Notes: This legend is one of many with a similar structure, a simple 'Nahha' peasant defeating the evil 'samam'. Legends like this were probably written to contrast 'samam' and 'Nahha' as well as provide some justification for their inability to raise a standing army. This particular legend was probably based on actual events, although the details have almost certainly been exaggerated. The events most probably took place in the northern hills of the 'Sestol Region' (Northern Iraq) about the year 2500BC (approx 'ked 1550').
This legend gave rise to the sinister phrase: 'No one here loves you, no one here will mourn. Die quietly, die quietly.' ('Tutoa you esen bot. Tutoa you v~midin. sidya j~boayu, sidya ~debomu.').
During the period when capital punishment was used, this phrase was often whispered quietly, into the victim's ear just prior to execution. Also, it is said that 'Nahha' assassins (sadponyik) like to say this as a final farewell to their 'samam' victims.
=== Part 1
One day the people of Goat's Hill nahum were working the fields when a samam hunting tribe arrived. The men and women were warned by the lookout on top of the building and so they fled the fields to the safety of the nahhum before the samam managed to catch anyone.
The chief of the samam then rode up to the door and called out "Nahha! Nahha! Nahha! Do you hear me?"
“We hear you.” shouted the mother of the nahhum. “Go away.”
“I wish to speak to a fair maid in your nahhum. The fair Shivul.”
The young lady appeared at the window and chief was astonished for she was truly a most beautiful girl, the fairest he had ever beheld.
“Oh Shivul, I am the chief of a great tribe of warriors. I have heard of your beauty and your wisdom. I have journeyed from afar to free you from this drudgery. I have come to offer you my hand in marriage.”
“I hear you,” she said. “Go away.”
“Oh fair Shivul, will you not listen to me? For I have come from afar to speak with you.”
“I hear you,” she said. “You are samam. You stupidly praise a spirit unseen. You read base nature as signs and praise it because you believe it makes you mighty. You are samam. Go away.”
“Oh fair Shivul, most beautiful woman of the Nahha, hear me now. Think not bad things of me for I have come far for you. If you agree to be my bride I shall treat you well. I shall love you like I’ve loved no other.”
“Oh samam, you know not what love is for you treat all women as property. I have no intention to be owned and used by samam and then, like a broken shoe, discarded.”
“Ah but fair Shivul, if you agree to be my bride I shall give you riches beyond your comprehension. I shall give you gold, bracelets and diamonds. You will be richer than any man. You will eat off platters of silver and bathe in rose-scented water. You will have your own servants to satisfy your every need. For food, comfort or security you will not be wanting.”
“Oh samam, you know not what true wealth is. I have the love and support of my family. I have the friendship of my sisters and brothers. From jealousy within I have no fear and I do not feel the guilt of forcing others to my whim. I have the food from our fields and I know its value, I have the sweet water of the spring and I know its worth. I do not need your soft metal or hard crystal to buy what I already have.”
At this the chief grew frustrated. “Ah but Shivul, I am the most feared man of the North. I am a great chief of a great tribe. I have conquered many lands. Do you not think I am handsome? Do you think you are not worthy of my bed?”
For the chief was indeed a tall, strong and handsome young man.
“Oh samam, you are indeed a tall, strong and handsome man. Any woman would fall at your feet, whether by your charm or by your strength. But here I can lay with any man I choose, be he handsome, be he wise, or be he kind. So pray tell me chief of samam, why would I choose to bed myself with one who worships the invisible and who kills women and children? You are an enemy of the Nahha. One who burns nahhumar but builds nothing himself except fear and hate.”
At this the chief grew angry.
“You shall marry me and bear me sons or I shall kill everyone in your nahhum and lay waste to the hills around. We shall talk again tomorrow.” and with that the samam camped in the fields. They ate the fruit from the trees and drank from the spring.
But young Shivul was wise and she knew he would not go away until he had his bride or until he had killed everyone she loved. So the next morning she stood naked at the window and called out to the chief. “Oh great chief, I have changed my mind. But how would I know that your soldiers will not kill and burn my family as soon as I am yours?”
With that the chief turned and called out to his men “You will not harm this nahhum, nor will you harm anyone in it. That is my command and you will obey this unto death!” And all his men swore this oath. Then the chief rode to the nahhum and looked up at the young woman of his desire. “Now will you be mine, fairest Shivul?”
“I think,” she said “that you will be mine. Would this please you chief of samam?”
“Let it be so!” laughed the chief. “I am yours. Now come, join with me and let us be wed.”
“Gladly,” she replied. “And this is what I would do with animals of mine that would kill to live!” And she took a large axe from behind the window and leapt down upon the chief holding it in both her hands. As she fell she split him in two from his head to his belly and he fell dead from his horse.
Covered in the blood of the chief she stood and pointed at his warriors. “So you have sworn, let it be so!”
They replied, “So we have have sworn, shall it be so.”
“Now look upon this not as a murder of your chief, but as sign of the fortitude of your god.”
And as the samam left they stupidly misunderstood her meaning and thought it a sign from their god.
=== Part 2
And then later it happened that a king of samam arrived with his army of warriors. Again the people retreated to the safety of the nahhum.
“I have come for the girl known as Shivul.” called out the king. But he knew of what had happened before and he did not waste words. “But I am no fool to fall for the simple deceptions of a mere girl. I command an army twice the size of the chief. I shall have her as my wife or I shall kill everyone herein and lay waste to the hills around. I shall return in the morning for her answer, but I shall not expect trickery for my army have orders to avenge any hurt you could do to me.” And with that the samam camped in the fields. They ate the fruit from the trees and drank from the spring.
In the morning Shivul appeared at the door, dressed in her finest clothes. The king, wary of trickery, had his personal guards take her away in a carriage especially made for her. He and his tribe of warriors then left the nahhum and travelled far until the evening when they made camp. After eating the evening meal the chief went to the girl’s tent but was horrified to see Shivum pale, shaking and being sick.
“What is the matter? Are you so afraid of me that you become ill? Fear not for I shall not harm you.”
“It is true that I fear you and your warriors my king. I fear for my life so much that I think I am most ill.”
And with that the king told all his personal guards that her every wish was to be granted, and that she should not fear for anything. And thus they travelled for another day. In the evening they made camp and again the king ate his food before visiting his bride to be. But Shivum was no better than she was before. Indeed she was worse with dark shadows under her eyes and a tremble in her voice.
“There is no need for you to fear me. Your life will be full of riches and comforts. Why are you so ill?” said the king.
“I am sure you are right. I am not scared of my future life with you. But since leaving my home, I have eaten and drunk only those things that have been given me by your own personal bodyguards. And yet I am ill.”
The chief was alarmed. “Poison!” He declared. “Someone dares poison you!” and immediately he gave instruction that all his own personal guard were to be put to the sword. “There.” he said. “Do you see? I value your life above that of my own personal guard. You are safe now. You shall get better and when we get home you shall be my wife.”
And thus they travelled for another day. In the evening they made camp and again the chief ate his food before visiting his bride to be. But Shivum was even worse. Stricken and unable to move she lay in her bed, her eyes were dark and she panted with breath. She was clearly dying.
He approached her tenderly and asked. “What is wrong? Are you still being poisoned?”
“I fear so.” She answered weakly. “Is there anyone in your conquered lands that would wish you harmed?”
The chief thought for a moment. “There are many,” he said. “But I have a solution.” And he left her tent and ordered that all his soldiers who had served her, or even been near her, or those that had simply spoken to those that had been near her, should all be put to the sword. And thus he was now sure that she would be safe from assassination.
And so they travelled for another day but this time when he visited her, she was getting better. The king was most pleased and rejoiced that he had thwarted the intentions of his enemy. She was safe.
And so they travelled many more days and each night Shivum got better until finally the king entered her tent and she said: “My king I am fully well again. I am ready to be your bride.”
But the king, on seeing her beauty, was unable to hold himself and took her into his arms. He kissed her deeply and was pleased that she returned his kisses with a passion he had only dreamt of.
“I am pleased you are mine. Your beauty is beyond compare. Only an army such as mine can protect you. The Nahha have no army. They are weak and they could never protect you as I can.”
As he prepared for bed he suddenly felt faint and had to lay down. Shivum washed herself carefully then came to him, looked down upon him and said: “My king. I am but a mere slip of a girl, but I am Nahha. What need have we of an army? I alone have already killed half of yours and led the rest far away from my home. My family is now safe from your murderous ways. When I asked if there was anyone in your conquered lands that would wish you harmed, you had so many enemies you did not see the slip of a girl laying helpless in front of you. It was I who poisoned myself over these past days. And now you have my lips and neck kissed, with an even more lethal poison painted.”
And Shivum dressed in dark travelling clothes that she might sneak from the tent unseen and return to her beloved home. But before she left she went again to the paralyzed king as he lay dying silently on the bed, unable to speak.
She stroked his head and said: “King of samam, king of murderers and fools, you know only of armies, fighting and killing and nothing of love. So I shall return to my family for they love me and I love them.”
Then she knelt and whispered into his ear: “No one here loves you. No one here will mourn. Die quietly, my king. Die quietly.”
And the king could only watch as she left into the night to journey back to her beloved family.