Fairy Tales

The complete review's Review:

Muhammad 'Ali Naqib al-Mamalik was a naqqal -- a storyteller -- at the court of Nasr-ed-Din Shah (ca. 1831-1896). It was he who told the story of Amir Arsalan to the Shah, night after night -- but it was apparently the Shah's daughter, Fachr-ed-Douleh, who transcribed it and is thus responsible for preserving Naqib al-Mamalik's wonderful epic.

Amir Arsalan is a modern Persian classic. It has remained wildly popular in Iran for the past century, but it was only in 1961 that Mohammad Dja'far Mahdjoub edited and presented a definitive text, far superior to the simpler versions that were all that was available until then.

A German translation was published in 1965, but this classic tale has apparently never been translated into English (or French). (The German version has apparently also been out of print for decades.) It's a shame: this is a marvelous adventure novel, of universal appeal. It is also an interesting literary-historical curiosity, a product of what was still an oral tradition yet easily passing as a novel, an interesting bridge between old Persian tradition and modern Western influences (with which Nasr-ed-Din Shah, who travelled extensively though Europe, was certainly very familiar).

The first part of Amir Arsalan takes place in the "Orient and Occident". The story begins with Cairo merchant Chadsheh No'man setting out for India. On the voyage there his ship passes by an island, and he stops there. He finds a beautiful if disheveled woman there; it turns out she is the Banu of Malekshah, the ruler of Rum (Constantinople/Istanbul). Rum was conquered by King Patras, a European invader, and Malekshah killed. The Banu was taken prisoner, but wound up on this island as she was being transported to Europe.

No'man falls in love with her and abandons his journey to bring her back to Cairo with him. It turns out she is pregnant (with Malekshah's child), but when she gives birth No'man eagerly passes off the child as his own. He names the boy Arsalan -- meaning: 'Lion'.

The child is immensely gifted, learning not only Arabic and Persian, but also seven European tongues. Bored with his studies by the age of thirteen, he also develops into a great hunter and warrior -- leading, soon enough, to him impressing the Egyptian khedive with his courage and prowess.

The arrival of a Western envoy at the Cairo court brings great change. He has been sent by King Patras -- the king who conquered Rum and killed Arsalan's real father. The king reveals Arasalan's true identity , and demands that the boy, his mother, and No'man be delivered to him -- or else soldiers will invade and lay waste to the city.

Arsalan, acting as interpreter at the court (since he is among the few that understands the foreigner's words) is outraged, angry both at No'man (for keeping the truth about his royal ancestry from him) and the presumptuous foreign envoy. The envoy gets killed, and his countrymen can also do little against the angry Egyptian mob: of a hundred from the foreign ship only one survives.

To prevent King Patras' wrath coming down upon Egypt (once he hears about this unfortunate turn of events), Arsalan suggests that he, the true object of Patras' anger (now more than ever), leave the country. He wishes to go reconquer Rum -- and that's exactly what he does, easily routing the Western forces there and assuming the throne that had been his father's.

All goes well for Arsalan -- until he comes across a painting of a beautiful princess, in whom he falls hopelessly and head over heels in love. Who is she ? None other than Farokh Lagha, King Patras' daughter .....

Arsalan can't leave well enough alone and be satisfied with ruling Rum. Even the oft-consulted astrolabe warns that any adventures in the Occident don't look at all promising.