Stratagems and Schemes in Samak-e AyyarYadollah

Samak-e Ayyar has been told by Sadaghat ebn-e Abolghasem in the same way it was recounted in public places. Faramarz ebn-e Khodadad-e Arrajani، in turn، has adopted and retold the story، retaining the same stylistic features used by professional public reciters. Ayyari tricks and stratagems are of magical and military nature and are used by common people، wanderers، magicians and fairies in this work. Examples of the frequently used stratagems are: casting the lasso، using anesthetics، telling lies، passing oneself as someone else، …. The method of constructing prisons، buildings، basements and escape ways are all unique and bespeak the craftiness and ingenuity of those who employ them. These tricks are sometimes used to benevolent ends; they can also be resorted to for hostile purposes. In both cases، such tricks are of great strategic value to the users