Long ages ago there lived in a district called Brschiss (1) a haughty,
turbulent man. As he feared no man and obeyed no laws, the Khan of
that country sent to him, saying, "Since thou wilt obey no laws,
thou canst not remain in my country. Get thee gone hence, or else
submit to the laws!"
But the turbulent man chose rather to go forth in exile than submit
to the laws. So he went wandering forth till he came to a vast plain
covered with feather-grass, and a palm-tree standing in the midst,
with a dead horse lying beneath it. Under the shade of the palm-tree
(2) he sat down, saying, "The head of this horse will be useful
for food when my provisions are exhausted." So he bound it into his
waist-scarf and climbed up into the palm-tree to pass the night.
He had scarcely composed himself to sleep when there was a great noise
of shouting and yelling, which woke him up; and behold there came
thither towards the palm-tree, from the southern side of the steppe,
a herd of dæmons, having ox-hide caps on their heads, and riding on
horses covered with ox-hides. Nor had they long settled themselves
before another herd of dæmons came trooping towards the palm-tree
from the northern side of the steppe, and these wore paper caps and
rode on horses wearing paper coverings.
All these dæmons now danced and feasted together with great howling
and shouting. The man looked down upon them from the tree-top full
of terror, but also full of envy at their enjoyment. As he leant
over to watch them, the horse's head tumbled out of his girdle right
into their midst and scattered them in dire alarm in every direction,
not one of them daring to look up to see whence it came. It was not
till the morning light broke, however, that the man ventured to come
down. When he did so, he said, "Last night there was much feasting
and drinking going on here, surely there must be something left from
such a banquet." Searching through the long feather-grass all about,
he discovered a gold goblet full of brandy (3), from which he drank
long draughts, but it continued always full. At last he turned it
down upon the ground, and immediately all manner of meats and cakes
appeared. "This goblet is indeed larder and cellar!" said the man,
and taking it with him he went on his way.
Farther on he met a man brandishing a thick stick as he walked.
"What is your stick good for that you brandish it so proudly?" asked
the turbulent man.
"My stick is so much good that when I say to it, 'Fly, that man has
stolen somewhat of me, fly after him and kill him and bring me back
my goods,' it instantly flies at the man and brings my things back."
"Yours is a good stick, but see my goblet; whatsoever you desire of
meat or drink this same goblet provides for the wishing. Will you
exchange your stick against my goblet?"
"That will I gladly," rejoined the traveller.
But the turbulent man, having once effected the exchange, cried to
the stick, "Fly, that man has stolen my goblet, fly after him and kill
him and bring me back my goblet! "Before the words had left his lips
the stick flew through the air, killed the man, and brought back the
goblet. Thus he had both the stick and the goblet.
Farther on he saw a man coming who carried an iron hammer.
"What is your hammer good for?" inquired he as they met.
"My hammer is so good," replied the traveller, "that when I strike
it nine times on the ground immediately there rises up an iron tower
nine storeys high."
"Yours is a good hammer," replied the turbulent man, "but look at my
goblet; whatever you desire of meat or drink this same goblet provides
for the wishing. Will you change your hammer against my goblet?"
"That will I gladly," replied the wayfarer.
But the turbulent man, having once effected the exchange, cried to
the stick, "Fly, that man has stolen my goblet, fly after him and
kill him and bring me back the goblet." The command was executed as
soon as spoken, and the turbulent man thus became possessed of the
hammer as well as the stick and the goblet.
Farther on he saw a man carrying a goat's leather bag.
"What is your bag good for?" inquired he as they met.
"My bag is so good that I have but to shake it and there comes a
shower of rain, but if I shake it hard then it rains in torrents."
"Yours is a good bag," replied the turbulent man, "but see my goblet;
whatsoever you desire of meat or drink it provides you for the
wishing. Will you exchange your bag against my goblet?"
"That will I gladly," answered the traveller.
But no sooner had the turbulent man possession of the bag than he
sent his stick as before to recover the goblet also.
Provided with all these magic articles, he had no fear in returning
to his own country in spite of the prohibition of the Khan. Arrived
there about midnight, he established himself behind the Khan's
palace, and, striking the earth nine times with his iron hammer,
there immediately appeared an iron fortress nine storeys high,
towering far above the palace.
In the morning the Khan said, "Last night I heard 'knock, knock,
knock,' several times. What will it have been?" So the Khanin rose and
looked out and answered him, saying, "Behold, a great iron fortress,
nine storeys high, stands right over against the palace."
"This is some work of that turbulent rebel, I would wager!" replied
the Khan, full of wrath. "And he has brought it to that pass that
we must now measure our strength to the uttermost." Then he rose and
called together all his subjects, and bid them each bring their share
of fuel to a great fire which he kindled all round the iron fortress;
all the smiths, too, he summoned to bring their bellows and blow it,
and thus it was turned into a fearful furnace.
Meantime the turbulent man sat quite unconcerned in the ninth storey
with his mother and his son, occupied with discussing the viands
which the golden goblet provided. When the fire began to reach the
eighth storey, the man's mother caught a little alarm, saying, "Evil
will befall us if this fire which the Khan has kindled round us be
left unchecked." But he answered, "Mother! fear nothing; I have the
means of settling that." Then he drew out his goat's-leather bag,
went with it up to the highest turret of the fortress, and shook it
till the rain flowed and pretty well extinguished the fire; but he
also went on shaking it till the rain fell in such torrents that
presently the whole neighbourhood was inundated, and not only the
embers of the fire but the smiths' bellows were washed away, and
the people and the Khan himself had much ado to escape with their
lives. At last the gushing waters had worked a deep moat round the
fortress, in which the turbulent man dwelt henceforth secure, and
the Khan durst admonish him no more.
"Thus the power of magic prevailed over sovereign might and majesty,"
exclaimed the Khan; and as he uttered these words the Siddhî-kür said,
"Forgetting his health, the Well-and-wise-walking Khan hath opened
his lips." And with the cry, "To escape out of this world is good!" he
sped him through the air, swift out of sight.
Of the Adventures of the Well-and-wise-walking Khan the sixth chapter,
of how it fell out with the Turbulent Subject.