第45部分(第6/7 頁)

ridiculed　him　as　being　nothing　but　a　peasant。　I　was　there

on　the　quiver　of　Book　of　Kings　hero　Rüstem　when　he　traveled　far　and　wide　in

pursuit　of　his　missing　steed；　I　became　the　blood　that　spewed　forth　when　he

cut　the　notorious　ogre　in　half　with　his　wondrous　sword；　and　I　was　in　the　folds

of　the　quilt　upon　which　he　made　furious　love　with　the　beautiful　daughter　of

the　king　who’d　received　him　as　a　guest。　Verily　and　truly；　I’ve　been　everywhere

and　am　everywhere。　I　emerged　as　Tur　traitorously　decapitated　his　brother　Iraj；

as legendary armies； spectacular as a dream； clashed on the steppes； and as

Alexander’s lifeblood shimmered brightly from his handsome nose after he

suffered　sunstroke。　Yes；　Shah　Behram　Gür　spent　every　night　of　the　week　with　a

different　beauty　beneath　domes　of　varying　color　from　distant　lands；　listening

to　the　story　she　recounted；　and　I　was　upon　the　outfit　of　the　striking　maiden

he visited on a Tuesday； whose picture he’d fallen in love with； just as I

appeared from the crown to the caftan of Hüsrev； who’d fallen in love with

Shirin’s picture。 Verily； I was visible upon the military banners of armies

besieging fortresses； upon the tablecloths covering tables set for feasts； upon

the　velvet　caftans　of　ambassadors　kissing　the　feet　of　sultans；　and　wherever　the

sword； whose legends children loved； was depicted。 Yes； handsome almond…

eyed apprentices applied me with elegant brushes to thick paper from

Hindustan　and　Bukhara；　I　embellished　Ushak　carpets；　wall　ornamentation；　the

bs　of　fighting　cocks；　pomegranates；　the　fruits　of　fabled　lands；