with shovels and fine tools to chip away at the solidifying reddish-ocher mud—for the sun was baking it even as they worked—and soon enough they had cleared an ancient stone building of large rose granite bricks piled in ziggurat-stair formation, with a perfect square base of several hundred meters, and with four sealed entrances on each of the sides.
The Qalif himself, his royal feet bound in many layers of protective cotton, walked carefully through the mud and stood to observe the discovery. Flanked by bodyguards that never left his side —for he was a careful man—he paced the perimeter of the ancient structure from all sides, and noted the designs on the entrances, etched symbols of ancient writing.
On the eastern side, the entrance bore the outline of a bird. On the western side, there was a human hand, its five fingers splayed in greeting . . . or caution. On the southern side the doorway revealed a heavy lidded eye. Finally, on the northern side, there was something that resembled a gaping mouth with teeth, and then—as the artisans chiseled and chipped away the layers of clay—it took on the final shape of a serpent, and the teeth were but the regularly spaced scales along its ringed hide.
“ What are these symbols? What significance? What language? I must know!” the Qalif muttered—a curious man by nature—and scholars were sent to observe and copy down the shapes onto scrolls.
At the same time, messengers were sent out into the wide expanses of the qalifate to find experts who might be able to reveal more about the nature of these hieroglyphs. Snake-charmers and birdcatchers and palm readers and eye physicians were called from the markets and the trade caravans, and with promises of rich reward they converged upon the drying mud of the missing lake.
In their midst was a young man, a foreigner, who had come with one south-bou nd caravan and was stopped along with the rest of his mercantile fellows, all trading in exotic species of birds.
The birdcatcher, Ruogo, had grown into a slim quiet youth, and his master ’s rich wagons carried cages of sparrows and canaries, parrots and nightingales, pheasants and peacocks. All of the creatures were under his gentle care, for Ruogo had skilled hands where it came to handling the animals. He was also adept at binding and weaving nets and lures, and at catching the wild birds after lying in wait in patient silence.
“ What exactly does the Qalif want from all of us?” Ruogo said to the bearded man next to him, a snake handler by the look of his workbasket and charming pipe. They stood in line at the shores of the former lake, to be questioned and allowed past the guards into the lakebed.
“ And what do you think you can do for the Qalif?” retorted a beautiful youth just behind him, with disdainful and fierce eyes, wearing fine noble clothing and a prominent sword at his side.
Ruogo turned to conside r the peculiar challenge. But before he could reply, the bearded snake charmer muttered, “Be careful, say nothing to him, birdcatcher. He is likely one of the local princely sons. The nobles in this land are known to take their boredom out on foreigners like us.”
Ruogo understood. And as the line advanced forward, he merely threw the noble youth a polite nod, and then looked away, intent on his own business.
Behind him the youth laughed.
Soon enough they moved up to the edge of the shoreline, where Ruogo wa s questioned, when his turn came.
“ Do you know many species of birds? Will you be able to recognize a bird and its habits from an ancient picture in stone?”
“ I know all the species in which men trade,” replied Ruogo humbly. “As far as images in stone, what I would know depends on the nature of the image itself.”
The Qalif ’s scribe seemed to like the answer. “Come forward then,” he said. “If you render good services, you will be well-rewarded.” And while many others had been turned away, Ruogo was allowed to step
The Qalif himself, his royal feet bound in many layers of protective cotton, walked carefully through the mud and stood to observe the discovery. Flanked by bodyguards that never left his side —for he was a careful man—he paced the perimeter of the ancient structure from all sides, and noted the designs on the entrances, etched symbols of ancient writing.
On the eastern side, the entrance bore the outline of a bird. On the western side, there was a human hand, its five fingers splayed in greeting . . . or caution. On the southern side the doorway revealed a heavy lidded eye. Finally, on the northern side, there was something that resembled a gaping mouth with teeth, and then—as the artisans chiseled and chipped away the layers of clay—it took on the final shape of a serpent, and the teeth were but the regularly spaced scales along its ringed hide.
“ What are these symbols? What significance? What language? I must know!” the Qalif muttered—a curious man by nature—and scholars were sent to observe and copy down the shapes onto scrolls.
At the same time, messengers were sent out into the wide expanses of the qalifate to find experts who might be able to reveal more about the nature of these hieroglyphs. Snake-charmers and birdcatchers and palm readers and eye physicians were called from the markets and the trade caravans, and with promises of rich reward they converged upon the drying mud of the missing lake.
In their midst was a young man, a foreigner, who had come with one south-bou nd caravan and was stopped along with the rest of his mercantile fellows, all trading in exotic species of birds.
The birdcatcher, Ruogo, had grown into a slim quiet youth, and his master ’s rich wagons carried cages of sparrows and canaries, parrots and nightingales, pheasants and peacocks. All of the creatures were under his gentle care, for Ruogo had skilled hands where it came to handling the animals. He was also adept at binding and weaving nets and lures, and at catching the wild birds after lying in wait in patient silence.
“ What exactly does the Qalif want from all of us?” Ruogo said to the bearded man next to him, a snake handler by the look of his workbasket and charming pipe. They stood in line at the shores of the former lake, to be questioned and allowed past the guards into the lakebed.
“ And what do you think you can do for the Qalif?” retorted a beautiful youth just behind him, with disdainful and fierce eyes, wearing fine noble clothing and a prominent sword at his side.
Ruogo turned to conside r the peculiar challenge. But before he could reply, the bearded snake charmer muttered, “Be careful, say nothing to him, birdcatcher. He is likely one of the local princely sons. The nobles in this land are known to take their boredom out on foreigners like us.”
Ruogo understood. And as the line advanced forward, he merely threw the noble youth a polite nod, and then looked away, intent on his own business.
Behind him the youth laughed.
Soon enough they moved up to the edge of the shoreline, where Ruogo wa s questioned, when his turn came.
“ Do you know many species of birds? Will you be able to recognize a bird and its habits from an ancient picture in stone?”
“ I know all the species in which men trade,” replied Ruogo humbly. “As far as images in stone, what I would know depends on the nature of the image itself.”
The Qalif ’s scribe seemed to like the answer. “Come forward then,” he said. “If you render good services, you will be well-rewarded.” And while many others had been turned away, Ruogo was allowed to step
Similar Books
