126 GHULAM MUHAMMAD 



The crow, it is said, replied saying, " The boast made by you on a spot I know Well to be 

 the grave of a man far more powerful than you, did not please me. A ring of the same 

 warrior is also buried at this spot, and it will show you how strong he was in comparison 

 with you." Trakhan gave orders to dig up the ground ; these were at once obeyed, and a 

 finger ring was found in the grave so wide that Trakhan could pass it over his body. A 

 delicate feast of meat was then prepared for the crow, and afterwards the bird was set free. 



Su Malik's Bravery and a "Tallufar." 1 



Su Malik, an ancient Ra of Gilgit, is said to have presented a dog as a dowry to his 

 sister, who was married to Farmaish, a ruler of Yasin. When Taj Mughal, the chief of 

 Badakhshan, arrived at Darkot for the purpose of attacking Gilgit, the Ra of which place 

 had refused allegiance to Badakshan and stopped sending the tribute of Chogas, Farmaish 

 wrote a letter to Su Malik, and enclosing it in the collar of the dog, ordered it to start at 

 once for Gilgit. The dog arrived here within five hours, travelling by night. Su Malik got 

 the letter and started on the same day with a strong force to check the enemy's advance, 

 and to assist Farmaish against the Mongols invading Yasin. Both the forces reached 

 Yasin on the same day and encamped on the opposite sides of the river bank. The 

 Mongols, who had come by short and slow marches, sent a message to Su Malik to com- 

 mence the fighting ; but the Gilgit men were too weary to fight owing to their previous 

 haste, and so Su Malik sent a reply requesting them to postpone the combat until 

 the next day. However, he asked the Mongols that if there were any strong athletic 

 men in |their army, they should show him their skill. Taj Mughal ordered one of his 

 champions to show his prowess to Su Malik. The man caught hold of a large goat and 

 threw her across the river, with such strength that the goat fell in the Sarginis (Gilgitis) 

 camp near Su Malik. On this Su Malik, who was very strong, and had reached his full 

 muscular development, took up a large and heavy log of wood and threw it in turn to- 

 wards the Mongols with such force that, though the log was much heavier than the goat, 

 it fell into the Mongol camp across the river. Seeing this prowess on the part of Su 

 Malik, the Mongols lost their courage, and giving up the idea of any further fighting, 

 they retreated on the same night. By dawn Su Malik, seeing no enemies in their camp, 

 pursued them rapidly and caught them at Darkot, where Su Malik, having tumbled from 

 his pony, fell into his enemies' hands and was carried by them as a prisoner to Badakh- 

 shan, without its being known to them that he was the Ra of Gilgit. There he was 

 given the work of bringing wood for the Mir's kitchen. On a certain day when he was 

 collecting wood he saw the head of a dead animal and began to weep over it. His com- 

 panions asked him to explain the reason of his grief, but he made reply to none until the 

 Mir of Badakhshan heard the news and sent for him to know the reason of his weeping. 

 He related to the Mir that his grief was only because the head was that of an excellent 

 tullufar horse. Taj Mughal, seeing that the man had a good knowledge of animals, 

 appointed him as a caretaker of his stable, and asked him to see if there was any 

 tullufar animal in the stable. Su Malik saw all the animals and came to the Mir 

 to say that a mare was in foal with a tullufar, and that the young animal should be 



1 The tullufar is said to be the offspring of a mule and a mare. It is said to be very swift and strong. 



