Jawamiʿ al-hikayat wa lawamiʿ al-riwayat 17: Surrender of Ghaznín to Alptigín. [I. vi. 25.]

17

When Alptigín, the master of Subuktigín, deserted the Sámánians and went to Ghaznín, they were by his departure reduced to great destitution, and serious disturbances broke out in the country. We will make mention in the proper place of this occurrence, as well as of his reasons for separating himself from them. On his reaching Ghaznin, the garrison shut themselves up in the fort and refused to surrender to him. He, therefore, pitched his camp without, and speedily possessed himself of the suburbs and surrounding country.
There he exercised his power with such impartiality and regard for justice, that the people around were in the enjoyment of perfect peace. One day he was going along the road when he perceived a party of his servants coming from a village, with poultry slung from their saddle-straps. Having stopped them, he enquired how the fowls came into their possession. They pretended that they had purchased them in a neighbouring village. On this Alptigin sent a horseman to the village with instructions to bring the head man of it into his presence. When he was brought, Alptigin asked him whether the men had bought the fowls or seized them by force. The man appeared desirous of hiding the truth, so Alptigin told him to tell the truth on pain of punishment. The man then said, "When a Turk comes into a village he does not buy fowls but always takes them by force." On hearing this, Alptigin gave orders that the culprits should be punished with death. Those around implored mercy, and entreated that some lesser punishment than death might be inflicted on the thieves. He complied with this request, and ordered the offender's ears to be bored and the birds to be suspended from them by a string tied to their legs. This having been done, the birds, in struggling to escape, so flapped and beat with their wings the men's heads and faces that blood flowed copiously from the wounds inflicted. In this condition they were paraded through the army. The news of this act of justice having reached the ears of the people, they all assembled together, and agreed that a man so upright and just was worthy to be their ruler. That very evening they went to him and agreed upon the terms of capitulation. The following day the city was surrendered. So, by this one act of judicious impartiality he became possessed of the city of Ghaznin, which rose to be the shrine of prosperity and abode of wealth.