Once upon a time there was a Shah. And he had his only and beloved son, and his name was Melik.
One day Melik was riding along the seashore and suddenly saw: the groom and Kechal Mamed (the hero of Azerbaijani fairy tales, smart, resourceful) were arguing about something, using their fists. Melik galloped up, separated the disputants and asked:
- Why didn’t you share it? Why are you picking on each other?
The fighters caught their breath a little, and the groom said:
- My lord, it was like this. I stood on the shore and saw some kind of chest floating on the sea. I threw myself into the water, with difficulty pulled out the chest, and then, out of nowhere, Kechal appeared, shouting that he was the first to see and that’s why the chest was his. So we had a fight.
Melik scolded the fighters, gave each a high five, and took the chest for himself. He drove and drove and suddenly thought: “Let me open this chest and see what’s in it. Maybe I’ll figure out why it was thrown into the sea.”
No sooner said than done. The prince opened the chest and saw that there was another smaller chest inside. He opened this chest, and there was another box. There is a paper scroll in the box. Melik unfolded it and read: “Whoever wants to understand the secret of true friendship must visit the fortress of the three old men.”
The Shah's son read this message, went to his father and said:
- O light of my eyes, father and sovereign! Let me go on a long journey. The Shah was surprised:
- What are you thinking, son? Where are you going?
Melik did not want to tell his father about the mysterious find, but he insisted so much that in the end he told about the groom’s quarrel with Kechal Mamed, and about how he took the chest from them, and about the strange message. In response, the Shah laughed:
“So that’s why you decided to go to distant lands.” No, son, a person should not believe everything he hears. You can't chase every bird. Some fool scrawled empty words, and you are ready to heed his advice. No, I won’t let you roam the world alone. I have no one but you, and I don’t want to part with you. Live at home. The whole country is at your service. Isn’t it possible to learn the secret of true friendship here?
The prince became sad and tried to persuade his father, but he was adamant. Having achieved nothing, Melik left his father. And he went straight to the chamber of sorrow. There was such a room in the palace. If any of the Shah's associates had any trouble, they would come here and shed bitter tears. Everything here was black - the walls, the ceiling, and the floor. Not a single ray of light made its way here.
Melik put on all black and didn’t go out for a whole week. He languished, grieved, and his tears blurred the ink on the scroll.
After talking about the journey, the Shah waited a long time for his son to come to dinner, but he never came. Melik didn’t show up in the morning either. The Shah became alarmed, called all his servants and sent them in search of the prince.
They searched the palace and garden, looked into every corner, sent out heralds, but no one could find the fugitive. Finally, when a week passed and a new one began, the Shah’s son was found in the upper room of sorrow. They immediately let the sovereign know. He called his vizier and went with him to see his son.
Melik met them pale and dejected. The Shah, who had forgotten about the mysterious letter in his excitement, was surprised to see some paper in his son’s hands and asked:
- Son, what’s wrong with you, what’s your grief? What is this you are holding in your hand?
Melik fell on his knees in front of his father:
- O light of my eyes, father and sovereign! I asked your will to go on a long journey to find out the secret of true friendship, but you did not allow it. This refusal saddened me so much that I could not restrain myself and came here to cry out my grief.
The Shah persuaded his son for a long time, promised him mountains of gold, promised to fulfill any other desire, but only begged him not to leave. Alas, everything was useless. Melik insisted that he did not need anything, just to find out the secret of friendship. Finally, after consulting with the vizier, the Shah decided to release his son, giving him one hundred soldiers to accompany him.
The cunning vizier proposed an insidious plan.
“We will tell the soldiers to gradually leave the prince one by one.” In the end he will be alone, scared and come back.
And so they did. The next day, the Shah's son, saying goodbye to his father, left the palace. A hundred brave warriors followed him on hot horses.
They had just reached the high road when Kechal Mamed came across them.
The prince stopped his squad and turned to him:
- Listen, Mamed, there was a scroll in the chest that you found. Some unknown person wrote that anyone who wants to know the secret of true friendship must go to the fortress of three old men. So I went in search of this fortress. Come with me.
Kechal thought and agreed:
- Okay, just wait, I’ll tell my people. Mamed asked his father for permission, said goodbye to his mother, who put barley bread in his khurjin, and caught up with Melik.
They set off. They walked for a long time. Suddenly Melik turned his head and saw that they were left alone, and all the warriors had quietly disappeared somewhere. Kechal Mamed turned his horse across the road and asked in fear:
- How can we go alone, without an army? What can we do there alone, without soldiers, without weapons. Come on and we'll be back.
Melik began to boil with anger:
“I see, brother, you don’t mind running away.” Well, come back, I'll go alone.
People say it right - all kechals are sharp-witted and quick-witted. Mamed looked at the prince and said:
“Oh my lord, don’t forget that if anyone is destined to find this place, it’s only me.” I'll go with you.
And they continued on their way. They drove and drove, sometimes little by little, sometimes a lot, stumbling all the way, sometimes with questions, sometimes without asking, when suddenly they saw that their food supplies had run out. Melik was saddened:
-What should we do now? There is nothing to eat, we will die of hunger.
But Kechal waved his hand carefreely:
“My mother put some barley bread in my khurjin. Let’s eat it, and then we’ll see.”
He took out a loaf of bread and cut into thick slices. Melik winced. He had never eaten such hard bread in his life.
They set off on the road again. They walked day and night and finally reached a high, high mountain. They crossed it, and a wide valley, all strewn with flowers, opened up to their eyes. Yes, so beautiful that even the flower garden in the Shah’s garden could not compare with her. Each flower shimmered with a thousand colors, the head was spinning from the heady aroma. Nightingales were singing in the branches of the trees, there were partridges, pheasants, quails, parrots, and peacocks with bushy tails. In the distance, herds of deer and gazelles ran timidly.
In the middle of the valley stood a palace made of gold and silver bricks. Its towers went into the clouds. The palace was surrounded on all sides by a high fortress wall, the very sight of which inspired fear.
- How beautiful it is here! - Melik said admiringly. -If only I could stay somewhere...
But Kechal Mamed did not share his enthusiasm:
“It’s too early, my lord, to talk about staying.” I don't like this place...
And as if to confirm his words, they had not yet reached the fortress walls when a terrible roar was heard. It seemed to the travelers that the sky had fallen to the ground. At that same moment, the gates of the palace swung open, and two huge hands appeared from nowhere. One threw Melik off his horse, the other lowered Kechal Mamed to the ground. The same hands, moving on their own, grabbed the horses by the bridles and led them to the fortress, putting them in the stable. Only here the travelers, not one step behind the horses, stopped and looked around. It was a large stable, like a town square. Hands appeared again and gave the horses food. Then the same hands led Melik and Mamed to the palace, so magnificent and luxurious that their father’s palace seemed to the prince a miserable hut.
There were still no people in sight. As if through the air, a bowl for ablution and towels floated to the tired travelers. A tablecloth appeared on the table, and on it there were a hundred different dishes, each tastier than the other. The guests were amazed at where all this came from. But they did not indulge in thoughts for long. Both were very hungry and began to eat. When they had eaten their fill, the mysterious hands appeared again and removed everything from the table. Then they took Melik and his friend to the bedchamber. Here the guests undressed without hesitation and lay down. The Shah's son, accustomed to comfort and bliss, fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. But Kechal, cunning and smart as a fox, slept with half an eye, sensitively listening to the slightest rustle.
It was already well after midnight when Mamed saw the doors to the room open. Three old men came in wearing huge black turbans, long black robes, and black shoes with sharp, upturned toes. One old man held a black book in his hands, another carried a heavy black staff, and a curved saber with a black hilt was hung from the belt of the third. The old man with the saber spoke first:
- There’s no need to think for a long time. Cut off their heads and that's it. Allah forbid, our secrets will be revealed.
The old man with a book in his hands objected to him:
- One of these young men is a prince. If we kill, the Shah will send an army against us, and we will die. Kechal Mamed is not destined to die yet.
- What should we do with them? — the old man with the staff asked in confusion.
The old man with the book, apparently the wisest, answered:
- Since they came to us and asked us for shelter, it is our duty to help them.
Before he had time to utter the last word, Mamed jumped out of bed and fell to his knees:
- Oh old man, do not refuse us your help. We are going to find out the secret of true friendship. Please indicate
we have a way.
The old man extended his hand over him and said:
- Oh, young man, we were angry with you, we wanted to execute you, but since you ask so much, since you are begging for help, listen and remember. Get up at dawn, just light. Get on your horses and go straight along the road, on the right side. You will meet a fox. But this is not a real fox, but an old witch. From morning to night she sits at the crossroads of seven roads and watches everyone who passes. She tries to find out from everyone by hook or by crook where he is going and why. Be careful not to trust her with your secret, otherwise woe to you... As soon as you move away from the fox, get off the horses, remove the horseshoes from them and put them in reverse. Because this cunning witch, having failed to find out your secret, will begin to pursue you. And if you shoe your horses with upside-down horseshoes, she will go the other way and lose your trail.
A little further you will meet a small bird. Each of her feathers is painted with a thousand colors. Don't you dare kill her! She's enchanted. Give her some food and move on. All the way to the sea you will not encounter any more obstacles. But you won’t be able to cross the sea on your horses. Remove the saddles and harness, release the horses into the forest. On the shore you will see a huge black stone. Underneath it you will find the bit. Throw one end into the water. Immediately a horse with three legs will come out of the water to meet you. Both of you get on it, it will take you to the other side. Just look - the stone, although small in appearance, weighs a thousand pounds. You don't have the strength to move it. Stand near the stone and say: “Oh black stone, you fell from heaven, the earth helped you, now help us.” The stone will immediately become lighter, you will be able to lift it and take the bit. On the other bank you will see exactly the same stone. Remove the bit from the horse and place it under a stone. Don't worry about the horse. He cannot walk on land and therefore will return to the sea. Also near the stone you will find iron shoes and staves. Put on your shoes, take your staffs in your hands and step forward. You will walk until your shoes wear off and your staff wears off. This is where you stop. Immediately an old woman will appear in front of you, give her money and she will show you the place you are looking for.
As soon as the old man uttered the last word, all three disappeared, and Kechal rushed to wake up Melik. He slept like the dead. Finally he raised his head and shouted angrily:
- Eh, why did you wake me up? What a dream I had!!! If you were in my place, you would never wake up...
But Kechal Mamed, not paying attention to the shout, calmly said:
“My lord Melik, you were lucky that you were asleep and didn’t see anything.” If you only knew how the old people scared me.
-What kind of old people are you talking about? - Melik asked in surprise.
And then Kechal told him everything he saw and heard. Only in one thing did he sin against the truth. “The bird,” he said, “must be shot.”
It’s not for nothing that people say that there is no one in the world more cunning than Kechal. He thought: what if they argue along the way and Melik, confident that he knows everything himself, will drive him away and get to the place they are looking for. It’s better that Melik doesn’t know everything.
Then Kechal demanded that the Shah’s son promise to obey him in everything on the road. They swore eternal friendship and sealed the oath with blood.
At dawn, as soon as it was light, Melik and Kechal, as the old man ordered, went out and headed to the stable. But the same hands that met them yesterday were already holding the saddled horses at the gate. The friends mounted their horses and set off on their journey.
As the old man predicted, they soon met a fox. She ran next to them and spoke humanly. No matter how much I tried to persuade them, no matter how much I begged them to tell me where they were going, what they were looking for, nothing came of it. Our fellows only laughed at the cunning witch in response, but did not reveal their secret. We drove off a little, hid behind a tree and looked back. The fox fell behind. Then they dismounted, reshod their horses and rode on.
Whether it was a long or short journey, they finally met a bird. Melik immediately tore the bow from his back, pulled the string, and wanted to shoot an arrow, but Kechal grabbed his hand. The prince asked in surprise:
“But you yourself said that the bird we meet on the way must be shot.” Why don't you let me do it now?
Mamed jumped off his horse and fell on his knees in front of the Shah’s son:
- Oh my lord Melik, forgive me. It's all a damn trick. It's her fault that I lied to you. The old man ordered not to touch the bird, but, on the contrary, to feed it.
Melik got angry, but then still forgave Mamed. They moved on. They walked in silence for a long time until they reached the sea itself. They dismounted, unsaddled their horses, and released them into the forest. Mamed stood next to the black stone and repeated the words that the old man taught him: “O black stone, you fell from heaven, the earth helped you, now help us.” Indeed, the stone became so light that Mamed lifted it with one hand and with the other took out the bit hidden there. And at that very second there was such a roar as if the sky had fallen to the ground. The sea became agitated, boiled, and a horse with three legs jumped out of the water. Kechal Mamed immediately threw the bit on him and pulled him towards him. The horse resisted and tried to break free and return to the sea, but that was not the case. Kechal held tightly. The two of them jumped onto the broad back, the horse rushed into the abyss and in an instant took them to the other shore. As soon as Mamed took off the bit, the horse immediately jumped into the sea and disappeared from sight. And Kechal hid the bit under a black stone, as the old man ordered, and began to look for forged shoes. They were right there, nearby.
Melik and Mamed put on their shoes, took iron staffs in their hands and walked. Along the valleys, along the rapids, where there is a halt, where there is a pass, then around, then directly, a day is a journey, a dream is a moment. Suddenly they noticed that the shoes had holes in them and the ends of the staffs were worn away. Know if they got to the place they were looking for. They looked around and saw a hut standing nearby. They headed there. Just as they were about to knock on the door, an old woman came out to the threshold. Melik looked into her kind eyes and said:
“Grandma, we are tired and hungry on the way, won’t you let us spend the night?” The old woman sighed:
“I have a lot of space, son, stay, don’t mind.” But I have nothing to feed you.
- It's not a problem, grandma. There would be somewhere to sleep. And it's not hard to find food.
He took a large ruby out of his pocket and handed it to the old woman:
- Here, take it. Exchange money from the money changers and buy something to eat.
At the sight of such a huge ruby, the old woman’s eyes widened. But she didn’t say anything and went to the city to see a merchant she knew. She gave him a stone and said:
- Brother, take this ruby, give me food and money in return.
The merchant examined the stone and immediately realized that the old woman alone could not carry away so much money. Therefore he said:
- Go get the big guy, you can’t handle it yourself.
The old woman thought that the merchant was laughing at her, but she went, and thought to herself: “He says, I need to bring him, I will bring him. But if this wicked man laughed at me, I will teach him a lesson so that he will remember his whole life.”
But the merchant did not even think of joking. When the old woman returned with the big man, he loaded two huge bags onto the poor man - one with money, the other with food.
She brought the big man home, he put the sacks in the house, received money for his work and left. Melik and Mamed rushed to eat the food, and when they had eaten, they thanked the old woman, and Kechal said:
- Listen, grandma, we have one thing to do. If you help us, we will give you so many precious stones that you can’t count them.
The old woman laughed in response:
- Where should I put them, son? What you have already given is enough for me. Tell me better, how can I help you?
“We came here to find out the secret of true friendship.” You can recognize her in the enchanted fortress of three old men. And only you can show this place.
The old woman laughed:
- But that’s where you came from. The fortress where you spent the night with three old men is that very place. Melik was surprised:
“Why did they send us here, why didn’t they tell us about their secret?”
“My children, I can’t tell you this now. You will meet old people again. And then they will reveal to you the secret of true friendship. Now go to the outskirts of the city. There you will see a tall house. Two inseparable friends live in it - Ahmed and Mamed. Maybe you'll find out the secret there.
Melik and Mamed walked for a long time until they passed the entire city. On the very outskirts they saw a shepherd with a flock of sheep. They approached him:
- Brother shepherd, maybe you know where two inseparable friends Ahmed and Mamed live?
- How can you not know? — the shepherd responded willingly. “It’s their sheep that I graze.” Do you see this tall house there, in the distance? They live in it.
The friends went straight to the house that the shepherd showed them and knocked on the door.
Ahmed Melik opened the door, bowed and said:
“We are strangers, we don’t know anyone in this city.” Could you shelter us for one night?
Ahmed opened the doors wide:
“It’s the most honorable place for guests.” Please come in, you are welcome.
He led the guests into the front room and sat them down on the carpet. We talked about this and that, then the servants served various dishes, one better than the other. But no matter how Ahmed tried, no matter how much he persuaded, neither Melik nor Mamed even touched the food.
- Why don’t you want to taste my bread? - Ahmed finally asked offendedly.
Then Melik decided to reveal the purpose of their arrival.
- Brother, we came here to find out the secret of your friendship with Mamed. Until you reveal this secret to us, we will neither drink nor eat.
- Oh guest, why did you need my secret? Tell the truth. If you don’t say it, you won’t learn anything from me.
And Melik told Ahmed about everything that had happened to them, about how they found the chest, about the letter that was in it, about the fact that the Shah did not want to let him go, and about all the adventures along the way.
Ahmed took pity on his guests and said:
- Yes, my brothers, you have gone through a lot. Now listen to me. When I was young, I had a lot of friends. Every day I feasted with someone. That's how he lived. One day my father said to me: “Son, I see that you have a lot of friends, but have you ever tested them?” I shrugged and replied:
“No, father, I didn’t. Why? I already know that they are my faithful friends. Don’t you see: they come to me every day, amuse me, don’t let me get bored, I haven’t seen anything bad from them.” But the father did not let up: “Son, you are still very young, you cannot call everyone who smiles at you a friend. They are all friends while there is plenty of money in their pockets. Now
We have prosperity, we are rich, and they, like flies, flock to honey. Most of them come from eating, from drinking. Do you think they really love you? And you try to test them. Find out what’s in their hearts.”
My father's words sank into my heart. One fine day I killed a ram, put it in a bag and tied it with a strong knot. When evening came, I shouldered the bag and went one by one to all my friends. I knocked on the first door. My friend came out. I lowered the bag to the ground and said:
"Today a big trouble happened to me. I killed the Shah's ram, and, as luck would have it, his most beloved one. If the Shah finds out, they will hang me. I have the ram in the bag now, help me hide it." The friend furrowed his eyebrows and looked away: “Sorry, brother, we drank and ate together more than once, but I can’t fulfill your request. A ram is not a needle, you can’t hide it. I’m afraid the Shah will find out, I won’t be able to blow my head off then.”
I begged my friend for a long time, but he was adamant and finally slammed the door in my face with the words: “Listen, leave me alone! I really regret that I became friends with you. And now, let alone be friends, I don’t want to know you...”
So, with a bag over my shoulders, I walked around all my friends. I was greeted, as always, warmly. But as soon as I told him what was going on, all the doors slammed and I was driven out. That night I knocked on thirty-nine doors, asking thirty-nine friends for help. And not one of them even let me in.
Saddened, I was returning home and suddenly remembered that an acquaintance of mine lived in a small house near the road. We weren't close and I wanted to pass him by. If the friends with whom I drank and caroused day and night did not want to shelter me, would this person talk to me? But still, some voice whispered to me: “Knock! Test him too.” And I, cursing the shaitan, went to the door. The owner himself responded to the knock. I timidly greeted him and said:
"I have a great misfortune. I accidentally killed the Shah's ram, and now I can't find a place to hide it. Can you help me?" He thought for a moment and sadly shook his head:
“Of course, it’s very bad that you killed someone else’s sheep, especially one from the Shah’s flock. But now nothing can be done. As they say, what will happen will not escape. However, you are in danger, and I must help you. We cannot allow you to die because of some sheep.”
He returned to the house and a minute later reappeared with a large shovel. “Let’s go,” he said. “Let’s bury the sheep on the outskirts of the city.”
We walked for a long time. I was falling off my feet from fatigue - after all, during that evening, with a bag on my shoulder, I walked around almost the entire city. My companion suddenly stopped and said: “You are probably very tired, let me carry the ram.” I didn’t want to give him the bag, but he forcibly took it from me. Finally we reached a small ditch. Here we dug a hole, put a bag of sheep in it and covered it with earth.
“Let’s deepen the ditch a little,” my friend suggested, “then the water will flow right over the hole, and no one will even think that there might be something buried here.”
No sooner said than done. We dug a little, so that the channel of the ditch changed slightly, and water flowed over the place where the ram was buried. When it was all over, I thanked my friend and returned to my home. The next morning I went to him again to thank him again. I didn't find him. They told me that he went to some guy’s wedding. This man, whom I knew very little, turned out to be my only friend. I wonder if he can keep a secret? To make sure of this, I also went to the wedding. All the most notable people of our city gathered there. I entered the room and saw my new friend in the place of honor. Right from the doorway I shouted: “Damn you, wicked one, go to hell, come on, go out into the yard and see what I will do to you.” He didn’t even raise an eyebrow and calmly answered: “Don’t shout, Akhmed, go home. Even if you hit me, even if you cut me, I still won’t tell you what the water is flowing over.” Hearing these words of my friend, I believed once and for all that my new friend was as reliable as a rock, that he would never reveal secrets or betray me.
From that very day I doted on Mamed (I forgot to say that my new friend’s name was Mamed). We spent all our time together and became so attached to each other that we could not live apart for an hour. But happiness never lasts forever. It so happened that Mamed had to move to another country. He sold all his property, took his father and mother and moved away.
Years have passed. My parents died. I became poor, I had no friends, no relatives, only one sister. We lived poorly, surviving on bread and water. I looked everywhere for a job, but couldn't find anything. Then I took my sister and we went to seek our fortune around the world. The money we had was gone, our clothes were worn out. We wandered from city to city, hungry, ragged, having lost all hope. So we came to this city and I
I accidentally found out that my friend Mamed lives here. We haven’t eaten anything for several days, my sister is completely exhausted. I decided to find my friend Mamed and borrow at least some money from him. It was with difficulty that I found out where Mamed’s house was. I went there and just met him at the door. He was leaving somewhere with his wife. I called him aside and quietly said: "Brother, trouble befell me, and I came to this city, where I have neither home nor relatives. Lend me some money." To my surprise, Mamed didn’t even look at me. He took out a handful of change, put it in my hand and left. Such a cold attitude offended me, I wanted to return his money, but I remembered that my sister was dying of hunger, and I humbled my pride.
My sister and I spent that night in the caravanserai. When we went out early in the morning, a woman and a girl approached us. “Son,” said the woman, “you look like strangers. It seems to me that you have nowhere to live. We have seven rooms in the house, and all are empty. Come with me, you will be my children. We will all live together, like one family.”
Her invitation surprised and even a little alarmed me. I knew that finding shelter in these parts was not so easy. Maybe she wanted to lure us into a trap? But what could she take from two ragamuffins? We didn't even have money to pay rent. But the woman spoke so kindly that my sister and I agreed and went with her. From that day on, the woman looked after us as if we were her own children. And my sister and I helped her with household chores as best we could.
One day I was going to the market, and suddenly some old man stopped me: “Son, I owe your father two purses of gold. Only now I found out that he died and his children live here. Take this money, it’s yours.” I didn't want to take the money. But the old man did not lag behind, he had to put his wallet in his pocket. At home, I gave money to the woman who gave us shelter. So we lived, calmly and happily. And one fine day I met Mamed at the bazaar. I wanted to pass by as if I hadn’t noticed him, but he called out to me: “Ahmed, are you offended by me?” What could I tell him? “Of course, I’m offended. You don’t look like a person who is faithful in friendship. When I asked you for money, you didn’t even look at me, didn’t ask how I was living. Is that what friends do?” Mamed frowned: “Everything you say is true, Ahmed. I gave you money without looking at you. It is so. But I did not betray our friendship. I spoke to you as if you were a stranger, because you looked like a beggar and my wife would not believe that such a ragamuffin could be my friend. But then I sent my mother to you, and she took you as her son. And a little later I sent your father to you, and he gave you two purses of gold.”
My guests, you know that it was true. I understood my friend, and from that day our friendship grew stronger. We were never separated again. That's it.
When he finished his story, it was already dawn and the roosters were crowing. Melik and Kechal Mamed thanked Ahmed, mounted their horses and set off. They walked day and night. Along valleys, along rapids, where there is a halt, where there is a pass, then around, then straight ahead, a day is a road, a rest is a moment. To get to their homeland, they had to cross seven countries of seven shahs. And we also had to go between two mountains. Forty robbers lived on one of them, and they robbed and killed everyone who appeared in these places.
When Melik and Kechal approached the ill-fated mountain, the patrolmen of the robbers noticed them, attacked from all sides, and surrounded the travelers. They had sabers and began to fight back. The robbers saw that they could not defeat Melik and Mamed, and they sent to the ataman with the news that, while you were sitting there, two foreigners were killing your people. The ataman ordered all the robbers to mount their horses. And bring the strangers alive or dead.
Melik and Mamed saw that forty robbers on fast horses were rushing toward them, and they realized that they could not resist. They spurred their horses and flew like birds. And the robbers are behind them. Suddenly Mamed’s horse stumbled and fell. While Kechal was raising his horse, the robbers overtook him, grabbed him, twisted his arms and took him to the chieftain. He ordered the prisoner to be thrown into prison, and three days later to cut off his head. But while Mamed is languishing in prison, let's see what happened to Melik.
When the robbers surrounded Kechal, Melik managed to escape. He galloped for a long time, he didn’t know how long. Finally he galloped to the meadow, but then, overcome by fatigue, he slid off his horse, let him go to graze, and lay down under a tree. But this meadow, unfortunately, was the reserve of the mighty Shah. Before Melik had time to fall asleep, the guards saw the horse, caught Melik and took him to the palace. The formidable ruler was informed that some wanderer had violated his order and allowed his horse to graze in the reserve. The Shah was angry and ordered the newcomer to be put in a dungeon for thirty-nine days, and on the fortieth day to build a gallows in front of the palace and hang him. Melik was not even explained what he had done wrong, and he was imprisoned.
Meanwhile, Kechal Mamed managed to look around in his dungeon and saw that he was not alone. A young man was lying in the corner. He was breathing heavily and irregularly. Stopping every minute, he told Mamed that he came here seven years ago on the orders of the Shah. Since then he has never seen white light.
That night the young man died. And Mamed took off his clothes, put them on himself, and dressed the dead man in his suit and sat him in the corner. He himself, pretending to be dead, stretched out at the door. Morning has come. The guard brought the prisoner some stew and saw that one had died. They wrapped him in a mat, put him on a cart and took him to the top to throw him into the abyss.
On the way, Kechal, of course, slipped out of the mat unnoticed and ran away. But none of the robbers ever knew anything about this. Because the arobnik, who discovered that he had lost the “dead man,” was afraid to tell anyone about it.
And Kechal, slipping off the cart, walked day and night, without stopping, until he reached the country where Melik was languishing in captivity. He entered the city and heard heralds proclaiming that a man would be hanged in the city square. Together with all the townspeople, Mamed went to the square. In the middle of it stood a throne on a high platform. The Shah sat on the throne, surrounded by viziers, and executioners stood at the ready below. Melik stood in front of them under the gallows with his hands tied. Mamed saw this and shuddered, but was not taken aback. He prostrated himself before the Shah and said:
- O mighty Shah, I know a lot about the man you are going to hang. This is the worst of the bad guys, let me hang him myself.
The Shah was surprised, but graciously allowed:
“Tell me, young man, what you know about him.” If your words please me, I will fulfill your request.
Kechal Mamed smiled slyly and said:
- O great and mighty Shah! This infidel is the son of the Shah. He came here to kill you and seize power. You made the right decision to hang him. And I also want to tell you this: this dog and the son of a dog once swore that he would hang you on the gallows on horseback.
The Shah was surprised:
- On horseback? How is this done and what is it?
Mamed prepared an answer in advance:
- Oh check! Order a good horse to be brought, and I will show you what it means to be hanged on horseback. We will immediately kill two birds with one stone: I will show you a new method of execution, and we will hang him, so that you know how to plot evil against the mighty and great Shah.
The Shah really liked Mamed’s words. He ordered the best horse to be brought. The servants rushed to the stable, and a minute later a slender white horse pranced across the square. Kechal Mamed gave a sign, the executioners put a rope around Melik’s neck, lifted him and put him on a horse. Mamed, with a saber in his hands, jumped onto the same horse, spurred it and, riding straight to the gallows, said to the executioners:
- Pull the ropes tighter. I will jump back, and Melik will hang in the noose. This method is called hanging on horseback.
Before he could close his mouth, the executioners pulled the ropes. At the same moment, Mamed cut the ropes with a sharp saber and spurred the horse so that it flew like a bird. When the Shah realized what was happening, made a fuss and demanded that the fugitives be caught and brought in alive or dead, it was already too late. The entire army of the Shah gave chase, but could not overtake Mamed and Melik, who safely reached the seashore.
Mamed dashingly jumped off his horse, approached the magical black stone, blurted out a spell in one breath and took out the bit. As soon as he threw them into the water, a horse with three legs came out of the sea, the travelers jumped on his back and swam across the sea. Only at that moment did the Shah’s soldiers see them, but they could not swim across the sea.
Meanwhile, Mamed hid the bit under a black stone on the other bank. The friends walked a little forward and saw their horses grazing peacefully in the meadow. They jumped into their saddles and set off. Whether it was a long or short drive, we finally reached the castle of the three old men. And again the two hands took the horses to the stable, and the guests to the palace, served them dinner, and prepared the bed. And again the travelers did not meet a living soul.
Melik was so tired that he fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. Mamed’s eyes were also drooping. He was afraid that he would fall fast asleep, so he cut his finger and sprinkled it with salt.
Long after midnight the doors opened wide. Three old men entered. The first was holding a black book in his hands, the other was holding a heavy black staff, and on the belt of the third was a curved saber with a black hilt. Just like that time, the old man with the saber spoke first:
“Let me kill them so that, Allah forbid, they don’t reveal our secret.”
The old man with the book resolutely objected:
“It seems you will always be cruel.” The poor fellows have barely learned the secret of true friendship, and you want to kill them.
Kechal could no longer remain silent. He jumped out of bed, fell on his knees in front of the old man with the book and said hotly:
- O wisest of the wise, we have learned friendship: do you want me to tell you?
The old man smiled:
“Don’t bother, son, don’t tell us, we already know this secret.” Mamed was surprised:
- But if you knew this secret, why did you send us to such a distance?
“Oh my son, if the secret had been given to you without difficulty, if you had not experienced all the hardships of the path yourself, our words would have been in vain.” That's why we sent you there. Now go in peace, live happily and in harmony, like Ahmed and Mamed.
Melik and Kechal Mamed thanked the old men and set off on their way back.
They walked from dawn to dusk and finally reached their country. The Shah, having learned about the arrival of his son, came out to meet him. The feast lasted seven days and nights in the palace. The Shah fed all the poor and crippled, and gave Mamed a beautiful palace.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru