Epic literature

Includes bibliographical references.

This panoramic saga dates back perhaps as early as the seventh centu ry, when oral narratives of the deeds of the prophet Muhammad's uncle A mir Hamza spread through Arabia, Persia, and the Indian subcontinent, e xpanding into a chronicle of warriors, kings, tricksters, fairies, cour tesans, and magical creatures. The definitive Urdu text appeared toward the end of the 19th century, but English translations have been censor ed and abridged--until now. Here, the adventures of Amir Hamza are capt ured with all the colorful action, ribaldry, and fantastic elements int act. Amir Hamza travels to exotic lands, defeats many enemies, loves ma ny women, and converts hundreds of infidels to the True Faith of Islam before finding his way back to his first love, the Persian emperor's da ughter. Guided by a Merlin-like clairvoyant called Buzurjmehr and accom panied by his loyal friend, the ingenious trickster Amar Ayyar, Amir Ha mza rides his winged steed Ashqar into combat against a marvelous array of opponents.--From publisher description.