The third Kalandar stepped forward and bowed.
"O noble lady…I am Ajib, son of King Khazib, ruler of a great sea kingdom."
The Magnet Mountain
Ajib ruled wisely and loved the sea.One day he sailed with ten ships to visit distant islands.
A terrible storm struck.Their ships were dragged by unseen currents toward a cursed place called the Magnet Mountain.
The captain cried in terror:
"Every ship that comes near this mountain is destroyed!All iron flies to it — nails, anchors, weapons — everything!"
Soon, their ships shattered, and iron was ripped out and pulled toward the mountain.
Most men drowned.
Ajib survived by clinging to a plank and climbing the mountain.
On top stood a strange dome with a brass rider on a metal horse.
The Fatal Shot
Ajib dreamed of a voice that told him:
"Shoot the rider with enchanted arrows.Then a brass boat will come and carry you to safety.But do NOT say the name of Allah."
Ajib obeyed.He shot the rider — it fell into the sea.
A brass boat arrived and carried him.
But when he saw land, he cried:
"Allah! Allah!"
At once the boat sank and threw him into the sea.
He swam until he collapsed and was washed onto a lonely island.
The Underground Youth
On the island he saw slaves bring supplies into a hidden underground chamber.
Curious, Ajib entered.
Inside he found a beautiful young man living alone.
The youth told him:
"I was fated to die when a prince named Ajib son of Khazib shot down the rider on the Magnet Mountain."
Ajib realized in horror:
He was that prince.
Yet he swore he would not harm the boy.
They lived together kindly for forty days.
On the final day, while cutting a watermelon, Ajib slipped…
And his knife stabbed the youth's heart.
The prophecy came true.
The boy and his father both died of grief.
Ajib fled.
The Palace of Forty Doors
Ajib wandered until he reached a palace where forty magical princesses welcomed him.
They loved him and made him their king.
But before leaving for forty days they warned him:
"Open 39 doors — but NEVER open the 40th."
He obeyed… until temptation defeated him.
Behind the 40th door was a black winged horse.
He rode it — and it flew him high…
Then threw him down and gouged out his left eye.
The One-Eyed Brotherhood
He was returned to a place where ten men sat — all blind in one eye.
They said:
"We were happy, but impatience destroyed us."
They drove Ajib away.
Broken and ashamed, Ajib shaved his hair and became a wandering Kalandar.
That is how he reached Baghdad…
And met the other two Kalandars.
Fate Revealed
After hearing all three stories, the Caliph revealed himself as Harun al-Rashid.
He summoned the three sisters and the two black dogs.
The eldest sister stepped forward and said:
"O Commander of the Faithful…my story is more terrible than all of these."
The eldest lady spoke:
"My story is a strange and painful one.
Those two black dogs you see were once my two elder sisters.The woman with the whip marks and the one who serves us are my half-sisters from another mother.
When our father died, we each received our inheritance.Later, when our mother also passed away, my two elder sisters and I inherited three thousand dinars—one thousand for each of us.
Soon after, my two elder sisters married. Their husbands took their money and went traveling to trade.They left me behind.
Five years passed.
One day my eldest sister returned to me dressed in rags, starving and humiliated. I hardly recognized her.
She said:
"Destiny has defeated me. Words cannot change what has happened."
I bathed her, dressed her, fed her, and comforted her. I told her:
"My wealth has grown. I make good money working with silk. Everything I own is yours too."
A year later, my second sister returned in even worse condition. I welcomed her the same way and shared everything with her.
Later they both said:
"We want to marry again."
I warned them:
"You have already suffered from marriage. Loyal men are rare."
They ignored me and married again. I still gave them money and helped them.
Soon their new husbands robbed them and ran away.
They returned ashamed and begged me:
"Forgive us. Let us live with you as servants."
I accepted them kindly.
After a year, I decided to go trading by sea. I prepared a ship and invited my sisters.
We sailed, but our ship lost its course and reached a strange city.
When we entered it, we saw something horrifying.
Every person in the city—men, women, guards, merchants—had been turned into black stone.
Even the King and Queen were statues.
Yet their palace was full of gold, jewels, and riches untouched.
I went deeper into the palace and found a room glowing with light.
That night I heard someone reciting the holy book.
I found a young man, alive.
He told me:
"This was my father's city. Everyone here worshiped fire instead of God. A believing old woman taught me the truth of God in secret. When the city refused to abandon fire worship, God punished them and turned them into stone. I was spared because I was praying."
I fell in love with him.
I asked him to come with me and be my husband.
He agreed.
We left the city with treasure.
But my sisters grew jealous.
One night, while we slept, they threw me and my beloved into the sea.
He drowned.
I survived by holding onto wood.
On land, a huge serpent fled toward me, chased by a dragon.
I threw a stone and killed the dragon.
The serpent turned into a Jinniyah (a spirit woman) and said:
"You saved me. I saw your sisters betray you. I sank their ship and turned them into black dogs."
She returned all my stolen wealth to my house.
She ordered me:
"You must beat these dogs 300 times each day or I will punish you."
So I do.
They know it is not my choice.
And that is my story."
The Caliph sat in silence for a long moment after hearing the eldest lady's story.His eyes were filled with amazement, anger, and sorrow all at once.
Then he turned to the two black dogs.
"By God," he said, "never have I heard treachery so cruel. These two betrayed the sister who fed them, clothed them, and saved them from ruin."
He ordered Ja'afar to bring them forward.
The Jinniyah, who had turned them into dogs, appeared before the Caliph and said:
"These two women betrayed their sister and murdered an innocent man out of jealousy. I punished them by turning them into dogs and forcing them to suffer what they caused."
The Caliph bowed his head.
"You judged with justice."
Then he turned to the eldest lady.
"You are innocent. Your patience and loyalty saved you."
He ordered that the two dogs be freed from their punishment.
The Jinniyah lifted her spell, and the dogs turned back into women—broken, ashamed, and trembling.
The Caliph looked at them and said:
"Your sister showed you mercy when the world abandoned you. You repaid her with murder and betrayal. If not for divine justice, you would deserve death."
They wept and fell at their sister's feet.
She, being kind-hearted, forgave them.
Then the Caliph turned to the other two women in the house.
"Now tell me your stories."
And so the night continued, filled with tales of wonder, sorrow, and fate.