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Bashi’s family has lived in Shimshal for 13 generations. He starts the testimony describing some of the work that his family have carried out for the community. He is optimistic about the road: “There will be a great change in our village, first the people will become free of loads and will travel on vehicles, then there will be shops and hotels in the village. A good hospital will be established here and we will enjoy all facilities at our doorstep.”

The majority of the testimony is taken up with the detailed narration of two tales. The first is that of the baloq (person with deformed lips; harelip) son of a king who overcame being cheated by his more favoured brothers, as well as various other obstacles, to become his father’s favourite son. The second is the story of a young man, Tosh Baig, who by defeating a king’s enemies succeeded in marrying a princess.

detailed breakdown

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Section 1	Introductions. Work done by his family: irrigation channels constructed by his grandfathers, trees planted: “seven households of our family have planted trees there and [from the sale of these trees] some had purchased jeeps and some educated their children and some built houses.” His father was a carpenter.
Section 2	The road: more tourists will come and there will be better facilities. Future generations will benefit from the road link.
Section 2-4	Relates the tale of the baloq son of a king. He was cheated by his two brothers but after defeating a dragon, being blinded and finding medicine for his father became the king’s favourite: “The king then loved his son and termed him as his loyal son and ordered to tie up the two princes with the tail of tosoon (wild horse) and raced the horses in a desert till the princes died. From then onward he lived with Baloq.”
Section 5-7	Relates the tale of Tosh Baig, and his search to find a fairy as a bride. How he defeated the enemies of the king in order to marry the princess. His return to his village: “[his marriage] was announced in the village and they all gathered with pathok (offering).”