The dishonest falconer and his slandering parrots, from Lights of Canopus (Anvar-i Suhayli) by Husayn Va`izi Kashifi

Kesu Khurd

The dishonest falconer and his slandering parrots, folio from Lights of Canopus (Anvar-i Suhayli), a reworking of the animal fables Kalila and Dimna (Kalila wa Dimna), composed by Husayn Va`izi Kashifi. A slave from Balkh worked as a falconer for a rich merchant, and became embittered when the merchant's wife ignored his attentions. As revenge, he taught two green parrots to repeat an accusation (in the Balkhi language) about the wife cheating on her husband with someone else (the household porter): the first painting here shows the devious falconer handing the parrots to his master as a gift. The second painting shows the parrots repeating the slander in front of the merchant's guests at a banquet: the merchant doesn't understand the language, but some of the guests translate it - to general consternation. This folio is from a copy of a highly-regarded Persian text, written by Husayn Va`izi Kashifi (d.1504-05), a preacher and scholar at the Timurid court in Herat (modern Afghanistan). His patron was Amir Shaykh Suhayli, whose last name is punningly inserted into the new title. Writing in a sophisticated court style, Kashifi composed an updated version of these lively animal fables, which have a long transmission history going back to Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit texts. This manuscript was made in Mughal India, and features 96 paintings (mounted separately). Detached folio, ink, gold and colours on paper, from partial copy of Lights of Canopus (Anvar-i Suhayli) by Husayn Va`izi Kashifi (d.1504-5), Persian text with painting (on recto), Agra, India, c. 1595-1600