The Shaving of Shagpat · Chapter
The Sons of Aklis explained
Shibli Bagarag awakens in Aklis after a night of feasting and is treated as a king by the seven sons of Aklis.
What happens
Shibli Bagarag awakens in Aklis after a night of feasting and is treated as a king by the seven sons of Aklis. He is crowned and presides over a court of asses and monkeys, who are revealed to be former seekers of the Sword who failed the test of temptation. Through this experience, Shibli gains wisdom about the burdens of kingship and the dangers of vanity. He then joins the youths for a hunt before returning to the palace.
Themes in this chapter
The Nature of Power and Authority
Shibli's experience as king of asses and monkeys reveals the burdens and illusions of rule, as he learns that sovereignty over base creatures mirrors human kingship.
Illusion vs. Reality
The feasting, dancing, and dream sequences blur the line between reality and illusion, and the animals are revealed to be transformed men, underscoring the theme.
The Heroic Journey and Self-Discovery
Shibli's trials in Aklis—resisting temptation, gaining wisdom from the animals, and proving himself to the sons—advance his heroic quest for the Sword.
Characters to notice
- Shibli Bagarag
Shibli is crowned king of asses and monkeys in Aklis, gaining insight into the nature of power and the perils of ambition.
- Aklis
The seven sons of Aklis host Shibli, testing him through feasting, judgment, and the hunt, while guiding him toward wisdom.
- Noorna bin Noorka
Shibli recalls Noorna in a dream, and she is the motivation for his quest to obtain the Sword.
- Shagpat
Shibli mentions Shagpat as the target of his quest, and the youths become solemn at the name.
- Baba Mustapha
Shibli recounts anecdotes about his uncle Baba Mustapha's loquacity, amusing the youths.
- Genie Karaz
Karaz appears in Shibli's dream as a threatening figure, clutching Noorna.
Key passages
“Then they made a motion to some slaves, and presently a clattering of anklets struck the ear of Shibli Bagarag: and he beheld dancing-girls, moons of beauty and elegance, and they danced wild dances, and dances graceful and leopard-like and serpent-like in movement; and the youths flung flowers at them, applauding them.”
The youths summoned dancing girls who performed with grace and wildness, and the young men threw flowers in applause.
Shibli is entertained by lavish performances in Aklis, part of the youths' testing of his resolve.
“Then he thought of Noorna, and that she sang to him and danced, and when he rose to embrace her she was Rabesqurat by the light of the Lily!”
In his dream, Shibli imagined Noorna, but she transformed into Rabesqurat, revealing the deceptive nature of his desires.
Shibli's dream illustrates the theme of illusion vs. reality, as his beloved is replaced by a temptress.
“So he touched the lips of an animal with the waters of Paravid, and the animal prated volubly in our language of the kick this ass had given him, and the jibe of that monkey, and of his desire of litigation with such and such a beast for pasture; and the others when they spake had the same complaints to make.”
Using the waters of Paravid, Shibli made an animal speak, revealing petty grievances among the beasts.
Shibli gains insight into the trivial nature of disputes, mirroring human courtly complaints.
“They answered, “Men that were searchers of the Sword and plunged into the tank of temptation.” And he said, “How that?” They answered, “By the lures of vanity, the blinding of ambition, and tasting the gall of the Roc.””
The animals explained they were once seekers of the Sword who failed due to vanity and ambition, and were transformed.
This reveals the fate of those who succumb to temptation in Aklis, serving as a warning to Shibli.
