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Authors: Dr. Paul-Thomas Ferguson
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cittie, she was startled to find few holding to the philosophies of the Zelaznids, for most of this group had fled into the mountains some months previous, never to be seen again.
“N ot to be undone, this strong woman settled amongst what remained of her tribe and raise d her sons to have respect for their misunderstood father . Hazred, she explained, had not been mad ; he had merelie suffered from an inabilitie to relate , in the words of men , all of the things that he had seen.
“From this fount I spr u ng ,” concluded the traveler Abdul Hazred. “ N amed for my great ancestor, I learn ed the ways of both Abd-al-Hazred and Zelazn u . And f ollowing this , I went in to the desert in search of that cittie which my ancestor had seen. But this I did not find. At last, I walked to the land of Kush , in hopes that I might encounter the lost Zelaznids . This is how I came to be at the gates of Kabul.”
T
o all of this, Qutughai had listened with rapt attention. Once Abdul Hazred completed his tale, the governor-general spoke to the strange Arab with some measure of excitement.
“And have you discovered where the Zelaznid peoples have gone?”
“They live not seven days journie west of this place, in the village of Sang-e, upon a high hill. This I learned from a band of Hindus who stayed for some time with the Zelaznids, in a friendlie comparison of philosophies. Yet , I have learn ed that the warlords of Kabul oppos e the Zelaznids of Sang-e and seek to push them from their hilltop village. This is why I tell you to guard your speech whil st you are in these environs. ”
“Your guidance is most welcome, my friend,” replied Qutughai. “What is it that you mean to do?”
“I shall enter Kabul with the dawn and outfit myself for the journie. Then I will quit the partie of fellows with whom I have travelled for some few months and set myself on the road to Sang-e. Will you lead your people down this same path ?”
Qutughai stated his intention to do so , but would not commit his Salabadi followers without first putting the matter before them. The Mongol leader agreed to meet the Arab beyond the western gate once he knew the minds of his people, though he felt certain that none would object to seeking out the Zelaznids of Sang-e.
Returning to his encampment, the governor-general related to his excited people all that he had learned from Abdul Hazred. As expected, all assented to make the journie to Sang-e. Much relieved in his heart, Qutughai sought rest, for his fever had grown worse in the excitement.
With the coming of dawn Abdul Hazred entered Kabul and equip ped himself for ten days of travel, thus allowing for possible delay s . Once in preparation, the Arab took himself to the western gate to meet Qutughai and those Zelaznid kin who would accompanie them to Sang-e.
But Qutughai did not appear as arranged, leading Abdul to fear that spies had learned of the presence of these traveling Zelaznids and had moved against them somehow. The Arab ma d e his way to the lake encampment, where he found the Zelaznids gathered in sorrow around the bed of Qutughai, for the great governor-general could not be roused from his sleep.
It was soon determined that the train of Zelaznids must, with Abdul Hazred as their guide, make their way to Sang-e, carrying the ailing Qutughai in a litter. This they did, after equipping their part ie as best they could for the journie . Fol lowing the river west out of Kabul and into the hills for ten days , they came at last upon the village of S a ng-e.
After the passing of countless centuries, these two groups of Zelaznids stood together as one, and did much rejoice to be reunited one with the other. But their joy was muted, for Qutughai had not awakened since some four days past and all believed that he w as not long for the
“N ot to be undone, this strong woman settled amongst what remained of her tribe and raise d her sons to have respect for their misunderstood father . Hazred, she explained, had not been mad ; he had merelie suffered from an inabilitie to relate , in the words of men , all of the things that he had seen.
“From this fount I spr u ng ,” concluded the traveler Abdul Hazred. “ N amed for my great ancestor, I learn ed the ways of both Abd-al-Hazred and Zelazn u . And f ollowing this , I went in to the desert in search of that cittie which my ancestor had seen. But this I did not find. At last, I walked to the land of Kush , in hopes that I might encounter the lost Zelaznids . This is how I came to be at the gates of Kabul.”
T
o all of this, Qutughai had listened with rapt attention. Once Abdul Hazred completed his tale, the governor-general spoke to the strange Arab with some measure of excitement.
“And have you discovered where the Zelaznid peoples have gone?”
“They live not seven days journie west of this place, in the village of Sang-e, upon a high hill. This I learned from a band of Hindus who stayed for some time with the Zelaznids, in a friendlie comparison of philosophies. Yet , I have learn ed that the warlords of Kabul oppos e the Zelaznids of Sang-e and seek to push them from their hilltop village. This is why I tell you to guard your speech whil st you are in these environs. ”
“Your guidance is most welcome, my friend,” replied Qutughai. “What is it that you mean to do?”
“I shall enter Kabul with the dawn and outfit myself for the journie. Then I will quit the partie of fellows with whom I have travelled for some few months and set myself on the road to Sang-e. Will you lead your people down this same path ?”
Qutughai stated his intention to do so , but would not commit his Salabadi followers without first putting the matter before them. The Mongol leader agreed to meet the Arab beyond the western gate once he knew the minds of his people, though he felt certain that none would object to seeking out the Zelaznids of Sang-e.
Returning to his encampment, the governor-general related to his excited people all that he had learned from Abdul Hazred. As expected, all assented to make the journie to Sang-e. Much relieved in his heart, Qutughai sought rest, for his fever had grown worse in the excitement.
With the coming of dawn Abdul Hazred entered Kabul and equip ped himself for ten days of travel, thus allowing for possible delay s . Once in preparation, the Arab took himself to the western gate to meet Qutughai and those Zelaznid kin who would accompanie them to Sang-e.
But Qutughai did not appear as arranged, leading Abdul to fear that spies had learned of the presence of these traveling Zelaznids and had moved against them somehow. The Arab ma d e his way to the lake encampment, where he found the Zelaznids gathered in sorrow around the bed of Qutughai, for the great governor-general could not be roused from his sleep.
It was soon determined that the train of Zelaznids must, with Abdul Hazred as their guide, make their way to Sang-e, carrying the ailing Qutughai in a litter. This they did, after equipping their part ie as best they could for the journie . Fol lowing the river west out of Kabul and into the hills for ten days , they came at last upon the village of S a ng-e.
After the passing of countless centuries, these two groups of Zelaznids stood together as one, and did much rejoice to be reunited one with the other. But their joy was muted, for Qutughai had not awakened since some four days past and all believed that he w as not long for the
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