The Magic Saddlebag
Once, far away, in a city in the East, there lived a woman who had three sons. They were very poor, and two of the brothers, Ali and Ahmed, were always grumbling about how little money they had. However, the other brother, Judar, said little. Instead, he worked hard all day long as a fisherman, and it was he who kept the family from starving.
Every day, Judar would take his net down to the river and cast it into the deep water. Then, he would sell the fish he caught in the market-place. However, one day he caught no fish at all. Again and again, he threw his net into the river, but it always came up empty. That night, Judar went home very tired, with no money and no food. He and his mother and his two brothers went to bed hungry, and instead of being grateful for what Judar did for them, his two brothers grumbled loudly because he had brought no food.
The next day, it was the same, so Judar pulled in his empty net and decided to go and try his luck in the big Lake Karoon, on the outskirts of the city. None of the fishermen ever went there, for it was supposed to be a magic lake, and they were afraid of it.
Judar set out, and when he reached the magic lake, he saw a richly dressed stranger astride an ass. “Welcome, Judar,” called the stranger. “‘You are just the man to help me. I am glad you have come.”
Judar was surprised at this greeting, but not at all afraid. “Tell me how I can help you,” he replied politely.
“First tie my hands and feet and then throw me as far as you can into the middle of the lake,” replied the stranger. “I shall sink below the surface, but do not worry, I shall come up again, and when you see my head rise above the water, throw your net out and draw me in.”
Judar was a strong young man, so when he had tied the stranger’s hands and feet, he hurled him with all his might into the middle of the lake.
He waited anxiously on the bank, and after some time, the stranger’s head appeared above the surface. “Pull me in, Judar,” he called.
Judar cast his net out into the lake until it covered the floating stranger. Then, he hauled him in and untied him. As the man stepped out of the net, Judar saw that he held an old wooden casket in each hand.
“Now,” said Judar, “Tell me who you are and how it is that you knew my name.”
“Gladly,” replied the stranger, “for I know you to be both kind and honest. I am the magician Abdul Samad. I went to the bottom of the magic lake to find these two boxes. In them are two powerful genies, which are now at my command, and they will help me to reach the Underground Palace where Al Shamardal lies, forever sleeping. Whoever finds his way into the Underground Palace of Al Shamardal can take the Magic Bottle, which hangs around his neck, the Glass Ball, which shines above his head, the Magic Ring, which glitters on his finger, and the Magic Sword, which lies at his feet.”
Then the magician gave Judar a bag of gold and asked the lad to meet him the next day outside the city gates.
When Judar returned home, his mother was delighted with all the gold, but his two brothers looked on full of envy. “I will bring more yet,” said Judar. “I have promised to meet the man again tomorrow.” His mother begged him not to go, for she was afraid that some harm might come to him, but Judar replied that he must keep his promise.
Next morning Abdul Samad, the magician, was waiting for Judar outside the city gates, and they set out for Abdul Samad’s great house. It was a whole day’s journey, much of it across desert country, and by mid-day, Judar began to feel very hungry. “Where can we find something to eat in this desert?” he asked the magician.
Abdul Samad only laughed. “My Magic Saddlebag will give us everything we need, my friend,” he said, and putting his hand into the saddlebag, he drew out plate after plate of delicious food, so that there was soon a fine meal in front of them. Although there never seemed to be anything inside the saddlebag, it gave them food until they reached Abdul Samad’s house, and there they stopped for the night.
Next morning, they set out again, with servants and donkeys to ride and tents to sleep in at night. Always, the Magic Saddlebag provided them with rich food.
At last, after many days’ journey, they reached a wide, deep-flowing river, and there they stopped. Abdul Samad brought out the two boxes he had taken from the lake and spoke magic words over them. Out of the boxes came two huge genies. “What is your command, O master?” they asked.
“Show me the entrance to the Underground Palace of Al Shamardal,” said Abdul.
“We hear and obey,” cried the genies, and at once, in front of their eyes, appeared a high door. “I cannot go through that door, for I am a magician,” said Abdul Samad. “Only you can go down to the room where Al Shamardal lies sleeping, Judar.” Then Abdul Samad told Judar that he would see seven huge archways leading into seven great rooms. Each one would be guarded, but if Judar faced the guards without fear and walked boldly past, they would not stop him.
The door opened easily at Judar’s touch, and he found himself in a huge room. Beyond were seven archways, each one guarded, but Judar walked boldly past each guard, as Abdul Samad had told him, until he came to the Treasure Chamber at the end. There, Al Shamardal lay sleeping, and Judar had only to take the Magic Sword, the Magic Ring, the Magic Bottle, and the Glass Ball. Then he hurried back to the entrance.
“A thousand thanks,” cried Abdul Samad. “Now I shall be the greatest magician in the world, for I shall be able to know all the secrets of the world with these things.”
The entrance to Al Shamardal’s Underground Palace disappeared, and Judar and Abdul Samad started on their way home. After a long journey, the spires of the city appeared before them. When they reached Abdul Samad’s magnificent house, he asked Judar what he wanted as a reward for his help.
“I would dearly love to own the Magic Saddlebag,” replied Judar. “Then my family would never again go hungry.”
“That is a small reward,” replied Abdul Samad. “But if that is what you wish, take it.”
Next morning, Judar set off for his own home. When he reached the little house, he rushed in to greet his mother, but to his surprise, he saw that the little house was as poor as ever, and his mother was in rags. “Why mother, what is the matter?” asked Judar. “I left you enough money to keep you well-fed until my return.”
“Alas,” replied his mother. “Your brothers took all the money and lost it in the market. I was left with nothing.”
“Well, you shall never want for food again as long as I am here,” said Judar. He took out the Magic Saddlebag, said the magic words which Abdul Samad had taught him, and pulled out plate after plate of delicious food. When his brothers returned home, they were amazed at the feast.
Judar welcomed them kindly, “Come, brothers,” he said. “Let us share my good fortune, for there is enough here for all of us.” Then they all sat down together to the finest meal they had ever eaten, all from the Magic Saddlebag.