N M. RASHED'S Safar'nama: THREE VERSIONS Story of a Travel There he was effulgent insisting that we join him in the primal breaking of bread and there we were on the dawn of beginning afraid that he the egoist may hold us back from our long trip Elated by his latest triumph drunk with joy he may stop us from boarding the first ever flight travelling towards earth We knew he loved to harangue we knew that the sound of his own voice was dearer to him than other things But (remember7) we had so much to do9 We still had to pick up our passports and wait for foreign exchange We hadn t even locked our suitcases But there he was insisting that we join him in the primal breakfast Throughout the breakfast he rattled on about himself I need a vicegerent for earth a good natured person my very own image So we gave him the names of the candidates adding ours to the list I want the trees and stones to worship me day and night I want the water and land to languish in my desire I want good and evil to be strewn at my door step I want I want Annual of Urdu Studies #5 ^9