Dear readers, we present to your attention the story of the famous Yazidi writer Tosne Rashid "The Fakir and the Book" in the genre of historical prose. The story is based on real events. The translation into Russian was carried out by Ekaterina Ameyan.

Part-1

It was the autumn of 1892, or to be more precise, the middle of September. But the gorge in which the Holy Lalesh is located was still dressed in summer outfits. The leaves of the trees have changed in color in some places, but it is as if these changes have taken place to express the beauty of nature even more vividly.
The Lalesh Gorge was waiting for a big religious holiday-Jemaya, in honor of which many parishioners were also expected. And for the sake of this holiday, the gorge dressed up like a newlywed bride.
This holiday was the most important in the heart of every Yazidi. Everyone wanted to celebrate Jemaya in the Lalesh temple, to worship every shrine dedicated to the Yezidi saints and guardians of religion, to plunge into the waters of "Kanya Spi" and be consecrated, to take home barat - small balls made from the earth of the shrine and the water of the spring" Kanya Spi " (White Stream).
For seven days and seven nights in the Lalesh Gorge, life was transformed, became magical, the world became different. The Lalesh Gorge celebrated the holiday. But this atmosphere of kindness and celebration was three days ago…
Three days later, the Yazidi nobility received a letter from the Pasha of Mosul, saying that the Yazidis would need to convert to Islam, or they would face a cruel fate.
The Yezidis sent a letter of refusal, adding that the religion of the Yezidis is much older than Islam, and no one will accept it.
The Pasha of Mosul did not expect such an answer, he said through his teeth: "You will see, I will arrange such a thing for them that even their great-grandchildren will remember!".
Immediately the next day, he sent an army under the command of his son to fight against the Yezidis of Sheikhan. Before the campaign, he told his soldiers that killing and robbing Yazidis is a holy and noble deed that opens the gates to paradise for them. He also promised that most of the loot would go to them.
When the warriors finished with the robberies and murders in the Sheikhan region, they headed for the Radiant Lalesh.
Not far from Lalesh, the Fakir Nekash was sitting, his eyes were half closed, and he was whispering all the time: he was saying a prayer in a whisper. There was a feeling that he was not in this world right now. He knew that mere mortals would come and go. "May God punish them justly, these creatures of God are still far from the truth," he repeated.
The fakir recited a prayer:
"Shams of the Yezidis,
An angel among men. Whatever the descendants of Adam do, they will not be able to change anything, the Day of Judgment will come for everyone. Everyone will answer to God on the Day of Judgment for their actions — both for good and for bad.
O Shams, son of Ezdin,
Oh, an angel among holy men, oh, my soul.
I swear by the sun rising in the sky, a
great luminary has appeared,
The radiance coming from Sheshams illuminated the sea fish.
The sun has risen in the heavens,
The sun has risen in the heavens,
A mighty luminary has risen,
The Radiance of Sheshams
It reached the sea fish.
Your name is the lord, your name is the lord,
My dear, your name is the lord,
O my Sheshams, your name is Lord.
Oh, Lord, for the sake of the Mamshvan feast, Habana Zarza,
Pira Fat, Khatuna Farha,
Sheh Manda, for the sake of these saints and angels.