A TALE OF THE FORMIDABLE KHAN AND LUHMAN HEKIM

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In ancient times, a mighty Khan lived in Crimea. 

There was also the great sage and healer Luhman Hekim. Luhman Hekim was a straightforward and kind to the people. He boldly denounced the machinations of proud Khan.

     Khan didn’t love that and once ordered to jail him. Luhman was brought into the deep well and covered by the one thousand pood stone.

     Khan thought to get rid of the sage. How could the pride fight with the wisdom? 

Luhman Hekim had a flask with a wonderful balm, which he made from various herbs. Every day he sipped a few drops of this vessel. So, his hunger and thirst passed away, as the wind that passed the old plane trees. Luhman Hekim spent for many years in prison without the sun and fresh air. Khan died already, and the wise man remained alive in prison. Everyone thought that the bones of Luhman Hekim were decayed in jail.

     The new Khan came to the power. He was even more menacing and unjust. His wicked deeds created streams of blood, and great miseries that people had.

     However, the fate punished the new Khan for his sins. It sent a heavy incurable disease to him. Khan’s body became numb, so he couldn’t move a limb. No matter how the court doctors were trying to heal their master, everything has no avail. There were no remedies to facilitate the disease, and it increased each day more and more.

     Khan came into a rage and ordered to cut off the heads of innocent ruthlessly healers.

     Once the old man came to Khan and told:

     - Oh, a worthy successor of the father, the almighty king of kings. If Luhman Hekim was alive, he would find the means to facilitate your illness. Only he could heal you, and drive away the Shaitan from your bed.

     - Tell me about Luhman – ordered Khan.

     The old man shook his head, and didn’t answer for a long time. Then he looked at Khan and said,

     - Listen, sir, but don’t be angry and don’t order me to betray death. There was never a wise man than that Luhman Hekim, because he tasted the mysteries of the universe and learned the keys to human health. But he was a healer of the poor and condemned the rulers, oppressive people with the unbearable burden. Your father ordered to execute him by heavy and undeserved death. He threw Luhman into a well and piled one hundred pood stone on the entrance. Two hundred new moons have passed since then, and probably, there was no dust left from the greatest of sages.

     - Open the well - Khan ordered to his servants - and show me the place.

     The Khan’s will was fulfilled.

     The servants immediately went to the wicked well. They made a lot of effort to take down the one hundred pood stone.

     Imagine their surprise when they saw unharmed Luhman Hekim at the bottom of the well. His brow was furrowed by deep wrinkles because of the snowfall.

     Luhman came out of the well quiet and sad, and asked what the people living under the sunlight, wanted from him.

     The servant told him about Khan's illness. The Khan desired to see the bones of the great healer.

     - Come, Oh, the wisest of scientists, Khan will reward you for your art, if you would manage to cure his illness.

     - No, - said Luhman Hekim. - I would not return the life to those, who waste the lives of servants. Leave me here and come back.

     But the servants rushed to the old man's feet and began to beg him to follow them.

     - If he finds out that you were alive and didn’t agree to go, he would kill us. Have mercy on us, Oh, the sage, don’t expose us to danger.

     The words made soften old Luhman’s heart and he followed the requests of people.

     - But before we’d come to the Khan - he said - I should spend forty days in seclusion, away from the city noise.

     Luhman Hekim went to the one poor man’s hut and spent forty days in meditation. When forty first day came, Khan's envoys attended him. They led the sage to the palace.

     The Khan was looking forward to the healer and was delighted by his appearance. Luhman Hekim looked at Khan and saw his sickness as in his palm. Luhman saw, that he could cure disease only with help of great affect on Khan’s soul.

     - You think that you were invincible man. Have you got anyone, who would be the most expensive in the world? - He asked the master.

     - Yes, - said Khan - Why are you asking me?

     - Know - Luhman said - that in order to escape death, you have to bring some of them to sacrifice. Only then your illness would fly off.

     - Oh, the wise! - Khan exclaimed in horror. - What kind of medicine did you suggest me?. I didn’t want to harm them!

     - Do, what you want - Luhman said. – But remember, that it would be the only one remedy.

     The sage turned and went quiet slowly.

     A few days passed and terrible illness became more strengthen. He was calling Luhman again and again, begging him for heal.

     - Oh, Hekim, ask me what you want, I gave you many treasures, just take away my disease. I have no longer the strength to bear the torment.

     - There was only one remedy. I told about it, - said Luhman again. – You were annoing me with your moans. Why?

     The Khan’s patience was already exhausted. He thought only about himself all the time.

     - Good! - He exclaimed. – Let’s have it in your way, but I wouldn’t like to see that.

     - It wouldn’t bring the benefit - the sage replied. - I know the thing, that the remedy would reach the goal only in the eyes of the patient.

     - Well, do as you wish! - Khan shouted.

     The Khan's son was led in. His hands were tied with strong ropes. Luhman Hekim secretly tied the bubble filled with sheep's blood to the victim's neck.

     - Well, look here without closing the eyes - ordered Luhman to Khan.

     Khan stared his eyes to his son. I did’nt expect to see my lovely son at that place. The ruler’s face became white with horror.

He’d like to scream like an animal, but his body didn’t listen to him.

Luhman took a sharp knife. He highly waved and drove it deep in the throat of Khan's heir. The steel pierced the tight bubble and poured out the blood, spraying the son’s body.

     The Khan, who didn’t budge for five years, jumped off the stretcher and rushed as stuned to his son. Luhman Hekim grinned and handed Khan the knocked bubble.

     The ruler was very pleased, when he saw his son unharmed. His astonishment was outside, when he felt completely healed.

     Luhman Hekim, a wise healer, told:

     - You see how powerful was effect of the emotional shock on human. I’d like to  tell you more, Oh, the disposer of human lives. You saw by yourself the human’s great suffering. You’ve convinced in grief that the death carries. Please, know, the proud tyrant, that the thousands of people were subjected to suffer every day. Thousands of mothers mourn their children killed by you, thousands of brothers mourn their sisters.

     Khan didn’t reply anything. The sage told his bold words.

     The same day, Khan announced the feast and called all the people. Forty days and forty nights the feast has continued. People spread a word on feast, that only the blood of own son could affect on Khan, who used to see the blood.