The Great Magic of Baghdad

Cups and beads

Oh well, speaking of the jinn and half-folklore, half-real beings, ghouls and giants also exist in Islamic folklore. But, ghouls are called ghuls in Arabic, and they feed off of the dead. Giants are just another form a spirit can take.

One thing I think is funny is that the Bible will never accept folklore, but the Quran accepts the existence of jinn and spirits. It mentions knot blowers, magicians, and other magic. Why do I know this? Well, boys by the age of ten memorize the Quran, as I said earlier, so Sahir made me memorize it too. It still amazes me to realize that the Islamic religion completely believes in folklore. Well, not even folklore. I guess it doesn't count as folklore since the Quran knows they are real, but you get the idea.

Oh, what is it? I'm in the middle of-oh. Okay, no need for the threats, I do remember who's boss. Yeah, okay. I'll just sit here in the cold, dark shadows while you all take a bathroom break! Yeah, it's not like some jinn will take me and make me go mad, so you'll never hear the rest of my story! Oh, thank you for moving me closer to the fire, because I never would've been able to because I'm tied in these ropes! Okay, are you done, now? Oh, now you're gonna tantalize me with food because I'm a prisoner? You know, I could just starve to death, and you would never hear of al-falaq and an-nas!

Alright, getting back on track, alchemy and astrology are thought to be real forms of magic in Islamic culture. I can make sense of that too. Coming from Scotland, it's hard for me to sometimes believe how open-minded the Muslims can be, but it's true. So, understanding the way these people think, I can understand why alchemy, with all of its distillation and brews and potions, can seem like magic. I also can see why astrology seems like magic. I still think some aspects of it are magic. For example, the ways the stars and planets are read. Also, I can't understand how on earth an Astrolabe works! I know your people are voyagers and explorers and, well, obviously warriors, but I doubt you have ever used an astrolabe before. It's very difficult!

Well, I know you aren't interested in that, I can somehow read the confusion on your large hairy faces, and I'm not just talking to you, Redbeard. That's a fine name for a Viking. That is now your nickname. Anyway, before my head leaves my shoulders, I will get to the fun stuff. My adventures in Baghdad were quite a story.

One day I was walking around with Maymun when I was greeted by several shady looking men. Maymun was extremely wary of them, and I watched him to see what his reaction was. In one swift motion, he pushed me aside, twisted one of the men's wrists, and pulled his shirt up to reveal a dagger in the man's belt. He threw the dagger to me and grabbed another's. Now, we were two scrawny boys with weapons, and they were seven big men, five of whom were armed. Maymun could tell we were doomed. So, he went close to me and whispered in my ear, "Al-qamrah." You remember that that is the Arabic word for illusion or trick. I knew exactly what he wanted me to do. I spotted a seller on the side of the road and ran toward his stall, yelling at the men to follow me. They did. The merchant fled, and I then had the stall to myself. I stood behind it and ordered them to stop. I told them that I had magical powers, and my friend did too. That if they did not let us go, we would cast our jinn upon them. They merely laughed. While they chortled away, I rapidly whispered Maymun instructions. He nodded. I then began my trick.

"Stay back!" I called. "I am about to prove my skill to you!"

They stayed back, probably out of confusion. I placed three wooden cups I had seen on the stall in a stack, lip up, on the table. Then I placed three small beads in a line on the table, facing the men.

"I am about to make these beads fall through these cups!" I cried. The men did not move. I placed one cup, lip down, over each bead. Then, I placed a bead on top of the middle cup and stacked the two other cups over it. I tapped the top of the cup and lifted up the stack, and there were two beads! One of which was the one I had put on the middle cup, and one of which was the one I had placed the cup over in the beginning. I did it again, and the men grew terrified. They ran off, leaving me with a furious merchant. The funny thing about merchants. They have such bad memories. All you have to do is hand them a fal, and they'll forget anything ever happened.

I see you are not amazed by my tale. Well, I will not bore you with much more adventure. I can tell we have different ideas of adventure. Yours is more about violence and bloodshed, and my idea is more about close shaves and tricking the enemy. Not that I would ever trick you, or anything. No, you guys are way too smart for me. But, what if I tell you about the magic I performed for those men?