Meeting II

Kurroglou executed all the articles of his father’s will. After having buried him in the sacred soil of Mushad, he went towards Aderbaidjan, and passed through Kuchan, desirous of performing this journey quite alone. In vain was he cautioned that the roads were infested by the celebrated brigand whose name was Daly Hassan; the young Kurroglou took no notice of the danger, and proceeded on his journey. After having travelled for some days, he stopped at a menzill to have his horse fed, just at the time when the brigand, Daly Hassan, had arrived there with some of his band. Kurroglou seeing some horsemen riding towards him, put on his coat of mail, and, thus armed, bestrode his Kyrat, and rushed on them. As soon as Daly Hassan saw this movement, he burst into a loud laughter: “The whole world resounds with my glory, and does this poor devil dare to cross my way? Hast thou not then heard of my name, that thou art so bold as to venture into places frequented by me?”

Kurroglou answered: “Wretch that thou art! heretofore thou hast only fought with mere lambs; thou dost not know as yet what it is to combat with a ram.” Daly Hassan then ordered his men to take hold of Kurroglou: but he went on saying,—‘-Listen to me, thou hair-brained one. My father, at his last hour, enjoined me to fight in the Turkish manner.” “How is that?” asked Daly Hassan. Kurroglou then sang this stanza:—

Improvisation.—“The white-footed horse thou bestridest shall pay me thy ransom. Oh! why do we not fight to-day?”

Daly Hassan then said, “Dost thou not see, rash fool that thou art, dost thou not see my forty horsemen? each of them, on the day of battle, can face his enemy. How then canst thou pretend to struggle alone against me?” In saying these words, he examined Kurroglou’s horse, and became enamoured of it. “Make me a present of thy steed, and I shall forbear from shedding thy blood.” The answer he received was the following: “Listen, thou fool, to what I shall sing to thee.

Improvisation.—“Let thy army be drawn and divided into batallions; but even then, let not thy pride be exalted on account of its numbers. Alone as I am, I defy four hundred, yes, five hundred of thy men to come forward and meet me. Oh! why do we not fight to-day?”

Daly Hassan smiled maliciously: Kurroglou went on—

Improvisation -—“Mjf words have offended thee; thou laughest at them, miserable scoundrel; now listen to me again.

“Show me the man who can bend my bow; the man, who, like a ram, could butt at my shield with his head. I can grind steel between my teeth, and then spit it towards heaven! Oh! why do we not fight to-day?”

Daly Hassan then exclaimed: “Is not this rascal presumptuous; not content with encountering two or three of my men, he must needs fight with them all? Shallow, shuffling impostor!”

Kurroglou replied: " Thou art a coward; no noble blood flows in thy veins!” This said, he raised himself in his stirrups, and sang as follows:—

Improvisation.—“The colt foaled by a jade will not make a good horse. In vain wouldst thou preach and recommend valour to a coward, he will not profit by thy speech. Let this word of Kurroglou be engraven on the core of thy heart. Numberless as ye are, ye can do nothing against a brave man like me.”

Upon a sign of Daly Hassan, all his band fell on Kurroglou. The latter unsheathed his sword, and accepted the battle. The struggle then commenced. The souls of twenty robbers had already been dispatched to hell by his incessant blows, when the nineteen that remained took to flight across the desert. Daly Hassan was left alone. When he saw the defeat of his men, he w as transported with fury, and rushed upon Kurroglou. The latter parried the blow with his shield, and, at the same moment, thrust his adversary between the shoulders with his sabre. This blow unhorsed him, and brought him to the earth. Kurroglou then raised a shout like the cry of the eagle, and, dismounting from his horse, seated himself on the breast of Daly Hassan. He drew his poignard with the intention of cutting off the head of his foe, when Daly Hassan began to weep. “Miserable bastard, that thou art!” exclaimed the conqueror. “Is this the silly woman that passed under the name of ‘the brave,’ and was, for seven years, the scourge of the traveller in this country? Coward, thou sheddest tears for the sake of a spoonful of blood!”

Daly Hassan besought him in these words:

Invincible warrior! It is true, that for seven years my inroads have laid waste this country, but I have sworn, before God and myself, to serve faithfully the man who shall throw me on my back; yes, henceforth I shall obey thee as a slave purchased with gold.”

At these words Kurroglou felt himself touched by pity: he removed his hands, raised himself, and stood over his prostrated foe.

“’ ’ hat is the name of my new master?”—“Kurroglou.”

Hear me now, Lord Kurroglou: during the seven years of my robberies I have gathered" such riches as can be found only in a king’s treasury. From this day the whole of it shall be thine.”

“Arise, and show it all to me. Where is this treasure?” Daly Hassan then led the way, and brought him to the entrance of a grotto excavated in the declivity of a rock. Arrived there, Kurroglou dismounted from Kyrat. Daly Hassan humbly took the bridle in his hand, and, after having led the horse into the interior of the cave, he fastened it at the spot selected by Kurroglou himself. He then acted as a guide to his new master, to whom he shewed all his property. Kurroglou was so well pleased with the place, that he resided in the cavern for several months. He increased the riches already hoarded, by the pillaging several caravans, in company with Daly Hassan; and then he had an opportunity of witnessing the fidelity of that man, who not only showed great zeal in serving him, but also enrolled, under his master’s orders, seventy-seven other brigands. Then, at the command of Kurroglou, having loaded a considerable number of camels and mules with the spoil, they pursued their journey towards Aderbaidjan with so much activity that they soon reached its frontiers, and arrived on the mountains of Kaflankouh.

At that place Kurroglou left all followers behind, and, accompanied by Daly Hassan alone, he went on in search of a place that might serve them for a safe retreat. The place that pleased him best was Gokcha-pull, a beautiful meadow, included in the possessions of the district of Karadag. He dwelt there for a long time. The report of some bold achievements, by which the first days of his stay in that place were distinguished, soon spread in the neighbourhood. Every man of courage, and every one desirous of making his fortune, hastened to place himself under the banner of the new-comer. He treated them all like a father, and paid them so liberally that each of them could fill the hollow of his shield with the pay he received from Kurroglou. In a short time he saw himself at the head of seven hundred and seventy-seven men, when the governor of Aderbaidjan became greatly alarmed at the proximity of a foe possessed of so much power. He forwarded to Kurroglou the following message:—“Who art thou, and why didst thou come hither? If thou art desirous of repairing to the presence of the Sovereign of Iran, go to him, but thou must not remain here. If thou hast anything to communicate to me, I shall hear thee, that 1 may know what it is.”

Kurroglou was not afraid of the governor, but he remembered his dying father’s command not to revolt against the shah of Persia. The governor’s messenger was, therefore, kindly received by Kurroglou, and dismissed with the promise that in a few days he would pass into the Turkish territory. On that occasion he gathered his seven hundred and seventy-seven desperadoes, for whom he improvised the following song:—

Improvisation.—“The hour of departure has arrived. Whoever will follow me into Kurdistan, now let him be ready! The man whose lips are wont to drink in the cup of valour, let him follow me! I will have no cowards. Accursed be their infamous race! Those who can tear to pieces the shroud of death,—let them follow me!”

At these words all the seven hundred and seventy-seven brigands prostrated themselves and exclaimed: “O Kurroglou! we care not for death. Wherever thou goest, all of us will follow.” Kurroglou then improvised for them as follows:—

Improvisation.—“O my brave aghas! let us be ready to sacrifice our cherished souls on the field of battle. Whoever can drink blood like wine from the hollow of his sword’s handle, let him follow me! Remember Kurroglou’s words. The time is come: the army of Islam is powerful. War is but a wedding banquet. All those whose hearts are void of care, let them follow me!”

Having delivered this answer, Kurroglou left the meadow of Gokcha-pull, followed by his seven hundred and seventy-seven warriors. Journeying from one menzill to the other, the band came to the valley of Gazly-gull, situated in the vicinity of the town of Khoi. The advanced guard informed the chief that at a short distance from the spot where they then were, a rich merchant had been seen, taking his afternoon’s sleep, attended by a numerous band of servants. According to the report of the scouts, the chests laden with his merchandise, which had been taken off the backs of the beasts of burthen and piled together, formed by themselves quite a huge mountain. Kurroglou immediately addressed his commands as follows: “My brave soldiers,—my friends! I am not a king, and therefore have no treasures. But as I have engaged you in my service, I must find you enough to eat, and I must furnish you with something to drink occasionally.” So saying, he gave his orders, and a few moments afterwards all the riches of the merchant’s caravan were in the hands of the robbers.

In the mean time it was reported to Hussein- Khan, governor of Erivan, who was a Kajjar by birth, that an adventurer, arrived from God knows where, had posted himself on the frontier-line between Persia and Turkey, and, as a token of what his designs for the future might be, had pillaged the caravan of a rich merchant. This khan repaired without delay to Gazly-gull at the head of fifteen hundred horse. Kurroglou’s scouts saw them approach, at a good distance, and, after having counted them, hastened to make their report to the chief. “My madmen, my souls!” exclaimed Km roglou, “fear nothing: with the help of God, and the heavenly mediation of the pure essence of Aly’s soul, I shall disperse them in an hour.” His band then armed themselves with the greatest care. Kurroglou, leaning upon his lance, at the head of his brave followers, quietly awaited the approach of Hussein-Aly-Khan. This chief halted at a short distance, having first dispatched the following message to Kurroglou: “Whence dost thou come, foolish man? How darest thou to establish thyself on the boundary of two empires, and to stop the way against their respective subjects?”

“I have not touched thy treasures, Serdar,” replied Kurroglou, “neither have I sacked thy villages,—think of it!” “Ho there! my children,” shouted Hussein-Aly-Khan, “take hold of him!” Kurroglou said: “Serdar, hear me! I am wont to sing some verses in the heat of battle. A song has just come into my mind,—listen to it first, and we shall fight afterwards.”

“Sing, if thou art so disposed,” rejoined Hussein- Aly-Khan. Kurroglou then brandished his bow in the air, and, throwing it across his shoulders like a shoulder-belt, he began to improvise the following song:—

.Dnhu tnr. Snell i the lump given in Persia to the followers of Kurroglou/IoiL Improvisation.—“Here is the truth of truths: listen to it, my Serdar. I am the angel of death,— behold, here is Azrail‘1. My eyes are as fond of the colour of blood as those of an executioner, or an assassin. Yes, I am come to tear away the souls from the bodies,—here I am, the true Azrail Yes, we shall soon see whose skull, whose entrails will be first searched by the blade of the dagger. This very day thou shalt quit this world. Here I am, like a true Azrail. I come to tear the souls away from their bodies.”

The vizir of Aly-Khan, who listened with attention to these violent invectives, spoke to his master and said: “I should not advise you to measure yourself with this rash fool.” Hearing this, Kurroglou’s anger was raised, and he went on:—

Improvisation.—“O my agha, my vizir! what have I done to thee? All I did, was it not done in friendship? I shall raise thee to the rank of thy own master’s executioner! I am Azrail,—behold, I am coming to tear the souls away from your corpses.” Aly-Khan then said:—“Foolish man! thou utterest all that, passes through thy mouth; but I have the means of punishing thee.” Upon this, Kurroglou sang as follows Improvisation.—“Now I shall teach thee the vigour of my arm. I shall teach thy foes how to laugh, and thy friends how to mourn. Behold in me Azrail, the extirpator of souls!”

The khan commanded his men to seize upon Kurroglou, whilst the latter shouted on his men:— “My souls, my youth, now let us strike!” And then at their head he rushed in the thickest of the battle, towards the centre of the enemy’s army. The gore trickled from the sabres, whilst shrieks and the neighing of horses rose to the skies. The defeat of the serdar was soon apparent. Kurroglou killed all that deserved death, and pillaged all that was worth the trouble of being taken, His followers obtained an immense booty. Those who were spared by the sword fled in all directions, and a few of the fugitives went to the Shah himself.

But Kurroglou and his band did not remain any longer at Gazly-gull. He left this post, and went to settle finally at Chamly-bill His glory could not fail to reach the neighbouring countries. From all parts presents and money were sent to him.