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The Kazan Valley was neither big nor famous. Its neighbors the Nile Valley to the west and the Euphrates valley to the east were bigger, more famous and had bigger rivers in them. The Kazan River was so small it ran only in the winter and spring. As a result, in summer and fall the Kazan valley was a wasteland of brown scrub and gray dust that was a fit living place only for lizards, bugs and snakes.
Twenty years ago settlers from the village of Induslan started to change that. Induslan was a long day's walk away, over hills and into the next valley. Now some parts of the Kazan valley remained lush fields throughout summer as water flowed into them from new wells and irrigation ditches. The labors of the early settlers from Induslan now yielded rich harvests of figs, dates and vegetables for their sons and daughters.
As the land has become fertile, the settlers have started a new oasis in the center of these lush fields. The oasis-becoming-a-village of Sambi is populated with second generation farmers and first generation merchants.
Because Sambi Oasis exists, camel caravans now use the Kazan valley as a way to the port of Tyre. Sambi wells provide water; Sambi farmers provide food and fodder, and its blacksmiths repair the camels' saddles and tackle. In turn the caravan masters spend generously on refreshments, and offer advice over coffee, wine and fruits as they relax in the plazas about the marketplace at day's end.
"Build for success, but remember that greed pursues success relentlessly," advise the caravan masters, "Your plan for a wagon road between Tyre and Induslan is ambitious, and it should bring you riches. But you may want to build a city wall first, so those riches aren't taken away from you. The world is larger than you think. Tyre isn't the biggest city in the world, and Induslani warriors aren't the fiercest."
The merchants' advice proved prudent. Sambi doesn't have a wall yet, but this spring Induslan was attacked by an army from a distant land. The warriors of that army rode horses the size of camels and carried great swords and long lances. But most fearsome of all was the iron armor the leaders wore from head to toe -- they were giant iron men on giant iron horses.
The Induslan villagers were amazed. When this army first appeared, the Induslan militia (volunteer fighters) gathered at the foot of the valley leading to Induslan, but not to fight. They would have given this Iron Army food, fodder, even women had they asked for them. But the strange warriors asked for nothing, nothing understandable anyway -- they spoke only gibberish. Instead they formed into a battle line, then charged the Induslan milita -- shouting and killing any too slow to run away. The militia scattered before the charge, retreated up the valley, and sent word for everyone to leave the village.
Three days later the village was burned by these strange warriors, and those too weak to leave were killed. Then the Iron Army marched back down the valley, presumably back to wherever it came from.
What brought these warriors? When would they return? Why had they turned and gone back after burning Induslani? These were all unanswered questions. It was decided that the Induslani families should move to Sambi while the Induslani warriors investigated these matters. Sambi doubled in size, as distant relatives showed up on every doorstep. Young Aladdin is one such relative.
"I want to be a warrior. I want to fight!" Aladdin had told his father and uncles. "Next year, you will be old enough." they said, "But this year you must stay in the village and help the women and old men."
The men rode off. And this is how Aladdin and his younger brother, Almudin, ended up in Sambi on that hot July afternoon when our story begins....
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