The Strapkhor, the Jinn, and the Clever Old Woman
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This tale, over 400 years old, has been passed down through generations in our family. We heard it from our great-grandfather, and it continues to be shared as a piece of our rich cultural heritage. In ancient times, humans coexisted with jinns. The advent of machinery, trains, airplanes, and cars marked the end of this era. Back then, populations were sparse, and houses were far apart, often one or two miles apart. Consequently, the entire region of Baltistan was inhabited by jinns. My great-grandfather used to tell us stories about jinns visiting our homes. One such tale involves a traditional dish called strapkhor, unique to Baltistan and possibly not found anywhere else in the world. The preparation of strapkhor is a lengthy process. First, wheat grains are soaked in water for several days until they sprout. The sprouted wheat is then dried in the sun. Once dried, it develops a distinct flavor, ready to be used in making strapkhor.
One day, an old woman was making strapkhor on an iron stove. Due to the scarcity of wood, they often used various weeds collected from pastures as fuel. While she was cooking, a woman who appeared to be a human entered the kitchen and offered her help. As the old woman placed the dough on the griddle, it kept disappearing mysteriously. The wise old woman quickly realized that her helper was not human but a fairy or a jinn. She cleverly asked the fairy to blow on the stove, claiming it wasn't burning properly. As the fairy bent down to blow on the stove, the old woman swiftly pushed her head into the red-hot iron stove. The fairy screamed and, instead of fleeing through the door, escaped through the stove's hood. Outside, another jinn was waiting for her. Seeing her condition, the waiting jinn spoke in their language, instructing her to invert her body "“ head down and feet up. When she did so, the iron rod stuck in her neck fell out. This encounter revealed to the old woman that the being was indeed a jinn. She noticed that the jinn had inverted feet and hair under their soles.
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