, and no one dared to enter the malika’s room. According to the previous
After a long time, the servants finally dared to unlock the door, and then they saw that the groom was dead, and there was no trace of the bride. A terrible commotion arose. I had to tell the Shah about what happened. The Shah ordered to post guards at the city gates, search the roads, and search all the houses of the city.
Hearing about the highest command, the old woman began to tear out her hair.
“Oh, young man,” she rushed to me, “I know that you are to blame for this matter.” If malika is found in my house, then neither I nor you will be killed. It’s better that I hand you over to the Shah right away, maybe at least then they’ll spare me.
I fell on my face before the old woman and, sobbing, began to beg her for mercy. However, all my pleas were in vain. Then I realized that only money can help, and I gave her a handful of pearls and saw how greed flashed in her face, and she said:
- Whatever happens, cannot be avoided. The job is done and we shouldn't make a fuss. It would be better for me to stand guard at the door so that those looking for you and Malika do not enter the house.
She scratched her face and, rubbing her eyes red, sat down on the threshold. And her sad appearance aroused the sympathy of all passers-by.
Meanwhile, the Shah's people searched the houses of the townspeople and, finding no traces of the malika, headed to the old woman's house. The old woman, feigning deep sadness, said:
- May Allah judge you! Do you intend to look for the killer in my house? Is a mother capable of being an accomplice in the murder of her son? Or do you just want to rub salt in my wounds?
Her sadness was so majestic and natural that the guards, feeling repentant, passed by. And the old woman, overjoyed, ran to us and reported that the danger had passed. We thanked the Almighty and, after waiting until everything in the city calmed down, we began to get ready to set off.
“Oh Kasym,” Malika prayed to me, “we will go with you to foreign lands.” We may be poor, but we will be happy because we are together.
The whole city, the whole district learned about the strength of our feelings,
We see only the best in people in each other.
Let them reproach us, torment us, but together we are with you,
The law of love forever connected mine with your destiny.
“What is the happiness of life?” - I asked at the feast of our passion.
“Keep the sacred secret of love!” - the answer was a wine cup.
My heart bowed to hers and, without wasting any time, I procured two Arabian horses, stocked up on men's clothing for the malika, prepared supplies and everything needed on a long journey, and at dusk we left the city. Leaving behind many paths and roads, we reached the desert, and I said to my beloved: .......
O my life, the light of earthly joy - Your sadness is with me day and night!
- Until now, I don’t know your secret. Tell me, who hurt you, to whom do I owe meeting you? Why did you advise me to invite a healer to visit and how did he end up killed? Tell me the reason why I gained the favor of your father?
And Malika told me this story:
- Oh my beloved! Let it be known to you that I am the daughter of the Shah, that my father’s name is Suleiman, and that I grew up in the palace, and we had many servants. And among those servants there was a man closest to me and my father. I gave him money to open a shop and start selling medicines. And the Shah, my father, invited the wisest doctors to be his mentors. Soon that man became a healer, and all the fortune that you happened to see from him came to him with my help. So he became rich and revered by everyone and continued to be my friend. One day, when he visited me, he brought with him a vessel of wine. Having tasted that wine, I became cheerful and joyful. Then he lost his head and, turning to me,
said: “O beautiful malika! I pray you, make me happy with a love date! For many days now I have been consumed by love for you. And now I can't cope with her. If you don’t have any favor towards me, then find at least a drop of compassion in yourself.” Having said all this,” the malika continued, “he was about to hug me, but I sharply threw his hand away and threatened to immediately tell my father about everything so that he would punish him in a worthy manner. That same night, the healer and two of his servants secretly entered my chambers, beat me and, deciding that I had died, wrapped me in a carpet and threw me in the place where you found me. Allah has sent me a savior in your person, and I am your slave forever. Now listen to the murder of the witch doctor. When you invited him to visit, I went to my father and told him everything. He ordered his guards to immediately kill the healer and take you to the palace and reward you appropriately.
We were on the road for a long time, but we did not know where we would find our refuge. When we approached a deserted place, the malika retreated behind a large stone, and I immediately heard her heart-rending cry. I rushed there and saw that she had been bitten by a snake. I killed that snake, but I couldn’t help Malika. Soon, exhausted from pain and suffering, she died. My heart was breaking with grief. I started banging my head on the ground. I set the horses free and, sobbing, buried my beloved. However, man is stronger than iron, and he is destined to endure everything. And until my life is over, my love for Malik and my grief will always be within me.
Sultan Sanjar, having listened to the young man’s confession, was imbued with sympathy for him and said:
“Take off your Qalandar robes and tell me what you would like to receive from my wealth.” I'm ready to give you anything. Now I see that evil dominates life. The world is like a caravanserai, where people come and where they go.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru