..A. CREATION
...B. CREATION AND THE FLOOD
...C. THE CREATION OF MAN
...D. AND E. THE FLOOD
...F. THE MANDAEAN NATION
...G. ANOTHER VERSION OF THE RED SEA STORY
#2--OF ABRAHAM AND YURBA
#3--HOW HIBIL ZIWA FETCHED RUHA FROM THE DARKNESS
#4--THE STORY OF QIQEL AND THE DEATH OF YAHYA
#5-- NEBUCHADNEZZAR`S DAUGHTER
#6--SUN STORIES
#7-- THE BRIDGE AT SHUSTER
#8-- THE FIRE-WORSHIPPER AND ADAM BUL FARAJ
#9-- HOW DANA NUK VISITED THE SEVENTH HEAVEN
#10-- THE MILLENNIUM
#11-- CONCERNING THE MOUNTAIN OF THE MADDAI AND HOW THE TURKS CAME TO TAKE IT
#12-- HOW THE MANDAI AND THEIR GANZIBRA LEFT THE MOUNTAIN FOR A BETTER COUNTRY
#13-- THE CHILD CONCEIVED ON THE 29th NIGHT OF THE MOON
#14-- THE KANSHI UZAHLA
#15-- THE HAUNTINGS
#16-- THE PLAGUE IN SHUSTER
#17-- THE STONE-THROWING
#18-- THE KAFTAR
#19-- BIBI`S SONS AND THEIR STRANGE ADVENTURE
#20-- SHAIKH ZIBID
#21-- OF BEHOLDING EVENTS IN TRANCE
#22-- HOW EVIL SPIRITS ABUSE THE DEAD, ETC.
#23-- MEN WHO HAVE RETURNED FROM DEATH, ETC.
#24-- OF THE POWER T0 SEE SPIRITS
#25-- THE SIMURGH: THE TRUE HISTORY OF RUSTAM AND HIS SON
#26-- HIRMIZ SHAH
#27--THE MAN WHO SOUGHT TO SEE SIN THE MOON
#28-- THE SIMURGH AND HIRMIZ SHAH
In the time of Hirmiz Shah there was such justice that there was no wrong doing. There was no strife and no war. None were rich and none were poor, for all were equal. Hirmiz Shah had ruled wisely for eighty years, and when he saw that there was no trouble, that every one was behaving reasonably, and that each man lived in peace with his neighbor, he said, "These people have no need of a ruler. I will go on a journey and the government will look after itself."
So he clad himself in the robe of a darwish mounted his horse, and rode from city to city and wilderness to wilderness, but lingered not in the cities, for he loved the wilderness best. One day, just before dawn, he was riding in the open country when he became aware of a breeze of great sweetness, rarely good it was. He breathed it in and said, "This is wonderful air!" and he rode on and on until he saw in the midst of the desert a huge castle. He could see no gate to it, and though he went round and round the wall, he found no entrance. But when he looked at the wall, he saw upon it an inscription in the shape of a gate--a talisman. From his great reading and knowledge of ancient books, he was able to read the talisman, and as soon as he had read it the wall opened. He entered it, and it closed behind him.
The place was lit, as it were, from within; the air was perfumed, and the atmosphere was pure, suave, and smooth. He found himself in the midst of a courtyard, and in the center of the courtyard was a cistern made entirely of turquoise. Now when he entered the place it was before dawn, and the sun was not yet up; yet, such a light came from the cistern that it lit the place. In the courtyard stood a tree and round the courtyard were many rooms. When he looked into them, he saw furniture decorated with rubies, emeralds, and other precious stones, but saw no living persons, no, not one! Then he approached the cistern. In it there was water, level and even, but of such cleanliness and purity that it illuminated the castle as if it had been living light. He seated himself on the edge of the cistern, and when the sun rose the water began to rise, and when the sun had fully risen, it swirled upwards and took the shape of a tree, but all of clear water, and, when he gazed at it, he perceived faces in it, like human faces, looking at him from amongst the branches, though the tree was of water. His heart began to fear and he went to hide himself in one of the rooms round the courtyard, when there flew overhead, coming from without, three birds, which settled on the trees which grew beside the fountain. These birds were of a rare beauty, with curved bills like that of a parrot (bibi matu). The tree was like a nabqa (lote-tree) and was watered by a channel fed from the fountain, and there were smaller trees beside it, nourished from the same source. There were no dead leaves beneath the trees, and no withered leaves fell from them
Presently the birds, which were of such dazzling beauty that he had never seen their like, flew down to the cistern as if they wished to bathe in it. When they reached it, they bowed and said, "Yukhawar Ziwa, Yukhawar Ziwa" three times. Then they plunged into the water, and became immediately three beautiful maidens, very young, and of such great sweetness that he marveled, having never seen anything so lovely before. He reflected upon the words they had uttered, for 'Yukhawar Ziwa' is one of the secret names of God, who wheels in light. For we have the belief that he who is with the Sun, constantly turns and revolves. Every twenty-eight years the revolutions intensify, and on that day men who see tell us that the light revolves with great swiftness--di, di di! By the power of these revolutions, all the souls, which are, purified issue from the lower world of Darkness. The Darkness is unwilling to let them come forth, even though they have expiated their uncleanness and are ready to go into the worlds of Light. But by the increased force of the revolutions of light they are drawn up and the Spirit of Darkness is compelled to make them a road, that is, if the purification of the soul is complete. If it is still impure, it must remain in the lower world yet longer.
The soul is beloved of God because it is of Him! Then, on Sunday, Hoshaba Rabba comes and takes these purified souls to Awathur, where Awathur Muzania weighs them in the balance. If the soul is pure, the balance remains even; if impure, the scale fails and it must descend for further purification.
When Hirmiz Shah heard the secret name of God from these damsels, he wondered. He looked at them and said, "What enchantment is this?" The maidens put on exquisite garments, and entered a room, and said to each other, 'There is a smell of man here!" Hirmiz feigned sleep, and they came upon him and said, one to the other "This is a gray beard, let us not harm him! But if he knew how to bathe in the fountain, he would recover the strength of his youth!"
The eldest said, "How did he enter the castle?"
The youngest replied, "He must have read the talisman and be an old man of much knowledge. Without doubt, we will keep him and guard him in this castle!"
He had heard all that they said, and opened his eyes.
They said, "You have wakened!" and he replied "Aye!"
They said, "Welcome, Hirmiz Shah"
He said to them, 'I should like to bathe in this fountain.'
They replied, "Be pleased to do so! Bathe!"
They brought clean clothes for him, and he entered the water and began to bathe, saying 'Yukhawar Ziwa' thrice. Then his soul became light. Heaviness left him, and a feeling of well-being and lightness possessed him and a sense of life. Then, as he looked, he saw in the fountain something like a Person, sitting in the water and gazing at him, with white water falling about him.
He began to worship in the Siriani tongue, saying, "Tum min hei haiasuthkhon, tiabuthkhon, tiaruthkhon, atramuthkhon dilkhon …'' thus asking the Life to grant him life and purity, to pardon his sins and make him clean.
Then he came out of the water and the girls said to him in astonishment, "Whence have you this knowledge!"
He replied, "From my conscience, from God."
They said, "That Person in the water, do you know who he is?"
He replied, "I know not, but I see something wonderful! I wish to learn, and, as I am your guest and you are kind to me, no doubt you will instruct me."
They said, "We cannot instruct you: you must know of yourself!"
It was Sunday. Food and water were brought to them without hands, with no one coming or going, for there was only himself and the three damsels.
Presently, he thought he saw, like a flash of lightning, he saw! Then he knew the Light and was glad. Whatever he wished to be, was; and if he wished to be lilted up from the ground, he was straightway lifted up into the air.
The damsels were rejoiced and said, "Blessed One! Blessed Hirmiz! Now you are like us."
Whenever he wished it, he was lifted up into the air; moreover, he could fly as a bird does and takes the shape of a bird. Like his companions, he flew hither and thither in the shape of a bird, whither he would, and lived with them in the castle always.
It was Sultan Jik who knew of all this, for he saw Hirmiz and the three maidens on a tree and spoke with them and learnt what I have told you. Sultan Jik had lore from the Lord of Darkness, whereas Hirmiz and his knowledge were of the Light. He was a magician, Sultan Jlk, of the West, and he could form soldiers out of the air.
..A. CREATION
...B. CREATION AND THE FLOOD
...C. THE CREATION OF MAN
...D. AND E. THE FLOOD
...F. THE MANDAEAN NATION
...G. ANOTHER VERSION OF THE RED SEA STORY
#2--OF ABRAHAM AND YURBA
#3--HOW HIBIL ZIWA FETCHED RUHA FROM THE DARKNESS
#4--THE STORY OF QIQEL AND THE DEATH OF YAHYA
#5-- NEBUCHADNEZZAR`S DAUGHTER
#6--SUN STORIES
#7-- THE BRIDGE AT SHUSTER
#8-- THE FIRE-WORSHIPPER AND ADAM BUL FARAJ
#9-- HOW DANA NUK VISITED THE SEVENTH HEAVEN
#10-- THE MILLENNIUM
#11-- CONCERNING THE MOUNTAIN OF THE MADDAI AND HOW THE TURKS CAME TO TAKE IT
#12-- HOW THE MANDAI AND THEIR GANZIBRA LEFT THE MOUNTAIN FOR A BETTER COUNTRY
#13-- THE CHILD CONCEIVED ON THE 29th NIGHT OF THE MOON
#14-- THE KANSHI UZAHLA
#15-- THE HAUNTINGS
#16-- THE PLAGUE IN SHUSTER
#17-- THE STONE-THROWING
#18-- THE KAFTAR
#19-- BIBI`S SONS AND THEIR STRANGE ADVENTURE
#20-- SHAIKH ZIBID
#21-- OF BEHOLDING EVENTS IN TRANCE
#22-- HOW EVIL SPIRITS ABUSE THE DEAD, ETC.
#23-- MEN WHO HAVE RETURNED FROM DEATH, ETC.
#24-- OF THE POWER T0 SEE SPIRITS
#25-- THE SIMURGH: THE TRUE HISTORY OF RUSTAM AND HIS SON
#26-- HIRMIZ SHAH
#27--THE MAN WHO SOUGHT TO SEE SIN THE MOON
#28-- THE SIMURGH AND HIRMIZ SHAH
Narrator: Hirmiz bar Anhar
