One Hundred and One Salhinid Tales

[magical girl salhin]

ONE HUNDRED AND ONE SALHINID TALES

A collection of stories and parables from the days of the Old Caliphate, taught to her by her tutors and Mu'allims, or otherwise sourced from across the Great Ring, and reproduced as faithfully as she may recall them.

By Seriyah.

Sehar
I: The Makhyoon and the King
II: The Night of Her Sorrows
III: Parable of the Waterbearer
IV: al-Fanoos left in Peace
V: Three Water Circumnavigations
VI: The Man and the Boat
VII: A Poisoned Arrow
VIII: The Caravaneer and His Camel
IX: Three Blind Giants
X: The King and the Broken Pot

Binah
XI: The Parable of the Walls
XII: The Parable of the Fish
XIII: The Dragon and the Dog
XIV: The Adder and the Jerboa

[magical girl salhin]

I

THE MAKHYOON AND THE KING

When the garden was yet young, the King had many laws, great and small.

At that time, there lived a great and learned Makhyoon, one of deep Tutelage. He knew the secret names of creation and held many keys. He had charted the dark paths and walked the long mirrors. He had touched the firmament and knelt at the bedrock.

One day, the Makhyoon saw a young girl break one of the King's great laws. The broken law differs from telling to telling. In some she plucked a stone she did not earn, while in others she told a secret that was not hers to tell. Nothing befell her, and no harm came to her.

Some months later, the Makhyoon saw another young girl, this time breaking one of the King's small laws. Once again did the broken law differ from telling to tell. In one did she blurt the hour of the day to strangers from distant Rings, while in another did she dare to speak of ancient times. Great was the woe that fell upon her, and devoured was she by some fashion of the King's beast.

The Makhyoon's Wroth was terrible. He declared himself in eternal rebellion against the King, and set out to break every law. He was wise and learned, and knew all of the King's laws. He shattered doors and broke paths, he made the stars shed their spears and twisted his form to tear the King's banner. But, greatest of all the laws he broke, the Makhyoon sought to rend his city asunder, and declared that there are two Kings - the king of everything, and the king of nothing at all.

When long and bleak had the years passed by, did one of his students asked him: "All that over a young girl? You engaged in such heinous didactics over the value of a single life's injustice?"

And the Makhyoon replied: "What is the correct value of injustice before you declare yourself in opposition against the power that metes out all justice in our garden?"

[magical girl salhin]

II

THE NIGHT OF HER SORROWS

In ancient times, she was betrayed, and our garden was set against itself.

When the war ended, she was to be lost, and there were much lamentations.

On the day he came for her, Phor seized him by his throat. "I know defeat's bitter rue, and I know its terms. You shall take her as is your due, but by Crown and Spear and Cup, the next time we meet I will excise you from our garden forever, and if you dare even a single unnecessary word now I will make it hurt."

He replied, "You cannot harm me. I am a facet of our wheel."

And Phor replied, "I will recarve our wheel without that facet."

Without another word, the other one left with Ephia to the cornerstone of our garden.

[magical girl salhin]

III

PARABLE OF THE WATERBEARER

There once lived a wise Serene. She tended to her humble village's limpid pool, and there a thimble of water was as precious as an ounce of silver.

One day, a haggard and bereft man limped into her village. His lips were parched with thirst and his skin was cracked with the heat of Pra'raj. He begged hoarsely for water, and the Serene obliged without any hesitation, nor sought a single dinar.

After he had left, the peoples of the village said: "Oh, merciful Mother, oh, charitable Serene, we are glad and we are heartened, for through you the Mother's mercy flowed."

Some months later, a messenger arrived from a nearby village. Their well had been poisoned by the sting of al-Taniyn, and the messenger begged for aid.

To the Serene, the peoples pleaded: "Oh, merciful Mother, oh charitable Serene, we know them not and far they are, why must we to them send our waters?"

At that, the Serene said: "You may blind yourself to the compromises you make, but the Mother is not blind, and the Edutu does not cease."

Chastised, the village sent ten barrels of water.

[magical girl salhin]

IV

AL-FANOOS LEFT IN PEACE

al-Harith ibn Jahara entered the garden with abundant heresies, and went mad.

al-Zuraqi entered the garden with resentment and shameful contempt, and burned fifty trees.

al-Taniyn entered the garden in ignorance, and died in ash.

al-Fanoos entered the garden in peace, and left in peace.

[magical girl salhin]

V

THREE WATER CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS

In the earlier days of Waqt Almashaqa there lived a pious Sayyida who sought to bring the Mother's mercy to even the ignorant. She welcomed all within her garden-sanctum, where there resided a limpid font that reflected the sacred wish in the hearts of men.

One day, one of her congregant came before her and said - "Hallowed Sayyida, you have invited heathens and heretics to your tutelage, lent succor to those who are less deserving than I, and spent more of your time on the peoples of distant lands than those of your own tribe. You have even permitted those of the Tablet amongst your flock. You grant them your wisdom, your blessing, and your Knowledge, and I find myself filled with bitter resentment and envy. I cannot stay, lest it poisons my soul, and ask for your leave to go."

The pious Sayyida said in reply - "I would bade you do this first. Bear this cup of the Mother's waters, and walk three rounds around my garden-sanctum. If you spill not a drop, you may leave in peace."

Her congregant agreed, and did so.

Carefully the congregant circumnavigated the Sayyida's garden-sanctum thrice, and when she returned, not a drop was spilled.

"When you were bearing the Mother's waters, were you thinking of the heathens and the heretics?"

"I was not, Sayyida."

"Were you thinking of who was more deserving, be it you or anyone else?"

"I was not, Sayyida."

"Did you dwell on how there were those amongst your brothers and sisters who hailed from distant lands?"

"I did not, Sayyida."

"You were focused on the Mother, and on the mercies of Her sacred waters, and so you did not stumble. Your mind was not turned to the fortunes or misfortunes of others. In so doing, you unfetter yourself from resentment and envy, and all of Her blessings are yours."

The Waqt Almashaqa was yet as cynical as it is now. The Sayyida lived long and joyously, but her garden-sanctum did not outlive her.

[magical girl salhin]

VI

THE MAN AND THE BOAT

It was a mist-shrouded day, and a man was rowing down the Edutu when he glimpsed another boat coming towards him.

Frantic, the man began to shout warnings for the boat to turn away, calling Wisdom upon it!

The boat continued to come closer.

Panicking, the man began to scream curses and invectives at the boat, calling Wroth upon it!

The boat continued to come closer.

Terrified, the man began to wail and plead for help, calling upon the Mother's mercy!

The boat continued to come closer.

And finally, the two boats collided.

The other boat was empty, there was no one in it.

The man was himself uninjured, if rattled when the empty boat struck. He soon continued on his way, and the Edutu continued to flow.

[magical girl salhin]

VII

A POISONED ARROW

A man travelling with a caravan across the Great Ash Desert when he was struck by a poisoned arrow.

Amidst cries of alarm and shock around him, many rushed to help him remove it.

Before allowing anyone to remove it, the man asked -

""Tell me, by the Wroth! Whence this arrow flew? Who lurks unseen and would strike me so?"

Hurriedly, those around him scoured the vicinity, but whatever wretched brigand fired the shot had fled into the dunes.

"Tell me, by the Warrior! What fletching, what craft lies on this shaft?"

Those around him examined the arrow, and told him that it was of bronze and silver.

"Tell me, by the Mother! Does venom lace this wretched arrow?"

Those around him examined the wound, and from its necrotic bile they told him that it was poisoned.

"Tell me, by the Martyrs! What manner of poison steals my life? Speak, so that I might know!"

Those around the man examined the arrow's tip, and tested a drop of glinting death. They told him of the manner of poison.

Yet ere he could ask a fifth question, however, the man was dead.

[magical girl salhin]

VIII

THE CARAVANEER & HIS CAMEL

Once, there lived a respected caravaneer who lived in Bright Darisbis.

Blessed by the Wanderer, the caravaneer had endured the heat of Pra'raj across many leagues and many years in ferrying peoples and cargo alike from the gleaming jewel of the Caliphate.

He had a son, and a prized camel.

One day, the caravaneer's prized camel went missing.

Around him, people lamented - "Oh, what misfortune, that your camel has went missing!"

In reply, he but said - "We shall see."

The next day, the caravaneer's prized camel returned, now bringing with it three other wild camels.

Around him, people exclaimed - "Oh, what fortune! That your camel has returned, with a bounty of camels!"

In reply, he but said - "We shall see."

A month later, the caravan was set upon by brigands, and though they were driven off, the wild camels panicked and broke the caravaneer's son's leg in their frenzied flight.

Around him, people lamented - "Oh, what misfortune! That the wild camels had injured your son!"

In reply, he but said - "We shall see."

Another month went past, and the Caliph rallied the Janissaries against the Clan, and met them at Shahrapilikan's Pate. Injured as the caravaneer's son was, the caravaneer's son was spared the muster, and spared his place as a name on a butcher's bill.

Around him, people exclaimed - "Oh, what fortune! That your son's broken leg spared him from battle!"

In reply, he but said - "We shall see."

Long lived was the caravaneer, across triumphs and disasters, until Bright Darisbis' scourge.

[magical girl salhin]

IX

THREE BLIND GIANTS FELT THE WHEEL

Three blind giants felt the Wheel.

One touched a spoke and said that the Wheel is a font of mercy.

One touched a spoke and said that the Wheel is a font of knowledge.

One touched a spoke and said that the Wheel is a font of grief.

The Wheel is the Wheel is the Wheel.

[magical girl salhin]

X

THE KING AND THE BROKEN POT

Once upon a time, in a faraway Ring, when the City was yet young and much was good, there lived a woman.

She was a faithful and loyal woman, and obedient to the King's laws. One day, she had a son, and there was much joyous celebration. Three years later, however, her son fell deathly ill. Despite the woman's most desperate care, he died, and she despaired.

The woman turned towards the King's Keep and began to walk. On and on the woman walked, through ring after ring she went, bearing a fervent wish. A thousand thousand rings went by, until finally the woman knelt before the King.

There, she wept, and pleaded - "Please, oh King, I have been faithful and loyal, and now my son is dead. I beg of you, restore my son to me."

Gently then did the King reply - "My daughter, I will do this for you. All you must do is bring to me the shards of a broken pot from a home that has known no grief."

Leaping to her feet, she returned to her ring, and desperately began her search. Yet, time and time again, despite finding shards of a broken pot aplenty, not once could she find a home that has known no grief.

There are three endings to this tale.

In one, the woman never ceased her search. It is said that in some villages, when a pot is broken, the family would bury the shards outside their home, for the woman to judge it and leave them be.

In another, the woman realized that suffering and grief is universal. She ceased her search. She found love anew. She had many issues and in time, died herself, content and at peace.

In the third, the woman rebuked the King, and went on a quest to bring about a just and perfect creation. We can only assume that she failed, or that she strives to remake the world to this very day.

[magical girl salhin]

As we move from Sehar, the Dawning, to Binar, of the Knowing, parables XI to XIX are restricted and penned under cipher. Please feel free to ask for the cipher key from me. Or decipher it yourself. Parables XX and after will no longer be penned under cipher. - Seriyah

XI

THE PARABLE OF THE WALLS

Uatnmeq hahx pai epzv ub t msiffxzw.

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Eep halvv kcn mmep vhyvfdg.

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Sgh ba are cdhc. Kts phpce kxyi jfwes xyqfx. Alv ehtyw duuaa wkuze ii jfftukv mbw hpzqb ubx ktsr hvv rok hark. Oes mj aytf.

Yefwe alv Wwgn hzqr, tuh eak moi nmzez eiq ttspzzu, tuh ja okl xyq gmhvj.

Ivta xyqb?

[magical girl salhin]

As we move from Sehar, the Dawning, to Binar, of the Knowing, parables XI to XIX are restricted and penned under cipher. Please feel free to ask for the cipher key from me. Or decipher it yourself. Parables XX and after will no longer be penned under cipher. - Seriyah

XII

THE PARABLE OF THE FISH

Umgoqze zpnx rvu tps u fzwh.

Dwm zuwg snwgnu wh gkm fxh, azira alvvx hvv styif ypwy, tbzlf vyirvlvel iw xzs xxh.

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[magical girl salhin]

As we move from Sehar, the Dawning, to Binar, of the Knowing, parables XI to XIX are restricted and penned under cipher. Please feel free to ask for the cipher key from me. Or decipher it yourself. Parables XX and after will no longer be penned under cipher. - Seriyah

XIII

THE DRAGON AND THE DOG

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[magical girl salhin]

As we move from Sehar, the Dawning, to Binar, of the Knowing, parables XI to XIX are restricted and penned under cipher. Please feel free to ask for the cipher key from me. Or decipher it yourself. Parables XX and after will no longer be penned under cipher. - Seriyah

XIV

THE ADDER AND THE JERBOA

vk kzstt ui prk pmqjcjxe oxh xrxsjru qnhk yitq. cj qjqps prkrmf oi edy zgwpp fczr jf jot gzbeq gned vrxr ui prk utzrx. jxy sxm, c mttbhx ivvkiys dvoi edy vuhye. edy vuhye izyvugz qjt jot byewwc cj icegm uc xilhfs jot gzbeq, ciu rvr oglujk kvph - "ghdzz xjq phe juct yy vf oy tgwkd?" edy vuhye ggnkpgz - "zqm ghdzz n wcjr zwi, qgcyiu byewwc? ns c bneg, gr bwiku jocq sietze sgwgi px jot gzbeq!" qhcgz uz rvr xhzrg's lrxsoipxw, cqg trgjov xelrth, ciu krkjoys edy vuhye dvoi prk uxis. oxzxzxm jogwipq rvr thicd, rvr xhzrg juc edy mttbhx. jocq rvr xhzrg kps edy mttbhx hlhbxys px cdq kps bkjrg.