excerpt from " Hoshruba: The Land and the Tilism"

[esercito sconfitto]

Of the Capture of the Lion of the Forest of Valor, Prince Asad and Queen Mahjabeen by the Foxiness of the Trickster Girls, and of Afrasiyab Imprisoning them; Of Mahrukh Magic-Eye Becoming the Queen by Amar’s Counsel and of their Encounter with Sorceress Khatif Lightning-Bolt; Of the Defeat of Mahrukh Magic-Eye’s Army and of the Tricksters’ Targetting Sorceresses Khatif Lightning-Bolt And Her Companions
Those held captive by the chain of narrative and bound in the discourse that augments the pleasure of the assembly capture this episode in these words, and imprison it thus in the writing of a fable:

The trickster girls Sarsar and Saba Raftar sped on their mission to capture Prince Asad. They crossed the River of Flowing Blood and arrived near Mahrukh’s camp.

Sarsar disguised herself as a macebearer. She carried a golden mace, wore a short-coat, and sported a turban pinned with a medallion worn with one end hanging loose. She made rounds of the camp looking for an opportunity to perform her trickery.

Saba Raftar dressed like a farm owner. She wore a knee-length waistcloth and a quilted coat, with a towel wrapped around her head.

The trickster girls found the camp a model of organization and discipline. The camp magistrate was busy making his rounds and the shops carried on their business in an orderly fashion. A brisk trade took place between smartly attired buyers and well dressed sellers. There was a bazaar before every pavilion and a constant traffic of commanders and sorcerers flowed in the passageways.

The trickster girls roamed in the camp in disguise until the World-Illuminating Wanderer109 finished his trek to settle in the land of the west, and the planetary fixtures opened and bedecked their shops in the field of sky.

Queen Mahjabeen Diamond-Robe adjourned her court after a long session and the commanders returned to their pavilions. Asad and Mahjabeen returned to the bedchamber in their private pavilion and sat on a luxurious couch. The trickster girls took up positions at the entrance of their pavilion and observed the Turkic, Calmuck Tartar and Nubian slave girls going about their daily tasks in and out of the pavilion.

Saba Raftar followed a Nubian slave girl and greeted her, saying, “I am a farm owner. The queen has raised my taxes and reverted the title for the land given me for my services to her. My case has been sent to the tribunal for Princess Mahrukh Magic-Eye’s decision. I would be forever grateful if you could put in a good word for me with the princess.” Then Saba Raftar offered a platter laden with fruit and several hundred gold pieces to the slave girl. She was most pleased by the false farm owner’s generosity and promised him she would intercede with Princess Mahrukh to have the case decided in his favor. She filled her pockets with the gold pieces and started eating the fruit. But the fruit was laced with drugs and in no time she dropped unconscious.

Saba Raftar carried the Nubian slave girl to a deserted corner, stripped her and put on her clothes and disguised herself in her likeness. She hid the slave girl there and entered Mahjabeen’s bedchamber.

In the meanwhile, Sarsar had marked another slave girl for her target. She approached the girl in the macebearer’s disguise and said, “Why did you curse and abuse the macebearers yesterday?” The slave girl answered, “You don’t know me, O pimp and wittol! Watch your tongue if you don’t want me to snatch your mace and have you severely rebuked by the queen.” The false macebearer caught the girl’s hand, saying, “I must take you to my officer.” As the slave girl cursed loudly, the false macebearer slapped her with a drug-filled hand. The slave girl fell unconscious.

She was carried by Sarsar to a deserted place. There, the trickster girl made herself into the girl’s exact likeness. She removed the unconscious girl’s clothes and put them on herself. After hiding the girl there, Sarsar also entered Mahjabeen’s bedchamber.

She saw Asad and Mahjabeen sitting beside each other on a luxurious couch, taking pleasure from the ambrosial assembly and each other’s company. The wine tray lay close at hand and they drank together. Melodious songsters of Venusian charm sang, and a jewel-studded bed was ready with all luxuries and comforts. Sarsar now disguised herself as a slave girl and joined the attendants and diligently performed any task given her. While Sarsar drugged the wine as she brought it from the cellar, Saba Raftar drugged the food she served in the Nubian slave girl’s disguise. Prince Asad and Mahjabeen were finally drugged. They struggled to rise and walked unsteadily to the bed where they dropped unconscious. Their companions and attendants, who had had the same drugged food and wine, also lost consciousness. Next Saba Raftar drugged the retainers and guards as well.