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Oh, wine-bearer,
bring me a cup of your exquisite wine,
It is for the thirsty a spring giving water divine.
I feel all aflame and my thirst rouses terrible pain,
O bring me some wine, let me drink till no remnant remain.
Bardaa!…what a beautiful country! a wonderful
sight:
In spring and in winter the flowers are flagrant and bright,
In summer the tulips and poppies with scarlet tints glow,
In winter the breezes of spring-tide carelessly blow.
The verdant and soft rustling forests are numerous here,
Surrounded by springs that are welling, melodious and clear.
The fields are adorned with thick willows of emerald green,
The gardens resplendent - fairy-land never yet seen.
The pheasants have built for their brood in each cypress a nest,
The ptarmigans coo, and the partridges sing there with zest.
And flower-beds slumber in silence, perfuming the air;
The lands of this country are free from all worry and care.
The sweet smelling greens in all seasons here sprout and abound,
Here flourishing nature is bountiful all the year round.
The birds to this country flock always to nest and to feed,
Here all, even pigeon milk, is to be found, if you need.
The soil of this country is verily nothing but gold -
As if the saf-flowers were blooming, so fair to behold.
Wherever you pass through the verdant and prosperous places
You witness the ease of existence and bright happy faces.
A garden as lovely as this one is not to be found,
Nor also a land like Bardaa, where these riches abound.
An eminent narrator tells us a wonderful
lay,
A lay that in eloquent wording survives to this day:
The fair Nushabaa reigned here - queen
of this land superfine,
A patron of feasts rich in delicate sweetmeats and wine.
This female jeyran would have none of the masculine race,
And rivalled the gorgeous pheasant in beauty and grace.
An eloquent talker, unyielding, and wise and sincere,
In figure a goddess, with temper of kindness and cheer.
A bevy of comely young maidens surrounded the Queen,
They stood in a round and created a picturesque scene.
Besides them, the Queen had trick-riders and many a knight,
Great numbers of warriors presented a marvellous sight.
Although they were men in attendance, the prop of her reign,
Yet none of them ever set foot in her private domain.
The kingdom was governed by women with masterly skill,
To men she would never in person give word of her will.
The women were able and clever in action and pan,
And managed affairs by themselves with the help of no man.
Men housed in the outskirts, ne'er settled to live near their Queen,
And chose for their homesteads vast meadows, delightfully green.
In fear of her wrath none would venture to enter the town,
They loved Nushabaa for they knew of her wondrous renown.
Whenever she ordered to corvee the men would forsake
Their homesteads to labour, all ready to die for her sake.
When King Iskander with his legions appeared in the land,
The tents of her warcamps were countless, her army well manned.
He saw here a country of luxury, joyful and free,
The crops were amazing, the rivers a wonder to see.
He questioned the people: "Whose country of beauty is this?
And who is the sovereign who reigns in this country of bliss?"
They answered: "These riches, these confines you hardly can span,
Belong to woman, in courage exceeding a man,
A beautiful woman, in fearlessness resting secure,
Surpassing in beauty the pearls of the sea, and as pure.
No person can equal this woman in wisdom and might,
The support in the masculine armour, her foes she defied,
She comes of the House of the brave Keyani, that's her pride!
She wears no Caucasian hat, but the crown of a queen,
A chieftain is she, though her soldiers she's never once seen.
Her numerous slaves are undaunted, the best of their race -
But none of these soldiers caught ever a glimpse of her face.
The Queen is surrounded by women, full-bosomed and fair,
With them she is apt to take counsel where men have no share."
The Shah Iskander was surprised and well
pleased with the story,
And wished to set eyes on this woman of beauty and glory.
He witnessed the wonders around him that made him aware
That this was a country unique, of prosperity rare.
The king Iskander thought it pleasant to stop here and rest,
They stayed and made merry - the sovereign himself and the rest.
The Queen was informed that an alien army was here,
That King Iskander had come down as a friend to her sphere.
The soul of the Padishah burst into bloom
with desire
To meet this wise woman, to study her country entire,
To learn from the Queen of her secrets that made her great land
Yield fruits of the choicest, her forests and pastures expand,
And what were the bounds of this kingdom so vast to the view,
And whether the stories of all that he learned here were true.
They brought Shabdizaa, golden-shoed and the best of his breed,
'Twas morning. The sun of the Universe mounted his steed,
And all was prepared in advance for his trip to the Queen,
He went as an envoy the news he so longed for to glean.
As soon as the fane came to view with its walls tall and wide -
He stopped and dismounted to rest from his tedious ride.
The palace with towering arches appeared to his eye
So tall and so mighty, they seemed to be kissing the sky.
The maids of the Queen saw the envoy sent here by the Shah,
And ran to inform of this startling event Nushabaa:
"The camp of the eminent Shah has emitted a ray -
He honours our country by sending his envoy today!
He comes to Your Majesty, worthy and handsome and wise,
With news of his King that would make him sublime to your eyes.
Himself oh! so clever, polite and exceedingly fine,
He looks like a lamp that was hit by our Maker Divine!"
The Queen gave the order to clear and to deck her domain,
To clean and straighten the roadways that led to her fane.
Her ladies in waiting put on their most gorgeous array,
The palace was smothered with flowers, voluptuous and gay.
The maidens of honour wore jewels, had musk-scented curls,
Their gowns were of silk decorated with diamonds and pearls.
The Queen, like a pheasant tripped lightly, with infinite grace,
And wondrously bright, as a lamp, was her pure, smiling face.
She mounted the throne and sat down, like a goddess arrayed,
And held a fine orange, tradition most strictly obeyed.
She ordered servants, as custom demands, to invite
The envoy of note to present himself to her sight.
Her faithful attendants were ready the Queen to obey,
They hastened her will to the envoy at once convey.
The "envoy" walked fearlessly in, without any constraint,
He mounted the throne - this brave lion, devoid of all taint.
Contrary to custom he kept on his belt and his sword,
And made no low bows as an envoy, this eminent lord.
He noticed the wisdom and grandeur, and fathomed their price,
A picturesque palace, built really to daze and entice!
He noted the stir and the bustle, the court maidens' grace,
The perfume of amber and musk, the content on each face.
The glittering jewels that decked them so dazzlingly bright,
Reminded the Shah of the stars on a dark moonless night.
The brilliant reflection of jewels on maiden and dame
Seemed likely to crown Iskander with a halo of flame!
It seems that the ocean itself, and each diamond mine
Had sent their best valuables here in her palace to shine.
The envoy's unseemly behaviour had outraged the Queen,
Who became very angry at what she had seen.
She thought: "He knows nothing of what our customs exact,
No notion has he how an envoy's expected to act!
This poor ignoramus should duly be kept in his place,
His negligent manner toward us is perfect disgrace!"
But, watching attentively, suddenly doubt stirred her mind,
She probed him like gold to find out what hidden behind.
She looked at him, guessed that himself Iskander Shah was there,
Made place for the King on her throne, glad her honours to share.
She guessed Iskander had behaved so by way of joke,
And, wishing his presence beside her, Her Majesty spoke:
"Be welcome, a chieftain, be welcome,
o great Iskander!
How quaint, you yourself are your envoy, come here from afar.
My sensitive heart has divined it. I see it this way:
Your royal demeanour and manners a sovereign betray.
No envoy are you, but a king, am I right, I demand?
No envoy are you but a sovereign to rule and command!
Your proper informant - your sword is the enemy's fear -
Unsheathe it before me, no other would dare, that is clear!
But it in my presence you draw it - your rights you exceed,
It means violating the bounds of convention, indeed.
Your sword will not help you, speak not of its valorous might,
Find other excuses to make yourself fine in my sight.
You come as a guest, but my nets draw around you secure,
Just think of it, think and reflect - you are not yet mature.
My luck brought you here, to my throne, to my land and rich and gay,
Long live this fair Luck that smiles down on my people today!"
Her words were sincere, and her heart beat
with joy in her breast,
Her throne, decorated with crystal, she left for the guest.
"My throne is your own, famous Shah, on this throne take your seat,
No place for two rulers to sit thus enthroned, 'this not meet!
From chess you must know that two kings with each other contest,
Their conflict is painful, of wit and endurance a test."
The beautiful Ruler stepped down from her sumptuous throne,
And honoured the Shah with the offer to make it his own.
Like somebody's bride, on a plain golden chair she sat down,
And said: "I am surely your slaveling on whom you may frown!"
The heart of the giant was thrilled by the speech he had heard,
He flushed and he paled, was excited by gesture and word:
He thought: "The sly queen, though a woman, has thought out her plan,
She seems to be able, and brilliantly wise, like a man!"
He mused, and reproached himself now for
the fault he had made
Of putting himself in the power of his royal maid.
If ever a knight made attacks on her land - 'twas in vain -
The dragon would capture him duly, and that was quite plain.
If ever a singer sang songs no composer had made.
The gay kamanchah [1] would make fun of his voice thus displayed.
So plunged in a reverie grievous, deploring his fate,
He scolded his nature, his conduct, his error so great.
Deep grief overwhelmed him; with patience this grief would he meet,
He bowed the proud head held so high, and acknowledged defeat.
The Queen gave the word to her maidens to honour the guest
By gracefully decking the tables with all that was best.
The feast should be worthy in food and in wine of the King,
Most savoury dishes the maidens were ordered to bring.
Her servants obeyed her, their bustling about never ceased,
They ran to and fro, and prepared a most wonderful feast.
They brought in great dishes of mutton and lambmeat of choice,
The bread was in loaves, newly baked, for the heart to rejoice.
The tables were laid near the palace and reached to the gate,
The dishes were flavoured with saffron and ambergris.
The pies, richly covered with sesame, buttered and sweet,
And everything seemed as most fine and delectable meat.
And bullocks, well roasted, and all kinds of delicate fish,
A bull with the sphere on his horns, lying low on the dish,
And lambs settled gravefully, seeming so glad, beyond words,
As if they grew wings in their strange exultation, like birds.
And jams most delicious and syrups with lemon, made sweet,
The almonds, pistachios, nuts were a pleasure to eat.
Some food smelt of ambergris; the taste of such savoury wealth
Could help a poor sickening man to recover his health!
And almond halvah in great blocks; so much food all around,
That vessels enough to contain it could hardly be found!
The sherbet was flavoured with rose water, flagrantly fine,
You took just one sip and it tasted of ambergris, like the best wine.
Besides this the Queen placed in front of her throne, made of gold,
A panel, exceedingly polished and rich to behold.
Four cups were displayed on the panel before Iskander:
One cup held red rubies, the second gold ore, bar on bar,
The third cup held pearls, in the fourth glittered sapphires rare,
Thus showing her riches, she honoured her guest with her care.
As soon as the people were brought to a sociable mood,
And mouths were planning to swallow the excellent food,
The Queen murmured thus: "Oh, I beg you, most eminent Lord -
Partake of the viands that are spread on this welcoming board!"
He answered: "O beautiful woman, I blush at your word:
For all that you told me just now is so very absurd:
Here, lying before me, are stones of a value most rare,
But can you digest them? Why offer uneatable fare?!
And man with a mind, can he eat of the stones here displayed?
His stomach will never accept them, if even well paid!
But treat me to food that would flatter the stomach at once,
To victuals that, temptingly, offer the hand to advance."
The Queen was amused, and she laughingly said to the Shah:
"If valuable stones cannot nourish a being so far,
Then jewels are useless, and really of very small need,
But why all the efforts to own them, with fever and greed?
If really these glittering jewels as food cannot serve -
Then man, due to them, cannot rise in the world with much verve.
I duly acknowledge the fact that a stone is no food -
But why do we labour to get it? This must be tabooed!
We clear away stones from the road, a good pass to afford,
Then why all the stones that are precious so well do we hoard?
We try to collect them, we dig with avidity great,
But eat them we cannot, they lie in a quite useless state.
If you, mighty Shah, have no love for a rich precious stone -
Reduce what you have, and thereby you will safeguard your throne."
The words of this woman so lovely impressed him with force,
The athlete agreed with her wise explanation, of course.
He said: "Oh, Khanum, your true words contradiction defy,
With words of your judgement no masculine judgement can vie.
Your lips spoke the truth about jewels, for each precious stone
For lost health and happiness, surely can never atone.
Be praised, lovely Queen, for your wisdom and cleverness rare,
Thus showing the way I must go to be honest and fair.
O clear-sighted maiden, your words have sown wonderful seed:
No coinage of gold shall I have, no advice shall I heed,
The gold I shall throw on the ground for it comes from the earth,
Where mines are its cradle, the primary place of its birth."
Her ruby-red lips smiled in hearing the Ruler applaud,
They seemed to illuminate nature, approving the lord.
She ordered her maidens to serve him with exquisite meats,
And treat Iskander to the relish of delicate sweets,
She tasted each dish with a tender, benevolent smile,
Her guest was amazed at her grace as he watched her the while.
The Shah was uneasy at his unexpected strange turn,
When dinner was over, he rose to depart, with concern.
But when he was leaving the Queen made him vow not to hurt
Her subjects, her land, and no rights in her realm to assert.
Then Shah Iskander duly published a royal decree,
And left the great Queen and her country well governed and free.
And when Iskander left the city the Queen breathed relief,
From God she expected great help and from fortune but grief.
To guard from the wrath of the Shah her dear country she played,
And thanked her Creator for saving her land from the raid.
And when the dark night overpowered the sun and the day,
She kindled a lamp while the candle extinguished its ray,
And high in the heavenly sphere with coming of night
The stars lit in legions their galaxies, twinkling and bright.
Translated by Olga Moisseyenko
[1] kamanchah - Azeri
folk music instrument
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