In the days of old, a mighty king ruled over a vast principality nestled in the Karakoram Range. However, he harboured a secret that he kept hidden from the world — a daughter, whom he concealed in a special chamber called the baipash, found in the regions of Chitral and Gilgit Baltistan. The princess was kept away from the public eye, and her existence was known only to her father.
For many years, everything was peaceful, until one fateful day, a horrific monster stumbled upon the kingdom. As the beast roamed near the palace, it discovered the princess's garments hanging outside the baipash. The monster approached the king and demanded the hand of the princess in marriage. In those days, it was not uncommon for monstrous beings to claim princesses for themselves, and the king, realizing his secret had been exposed, found himself powerless.
Reluctantly, the king agreed to give his daughter to the monster. Heartbroken, he explained the situation to his daughter. But before they could give in to despair, a wise old woman appeared and offered the princess a way out. She advised the princess to carry three items: a spice crusher, an oil bottle, and a comb. With these, she could escape the monster and avoid a grim fate.
Trusting the old woman’s advice, the princess resolved to flee. On the day of her supposed marriage to the monster, she dressed as a bride and made her way to her father’s royal stables. There, she found seven magnificent horses, among them the wisest and most powerful of all — Tish Haghur, the flying horse. Sensing her desperation, the brave Pegasus stepped forward, ready to shoulder the burden of her escape.
As the wedding was about to begin, the princess climbed atop Tish Haghur, and together, they soared into the sky, fleeing from the monster’s grasp. But the monster wasn’t willing to let her go so easily. It began chasing them, its fury driving it ever closer.
As the monster neared, the princess remembered the wise woman’s words. She threw the spice crusher behind her, and as it fell to the ground, it transformed into a towering mountain, blocking the monster’s path. But the creature was strong, and it soon overcame the obstacle.
When it approached again, the princess threw down the comb, which turned into a dense forest. However, the forest wasn’t enough to stop the monster, and it continued its relentless pursuit.
Finally, the princess dropped the oil bottle, and it expanded into a vast sea. This time, the monster could not cross. Defeated, it settled at the edge of the water, unable to follow the princess any further.
With the monster out of sight, the princess and Tish Haghur flew to a distant city, where a group of princes were playing polo. In an effort to conceal her identity, the princess disguised herself as a prince and joined in the game. Riding the flying horse, she skillfully outmanoeuvred the other players, impressing everyone with her prowess.
For five days, the princess played alongside the princes, all the while hiding her true identity. Eventually, she was invited to the royal palace as a guest. But during her stay, an old woman at the court noticed something unusual about her and, suspicious of her identity, exposed her to the rest of the Court.
To everyone’s surprise, the prince of the palace, upon learning she was a princess, instantly fell in love with her. Without hesitation, he asked for her hand in marriage. She accepted, and they were soon wed.
Though their marriage seemed perfect at first, dark times loomed ahead, the prince soon left for war, and in his absence, the princess found herself at the mercy of her in-laws. For reasons too many to list, they grew cruel and eventually cast her out of their home, despite the fact that she had just given birth to a child.
Alone and with her child, the princess wandered until she came across a desolate shack with smoke rising from its chimney. Desperate for shelter, she entered — only to find herself face to face with the very monster she had once fled.
In a panic, the princess remembered the bag of Tish Haghur’s hair that the Pegasus had given her before departing. She threw a handful of the hair into the fire, and in an instant, Tish Haghur descended from the sky.
The Pegasus fought the monster head-on, slashing and kicking until the beast was cut into pieces. The danger had passed, and the princess and her child took refuge in the monster’s former shack.
Meanwhile, the prince returned from war and learned of his wife’s tragic fate. He searched for her tirelessly, wandering through the lands until he came across a shack with smoke rising from the chimney. Disguising his identity, he knocked on the door and asked for a glass of water. After drinking, he returned the cup with his wedding ring inside, the very ring his wife had given him.
The princess recognized the ring immediately. Overwhelmed with emotion, she embraced her husband, and they rejoiced in their reunion. This time, all was set right. And so, at long last, they lived happily ever after.
Source: Huzaifa Nizam
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