Āstar 7
haamaan ka satyaanaas
1chunaanchay baadshaah aur haamaan aastar malika kee ziyaafat men shareek huay. 2mai peetay vaqt baadshaah nay pahelay din kee tarah ab bhee poochha, “aastar malika, ab bataaen, aap kya chaahatee hain? vah aap ko diya jaaega. apnee darakhwaast pesh karen, kyoonki main saltanat kay aadhay hissay tak aap ko denay kay liyay tayyaar hoon.”
3malika nay javaab diya, “agar baadshaah mujh say khush hon aur unhen meree baat manzoor ho to meree guzaarish pooree karen ki meree aur meree qaum kee jaan bachee rahay. 4kyoonki mujhay aur meree qaum ko un kay haath bech daala gaya hai jo hamen tabaah aur halaak karkay nest-o-naabood karna chaahatay hain. agar ham bik kar ghulaam aur laundiyaan ban jaatay to main khaamosh rahetee. aisee koee museebat baadshaah ko tang karnay kay liyay kaafee na hotee.”
5yah sun kar akhasverus nay aastar say savaal kiya, “kaun aisee harkat karnay kee jur’at karta hai? vah kahaan hai?” 6aastar nay javaab diya, “hamaara dushman aur mukhaalif yah shareer aadmee haamaan hai!”
tab haamaan baadshaah aur malika say dahshat khaanay laga. 7baadshaah aag-bagoola ho kar khada ho gaya aur mai ko chhod kar mahel kay baagh men tahelnay laga. haamaan peechhay rah kar aastar say iltija karnay laga, “meree jaan bachaaen” kyoonki usay andaaza ho gaya tha ki baadshaah nay mujhay saza-ay-maut denay ka faisla kar liya hai.
8jab baadshaah vaapas aaya to kya dekhta hai ki haamaan us sofay par gir gaya hai jis par aastar tek lagaaay baithee hai. baadshaah garja, “kya yah aadmee yaheen mahel men meray huzoor malika kee ismatdaree karna chaahata hai?” joon hee baadshaah nay yah alfaaz kahay mulaazimon nay haamaan kay munh par kapda daal diya. 9baadshaah ka khwaajaasara kharboonaah bol utha, “haamaan nay apnay ghar kay qareeb soolee tayyaar karvaaee hai jis kee oonchaaee 75 fut hai. vah mardkee kay liyay banvaaee gaee hai, us shakhs kay liyay jis nay baadshaah kee jaan bachaaee.” baadshaah nay hukm diya, “haamaan ko us say latka do.”
10chunaanchay haamaan ko usee soolee say latka diya gaya jo us nay mardkee kay liyay banvaaee thee. tab baadshaah ka ghussa thanda ho gaya.