The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan, by James Justinian Morier

Introduction

The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan

1. Of Hajji Baba’s birth and education.
2. Hajji Baba commences his travels — His encounter with the Turcomans, and his captivity.
3. Into what hands Hajji Baba falls, and the fortune which his razors proved to him.
4. Of his ingenuity in rescuing his master’s money from the Turcoman, and of his determination to keep it.
5. Hajji Baba becomes a robber in his own defence, and invades his native city.
6. Concerning the three prisoners taken by the Turcomans, and of the booty made in the caravanserai.
7. Hajji Baba evinces a feeling disposition — History of the poet Asker.
8. Hajji Baba escapes from the Turcomans — The meaning of ‘falling from the frying-pan into the fire’ illustrated.
9. Hajji Baba, in his distress, becomes a saka, or water-carrier.
10. He makes a soliloquy, and becomes an itinerant vendor of smoke.
11. History of Dervish Sefer, and of two other dervishes.
12. Hajji Baba finds that fraud does not remain unpunished, even in this world — He makes fresh plans.
13. Hajji Baba leaves Meshed, is cured of his sprain, and relates a story.
14. Of the man he meets, and the consequences of the encounter.
15. Hajji Baba reaches Tehran, and goes to the poet’s house.
16. He makes plans for the future, and is involved in a quarrel.
17. He puts on new clothes, goes to the bath, and appears in a new character.
18. The poet returns from captivity — the consequences of it for Hajji Baba.
19. Hajji Baba gets into the service of the king’s physician — Of the manner he was first employed by him.
20. He succeeds in deceiving two of the faculty, getting a pill from one, and a piece of gold from the other.
21. He describes the manner in which the Shah of Persia takes medicine.
22. Hajji Baba asks the doctor for a salary, and of the success of his demand.
23. He becomes dissatisfied with his situation, is idle, and falls in love.
24. He has an interview with the fair Zeenab, who relates how she passes her time in the doctor’s harem.
25. The lovers meet again, and are very happy — Hajji Baba sings.
26. The history of Zeenab, the Cûrdish slave.
27. Of the preparations made by the chief physician to receive the Shah as his guest, and of the great expense which threatened him.
28. Concerning the manner of the Shah’s reception; of the present made him, and the conversation which ensued.
29. A description of the entertainment, which is followed by an event destructive to Hajji Baba’s happiness.
30. Hajji Baba meets with a rival in the Shah himself, and loses the fair object of his affections.
31. His reflections on the loss of Zeenab — He is suddenly called upon to exert his skill as a doctor.
32. Hajji is appointed to a situation under government — He becomes an executioner.
33. He accompanies the Shah to his camp, and gets some insight into his profession.
34. Employed in his official capacity, Hajji Baba gives a specimen of Persian despotism.
35. Fortune, which pretended to frown, in fact smiles upon Hajji Baba, and promotes him to be sub-lieutenant to the chief executioner.
36. Although by trade an executioner, he shows a feeling heart — He meets with a young man and woman in distress.
37. The history of Yûsûf, the Armenian, and his wife Mariam.
38. Sequel of the foregoing history, and of the resolution which Hajji Baba takes in consequence.
39. The Armenian Yûsûf proves himself worthy of Hajji Baba’s confidence.
40. Hajji Baba gives an account of his proceedings to his superiors, and shows himself a friend to the distressed.
41. He describes an expedition against the Russians, and does ample justice to the cowardice of his chief.
42. He proceeds to the king’s camp, and gives a specimen of lying on a grand scale.
43. He relates a horrid tale, the consequences of which plunge him in the greatest misery.
44. Hajji Baba meets with an old friend, who cheers him up, gives him good advice, and secures him from danger.
45. He takes refuge in a sanctuary, where his melancholy thoughts are diverted by a curious story.
46. He becomes a saint, and associates with the most celebrated divine in Persia.
47. Hajji Baba is robbed by his friend, and left utterly destitute; but is released from his confinement.
48. Hajji Baba reaches Ispahan, and his paternal roof, just time enough to close the eyes of his dying father.
49. He becomes heir to property which is not to be found, and his suspicions thereon.
50. Showing the steps he takes to discover his property, and who the diviner, Teez Negah, was.
51. Of the diviner’s success in making discoveries, and of the resolution which Hajji Baba takes in consequence.
52. Hajji Baba quits his mother, and becomes the scribe to a celebrated man of the law.
53. The mollah Nadân gives an account of his new scheme for raising money, and for making men happy.
54. Hajji Baba becomes a promoter of matrimony, and of the register he keeps.
55. Of the man Hajji Baba meets, thinking him dead; and of the marriage which he brings about.
56. Showing how the ambition of the mollah Nadân involves both him and his disciples in ruin.
57. Hajji Baba meets with an extraordinary adventure in the bath, which miraculously saves him from the horrors of despair.
58. Of the consequences of the adventure, which threaten danger, but end in apparent good fortune.
59. Hajji Baba does not shine in honesty — The life and adventures of the mollah Nadân
60. Hajji and the mollah make plans suited to their critical situation, showing that no confidence can exist between rogues.
61. The punishment due to Hajji Baba falls upon Nadân, which makes the former a staunch predestinarian.
62. Hajji Baba hears an extraordinary sequel to his adventure in the bath, and feels all the alarms of guilt.
63. He is discovered and seized, but his good stars again befriend and set him free.
64. He reaches Bagdad, meets his first master, and turns his views to commerce.
65. He purchases pipe-sticks, and inspires a hopeless passion in the breast of his old master’s daughter.
66. He becomes a merchant, leaves Bagdad, and accompanies a caravan to Constantinople.
67. Hajji Baba makes a conquest of the widow of an emir, which at first alarms, but afterwards elates him.
68. He obtains an interview with the fair Shekerleb, makes a settlement upon her, and becomes her husband.
69. From a vender of pipe-sticks he becomes a rich Aga, but feels all the inconvenience of supporting a false character.
70. His desire to excite envy lays the foundation of his disgrace — He quarrels with his wife.
71. He is discovered to be an impostor, loses his wife, and the wide world is again before him.
72. An incident in the street diverts his despair — He seeks consolation in the advice of old Osman.
73. In endeavouring to gain satisfaction from his enemies he acquires a friend — Some account of Mirza Firouz.
74. He becomes useful to an ambassador, who makes him a partaker of his confidence.
75. Of his first essays in public life, and of the use he was to his employer.
76. Hajji Baba writes the history of Europe and with his ambassador returns to Persia.
77. The ceremony of receiving a Frank ambassador at the court is described.
78. Hajji is noticed by the grand vizier, and is the means of gratifying that minister’s favourite passion.
79. Of the manner in which he turned his influence to use, and how he was again noticed by the vizier.
80. The conclusion — Misfortune seems to take leave of Hajji Baba, who returns to his native city a greater man than when he first left.