To next page
Sheikh Bighami; Firuz Shah Namah
(1418 ) (The history of Firuz Shah)
-----------------------------------------------
Taken from; Bighami , Muhammad Ibn Ahmad - Hanaway, William L; Love and War : Adventures from the Firuz Shah Nama of Sheikh Bighami
Sheikh Bighami was a professional storyteller and the scribe who wrote it down was called Mahmud Daftar-Khwan in Tabriz.
Firuz Shah, young son of King Darab of Persia, dreams of a princess of Yemen, Eyn al-Hayat, and falls in love with her. He sets out with his companion Farrokh Zad, for Yemen to find the Princess Eyn al-Hayat. They meet and declare their love, but are soon separated. Firuz Shah is handed over as tribute to some Zanzibaris as a bribe to the King of Zanzibar in order to ward of an imminent attack by him.
Siyavash reprorts the events to King Darab.
As we neared Ta'izz we saw a group of horsemen hunting, and one of them was Eyn al-Hayat, the daughter of King Sarwar. When they saw that we were strangers, they asked us who we were. We told them that we were looking for two youths, one the prince of Iran, Firuz Shah, and the other the champion, Farrokh Zad. When the princess heard this she began to weep and said, the two youths whom you seek came to this kingdom and did many great deeds. When the prince of Kashmir, Shah Ruz, came to seek me with an army of seventy thousand men including thirty thousand Zanzibaris, these two youths defeated the army, killed the Zanzibari leaders, and performed many other great deeds without ever telling us who they were. Then they did something wrong and my father wanted to execute them but Shah Selim interceded, and they were put into prison. Later the King of Zanzibar arrived with an army of thirty thousand men seeking vengeance for the earlier death of his son here. They caused great devastation and my father was no match for them. He sent a lot of tribute to the Zanzibaris, and sent these two youths along too. The blacks took them back to Zanzibar and imprisoned them on the island of Fur, in the keeping of So'luk the Jailor. One of my merchants who arrived from there told me this. They are still there in bonds.
When I heart this, I returned to inform the King, while Behruz st off for Zanzibar to seek word of Firuz Shah and Farrokh Zad. That is the state of things at present.
When Darab heart this news from Siyavash, he sighed and began to weep...........
Heroes, warriors, generals, leaders, you must help me now. Raise an army to sent to Yemen. If my son has suffered harm, we will destroy Yemen and leave no single brick atop another. We will put the population from the King to the peasants to the sword and then go on to Zanzibar and do the same. If my son is unharmed, we will ask for this girl for him and teach Sarvar of Yemen how to behave towards princes......
Darab ordered troops to assemble from all parts of the kingdom and every day groups came until they formed battalions and regiments. If we try to raise the entire Persian army it will take a long time, Darab said. With the troops that are ready, the forty commanders and hundred and fifty thousand horsemen, we will set out. If we need more, we will send for them.........
When these arrangements were completed, the armies eyed each other angrily. The real men and the brave fighters were ready for the battle, and the cowards fled.....
(Meanwhile Darab traveled from Iran and joined the persian army in Yemen. Firuz Shah and Farrokh Zad, who had escaped and had raised an army in Zanzibar also arrived in Yemen to support the persians. Sarvar acquired reinforcements from Zanzibar, too. Tumar, King of zanzibar, riding his elephant, took the field personally against the Persians and killed several challengers.)
Tumar's blows struck fear in t he Persians' hearts, and nobody dared take the field against him. Farrokh Zad was about to ride out when suddenly from the right wing a horsemen appeared the likes of which nobody had ever seen. He rode a bay horse whose caparison was covered with Chinese mirrors and had a fringe of colorful silken tassels and silver bells. The horse had a face protector of steel on its head and a jewel-studded saddle on its back in which sad a youth, as straight as a cypress, in gold inlaid armor and helmet. He carried two Egyptian swords, one on his side and the other hanging below his stirrup, as well as a Kharazmian bow with poplar arrows, a heavy mace slung across the pommel of his saddle, and a silken lasso suspended from a saddle trap. He wore greaves and brassards; a steel shield was slung from his belt. Thus he appeared on his thoroughbred, wide-hooved, pointed-eared, elephant-bodied, lion-maned, wind-fast, fiery, bay horse. He rode about the field flourishing his weapons and leaping about to the wonderment of both sides, who had never seen anyone to match his manliness, agility and skill.
Who is this who appears so impressive? Asked Darab.
It is the Prince of persia, Firuz Shah, answered Teytus, and Darab thanked God for giving him such a son.
As Firuz Shah approached Tumar the Black, he gave a fearful shout which shook the ground. Tumar was amazed. Who are you to come to the hero's field like this? he asked. Has Death grabbed you by the collar and dragged you here? Tell me your name now so that you don't die unidentified.
You wretched, babbling black, how dare you ask me my name. I am Firuz Shah, Prince of Persia, the killer of Zanzibaris.
Well, stupid, how are you going to escape my clutches? Shouted Tumar drawing forth his mace. I am going to finish you off right now.
Firuz Shah put up his shield, and Darab trembled for his son. Don't worry, said Teytus, for God will protect him.
As they were thus trading insults, Tumar applied the hook to his elephant's head and drove toward Firuz Shah. Waving his great mace, he shouted, if you were the whole of Mt. Alborz I would flatten you; if you were of cast steel I would melt you with the fire of my club. He held the club in both hands, swung it around his head and brought it down on Firuz Shah. The prince was holding his shield over his head with both arms straight and putting his trust in God. Tumar struck the shield with all his strength, a blow that would have raised dust from the ocean or pulverized a mountain. The club stuck fire from the shield, but Firuz Shah's arms and hands did not budge an inch nor did he turn pale.
That is Firuz Shah, said Helal, and Sarvar praised his strength.
When Tumar saw that his attack had failed, he bit a chunk out of the back of his hand in frustration and attacked again. This blow was even more easily warded off.
Why does Firuz Shah give the enemy this kind of opportunity? Asked Darab.
He does it to show you his strength and endurance, answered Teytus.
As they were talking, Tumar delivered another blow harder than the last, such that both armies could hear the sound of it. The heroes hearts quailed, but Firuz Shah took it even more lightly. Tumar, enraged, attacked again with his club, Our custom is to attack three times, then receive three attacks, said Tumar.
Let's see what you can do, answered Firuz Shah, putting up his shield.
Darab cried, Send someone to the field to ask my son how long he can stand the blows of this wretch.
Behruz went out but by the time he arrived Tumar had stuck and Firuz Shah had taken the blow.
You have already taken four blows from this scoundrel, and nobody else can take more than one. Now it is time for you to show your skill, called Behruz.
Go back now, said Firuz Shah to Behruz, for right now I am about to finish off this miserable black.
Firuz Shah drew his sword, stood before Tumar and shouted, Scoundrel, you have struck four times. Now take one blow.
Tumar raised his shield and Firuz Shah attacked like flood and fire. Charging at Tumar, he stuck with all his might against his shield with his death dealing sword, so that the sword cut the shield in half in Tumar's hands. The cutting edge of the sword sliced through the armor and mail on Tumar's shoulder, parted the flesh, shattered the bones, and dropped one of Tumar's arms on the ground like a fallen tree. The blood gushed, and Tumar groaned as he turned his elephant to flee. There is no escape now, shouted Firuz Shah as he charged up behind Tumar, and with one blow of his sword he cut off the Zanzibari's head.
A roar arose from both armies. Darab ordered them to beat the drums announcing good news, and everybody, friend and enemy, praised Firuz Shah's strong right arm. When Tumar's army saw this, some thirty thousand blacks attacked at once and surrounded Firuz Shah. The Prince applied his sword to the attackers, and his own force of Zanzibari's attacked Tumar's army. As sixty thousand blacks fell on each other, many from Tumar's force were killed or captured.