Week 4: The Heroic Archer (Storytelling)

I had heard of this man before. Muhammad Tirandaz. He came to the palace for a little while, but I had never crossed paths with him before. Now, here I was standing in a room with this legend, about to go to battle.

He seemed smaller than I would have expected, although I suppose it takes more skill than strength to kill two lions with one arrow. I can’t even understand how that would be a possible thing to, but everyone who has met him swears it to be true.  I continue to study him as he comes out of the throne room.

He was the first man the king summoned when news of the impending attack arrived at the palace. Muhammad walked towards me and the two other men who were standing nearby.

“The king instructed me to ride out to meet the approaching army. You and you,” He pointed to me and the man to my left, “help me with my horse.” He strode past us then, he seemed so confident, but his voice and hand shook ever so slightly. Even a man who killed two lions with one arrow had the right to fear riding up to an army.

I rushed ahead of the other man he had pointed to. “Of course, sir,” I said. “The stable is this way. I led through the palace into the courtyard. I took a sharp left and the stables were up ahead. One of the other men had run up to join me.

I wrestled with the saddle and centered it on the horses back, and then the other man began attaching all of the leather strips of the reigns and such. We finished and stood back, expecting Muhammad to climb onto the horse. Instead, he looked suspiciously at the saddled horse. He circled it twice, before coming to a stop beside us again.

“So I should just… jump up?” He asked slowly, continuing to eye the horse.

“Yes, sir…” I said, trying to hide my bewilderment. “You have ridden before, sir?”

“Of course! What sort of soldier would I be if I hadn’t ridden?” With that, he went up to the horse cautiously and painfully pulled himself up inch by inch. Finally, he was positioned into the saddle but looked very unsteady. “Could you… um… could you tie my feet together underneath the horse?”

The other man and I looked at each other and then turned back to Muhammad, “Yes, sir.” I said and began walking towards him, the other man close behind me. I believed the stories about Muhammad. Therefore, I’m sure he is just doing something unusual but ingenious. I was just not smart enough to understand. However, if anyone else had ever asked me to do this, I would have said they couldn’t ride.

We did as Muhammad asked and tied his feet under the horse. As soon as we finished, the horse started galloping, probably feeling very uncomfortable. Muhammad swayed as he left, but I just knew that he would save us and defeat the army.

I turned to the man who I had worked with, he didn’t look so sure. “If he’s the hero we’re all going to die.” I disputed him, but he quickly walked away. I sat by the gate for the rest of the afternoon, waiting for news from the field.

Only a little time had passed when the word came, Muhammad had scared off the enemy, and our army had chased them down and defeated them. I was right. Muhammad was a heroic warrior. 

"Archer 1" Clip Art by David Longbine Source: Clker

Author's Note: The story I retold was Muhammad Tirandaz, The Archer. In this story a man, Muhammad, who accidentally kills two mice. He is praised by his friends and they tell him he should become an archer.When he leaves, he decides to say that he killed two lions. He also decides to quit his job and become an archer. He goes and gets a fancy bow and arrow and has it engraved that he killed two lions with one arrow. He goes out alone to hunt. One of the kings men finds him, and believing the man, invites him to be apart of the kings army. Muhammad agrees and spends his days leisurely about the palace until and army comes to threaten the kingdom. He is sent out in the front. His inadequacy leads at riding and fighting leads to series of events that ends up scaring the opposing army so much that they flee.

 I made the Point of view character be someone watching Muhammad do all these things and believing they were real and intentional.

Bibliography:Persian Tales, translated by D.L.R. Lorimer and E.O. Lorimer and illustrated by Hilda Roberts (1919).