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hat his wife was portrayed with her old

husband。 What gnawed at him was this： Since he wasn’t painted in the old

legend in that splendid book； he wouldn’t be able to join the ranks of the

immortals　with　his　wife。　This　worm　of　doubt　ate　at　Fahir　Shah　for　five　years；

and at the end of a blissful night of copious lovemaking with Neriman；

candlestick in hand； he entered the library like a mon thief； opened the

volume of Leyla and Mejnun； and in place of the face of Neriman’s late

husband；　drew　his　own。　Like　many　khans　who　had　a　love　for　illustrating　and

painting；　however；　he　was　an　amateur　artist　and　couldn’t　portray　himself　very

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well。 In the morning； when his librarian opened the book on a suspicion of

tampering　and　beheld　another　figure　in　place　of　the　late　Selahattin　Khan；　next

to　Neriman…faced　Leyla；　rather　than　identifying　it　as　Fahir　Shah；　he　announced

that　it　was　Fahir　Shah’s　archenemy；　the　young　and　handsome　Abdullah　Shah。

This　gossip　provoked　Fahir　Shah’s　soldiers　and　emboldened　Abdullah　Shah；　the

young and aggressive new ruler of the neighboring country； who；

subsequently；　in　his　first　campaign；　defeated；　captured　and　killed　Fahir　Shah；

established his own sovereignty over his enemy’s library and harem and

became　the　new　husband　of　the　eternally　beautiful　Neriman　Sultan。

DJIM

The miniaturists of Istanbul recount the legend of Tall Mehmet—known as

Muhammad Khorasani in Persia—mostly as an example of long life and

blindness。 However； the legend of Tall Mehmet is essentially