Original story of Zarak Khan

Interesting to compare this with the final film. From an old newspaper article in 1950, years before the movie was made...

WHO was the bravest man of the war?

Think of the long list of men and women who wore the badge of courage-sailors, soldiers, airmen, civilians, secret agents… But the man I am thinking of was none of these. He spent most of his life in lighting the British. His name was Zarak Khan. He was an Afghan of the North-West Frontier. In "The Story of Zarak Khan" (Jarrolds) A. J. Bevan tells how for 20 years Zarak was a brigand, a scourge to the British, a murderer, thief and despoiler of women. Yet, for the British, he gave his life.

Taken prisoner by the Japs, he demanded to be flayed alive, instead of being quickly beheaded, so that a Gurkha force would be in time to rescue the rest of the prisoners.

OUTLAW ZARAK, a giant 6ft. 4in. in height, was first an outlaw. The British put a price on his head. Once he was caught-and rescued by a colleague whom he afterwards stabbed in the back. Then in one of his forays he murdered a holy man. And even the frontier became too hot to hold him. He gave himself up.

"I have no cause to love your race," he said to a British agent, "but you have a reputation for being just." He was tried and sentenced to transportation for life to the Andamans.

BUT the Japs were in the Andamans; so Zarak Khan stayed in his cell. Now the North-West Frontier was in upheaval, full of enemy agents and raiding tribesmen. Zarak was given a suspended sentence and became a British agent. He volunteered for Burma.

One day in 1943 he was leading his patrol home, for the British officer had been killed. From the cover of the jungle he watched another British patrol ambushed by Japs. He followed and watched tha torture of the prisoners. Zarak sent messengers to summon a Gurkha force...

NOW he knew he must create a diversion to keep the Jas from moving on with the prisoners. So he charged the Japs single handed, and killed or wounded six before he was overpowered. They told him he must die.

To the captive British officer he said: "Tell these little yellow dogs that I, Zarak Khan, will never be beheaded . . . tell them that Zarak Khan is destined to be flayed alive."

When the British officer pleaded, If thy behead you it will be over quickly," the Afghan replied, "And over for you, too."

The Japs flung the giant to the ground. It took them an hour to finish their dreadful business. Zarak hung on to life-he had to buy time.

In all that time there was no cry from Zarak except at the end, he said, "Allah, Kismet" As the Japs stood watching him die there came a shout of "Gurkha, Ho!" One hundred and eighty Gurkhas leaped on the killers. The British officer was released from his bonds. He said of Zarak: "He chose it that way… he did it for us."

British and Gurkhas buried the dead giant, far from his native hills. Over his head they put a stone.

"On it," says Mr. Bevan, "are written words which Zarak would never have understood. "'Greater love hath no man…"