For many years, they had been criticizing the city of Persia where a renowned king named Hamaru ibni Salkuf reigned. King Hamaru was extraordinarily wealthy and held significant political power, governing over seven hundred cities. His rule was characterized by immense wealth and authority, making him the envy of nations worldwide. People obeyed him without question, and his status demanded unwavering respect.
However, despite his wealth, glory, and dominion over vast territories, King Hamaru was plagued by a deep sorrow. He and his many wives, forty in total, had been childless for seventy long years. This heartbreaking issue weighed heavily on the king, who had exhausted every effort to find a cure, seeking medical and magical assistance, all in vain.
King Hamaru’s despair was immeasurable, and he wept in solitude, unable to find solace. During this time, a peculiar sorcerer by the name of Shamakalu arrived in the city of Persia, astonishing the residents with his miraculous abilities. Shamakalu possessed knowledge of secrets that had eluded others for eternity.
Shamakalu’s first act was to reveal the existence of an ancient well in the heart of the city. This well had long been dry, obstructed by malevolent black demons. Despite previous attempts to uncover it, the well remained sealed. Shamakalu, however, not only opened the well but also vanquished the black demons that had kept it hidden. He drew water from the well and even turned the well’s chamber into his dwelling.
The tale of Shamakalu’s deeds quickly spread throughout the city and beyond. People from far and wide came to seek his assistance. Anyone suffering from illness received water from the ancient well, and miraculously, their ailments vanished instantly, even if they had suffered for a century.
Shamakalu’s second extraordinary feat addressed a menacing magical tiger that roamed the Persian Empire at night. This tiger had the power to punish anyone who lied or cheated in any form, rendering them either lifeless or afflicted with madness, blindness, or crippling disabilities. The people of Persia had lived in fear of this tiger for seventy years, never knowing when it would strike.
Upon his arrival, Shamakalu confronted this magical tiger, taming it like a trained hunting dog. The once-feared tiger now knelt before him and obeyed his commands. No longer did the people of Persia live in dread of the tiger’s nocturnal prowling.
News of these miracles reached King Hamaru, and he was intrigued. He sent his servants with wealth and an invitation for Shamakalu to visit his palace. However, Shamakalu declined the king’s offer and instead sent back double the wealth, instructing the servants to take it as a gift, for he would not visit the palace empty-handed.
King Hamaru was taken aback by Shamakalu’s response and the wealth he sent. His heart was filled with both admiration and unease. Despite his vast power and dominion, he chose to summon only one sorcerer to his city, and the sorcerer had the audacity to double his offering. King Hamaru decided to visit Shamakalu himself.
In his palace, King Hamaru contemplated the situation. His heart wavered, torn between his authority, wealth, and the enigma of the sorcerer Shamakalu. Ultimately, he resolved to send a thousand-strong force to bring the sorcerer to his city by force, driven by anger and a desire to assert his supremacy.
However, when his courtiers informed him of the sorcerer’s response, King Hamaru’s advisors urged caution, fearing the consequences of provoking Shamakalu. Reluctantly, the king consented to Shamakalu’s terms, allowing the sorcerer to depart peacefully with his wealth.
As the preparations were made for Shamakalu’s departure, King Hamaru grappled with his decision, his power, rule, and prestige now overshadowed by the presence of a single enigmatic sorcerer.