The Successors of Genghis Khan - Robert Bedrosian's Armenian ...

BEGINNING OF THE HISTORY OF OGETEI Q_A5AN
into my circumstances. I told how I had come from Rum because of
the fame of Qa'an's bounty and liberality and had set my foot on the
road with a hundred thousand privations in order that his fortunebestowing
glance might fall upon me and my horoscope might become
auspicious. They held the tray up to him and told him what I had
said. He dropped some of the fruit into a suluq.191 Then, perceiving that
his ministers inwardly objected to his action, he said to them: 'This
man has come a long way. In traveling hither he has passed through
many sacred shrines and holy places and has waited upon many
great men. To seek a blessing from the breathings of such a person is a
profitable action. I took the fruit in order to give some to my children.
Share some among yourselves also.' With that he urged his horse on.
When he dismounted in the ordo, he asked Danishmand Hajib where
the poor man was lodging. He replied that he did not know. 'What
sort of a Muslim art thou ?' said Qa'an. 'A poor man comes to us from
a great distance and thou art negligent of his weal and woe, his lodging,
eating, and drinking. Seek him out in person, place him in good lodgings,
and attend to him in every way.' I had halted in the great market.
He sent people running right and left inquiring about me until
one of them came upon me and carried me off to his house. The next
day, when Qa'an had mounted horse, he saw several wagon-loads
of bdlish being taken into the treasury, the number of bdlish being 700.
He said to Danishmand Hajib: 'Call that person.' When I appeared
he gave me all those bdlish and encouraged me with other promises.
And so my affairs of poverty entered the broad plain of prosperity."392
[xliii] A man came from Baghdad and sat down in the roadway.
When Qa'an came along he inquired into his circumstances. "I am
old and feeble and poor," said the man, "and I have ten daughters,
and because of my extreme poverty I cannot find husbands for them."
"Why does not the Caliph give thee something," asked Qa'an, "and
help thee to find husbands for thy daughters?" "Whenever I ask the
Caliph for alms," said the man, "he gives me 10 gold dinars, and that is
not sufficient for a week." He ordered him to be given 1,000 silver
bdlish. "How shall I carry all these bdlish?" asked the man. Qa'an
391 A Turkish word meaning "vessel for holding water."
352 Juvaini tells this story (No. [xlvi], pp. 228-31 in HWC) on the authority of a friend
and sets it in the reign of'Ala al-Din Kai-Qubad I (1219-1236).
91