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diff --git a/34206.txt b/34206.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..472b11e --- /dev/null +++ b/34206.txt @@ -0,0 +1,25428 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I., by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I. + Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments + +Author: Anonymous + +Editor: Edward Stanley Poole + +Illustrator: William Harvey + +Translator: Edward William Lane + +Other: Stanley Lane-Poole + +Release Date: November 3, 2010 [EBook #34206] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS *** + + + + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Turgut Dincer and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + +---------------------------------------------------+ + | Transcriber's Note: | + | | + | There are two levels of notes (footnotes) | + | in this book: The first level is called Notes by | + | the author and are referred from the main body | + | of text as [C_n] where C is the Chapter number | + | and n the number of the note related to this | + | chapter. The second level consists of regular | + | footnotes referred from the Notes of the author | + | and are numbered the usual way. | + | | + | In the HTML file Notes and footnotes are numbered | + | without chapter numbers. | + +---------------------------------------------------+ + + +[Illustration] + + + The THOUSAND & ONE nights. + + VOL. I. + + LONDON: CHATTO AND WINDUS. + + + THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS + + COMMONLY CALLED THE + + ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS + + + TRANSLATED FROM THE ARABIC, WITH COPIOUS NOTES, BY + + EDWARD WILLIAM LANE + + + EDITED BY HIS NEPHEW EDWARD STANLEY POOLE + + FROM A COPY ANNOTATED BY THE TRANSLATOR + + + WITH A PREFACE BY STANLEY LANE-POOLE AND + + ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE DESIGNS OF WILLIAM HARVEY + + [Illustration] + + A NEW IMPRESSION IN THREE VOLUMES + + VOL. I + + + LONDON + + CHATTO & WINDUS + + 1912 + + + LONDON: + + PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED. + DUKE STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.E., AND GREAT WINDMILL STREET, W. + + +[Illustration] + + + + +ADVERTISEMENT. + + +The present edition is an exact reproduction of that edited by my +father, with my great-uncle's final corrections, and published by Mr. +John Murray in 1859. Several reprints of that edition have testified to +the continued popularity of the work, and the necessity for the present +issue shows that an acquaintance of nearly half a century has not yet +wearied the public of the standard translation of the _Thousand and One +Nights_. The secret of Mr. Lane's success is to be found partly in the +instinctive sympathy for the spirit of the East, which enabled him +faithfully to reproduce the characteristic tone of the original, and +partly in the rich store of illustrations of oriental life and thought +contained in his Notes. In the various cheap versions, based upon +Galland's French paraphrase, the Eastern tone and local colour is wholly +wanting; and the peculiarities of life and manners, which contrast so +markedly with those of the West, are left unnoted and unexplained. Such +versions may serve in an inadequate degree to make the Arabian Nights +known to those who care only for the bare stories; but educated readers, +who are capable of something more than the mere enjoyment of the +romance, and desire to understand the character and habits of the actors +and the spectators, find in Mr. Lane's translation, and in his only, a +complete satisfaction of their want. It is not merely a scholar's +edition, though no oriental student can afford to be without it; but +beyond this narrow circle it has ever appealed to the wide audience that +cares to know the famous books of the world in their most perfect and +faithful reflections. + +The actual moment is an opportune one for the reappearance of the work. +Egypt just now holds a foremost place in the eyes of the world, and it +is of Egypt that the _Thousand and One Nights_ have most to tell. Indian +or Persian as many of the tales are in their origin, their setting is +almost purely Egyptian; and though the place may be nominally Baghdad or +India, or even furthest China, it is in mediaeval Cairo, in the days of +the Memlooks, that the scene of the Arabian Nights is really laid. The +people described are not Hindoos or Chinese, but Arabs and Egyptians as +they lived and moved in the fifteenth century, when some of the +beautiful mosques and tombs, that still make Cairo the delight of +artists, were being built, and the devastating hand of the Ottoman Turk +had not yet been laid on the land of the Pharaohs. For a minute picture +of Arabian society as it was in the Middle Ages, the _Thousand and One +Nights_ have no rival, and it is Mr. Lane's appreciation of this +picture, and the wealth of illustration lavished upon it in his Notes, +that render his edition the most complete commentary we possess on +Muslim life and manners, religion and literature, and make it an +indispensable supplement to his famous _Account of the Manners and +Customs of the Modern Egyptians_. The poetry of Eastern life is rapidly +fading away under the effacing touch of European civilisation; the +characteristic society in which an Haroon-Er-Rasheed, an Aboo-Nuwas, a +Kafoor, a Saladin, or a Kait-Bey, revelled and jested and conquered, is +fast becoming matter of history rather than of experience, a field for +the antiquary instead of the traveller; and it is well that we can +reconstruct it in the pages of the _Thousand and One Nights_, whose +compiler saw it when it was still almost in its Golden Prime, and in the +_Modern Egyptians_, whose author knew it when it still preserved the +romantic character which has charmed and fascinated readers of every age +and condition. + + STANLEY LANE-POOLE. + + THE DAY OF TELL-EL-KEBEER, 1882. + +[Illustration] + + + + +THE EDITOR'S PREFACE. + + +A new edition of this work having been required, Mr. Lane was requested +to undertake the correction of the press. But severe literary labours +allowing him no leisure for this object, he named me, as his pupil in +the study of Arabic, familiar with his writings, and for many years +resident with him in Cairo, to fill, in some measure, his place. I have +undertaken this duty with great diffidence, from a sense of my own +deficiencies and his extensive knowledge; but I have felt that I could +at least insure the correctness of the text, and a scrupulous adherence +to his wishes. The present edition is printed, without any variations of +my own (except those which are marked as such, and have been submitted +to Mr. Lane), from a copy of the first and complete edition, with +corrections and additions made by Mr. Lane, from time to time, since its +first publication. These, however, from the accuracy with which the +translation was made, and the fulness of the Notes, are not very +numerous. The same reasons have also caused my own notes to be few: I +believe that my Uncle's notes are complete in themselves; and that I +have sometimes erred, even in the rare exceptions I have made, on the +side of unnecessary addition. + +An edition of any book not superintended by the author is sometimes +regarded with distrust. I would therefore assure the reader that in this +instance he may depend even on the punctuation; the whole having been +laboriously collated with Mr. Lane's annotated copy, notwithstanding the +great delay which this process has occasioned in the printing of the +work. + +I have called this a _complete_ edition, to distinguish it from two +others which have been published without Mr. Lane's notes or his method +of writing oriental words, and with other variations from the standard +edition. The public appreciation of these notes, and of the advantage of +correctly-written foreign words, is, I conceive, proved by the call for +the present edition. On the subject of the mode of writing oriental +words in European characters, I need say little, for the controversy has +well nigh died out. The present generation does not regard antiquated +blunders as "the familiar names of childhood," but rather strives to +attain accuracy in all things; and those few who still cling to +"Mahomet" or "Mahomed" should consistently exhume the forgotten +"Mahound" of the Crusades. + +The translator's views respecting the origin and literary history of +"The Thousand and One Nights" will be found fully expressed in the +Review at the end of the third volume. In his original preface, he +stated, "The remarks which I here submit to the reader, being written +when only one-third of the work to which they principally relate is +printed, must unavoidably be more defective than they would be if +reserved until a later period. During the progress of the publication I +may be enabled to form clearer and more complete views of the several +subjects which might with propriety be fully discussed at the head of +my translation, and I think it better, therefore, to append at the close +of the work many observations which I originally intended to prefix to +the first volume." He has therefore wished me to remodel the preface, +transferring all portions relating to the subjects in question to the +Review, retaining whatever may more properly stand at the commencement +of the work, and adding any matter of my own. + +The object with which the translation was made is best expressed in the +words of Mr. Lane's preface. + +"My undertaking to translate anew the Tales of 'The Thousand and One +Nights' implies an unfavourable opinion of the version which has so long +amused us; but I must express my objections with respect to the latter +in plain terms, and this I shall do by means of a few words on the +version of Galland, from which it is derived; for to him alone its chief +faults are to be attributed. I am somewhat reluctant to make this +remark, because several persons, and among them some of high and +deserved reputation as Arabic scholars, have pronounced an opinion that +his version is an _improvement_ upon the original. That 'The Thousand +and One Nights' may be greatly improved, I most readily admit; but as +confidently do I assert that Galland has excessively _perverted_ the +work. His acquaintance with Arab manners and customs was insufficient to +preserve him always from errors of the grossest description, and by the +_style_ of his version he has given to the whole a false character, thus +sacrificing, in a great measure, what is most valuable in the original +work,--I mean its minute accuracy with respect to those peculiarities +which distinguish the Arabs from every other nation, not only of the +West, but also of the East. Deceived by the vague nature of Galland's +version, travellers in Persia, Turkey, and India, have often fancied +that the Arabian Tales describe the particular manners of the natives of +those countries; but no one who has read them in the original language, +having an intimate acquaintance with the Arabs, can be of this opinion: +it is in Arabian countries, and especially in Egypt, that we see the +people, the dresses, and the buildings, which it describes in almost +every case, even when the scene is laid in Persia, in India, or in +China. + +"Convinced of the truth of this assertion, I consider myself possessed +of the chief qualifications for the proper accomplishment of my present +undertaking, from my having lived several years in Cairo, associating +almost exclusively with Arabs, speaking their language, conforming to +their general habits with the most scrupulous exactitude, and received +into their society on terms of perfect equality. Since the downfall of +the Arab Empire of Baghdad, Cairo has been the chief of Arabian cities: +its Memlook Sul[t.]ans, introduced into Egypt in their youth, naturally +adopted, to a great degree, the manners of its native inhabitants, which +the 'Osmanlee Turks in later days have but little altered. Cairo is the +city in which Arabian manners now exist in the most refined state; and +such I believe to have been the case when the present work was +composed." + +Mr. Lane's first two visits to Egypt were made when, for the last time, +Arab manners and customs as they existed in the age of the Arabian +Nights could be studied; and his translation was written very shortly +after his second return to England. Though some of the tales may be +Indian or Persian in origin, in their present state they exhibit a +picture of the manners, modes of thought, and language, of the court and +times of the Memlook Sul[t.]ans of Egypt, which nearly resembled in +these points those of the Khaleefehs of Baghdad, or the great Arab +Empire. De Sacy and Von Hammer, the two celebrated orientalists who +differed widely in opinion as to the origin of the book, agreed that the +tales in which the Khaleefeh Haroon Er-Rasheed is introduced (the best, +with few exceptions, in the collection) are Egyptian in character. But +since the "Modern Egyptians" were described by Mr. Lane, all things in +the East have changed, and every day witnesses the decay of some old +custom, to be followed by a bastard European imitation. During Mohammad +'Alee's rule, all traces of the state and circumstance of the Memlook +court gradually passed away. European dress has displaced oriental +costume, cloth of gold, and dresses of honour; European architecture +elbows the quaint beauty of the old Arab capital; and the cavalcade of +fifty horsemen around a grandee is succeeded by an English carriage that +profanes the quiet streets of the city, and frightens away both 'Efreets +and their memory. Mr. Lane saw the last of Cairo in its integrity; and +he has not overstated his qualifications, as author of the "Modern +Egyptians," for the task of translating the Arabian Nights. + +Of the copy from which this translation was made, and the method +observed in its execution, I may again quote the preface to the first +edition. Mr. Lane says,-- + +"I have taken as my general standard of the original text the Cairo +edition lately printed; it being greatly superior to the other printed +editions, and probably to every manuscript copy.[1] It appears to agree +almost exactly with the celebrated MS. of Von Hammer, than which no copy +more copious, I believe, exists; and contains all the tales in the old +version except those which, as Von Hammer says, Galland appears to have +taken from other works, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, in the Royal +Library of Paris. The manuscript from which it was printed was carefully +collated and corrected by a very learned man, the sheykh +'Abd-Er-Ra[h.]man E[s.]-[S.]aftee Esh-Shar[k.]awee, who also +superintended the progress of the work through the press. But in +addition to the value conferred upon it by the corrections of this +sheykh, the copy from which the whole of my translation is made, except +in a few instances, possesses an advantage which, I believe, renders it +incomparably superior to any other now existing: it has been again +revised and corrected, and illustrated with numerous manuscript notes, +by a person whom I think I may safely pronounce the first philologist of +the first Arab college of the present day, the sheykh Mo[h.]ammad 'Eiyad +E[t.]-[T.]an[t.]awee, or, more properly, E[t.]-[T.]anditaee. His notes +are chiefly philological, and explanatory of words which do not belong +to the classical language; and many of them are of very great assistance +to me; though most of them I find unnecessary, from the knowledge of the +modern Arabic which I have acquired during my intercourse with the +people who speak it. His corrections of the text are numerous; and as +they would interest very few persons, I have mentioned but few of them +in the notes to my translation, notwithstanding a strong temptation that +I felt to do otherwise in order that Arabic scholars might be assisted +to judge of the fidelity of my version by comparing it with the text of +the Cairo edition.[2] To the pieces of poetry which are interspersed +throughout the work he has paid especial attention; not only correcting +the errors which he found in them, but also always adding the +vowel-points, and generally, commentaries or explanations. Thus I have +shewn that I am very greatly indebted to him for his learned labours. I +should, however, add, that I have ventured to differ from him in +interpreting a few words; having found more appropriate meanings +assigned to them by Arabs in parts not visited by him, or such meanings +given in printed dictionaries with which he is unacquainted; and I have +also corrected a few errors which have escaped his notice.[3] Without +the valuable aid which he has afforded me, I would not have attempted +the translation; nor with it would I have done so were it not for the +advantage that I derive from my having lived among Arabs. No translator +can always be certain that, from twenty or more significations which are +borne by one Arabic word, he has selected that which his author intended +to convey; but, circumstanced as I am, I have the satisfaction of +feeling confident that I have never given, to a word or phrase in this +work, a meaning which is inconsistent with its presenting faithful +pictures of Arab life and manners. + +"I have thought it right to omit such tales, anecdotes, &c., as are +comparatively uninteresting or on any account objectionable. In other +words, I insert nothing that I deem greatly inferior in interest to the +tales in the old version. Certain passages which, in the original work, +are of an objectionable nature, I have slightly varied; but in doing +this, I have been particularly careful to render them so as to be +perfectly agreeable with Arab manners and customs. It was originally my +intention to omit almost the whole of the poetry, thinking that the loss +of measure and rhyme, and the impossibility of preserving the examples +of paronomasia and some other figures with which they abound, would +render translations of them generally intolerable to the reader: but +afterwards I reflected that the character of the work would be thus +greatly altered; and its value, as illustrating Arab manners and +feelings, much diminished. I therefore determined to preserve a +considerable number of select pieces, chosen either for their relative +merits or because required by the context. The number of those comprised +in the first volume of my translation is nearly half of the number +contained in the corresponding portion of the original work; but in +several cases I have omitted one or more verses of a piece as +unsuitable, or for some other reason; and in a few instances I have +given only the first verse or the first couplet. These pieces of poetry +are not in general to be regarded as the compositions of the author or +authors of the work: they appear to be mostly borrowed from others, and +many of them are taken from the works of celebrated poets.--To avoid the +tedious interruptions which occur in the original at the close of each +Night, I have divided the translation into chapters, each of which +consists of one tale, or of two or more tales connected one with +another, and have merely mentioned the Night with which each chapter +commences, and that with which it terminates. + +"The original work being designed solely for the entertainment of Arabs, +I add copious notes to the translation, to render it more intelligible +and agreeable to the English reader. These are entirely my own, except +in those cases when I have stated otherwise;[4] and my general object in +them has been to give such illustrations as may satisfy the general +reader, without obliging him to consult other works. In many of them I +endeavour to shew, by extracts from esteemed Arabic histories and +scientific and other writings, chiefly drawn from MSS. in my possession, +as well as by assertions and anecdotes that I have heard, and conduct +that I have witnessed, during my intercourse with Arabs, that the most +extravagant relations in this work are not in general regarded, even by +the educated classes of that people, as of an incredible nature. This is +a point which I deem of much importance to set the work in its proper +light before my countrymen. I have resided in a land where genii are +still firmly believed to obey the summons of the magician or the owner +of a talisman, and to act in occurrences of every day; and I have +listened to stories of their deeds related as facts by persons of the +highest respectability, and by some who would not condescend to read the +tales of 'The Thousand and One Nights,' merely because they are +fictions, and not written in the usual polished style of literary +compositions." + +I have already mentioned that the literary history of "The Thousand and +One Nights" is discussed in Mr. Lane's Review appended to this +translation. In the course of my Arabic studies, and more especially +since I have been occupied in editing the present work, I have +endeavoured to form an unbiassed judgment on this difficult question; +and all my researches have confirmed me in agreeing with the opinions +there expressed. Von Hammer was inclined to lay too much stress on the +supposed Persian or Indian origin of these Tales; while De Sacy, on the +other hand, rejected the belief in any connection between the old work +and the more modern; contending that the latter was an independent +production. The discovery, however, of a passage in an Arabic author, by +Von Hammer, since the publication of De Sacy's Essay and Mr. Lane's +Preface, has placed the matter beyond a doubt; and scholars are now +agreed, notwithstanding De Sacy's pleasant sarcasm, and the weight of +his great name, that "The Thousand Nights" formed in some measure the +prototype of "The Thousand and One Nights." On the other hand, De Sacy's +keen appreciation of the modern (and chiefly Egyptian, or Arab,) +character of the book, in its present form, must be fully recognised, +and was indeed thus acknowledged by Von Hammer himself. The manners, +dresses, and modes of thought, portrayed by it are Arab throughout, even +in the stories which are probably retained from the Persian or Indian +original, of which that of the Magic Horse is the best example in this +translation. Besides those relating to the court and adventures of +Haroon Er-Rasheed, which, as I have before remarked, are curiously +Egyptian, many others appear to have been remodelled, if not actually +composed, in Egypt. It is not less true that these tales are generally +the best in the collection, if those of the Slave Kafoor, of 'Azeez and +'Azeezeh, and of Es-Sindibad, be excepted; for these certainly are +inferior to none. The more colloquial and familiar stories point to the +same origin; such as that of 'Ala-ed-Deen Abu-sh-Shamat (which is +pervaded by Egyptian characteristics in phraseology and in other +respects), that of Aboo-[S.]eer and Aboo-[K.]eer, and that of +Ma[a.]roof. The stories founded mainly on Persian or Indian originals +appear to be those in which supernatural beings play the most +conspicuous parts; and, as Mr. Lane remarks, these are generally +deficient in verses, although the converse does not hold good of the +former class. The anecdotes are mostly historical: many of them are, in +the Notes, identified with similar ones in other Arabic works; and +almost all are of Arab origin. + +The evidences of a late date scattered through the book may be additions +of copyists and reciters; but considered with reference to its general +character, they have a certain weight that cannot be overlooked: this is +carefully stated in the Review. + +Mr. Lane's arguments in favour of the collective "Thousand and One +Nights" being an individual work, and not one of many similar +collections, seem to me to be conclusive: not the least important of +these is the fact that no similar collection is known to exist, nor is +mentioned by any Arab author, with the sole exception of the old +"Thousand Nights," which I believe he has demonstrated to be the +prototype, in a remote degree, of the "Thousand and One." To cite the +words of the Preface on the question of the original of the work as it +is known to us--"I have shewn it to be my opinion that all the complete +copies of 'The Thousand and One Nights' now known are in the main +derived, though not immediately, from one original; and I hold the same +opinion with respect to every fragment containing the commencement of +the work;" "not regarding the work as wholly original, nor as the first +of its kind; for many of the tales which it contains are doubtless of +different and early origins; and I think that its general plan is +probably borrowed from a much older production, bearing the same title +of 'The Thousand and One Nights,' [or 'The Thousand Nights,'] a +translation of a Persian work having a corresponding title, namely +'Hezar Afsaneh.'... One thing is certain--that 'The Thousand and One +Nights,' [or 'The Thousand Nights,'] translated from the Persian was +much older than the work now known by that title, and also extremely +different from the latter." + +When these facts are considered in reference to each other, the date +assigned, in the Review, to the composition of the work cannot +reasonably be regarded as far from the truth. It is in Egypt, and +especially in the Memlook court, that we must look to find the people, +the manners, and the habits of thought, of "The Arabian Nights;" while +the style of the language in which they are written is that which we +might expect from an Egyptian of those times, who, unskilled in the +classical Arabic, yet endeavouring to imitate it, was doubtless more +generally intelligible then than he is now to the modern Egyptians. This +assumption of the old language, I may remark, is, and always has been, +characteristic of all learned Arabs, be they Egyptians or natives of +other Arabian countries (for such Egypt truly is); but no other instance +exists of a work of fiction in which the attempt fails so singularly in +affecting the classical, or retaining the modern tongue; while all other +Arabic _tales_ are certainly composed in either the one or the other. +The modern Egyptian romances are mostly written in the colloquial +dialect of every-day life; but those which are of older date are not +_modernized_, as some have supposed, against all reason, "The Thousand +and One Nights" to be: such an alteration would be without a parallel in +Arabic literature, as Mr. Lane proves in the Review in a way to relieve +me of the necessity of further alluding here to this particular +question. "The Thousand and One Nights" exhibit a style which would be +unfamiliar to the audience of the reciter of romances, without attaining +to the classical diction: and the conclusion is forced on us that the +work exhibits the language of a by-gone generation, which (taking into +consideration the other indications of its age and country), is, it can +scarcely be disputed, that of the later period of the Memlook rulers of +Egypt, before the Turkish conquest of that country. In the words of Mr. +Lane's Preface:--"Most of the tales which it contains are doubtless of +an older _origin_, and many of them founded upon very old traditions and +legends; but all these traditions or legends were evidently remodelled +so as to become pictures of the state of manners which existed among the +Arabs, and especially among those of Egypt, at the period here +mentioned; and I think that the composer of the work, or each of the +composers, if one commenced and another completed it, was an Egyptian." + +But a more popular subject than its obscure origin is the literary merit +of this work. The rare fascination of these old Arab stories, their +supernatural romance, excessive love, quaint philosophy, and grotesque +humour, have, since the days of Galland, secured to them more readers +than any other profane work. The translation of Galland, with all its +lameness, puerility, and indecency, gained for them a hold which has +never been relaxed; and it only required the appearance of a scholarlike +and readable translation, freed from these defects, to make them +generally accepted in English families. The fashion of travelling in the +East has not a little added to the desire for a standard and annotated +edition of a work unique, even in those lands of genii and adventure, in +its remarkable portrayal of Eastern character, life, and, when closely +translated, idiom. The humour of the book, now broad, now subtle, (who +does not delight in Kafoor and his "half lie?") renders the comic +stories generally superior to the romantic; but the pathos perhaps +excels every other beauty. The story of Shems-en-Nahar is remarkable for +this characteristic; and that of 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh (first published in +this translation), surpasses in delicate tenderness any Arab tale with +which we are acquainted. + +Of the critical value of Mr. Lane's translation I ought scarcely to +speak. Yet I may observe that students of Arabic make it a text-book in +reading the original; while the English reader not uncommonly forgets +that it is a translation, and detects not the literal accuracy of its +rendering of an unfamiliar, or unknown, language. + +I have adverted to the system adopted in transcribing foreign words, and +I now conclude these preliminary remarks (intended only to render the +learned Review easier of perusal to the general reader, and to smooth +his first steps in a strange land), by quoting, with some slight +improvements by Mr. Lane, the explanation of that system given in the +preface to the first edition. + +"In writing Arabic and other Oriental words in the present work, I have +employed a system congenial with our language, and of the most simple +kind; and to this system I adhere in every case, for the sake of +uniformity as well as _truth_.[5] Some persons have objected to my +writing in this manner a few familiar words which are found in our +dictionaries; but they will excuse me for remarking that general usage +is not altogether accordant with their opinion. Almost every author, I +believe, now writes 'Koran,' or 'Kuran,' and 'Pasha,' or 'Pacha,' for +our dictionary-words 'Alcoran' and 'Bashaw;' and most of our best +authors on Arabian History, of late, have written 'Khalif' for 'Caliph.' +In a work relating to a people who pronounce the Arabic w as v, I should +write 'Vezeer' for the Arabic word 'Wezeer;' but to do so when the +subject is Arabian, I consider inexpedient: and in this opinion I am +upheld by a great majority of literary and other friends whom I have +consulted on the subject, in the proportion of five to one. I may add +that Dr. Johnson has written in his Dictionary, 'Vizier [properly +_Wazir_];' and if we express the Arabic vowels by their _Italian_ +equivalents, it _is_ properly 'Wazir' or 'Wezir.'--The system which I +here employ requires but little explanation; the general reader may be +directed to pronounce + + a as in our word 'beggar:'[6] + a as in 'father:'[7] + e as in 'bed:' + e as in 'there:' + ee as in 'bee:' + ei as our word 'eye:' + ey as in 'they:' + i as in 'bid:' + o as in 'obey' (short): + o as in 'bone:' + oo as in 'boot:' + ow as in 'down:' + and + u as in 'bull.' + + The letter y is to be pronounced as in 'you' and 'lawyer:' never as + in 'by.' + + An _apostrophe_, when immediately preceding or following a vowel, I + employ to denote the place of a letter which has no equivalent in + our alphabet; it has a guttural sound like that which is heard in + the bleating of sheep: [a.] (with a dot beneath) represents the same + sound at the end of a syllable, when it is more forcibly pronounced. + + Each of the consonants distinguished by a dot beneath has a + peculiarly hard sound. + + Having avoided as much as possible making use of accents, I must + request the reader to bear in mind that a single vowel, when not + marked with an accent, is always short; and that a double vowel or + diphthong at the end of a word, when not so marked, is not accented + ('Welee,' for instance, being pronounced 'W[)e]'lee'): also, that + the acute accent does not always denote the principal or only + emphasis ('Haroon' being pronounced 'Haroon'); that a vowel with a + grave accent (only occurring at the end of a word), is not + emphasized, though it is long; and that dh, gh, kh, sh, and th, when + not divided by a hyphen, represent, each, a single Arabic + letter."[8] + +I have only to add one more extract from Mr. Lane's Preface. + + +"Many of the engravings which are so numerously interspersed in this +work will considerably assist to explain both the Text and the Notes; +and to insure their accuracy, to the utmost of my ability, I have +supplied the artist with modern dresses, and with other requisite +materials. Thus he has been enabled to make his designs agree more +nearly with the costumes &c. of the times which the tales generally +illustrate than they would if he trusted alone to the imperfect +descriptions which I have found in Arabic works.[9] Except in a few +cases, when I had given him such directions as I deemed necessary, his +original designs have been submitted to me; and in suggesting any +corrections, I have, as much as possible, avoided fettering his +imagination, which needs no eulogy from me. He has acquired a general +notion of Arabian architecture from the great work of Murphy on the +Arabian remains in Spain, and from the splendid and accurate work on the +Alhambra by Messrs. Goury and Jones; and through the kindness of my +friend Mr. Hay, of Linplum, he has been allowed to make a similar use of +a very accurate and very beautiful collection of drawings of a great +number of the finest specimens of Arabian architecture in and around +Cairo, executed by M. Pascal Coste, and now the property of Mr. Hay.[10] +He has also consulted a number of Oriental drawings, and various other +sources. My acknowledgments to other persons I have expressed in several +of the Notes. + +"The portion which is comprised in the first volume of this translation, +terminates with part of the hundred and thirty-seventh Night: it is +therefore necessary to remark,--first, that there is less to omit in the +early part of the original work than in the later:--secondly, that the +_Nights_ in the early part are generally much _longer_ than in the +subsequent portion; the first hundred Nights (without the Introduction) +comprising 213 pages in the Cairo edition of the original work; the +second hundred, 149 pages; the third, 107; the fourth, 106; the fifth, +94:[11]--thirdly, that a similar observation applies to the _Notes_ +which are inserted in my translation; those appended to the early tales +being necessarily much more copious than the others." + + + [1] Two other printed editions were also used by Mr. Lane--that + of the first two hundred Nights, printed at Calcutta, and in + consequence of the loss, by shipwreck, of nearly the whole + impression of the first volume, never completed; and that of + Breslau. The former differs much, in matter and manner, from + any other known copy; the latter, which was edited to the close + of the seven hundred and third night by Professor Habicht, and + completed by Professor Fleischer, is far inferior to all the + others. One other edition has appeared in the Arabic, that of + Calcutta, or "the Calcutta edition of the complete work." It + was brought from Cairo, and is apparently (though not + immediately) from the same original as the Boola[k.] edition. I + have continually referred to it for various readings, without + finding any one of importance. And here I must animadvert on + the practice of German orientalists of wasting their own time + and their readers' patience in collecting such various readings + of a work like "The Thousand and One Nights" as must + necessarily be the result of the carelessness or the ignorance + of copyists and reciters. The habit is unfortunately adopted by + some Englishmen, who seem to imagine that all that is German is + therefore learned.--ED. + + [2] "I must here state, that peculiar qualifications are + required to enable a person to judge of the fidelity of my + translation. The original work contains many words not + comprised in any printed dictionary, and a great number of + words used in senses which no such dictionary gives: in cases + of both these kinds, I am guided either by the explanations of + the sheykh Mo[h.]ammad 'Eiyad, or by my having been long in the + habit of noting down new words during conversation with Arabs, + and in the perusal of works in which they are explained." + + [3] "As I hope that the copy which he has rendered so valuable + may be of great utility to many students of the Arabic language + when I have ceased to profit by it, I may mention here, that + the few corrections, and some explanations, which I have + inserted upon the margins of pages will be easily distinguished + from those of the sheykh Mo[h.]ammad 'Eiyad by the difference + of our handwritings." + + [4] "When I mention 'my sheykh' in the notes, the sheykh + Mo[h.]ammad 'Eiyad is the person to whom I allude. In several + instances, when he has given brief explanations of words, + phrases, customs, &c., with which I was previously acquainted, + I have not thought it necessary to name him as my authority in + notes which I have inserted, though I have sometimes done so." + + [5] "English writers generally express the Arabic vowels and + diphthongs by their nearest _Italian_ equivalents. This mode is + very well suited for those who know, and for those who do not + care for, the correct pronunciation of the words so + transcribed; but for others I think it objectionable. Our + language is altogether much more suitable to the purpose of + expressing the sounds of Arabic than the Italian. Besides, I + believe it is the custom of every other European nation, in + transcribing Oriental words, to employ a system congenial with + its own language. In a former work, I made use of a double h to + express a very strong Arabic aspirate (as others had done + before me), and the word 'Hhagg' or 'Hhajj' was pointed out by + a critic as one remarkably uncouth: Von Hammer, in a review of + that work, writes the same word (and very properly as a German + writer) 'Hadschdsch.'" + + [6] "Strictly speaking, it has a sound between that of a in + 'bad' and that of u in 'bud;' sometimes approximating more to + the former; and sometimes to the latter." + + [7] "Its sound, however, often approximates to that of a in + 'ball.'" + + [8] "Dh is pronounced as th in 'that:' gh represents a guttural + sound like that produced in gargling: kh represents a guttural + sound like that which is produced in expelling saliva from the + throat, and approaching nearer to the sound of [h.] (a very + strong aspirate) than to that of k: sh is pronounced as in + 'shall:' and th, as in 'thin.'" + + [9] "Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, in his '[H.]osn el-Mo[h.]a[d.]arah,' after + quoting a description of certain dresses, says, 'As to their + dresses of honour, and those of the Wezeers and others of + similar rank, I have struck out the description of them from + the words of Ibn-Fa[d.]l-Allah; for they are composed of silk + and gold, which is forbidden by the law, and I have obliged + myself not to mention in this book any thing of which I should + be questioned in the world to come, if it be the will of + God.'--I have never seen any Arabic work with drawings of + costumes; but Persian drawings are often useful in explaining + Arab dresses." + + [10] These drawings, with some few exceptions, have now been + published, from copies in the possession of M. Coste. + + [11] "The substance of the first five chapters in my + translation, ending with part of the thirty-second Night, + occupies a hundred and sixty-eight Nights in the edition of + Breslau." + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. + + PAGE + Introduction 1 + + Notes 15 + + + CHAPTER I. + + Story of the Merchant and the Jinnee 38 + + Story of the First Sheykh and the Gazelle 42 + + Story of the Second Sheykh and the two Black Hounds 46 + + Story of the Third Sheykh and the Mule 50 + + Notes 52 + + + CHAPTER II. + + Story of the Fisherman 69 + + Story of King Yoonan and the Sage Dooban 75 + + Story of the Husband and the Parrot 79 + + Story of the Envious Wezeer and the Prince and the Ghooleh 81 + + Continuation of the Story of King Yoonan and the Sage Dooban 83 + + Continuation of the Story of the Fisherman 86 + + Story of the Young King of the Black Islands 94 + + Notes 104 + + + CHAPTER III. + + Story of the Porter and the Ladies of Baghdad, and of + the Three Royal Mendicants, &c. 120 + + Story of the First Royal Mendicant 134 + + Story of the Second Royal Mendicant 140 + + Story of the Envier and the Envied 149 + + Continuation of the Story of the Second Royal Mendicant 151 + + Story of the Third Royal Mendicant 160 + + Continuation of the Story of the Ladies of Baghdad, &c. 173 + + Story of the First of the Three Ladies of Baghdad 173 + + Story of the Second of the Three Ladies of Baghdad 181 + + Conclusion of the Story of the Ladies of Baghdad, &c. 187 + + Notes 190 + + + CHAPTER IV. + + Story of the Three Apples, &c. 222 + + Story of Noor-ed-Deen and his Son, and of Shems-ed-Deen + and his Daughter 230 + + Notes 272 + + + CHAPTER V. + + Story of the Humpback 291 + + Story told by the Christian Broker 297 + + Story told by the Sul[t.]an's Steward 310 + + Story told by the Jewish Physician 320 + + Story told by the Tailor 328 + + The Barber's Story of Himself 342 + + The Barber's Story of his First Brother 344 + + The Barber's Story of his Second Brother 348 + + The Barber's Story of his Third Brother 351 + + The Barber's Story of his Fourth Brother 355 + + The Barber's Story of his Fifth Brother 359 + + The Barber's Story of his Sixth Brother 369 + + Conclusion of the Story told by the Tailor 374 + + Conclusion of the Story of the Humpback 374 + + Notes 377 + + + CHAPTER VI. + + Story of Noor-ed-Deen and Enees-el-Jelees 390 + + Notes 430 + + + CHAPTER VII. + + Story of Ghanim the Son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave + of Love 436 + + Story of the Slave Kafoor 440 + + Continuation of the Story of Ghanim 445 + + Notes 463 + + + CHAPTER VIII. + + Story of Taj-el-Mulook and the Lady Dunya 469 + + Story of 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh 480 + + Continuation of the Story of Taj-el-Mulook and the + Lady Dunya 512 + + Notes 544 + + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOLUME I. + + + + Engraver's Names. Page + + Ornamental Title.--At the foot is the + Title in Arabic JACKSON. + + Head-piece to Preface.--The Vase is formed + of the Arabic words signifying "In the + name of God, the Compassionate, the + Merciful" (always placed at the head of a + Muslim work), written doubly, and + contrarily MARY CLINT vii + + Tail-piece to Preface LANDELLS xxii + + Head-piece to Table of Contents LANDELLS xxiii + + Tail-piece to Table of Contents WILLIAMSON xxv + + Head-piece to List of Illustrations LANDELLS xxvi + + Shahriyar going out to hunt, and Ornamental + Border JACKSON 1 + + The Wezeer presenting the letter to Shah-Zeman O. SMITH 3 + + Shah-Zeman, after having killed his Wife O. SMITH 4 + + Meeting of Shahriyar and Shah-Zeman O. SMITH 5 + + Shahriyar's return from the Chase GRAY 6 + + Garden of Shahriyar's Palace THOMPSON 7 + + 'Efreet and Lady T. WILLIAMS 8 + + The Wezeer and his two Daughters O. SMITH 11 + + The Ass at Plough LANDELLS 12 + + The Dog and the Cock LANDELLS 13 + + Shahriyar unveiling Shahrazad THOMPSON 14 + + Head-piece to Notes to Introduction.--The Arabic + inscription is the subject of the first + paragraph of the first Note LANDELLS 15 + + Tail-piece to Notes to Introduction.--Morning LANDELLS 37 + + Head-piece to Chapter I.--Shahrazad narrating + her Stories MISS WILLIAMS 38 + + Merchant and Jinnee S. WILLIAMS 39 + + Meeting of the Merchant and the Sheykh with + the Gazelle O. SMITH 41 + + Return of the Jinnee O. SMITH 42 + + Transformation of the Concubine into a Cow THOMPSON 43 + + The Herdsman introducing his Daughter to + the Sheykh BENNEWORTH 45 + + The Second Sheykh receiving his poor Brother GRAY 47 + + The Second Sheykh finding the Maiden on + the Sea-shore GRAY 48 + + The Second Sheykh saved from drowning LINTON 49 + + The Second Sheykh and the two Black Hounds GRAY 50 + + Tail-piece to Chapter I.--The Jinnee listening + to the Tales of the Sheykhs F. W. BRANSTON 51 + + Head-piece to Notes to Chapter I.--The Merchant + eating in the Garden LANDELLS 52 + + Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter I. MASON JACKSON 68 + + Head-piece to Chapter II.--The Fisherman.--Motto, + "Small things stir up great" JACKSON 69 + + The 'Efreet liberated from the Bottle ORRIN SMITH 71 + + The Fisherman enclosing the 'Efreet in + the Bottle GREEN 74 + + King Yoonan playing at Goff LANDELLS 76 + + Dooban in his Dress of Honour THOMPSON 78 + + The Intelligent Parrot GRAY 79 + + The Prince Meeting the Ghooleh LANDELLS 82 + + Dooban and the Executioner GRAY 84 + + The Death of King Yoonan THOMPSON 86 + + The Fish of Four Colours GRAY 88 + + The Fisherman shewing the Fish to the Sul[t.]an THOMPSON 89 + + The Cook-maid dressing the Fish KIRCHNER 90 + + The Black Palace LANDELLS 92 + + The Sul[t.]an discovering the Young King of + the Black Islands ORRIN SMITH 94 + + The Young King on his Bed, attended by + Two Maids T. WILLIAMS 95 + + The Black Slave wounded by the Young King GRAY 97 + + The [K.]ubbeh, or Tomb MISS WILLIAMS 100 + + The Sul[t.]an killing the Enchantress S. WILLIAMS 101 + + Tail-piece to Chapter II.--The Journey home LANDELLS 103 + + Head-piece to Notes to Chapter II.--The Fisherman + and the dead Ass LANDELLS 104 + + Head-piece to Chapter III.--The Porter, + &c.--The Motto is the Inscription upon + the Door, in Koofee Characters MASON JACKSON 120 + + The Porter pleading with the Three Ladies SMITH 123 + + The Porter and Ladies carousing T. WILLIAMS 124 + + The Three Royal Mendicants VASEY 126 + + The Concert of the Mendicants SMITH 127 + + The Ladies preparing to whip the Bitches GRAY 129 + + The Portress fainting T. WILLIAMS 130 + + The Porter seized GRAY 132 + + First Prince (afterwards a Mendicant) leading + the Lady to the Tomb SMITH 135 + + Second Prince (afterwards a Mendicant) + meeting the Robbers GREEN 140 + + Second Prince as a Wood-cutter T. WILLIAMS 142 + + Second Prince discovering the Trap-door LANDELLS 143 + + Second Prince ascending the Steps LANDELLS 145 + + Second Prince carried off by the 'Efreet THOMPSON 146 + + Second Prince begging his life of the 'Efreet THOMPSON 148 + + The Envied Sheykh and the Jinn in the Well T. WILLIAMS 150 + + Second Prince transformed into an Ape S. WILLIAMS 152 + + The Ape recognised by the Princess GRAY 155 + + The Combat with the Lion (Head-piece) S. WILLIAMS, Jun. 156 + + Transformations WRIGHT & FOLKARD 156 + + Ditto WRIGHT & FOLKARD 157 + + Disenchantment of the Ape SMITH 158 + + The Mountain of Loadstone WHIMPER 162 + + The Prince thrown ashore M. JACKSON 163 + + Death of the Youth in the Cave GREEN 166 + + Garden M. JACKSON 171 + + First Lady recognising her Sisters GREEN 174 + + The Prince in the Oratory SMITH 177 + + First Lady after killing the Serpent LANDELLS 180 + + Bazar, or Market-Street M. JACKSON 184 + + Old Woman interceding for the Second Lady THOMPSON 186 + + Palace GREEN 189 + + Head-piece to Notes to Chapter III.--The Porter J. JACKSON 190 + + Persian Harps LANDELLS 205 + + Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter III. T. WILLIAMS 221 + + Head-piece to Chapter IV.--Fisherman drawing + his Nets THOMPSON 222 + + The Young Man presenting the Apples to + his Wife F. BRANSTON 226 + + The Wezeer finding the Apple GREEN 229 + + The Pyramids J. JACKSON 232 + + The Mule of Noor-ed-Deen LANDELLS 233 + + Noor-ed-Deen after the Bath M. JACKSON 235 + + The Old Wezeer instructing his Grandchild THOMPSON 238 + + Noor-ed-Deen and his Son LINTON 241 + + Bedr-ed-Deen at his Father's Tomb J. JACKSON 243 + + The 'Efreet, attended by the Jinneeyeh, + carrying off Bedr-ed-Deen THOMPSON 245 + + Transformations WRIGHT & FOLKARD 248 + + Ditto WRIGHT & FOLKARD 249 + + Bedr-ed-Deen and his Bride WRIGHT & FOLKARD 249 + + Gate of Damascus M. JACKSON 251 + + The Wezeer Shems-ed-Deen recovering from + a Swoon SLADER 255 + + The School GRAY 257 + + Damascus SMITH 260 + + The Widow of Noor-ed-Deen kissing the feet + of his Brother T. WILLIAMS 263 + + Bedr-ed-Deen waiting upon his Son and + the Eunuch GREEN 265 + + Bedr-ed-Deen bound SMITH 267 + + Bedr-ed-Deen's perplexity J. JACKSON 270 + + Head-piece to Notes to Chapter IV.--The Old + Fisherman MISS WILLIAMS 273 + + Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter IV. WRIGHT & FOLKARD 290 + + Head-piece to Chapter V.--The Humpback, &c. T. WILLIAMS 291 + + The Humpback Dead WRIGHT & FOLKARD 296 + + Bab en-Na[s.]r (from a Sketch by + Mr. E.W. Lane), &c. J. JACKSON 297 + + Money-Changer and Scrivener, &c. WRIGHT & FOLKARD 300 + + Saloon THOMPSON 303 + + Interior of Bab Zuweyleh (from a Sketch + by M. Coste) LANDELLS 306 + + Head-piece to the Story told by the Sul[t.]an's + Steward LANDELLS 310 + + Arrival of the Lady on the Mule M. JACKSON 313 + + Mosque on the Bank of the Tigris J. JACKSON 315 + + Displaying of the Bride THOMPSON 317 + + Portrait of the Jew SLADER 319 + + Head-piece to the Story told by the Jewish + Physician SMITH 320 + + Aleppo SMITH 322 + + The Arrest GRAY 325 + + The Lady confessing her Crime GRAY 327 + + Head-piece to the Story told by the Tailor SMITH 328 + + Young Man sitting on a Ma[s.][t.]abah SMITH 330 + + The Barber and the Young Man LANDELLS 332 + + The Barber and Servants with Dishes LANDELLS 336 + + The Barber rending his Clothes J. JACKSON 339 + + Portrait of the Barber VASEY 341 + + Head-piece to the Barber's Story of Himself J. JACKSON 342 + + Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his First + Brother.--The Motto, "How different is + to-night from yesterday!" LANDELLS 344 + + Tail-piece to the same WILLIAMSON 347 + + Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his + Second Brother T. WILLIAMS 348 + + Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his + Third Brother S. WILLIAMS 351 + + Tail-piece to the same JENNINGS 354 + + Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his + Fourth Brother JACKSON 355 + + Tail-piece to the same GRAY 358 + + Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his Fifth + Brother.--The Motto, "The emulous desire + of increase employeth you until ye visit + the graves." + ([K.]ur-an, ch. cii. vv. 1 and 2.) JACKSON 359 + + The Reverie of the Barber's Fifth Brother THOMPSON 360 + + Ditto S. WILLIAMS 361 + + Ditto T. WILLIAMS 362 + + Ditto GRAY 363 + + The Result LEE 363 + + The Second Misfortune of the Barber's + Fifth Brother THOMPSON 366 + + Tail-piece to the Barber's Story of his + Fifth Brother WILLIAMSON 368 + + Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his + Sixth Brother LANDELLS 369 + + The Barber's Sixth Brother taken by + Bedawees GREEN 373 + + Tail-piece to the Story of the Humpback SLADER 376 + + Head-piece to Notes to Chapter V. LANDELLS 377 + + Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter V. VASEY 389 + + Head-piece to Chapter VI. SMITH 390 + + Noor-ed-Deen embracing the Slave THOMPSON 394 + + The Funeral of the Wezeer El-Fa[d.]l WRIGHT & FOLKARD 397 + + The Wezeer El-Mo'een in the Slave-Market J. JACKSON 402 + + El-Mo'een in his Abasement MISS H. CLARKE 404 + + The Lane leading to "The Garden of Delight" GREEN 408 + + Bower in "The Garden of Delight" T. WILLIAMS 410 + + Enees-el-Jelees offering the Wine WRIGHT & FOLKARD 412 + + The Khaleefeh and the Wezeer in the Tree S. WILLIAMS 415 + + Kereem, the Fisherman JENNINGS 418 + + Enees-el-Jelees playing on the Lute S. WILLIAMS 421 + + Enees-el-Jelees and the Khaleefeh + and Ja[a.]far SLADER 427 + + Tail-piece to Chapter VI. BASTIN 429 + + Head-piece to Notes to Chapter VI. LANDELLS 430 + + Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter VI. BRANSTON 435 + + Head-piece to Chapter VII. LANDELLS 436 + + Ghanim in the Palm-tree SMITH 439 + + The Merchant meeting his Family JACKSON 443 + + [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob awaking GRAY 446 + + Pretended Tomb of [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob WILLIAMSON 451 + + Ghanim sick in a Mosque M. JACKSON 455 + + Ghanim's Mother and Sister as Beggars WRIGHT & FOLKARD 459 + + Tail-piece to Chapter VII. LANDELLS 462 + + Head-piece to Notes to Chapter + VII.--Damascus LANDELLS 463 + + Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter + VII.--The Decision M. JACKSON 468 + + Head-piece to Chapter VIII.--Suleyman Shah + and his Wezeer J. JACKSON 469 + + Zahr Shah on his Throne VASEY 473 + + The Troops of Suleyman Shah meeting + his Bride WRIGHT & FOLKARD 475 + + Taj-el-Mulook hunting GREEN 477 + + Descent of the Handkerchief S. WILLIAMS 482 + + 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh SLADER 485 + + The Ma[k.]'ad O. SMITH 490 + + 'Azeez returned with the Knife and Dirhem LANDELLS 495 + + 'Azeezeh weeping over the Design of + the Gazelles SLADER 497 + + 'Azeezeh dead LANDELLS 499 + + 'Azeez and his Mistress at the Grave + of 'Azeezeh WILLIAMSON 502 + + The future Wife of 'Azeez JENNINGS 505 + + The Punishment of 'Azeez GRAY 508 + + The Lady Dunya THOMPSON 512 + + Halt on the Journey WHIMPER 514 + + Taj-el-Mulook receiving the Old Woman VASEY 519 + + The Lady Dunya writing HARRIET CLARKE 523 + + The Lady Dunya untwisting the Old Woman's + Hair T. WILLIAMS 526 + + The Old Woman beaten by Female Slaves S. WILLIAMS 528 + + Illustrations of the Stratagem in the Lady + Dunya's Garden LANDELLS 532 + + Taj-el-Mulook and the Lady Dunya LANDELLS 535 + + Scene on the Arrival of the Troops of + Suleyman Shah WHIMPER 538 + + The Horses sent to Suleyman Shah GRAY 541 + + Tail-piece to Chapter VIII. WRIGHT & FOLKARD 543 + + Head-piece to Notes to Chapter VIII. LANDELLS 544 + + Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter VIII. GREEN 555 + + +[Illustration] + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +_In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful._[i_1] + +Praise be to God, the Beneficent King, the Creator of the universe, who +hath raised the heavens without pillars, and spread out the earth as a +bed;[i_2] and blessing and peace be on the lord of apostles, our lord +and our master Mo[h.]ammad, and his Family; blessing and peace, enduring +and constant, unto the day of judgment. + +To proceed:--The lives of former generations are a lesson to posterity; +that a man may review the remarkable events which have happened to +others, and be admonished; and may consider the history of people of +preceding ages, and of all that hath befallen them, and be restrained. +Extolled be the perfection of Him who hath thus ordained the history of +former generations to be a lesson to those which follow. Such are the +Tales of a Thousand and One Nights, with their romantic stories and +their fables. + +It is related (but God alone is all-knowing,[i_3] as well as all-wise, +and almighty, and all-bountiful,) that there was, in ancient times, a +King[i_4] of the countries of India and China, possessing numerous +troops, and guards, and servants, and domestic dependents: and he had +two sons; one of whom was a man of mature age; and the other, a youth. +Both of these princes were brave horsemen; but especially the elder, who +inherited the kingdom of his father; and governed his subjects with such +justice that the inhabitants of his country and whole empire loved him. +He was called King Shahriyar:[i_5] his younger brother was named +Shah-Zeman,[i_6] and was King of Samar[k.]and.[i_7] The administration +of their governments was conducted with rectitude, each of them ruling +over his subjects with justice during a period of twenty years with the +utmost enjoyment and happiness. After this period, the elder King felt a +strong desire to see his brother, and ordered his Wezeer[i_8] to repair +to him and bring him. + +[Illustration] + +Having taken the advice of the Wezeer on this subject,[i_9] he +immediately gave orders to prepare handsome presents, such as horses +adorned with gold and costly jewels, and memlooks, and beautiful +virgins, and expensive stuffs.[i_10] He then wrote a letter to his +brother, expressive of his great desire to see him;[i_11] and having +sealed it, and given it to the Wezeer, together with the presents above +mentioned, he ordered the minister to strain his nerves, and tuck up his +skirts, and use all expedition in returning. The Wezeer answered, +without delay, I hear and obey; and forthwith prepared for the journey: +he packed his baggage, removed the burdens, and made ready all his +provisions within three days; and on the fourth day, he took leave of +the King Shahriyar, and went forth towards the deserts and wastes. He +proceeded night and day; and each of the kings under the authority of +King Shahriyar by whose residence he passed came forth to meet +him,[i_12] with costly presents, and gifts of gold and silver, and +entertained him three days;[i_13] after which, on the fourth day, he +accompanied him one day's journey, and took leave of him. Thus he +continued on his way until he drew near to the city of Samar[k.]and, +when he sent forward a messenger to inform King Shah-Zeman of his +approach. The messenger entered the city, inquired the way to the +palace, and, introducing himself to the King, kissed the ground before +him,[i_14] and acquainted him with the approach of his brother's Wezeer; +upon which Shah-Zeman ordered the chief officers of his court, and the +great men of his kingdom, to go forth a day's journey to meet him; and +they did so; and when they met him, they welcomed him, and walked by his +stirrups until they returned to the city. The Wezeer then presented +himself before the King Shah-Zeman, greeted him with a prayer for the +divine assistance in his favour, kissed the ground before him, and +informed him of his brother's desire to see him; after which he handed +to him the letter. The King took it, read it, and understood its +contents;[i_15] and answered by expressing his readiness to obey the +commands of his brother. But, said he (addressing the Wezeer), I will +not go until I have entertained thee three days. Accordingly, he lodged +him in a palace befitting his rank, accommodated his troops in tents, +and appointed them all things requisite in the way of food and drink: +and so they remained three days. On the fourth day, he equipped himself +for the journey, made ready his baggage, and collected together costly +presents suitable to his brother's dignity. + +These preparations being completed, he sent forth his tents and camels +and mules and servants and guards, appointed his Wezeer to be governor +of the country during his absence, and set out towards his brother's +dominions. At midnight,[i_16] however, he remembered that he had left in +his palace an article which he should have brought with him; and having +returned to the palace to fetch it, he there beheld his wife sleeping in +his bed, and attended by a male negro slave, who had fallen asleep by +her side. On beholding this scene, the world became black before his +eyes; and he said within himself, If this is the case when I have not +departed from the city, what will be the conduct of this vile woman +while I am sojourning with my brother? He then drew his sword, and slew +them both in the bed: after which he immediately returned, gave orders +for departure, and journeyed to his brother's capital. + +[Illustration] + +Shahriyar, rejoicing at the tidings of his approach, went forth to meet +him, saluted him, and welcomed him with the utmost delight. He then +ordered that the city should be decorated on the occasion,[i_17] and +sat down to entertain his brother with cheerful conversation: but the +mind of King Shah-Zeman was distracted by reflections upon the conduct +of his wife; excessive grief took possession of him; and his countenance +became sallow; and his frame, emaciated. His brother observed his +altered condition, and, imagining that it was occasioned by his absence +from his dominions, abstained from troubling him or asking respecting +the cause, until after the lapse of some days, when at length he said to +him, O my brother, I perceive that thy body is emaciated, and thy +countenance is become sallow. He answered, O brother, I have an internal +sore:--and he informed him not of the conduct of his wife which he had +witnessed. Shahriyar then said, I wish that thou wouldest go out with me +on a hunting excursion; perhaps thy mind might so be diverted:--but he +declined; and Shahriyar went alone to the chase.[i_18] + +[Illustration] + +Now there were some windows in the King's palace commanding a view of +his garden; and while his brother was looking out from one of these, a +door of the palace was opened, and there came forth from it twenty +females and twenty male black slaves; and the King's wife, who was +distinguished by extraordinary beauty and elegance,[i_19] accompanied +them to a fountain, where they all disrobed themselves, and sat down +together. The King's wife then called out, O Mes'ood![i_20] and +immediately a black slave came to her, and embraced her; she doing the +like. So also did the other slaves and the women; and all of them +continued revelling together until the close of the day. When Shah-Zeman +beheld this spectacle, he said within himself, By Allah! my affliction +is lighter than this! His vexation and grief were alleviated, and he no +longer abstained from sufficient food and drink. + +When his brother returned from his excursion, and they had saluted each +other, and King Shahriyar observed his brother Shah-Zeman, that his +colour had returned, that his face had recovered the flush of health, +and that he ate with appetite, after his late abstinence, he was +surprised, and said, O my brother, when I saw thee last, thy countenance +was sallow, and now thy colour hath returned to thee: acquaint me with +thy state.--As to the change of my natural complexion, answered +Shah-Zeman, I will inform thee of its cause; but excuse my explaining to +thee the return of my colour.--First, said Shahriyar, relate to me the +cause of the change of thy proper complexion, and of thy weakness: let +me hear it.--Know then, O my brother, he answered, that when thou +sentest thy Wezeer to me to invite me to thy presence, I prepared myself +for the journey, and when I had gone forth from the city, I remembered +that I had left behind me the jewel that I have given thee; I therefore +returned to my palace for it, and there I found my wife sleeping in my +bed, and attended by a black male slave; and I killed them both, and +came to thee: but my mind was occupied by reflections upon this affair, +and this was the cause of the change of my complexion, and of my +weakness: now, as to the return of my colour, excuse my informing thee +of its cause.--But when his brother heard these words, he said, I +conjure thee by Allah that thou acquaint me with the cause of the return +of thy colour:--so he repeated to him all that he had seen. I would see +this, said Shahriyar, with my own eye.--Then, said Shah-Zeman, give out +that thou art going again to the chase, and conceal thyself here with +me, and thou shalt witness this conduct, and obtain ocular proof of it. + +[Illustration] + +Shahriyar, upon this, immediately announced that it was his intention to +make another excursion. The troops went out of the city with the tents, +and the King followed them; and after he had reposed awhile in the camp, +he said to his servants, Let no one come in to me:--and he disguised +himself, and returned to his brother in the palace, and sat in one of +the windows overlooking the garden; and when he had been there a short +time, the women and their mistress entered the garden with the black +slaves, and did as his brother had described, continuing so until the +hour of the afternoon-prayer. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +When King Shahriyar beheld this occurrence, reason fled from his head, +and he said to his brother Shah-Zeman, Arise, and let us travel whither +we please, and renounce the regal state, until we see whether such a +calamity as this have befallen any other person like unto us; and if +not, our death will be preferable to our life. His brother agreed to his +proposal, and they went out from a private door of the palace, and +journeyed continually, days and nights, until they arrived at a tree in +the midst of a meadow, by a spring of water, on the shore of the sea. +They drank of this spring, and sat down to rest; and when the day had a +little advanced, the sea became troubled before them, and there arose +from it a black pillar, ascending towards the sky, and approaching the +meadow. Struck with fear at the sight, they climbed up into the tree, +which was lofty; and thence they gazed to see what this might be: and +behold, it was a Jinnee,[i_21] of gigantic stature, broad-fronted and +bulky, bearing on his head a chest.[i_22] He landed, and came to the +tree into which the two Kings had climbed, and, having seated himself +beneath it, opened the chest, and took out of it another box, which he +also opened; and there came forth from it a young woman, fair and +beautiful, like the shining sun. When the Jinnee cast his eyes upon her, +he said, O lady of noble race, whom I carried off on thy wedding-night, +I have a desire to sleep a little:--and he placed his head upon her +knee, and slept. The damsel then raised her head towards the tree, and +saw there the two Kings; upon which she removed the head of the Jinnee +from her knee, and, having placed it on the ground, stood under the +tree, and made signs to the two Kings, as though she would say, Come +down, and fear not this 'Efreet.[i_23] They answered her, We conjure +thee by Allah that thou excuse us in this matter. But she said, I +conjure you by the same that ye come down; and if ye do not, I will +rouse this 'Efreet, and he shall put you to a cruel death. So, being +afraid, they came down to her; and, after they had remained with her as +long as she required, she took from her pocket a purse, and drew out +from this a string, upon which were ninety-eight seal-rings;[i_24] and +she said to them, Know ye what are these? They answered, We know +not.--The owners of these rings, said she, have, all of them, been +admitted to converse with me, like as ye have, unknown to this foolish +'Efreet; therefore, give me your two rings,[i_25] ye brothers. So they +gave her their two rings from their fingers; and she then said to them, +This 'Efreet carried me off on my wedding-night, and put me in the box, +and placed the box in the chest, and affixed to the chest seven locks, +and deposited me, thus imprisoned, in the bottom of the roaring sea, +beneath the dashing waves; not knowing that, when one of our sex desires +to accomplish any object, nothing can prevent her. In accordance with +this, says one of the poets:-- + + Never trust in women; nor rely upon their vows; + For their pleasure and displeasure depend upon their passions. + They offer a false affection; for perfidy lurks within their clothing. + By the tale of Yoosuf[i_26] be admonished, and guard against their + stratagems. + Dost thou not consider that Iblees ejected Adam by means of woman? + +And another poet says:-- + + Abstain from censure; for it will strengthen the censured, and increase + desire into violent passion. + If I suffer such passion, my case is but the same as that of many a man + before me: + For greatly indeed to be wondered at is he who hath kept himself safe + from women's artifice.[i_27] + +When the two Kings heard these words from her lips, they were struck +with the utmost astonishment, and said, one to the other, If this is an +'Efreet, and a greater calamity hath happened unto him than that which +hath befallen us, this is a circumstance that should console us:--and +immediately they departed, and returned to the city. + +As soon as they had entered the palace, Shahriyar caused his wife to be +beheaded, and in like manner the women and black slaves; and thenceforth +he made it his regular custom, every time that he took a virgin to his +bed, to kill her at the expiration of the night. Thus he continued to do +during a period of three years; and the people raised an outcry against +him, and fled with their daughters, and there remained not a virgin in +the city of a sufficient age for marriage.[i_28] Such was the case when +the King ordered the Wezeer to bring him a virgin according to his +custom; and the Wezeer went forth and searched, and found none; and he +went back to his house enraged and vexed, fearing what the King might do +to him. + +Now the Wezeer had two daughters; the elder of whom was named Shahrazad; +and the younger, Dunyazad. The former had read various books of +histories, and the lives of preceding kings, and stories of past +generations: it is asserted that she had collected together a thousand +books of histories, relating to preceding generations and kings, and +works of the poets: and she said to her father on this occasion, Why do +I see thee thus changed, and oppressed with solicitude and sorrows? It +has been said by one of the poets:-- + + Tell him who is oppressed with anxiety, that anxiety will not last: + As happiness passeth away, so passeth away anxiety. + +When the Wezeer heard these words from his daughter, he related to her +all that had happened to him with regard to the King: upon which she +said, By Allah, O my father, give me in marriage to this King: either I +shall die, and be a ransom for one of the daughters of the Muslims, or I +shall live, and be the cause of their deliverance from him.[i_29]--I +conjure thee by Allah, exclaimed he, that thou expose not thyself to +such peril:--but she said, It must be so. Then, said he, I fear for thee +that the same will befall thee that happened in the case of the ass and +the bull and the husbandman.--And what, she asked, was that, O my +father. + +[Illustration] + +Know, O my daughter, said the Wezeer, that there was a certain merchant, +who possessed wealth and cattle, and had a wife and children; and God, +whose name be exalted, had also endowed him with the knowledge of the +languages of beasts and birds.[i_30] The abode of this merchant was in +the country; and he had, in his house, an ass and a bull.[i_31] When the +bull came to the place where the ass was tied, he found it swept and +sprinkled;[i_32] in his manger were sifted barley and sifted cut +straw,[i_33] and the ass was lying at his ease; his master being +accustomed only to ride him occasionally, when business required, and +soon to return: and it happened, one day, that the merchant overheard +the bull saying to the ass, May thy food benefit thee![i_34] I am +oppressed with fatigue, while thou art enjoying repose: thou eatest +sifted barley, and men serve thee; and it is only occasionally that thy +master rides thee, and returns; while I am continually employed in +ploughing, and turning the mill.[i_35]--The ass answered,[i_36] When +thou goest out to the field, and they place the yoke upon thy neck, lie +down, and do not rise again, even if they beat thee; or, if thou rise, +lie down a second time; and when they take thee back, and place the +beans before thee, eat them not, as though thou wert sick: abstain from +eating and drinking a day, or two days, or three; and so shalt thou find +rest from trouble and labour.--Accordingly, when the driver came to the +bull with his fodder, he ate scarcely any of it; and on the morrow, when +the driver came again to take him to plough, he found him apparently +quite infirm: so the merchant said, Take the ass, and make him draw the +plough in his stead all the day. The man did so; and when the ass +returned at the close of the day, the bull thanked him for the favour he +had conferred upon him by relieving him of his trouble on that day; but +the ass returned him no answer, for he repented most grievously. On the +next day, the ploughman came again, and took the ass, and ploughed with +him till evening; and the ass returned with his neck flayed by the yoke, +and reduced to an extreme state of weakness; and the bull looked upon +him, and thanked and praised him. The ass exclaimed, I was living at +ease, and nought but my meddling hath injured me! Then said he to the +bull, Know that I am one who would give thee good advice: I heard our +master say, If the bull rise not from his place, take him to the +butcher, that he may kill him, and make a na[t.][a.][i_37] of his +skin:--I am therefore in fear for thee, and so I have given thee advice; +and peace be on thee!--When the bull heard these words of the ass, he +thanked him, and said, To-morrow I will go with alacrity:--so he ate the +whole of his fodder, and even licked the manger.--Their master, +meanwhile, was listening to their conversation. + +[Illustration] + +On the following morning, the merchant and his wife went to the bull's +crib, and sat down there; and the driver came, and took out the bull; +and when the bull saw his master, he shook his tail, and showed his +alacrity by sounds and actions, bounding about in such a manner that the +merchant laughed until he fell backwards. His wife, in surprise, asked +him, At what dost thou laugh? He answered, At a thing that I have heard +and seen; but I cannot reveal it; for if I did, I should die. She said, +Thou must inform me of the cause of thy laughter, even if thou die.--I +cannot reveal it, said he: the fear of death prevents me.--Thou +laughedst only at _me_, she said; and she ceased not to urge and +importune him until he was quite overcome and distracted. So he called +together his children, and sent for the [K.]a[d.]ee[i_38] and witnesses, +that he might make his will, and reveal the secret to her, and die: for +he loved her excessively, since she was the daughter of his paternal +uncle, and the mother of his children, and he had lived with her to the +age of a hundred and twenty years.[i_39] Having assembled her family and +his neighbours, he related to them his story, and told them that as +soon as he revealed his secret he must die; upon which every one present +said to her, We conjure thee by Allah that thou give up this affair, and +let not thy husband, and the father of thy children, die. But she said, +I will not desist until he tell me, though he die for it. So they ceased +to solicit her; and the merchant left them, and went to the stable to +perform the ablution, and then to return, and tell them the secret, and +die.[i_40] + +[Illustration] + +Now he had a cock, with fifty hens under him, and he had also a dog; and +he heard the dog call to the cock, and reproach him, saying, Art thou +happy when our master is going to die? The cock asked, How so?--and the +dog related to him the story; upon which the cock exclaimed, By Allah! +our master has little sense: _I_ have _fifty_ wives; and I please this, +and provoke that; while _he_ has but _one_ wife, and cannot manage this +affair with her: why does he not take some twigs of the mulberry-tree, +and enter her chamber, and beat her until she dies or repents? She would +never, after that, ask him a question respecting anything.--And when the +merchant heard the words of the cock, as he addressed the dog, he +recovered his reason, and made up his mind to beat her.--Now, said the +Wezeer to his daughter Shahrazad, perhaps I may do to thee as the +merchant did to his wife. She asked, And what did he? He answered, He +entered her chamber, after he had cut off some twigs of the +mulberry-tree, and hidden them there; and then said to her, Come into +the chamber, that I may tell thee the secret while no one sees me, and +then die:--and when she had entered, he locked the chamber-door upon +her, and beat her until she became almost senseless and cried out, I +repent:--and she kissed his hands and his feet, and repented, and went +out with him; and all the company, and her own family, rejoiced; and +they lived together in the happiest manner until death. + +When the Wezeer's daughter heard the words of her father, she said to +him, It must be as I have requested. So he arrayed her, and went to the +King Shahriyar. Now she had given directions to her young sister, saying +to her, When I have gone to the King, I will send to request thee to +come; and when thou comest to me, and seest a convenient time, do thou +say to me, O my sister, relate to me some strange story to beguile our +waking hour:[i_41]--and I will relate to thee a story that shall, if it +be the will of God, be the means of procuring deliverance. + +Her father, the Wezeer, then took her to the King, who, when he saw him, +was rejoiced, and said, Hast thou brought me what I desired? He +answered, Yes. When the King, therefore, introduced himself to her, she +wept; and he said to her, What aileth thee? She answered, O King, I have +a young sister, and I wish to take leave of her. So the King sent to +her; and she came to her sister, and embraced her, and sat near the foot +of the bed; and after she had waited for a proper opportunity, she said, +By Allah! O my sister, relate to us a story to beguile the waking hour +of our night. Most willingly, answered Shahrazad, if this virtuous King +permit me. And the King, hearing these words, and being restless, was +pleased with the idea of listening to the story; and thus, on the first +night of the thousand and one, Shahrazad commenced her recitations. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +NOTES TO THE INTRODUCTION. + + +NOTE 1.--_On the Initial Phrase, and on the Mohammadan Religion and +Laws._ It is a universal custom of the Muslims to write this phrase at +the commencement of every book, whatever may be the subject, and to +pronounce it on commencing every lawful act of any importance. This they +do in imitation of the [K.]ur-an (every chapter of which, excepting one, +is thus prefaced), and in accordance with a precept of their Prophet. +The words which I translate "Compassionate" and "Merciful" are both +derived from the same root, and have nearly the same meaning: the one +being of a form which is generally used to express an accidental or +occasional passion or sensation; the other, to denote a constant +quality: but the most learned of the 'Ulama (or professors of religion +and law, &c.) interpret the former as signifying "Merciful in great +things;" and the latter, "Merciful in small things." Sale has erred in +rendering them, conjunctly, "Most merciful." + +In the books of the Muslims, the first words, after the above phrase, +almost always consist (as in the work before us) of some form of praise +and thanksgiving to God for his power and goodness, followed by an +invocation of blessing on the Prophet; and in general, when the author +is not very concise in these expressions, he conveys in them some +allusion to the subject of his book. For instance, if he write on +marriage, he will commence his work with some such form as this (after +the phrase first mentioned)--"Praise be to God, who hath created the +human race, and made them males and females," &c. + +The exordium of the present work, showing the duty imposed upon a Muslim +by his religion, even on the occasion of his commencing the composition +or compilation of a series of fictions, suggests to me the necessity of +inserting a brief prefatory notice of the fundamental points of his +faith, and the principal laws of the ritual and moral, the civil, and +the criminal code; leaving more full explanations of particular points +to be given when occasions shall require such illustrations. + +The confession of the Muslim's faith is briefly made in these +words:--"There is no deity but God: Mo[h.]ammad is God's +Apostle:"--which imply a belief and observance of everything that +Mo[h.]ammad taught to be the word or will of God. In the opinion of +those who are commonly called orthodox, and termed "Sunnees" (the only +class whom we have to consider; for they are Sunnee tenets and Arab +manners which are described in this work in almost every case, wherever +the scene is laid), the Mohammadan code is founded upon the [K.]ur-an, +the Traditions of the Prophet, the concordance of his principal early +disciples, and the decisions which have been framed from analogy or +comparison. This class consists of four sects, [H.]anafees, Shafe'ees, +Malikees, and [H.]ambelees; so called after the names of their +respective founders. The other sects, who are called "Shiya'ees" (an +appellation particularly given to the Persian sect, but also used to +designate generally all who are not Sunnees), are regarded by their +opponents in general nearly in the same light as those who do not +profess El-Islam (or the Mohammadan faith); that is, as destined to +eternal or severe punishment. + +The Mohammadan faith embraces the following points: + +1. Belief in God, who is without beginning or end, the sole Creator and +Lord of the universe, having absolute power, and knowledge, and glory, +and perfection. + +2. Belief in his Angels, who are impeccable beings, created of light; +and Genii (Jinn), who are peccable, created of smokeless fire. The +Devils, whose chief is Iblees, or Satan, are evil Genii. + +3. Belief in his Scriptures, which are his uncreated word, revealed to +his prophets. Of these there now exist, but held to be greatly +corrupted, the Pentateuch of Moses, the Psalms of David, and the Gospels +of Jesus Christ; and, in an uncorrupted and incorruptible state, the +[K.]ur-an, which is held to have abrogated, and to surpass in +excellence, all preceding revelations. + +4. Belief in his Prophets and Apostles;[12] the most distinguished of +whom are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mo[h.]ammad. Jesus is +held to be more excellent than any of those who preceded him; to have +been born of a virgin, and to be the Messiah, and the word of God, and a +Spirit proceeding from Him, but not partaking of his essence, and not to +be called the Son of God. Mo[h.]ammad is held to be more excellent than +all; the last and greatest of prophets and apostles; the most excellent +of the creatures of God. + +5. Belief in the general resurrection and judgment, and in future +rewards and punishments, chiefly of a corporeal nature: that the +punishments will be eternal to all but wicked Mohammadans; and that none +but Mohammadans will enter into a state of happiness. + +6. Belief in God's predestination of all events, both good and evil. + +The principal Ritual and Moral Laws are on the following subjects, of +which the first four are the most important. + +1. Prayer (e[s.]-[s.]alah, commonly pronounced e[s.]-[s.]alah), +including preparatory purifications. There are partial or total washings +to be performed on particular occasions which need not be mentioned. The +ablution which is more especially preparatory to prayer (and which is +called wu[d.]oo) consists in washing the hands, mouth, nostrils, face, +arms (as high as the elbow, the right first), each three times; and then +the upper part of the head, the beard, ears, neck, and feet, each once. +This is done with running water, or from a very large tank, or from a +lake, or the sea.--Prayers are required to be performed five times in +the course of every day; between daybreak and sunrise, between noon and +the 'a[s.]r (which latter period is about mid-time between noon and +nightfall), between the 'a[s.]r and sunset, between sunset and the 'eshe +(or the period when the darkness of night commences), and at, or after, +the 'eshe. The commencement of each of these periods is announced by a +chant (called adan), repeated by a crier (mueddin) from the mad'neh, or +menaret, of each mosque; and it is more meritorious to commence the +prayer then than at a later time. On each of these occasions, the Muslim +has to perform certain prayers held to be ordained by God, and others +ordained by the Prophet; each kind consisting of two, three, or four +"rek'ahs;" which term signifies the repetition of a set form of words, +chiefly from the [K.]ur-an, and ejaculations of "God is most Great!" +&c., accompanied by particular postures; part of the words being +repeated in an erect posture; part, sitting; and part, in other +postures: an inclination of the head and body, followed by two +prostrations, distinguishing each rek'ah. These prayers may in some +cases be abridged, and in others entirely omitted. Other prayers must be +performed on particular occasions. 1. On Friday, the Mohammadan Sabbath. +These are congregational prayers, and are similar to those of other +days, with additional prayers and exhortations by a minister, who is +called Imam, or Kha[t.]eeb. 2. On two grand annual festivals. 3. On the +nights of Rama[d.]an, the month of abstinence. 4. On the occasion of an +eclipse of the sun or moon. 5. For rain. 6. Previously to the +commencement of battle. 7. In pilgrimage. 8. At funerals. + +2. Alms-giving. An alms, called "zekah," commonly pronounced "zekah," is +required by law to be given annually, to the poor, of camels, oxen +(bulls and cows), and buffaloes, sheep and goats, horses and mules and +asses, and gold and silver (whether in money or in vessels, ornaments, +&c.), provided the property be of a certain amount, as five camels, +thirty oxen, forty sheep, five horses, two hundred dirhems, or twenty +deenars. The proportion is generally one-fortieth, which is to be paid +in kind, or in money, or other equivalent. + +3. Fasting (e[s.]-[s.]iyam). The Muslim must abstain from eating and +drinking, and from every indulgence of the senses, every day during the +month of Rama[d.]an, from the first appearance of daybreak until sunset, +unless physically incapacitated.--On the first day of the following +month, a festival, called the Minor Festival, is observed with public +prayer, and with general rejoicing, which continues three days. + +4. Pilgrimage (el-[h.]ajj). It is incumbent on the Muslim, if able, to +perform, at least once in his life, the pilgrimage to Mekkeh and Mount +'Arafat. The principal ceremonies of the pilgrimage are completed on the +9th of the month of Zu-l-[H.]ejjeh: on the following day, which is the +first of the Great Festival, on the return from 'Arafat to Mekkeh, the +pilgrims who are able to do so perform a sacrifice, and every other +Muslim who can is required to do the same: part of the meat of the +victim he should eat, and the rest he should give to the poor. This +festival is observed otherwise in a similar manner to the minor one, +above mentioned; and lasts three or four days. + +The less important ritual and moral laws may here be briefly mentioned +in a single paragraph.--One of these is circumcision, which is not +absolutely obligatory.--The distinctions of clean and unclean meats are +nearly the same in the Mohammedan as in the Mosaic code. Camels' flesh +is an exception; being lawful to the Muslim. Swine's flesh, and blood, +are especially condemned; and a particular mode of slaughtering animals +for food is enjoined, accompanied by the repetition of the name of +God.--Wine and all inebriating liquors are strictly forbidden.--So also +are gaming and usury.--Music is condemned; but most Muslims take great +delight in hearing it.--Images and pictures representing living +creatures are contrary to law.--Charity, probity in all transactions, +veracity (excepting in a few cases), and modesty, are virtues +indispensable.--Cleanliness in person, and decent attire, are +particularly required. Clothes of silk, and ornaments of gold or silver, +are forbidden to men, but allowed to women: this precept, however, is +often disregarded.--Utensils of gold and silver are also condemned: yet +they are used by many Muslims.--The manners of Muslims in society are +subject to particular laws or rules, with respect to salutations, &c. + +Of the Civil Laws, the following notices will at present suffice.--A man +may have four wives at the same time, and, according to common opinion, +as many concubine slaves as he pleases.--He may divorce a wife twice, +and each time take her back again; but if he divorce her a third time, +or by a triple sentence, he cannot make her his wife again unless by her +own consent, and by a new contract, and after another man has +consummated a marriage with her, and divorced her.--The children by a +wife and those by a concubine slave inherit equally, if the latter be +acknowledged by the father. Sons inherit equally: so also do daughters; +but the share of a daughter is half that of a son. One-eighth is the +share of the wife or wives of the deceased if he have left issue, and +one-fourth if he have left no issue. A husband inherits one-fourth of +his wife's property if she have left issue, and one-half if she have +left no issue. The debts and legacies of the deceased must be first +paid. A man may leave one-third of his property in any way he +pleases.--When a concubine slave has borne a child to her master, she +becomes entitled to freedom on his death.--There are particular laws +relating to commerce. Usury and monopoly are especially condemned. + +Of the Criminal Laws, a few only need here be mentioned. Murder is +punishable by death, or by a fine to be paid to the family of the +deceased, if they prefer it.--Theft, if the property stolen amount to a +quarter of a deenar, is to be punished by cutting off the right hand, +except under certain circumstances.--Adultery, if attested by four +eye-witnesses, is punishable by death (stoning): fornication, by a +hundred stripes, and banishment for a year.--Drunkenness is punished +with eighty stripes.--Apostasy, persevered in, by death. + +NOTE 2.--_On the Arabian System of Cosmography._ The words translated +"as a bed" would be literally rendered "and the bed;" but the +signification is that which I have expressed. (See the [K.]ur-an, ch. +lxxviii. v. 6; and, with respect to what is before said of the heavens, +idem, ch. xiii. v. 2.[13]) These, and the preceding words, commencing +with "the Beneficent King," I have introduced (in the place of "the Lord +of all creatures") from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred +nights, as affording me an opportunity to explain here the Arabian +system of Cosmography, with which the reader of this work cannot be too +early acquainted. + +When we call to mind how far the Arabs surpassed their great master, +Aristotle, in natural and experimental philosophy, and remember that +their brilliant discoveries constituted an important link between those +of the illustrious Greek and of our equally illustrious countryman, +Roger Bacon, their popular system of cosmography becomes an interesting +subject for our consideration. + +According to the common opinion of the Arabs (an opinion sanctioned by +the [K.]ur-an, and by assertions of their Prophet, which almost all +Muslims take in their literal sense), there are Seven Heavens, one above +another, and Seven Earths, one beneath another; the earth which we +inhabit being the highest of the latter, and next below the lowest +heaven. The upper surface of each heaven, and that of each earth, are +believed to be nearly plane, and are generally supposed to be circular; +and are said to be five hundred years' journey in width. This is also +said to be the measure of the depth or thickness of each heaven and each +earth, and of the distance between each heaven or earth and that next +above or below it. Thus is explained a passage of the [K.]ur-an, (ch. +lxv. last verse), in which it is said, that God hath created seven +heavens and as many earths, or stories of the earth, in accordance with +traditions from the Prophet.[14]--This notion of the seven heavens +appears to have been taken from the "seven spheres;" the first of which +is that of the Moon; the second, of Mercury; the third, of Venus; the +fourth, of the Sun; the fifth, of Mars; the sixth, of Jupiter; and the +seventh, of Saturn; each of which orbs was supposed to revolve round the +earth in its proper sphere. So also the idea of the seven earths seems +to have been taken from the division of the earth into seven climates; a +division which has been adopted by several Arab geographers.--But to +return to the opinions of the religious and the vulgar. + +Traditions differ respecting the _fabric_ of the seven heavens. In the +most credible account, according to a celebrated historian, the first is +described as formed of emerald; the second, of white silver; the third, +of large white pearls; the fourth, of ruby; the fifth, of red gold; the +sixth, of yellow jacinth; and the seventh, of shining light.[15] + +Some assert Paradise to be in the seventh heaven; and, indeed, I have +found this to be the general opinion of my Muslim friends: but the +author above quoted proceeds to describe, next above the seventh heaven, +seven seas of light; then, an undefined number of veils, or separations, +of different substances, seven of each kind; and then, Paradise, which +consists of seven stages, one above another; the first (Dar el-Jelal, or +the Mansion of Glory), of white pearls; the second (Dar es-Selam, or the +Mansion of Peace), of ruby; the third (Jennet el-Ma-wa, or the Garden of +Rest), of green chrysolite; the fourth (Jennet el-Khuld, or the Garden +of Eternity), of green[16] coral; the fifth (Jennet en-Na'eem, or the +Garden of Delight), of white silver; the sixth (Jennet el-Firdos, or the +Garden of Paradise), of red gold; and the seventh (Jennet 'Adn, or the +Garden of Perpetual Abode, or--of Eden), of large pearls; this +overlooking all the former, and canopied by the Throne, or rather +Empyrean, of the Compassionate ('Arsh Er-Ra[h.]man), _i. e._ of +God.--These several regions of Paradise are described in some traditions +as forming so many degrees, or stages, ascended by steps. + +Though the opinion before mentioned respecting the form of the earth +which we inhabit is that generally maintained by the Arabs, there have +been, and still are, many philosophical men among this people who have +argued that it is a globe, because, as El-[K.]azweenee says, an eclipse +of the moon has been observed to happen at different hours of the night +in eastern and western countries. Thus we find Ptolemy's measurement of +the earth quoted and explained by Ibn-El-Wardee:--The circumference of +the earth is 24,000 miles, or 8,000 leagues; the league being three +miles; the mile, 3,000 royal cubits; the cubit, three spans; the span, +twelve digits; the digit, five barley-corns placed side by side; and the +width of the barley-corn, six mule's-hairs. El-Ma[k.]reezee also, among +the more intelligent Arabs, describes[17] the globular form of the +earth, and its arctic and antarctic regions, with their day of six +months, and night of six months, and their frozen waters, &c. + +For ourselves, however, it is necessary that we retain in our minds the +opinions first stated, with regard to the form and dimensions of our +earth; agreeing with those Muslims who allow not philosophy to trench +upon revelation or sacred traditions. It is written, say they, that God +hath "spread out the earth,"[18] "as a bed,"[19] and "as a carpet;"[20] +and what is round or globular cannot be said to be spread out, nor +compared to a bed, or a carpet. It is therefore decided to be an almost +plane expanse. The continents and islands of the earth are believed by +the Arabs (as they were by the Greeks in the age of Homer and Hesiod) to +be surrounded by "the Circumambient Ocean," "el-Ba[h.]r +el-Mo[h.]ee[t.];" and this ocean is described as bounded by a chain of +mountains called Kaf, which encircle the whole as a ring, and confine +and strengthen the entire fabric. With respect to the extent of the +earth, our faith must at least admit the assertion of the Prophet, that +its width (as well as its depth or thickness) is equal to five hundred +years' journey: allotting the space of two hundred to the sea, two +hundred to uninhabited desert, eighty to the country of Yajooj and +Majooj (or Gog and Magog), and the rest to the remaining creatures:[21] +nay, vast as these limits are, we must rather extend than contract them, +unless we suppose some of the heroes of this work to travel by +circuitous routes. Another tradition will suit us better, wherein it is +said, that the inhabited portion of the earth is, with respect to the +rest, as a tent in the midst of a desert.[22] But even according to the +former assertion, it will be remarked, that the countries now commonly +known to the Arabs (from the western extremity of Africa to the eastern +limits of India, and from the southern confines of Abyssinia to those of +Russia,) occupy a comparatively insignificant portion of this expanse. +They are situated in the middle; Mekkeh, according to some,--or +Jerusalem, according to others,--being exactly in the centre. Adjacent +to the tract occupied by these countries are other lands and seas, +partially known to the Arabs. On the north-west, with respect to the +central point, lies the country of the Christians, or Franks, comprising +the principal European nations; on the north, the country of Yajooj and +Majooj, before mentioned, occupying, in the maps of the Arabs, large +tracts of Asia and Europe; on the north-east, central Asia; on the east, +E[s.]-[S.]een (or China); on the south-east, the sea, or seas, of +El-Hind (or India), and Ez-Zinj (or Southern Ethiopia), the waves of +which (or of the former of which) mingle with those of the sea of +E[s.]-[S.]een, beyond; on the south, the country of the Zinj; on the +south-west, the country of the Soodan, or Blacks: on the west is a +portion of the Circumambient Ocean, which surrounds all the countries +and seas already mentioned, as well as immense unknown regions adjoining +the former, and innumerable islands interspersed in the latter. These +_terrae incognitae_ are the scenes of some of the greatest wonders +described in the present work; and are mostly peopled with Jinn, or +Genii. On the Mo[h.]ee[t.], or Circumambient Ocean, is the 'Arsh Iblees, +or Throne of Iblees: in a map accompanying my copy of the work of +Ibn-El-Wardee, a large yellow tract is marked with this name, adjoining +Southern Africa. The western portion of the Mo[h.]ee[t.] is often called +"the Sea of Darkness" (Ba[h.]r e[z.]-[Z.]ulumat, or,--e[z.]-[Z.]ulmeh). +Under this name (and the synonymous appellation of el-Ba[h.]r +el-Mu[z.]lim) the Atlantic Ocean is described by the author just +mentioned; though, in the introduction to his work, he says that the Sea +of Darkness surrounds the Mo[h.]ee[t.]. The former may be considered +either as the western or the more remote portion of the latter. In the +dark regions (E[z.]-[Z.]ulumat, from which, perhaps, the above-mentioned +portion of the Mo[h.]ee[t.] takes its name),[23] in the south-west +quarter of the earth, according to the same author, is the Fountain of +Life, of which El-Khi[d.]r drank, and by virtue of which he still lives, +and will live till the day of judgment. This mysterious person, whom the +vulgar and some others regard as a prophet, and identify with Ilyas +(Elias, or Elijah), and whom some confound with St. George, was, +according to the more approved opinion of the learned, a just man, or +saint, the Wezeer and counsellor of the first Zu-l-[K.]arneyn, who was a +universal conqueror, but an equally doubtful personage, contemporary +with the patriarch Ibraheem, or Abraham. El-Khi[d.]r is said to appear +frequently to Muslims in perplexity, and to be generally clad in green +garments; whence, according to some, his name. The Prophet Ilyas (or +Elias) is also related to have drunk of the Fountain of Life. During the +day-time, it is said, El-Khi[d.]r wanders upon the seas, and directs +voyagers who go astray; while Ilyas perambulates the mountains or +deserts, and directs persons who chance to be led astray by the +Ghools:[24] but at night, they meet together, and guard the rampart of +Yajooj and Majooj,[25] to prevent these people from making irruptions +upon their neighbours. Both, however, are generally believed by the +modern Muslims to assist pious persons in distress in various +circumstances, whether travelling by land or by water.--The mountains of +[K.]af, which bound the Circumambient Ocean, and form a circular barrier +round the whole of our earth, are described by interpreters of the +[K.]ur-an as composed of green chrysolite, like the green tint of the +sky.[26] It is the colour of these mountains, said the Prophet, that +imparts a greenish hue to the sky.[27] It is said, in a tradition, that +beyond these mountains are other countries; one of gold, seventy of +silver, and seven of musk, all inhabited by angels, and each country ten +thousand years' journey in length, and the same in breadth.[28] Some say +that beyond it are creatures unknown to any but God:[29] but the +general opinion is, that the mountains of [K.]af terminate our earth, +and that no one knows what is beyond them. They are the chief abode of +the Jinn, or Genii.--Such is a concise account of the earth which we +inhabit, according to the notions of the Arabs. + +We must now describe what is _beneath_ our earth.--It has already been +said, that this is the first, or highest, of seven earths, which are all +of equal width and thickness, and at equal distances apart. Each of +these earths has occupants. The occupants of the first are men, genii, +brutes, &c.: the second is occupied by the suffocating wind that +destroyed the infidel tribe of 'Ad: the third, by the stones of Jahennem +(or Hell), mentioned in the [K.]ur-an, in these words, "the fuel of +which is men and stones:"[30] the fourth, by the sulphur of Jahennem: +the fifth, by its serpents: the sixth, by its scorpions, in colour and +size like black mules, and with tails like spears: the seventh, by +Iblees and his troops.[31] Whether these several earths are believed to +be connected with each other by any means, and if so, how, we are not +expressly informed; but, that they are supposed to be so is evident. +With respect to our earth in particular, as some think, it is said that +it is supported by a rock, with which the mountains of [K.]af +communicate by means of veins or roots; and that, when God desires to +effect an earthquake at a certain place, He commands the mountain [or +rock] to agitate the vein that is connected with that place.[32]--But +there is another account, describing our earth as upheld by certain +successive supports of inconceivable magnitude, which are under the +seventh earth; leaving us to infer that the seven earths are in some +manner connected together. This account, as inserted in the work of one +of the writers above quoted, is as follows:--The earth [under which +appellation are here understood the seven earths] was, it is said, +originally unstable; "therefore God created an angel of immense size and +of the utmost strength, and ordered him to go beneath it, [_i.e._ +beneath the lowest earth,] and place it on his shoulders; and his hands +extended beyond the east and west, and grasped the extremities of the +earth [or, as related in Ibn-El-Wardee, the seven earths], and held it +[or them]. But there was no support for his feet: so God created a rock +of ruby, in which were seven thousand perforations; and from each of +these perforations issued a sea, the size of which none knoweth but God, +whose name be exalted: then He ordered this rock to stand under the feet +of the angel. But there was no support for the rock: wherefore God +created a huge bull, with four thousand eyes, and the same number of +ears, noses, mouths, tongues, and feet; between every two of which was a +distance of five hundred years' journey: and God, whose name be exalted, +ordered this bull to go beneath the rock: and he bore it on his back and +his horns. The name of this bull is Kuyoota.[33] But there was no +support for the bull: therefore God, whose name be exalted, created an +enormous fish, that no one could look upon, on account of its vast size, +and the flashing of its eyes and their greatness; for it is said that if +all the seas were placed in one of its nostrils, they would appear like +a grain of mustard-seed in the midst of a desert: and God, whose name be +exalted, commanded the fish to be a support to the feet of the bull.[34] +The name of this fish in Bahamoot. He placed, as its support, water; and +under the water, darkness: and the knowledge of mankind fails as to +what is under the darkness."[35]--Another opinion is, that the [seventh] +earth is upon water; the water, upon the rock; the rock, on the back of +the bull; the bull, on a bed of sand; the sand, on the fish; the fish, +upon a still, suffocating wind; the wind, on a veil of darkness; the +darkness, on a mist; and what is beneath the mist is unknown.[36] + +It is generally believed, that, under the lowest earth, and beneath seas +of darkness of which the number is unknown, is Hell, which consists of +seven stages, one beneath another. The first of these, according to the +general opinion, is destined for the reception of wicked Mohammadans; +the second, for the Christians; the third, for the Jews; the fourth, for +the Sabians; the fifth, for the Magians; the sixth, for the Idolaters; +the seventh, by general consent, for the Hypocrites. "Jahennem" is the +general name for Hell, and the particular name for its first stage. The +situation of Hell has been a subject of dispute; some place it in the +seventh earth; and some have doubted whether it be above or below the +earth which _we_ inhabit. + +At the consummation of all things, God, we are told, will take the whole +earth in his [left] hand, and the heavens will be rolled together in his +right hand;[37] and the earth will be changed into another earth; and +the heavens [into other heavens];[38] and Hell will be brought nigh [to +the tribunal of God].[39] + +NOTE 3. The phrase "God is all-knowing," or "surpassing in knowledge," +or, as some say, simply "knowing," is generally used by an Arab writer +when he relates anything for the truth of which he cannot vouch; and +Muslims often use it in conversation, in similar cases, unless when they +are uttering intentional falsehoods, which most of them are in the +frequent habit of doing. It is worthy of remark, that, though falsehood +is permitted by their religion in some cases, their doctors of religion +and law generally condemn all works of fiction (even though designed to +convey useful instruction), excepting mere fables, or apologues of a +high class. + +NOTE 4. In my usual standard-copy of the original work, as also in that +from which the old translation was made, and in the edition of Breslau, +this prince is called a king of the dynasty of Sasan; but as he is not +so designated in the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, I +have here omitted, in my translation, what would render the whole work +full of anachronisms. + +NOTE 5. Shahriyar is a Persian word, signifying "Friend of the City." +The name of the elder King is thus written in the Calcutta edition above +mentioned: in the edition of Cairo (which I generally follow) it is +written Shahrabaz, by errors in diacritical marks; and in that of +Breslau, Shahraban. + +NOTE 6. This name, Shah-Zeman, is a compound of Persian and Arabic, and +signifies "King of the Age." By the omission of a diacritical point, in +the Cairo edition, it is written Shah-Reman. + +NOTE 7. In the Calcutta edition before mentioned, the elder brother is +called King of Samar[k.]and; and the younger, King of China. + +NOTE 8.--_On the title and office of_ Wezeer. Wezeer is an Arabic word, +and is pronounced by the Arabs as I have written it; but the Turks and +Persians pronounce the first letter V. There are three opinions +respecting the etymology of this word. Some derive it from "wizr" (a +burden); because the Wezeer bears the burdens of the King: others, from +"wezer" (a refuge); because the King has recourse to the counsels of his +Wezeer, and his knowledge and prudence: others, again, from "azr" (back, +or strength); because the King is strengthened by his Wezeer as the +human frame is by the back.[40] + +The proper and chief duties of a Wezeer are explained by the above, and +by a saying of the Prophet:--"Whosoever is in authority over Muslims, if +God would prosper him, He giveth him a virtuous Wezeer, who, when he +forgetteth his duty, remindeth him, and when he remembereth, assisteth +him: but if He would do otherwise, He giveth him an evil Wezeer, who, +when he forgetteth, doth not remind him, and when he remembereth, doth +not assist him."[41] + +The post of Wezeer was the highest that was held by an officer of the +pen; and the person who occupied it was properly the next to the +Sul[t.]an: but the Turkish Sul[t.]ans of Egypt made the office of Naib +(or Viceroy) to have the pre-eminence. Under them, the post of Wezeer +was sometimes occupied by an officer of the sword, and sometimes by an +officer of the pen; and, in both cases, the Wezeer was also called "the +[S.]a[h.]eb." The Sul[t.]an Bar[k.]oo[k.] so degraded this office, by +intrusting its most important functions to other ministers, that the +Wezeer became, in reality, the King's purveyor, and little else; +receiving the indirect taxes, and employing them in the purchase of +provisions for the royal kitchen.[42] It is even said, that he was +usually chosen, by the Turkish Sul[t.]ans of Egypt, from among the Copts +(or Christian Egyptians); because the administration of the taxes had, +from time immemorial, been committed to persons of that race.[43] This, +it would seem, was the case about the time of the Sul[t.]an +Bar[k.]oo[k.]. But in the present work, we are to understand the office +of Wezeer as being what it was in earlier times,--that of Prime +Minister; though we are not hence to infer that the editions of the +Tales of a Thousand and One Nights known to us were written at a period +anterior to that of the Memlook Sul[t.]ans of Egypt and Syria; for, in +the time of these monarchs, the degradation of the office was commonly +known to be a recent innovation, and it may have been of no very long +continuance. + +NOTE 9. The paragraph to which this note relates is from the Calcutta +edition of the first two hundred Nights. + +NOTE 10.--_On Presents._ The custom of giving presents on the occasion +of paying a visit, or previously, which is of such high antiquity as to +be mentioned in the book of Genesis,[44] has continued to prevail in the +East to this day. Presents of provisions of some kind, wax candles, &c., +are sent to a person about to celebrate any festivity, by those who are +to be his guests: but after paying a mere visit of ceremony, and on some +other occasions, only money is commonly given to the servants of the +person visited. In either case, the latter is expected to return the +compliment on a similar occasion by presents of equal value. To reject a +present generally gives great offence; being regarded as an insult to +him who has offered it. When a person arrives from a foreign country, he +generally brings some articles of the produce or merchandise of that +country as presents to his friends. Thus, pilgrims returning from the +holy places bring water of Zemzem, dust from the Prophet's tomb, &c., +for this purpose.--Horses, and male and female slaves, are seldom given +but by kings or great men. Of the condition of slaves in Mohammadan +countries, an account will be given hereafter. + +NOTE 11.--_On the Letters of Muslims._ The letters of Muslims are +distinguished by several peculiarities dictated by the rules of +politeness. The paper is thick, white, and highly polished: sometimes it +is ornamented with flowers of gold; and the edges are always cut +straight with scissors. The upper half is generally left blank: and the +writing never occupies any portion of the second side. A notion of the +usual style of letters will be conveyed by several examples in this +work. The name of the person to whom the letter is addressed, when the +writer is an inferior or an equal, and even in some other cases, +commonly occurs in the first sentence, preceded by several titles of +honour; and is often written a little above the line to which it +apertains; the space beneath it in that line being left blank: sometimes +it is written in letters of gold, or red ink. A king, writing to a +subject, or a great man to a dependent, usually places his name and seal +at the head of his letter. The seal is the impression of a signet +(generally a ring, worn on the little finger of the right hand), upon +which is engraved the name of the person, commonly accompanied by the +words "His [_i.e._ God's] servant," or some other words expressive of +trust in God, &c. Its impression is considered more valid than the +sign-manual, and is indispensable to give authenticity to the letter. It +is made by dabbing some ink upon the surface of the signet, and pressing +this upon the paper: the place which is to be stamped being first +moistened, by touching the tongue with a finger of the right hand, and +then gently rubbing the part with that finger. A person writing to a +superior, or to an equal, or even an inferior to whom he wishes to shew +respect, signs his name at the bottom of his letter, next the left side +or corner, and places the seal immediately to the right of this: but if +he particularly desire to testify his humility, he places it beneath his +name, or even partly over the lower edge of the paper, which +consequently does not receive the whole of the impression. The letter is +generally folded twice, in the direction of the writing, and enclosed in +a cover of paper, upon which is written the address, in some such form +as this:--"It shall arrive, if it be the will of God, whose name be +exalted, at such a place, and be delivered into the hand of our honoured +friend, &c., such a one, whom God preserve." Sometimes it is placed in a +small bag, or purse, of silk embroidered with gold. + +NOTE 12. The custom of sending forth a deputation to meet and welcome an +approaching ambassador, or other great man, is still observed in Eastern +countries; and the rank of the persons thus employed conveys to him some +intimation of the manner in which he is to be received at the court: he +therefore looks forward to this ceremony with a degree of anxiety. A +humorous illustration of its importance in the eye of an Oriental +ambassador, is given in "The Adventures of Hajji Baba in England." + +NOTE 13.--_On Hospitality._ The hospitable custom here mentioned is +observed by Muslims in compliance with a precept of their Prophet. +"Whoever," said he, "believes in God and the day of resurrection must +respect his guest; and the time of being kind to him is one day and one +night; and the period of entertaining him is three days; and after that, +if he does it longer, he benefits him more; but it is not right for a +guest to stay in the house of the host so long as to incommode him." He +even allowed the "right of a guest" to be taken by force from such as +would not offer it.[45] The following observations, respecting the +treatment of guests by the Bedawees, present an interesting commentary +upon the former precept, and upon our text:--"Strangers who have not any +friend or acquaintance in the camp, alight at the first tent that +presents itself: whether the owner be at home or not, the wife or +daughter immediately spreads a carpet, and prepares breakfast or dinner. +If the stranger's business requires a protracted stay, as, for instance, +if he wishes to cross the Desert under the protection of the tribe, the +host, after a lapse of three days and four hours from the time of his +arrival, asks whether he means to honour him any longer with his +company. If the stranger declares his intention of prolonging his visit, +it is expected that he should assist his host in domestic matters, +fetching water, milking the camel, feeding the horse, &c. Should he even +decline this, he may remain; but will be censured by all the Arabs of +the camp: he may, however, go to some other tent of the nezel [or +encampment], and declare himself there a guest. Thus, every third or +fourth day he may change hosts, until his business is finished, or he +has reached his place of destination."[46] + +NOTE 14.--_On different modes of Obeisance._ Various different modes of +obeisance are practised by the Muslims. Among these, the following are +the more common or more remarkable: they differ in the degree +of respect that they indicate, nearly in the order in which I shall +mention them; the last being the most respectful:--1. Placing the right +hand upon the breast.--2. Touching the lips and the forehead or turban +(or the forehead or turban only) with the right hand.--3. Doing the +same, but slightly inclining the head during that action.--4. The same +as the preceding, but inclining the body also.--5. As above, but +previously touching the ground with the right hand.--6. Kissing the hand +of the person to whom the obeisance is paid.--7. Kissing his sleeve.--8. +Kissing the skirt of his clothing.--9. Kissing his feet.--10. Kissing +the carpet or ground before him.--The first five modes are often +accompanied by the salutation of "Peace be on you!" to which the reply +is, "On you be peace, and the mercy of God, and his blessings!" The +sixth mode is observed by servants or pupils to masters, by the wife to +the husband, and by children to their father, and sometimes to the +mother. It is also an act of homage paid to the aged by the young; or to +learned or religious men by the less instructed or less devout. The last +mode is seldom observed but to kings; and in Arabian countries it is now +very uncommon. + +NOTE 15. It might seem unnecessary to say, that a King understood what +he read, were it not explained that the style of Arabic epistolary +compositions, like that of the literature in general, differs +considerably from that of common conversation. + +NOTE 16. The party travelled chiefly by night, on account of the heat of +the day. + +NOTE 17.--_On the occasional Decorations of Eastern Cities._ On various +occasions of rejoicing in the palace of the king or governor, the +inhabitants of an Eastern city are commanded to decorate their houses, +and the tradesmen, in particular, to adorn their shops, by suspending +shawls, brocades, rich dresses, women's ornaments, and all kinds of +costly articles of merchandise; lamps and flags are attached to cords +drawn across the streets, which are often canopied over; and when +sufficient notice has been given, the shops, and the doors, &c., of +private houses, are painted with gay colours.--Towards the close of the +year 1834, the people of Cairo were ordered to decorate their houses and +shops previously to the arrival of Ibraheem Basha, after his victorious +campaigns in Syria and Asia Minor. They ornamented the lower parts of +their houses with whitewash and red ochre, generally in broad, +alternate, horizontal stripes; that is, one course of stone white, and +the next red; but the only kind of oil-paint that they could procure in +large quantities was blue, the colour of mourning; so that they were +obliged to use this as the ground upon which to paint flowers and other +ornamental devices on their shops; but they regarded this as portending +a pestilence; and the awful plague of the following spring confirmed +them in their superstitious notions. + +NOTE 18. As the notes to this introductory portion are especially +numerous, and the chase is here but cursorily alluded to, I shall +reserve an account of the mode of hunting to be given on a future +occasion. + +NOTE 19.--_On the opinions of the Arabs respecting Female Beauty._ The +reader should have some idea of the qualifications or charms which the +Arabs in general consider requisite to the perfection of female beauty; +for erroneous fancies on this subject would much detract from the +interest of the present work. He must not imagine that excessive fatness +is one of these characteristics; though it is said to be esteemed a +chief essential to beauty throughout the greater part of Northern +Africa: on the contrary, the maiden whose loveliness inspires the most +impassioned expressions in Arabic poetry and prose is celebrated for her +slender figure: she is like the cane among plants, and is elegant as a +twig of the oriental willow.[47] Her face is like the full moon, +presenting the strongest contrast to the colour of her hair, which (to +preserve the nature of the simile just employed,) is of the deepest hue +of night, and descends to the middle of her back. A rosy blush +overspreads the centre of each cheek; and a mole is considered an +additional charm. The Arabs, indeed, are particularly extravagant in +their admiration of this natural beauty-spot; which, according to its +place, is compared to a globule of ambergris upon a dish of alabaster or +upon the surface of a ruby.[48] The eyes of the Arab beauty are +intensely black, large, and long; of the form of an almond: they are +full of brilliancy; but this is softened by a lid slightly depressed, +and by long silken lashes, giving a tender and languid expression, which +is full of enchantment, and scarcely to be improved by the adventitious +aid of the black border of ko[h.]l; for this the lovely maiden adds +rather for the sake of fashion than necessity; having, what the Arabs +term, natural ko[h.]l. The eyebrows are thin and arched; the forehead is +wide, and fair as ivory; the nose, straight; the mouth, small; the lips +are of a brilliant red; and the teeth, "like pearls set in coral." The +forms of the bosom are compared to two pomegranates; the waist is +slender; the hips are wide and large; the feet and hands, small; the +fingers, tapering, and their extremities dyed with the deep orange-red +tint imparted by the leaves of the [h.]enna.[49] The person in whom +these charms are combined exhibits a lively image of "the rosy-fingered +Aurora:" her lover knows neither night nor sleep in her presence, and +the constellations of heaven are no longer seen by him when she +approaches. The most bewitching age is between fourteen and seventeen +years; for then the forms of womanhood are generally developed in their +greatest beauty; but many a maiden in her twelfth year possesses charms +sufficient to fascinate every youth or man who beholds her. + +The reader may perhaps desire a more minute analysis of Arabian beauty. +The following is the most complete that I can offer him.--"Four things +in a woman should be _black_; the hair of the head, the eyebrows, the +eyelashes, and the dark part of the eyes: four _white_; the complexion +of the skin, the white of the eyes, the teeth, and the legs: four _red_; +the tongue, the lips, the middle of the cheeks, and the gums: four +_round_; the head, the neck, the fore-arms, and the ankles: four _long_; +the back, the fingers, the arms, and the legs:[50] four _wide_; the +forehead, the eyes, the bosom, and the hips: four _fine_; the eyebrows, +the nose, the lips, and the fingers: four _thick_; the lower part of the +back, the thighs, the calves of the legs, and the knees: four _small_; +the ears, the breasts, the hands, and the feet."[51] + +NOTE 20. Mes'ood is a common proper name of men, and signifies "happy," +or "made happy." + +NOTE 21.--_On the_ Jinn, _or Genii._ The frequent mention of Genii in +this work, and the erroneous accounts that have been given of these +fabulous beings by various European writers, have induced me to examine +the statements respecting them in several Arabic works; and I shall here +offer the result of my investigation, with a previous account of the +Angels. + +The Muslims, in general, believe in three different species of created +intelligent beings; namely, Angels, who are created of light; Genii, who +are created of fire; and Men, created of earth. The first species are +called "Melaikeh" (sing. "Melek"); the second, "Jinn" or "Ginn" (sing. +"Jinnee" or "Ginnee"); the third, "Ins" (sing. "Insee"). Some hold that +the Devils (Shey[t.]ans) are of a species distinct from Angels and Jinn; +but the more prevailing opinion, and that which rests on the highest +authority, is, that they are rebellious Jinn. + +"It is believed," says El-[K.]azweenee, "that the Angels are of a simple +substance, endowed with life, and speech, and reason; and that the +difference between them and the Jinn and Shey[t.]ans is a difference of +species. Know," he adds, "that the Angels are sanctified from carnal +desire and the disturbance of anger: they disobey not God in what He +hath commanded them, but do what they are commanded. Their food is the +celebrating of his glory; their drink, the proclaiming of his holiness; +their conversation, the commemoration of God, whose name be exalted; +their pleasure, his worship: they are created in different forms, and +with different powers." Some are described as having the forms of +brutes. Four of them are Archangels; Jebraeel or Jibreel (or Gabriel), +the angel of revelations; Meekaeel or Meekal (or Michael), the patron of +the Israelites; 'Azraeel, the angel of death; and Israfeel, the angel of +the trumpet, which he is to sound twice, or as some say thrice, at the +end of the world: one blast will kill all living creatures (himself +included): another, forty years after, (he being raised again for this +purpose, with Jebraeel and Meekaeel), will raise the dead. These +Archangels are also called Apostolic Angels. They are inferior in +dignity to human prophets and apostles, though superior to the rest of +the human race: the angelic nature is held to be inferior to the human +nature, because all the Angels were commanded to prostrate themselves +before Adam. Every believer is attended by two guardian and recording +angels; one of whom writes his good actions; the other, his evil +actions: or, according to some, the number of these angels is five, or +sixty, or a hundred and sixty. There are also two Angels called Munkar +(vulg. Nakir) and Nekeer, who examine all the dead, and torture the +wicked, in their graves. + +The species of Jinn is said to have been created some thousands of years +before Adam. According to a tradition from the Prophet, this species +consists of five orders or classes; namely, Jann (who are the least +powerful of all), Jinn, Shey[t.]ans (or Devils), 'Efreets, and Marids. +The last, it is added, are the most powerful; and the Jann are +transformed Jinn; like as certain apes and swine were transformed +men.[52]--It must, however, be remarked here, that the terms Jinn and +Jann are generally used indiscriminately, as names of the whole species +(including the other orders above mentioned), whether good or bad; and +that the former term is the more common. Also, that "Shey[t.]an" is +commonly used to signify any evil Jinnee. An 'Efreet is a powerful evil +Jinnee:[53] a Marid, an evil Jinnee of the most powerful class. The Jinn +(but generally speaking, evil ones) are called by the Persians "Deevs," +the most powerful evil Jinn, "Narahs" (which signifies "males," though +they are said to be males and females); the good Jinn, "Perees;" though +this term is commonly applied to females. + +In a tradition from the Prophet, it is said, "The Jann were created of a +smokeless fire."[54] The word which signifies "a smokeless fire" has +been misunderstood by some as meaning "the flame of fire:" El-Joharee +(in the [S.]e[h.]a[h.]) renders it rightly; and says that of this fire +was _the_ Shey[t.]an (Iblees) created. "El-Jann" is sometimes used as a +name for Iblees; as in the following verse of the [K.]ur-an:--"And the +Jann [the father of the Jinn; _i. e._ Iblees] we had created before [_i. +e._ before the creation of Adam] of the fire of the samoom [_i. e._ of +fire without smoke]."[55] "Jann" also signifies "a serpent;" as in other +passages of the [K.]ur-an;[56] and is used in the same book as +synonymous with "Jinn."[57] In the last sense it is generally believed +to be used in the tradition quoted in the commencement of this +paragraph. There are several apparently contradictory traditions from +the Prophet which are reconciled by what has been above stated: in one, +it is said, that Iblees was the father of all the Jann and +Shey[t.]ans;[58] Jann being here synonymous with Jinn: in another, that +Jann was the father of all the Jinn;[59] here, Jann being used as a name +of Iblees. + +"It is held," says El-[K.]azweenee, "that the Jinn are aerial animals, +with transparent bodies, which can assume various forms. People differ +in opinion respecting these beings: some consider the Jinn and +Shey[t.]ans as unruly men; but these persons are of the Mo[a.]tezileh [a +sect of Muslim freethinkers]: and some hold, that God, whose name be +exalted, created the Angels of the light of fire, and the Jinn of its +flame [but this is at variance with the general opinion], and the +Sheytans of its smoke [which is also at variance with the common +opinion]; and that [all] these kinds of beings are [usually] +invisible[60] to men, but that they assume what forms they please, and +when their form becomes condensed they are visible."--This last remark +illustrates several descriptions of Jinnees in this work; where the form +of the monster is at first undefined, or like an enormous pillar, and +then gradually assumes a human shape and less gigantic size. The +particular forms of brutes, reptiles, &c., in which the Jinn most +frequently appear will be mentioned hereafter. + +It is said that God created the Jann [or Jinn] two thousand years before +Adam [or, according to some writers, much earlier]; and that there are +believers and infidels and every sect among them, as among +men.[61]--Some say that a prophet, named Yoosuf, was sent to the Jinn: +others, that they had only preachers, or admonishers: others, again, +that seventy apostles were sent, before Mo[h.]ammad, to Jinn and men +conjointly.[62] It is commonly believed that the preadamite Jinn were +governed by forty (or, according to some, seventy-two) kings, to each of +whom the Arab writers give the name of Suleyman (or Solomon); and +that they derive their appellation from the last of these, who was +called Jann Ibn-Jann, and who, some say, built the Pyramids of +Egypt. The following account of the preadamite Jinn is given by +El-[K.]azweenee.--"It is related in histories, that a race of Jinn, in +ancient times, before the creation of Adam, inhabited the earth, and +covered it, the land and the sea, and the plains and the mountains; and +the favours of God were multiplied upon them, and they had government, +and prophecy, and religion, and law; but they transgressed and offended, +and opposed their prophets, and made wickedness to abound in the earth; +whereupon God, whose name be exalted, sent against them an army of +Angels, who took possession of the earth, and drove away the Jinn to the +regions of the islands, and made many of them prisoners; and of those +who were made prisoners was 'Azazeel [afterwards called Iblees, from his +_despair_]; and a slaughter was made among them. At that time, 'Azazeel +was young: he grew up among the Angels [and probably for that reason was +called one of them], and became learned in their knowledge, and assumed +the government of them; and his days were prolonged until he became +their chief; and thus it continued for a long time, until the affair +between him and Adam happened, as God, whose name be exalted, hath said, +'When we said unto the Angels, Worship[63] ye Adam, and [all] worshipped +except Iblees, [who] was [one] of the Jinn.'"[64] + +"Iblees," we are told by another authority, "was sent as a governor upon +the earth, and judged among the Jinn a thousand years, after which he +ascended into heaven, and remained employed in worship until the +creation of Adam."[65] The name of Iblees was originally, according to +some, 'Azazeel (as before mentioned); and according to others, +El-[H.]arith: his patronymic is Aboo-Murrah, or Abu-l-Ghimr.[66]--It is +disputed whether he was of the Angels or of the Jinn. There are three +opinions on this point.--1. That he was of the Angels, from a tradition +from Ibn-'Abbas.--2. That he was of the Shey[t.]ans (or evil Jinn); as +it is said in the [K.]ur-an, "except Iblees, [who] was [one] of the +Jinn:" this was the opinion of El-[H.]asan El-Ba[s.]ree, and is that +commonly held.--3. That he was neither of the Angels nor of the Jinn; +but created alone, of fire.--Ibn-'Abbas founds his opinion on the same +text from which El-[H.]asan El-Ba[s.]ree derives his: "When we said unto +the Angels, Worship ye Adam, and [all] worshipped except Iblees, [who] +was [one] of the Jinn" (before quoted): which he explains by saying, +that the most noble and honourable among the Angels are called "the +Jinn," because they are _veiled_ from the eyes of the other Angels on +account of their superiority; and that Iblees was one of these Jinn. He +adds, that he had the government of the lowest heaven and of the earth, +and was called the [T.]aoos (literally, Peacock) of the Angels; and that +there was not a spot in the lowest heaven but he had prostrated himself +upon it: but when the Jinn rebelled upon the earth, God sent a troop of +Angels who drove them to the islands and mountains; and Iblees being +elated with pride, and refusing to prostrate himself before Adam, God +transformed him into a Shey[t.]an.--But this reasoning is opposed by +other verses, in which Iblees is represented as saying, "Thou hast +created _me_ of _fire_, and hast created _him_ [Adam] of _earth_."[67] +It is therefore argued, "If he were created originally of fire, how was +he created of light? for the Angels were [all] created of +light."[68]--The former verse may be explained by the tradition, that +Iblees, having been taken captive, was exalted among the Angels; or +perhaps there is an ellipsis after the word "Angels;" for it might be +inferred that the command given to the Angels was also (and _a +fortiori_) to be obeyed by the Jinn. + +According to a tradition, Iblees and all the Shey[t.]ans are +distinguished from the other Jinn by a longer existence. "The +Shey[t.]ans," it is added, "are the children of Iblees, and die not but +with him: whereas the [other] Jinn die before him;"[69] though they may +live many centuries. But this is not altogether accordant with the +popular belief: Iblees and many other evil Jinn are to survive mankind; +but they are to die before the general resurrection; as also even the +Angels; the last of whom will be the Angel of Death, 'Azraeel: yet not +_all_ the evil Jinn are to live thus long: many of them are killed by +shooting stars, hurled at them from heaven; wherefore, the Arabs, when +they see a shooting star (shihab), often exclaim, "May God transfix the +enemy of the faith!"--Many also are killed by other Jinn; and some, even +by men. The fire of which the Jinnee is created circulates in his veins, +in place of blood: therefore, when he receives a mortal wound, this +fire, issuing from his veins, generally consumes him to ashes.--The +Jinn, it has been already shown, are peccable. They also eat and drink, +and propagate their species, sometimes in conjunction with human beings; +in which latter case, the offspring partakes of the nature of both +parents. In all these respects they differ from the Angels. Among the +evil Jinn are distinguished the five sons of their chief, Iblees; +namely, Teer, who brings about calamities, losses, and injuries; +El-A[a.]war, who encourages debauchery; So[t.], who suggests lies; +Dasim, who causes hatred between man and wife; and Zelemboor, who +presides over places of traffic.[70] + +The most common forms and habitations or places of resort of the Jinn +must now be described. + +The following traditions from the Prophet are the most to the purpose +that I have seen.--The Jinn are of various shapes; having the forms of +serpents, scorpions, lions, wolves, jackals, &c.[71]--The Jinn are of +three kinds; one on the land; one in the sea; and one in the air.[72] +The Jinn consist of forty troops; each troop consisting of six hundred +thousand.[73]--The Jinn are of three kinds; one have wings, and fly; +another are snakes, and dogs; and the third move about from place to +place like men.[74]--Domestic snakes are asserted to be Jinn on the same +authority.[75] + +The Prophet ordered his followers to kill serpents and scorpions if they +intruded at prayers; but on other occasions, he seems to have required +first to admonish them to depart, and then, if they remained, to kill +them. The Doctors, however, differ in opinion whether _all_ kinds of +snakes or serpents should be admonished first; or whether _any_ should; +for the Prophet, say they, took a covenant of the Jinn [probably after +the above-mentioned command], that they should not enter the houses of +the faithful: therefore, it is argued, if they enter, they break their +covenant, and it becomes lawful to kill them without previous +admonishment. Yet it is related that 'Aisheh, the Prophet's wife, having +killed a serpent in her chamber, was alarmed by a dream, and, fearing +that it might have been a Muslim Jinnee, as it did not enter her chamber +when she was undressed, gave in alms, as an expiation, twelve thousand +dirhems (about L300), the price of the blood of a Muslim.[76] + +The Jinn are said to appear to mankind most commonly in the shapes of +serpents, dogs, cats, or human beings. In the last case, they are +sometimes of the stature of men, and sometimes of a size enormously +gigantic. If good, they are generally resplendently handsome: if evil, +horribly hideous. They become invisible at pleasure (by a rapid +extension or rarefaction of the particles which compose them), or +suddenly disappear in the earth or air, or through a solid wall. Many +Muslims in the present day profess to have seen and held intercourse +with them. + +The Zoba'ah, which is a whirlwind that raises the sand or dust in the +form of a pillar of prodigious height, often seen sweeping across the +deserts and fields, is believed to be caused by the flight of an evil +Jinnee. To defend themselves from a Jinnee thus "riding in the +whirlwind," the Arabs often exclaim, "Iron! Iron!" ([H.]adeed! +[H.]adeed!), or, "Iron! thou unlucky!" ([H.]adeed! ya mashoom!), as the +Jinn are supposed to have a great dread of that metal: or they exclaim, +"God is most great!" (Allahu akbar!).[77] A similar superstition +prevails with respect to the water-spout at sea, as the reader may have +discovered from the first instance of the description of a Jinnee in the +present work, which occasions this note to be here inserted. + +It is believed that the chief abode of the Jinn is in the Mountains of +[K.]af, which are supposed (as mentioned on a former occasion) to +encompass the whole of our earth. But they are also believed to pervade +the solid body of our earth, and the firmament; and to choose, as their +principal places of resort, or of occasional abode, baths, wells, the +latrina, ovens, ruined houses, market-places, the junctures of roads, +the sea, and rivers. The Arabs, therefore, when they pour water, +&c., on the ground, or enter a bath, or let down a bucket into a +well, or visit the latrina, and on various other occasions, say, +"Permission!" or "Permission, ye blessed!" (Destoor! or, Destoor ya +mubarakeen!").[78]--The evil spirits (or evil Jinn), it is said, had +liberty to enter any of the seven heavens till the birth of Jesus, when +they were excluded from three of them; on the birth of Mo[h.]ammad, they +were forbidden the other four.[79] They continue, however, to ascend to +the confines of the lowest heaven, and there listening to the +conversation of the Angels respecting things decreed by God, obtain +knowledge of futurity, which they sometimes impart to men, who, by means +of talismans, or certain invocations, make them to serve the purposes of +magical performances. To this particular subject it will be necessary to +revert.--What the Prophet said of Iblees, in the following tradition, +applies also to the evil Jinn over whom he presides:--His chief abode +[among men] is the bath; his chief places of resort are the markets, and +the junctures of roads; his food is whatever is killed without the name +of God being pronounced over it; his drink, whatever is intoxicating; +his mueddin, the mizmar (a musical pipe; _i. e._ any musical +instrument); his [k.]uran, poetry; his written character, the marks made +in geomancy;[80] his speech, falsehood; his snares are women.[81] + +That particular Jinnees presided over particular places, was an opinion +of the early Arabs. It is said in the [K.]ur-an, "And there were certain +men who sought refuge with certain of the Jinn."[82] In the Commentary +of the Jelaleyn, I find the following remark on these words:--"When they +halted, on their journey, in a place of fear, each man said, 'I seek +refuge with the lord of this place, from the mischief of his foolish +ones!'" In illustration of this, I may insert the following tradition, +translated from El-[K.]azweenee:--"It is related by a certain narrator +of traditions, that he descended into a valley, with his sheep, and a +wolf carried off a ewe from among them; and he arose, and raised his +voice, and cried, 'O inhabitant of the valley!' whereupon he heard a +voice saying, 'O wolf, restore to him his sheep!' and the wolf came with +the ewe, and left her, and departed."--The same opinion is held by the +modern Arabs, though probably they do not use such an invocation.--A +similar superstition, a relic of ancient Egyptian credulity, still +prevails among the people of Cairo. It is believed that each quarter of +this city has its peculiar guardian-genius, or Agathodaemon, which has +the form of a serpent.[83] + +It has already been mentioned that some of the Jinn are Muslims; and +others, infidels. The good Jinn acquit themselves of the imperative +duties of religion; namely, prayers, alms-giving, fasting during the +month of Rama[d.]an, and pilgrimage to Mekkeh and Mount 'Arafat: but in +the performance of these duties they are generally invisible to human +beings. Some examples of the mode in which good Jinn pay the alms +required of them by the law, I have given in a former work.[84] + +Of the services and injuries done by Jinn to men, some account must be +given. + +It has been stated, that, by means of talismans, or certain invocations, +men are said to obtain the services of Jinn; and the manner in which the +latter are enabled to assist magicians, by imparting to them the +knowledge of future events, has been explained. No man ever obtained +such absolute power over the Jinn as Suleyman, Ibn-Daood (Solomon, the +Son of David). This he did by virtue of a most wonderful talisman, which +is said to have come down to him from heaven. It was a seal-ring, upon +which was engraved "the most great name" of God; and was partly composed +of brass, and partly of iron. With the brass he stamped his written +commands to the good Jinn; with the iron (for a reason before +mentioned), those to the evil Jinn, or Devils. Over both orders he had +unlimited power; as well as over the birds and the winds,[85] and, as is +generally said, the wild beasts. His Wezeer, A[s.]af the son of +Barkhiya, is also said to have been acquainted with "the most great +name," by uttering which, the greatest miracles may be performed; even +that of raising the dead. By virtue of this name, engraved on his ring, +Suleyman compelled the Jinn to assist in building the Temple of +Jerusalem, and in various other works. Many of the evil Jinn he +converted to the true faith; and many others of this class, who remained +obstinate in infidelity, he confined in prisons. He is said to have been +monarch of the whole earth. Hence, perhaps, the name of Suleyman is +given to the universal monarchs of the preadamite Jinn; unless the story +of his own universal dominion originated from confounding him with those +kings of the Jinn. + +The injuries related to have been inflicted upon human beings by evil +Jinn are of various kinds. Jinnees are said to have often carried off +beautiful women, whom they have forcibly kept as their wives or +concubines. I have mentioned in a former work, that malicious or +disturbed Jinnees are asserted often to station themselves on the roofs, +or at the windows, of houses, and to throw down bricks and stones on +persons passing by.[86] When they take possession of an uninhabited +house, they seldom fail to persecute terribly any person who goes to +reside in it. They are also very apt to pilfer provisions, &c. Many +learned and devout persons, to secure their property from such +depredations, repeat the words "In the name of God, the Compassionate, +the Merciful!" on locking the doors of their houses, rooms, or closets, +and on covering the bread-basket, or anything containing food.[87] +During the month of Rama[d.]an, the evil Jinn are believed to be +confined in prison; and therefore, on the last night of that month, with +the same view, women sometimes repeat the words above mentioned, and +sprinkle salt upon the floors of the apartments of their houses.[88] + +To complete this sketch of Arabian mythology, an account must be added +of several creatures generally believed to be of inferior orders of the +Jinn. + +One of these is the Ghool, which is commonly regarded as a kind of +Sheytan, or evil Jinnee, that eats men; and is also described by some as +a Jinnee or an enchanter who assumes various forms. The Ghools are said +to appear in the forms of various animals, and of human beings, and in +many monstrous shapes; to haunt burial-grounds and other sequestered +spots; to feed upon dead human bodies; and to kill and devour any human +creature who has the misfortune to fall in their way: whence the term +"Ghool" is applied to any cannibal. An opinion quoted by a celebrated +author, respecting the Ghool, is, that it is a demoniacal animal, which +passes a solitary existence in the deserts, resembling both man and +brute; that it appears to a person travelling alone in the night and in +solitary places, and, being supposed by him to be itself a traveller, +lures him out of his way.[89] Another opinion stated by him is this: +that, when the Sheytans attempt to hear words by stealth [from the +confines of the lowest heaven], they are struck by shooting stars; and +some are burnt; some, falling into a sea, or rather a large river +(ba[h.]r), become converted into crocodiles; and some, falling upon the +land, become Ghools. The same author adds the following tradition:--"The +Ghool is any Jinnee that is opposed to travels, assuming various forms +and appearances;"[90] and affirms that several of the Companions of the +Prophet saw Ghools in their travels; and that 'Omar, among them, saw a +Ghool while on a journey to Syria, before El-Islam, and struck it with +his sword.--It appears that "Ghool" is, properly speaking, a name only +given to a _female_ demon of the kind above described: the male is +called "[K.]u[t.]rub."[91] It is said that these beings, and the +Ghaddar, or Gharrar, and other similar creatures which will presently be +mentioned, are the offspring of Iblees and of a wife whom God created +for him of the fire of the Samoom (which here signifies, as in an +instance before mentioned, "a smokeless fire"); and that they sprang +from an egg.[92] The female Ghool, it is added, appears to men in the +deserts, in various forms, converses with them, and sometimes +prostitutes herself to them.[93] + +The Se[a.]lah, or Sa[a.]lah, is another demoniacal creature, described +by some [or rather, by most authors] as of the Jinn. It is said that it +is mostly found in forests, and that when it captures a man, it makes +him dance, and plays with him as the cat plays with the mouse. A man of +I[s.]fahan asserted that many beings of this kind abounded in his +country; that sometimes the wolf would hunt one of them by night, and +devour it, and that, when it had seized it, the Se[a.]lah would cry out, +"Come to my help, for the wolf devoureth me!" or it would cry, "Who will +liberate me? I have a hundred deenars, and he shall receive them!" but +the people knowing that it was the cry of the Se[a.]lah, no one would +liberate it; and so the wolf would eat it.[94]--An island in the sea of +E[s.]-[S.]een (or China) is called "the Island of the Se[a.]lah," by +Arab geographers, from its being said to be inhabited by the demons so +named: they are described as creatures of hideous forms, supposed to be +Shey[t.]ans, the offspring of human beings and Jinn, who eat men."[95] + +The Ghaddar, or Gharrar (for its name is written differently in two +different MSS. in my possession), is another creature of a similar +nature, described as being found in the borders of El-Yemen, and +sometimes in Tihameh, and in the upper parts of Egypt. It is said that +it entices a man to it, and either tortures him in a manner not to be +described, or merely terrifies him, and leaves him.[96] + +The Delhan is also a demoniacal being, inhabiting the islands of the +seas, having the form of a man, and riding on an ostrich. It eats the +flesh of men whom the sea casts on the shore from wrecks. Some say that +a Delhan once attacked a ship in the sea, and desired to take the crew; +but they contended with it; whereupon it uttered a cry which caused them +to fall upon their faces, and it took them.[97]--In my MS. of +Ibn-El-Wardee, I find the name written "Dahlan." He mentions an island +called by this name, in the Sea of 'Oman; and describes its inhabitants +as cannibal Shey[t.]ans, like men in form, and riding on birds +resembling ostriches. + +The Shi[k.][k.] is another demoniacal creature, having the form of half +a human being (like a man divided longitudinally); and it is believed +that the Nesnas is the offspring of a Shi[k.][k.] and of a human being. +The Shi[k.][k.] appears to travellers; and it was a demon of this kind +who killed, and was killed by, 'Al[k.]amah, the son of [S.]afwan, the +son of Umeiyeh; of whom it is well known that he was killed by a Jinnee. +So says El-[K.]azweenee. + +The Nesnas (above mentioned) is described as resembling half a human +being; having half a head, half a body, one arm, and one leg, with which +it hops with much agility; as being found in the woods of El-Yemen, and +being endowed with speech: "but God," it is added, "is all-knowing."[98] +It is said that it is found in [H.]a[d.]ramot as well as El-Yemen; and +that one was brought alive to El-Mutawekkil: it resembled a man in form, +excepting that it had but half a face, which was in its breast, and a +tail like that of a sheep. The people of [H.]a[d.]ramot, it is added, +eat it; and its flesh is sweet. It is only generated in their country. A +man who went there asserted that he saw a captured Nesnas, which cried +out for mercy, conjuring him by God and by himself.[99] A race of people +whose head is in the breast is described as inhabiting an island called +Jabeh (supposed to be Java), in the Sea of El-Hind, or India.[100] A +kind of Nesnas is also described as inhabiting the Island of Raij, in +the Sea of E[s.]-[S.]een, or China, and having wings like those of the +bat.[101] + +The Hatif is a being that is heard, but not seen; and is often mentioned +by Arab writers. It is generally the communicator of some intelligence +in the way of advice, or direction, or warning. + +Here terminating this long note, I must beg the reader to remark, that +the superstitious fancies which it describes are prevalent among all +classes of the Arabs, and the Muslims in general, learned as well as +vulgar. I have comprised in it much matter not necessary to illustrate +the introductory portion of this work, in order to avoid frequent +recurrence to the same subject. Another apology for its length may also +be offered:--its importance as confuting Schlegel's opinion, that the +frequent mention of Genii is more consistent with Indian than with Arab +notions. + +NOTE 22. This chest is described in some copies as formed of glass. + +NOTE 23. The term "'Efreet" has been explained above, in Note 21. + +NOTE 24. Most of the copies of the original, it appears, make the number +of rings ninety-eight; therefore, I have substituted this, as less +extraordinary, for five hundred and seventy, which is the number +mentioned in the Cairo edition. + +NOTE 25. Almost every Muslim who can afford it has a seal-ring, for a +reason shewn in a former note (No. 11).[102] + +NOTE 26. For the story of Yoosuf and Zeleekha (or Joseph and the wife of +Potiphar), see the [K.]ur-an, ch. xii. + +NOTE 27.--_On the wickedness of Women._ The wickedness of women is a +subject upon which the stronger sex among the Arabs, with an affected +feeling of superior virtue, often dwell in common conversation. That +women are deficient in judgment or good sense is held as a fact not to +be disputed even by themselves, as it rests on an assertion of the +Prophet; but that they possess a superior degree of cunning is +pronounced equally certain and notorious. Their general depravity is +pronounced to be much greater than that of men. "I stood," said the +Prophet, "at the gate of Paradise; and lo, most of its inmates were the +poor: and I stood at the gate of Hell; and lo, most of its inmates were +women."[103] In allusion to women, the Khaleefeh 'Omar said, "Consult +them, and do the contrary of what they advise." But this is not to be +done merely for the sake of opposing them; nor when other advice can be +had. "It is desirable for a man," says a learned Imam, "before he enters +upon any important undertaking, to consult ten intelligent persons among +his particular friends; or, if he have not more than five such friends, +let him consult each of them twice; or, if he have not more than one +friend, he should consult him ten times, at ten different visits: if he +have not one to consult, let him return to his wife, and consult her; +and whatever she advises him to do, let him do the contrary: so shall he +proceed rightly in his affair, and attain his object."[104] A truly +virtuous wife is, of course, excepted in this rule: such a person is as +much respected by Muslims as she is (at least, according to their own +account) rarely met with by them. When woman was created, the Devil, we +are told, was delighted, and said, "Thou art half of my host, and thou +art the depository of my secret, and thou art my arrow, with which I +shoot, and miss not."[105] What are termed by us affairs of gallantry +were very common among the Pagan Arabs, and are scarcely less so among +their Muslim posterity. They are, however, unfrequent among most tribes +of Bedawees, and among the descendants of those tribes not long settled +as cultivators. I remember being roused from the quiet that I generally +enjoyed in an ancient tomb in which I resided at Thebes, by the cries of +a young woman in the neighbourhood, whom an Arab was severely beating +for an impudent proposal that she had made to him. + +NOTE 28.--_On the cruelty ascribed to_ Shahriyar. I wish that I could +accuse the author of inventing, in this case, an incident of an +incredible nature, and entirely unparalleled; but, alas, acts of equal +cruelty are recorded of Arab princes: traits of benevolence, and crimes +of the blackest hue, are related in their histories, sometimes in the +same page. I have not read of any case exactly resembling that to which +this note relates; but the following anecdote will shew, that if conduct +still more atrocious had been described in the latter, it might have +been founded on fact. "In the year of the Flight 423, the Khaleefeh of +Egypt, E[z.]-[Z.]ahir, the son of El-[H.]akim, collected together all +the female slaves that were in the palace, and said to them, 'Assemble +together, and I will make a day of pleasure for you, such as hath not +before been seen in Egypt.' He ordered, also, that every person who had +a female slave should bring her, and that none of them should come but +with her ornaments of jewels and gold. They did so; and there was not a +single one that did not come. He then placed them in a chamber, and, +calling some masons, made them build up the door of the chamber upon +them, and so they all died. This happened on Friday (the Mohammadan +Sabbath,) the 6th of Showwal. The number of them was two thousand six +hundred and sixty female slaves. After they had remained six months, he +heaped lighted combustibles upon them, and burned them, together with +their clothes and ornaments. May God [says the narrator] shew no mercy +to him!"[106] + +NOTE 29. I here deviate a little from my original, in which Shahrazad is +made to say, "Either I shall live, or I shall be a ransom for the +daughters of the Muslims, and the cause of their deliverance from him." +Upon this, the sheykh Mo[h.]ammed 'Eiyad has remarked in a marginal +note, "It would seem that she had contrived some stratagem to prevent +his marrying again if he determined to kill her: otherwise, the mere +killing her would not be a means of rescuing the other maidens." + +NOTE 30.--_On the Language of Birds, &c._ It is commonly believed by the +Muslims (learned and unlearned), that all kinds of birds, and many (if +not all) beasts, have a language by which they communicate their +thoughts to each other; and we are told in the [K.]ur-an,[107] that +Suleyman (or Solomon) was taught the language of birds.[108] I thought +that I could boast of an accomplishment very rare in Christian +countries, in having learned, in Egypt, somewhat of this language; for +instance, that the common cry of the pigeon is "Allah! Allah!" ("God! +God!"); that of the ringdove, "Keerem! Towwab!" ("Bountiful! +Propitious!"--an ejaculation addressed to God); that of the common dove, +"Wa[h.][h.]idoo rabbakumu-llezee khala[k.]akum, yeghfir-lakum zembakum!" +("Assert the unity of your Lord who created you, so will He forgive you +your sin!") but I afterwards found that several specimens of this +language were given by Ez-Zamakhsheree, and had been published in +Europe: see "Alcoranus Marraccii," p. 511. The cock cries, +"Uzkuru-llaha, ya ghafiloon!" ("Commemorate God, O ye negligent!"): the +[k.]a[t.]a (a kind of grouse),[109] "Men seket selim!" ("He who is +silent is safe!"). The latter, however, would do better if it did itself +attend to the maxim it utters; for its cry, which, to the uninstructed +in the language of birds, sounds merely, "[k.]a[t.]a! [k.]a[t.]a!" as +its own name, tells where it is to be found by the sportsman, and thus +causes its own destruction. Hence the proverb--"More veracious than the +[k.]a[t.]a." + +NOTE 31. In the houses of persons of the middle classes in Arabian +countries, there is generally an apartment on the ground-floor fitted up +as a stable for a horse, mule, or ass, or for two or more such animals; +and the cattle of the farmer, if not very numerous, are usually lodged +during the night in similar quarters, or in an open court enclosed +within, or immediately adjacent to, his house. + +NOTE 32. It is a common custom in the East to sprinkle the ground, +during the summer, in order to cool the air. + +NOTE 33. Cut straw is the usual fodder of asses and other beasts of +burden in Egypt and other countries of the East. + +NOTE 34. The phrase with which the bull commences his address to the +ass, is one dictated by an indispensable rule of Muslim politeness, +which requires that these or some similar words should be uttered by a +person whenever he sees another with food before him, and does not +partake of it. If this were not done, it would be feared that the food +had been poisoned, or rendered of no avail, by an envious eye. + +NOTE 35. The peasants in the East use a hand-mill for grinding their +corn. The larger mills used for this and other purposes are turned by +cattle. + +NOTE 36. In the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, the +ass is made to quote verses to the bull. Hast thou not, he asks him, +heard the poet say:-- + + I occupy myself every day and night in anxious service of him in + whose prosperity I have no enjoyment; + Like the bleacher who blackens his face in the sun, while he watches + the whitening of the clothes of others. + +NOTE 37. I read "na[t.]'an," as in the Calcutta edition of the first two +hundred nights, instead of "ki[t.]a'an" in the Cairo edition. The +na[t.][a.] is a large round piece of leather, which, spread upon the +ground, serves as a table for dinner, &c. It is particularly convenient, +and therefore much used, in travelling. Around the edge is a running +string, which, being drawn, converts it into a bag to hold what is left +of the food. + +NOTE 38.--_On the office of_ [K.]a[d.]ee. The [K.]a[d.]ee is a judge, or +minister of justice, who passes sentence in all cases of law, religious, +moral, civil, and criminal. This he generally does, in the present day, +in accordance with the decision of a Muftee, or doctor of the law. In +small towns and villages, he is often employed to draw up written +contracts of various kinds. + +NOTE 39. The famous Sa[a.]dee attained the age here mentioned; but +instances of equal longevity, among the Orientals, are rare.[110] + +NOTE 40. To perform the ablution preparatory to prayer in the +expectation of almost immediate death, is a supererogatory act which, I +believe, is seldom observed. + +NOTE 41. Both religion and climate make the Muslim an early riser. It is +his duty to perform the first of the five daily prayers at, or soon +after, daybreak; and he generally awakes before this period. While +Shahriyar, therefore, was waiting for the dawn of day to acquit himself +of this duty, in accordance with the common custom of Mohammadan kings, +Shahrazad amused him by the recitation of her tales. That he should be +described as thus strict with regard to religious exercises, when about +to give orders for the murder of his innocent wife, needs not excite our +surprise: such conduct is consistent with the character of many Muslims. +In the year 1834, when I was residing in Cairo, a General in the service +of Mo[h.]ammad 'Alee hired a large party of men to perform a recital of +the [K.]ur-an, in his house in that city, and then went up into his +[h.]areem, and strangled his wife, in consequence of a report which +accused her of incontinence. The religious ceremony was designed as +preparatory to this act, though the punishment of the woman was contrary +to the law, since her husband neither produced four witnesses of the +imputed crime, nor allowed her to clear herself of the charge by her own +oath. Another case of diligence in the performance of a religious duty, +accompanied by the contemplation of murder, but murder on a larger +scale, occurred in the same city shortly after. Suleyman Agha, the +Sila[h.]dar, being occupied in directing the building of a public +fountain, as a work of charity to place to the account of a deceased +brother, desired to extend the original plan of the structure; and to do +this, it was necessary that he should purchase two houses adjoining the +plot in which the foundations had been laid: but the owners of these +houses refused to sell them, and he therefore employed a number of +workmen to undermine them by night, and cause them to fall upon their +inhabitants. His scheme, however, but partially succeeded, and no lives +were sacrificed. This man was notorious for cruelty, but he was a person +of pleasing and venerable countenance, and engaging manners: whenever I +chanced to meet him, I received from him a most gracious salutation. He +died before I quitted Egypt. + + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + + [12] An Apostle is distinguished from a mere Prophet by his + having a _book_ revealed to him. + + [13] In quoting the [K.]ur-an, I distinguish the verses in + accordance with the numbers in Fluegel's excellent edition of + the original text: 4to Lipsiae 1834. These numbers agree + (excepting in a few cases, where a disagreement was found + absolutely necessary) with those in Hinckelmann's edition, + which is that most commonly quoted by the learned. I am sorry + to see that Marracci's numbers have been adopted in a late + edition of Sale's translation, and that the distinction between + the words of the text and the explanatory interpolations has + there been neglected. Its utility to Arabic scholars, and its + general fidelity, have been thus greatly lessened; and it + appears to me very desirable that it should be superseded as + soon as possible by another edition. + + [14] Mo[h.]ammad's answers to 'Abd-Allah Ibn-Selam, quoted by + Ibn-El-Wardee (MS. in my possession); and Mek-[h.]ool, quoted + by the same author, and Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abeeh, vol. ii. pp. + 652 and 653. + + [15] Ibn-Esh-She[h.]neh (MS. in my possession). + + [16] In another MS. of the same author in my possession, + "yellow." + + [17] In his "Khi[t.]a[t.]" (MS. in my possession). + + [18] [K.]ur-an, ch. xiii. v. 3, and several other places. + + [19] Idem, ch. ii. v. 20, and ch. lxxviii. v. 6. + + [20] Idem, ch. lxxi. v. 18. + + [21] Mek-[h.]ool, quoted by Ibn-El-Wardee. + + [22] Wahb Ibn-Munebbih, quoted by El-Ma[k.]reezee, is his + "Khi[t.]a[t.]." + + [23] Ibn-El-Wardee, however, says that its name is derived from + its terrors and difficulties. + + [24] These are monsters who will be described in a subsequent + note. + + [25] History of El-Khi[d.]r in the "Mir-at ez-Zeman" (MS. in my + possession), a great history, whose author died in the year of + the Flight 656. + + [26] El-[K.]azweenee (MS. in my possession). + + [27] Mo[h.]ammad's answers to 'Abd-Allah Ibn-Selam, quoted by + Ibn-El-Wardee. + + [28] Ibid. + + [29] El-[K.]azweenee. + + [30] [K.]ur-an, ch. ii. v. 22, and ch. lxvi. v. 6. + + [31] Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [32] Tradition from the Prophet, recorded by Ibn-'Abbas, and + quoted by Ibn-El-Wardee; and by El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, in + describing an earthquake that happened in his life-time.--On + the subject of earthquakes, see also the next foot-note. + + [33] In Ibn-Esh-She[h.]neh, "Kuyoothan:" the orthography of + this word is doubtful, as the vowel-points are not written. As + the tradition is related in Ibn-El-Wardee, this bull takes a + breath twice in the course of every day (or twenty-four hours); + when he exhales, the sea flows; and when he inhales, it ebbs. + But it must not be imagined that none of the Arabs have any + notion of the true theory of the tides: the more learned among + them explain this phenomenon by the influence of the + moon.--Many of the Arabs attribute earthquakes to the shaking + of this bull. + + [34] In Ibn-El-Wardee, a quantity of sand is introduced between + the bull and the fish. + + [35] Ed-Demeeree, on the authority of Walib Ibn-Munebbih, + quoted by El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ce, _loco laudato_. + + [36] Ibn-El-Wardee. + + [37] [K.]ur-an, ch. xxxix. v. 67. + + [38] Idem, ch. xiv. v. 49. + + [39] Idem, ch. lxxxix. v. 24. + + [40] Khaleel E[z.]-[Z.]ahiree, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie + Arabe, 2nde ed. tome ii. pp. 10 and 11 of Ar. text. + + [41] Ibid. + + [42] El-Ma[k.]reezee, quoted by De Sacy, _ubi supra_, pp. + 58-62. + + [43] Ibn-Khaldoon, in the same, pp. 168 and 169. + + [44] Ch. xxxii. v. 13. + + [45] Mish[k.]at el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 329. + + [46] Burckhardt's "Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys," 8vo ed. + vol. i. pp. 178 and 179. + + [47] This tree is called, in Arabic, "ban" and "khilaf" or + "khalaf." + + [48] The Anacreon of Persia affected to prize the mole upon the + cheek of his beloved above the cities of Samar[k.]and and + Bukhara. + + [49] Lawsonia inermis. + + [50] In another analysis of the same kind, it is said that four + should be _short_; the hands, the feet, the tongue, and the + teeth; but this is metaphorically speaking; the meaning is, + that these members should be kept within their proper bounds. + (Kitab el-'Onwan fee Mekaid en-Niswan. MS. in my possession.) + + [51] An unnamed author quoted by El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, in his + account of the 'Abbasee Khaleefeh El-Mutawekkil. + + [52] Mir-at ez-Zeman. See also, [K.]ur-an, ch. v. v. 65. + + [53] The term "'Efreet" is sometimes improperly applied to a + _good_ Jinnee [and also, in Egypt, to the ghost of a dead + person. See "Modern Egyptians," vol. 1. ch. x. Ed.]. + + [54] Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [55] Ch. xv. v. 27; and Commentary of the Jelaleyn. Also, + [K.]ur-an, ch. lv. v. 14. + + [56] Ch. xxvii. v. 10 and ch. xxviii. v. 31; and Commentary of + the Jelaleyn. + + [57] Ch. lv. vv. 39 and 74; and same Commentary. + + [58] 'Ekrimeh, from Ibn-'Abbas, in the Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [59] Mujahid, from the same, ibid. + + [60] Hence the appellations of "Jinn" and "Jann." + + [61] Tradition from the Prophet, in the Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [62] Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [63] The worship here spoken of is prostration, as an act of + obeisance to a superior being. + + [64] [K.]ur-an, ch. xviii. v. 48. + + [65] E[t.]-[T.]abaree, quoted in the Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [66] Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [67] Ch. vii. v. 11; and chap. xxxviii. v. 77. + + [68] Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [69] El-[H.]asan El-Ba[s.]ree, in the Mir-at ez-Zeman.--My + interpolation of the word "other" is required by his opinion + before stated. + + [70] Mujahid, quoted by El-[K.]azweenee. + + [71] The same, from Ibn-'Abbas, in the Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [72] El-[H.]asan El-Ba[s.]ree, ibid. + + [73] 'Ekrimeh, from Ibn-'Abbas, ibid. + + [74] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 314. + + [75] Ibid. vol. ii. pp. 311 and 312. + + [76] Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [77] "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. x. + + [78] Ibid. + + [79] Sale, in a note on chap. xv. of the [K.]ur-an. + + [80] So I translate the word "kha[t.][t.];" but in a work by + Es-Suyootee, (a MS. in my possession, entitled "Nuzhet + el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil," section 7,) I find, in + its place, the word "weshm," or "tattooing;" and there are some + other slight variations and omissions in this tradition as + there quoted. + + [81] El-[K.]azweenee. + + [82] Ch. lxxii. v 6. + + [83] "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. x. + + [84] Idem, vol. ii. ch. xi. + + [85] [K.]ur-an, ch. xxvii. v. 17; and ch. xxxviii. v. 35. + + [86] "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. x. + + [87] Ibid. + + [88] Ibid. + + [89] El-[K.]azweenee. + + [90] El-Ja[h.]e[z.] ('Amr Ibn-Ba[h.]r). + + [91] [S.]e[h.]a[h.] and [K.]amoos. + + [92] Tradition for the Whab Ibn-Munebbih, quoted in the account + of the early Arabs in the Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [93] Ibid. + + [94] El-[K.]azweenee. + + [95] Ibn-El-Wardee. + + [96] El-[K.]azweenee, and Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [97] El-[K.]azweenee. + + [98] El-[K.]azweenee, in the khatimeh of his work. + + [99] Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [100] Ibn-El-Wardee. + + [101] Idem. + + [102] In a great collection of Indian tales, the "Katha Sarit + Sagara," is a story which may have been the original of that to + which this note refers. "Two young Brahmans travelling are + benighted in a forest, and take up their lodging in a tree near + a lake. Early in the night a number of people come from the + water, and having made preparation for an entertainment, + retire; a Yaksha, a genie, then comes out of the lake with his + two wives, and spends the night there: when he and one of his + wives are asleep, the other, seeing the youths, invites them to + approach her, and to encourage them, shews them a hundred rings + received from former gallants, notwithstanding her husband's + precautions, who keeps her locked up in a chest at the bottom + of the lake. The Hindu story-teller is more moral than the + Arab. The youths reject her advances; she wakes the genie, who + is going to put them to death, but the rings are produced in + evidence against the unfaithful wife, and she is turned away + with the loss of her nose. The story is repeated in the next + section with some variation; the lady has ninety and nine + rings, and is about to complete the hundredth, when her + husband, who is here a Naga, a snake-god, wakes, and consumes + the guilty pair with fire from his mouth."--British and Foreign + Review, No. xxi. page 266. + + [103] Kitab el-'Onwan fee Mekaid en-Niswan: a work on the + strategems of women (MS. in my possession). + + [104] El-Imam El-Jara'ee, in his book entitled "Shir'at + el-Islam," ibid. + + [105] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil, section 2. + + [106] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, History of Egypt, account of the strange + events that have happened in Egypt during the time of El-Islam. + + [107] Ch. xxvii. v. 16. + + [108] Man[t.]i[k.] e[t.]-[t.]eyr. + + [109] Of the family _Pteroclidae_. (Pr. Bon.) ED. + + [110] Ibn-'Arab-Shah, however, has given an account of a man + called the sheykh El-'Oryan, an inhabitant of Samar[k.]and, and + a devotee, who was said to have attained the age of 350 [lunar] + years [or nearly 340 solar years], and yet preserved an erect + stature, a comely appearance, and such strength that it seemed + as if he had not attained to mature years. The old men of the + place asserted that they remembered him to have had the same + appearance when they were children, and that their fathers and + grandfathers had said the same.--History of Teemoor, p. 470, + Calcutta edition. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +COMMENCING WITH THE FIRST NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF THE THIRD. + +THE STORY OF THE MERCHANT AND THE JINNEE. + + +It has been related to me, O happy King, said Shahrazad, that there was +a certain merchant who had great wealth, and traded extensively with +surrounding countries; and one day he mounted his horse, and journeyed +to a neighbouring country to collect what was due to him, and, the heat +oppressing him, he sat under a tree, in a garden,[I_1] and put his hand +into his saddle-bag,[I_2] and ate a morsel of bread and a date which +were among his provisions. Having eaten the date, he threw aside the +stone,[I_3] and immediately there appeared before him an 'Efreet, of +enormous height, who, holding a drawn sword in his hand, approached him, +and said, Rise, that I may kill thee, as thou hast killed my son. The +merchant asked him, How have I killed thy son? He answered, When thou +atest the date, and threwest aside the stone, it struck my son upon the +chest,[I_4] and, as fate had decreed against him, he instantly +died.[I_5] + +[Illustration] + +The merchant, on hearing these words,[I_6] exclaimed, Verily to God we +belong, and verily to Him we must return! There is no strength nor power +but in God, the High, the Great! If I killed him, I did it not +intentionally, but without knowing it; and I trust in thee that thou +wilt pardon me.--The Jinnee answered, Thy death is indispensable, as +thou hast killed my son:--and so saying, he dragged him, and threw him +on the ground, and raised his arm to strike him with the sword. The +merchant, upon this, wept bitterly, and said to the Jinnee, I commit my +affair unto God, for no one can avoid what He hath decreed:--and he +continued his lamentation, repeating the following verses:-- + + Time consists of two days; this, bright; and that, gloomy: and life, + of two moieties; this, safe; and that, fearful. + Say to him who hath taunted us on account of misfortunes, Doth fortune + oppose any but the eminent? + Dost thou not observe that corpses float upon the sea, while + the precious pearls remain in its furthest depths? + When the hands of time play with us, misfortune is imparted to us by + its protracted kiss. + In the heaven are stars that cannot be numbered; but none is eclipsed + save the sun and the moon. + How many green and dry trees are on the earth; but none is assailed + with stones save that which beareth fruit! + Thou thoughtest well of the days when they went well with thee, + and fearedst not the evil that destiny was bringing. + +--When he had finished reciting these verses, the Jinnee said to him, +Spare thy words, for thy death is unavoidable. + +Then said the merchant, Know, O 'Efreet, that I have debts to pay, and I +have much property, and children, and a wife, and I have pledges also in +my possession: let me, therefore, go back to my house, and give to every +one his due, and then I will return to thee: I bind myself by a vow and +covenant that I will return to thee, and thou shalt do what thou wilt; +and God is witness of what I say.--Upon this, the Jinnee accepted his +covenant, and liberated him; granting him a respite until the expiration +of the year. + +The merchant, therefore, returned to his town, accomplished all that was +upon his mind to do, paid every one what he owed him, and informed his +wife and children of the event which had befallen him; upon hearing +which, they and all his family and women wept. He appointed a guardian +over his children, and remained with his family until the end of the +year; when he took his grave-clothes under his arm,[I_7] bade farewell +to his household and neighbours, and all his relations, and went forth, +in spite of himself; his family raising cries of lamentation, and +shrieking.[I_8] + +He proceeded until he arrived at the garden before mentioned; and it was +the first day of the new year; and as he sat, weeping for the calamity +which he expected soon to befall him, a sheykh,[I_9] advanced in years, +approached him, leading a gazelle with a chain attached to its neck. +This sheykh saluted the merchant, wishing him a long life, and said to +him, What is the reason of thy sitting alone in this place, seeing that +it is a resort of the Jinn? The merchant therefore informed him of what +had befallen him with the 'Efreet, and of the cause of his sitting +there; at which the sheykh, the owner of the gazelle, was astonished, +and said, By Allah, O my brother, thy faithfulness is great, and thy +story is wonderful! if it were engraved upon the intellect, it would be +a lesson to him who would be admonished!--And he sat down by his side, +and said, By Allah, O my brother, I will not quit this place until I see +what will happen unto thee with this 'Efreet. So he sat down, and +conversed with him. And the merchant became almost senseless; fear +entered him, and terror, and violent grief, and excessive anxiety. And +as the owner of the gazelle sat by his side, lo, a second sheykh +approached them, with two black hounds, and inquired of them, after +saluting them, the reason of their sitting in that place, seeing that it +was a resort of the Jann:[I_10] and they told him the story from +beginning to end. And he had hardly sat down when there approached them +a third sheykh, with a dapple mule; and he asked them the same question, +which was answered in the same manner. + +[Illustration] + +Immediately after, the dust was agitated, and became an enormous +revolving pillar, approaching them from the midst of the desert; and +this dust subsided, and behold, the Jinnee, with a drawn sword in his +hand; his eyes casting forth sparks of fire. He came to them, and +dragged from them the merchant, and said to him, Rise, that I may kill +thee, as thou killedst my son, the vital spirit of my heart. And the +merchant wailed and wept; and the three sheykhs also manifested their +sorrow by weeping and crying aloud and wailing: but the first sheykh, +who was the owner of the gazelle, recovering his self-possession, +kissed the hand of the 'Efreet, and said to him, O thou Jinnee, and +crown of the kings of the Jann, if I relate to thee the story of myself +and this gazelle, and thou find it to be wonderful, and more so than the +adventure of this merchant, wilt thou give up to me a third of thy claim +to his blood? He answered, Yes, O sheykh; if thou relate to me the +story, and I find it to be as thou hast said, I will give up to thee a +third of my claim to his blood. + +[Illustration] + + +THE STORY OF THE FIRST SHEYKH AND THE GAZELLE. + +Then said the sheykh, Know, O 'Efreet, that this gazelle is the daughter +of my paternal uncle,[I_11] and she is of my flesh and my blood. I took +her as my wife when she was young,[I_12] and lived with her about thirty +years; but I was not blessed with a child by her; so I took to me a +concubine slave,[I_13] and by her I was blessed with a male child, like +the rising full moon, with beautiful eyes, and delicately-shaped +eyebrows, and perfectly-formed limbs; and he grew up by little and +little until he attained the age of fifteen years. At this period, I +unexpectedly had occasion to journey to a certain city, and went thither +with a great stock of merchandise. + +Now my cousin,[I_14] this gazelle, had studied enchantment and +divination from her early years; and during my absence, she transformed +the youth above mentioned into a calf; and his mother, into a cow;[I_15] +and committed them to the care of the herdsman: and when I returned, +after a long time, from my journey, I asked after my son and his mother, +and she said, Thy slave is dead, and thy son hath fled, and I know not +whither he is gone. After hearing this, I remained for the space of a +year with mourning heart and weeping eye, until the Festival of the +Sacrifice;[I_16] when I sent to the herdsman, and ordered him to choose +for me a fat cow; and he brought me one, and it was my concubine, whom +this gazelle had enchanted. I tucked up my skirts and sleeves, and took +the knife[I_17] in my hand, and prepared myself to slaughter her; upon +which she moaned and cried so violently that I left her, and ordered the +herdsman to kill and skin her: and he did so, but found in her neither +fat nor flesh, nor anything but skin and bone; and I repented of +slaughtering her, when repentance was of no avail. I therefore gave her +to the herdsman, and said to him, Bring me a fat calf: and he brought me +my son, who was transformed into a calf. And when the calf saw me, he +broke his rope, and came to me, and fawned upon me, and wailed and +cried, so that I was moved with pity for him; and I said to the +herdsman, Bring me a cow, and let this-- + +[Illustration] + +Here Shahrazad perceived the light of morning, and discontinued the +recitation with which she had been allowed thus far to proceed. Her +sister said to her, How excellent is thy story! and how pretty! and how +pleasant! and how sweet!--but she answered, What is this in comparison +with that which I will relate to thee in the next night, if I live, and +the King spare me! And the King said, By Allah, I will not kill her +until I hear the remainder of her story. Thus they pleasantly passed the +night until the morning, when the King went forth to his hall of +judgment, and the Wezeer went thither with the grave-clothes under his +arm: and the King gave judgment, and invested and displaced, until the +close of the day, without informing the Wezeer of that which had +happened; and the minister was greatly astonished. The court was then +dissolved; and the King returned to the privacy of his palace. + +[On the second and each succeeding night, Shahrazad continued so to +interest King Shahriyar by her stories as to induce him to defer putting +her to death, in expectation that her fund of amusing tales would soon +be exhausted; and as this is expressed in the original work in nearly +the same words at the close of every night, such repetitions will in the +present translation be omitted.[I_18]] + +When the sheykh, continued Shahrazad, observed the tears of the calf, +his heart sympathized with him, and he said to the herdsman, Let this +calf remain with the cattle.--Meanwhile, the Jinnee wondered at this +strange story; and the owner of the gazelle thus proceeded. + +O lord of the kings of the Jann, while this happened, my cousin, this +gazelle, looked on, and said, Slaughter this calf; for he is fat: but I +could not do it; so I ordered the herdsman to take him back; and he took +him and went away. And as I was sitting, on the following day, he came +to me, and said, O my master, I have to tell thee something that thou +wilt be rejoiced to hear; and a reward is due to me for bringing good +news.[I_19] I answered, Well:--and he said, O merchant, I have a +daughter who learned enchantment in her youth from an old woman in our +family; and yesterday, when thou gavest me the calf, I took him to her, +and she looked at him, and covered her face, and wept, and then laughed, +and said, O my father, hath my condition become so degraded in thy +opinion that thou bringest before me strange men?[I_20]--Where, said I, +are any strange men? and wherefore didst thou weep and laugh? She +answered, This calf that is with thee is the son of our master, the +merchant, and the wife of our master hath enchanted both him and his +mother; and this was the reason of my laughter; but as to the reason of +my weeping, it was on account of his mother, because his father had +slaughtered her.--And I was excessively astonished at this; and scarcely +was I certain that the light of morning had appeared when I hastened to +inform thee. + +[Illustration] + +When I heard, O Jinnee, the words of the herdsman, I went forth with +him, intoxicated without wine, from the excessive joy and happiness that +I received, and arrived at his house, where his daughter welcomed me, +and kissed my hand; and the calf came to me, and fawned upon me. And I +said to the herdsman's daughter, Is that true which thou hast said +respecting this calf? She answered, Yes, O my master; he is verily thy +son, and the vital spirit of thy heart.--O maiden, said I, if thou wilt +restore him, all the cattle and other property of mine that thy father +hath under his care shall be thine. Upon this, she smiled, and said, O +my master, I have no desire for the property unless on two conditions: +the first is, that thou shalt marry me to him; and the second, that I +shall enchant her who enchanted him, and so restrain her; otherwise, I +shall not be secure from her artifice. On hearing, O Jinnee, these her +words, I said, And thou shalt have all the property that is under the +care of thy father besides; and as to my cousin, even her blood shall be +lawful to thee. So, when she heard this, she took a cup, and filled it +with water, and repeated a spell over it, and sprinkled with it the +calf, saying to him, If God created thee a calf, remain in this form, +and be not changed; but if thou be enchanted, return to thy original +form, by permission of God, whose name be exalted!--upon which he shook, +and became a man; and I threw myself upon him, and said, I conjure thee +by Allah that thou relate to me all that my cousin did to thee and to +thy mother. So he related to me all that had happened to them both; and +I said to him, O my son, God hath given thee one to liberate thee, and +to avenge thee:--and I married to him, O Jinnee, the herdsman's +daughter; after which, she transformed my cousin into this gazelle. And +as I happened to pass this way, I saw this merchant, and asked him what +had happened to him; and when he had informed me, I sat down to see the +result.--This is my story. The Jinnee said, This is a wonderful tale; +and I give up to thee a third of my claim to his blood. + +The second sheykh, the owner of the two hounds, then advanced, and said +to the Jinnee, If I relate to thee the story of myself and these hounds, +and thou find it to be in like manner wonderful, wilt thou remit to me, +also, a third of thy claim to the blood of this merchant? The Jinnee +answered, Yes. + + +THE STORY OF THE SECOND SHEYKH AND THE TWO BLACK HOUNDS. + +Then said the sheykh, Know, O lord of the kings of the Jann, that these +two hounds are my brothers. My father died, and left to us three +thousand pieces of gold;[I_21] and I opened a shop[I_22] to sell and +buy. But one of my brothers made a journey, with a stock of merchandise, +and was absent from us for the space of a year with the caravans; after +which, he returned destitute. I said to him, Did I not advise thee to +abstain from travelling? But he wept, and said, O my brother, God, to +whom be ascribed all might and glory, decreed this event; and there is +no longer any profit in these words: I have nothing left. So I took him +up into the shop, and then went with him to the bath, and clad him in a +costly suit of my own clothing; after which, we sat down together to +eat; and I said to him, O my brother, I will calculate the gain of my +shop during the year, and divide it, exclusive of the principal, between +me and thee. Accordingly, I made the calculation, and found my gain to +amount to two thousand pieces of gold; and I praised God, to whom be +ascribed all might and glory, and rejoiced exceedingly, and divided the +gain in two equal parts between myself and him.--My other brother then +set forth on a journey; and after a year, returned in the like +condition; and I did unto him as I had done to the former. + +After this, when we had lived together for some time, my brothers again +wished to travel, and were desirous that I should accompany them; but I +would not. What, said I, have ye gained in your travels, that I should +expect to gain? They importuned me; but I would not comply with their +request; and we remained selling and buying in our shops a whole year. +Still, however, they persevered in proposing that we should travel, and +I still refused, until after the lapse of six entire years, when at +last I consented, and said to them, O my brothers, let us calculate what +property we possess. We did so, and found it to be six thousand pieces +of gold: and I then said to them, We will bury half of it in the earth, +that it may be of service to us if any misfortune befall us, in which +case each of us shall take a thousand pieces, with which to +traffic.[I_23] Excellent is thy advice, said they. So I took the money +and divided it into two equal portions, and buried three thousand pieces +of gold; and of the other half, I gave to each of them a thousand +pieces. We then prepared merchandise, and hired a ship, and embarked our +goods, and proceeded on our voyage for the space of a whole month, at +the expiration of which we arrived at a city, where we sold our +merchandise; and for every piece of gold we gained ten. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +And when we were about to set sail again, we found, on the shore of the +sea, a maiden clad in tattered garments, who kissed my hand, and said to +me, O my master, art thou possessed of charity and kindness? If so, I +will requite thee for them. I answered, Yes, I have those qualities, +though thou requite me not. Then said she, O my master, accept me as thy +wife, and take me to thy country; for I give myself to thee:[I_24] act +kindly towards me; for I am one who requires to be treated with kindness +and charity, and who will requite thee for so doing; and let not my +present condition at all deceive thee. When I heard these words, my +heart was moved with tenderness towards her, in order to the +accomplishment of a purpose of God, to whom be ascribed all might and +glory; and I took her, and clothed her, and furnished for her a place in +the ship in a handsome manner, and regarded her with kind and respectful +attention. + +We then set sail; and I became most cordially attached to my wife, so +that, on her account, I neglected the society of my brothers, who, in +consequence, became jealous of me, and likewise envied me my wealth, and +the abundance of my merchandise; casting the eyes of covetousness upon +the whole of the property. They therefore consulted together to kill me, +and take my wealth; saying, Let us kill our brother, and all the +property shall be ours:--and the devil made these actions to seem fair +in their eyes; so they came to me while I was sleeping by the side of my +wife, and took both of us up, and threw us into the sea. But as soon as +my wife awoke, she shook herself, and became transformed into a +Jinneeyeh.[I_25] She immediately bore me away, and placed me upon an +island, and, for a while, disappeared. In the morning, however, she +returned, and said to me, I am thy wife, who carried thee, and rescued +thee from death, by permission of God, whose name be exalted. Know that +I am a Jinneeyeh: I saw thee, and my heart loved thee for the sake of +God; for I am a believer in God and his Apostle, God bless and save +him![I_26] I came to thee in the condition in which thou sawest me, and +thou didst marry me; and see, I have rescued thee from drowning. But I +am incensed against thy brothers, and I must kill them.--When I heard +her tale, I was astonished, and thanked her for what she had done;--But, +said I, as to the destruction of my brothers, it is not what I desire. I +then related to her all that had happened between myself and them from +first to last; and when she had heard it, she said, I will, this next +night, fly to them, and sink their ship, and destroy them. But I said, I +conjure thee by Allah that thou do it not; for the author of the +proverb saith, O thou benefactor of him who hath done evil, the action +that he hath done is sufficient for him:[I_27]--besides, they are at all +events my brothers. She still, however, said, They must be killed;--and +I continued to propitiate her towards them: and at last she lifted me +up, and soared through the air, and placed me on the roof of my +house.[I_28] + +[Illustration] + +Having opened the doors, I dug up what I had hidden in the earth; and +after I had saluted my neighbours, and bought merchandise, I opened my +shop. And in the following night, when I entered my house, I found these +two dogs tied up in it; and as soon as they saw me, they came to me, and +wept, and clung to me; but I knew not what had happened until +immediately my wife appeared before me, and said, These are thy +brothers. And who, said I, hath done this unto them? She answered, I +sent to my sister and she did it; and they shall not be restored until +after the lapse of ten years. And I was now on my way to her, that she +might restore them, as they have been in this state ten years, when I +saw this man, and, being informed of what had befallen him, I determined +not to quit the place until I should have seen what would happen between +thee and him.--This is my story.--Verily, said the Jinnee, it is a +wonderful tale; and I give up to thee a third of the claim that I had to +his blood on account of his offence. + +Upon this, the third sheykh, the owner of the mule, said to the +Jinnee,[I_29] As to me, break not my heart if I relate to thee nothing +more than this:-- + +[Illustration] + + +THE STORY OF THE THIRD SHEYKH AND THE MULE. + +The mule that thou seest was my wife: she became enamoured of a black +slave; and when I discovered her with him, she took a mug of water, and, +having uttered a spell over it, sprinkled me, and transformed me into a +dog. In this state, I ran to the shop of a butcher, whose daughter saw +me, and, being skilled in enchantment, restored me to my original form, +and instructed me to enchant my wife in the manner thou beholdest.--And +now I hope that thou wilt remit to me also a third of the merchant's +offence. Divinely was he gifted who said, + + Sow good, even on an unworthy soil; for it will not be lost wherever + it is sown. + +When the sheykh had thus finished his story, the Jinnee shook with +delight, and remitted the remaining third of his claim to the merchant's +blood. The merchant then approached the sheykhs, and thanked them, and +they congratulated him on his safety; and each went his way. + +But this, said Shahrazad, is not more wonderful than the story of the +fisherman. The King asked her, And what is the story of the fisherman? +And she related it as follows:-- + +[Illustration] + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER FIRST. + +NOTE 1. The words "in a garden" are omitted in my original; but they are +required by the sequel. I may here remark, that, in future, when I find +trifling insertions of this kind to be requisite in my translation, I +shall not deem it necessary to mention them in a note. + +NOTE 2. An Eastern traveller often makes a long journey with no other +encumbrance than a well-filled pair of saddle-bags: in one bag he puts +his provisions; and in the other, such articles of clothing as he may +require in addition to those in which he sets out, including a spare +shirt, and perhaps no other clean linen: for he is as indifferent with +regard to this comfort as he is careful respecting his _personal_ +cleanliness. + +NOTE 3. Perhaps no reader of this work will require to be told that the +date has not a _shell_. I only make this remark on account of an error +in the old translation.--As dates are very nutritious, and are preserved +by being merely dried in the sun, they are an excellent article of +provision for travellers. + +NOTE 4. The merchant was culpably careless: before throwing aside the +date-stone with sufficient force to kill a Jinnee who happened to be +near him (though at the time invisible), he should have asked permission +by the exclamation "Destoor!" as explained in a note appended to the +Introduction. + +NOTE 5.--_On Fate and Destiny._ The belief in fate and destiny +("el-[k.]a[d.]a wa-l-[k.]adar") exercises a most powerful influence upon +the actions and character of the Muslims; and it is therefore highly +important that the reader of the present work should be acquainted with +the notions which these people entertain respecting such matters of +faith. I use two words (perhaps the best that our language affords) to +express corresponding Arabic terms, which some persons regard as +synonymous, but others distinguish by different shades of meaning. On +what I consider the best authority, the word which I render "fate" +respects the decrees of God in a general sense; while that which I +translate "destiny" relates to the particular applications of those +decrees. In such senses these terms are here to be understood when +separately employed. + +Many Muslims hold that fate is, in some respects, absolute and +unchangeable; in others, admitting of alteration; and almost all of them +_act_, in many of the affairs of life, as if this were their belief. In +the former case, it is called "el-[k.]a[d.]a el-Mo[h.]kam:" in the +latter, "el-[k.]a[d.]a el-Mubram" (which term, without the explanation +here given, might be regarded as exactly synonymous with the former). +Hence, the Prophet, it is said, prayed to be preserved from the latter, +as knowing that it might be changed; and in allusion to this changeable +fate, God, we are told, says, "God will cancel what He pleaseth, and +confirm;"[111] while, on the contrary, the fate which is termed +"Mo[h.]kam" is appointed "destiny" decreed by God.[112] + +Many doctors have argued, that destiny respects only the _final state_ +of a certain portion of men (believers and unbelievers); and that, in +general, man is endowed with free will, which he should exercise +according to the laws of God and his own conscience and judgment, +praying to God for a blessing on his endeavours, or imploring the +intercession of the Prophet, or of any of the saints, in his favour, and +propitiating them by offering alms or sacrifices in their names; relying +upon God for the result, which he may then, and then only, attribute to +fate or destiny. They hold, therefore, that it is criminal to attempt +resistance to the will when its dictates are conformable with the laws +of God and our natural consciences and prudence, and so passively to +await the fulfilment of God's decrees.--The doctrine of the [K.]ur-an +and the Traditions respecting the decrees of God, or fate and destiny, +appears, however, to be, that they are altogether absolute and +unchangeable,--written, in the beginning of the creation, on the +"Preserved Tablet," in heaven; that God hath predestined every event and +action, evil as well as good; at the same time commanding and approving +good, and forbidding and hating evil; and that the "cancelling" +mentioned in the preceding paragraph relates (as the context seems to +shew) to the abrogation of former scriptures, or revelations; not of +fate. But still it must be held that He hath not predestined the _will_; +though He sometimes inclines it to good, and the Devil sometimes +inclines it to evil. It is asked, then, If we have the power to will, +but not the power to perform otherwise than as God hath predetermined, +how can we be regarded as responsible beings? The answer to this is, +that our actions are judged good or evil according to our intentions, if +we have faith: good actions or intentions, it should be added, only +increase, and do not cause, our happiness, if we are believers; and evil +actions or intentions only increase our misery if we are unbelievers or +irreligious: for the Muslim holds that he is to be admitted into heaven +only by the mercy of God, on account of his faith; and to be rewarded in +proportion to his good works. + +The Prophet's assertions on the subject of God's decrees are considered +of the highest importance as explanatory of the [K.]ur-an.--"Whatever is +in the universe," said he, "is by the order of God."--"God hath +pre-ordained five things on his servants; the duration of life, their +actions, their dwelling-places, their travels, and their +portions."--"There is not one among you whose sitting-place is not +written by God, whether in the fire or in paradise."[113]--Some of the +Companions of the Prophet, on hearing the last-quoted saying, asked him, +"O Prophet, since God hath appointed our places, may we confide in this, +and abandon our religious and moral duties?" He answered, "No: because +the happy will do good works, and those who are of the miserable will do +bad works."--The following of his sayings further illustrate this +subject.--"When God hath ordered a creature to die in any particular +place, He causeth his wants to direct him to that place."--A Companion +asked, "O Prophet of God, inform me respecting charms, and the medicines +which I swallow, and shields which I make use of for protection, whether +they prevent any of the orders of God." Mo[h.]ammad answered, "These +also are by the order of God."[114] "There is a medicine for every pain: +then, when the medicine reaches the pain, it is cured by the order of +God."[115]--When a Muslim, therefore, feels an inclination to make use +of medicine for the cure of a disease, he should do so, in the hope of +its being predestined that he shall be so cured. + +On the predestination of diseases, I find the following curious +quotation and remark in a manuscript work, by Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, in my +possession.--"El-[H.]aleemee says, 'Communicable or contagious diseases +are six: small-pox, measles, itch or scab, foul breath or putridity, +melancholy, and pestilential maladies; and diseases engendered are also +six: leprosy, hectic, epilepsy, gout, elephantiasis, and phthisis.' But +this does not contradict the saying of the Prophet, 'There is no +transition of diseases by contagion or infection, nor any omen that +brings evil:' for the transition here meant is one occasioned by the +disease itself; whereas the effect is of God, who causes pestilence to +spread when there is intercourse with the diseased."[116]--A Bedawee +asked the Prophet, "What is the condition of camels which stay in the +deserts? verily, you might say, they are deer, in health and in +cleanness of skin; then they mix with mangy camels, and they become +mangy also." Mo[h.]ammad said, "What made the first camel mangy?"[117] + +Notwithstanding, however, the arguments which have been here adduced, +and many others that might be added, declaring or implying the +unchangeable nature of all God's decrees, I have found it to be the +opinion of my own Muslim friends, that God may be induced, by +supplication, to change certain of his decrees; at least, those +regarding degrees of happiness or misery in this world and the next; and +that such is the general opinion, appears from a form of prayer which is +repeated in the mosques on the eve of the middle (or fifteenth day) of +the month of Sha[a.]ban; when it is believed that such portions of God's +decrees as constitute the destinies of all living creatures for the +ensuing year, are confirmed and fixed. In this prayer it is said, "O +God, if Thou _hast recorded_ me in thine abode, upon 'the Original of +the Book' [the Preserved Tablet], miserable, or unfortunate, or scanted +in my sustenance, _cancel_, O God, of thy goodness, my misery, and +misfortune, and scanty allowance of sustenance, and confirm me, in thine +abode, upon the Original of the Book, as happy, and provided for, and +directed to good," &c.[118] + +The Arabs in general constantly have recourse both to charms and +medicines, not only for the cure, but also for the prevention of +diseases. They have, indeed, a strange passion for medicine, which shows +that they do not consider fate as altogether unconditional. Nothing can +exceed the earnestness with which they often press a European traveller +for a dose; and the more violent the remedy, the better are they +pleased. The following case will serve as an example:--Three +donkey-drivers, conveying the luggage of two British travellers from +Boola[k.] to Cairo, opened a bottle which they observed in a basket, and +finding it to contain, as they had suspected, brandy, emptied it down +their throats: but he who had the last, on turning up the bottle, got +the tail of a scorpion into his mouth; and, looking through the bottle, +to his great horror, saw that it contained a number of these reptiles, +with tarantulas, vipers, and beetles. Thinking that they had poisoned +themselves, but not liking to rely upon fate, they persuaded a man to +come to me for medicine. He introduced the subject by saying, "O +Efendee, do an act of kindness: there are three men poisoned; in your +mercy give them medicine, and save their lives:" and then he related the +whole affair, without concealing the theft. I replied, that they did not +deserve medicine; but he urged that, by giving it, I should obtain an +immense reward. "Yes," said I; "'he who saveth a soul alive shall be as +if he had saved the lives of all mankind.'"[119] I said this to try the +feeling of the applicant, who, expressing admiration of my knowledge, +urged me to be quick, lest the men should die; thus showing himself to +be no unconditional fatalist. I gave him three strong doses of tartar +emetic; and he soon came back to thank me, saying that the medicine was +most admirable, for the men had hardly swallowed it, when they almost +vomited their hearts and livers, and everything else in their bodies. + +From a distrust in faith, some Muslims even shut themselves up during +the prevalence of plague; but this practice is generally condemned. A +Syrian friend of mine, who did so, nearly had his door broken open by +his neighbours. Another of my friends, one of the most distinguished of +the 'Ulama, confessed to me his conviction of the lawfulness of +quarantine, and argued well in favour of it; but said that he dared not +openly avow such an opinion. "The Apostle of God," said he, "God bless +and save him! hath commanded that we should not enter a city where there +is pestilence, nor go out from it. Why did he say, 'Enter it +not?'--because, by so doing, we should expose ourselves to the disease. +Why did he say, 'Go not out from it?'--because, by so doing, we should +carry the disease to others. The Prophet was tenderly considerate of our +welfare: but the present Muslims in general are like bulls [brute +beasts]; and they hold the meaning of this command to be, Go not into a +city where there is pestilence, because this would be rashness; and go +not out from it, because this would be distrusting God's power to save +you from it." + +Many of the vulgar and ignorant among modern Muslims, believe that the +unchangeable destinies of every man are written upon his head, in what +are termed the sutures of the skull. + +NOTE 6. The paragraph thus commencing, and the verses comprised in it, +are translated from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred +nights. + +NOTE 7. It is a common custom for a Muslim, on a military expedition, or +during a long journey, especially in the desert, to carry his +grave-linen with him; for he is extremely careful that he may be buried +according to the law.[120] It seems to be implied in our tale, that the +merchant hoped that the Jinnee, or some passing traveller, would wash, +shroud, and bury him. + +NOTE 8. It is thus that the Arab women generally do on the occasion of a +funeral. + +NOTE 9.--_On the title of_ Sheykh. "Sheykh" is an appellation which +literally signifies "an elder," or "an aged person," and in this sense +it is here used; but it is also commonly employed as synonymous with our +appellation of "Mister;" and particularly applied to a learned man, or a +reputed saint. In every case, it is a title of respect, and never given +to any but a Muslim. + +NOTE 10. "Jann" is here used as synonymous with "Jinn." + +NOTE 11. A cousin (the daughter of a paternal uncle) is often chosen as +a wife, on account of the tie of blood, which is likely to attach her +more strongly to her husband; or on account of an affection conceived in +early years. The various customs relating to marriage, I shall describe +on a future occasion. + +NOTE 12. A bride is called young, by the Arabs, when she is about twelve +years of age. In the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, +the wife in this tale is said to have been of this age when she was +first married. + +NOTE 13.--_On Slaves._ A slave, among Muslims, is either a person taken +captive in war, or carried off by force, and being at the time of +capture an infidel; or the offspring of a female slave by another slave, +or by any man who is not her owner, or by her owner, if he does not +acknowledge himself to be the father: but the offspring of a male slave +by a free woman is free. A person who embraces the Mohammadan faith +after having been made a slave, does not by this act become free, unless +he flees from a foreign infidel master to a Muslim country, and there +becomes a Mohammadan. A person cannot have as a slave one whom he +acknowledges to be within the prohibited degrees of marriage.[121]--The +slaves of the Arabs are mostly from Abyssinia and the Negro countries: a +few, mostly in the houses of wealthy individuals, are from Georgia and +Circassia. + +Slaves have no civil liberty; but are entirely under the authority of +their owners, whatever may be the religion, sex, or age, of the latter; +and can possess no property, unless by the owner's permission. The owner +is entire master, while he pleases, of the person and goods of his +slave; and of the offspring of his female slave, which, if begotten by +him or presumed to be so, he may recognise as his own legitimate child, +or not: the child, if recognised by him, enjoys the same privileges as +the offspring of a free wife; and if not recognised by him, is his +slave. The master may even kill his own slave with impunity for any +offence; and he incurs but a slight punishment (as imprisonment for a +period at the discretion of the judge) if he kills him wantonly. He may +give away or sell his slaves, excepting in some cases which will be +mentioned; and may marry them to whom he will, but not separate them +when married. A slave, however, according to most of the doctors, cannot +have more than two wives at the same time. Unemancipated slaves, at the +death of their master, become the property of his heirs; and when an +emancipated slave dies, leaving no male descendants or collateral +relations, the former master is the heir; or, if he be dead, his heirs +inherit the slave's property. As a slave enjoys less advantages than a +free person, the law, in some cases, ordains that his punishment for an +offence shall be half of that to which the free is liable to the same +offence, or even less than half: if it be a fine, or pecuniary +compensation, it must be paid by the owner, to the amount, if necessary, +of the value of the slave, or the slave must be given in compensation. + +The owner, but not the part-owner, may cohabit with any of his female +slaves who is a Mohammadan, a Christian, or a Jewess, if he has not +married her to another man; but not with two or more who are sisters, or +who are related to each other in any of the degrees which would prevent +their both being his wives at the same time if they were free: after +having so lived with one, he must entirely relinquish such intercourse +with her before he can do the same with another who is so related to +her. He cannot have this intercourse with a pagan slave. A Christian or +Jew may have slaves, but not enjoy the privilege above mentioned with +one who is a Mohammadan. The master must wait a certain period +(generally from a month to three months) after the acquisition of a +female slave, before he can have such intercourse with her. If he find +any fault in her within three days, he is usually allowed to return her. + +When a man, from being the husband, becomes the master, of a slave, the +marriage is dissolved, and he cannot continue to live with her but as +her master, enjoying, however, all a master's privileges; unless he +emancipates her; in which case he may again take her as his wife with +her consent. In like manner, when a woman, from being the wife, becomes +the possessor, of a slave, the marriage is dissolved, and cannot be +renewed unless she emancipates him, and he consents to the re-union. + +Complete and immediate emancipation is sometimes granted to a slave +gratuitously, or for a future pecuniary compensation. It is conferred by +means of a written document, or by a verbal declaration (expressed in +the words, "Thou art free," or some similar phrase) in the presence of +two witnesses, or by returning the certificate of sale obtained from the +former owner. Future emancipation is sometimes covenanted to be granted +on the fulfilment of certain conditions; and more frequently, to be +conferred on the occasion of the owner's death. In the latter case, the +owner cannot sell the slave to whom he has made this promise: and, as he +cannot alienate by will more than one-third of the whole property that +he leaves, the law ordains that, if the value of the said slave exceeds +that portion, the slave must obtain and pay the additional sum. When a +female slave has borne a child to her master, and he acknowledges the +child to be his own, he cannot sell this slave, and she becomes free on +his death. + +Abyssinian and white female slaves are kept by many men of the middle +and higher classes, and often instead of wives, as requiring less +expense, and being more subservient; but they are generally indulged +with the same luxuries as free ladies; their vanity is gratified by +costly dresses and ornaments, and they rank high above free servants; as +do also the male slaves. Those called Abyssinians appear to be a mixed +race between negroes and whites; and are from the territories of the +Gallas. They are mostly kidnapped and sold by their own countrymen. The +negro female slaves, as few of them have considerable personal +attractions (which is not the case with the Abyssinians, many of whom +are very beautiful), are usually employed only in cooking, and other +menial offices. The female slaves of the higher classes are often +instructed in plain needlework and embroidery, and sometimes in music +and dancing. Formerly, many of them possessed sufficient literary +accomplishments to quote largely from esteemed poems, or even to compose +extemporary verses, which they would often accompany with the lute. The +condition of many concubine slaves is happy; and that of many, quite the +contrary. These, and all other slaves of either sex, are generally +treated with kindness; but at first they are usually importuned, and not +unfrequently used with much harshness, to induce them to embrace the +Mohammadan faith; which almost all of them do. Their services are +commonly light: the usual office of the male white slave, who is called +"memlook," is that of a page, or a military guard. Eunuchs are employed +as guardians of the women; but only in the houses of men of high rank, +or of great wealth: on account of the important and confidential office +which they fill, they are generally treated in public with especial +consideration. I used to remark, in Cairo, that few persons saluted me +with a more dignified and consequential air than these pitiable but +self-conceited beings. Most of them are Abyssinians or Negroes. Indeed, +the slaves in general take too much advantage of the countenance of +their masters, especially when they belong to men in power. The master +is bound to afford his slaves proper food and clothing, or to let them +work for their own support, or to sell, give away, or liberate them. It +is, however, considered disgraceful for him to sell a slave who has been +long in his possession; and it seldom happens that a master emancipates +a female slave, without marrying her to some man able to support her, or +otherwise providing for her. + +The Prophet strongly enjoined the duty of kindness to slaves. "Feed your +memlooks," said he, "with food of that which ye eat, and clothe them +with such clothing as ye wear; and command them not to do that which +they are unable."[122]--These precepts are generally attended to, either +entirely or in a great degree. Some other sayings of the Prophet on this +subject well deserve to be mentioned; as the following:--"He who beats +his slave without fault, or slaps him on the face, his atonement for +this is freeing him."--"A man who behaves ill to his slave will not +enter into paradise."--"Whoever is the cause of separation between +mother and child, by selling or giving, God will separate him from his +friends on the day of resurrection."--"When a slave wishes well to his +master, and worships God well, for him are double rewards."[123]--It is +related of 'Othman, "that he twisted the ear of a memlook belonging to +him, on account of disobedience, and afterwards, repenting of it, +ordered him to twist _his_ ear in like manner: but he would not. 'Othman +urged him, and the memlook advanced, and began to wring it by little and +little. He said to him, 'Wring it hard; for I cannot endure the +punishment of the day of judgment [on account of this act].' The memlook +answered, 'O my master, the day that thou fearest, I also fear.'"--"It +is related also of Zeyn-el-'Abideen, that he had a memlook who seized a +sheep, and broke its leg; and he said to him, 'Why didst thou this?' He +answered, 'To provoke thee to anger.' 'And I,' said he, 'will provoke to +anger him who taught thee; and he is Iblees: go, and be free, for the +sake of God.'"[124]--Many similar anecdotes might be added; but the +general assertions of travellers in the East are more satisfactory +evidence in favour of the humane conduct of most Muslims to their +slaves. + +It sometimes happens, though rarely, that free girls are sold as +slaves.[125] A remarkable instance is related in the "Mir-at +ez-Zeman."[126]--Fa[t.]imeh, surnamed Ghareeb, a slave of the Khaleefeh +El-Mo[a.]ta[s.]im, the son of Haroon, was a poetess, accomplished in +singing and calligraphy, and extremely beautiful. Her mother was an +orphan; and Ja[a.]far, the famous Wezeer of Haroon Er-Rasheed, took her +as his wife; but his father, Ya[h.]ya, reproached him for marrying a +woman whose father and mother were unknown, and he therefore removed her +from his own residence to a neighbouring house, where he frequently +visited her; and she bore him a daughter, the above-mentioned Ghareeb, +and died. Ja[a.]far committed her infant to the care of a Christian +woman, to nurse; and, on the overthrow of his family, this woman sold +her young charge as a slave. El-Emeen, the successor of Er-Rasheed, +bought her of a man named Sumbul, but never paid her price; and when he +was killed, she returned to her former master; but on the arrival of +El-Ma-moon at Baghdad, she was described to him, and he compelled Sumbul +to sell her to him. This Sumbul loved her so passionately, that he died +of grief at her loss. On the death of El-Ma-moon, his successor, +El-Mo[a.]ta[s.]im, bought her for a hundred thousand dirhems, and +emancipated her. The historian adds, that she composed several +well-known airs and verses. + +NOTE 14. An Arab who is married to his cousin generally calls her by +this appellation rather than that of wife, as the tie of blood is, to +him, in every respect, stronger than that of matrimony. + +NOTE 15.--_On Magic._ The Arabs and other Mohammadans enjoy a remarkable +advantage over _us_ in the composition of works of fiction: in the +invention of incidents which _we_ should regard as absurd in the +extreme, _they_ cannot be accused by their countrymen of exceeding the +bounds of probability. A case similar to that here described was related +to me as a fact, in Cairo. A person in that city, I was told, was +suddenly surprised by the disappearance of his brother, and by finding, +in his place, an ass: but this animal increased his astonishment, and +that of every person who beheld him, by manifesting a sagacity +singularly opposed to the proverbial dulness of the generality of his +species. Yet, strange as it may seem, it was not imagined that this +brute was the lost man in a transformed state, till, one day, an old +woman, seeing him, quickly covered her face, and declared the fact. She +discovered this by her knowledge of magic; and, by her skill in this +art, she agreed to restore the enchanted person to his proper shape. +Having collected a number of herbs, she boiled them in a large vessel; +and when the decoction had cooled, she took the vessel, and, muttering a +certain spell, threw its contents over the animal, endeavouring to do so +in such a manner that every part of it should be wetted. Every part of +it _was_ wetted, excepting one hind-foot; and, accordingly, it was +restored to the original human form, with the exception of one foot, +which remained like that of an ass. + +An implicit belief in magic is entertained by almost all Muslims; and +he, among them, who denies its truth, they regard as a freethinker, or +an infidel. Some are of opinion that it ceased on the mission of +Mo[h.]ammad; but these are comparatively few. Many of the most learned +Muslims, to the present age, have deeply studied it; and a much greater +number of persons of inferior education (particularly school-masters) +have, more or less, devoted their time and talents to the pursuit of +this knowledge. Recourse is had to it for the discovery of hidden +treasures, for alchymical purposes, for the acquisition of the knowledge +of futurity, to procure offspring, to obtain the affection of a beloved +object, to effect cures, to guard against the influence of the evil eye, +to afflict or kill an enemy or a rival, and to attain various other +objects of desire. + +There are two descriptions of magic; one is spiritual, and regarded by +all but freethinkers as true; the other, natural, and denounced by the +more religious and enlightened as deceptive. + +I. Spiritual magic, which is termed "er-Roo[h.]anee" (vulgo +"Row[h.]anee"), chiefly depends upon the virtues of certain names of +God, and passages from the [K.]ur-an, and the agency of Angels and Jinn, +or Genii. It is of two kinds: High and Low ("'Ilwee" and "Suflee"), or +Divine and Satanic ("Ra[h.]manee," _i. e._ relating to "the +Compassionate" [who is God], and "Shey[t.]anee"). + +1. Divine magic is regarded as a sublime science, and is studied only by +good men, and practised only for good purposes. Perfection in this +branch of magic consists in the knowledge of "the most great name" of +God ("el-Ism el A[a.][z.]am"); but this knowledge is imparted to none +but the peculiar favourites of Heaven. By virtue of this name, which was +engraved on his seal-ring, Suleyman (or Solomon) subjected to his +dominion the Jinn and the birds and the winds, as mentioned in a former +note. By pronouncing it, his minister A[s.]af, also, transported, in an +instant, to the presence of his sovereign, in Jerusalem, the throne of +the Queen of Sheba.[127] But this was a small miracle to effect by such +means; for, by uttering this name, a man may even raise the dead. Other +names of the Deity, commonly known, are believed to have particular +efficacies when uttered or written; as also are the names of the +Prophet; and Angels and good Jinn are said to be rendered subservient to +the purposes of divine magic by means of certain invocations. Of such +names and invocations, together with words unintelligible to the +uninitiated in this science, passages from the [K.]ur-an, mysterious +combinations of numbers, and peculiar diagrams and figures, are chiefly +composed written charms employed for good purposes. Enchantment, when +used for benevolent purposes, is regarded by the vulgar as a branch of +lawful or divine magic; but not so by the learned; and the same remark +applies to the science of divination. + +2. Satanic magic, as its name implies, is a science depending on the +agency of the Devil and the inferior evil Jinn, whose services are +obtained by means similar to those which propitiate, or render +subservient, the good Jinn. It is condemned by the Prophet and all good +Muslims, and only practised for bad purposes.--Enchantment, which is +termed "es-Se[h.]r," is almost universally acknowledged to be a branch +of satanic magic; but some few persons assert (agreeably with several +tales in this work), that it _may_ be, and by some _has_ been, studied +with good intentions, and practised by the aid of good Jinn; +consequently, that there is such a science as _good_ enchantment, which +is to be regarded as a branch of _divine_ or _lawful_ magic. The +metamorphoses are said to be generally effected by means of spells, or +invocations to Jinn, accompanied by the sprinkling of water or dust, +&c., on the object to be transformed. Persons are said to be enchanted +in various ways: some, paralyzed, or even deprived of life; others, +affected with irresistible passion for certain objects; others, again, +rendered demoniacs; and some, transformed into brutes, birds, &c. The +evil eye is believed to enchant in a very powerful and distressing +manner. This was acknowledged even by the Prophet.[128] Diseases and +death are often attributed to its influence. Amulets, which are mostly +written charms, of the kind above described, are worn by many Muslims +with the view of counteracting, or preserving from, enchantment; and for +the same purpose, many ridiculous ceremonies are practised.--Divination, +which is termed "el-Kihaneh," is pronounced, on the highest authority, +to be a branch of satanic magic; though not believed to be so by all +Muslims. According to an assertion of the Prophet, what a fortune-teller +says may sometimes be true; because one of the Jinn steals away the +truth, and carries it to the magician's ear: for the Angels come down to +the region next the earth (the lowest heaven), and mention the works +that have been pre-ordained in heaven; and the Devils (or evil Jinn) +listen to what the Angels say, and hear the orders predestined in +heaven, and carry them to the fortune-tellers. It is on such occasions +that shooting-stars are hurled at the Devils.[129] It is said that "the +diviner obtains the services of the Shey[t.]an by magic arts, and by +names [invoked], and by the burning of perfumes, and he informs him of +secret things: for the Devils, before the mission of the Apostle of +God," it is added, "used to ascend to heaven, and hear words by +stealth."[130] That the evil Jinn are believed still to ascend +sufficiently near to the lowest heaven to hear the conversation of the +Angels, and so to assist magicians, appears from the former quotation, +and is asserted by all Muslims. The discovery of hidden treasures, +before alluded to, is one of the objects for which divination is most +studied.--The mode of divination called "[D.]arb el-Mendel" is by some +supposed to be effected by the aid of evil Jinn; but the more +enlightened of the Muslims regard it as a branch of natural magic. Some +curious performances of this kind, by means of a fluid mirror of ink, +have been described in my "Account of the Manners and Customs of the +Modern Egyptians," and in No. 117 of the "Quarterly Review."[131] + +There are certain modes of divination which cannot properly be classed +under the head of spiritual magic, but require a place between the +account of this science and that of natural magic.--The most important +of these branches of Kihaneh is Astrology, which is called "'Ilm +en-Nujoom." This is studied by many Muslims in the present day; and its +professors are often employed by the Arabs to determine a fortunate +period for laying the foundation of a building, commencing a journey, +&c.; but more frequently by the Persians and Turks. The Prophet +pronounced astrology to be a branch of magic.[132]--Another branch of +Kihaneh is Geomancy, called "[D.]arb er-Raml;" a mode of divination from +certain marks made on sand (whence its appellation), or on paper; and +said to be chiefly founded on astrology.--The science called "ez-Zijr," +or "el-'Eyafeh," is a third branch of Kihaneh; being divination or +auguration chiefly from the motions and positions, or postures, +of birds, or of gazelles and other beasts of the chase. Thus, +what was termed a "Sane[h.]," that is, such an animal standing +or passing with its right side towards the spectator, was esteemed +among the Arabs as of good omen; and a "Bare[h.]," or an animal +of this kind with its left side towards the spectator, was held +as inauspicious.[133]--"El-[K.]iyafeh," under which term are +included Chiromancy and its kindred sciences, is a fourth branch of +Kihaneh.--"Et-Tefa-ul," or the taking an omen, particularly a good one, +from a name or words accidentally heard or seen, or chosen from a book, +belongs to the same science. The taking a "fal," or omen, from the +[K.]ur-an is generally held to be lawful.--Various trifling events are +considered as ominous. For instance, a Sul[t.]an quitting his palace +with his troops, a standard happened to strike a "thureiya" (a cluster +of lamps, so called from resembling the Pleiades), and broke them: he +drew from this an evil omen, and would have relinquished the expedition; +but one of his chief officers said to him, "O our lord, thy standards +have reached the Pleiades;"--and, being relieved by this remark, he +proceeded, and returned victorious.[134]--The interpretation of dreams, +"Ta[a.]beer el-Menamat," must also be classed among the branches of this +science. According to the Prophet, it is the only branch of divination +worthy of dependance. "Good dreams," said he, "are one of the parts of +prophecy," and "nothing else of prophecy remains." "Good dreams are from +God; and false dreams, from the Devil." "When any one of you has a bad +dream, spit three times over your left shoulder, and seek protection +with God from the Devil thrice; and turn from the side on which the +dream was, to the other."[135] This rule is observed by many Muslims. +Dreams are generally so fully relied upon by them as to be sometimes the +means of deciding contested points in history and science. The sight, in +a dream, of anything green or white, or of water, is considered +auspicious; anything black or red, or fire, inauspicious.--The +distinction of fortunate and unfortunate days should also here be +mentioned. Thursday and Friday, especially the latter, are considered +fortunate; Monday and Wednesday, doubtful; Sunday, Tuesday, and +Saturday, especially the last, unfortunate. It is said that there are +seven evil days in every [lunar] month; namely, the third, on which +[K.]abeel (or Cain) killed Habeel (Abel); the fifth, on which God cast +down Adam from paradise, and afflicted the people of Yoonus (Jonas), and +on which Yoosuf (or Joseph) was cast into the well; the thirteenth, on +which God took away the wealth of Eiyoob (or Job), and afflicted him, +and took away the kingdom from Suleyman (or Solomon), and on which the +Jews killed the prophets; the sixteenth, on which God exterminated and +buried the people of Loo[t.] (or Lot), and transformed three hundred +Christians into swine, and Jews into apes, and on which the Jews sawed +asunder Zekereeya (or Zachariah); the twenty-first, on which Pharaoh was +born, and on which he was drowned, and on which his nation was afflicted +with the plagues; the twenty-fourth, on which Numrood[136] (or Nimrod) +killed seventy women, and cast El-Khaleel (or Abraham) into the fire, +and on which was slaughtered the camel of [S.]ale[h.]; and the +twenty-fifth, on which the suffocating wind was sent upon the people of +Hood.[137] + +II. Natural magic, which is called "es-Seemiya," is regarded by most +persons of the more enlightened classes of Muslims as altogether a +deceptive art, no more worthy of respect than legerdemain; but it seems +to be nearly allied to enchantment; for it is said to effect, in +appearance, the most wonderful transformations, and to cause the most +extraordinary visions; affecting the senses and imagination in a manner +similar to opium. This and other drugs are supposed, by some persons, to +be the chief means by which such illusions are caused; and perfumes, +which are generally burnt in these performances, may operate in a +similar manner. As such things are employed in performances of the kind +called "[D.]arb el-Mendel," before mentioned, these feats are regarded +by many as effected by natural magic, notwithstanding what has been said +above respecting the services of evil Jinn being procured by means of +perfumes.--Alchymy ("el-Keemiya") is a branch of natural magic. It is +studied by many Muslims of the present day, and by some of considerable +talents and attainments. + +The most celebrated of the magicians who have gained notoriety in Egypt +during the course of the last hundred years, was the sheykh A[h.]mad +[S.]adoomeh, who flourished somewhat more than sixty years ago--I write +in 1837. Several persons of Cairo, men of intelligence and of good +education, have related to me various most marvellous stories of his +performances, on the authority of eye-witnesses whom they considered +veracious; but a more credible account of this magician I have found in +the work of an excellent historian of Modern Egypt. This author mentions +the sheykh [S.]adoomeh as an aged man, of venerable appearance, who +derived his origin from the town of Semennood, in the Delta, and who +acquired a very great and extensive celebrity for his attainments in +spiritual and natural magic, and for holding converse, face to face, +with Jinn, and causing them to appear to other persons, even to the +blind, as men acquainted with him informed the historian. His +contemporaries, says this writer, entertained various opinions +respecting him; but, among them, a famous grammarian and general +scholar, the sheykh [H.]asan El-Kafrawee, regarded him as a first-rate +saint, who performed evident miracles; this learned man pronouncing as +such the effects of "his legerdemain and natural magic." His fame he +describes as having increased until he was induced to try an unlucky +experiment. A Memlook chief, Yoosuf Bey, saw some magic characters +written on the body of one of his female slaves, and, exasperated by +jealousy, commanded her, with a threat of instant death, to tell him who +had done this. She confessed that a woman had taken her to the sheykh +[S.]adoomeh, and that he had written this charm to attract to her the +Bey's love. Upon hearing this, he instantly sent some attendants to +seize the magician, and to put him to death, and throw him into the +Nile; which was done.[138] But the manner in which the seizure was made, +as related to me by one of my friends, deserves to be mentioned. Several +persons, one after another, endeavoured to lay hold upon him; but every +arm that was stretched forth for this purpose was instantly paralyzed, +through a spell muttered by the magician; until a man behind him thrust +a gag into his mouth, and so stopped his enchantments. + +Of the stories related to me of [S.]adoomeh's miracles, the following +will serve as a specimen:--In order to give one of his friends a treat, +he took him to the distance of about half an hour's walk into the desert +on the north of Cairo; here they both sat down, upon the pebbly and +sandy plain, and, the magician having uttered a spell, they suddenly +found themselves in the midst of a garden, like one of the gardens of +paradise, abounding with flowers and fruit-trees of every kind, +springing up from a soil clothed with verdure brilliant as the emerald, +and irrigated by numerous streamlets of the clearest water. A repast of +the most delicious viands and fruits and wines was spread before them by +invisible hands; and they both ate to satiety, taking copious draughts +of the various wines. At length, the magician's guest sank into a deep +sleep; and when he awoke, he found himself again in the pebbly and sandy +plain, with [S.]adoomeh still by his side.--The reader will probably +attribute this vision to a dose of opium or some similar drug; and such +I suppose to have been the means employed; for I cannot doubt the +integrity of the narrator, though he would not admit such an +explanation; regarding the whole as an affair of magic, effected by the +operation of Jinn, like similar relations in the present work. + +It may be remarked that most of the enchantments described in this work +are said to be performed by _women_; and reputed _witches_ appear to +have been much more numerous in all countries than _wizards_. This fact +the Muslims readily explain by a saying of their Prophet:--That women +are deficient in sense and religion:--whence they argue that they are +more inclined than men to practise what is unlawful. + +NOTE 16.--_On the Two Grand Festivals._ The Muslims observe two grand +'Eeds, or Festivals, in every year. The first of these immediately +follows Rama[d.]an, the month of abstinence, and lasts three days: it is +called the Minor Festival. The other, which is called the Great +Festival, commences on the tenth of Zu-l-[H.]ejjeh, the day when the +pilgrims, halting on their return from Mount 'Arafat to Mekkeh, in the +Valley of Mine (vulgarly called Muna), perform their sacrifice: the +observance of this festival also continues three days, or four. + +Early in the first morning, on each of these festivals, the Muslim is +required to perform a lustration of his whole person, as on the mornings +of Friday; and on the first morning of the Minor Festival, he should +break his fast with a few dates or some other light food; but on the +Great Festival, he abstains from food until he has acquitted himself of +the religious duties now to be mentioned. Soon after sunrise, on the +first day of each festival, the men, dressed in new or in their best +clothes, repair to the mosque, or to a particular place appointed for +the performance of the prayers of the 'Eed. On going thither, they +should repeat, frequently, "God is most great!"--this, on the Minor +Festival, they should do inaudibly: on the other, aloud. The +congregation, having assembled, repeat the prayers of two rek'ahs; after +which, the Kha[t.]eeb recites a khu[t.]beh; _i. e._ an exhortation and a +prayer. On each of these festivals, in the mosque, or place of prayer, +and in the street, and at each other's houses, friends congratulate and +embrace one another; generally paying visits for this purpose; and the +great receive visits from their dependants. The young, on these +occasions, kiss the right hand of the aged; and servants or dependants +do the same to their masters or superiors, unless the latter be of high +rank, in which case they kiss the end of the hanging sleeve, or the +skirt of the outer garment. Most of the shops are closed, excepting +those at which eatables and sweet drinks are sold; but the streets are +filled with people in their holiday clothes. + +On the Minor Festival, which, as it terminates an arduous fast, is +celebrated with more rejoicing than the other,[139] servants and other +dependants receive presents of new articles of clothing from their +masters or patrons; and the servant receives presents of small sums of +money from his master's friends, whom, if they do not visit his master, +he goes to congratulate; as well as from any former master, to whom he +often takes a plateful of ka[h.]ks. These are sweet cakes, or biscuits, +of an annular form, composed of flour and butter, with a little +'ajameeyeh (which is a thick paste consisting of butter, honey, a little +flour, and some spices) inside. They are also often sent as presents on +this occasion by other people. Another custom required of the faithful +on this festival is the giving of alms. + +On the Great Festival, after the prayers of the congregation, every one +who can afford it performs, with his own hand, or by that of a deputy, a +sacrifice of a ram, he-goat, cow or buffalo, or she-camel; part of the +meat of which he eats, and part he gives to the poor, or to his friends +or dependants. The ram or goat should be at least one year old; the cow +or buffalo, two years; and the camel, five years; and the victim should +not have any considerable mutilation or infirmity. A cow or buffalo, or +a camel, is a sufficient sacrifice for seven persons. The clothes which +were put on new at the former festival are generally worn on this +occasion; and the presents which are given to servants and others are +usually somewhat less. + +On each of the two festivals it is also customary, especially with the +women, to visit the tombs of relations. The party generally take with +them a palm-branch, and place it, broken in several pieces, or merely +its leaves, upon the tomb or monument; or some, instead of this, place +sweet basil or other flowers. They also usually provide themselves with +sweet cakes, bread, dates, or some other kind of food, to distribute to +the poor. But their first duty, on arriving at the tomb, is to recite +the Fate[h.]ah (the opening Chapter of the [K.]ur-an), or to employ a +person to recite previously a longer chapter; generally the thirty-sixth +(or Soorat Ya-Seen); or even the whole of the book: or sometimes the +visiters recite the Fate[h.]ah, and, after having hired a person to +perform a longer recitation, go away before he commences. The women +often stay all the days of the festival in the cemeteries, either in +tents, or in houses of their own, erected there for their reception on +these and other occasions. The tent of each party surrounds the tomb +which is the object of their visit. In the outskirts of the cemeteries, +swings and whirligigs are erected; and story-tellers, dancers, and +jugglers, amuse the populace. + +NOTE 17.--_On the Mode of Slaughtering of Animals for Food._ In the old +translation, the sheykh is described as preparing to slaughter the cow +with a _mallet_. This is a mistake of a serious nature; as the flesh of +the victim, if so killed, would be legally unclean. The Muslims are +required to slaughter animals for food in a particular manner. Sheep, +goats, cows or bulls, and buffaloes, must be killed by cutting the +throat, at the part next the head, or any other part; dividing the +windpipe, gullet, and carotid arteries. The camel is to be slaughtered +by _stabbing_ the throat at the part next the breast. Poultry, also, +must be killed by cutting the throat; and so must every tame animal of +which the flesh is lawful food. The slaughterer, in every case, must be +a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew; of either sex. On commencing the +operation, he must say, "In the name of God! God is most great!"--or at +least, "In the name of God!"--but not add, "the Compassionate, the +Merciful"--for an obvious reason. Birds or beasts of the chase may be +killed by an arrow, a dog, a hawk, &c.; but the name of God must be +uttered at the time of discharging the arrow, or slipping the dog, &c. +When the beast or bird is not killed at once by the arrow, &c., it must +be slaughtered as soon as possible, in the same manner as sheep and +poultry: the law, as well as humanity, requires this. + +NOTE 18.--_On the Influence of Eloquence and Tales upon the Arabs._ The +main incident upon which this work is founded, the triumph of the +fascination of the tongue over a cruel and unjust determination which +nothing else could annul, might be regarded, by persons unacquainted +with the character and literature of the Arabs, as a contrivance too +improbable in its nature; but such is not the case. Perhaps there are no +other people in the world who are such enthusiastic admirers of +literature, and so excited by romantic tales, as those above named. +Eloquence, with them, is lawful magic: it exercises over their minds an +irresistible influence. "I swear by God," said their Prophet, "verily +abuse of infidels in verse is worse to them than arrows."[140] This, of +course, alludes to _Arab_ unbelievers. + +In the purest, or Heroic Age of Arabic literature, which was anterior to +the triumph of the Mohammadan religion, the conquest which the love of +eloquence could achieve over the sanguinary and vindictive feelings of +the Arabs was most remarkably exemplified in the annual twenty days' +fair of 'Oka[z.], or 'Oka[d.]h. Respecting this fair, I shall here +insert a few particulars borrowed from an author who is at present +devoting talents of the very highest order to the study and illustration +of the history and literature of the early Arabs, and to whose +conversation and writings I must acknowledge myself indebted for most +valuable information, which will often be of great utility to me in this +undertaking, as well as in every branch of my Arabic studies. + +The fair of 'Oka[z.] "was not only a great mart opened annually to all +the tribes of Arabia; but it was also a literary congress, or rather a +general concourse of virtues, of glory and of poetry, whither the +hero-poets resorted to celebrate their exploits in rhyming verse, and +peacefully to contend for every kind of honour. This fair was held in +the district of Mekkeh, between E[t.]-[T.]aif and Nakhleh, and was +opened at the new moon of Zu-l-[K.]a[a.]deh; that is to say, at the +commencement of a period of three sacred months, during which all war +was suspended, and homicide interdicted.... How is it possible to +conceive that men whose wounds were always bleeding, who had always acts +of vengeance to execute, vengeances to dread, could at a certain epoch +impose silence upon their animosities, so as tranquilly to sit by a +mortal enemy? How could the brave who required the blood of a father, a +brother, or a son, according to the phraseology of the desert and of the +Bible,[141] who long, perhaps, had pursued in vain the murderer,--meet +him, accost him peacefully at 'Oka[z.], and only assault with cadences +and rhymes him whose presence alone seemed to accuse him of impotence or +cowardice,--him whom he was bound to slay, under pain of infamy, after +the expiration of the truce? In fine, how could he hear a panegyric +celebrating a glory acquired at his own expense, and sustain the fire of +a thousand looks, and yet appear unmoved? Had the Arabs no longer any +blood in their veins during the continuance of the fair?--These +questions, so embarrassing, ... were determined [to a great degree], +during the age of Arab paganism, in a manner the most simple and most +refined.--At the fair of 'Oka[z.], the heroes were masked [or +veiled].--In the recitations and improvisations, the voice of the orator +was aided by that of a rhapsodist or crier, who was stationed near him, +and repeated his words. There is a similar office in the public prayers: +it is that of the muballigh (transmitter), who is employed to repeat in +a loud voice what is said in a lower tone by the Imam. These two facts +have been revealed to me by the same manuscript which I am translating, +and upon which I am commenting. The use of the mask [or veil] might, +however, be either adopted or dispensed with, _ad libitum_; as is proved +by the narratives of a great number of quarrels begun and ended at +'Oka[z.].... It was in this congress of the Arab poets (and almost every +warriour was a poet at the age which I am considering) that the dialects +of Arabia became fused into a magic language, the language of the +[H.]ejaz, which Mo[h.]ammad made use of to subvert the world; for the +triumph of Mo[h.]ammad is nothing else than the triumph of +speech."[142]--The [K.]ur-an is regarded by the Arabs as an everlasting +miracle, surpassing all others, appealing to the understanding of every +generation by its inimitable eloquence. A stronger proof of the power of +language over their minds could hardly be adduced; unless it be their +being capable of receiving as a credible fact the tradition that both +genii and men were attracted by the eloquent reading of David, when he +recited the Psalms; that the wild beasts and the birds were alike +fascinated; and that sometimes there were borne out from his assembly as +many as four hundred corpses of men who died from the excessive delight +with which he thus inspired them.[143] It may be added that the +recitation, or chanting, of the [K.]ur-an is a favourite means of +amusing the guests at modern private festivities. + +In what may be termed the Middle Age of Arabic literature, commencing +from the triumph of the Mohammadan religion, and extending to the +foundation of the Empire of Baghdad, the power of eloquence over the +educated classes of the Arabs probably increased in proportion as it +became less familiar to them: for, early in this age, they began to +simplify their spoken language in consequence of their intercourse with +strangers, who could not generally acquire the difficult, old dialect of +their conquerors: this, therefore, then began to be confined to literary +compositions. That such a change took place at this period appears from +several anecdotes interspersed in Arabic works. The Khaleefeh El-Weleed +(who reigned near the close of the first century of the Flight), the son +of 'Abd-El-Melik, spoke so corrupt a dialect that he often could not +make himself understood by the Arabs of the desert. A ridiculous +instance of the mistakes occasioned by his use of the simplified +language which is now current is related by Abu-l-Fida. The same author +adds, that the father and predecessor of this prince was a man of +eloquence, and that he was grieved by the corrupt speech of his son, +which he considered as a defect that incapacitated him to be a future +ruler of the Arabs, as they were still great admirers of purity of +speech, though so large a proportion of them spoke a corrupt dialect; +wherefore, he sent him to a house to be instructed by a grammarian; but +after the youth had remained there a long time, he returned to his +father more ignorant than before. Vulgarisms, however, would sometimes +escape from the mouth of 'Abd-El-Melik himself; yet, so sensible was he +to eloquence, that, when a learned man, with whom he was conversing, +elegantly informed him of an error of this kind, he ordered his mouth to +be filled with jewels. "These," said his courteous admonisher, "are +things to be treasured up; not to be expended:"--and for this delicate +hint, he was further rewarded with thirty thousand pieces of silver, and +several costly articles of apparel.[144]--It may be aptly added, that +this Khaleefeh was, in the beginning of his reign, an unjust monarch; +and as he thus bore some slight resemblance to our Shahriyar, so was he +reclaimed to a sense of his duty by means somewhat similar. Being, one +night, unable to sleep, he called for a person to tell him a story for +his amusement. "O Prince of the Faithful," said the man thus bidden, +"there was an owl in El-Mo[s.]il, and an owl in El-Ba[s.]rah; and the +owl of El-Mo[s.]il demanded in marriage, for her son, the daughter of +the owl of El-Ba[s.]rah: but the owl of El-Ba[s.]rah said, 'I will not, +unless thou give me, as her dowry, a hundred desolate farms.' 'That I +cannot do,' said the owl of El-Mo[s.]il, 'at present; but if our +sovereign (may God, whose name be exalted, preserve him!) live one year, +I will give thee what thou desirest.'"--This simple fable sufficed to +rouse the prince from his apathy, and he thenceforward applied himself +to fulfil the duties of his station.[145] + +In the most flourishing age of Arabic poetry and general literature and +science, commencing from the foundation of the Empire of Baghdad, and +extending to the conquest of Egypt by the 'Osmanlee Turks, the influence +of eloquent and entertaining language upon the character of the Arab +sovereigns was particularly exemplified. A few illustrative anecdotes +may here be inserted. + +It is related by El-A[s.]ma'ee, that Haroon Er-Rasheed, at a grand fete +which he was giving, ordered the poet Abu-l-'Atahiyeh to depict, in +verse, the voluptuous enjoyments of his sovereign. The poet began +thus:-- + + "Live long in safe enjoyment of thy desires, under the shadow + of lofty palaces!" + +"Well said!" exclaimed Er-Rasheed: "and what next?" + + "May thy wishes be abundantly fulfilled, whether at eventide + or in the morning!" + +"Well!" again said the Khaleefeh: "then what next?" + + "But when the rattling breath struggles in the dark cavity + of the chest. + Then shalt thou know surely, that thou hast been only in + the midst of illusions." + +--Er-Rasheed wept; and Fa[d.]l, the son of Ya[h.]ya, said, "The Prince +of the Faithful sent for thee to divert him, and thou hast plunged him +into grief." "Suffer him," said the prince; "for he hath beheld us in +blindness, and it displeased him to increase it."[146] + +The family of the Barmekees (one of the most brilliant ornaments of +which was the Wezeer Ja[a.]far, who has been rendered agreeably familiar +to us by the many scenes in which he is introduced in the present work) +earned a noble and enduring reputation by their attachment to +literature, and the magnificent rewards they conferred on learned men. +It was peculiarly hard, therefore, that literature contributed to their +melancholy overthrow. Poets were employed by their enemies to compose +songs artfully pointed against them, to be sung before the prince to +whom they owed their power. Of one of these songs, the following lines +formed a part:-- + + "Would that Hind had fulfilled the promises she made us, and healed + the disease under which we suffer! + That she had once, at least, acted for herself! for imbecile, indeed, + is he who doth not so." + +"Yea! By Allah! Imbecile!" exclaimed the Khaleefeh, on hearing these +verses: his jealousy was roused; and his vengeance soon after fell +heavily upon his former favourites.[147] + +One of the Khaleefehs having invited the poets of his day to his palace, +a Bedawee, carrying a water-jar to fill at the river, followed them, and +entered with them. The Khaleefeh, seeing this poor man with the jar on +his shoulder, asked him what brought him thither. He returned for answer +these words:-- + + "Seeing that this company had girded on the saddles + To repair to thy overflowing river, I came with my jar." + +The Khaleefeh, delighted with his answer, gave orders to fill his jar +with gold.[148] + +In the present declining age of Arabian learning (which may be said to +have commenced about the period of the conquest of Egypt by the +'Osmanlees), literary recreations still exert a magic influence upon the +Arabs. Compositions of a similar nature to the tales of a Thousand and +One Nights (though regarded by the learned as idle stories unworthy of +being classed with their literature) enable numbers of professional +story-tellers to attract crowds of delighted listeners to the +coffee-shops of the East; and now that the original of the present work +is printed, and to be purchased at a moderate price, it will probably +soon, in a great measure, supersede the romances of Aboo-Zeyd, +E[z.]-[Z.]ahir, and 'Antar. As a proof of the powerful fascinations with +which the tales of a Thousand and One Nights affect the mind of a +highly-enlightened Muslim, it may be mentioned that the latest native +historian of Modern Egypt, the sheykh 'Abd-Er-Ra[h.]man El-Jabartee, so +delighted in their perusal that he took the trouble of refining the +language of a copy of them which he possessed, expunging or altering +whatever was grossly offensive to morality without the somewhat +redeeming quality of wit, and adding many facetiae of his own, and of +other literati. What has become of this copy, I have been unable, though +acquainted with several of his friends, to discover. + +NOTE 19. It is a common custom among the Muslims to give a present to a +person who brings good tidings. The word (bisharah) which I render "a +reward for bringing good news," literally signifies merely "good news;" +but it is often used, as in this case, in the former sense. + +NOTE 20. A Mohammadan woman is not allowed to show her face to any men +excepting certain near relations and others whom the law prohibits her +from marrying. Who these are will be mentioned in a future note, +descriptive of the general laws and ceremonies of marriage. Respectable +females consider it a great disgrace to be seen unveiled by any men but +those above alluded to. + +NOTE 21.--_On the_ Deenar _and_ Dirhem. The standards of gold and +silver coin, among the Arabs, were the deenar and the dirhem: therefore, +in this work, I call the former "a piece of gold," and the latter "a +piece of silver." Their values have varied considerably at different +periods; but in the present work, we shall sufficiently approximate to +the truth, if we understand the average value of the former to be about +ten shillings or half a guinea; and that of the latter, about sixpence. + +NOTE 22.--_Description of Shops._ In Eastern cities, most of the great +thoroughfare-streets, and many others, have a row of shops along each +side, not communicating with the superstructures; which latter are +divided into separate lodgings, inhabited by different families, and +seldom by the persons who rent the shops beneath. These streets are +called, in Arabic, "Soo[k.]s;" and are generally termed by us, "Bazars." +A whole street of this description, or a portion of such a street, +commonly contains only or chiefly shops appropriated to a particular +trade; and is called the Soo[k.] of that trade. In general, the shop is +a small recess or cell, about six or seven feet high, and between three +and four feet wide, the floor of which is even with the top of a raised +seat of stone or brick, called "ma[s.][t.]abah," between two and three +feet high, and about the same in breadth; upon which the shopkeeper +usually sits.[149] The front of the shop is furnished with shutters; +which, when closed, at night, are secured by a wooden lock. Several of +the engravings in this work will convey a better notion of shops of +different kinds than a more detailed description. + +NOTE 23. Distrust in his governors and relations and acquaintance often +induces an Arab to hide his money under the paved floor of a room, or in +some other place, in his house. + +NOTE 24. These words, "I give myself to thee," uttered by a woman to a +man, even without the presence of witnesses, if they cannot be easily +procured, render her his lawful wife, if he replies that he accepts her, +and gives her a dowry. + +NOTE 25. I have substituted "Jinneeyeh" (agreeably with the Calcutta +edition of the first two hundred nights, and because the context +requires it) for "'Efreeteh," which signifies a powerful and evil female +genie.--The tale to which this note refers may be illustrated by the +following anecdote, which was related to me by a Persian with whom I was +acquainted in Cairo, named Abu-l-[K.]asim, a native of Geelan, then +superintendent of the Basha's Printing-office at Boola[k.]. + +One of this person's countrymen, whom he asserted to be a man of +indubitable veracity, was sitting on the roof of a house which he had +hired, overlooking the Ganges, and was passing the closing hour of the +day, according to his usual custom, smoking his Persian pipe, and +feasting his eyes by gazing at the beautiful forms of Indian maidens +bathing in the river, when he beheld among them one so lovely that his +heart was overpowered with desire to have her for his wife. At nightfall +she came to him, and told him that she had observed his emotion, and +would consent to become his wife; but on the condition that he should +never admit another female to take or share her place, and that she +should only be with him in the night-time. They took the marriage-vow to +each other, with none for their witness but God; and great was his +happiness, till, one evening, he saw again, among a group of girls in +the river, another who excited in him still more powerful emotions. To +his surprise, this very form stood before him at the approach of night. +He withstood the temptation, mindful of his marriage-vow: she used every +allurement; but he was resolute. His fair visiter then told him that she +was his wife; that she was a Jinneeyeh; and that she would always +thenceforward visit him in the form of any female whom he might chance +to prefer. + +NOTE 26. This form of benediction is almost always added when the +Prophet is mentioned in a book by any of his followers, and often also +in conversation. + +NOTE 27. Perhaps it is needless to explain this proverb by the words of +the Bible--"Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." (Romans, +xii. 19.) For the honour of the Muslims I must say that this maxim is +often observed by them, excepting in cases to which the law of +retaliation applies. + +NOTE 28. The houses in Arabian countries generally have flat roofs, upon +which, in the summer, some of the inhabitants often sleep: the interior, +therefore, is as accessible from the roof as from the common entrance. + +NOTE 29. I here steer a middle course between my usual standard +copy--which gives the story of the third sheykh more fully than I have +done--and the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, which +omits it altogether, as does also the copy from which the old +translation was made, perhaps on account of its uninteresting nature. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + + [111] [K.]ur-an, ch. xiii. v. 39. + + [112] "El-Insan el-Kamil," by 'Abd-El-Kereem El-Jeelee, quoted + by El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, in his account of Ibraheem Basha + el-Ma[k.]tool. + + [113] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. i. pp. 26-34. + + [114] Ibid. + + [115] Idem, vol. ii. p. 373. + + [116] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil, section 7. + + [117] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 381. + + [118] For a translation of the whole of this prayer, see + "Modern Egyptians," vol. ii. ch, xii. + + [119] [K.]ur-an, ch. v. v. 35. + + [120] See "Modern Egyptians," vol. ii. ch. xv. + + [121] These degrees of relationship will be explained when I + describe the customs relating to marriage. + + [122] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil, section 9. + + [123] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. pp. 140 and 141. + + [124] Nuzhet El-Mutaaemmil, &c., _loco laudato_. + + [125] See "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. vii. + + [126] Events of the year 227. + + [127] [K.]ur-an, ch. xxvii. v. 40; and Commentary of the + Jelaleyn. + + [128] See "Mish[k.]at el-Ma[s.]abee[h.]," vol. ii. p. 374. + + [129] Idem, vol ii. pp. 384, et seqq. + + [130] Account of the early Arabs, in the "Mir-at ez-Zeman." + + [131] During his last residence in Egypt, Mr. Lane thought he + had discovered a clue to the means employed in these + performances, but he afterwards found that there were cases + which remained to him inexplicable.--ED. + + [132] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], _loco laudato_. + + [133] Mir-at ez-Zeman, _loco laudato_. + + [134] El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, in his account of the reign of + El-Mo[a.]ta[s.]im, the son of Haroon. + + [135] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 388. + + [136] Vulgarly pronounced Nemrood. + + [137] El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, close of his account of the reign of + El-Emeen. + + [138] El-Jabartee's Modern Egyptian History (MS. in my + possession); account of the death of Yoosuf Bey, in the year of + the Flight 1191; and account of the death of the sheykh + [H.]asan El-Kafrawee, in the year 1202. + + [139] Hence it has been called by many travellers, and even by + some learned Orientalists, the Great Feast; but it is never so + called by the Arabs. + + [140] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 424. + + [141] Genesis ix. 5. + + [142] Lettres sur l'Histoire des Arabes avant l'Islamisme, par + Fulgence Fresnel. Paris, 1836, pp. 31, et seqq. + + [143] El-Is-ha[k.]ee. + + [144] El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee. + + [145] Idem. + + [146] Fakhr-ed-Deen, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. + p. 3 of the Arabic Text: 2nd edition. + + [147] Ibn-Khaldoon, _ubi supra_, vol. i. p. 124 of the Arabic + text. + + [148] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt (MS. in my possession), chap. vii. + + [149] The ma[s.][t.]abah, with the picturesque Arab + architecture of which it forms a part, is fast disappearing + from Egypt. In Cairo and Alexandria, Mo[h.]ammad 'Alee ordered + that the ma[s.][t.]abahs in the thoroughfare-streets should be + removed, or reduced to about a foot in width; and interdicted + the erection of new meshrebeeyehs (projecting windows of + lattice-work), although he allowed the old ones to remain.--ED. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE THIRD NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF THE +NINTH. + +THE STORY OF THE FISHERMAN. + +There was a certain fisherman, advanced in age, who had a wife and three +children; and though he was in indigent circumstances, it was his custom +to cast his net, every day, no more than four times. One day he went +forth at the hour of noon to the shore of the sea, and put down his +basket, and cast his net, and waited until it was motionless in the +water, when he drew together its strings, and found it to be heavy: he +pulled, but could not draw it up: so he took the end of the cord, and +knocked a stake into the shore, and tied the cord to it. He then +stripped himself, and dived round the net, and continued to pull until +he drew it out: whereupon he rejoiced, and put on his clothes; but when +he came to examine the net, he found in it the carcass of an ass. At the +sight of this he mourned, and exclaimed, There is no strength nor power +but in God, the High, the Great! This is a strange piece of +fortune!--And he repeated the following verse:-- + + O thou who occupiest thyself in the darkness of night, and in peril! + Spare thy trouble; for the support of Providence is not obtained + by toil![II_1] + +He then disencumbered his net of the dead ass, and wrung it out; after +which he spread it, and descended into the sea, and--exclaiming, In the +name of God!--cast it again, and waited till it had sunk and was still, +when he pulled it, and found it more heavy and more difficult to raise +than on the former occasion. He therefore concluded that it was full of +fish: so he tied it, and stripped, and plunged and dived, and pulled +until he raised it, and drew it upon the shore; when he found in it only +a large jar, full of sand and mud; on seeing which, he was troubled in +his heart, and repeated the following words of the poet:-- + + O angry fate, forbear! or, if thou wilt not forbear, relent! + Neither favour from fortune do I gain, nor profit from the work + of my hands, + I came forth to seek my sustenance, but have found it to be exhausted. + How many of the ignorant are in splendour! and how many of the wise, + in obscurity! + +So saying, he threw aside the jar, and wrung out and cleansed his net; +and, begging the forgiveness of God for his impatience, returned to the +sea the third time, and threw the net, and waited till it had sunk and +was motionless: he then drew it out, and found in it a quantity of +broken jars and pots. + +Upon this, he raised his head towards heaven, and said, O God, Thou +knowest that I cast not my net more than four times; and I have now cast +it three times! Then--exclaiming, In the name of God!--he cast the net +again into the sea, and waited till it was still; when he attempted to +draw it up, but could not, for it clung to the bottom. And he exclaimed, +There is no strength nor power but in God!--and stripped himself again, +and dived round the net, and pulled it until he raised it upon the +shore; when he opened it, and found in it a bottle[II_2] of brass, +filled with something, and having its mouth closed with a stopper of +lead, bearing the impression of the seal of our lord Suleyman.[II_3] At +the sight of this, the fisherman was rejoiced, and said, This I will +sell in the copper-market; for it is worth ten pieces of gold. He then +shook it, and found it to be heavy, and said, I must open it, and see +what is in it, and store it in my bag; and then I will sell the bottle +in the copper-market. So he took out a knife, and picked at the lead +until he extracted it from the bottle. He then laid the bottle on the +ground, and shook it, that its contents might pour out; but there came +forth from it nothing but smoke, which ascended towards the sky, and +spread over the face of the earth; at which he wondered excessively. And +after a little while, the smoke collected together, and was condensed, +and then became agitated, and was converted into an 'Efreet, whose head +was in the clouds, while his feet rested upon the ground:[II_4] his head +was like a dome: his hands were like winnowing forks;[II_5] and his +legs, like masts: his mouth resembled a cavern: his teeth were like +stones; his nostrils, like trumpets;[II_6] and his eyes, like lamps; and +he had dishevelled and dust-coloured hair. + +[Illustration] + +When the fisherman beheld this 'Efreet, the muscles of his sides +quivered, his teeth were locked together, his spittle dried up, and he +saw not his way. The 'Efreet, as soon as he perceived him, exclaimed, +There is no deity but God: Suleyman is the Prophet of God. O Prophet of +God, slay me not; for I will never again oppose thee in word, or rebel +against thee in deed!--O Marid,[II_7] said the fisherman, dost thou say, +Suleyman is the Prophet of God? Suleyman hath been dead a thousand and +eight hundred years; and we are now in the end of time. What is thy +history, and what is thy tale, and what was the cause of thy entering +this bottle? When the Marid heard these words of the fisherman, he said, +There is no deity but God! Receive news, O fisherman!--Of what, said the +fisherman, dost thou give me news? He answered, Of thy being instantly +put to a most cruel death. The fisherman exclaimed, Thou deservest, for +this news, O master of the 'Efreets, the withdrawal of protection from +thee, O thou remote![II_8] Wherefore wouldst thou kill me? and what +requires thy killing me, when I have liberated thee from the bottle, and +rescued thee from the bottom of the sea, and brought thee up upon the +dry land?--The 'Efreet answered, Choose what kind of death thou wilt +die, and in what manner thou shalt be killed.--What is my offence, said +the fisherman, that this should be my recompense from thee? The 'Efreet +replied, Hear my story, O fisherman.--Tell it then, said the fisherman, +and be short in thy words; for my soul hath sunk down to my feet. + +Know then, said he, that I am one of the heretical Jinn: I rebelled +against Suleyman the son of Daood: I and [S.]akhr the Jinnee;[II_9] and +he sent to me his Wezeer, A[s.]af the son of Barkhiya, who came upon me +forcibly, and took me to him in bonds, and placed me before him: and +when Suleyman saw me, he offered up a prayer for protection against me, +and exhorted me to embrace the faith, and to submit to his authority; +but I refused; upon which he called for this bottle, and confined me in +it, and closed it upon me with the leaden stopper, which he stamped with +the Most Great Name: he then gave orders to the Jinn, who carried me +away, and threw me into the midst of the sea. There I remained a hundred +years; and I said in my heart, Whosoever shall liberate me, I will +enrich him for ever:--but the hundred years passed over me, and no one +liberated me: and I entered upon another hundred years; and I said, +Whosoever shall liberate me, I will open to him the treasures of the +earth;--but no one did so: and four hundred years more passed over me, +and I said, Whosoever shall liberate me, I will perform for him three +wants:--but still no one liberated me. I then fell into a violent rage, +and said within myself, Whosoever shall liberate me now, I will kill +him; and only suffer him to choose in what manner he will die. And lo, +now thou hast liberated me, and I have given thee thy choice of the +manner in which thou wilt die. + +When the fisherman had heard the story of the 'Efreet, he exclaimed, O +Allah! that I should not have liberated thee but in such a time as this! +Then said he to the 'Efreet, Pardon me, and kill me not, and so may God +pardon thee; and destroy me not, lest God give power over thee to one +who will destroy thee. The Marid answered, I must positively kill thee; +therefore choose by what manner of death thou wilt die. The fisherman +then felt assured of his death; but he again implored the 'Efreet, +saying, Pardon me by way of gratitude for my liberating thee.--Why, +answered the 'Efreet, I am not going to kill thee but for that very +reason, because thou hast liberated me.--O Sheykh of the 'Efreets, said +the fisherman, do I act kindly towards thee, and dost thou recompense me +with baseness? But the proverb lieth not that saith,-- + + We did good to them, and they returned us the contrary; and such, + by my life, is the conduct of the wicked. + Thus he who acteth kindly to the undeserving is recompensed in + the same manner as the aider of Umm-'Amir.[II_10] + +[Illustration] + +The 'Efreet, when he heard these words, answered by saying, Covet not +life, for thy death is unavoidable. Then said the fisherman within +himself, This is a Jinnee, and I am a man; and God hath given me sound +reason; therefore, I will now plot his destruction with my art and +reason, like as he hath plotted with his cunning and perfidy. So he said +to the 'Efreet, Hast thou determined to kill me? He answered, Yes. Then +said he, By the Most Great Name engraved upon the seal of Suleyman, I +will ask thee one question; and wilt thou answer it to me truly? On +hearing the mention of the Most Great Name, the 'Efreet was agitated, +and trembled, and replied, Yes; ask, and be brief. The fisherman then +said, How wast thou in this bottle? It will not contain thy hand or thy +foot; how then can it contain thy whole body?--Dost thou not believe +that I was in it? said the 'Efreet. The fisherman answered, I will never +believe thee until I see thee in it. Upon this, the 'Efreet shook, and +became converted again into smoke, which rose to the sky, and then +became condensed, and entered the bottle by little and little, until it +was all enclosed; when the fisherman hastily snatched the sealed leaden +stopper, and, having replaced it in the mouth of the bottle, called out +to the 'Efreet, and said, Choose in what manner of death thou wilt die. +I will assuredly throw thee here into the sea, and build me a house on +this spot; and whosoever shall come here, I will prevent his fishing in +this place, and will say to him, Here is an 'Efreet, who, to any person +that liberates him, will propose various kinds of death, and then give +him his choice of one of them. On hearing these words of the fisherman, +the 'Efreet endeavoured to escape; but could not, finding himself +restrained by the impression of the seal of Suleyman, and thus +imprisoned by the fisherman as the vilest and filthiest and least of +'Efreets. The fisherman then took the bottle to the brink of the sea. +The 'Efreet exclaimed, Nay! nay!--to which the fisherman answered, Yea, +without fail! yea, without fail! The Marid then addressing him with a +soft voice and humble manner, said, What dost thou intend to do with me, +O fisherman? He answered, I will throw thee into the sea; and if thou +hast been there a thousand and eight hundred years, I will make thee to +remain there until the hour of judgment. Did I not say to thee, Spare +me, and so may God spare thee; and destroy me not, lest God destroy +thee? But thou didst reject my petition, and wouldest nothing but +treachery; therefore God hath caused thee to fall into my hand, and I +have betrayed thee.--Open to me, said the 'Efreet, that I may confer +benefits upon thee. The fisherman replied, Thou liest, thou accursed! I +and thou are like the Wezeer of King Yoonan[II_11] and the sage +Dooban.[II_12]--What, said the 'Efreet, was the case of the Wezeer of +King Yoonan and the sage Dooban, and what is their story? The fisherman +answered as follows:-- + + +THE STORY OF KING YOONAN AND THE SAGE DOOBAN. + +Know, O 'Efreet, that there was, in former times, in the country of the +Persians,[II_13] a monarch who was called King Yoonan, possessing great +treasures and numerous forces, valiant, and having troops of every +description; but he was afflicted with leprosy, which the physicians and +sages had failed to remove; neither their potions, nor powders, nor +ointments were of any benefit to him; and none of the physicians was +able to cure him. At length there arrived at the city of this king a +great sage, stricken in years, who was called the sage Dooban: he was +acquainted with ancient Greek, Persian, modern Greek, Arabic, and Syriac +books, and with medicine and astrology, both with respect to their +scientific principles and the rules of their practical applications for +good and evil; as well as the properties of plants, dried and fresh, +the injurious and the useful: he was versed in the wisdom of the +philosophers, and embraced a knowledge of all the medical and other +sciences. + +After this sage had arrived in the city, and remained in it a few days, +he heard of the case of the King, of the leprosy with which God had +afflicted him, and that the physicians and men of science had failed to +cure him. In consequence of this information, he passed the next night +in deep study; and when the morning came, and diffused its light, and +the sun saluted the Ornament of the Good,[II_14] he attired himself in +the richest of his apparel, and presented himself before the King. +Having kissed the ground before him, and offered up a prayer for the +continuance of his power and happiness, and greeted him in the best +manner he was able, he informed him who he was, and said, O King, I have +heard of the disease which hath attacked thy person, and that many of +the physicians are unacquainted with the means of removing it; and I +will cure thee without giving thee to drink any potion, or anointing +thee with ointment. When King Yoonan heard his words, he wondered, and +said to him, How wilt thou do this? By Allah, if thou cure me, I will +enrich thee and thy children's children, and I will heap favours upon +thee, and whatever thou shalt desire shall be thine, and thou shalt be +my companion and my friend.--He then bestowed upon him a robe of +honour,[II_15] and other presents, and said to him, Wilt thou cure me of +this disease without potion or ointment? He answered, Yes; I will cure +thee without any discomfort to thy person. And the King was extremely +astonished, and said, O Sage, at what time, and on what day, shall that +which thou hast proposed to me be done? Hasten it, O my Son.--He +answered, I hear and obey. + +[Illustration] + +He then went out from the presence of the King, and hired a house, in +which he deposited his books, and medicines, and drugs. Having done +this, he selected certain of his medicines and drugs, and made a +goff-stick, with a hollow handle, into which he introduced them; after +which he made a ball for it, skilfully adapted; and on the following +day, after he had finished these, he went again to the King, and kissed +the ground before him, and directed him to repair to the horse-course, +and to play with the ball and goff-stick. The King, attended by his +Emeers and Chamberlains and Wezeers, went thither, and, as soon as he +arrived there, the sage Dooban presented himself before him, and handed +to him the goff-stick, saying, Take this goff-stick, and grasp it thus, +and ride along the horse-course, and strike the ball with it with all +thy force, until the palm of thy hand and thy whole body become moist +with perspiration, when the medicine will penetrate into thy hand, and +pervade thy whole body; and when thou hast done this, and the medicine +remains in thee, return to thy palace, and enter the bath,[II_16] and +wash thyself, and sleep: then shalt thou find thyself cured: and peace +be on thee. So King Yoonan took the goff-stick from the sage, and +grasped it in his hand, and mounted his horse; and the ball was thrown +before him, and he urged his horse after it until he overtook it, when +he struck it with all his force; and when he had continued this exercise +as long as was necessary, and bathed and slept, he looked upon his skin, +and not a vestige of the leprosy remained: it was clear as white silver. +Upon this he rejoiced exceedingly; his heart was dilated, and he was +full of happiness. + +On the following morning he entered the council-chamber, and sat upon +his throne; and the Chamberlains and great officers of his court came +before him. The sage Dooban also presented himself; and when the King +saw him, he rose to him in haste, and seated him by his side. Services +of food were then spread before them, and the sage ate with the King, +and remained as his guest all the day;[II_17] and when the night +approached, the King gave him two thousand pieces of gold, besides +dresses of honour and other presents, and mounted him on his own horse, +and so the sage returned to his house.[II_18] And the King was +astonished at his skill; saying, This man hath cured me by an external +process, without anointing me with ointment: by Allah, this is +consummate science; and it is incumbent on me to bestow favours and +honours upon him, and to make him my companion and familiar friend as +long as I live. He passed the night happy and joyful on account of his +recovery, and when he arose, he went forth again, and sat upon his +throne; the officers of his court standing before him, and the Emeers +and Wezeers sitting on his right hand and on his left; and he called for +the sage Dooban, who came, and kissed the ground before him; and the +King rose, and seated him by his side, and ate with him, and greeted him +with compliments: he bestowed upon him again a robe of honour and other +presents, and, after conversing with him till the approach of night, +gave orders that five other robes of honour should be given to him, and +a thousand pieces of gold; and the sage departed, and returned to his +house. + +[Illustration] + +Again, when the next morning came, the King went as usual to his +council-chamber, and the Emeers and Wezeers and Chamberlains surrounded +him. Now there was, among his Wezeers, one of ill aspect, and of evil +star;[II_19] sordid, avaricious, and of an envious and malicious +disposition; and when he saw that the King had made the sage Dooban his +friend, and bestowed upon him these favours, he envied him this +distinction, and meditated evil against him; agreeably with the adage +which saith, There is no one void of envy;[II_20]--and another, which +saith, Tyranny lurketh in the soul: power manifesteth it, and weakness +concealeth it. So he approached the King, and kissed the ground before +him, and said, O King of the age, thou art he whose goodness extendeth +to all men, and I have an important piece of advice to give thee: if I +were to conceal it from thee, I should be a base-born wretch: therefore, +if thou order me to impart it, I will do so. The King, disturbed by +these words of the Wezeer, said, What is thy advice? He answered, O +glorious King, it hath been said, by the ancients, He who looketh not to +results, fortune will not attend him:--now I have seen the King in a way +that is not right; since he hath bestowed favours upon his enemy, and +upon him who desireth the downfall of his dominion: he hath treated him +with kindness, and honoured him with the highest honours, and admitted +him to the closest intimacy: I therefore fear, for the King, the +consequence of this conduct.--At this the King was troubled, and his +countenance changed; and he said, Who is he whom thou regardest as mine +enemy, and to whom I shew kindness? He replied, O King, if thou hast +been asleep, awake! I allude to the sage Dooban.--The King said, He is +my intimate companion, and the dearest of men in my estimation; for he +restored me by a thing that I merely held in my hand, and cured me of my +disease which the physicians were unable to remove, and there is not now +to be found one like to him in the whole world, from west to east. +Wherefore, then, dost thou utter these words against him? I will, from +this day, appoint him a regular salary and maintenance, and give him +every month a thousand pieces of gold; and if I gave him a share of my +kingdom it were but a small thing to do unto him. I do not think that +thou hast said this from any other motive than that of envy. If I did +what thou desirest, I should repent after it, as the man repented who +killed his parrot.[II_21] + +[Illustration] + + +THE STORY OF THE HUSBAND AND THE PARROT. + +There was a certain merchant, of an excessively jealous disposition, +having a wife endowed with perfect beauty, who had prevented him from +leaving his home; but an event happened which obliged him to make a +journey; and when he found his doing so to be indispensable, he went to +the market in which birds were sold, and bought a parrot, which he +placed in his house to act as a spy, that, on his return, she might +inform him of what passed during his absence; for this parrot was +cunning and intelligent, and remembered whatever she heard.[II_22] So, +when he had made his journey, and accomplished his business, he +returned, and caused the parrot to be brought to him, and asked her +respecting the conduct of his wife. She answered, Thy wife has a lover, +who visited her every night during thy absence:--and when the man heard +this, he fell into a violent rage, and went to his wife, and gave her a +severe beating. + +The woman imagined that one of the female slaves had informed him of +what had passed between her and her paramour during his absence: she +therefore called them together, and made them swear; and they all swore +that they had not told their master anything of the matter; but +confessed that they had heard the parrot relate to him what had passed. +Having thus established, on the testimony of the slaves, the fact of the +parrot's having informed her husband of her intrigue, she ordered one of +these slaves to grind with a hand-mill under the cage, another to +sprinkle water from above, and a third to move a mirror from side to +side, during the next night on which her husband was absent; and on the +following morning, when the man returned from an entertainment at which +he had been present, and inquired again of the parrot what had passed +that night during his absence, the bird answered, O my master, I could +neither see nor hear anything, on account of the excessive darkness, and +thunder, and lightning, and rain. Now this happened during summer: so he +said to her, What strange words are these? It is now summer, when +nothing of what thou hast described ever happens.--The parrot, however, +swore by Allah the Great that what she had said was true; and that it +had so happened: upon which the man, not understanding the case, nor +knowing the plot, became violently enraged, and took out the bird from +the cage, and threw her down upon the ground with such violence that he +killed her. + +But after some days, one of his female slaves informed him of the truth; +yet he would not believe it, until he saw his wife's paramour going out +from his house; when he drew his sword,[II_23] and slew the traitor by +a blow on the back of his neck: so also did he to his treacherous wife; +and thus both of them went, laden with the sin which they had committed, +to the fire; and the merchant discovered that the parrot had informed +him truly of what she had seen; and he mourned grievously for her loss. + +When the Wezeer heard these words of King Yoonan, he said, O King of +great dignity, what hath this crafty sage--this man from whom nought but +mischief proceedeth--done unto me, that I should be his enemy, and speak +evil of him, and plot with thee to destroy him? I have informed thee +respecting him in compassion for thee, and in fear of his despoiling +thee of thy happiness; and if my words be not true, destroy me, as the +Wezeer of Es-Sindibad was destroyed.--The King asked, How was that? And +the Wezeer thus answered:-- + + +THE STORY OF THE ENVIOUS WEZEER AND THE PRINCE AND THE GHOOLEH. + +The King above mentioned had a son who was ardently fond of the +chase;[II_24] and he had a Wezeer whom he charged to be always with this +son wherever he went. One day the son went forth to hunt, and his +father's Wezeer was with him; and as they rode together, they saw a +great wild beast; upon which the Wezeer exclaimed to the Prince, Away +after this wild beast! The King's son pursued it until he was out of the +sight of his attendants, and the beast also escaped from before his eyes +in the desert; and while the Prince wandered in perplexity, not knowing +whither to direct his course, he met in his way a damsel, who was +weeping. He said to her, Who art thou?--and she answered, I am a +daughter of one of the kings of India; I was in the desert, and slumber +overtook me, and I fell from my horse in a state of insensibility, and +being thus separated from my attendants, I lost my way. The Prince, on +hearing this, pitied her forlorn state, and placed her behind him on his +horse; and as they proceeded, they passed by a ruin,[II_25] and the +damsel said to him, O my master, I would alight here for a little while. +The Prince therefore lifted her from his horse at this ruin; but she +delayed so long to return, that he wondered wherefore she had loitered +so, and entering after her, without her knowledge, perceived that she +was a Ghooleh,[II_26] and heard her say, My children, I have brought you +to-day a fat young man:--on which they exclaimed, Bring him in to us, O +mother! that we may fill our stomachs with his flesh. When the Prince +heard their words, he felt assured of destruction; the muscles of his +sides quivered, and fear overcame him, and he retreated. The Ghooleh +then came forth, and, seeing that he appeared alarmed and fearful, and +that he was trembling, said to him, Wherefore dost thou fear? He +answered, I have an enemy of whom I am in fear. The Ghooleh said, Thou +assertest thyself to be the son of the King. He replied, Yes.--Then, +said she, wherefore dost thou not give some money to thine enemy, and so +conciliate him? He answered, He will not be appeased with money, nor +with anything but life; and therefore do I fear him: I am an injured +man. She then said to him, If thou be an injured man, as thou affirmest, +beg aid of God against thine oppressor, and He will avert from thee his +mischievous design, and that of every other person whom thou fearest. +Upon this, therefore, the Prince raised his head towards heaven, and +said, O thou who answerest the distressed when he prayeth to Thee, and +dispellest evil, assist me, and cause mine enemy to depart from me; for +Thou art able to do whatsoever Thou wilt!--and the Ghooleh no sooner +heard his prayer, than she departed from him. The Prince then returned +to his father, and informed him of the conduct of the Wezeer; upon which +the King gave orders that the minister should be put to death. + +[Illustration] + + +CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF KING YOONAN AND THE SAGE DOOBAN. + +And thou, O King, continued the Wezeer of King Yoonan, if thou trust in +this sage, he will kill thee in the foulest manner. If thou continue to +bestow favours upon him, and to make him thine intimate companion, he +will plot thy destruction. Dost thou not see that he hath cured thee of +the disease by external means, by a thing that thou heldest in thy hand? +Therefore thou art not secure against his killing thee by a thing that +thou shalt hold in the same manner.--King Yoonan answered, Thou hast +spoken truth: the case is as thou hast said, O faithful Wezeer: it is +probable that this sage came as a spy to accomplish my death; and if he +cured me by a thing I held in my hand, he may destroy me by a thing that +I may smell: what then, O Wezeer, shall be done respecting him? The +Wezeer answered, Send to him immediately, and desire him to come hither; +and when he is come, strike off his head, and so shalt thou avert from +thee his evil design, and be secure from him. Betray him before he +betray thee.--The King said, Thou hast spoken right. + +Immediately, therefore, he sent for the sage, who came, full of joy, not +knowing what the Compassionate[II_27] had decreed against him, and +addressed the King with these words of the poet:-- + + If I fail any day to render thee due thanks, tell me for whom I have + composed my verse and prose. + Thou hast loaded me with favours unsolicited, bestowed without delay + on thy part, or excuse. + How then should I abstain from praising thee as thou deservest, + and lauding thee both with my heart and voice? + Nay, I will thank thee for thy benefits conferred upon me: they are + light upon my tongue, though weighty to my back. + +Knowest thou, said the King, wherefore I have summoned thee? The sage +answered, None knoweth what is secret but God, whose name be exalted! +Then said the King, I have summoned thee that I may take away thy life. +The sage, in the utmost astonishment at this announcement, said, O King, +wherefore wouldst thou kill me, and what offence hath been committed by +me? The King answered, It hath been told me that thou art a spy, and +that thou hast come hither to kill me: but I will prevent thee by +killing thee first:--and so saying, he called out to the executioner, +Strike off the head of this traitor, and relieve me from his +wickedness,--Spare me, said the sage, and so may God spare thee; and +destroy me not, lest God destroy thee.--And he repeated these words +several times, like as I did, O 'Efreet; but thou wouldst not let me go, +desiring to destroy me. + +[Illustration] + +King Yoonan then said to the sage Dooban, I shall not be secure unless +I kill thee; for thou curedst me by a thing that I held in my hand, and +I have no security against thy killing me by a thing that I may smell, +or by some other means.--O King, said the sage, is this my recompense +from thee? Dost thou return evil for good?--The King answered, Thou must +be slain without delay. When the sage, therefore, was convinced that the +King intended to put him to death, and that his fate was inevitable, he +lamented the benefit that he had done to the undeserving. The +executioner then advanced, and bandaged his eyes, and, having drawn his +sword, said, Give permission. Upon this the sage wept, and said again, +Spare me, and so may God spare thee; and destroy me not, lest God +destroy thee! Wouldst thou return me the recompense of the +crocodile?--What, said the King, is the story of the crocodile? The sage +answered, I cannot relate it while in this condition;[II_28] but I +conjure thee by Allah to spare me, and so may He spare thee. And he wept +bitterly. Then one of the chief officers of the King arose, and said, O +King, give up to me the blood of this sage; for we have not seen him +commit any offence against thee; nor have we seen him do aught but cure +thee of thy disease, which wearied the other physicians and sages. The +King answered, Ye know not the reason wherefore I would kill the sage: +it is this, that if I suffered him to live, I should myself inevitably +perish; for he who cured me of the disease under which I suffered by a +thing that I held in my hand, may kill me by a thing that I may smell; +and I fear that he would do so, and would receive an appointment on +account of it; seeing that it is probable he is a spy who hath come +hither to kill me; I must therefore kill him, and then shall I feel +myself safe.--The sage then said again, Spare me, and so may God spare +thee; and destroy me not, lest God destroy thee. + +But he now felt certain, O 'Efreet, that the King would put him to +death, and that there was no escape for him; so he said, O King, if my +death is indispensable, grant me some respite, that I may return to my +house, and acquit myself of my duties, and give directions to my family +and neighbours to bury me, and dispose of my medical books; and among my +books is one of most especial value, which I offer as a present to thee, +that thou mayest treasure it in thy library.--And what, said the King, +is this book? He answered, It contains things not to be enumerated; and +the smallest of the secret virtues that it possesses is this; that, when +thou hast cut off my head, if thou open this book, and count three +leaves, and then read three lines on the page to the left, the head will +speak to thee, and answer whatever thou shalt ask. At this the King was +excessively astonished, and shook with delight, and said to him, O Sage, +when I have cut off thy head will it speak? He answered, Yes, O King; +and this is a wonderful thing. + +The King then sent him in the custody of guards; and the sage descended +to his house, and settled all his affairs on that day; and on the +following day he went up to the court: and the Emeers and Wezeers, and +Chamberlains and Deputies, and all the great officers of the state, went +thither also: and the court resembled a flower-garden.[II_29] And when +the sage had entered, he presented himself before the King, bearing an +old book, and a small pot containing a powder: and he sat down, and +said, Bring me a tray. So they brought him one; and he poured out the +powder into it, and spread it. He then said, O King, take this book, and +do nothing with it until thou hast cut off my head; and when thou hast +done so, place it upon this tray, and order some one to press it down +upon the powder; and when this is done, the blood will be stanched: then +open the book. As soon as the sage had said this, the King gave orders +to strike off his head; and it was done. The King then opened the book, +and found that its leaves were stuck together; so he put his finger to +his mouth, and moistened it with his spittle, and opened the first leaf, +and the second, and the third; but the leaves were not opened without +difficulty. He opened six leaves, and looked at them; but found upon +them no writing. So he said, O Sage, there is nothing written in it. The +head of the sage answered, Turn over more leaves. The King did so; and +in a little while, the poison penetrated into his system; for the book +was poisoned; and the King fell back, and cried out, The poison hath +penetrated into me!--and upon this, the head of the sage Dooban repeated +these verses:-- + + They made use of their power, and used it tyrannically; and soon + it became as though it never had existed. + Had they acted equitably, they had experienced equity; but they + oppressed; wherefore fortune oppressed them with calamities + and trials. + Then did the case itself announce to them, This is the reward of + your conduct, and fortune is blameless. + +And when the head of the sage Dooban had uttered these words, the King +immediately fell down dead.[II_30] + +[Illustration] + + +CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE FISHERMAN. + +Now, O 'Efreet, continued the fisherman, know that if King Yoonan had +spared the sage Dooban, God had spared him; but he refused, and desired +his destruction; therefore God destroyed him: and thou, O 'Efreet, if +thou hadst spared me, God had spared thee, and I had spared thee; but +thou desiredst my death; therefore will I put thee to death imprisoned +in this bottle, and will throw thee here into the sea. The Marid, upon +this, cried out, and said, I conjure thee by Allah, O fisherman, that +thou do it not: spare me in generosity, and be not angry with me for +what I did; but if I have done evil, do thou good, according to the +proverb,--O thou benefactor of him who hath done evil, the action that +he hath done is sufficient for him:--do not therefore as Umameh did to +'Atikeh.--And what, said the fisherman, was their case? The 'Efreet +answered, This is not a time for telling stories, when I am in this +prison; but when thou liberatest me, I will relate to thee their +case.[II_31] The fisherman said, Thou must be thrown into the sea, and +there shall be no way of escape for thee from it; for I endeavoured to +propitiate thee, and humbled myself before thee, yet thou wouldest +nothing but my destruction, though I had committed no offence to deserve +it, and had done no evil to thee whatever, but only good, delivering +thee from thy confinement; and when thou didst thus unto me, I perceived +that thou wast radically corrupt: and I would have thee know, that my +motive for throwing thee into this sea, is, that I may acquaint with thy +story every one that shall take thee out, and caution him against thee, +that he may cast thee in again: thus shalt thou remain in this sea to +the end of time, and experience varieties of torment.--The 'Efreet then +said, Liberate me, for this is an opportunity for thee to display +humanity; and I vow to thee that I will never do thee harm; but, on the +contrary, will do thee a service that shall enrich thee for ever. + +Upon this the fisherman accepted his covenant that he would not hurt +him, but that he would do him good; and when he had bound him by oaths +and vows, and made him swear by the Most Great Name of God, he opened to +him; and the smoke ascended until it had all come forth, and then +collected together, and became, as before, an 'Efreet of hideous form. +The 'Efreet then kicked the bottle into the sea. When the fisherman saw +him do this, he made sure of destruction, and said, This is no sign of +good:--but afterwards he fortified his heart, and said, O 'Efreet, God, +whose name be exalted, hath said, Perform the covenant, for the covenant +shall be inquired into:[II_32]--and thou has covenanted with me, and +sworn that thou wilt not act treacherously towards me; therefore, if +thou so act, God will recompense thee; for He is jealous; He respiteth, +but suffereth not to escape; and remember that I said to thee as said +the sage Dooban to King Yoonan, Spare me, and so may God spare thee. + +The 'Efreet laughed, and, walking on before him, said, O fisherman, +follow me. The fisherman did so, not believing in his escape, until they +had quitted the neighbourhood of the city, and ascended a mountain, and +descended into a wide desert tract, in the midst of which was a lake of +water. Here the 'Efreet stopped, and ordered the fisherman to cast his +net and take some fish; and the fisherman, looking into the lake, saw in +it fish of different colours, white and red and blue and yellow; at +which he was astonished; and he cast his net, and drew it in, and found +in it four fish, each fish of a different colour from the others, at the +sight of which he rejoiced. The 'Efreet then said to him, Take them to +the Sul[t.]an,[II_33] and present them to him, and he will give thee +what will enrich thee; and for the sake of God accept my excuse, for, at +present, I know no other way of rewarding thee, having been in the sea a +thousand and eight hundred years, and not seen the surface of the earth +until now: but take not fish from the lake more than once each day: and +now I commend thee to the care of God.--Having thus said, he struck the +earth with his feet, and it clove asunder, and swallowed him. + +[Illustration] + +The fisherman then went back to the city, wondering at all that had +befallen him with the 'Efreet, and carried the fish to his house; and he +took an earthen bowl, and, having filled it with water, put the fish +into it; and they struggled in the water: and when he had done this, he +placed the bowl upon his head, and repaired to the King's palace, as the +'Efreet had commanded him, and, going up unto the King, presented to him +the fish; and the King was excessively astonished at them, for he had +never seen any like them in the course of his life; and he said, Give +these fish to the slave cook-maid. This maid had been sent as a present +to him by the King of the Greeks, three days before; and he had not yet +tried her skill. The Wezeer, therefore, ordered her to fry the fish, and +said to her, O maid, the King saith unto thee, I have not reserved my +tear but for the time of my difficulty:--to-day, then, gratify us by a +specimen of thy excellent cookery, for a person hath brought these fish +as a present to the Sul[t.]an. After having thus charged her, the Wezeer +returned, and the King ordered him to give the fisherman four hundred +pieces of gold: so the Wezeer gave them to him; and he took them in his +lap, and returned to his home and his wife, joyful and happy, and bought +what was needful for his family. + +[Illustration] + +Such were the events that befell the fisherman: now we must relate what +happened to the maid.--She took the fish, and cleaned them, and arranged +them in the frying-pan, and left them until one side was cooked, when +she turned them upon the other side; and lo, the wall of the kitchen +clove asunder, and there came forth from it a damsel of tall stature, +smooth-cheeked, of perfect form, with eyes adorned with ko[h.]l,[II_34] +beautiful in countenance, and with heavy, swelling hips; wearing a +koofeeyeh[II_35] interwoven with blue silk; with rings in her ears, and +bracelets on her wrists, and rings set with precious jewels on her +fingers; and in her hand was a rod of Indian cane: and she dipped the +end of the rod in the frying-pan, and said, O fish, are ye remaining +faithful to your covenant? At the sight of this, the cook-maid fainted. +The damsel then repeated the same words a second and a third time; after +which the fish raised their heads from the frying-pan, and answered, +Yes, yes. They then repeated the following verse:-- + + If thou return, we return; and if thou come, we come; and if thou + forsake, we verily do the same. + +And upon this the damsel overturned the frying-pan, and departed by the +way she had entered, and the wall of the kitchen closed up again. The +cook-maid then arose, and beheld the four fish burnt like charcoal; and +she exclaimed, In his first encounter his staff broke!--and as she sat +reproaching herself, she beheld the Wezeer standing at her head; and he +said to her, Bring the fish to the Sul[t.]an:--and she wept, and +informed him of what had happened.[II_36] + +[Illustration] + +The Wezeer was astonished at her words, and exclaimed, This is indeed a +wonderful event;--and he sent for the fisherman, and when he was +brought, he said to him, O fisherman, thou must bring to us four fish +like those which thou broughtest before. The fisherman accordingly went +forth to the lake, and threw his net, and when he had drawn it in he +found in it four fish as before; and he took them to the Wezeer, who +went with them to the maid, and said to her, Rise, and fry them in my +presence, that I may witness this occurrence. The maid, therefore, +prepared the fish, and put them in the frying-pan, and they had remained +but a little while, when the wall clove asunder, and the damsel +appeared, clad as before, and holding the rod; and she dipped the end of +the rod in the frying-pan, and said, O fish, O fish, are ye remaining +faithful to your old covenant? Upon which they raised their heads, and +answered as before; and the damsel overturned the frying-pan with the +rod, and returned by the way she had entered, and the wall closed up +again. + +The Wezeer then said, This is an event which cannot be concealed from +the King:--so he went to him, and informed him of what had happened in +his presence; and the King said, I must see this with my own eyes. He +sent, therefore, to the fisherman, and commanded him to bring four fish +like the former; granting him a delay of three days. And the fisherman +repaired to the lake, and brought the fish thence to the King, who +ordered again that four hundred pieces of gold should be given to him; +and then, turning to the Wezeer, said to him, Cook the fish thyself here +before me. The Wezeer answered, I hear and obey. He brought the +frying-pan, and, after he had cleaned the fish, threw them into it; and +as soon as he had turned them, the wall clove asunder, and there came +forth from it a negro, in size like a bull, or like one of the tribe of +'Ad,[II_37] having in his hand a branch of a green tree; and he said, +with a clear but terrifying voice, O fish, O fish, are ye remaining +faithful to your old covenant? Upon which they raised their heads, and +answered as before, Yes, yes: + + If thou return, we return; and if thou come, we come; and if thou + forsake, we verily do the same. + +The black then approached the frying-pan, and overturned it with the +branch, and the fish became like charcoal, and he went away as he had +come. + +When he had thus disappeared from before their eyes, the King said, This +is an event respecting which it is impossible to keep silence, and there +must, undoubtedly, be some strange circumstance connected with these +fish. He then ordered that the fisherman should be brought before him, +and when he had come, he said to him, Whence came these fish? The +fisherman answered, From a lake between four mountains behind this +mountain which is without thy city. The King said to him, How many days' +journey[II_38] distant? He answered, O our lord the Sul[t.]an, a journey +of half-an-hour. And the Sul[t.]an was astonished, and ordered his +troops to go out immediately with him and the fisherman, who began to +curse the 'Efreet. They proceeded until they had ascended the mountain, +and descended into a wide desert tract which they had never before seen +in their whole lives; and the Sul[t.]an and all the troops wondered at +the sight of this desert, which was between four mountains, and at the +fish, which were of four colours, red and white and yellow and blue. The +King paused in astonishment, and said to the troops, and to the other +attendants who were with him, Hath any one of you before seen this lake +in this place? They all answered, No. Then said the King, By Allah, I +will not enter my city, nor will I sit upon my throne, until I know the +true history of this lake, and of its fish. And upon this he ordered his +people to encamp around these mountains; and they did so. He then called +for the Wezeer, who was a well-informed, sensible, prudent, and learned +man; and when he had presented himself before him, he said to him, I +desire to do a thing with which I will acquaint thee; and it is this:--I +have resolved to depart alone this night, to seek for information +respecting this lake and its fish: therefore, sit thou at the door of my +pavilion, and say to the Emeers and Wezeers and Chamberlains, The +Sul[t.]an is sick, and hath commanded me not to allow any person to go +in unto him:--and acquaint no one with my intention. + +The Wezeer was unable to oppose his design; so the King disguised +himself, and slung on his sword, and withdrew himself from the midst of +his troops. He journeyed the whole of the night, until the morning, and +proceeded until the heat became oppressive to him: he then paused to +rest; after which he again proceeded the remainder of the day and the +second night until the morning, when there appeared before him, in the +distance, something black, at the sight of which he rejoiced, and said, +Perhaps I shall there find some person who will inform me of the history +of the lake and its fish. And when he approached this black object, he +found it to be a palace built of black stones, and overlaid with iron; +and one of the leaves of its doors was open, and the other shut. The +King was glad, and he stood at the door, and knocked gently, but heard +no answer; he knocked a second and a third time, but again heard no +answer: then he knocked a fourth time, and with violence; but no one +answered. So he said, It is doubtless empty:--and he took courage, and +entered from the door into the passage, and cried out, saying, O +inhabitants of the palace, I am a stranger and a traveller! have ye any +provision? And he repeated these words a second and a third time; but +heard no answer. And upon this he fortified his heart, and emboldened +himself, and proceeded from the passage into the midst of the palace; +but he found no one there, and only saw that it was furnished, and that +there was, in the centre of it, a fountain with four lions of red gold, +which poured forth the water from their mouths, like pearls and jewels: +around this were birds; and over the top of the palace was extended a +net which prevented their flying out. At the sight of these objects he +was astonished, and he was grieved that he saw no person there whom he +could ask for information respecting the lake, and the fish, and the +mountains, and the palace. He then sat down between the doors,[II_39] +reflecting upon these things; and as he thus sat, he heard a voice of +lamentation from a sorrowful heart, chanting these verses:-- + + O fortune, thou pitiest me not, nor releasest me! See my heart is + straitened between affliction and peril! + Will not you [O my wife] have compassion on the mighty whom love + hath abased, and the wealthy who is reduced to indigence? + We were jealous even of the zephyr which passed over you: but when + the divine decree is issued, the eye becometh blind! + What resource hath the archer when, in the hour of conflict, + he desireth to discharge the arrow, but findeth his bow-string + broken. + And when troubles are multiplied upon the noble-minded, where shall + he find refuge from fate and from destiny?[II_40] + +When the Sul[t.]an heard this lamentation, he sprang upon his feet, and, +seeking the direction whence it proceeded, found a curtain suspended +before the door of a chamber; and he raised it, and beheld behind it a +young man sitting on a couch raised to the height of a cubit from the +floor. He was a handsome youth, well-shaped, and of eloquent speech, +with shining forehead, and rosy cheek, marked with a mole resembling +ambergris. The King was rejoiced at seeing him, and saluted him; and the +young man (who remained sitting, and was clad with a vest of silk, +embroidered with gold, but who exhibited traces of grief) returned his +salutation, and said to him, O my master, excuse my not rising.--O +youth! said the King, inform me respecting the lake, and its fish of +various colours, and respecting this palace, and the reason of thy being +alone in it, and of thy lamentation. When the young man heard these +words, tears trickled down his cheeks, and he wept bitterly.[II_41] +And the King was astonished, and said to him, What causeth thee to weep, +O youth? He answered, How can I refrain from weeping, when this is my +state?--and so saying, he stretched forth his hand, and lifted up the +skirts of his clothing; and lo, half of him, from his waist to the soles +of his feet, was stone; and from his waist to the hair of his head, he +was like other men. He then said, Know, O King, that the story of the +fish is extraordinary; if it were engraved upon the intellect, it would +be a lesson to him who would be admonished:--and he related as +follows:-- + +[Illustration] + + +THE STORY OF THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLANDS. + +My father was king of the city which was here situate: his name was +Ma[h.]mood, and he was lord of the Black Islands, and of the four +mountains. After a reign of seventy years, he died, and I succeeded to +his throne; whereupon I took as my wife the daughter of my uncle; and +she loved me excessively, so that when I absented myself from her, she +would neither eat nor drink till she saw me again. She remained under my +protection five years. After this, she went one day to the bath; and I +had commanded the cook to prepare the supper, and entered this palace, +and slept in my usual place.[II_42] I had ordered two maids to fan +me;[II_43] and one of them sat at my head, and the other at my feet; but +I was restless, because my wife was not with me; and I could not sleep. +My eyes were closed, but my spirit was awake; and I heard the maid at my +head say to her at my feet, O Mes'oodeh,[II_44] verily our lord is +unfortunate in his youth, and what a pity is it that it should be passed +with our depraved, wicked mistress!--Perdition to unfaithful wives! +replied the other: but (added she) such a person as our lord, so endowed +by nature, is not suited to this profligate woman, who passes every +night absent from his bed.--Verily, rejoined she at my head, our lord is +careless in not making any inquiry respecting her.--Wo to thee! said the +other: hath our lord any knowledge of her conduct, or doth she leave him +to his choice? Nay, on the contrary, she contriveth to defraud him by +means of the cup of wine[II_45] which he drinketh every night before he +sleepeth, putting benj[II_46] into it; in consequence of which he +sleepeth so soundly that he knoweth not what happeneth, nor whither she +goeth, nor what she doeth; for, after she hath given him the wine to +drink, she dresseth herself, and goeth out from him, and is absent until +daybreak, when she returneth to him, and burneth a perfume under his +nose, upon which he awaketh from his sleep. + +[Illustration] + +When I heard this conversation of the maids, the light became darkness +before my face, and I was hardly conscious of the approach of night, +when my cousin returned from the bath. The table was prepared, and we +ate, and sat a while drinking our wine as usual. I then called for the +wine which I was accustomed to drink before I lay down to sleep, and she +handed to me the cup; but I turned away, and, pretending to drink it as +I was wont to do, poured it into my bosom, and immediately lay down: +upon which she said, Sleep on; I wish that thou wouldst never wake +again! By Allah, I abhor thee, and abhor thy person, and my soul is +weary of thy company!--She then arose, and attired herself in the most +magnificent of her apparel, and, having perfumed herself, and slung on a +sword, opened the door of the palace, and went out. I got up +immediately, and followed her until she had quitted the palace, and +passed through the streets of the city, and arrived at the city-gates, +when she pronounced some words that I understood not; whereupon the +locks fell off, and the gates opened, and she went out, I still +following her, without her knowledge. Thence she proceeded to a space +among the mounds,[II_47] and arrived at a strong edifice, in which was a +[k.]ubbeh[II_48] constructed of mud, with a door, which she entered. I +then climbed upon the roof of the [k.]ubbeh, and, looking down upon her +through an aperture, saw that she was visiting a black slave, whose +large lips, one of which overlapped the other, gathered up the sand from +the pebbly floor, while he lay, in a filthy and wet condition, upon a +few stalks of sugar-cane. + +She kissed the ground before this slave; and he raised his head towards +her, and said, Wo to thee! Wherefore hast thou remained away until this +hour? The other blacks have been here drinking wine, and each of them +has gone away with his mistress; and I refused to drink on thy +account.--She answered, O my master, and beloved of my heart, knowest +thou not that I am married to my cousin, and that I abhor every man who +resembles him, and hate myself while I am in his company? If I did not +fear to displease thee, I would reduce the city to ruins, so that the +owl and the raven should cry in it, and would transport its stones +beyond Mount [K.]af.[II_49]--Thou liest, thou infamous woman, replied +the slave; and I swear by the generosity of the blacks (and if I speak +not truth, may our valour be as the valour of the whites), that if thou +loiter as thou hast now done till this hour, I will no longer give thee +my company, nor approach thy person, thou faithless one! Dost thou +inconvenience me for the sake of thine own pleasure, thou filthy wretch, +and vilest of the whites?--When I heard (continued the King) their +words, and witnessed what passed between them, the world became dark +before my face, and I knew not where I was.--My cousin still stood +weeping, and abasing herself before him, and said, O my beloved, and +treasure of my heart, there remaineth to me none but thee for whom I +care, and if thou cast me off, alas for me! O my beloved! O light of +mine eye!--Thus she continued to weep, and to humble herself before him, +until he became pacified towards her; upon which she rejoiced, and +arose, and, having disrobed herself, said to him, O my master, hast thou +here anything that thy maid may eat? He answered, Uncover the dough-pan; +it contains some cooked rats' bones:[II_50] eat of them, and pick them; +and take this earthen pot: thou wilt find in it some boo[z.]ah[II_51] to +drink. So she arose, and ate and drank, and washed her hands; after +which she lay down by the side of the slave, upon the stalks of +sugar-cane, and covered herself with his tattered clothes and rags. + +[Illustration] + +When I saw her do this, I became unconscious of my existence, and, +descending from the roof of the [k.]ubbeh, entered, and took the sword +from the side of my cousin, with the intention of killing them both. I +struck the slave upon his neck, and thought that he was killed; but the +blow, which I gave with the view of severing his head, only cut the +gullet and skin and flesh; and when I thought that I had killed him, he +uttered a loud snore, upon which my cousin started up, and as soon as I +had gone, took the sword, and returned it to its scabbard, and came back +to the city and to the palace, and lay down again in my bed, in which +she remained until the morning. + +On the following day, I observed that my cousin had cut off her hair, +and put on the apparel of mourning;[II_52] and she said to me, O my +cousin, blame me not for what I do; for I have received news that my +mother is dead, and that my father hath been slain in a holy war, and +that one of my two brothers hath died of a poisonous sting, and the +other by the fall of a house: it is natural, therefore, that I should +weep and mourn. On hearing these words, I abstained from upbraiding her, +and said, Do what seemeth fit to thee; for I will not oppose thee. +Accordingly, she continued mourning and weeping and wailing a whole +year; after which she said to me, I have a desire to build for myself, +in thy palace, a tomb, with a [k.]ubbeh, that I may repair thither alone +to mourn, and I will call it the House of Lamentations.[II_53] I +replied, Do what thou seest fit. So she built for herself a house for +mourning, with a [k.]ubbeh in the middle of it, like the tomb of a +saint;[II_54] after which she removed thither the slave, and there she +lodged him. He was in a state of excessive weakness, and unable to +render her any service, though he drank wine; and from the day on which +I had wounded him, he had never spoken; yet he remained alive, because +the appointed term of his life had not expired. My cousin every day +visited him in this tomb early and late, to weep and mourn over him, and +took to him wine to drink, and boiled meats; and thus she continued to +do, morning and evening, until the expiration of the second year, while +I patiently suffered her, till one day, I entered her apartment +unawares, and found her weeping, and slapping her face, and repeating +these verses:-- + + I have lost my existence among mankind since your absence; + for my heart loveth none but you. + Take my body, then, in mercy, to the place where you are laid; + and there bury me by your side: + And if, at my grave, you utter my name, the moaning of my bones + shall answer to your call. + +As soon as she had finished the recitation of these verses, I said to +her, holding my drawn sword in my hand, This is the language of those +faithless women who renounce the ties of affinity, and regard not lawful +fellowship!--and I was about to strike her with the sword, and had +lifted up my arm to do so, when she rose--for she knew that it was I who +had wounded the slave--and, standing before me, pronounced some words +which I understood not, and said, May God, by means of my enchantment, +make thee to be half of stone, and half of the substance of +man!--whereupon I became as thou seest, unable to move, neither dead nor +alive; and when I had been reduced to this state, she enchanted the city +and its markets and fields. The inhabitants of our city were of four +classes; Muslims, and Christians, and Jews, and Magians; and she +transformed them into fish: the white are the Muslims; the red, the +Magians; the blue, the Christians; and the yellow, the Jews.[II_55] She +transformed, also, the four islands into four mountains, and placed them +around the lake; and from that time she has continued every day to +torture me, inflicting upon me a hundred lashes with a leathern whip, +until the blood flows from my wounds; after which she puts on my upper +half a vest of hair-cloth, beneath these garments.--Having said thus, +the young man wept, and ejaculating the following verses:-- + + Give me patience, O Allah, to bear what Thou decreest! I will be + patient, if so I may obtain thine approval. + I am straitened, indeed, by the calamity that hath befallen me: + but the Family of the favoured Prophet shall intercede + for me![II_56] + +Upon this, the King, looking towards the young man, said to him, O +youth, thou hast increased my anxiety. And where (he added) is this +woman?--The young man answered, She is in the tomb where the slave is +lying, in the [k.]ubbeh; and every day, before she visits him, she +strips me of my clothing, and inflicts upon me a hundred lashes with the +whip, while I weep and cry out, unable to move so as to repulse her. +After thus torturing me, she repairs early to the slave, with the wine +and boiled meat.--By Allah, O youth, said the King, I will do thee an +act of kindness for which I shall be remembered, and a favour which +historians shall record in a biography after me. + +He then sat and conversed with him until the approach of night, upon +which he arose, and waited till the first dawn of day, when he took off +his clothes, and slung on his sword, and went to the place where the +slave lay. After remarking the candles and lamps, and perfumes and +ointments, he approached the slave, and with a blow of his sword slew +him: he then carried him on his back, and threw him into a well which he +found in the palace, and, returning to the [k.]ubbeh, clad himself with +the slave's clothes, and lay down with the drawn sword by his side. Soon +after, the vile enchantress went to her cousin, and, having pulled off +his clothes, took the whip, and beat him, while he cried, Ah! it is +enough for me to be in this state! Have pity on me then!--Didst thou +shew pity to me, she exclaimed, and didst thou spare my lover?--She then +put on him the hair-cloth vest and his outer garments, and repaired to +the slave with a cup of wine, and a bowl of boiled meat. Entering the +tomb, she wept and wailed, exclaiming, O my master, answer me! O my +master, speak to me!--and poured forth her lamentation in the words of +this verse:-- + + How long shall this aversion and harshness continue? Sufficient + is the evil which my passion hath brought upon me![II_57] + +Then, weeping as before, she exclaimed again, O my master, answer me, +and speak to me! Upon this the King, speaking in a low voice, and +adapting his tongue to the pronunciation of the blacks, ejaculated, Ah! +Ah! there is no strength nor power but in God! On hearing these words, +she screamed with joy, and fell down in a swoon; and when she recovered, +she exclaimed, Possibly my master is restored to health! The King, again +lowering his voice, as if from weakness, replied, Thou profligate +wretch, thou deservest not that I should address thee.--Wherefore? said +she. He answered, Because all the day long thou tormentest thy husband, +while he calleth out, and imploreth the aid of God, so that thou hast +prevented my sleeping from the commencement of darkness until morning: +thy husband hath not ceased to humble himself, and to imprecate +vengeance upon thee, till he hath distracted me; and had it not been for +this, I had recovered my strength: this it is which hath prevented my +answering thee.--Then, with thy permission, she replied, I will liberate +him from his present sufferings.--Liberate him, said the King, and give +us ease. + +[Illustration] + +She replied, I hear and obey;--and immediately arose, and went out from +the [k.]ubbeh to the palace, and, taking a cup, filled it with water, +and pronounced certain words over it, upon which it began to boil like a +cauldron. She then sprinkled some of it upon her cousin, saying, By +virtue of what I have uttered, be changed from thy present state to that +in which thou wast at first!--and instantly he shook, and stood upon his +feet, rejoicing in his liberation, and exclaimed, I testify that there +is no deity but God, and that Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle; God bless +and save him! She then said to him, Depart, and return not hither, or I +will kill thee:--and she cried out in his face: so he departed from +before her, and she returned to the [k.]ubbeh, and said, O my master, +come forth to me that I may behold thee. He replied, with a weak voice, +What hast thou done? Thou hast relieved me from the branch, but hast not +relieved me from the root.--O my beloved, she said, and what is the +root? He answered, The people of this city, and of the four islands: +every night, at the middle hour, the fish raise their heads, and +imprecate vengeance upon me and upon thee; and this is the cause that +preventeth the return of vigour to my body; therefore, liberate them, +and come, and take my hand, and raise me; for vigour hath already in +part returned to me. + +[Illustration] + +On hearing these words of the King, whom she imagined to be the slave, +she said to him with joy, O my master, on my head and my eye! In the +name of Allah![II_58]--and she sprang up, full of happiness, and +hastened to the lake, where, taking a little of its water, she +pronounced over it some unintelligible words, whereupon the fish became +agitated, and raised their heads, and immediately became converted into +men as before. Thus was the enchantment removed from the inhabitants of +the city, and the city became repeopled, and the market-streets +re-erected, and every one returned to his occupation: the mountains also +became changed into islands as they were at the first. The enchantress +then returned immediately to the King, whom she still imagined to be the +slave, and said to him, O my beloved, stretch forth thy honoured hand, +that I may kiss it.--Approach me, said the King in a low voice. So she +drew near to him; and he, having his keen-edged sword ready in his hand, +thrust it into her bosom, and the point protruded from her back: he then +struck her again, and clove her in twain, and went forth. + +He found the young man who had been enchanted waiting his return, and +congratulated him on his safety; and the young prince kissed his hand, +and thanked him. The King then said to him, Wilt thou remain in thy +city, or come with me to my capital?--O King of the age, said the young +man, dost thou know the distance that is between thee and thy city? The +King answered, Two days and a half.--O King, replied the young man, if +thou hast been asleep, awake: between thee and thy city is a distance of +a year's journey to him who travelleth with diligence; and thou camest +in two days and a half only because the city was enchanted: but, O King, +I will never quit thee for the twinkling of an eye. The King rejoiced at +his words, and said, Praise be to God, who hath in his beneficence given +thee to me: thou art my son; for during my whole life, I have never been +blest with a son:--and they embraced each other, and rejoiced +exceedingly. They then went together into the palace, where the King who +had been enchanted informed the officers of his court that he was about +to perform the holy pilgrimage: so they prepared for him everything that +he required; and he departed with the Sul[t.]an; his heart burning with +reflections upon his city, because he had been deprived of the sight of +it for the space of a year. + +He set forth, accompanied by fifty memlooks,[II_59] and provided with +presents, and they continued their journey night and day for a whole +year, after which they drew near to the city of the Sul[t.]an, and the +Wezeer and the troops, who had lost all hope of his return, came forth +to meet him. The troops, approaching him, kissed the ground before him, +and congratulated him on his safe return; and he entered the city, and +sat upon the throne. He then acquainted the Wezeer with all that had +happened to the young King; on hearing which, the Wezeer congratulated +the latter, also, on his safety; and when all things were restored to +order, the Sul[t.]an bestowed presents upon a number of his subjects, +and said to the Wezeer, Bring to me the fisherman who presented to me +the fish. So he sent to this fisherman, who had been the cause of the +restoration of the inhabitants of the enchanted city, and brought him; +and the King invested him with a dress of honour, and inquired of him +respecting his circumstances, and whether he had any children. The +fisherman informed him that he had a son and two daughters; and the +King, on hearing this, took as his wife one of the daughters, and the +young prince married the other.[II_60] The King also conferred upon the +son the office of treasurer. He then sent the Wezeer to the city of the +young prince, the capital of the Black Islands, and invested him with +its sovereignty, despatching with him the fifty memlooks who had +accompanied him thence, with numerous robes of honour to all the Emeers: +and the Wezeer kissed his hands, and set forth on his journey; while +the Sul[t.]an and the young prince remained. And as to the fisherman, he +became the wealthiest of the people of his age; and his daughters +continued to be the wives of the Kings until they died. + +But this (added Shahrazad) is not more wonderful than what happened to +the porter. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER SECOND. + +NOTE 1. The sentiment expressed in this verse is one which is often +heard from the mouth of a Muslim; but generally when, his toil is ended, +and its result seen; though not unfrequently as an excuse for indolence. + +NOTE 2. The bottle is here described (by the term "[k.]um[k.]um") as of +a kind commonly used for sprinkling rose-water, &c., having a spherical +or wide body, with a long and narrow neck. I remember seeing a gilt +brass bottle of this kind, of very beautiful workmanship, for which +nearly as much as ten pieces of gold was demanded. + +NOTE 3. The seal of Suleyman, or Solomon, has twice been mentioned in +former notes; in No. 21 of the notes appended to the Introduction, and +in No. 15 of those to the first chapter. + +NOTE 4. It is necessary to remark, that this and many other descriptions +in the present work are not designed to be understood in their literal +sense. The reader will often be required to make some allowance for +Oriental hyperbole, and to distinguish between expressions characterised +by this figure, and such as are purely accordant with Eastern grandeur +and magnificence, or with Muslim superstition. + +NOTE 5. The end of the winnowing-fork bears a rude resemblance to a +gigantic hand; having several long prongs of wood. + +NOTE 6. Instead of "ibree[k.]" (a ewer), in the Cairo edition, I read +"abwa[k.]" (trumpets), as in other editions. + +NOTE 7. This appellation has been mentioned in a former note, as +signifying an evil Jinnee of the most powerful class. + +NOTE 8. It is a rule observed in decent society, by the Arabs, to avoid, +as much as possible, the mention of opprobrious epithets, lest any +person present should imagine such epithets to be addressed insidiously +to himself. For this reason, when any malediction or offensive language +is repeated in a story, it is usual with them to designate the object of +such language by this term, which signifies both remote or absent from +the person or persons in whose presence the words are repeated, and +remote from virtue or good. In the present instance, "remote" is an +epithet substituted by Shahrazad for some other of a gross nature, from +respect to the king to whom she is relating the story. + +NOTE 9. I read "[S.]akhr el-Jinnee" for "[S.]akhr el-Jinn."--[S.]akhr +was an evil Jinnee, and a terrible enemy of Solomon. His last act of +treachery to that monarch, and his fate, are thus related by +commentators on the [K.]ur-an.--Solomon having, through negligence, +suffered one of his women to practise idolatry under his roof, God saw +fit to punish him. It was the custom of this King, on certain occasions, +"to intrust his signet, on which his kingdom depended, with a concubine +of his, named El-Emeeneh. One day, therefore, when she had the ring in +her custody, a devil [or evil Jinnee], named [S.]akhr, came to her in +the shape of Solomon, and received the ring from her; by virtue of which +he became possessed of the kingdom, and sat on the throne in the shape +which he had borrowed, making what alterations in the law he pleased. +Solomon, in the meantime, being changed in his outward appearance, and +known to none of his subjects, was obliged to wander about, and beg alms +for his subsistence; till at length, after the space of forty days, +which was the time the image had been worshipped in his house, the devil +flew away, and threw the signet into the sea. The signet was immediately +swallowed by a fish, which being taken and given to Solomon, he found +the ring in its belly; and having by this means recovered the kingdom, +he took [S.]akhr, and, tying a great stone to his neck, threw him into +the Lake of Tiberias."[150] + +NOTE 10. "Umm-'Amir" is an appellation of the hyena. It is scarcely +necessary to mention, that the proverb here quoted is said to have +originated from the fact of a man's having been devoured by a hyena whom +he had aided against an enemy. + +NOTE 11. In some copies, the personage here mentioned is called "Melik +el-Yoonan," that is, "King of Ancient Greece," or--"of the Ancient +Greeks." I have followed the Cairo edition, and that of the first two +hundred nights, printed at Calcutta, in which "Yoonan" is used as the +King's proper name. See also Note 13. + +NOTE 12. This is the name of the sage in most copies; but in the Cairo +edition he is called "Rooyan." + +NOTE 13. In the Calcutta edition, the king is merely said to have +reigned "in the country of the Persians," as in my translation; but in +the Cairo edition, he is said to have been "in the _city_ of the +Persians, and the country of Rooman;" which may perhaps mean (though +this is hardly allowable) the [eastern] Roman, or later Greek, empire; +an unnecessary contradiction. (See Note 22 to Chapter x.) It is +obviously more agreeable with the story to regard him as a Persian King. + +NOTE 14. "The Ornament of the Good," or--"of the Comely," is an +appellation of the Arabian prophet, who is related to have said, "The +sun never riseth until it hath saluted me." "The sun's saluting the +Ornament of the Good," or "Comely," is, therefore, a phrase not +unfrequently used by Muslims merely to signify its rising. + +NOTE 15.--_On the Rewards of Men of Literature and Science._ It has long +been a common custom of Eastern princes to bestow dresses of honour upon +men of literature and science, as well as upon their great officers and +other servants. These dresses were of different kinds for persons of +different classes or professions. The most usual kind was an ample coat. +With dresses of this description were often given gold-embroidered +turbans; and sometimes, to Emeers (or great military officers), +neck-rings or collars (called [t.]o[k.]s), some of which were set with +jewels; as also, bracelets, and swords ornamented with precious stones, +&c.; and to Wezeers, instead of the [t.]o[k.], a necklace of +jewels.[151]--The following striking record will convey an idea of the +magnificence of some of these dresses of honour; or, in other words, of +the liberality of a Muslim prince, and, at the same time, of the very +precarious nature of his favour. A person, chancing to look at a +register kept by one of the officers of Haroon Er-Rasheed, saw in it the +following entry:--"Four hundred thousand pieces of gold, the price of a +dress of honour for Ja[a.]far, the son of Ya[h.]ya, the Wezeer."--A few +days after, he saw beneath this written,--"Ten [k.]eera[t.]s, the price +of naphtha and reeds, for burning the body of Ja[a.]far, the son of +Ya[h.]ya."[152]--The [k.]eera[t.] of Baghdad was the twentieth part of a +deenar, or piece of gold. + +Arab princes and other great men have generally been famous for highly +respecting, and liberally rewarding, men of literature and science, and +especially poets. El-Mamoon and many others are well known to us for +their patronage of the learned. Er-Rasheed carried his condescension to +them so far as to pour the water on the hands of a blind man, +Aboo-Mo'awiyeh, one of the most learned persons of his time, previously +to his eating with him, to shew his respect for science.[153] An +anecdote of a Khaleefeh ordering the mouth of a learned man to be filled +with jewels, I have related in a former note. To cram the mouth with +sugar or sweetmeats for a polite or eloquent speech, or piece of poetry, +has been more commonly done; but the usual presents to learned men were, +and are, dresses of honour and sums of money. Ibn-'Obeyd El-Bakhteree, +an illustrious poet and traditionist, who flourished in the reign of +El-Musta'een, is said to have received so many presents, that, after his +death, there were found, among the property which he left, a hundred +complete suits of dress, two hundred shirts, and five hundred +turbans.[154] A thousand pieces of gold were often given, and sometimes +ten, twenty, or thirty, thousand, and even more, for a few verses; nay, +for a single couplet. + +The prodigality of Arab princes to men of learning may be exemplified by +the following anecdote:--[H.]ammad, surnamed Er-Rawiyeh, or the famous +reciter, having attached himself to the Khaleefeh El-Weleed, the son of +'Abd-el-Melik, and shewn a contrary feeling towards his brother Hisham, +on the accession of the latter fled to El-Koofeh. While there, a letter +arrived from Hisham, commanding his presence at Damascus: it was +addressed to the governor, who, being ordered to treat him with honour, +gave him a purse containing a thousand pieces of gold, and despatched +him with the Khaleefeh's messenger. On his arrival at Damascus, he was +conducted before Hisham, whom he found in a splendid saloon, seated +under a pavilion of red silk, surmounted by a dome of yellow brocade, +attended by two female slaves of beauty unsurpassed, each holding a +crystal ewer of wine. His admission during the presence of members of +the King's [h.]areem, the reader will remark as a very unusual and high +honour: the mention of the wine may also surprise him; but this is a +subject upon which much may be said, and which will be considered on a +future occasion. After [H.]ammad had given the salutation, and the +Khaleefeh had returned it, the latter told him that he had sent for him +to ask respecting a couplet of which he (the Khaleefeh) could only +remember that it ended with the word "ibree[k.]," which signifies "a +ewer." The reciter reflected a while, and the lines occurred to his +mind, and he repeated them. Hisham cried out, in delight, that the lines +were those he meant; drank a cup of wine, and desired one of the female +slaves to hand a cup to [H.]ammad. She did so; and the draught, he says, +deprived him of one-third of his reason. The Khaleefeh desired him to +repeat the lines again, and drank a second cup; and [H.]ammad was +deprived of another third of his reason in the same manner; and said, "O +Prince of the Faithful, two-thirds of my reason have departed from me." +Hisham laughed, and desired him to ask what he would before the +remaining third should have gone; and the reciter said, "One of these +two female slaves." The Khaleefeh laughed again, and said, "Nay, but +both of them are thine, and all that is upon them, and all that they +possess, and, beside them, fifty thousand pieces of gold."--"I kissed +the ground before him," says [H.]ammad, "and drank a third cup, and was +unconscious of what happened after: I did not awake till the close of +the night, when I found myself in a handsome house, surrounded by +lighted candles, and the two female slaves were putting in order my +clothes and other things: so I took possession of the property, and +departed, the happiest of the creatures of God."[155] + +A whimsical story is told of a king, who denied to poets those rewards +to which usage had almost given them a claim. This king, whose name is +not recorded, had the faculty of retaining in his memory an ode after +having only once heard it; and he had a memlook who could repeat an ode +that he had twice heard, and a female slave who could repeat one that +she had heard thrice. Whenever a poet came to compliment him with a +panegyrical ode, the King used to promise him that, if he found his +verses to be his original composition, he would give him a sum of money +equal in weight to what they were written upon. The poet, consenting, +would recite his ode; and the King would say, "It is not new; for I have +known it some years;" and would repeat it as he had heard it; after +which he would add, "And this memlook also retains it in his memory;" +and would order the memlook to repeat it; which, having heard it twice, +from the poet and the king, he would do. The King would then say to the +poet, "I have also a female slave who can repeat it;" and on his +ordering her to do so, stationed behind the curtains, she would repeat +what she had thus thrice heard: so the poet would go away empty-handed. +The famous poet El-A[s.]ma'ee, having heard of this proceeding, and +guessing the trick, determined upon outwitting the King; and accordingly +composed an ode made up of very difficult words; but this was not his +only preparative measure; another will be presently explained; and a +third was, to assume the dress of a Bedawee, that he might not be known, +covering his face, the eyes only excepted, with a litham (a piece of +drapery) in accordance with a custom of Arabs of the desert. Thus +disguised, he went to the palace, and, having asked permission, entered, +and saluted the King, who said to him, "Whence art thou, O brother of +the Arabs, and what dost thou desire?" The poet answered, "May God +increase the power of the King! I am a poet of such a tribe, and have +composed an ode in praise of our lord the Sul[t.]an."--"O brother of the +Arabs," said the King, "hast thou heard of our condition?"--"No," +answered the poet; "and what is it, O King of the age?"--"It is," +replied the King, "that if the ode be not thine, we give thee no reward; +and if it be thine, we give thee the weight in money of what it is +written upon."--"How," said El-A[s.]ma'ee, "should I assume to myself +that which belongs to another, and knowing, too, that lying before kings +is one of the basest of actions? But I agree to this condition, O our +lord the Sul[t.]an." So he repeated his ode. The King, perplexed, and +unable to remember any of it, made a sign to the memlook--but he had +retained nothing; and called to the female slave, but she also was +unable to repeat a word. "O brother of the Arabs," said he, "thou hast +spoken truth, and the ode is thine without doubt: I have never heard it +before: produce, therefore, what it is written upon, and we will give +thee its weight in money, as we have promised."--"Wilt thou," said the +poet, "send one of the attendants to carry it?"--"To carry what?" asked +the King; "is it not upon a paper here in thy possession?"--"No, O our +lord the Sul[t.]an," replied the poet; "at the time I composed it I +could not procure a piece of paper upon which to write it, and could +find nothing but a fragment of a marble column left me by my father; so +I engraved it upon this; and it lies in the court of the palace." He had +brought it, wrapped up, on the back of a camel. The King, to fulfil his +promise, was obliged to exhaust his treasury; and to prevent a +repetition of this trick (of which he afterwards discovered +El-A[s.]ma'ee to have been the author), in future rewarded the poets +according to the usual custom of kings.[156] + +The following case is also related as an exception to the common custom +of great men, with regard to the bestowal of rewards on poets:--"A poet +praised a governor in some verses, and the latter ordered an ass's +barda'ah (or stuffed saddle) and girth to be given to him. The poet went +away with them on his shoulder; and, being asked what he had got, +answered, 'I have praised our honoured lord in the best of my verses, +and he hath bestowed on me some of the most magnificent articles of his +apparel.'"[157] + +NOTE 16.--_On the Bath._ The [h.]ammam, or bath, is a favourite resort +of both men and women of all classes among the Muslims who can afford +the trifling expense which it requires; and (it is said) not only of +human beings, but also of evil genii; on which account, as well as on +that of decency, several precepts respecting it have been dictated by +Mo[h.]ammad. It is frequented for the purpose of performing certain +ablutions required by the religion, or by a regard for cleanliness, and +for its salutary effects, and for mere luxury. + +The following description of a public bath will convey a sufficient +notion of those in private houses, which are on a smaller scale, and +generally consist of only two or three chambers. The public bath +comprises several apartments, with mosaic or tesselated pavements, +composed of white and black marble, and pieces of fine red tile, and +sometimes other materials. The inner apartments are covered with domes, +having a number of small, round, glazed apertures, for the admission of +light. The first apartment is the meslakh, or disrobing room, which has, +in the centre, a fountain of cold water, and, next the walls, wide +benches or platforms, encased with marble. These are furnished with +mattresses and cushions for the higher and middle classes, and with mats +for the poorer sort. The inner division of the building, in the more +regularly planned baths, occupies nearly a square: the central and chief +portion of it is the principal apartment, or [h.]ararah, which generally +has the form of a cross. In its centre is a fountain of hot water, +rising from a base encased with marble, which serves as a seat. One of +the angles of the square is occupied by the beyt-owwal, or antechamber +of the [h.]ararah: in another, is the fire over which is the boiler; and +each of the other two angles is generally occupied by two small +chambers: in one of these is a tank filled with warm water, which pours +down from a spout in the dome: in the other are two taps, side by side; +one of hot, and the other of cold water, with a small trough beneath, +before which is a seat. The inner apartments are heated by the steam +which rises from the fountain and tanks, and by the contiguity of the +fire; but the beyt-owwal is not so hot as the [h.]ararah, being +separated from it by a door. In cold weather, the bather undresses in +the former, which has two or three raised seats, like those of the +meslakh. + +With a pair of wooden clogs to his feet, and having a large napkin round +his loins, and generally a second wound round his head like a turban, a +third over his chest, and a fourth covering his back, he enters the +[h.]ararah, the heat of which causes him immediately to perspire +profusely. An attendant of the bath removes from him all the napkins +excepting the first; and proceeds to crack the joints of his fingers and +toes, &c., and several of the vertebrae of the back and neck; kneads his +flesh; and rubs the soles of his feet with a coarse earthen rasp, and +his limbs and body with a woollen bag which covers his hand as a glove; +after which, the bather, if he please, plunges into one of the tanks. He +is then thoroughly washed with soap and water, and fibres of the +palm-tree, and shaved, if he wish it, in one of the small chambers which +contain the taps of hot and cold water; and returns to the beyt-owwal. +Here he generally reclines upon a mattress, and takes some light +refreshment, while one of the attendants rubs the soles of his feet, and +kneads the flesh of his body and limbs, previously to his resuming his +dress. It is a common custom, now, to take a pipe and a cup of coffee +during this period of rest. + +The women are especially fond of the bath, and often have entertainments +there; taking with them fruits, sweetmeats, &c., and sometimes hiring +female singers to accompany them. An hour or more is occupied by the +process of plaiting the hair, and applying the depilatory, &c.; and, +generally, an equal time is passed in the enjoyment of rest, or +recreation, or refreshment. All necessary decorum is observed on these +occasions by most females; but women of the lower orders are often seen +in the bath without any covering. Some baths are appropriated solely to +men; others, only to women; and others, again, to men during the +forenoon, and in the afternoon to women. When the bath is appropriated +to women, a napkin, or some other piece of drapery, is suspended over +the door, to warn men from entering. + +Before the time of Mo[h.]ammad, there were no public baths in Arabia; +and he was so prejudiced against them, for the reasons already alluded +to, that he at first forbade both men and women from entering them: +afterwards, however, he permitted men to do so, if for the sake of +cleanliness, on the condition of their having a cloth round the waist; +and women also on account of sickness, child-birth, &c., provided they +had not convenient places for bathing in their houses. But, +notwithstanding this license, it is held to be a characteristic of a +virtuous woman, not to go to a bath even with her husband's permission: +for the Prophet said, "Whatever woman enters a bath, the devil is with +her." As the bath is a resort of the Jinn, prayer should not be +performed in it, nor the [K.]ur-an recited. The Prophet said, "All the +earth is given to me as a place of prayer, and as pure, except the +burial-ground and the bath."[158] Hence also, when a person is about to +enter a bath, he should offer up an ejaculatory prayer for protection +against evil spirits; and should place his left foot first over the +threshold.--Infidels have often been obliged to distinguish themselves +in the bath, by hanging a signet to the neck, or wearing anklets, &c., +lest they should receive those marks of respect which should be paid +only to believers.[159] + +NOTE 17.--_On Meals, and the Manner of Eating._ The King (with the sage +as his guest) is here described as eating in the presence of his court, +agreeably with a common custom of Eastern princes and other great men in +the present day; the simple manner in which the meal is served and eaten +occasioning but a slight interruption. + +The Muslim takes a light breakfast after the morning-prayers, and dinner +after the noon-prayers; or a single meal instead of these two, before +noon. His principal meal is supper, which is taken after the prayers of +sunset. A man of rank or wealth, when he has no guest, generally eats +alone; his children eat after him, or with his wife or wives. In all his +repasts he is moderate with regard to the quantity which he eats, +however numerous the dishes. + +In the times to which most of the tales in the present work relate, it +appears that the dishes were sometimes, I believe generally, placed upon +a round embroidered cloth spread on the floor, and sometimes on a tray, +which was either laid on the floor or upon a small stand or stool. The +last is the mode now always followed in the houses of the higher and +middle classes of the Arabs. The table is usually placed upon a round +cloth, spread in the middle of the floor, or in a corner, next two of +the deewans, or low seats which generally extend along three sides of +the room. It is composed of a large round tray of silver, or of tinned +copper, or of brass, supported by a stool, commonly about fifteen or +sixteen inches high, made of wood, and generally inlaid with +mother-of-pearl and ebony or other wood, or tortoise-shell, &c. When +there are numerous guests, two or more such tables are prepared. The +dishes are of silver, or of tinned copper, or of china. Several of these +are placed upon the tray; and around them are disposed some round, flat +cakes of bread, with spoons of box-wood, ebony, or other material, and, +usually, two or three limes, cut in halves, to be squeezed over certain +of the dishes. When these preparations have been made, each person who +is to partake of the repast receives a napkin; and a servant pours water +over his hands. A basin and ewer of either of the metals first mentioned +are employed for this purpose; the former has a cover with a receptacle +for a piece of soap in its centre, and with numerous perforations +through which the water runs during the act of washing, so that it is +not seen when the basin is brought from one person to another. It is +indispensably requisite to wash at least the right hand before eating +with the fingers anything but dry food; and the mouth, also, is often +rinsed, the water being taken up into it from the right hand. The +company sit upon the floor, or upon cushions, or some of them on the +deewan, either cross-legged, or with the right knee raised:[160] they +retain the napkins before mentioned; or a long napkin, sufficient to +surround the tray, is placed upon their knees; and each person, before +he begins to eat, says, "In the name of God," or "In the name of God, +the Compassionate, the Merciful." The master of the house begins first: +if he did not so, some persons would suspect that the food was poisoned. +The thumb and two fingers of the right hand serve instead of knives and +forks; and it is the usual custom for a person to help himself to a +portion of the contents of a dish by drawing it towards the edge, or +taking it from the edge, with a morsel of bread, which he eats with it: +when he takes too large a portion for a single mouthful, he generally +places it on his cake of bread. He takes from any dish that pleases him; +and sometimes a host hands a delicate morsel with his fingers to one of +his guests. It is not allowable to touch food with the left hand (as it +is used for unclean purposes), excepting in a few cases, when both hands +are required to divide a joint. + +Among the more common dishes are the following:--lamb or mutton cut into +small pieces, and stewed with various vegetables, and sometimes with +peaches, apricots, or jujubes, and sugar; cucumbers or small gourds, or +the fruit of the black or white egg-plant, stuffed with rice and minced +meat, &c.; vine-leaves or pieces of lettuce-leaf or cabbage-leaf, +enclosing a similar composition; small morsels of lamb or mutton, +roasted on skewers, and called "kebab;" fowls simply roasted or boiled, +or boned, and stuffed with raisins, pistachio-nuts, crumbled bread, and +parsley; and various kinds of pastry, and other sweets. The repast is +frequently commenced with soup; and is generally ended with boiled rice, +mixed with a little butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper; or after +this, is served a water-melon or other fruit, or a bowl of a sweet drink +composed of water with raisins, and sometimes other kinds of fruit, +boiled in it, and then sugar, and with a little rose-water added to it +when cool. The meat, having generally little fat, is cooked with +clarified butter, and is so thoroughly done that it is easily divided +with the fingers. + +A whole lamb, stuffed in the same manner as the fowls above mentioned, +is not a very uncommon dish; but one more extraordinary, of which +'Abd-El-La[t.]eef gives an account[161] as one of the most remarkable +that he had seen in Egypt, I am tempted to describe. It was an enormous +pie, composed in the following manner:--Thirty pounds of fine flour +being kneaded with five pounds and a half of oil of sesame, and divided +into two equal portions, one of these was spread upon a round tray of +copper, about four spans in diameter. Upon this were placed three lambs, +stuffed with pounded meat fried with oil of sesame and ground +pistachio-nuts, and various hot aromatics, such as pepper, ginger, +cinnamon, mastic, coriander-seed, cumin-seed, cardamom, nut [or +nutmeg?], &c. These were then sprinkled with rose-water infused with +musk; and upon the lambs, and in the remaining spaces, were placed +twenty fowls, twenty chickens, and fifty smaller birds; some of which +were baked, and stuffed with eggs; some, stuffed with meat; and some, +fried with the juice of sour grapes, or that of limes, or some similar +acid. To the above were added a number of small pies; some filled with +meat, and others with sugar and sweetmeats; and sometimes, the meat of +another lamb, cut into small pieces, and some fried cheese. The whole +being piled up in the form of a dome, some rose-water infused with musk +and aloes-wood was sprinkled upon it; and the other half of the paste +first mentioned was spread over, so as to close the whole: it was then +baked, wiped with a sponge, and again sprinkled with rose-water infused +with musk.--A dish still more extraordinary will be described in a note +on public Royal feasts. + +With respect to clean and unclean meats, the Muslim is subject to nearly +the same laws as the Jew. Swine's flesh, and blood, are especially +forbidden to him; but camel's flesh is allowed. The latter, however, +being of a coarse nature, is never eaten when any other meat can be +obtained, excepting by persons of the lower classes, and by Arabs of the +desert. Of fish, almost every kind is eaten (excepting shell-fish), +usually fried in oil: of game, little; partly in consequence of frequent +doubt whether it have been lawfully killed. The diet consists, in a +great measure, of vegetables, and includes a large variety of pastry. A +very common kind of pastry is a pancake, which is made very thin, and +folded over several times like a napkin; it is saturated with butter, +and generally sweetened with honey or sugar; as is also another common +kind, which somewhat resembles vermicelli. + +The usual beverage at meals is water, which is drunk from cooling, +porous, earthen bottles, or from cups of brass or other metal: but in +the houses of the wealthy, sherbet is sometimes served instead of this, +in covered glass cups, each of which contains about three quarters of a +pint. The sherbet is composed of water made very sweet with sugar, or +with a hard conserve of violets or roses or mulberries, &c. After every +time that a person drinks, he says, "Praise be to God;" and each person +of the company says to him, "May it be productive of enjoyment:" to +which he replies, "May God cause thee to have enjoyment." The Arabs +drink little or no water during a meal, but generally take a large +draught immediately after. The repast is quickly finished; and each +person, as soon as he has done, says, "Praise be to God," or "Praise be +to God, the Lord of all creatures." He then washes, in the same manner +as before, but more thoroughly; well lathering his beard, and rinsing +his mouth. + +NOTE 18. This mode of shewing honour to a meritorious individual, or +distinguished guest, which is at least as ancient as the time of +Ahasuerus,[162] is still observed in Muslim countries. + +NOTE 19. The influence of the stars upon the dispositions and fortunes +of mankind is firmly believed by the generality of Muslims, and is often +a matter of consideration previously to the uniting of two persons in +marriage; though the absurdity of such an opinion is declared in their +law. + +NOTE 20.--_On the Distribution of Virtues and Vices among Mankind._ I +have heard Arabs confess that their nation possesses nine-tenths of the +envy that exists among all mankind collectively; but I have not seen any +written authority for this. Ibn-'Abbas assigns nine-tenths of the +intrigue or artifice that exists in the world to the Copts; nine-tenths +of the perfidy, to the Jews; nine-tenths of the stupidity, to the +Maghrabees; nine-tenths of the hardness, to the Turks; and nine-tenths +of the bravery, to the Arabs. According to Ka[a.]b-El-A[h.]bar, reason +and sedition are most peculiar to Syria; plenty and degradation, to +Egypt; and misery and health, to the Desert. In another account, faith +and modesty are said to be most peculiar to El-Yemen; fortitude and +sedition, to Syria; magnificence, or pride, and hypocrisy, to +El-'Era[k.]; wealth and degradation, to Egypt; and poverty and misery, +to the Desert.--Of women, it is said, by Ka[a.]b-El-A[h.]bar, that the +best in the world (excepting those of the tribe of [K.]ureysh mentioned +by the Prophet) are those of El-Ba[s.]rah; and the worst in the world, +those of Egypt."[163] + +NOTE 21. In the Cairo edition, King Yoonan is made to say, "I should +repent after it, as King Sindibad repented of killing the falcon;"--and +thus is introduced an indifferent story in the place of that of the +Husband and the Parrot; the former story describing a king as having, +under an erroneous idea, killed a falcon that had prevented his drinking +poison. The latter story I insert in preference, according to the +Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and the edition of +Breslau. + +NOTE 22.--_On Miraculously-gifted Birds._ An Arab historian would make +it to appear, that the intelligence and talent ascribed to this parrot +are not nearly so wonderful as those which some birds have been known to +display. He mentions a parrot which recited the Soorat Ya-Seen (or 36th +chapter of the [K.]ur-an); and a raven which recited the Soorat +es-Sijdeh (or 32nd chapter), and which, on arriving at the place of +prostration (or verse which should be recited with prostration), would +perform that action, and say, "My body prostrateth itself to Thee, and +my heart confideth in Thee." But these are not the most remarkable cases +of the kind. He affirms that there was a parrot in Cairo which recited +the [K.]ur-an from beginning to end. The Basha, he says, desiring to try +its talent, caused a man to recite a chapter of the [K.]ur-an in its +presence, and to pass irregularly from one chapter to another, with the +view of leading the bird into error: but, instead of this being the +result, the parrot corrected him![164] + +NOTE 23. But a few years ago, it was a common custom for an Arab +merchant or shopkeeper of the higher class to wear a sword; and this not +only during a journey, but also during his ordinary walks or rides. I +have seen many persons of this description so armed, and with a pair of +pistols stuck in the girdle; though seldom excepting in the former case. +A dagger or case-knife is a weapon now more commonly worn by such +persons, both at home and abroad. + +NOTE 24.--_On Hunting and Hawking._ Hunting and hawking, which were +common and favourite diversions of the Arabs, and especially of their +kings and other great men, have now fallen into comparative disuse among +this people. They are, however, still frequently practised by the +Persians, and in a manner the same as they are generally described in +the present work. Sir John Malcolm was informed that these sports were +nowhere found in greater perfection than in the neighbourhood of +Aboo-Shahr, where he witnessed and took part in them: I shall, +therefore, here avail myself of his observations on this subject. + +"The huntsmen," he says, "proceed to a large plain, or rather desert, +near the sea-side: they have hawks and greyhounds; the former carried in +the usual manner, on the hand of the huntsman; the latter led in a leash +by a horseman, generally the same who carries the hawk. When the +antelope is seen, they endeavour to get as near as possible; but the +animal, the moment it observes them, goes off at a rate that seems +swifter than the wind: the horsemen are instantly at full speed, having +slipped the dogs. If it is a single deer, they at the same time fly the +hawks; but if a herd, they wait till the dogs have fixed on a particular +antelope. The hawks, skimming along near the ground, soon reach the +deer, at whose head they pounce in succession, and sometimes with a +violence that knocks it over. [They are commonly described as pecking at +the poor creature's eyes until they blind it.] At all events, they +confuse the animal so much as to stop its speed in such a degree that +the dogs can come up with it; and, in an instant, men, horses, dogs, and +hawks, surround the unfortunate deer, against which their united efforts +have been combined. The part of the chase that surprised me most, was +the extraordinary combination of the hawks and the dogs, which +throughout seemed to look to each other for aid. This, I was told, was +the result of long and skilful training.--The antelope is supposed to be +the fleetest quadruped on earth; and the rapidity of the first burst of +the chase I have described is astonishing. The run seldom exceeds three +or four miles, and often is not half so much. A fawn is an easy victory; +the doe often runs a good chase; and the buck is seldom taken. The Arabs +are, indeed, afraid to fly their hawks at the latter, as these fine +birds, in pouncing, frequently impale themselves on its sharp +horns.--The hawks used in this sport are of a species that I have never +seen in any other country. This breed, which is called Cherkh, is not +large, but of great beauty and symmetry. + +"Another mode of running down the antelope is practised here, and still +more in the interior of Persia. Persons of the highest rank lead their +own greyhounds in a long silken leash, which passes through the collar, +and is ready to slip the moment the huntsman chooses. The well-trained +dog goes alongside the horse, and keeps clear of him when at full speed, +and in all kinds of country. When a herd of antelopes is seen, a +consultation is held, and the most experienced determine the point +towards which they are to be driven. The field (as an English sportsman +would term it) then disperse, and, while some drive the herd in the +desired direction, those with the dogs take their post on the same line, +at the distance of about a mile from each other; one of the worst dogs +is then slipped at the herd, and from the moment he singles out an +antelope the whole body are in motion. The object of the horsemen who +have greyhounds is to intercept its course, and to slip fresh dogs, in +succession, at the fatigued animal. In rare instances, the second dog +kills. It is generally the third or fourth; and even these, when the +deer is strong, and the ground favourable, often fail. This sport, which +is very exhilarating, was the delight of the late King of Persia, Agha +Mo[h.]ammad Khan, whose taste is inherited by the present sovereign. + +"The novelty of these amusements interested me, and I was pleased, on +accompanying a party to a village, about twenty miles from Aboo-Shahr, +to see a species of hawking peculiar, I believe, to the sandy plains of +Persia, on which the [H.]obara, a noble species of bustard, is found on +almost bare plains, where it has no shelter but a small shrub called +'geetuck.' When we went in quest of them, we had a party of about +twenty, all well mounted. Two kinds of hawks are necessary for this +sport; the first, the Cherkh (the same which is flown at the antelope), +attacks them on the ground, but will not follow them on the wing; for +this reason, the 'Bhyree,' a hawk well known in India, is flown the +moment the [H.]obara rises.--As we rode along in an extended line, the +men who carried the Cherkhs every now and then unhooded and held them +up, that they might look over the plain. The first [H.]obara we found +afforded us a proof of the astonishing quickness of sight of one of the +hawks: he fluttered to be loose, and the man who held him gave him a +whoop as he threw him off his hand, and set off at full speed. We all +did the same. At first we only saw our hawk skimming over the plain, but +soon perceived, at a distance of more than a mile, the beautiful +speckled [H.]obara, with his head erect and wings outspread, running +forward to meet his adversary. The Cherkh made several unsuccessful +pounces, which were either evaded or repelled by the beak or wings of +the [H.]obara, which at last found an opportunity of rising, when a +Bhyree was instantly flown, and the whole party were again at full +gallop. We had a flight of more than a mile, when the [H.]obara +alighted, and was killed by another Cherkh, who attacked him on the +ground. This bird weighed ten pounds. We killed several others, but were +not always successful, having seen our hawks twice completely beaten, +during the two days we followed this fine sport."[165] + +The hunting of the wild ass is another sport of the Persians and Arabs, +but one of a more difficult nature. This animal is found in Syria, and +in the Nubian deserts, as well as in Arabia and Persia. The more common +kinds of game are gazelles, or antelopes, hares, partridges, the species +of grouse called "[k.]a[t.]a," quails, wild geese, ducks, &c. Against +all of these, the hawk is generally employed, but assisted in the +capture of gazelles and hares by dogs. The usual arms of the sportsmen, +in the times to which the present work relates, were the bow and arrow, +the cross-bow, the spear, the sword, and the mace. When the game is +struck down, but not killed, by any weapon, its throat is immediately +cut. If merely stunned, and then left to die, its flesh is unlawful +food. Some other laws respecting the killing of game have been mentioned +in a former note; but one has been there omitted which is worthy of +remark, though it is often disregarded; it is, that hunting is allowable +only for the purpose of procuring food, or to obtain the skin of an +animal, or for the sake of destroying ferocious and dangerous beasts. +Amusement is certainly, in general, the main object of the Muslim +huntsman, but he does not, with this view, endeavour to prolong the +chase; on the contrary, he strives to take the game as quickly as +possible; for this purpose, nets are often employed, and the hunting +party, forming what is called the circle of the chase ([h.]al[k.]at +e[s.]-[s.]eyd), surround the spot in which the game is found. + +"On the eastern frontiers of Syria," says Burckhardt, "are several +places allotted for the hunting of gazelles: these places are called +'masiade' [more properly, 'ma[s.]yedehs']. An open space in the plain, +of about one mile and a half square, is enclosed on three sides by a +wall of loose stones, too high for the gazelles to leap over. In +different parts of this wall, gaps are purposely left, and near each gap +a deep ditch is made on the outside. The enclosed space is situated near +some rivulet or spring to which, in summer, the gazelles resort. When +the hunting is to begin, many peasants assemble, and watch till they see +a herd of gazelles advancing from a distance towards the enclosure, into +which they drive them: the gazelles, frightened by the shouts of these +people, and the discharge of fire-arms, endeavour to leap over the wall, +but can only effect this at the gaps, where they fall into the ditch +outside, and are easily taken, sometimes by hundreds. The chief of the +herd always leaps first: the others follow him one by one. The gazelles +thus taken are immediately killed, and their flesh is sold to the Arabs +and neighbouring Fella[h.]s."[166] + +NOTE 25. In the Cairo edition, the word "jezeereh" (an island) is +erroneously put for "kharabeh" (a ruin). + +NOTE 26. "Ghooleh" is the feminine of "Ghool." The Ghool is a fabulous +being, of which some account has been given in No. 21 of the notes to +the Introduction. + +NOTE 27. This epithet of the Deity appears to be used in preference to +others in this instance, in order to imply that God always decrees what +is best for a virtuous man, even when the reverse would seem to us to be +the case. He is here described as appointing that the sage should die a +violent death; but this death, being unmerited, raised him, according to +Mohammadan notions, to the rank of a martyr. + +In the edition from which my translation is chiefly made, four poetical +quotations are here inserted on the subject of fate, and the inutility +of anxious forebodings. The first of these is as follows:-- + + "O thou who fearest thy fate, be at ease; commit thine affairs + unto Him who spread out the earth. + For what is predestined cannot be cancelled; and thou art secure + from every thing that is not predestined." + +NOTE 28.--_The Fable of the Crocodile._ Perhaps the reader may desire to +know what is the story which the sage Dooban declined to relate; I will +therefore supply the omission as well as my memory will allow me. I have +heard this fable differently told by different persons; and it is +sometimes spun out to a considerable length; but the principal points of +it are these:--A crocodile, having crawled far from the Nile, over a +desert tract, found his strength so exhausted by fatigue and thirst, +that he despaired of being able to return to the river. While he was in +this unhappy state, an Arab with his camel approached him, proceeding in +the desired direction; and he appealed to his compassion, entreating +that he would bind him on the back of the camel, and so convey him to +the Nile, and promising that he would afterwards, in return for this +favour, carry him across to the opposite bank. The Arab answered, that +he feared the crocodile would, as soon as he was unbound, turn upon him, +and devour him; but the monster swore so solemnly that he would +gratefully requite the service he requested, that the man was induced to +consent; and, making his camel lie down, bound the crocodile firmly upon +his back, and brought him to the bank of the river. No sooner, however, +was the horrid creature liberated, than, in spite of his vows, he opened +his hideous jaws to destroy his benefactor, who, though he eluded this +danger, was unable to rescue his camel. At this moment a fox drew near +them. The man, accosting this cunning animal, related his tale; and the +crocodile urged in his own excuse, that the man had spitefully bound him +on the back of the camel in such a manner that he had almost killed him. +The fox replied that he could quickly pursue and capture the man, but +that he must act fairly, and first see the whole transaction repeated +before him. The crocodile, assenting, and submitting to have a noose +thrown over his jaws, was again bound on the back of the camel, and +taken to the place whence he was brought; and as soon as this was done, +the man, by the direction of the fox, holding with one hand the halter +of his camel, with the other cut the ropes which secured his burden, and +hasted away with his beast, leaving the ungrateful and treacherous +monster in the same hopeless state in which he had found him. + +NOTE 29. This comparison is perfectly just. My first visit to Egypt was +not too late for me to witness such a scene as that which is here +alluded to; but now, throughout the Turkish dominions, the officers of +government are obliged, more or less, to assimilate their style of dress +to that which commonly prevails in Europe; gaudy colours are out of +fashion among them, and silk embroidery is generally preferred to gold: +in Egypt, however, the dress worn by this class of persons has not been +so much altered as in Turkey, still retaining an Oriental character, +though wanting the shawl which was wound round the red cap, and formed +the turban; while the dress worn by other classes has undergone no +change. [This note still applies to the inhabitants of Egypt, with the +exception of the Turks, who have very generally adopted the modern +Turkish, or semi-European dress.--ED.] + +NOTE 30. This story of the head speaking after it was cut off is not +without a parallel in the writings of Arab historians. The head of +Sa'eed, the son of Jubeyr, is said to have uttered the words, "There is +no deity but God," after it had been severed from his body by order of +El-[H.]ajjaj, who is related to have killed a hundred and twenty +thousand persons of note, besides those whom he slew in war. + +NOTE 31. I do not remember to have read or heard the story of Umameh and +'Atikeh, who, as their names import, were two females. + +NOTE 32. The words here quoted are part of the 36th verse of the 17th +chapter of the [K.]ur-an. + +NOTE 33. The title of "Sul[t.]an" is higher than that of "Melik" (or +King): a Sul[t.]an, properly speaking, being a monarch who has kings or +viceroys under his authority. + +NOTE 34.--_On_ Ko[h.]l, _and the mode of applying it_. Ko[h.]l is a +black powder, with which most of the Arab, and many other, women blacken +the edges of the eyelids. The most common kind is the smoke-black which +is produced by burning a kind of frankincense. An inferior kind is the +smoke-black produced by burning the shells of almonds. These are +believed to be beneficial to the eyes; but are generally used merely for +the sake of ornament. Among other kinds which are particularly employed +for their beneficial effect upon the eye are several ores of lead, +reduced to a fine powder. Antimony is said to have been, in former +times, the most esteemed kind of ko[h.]l. The powder is applied by means +of a small probe of wood, ivory, or silver, the end of which is +moistened, and then dipped in the powder, and drawn along the edges of +the eyelids.[167] + +NOTE 35. The Koofeeyeh is described in a great Arabic Lexicon (Taj +el-'Aroos) as "a thing worn on the head; so called because of its +roundness:" and this is the only description of it that I have been able +to find. I was told in Cairo, that "koofeeyeh" is the correct +appellation of the head-kerchief commonly called "keffeeyeh:" but this +is a mistake. The latter is a square kerchief, which is worn on the +head, measuring about a yard in each direction, and of various colours, +generally a dull, brownish red, bright green, and yellow, composing +broad and narrow stripes, and having a deep fringe of strings and +tassels along two opposite edges. The most common kind is entirely of +cotton; another, of cotton interwoven with silk; and a third, of silk +interwoven with gold. It is now chiefly worn by the Wahhabees and +several tribes of Bedawees; but the former wear only the first kind, as +they hold articles of dress composed wholly or partly of silk or gold to +be unlawful. In former times it was in common use among the inhabitants +of the towns. It is mostly worn by men, and is doubled diagonally, and +placed over the cap in such a manner that the two corners which are +folded together hang down the back; and the other two corners, in front. +A piece of woollen rope, or a strip of rag, or a turban, is generally +wound round it; and the corners, or those only which usually hang down +in front, are sometimes turned up, and tucked within the upper edge of +the turban. The inhabitants of the towns usually wear the turban over +the keffeeyeh. Burckhardt, who calls this head-kerchief "keffie," +mentions, that the Bedawees of Mekkeh and El-Yemen tie over it, instead +of the woollen rope which is used by the Northern Bedawees, "a circle +made of wax, tar, and butter, strongly kneaded together: this," he adds, +"is pressed down to the middle of the head, and looks like the airy +crown of a saint. It is about the thickness of a finger; and they take +it off very frequently to press it between their hands, so that its +shape may be preserved."[168] The better kinds of keffeeyeh above +mentioned are worn by some of the Turks, but not in the Arab manner; +being wound tight round the cap. + +NOTE 36.--_Anecdote of a Miraculous Fish._ This story of the miraculous +fish reminds me of one of a similar kind which is related as authentic. +A certain just judge of the Israelites, in the time of Solomon, had a +wife who, every time that she brought him his food, used to ejaculate a +prayer that disgrace might befall every unfaithful wife. One day, this +woman having placed before her husband a fried fish, and repeated her +usual ejaculation, the fish leaped from the dish, and fell upon the +floor. This happened three times; and, in consequence of a suspicion +expressed by a devotee, who was consulted respecting the meaning of this +strange event, the judge discovered that a supposed maid, whom he had +purchased as a slave, was a disguised man.[169] + +NOTE 37. This comparison is not intended to be understood in its literal +sense, for the smallest of the tribe of 'Ad is said to have been sixty +cubits high: the largest, a hundred! The tribe of 'Ad were a race of +ancient Arabs, who, according to the [K.]ur-an and Arab historians, were +destroyed by a suffocating wind, for their infidelity, after their +rejection of the admonitions of the prophet Hood. + +NOTE 38. The Arabs generally calculate distances by time. The average +distance of a day's journey is from twenty to twenty-five miles; the +former being the usual rate of caravan-travelling. + +NOTE 39.--_On the Privacy of Arab Dwellings._ In a palace, or large +house, there is generally a wide bench of stone, or a wooden couch, +within the outer door, for the accommodation of the door-keeper and +other servants. The entrance-passage leads to an open court, and, for +the sake of preventing persons at the entrance, or a little within it, +from seeing into the court, it usually has two turnings. We may, +therefore, understand the motive of the King in seating himself in the +place here described to have been a desire that he might not, if +discovered, be supposed to be prying impertinently into the interior of +the palace. Respect for the privacy of another's house is a point that +is deemed of so much importance that it is insisted upon in the +[K.]ur-an, in these words:--"O ye who have become believers, enter not +any houses, besides your own houses, until ye shall have asked leave, +and saluted their inhabitants; this will be better for you: peradventure +ye will be admonished. And if ye find not in them any person, enter them +not, until leave be granted you; and if it be said unto you, Return, +then do ye return; this will be more decent for you; and God knoweth +what ye do. But it shall be no crime in you that ye enter uninhabited +houses wherein ye may find a convenience.[170] When a visiter finds the +door open, and no servant below, he usually claps his hands as a signal +for some person to come to him; striking the palm of his left hand with +the fingers of the right: and even when leave has been granted him to +enter, it is customary for him, when he has to ascend to an upper +apartment, to repeat several times some ejaculation, such as +"Permission!" or, "O Protector!" (that is, "O protecting God!"), as he +goes up, in order that any female of the family, who may chance to be in +the way, may have notice of his approach, and either retire or veil +herself. Sometimes the servant who precedes him does this in his stead. + +NOTE 40. These verses are translated from the Calcutta edition of the +first two hundred nights, as more apposite than those which are inserted +in their place in the edition of Cairo. + +NOTE 41. That the reader may not form wrong conceptions of the +characters of many persons portrayed in this work, it is necessary to +observe, that weeping is not regarded by the Arabs as an evidence of an +effeminate disposition, or inconsistent with even a heroic mind; though +the Muslims in general are remarkable for the calmness with which they +endure the heaviest afflictions. + +NOTE 42. It is, perhaps, unnecessary to mention, that it is a common +custom of the Orientals, as of other natives of warm climates, to take a +nap in the afternoon. A tradesman is not unfrequently seen enjoying this +luxury in his shop, and seldom, excepting in this case, is it considered +allowable to wake a person. + +NOTE 43.--_Description of Arab Fans._ The kind of fan most commonly used +by the Arabs has the form of a small flag. The flap, which is about six +or seven inches in width, and somewhat more in length, is composed of +split palm-leaves of various colours, or some plain and others coloured, +neatly plaited or woven together. The handle is a piece of palm-stick, +about twice the length of the flap. This fan is used by men as well as +women, and for the double purpose of moderating the heat and repelling +the flies, which, in warm weather, are excessively annoying. It is more +effective than the ordinary European fan, and requires less exertion. +Arabian fans of the kind here described, brought from Mekkeh to Cairo as +articles of merchandise, may be purchased in the latter city for a sum +less than a penny each; they are mostly made in the [H.]ejaz. Another +kind of fan, generally composed of black ostrich-feathers, of large +dimensions, and ornamented with a small piece of looking-glass on the +lower part of the front, is often used by the Arabs. A kind of fly-whisk +made of palm-leaves is also in very general use. A servant or slave is +often employed to wave it over the master or mistress during a meal or +an afternoon nap. + +NOTE 44. Mes'oodeh is the feminine of Mes'ood, a name before explained, +as signifying "happy," or "made happy." + +NOTE 45. The word which I have here rendered "wine" namely, "sharab" is +applied to any drink, and particularly to a sweet beverage; but, in the +present case, the context shews that its signification is that which I +have given it. The description of a carousal in the next chapter will +present a more fit occasion for my considering at large the custom of +drinking wine as existing among the Arabs. + +NOTE 46.--_On the Use of Hemp to induce Intoxication._ The name of +"benj," or "beng," is now, and, I believe, generally, given to henbane; +but El-[K.]azweenee states that the leaves of the garden hemp ([k.]inneb +bustanee, or shahdanaj,) are the benj which, when eaten, disorders the +reason. This is an important confirmation of De Sacy's opinion +respecting the derivation of the appellation of "Assassins" from +[H.]ashshasheen (hemp-eaters, or persons who intoxicate themselves with +hemp); as the sect which we call "Assassins" are expressly said by the +Arabs to have made frequent use of benj.[171] To this subject I shall +have occasion to revert. I need only add here, that the custom of using +benj, and other narcotics, for purposes similar to that described in +this tale, is said to be not very unfrequently practised in the present +day; but as many Arab husbands are extremely suspicious of the character +of women in general, perhaps there is but little ground for this +assertion. + +NOTE 47. Most Eastern cities and towns are partly or wholly surrounded +by mounds of rubbish, close to the walls; and upon these mounds are +thrown the carcasses of camels, horses, and other beasts, to be devoured +by dogs and vultures. Immense mounds of this unsightly description +entirely surrounded the city of Cairo; but those which extended along +its western side, and, in a great measure, screened it from the view of +persons approaching from the Nile, have lately been removed by order of +the present Basha of Egypt. [This note was written in the year 1838, in +the time of Mo[h.]ammad 'Alee.--ED.] + +NOTE 48. "[K.]ubbeh" generally signifies either a dome or a cupola, or a +building or apartment surmounted by a dome. In the present instance it +is to be understood in the latter sense. It is also applied to a closet, +and to a tent. + +NOTE 49. "[K.]af" is generally to be understood, as it is in the present +case; to signify the chain of mountains believed, by the Muslims, to +encircle our earth, as mentioned in a former note. It is also the name +of the chain of Caucasus, and hence it has been supposed that the fable +respecting the mountains before mentioned, originated from an early idea +that the chain of Caucasus was the limit of the habitable earth; but it +is possible that the latter mountains may have derived their name from +an imaginary resemblance to the former. + +NOTE 50. Rats, though unlawful food to the Muslim, are occasionally +eaten by many of the peasants of the province of Lower Egypt called +El-Bo[h.]eyreh, on the west of the western branch of the Nile. The +extraordinary abundance of these animals, and mice, throughout Egypt, +gave rise to an absurd fable, which is related by Diodorus Siculus[172] +as a matter worthy of serious consideration:--that these creatures are +generated from the alluvial soil deposited by the Nile. The inundation +drives many of them from the fields to the houses and deserts, and +destroys the rest; but soon after the waters have subsided, vast numbers +of them are seen again, taking refuge in the deep clefts of the parched +soil. + +NOTE 51.--_On the Beverage called_ Boo[z.]ah. Boo[z.]ah, or boozeh, is a +favourite beverage of the boatmen, and other persons of the lower class, +in Egypt; and more especially of the Nubians and negroes; as it was, +according to Herodotus[173] and other writers, of the ancient Egyptians. +It is an intoxicating liquor, a kind of beer, most commonly prepared +from barley-bread, crumbled, mixed with water, strained, and left to +ferment. It is also prepared from wheat and from millet in the same +manner. The account of Herodotus has been confirmed by the discovery of +large jars, containing the dregs of the barley-beer in ancient tombs at +Thebes. + +NOTE 52.--_On the Apparel, &c., of Mourning._ The wearing of mourning +appears to have been a custom of both sexes among the Arabs in earlier +times, for the black clothing which distinguished the 'Abbasee +Khaleefehs and their officers was originally assumed in testimony of +grief for the death of the Imam Ibraheem Ibn-Mo[h.]ammad. It has, +however, ceased to be worn by men, as indicating a want of resignation +to the decrees of Providence, and is only assumed by women on the +occasion of the death of a husband or near relation, and not for an +elderly person. In the former cases they dye their shirts, head-veils, +face-veils, and handkerchiefs, of a blue or almost black colour, with +indigo; and sometimes, with the same dye, stain their hands and arms as +high as the elbows, and smear the walls of their apartments. They +generally abstain from wearing any article of dress of a bright colour, +leave their hair unbraided, and deck themselves with few or no +ornaments. They also cease to make use of perfumes, ko[h.]l, and +[h.]enna; and often turn upside-down the carpets, mats, cushions, and +coverings of the deewans. + +NOTE 53. "Houses of Lamentations," erected in burial-grounds for the +accommodation of ladies on the occasions of their visiting the tombs of +their relations, have been mentioned in a former note respecting the two +grand annual festivals. + +NOTE 54. The kind of tomb here alluded to is generally a square building +crowned by a dome. + +NOTE 55. This passage deserves particular notice, as being one of those +which assist us to form some opinion respecting the period when the +present work, in the states in which it is known to us, was composed or +compiled or remodelled. It is the same in all the copies of the original +work that I have seen, and bears strong evidence of having been written +subsequently to the commencement of the eighth century of the Flight, or +fourteenth of our era, at which period, it appears, the Christians and +Jews were first compelled to distinguish themselves by wearing, +respectively, blue and yellow turbans, in accordance with an order +issued by the Sultan of Egypt, Mo[h.]ammad Ibn-Kala-oon.[174] Thus the +white turban became peculiar to the Muslims.--An eminent German critic +has been unfortunate in selecting the incident of the four fish as +affording an argument in favour of his opinion that the Tales of a +Thousand and One Nights are of Indian origin, on the mere ground that +the same word (_varna_) is used in Sanscrit to signify both "colour" and +"caste." + +NOTE 56. The Muslims often implore the intercession of their prophet, +and of various members of his family and other holy persons, though +their ordinary prayers are addressed solely to God. The regard which +they pay to their reputed saints, both living and deceased, as +mediators, is one of the heresies which the Wahhabees most vehemently +condemn. + +NOTE 57. This verse, translated from my usual prototype, the Cairo +edition, is there followed by another, which I omit as being inapposite. + +NOTE 58. In the first of the notes to the Introduction, I have mentioned +that it is a general custom of the Muslims to repeat this phrase, "In +the name of God!" on commencing every lawful action that is of any +importance; it is, therefore, here employed, as it is in many similar +cases, to express a readiness to do what is commanded or requested; and +is equivalent to saying, "I this instant begin to execute thy orders." + +NOTE 59. The condition and offices of memlooks, who are male white +slaves, have been mentioned in the thirteenth note to the first chapter. + +NOTE 60. Eastern histories present numerous instances of marriages as +unequal as those here related; the reader, therefore, must not regard +this part of the story as inconsistent. + +[Illustration] + + + [150] Sale's Koran, note to chap. xxxviii. + + [151] El-Ma[k.]reezee's "Khi[t.]a[t.];" chapter entitled + "Khizanet el-Kisawat." + + [152] Fakhr-ed-Deen, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. + p. 32 of the Arabic text, 2nd ed. + + [153] Idem, p. 4 of the Arabic text. + + [154] D'Herbelot, art. "Bokhteri." + + [155] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, chapter the seventh (MS. in my + possession). + + [156] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, chapter the eighth. + + [157] Idem, chapter the seventh. + + [158] A recent traveller has questioned Mr. Lane's authority, + in the "Modern Egyptians," for the remark that Muslims should + not pray in the bath. A reference to any well-known collection + of traditions of the Prophet will, however, prove, by many + sayings besides that quoted above, that Mr. Lane is in this + matter strictly accurate.--ED. + + [159] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., section the seventh. + + [160] A pious Muslim generally sits at his meals with the right + knee raised, after the example of the Prophet, who adopted this + custom in order to avoid too comfortable a posture in eating, + as tempting to unnecessary gratification.--ED. + + [161] Pp. 180--182, ed. Oxon. 1800. + + [162] See Esther vi. 8 and 9. + + [163] El-Ma[k.]reezee's "Khi[t.]a[t.]," and El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee. + + [164] El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee; reign of the Khaleefeh El-Musta'een, + the son of El-Mo[a.]ta[s.]im. + + [165] Sketches of Persia, vol. i. ch. v. [Mr. Lane has written + some of the Oriental words in this extract according to his own + mode.--ED.] + + [166] Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys, vol. i. pp. 220 et + seq. 8vo. ed. + + [167] A more full account of this custom is given in my work on + the Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. l. + + [168] Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys, vol. i. p. 232, 8vo. + ed. + + [169] Kitab el-'Onwan fee Mekaid en-Niswan. + + [170] Ch. xxiv. vv. 27-29. + + [171] See "Modern Egyptians," vol. ii., close of chap, + ix.--Since this was written, I have found that El-Idreesee + applies the term "[H.]asheesheeyeh," which is exactly + synonymous with "[H.]ashshasheen," to the "Assassins:" this, + therefore, decides the question. + + [172] Lib. i. cap. 10. + + [173] Lib. ii. cap. 77. + + [174] El-Ma[k.]reezee and El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE NINTH NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART +OF THE EIGHTEENTH. + +THE STORY OF THE PORTER AND THE LADIES OF BAGHDAD, +AND OF THE THREE ROYAL MENDICANTS, &c. + +There was a man of the city of Baghdad, who was unmarried, and he was a +porter; and one day, as he sat in the market, reclining against his +crate,[III_1] there accosted him a female wrapped in an izar[III_2] of +the manufacture of El-Mo[s.]il,[III_3] composed of gold-embroidered +silk, with a border of gold lace at each end, who raised her face-veil, +and displayed beneath it a pair of black eyes, with lids bordered by +long lashes, exhibiting a tender expression, and features of perfect +beauty; and she said, with a sweet voice, Bring thy crate, and follow +me. + +The porter had scarcely heard her words when he took up his crate, and +he followed her until she stopped at the door of a house, and knocked; +whereupon there came down to her a Christian, and she gave him a piece +of gold, and received for it a quantity of olives, and two large vessels +of wine,[III_4] which she placed in the crate, saying to the porter, +Take it up, and follow me. The porter exclaimed, This is, indeed, a +fortunate day!--and he took up the crate, and followed her. She next +stopped at the shop of a fruiterer, and bought of him Syrian apples, and +'Othmanee quinces,[III_5] and peaches of 'Oman, and jasmine of Aleppo, +and water-lilies of Damascus, and cucumbers of the Nile, and Egyptian +limes, and Sul[t.]anee citrons, and sweet-scented myrtle, and sprigs of +the [h.]enna-tree, and chamomile, and anemones, and violets, and +pomegranate flowers, and eglantine: all these she put into the porter's +crate, and said to him, Take it up. So he took it up, and followed her +until she stopped at the shop of a butcher, to whom she said, Cut off +ten pounds of meat;--and he cut it off for her, and she wrapped it in a +leaf of a banana-tree, and put it in the crate, and said again, Take it +up, O porter:--and he did so, and followed her. She next stopped at the +shop of a seller of dry fruits, and took some of every kind of these, +and desired the porter to take up his burden. Having obeyed, he followed +her until she stopped at the shop of a confectioner, where she bought a +dish, and filled it with sweets of every kind that he had,[III_6] which +she put into the crate; whereupon the porter ventured to say, If thou +hadst informed me beforehand, I had brought with me a mule to carry all +these things. The lady smiled at his remark, and next stopped at the +shop of a perfumer, of whom she bought ten kinds of scented waters; +rose-water, and orange-flower-water, and willow-flower-water,[III_7] +&c.; together with some sugar, and a sprinkling-bottle[III_8] of +rose-water infused with musk, and some frankincense, and aloes-wood, and +ambergris, and musk, and wax candles; and, placing all these in the +crate, she said, Take up thy crate, and follow me. He, therefore, took +it up, and followed her until she came to a handsome house, before which +was a spacious court. It was a lofty structure, with a door of two +leaves, composed of ebony, overlaid with plates of red gold.[III_9] + +The young lady stopped at this door, and knocked gently; whereupon both +its leaves were opened, and the porter, looking to see who opened it, +found it to be a damsel of tall stature, high-bosomed, fair and +beautiful, and of elegant form, with a forehead like the bright new +moon, eyes like those of gazelles, eyebrows like the new moon of +Rama[d.]an,[III_10] cheeks resembling anemones, and a mouth like the +seal of Suleyman:[III_11] her countenance was like the full moon in its +splendour, and the forms of her bosom resembled two pomegranates of +equal size. When the porter beheld her, she captivated his reason, the +crate nearly fell from his head, and he exclaimed, Never in my life have +I seen a more fortunate day than this! The lady-portress, standing +within the door, said to the cateress and the porter, Ye are +welcome:--and they entered, and proceeded to a spacious saloon,[III_12] +decorated with various colours, and beautifully constructed, with carved +wood-work, and fountains, and benches of different kinds, and closets +with curtains hanging before them; there was also in it, at the upper +end,[III_13] a couch of alabaster inlaid with large pearls and jewels, +with a musquito-curtain of red satin suspended over it, and within this +was a young lady with eyes possessing the enchantment of Babil,[III_14] +and a figure like the letter Alif,[III_15] with a face that put to shame +the shining sun: she was like one of the brilliant planets, or rather, +one of the most high-born of the maidens of Arabia. This third +lady,[III_16] rising from the couch, advanced with a slow and elegant +gait to the middle of the saloon, where her sisters were standing, and +said to them, Why stand ye still? Lift down the burden from the head of +this poor porter:--whereupon the cateress placed herself before him, and +the portress behind him, and, the third lady assisting them, they lifted +it down from his head. They then took out the contents of the crate, +and, having put every thing in its place, gave to the porter two pieces +of gold, saying to him, Depart, O porter. + +The porter, however, stood looking at the ladies, and admiring their +beauty and their agreeable dispositions; for he had never seen any more +handsome; and when he observed that they had not a man among them, and +gazed upon the wine, and fruits, and sweet-scented flowers, which were +there, he was full of astonishment, and hesitated to go out; upon which +one of the ladies said to him, Why dost thou not go? dost thou deem thy +hire too little? Then turning to one of her sisters, she said to her, +Give him another piece of gold.--By Allah, O my mistress, exclaimed the +porter, my hire is but two half-dirhems,[III_17] and I thought not what +ye have given me too little; but my heart and mind were occupied with +reflections upon you and your state, ye being alone, with no man among +you, not one to amuse you with his company; for ye know that the +menareh[III_18] standeth not firmly but on four walls: now ye have not a +fourth, and the pleasure of women is not complete without men: ye are +three only, and have need of a fourth, who should be a man, a person of +sense, discreet, acute, and a concealer of secrets. We are maidens, they +replied; and fear to impart our secret to him who will not keep it; for +we have read, in a certain history, this verse:-- + + Guard thy secret from another: intrust it not: for he who intrusteth + a secret hath lost it. + +[Illustration] + +--By your existence, said the porter, I am a man of sense, and +trustworthy: I have read various books, and perused histories: I make +known what is fair, and conceal what is foul, and act in accordance with +the saying of the poet:-- + + None keepeth a secret but a faithful person: with the best of mankind + it remaineth concealed. + A secret is with me as in a house with a lock, whose key is lost, + and whose door is sealed.[III_19] + +When the ladies heard the verses which he quoted, and the words with +which he addressed them, they said to him, Thou knowest that we have +expended here a considerable sum of money: hast thou then wherewith to +requite us? We will not suffer thee to remain with us unless thou +contribute a sum of money; for thou desirest to sit with us, and to be +our cup-companion, and to gaze upon our beautiful faces.--If friendship +is without money, said the mistress of the house, it is not equivalent +to the weight of a grain:--and the portress added, If thou hast nothing, +depart with nothing:--but the cateress said, O sister, let us suffer +him; for, verily, he hath not been deficient in his services for us +this day: another had not been so patient with us: whatever, therefore, +falls to his share of the expense, I will defray for him.--At this the +porter rejoiced, and exclaimed, By Allah, I obtained my first and only +pay this day from none but thee:--and the other ladies said to him, Sit +down: thou art welcome. + +The cateress then arose, and, having tightened her girdle, arranged the +bottles, and strained the wine, and prepared the table by the pool of +the fountain. She made ready all that they required, brought the wine, +and sat down with her sisters; the porter also sitting with them, +thinking he was in a dream. And when they had seated themselves, the +cateress took a jar of wine, and filled the first cup, and drank +it:[III_20] she then filled another, and handed it to one of her +sisters; and in like manner she did to her other sister; after which she +filled again, and handed the cup to the porter, who, having taken it +from her hand, repeated this verse:-- + + I will drink the wine, and enjoy health; for, verily, this beverage + is a remedy for disease. + +[Illustration] + +The wine continued to circulate among them, and the porter, taking his +part in the revels, dancing and singing with them, and enjoying the +fragrant odours, began to hug and kiss them, while one slapped[III_21] +him, and another pulled him, and the third beat him with sweet-scented +flowers, till, at length, the wine made sport with their reason; and +they threw off all restraint, indulging their merriment with as much +freedom as if no man had been present.[III_22] + +Thus they continued until the approach of night, when they said to the +porter, Depart, and shew us the breadth of thy shoulders;[III_23]--but +he replied, Verily the departure of my soul from my body were more easy +to me than my departure from your company; therefore suffer us to join +the night to the day, and then each of us shall return to his own, or +her own, affairs. The cateress, also, again interceded for him, saying, +By my life I conjure you that ye suffer him to pass the night with us, +that we may laugh at his drolleries, for he is a witty rogue. So they +said to him, Thou shalt pass the night with us on this condition, that +thou submit to our authority, and ask not an explanation of anything +that thou shalt see. He replied, Good.--Rise then, said they, and read +what is inscribed upon the door. Accordingly, he went to the door, and +found the following inscription upon it in letters of gold, Speak not of +that which doth not concern thee, lest thou hear that which will not +please thee:--and he said, Bear witness to my promise that I will not +speak of that which doth not concern me. + +[Illustration] + +The cateress then rose, and prepared for them a repast; and, after they +had eaten a little, they lighted the candles and burnt some aloes-wood. +This done, they sat down again to the table; and, while they were eating +and drinking, they heard a knocking at the door; whereupon, without +causing any interruption to their meal, one of them went to the door, +and, on her return, said, Our pleasure this night is now complete, for I +have found, at the door, three foreigners[III_24] with shaven chins, and +each of them is blind of the left eye: it is an extraordinary +coincidence. They are strangers newly arrived,[III_25] and each of them +has a ridiculous appearance: if they come in, therefore, we shall be +amused with laughing at them.--The lady ceased not with these words, but +continued to persuade her sisters until they consented, and said, Let +them enter; but make it a condition with them that they speak not of +that which doth not concern them, lest they hear that which will not +please them. Upon this she rejoiced, and, having gone again to the door, +brought in the three men blind of one eye and with shaven chins, and +they had thin and twisted mustaches. Being mendicants, they saluted and +drew back; but the ladies rose to them, and seated them; and when these +three men looked at the porter, they saw that he was intoxicated; and, +observing him narrowly, they thought that he was one of their own class, +and said, He is a mendicant like ourselves, and will amuse us by his +conversation:--but the porter, hearing what they said, arose, and rolled +his eyes, and exclaimed to them, Sit quiet, and abstain from impertinent +remarks. Have ye not read the inscription upon the door?--The ladies, +laughing, said to each other, Between the mendicants and the porter we +shall find matter for amusement. They then placed before the former some +food, and they ate, and then sat to drink. The portress handed to them +the wine, and, as the cup was circulating among them, the porter said to +them, Brothers, have ye any tale or strange anecdote wherewith to amuse +us? The mendicants, heated by the wine, asked for musical instruments; +and the portress brought them a tambourine of the manufacture of +El-Mo[s.]il, with a lute of El-'Era[k.], and a Persian harp;[III_26] +whereupon they all arose; and one took the tambourine; another, the +lute; and the third, the harp: and they played upon these instruments, +the ladies accompanying them with loud songs; and while they were thus +diverting themselves, a person knocked at the door. The portress, +therefore, went to see who was there; and the cause of the knocking was +this. + +[Illustration] + +The Khaleefeh[III_27] Haroon Er-Rasheed had gone forth this night to see +and hear what news he could collect, accompanied by Ja[a.]far[III_28] +his Wezeer, and Mesroor[III_29] his executioner. It was his custom to +disguise himself in the attire of a merchant; and this night, as he went +through the city, he happened to pass, with his attendants, by the house +of these ladies, and hearing the sounds of the musical instruments, he +said to Ja[a.]far, I have a desire to enter this house, and to see who +is giving this concert.--They are a party who have become intoxicated, +replied Ja[a.]far, and I fear that we may experience some ill usage from +them;--but the Khaleefeh said, We must enter, and I would that thou +devise some stratagem by which we may obtain admission to the inmates. +Ja[a.]far therefore answered, I hear and obey:--and he advanced, and +knocked at the door; and when the portress came and opened the door, he +said to her, My mistress, we are merchants from Tabareeyeh,[III_30] and +have been in Baghdad ten days; we have brought with us merchandise, and +taken lodgings in a Khan;[III_31] and a merchant invited us to an +entertainment this night: accordingly, we went to his house, and he +placed food before us, and we ate, and sat awhile drinking together, +after which he gave us leave to depart;[III_32] and going out in the +dark, and being strangers, we missed our way to the Khan: we trust, +therefore, in your generosity that you will admit us to pass the night +in your house; by doing which you will obtain a reward in heaven.--The +portress, looking at them, and observing that they were in the garb of +merchants, and that they bore an appearance of respectability, returned, +and consulted her two companions; and they said to her, Admit them:--so +she returned, and opened to them the door. They said to her, Shall we +enter with thy permission? She answered, Come in. The Khaleefeh, +therefore, entered, with Ja[a.]far and Mesroor; and when the ladies saw +them, they rose to them, and served them, saying, Welcome are our +guests; but we have a condition to impose upon you, that ye speak not of +that which doth not concern you, lest ye hear that which will not please +you. They answered, Good:--and when they had sat down to drink, the +Khaleefeh looked at the three mendicants, and was surprised at observing +that each of them was blind of the left eye; and he gazed upon the +ladies, and was perplexed and amazed at their fairness and beauty. And +when the others proceeded to drink and converse, the ladies brought wine +to the Khaleefeh; but he said, I am a pilgrim;[III_33]--and drew back +from them. Whereupon the portress spread before him an embroidered +cloth, and placed upon it a China bottle, into which she poured some +willow-flower-water, adding to it a lump of ice, and sweetening it with +sugar, while the Khaleefeh thanked her, and said within himself, +To-morrow I must reward her for this kind action. + +The party continued their carousal, and, when the wine took effect upon +them, the mistress of the house arose, and waited upon them; and +afterwards, taking the hand of the cateress, said, Arise, O my sister, +that we may fulfil our debt. She replied, Good. The portress then rose, +and, after she had cleared the middle of the saloon, placed the +mendicants at the further end, beyond the doors; after which, the ladies +called to the porter, saying, How slight is thy friendship! thou art not +a stranger, but one of the family. So the porter arose, and girded +himself, and said, What would ye?--to which one of the ladies answered, +Stand where thou art:--and presently the cateress said to him, Assist +me:--and he saw two black bitches, with chains attached to their necks, +and drew them to the middle of the saloon; whereupon the mistress of the +house arose from her place, and tucked up her sleeve above her wrist, +and, taking a whip, said to the porter, Bring to me one of them. +Accordingly, he dragged one forward by the chain. The bitch whined, and +shook her head at the lady; but the latter fell to beating her upon the +head, notwithstanding her howling, until her arms were tired, when she +threw the whip from her hand, and pressed the bitch to her bosom, and +wiped away her tears, and kissed her head; after which she said to the +porter, Take her back, and bring the other;--and he brought her, and she +did to her as she had done to the first. At the sight of this, the mind +of the Khaleefeh was troubled, and his heart was contracted, and he +winked to Ja[a.]far that he should ask her the reason; but he replied by +a sign, Speak not. + +[Illustration] + +The mistress of the house then looked towards the portress, and said to +her, Arise to perform what thou hast to do. She replied, Good:--and the +mistress of the house seated herself upon a couch of alabaster, overlaid +with gold and silver, and said to the portress and the cateress, Now +perform your parts. The portress then seated herself upon a couch by +her; and the cateress, having entered a closet, brought out from it a +bag of satin with green fringes, and, placing herself before the lady of +the house, shook it, and took out from it a lute; and she tuned its +strings, and sang to it these verses:-- + + Restore to my eyelids the sleep which hath been ravished; + and inform me of my reason, whither it hath fled. + I discovered, when I took up my abode with love, that slumber had + become an enemy to my eyes. + They said, We saw thee to be one of the upright; what, then, hath + seduced thee? I answered, Seek the cause from his glance. + Verily I excuse him for the shedding of my blood, admitting that + I urged him to the deed by vexation. + He cast his sun-like image upon the mirror of my mind, and its + reflection kindled a flame in my vitals.[III_34] + +When the portress[III_35] had heard this song, she exclaimed, Allah +approve thee!--and she rent her clothes, and fell upon the floor in a +swoon; and when her bosom was thus uncovered, the Khaleefeh saw upon her +the marks of beating, as if from mi[k.]ra'ahs[III_36] and whips; at +which he was greatly surprised. The cateress[III_37] immediately arose, +sprinkled water upon her face, and brought her another dress, which she +put on. The Khaleefeh then said to Ja[a.]far, Seest thou not this woman, +and the marks of beating upon her? I cannot keep silence respecting this +affair, nor be at rest, until I know the truth of the history of this +damsel, and that of these two bitches. But Ja[a.]far replied, O our +lord, they have made a covenant with us that we shall not speak +excepting of that which concerneth us, lest we hear that which will not +please us.--The cateress then took the lute again, and, placing it +against her bosom, touched the chords with the ends of her fingers, and +thus sang to it:-- + +[Illustration] + + If of love we complain, what shall we say? Or consuming through desire, + how can we escape? + Or if we send a messenger to interpret for us, he cannot convey + the lover's complaint. + Or if we would be patient, short were our existence after the loss + of those we love. + Nought remaineth to us but grief and mourning, and tears streaming + down our cheeks. + O you who are absent from my sight, but constantly dwelling within + my heart! + Have you kept your faith to an impassioned lover, who, while time + endureth, will never change? + Or, in absence, have you forgotten that lover who, on your account, + is wasting away? + When the day of judgment shall bring us together, I will beg of + our Lord a protractive trial.[III_38] + +On hearing these verses of the cateress, the portress again rent her +clothes, and cried out, and fell upon the floor in a swoon; and the +cateress, as before, put on her another dress, after she had sprinkled +some water upon her face.[III_39] + +The mendicants, when they witnessed this scene, said, Would that we had +never entered this house, but rather had passed the night upon the +mounds;[III_40] for our night hath been rendered foul by an event that +breaketh the back! The Khaleefeh, looking towards them, then said, +Wherefore is it so with you? They answered, Our hearts are troubled by +this occurrence.--Are ye not, he asked, of this house?--No, they +answered; nor did we imagine that this house belonged to any but the man +who is sitting with you:--upon which the porter said, Verily, I have +never seen this place before this night; and I would that I had passed +the night upon the mounds rather than here. They then observed, one to +another, We are seven men, and they are but three women; we will, +therefore, ask them of their history; and if they answer us not +willingly they shall do it in spite of themselves:--and they all agreed +to this, excepting Ja[a.]far, who said, This is not a right +determination; leave them to themselves, for we are their guests, and +they made a covenant with us which we should fulfil: there remaineth but +little of the night, and each of us shall soon go his way. Then, winking +to the Khaleefeh, he said, There remaineth but an hour; and to-morrow we +will bring them before thee, and thou shalt ask them their story. But +the Khaleefeh refused to do so, and said, I have not patience to wait so +long for their history.--Words followed words, and at last they said, +Who shall put the question to them?--and one answered, The porter. + +[Illustration] + +The ladies then said to them, O people, of what are ye +talking?--whereupon the porter approached the mistress of the house, and +said to her, O my mistress, I ask thee, and conjure thee by Allah, to +tell us the story of the two bitches, and for what reason thou didst +beat them, and then didst weep, and kiss them, and that thou acquaint us +with the cause of thy sister's having been beaten with mi[k.]ra'ahs: +that is our question, and peace be on you.--Is this true that he saith +of you? inquired the lady, of the other men; and they all answered, +Yes,--excepting Ja[a.]far, who was silent. When the lady heard their +answer, she said, Verily, O our guests, ye have wronged us excessively; +for we made a covenant with you beforehand, that he who should speak of +that which concerned him not should hear that which would not please +him. Is it not enough that we have admitted you into our house, and fed +you with our provisions? But it is not so much your fault as the fault +of her who introduced you to us.--She then tucked up her sleeve above +her wrist, and struck the floor three times, saying, Come ye +quickly!--and immediately the door of a closet opened, and there came +forth from it seven black slaves, each having in his hand a drawn sword. +The lady said to them, Tie behind them the hands of these men of many +words, and bind each of them to another:--and they did so, and said, O +virtuous lady, dost thou permit us to strike off their heads? She +answered, Give them a short respite, until I shall have inquired of them +their histories, before ye behead them.--By Allah, O my mistress, +exclaimed the porter, kill me not for the offence of others: for they +have all transgressed and committed an offence, excepting me. Verily our +night had been pleasant if we had been preserved from these mendicants, +whose presence is enough to convert a well-peopled city into a heap of +ruins!--He then repeated this couplet:-- + + How good is it to pardon one able to resist! and how much more so, + one who is helpless! + For the sake of the friendship that subsisted between us, destroy + not one for the crime of another! + +On hearing these words of the porter, the lady laughed after her anger. +Then approaching the men, she said, Acquaint me with your histories, for +there remaineth of your lives no more than an hour. Were ye not persons +of honourable and high condition, or governors,[III_41] I would hasten +your recompense.--The Khaleefeh said to Ja[a.]far, Wo to thee, O +Ja[a.]far! make known to her who we are; otherwise she will kill us.--It +were what we deserve, replied he.--Jesting, said the Khaleefeh, is not +befitting in a time for seriousness: each has its proper occasion.--The +lady then approached the mendicants, and said to them, Are ye brothers? +They answered, No, indeed; we are only poor foreigners.[III_42] She said +then to one of them, Wast thou born blind of one eye?--No, verily, he +answered; but a wonderful event happened to me when my eye was +destroyed, and the story of it, if engraved on the understanding, would +serve as a lesson to him who would be admonished. She asked the second +and the third also; and they answered her as the first; adding, Each of +us is from a different country, and our history is wonderful and +extraordinary. The lady then looked towards them and said, Each of you +shall relate his story, and the cause of his coming to our abode, and +then stroke his head,[III_43] and go his way. + +The first who advanced was the porter, who said, O my mistress, I am a +porter; and this cateress loaded me, and brought me hither, and what +hath happened to me here in your company ye know. This is my story; and +peace be on you.--Stroke thy head, then, said she, and go:--but he +replied, By Allah, I will not go until I shall have heard the story of +my companions.--The first mendicant then advanced, and related as +follows:-- + + +THE STORY OF THE FIRST ROYAL MENDICANT. + +Know, O my mistress, that the cause of my having shaved my beard, and of +the loss of my eye was this:--My father was a King, and he had a brother +who was also a King, and who resided in another capital. It happened +that my mother gave birth to me on the same day on which the son of my +uncle was born; and years and days passed away until we attained to +manhood. Now, it was my custom, some years, to visit my uncle, and to +remain with him several months; and on one of these occasions my cousin +paid me great honour; he slaughtered sheep for me, and strained the wine +for me, and we sat down to drink; and when the wine had affected us, he +said to me, O son of my uncle, I have need of thine assistance in an +affair of interest to me, and I beg that thou wilt not oppose me in that +which I desire to do. I replied, I am altogether at thy service:--and he +made me swear to him by great oaths, and, rising immediately, absented +himself for a little while, and then returned, followed by a woman +decked with ornaments, and perfumed, and wearing a dress of +extraordinary value. He looked towards me, while the woman stood behind +him, and said, Take this woman, and go before me to the burial-ground +which is in such a place:--and he described it to me, and I knew it. He +then added, Enter the burial-ground, and there wait for me. + +I could not oppose him, nor refuse to comply with his request, on +account of the oaths which I had sworn to him; so I took the woman, and +went with her to the burial-ground; and when we had sat there a short +time, my cousin came, bearing a basin of water, and a bag containing +some plaster, and a small adze. Going to a tomb in the midst of the +burial-ground, he took the adze, and disunited the stones, which he +placed on one side; he then dug up the earth with the adze, and +uncovered a flat stone, of the size of a small door, under which there +appeared a vaulted staircase. Having done this he made a sign to the +woman, and said to her, Do according to thy choice:--whereupon she +descended the stairs. He then looked towards me, and said, O son of my +uncle, complete thy kindness when I have descended into this place, by +replacing the trap-door and the earth above it as they were before: +then, this plaster which is in the bag, and this water which is in the +basin, do thou knead together, and plaster the stones of the tomb as +they were, so that no man may know it, and say, This hath been lately +opened, but its interior is old:--for, during the space of a whole year +I have been preparing this, and no one knew it but God: this is what I +would have thee do. He then said to me, May God never deprive thy +friends of thy presence, O son of my uncle!--and, having uttered these +words, he descended the stairs. + +[Illustration] + +When he had disappeared from before my eyes, I replaced the trap-door, +and busied myself with doing as he had ordered me, until the tomb was +restored to the state in which it was at first; after which I returned +to the palace of my uncle, who was then absent on a hunting excursion. I +slept that night, and when the morning came, I reflected upon what had +occurred between me and my cousin, and repented of what I had done for +him, when repentance was of no avail. I then went out to the +burial-ground, and searched for the tomb; but could not discover it. I +ceased not in my search until the approach of night; and, not finding +the way to it, returned again to the palace; and I neither ate nor +drank: my heart was troubled respecting my cousin, since I knew not what +had become of him; and I fell into excessive grief. I passed the night +sorrowful until the morning, and went again to the burial-ground, +reflecting upon the action of my cousin, and repenting of my compliance +with his request; and I searched among all the tombs; but discovered not +that for which I looked. Thus I persevered in my search seven days +without success.[III_44] + +My trouble continued and increased until I was almost mad; and I found +no relief but in departing, and returning to my father; but on my +arrival at his capital, a party at the city-gate sprang upon me and +bound me. I was struck with the utmost astonishment, considering that I +was the son of the Sul[t.]an of the city, and that these were the +servants of my father and of myself: excessive fear of them overcame me, +and I said within myself, What hath happened to my father? I asked, of +those who had bound me, the cause of this conduct; but they returned me +no answer, till after a while, when one of them, who had been my +servant, said to me, Fortune hath betrayed thy father, the troops have +been false to him, and the Wezeer hath killed him; and we were lying in +wait to take thee.--They took me, and I was as one dead, by reason of +this news which I had heard respecting my father; and I stood before the +Wezeer who had killed my father. + +Now, there was an old enmity subsisting between me and him; and the +cause of it was this:--I was fond of shooting with the cross-bow; and it +happened, one day, that as I was standing on the roof of my palace, a +bird alighted on the roof of the palace of the Wezeer, who was standing +there at the time, and I aimed at the bird; but the bullet missed it, +and struck the eye of the Wezeer, and knocked it out, in accordance with +the appointment of fate and destiny, as the poet hath said:-- + + We trod the steps appointed for us: and the man whose steps are + appointed must tread them. + He whose death is decreed to take place in one land will not die + in any land but that. + +When I had thus put out the eye of the Wezeer, he could say nothing, +because my father was King of the city. This was the cause of the enmity +between him and me: and when I stood before him, with my hands bound +behind me, he gave the order to strike off my head. I said to him, +Wouldst thou kill me for no offence?--What offence, he exclaimed, could +be greater than this?--and he pointed to the place of the eye which was +put out. I did that, said I, unintentionally. He replied, If thou didst +it unintentionally, I will do the same to thee purposely:--and +immediately he said, Bring him forward to me:--and, when they had done +so, he thrust his finger into my left eye, and pulled it out. Thus I +became deprived of one eye, as ye see me. He then bound me firmly, and +placed me in a chest, and said to the executioner, Take this fellow, and +draw thy sword, and convey him without the city; then put him to death, +and let the wild beasts devour him. + +Accordingly, he went forth with me from the city, and, having taken me +out from the chest, bound hand and foot, was about to bandage my eye, +and kill me; whereupon I wept, and exclaimed,-- + + How many brothers have I taken as armour! and such they were; + but to guard my enemies. + I thought they would be as piercing arrows: and such they were; + but to enter my heart! + +The executioner, who had served my father in the same capacity, and to +whom I had shewn kindnesses, said, on hearing these verses, O my master, +what can I do, being a slave under command?--but presently he added, +Depart with thy life, and return not to this country, lest thou perish, +and cause me to perish with thee. The poet saith,-- + + Flee with thy life if thou fearest oppression, and leave the house + to tell its builder's fate. + Thou wilt find, for the land that thou quittest, another: but no soul + wilt thou find to replace thine own. + +As soon as he had thus said, I kissed his hands, and believed not in my +safety until I had fled from his presence. The loss of my eye appeared +light to me when I considered my escape from death; and I journeyed to +my uncle's capital, and, presenting myself before him, informed him of +what had befallen my father, and of the manner in which I had lost my +eye: upon which he wept bitterly, and said, Thou hast added to my +trouble and my grief; for thy cousin hath been lost for some days, and I +know not what hath happened to him, nor can any one give me information +respecting him. Then he wept again, until he became insensible; and when +he recovered, he said, O my son, the loss of thine eye is better than +the loss of thy life. + +Upon this I could no longer keep silence respecting his son, my cousin; +so I informed him of all that happened to him; and on hearing this news +he rejoiced exceedingly, and said, Shew me the tomb.--By Allah, O my +uncle, I replied, I know not where it is; for I went afterwards several +times to search for it, and could not recognise its place. We, however, +went together to the burial-ground, and, looking to the right and left, +I discovered it; and both I and my uncle rejoiced. I then entered the +tomb with him, and when we had removed the earth, and lifted up the +trap-door, we descended fifty steps, and, arriving at the bottom of the +stairs, there issued forth upon us a smoke which blinded our eyes; +whereupon my uncle pronounced those words which relieve from fear him +who uttereth them,--There is no strength nor power but in God, the High, +the Great!--After this, we proceeded, and found ourselves in a saloon, +filled with flour and grain, and various eatables; and we saw there a +curtain suspended over a couch, upon which my uncle looked, and found +there his son and the woman who had descended with him, lying side by +side, and converted into black charcoal, as if they had been thrown into +a pit of fire. And when he beheld this spectacle, he spat in his son's +face, and exclaimed, This is what thou deservest, O thou wretch! This is +the punishment of the present world, and there remaineth the punishment +of the other world, which will be more severe and lasting!--and he +struck him with his shoes. Astonished at this action, and grieved for my +cousin, seeing him and the damsel thus converted into charcoal, I said, +By Allah, O my uncle, moderate the trouble of thy heart, for my mind is +perplexed by that which hath happened to thy son, and by thinking how it +hath come to pass that he and the damsel are converted into black +charcoal. Dost thou not deem it enough for him to be in this state, that +thou beatest him with thy shoes? + +O son of my brother, he replied, this my son was, from his early years, +inflamed with love for his foster-sister,[III_45] and I used to forbid +him from entertaining this passion for her, and to say within myself, +They are now children, but when they grow older a base act will be +committed by them:--and, indeed, I heard that such had been the case, +but I believed it not. I, however, reprimanded him severely, and said to +him, Beware of so foul an action, which none before thee hath committed, +nor will any commit after thee: otherwise we shall suffer disgrace and +disparagement among the Kings until we die, and our history will spread +abroad with the caravans: have a care for thyself that such an action +proceed not from thee; for I should be incensed against thee, and kill +thee. I then separated him from her, and her from him: but the vile +woman loved him excessively; the Devil got possession of them both; and +when my son saw that I had separated him, he secretly made this place +beneath the earth, and, having conveyed hither the provisions which +thou seest, took advantage of my inadvertence when I had gone out to +hunt, and came hither: but the Truth[III_46] (whose perfection be +extolled, and whose name be exalted!) was jealously vigilant over them, +and consumed them by fire; and the punishment of the world to come will +be more severe and lasting.--He then wept, and I wept with him; and he +said to me, Thou art my son in his stead.--I remained a while reflecting +upon the world and its vicissitudes, upon the murder of my father by the +Wezeer, and his usurping his throne, and the loss of my eye, and the +strange events which had happened to my cousin, and I wept again. + +We then ascended, and, having replaced the trap-door and the earth above +it, and restored the tomb to its former state, returned to our abode; +but scarcely had we seated ourselves when we heard the sounds of drums +and trumpets, warriours galloped about, and the air was filled with dust +raised by the horses' hoofs. Our minds were perplexed, not knowing what +had happened, and the King, asking the news, was answered, The Wezeer of +thy brother hath slain him and his soldiers and guards, and come with +his army to assault the city unawares; and the inhabitants, being unable +to withstand, have submitted to him:--whereupon I said within myself, If +I fall into his hand, he will slay me.--Griefs overwhelmed me, and I +thought of the calamities which had befallen my father and my mother, +and knew not what to do; for if I appeared, the people of the city would +know me, and the troops of my father would hasten to kill and destroy +me. I knew no way of escape but to shave off my beard:[III_47] so I +shaved it, and, having changed my clothes, departed from the city, and +came hither, to this abode of peace, in the hope that some person would +introduce me to the Prince of the Faithful, the Khaleefeh of the Lord +of all creatures, that I might relate to him my story, and all that had +befallen me. I arrived in this city this night; and as I stood +perplexed, not knowing whither to direct my steps, I saw this mendicant, +and saluted him, and said, I am a stranger. He replied, And I, too, am a +stranger:--and while we were thus addressing each other, our companion, +this third person, came up to us, and saluting us, said, I am a +stranger. We replied, And we, also, are strangers. So we walked on +together, and darkness overtook us, and destiny directed us unto your +abode.--This was the cause of the shaving of my beard, and of the loss +of my eye. + +The lady then said to him, Stroke my head, and depart:--but he replied, +I will not depart until I have heard the stories of the others. And they +wondered at his tale; and the Khaleefeh said to Ja[a.]far, Verily I have +never known the like of that which hath happened to this mendicant. + +[Illustration] + +The second mendicant then advanced, and, having kissed the ground, +said,-- + + +THE STORY OF THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT. + +O my mistress, I was not born with only one eye; but my story is +wonderful, and, if written, would serve as a lesson to him who would be +admonished. I am a King, and son of a King: I read the [K.]uran +according to the seven readings,[III_48] and perused various works under +the tuition of different learned professors of their subjects: I studied +the science of the stars,[III_49] and the writings of the poets, and +made myself a proficient in all the sciences; so that I surpassed the +people of my age. My hand-writing[III_50] was extolled among all the +scribes, my fame spread among all countries, and my history among all +Kings; and the King of India, hearing of me, requested my father to +allow me to visit him, sending him various gifts and curious presents, +such as were suitable to Kings. My father, therefore, prepared for me +six ships, and we proceeded by sea for the space of a whole month, after +which we came to land; and, having disembarked some horses which we had +with us in the ship, we loaded ten camels with presents, and commenced +our journey; but soon there appeared a cloud of dust, which rose and +spread until it filled the air before us, and, after a while, cleared a +little, and discovered to us, in the midst of it, sixty horseman like +fierce lions whom we perceived to be Arab highwaymen; and when they saw +us, that we were a small company with ten loads of presents for the King +of India, they galloped towards us, pointing their spears at us. We +made signs to them with our fingers, and said, We are ambassadors to the +honoured King of India; therefore do us no injury:--but they replied, We +are not in his territories, nor under his government. They slew certain +of the young men, and the rest fled. I also fled, after I had received a +severe wound; the Arabs being employed, without further regard to us, in +taking possession of the treasure and presents which we had with us. + +[Illustration] + +I proceeded without knowing whither to direct my course, reduced from a +mighty to an abject state, and journeyed till I arrived at the summit of +a mountain, where I took shelter in a cavern until the next morning. I +then resumed my journey, and arrived at a flourishing city: the winter, +with its cold, had passed away, and the spring had come, with its +flowers; and I rejoiced at my arrival there, being wearied with my +journey, anxious and pallid. My condition being thus changed, I knew not +whither to bend my steps; and, turning to a tailor sitting in his shop, +I saluted him, and he returned my salutation, and welcomed me, and +wished me joy, asking me the reason of my having come thither. I +acquainted him, therefore, with what had befallen me from first to last, +and he was grieved for me, and said, O young man, reveal not thy case, +for I fear what the King of this city might do to thee, since he is the +greatest of thy father's enemies, and hath a debt of blood against him. +He then placed some food and drink before me, and we ate together, and I +conversed with him till night, when he lodged me in a place by his shop, +and brought me a bed and coverlet; and, after I had remained with him +three days, he said to me, Dost thou not know any trade by which to make +gain?[III_51] I answered, I am acquainted with the law, a student of +sciences, a writer, and an arithmetician.--Thy occupation, he said, is +profitless in our country: there is no one in our city acquainted with +science or writing, but only with getting money. Verily, I replied, I +know nothing but what I have told thee.--Gird thyself, then, said he, +and take an axe and a rope, and cut firewood in the desert, and so +obtain thy subsistence until God dispel thy affliction; but acquaint no +one with thy history, else they will kill thee. He then bought for me an +axe and a rope, and sent me with a party of wood-cutters, giving them a +charge respecting me. Accordingly, I went forth with them, and, cut some +wood, and brought back a load upon my head, and sold it for half a piece +of gold, part of which I expended in food, laying by the remainder. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +Thus I continued for the space of a year, after which I went one day +into the desert, according to my custom, to cut firewood; and, finding +there a tract with abundance of wood, I entered it, and came to a tree, +around which I dug; and as I was removing the earth from its roots, the +axe struck against a ring of brass; and I cleared away the earth from +it, and found that it was affixed to a trap-door of wood, which I +immediately removed. Beneath it appeared a staircase, which I descended; +and at the bottom of this I entered a door, and beheld a palace, +strongly constructed, where I found a lady, like a pearl of high price, +whose aspect banished from the heart all anxiety and grief and +affliction. At the sight of her I prostrated myself in adoration of her +Creator for the fairness and beauty which He had displayed in her +person; and she, looking towards me, said, Art thou a man or a Jinnee? I +answered her, I am a man.--And who, she asked, hath brought thee to this +place, in which I have lived five and twenty years without ever seeing a +human being?--Her words sounded sweetly to me, and I answered her, O my +mistress, God hath brought me to thy abode, and I hope will put an end +to my anxiety and grief:--and I related to her my story from beginning +to end. She was grieved at my case, and wept, and said, I also will +acquaint thee with my story. Know that I am the daughter of the King of +the further parts of India, the lord of the Ebony Island. My father had +married me to the son of my uncle; but on the night of my bridal +festivities, an 'Efreet namad Jarjarees, the son of Rejmoos, the son of +Iblees, carried me off, and, soaring with me through the air, alighted +in this place, to which he conveyed all things necessary for me, such as +ornaments, and garments, and linen, and furniture, and food, and drink; +and once in every ten days he cometh to me, and spendeth a night +here;[III_52] and he hath appointed with me, that, in case of my wanting +any thing by night or day, I should touch with my hand these two lines +which are inscribed upon the [k.]ubbeh,[III_53] and as soon as I remove +my hand I see him before me. Four days have now passed since he was last +with me, and there remain, therefore, six days before he will come +again; wilt thou then remain with me five days, and depart one day +before his visit?--I answered, Yes; rejoicing at the proposal; and she +arose, and taking me by the hand, conducted me through an arched door to +a small and elegant bath, where I took off my clothes, while she seated +herself upon a mattress. After this, she seated me by her side, and +brought me some sherbet of sugar infused with musk,[III_54] and handed +it to me to drink: she then placed some food before me, and after we had +eaten and conversed together, she said to me, Sleep, and rest thyself; +for thou art fatigued. + +I slept, O my mistress, and forgot all that had befallen me; and when I +awoke, I found her rubbing my feet;[III_55] upon which I called to her, +and we sat down again and conversed a while; and she said to me, By +Allah, I was straitened in my heart, living here alone, without any +person to talk with me, five and twenty years. Praise be to God who hath +sent thee to me.--I thanked her for her kind expressions; and love of +her took possession of my heart, and my anxiety and grief fled away. We +then sat down to drink together; and I remained by her side all the +night, delighted with her company, for I had never seen her like in my +whole life; and in the morning, when we were both full of joy, I said to +her, Shall I take thee up from this subterranean place, and release thee +from the Jinnee? But she laughed, and replied, Be content, and hold thy +peace; for, of every ten days, one day shall be for the 'Efreet, and +nine for thee. I persisted, however, being overcome with passion: and +said, I will this instant demolish this [k.]ubbeh upon which the +inscription is engraved, and let the 'Efreet come, that I may slay him: +for I am predestined to kill 'Efreets. She entreated me to refrain; but, +paying no attention to her words, I kicked the [k.]ubbeh with violence; +upon which she exclaimed, The 'Efreet hath arrived! Did I not caution +thee against this? Verily thou hast brought a calamity upon me; but save +thyself, and ascend by the way that thou camest. + +In the excess of my fear I forgot my sandals and my axe, and when I had +ascended two steps, turning round to look for them, I saw that the +ground had opened, and there rose from it an 'Efreet of hideous aspect, +who said, Wherefore is this disturbance with which thou hast alarmed me, +and what misfortune hath befallen thee? She answered, No misfortune hath +happened to me, excepting that my heart was contracted, and I desired to +drink some wine to dilate it, and, rising to perform my purpose, I fell +against the [k.]ubbeh.--Thou liest, vile woman, he exclaimed;--and, +looking about the palace to the right and left, he saw the sandals and +axe; and said to her, These are the property of none but a man. Who hath +visited thee?--I have not seen them, she answered, until this instant: +probably they caught to thee.--This language, said he, is absurd, and +will have no effect upon me, thou shameless woman!--and, so saying, he +stripped her of her clothing, and tied her down, with her arms and legs +extended, to four stakes, and began to beat her, urging her to confess +what had happened. + +[Illustration] + +For myself, being unable to endure her cries, I ascended the stairs, +overpowered by fear, and, arriving at the top, replaced the trap-door as +it was at first, and covered it over with earth. I repented bitterly of +what I had done, and reflecting upon the lady and her beauty, and how +this wretch was torturing her after she had lived with him five and +twenty years, and that he tortured her only on my account, and +reflecting also upon my father and his kingdom, and how I had been +reduced to the condition of a wood-cutter, I repeated this verse:-- + + When fortune bringeth thee affliction, console thyself by remembering + that one day thou must see prosperity, and another day, difficulty. + +[Illustration] + +Returning to my companion, the tailor, I found him awaiting my return as +if he were placed in a pan upon burning coals. I past last night, said +he, with anxious heart on thy account, fearing for thee from some wild +beast or other calamity. Praise be to God for thy safe return.--I +thanked him for his tender concern for me, and entered my apartment; and +as I sat meditating upon that which had befallen me, and blaming myself +for having kicked the [k.]ubbeh, my friend the tailor came in to me, and +said, In the shop is a foreigner, who asks for thee, and he has thy axe +and sandals; he came with them to the wood-cutters,[III_56] and said to +them, I went out at the time of the call of the Mueddin to +morning-prayer, and stumbled upon these, and know not to whom they +belong: can ye guide me to their owner?--The wood-cutters, therefore, +directed him to thee: he is sitting in my shop; so go out to him and +thank him, and take thy axe and thy sandals.--On hearing these words, my +countenance turned pale, and my whole state became changed; and while I +was in this condition, the floor of my chamber clove asunder, and there +rose from it the stranger, and lo, he was the 'Efreet; he had tortured +the lady with the utmost cruelty; but she would confess nothing: so he +took the axe and the sandals, and said to her, If I am Jarjarees, of the +descendants of Iblees, I will bring the owner of this axe and these +sandals. Accordingly, he came, with the pretence before mentioned, to +the wood-cutters, and, having entered my chamber, without granting me +any delay, seized me, and soared with me through the air: he then +descended, and dived into the earth, and brought me up into the palace +where I was before. + +Here I beheld the lady stripped of her clothing, and with blood flowing +from her sides; and tears trickled from my eyes. The 'Efreet then took +hold of her, and said, Vile woman, this is thy lover:--whereupon she +looked at me, and replied, I know him not, nor have I ever seen him +until this instant. The 'Efreet said to her, With all this torture wilt +thou not confess? She answered, Never in my life have I seen him before, +and it is not lawful in the sight of God that I should speak falsely +against him.[III_57]--Then, said he, if thou know him not, take this +sword and strike off his head. She took the sword, and came to me, and +stood over my head: but I made a sign to her with my eyebrow, while +tears ran down my cheeks. She replied in a similar manner, Thou art he +who hath done all this to me:--I made a sign to her, however, that this +was a time for pardon, conveying my meaning in the manner thus described +by the poet:--[III_58] + + Our signal in love is the glance of our eyes; and every intelligent + person understandeth the sign. + Our eyebrows carry on an intercourse between us: we are silent; + but love speaketh. + +And when she understood me, she threw the sword from her hand, O my +mistress, and the 'Efreet handed it to me, saying, Strike off her head, +and I will liberate thee, and do thee no harm. I replied, Good:--and, +quickly approaching her, raised my hand; but she made a sign as though +she would say, I did no injury to thee:--whereupon my eyes poured with +tears, and, throwing down the sword, I said, O mighty 'Efreet, and +valiant hero, if a woman, deficient in sense and religion,[III_59] seeth +it not lawful to strike off my head, how is it lawful for me to do so to +her, and especially when I have never seen her before in my life? I will +never do it, though I should drink the cup of death and +destruction.--There is affection between you, said the 'Efreet, and, +taking the sword, he struck off one of the hands of the lady; then, the +other; after this, her right foot; and then, her left foot: thus with +four blows he cut off her four extremities, while I looked on, expecting +my own death. She then made a sign to me with her eye; and the 'Efreet, +observing her, exclaimed, Now thou hast been guilty of incontinence with +thine eye!--and, with a blow of his sword, struck off her head; after +which, he turned towards me, and said, O man, it is allowed us by our +law, if a wife be guilty of incontinence, to put her to death. This +woman I carried off on her wedding-night, when she was twelve years of +age, and she was acquainted with no man but me; and I used to pass one +night with her in the course of every ten days in the garb of a +foreigner; and when I discovered of a certainty that she had been +unfaithful to me, I killed her: but as for thee, I am not convinced that +thou hast wronged me with respect to her; yet I must not leave thee +unpunished: choose, therefore, what injury I shall do to thee. + +[Illustration] + +Upon this, O my mistress, I rejoiced exceedingly, and, eager to obtain +his pardon, I said to him, What shall I choose from thy hands?--Choose, +he answered, into what form I shall change thee; either the form of a +dog, or that of an ass, or that of an ape. I replied, in my desire of +forgiveness, Verily, if thou wilt pardon me, God will pardon thee in +recompense for thy shewing mercy to a Muslim who hath done thee no +injury:--and I humbled myself in the most abject manner, and said to +him, Pardon me as the envied man did the envier.--And how was that? said +he. I answered as follows:--[III_60] + + +THE STORY OF THE ENVIER AND THE ENVIED. + +Know, O my master, that there was a certain man who had a neighbour that +envied him; and the more this person envied him, so much the more did +God increase the prosperity of the former. Thus it continued a long +time; but when the envied man found that his neighbour persisted in +troubling him, he removed to a place where there was a deserted well; +and there he built for himself an oratory, and occupied himself in the +worship of God. Numerous Fa[k.]eers[III_61] assembled around him, and he +acquired great esteem, people repairing to him from every quarter, +placing firm reliance upon his sanctity; and his fame reached the ears +of his envious neighbour, who mounted his horse, and went to visit him; +and when the envied man saw him, he saluted him, and payed him the +utmost civility. The envier then said to him, I have come hither to +inform thee of a matter in which thou wilt find advantage, and for which +I shall obtain a recompense in heaven. The envied man replied, May God +requite thee for me with every blessing. Then, said the envier, order +the Fa[k.]eers to retire to their cells, for the information that I am +about to give thee I would have no one overhear. So he ordered them to +enter their cells; and the envier said to him, Arise, and let us walk +together, and converse; and they walked on until they came to the +deserted well before mentioned, when the envier pushed the envied man +into this well, without the knowledge of any one, and went his way, +imagining that he had killed him. + +But this well was inhabited by Jinn, who received him unhurt, and seated +him upon a large stone; and when they had done this, one of them said to +the others, Do ye know this man? They answered, We know him not.--This, +said he, is the envied man who fled from him who envied him, and took up +his abode in this quarter, in the neighbouring oratory, and who +entertaineth us by his zikr[III_62] and his readings; and when his +envier heard of him, he came hither to him, and, devising a stratagem +against him, threw him down here. His fame hath this night reached the +Sul[t.]an of this city, who hath purposed to visit him to-morrow, on +account of the affliction which hath befallen his daughter.--And what, +said they, hath happened to his daughter? He answered, Madness; for +Meymoon, the son of Demdem, hath become inflamed with love for her; and +her cure is the easiest of things. They asked him, What is it?--and he +answered, The black cat that is with him in the oratory hath at the end +of her tail a white spot, of the size of a piece of silver; and from +this white spot should be taken seven hairs, and with these the damsel +should be fumigated, and the Marid would depart from over her head, and +not return to her; so she would be instantly cured. And now it is our +duty to take him out. + +[Illustration] + +When the morning came, the Fa[k.]eers saw the Sheykh rising out of the +well; and he became magnified in their eyes. And when he entered the +oratory, he took from the white spot at the end of the cat's tail seven +hairs, and placed them in a portfolio by him; and at sunrise the King +came to him, and when the Sheykh saw him, he said to him, O King, thou +hast come to visit me in order that I may cure thy daughter. The King +replied. Yes, O virtuous Sheykh.--Then, said the Sheykh, send some +person to bring her hither; and I trust in God, whose name be exalted, +that she may be instantly cured. And when the King had brought his +daughter, the Sheykh beheld her bound, and, seating her, suspended a +curtain over her, and took out the hairs, and fumigated her with them; +whereupon the Marid cried out from over her head, and left her; and the +damsel immediately recovered her reason, and, veiling her face, said to +her father, What is this, and wherefore didst thou bring me to this +place? He answered her, Thou hast nothing to fear;--and rejoiced +greatly. He kissed the hand of the envied Sheykh, and said to the great +men of his court who were with him, What shall be the recompense of this +Sheykh for that which he hath done? They answered, His recompense should +be that thou marry him to her.--Ye have spoken truly, said the +King:--and he gave her in marriage to him, and thus the Sheykh became a +connection of the King; and after some days the King died, and he was +made King in his place. + +And it happened one day that this envied King was riding with his +troops, and he saw his envier approaching; and when this man came before +him he seated him upon a horse with high distinction and honour, and, +taking him to his palace, gave him a thousand pieces of gold, and a +costly dress; after which he sent him back from the city, with +attendants to escort him to his house, and reproached him for +nothing.--Consider, then, O 'Efreet, the pardon of the envied to the +envier, and his kindness to him, notwithstanding the injuries he had +done him.[III_63] + + +CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT. + +The 'Efreet, when he had heard this story, replied, Lengthen not thy +words to me: as to my killing thee, fear it not; and as to my pardoning +thee, covet it not; but as to my enchanting thee, there is no escape +from it;--and, so saying, he clove the earth asunder, and soared with me +through the sky to such a height that I beheld the world beneath me as +though it were a bowl of water: then, alighting upon a mountain, he took +up a little dust, and, having muttered and pronounced certain words over +it, sprinkled me with it, saying, Quit this form, and take the form of +an ape!--whereupon I became like an ape of a hundred years of age. + +[Illustration] + +When I saw myself changed into this ugly form, I wept for myself, but +determined to be patient under the tyranny of fortune, knowing it to be +constant to no one. I descended from the summit of the mountain, and, +after having journeyed for the space of a month, arrived at the +sea-shore; and, when I had stood there a short time, I saw a vessel in +the midst of the sea, with a favourable wind approaching the land; I +therefore hid myself behind a rock on the beach, and when the ship came +close up, I sprang into the midst of it. But as soon as the persons on +board saw me, one of them cried, Turn out this unlucky brute from the +ship:--another said, Let us kill him:--and a third exclaimed, I will +kill him with this sword. I, however, caught hold of the end of the +sword, and tears flowed from my eyes; at the sight of which the captain +took compassion on me, and said to the passengers, O merchants, this ape +hath sought my aid, and I give it him; he is under my protection; let no +one, therefore, oppose or trouble him. He then treated me with kindness, +and whatever he said to me I understood, and all that he required to be +done I performed as his servant. + +We continued our voyage for fifty days with a fair wind, and cast anchor +under a large city containing a population which no one but God, whose +name be exalted, could reckon; and when we had moored our vessel, there +came to us some memlooks from the King of the city, who came on board +the ship, and complimented the merchants on their safe arrival, saying, +Our King greeteth you, rejoicing in your safety, and hath sent to you +this roll of paper, desiring that each of you shall write a line upon +it; for the King had a Wezeer who was an eminent caligraphist, and he is +dead, and the King hath sworn that he will not appoint any person to his +office who cannot write equally well.[III_64] Though in the form of an +ape, I arose and snatched the paper from their hands; upon which, +fearing that I would tear it and throw it into the sea, they cried out +against me, and would have killed me; but I made signs to them that I +would write, and the captain said to them, Suffer him to write, and if +he scribble we will turn him away; but if he write well I will adopt +him as my son; for I have never seen a more intelligent ape. So I took +the pen, and demanded the ink, and wrote in an epistolary hand this +couplet:-- + + Fame hath recorded the virtues of the noble; but no one hath been + able to reckon thine. + May God not deprive mankind of such a father; for thou art the parent + of every excellence. + +Then, in a more formal, large hand, I wrote the following verses:-- + + There is no writer that shall not perish; but what his hand hath + written endureth ever. + Write, therefore, nothing but what will please thee when thou shalt + see it on the day of resurrection. + +Two other specimens I wrote, in two different and smaller hands, and +returned the paper to the memlooks, who took it back to the King; and +when he saw what was written upon it, the hand of no one pleased him +excepting mine; and he said to his attendants, Go to the author of this +hand-writing, put upon him this dress, and mount him upon a mule, and +conduct him, with the band of music before him, to my presence. On +hearing this order, they smiled; and the King was angry with them, and +said, How is it that I give you an order, and ye laugh at me? They +answered, O King, we laugh not at thy words, but because he who wrote +this is an ape, and not a son of Adam: he is with the captain of the +ship newly arrived. + +The King was astonished at their words; he shook with delight, and said, +I would purchase this ape. He then sent some messengers to the ship, +with the mule and the dress of honour, saying to them, Ye must clothe +him with this dress, and mount him upon the mule, and bring him hither. +So they came to the ship, and, taking me from the captain, clad me with +the dress; and the people were astonished, and flocked to amuse +themselves with the sight of me. And when they brought me to the King, +and I beheld him, I kissed the ground before him three times, and he +ordered me to sit down: so I sat down upon my knees;[III_65] and the +persons present were surprised at my polite manners, and especially the +King, who presently ordered his people to retire. They, therefore, did +so; none remaining but the King, and a eunuch, and a young memlook, and +myself. The King then commanded that a repast should be brought; and +they placed before him a service of viands, such as gratified the +appetite and delighted the eye; and the King made a sign to me that I +should eat; whereupon I arose, and, having kissed the ground before him +seven times, sat down to eat with him; and when the table was removed, I +washed my hands, and, taking the ink-case, and pen and paper, I wrote +these two verses:-- + + Great is my appetite for thee, O Kunafeh![III_66] I cannot + be happy nor endure without thee. + Be thou every day and night my food; and may drops of honey not + be wanting to moisten thee. + +Having done this, I arose, and seated myself at a distance; and the +King, looking at what I had written, read it with astonishment, and +exclaimed, Can an ape possess such fluency and such skill in caligraphy? +This is, indeed, a wonder of wonders!--Afterwards, a chess-table was +brought to the King, and he said to me, Wilt thou play? By a motion of +my head I answered, Yes:--and I advanced, and arranged the +pieces.[III_67] I played with him twice, and beat him; and the King was +perplexed, and said, Were this a man, he would surpass all the people of +his age. + +He then said to his eunuch, Go to thy mistress, and say to her, Answer +the summons of the King:--that she may come and gratify her curiosity by +the sight of this wonderful ape. The eunuch, therefore, went, and +returned with his mistress, the King's daughter, who, as soon as she saw +me, veiled her face, and said, O my father, how is it that thou art +pleased to send for me, and suffer strange men to see me?--O my +daughter, answered the King, there is no one here but the young memlook, +and the eunuch who brought thee up, and this ape, with myself, thy +father: from whom, then, dost thou veil thy face?--This ape, said she, +is the son of a King, and the name of his father is Eymar:[III_68] he is +enchanted, and it was the 'Efreet Jarjarees, a descendant of Iblees, who +transformed him, after having slain his own wife, the daughter of King +A[k.]namoos. This, whom thou supposedst to be an ape, is a learned and +wise man.--The King was amazed at his daughter's words, and, looking +towards me, said, Is it true that she saith of thee? I answered, by a +motion of my head, Yes:--and wept. The King then said to his daughter, +By what means didst thou discover that he was enchanted?--O my father, +she answered, I had with me, in my younger years, an old woman who was a +cunning enchantress, and she taught me the art of enchantment: I have +committed its rules to memory, and know it thoroughly, being acquainted +with a hundred and seventy modes of performing it, by the least of which +I could transport the stones of thy city beyond Mount [K.]af, and make +its site to be an abyss of the sea, and convert its inhabitants into +fish in the midst of it.--I conjure thee, then, by the name of Allah, +said her father, to restore this young man, that I may make him my +Wezeer. Is it possible that thou possessedst this excellence, and I +knew it not? Restore him, that I may make him my Wezeer, for he is a +polite and intelligent youth. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +She replied, With pleasure:--and, taking a knife upon which were +engraved some Hebrew names, marked with it a circle in the midst of the +palace. Within this she wrote certain names and talismans, and then she +pronounced invocations, and uttered unintelligible words; and soon the +palace around us became immersed in gloom to such a degree, that we +thought the whole world was overspread; and lo, the 'Efreet appeared +before us in a most hideous shape, with hands like winnowing-forks, and +legs like masts, and eyes like burning torches; so that we were +terrified at him. The King's daughter exclaimed, No welcome to thee!--to +which the 'Efreet, assuming the form of a lion, replied, Thou traitress, +how is it that thou hast broken thine oath? Did we not swear that we +would not oppose one another?--Thou wretch, said she, when didst thou +receive an oath?--The 'Efreet, still in the form of a lion, then +exclaimed, Take what awaiteth thee!--and, opening his mouth, rushed upon +the lady: but she instantly plucked a hair from her head and muttered +with her lips, whereupon the hair became converted into a piercing +sword, with which she struck the lion, and he was cleft in twain by the +blow; but his head became changed into a scorpion. The lady immediately +transformed herself into an enormous serpent, and crept after the +execrable wretch in the shape of a scorpion, and a sharp contest ensued +between them; after which, the scorpion became an eagle, and the +serpent, changing to a vulture, pursued the eagle for a length of time. +The latter then transformed himself into a black cat, and the King's +daughter became a wolf, and they fought together long and fiercely, till +the cat, seeing himself overcome, changed himself into a large red +pomegranate, which fell into a pool; but, the wolf pursuing it, it +ascended into the air, and then fell upon the pavement of the palace, +and broke in pieces, its grains becoming scattered, each apart from the +others, and all spread about the whole space of ground enclosed by the +palace. The wolf, upon this, transformed itself into a cock, in order to +pick up the grains, and not leave one of them; but, according to the +decree of fate, one grain remained hidden by the side of the pool of the +fountain. The cock began to cry, and flapped its wings, and made a sign +to us with its beak; but we understood not what it would say. It then +uttered at us such a cry, that we thought the palace had fallen down +upon us; and it ran about the whole of the ground, until it saw the +grain that had lain hid by the side of the pool, when it pounced upon +it, to pick it up; but it fell into the midst of the water, and became +transformed into a fish, and sank into the water; upon which the cock +became a fish of a larger size, and plunged in after the other. For a +while it was absent from our sight; but, at length, we heard a loud cry, +and trembled at the sound; after which, the 'Efreet rose as a flame of +fire, casting fire from his mouth, and fire and smoke from his eyes and +nostrils: the King's daughter also became as a vast body of fire; and we +would have plunged into the water from fear of our being burnt and +destroyed; but suddenly the 'Efreet cried out from within the fire, and +came towards us upon the leewan,[III_69] blowing fire at our faces. The +lady, however, overtook him, and blew fire in like manner in his face; +and some sparks struck us both from her and from him: her sparks did us +no harm; but one from him struck me in my eye, and destroyed it, I being +still in the form of an ape; and a spark from him reached the face of +the King, and burned the lower half, with his beard and mouth, and +struck out his lower teeth: another spark also fell upon the breast of +the eunuch; who was burnt, and died immediately. We expected +destruction, and gave up all hope of preserving our lives; but while we +were in this state, a voice exclaimed, God is most great! God is most +great! He hath conquered and aided, and abandoned the denier of the +faith of Mo[h.]ammad, the chief of mankind![III_70]--The person from +whom this voice proceeded was the King's daughter: she had burnt the +'Efreet; and when we looked towards him, we perceived that he had become +a heap of ashes. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +The lady then came to us, and said, Bring me a cup of water:--and when +it was brought to her, she pronounced over it some words which we +understood not, and, sprinkling me with it, said, Be restored, by virtue +of the name of the Truth, and by virtue of the most great name of God, +to thy original form!--whereupon I became a man as I was at first, +excepting that my eye was destroyed. After this, she cried out, The +fire! the fire! O my father, I shall no longer live, for I am +predestined to be killed. Had he been a human being, I had killed him at +the first of the encounter. I experienced no difficulty till the +scattering of the grains of the pomegranate, when I picked them up +excepting the one in which was the life of the Jinnee: had I picked up +that, he had instantly died; but I saw it not, as fate and destiny had +appointed; and suddenly he came upon me, and a fierce contest ensued +between us under the earth, and in the air, and in the water; and every +time that he tried against me a new mode, I employed against him one +more potent, until he tried against me the mode of fire; and rarely does +one escape against whom the mode of fire is employed. Destiny, however, +aided me, so that I burned him first; but I exhorted him previously to +embrace the faith of El-Islam. Now I die; and may God supply my place to +you.--Having thus said, she ceased not to pray for relief from the fire; +and lo, a spark ascended to her breast, and thence to her face; and when +it reached her face, she wept, and exclaimed, I testify that there is no +deity but God, and I testify that Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle!--We then +looked towards her, and saw that she had become a heap of ashes by the +side of the ashes of the 'Efreet. + +We were plunged into grief on her account, and I wished that I had been +in her place rather than have seen that sweet-faced creature who had +done me this kindness reduced to a heap of ashes: but the decree of God +cannot be averted. The King, on beholding his daughter in this state, +plucked out what remained of his beard, and slapped his face, and rent +his clothes; and I also did the same, while we both wept for her. Then +came the chamberlains and other great officers of the court, who, +finding the King in a state of insensibility, with two heaps of ashes +before him, were astonished, and remained encompassing him until he +recovered from his fit, when he informed them of what had befallen his +daughter with the 'Efreet; and great was their affliction. The women +shrieked, with the female slaves, and continued their mourning seven +days. After this, the King gave orders to build, over the ashes of his +daughter, a great tomb with a dome, and illuminated it with candles and +lamps: but the ashes of the 'Efreet they scattered in the wind, exposing +them to the curse of God. The King then fell sick, and was near unto +death: his illness lasted a month; but after this he recovered his +health, and, summoning me to his presence, said to me, O young man, we +passed our days in the enjoyment of the utmost happiness, secure from +the vicissitudes of fortune, until thou camest to us, when troubles +overcame us. Would that we had never seen thee, nor thy ugly form, on +account of which we have been reduced to this state of privation: for, +in the first place, I have lost my daughter, who was worth a hundred +men; and, secondly, I have suffered this burning, and lost my teeth: my +eunuch also is dead: but it was not in thy power to prevent these +afflictions: the decree of God hath been fulfilled on us and on thee; +and praise be to God that my daughter restored thee, though she +destroyed herself. Now, however, depart, O my son, from my city. It is +enough that hath happened on thy account; but as it was decreed against +us and thee, depart in peace. + +So I departed, O my mistress, from his presence; but before I quitted +the city, I entered a public bath, and shaved my beard. I traversed +various regions, and passed through great cities, and bent my course to +the Abode of Peace,[III_71] Baghdad, in the hope of obtaining an +interview with the Prince of the Faithful, that I might relate to him +all that had befallen me. + +The third mendicant then advanced, and thus related his story:-- + + +THE STORY OF THE THIRD ROYAL MENDICANT. + +O illustrious lady, my story is not like those of my two companions, but +more wonderful: the course of fate and destiny brought upon them events +against which they could not guard; but as to myself, the shaving of my +beard and the loss of my eye were occasioned by my provoking fate and +misfortune; and the cause was this:-- + +I was a King, and the son of a King; and when my father died, I +succeeded to his throne, and governed my subjects with justice and +beneficence. I took pleasure in sea-voyages; and my capital was on the +shore of an extensive sea, interspersed with fortified and garrisoned +islands, which I desired, for my amusement, to visit; I therefore +embarked with a fleet of ten ships, and took with me provisions +sufficient for a whole month. I proceeded twenty days, after which there +arose against us a contrary wind; but at daybreak it ceased, and the sea +became calm, and we arrived at an island, where we landed, and cooked +some provisions and ate; after which we remained there two days. We +then continued our voyage; and when twenty days more had passed, we +found ourselves in strange waters, unknown to the captain, and desired +the watch to look out from the mast-head: so he went aloft, and when he +had come down he said to the captain, I saw, on my right hand, fish +floating upon the surface of the water; and looking towards the midst of +the sea, I perceived something looming in the distance, sometimes black, +and sometimes white. + +When the captain heard this report of the watch, he threw his turban on +the deck, and plucked his beard, and said to those who were with him, +Receive warning of our destruction, which will befall all of us: not one +will escape! So saying, he began to weep; and all of us in like manner +bewailed our lot. I desired him to inform us of that which the watch had +seen. O my lord, he replied, know that we have wandered from our course +since the commencement of the contrary wind that was followed in the +morning by a calm, in consequence of which we remained stationary two +days: from that period we have deviated from our course for twenty-one +days, and we have no wind to carry us back from the fate which awaits us +after this day: to-morrow we shall arrive at a mountain of black stone, +called loadstone: the current is now bearing us violently towards it, +and the ships will fall in pieces, and every nail in them will fly to +the mountain, and adhere to it; for God hath given to the loadstone a +secret property by virtue of which everything of iron is attracted +towards it. On that mountain is such a quantity of iron as no one +knoweth but God, whose name be exalted; for from times of old great +numbers of ships have been destroyed by the influence of that +mountain.[III_72] There is, upon the summit of the mountain, a cupola of +brass supported by ten columns, and upon the top of this cupola is a +horseman upon a horse of brass, having in his hand a brazen spear, and +upon his breast suspended a tablet of lead, upon which are engraved +mysterious names and talismans: and as long, O King, as this horseman +remains upon the horse, so long will every ship that approaches be +destroyed, with every person on board, and all the iron contained in it +will cleave to the mountain: no one will be safe until the horseman +shall have fallen from the horse.--The captain then wept bitterly; and +we felt assured that our destruction was inevitable, and every one of us +bade adieu to his friend. + +[Illustration] + +On the following morning we drew near to the mountain; the current +carried us towards it with violence, and when the ships were almost +close to it, they fell asunder, and all the nails, and every thing else +that was of iron, flew from them towards the loadstone. It was near the +close of day when the ships fell in pieces. Some of us were drowned, and +some escaped; but the greater number were drowned, and of those who +saved their lives none knew what became of the others, so stupefied were +they by the waves and the boisterous wind. As for myself, O my mistress, +God, whose name be exalted, spared me on account of the trouble and +torment and affliction that He had predestined to befall me. I placed +myself upon a plank, and the wind and waves cast it upon the mountain; +and when I had landed, I found a practicable way to the summit, +resembling steps cut in the rock: so I exclaimed, In the name of +God!--and offered up a prayer, and attempted the ascent, holding fast by +the notches; and presently God stilled the wind and assisted me in my +endeavours, so that I arrived in safety at the summit. Rejoicing greatly +in my escape, I immediately entered the cupola, and performed the +prayers of two rek'ahs[III_73] in gratitude to God for my preservation; +after which I slept beneath the cupola, and heard a voice saying to me, +O son of Kha[s.]eeb,[III_74] when thou awakest from thy sleep, dig +beneath thy feet, and thou wilt find a bow of brass, and three arrows of +lead, whereon are engraved talismans: then take the bow and arrows and +shoot at the horseman that is upon the top of the cupola, and relieve +mankind from this great affliction; for when thou hast shot at the +horseman he will fall into the sea; the bow will also fall, and do thou +bury it in its place; and as soon as thou hast done this, the sea will +swell and rise until it attains the summit of the mountain; and there +will appear upon it a boat bearing a man, different from him whom thou +shalt have cast down, and he will come to thee, having an oar in his +hand: then do thou embark with him; but utter not the name of God; and +he will convey thee in ten days to a safe sea, where, on thy arrival, +thou wilt find one who will take thee to thy city. All this shall be +done if thou utter not the name of God. + +Awaking from my sleep, I sprang up, and did as the voice had directed. I +shot at the horseman, and he fell into the sea; and the bow having +fallen from my hand, I buried it: the sea then became troubled, and rose +to the summit of the mountain, and when I had stood waiting there a +little while, I beheld a boat in the midst of the sea, approaching me. I +praised God, whose name be exalted, and when the boat came to me, I +found in it a man of brass, with a tablet of lead upon his breast, +engraven with names and talismans. Without uttering a word, I embarked +in the boat, and the man rowed me ten successive days, after which I +beheld the islands of security, whereupon, in the excess of my joy, I +exclaimed, In the name of God! There is no deity but God! God is most +great!--and as soon as I had done this, he cast me out of the boat, and +sank in the sea. + +[Illustration] + +Being able to swim, I swam until night, when my arms and shoulders were +tired, and, in this perilous situation, I repeated the profession of the +faith, and gave myself up as lost; but the sea rose with the violence of +the wind, and a wave like a vast castle threw me upon the land, in order +to the accomplishment of the purpose of God. I ascended the shore, and +after I had wrung out my clothes, and spread them upon the ground to +dry, I slept; and in the morning I put on my clothes again, and, looking +about to see which way I should go, I found a tract covered with trees, +to which I advanced; and when I had walked round it, I found that I was +upon a small island in the midst of the sea; upon which I said within +myself, Every time that I escape from one calamity I fall into another +that is worse:--but while I was reflecting upon my unfortunate case, and +wishing for death, I beheld a vessel bearing a number of men. I arose +immediately, and climbed into a tree; and lo, the vessel came to the +shore, and there landed from it ten black slaves bearing axes. They +proceeded to the middle of the island, and, digging up the earth, +uncovered and lifted up a trap-door, after which they returned to the +vessel, and brought from it bread and flour and clarified butter and +honey and sheep and everything that the wants of an inhabitant would +require, continuing to pass backwards and forwards between the vessel +and the trap-door, bringing loads from the former, and entering the +latter, until they had removed all the stores from the ship. They then +came out of the vessel with various clothes of the most beautiful +description, and in the midst of them was an old sheykh, enfeebled and +wasted by extreme age, leading by the hand a young man cast in the mould +of graceful symmetry, and invested with such perfect beauty as deserved +to be a subject for proverbs. He was like a fresh and slender twig, +enchanting and captivating every heart by his elegant form. The party +proceeded to the trap-door, and, entering it, became concealed from my +eyes.[III_75] + +They remained beneath about two hours, or more; after which, the sheykh +and the slaves came out; but the youth came not with them; and they +replaced the earth, and embarked and set sail. Soon after, I descended +from the tree, and went to the excavation. I removed the earth, and, +entering the aperture, saw a flight of wooden steps, which I descended; +and, at the bottom, I beheld a handsome dwelling-place, furnished with a +variety of silken carpets; and there was the youth, sitting upon a high +mattress, with sweet-smelling flowers and fruits placed before him. On +seeing me, his countenance became pale; but I saluted him, and said, Let +thy mind be composed, O my master: thou hast nothing to fear, O delight +of my eye; for I am a man, and the son of a King, like thyself: fate +hath impelled me to thee, that I may cheer thee in thy solitude. The +youth, when he heard me thus address him, and was convinced that I was +one of his own species, rejoiced exceedingly at my arrival, his colour +returned, and, desiring me to approach him, he said, O my brother, my +story is wonderful: my father is a jeweller: he had slaves who made +voyages by his orders, for the purposes of commerce, and he had dealings +with Kings; but he had never been blest with a son; and he dreamt that +he was soon to have a son, but one whose life would be short; and he +awoke sorrowful.[III_76] Shortly after, in accordance with the decrees +of God, my mother conceived me, and when her time was complete, she gave +birth to me; and my father was greatly rejoiced: the astrologers, +however, came to him, and said, Thy son will live fifteen years: his +fate is intimated by the fact that there is, in the sea, a mountain +called the Mountain of Loadstone, whereon is a horseman on a horse of +brass, on the former of which is a tablet of lead suspended to his neck; +and when the horseman shall be thrown down from his horse, thy son will +be slain: the person who is to slay him is he who will throw down the +horseman, and his name is King 'Ajeeb,[III_77] the son of King +Kha[s.]eeb. My father was greatly afflicted at this announcement; and +when he had reared me until I had nearly attained the age of fifteen +years, the astrologers came again, and informed him that the horseman +had fallen into the sea, and that it had been thrown down by King +'Ajeeb, the son of King Kha[s.]eeb; on hearing which, he prepared for me +this dwelling, and here left me to remain until the completion of the +term, of which there now remain ten days. All this he did from fear lest +King 'Ajeeb should kill me. + +When I heard this, I was filled with wonder, and said within myself, I +am King 'Ajeeb, the son of King Kha[s.]eeb, and it was I who threw down +the horseman; but, by Allah, I will neither kill him nor do him any +injury. Then said I to the youth, Far from thee be both destruction and +harm, if it be the will of God, whose name be exalted: thou hast nothing +to fear: I will remain with thee to serve thee, and will go forth with +thee to thy father, and beg of him to send me back to my country, for +the which he will obtain a reward. The youth rejoiced at my words, and I +sat and conversed with him until night, when I spread his bed for him, +and covered him, and slept near to his side. And in the morning I +brought him water, and he washed his face, and said to me, May God +requite thee for me with every blessing. If I escape from King 'Ajeeb, +I will make my father reward thee with abundant favours.--Never, I +replied, may the day arrive that would bring thee misfortune. I then +placed before him some refreshments, and after we had eaten together, we +passed the day conversing with the utmost cheerfulness. + +[Illustration] + +I continued to serve him for nine days; and on the tenth day the youth +rejoiced at finding himself in safety, and said to me, O my brother, I +wish that thou wouldst in thy kindness warm for me some water, that I +may wash myself and change my clothes; for I have smelt the odour of +escape from death, in consequence of thy assistance.--With pleasure, I +replied;--and I arose, and warmed the water; after which, he entered a +place concealed from my view, and, having washed himself and changed his +clothes, laid himself upon the mattress to rest after his bath. He then +said to me, Cut up for me, O my brother, a water-melon, and mix its +juice with some sugar:--so I arose, and, taking a melon, brought it upon +a plate, and said to him, Knowest thou, O my master, where is the +knife?--See, here it is, he answered, upon the shelf over my head. I +sprang up hastily, and took it from its sheath, and as I was drawing +back, my foot slipped, as God had decreed, and I fell upon the youth, +grasping in my hand the knife, which entered his body, and he died +instantly. When I perceived that he was dead, and that I had killed him, +I uttered a loud shriek, and beat my face, and rent my clothes, saying, +This is, indeed, a calamity! O what a calamity! O my Lord, I implore thy +pardon, and declare to Thee my innocence of his death! Would that I had +died before him! How long shall I devour trouble after trouble! + +With these reflections I ascended the steps, and, having replaced the +trap-door, returned to my first station, and looked over the sea, where +I saw the vessel that had come before, approaching, and cleaving the +waves in its rapid course. Upon this I said within myself, Now will the +men come forth from the vessel, and find the youth slain, and they will +slay me also:--so I climbed into a tree, and concealed myself among its +leaves, and sat there till the vessel arrived and cast anchor, when the +slaves landed with the old sheykh, the father of the youth, and went to +the place, and removed the earth. They were surprised at finding it +moist, and, when they had descended the steps, they discovered the youth +lying on his back, exhibiting a face beaming with beauty, though dead, +and clad in white and clean clothing, with the knife remaining in his +body. They all wept at the sight, and the father fell down in a swoon, +which lasted so long that the slaves thought he was dead. At length, +however, he recovered, and came out with the slaves, who had wrapped the +body of the youth in his clothes. They then took back all that was in +the subterranean dwelling to the vessel, and departed. + +I remained, O my mistress, by day hiding myself in a tree, and at night +walking about the open part of the island. Thus I continued for the +space of two months; and I perceived that, on the western side of the +island, the water of the sea every day retired, until, after three +months, the land that had been beneath it became dry. Rejoicing at this, +and feeling confident now in my escape, I traversed this dry tract, and +arrived at an expanse of sand; whereupon I emboldened myself, and +crossed it. I then saw in the distance an appearance of fire, and, +advancing towards it, found it to be a palace, overlaid with plates of +copper, which, reflecting the rays of the sun, seemed from a distance to +be fire: and when I drew near to it, reflecting upon this sight, there +approached me an old sheykh, accompanied by ten young men who were all +blind of one eye, at which I was extremely surprised. As soon as they +saw me, they saluted me, and asked me my story, which I related to them +from first to last; and they were filled with wonder. They then +conducted me into the palace, where I saw ten benches, upon each of +which was a mattress covered with a blue stuff;[III_78] and each of the +young men seated himself upon one of these benches, while the sheykh +took his place upon a smaller one; after which they said to me, Sit +down, O young man, and ask no question respecting our condition, nor +respecting our being blind of one eye. Then the sheykh arose, and +brought to each of them some food, and the same to me also; and next he +brought to each of us some wine: and after we had eaten, we sat drinking +together until the time for sleep, when the young men said to the +sheykh, Bring to us our accustomed supply:--upon which the sheykh arose, +and entered a closet, from which he brought, upon his head, ten covered +trays. Placing these upon the floor, he lighted ten candles, and stuck +one of them upon each tray; and, having done this, he removed the +covers, and there appeared beneath them ashes mixed with pounded +charcoal. The young men then tucked up their sleeves above the elbow, +and blackened their faces, and slapped their cheeks,[III_79] exclaiming, +We were reposing at our ease, and our impertinent curiosity suffered us +not to remain so! Thus they did until the morning, when the sheykh +brought them some hot water, and they washed their faces, and put on +other clothes. + +On witnessing this conduct, my reason was confounded, my heart was so +troubled that I forgot my own misfortunes, and I asked them the cause of +their strange behaviour; upon which they looked towards me, and said, O +young man, ask not respecting that which doth not concern thee; but be +silent; for in silence is security from error.--I remained with them a +whole month, during which, every night they did the same; and at length +I said to them, I conjure you by Allah to remove this disquiet from my +mind, and to inform me of the cause of your acting in this manner, and +of your exclaiming, We were reposing at our ease, and our impertinent +curiosity suffered us not to remain so!--if ye inform me not, I will +leave you, and go my way; for the proverb saith, When the eye seeth not, +the heart doth not grieve.--On hearing these words, they replied, We +have not concealed this affair from thee but in our concern for thy +welfare, lest thou shouldst become like us, and the same affliction that +hath befallen us happen also to thee. I said, however, Ye must +positively inform me of this matter.--We give thee good advice, said +they, and do thou receive it, and ask us not respecting our case; +otherwise thou wilt become blind of one eye, like us:--but I still +persisted in my request; whereupon they said, O young man, if this +befall thee, know that thou wilt be banished from our company. They then +all arose, and, taking a ram, slaughtered and skinned it, and said to +me, Take this knife with thee, and introduce thyself into the skin of +the ram, and we will sew thee up in it, and go away; whereupon a bird +called the rukh'[III_80] will come to thee, and, taking thee up by its +talons, will fly away with thee, and set thee down upon a mountain: then +cut open the skin with this knife, and get out, and the bird will fly +away. Thou must arise, as soon as it hath gone, and journey for half a +day, and thou wilt see before thee a lofty palace, encased with red +gold, set with various precious stones, such as emeralds and rubies, +&c.; and if thou enter it thy case will be as ours; for our entrance +into that palace was the cause of our being blind of one eye; and if one +of us would relate to thee all that hath befallen him, his story would +be too long for thee to hear. + +They then sewed me up in the skin, and entered their palace; and soon +after, there came an enormous white bird, which seized me, and flew away +with me, and set me down upon the mountain; whereupon I cut open the +skin, and got out; and the bird, as soon as it saw me, flew away. I rose +up quickly, and proceeded towards the palace, which I found to be as +they had described it to me; and when I had entered it, I beheld, at the +upper end of a saloon, forty young damsels, beautiful as so many moons, +and magnificently attired, who, as soon as they saw me, exclaimed, +Welcome! Welcome! O our master and our lord! We have been for a month +expecting thee. Praise be to God who hath blessed us with one who is +worthy of us, and one of whom we are worthy!--After having thus greeted +me, they seated me upon a mattress, and said, Thou art from this day our +master and prince, and we are thy handmaids, and entirely under thy +authority. They then brought to me some refreshments, and, when I had +eaten and drunk, they sat and conversed with me, full of joy and +happiness. So lovely were these ladies, that even a devotee, if he saw +them, would gladly consent to be their servant, and to comply with all +that they would desire. At the approach of night they all assembled +around me, and placed before me a table of fresh and dried fruits, with +other delicacies that the tongue cannot describe, and wine; and one +began to sing, while another played upon the lute. The wine-cups +circulated among us, and joy overcame me to such a degree as to +obliterate from my mind every earthly care, and make me exclaim, This is +indeed a delightful life! I passed a night of such enjoyment as I had +never before experienced; and on the morrow I entered the bath; and, +after I had washed myself, they brought me a suit of the richest +clothing, and we again sat down to a repast. + +In this manner I lived with them a whole year; but on the first day of +the new year, they seated themselves around me, and began to weep, and +bade me farewell, clinging to my skirts.--What calamity hath befallen +you? said I. Ye have broken my heart.--They answered, Would that we had +never known thee; for we have associated with many men, but have seen +none like thee. May God, therefore, not deprive us of thy company.--And +they wept afresh. I said to them, I wish that you would acquaint me with +the cause of this weeping.--Thou, they replied, art the cause; yet now, +if thou wilt attend to what we tell thee, we shall never be parted; but +if thou act contrary to it, we are separated from this time; and our +hearts whisper to us that thou wilt not regard our warning.--Inform me, +said I, and I will attend to your directions:--and they replied, If then +thou wouldst inquire respecting our history, know that we are the +daughters of Kings: for many years it hath been our custom to assemble +here, and every year we absent ourselves during a period of forty days; +then returning, we indulge ourselves for a year in feasting and +drinking. This is our usual practice; and now we fear that thou wilt +disregard our directions when we are absent from thee. We deliver to +thee the keys of the palace, which are a hundred in number, belonging to +a hundred closets. Open each of these, and amuse thyself, and eat and +drink, and refresh thyself, excepting the closet that hath a door of red +gold; for if thou open this, the consequence will be a separation +between us and thee. We conjure thee, therefore, to observe our +direction, and to be patient during this period.--Upon hearing this, I +swore to them that I would never open the closet to which they alluded; +and they departed, urging me to be faithful to my promise. + +[Illustration] + +I remained alone in the palace, and at the approach of evening I opened +the first closet, and, entering it, found a mansion like paradise, with +a garden containing green trees loaded with ripe fruits, abounding with +singing birds, and watered by copious streams. My heart was soothed by +the sight, and I wandered among the trees, scenting the fragrance of the +flowers, and listening to the warbling of the birds as they sang the +praises of the One, the Almighty.[III_81] After admiring the mingled +colours of the apple resembling the hue upon the cheek of a beloved +mistress and the sallow countenance of the perplexed and timid lover, +the sweet-smelling quince diffusing an odour like musk and ambergris, +and the plum shining as the ruby, I retired from this place, and, having +locked the door, opened that of the next closet, within which I beheld a +spacious tract planted with numerous palm-trees, and watered by a river +flowing among rose-trees, and jasmine, and marjoram, and eglantine, and +narcissus, and gilliflower, the odours of which, diffused in every +direction by the wind, inspired me with the utmost delight. I locked +again the door of the second closet, and opened that of the third. +Within this I found a large saloon, paved with marbles of various +colours, and with costly minerals and precious gems, and containing +cages constructed of sandal and aloes-wood with singing birds within +them, and others upon the branches of trees which were planted there. My +heart was charmed, my trouble was dissipated, and I slept there until +the morning. I then opened the door of the fourth closet, and within +this door I found a great building in which were forty closets with open +doors; and, entering these, I beheld pearls, and rubies, and +chrysolites, and emeralds, and other precious jewels such as the tongue +cannot describe. I was astonished at the sight, and said, Such things as +these, I imagine, are not found in the treasury of any King. I am now +the King of my age, and all these treasures, through the goodness of +God, are mine, together with forty damsels under my authority who have +no man to share them with me. + +Thus I continued to amuse myself, passing from one place to another, +until thirty-nine days had elapsed, and I had opened the doors of all +the closets excepting that which they had forbidden me to open. My heart +was then disturbed by curiosity respecting this hundredth closet, and +the Devil, in order to plunge me into misery, induced me to open it. I +had not patience to abstain, though there remained of the appointed +period only one day: so I approached the closet, and opened the door; +and when I had entered, I perceived a fragrant odour, such as I had +never before smelt, which intoxicated me so that I fell down insensible, +and remained some time in this state: but at length recovering, I +fortified my heart, and proceeded. I found the floor overspread with +saffron, and the place illuminated by golden lamps and by candles, +which diffused the odours of musk and ambergris; and two large +perfuming-vessels filled with aloes-wood and ambergris, and a perfume +compounded with honey, spread fragrance through the whole place. I saw +also a black horse, of the hue of the darkest night, before which was a +manger of white crystal filled with cleansed sesame, and another, +similar to it, containing rose-water infused with musk: he was saddled +and bridled, and his saddle was of red gold. Wondering at the sight of +him, I said within myself, This must be an animal of extraordinary +qualities;--and, seduced by the Devil, I led him out, and mounted him; +but he moved not from his place: I kicked him with my heel; but still he +moved not: so I took a mi[k.]ra'ah and struck him with it; and as soon +as he felt the blow he uttered a sound like thunder, and, expanding a +pair of wings, soared with me to an immense height through the air, and +then alighted upon the roof of another palace, where he threw me from +his back, and, by a violent blow with his tail upon my face, as I sat on +the roof, struck out my eye, and left me.[III_82] + +In this state I descended from the roof, and below I found the one-eyed +young men before mentioned, who, as soon as they beheld me, exclaimed, +No welcome to thee!--Receive me, said I, into your company:--but they +replied, By Allah, thou shalt not remain with us:--so I departed from +them, with mournful heart and weeping eye, and, God having decreed me a +safe journey hither, I arrived at Baghdad, after I had shaved my beard, +and become a mendicant.[III_83] + + +CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE LADIES OF BAGHDAD, &c. + +The mistress of the house then looked towards the Khaleefeh and +Ja[a.]far and Mesroor, and said to them, Acquaint me with your +histories:--upon which Ja[a.]far advanced towards her, and related to +her the same story that he had told to the portress before they entered; +and when she had heard it, she liberated them all. They accordingly +departed, and when they had gone out into the street, the Khaleefeh +inquired of the mendicants whither they were going. They answered that +they knew not whither to go: whereupon he desired them to accompany his +party; and then said to Ja[a.]far, Take them home with thee, and bring +them before me to-morrow, and we will see the result. Ja[a.]far, +therefore, did as he was commanded, and the Khaleefeh returned to his +palace; but he was unable to sleep during the remainder of the night. + +On the following morning he sat upon his throne, and when his courtiers +had presented themselves before him, and departed, excepting Ja[a.]far, +he said to him, Bring before me the three ladies and the two bitches and +the mendicants. So Ja[a.]far arose, and brought them, and, placing the +ladies behind the curtains, said to them, We have forgiven you on +account of your previous kindness to us, and because ye knew us not; and +now I acquaint you that ye are in the presence of the fifth of the sons +of El-'Abbas, Haroon Er-Rasheed; therefore relate to him nothing but the +truth. And when the ladies heard the words which Ja[a.]far addressed to +them on the part of the Khaleefeh, the eldest of them advanced, and thus +related her story:-- + + +THE STORY OF THE FIRST OF THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD. + +[Illustration] + +O Prince of the Faithful, my story is wonderful; for these two +bitches[III_84] are my sisters, born to my father, but of another +mother; and I am the youngest of the three. After the death of our +father, who left us five thousand pieces of gold, these my two sisters +married, and when they had resided some time with their husbands, each +of the latter prepared a stock of merchandise, and received from his +wife a thousand pieces of gold, and they all set forth on a journey +together, leaving me here; but after they had been absent four years, my +sisters' husbands lost all their property, and abandoned them in a +strange land, and they returned to me in the garb of beggars. When I +first saw them in this state, I knew them not; and, as soon as I +recognised them, I exclaimed, How is it that ye are in this +condition?--O our sister, they answered, thy inquiry now is of no use: +the Pen hath written what God hath decreed.[III_85]--I sent them, +therefore, to the bath, and, having clad them in new apparel, said to +them, O my sisters, ye are my elders, and I am young; so ye shall be to +me in the places of my father and mother. The inheritance which I shared +with you God hath blessed; partake then of its increase, for my affairs +are prosperous; and I and ye shall fare alike.--I treated them with the +utmost kindness, and during a whole year they remained with me, and +enriched themselves by the money that I had given them; but after this +period they said to me, It will be more agreeable to us to marry again, +for we can no longer abstain from doing so.--O my sisters, I replied, ye +have seen no happiness in marriage: a good husband in this age is rarely +found, and ye have already had experience of the marriage-state. They, +however, heeded not my words; but married against my consent: yet I gave +them dowries from my own property, and continued to them my protection. +They went to their husbands, and the latter, after they had resided with +them a short time, defrauded them of all that they possessed, and, +setting forth on a journey, left them destitute: so again they returned +to me, and, in a state of nudity, implored my forgiveness, saying, Be +not angry with us; for though thou art younger than we, thou hast more +mature sense; and we promise thee that we will never again mention the +subject of marriage. I replied, Ye are welcome, O my sisters; for I have +no one dearer to me than yourselves:--and I received them, and treated +them with every kindness, and we remained happily together for the space +of a year. + +After this I resolved to fit out a vessel for a mercantile +voyage:[III_86] accordingly, I stocked a large ship with various goods +and necessary provisions, and said to my sisters, Will ye rather stay at +home during my voyage, or will ye go with me?--to which they answered, +We will accompany thee during the voyage, for we cannot endure to be +separated from thee. I therefore took them with me, and we set sail; but +first I divided my property into two equal portions; one of which I took +with me, and the other I concealed, saying within myself, Perhaps some +evil accident may happen to the ship, and our lives may be prolonged; in +which case, when we return we shall find that which will be of service +to us.--We continued our voyage by day and night, till at length the +vessel pursued a wrong course, and the captain knew not whither to +steer. The ship had entered a different sea from that which we wished to +cross, and for some time we knew it not; but for ten days we had a +pleasant wind, and after this, a city loomed before us in the distance. +We asked the captain what was the name of this city; and he answered, I +know it not; I have never seen it till this day, nor have I ever before +in the course of my life navigated this sea: but as we have come hither +in safety, ye have nothing to do but to enter this city and land your +goods, and, if ye find opportunity, sell or exchange there: if not, we +will rest there two days, and take in fresh provisions. So we entered +the port of the city, and the captain landed, and after a while returned +to us, saying, Arise, and go up into the city, and wonder at that which +God hath done unto his creatures, and pray to be preserved from his +anger. And when we had entered the city, we found all its inhabitants +converted into black stones. We were amazed at the sight, and as we +walked through the market-streets, finding the merchandise and the gold +and silver remaining in their original state, we rejoiced, and said, +This must have been occasioned by same wonderful circumstance. We then +separated in the streets, each of us attracted from his companions by +the wealth and stuffs in the shops. + +As for myself, I ascended to the citadel, which I found to be a building +of admirable construction; and, entering the King's palace, I found all +the vessels of gold and silver remaining in their places, and the King +himself seated in the midst of his Chamberlains and Viceroys and +Wezeers, and clad in apparel of astonishing richness. Drawing nearer to +him, I perceived that he was sitting upon a throne adorned with pearls +and jewels, every one of the pearls shining like a star: his dress was +embroidered with gold, and around him stood fifty memlooks, attired in +silks of various descriptions, and having in their hands drawn swords. +Stupefied at this spectacle, I proceeded, and entered the saloon of the +[H.]areem, upon the walls of which were hung silken curtains; and here I +beheld the Queen, attired in a dress embroidered with fresh pearls, and +having upon her head a diadem adorned with various jewels, and necklaces +of different kinds on her neck. All her clothing and ornaments remained +as they were at first, though she herself was converted into black +stone. Here also I found an open door, and, entering it, I saw a flight +of seven steps, by which I ascended to an apartment paved with marble, +furnished with gold-embroidered carpets, and containing a couch of +alabaster, ornamented with pearls and jewels; but my eyes were first +attracted by a gleam of light, and when I approached the spot whence it +proceeded, I found a brilliant jewel, of the size of an ostrich's egg, +placed upon a small stool, diffusing a light like that of a candle. The +coverings of the couch above mentioned were of various kinds of silk, +the richness of which would surprise every beholder; and I looked at +them with wonder. In this apartment I likewise observed some lighted +candles, and reflected that there must then have been some person there +to light them. I passed thence to another part of the palace, and +continued to explore the different apartments, forgetting myself in the +amazement of my mind at all these strange circumstances, and immersed in +thoughts respecting what I beheld, until the commencement of night, when +I would have departed; but could not find the door: so I returned to the +place in which were the lighted candles, and there I laid myself upon +the couch, and, covering myself with a quilt, repeated some words of the +[K.]ur-an, and endeavoured to compose myself to sleep; but I could not. +I continued restless: and at midnight I heard a recitation of the +[K.]ur-an, performed by a melodious and soft voice; upon which I arose, +and, looking about, saw a closet with an open door, and I entered it, +and found that it was an oratory: lighted lamps were suspended in it, +and upon a prayer-carpet spread on the floor sat a young man of handsome +aspect. Wondering that he had escaped the fate of the other inhabitants +of the city, I saluted him; and he raised his eyes, and returned my +salutation: and I then said to him, I conjure thee by the truth of that +which thou art reading in the Book of God, that thou answer the question +which I am about to ask thee:--whereupon he smiled, and replied, Do thou +first acquaint me with the cause of thine entrance into this place, and +then I will answer thy question: so I told him my story, and inquired of +him the history of this city. Wait a little, said he;--and he closed the +[K.]ur-an, and, having put it in a bag of satin, seated me by his side. +As I now beheld him, his countenance appeared like the full moon, and +his whole person exhibited such perfect elegance and loveliness, that a +single glance at him drew from me a thousand sighs, and kindled a fire +in my heart. I repeated my request that he would give me an account of +the city; and, replying, I hear and obey, he thus addressed me:-- + +[Illustration] + +Know that this city belonged to my father and his family and subjects; +and he is the King whom thou hast seen converted into stone; and the +Queen whom thou hast seen is my mother. They were all Magians, +worshipping fire in the place of the Almighty King;[III_87] and they +swore by the fire and the light, and the shade and the heat, and the +revolving orb. My father had no son, till, in his declining years, he +was blest with me, whom he reared until I attained to manhood. But, +happily for me, there was, in our family, an old woman, far advanced in +age, who was a Muslimeh, believing in God and his Apostle in her heart, +though she conformed with my family in outward observances; and my +father confided in her, on account of the faithfulness and modesty that +he had observed in her character, and shewed her great favour, firmly +believing that she held the same faith as himself; therefore, when I had +passed my infancy, he committed me to her care, saying, Take him, and +rear him, and instruct him in the ordinances of our faith, and educate +him and serve him in the best manner. The old woman accordingly received +me, but took care to instruct me in the faith of El-Islam, teaching me +the laws of purification, and the divine ordinances of ablution, +together with the forms of prayer; after which she made me commit to +memory the whole of the [K.]ur-an. She then charged me to keep my faith +a secret from my father, lest he should kill me; and I did so; and a few +days after, the old woman died. The inhabitants of the city had now +increased in their impiety and arrogance, and in their dereliction of +the truth; and while they were in this state, they heard a crier +proclaim with a voice like thunder, so as to be audible to both the near +and the distant, O inhabitants of this city, abstain from the worship of +fire, and worship the Almighty King!--The people were struck with +consternation, and, flocking to my father, the King of the city, said to +him, What is this alarming voice which hath astounded us by its terrible +sound?--but he answered them, Let not the voice terrify you, nor let it +turn you from your faith:--and their hearts inclined to his words; so +they persevered in the worship of fire, and remained obstinate in their +impiety during another year, until the return of the period at which +they had heard the voice the first time. It was then heard a second +time; and again, in the next year, they heard it a third time; but still +they persisted in their evil ways, until, drawing down upon themselves +the abhorrence and indignation of Heaven, one morning, shortly after +daybreak, they were converted into black stones, together with their +beasts and all their cattle. Not one of the inhabitants of the city +escaped, excepting me; and from the day on which this catastrophe +happened, I have continued occupied as thou seest, in prayer, and +fasting, and reading the [K.]ur-an: but I have become weary of this +solitary state, having no one to cheer me with his company. + +On hearing these words, I said to him, Wilt thou go with me to the city +of Baghdad, and visit its learned men and lawyers, and increase thy +knowledge? If so, I will be thy handmaid, though I am the mistress of my +family, and have authority over a household of men. I have here a ship +laden with merchandise, and destiny hath driven us to this city, in +order that we might become acquainted with these events: our meeting was +predestined.--In this manner I continued to persuade him until he gave +his consent. I slept that night at his feet, unconscious of my state +through excessive joy; and in the morning we rose, and, entering the +treasuries, took away a quantity of the lighter and most valuable of the +articles that they contained, and descended from the citadel into the +city, where we met the slaves and the captain, who were searching for +me. They were rejoiced at seeing me, and, to their questions respecting +my absence, I replied by informing them of all that I had seen, and +related to them the history of the young man, and the cause of the +transmutation of the people of the city, and of all that had befallen +them, which filled them with wonder. But when my two sisters saw me with +the young man, they envied me on his account, and malevolently plotted +against me. + +We embarked again, and I experienced the utmost happiness, chiefly owing +to the company of the young man; and after we had waited a while till +the wind was favourable, we spread our sails, and departed. My sisters +sat with me and the young man; and, in their conversation with me, said, +O our sister, what dost thou purpose to do with this handsome youth? I +answered, I desire to take him as my husband:--and, turning to him, and +approaching him, I said, O my master, I wish to make a proposal to thee, +and do not thou oppose it. He replied, I hear and obey:--and I then +looked towards my sisters, and said to them, This young man is all that +I desire, and all the wealth that is here is yours.--Excellent, they +replied, is thy determination:--yet still they designed evil against +me.--We continued our voyage with a favourable wind, and, quitting the +sea of peril, entered the sea of security, across which we proceeded for +some days, until we drew near to the city of El-Ba[s.]rah, the buildings +of which loomed before us at the approach of evening; but as soon as we +had fallen asleep, my sisters took us up in our bed, both myself and +the young man, and threw us into the sea. The youth, being unable to +swim, was drowned: God recorded him among the company of the +martyrs;[III_88] while I was registered among those whose life was yet +to be preserved; and, accordingly, as soon as I awoke and found myself +in the sea, the providence of God supplied me with a piece of timber, +upon which I placed myself, and the waves cast me upon the shore of an +island. + +[Illustration] + +During the remainder of the night I walked along this island, and in the +morning I saw a neck of land, bearing the marks of a man's feet, and +uniting with the main land. The sun having now risen, I dried my clothes +in its rays, and proceeded along the path that I had discovered until I +drew near to the shore upon which stands the city, when I beheld a snake +approaching me, and followed by a serpent which was endeavouring to +destroy it; the tongue of the snake was hanging from its mouth in +consequence of excessive fatigue, and it excited my compassion; so I +took up a stone, and threw it at the head of the serpent, which +instantly died: the snake then extended a pair of wings, and soared +aloft into the sky, leaving me in wonder at the sight. At the time of +this occurrence I had become so fatigued, that I now laid myself down +and slept; but I awoke after a little while, and found a damsel seated +at my feet, and gently rubbing them with her hands; upon which I +immediately sat up, feeling ashamed that she should perform this service +for me, and said to her, Who art thou, and what dost thou want?--How +soon has thou forgotten me! she exclaimed: I am she to whom thou hast +just done a kindness, by killing my enemy: I am the snake whom thou +savedst from the serpent; for I am a Jinneeyeh, and the serpent was a +Jinnee at enmity with me; and none but thou delivered me from him: +therefore, as soon as thou didst this, I flew to the ship from which thy +sisters cast thee, and transported all that it contained to thy house: I +then sunk it; but as to thy sisters, I transformed them by enchantment +into two black bitches; for I knew all that they had done to thee: the +young man, however, is drowned.--Having thus said, she took me up, and +placed me with the two black bitches on the roof of my house: and I +found all the treasures that the ship had contained collected in the +midst of my house: nothing was lost. She then said to me, I swear by +that which was engraved upon the seal of Suleyman, that, if thou do not +inflict three hundred lashes upon each of these bitches every day, I +will come and transform thee in the like manner:--so I replied, I hear +and obey:--and have continued ever since to inflict upon them these +stripes, though pitying them while I do so. + +The Khaleefeh heard this story with astonishment, and then said to the +second lady, And what occasioned the stripes of which thou bearest the +marks? She answered as follows:-- + + +THE STORY OF THE SECOND OF THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD. + +O Prince of the Faithful, my father, at his death, left considerable +property; and soon after that event I married to one of the wealthiest +men of the age, who, when I had lived with him a year, died, and I +inherited from him eighty thousand pieces of gold, the portion that fell +to me according to the law;[III_89] with part of which I made for myself +ten suits of clothing, each of the value of a thousand pieces of gold. +And as I was sitting one day, there entered my apartment an old woman, +disgustingly ugly, who saluted me, and said, I have an orphan daughter +whose marriage I am to celebrate this night, and I would have thee +obtain a reward and recompense in heaven by thy being present at her +nuptial festivity; for she is broken-hearted, having none to befriend +her but God, whose name be exalted. She then wept, and kissed my feet; +and, being moved with pity and compassion, I assented, upon which she +desired me to prepare myself, telling me that she would come at the hour +of nightfall and take me; and so saying, she kissed my hand, and +departed. + +I arose immediately, and attired myself, and when I had completed my +preparations, the old woman returned, saying, O my mistress, the ladies +of the city have arrived, and I have informed them of thy coming, and +they are waiting with joy to receive thee:--so I put on my outer +garments, and, taking my female slaves with me, proceeded until we +arrived at a street in which a soft wind was delightfully playing, where +we saw a gateway over-arched with a marble vault, admirably constructed, +forming the entrance to a palace which rose from the earth to the +clouds.[III_90] On our arrival there, the old woman knocked at the door, +and, when it was opened, we entered a carpeted passage, illuminated by +lamps and candles, and decorated with jewels and precious +metals.[III_91] Through this passage we passed into a saloon of +unequalled magnificence, furnished with mattresses covered with silk, +lighted by hanging lamps and by candles, and having, at its upper end, a +couch of alabaster decorated with pearls and jewels, and canopied by +curtains of satin, from which there came forth a lady beautiful as the +moon, who exclaimed to me, Most welcome art thou, O my sister: thou +delightest me by thy company, and refreshest my heart. She then sat down +again, and said to me, O my sister, I have a brother who hath seen thee +at a festivity: he is a young man, more handsome than myself, and, his +heart being violently inflamed with love of thee, he hath bribed this +old woman to go to thee, and to employ this artifice in order to obtain +for me an interview with thee. He desireth to marry thee according to +the ordinance of God and his Apostle, and in that which is lawful there +is no disgrace.--When I heard these words, and saw myself thus confined +in the house so that I could not escape, I replied, I hear and +obey:--and the lady, rejoicing at my consent, clapped her hands, and +opened a door, upon which there came out from it a young man so +surpassingly handsome, that my heart immediately inclined to him. No +sooner had he sat down than the [K.]a[d.]ee and four witnesses entered, +and saluted us, and proceeded to perform the ceremony of the +marriage-contract[III_92] between me and the young man; which having +done, they departed; and when they had retired, the young man looked +towards me, and said, May our night be blessed. He then informed me that +he desired to impose a covenant upon me, and, bringing a copy of the +[K.]ur-an, said, Swear that thou wilt not indulge a preference, nor at +all incline, to any man but me:--and when I had sworn to this effect, he +rejoiced exceedingly, and embraced me; and the love of him took entire +possession of my heart. + +We lived together in the utmost happiness for the space of a month, +after which I begged that he would allow me to go to the bazar, in order +to purchase some stuffs for dress, and, having obtained his permission, +went thither in company with the old woman, and seated myself at the +shop of a young merchant with whom she was acquainted, and whose father, +as she informed me, had died and left him great wealth. She desired him +to shew me his most costly stuffs; and while he was occupied in doing +so, she began to utter various flattering expressions in praise of him; +but I said to her, We have no concern with the praises that thou +bestowest upon him; we desire only to make our purchase, and to return +home. Meanwhile he produced to us what we wanted, and we handed him the +money: he refused, however, to take it, saying, It is an offering of +hospitality to you for your visit this day:--whereupon I said to the old +woman, If he will not take the money, return to him his stuff. But he +would not receive it again, and exclaimed, By Allah, I will take nothing +from you: all this is a present from me for a single kiss, which I shall +value more than the entire contents of my shop.--What will a kiss profit +thee? asked the old woman. Then, turning to me, she said, O my daughter, +thou hast heard what the youth hath said: no harm will befall thee if he +give thee a kiss, and thou shalt take what thou wantest.--Dost thou not +know, said I, that I have taken an oath? She answered, Let him kiss thee +then without thy speaking, and so it will be of no consequence to thee, +and thou shalt take back thy money. Thus she continued to palliate the +matter until I put my head (as it were) into the bag, and consented: so +I covered my eyes, and held the edge of my veil in such a manner as to +prevent the passengers from seeing me, whereupon he put his mouth to my +cheek beneath the veil, but instead of merely kissing me, he lacerated +my cheek by a violent bite. I fell into a swoon from the pain, and the +old woman laid me on her lap till I recovered, when I found the shop +closed, and the old woman uttering expressions of grief, and saying, +What God hath averted would have been a greater calamity; let us return +home, and do thou feign to be ill, and I will come to thee and apply a +remedy that shall cure the wound, and thou wilt quickly be restored. + +[Illustration] + +After remaining there some time longer, I rose, and, in a state of great +uneasiness and fear, returned to the house, and professed myself ill, +upon which my husband came in to me, and said, What hath befallen thee, +O my mistress, during this excursion? I answered, I am not well.--And +what is this wound, said he, that is upon thy cheek, and in the soft +part? I answered, When I asked thy permission, and went out to-day to +purchase some stuff for dress, a camel loaded with firewood drove +against me in the crowd, and tore my veil, and wounded my cheek as thou +seest, for the streets of this city are narrow.[III_93]--To-morrow, +then, he exclaimed, I will go to the governor, and make a complaint to +him, and he shall hang every seller of firewood in the city.--By Allah, +said I, burden not thyself by an injury to any one; for the truth is, +that I was riding upon an ass, which took fright with me, and I fell +upon the ground, and a stick lacerated my cheek.--If it be so, then, he +replied, I will go to-morrow to Ja[a.]far El-Barmekee, and relate the +matter to him, and he shall kill every ass-driver in this city.--Wilt +thou, said I, kill all those men on my account, when this which befell +me was decreed by God?--Undoubtedly, he answered; and, so saying, he +seized me violently, and then sprang up, and uttered a loud cry, upon +which the door opened, and there came forth from it seven black slaves, +who dragged me from my bed, and threw me down in the middle of the +apartment; whereupon he ordered one of them to hold me by my shoulders +and to sit upon my head; and another, to sit upon my knees and to hold +my feet. A third then came, with a sword in his hand, and said, O my +lord, shall I strike her with the sword, and cleave her in twain, that +each of these may take a half and throw it into the Tigris for the fish +to devour?[III_94] For such is the punishment of her who is unfaithful +to her oath and to the laws of love.--My husband answered, Strike her, O +Sa[a.]d:[III_95]--and the slave, with the drawn sword in his hand, said, +Repeat the profession of the faith, and reflect what thou wouldst have +to be done, that thou mayest give thy testamentary directions, for this +is the end of thy life.--Good slave, I replied, release me for a while +that I may do so:--and I raised my head, and, weeping as I spoke, +addressed my husband with these verses:-- + + You render me lovelorn, and remain at ease. You make my wounded + eyelid to be restless, and you sleep. + Your abode is between my heart and my eyes; and my heart will not + relinquish you, nor my tears conceal my passion. + You made a covenant with me that you would remain faithful; + but when you had gained possession of my heart you deceived me. + Will you not pity my love for you and my moaning? Have you yourself + been secure from misfortunes? + I conjure you, by Allah, if I die, that you write upon my tombstone, + This was a slave of love. + That, perchance, some mourner who hath felt the same flame may pass + by the lover's grave, and pity her.[III_96] + +But on hearing these verses, and witnessing my weeping, he became more +incensed, and replied in the words of this couplet:-- + + I reject not the beloved of my heart from weariness: her own guilty + conduct is the cause of her punishment. + She desired that another should share with me her love; but the faith + of my heart inclineth not to partnership.[III_97] + +[Illustration] + +I continued to weep, and to endeavour to excite his compassion, saying +within myself, I will humble me before him, and address him with soft +words, that he may at least refrain from killing me, though he take all +that I possess;--but he cried out to the slave, Cleave her in twain; for +she is no longer of any value to us.--So the slave approached me, and I +now felt assured of my death, and committed myself to God; but suddenly +the old woman came and threw herself at my husband's feet, and, kissing +them, exclaimed, O my son, by the care with which I nursed thee, I +conjure thee to pardon this damsel, for she hath committed no offence +that deserveth such a punishment: thou art young, and I fear the effect +of the imprecations that she may utter against thee:--and after she had +thus addressed him, she wept, and continued to importune him, until, at +length, he said, I pardon her, but must cause her to bear upon her +person such marks of her offence as shall last for the remainder of her +life. So saying, he commanded the slaves to strip off my vest, and, +taking a stick cut from a quince-tree, he beat me upon my back and my +sides until I became insensible from the violence of the blows, and +despaired of my life. He then ordered the slaves to take me away as soon +as it was night, accompanied by the old woman, and to throw me into my +house in which I formerly resided. They accordingly executed their +lord's commands, and when they had deposited me in my house, I applied +myself to the healing of my wounds; but, after I had cured myself, my +sides still bore the appearance of having been beaten with mi[k.]ra'ahs. +I continued to apply remedies for four months before I was restored, and +then repaired to view the house in which this event had happened; but I +found it reduced to ruin, and the whole street pulled down; the site of +the house I found occupied by mounds of rubbish, and I knew not the +cause. + +Under these circumstances, I went to reside with this my sister, who is +of the same father as myself, and I found with her these two bitches. +Having saluted her, I informed her of all that had befallen me; to which +she replied, Who is secure from the afflictions of fortune? Praise be to +God who terminated the affair with safety to thy life!--She then related +to me her own story, and that of her two sisters, and I remained with +her, and neither of us ever mentioned the subject of marriage. +Afterwards we were joined by this our other sister, the cateress, who +every day goes out to purchase for us whatever we happen to want. + + +CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF THE LADIES OF BAGHDAD, &c. + +The Kaleefeh was astonished at this story, and ordered it to be recorded +in a book, as an authentic history, and deposited the book in his +library. And he said to the first lady, Knowest thou where the +Jinneeyeh[III_98] who enchanted thy sisters is to be found? She +answered, O Prince of the Faithful, she gave me a lock of her hair, and +said, When thou desirest my presence, burn a few of these hairs, and I +will be with thee quickly, though I should be beyond Mount +[K.]af.--Bring then the hair, said the Khaleefeh. The lady, therefore, +produced it; and the Khaleefeh, taking it, burned a portion of it, and, +when the odour had diffused itself, the palace shook, and they heard a +sound of thunder, and lo, the Jinneeyeh appeared before them. She was a +Muslimeh, and therefore greeted the Khaleefeh by saying, Peace be on +thee, O Khaleefeh of God!--to which he replied, On you be peace, and the +mercy of God, and his blessings![III_99]--She then said, Know that +this lady hath conferred on me a benefit for which I am unable to +requite her; for she rescued me from death, by killing my enemy; and I, +having seen what her sisters had done to her, determined to take +vengeance upon them; therefore I transformed them by enchantment into +two bitches; and, indeed, I had wished rather to kill them, fearing lest +they should trouble her; but now, if thou desire their restoration, O +Prince of the Faithful, I will restore them, as a favour to thee and to +her; for I am one of the true believers.--Do so, said the Khaleefeh; and +then we will enter upon the consideration of the affair of the lady who +hath been beaten, and examine her case, and if her veracity be +established, I will take vengeance for her upon him who hath oppressed +her. The Jinneeyeh replied, O Prince of the Faithful, I will guide thee +to the discovery of him who acted thus to this lady, and oppressed her, +and took her property: he is thy nearest relation. She then took a cup +of water, and, having pronounced a spell over it, sprinkled the faces of +the two bitches, saying, Be restored to your original human +forms!--whereupon they became again two young ladies.--Extolled be the +perfection of their Creator![III_100] Having done this, the +Jinneeyeh said, O Prince of the Faithful, he who beat the lady is thy +son El-Emeen, who had heard of her beauty and loveliness:--and she +proceeded to relate what had happened. The Khaleefeh was astonished, and +exclaimed, Praise be to God for the restoration of these two bitches +which hath been effected through my means!--and immediately he summoned +before him his son El-Emeen, and inquired of him the history of the +lady; and he related to him the truth. He then sent for [K.]a[d.]ees and +witnesses, and the first lady and her two sisters who had been +transformed into bitches he married to the three mendicants who had +related that they were the sons of Kings; and these he made chamberlains +of his court, appointing them all that they required, and allotting them +apartments in the palace of Baghdad. The lady who had been beaten he +restored to his son El-Emeen, giving her a large property, and ordering +that the house should be rebuilt in a more handsome style. Lastly, the +lady-cateress he took as his own wife; he admitted her at once to his +own apartment, and, on the following day, he appointed her a separate +lodging for herself, with female slaves to wait upon her: he also +allotted to her a regular income; and afterwards built for her a palace. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER THIRD. + +NOTE 1.--_On the Uses of Palm-sticks in various Manufactures._ The kind +of crate here mentioned is made of jereeds, or palm-sticks, which (being +very soft, and easily cut and punched, in their fresh state, and very +tough, difficult to break, and light, when dry,) are used in a great +variety of manufactures. In making crates or baskets, and stools, +bed-frames, coops, &c., a number of jereeds, being placed an inch or +more apart, are fixed by two, three, or more, thicker ones, placed +transversely. Round holes are punched in the latter, through which the +former are inserted; and the whole becomes light and strong as soon as +it is dry. Chests are made with thick jereeds placed close together, and +others, pared thin, passing transversely through them. + +NOTE 2.--_Description of the Veils of Arab Women._ The modern izar or +eezar (for the word is written in two different ways), of Arab women, is +a piece of drapery commonly worn by them when they appear in public. It +is about two yards or more in width (according to the height of the +wearer), and three yards in length: one edge of it being drawn from +behind, over the upper part of the head and the forehead, and secured by +a band sewed inside, the rest hangs down behind and on each side to the +ground, or nearly so, and almost entirely envelops the person; the two +ends being held so as nearly to meet in front. Thus it conceals every +other part of the dress excepting a small portion of a very loose gown +(which is another of the articles of walking or riding apparel), and the +face-veil. It is now generally made of white calico, but a similar +covering of black silk for the married, and of white silk for the +unmarried, is now worn by females of the higher and middle classes, and +is called a "[h.]abarah." + +It appears that the kind of face-veil mentioned in the same passage (in +Arabic, "[k.]ina[a.],") is a piece of muslin, about a yard or more in +length, and somewhat less in width, a portion of which is placed over +the head, beneath the izar, the rest hanging down in front, to the +waist, or thereabout, and entirely concealing the face. I have often +seen Arab women, particularly those of the Wahhabees, wearing veils of +this kind composed of printed muslin, completely concealing their +features, yet of sufficiently loose fabric to admit of their seeing +their way. But the more common kind of Arab face-veil is a long strip of +white muslin, or of a kind of black crape, covering the whole of the +face excepting the eyes, and reaching nearly to the feet. It is +suspended at the top by a narrow band, which passes up the forehead, and +which is sewed, as are also the two upper corners of the veil, to a band +that is tied round the head. This veil is called "bur[k.]o'." The black +kind is often ornamented with gold coins, false pearls, &c., attached to +the upper part. It is not so genteel as the white veil, unless for a +lady in mourning. + +NOTE 3. "El-Mo[s.]il" is the name of the city which Europeans commonly +call "Mosul," "Mosoul," &c.; a city long famous for its fine stuffs. +Hence our word "muslin," often termed, in Arabic, "Mo[s.]ilee," +signifying, "of the manufacture of El-Mo[s.]il." + +NOTE 4. The wine is mentioned in the Calcutta edition of the first two +hundred nights, but not in the edition of Cairo. The lady went to a +Christian to purchase her wine because Muslims are not allowed to sell +it. + +NOTE 5. The "'Othmanee quinces" I suppose to be a kind so called after +some person named 'Othman who introduced it, or was famous for its +culture. The term "Sul[t.]anee," applied to the citrons afterwards +mentioned, signifies "imperial." + +NOTE 6. A list of these sweets is given in my original, but I have +thought it better to omit the names. + +NOTE 7. The "willow-flower-water" is prepared from the sweet-scented +flowers of the Oriental willow, called "ban" and "khilaf" or "khalaf;" a +twig of which is, among the Arabs, a favourite emblem of a graceful +female. + +NOTE 8.--_On the Vessels used for Sprinkling and Perfuming._ The +sprinkling-bottle, here called "mirashsh," is more commonly called +"[k.]um[k.]um," and has been alluded to in a former note, as having a +spherical or wide body, and a long and narrow neck. It is generally +about eight inches high, and of plain or gilt silver, or of fine brass, +or china, or glass; and has a cover pierced with a small hole. This +vessel is used in the houses of the rich to sprinkle a guest or visiter, +before he rises to take his leave, with rose-water; after which +ceremony, a page or servant presents to him a kind of censer, called +"mibkharah," which is generally of one or other of the metals above +mentioned, and about the same height as the [k.]um[k.]um; and he wafts +the smoke which rises from it towards his face, beard, &c., with the +right hand. The body of the mibkharah, the form of which is nearly +globular, surmounts a stem rising from the centre of a small circular +tray; the upper half is a cover pierced with apertures for the escape of +the smoke; and the lower half, in which some burning charcoal is placed, +is lined, or half filled, with gypsum-plaster. Aloes-wood, previously +moistened, or some other odoriferous substance, is placed upon the +burning coals; and sometimes, in the houses of very wealthy persons, +ambergris is used. + +NOTE 9. This description of the outer door of a house in Baghdad is an +obvious absurdity; but none of the copies of the original to which I +have access authorizes my substituting "gilt" for "plated with gold;" +all here agreeing in the use of words which have the latter sense. + +NOTE 10. In their eagerness to obtain the earliest possible sight of the +new moon which marks the period of the commencement of the Rama[d.]an, +lest they should not begin their fast as soon as the law requires, the +Muslims often see the crescent one night earlier in this than in any +other month. The comparison of an eyebrow to the new moon of Rama[d.]an +expresses, therefore, its extreme thinness, as well as its arched form. +To reduce its natural thickness, and to give it this form, scissors are +often used. + +NOTE 11. "The seal of Suleyman" is a name given by the Arabs to a +six-pointed star formed by two equilateral triangles intersecting each +other, and to the flower which we, also, call "Solomon's seal." I fear +that the reader will not consider the comparison very apposite, unless +the allusion be to a beautiful red berry which, I am informed, is borne +by the flower here mentioned. + +NOTE 12.--_Description of Apartments in Arab Houses._ Most of the +descriptions of interior domestic architecture which occur in the +present work, I may aptly illustrate by availing myself of observations +made in Cairo. In the houses of persons of the higher and middle classes +in this city, the different apartments generally resemble each other in +several respects, and are similarly furnished. The greater portion of +the floor is elevated about half a foot, or somewhat more, above the +rest. The higher portion is called "leewan" (a corruption of +"el-eewan"), and the lower, "dur[k.]a'ah," from the Persian "dar-gah." +When there is but one leewan, the dur[k.]a'ah occupies the lower end, +extending from the door to the opposite wall. In a handsome house, it is +usually paved with white and black marble, and little pieces of red +tile, inlaid in tasteful and complicated patterns; and if the room is on +the ground-floor, and sometimes in other cases, it has, in the centre, a +fountain which plays into a small, shallow pool, lined with coloured +marbles, &c., like the surrounding pavement. The shoes, or slippers, are +left upon the dur[k.]a'ah previously to stepping upon the leewan. The +latter is generally paved with common stone, and covered with a mat in +summer, and a carpet over this in winter; and a mattress and cushions +are placed against each of its three walls, composing what is called a +"deewan," or divan. The mattress, which is commonly about three feet +wide, and three or four inches thick, is placed either on the floor or +on a raised frame or a slightly-elevated pavement; and the cushions, +which are usually of a length equal to the width of the mattress, and of +a height equal to half that measure, lean against the wall. Both +mattresses and cushions are stuffed with cotton, and are covered with +printed calico, cloth, or some more expensive stuff. The deewan which +extends along the upper end of the leewan is called the "[s.]adr," and +is the most honourable: and the chief place on this seat is the corner +which is to the right of a person facing this end of the room; the other +corner is the next in point of honour; and the intermediate places on +the same deewan are more honourable than those on the two side-deewans. +To a superior, and often to an equal, the master or mistress yields the +chief place. The corners are often furnished with an additional +mattress, of a square form, just large enough for one person, placed +upon the other mattress, and with two additional (but smaller) cushions +to recline against. The walls are, for the most part, plastered and +white-washed, and generally have two or more shallow cupboards, the +doors of which, as well as those of the apartments, are fancifully +constructed with small panels. The windows, which are chiefly composed +of curious wooden lattice-work, serving to screen the inhabitants from +the view of persons without, as also to admit both light and air, +commonly project outwards, and are furnished with mattresses and +cushions. In many houses there are, above these, small windows of +coloured glass, representing bunches of flowers, &c. The ceiling is of +wood, and certain portions of it, which are carved, or otherwise +ornamented by fanciful carpentry, are usually painted with bright +colours, such as red, green, and blue, and sometimes varied with +gilding; but the greater part of the wood-work is generally left +unpainted. + +The word in the original text which I translate "saloon," is "[k.]a'ah." +This term is applied to a large and lofty apartment, commonly having two +leewans, on opposite sides of the dur[k.]a'ah. One of these is, in most +instances, larger than the other, and is held to be the more honourable +part. Some [k.]a'ahs, containing three leewans, one of these being +opposite the entrance, or four leewans composing the form of a cross +with the dur[k.]a'ah in the centre, communicate with small chambers or +closets, or have elevated recesses which are furnished in the same +manner as the leewans. That part of the roof which is over the +dur[k.]a'ah rises above the rest, sometimes to nearly twice the height +of the latter, and is generally surmounted by a lantern of wooden +lattice-work to admit the air. + +NOTE 13. In the Cairo edition, the couch is described as being in the +_midst_ of the saloon; but this is inconsistent with what follows. + +NOTE 14.--_Of_ Babil, _and the Angels_ Haroot _and_ Maroot. Babil, or +Babel, is regarded by the Muslims as the fountain-head of the science of +magic, which was, and, as most think, still is, taught there to mankind +by two fallen angels, named Haroot and Maroot,[175] who are there +suspended by the feet in a great pit closed by a mass of rock. +According to the account of them generally received as correct, these +two angels, in consequence of their want of compassion for the frailties +of mankind, were rendered, by God, susceptible of human passions, and +sent down upon the earth to be tempted: they both sinned; and, being +permitted to choose whether they would be punished in this life or in +the other, chose the former; but they were sent down not merely to +_experience_ temptation, being also appointed to tempt others by means +of their knowledge of magic; though it appears that they were commanded +not to teach this art to any man "until they had said, Verily we are a +temptation; therefore, be not an unbeliever."[176]--The celebrated +traditionist Mujahid is related to have visited them, under the guidance +of a Jew. Having removed the mass of rock from the mouth of the pit, or +well, they entered. Mujahid had been previously charged by the Jew not +to mention the name of God in their presence; but when he beheld them, +resembling in size two huge mountains, and suspended upside-down, with +irons attached to their necks and knees, he could not refrain from +uttering the forbidden name; whereupon the two angels became so +violently agitated that they almost broke the irons which confined them, +and Mujahid and his guide fled back in consternation.[177] + +NOTE 15. The meaning conveyed by this comparison is "tall and slender." + +NOTE 16. In the MS. from which the old translation was made, it appears +that this lady is called Zubeydeh (which was the name of the daughter of +Ja[a.]far the son of El-Man[s.]oor, and wife of Er-Rasheed); the +portress, [S.]afiyeh; and the cateress, Amineh; but no names are given +to them in any of the copies of the original to which I have access. + +NOTE 17. Literally, "two nu[s.]fs." "Nu[s.]f," vulgarly pronounced by +the Egyptians "nu[s.][s.]," and signifying "half," is the name of a +small Egyptian coin made of a mixture of silver and copper, and now +equivalent to something less than a quarter of a farthing; but this name +was originally given to the half-dirhems which were struck in the reign +of the Sul[t.]an El-Mu-eiyad, in the early part of the ninth century of +the Flight, or of the fifteenth of our era. In the Calcutta edition of +the first two hundred nights, and in the edition of Breslau, we read +here "two dirhems," instead of "two nu[s.]fs." [The coin here mentioned +still bears the name "Mu-eiyadee," or, vulgarly, "Meiyadee." In the +latest coinage, copper has been substituted for the mixed metal. ED.] + +NOTE 18. The "menareh" is the tower of a mosque, commonly called by +English writers "minaret," which generally rises from a square base. + +NOTE 19. It is a common custom in the East to seal the doors of +store-houses with a lump of clay, lest the lock should be picked. + +NOTE 20. I here deviate a little from the Cairo edition, in which the +cateress is described as having drunk three cups of wine successively +before she handed any to her sisters. My reason for this will presently +be seen. + +NOTE 21. Thus in two editions. In the Cairo edition, "tukellimuhu" is +put for "telkumuhu." + +NOTE 22. _On Wine, Fruits, Flowers, and Music, in Illustration of Arab +Carousals._ I here pass over an extremely objectionable scene, which, it +is to be hoped, would convey a very erroneous idea of the manners of +Arab _ladies_; though I have witnessed, at private festivities in Cairo, +abominable scenes, of which ladies, screened behind lattices, were +spectators. Can the same be said with respect to the previous carousal? +This is a question which cannot be answered in a few words. + +The prohibition of wine, or, rather, of fermented and intoxicating +liquors, being one of the most remarkable and important points of the +Mohammadan religion, it might be imagined that the frequent stories in +this work, describing parties of Muslims as habitually indulging in the +use of forbidden beverages, are scandalous misrepresentations of Arab +manners and customs. There are, however, many similar anecdotes +interspersed in the works of Arab historians, which (though many of them +are probably untrue in their application to particular individuals) +could not have been offered to the public by such writers if they were +not of a nature consistent with the customs of a considerable class of +the Arab nation. + +In investigating this subject, it is necessary, in the first place, to +state, that there is a kind of wine which Muslims are permitted to +drink. It is properly called "nebeedh" (a name which is _now_ given to +_prohibited_ kinds of wine), and is generally prepared by putting dry +grapes, or dry dates, in water, to extract their sweetness, and +suffering the liquor to ferment slightly, until it acquires a little +sharpness or pungency. The Prophet himself was in the habit of drinking +wine of this kind, which was prepared for him in the first part of the +night; he drank it on the first and second days following; but if any +remained on the morning of the third day, he either gave it to his +servants or ordered it to be poured out upon the ground.[178] Such +beverages have, therefore, been drunk by the strictest of his followers; +and Ibn-Khaldoon strongly argues that nebeedh thus prepared from dates +was the kind of wine used by the Khaleefehs Haroon Er-Rasheed and +El-Ma-moon, and several other eminent men, who have been commonly +accused of habitually and publicly indulging in debauches of wine +properly so called; that is, of inebriating liquors.[179] + +Nebeedh, prepared from raisins, is commonly sold in Arab towns, under +the name of "zebeeb," which signifies "raisins." This I have often drunk +in Cairo; but never could perceive that it was in the slightest degree +fermented. Other beverages, to which the name of "nebeedh" has been +applied (though, like zebeeb, no longer called by that name), are also +sold in Arab towns. The most common of these is an infusion of licorice, +and called by the name of the root, "'er[k.]-soos." The nebeedh of dates +is sold in Cairo with the dates themselves in the liquor; and in like +manner is that of figs. Under the same appellation of "nebeedh" have +been classed the different kinds of beer now commonly called "boozeh," +which have been mentioned in former pages. Opium, hemp, &c., are now +more frequently used by the Muslims to induce intoxication or +exhilaration. The young leaves of the hemp are generally used alone, or +mixed with tobacco, for smoking; and the capsules, without the seeds, +enter into the composition of several intoxicating conserves. Some +remarks upon this subject have been inserted in a former note. + +By my own experience I am but little qualified to pronounce an opinion +respecting the prevalence of drinking wine among the Arabs; for, never +drinking it myself, I had little opportunity of observing others do so +during my residence among Muslims. I judge, therefore, from the +conversations and writings of Arabs, which justify me in asserting that +the practice of drinking wine in private, and by select parties, is far +from being uncommon among modern Muslims, though certainly more so than +it was before the introduction of tobacco into the East, in the +beginning of the seventeenth century of our era; for this herb, being in +a slight degree exhilarating, and at the same time soothing, and +unattended by the injurious effects that result from wine, is a +sufficient luxury to many who, without it, would have recourse to +intoxicating beverages merely to pass away hours of idleness. The use of +coffee, too, which became common in Egypt, Syria, and other countries, +besides Arabia, a century earlier than tobacco, doubtless tended to +render the habit of drinking wine less general. That it was adopted as a +substitute for wine appears even from its name, "[k.]ahweh," an old +Arabic term for wine; whence the Turkish "[k.]ahveh," the Italian +"caffe," and our "coffee." + +There is an Arabic work of some celebrity, and not of small extent, +entitled "[H.]albet el-Kumeyt,"[180] apparently written shortly before +the Arabs were in possession of the first of the above-mentioned +substitutes for wine, nearly the whole of which consists of anecdotes +and verses relating to the pleasures resulting from, or attendant upon, +the use of wine; a few pages at the end being devoted to the +condemnation of this practice, or, in other words, to prove the +worthlessness of all that precedes. Of this work I possess a copy, a +quarto volume of 464 pages. I have endeavoured to skim its cream; but +found it impossible to do so without collecting, at the same time, a +considerable quantity of most filthy scum; for it is characterised by +wit and humour plentifully interlarded with the grossest and most +revolting obscenity; yet it serves to confirm what has been above +asserted. The mere existence of such a work (and it is not the only one +of the kind), written by a man of learning, and I believe a [K.]a[d.]ee, +a judge, or one holding the honourable office of a guardian of religion +and morality,[181]--written, too, evidently with pleasure, +notwithstanding his assertion to the contrary,--is a strong argument in +favour of the prevalence of the practice which it paints in the most +fascinating colours, and then condemns. Its author terminates a chapter +(the ninth), in which many well-known persons are mentioned as having +been addicted to wine, by saying, that the Khaleefehs, Emeers, and +Wezeers, so addicted, are too numerous to name in such a work; and by +relating a story of a man who placed his own wife in pledge in the hands +of a wine-merchant, after having expended in the purchase of the +forbidden liquor all the property that he possessed. He excuses himself +(in his preface) for writing this book, by saying that he had been +ordered to do so by one whom he could not disobey; thus giving us a +pretty strong proof that a great man in his time was not ashamed of +avowing his fondness for the prohibited enjoyment. If, then, we admit +the respectable authority of Ibn-Khaldoon, and acquit of the vice of +drunkenness those illustrious individuals whose characters he +vindicates, we must still regard most of the anecdotes relating to the +carousals of other persons as being not without foundation. + +One of my friends, who enjoys a high reputation, ranking among the most +distinguished of the 'Ulama of Cairo, is well known to his intimate +acquaintances as frequently indulging in the use of forbidden beverages +with a few select associates. I disturbed him and his companions by an +evening visit on one of these occasions, and was kept waiting within the +street-door while the guests quickly removed everything that would give +me any indication of the manner in which they had been employed; for the +announcement of my (assumed) name, and their knowledge of my abstemious +character, completely disconcerted them. I found them, however, in the +best humour. They had contrived, it appeared, to fill with wine a +_china_ bottle, of the kind used at that season (winter) for water; and +when any one of them asked the servant for water, this bottle was +brought to him; but when I made the same demand, my host told me that +there was a bottle of water on the sill of the window behind that part +of the deewan upon which I was seated. The evening passed away very +pleasantly, and I should not have known how unwelcome was my intrusion +had not one of the guests with whom I was intimately acquainted, in +walking part of the way home with me, explained to me the whole +occurrence. There was with us a third person, who, thinking that my +antipathy to wine was feigned, asked me to stop at his house on my way, +and take a cup of "white coffee," by which he meant brandy. + +Another of my Muslim acquaintances in Cairo I frequently met at the +house of a mutual friend, where, though he was in most respects very +bigoted, he was in the habit of indulging in wine. For some time he +refrained from this gratification when I was present; but at length my +presence became so irksome to him, that he ventured to enter into an +argument with me on the subject of the prohibition. The only answer I +could give to his question, "Why is wine forbidden?"--was in the words +of the [K.]ur-an, "Because it is the source of more evil than +profit."[182] This suited his purpose, as I intended it should; and he +asked, "What evil results from it?" I answered, "Intoxication and +quarrels, &c."--"Then," said he, "if a man take not enough to intoxicate +him there is no harm;"--and finding that I acquiesced by silence, he +added, "I am in the habit of taking a little; but never enough to +intoxicate. Boy, bring me a glass."--He was the only Muslim, however, +whom I have heard to argue against the absolute interdiction of +inebriating liquors. + +Histories tell us that some of the early followers of the Prophet +indulged in wine, holding the text above referred to as indecisive; and +that Mo[h.]ammad was at first doubtful upon this subject appears from +another text, in which his followers were told not to come to prayer +when they were drunk, until they should know what they would say;[183] +an injunction somewhat similar to one in the Bible;[184] but when +frequent and severe contentions resulted from their use of wine, the +following more decided condemnation of the practice was pronounced:--"O +ye who have become believers, verily wine and lots and images and +divining-arrows are an abomination of the work of the Devil; therefore, +avoid them, that ye may prosper."[185] This law is absolute: its +violation in the smallest degree is criminal. The punishment ordained by +the law for drinking (or, according to most doctors, for even tasting) +wine or spirits, or inducing intoxication by any other means, on +ordinary occasions, is the infliction of eighty stripes in the case of a +free man, and forty in that of a slave; but if the crime be openly +committed in the course of any day of the month of Rama[d.]an, when +others are fasting, the punishment prescribed is death! + +The prohibition of wine hindered many of the Prophet's contemporaries +from embracing his religion. It is said that the famous poet +El-A[a.]sha, who was one of them, delayed to join his cause on this +account, until death prevented him. A person passing by his tomb (at +Menfoo[h.]ah, in El-Yemameh), and observing that it was moist, asked the +reason, and was answered, that the young men of the place, considering +him still as their cup-companion, drank wine over his grave, and poured +his cup upon it.[186] Yet many of the most respectable of the pagan +Arabs, like certain of the Jews and early Christians, abstained totally +from wine, from a feeling of its injurious effects upon morals, and, in +their climate, upon health; or, more especially, from the fear of being +led by it into the commission of foolish and degrading actions. Thus, +[K.]eys the son of 'A[s.]im, being one night overcome with wine, +attempted to grasp the moon, and swore that he would not quit the spot +where he stood until he had laid hold of it: after leaping several times +with the view of doing so, he fell flat upon his face; and when he +recovered his senses, and was acquainted with the cause of his face +being bruised, he made a solemn vow to abstain from wine ever +after.[187] A similar feeling operated upon many Muslims more than +religious principle. The Khaleefeh 'Abd-El-Melik Ibn-Marwan took +pleasure in the company of a slave named Na[s.]eeb, and one day desired +him to drink with him. The slave replied, "O Prince of the Faithful, I +am not related to thee, nor have I any authority over thee, and I am of +no rank or lineage: I am a black slave, and my wit and politeness have +drawn me into thy favour: how then shall I take that which will plunder +me of these two qualities; and by what shall I then propitiate thee?" +The Khaleefeh admired and excused him.[188] + +It was the custom of many Muslim princes, as might be inferred from the +above anecdote, to admit the meanest of their dependants to participate +in their unlawful carousals when they could have no better companions; +but poets and musicians were their more common associates on these +occasions; and these two classes, and especially the latter, are in the +present day the most addicted to intoxicating liquors. Few modern Arab +musicians are so well contented with extraordinary payment and mere +sweet sherbet as with a moderate fee and plenty of wine and brandy; and +many of them deem even wine but a sorry beverage. + +It was usual with the host and guests at wine-parties to wear dresses of +bright colours, red, yellow, and green;[189] and to perfume their beards +and mustaches with civet, or to have rose-water sprinkled upon them; and +ambergris or aloes-wood, or some other odoriferous substance, placed +upon burning coals in a censer, diffused a delicious fragrance +throughout the saloon of the revels. + +The wine, it appears, was rather thick; for it was necessary to strain +it:[190] it was probably sweet, and not strong; for it was drunk in +large quantities. Frequently, perhaps, it was nebeedh of dry raisins +kept longer than the law allows. It was usually kept in a large earthen +vessel, called "denn," high, and small at the bottom, which was partly +imbedded in the earth to keep it upright. The name of this vessel is now +given to a cask of wood; but the kind above mentioned was of earth; for +it was easily broken.--A famous saint, Abu-l-[H.]oseyn En-Nooree, seeing +a vessel on the Tigris containing thirty denns belonging to the +Khaleefeh El-Mo[a.]ta[d.]id, and being told that they contained wine, +took a boat-pole, and broke them all, excepting one. When brought before +the Khaleefeh to answer for this action, and asked by him, "Who made +thee Mo[h.]tesib?"[191] he boldly answered, "He who made thee +Khaleefeh!"--and was pardoned.[192]--Pitch was used by the Arabs, as it +was by the Greeks and Romans, for the purpose of curing their wine; the +interior of the denn being coated with it. A smaller kind of earthen +jar, or amphora,[193] and a bottle of leather,[194] or of glass,[195] +were also used. The wine was transferred for the table to glass jugs, or +long-spouted ewers.[196] These and the cups were placed upon a round +embroidered cloth spread on the floor, or upon a round tray. The latter +now is in general use, and is supported on a low stool, described in a +former note, as being used at ordinary meals. The guests sat around, +reclining against pillars; or they sat upon the deewan, and a page or +slave handed the cup, having on his right arm a richly-embroidered +napkin: the person after drinking took the end of this to wipe his lips. +The cups are often described as holding a fluid pound, or little less +than an English pint; and this is to be understood literally, or nearly +so: they were commonly of cut glass; but some were of crystal, or +silver, or gold.[197] With these and the ewers or jugs were placed +several saucers, or small dishes,[198] of fresh and dried fruits;[199] +and fans and fly-whisks, of the kinds described on a former occasion, +were used by the guests. + +The most common and esteemed fruits in the countries inhabited by the +Arabs may here be mentioned. + +The date[200] deserves the first place. The Prophet's favourite fruits +were fresh dates[201] and water-melons; and he ate them both +together.[202] "Honour," said he, "your paternal aunt, the date-palm; +for she was created of the earth of which Adam was formed."[203] It is +said that God hath given this tree as a peculiar favour to the Muslims; +that he hath decreed all the date-palms in the world to them, and they +have accordingly conquered every country in which these trees are found; +and all are said to have derived their origin from the Hejaz.[204] The +palm-tree has several well-known properties that render it an emblem of +a human being; among which are these; that if the head be cut off, the +tree dies; and if a branch be cut off, another does not grow in its +place.[205] Dates are preserved in a moist state by being merely pressed +together in a basket or skin, and thus prepared are called "'ajweh." +There are many varieties of this fruit. The pith or heart of the +palm[206] is esteemed for its delicate flavour. + +The water-melon,[207] from what has been said of it above, ought to be +ranked next; and it really merits this distinction. "Whoso eateth," said +the Prophet, "a mouthful of water-melon, God writeth for him a thousand +good works, and cancelleth a thousand evil works, and raiseth him a +thousand degrees; for it came from Paradise;"--and again, "The +water-melon is food and drink, acid and alkali, and a support of life," +&c.[208] The varieties of this fruit are very numerous. + +The banana[209] is a delicious fruit. The Prophet pronounced the +banana-tree to be the only thing on earth that resembles a thing in +Paradise; because it bears fruit both in winter and summer.[210] + +The pomegranate[211] is another celebrated fruit. Every pomegranate, +according to the Prophet, contains a fecundating seed from +Paradise.[212] + +The other most common and esteemed fruits are the following:--the apple, +pear, quince, apricot, peach, fig, sycamore-fig, grape, lote, jujube, +plum, walnut, almond, hazel-nut, pistachio-nut, orange, Seville-orange, +lime and lemon, citron, mulberry, olive, and sugar-cane.[213] + +Of a selection of these fruits consists the dessert which accompanies +the wine; but the table is not complete without a bunch or two of +flowers placed in the midst. + +Though the Arabs are far from being remarkable for exhibiting taste in +the planning of their gardens, they are passionately fond of flowers, +and especially of the rose.[214]--The Khaleefeh El-Mutawekkil +monopolized roses for his own enjoyment; saying, "I am the King of +Sul[t.]ans, and the rose is the king of sweet-scented flowers; therefore +each of us is most worthy of the other for a companion." The rose, in +his time, was seen nowhere but in his palace: during the season of this +flower he wore rose-coloured clothes; and his carpets, &c., were +sprinkled with rose-water.[215] A similar passion for the rose is said +to have distinguished a weaver, in the reign of El-Ma-moon. He was +constantly employed at his loom every day of the year, even during the +congregational prayers of Friday, excepting in the rose-season, when he +abandoned his work, and gave himself up to the enjoyment of wine, early +in the morning and late in the evening, loudly proclaiming his revels by +singing,-- + + "The season has become pleasant! The time of the rose has come! + Take your morning potations, as long as the rose has blossoms + and flowers!" + +When he resumed his work, he made it known by singing aloud,-- + + "If my Lord prolong my life until the rose-season, I will take + again my morning potations: but if I die before it, alas! + for the loss of the rose and wine! + "I implore the God of the supreme throne, whose glory be extolled, + that my heart may continually enjoy the evening potations + to the day of resurrection." + +--The Khaleefeh was so amused with the humour of this man, that he +granted him an annual pension of ten thousand dirhems to enable him to +enjoy himself amply on these occasions.[216]--Another anecdote may be +added to shew the estimation of the rose in the mind of an Arab. It is +said that Row[h.] Ibn-[H.]atim, the governor of the province of Northern +Africa, was sitting one day, with a female slave, in an apartment of his +palace, when a eunuch brought him a jar full of red and white roses, +which a man had offered as a present. He ordered the eunuch to fill the +jar with silver in return; but his concubine said, "O my lord, thou hast +not acted equitably towards the man; for his present to thee is of two +colours, red and white." The Emeer replied, "Thou hast said truly;" and +gave orders to fill the jar for him with silver and gold (dirhems and +deenars) intermixed.[217]--Some persons preserve roses during the whole +of the year, in the following manner. They take a number of rose-buds, +and fill with them a new earthen jar, and, after closing its mouth with +mud, so as to render it impervious to the air, bury it in the earth. +Whenever they want a few roses, they take out some of these buds, which +they find unaltered, sprinkle a little water upon them, and leave them +for a short time in the air, when they open, and appear as if just +gathered.[218]--The rose is even a subject of miracles. It is related by +Ibn-[K.]uteybeh, that there grows in India a kind of rose upon the +leaves of which is inscribed, "There is no deity but God."[219] But I +find a more particular account of this miraculous rose. A person, who +professed to have seen it, said, "I went into India, and I saw, at one +of its towns, a large rose, sweet-scented, upon which was inscribed, in +white characters, 'There is no deity but God; Mo[h.]ammad is God's +apostle: Aboo-Bekr is the very veracious: 'Omar is the discriminator;' +and I doubted of this, whether it had been done by art; so I took one of +the blossoms not yet opened, and in it was the same inscription; and +there were many of the same kind there. The people of that place +worshipped stones, and knew not God, to whom be ascribed might and +glory."[220]--Roses are announced for sale in the streets of Cairo by +the cry of "The rose was a thorn: from the sweat of the Prophet it +blossomed!" in allusion to a miracle recorded of Mo[h.]ammad. "When I +was taken up into heaven," said the Prophet, "some of my sweat fell upon +the earth, and from it sprang the rose; and whoever would smell my +scent, let him smell the rose." In another tradition it is said, "The +white rose was created from my sweat on the night of the Me[a.]raj;[221] +and the red rose, from the sweat of Jebraeel;[222] and the yellow rose, +from the sweat of El-Bura[k.]."[223]--The Persians take especial delight +in roses; sometimes spreading them as carpets or beds on which to sit or +recline in their revellings. + +But there is a flower pronounced more excellent than the rose; that of +the Egyptian privet, or Lawsonia inermis.[224] Mo[h.]ammad said, "The +chief of the sweet-scented flowers of this world and of the next is the +faghiyeh;" and this was his favourite flower.[225] I approve of his +taste; for this flower, which grows in clusters somewhat like those of +the lilac, has a most delicious fragrance. But, on account of +discrepancies in different traditions, a Muslim may, with a clear +conscience, prefer either of the two flowers next mentioned. + +The Prophet said of the violet,[226] "The excellence of the extract of +violets, above all other extracts, is as the excellence of me above all +the rest of the creation: it is cold in summer and hot in winter:" and, +in another tradition, "The excellence of the violet is as the excellence +of El-Islam above all other religions."[227] A delicious sherbet is made +of a conserve of sugar and violet-flowers. + +The myrtle[228] is the rival of the violet. "Adam," said the Prophet, +"fell down from Paradise with three things; the myrtle, which is the +chief of sweet-scented flowers in this world; an ear of wheat, which is +the chief of all kinds of food in this world; and pressed dates, which +are the chief of the fruits of this world."[229] + +The anemone[230] was monopolized for his own enjoyment by No[a.]man +Ibn-El-Mundhir (King of El-[H.]eereh, and contemporary of Mo[h.]ammad), +as the rose was afterwards by El-Mutawekkil.[231] + +Another flower much admired and celebrated in the East is the +gilliflower.[232] There are three principal kinds; the most esteemed is +the yellow, or golden-coloured, which has a delicious scent both by +night and day; the next, the purple, and other dark kinds, which have a +scent only in the night; the least esteemed, the white, which has no +scent. The yellow gilliflower is an emblem of a neglected lover.[233] + +The narcissus[234] is very highly esteemed. Galen says, "He who has two +cakes of bread, let him dispose of one of them for some flowers of the +narcissus; for bread is the food of the body, and the narcissus is the +food of the soul." Hippocrates, too, gave a similar opinion.[235] + +The following flowers complete the list of those celebrated as most +appropriate to add to the delights of wine:--the jasmine, eglantine, +Seville-orange-flower, lily, sweet-basil, wild thyme, buphthalmum, +chamomile, nenuphar, lotus, pomegranate-flower, poppy, ketmia, crocus or +saffron, safflower, flax, the blossoms of different kinds of bean, and +those of the almond.[236] + +A sprig of Oriental willow[237] adds much to the charms of a bunch of +flowers, being the favourite symbol of a graceful female. + +But I have not yet mentioned all that contributes to the pleasures of an +Eastern carousal. For the juice of the grape is not fully relished +without melodious sounds. "Wine is as the body; music, as the soul; and +joy is their offspring."[238] All the five senses should be gratified. +For this reason, an Arab toper, who had nothing, it appears, but wine to +enjoy, exclaimed,-- + + "Ho! give me wine to drink; and tell me, 'This is wine.'" + +For, on drinking, his sight and smell and taste and touch would all be +affected; but it was desirable that his hearing should also be +pleased.[239] + +Music was condemned by the Prophet almost as severely as wine. "Singing +and hearing songs," said he, "cause hypocrisy to grow in the heart, like +as water promoteth the growth of corn:"[240]--and musical instruments he +declared to be among the most powerful means by which the Devil seduces +man. An instrument of music is the Devil's mueddin, serving to call men +to his worship, as stated in a former note. Of the hypocrisy of those +attached to music, the following anecdote presents an instance:--A +drunken young man with a lute in his hand was brought one night before +the Khaleefeh 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan, who, pointing to the +instrument, asked what it was, and what was its use. The youth made no +answer; so he asked those around him; but they also remained silent, +till one, more bold than the rest, said, "O Prince of the Faithful, +this is a lute: it is made by taking some wood of the pistachio-tree, +and cutting it into thin pieces, and glueing these together, and then +attaching over them these chords, which, when a beautiful girl touches +them, send forth sounds more pleasant than those of rain falling upon a +desert land; and my wife is separated from me by a triple divorce if +every one in this council is not acquainted with it, and doth not know +it as well as I do, and thou the first of them, O Prince of the +Faithful." The Khaleefeh laughed, and ordered that the young man should +be discharged.[241] + +The latter saying of the Prophet, respecting the Devil, suggests to me +the insertion of another anecdote, related of himself by Ibraheem +El-Mo[s.]ilee, the father of Is-[h.]a[k.]; both of whom were very +celebrated musicians. I give a translation of it somewhat abridged.--"I +asked Er-Rasheed," says Ibraheem, "to grant me permission to spend a day +at home with my female slaves and brothers; and he gave me two thousand +deenars, and appointed the next Saturday for this purpose. I caused the +meats and wine and other necessaries to be prepared, and ordered the +chamberlain to close the door, and admit no one: but while I was +sitting, with my attendants standing in the form of a curved line before +me, there entered, and approached me, a sheykh, reverend and dignified +and comely in appearance, wearing short khuffs,[242] and two soft gowns, +with a [k.]alensuweh[243] upon his head, and in his hand a silver-headed +staff; and sweet odours were diffused from his clothes. I was enraged +with the chamberlain for admitting him; but on his saluting me in a very +courteous manner, I returned his salutation, and desired him to sit +down. He then began to repeat to me stories, tales of war, and poetry; +so that my anger was appeased, and it appeared to me that my servants +had not presumed to admit him until acquainted with his politeness and +courteousness; I therefore said to him, 'Hast thou any inclination for +meat?' He answered, 'I have no want of it.'--'And the wine?' said I. He +replied, 'Yes.' So I drank a large cupful, and he did the same, and then +said to me, 'O Ibraheem, wilt thou let us hear some specimen of thy art +in which thou hast excelled the people of thy profession?' I was angry +at his words; but I made light of the matter, and, having taken the lute +and tuned it, I played and sang; whereupon he said, 'Thou hast performed +well, O Ibraheem.' I became more enraged, and said within myself, 'He is +not content with coming hither without permission, and asking me to +sing, but he calls me by my name, and proves himself unworthy of my +conversation.' He then said, 'Wilt thou let us hear more? If so, we will +requite thee.' And I took the lute, and sang, using my utmost care, on +account of his saying, 'we will requite thee.' He was moved with +delight, and said, 'Thou hast performed well, O my master +Ibraheem:'--adding, 'Wilt thou permit thy slave to sing?' I answered, +'As thou pleasest:'--but thinking lightly of his sense to sing after me. +He took the lute, and tuned it; and, by Allah! I imagined that the lute +spoke in his hands with an eloquent Arab tongue. He proceeded to sing +some verses commencing,-- + + 'My heart is wounded! Who will give me, for it, a heart without + a wound?' + +The narrator continues by saying, that he was struck dumb and motionless +with ecstasy; and that the strange sheykh, after having played and sung +again, and taught him an enchanting air (with which he afterwards +enraptured his patron, the Khaleefeh), vanished. Ibraheem, in alarm, +seized his sword; and was the more amazed when he found that the porter +had not seen the stranger enter or leave the house; but he heard his +voice again, outside, telling him that he was Aboo-Murrah (the +Devil).[244]--Two other anecdotes of a similar kind are related in the +work from which the above is taken. + +Ibraheem El-Mo[s.]ilee, his son Is-[h.]a[k.], and Mukhari[k.] (a pupil +of the former), were especially celebrated among the Arab musicians, +and among the distinguished men of the reign of Haroon Er-Rasheed. +Is-[h.]a[k.] El-Mo[s.]ilee relates, of his father Ibraheem, that when +Er-Rasheed took him into his service, he gave him a hundred and fifty +thousand dirhems, and allotted him a monthly pension of ten thousand +dirhems, besides occasional presents [one of which is mentioned as +amounting to a hundred thousand dirhems for a single song], and the +produce of his (Ibraheem's) farms: he had food constantly prepared for +him; three sheep every day for his kitchen, besides birds; three +thousand dirhems were allowed him for fruits, perfumes, &c., every +month, and a thousand dirhems for his clothing; "and with all this," +says his son, "he died without leaving more than three thousand +deenars, a sum not equal to his debts, which I paid after his +death."[245]--Ibraheem was of Persian origin, and of a high family. He +was commonly called the Nedeem (or cup-companion), being Er-Rasheed's +favourite companion at the wine-table; and his son, who enjoyed the like +distinction with El-Ma-moon, received the same appellation, as well as +that of "Son of the Nedeem." Ibraheem was the most famous musician of +his time, at least till his son attained celebrity.[246] + +Is-[h.]a[k.] El-Mo[s.]ilee was especially famous as a musician; but he +was also a good poet, accomplished in general literature, and endowed +with great wit. He was honoured above all other persons in the pay of +El-Ma-moon, and enjoyed a long life; but for many years before his death +he was blind.[247] + +Mukhari[k.] appears to have rivalled his master Ibraheem. The latter, he +relates, took him to perform before Er-Rasheed, who used to have a +curtain suspended between him and the musicians. "Others," he says, +"sang, and he was unmoved; but when I sang, he came forth from behind +the curtain, and exclaimed, 'Young man, hither!' and he seated me upon +the sereer [a kind of couch], and gave me thirty thousand dirhems."[248] +The following anecdote (which I abridge a little in translation) shews +his excellence in the art which he professed, and the effect of melody +on an Arab:--"After drinking with the Khaleefeh[249] a whole night, I +asked his permission," says he, "to take the air in the Ru[s.]afeh,[250] +which he granted; and while I was walking there, I saw a damsel who +appeared as if the rising sun beamed from her face. She had a basket, +and I followed her. She stopped at a fruiterer's, and bought some fruit; +and observing that I was following her, she looked back and abused me +several times; but still I followed her until she arrived at a great +door, after having filled her basket with fruits and flowers and similar +things. When she had entered, and the door was closed behind her, I sat +down opposite to it, deprived of my reason by her beauty; and knew that +there must be in the house a wine-party. The sun went down upon me while +I sat there; and at length there came two handsome young men on asses, +and they knocked at the door, and when they were admitted I entered with +them; the master of the house thinking that I was their companion, and +they imagining that I was one of his friends. A repast was brought, and +we ate, and washed our hands, and were perfumed. The master of the house +then said to the two young men, 'Have ye any desire that I should call +such a one?' (mentioning a female name). They answered, 'If thou wilt +grant us the favour, well:'--so he called for her, and she came, and lo, +she was the maiden whom I had seen before, and who had abused me. A +servant-maid preceded her, bearing her lute, which she placed in her +lap. Wine was then brought, and she sang while we drank, and shook with +delight. 'Whose air is that?' they asked. She answered, 'Seedee[251] +Mukhari[k.]'s.' She then sang another air, which, also, she said was +mine; while they drank by pints; she looking aside and doubtfully at me +until I lost my patience, and called out to her to do her best: but in +attempting to do so, singing a third air, she overstrained her voice, +and I said, 'Thou hast made a mistake:'--upon which she threw the lute +from her lap, in anger, so that she nearly broke it; saying, 'Take it +thyself, and let us hear thee.' I answered, 'Well;' and, having taken it +and tuned it perfectly, sang the first of the airs which she had sung +before me; whereupon all of them sprang upon their feet, and kissed my +head. I then sang the second air, and the third; and their reason almost +fled, from ecstasy. The master of the house, after asking his guests, +and being told by them that they knew me not, came to me, and, kissing +my hand, said, 'By Allah, my master, who art thou?' I answered, 'By +Allah, I am the singer Mukhari[k.].'--'And for what purpose,' said he, +kissing both my hands, 'camest thou hither?' I replied, 'As a +spunger;'--and related what had happened with respect to the maiden: +whereupon he looked towards his two companions, and said to them, 'Tell +me, by Allah, do ye not know that I gave for that girl thirty thousand +dirhems, and have refused to sell her?' They answered, 'It is so.' Then +said he, 'I take you as witnesses that I have given her to him.'--'And +we,' said the two friends, 'will pay thee two-thirds of her price.' So +he put me in possession of the girl, and in the evening, when I +departed, he presented me also with rich dresses and other gifts, with +all of which I went away; and as I passed the places where the maiden +had abused me, I said to her, 'Repeat thy words to me;' but she could +not, for shame. Holding the girl's hand, I went with her immediately to +the Khaleefeh, whom I found in anger at my long absence; but when I +related my story to him he was surprised, and laughed, and ordered that +the master of the house and his two friends should be brought before +him, that he might requite them: to the former he gave forty thousand +dirhems; to each of his two friends, thirty thousand; and to me, a +hundred thousand; and I kissed his feet, and departed."[252] + +It is particularly necessary for the Arab musician, that he have a +retentive memory, well stocked with choice pieces of poetry, and with +facetious or pleasant anecdotes, interspersed with songs; and that he +have a ready wit, aided by dramatic talent, to employ these materials +with good effect. If, to such qualifications, he adds fair attainments +in the difficult rules of grammar, a degree of eloquence, comic humour, +and good temper, and is not surpassed by many in his art, he is sure to +be a general favourite. Very few Muslims of the higher classes have +condescended to study music, because they would have been despised by +their inferiors for doing so; or because they themselves have despised +or condemned the art. Ibraheem, the son of the Khaleefeh El-Mahdee, and +competitor of El-Ma-moon, was a remarkable exception: he is said to have +been an excellent musician, and a good singer. + +In the houses of the wealthy, the vocal and instrumental performers were +usually (as is the case in many houses in the present age) domestic +female slaves, well instructed in their art by hired male or female +professors. In the work before us, these slaves are commonly described +as standing or sitting unveiled in the presence of male guests; but, +from several descriptions of musical entertainments that I have met with +in Arabic works, it appears that, according to the more approved custom +in respectable society, they were concealed on such occasions behind a +curtain, which generally closed the front of an elevated recess. In all +the houses of wealthy Arabs that I have entered, one or each of the +larger saloons has an elevated closet, the front of which is closed by a +screen of wooden lattice-work, to serve as an orchestra for the domestic +or hired female singers and instrumental performers. Of the hired +performers, any further mention is not here required; but of the slaves +and free ladies who supplied their place, a few words must be added, as +very necessary to illustrate the preceding and many other tales in this +work. + +To a person acquainted with modern Arabian manners, it must appear +inconsistent with truth to describe such females as exposing their +faces before strange men, unless he can discover in sober histories some +evidence of their having been less strict in this respect than the +generality of Arab females at the present period. I find, however, a +remarkable proof that such was the case in the latter part of the ninth +century of the Flight, and the beginning of the tenth: that is, about +the end of the fifteenth century of our era. The famous historian +Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, who flourished at this period, in his preface to a +curious work on wedlock, written to correct the corrupt manners of his +age, says,--"Seeing that the women of this time deck themselves with the +attire of prostitutes, and walk in the soo[k.]s (or market-streets), +like female warriours against the religion, and uncover their faces and +hands before men, to incline [men's] hearts to them by evil suggestions, +and play at feasts with young men, thereby meriting the anger of the +Compassionate [i.e. God], and go forth to the public baths and +assemblies, with various kinds of ornaments and perfumes, and with +conceited gait; for the which they shall be congregated in Hell-fire, +for opposing the good, and on account of this their affected gait, while +to their husbands they are disobedient, behaving to them in the reverse +manner, excepting when they fear to abridge their liberty of going +abroad by such conduct; for they are like swine and apes in their +interior nature, though like daughters of Adam in their exterior +appearance; especially the women of this age; not advising their +husbands in matters of religion, but the latter erring in permitting +them to go out to every assembly; sisters of devils and demons, &c. +&c.... I have undertaken the composition of this volume."[253] A more +convincing testimony than this, I think, cannot be required. + +The lute (el-'ood) is the only instrument that is generally described as +used at the entertainments which we have been considering. Engravings of +this and other musical instruments are given in my work on the Modern +Egyptians. The Arab viol (called rabab) was commonly used by inferior +performers. (See also Note 26, below.) + +The Arab music is generally of a soft and plaintive character, and +particularly that of the most refined description, which is +distinguished by a remarkable peculiarity, the division of tones into +thirds. The singer aims at distinct enunciation of the words, for this +is justly admired; and delights in a trilling style. The airs of songs +are commonly very short and simple, adapted to a single verse, or even +to a single hemistich; but in the instrumental music there is more +variety. + +NOTE 23. This is often said to a person whose presence is disagreeable +to his companions. + +NOTE 24.--_On the_ [K.]alenderees. In the old translation, these three +strangers are called "Calenders;" that is, "[K.]alenderees:" but in the +Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and the edition of +Breslau, they are designated as "[K.]arendelees," "miserable or +ridiculous beggars;" and in that of Cairo, the term applied to them is +"[s.]a'aleek," or, simply, "paupers," or "mendicants." Some may suppose +the right reading to be "[K.]alenderees;" for it was a custom of this +order of Darweeshes to shave their beards: they were forbidden to do so +in the year of the Flight 761,[254] by the Sul[t.]an of Egypt (El-Melik +en-Na[s.]ir El-[H.]asan); but whether they afterwards reverted to this +habit, I do not know. The order of the [K.]alenderees, however, was not +founded until about the commencement of the fifth century of the +Flight,[255] a period long posterior to that to which the tale relates. + +NOTE 25. In the edition of Cairo, they are said to have arrived from +Greece. + +NOTE 26.--_On the Persian Harp._ This instrument is called in Arabic +"junk," from the Persian "chang." It has almost fallen into disuse, and +I have never seen it: I am enabled, however, to give two sketches of its +form through the kindness of the [late] Right Honourable Sir Gore +Ouseley, who has favoured me with drawings made from two of the most +satisfactory representations of it in his rich collection of Oriental +MSS.; the first, about 350 years old; the second 410. The number of +strings, he informs me, vary from 20 to 27. + +[Illustration] + +NOTE 27.--_On the Title and Office of_ Khaleefeh. As most of our best +authors on Oriental subjects have for some years past deviated from our +old general mode of writing this title, substituting (for "Caliph") +"Khalif," "Khalifah," &c., I have taken the same liberty. It cannot be +correctly written, at the same time congenially with our language and +with its orthography in Arabic characters, otherwise than "Khaleefeh" or +"Khaleefah;" and of these two modes I adopt the one which agrees with +the manner in which the title is most generally pronounced by the Arabs. +The meaning of this title is "Successor," or "Vicar;" and it was +originally given to the universal sovereigns of the Muslim Arabs, as +signifying "Successor of the Prophet;" but afterwards, in a more exalted +sense, as "Vicar of God:" the Khaleefeh being the head of the religion +as well as the supreme political governor, or at least arrogating to +himself the right to possess such supremacy, throughout the whole Muslim +world. [The last of the Khaleefehs died in Egypt shortly after the +Turkish conquest of that country, or in the year of the Flight, 950. +After the overthrow of the house of El-'Abbas by Hulagu, certain of its +members obtained an asylum at the court of the Memlook Sul[t.]ans, and +continued the line of the Khaleefehs, with spiritual, but no temporal, +authority until it ceased in the person of El-Mutawekkil, who delegated +his office to the Sul[t.]an Seleem I.; it is consequently held by the +Sultan of Turkey. The Emperors of Morocco, being descendants of the +Prophet, also claim and receive from their subjects the title of +Khaleefeh.[256]--ED.] + +NOTE 28. The stories in which this justly-celebrated man is mentioned +will, I think, be more agreeable to those readers who are unacquainted +with his history, of which, therefore, I shall say nothing. + +NOTE 29. Mesroor was a black eunuch, and a favourite servant of +Er-Rasheed. The name signifies "happy." + +NOTE 30. "[T.]abareeyeh" is the modern name for Tiberias. + +NOTE 31.--_Description_ of Khans, or Wekalehs. A Khan is a building +chiefly designed for the accommodation of merchants, and for the +reception of their goods. In Egypt, a building of this kind is generally +called a Wekaleh. I have described it, in a former work, as surrounding +a square or oblong court, and having, on the ground-floor, vaulted +magazines for merchandise, which face the court, and are sometimes used +as shops. Above these are generally lodgings, which are entered from a +gallery extending along each of the four sides of the court; or, in the +place of these lodgings, there are other magazines: and in many khans or +wekalehs which have apartments designed as lodgings, these apartments +are used as magazines. In general, the building has only one common +entrance; the door of which is closed at night, and kept by a porter. + +NOTE 32. It is customary for a guest or visiter to ask permission of the +host, or master of the house, before taking his departure. A common form +of speech used on this occasion is, "With your permission, I rise." + +NOTE 33. Many Muslims perform the pilgrimage with the view of expiating +their offences, and, at the Ka[a.]beh, or at the tomb of the Prophet, +make a vow to abstain from any glaring infringement of the law of which +they may before have been guilty. + +NOTE 34. I learn, from a marginal note in my copy of the original, by +the sheykh Mo[h.]ammad E[t.]-Tan[t.]awee, that these verses are the +composition of Ibn-Sahl El-Ishbee-lee. Three concluding verses of the +same ode, and a second poetical quotation immediately following, I have +passed over. + +NOTE 35. In the original there are some errors in this part of the +story, which the sequel requires me to correct. The cateress is +described as having sung three successive songs, accompanying them with +her lute. After the first song, the mistress of the house is said to +have been affected in the manner described in the translation, and to +have exposed to view the marks of beating. The second lady (namely, the +portress) is represented as similarly excited by the second song; and +the third lady (the cateress herself), by the third song. The last also +is said to have exhibited upon her person those marks which, as the +sequel shews, were borne by the second. + +NOTE 36. The "mi[k.]ra'ah," vulgarly called "ma[k.]ra'ah," is a portion +of the thicker end of a palm-branch stripped of the leaves. It is often +used to beat a person in sport; but in this case, two or three splits +are usually made in the thicker part of it, to increase the sound of the +blows. + +NOTE 37. In the original, "the portress." See Note 35, above. + +NOTE 38. Perhaps it is needless to explain that the wish here expressed, +for a protractive trial on the day of judgment, is occasioned by the +longing for reunion, and the fear of separation after that day. The +Muslims usually pray for an easy (and, consequently, a short) reckoning. + +NOTE 39. I have omitted the third song of the cateress, and the +description of its effects, mentioned in Note 35. + +NOTE 40. See Note 47 to Chapter II. + +NOTE 41. It seems to be implied that the lady discovered her guests, +notwithstanding their disguise, to be persons of rank. + +NOTE 42. I read "fu[k.]araue a[a.]jam" for "fu[k.]araue-l-hojjam:" the +former, carelessly written (in Arabic characters), might easily be +mistaken for the latter. + +NOTE 43. This phrase is used to signify "Recover thy senses;" alluding +to a person's drawing his hand over his head or face after a sleep or +fit. + +NOTE 44. The burial-grounds of Eastern cities are generally so +extensive, that, with the varied structures which they contain, they may +aptly be called "Cities of the Dead." It was with difficulty that I +recognised the tomb of the lamented Burckhardt, in the great cemetery on +the north of Cairo, even after I had carefully noticed its place on a +former visit. + +NOTE 45. I have ventured to make a slight alteration here; but it is one +which does not in the least affect the consistency of the tale. Marriage +with a foster-sister is as expressly forbidden by the Mohammadan law as +that with a natural sister. + +NOTE 46. "The Truth" is one of the ninety-nine names or epithets of God. + +NOTE 47. Many an Arab would rather risk the loss of his head than part +with his beard; for the latter is regarded by almost all Muslims with a +superstitious respect; and to shave it off, at least after it has been +suffered to grow for many days, they consider as sinful: this, however, +is sometimes done by religious mendicants, as it is also by some of +those persons who seek, or enjoy, the reputation of sanctity, and who +are, or pretend to be, insane. + +NOTE 48. By "the seven readings," we are to understand seven slightly +different modes of reading the [K.]ur-an, seldom differing essentially +as to the sense. + +NOTE 49. Astrology (not astronomy) is here meant. Though a forbidden +science, it is studied by many Muslims. + +NOTE 50. A misplaced diacritical point occasions a wrong reading here, +in the original, which I have corrected. + +NOTE 51. The Mohammadan law requires that every man be acquainted with +some art or occupation by which he may, in case of necessity, at least +be able to obtain the means of supporting himself and such of his family +as are dependant upon him, and of fulfilling all his religious as well +as moral duties. Hence it has been a common custom of Muslim princes, in +every age, to learn some useful art; and many of them have distinguished +themselves by displaying exquisite skill in the work of their hands, and +especially in caligraphy, of which the Orientals in general are great +admirers. + +NOTE 52. The 'Efreet (as we are told in some editions of the original) +had taken this lady against the consent of his family, and therefore +could not more frequently visit her. + +NOTE 53. The term "[k.]ubbeh" is often applied to a closet or small +chamber adjoining a saloon; and in this sense it appears to be here +used. + +NOTE 54.--_On Sherbets._ The Arabs have various kinds of sherbets, or +sweet drinks; the most common of which is merely sugar and water, made +very sweet. The most esteemed kind is prepared from a hard conserve of +violets, made by pounding violet-flowers, and then boiling them with +sugar. Other kinds are prepared from conserves of fruits, &c. The +sherbet is served in covered glass cups, containing from two-thirds to +three-quarters of an English pint; the same which I have described in a +former note as used for wine. These are placed on a round tray, and +covered with a round piece of embroidered silk, or cloth of gold; and on +the right arm of the person who presents the sherbet, is hung a long +napkin with a deep embroidered border of gold and coloured silks at each +end, which is ostensibly offered for the purpose of wiping the lips +after drinking, though the lips are scarcely touched with it. + +NOTE 55. The Arabs are very fond of having their feet, and especially +the soles, slowly rubbed with the hand; and this operation, which is one +of the services commonly required of a wife or female slave, is a usual +mode of waking a person. + +NOTE 56. Here, and again in the same and a subsequent sentence, for +"kheiya[t.]een," I read "[h.]a[t.][t.]abeen." In the Breslau edition, +"kha[t.][t.]abeen" is put for the latter. The right reading is obvious. + +NOTE 57. Falsehood was _commended_ by the Prophet when it tended to +reconcile persons at enmity with each other, and when practised in order +to please one's wife, or to obtain any advantage in a war with infidels, +though strongly reprobated in other cases. + +NOTE 58. Four verses here inserted in the original appear to me to be a +corruption of a couplet which better expresses the same meaning, and +which I have therefore translated in the place of the former. As the +lines to which I allude are particularly pleasing, I may perhaps be +excused if I here introduce the original words, which are as follow:-- + + "Isharatuna fi-l-[h.]obbi remzu 'oyoonina: wa-kullu lebeebin + bi-l-isharati yefhamu, + [H.]awajibuna te[k.][d.]i-l-[h.]awaija beynena: fa-na[h.]nu + sukootun wa-l-hawa yetekellemu." + +NOTE 59. This is not meant to disparage the individual lady here +mentioned, but is a saying of the Prophet applied to the sex in general. + +NOTE 60. In the edition of Cairo, this story is omitted. I translate it +from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights. + +NOTE 61. "Fa[k.]eer" (which signifies "poor," and is particularly used +in the sense of "poor in the sight of God," or rather, "in need of the +mercy of God") is an appellation commonly given to poor persons who +especially occupy themselves in religious exercises. + +NOTE 62. The performances called "zikrs" will be briefly described +towards the close of the next note. + +NOTE 63.--_On Muslin Saints, or Devotees._ The tale of the Envied +Sheykh, and several other stories in this work, require that the reader +should be acquainted with the remarkable opinions which the Arabs +entertain with respect to the offices and supernatural powers of their +saints. Such matters form an important part of the mysteries of the +Darweeshes, and are but imperfectly known to the generality of Muslims. + +The distinguished individuals above mentioned are known by the common +appellation of "Welees," or particular favourites of God. The more +eminent among them compose a mysterious hierarchical body, whose +government respects the whole human race, infidels as well as believers; +but whose power is often exercised in such a manner that the subjects +influenced by it know not from what person or persons its effects +proceed. The general governor or coryphaeus of these holy beings is +commonly called the "[K.]u[t.]b," which literally signifies a "pole," or +an "axis," and is metaphorically used to signify a "chief," either in a +civil or political, or in a spiritual sense. The [K.]u[t.]b of the +saints is distinguished by other appellations: he is called "[K.]u[t.]b +el-Ghos," or "---- el-Ghoth" ("the [K.]u[t.]b of Invocation for Help"), +&c.; and simply "El-Ghos."[257] The orders under the rule of this chief +are called "'Omud (or Owtad), Akhyar, Abdal, Nujaba, and Nu[k.]aba: I +name them according to their precedence.[258] Perhaps to these should be +added an inferior order called "A[s.]-[h.]ab ed-Darak," which is said to +mean "Watchmen," or "Overseers." The members are not known as such to +their inferior, unenlightened fellow-creatures; and are often invisible +to them. This is more frequently the case with the [K.]u[t.]b, who, +though generally stationed at Mekkeh, on the roof of the Ka[a.]beh, is +never visible there, nor at any of his other favourite stations or +places of resort; yet his voice is often heard at these places. Whenever +he and the saints under his authority mingle among ordinary men, they +are not distinguished by a dignified appearance, but are always humbly +clad. These, and even inferior saints, are said to perform astonishing +miracles, such as flying in the air, passing unhurt through fire, +swallowing fire, glass, &c., walking upon water, transporting themselves +in a moment of time to immense distances, and supplying themselves and +others with food in desert places. Their supernatural power they are +supposed to obtain by a life of the most exalted piety, and especially +by constant self-denial, accompanied with the most implicit reliance +upon God; by the services of good genii; and, as many believe, by the +knowledge and utterance of "the most great name" of God. A miracle +performed by a saint is distinguished by the term "karameh" from one +performed by a prophet, which is called "mo[a.]jizeh." + +El-Khi[d.]r and Ilyas (or Elias), of whom I have before had occasion to +speak, are both believed to have been [K.]u[t.]bs, and the latter is +called in the [K.]ur-an an apostle; but it is disputed whether the +former was a prophet or merely a welee. Both are said to have drunk of +the Fountain of Life, and to be in consequence still living; and Ilyas +is commonly believed to invest the successive [K.]u[t.]bs. The +similarity of the miracles ascribed to the [K.]u[t.]bs and those +performed by Elias or Elijah I have remarked in a former work. Another +miracle, reminding us of the mantle of Elijah in the hands of his +successor, may here be mentioned.--A saint who was the [K.]u[t.]b of his +time, dying at Toonis (or Tunis), left his clothes in trust to his +attendant, Mo[h.]ammad El-Ashwam, a native of the neighbouring regency +of Tripoli (now called [T.]arabulus), who desired to sell these relics, +but was counselled to retain them, and accordingly, though high prices +were bidden for them, made them his own by purchase. As soon as they +became his property, he was affected, we are told, with a divine +ecstasy, and endowed with miraculous powers.[259] + +Innumerable miracles are related to have been performed by Muslim +saints, and large volumes are filled with the histories of their +wonderful lives. The author of the work from which the above story is +taken, mentions, as a fact to be relied on, in an account of one of his +ancestors, that, his lamp happening to go out one night while he was +reading alone in the riwa[k.] of the Jabart (of which he was the +sheykh), in the great mosque El-Azhar, the forefinger of his right hand +emitted a light which enabled him to continue his reading until his +na[k.]eeb had trimmed and lighted another lamp.[260] + +From many stories of a similar kind that I have read, I select the +following as a fair specimen: it is related by a very celebrated saint, +Ibraheem El-Khowwa[s.].--"I entered the desert [on pilgrimage to Mekkeh +from El-'Era[k.]], and there joined me a man having a belt round his +waist, and I said, 'Who art thou?'--He answered, 'A Christian; and I +desire thy company.' We walked together for seven days, eating nothing; +after which he said to me, 'O monk of the Muslims, produce what thou +hast in the way of refreshment; for we are hungry:' so I said, 'O my +God, disgrace me not before this infidel:' and lo, a tray, upon which +were bread and broiled meat and fresh dates and a mug of water. We ate, +and continued our journey seven days more; and I then said to him, 'O +monk of the Christians, produce what thou hast in the way of +refreshment; for the turn is come to thee:' whereupon he leaned upon his +staff; and prayed; and lo, two trays, containing double that which was +on my tray. I was confounded, and refused to eat: he urged me, saying, +'Eat;' but I did it not. Then said he, 'Be glad; for I give thee two +pieces of good news: one of them is, that I testify that there is no +deity but God, and that Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle: the other, that I +said, O God, if there be worth in this servant, supply me with two +trays:--so this is through thy blessing.' We ate, and the man put on the +dress of pilgrimage, and so entered Mekkeh, where he remained with me a +year as a student; after which he died, and I buried him in [the +cemetery] El-Ma[a.]la." "And God," says the author from whom I take this +story, "is all-knowing:" _i.e._ He alone knoweth whether it be strictly +true: but this is often added to the narration of traditions resting +upon high authority.[261]--The saint above mentioned was called +"El-Khowwa[s.]" (or the maker of palm-leaf baskets, &c.) from the +following circumstance, related by himself.--"I used," said he, "to go +out of the town [Er-Rei] and sit by a river on the banks of which was +abundance of palm-leaves; and it occurred to my mind to make every day +five baskets [[k.]uffehs], and to throw them into the river, for my +amusement, as if I were obliged to do so. My time was so passed for many +days: at length, one day, I thought I would walk after the baskets, and +see whither they had gone: so I proceeded a while along the bank of the +river, and found an old woman sitting sorrowful. On that day I had made +nothing. I said to her, 'Wherefore do I see thee sorrowful?' She +answered, 'I am a widow: my husband died leaving five daughters, and +nothing to maintain them; and it is my custom to repair every day to +this river, and there come to me, upon the surface of the water, five +baskets, which I sell, and by means of them I procure food; but to-day +they have not come, and I know not what to do.' Upon hearing this, I +raised my head towards heaven, and said, 'O my God, had I known that I +had more than five children to maintain, I had laboured more +diligently!'" He then took the old woman to his house, and gave her +money and flour, and said to her, "Whenever thou wantest anything, come +hither and take what may suffice you."[262] + +An irresistible influence has often been exercised over the minds of +princes and other great men by reputed saints. Many a Muslim Monarch has +thus been incited (as the Kings of Christendom were by Peter the Hermit) +to undertake religious wars, or urged to acts of piety and charity; or +restrained from tyranny by threats of Divine vengeance to be called down +upon his head by the imprecations of a welee. 'Alee, the favourite son +of the Khaleefeh El-Ma-moon, was induced, for the sake of religion, to +flee from the splendour and luxuries of his father's court, and, after +the example of a self-denying devotee, to follow the occupation of a +porter, in a state of the most abject poverty, at El-Ba[s.]rah, fasting +all the day, remaining without sleep at night in a mosque, and walking +barefooted, until, under an accumulation of severe sufferings, he +prematurely ended his days, dying on a mat. The honours which he refused +to receive in life were paid to him after his death: his rank being +discovered by a ring and paper which he left, his corpse was anointed +with camphor and musk and aloes, wrapped in fine linen of Egypt, and so +conveyed to his distressed father at Baghdad.[263] + +Self-denial I have before mentioned as one of the most important means +by which to attain the dignity of a welee. A very famous saint, +Esh-Shiblee, is said to have received from his father an inheritance of +sixty millions of deenars (a sum incredible, and probably a mistake for +sixty thousand, or for sixty million dirhems), besides landed property, +and to have expended it all in charity: also, to have thrown into the +Tigris seventy hundred-weight of books, written by his own hand during a +period of twenty years.[264] + +Shah El-Karmanee, another celebrated saint, had a beautiful daughter, +whom the Sul[t.]an of his country sought in marriage. The holy man +required three days to consider his sovereign's proposal, and in the +mean time visited several mosques, in one of which he saw a young man +humbly occupied in prayer. Having waited till he had finished, he +accosted him, saying, "My son, hast thou a wife?" Being answered, "No," +he said, "I have a maiden, a virtuous devotee, who hath learned the +whole of the [K.]ur-an, and is amply endowed with beauty. Dost thou +desire her?"--"Who," said the young man, "will marry me to such a one as +thou hast described, when I possess no more than three dirhems?"--"_I_ +will marry thee to her," answered the saint: "she is my daughter, and I +am Shah the son of Shuja[a.] El-Karmanee: give me the dirhems that thou +hast, that I may buy a dirhem's worth of bread, and a dirhem's worth of +something savoury, and a dirhem's worth of perfume." The +marriage-contract was performed; but when the bride came to the young +man, she saw a stale cake of bread placed upon the top of his mug; upon +which she put on her izar, and went out. Her husband said, "Now I +perceive that the daughter of Shah El-Karmanee is displeased with my +poverty." She answered, "I did not withdraw from fear of poverty, but on +account of the weakness of thy faith, seeing how thou layest by a cake +of bread for the morrow."[265] + +One of my friends in Cairo, Abu-l-[K.]asim of Geelan, mentioned in a +former note, entertained me with a long relation of the mortifications +and other means which he employed to attain the rank of a welee. These +were chiefly self-denial and a perfect reliance upon Providence. He left +his home in a state of voluntary destitution and complete nudity, to +travel through Persia and the surrounding countries, and yet more +distant regions if necessary, in search of a spiritual guide. For many +days he avoided the habitations of men, fasting from daybreak till +sunset, and then eating nothing but a little grass or a few leaves or +wild fruits, till by degrees he habituated himself to almost total +abstinence from every kind of nourishment. His feet, at first blistered, +and cut by sharp stones, soon became callous; and in proportion to his +reduction of food, his frame, contrary to the common course of nature, +became (according to his own account) more stout and lusty. Bronzed by +the sun, and with his black hair hanging over his shoulders (for he had +abjured the use of the razor), he presented, in his nudity, a wild and +frightful appearance; and on his first approaching a town, was +surrounded and pelted by a crowd of boys; he therefore retreated, and, +after the example of our first parents, made himself a partial covering +of leaves; and this he always after did on similar occasions; never +remaining long enough in a town for his leafy apron to wither. The +abodes of mankind he always passed at a distance, excepting when several +days' fast, while traversing an arid desert, compelled him to obtain a +morsel of bread or a cup of water from the hand of some charitable +fellow-creature. One thing that he particularly dreaded was, to receive +relief from a sinful man, or from a demon in the human form. In passing +over a parched and desolate tract, where for three days he had found +nothing to eat, not even a blade of grass, nor a spring from which to +refresh his tongue, he became overpowered with thirst, and prayed that +God would send him a messenger with a pitcher of water. "But," said he, +"let the water be in a green Baghdahee pitcher, that I may know it be +from Thee, and not from the Devil; and when I ask the bearer to give me +to drink, let him pour it over my head, that I may not too much gratify +my carnal desire."--"I looked behind me," he continued, "and saw a man +bearing a green Baghdahee pitcher of water, and said to him, 'Give me to +drink;' and he came up to me, and poured the contents over my head, and +departed! By Allah it was so!"--Rejoicing in this miracle, as a proof of +his having attained to a degree of wilayeh (or saintship), and refreshed +by the water, he continued his way over the desert, more firm than ever +in his course of self-denial, which, though imperfectly followed, had +been the means of his being thus distinguished. But the burning thirst +returned shortly after, and he felt himself at the point of sinking +under it, when he beheld before him a high hill, with a rivulet running +by its base. To the summit of this hill he determined to ascend, by way +of mortification, before he would taste the water, and this point, with +much difficulty, he reached at the close of the day. Here standing, he +saw approaching, below, a troop of horsemen, who paused at the foot of +the hill, when their chief, who was foremost, called out to him by name, +"O Abu-l-[K.]asim! O Geelanee! Come down and drink!"--but, persuaded by +this that he was Iblees with a troop of his sons, the evil Genii, he +withstood the temptation, and remained stationary until the deceiver +with his attendants had passed on, and were out of sight. The sun had +then set; his thirst had somewhat abated; and he only drank a few drops. +Continuing his wanderings in the desert, he found, upon a pebbly plain, +an old man with a long white beard, who accosted him, asking of what he +was in search. "I am seeking," he answered, "a spiritual guide; and my +heart tells me that thou art the guide I seek." "My son," said the old +man, "thou seest yonder a saint's tomb: it is a place where prayer is +answered: go thither, enter it, and seat thyself: neither eat nor drink +nor sleep; but occupy thyself solely, day and night, in repeating +silently, 'La ilaha illa-llah' (There is no deity but God); and +let not any living creature see thy lips move in doing so; for +among the peculiar virtues of these words is this, that they may +be uttered without any motion of the lips. Go, and peace be on +thee."--"Accordingly," said my friend, "I went thither. It was a small +square building, crowned by a cupola; and the door was open. I entered, +and seated myself, facing the niche, and the oblong monument over the +grave. It was evening, and I commenced my silent professions of the +Unity, as directed by my guide; and at dusk I saw a white figure seated +beside me, as if assisting in my devotional task. I stretched forth my +hand to touch it; but found that it was not a material substance; yet +there it was: I saw it distinctly. Encouraged by this vision, I +continued my task for three nights and days without intermission, +neither eating not drinking, yet increasing in strength both of body and +of spirit; and on the third day, I saw written upon the whitewashed +walls of the tomb, and on the ground, and in the air, wherever I turned +my eyes, 'La ilaha illa-llah;' and whenever a fly entered the tomb, it +formed these words in its flight. By Allah it was so! My object was now +fully attained: I felt myself endowed with supernatural knowledge: +thoughts of my friends and acquaintances troubled me not; but I knew +where each of them was, in Persia, India, Arabia, and Turkey, and what +each was doing. I experienced an indescribable happiness. This state +lasted several years; but at length I was insensibly enticed back to +worldly objects: I came to this country; my fame as a caligraphist drew +me into the service of the government; and now see what I am, decked +with pelisses and shawls, and with this thing [a diamond order] on my +breast; too old, I fear, to undergo again the self-denial necessary to +restore me to true happiness, though I have almost resolved to make the +attempt."--Soon after this conversation, he was deprived of his office, +and died of the plague. He was well known to have passed several years +as a wandering devotee; and his sufferings, combined with enthusiasm, +perhaps disordered his imagination, and made him believe that he really +saw the strange sights which he described to me; for there was an +appearance of earnestness and sincerity in his manner, such as I thought +could hardly be assumed by a conscious impostor. + +Insanity, however, if not of a very violent and dangerous nature, is +commonly regarded by Muslims as a quality that entitles the subject of +it to be esteemed as a saint; being supposed to be the abstraction of +the mind from worldly affairs, and its total devotion to God. This +popular superstition is a fertile source of imposture; for, a reputation +for sanctity being so easily obtained and supported, there are numbers +of persons who lay claim to it from motives of indolence and +licentiousness, eager to receive alms merely for performing the tricks +of madmen, and greedy of indulging in pleasures forbidden by the law; +such indulgences not being considered in their case as transgressions by +the common people, but rather as indications of holy frenzy. From my own +observation I should say that lunatics or idiots, or impostors, +constitute the majority of the persons reputed to be saints among the +Muslims of the present day; and most of those who are not more than +slightly tinged with insanity are darweeshes. + +A reputed saint of this description, in Cairo, in whom persons of some +education put great faith, affected to have a particular regard for me. +He several times accosted me in an abrupt manner, acquainted me with the +state of my family in England, and uttered incoherent predictions +respecting me, all of which communications, excepting one which he +qualified with an "in shaa-llah" (or "if it be the will of God"), I must +confess, proved to be true; but I must also state that he was acquainted +with two of my friends who might have materially assisted him to frame +these predictions, though they protested to me that they had not done +so. The following extract from a journal which I kept in Cairo during my +second visit to Egypt, will convey some idea of this person, who will +serve as a picture of many of his fraternity.--To-day (Nov. 6th, 1834), +as I was sitting in the shop of the Basha's booksellers, a reputed +saint, whom I have often seen here, came and seated himself by me, and +began, in a series of abrupt sentences, to relate to me various matters +respecting me, past, present, and to come. He is called the sheykh 'Alee +El-Leysee. He is a poor man, supported by alms; tall and thin and very +dark, about thirty years of age, and wears nothing at present but a blue +shirt and a girdle, and a padded red cap. "O Efendee," he said, "thou +hast been very anxious for some days. There is a grain of anxiety +remaining in thee yet. Do not fear. There is a letter coming to thee by +sea, that will bring thee good news." He then proceeded to tell me of +the state of my family, and that all were well excepting one, whom he +particularized by description, and who he stated to be then suffering +from an intermittent fever. [This proved to be exactly true.] "This +affliction," he continued, "may be removed by prayer; and the +excellences of the next night, the night of [_i. e._ preceding] the +first Friday of the month of Regeb, of Regeb, the holy Regeb, are very +great. I wanted to ask thee for something to-day; but I feared: I feared +greatly. Thou must be invested with the wilayeh [_i. e._ be made a +welee]: the welees love thee; and the Prophet loves thee. Thou must go +to the sheykh Mu[s.][t.]afa El-Munadee, and the sheykh El-Bahaee.[266] +Thou must be a welee." He then took my right hand, in the manner +commonly practised in the ceremony which admits a person a darweesh, and +repeated the Fate[h.]ah (commonly pronounced Fat'[h.]ah);[267] after +which he added, "I have admitted thee my darweesh." Having next told me +of several circumstances relating to my family--matters of an unusual +nature--with singular minuteness and truth, he added, "To-night, if it +be the will of God, thou shalt see the Prophet in thy sleep, and +El-Khi[d.]r and the seyyid El-Bedawee. This is Regeb, and I wanted to +ask of thee--but I feared--I wanted to ask of thee four piastres, to buy +meat and bread and oil and radishes. Regeb! Regeb! I have great offices +to do for thee to-night."--Less than a shilling for all he promised was +little enough: I gave it him for the trouble he had taken; and he +uttered many abrupt prayers for me.--In the following night, however, I +saw in my sleep neither Mo[h.]ammad nor El-Khi[d.]r nor the seyyid +El-Bedawee, unless, like Nebuchadnezzar, I was unable, on awaking, to +remember my dreams. + +Some reputed saints of the more respectable class, to avoid public +notice, wear the general dress and manners of their fellow-countrymen, +and betray no love of ostentation in their acts of piety and +self-denial; or live as hermits in desert places, depending solely upon +Providence for their support, and are objects of pious and charitable +visits from the inhabitants of near and distant places, and from casual +travellers. Others distinguish themselves by the habit of a darweesh, or +by other peculiarities, such as a long and loose coat (called dil[k.]) +composed of patches of cloth of various colours, long strings of beads +hung upon the neck, a ragged turban, and a staff with shreds of cloth of +different colours attached to the top; or obtain a reputation for +miraculous powers by eating glass, fire, serpents, &c. Some of those who +are insane, and of those who feign to be so, go about, even in crowded +cities, in a state of perfect nudity, and are allowed to commit, with +impunity, acts of brutal sensuality which the law, when appealed to, +should punish with death. Such practices are forbidden by the religion +and law even in the cases of saints; but common and deeply-rooted +superstition prevents their punishment. During the occupation of Egypt +by the French, the Commander-in-chief, Menou, applied to the Sheykhs (or +'Ulama) of the city for their opinion "respecting those persons who were +accustomed to go about in the streets in a state of nudity, crying out +and screaming, and arrogating to themselves the dignity of wilayeh, +relied upon as saints by the generality of the people, neither +performing the prayers of the Muslims nor fasting," asking whether such +conduct was permitted by the religion, or contrary to the law. He was +answered, "Conduct of this description is forbidden, and repugnant to +our religion and law and to our traditions." The French General thanked +them for this answer, and gave orders to prevent such practices in +future, and to seize every one seen thus offending; if insane, to +confine him in the Maristan (or hospital and lunatic asylum); and if not +insane, to compel him either to relinquish his disgusting habits, or to +leave the city.[268]--Of reputed saints of this kind, thus writes an +enlightened poet, El-Bedree El-[H.]ejazee:-- + + "Would that I had not lived to see every fool esteemed among men + as a [K.]u[t.]b! + Their learned men take him as a patron; nay, even as Lord, in place + of the Possessor of Heaven's throne. + Forgetting God, they say, 'Such a one from all mankind can remove + affliction.' + When he dies, they make for him a place of visitation, and strangers + and Arabs hurry thither in crowds: + Some of them kiss his tomb, and some kiss the threshold of the door, + and the very dust. + Thus do the idolaters act towards their images, hoping so to obtain + their favour." + +These lines are quoted by El-Jabartee, in his account of a very +celebrated modern saint, the seyyid 'Alee El-Bekree (events of Rabee[a.] +eth-Thanee, 1214). A brief history of this person will not be here +misplaced, as it will present a good illustration of the general +character and actions of those insane individuals who are commonly +regarded as saints. + +The seyyid 'Alee El-Bekree was a mejzoob (or insane person) who was +considered an eminent welee, and much trusted in: for several years he +used to walk naked about the streets of Cairo, with a shaven face, +bearing a long nebboot (or staff), and uttering confused language, which +the people attentively listened to, and interpreted according to their +desires and the exigencies of their states. He was a tall, spare man, +and sometimes wore a shirt and a cotton skull-cap; but he was generally +barefooted and naked. The respect with which he was treated induced a +woman, who was called the sheykhah Ammooneh, to imitate his example +further than decency allowed: she followed him whithersoever he went, +covered at first with her izar (or large cotton veil thrown over the +head and body), and muttering, like him, confused language. Entering +private houses with him, she used to ascend to the [h.]areems, and +gained the faith of the women, who presented her with money and clothes, +and spread abroad that the sheykh ('Alee) had looked upon her, and +affected her with religious frenzy, so that she had become a weleeyeh, +or female saint. Afterwards, becoming more insane and intoxicated, she +uncovered her face, and put on the clothing of a man; and thus attired +she still accompanied the sheykh, and the two wandered about, followed +by numbers of children and common vagabonds; some of whom also stripped +off their clothes in imitation of the sheykh, and followed, dancing; +their mad actions being attributed (like those of the woman) to +religious frenzy, induced by his look or touch, which converted them +into saints. The vulgar and young, who daily followed them, consequently +increased in numbers; and some of them, in passing through the +market-streets, snatched away goods from the shops, thus exciting great +commotion wherever they went. When the sheykh sat down in any place, the +crowd stopped, and the people pressed to see him and his mad companions. +On these occasions the woman used to mount upon the ma[s.][t.]abah of a +shop, or ascend a hillock, and utter disgusting language, sometimes in +Arabic, and sometimes in Turkish, while many persons among her audience +would kiss her hands to derive a blessing. After having persevered for +some time in this course, none preventing them, the party entered one +day the lane leading from the principal street of the city to the house +of the [K.]a[d.]ee, and were seized by a Turkish officer there residing, +named Ja[a.]far Kashif, who, having brought them into his house, gave +the sheykh some food, and drove out the spectators, retaining the woman +and the mejzoobs, whom he placed in confinement: he then liberated the +sheykh 'Alee, brought out the woman and the mejzoobs and beat them, sent +the woman to the Maristan, and there confined her, and set at large the +rest, after they had prayed for mercy, and clothed themselves, and +recovered from their intoxication. The woman remained a while confined +in the Maristan, and, when liberated, lived alone as a sheykhah, +believed in by men and women, and honoured as a saint with visits and +festivals. + +The seyyid 'Alee, after he had thus been deprived of his companions and +imitators, was constrained to lead a different kind of life. He had a +cunning brother, who, to turn the folly of this saint to a good account, +and fill his own purse (seeing how great faith the people placed in him, +as the Egyptians are prone to do in such a case), confined him in his +house, and clothed him, asserting that he had his permission to do so, +and that he had been invested with the dignity of [K.]u[t.]b. Thus he +contrived to attract crowds of persons, men and women, to visit him. He +forbade him to shave his beard, which consequently grew to its full +size; and his body became fat and stout from abundance of food and rest; +for, while he went about naked, he was, as before mentioned, of a lean +figure. During that period he used generally to pass the night +wandering, without food, through the streets, in winter and summer. +Having now servants to wait upon him, whether sleeping or waking, he +passed his time in idleness, uttering confused and incoherent words, +and sometimes laughing and sometimes scolding; and in the course of his +idle loquacity he could not but let fall some words applicable to the +affairs of some of his listening visiters, who attributed such +expressions to his supernatural knowledge of the thoughts of their +hearts, and interpreted them as warnings or prophecies. Men and women, +and particularly the wives of the grandees, flocked to him with presents +and votive offerings, which enriched the coffers of his brother; and the +honours which he received ceased not with his death. His funeral was +attended by multitudes from every quarter. His brother buried him in the +mosque of Esh-Sharaibee, in the quarter of the Ezbekeeyeh, made for him +a ma[k.][s.]oorah (or railed enclosure) and an oblong monument over the +grave, and frequently repaired thither with readers of the [K.]ur-an, +munshids[269] to sing odes in his honour, flag-bearers, and other +persons, who wailed and screamed, rubbed their faces against the bars of +the window before his grave, and caught the air of the place in their +hands to thrust it into their bosoms and pockets. Men and women came +crowding together to visit his tomb, bringing votive offerings and wax +candles, and eatables of various kinds to distribute for his sake to the +poor.[270]--The oblong monument over his grave, resembling a large +chest, was covered, when I was in Cairo, with a black stuff ornamented +by a line of words from the [K.]ur-an, in white characters, surrounding +it. A servant who accompanied me during my rides and walks used often to +stop as we passed this tomb, and touch the wooden bars of the window +above mentioned with his right hand, which he then kissed to obtain a +blessing. + +In most cases greater honour is paid to a reputed saint after his death +than he receives in his life. A small, square, whitewashed building, +crowned with a dome, is generally erected as his tomb, surrounding an +oblong monument of stone, brick, or wood, which is immediately over the +sepulchral vault. At least one such building forms a conspicuous object +close by, or within, almost every Arab village; for the different +villages, and different quarters of every town and city, have their +respective patron saints, whose tombs are frequently visited, and are +the scenes of periodical festivals, generally celebrated once in every +year. The tombs of many very eminent saints are mosques; and some of +these are large and handsome edifices, the monument being under a large +and lofty dome, and surrounded by an enclosure of wooden railings, or of +elegantly-worked bronze. In these buildings also, and in some others, +the monument is covered with silk or cotton stuff ornamented with words +from the [K.]ur-an, which form a band around it. Many buildings of the +more simple kind erected in honour of saints, and some of the larger +description, are mere cenotaphs, or cover only some relic of the person +to whom they are dedicated. The tombs and cenotaphs or shrines of saints +are visited by numerous persons, and on frequent occasions; most +commonly on a particular day of the week. The object of the visiter, in +general, is to perform some meritorious act, such as taking bread, or +other food, or money, for the poor, or distributing water to the +thirsty, on account of the saint, to increase his rewards in heaven, and +at the same time to draw down a blessing on himself; or to perform a +sacrifice of a sheep, goat, calf, or other animal, which he has vowed to +offer, if blessed with some specific object of desire, or to obtain +general blessings; or to implore the saint's intercession in some case +of need. The flesh of the devoted animal is given to the poor. The +visiters also often take with them palm-branches, or sprigs of myrtle, +or roses or other flowers, to lay upon the monument, as they do when +they visit the tombs of their relations. The visiter walks round the +monument, or its enclosure, from left to right, or with his left side +towards it (as the pilgrims do round the Ka[a.]beh), sometimes pausing +to touch its four angles or corners with his right hand, which he then +kisses; and recites the opening chapter of the [K.]ur-an (the +Fat'[h.]ah) standing before one or each of its four sides. Some visiters +repeat also the chapter of Ya-Seen (the 36th), or employ a person to +recite this, or even the whole of the [K.]ur-an, for hire. + +The reciter afterwards declares that he transfers the merit of this work +to the soul of the deceased saint. Any private petition the visiter +offers up on his own account, imploring a favourable answer for the sake +of the saint, or through his intercession; holding his hands before his +face like an open book, and then drawing them down his face. Many a +visiter, on entering the tomb, kisses the threshold, or touches it with +his right hand, which he then kisses; and, on passing by it, persons +often touch the window, and kiss the hand thus honoured. + +The great periodical or annual festivals are observed with additional +ceremonies, and by crowds of visiters. These are called Moolids (more +properly Molids); and are held on the anniversary of the birth of the +saint, or in commemoration of that event. Persons are then hired to +recite the [K.]ur-an in and near the tomb, during the day; and others, +chiefly darweeshes, employ themselves during the night in performing +zikrs, which consist in repeating the name of God, or the profession of +his unity, &c., in chorus, accompanying the words by certain motions of +the head, hands, or whole body; munshids, at intervals, singing +religious odes or love songs during these performances, to the +accompaniment of a nay, which is a kind of flute, or the arghool, which +is a double reed-pipe. These moolids are scenes of rejoicing and of +traffic, which men and boys and girls attend, to eat sweatmeats, and +drink coffee and sherbets, or to amuse themselves with swinging, or +turning on a whirligig, or witnessing the feats of conjurers, or the +performances of dancers; and to which tradesmen repair to sell or barter +their goods. The visiters to the great moolids of the seyyid A[h.]mad +El-Bedawee, at [T.]an[t.]a, in the Delta of Egypt, which are great fairs +as well as religious festivals, are almost as numerous as the pilgrims +at Mekkeh. During a moolid, the inhabitants of the houses in the +neighbourhood of the tomb hang lamps before their houses, and spend a +great part of the night listening to the story-tellers at the +coffee-shops, or attending the zikrs. + +These latter performances, though so common among the Arabs, are +inconsistent with the spirit of the Mohammadan religion, and especially +with respect to music, which was not employed in religious ceremonies +until after the second century of the Flight. The Imam Aboo-Bekr +E[t.]-[T.]oosee, being asked whether it were lawful or not to be present +with people who assembled in a certain place, and read a portion of the +[K.]ur-an; and, after a munshid had recited some poetry, would dance, +and become excited, and play upon tambourines and pipes,--answered, that +such practices were vain, ignorant, and erroneous; not ordained by the +[K.]ur-an or the Traditions of the Prophet, but invented by those +Israelites who worshipped the Golden Calf; that the Prophet and his +companions used to sit so quietly that a bird might alight upon the head +of any one of them and not be disturbed; that it was incumbent on the +Sultan and his vicegerents to prevent such persons from entering the +mosques and other places for these purposes; and that no one who +believed in God and the Last Day should be present with them, or assist +them in their vain performances: such, he asserted, was the opinion of +the Imams of the Muslims.[271] Some eminent doctors, however, have +contended for the lawfulness of these practices.[272] + +Of the various orders of darweeshes, to which so many of the reputed +saints belong, it is unnecessary here to say more than that they differ +chiefly in unimportant regulations and rites, such as particular forms +of prayer, and modes of zikr; that some distinguish themselves by +peculiar dresses; and that a few pursue a wandering life, and subsist on +alms. + +NOTE 64. The reason of this strange proceeding is not stated in the +Cairo edition, but it is in the two other editions which I have before +me. + +NOTE 65. Arab etiquette requires that a person should sit upon his knees +and feet in the presence of one of much higher rank, or of one to whom +he would pay especial honour. He should also, in these cases, cover his +hands with his sleeves. + +NOTE 66. Kunafeh is a kind of pastry resembling vermicelli, made of +wheat-flour. It is moistened with clarified butter--then baked, and +sweetened with honey or sugar. + +NOTE 67. Chess is played somewhat differently in different parts of the +East. The pieces are generally of very simple forms, as the Muslim is +forbidden by his religion to make an image of anything that has life. + +NOTE 68. In my original, and in the Breslau edition, the ape is said to +have been the son of the King of the Ebony Islands; but this is a +mistake; for the latter, as before stated, was the father of the lady +who was carried off by Jarjarees. + +NOTE 69. The term "leewan" has been explained in No. 12 of the notes to +this chapter. + +NOTE 70. This was, and I believe still is, a common battle-cry of the +Arabs, and more commonly used on the occasion of a victory. + +NOTE 71. "Dar es-Selam," "the Abode of Peace," or "of Safety," is a name +often given to Baghdad, as it is also to one of the seven stories or +stages of Paradise. + +NOTE 72.--_The Mountain of Loadstone._ Several Arab writers describe +this mountain of loadstone. El [K.]azweenee, in his account of minerals, +says that the mine of loadstone is on the shore of the Indian Ocean, and +that if the ships which navigate this sea approach the said mine, and +contain anything of iron, it flies from them like a bird, and adheres to +the mountain; for which reason, it is the general custom to make use of +no iron in the construction of the vessels employed in this +navigation.[273] I think that I have met with a similar story in some +Latin author. + +NOTE 73. For an explanation of this term, see what I have said on the +subject of prayer in the first of the notes to the Introduction. + +NOTE 74. "Kha[s.]eeb" signifies "endowed with plenty." + +NOTE 75. The remainder of the story of the Third Royal Mendicant is +almost wholly omitted in the Cairo edition. I translate it chiefly from +the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights. + +NOTE 76.--_On Dreams._ That Dreams are regarded by the Muslims as being +often true warnings or indications of future events I have mentioned in +a former note. This belief, sanctioned by the Prophet, will be well +illustrated by the following anecdote, which was related to me in Cairo, +shortly after the terrible plague of the year 1835, by the sheykh +Mo[h.]ammad E[t.]-[T.]an[t.]awee, who had taken the trouble of +investigating the fact, and had ascertained its truth. + +A tradesman, living in the quarter of El-[H.]anafee, in Cairo, dreamt, +during the plague above mentioned, that eleven persons were carried out +from his house to be buried, victims of this disease. He awoke in a +state of the greatest distress and alarm, reflecting that eleven was the +total number of the inhabitants of his house, including himself, and +that it would be vain in him to attempt, by adding one or more members +to his household, to elude the decree of God, and give himself a chance +of escape: so, calling together his neighbours, he informed them of his +dream, and was counselled to submit with resignation to a fate so +plainly foreshewn, and to be thankful to God for the timely notice with +which he had been mercifully favoured. On the following day, one of his +children died; a day or two after, a wife; and the pestilence continued +its ravages among his family until he remained in his house alone. It +was impossible for him now to entertain the slightest doubt of the +entire accomplishment of the warning: immediately, therefore, after the +last death that had taken place among his household, he repaired to a +friend at a neighbouring shop, and, calling to him several other persons +from the adjoining and opposite shops, he reminded them of his dream, +acquainted them with its almost complete fulfilment, and expressed his +conviction that he, the eleventh, should very soon die. "Perhaps," said +he, "I shall die this next night: I beg of you, therefore, for the sake +of God, to come to my house early to-morrow morning, and the next morning +and the next if necessary, and to see if I be dead, and, when dead, that +I be properly buried; for I have no one with me to wash and shroud me. +Fail not to do me this service, which will procure you a recompense in +heaven. I have bought my grave-linen: you will find it in a corner of +the room in which I sleep. If you find the door of the house latched, +and I do not answer to your knocking, break it open." + +Soon after sunset he laid himself in his lonely bed, though without any +expectation of closing his eyes in sleep; for his mind was absorbed in +reflections upon the awful entry into another world, and a review of his +past life. As the shades of night gathered around him, he could almost +fancy that he beheld, in one faint object or another in his gloomy +chamber, the dreadful person of the Angel of Death: and at length he +actually perceived a figure gliding in at the door, and approaching his +bed. Starting up in horror, he exclaimed, "Who art thou?"--and a stern +and solemn voice answered, "Be silent! I am 'Azraeel, the Angel of +Death!"--"Alas!" cried the terrified man; "I testify that there is no +deity but God, and I testify that Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle! There is +no strength nor power but in God, the High! the Great! To God we belong, +and to Him we must return!"--He then covered himself over with his +quilt, as if for protection, and lay with throbbing heart, expecting +every moment to have his soul torn from him by the inexorable messenger. +But moments passed away, and minutes, and hours; yet without his +experiencing any hope of escape; for he imagined that the Angel was +waiting for him to resign himself, or had left him for a while, and was +occupied in receiving first the souls of the many hundred human beings +who had attained their predestined term in that same night and in the +same city, and the souls of the thousands who were doomed to employ him +elsewhere. Daybreak arrived before his sufferings terminated; and his +neighbours, coming according to their promise, entered his chamber, and +found him still in bed; but observing that he was covered up, and +motionless as a corpse, they doubted whether he were still alive, and +called to him. He answered, with a faint voice, "I am not yet dead; but +the Angel of Death came to me in the dusk of the evening, and I expect +every moment his return, to take my soul: therefore trouble me not; but +see me washed and buried."--"But why," said his friends, "was the +street-door left unlatched?"--"I latched it," he answered, "but the +Angel of Death may have opened it."--"And who," they asked, "is the man +in the court?"--He answered, "I know of no man in the court: perhaps the +Angel who is waiting for my soul has made himself visible to you, and +been mistaken, in the twilight, for a man."--"He is a thief," they said, +"who has gathered together everything in the house that he could carry +away, and has been struck by the plague while doing so, and now lies +dead in the court, at the foot of the stairs, grasping in his hand a +silver candlestick."--The master of the house, after hearing this, +paused for a moment, and then, throwing off his quilt, exclaimed, +"Praise be to God, the Lord of all creatures! That is the eleventh, and +I am safe! No doubt it was that rascal who came to me and said that he +was the Angel of Death. Praise be to God! Praise be to God!" + +This man survived the plague, and took pleasure in relating the above +story. The thief had overheard his conversation with his neighbours, +and, coming to his house in the dusk, had put his shoulder to the wooden +lock, and so raised the door and displaced the latch within.--There is +nothing wonderful in the dream, nor in its accomplishment; the plague of +1835 entirely desolated many houses, and was mostly fatal to the young; +and all the inhabitants of the house in question were young excepting +the master. + +NOTE 77. "'Ajeeb" signifies "a wonder," or "anything strange or +admirable." + +NOTE 78. Blue is the colour of mourning, as before mentioned, in No. 52 +of the notes to the second chapter. + +NOTE 79. Smearing the face and slapping the cheeks are common practices +of Arab women, especially of the lower orders, on following to the +grave the corpse of a near relation or a husband. + +NOTE 80.--_On the_ Rukh'. This fabulous bird is described by many Arab +writers, some of whom assert that it can carry a rhinoceros, while +others ascribe to it powers still more extraordinary. I shall have +occasion to speak of it again in my notes to this work. + +NOTE 81. This is explained by No. 30 of the notes to the Introduction. + +NOTE 82. I here return to the Cairo edition. + +NOTE 83. Some of the incidents described in this story, as the +shipwrecks caused by the image, and the opening of the forbidden closet, +&c., appear to be taken from the romance of Seyf Zu-l-Yezen, of which I +possess a copy, purchased during my second visit to Egypt. This romance, +which has become extremely scarce, is filled with stories of genii and +enchantments of the most extravagant kind. Some of the public +story-tellers in Cairo used, a few years since, to amuse their audiences +by recitations from it. I was not able to discover the period at which +it was composed; but it is said to have been written long before the +Tales of a Thousand and One Nights. I saw once a portion of a copy of +which it appeared, from the hand-writing and the paper, to be three or +four centuries old. + +NOTE 84. So in the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and +in the edition of Breslau. + +NOTE 85. Those decrees which are written with "the Pen" on the +"Preserved Tablet" are believed to be unchangeable. "The Pen" is also +the title of one of the chapters of the [K.]ur-an, the 68th. + +NOTE 86. In all the copies of the original which I have by me, +El-Ba[s.]rah is said to have been the place to which the lady designed +to voyage; but this is inconsistent with the sequel of the story. + +NOTE 87. In the old version, two strange errors occur in the passage +corresponding with this: two words in the original, "nar" and "doon," +having been mistaken for a proper name; and the word "jebbar," which, +applied to God, signifies "almighty," or rather the "Compeller of his +creatures to do whatsoever He willeth," being taken in the sense of +"giant," which it bears in many other cases. + +NOTE 88.--_On Martyrs._ The Mohammadan law distinguishes several +different descriptions of martyrs. This honourable title is given to the +soldier who dies in fighting for the faith, or on his way to do so, or +who dies almost immediately after his having been wounded when so +engaged; to a person who innocently meets with his death from the hand +of another; to a victim of the plague, who does not flee from the +disease, or of dysentery; to a person who is drowned; and to one who is +killed by the falling of a wall or any building. It is said that the +souls of martyrs, after quitting their bodies, reside, until the day of +resurrection, in the crops of green birds, which eat of the fruits, and +drink of the waters, of Paradise. Such we are to consider as the first +and lowest state of felicity to which the young prince in this tale was +introduced as the reward of his virtue. + +NOTE 89. The share inherited, according to the law, by the wife, or by +the wives conjointly when there are more than one, is one-eighth of what +remains of the property of the deceased after the discharge of his debts +and legacies, if he have left issue; and one-fourth, if he have left no +issue. + +NOTE 90. The Arabs, fond of hyperbole, often thus describe a lofty +building. + +NOTE 91.--_On the Magnificence of Arab Palaces, &c._ After remarking +upon the preceding sentence as presenting an instance of Oriental +hyperbole, it may be necessary to inform the reader that he needs not +regard this in the same light. The magnificence of the palaces of +Baghdad in the times of the Khaleefehs almost exceeds belief. + +In the beginning of the year of the Flight 305 (June, A.D. 917), two +ambassadors from the Greek Emperor (Constantine IX., Porphyrogenitus) +arrived in Baghdad on a mission to the Khaleefeh El-Mu[k.]tedir, +bringing an abundance of costly presents; and the scenes which they +witnessed are thus described; apparently, however, not without some +exaggeration. They were first received by the Wezeer, who, at the +audience which he granted to them in his garden-palace, displayed on +this occasion a degree of magnificence that had never before been +manifested by any of his rank; pages, memlooks, and soldiers, crowded +the avenues and courts of his mansion, the apartments of which were hung +with tapestry of the value of thirty thousand deenars; and the Wezeer +himself was surrounded by generals and other officers on his right and +left and behind his seat, when the two ambassadors approached him, +dazzled by the splendour that surrounded them, to beg for an interview +with the Khaleefeh. El-Mu[k.]tedir, having appointed a day on which he +would receive them, ordered that the courts and passages and avenues of +his palace should be filled with armed men, and that all the apartments +should be furnished with the utmost magnificence. A hundred and sixty +thousand armed soldiers were arranged in ranks in the approach to the +palace; next to these were the pages of the closets, and chief eunuchs, +clad in silk and with belts set with jewels, in number seven thousand; +four thousand white, and three thousand black: there were also seven +hundred chamberlains; and beautifully ornamented boats of various kinds +were seen floating upon the Tigris, hard by. The two ambassadors passed +first by the palace of the chief chamberlain, and, astonished at the +splendid ornaments and pages and arms which they there beheld, imagined +that this was the palace of the Khaleefeh; but what they had seen here +was eclipsed by what they beheld in the latter, where they were amazed +by the sight of thirty-eight thousand pieces of tapestry of +gold-embroidered silk brocade, and twenty-two thousand magnificent +carpets. Here also were two menageries of beasts by nature wild, but +tamed by art, and eating from the hands of men: among them were a +hundred lions; each lion with its keeper. They then entered the Palace +of the Tree, enclosing a pond from which rose the Tree: this had +eighteen branches, with leaves of various colours (being artificial), +and with birds of gold and silver (or gilt and silvered) of every +variety of kind and size, perched upon its branches, so constructed that +each of them sang. Thence they passed into the garden, in which were +furniture and utensils not to be enumerated: in the passages leading to +it were suspended ten thousand gilt coats of mail. Being at length +conducted before El-Mu[k.]tedir, they found him seated on a couch of +ebony inlaid with gold and silver, to the right of which were hung nine +necklaces of jewels, and the like to the left, the jewels of which +outshone the light of day. The two ambassadors paused at the distance of +about a hundred cubits from the Khaleefeh, with the interpreter. Having +left the presence, they were conducted through the palace, and were +shewn splendidly-caparisoned elephants, a giraffe, lynxes, and other +beasts. They were then clad with robes of honour, and to each of them +was brought fifty thousand dirhems, together with dresses and other +presents. It is added, that the ambassadors approached the palace +through a street called "the Street of the Menarehs," in which were a +thousand menarehs, or menarets. It was at the hour of noon; and as they +passed, the mueddins from all these menarehs chanted the call to prayer +at the same time, so that the earth almost quaked at the sound, and the +ambassadors were struck with fear.[274] + +The Orientals well understand how to give the most striking effect to +the jewels which they display on their dress, &c., on occasions of +state. Sir John Malcolm, describing his reception by the late King of +Persia, says, "His dress baffled all description. The ground of his +robes was white; but he was so covered with jewels of an extraordinary +size, and their splendour, from his being seated where the rays of the +sun played upon them, was so dazzling, that it was impossible to +distinguish the minute parts which combined to give such amazing +brilliancy to his whole figure."[275] + +NOTE 92. As this marriage is described as conducted in an irregular +manner, I need say nothing at present of the ceremonies usually +practised on such an occasion. + +NOTE 93. Every person who has visited Eastern cities will bear testimony +to the plausibility of this excuse. I have several times been thrown +down by the wide load of a camel in the streets of Cairo, and seen loads +of firewood scraping the houses on both sides of a street at the same +time. + +NOTE 94. Women suspected of infidelity to their husbands have not +unfrequently been thus punished in Egypt in modern times, in violation +of the law. + +NOTE 95. "Sa[a.]d" signifies "happiness," or "prosperity," and also +"happy," or "prosperous." + +NOTE 96. Pity is of more important service to the Muslim after death +than during life; for the prayers which it inspires increase his +happiness in futurity, or diminish his misery. + +NOTE 97. This allusion to religious faith is peculiarly apt in the mouth +of a Muslim; for the chief dogma of his creed is the denial of any +partnership in the Divine essence. He calls persons of all other +religions "mushriks," or those who attribute partners to God. + +NOTE 98. In the original, she is here called an 'Efreeteh, which is an +improper term. + +NOTE 99. This salutation and its reply are only to be given by and to +Muslims. + +NOTE 100. It is implied by this ejaculation that the two ladies were +admirable beauties, evidences of the perfection of their Creator. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + + [175] See [K.]ur-an, ch. ii. v. 96. + + [176] See [K.]ur-an, ch. ii. v. 96. + + [177] El-[K.]azweenee, account of the well of Babil, in "'Ajaib + el-Makhloo[k.]at." + + [178] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 339. + + [179] De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. pp. 125-131, + Arabic text, 2nd ed. + + [180] That is, a race-course for sallies of wit and eloquence + on the subject of wine: the word "kumeyt" being used, in + preference to more than a hundred others that might have been + employed, as signifying "wine," because it bears also the + meaning of "a dark bay horse." + + [181] His name is not mentioned in my copy; but D'Herbelot + states it to have been Shems-ed-Deen Mo[h.]ammad + Ibn-Bedr-ed-Deen [H.]asan, el-[K.]a[d.]ee; and writes his + surname "Naouagi," or "Naouahi." + + [182] Ch. ii. v. 216. + + [183] Ch. iv. v. 46. + + [184] Leviticus, ch. x. v. 9. + + [185] [K.]ur-an, ch. v. v. 92. + + [186] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. ix. + + [187] Idem, khatimeh, or conclusion. + + [188] Ibid. + + [189] Fakhr-ed-Deen, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. + p. 23, Arabic text, 2nd ed. + + [190] "While tears of blood trickle from the strainer, the ewer + beneath it giggles." (E[s.]-[S.]adr Ibn-El-Wekeel, quoted in + the [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiii.)--The strainer is called + "rawoo[k.]." + + [191] The Mo[h.]tesib is inspector of the markets, the weights + and measures, and provisions, &c. + + [192] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 295. + + [193] In Arabic, "ba[t.]iyeh." + + [194] "Ba[t.][t.]ah." + + [195] "[K.]inneeneh." + + [196] "Ibree[k.]s." + + [197] The cup, when full, was generally called "kas:" when + empty, "[k.]ada[h.]" or "jam." The name of "kas" is now given + to a small glass used for brandy and liqueurs, and similar to + our liqueur-glass: the glass or cup used for wine is called, + when so used, "koobeh:" it is the same as that used for + sherbet; but in the latter case it is called "[k.]ulleh." + + [198] "Nu[k.]uldans." + + [199] "Nu[k.]l." + + [200] "Bela[h.]." + + [201] "Ru[t.]ab." + + [202] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, account of the fruits of Egypt, in his + history of that country (MS. in my possession) + + [203] Ibid. + + [204] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, account of the fruits of Egypt, in his + history of that country (MS. in my possession). + + [205] El-[K.]azweenee (MS. in my possession). + + [206] "Jummar." + + [207] "Bi[t.][t.]eekh," vulg., "ba[t.][t.]eekh." + + [208] El-[K.]azweenee. + + [209] "Moz." + + [210] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi supra_. + + [211] "Rumman". + + [212] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi supra_. + + [213] The Arabic names of these fruits are, tuffa[h.] (vulg., + tiffa[h.]), kummetre, safarjal, mishmish, khokh, teen, jummeyz + (vulg., jemmeyz), 'eneb, nab[k.] or sidr, 'onnab (vulg., + 'annab), ijjas or bar[k.]oo[k.], joz, loz, bundu[k.], + fustu[k.], burtu[k.]an, narinj, leymoon, utrujj or turunj and + kebbad, toot, zeytoon, and [k.]a[s.]ab es-sukkar. + + [214] "Ward." + + [215] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xvii.; and Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, + account of the flowers of Egypt, in his history of that + country. + + [216] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xvii. + + [217] Ibid. + + [218] Ibid. + + [219] Ibid. + + [220] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi supra_. + + [221] The night of the Ascension. + + [222] Gabriel, who accompanied the Prophet. + + [223] The beast on which he rode from Mekkeh to Jerusalem + previously to his ascension. These traditions are from + Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi supra_. + + [224] This flower is called "faghiyeh," and, more commonly, + "temer el-[h.]enne;" or, according to some, the faghiyeh is the + flower produced by a slip of temer el-[h.]enne planted upside + down, and superior to the flower of the latter planted in the + natural way. + + [225] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi supra_. + + [226] "Benefsej." + + [227] Es-Suyootee. + + [228] "As," or "narseen." + + [229] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee. + + [230] "Sha[k.]ai[k.]." The "adhriyoon," or "adharyoon," is said + to be a variety of the anemone. + + [231] From the former, or from "no[a.]man" as signifying + "blood," the anemone was named "sha[k.]ai[k.] en-no[a.]man." + + [232] "Menthoor," or "kheeree." + + [233] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xvii. + + [234] "Narjis." + + [235] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, _ubi supra_; Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi + supra_; and El-[K.]azweenee. + + [236] The Arabic names of these flowers are, yasemeen, nisreen, + zahr (or zahr narinj), soosan, ree[h.]an (or [h.]aba[k.]), + nemam, bahar, u[k.]-howan, neelofar, beshneen, jullanar or + julnar, khashkhash, khi[t.]mee, za[a.]faran, 'o[s.]fur, kettan, + ba[k.]illa and leblab, and loz. + + [237] "Ban," and "khilaf" or "khalaf." Both these names are + applied to the same tree (which, according to Forskal, differs + slightly from the salix AEgyptiaca of Linnaeus) by the author of + the [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, and by the modern Egyptians. + + [238] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiv. + + [239] Idem, ch. xi. + + [240] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 425. + + [241] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiv. + + [242] Soft boots, worn inside the slippers or shoes. + + [243] This is so vaguely described by the Arab lexicographers + that I cannot obtain a definite notion of its form. + + [244] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, _loco laudato_. + + [245] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiv. + + [246] He was born in the year of the Flight 125, and died in + 213, or, according to some, 188.--Abulfedae Annales, vol. ii. + pp. 150 and 675. + + [247] He was born in the year of the Flight 150, and died in + 235.--Idem, adnot., pp. 691 et seq.; and Mir-at ez-Zeman, + events of the year 235. + + [248] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 231. He died in this + year. + + [249] I believe this Khaleefeh was El-Ma-moon. + + [250] A quarter in Baghdad. + + [251] That is, "My master."--ED. + + [252] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. vii. + + [253] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil. + + [254] El-Ma[k.]reezee, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. + i. p. 265, 2nd ed. + + [255] Ibid. + + [256] El-Ma[k.]reezee, in his "Khi[t.]a[t.]," and his history + of the Memlook Sul[t.]ans, translated by Quatremere; + El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee; and D'Ohsson, Tableau General de l'Empire + Othoman. + + [257] D'Ohsson (vol. i. pp. 315 and 316) asserts the [K.]u[t.]b + to be the chief minister of the Ghos; and gives an account + somewhat different from that which I offer of the orders under + his authority: but perhaps the Turkish Darweeshes differ from + the Arab in their tenets on this subject. + + [258] It is said that "the Nu[k.]aba are three hundred; the + Nujaba, seventy; the Abdal, forty; the Akhyar, seven; the + 'Omud, four; the Ghos [as before mentioned,] is one. The + Nu[k.]aba reside in El-Gharb [Northern Africa to the west of + Egypt]; the Nujaba, in Egypt; the Abdal, in Syria; the Akhyar + travel about the earth; the 'Omud, in the corners of the earth; + the abode of the Ghos is at Mekkeh. In an affair of need, the + Nu[k.]aba implore relief for the people; then, the Nujaba; + then, the Abdal; then, the Akhyar; then, the 'Omud; and if + their prayer be not answered, the Ghos implores, and his prayer + is answered." (El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee's History, preface.)--This + statement, I find, rests on the authority of a famous saint of + Baghdad, Aboo-Bekr El-Kettanee, who died at Mekkeh, in the year + of the Flight 322. (Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year above + mentioned.) + + [259] El-Jabartee's History of Modern Egypt, vol. ii., obituary + of the year 1201 (MS. in my possession).--The appellation of + "the four [K.]u[t.]bs" is given in Egypt to the seyyid A[h.]mad + Rifa'ah, the seyyid 'Abd-El-[K.]adir El-Geelanee, the seyyid + A[h.]mad El-Bedawee, and the seyyid Ibraheem Ed-Dasoo[k.]ee, + the founders of the four orders of darweeshes most celebrated + among the Arabs, called Rifa'eeyeh, [K.]adireeyeh, + A[h.]medeeyeh, and Barahimeh. + + [260] El-Jabartee's History, vol. i., obituary of the year + 1188. + + [261] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 291. + + [262] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 291. + + [263] Idem, events of the year 218. + + [264] Idem, events of the year 334. + + [265] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 4. + + [266] These are two very celebrated welees. + + [267] The opening chapter of the [K.]ur-an. + + [268] El-Jabartee's History, vol. iii., events of the month of + Sha[a.]ban, 1215 (A.D. 1800-1801). + + [269] Singers of religious odes. + + [270] El-Jabartee's History, vol. ii., obituary of the year + 1207, and events of Rejeb, 1200; and vol. iii., events of + Rabee[a.] eth-Thanee, 1214. + + [271] El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, reign of El-Mutawekkil. + + [272] De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. pp. 122, 123, 2nd. + ed. + + [273] "'Ajaib el-Makhloo[k.]at." + + [274] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year above mentioned. + + [275] Sketches of Persia, vol. ii. p. 129. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE EIGHTEENTH NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF +THE TWENTY-FOURTH. + +THE STORY OF THE THREE APPLES, &c.[IV_1] + +One night, after the adventure above described, the Khaleefeh Haroon +Er-Rasheed said to Ja[a.]far, his Wezeer, We will go down to-night into +the city, and inquire respecting the affairs of those who are at present +in authority, and him against whom any one shall complain we will +displace. Ja[a.]far replied, I hear and obey:--and when the Khaleefeh +had gone forth with him and Mesroor, and they had passed through several +of the market-streets, they proceeded along a lane, and saw there an old +man, with a net and basket upon his head, and a staff in his hand, +walking at his leisure, and reciting these verses:-- + + They say to me, Thou shinest among mankind, by thy knowledge, + like the moonlight night: + But I answer, Abstain from thus addressing me, since there is no + knowledge without power: + For if they would pawn me, and my knowledge with me, and all my papers + and inkhorn too, + For one day's food, they would never find the pledge accepted to + the day of judgment. + As for the poor, and his condition, and his whole life, how full of + trouble! + In the summer he fails to earn his food, and in winter he warms + himself over the fire-pot.[IV_2] + The dogs follow him wherever he goes, and any reviler, and he cannot + repel him. + If he states his case, and proves himself wronged, the judge will not + admit his plea. + Such, then, being the poor man's life, his fittest place is in + the burial-ground.[IV_3] + +The Khaleefeh, when he heard his recitation, said to Ja[a.]far, Observe +this poor man, and consider these verses; for they indicate his +necessity. Then approaching the man, he said to him, O sheykh, what is +thine occupation?--O my master, answered the old man, I am a fisherman, +and have a family to maintain, and I went forth from my house at noon, +and have remained until now, but God hath allotted me nothing wherewith +to obtain food for my household; therefore I have hated myself, and +wished for death.--Wilt thou, said the Khaleefeh, return with us to the +river, and station thyself on the bank of the Tigris, and cast thy net +for my luck? If thou wilt do so I will purchase of thee whatever cometh +up for a hundred pieces of gold.--The fisherman rejoiced when he heard +these words, and said, On my head be your commands: I will return with +you.--So he went again to the river, and cast his net, and, having +waited till it sank, drew the cords, and dragged back the net, and there +came up in it a chest, locked and heavy. When the Khaleefeh saw it, he +felt its weight, and found it to be heavy; and he gave a hundred pieces +of gold to the fisherman, who went away, while Mesroor, assisted by +Ja[a.]far, took up the chest, and conveyed it, in company with the +Khaleefeh, to the palace, where they lighted the candles, and placed the +chest before the Khaleefeh. Ja[a.]far and Mesroor then broke it open, +and they found in it a basket of palm-leaves sewed up with red worsted; +and they cut the threads, and saw within it a piece of carpet, and, +lifting up this, they found beneath it an izar,[IV_4] and when they had +taken up the izar they discovered under it a damsel like molten silver, +killed, and cut in pieces. + +When the Khaleefeh beheld this, tears ran down his cheeks, and, looking +towards Ja[a.]far, he exclaimed, O dog of Wezeers, shall people be +murdered in my time, and be thrown into the river, and become burdens +upon my responsibility? By Allah, I must retaliate for this damsel upon +him who killed her, and put him to death!--Then said he to Ja[a.]far, By +the truth of my descent from the Khaleefehs of the sons of El-'Abbas, if +thou do not bring to me him who killed this woman, that I may avenge her +upon him, I will crucify thee at the gate of my palace, together with +forty of thy kinsmen![IV_5] And the Khaleefeh was enraged.--Grant me, +said Ja[a.]far, a delay of three days.--I grant thee the delay, replied +the Khaleefeh. Ja[a.]far then went forth from his presence, and took his +route through the city, sorrowful, and saying within himself, How shall +I discover him who killed this damsel, that I may take him before the +Khaleefeh? And if I take to him any other person, he will become a +weight upon my conscience. I know not what to do.--For three days he +remained in his house, and on the fourth day the Khaleefeh sent to +summon him, and, when he had presented himself before him, said to him, +Where is the murderer of the damsel?--O Prince of the Faithful, answered +Ja[a.]far, am I acquainted with things hidden from the senses, that I +should know who is her murderer? The Khaleefeh, incensed at this answer, +gave orders to crucify him at the gate of his palace, and commanded a +crier to proclaim through the streets of Baghdad, Whosoever desireth to +amuse himself by seeing the crucifixion of Ja[a.]far El-Barmekee, the +Wezeer of the Khaleefeh, and the crucifixion of his kinsmen, at the gate +of the Khaleefeh's palace, let him come forth and amuse himself.--So the +people came forth from every quarter to see the crucifixion of Ja[a.]far +and his kinsmen; and they knew not the cause of this. The Khaleefeh then +gave orders to set up the crosses; and they did so, and placed the +Wezeer and his kinsmen beneath, to crucify them, and were awaiting the +Khaleefeh's permission, while the people wept for Ja[a.]far and his +relatives. + +But while they were thus waiting, a handsome and neatly-dressed young +man came forward quickly through the crowd, and, approaching the Wezeer, +said to him, Safety to thee from this predicament, O chief of Emeers, +and refuge of the poor! It was I who killed the woman whom ye found in +the chest: kill me therefore for her, and retaliate her death upon +me.--When Ja[a.]far heard these words, he rejoiced for his own +deliverance, and grieved for the young man: but while he was speaking to +him, lo, an old sheykh pressed hastily through the crowd to him and the +young man, and, having saluted them, said, O Wezeer, believe not the +words of this young man, for no one killed the damsel but myself; +therefore retaliate her death upon me. The young man, however, said, O +Wezeer, this is an old man, imbecile through age; he knoweth not what he +saith: it was I who killed her; avenge her therefore upon me.--O my son, +said the sheykh, thou art young, and wilt find pleasure in the world; +and I am old, and satiated with the world: I will be a ransom for thee +and for the Wezeer and his kinsmen; and no one killed the damsel but +myself: by Allah, therefore, hasten to retaliate upon me. + +On witnessing this scene, the Wezeer was astonished; and he took the +young man and the sheykh to the Khaleefeh, and said, O Prince of the +Faithful, the murderer of the damsel hath come.--Where is he? said the +Khaleefeh. This young man, answered Ja[a.]far, saith, I am the +murderer;--and this sheykh accuseth him of falsehood, and saith, Nay, +but _I_ am the murderer.--The Khaleefeh, looking towards the sheykh and +the young man, said, Which of you killed this damsel? The young man +answered, No one killed her but myself:--and the sheykh said also, No +one killed her but myself. The Khaleefeh therefore said to Ja[a.]far, +Take them both and crucify them.--If the murderer be one, replied +Ja[a.]far, to kill the other would be unjust. The young man then said, +By Him who raised the heavens and spread out the earth, it was I who +killed the damsel:--and he gave an account of the manner of his killing +her, and described what the Khaleefeh had found. The Khaleefeh therefore +was convinced that the young man was he who had killed the damsel; and +he was astonished, and said, What was the cause of thy killing this +damsel unjustly, and of thy confessing the murder without being +beaten,[IV_6] and thy saying, Retaliate her death upon me? The young man +answered as follows:-- + +[Illustration] + +Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that this damsel was my wife, and the +daughter of my uncle: this sheykh was her father, and is my uncle. I +married her when she was a virgin, and God blessed me with three male +children by her; and she loved me and served me, and I saw in her no +evil. At the commencement of this month she was attacked by a severe +illness, and I brought to her the physicians, who attended her until her +health returned to her; and I desired them to send her to the bath; but +she said to me, I want something before I enter the bath, for I have a +longing for it.--What is it? said I. She answered, I have a longing for +an apple, to smell it, and take a bite from it. So I went out +immediately into the city, and searched for the apple, and would have +bought it had its price been a piece of gold: but I could not find one. +I passed the next night full of thought, and when the morning came I +quitted my house again and went about to all the gardens, one after +another; yet I found none in them. There met me, however, an old +gardener, of whom I inquired for the apple, and he said to me, O my son, +this is a rare thing, and not to be found here, nor anywhere except in +the garden of the Prince of the Faithful at El-Ba[s.]rah, and preserved +there for the Khaleefeh. I returned therefore to my wife, and my love +for her so constrained me that I prepared myself and journeyed fifteen +days, by night and day, in going and returning, and brought her three +apples which I purchased of the gardener at El-Ba[s.]rah for three +pieces of gold; and, going in, I handed them to her; but she was not +pleased by them, and left them by her side. She was then suffering from +a violent fever, and she continued ill during a period of ten days. + +After this she recovered her health, and I went out and repaired to my +shop, and sat there to sell and buy;[IV_7] and while I was thus +occupied, at mid-day there passed by me a black slave, having in his +hand an apple, with which he was playing: so I said to him, Whence didst +thou get this apple, for I would procure one like it?--Upon which he +laughed, and answered, I got it from my sweetheart: I had been absent, +and came, and found her ill, and she had three apples; and she said to +me, My unsuspecting husband journeyed to El-Ba[s.]rah for them, and +bought them for three pieces of gold:--and I took this apple from +her.--When I heard the words of the slave, O Prince of the Faithful, the +world became black before my face, and I shut up my shop, and returned +to my house, deprived of my reason by excessive rage. I found not the +third apple, and said to her, Where is the apple? She answered, I know +not whither it is gone. I was convinced thus that the slave had spoken +the truth, and I arose, and took a knife, and throwing myself upon her +bosom, plunged the knife into her: I then cut off her head and limbs, +and put them in the basket in haste, and covered them with the izar, +over which I laid a piece of carpet: then I put the basket in the chest, +and, having locked this, conveyed it on my mule, and threw it with my +own hands into the Tigris.[IV_8] + +And now, continued the young man, I conjure thee by Allah, O Prince of +the Faithful, to hasten my death in retaliation for her murder, as I +dread, otherwise, her appeal for vengeance upon me on the day of +resurrection:[IV_9] for when I had thrown her into the Tigris without +the knowledge of any one, I returned to my house, and found my eldest +boy crying, though he knew not what I had done to his mother: so I said +to him, What maketh thee cry?--and he answered, I took one of the apples +that my mother had, and went down with it into the street to play with +my brothers, and a tall black slave snatched it from me, and said to me, +Whence came this to thee? I answered him, My father made a journey for +it, and brought it from El-Ba[s.]rah, for the sake of my mother; for she +is sick: he bought three apples for three pieces of gold:--but he took +it from me and beat me, and went away with it; and I am afraid that my +mother may beat me on account of the apple.--When I heard my son's +story, I discovered that the slave had forged a lie against the daughter +of my uncle, and found that she had been killed unjustly; and as I was +weeping bitterly for what I had done, this sheykh, my uncle and her +father, came to me, and I informed him of the event; and he seated +himself by me, and wept. We wept until midnight, and continued our +mourning for her five days, ceasing not to the present day to bewail her +death. By the honour of thine ancestors, therefore, hasten my death, to +retaliate her murder upon me. + +The Khaleefeh wondered at the young man's story, and said, By Allah, I +will not put to death any but the wicked slave; for the young man is +excusable. Then looking towards Ja[a.]far, he said to him, Bring before +me this wicked slave who hath been the cause of the catastrophe; or, if +thou bring him not, thou shalt be put to death in his stead. So the +Wezeer departed weeping, and saying, Whence shall I bring him? Not every +time that the jar is struck doth it escape being broken! I have no +stratagem to employ in this affair: but He who delivered me in the first +case may deliver me in the second. By Allah, I will not go out from my +house for three days; and the Truth, whose perfection be extolled, will +do what He willeth!--So he remained in his house three days, and on the +fourth day he caused the [K.]a[d.]ee to be brought, and made his +testamentary arrangements; and as he was bidding farewell to his +children, and weeping, lo, the messenger of the Khaleefeh came and said +to him, The Prince of the Faithful is in a most violent rage, and hath +sent me to thee; and he hath sworn that this day shall not pass until +thou art put to death if thou do not bring to him the slave. + +On hearing this, Ja[a.]far wept, and his children wept with him; and +when he had bidden them all farewell except his youngest daughter, he +approached her for the same purpose. He loved her more than all his +other children; and he pressed her to his bosom, and wept at the thought +of his separation from her; but, in doing this, he felt something round +in her pocket, and said to her, What is in thy pocket? She answered, O +my father, it is an apple; our slave Rey[h.]an[IV_10] brought it, and I +have had it four days; he would not give it me until he had received +from me two pieces of gold.--At this mention of the slave and the apple, +Ja[a.]far rejoiced, and exclaimed, O ready Dispeller of +trouble![IV_11]--and immediately he ordered that the slave should be +brought before him. He was therefore brought in, and he said to him, +Whence came this apple?--O my master, he answered, I went out five days +ago, and, entering one of the by-streets of the city, I saw some +children playing, and one of them had this apple: and I snatched it from +him, and beat him; and he cried, and said, That belongs to my mother, +and she is sick: she wanted my father to bring her an apple, and he made +a journey to El-Ba[s.]rah, and brought back for her three apples which +he bought for three pieces of gold; and I took this to play with +it:--then he cried again; but, paying no regard to him, I took it away +and brought it hither; and my little mistress bought it of me for two +pieces of gold.--When he heard this story, Ja[a.]far was filled with +wonder at discovering that this distressing event, and the murder of the +damsel, had been occasioned by his slave; and he took the slave and went +with him to the Khaleefeh, who ordered that the story should be +committed to writing, and published. + +[Illustration] + +Ja[a.]far then said to him, Wonder not, O Prince of the Faithful, at his +tale, for it is not more extraordinary than the story of the Wezeer +Noor-ed-Deen, and Shems-ed-Deen, his brother.--What story, said the +Khaleefeh, can be more wonderful than this?--O Prince of the Faithful, +replied Ja[a.]far, I will not relate it to thee unless on the condition +that thou exempt my slave from the punishment of death. The Khaleefeh +said, I give thee his blood:--and Ja[a.]far, thereupon, commenced the +relation of the story as follows:-- + + +THE STORY OF NOOR-ED-DEEN AND HIS SON, AND OF SHEMS-ED-DEEN AND HIS +DAUGHTER. + +Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that there was, in Cairo,[IV_12] a +Sul[t.]an,[IV_13] just and beneficent, who had a wise and well-informed +Wezeer, possessing a knowledge of the affairs of the world, and of the +art of government. This minister was an aged man, and he had two sons, +like two moons: the name of the elder was Shems-ed-Deen, and that of the +younger, Noor-ed-Deen;[IV_14] and the latter was more distinguished than +the former by handsomeness and comeliness: there was no one in his day +more handsome, so that the fame of his charms spread through the +neighbouring regions, and some of the inhabitants of those parts +travelled to his country merely to obtain a sight of him. And it came to +pass that their father died, and the Sul[t.]an mourned for him, and, +turning his regards towards the two sons, took them into his favour, +invested them with robes of honour, and said to them, Ye two are +instated in your father's office:--at which they rejoiced, and kissed +the ground before him. They observed the ceremonies of mourning[IV_15] +for their father during a period of a whole month, and entered upon the +office of Wezeers, each of them discharging the duties of this station +for a week at a time; and whenever the Sul[t.]an had a desire to go +forth on a journey, he took one of them with him. + +Now it happened, one night, that the Sul[t.]an purposed commencing a +journey on the following morning; and it was the turn of the elder +Wezeer to accompany him; and as the two brothers were conversing +together that night, the elder said, O my brother, it is my wish that we +should both marry on one night.--Do, O my brother, as thou desirest, +answered the younger; and I will comply with that which thou shalt say. +So they agreed to do this. The elder then said to his brother, If God so +decree that we obtain the betrothal of two maidens, and accomplish our +marriage on the same night, and they give birth to children on the same +day, and God will that thy wife have a son, and my wife have a daughter, +we will marry them to each other, for they will be cousins.--And what, O +my brother, said Noor-ed-Deen, wilt thou require of my son as the dowry +of thy daughter? He answered, I will require of thy son, as the dowry of +my daughter, three thousand pieces of gold, and three gardens, and three +farms; for if the young man make any other contract than this, it will +not be proper. But when Noor-ed-Deen heard this proposal, he exclaimed, +What is this dowry that thou imposest upon my son? Dost thou not know +that we are two brothers, and that we are both Wezeers, of one dignity? +It were incumbent on thee to offer thy daughter to my son as a free +gift, without any dowry; for thou knowest that the male is more +honourable than the female, and my child is a male, and by him shall our +memory be preserved: not by thy daughter.--What sayest thou of her? +asked his brother.--That our memory will not be preserved by her among +the nobles, answered Noor-ed-Deen. But thou desirest, added he, to act +with me according to the opinion of him who saith, If thou desire to +drive away a person who would buy, demand of him a high price.--I see +thee, replied Shems-ed-Deen, to have committed a fault, in making thy +son more honourable than my daughter: thou art doubtless deficient in +judgment, and destitute of good disposition, seeing that thou mentionest +the partnership in the office of Wezeer, when I admitted thee not to +share it with me excepting in my pity for thee, and that thou mightest +assist me: but talk as thou wilt: since thou hast said this, by Allah, I +will not marry my daughter to thy son, though thou offer me her weight +in gold.--On hearing these words of his brother, Noor-ed-Deen was +enraged, and said, I will not marry my son to thy daughter.--I will not +accept him as a husband for her, replied Shems-ed-Deen; and if I were +not purposing a journey, I would do to thee deeds that should serve as +warnings to others: however, when I return, God will do what He +willeth.--When Noor-ed-Deen heard this, he was full of anger, and became +unconscious of existence: but he concealed his feelings; and each of the +two brothers passed the night apart from the other; and in the morning +the Sul[t.]an set out on his journey, and, crossing over to the +island,[IV_16] proceeded towards the Pyramids, accompanied by the Wezeer +Shems-ed-Deen. + +Noor-ed-Deen passed that night in a state of the utmost rage; and when +the morning came he arose, and, having performed the morning-prayers, +went to his closet and took out from it a pair of small saddle-bags, +which he filled with gold; and as he reflected upon the words of his +brother, and the contempt which he had shewn him, and the pride that he +had manifested towards him, he repeated these verses:-- + + Travel. Thou wilt find a friend in the place of him thou leavest; + and fatigue thyself; for by labour are the sweets of life + obtained. + To a man of intelligence and education there is no glory in a constant + residence: therefore quit thy native place, and go abroad. + I have observed that the stagnation of water corrupteth it; + if it floweth, it becometh sweet; but otherwise, it doth not. + If the full moon never set, the eye of the contemplative would not + on every occasion pay regard to it: + The lions, if they left not the forest, would capture no prey; + and the arrow, if it quitted not the bow, would not strike the mark: + The grains of gold upon their native bed are regarded as mere dust; + and the aloes-wood, where it groweth, is a kind of firewood: + If exported, it becometh an object of high demand; but if not, + it attaineth no kind of distinction. + +He then ordered one of his young men to saddle for him a dapple mule, +tall, and of quick pace; and he did so, placing upon her a saddle +adorned with gold, with stirrups of Indian steel, and housings of the +velvet of I[s.]pahan; and she resembled a bride displayed before her +husband. He ordered him also to place upon her a carpet of silk, and a +prayer-carpet,[IV_17] and to put the saddle-bags beneath the latter; and +when this was done, he said to the young man and the slaves, I have a +desire to take a ride for my amusement outside the city, towards the +province of [K.]alyoob, and shall be absent three nights; and let none +of you follow me, for my heart is contracted. + +[Illustration] + +Having thus said, he mounted his mule in haste, and, taking with him a +small supply of food, departed from the city, turning his face towards +the open country. The hour of noon overtook him not until he entered the +city of Bilbeys, where he alighted to repose himself and rest his mule, +and ate; after which he took from this place what he required for +himself, and some provender for his mule, and, having placed these +provisions upon her, went forth again into the plain, and before noon on +the second following day, he entered Jerusalem.[IV_18] Here he alighted +again, and rested himself and his beast, and ate: he then placed his +saddle-bags under his head, and spread his carpet, and slept, still +overcome by anger. He passed the night in this place; and in the morning +he remounted, and he continued to urge on his mule until he arrived at +Aleppo,[IV_19] where he alighted at a [K.]han, and remained three days +to give rest to himself and his mule, and to enjoy the air of the place: +which having done, he determined to prosecute his journey, and mounted +his mule, and went forth. He knew not whither to direct his course; but +travelled on until he arrived at the city of El-Ba[s.]rah; and scarcely +was he aware that the night had overtaken him, when he alighted there at +a Khan, where he took off the saddle-bags from the mule, and spread the +prayer-carpet, committing the mule, with her equipage, to the care of +the door-keeper, and ordering him to walk her about a little. + +[Illustration] + +The door-keeper did so; and it happened that the Wezeer of El-Ba[s.]rah, +sitting at a window of his palace, saw the mule, and, observing her +costly equipage, thought that she must belong to some Wezeer or King; +and as he attentively regarded her he was surprised, and said to one of +his pages, Bring before me that door-keeper. So the page went and +brought him; and the door-keeper, approaching, kissed the ground before +him. The Wezeer, who was an aged person, then said to this man, Who is +the owner of this mule, and what is his appearance?--O my lord, answered +the door-keeper, her owner is a young man of elegant person, of the sons +of the merchants, and of a dignified and grave aspect. On hearing this, +the Wezeer arose, and, mounting his horse,[IV_20] went to the Khan, and +introduced himself to the young man, who, as soon as he saw him +approaching, rose to meet him, and embraced him. The Wezeer, after he +had alighted from his horse, saluted him and welcomed him, and, seating +him by his side, said to him, Whence, O my son, hast thou come; and for +what purpose?--O my lord, answered Noor-ed-Deen, I have come from the +city of Cairo: my father was Wezeer there; and he hath departed to +receive the mercy of God;--and he informed him of all that had happened +to him from first to last, adding, I have determined that I will not +return until I shall have seen all the cities and countries of the +world.--O my son, replied the Wezeer, obey not the suggestions of thy +mind, lest thou expose thyself to destruction; for the countries are +waste, and I fear on thy account the issues of fortune. So saying, he +ordered that the saddle-bags should be placed again on the mule, +together with the carpet of silk and the prayer-carpet, and took +Noor-ed-Deen with him to his house, where he lodged him in an elegant +apartment, and treated him with honour and kindness; and, conceiving a +strong affection for him, said to him, O my son, I have become an old +man, and I have no male child; God, however, hath blessed me with a +daughter who resembleth thee in comeliness, and I have rejected many +persons who have been her suitors: but now, love for thee hath entered +my heart; wilt thou then take my daughter as thy hand-maid to serve +thee, and be her husband? If thou consent to this, I will go up to the +Sul[t.]an of El-Ba[s.]rah, and will say to him, This is the son of my +brother;--and I will introduce thee to him, that I may make thee Wezeer +in my place, and I will remain in my house; for I am now +aged.--Noor-ed-Deen, on hearing this proposal of the Wezeer of +El-Ba[s.]rah, hung down his head, and then answered, I hear and obey. + +[Illustration] + +The Wezeer rejoiced at his assent, and ordered his servants to prepare +for him a repast, and to decorate the great saloon[IV_21] which was +furnished for the reception of the chiefs of the Emeers. He then called +together his friends, and invited the great officers of the state, and +the merchants of El-Ba[s.]rah; and when they had come into his presence, +he said to them, I had a brother who was Wezeer in the land of Egypt, +and God blessed him with two sons; and me, as ye know, He hath blessed +with a daughter: now my brother enjoined me to marry my daughter to one +of his sons, and I consented to do so; and when she attained a fit age +for marriage, he sent to me one of his sons, who is this young man here +present. As soon, therefore, as he had come, I desired to perform the +marriage-contract between him and my daughter, and that he should +introduce himself to her here in my house.--Excellently hast thou done! +they replied. They then drank sherbet of sugar, and the pages sprinkled +rose-water upon them, and they departed: after which, the Wezeer ordered +his servants to conduct Noor-en-Deen to the bath, and gave him a suit of +his best clothes,[IV_22] and sent to him the napkins and cups and +perfuming-vessels, and everything else that he required. So when he came +out from the bath, he put on the suit of clothes, and appeared like the +full moon; and he mounted his mule, and, returning to the palace, +alighted and presented himself before the Wezeer, and kissed his hand: +and the Wezeer welcomed him, saying, Arise, and introduce thyself this +night to thy wife; and to-morrow I will go up with thee to the +Sul[t.]an, and I pray that God may bless thee with every kind of +happiness. Noor-ed-Deen therefore arose, and went to his wife, the +daughter of the Wezeer.--Thus did it happen to Noor-ed-Deen. + +As to his brother, he continued a while journeying with the Sul[t.]an, +and when he returned, and found not his brother, he inquired of the +servants respecting him, and they answered, On the day of thy departure +with the Sul[t.]an, he mounted his mule, caparisoned as for a procession +of state, and said, I am going towards the province of [K.]alyoob, and +shall be absent a day or two days; for my heart is contracted; therefore +let none of you follow me:--and from the day on which he went forth, to +the present day, we have heard no tidings of him. Upon this the heart of +Shems-ed-Deen was troubled at the separation of his brother, and he +grieved excessively for his loss, saying within himself, The cause of +this is nothing else than my having spoken harshly to him in my +conversation on the night before my departure with the Sul[t.]an; and +probably his mind was disturbed, and he went on a journey: I must +therefore send after him. He then went up and related this event to the +Sul[t.]an, who wrote letters and sent them to his vicegerents in all the +provinces: but Noor-ed-Deen had traversed distant regions during the +absence of his brother with the Sul[t.]an: therefore the messengers, +when they had gone with the letters, returned without having obtained +any information respecting him. So Shems-ed-Deen despaired of his +brother, and said, I have enraged my brother by what I said to him +concerning the marriage of the children. Would that I had not done so! +This was not occasioned but by my want of sense and judgment!--And soon +after this, he demanded in marriage the daughter of one of the merchants +of Cairo, and performed the marriage-contract between himself and her, +and introduced himself to her: and it happened that the night when this +event took place was the same night on which Noor-ed-Deen introduced +himself to his wife, the daughter of the Wezeer of El-Ba[s.]rah: this +being in accordance with the will of God, whose name be exalted, that He +might execute his decree upon his creatures. + +The event was as they both had said: for it came to pass that the two +wives conceived by them: the wife of Shems-ed-Deen, the Wezeer, of +Egypt, gave birth to a daughter, than whom there was not seen, in that +country, one more beautiful; and the wife of Noor-ed-Deen gave birth to +a son, one more beautiful than whom was not seen in his time: as the +poet hath said:-- + + If beauty came to be compared with him, it would hang down its head + in shame; + Or if it were said, O beauty, hast thou seen the like?--it would + answer, The equal of this I have not. + +So they named him [H.]asan;[IV_23] and on the seventh day after his +birth, they made entertainments and spread repasts such as were fit for +the sons of Kings[IV_24] after which the Wezeer of El-Ba[s.]rah took +with him Noor-ed-Deen, and went up with him to the Sul[t.]an; and when +he came into his presence he kissed the ground before him; and +Noor-ed-Deen, being eloquent in tongue, and firm of heart, and comely in +person and in actions, recited these words of the poet:-- + + This is he whose justice extendeth to all men, and who hath overrun + and subdued every region. + Be thankful for his benefits; for they are not mere benefits; + but they are strings of jewels on the necks of his people; + And kiss his fingers; for they are not mere fingers; + but they are the keys of the supplies of Providence. + +The Sul[t.]an treated them both with honour, and, having thanked +Noor-ed-Deen for his address, said to his Wezeer, Who is this young man? +The Wezeer therefore related to him his story from beginning to end, +and added, This is the son of my brother.--How is it, said the +Sul[t.]an, that he is the son of thy brother, and we have not before +heard of him? The Wezeer answered, O our lord the Sul[t.]an, I had a +brother who was Wezeer in the land of Egypt, and he died, leaving two +sons: the elder succeeded to his father's office, as Wezeer, and this +his younger son came to me; and I swore that I would not marry my +daughter to any but him: so, when he came, I married him to her. He is a +young man, and I am now aged; my hearing is impaired, and my judgment +faileth: it is my wish, therefore, that our lord the Sul[t.]an would +instate him in my office, seeing that he is the son of my brother and +the husband of my daughter, and a person worthy of the dignity of +Wezeer; for he is endowed with knowledge and judgment.--The Sul[t.]an, +upon this, looked towards him, and, being pleased with him, approved of +the advice of the Wezeer that he should promote him to that office; so +he bestowed it upon him, and ordered that a magnificent dress of honour +should be given to him, and one of the best of the mules upon which he +was himself accustomed to ride, allotting him also supplies and +salaries; and Noor-ed-Deen kissed the hand of the Sul[t.]an, and +descended with his father-in-law to their house, both in high delight, +and saying, Verily the birth of this child is fortunate. On the +following day Noor-ed-Deen went again to the King, and kissed the +ground, and the Sul[t.]an ordered him to sit in the place of the Wezeer: +so he sat, and occupied himself with the affairs of his office, and +examined the cases of the people, and their suits, according to the +custom of Wezeers: and the Sul[t.]an, observing him, was surprised at +his conduct, and the acuteness of his understanding, and his good +judgment. He attentively considered his qualities, and loved him, and +advanced him in his favour: and when the court was dissolved, +Noor-ed-Deen returned to his house, and related what had passed to his +father-in-law, who was rejoiced at hearing it. + +[Illustration] + +The old Wezeer ceased not to superintend the rearing of the child, who +was named [H.]asan, for many days, while Noor-ed-Deen was constantly +occupied with the affairs of his office, so that he left not the +Sul[t.]an by day nor by night; and the King increased his salaries and +supplies until his circumstances became ample: he had ships which made +voyages under his orders with merchandise and other things, and he +founded numerous estates, and made water-wheels[IV_25] and gardens. Thus +did he until his son [H.]asan was four years of age, when the old +Wezeer, the father of his wife, died; and he conveyed his corpse with +great pomp, and decently deposited it in the earth. He then turned his +thoughts towards the education of his son; and when the child had gained +strength, he brought him a tutor to teach him in his own house, charging +him to instruct him and educate him well; and the tutor did so, and +taught him various useful sciences, after he had passed some years in +learning the [K.]ur-an. [H.]asan meanwhile increased in loveliness and +beauty, and elegance of person. The tutor continued to educate him in +his father's palace; and from the time that he arrived at adolescence he +went not out of the Wezeer's palace, until his father took him one day, +and, having clad him in one of the richest of his dresses, mounted him +on one of his best mules, and conducted him to the Sul[t.]an, and +introduced him. When the King beheld [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen,[IV_26] the +son of the Wezeer Noor-ed-Deen, he was astonished at his beauty; and the +people, when he passed by them for the first time, going up with his +father to the King, were amazed at his surpassing beauty and loveliness, +and elegance of person. The Sul[t.]an, as soon as he saw him, loved him, +and bestowed marks of favour upon him, and said to his father, O Wezeer, +thou must bring him with thee every day. The Wezeer answered, I hear and +obey;--and returned with his son to his abode; and he continued every +day to go up with him to the Sul[t.]an until the youth attained the age +of fifteen years. + +His father, the Wezeer Noor-ed-Deen, then fell sick, and called him into +his presence, and said to him, O my son, know that this world is a +perishable abode, and the world to come is an everlasting abode. I wish +to give thee some precepts, and do thou understand what I am about to +say to thee, and incline thy heart to it.--And he began to counsel him +respecting the proper mode of conducting himself in society, and the due +management of his affairs; and when he had done so, he reflected upon +his brother and his native place and country, and wept at the thought of +his separation from those he loved; his tears flowing: and he said, O my +son, hear my words. I have a brother[IV_27] in Cairo, and I quitted him +and departed against his will.--He then took a piece of paper,[IV_28] +and wrote upon it all that had happened to him from first to last, +together with the date of his marriage and introduction to the daughter +of the Wezeer, and the date of his arrival at El-Ba[s.]rah and his +interview with its Wezeer; and, having added some strict admonition, he +said to his son, Keep this charge, for the paper on which it is written +containeth an account of thine origin and thy rank and lineage; and if +any evil accident befall thee, repair to Cairo, and inquire for thine +uncle, and salute him, and inform him that I died in a strange land, +ardently desiring that I could see him. Therefore [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen +took the paper, and, having folded it, and wrapped it in a piece of +waxed cloth,[IV_29] sewed it between the lining and the outer cloth of +his cap,[IV_30] and wept for his father, that he should be parted from +him in his youth. + +Noor-ed-Deen then said to his son,[IV_31] I charge thee that thou be not +familiar with any one; for in retirement is security. Divinely gifted +was the poet who said,-- + + There is none in thy time whose friendship thou shouldst covet; + nor any intimate who, when fortune is treacherous, will be + faithful. + Live then apart, and rely upon no man: I have given thee, + in these words, good advice, and sufficient. + +Accustom thyself to taciturnity: occupy thyself with thine own affairs, +and use not many words: for the poet saith,-- + + Taciturnity is an ornament, and in silence is security: therefore, + when thou speakest, be not loquacious: + For if thou repent once of thy silence, thou wilt assuredly repent + many times of thy speech. + +Beware of drinking wine; for it is the source of every kind of mischief. +The poet[IV_32] saith on this subject,-- + + I have abandoned wine and those who drink it; and have become + the friend of such as condemn it. + Wine leadeth astray from the path of rectitude, and openeth + the doors to evil. + +Hate no man, and oppress none; for oppression is base. The poet saith,-- + + Oppress not if thou hast the power to do so; for oppression will + eventually bring thee repentance: + Thine eye will sleep while the oppressed, wakeful, will call for + vengeance upon thee; and the eye of God sleepeth not. + +Despise thy wealth, but not thyself: yet bestow not wealth save upon him +who deserveth it. If thou keep it, it will keep thee; but if thou +squander it, it will ruin thee; and then wilt thou need the assistance +of the least of mankind. It hath been said by the poet,-- + + When my wealth faileth, no friend assisteth me; but when it aboundeth, + all men are my friends. + How many enemies for the sake of wealth have consorted with me! + And my companion, in the time of want, hath abandoned me! + +In this manner he continued to admonish his son [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen +until his spirit departed. The house became a scene of mourning, and the +Sul[t.]an and all the Emeers grieved for him; and they buried him. They +continued their mourning during a period of two months, and the son of +Noor-ed-Deen rode not out nor went to the court nor presented himself +before the Sul[t.]an; and the King instated one of the Chamberlains in +his place, and appointed a new Wezeer in the place of his father, and +ordered this Wezeer to put seals upon all the houses of Noor-ed-Deen, +and upon his wealth and all his buildings and other possessions.[IV_33] +So the new Wezeer went with the Chamberlains to the house of the Wezeer +Noor-ed-Deen, to seal its door and to arrest his son [H.]asan +Bedr-ed-Deen, and bring him before the Sul[t.]an, that he might do to +him what his judgment required. But there was among the troops one of +the memlooks of the deceased Wezeer Noor-ed-Deen; and he could not +endure that the son of his master should be thus treated: he therefore +repaired to [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, whom he found with downcast head and +mourning heart, on account of the death of his father, and acquainted +him with what had passed. [H.]asan asked him, Will the execution of the +order be delayed long enough for me to enter my house,[IV_34] and take +somewhat of my worldly possessions by which to obtain support during my +exile? But the memlook answered, Save thyself:--and when [H.]asan heard +these words, he covered his head with the skirt of his robe, and, going +forth on foot, fled of the city: and he heard the people saying, The +Sul[t.]an hath sent the new Wezeer to the house of the deceased Wezeer, +to seal his wealth and other possessions, and to arrest his son [H.]asan +Bedr-ed-Deen, and bring him before him that he may put him to +death:--and the people were mourning for him on account of his beauty +and loveliness. So when he heard what they said, he took a course that +he had not intended, and, not knowing whither to go, walked on until +destiny urged him to the tomb of his father. + +[Illustration] + +Entering the burial-ground, he bent his way among the tombs until he +seated himself at that of his father, where he removed his skirt from +over his head. And as he was sitting there, a Jew of El-Ba[s.]rah +approached, and said to him, Wherefore, O my master, do I see thee thus +changed? He answered, I was just now sleeping, and I beheld my father +reproaching me for having failed to visit his tomb: wherefore I rose in +alarm, fearing that the day would pass without my visiting it, and so +the occurrence would distress me. The Jew then said to him, O my master, +thy father despatched some vessels with merchandise, and some of them +have returned; and it is my wish to purchase of thee the cargo of every +vessel that hath arrived for a thousand pieces of gold;--and so saying, +he took out a purse filled with gold, and counted out from it a thousand +pieces, which he paid to [H.]asan the son of the Wezeer, and said to +him, Write me a paper, and seal it. So [H.]asan took a paper, and wrote +upon it, The writer of this paper, [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, the son of the +Wezeer Noor-ed-Deen, hath sold to the Jew such a one the whole cargo of +every one of his father's vessels that hath returned from her voyage, +for a thousand pieces of gold, and hath received the price in advance. +And after he had taken a copy[IV_35] of it, the Jew went away with the +paper; and [H.]asan wept, reflecting upon his former state of dignity +and favour. At length the night closed in upon him, and sleep overtook +him, and he remained asleep at his father's tomb until the moon rose +when his head rolled from the tomb, and he lay and slept on his back, +his face shining in the moonlight. + +[Illustration] + +Now the burial-ground was inhabited by believing Jinn; and a Jinneeyeh, +coming forth, saw the face of [H.]asan as he lay asleep, and when she +beheld him, was surprised at his beauty and loveliness, and exclaimed, +Extolled be Allah's perfection! This youth is like none but the virgins +of paradise!--She then soared into the air, to perform her accustomed +circuits, and saw an 'Efreet on his flight. She saluted him, and he +returned her salutation; and she said to him, Whence comest thou? He +answered from Cairo:--and she said to him, Wilt thou go with me to +behold the beauty of the youth who is sleeping in the burial-ground? He +replied, Yes. So they went together; and when they had descended into +the burial-ground, she said to him, Hast thou seen in the course of thy +life a person like this?--And the 'Efreet looked upon him, and +exclaimed, Extolled be the perfection of Him unto whom none is to be +compared! But, O my sister, he added, if thou desire, I will relate to +thee what I have seen.--Tell me, she replied: so he said, I have seen a +person resembling this youth in the land of Egypt; and that person is +the daughter of the Wezeer. The King had heard of her, and demanded her +of her father, the Wezeer Shems-ed-Deen, in marriage; but he answered +him, O our lord the Sul[t.]an, accept my excuse, and pity my grief; for +thou knowest that my brother Noor-ed-Deen departed from us, and we know +not where he is; and that he shared with me the office of Wezeer; and +the cause of his departure was this, that I was sitting conversing with +him on the subject of marriage, and he was angry with me, and in anger +went away:--and he related to the King all that had passed between them; +adding, This was the cause of his indignation, and I have been under an +oath that I will not marry my daughter to any but the son of my brother +from the day that her mother gave birth to her; and that was about +fifteen years ago: and lately I heard that my brother had married the +daughter of the Wezeer of El-Ba[s.]rah, and obtained a son by her; and I +will not marry my daughter to any but him, in honour of my brother. +After I had heard this, I recorded the date of my marriage, and of my +wife's conception, and of the birth of this daughter: she is intended +for the son of her uncle; and of other maidens there are plenty.--But +when the Sul[t.]an heard these words of the Wezeer, he was violently +enraged, and said, How is it that such a one as myself demandeth in +marriage a daughter from one like thee, and thou withholdest her from +him, and excusest thyself by an absurd pretext? By my head, I will not +marry her but to one of less consideration than myself, in scorn of thy +pride!--And the King had a humpbacked groom, with a hump before and a +hump behind; and he ordered him to be brought, and affianced him to the +daughter of the Wezeer, commanding that he should introduce himself to +her this night, and be conducted in pompous procession. I left him in +the midst of the memlooks of the Sul[t.]an, who were surrounding him +with lighted candles in their hands, laughing at him and mocking him, at +the door of the bath, while the daughter of the Wezeer was sitting +weeping in the midst of the dye-women[IV_36] and tire-women.[IV_37] She +resembles more than any other person this youth. They have prohibited +her father from going to her; and I have never seen, O my sister, a more +ugly wretch than this humpback: but as to the maiden, she is more +beautiful than this youth. + +To this story of the 'Efreet, the Jinneeyeh answered, Thou liest; for +this youth is the most beautiful of the people of his age. But the +'Efreet replied, By Allah, O my sister, the maiden is more beautiful +than he: however, none but he is suited to her; for they resemble each +other, and probably are brother and sister, or cousins; and how will she +be thrown away upon this humpback! She therefore said to him, O my +brother, let us place ourselves beneath him and lift him up and take him +to the maiden of whom thou speakest, and see which of the two is more +beautiful. The 'Efreet answered, I hear and obey: this proposal is +right, and there can be no better determination than this which thou +hast chosen; therefore I will carry him. So he lifted him up, and +soared into the sky, and the Jinneeyeh flew by his side until he +descended with him in the city of Cairo, where he placed him upon a +ma[s.][t.]abah,[IV_38] and roused him from his sleep.[IV_39] + +When, therefore, he awoke, and found that he was not at his father's +tomb in the land of El-Ba[s.]rah, he looked to the right and left, and +perceived that he was in a city that was not El-Ba[s.]rah, and would +have cried out, but the 'Efreet winked to him, and, lighting for him a +candle, said to him, Know that I have brought thee hither, and I desire +to do thee a service for the sake of God: take, therefore, this candle, +and go with it to yonder bath, and mix with the people there, and +proceed with them until thou arrivest at the saloon of the bride; then +go before, and enter the saloon, and fear no one; and when thou hast +entered, station thyself on the right of the humpbacked bridegroom; and +whenever the tire-women and singing-women and dye-women come to thee, +put thy hand into thy pocket: thou wilt find it full of gold, and do +thou take it by the handful and throw it to them; and imagine not that +thou wilt put thy hand in and not find it filled with gold: give +therefore to every one who cometh to thee by the handful, and fear +nothing; but rely upon Him who created thee; for this will not be +through thine own strength or power, but through the strength of God, +and his power. + +[Illustration] + +On hearing these words of the 'Efreet, [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen said, What +is this event, and what manner of kindness is this? And he went with his +candle to the bath, where he found the humpback mounted on his horse; +and he joined himself to the party, in the same garb in which he had +arrived, and with the same comely appearance; being attired with a +[t.]arboosh[IV_40] and turban, and a farajeeyeh[IV_41] interwoven with +gold. He proceeded with the pompous train, and every time that the +singing-women stopped for the people to give them money, he put his hand +into his pocket, and found it filled with gold, and took it by the +handful and threw it into the tambourine,[IV_42] for the singing-women +and tire-women, filling the tambourine with pieces of gold: and the +singing-women were amazed, and the people wondered at his beauty and +loveliness. Thus he continued to do until they arrived at the house of +the Wezeer, when the chamberlains drove back the people, and prevented +their entrance; but the singing-women and tire-women said, By Allah, we +will not enter unless this youth enter with us, for he hath overwhelmed +us with his favours, and the bride shall not be displayed unless he be +present:--and upon this they entered with him into the saloon of the +festivity, and seated him, in spite of the humpbacked bridegroom. All +the ladies of the Emeers and Wezeers and Chamberlains were ranged in two +rows, each lady holding a large lighted candle, and having her head-veil +drawn across the lower part of her face: thus they stood in two rows, to +the right and the left, from the foot of the couch of the bride to the +upper end of the leewan that adjoined the chamber from which the bride +was to come forth. And when the ladies beheld [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen and +his beauty and loveliness, his face shining like the crescent of the +moon, the hearts of all of them inclined to him, and the female singers +said to all the women who were present, Know that this charming youth +hath given us nothing but red gold; therefore fail not to serve him +properly, and obey him in whatever he shall say. The women crowded +round him to gaze at his charms, and their minds were overpowered by +astonishment at his beauty, and each of them wished that she might be in +his bosom for a year or a month or an hour: they removed the veils from +their faces, and their hearts were perplexed, and they said, Joy to the +person to whom this youth belongeth, or to the person over whom he is +lord! Then they imprecated evil upon the humpbacked groom and him who +was the cause of his marriage to that lovely maiden; and every time that +they prayed for blessings upon [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, they imprecated +misfortunes upon the humpback. + +The singing-women then beat the tambourines, and the tire-women +approached with the daughter of the Wezeer in the midst of them. They +had perfumed her with sweet scents and essences, and clad her, and +adorned her hair and neck with various ornaments, decking her with +garments such as were worn by the ancient monarchs of Persia. Among +these was a loose gown embroidered with red gold, presenting the forms +of wild beasts and birds, hanging down over her other clothes; and round +her neck was a necklace worth thousands, composed of jewels such as +neither a King of El-Yemen nor a Caesar ever collected: she was like the +moon shining in its fourteenth night, and when she approached she +resembled a [H.]ooreeyeh.[IV_43] Extolled be the perfection of him who +created her so splendid a being! The women encompassed her, and appeared +like stars; she, in the midst of them, being as the moon when the clouds +have withdrawn from before it. Meanwhile, [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen remained +sitting, with the company gazing at him; and as the bride approached +with a dignified and graceful gait, the humpbacked groom rose to her, to +kiss her; but she turned aside from him, and went and stood before +[H.]asan, the son of her uncle. The company laughed at this; and when +they beheld her turn towards [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, and saw him put his +hand into his pocket and take out handfuls of gold and throw it into the +tambourine of the singing-women, they were delighted, and said, We wish +that this bride were thine:--and he smiled. All this time the humpbacked +groom was alone, looking like an ape; and every time that they lighted +his candle it went out again, and he was confounded, and remained +sitting in the dark, full of secret indignation, with all the company +surrounding him, while the lighted candles presented an appearance of +beauty that was most admirable, so that every person of reflection was +amazed at their splendour. But as to the bride, she raised her hands +towards heaven, and said, O Allah, make this to be my husband, and +relieve me from this humpbacked groom!--The tire-women then proceeded to +display the bride in different dresses, to the seventh suit, before +[H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen of El-Ba[s.]rah, the humpbacked groom remaining +alone; and when they had finished this ceremony they gave permission to +the company to depart: so all who were present at the festivity, both +women and children, went out, except [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen and the +humpbacked groom; after which the tire-women conducted the bride to an +inner chamber, to take off her ornaments and outer robes, and to prepare +her for the bridegroom's visit. + +Upon this, the humpbacked groom approached [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, and +said to him, O my master, thou hast made us happy by thy company this +night, and overwhelmed us with thy favours; but now wherefore dost thou +not rise and go to thy house without thy being ejected? He answered, In +the name of Allah;--and rose, and went out from the door: but the +'Efreet met him, and said unto him, Stay, O Bedr-ed-Deen; and when the +humpback retires into the private closet, enter thou and seat thyself in +the bride-chamber; and when the bride cometh, say to her, I am thy +husband; and the King had not recourse to this stratagem from any other +motive than his fearing for thee the effect of the eye;[IV_44] and this +whom thou hast seen is one of our grooms:--then approach her, and +uncover her face, and fear no evil from any one. + +[Illustration] + +While Bedr-ed-Deen was thus conversing with the 'Efreet, lo, the groom +entered the closet, and seated himself; and immediately the 'Efreet rose +before him, from the trough of water that was in the closet,[IV_45] in +the form of a mouse, and cried Zeek!--What brought thee here? said the +humpback. The mouse then increased in size, and became like a cat; and +then increased, and became a dog, and cried, 'Owh! 'Owh! At the sight +of this the groom was terrified, and exclaimed, Get away, thou +unlucky![IV_46] The dog, however, still increased and swelled until it +became an ass, and brayed in his face, crying, Ha[k.]! Ha[k.]!--upon +which the groom, in terror, cried out, Come to my aid, O people of the +house! But lo, the ass increased, and became like a buffalo, and, +stopping up the place before him, spoke with the speech of a son of +Adam, and said, Wo be to thee, O humpback! O filthiest of grooms! Upon +this the groom was seized with a colick, and seated himself upon the +slabs, and his teeth knocked together. The 'Efreet then said to him, +Hath the earth become narrow to thee, that thou wouldst marry none but +my mistress? But the groom was silent. Return me an answer, said the +'Efreet, or I will make thine abode to be in the dust!--By Allah, then +answered the groom, I am not in fault; for they compelled me, and I knew +not that she had a lover among the buffaloes; but now I repent before +Allah and before thee. Then the 'Efreet said, I swear by Allah that if +thou depart now from this place, or utter a word before the sun hath +risen, I will slay thee: and when the sun hath risen go thy way, and +never return to this house. And he seized the humpbacked groom, and, +placing his head upside down upon the slabs, and his feet upwards, said +to him, Remain here, and I will watch thee until sunrise.--Thus did it +happen to the humpback. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +Now, as to [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen of El-Ba[s.]rah, he left the humpback +and the 'Efreet contending together, and, entering the house, seated +himself in the bride-chamber; and lo, the bride approached, accompanied +by an old woman, who stopped at the door of the chamber, and said, O +Aboo-Shihab,[IV_47] rise, and take thy bride; and I commend thee to the +care of Allah. Then the old woman went away, and the bride, whose name +was Sitt-el-[H.]osn,[IV_48] advanced to the upper end of the chamber. +Her heart was broken, and she said within herself, By Allah, I will not +suffer him to caress me though my spirit depart from me! But when she +had proceeded to the upper end of the chamber, she beheld Bedr-ed-Deen, +and said, My beloved, until this hour art thou remaining? I had said +within myself, perhaps thou and the humpbacked groom are to share me +between you.--What, said he, should give the groom access to thee, and +wherefore should he be my partner in the possession of thee?--Who, then, +she asked, is my husband? Thou or he?--O my mistress, answered +Bedr-ed-Deen, we did not this for any other purpose than to make a jest +of him, and that we might laugh at him; for when the tire-women and the +singing-women and thy family beheld thine admirable beauty, they feared +for us the effect of the eye, and thy father hired him for ten pieces of +gold, in order that he might divert from us the eye; and now he hath +departed. When Sitt-el-[H.]osn heard these words of Bedr-ed-Deen, she +smiled, and uttered a gentle laugh, and said, By Allah, thou hast +extinguished my fire! Take me then, I conjure thee, and press me to thy +bosom.--And they embraced each other. + +Not long after this, the 'Efreet said to the Jinneeyeh, Arise, and place +thyself beneath the youth, and let us convey him back, lest the morning +overtake us; for the time is near. So she advanced towards him, and, +placing herself beneath his skirt, as he lay asleep, took him up, and +flew away with him, in the state in which she found him, clad only in +his shirt, and pursued her flight with the 'Efreet by her side. But God +gave permission to some angels to cast at the 'Efreet a shooting-star of +fire, and he was burnt. The Jinneeyeh, however, escaped unhurt, and +deposited Bedr-ed-Deen in the place over which the shooting-star had +burnt the 'Efreet. She would not pass beyond it, fearing for his safety; +and as destiny had appointed, this place was Damascus: so she placed him +by one of the gates of this city, and flew away. + +[Illustration] + +When daylight therefore came, and the gates were opened, the people, +coming forth, beheld a beautiful youth clad in his shirt, and with a +cotton skull-cap without a turban. In consequence of his having been so +long wakeful, he was now immersed in sleep; and when the people saw him, +some said, Would that he had waited till he had put on his +clothes!--another said, Objects of pity are the children of men of +condition! Probably this youth hath just come forth from his +drinking-place, on account of some business, and intoxication hath +overcome him, and he hath wandered from the place to which he would go +until he arrived at the gate of the city, and, finding it locked, hath +slept here.--They had expressed various opinions respecting him, and +were wondering at his case, when Bedr-ed-Deen awoke. Perceiving that he +was at the gate of a city, and surrounded by men, he was astonished, and +said, Where am I, O good people; and what is the cause of your +assembling around me, and what hath befallen me among you? They +answered, We saw thee at the call to morning-prayer lying at this gate +asleep; and we know nothing more of thy case. Where wast thou sleeping +this last night?--By Allah, O people, he replied, I was sleeping this +last night in Cairo.--On hearing this, one of them said, Dost thou eat +[h.]asheesh?[IV_49] Another said, Thou art mad. How couldst thou be +passing the night in Cairo, and be sleeping in the morning at the city +of Damascus?--He said to them, By Allah, O good people, I will tell you +no falsehood: I was last night in the land of Egypt, and the day before +I was at El-Ba[s.]rah. One of them said, This is a wonderful thing! +Another said, This youth is mad. And they clapped their hands at him, +and, conversing together, said, Alas, for his youth! By Allah, there is +no denying his madness!--They then said to him, Return to thy reason. +But he replied, I was yesterday a bridegroom in the land of +Egypt.--Probably thou hast dreamt, said they, and hast seen this of +which thou speakest in thy sleep. And [H.]asan was confounded, and said, +By Allah, this was not a dream: and where is the humpbacked groom who +was sitting with us, and the purse of gold that I had? And where are my +clothes and my drawers?--He then rose, and entered the city, and +proceeded through its great thoroughfare-streets and market-streets; and +the people crowded round him and paraded him: so he entered the shop of +a cook. Now this cook was a robber,[IV_50] whom God had caused to repent +of his unlawful actions, and he had opened a cook's shop; and all the +people of Damascus feared him on account of his boldness; therefore, +when they saw that the youth had entered this shop, they left him, being +afraid. + +When the cook beheld [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, and observed his beauty and +comeliness, love for him entered his heart, and he said to him, Whence +art thou, O young man? Relate to me thy story; for thou art become +dearer to me than my soul.--So he related to him all that had happened, +from beginning to end: and the cook said to him, O my master +Bedr-ed-Deen, know that this is a wonderful event and an extraordinary +story; but, O my son, conceal thy case until God dispel thy trouble, and +remain with me in this place; and as I have not a son, I will adopt thee +as such. Bedr-ed-Deen replied, Let it be as thou desirest, O uncle. And +immediately the cook went out to the mart, and bought for Bedr-ed-Deen +costly clothes, and put them on him: he then went to the [K.]a[d.]ee, +and made a declaration that he was his adopted son:[IV_51] so [H.]asan +Bedr-ed-Deen became known throughout the city of Damascus as the son of +the cook; and he sat with him in the shop to receive the money, and in +this situation he remained. + +Now as to Sitt-el-[H.]osn, when daybreak came and she awoke, she found +not [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen remaining with her, and, imagining that he +would soon return, she sat a while expecting him; and lo, her father +came in to her, troubled at that which had befallen him from the +Sul[t.]an, and at his having married his daughter by force to one of his +servants, the humpbacked groom; and he said within himself, I will kill +this girl if she have suffered the wretch to caress her. So he advanced +to the bride-chamber, and, stopping at the door, said, O +Sitt-el-[H.]osn! She answered, Well, O my master!--and came forth to +him, walking with a vacillating gait, through joy, and kissed the ground +before him; and her countenance beamed with increased splendour in +consequence of her union with that gazelle. When her father, therefore, +saw her in this state, he exclaimed to her, O thou base creature! art +thou delighted with this groom? On hearing these words of her father, +Sitt-el-[H.]osn smiled, and replied, By Allah, it is enough that thou +hast done, and that the people laugh at me, and put me on an equality +with this groom, who is not, in my estimation, of the value of a paring +of one of my finger-nails; but as to my husband--by Allah, I never in +the course of my life passed a night more delightful than that which I +have just passed in his company: therefore jest not with me by +mentioning that humpback.--When her father heard what she said he was +filled with rage; his eyes glared so that little appeared of them but +the white, and he said to her, Wo to thee! What are these words that +thou sayest? Verily the humpbacked groom hath passed the night with +thee!--I conjure thee by Allah, she rejoined, that thou mention him not. +May Allah reject him, and reject his father! Continue not then to mock +me by mentioning him; for the groom was only hired for ten pieces of +gold, and he took his hire and departed; and I came and entered the +bride-chamber, and beheld my husband seated, after the singing-women had +displayed me before him; and he threw them red gold until he had +enriched the poor who were present. I have reclined upon the bosom of my +gentle-hearted husband, with the black eyes and the joined +eyebrows.--When her father heard this, the light became darkness before +his face, and he exclaimed to her, O thou abandoned one! What is this +that thou sayest? Where is thy reason?--O my father, she replied, thou +hast broken my heart in pieces! Wherefore dost thou pay no attention? +This of whom I spake is my husband, and he hath retired to his private +closet. + +So her father went thither, in a state of astonishment, and, entering +the closet, found the humpbacked groom with his head upon the slabs and +his feet turned upwards; and the Wezeer was confounded at the sight, and +said, Is not this the humpback?--and he spoke to him; but the humpback +returned no answer, thinking that it was the 'Efreet who addressed him. +The Wezeer, therefore, cried out at him with a loud voice, and said to +him, Speak, or I will cut off thy head with this sword! Upon which the +humpback exclaimed, By Allah, O sheykh of the 'Efreets, from the time +that thou placedst me here I have not raised my head: I conjure thee +therefore that thou shew favour to me!--The Wezeer, on hearing the +humpback thus address him, said to him, What sayest thou? I am the +father of the bride, and I am not an 'Efreet.--Then said the humpback, +My life is not in thy hand, nor art thou able to take my soul; so go thy +way before he come to thee who hath treated me in this manner. Ye would +not marry me to any but the mistress of buffaloes and the mistress of +'Efreets! May Allah, then, confound him who married me to her, and +confound him who was the cause of it!--Then did the humpbacked groom +address the Wezeer, the father of the bride, again, saying, Allah +confound him who was the cause of this!--Rise, said the Wezeer, and +depart from this place.--Am I mad, he replied, that I should go with +thee without the permission of the 'Efreet? For he said to me, When the +sun shall have risen go thy way.--Hath the sun then risen or not? For I +cannot depart from my place until the sun hath risen.--Upon this the +Wezeer said to him, Who brought thee to this place? He answered, I came +hither yesterday, and a dust rose from the midst of the water, and cried +out, and increased in bulk until it became of the size of a buffalo, and +said to me words that entered my ear. Leave me, therefore, and go. Allah +confound the bride and him who married me to her!--The Wezeer then +approached him, and dragged him forth, and he went out running, doubting +whether the sun had risen, and went up to the Sul[t.]an, and informed +him of that which had happened to him with the 'Efreet. + +But as to the Wezeer, the father of the bride, he returned with his +reason perplexed respecting the case of his daughter, and said to her, O +my daughter, reveal to me thy story. She replied, The elegant person +before whom I was displayed remained with me; and if thou believe me +not, see this is his turban, twisted just as it was, upon the +chair,[IV_52] and his drawers are under the bed, and in them is +something wrapped up: I know not what it is. So, when her father heard +this, he entered the bride-chamber, and found the turban of [H.]asan +Bedr-ed-Deen, the son of his brother; and taking it up, he turned it +over, and said, This is such a turban as is worn by Wezeers, except that +it is of the Mo[s.]ilee[IV_53] kind. He then observed an amulet sewed in +his red cloth cap; and he unsewed it; and he took the drawers, and found +the purse containing the thousand pieces of gold, and, opening this, he +discovered in it a paper, which, when he had read it he saw to be a copy +of the Jew's contract, with the name of [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen the son of +Noor-ed-Deen of Cairo; and he found also the thousand pieces of gold. +But when he read the paper he cried aloud and fell down in a swoon; and +as soon as he recovered, and understood the case, he was astonished, and +exclaimed, There is no deity but God, who is able to do whatsoever He +willeth! Then said he, O my daughter, knowest thou who hath become thy +husband? She answered, No.--He is the son of my brother, said he, and +the son of thine uncle; and these thousand pieces of gold are thy dowry. +Extolled be the perfection of God! Would that I knew how this event hath +happened!--Then he opened the amulet that was sewed up, and found in it +a paper written by the hand of his brother Noor-ed-Deen of Cairo, the +father of [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen: and when he beheld the hand-writing of +his brother he repeated this couplet:-- + + I behold their footsteps, and melt with desire, and pour forth + my tears upon the places they have trodden, + Begging of Him who hath afflicted me by their separation, + that He will bless me some day by a reunion. + +[Illustration] + +So saying, he read the paper, and found in it the date of his marriage +to the daughter of the Wezeer of El-Ba[s.]rah, and that of his first +introduction to her, and a record of his age at the time of his death, +and the date of the birth of his son [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen; and he +wondered, and shook with delight; and, comparing what had happened to +his brother with the events that had happened to himself, he found that +they corresponded exactly: his marriage and the marriage of his brother +agreed in date, and their first visits to their respective wives in like +manner; as also the birth of Bedr-ed-Deen, the son of his brother, and +the birth of his daughter Sitt-el-[H.]osn. He took the two papers, and, +going up with them to the Sul[t.]an, he acquainted him with all that had +happened from the first of the case to the last; and the King was +astonished, and ordered that the case should be immediately recorded. +The Wezeer then remained in expectation of the son of his brother; but +he met with no tidings of him: so he said, By Allah, I will do a deed +that none hath done before me:--and he took an ink-case and a pen, and +wrote an inventory of the furniture of the house, describing the +money-chest as having been in such a place, and a certain curtain in +such another place, and everything in the house in like manner; and he +folded up the paper, and ordered that all the furniture should be stored +up; and he took the turban with its [t.]arboosh, and also the farajeeyeh +and the purse, and kept them himself. + +After this, in due time, the daughter of the Wezeer gave birth to a son +like the moon, resembling his father in beauty and symmetry and +splendour and loveliness. They received him from his mother, and +blackened the edges of his eyes with ko[h.]l,[IV_54] and delivered +him to the nurses, and named him 'Ajeeb.[IV_55] His day was as a +month; and his month, as a year;[IV_56] and when seven years had +passed over him, his grandfather committed him to a schoolmaster, whom +he charged to educate him with great care. He continued at the school +four years, and used to fight with his schoolfellows, and abuse them, +saying to them, Who among you is like me? I am the son of the Wezeer of +Cairo.--So the boys went together to complain to the monitor of that +which they suffered from 'Ajeeb; and the monitor said to them, I will +teach you something to say to him when he cometh, and he shall repent of +his coming to the school; and it is this: to-morrow, when he is come, +seat yourselves around him, and say to one another, By Allah, none shall +play with us at this game excepting him who shall tell us the name of +his mother and that of his father; and he who knoweth not the name of +his mother and that of his father is illegitimate; therefore he shall +not play with us. Accordingly, on the following morning they came to the +school, and 'Ajeeb was there; and the boys surrounded him, and said as +the monitor had directed them, and they all agreed to the proposal; and +one said, My name is Majid, and my mother is 'Alawee, and my father is +'Ezz-ed-Deen:--then another said after the same manner, and another, and +so on, until the turn came to 'Ajeeb; and he said to them, My name is +'Ajeeb, and my mother is Sitt-el-[H.]osn, and my father is +Shems-ed-Deen, the Wezeer of Cairo:--and they said to him, By Allah, the +Wezeer is not thy father. 'Ajeeb replied, the Wezeer is my father +indeed:--and upon this the boys laughed at him, and clapped their hands +at him, saying, Thou knowest not who is thy father: get away from us, +therefore; for none shall play with us excepting him who knoweth the +name of his father:--and immediately the boys dispersed from around +him, and made a jest of him. In consequence of this treatment his heart +became contracted, and he was almost choked with crying; and the monitor +said to him, Dost thou really consider as thy father him who is thy +grandfather, the Wezeer, the father of thy mother Sitt-el-[H.]osn? Thy +father thou knowest not, nor do we know him; for the Sul[t.]an married +her to the humpbacked groom, and the Jinn came and prevented him: so, if +thou know not thy father, they will regard thee among them as +illegitimate. Dost thou not see that the son of the woman who is coveted +as a wife knoweth his father? The Wezeer of Cairo is thy grandfather; +and as to thy father, we know him not, nor dost thou: return therefore +to thy reason. + +[Illustration] + +Upon this, 'Ajeeb went immediately to his mother, Sitt-el-[H.]osn, and +complained to her, and wept; and his weeping prevented his speaking: and +when his mother heard his complaint and his crying, her heart was +inflamed for him, and she said to him, O my son, what maketh thee weep? +Tell me thy story.--So he told her what he had heard from the boys and +from the monitor, and said to her, O my mother, who is my father? She +answered him, Thy father is the Wezeer of Cairo. But he said, He is not +my father: tell me not, therefore, what is false; for the Wezeer is thy +father; not mine: who then is my father? If thou do not tell me truly; I +will kill myself with this dagger.--And when his mother heard the +mention of his father, she wept at the allusion to the son of her uncle, +and remembering the amiable qualities of [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen of +El-Ba[s.]rah, and what had happened to herself and him, she recited an +ode commencing thus:-- + + They excited love in my heart, and departed; and far distant hath + their abode become! + Reason forsook me when they withdrew, and sleep and patience + abandoned me. + +And she wept and cried out, and her son did the same; and lo, the Wezeer +entered. His heart burned within him when he beheld their state, and he +said to them, What causeth you to weep? She acquainted him therefore +with the treatment that her son had experienced from the other boys of +the school; and he, also, wept, and called to mind what had happened to +his brother and himself and his daughter, and he knew not the mystery of +the case. Then suddenly he arose, and, going up to the council-chamber, +presented himself before the King, and related to him the story, begging +his permission to travel eastwards to the city of El-Ba[s.]rah, that +he might make inquiries respecting the son of his brother; and +requesting also of the Sul[t.]an that he would write letters for him to +all the countries through which he might pass, that, if he found the son +of his brother in any place, he might take him away. And he wept before +the Sul[t.]an, and the heart of the King was moved with compassion for +him, and he wrote for him letters to all the regions and countries; upon +which the Wezeer rejoiced, and, having offered up a prayer for the +Sul[t.]an, took leave of him. + +He descended immediately and prepared for the journey, and, taking with +him all that he required, together with his daughter and her son 'Ajeeb, +travelled the first day and the second and the third, and proceeded +until he arrived at the city of Damascus, and beheld it with its trees +and streams celebrated by the poets. He alighted in the open space +called Meydan el-[H.]a[s.]ba; and, when he had pitched his tents, said +to his servants, We will take rest here two days. So the servants +entered the city to gratify their various desires; one to sell, another +to buy, a third to enter the bath, and a fourth to visit the mosque of +the Benee-Umeiyeh, which hath not in the world its equal. 'Ajeeb also +entered the city, accompanied by his eunuch, in order to amuse +themselves; and the eunuch walked behind 'Ajeeb, having in his hand a +whip that would strike down a camel. And when the people of Damascus +beheld 'Ajeeb, and his elegance of form and perfect beauty, and observed +him to be endowed with admirable loveliness, and with kindness of +manner, more bland than the northern zephyr, sweeter than limpid water +to the thirsty, and more pleasant than health to the diseased, they +followed him, running after him in crowds; and some sat waiting in the +streets to see him pass. Thus did they until the slave, as destiny had +ordained, stopped before the shop of 'Ajeeb's father, [H.]asan +Bedr-ed-Deen, in which the cook who had acknowledged him as his adopted +son in the presence of the [K.]a[d.]ees and witnesses had established +him; and this cook had died, and left him all his property, together +with his shop.[IV_57] + +When the slave stopped there on this day, the servants also stopped with +him: and [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen beheld his son, and was charmed with him, +observing his extreme beauty: his soul yearned towards him with natural +sympathy, and his heart clung to him. He had just prepared a conserve of +pomegranate-grains, sweetened with sugar; and the affection divinely +inspired increased in him; so he called out in ecstasy, and said, O my +master, O thou who hast captivated my heart and soul, and to whom my +affections are drawn by sympathy! wilt thou come in to me and refresh my +heart and eat of my food? And when he had said this, his eyes overflowed +with involuntary tears, and he reflected upon his past experience and +his condition at the present time. When 'Ajeeb heard the address of his +father, his heart was in like manner drawn towards him by sympathy, and +he looked towards the eunuch, and said to him, Verily my heart is moved +with sympathy for this cook: he seemeth to have parted with a son: come +in with us, therefore, that we may refresh his heart and eat his +offering of hospitality: perhaps God, through our so doing, may +accomplish our union with our father. But the eunuch replied, By Allah, +O my master, it is not proper. How should we, who are of the family of +the Wezeer, eat in the shop of a cook? I will, however, drive away the +people from thee, lest they see thee: otherwise it will be impossible +for thee to enter the shop. On hearing the reply of the eunuch, +Bedr-ed-Deen was surprised, and, looking towards him, while his tears +flowed down his cheeks, said to him, Verily my heart loveth him.--Let us +hear no more of these words, said the eunuch:--and he desired the youth +not to enter: but the father of 'Ajeeb cast his eyes upon the eunuch, +and said, Great sir, wherefore wilt thou not refresh my heart and come +in to me? O thou who resemblest black dust, but whose heart is white! O +thou who hast been described in such and such terms of praise!--so that +the eunuch laughed, and said, What wouldst thou say? Speak, and be +brief.--And Bedr-ed-Deen recited this couplet:-- + + Were it not for his accomplishments and admirable faithfulness, + he had not been invested with authority in the abode of Kings. + What an excellent guardian for the [h.]areem is he! On account + of his beauty the angels of heaven wait upon him! + +This address pleased the eunuch so much that he took the hand of 'Ajeeb, +and entered the cook's shop; and Bedr-ed-Deen ladled out a saucerful of +conserve of pomegranate-grains prepared with almonds and sugar, and the +slave and the youth ate together; Bedr-ed-Deen saying to them, Ye have +delighted me by your company: eat, and may it benefit you! 'Ajeeb then +said to his father, Sit down and eat with us; and perhaps God will unite +us to him whom we desire. And Bedr-ed-Deen said, O my son, hast thou +been afflicted in thy tender years by the separation of those whom thou +lovest?--Yes, O uncle, answered 'Ajeeb: my heart is inflamed by the +absence of one of those who are dear to me: the friend who hath +withdrawn himself from me is my father, and I and my grandfather have +come abroad to search for him through the world; and how do I sigh for +my union with him!--And he wept bitterly; and his father, moved by his +tears, wept with him, reflecting upon his own desolate state, separated +from those he loved, deprived of his father, and far removed from his +mother; and the eunuch was moved with compassion for him. + +[Illustration] + +They all ate together until they were satisfied; after which, the youth +and the slave arose, and quitted the shop of Bedr-ed-Deen, who felt as +if his soul had departed from his body and gone with them. He could not +endure their absence for the twinkling of an eye; so he shut up his shop +and followed them, though ignorant that the youth was his son, and +walked quickly until he came up to them before they had gone out from +the great gate; whereupon the eunuch, looking back at him, said, What +dost thou want, O cook? Bedr-ed-Deen answered, When ye departed from me, +I felt as if my soul had quitted my body, and, having some business in +the suburb, I was desirous of accompanying you to transact my business, +and, after that, to return. But the eunuch was angry, and said to +'Ajeeb, Verily this repast was unlucky: respectful treatment hath become +incumbent on us; and see, he is following us from place to place. 'Ajeeb +therefore looked round, and, seeing the cook, was enraged, and his face +became red; but he said to the eunuch, Suffer him to walk in the public +road of the Muslims; but when we shall have turned from it to our tents, +if he do the same, and we know that he is following us, we will drive +him back. And he hung down his head and went on, with the eunuch behind +him. Bedr-ed-Deen, however, followed them to the Meydan el-[H.]a[s.]ba, +and when they had drawn near to the tents they looked back and saw him +behind them; and 'Ajeeb was angry, fearing that the eunuch might inform +his grandfather, and lest it should be said that he had entered the +cook's shop, and that the cook had followed him. He looked at him till +his eyes met the eye of his father, who had become as a body without a +soul; and he fancied that his eye bore an expression of deceit, and that +he was perhaps a knave: so his anger increased, and he took up a stone, +and threw it at his father, and the stone struck him on the forehead, +and wounded him, and he fell down in a swoon, the blood flowing over his +face. 'Ajeeb went on with the eunuch to the tents; and [H.]asan +Bedr-ed-Deen, when he recovered his senses, wiped off the blood, and, +having cut off a piece of linen from his turban, bound up his head with +it, blaming himself, and saying, I wronged the youth when I shut up my +shop and followed him, so he thought I was a deceiver. He then returned +to his shop, and occupied himself with the sale of his meats; and he +yearned with desire for his mother, who was at El-Ba[s.]rah. + +The Wezeer, his uncle, remained at Damascus three days, and then +departed to [H.]em[s.], and, having entered this town, proceeded thence, +inquiring at every place where he halted in his journey until he had +arrived at Marideen and El-Mosil and Diyar Bekr. He continued his +journey until he arrived at the city of El-Ba[s.]rah, and when he had +entered it and taken up his quarters, he went and presented himself +before the Sul[t.]an, who received him with respect and honour, and +inquired the reason of his coming: so he acquainted him with his story, +and informed him that the Wezeer 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen was his brother. The +Sul[t.]an ejaculated, God have mercy upon him![IV_58]--and said, O +[S.]a[h.]eb,[IV_59] he was my Wezeer, and I loved him much: he died +twelve years[IV_60] ago, and left a son; but we have lost him, and +have heard no tidings of him: his mother, however, is with us, for she +is the daughter of my old Wezeer. On hearing from the King that the +mother of his nephew was alive, the Wezeer Shems-ed-Deen rejoiced, and +said, I am desirous of having an interview with her. And the King gave +him immediate permission to visit her at his brother's house: so he went +thither, and kissed the threshold, and, entering an open court, found a +door over-arched with hard stone inlaid with various kinds of marble of +every colour; and he walked along by the walls of the house, and as he +cast his eyes around upon them he observed the name of his brother +Noor-ed-Deen inscribed on them in characters of gold; and he went to the +name, and kissed it, and wept. He then advanced to the saloon of his +brother's wife, the mother of [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen of El-Ba[s.]rah. +During the absence of her son she had given herself up to weeping and +wailing night and day; and after she had long suffered from his +separation she made for her son a tomb of marble in the midst of the +saloon, where she wept for him night and day, sleeping nowhere but by +this tomb. And when Shems-ed-Deen arrived at her apartment he heard her +voice apostrophizing the tomb; and while she was thus occupied he +entered and saluted her, and informed her that he was her husband's +brother, acquainting her with what had passed, and revealing to her the +particulars of the story. He told her that her son [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen +had passed a whole night with his daughter, and disappeared in the +morning, and that his daughter had borne him a son, whom he had brought +with him: and when she heard this news of her son, and that he was +perhaps still living, and beheld her husband's brother, she fell at his +feet and kissed them, addressing him with this couplet:-- + + Divinely is he inspired who acquainteth me with their approach; + for he hath brought information most delightful to be heard. + If he would be satisfied with that which is cast off,[IV_61] + I would give him a heart rent in pieces at the hour + of valediction. + +The Wezeer then sent to bring 'Ajeeb; and when he came, his grandmother +rose to him, and embraced him, and wept; but Shems-ed-Deen said to her, +This is not a time for weeping, but rather a time for preparing thyself +to accompany us on our return to the land of Egypt: and perhaps God may +unite us with thy son, my nephew. She replied, I hear and obey:--and, +arising immediately, collected all her property and treasures, and her +female slaves, and forthwith prepared herself: after which the Wezeer, +Shems-ed-Deen, went up again to the Sul[t.]an of El-Ba[s.]rah, and took +leave of him; and the King sent with him presents and rarities for the +Sul[t.]an of Egypt. + +[Illustration] + +The Wezeer departed without delay, accompanied by his brother's wife, +and continued his journey until he arrived at the city of Damascus, +where he alighted again, and encamped, and said to his attendants, We +will remain at Damascus a week, to buy, for the Sul[t.]an, presents and +rarities. 'Ajeeb then said to the eunuch, Boy,[IV_62] I long for a +little diversion: arise, therefore, and let us go to the market of +Damascus, and see what is going on there, and what hath happened to that +cook whose confection we ate and whose head we broke, notwithstanding he +had treated us with kindness: we acted ill towards him. The eunuch +replied, I hear and obey:--and 'Ajeeb went forth with him from the +tents, the tie of blood inciting him to visit his father and they +entered the city, and proceeded to the shop of the cook, whom they found +standing there. It was then near the time of afternoon-prayers; and it +happened that he had again just prepared a confection of +pomegranate-grains; and when they drew near to him, the heart of 'Ajeeb +yearned towards him when he saw him, and he perceived the scar +occasioned by the stone that he had thrown. He said to him, Peace be on +thee! Know that my heart is with thee.--And when Bedr-ed-Deen beheld +him, his affections were engrossed by him, and his heart throbbed with +emotion towards him, and he hung down his head, desiring to adapt his +tongue to speech, and unable to do so: but presently he raised his head, +and, looking towards the youth in an humble and abject manner, recited +these verses:-- + + I wished for my beloved; but when I beheld him I was confounded + and possessed neither tongue nor eye. + I hung down my head in honour and reverence, and would have hidden + what I felt; but it would not be concealed. + I had prepared a volume of expostulation; but when we met + I remembered not a word. + +He then said to them, Refresh ye my heart, and eat of my food; for, by +Allah, as soon as I beheld thee, my heart yearned towards thee, and I +had not followed thee unless I had been deprived of my reason.--By +Allah, replied 'Ajeeb, thou dost indeed love us, and we ate a morsel +with thee; but after it thou keptest close behind us and wouldst have +disgraced us: we will not eat again with thee, therefore, but on the +condition of thy swearing that thou wilt not follow us; and otherwise we +will not come to thee again henceforth; for we are staying at this city +a week, in order that my grandfather may procure presents for the +King.--I bind myself, said Bedr-ed-Deen, to do as ye desire. So 'Ajeeb +entered the shop with the eunuch, and Bedr-ed-Deen placed before them a +saucer filled with the confection of pomegranate-grains; upon which +'Ajeeb said to him, Eat with us; and may God dispel our affliction:--and +Bedr-ed-Deen was delighted, and he ate with them; but he turned not his +eyes from the youth; for his heart and all his faculties were captivated +by him. 'Ajeeb, observing this, said to him, Knowest thou not that I +told thee thou wast a rude doter? Enough of this: continue not to gaze +at my face.--Bedr-ed-Deen, therefore, apologized to him, and began to +put morsels into the mouth of 'Ajeeb, and then did the same to the +eunuch. Afterwards he poured the water upon their hands, and when they +had washed he loosed a napkin of silk from his waist and wiped them with +it. He next sprinkled rose-water upon them from a bottle that was in his +shop, and went out, and returned with two cups of sherbet prepared with +rose-water infused with musk, and, placing these before them, he said, +Complete your kindness. So 'Ajeeb took a cup and drank; and Bedr-ed-Deen +handed the other to the eunuch; and both drank until their stomachs were +full, and gratified their appetites to a degree beyond their usual +habit. + +[Illustration] + +They then departed, and hastened back to the tents, and 'Ajeeb went in +to his grandmother, the mother of his father [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen; and +she kissed him, and said, Where hast thou been? He answered, In the +city. And she arose, and brought him a saucer of confection of +pomegranate-grains, which happened to be somewhat deficient in +sweetness; and she said to the eunuch, Sit down with thy master. The +eunuch said within himself, By Allah, we have no appetite. He, however, +seated himself, and 'Ajeeb did the same, though satiated with what he +had eaten and drunk, and dipped a morsel of bread in the confection, and +ate it; but it seemed to him insipid, on account of his being thus +cloyed, and he loathed it, and said, What is this nasty dish?--O my +child, said his grandmother, dost thou find fault with my cookery? It +was I who prepared it; and, except thy father, [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, +there is none who can cook it as well as myself.--By Allah, O my +mistress, replied 'Ajeeb, This thy dish is not well prepared: we have +just now seen in the city a cook who had prepared a confection of +pomegranate-grains, but its odour was such as to dilate the heart, and +the confection itself, such as to excite appetite in one already +satiated: as to thine, in comparison with his, it is good for nothing. + +His grandmother, on hearing this, fell into a violent rage, and turning +towards the eunuch, said to him, Wo to thee! Hast thou corrupted my +child? Thou hast taken him into the shops of the cooks!--The eunuch +feared, and denied, saying, We did not enter the shop, but only passed +by it:--but 'Ajeeb said, By Allah, we entered and ate, and what we ate +was better than this mess of thine. And upon this his grandmother arose, +and informed her husband's brother, and incensed him against the eunuch. +The slave was therefore brought before the Wezeer, and he said to him, +Wherefore didst thou take my child into the cook's shop? The eunuch, +fearing, said again, We did not enter.--Nay, said 'Ajeeb, we did enter, +and ate of a confection of pomegranate-grains until we were satiated, +and the cook gave us to drink sherbet with ice and sugar. The Wezeer's +anger with the eunuch now increased, and he asked him again; but still +he denied. Then said the Wezeer, If thine assertion be true, sit down +and eat before us. The eunuch therefore advanced, and would have eaten; +but he could not; and he threw down the morsel that was in his hand, and +said, O my master, I am satiated since yesterday. And by this the Wezeer +knew that he had eaten in the shop of the cook: so he ordered the female +slaves to throw him down upon the ground, and they did so, and he gave +him a severe beating, while the slave cried for mercy, but still saying, +I am satiated since yesterday! The Wezeer then interrupted the beating, +and said to him, Declare the truth. And at length the eunuch said, Know +that we did enter the shop of the cook while he was cooking +pomegranate-grains, and he ladled out for us some of the confection, +and, by Allah, I never in my life ate any like it, or any more +detestable than this which is before us. + +The mother of Bedr-ed-Deen, enraged at this, said, Thou shalt go to this +cook and bring us a saucerful of his confection and shew it to thy +master, that he may say which of the two is the better and the more +delicious.--Well, replied the eunuch: and immediately she gave him a +saucer, and half a piece of gold; and he went to the shop, and said to +the cook, We have laid a wager respecting thy confection at the tent of +our master; for there is a mess of pomegranate-grains cooked by the +family: give us, therefore, for this half-piece of gold, and apply +thyself to prepare it perfectly; for we have received an excruciating +beating on account of thy cookery. Laughing at these words, Bedr-ed-Deen +replied, By Allah, none excelleth in the preparation of this confection +except myself and my mother, and she is now in a distant country. And he +ladled out as much as filled the saucer, and perfected it by the +addition of some musk and rose-water. The eunuch then hastened back with +it to the family; and the mother of [H.]asan took it, and, tasting its +delicious flavour, immediately knew who had prepared it, and shrieked, +and fell down in a swoon. The Wezeer was amazed at the event; and they +sprinkled some rose-water upon her, and when she recovered she said, If +my son be yet in the world, no one but he cooked this confection: he is +my son [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen without doubt: for none but he can prepare +this, except myself, and it was I who taught him to do it. + +[Illustration] + +When the Wezeer heard these words, he rejoiced exceedingly, and +exclaimed, Oh, how I long to behold my brother's son! Will fortune, +indeed, unite us with him? But I look not for our union from any but +God, whose name be exalted!--And he instantly arose, and called out to +his male attendants, saying, Let twenty men of you go to the shop of the +cook, and demolish it, and bind his hands behind him with his turban, +and drag him hither by force, but without any injury to his person. They +replied, Well. The Wezeer then rode immediately to the palace, and, +presenting himself before the Viceroy of Damascus, shewed him the +contents of the letters which he had brought from the Sul[t.]an; and the +Viceroy, after kissing them, put them to his head, and said, Who is +thine offender? He answered, A man who is by trade a cook. And instantly +the Viceroy ordered his Chamberlains to repair to his shop; and they +went thither; but found it demolished, and everything that had been in +it broken; for when the Wezeer went to the palace, his servants did as +he had commanded them. They were then waiting his return from the +palace; and Bedr-ed-Deen was saying within himself, What can they have +discovered in the confection, that such an event as this should have +befallen me? And when the Wezeer returned from the Viceroy, and had +received his permission to take his offender and to depart with him, he +entered the encampment, and called for the cook. They brought him, +therefore, with his hands bound behind him with his turban; and when he +saw his uncle he wept bitterly, and said, O my master, what crime have +ye found in me? The Wezeer said to him, Art thou he who cooked the +confection of pomegranate-grains? He answered, Yes: and have ye found in +it anything that requires one's head to be struck off? This, replied the +Wezeer, is the smallest part of thy recompense.--Wilt thou not, said +Bedr-ed-Deen, acquaint me with my crime? The Wezeer answered, Yea, +immediately. And forthwith he called out to the young men, saying, Bring +the camels! + +They then took Bedr-ed-Deen, and put him in a chest, and, having locked +him up in it, commenced their journey, and continued on their way till +the approach of night, when they halted and ate, and, taking out +Bedr-ed-Deen, fed him; after which they put him again into the chest, +and in like manner proceeded to another station. Here also they took him +out; and the Wezeer said to him, Art thou he who cooked the confection +of pomegranate grains? He answered, Yes, O my master. And the Wezeer +said, Shackle his feet. And they did so, and restored him to the chest. +They then continued their journey to Cairo; and when they arrived at the +quarter called Er-Reydaneeyeh,[IV_63] the Wezeer commanded to take +out Bedr-ed-Deen again from the chest, and to bring a carpenter, to whom +he said, Make, for this man, a cross.[IV_64]--What, said +Bedr-ed-Deen, dost thou mean to do with it? The Wezeer answered, I will +crucify thee upon it, and nail thee to it, and then parade thee about +the city.--Wherefore, demanded Bedr-ed-Deen, wilt thou treat me +thus?--The Wezeer replied, For thy faulty preparation of the confection +of pomegranate-grains, because thou madest it deficient in +pepper.--Because of its deficiency in pepper, exclaimed Bedr-ed-Deen, +wilt thou do all this to me? Art thou not satisfied with having thus +imprisoned me, and fed me every day with only one meal?--The Wezeer +answered, For its deficiency in pepper, thy recompense shall be nothing +less than death. And Bedr-ed-Deen was amazed, and bewailed his lot, and +remained a while absorbed in reflection. The Wezeer, therefore, said to +him, Of what art thou thinking? He answered, Of imbecile minds, such as +thine; for if thou wert a man of sense thou wouldst not have treated me +in this manner on account of the deficiency of pepper.--It is incumbent +on us, replied the Wezeer, to punish thee, that thou mayest not do the +like again:--to which Bedr-ed-Deen rejoined, The least of the things +thou hast done to me were a sufficient punishment. The Wezeer, however, +said, Thy death is unavoidable.--All this conversation took place while +the carpenter was preparing the cross; and Bedr-ed-Deen was looking on. + +Thus they both continued until the approach of night, when +Bedr-ed-Deen's uncle took him and put him again into the chest, saying, +To-morrow shall be thy crucifixion. He then waited until he perceived +that he was asleep; upon which he remounted, and, with the chest borne +before him, entered the city, and repaired to his house: and when he had +arrived there he said to his daughter Sitt-el-[H.]osn, Praise be to God +who hath restored to thee the son of thine uncle! Arise, and furnish the +house as it was on the night of the bridal display.--She therefore +ordered her female slaves to do so; and they arose, and lighted the +candles; and the Wezeer brought out the paper upon which he had written +his inventory of the furniture of the house, and read it, and ordered +them to put every thing in its place, so that the beholder would not +doubt that this was the very night of the bridal display. He directed +them to put Bedr-ed-Deen's turban in the place where its owner had +deposited it, and in like manner the trousers, and the purse which was +beneath the mattress, and ordered his daughter to adorn herself as she +was on the bridal night, and to enter the bride-chamber; saying to her, +When the son of thine uncle comes into thy chamber, say to him, Thou +hast loitered since thou withdrewest from me this night:--and request +him to return and converse with thee till day.--Having thus arranged +everything, the Wezeer took out Bedr-ed-Deen from the chest, removed the +shackles from his feet, and stripped him of his outer clothes, leaving +him in his shirt. + +All this was done while he was asleep, unconscious of what was passing; +and when he awoke, and found himself in an illuminated vestibule, he +said, within himself, Am I bewildered by dreams, or am I awake? Then +rising, he advanced a little way to an inner door, and looked, and lo, +he was in the house in which the bride had been displayed, and he beheld +the bride-chamber and the couch and his turban and clothes. Confounded +at the sight of these things, he took one step forwards and another +backwards, thinking, Am I asleep or awake? And he began to wipe his +forehead, and exclaimed in his astonishment, + +[Illustration] + +By Allah, this is the +dwelling of the bride who was here displayed before me: and yet I was +just now in a chest. And while he was addressing himself, behold +Sitt-el-[H.]osn lifted up the corner of the musquito curtain, and said, +O my master, wilt thou not come in? for thou hast loitered since thou +withdrewest from me this night. When he heard these words he looked at +her face, and laughed, and said, Verily, these appearances are +bewildering illusions of a dream! Then entering, he sighed; and as he +reflected upon what had happened to him, he was perplexed at his +situation, and his case seemed involved in obscurity. Looking at his +turban and trousers, and the purse containing the thousand pieces of +gold, he exclaimed, Allah is all-knowing!--but it seemeth to me that I +am bewildered by dreams!--And he was confounded in the excess of his +astonishment. Upon this, therefore, Sitt-el-[H.]osn said to him, +Wherefore do I behold thee thus astonished and perplexed? Thou wast not +so in the commencement of the night.--And he laughed, and asked her, How +many years have I been absent from thee?--Allah preserve thee! she +exclaimed. The name of Allah encompass thee![IV_65] Thou hast only +withdrawn to yonder apartment. What hath passed in thy mind?--On hearing +this he smiled, and replied, Thou hast spoken truth; but when I withdrew +from thee, sleep overcame me, and I dreamt that I was a cook in +Damascus, and that I lived there twelve years;[IV_66] and I thought +that a youth of the sons of the great came to me, accompanied by a +eunuch,--and he proceeded to relate what had happened to him in +consequence of this youth's visit: then drawing his hand over his +forehead, he felt the scar occasioned by the blow, and exclaimed, By +Allah, O my mistress, it seemeth as though it were true; for he struck +me with a stone upon my forehead, and cut it open: it seemeth, +therefore, as though this had really happened when I was awake: but +probably this dream occurred when we were both asleep. I imagined in my +dream that I was transported to Damascus, without [t.]arboosh or turban +or trousers, and that I followed the occupation of a cook.--And again, +for a while, he remained utterly confounded. He then said, By Allah, I +imagined that I made a confection of pomegranate-grains containing but +little pepper. Verily I must have been asleep, and in my sleep have seen +all this.--I conjure thee by Allah, said Sitt-el-[H.]osn, tell me what +more thou sawest? And he related to her the whole; and added, If I had +not awaked, they would have crucified me upon a wooden cross.--On +account of what? said she. He answered, On account of the deficiency of +pepper in the confection of pomegranate-grains; and I imagined that they +demolished my shop, and broke all my vessels, and put me in a chest, and +brought the carpenter to make a cross of wood; for they intended to +crucify me upon it. Praise be to God, therefore, who caused all this to +occur to me in sleep, and caused it not to happen to me when I was +awake!--Sitt-el-[H.]osn, laughing at his words, pressed him to her +bosom, and he in like manner embraced her. Then reflecting again, he +said, By Allah, it seems as if it had happened when I was awake; and I +knew not the reason, nor the truth of the case.--And he composed himself +to sleep, perplexed with his case, and sometimes saying, I saw it in my +sleep,--and other times, I experienced it awake. + +Thus he continued until the morning, when his uncle, the Wezeer +Shems-ed-Deen, came in to him, and saluted him; and Bedr-ed-Deen, as +soon as he beheld him, exclaimed, I conjure thee by Allah, tell me art +not thou he who gave orders to bind my hands behind me, and to nail up +my shop, on account of the confection of pomegranate-grains, because it +was deficient in pepper? The Wezeer answered, Know, O my son, that the +truth hath appeared, and what was hidden hath been manifested. Thou art +the son of my brother; and I did not this but to know if thou wert he +who visited my daughter on that night. I was not convinced of this until +I saw that thou knewest the house, and thy turban and trousers and gold, +and the two papers; namely, the one which thou wrotest, and that which +thy father, my brother, wrote: for I had never seen thee before, and +therefore knew thee not; and as to thy mother, I have brought her with +me from El-Ba[s.]rah.--Having thus said, he threw himself upon him, and +wept; and Bedr-ed-Deen, full of astonishment at his uncle's words, +embraced him, and in like manner wept from excess of joy. The Wezeer +then said to him, O my son, the cause of all this was what passed +between me and thy father. And he related to him the circumstances of +their case, and the cause of his father's departure to El-Ba[s.]rah; +after which he sent for 'Ajeeb; and when the father of the youth saw +him, he exclaimed, This is he who threw the stone at me.--This, said the +Wezeer, is thy son. And Bedr-ed-Deen cast himself upon him, and recited +the following verses:-- + + Long have I wept on account of our disunion; the tears overflowing + from my eyelids; + And I vowed that if Providence should bring us together, I would + never again mention our separation. + Joy hath overcome me to such a degree that by its excess it hath + made me weep. + O eye, thou hast become so accustomed to tears that thou weepest + from happiness as from grief.[IV_67] + +And when he had uttered these words, his mother, beholding him, threw +herself upon him, and repeated this couplet:-- + + Fortune made a vow to torment me incessantly; but thine oath + hath proved false, O Fortune; therefore expiate it.[IV_68] + Happiness hath arrived, and the beloved is come to my relief: + repair then to the messenger of festivity, and hasten. + +She afterwards related to him everything that had happened to her; and +he also acquainted her with all that he had suffered; and they offered +up thanks to God for their union. The Wezeer then went up to the +Sul[t.]an, and informed him of these occurrences; and the King was +astonished, and ordered that a statement of them should be inserted in +the records, to be preserved to future ages. And the Wezeer resided with +his brother's son, and his own daughter and her son, and with the wife +of his brother; and all of them passed their lives in the enjoyment of +the utmost happiness until they were visited by the terminator of +delights, and the separator of companions.[IV_69] + +Such, O Prince of the Faithful, said Ja[a.]far, were the events that +happened to the Wezeer Shems-ed-Deen and his brother Noor-ed-Deen.--By +Allah, exclaimed the Khaleefeh Haroon Er-Rasheed, this story is +wonderful! And he gave one of his own concubines to the young man who +had killed his wife, and appointed him a regular maintenance; and the +young man became one of his companions at the table. + +[Illustration] + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER FOURTH. + +NOTE 1. From the close of Chapter iii., the order of the tales in this +translation (agreeably with the Cairo edition) differs from that which +is followed in the old version. + +NOTE 2. This alludes to the poor man's want of sufficient clothing; for, +in the climate of Baghdad, a person who is not very scantily clad is in +little need of a fire to warm himself. + +NOTE 3. My sheykh has remarked, in a marginal note, that these verses +would be appropriate only from the mouth of a learned man complaining of +the unprofitableness of his science with respect to procuring him money; +but perhaps, in writing this, he was actuated by a somewhat over-zealous +regard for the honour of his own profession; for, when a poor man has +acquired a little knowledge, his neighbours are apt to flatter him. + +NOTE 4. The "izar" has been described in the second note to Chapter iii. + +NOTE 5. Literally, "the sons of thine uncle;" but the meaning is, "thy +kinsmen." + +NOTE 6.--_On Bastinading._ In Arabian, and some other Eastern, +countries, it is a common custom, when a person is accused of a crime +before a magistrate, and denies his guilt, to bastinade him, in order to +induce him to confess; and even witnesses, sometimes, are treated in the +same manner. The beating is usually inflicted with a kurbaj (a thong or +whip of hippopotamus' hide hammered into a round form) or with a stick, +and generally on the soles of the feet. For this purpose the feet are +confined by a chain or rope attached at each end to a staff, which is +turned round to tighten it. This is called a "fala[k.]ah." Two persons +(one on each side) strike alternately; and the punishment is often +continued until the sufferer becomes insensible, and even longer. + +NOTE 7.--_Of Sales by Auction._ In many of the soo[k.]s (market-streets, +or bazars) in Arabian cities, auctions are held on stated days, once or +more frequently in every week. They are conducted by brokers (dellals), +hired either by private persons or by shopkeepers. These brokers carry +the goods up and down the street, announcing the sums bidden, with cries +of "[h.]araj," &c.; and the shopkeepers, as well as others, purchase of +them. + +NOTE 8. I have before mentioned, that this horrid mode of punishing a +woman suspected of incontinence is not unfrequently practised among the +Arabs. Many similar cases have been mentioned to me in Egypt as having +occurred in that country in the present age; and often the murder is +committed by the father or a brother of the woman, as her relations are +considered as more disgraced than the husband by her crime. The present +tale is probably founded on some particular occurrence of this kind. One +is related as having happened in the reign of the Khaleefeh +El-Mo[a.]ta[d.]id. In this case, some limbs of the murdered woman, in +two leathern bags, were brought up from the bed of the Tigris in the net +of a fisherman.[276] [Such barbarity, however, is contrary to law, as is +stated in two former notes.--ED.] + +NOTE 9.--_Of the Retaliation of Injuries on the Day of Resurrection._ +The "examination being past, and every one's works weighed in a just +balance, that mutual retaliation will follow according to which every +creature will take vengeance one of another, or have satisfaction made +to him for the injuries which he hath suffered. And since there will +then be no other way of returning like for like, the manner of giving +this satisfaction will be, by taking away a proportionable part of the +good works of him who offered the injury, and adding it to those of him +who suffered it. Which being done, if the angels (by whose ministry this +is to be performed) say, 'Lord, we have given to every one his due, and +there remaineth of this person's good works so much as equalleth the +weight of an ant,' God will of his mercy cause it to be doubled unto +him, that he may be admitted into Paradise; but if, on the contrary, his +good works be exhausted, and there remain evil works only, and there be +any who have not yet received satisfaction from him, God will order that +an equal weight of their sins be added unto his, that he may be punished +for them in their stead, and he will be sent to Hell laden with +both."[277] + +NOTE 10. "Rey[h.]an" is a common proper name of men, now commonly given +to slaves; and the name of the sweet basil in particular (also called +"ree[h.]an") and of sweet-smelling plants in general. It also signifies +"any favour of God," "the supplies necessary for subsistence," "a son," +&c. + +NOTE 11. This ejaculation is addressed to God. + +NOTE 12. In the original, "Mi[s.]r," _vulg._, "Ma[s.]r." This is the +name which the Arabs give to Egypt, and which they have also given to +its successive capitals, or seats of government, Memphis, Egyptian +Babylon, El-Fus[t.]a[t.], and El-[K.]ahireh, or Cairo. It is here +applied to Cairo, as will be shewn by the following note, and by the +sequel of the tale, though this city was not founded until long after +the reign of Haroon Er-Rasheed. I may here remark, that I have not found +the name of "Mi[s.]r" applied to Cairo in any Arabic work anterior to +the conquest of Egypt by the 'Osmanlee Turks, which happened in the year +of the Flight 923 (A.D. 1517). El-Fus[t.]a[t.] retained this appellation +in the time of Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, who died in the year of the Flight 911, +but it ceased to do so before the time of El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, who brought +down his history to the month of Rama[d.]an, 1032 (A.D. 1623). It is +probable, therefore, that the name of "Misr"[typo Mi[s.]r] was +transferred to Cairo on the occasion of the conquest by the Turks. I +must not assert, that this observation alone enables us to form a +decided judgment as to the period when this work was composed, as it may +be objected that copyists have perhaps substituted "Mi[s.]r" for +"El-[K.]ahireh;" but I persue the inquiry in the next note. + +NOTE 13.--_On several Evidences of the Period when this Work, in the +states in which it is known to us, was composed or compiled or +remodelled._ The tale here presents another anachronism. The title of +"Sul[t.]an," as a prefix, was first borne by Ma[h.]mood Ibn-Sabuktekeen, +in the year of the Flight 393, just two hundred years after the death of +Haroon Er-Rasheed; and there was no Sul[t.]an of Egypt until the year of +the Flight 567 of a little later; the first being the famous +[S.]ala[h.]-ed-Deen, or Saladin. + +I have now given several data upon which to found a reasonable opinion +as to the age when these tales, in the states in which they are known +to us, were composed or compiled or remodelled. First, in Note 55 to +Chapter ii., I have shewn that a fiction in one of the tales is framed +in accordance with the distinction of Muslims, Christians, and Jews, by +the colours of their turbans, which mode of distinction originated in +the beginning of the eighth century of the Flight. Secondly, in the +present note, I have mentioned a fact which affords some reason for +inferring that there had been a long series of Sul[t.]ans in Egypt +before the age of the writer or writers. In the third place, I must +remark, that all the events described in this work are said to have +happened in ages which, with respect to that of the writer or writers, +were _ancient_, being related to an ancient king; from which I think we +may infer its age to have been at least two centuries posterior to the +period mentioned in the first of these data. Fourthly, in Note 22 to +Chapter iii., I have shewn that the state of manners and morals +described in many of these tales agrees, in a most important point of +view, with the manners and morals of the Arabs at the commencement of +the tenth century of the Flight. This I regard as an argument of great +weight, and especially satisfactory as agreeing with the inference just +before drawn. Fifthly, from what I have stated in the note immediately +preceding, I incline to the opinion that few of the copies of this work +now known to us, if any, were written until after the conquest of Egypt +by the Turks, in the year 1517 of our era. This opinion, it should be +remarked, respects especially the _early_ portion of the work, which is +the least likely to have been interpolated, as later parts evidently +have been. At the last-mentioned period, a native of Cairo (in which +city I believe the principal portion of the work to have been written) +might, if about forty years of age, retain a sufficient recollection of +the later Memlook Sul[t.]ans and of their ministers to describe his +kings and courts without the necessity of consulting the writings of +historians; deriving his knowledge of early times not from the perusal +of any regular record, but only from traditions or from works like the +present.--I should have delayed the insertion of the foregoing remarks, +had I not considered it a point of some importance to suggest to the +reader, as early as possible, that the manners and customs, and in +general even the dresses and dwellings, described in most of the present +tales, are those of a very late period. The lax state of morals which +appears to have prevailed among the Arabs in the time of the writer or +writers probably continued at least until the period when coffee became +a common beverage, about the middle of the tenth century of the Flight +(or near the middle of the sixteenth century of our era), and perhaps +considerably later, until some years after the introduction of tobacco +into the East. The researches of Von Hammer have satisfactorily shewn +that the Thousand and One Nights, in the states in which it is known to +us, is based upon a very old work, in Persian; an Arabic translation of +which bore a similar, or perhaps the same, title as that which we are +considering; but I believe the last to be, in its best features, a very +late production. + +NOTE 14. "Shems-ed-Deen" signifies "the Sun of the Religion;" and +"Noor-ed-Deen," "the Light of the Religion." + +NOTE 15.--_Customs observed after a Death._ Though the men, in Arabian +countries, make no change in their dress in indication of mourning, they +observe other customs after the death of a relation. By the term here +used in the original for "mourning" ("'aza," the primary signification +of which is "consolation" or "condolence"), an allusion is made to +receiving the visits of condoling friends. On the night immediately +following the burial, several persons are employed to perform +recitations of portions of the [K.]ur-an, &c. The most remarkable of +these ceremonies consists in repeating thrice one thousand times, "There +is no deity but God:" one of the performers having a string of a +thousand large beads by means of which to count these repetitions. Some +persons are also hired to perform a recitation of the whole of the +[K.]ur-an in the afternoon or evening of the first Thursday after the +funeral, and often on other days; and the merit of these and the former +religious acts is transferred to the soul of the deceased.--These +customs I have fully described in my work on the Modern Egyptians, vol. +ii. ch. xv. + +NOTE 16. The island here alluded to is that called "Er-Ro[d.]ah," or +"The Garden." + +NOTE 17. The prayer-carpet, which resembles a wide hearth-rug, is seldom +used as a covering for the saddle except when the rider is a person of +the learned profession. It is probably mentioned here to shew that +Noor-ed-Deen was an officer of the pen, which was generally the case +with the Wezeers of the Sul[t.]ans of Egypt. + +NOTE 18. Jerusalem is called in the original, and by the modern Arabs, +"El-[K.]uds," which signifies "Holiness." + +NOTE 19. The Arabic name of Aleppo is "[H.]alab." + +NOTE 20. An Arab of rank is seldom seen on foot outside the threshold of +his own house, unless it be merely to cross the street. + +NOTE 21. The decoration here alluded to consists in furnishing the +apartment with costly carpets, handsome cushions, rich coverings for the +deewans, and coloured lamps, &c. + +NOTE 22. This, to some readers, may appear odd: it should therefore be +explained that most articles of Arab clothing are equally suitable to +young and old, thin and stout. + +NOTE 23. "[H.]asan" signifies "Beautiful" or "Handsome." + +NOTE 24.--_On Infancy and Education._ I may avoid an unnecessary +multiplication of notes on the same, or nearly the same, subject, by +availing myself of this occasion to insert here the following +illustrations of numerous passages, in the preceding and subsequent +tales, relating to infancy and education. + +In few cases are the Mohammadans so much fettered by the directions of +their Prophet and other religious institutors as in the rearing and +educating of their children. In matters of the most trivial nature, +religious precedents direct their management of the young. One of the +first duties is, to wrap the new-born child in clean white linen, or in +linen of some other colour; but not yellow. After this, some person [not +a female] should pronounce the adan[278] in the ear of the infant, +because the Prophet did so in the ear of El-[H.]asan when Fatimeh gave +birth to him; or he should pronounce the adan in the right ear, and the +i[k.]ameh (which is nearly the same) in the left.[279] + +It was formerly a custom of many of the Arabs, and perhaps is still +among some, for the father to give a feast to his friends on seven +successive days after the birth of a son; but that of a daughter was +observed with less rejoicing. The general modern custom is, to give an +entertainment only on the seventh day, which is called "Yom +es-Suboo[a.]." On this occasion, the mother, having left her bed, +receives her guests; the child is exhibited to them; and they give +presents of gold or silver coins, which are generally used to decorate +the infant's head-dress. The father entertains his friends in the +evening. + +On this day, or on the fourteenth, twenty-first, twenty-eighth, or +thirty-fifth day after the birth, several religious ceremonies are +required to be performed; but they are most approved if observed on the +seventh day. One of these is the naming. I believe, however, that it is +a more common custom to give the name almost immediately after the +birth, or about three hours after. Astrologers were often consulted on +this occasion; but the following directions are given on higher +authority, and are generally observed.--"The father should give his son +a good name, ... not a name of self-praise, as Rasheed [Orthodox], Emeen +[Faithful], &c.... The prophet said, 'The names most approved by God are +'Abd-Allah [Servant of God] and 'Abd-Er-Ra[h.]man [Servant of the +Compassionate], and such like.' He also said, 'Give my name, but do not +distinguish by my surname of relationship:' but this precept, they say, +respects his own life-time, ... because he was addressed, 'O +Abu-l-[K.]asim!' and now it is not disapproved; but some disapprove of +uniting the name and surname, so as to call a person Mohammad and +Abu-l-[K.]asim. And if a son be called by the name of a prophet it is +not allowable to abuse or vilify him, unless the person so named be +facing his reproacher, who should say, 'Thou' [without mentioning his +name]: and a child named Mo[h.]ammad or A[h.]mad should be [especially] +honoured.... The Prophet said, 'There is no people holding a +consultation at which there is present one whose name is Mo[h.]ammad or +A[h.]mad, but God blesseth all that assembly:' and again he said, +'Whoever nameth his child by my name, or by that of any of my children +or my companions, from affection to me or to them, God (whose name be +exalted!) will give him in Paradise what eye hath not seen nor ear +heard.' And a son should not be named King of kings, or Lord of lords; +nor should a man take a surname of relationship from the name of the +eldest of his children; nor take any such surname before a child is born +to him."[280]--The custom of naming children after prophets, or after +relations or companions of Mo[h.]ammad, is very common. No ceremony is +observed on account of the naming. + +On the same day, however, two practices which I am about to mention are +prescribed to be observed; though, as far as my observations and +inquiries allow me to judge, they are generally neglected by the modern +Muslims. The first of these is a sacrifice. The victim is called +'a[k.]ee[k.]ah. It should be a ram or goat; or two such animals should +be sacrificed for a son, and one for a daughter. This rite is regarded +by Ibn-[H.]ambal as absolutely obligatory: he said, "If a father +sacrifice not for his son, and he [the son] die, that son will not +intercede for him on the day of judgment." The founders of the three +other principal sects regard it in different and less important lights, +though Mohammad slew an 'a[k.]ee[k.]ah for himself after his prophetic +mission. The person should say, on slaying the victim, "O God, verily +this a[k.]ee[k.]ah is a ransom for my son such a one; its blood for his +blood, and its flesh for his flesh, and its bone for his bone, and its +skin for his skin, and its hair for his hair. O God, make it a ransom +for my son from Hell-fire." A bone of the victim should not be +broken.[281] The midwife should receive a leg of it. It should be cooked +without previously cutting off any portion of it; and part of it should +be given in alms.--After this should be performed the other ceremony +above alluded to, which is this. It is a sunneh ordinance, incumbent on +the father, to shave, or cause to be shaved, the head of his child, and +to give, in alms to the poor, the weight of the hair in gold or silver. +This should also be done for a proselyte.[282] On the subsequent +occasions of shaving the head of a male child (for the head of the male +is frequently shaven), a tuft of hair is generally left on the crown, +and commonly, for several years, another also over the forehead. + +Circumcision is most approved if performed on the same day:[283] but the +observance of this rite is generally delayed until the child has +attained the age of five or six years, and sometimes several years +later. I shall therefore delay mentioning the ceremonies with which it +is celebrated. + +The Muslims rightly regard a child as a trust committed by God to its +parents, who, they hold, are responsible for the manner in which they +bring it up, and will be examined on this subject on the day of +judgment. But they further venture to say, that "the first who will lay +hold of a man on the day of judgment will be his wife and children, who +[if he have been deficient in his duty to them] will present themselves +before God, and say, 'O our Lord, take for us our due from him; for he +taught us not that of which we were ignorant, and he fed us with +forbidden food, and we knew not:' and their due will be taken from +him."[284] By this is meant, that a certain proportion of the good works +which the man may have done, and his children and wife neglected, will +be set down to their account; or that a similar proportion of their evil +works will be transferred to _his_ account. + +The mother is enjoined by the law to give suck to her child two full +years, unless she have her husband's consent to shorten the period, or +to employ another nurse. "For suckling the child, a virtuous woman, who +eateth only what is lawful, should be chosen; for the unlawful [food] +will manifest its evil in the child: as the Prophet ... said, 'Giving +suck altereth the tempers.' But it is recommended by the sunneh that the +mother herself suckle the child; for it is said in a tradition, 'There +is nothing better for a child than its mother's milk.' 'If thou wouldst +try,' it is added,'whether a child be of an ingenuous disposition in its +infancy, or not, order a woman who is not its mother to suckle it after +its mother has done so; and if it drink of the milk of the woman who is +not its mother, it is not of an ingenuous disposition.'"[285] + +Children, being regarded by Muslim parents as enviable blessings, are, +to them, objects of the most anxious solicitude. To guard them from the +supposed influence of the envious or evil eye, they have recourse to +various expedients. When they are taken abroad, they are usually clad in +the most slovenly manner, and left unwashed, or even purposely smeared +with dirt; and as a further precaution, a fantastic cap is often put +upon the child's head, or its head-dress is decorated with one or more +coins, a feather, a gay tassel, or a written charm or two sewed up in +leather or encased in gold or silver, or some other appendage to attract +the eye, that so the infant itself may pass unnoticed. If a person +express his admiration of another's child otherwise than by some pious +ejaculation, as, for instance, by praising its Creator (with the +exclamation of "Sub[h.]ana-llah!" or, "Ma shaa-llah!" &c.) or invoking a +blessing on the Prophet, he fills the mind of the parent with +apprehension; and recourse is had to some superstitious ceremony to +counteract the dreaded influence of his envious glance. The children of +the poor are less exposed to this imaginary danger from their +unattractive appearance: they generally have little clothing, or none +whatever, and are extremely dirty. It is partly with the view of +protecting them from the evil eye, that those of the rich are so long +confined to the [h.]areem: there they are petted and pampered for +several years; at least until they are of age to go to school; but most +of them are instructed at home. + +The children of the Muslims are taught to shew to their fathers a degree +of respect which might be deemed incompatible with the existence of a +tender mutual affection; but I believe that this is not the case. The +child greets the father in the morning by kissing his hand, and then +usually stands before him in a respectful attitude, with the left hand +covered by the right, to receive any order or to await his permission to +depart; but after the respectful kiss, is often taken on the lap. After +the period of infancy, the well-bred son seldom sits in the presence of +his father; but during that period he is generally allowed much +familiarity. A Syrian merchant, who was one of my near neighbours in +Cairo, had a child of exquisite beauty, commonly supposed to be his +daughter, whom, though he was a most bigoted Muslim, he daily took with +him from his private house to his shop. The child followed him, seated +upon an ass, before a black slave; and, until about six years old, was +dressed like most young ladies, but without a face-veil. The father then +thinking that the appearance of taking about with him a daughter of that +age was scandalous, dressed his pet as a boy, and told his friends that +the female attire had been employed as a protection against the evil +eye; girls being less coveted than boys. This indeed is sometimes done; +and it is possible that such might have been the case in this instance; +but I was led to believe that it was not so. A year after, I left +Cairo: while I remained there, I continued to see the child pass my +house as before; but always in boy's clothing. + +It is not surprising that the natives of Arabian countries, where a very +trifling expense is required to rear the young, should be generally +desirous of a numerous offspring. A motive of self-interest conduces +forcibly to cherish this feeling in a wife, for she is commonly esteemed +by her husband in proportion to her fruitfulness; and a man is seldom +willing to divorce a wife, or to sell a slave, who has borne him a +child. A similar feeling also induces in both parents a desire to obtain +offspring, and renders them at the same time resigned to the loss of +such of their children as die in tender age. This feeling arises from +their belief of certain services, of greater moment than the richest +blessings this world can bestow, which children who die in infancy are +to render to their parents. The Prophet is related to have said, "The +infant children [of the Muslims] shall assemble at the scene of judgment +on the day of the general resurrection, when all creatures shall appear +for the reckoning, and it will be said to the angels, 'Go ye with these +into Paradise:' and they will halt at the gate of Paradise, and it will +be said to them, 'Welcome to the offspring of the Muslims! enter ye +Paradise: there is no reckoning to be made with you:' and they will +reply, 'Yea, and our fathers and our mothers:' but the guardians of +Paradise will say, 'Verily your fathers and your mothers are not with +you because they have committed faults and sins for which they must be +reckoned with and inquired of.' Then they will shriek and cry at the +gate of Paradise with a great cry; and God (whose name be exalted!) and +who is all-knowing respecting them will say, 'What is this cry?' It +will be answered, 'O our Lord, the children of the Muslims say, We will +not enter Paradise but with our fathers and our mothers.' Whereupon God +(whose name be exalted!) will say 'Pass among them all, and take the +hands of your parents, and introduce them into Paradise.'" The children +who are to have this power are such as are born of believers, and die +without having attained to the knowledge of sin; and according to one +tradition, one such child will introduce his parents into Paradise. +[Such infants only are to enter Paradise; for, of the children who die +in infancy, those of believers alone are they who would believe if they +grew to years of discretion.] On the same authority it is said, "When a +child of the servant [of God] dies, God (whose name be exalted!) saith +to the angels, 'Have ye taken the child of my servant?' They answer, +'Yea.' He saith, 'Have ye taken the child of his heart?' They reply, +'Yea.' He asketh them, 'What did my servant say?' They answer, 'He +praised thee, and said, Verily to God we belong, and verily unto Him we +return!' Then God will say, 'Build for my servant a house in Paradise, +and name it the House of Praise.'" To these traditions, which I find +related as proofs of the advantages of marriage, the following anecdote, +which is of a similar nature, is added. A certain man, who would not +take a wife, awoke one day from his sleep, and demanded to be married, +saying, as his reason, "I dreamt that the resurrection had taken place, +and that I was among the beings collected at the scene of judgment, but +was suffering a thirst that stopped up the passage of my stomach; and +lo, there were youths passing through the assembly, having in their +hands ewers of silver, and cups of gold, and giving drink to one person +after another; so I stretched forth my hand to one of them, and said, +'Give me to drink; for thirst overpowereth me:' but they answered, 'Thou +hast no child among us: we give drink only to our fathers.' I asked +them, 'Who are ye?' They replied, 'We are the deceased infant children +of the Muslims.'"[286] Especial rewards in heaven are promised to +mothers. "When a woman conceives by her husband," said the Prophet, "she +is called in heaven a martyr [_i.e._ she is ranked as a martyr in +dignity]; and her labour in child-bed, and her care for her children, +protect her from Hell-fire.'"[287] + +"When the child begins to speak, the father should teach him first the +kelimeh [or profession of faith], 'There is no deity but God: +[Mo[h.]ammad is God's apostle:]'--he should dictate this to him seven +times. Then he should instruct him to say, 'Wherefore, exalted be God, +the King, the Truth! There is no deity but He, the Lord of the +honourable throne."[288] He should teach him also the Throne-verse,[289] +and the closing words of the [H.]ashr, 'He is God, beside whom there is +no deity, the King, the Holy,'" &c.[290] + +As soon as a son is old enough, his father should teach him the most +important rules of decent behaviour: placing some food before him, he +should order him to take it with the right hand (the left being employed +for unclean purposes), and to say, on commencing, "In the name of God;" +to eat what is next to him, and not to hurry, nor spill any of the food +upon his person or dress. He should teach him that it is disgusting to +eat much. He should particularly condemn to him the love of gold and +silver, and caution him against covetousness as he would against +serpents and scorpions; and forbid his spitting in an assembly, and +committing any similar breach of good manners, talking much, turning his +back upon another, standing in an indolent attitude, and speaking ill of +any person to another. He should keep him from bad companions, teach him +the [K.]ur-an and all requisite divine and prophetic ordinances, and +instruct him in the arts of swimming and archery, and in some virtuous +trade; for trade is a security from poverty. He should also command him +to endure patiently the chastisements of his teacher. In one tradition +it is said, "When a boy attains the age of six years he should be +disciplined; and when he attains to nine years he should be put in a +separate bed; and when he attains to ten years he should be beaten for +[neglecting] prayer:" in another tradition, "Order your children to pray +at seven [years], and beat them for [neglecting] it at ten, and put them +in separate beds."[291] + +Circumcision, which has before been mentioned, is generally performed +before the boy is submitted to the instruction of the schoolmaster.[292] +Previously to the performance of this rite, he is, if belonging to the +higher or middle rank of society, usually paraded about the +neighbourhood of his parents' dwelling, gaily attired, chiefly with +female habits and ornaments, but with a boy's turban on his head, +mounted on a horse, preceded by musicians, and followed by a group of +his female relations and friends. This ceremony is observed by the great +with much pomp and with sumptuous feasts. El-Jabartee mentions a fete +celebrated on the occasion of the circumcision of a son of the +[K.]a[d.]ee of Cairo, in the year of the Flight 1179 (A.D. 1766), when +the grandees and chief merchants and 'ulama of the city sent him such +abundance of presents that the magazines of his mansion were filled with +rice and butter and honey and sugar; the great hall, with coffee; and +the middle of the court, with firewood: the public were amused for many +days by players and performers of various kinds; and when the youth was +paraded through the streets he was attended by numerous memlooks with +their richly-caparisoned horses and splendid arms and armour and +military band, and by a number of other youths who, from compliment to +him, were circumcised afterwards with him. This latter custom is usual +on such occasions; and so also is the sending of presents, such as those +above mentioned, by friends, acquaintances, and tradespeople.' At a fete +of this kind, when the Khaleefeh El-Mu[k.]tedir circumcised five of his +sons, the money that was scattered in presents amounted to six hundred +thousand pieces of gold, or about L300,000. Many orphans were also +circumcised on the same day, and were presented with clothes and pieces +of gold.[293] The Khaleefeh above mentioned was famous for his +magnificence, a proof of which I have given in a former note. At the +more approved entertainments which are given in celebration of a +circumcision, a recital of the whole of the [K.]ur-an, or a zikr, is +performed: at some others, male or female public dancers perform in the +court of the house, or in the street before the door. + +Few of the children of the Arabs receive much instruction in literature, +and still fewer are taught even the rudiments of any of the higher +sciences; but there are numerous schools in their towns, and one at +least in almost every moderately large village. The former are mostly +attached to mosques and other public buildings, and, together with those +buildings, endowed by princes or other men of rank, or wealthy +tradesmen. In these, the children are instructed either gratis or for a +very trifling weekly payment, which all parents, except those in +indigent circumstances, can easily afford. The schoolmaster generally +teaches nothing more than to read, and to recite by heart the whole of +the [K.]ur-an. After committing to memory the first chapter of the +sacred volume, the boy learns the rest in the inverse order of their +arrangement, as they generally decrease in length. Writing and +arithmetic are usually taught by another master; and grammar, rhetoric, +versification, logic, the interpretation of the [K.]ur-an, and the whole +system of religion and law, with all other knowledge deemed useful, +which seldom includes the mere elements of mathematics, are attained by +studying at a collegiate mosque, and at no expense; for the professors +receive no pay either from the students, who are mostly of the poorer +classes, or from the funds of the mosque. + +The wealthy often employ for their sons a private tutor; and, when he +has taught them to read, and to recite the [K.]ur-an, engage for them a +writing-master, and then send them to the college. But among this class, +polite literature is more considered than any other branch of knowledge, +after religion. Such an acquaintance with the works of some of their +favourite poets as enables a man to quote them occasionally in society, +is regarded by the Arabs as essential to a son who is to mix in genteel +company; and to this acquirement is often added some skill in the art of +versification, which is rendered peculiarly easy by the copiousness of +the Arabic language, and by its system of inflection. These +characteristics of their noble tongue (which are remarkably exhibited by +the custom, common among the Arabs, of preserving the same rhyme +throughout a whole poem), while on the one hand they have given an +admirable freedom to the compositions of men of true poetic genius, have +on the other hand mainly contributed to the degradation of Arabic +poetry. To an Arab of some little learning it is almost as easy to speak +in verse as in prose; and hence he often intersperses his prose +writings, and not unfrequently his conversation, with indifferent +verses, of which the chief merit often consists in puns, or in an +ingenious use of several words nearly the same in sound, but differing +in sense. To a reader unacquainted with the Arabic language it is +necessary to explain this custom; otherwise he would imagine that the +author of the present work is merely indulging in a dramatic licence +inconsistent with a true delineation of manners, when he makes a person +suddenly change the style of his speech from prose to verse, and then +revert to the former. + +One more duty of a father to a son I should here mention: it is, to +procure for him a wife as soon as he has arrived at a proper age. This +age is decided by some to be twenty years; though many young men marry +at an earlier period. It is said, "When a son has attained the age of +twenty years, his father, if able, should marry him, and then take his +hand, and say, 'I have disciplined thee, and taught thee, and married +thee: I now seek refuge with God from thy mischief in the present world +and the next.'" To enforce this duty, the following tradition is urged: +"When a son attains to the age of puberty, and his father does not marry +him, and yet is able to do so, if the youth commit an improper act in +consequence, the sin of it is between the two,"--or, as in another +report,--"on the father."[294] The same is held to be the case with +respect to a daughter who has attained the age of twelve years.[295] + +The female children of the Arabs are seldom taught even to read. Though +they are admissible at the daily schools in which the boys are +instructed, very few parents allow them the benefit of this privilege; +preferring, if they give them any instruction of a literary kind, to +employ a sheykhah (or learned woman) to teach them at home. She +instructs them in the forms of prayer, and teaches them to repeat by +heart a few chapters of the [K.]ur-an; very rarely the whole book. +Parents are indeed recommended to withhold from their daughters some +portions of the [K.]ur-an; to "teach them the Soorat en-Noor [or 24th +chapter], and keep from them the Soorat-Yoosuf [12th chapter]; on +account of the story of Zeleekha and Yoosuf in the latter, and the +prohibitions and threats and mention of punishments contained in the +former."[296] + +Needlework is not so rarely, but yet not generally, taught to Arab +girls: the spindle frequently employs those of the poorer classes; and +some of them learn to weave. The daughters of persons of the middle and +higher ranks are often instructed in the art of embroidery, and in other +ornamental work, which are taught in schools and in private houses. +Singing, and playing upon the lute, which were formerly not uncommon +female accomplishments among the wealthy Arabs, are now almost +exclusively confined, like dancing, to professional performers and a few +of the slaves in the [h.]areems of the great: it is very seldom now that +any musical instrument is seen in the hand of an Arab lady, except a +kind of drum called darabukkeh, and a [t.]ar (or tambourine), which are +found in many [h.]areems, and are beaten with the fingers.[297] Some +care, however, is bestowed by the ladies in teaching their daughters +what they consider an elegant gait and carriage, as well as various +alluring and voluptuous arts with which to increase the attachment of +their future husbands. + +NOTE 25.--_Water-wheels._ The water-wheels here mentioned are machines +commonly used for the purpose of irrigating fields and gardens. They are +generally turned by a pair of cows or bulls. They raise the water from a +river or well in a series of earthen pots attached to cords which pass +over a vertical wheel, and pour it into a trough, from which it flows in +narrow channels through the space of ground to be irrigated. A cogged +vertical wheel is attached to the same axis as the former; and this, and +consequently the other also, are turned by means of a larger, +horizontal, cogged wheel. The ground is divided into hollow squares, or +furrows, into each of which in succession the water is admitted. + +NOTE 26. "Bedr-ed-Deen" signifies "the Full Moon of the Religion." + +NOTE 27. I have here omitted the name of Shems-ed-Deen, and his office; +as [H.]asan's knowledge of them would render the sequel of the story too +improbable even to an Arab. + +NOTE 28. In the original, this paper is here said to have been written +by [H.]asan in accordance with the dictation of his father; but +afterwards it is said to have been written by the latter; and this is +more consistent with the rest of the tale. + +NOTE 29. Papers of importance are often wrapped in waxed cloth to +preserve them from wet, which would efface the writing, as the Arab ink +is chiefly composed of smoke-black and gum and water. + +NOTE 30. In the original, the cap is not here mentioned; but it is +afterwards. + +NOTE 31. This paragraph and the verses interspersed in it are translated +from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights. + +NOTE 32. The poet here alluded to is El-Mutanebbee. + +NOTE 33. It is a common custom of Eastern kings and governors to avail +themselves of any pretext for seizing upon the property of a deceased +officer who has accumulated much wealth. + +NOTE 34. It is implied that he was sitting at the door, or in the court, +of his house. + +NOTE 35. His taking a copy is mentioned afterwards in the original; but +not in this place. + +NOTE 36. I have designated by the appellation of "dye-women" (from +want-of a better) those females who are employed to apply the [h.]enna, +which imparts a deep orange-red dye, to the nails or tips of the +fingers, the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, &c. Some Arab +ladies, especially on such an occasion as that here described, are +ornamented with this dye in a more fanciful manner. The woman who +applies it is called in Arabic "muna[k.][k.]isheh." + +NOTE 37. The chief office of the tire-woman (in Arabic, "mashi[t.]ah") +is to comb and plait the hair. She attends the ladies in the bath; and +hence is also called "bellaneh." + +NOTE 38. A "ma[s.][t.]abah" is a bench of stone or brick, generally +between two and three feet in height, and about the same in width, built +against the front of a shop, and sometimes along the front of a private +house. [See Note 22 to Chapter i.--ED.] + +NOTE 39.--_On Marriage._ Previously to the perusal of the first +description of a nuptial fete that occurs in this work, the reader may +perhaps desire some introductory information, which I shall here +endeavour to convey in such a manner as to make the present note serve +to illustrate many future allusions in these pages, and not merely the +foregoing tale. + +Marriage is regarded by the Muslims in general as a positive duty; and +to neglect it, without a sufficient excuse, subjects a man to severe +reproach. "When a servant [of God]," said the Prophet, "marries, verily +he perfects half his religion."[298] He once asked a man, "Art thou +married?" The man answered, "No." "And art thou," said he, "sound and +healthy?" The answer was, "Yes." "Then," said Mo[h.]ammad, "thou art one +of the brothers of the devils; for the most wicked among you are the +unmarried; and the most vile among your dead are the unmarried; moreover +the married are those who are acquitted of filthy conversation; and by +Him in whose hand is my soul, the devil hath not a weapon more effective +against the virtuous, both men and women, than the neglect of +marriage."[299] Some remarks on this subject, and on the advantages of +marriage, have been made in a preceding note on infancy and education. + +The number of wives whom a Muslim may have at the same time is four. He +may marry free women, or take concubine slaves, or have of both these +classes. It is the opinion of most persons, I believe, among the more +strictly religious, that a man may not have more than four women, +whether they be wives alone, or concubine slaves alone, or of both +classes together; but the practice of some of the Companions of the +Prophet, who cannot be accused of violating his precepts, affords a +strong argument to the contrary. 'Alee, it is said, "was the most devout +of the Companions; but he had four wives and seventeen concubines +besides, and married, after Fa[t.]imeh (may God be well pleased with +her!), among all that he married and divorced, more than two hundred +women: and sometimes he included four wives in one contract, and +sometimes divorced four at one time, taking other four in their +stead."[300] This may perhaps be an exaggerated statement: but it is +certain that the custom of keeping an unlimited number of concubines was +common among wealthy Muslims in the first century of the Mohammadan era, +and has so continued. The famous author of the work above quoted urges +the example of Solomon to prove that the possession of numerous +concubines is not inconsistent with piety and good morals; not +considering that God made but one wife for Adam. + +It has been mentioned in the first of the notes to this work, that a +Muslim may divorce his wife twice, and each time take her back. This he +may do, even against her wish, during a fixed period, which cannot +extend beyond three months, unless she be _enceinte_, in which latter +case she must wait until the birth of her child before she will be at +liberty to contract a new marriage. During this period the husband is +obliged to maintain her. If he divorce her a third time, or by a triple +sentence, he cannot take her again unless with her own consent, and by a +new contract, and after another marriage has been consummated between +her and another husband, and this husband also has divorced her. + +It is not a common custom, especially among the middle ranks, for an +Arab to have more than one wife at the same time; but there are few of +middle age who have not had several different wives at different +periods, tempted to change by the facility of divorce. The case of 'Alee +has been mentioned above. Mugheyreh Ibn-She[a.]beh married eighty women +in the course of his life;[301] and several more remarkable instances of +the love of change are recorded by Arab writers: the most extraordinary +case of this kind that I have met with was that of Mo[h.]ammad +Ibn-E[t.]-[T.]eiyib, the Dyer, of Baghdad, who died in the year of the +Flight 423, aged eighty-five years; of whom it is related, on most +respectable authority, that he married more than nine hundred +women![302]--Supposing, therefore, that he married his first wife when +he was fifteen years of age, he must have had, on the average, nearly +thirteen wives _per annum_. The women, in general, cannot of course +marry so many successive husbands, not only because a woman cannot have +more than one husband at a time, but also because she cannot divorce her +husband. There have been, however, many instances of Arab women who have +married a surprising number of men in rapid succession. Among these may +be mentioned Umm-Kharijeh, who gave occasion to a proverb on this +subject. This woman, who was of the tribe of Bejeeleh, in El-Yemen, +married upwards of forty husbands; and her son Kharijeh knew not who was +his father. She used to contract a marriage in the quickest possible +manner: a man saying to her, "Khi[t.]bun" (betrothal), she replied, +"Nik-[h.]un" (marriage), and thus became his lawful wife. She had a very +numerous progeny; several tribes originating from her.[303] + +For the choice of a wife, a man generally relies on his mother, or some +other near female relation, or a professional female betrother (who is +called "kha[t.]ibeh"); for there are many women who perform this office +for hire. The law allows him to see the face of the female whom he +proposes to marry, previously to his making the contract; but in the +present day this liberty is seldom obtained, except among the lower +orders. Unless in this case, a man is not allowed to see unveiled any +woman but his own wife or slave, and those women to whom the law +prohibits his uniting himself in marriage: nay, according to some, he is +not allowed to "see" his own niece unveiled, though he may not marry +her. It should be added, that a slave may lawfully see the face of his +own mistress; but this privilege is seldom granted in the present day to +any slave but a eunuch. An infringement of the law above mentioned is +held to be extremely sinful in both parties: "The curse of God," said +the Prophet, "is on the seer and the seen:" yet it is very often +disregarded in the case of women of the lower orders. + +A man is forbidden, by the [K.]ur-an[304] and the Sunneh, to marry his +mother, or other ascendant; daughter, or other descendant; his sister, +or half-sister; the sister of his father or mother or other ascendant; +his niece, or any of her descendants; his foster-mother who has suckled +him five times in the course of the first two years, or a woman related +to him by milk in any of the degrees which would preclude his marriage +with her if she were similarly related to him by consanguinity; the +mother of his wife, even if he has not consummated his marriage with +this wife; the daughter of his wife, if he has consummated his marriage +with the latter (but if he has not done so, and this wife is divorced +from him, or dead, he may marry her daughter); his father's wife, and +his son's wife; and to have at the same time two wives who are sisters, +or aunt and niece: he is forbidden also to marry his unemancipated +slave, or another man's slave if he has already a free wife; and to +marry any woman but one of his own faith, or a Christian, or a Jewess. A +Mohammadan woman, however, may only marry a man of her own faith. An +unlawful intercourse with any woman prevents a man from marrying any of +her relations who would be forbidden to him if she were his wife. + +The reader has already seen that a cousin (the daughter of a paternal +uncle) is often chosen as a wife, on account of the tie of blood, which +is likely to attach her more strongly to her husband, or on account of +an affection conceived in early years. Parity of rank is generally much +regarded; and a man is often unable to obtain as his wife the daughter +of one of a different profession or trade, unless an inferior; or a +younger daughter when an elder remains unmarried. A girl is often +married at the age of twelve years, and sometimes at ten, or even nine: +the usual period is between twelve and sixteen years. At the age of +thirteen or fourteen she may be a mother. The young men marry a few +years later. + +The most important requisite in a wife is religion. The Prophet said, "A +virtuous wife is better than the world and all that it contains." "A +virtuous wife," said Lu[k.]man, "is like a crown on the head of a king; +and a wicked wife is like a heavy burden on the back of an old man." +Among the other chief requisites are agreeableness of temper, and beauty +of form (undiminished by any defect or irregularity of features or +members), moderation in the amount of dowry required, and good birth. It +is said, "if thou marry not a virgin, [which is most desirable,] marry a +divorced woman, and not a widow; for the divorced woman will respect thy +words when thou sayest, 'If there were any good in thee thou hadst not +been divorced;' whereas the widow will say, 'May God have mercy on such +a one! he hath left me to one unsuited to me.'" But according to another +selfish maxim, the woman most to be avoided is she who is divorced from +a man by whom she has had a child; for her heart is with him, and she is +an enemy to the man who marries her after.[305]--Modesty is a requisite +upon which too much stress cannot be laid; but this, to an English +reader, requires some explanation. 'Alee asked his wife Fa[t.]imeh, "Who +is the best of women?" She answered, "She who sees not men, and whom +they see not."[306] Modesty, therefore, in the opinion of the Muslims, +is most eminently shown by a woman's concealing her person, and +restraining her eyes, from men. "The best rank of men [in a mosque]," +said the Prophet, "is the front; and the best rank of women is the +rear:"[307] that is, those most distant from the men: but better than +even these are the women who pray at home.[308]--Fruitfulness is also a +desirable qualification to be considered in the choice of a wife: "it +may be known in maidens," says the Prophet, "from their relations; +because, generally speaking, kindred are similar in disposition, +&c."[309] Lastly, contentment is to be enumerated among the requisites. +It is said, on the same authority, "Verily the best of women are those +that are most content with little."[310] To obtain a contented and +submissive wife, many men make their selection from among the classes +inferior to them in rank. Others, with a similar view, prefer a +concubine slave in the place of a wife. + +The consent of a girl not arrived at the age of puberty is not required: +her father, or, if he is dead, her nearest adult male relation, or a +guardian appointed by will or by the [K.]a[d.]ee, acts as her wekeel, or +deputy, to effect the marriage-contract for her. If of age, she appoints +her own deputy. A dowry is required to legalize the marriage; and the +least dowry allowed by the law is ten dirhems, or drachms of silver; +about five shillings of our money. Mo[h.]ammad married certain of his +wives for a dowry of ten dirhems and the household necessaries, which +were a handmill to grind the corn, a water-jar, and a pillow of skin or +leather stuffed with the fibres of the palm-tree, which are called +"leef:" but some he married for a dowry of five hundred dirhems.[311] +With the increase of wealth and luxury, dowries have increased in +amount; but, to our ideas, they are still trifling; a sum equivalent to +about twenty pounds sterling being a common dowry among Arabs of the +middle classes for a virgin, and half or a third or quarter of that sum +for a divorced woman or a widow. Two-thirds of the sum is usually paid +before making the contract, and the remaining portion held in reserve to +be paid to the woman in case of her divorce or in case of the husband's +death. The father or guardian of a girl under age receives the former +portion of her dowry; but it is considered as her property, and he +generally expends it, with an additional sum from his own purse, in the +purchase of necessary furniture, dress, &c., for her, which the husband +can never take from her against her own wish. + +The marriage-contract is generally, in the present day, merely verbal; +but sometimes a certificate is written, and sealed by the [K.]a[d.]ee. +The most approved or propitious period for this act is the month of +Showwal: the most unpropitious, Mo[h.]arram. The only persons whose +presence is required to perform it are the bridegroom (or his deputy), +the bride's deputy (who is the betrother), two male witnesses, if such +can be easily procured, and the [K.]a[d.]ee or a schoolmaster or some +other person to recite a khu[t.]beh, which consists of a few words in +praise of God, a form of blessing on the Prophet, and some passages of +the [K.]ur-an, respecting marriage. They all recite the Fat'[h.]ah (or +opening chapter of the [K.]ur-an), after which the bridegroom pays the +money. The latter and the bride's deputy then seat themselves on the +ground, face to face, and grasp each other's right hand, raising the +thumbs, and pressing them against each other. Previously to the +khu[t.]beh, the person who recites this formula places a handkerchief +over the two joined hands; and after the khu[t.]beh he dictates to the +two contracting parties what they are to say. The betrother generally +uses the following or a similar form of words: "I betroth to thee my +daughter [or her for whom I act as deputy] such a one [naming the +bride], the virgin, [or the adult virgin, &c.,] for a dowry of such an +amount." The bridegroom answers, "I accept from thee her betrothal to +myself." This is all that is absolutely necessary; but the address and +reply are usually repeated a second and third time, and are often +expressed in fuller forms of words. The contract is concluded with the +recital of the Fat'[h.]ah by all persons present. + +This betrothal, or marriage-contract, is often performed several years +before the consummation, when the two parties are yet children; or +during the infancy of the girl; but generally not more than about eight +or ten days before the former event. The household furniture and dress +prepared for the bride are sent by her family to the bridegroom's house, +usually conveyed by a train of camels, two or three or more days before +she is conducted thither. + +The feasts and processions which are now to be mentioned are only +observed in the case of a virgin bride; a widow or divorced woman being +remarried in a private manner. I describe them chiefly in accordance +with the usages of Cairo, which appear to me most agreeable, in general, +with the descriptions and allusions in the present work.--The period +most commonly approved for the consummation of marriage is the eve of +Friday, or that of Monday. Previously to this event, the bridegroom once +or twice or more frequently gives a feast to his friends; and for +several nights, his house and the houses of his near neighbours are +usually illuminated by numerous clusters of lamps, or by lanterns, +suspended in front of them; some, to cords drawn across the street. To +these or other cords are also suspended small flags, or square pieces of +silk, each of two different colours, generally red and green. Some say +that the feast or feasts should be given on the occasion of the +contract; others, on the consummation; others, again, on both these +occasions.[312] The usual custom of the people of Cairo is to give a +feast on the night immediately preceding that of the consummation, and +another on the latter night; but some commence their feasts earlier. +Respecting marriage-feasts, the Prophet said, "The first day's feast is +an incumbent duty; and the second day's, a sunneh ordinance; and the +third day's, for ostentation and notoriety:" and he forbade eating at +the feast of the ostentatious.[313] It is a positive duty to accept an +invitation to a marriage-feast or other lawful entertainment; but the +guest is not obliged to eat.[314] The persons invited, and all intimate +friends, generally send presents of provisions of some kind a day or two +before. The Prophet taught that marriage-feasts should be frugal: the +best that _he_ gave was with one goat.[315] He approved of +demonstrations of joy at the celebration of a marriage with songs, and, +according to one tradition, by the beating of deffs (or tambourines); +but in another tradition the latter practice is condemned.[316] The +preferable mode of entertaining the guests is by the performance of a +zikr. + +The bride is conducted to the bridegroom's house in the afternoon +immediately preceding the night of consummation. On the day next +preceding that on which she is conducted thither, she goes to the public +bath, accompanied by a number of her female relations and friends. The +procession generally pursues a circuitous route, for the sake of greater +display; and on leaving the house, turns to the right. In Cairo, the +bride walks under a canopy of silk borne by four men, with one of her +near female relations on each side of her. Young unmarried girls walk +before her; these are preceded by the married ladies; and the procession +is headed and closed by a few musicians with drums and hautboys. The +bride wears a kind of pasteboard crown, or cap; and is completely veiled +from the view of spectators by a Kashmeer shawl placed over her crown +and whole person; but some handsome ornaments of the head are attached +externally. The other women are dressed in the best of their +walking-attire. In the case, however, of a bride of high rank, or of +wealth, and often in the case of one belonging to a family of the middle +class, the ladies ride upon high-saddled asses, without music or canopy; +and the bride is only distinguished by a Kashmeer shawl instead of the +usual black silk covering; one or more eunuchs sometimes riding at the +head. In the bath, after the ordinary operations of washing, &c., a +feast is made, and the party are often entertained by female singers. +Having returned in the same manner to her home, the bride's friends +there partake of a similar entertainment with her. Her hands and feet +are then stained with [h.]enna, and her eyes ornamented with ko[h.]l; +and her friends give her small presents of money, and take their leave. +"It is a sunneh ordinance that the bride wash her feet in a clean +vessel, and sprinkle the water in the corners of the chamber, that a +blessing may result from this. She should also brighten her face, and +put on the best of her apparel, and adorn her eyes with ko[h.]l, and +stain [her hands and feet] with [h.]enna [as above mentioned]; and she +should abstain, during the first week, from eating anything that +contains mustard, and from vinegar, and sour apples."[317] + +The bride is conducted to the house of the bridegroom (on the following +day) in the same manner as to the bath, or with more pomp. In Cairo, the +bridal processions of persons of very high rank are conducted with +singular display. The train is usually headed by buffoons and musicians, +and a water-carrier loaded with a goat's-skin filled with sand and +water, of very great weight, which is often borne for many hours before, +as well as during, the procession, merely to amuse the spectators by +this feat of strength. Then follow (interrupted by groups of male or +female dancers, jugglers, &c.) numerous decorated open waggons, or cars, +each of which contains several members of some particular trade or art +engaged in their ordinary occupations, or one such person with +attendants: in one, for instance, a [k.]ahwejee (or [k.]ahvejee), with +his assistants and pots and cups and fire, making coffee for the +spectators: in a second, makers of sweetmeats: in a third, makers of +pancakes (fa[t.]eerehs): in a fourth, silk-lace manufacturers: in a +fifth, a silk-weaver, with his loom: in a sixth, tinners of copper +vessels, at their work: in a seventh, white-washers, whitening over and +over again a wall: in short, almost every manufacture, &c., has its +representatives in a different waggon. El-Jabartee describes a +procession of this kind in which there were upwards of seventy parties +of different trades and arts, each party in a separate waggon, besides +buffoons, wrestlers, dancers, and others; followed by various officers, +the eunuchs of the bride's family, ladies of the [h.]areem with their +attendants, then the bride, in a European carriage, a troop of memlooks +clad in armour, and a Turkish band of music. It was a procession of +which the like had not before been seen.[318] + +The bride and her party, having arrived at the house, sit down to a +repast. The bridegroom does not yet see her. He has already been to the +bath, and at nightfall he goes in procession with a number of his +friends to a mosque, to perform the night-prayers; he is accompanied by +musicians and singers, or by chanters of lyric odes in praise of the +Prophet; and by men bearing cressets (poles with cylindrical frames of +iron at the top filled with flaming wood); and on his return, most of +his other attendants bear lighted wax candles, and bunches of flowers. + +Returned to his house, he leaves his friends in a lower apartment, and +goes up to the bride, whom he finds seated, with a shawl thrown over her +head, so as to conceal her face completely, and attended by one or two +females. The latter he induces to retire, by means of a small present. +He then gives a present of money to the bride, as "the price of +uncovering the face," and having removed the covering (saying, as he +does so, "In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful"), he +beholds her, generally, for the first time. On the occasion of this +first visit, which is called the "dukhool," or "dukhleh," he is +recommended "to perfume himself, and to sprinkle some sugar and almonds +on the head of the bride and on that of each woman with her; this +practice being established by existing usage and by traditions: also, +when he approaches her, he should perform the prayers of two rek'ahs; +and she should do the same if able: then he should take hold of the hair +over her forehead, and say, 'O God, bless me in my wife, and bless my +wife in me! O God, bestow upon me [offspring] by her, and bestow upon +her [offspring] by me! O God, unite us, as Thou hast united, happily; +and separate us, when Thou separatest, happily!'"[319] + +NOTE 40. The [t.]arboosh is a woollen skull-cap, of a deep blood-red +colour, having a tassel of dark blue silk attached to the crown. It is +now worn by most Arabs of the higher and middle classes, and by many +others, except in Arabia, where it is not so common. Round it is wound +the muslin or shawl which forms the turban. Within it is worn a cotton +cap. The Turks call it "fes," and "fes." + +NOTE 41. The farajeeyeh is a loose robe or coat, now generally made of +cloth, with full and long sleeves extending a little beyond the +extremities of the fingers and without any slit. It is worn chiefly by +persons of the learned professions. + +NOTE 42. This is the usual mode in which money is collected for the +singing-women in the present day. + +NOTE 43. "[H.]ooreeyeh" is the appellation commonly given by the Arabs +to a virgin of Paradise, by French and English writers, termed "Houri;" +which term, in Arabic, converts a female into a male, but is agreeable +with the Persian equivalent of the Arabic "[H.]ooreeyeh." + +NOTE 44.--_On the Evil Eye._ Some remarks on the "evil eye" have been +made in a former note (No. 24 in the present series), with respect to +children, and the means of counteracting its supposed influence; but I +mention this subject again partly with the view of suggesting to the +reader the necessity of bearing it in mind, as it explains many usages +described, or alluded to, in this work, which would otherwise appear +unaccountable. He may remember a well-known line of Virgil-- + + "Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos," + +which, like many other allusions in works of ancient authors, shews how +long and how extensively this superstition has been entertained. How +deeply it is rooted in the minds of Arabs, even the most religious and +learned, may be inferred from this saying of their Prophet: "The eye has +a complete influence; because verily, if there were a thing to overcome +fate, it most certainly would be a malignant eye."[320] Hence he +permitted charms (which he disallowed in almost every other case) to be +employed for the purpose of counteracting its influence.[321] The +following observation, selected from several of a similar nature in my +work on the Modern Egyptians, aptly illustrates the passage to which +this note immediately refers. "It is a custom among the higher and +middle classes in Cairo, on the occasion of a marriage, to hang +chandeliers in the street before the bridegroom's house; and it often +happens that a crowd is collected to see a very large and handsome +chandelier suspended: in this case, it is a common practice to divert +the attention of the spectators by throwing down and breaking a large +jar, or by some other artifice, lest an envious eye should cause the +chandelier to fall." + +NOTE 45. The closet here alluded to, being one in which ablution is +performed, always contains a small trough of water, or a ewer. + +NOTE 46. This epithet, "unlucky," is often applied to an 'Efreet. I have +frequently heard it thus used by Arabs. + +NOTE 47. "Aboo-Shihab" (literally, Father of a Shooting Star) is a +nickname often given to a devil, and is so employed because devils, or +evil jinnees, are sometimes destroyed by shooting stars hurled at them +by angels; an instance of which occurs in the tale under consideration. + +NOTE 48. "Sitt-el-[H.]osn" signifies "the Lady of Beauty." + +NOTE 49. "[H.]asheesh" is the intoxicating hemp, which has been +mentioned in former notes. + +NOTE 50. Thus in the Breslau edition, and in the Calcutta edition of the +first two hundred nights; but in the edition of Cairo, the cook is +merely termed a prodigal. + +NOTE 51.--_On Adoption._ The Mohammadan law allows the adoption of sons, +provided that the person to be adopted consents to the act, if of age to +judge for himself; also, that he has been deprived of his parents by +death or other means; and that there be such a difference of age between +the two parties as might subsist between a natural father and his son. +The adopted son enjoys the same right of inheritance as the natural son; +but the adoptive father is not prevented by this act from marrying any +relation of his adopted son. + +NOTE 52. In the houses of Arabs of the more wealthy classes, there is +usually a chair upon which the turban is placed at night. It is of a +large size, but slight make; the bottom and back being generally of +cane-work; and sometimes it has a kind of canopy constructed over it. +The turban, when placed upon it, is covered with a kerchief of thick +silk stuff, often embroidered or interwoven with gold thread. + +NOTE 53. "Mo[s.]ilee" may be understood as meaning either "of the +fashion of El-Mo[s.]il," or "of muslin:" but the former, according to my +sheykh, is the signification here intended. I think there is nothing +peculiar in the common modern turban of El-Mo[s.]il. + +NOTE 54. This is done under the idea that it strengthens the infant's +eyes. + +NOTE 55. "'Ajeeb" signifies "Wonderful." + +NOTE 56. The meaning of this is, that he grew in a day as other children +in a month; and in a month, as others in a year. + +NOTE 57. The death of the cook is mentioned in the edition of Breslau; +but not in that of Cairo. + +NOTE 58. This ejaculation is generally uttered at the mention of a +deceased Muslim. + +NOTE 59. "[S.]a[h.]eb" is a title given to Wezeers, as mentioned in Note +8 to the Introduction. + +NOTE 60. In the original, fifteen. The age of 'Ajeeb has been shewn to +have been little more than eleven at this period; therefore I have +substituted twelve for fifteen. In page 243 I have made a similar +correction, substituting fifteen for eighteen. + +NOTE 61. This alludes to a custom common in the East,--that of giving a +present of a dress, or some article of clothing, to a person who has +brought good news. + +NOTE 62. The term "boy" is not used here to imply that the eunuch was a +youth; but in the sense in which it is often employed by us; as +synonymous with "servant." + +NOTE 63. "Er-Reydaneeyeh" is the name of a tract on the north of Cairo, +where travellers arriving from Syria generally halted. In the original, +by errors in the diacritical points, this name is converted into +"Ez-Zebedaneeyeh." + +NOTE 64. The word which I translate "a cross," literally signifies "an +effigy;" but I suppose this term to be employed merely because a cross +bears a rude resemblance to a man with extended arms. + +NOTE 65. "The name of Allah encompass thee!" (or, literally, "--be +around thee!") is an ejaculation often used, especially by women, +agreeing exactly with the expression in the first verse of the twentieth +Psalm,--"The name of the God of Jacob defend thee!"--the "name" of God +here signifying his power. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the +righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Proverbs xviii. 10.) + +NOTE 66. Here, for a reason given above, I have substituted "twelve" for +"ten." + +NOTE 67. In the original, the last of these verses is here omitted, but +my sheykh has supplied it in the margin of my copy, and it occurs +afterwards, in the 75th night, in which the preceding verses, with some +slight variations, are repeated. + +NOTE 68.--_On the Expiation of Oaths._ The law clearly allows expiation +for an inconsiderate oath, and, according to vulgar opinion, for the +violation of a deliberate oath.[322] The expiation consists in once +feeding or clothing ten poor men, liberating a Muslim slave or captive, +or fasting three days. An unintentional oath requires no expiation; but +the swearing to a falsehood can only be expiated by deep repentance. + +NOTE 69. Hole observes (page 222), that "the discovery of Bedreddin in +the Arabian Nights by the tarts he had made, bears internal evidence of +having been copied from Nella Raja's detection by the same means:" and +he refers to Kindersley's "Specimens of Indian Literature." + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + + [276] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 289. + + [277] Sale's Preliminary Discourse, sect. iv. + + [278] The call to prayer, which is chanted from the mad'nehs + (or menarets) of the mosques. It is as follows:--"God is most + great!" (four times). "I testify that there is no deity but + God!" (twice). "I testify that Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle!" + (twice). "Come to prayer!" (twice). "Come to security!" + (twice). "God is most great!" (twice). "There is no deity but + God!" + + [279] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil, sect. 9. + + [280] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil, sect. 9. + + [281] Compare Exodus xiii. 13; and xii. 46. + + [282] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 9; and Mishkat + el-Masabee[h.], vol. ii. pp. 315, 316. + + [283] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., _loco laudato_. + + [284] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 9. + + [285] Ibid. + + [286] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 2. + + [287] Idem, sect. 7. + + [288] [K.]ur-an, ch. xxiii. v. 117. + + [289] "God! there is no deity but He," &c., to the words, "He + is the High, the Great."--Idem, ch. ii. v. 256. + + [290] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 9. + + [291] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 9. + + [292] A similar custom is mentioned in a note appended to the + account of circumcision in vol. i. ch. ii. of my work on the + Modern Egyptians. + + [293] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 302. + + [294] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 9; and Mishkat + el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 86. + + [295] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], ibid. + + [296] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 6. + + [297] See my work on the Modern Egyptians, vol. ii. ch. v. + + [298] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 79. + + [299] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 1. + + [300] Ibid. + + [301] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 1. + + [302] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year above mentioned. + + [303] Idem, Proverbs of the Arabs: and [K.]amoos, _voce_ + "kharaja." + + [304] Ch. iv. vv. 26, 27. + + [305] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 4. + + [306] Idem, sect. 6. + + [307] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. i. p. 229. + + [308] Idem, vol. i. p. 223. + + [309] Idem, vol. ii. p. 78. + + [310] Idem, vol. ii. p. 79. + + [311] Nuzhet El-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 4. + + [312] Idem, sect. 8. + + [313] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 8. + + [314] Ibid.; and Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 105. + + [315] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.] vol. ii. p. 104. + + [316] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., _loco laudato_; and Mishkat + el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 89. + + [317] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., _loco laudato_. + + [318] Account of the Emeer Mo[h.]ammad Agha El-Baroodee, + obituary, year 1205. + + [319] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 8. + + [320] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 377. + + [321] Ibid. + + [322] [K.]ur-an, ch. v. v. 9. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF +THE THIRTY-SECOND. + +THE STORY OF THE HUMPBACK. + +There was, in ancient times, in the city of El-Ba[s.]rah,[V_1] a +tailor who enjoyed an ample income, and was fond of sport and merriment. +He was in the habit of going out occasionally with his wife, that they +might amuse themselves with strange and diverting scenes; and one day +they went forth in the afternoon,[V_2] and, returning home in the +evening, met a humpbacked man, whose aspect was such as to excite +laughter in the angry, and to dispel anxiety and grief: so they +approached him to enjoy the pleasure of gazing at him, and invited him +to return with them to their house, and to join with them in a carousal +that night. + +He assented to their proposal; and after he had gone with them to the +house, the tailor went out to the market; night having then approached. +He bought some dried fish, and bread and limes and sweetmeat, and, +returning with them, placed the fish before the humpback and they sat +down to eat; and the tailor's wife took a large piece of fish, and +crammed the humpback with it, and, closing his mouth with her hand, +said, By Allah, thou shalt not swallow it but by gulping it at once, and +I will not give thee time to chew it. He therefore swallowed it; but it +contained a large and sharp bone, which stuck across in his throat, his +destiny having so determined, and he expired. The tailor exclaimed, +There is no strength nor power but in God the High, the Great! Alas, +that this poor creature should not have died but in this manner by our +hands!--Wherefore this idling? exclaimed the woman.--And what can I do? +asked her husband.--Arise she answered, and take him in thy bosom, and +cover him with a silk napkin: I will go out first and do thou follow me, +this very night and say, This is my son, and this is his mother; and we +are going to convey him to the physician, that he may give him some +medicine. + +No sooner had the tailor heard these words than he arose, and took the +humpback in his bosom. His wife, accompanying him, exclaimed, O my +child! may Allah preserve thee! Where is the part in which thou feelest +pain; and where hath this small-pox attacked thee?--So every one who saw +them said, They are conveying a child smitten with the small-pox. Thus +they proceeded, inquiring as they went, for the abode of the physician; +and the people directed them to the house of a physician who was a Jew; +and they knocked at the door, and there came down to them a black +slave-girl, who opened the door, and beheld a man carrying (as she +imagined) a child, and attended by its mother; and she said, What is +your business?--We have a child here answered the tailor's wife, and we +want the physician to see him: take, then, this quarter of a piece of +gold, and give it to thy master, and let him come down and see my son; +for he is ill. The girl, therefore, went up, and the tailor's wife, +entering the vestibule, said to her husband, Leave the humpback here, +and let us take ourselves away. And the tailor, accordingly, set him up +against the wall, and went out with his wife. + +The slave-girl, meanwhile, went in to the Jew, and said to him, Below, +in the house, is a sick person, with a woman and a man: and they have +given me a quarter of a piece of gold for thee, that thou mayest +prescribe for them what may suit his case. And when the Jew saw the +quarter of a piece of gold, he rejoiced, and, rising in haste, went down +in the dark; and in doing so, his foot struck against the lifeless +humpback. O Ezra! he exclaimed--O Heavens and the Ten Commandments! O +Aaron, and Joshua son of Nun! It seemeth that I have stumbled against +this sick person, and he hath fallen down the stairs and died! And how +shall I go forth with one killed from my house? O Ezra's +ass![V_3]--He then raised him, and took him up from the court of +the house to his wife, and acquainted her with the accident.--And why +sittest thou here idle? said she; for if thou remain thus until daybreak +our lives will be lost: let me and thee, then, take him up to the +terrace, and throw him into the house of our neighbour the Muslim; for +he is the steward of the Sul[t.]an's kitchen, and often do the cats come +to his house, and eat of the food which they find there;[V_4] as do +the mice too: and if he remain there for a night, the dogs will come +down to him from the terraces and eat him up entirely.[V_5] So the +Jew and his wife went up, carrying the humpback, and let him down by his +hands and feet to the pavement; placing him against the wall; which +having done, they descended. + +Not long had the humpback been thus deposited when the steward returned +to his house, and opened the door, and, going up with a lighted candle +in his hand, found a son of Adam standing in the corner next the +kitchen; upon which he exclaimed, What is this? By Allah, the thief that +hath stolen our goods is none other than a son of Adam, who taketh what +he findeth of flesh or grease, even though I keep it concealed from the +cats and the dogs; and if I killed all the cats and dogs of the quarter +it would be of no use; for he cometh down from the terraces!--And so +saying, he took up a great mallet, and struck him with it, and then, +drawing close to him, gave him a second blow with it upon the chest, +when the humpback fell down, and he found that he was dead; whereupon he +grieved, and said, There is no strength nor power but in God! And he +feared for himself, and exclaimed, Curse upon the grease and the flesh, +and upon this night, in which the destiny of this man hath been +accomplished by my hand! Then, looking upon him, and perceiving that he +was a humpback, he said, Is it not enough that thou art humpbacked, but +must thou also be a robber, and steal the flesh and the grease? O +Protector, cover me with thy gracious shelter!--And he lifted him upon +his shoulders, and descended, and went forth from his house, towards the +close of the night, and stopped not until he had conveyed him to the +commencement of the market-street, where he placed him upon his feet by +the side of a shop at the entrance of a lane, and there left him and +retired. + +Soon after, there came a Christian, the Sul[t.]an's broker, who, in a +state of intoxication, had come forth to visit the bath; and he +advanced, staggering, until he drew near to the humpback, when he turned +his eyes, and beheld one standing by him. Now some persons had snatched +off his turban early in the night,[V_6] and when he saw the +humpback standing there, he concluded that he intended to do the same; +so he clenched his fist, and struck him on the neck. Down fell the +humpback upon the ground, and the Christian called out to the watchman +of the market,[V_7] while, still in the excess of his intoxication, +he continued beating the humpback, and attempting to throttle him. As he +was thus employed, the watchman came, and, finding the Christian +kneeling upon the Muslim[V_8] and beating him, said, Arise, and +quit him! He arose, therefore, and the watchman, approaching the +humpback, saw that he was dead, and exclaimed, How is it that the +Christian dareth to kill the Muslim? Then seizing the Christian, he +bound his hands behind him, and took him to the house of the +Walee;[V_9] the Christian saying within himself, O Heavens! O +Virgin! how have I killed this man? and how quickly did he die from a +blow of the hand!--Intoxication had departed, and reflection had come. + +The humpback and the Christian passed the remainder of the night in the +house of the Walee, and the Walee ordered the executioner to proclaim +the Christian's crime, and he set up a gallows, and stationed him +beneath it. The executioner then came, and threw the rope round his +neck, and was about to hang him, when the Sul[t.]an's steward pushed +through the crowd, seeing the Christian standing beneath the gallows, +and the people made way for him, and he said to the executioner, Do it +not; for it was I who killed him.--Wherefore didst thou kill him? said +the Walee. He answered, I went into my house last night, and saw that he +had descended from the terrace and stolen my goods; so I struck him with +a mallet upon his chest, and he died, and I carried him out, and +conveyed him to the market-street, where I set him up in such a place, +at the entrance of such a lane. Is it not enough for me to have killed a +Muslim, that a Christian should be killed on my account? Hang, then, +none but me.--The Walee, therefore, when he heard these words, liberated +the Christian broker, and said to the executioner, Hang this man, on the +ground of his confession. And he took off the rope from the neck of the +Christian, and put it round the neck of the steward, and, having +stationed him beneath the gallows, was about to hang him, when the +Jewish physician pushed through the crowd, and called out to the +executioner, saying to him, Do it not; for none killed him but I; and +the case was this: he came to my house to be cured of a disease, and as +I descended to him I struck against him with my foot, and he died: kill +not the steward, therefore; but kill me. So the Walee gave orders to +hang the Jewish physician; and the executioner took off the rope from +the steward's neck, and put it round the neck of the Jew. But, lo, the +tailor came, and, forcing his way among the people, said to the +executioner, Do it not; for none killed him but I; and it happened thus: +I was out amusing myself during the day, and as I was returning at the +commencement of the night, I met this humpback in a state of +intoxication, with a tambourine, and singing merrily; and I stopped to +divert myself by looking at him, and took him to my house. I then bought +some fish, and we sat down to eat, and my wife took a piece of fish and +a morsel of bread, and crammed them into his mouth, and he was choked, +and instantly died. Then I and my wife took him to the house of the Jew, +and the girl came down and opened the door, and while she went up to her +master, I set up the humpback by the stairs, and went away with my wife: +so, when the Jew came down and stumbled against him, he thought that he +had killed him.--And he said to the Jew, Is this true? He answered, Yes. +The tailor, then, looking towards the Walee, said to him, Liberate the +Jew, and hang me. And when the Walee heard this he was astonished at the +case of the humpback, and said, Verily this is an event that should be +recorded in books! And he said to the executioner, Liberate the Jew, and +hang the tailor on account of his own confession. So the executioner led +him forward, saying, Dost thou put forward this and take back that; and +shall we not hang one? And he put the rope round the neck of the tailor. + +Now the humpback was the Sul[t.]an's buffoon, and the Sul[t.]an could +not bear him to be out of his sight; and when the humpback had got +drunk, and been absent that night and the next day until noon, the King +inquired respecting him of some of his attendants, and they answered +him, O our lord, the Walee hath taken him forth dead, and gave orders to +hang the person who killed him, and there came a second and a third +person, each saying, None killed him but I:--and describing to the Walee +the cause of his killing him. When the King, therefore, heard this, he +called out to the Chamberlain, and said to him, Go down to the Walee, +and bring them all hither before me. So the Chamberlain went down, and +found that the executioner had almost put to death the tailor, and he +called out to him, saying, Do it not:--and informed the Walee that the +case had been reported to the King. And he took him, and the humpback +borne with him, and the tailor and the Jew and the Christian and the +steward, and went up with them all to the King; and when the Walee came +into the presence of the King, he kissed the ground, and related to him +all that had happened. And the King was astonished, and was moved with +merriment, at hearing this tale; and he commanded that it should be +written in letters of gold. He then said to those who were present, Have +ye ever heard anything like the story of this humpback? And upon this +the Christian advanced, and said, O King of the age, if thou permit me I +will relate to thee an event that hath occurred to me more wonderful and +strange and exciting than the story of the humpback.--Tell us then thy +story, said the King. And the Christian related as follows:-- + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +THE STORY TOLD BY THE CHRISTIAN BROKER. + +Know, O King of the age, that I came to this country with merchandise, +and destiny stayed me among your people. I was born in Cairo, and am one +of its Copts, and there I was brought up. My father was a broker; and +when I had attained to manhood, he died, and I succeeded to his +business; and as I was sitting one day, lo, a young man of most handsome +aspect, and clad in a dress of the richest description, came to me, +riding upon an ass, and, when he saw me, saluted me; whereupon I rose to +him, to pay him honour, and he produced a handkerchief containing some +sesame, and said, What is the value of an ardebb[V_10] of this? I +answered him, A hundred pieces of silver. And he said to me, Take +the carriers and the measurers, and repair to the Khan of +El-Jawalee[V_11] in the district of Bab en-Na[s.]r:[V_12] +there wilt thou find me. And he left me and went his way, after having +given me the handkerchief with the sample of the sesame. So I went about +to the purchasers; and the price of each ardebb amounted to a hundred +and twenty pieces of silver; and I took with me four carriers, and went +to him. I found him waiting my arrival; and when he saw me he rose and +opened a magazine, and we measured its contents, and the whole amounted +to fifty ardebbs. The young man then said, Thou shalt have, for every +ardebb, ten pieces of silver as brokerage; and do thou receive the price +and keep it in thy care: the whole sum will be five thousand; and thy +share of it, five hundred: so there will remain for me four thousand and +five hundred; and when I shall have finished the sale of the goods +contained in my store-rooms, I will come to thee and receive it. I +replied, It shall be as thou desirest. And I kissed his hand, and left +him. Thus there accrued to me, on that day, a thousand pieces of silver, +besides my brokerage.[V_13] + +He was absent from me a month, at the expiration of which he came and +said to me, Where is the money? I answered, Here it is, ready. And he +said, Keep it until I come to thee to receive it. And I remained +expecting him; but he was absent from me another month; after which he +came again, and said, Where is the money? Whereupon I arose and saluted +him, and said to him, Wilt thou eat something with us? He, however, +declined, and said, Keep the money until I shall have gone and returned +to receive it from thee. He then departed; and I arose, and prepared for +him the money, and sat expecting him; but again he absented himself from +me for a month, and then came and said, After this day I will receive it +from thee. And he departed, and I made ready the money for him as +before, and sat waiting his return. Again, however, he remained a month +absent from me, and I said within myself, Verily this young man is +endowed with consummate liberality! After the month he came, attired in +rich clothing, and resembling the full moon, appearing as if he had just +come out of the bath, with red cheek and fair forehead, and a mole like +a globule of ambergris. When I beheld him I kissed his hand, and invoked +a blessing upon him, and said to him, O my master, wilt thou not take +thy money?--Have patience with me, he answered, until I shall have +transacted all my affairs, after which I will receive it from thee. And +so saying, he departed; and I said within myself, By Allah, when he +cometh I will entertain him as a guest, on account of the profit which I +have derived from his money; for great wealth hath accrued to me from +it. + +At the close of the year he returned, clad in a dress richer than the +former; and I swore to him that he should alight to be my guest.--On the +condition, he replied, that thou expend nothing of my money that is in +thy possession. I said, Well:--and, having seated him, prepared what was +requisite of meats and drinks and other provisions, and placed them +before him, saying, In the name of Allah! And he drew near to the table, +and put forth his left hand, and thus ate with me: so I was surprised at +him;[V_14] and when we had finished he washed his hand, and I gave +him a napkin with which to wipe it. We then sat down to converse, and I +said, O my master dispel a trouble from my mind. Wherefore didst thou +eat with thy left hand? Probably something paineth thee in thy right +hand?--On hearing these words, he stretched forth his arm from his +sleeve,[V_15] and behold, it was maimed--an arm without a hand! And +I wondered at this; but he said to me, Wonder not; nor say in thy heart +that I ate with thee with my left hand from a motive of self-conceit; +for rather to be wondered at is the cause of the cutting off of my right +hand. And what, said I, was the cause of it? He answered, thus:-- + +Know that I am from Baghdad: my father was one of the chief people of +that city; and when I had attained the age of manhood, I heard the +wanderers and travellers and merchants conversing respecting the land of +Egypt, and their words remained in my heart until my father died, when I +took large sums of money, and prepared merchandise consisting of the +stuffs of Baghdad and of El-Mo[s.]il, and similar precious goods, and, +having packed them up, journeyed from Baghdad; and God decreed me safety +until I entered this your city. And so saying, he wept, and repeated +these verses:-- + + The blear-eyed escapeth a pit into which the clear-sighted falleth; + And the ignorant, an expression by which the shrewd sage is ruined. + The believer can scarce earn his food, while the impious infidel + is favoured. + What art or act can a man devise? It is what the Almighty appointeth! + +I entered Cairo, continued the young man, and deposited the stuffs in +the Khan of Mesroor,[V_16] and, having unbound my packages and put +them in the magazines, gave to the servant some money to buy for us +something to eat, after which I slept a little; and when I arose, I went +to Beyn el-[K.]a[s.]reyn.[V_17] I then returned, and passed the +night; and in the morning following, I opened a bale of stuff, and said +within myself, I will arise and go through some of the market-streets, +and see the state of the mart. So I took some stuff, and made some of my +servants carry it, and proceeded until I arrived at the [K.]eysareeyeh +of Jaharkas,[V_18] where the brokers came to me, having heard of my +arrival, and took from me the stuff, and cried it about for sale; but +the price bidden amounted not to the prime cost. And upon this the +Sheykh of the brokers said to me, O my master, I know a plan by which +thou mayest profit; and it is this: that thou do as other merchants, and +sell thy merchandise upon credit for a certain period, employing a +scrivener and a witness and a money-changer, and receive a portion of +the profits every Thursday and Monday; so shalt thou make of every piece +of silver two; and besides that, thou wilt be able to enjoy the +amusements afforded by Egypt and its Nile.--The advice is judicious, I +replied: and accordingly I took the brokers with me to the Khan, and +they conveyed the stuffs to the [K.]eysareeyeh, where I sold it to the +merchants, writing a bond in their names, which I committed to the +money-changer, and taking from him a corresponding bond. I then returned +to the Khan, and remained there some days; and every day I took for my +breakfast a cup of wine, and had mutton and sweetmeats prepared for me, +until the month in which I became entitled to the receipt of the +profits, when I seated myself every Thursday and Monday at the shops of +the merchants, and the money-changer went with the scrivener and brought +me the money. + +[Illustration] + +Thus did I until one day I went to the bath and returned to the Khan, +and, entering my lodging, took for my breakfast a cup of wine, and then +slept; and when I awoke I ate a fowl,[V_19] and perfumed myself +with essence, and repaired to the shop of a merchant named Bedr-ed-Deen +the Gardener,[V_20] who, when he saw me, welcomed me, and conversed +with me a while in his shop; and as we were thus engaged, lo, a female +came and seated herself by my side. She wore a headkerchief inclined on +one side, and the odours of sweet perfumes were diffused from her, and +she captivated my reason by her beauty and loveliness as she raised her +izar and I beheld her black eyes. She saluted Bedr-ed-Deen, and he +returned her salutation, and stood conversing with her; and when I heard +her speech, love for her took entire possession of my heart. She then +said to Bedr-ed-Deen, Hast thou a piece of stuff woven with pure gold +thread? And he produced to her a piece; and she said, May I take it and +go, and then send thee the price? But he answered, It is impossible, O +my mistress; for this is the owner of the stuff, and I owe him a portion +of the profit.--Wo to thee! said she: it is my custom to take of thee +each piece of stuff for a considerable sum of money, giving thee a gain +beyond thy wish, and then to send thee the price.--Yes, he rejoined; but +I am in absolute want of the price this day. And upon this she took the +piece and threw it back to him upon his breast, saying, Verily your +class knows not how to respect any person's rank! And she arose, and +turned away. I felt then as if my soul went with her, and, rising upon +my feet, I said to her, O my mistress, kindly bestow a look upon me, and +retrace thine honoured steps. And she returned, and smiled and said, For +thy sake I return. And she sat opposite me upon the seat of the shop; +and I said to Bedr-ed-Deen, What is the price that thou hast agreed to +give for this piece. He answered, Eleven hundred pieces of silver. And I +said to him, Thy profit shall be a hundred pieces of silver: give me +then a paper, and I will write for thee the price upon it. I then took +the piece of stuff from him, and wrote him the paper with my own hand, +and gave the piece of stuff to the lady, saying to her, Take it and go; +and if thou wilt, bring the price to me in the market; or, if thou wilt, +it shall be my present to thee. She replied, God recompense thee, and +bless thee with my property, and make thee my husband; and may God +accept this prayer!--O my mistress, said I, let this piece of stuff be +thine, and another like it, and permit me to see thy face. And upon this +she raised her veil; and when I beheld her face, the sight drew from me +a thousand sighs, and my heart was entangled by her love, so that I no +longer remained master of my reason. She then lowered the veil again, +and took the piece of stuff, saying, O my master, leave me not desolate. +So she departed, while I continued sitting in the market-street until +past the hour of afternoon-prayer, with wandering mind, overpowered by +love. In the excess of my passion, before I rose I asked the merchant +respecting her; and he answered me, She is a rich lady, the daughter of +a deceased Emeer, who left her great property. + +I then took leave of him, and returned to the Khan, and the supper was +placed before me; but, reflecting upon her, I could eat nothing. I laid +myself down to rest; but sleep came not to me, and I remained awake +until the morning, when I arose and put on a suit of clothing different +from that which I had worn the day before; and, having drunk a cup of +wine, and eaten a few morsels as my breakfast, repaired again to the +shop of the merchant, and saluted him, and sat down with him. The lady +soon came, wearing a dress more rich than the former, and attended by a +slave-girl; and she seated herself, and saluted me instead of +Bedr-ed-Deen, and said, with an eloquent tongue which I had never heard +surpassed in softness or sweetness, Send with me some one to receive the +twelve hundred pieces of silver, the price of the piece of +stuff.--Wherefore, said I, this haste? She replied, May we never lose +thee! And she handed to me the price; and I sat conversing with her, and +made a sign to her, which she understood, intimating my wish to visit +her: whereupon she rose in haste, expressing displeasure at my hint. My +heart clung to her, and I followed in the direction of her steps through +the market-street; and lo, a slave-girl came to me, and said, O my +master, answer the summons of my mistress. Wondering at this, I said, No +one here knoweth me.--How soon, she rejoined, hast thou forgotten her! +My mistress is she who was to-day at the shop of the merchant +Bedr-ed-Deen.--So I went with her until we arrived at the +money-changer's;[V_21] and when her mistress, who was there, beheld +me, she drew me to her side, and said, O my beloved, thou hast wounded +my heart, and love of thee hath taken possession of it; and from the +time that I first saw thee, neither sleep nor food nor drink hath been +pleasant to me. I replied, And more than that do I feel; and the state +in which I am needs no complaint to testify it.--Then shall I visit +thee, O my beloved, she asked, or wilt thou come to me? For our marriage +must be a secret.[V_22]--I am a stranger, I answered, and have no +place of reception but the Khan; therefore, if thou wilt kindly permit +me to go to thine abode the pleasure will be perfect.--Well, she +replied; but to-night is the eve of Friday, and let nothing be done till +to-morrow, when, after thou hast joined in the prayers, do thou mount +thine ass, and inquire for the [H.]abbaneeyeh;[V_23] and when thou +hast arrived there, ask for the house called the [K.]a'ah[V_24] of +Barakat the Na[k.]eeb,[V_25] known by the surname of Aboo-Shameh; +for there do I reside; and delay not; for I shall be anxiously expecting +thee. + +On hearing this I rejoiced exceedingly, and we parted; and I returned to +the Khan in which I lodged. I passed the whole night sleepless, and was +scarcely sure that the daybreak had appeared when I rose and changed my +clothes, and, having perfumed myself with essences and sweet scents, +took with me fifty pieces of gold in a handkerchief, and walked from the +Khan of Mesroor to Bab Zuweyleh,[V_26] where I mounted an ass, and +said to its owner, Go with me to the [H.]abbaneeyeh. And in less than +the twinkling of an eye he set off, and soon he stopped at a by-street +called Darb El-Muna[k.][k.]iree, when I said to him, Enter the street, +and inquire for the [K.]a'ah of the Na[k.]eeb. He was absent but a +little while, and, returning, said, Alight.--Walk on before me, said I, +to the [K.]a'ah. And he went on until he had led me to the house; +whereupon I said to him, To-morrow come to me hither to convey me +back.--In the name of Allah, he replied: and I handed to him a quarter +of a piece of gold, and he took it and departed. I then knocked at the +door, and there came forth to me two young virgins in whom the forms of +womanhood had just developed themselves, resembling two moons, and they +said, Enter; for our mistress is expecting thee, and she hath not slept +last night from her excessive love for thee. I entered an upper saloon +with seven doors: around it were latticed windows looking upon a garden +in which were fruits of every kind, and running streams and singing +birds: it was plastered with imperial gypsum, in which a man might see +his face reflected:[V_27] its roof was ornamented with gilding, and +surrounded by inscriptions in letters of gold upon a ground of +ultramarine: it comprised a variety of beauties, and shone in the eyes +of beholders: the pavement was of coloured marbles, having in the midst +of it a fountain, with four snakes of red gold casting forth water from +their mouths like pearls and jewels at the corners of the +pool;[V_28] and it was furnished with carpets of coloured silk, and +mattresses. + +[Illustration] + +Having entered, I seated myself; and scarcely had I done so when the +lady approached me. She wore a crown set with pearls and +jewels;[V_29] her hands and feet were stained with [h.]enna; and +her bosom was ornamented with gold. As soon as she beheld me she smiled +in my face, and embraced me, saying, Is it true that thou hast come to +me, or is this a dream?--I am thy slave, I answered; and she said, Thou +art welcome. Verily, from the time when I first saw thee, neither sleep +hath been sweet to me, nor hath food been pleasant!--In such case have +_I_ been, I replied;--and we sat down to converse; but I hung down my +head towards the ground, in bashfulness; and not long had I thus +remained when a repast was placed before me, consisting of the most +exquisite dishes, as fricandoes and hashes and stuffed fowls. I ate with +her until we were satisfied; when they brought the basin and ewer, and I +washed my hands; after which we perfumed ourselves with rose-water +infused with musk, and sat down again to converse: expressing to each +other our mutual passion; and her love took such possession of me that +all the wealth I possessed seemed worthless in comparison. In this +manner we continued to enjoy ourselves until, night approaching, the +female slaves brought supper and wine, a complete service; and we drank +until midnight. Never in my life had I passed such a night. And when +morning came, I arose, and, having thrown to her the handkerchief +containing the pieces of gold,[V_30] I took leave of her and went +out; but as I did so she wept, and said, O my master, when shall I see +again this lovely face? I answered her, I will be with thee at the +commencement of the night. And when I went forth, I found the owner of +the ass, who had brought me the day before, waiting for me at the door; +and I mounted, and returned with him to the Khan of Mesroor, where I +alighted, and gave to him half a piece of gold, saying to him, Come +hither at sunset. He replied, On the head be thy command. + +I entered the Khan, and ate my breakfast, and then went forth to collect +the price of my stuffs; after which I returned. I had prepared for my +wife a roasted lamb, and purchased some sweetmeat and I now called the +porter, described to him the house, and gave him his hire. Having done +this, I occupied myself again with my business until sunset, when the +owner of the ass came, and I took fifty pieces of gold, and put them +into a handkerchief. Entering the house, I found that they had wiped the +marble and polished the vessels of copper and brass, and filled the +lamps and lighted the candles, and dished the supper and strained the +wine; and when my wife saw me, she threw her arms around my neck, and +said, Thou hast made me desolate by thine absence! The tables were then +placed before us, and we ate until we were satisfied, and the +slave-girls took away the first table, and placed before us the wine; +and we sat drinking, and eating of the dried fruits, and making merry, +until midnight. We then slept until morning, when I arose and handed her +the fifty pieces of gold as before, and left her. + +Thus I continued to do for a long time, until I passed the night and +awoke possessing not a piece of silver nor one of gold; and I said +within myself, This is the work of the Devil! And I repeated these +verses:-- + + Poverty causeth the lustre of a man to grow dim, like the yellowness + of the setting sun. + When absent, he is not remembered among mankind; and when present, + he shareth not their pleasures. + In the market-streets he shunneth notice; and in desert places + he poureth forth his tears. + By Allah! a man, among his own relations, when afflicted with poverty, + is as a stranger! + +[Illustration] + +With these reflections I walked forth into Beyn el-[K.]a[s.]reyn, and +proceeded thence to Bab Zuweyleh, where I found the people crowding +together, so that the gate was stopped up by their number; and, as +destiny willed, I saw there a trooper, and, unintentionally pressing +against him, my hand came in contact with his pocket, and I felt it, and +found that it contained a purse; and I caught hold of the purse, and +took it from his pocket. But the trooper felt that his pocket was +lightened, and, putting his hand into it, found nothing; upon which he +looked aside at me, and raised his hand with the mace,[V_31] and +struck me upon my head. I fell to the ground, and the people surrounded +us, and seized the bridle of the trooper's horse, saying, On account of +the crowd dost thou strike this young man such a blow? But he called out +to them and said, This is a robber! On hearing this I feared. The people +around me said, This is a comely young man, and hath taken nothing. +While some, however, believed this, others disbelieved; and after many +words, the people dragged me along, desiring to liberate me: but, as it +was predestined, there came at this moment the Walee and other +magistrates entering the gate, and, seeing the people surrounding me and +the trooper, the Walee said, What is the news? The trooper answered, By +Allah, O Emeer, this is a robber: I had in my pocket a blue purse +containing twenty pieces of gold; and he took it while I was pressed by +the crowd.--Was any one with thee? asked the Walee. The trooper +answered, No. And the Walee called out to the chief of his servants, +saying, Seize him and search him. So he seized me; and protection was +withdrawn from me; and the Walee said to him, Strip him of all that is +upon him. And when he did so, they found the purse in my clothes: and +the Walee, taking it, counted the money, and found it to be twenty +pieces of gold, as the trooper had said; whereupon he was enraged, and +called out to his attendants, saying, Bring him forward. They, +therefore, brought me before him, and he said to me, O young man, tell +the truth. Didst thou steal this purse?--And I hung down my head towards +the ground, saying within myself, If I answer that I did not steal it, +it will be useless, for he hath produced it from my clothes; and if I +say, I stole it, I fall into trouble. I then raised my head, and said, +Yes, I took it. And when the Walee heard these words, he wondered, and +called witnesses, who presented themselves, and gave their testimony to +my confession.--All this took place at Bab Zuweyleh.--The Walee then +ordered the executioner to cut off my hand; and he cut off my right +hand;[V_32] but the heart of the trooper was moved with compassion for +me, and he interceded for me that I should not be killed:[V_33] so the +Walee left me and departed. The people however continued around me, and +gave me to drink a cup of wine; and the trooper gave me the purse, +saying, Thou art a comely youth, and it is not fit that thou shouldst +be a thief. And I took it from him, and addressed him with these +verses:-- + + By Allah! good sir, I was not a robber; nor was I a thief, O, best + of mankind! + But fortune's vicissitudes overthrew me suddenly, and anxiety + and trouble and poverty overpowered me. + I cast it not; but it was the Deity who cast an arrow that threw + down the kingly diadem from my head.[V_34] + +The trooper then left me and departed, after having given me the purse, +and I went my way; but first I wrapped my hand in a piece of +rag,[V_35] and put it in my bosom. My condition thus altered, and +my countenance pallid in consequence of my sufferings, I walked to the +[K.]a'ah, and, in a disordered state of mind, threw myself upon the bed. +My wife, seeing my complexion thus changed, said to me, What hath pained +thee, and wherefore do I see thee thus altered? I answered her, My head +acheth, and I am not well. And on hearing this she was vexed, and became +ill on my account, and said, Burn not my heart, O my master! Sit up, and +raise thy head, and tell me what hath happened to thee this day; for I +read a tale in thy face.--Abstain from speaking to me, I replied. And +she wept, and said, It seemeth that thou art tired of us; for I see thee +to be conducting thyself in a manner contrary to thy usual habit. Then +she wept again, and continued addressing me, though I made her no reply, +until the approach of night, when she placed some food before me; but I +abstained from it, fearing that she should see me eat with my left hand, +and said, I have no desire to eat at present. She then said again, Tell +me what hath happened to thee this day, and wherefore I see thee anxious +and broken-hearted. I answered, I will presently tell thee at my +leisure. And she put the wine towards me, saying, Take it; for it will +dispel thine anxiety; and thou must drink, and tell me thy story. I +replied, therefore, If it must be so, give me to drink with thy hand. +And she filled a cup and drank it; and then filled it again and handed +it to me, and I took it from her with my left hand, and, while tears ran +from my eyes, I repeated these verses:-- + + When God willeth an event to befall a man who is endowed with reason + and hearing and sight, + He deafeneth his ears, and blindeth his heart, and draweth his reason + from him as a hair.[V_36] + Till, having fulfilled his purpose against him, He restoreth him + his reason that he may be admonished.[V_37] + +Having thus said, I wept again; and when she saw me do so, she uttered a +loud cry, and said, What is the reason of thy weeping? Thou hast burned +my heart! And wherefore didst thou take the cup with thy left hand?--I +answered her, I have a boil upon my right hand.--Then put it forth, said +she, that I may open it for thee.--It is not yet, I replied, the proper +time for opening it; and continue not to ask me; for I will not put it +forth at present. I then drank the contents of the cup, and she +continued to hand me the wine until intoxication overcame me, and I +fell asleep in the place where I was sitting; upon which she discovered +that my right arm was without a hand, and, searching me, saw the purse +containing the gold. + +Grief, such as none else experienceth, overcame her at the sight; and +she suffered incessant torment on my account until the morning, when I +awoke, and found that she had prepared for me a dish composed of four +boiled fowls, which she placed before me. She then gave me to drink a +cup of wine; and I ate and drank, and put down the purse, and was about +to depart; but she said, Whither wouldst thou go? I answered, To such a +place, to dispel somewhat of the anxiety which oppresseth my heart.--Go +not, said she; but rather sit down again. So I sat down, and she said to +me, Hath thy love of me become so excessive that thou hast expended all +thy wealth upon me, and lost thy hand? I take thee, then, as witness +against me, and God also is witness, that I will never desert thee; and +thou shalt see the truth of my words.--Immediately, therefore, she sent +for witnesses, who came; and she said to them, Write my contract of +marriage to this young man, and bear witness that I have received the +dowry. And they did as she desired them; after which she said, Bear +witness that all my property which is in this chest, and all my memlooks +and female slaves, belong to this young man. Accordingly, they declared +themselves witnesses of her declaration, and I accepted the property, +and they departed after they had received their fees. She then took me +by my hand, and, having led me to a closet, opened a large chest, and +said to me, See what is contained in this chest. I looked, therefore; +and lo, it was full of handkerchiefs; and she said, This is thy +property; which I have received from thee: for every time that thou +gavest me a handkerchief containing fifty pieces of gold, I wrapped it +up, and threw it into this chest: take, then, thy property; for God hath +restored it to thee, and thou art now of high estate. Fate hath +afflicted thee on my account so that thou hast lost thy right hand, and +I am unable to compensate thee: if I should sacrifice my life, it would +be but a small thing, and thy generosity would still have surpassed +mine.--She then added, Now take possession of thy property. So I +received it; and she transferred the contents of her chest to mine, +adding her property to mine which I had given her. My heart rejoiced, my +anxiety ceased, and I approached and kissed her, and made myself merry +by drinking with her; after which she said again, Thou hast sacrificed +all thy wealth and thy hand through love of me, and how can I compensate +thee? By Allah, if I gave my life for love of thee, it were but a small +thing, and I should not do justice to thy claims upon me.--She then +wrote a deed of gift transferring to me all her apparel, and her +ornaments of gold and jewels, and her houses and other possessions; and +she passed that night in grief on my account, having heard my relation +of the accident that had befallen me. + +Thus we remained less than a month, during which time she became more +and more infirm and disordered; and she endured no more than fifty days +before she was numbered among the people of the other world. So I +prepared her funeral, and deposited her body in the earth, and having +caused recitations of the [K.]ur-an to be performed for her, and given a +considerable sum of money in alms for her sake, returned from the tomb. +I found that she had possessed abundant wealth, and houses and lands, +and among her property were the store-rooms of sesame of which I sold to +thee the contents of one; and I was not prevented from settling with +thee during this period but by my being busied in selling the remainder, +the price of which I have not yet entirely received. Now I desire of +thee that thou wilt not oppose me in that which I am about to say to +thee; since I have eaten of thy food: I give thee the price of the +sesame, which is in thy hands.--This which I have told thee was the +cause of my eating with my left hand. + +I replied, Thou hast treated me with kindness and generosity:--and he +then said, Thou must travel with me to my country; for I have bought +merchandise of Cairo and Alexandria. Wilt thou accompany me?--I +answered, Yes;--and promised him that I would be ready by the first day +of the following month. So I sold all that I possessed, and, having +bought merchandise with the produce, travelled with the young man to +this thy country, where he sold his merchandise and bought other in its +stead, after which he returned to the land of Egypt: but it was my lot +to remain here, and to experience that which hath befallen me this night +during my absence from my native country.--Now is not this, O King of +the age, more wonderful than the story of the humpback? + +The King replied, Ye must be hanged, all of you!--And upon this, the +Sul[t.]an's steward advanced towards the King, and said, If thou permit +me, I will relate to thee a story that I happened to hear just before I +found this humpback; and if it be more wonderful than the events +relating to him, wilt thou grant us our lives?--The King answered, Tell +thy story:--and he began thus:-- + +[Illustration] + + +THE STORY TOLD BY THE SUL[T.]AN'S STEWARD. + +I was last night with a party who celebrated a recitation of the +[K.]ur-an,[V_38] for which purpose they had assembled the +professors of religion and law; and when these reciters had accomplished +their task, the servants spread a repast, comprising among other dishes +a zirbajeh.[V_39] We approached, therefore, to eat of the zirbajeh; +but one of the company drew back, and refused to partake of it: we +conjured him; yet he swore that he would not eat of it: and we pressed +him again; but he said, Press me not; for I have suffered enough from +eating of this dish. And when we had finished, we said to him, By Allah, +tell us the reason of thine abstaining from eating of this zirbajeh. He +replied, Because I cannot eat of it unless I wash my hands forty times +with kali, and forty times with cyperus, and forty times with soap; +altogether, a hundred and twenty times. And upon this, the giver of the +entertainment ordered his servants, and they brought water and the other +things which this man required: so he washed his hands as he had +described, and advanced, though with disgust, and, having seated +himself, stretched forth his hand as one in fear, and put it into the +zirbajeh, and began to eat, while we regarded him with the utmost +wonder. His hand trembled, and when he put it forth, we saw that his +thumb was cut off, and that he ate with his four fingers: we therefore +said to him, We conjure thee, by Allah, to tell us how was thy thumb +maimed: was it thus created by God, or hath some accident happened to +it?--O my brothers, he answered, not only have I lost this thumb, but +also the thumb of the other hand; and each of my feet is in like manner +deprived of the great toe: but see ye:--and, so saying, he uncovered the +stump of the thumb of his other hand, and we found it like the right; +and so also his feet, destitute of the great toes. At the sight of this, +our wonder increased, and we said to him, We are impatient to hear thy +story, and thine account of the cause of the amputation of thy thumbs +and great toes, and the reason of thy washing thy hands a hundred and +twenty times. So he said,-- + +Know that my father was a great merchant, the chief of the merchants of +the city of Baghdad in the time of the Khaleefeh Haroon Er-Rasheed; but +he was ardently addicted to the drinking of wine, and hearing the lute; +and when he died, he left nothing. I buried him, and caused recitations +of the [K.]ur-an to be performed for him, and, after I had mourned for +him days and nights, I opened his shop, and found that he had left in it +but few goods, and that his debts were many: however, I induced his +creditors to wait, and calmed their minds, and betook myself to selling +and buying from week to week, and so paying the creditors.[V_40] + +Thus I continued to do for a considerable period, until I had discharged +all the debts and increased my capital; and as I was sitting one day, I +beheld a young lady, than whom my eye had never beheld any more +beautiful, decked with magnificent ornaments and apparel, riding on a +mule, with a slave before her and a slave behind her; and she stopped +the mule at the entrance of the market-street, and entered, followed by +a eunuch, who said to her, O my mistress, enter, but inform no one who +thou art, lest thou open the fire of indignation upon us. The eunuch +then further cautioned her; and when she looked at the shops of the +merchants, she found none more handsome than mine; so, when she arrived +before me, with the eunuch following her, she sat down upon the seat of +my shop, and saluted me; and I never heard speech more charming than +hers, or words more sweet. She then drew aside the veil from her face, +and I directed at her a glance which drew from me a sigh; my heart was +captivated by her love, and I continued repeatedly gazing at her face, +and recited these two verses:-- + + Say to the beauty in the dove-coloured veil, Death would indeed + be welcome to relieve me from thy torment. + Favour me with a visit, that so I may live. See, I stretch forth + my hand to accept thy liberality. + +And when she had heard my recitation of them, she answered thus:-- + + May I lose my heart if it cease to love you! For verily my heart + loveth none but you. + If my eye regard any charms but yours, may the sight of you never + rejoice it after absence! + +She then said to me, O youth, hast thou any handsome stuffs?--O my +mistress, I answered, thy slave is a poor man; but wait until the other +merchants open their shops, and then I will bring thee what thou +desirest. So I conversed with her, drowned in the sea of her love, and +bewildered by my passion for her, until the merchants had opened their +shops, when I arose, and procured all that she wanted, and the price of +these stuffs was five thousand pieces of silver: and she handed them all +to the eunuch, who took them; after which, they both went out from the +market-street, and the slaves brought to her the mule, and she mounted, +without telling me whence she was, and I was ashamed to mention the +subject to her: consequently, I became answerable for the price to the +merchants, incurring a debt of five thousand pieces of silver. + +I went home, intoxicated with her love, and they placed before me the +supper, and I ate a morsel; but reflections upon her beauty and +loveliness prevented my eating more. I desired to sleep, but sleep came +not to me; and in this condition I remained for a week. The merchants +demanded of me their money; but I prevailed upon them to wait another +week; and after this week, the lady came again, riding upon a mule, and +attended by a eunuch and two other slaves; and, having saluted me, said, +O my master, we have been tardy in bringing to thee the price of the +stuffs: bring now the money-changer, and receive it.[V_41] So the +money-changer came, and the eunuch gave him the money, and I took it, +and sat conversing with her until the market was replenished, and the +merchants opened their shops, when she said to me, Procure for me such +and such things. Accordingly, I procured for her what she desired of the +merchants, and she took the goods and departed without saying anything +to me respecting the price. When she had gone, therefore, I repented of +what I had done; for I had procured for her what she demanded for the +price of a thousand pieces of gold; and as soon as she had disappeared +from my sight, I said within myself, What kind of love is this? She hath +brought me five thousand pieces of silver, and taken goods for a +thousand pieces of gold!--I feared that the result would be my +bankruptcy, and the loss of the property of others, and said, The +merchants know none but me, and this woman is no other than a cheat, who +hath imposed upon me by her beauty and loveliness: seeing me to be +young, she hath laughed at me, and I asked her not where was her +residence. + +[Illustration] + +I remained in a state of perplexity, and her absence was prolonged more +than a month. Meanwhile the merchants demanded of me their money, and so +pressed me that I offered my possessions for sale, and was on the brink +of ruin; but as I was sitting absorbed in reflection, suddenly she +alighted at the gate of the market-street, and came in to me. As soon as +I beheld her, my solicitude ceased, and I forgot the trouble which I had +suffered. She approached, and addressed me with her agreeable +conversation, and said, Produce the scales, and weigh thy money:--and +she gave me the price of the goods which she had taken, with a surplus; +after which, she amused herself by talking with me, and I almost died +with joy and happiness. She then said to me, Hast thou a wife? I +answered, No: for I am not acquainted with any woman:--and wept. So she +asked me, What causeth thee to weep? And I answered, A thought that hath +come into my mind:--and, taking some pieces of gold, gave them to the +eunuch, requesting him to grant me his mediation in the affair; upon +which he laughed, and said, She is in love with thee more than thou art +with her, and hath no want of the stuffs, but hath done this only from +her love of thee: propose to her, therefore, what thou wilt; for she +will not oppose thee in that which thou wilt say. Now she observed me +giving the pieces of gold to the eunuch, and returned, and resumed her +seat; and I said to her, Shew favour to thy slave, and pardon me for +that which I am about to say. I then acquainted her with the feelings of +my heart, and my declaration pleased her, and she consented to my +proposal, saying, This eunuch will come with my letter; and do thou what +he shall tell thee;--and she arose, and departed. + +I went to the merchants, and delivered to them their money, and all +profited except myself; for when she left me I mourned for the +interruption of our intercourse, and I slept not during the whole of the +next night: but a few days after, her eunuch came to me, and I received +him with honour, and asked him respecting his mistress. He answered, She +is sick:--and I said to him, Disclose to me her history. He replied, The +lady Zubeydeh, the wife of Haroon Er-Rasheed, brought up this damsel, +and she is one of her slaves: she had desired of her mistress to be +allowed the liberty of going out and returning at pleasure, and the +latter gave her permission: she continued, therefore, to do so until she +became a chief confident; after which, she spoke of thee to her +mistress, and begged that she would marry her to thee: but her mistress +said, I will not do it until I see this young man, and if he have a +desire for thee, I will marry thee to him. We therefore wish to +introduce thee immediately into the palace; and if thou enter without +any one's having knowledge of thy presence, thou wilt succeed in +accomplishing thy marriage with her; but if thy plot be discovered, thy +head will be struck off. What, then, sayest thou?--I answered, Good: I +will go with thee, and await the event that shall befall me there.--As +soon, then, as this next night shall have closed in, said the eunuch, +repair to the mosque which the lady Zubeydeh hath built on the +bank of the Tigris, and there say thy prayers, and pass the +night.[V_42]--Most willingly, I replied. + +Accordingly, when the time of nightfall arrived, I went to the mosque, +and said my prayers there, and passed the night; and as soon as the +morning began to dawn, I saw two eunuchs approaching in a small boat, +conveying some empty chests, which they brought into the mosque. One of +them then departed, and the other remained; and I looked attentively at +him, and lo, it was he who had been our intermediary: and soon after, +the damsel, my companion, came up to us. I rose to her when she +approached, and embraced her; and she kissed me, and wept: and after we +had conversed together for a little while, she took me and placed me in +a chest, and locked it upon me.[V_43] The slaves then brought a +quantity of stuffs, and filled with them the other chests, which they +locked, and conveyed, together with the chest in which I was enclosed, +to the boat, accompanied by the damsel; and having embarked them, they +plied the oars, and proceeded to the palace of the honoured lady +Zubeydeh. The intoxication of love now ceased in me, and reflection came +in its place: I repented of what I had done, and prayed God to deliver +me from my dangerous predicament. + +[Illustration] + +Meanwhile, they arrived at the gate of the Khaleefeh, where they landed, +and took out all the chests, and conveyed them into the palace: but the +chief of the door-keepers, who had been asleep when they arrived, was +awoke by the sounds of their voices, and cried out to the damsel, +saying, The chests must be opened, that I may see what is in them:--and +he arose, and placed his hand upon the chest in which I was hidden. My +reason abandoned me, my heart almost burst from my body, and my limbs +trembled; but the damsel said, These are the chests of the lady +Zubeydeh, and if thou open them and turn them over, she will be incensed +against thee, and we shall all perish. They contain nothing but clothes +dyed of various colours, except this chest upon which thou hast put thy +hand, in which there are also some bottles filled with the water of +Zemzem,[V_44] and if any of the water run out upon the clothes it +will spoil their colours. Now I have advised thee, and it is for thee to +decide: so do what thou wilt.--When he heard, therefore, these words, he +said to her, Take the chests, and pass on:--and the eunuchs immediately +took them up, and, with the damsel, conveyed them into the palace: but +in an instant, I heard a person crying out, and saying, The Khaleefeh! +The Khaleefeh! + +I was bereft of my reason, and seized with a colick from excessive fear; +I almost died, and my limbs were affected with a violent shaking. The +Khaleefeh cried out to the damsel, saying to her, What are these chests? +She answered, O my lord (may God exalt thy dominion!), these chests +contain clothes of my mistress Zubeydeh.--Open them, said the +Khaleefeh, that I may see the clothes.--When I heard this, I felt sure +of my destruction. The damsel could not disobey his command; but she +replied, O Prince of the Faithful, there is nothing in these chests but +clothes of the lady Zubeydeh, and she hath commanded me not to open them +to any one. The Khaleefeh, however, said, The chests must be opened, all +of them, that I may see their contents:--and immediately he called out +to the eunuchs to bring them before him. I therefore felt certain that I +was on the point of destruction. They then brought before him chest +after chest, and opened each to him, and he examined the contents; and +when they brought forward the chest in which I was enclosed, I bade +adieu to life, and prepared myself for death; but as the eunuchs were +about to open it, the damsel said, O Prince of the Faithful, verily this +chest containeth things especially appertaining to women; and it is +proper, therefore, that it should be opened before the lady +Zubeydeh:--and when the Khaleefeh heard her words, he ordered the +eunuchs to convey all the chests into the interior of the palace. The +damsel then hastened, and ordered two eunuchs to carry away the chest in +which I was hidden, and they took it to an inner chamber, and went their +way: whereupon she quickly opened it, and made a sign to me to come out: +so I did as she desired, and entered a closet that was before me, and +she locked the door upon me, and closed the chest: and when the eunuchs +had brought in all the chests, and had gone back, she opened the door of +the closet, and said, Thou hast nothing to fear! May God refresh thine +eye! Come forth now, and go up with me, that thou mayest have the +happiness of kissing the ground before the lady Zubeydeh. + +I therefore went with her, and beheld twenty other female slaves, +high-bosomed virgins, and among them was the lady Zubeydeh, who was +scarcely able to walk from the weight of the robes and ornaments with +which she was decked. As she approached, the female slaves dispersed +from around her, and I advanced to her, and kissed the ground before +her. She made a sign to me to sit down: so I seated myself before her; +and she began to ask me questions respecting my condition and lineage; +to all of which I gave such answers that she was pleased, and said, By +Allah, the care which we have bestowed on the education of this damsel +hath not been in vain. She then said to me, Know that this damsel is +esteemed by us as though she were really our child, and she is a trust +committed to thy care by God. Upon this, therefore, I again kissed the +ground before her, well pleased to marry the damsel; after which, she +commanded me to remain with them ten days. Accordingly, I continued with +them during this period; but I knew nothing meanwhile of the damsel; +certain of the maids only bringing me my dinner and supper, as my +servants. After this, however, the lady Zubeydeh asked permission of her +husband, the Prince of the Faithful, to marry her maid, and he granted +her request, and ordered that ten thousand pieces of gold should be +given to her. + +[Illustration] + +The lady Zubeydeh, therefore, sent for the [K.]a[d.]ee and witnesses, +and they wrote my contract of marriage to the damsel; and the maids then +prepared sweetmeats and exquisite dishes, and distributed them in all +the apartments. Thus they continued to do for a period of ten more days; +and after the twenty days had passed, they conducted the damsel into the +bath, preparatively to my being introduced to her as her husband. They +then brought to me a repast comprising a basin of zirbajeh sweetened +with sugar, perfumed with rose-water infused with musk, and containing +different kinds of fricandoed fowls and a variety of other ingredients, +such as astonished the mind; and, by Allah, when this repast was +brought, I instantly commenced upon the zirbajeh, and ate of it as much +as satisfied me, and wiped my hand, but forgot to wash it. I remained +sitting until it became dark; when the maids lighted the candles, and +the singing-girls approached with the tambourines, and they continued to +display the bride, and to give presents of gold, until she had +perambulated the whole of the palace; after which, they brought her to +me, and disrobed her; and as soon as I was left alone with her, I threw +my arms around her neck, scarcely believing in our union: but as I did +so, she perceived the smell of the zirbajeh from my hand, and +immediately uttered a loud cry: whereupon the female slaves ran in to +her from every quarter. + +I was violently agitated, not knowing what was the matter; and the +slaves who had come in said to her, What hath happened to thee, O our +sister?--Take away from me, she exclaimed to them, this madman, whom I +imagined to be a man of sense!--What indication of my insanity hath +appeared to thee? I asked. Thou madman, said she, wherefore hast thou +eaten of the zirbajeh, and not washed thy hand? By Allah, I will not +accept thee for thy want of sense, and thy disgusting conduct!--And so +saying, she took from her side a whip,[V_45] and beat me with it +upon my back until I became insensible from the number of the stripes. +She then said to the other maids, Take him to the magistrate of the city +police, that he may cut off his hand with which he ate the zirbajeh +without washing it afterwards. On hearing this, I exclaimed, There is no +strength nor power but in God! Wilt thou cut off my hand on account of +my eating a zirbajeh and neglecting to wash it?--And the maids who were +present entreated her, saying to her, O our sister, be not angry with +him for what he hath done this time. But she replied, By Allah, I must +cut off something from his extremities! And immediately she departed, +and was absent from me ten days: after which, she came again, and said +to me, O thou black-faced! Am I not worthy of thee? How didst thou dare +to eat the zirbajeh and not wash thy hand?--And she called to the maids, +who bound my hands behind me, and she took a sharp razor, and cut off +both my thumbs and both my great toes, as ye see, O companions; and I +swooned away. She then sprinkled upon my wounds some powder, by means of +which the blood was stanched; and I said, I will not eat of a zirbajeh +as long as I live unless I wash my hands forty times with kali and forty +times with cyperus and forty times with soap:--and she exacted of me an +oath that I would not eat of this dish unless I washed my hands as I +have described to you. Therefore, when this zirbajeh was brought, my +colour changed, and I said within myself, This was the cause of the +cutting off of my thumbs and great toes:--so, when ye compelled me, I +said, I must fulfil the oath which I have sworn. + +I then said to him (continued the Sul[t.]an's steward), And what +happened to thee after that? He answered, When I had thus sworn to her, +she was appeased, and I was admitted into her favour; and we lived +happily together for a considerable time: after which she said, The +people of the Khaleefeh's palace know not that thou hast resided here +with me, and no strange man beside thee hath entered it; nor didst thou +enter but through the assistance of the lady Zubeydeh. She then gave me +fifty thousand pieces of gold, and said to me, Take these pieces of +gold, and go forth and buy for us a spacious house. So I went forth, and +purchased a handsome and spacious house, and removed thither all the +riches that she possessed, and all that she had treasured up, and her +dresses and rarities.--This was the cause of the amputation of my thumbs +and great toes.--So we ate (said the Sul[t.]an's steward), and departed; +and after this, the accident with the humpback happened to me: this is +all my story; and peace be on thee. + +[Illustration] + +The King said, This is not more pleasant than the story of the humpback: +nay, the story of the humpback is more pleasant than this; and ye must +all of you be crucified.--The Jew, however, then came forward, and, +having kissed the ground, said, O King of the age, I will relate to thee +a story more wonderful than that of the humpback:--and the King said, +Relate thy story. So he commenced thus:-- + +[Illustration] + + +THE STORY TOLD BY THE JEWISH PHYSICIAN. + +The most wonderful of the events that happened to me in my younger days +was this:--I was residing in Damascus, where I learnt and practised my +art; and while I was thus occupied, one day there came to me a memlook +from the house of the governor of the city: so I went forth with him, +and accompanied him to the abode of the governor. I entered, and beheld, +at the upper end of a saloon, a couch of alabaster overlaid with plates +of gold, upon which was reclining a sick man: he was young; and a person +more comely had not been seen in his age. Seating myself at his head, I +ejaculated a prayer for his restoration;[V_46] and he made a sign +to me with his eye. I then said to him, O my master, stretch forth to me +thy hand:--whereupon he put forth to me his left hand; and I was +surprised at this, and said within myself, What self-conceit! I felt his +pulse, however, and wrote a prescription for him, and continued to visit +him for a period of ten days, until he recovered his strength; when he +entered the bath, and washed himself, and came forth: and the governor +conferred upon me a handsome dress of honour, and appointed me +superintendent of the hospital of Damascus.[V_47] But when I went +with him into the bath, which they had cleared of all other visitors for +us alone, and the servants had brought the clothes, and taken away those +which he had pulled off within, I perceived that his right hand had been +cruelly amputated; at the sight of which I wondered, and grieved for +him; and looking at his skin, I observed upon him marks of beating with +mi[k.]ra'ahs, which caused me to wonder more. The young man then turned +towards me, and said, O doctor of the age, wonder not at my case; for I +will relate to thee my story when we have gone out from the bath:--and +when we had gone forth, and arrived at the house, and had eaten some +food, and rested, he said to me, Hast thou a desire to divert thyself in +the supper-room? I answered, Yes:--and immediately he ordered the slaves +to take up thither the furniture, and to roast a lamb and bring us some +fruit. So the slaves did as he commanded them: and when they had brought +the fruit, and we had eaten, I said to him, Relate to me thy story:--and +he replied, O doctor of the age, listen to the relation of the events +which have befallen me. + +Know that I am of the children of El-Mo[s.]il. My paternal grandfather +died leaving ten male children, one of whom was my father: he was the +eldest of them; and they all grew up and married; and my father was +blest with me; but none of his nine brothers was blest with children. So +I grew up among my uncles, who delighted in me exceedingly; and when I +had attained to manhood, I was one day with my father in the chief +mosque of El-Mo[s.]il. The day was Friday; and we performed the +congregational prayers, and all the people went out, except my father +and my uncles, who sat conversing together respecting the wonders of +various countries, and the strange sights of different cities, until +they mentioned Egypt; when one of my uncles said, The travellers assert, +that there is not on the face of the earth a more agreeable country than +Egypt with its Nile:[V_48]--and my father added, He who hath not +seen Cairo hath not seen the world: its soil is gold; its Nile is a +wonder; its women are like the black-eyed virgins of Paradise; its +houses are palaces; and its air is temperate; its odour surpassing that +of aloes-wood, and cheering the heart: and how can Cairo be otherwise +when it is the metropolis of the world?[V_49] Did ye see its +gardens in the evening (he continued), with the shade obliquely +extending over them, ye would behold a wonder, and yield with ecstasy to +their attractions.[V_50] + +When I heard these descriptions of Egypt, my mind became wholly engaged +by reflections upon that country; and after they had departed to their +homes, I passed the night sleepless from my excessive longing towards +it, and neither food nor drink was pleasant to me. A few days after, my +uncles prepared to journey thither, and I wept before my father that I +might go with them, so that he prepared a stock of merchandise for me, +and I departed in their company; but he said to them, Suffer him not to +enter Egypt, but leave him at Damascus, that he may there sell his +merchandise. + +[Illustration] + +I took leave of my father, and we set forth from El-Mo[s.]il, and +continued our journey until we arrived at Aleppo, where we remained some +days; after which we proceeded thence until we came to Damascus; and we +beheld it to be a city with trees and rivers and fruits and birds, as +though it were a paradise, containing fruits of every kind. We took +lodgings in one of the Khans, and my uncles remained there until they +had sold and bought; and they also sold my merchandise, gaining, for +every piece of silver, five, so that I rejoiced at my profit. My uncles +then left me, and repaired to Egypt, and I remained, and took up my +abode in a handsome [K.]a'ah, such as the tongue cannot describe; the +monthly rent of which was two pieces of gold.[V_51] + +Here I indulged myself with eating and drinking, squandering away the +money that was in my possession; and as I was sitting one day at the +door of the [K.]a'ah, a damsel approached me, attired in clothing of the +richest description, such as I had never seen surpassed in costliness, +and I invited her to come in; whereupon, without hesitation, she +entered; and I was delighted at her compliance, and closed the door upon +us both. She then uncovered her face, and took off her izar, and I found +her to be so surprisingly beautiful that love for her took possession of +my heart: so I went and brought a repast consisting of the most +delicious viands and fruit and everything else that was requisite for +her entertainment, and we ate and sported together; after which, we +drank till we were intoxicated, and fell asleep, and so we remained +until the morning, when I handed her ten pieces of gold; but she swore +that she would not accept them from me, and said, Expect me again, O my +beloved, after three days: at the hour of sunset I will be with thee: +and do thou prepare for us, with these pieces of gold, a repast similar +to this which we have just enjoyed. She then gave me ten pieces of gold, +and took leave of me, and departed, taking my reason with her. And after +the three days had expired, she came again, decked with embroidered +stuffs and ornaments and other attire more magnificent than those which +she wore on the former occasion. I had prepared for her what was +required previously to her arrival; so we now ate and drank and fell +asleep as before; and in the morning she gave me again ten pieces of +gold, promising to return to me after three more days. I therefore made +ready what was requisite, and after the three days she came attired in a +dress still more magnificent than the first and second, and said to me, +O my master, am I beautiful?--Yea, verily, I answered.--Wilt thou give +me leave, she rejoined, to bring with me a damsel more beautiful than +myself, and younger than I, that she may sport with us, and we may make +merry with her? For she hath requested that she may accompany me, and +pass the night in frolicking with us.--And so saying, she gave me twenty +pieces of gold, desiring me to prepare a more plentiful repast, on +account of the lady who was to come with her; after which, she bade me +farewell, and departed. + +Accordingly, on the fourth day, I procured what was requisite, as usual, +and soon after sunset she came, accompanied by a female wrapped in an +izar, and they entered, and seated themselves. I was rejoiced, and I +lighted the candles, and welcomed them with joy and exultation. They +then took off their outer garments, and when the new damsel uncovered +her face, I perceived that she was like the full moon: I had never +beheld a person more beautiful. I arose immediately, and placed before +them the food and drink, and we ate and drank, while I continued +caressing the new damsel, and filling the wine-cup for her, and drinking +with her: but the first lady was affected with a secret jealousy.--By +Allah, she said, verily this girl is beautiful! Is she not more charming +than I?--Yea, indeed, I answered.--Soon after this, I fell asleep, and +when I awoke in the morning, I found my hand defiled with blood, and, +opening my eyes, perceived that the sun had risen; so I attempted to +rouse the damsel, my new companion, whereupon her head rolled from her +body. The other damsel was gone, and I concluded, therefore, that she +had done this from her jealousy; and after reflecting a while, I arose, +and took off my clothes, and dug a hole in the [K.]a'ah, in which I +deposited the murdered damsel, afterwards covering her remains with +earth, and replacing the marble pavement as it was before. I then +dressed myself again, and, taking the remainder of my money, went forth, +and repaired to the owner of the [K.]a'ah, and paid him a year's rent, +saying to him, I am about to journey to my uncles in Egypt. + +So I departed to Egypt, where I met with my uncles, and they were +rejoiced to see me. I found that they had concluded the sale of their +merchandise, and they said to me, What is the cause of thy coming? I +answered, I had a longing desire to be with you, and feared that my +money would not suffice me.--For a year I remained with them, enjoying +the pleasures of Egypt and its Nile; and I dipped my hand into the +residue of my money, and expended it prodigally in eating and drinking +until near the time of my uncles' departure, when I fled from them: so +they said, Probably, he hath gone before us, and returned to +Damascus:--and they departed. I then came forth from my concealment, and +remained in Cairo three years, squandering away my money until scarcely +any of it remained: but meanwhile I sent every year the rent of the +[K.]a'ah at Damascus to its owner: and after the three years my heart +became contracted, for nothing remained in my possession but the rent +for the year. + +I therefore journeyed back to Damascus, and alighted at the [K.]a'ah. +The owner was rejoiced to see me, and I entered it, and cleansed it of +the blood of the murdered damsel, and, removing a cushion, I found, +beneath this, the necklace that she had worn that night. I took it up +and examined it, and wept a while. After this I remained in the house +two days, and on the third day I entered the bath, and changed my +clothes. I now had no money left; and I went one day to the market, +where (the Devil suggesting it to me, in order to accomplish the purpose +of destiny) I handed the necklace of jewels to a broker; and he rose to +me, and seated me by his side: then having waited until the market was +replenished, he took it, and announced it for sale secretly, without my +knowledge. The price bidden for it amounted to two thousand pieces of +gold; but he came to me and said, This necklace is of brass, of the +counterfeit manufacture of the Franks, and its price hath amounted to a +thousand pieces of silver. I answered him, Yes; we had made it for a +woman, merely to laugh at her, and my wife has inherited it, and we +desire to sell it: go, therefore, and receive the thousand pieces of +silver. Now when the broker heard this, he perceived that the affair was +suspicious, and went and gave the necklace to the chief of the market, +who took it to the Walee, and said to him, This necklace was stolen from +me, and we have found the thief, clad in the dress of the sons of the +merchants. And before I knew what had happened, the officers had +surrounded me, and they took me to the Walee, who questioned me +respecting the necklace. I told him, therefore, the same story that I +had told to the broker; but he laughed, and said, This is not the +truth:--and instantly his people stripped me of my outer clothing, and +beat me with mi[k.]ra'ahs all over my body, until, through the torture +that I suffered from the blows, I said, I stole it;--reflecting that it +was better I should say I stole it, than confess that its owner was +murdered in my abode; for then they would kill me to avenge her: and as +soon as I had said so, they cut off my hand, and scalded the stump with +boiling oil,[V_52] and I swooned away. They then gave me to drink +some wine, by swallowing which I recovered my senses; and I took my +amputated hand, and returned to the [K.]a'ah; but its owner said to me, +Since this hath happened to thee, leave the [K.]a'ah, and look for +another abode; for thou art accused of an unlawful act.--O my master, I +replied, give me two or three days' delay that I may seek for a +lodging:--and he assented to this, and departed and left me. So I +remained alone, and sat weeping, and saying, How can I return to my +family with my hand cut off? He who cut it off knoweth not that I am +innocent: perhaps, then, God will bring about some event for my relief. + +[Illustration] + +I sat weeping violently; and when the owner of the [K.]a'ah had +departed from me, excessive grief overcame me, and I was sick for two +days; and on the third day, suddenly the owner of the [K.]a'ah came to +me, with some officers of the police, and the chief of the market, and +accused me again of stealing the necklace. So I went out to them, and +said, What is the news?--whereupon, without granting me a moment's +delay, they bound my arms behind me, and put a chain around my neck, +saying to me, The necklace which was in thy possession hath proved to be +the property of the governor of Damascus, its Wezeer and its Ruler: it +hath been lost from the governor's house for a period of three years, +and with it was his daughter.--When I heard these words from them, my +limbs trembled, and I said within myself, They will kill me! My death is +inevitable! By Allah, I must relate my story to the governor; and if he +please he will kill me, or if he please he will pardon me.--And when we +arrived at the governor's abode, and they had placed me before him, and +he beheld me, he said, Is this he who stole the necklace and went out to +sell it? Verily ye have cut off his hand wrongfully.--He then ordered +that the chief of the market should be imprisoned, and said to him, Give +to this person the compensatory fine for his hand,[V_53] or I will +hang thee and seize all thy property. And he called out to his +attendants, who took him and dragged him away. + +I was now left with the governor alone, after they had, by his +permission, loosed the chain from my neck, and untied the cords which +bound my arms; and the governor, looking towards me, said to me, O my +son, tell me thy story, and speak truth. How did this necklace come into +thy possession?--So I replied, O my lord, I will tell thee the +truth:--and I related to him all that had happened to me with the first +damsel, and how she had brought to me the second, and murdered her from +jealousy; on hearing which, he shook his head, and covered his face with +his handkerchief, and wept. Then looking towards me, he said, Know, O my +son, that the elder damsel was my daughter: I kept her closely; and when +she had attained a fit age for marriage, I sent her to the son of her +uncle in Cairo; but he died, and she returned to me, having learnt +habits of profligacy from the inhabitants of that city:[V_54] so +she visited thee four times; and on the fourth occasion, she brought to +thee her younger sister. They were sisters by the same mother, and much +attached to each other; and when the event which thou hast related +occurred to the elder, she imparted her secret to her sister, who asked +my permission to go out with her; after which the elder returned alone; +and when I questioned her respecting her sister, I found her weeping +for her, and she answered, I know no tidings of her:--but she afterwards +informed her mother, secretly, of the murder which she had committed; +and her mother privately related the affair to me; and she continued to +weep for her incessantly, saying, By Allah, I will not cease to weep for +her until I die. Thy account, O my son, is true; for I knew the affair +before thou toldest it me. See then, O my son, what hath happened: and +now I request of thee that thou wilt not oppose me in that which I am +about to say; and it is this:--I desire to marry thee to my youngest +daughter; for she is not of the same mother as they were:[V_55] she +is a virgin, and I will receive from thee no dowry, but will assign to +you both an allowance; and thou shalt be to me as an own son.--I +replied, Let it be as thou desirest, O my master. How could I expect to +attain unto such happiness?--The governor then sent immediately a +courier to bring the property which my father had left me (for he had +died since my departure from him), and now I am living in the utmost +affluence. + +I wondered, said the Jew, at his history; and after I had remained with +him three days, he gave me a large sum of money; and I left him, to set +forth on a journey; and, arriving in this your country, my residence +here pleased me, and I experienced this which hath happened to me with +the humpback. + +The King, when he had heard this story, said, This is not more wonderful +than the story of the humpback, and ye must all of you be hanged, and +especially the tailor, who is the source of all the mischief. But he +afterwards added, O tailor, if thou tell me a story more wonderful than +that of the humpback, I will forgive you your offences. So the tailor +advanced, and said,-- + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +THE STORY TOLD BY THE TAILOR. + +Know, O King of the age, that what hath happened to me is more wonderful +than the events which have happened to all the others. Before I met the +humpback, I was, early in the morning, at an entertainment given to +certain tradesmen of my acquaintance, consisting of tailors and +linen-drapers and carpenters and others; and when the sun had risen, the +repast was brought for us to eat; and lo, the master of the house came +in to us, accompanied by a strange and handsome young man, of the +inhabitants of Baghdad. He was attired in clothes of the handsomest +description, and was a most comely person, except that he was lame; and +as soon as he had entered and saluted us, we rose to him; but when he +was about to seat himself, he observed among us a man who was a barber, +whereupon he refused to sit down, and desired to depart from us. We and +the master of the house, however, prevented him, and urged him to seat +himself; and the host conjured him, saying, What is the reason of thy +entering, and then immediately departing?--By Allah, O my master, +replied he, offer me no opposition; for the cause of my departure is +this barber, who is sitting with you. And when the host heard this, he +was exceedingly surprised, and said, How is it that the heart of this +young man, who is from Baghdad, is troubled by the presence of this +barber? We then looked towards him, and said, Relate to us the cause of +thy displeasure against this barber; and the young man replied, O +company, a surprising adventure happened to me with this barber in +Baghdad, my city; and he was the cause of my lameness, and of the +breaking of my leg; and I have sworn that I will not sit in any place +where he is present, nor dwell in any town where he resides: I quitted +Baghdad and took up my abode in this city, and I will not pass the next +night without departing from it.--Upon this, we said to him, We conjure +thee, by Allah, to relate to us thy adventure with him.--And the +countenance of the barber turned pale when he heard us make this +request. The young man then said,-- + +Know, O good people, that my father was one of the chief merchants of +Baghdad; and God (whose name be exalted!) blessed him with no son but +myself; and when I grew up, and had attained to manhood, my father was +admitted to the mercy of God, leaving me wealth and servants and other +dependants; whereupon I began to attire myself in clothes of the +handsomest description, and to feed upon the most delicious meats. Now +God (whose perfection be extolled!) made me to be a hater of women; and +so I continued, until, one day, I was walking through the streets of +Baghdad, when a party of them stopped my way: I therefore fled from +them, and, entering a by-street which was not a thoroughfare, I reclined +upon a ma[s.][t.]abah at its further extremity. Here I had been seated +but a short time when, lo, a window opposite the place where I sat was +opened, and there looked out from it a damsel like the full moon, such +as I had never in my life beheld. She had some flowers, which she was +watering, beneath the window; and she looked to the right and left, and +then shut the window, and disappeared from before me. Fire had been shot +into my heart, and my mind was absorbed by her; my hatred of women was +turned into love, and I continued sitting in the same place until +sunset, in a state of distraction from the violence of my passion, when, +lo, the [K.]a[d.]ee of the city came riding along, with slaves before +him and servants behind him, and alighted, and entered the house from +which the damsel had looked out: so I knew that he must be her father. + +I then returned to my house, sorrowful; and fell upon my bed, full of +anxious thoughts; and my female slaves came in to me, and seated +themselves around me, not knowing what was the matter with me; and I +acquainted them not with my case, nor returned any answers to their +questions; and my disorder increased. The neighbours, therefore, came +to cheer me with their visits; and among those who visited me was an old +woman, who, as soon as she saw me, discovered my state; whereupon she +seated herself at my head, and, addressing me in a kind manner, said, O +my son, tell me what hath happened to thee? So I related to her my +story, and she said, O my son, this is the daughter of the [K.]a[d.]ee +of Baghdad, and she is kept in close confinement: the place where thou +sawest her is her apartment, and her father occupies a large saloon +below, leaving her alone; and often do I visit her: thou canst obtain an +interview with her only through me: so brace up thy nerves. When I +heard, therefore, what she said, I took courage, and fortified my heart; +and my family rejoiced that day. I rose up firm in limb, and hoping for +complete restoration; and the old woman departed; but she returned with +her countenance changed, and said, O my son, ask not what she did when I +told her of thy case; for she said, If thou abstain not, O ill-omened +old woman, from this discourse, I will treat thee as thou +deservest:--but I must go to her a second time. + +[Illustration] + +On hearing this, my disorder increased: after some days, however, the +old woman came again, and said, O my son, I desire of thee a reward for +good tidings. My soul returned to my body at these words, and I replied, +Thou shalt receive from me everything that thou canst wish. She then +said, I went yesterday to the damsel, and when she beheld me with broken +heart and weeping eye, she said to me, O my aunt, wherefore do I see +thee with contracted heart?--and when she had thus said, I wept, and +answered, O my daughter and mistress, I came to thee yesterday from +visiting a youth who loveth thee, and he is at the point of death on thy +account:--and, her heart being moved with compassion, she asked, Who is +this youth of whom thou speakest? I answered, He is my son, and the +child that is dear to my soul: he saw thee at the window some days ago, +while thou wast watering thy flowers; and when he beheld thy face, he +became distracted with love for thee: I informed him of the conversation +that I had with thee the first time; upon which his disorder increased, +and he took to his pillow: he is now dying, and there is no doubt of his +fate.--And upon this, her countenance became pale, and she said, Is this +all on my account?--Yea, by Allah, I answered; and what dost thou order +me to do?--Go to him, said she; convey to him my salutation, and tell +him that my love is greater than his; and on Friday next, before the +congregational prayers, let him come hither: I will give orders to open +the door to him, and to bring him up to me, and I will have a short +interview with him, and he shall return before my father comes back from +the prayers. + +When I heard these words of the old woman, the anguish which I had +suffered ceased; my heart was set at rest, and I gave her the suit of +clothes which I was then wearing, and she departed, saying to me, Cheer +up thy heart. I replied, I have no longer any pain. The people of my +house, and my friends, communicated, one to another, the good news of my +restoration to health, and I remained thus until the Friday, when the +old woman came in to me, and asked me respecting my state: so I informed +her that I was happy and well. I then dressed and perfumed myself, and +sat waiting for the people to go to prayers, that I might repair to the +damsel; but the old woman said to me, Thou hast yet more than ample +time, and if thou go to the bath and shave, especially for the sake of +obliterating the traces of thy disorder, it will be more becoming.--It +is a judicious piece of advice, replied I; but I will shave my head +first, and then go into the bath. + +[Illustration] + +So I sent for a barber to shave my head, saying to the boy, Go to the +market, and bring me a barber, one who is a man of sense, little +inclined to impertinence, that he may not make my head ache by his +chattering. And the boy went, and brought this sheykh, who, on entering, +saluted me; and when I had returned his salutation, he said to me, May +God dispel thy grief and thine anxiety, and misfortunes and sorrows! I +responded, May God accept thy prayer! He then said, Be cheerful, O my +master, for health hath returned to thee. Dost thou desire to be shaved +or to be bled?--for it hath been handed down, on the authority of +Ibn-'Abbas,[V_56] that the Prophet said, Whoso shorteneth his hair +on Friday, God will avert from him seventy diseases;--and it hath been +handed down also, on the same authority, that the Prophet said, Whoso is +cupped on Friday will not be secure from the loss of sight and from +frequent disease.--Abstain, said I, from this useless discourse, and +come immediately, shave my head, for I am weak. And he arose, and, +stretching forth his hand, took out a handkerchief, and opened it; and +lo, there was in it an astrolabe, consisting of seven plates;[V_57] +and he took it, and went into the middle of the court, where he raised +his head towards the sun, and looked for a considerable time; after +which he said to me, Know that there have passed, of this our day, which +is Friday, and which is the tenth of [S.]afar,[V_58] of the year +263[V_59] of the Flight of the Prophet,--upon whom be the most +excellent of blessings and peace!--and the ascendant star of which, +according to the required rules of the science of computation, is the +planet Mars,--seven degrees[V_60] and six minutes; and it happeneth +that Mercury hath come in conjunction with that planet; and this +indicateth that the shaving of hair is now a most excellent operation: +and it hath indicated to me, also, that thou desirest to confer a +benefit upon a person: and fortunate is he!--but after that, there is an +announcement that presenteth itself to me respecting a matter which I +will not mention to thee. + +By Allah, I exclaimed, thou hast wearied me, and dissipated my mind, and +augured against me, when I required thee only to shave my head: arise, +then, and shave it; and prolong not thy discourse to me. But he replied, +By Allah, if thou knewest the truth of the case, thou wouldst demand of +me a further explication; and I counsel thee to do this day as I direct +thee, according to the calculations deduced from the stars: it is thy +duty to praise God, and not to oppose me; for I am one who giveth thee +good advice, and who regardeth thee with compassion: I would that I were +in thy service for a whole year, that thou mightest do me justice; and I +desire not any pay from thee for so doing.--When I heard this, I said to +him, Verily thou art killing me this day, and there is no escape for +me.--O my master, he replied, I am he whom the people call +E[s.]-[S.]amit,[V_61] on account of the paucity of my speech, by +which I am distinguished above my brothers; for my eldest brother is +named El-Ba[k.]boo[k.];[V_62] and the second, El-Heddar; and the +third, Ba[k.]ba[k.]; and the fourth is named El-Kooz el-A[s.]wanee; and +the fifth, El-Feshshar; and the sixth is named Sha[k.]ali[k.]; and the +seventh brother is named E[s.]-[S.]amit; and he is myself. + +Now when this barber thus overwhelmed me with his talk, I felt as if my +gall-bladder had burst, and said to the boy, Give him a quarter of a +piece of gold, and let him depart from me for the sake of Allah: for I +have no need to shave my head. But the barber on hearing what I said to +the boy, exclaimed, What is this that thou hast said, O my lord? By +Allah, I will accept from thee no pay unless I serve thee; and serve +thee I must; for to do so is incumbent on me, and to perform what thou +requirest; and I care not if I receive from thee no money. If thou +knowest not my worth, I know thine; and thy father--may Allah have mercy +upon him!--treated us with beneficence; for he was a man of generosity. +By Allah, thy father sent for me one day, like this blessed day, and +when I went to him, he had a number of his friends with him, and he said +to me, Take some blood from me. So I took the astrolabe, and observed +the altitude for him, and found the ascendant of the hour to be of evil +omen, and that the letting of blood would be attended with trouble: I +therefore acquainted him with this, and he conformed to my wish, and +waited until the arrival of the approved hour, when I took the blood +from him. He did not oppose me; but, on the contrary, thanked me; and in +like manner all the company present thanked me; and thy father gave me +a hundred pieces of gold for services similar to the letting of +blood.--May God, said I, shew no mercy to my father for knowing such a +man as thou!--and the barber laughed, and exclaimed, There is no deity +but God! Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle! Extolled be the perfection of Him +who changeth others, but is not changed! I did not imagine thee to be +otherwise than a man of sense; but thou hast talked nonsense in +consequence of thine illness. God hath mentioned, in his Excellent Book, +those who restrain their anger, and who forgive men:[V_63]--but +thou art excused in every case. I am unacquainted, however, with the +cause of thy haste; and thou knowest that thy father used to do nothing +without consulting me; and it hath been said, that the person to whom +one applies for advice should be trusted: now thou wilt find no one +better acquainted with the affairs of the world than myself, and I am +standing on my feet to serve thee. I am not displeased with thee, and +how then art thou displeased with me? But I will have patience with thee +on account of the favours which I have received from thy father.--By +Allah, said I, thou hast wearied me with thy discourse, and overcome me +with thy speech! I desire that thou shave my head and depart from me. + +I gave vent to my rage; and would have risen, even if he had wetted my +head, when he said, I knew that displeasure with me had overcome thee; +but I will not be angry with thee, for thy sense is weak, and thou art a +youth: a short time ago I used to carry thee on my shoulder,[V_64] +and take thee to the school.--Upon this, I said to him, O my brother, I +conjure thee by Allah, depart from me that I may perform my business, +and go thou thy way. Then I rent my clothes; and when he saw me do this, +he took the razor, and sharpened it, and continued to do so until my +soul almost parted from my body; then advancing to my head, he shaved a +small portion of it; after which he raised his hand, and said, O my +lord, haste is from the Devil;--and he repeated this couplet:-- + + Deliberate, and haste not to accomplish thy desire; and be merciful, + so shalt thou meet with one merciful: + For there is no hand but God's hand is above it;[V_65] nor + oppressor that shall not meet with an oppressor. + +O my lord (he then continued), I do not imagine that thou knowest my +condition in society; for my hand lighteth upon the heads of kings and +emeers and wezeers and sages and learned men; and of such a one as +myself hath the poet said,-- + + The trades altogether are like a necklace, and this barber is + the chief pearl of the strings. + He excelleth all that are endowed with skill, and under his hands + are the heads of Kings. + +--Leave, said I, that which doth not concern thee! Thou hast contracted +my heart, and troubled my mind.--I fancy that thou art in haste, he +rejoined. I replied, Yes! Yes! Yes!--Proceed slowly, said he; for verily +haste is from the Devil, and it giveth occasion to repentance and +disappointment; and he upon whom be blessing and peace[V_66] hath +said, The best of affairs is that which is commenced with +deliberation:--and, by Allah, I am in doubt as to thine affair: I wish, +therefore, that thou wouldst make known to me what thou art hasting to +do; and may it be good; for I fear it is otherwise. + +There now remained, to the appointed time, three hours; and he threw the +razor from his hand in anger, and, taking the astrolabe, went again to +observe the sun; then after he had waited a long time, he returned, +saying, There remain, to the hour of prayer, three hours, neither more +nor less. For the sake of Allah, said I, be silent; for thou hast +crumbled my liver!--and thereupon, he took the razor, and sharpened it +as he had done the first time, and shaved another portion of my head. +Then stopping again, he said, I am in anxiety on account of thy hurry: +if thou wouldst acquaint me with the cause of it, it would be better for +thee; for thou knowest that thy father used to do nothing without +consulting me. + +I perceived now that I could not avoid his importunity, and said within +myself, The time of prayer is almost come, and I desire to go before the +people come out from the service: if I delay a little longer, I know not +how to gain admission to her. I therefore said to him, Be quick, and +cease from this chattering and impertinence; for I desire to repair to +an entertainment with my friends. But when he heard the mention of the +entertainment, he exclaimed, The day is a blessed day for me! I +yesterday conjured a party of my intimate friends to come and feast with +me, and forgot to prepare for them anything to eat; and now I have +remembered it. Alas for the disgrace that I shall experience from +them!--So I said to him, Be in no anxiety on this account, since thou +hast been told that I am going to-day to an entertainment; for all the +food and drink that is in my house shall be thine if thou use expedition +in my affair, and quickly finish shaving my head.--May God recompense +thee with every blessing! he replied: describe to me what thou hast for +my guests, that I may know it. I have, said I, five dishes of meat, and +ten fowls fricandoed, and a roasted lamb.--Cause them to be brought +before me, he said, that I may see them. So I had them brought to him, +and he exclaimed, Divinely art thou gifted! How generous is thy soul! +But the incense and perfumes are wanting.--I brought him, therefore, a +box containing nedd[V_67] and aloes-wood and ambergris and musk, +worth fifty pieces of gold.--The time had now become contracted, like my +own heart; so I said to him, Receive this, and shave the whole of my +head, by the existence of Mo[h.]ammad, God bless and save him! But he +replied, By Allah, I will not take it until I see all that it +contains.--I therefore ordered the boy, and he opened the box to him; +whereupon the barber threw down the astrolabe from his hand, and, +seating himself upon the ground, turned over the perfumes and incense +and aloes-wood in the box until my soul almost quitted my body. + +[Illustration] + +He then advanced, and took the razor, and shaved another small portion +of my head; after which he said, By Allah, O my son, I know not whether +I should thank thee or thank thy father; for my entertainment to-day is +entirely derived from thy bounty and kindness, and I have no one among +my visiters deserving of it; for my guests are, Zeytoon the bath-keeper, +and [S.]alee[a.] the wheat-seller, and 'Owkal the bean-seller, and +'Akresheh the grocer, and [H.]omeyd the dustman, and 'Akarish the +milk-seller, and each of these hath a peculiar dance which he +performeth, and peculiar verses which he reciteth; and the best of their +qualities is, that they are like thy servant, the memlook who is before +thee; and I, thy slave, know neither loquacity nor impertinence. As to +the bath-keeper, he saith, If I go not to the feast, it cometh to my +house!--and as to the dustman, he is witty, and full of frolick: often +doth he dance, and say, News, with my wife, is not kept in a chest!--and +each of my friends hath jests that another hath not: but the +description is not like the actual observation. If thou choose, +therefore, to come to us, it will be more pleasant both to thee and to +us: relinquish, then, thy visit to thy friends of whom thou hast told us +that thou desirest to go to them; for the traces of disease are yet upon +thee, and probably thou art going to a people of many words, who will +talk of that which concerneth them not; or probably there will be among +them one impertinent person; and thy soul is already disquieted by +disease.--I replied, If it be the will of God, that shall be on some +other day:--but he said, It will be more proper that thou first join my +party of friends, that thou mayest enjoy their conviviality, and delight +thyself with their salt. Act in accordance with the saying of the +poet:-- + + Defer not a pleasure when it can be had; for fortune often destroyeth + our plans. + +Upon this I laughed from a heart laden with anger, and said to him, Do +what I require, that I may go in the care of God, whose name be exalted! +and do thou go to thy friends, for they are waiting thine arrival. He +replied, I desire nothing but to introduce thee into the society of +these people; for verily they are of the sons of that class among which +is no impertinent person; and if thou didst but behold them once, thou +wouldst leave all thine own companions.--May God, said I, give thee +abundant joy with them, and I must bring them together here some +day.--If that be thy wish, he rejoined, and thou wilt first attend the +entertainment of thy friends this day, wait until I take this present +with which thou hast honoured me, and place it before my friends, that +they may eat and drink without waiting for me, and then I will return to +thee, and go with thee to thy companions; for there is no false delicacy +between me and my companions that should prevent my leaving them: so I +will return to thee quickly, and repair with thee whithersoever thou +goest.--Upon this I exclaimed, There is no strength nor power but in +God, the High, the Great! Go thou to thy companions, and delight thy +heart with them, and leave me to repair to mine, and to remain with them +this day, for they are waiting my arrival.--But he said, I will not +leave thee to go alone.--The place to which I am going, said I, none can +enter except myself.--I suppose then, he rejoined, that thou hast an +appointment to-day with some female: otherwise, thou wouldst take me +with thee; for I am more deserving than all other men, and will assist +thee to attain what thou desirest. I fear that thou art going to visit +some strange woman, and that thy life will be lost; for in this city of +Baghdad no one can do anything of this kind, especially on such a day +as this; seeing that the Walee of Baghdad is a terrible, sharp +sword.--Wo to thee, O wicked old man! I exclaimed, what are these words +with which thou addressest me?--And upon this, he kept a long silence. + +The time of prayer had now arrived, and the time of the +Khu[t.]beh[V_68] was near, when he had finished shaving my head: so +I said to him, Go with this food and drink to thy friends, and I will +wait for thee until thou return, and thou shalt accompany me:--and I +continued my endeavours to deceive him, that he might go away; but he +said to me, Verily thou art deceiving me, and wilt go alone, and +precipitate thyself into a calamity from which there will be no escape +for thee: by Allah! by Allah! then, quit not this spot until I return to +thee and accompany thee, that I may know what will be the result of +thine affair.--I replied, Well: prolong not thine absence from me. And +he took the food and drink and other things which I had given him, but +intrusted them to a porter to convey them to his abode, and concealed +himself in one of the by-streets. I then immediately arose. The mueddins +on the menarehs had chanted the Selam of Friday;[V_69] and I put on +my clothes, and went forth alone, and, arriving at the by-street, +stopped at the door of the house where I had seen the damsel: and lo, +the barber was behind me, and I knew it not. I found the door open, and +entered; and immediately the master of the house returned from the +prayers, and entered the saloon, and closed the door; and I said within +myself, How did this devil discover me? + +Now it happened, just at this time, for the fulfilment of God's purpose +to rend the veil of protection before me, that a female slave belonging +to the master of the house committed some offence, in consequence of +which he beat her, and she cried out; whereupon a male slave came in to +him to liberate her; but he beat him also, and he likewise cried out; +and the barber concluded that he was beating me; so he cried, and rent +his clothes, and sprinkled dust upon his head, shrieking, and calling +for assistance. He was surrounded by people, and said to them, My master +hath been killed in the house of the [K.]a[d.]ee! Then running to my +house, crying out all the while, and with a crowd behind him, he gave +the news to my family; and I knew not what he had done when they +approached, crying, Alas for our master!--the barber all the while being +before them, with his clothes rent, and a number of the people of the +city with them. They continued shrieking, the barber shrieking at their +head, and all of them exclaiming, Alas for our slain!--Thus they +advanced to the house in which I was confined; and when the [K.]a[d.]ee +heard of this occurrence, the event troubled him, and he arose, and +opened the door, and seeing a great crowd, he was confounded, and said, +O people, what is the news? The servants replied, Thou hast killed our +master.--O people, rejoined he, what hath your master done unto me that +I should kill him; and wherefore do I see this barber before you?--Thou +hast just now beaten him with mi[k.]ra'ahs, said the barber; and I heard +his cries.--What hath he done that I should kill him? repeated the +[K.]a[d.]ee. And whence, he added, came he; and whither would he go?--Be +not an old man of malevolence, exclaimed the barber; for I know the +story, and the reason of his entering thy house, and the truth of the +whole affair: thy daughter is in love with him, and he is in love with +her; and thou hast discovered that he had entered thy house, and hast +ordered thy young men, and they have beaten him. By Allah, none shall +decide between us and thee except the Khaleefeh; or thou shalt bring +forth to us our master that his family may take him; and oblige me not +to enter and take him forth from you: haste then thyself to produce him. + +[Illustration] + +Upon this, the [K.]a[d.]ee was withheld from speaking, and became +utterly abashed before the people: but presently he said to the barber, +If thou speak truth, enter thyself, and bring him forth. So the barber +advanced, and entered the house; and when I saw him do so, I sought for +a way to escape; but I found no place of refuge except a large chest +which I observed in the same apartment in which I then was: I therefore +entered this, and shut down the lid, and held in my breath. Immediately +after, the barber ran into the saloon, and, without looking in any other +direction than that in which I had concealed myself, came thither: then +turning his eyes to the right and left, and seeing nothing but the +chest, he raised it upon his head; whereupon my reason forsook me. He +quickly descended with it; and I, being now certain that he would not +quit me, opened the chest, and threw myself upon the ground. My leg was +broken by the fall; and when I came to the door of the house, I found a +multitude of people: I had never seen such a crowd as was there +collected on that day; so I began to scatter gold among them, to divert +them; and while they were busied in picking it up, I hastened through +the by-streets of Baghdad, followed by this barber; and wherever I +entered, he entered after me, crying, They would have plunged me into +affliction on account of my master! Praise be to God who aided me +against them, and delivered my master from their hands! Thou +continuedst, O my master, to be excited by haste for the accomplishment +of thine evil design until thou broughtest upon thyself this event; and +if God had not blessed thee with me, thou hadst not escaped from this +calamity into which thou hast fallen; and they might have involved thee +in a calamity from which thou wouldst never have escaped. Beg, +therefore, of God, that I may live for thy sake, to liberate thee in +future. By Allah, thou hast almost destroyed me by thine evil design, +desiring to go alone: but we will not be angry with thee for thine +ignorance, for thou art endowed with little sense, and of a hasty +disposition.--Art thou not satisfied, replied I, with that which thou +hast done, but wilt thou run after me through the market-streets?--And I +desired for death to liberate me from him; but found it not; and in the +excess of my rage I ran from him, and, entering a shop in the midst of +the market, implored the protection of its owner; and he drove away the +barber from me. + +I then seated myself in a magazine belonging to him, and said within +myself, I cannot now rid myself of this barber; but he will be with me +night and day, and I cannot endure the sight of his face. So I +immediately summoned witnesses, and wrote a document, dividing my +property among my family, and appointing a guardian over them, and I +ordered him to sell the house and all the immoveable possessions, +charging him with the care of the old and young, and set forth at once +on a journey in order to escape from this wretch. I then arrived in your +country, where I took up my abode, and have remained a considerable +time; and when ye invited me, and I came unto you, I saw this vile +wretch among you, seated at the upper end of the room. How, then, can my +heart be at ease, or my sitting in your company be pleasant to me, with +this fellow, who hath brought these events upon me, and been the cause +of the breaking of my leg? + +The young man still persevered in his refusal to remain with us; and +when we had heard his story, we said to the barber, Is this true which +the young man hath said of thee?--By Allah, he answered, it was through +my intelligence that I acted thus towards him; and had I not done so, he +had perished: myself only was the cause of his escape; and it was +through the goodness of God, by my means, that he was afflicted by the +breaking of his leg instead of being punished by the loss of his life. +Were I a person of many words, I had not done him this kindness; and now +I will relate to you an event that happened to me, that ye may believe +me to be a man of few words, and less of an impertinent than my +brothers; and it was this:-- + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIMSELF + +I was living in Baghdad, in the reign of the Prince of the Faithful +El-Munta[s.]ir bi-llah,[V_70] who loved the poor and indigent, and +associated with the learned and virtuous; and it happened, one day, that +he was incensed against ten persons, in consequence of which, he ordered +the chief magistrate of Baghdad to bring them to him in a boat. I saw +them, and I said within myself, These persons have assembled for nothing +but an entertainment, and, I suppose, will pass their day in this boat +eating and drinking; and none shall be their companion but +myself:[V_71]--so I embarked, and mixed myself among them; and when +they had landed on the opposite bank, the guards of the Walee came with +chains, and put them upon their necks, and put a chain upon my neck +also.--Now this, O people, is it not a proof of my generosity, and of my +paucity of speech? For I determined not to speak.--They took us, +therefore, all together, in chains, and placed us before El-Munta[s.]ir +bi-llah, the Prince of the Faithful; whereupon he gave orders to strike +off the heads of the ten; and the executioner struck off the heads of +the ten, and I remained. The Khaleefeh then turning his eyes, and +beholding me, said to the executioner, Wherefore dost thou not strike +off the heads of all the ten? He answered, I have beheaded every one of +the ten.--I do not think, rejoined the Khaleefeh, that thou hast +beheaded more than nine; and this who is before me is the tenth. But the +executioner replied, By thy beneficence, they are ten.--Count them, said +the Khaleefeh. And they counted them; and lo, they were ten. The +Khaleefeh then looked towards me, and said, What hath induced thee to +be silent on this occasion; and how hast thou become included among the +men of blood?--And when I heard the address of the Prince of the +Faithful, I said to him, Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that I am the +sheykh E[s.]-[S.]amit (the silent): I possess, of science, a large +stock; and as to the gravity of my understanding, and the quickness of +my apprehension, and the paucity of my speech, they are unbounded: my +trade is that of a barber; and yesterday, early in the morning, I saw +these ten men proceeding to the boat; whereupon I mixed myself with +them, and embarked with them, thinking that they had met together for an +entertainment; but soon it appeared that they were criminals; and the +guards came to them, and put chains upon their necks, and upon my neck +also they put a chain; and from the excess of my generosity I was +silent, and spoke not: my speech was not heard on that occasion, on +account of the excess of my generosity; and they proceeded with us until +they stationed us before thee, and thou gavest the order to strike off +the heads of the ten, and I remained before the executioner, and +acquainted you not with my case. Was not this great generosity which +compelled me to accompany them to slaughter? But throughout my life I +have acted in this excellent manner. + +When the Khaleefeh heard my words, and knew that I was of a very +generous character, and of few words, and not inclined to impertinence +as this young man, whom I delivered from horrors, asserteth, he said, +Hast thou brothers? I answered, Yes: six.--And are thy six brothers, +said he, like thyself, distinguished by science and knowledge, and +paucity of speech? I answered, They lived not so as to be like me: thou +hast disparaged me by thy supposition, O Prince of the Faithful, and it +is not proper that thou shouldst compare my brothers to me; for through +the abundance of their speech, and the smallness of their generous +qualities, each of them experienced a defect: the first was lame; the +second, deprived of many of his teeth; the third, blind; the fourth, +one-eyed; the fifth, cropped of his ears; and the sixth had both his +lips cut off:[V_72] and think not, O Prince of the Faithful, that I +am a man of many words: nay, I must prove to thee that I am of a more +generous character than they; and each of them met with a particular +adventure, in consequence of which he experienced a defect: if thou +please, I will relate their stories to thee. + +[Illustration] + + +THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS FIRST BROTHER. + +Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that the first (who was named +El-Ba[k.]boo[k.]) was the lame one. He practised the art of a tailor in +Baghdad, and used to sew in a shop which he hired of a man possessing +great wealth, who lived over the shop, and who had, in the lower part of +his house, a mill. And as my lame brother was sitting in his shop one +day, sewing, he raised his head, and saw a woman like the rising full +moon, at a projecting window of the house, looking at the people passing +by; and as soon as he beheld her, his heart was entangled by her love. +He passed that day gazing at her, and neglecting his occupation, until +the evening; and on the following morning he opened his shop, and sat +down to sew; but every time that he sewed a stitch, he looked towards +the window; and in this state he continued, sewing nothing sufficient to +earn a piece of silver.[V_73] + +On the third day he seated himself again in his place, looking towards +the woman; and she saw him, and, perceiving that he had become enslaved +by her love, laughed in his face, and he, in like manner, laughed in her +face. She then disappeared from before him, and sent to him her +slave-girl, with a wrapper containing a piece of red flowered silk; and +the girl, coming to him, said to him, My mistress saluteth thee, and +desireth thee to cut out for her, with the hand of skill, a shirt of +this piece, and to sew it beautifully. So he answered, I hear and +obey:--and he cut out for her the shirt, and finished the sewing of it +on that day; and on the following day the slave-girl came to him again; +and said to him, My mistress saluteth thee, and saith to thee, How didst +thou pass last night?--for she tasted not sleep, from her passion for +thee.--She then placed before him a piece of yellow satin, and said to +him, My mistress desireth thee to cut out for her, of this piece, two +pairs of trousers, and to make them this day. He replied, I hear and +obey. Salute her with abundant salutations, and say to her, Thy slave is +submissive to thine order, and command him to do whatsoever thou +wilt.--He then busied himself with the cutting out, and used all +diligence in sewing the two pairs of trousers; and presently the woman +looked out at him from the window, and saluted him by a sign, now +casting down her eyes, and now smiling in his face, so that he imagined +he should soon obtain possession of her. After this, she disappeared +from before him, and the slave-girl came to him; so he delivered to her +the two pairs of trousers, and she took them and departed: and when the +night came, he threw himself upon his bed, and remained turning himself +over in restlessness until the morning. + +On the following day, the master of the house came to my brother, +bringing some linen, and said to him, Cut out and make this into shirts +for me. He replied, I hear and obey:--and ceased not from his work until +he had cut out twenty shirts by the time of nightfall, without having +tasted food. The man then said to him, How much is thy hire for +this?--but my brother answered not; and the damsel made a sign to him +that he should receive nothing, though he was absolutely in want of a +single copper coin. For three days he continued scarcely eating or +drinking anything, in his diligence to accomplish his work, and when he +had finished it, he went to deliver the shirts. + +Now the young woman had acquainted her husband with the state of my +brother's mind, but my brother knew not this; and she planned with her +husband to employ him in sewing without remuneration, and moreover to +amuse themselves by laughing at him: so, when he had finished all the +work that they gave him, they contrived a plot against him, and married +him to their slave-girl; and on the night when he desired to introduce +himself to her, they said to him, Pass this night in the mill, and +to-morrow thou shalt enjoy happiness. My brother, therefore, thinking +that their intention was good, passed the night in the mill alone. +Meanwhile, the husband of the young woman went to the miller, and +instigated him by signs to make my brother turn the mill. The miller, +accordingly, went in to him at midnight, and began to exclaim, Verily +this bull is lazy, while there is a great quantity of wheat, and the +owners of the flour are demanding it: I will therefore yoke him in the +mill, that he may finish the grinding of the flour:--and so saying, he +yoked my brother, and thus he kept him until near morning, when the +owner of the house came, and saw him yoked in the mill, and the miller +flogging him with the whip; and he left him, and retired. After this, +the slave-girl to whom he had been contracted in marriage came to him +early in the morning, and, having unbound him from the mill, said to +him, Both I and my mistress have been distressed by this which hath +befallen thee, and we have participated in the burden of thy sorrow. But +he had no tongue wherewith to answer her, by reason of the severity of +the flogging. He then returned to his house; and lo, the sheykh who had +performed the marriage-contract came and saluted him, saying, May God +prolong thy life! May thy marriage be blessed!--May God not preserve the +liar! returned my brother: thou thousandfold villain! By Allah, I went +only to turn the mill in the place of the bull until the morning.--Tell +me thy story, said the sheykh:--and my brother told him what had +happened to him: upon which the sheykh said, Thy star agreeth not with +hers: but if thou desire that I should change for thee the mode of the +contract, I will change it for another better than it, that thy star may +agree with hers.[V_74]--See then, replied my brother, if thou hast +any other contrivance to employ. + +My brother then left him, and repaired again to his shop, hoping that +somebody might give him some work, with the profit of which he might +obtain his food; and lo, the slave-girl came to him. She had conspired +with her mistress to play him this trick, and said to him, Verily, my +mistress is longing for thee, and she hath gone up to look at thy face +from the window. And my brother had scarcely heard these words when she +looked out at him from the window, and, weeping, said, Wherefore hast +thou cut short the intercourse between us and thee? But he returned her +no answer: so she swore to him that all that had happened to him in the +mill was not with her consent; and when my brother beheld her beauty and +loveliness, the troubles that had befallen him became effaced from his +memory, and he accepted her excuse, and rejoiced at the sight of her. He +saluted her, therefore, and conversed with her, and then sat a while at +his work; after which the slave-girl came to him, and said, My mistress +saluteth thee, and informeth thee that her husband hath determined to +pass this next night in the house of one of his intimate friends; +wherefore, when he hath gone thither, do thou come to her.--Now the +husband of the young woman had said to her, How shall we contrive when +he cometh to thee that I may take him and drag him before the Walee? She +replied, Let me then play him a trick, and involve him in a disgrace for +which he shall be paraded throughout this city as an example to +others:--and my brother knew nothing of the craftiness of women. +Accordingly, at the approach of evening, the slave-girl came to him, +and, taking him by the hand, returned with him to her mistress, who said +to him, Verily, O my master, I have been longing for thee.--Hasten then, +said he, to give me a kiss, first of all. And his words were not +finished, when the young woman's husband came in from his neighbour's +house, and, seizing my brother, exclaimed to him, By Allah, I will not +loose thee but in the presence of the chief magistrate of the police. My +brother humbled himself before him; but, without listening to him, he +took him to the house of the Walee, who flogged him with whips, and +mounted him upon a camel, and conveyed him through the streets of the +city, the people crying out, This is the recompense of him who breaketh +into the [h.]areems of others!--and he fell from the camel, and his leg +broke: so he became lame. The Walee then banished him from the city; and +he went forth, not knowing whither to turn his steps: but I, though +enraged, overtook him, and brought him back; and I have taken upon +myself to provide him with meat and drink unto the present day. + +The Khaleefeh laughed at my story, and exclaimed, Thou hast spoken +well:--but I replied, I will not accept this honour until thou hast +listened to me while I relate to thee what happened to the rest of my +brothers; and think me not a man of many words.--Tell me, said the +Khaleefeh, what happened to all thy brothers, and grace my ears with +these nice particulars: I beg thee to employ exuberance of diction in +thy relation of these pleasant tales. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS SECOND BROTHER. + +So I said, Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that my second brother, whose +name was El-Heddar,[V_75] was going one day to transact some +business, when an old woman met him, and said to him, O man, stop a +little, that I may propose to thee a thing, which, if it please thee, +thou shalt do for me. My brother, therefore, stopped; and she said to +him, I will guide thee to a thing, and rightly direct thee to it, on the +condition that thy words be not many. So he said, Communicate what thou +hast to tell me:--and she proceeded thus:--What sayest thou of a +handsome house, with running water, and fruit and wine, and a beautiful +face to behold, and a smooth cheek to kiss, and an elegant form to +embrace; and to enjoy all these pleasures without interruption? Now, if +thou wilt act agreeably with the condition that I have imposed upon +thee, thou wilt see prosperity.--When my brother had heard her words, he +said to her, O my mistress, how is it that thou hast sought me out in +preference to all the rest of the creation for this affair; and what is +there in me that hath pleased thee? She replied, Did I not say to thee +that thou must not be a person of many words? Be silent then, and come +with me. + +The old woman then went her way, my brother following her, eager to +enjoy the pleasures which she had described to him, until they had +entered a spacious house, when she went up with him to an upper story, +and my brother perceived that he was in a beautiful palace, in which he +beheld four damsels, than whom none more lovely had ever been seen, +singing with voices that would charm a heart as insensible as stone. One +of these damsels drank a cup of wine; and my brother said to her, May it +be attended with health and vigour!--and advanced to wait upon her; but +she prevented his doing so, giving him to drink a cup of wine; and as +soon as he had drunk it, she slapped him on his neck. When he found that +she treated him thus, he went out from the chamber in anger, and with +many words; but the old woman, following him, made a sign to him with +her eye that he should return: so he returned, and seated himself, +without speaking; and upon this, the damsel slapped him again upon the +back of his neck until he became senseless; after which, recovering, he +withdrew again. The old woman, however, overtook him, and said to him, +Wait a little, and thou shalt attain thy wish.--How many times, said he, +shall I wait a little before I attain it? The old woman answered, When +she hath become exhilarated with wine thou shalt obtain her favour. He +therefore returned to his place, and resumed his seat. All the four +damsels then arose, and the old woman directed them to divest my brother +of his outer clothes, and to sprinkle some rose-water upon his face; and +when they had done so, the most beautiful one among them said to him, +May Allah exalt thee to honour! Thou hast entered my abode, and if thou +have patience to submit to my requisitions, thou wilt attain thy +wish.--O my mistress, he replied, I am thy slave, and under thy +authority.--Know then, said she, that I am devotedly fond of frolic, and +he who complieth with my demands will obtain my favour. Then she ordered +the other damsels to sing; and they sang so that their hearers were in +an ecstasy; after which the chief lady said to one of the other damsels, +Take thy master, and do what is required, and bring him back to me +immediately. + +Accordingly, she took him away, ignorant of that which she was about to +do; and the old woman came to him, and said, Be patient; for there +remaineth but little to do. He then turned towards the damsel, and the +old woman said to him, Be patient: thou hast almost succeeded, and there +remaineth but one thing, which is, to shave thy beard.--How, said he, +shall I do that which will disgrace me among the people? The old woman +answered, She desireth this only to make thee like a beardless youth, +that there may be nothing on thy face to prick her; for her heart is +affected with a violent love for thee. Be patient, therefore, and thou +shalt attain thy desire.--So my brother patiently submitted to the +damsel's directions: his beard was shaven, and he was shorn also of his +eyebrows and mustaches, and his face was painted red, before the damsel +took him back to the chief lady, who, when she saw him, was at first +frightened at him, and then laughed until she fell backwards, and +exclaimed, O my master, thou hast gained me by these proofs of thine +amiable manners! She then conjured him by her life to arise and dance; +and he did so; and there was not a single cushion in the chamber that +she did not throw at him. In like manner also the other damsels threw at +him various things, such as oranges, and limes, and citrons, until he +fell down senseless from the pelting, while they slapped him incessantly +upon the back of his neck, and cast things in his face. But at length +the old woman said to him, Now thou hast attained thy wish. Know that +there remaineth to thee no more beating, nor doth there remain for thee +to do more than one thing, namely, this: it is her custom, when she is +under the influence of wine, to suffer no one to come near her until she +hath taken off her outer clothes; thou, being prepared in the like +manner, must run after her, and she will run before thee as though she +were flying from thee; but cease not to follow her from place to place +until thou overtake her. He arose, therefore, and did so: the lady ran +before, and as he followed her, she passed from chamber to chamber, and +he still ran after her. At last he heard her utter a slight sound as she +ran before him, and, continuing his pursuit, he suddenly found himself +in the midst of the street. + +This street was in the market of the leather-sellers, who were then +crying skins for sale; and when the people there collected saw him in +this condition, almost naked, with shaven beard and eyebrows and +mustaches, and with his face painted red, they shouted at him, and +raised a loud laugh, and some of them beat him with the skins until he +became insensible. They then placed him upon an ass, and conducted him +to the Walee, who exclaimed, What is this?--They answered, This +descended upon us from the house of the Wezeer, in this condition. And +the Walee inflicted upon him a hundred lashes, and banished him from the +city: but I went out after him, and brought him back privately into the +city, and allotted him a maintenance. Had it not been for my generous +disposition, I had not borne with such a person. + +[Illustration] + + +THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS THIRD BROTHER. + +As to my third brother (the blind man, Ba[k.]ba[k.]), who was also +surnamed [K.]uffeh,[V_76] fate and destiny impelled him one day to +a large house, and he knocked at the door, hoping that its master would +answer him, and that he might beg of him a trifle. The owner called out, +Who is at the door?--but my brother answered not; and then heard him +call with a loud voice, Who is this? Still, however, he returned him no +answer; and he heard the sounds of his footsteps approaching until he +came to the door and opened it, when he said to him, What dost thou +desire? My brother answered, Something for the sake of God, whose name +be exalted!--Art thou blind? said the man; and my brother answered, +Yes.--Then give me thy hand rejoined the master of the house;--so my +brother stretched forth to him his hand, and the man took him into the +house, and led him up from stair-case to stair-case until he had +ascended to the highest platform of the roof: my brother thinking that +he was going to give him some food or money: and when he had arrived at +this highest terrace, of his house, the owner said, What dost thou +desire, O blind man!--I desire something, he answered again, for the +sake of God, whose name be exalted!--May God, replied the man, open to +thee some other way!--What is this! exclaimed my brother: couldst thou +not tell me so when I was below?--Thou vilest of the vile! retorted the +other: why didst thou not ask of me something for the sake of God when +thou heardest my voice the first time, when thou wast knocking at the +door?--What then, said my brother, dost thou mean to do to me?--The man +of the house answered, I have nothing to give thee.--Then take me down +the stairs, said my brother. The man replied, The way is before thee. So +my brother made his way to the stairs, and continued descending until +there remained, between him and the door, twenty steps, when his foot +slipped and he fell, and, rolling down, broke his head.[V_77] + +He went forth, not knowing whither to direct his steps, and presently +there met him two blind men, his companions, who said to him, What hath +happened to thee this day? My brother, therefore, related to them the +event that had just befallen him: and then said to them, O my brothers, +I desire to take a portion of the money now in our possession, to expend +it upon myself.--Now the owner of the house which he had just before +entered had followed him to acquaint himself with his proceedings, and +without my brother's knowledge he walked behind him until the latter +entered his abode; when he went in after him, still unknown. My brother +then sat waiting for his companions; and when they came in to him, he +said to them, Shut the door, and search the room, lest any stranger have +followed us. When the intruder, therefore, heard what he said, he arose, +and clung to a rope that was attached to the ceiling; and the blind men +went feeling about the whole of the chamber, and, finding no one, +returned and seated themselves by my brother, and brought forth their +money, and counted it; and lo, it was more than ten thousand pieces of +silver. Having done this, they laid it in a corner of the room, and each +of them took of the surplus of that sum as much as he wanted, and they +buried the ten thousand pieces of silver in the earth; after which, they +placed before themselves some food, and sat eating; but my brother heard +the sound of a stranger by his side, and said to his friends, Is there a +stranger among us? Then stretching forth his hand, it grasped the hand +of the intruder; whereupon he cried out to his companions, saying, Here +is a stranger!--and they fell upon him with blows until they were tired, +when they shouted out, O Muslims![V_78] a thief hath come in upon +us, and desireth to take our property!--and immediately a number of +persons collected around them. + +Upon this, the stranger whom they accused of being a thief shut his +eyes, feigned to be blind like themselves, so that no one who saw him +doubted him to be so; and shouted, O Muslims! I demand protection of +Allah and the Sul[t.]an! I demand protection of Allah and the Walee! I +demand protection of Allah and the Emeer! for I have important +information to give to the Emeer!--and before they could collect their +thoughts, the officers of the Walee surrounded them and took them all, +including my brother, and conducted them before their master. The Walee +said, What is your story?--and the stranger replied, Hear my words, O +Walee; the truth of our case will not become known to thee but by means +of beating;[V_79] and if thou wilt, begin by beating me before my +companions. The Walee therefore said, Throw down this man, and flog him +with whips:--and accordingly they threw him down and flogged him; and +when the stripes tortured him, he opened one of his eyes; and after they +had continued the flogging a little longer, he opened his other eye; +upon which the Walee exclaimed, What meaneth this conduct, O thou +villain?--Grant me indemnity, replied the man, and I will acquaint +thee:--and the Walee having granted his request, he said, We four +pretend that we are blind, and, intruding among other people, enter +their houses, and see their women, and employ stratagems to corrupt +them, and to obtain money from them. We have acquired, by these means, +vast gain, amounting to ten thousand pieces of silver; and I said to my +companions, Give me my due, two thousand and five hundred; and they rose +against me and beat me, and took my property. I beg protection, +therefore, of Allah and of thee; and thou art more deserving of my share +than they. If thou desire to know the truth of that which I have said, +flog each of them more than thou hast flogged me, and he will open his +eyes. + +So the Walee immediately gave orders to flog them, and the first of them +who suffered was my brother. They continued beating him until he almost +died; when the Walee said to them, O ye scoundrels! do ye deny the +gracious gift of God, feigning yourselves to be blind? My brother +exclaimed, Allah! Allah! Allah! there is none among us who seeth!--They +then threw him down again, and ceased not to beat him until he became +insensible, when the Walee said, Leave him until he shall have +recovered, and then give him a third flogging:--and in the meantime, he +gave orders to flog his companions, to give each of them more than three +hundred stripes; while the seeing man said to them, Open your eyes, or +they will flog you again after this time. Then addressing himself to the +Walee, he said, Send with me some person to bring thee the property; for +these men will not open their eyes, fearing to be disgraced before the +spectators. And the Walee sent with him a man, who brought him the +money; and he took it, and gave to the informer, out of it, two +thousand and five hundred pieces of silver, according to the share which +he claimed, in spite of the others (retaining the rest), and banished +from the city my brother and the two other men; but I went forth, O +Prince of the Faithful, and, having overtaken my brother, asked him +respecting his sufferings; and he acquainted me with that which I have +related unto thee. I then brought him back secretly into the city, and +allotted him a supply of food and drink as long as he lived. + +The Khaleefeh laughed at my story, and said, Give him a present, and let +him go:--but I replied, I will receive nothing until I have declared to +the Prince of the Faithful what happened to the rest of my brothers, and +made it manifest to him that I am a man of few words:--whereupon the +Khaleefeh said, Crack our ears, then, with thy ridiculous stories, and +continue to us thy disclosure of vices and misdeeds. So I proceeded +thus:-- + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS FOURTH BROTHER. + +My fourth brother, O Prince of the Faithful, was the one-eyed (named +El-Kooz el-A[s.]wanee): he was a butcher in Baghdad, and both sold meat +and reared lambs; and the great and the rich had recourse to him to +purchase of him their meat; so that he amassed great wealth, and became +possessor of cattle and houses. Thus he continued to prosper for a long +time; and as he was in his shop, one day, there accosted him an old man +with a long beard, who handed to him some money, saying, Give me some +meat for it. So he took the money, and gave him the meat; and when the +old man had gone away, my brother looked at the money which he had payed +him, and, seeing that it was of a brilliant whiteness, put it aside by +itself. This old man continued to repair to him during a period of five +months, and my brother always threw his money into a chest by itself; +after which period he desired to take it out for the purpose of buying +some sheep; but on opening the chest, he found all the contents +converted into white paper, clipped round; and he slapped his face, and +cried out; whereupon a number of people collected around him, and he +related to them his story, at which they were astonished. + +He then went again, as usual, into his shop, and, having killed a ram, +and hung it up within the shop, he cut off some of the meat, and +suspended it outside, saying within himself, Perhaps now this old man +will come again, and if so, I will seize him:--and very soon after, the +old man approached with his money; upon which my brother arose, and, +laying hold upon him, began to cry out, O Muslims, come to my aid, and +hear what this scoundrel hath done unto me! But when the old man heard +his words, he said to him, Which will be more agreeable to thee--that +thou abstain from disgracing me, or that I disgrace thee, before the +people?--For what wilt thou disgrace me? said my brother. The old man +answered, For thy selling human flesh for mutton.--Thou liest, thou +accursed! exclaimed my brother.--None is accursed, rejoined the old man, +but he who hath a man suspended in his shop. My brother said, If it be +as thou hast asserted, my property and blood shall be lawful to +thee:--and immediately the old man exclaimed, O ye people here +assembled! verily this butcher slaughtereth human beings, and selleth +their flesh for mutton; and if ye desire to know the truth of my +assertion, enter his shop! So the people rushed upon his shop, and +beheld the ram converted into a man, hung up; and they laid hold upon my +brother, crying out against him, Thou infidel! Thou scoundrel!--and +those who had been his dearest friends turned upon him and beat him; and +the old man gave him a blow upon his eye, and knocked it out. The people +then carried the carcass, and took with them my brother, to the chief +magistrate of the police; and the old man said to him, O Emeer, this man +slaughtereth human beings, and selleth their flesh for mutton; and we +have therefore brought him to thee: arise, then, and perform the +requisition of God, whose might and glory be extolled! Upon this, the +magistrate thrust back my brother from him, and, refusing to listen to +what he would have said, ordered that five hundred blows of a staff +should be inflicted upon him, and took all his property. Had it not been +for the great amount of his wealth, he had put him to death.[V_80] +He then banished him from the city. + +My brother, therefore, went forth in a state of distraction, not knowing +what course to pursue; but he journeyed onwards until he arrived at a +great city, where he thought fit to settle as a shoemaker: so he opened +a shop, and sat there working for his subsistence. And one day he went +forth on some business, and, hearing the neighing of horses, he inquired +respecting the cause, and was told that the King was going forth to +hunt; whereupon he went to amuse himself with the sight of the +procession: but the King happening to look on one side, his eye met that +of my brother, and immediately he hung down his head, and exclaimed, I +seek refuge with God from the evil of this day! He then turned aside the +bridle of his horse, and rode back, and all his troops returned with +him; after which, he ordered his pages to run after my brother, and to +beat him; and they did so, giving him so severe a beating that he +almost died; and he knew not the cause. He returned to his abode in a +miserable plight, and afterwards went and related his misfortune to one +of the King's attendants, who laughed at the recital until he fell +backwards, and said to him, O my brother, the King cannot endure the +sight of a one-eyed person, and especially when the defect is that of +the left eye;[V_81] for in this case, he faileth not to put the +person to death. + +When my brother heard these words, he determined to fly from that city; +and forthwith departed from it, and repaired to another city, where +there was no King. Here he remained a long time; and after this, as he +was meditating upon his adventure in the former city, he went out one +day to amuse himself, and heard again the neighing of horses behind him; +upon which he exclaimed, The decree of God hath come to pass! and ran +away, seeking for a place in which to conceal himself; but he found +none, until, continuing his search, he saw a door set up as a barricade: +so he pushed this, and it fell down; and, entering the doorway, he +beheld a long passage, into which he advanced. Suddenly, however, two +men laid hold upon him, and exclaimed, Praise be to God who hath enabled +us to take thee, O thou enemy of God! For these three nights thou hast +suffered us to enjoy neither quiet nor sleep, and we have found no +repose: nay, thou hast given us a foretaste of death!--O men, said my +brother, what hath happened unto you? They answered, Thou keepest a +watch upon us, and desirest to disgrace us, and to disgrace the master +of the house! Is it not enough for thee that thou hast reduced him to +poverty, thou and thy companions? Produce now the knife wherewith thou +threatenest us every night.--And so saying, they searched him, and found +upon his waist the knife with which he cut the shoe-leather.--O men, he +exclaimed, fear God in your treatment of me, and know that my story is +wonderful. They said, What then is thy story? So he related it to them, +in the hope that they would liberate him: but they believed not what he +said; and, instead of shewing him any regard, they beat him, and tore +his clothes; whereupon, his body becoming exposed to their view, they +discovered upon his sides the marks of beating with mi[k.]ra'ahs, and +exclaimed, O wretch! these scars bear testimony to thy guilt. They then +conducted him before the Walee, while he said within himself, I am +undone for my transgressions, and none can deliver me but God, whose +name be exalted! And when he was brought before the Walee, the +magistrate said to him, O thou scoundrel! nothing but a heinous crime +hath occasioned thy having been beaten with mi[k.]ra'ahs:--and he +caused a hundred lashes to be inflicted upon him; after which, they +mounted him upon a camel, and proclaimed before him, This is the +recompense of him who breaketh into men's houses!--But I had already +heard of his misfortunes, and gone forth, and found him; and I +accompanied him about the city while they were making this proclamation, +until they left him; when I took him, and brought him back secretly into +Baghdad, and apportioned him a daily allowance of food and drink. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS FIFTH BROTHER.[V_82] + +My fifth brother (El-Feshshar[V_83]) was cropped of his ears, O Prince +of the Faithful. He was a pauper, who begged alms by night, and +subsisted upon what he thus acquired by day: and our father was a very +old man, and he fell sick and died, leaving to us seven hundred pieces +of silver, of which each of us took his portion; namely, a hundred +pieces. Now my fifth brother, when he had received his share, was +perplexed, not knowing what to do with it; but while he was in this +state, it occurred to his mind to buy with it all kinds of articles of +glass, and to sell them and make profit; so he bought glass with his +hundred pieces of silver, and put it in a large tray, and sat upon an +elevated place, to sell it, leaning his back against a wall. And as he +sat, he meditated, and said within himself, Verily my whole stock +consisteth of this glass: I will sell it for two hundred pieces of +silver; and with the two hundred I will buy other glass, which I will +sell for four hundred; and thus I will continue buying and selling until +I have acquired great wealth. Then with this I will purchase all kinds +of merchandise and essences and jewels, and so obtain vast gain. After +that, I will buy a handsome house, and memlooks, and horses, and gilded +saddles; and I will eat and drink; and I will not leave in the city a +single female singer but I will have her brought to my house that I may +hear her songs.--All this he calculated with the tray of glass lying +before him.--Then, said he, I will send all the female betrothers to +seek in marriage for me the daughters of Kings and Wezeers; and I will +demand as my wife the daughter of the chief Wezeer;[V_84] for I have +heard that she is endowed with perfect beauty and surprising loveliness: +and I will give as her dowry a thousand pieces of gold. If her father +consent, my wish is attained; and if he consent not, I will take her by +force, in spite of him: and when I have come back to my house, I will +buy ten young eunuchs, and I will purchase the apparel of Kings and +Sul[t.]ans, and cause to be made for me a saddle of gold set with +jewels: after which I will ride every day upon a horse, with slaves +behind me and before me,[V_85] and go about through the streets and +markets to amuse myself, while the people will salute me and pray for +me.[V_86] Then I will pay a visit to the Wezeer, who is the father of +the maiden, with memlooks behind me and before me, and on my right hand +and on my left; and when he seeth me, he will rise to me, in humility, +and seat me in his own place; and he himself will sit down below +me,[V_87] because I am his son-in-law. I will then order one of the +servants to bring a purse containing the pieces of gold which compose +the dowry; and he will place it before the Wezeer; and I will add to it +another purse, that he may know my manly spirit and excessive +generosity, and that the world is contemptible in my eye: and when he +addresseth me with ten words, I will answer him with two. And I will +return to my house; and when any person cometh to me from the house of +the Wezeer, I will clothe him with a rich dress: but if any come with a +present, I will return it: I will certainly not accept it.[V_88] Then, +on the night of the bridal display, I will attire myself in the most +magnificent of my dresses, and sit upon a mattress covered with silk; +and when my wife cometh to me, like the full moon, decked with her +ornaments and apparel, I will command her to stand before me as stands +the timid and the abject; and I will not look at her, on account of the +haughtiness of my spirit and the gravity of my wisdom; so that the maids +will say, O our master and our lord, may we be thy sacrifice! This thy +wife, or rather thy handmaid, awaiteth thy kind regard, and is standing +before thee: then graciously bestow on her one glance; for the posture +hath become painful to her.[V_89]--Upon this, I will raise my head, and +look at her with one glance, and again incline my head downwards; and +thus I will do until the ceremony of displaying her is finished; +whereupon they will conduct her to the sleeping-chamber; and I will rise +from my place, and go to another apartment, and put on my night-dress, +and go to the chamber in which she is sitting, where I will seat myself +upon the deewan; but I will not look towards her. The tire-women will +urge me to approach her; but I will not hear their words, and will order +some of the attendants to bring a purse containing five hundred pieces +of gold for them, and command them to retire from the chamber.[V_90] And +when they have gone, I will seat myself by the side of the bride; but +with averted countenance, that she may say, Verily this is a man of a +haughty spirit. Then her mother will come to me, and will kiss my hands, +and say to me, O my master, look upon thy handmaid with the eye of +mercy; for she is submissively standing before thee. But I will return +her no answer. And she will kiss my feet, again and again, and will say, +O my master, my daughter is young, and hath seen no man but thee; and if +she experience from thee repugnance, her heart will break: incline to +her, therefore, and speak to her, and calm her mind. And upon this I +will look at her through the corner of my eye, and command her to remain +standing before me, that she may taste the savour of humiliation, and +know that I am the Sul[t.]an of the age. Then her mother will say to me, +O my master, this is thy handmaid: have compassion upon her, and be +gracious to her:--and she will order her to fill a cup with wine, and to +put it to my mouth. So her daughter will say, O my lord, I conjure thee +by Allah that thou reject not the cup from thy slave; for verily I am +thy slave. But I will make her no reply; and she will urge me to take +it, and will say, It must be drunk:--and will put it to my mouth: and +upon this, I will shake my hand in her face, and spurn her with my foot, +and do thus.--So saying, he kicked the tray of glass, which, being upon +a place elevated above the ground, fell, and all that was in it broke: +there escaped nothing: and he cried out and said, All this is the result +of my pride! And he slapped his face, and tore his clothes; the +passengers gazing at him, while he wept, and exclaimed, Ah! O my grief! + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +The people were now repairing to perform the Friday-prayers; and some +merely cast their eyes at him, while others noticed him not: but while +he was in this state, deprived of his whole property, and weeping +without intermission, a female approached him, on her way to attend the +Friday-prayers: she was of admirable loveliness; the odour of musk was +diffused from her; under her was a mule with a stuffed saddle covered +with gold-embroidered silk; and with her was a number of servants; and +when she saw the broken glass, and my brother's state and his tears, she +was moved with pity for him, and asked respecting his case. She was +answered, He had a tray of glass, by the sale of which to obtain his +subsistence and it is broken, and he is afflicted as thou seest:--and +upon this, she called to one of the servants, saying, Give what thou +hast with thee to this poor man. So he gave him a purse, and he took it, +and when he had opened it, he found in it five hundred pieces of gold, +whereupon he almost died from excessive joy, and offered up prayers for +his benefactress. + +He returned to his house a rich man, and sat reflecting, and lo, a +person knocked at the door: he rose, therefore, and opened it; and +beheld an old woman whom he knew not, and she said to him, O my son, +know that the time of prayer hath almost expired, and I am not prepared +by ablution; wherefore I beg that thou wilt admit me into thy house, +that I may perform it. He replied, I hear and obey;--and, retiring +within, gave her permission to enter; his mind still wandering from joy +on account of the gold; and when she had finished the ablution, she +approached the spot where he was sitting, and there performed the +prayers of two rek'ahs. She then offered up a supplication for my +brother; and he thanked her, and offered her two pieces of gold; but +when she saw this, she exclaimed, Extolled be God's perfection! Verily I +wonder at the person who fell in love with thee in thy beggarly +condition! Take back thy money from me, and if thou want it not, return +it to her who gave it thee when thy glass broke.--O my mother, said he, +how can I contrive to obtain access to her? She answered, O my son, she +hath an affection for thee; but she is the wife of an affluent man; take +then with thee all thy money, and when thou art with her be not +deficient in courteousness and agreeable words; so shalt thou obtain of +her favours and her wealth whatever thou shalt desire. My brother, +therefore, took all the gold, and arose and went with the old woman, +hardly believing what she had told him; and she proceeded, and my +brother behind her, until they arrived at a great door, at which she +knocked; whereupon a Greek damsel came and opened the door, and the old +woman entered, ordering my brother to do the same. He did so, and found +himself in a large house, where he beheld a great furnished chamber, +with curtains hung in it; and, seating himself there, he put down the +gold before him, and placed his turban on his knees;[V_91] and +scarcely had he done so, when there came to him a damsel, the like of +whom had never been seen, attired in most magnificent apparel. My +brother stood up at her approach; and when she beheld him, she laughed +in his face, and rejoiced at his visit: then going to the door, she +locked it; after which she returned to my brother, and took his hand, +and both of them went together into a private chamber, carpeted with +various kinds of silk, where my brother sat down, and she seated herself +by his side, and toyed with him for a considerable time. She then rose, +saying to him, Move not from this place until I return to thee;--and was +absent from him for a short period;--and as my brother was waiting for +her, there came in to him a black slave, of gigantic stature, with a +drawn sword, the brightness of which dazzled the sight; and he exclaimed +to my brother. Wo to thee! Who brought thee to this place? Thou vilest +of men! Thou misbegotten wretch, and nursling of impurity!--My brother +was unable to make any reply; his tongue was instantly tied; and the +slave laid hold upon him, and stripped him, and struck him more than +eighty blows with the flat of his sword, until he fell sprawling upon +the floor; when he retired from him, concluding that he was dead, and +uttered a great cry, so that the earth trembled, and the place resounded +at his voice, saying, Where is El-Melee[h.]ah?[V_92]--upon which a +girl came to him, holding a handsome tray containing salt; and with this +she forthwith stuffed the flesh-wounds with which my brother's skin was +gashed until they gaped open; but he moved not, fearing the slave would +discover that he was alive, and kill him. The girl then went away, and +the slave uttered another cry, like the first, whereupon the old woman +came to my brother, and, dragging him by the feet to a deep and dark +vault, threw him into it upon a heap of slain.[V_93] In this place +he remained for two whole days; and God (whose perfection be extolled!) +made the salt to be the means of preserving his life, by stanching the +flow of blood from his veins; so, when he found that he had strength +sufficient to move, he arose, and, opening a shutter in the wall, +emerged from the place of the slain; and God (to whom be ascribed all +might and glory!) granted him his protection. He therefore proceeded in +the darkness, and concealed himself in the passage until the morning, +when the old woman went forth to seek another victim, and my brother, +going out after her, without her knowledge, returned to his house. + +[Illustration] + +He now occupied himself with the treatment of his wounds until he was +restored; and continued to watch for the old woman, and constantly saw +her taking men, one after another, and conducting them to the same +house. But he uttered not a word on the subject; and when his health +returned, and his strength was completely renewed, he took a piece of +rag, and made of it a purse, which he filled with pieces of glass: he +then tied it to his waist, and disguised himself so that no one would +know him, in the dress of a foreigner; and, taking a sword, placed it +within his clothes; and as soon as he saw the old woman, he said to her, +in the dialect of a foreigner, Old woman, hast thou a pair of scales fit +for weighing nine hundred pieces of gold? The old woman answered, I have +a young son, a money-changer, and he hath all kinds of scales; therefore +accompany me to him before he go forth from his abode, that he may weigh +for thee thy gold. So my brother said, Walk on before me:--and she went, +and my brother followed her until she arrived at the door, and knocked; +upon which the girl came out, and laughed in his face; and the old woman +said to her, I have brought you to-day some fat meat. The girl then took +my brother's hand, and conducted him into the house (the same which he +had entered before), and after she had sat with him a short time, she +rose, saying to him, Quit not this place until I return to thee:--and +she retired; and my brother had remained not long after when the slave +came to him with the drawn sword, and said to him, Rise, thou unlucky! +So my brother rose, and, as the slave walked before him, he put his hand +to the sword which was concealed beneath his clothes, and struck the +slave with it, and cut off his head; after which he dragged him by his +feet to the vault, and called out, Where is El-Melee[h.]ah? The +slave-girl, therefore, came, having in her hand the tray containing the +salt; but when she saw my brother with the sword in his hand, she turned +back and fled: my brother, however, overtook her, and struck off her +head. He then called out, Where is the old woman?--and she came; and he +said to her, Dost thou know me, O malevolent hag? She answered, No, O my +lord.--I am, said he, the man who had the pieces of gold, and in whose +house thou performedst the ablution and prayedst; after which, devising +a stratagem against me, thou betrayedst me into this place.--The old +woman exclaimed, Fear God in thy treatment of me!--but my brother, +turning towards her, struck her with the sword, and clove her in twain. +He then went to search for the chief damsel, and when she saw him, her +reason fled, and she implored his pardon; whereupon he granted her his +pardon, and said to her, What occasioned thy falling into the hands of +this black? She answered, I was a slave to one of the merchants, and +this old woman used to visit me; and one day she said to me, We are +celebrating a festivity, the like of which no one hath seen, and I have +a desire that thou shouldst witness it. I replied, I hear and obey:--and +arose, and clad myself in the best of my attire, and, taking with me a +purse containing a hundred pieces of gold,[V_94] proceeded with her +until she entered this house, when suddenly this black took me, and I +have continued with him in this state three years, through the stratagem +of the old witch.--My brother then said to her, Is there any property of +his in the house?--Abundance, she answered; and if thou canst remove it, +do so:--and upon this, he arose and went with her, when she opened to +him chests filled with purses, at the sight of which he was confounded; +and she said to him, Go now, and leave me here, and bring some person to +remove the property. So he went out, and, having hired ten men, +returned; but on his arrival at the door, he found it open, and saw +neither the damsel nor the purses; he found, however, some little money +remaining, and the stuffs. He discovered, therefore, that she had +eluded him; and he took the money that remained, and, opening the +closets, took all the stuffs which they contained, leaving nothing in +the house. + +He passed the next night full of happiness; but when the morning came, +he found at the door twenty soldiers, and on his going forth to them, +they laid hold upon him, saying, The Walee summoneth thee. So they +took him, and conducted him to the Walee, who, when he saw him, +said to him, Whence obtainedst thou these stuffs?--Grant me indemnity, +said my brother:--and the Walee gave him the handkerchief of +indemnity;[V_95] and my brother related to him all that had +befallen him with the old woman from first to last, and the flight of +the damsel; adding,--and of that which I have taken, take thou what thou +wilt; but leave me wherewith to procure my food. The Walee thereupon +demanded the whole of the money and the stuffs; but fearing that the +Sul[t.]an[V_96] might become acquainted with the matter, he +retained a portion only, and gave the rest to my brother, saying to him, +Quit this city, or I will hang thee. My brother replied, I hear and +obey:--and went forth to one of the surrounding cities. Some robbers, +however, came upon him, and stripped and beat him, and cut off his ears; +and I, having heard of his situation, went forth to him, taking to him +some clothes; and brought him back privily into the city, and supplied +him with daily food and drink. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS SIXTH BROTHER + +My sixth brother (Sha[k.]ali[k.]), O Prince of the Faithful, had his +lips cut off. He was in a state of extreme poverty, possessing nothing +of the goods of this perishable world; and he went forth one day to seek +for something with which to stay his departing spirit, and on his way he +beheld a handsome house, with a wide and lofty vestibule, at the door of +which were servants, commanding and forbidding; whereupon he inquired of +one of the persons standing there, who answered, This house belongeth to +a man of the sons of the Barmekees.[V_97] My brother, therefore, +advanced to the door-keepers, and begged them to give him something; and +they said, Enter the door of the house, and thou wilt obtain what thou +desirest of its master. So he entered the vestibule, and proceeded +through it a while until he arrived at a mansion of the utmost beauty +and elegance, having a garden in the midst of it, unsurpassed in beauty +by anything that had ever been seen: its floors were paved with marble, +and its curtains were hanging around. He knew not in which direction to +go; but advanced to the upper extremity, and there he beheld a man of +handsome countenance and beard, who, on seeing my brother, rose to him, +and welcomed him, inquiring respecting his circumstances. He accordingly +informed him that he was in want; and when the master of the house heard +his words, he manifested excessive grief, and, taking hold of his own +clothes, rent them, and exclaimed, Am I in the city, and thou in it +hungry? It is a thing that I cannot endure!--Then promising him every +kind of happiness, he said, Thou must stay and partake of my salt. But +my brother replied, O my master, I have not patience to wait; for I am +in a state of extreme hunger. + +Upon this, the master of the house called out, Boy, bring the basin and +ewer!--and he said, O my guest, advance, and wash thy hand. He then +performed the same motions as if he were washing his hand; and called to +his attendants to bring the table; whereupon they began to come and go +as though they were preparing it; after which the master of the house +took my brother, and sat down with him at this imaginary table, and +proceeded to move his hands and lips as if he were eating; saying to my +brother, Eat, and be not ashamed, for thou art hungry, and I know how +thou art suffering from the violence of thy hunger. My brother, +therefore, made the same motions, as if he also were eating, while his +host said to him, Eat, and observe this bread and its whiteness. To +this, my brother at first made no reply; but observed in his own mind, +Verily this is a man who loveth to jest with others:--so he said to him, +O my master, in my life I have never seen bread more beautifully white +than this, or any of sweeter taste:--on which the host rejoined, This +was made by a female slave of mine whom I purchased for five hundred +pieces of gold. He then called out, Boy, bring to us the +sikbaj,[V_98] the like of which is not found among the dishes of +Kings!--and, addressing my brother, he said, Eat, O my guest; for thou +art hungry, vehemently so, and in absolute want of food. So my brother +began to twist about his mouth, and to chew, as in eating. The master of +the house now proceeded to demand different kinds of viands, one after +another; and, though nothing was brought, he continued ordering my +brother to eat. Next he called out, Boy, place before us the chickens +stuffed with pistachio-nuts:--and said to his guest, Eat of that which +thou hast never tasted the like.--O my master, replied my brother, +verily this dish hath not its equal in sweetness of flavour:--and the +host, thereupon, began to put his hand to my brother's mouth as though +he were feeding him with morsels; and proceeded to enumerate to him the +various different kinds of viands, and to describe their several +excellencies; while his hunger so increased that he longed for a cake of +barley-bread. The master of the house then said to him, Hast thou tasted +anything more delicious than the spices in these dishes?--No, O my +master, answered my brother.--Eat more then, resumed the host; and be +not ashamed.--I have eaten enough of the meats, replied the guest. So +the man of the house called to his attendants to bring the sweets; and +they moved their hands about in the air as if they were bringing them; +whereupon the host said to my brother, Eat of this dish; for it is +excellent; and of these [k.]a[t.]aif,[V_99] by my life! and take +this one before the sirup runs from it.--May I never be deprived of +thee, O my master! exclaimed my brother, proceeding to inquire of him +respecting the abundance of musk in the [k.]a[t.]aif.--This, answered +the host, is my usual custom in my house: they always put for me, in +each of the [k.]a[t.]aif, a mith[k.]al[V_100] of musk, and half a +mith[k.]al of ambergris.--All this time my brother was moving his head +and mouth, and rolling about his tongue between his cheeks, as if he +were enjoying the sweets. After this, the master of the house called out +to his attendants, Bring the dried fruits!--and again they moved about +their hands in the air as though they were doing what he ordered; when +he said to my brother, Eat of these almonds, and of these walnuts, and +of these raisins;--and so on; enumerating the various kinds of dried +fruits; and added again, Eat, and be not ashamed.--O my master, replied +my brother, I have had enough, and have not power to eat anything +more:--but the host rejoined, If thou desire, O my guest, to eat more, +and to delight thyself with extraordinary dainties, by Allah! by Allah! +remain not hungry. + +My brother now reflected upon his situation, and upon the manner in +which this man was jesting with him, and said within himself, By Allah, +I will do to him a deed that shall make him repent before God of these +actions! The man of the house next said to his attendants, Bring us the +wine:--and, as before, they made the same motions with their hands in +the air as if they were doing what he commanded; after which he +pretended to hand to my brother a cup, saying, Take this cup, for it +will delight thee:--and his guest replied, O my master, this is of thy +bounty:--and he acted with his hand as though he were drinking it.--Hath +it pleased thee? said the host.--O my master, answered my brother, I +have never seen anything more delicious than this wine.--Drink then, +rejoined the master of the house, and may it be attended with benefit +and health:--and he himself pretended to drink, and to hand a second cup +to my brother, who, after he had affected to drink it, feigned himself +intoxicated, and, taking his host unawares, raised his hand until the +whiteness of his arm-pit appeared, and struck him such a slap upon his +neck that the chamber rang at the blow; and this he followed by a second +blow; whereupon the man exclaimed, What is this, thou vilest of the +creation?--O my master, answered my brother, I am thy slave, whom thou +hast graciously admitted into thine abode, and thou hast fed him with +thy provisions, and treated him with old wine, and he hath become +intoxicated, and committed an outrage upon thee; but thou art of too +exalted dignity to be angry with him for his ignorance. + +When the master of the house heard these words of my brother, he uttered +a loud laugh, and said to him, Verily for a long time have I made game +of men, and jested with all persons accustomed to joking and rudeness, +but I have not seen among them any who could endure this trick, nor any +who had sagacity to conform to all my actions, except thee: now, +therefore, I pardon thee; and be thou my companion in reality, and never +relinquish me. He then gave orders to bring a number of the dishes above +mentioned, and he and my brother ate together to satisfaction; after +which they removed to the drinking-chamber, where female slaves like so +many moons sang all kinds of melodies, and played on all kinds of +musical instruments. There they drank until intoxication overcame them: +the master of the house treated my brother as a familiar friend, became +greatly attached to him, and clad him with a costly dress; and on the +following morning they resumed their feasting and drinking. Thus they +continued to live for a period of twenty years: the man then died, and +the Sul[t.]an[V_101] seized upon his property, and took possession +of it. + +My brother, upon this, went forth from the city, a fugitive; and upon +his way, a party of Arabs[V_102] came upon him. They made him a +captive; and the man who captured him tortured him with beating, and +said to him, By Allah, purchase thyself of me by wealth, or I will kill +thee:--but my brother, weeping, replied, By Allah, I possess nothing, O +Sheykh of the Arabs; nor do I know the means of obtaining any property: +I am thy captive; I have fallen into thy hands, and do with me what thou +wilt. And immediately the tyrannical Bedawee drew forth from his girdle +a broad-bladed knife (such as, if plunged into the neck of a camel, +would cut it across from one jugular vein to the other), and, taking it +in his right hand, approached my poor brother, and cut off with it his +lips; still urging his demand.--Now this Bedawee had a handsome wife, +who, when he was absent, used to manifest a strong affection for my +brother; though he observed a proper decorum towards her, fearing God +(whose name be exalted!); and it happened, one day, that she had called +him, and seated him with her; but while they were together, lo, her +husband came in upon them; and when he beheld my brother, he exclaimed, +Wo to thee, thou base wretch! Dost thou desire now to corrupt my +wife?--Then drawing his knife, he inflicted upon him another cruel +wound; after which he mounted him upon a camel, and, having cast him +upon a mountain, left him there, and went his way. Some travellers, +however, passed by him, and when they discovered him, they gave him food +and drink, and acquainted me with his case: so I went forth to him, and +conveyed him back into the city, and allotted him a sufficient +maintenance. + +[Illustration] + +Now I have come unto thee, O Prince of the Faithful, continued the +barber, and feared to return to my house without relating to thee these +facts; for to neglect doing so had been an error. Thus thou hast seen +that, although having six brothers, I am of a more upright character +than they.--But when the Prince of the Faithful had heard my story, and +all that I had related to him respecting my brothers, he laughed, and +said, Thou hast spoken truth, O [S.]amit (O silent man); thou art a +person of few words, and devoid of impertinence; now, however, depart +from this city, and take up thine abode in another. So he banished me +from Baghdad; and I journeyed through various countries, and traversed +many regions, until I heard of his death, and of the succession of +another Khaleefeh; when, returning to my city, I met with this young +man, unto whom I did the best of deeds, and who, had it not been for me, +had been slain: yet he hath accused me of that which is not in my +character; for all that he hath related of me, with respect to +impertinence, and loquacity, and dulness, and want of taste, is false, O +people. + + +CONTINUATION OF THE STORY TOLD BY THE TAILOR. + +The tailor then proceeded thus:--When we heard the story of the barber, +and were convinced of his impertinence and loquacity, and that the young +man had been treated unjustly by him, we seized hold upon him, and put +him in confinement, and, seating ourselves to keep watch over him, ate +and drank; and the feast was finished in the most agreeable manner. We +remained sitting together until the call to afternoon-prayers, when I +went forth, and returned to my house; but my wife looked angrily at me, +and said, Thou hast been all the day enjoying thy pleasure while I have +been sitting at home sorrowful; now if thou go not forth with me and +amuse me for the remainder of the day, thy refusal will be the cause of +my separation from thee. So I took her and went out with her, and we +amused ourselves until nightfall, when, returning home, we met this +humpback, full of drink, and repeating verses; upon which I invited him +to come home with us, and he consented. I then went forth to buy some +fried fish, and having bought it and returned, we sat down to eat; and +my wife took a morsel of bread and a piece of fish, and put them into +his mouth, and choked him, so that he died; whereupon I took him up, and +contrived to throw him into the house of this physician, and he +contrived to throw him into the house of the steward, and the steward +contrived to throw him in the way of the broker.--This is the story of +what happened to me yesterday. Is it not more wonderful than that of the +humpback? + + +CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE HUMPBACK. + +When the King had heard this story, he ordered certain of his +chamberlains to go with the tailor, and to bring the barber; saying to +them, His presence is indispensable, that I may hear his talk, and it +may be the cause of the deliverance of you all: then we will bury this +humpback decently in the earth, for he hath been dead since yesterday; +and we will make him a monument around his grave, since he hath been the +occasion of our acquaintance with these wonderful stories. + +The chamberlains and the tailor soon came back, after having gone to the +place of confinement and brought the barber, whom they placed before the +King; and when the King beheld him, he saw him to be an old man, passed +his ninetieth year, of dark countenance, and white beard and eyebrows, +with small ears, and long nose, and a haughty aspect. The King laughed +at the sight of him, and said to him, O silent man, I desire that thou +relate to me somewhat of thy stories.--O King of the age, replied the +barber, what is the occasion of the presence of this Christian and this +Jew and this Muslim, and this humpback lying dead among you; and what is +the reason of this assembly?--Wherefore dost thou ask this? said the +King. The barber answered, I ask it in order that the King may know me +to be no impertinent person, nor one who meddleth with that which doth +not concern him, and that I am free from the loquacity of which they +accuse me: for I am fortunate in my characteristic appellation, since +they have surnamed me E[s.]-[S.]amit; and, as the poet hath said,-- + + Seldom hast thou seen a person honoured with a surname, + but thou wilt find, if thou search, that his character + is expressed by it. + +The King therefore said, Explain to the barber the case of this +humpback, and what happened to him yesterday evening, and explain to him +also what the Christian hath related, and the Jew and the steward and +the tailor. So they repeated to him the stories of all these persons. + +The barber, thereupon, shook his head, saying, By Allah, this is a +wonderful thing! Uncover this humpback, that I may examine him.--And +they did so. He then seated himself at his head, and, taking it up, +placed it upon his lap, and looked at his face, and laughed so violently +that he fell backwards, exclaiming, For every death there is a cause; +and the death of this humpback is most wonderful: it is worthy of being +registered in the records, that posterity may be instructed by this +event!--The King, astonished at his words, said, O [S.]amit, explain to +us the reason of thy saying this.--O King, replied the barber, by thy +beneficence, life is yet in the humpback! He then drew forth from his +bosom a pot containing some ointment, and with this he anointed the neck +of the humpback; after which he covered it up until it perspired; when +he took forth an iron forceps, and put it down his throat, and extracted +the piece of fish with its bone, and all the people saw them. The +humpback now sprang upon his feet, and sneezed, and, recovering his +consciousness, drew his hands over his face, and exclaimed, There is no +Deity but God! Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle! God bless and save +him!--and all who were present were astonished at the sight, and the +King laughed until he became insensible; as did also the other +spectators. The King exclaimed, By Allah, this accident is wonderful! I +have never witnessed anything more strange!--and added, O Muslims! O +assembly of soldiers! have ye ever in the course of your lives seen any +one die and after that come to life? But had not God blessed him with +this barber, the humpback had been to-day numbered among the people of +the other world; for the barber hath been the means of restoring him to +life.--They replied, This is indeed a wonderful thing! + +The King then gave orders to record this event; and when they had done +so, he placed the record in the royal library; and he bestowed dresses +of honour upon the Jew and the Christian and the steward; upon each of +them, a costly dress: the tailor he appointed to be his own tailor, +granting him regular allowances, and reconciling him and the humpback +with each other: the humpback he honoured with a rich and beautiful +dress, and with similar allowances, and appointed him his cup-companion; +and upon the barber also he conferred the like favours, rewarding him +with a costly dress of honour, regular allowances, and a fixed salary, +and appointing him state-barber, and his own cup-companion: so they all +lived in the utmost happiness and comfort until they were visited by the +terminator of delights and the separator of friends. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER FIFTH. + +NOTE 1. As the story of the Humpback is one of the best in this +collection, and purely Arab, I have been glad to find, in the Calcutta +edition of the first two hundred nights, authority for deviating here +from my usual standard copy, by substituting "El-Ba[s.]rah" for a city +of China. The Breslau edition, in the opening of the story, lays the +scene at "El-Ba[s.]rah _and_ [K.]aj[k.]ar." By the latter, I suppose +Kashghar to be meant. + +NOTE 2. In my original, they are said to have gone out early in the +morning; but this is contradicted by the sequel. + +NOTE 3. The appeal to Ezra's ass, which alludes to a tradition believed +by the Muslims, as it is mentioned in the [K.]ur-an, is omitted in the +Cairo edition. The story is this:--'Ozeyr, or Ezra, "riding on an ass by +the ruins of Jerusalem, after it had been destroyed by the Chaldeans, +doubted in his mind by what means God could raise the city and its +inhabitants again; whereupon God caused him to die, and he remained in +that condition a hundred years; at the end of which, God restored him to +life, and he found a basket of figs and a cruise of wine that he had +with him, not in the least spoiled or corrupted; but his ass was dead, +the bones only remaining; and these, while the Prophet looked on, were +raised and clothed with flesh, becoming an ass again, which, being +inspired with life, began immediately to bray."[323] + +NOTE 4. Most Arab cities abound with cats, which are much favoured by +the inhabitants. These animals are often seen leaping across from the +terrace of one house to that of another on the opposite side of a narrow +street; and often has my kitchen in Cairo been robbed by them. They are +said to contribute greatly to the spreading of the plague. + +NOTE 5. Occurrences of this kind are said to have often happened in Arab +towns, where dogs, though esteemed unclean by the Muslims, are, like +cats, generally very numerous. Few of them have masters; but they +compose distinct tribes; those of each tribe confining themselves to a +particular quarter or district of the town, and suffering no strange dog +to intrude among them and share with them in the offal thrown out from +the butchers' shops and from private houses; or prowling about the +mounds of rubbish in the environs, and, like the vultures, feeding upon +the carcasses of camels, asses, and other beasts, thrown out by the +inhabitants. I was once told that the master of an English +merchant-vessel, having fallen asleep in a state of intoxication on the +shore of the harbour of Alexandria, at night, was devoured by dogs. + +NOTE 6. The snatching of turbans by night is still a frequent practice +of Arab rogues, and one which is often very lucrative; many a turban +being composed of a costly Kashmeer shawl wound round a [t.]arboosh, +which latter alone is worth eight or nine shillings, or more, and some +also having money or other valuables secreted in them. + +NOTE 7. Watchmen are generally employed to guard by night the soo[k.]s, +or market-streets, and other districts, in Arab towns. Those in Cairo +carry a nebboot, or long staff, but no lantern. Their usual cries are of +a religious nature; as, "I extol the perfection of the Living King, who +sleepeth not nor dieth!" When they see a passenger approaching, they +call out to him, "Attest the unity of God!" or merely, "Attest the +unity!" and the reply is, "There is no deity but God!" It is supposed +that a person bound on any unlawful undertaking would not dare to utter +these words. + +NOTE 8. At the period when this work was composed, the Christians were +distinguished from the Muslims by a black or blue turban, and this was +wound in a peculiar manner. + +NOTE 9.--_On the Title and Office of_ Walee. "Walee" is the title given +to the chief magistrate of the police, and was so employed in the time +of El-Ma[k.]reezee, instead of the older appellation of "[S.]a[h.]eb +esh-Shur[t.]ah." The same officer was also called "Mutawellee." It was +the duty of this magistrate to perambulate the streets at night, +attended by a body of his officers, including an executioner; for he +often inflicted capital punishment on criminals immediately after their +detection. He was invested with a degree of despotic power, and often +put to death persons accused of capital crimes without the formalities +required by the law. It was also his duty to superintend the infliction +of the punishments of criminals legally condemned. An officer was +employed to perform the nightly rounds in El-Medeeneh in the reign of +Aboo-Bekr; but it appears that the first regular guard for this purpose +was appointed in the reign of 'Othman.[324] + +NOTE 10. The ardebb, thus commonly pronounced, but properly written +irdebb, varies in different places. In Cairo it is very nearly +equivalent to five English bushels. + +NOTE 11. In the original, this building is called the Khan of +El-Jawalee; but it evidently should be ---- of El-Jawalee; and the error +is to be attributed to a copyist. The Khan of El-Jawalee is mentioned by +El-Ma[k.]reezee,[325] as being situate at a short distance within the +present gate called Bab en-Na[s.]r, and by the site of the older gate so +called; and as existing in his time, in the former half of the ninth +century of the Flight. [El-Ma[k.]reezee also informs us, in his account +of the Medreseh el-Jawaleeyeh, that El-Jawalee's full name was +'Alam-ed-Deen Senjer, and that he was originally a memlook of one +Jawalee (whence his surname), an Emeer of El-Melik e[z.]-[Z.]ahir +Beybars. He died in the year of the Flight 745.--ED.] + +NOTE 12. Bab en-Na[s.]r (the Gate of Victory, or ---- of Aid) is the +name of the easternmost of the northern gates of Cairo. It was built in +the reign of the Khaleefeh El-Mustan[s.]ir, in the year of the Flight +480 (A. D. 1087-8). + +NOTE 13. The words "besides my brokerage," I have inserted as necessary +to make the account correct. + +NOTE 14. It has been shewn in a former note that the Arabs consider it +indecorous to eat with the left hand. + +NOTE 15. As it is held impolite to shew the hands, unless unavoidably, +in the presence of a person of rank, the sleeve of the cloth coat, or +that of the silk vest which is worn beneath it, is made sufficiently +long to extend a little beyond the ends of the fingers; and so also, in +general, is the sleeve of the shirt worn by persons of the lower orders. + +NOTE 16. This building is first called, in the Cairo edition, the Khan +of Suroor; and afterwards, ---- of Mesroor: the latter is the +appellation given to it in the edition of Breslau; and is the correct +name. The Khan of Mesroor is mentioned by El-Ma[k.]reezee,[326] as +situate at the southern extremity of Beyn el-[K.]a[s.]reyn (respecting +which see the next note), adjacent to the site of the Great Palace of +the Khaleefehs. There were two Khans of this name near each other. +El-Ma[k.]reezee says, that, in his earlier days, the greater of these, +which appears to be that here alluded to, was one of the finest and +largest Khans in Cairo, in a most flourishing state, the resort of the +chief Syrian merchants, and the depot of their goods; but that latterly +it had declined, and some portions of it were ruined. + +NOTE 17. Beyn el-[K.]a[s.]reyn (which signifies "Between the Two +Palaces") is the name still applied to that part of the principal street +of Cairo which intervenes between the sites of the two famous palaces of +the Khaleefehs. + +NOTE 18. A [K.]eysareeyeh is a superior kind of soo[k.], consisting of +ranges of shops facing each other. That which is here mentioned (called +in the Cairo edition, the [K.]eysereeyeh of Jirjis; in the edition of +Breslau, the [K.]eysareeyeh of Jarkash; and in the old English version, +erroneously, the Circassian bezestein) is the [K.]eysareeyeh of +Jaharkas, which, as I learn from El-Ma[k.]reezee,[327] was situate near +the centre of what constituted the old city, on the east of the +principal street. It existed in his time, and was built by the Emeer +Fakhr-ed-Deen Jaharkas, in the year of the Flight 502 (A.D. 1108-9). +Ibn-Khallikan,[328] as quoted by El-Ma[k.]reezee, says of it, "I have +seen a number of merchants who have traversed various countries, and who +say, 'We have not seen in any country its equal in beauty and greatness, +and compactness of construction.'" He explains also the orthography of +the name of "Jaharkas," and states that it is Persian (Chahar-kas), and +signifies "four persons." + +NOTE 19. The Egyptian fowls are much smaller than those of our country, +and one is not too much for one man's breakfast. The eggs are usually +hatched in ovens. + +NOTE 20. The appellation of "the Gardener" is here to be understood as a +mere surname derived from the occupation of some ancestor of the +merchant; it being a common custom of the Arabs to retain an appellation +of this kind, however humble. + +NOTE 21. El-Ma[k.]reezee[329] mentions a "soo[k.] of the money-changers" +as near to the Khan of Mesroor; and it seems to be the place here +alluded to: the word "soo[k.]" being often omitted. + +NOTE 22. The lady having offered up a prayer that the young merchant +might be her husband, I have taken the liberty of inserting here a +slight interpolation, which does not detract from the probability or +consistency of the story; but rather the contrary. + +NOTE 23.--_On one of the Passages in this Work indicating a very late +Date._ The [H.]abbaneeyeh is the name now applied to a portion of a +main street, a little to the west of the lake called Birket el-Feel, in +the southern part of Cairo. It is evidently thus applied in the passage +to which this note relates; but El-Ma[k.]reezee, writing in the former +half of the ninth century of the Flight,[330] says, "In this our time, +bordering upon it [the Birket el-Feel] is a _garden_ called by the name +of the [H.]abbaneeyeh, who were a family of Darma the son of 'Amr the +son of 'Owf the son of Tha[a.]lebeh the son of Ba[a.]l the son of 'Amr +the son of El-Ghoth the son of [T.]eiyi: so Darma was a minor family of +[the tribe of] [T.]eiyi, and the [H.]abbaneeyoon [or [H.]abbaneeyeh--for +the terms are synonymous] were a family of Darma; and the people have +made a road between the garden of the [H.]abbaneeyeh and the lake." He +proceeds to say, that on the _east_ of the Birket el-Feel there _were_ +gardens; but that _houses_ and _streets_ had been built _there_.--Now, +in the work before us, the tract which was a _garden_ in the time of +El-Ma[k.]reezee is mentioned as occupied by _houses_ and _streets_. Many +years must have elapsed since that period before such could have been +the case; and surely at least a century before the houses could have +presented such an appearance as would lead a writer to imagine them of +"ancient times." It may be objected against an argument drawn from this +passage, that it is perhaps an interpolation of a copyist; but it agrees +with many evidences of a late date, and occurs in at least one other +copy (that from which the Breslau edition is printed), with only this +slight difference--that "[H.]abbaneeyeh," by the erroneous addition of a +point beneath the first letter, is converted into "Jebbaneeyeh;" and it +should be remarked that the latter copy varies considerably in other +points from that of Cairo. It would imply that Cairo was almost as +extensive a city at the time when this work was composed or modernized +as it is at present; and would account for its being here called +Mi[s.]r, or Ma[s.]r; a name which was retained by El-Fus[t.]a[t.] at +least as late as the commencement of the tenth century of the Flight, +and probably until the year 1517 of our era or a little later, as I have +remarked in a former note. + +NOTE 24. "[K.]a'ah" is a term generally signifying "a lofty saloon;" but +also often applied to an elegant house. + +NOTE 25. "Na[k.]eeb" signifies "a chief," "a leader," &c., and has +various applications. In the present instance, the office which it +designates is doubtful, but is evidently of high dignity, as Na[k.]eeb +of the Shereefs, the Chief, or Syndic, of the Descendants of the +Prophet. + +NOTE 26. Bab Zuweyleh (the Gate of Zuweyleh, or, more properly, of +Zaweeleh, which is the name of a tribe) is a gate that was built at the +same period as Bab en-Na[s.]r, before mentioned. It marked the southern +limit of Cairo; but is now in the heart of the metropolis. With two +round-fronted towers, each surmounted by a lofty and elegant mad'neh, or +menaret, pertaining to the adjoining great mosque of El-Mueiyad, it +presents a very noble appearance. + +NOTE 27. "Imperial gypsum" is a name given to the best kind of plaster +used in Cairo. I have often admired the smoothness of its surface upon +the walls of chambers in some of the older houses in that city; but, I +need hardly say, never saw any that reflected like a mirror. + +NOTE 28. In the Cairo edition, "with pearls and jewels at its corners." +The deficiency I have supplied from the edition of Breslau: but I may +here remark, that it would have been more proper to describe the snakes +as _gilt_. + +NOTE 29.--_On the Crowns worn by Arab Ladies._ From Eastern drawings and +descriptions, it appears that the kind of crown here mentioned was +generally a circle of jewelled gold (the lower edge of which was +straight; and the upper, fancifully heightened to four or more points) +surrounding the lower part of a dome-shaped cap with a jewel or some +other ornament at the summit. This crown was worn by many Arab ladies of +high rank or great wealth, probably until about two centuries ago. +Another kind of crown is now more generally worn, called a "[k.]ur[s.]." +This is a round, convex ornament, generally about five inches in +diameter, composed of gold set with a profusion of diamonds, of open +work, representing roses, leaves, &c. It is sewed upon the top of the +[t.]arboosh; and is worn by most of the ladies of Cairo, at least in +full dress. An engraving of a crown of this description, and another of +one of a more common kind, may be seen in my work on the Modern +Egyptians, vol. ii. Appendix A. + +NOTE 30. It is a common custom of the Arabs to give a present of money +tied up in a corner of an embroidered handkerchief. + +NOTE 31. The mace is a weapon still used in the East; but not so +commonly as it was in former times. There was a petty governor in Upper +Egypt during my first visit to that country, who, in his daily rides, +indulged a frequent habit of striking persons with a weapon of this +kind, a tolerably-heavy steel mace; but he did it with a happy knack, so +as never, I believe, to inflict a dangerous wound, unless intentionally. +Maces, like other arms of steel, are often tastefully inlaid with +arabesque ornaments and inscriptions in gold. + +NOTE 32.--_On the Punishment of Theft._ The Mohammadan law ordains that +a person who is adult and of sound mind, if he steals an article of the +value of a quarter of a deenar (or piece of gold) from a place to which +he has not ordinary or free access, shall lose his right hand; but this +punishment is not to be inflicted for stealing a free child, or anything +which, in the eye of the law, is of no pecuniary value; as wine, or a +musical instrument; and there are some other cases in which the thief is +not to be so punished. For the second offence, the left foot is to be +cut off; and for the third and subsequent offences, according to the +[H.]anafee code, the culprit is to be punished by a long imprisonment; +or, by the Shafe'ee law, for the third offence, he is to lose his left +hand; for the fourth, his right foot; and for further offences, he is to +be flogged or beaten. The punishment is the same for a woman as for a +man.--This law induced a freethinking Muslim to ask, "If the hand is +worth five hundred deenars, [this being the fine for depriving a man of +that member,] why should it be cut off for a quarter of a deenar?" He +was answered, "An honest hand is of great value; but not so is the hand +that hath stolen."--Amputation for theft is now seldom practised: +beating, or some other punishment, is usually inflicted in its stead for +the first, second, and third offence; and, frequently, death for the +fourth. + +NOTE 33. Capital punishment in this case would be contrary to the law; +but it is often inflicted upon highway-robbers. + +NOTE 34. The meaning is, that the doer is God. An allusion is here +conveyed to a verse (the 17th) in the Soorat el-Anfal (the eighth +chapter of the [K.]ur-an)--"Thou didst not cast [the gravel into their +eyes] when thou didst [seem to] cast [it]; but God cast [it]."[331] + +NOTE 35. The honour that is due to the human body requires that any +portion disunited from it be decently deposited in the earth. + +NOTE 36. As a hair, for instance, is drawn from paste.[332] + +NOTE 37. These verses are founded on a tradition of the Prophet.[333] + +NOTE 38. _On_ Khatmehs, _or Recitations of the whole of the_ [K.]ur-an +_at Private Festivities._ The most approved and common mode of +entertaining guests at modern private festivities among the Arabs is by +a Khatmeh, which is the recitation of the whole of the [K.]ur-an. Three +or more persons of the inferior class of the professors of religion and +law, who are called fa[k.]eehs (vulgarly, fi[k.]ees), are usually hired +for this purpose. Schoolmasters, and students of the collegiate mosques +who devote themselves to religion and law, are the persons most commonly +thus employed. Their mode of recitation is a peculiar kind of +chanting,[334] which, when well executed, I found very agreeable, at +least for an hour or so: but the guests seldom have to listen to the +chanting of the whole of the [K.]ur-an: the reciters usually accomplish +the greater portion of their task, in a somewhat hurried manner, before +the guests have assembled, each of them chanting, in turn, a certain +portion, as a thirtieth part of the whole (called a "juz"), or half of +one of these sections (a "[h.]ezb"), or, more commonly, a quarter +(rub[a.]). Afterwards they chant more leisurely, and in a more musical +manner; but still by turns.--These recitations of the whole of the +[K.]ur-an are performed on various festive occasions, but are most usual +after a death; the merit of the performance being transferred to the +soul of the deceased. + +NOTE 39. The mess termed "zirbajeh," by some called "zurbajeh," from the +Persian "zeerbaj," is a kind of spoon-meat. Some of its ingredients are +described in the sequel of the present story. + +NOTE 40.--_On Atonements and other Services for the Dead._ As filial +piety is a general characteristic of the Arabs, and various services are +believed by them to atone for the minor sins of the deceased, and thus +to diminish his misery, or to increase his happiness, it is natural, and +not uncommon, for a son to act in the manner here related. Recitations +of the [K.]ur-an are performed for the dead, to whom the merit of these +works is transferred, and a sacrifice is often offered at the tomb after +the burial; the flesh of the victim being distributed to the poor. But a +more important service for the deceased is the payment of his debts; for +it is affirmed by the Prophet, that even martyrdom will not atone for a +debt unpaid. + +NOTE 41. A money-changer is very frequently employed to examine the +money which a purchaser offers; and if it be old, to weigh it. The +money-changers are mostly Jews and Christians. + +NOTE 42. Some mosques (as the Azhar, for instance, the principal mosque +of Cairo) remain open all night; and many houseless persons sleep in +them, upon the matting which covers the paved floor. Men are also often +seen, at other times, but not at the hours of prayer, lounging, eating, +or working, in the mosques; such practices not being deemed inconsistent +with the high respect which the Muslims pay to these buildings. + +NOTE 43. The remainder of this paragraph, and the whole of the next two +paragraphs, being omitted in the edition of Cairo, I translate from the +Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and the edition of +Breslau; but almost entirely from the former. + +NOTE 44. The water of the well of Zemzem, in the temple of Mekkeh, is +believed to possess miraculous virtues, and is therefore brought away in +bottles or flasks by many of the pilgrims, to be used when occasion may +require as medicine, or to be sprinkled on grave-linen. A bottle of it +is a common and acceptable present from a pilgrim, and a guest is +sometimes treated with a sip of this holy water. + +NOTE 45. A whip is sometimes used in the [h.]areem of a great man; and +its being attached to the waist of the damsel here mentioned marks her +authority. It is generally formed of a strip of hippopotamus' hide, +hammered into a round shape; and this kind is called a "kurbaj." I +believe it is seldom used in the [h.]areem with severity; but usually +for intimidation. [I once saw some of the ladies of Nazlee Khanim (thus +vulgarly pronounced for Nazloo Khanum) struck with a kurbaj, for too +curiously looking in at the window of an apartment in that lady's +palace, in which I and some friends happened to be, and which overlooked +the private garden. They were speedily driven away by two or three black +eunuchs, who appeared to use their heavy whips indiscriminately and +severely; their excuse for this conduct undoubtedly being, that these +ladies were guilty of a great impropriety in thus shewing themselves to +men; for when riding abroad, it is usual for passengers in the streets +to turn their faces to the wall on the approach of the women of a great +man's household. Moreover, the [h.]areem of Nazlee Khanim was well known +to be ruled with an iron hand, and its mistress herself to have acquired +the character of her brutal husband, Mo[h.]ammad Bey, the Defterdar, +whose cruelties are mentioned in the "Modern Egyptians."--ED.] + +NOTE 46. It is a universal custom of the Arabs, on visiting the sick, to +say, "May our Lord restore thee!" or, "No evil befall thee!" &c. + +NOTE 47. The first hospital built by a Muslim was that of Damascus, +founded by El-Weleed the son of 'Abd-El-Melik, in the eighty-eighth year +of the Flight (A. D. 706-7). The Arabs would deprive St. Ephrem Syrus of +the honour of having been the author of the first institution of this +kind; one of their historians ascribing it to an early Pharaoh, named +Mena[k.]iyoosh; another, to Hippocrates.[335] + +NOTE 48. The remainder of the paragraph is translated from the Calcutta +edition of the first two hundred nights. + +Note 49. "The metropolis of the world," or literally, "the mother of the +world" ("umm ed-dunya"), is a title given to several cities, as well as +to Cairo, by their respective inhabitants. This passage, therefore, and +others of a similar kind, in which even _foreigners_ are made to rank +Egypt and Cairo as superior to every other country and city, strongly +favour the opinion that some of its tales were written, or altered, by +an Egyptian. + +NOTE 50. A more ample eulogium upon Egypt and the Nile, but abounding +with such gross errors that I could not confidently offer a translation, +is found in the Breslau edition. It agrees better with the old +translation; which, however, in this place, presents considerable +unauthorized amplifications, and some misconceptions: "Birket +el-[H.]abash" (for instance), the name of a lake on the south of Cairo, +being mistaken for Ethiopia. + +NOTE 51. For this monthly rent (or about a guinea of our money), a large +and handsome house may be hired at the present day in Cairo. + +NOTE 52. After the amputation of the hand for theft, the stump is +usually plunged in boiling pitch or tar, or oil, to stanch the blood. + +NOTE 53.--_On Retaliation and Fines for Wounds and Mutilations._ +Retaliation for intentional wounds and mutilations is allowed by the +Mohammadan law, like as for murder; "eye for eye," &c.:[336] but a fine +may be accepted instead, which the law allows also for unintentional +injuries. The fine for a member that is single (as the nose) is the +whole price of blood, as for homicide; namely a thousand deenars (about +500_l._) from him who possesses gold; or, from him who possesses +silver, twelve thousand dirhems (about 300_l._); for a member of which +there are two, and not more (as a hand), half the price of blood; for +one of which there are ten (a finger or toe), a tenth of the price of +blood: but the fine of a man for maiming or wounding a woman is half of +that for the same injury to a man; and that of a free person for +injuring a slave varies according to the value of the slave. The fine +for depriving a man of any of his five senses, or dangerously wounding +him, or grievously disfiguring him for life, is the whole price of +blood. + +NOTE 54. See No. 20 of the notes to Chapter ii.--"The women of Egypt +have the character of being the most licentious in their feelings of all +females who lay any claim to be considered as members of a civilized +nation; and this character is freely bestowed upon them by their +_countrymen_, even in conversation with foreigners."[337]--In the work +from which the above passage is quoted, I have expatiated upon this +subject more than I need do in the present case. + +NOTE 55. The Arabs are generally of opinion that the innate dispositions +of a child are inherited more from the mother than from the father. They +believe that a daughter commonly resembles, in good or evil qualities, +her mother; and a son, his maternal uncle. Hence they often address a +man, "Ya [t.]eiyib el-khal!"--"O thou who hast a good maternal uncle!" + +NOTE 56. 'Abd-Allah Ibn-'Abbas was one of the most learned of the +companions of his cousin Mo[h.]ammad, and one of the most celebrated of +the relaters of his sayings and actions. He has received the titles of +"Interpreter of the [K.]ur-an" and "Sul[t.]an of Commentators." He died +in the year of the Flight 68. His father, 'Abbas, the son of +'Abd-El-Mu[t.][t.]alib, was paternal uncle of Mo[h.]ammad, and ancestor +of the 'Abbasee Khaleefehs. + +NOTE 57.--_On the Astrolabe._ The astrolabe is more commonly used by the +Arabs than any other instrument for astronomical observations. It is +generally between four and six inches in diameter. It consists of a +circular plate with a graduated rim, within which fit several thinner +plates, and of a limb, moving on a pivot in the centre, with two sights. +The plates are engraved with complicated diagrams, &c., for various +calculations. The instrument is held by a ring, or by a loop of cord +attached to the ring, during an observation; and thus its own weight +answers the same purpose as the plumb-line of the quadrant (which the +Arabs sometimes use in its stead); the position of the moveable limb +with the sights marking the required altitude. + +NOTE 58. [S.]afar is the second mouth of the Mohammadan year. + +NOTE 59. As different copies vary here as to the date, I have taken the +liberty of putting 263 instead of 763 or 653, in order to avoid a +glaring anachronism. It is probable, however, that the last of these is +the author's date, as it is found both in the old translation, and in +the Breslau edition. The date in the Cairo edition is 763. + +NOTE 60. A degree is four minutes; it would have been more proper, +therefore, to have said, eight degrees and two minutes, than seven +degrees and six minutes. + +NOTE 61. "E[s.]-[S.]amit" signifies "the Silent." + +NOTE 62. This and the two following names, or rather, surnames, convey +the same meaning. Ba[k.]boo[k.], Heddar, and Ba[k.]ba[k.] (here, in my +original, erroneously written Ya[k.]ya[k.]), signify "Chatterer." +"El-Kooz el-A[s.]wanee" (not to be mistaken for "---- ---- Aswanee," +with a _soft_ s) seems to imply that the person thus named was always +like a mug, with open mouth, and insensible as flint to rebuke. The two +remaining names are different in different copies: "Sha[k.]ali[k.]" is +perhaps put erroneously for some other word, as "Shi[k.]a[k.]," +"Discord." + +NOTE 63. [K.]ur-an, ch. iii. v. 128. + +NOTE 64. The Arabs generally carry their young children in this manner, +seated astride upon the shoulder. + +NOTE 65. This expression is borrowed from the [K.]ur-an, ch. xlviii. v. +10. The meaning is, "there is no power of man, but God's power is +superior to it." + +NOTE 66. The Prophet (Mo[h.]ammad) is always alluded to when this form +of benediction is used and the name of the person to whom it is applied +is not mentioned. + +NOTE 67. "Nedd" is a perfume composed of ambergris, musk, and aloes +wood; or simply ambergris. + +NOTE 68. Two khu[t.]behs are recited on the occasion of the +congregational Friday-prayers. It is the first of these which is here +alluded to. See the next note. + +NOTE 69.--_On the Congregational Friday-prayers._ The Selam (or +Salutation) of Friday is a form of blessing on the Prophet and his +family and companions, which is chanted by the mueddins from the +mad'nehs (or towers) of the congregational mosques half an hour before +noon. The worshippers begin to assemble in the mosque as soon as they +hear it, and, ranging themselves in rows parallel to, and facing, that +side in which is the niche, that marks the direction of Mekkeh, each +performs, by himself, the prayers of two rek'ahs, which are +supererogatory, and then sits in his place while a reader recites part +or the whole of the 18th chapter of the [K.]ur-an. At the call of noon, +they all stand up, and each again performs, separately, the prayers of +two rek'ahs, ordained by the Prophet. A minister, standing at the foot +of the pulpit-stairs, then proposes to bless the Prophet: and +accordingly, a second Selam is chanted by one or more other ministers +stationed on an elevated platform. After this, the former minister, and +the latter after him, repeat the call of noon (which the mueddins have +before chanted from the mad'nehs); and the former enjoins silence. The +chief minister (Kha[t.]eeb, or Imam,) has already seated himself on the +top step or platform of the pulpit. He now rises, and recites a +khu[t.]beh of praise to God and exhortation to the congregation; and if +in a country or town acquired by arms from unbelievers, he holds a +wooden sword, resting its point on the ground.[338] Each of the +congregation next offers up some private supplication; after which, the +Kha[t.]eeb recites a second khu[t.]beh, which is always the same, or +nearly so; part, of a similar nature to the first, but chiefly, prayer +for the Prophet and his family, &c., and for the general welfare of the +Muslims. This finished, the Kha[t.]eeb or Imam descends from the pulpit, +and, stationed before the niche, after a form of words[339] differing +slightly from the call to prayer has been chanted by the ministers on +the elevated platform before mentioned, recites the divinely-ordained +prayers of Friday (two rek'ahs), while the people do the same silently, +keeping time with him exactly in the various postures. Thus are +completed the Friday-prayers; but some of the congregation remain, and +perform the ordinary divinely-ordained prayers of noon.[340] + +NOTE 70. So in the Cairo edition. El-Munta[s.]ir bi-llah was the +great-grandson of Haroon Er-Rasheed, and acceded to the throne in the +year of the Flight 247 (A.D. 861). A slight anachronism, therefore, is +here presented, unless we suppose that the hero of the story told by +the Sul[t.]an's steward was an old man at the period of the misfortune +of the humpback. The reign of El-Munta[s.]ir was somewhat less than six +months. The copy from which the old translation was made, and the +edition of Breslau, date the adventure of the barber, here related, more +than three centuries and a half later, in the reign of El-Musta[s.]ir +bi-llah. + +NOTE 71. The practice of spunging, or the intrusion of strangers at +entertainments, has long been very prevalent in Arab towns. An instance +has been given towards the close of Note 22 to Chapter iii. + +NOTE 72. I have altered the order in which the brothers are described, +and omitted two particulars, to agree with the sequel. + +NOTE 73. The next paragraph is translated from the Calcutta edition of +the first two hundred nights; being omitted in the Cairo edition. An +equal portion, later, is wanting in the old translation. + +NOTE 74.--_On Augurations with respect to Marriage._ This passage +alludes to an astrological calculation made with the view of determining +by what sign of the zodiac the two persons are influenced who +contemplate becoming man and wife, and thence ascertaining whether they +will agree. This is often done in the present day by adding together the +numerical values of the letters composing his or her name and that of +the mother, and, if I remember right, subtracting from 12 the whole sum +if this is less than 12, or what remains after subtracting, or dividing +by, 12. Thus is obtained the number of the sign. The twelve signs, +commencing with Aries, correspond respectively with the elements of +fire, earth, air, water, fire, earth, and so on; and if the signs of the +two parties indicate the same element, it is inferred that they will +agree; but if they indicate different elements, the inference is, that +the one will be affected by the other in the same manner as the element +of the one is by that of the other: thus, if the element of the man is +fire, and that of the woman, water, he will be subject to her rule. + +Among other calculations of the same kind is the following, which my +sheykh has mentioned in a marginal note on this passage, in the copy +from which I translate.--The numerical values of the letters composing +the name of each of the two parties are added together, and one of these +two sums is subtracted from the other: if the remainder is an uneven +number, the inference is unfavourable; but if even, the reverse. + +In the present instance, the dupe, knowing that there are various modes +of divining whether he will be happy with his wife, is made to believe +that his fortune depends upon the mode, instead of the result, of the +calculation. + +NOTE 75. Here, in my original, "Ba[k.]ba[k.];" but this, as before +mentioned, was the name of the _third_ brother. + +NOTE 76. "[K.]uffeh," signifying "a basket of palm-leaves," and "a dry +gourd," seems to be here equivalent to "empty-head." + +NOTE 77. The blind in Egypt are notorious for their impudence.--It is +related that Moses, while bathing one day in the Nile, saw a blind man +pass by, and, being moved with pity, prayed that God would restore his +sight. His prayer was answered; but as soon as the eyes of the blind man +were opened, he seized the clothes of his benefactor, which were lying +on the bank, and protested that they were his own. Moses, therefore, now +prayed that the thief might be struck blind again; and God, answering +his prayer, said, O Moses, know that I am wiser than thou with respect +to my creatures.--This tradition was related to me in Cairo. + +NOTE 78. It is generally thus that an injured Muslim calls others to his +aid. + +NOTE 79. Like the natives of Egypt in the period of the Roman +domination,[341] its modern inhabitants, and the Arabs of other +countries (though, I believe, in a less degree), are notorious for their +obstinacy in refusing to pay their taxes until they have been severely +beaten. They well know that, the more readily they pay, the more will be +exacted from them; and are often heard to boast of the number of stripes +which they have received before yielding their money. The same obstinacy +is generally displayed by an Arab accused of any offence; and often, +even by a witness: in either case the man fears that, should he tell at +once all he can, the judge will try whether the stick or the kurbaj[342] +will elicit a further confession. + +NOTE 80.--_On the general Corruptness of Muslim Judges._ Khi[d.]r Bey +(whether he was a judge I do not know), conversing one day with his +friends on the difficulties experienced in the exercise of judicature, +one of the company remarked, "In my opinion, the greatest difficulty +that is met with is, when one of the parties is rich, and the other, +poor."--"In that case," replied Khi[d.]r Bey, "I find none; for it is +clear that the rich will gain his cause, and the poor will lose: but the +great difficulty is, when the two parties are equally rich and powerful. +If thou, he continued, being a poor man, have a suit against one who is +rich and powerful, beware of applying to the [K.]a[d.]ee; for he will +not fail to condemn thee: my advice is, that thou desist altogether +from thy suit, and rather throw thyself at the feet of thine +adversary; for thou wilt obtain more justice from him than from the +[K.]a[d.]ee."[343]--For a justification of the opinion here expressed, +see my work on the Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. iv. + +NOTE 81.--_On good and evil Omens._ Of omens I have already treated, in +Note 15 to Chapter i.: but a few words on this subject must be here +added.--It is common to draw a lucky or unlucky omen from the first +object seen on going out in the morning; and according as that object is +pleasant or the contrary, the person says, "my morning is good," or +"---- bad." A one-eyed man is regarded as of evil omen; and especially +one who is blind of the _left_ eye. Many a person is related to have +suffered for having an unlucky countenance. + +NOTE 82. The portion of this story comprised in the first paragraph +having been the subject of a specimen of the present publication, +translated from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, +and printed and distributed when I had not in my possession the copy of +the original which I have taken as my general standard, it is here given +nearly in the same words: I have only made a few slight additions and +alterations derived from a comparison of the two editions. Some of the +notes inserted in the specimen I omit in this place, as they relate to +matters already explained.--Hole remarks (in page 223), that this part +of the Barber's story of his Fifth Brother is derived "from an Indian +fable of the remotest antiquity ... found in the Heeto-pades of +Veeshnoo-Sarma," in which a Brahman "inadvertently breaks his pottery +ware ... with a walking-stick ... in the act of suppressing the +outrageous jealousy of four beautiful but turbulent wives." + +NOTE 83. "El-Feshshar" signifies "the Foolish Talker," or "Vain +Boaster." I have substituted this name for "El-'Ashshar," the reading in +my original. In the Arabic characters, the latter differs from the +former in little more than the want of a point, and has no appropriate +meaning. It appears that, in most copies of the original, the barber's +Fifth Brother is surnamed "En-Neshshar," or "the Sawyer," perhaps in +allusion to his incessant loquacity: but this, also, in the Arabic +characters, very nearly resembles "El-Feshshar," which I doubt not to be +the right name. + +NOTE 84. There is nothing very extravagant in this hope of the barber's +brother; for in the East, persons frequently rise from very low to very +high stations; and it is remarkable that, notwithstanding their usual +pride, they generally retain the appellation of the trade or craft which +they or their fathers pursued, however ignoble, before their elevation. +It is common for a great man to distinguish himself by adding to his +name the appellation of "the druggist or perfumer," or "the grocer," +&c.; and he is not a whit the less respected on this account. + +NOTE 85. The Eastern grandee rides not at the head or rear of his +attendants, but in the midst of them. + +NOTE 86. Persons distinguished by rank or wealth or learning are saluted +by many of the shopkeepers and passengers as they pass through the +streets of Eastern cities, and often greeted with a short ejaculatory +prayer for the continuance of their life and happiness. When a very +great man rides through the streets, most of the shopkeepers rise to +him, and pay their respect to him by inclining the head, and touching +the lips and forehead or turban with the fingers of the right hand. + +NOTE 87. See Note 12 to Chapter iii. + +NOTE 88. He could scarcely shew his pride more strongly; for it is an +affront to reject a present. + +NOTE 89. An Arab lady of high rank seldom makes use of her feet but to +move from one chamber to another; when she goes abroad, she always +rides: to stand for many minutes together is, therefore, fatiguing to +her. + +NOTE 90. See the close of Note 39 to Chapter iv. + +NOTE 91. This is said either to shew his vulgarity or that the weather +was sultry. + +NOTE 92. "El-Melee[h.]ah" signifies "the Beautiful:" it is derived from +"mil[h.]" (salt, &c.). + +NOTE 93. An occurrence of a similar nature, which happened a few years +ago in Cairo, was related to me by one of my friends there.--An old +woman frequented the tomb of a saint in that city, near the eastern gate +called the Bab el-Ma[h.]roo[k.], to which many women afflicted with +disease or barrenness often resorted to offer up prayers, believing +their petitions would be effectual through the saint's intercession; and +she was in the habit of enticing ladies from this tomb to the house of +her husband, which was near by, under pretence of his serving them with +medicines or with charms. The unsuspecting victim, being desired to go +thither alone, was conducted by the old woman to an upper room, at the +end of which the man was seated; and in walking over the matted floor to +approach him, suddenly fell through a trap-door into a place so deep +that the fall rendered her senseless. In this state, she was put to +death; and as ladies in Cairo always wear valuable ornaments and costly +clothes, the murderers were sure of obtaining considerable spoil. + +NOTE 94. This money, we are to understand, was prepared for the purpose +of giving those presents which are customary from a guest at a +marriage-festivity; but the mention of a smaller sum would have been +more proper. It is given to the singing-women and tire-women who, in +great houses, parade the bride through the different apartments, and +display her in different rich suits of attire before the bridegroom. + +NOTE 95.--_On the Handkerchief, and Signet, of Indemnity._ Sometimes, +the handkerchief, and sometimes, the signet, or seal-ring, is given as a +pledge of indemnity.--It was a frequent custom of many a chief of the +Memlooks of Egypt (there commonly called "the Ghuzz"), to bastinade men +in the court of his mansion (when he desired to make a show of strict +justice), in order that one of the women of the family, hearing the +cries, might drop a handkerchief from a window, and so the punishment +might soon cease, in respect for the [h.]areem, whose protection is +often appealed to by offenders. + +NOTE 96. The title of "Sul[t.]an" is here, and afterwards, given to the +Khaleefeh; and it has been so employed by a celebrated historian, +El-Ma[k.]reezee.[344] + +NOTE 97. So, apparently, in most copies; but in the Cairo edition, "of +the sons of the Kings." It is said to have been a custom of some of the +Barmekees (the family so renowned for their generosity) to keep open +house during the hours of meals, and to allow no one who applied at such +times for admission to be repulsed. + +NOTE 98. "Sikbaj" is a dish composed of meat, wheat-flour, and vinegar. + +NOTE 99. "[K.]a[t.]aif" is a name applied to various kinds of sweet +pastry: particularly to a kind of small pancakes, made of a thin paste +of fine flour and water, about three inches broad, and a sixth of an +inch or less in thickness, baked upon a copper tray over a fire, like +kunafeh (the composition of which is the same), and eaten with honey or +sugar: also to cakes composed of fine flour, treacle or honey, and +sesame-oil. The sirup mentioned in the same sentence is (as my sheykh +states in a marginal note) treacle thickened over the fire.--The proper +singular of [k.]a[t.]aif, namely, "[k.]a[t.]eefeh," is seldom used; one +of these cakes being generally called "fard [k.]a[t.]aif." Sometimes, it +appears, they were perfumed with musk. + +NOTE 100. The "mith[k.]al" is the weight of a deenar, or a dirhem and a +half,--in Cairo, about 71-1/2 or 72 English grains. + +NOTE 101. See above, Note 96. + +NOTE 102. By "Arabs," we are here to understand Bedawees, or Arabs of +the Desert, who are termed, by the older writers, "A[a.]rab," or +"A[a.]rabees;" but in my original, as in other late works, "'Arab," +which was the _old_ appellation of the _townspeople_ and _villagers_. + +[Illustration] + + + [323] Sale's Koran; note near the close of chap. ii. + + [324] See De Sacy, Relation de l'Egypte par Abd-allatif, pp. + 381 et seq.; and Quatremere, Histoire des Sultans Mamlouks, + vol. i. pp. 109 et seq., a work of very great value, especially + for the notes. + + [325] In his "Khi[t.]a[t.];" description of the principal + street of Cairo, and its branches (MS. in my possession). + + [326] In his "Khi[t.]a[t.];" description of the principal + street of Cairo, and its branches; and account of the Khans. + + [327] Idem; account of the [K.]eysareeyehs; and description of + the principal street of Cairo, and its branches. + + [328] The orthography of this celebrated name is disputed; and + I may therefore mention that I have found it written Khall'kan + in an Arabic MS. of the year of the Flight 843; and in many + MSS. in which the reduplication of the _l_ is not marked, the + vowel _a_ is given to the first syllable. According to the + general opinion of the learned in Cairo, it is Khillikan. + + [329] In his "Khi[t.]a[t.];" description of the principal + street of Cairo. + + [330] In his "Khi[t.]a[t.];" description of the suburbs or + environ ([d.]awa[h.]ee) of Cairo--[The latest date in that + work, as far as I am aware, is found in the account of the + mosques, in two separate places. It is that of the year of the + Flight 843 (in the edition recently printed at Cairo); and, as + El-Ma[k.]reezee died in the year 845, its occurrence is curious + as shewing the likelihood that he continued the composition of + his most celebrated work until very near his death. Indeed, it + is probable that he never finished it; the seventh and last + section, which is mentioned in the Preface, being wanting in + all the MSS. This date, in each instance, may be an insertion + by a later hand; but the author's History of the Sul[t.]ans of + Egypt was brought down, it is said by himself, to the year + preceding his death.--ED.] + + [331] Marginal note, in my copy of the original, by the sheykh + Mohammad 'Eiyad. + + [332] Marginal note, in my copy of the original, by the sheykh + Mo[h.]ammad 'Eiyad. + + [333] Idem. + + [334] A specimen of this mode of chanting is given in my work + on the Modern Egyptians, vol. ii. end of chap. v. + + [335] El-Ma[k.]reezee's "Khi[t.]a[t.];" account of the + hospitals. + + [336] [K.]ur-an, ch. v. v. 49. + + [337] "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. xiii. + + [338] It would not be necessary to remark on this explanation + of a curious custom if it had not been lately contradicted. Mr. + Lane derived his information from Arab authors, and from his + friends in Cairo; but D'Ohsson, also, says, in his Tableau + General de l'Empire Othoman, Code Religieux, livre ii. ch. iv. + (and the authority of the works from which he translated will + hardly be questioned), that the Kha[t.]eeb "est meme tenu de + reciter tout le _Khouthbe_ sur la chaire, _Minnber_, en + s'appuyant de la main sur la garde d'un sabre, dans tous les + temples qui ont ete pris avec la ville par la force des armes." + The writer alluded to thinks that the use of the sword at + Mekkeh proves Mr. Lane to be in error; whereas the custom is + observed at Mekkeh because it was taken in war; but not at + El-Medeeneh because this city was not so taken.--ED. + + [339] The i[k.]ameh see Note 24 to Chapter iv. + + [340] For a more full account of the Friday-prayers, see my + work on the Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. iii. + + [341] Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. xxii. + + [342] See Note 6 to Chapter iv. + + [343] D'Herbelot, Bibl. Or., article "Cadhi." + + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE THIRTY-SECOND NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF +THIS THIRTY-SIXTH. + +THE STORY OF NOOR-ED-DEEN AND ENEES-EL-JELEES.[VI_1] + +There was, in El-Ba[s.]rah, a certain King who loved the poor and +indigent, and regarded his subjects with benevolence; he bestowed of his +wealth upon him who believed in Mo[h.]ammad (God bless and save him!) +and was such as one of the poets who have written of him hath thus +described:-- + + He used his lances as pens; and the hearts of his enemies, as paper; + their blood being his ink: + And hence, I imagine, our forefathers applied to the lance the term + Kha[t.][t.]eeyeh.[VI_2] + +The name of this King was Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee; and +he had two Wezeers; one of whom was named El-Mo'een[VI_3] the son +of Sawee; and the other, El-Fa[d.]l[VI_4] the son of Kha[k.]an. +El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an was the most generous of the people of +his age, upright in conduct, so that all hearts agreed in loving him, +and the wise complied with his counsel, and all the people supplicated +for him length of life; for he was a person of auspicious +aspect,[VI_5] a preventer of evil and mischief: but the Wezeer +El-Mo'een the son of Sawee hated others, and loved not good; he was a +man of inauspicious aspect; and in the same degree that the people loved +Fa[d.]l-ed-Deen the son of Kha[k.]an, so did they abhor El-Mo'een the +son of Sawee, in accordance with the decree of the Almighty. + +Now the King Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee was sitting one +day upon his throne, surrounded by the officers of his court, and he +called to his Wezeer El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, and said to him, I +desire a female slave unsurpassed in beauty by any in her age, of +perfect loveliness, and exquisite symmetry, and endowed with all +praiseworthy qualities.--Such as this, replied his courtiers, is not to +be found for less than ten thousand pieces of gold. And the Sul[t.]an +thereupon called out to the treasurer, saying, Carry ten thousand pieces +of gold to the house of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an. So the +treasurer did as he commanded, and the Wezeer departed, after the +Sul[t.]an had ordered him to repair every day to the market, and to +commission the brokers to procure what he had described, and had +commanded also that no female slave of a greater price than one thousand +pieces of gold should be sold without having been shewn to the Wezeer. + +The brokers, therefore, sold no female slave without shewing her to him, +and he complied with the King's command, and thus he continued to do for +a considerable time, no slave pleasing him: but on a certain day, one of +the brokers came to the mansion of the Wezeer El-Fa[d.]l, and found that +he had mounted to repair to the palace of the King; and he laid hold +upon his stirrup, and repeated these two verses:-- + + O thou who hast reanimated what was rotten in the state! Thou art + the Wezeer ever aided by Heaven. + Thou hast revived the noble qualities that were extinct among men. + May thy conduct never cease to be approved by God! + +He then said, O my master, the female slave for the procuring of whom +the noble mandate was issued hath arrived. The Wezeer replied, Bring her +hither to me. So the man returned, and, after a short absence, came +again, accompanied by a damsel of elegant stature, high-bosomed, with +black eyelashes, and smooth cheek, and slender waist, and large hips, +clad in the handsomest apparel; the moisture of her lips was sweeter +than sirup; her figure put to shame the branches of the Oriental willow; +and her speech was more soft than the zephyr passing over the flowers of +the garden; as one of her describers hath thus expressed:-- + + Her skin is like silk, and her speech is soft, neither redundant + nor deficient: + Her eyes, God said to them, Be,--and they were, affecting men's + hearts with the potency of wine. + May my love for her grow more warm each night, and cease not + until the day of judgment! + The locks on her brow are dark as night, while her forehead shines + like the gleam of morning. + +When the Wezeer beheld her, she pleased him extremely, and he looked +towards the broker, and said to him, What is the price of this damsel? +The broker answered, The price bidden for her hath amounted to ten +thousand pieces of gold, and her owner hath sworn that this sum doth not +equal the cost of the chickens which she hath eaten, nor the cost of the +dresses which she hath bestowed upon her teachers; for she hath learnt +writing and grammar and lexicology, and the interpretation of the +[K.]ur-an, and the fundamentals of law and religion, and medicine, and +the computation of the calendar, and the art of playing upon musical +instruments. The Wezeer then said, Bring to me her master:--and the +broker immediately brought him; and lo, he was a foreigner, who had +lived so long that time had reduced him to bones and skin, as the poet +hath said,-- + + How hath time made me to tremble! For time is powerful and severe. + I used to walk without being weary; but now I am weary and do not walk. + +And the Wezeer said to him, Art thou content to receive for this damsel +ten thousand pieces of gold from the Sul[t.]an Mo[h.]ammad the son of +Suleyman Ez-Zeynee? The foreigner answered, As she is for the Sul[t.]an, +it is incumbent on me to give her as a present to him, without +price.[VI_6] So the Wezeer, upon this, ordered that the money +should be brought, and then weighed the pieces of gold for the +foreigner; after which, the slave-broker addressed the Wezeer, and said, +With the permission of our lord the Wezeer, I will speak.--Impart what +thou hast to say, replied the Wezeer.--It is my opinion, then, said the +broker, that thou shouldst not take up this damsel to the Sul[t.]an +to-day; for she hath just arrived from her journey, and the change of +air hath affected her, and the journey hath fatigued her; but rather let +her remain with thee in thy palace ten days, that she may take rest, and +her beauty will improve: then cause her to be taken into the bath, and +attire her in clothes of the handsomest description, and go up with her +to the Sul[t.]an: so shalt thou experience more abundant good fortune. +And the Wezeer considered the advice of the slave-broker, and approved +it. He therefore took her into his palace, and gave her a private +apartment to herself, allotting her every day what she required of food +and drink and other supplies, and she continued a while in this state of +enjoyment. + +[Illustration] + +Now the Wezeer El-Fa[d.]l had a son like the shining full moon, with +brilliant countenance, and red cheek, marked with a mole like a globule +of ambergris, and with grey down. The youth knew not of this damsel, and +his father had charged her, saying, Know that I have purchased thee for +the King Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee, and that I have a +son who hath not left a girl in the quarter without making love to her: +therefore keep thyself concealed from him, and beware of shewing him thy +face, or suffering him to hear thy voice. The damsel replied, I hear and +obey:--and he left her and departed. And it happened, as fate had +ordained, that she went one day into the bath which was in the house, +and, after certain of the female slaves had bathed her, she attired +herself in rich apparel, and her beauty and loveliness increased in +consequence. She then went in to the Wezeer's wife, and kissed her hand, +and she said to her, May it be favourable,[VI_7] O Enees-el-Jelees! +How didst thou find this bath?--O my mistress, she answered, I wanted +nothing but thy presence there. And upon this, the mistress of the house +said to the female slaves, Arise, and let us go into the bath. And they +complied with her command, and went, accompanied by their mistress, who +first charged two young slave-girls to keep the door of the private +apartment in which was Enees-el-Jelees, saying to them, Suffer no one to +go in to the damsel:--and they replied, We hear and obey. But while +Enees-el-Jelees was sitting in her chamber, lo, the Wezeer's son, whose +name was 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, came in, and asked after his mother and the +family. The two girls answered, They are gone into the bath. Now the +damsel Enees-el-Jelees heard the speech of 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen as she sat +in her chamber, and she said within herself, I wonder what this youth is +like, of whom the Wezeer hath told me that he hath not left a girl in +the quarter without making love to her: by Allah, I have a desire to see +him. She then rose upon her feet, fresh as she was from the bath, and, +approaching the door of the chamber, looked at 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, and +beheld him to be a youth like the full moon. The sight of him occasioned +her a thousand sighs; and a look from the youth, at her, affected him +also in the same manner. Each was caught in the snare of the other's +love, and the youth approached the two slave-girls, and cried out at +them; whereupon they fled from before him, and stopped at a distance, +looking to see what he would do. He then advanced to the door of the +chamber, and, opening it, went in, and said to the damsel, Art thou she +whom my father hath purchased for me? She answered, Yes. And upon this, +the youth, who was in a state of intoxication, went up to her, and +embraced her, while she, in like manner, threw her arms around his neck, +and kissed him. But the two slave-girls, having seen their young master +enter the chamber of the damsel Enees-el-Jelees, cried out. The youth, +therefore, soon ran forth, and fled for safety, fearing the consequence +of his intrusion; and when the mistress of the house heard the cry of +the two slave-girls, she came out dripping from the bath, saying, What +is the cause of this cry in the house? And when she drew near to the two +slave-girls whom she had placed at the door of the private chamber, she +said to them, Wo to you! What is the matter?--They answered, as soon as +they beheld her, Our master 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen came to us and beat us, +and we fled from him, and he went into the chamber of Enees-el-Jelees, +and when we cried out to thee he fled. The mistress of the house then +went to Enees-el-Jelees, and said to her, What is the news?--O my +mistress, she answered, as I was sitting here, a youth of handsome +person came in to me, and said to me, Art thou she whom my father hath +purchased for me?--And I answered, Yes.--By Allah, O my mistress, I +believed that what he said was true; and he came up to me and embraced +me, and kissed me three times, and he left me overcome by his love. + +Upon this, the mistress of the house wept, and slapped her face, and her +female slaves did the like, fearing for 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, lest his +father should slay him; and while they were in this state, lo, the +Wezeer came in, and inquired what had happened. His wife said to him, +Swear that thou wilt listen to that which I shall say. He replied, Well. +So she told him what his son had done; and he mourned, and rent his +clothes, and slapped his face, and plucked his beard. His wife then said +to him, Kill not thyself. I will give thee, of my own property, ten +thousand pieces of gold, her price.--But upon this, he raised his head +towards her, and said to her, Wo to thee! I want not her price; but I +fear the loss of my life and my property.--Wherefore, O my master? she +asked.--Knowest thou not, said he, that we have this enemy El-Mo'een the +son of Sawee? When he heareth of this event, he will repair to the +Sul[t.]an, and say to him, Thy Wezeer whom thou imaginest to love thee +hath received from thee ten thousand pieces of gold, and purchased +therewith a female slave such as no one hath seen equalled, and when she +pleased him, he said to his son, Take her; for thou art more worthy of +her than the Sul[t.]an:--and he took her; and the damsel is now with +him.--Then the King will say, Thou liest. And he will say to the King, +With thy permission, I will break in upon him suddenly, and bring her to +thee. And he will give him permission to do so: he will therefore make a +sudden attack upon the house, and take the damsel, and conduct her into +the presence of the Sul[t.]an, and he will question her, and she will +not be able to deny: he will then say, O my lord, I give thee good +counsel, but I am not in favour with thee:--and the Sul[t.]an will make +an example of me, and all the people will make me a gazing-stock, and +my life will be lost.--His wife, however, replied, Acquaint no one; for +this thing hath happened privily: commit, therefore, thine affair unto +God, in this extremity. And upon this, the heart of the Wezeer was +quieted, and his mind was relieved. + +Such was the case of the Wezeer.--Now as to Noor-ed-Deen, he feared the +result of his conduct, and so passed each day in the gardens, not +returning to his mother until towards the close of the night: he then +slept in her apartment, and rose before morning without being seen by +any one else. Thus he continued to do so for the space of a month, not +seeing the face of his father; and at length his mother said to his +father, O my master, wilt thou lose the damsel and lose the child? For +if it long continue thus with the youth, he will flee his country.--And +what is to be done? said he. She answered, Sit up this night, and when +he cometh, lay hold upon him, and be reconciled to him, and give him the +damsel; for she loveth him, and he loveth her; and I will give thee her +price. So the Wezeer sat up the whole night, and when his son came, he +laid hold upon him, and would have cut his throat;[VI_8] but his +mother came to his succour, and said to her husband, What dost thou +desire to do unto him? He answered her, I desire to slay him. The youth +then said to his father, Am I of so small account in thy estimation? And +upon this, the eyes of his father filled with tears, and he said to him, +O my son, is the loss of my property and my life of small account with +thee?--Listen, O my father, rejoined the youth:--and he implored his +forgiveness. So the Wezeer rose from the breast of his son, and was +moved with compassion for him; and the youth rose, and kissed his +father's hand; and the Wezeer said, O my son, if I knew that thou +wouldst act equitably to Enees-el-Jelees, I would give her to thee.--O +my father, replied the youth, wherefore should I not act equitably +towards her? And his father said, I charge thee, O my son, that thou +take not a wife to share her place, and that thou do her no injury, nor +sell her. He replied, O my father, I swear to thee that I will neither +take a wife to share her place, nor sell her:--and he promised him by +oaths to act as he had said, and took up his abode with the damsel, and +remained with her a year; and God (whose name be exalted!) caused the +King to forget the affair of the female slave; but the matter became +known to El-Mo'een the son of Sawee; yet he could not speak of it, on +account of the high estimation in which the other Wezeer was held by the +Sul[t.]an. + +[Illustration] + +After this year had expired, the Wezeer Fa[d.]l-ed-Deen the son of +Kha[k.]an entered the oath, and came out in a state of excessive +perspiration, in consequence of which the external air smote him, so +that he became confined to his bed, and long remained sleepless; and his +malady continued unremittingly; so he called, thereupon, his son 'Alee +Noor-ed-Deen, and when he came before him, said to him, O my son, verily +the means of life are apportioned, and its period is decreed, and every +soul must drink the cup of death. I have nothing with which to charge +thee but the fear of God, and forethought with regard to the results of +thine actions, and that thou conduct thyself kindly to the damsel +Enees-el-Jelees.--O my father, said the youth, who is like unto thee? +Thou hast been celebrated for virtuous actions, and the praying of the +preachers for thee on the pulpits.--O my son, rejoined the Wezeer, I +hope for the approbation of God, whose name be exalted! And then he +pronounced the two professions of the faith,[VI_9] and uttered a +sigh, and was recorded among the company of the blest. And upon this, +the palace was filled with shrieking, and the news reached the ears of +the Sul[t.]an, and the people of the city heard of the death of +El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, and even the boys in the schools wept +for him.[VI_10] His son 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen arose, and prepared his +funeral, and the Emeers and Wezeers and other officers of the state +attended it, and among them was the Wezeer El-Mo'een the Son of Sawee; +and as the procession passed out from the mansion, one of the mourners +recited these verses:-- + + I said to the man who was appointed to wash him,--Would that he had + yielded obedience to my counsel,-- + Put away from him the water, and wash him with the tears of honour, + shed in lamentation for him: + And remove these fragrant substances collected for his corpse, + and perfume him rather with the odours of his praise: + And order the noble angels to carry him, in honour. Dost thou + not behold them attending him? + Cause not men's necks to be strained by bearing him: enough + are they laden already by his benefits.[VI_11] + +'Alee Noor-ed-Deen for a long time remained in a state of violent grief +for the loss of his father; but as he was sitting one day in his +father's house, a person knocked at the door, and he rose up and opened +it, and lo, there was a man who was one of his father's intimate +companions, and he kissed the hand of Noor-ed-Deen, and said to him, O +my master, he who hath left a son like thee hath not died. This is the +destination of the lord of the first and the last among +mankind.[VI_12] O my master, cheer up thy heart, and give over +mourning.--And upon this, 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen arose, and went to the +guest-chamber, and removed thither all that he required, and his +companions came together to him, and he took again his slave. Ten of the +sons of the merchants became his associates, and he gave entertainment +after entertainment, and began to be lavish with presents. His steward, +therefore, came in to him, and said to him, O my master Noor-ed-Deen, +hast thou not heard the saying, He who expendeth and doth not calculate +is reduced to poverty? This profuse expenditure, and these magnificent +presents, will annihilate the property.--But when 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen +heard these words of his steward, he looked at him, and replied, Of all +that thou hast said to me, I will not attend to one word. How excellent +is the saying of the poet:-- + + If I be possessed of wealth and be not liberal, may my hand never + be extended, nor my foot raised! + Shew me the avaricious who hath attained glory by his avarice, + and the munificent who hath died through his munificence.[VI_13] + +Know, O Steward, he continued, that if there remain in thy hands what +will suffice for my dinner, thou shalt not burden me with anxiety +respecting my supper.--So the steward left him, and went his way; and +'Alee Noor-ed-Deen resumed his habits of extravagant generosity: +whenever any one of his companions said, Verily this thing is +beautiful!--he would reply, It is a present to thee:--and if any said, O +my master, verily such a house is delightful!--he would reply, It is a +present to thee. + +He ceased not to give entertainments to his companions from the +commencement of day, one after another, until he had passed in this +manner a whole year; after which, as he was sitting with them, he heard +the slave-girl recite these two verses:-- + + Thou thoughtest well of the days when they went well with thee, + and fearedst not the evil that destiny was bringing. + Thy nights were peaceful, and thou wast deceived by them: + in the midst of their brightness there cometh gloom. + +And immediately after, a person knocked at the door: so Noor-ed-Deen +rose, and one of his companions followed him without his knowledge; and +when he opened the door, he beheld his steward, and said to him, What is +the news?--O my master, answered the steward, that which I feared on thy +account hath happened to thee.--How is that? asked Noor-ed-Deen. The +steward answered, Know that there remaineth not of thy property in my +hands, anything equivalent to a piece of silver, or less than a piece of +silver; and these are the accounts of thy expenses, and of thy original +property. When 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen heard these words, he hung down his +head towards the ground, and exclaimed, There is no strength nor power +but in God! And the man who had followed him secretly to pry into his +case, as soon as he heard what the steward told him, returned to his +companions, and said to them, See what ye will do; for 'Alee +Noor-ed-Deen hath become a bankrupt. So when Noor-ed-Deen returned to +them, grief appeared to them in his countenance, and immediately one of +them rose, and, looking towards him, said to him, O my master, I desire +that thou wouldst permit me to depart.--Why thus depart to-day? said +Noor-ed-Deen. His guest answered, My wife is to give birth to a child +this night, and it is impossible for me to be absent from her: I desire, +therefore, to go and see her. And he gave him leave. Then another rose, +and said to him, O my master Noor-ed-Deen, I desire to-day to visit my +brother; for he celebrateth the circumcision of his son. Thus each of +them asked leave of him deceitfully, and went his way, until all had +departed. + +So 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen remained alone; and he called his slave-girl, and +said to her, O Enees-el-Jelees, seest thou not what hath befallen me? +And he related to her what the steward had told him. She replied, O my +master, for some nights past, I have been anxious to speak to thee of +this affair; but I heard thee reciting these two verses:-- + + When fortune is liberal to thee, be thou liberal to all others + before she escape from thee: + For liberality will not annihilate thy wealth when she is favourable; + nor avarice preserve it when she deserteth thee. + +And when I heard thee repeat these words, I was silent, and would not +make any remark to thee.--O Enees-el-Jelees, he rejoined, thou knowest +that I have not expended my wealth but on my companions; and I do not +think that they will abandon me without relief.--By Allah, said she, +they will be of no use to thee. But he said, I will immediately arise +and go to them, and knock at their doors: perhaps I shall obtain from +them something which I will employ as a capital wherewith to trade, and +I will cease from diversion and sport. So he arose instantly, and +proceeded without stopping until he arrived at the by-street in which +his ten companions resided; for they all lived in that same street: and +he advanced to the first door, and knocked; and there came forth to him +a slave-girl, who said to him, Who art thou? He answered, Say to thy +master,--'Alee Noor-ed-Deen is standing at the door, and saith to thee, +Thy slave kisseth thy hands, looking for a favour from thee.--And the +girl entered, and acquainted her master; but he called out to her, +saying, Return, and tell him, He is not here.--The girl, therefore, +returned to Noor-ed-Deen, and said to him, My master, Sir, is not here. +And he went on, saying within myself, If this is a knave, and hath +denied himself, another is not. He then advanced to the next door, and +said as he had before; and the second also denied himself; and +Noor-ed-Deen exclaimed,-- + + They are gone, who, if thou stoodest at their door, would bestow + upon thee the bounty thou desirest. + +By Allah, he added, I must try all of them: perchance one of them may +stand me in the place of all the others. And he went round to all the +ten; but found not that one of them would open the door, or shew +himself, or even order him a cake of bread; and he recited the following +verses:-- + + A man in prosperity resembleth a tree, around which people flock + as long as it hath fruit; + But as soon as it hath dropped all that it bore, they disperse + from beneath it, and seek another. + Perdition to all the people of this age! for I find not one man + of integrity among ten. + +He then returned to his slave: his anxiety had increased, and she said +to him, O my master, said I not unto thee that they would not profit +thee?--By Allah, he replied, not one of them shewed me his face.--O my +master, rejoined she, sell of the moveables of the house a little at a +time, and expend the produce. And he did so until he had sold all that +was in the house, and there remained nothing in his possession; and +upon this he looked towards Enees-el-Jelees, and said to her, What shall +we do now?--It is my advice, O my master, she answered, that thou arise +immediately, and take me to the market, and sell me; for thou knowest +that thy father purchased me for ten thousand pieces of gold, and +perhaps God may open to thee a way to obtain a part of this price; and +if God have decreed our reunion, we shall meet again. But he replied, O +Enees-el-Jelees, it is not easy for me to endure thy separation for one +hour.--Nor is the like easy to me, said she: but necessity is imperious. +And upon this, he took Enees-el-Jelees, his tears flowing down his +cheeks, and went and delivered her to the broker, saying to him, Know +the value of that which thou art to cry for sale.--O my master +Noor-ed-Deen, replied the broker, noble qualities are held in +remembrance. Is she not Enees-el-Jelees, whom thy father purchased of me +for ten thousand pieces of gold?--He answered, Yes. And the broker +thereupon went to the merchants; but he found that they had not all yet +assembled; so he waited until the rest had come, and the market was +filled with all varieties of female slaves, Turkish and Greek and +Circassian and Georgian and Abyssinian; and when he beheld its crowded +state, he arose and exclaimed, O merchants! O possessors of wealth! +everything that is round is not a nut; nor is everything long, a banana; +nor is everything that is red, meat; nor is everything white, fat; nor +is everything that is ruddy, wine; nor is everything tawny, a date! O +merchants! this precious pearl, whose value no money can equal, with +what sum will ye open the bidding for her?--And one of the merchants +answered, With four thousand and five hundred pieces of +gold.[VI_14] + +[Illustration] + +But, lo, the Wezeer El-Mo'een the son of Sawee was in the market, and, +seeing 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen standing there, he said within himself, What +doth he want here, having nothing left wherewith to purchase female +slaves? Then casting his eyes around, and hearing the broker as he stood +crying in the market with the merchants around him, he said within +himself, I do not imagine anything else than that he hath become a +bankrupt, and come forth with the slave-girl to sell her; and if this be +the case, how pleasant to my heart! He then called the crier, who +approached him, and kissed the ground before him;[VI_15] and the +Wezeer said to him, I desire this female slave whom thou art crying for +sale. The broker, therefore, being unable to oppose his wish, brought +the slave and placed her before him; and when he beheld her, and +considered her charms, her elegant figure and her soft speech, he was +delighted with her, and said to the broker, To what has the bidding for +her amounted? The broker answered, Four thousand and five hundred pieces +of gold. And as soon as the merchants heard this, not one of them could +bid another piece of silver or of gold; but all of them drew back, +knowing the tyrannical conduct of that Wezeer. El-Mo'een the son of +Sawee then looked towards the broker, and said to him, Why standest thou +still? Take away the slave-girl for me at the price of four thousand and +five hundred pieces of gold, and thou wilt have five hundred for +thyself.--So the broker went to 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, and said to him, O +my master, the slave-girl is lost to thee without price.--How so? said +Noor-ed-Deen. The broker answered, We opened the bidding for her at four +thousand and five hundred pieces of gold; but this tyrant El-Mo'een the +son of Sawee came into the market, and when he beheld the damsel she +pleased him, and he said to me, Ask her owner if he will agree for four +thousand pieces of gold, and five hundred for thee:--and I doubt not but +he knoweth that the slave belongeth to thee; and if he give thee her +price immediately, it will be through the goodness of God; but I know, +from his injustice, that he will write thee an order upon some of his +agents for the money, and then send to them and desire them to give thee +nothing; and every time that thou shalt go to demand it of them, they +will say to thee, To-morrow we will pay thee:--and they will not cease +to promise thee, and to defer from day to day, notwithstanding thy +pride; and when they are overcome by thy importunity they will say, Give +us the written order:--and as soon as they have received the paper from +thee they will tear it in pieces: so thou wilt lose the price of the +slave. + +When Noor-ed-Deen, therefore, heard these words of the broker, he said +to him, What is to be done? The broker answered, I will give thee a +piece of advice, and if thou receive it from me, thou wilt have better +fortune.--What is it? asked Noor-ed-Deen.--That thou come to me +immediately, answered the broker, while I am standing in the midst of +the market, and take the slave-girl from me, and give her a blow with +thy hand, and say to her, Wo to thee! I have expiated my oath that I +swore, and brought thee to the market, because I swore to thee that thou +shouldst be exposed in the market, and that the broker should cry thee +for sale.--If thou do this, perhaps the trick will deceive him and the +people, and they will believe that thou tookest her not to the market +but to expiate the oath.--This, replied Noor-ed-Deen, is the right +counsel. So the broker returned into the midst of the market, and, +taking hold of the hand of the slave-girl, made a sign to the Wezeer +El-Mo'een the son of Sawee, saying, O my lord, this is her owner who +hath just come. Then 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen advanced to the broker, and tore +the damsel from him, and struck her with his hand, saying to her, Wo to +thee! I have brought thee to the market for the sake of expiating my +oath. Go home, and disobey me not again. I want not thy price, that I +should sell thee; and if I sold the furniture of the house and +everything else of the kind over and over again, their produce would not +amount to thy price.--But when El-Mo'een the son of Sawee beheld +Noor-ed-Deen, he said to him, Wo to thee! Hast thou anything left to be +sold or bought?--And he would have laid violent hands upon him. The +merchants then looked towards Noor-ed-Deen (and they all loved him), and +he said to them, Here am I before you, and ye have all known his +tyranny.--By Allah, exclaimed the Wezeer, were it not for you, I had +killed him! Then all of them made signs, one to another, with the eye, +and said, Not one of us will interfere between thee and him. And upon +this, 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen went up to the Wezeer, the son of Sawee (and +Noor-ed-Deen was a man of courage), and he dragged the Wezeer from his +saddle, and threw him upon the ground. There was at that spot a +kneading-place for mud,[VI_16] and the Wezeer fell into the midst +of it, and Noor-ed-Deen beat him with his fist, and a blow fell upon his +teeth, by which his beard became dyed with his blood. Now there were +with the Wezeer ten memlooks, and when they saw Noor-ed-Deen treat their +master in this manner, they put their hands upon the hilts of their +swords, and would have fallen upon him and cut him in pieces; but the +people said to them, This is a Wezeer, and this is the son of a Wezeer, +and perhaps they may make peace with each other, and ye will incur the +anger of both of them; or perhaps a blow may fall upon your master, and +ye will all of you die the most ignominious of deaths: it is advisable, +therefore, that ye interfere not between them.--And when 'Alee +Noor-ed-Deen had ceased from beating the Wezeer, he took his slave-girl, +and returned to his house. + +[Illustration] + +The Wezeer, the son of Sawee, then immediately arose, and his dress, +which before was white, was now dyed with three colours, the colour of +mud, and the colour of blood, and the colour of ashes;[VI_17] and +when he beheld himself in this condition, he took a round +mat,[VI_18] and hung it to his neck, and took in his hand two +bundles of coarse grass,[VI_19] and went and stood beneath the +palace of the Sul[t.]an, and cried out, O King of the age! I am +oppressed!--So they brought him before the King, who looked at him +attentively, and saw that he was his Wezeer, El-Mo'een the son of Sawee. +He said, therefore, Who hath done thus unto thee?--and the Wezeer cried +and moaned, and repeated these two verses:-- + + Shall fortune oppress me while thou existest; and the dogs devour me + when thou art a lion? + Shall all else who are dry drink freely from thy tanks, and I thirst + in thine asylum when thou art as rain? + +--O my lord, he continued, thus is every one who loveth thee and serveth +thee: these afflictions always befall him.--And who, said the King +again, hath done thus unto thee?--Know, answered the Wezeer, that I went +forth to-day to the market of the female slaves with the idea of buying +a cook-maid, and saw in the market a slave-girl the like of whom I had +never in my life beheld, and the broker said that she belonged to 'Alee +Noor-ed-Deen. Now our lord the Sul[t.]an had given his father ten +thousand pieces of gold to buy for him with it a beautiful female slave, +and he bought that girl, and she pleased him; so he gave her to his son; +and when his father died, the son pursued the path of prodigality, until +he sold all his houses and gardens and utensils; and when he had become +a bankrupt, nothing else remaining in his possession, he took the +slave-girl to the market to sell her, and delivered her to the broker: +so he cried her for sale, and the merchants continued bidding for her +until her price amounted to four thousand pieces of gold; whereupon I +said to myself, I will buy this for our lord the Sul[t.]an; for her +original price was from him. I therefore said, O my son, receive her +price, four thousand pieces of gold. But when he heard my words, he +looked at me and replied, O ill-omened old man! I will sell her to the +Jews and the Christians rather than to thee.--I then said to him, I +would not buy her for myself, but for our lord the Sul[t.]an, who is our +benefactor. As soon, however, as he had heard these words from me, he +was filled with rage, and dragged me and threw me down from the horse, +notwithstanding my advanced age, and beat me, and ceased not to do so +until he left me in the state in which thou seest me. Nothing exposed me +to all this ill treatment but my coming to purchase this slave-girl for +your majesty.--The Wezeer then threw himself upon the ground, and lay +weeping and trembling. + +Now when the Sul[t.]an beheld his condition, and had heard his speech, +the vein of anger swelled between his eyes, and he looked towards the +members of his court who were attending him; whereupon forty swordsmen +stood before him, and he said to them, Descend immediately to the house +of 'Alee the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, and plunder it and +demolish it, and bring hither him and the slave-girl with their hands +bound behind them: drag them along upon their faces, and so bring them +before me. They replied, We hear and obey:--and went forth to repair to +the house of 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen. But there was in the court of the +Sul[t.]an a chamberlain named 'Alam-ed-Deen Senjer, who had been one of +the memlooks of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, the father of 'Alee +Noor-ed-Deen; and when he heard the order of the Sul[t.]an, and saw the +enemies prepared to slay his master's son, it was insupportable to him; +so he mounted his horse, and proceeded to the house of 'Alee +Noor-ed-Deen, and knocked at the door. Noor-ed-Deen came forth to him, +and, when he saw him, knew him, and would have saluted him; but he said, +O my master, this is not a time for salutation, nor for talking. +Noor-ed-Deen said, O 'Alam-ed-Deen, what is the news? He replied, Save +thyself by flight, thou and the slave-girl; for El-Mo'een the son of +Sawee hath set up a snare for you, and if ye fall into his hands he will +slay you: the Sul[t.]an hath sent to you forty swordsmen, and it is my +advice that ye fly before the evil fall upon you. Then Senjer stretched +forth his hand to Noor-ed-Deen with some pieces of gold, and he counted +them, and found them to be forty pieces; and he said, O my master, +receive these, and if I had with me more, I would give it thee: but this +is not a time for expostulating. And upon this, Noor-ed-Deen went in to +the damsel, and acquainted her with the occurrence, and she was +confounded. + +The two then went forth immediately from the city, and God let down the +veil of his protection upon them, and they proceeded to the bank of the +river, where they found a vessel ready to sail: the master was standing +in the midst of it, and saying, He who hath anything to do, whether +leave-taking or procuring provisions, or who hath forgotten aught, let +him do what he desireth and return; for we are going. And they all +replied, We have nothing remaining to do, O master. So, upon this, the +master said to his crew, Quick! Loose the rope's end, and pull up the +stake.[VI_20]--And 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen exclaimed, Whither, O master? +He answered, To the Abode of Peace, Baghdad. And Noor-ed-Deen embarked, +and the damsel with him, and they set the vessel afloat, and spread the +sails, and it shot along like a bird with its pair of wings, carrying +them forward with a favourable wind. + +Meanwhile, the forty men whom the Sul[t.]an had sent came to the house +of 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, and broke open the doors and entered, and +searched all the chambers, but without success; so they demolished the +house, and returned, and acquainted the Sul[t.]an, who said, Search for +them in every place where they may be:--and they replied, We hear and +obey. The Wezeer El-Mo'een the son of Sawee then descended to his house, +after the Sul[t.]an had invested him with a robe of honour, and had said +to him, None shall take vengeance for thee but myself. And he greeted +the King with a prayer for long life, and his heart was set at ease: and +the Sul[t.]an gave orders to proclaim throughout the city, O all ye +people! our lord the Sul[t.]an hath commanded that whoever shall meet +with 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, and bring him to the Sul[t.]an, shall be +invested with a robe of honour, and he will give him a thousand pieces +of gold; and he who shall conceal him, or know where he is, and not give +information thereof, will merit the exemplary punishment that shall +befall him! So all the people began to search for him; but could not +trace him.--Such was the case with these people. + +Now as to 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen and his slave, they arrived in safety at +Baghdad, and the master of the vessel said to them, This is Baghdad, and +it is a city of security: winter with its cold hath departed from it, +and the spring-quarter hath come with its roses, and its trees are in +blossom, and its waters are flowing. And upon this, 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen +landed with his slave-girl, and gave the master five pieces of gold. +They then walked a little way, and destiny cast them among the gardens, +and they came to a place which they found swept and sprinkled, with long +ma[s.][t.]abahs, and pots suspended filled with water, and over it was a +covering of trellis-work of canes extending along the whole length of a +lane, at the upper end of which was the gate of a garden; but this was +shut. And Noor-ed-Deen said to the damsel, By Allah, this is a pleasant +place!--and she replied, O my master, let us sit down a while upon one +of these ma[s.][t.]abahs. So they mounted and seated themselves there, +and they washed their faces and hands, and enjoyed the current of the +zephyr, and slept.--Glory be to Him who sleepeth not! + +[Illustration] + +This garden was called the Garden of Delight, and in it was a palace +called the Palace of Diversion, and it belonged to the Khaleefeh Haroon +Er-Rasheed, who, when his heart was contracted, used to come to this +garden, and enter the palace above mentioned, and there sit. The palace +had eighty latticed windows, and eighty lamps were suspended in it, and +in the midst of it was a great candlestick of gold; and when the +Khaleefeh entered it, he commanded the female slaves to open the +windows, and ordered Is-[h.]a[k.] the cup-companion to sing with them: +so his heart became dilated, and his anxiety ceased. There was a +superintendent to the garden, an old man, named the sheykh Ibraheem; and +it happened that he went forth once to transact some business, and found +there persons diverting themselves with women of suspicious character, +whereupon he was violently enraged, and having waited until the +Khaleefeh came thither some days after, he acquainted him with this +occurrence, and the Khaleefeh said, Whomsoever thou shalt find at the +gate of the garden, do with him what thou wilt. Now on this day the +sheykh Ibraheem went out to transact an affair of business, and found +the two sleeping at the garden-gate covered with a single izar; and he +said, Do not these two persons know that the Khaleefeh hath given me +permission to kill every one whom I find here? But I will only give +these two a slight beating, that no one may again approach the gate of +the garden. He then cut a green palm-stick, and went forth to them, and +raised his hand until the whiteness of his arm-pit appeared, and was +about to beat them; but he reflected in his mind, and said, O Ibraheem, +how shouldst thou beat them when thou knowest not their case? They may +be two strangers, or of the children of the road,[VI_21] whom +destiny hath cast here. I will therefore uncover their faces, and look +at them.--So he lifted up the izar from their faces, and said, These are +two handsome persons, and it is not proper that I should beat them. And +he covered their faces again, and, approaching the foot of 'Alee +Noor-ed-Deen, began to rub it gently;[VI_22] whereupon Noor-ed-Deen +opened his eyes, and saw that he was an old man; and he blushed, and +drew in his feet, and, sitting up, took the hand of the sheykh Ibraheem +and kissed it; and the sheykh said to him, O my son, whence are ye?--O +my master, he answered, we are strangers.--And a tear gushed from his +eye. The sheykh Ibraheem then said to him, O my son, know that the +Prophet (God bless and save him!) hath enjoined generosity to the +stranger. Wilt thou not arise, O my son, and enter the garden, and +divert thyself in it, that thy heart may be dilated?--O my master, said +Noor-ed-Deen, to whom doth this garden belong? The sheykh answered, O my +son, this garden I inherited from my family. And his design in saying +this was only that they might feel themselves at ease, and enter the +garden. And when Noor-ed-Deen heard his words, he thanked him, and +arose, together with his slave, and, the sheykh Ibraheem preceding them, +they entered the garden. + +The gate was arched, and over it were vines with grapes of different +colours; the red, like rubies; and the black, like ebony. They entered a +bower, and found within it fruits growing in clusters and singly, and +the birds were warbling their various notes upon the branches: the +nightingale was pouring forth its melodious sounds; and the turtle-dove +filled the place with its cooing; and the blackbird, in its singing, +resembled a human being; and the ring-dove, a person exhilarated by +wine. The fruits upon the trees, comprising every description that was +good to eat, had ripened; and there were two of each kind: there were +the camphor-apricot, and the almond-apricot, and the apricot of +Khurasan; the plum of a colour like the complexion of beauties; the +cherry delighting the sense of every man; the red, the white, and the +green fig, of the most beautiful colours; and flowers like pearls and +coral; the rose, whose redness put to shame the cheeks of the lovely; +the violet, like sulphur in contact with fire; the myrtle, the +gilliflower, the lavender, and the anemone; and their leaves were +bespangled with the tears of the clouds; the chamomile smiled, +displaying its teeth, and the narcissus looked at the rose with its +negroes' eyes; the citrons resembled round cups; the limes were like +bullets of gold; the ground was carpeted with flowers of every colour, +and the place beamed with the charms of spring; the river murmured by +while the birds sang, and the wind whistled among the trees; the season +was temperate, and the zephyr was languishing. + +[Illustration] + +The sheykh Ibraheem conducted them into the elevated saloon,[VI_23] +and they were charmed with its beauty and the extraordinary elegances +which it displayed, and seated themselves in one of the windows; and +Noor-ed-Deen, reflecting upon his past entertainments, exclaimed, By +Allah, this place is most delightful! It hath reminded me of past +events, and quenched in me an anguish like the fire of the +gha[d.]a.[VI_24]--The sheykh Ibraheem then brought to them some +food, and they ate to satisfaction, and washed their hands, and +Noor-ed-Deen, seating himself again in one of the windows, called to +his slave, and she came to him; and they sat gazing at the trees laden +with all kinds of fruits; after which, Noor-ed-Deen looked towards the +sheykh, and said to him, O sheykh Ibraheem, hast thou not any beverage? +For people drink after eating.--So the sheykh brought him some sweet and +cold water: but Noor-ed-Deen said, This is not the beverage I +desire.--Dost thou want wine? asked the sheykh.--Yes, answered +Noor-ed-Deen. The sheykh exclaimed, I seek refuge with Allah from it! +Verily, for thirteen years I have done nothing of that kind; for the +Prophet (God bless and save him!) cursed its drinker and its presser and +its carrier.--Hear from me two words, said Noor-ed-Deen. The sheykh +replied, Say what thou wilt. So he said, If thou be neither the presser +of the wine, nor its drinker, nor its carrier, will aught of the curse +fall upon thee? The sheykh answered, No.--Then take this piece of gold, +rejoined Noor-ed-Deen, and these two pieces of silver, and mount the +ass, and halt at a distance from the place, and whatsoever man thou +findest to buy it, call to him, and say to him, take these two pieces of +silver, and with this piece of gold buy some wine, and place it upon the +ass:--so, in this case, thou wilt be neither the carrier, nor the +presser, nor the buyer; and nothing will befall thee of that which +befalleth the rest. + +The sheykh Ibraheem, after laughing at his words, replied, By Allah, I +have never seen one more witty than thou, nor heard speech more sweet. +And Noor-ed-Deen said to him, We have become dependant upon thee, and +thou hast nothing to do but to comply with our wishes: bring us, +therefore, all that we require.--O my son, said the sheykh, my buttery +here is before thee (and it was the store-room furnished for the Prince +of the Faithful): enter it then, and take from it what thou wilt; for it +containeth more than thou desirest. So Noor-ed-Deen entered the +store-room, and beheld in it vessels of gold and silver and crystal, +adorned with a variety of jewels; and he took out such of them as he +desired, and poured the wine into the vessels of earthenware and bottles +of glass; and he and the damsel began to drink, astonished at the beauty +of the things which they beheld. The sheykh Ibraheem then brought to +them sweet-scented flowers, and seated himself at a distance from them; +and they continued drinking, in a state of the utmost delight, until the +wine took effect upon them, and their cheeks reddened, and their eyes +wantoned like those of the gazelle, and their hair hung +down:[VI_25] whereupon the sheykh Ibraheem said, What aileth me +that I am sitting at a distance from them? Why should I not sit by +them? And when shall I be in the company of such as these two, who are +like two moons?--He then advanced, and seated himself at the edge of the +raised portion of the floor; and Noor-ed-Deen said to him, O my master, +by my life I conjure thee to approach and join us. So he went to them; +and Noor-ed-Deen filled a cup, and, looking at the sheykh, said to him, +Drink, that thou mayest know how delicious is its flavour. But the +sheykh Ibraheem exclaimed, I seek refuge with Allah! Verily, for +thirteen years I have done nothing of that kind.--And Noor-ed-Deen, +feigning to pay no attention to him, drank the cup, and threw himself +upon the ground, pretending that intoxication had overcome him. + +[Illustration] + +Upon this, Enees-el-Jelees looked towards the sheykh, and said to him, O +sheykh Ibraheem, see how this man hath treated me.--O my mistress, said +he, what aileth him? She rejoined, Always doth he treat me thus: he +drinketh a while, and then sleepeth, and I remain alone, and find no one +to keep me company over my cup. If I drink, who will serve me? And if I +sing, who will hear me?--The sheykh, moved with tenderness and affection +for her by her words, replied, It is not proper that a cup-companion be +thus. The damsel then filled a cup, and, looking at the sheykh Ibraheem, +said to him, I conjure thee, by my life that thou take it and drink it; +reject it not, but accept it, and refresh my heart. So he stretched +forth his hand, and took the cup, and drank it; and she filled for him a +second time, and handed it to him, saying, O my master, this remaineth +for thee. He replied, By Allah, I cannot drink it: that which +I have drunk is enough for me. But she said, By Allah, it is +indispensable:--and he took the cup, and drank it. She then gave him the +third; and he took it, and was about to drink it, when, lo, Noor-ed-Deen +raised himself, and said to him, O sheykh Ibraheem, what is this? Did I +not conjure thee a while ago, and thou refusedst, and saidst, Verily, +for thirteen years I have not done it?--The sheykh Ibraheem, touched +with shame, replied, By Allah, I am not in fault; for she pressed me. +And Noor-ed-Deen laughed, and they resumed their carousal, and the +damsel, turning her eyes towards her master, said to him, O my master, +drink thou, and do not urge the sheykh Ibraheem; that I may divert thee +with the sight of him. So she began to fill and to hand to her master, +and her master filled and gave to her, and thus they continued to do, +time after time; till at length the sheykh Ibraheem looked towards them +and said, What meaneth this? And what sort of carousal is this? +Wherefore do ye not give me to drink, since I have become your +cup-companion?--At this they both laughed until they became almost +senseless; and then drank, and gave him to drink; and they continued +thus until the expiration of a third of the night, when the damsel said, +O sheykh Ibraheem, with thy permission shall I rise and light one of the +candles which are arranged here?--Rise, he answered; but light not more +than one candle. But she sprang upon her feet, and, beginning with the +first candle, proceeded until she had lighted eighty. She then sat down +again; and presently Noor-ed-Deen said, O sheykh Ibraheem, in what +favour am I held with thee? Wilt thou not allow me to light one of these +lamps?--The sheykh answered, Arise, and light one lamp, and be not thou +also troublesome. So he arose, and, beginning with the first lamp, +lighted all the eighty; and the saloon seemed to dance. And after this, +the sheykh Ibraheem, overcome by intoxication, said to them, Ye are more +frolicksome than I:--and he sprang upon his feet, and opened all the +windows, and sat down again with them, and they continued carousing and +reciting verses; and the place rang with their merriment. + +Now God, the All-seeing and All-knowing, who hath appointed a cause to +every event, had decreed that the Khaleefeh should be sitting that night +at one of the windows looking towards the Tigris, by moonlight; and he +looked in that direction, and saw the light of lamps and candles +reflected in the river, and, turning his eyes up towards the palace in +the garden, he beheld it beaming with those candles and lamps, and +exclaimed, Bring hither to me Ja[a.]far El-Barmekee! In the twinkling of +an eye, Ja[a.]far stood before the Prince of the Faithful; and the +Khaleefeh said to him, O dog of Wezeers, dost thou serve me and not +acquaint me with what happeneth in the city of Baghdad?--What, asked +Ja[a.]far, is the occasion of these words? The Khaleefeh answered, If +the city of Baghdad were not taken from me, the Palace of Diversion were +not enlivened with the light of the lamps and candles, and its windows +were not opened. Wo to thee! Who could do these things unless the office +of Khaleefeh were taken from me?--Who, said Ja[a.]far (the muscles of +his side quivering from fear), informed thee that the lamps and candles +were lighted in the Palace of Diversion, and that its windows were +opened? The Khaleefeh replied, Advance hither to me, and look. So +Ja[a.]far approached the Khaleefeh, and, looking towards the garden, +beheld the palace as it were a flame of fire, its light surpassing that +of the moon. He desired, therefore, to make an excuse for the sheykh +Ibraheem, the superintendent, thinking, from what he beheld, that the +event might have occurred through his permission: and accordingly he +said, O Prince of the Faithful, the sheykh Ibraheem last week said to +me, O my master Ja[a.]far, I am desirous of entertaining my children +during my life and the life of the Prince of the Faithful.--And what, +said I, is thy design in saying this? He answered, It is my wish that +thou wouldst obtain for me permission from the Khaleefeh that I may +celebrate the circumcision of my sons in the palace. So I said, Do what +thou wilt with respect to the entertainment of thy sons, and, if God +will, I shall have an interview with the Khaleefeh, and will acquaint +him with it. And he left me thus; and I forgot to acquaint thee.--O +Ja[a.]far, said the Khaleefeh, thou wast guilty of one offence against +me, and then thine offence became two: for thou hast erred in two +points: the first, thy not acquainting me with this affair; and the +second, thy not accomplishing the desire of the sheykh Ibraheem; for he +did not come to thee and address thee with these words but to hint a +request for some money by the aid of which to effect his design, and +thou neither gavest him anything nor acquaintedst me that I might give +him.--O Prince of the Faithful, replied Ja[a.]far, I forgot. + +[Illustration] + +The Khaleefeh then said, By my forefathers, I will not pass the +remainder of my night but with him, for he is a just man, who +frequenteth the sheykhs,[VI_26] and attendeth to the poor, and favoureth +the indigent; and I imagine all his acquaintances are with him this +night; so I must repair to him: perhaps one of them may offer up for us +a prayer productive of good to us in this world and the next; and +probably some advantage may accrue to him from my presence, and he will +receive pleasure from this, together with his friends.--O Prince of the +Faithful, replied Ja[a.]far, the greater part of the night hath passed, +and they are now about to disperse. But the Khaleefeh said, We must go +to them. And Ja[a.]far was silent, and was perplexed in his mind, not +knowing what to do. So the Khaleefeh rose upon his feet, and Ja[a.]far +rose and preceded him, and Mesroor the eunuch went with them. The three +walked on reflecting, and, departing from the palace, proceeded through +the streets, in the attire of merchants; until they arrived at the gate +of the garden above mentioned; and the Khaleefeh, approaching it, found +it open; and he was surprised, and said, See, O Ja[a.]far, how the +sheykh Ibraheem hath left the gate open until this hour, which is not +his usual custom. They then entered, and came to the end of the garden, +where they stopped beneath the palace; and the Khaleefeh said, O +Ja[a.]far, I desire to take a view of them secretly before I go up to +them, that I may see how the sheykhs are occupied in the dispensing of +their blessings and the employment of their miraculous powers; for they +have qualities which distinguish them both in their private retirements +and in their public exercises; and now we hear not their voices, nor +discover any indication of their presence. Having thus said, he looked +around, and, seeing a tall walnut tree, he said, O Ja[a.]far, I would +climb this tree (for its branches are near to the windows) and look at +them. And accordingly he ascended the tree, and climbed from branch to +branch until he came to that which was opposite to one of the windows, +and there he sat, and, looking in through this window of the palace, +beheld a damsel and a young man, like two moons (extolled be the +perfection of Him who created them!); and he saw the sheykh Ibraheem +sitting with a cup in his hand, and saying, O mistress of beauties, +drinking unaccompanied by merry sounds is not pleasant. Hast thou not +heard the saying of the poet?-- + + Circulate it in the large cup, and in the small; and receive it + from the hand of the shining moon:[VI_27] + And drink not without merry sounds; for I have observed that + horses drink to the sound of whistling. + +When the Khaleefeh witnessed this conduct of the sheykh Ibraheem, the +vein of anger swelled between his eyes, and he descended, and said, O +Ja[a.]far, I have never seen anything of the miraculous performances of +the just such as I have beheld this night: ascend, therefore, thyself +also, into this tree, and look, lest the blessings of the just escape +thee.[VI_28]--On hearing the words of the Prince of the Faithful, +Ja[a.]far was perplexed at his situation; and he climbed up into the +tree, and looked, and saw Noor-ed-Deen and the sheykh Ibraheem and the +damsel, and the sheykh Ibraheem had the cup in his hand. As soon as he +beheld this, he made sure of destruction; and he descended, and stood +before the Prince of the Faithful, and the Khaleefeh said, O Ja[a.]far, +praise be to God who hath made us to be of the number of those who +follow the external ordinances of the holy law, and averted from us the +sin of disguising ourselves by the practice of hypocrisy! But Ja[a.]far +was unable to reply, from his excessive confusion. The Khaleefeh then +looked towards him, and said, Who can have brought these persons hither, +and admitted them into my palace? But the like of this young man and +this damsel, in beauty and loveliness and symmetry of form, mine eye +hath never beheld.--Ja[a.]far, now conceiving a hope that the Khaleefeh +might be propitiated, replied, Thou hast spoken truly, O Prince of the +Faithful. And the Khaleefeh said, O Ja[a.]far, climb up with us upon +this branch which is opposite them, that we may amuse ourselves by +observing them. So they both climbed up into the tree, and, looking at +them, heard the sheykh Ibraheem say, O my mistress, I have relinquished +decorum by the drinking of wine; but the pleasure of this is not +complete without the melodious sounds of stringed instruments.--O sheykh +Ibraheem, replied Enees-el-Jelees, by Allah, if we had any musical +instrument, our happiness were perfect. And when the sheykh Ibraheem +heard her words, he rose upon his feet.--The Khaleefeh said to +Ja[a.]far, What may he be going to do? Ja[a.]far replied, I know +not.--And the sheykh Ibraheem went away, and returned with a lute; and +the Khaleefeh, looking attentively at it, saw that it was the lute of +Is-[h.]a[k.], the cup-companion; and said, By Allah, if this damsel sing +not well, I will crucify you all; but if she sing well, I will pardon +them, and crucify thee. So Ja[a.]far said, O Allah, let her not sing +well!--Why? asked the Khaleefeh.--That thou mayest crucify all of us, +answered Ja[a.]far; and then we shall cheer one another by conversation. +And the Khaleefeh laughed: and the damsel took the lute, and tuned its +strings, and played upon it in a manner that would melt iron, and +inspire an idiot with intellect; after which she sang with such +sweetness that the Khaleefeh exclaimed, O Ja[a.]far, never in my life +have I heard so enchanting a voice as this!--Perhaps, said Ja[a.]far, +the anger of the Khaleefeh hath departed from him?--Yea, he answered; it +hath departed. He then descended with Ja[a.]far from the tree, and, +looking towards him, said, I am desirous of going up to them, to sit +with them, and to hear the damsel sing before me.--O Prince of the +Faithful, replied Ja[a.]far, if thou go up to them, probably they will +be troubled by thy presence; and as to the sheykh Ibraheem, he will +assuredly die of fear. The Khaleefeh therefore said, O Ja[a.]far, thou +must acquaint me with some stratagem by means of which I may learn the +truth of the affair without their knowing that I have discovered them. +And he and Ja[a.]far walked towards the Tigris, reflecting upon this +matter; and lo, a fisherman stood beneath the windows of the palace, and +he threw his net, hoping to catch something by means of which to obtain +his subsistence.--Now the Khaleefeh had, on a former occasion, called to +the sheykh Ibraheem, and said to him, What was that noise that I heard +beneath the windows of the palace?--and he answered, The voices of the +fishermen, who are fishing:--so he said, Go down and forbid them from +coming to this place. They were therefore forbidden to come thither; but +this night there came a fisherman named Kereem, and, seeing the +garden-gate open, he said within himself, This is a time of +inadvertence, and perhaps I may catch some fish on this occasion:--so he +took his net, and threw it into the river, and then recited some verses, +contrasting the condition of the poor fisherman, toiling throughout the +night, with that of the lord of the palace, who, awaking from a pleasant +slumber, findeth the fawn in his possession; and as soon as he had +finished his recitation, lo, the Khaleefeh, unattended, stood at his +head. The Khaleefeh knew him, and exclaimed, O Kereem!--and the +fisherman, hearing him call him by his name, turned towards him; and +when he beheld the Khaleefeh, the muscles of his side quivered, and he +said, By Allah, O Prince of the Faithful, I did not this in mockery of +the mandate; but poverty and the wants of my family impelled me to the +act of which thou art witness. The Khaleefeh replied, Throw thy net for +my luck. And the fisherman advanced, rejoicing exceedingly, and cast the +net, and, having waited until it had attained its limit and become +steady at the bottom, drew it in again, and there came up in it a +variety of fish that could not be numbered. + +[Illustration] + +The Khaleefeh was delighted at this, and said, O Kereem, strip off thy +clothes:--and he did so. He was clad in a jubbeh[VI_29] in which +were a hundred patches of coarse woollen stuff, containing vermin of the +most abominable kind, and among them fleas in such numbers that he might +almost have been transported by their means over the face of the earth; +and he took from his head a turban which for three years he had never +unwound; but when he happened to find a piece of rag he twisted it +around it: and when he had taken off the jubbeh and turban, the +Khaleefeh pulled off from his own person two vests of silk of Alexandria +and Ba[a.]labekk, and a melwa[t.]ah[VI_30] and a farajeeyeh,[VI_31] +and said to the fisherman, Take these, and put them on. The Khaleefeh +then put on himself the fisherman's jubbeh and turban, and, having drawn +a litham[VI_32] over his face, said to the fisherman, Go about thy +business;--and he kissed the feet of the Khaleefeh, and thanked him, +reciting these two verses:-- + + Thou hast granted me favours beyond my power to acknowledge, + and completely satisfied all my wants. + I will thank thee, therefore, as long as I live; and when I die, + my bones will thank thee in their grave.[VI_33] + +But scarcely had he finished his verses, when the vermin overran the +person of the Khaleefeh, and he began to seize them with his right hand +and his left from his neck, and to throw them down; and he exclaimed, O +fisherman, wo to thee! What are these abundant vermin in this jubbeh?--O +my lord, he answered, at present they torment thee; but when a week +shall have passed over thee, thou wilt not feel them, nor think of them. +The Khaleefeh laughed, and said to him, How can I suffer this jubbeh to +remain upon me? The fisherman replied, I wish to tell thee something; +but I am ashamed, through my awe of the Khaleefeh. Impart, said the +Khaleefeh, what thou hast to tell me. So he said to him, It hath +occurred to my mind, O Prince of the Faithful, that thou desirest to +learn the art of fishing, in order that thou mayest be master of a trade +that may profit thee; and if such be thy desire, this jubbeh is suitable +to thee. And the Khaleefeh laughed at his words. + +The fisherman then went his way, and the Khaleefeh took the basket of +fish, and, having put upon it a little grass, went with it to Ja[a.]far, +and stood before him; and Ja[a.]far, thinking that he was Kereem the +fisherman, feared for him, and said, O Kereem, what brought thee hither? +Save thyself by flight; for the Khaleefeh is here this night.--And when +the Khaleefeh heard the words of Ja[a.]far, he laughed until he fell +down upon his back. So Ja[a.]far said, Perhaps thou art our lord the +Prince of the Faithful?--Yes, O Ja[a.]far, answered the Khaleefeh, and +thou art my Wezeer, and I came with thee hither, and thou knowest me +not. How then should the sheykh Ibraheem know me when he is drunk? +Remain where thou art until I return to thee.--Ja[a.]far replied, I hear +and obey:--and the Khaleefeh advanced to the door of the palace, and +knocked. The sheykh Ibraheem arose, therefore, and said, Who is at the +door? He answered, I, O sheykh Ibraheem. The sheykh said, Who art +thou?--and the Khaleefeh answered, I am Kereem the fisherman: I heard +that there were guests with thee, and have therefore brought thee some +fish; for it is excellent.--Now Noor-ed-Deen and the damsel were both +fond of fish, and when they heard the mention of it they rejoiced +exceedingly, and said, O my master, open to him, and let him come in to +us with the fish which he hath brought. So the sheykh Ibraheem opened +the door, and the Khaleefeh, in his fisherman's disguise, entered, and +began by salutation; and the sheykh Ibraheem said to him, Welcome to the +robber, the thief, the gambler! Come hither, and shew us the fish which +thou hast brought.--He therefore shewed it to them; and lo, it was +alive, and moving; and the damsel exclaimed, By Allah, O my master, this +fish is excellent! I wish it were fried!--By Allah, said the sheykh +Ibraheem, thou hast spoken truth. Then, addressing the Khaleefeh, he +said, O fisherman, I wish thou hadst brought this fish fried. Arise, and +fry it for us, and bring it.--On the head be thy commands, replied the +Khaleefeh: I will fry it, and bring it.--Be quick, said they, in doing +it. + +The Khaleefeh therefore arose and ran back to Ja[a.]far, and said, O +Ja[a.]far, they want the fish fried.--O Prince of the Faithful, replied +he, give it me, and I will fry it. But the Khaleefeh said, By the tombs +of my ancestors, none shall fry it but myself; with my own hand will I +do it! He then repaired to the hut of the superintendent, and, searching +there, found in it everything that he required, the frying-pan, and even +the salt, and wild marjoram, and other things. So he approached the +fire-place, and put on the frying-pan, and fried it nicely; and when it +was done, he put it upon a banana-leaf, and having taken from the garden +some limes, he went up with the fish, and placed it before them. The +young man, therefore, and the damsel and the sheykh Ibraheem advanced +and ate; and when they had finished, they washed their hands, and +Noor-ed-Deen said, By Allah, O fisherman, thou hast done us a kindness +this night. Then putting his hand into his pocket, he took forth for him +three pieces of gold, of those which Senjer had presented to him when he +was setting forth on his journey, and said, O fisherman, excuse me; for, +by Allah, if I had known thee before the events that have lately +happened to me, I would have extracted the bitterness of poverty from +thy heart: but take this as accordant with my present circumstances. So +saying, he threw the pieces of gold to the Khaleefeh, who took them, and +kissed them,[VI_34] and put them in his pocket. The object of the +Khaleefeh in doing this was only that he might hear the damsel sing: so +he said to him, Thou hast treated me with beneficence, and abundantly +recompensed me; but I beg of thy unbounded indulgence that this damsel +may sing an air, that I may hear her. Noor-ed-Deen therefore said, O +Enees-el-Jelees! She replied, Yes.--By my life, said he, sing to us +something for the gratification of this fisherman; for he desireth to +hear thee. And when she had heard what her master said, she took the +lute, and tried it with her fingers, after she had twisted its pegs, and +sang to it these two verses:-- + + The fingers of many a fawn-like damsel have played upon the lute, + and the soul hath been ravished by the touch. + She hath made the deaf to hear her songs; and the dumb hath exclaimed, + Thou hast excelled in thy singing! + +[Illustration] + +Then she played again, in an extraordinary manner, so as to charm the +minds of her hearers, and sang the following couplet:-- + + We are honoured by your visiting our abode, and your splendour + hath dispelled the darkness of the moonless night: + It is therefore incumbent upon me to perfume my dwelling with musk + and rose-water and camphor. + +Upon this, the Khaleefeh was affected with violent emotion, and overcome +by ecstasy, so that he was no longer master of himself from excessive +delight; and he began to exclaim, Allah approve thee! Allah approve +thee! Allah approve thee! So Noor-ed-Deen said to him, O fisherman, have +the damsel and her art in striking the chords pleased thee?--Yea, by +Allah! exclaimed the Khaleefeh. And Noor-ed-Deen immediately said, She +is bestowed upon thee as a present from me, the present of a generous +man who will not revoke his gift. And he rose upon his feet, and took a +melwa[t.]ah, and threw it upon the Khaleefeh in the fisherman's +disguise, ordering him to depart with the damsel. But she looked towards +him, and said, O my master, wilt thou part from me without bidding me +farewell? If we must be separated, pause while I take leave of +thee.--And she recited the following couplet:-- + + If you depart from me, still your abode will be in my heart, + in the recess of my bosom. + I implore the Compassionate to grant our reunion; and a boon + such as this, God will grant to whom He pleaseth. + +And when she had finished, Noor-ed-Deen thus replied to her:-- + + She bade me farewell on the day of separation, saying, while + she wept from the pain that it occasioned, + What wilt thou do after my departure?--Say this, I replied, + unto him who will survive it. + +The Khaleefeh, when he heard this, was distressed at the thought of +separating them, and, looking towards the young man, he said to him, O +my master, art thou in fear on account of any crime, or art thou in debt +to any one? Noor-ed-Deen answered, By Allah, O fisherman, a wonderful +event, and an extraordinary adventure, happened to me and this damsel: +if it were engraved on the understanding, it would be a lesson to him +who would be admonished.--Wilt thou not, rejoined the Khaleefeh, relate +to us thy story, and acquaint us with thy case? Perhaps thy doing so may +be productive of relief; for the relief of God is near.--So Noor-ed-Deen +said, Wilt thou hear our story in poetry or in prose?--Prose, answered +the Khaleefeh, is mere talk; and verse, words put together like pearls. +And Noor-ed-Deen hung down his head towards the ground, and then related +his story in a series of verses: but when he had finished, the Khaleefeh +begged him to explain his case more fully. He therefore acquainted him +with the whole of his circumstances from beginning to end; and when the +Khaleefeh understood the affair, he said to him, Whither wouldst thou +now repair? He answered, God's earth is wide. The Khaleefeh then said to +him, I will write for thee a letter which thou shalt convey to the +Sul[t.]an Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee, and when he shall +have read it, he will do thee no injury.--Is there in the world, said +Noor-ed-Deen, a fisherman who correspondeth with Kings? Verily this is a +thing that can never be.--Thou hast spoken truly, rejoined the +Khaleefeh; but I will acquaint thee with the cause. Know that I read in +the same school with him, under a master, and I was his monitor; and +after that, prosperity was his lot, and he became a Sul[t.]an, while God +made me to be a fisherman: yet I have never sent to request anything of +him, but he hath performed my wish; and if I sent to him every day to +request a thousand things of him, he would do what I asked. When +Noor-ed-Deen, therefore, heard his words, he said to him, Write, that I +may see. And he took an inkhorn and a pen, and wrote (after the phrase, +In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful).--To proceed.--This +letter is from Haroon Er-Rasheed the son of El-Mahdee, to his highness +Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee, who hath been encompassed by +my beneficence, and whom I constituted my viceroy of a portion of my +dominions. I acquaint thee that the bearer of this letter is +Noor-ed-Deen the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an the Wezeer, and +on his arrival in thy presence thou shalt divest thyself of the regal +authority, and seat him in thy place; for I have appointed him to the +office to which I formerly appointed thee: so disobey not my commands: +and peace be on thee.--He then gave the letter to 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, +who took it and kissed it and put it in his turban, and immediately set +forth on his journey. + +The sheykh Ibraheem now looked towards the Khaleefeh in his fisherman's +disguise, and said to him, O most contemptible of fishermen, thou hast +brought us two fish worth twenty half-dirhems,[VI_35] and received +three pieces of gold, and desirest to take the slave also. But when the +Khaleefeh heard these words, he cried out at him, and made a sign to +Mesroor, who immediately discovered himself, and rushed in upon him. +Ja[a.]far, meanwhile, had sent one of the attendants of the garden to +the porter of the palace to demand a suit of clothing of him for the +Prince of the Faithful; and the man went, and brought the dress, and +kissed the ground before the Khaleefeh, who took off and gave to him +that with which he was then clad, and put on this suit. The sheykh +Ibraheem was sitting on a chair: the Khaleefeh paused to see the result: +and the sheykh was astounded, and began to bite the ends of his fingers +through his confusion, saying, Am I asleep or awake? The Khaleefeh then +looked at him, and said, O sheykh Ibraheem, what is this predicament in +which thou art placed? And upon this, the sheykh recovered from his +intoxication, and, throwing himself upon the ground, implored +forgiveness: and the Khaleefeh pardoned him; after which he gave orders +that the damsel should be conveyed to the palace where he resided; and +when she had arrived there, he appropriated to her a separate lodging, +and appointed persons to wait upon her, and said to her, Know that I +have sent thy master as Sul[t.]an of El-Ba[s.]rah, and, if God please, I +will despatch to him a dress of honour, and send thee also to him with +it. + +As to Noor-ed-Deen, he continued his journey until he entered +El-Ba[s.]rah, and went up to the palace of the Sul[t.]an, when he +uttered a loud cry, whereupon the Sul[t.]an desired him to approach; and +when he came into the presence of the King, he kissed the ground before +him, and produced the letter, and handed it to him. And as soon as the +Sul[t.]an saw the superscription in the handwriting of the Prince of the +Faithful, he rose upon his feet, and, having kissed it three times, +said, I hear and pay obedience to God (whose name be exalted!) and to +the Prince of the Faithful. He then summoned before him the four +[K.]a[d.]ees,[VI_36] and the Emeers, and was about to divest +himself of the regal office: but, lo, the Wezeer El-Mo'een the son of +Sawee was before him, and the Sul[t.]an gave him the letter of the +Prince of the Faithful, and when he saw it, he rent it in pieces, and +put it into his mouth, and chewed it, and threw it down. The Sul[t.]an, +enraged, cried, Wo to thee! What hath induced thee to act thus?--He +answered, This man hath had no interview with the Khaleefeh nor with his +Wezeer; but is a young wretch, an artful devil, who, having met with a +paper containing the handwriting of the Khaleefeh, hath counterfeited +it, and written what he desired: wherefore then shouldst thou abdicate +the sovereignty, when the Khaleefeh hath not sent to thee an envoy with +a royal autographical mandate; for if this affair were true, he had sent +with him a Chamberlain or a Wezeer; but he came alone.--What then is to +be done? said the Sul[t.]an. The Wezeer answered, Send away this young +man with me, and I will take charge of him, and despatch him in company +with a Chamberlain to the city of Baghdad; and if his words be true, he +will bring us a royal autographical mandate and diploma of investiture; +and if not true, they will send him back to us with the Chamberlain, and +I will take my revenge upon my offender. + +When the Sul[t.]an heard what the Wezeer said, it pleased him; and the +Wezeer took him away,[VI_37] and cried out to the pages, who threw +down Noor-ed-Deen, and beat him until he became insensible. He then +ordered to put a chain upon his feet, and called to the jailer; and +when he came, he kissed the ground before him. This jailer was +named [K.]u[t.]ey[t.];[VI_38] and the Wezeer said to him, O +[K.]u[t.]ey[t.], I desire that thou take this person, and cast him into +one of the subterranean cells which are in thy prison, and torture him +night and day. The jailer replied, I hear and obey:--and he put +Noor-ed-Deen into the prison, and locked the door upon him; but after +having done this, he gave orders to sweep a ma[s.][t.]abah within the +door, and furnished it with a prayer-carpet and a pillow, and seated +Noor-ed-Deen upon it, and loosed his chain, and treated him with +kindness. The Wezeer every day sent to him, commanding him to beat him; +and the jailer pretended that he tortured him, while, on the contrary, +he treated him with benignity. + +Thus he continued to do for forty days; and on the forty-first day, +there came a present from the Khaleefeh, and when the Sul[t.]an saw it, +it pleased him, and he conferred with the Wezeers upon the subject; but +one said, Perhaps this present was designed for the new Sul[t.]an. Upon +this, the Wezeer El-Mo'een the son of Sawee remarked, It were proper to +have slain him on his arrival:--and the Sul[t.]an exclaimed, Now thou +hast reminded me of him, go down and bring him, and I will strike off +his head. The Wezeer replied, I hear and obey:--and arose, saying, I +desire to proclaim throughout the city, He who wisheth to witness the +decapitation of Noor-ed-Deen 'Alee the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of +Kha[k.]an, let him come to the palace:--so that all the people may come +to behold it, and I may gratify my heart, and mortify my enviers. The +Sul[t.]an said, Do what thou wilt. So the Wezeer descended, full of joy +and happiness, and went to the Walee, and ordered him to make this +proclamation; and when the people heard the crier, they all grieved and +wept, even the boys in the schools, and the tradesmen in their shops; +and numbers of the people strove together to take for themselves places +where they might behold the spectacle, while others repaired to the +prison, to accompany him thence. The Wezeer then went forth, attended by +ten memlooks, to the prison: and [K.]u[t.]ey[t.] the jailer said to him, +What dost thou desire, O our lord the Wezeer?--Bring forth to me, said +the Wezeer, this young wretch. The jailer replied, He is in a most +miserable state from the excessive beating that I have inflicted upon +him. And he entered, and found him reciting some verses, commencing +thus:-- + + Who is there to aid me in my affliction? For my pain hath become + intense, and my remedy is scarce procurable! + +And the jailer pulled off from him his clean clothes, and, having clad +him in two dirty garments, brought him out to the Wezeer. Noor-ed-Deen +then looked at him, and saw that he was his enemy who had incessantly +desired his destruction; and when he beheld him, he wept, and said to +him, Art thou secure from misfortune? Hast thou not heard the saying of +the poet?-- + + They made use of their power, and used it tyrannically; and soon + it became as though it never had existed. + +O Wezeer, know that God (whose perfection be extolled, and whose name +be exalted!) is the doer of whatsover He willeth.--O 'Alee, replied the +Wezeer, wouldst thou frighten me by these words? I am now going to +strike off thy head, in spite of the people of El-Ba[s.]rah; and I will +pay no regard to thy counsel; but I will rather attend to the saying of +the poet:-- + + Let fortune do whatever it willeth, and bear with cheerful mind + the effects of fate. + +How excellent also is the saying of another poet:-- + + He who liveth after his enemy a single day, hath attained + his desire. + +The Wezeer then ordered his pages to convey him on the back of a mule; +whereupon they said to him (being distressed to obey), Suffer us to +stone him and cut him in pieces, though our lives should be sacrificed +in consequence. But he replied, Never do it. Have ye not heard what the +poet hath said:-- + + A decreed term is my inevitable lot; and as soon as its days + have expired, I die. + If the lions dragged me into their forest, they could not close it + while aught of it remained. + +So they proceeded to proclaim before Noor-ed-Deen, This is the smallest +recompense of him who forgeth a letter from the Khaleefeh to the +Sul[t.]an. And they continued to parade him throughout El-Ba[s.]rah +until they stationed him beneath the window of the palace, and in the +place of blood,[VI_39] when the executioner approached him, and said to +him, I am a slave under command; and if thou hast any want, acquaint me +with it, that I may perform it for thee; for there remaineth not of thy +life any more than the period until the Sul[t.]an shall put forth his +face from the window. And upon this, Noor-ed-Deen looked to the right +and left, and recited these verses:-- + + Is there among you a merciful friend, who will aid me? + I conjure you by Allah to answer me! + My life hath passed, and my death is at hand! Is there any who + will pity me, to obtain my recompense,[VI_40] + And consider my state, and relieve my anguish, by a draught + of water that my torment may be lightened? + +And the people were excited to tears for him; and the executioner took +some water to hand it to him; but the Wezeer arose from his place, and +struck the [k.]ulleh[VI_41] of water with his hand, and broke it, +and called to the executioner, commanding him to strike off his head; +whereupon he bound Noor-ed-Deen's eyes. The people, however, called out +against the Wezeer, and raised a tumultuous cry against him, and many +words passed between them; and while they were in this state, lo, a +dust rose, and filled the sky and the open tracts; and when the +Sul[t.]an beheld it, as he sat in the palace, he said to his attendants, +See what is the news. The Wezeer said, After thou shalt first have +beheaded this man. But the Sul[t.]an replied, Wait thou until we see +what is the news. + +[Illustration] + +Now this dust was the dust of Ja[a.]far, the Wezeer of the Khaleefeh, +and of his attendants; and the cause of their coming was this:--The +Khaleefeh had passed thirty days without remembering the affair of 'Alee +the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, and no one mentioned it to +him, until he came one night to the private apartment of +Enees-el-Jelees, and heard her lamenting, as she recited, with a soft +voice, the saying of the poet:-- + + Thine image [is before me] whether distant or near, and my tongue + never ceaseth to mention thee. + +Her lamentation increased, and lo, the Khaleefeh opened the door, and +entered the chamber, and saw Enees-el-Jelees weeping. On beholding the +Khaleefeh, she fell at his feet, and, having kissed them three times, +recited these two verses:-- + + O thou of pure origin, and of excellent birth; of ripe-fruitful branch, + and of unsullied race! + I remind thee of the promise thy beneficence granted, and far be it + from thee that thou shouldst forget it. + +The Khaleefeh said to her, Who art thou? She answered, I am the present +given to thee by 'Alee the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an; and I +request the fulfilment of the promise which thou gavest me, that thou +wouldst send me to him with the honorary gift; for I have now been here +thirty days, and have not tasted sleep. And upon this, the Khaleefeh +summoned Ja[a.]far El-Barmekee, and said to him, For thirty days I have +heard no news of 'Alee the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, and I +imagine nothing less than that the Sul[t.]an hath killed him: but, by my +head! by the tombs of my ancestors! if any evil event hath happened to +him, I will destroy him who hath been the cause of it, though he be the +dearest of men in my estimation! I desire, therefore, that thou journey +immediately to El-Ba[s.]rah, and bring me an account of the conduct of +the King Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee to 'Alee the son of +El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an. + +So Ja[a.]far obeyed his commands, and set forth on his journey, and when +he approached, and saw this tumult and crowd, he said, What is the +occasion of this crowd? They related to him, therefore, the situation in +which they were with regard to Noor-ed-Deen; and when he heard their +words, he hastened to go up to the Sul[t.]an, and, having saluted him, +acquainted him with the cause of his coming, and told him, that if any +evil event had happened to 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, the Khaleefeh would +destroy him who was the cause of it. He then arrested the Sul[t.]an, and +the Wezeer El-Mo'een the son of Sawee, and gave orders to liberate 'Alee +Noor-ed-Deen, and enthroned him as Sul[t.]an in the place of the +Sul[t.]an Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee; after which he +remained in El-Ba[s.]rah three days, the usual period of entertainment; +and on the morning of the fourth day, 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen said to +Ja[a.]far, I have a longing desire to see the Prince of the Faithful. So +Ja[a.]far said to the King Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman, Prepare +thyself for travelling; for we will perform the morning-prayers, and +depart to Baghdad. He replied, I hear and obey:--and they performed the +morning-prayers, and mounted all together, with the Wezeer El-Mo'een the +son of Sawee, who now repented of what he had done. As to 'Alee +Noor-ed-Deen, he rode by the side of Ja[a.]far: and they continued their +journey until they arrived at Baghdad, the Abode of Peace. + +They then presented themselves before the Khaleefeh, and related to him +the case of Noor-ed-Deen; whereupon the Khaleefeh addressed him, saying, +Take this sword, and strike off with it the head of thine enemy. And he +took it, and approached El-Mo'een the son of Sawee; but he looked at +him, and said to him, I did according to my nature, and do thou +according to thine. And Noor-ed-Deen threw down the sword from his hand, +and, looking towards the Khaleefeh, said, O Prince of the Faithful, he +hath beguiled me. So the Khaleefeh said, Do thou leave him:--and he said +to Mesroor, O Mesroor, advance thou, and strike off his head. Mesroor, +therefore, did so: and upon this, the Khaleefeh said to 'Alee the son of +El-Fa[d.]l the son of Khakan, Request of me what thou wilt. He replied, +O my lord, I have no want of the sovereignty of El-Ba[s.]rah, and desire +nothing but to have the honour of serving thee.--Most willingly I +assent, said the Khaleefeh:--and he summoned the damsel, and when she +had come before him, he bestowed favours upon them both: he gave to them +one of the palaces of Baghdad, and assigned to them regular allowances, +and made Noor-ed-Deen one of his companions at the table; and he +remained with him until death overtook him. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER SIXTH. + +NOTE 1. In the old version, the person here named Enees-el-Jelees is +called "The Fair Persian;" but I do not find her so described in any +copy of the original. The name here given to her may be rendered "the +Companion's Cheerer;" "Enees" being a term applied to any person or +thing serving as an agreeable, cheering companion; and "Jelees" +signifying "a companion," or "one in the habit of sitting with another." + +NOTE 2. "Kha[t.][t.]eeyeh" is derived from "kha[t.][t.]," which +signifies "writing," but which is also the name of a place (Kha[t.][t.] +Hejer) in the province of El-Ba[h.]reyn, a famous mart for spears. Of +the figure of speech employed in the couplet in which this word occurs +(considered by the Arabs an elegant mode of aetiology, and called by them +"[h.]osn et-ta[a.]leel") my sheykh gives the following example in a +marginal note:-- + + "And the rain fell not but for the purpose of kissing the ground + before thee." + +NOTE 3. "El-Mo'een" signifies "the Aider," or "the Assistant." + +NOTE 4. "El-Fa[d.]l," signifying "the Excellence," is here, as a proper +name, an abbreviation of "Fa[d.]l-ed-Deen," "the Excellence of the +Religion." + +NOTE 5. This phrase (a person of auspicious aspect[345]) is often used +by the modern Arabs and the Turks, and signifies "a virtuous or +beneficent man." + +NOTE 6. This answer is not to be understood in its literal sense; it has +become a common form of speech which an Arab often uses for the purpose +of obtaining something more than he would venture to demand. + +NOTE 7. "May it be favourable," or "---- beneficial," is a compliment +usually addressed to a person who has just been to the bath, and to a +man who has just had his head shaved. The reply is, "May God bestow +favours upon thee." + +NOTE 8.--_On the Law respecting Murder and unintentional Homicide._ The +[K.]ur-an ordains that murder shall be punished with death; or, rather, +that the free shall die for the free, the slave for the slave, and a +woman for a woman; or that the perpetrator of the crime shall pay, to +the heirs of the person whom he has killed, if they will allow it, a +fine, which is to be divided according to the laws of inheritance.[346] +It also ordains, that unintentional homicide shall be expiated by +freeing a believer from slavery, and paying, to the family of the person +killed, a fine, unless they remit it.[347] But these laws are amplified +and explained by the same book and by the Imams.--A fine is not to be +accepted for murder unless the crime has been attended by some +palliating circumstance. This fine, the price of blood, is a hundred +camels; or a thousand deenars (about 500_l._) from him who possesses +gold; or, from him who possesses silver, twelve thousand dirhems[348] +(about 300_l._). This is for killing a free man; for a woman, half that +sum; for a slave, his or her value, but that must fall short of the +price of blood for the free. A person unable to free a believer must +fast two months as in Rama[d.]an. The accomplices of a murderer are +liable to the punishment of death. By the Sunneh also, a man is +obnoxious to capital punishment for the murder of a woman; and by the +[H.]anafee law, for the murder of another man's slave. But he is +exempted from this punishment who kills his own child or other +descendant, or his own slave, or his son's slave, or a slave of whom he +is part-owner: so also are his accomplices: and according to +Esh-Shafe'ee, a Muslim, though a slave, is not to be put to death for +killing an infidel, though the latter be free. A man who kills another +in self-defence, or to defend his property from a robber, is exempt from +all punishment. The price of blood is a debt incumbent on the family, +tribe, or association, of which the homicide is a member. It is also +incumbent on the inhabitants of an enclosed quarter, or the proprietor +or proprietors of a field, in which the body of a person killed by an +unknown hand is found; unless the person has been found killed in his +own house. + +Hence it appears, that the punishment with which the Wezeer El-Fa[d.]l +threatened his son is not to be regarded as a grave criminal act; +especially when we consider the nature of the son's offence: for the +slave was the property of the king, and it was not allowable to any +other man even to see her without his permission. Many of the characters +depicted in the present work would seem incongruous in the extreme, if +judged according to European notions of justice and other moral +qualities. + +NOTE 9. "The two professions of the faith," "There is no deity but God," +and "Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle," are generally repeated by a dying +Muslim. + +NOTE 10. This is said to imply (as my sheykh has remarked in a marginal +note) that El-Fa[d.]l was a charitable person who bestowed pensions upon +the professors of the [K.]ur-an and of science. There are many among the +modern Muslims who do so, and numbers also who found and endow public +schools. + +NOTE 11.--_On the Washing, Shrouding, and Burial of the Dead._ The +ceremonies attendant upon death and burial are nearly the same in the +cases of men and women. The face or the head of the dying person is +turned towards the direction of Mekkeh. When the spirit is departing, +the eyes are closed; and then, or immediately after, the women of the +house commence a loud lamentation, in which many of the females of the +neighbourhood generally come to join. Hired female mourners are also +usually employed; each of whom accompanies her exclamations of "Alas for +him!" &c., by beating a tambourine. If possible, the corpse is buried on +the day of the death; but when this cannot be done, the lamentation of +the women is continued during the ensuing night; and a recitation of +several chapters, or of the whole, of the [K.]ur-an is performed by one +or more men hired for the purpose. + +The washing consists, first, in the performance of the ordinary ablution +which is preparatory to prayer, with the exception of the cleansing of +the mouth and nose; and secondly, in an ablution of the whole body with +warm water and soap, or with water in which some leaves of the lote-tree +have been boiled. The jaw is bound up, the eyes are closed, and the +nostrils &c., are stuffed with cotton; and the corpse is sprinkled with +a mixture of water, pounded camphor, dried and pounded leaves of the +lote-tree, and sometimes other dried and pulverized leaves, &c., and +with rose-water. The ankles are bound together; and the hands placed +upon the breast. + +The grave-clothing of a poor man consists of a piece or two of cotton, +or a kind of bag: but the corpse of a man of wealth is generally wrapped +first in muslin; then, in cotton cloth of a thicker texture; next, in a +piece of striped stuff of silk and cotton intermixed, or in a +[k.]af[t.]an (a long vest) of similar stuff, merely stitched together; +and over these is wrapped a Kashmeer shawl. The colours most approved +for the grave-clothes are white and green. The body thus shrouded is +placed in a bier, which is usually covered with a Kashmeer shawl, and +borne on the shoulders of three or four men, generally friends of the +deceased. + +There are some slight differences in the funeral-ceremonies observed in +different Arab countries; but a sufficient notion of them will be +conveyed by briefly describing those which prevail in Cairo. The +procession to the tomb is generally headed by a number of poor men, +mostly blind, who, walking two and two, or three and three, together, +chant, in a melancholy tone, the profession (or two professions) of the +faith, mentioned above (in Note 9), or sometimes other words. They are +usually followed by some male relations and friends of the deceased; and +these, by a group of schoolboys, chanting in a higher tone, and one of +them bearing a copy of the [K.]ur-an, or of one of its thirty sections, +placed upon a kind of desk formed of palm-sticks, and covered with an +embroidered kerchief. Then follows the bier, borne head-foremost. +Friends of the deceased relieve one another in the office of carrying +it; and casual passengers often take part in this service, which is +esteemed highly meritorious. Behind the bier walk the female mourners, +composing a numerous group, often more than a dozen; or, if of a wealthy +family, they ride. Each of those who belong to the family of the +deceased has a strip of cotton stuff or muslin, generally blue, bound +round her head, over the head-veil, and carries a handkerchief, usually +dyed blue (the colour of mourning), which she sometimes holds over her +shoulders, and at other times twirls with both hands over her head or +before her face, while she cries and shrieks almost incessantly; and the +hired female mourners, accompanying the group, often celebrate the +praises of the deceased in the manner described in the preceding tale, +though this was forbidden by the Prophet.--The funeral-procession of a +man of wealth is sometimes preceded by several camels, bearing bread and +water to give to the poor at the tomb; and closed by the led horses of +some of the attendants, and by a buffalo or other animal to be +sacrificed at the tomb, where its flesh is distributed to the poor, to +atone for some of the minor sins of the deceased.[349] + +The bier used for conveying the corpse of a boy or a female has a cover +of wood, over which a shawl is spread; and at the head is an upright +piece of wood: upon the upper part of this, in the case of a boy, is +fixed a turban, with several ornaments of female head-dress; and in the +case of a female, it is similarly decked, but without the turban. + +A short prayer is recited over the dead, either in a mosque or in a +place particularly dedicated to this service in, or adjacent to, the +burial-ground. The body is then conveyed, in the same manner as before, +to the tomb. This is a hollow, oblong vault, one side of which faces the +direction of Mekkeh, generally large enough to contain four or more +bodies, and having an oblong monument of stone or brick constructed over +it, with a stela at the head and foot. Upon the former of these two +stelae (which is often inscribed with a text from the [K.]ur-an, and the +name of the deceased, with the date of his death), a turban, cap, or +other head-dress, is sometimes carved, shewing the rank or class of the +person or persons buried beneath; and in many cases, a cupola supported +by four walls, or by columns, &c., is constructed over the smaller +monument. The body is laid on its right side, or inclined by means of a +few crude bricks, so that the face is turned towards Mekkeh; and a +person is generally employed to dictate to the deceased the answers +which he should give when he is examined by the two angels Munkar and +Nekeer, whom I have mentioned in No. 21 of the Notes to the +Introduction. If the funeral be that of a person of rank or wealth, the +bread and water &c. before mentioned are then distributed to the +poor.[350] + +The principal ceremonies observed _after_ the funeral have been +described in Note 15 to Chapter iv. + +NOTE 12. "The lord (or chief) of the first and the last among mankind" +is one of the many appellations of honour given by the Muslims to their +Prophet. + +NOTE 13. My sheykh remarks, that this is said merely to excite men to +generosity; for literally it is not true, as is shown by the memorable +example of Ka[a.]b the son of Mameh, who preferred giving the water with +which he was provided to another, and in consequence himself died of +thirst. + +NOTE 14. We are not to understand that such a slave as Enees-el-Jelees +was exposed to the public gaze in a market to which all persons +indiscriminately were admitted (for this would be at variance with +Eastern usages); but in a special mart to which none were allowed access +but persons of wealth who expressed a desire to purchase. + +NOTE 15.--_On Kissing the Ground, as a Mode of Obeisance._ This and +several other passages in the present work shew that we are often to +understand the expression "kissing the ground before a person" as +signifying "touching the ground, and then the lips and forehead, or +turban, with the right hand;" and I believe this expression should +_generally_ be so understood. When I wrote the fourteenth note to the +Introduction, I inclined to a contrary opinion, chiefly from +recollecting to have read the following translation of a passage of +El-Ma[k.]reezee, by the learned De Sacy:--"Ce khalife [El-[H.]akim] +ordonna qu'a l'avenir on ne baiseroit plus la terre devant lui; que +personne, en le saluant dans les marches publiques, ne baiseroit sa main +ou son etrier, parce que cette coutume de se _prosterner_ devant une +creature etoit une invention des Grecs."[351] But on referring to the +original, I find that the words which he renders "cette coutume de se +prosterner" signify literally "the bending towards the ground." I +suppose, therefore, that his deviating from the literal sense in one +case was owing to his adhering to it in another; and not meeting with +the proof which I had fancied to exist of his being right, I venture to +differ from him in this instance, without fear of being suspected of +arrogance, as the kind of obeisance above described is _often_ called +"kissing the ground" both by the Arabs and the Persians. I should add +that, except in the house, I do not remember to have ever seen the +ground actually touched, but nearly so, in making this obeisance, which +is still called "kissing the ground" when thus imperfectly performed. + +NOTE 16. By this is meant, a place where mud was kneaded to be employed +in building. The mortar generally used in the construction of Arab +houses is composed of mud in the proportion of one-half, with a fourth +part of lime, and the remaining part of the ashes of straw and rubbish. + +NOTE 17. See the note immediately preceding. + +NOTE 18. In Arabic, "bursh." This kind of mat, composed of palm-leaves +(and sometimes, I believe, of the coarse grass mentioned in the next +note), is used by the poor to sit upon. + +NOTE 19. This kind of grass, called in Arabic "[h.]alfeh," and more +properly "[h.]alfa" (by botanists, poa multiflora, and poa +cynosyroides), and the "'a[k.]ool" (or hedysarum alhagi), overspread +spontaneously most of the alluvial tracts in Egypt which are above the +reach of the inundation, and in consequence left uncultivated. The +former is used in the manufacture of coarse mats, and the latter serves +as pasture for camels. The Wezeer, by taking the round mat and the two +bundles of [h.]alfa, seems to indicate that he is degraded to a +condition as low as that of a maker of coarse mats. [The practice +mentioned in the passage to which this note refers is aptly illustrated +in El-Ma[k.]reezee's Khi[t.]a[t.]. In his description of the palaces of +the Fa[t.]imee Khaleefehs, he says, "There was in the Great Palace a +place known by the name of the Sa[k.]eefeh, where complainants of +injustice used to station themselves; and it was a custom of the +Khaleefeh to sit there every night, for those of the complainants of +injustice who might come to him. When any one, therefore, was wronged, +he would stand under the Sa[k.]eefeh, and say, in a loud voice, 'There +is no deity but God, Mo[h.]ammad is the Apostle of God, 'Alee is the +Friend (Welee) of God;' and the Khaleefeh would hear him, and command +him to be brought to him, or he would intrust his case to the Wezeer," +&c.--ED.] + +NOTE 20. The boats used by the Arabs in the navigation of rivers are +generally moored by means of a rope attached to a stake which is driven +into the bank. + +NOTE 21. By "children of the road" are meant "travellers." + +NOTE 22. See Note 55 to Chapter iii. + +NOTE 23. The word which I render elevated (mo'alla[k.]ah) is applied to +a structure raised upon columns or pillars, &c. + +NOTE 24. The "gha[d.]a" is a tree of a very inflammable nature, which, +in burning, gives out a fierce heat. It grows chiefly in sandy tracts, +and is described as resembling the "athl" (or tamarisk), but as being +smaller than this tree. + +NOTE 25.--_On Shaving the Head._ I do not know when the custom of +shaving the head became general among the Arabs of the towns; but from a +remark of Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, I think it was not so common about the +commencement of the tenth century of the Flight (that is, about the +period which this work best illustrates) as it is at present, when it is +almost universal among all classes; for in his time, its legality was +doubted. He writes thus:--"The Iman El-Ghazalee hath said, 'There is no +harm in it in the case of him whose object is cleanliness:' and the +apparent sense of his words is, that it is improper in him who desireth +to beautify himself for any worldly purpose, as is done by people of bad +disposition."[352] It is added in a marginal note in the copy from which +I translate this, "Persons differ respecting the shaving of the head. +The opinion generally prevailing is, that it is improper to him who +wears not a turban, and allowable to him who does wear one, since he has +a substitute:"--"that it is also lawful, unquestionably, in the case of +any disease of the head:"--and "that the hanging of the rosary to the +neck, and the shaving of the head without a legal necessity, are +innovations,"--Haroon Er-Rasheed generally wore the hair of his head +sufficiently long to reach below his ears; but shaved it when he +performed the pilgrimage;[353] and many other Muslims in early times did +the same. Those who shave the head generally leave a small tuft upon the +crown; but most persons of the literary and religious professions, and +many others, disapprove of this tuft. + +NOTE 26. By the term "sheykhs" we are here to understand "persons of +sanctity and of learning." See Note 9 to Chapter i. + +NOTE 27. By "the shining moon" is meant "the beautiful cup-bearer, whose +face is like the shining moon." + +NOTE 28. The Muslims believe that a blessing is derived from witnessing +and hearing the devout exercises, recitations, &c., of holy men. + +NOTE 29. The "jubbeh" worn in Eastern countries, is a long outer vest, +with sleeves which reach nearly to the wrist. It is now generally made +of cloth, and is worn by most tradesmen and other persons of the middle +and higher classes. It differs somewhat in form in different countries. + +NOTE 30. The "melwa[t.]ah" is a garment of which I was unable to obtain +a description until I inquired of my friend Mr. Salame, who informed me +that it was the name of a large outer garment which used to be worn over +the farajeeyeh. But I afterwards found it stated in one of the marginal +notes to a later tale, that the term above mentioned is now pronounced +"melloo[t.]ah," and is applied in the present day to an article of dress +of cloth or other costly material; particularly to a jubbeh; but that +it is also employed, in allusion to a jubbeh, &c., in a contemptuous +sense, or, as I infer, ironically. + +NOTE 31. See Note 41 to Chapter iv. + +NOTE 32. The "litham" is a piece of drapery with which a Bedawee often +covers the lower part of his face. It frequently prevents his being +recognised by another Arab who might make him a victim of blood-revenge; +and is a means of disguise seldom employed but by Arabs of the desert. + +NOTE 33. The meaning is, that the act would speak for itself, and be +long remembered; that the grave of the fisherman would be pointed out as +that of one to whom the Khaleefeh had shewn signal favours. + +NOTE 34. It is a common custom of Arabs of the lower orders to put the +money which they receive, especially when it is the first of the day's +gains, to the lips and forehead before depositing it in the pocket; and +the same is sometimes done by persons of the middle class. + +NOTE 35. Literally, "twenty nu[s.]fs." See Note 17 to Chapter iii. + +NOTE 36. These are the [K.]a[d.]ees of the four great sects, or +persuasions, of the Sunnee Muslims. See Note 1 to the Introduction. + +NOTE 37. The words "and the Wezeer took him away" are omitted in the +Cairo edition. + +NOTE 38. "[K.]u[t.]ey[t.]" is the diminutive of "[k.]i[t.][t.]," _vulgo_ +"[k.]u[t.][t.]," a "cat," and properly a "he-cat." + +NOTE 39. The words which I translate "the place of blood" literally +signify "the place of the stagnation of blood;" and are applied to the +usual place of decapitation, because the blood is left there to soak +into the ground. + +NOTE 40. The recompense here alluded to is one to be received at the +final retribution; not in the present life. + +NOTE 41. This kind of "[k.]ulleh" is a small, porous, earthen bottle, +with a wide mouth. Some specimens of it are figured beneath. + +[Illustration] + + + [344] See De Sacy, Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. ii. pp. 99 and + 120, 2nd ed. + + [345] In Arabic, "ma[h.][d.]aru kheyrin" (vulg., "ma[h.][d.]ar + kheyr"); in Turkish, "neek ma[h.][z.]ar." + + [346] Ch. ii. v. 173. + + [347] Ch. iv. v. 34. + + [348] Or, according to some, ten thousand dirhems. + + [349] More than one is unusual; but, at the funeral of + Mo[h.]ammad 'Alee Basha, which I witnessed in Cairo, about + eighty buffaloes were thus driven in the procession: in the + narrow streets of the city, however, many of them disappeared, + one after another, so that few reached the tomb.--ED. + + [350] If the reader desire more detailed information on the + subject of this note, I refer him to my work on the Modern + Egyptians, vol. ii. ch. xv. + + [351] Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. p. 106; 2nd ed. + + [352] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaeh-hil, sect. 7. + + [353] Elmacini Historia Saracenica, page 120. + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE THIRTY-SIXTH NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF +THE FORTY-FOURTH. + +THE STORY OF GHANIM THE SON OF EIYOOB, THE DISTRACTED SLAVE OF LOVE. + + +It hath been told me, O happy King, said Shahrazad, that there was, in +ancient times, a certain merchant of Damascus,[VII_1] possessed of +wealth, who had a son like the moon at the full, of eloquent tongue, +called Ghanim the son of Eiyoob,[VII_2] the Distracted Slave of +Love; and this son had a sister, named Fitneh,[VII_3] on account of +her excessive beauty and loveliness. Their father died, leaving them +large property, among which were a hundred loads[VII_4] of silk and +brocade, and bags[VII_5] of musk, and upon these loads was written, +This is intended for Baghdad:--it having been his desire to journey to +that city. + +So, when God (whose name be exalted!) had taken his soul, and some time +had elapsed, his son took these loads, and journeyed with them to +Baghdad.--This was in the time of Haroon Er-Rasheed.--He took leave of +his mother and relations and townspeople before his departure, and went +forth, placing his dependence upon God (whose name be exalted!), and God +decreed him safety, so that he arrived at Baghdad, whither there +travelled in his company a party of merchants. He hired for himself a +handsome house, and furnished it with carpets and cushions, and +suspended curtains in it; and there he deposited those loads, together +with the mules and camels, and remained until he had rested himself; and +the merchants of Baghdad, and its great men, came and saluted him. He +then took a wrapper containing ten pieces of costly stuff, with the +prices written upon them, and went forth with them to the market of the +merchants, who met him and saluted him, treated him with honour and +welcomed him, and seated him at the shop of the Sheykh of the market; +and he sold the pieces, gaining, for every piece of gold, two. So Ghanim +rejoiced; and he proceeded to sell the stuffs by little and little, and +continued to do so for a whole year. + +After this, on the first day of the following year, he came to the same +market, but found its gate shut, and, inquiring the cause of this, he +was answered, One of the merchants hath died, and all the rest of them +have gone to walk in his funeral-procession. Wilt thou then, added his +informant, gain a recompense[VII_6] by walking with them?--He +replied, Yes;--and he asked respecting the place of the funeral. So they +guided him thither; and he performed the ablution,[VII_7] and +walked with the other merchants until they arrived at the place of +prayer, where they prayed over the dead. The merchants then walked all +together before the corpse to the burial-ground, Ghanim following them, +until the procession arrived at the burial-ground outside the city, and +they proceeded among the tombs until they came to that in which the +corpse was to be deposited. They found that the family of the deceased +had pitched a tent over the tomb, and placed there the candles and +lamps; and they buried the dead, and the readers sat reciting the +[K.]ur-an at the tomb. The merchants sat with them; and so also did +Ghanim the son of Eiyoob; but he was overcome by bashfulness, saying +within himself, I cannot quit them until I have departed with them. They +sat listening to the recitation of the [K.]ur-an until the period of +nightfall, when the servants placed before them the supper and +sweetmeats, and they ate till they were satisfied, and washed their +hands, and resumed their seats. + +The heart of Ghanim was now troubled with reflections upon his +merchandize, and he was fearful of the thieves, and said within himself, +I am a stranger, and suspected of possessing wealth, and if I pass the +night far away from my abode, the thieves will steal the money and the +loads. So, fearing for his property, he arose and went forth from among +the company, asking their leave to depart on account of some business +that he had to transact, and followed the beaten track until he came to +the gate of the city: but it was then midnight, and he found the gate of +the city shut, and saw no one coming or going, and heard not a sound +save the barking of the dogs, and the howling of the wolves; whereupon +he exclaimed, There is no strength nor power but in God! I was in fear +for my property, and came hither on account of it, and have found the +gate shut, and now I have become in fear for my life!--He then returned +to seek for himself a place in which to sleep until the morning: and, +finding a private burial-place enclosed by four walls, with a palm-tree +within it, and a gate-way of hard stone, open, he entered it, and +desired to sleep; but sleep came not to him. + +Tremor and gloom overcame him, thus lying among the tombs, and he rose +upon his feet, and, opening the door, looked out, and beheld a light +gleaming in the distance in the direction of the city-gate. He advanced a +few steps, and saw the light approaching in the way which led to the +burial-place in which he was taking refuge; whereupon Ghanim feared for +himself, and hastily closed the door, and climbed up into the palm-tree, +and concealed himself in the midst of its branches. The light continued +to approach the tomb by little and little until it came very near; and +as he looked attentively at it, he perceived three black slaves, two of +whom were bearing a chest, the other having in his hand an adze and a +lantern; and as they drew near, one of the two slaves who were bearing +the chest said, What aileth thee, O [S.]awab?[VII_8]--to which the +other of the two replied, What aileth thee, O Kafoor?[VII_9] The +former rejoined, Were we not here at the hour of nightfall, and did we +not leave the door open?--Yes, answered the other: what thou sayest is +true.--See then, resumed the first speaker, it is shut and barred.--Upon +this, the third, who was carrying the adze and light, and whose name was +Bakheet,[VII_10] said, How small is your sense! Know ye not that +the owners of the gardens go forth from Baghdad and repair hither, and, +evening overtaking them, enter this place, and shut the door upon +themselves, through fear, lest the blacks, like ourselves, should take +them and roast them and eat them?[VII_11]--Thou hast spoken truth, +they answered; but there is none among us of less sense than +thyself.--Verily, he replied, ye will not believe me until we enter the +burial-place and find some one in it: and I imagine that, if any one be +in it, and have seen the light, he hath betaken himself to the top of +the palm-tree. + +[Illustration] + +When Ghanim heard these words of the slave, he said within himself, How +cunning is this slave! May Allah disgrace the blacks for their malice +and villainy! There is no strength nor power but in God, the High, the +Great! What will deliver me from this difficulty?--The two who were +bearing the chest then said to him who had the adze, Climb over the +wall, and open to us the door, O Bakheet; for we are fatigued with +carrying the chest upon our necks: and if thou open to us the door, we +will give thee one of the persons whom we take, and we will fry him for +thee excellently, so that not a drop of his fat shall be lost. But he +replied, I am afraid of a thing that my little sense hath suggested to +me: let us throw over the chest behind the door; for it is our deposite. +They said to him, If we throw it, it will break.--I am afraid, he +rejoined, that there may be, within the tomb, robbers who slay men and +steal their property; for when evening overtaketh them they enter these +places to divide what they have taken.--O thou of little sense, +exclaimed the two others; can they enter here?--They then put down the +chest, and climbed up the wall, and descended, and opened the door, +while the third slave, Bakheet, stood waiting for them with the light, +and a basket containing some plaster: after which they seated +themselves, having closed the door; and one of them said, O my brother, +we are tired with walking and taking up and putting down, and opening +the door and shutting it, and it is now midnight, and we have not +strength remaining to open the tomb and to bury the chest; wherefore we +will sit here three hours to rest ourselves, and then rise and +accomplish our business: but each of us shall in the mean time tell his +story, and relate all that hath happened to him from beginning to end. +So the first, who carried the light, told his story; but it was of a +nature unfit to be here repeated;[VII_12] after which, another of +the slaves thus began. + + +THE STORY OF THE SLAVE KAFOOR.[VII_13] + +Know, O my brothers, that I was, at the commencement of my career, a boy +of eight years, and I used to tell one lie to the slave-merchants every +year, so that they fell out with each other in consequence, and the +slave-merchant my master, becoming impatient of me, committed me to the +broker, desiring him to cry, Who will buy this slave with his fault? He +was therefore asked, What is his fault?--and answered, He telleth one +lie every year. And a merchant approached the broker, and said to him, +How much have they bidden for this slave with his fault? He answered, +They have bidden six hundred pieces of silver.--Then thou shalt have +twenty for thyself, replied the merchant. So the broker introduced him +to the slave-merchant, who received from him the money, and the broker +conveyed me to the dwelling of the merchant, and took his brokerage. + +The merchant clad me in a dress suitable to my condition, and I +continued with him for the remainder of the year, until the new year +commenced with prosperity. It was a blessed year, plenteous in the +produce of the earth, and the merchants began to give entertainments, +every day one taking his turn to do so, until it was my master's turn to +give an entertainment in a garden within the city. So he went, and the +other merchants also, and he took for them what they required of food +and other provisions, and they sat eating and drinking and carousing +till noon, when my master wanted something from the house, and said, O +slave, mount the mule, and go to the house, and bring, from thy +mistress, such a thing, and return quickly. + +I obeyed, therefore, and went to the house; but when I approached it, I +shrieked out, and shed tears; whereupon the people of the quarter +assembled together, old and young; and my master's wife and daughters, +hearing my cry, opened the door, and asked me what was the matter. I +answered them, My master was sitting beneath an old wall, he and his +friends, and it fell upon them; and when I beheld what happened to them, +I mounted the mule, and came in haste to inform you. And when his +children and wife heard these words, they shrieked, and tore their +clothes, and slapped their faces, and the neighbours came to them. Then +my master's wife overturned the furniture of the house, one thing upon +another, and pulled down its shelves, and broke its shutters and its +windows, and smeared its walls with mud and indigo, and said to me, Wo +to thee, O Kafoor! Come hither and help me, and demolish these +cupboards, and smash these vessels and this China-ware.--So I went to +her, and destroyed with her the shelves of the house and all that was +upon them, and its cupboards and what they contained, and went about +over the terraces and through every place until I had laid waste the +whole, crying all the while, Oh my master! My mistress then went forth, +with her face uncovered, and only with her head-veil, and the girls and +boys went with her, saying to me, O Kafoor, walk on before us, and shew +us the place where thy master lieth dead beneath the wall, that we may +take him forth from under the ruins, and carry him in a bier, and bring +him to the house, and convey his corpse in a handsome manner to the +burial. So I walked before them, crying, Oh my master!--and they +followed me with their faces and heads uncovered,[VII_14] crying, +Oh our misfortune! Oh our calamity!--and there was none among the men, +nor among the women, nor among the children, nor a maiden, nor an old +woman, [in the quarter,] who did not accompany us; and all of them +slapped themselves in the excess of their lamentation. Thus I went with +them through the city; and the people asking the news, they informed +them of that which they had heard from me; and the people exclaimed, +There is no strength nor power but in God, the High, the Great! We will +go to the Walee, and acquaint him.--And when they arrived before the +Walee, they informed him; and he mounted, and took with him labourers +with axes and baskets, and they followed my footsteps, accompanied by a +crowd of people. + +I preceded them, weeping and crying out, and throwing dust upon my head, +and slapping my face; and when I came to the party in the garden, and my +master beheld me, I slapped my face, and exclaimed, Oh my mistress! who +will have pity upon me after my mistress? Would that I had been her +sacrifice!--When my master, therefore, saw me, he was confounded, his +countenance became pale, and he said, What aileth thee, O Kafoor, and +what is this predicament, and what is the news? I answered him, When +thou sentest me to the house to bring thee what thou wantedst, I went +thither and entered the house, and found that the wall of the saloon had +fallen, and that the whole saloon had tumbled down upon my mistress and +her children.--And did not thy mistress, said he, escape? I answered, +No: not one of them escaped; and the first of them that died was my +mistress the elder.--But did my youngest daughter escape? he asked. I +answered, No.--And what, said he, hath become of the mule that I ride: +is she safe?--No, O my master, I answered: for the walls of the house +and the walls of the stable tumbled down upon all that was in the house; +even upon the sheep and the geese and the hens, and all of them became a +mass of flesh beneath the ruins; not one of them escaped. He then said +to me, And thy master the elder? I answered, No: not one escaped; and +now there remains neither house nor inhabitant, nor any trace of them; +and as to the sheep and the geese and the hens, the cats and dogs have +now eaten them.--And when my master heard my words, the light became +darkness before his face, and he was no longer master of his senses nor +of his reason, and was unable to stand upon his feet: he was paralyzed, +and the strength of his back failed him, and he rent his clothes and +plucked his beard and slapped his face and threw his turban from his +head, and ceased not to slap his face until the blood flowed from it: +and he began to cry, Ah! Oh my children! Ah! Oh my wife! Ah! Oh my +misfortune! Unto whom hath happened the like of that which hath happened +to me?--The merchants, also, his companions, joined with him in cries +and lamentations, and were moved with pity for his case, and rent their +clothes; and my master went forth from the garden, beating himself for +the calamity that had [as he supposed] befallen him, and redoubled the +blows upon his face, seeming as though he were drunk. + +And as the party thus went out from the gate of the garden, they beheld +a great dust, and heard tumultuous cries, and, looking in that +direction, saw the crowd approaching them. This crowd was the Walee and +his attendants, and a concourse of people who had come to gratify their +curiosity, with the merchant's family behind them, shrieking and crying +with violent lamentation and excessive grief; and the first who accosted +my master were his wife and children. On beholding these, he was +confounded, and laughed, and said to them, How are ye; and what hath +happened to you in the house, and what hath befallen you? And when they +saw him, they exclaimed, Praise be to God for thy safety! And they threw +themselves upon him, and his children clung to him, crying out, Oh our +father! Praise be to God for thy safety, O our father!--and his wife +said to him, Praise be to God who hath shewn us thy face in safety!--and +she was stupified, and her reason fled from her at that which she +beheld. She then said to him, How didst thou escape with thy +friends?--And how, said he, were ye in the house?--We were all well, +they answered, in prosperity and health, and no evil hath befallen our +house, save that thy slave Kafoor came to us with his head uncovered and +his clothes rent, crying out, Oh my master! Oh my master!--and we said +to him, What is the matter, O Kafoor?--and he answered, My master was +sitting under a wall in the garden, and it fell upon him, and he +died.--By Allah, replied my master, he came to me just now, crying, Oh +my mistress! Oh the children of my mistress!--and said, My mistress and +her children are all dead! + +[Illustration] + +He then looked aside, and, seeing me with my turban falling from my +head, while I still cried out and wept violently and threw dust upon my +head, he called out to me: so I approached him, and he said to me, Wo to +thee! O malevolent slave! O misbegotten wretch! O thou of accursed race! +What events hast thou brought about! But, by Allah, I will strip off +thy skin from thy flesh, and cut thy flesh from thy bones!--By Allah, +replied I, thou canst not do to me anything; for thou boughtest me with +my fault, on this condition, the witnesses testifying that thou +boughtest me with my fault, thou knowing it, and it was, that I was +accustomed to tell one lie every year; and this is but half a lie, and +when the year is complete I will tell the other half of it; so it will +be an entire lie. But upon this, he cried out at me, O most accursed of +slaves! is this but half a lie? Nay, it is an exceeding calamity! Depart +from me; for thou art free![VII_15]--By Allah, I replied, if thou +liberate me, I will not liberate thee until the year be complete, and +I tell the remaining half of the lie; and when I have completed it, +then take me to the market, and sell me as thou boughtest me with my +fault, and liberate me not; for I have no trade by means of which +to procure my subsistence: this is a legal proposition that I +have stated to thee, laid down by the lawyers in the Chapter of +Emancipation.[VII_16]--While we were thus talking, the crowd +approached, with the people of the quarter, women and men, come to +mourn, and the Walee with his attendants: and my master and the other +merchants went to the Walee, and acquainted him with the case, and that +this was but half a lie; and when the people who were present heard +this, they were astonished at this lie, and struck with the utmost +wonder; and they cursed and reviled me; while I stood laughing, and +saying, How can my master kill me when he bought me with this fault? + +So when my master went to the house, he found it in a state of ruin (and +it was I who destroyed the greater part, and broke in it things worth a +large sum of money); and his wife said to him, It was Kafoor who broke +the vessels and the China-ware. Upon this, his rage increased, and he +exclaimed, By Allah! in my life I have never seen such a misbegotten +wretch as this slave; yet he calleth it half a lie! What then would have +been the result had it been a whole lie! In that case he had destroyed a +city, or two cities!--Then, in the excess of his rage, he went to the +Walee, who inflicted upon me a severe beating, so that I became +insensible, and swooned away; after which, my master contrived means of +obtaining for me a high price, and I ceased not to excite disturbances +in the places into which I was sold, and was transferred from Emeer to +Emeer and from Grandee to Grandee, by sale and purchase, until I entered +the palace of the Prince of the Faithful, and now my spirit is broken, +and my strength hath failed. + + +CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF GHANIM THE SON OF EIYOOB, THE DISTRACTED +SLAVE OF LOVE. + +When the other slaves had heard his story, they laughed at it, and said +to him, Verily thou art a villain, the son of a villain: thou hast told +an abominable lie. The first and second then said to the third slave, +Relate to us thy story.--O sons of my uncle, he replied, all that hath +just been related is nonsense: but my story is long, and this is not a +time to tell it; for the morning, O sons of my uncle, is near, and +perhaps it may overtake us with this chest still before us, and we shall +be disgraced among the public, and our lives will be lost; haste then to +work, and when we have finished, and returned home, I will relate to you +my story. So they put down the light, and dug a trench of the size of +the chest between four tombs; Kafoor digging, and [S.]awab removing the +earth in baskets, until they had dug to the depth of half a fathom, when +they put the chest into the trench, and replaced the earth over it, and +went forth from the enclosure, and, having closed the gate, disappeared +from before the eyes of Ghanim the son of Eiyoob. + +When, therefore, they had left the place vacant unto Ghanim, and he knew +that he was alone, his mind became busied respecting the contents of the +chest, and he said within himself, What can this chest contain? He +waited until daybreak gleamed and shone forth, and then descended from +the palm-tree, and removed the earth with his hand until he had +uncovered the chest and disengaged it, when he took a stone, and struck +with it the lock, and broke it; and lifting up the cover, he looked in, +and beheld a sleeping damsel, stupified with benj,[VII_17] but +still breathing: she was of beautiful and lovely person, and decked with +ornaments of gold, and necklaces of jewels, worth a kingdom, and of a +value that no money would equal. When Ghanim the son of Eiyoob beheld +her, he knew that she had been the object of a plot, and, being +convinced of this, he pulled her up until he had lifted her out of the +chest, and laid her upon her back; and as soon as she scented the +breeze, and the air entered her nostrils and her mouth and throat, she +sneezed, and then was choked, and coughed, whereupon there fell from her +throat a round piece of benj, of such potency that if an elephant smelt +it he would sleep from one night to another. She then opened her eyes, +and, looking round, said, with an eloquent voice, Wo to thee, O wind! +Thou neither satisfiest the thirsty, nor cheerest by thy presence the +satisfied with drink! Where is Zahr-el-Bustan?--But no one answered her. +Then looking aside, she exclaimed, [S.]abee[h.]ah! Shejeret-ed-Durr! +Noor-el-Huda! Nejmet-e[s.]-[S.]ub[h.]! Art thou awake?[VII_18] +Nuzheh! [H.]ulweh! [Z.]areefeh! Speak ye!--But no one answered her. And +she looked round about her, and exclaimed, Alas for me, that I am +transported to the tombs! O Thou who knowest the secrets of the breasts, +and recompensest on the day of resurrection! who hath brought me from +among the curtains and the veils, and placed me amid four tombs? + +[Illustration] + +While she was saying all this, Ghanim stood still; but he now said to +her, O my mistress, there are neither veils nor palaces nor tombs for +thee here: this is none other than thy slave Ghanim the son of Eiyoob, +whom the King who is omniscient with respect to hidden things hath +impelled hither that he may deliver thee from these troubles, and that +the utmost of thy desires may be accomplished unto thee.--And he was +silent; and when she became convinced of the truth of the case, she +exclaimed, I testify that there is no deity but God, and I testify that +Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle! Then looking towards Ghanim, with her +hands placed upon her breast, she said to him, with a sweet voice, O +auspicious youth, who brought me unto this place? For now I have +recovered my senses.--O my mistress, he answered, three eunuchs came +bearing this chest:--and he related to her all that had happened, and +how the evening had overtaken him, so that he became the means of her +preservation, and that otherwise she had died of suffocation; and he +inquired of her respecting her history.--O youth, she replied, praise be +to God who hath cast me into the hands of one like thee! Rise therefore +now, and put me into the chest, and go forth to the road, and as soon as +thou shalt find any one who lets out asses or other beasts, or a +muleteer, hire him to transport this chest, and convey me to thy house; +and when I am in thy abode it will be well, and I will relate to thee my +story, and acquaint thee with my tale, and good fortune will accrue to +thee through my means.--So Ghanim rejoiced, and he went forth into the +desert tract. + +The day had begun to gleam, the sun rose in splendour, and the people +come walking forth; and Ghanim hired a man with a mule, and brought him +to the burial-place. He then lifted the chest, after he had put the +damsel into it, and, with his heart smitten by love for her, proceeded +with her, full of joy, for she was a damsel worth ten thousand pieces of +gold, and was decked with ornaments and apparel of enormous value. +Scarcely had he found himself at his house when he put down the chest, +and opened it, and took forth from it the damsel, who looked, and saw +that the place was a handsome dwelling furnished with variegated +carpets, and she observed the gay colours and various embellishments, +and beheld stuffs packed up, and loads of goods, and other property: so +she knew that he was a great merchant, and a man of wealth. She then +uncovered her face, and looked at him, and observed him to be a handsome +young man, and loved him; and she said to him, Bring us something to +eat. He answered her, On the head and the eye be thy commands:--and went +to the market, and bought a roasted lamb, and a dish of sweetmeat, and +procured some dried fruits, and candles and wine, and the requisite +apparatus for perfumes. Then returning to the house, he took in the +things, and when the damsel saw him, she laughed, and kissed him, and +embraced him, and began to caress him, so that the love which he felt +increased, and took entire possession of his heart. They then ate and +drank until the approach of night, and their love was mutual: for they +were both of the same age, and both equal in comeliness; and when the +night approached, the Distracted Slave of Love, Ghanim the son of +Eiyoob, rose and lighted the candles and lamps, and the chamber +glistened: he then brought forth the wine-service, and prepared the +table, and sat down with her; he filling and handing to her, and she +filling and handing to him, while they both toyed and laughed and +recited verses: their gaiety increased, and they were engrossed by +mutual love.--Extolled be the perfection of the Uniter of Hearts!--Thus +they continued until it was near morning, when sleep overcame them, and +each of them slept apart from the other till morning came. + +Ghanim the son of Eiyoob then arose, and went forth to the market, and +bought what was requisite of vegetables and meat and wine and other +provisions, and brought them to the house; and he again sat with her to +eat, and they ate until they were satisfied; after which he brought the +wine, and they drank and toyed together till their cheeks reddened and +their eyes became more intensely black;[VII_19] and Ghanim said, O +my mistress, have compassion on the captive of thy love, and him whom +thine eyes have slain. I had remained sound of heart but for thee.--Then +he wept a while; and she replied, O my master, and light of mine eye, By +Allah, I love thee and confide in thee; but I know that thou canst not +be united to me.--And what hindereth? said he. She answered, I will this +night relate to thee my story, that thou mayest accept my excuse. But +they continued thus a whole month; and after this, one night, when +Ghanim was complaining to her of his passion, she said to him, I will +now explain to thee my case, that thou mayest know my dignity, and that +my secret may be revealed to thee, and my excuse become manifest to +thee. He replied, Well. And she took hold of a band which confined a +part of her dress, and said to him, O my master, read what is on this +border. So he took the border in his hand, and looked at it, and found +worked upon it in gold, I am thine, and thou art mine, O descendant of +the Prophet's Uncle.[VII_20] And when he had read this, he let fall +his hand, and said to her, Reveal to me thy history. She answered, +Well:--and thus began:-- + +Know that I am a favourite slave of the Prince of the Faithful, and my +name is [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob.[VII_21] The Prince of the Faithful, +after he had reared me in his palace, and I had grown up, observed my +qualities, and the beauty and loveliness with which my Lord had endowed +me, and loved me excessively: he took me and lodged me in a private +apartment, and appointed me ten female slaves to serve me, and then gave +me those ornaments which thou seest with me. After this, the Khaleefeh +went forth one day on a journey to one of the surrounding provinces, and +the lady Zubeydeh came to one of the female slaves who were in my +service, and said, When thy mistress [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob sleepeth, put +this piece of benj into her nose and her drink, and thou shalt receive +from me a sum of money that will satisfy thee. The slave replied, Most +willingly:--and she received the benj from her, rejoicing on account of +the money, and because she had been originally Zubeydeh's slave; and she +insinuated the benj into me, whereupon I fell upon the floor, with my +head bent down to my feet, and seemed to be in another world. And when +she could devise no other stratagem, she put me into that chest, and +privily summoned the black slaves, and, after having given presents to +them and to the door-keepers, sent me with the black slaves on the night +when thou wast reposing at the top of the palm-tree: and they did with +me as thou sawest, and my deliverance was effected through thy means. +Then thou broughtest me unto this place, where thou hast treated me with +the utmost kindness. This is my story; and I know not what hath happened +to the Khaleefeh during my absence. Know, therefore, my dignity; and +divulge not my case. + +When Ghanim the son of Eiyoob heard these words of [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, +and discovered that she was the favourite of the Khaleefeh, he drew +back, in his awe of the Khaleefeh, and sat alone at one side of +the chamber, blaming himself, and reflecting upon his situation, +perplexed by love of her to whom he could not be united; and he +wept from the violence of his desire, and the fierceness of his +passion and distraction, and began to complain of fortune and its +injustice.--Extolled be the perfection of Him who causeth the hearts of +the generous to be troubled with love, and endueth not the mean with so +much of it as equalleth the weight of a grain!--And upon this, +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob rose to him, and embraced and kissed him, and, her +heart being entirely captivated by his love, she revealed what she had +hidden of the extent of her passion, and encircled his neck with her +arms, and kissed him again; but he withdrew from her embrace, in his +fear of the Khaleefeh. They then conversed a while, drowned in the sea +of mutual love, and so remained until day, when Ghanim arose, and went +forth to the market as usual, and procured what was requisite, and, +returning to the house, found [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob weeping: but as soon +as she beheld him, she ceased from her tears, and smiled, and said to +him, Thou hast made me desolate by thine absence, O beloved of my heart! +By Allah, this hour during which thou hast been away from me hath +appeared as a year; for I cannot endure thy separation; and see, I have +thus shewn thee my state, through the violence of my passion. Arise +therefore now, and mind not what hath happened, but take me as thy +wife.--But he replied, I seek refuge with Allah! This is a thing that +cannot be. How should the dog sit in the place of the lion? What +belongeth to my lord is forbidden me to approach.--He then tore himself +from her, and sat apart; and she increased in love through his +refusal.--In this manner they passed three long months; and whenever she +made any advances to him he withdrew from her, and said, Whatever +belongeth to the master is forbidden to the slave.--Such was the case of +the Distracted Slave of Love, Ghanim the son of Eiyoob. + +Meanwhile, Zubeydeh, during the absence of the Khaleefeh, having acted +thus with [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, became perplexed, saying within herself, +What shall I say to the Khaleefeh when he cometh and inquireth +respecting her; and what shall be my answer to him? She then called for +an old woman who resided with her, and acquainted her with her secret, +and said to her, What shall I do, now that [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob is no +more? The old woman answered, when she understood the affair, Know, O my +mistress, that the return of the Khaleefeh is near; but I will send to a +carpenter, and desire him to make a wooden image of a corpse, and they +shall dig for it a grave, and thou shalt light candles and lamps around +it, and command every one who is in the palace to wear black,[VII_22] +and order thy female slaves and eunuchs, as soon as they know of the +Khaleefeh's return from his journey, to raise lamentations in the +vestibules, and when he enters and asks the news, they shall answer him, +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob is dead; and may God abundantly compensate thee for +the loss of her!--and from the esteem with which she was regarded by our +mistress, she hath buried her in her own palace. So when he heareth +this, he will weep, and the event will distress him. Then he will +cause the readers to sit up by night at her tomb to perform recitations +of the [K.]ur-an: and if he say within himself, Surely the daughter +of my uncle, through her jealousy, hath been led to destroy +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob,--or the distraction of love overpower him, and he +give orders to take her forth from the tomb, fear not from that; for if +they dig down to the image in the form of a human being, and take it +forth, shrouded in costly grave-clothes, and the Khaleefeh desire to +remove the grave-clothes from it, to behold her, do thou prevent him, +and the fear of the world to come will withhold him; and do thou say to +him, To behold her corpse uncovered is unlawful. Then he will believe +her death, and will return her image to its place, and thank thee for +thy conduct, and thou shalt escape, if it please God, from this +difficulty.--When the lady Zubeydeh, therefore, heard what she said, she +approved it, and bestowed upon her a dress of honour, and commanded her +to do this, having given her a sum of money. So the old woman set about +the business immediately, and ordered the carpenter to make for her an +image as above described; and when it was finished, she brought it to +the lady Zubeydeh, and she shrouded it, and lighted the candles and +lamps, and spread the carpets around the tomb, and clad herself in +black, ordering the female slaves to do the same; and the news was +spread through the palace, that [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob had died. + +[Illustration] + +Some time after this, the Khaleefeh returned from his journey, +and went up to his palace; but his mind was occupied only with +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob; and seeing the pages and eunuchs and female slaves +all clad in black, his heart was agitated; and when he entered the +palace of the lady Zubeydeh, and beheld her also clad in black, he +inquired the reason of it, and they informed him of the death of +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob. Upon hearing this, he fell down in a swoon; and +when he recovered, he asked where was her tomb; and the lady Zubeydeh +answered, Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that, on account of the esteem +in which she was held by me, I buried her in my palace. So the +Khaleefeh, entering the palace in his travelling-dress, proceeded to +visit the tomb of [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, and found the carpets spread, +and the candles and lamps lighted; and when he beheld this, he thanked +her for what she had done. But afterwards he became perplexed, and +wavered a while between belief and disbelief, until suspicion overcame +him, and he gave orders to open the tomb and to take her out: when, +however, he saw the grave-clothes, and was about to remove them that he +might behold her, he feared God (whose name be exalted!), and the old +woman said, Restore her to her place. Then immediately the Khaleefeh +commanded to bring the professors of religion and law, and the readers, +and they performed recitations of the whole of the [K.]ur-an at her +tomb, while he sat by the side of it weeping until he became insensible. + +He continued to frequent the tomb for the space of a month; after which +it happened that he entered the [H.]areem, after the emeers and wezeers +had dispersed from before him to their houses, and he slept a while, and +a female slave sat at his head, and another at his feet; and after sleep +had overcome him he awoke, and opened his eyes, and heard the damsel who +was at his head say to her who was at his feet, Wo to thee, O +Kheyzuran!--Wherefore, O [K.]a[d.]eeb?[VII_23] said the other.--Our +lord, rejoined the first, is ignorant of what hath happened; so he +sitteth up by night at a tomb in which there is nothing but a carved +image, the work of the carpenter.--And what then, asked the other +damsel, hath befallen [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob? Her companion answered, Know +that our mistress Zubeydeh sent some benj by a female slave, and she +stupified her with it, and when the benj had taken effect upon her, she +put her in a chest, and sent her away with [S.]awab and Kafoor, +commanding them to throw her into the tomb. Upon this, Kheyzuran said, +Wo to thee, O [K.]a[d.]eeb! Is not the lady [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob +dead?--Heaven preserve her youth from death! answered [K.]a[d.]eeb: I +heard the lady Zubeydeh say that [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob was with a young +merchant named Ghanim of Damascus, and that she had been with him, +including this day, four months; and our lord here weepeth and passeth +sleepless nights at a tomb in which there is no corpse.--Thus they +conversed together, while the Khaleefeh heard their words; and when +they had finished their conversation, and he had become acquainted with +the event, that this tomb was a false one, and that [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob +had been with Ghanim the son of Eiyoob for the space of four months, he +was violently incensed, and arose, and summoned the emeers of his court; +whereupon the Wezeer Ja[a.]far El-Barmekee presented himself and kissed +the ground before him, and the Khaleefeh said to him, in anger, Descend, +O Ja[a.]far, with a body of men, and inquire for the house of Ghanim the +son of Eiyoob, and assault it suddenly, and bring him hither with my +female slave [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob; and I will assuredly torture him. + +Ja[a.]far replied, I hear and obey;--and he went forth with his +attendants, the Walee also accompanying him, and they proceeded until +they arrived at Ghanim's house. Ghanim had just before gone out and +brought a pot of meat, and was about to stretch forth his hand to eat of +it with [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, when she looked out, and found that the +house was beset on all sides, and the Wezeer and the Walee and the +officers of violence and the memlooks with drawn swords were surrounding +it as the black surrounds the pupil of the eye; and upon this she knew +that tidings of her situation had reached the ears of the Khaleefeh her +lord, and she made sure of destruction; her countenance became pale, and +her beauty changed, and, looking towards Ghanim, she said to him, O my +beloved, save thyself!--How shall I do, said he, and whither shall I +flee, when my wealth and means of subsistence are in this house? But she +answered, Delay not, lest thou perish, and thy wealth also be lost.--O +my mistress, and light of mine eye, rejoined he, how can I contrive to +go forth when they are surrounding the house?--Fear not, she +answered:--and she pulled off his clothes, and clad him in worn-out, +ragged garments, and, taking the pot that had contained the meat, placed +it upon his head, and put in it a little bread and a saucer of meat, and +said to him, Go forth by the help of this stratagem, and thou hast +nothing to fear with respect to me, for I know what I am able to do +with the Khaleefeh. When Ghanim, therefore, heard the words of +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, and the advice which she gave him, he went forth +through the midst of them, bearing the pot, and Providence protected him +so that he escaped from the snares and injuries which menaced him, by +the blessing of his good conscience. + +And when the Wezeer Ja[a.]far arrived at the house, he dismounted from +his horse, and entered, and looked at [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, who had +adorned herself, and filled a chest with gold and ornaments and jewels +and rarities, such as were light to carry and of great value; and when +Ja[a.]far came in to her, she rose upon her feet, and kissed the ground +before him, saying to him, O my master, the Pen hath written what God +hath decreed.[VII_24] But Ja[a.]far, when he beheld her situation, +replied, By Allah, O my mistress, he gave me no order but to arrest +Ghanim the son of Eiyoob. And she said, Know that he hath packed up some +bales of merchandise, and gone with them to Damascus, and I know nothing +more than this; and I request thee to take care of this chest for me, +and to convey it to the palace of the Prince of the Faithful. So +Ja[a.]far answered, I hear and obey:--and he took the chest, and gave +orders that it should be conveyed, together with [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, +to the palace of the Khaleefeh, treating her with honour and respect. +This took place after they had plundered the house of Ghanim; and they +went to the Khaleefeh, and Ja[a.]far related to him all that had +happened; whereupon the Khaleefeh appointed to [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob a +dark chamber, and there lodged her, commissioning an old woman to serve +her; for he imagined that Ghanim had acted dishonestly towards her. + +He then wrote a letter to the Emeer Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman +Ez-Zeynee, who was viceroy of Damascus, containing as follows:--As soon +as this letter cometh to thy hands, thou shalt arrest Ghanim the son of +Eiyoob, and send him unto me.--So when the mandate was brought to him, +he kissed it, and put it upon his head, and caused it to be proclaimed +through the market-street, Whosoever desireth to plunder, let him repair +to the house of Ghanim the son of Eiyoob. And they came to the house, +and found that the mother of Ghanim, and his sister, had made for them a +tomb, and sat by it weeping; and they laid hold upon them, and plundered +the house, and the mother and sister knew not the cause: and when they +brought them before the Sul[t.]an,[VII_25] he inquired of them +respecting Ghanim the son of Eiyoob; and they answered him, For the +space of a year we have obtained no tidings of him.--And they restored +them to their place.[VII_26] + +[Illustration] + +In the mean time, Ghanim the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of +Love, when his wealth had been seized, was perplexed, and began to weep +for himself so as to break his heart. He walked on, and ceased not on +his way to the close of day, suffering from excessive hunger and +fatigue, until he arrived at a village, where he entered a mosque, and +seated himself upon a round mat,[VII_27] and he leaned his back +against one of the walls of the building, and then threw himself down, +under the influence of extreme hunger and weariness. There +he remained until the morning, his heart palpitating from want of food; +vermin attacked his body, his breath became fetid, and he was altogether +changed; and the people of that village, coming to perform the +morning-prayers, found him lying there sick through want of food, yet +exhibiting evident traces of former affluence; and when they approached +him, they found him cold and hungry. They clad him, therefore, with an +old garment having ragged sleeves, and said to him, Whence art thou, O +stranger, and what is the cause of thine infirmity? And Ghanim opened +his eyes and looked at them and wept; but he returned them no answer. +Then one of them, knowing the violence of his hunger, went and brought +him a saucer of honey and two cakes of bread, and he ate, while they sat +around him until the sun rose, when they departed to their several +occupations.--In this state he remained among them for a month, and his +infirmity and disease increased; so the people, commiserating him, +consulted together respecting his case, and agreed to transport him to +the hospital at Baghdad. + +Now while they were thus conversing, lo, two women, beggars, came in to +him; and they were his mother and sister; and when he beheld them, he +gave them the bread that was at his head, and they slept by him the next +night; but he knew them not. And on the following day, the people of the +village came to him, bringing a camel, and said to its owner, Convey +this sick person on the camel, and when thou hast arrived at Baghdad, +put him down at the door of the hospital: perhaps he may recover his +health, and thou wilt receive a recompense. He answered them, I hear and +obey. So they brought forth Ghanim the son of Eiyoob from the mosque, +and placed him, with the round mat upon which he was sleeping, on the +camel; and his mother and sister came to look at him among the other +people; but they knew him not. Then observing him attentively, they +said, Verily he resembleth our Ghanim! Can he be this sick person or +not?--But as to Ghanim, he awoke not until he was mounted on the camel, +and he began to weep and moan; and the people of the village saw his +mother and sister weeping for him, though they did not know him. Then +his mother and sister journeyed onwards to Baghdad, while the +camel-driver also proceeded without stopping until he had deposited +Ghanim at the door of the hospital, when he took his camel, and +returned. + +Ghanim remained lying there until the morning; and when the people began +to pass along the street, they beheld him. He had become so emaciated +that his form resembled that of a toothpick, and the people ceased not +to gaze at him until the Sheykh of the market came and repelled them +from him, and said, I will gain Paradise by means of this poor person; +for if they take him into the hospital they will kill him in one day. He +then ordered his young men to carry him, and they conveyed him to his +house, where he spread for him a new bed, and put for him a new cushion, +and said to his wife, Serve him faithfully. She replied, On the +head:--and she tucked up her sleeves, and, having heated for him some +water, washed his hands and feet and body, and clothed him in a vest of +one of her female slaves. She then gave him to drink a cup of wine, and +sprinkled rose-water upon him: so he recovered his senses; and he +remembered his beloved, [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, and his anguish +increased.--Thus did it happen to Ghanim. + +Now as to [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob,--when the Khaleefeh, incensed against +her, had lodged her in the dark chamber, she remained there in the same +state for eighty days; and it happened that the Khaleefeh passed one day +by that place, and heard her reciting verses; and when she had finished +her recitation of them, she exclaimed, O my beloved! O Ghanim! How kind +art thou, and how chaste is thy disposition! Thou hast acted with +kindness unto him who hath injured thee, and hast guarded the honour of +him who hath violated thine, and hast protected his [h.]areem and he +hath enslaved both thee and thy family; but thou wilt assuredly stand, +with the Prince of the Faithful, before a Just Judge, and thou wilt +obtain justice against him on the day when the judge shall be God; and +the witnesses, the angels!--And when the Khaleefeh heard her words, and +understood her complaint, he knew that she was injured; and he entered +his palace, and sent the eunuch to her, and when she came before him she +hung down her head, with weeping eye, and sorrowful heart; and he said +to her, O [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, I see that thou complainest of my +oppression, and accusest me of tyranny, and thinkest that I have injured +him who hath acted kindly unto me. Who then is he who hath guarded my +honour and I have violated his; and who hath protected my [h.]areem and +I have enslaved his?[VII_28]--She answered him, Ghanim the son of +Eiyoob; for he hath not attempted any dishonest action towards me, by +thy beneficence, O Prince of the Faithful!--Upon this the Khaleefeh +exclaimed, There is no strength nor power but in God!--and then added, O +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, desire of me what thou wilt, and I will grant thy +wish. So she replied, I desire of thee my beloved, Ghanim the son of +Eiyoob. And when he heard her words, he said, I will cause him to be +brought hither, if it be the will of God, in honour.--O Prince of the +Faithful, she rejoined, when thou shalt have caused him to be brought, +wilt thou present me to him? He answered, When I have had him brought, I +will present thee to him, the present of a generous man who will not +revoke his gift. So she said, O Prince of the Faithful, permit me to +search about for him: perhaps God may unite me with him. And he replied, +Do as thou wilt. + +Upon this she rejoiced, and went forth, taking with her a thousand +pieces of gold and visited the sheykhs, and gave alms for the sake of +Ghanim:[VII_29] and on the following day she went to the market of +the merchants, and gave to the chief of the market some money, saying to +him, Bestow it in alms upon the strangers. Then again, in the following +week, she went forth, taking with her a thousand pieces of gold, and, +entering the market of the goldsmiths and jewellers, summoned the chief +of the market, and he came, and she gave him the thousand pieces of +gold, and said to him, Bestow it in alms upon the strangers: whereupon +the chief, who was the Sheykh of the market before mentioned, looked at +her, and said to her, Wilt thou go with me to my house, to look at a +young stranger there, and see how elegant he is, and how perfectly +charming? For it is probable that he is Ghanim the son of Eiyoob, the +Distracted Slave of Love.--But the chief had no knowledge of him, and +imagined that he was a poor person involved in debt, whose wealth had +been taken from him, or a lover parted from his beloved. And when she +heard his words, her heart beat, and her affections were engrossed by +him, and she answered, Send with me some one to conduct me to thy +house. So he sent with her a young boy, who conducted her to the +house where the stranger was lodged, and she thanked him for doing +so; and when she entered the house, and saluted the chief's wife, the +latter arose, and kissed the ground before her; for she knew her. Then +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob said to her, Where is the sick person who is with +you? And she wept, and answered, Here he is, O my mistress: but he is of +a respectable family, and exhibiteth traces of former affluence. And +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob looked towards the bed upon which he was lying, +and, regarding him narrowly, beheld him as though he were Ghanim +himself; but his condition was changed, and he had become so emaciated +that he resembled a toothpick, and the truth of his case was disguised +from her, so that she did not discover him to be the person whom she +sought; but she was moved with compassion for him, and she wept, and +exclaimed, Verily, strangers are objects of pity, though they be emeers +in their own countries! She then ordered for him supplies of wine and +medicines, and sat at his head a while, and mounted, and returned to her +palace; and she continued to go forth to every market for the purpose of +searching for Ghanim. + +[Illustration] + +Soon after, the chief of the market brought the mother of Ghanim, and +his sister Fitneh, and went with them to [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, and said +to her, O most charitable lady, there have entered our city this day a +woman and a girl of respectable origin, bearing evident traces of former +affluence, but they are clad in garments of hair-cloth, and each of them +hath a wallet hung to her neck, and their eyes are weeping, and their +hearts sorrowful: so I have brought them unto thee, that thou mayest +give them refuge, and preserve them from the disgrace of beggary; for +they are not persons suited to ask alms of the sordid; and if it please +God, we shall enter Paradise by their means.--By Allah, O my master, she +replied, thou hast made me long to behold them! Where are they? Order +them to come in.--So, upon this, Fitneh and her mother came in to +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, who, when she saw them, and observed that they +were both distinguished by beauty, wept for them, and said, By Allah, +they are persons of an affluent family, and traces of wealth are +conspicuous in their appearance.--O my mistress, replied the chief of +the market, we love the poor and indigent for the sake of future +recompense;[VII_30] and probably the extortioners have oppressed these +two persons, and plundered them of their wealth, and ruined their +houses. Then these two females wept violently, and, remembering Ghanim +the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of Love, their wailing +increased, and [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob wept with them; and the mother of +Ghanim exclaimed, We pray God to unite us with him whom we seek, and he +is my son Ghanim the son of Eiyoob. When [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, +therefore, heard these words, she knew that this woman was the mother of +her beloved, and that the other was his sister, and she wept until she +fell down in a swoon; and when she recovered, she approached them, and +said to them, Ye have nothing to fear; for this day is the first of your +prosperity, and the last of your adversity: therefore grieve not. She +then ordered the chief of the market to take them to his house, and to +let his wife conduct them into the bath, and attire them in handsome +clothing, and take care of them, and treat them with the utmost honour; +and she gave him a sum of money. + +Then, on the following day, [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob mounted and went again +to the house of the chief of the market, and went in to visit his wife, +who rose to her, and kissed the ground before her, and thanked her for +her charity; and she saw that his wife had conducted the mother of +Ghanim, and his sister, to the bath, and taken off their former clothes, +and that the traces of their original affluence had become more +conspicuous in consequence; and she sat a while conversing with them; +after which she asked the wife of the chief of the market respecting the +sick person who was with her. She answered, He is in the same state. +And [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob said, Arise, and let us look at him and +visit him. So they both arose, with Ghanim's mother and sister, and +went in to him, and seated themselves by him; and when Ghanim the son +of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of Love, heard one of them mention +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, emaciated as he was in body and limbs, his soul +returned to him, and he raised his head from the pillow, and called out, +O [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob! She looked at him, therefore, and knew him, and +cried, saying, Yes, O my beloved! He then said to her, Draw near to me. +And she asked him, Art thou Ghanim the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted +Slave of Love? He answered her, Yes: I am he. And upon this, she fell +down in a swoon; and when his sister and his mother heard their words, +they cried out, Oh, our joy!--and in like manner fainted. And when they +recovered, [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob said to Ghanim, Praise be to God who +hath united us with thee and with thy mother and sister! Then, +approaching him, she related to him all that had happened to her with +the Khaleefeh, adding, I said to him, I have declared to thee the truth, +O Prince of the Faithful:--and he believed my words, and approved thee; +and he is now desiring to see thee. And she said to him, The Khaleefeh +hath given me to thee:--whereupon he was filled with the utmost joy: and +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob said to them all, Quit not this place until I come +again. + +She then arose immediately, and departed to her palace, and removed +thence the chest that she had brought from Ghanim's house, and took +forth from it some pieces of gold, which she gave to the chief of the +market, saying to him, Take these pieces of gold, and buy for each of +them four complete suits of dress of the best kinds of stuff, and twenty +handkerchiefs, and whatever else they require. And after this, she +conducted them to the bath, and gave orders to wash them, and prepared +for them boiled meats, and infusion of galangal, and apple-water, after +they had come forth from the bath and dressed themselves. For three days +she remained with them, feeding them with fowls and with boiled meats, +and giving them sherbet of refined sugar to drink; and after the three +days their spirits returned to them. Then she conducted them again to +the bath, and they came forth, and she changed their clothes, and, +leaving them in the house of the chief of the market, went to the +Khaleefeh, and kissed the ground before him, and related to him the +story, telling him that her master, Ghanim the son of Eiyoob, the +Distracted Slave of Love, had come, and that his mother and sister also +had arrived. When the Khaleefeh, therefore, heard these words of +[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, he said to the eunuchs, Bring hither to me Ghanim. +And Ja[a.]far went down with them to bring him: but [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob +had gone before him; and she went in unto Ghanim, and said to him, The +Khaleefeh hath sent to thee to bring thee before him: have a care then +to display eloquence of tongue, and firmness of heart, and sweetness of +speech. And she attired him in a magnificent dress, and gave him pieces +of gold in abundance, saying to him, Bestow plentifully upon the +domestics of the Khaleefeh as thou goest in to him. And lo, Ja[a.]far +approached him, mounted upon his mule, and Ghanim advanced to meet him, +and greeted him with a prayer for long life, kissing the ground before +him. + +The planet of his prosperity had appeared, and the star of his glory had +risen aloft, and Ja[a.]far took him, and they proceeded until they +entered into the presence of the Prince of the Faithful; and when Ghanim +came before him, he looked towards the wezeers and emeers and +chamberlains and lieutenants and the other officers of the court, and +the warriours, and, being eloquent of tongue, firm of heart, delicate in +the style of his language, and pleasing in the allusions it conveyed, he +hung down his head towards the ground, and then looked towards the +Khaleefeh, and addressed him in a series of complimentary verses. And +when he had finished his recitation, the Khaleefeh was delighted with +the graces of his person, and pleased with the eloquence of his tongue +and the sweetness of his speech; and he said to him, Approach me. He +therefore approached him, and the Khaleefeh said to him, Explain to me +thy tale, and acquaint me with the truth of thy history. So Ghanim sat, +and related to the Khaleefeh all that had happened to him from +beginning to end; and when the Khaleefeh knew that he spoke truth, he +bestowed upon him a dress of honour, and admitted him into his favour, +and said to him, Acquit me of responsibility.[VII_31] And he did +so, and said to him, O Prince of the Faithful, the slave and all that +his hands possess belong to his master:--and the Khaleefeh rejoiced. He +then gave orders to appropriate a palace to him exclusively, and +appointed him abundant pensions and allowances, and removed to him his +mother and his sister. And the Khaleefeh, hearing that his sister Fitneh +was, in beauty (as her name imported), a temptation, demanded her of him +in marriage. Ghanim therefore replied, She is thy handmaid,[VII_32] +and I am thy memlook. And the Khaleefeh thanked him, and gave him a +hundred thousand pieces of gold,[VII_33] and summoned the +[K.]a[d.]ee and witnesses, and they performed the marriage-contract. +Then he and Ghanim visited their wives on the same day, the Khaleefeh +going to Fitneh, and Ghanim the son of Eiyoob to [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob; +and on the following morning, the Khaleefeh ordered that all that had +happened to Ghanim, from first to last, should be committed to writing +and inserted in the records, that his posterity might consider it, and +wonder at the disposals of destiny, and commit their affairs unto the +Creator of the night and the day.[VII_34] + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER SEVENTH. + +NOTE 1. Damascus is afterwards mentioned in the original as the abode of +this merchant's family; but not here. + +NOTE 2. "Ghanim" signifies "a taker of spoil," "a fortunate acquirer of +anything;" and "Eiyoob" is the name which _we_ call "Job." + +NOTE 3. "Fitneh" signifies "temptation," "seduction," "disturbance," &c. + +NOTE 4. By the term "loads" we are always to understand "camel-loads," +unless it is otherwise expressed. A camel-load is generally about three +hundred-weights. + +NOTE 5. Or vesicles of musk. In the original, "nawafe[h.]" is put for +"nawafij." + +NOTE 6. A great recompense in the world to come is to be the lot of him +who takes part in a funeral-procession. + +NOTE 7. The ablution was necessary to qualify Ghanim for joining in the +prayer over the dead. + +NOTE 8. "[S.]awab" signifies "rectitude." + +NOTE 9. "Kafoor" is the Arabic for "camphor." Instances of antiphrasis +in the names given to black slaves are very common. + +NOTE 10. "Bakheet" signifies "fortunate," from "bakht" ("fortune"), a +word borrowed from the Persian. + +NOTE 11. I am not sure that this is to be understood as a jest; for I +have been assured, by a slave-dealer and other persons in Cairo, that +sometimes slaves brought to that city are found to be cannibals; and +that a proof lately occurred there; an infant having been eaten by its +black nurse. I was also told that these cannibals are generally +distinguished by an elongation of the os coccygis; or in other words, +that they have tails! + +NOTE 12. The story here alluded to is inserted in the original; but, +being extremely objectionable, and too short and simple to be abridged, +I have been compelled to omit it altogether. + +NOTE 13. This story is not in the old version; but I think the reader +will consider it worthy of insertion in the present series, as an +amusing illustration of the customs which are often observed by the +Arabs on the occasion of the death of the master of a family. I can bear +testimony to the general correctness of the picture which it presents; +or rather state, that the greatest of the extravagances which it +describes are not unfrequently practised in the present day. + +NOTE 14. As the Arab women are much more reluctant to uncover the upper +and back part of the head than they are to shew the face, before strange +men, such a scene as that which is here described is very seldom +witnessed; but I have seen not so unfrequently a woman with her face +uncovered, and besmeared with mud, on her receiving the news of the +sudden death of a near relation. + +NOTE 15. This, to some readers, may require explanation. To free a slave +who has no means of providing for himself, and not to grant him any +means to do so, is almost the heaviest punishment that can be inflicted +upon him; and to do this, unless for a heinous crime, is considered +disgraceful. + +NOTE 16. This is not just; for as soon as the slave is emancipated he is +legally free, without doubt: but it is inserted in the tale as a +jest.[354] + +NOTE 17. See Note 46 to Chapter ii.--This mode of disposing of a rival +in the [h.]areem is said to have been not very unfrequently adopted. + +NOTE 18. I suspect that the original presents here an error, which I +have endeavoured to correct.--The names which the lady ejaculates are to +be understood as those of female slaves, her attendants. +"Zahr-el-Bustan" signifies "Flower of the Garden;" "[S.]abee[h.]ah," +"Beautiful;" "Shejeret-ed-Durr," "Tree of Pearls" (this is the vulgar +mode of pronouncing "Shejer-ed-Durr," which was the name of the wife of +the Sul[t.]an E[s.]-[S.]ale[h.] Nejm-ed-Deen, afterwards Queen of +Egypt); "Noor-el-Huda," "Light of Day," or "Light of Guidance;" +"Nejmet-e[s.]-[S.]ub[h.]," "Star of the Morning;" "Nuzheh," "Delight;" +"[H.]ulweh," "Sweet;" and "[Z.]areefeh," "Elegant." + +NOTE 19. From this point, to the relation of the stratagem employed by +Zubeydeh, I omit much that is unsuitable for insertion in the +translation, as approaching to licentiousness. + +NOTE 20. Perhaps it is unnecessary to mention, that "the Prophet's +Uncle" here alluded to was El-'Abbas; and that the "descendant" was +Haroon Er-Rasheed. + +NOTE 21. "[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob" signifies "Food (or Sustenance) of +Hearts." + +NOTE 22. As black, which was the distinguishing colour of the banners +and dress of the 'Abbasee Khaleefehs, was originally assumed in token of +mourning for such of their relations as were victims of the Umawees, it +may have continued for a long time to be used for a similar purpose: but +the modern colour of mourning among the Arabs is blue; and it is +remarkable that the term which properly signifies "black" is commonly +applied by them to dark blue.--On the subject of mourning, see Note 52 +to Chapter ii. + +NOTE 23. "Kheyzuran" and "[K.]a[d.]eeb" signify respectively, "a Cane" +(particularly "Indian Cane"), and "a Rod," or "a long and slender +Branch." + +NOTE 24. See note 85 to Chapter iii. + +NOTE 25. By "the Sul[t.]an" is meant the Viceroy of Damascus, though the +title is improperly used in this sense. + +NOTE 26. The account of the disgusting treatment of Ghanim's mother and +sister, which follows in this place in the old version, is not in either +of the copies of the original which I possess, containing this tale. +Hence, and as it is extremely inconsistent with Arab customs and +feelings, I have little doubt of its being an interpolation by some +ignorant copyist. + +NOTE 27. See Note 18 to Chapter vi. + +NOTE 28, By Ghanim's [h.]areem, we are here to understand his mother and +sister; the term "[h.]areem" being often used to signify a man's female +relations residing in his house. + +NOTE 29. It is implied that she visited the sheykhs (by which are here +meant the devotees) to request the aid of their prayers; and gave alms +for the sake (or in the name) of Ghanim in order to propitiate +Providence in his favour. + +NOTE 30.--_On the Charitable Disposition of the Arabs._ Some remarks +which I have made on this subject with reference to the Egyptians, in a +former work, are equally applicable to the Arabs in general. +"Benevolence and charity to the poor are virtues which the Egyptians +possess in an eminent degree, and which are instilled into their hearts +by religion; but from their own profession it appears that they are as +much excited to the giving of alms by the expectation of enjoying +corresponding rewards in heaven, as by pity for the distresses of their +fellow-creatures, or a disinterested wish to do the will of God. It may +be attributed, in some measure, to the charitable disposition of the +inhabitants, that beggars are so numerous in Cairo. The many handsome +Sebeels, or public fountains (buildings erected and endowed for the +gratuitous supply of water to passengers), which are seen in this city, +and the more humble structures of the same kind in the villages and +fields, are monuments of the same virtue."[355] So also the numerous +Khans for the reception of travellers, in countries occupied by the +Arabs, bear testimony to the charity of this people. + +NOTE 31. This is often said by an Arab to a person against whom he knows +or fears himself to have committed an offence. The most urgent reason +for doing so may be seen by reverting to No. 9 of the notes to Chapter +iv. + +NOTE 32. This compliment has occasioned, in the old version, an error of +the most serious kind, by its having been understood in its literal +sense. Ghanim is made to propose that the Khaleefeh should take his +sister as one of his favourites (_i. e._ concubines); which, as she was +a free woman, would be a crime of the foulest nature. + +NOTE 33. We are to understand this sum of money as being Fitneh's +dowry.--Here it may be mentioned, that the Khaleefeh, by marrying +Fitneh, severely punished Zubeydeh: for he thus gave her a wife, instead +of a concubine, as a rival. + +NOTE 34.--_On the Passion of Love among the Arabs._ A few remarks on +this subject may be inserted to justify the picture of love presented in +the foregoing tale. That sensual passion is most prevalent among the +Arabs cannot be doubted; but I think it unjust to suppose them generally +incapable of a purer feeling, worthy, if constancy be a sufficient test, +of being termed true love. That they are not so, appears evident to +almost every person who mixes with them in familiar society; for such a +person must have opportunities of being acquainted with many Arabs +sincerely attached to wives whose personal charms have long vanished, +and who have neither wealth nor influence of their own, nor wealthy nor +influential relations, to induce their husbands to refrain from +divorcing them. It very often happens, too, that an Arab is sincerely +attached to a wife possessed, even in the best portion of her age, of +few charms; and that the lasting favourite among two or more wives is +not the most handsome. This opinion, I am sorry to observe, is at +variance, as far as the Arabs of the _towns_ are concerned, with that +entertained by one of the most intelligent and experienced of modern +travellers, who long resided among this people,--the justly-celebrated +Burckhardt:[356] but it is confirmed by numerous facts related by +respectable Arab authors (and therefore not regarded by them as of an +incredible nature), as well as by cases which have fallen under my own +observation. The tale of Leyla and Mejnoon, "the Juliet and Romeo of +Arabia," is too well known to be here repeated; but among many other +anecdotes of strong and constant love, the following may be inserted:-- + +The Khaleefeh Yezeed the son of 'Abd-El-Melik, it is said, had two +female slaves; one of whom was named [H.]abbabeh, and the other, +Selameh; to the former of whom he was most ardently attached: he had +purchased her for a hundred thousand dirhems; and the other, for ten +thousand. In the company of these two females he sometimes shut himself +up for three months together, utterly neglecting the affairs of his +people. At length, being reproved for this conduct by his brother +Meslemeh, he promised to return to his duty: but the two slaves diverted +him from his purpose; and on the following morning, excited by their +songs and caresses, and by wine, he became frantic with pleasure, and +danced and sang like a madman, till a fatal accident put a stop to his +joy: [H.]abbabeh, eating a pomegranate, was choked by one of the grains, +and immediately died. The grief of Yezeed was so poignant that he would +not quit the corpse, but continued to kiss and fondle it until it became +putrid. Being then admonished by his attendants that proper respect +required its burial, he consented to commit it to the earth: after five +days, however, his desire again to behold the object of his love induced +him to open the grave, and though the corpse had become hideous, he +declared that it was lovely as ever in his eyes. At the earnest request +of Meslemeh, he ordered the grave to be closed again; but he was unable +to exist when deprived of the sight of the remains of her who was at the +same time his slave and his mistress: he threw himself upon his bed, +speechless; and after lingering seventeen nights, expired, and was +buried by the side of [H.]abbabeh. "May God," says the narrator, "have +mercy on them both!"[357] + +In the same work from which the above is taken, it is related that +Haroon Er-Rasheed, visiting Suleyman the son of Aboo-Ja[a.]far, one of +his chief officers, saw with him a female slave, named [D.]a'eefeh, of +excessive beauty, and being smitten by her charms, demanded her as a +present. His request was granted; but Suleyman from grief at the loss of +his mistress, fell sick; and during his illness was heard to exclaim,-- + + "I appeal unto God against the affliction which He hath sent + upon me through the Khaleefeh. + The world heareth of his justice; but he is a tyrant in the affair + of [D.]a'eefeh.[358] + Love of her is fixed in my heart as ink upon the surface of paper." + +Er-Rasheed, being informed of his complaint, restored to him his +mistress, and, with her, his peace of mind.--This anecdote is given as a +proof of strong love; but perhaps may not be thought much to the +purpose. The following, from the same work, is more apt. + +During the hottest hour of an excessively sultry day, the Khaleefeh +Mo'awiyeh the son of Aboo-Sufyan was sitting in a chamber which was open +on each side to allow free passage to the air, when he beheld a +barefooted Bedawee approaching him. Wondering what could induce this man +to brave the scorching heat, he declared to his attendants that, if he +were come to demand of him any favour or aid or act of justice, his +request should be granted. The Bedawee addressed him, in verse, with a +pathetic appeal for justice against the tyranny of Marwan the son of +El-[H.]akam (afterwards Khaleefeh, Mo'awiyeh's fourth successor), by +whom he had been forcibly deprived of his beloved wife, named So[a.]da. +The Khaleefeh requiring a more particular account of his case, he +related the following facts. He had a wife, the daughter of his paternal +uncle, excessively beloved by him, and he possessed a number of camels, +which enabled him to live in comfort; but a year of terrible drought +deprived him of his property, and reduced him to utter want: his friends +deserted him, and his wife was taken away from him by her father. To +seek redress, he repaired to Marwan, the Governor of his district, at +El-Medeeneh, who, having summoned the father of his wife, and herself, +was so smitten by the beauty of the woman that he determined to obtain +her for himself in marriage; to accomplish which, he threw the husband +into prison, and offered the father of the woman a thousand deenars and +ten thousand dirhems for his consent to his marriage with her, promising +to compel her actual husband to divorce her; and this latter object, +having obtained the father's approval, he gained by severely torturing +the unfortunate Bedawee. It would have been vain for the woman to +attempt resistance; and so she became the wife of Marwan.--The oppressed +Bedawee, having related these circumstances, fell down in a swoon, and +lay on the floor senseless, coiled up like a dead snake. As soon as he +recovered, the Khaleefeh wrote a poetical epistle to Marwan, severely +reproaching him for his baseness, and commanding him, on pain of death, +to divorce the woman and send her with his messenger. She was +accordingly divorced and sent, with an answer composed in the same +measure and rhyme, assuring the Khaleefeh that the sight of So[a.]da +would convince him that her charms were irresistible; and this proved +too true. Mo'awiyeh himself no sooner saw her than he coveted the +possession of her, and offered to give the Bedawee, if he would resign +her to him, three virgins from among his female slaves, together with a +thousand deenars, and an ample annual pension. The Bedawee shrieked with +dismay, as though he had received his death-blow; and indignantly +rejected the offer. The Khaleefeh then said to him, "Thou confessest +that thou hast divorced her, and Marwan has married her and acknowledged +that he has divorced her: we will therefore give her her choice: if she +desire any other than thee as her husband we will marry her to him, and +if she prefer thee we will restore her to thee." She however preferred +the destitute Bedawee, and the Khaleefeh gave her up to him, with a +present of ten thousand dirhems. + +Numerous instances of unreasonable love are recorded in the writings of +Arabs. It is related that a man fell in love with a female from seeing +the impression of her hand upon a wall; and being unable to obtain +possession of her, died. Many men are said, to have conceived a violent +passion for females seen in dreams: others, again, to have been thus +affected merely by the ear. An author relates his having been acquainted +with an accomplished schoolmaster who lost his heart from hearing a man +sing the praises of a woman named Umm-'Amr, and two days after, shut +himself up in his house to mourn for her death, in consequence of his +hearing the same man sing,-- + + "The ass went away with Umm-'Amr; and she returned not, nor did + the ass return."[359] + +But a few anecdotes may be considered as rare exceptions to a general +rule. I think, however, that strong evidences of the existence of true +love among all classes of the Arabs are afforded by their very numerous +tales of fiction descriptive of this passion. + + + [354] Marginal note by my sheykh. + + [355] Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. xiii. + + [356] I may suffer in public estimation for my differing in + opinion from this accomplished traveller and most estimable + man; but I cannot, on that account, abstain from the expression + of my dissent. Our difference, I think, may be thus explained. + He conformed, in a great degree, to the habits of the Arabs; + but not to such an extent as I consider necessary to obtain + from them that confidence in his sympathy which would induce + them to lay open to him their character; and when a man is + often treated with coldness and reserve, I doubt whether the + people from whom he experiences such treatment can be judged by + him with strict impartiality. To be received on terms of + equality by Arabs of the more polished classes, an undeviating + observance of their code of etiquette is absolutely + indispensable: but Burckhardt, I have been assured, often + violated this code, by practices harmless enough to our + notions, and probably, also, in the opinion of the Arabs of the + Desert, but extremely offensive to the people who enjoyed the + least share of his esteem: his most intimate acquaintances in + Cairo generally refused, in speaking of him, to designate him + by the title of "sheykh" which he had adopted; and yet the + heaviest charge that I heard brought against him was his + frequent habit of _whistling_!--This fact has been mentioned, + as corroborating an observation of the same kind, by Mr. + Urquhart ("Spirit of the East," vol. i. pp. 417 and 418), all + of whose opinions relating to the East, expressed in the work + here referred to, and especially those regarding the + characteristics of the Eastern _mind_, are entitled to the + highest respect. + + [A very remarkable instance, confirming Mr. Lane's opinion of + the existence of true love among the Arabs, occurred during my + residence with him in Cairo. The wife of a man of good birth, + and holding a high position in that city, was accused of + carrying on an intrigue while visiting the tombs of her + relations. Her family claimed her in accordance with the law, + and threatened to put her to death, as the law would + undoubtedly have justified them in doing, if the case were + proved against her. Her husband was much attached to her--she + was his first and only wife--and he believed, with reason, that + the accusation was false: at the same time he knew that she + would in all likelihood find it impossible to clear herself in + a court of law, where justice is only accidentally awarded, and + had good cause to fear that her male relations would put her to + death without a hearing. He therefore adopted the extraordinary + expedient of taking her secretly to the house of a married + European gentleman of his acquaintance. There she remained + concealed for some time, her husband visiting her daily, and + shewing the most perfect confidence in his friend; while the + latter was almost confined to one room, never venturing into + the [h.]areem without calling "Permission!" at every few steps. + In the mean time, the indignation of the lady's friends cooled, + and the affair was cleared up. She has since lived in perfect + happiness with her husband. + + To any one familiar with Eastern customs and modes of thought, + a stronger proof of sincere love could scarcely be given, than + that a man should thus set aside the strongest prejudices of + his nation to save the honour, and perhaps the life, of his + wife, disbelieving a report which, from its plausibility, might + have been accepted without hesitation. The facilities afforded + by the visits to the cemeteries are notorious, and the state of + morals among the women of Egypt unfortunately makes their + defence difficult in a suspicious case.--ED.] + + [357] Kitab el-'Onwan fee Mekaid en-Niswan (MS. in my + possession). + + [358] This word slightly varied (changed to [d.]a'eefih) bears + another meaning; namely, "his weak one:" the final vowel being + suppressed by the rule of wa[k.]f. + + [359] Kitab el-'Onwan, &c. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH NIGHT,[VIII_1] AND +ENDING WITH PART OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVENTH. + +THE STORY OF TAJ-EL-MULOOK AND THE LADY DUNYA. + + +There was, in former times, a city behind the mountains of I[s.]pahan, +called El-Medeeneh el-Kha[d.]ra,[VIII_2] and in it resided a King +called the King Suleyman. He was a person of liberality and beneficence, +and justice and integrity, and of a generous and obliging disposition: +travellers repaired to him from every quarter, and his fame spread +throughout all the regions and countries; and he reigned a long time in +glory and security; but he was destitute of children and of wives. + +He had a Wezeer who nearly resembled him in his qualities, in liberality +and other endowments; and it came to pass that he sent to this Wezeer +one day, and having summoned him into his presence, said to him, O +Wezeer, my heart is contracted, and my patience is overcome, and my +strength is impaired, because I have neither a wife nor a child: this is +not the usual way of Kings who rule over lords and poor men; for they +rejoice in leaving children, and multiplying by them the number of their +posterity; and the Prophet (God bless and save him!) hath said, +Intermarry, and beget offspring, that ye may increase in number; for I +shall contend for your superiority with the other nations on the day of +resurrection.--What, then, is thy counsel, O Wezeer? Point out to me +what is advisable.--But when the Wezeer heard these words, tears poured +from his eyes, and he replied, Far be it from me, O King of the age, +that I should speak of that which belongeth unto the Compassionate to +decide![VIII_3] Dost thou desire that I should enter the fire of +Hell, through the anger of the Almighty King?--Know, O Wezeer, rejoined +his sovereign, that, if the King purchase a female slave whose rank and +lineage are unknown, he will not be acquainted with her ignoble origin +that he may abstain from her, or the nobility of her extraction that he +may make her his companion: so, if he do this, she may perhaps bear him +a son who may be a hypocrite, a tyrant, a shedder of blood; and she may +resemble a marshy land, the produce of which is worthless, and attaineth +no excellence: her child may be obnoxious to the indignation of his +Lord, not doing what He commandeth him, nor refraining from that which +He forbiddeth him to do. I will never, therefore, be the means of such +an event by purchasing a female slave. I desire, rather, that thou +demand in marriage for me one of the daughters of the Kings, whose +lineage is known, and whose loveliness is celebrated. If, then, thou +wilt point out to me one of good birth and of religion among the +daughters of the Muslim Kings, I will demand her as my wife, and marry +her in the presence of witnesses, that I may thereby obtain the approval +of the Lord of mankind.--The Wezeer replied, Verily God hath +accomplished thy want and given thee thy desire.--How so? asked the +King.--Know, O King, answered the Wezeer, that it hath been told me that +the King Zahr Shah, the sovereign of El-Ar[d.] el-Bey[d.]a,[VIII_4] +hath a daughter of astonishing loveliness, whom words cannot describe, +whose equal existeth not in this age, for she is endowed with the most +perfect beauty and symmetry, with black eye, and long hair, and slender +waist, and large hips; when she approacheth she seduceth, and when she +turneth her back she killeth, ravishing the heart and the eye. It is my +opinion, therefore, O King, that thou shouldst send to her father an +intelligent messenger, well-informed, and experienced in the course of +events, that he may courteously ask her in marriage for thee of her +father; for she hath no equal in the distant parts of the earth, nor in +the near; so shalt thou enjoy her lovely face, and the Glorious King +shall approve thy conduct; since it hath been handed down from the +Prophet (God bless and save him!) that he said, There is no monkery in +El-Islam. + +Upon this, the King was perfectly delighted, his bosom expanded with +joy, and anxiety and grief departed from him; and, addressing his +Wezeer, he said to him, Know, O Wezeer, that no one shall go on this +business but thou, on account of thy consummate wisdom and politeness: +depart, therefore, to thy house, and accomplish what thou hast to do, +and prepare thyself by the morrow, and demand for me in marriage this +damsel with whom thou hast caused my heart to be engrossed, and return +not to me without her. The Wezeer replied, I hear and obey:--and he went +to his house, and gave orders to bring presents suitable to Kings, +consisting of costly jewels and precious rarities, such as were light to +carry and of great value, together with Arab horses, and Davidean coats +of mail,[VIII_5] and chests of wealth such as language would fail +to describe. These they placed upon the mules and camels, and the Wezeer +departed, accompanied by a hundred memlooks and a hundred male black +slaves and a hundred female slaves, and the flags and banners were +unfurled over his head. The King charged him to return soon; and after +his departure, the King Suleyman Shah burned with desire, and became +engrossed with love of the damsel night and day. Meanwhile, the Wezeer, +by night and by day traversed the deserts and wastes until there +remained between him and the city to which he was repairing one day's +journey, when he alighted at the bank of a river, and, having summoned +one of his chief officers, ordered him to go quickly to the King Zahr +Shah, and to acquaint him with his approach. He answered, I hear and +obey:--and went quickly to the city; and when he arrived there, it +happened that the King Zahr Shah was sitting in one of the places of +recreation before the gate of the city, and, seeing him as he entered, +knew him to be a stranger, and summoned him before him. So when the +messenger came to him, he informed him of the approach of the Wezeer of +the supreme King Suleyman Shah, the King of El-Ar[d.] el-Kha[d.]ra and +of the mountains of I[s.]pahan; and the King Zahr Shah rejoiced, and +welcomed the messenger, and, having conducted him to his palace, said to +him, Where didst thou part from the Wezeer? He answered, I parted from +him in the morning at the bank of such a river, and to-morrow he will +arrive and visit thee: may God continue his favours unto thee, and show +mercy unto thy parents![VIII_6] Zahr Shah then ordered one of his +wezeers to take with him the greater number of his chief officers and +chamberlains and lieutenants and the lords of his court, and to go forth +with them to meet him, in honour of the King Suleyman Shah; for his +dominion extended through the land. + +In the mean time, the Wezeer of Suleyman Shah remained where he had +halted until midnight, and then proceeded towards the city; and when the +morning gleamed, and the sun shone upon the hills and the lowlands, +suddenly the Wezeer of the King Zahr Shah, and his chamberlains and the +lords of his court and the chief officers of his kingdom, approached and +joined him at the distance of some leagues from the city. So the Wezeer +of Suleyman Shah felt sure of the accomplishment of his business, and +saluted those who met him; and the latter preceded him until they +arrived at the palace of the King, and passed in before him through the +entrance to the seventh vestibule. This was the place which no one +entered on horseback; for it was near to the King; therefore here the +Wezeer alighted, and he proceeded on foot until he came to a lofty +saloon, at the upper end of which was a couch of alabaster set with +pearls and jewels, having four legs of elephants' tusks, and upon it was +a mattress covered with green satin embroidered with red gold, and over +it was a canopy adorned with pearls and jewels. Upon this couch sat the +King Zahr Shah, and the lords of his court stood in attendance upon him. +And when the Wezeer went in unto him, and stood before him, he composed +his heart, and gave liberty to his tongue, and, displaying the oratory +of wezeers, and uttering the language of the eloquent, addressed the +King with courtesy of manner, and recited a series of complimentary +verses; and when he had finished, the King caused him to draw near, +treated him with the utmost respect, and, seating him by his side, +smiled in his face, and honoured him with a gracious reply. After this, +the attendants brought forward the table in that saloon, and they ate +until they were satisfied, when the attendants removed the table, and +every one who was present went forth, except the chief officers. When +the Wezeer, therefore, saw that they had quitted the hall, he rose and +stood on his feet, and, complimenting the King, kissed the ground before +him, and said, O great King, and dignified sovereign, I have come unto +thee and visited thee on an affair productive of peace and prosperity +and happiness unto thee; and it is this: I have come to thee as an +ambassador to desire in marriage thy daughter, the distinguished by rank +and lineage, from the King Suleyman Shah, who is endowed with justice +and integrity, and graciousness and beneficence, the King of El-Ar[d.] +el-Kha[d.]ra and of the mountains of I[s.]pahan, and he hath sent unto +thee many presents and numerous rarities, desiring thine alliance. Dost +thou then wish the same of him?--He then stood silent, waiting for the +answer; and when the King Zahr Shah heard these words, he rose upon his +feet, and modestly kissed the ground; and the persons who were present +wondered at the King's condescension to the ambassador, and their minds +were amazed. The King then offered up praises unto Him who is possessed +of glory and honour, and said, still standing, O exalted Wezeer, and +illustrious lord, hear what I say: we are, unto the King Suleyman Shah, +among the number of his subjects, and shall be ennobled by his affinity: +we covet this distinction; and my daughter is one of his handmaids. This +is my greatest desire; that he may be a means of support to me, and my +reliance.--And he summoned the [K.]a[d.]ees and witnesses, and they bore +witness that the King Suleyman Shah had appointed his Wezeer as his +deputy to effect the marriage, and the King Zahr Shah joyfully +officiated for his daughter in performing the contract; so the +[K.]a[d.]ees concluded the marriage-contract, and offered up a prayer +for the happiness and prosperity of both parties: after which, the +Wezeer arose, and produced the presents and precious rarities, and all +the gifts that he had brought, and offered the whole to the King Zahr +Shah. + +[Illustration] + +The King then occupied himself in fitting out his daughter, and in +honourably entertaining the Wezeer; and he feasted at his banquets the +great and the abject, and continued the festivity for a period of two +months, omitting in it nothing that would rejoice the heart and the +eye.[VIII_7] And when everything that the bride required was +completed, the King gave orders to carry forth the tents, and they were +pitched outside the city. They packed the stuffs in the chests, and made +ready the Greek and Turkish female slaves; and the King provided the +bride with precious treasures and costly jewels, and made for her a +litter[VIII_8] of red gold adorned with pearls and jewels, +appropriating to her use ten mules for the journey. The litter appeared +like a private chamber, and its occupant like one of the beautiful +[H.]ooreeyehs,[VIII_9] her canopy resembling one of the pavilions +of Paradise. They packed up the treasures and wealth, and placed them +upon the mules and camels, and the King Zahr Shah went with them to the +distance of three leagues, and then bade farewell to his daughter and +the Wezeer and his attendants, and returned home in joy and safety. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +The Wezeer proceeded with the King's daughter, and continued his days' +journeys and his route over the wastes, travelling with diligence by +night and day, until there remained between him and his country a +journey of three days; whereupon he sent forward a messenger to the King +Suleyman Shah to inform him of the approach of the bride. So the +messenger hasted in his journey till he arrived in the presence of the +King, and acquainted him with the approach of the bride; and the King +was rejoiced, and bestowed a robe of honour upon the messenger, and +ordered his troops to go forth in grand procession to meet the bride and +her attendants with honour, desiring them to equip themselves in the +gayest manner, and to unfurl the standards over their heads. And they +complied with his commands; and a crier proclaimed through the city, +that no curtained damsel nor honoured lady nor infirm old woman should +fail to go forth to meet the bride. So they all went forth to meet her, +and the chief among them accompanied her to serve her. They decided +together to conduct her towards night to the King's palace, and the +chief officers of the court agreed to decorate the streets, and to stand +while the bride passed by them with the eunuchs and female slaves before +her, she herself being clad in the dress which her father gave her. And +when she approached, the troops surrounded her, ranged on the right and +left, and the litter advanced with her until it drew near to the palace; +and there was no one who did not come forth to see it: the drums were +beaten, and the spears brandished, and the trumpets sounded, and sweet +odours were diffused around, and the standards flapped, and the horses +raced with each other, until they arrived at the gate of the palace, +when the pages advanced with the litter to the entrance of the +[H.]areem: the palace was illuminated by its splendour, and its walls +shone with the lustre of its ornaments; and at night the eunuchs opened +the doors of the inner apartment, and stood surrounding the chief +entrance. The bride then came forward among the female slaves, like the +moon among the stars, or the chief pearl among the minor pearls of the +string, and she entered the apartment, where they had placed for her a +couch of alabaster set with pearls and jewels. Upon this she seated +herself, and the King came in to visit her, and God inspired his heart +with love for her, so that his disquietude and trouble ceased. + +He remained with her about a month, after which he went forth and sat +upon his throne, and administered justice to his subjects; and towards +daybreak on the morning after the expiration of the ninth month, his +wife gave birth to a male child of an auspicious appearance. When the +King heard of it, he rejoiced exceedingly, and gave a large sum of money +to the bearer of the good tidings; and in his joy he went to the child, +and kissed him between the eyes, wondering at his surpassing beauty. The +midwives took him, and blackened the edges of his eyelids with +ko[h.]l;[VIII_10] and they named him Taj-el-Mulook Kharan.[VIII_11] He +was nourished on the bosom of indulgence, and reared in the lap of +prosperity, and days and years passed until he attained the age of seven +years; whereupon the King Suleyman Shah summoned the men of learning and +science, and ordered them to instruct his son in writing and science and +polite literature, and they continued to do so for some years, until he +had learnt what was requisite; and when he was acquainted with all that +the King desired, he caused him to be brought from the professors and +teachers, and engaged for him a master to instruct him in horsemanship, +who continued to teach him until his pupil was fourteen years of age. +Whenever the youth went forth on any business, every one who beheld him +was ravished by his beauty, so that they composed verses in his praise, +and even the women of virtue were overcome by love for him, through the +surpassing beauty with which he was endowed. And when he had attained +the age of eighteen years, the grey down appeared upon a mole on his red +cheek, while another mole, like a globule of ambergris, added to these +charms, and he captivated the minds and eyes of his beholders. His +comeliness increased as he became a man, and he had companions and +friends, and every one who enjoyed access to him wished that +Taj-el-Mulook might be Sul[t.]an after the death of his father, and that +he might himself be one of his emeers. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +Now Taj-el-Mulook became addicted to hunting, and would not desist from +it for a single hour. His father, the King, used to forbid him this +pursuit, fearing, on his account, the perils of the desert and the wild +beasts; but he would not receive his warnings. And it came to pass that +he said to his servants, Take with you provender for ten days. And they +complied with his order; and when he went forth with his followers to +the chase, they proceeded over the desert, and continued their course +for four days, until they came in sight of a verdant tract, where they +beheld wild beasts ranging at large, and trees with ripe fruit, and +springs gushing forth; so he said to his followers, Set here the nets, +and enlarge their circle, and our place of meeting shall be at the +extremity of the circle, at such a spot. They therefore obeyed his +commands: they set the nets, and enlarged their circle, and there +collected within them an abundance and a variety of wild beasts and +gazelles, in such numbers that the wild beasts cried out in fear of +them, and threw themselves in the faces of the horses in their attempts +to escape. So he urged the dogs and the lynxes[VIII_12] and the +hawks at them; and they shot the wild beasts with arrows, striking them +in mortal places, and they arrived not at the further extremity of the +circle without having taken, of the wild beasts, a great number; the +rest having fled away. Taj-el-Mulook then alighted at some water, and, +having caused the game to be brought before him, divided it: he +appropriated to his father, Suleyman Shah, the best of the beasts, and +despatched the portion to him; and some he distributed among the +officers of his court. + +They passed the night at that place; and in the morning there approached +them a great caravan, comprising black slaves and servants and +merchants. The caravan halted at the water and the verdant tract; and +when Taj-el-Mulook beheld them, he said to one of his companions, Bring +me an account of these people, and ask them wherefore they have halted +in this place. And when the messenger went to them, he said to them, +Inform us who ye are, and return an answer quickly. So they replied, We +are merchants, and have halted here for the sake of rest, for the next +station is distant from us; and we have halted in this place because we +here enjoy tranquillity under the protection of the King Suleyman Shah +and his son; for we know that every one who alighteth in his dominions +is in safety and peace; and we have some precious stuffs which we have +brought on account of his son Taj-el-Mulook. The messenger, therefore, +returned to the King's son, and acquainted him with the truth of the +matter, informing him of what he had heard from the merchants; and the +King's son said, If they have anything which they have brought on my +account, I will not enter the city nor remove from this place until I +cause it to be displayed before me. He then mounted his horse, and +proceeded, his memlooks following him, until he drew near to the +caravan; and the merchants rose to him, and greeted him with prayers for +the divine aid and favour, and the continuance of his glory and his +excellencies. A tent of red satin embroidered with pearls and jewels was +pitched for him, and they spread for him, over a carpet of silk, a royal +carpet, the upper end of which was adorned with emeralds: and +Taj-el-Mulook seated himself, and the memlooks stood waiting upon him; +and he sent to the merchants, commanding them to bring everything that +they had with them. So they approached him with their merchandise, and +he caused all of it to be displayed before him, and took of it what +suited him, and gave them the price. + +After this, he mounted, and was about to depart; when, casting a glance +at the caravan, he saw a young man, a comely youth, attired in clean +clothes, of elegant person, with shining forehead and brilliant +countenance; but the charms of this youth had suffered a change, and +paleness had overspread him, in consequence of his separation from the +objects of his affection; great was his groaning and lamentation, and, +with tears flowing from his eyes, he recited these verses:-- + + Our separation is protracted, and anxiety and fear are prolonged; + and tears from my eye, O my friend, are flowing. + I bade farewell to my heart on the day of parting, and now I am alone, + without heart, and without hope. + O my friend, pause with me while I bid her farewell by whose voice + diseases and infirmities would be cured. + +Having thus said, he wept a while, and fell down in a swoon, while +Taj-el-Mulook looked at him, wondering at his case; and when he +recovered, he stared with a bold look, and again recited some verses, +commencing thus:-- + + Beware of her eye; for it is enchanting, and none escapeth upon + whom it is cast. + +He then uttered a loud sigh, and a second time swooned; and when +Taj-el-Mulook beheld him in this state, he was perplexed at his case, +and walked towards him; and as soon as he recovered from his fit, he saw +the King's son standing at his head; whereupon he rose upon his feet, +and kissed the ground before him; and Taj-el-Mulook said to him, +Wherefore hast thou not displayed thy merchandise to us?--O my lord, he +answered, my merchandise compriseth nothing suitable to thy highness. +But the King's son said, Thou must positively shew me what thou hast, +and acquaint me with thy circumstances; for I see thee with weeping eye +and mourning heart; and if thou be oppressed, we will put an end to the +oppression that thou sufferest; and if thou be in debt, we will +discharge thy debt; for my heart hath been tormented on thine account +since I first beheld thee. + +Then Taj-el-Mulook gave orders to place a chair; and they set for him a +chair of ivory and ebony ornamented with reticulated work of gold and +silk, and they spread for him a silken carpet; and Taj-el-Mulook seated +himself upon the chair, and commanded the young man to sit upon the +carpet, and said to him, Display to me thy merchandise. The young man +replied, O my lord, mention it not unto me; for my merchandise is not +suitable to thee. But Taj-el-Mulook said to him, It must be done:--and +ordered some of his pages to bring it: so they brought it in spite of +him; and when the young man beheld it, his tears flowed, and he wept and +sighed and lamented, and groans rose from his throat. After again +repeating some verses, he opened his merchandise, and displayed it +before Taj-el-Mulook, portion by portion and piece by piece, and took +forth from among it a garment of satin interwoven with gold, worth two +thousand pieces of gold; and when he opened this, there fell from the +midst of it a piece of linen, and the young man, snatching it hastily, +put it beneath him, his reason wandering, and thus exclaimed.-- + + When will the tortured heart be healed by thee? The constellation + of the Pleiades is nearer to me than thou! + +Taj-el-Mulook was struck with the utmost wonder at his words, not +knowing the cause of them; and when the young man took the piece of +linen, and put it beneath him, Taj-el-Mulook said to him, What is this +piece of linen? He answered, O my lord, thou hast no interest in this. +But the King's son said, Shew it to me.--O my lord, he replied, I +refrained not from exposing to thee my merchandise but on account of +this; for I cannot allow thee to see it. Taj-el-Mulook, however, said, I +must see it:--and he urged him, and was angry. The young man, therefore, +took it from beneath his knee, and wept and sighed and lamented +exceedingly: so Taj-el-Mulook said to him, I regard thy conduct as not +right: acquaint me then with the cause of thy weeping at beholding this +piece of linen. And when the young man heard the mention of the piece of +linen, he sighed, and said, O my lord, my story is wonderful, and my +case is strange with respect to this piece of linen and her to whom it +belonged, and her who designed these figures and emblems. He then +unfolded the piece of linen; and lo, in it was the figure of a gazelle +worked with silk, and embroidered with red gold, and facing it was the +figure of another gazelle worked with silver, and having upon its neck a +ring of red gold and three [k.]a[s.]abehs[VIII_13] of chrysolite. +When Taj-el-Mulook beheld this, and observed the beauty of its +execution, he exclaimed, Extolled be the perfection of God, who hath +taught man that which he knew not![VIII_14] And his heart was +engrossed with desire to hear the story of this young man; so he said to +him, Relate to me the story of thyself and of her who was the owner of +these gazelles. The young man, therefore, replied,-- + + +THE STORY OF 'AZEEZ AND 'AZEEZEH. + +Know, O my lord, that my father was a great merchant, and he was blest +with no child but me. I had a cousin (the daughter of a paternal uncle) +with whom I was brought up in my father's house; for her father had +died, and before his death he had made an agreement with my father that +they should marry me to her: so, when I had attained to manhood, and she +to womanhood, they did not exclude her from me, nor me from her. My +father then spoke to my mother, and said to her, This year we will +perform the marriage-contract of 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh.[VIII_15] And +having agreed with my mother to do this, he began to make ready the +provisions for the entertainments. + +All this was done while I and my cousin were living together without the +slightest restraint, and ignorant of the circumstance; and she was more +intelligent and more knowing than I. And when my father had made the +preparations for the festivity, and nothing remained but the performance +of the contract, and my union to my cousin, my father proposed that they +should perform the contract after the Friday-prayers: so he repaired to +his friends, the merchants and others, and acquainted them with his +intention; and my mother went and invited her female friends and +relations. And when the Friday came, they washed the saloon which was +appropriated to the guests, and cleansed its marble pavement, and spread +the carpets in our house, and furnished it with everything that was +requisite, after they had decorated its walls with stuffs interwoven +with gold; the people having agreed to pay their compliments to our +family after the Friday-prayers. My father then went and caused +sweetmeats and dishes of sugar to be prepared; and there remained +nothing but the performance of the contract. My mother had sent me to +the bath, and sent after me a new suit of clothes of the richest +description; and on my coming out from the bath, I put on this handsome +suit, which was perfumed; and when I put it on, a delicious odour was +diffused from it, and left a fragrance in the way. + +[Illustration] + +I desired now to repair to the mosque; but, remembering one of my +friends, I returned to search for him, that he might be present at the +ceremony of the contract, saying within myself, I will busy me with this +affair until the time of prayer draws near. I then entered a by-street +which I had never entered before. I was perspiring from the effect of +the bath and the new clothes which I wore, and the moisture dropped from +me while my perfumes diffused their odour; so I seated myself at the +upper end of the street to take rest upon a ma[s.][t.]abah, and spread +beneath me an embroidered handkerchief that I had with me. The heat +became oppressive to me, and my forehead perspired, and the drops ran +down my face, and I could not wipe the moisture from it with my +handkerchief because it was spread beneath me: I was therefore about to +take the skirt of my farajeeyeh to wipe with it my cheek, when suddenly +a white handkerchief fell upon me from above. This handkerchief was more +delicate to the feel than the zephyr, and the sight of it was more +pleasant than restoration to the diseased; and I took it in my hand, +and, raising my head to see whence it had fallen, my eye met the eye of +the female who owned these gazelles; and lo, she was looking out from a +lattice in a window of brass. My eye never beheld a person more lovely, +and altogether her charms were such as the tongue cannot describe; and +when she saw me looking at her, she put her finger in her mouth, and +then united her middle finger and her fore finger, and placed them upon +her bosom; after which, she drew in her head from the window, and shut +the lattice and withdrew. A fire had been darted into my heart, and the +flame increased; the sight drew from me a thousand sighs, and I was +perplexed; for I heard not anything from her, and understood not what +she meant by her signs. I looked again towards the window; but found it +closed: and I waited until sunset; but heard no sound, nor saw any +person; so, despairing of seeing her again, I rose from my place, and +took the handkerchief with me. I opened it, and the odour of musk was +diffused from it, and I was so exhilarated by the scent that I seemed as +if I were in paradise. I then spread it before me; whereupon there fell +from it a piece of delicate paper, and, opening this, I found it richly +perfumed with exquisite scents, and inscribed with these verses:-- + + I sent a letter to complain to him of the pain of my passion, + in a delicate handwriting (for handwritings are various); + So my beloved said, Wherefore is thy writing thus delicate and minute, + so as scarce to be discernible? + I answered, Because I am wasted and attenuated: so, therefore, + should the writing of lovers be. + +After this, I cast a glance at the beauty of the handkerchief, and +beheld an amatory couplet worked upon one of its two borders,[VIII_16] +and another, of a similar kind, on its other border. + +When I saw these verses upon the handkerchief, a flame of fire shot into +my heart, and my desire and perplexity increased; and I took the +handkerchief and the paper, and went with them to the house, not knowing +any means of obtaining what I desired, and incapable of discovering how +to proceed properly in my love. I arrived not at the house until a +considerable portion of the night had elapsed, and beheld my cousin +sitting weeping; but when she saw me, she wiped away her tears, and +approached me, and took off from me my outer clothes, and asked me the +cause of my absence. She told me that all the people, the emeers and +grandees, and merchants and others, had assembled in our house, and the +[K.]a[d.]ee and the witnesses had come, and they ate the repast, and +remained a considerable while sitting in expectation of my presence for +the purpose of performing the marriage-contract, and when they despaired +of my coming, they dispersed and went their ways.--Thy father, said she, +was violently enraged on account of this, and swore that he would not +perform our marriage-contract until next year; for he hath expended upon +this festivity a large sum of money. What, she added, hath happened unto +thee this day, that thou hast delayed thy return until now, and that +this hath happened on account of thine absence? + +I answered her, Such and such things have happened to me:--and +mentioned to her the handkerchief, acquainting her with the affair from +first to last: and she took the paper and the handkerchief, and read +what was upon them, and her tears ran down upon her cheeks; and she +asked me, What did she say to thee, and of what did she make signs to +thee? I answered, She uttered not a word; but put her finger in her +mouth, and then united it with the middle finger, and placed both +fingers upon her bosom, and pointed to the ground: then she drew in her +head, and closed the lattice, and I saw her not afterwards. She carried +off my heart with her, and I sat until sunset in expectation of her +looking out from the lattice a second time; but she did it not; and when +I despaired of seeing her again, I rose from the place. This is my +story; and I beg of thee to aid me in the trouble in which I am +involved.--Upon this, she raised her head towards me, and said, O son of +my uncle, if thou requiredst mine eye, I would pull it out for thee from +my eyelids; and I must assist thee in the accomplishment of thy desire, +and assist her in like manner; for she is overwhelmed by love for thee, +as thou art by love for her.--And what, said I, is the interpretation of +the signs which she made?--Her putting her finger in her mouth, she +answered, indicateth that thou art in her estimation as her soul to her +body,[VIII_17] and that she longeth for thy union with her; and as +to the handkerchief, it is a signal of the lover's salutation to the +beloved; and the paper denoteth that her soul is captivated by thee; and +as to her putting her two fingers upon her bosom, the meaning of it is +as though she said to thee, After two days come hither, that my +affliction may be dissipated by thy countenance.[VIII_18] And know, +O son of my uncle, she continued, that she loveth thee and confideth in +thee. This is my interpretation of her signs; and if I had liberty to go +in and out at pleasure, I would effect thy union with her in the +shortest time, and protect you both with my skirt.--When I heard these +words from her, said the young man, I thanked her for what she had said, +and I said within myself, I will wait two days. I then remained two days +in the house, neither going out nor coming in, nor eating nor drinking. +I put my head in the lap of my cousin; and she cheered me by her +conversation, and said to me, Be resolute and of good heart, and dress +thyself, and repair to her at the time appointed. And she arose, and +changed my clothes, and perfumed me with incense. + +I then braced up my nerves, and fortified my heart, and went forth, and +proceeded until I entered the by-street, and after I had sat a while +upon the ma[s.][t.]abah, lo, the lattice opened. I looked towards the +damsel, and when I saw her I fell down in a swoon: then recovering, I +summoned resolution, and took heart, and looked at her a second time; +but again I became insensible; and when I recovered, I saw with her a +mirror and a red handkerchief. Observing me now, she tucked up her +sleeves from her fore arms, and, opening her five fingers, struck her +bosom with them (with the palm and the five fingers): next she raised +her hands, and held forth the mirror from the lattice, and took the red +handkerchief, and retired with it; after which she returned, and let it +down from the lattice towards the street three times, letting it down +and raising it, and then wringing it and twisting it with her hand, and +bending down her head: she then drew it in through the lattice, and +closed the lattice, and departed, without speaking to me one word, but +leaving me in perplexity, not knowing to what she alluded. I remained +sitting there until the hour of nightfall, and went home near +midnight. + +[Illustration] + +I found my cousin with her hand placed to her cheek, and her eyelids +pouring forth tears; and upon this, my anxieties and griefs increased, +and I fell down in a corner of the chamber; but she sprang towards me, +and lifted me up, and, having taken off from me my outer clothes, wiped +my face with her sleeve, and asked me what had happened to me. I +related to her, therefore, all that had happened on the part of the +damsel: and she said to me, O son of my uncle, as to her sign with +her hand and five fingers, its interpretation is, Come hither after +five days:--and as to her sign with the mirror, and her putting +forth her head from the lattice [and her actions with the red +handkerchief],[VIII_19] the meaning is, Seat thyself at the shop of +the dyer until my messenger shall come to thee.--When I heard her words, +fire burned in my heart, and I replied, By Allah, O daughter of my +uncle, thou sayest truly in this interpretation; for I saw in the +by-street a Jewish dyer. I then wept, and my cousin said, Be resolute, +and firm of heart; for others than thou are troubled with love for a +period of years, and contend with the fierceness of passion, while thou +hast but a week to endure: wherefore then should this impatience +overcome thee? And she proceeded to cheer me with her conversation, and +brought me food; and I took a morsel, and would have eaten it; but I +could not. I abstained from drink and food, and renounced the delights +of sleep, and my complexion became pallid, and my charms became changed; +for I had never known love before that, nor tasted the fervency of that +passion before; and I fell sick, and my cousin became sick on my +account. She occupied herself in relating to me the sufferings of +lovers, in order to enliven me, until I fell asleep; and I used to +awake, and find her sleepless on my account, with her tears flowing upon +her cheeks; and thus I remained until the five days had passed, when my +cousin arose, and heated some water for me, and bathed me with it, and +dressed me, and said to me, Repair to her, and may Allah accomplish thy +wish, and grant thee what thou desirest of thy beloved. + +So I went, and walked on until I came to the upper end of the by-street, +and that day was Saturday; so I found the shop of the dyer shut: and I +sat there till the call to afternoon-prayers; and the sun became yellow, +and the call to evening-prayers was chanted; and night commenced, and I +saw no trace of her, nor heard a voice, nor received any message: I +therefore feared for myself, sitting alone; and I rose and walked away, +like one intoxicated, until I entered the house. + +There, on going in, I beheld my cousin 'Azeezeh with one of her hands +holding a peg knocked into the wall, and her other hand upon her bosom; +and she was groaning, and reciting verses; but when she had finished her +recitation, she turned her eyes towards me, and beheld me; whereupon she +wiped away her tears and mine with her sleeve, and, smiling in my face, +said to me, O son of my uncle, Allah grant thee enjoyment of that which +He hath given thee! Wherefore hast thou not visited thy beloved this +night?--And when I heard her words, I kicked her with my foot upon her +bosom, and she fell down upon the raised floor, and there was a peg +there, and it wounded her forehead. On looking at her I saw that her +forehead was cut open, and her blood was flowing; yet she was silent, +and uttered not a single letter; but rose immediately, and burned some +tinder of rags, and, having closed with it the wound, tied a bandage +round her head, and wiped away the blood that had flowed upon the +carpet; and it was as though this accident had not occurred. She then +came to me, and, smiling in my face, said to me with a gentle voice, By +Allah, O son of my uncle, I said not this to make a jest of thee or of +her. I was troubled just now by the aching of my head, and with wiping +away the blood: but at the present moment the pain of my head is +alleviated, and that of my forehead: tell me therefore what hath +happened to thee this day.--So I related to her all that had befallen me +through the conduct of that damsel on this day; and after I had done so +I wept; but she said to me, Rejoice at the announcement of the success +of thy desire, and the accomplishment of thy hope. Verily this is a sign +of acceptance: for she absented herself from thee because she desireth +to try thee, and to know whether thou art patient or not, and whether +thou art sincere in thy love of her or not. To-morrow go to her, and +station thyself at thy first place, and see what sign she will make to +thee; for thy happiness is near, and thy sorrow is dissipated.--And she +proceeded to console me; but I ceased not to increase in anxiety and +grief. She then placed the food before me; but I kicked it with my foot, +and the contents of each saucer were scattered about; and I said, Every +one who is in love is insane, and inclineth not to food, nor findeth +pleasure in sleep.--By Allah, O son of my uncle, exclaimed my cousin +'Azeezeh, these are indeed symptoms of love! And her tears flowed, and +she gathered together the fragments of the saucers, and wiped up the +food that was spilt, and sat chatting to me, while I prayed to God that +He would hasten the morning. + +And when the morning came, and diffused its light, I repaired to the +damsel, and entered hastily the by-street, where I seated myself upon +the ma[s.][t.]abah before mentioned; and lo, the window was opened, and +she put forth her head from it, laughing. She then retired, and returned +bringing a mirror, and a bag, and a pot filled with green plants, and +having also in her hand a lamp: and the first thing that she did was +this: she took the mirror in her hand, and put it into the bag: then she +tied it up and threw it back into the chamber. After this, she let down +her hair over her face, and put the lamp upon the top of the green +plants for a moment, and then took all these things and departed with +them, and closed the lattice. My heart was riven by her secret signs and +her obscure intimations, for she addressed me not with a single word, +and my passion grew more violent thereat, and my excitement and +distraction increased. + +I retraced my steps with weeping eye and sorrowful heart until I entered +the house, where I saw my cousin sitting with her face to the wall: her +heart was burning with anxiety and grief and jealousy; but her affection +prevented her from acquainting me at all with the passion which she felt +on witnessing my excessive love and distraction. I then looked at her +again, and saw that she had, on her head, two bandages: one of them was +on account of the accident that had happened to her forehead, and the +other was upon her eye, on account of a pain that she suffered in +consequence of the violence of her weeping. She was in a most miserable +case, weeping, and reciting these verses:-- + + Wherever thou be, mayst thou be in safety, O thou who departest, + and yet dwellest in my heart! + May God be near thee wherever thou goest, to deliver thee from + vicissitudes and from misfortunes! + Thou hast gone, and mine eye is cheerless through thine absence, + and my tears are flowing--O how abundantly! + +And when she had ended her recitation, she looked towards me and saw me +as she wept, and she wiped away her tears, and rose to me; but she could +not speak, from the excessive love with which she was affected, and she +remained for some time silent; after which, she said to me, O son of my +uncle, tell me what thou hast experienced from her on this occasion. And +I told her all that had happened to me; whereupon she said to me, Be +patient; for the time of thy union is come, and thou hast attained the +object of thy hopes. As to the sign that she made to thee with the +mirror, and her putting it into the bag, it is equivalent to her saying +to thee, Wait until the sun shall have set:--and as to her letting fall +her hair over her face, it implieth her saying to thee, When night +cometh, and letteth fall its black shade over the light of day, come +hither:--and the sign that she made to thee with the pot containing the +plants meant that she would say to thee, When thou comest, enter the +garden that is behind the by-street:--and the sign which she made to +thee with the lamp denoted her saying to thee, When thou enterest the +garden, to the place where thou findest the lighted lamp do thou repair, +and seat thyself beneath it, and there wait for me; for the love of thee +destroyeth me.--But when I heard these words of my cousin, I cried out +from the excess of my passion, and said, How many times dost thou +promise me, and I go to her and attain not my desire, nor find a true +meaning to thine interpretation? And upon this, my cousin laughed, and +replied, It remaineth for thee to have patience during the rest of this +day, until the daylight is gone, and the night cometh with its deep +darkness, and then shalt thou enjoy thy union and the accomplishment of +thy hopes; and these words are true, without any falsehood. She then +drew near to me, and comforted me with soft words, but dared not bring +me any food, fearing that I should be angry with her, and hoping that I +might incline to her with favour: she only came to me, and took off my +outer clothes: after which she said to me, O son of my uncle, sit with +me that I may converse with thee to amuse thee until the close of the +day, and, if it be the will of God, the night shall not come without thy +being in the company of thy beloved. But I took no notice of her, +waiting for the night, and saying, O Allah, hasten the coming of the +night! And when it arrived, my cousin wept violently, and gave me a +grain of pure musk, saying to me, O son of my uncle, put this grain in +thy mouth, and when thou hast met thy Beloved, and she hath accepted thy +suit, recite to her this verse:-- + + O ye lovers, by Allah, inform me, how a youth should act when + his love is intense. + +She then kissed me, and desired me to swear that I would not recite this +verse until my departure from the damsel; and I replied, I hear and +obey. + +[Illustration] + +I went forth at the hour of nightfall, and proceeded until I came to the +garden. I found its gate open, and entered, and beheld a light in the +distance; so I advanced towards it, and when I arrived at it, I found +there a large ma[k.]'ad,[VIII_20] over which was constructed a dome +of ivory and ebony, and the lamp was suspended in the midst of the dome. +The ma[k.]'ad was furnished with silken carpets embroidered with gold +and silver; and there was a great lighted candle in a candlestick of +gold beneath the lamp: in the midst of the chamber was a fountain +ornamented with various designs:[VIII_21] by the side of this +fountain was a table of viands covered with a silk napkin, near which +was a large china bottle full of wine, with a cup of crystal adorned +with gilding; and by the side of all these things was a great tray of +silver, covered over. I uncovered it, and beheld in it a variety of +fruits, such as figs and pomegranates and grapes and oranges and citrons +of different kinds, together with various flowers, as roses and jasmine +and myrtle and eglantine and narcissus, and all kinds of sweet scents. I +was astonished at this place, and affected with the utmost delight, and +my anxiety and grief were dissipated; but I found not in this abode any +being of the creatures of God (whose name be exalted!); not even a male +or female slave did I see, nor the person who thus neglected these +things. I sat in this chamber, waiting for the coming of the beloved of +my heart, until the first hour of the night had passed, and the second +hour, and the third; but she came not; and hunger began to torment me +violently, for a long time had elapsed without my eating food, through +the excess of my passion; but when I beheld this place, and my cousin's +correct understanding of the signs made by my beloved became manifest to +me, I felt at ease; yet I still experienced the torment of hunger, and +the savoury odours of the food upon the table had excited my desire on +my arrival there. Feeling secure, therefore, of the attainment of my +object, and longing to eat, I approached the table, and took off the +cover, and found in the midst of it a dish of china containing four +fricandoed fowls seasoned with spices, around which were four +saucers; one containing sweetmeats; and another, conserve of +pomegranate-grains; and a third, ba[k.]laweh;[VIII_22] and the fourth, +[k.]a[t.]aif:[VIII_23] the contents of these saucers consisting +both of sweet and acid. So I ate of the [k.]a[t.]aif, and a piece of +meat, and I put my hand to the ba[k.]laweh and ate of it as much as was +agreeable, and then turned to the sweetmeat and ate a spoonful, or two, +or three, or four, and I ate a portion of a fowl, and a morsel of +another dish: and when I had done this, my stomach was full, and my +joints became loose, and I was too lazy to remain awake; so I laid my +head upon a cushion, after I had washed my hands, and sleep overcame me, +and I knew not what happened to me after this. I awoke not until the sun +scorched me (for some days had passed without my having tasted sleep); +and when I awoke, I found upon my stomach some salt and charcoal; and I +stood up and shook my clothes, and looked to the right and left, but +found no one: I discovered that I had been sleeping upon the marble +pavement without anything spread beneath me, and I was perplexed in my +mind, and mourned greatly; my tears ran down upon my cheeks, and I +lamented for myself. + +I then returned to the house, and when I arrived there I found my cousin +striking her hand upon her bosom, and weeping with tears like raining +clouds; but when she beheld me she arose quickly, and wiped away her +tears, and, addressing me with her soft speech, said to me, O son of my +uncle, God hath been gracious to thee in thy passion, since the person +whom thou lovest loveth thee, while _I_ remain weeping and mourning for +the separation of thee who findest fault with me; but may God not +chastise thee on my account! She then smiled in my face with the smile +of one in anger, and caressed me, and took off my outer clothes, and +spread them out, and said, By Allah, these are not the odours of one who +hath enjoyed the company of his beloved! Tell me, then, what hath +happened to thee, O son of my uncle.--And I told her all that had +befallen me; whereupon she smiled a second time with the smile of one in +anger, and said, Verily, my heart is full and in pain! But may the +person who paineth thy heart cease to exist! This woman maketh herself +extravagantly difficult to thee. By Allah, O son of my uncle, I fear +what she may do to thee. Know that the meaning of the salt is, Thou art +drowned in sleep, and seemest insipid, so that the soul regardeth thee +with loathing, and thou requirest to be salted, that the stomach may not +eject thee: thou pretendest that thou art of the number of generous +lovers; but sleep, unto lovers, is forbidden; and thy pretension to love +is false.--Such, however, is her pretension: her love for thee is false, +for when she saw thee sleeping she did not rouse thee; and had her love +for thee been true she would have roused thee.--And as to the charcoal, +the meaning indicated by it is, May God blacken thy face,[VIII_24] +since thou hast made false pretensions to love, when thou art only a +child, and hast no care but for eating and drinking and sleeping. This +is the interpretation of her sign; and may Allah (whose name be +exalted!) deliver thee from her.--Now when I heard what she said, I +struck my hand upon my breast, and exclaimed, By Allah, this is the +truth; for I slept; and lovers sleep not: so I have wronged mine own +self. What could have been more injurious to me than eating and +sleeping? And what is to be done?--I then wept exceedingly, and said to +my cousin, Direct me what to do, and have mercy upon me; so may God have +mercy upon thee; otherwise I shall die. My cousin, therefore, having a +very great love for me, replied, On my head and my eye! But, O son of my +uncle, I have told thee several times, that, if I had the privilege of +coming in and going out when I pleased, I would accomplish thy union +with her in the shortest time, and cover you both with my skirt; and +this I would not do but from the desire of obtaining thine approval. If +God permit, I will employ my utmost endeavours to bring you together; +but hear my words, and comply with my directions, and go to that same +place, and seat thyself there: when the hour of nightfall is come, seat +thyself in the place where thou wast, and beware of eating anything; for +eating induceth sleep: have a care then that thou sleep not; for she +will not come to thee until a quarter of the night hath passed: and may +God avert from thee her wickedness!--So, when I heard her words, I +rejoiced, and prayed God to hasten the night; and when night came, I +desired to depart; and my cousin said to me, When thou hast met her, +repeat to her the verse before mentioned, at the time of thy departure. +I replied, On the head and the eye. + +And when I went forth and repaired to the garden, I found the place +prepared, in the same state in which I had seen it before; in it was +everything requisite, of food and drink and dried fruits and sweet +scents and other things; and I went up into the ma[k.]'ad, and, smelling +the odour of the food, I longed for it. I refrained from it several +times; but at length I could not withstand it: so I arose and went to +the table, and took off its cover, and found a dish of fowls, around +which were four saucers of food of four different kinds; and I ate of +each kind a morsel, and as much as was agreeable of the sweetmeat, and a +piece of meat, and drank some zardeh,[VIII_25] and, finding it +pleasant to me, I drank again of it plentifully by the spoonful until I +was satiated and my stomach was full. And after this, my eyelids closed; +so I took a pillow and put it beneath my head, saying, Perhaps I may +recline upon it without sleeping. But I closed my eyes and slept, and +awoke not until the sun had risen, when I found upon my stomach a +play-bone and a [t.]ab-stick[VIII_26] and a date-stone and a +locust-seed; and there was no furniture nor anything else in the place +and it seemed as if nothing had been there on the preceding night. + +I rose, and shook off all these things from me, and went forth enraged, +and, arriving at the house, I found my cousin groaning; and I chid her +and abused her; whereupon she wept, and, having wiped away her tears, +approached and kissed me, and pressed me to her bosom; but I drew back +from her, blaming myself. She then said to me, O son of my uncle, it +seemeth that thou hast slept again this last night. I replied, Yes; and +when I awoke I found a play-bone laid upon my stomach, and a +[t.]ab-stick and a date-stone and a locust-seed; and I know not +wherefore she did this. Then I wept, and approached her, and said to +her, Explain to me the meaning of her doing this, and tell me how I +shall act, and assist me in my trouble. She replied, On the head and the +eye. As to the [t.]ab-stick [and the play-bone], which she placed upon +thy stomach, she meaneth thereby, that thou camest there and thy heart +was absent; as though she would say to thee, Love is not thus; therefore +reckon not thyself among lovers.[VIII_27] And as to the date-stone, +she indicated by it, that, if thou wert a lover, thy heart had been +burning with passion, and thou wouldst not taste the delight of sleep; +for the sweetness of love is like a date, which kindleth a fire in the +heart.[VIII_28] And as to the locust-seed, she intimated to thee by +it, that the heart of the lover is fatigued; and she would say to thee +thereby, Endure our separation with the patience of Job.[VIII_29]--When +I heard this interpretation, fire darted into my heart, and my grief +increased, and I cried out and exclaimed, God had decreed that I should +sleep, on account of my little fortune! I then said to her, O daughter +of my uncle, by my life I conjure thee to contrive for me some stratagem +by means of which I may obtain an interview with her. And I wept.--O +'Azeez, O son of my uncle, she replied, verily my heart is full of +thoughts, and I cannot talk; but go thou to-night to that place, and +beware of sleeping, and so shalt thou attain thy desire. This is my +counsel, and peace be on thee.--I said, If it please God, I will not +sleep; but I will do as thou chargest me. And my cousin arose, and +brought me food, saying to me, Eat now what will satisfy thee, that thou +mayest have no desire remaining. So I ate what satisfied me: and when +night came, my cousin arose, and brought me a superb suit of clothing, +and clad me with it, and conjured me to repeat to the damsel the verse +before mentioned, and cautioned me against sleeping. + +I then departed from her, and, having repaired to the garden, went up +into the ma[k.]'ad; and I gazed at the garden, and kept opening my eyes +with my fingers, and shaking my head, as the night grew dark. But I +became hungry from watching, and the odours of the food were wafted +towards me, and my hunger in consequence increased: so I went to the +table, and removed its cover, and ate a morsel of every dish, and a +piece of meat, and I went to the bottle of wine, saying within myself, I +will drink a cup:--and I drank it, and then drank the second, and the +third, and so on to the number of ten; and being already stricken by +love, I fell upon the floor as one slain. Thus I remained until day +came, and I awoke, and found myself outside the garden, with a large +sharp knife upon my stomach, and an iron dirhem;[VIII_30] and I +trembled with fear, and took them with me and returned to the house. + +[Illustration] + +I found my cousin saying, I am in this house wretched and sorrowful, +with no relief but weeping. And as I entered, I fell down prostrate, +throwing the knife and dirhem from my hand, and fainted; and when I +recovered, I acquainted her with that which had befallen me, and said to +her, I shall not attain my desire. Her grief increased at witnessing my +weeping and my excessive passion, and she said to me, I have failed of +success in cautioning thee against sleeping; for thou wouldst not attend +to my advice: my words profit thee nothing. But I replied, I conjure +thee by Allah that thou explain to me the meaning of the knife and the +iron dirhem. So she said, As to the dirhem, she alluded by it to her +right eye,[VIII_31] and intimated that she swore by it, and said, +By the Lord of all creatures, and by my right eye,[VIII_32] if thou +come again and sleep I will assuredly slaughter thee with this knife!--I +fear for thee, therefore, O son of my uncle, from her malice; and my +heart is full of grief on thine account, and I cannot talk. If, then, +thou art confident in thyself that, if thou return to her, thou wilt not +sleep, return to her, and beware of sleeping, and so shalt thou attain +thy desire; but if thou know that, shouldst thou go to her again, thou +wilt sleep as usual, and so go to her and sleep, she will slaughter +thee.--What then, said I, is to be done, O daughter of my uncle? I +conjure thee by Allah to help me in this affliction.--She replied, On my +head and my eye: and if thou attend to my words and comply with my +directions thou wilt accomplish thy desire. I said, I will do so. And +she rejoined, When the time of departure cometh I will tell thee. She +then pressed me to her bosom, and laid me on the bed, and continued +gently kneading my limbs until slumber overcame me, and I sank into +sleep;[VIII_33] and she took a fan, and, seating herself at my +head, fanned my face until the close of day, when she roused me; and on +my awaking, I found her at my head with the fan in her hand, and weeping +so that her tears had wetted her clothes. But when she saw me that I +had awoke, she wiped away her tears, and brought me some food. I +refrained from it; but she said to me, Did I not tell thee that thou +must attend to my directions? Eat, therefore.--So I ate, and would not +oppose her; and she proceeded to put the food into my mouth, while I +chewed it, until my stomach was full. She then gave me to drink some +infusion of jujubes[VIII_34] with sugar, and washed my hands, and +dried them with a handkerchief, and sprinkled some rose-water upon me; +after which I sat with her, in healthy frame; and when the night became +dark, she put on me my clothes, and said, O son of my uncle, watch all +night, and sleep not; for she will not come to thee this night until +near its close; and, if it be the will of God, thou shalt meet her this +night; but forget not my charge. Then she wept, and my heart was pained +for her, on account of her excessive weeping; and I said to her, What is +the charge which thou gavest me? She answered, When thou departest from +her, repeat to her the verse before mentioned. + +I then went forth from her full of joy, and proceeded to the garden, and +went up to the ma[k.]'ad, satiated with food. I remained sleepless a +quarter of the night, and the night seemed as long to me as though it +were a year; and I continued watching until two thirds of it had passed, +and the cocks crew, and I became violently hungry from watching: so I +went up to the table, and ate until I was satisfied; and my head became +heavy, and I desired to sleep; but suddenly I heard a noise in the +distance; whereupon I arose, and washed my hands and mouth, and roused +myself; and soon after, she came. She was accompanied by ten female +slaves, and she appeared among them like the full moon among the +planets: she was attired in a garment of green satin embroidered with +red gold; and when she saw me, she laughed, and said, How is it that +thou hast remained awake, and that sleep hath not overcome thee? Now +that thou hast passed the night sleepless I am convinced that thou art a +lover; for among the characteristics of lovers is the watching by night +in the resolute endurance of desire.--She then turned towards her female +slaves, and made a sign to them; whereupon they departed from her; and +she approached me, and pressed me to her bosom, and kissed me, and we +conversed together until the morning, when I desired to depart; but she +held me, and said to me, Stop, that I may acquaint thee with something, +and give thee a charge.--So I stopped; and she unfolded a handkerchief, +and, taking forth from it this piece of linen, spread it open before +me; and I found in it the design of the gazelles, as thou seest, and I +admired it exceedingly, and took it; after which I made a promise to her +that I would pay her a visit every night in that garden, and departed +from her, full of joy; but in my joy I forgot the verse which my cousin +had charged me to repeat. And when she gave me the piece of linen +containing the design of the gazelles, she said to me, This is the work +of my sister.--And what, said I, is the name of thy sister? She +answered, Her name is Noor-el-Huda:[VIII_35] and do thou take care +of this piece of linen. + +[Illustration] + +After this, when I had taken leave of her and departed, full of joy, I +returned and went in to my cousin, and found her lying down, and when +she saw me she rose, her tears dropping, and approached me, and, kissing +my bosom, said, Hast thou recited the verse as I charged thee? I +answered, I forgot it; and nothing drove it from my mind but the design +of these gazelles. And I threw down the piece of linen before her. She +arose, and then seated herself again, and, in her impatience, shed +tears, and said, O son of my uncle, make a present to me of this piece +of linen. So I gave it her, and she took it and spread it open, and saw +what was in it. And when the time of my departure came, she said, Go, +and may safety attend thee; but when thou retirest from her, recite to +her the verse that I taught thee before, and which thou didst +forget.--Repeat it to me, said I. And she did so. + +I then repaired to the garden, and entered the ma[k.]'ad. I found the +damsel waiting for me, and when she beheld me she arose and kissed me +and seated me, and we ate and drank, and in the morning I repeated to +her the verse, which was this:-- + + O ye lovers, by Allah, inform me, how a youth should act when + his love is intense. + +And when she heard it, her eyes filled with tears, and thus she +replied:-- + + He should hide his love, and conceal his secret, and be patient + under every event, and submissive. + +I committed this to memory, and, glad at having done what my cousin +desired, went forth and returned to her. I found her lying down, with my +mother, at her head, weeping for her unhappy state; and when I went in +to her, my mother said to me, Perdition to such a cousin as thou! How +canst thou leave the daughter of thine uncle indisposed and not inquire +respecting her disease?--But my cousin, on beholding me, raised her +head, and sat up, and said to me, O 'Azeez, hast thou repeated to her +the verse that I taught thee? I answered, Yes: and when she heard it, +she wept, and recited to me another verse, which I retain in my +memory.--Let me hear it, said my cousin. And when I had repeated it to +her she wept violently, and recited this other verse:-- + + He hath sought to attain a becoming patience; but found nought + save a heart pining with desire. + +She then said to me, When thou goest to her as usual, repeat to her this +verse which thou hast heard. I replied, I hear and obey. + +So I went to the garden according to my custom, and when I was about to +return, I recited to the damsel that verse; and when she heard it, tears +poured from her eyes, and she replied,-- + + Then, if he have not patience to conceal his secret, I know nothing + better for him than death. + +Retaining this in my memory, I returned to the house; and when I went in +to my cousin, I found her fallen down in a fit, and my mother sitting at +her head; and when my cousin heard my voice, she opened her eyes, and +said, O 'Azeez, hast thou repeated to her the verse? I answered, Yes: +and when she heard it, she wept, and recited to me this other verse. And +I repeated it to her; and as soon as she heard it she fainted again, +and, on her recovering, recited another verse, which was this:-- + + We hear and obey, and we die; then convey my salutation to the person + who hath prevented our union.[VIII_36] + +At the approach of the following night I went again to the garden as +usual, and found the damsel expecting me; and we ate and drank; and in +the morning, when I was about to depart, I repeated to her what my +cousin had said; whereupon she uttered a loud cry, and was agitated, and +exclaimed, By Allah, she who uttered this verse hath died! She then +wept, and said to me, Wo to thee! Is not she who uttered this verse +related to thee?--I answered, She is the daughter of my paternal +uncle.--Thou liest, replied she: by Allah, if she were the daughter of +thy uncle thou hadst borne her the same love that she bore thee. Thou +art he who hath destroyed her, and may God destroy thee in like manner! +By Allah, if thou hadst told me of thy having a cousin, I had not +admitted thee into my favour.--Verily, said I, she is my cousin, and she +explained to me the signs that thou madest me, and it was she who taught +me how to proceed with thee: I had not obtained access to thee but +through her good management.--And did she know of our affair? said she. +I answered, Yes.--May Allah, she exclaimed, cause thee to bewail thy +youth, as thou hast caused her to bewail hers! She then said to me, Go +and see her. + +[Illustration] + +I departed, therefore, troubled in mind, and proceeded until I came to +our street, when I heard a wailing, and, asking respecting it, was +answered, We found 'Azeezeh lying behind the door, dead. I entered the +house, and when my mother beheld me, she exclaimed, The crime of +destroying her is on thy neck, and may God not pardon thee her blood! +Perdition to such a cousin as thou!--My father then came, and we +prepared her body for interment, and performed the funeral-ceremonies, +and buried her; and we caused recitations of the whole of the [K.]ur-an +to be performed at her tomb, and remained there three days, after which +I returned to the house, sorrowing for her. And my mother addressed me, +and said, I desire to know what thou didst to her, so that thou brokest +her heart. I asked her continually, O my son, respecting the cause of +her disorder; but she would not acquaint me with it. I conjure thee, +therefore, by Allah, that thou inform me what thou didst unto her, to +cause her death.--I replied, I did nothing. But she said, May God avenge +her upon thee! for she mentioned to me nothing, but concealed the truth +of her case until she died, still preserving her affection for thee; and +when she died I was with her, and she opened her eyes, and said to me, O +wife of my uncle, may God hold thy son guiltless of my blood, and not +punish him for that which he hath done unto me; and now God transporteth +me from the perishable world to the world of eternity. And I replied, O +my daughter, may God preserve thee, and preserve thy youth! And I asked +her respecting the cause of her disorder: but she answered not. Then she +smiled, and said, O wife of my uncle, if thy son desire to go to the +place which he is accustomed to frequent, tell him to repeat these two +phrases on departing from it:--Fidelity is good, and treachery is +base:--and this I desire in my compassion for him, that I may shew him +compassion in my life and after my death. She then gave me something for +thee, and took an oath of me that I would not give it to thee until I +should see thee weeping for her and lamenting: this thing I have, and +when I see thee in the state that she hath described I will give it to +thee.--I said to her, Shew it me. But she would not. + +I then gave myself up to my pleasures, and thought not of the death of +my cousin; for I was unsettled in mind, and wished that I were passing +the whole of every night and day with my beloved; and scarcely had the +next night approached when I repaired again to the garden. I found the +damsel sitting there, burning with impatience to see me; and as soon as +she beheld me, she hastened to me and clung to my neck, and asked me +respecting my cousin. I answered her, She is dead, and we have performed +zikrs[VIII_37] and recitations of the [K.]ur-an for her, and four +nights have passed since her death, and this is the fifth. When she +heard this, she cried out and wept, and said, Did I not tell thee that +thou hadst killed her? Hadst thou informed me of her, before her death, +I had requited her for the kindness that she hath shewn me; for she hath +been of service to me in giving thee access to me: had it not been for +her, I should not have had an interview with thee, and I fear thou wilt +fall into a calamity on account of her disaster.--I replied, She +acquitted me before her death. And I related to her what my mother had +told me; upon which she exclaimed, By Allah, I conjure thee, when thou +goest to thy mother, learn what it is that she hath.--My mother, said I, +told me, Thy cousin, before she died, charged me saying, If thy son +desire to go to the place which he is accustomed to frequent, tell him +to repeat these two phrases:--Fidelity is good, and treachery is +base.--And when the damsel heard this, she exclaimed, The mercy of God +(whose name be exalted!) be upon her, for she hath saved thee from me: I +was meditating an injury to thee; but now I will not hurt thee nor +trouble thee. And I wondered at this, and said to her, What didst thou +purpose before this to do to me, after mutual love had taken place +between us? She answered, Thou art devoted to me; but thou art young, +and thy mind is free from deceit, and thou knowest not our malice nor +our deceit: were she still in the bonds of life, she would assist thee; +for she is the cause of thy safety, and hath delivered thee from +destruction: and now I charge thee that thou speak not with any female, +nor answer any of our sex, young or old. Beware, beware; for thou art +ignorant of the deceit of women, and their malice: she who used to +interpret the signs to thee is dead; and I fear for thee lest thou fall +into a calamity and find none to deliver thee from it after the death of +thy cousin. O my sorrow for the daughter of thy uncle! Would that I had +known her before her death, that I might have requited her for the +kindness that she hath done me! The mercy of God (whose name be +exalted!) be upon her, for she concealed her secret, and revealed not +what she felt; and but for her, thou wouldst never have had access to +me. And now I have a service to demand of thee.--What is it? said I. She +answered, That thou conduct me to her tomb, that I may visit her at her +grave, and inscribe some verses upon it. I replied, To-morrow, if it be +the will of God, whose name be exalted!--So I remained with her that +night, and frequently she said to me, Would that thou hadst told me of +thy cousin before her death! And I asked her, What is the meaning of +these words which she said--Fidelity is good, and treachery is base? But +she answered me not. + +[Illustration] + +In the morning, therefore, she arose, and, taking a purse containing +some pieces of gold, said to me, Arise, and shew me the tomb, that I may +visit it, and write upon it some verses, and build over it a cupola, and +pray for mercy upon her, and bestow these pieces of gold in alms for her +soul. I replied, I hear and obey. And I walked before her, and she +followed me, and employed herself in giving alms on the way as she went, +and every time that she did so she said, This is an alms for the soul of +'Azeezeh, who concealed her secret until she drank the cup of death, and +revealed not her love. Thus she continued to give of the contents of +the purse, and to say, For the soul of 'Azeezeh,--until we arrived at +the tomb, and the contents of the purse were exhausted; and when she +beheld the tomb, she threw herself upon it, and wept violently. She then +took forth a pointed instrument of steel, and a small mallet, and +engraved upon the stone at the head of the tomb, in small characters, +these verses:-- + + I passed by an undistinguished tomb in the midst of a garden, + with seven anemones upon it;[VIII_38] + And I said, Whose tomb is this? The soil answered, Be respectful, + for this is the resting-place of a lover. + So I said, God keep thee, O victim of love, and lodge thee + in the highest stage of Paradise! + How miserable are lovers among the creation, when even their tombs + are covered with vile dust! + Were I able [O tomb], I would make of thee a garden, and water it + with my streaming tears! + +She then again wept violently, and arose, and I arose with her; and +after we had returned to the garden, she said to me, I conjure thee by +Allah that thou never forsake me. And I replied, I hear and obey. So I +resumed my visits to her as before, and she treated me with kindness and +honour, and used to ask me respecting the two phrases which my cousin +'Azeezeh had mentioned to my mother, and I repeated them to her. Thus I +remained, eating and drinking, and enjoying her conversation, and +attiring myself in changes of delicate clothing, until I became stout +and fat, and I experienced neither anxiety nor grief nor sorrow, and +forgot my cousin. + +I continued drowned in these pleasures for a whole year; and at the +commencement of the new year, I entered the bath, and refreshed myself, +and put on a handsome suit; and after I had gone forth from the bath, I +drank a cup of wine, and smelt the odours of my clothes, which were +richly perfumed with various scents. My heart was unoppressed by +calamities or misfortunes; and when the hour of nightfall came, I +desired to repair to the damsel; but I was intoxicated, and knew not my +way; and, in going to her, intoxication led me aside into a by-street +called the street of the Na[k.]eeb:[VIII_39] and as I was +proceeding along it, lo, an old woman came, with a lighted candle in one +of her hands, and in her other hand a folded letter. I advanced towards +her, and she, with weeping eye, said to me, O my son, art thou able to +read? I answered her, Yes, my old aunt. And she said, Take this letter, +and read it to me. And she handed me the letter; so I took it from her +and opened it, and read to her its contents, informing her that it was a +letter from the absent, with salutations to the beloved. And when she +heard this, she rejoiced at the good news, and ejaculated a prayer for +me, saying, May God dispel thine anxiety as thou hast dispelled mine! +She then took the letter, and proceeded a few steps; but presently she +returned to me, and, kissing my hand, said, O my lord, may God (whose +name be exalted!) give thee enjoyment of thy youth, and not disgrace +thee. I beg that thou wilt walk with me a few paces, to that door; for I +have told them what thou hast read to me of the letter, and they do not +believe me: come with me, therefore, two steps, and read to them the +letter outside the door, and accept my prayer for thee.--And what, said +I, is the history of this letter? She answered, O my son, this letter +hath come from my son, who hath been absent from us for the space of ten +years; for he journeyed with merchandise, and hath remained abroad +during that period, and we relinquished all hope of his return, thinking +that he was dead: then came to us this letter from him; and he hath a +sister who hath wept for him during his absence night and day; and I +told her that he was in health and prosperity; but she believed me not, +and said to me, Thou must bring me a person to read this letter and to +acquaint me with its contents, that my heart may be set at ease and my +mind comforted.--Thou knowest, O my son, that the loving is prepossessed +with evil anticipations: favour me, therefore, by reading this letter +while thou shalt stand outside the curtain, and his sister shall hear it +within the door, that the recompense of him who accomplisheth a want for +a Muslim, and dispelleth from his mind a trouble, may be thine: for the +Apostle of God (may God bless and save him!) hath said, Whoso dispelleth +from the mind of a sorrowful person one of the troubles of this world, +God will dispel from his mind one of the troubles of the world to +come:--and in another tradition, Whoso dispelleth from the mind of his +brother one of the troubles of this world, God will dispel from his mind +seventy-two of the troubles of the day of resurrection:--and now I have +desired thee, do not disappoint me.--So I replied, I hear and obey: +proceed before me. + +She therefore walked before me, and I followed her a little way, until +she arrived at a great door overlaid with copper; and she stopped at +this door, and called out in Persian, and immediately a damsel +approached, with light and nimble step. Her trousers were tucked up to +her knees, and I beheld a pair of legs that confounded the mind and the +eye by their beauty: they were like two columns of alabaster, and +ornamented with anklets of gold set with jewels. The skirts of her outer +clothes were tucked up under her arms, and her sleeves were turned up +from her arms, and I looked at her white wrists, and upon them were two +pairs of bracelets: in her ears were two ear-rings of pearls; and upon +her neck was a necklace of costly jewels; and on her head, a +koofeeyeh,[VIII_40] quite new, adorned with precious gems. She had +tucked the skirt of her inner tunic within the band of her trousers, and +appeared as though she had been employed in some active work. And when +she beheld me, she said, with an eloquent and sweet tongue that I had +never heard surpassed in sweetness, O my mother, is this he who hath +come to read the letter? She answered, Yes. And the damsel stretched +forth her hand to me with the letter. There was, between her and the +door, a distance of about half a rod;[VIII_41] and I extended my +hand to take the letter from her, and put my head and shoulders within +the door to draw near to her; but before I knew what she was about to +do, the old woman placed her head against my back, and pushed me +forward, while my hand was holding the letter, and I looked around, and +found myself in the midst of the house; that is, within the vestibule. +The old woman entered more quickly than the blinding lightning, and had +nothing to do but to shut the door: and when the damsel beheld me within +the vestibule, she approached me, and pressed me to her bosom, and, +taking me by the hand, unable to extricate myself from her grasp, led +me, preceded by the old woman with the lighted candle, until she had +passed through seven vestibules; after which she conducted me into a +large saloon, with four leewans,[VIII_42] in which a horseman might +play at goff.[VIII_43] She then seated me, and said to me, Open +thine eye. And I did so, giddy from the violence that I had experienced, +and saw that the whole construction of the saloon was of the most +beautiful alabaster, and all its furniture, including the cushions and +mattresses, of brocade. In it were also two benches of brass, and a +couch of red gold set with pearls and jewels, not suitable to any but a +King like thee. + +[Illustration] + +After this, she said to me, O 'Azeez, which of the two states is the +more agreeable to thee, life or death? I answered her, Life. And she +said, Then if life is more agreeable to thee, marry me.--I dislike, +I replied, marrying such a person as thou. She rejoined, if thou +marry me, thou wilt be secure from the daughter of the crafty +Deleeleh.[VIII_44]--And who, said I, is the daughter of the crafty +Deleeleh? She laughed, and answered, How is it that thou knowest her +not, when thou hast now been in her company a year and four months? May +Allah (whose name be exalted!) destroy her. Verily there existeth not +any one more treacherous than she. How many persons hath she killed +before thee, and what deeds hath she done! And how hast thou escaped +from her, without her killing or troubling thee, when thou hast been in +her company all this time?--When I heard her words I wondered extremely, +and said to her, O my mistress, who acquainted thee with her? She +answered, I know her as the age knoweth its calamities; but I desire +that thou inform me of all that thou hast experienced from her, that I +may know the cause of thy safety from her. So I related to her all that +had happened to me with her and with my cousin 'Azeezeh; and she +exclaimed, Allah have mercy upon her!--and her eyes shed tears, and she +struck her hands together, when she heard of the death of my cousin +'Azeezeh, and said, May Allah compensate thee abundantly for the loss of +her, O 'Azeez; for she hath been the cause of thy safety from the +daughter of the crafty Deleeleh; and had it not been for her, thou hadst +perished.[VIII_45] After this, she clapped her hands, and said, O +my mother, bring in those who are with thee. And lo, the old woman +approached with four lawful witnesses; and she lighted four candles; and +when the witnesses entered, they saluted me, and seated themselves; and +the damsel covered herself with an izar, and appointed one of the +witnesses to be her deputy in making her contract. So they performed the +marriage-contract, and she affirmed of herself that she had received the +whole of the dowry, both the portion usually paid in advance and the +arrears, and that she was indebted to me in the sum of ten thousand +pieces of silver; after which she gave to the witnesses their fees, and +they departed. + +On the following day, I desired to go out; but she approached me +laughing, and said, Dost thou think that going out from the bath is like +entering it?[VIII_46] I imagine thou thinkest me to be like the +daughter of the crafty Deleeleh. Beware of entertaining such an idea. +Thou art no other than my husband, according to the [K.]ur-an and the +Sunneh; and if thou hast been intoxicated, return to thy reason. Verily +this house in which thou art is not opened but on one day in every year. +Go to the street-door and look.--So I went and looked, and found it +closed and nailed, and returned and told her so; and she said to me, O +'Azeez, we have of flour and grain and fruits and pomegranates and sugar +and meat and sheep and fowls and other provisions what will suffice us +for many years, and from this last night our door will not be opened +until after a year and I know that thou wilt not behold thyself outside +this house until after a year hath expired. Upon this I exclaimed, There +is no strength nor power but in God! And she laughed, and I laughed +also, and complied with her orders, and remained with her until the +twelve months of the year had expired, when I was blest with a son by +her. And on the first day of the following year, I heard the opening of +the door, and lo, men came in with ka[a.]ks[VIII_47] and flour and +sugar; and I desired to go out; but she said to me, Wait until +nightfall, and as thou camest in, so go forth. I therefore waited until +that hour, and was on the point of going out, in fear and trembling, +when she said to me, By Allah, I will not let thee go until I have made +thee swear to me that thou wilt return this night before the door is +closed. So I promised her to do it; and she made me swear by binding +oaths upon the sword and the [K.]ur-an, and by the oath of divorce, that +I would return to her.[VIII_48] + +I then went forth from her, and repaired to the garden. I found it open +as usual, and was angry, saying within myself, I have been absent from +this place a whole year, and, coming unawares, have found it open as +usual. I wonder if the damsel be still there as heretofore, and I must +enter and see before I go to my mother.--It was then nightfall, and I +entered the garden, and, proceeding to the ma[k.]'ad, found the daughter +of the crafty Deleeleh sitting with her head upon her knee and her hand +upon her cheek. Her complexion was changed, and her eyes were sunk, and +when she beheld me she exclaimed, Praise be to God for thy safety!--and +she endeavoured to rise, but fell down through her joy. I was ashamed at +seeing her, and hung down my head; but presently I advanced to her and +kissed her, and said to her, How didst thou know that I was coming to +thee at this time? She answered, I knew it not. By Allah, for a year I +have not tasted sleep; but have sat up every night expecting thee, and +in this state have I been from the day when thou wentest forth from me +and I gave thee the new suit of clothing and thou promisedst me that +thou wouldst return to me. I remained expecting thee, and thou camest +not the first night, nor the second, nor the third: so I still waited in +expectation of thy coming; for such is the way of the lover: and I would +now that thou tell me what hath been the cause of thine absence from me +this year. I therefore told her; and when she knew that I had married, +her countenance became pale. I then said to her, I have come to thee +this night, but must go before the morning. But she exclaimed, Is it not +enough for her to have married thee, and to have employed this stratagem +against thee, and imprisoned thee with her a whole year, that she hath +made thee swear by the oath of divorce that thou wilt return to her +before the morning, and will not allow thee to divert thyself with thy +mother nor with me, and cannot endure thy passing one night with either +of us? What then must be the state of her from whom thou hast been +absent a whole year, though I knew thee before she did! But may Allah +have mercy on 'Azeezeh; for she suffered what none other hath suffered, +and endured with patience that of which none else hath endured the like, +and died through thy oppression. It was she who protected thee from me. +I thought that thou wouldst return, and gave thee liberty, though I was +able to imprison thee, and to destroy thee. + +[Illustration] + +Having thus said, she wept, and became enraged, and looked at me with +the eye of anger; and when I beheld her in this state, the muscles of my +side quivered, and I feared her, and became as the bean upon the fire. +She then cried out, and suddenly ten female slaves came to me, and threw +me upon the floor; and when I fell under their hands, she arose, and, +taking a knife, said, I will slaughter thee as goats are slaughtered, +and this shall be thy least recompense for that which thou hast done +unto thy cousin. When I beheld myself, therefore, beneath her female +slaves, and my cheek was soiled with the dust, and I saw the knife in +her hand, I looked upon death as inevitable. I implored her mercy; but +she only increased in hardness, and ordered the female slaves to bind my +hands behind me; and they did so, and, throwing me upon my back, seated +themselves upon my body, and held my head. Then two of them arose and +took hold of my toes, and two others seated themselves upon my legs; +after which, their mistress arose, with two others of them, and she +ordered them to beat me; whereupon they beat me until I fainted, and my +voice became inaudible; and when I recovered, I said within myself, +Verily my being slaughtered were easier to me than this beating! I +bethought myself of the words of my cousin, when she said, May God avert +from thee her wickedness!--and I cried out and wept until my voice +failed. She then sharpened the knife, and said to the female slaves, +Uncover his throat. But God inspired me to repeat the two phrases which +my cousin had charged me to utter, namely, Fidelity is good, and +treachery is base;--and when she heard this, she cried out and said, +Allah have mercy upon thee, O 'Azeezeh! Would that thy youth had been +spared! Thou hast profited thy cousin during thy life and after thy +death!--Then addressing me, she added, By Allah, thou hast saved thy +life from me by means of these two phrases; but I must cause thee to +bear a mark of my resentment.--So saying, she inflicted upon me a cruel +wound, and I fainted; but when I recovered, the blood had stopped, and +she gave me to drink a cup of wine, and spurned me with her foot. + +I rose; but was unable at first to walk: presently, however, I proceeded +by little and little until I arrived at the door of my wife's house. I +found it open, and threw myself within it, in a state of distraction; +and my wife came and took me up and conveyed me to the saloon, where I +fell into a deep sleep; but when I awoke, I found myself laid at the +gate of the garden. + +In anguish I rose, and went to my home, and, entering the house, found +my mother weeping for me, and exclaiming, Would that I knew, O my son, +in what land thou art! So I approached her, and threw myself upon her, +and when she beheld me, she saw that I was unwell. Yellowness and +blackness were mingled upon my face; and I remembered my cousin, and the +kindness she had shewn me, and was convinced that she loved me. I wept +for her, and my mother also wept, and then said to me, O my son, thy +father is dead. And upon this, my rage increased, and I wept until I +became insensible; and when I recovered, I looked towards the place +where my cousin was accustomed to sit, and wept again till I fainted +from the violence of my lamentation. I ceased not to weep and wail until +midnight, when my mother said to me, Thy father hath been dead ten days. +But I replied, I think of no one but my cousin; for I deserve what hath +happened to me, because I neglected her when she loved me. She asked me, +therefore, And what hath happened to thee? So I related to her that +which had befallen me; to which she replied, Praise be to God that this +happened to thee and that she did not slaughter thee! She then applied +remedies to my wound until I recovered, and regained my usual strength; +and she said to me, O my son, I will now produce to thee the deposite +with which thy cousin intrusted me; for it is thine, and she made me +swear that I would not produce it to thee until I saw that thou +rememberedst her and mournedst for her, and that thine affections for +another were severed; and now I hope that I find in thee these +dispositions. She therefore arose, and, opening a chest, took forth from +it this piece of linen containing the design of the gazelles, which I +had originally given to her; and when I took it, I found written upon it +some verses complaining of her unrequited love for me, and there fell +from it a paper containing some words of consolation and +counsel.[VIII_49] + +As soon as I had read and understood this paper, I wept again, and my +mother did the same, and I continued looking at it and weeping until the +approach of night; and in this state I remained for the space of a year; +after which, some merchants of my city, the same whom I am accompanying +in this caravan, prepared for a journey; and my mother suggested to me +that I should fit myself out and go with them, saying to me, Perhaps the +journey will dispel this sorrow which thou sufferest, and thou wilt be +absent a year, or two years, or three, until the caravan returneth, and +thy heart may become dilated. Thus she continued to persuade me, so that +I prepared some merchandise, and journeyed with them; but my tears have +not dried up during my travels; for at every station where we halt I +spread this piece of linen before me, and look at this design, and think +of my cousin, and weep for her as thou seest, since she loved me +excessively, and died through my unkindness; I doing nothing but evil to +her, while she did nothing to me but what was good. When the merchants +return from their journey, I shall return with them, and the period of +my absence will be a complete year; but I still suffer increasing +sorrow; and my sorrow hath been only augmented in consequence of my +passing by the Islands of Camphor and the Castle of Crystal.[VIII_50] + +These Islands are seven in number, and the sovereign of them is a King +named Shah-Zeman.[VIII_51] He hath a daughter named Dunya;[VIII_52] and +it was told me that it was she who worked the designs of the gazelles, +and that this design which is in my possession was one of her work; and +when I knew this, I became excessively desirous of seeing her: so, when +the caravan entered her country, I went forth and wandered about the +gardens, which contained a profusion of trees. The superintendent of the +gardens was a sheykh advanced in age; and I said to him, O sheykh, to +whom doth this garden belong? He answered, To the King's daughter, the +lady Dunya, and we are beneath her palace; and if thou desire to amuse +thyself, open the private door, and take a view of the garden and smell +the odours of the flowers. So I said to him, Have the kindness to allow +me to sit in this garden until she passeth by, that I may enjoy a glance +at her. The sheykh replied, There will be no harm in thy doing so. When +he said this, therefore, I gave him some money, saying to him, Buy for +us something to eat. And he rejoiced at receiving the money, and, +opening the door, conducted me within; and we proceeded until we came to +a pleasant spot, where he brought me some delicate fruits, and said to +me, Sit here while I go and return to thee. And he left me and departed, +and, after he had been absent a while, returned bringing a roasted lamb; +and we ate until we were satisfied, my heart longing to behold the lady, +and while we were sitting, lo, the door opened; whereupon he said to me, +Rise, and conceal thyself. So I rose, and hid myself; and a black eunuch +put forth his head from the door, and said, O sheykh, is any one with +thee? He answered, No.--Then close the door, said the eunuch. The +sheykh, therefore, closed the door of the garden; and lo, the lady Dunya +came forth. When I beheld her, I thought that the moon had descended +upon the earth; my mind was confounded, and I desired her as the thirsty +longeth for water; and after a while, she closed the door and departed. +I then went forth from the garden, and repaired to my lodging, knowing +that I could not obtain access to her; and when my companions prepared +for departure, I also prepared myself, and travelled with them towards +thy city; and on our arrival here, we met with thee.--This is my story, +and this is what hath happened unto me; and peace be on thee. + +[Illustration] + + +CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF TAJ-EL-MULOOK AND THE LADY DUNYA. + +When Taj-el-Mulook heard this story, his heart became troubled with love +for the lady Dunya. He then mounted his horse, and, taking with him +'Azeez, returned to his father's city, where he assigned to him a house, +and furnished it with everything that he required; after which he left +him, and repaired to his palace. His tears ran down upon his cheeks (for +hearing affecteth as sight and union), and in this state he remained +until his father came in to him, and, finding that his colour was +changed, knew that he was oppressed by anxiety and grief: so he said to +him, O my son, acquaint me with thy case, and tell me what hath happened +to thee to change thy colour. He therefore related to him all that he +had heard of the story of Dunya, and how he had fallen in love with her +from hearsay, without having seen her; whereupon his father said to him, +O my son, her father is a King, and his country is distant from us: +abandon, therefore, this idea, and enter the palace of thy mother; for +in it are five hundred female slaves like so many moons, and whoever of +them pleaseth thee do thou take her; or, if none of them please thee, we +will demand in marriage for thee one of the daughters of the Kings, more +beautiful than the lady Dunya. But he replied, O my father, I desire not +any but her: it was she who worked the design of the gazelles that I +saw, and I must have her, or I will flee into the deserts, and kill +myself on her account. + +So his father said, Have patience with me, O my son, that I may send to +her father and demand her of him in marriage, and accomplish for thee +thy wish, like as I did for myself in the case of thy mother; and if he +consent not, I will convulse his kingdom around him, and send against +him an army of which the rear shall be with me when the van is with him. +He then called for the young man 'Azeez, and said to him, O my son, +knowest thou the way? He answered, Yes.--Then I desire of thee, said the +King, that thou journey with my Wezeer. And 'Azeez replied, I hear and +obey, O King of the age. The King, therefore, summoned his Wezeer, and +said to him, Manage for me the affair of my son according to thy +knowledge, and repair to the Islands of Camphor, and demand in marriage +the daughter of their King. He replied, I hear and obey. And +Taj-el-Mulook returned to his apartments, and his malady and impatience +increased: he fell down in a swoon, and recovered not until the morning; +and when the morning arrived, his father came to him, and saw his +complexion more changed, and his sallowness increased; and he exhorted +him to patience, and promised him the accomplishment of his union. + +The King then equipped 'Azeez, with his Wezeer, and supplied them with +the presents; and they journeyed days and nights until they beheld the +Islands of Camphor, when they halted on the bank of a river, and the +Wezeer sent forward a messenger from his party to the King, to acquaint +him with their approach; and half a day after the departure of the +messenger, suddenly they saw that the chamberlains of the King, and his +emeers, had advanced to meet them from the distance of a league; and +they met him, and attended them until they went in with them to the +King. They placed before the King the presents, and remained in his +palace four days; and on the fifth day the Wezeer arose and went in to +the King, and, standing before him, delivered to him his message, and +acquainted him with the cause of his coming; but the King was perplexed +how to answer, for his daughter liked not marriage; and he hung down his +head for a while towards the floor; and after this he raised it, and, +looking towards one of the eunuchs, said to him, Go to thy mistress +Dunya, and acquaint her with what thou hast heard, and with the purpose +of the visit of this Wezeer. So the eunuch went, and, after a short +absence, returned to the King, and said to him, O King of the age, when +I went in to the lady Dunya, and acquainted her with what I had heard, +she was violently enraged, and rose against me with a stick, and would +have broken my head; wherefore I fled from her; and she said to me, If +my father force me to marry, him whom I marry I will kill. Her father, +therefore, said to the Wezeer and 'Azeez, Salute ye the King, and inform +him of this, and that my daughter liketh not marriage. Accordingly the +Wezeer returned with his attendants unsuccessful, and they continued +their journey until they went in unto the King, and acquainted him with +what had happened; and upon this he ordered the chiefs to call together +the troops that they might march to war; but the Wezeer said to him, Do +not this; for the King is not in fault: the refusal is on the part of +his daughter, who, when she knew of this proposal, sent to say, If my +father force me to marry, I will kill him whom I marry, and kill myself +after him. + +And when the King heard the words of the Wezeer, he feared for his son +Taj-el-Mulook, and said, If I make war upon her father, and obtain +possession of his daughter, she will kill herself. He then acquainted +his son Taj-el-Mulook with the truth of the case; and when the prince +heard it, he said to his father, O my father, I cannot exist without +her: I will therefore go to her, and seek means of obtaining an +interview with her, though I die in the attempt: and I will do nothing +but this. His father said, How wilt thou go to her? He answered, I will +go in the disguise of a merchant.--Then if it must be so, rejoined the +King, take with thee the Wezeer and 'Azeez. He then took forth for him +some money from his treasuries, and prepared for him merchandise at the +price of a hundred thousand pieces of gold, and they both agreed as to +this course; and when night came, Taj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez went to the +abode of the latter, and there passed that night. But the heart of +Taj-el-Mulook was captivated, and neither eating nor rest pleased him: +reflections overwhelmed him, and he was drowned in them; and, longing +for his beloved, he poured forth his tears, and wept violently; and +'Azeez wept with him, reflecting upon his cousin; and they both +continued thus until the morning, when Taj-el-Mulook arose and went in +to his mother. He was equipped for the journey; and she asked him +respecting his state: so he acquainted her with the whole truth; and she +gave him fifty thousand pieces of gold, and bade him farewell, and he +went forth from her, while she offered up prayers for his safety, and +for his union with the object of his love. He then went in to his +father, and asked his permission to depart; and the King granted him +permission, and gave him fifty thousand pieces of gold, and ordered that +a tent should be pitched for him outside the city. + +[Illustration] + +A large tent was therefore pitched for him; and after they had remained +in it two days, they commenced their journey; and Taj-el-Mulook treated +'Azeez with familiar kindness, and said to him, O my brother, I cannot +henceforth part with thee.--And I, replied 'Azeez, am of the like mind, +and desire to die at thy feet; but, O my brother, my heart is troubled +with thoughts of my mother. So Taj-el-Mulook said, When we shall have +attained our wish, all will be well. Now the Wezeer had charged +Taj-el-Mulook to display an air of patience, and 'Azeez occupied himself +with reciting to him verses, and narrating to him histories and tales; +and they continued on their way by night and day for the space of two +months. The length of the journey became wearisome to Taj-el-Mulook; and +the violence of his desire, and his passion and distraction, increased: +so when they drew near to the city, he rejoiced excessively, and his +anxiety and grief ceased. + +They entered it in the garb of merchants, the King's son being also clad +in the same manner, and, coming to a place known as the abode of +merchants, which was a large Khan, Taj-el-Mulook said to 'Azeez, Is this +the abode of the merchants? 'Azeez answered, Yes: it is not, however, +the Khan in which I lodged with the caravan that I accompanied; but it +is better than that. So they made their camels lie down, and unloaded, +and, having deposited their goods in the magazines, remained there to +take rest four days. The Wezeer then suggested to them that they should +hire for themselves a large house; to which they assented; and they +hired a spacious house, fitted for festivities. There they took up their +abode; and the Wezeer and 'Azeez studied to devise some stratagem for +the sake of Taj-el-Mulook, who was perplexed, not knowing what to do. +The Wezeer could contrive no other plan than that of his opening for +himself a shop to carry on the trade of a merchant in the market of fine +stuffs: he therefore addressed Taj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez, and said to +them, Know that if we remain in this state we shall not attain our wish; +and a thing hath occurred to my mind which probably may be advisable, if +it be the will of God. So they replied, Do what seemeth fit to thee; for +a blessing attendeth the aged, and especially in thy case, since thou +hast devoted thyself to the management of affairs: therefore give us the +advice which hath suggested itself to thy mind. And he said to +Taj-el-Mulook, It is my opinion that we should hire for thee a shop in +the market of fine stuffs, and that thou shouldst sit in it to sell and +buy; for every person of the higher ranks and of the people in general +standeth in need of such stuffs, and if thou sit in that shop thy affair +will be arranged, if it be the will of God (whose name be exalted!), +especially because of thy comely person; but make 'Azeez thy trusty +attendant, and seat him in the shop to hand to thee the stuffs. And when +Taj-el-Mulook heard these words, he said, This is a judicious +opinion;--and immediately he took forth a suit of merchant's attire, +and clad himself in it, and arose and went forth, followed by his young +men, and gave to one of them a thousand pieces of gold to fit up the +shop. + +They proceeded until they arrived at the market of fine stuffs, and +when the merchants saw Taj-el-Mulook, and observed his handsome and +comely person, they were confounded, and began to say, Hath +Ri[d.]wan[VIII_53] opened the gates of Paradise and neglected them, +so that this youth of surprising beauty hath come forth?--and one said, +This is probably one of the angels. And when they went in among the +merchants, they inquired for the shop of the Sheykh of the market. The +merchants, therefore, guided them thither, and they went to him; and as +they approached him, he and the merchants who were with him rose to +them, and received them with honour, especially the excellent Wezeer; +for they saw him to be an aged and venerable man; and observing that he +was accompanied by Taj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez, they said, No doubt this +sheykh is the father of these two young men. The Wezeer then said to +them, Who among you is the Sheykh of the market? They answered, This is +he. And the Wezeer, looking at him and observing him, saw that he was an +old man of grave and respectable aspect, and possessing servants and +young men. The Sheykh of the market greeted them with friendly +compliments, and treated them with great honour, and, having seated them +by his side, said to them, Have ye any business which we may have the +happiness of transacting? The Wezeer answered, Yes: I am an old man, +advanced in age, and I have these two young men: I have travelled with +them through all regions and countries, and have not entered a town +without remaining in it a whole year, that they might amuse themselves +with the sight of it and become acquainted with its inhabitants; and now +I have come to this your town, and have chosen to make a stay in it: I +therefore desire of thee one of the best shops, that I may seat them in +it to traffic, and that they may amuse themselves with the sight of this +city, and acquire the manners of its people, and obtain an experience in +buying and selling and other commercial transactions. + +So the Sheykh of the market replied, There will be no harm in doing +so:--and, looking at the two young men, he was delighted with them, and +he arose and stood like a servant before them to wait upon them. And +afterwards he went and prepared for them the shop: it was in the midst +of the market, and there was none larger than it, nor any more handsome +there; for it was spacious and decorated, and contained shelves of +ivory and ebony. He then delivered the keys to the Wezeer (who was also +in the garb of a merchant), and said, God grant that it may be attended +with blessings to thy two sons![VIII_54] And when the Wezeer had +taken the keys of the shop, he went to it, together with the servants, +who deposited in it their goods; and they ordered the servants to remove +thither all the merchandise and stuffs and rarities that they had. These +things were worth treasuries of wealth; and they transported the whole +of them to the shop. They then passed the night, and in the morning the +Wezeer conducted the two young men to the bath, where they washed and +enjoyed themselves to the utmost, after which they returned to their +abode to rest from the fatigue of bathing, and ate and drank; and they +passed the next night in their abode in the most perfect joy and +happiness. And on the following morning they rose from their sleep, and, +having performed the ablution, recited the divinely-ordained prayers, +and drank their morning-beverage;[VIII_55] and when daylight came, +and the shops and markets were opened, they went forth from their abode, +and repaired to the market, and opened the shop. The servants had +prepared it for them in the handsomest manner, and spread it with +carpets of silk, and placed in it two mattresses, each of which was +worth a hundred pieces of gold; and upon each mattress they spread a +skin such as Kings sit upon, surrounded with an edge of gold: so +Taj-el-Mulook seated himself upon one mattress, and 'Azeez upon the +other, and the Wezeer sat in the midst of the shop, while the servants +stood before them. The people heard of them, and crowded about them, and +they sold of their merchandise; and the fame of Taj-el-Mulook was spread +through the city, and the report of his handsomeness and comeliness was +blazed throughout it. They continued this life for several days, the +people pressing to them; after which the Wezeer addressed Taj-el-Mulook, +and enjoined him to conceal his case, and, having charged 'Azeez to keep +watch over him, repaired to the house to plan some mode of proceeding +that might be of advantage to them. Meanwhile, Taj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez +sat conversing together; and the former said, Perhaps some one may come +from the lady Dunya. + +[Illustration] + +Thus Taj-el-Mulook passed his time days and nights, and slept not; +desire overpowered him, and he became more and more emaciated and +infirm, renouncing the delight of sleep, and abstaining from drink and +food; but still he was like the full moon: and as he was sitting one +day, lo, an old woman approached and advanced towards him, followed by +two female slaves, and she continued to draw near until she stopped at +his shop. Beholding his graceful person, and his handsome and lovely +aspect, she wondered at his beauty, and said, Extolled be the perfection +of Him who created thee! Extolled be the perfection of Him who hath made +thee a temptation to all creatures!--She ceased not to gaze at him, and +said, This is not a mortal: this is no other than a noble +angel![VIII_56] Then drawing close to him, she saluted him, and he +returned her salutation, and rose to her, standing upon his +feet,[VIII_57] and smiled in her face. All this he did at the +hinting of 'Azeez; after which he seated her by his side, and occupied +himself with fanning her until she had rested herself; when she said to +him, O my son! O thou of perfect qualities and graces! art thou of this +country?--Taj-el-Mulook answered her, with an eloquent and sweet and +charming voice, By Allah, O my mistress, in my life I never entered this +country until now; and I have not taken up my abode in it but for the +sake of amusement. And she wished him honour, and welcomed him, and +said, What stuffs hast thou brought with thee? Show me something +beautiful; for the beautiful bringeth not anything but what is +beautiful.--And when Taj-el-Mulook heard her words his heart +palpitated; but he understood not their meaning: so 'Azeez made a sign +to him; and Taj-el-Mulook said to her, I have everything that thou +desirest of stuffs suitable only to Kings and the daughters of Kings. +For whom, then, wouldst thou purchase, that I may display to thee what +will be appropriate?--He desired by this question to learn the meaning +of her words; and she answered, I want some stuff suitable to the lady +Dunya, the daughter of King Shah-Zeman. On hearing the mention of his +beloved, Taj-el-Mulook rejoiced exceedingly, and said to 'Azeez, Bring +me the most magnificent of the goods that are by thee. And 'Azeez gave +him a wrapper, and untied it before her, and Taj-el-Mulook said to her, +Choose what will suit her; for this is such as is not found with any but +me. So the old woman chose some stuff that was worth a thousand pieces +of gold; and said, What is the price of this?--What! said he, shall I +bargain with a person like thee respecting this contemptible thing? +Praise be to God who hath made me acquainted with thee.--And the old +woman exclaimed, I invoke, for thy comely face, the protection of the +Lord of the Daybreak![VIII_58] for verily thy face is comely, and +so are thine actions. Joy be to her who possesseth thee, and especially +if she be endowed with beauty like thee!--Upon this, Taj-el-Mulook +laughed until he fell backwards, and said [within himself], O +Accomplisher of desires by the means of wicked old women![VIII_59] +And she said to him, O my son, what is thy name? He answered, My name is +Taj-el-Mulook.--This, she replied, is one of the names of Kings; but +thou art in the garb of the merchants. So 'Azeez said, From the +affection of his family for him, and the high estimation in which they +held him, they gave him this name. And the old woman replied, Thou hast +spoken truth. May God avert from you the evil of the envious, though +hearts be broken by your charms! + +She then took the stuff, and departed, confounded by his handsomeness +and loveliness and elegant form; and she proceeded until she went in to +the lady Dunya, when she said to her, O my mistress, I have brought thee +some beautiful stuff.--Shew it me, said the lady. And she replied, O my +mistress, here it is: turn it over, and behold it. And when the lady +Dunya saw it, she said to her, O my nurse, verily this is beautiful +stuff; I have not seen such in our city!--O my mistress, replied the old +woman, the seller of it surpasseth it in beauty. It seemeth as though +Ri[d.]wan had opened the gates of Paradise and neglected them, and so +the merchant who selleth this stuff had come forth from it. I wish he +were with thee; for he is a temptation to every one who beholdeth him. +He hath come to our city with these stuffs for the sake of +amusement.--At these words of the old woman the lady Dunya laughed, and +said, Allah afflict thee, thou ill-omened old woman! Thou hast spoken +nonsense, and art become insane.--She then added, Give me the stuff that +I may examine it closely. So the old woman handed it to her, and she +looked at it again, and saw that it was but little, and that its price +was great; and she wondered at its beauty; for she had never in her life +seen anything like it. The old woman then said to her, O my mistress, if +thou didst behold its owner, thou wouldst know that he is the handsomest +person on the face of the earth. And the lady Dunya said to her, Didst +thou ask him if he had any want to be performed, that he might acquaint +us with it, and thou mightest accomplish it for him? The old woman, +shaking her head, replied, Allah preserve thy sagacity! By Allah, he +hath a want. And is any person without one?--Go to him, then, said the +lady Dunya, and salute him, and say to him, I have been honoured by +thine arrival in our city, and whatever want thou hast, we will perform +it for thee on the head and the eye. + +The old woman, therefore, returned immediately to Taj-el-Mulook, and +when he saw her, his heart leaped with joy, and he rose to her, standing +upon his feet, and, taking her hand, seated her by his side. So when she +had sat and rested herself, she informed him of that which the lady +Dunya had said. On hearing this, he was filled with the utmost joy; his +bosom expanded, and he said within himself, I have accomplished my wish! +He then said to the old woman, Perhaps thou wilt convey to her a letter +from me, and bring me back the answer. She replied, I hear and obey. And +when he heard her reply, he said to 'Azeez, Give me an inkhorn and +paper, and a pen of brass. And 'Azeez having given him these things, he +wrote the following verses:-- + + I write to thee a letter, O object of my petition, expressive + of the torment that I suffer from separation; + And first, I make known to thee the ardour of my heart; and secondly, + my desire and eager longing; + And thirdly, the expiring of my life and patience; and fourthly, + that all the violence of my love remaineth; + And fifthly, I ask, When shall I behold thee? and sixthly, + When shall be the day of our union? + +He then added beneath, This letter is from the captive of desire, +incarcerated in the prison of longing expectation, to whom there can be +no liberation but by enjoying an interview, even were it with the +phantom of the object of his hope; for he is enduring a painful torment +from the separation of his beloved.--Then his tears flowed, and he wrote +these two verses:-- + + I write unto thee with my tears flowing, and the drops from + my eyes descending incessantly; + But I am not despairing of the favour of my Lord: perhaps + some day our union may take place. + +He then folded the letter, and sealed it, and gave it to the old woman, +saying, Convey it to the lady Dunya. She replied, I hear and obey. And +he gave her a thousand pieces of gold, and said, Receive this as a +present from me. So the old woman took it and departed, praying for him. + +She stopped not until she went in to the lady Dunya, who, when she +beheld her, said to her, O my nurse, what hath he demanded that we +should do for him?--O my mistress, she answered, he hath sent with me a +letter, and I know not its contents. And she handed the letter to her. +So the lady Dunya took it and read it, and understood its meaning, and +exclaimed, Whence is he, and to what doth he aspire, that this merchant +openeth a correspondence with me? Then slapping her face, she said, Were +it not for my fear of God (whose name be exalted!) I would crucify him +upon his shop. So the old woman said to her, What is in this letter, +that it hath disturbed thy heart? Doth it contain a complaint of +oppression, or a demand for the price of the stuff?--Wo to thee! she +answered: it containeth not that, nor anything but love and affection; +and all this is through thee. Or, if not, how should this devil presume +to employ these words?--O my mistress, replied the old woman, thou art +residing in thy lofty palace, and no one can obtain access to thee; not +even the flying bird. Allah preserve thee from blame and censure! Thou +hast nothing to fear from the barking of dogs. Be not angry with me for +my bringing thee this letter when I knew not its contents: but it is my +opinion that thou shouldst return him an answer, and threaten him in it +with slaughter, and forbid him from employing these vain words; for he +will abstain, and not do so again.--The lady Dunya said, I fear to write +to him, lest he covet me more. But the old woman replied, When he +heareth the threatening, and promise of punishment, he will desist from +his present conduct. So she said, Bring me an inkhorn and paper, and a +pen of brass. And when they had brought them to her, she wrote these +verses:-- + + O pretender to love and affliction and sleeplessness, and feelings + of rapturous passion, and anxiety! + Dost thou seek for a meeting, O deceived, from a moon? Doth any + attain from a moon his wish? + I advise thine abstaining from thy desire: forbear then; for thou + art exposed to peril. + If thou again make use of these words, I will visit thee with + a punishment of the utmost severity. + By Him who created mankind of clotted blood,[VIII_60] + and who gave light to the sun and the moon! + If thou repeat the proposal thou hast made, I will assuredly crucify + thee on the trunk of a tree. + +[Illustration] + +She then folded up the letter, and gave it to the old woman, saying to +her, Deliver it to him, and say to him, Abstain from these words. And +she replied, I hear and obey. + +She took the letter, full of joy,[VIII_61] and went with it to her +house, where she passed the night; and in the morning she repaired to +the shop of Taj-el-Mulook, whom she found expecting her. As soon as he +beheld her, he almost flew with joy, and when she drew near to him he +rose to her, standing upon his feet, and seated her by his side; and she +took forth the letter, and handed it to him, saying, Read its contents. +She then said to him, The lady Dunya, when she read thy letter, was +enraged; but I coaxed her and jested with her until I made her laugh, +and she was moved with pity for thee, and returned thee an answer. So +Taj-el-Mulook thanked her for this, and, having ordered 'Azeez to give +her a thousand pieces of gold, read the letter, and understood it; and +he wept violently, so that the heart of the old woman was moved with +compassion for him, and his weeping and complaining grieved her. She +said to him, O my son, and what is in this paper, that it hath made +thee weep? He answered, She threateneth me with slaughter and +crucifixion, and forbiddeth my writing to her; but if I write not to +her, my death will be preferable to my life; therefore take a reply to +her letter, and let her do what she will.--By thy youth, replied the old +woman, I must risk my life for thee, and enable thee to attain thy +desire, and accomplish for thee that which is in thy heart. And +Taj-el-Mulook said, Whatsoever thou dost I will requite thee for it; and +it shall be determined by thee; for thou art experienced in the +management of affairs, and skilled in the modes of intrigue, and +everything that is difficult becometh easy to thee; and God is able to +accomplish all things. So he took a paper, and wrote in it these +verses:-- + + She threatened me with slaughter. O my bereavement! Slaughter + would be ease to me, and death is decreed. + Death is better than life prolonged to the love-smitten who is + debarred from enjoyment and treated with oppression. + By Allah, visit a helpless lover; for I am your slave, and the slave + is in captivity. + O my mistress, have mercy on me for my passion; for every one who + loveth the virtuous is excusable. + +Having done this, he sighed heavily, and wept until the old woman wept +with him; after which she took the letter from him, and said to him, Be +happy and cheerful; for I must accomplish for thee thy wish. + +She then arose, and left him as though he were upon the fire, and +repaired to the lady Dunya, whom she found with a countenance changed by +her anger in consequence of the former epistle of Taj-el-Mulook; and she +handed her the second letter; whereupon her rage increased, and she said +to the old woman, Did I not tell thee that he would covet us more?--And +what is this dog, said the old woman, that he should aspire to thee? The +lady Dunya replied, Go to him, and say to him, If thou write to her +again she will strike off thy head. But the old woman said, Do thou +write this to him in a letter, and I will take it with me, that his fear +may be the greater. So she took a paper, and wrote in it the following +verses:-- + + O thou who art heedless of the course of misfortunes, and who canst not + accomplish thy desired union! + Dost thou think, O deceived, to attain to Es-Suha,[VIII_62] + when thou canst not reach to the shining moon? + How then dost thou venture to hope for our union, and to hold in thine + embrace my javelin-like form? + Quit, therefore, this project, in fear of my assault on a day + of adversity when hair shall become gray. + +Having folded this letter, she handed it to the old woman, who took it +and repaired with it to Taj-el-Mulook. At the sight of her he rose, and +said, May God never deprive me of the blessing of thy coming! And the +old woman replied, Receive the answer to thy letter. So he took the +paper and read it, and wept violently, and said, I desire now some one +to kill me; for slaughter would be easier to me than this my present +state of suffering. He then took an inkhorn and a pen and paper, and +wrote a letter expressed in these two verses:-- + + O my hope, persist not in abandonment and cruelty; but visit + a lover drowned in desire. + Think not that I can survive this oppression; for my soul + departeth at the loss of my beloved. + +And he folded the letter, and gave it to the old woman, saying to her, I +have wearied thee to no purpose. And again he ordered 'Azeez to give her +a thousand pieces of gold, and said to her, O my mother, this paper must +be followed by complete union or complete separation.--O my son, she +replied, by Allah, I desire for thee nothing but good fortune: and I +wish she may be with thee; for thou art the shining moon, and she is the +rising sun; and if I do not bring you together, no profit will remain to +me in my life. I have passed my life in the practice of artifice and +deceit, until I have attained the age of ninety years; and how then +should I fail of uniting two persons in opposition to all law? + +Then, having bidden him farewell, and soothed his mind, she departed, +and proceeded without stopping to the lady Dunya; but she had hidden the +paper in her hair; and when she sat down with her mistress, she +scratched her head, and said, O my mistress, perhaps thou wilt untwist +my hair; for it is a long time since I have entered the bath. So the +lady Dunya made bare her arms to the elbows, and untwisted the old +woman's hair; whereupon the paper fell from her head; and the lady +Dunya, seeing it, said, What is this paper? The old woman answered, It +seemeth that, when I was sitting at the shop of the merchant, this paper +caught to me: give it me, therefore, that I may return it to him. But +the lady Dunya opened it and read it, and understood its contents, and +exclaimed, This is a trick of thine, and were it not for the fact of thy +having reared me, I would lay violent hands upon thee this moment. God +hath afflicted me by this merchant, and all that I have experienced from +him hath been through thy means. I know not from what country this man +hath come. No one but he could ever use such boldness towards me. I +fear that this affair which hath happened to me may be discovered, and +especially since it relateth to a man who is neither of my family nor of +my equals.--The old woman then addressed her, and said, No one can utter +a word on this subject, through fear of thy power, and of the dignity of +thy father: and there will be no harm in thy returning him an answer.--O +my nurse, replied the lady Dunya, this is a devil. How hath he dared to +use these words, and feared not the power of the Sul[t.]an? I am +perplexed respecting his case; for if I give orders to kill him, it will +not be right: and if I leave him, he will increase in his +boldness.--Write to him a letter, rejoined the old woman; and perhaps he +will be restrained. She therefore demanded a paper and an inkhorn and a +pen, and wrote to him the following verses:-- + +[Illustration] + + Though repeatedly rebuked, still gross ignorance inciteth thee. + How oft shall my hand write verses to forbid thee? + Thou increasest in eagerness after each prohibition; but I will + only permit thee to conceal thy secret. + Conceal then thy love, and never more utter it; for if thou utter it, + I will not regard thee. + If thou repeat what thou hast said, the raven of separation will + announce thy fate: + In a little time will death overtake thee, and thy resting-place + be beneath the earth: + Thou shalt leave thy family, O deceived, in sorrow, when the swords + of love have prevented thine escape. + +Having then folded the paper, she gave it to the old woman, who took it, +and went with it to Taj-el-Mulook, and gave it to him; and when he had +read it, and was convinced that she was hard-hearted, and that he could +not obtain access to her, he complained of his case to the Wezeer, and +desired his prudent counsel. The Wezeer replied, Know that there +remaineth for thee nothing that can be of avail, except thy writing to +her another letter, and invoking retribution upon her. So he said, O my +brother, O 'Azeez, write in my stead, according to thy knowledge. And +'Azeez took the paper, and wrote these verses:-- + + O my Lord, by the Five Elders,[VIII_63] deliver me; and to her + who hath afflicted me transfer my anguish! + For Thou knowest that I am suffering a tormenting flame, and my beloved + hath oppressed me, and will not pity me. + How long shall I feel tenderly to her in my affliction! And how long + shall she tyrannize over my weakness! + I wander in agonies never ending, and find not a person, O my Lord, + to assist me. + +'Azeez then folded the letter, and handed it to Taj-el-Mulook; and when +he had read it, it pleased him, and he gave it to the old woman. + +So she took it, and repaired with it to the lady Dunya, who, as soon as +she had read it, and understood its contents, fell into a violent rage, +and exclaimed, All that hath befallen me hath been through the means of +this ill-omened old woman! And she called out to the female slaves and +eunuchs, and said, Seize this artful old woman, and beat her with your +slippers.--So they fell to beating her with their slippers until she +fainted; and when she recovered, the lady Dunya said to her, O wicked +old woman, were it not for my fear of God (whose name be exalted!) I had +killed thee. She then said to her attendants, Beat her again. And they +beat her again until she fainted; after which she ordered them to throw +her outside the door; and they dragged her along upon her face and threw +her down before the door. + +[Illustration] + +When she recovered, therefore, she rose, and, walking and resting now +and then, arrived at her abode. She waited until the morning, and then +rose and proceeded to Taj-el-Mulook, whom she acquainted with all that +had befallen her; and it vexed him, and he said to her, We are grieved, +O my mother, for that which hath happened to thee: but everything is in +accordance with fate and destiny. She replied, Be happy and cheerful; +for I will not cease my endeavours until I procure thee an interview +with her, and obtain for thee access to this vile woman who hath +tortured me with beating. Taj-el-Mulook then said to her, Acquaint me +with the cause of her hatred of men. She replied, It is in consequence +of her having had a dream.--And what was that dream? he asked. She +answered, She was sleeping one night, and saw a fowler who set his snare +upon the ground, and sprinkled around it some wheat, and then seated +himself near it; and there was not a single bird near it but it came to +that snare. And she saw, among the birds, two pigeons, a male and a +female; and while she was looking at the snare, the foot of the male +bird became entangled in it, and he began to struggle; whereupon all the +other birds flew away from him in alarm; but his mate returned to him, +and flew around over him, and then, alighting upon the snare, while the +fowler was inadvertent, began to peck at the mesh in which was the foot +of the male, and pulled it with her beak, until she liberated his foot; +and she flew away with him. Then, after this, the fowler came and +readjusted the snare, and seated himself at a distance from it; and but +a little while had elapsed when the birds descended, and the snare +caught the female pigeon; upon which all the other birds flew away in +alarm, and among them the male pigeon, who returned not to his mate: so +the fowler came and took the female bird, and killed her. And the lady +Dunya awoke terrified by her dream, and said, Every male is like this, +destitute of good; and men universally are devoid of goodness to +women.--And when the old woman had finished her story to Taj-el-Mulook, +he said to her, O my mother, I wish to obtain one glance at her, though +my death be the consequence: contrive, therefore, some stratagem for me, +that I may see her.--Know, then, said she, that she hath a garden +adjacent to her palace, for her diversion, and she goeth out into it +once in every month, from the private door, and remaineth in it ten +days. The time of her thus going forth to divert herself hath now +arrived, and when she is about to do so I will come to thee and inform +thee, that thou mayest go thither and meet her; and do thou take care +not to quit the garden: for probably, if she behold thy handsome and +comely aspect, her heart will be captivated by love of thee; since love +is the most powerful means of effecting union. + +He replied, I hear and obey:--and he arose, and quitted the shop with +'Azeez, and they both, taking with them the old woman, repaired to their +abode, and acquainted her with it; after which, Taj-el-Mulook said to +'Azeez, O my brother, I have no further want of the shop; for I have +accomplished the purpose for which I took it; and I give it to thee, +with all that it containeth, because thou hast come abroad with me, and +absented thyself from thy country. And 'Azeez accepted his present, and +they sat conversing together; Taj-el-Mulook asking him respecting his +strange adventures, and 'Azeez relating what had happened to him. Then, +addressing the Wezeer, they acquainted him with the purpose of +Taj-el-Mulook, and asked him, What is to be done? He answered, Let us go +to the garden. So each of them clad himself in the richest of his +apparel, and they went forth, followed by three memlooks, and repaired +to the garden. They beheld it abounding with trees, and with many +rivulets, and saw the superintendent sitting at the gate. They saluted +him, therefore, and he returned their salutation, and the Wezeer handed +to him a hundred pieces of gold, saying to him, I beg thee to receive +this money, and to buy for us something to eat; for we are strangers, +and I have with me these children whom I wish to divert. So the gardener +took the pieces of gold, and replied, Enter, and divert yourselves; for +the whole of it is your property: and sit down until I return to you +with something for you to eat. He then went to the market, and the +Wezeer and Taj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez entered the garden after the +gardener had departed to the market; and soon the latter returned, +bringing a roasted lamb, which he placed before them. And they ate, and +washed their hands, and sat conversing together; and the Wezeer said, +Inform me respecting this garden: doth it belong to thee, or dost thou +rent it? The sheykh replied, It is not mine, but belongeth to the King's +daughter, the lady Dunya.--And what, said the Wezeer, is thy monthly +salary? He answered, One piece of gold, and no more. And the Wezeer, +taking a view of the garden, beheld there a lofty but old pavilion; and +he said, O sheykh, I desire to perform here a good work by which thou +wilt be reminded of me.--And what good thing dost thou desire to do? +asked the sheykh. The Wezeer said, Take these three hundred pieces of +gold. And when the superintendent heard the mention of the gold, he +replied, O my master, do whatsoever thou wilt. So he took the pieces of +gold; and the Wezeer said to him, If it be the will of God (whose name +be exalted!), we will execute in this place a good work. + +They then went forth from him, and returned to their abode, and passed +the next night; and on the morrow, the Wezeer caused a whitewasher to be +brought, and a painter, and an excellent goldsmith; and, having provided +them with all the implements that they required, introduced them into +the garden, and ordered them to whitewash that pavilion and to decorate +it with various kinds of paintings. After which he gave orders to bring +the gold, and the ultramarine pigment, and said to the painter, +Delineate, at the upper end of this saloon, the figure of a fowler, as +though he had set his snare, and a female pigeon had fallen into it, and +had become entangled in it by her bill. And when the painter had +finished his picture on one portion, the Wezeer said to him, Now paint, +on this other portion, as before, and represent the female pigeon in the +snare, and shew that the fowler hath taken her, and put the knife to her +neck; and on the other side paint the figure of a great bird of prey, +that hath captured the male pigeon, and fixed his talons into him. So he +did this; and when he had finished these designs which the Wezeer had +described to him, they took leave of the gardener, and returned to their +abode. + +There they sat conversing together; and Taj-el-Mulook said to 'Azeez, O +my brother, recite to me some verses: perhaps my heart may thereby be +dilated, and these troubling reflections may be dispelled, and the flame +that is in my heart be quenched. And upon this, 'Azeez, with charming +modulations, chanted these verses:-- + + Ibn-Seena[VIII_64] hath asserted that the lover's remedy + consisteth in melodious sounds, + And the company of one like his beloved, and the pleasures + of a dessert and wine and a garden: + But I have taken another in thy stead to cure myself, and fate + and contingency aided me: + Yet I found that love was a mortal disease, for which Ibn-Seena's + medicine was vain. + +Meanwhile, the old woman remained alone in her house; and the lady Dunya +longed to divert herself in the garden; but she used not to go forth +save with the old woman: so she sent to her, and conciliated her, and +soothed her mind, and said to her, I desire to go out into the garden, +to amuse myself with the sight of its trees and fruits, and that my +heart may be dilated by its flowers. The old woman replied, I hear and +obey; but I would first go to my house and dress myself, and I will be +with thee again.--Go, then, to thy house, rejoined the lady Dunya; but +be not long absent from me. The old woman, therefore, went forth from +her, and repaired to Taj-el-Mulook, and said to him, Make ready, and +clothe thyself in the richest of thine apparel, and betake thyself to +the garden, and go in to the gardener and salute him, and then conceal +thyself in the garden. He replied, I hear and obey. And she agreed with +him respecting a sign to be made; after which she returned to the lady +Dunya. And when she had gone, the Wezeer arose, and clad Taj-el-Mulook +in a suit of the most magnificent of the apparel of Kings, worth five +thousand pieces of gold, and girded him with a girdle of gold set with +jewels, and repaired to the garden. On arriving at its gate, they found +the superintendent sitting there; and when he saw Taj-el-Mulook, he rose +to him, standing upon his feet, and, receiving him with reverence and +honour, opened to him the gate, and said to him, Enter, and divert +thyself in the garden. But the gardener knew not that the King's +daughter would enter the garden that day. And when Taj-el-Mulook had +gone in, he waited but a short time, and heard a noise; and before he +knew the cause, the eunuchs and female slaves came forth from the +private door; and as soon as the superintendent beheld them, he went and +acquainted Taj-el-Mulook with their coming, saying to him, O my lord, +what is to be done, now that the King's daughter, the lady Dunya, hath +come? He answered, No harm will befall thee; for I will conceal myself +in some place in the garden. So the gardener charged him to use the +utmost caution in concealing himself, and left him, and departed. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + +And when the King's daughter, with her female slaves and the old woman, +entered the garden, the old woman said within herself, If the eunuchs be +with us, we shall not attain our wish. So she said to the King's +daughter, O my mistress, I would propose to thee a thing productive of +ease to thy heart. And the lady Dunya replied, Propose what thou wilt. +The old woman therefore said, O my mistress, thou hast no need of these +eunuchs at the present time; nor will thy heart be dilated as long as +they are with us: so dismiss them from us.--Thou hast spoken truly, +replied the lady Dunya:--and she dismissed them; and a little while +after, as she was walking, Taj-el-Mulook beheld her, and gazed at her +beauty and loveliness, while she knew it not; and every time that he +looked at her he fainted, by reason of her surpassing beauty. The old +woman in the meantime led her on by conversation to the pavilion which +the Wezeer had ordered to be painted; and, entering this pavilion, the +lady Dunya took a view of its paintings, and saw the birds and the +fowler and the pigeons; whereupon she exclaimed, Extolled be the +perfection of God! Verily this is the representation of what I beheld in +my dream!--And she continued gazing at the figures of the birds and the +fowler and the snare, full of wonder; and said, O my nurse, I used to +censure men, and hate them; but see the fowler, how he hath killed the +female bird, and the male hath escaped, and desired to return to the +female to liberate her, but the bird of prey hath met him and captured +him. The old woman, however, affected ignorance to her, and proceeded to +divert her with talk until they both approached the place where +Taj-el-Mulook was concealed; upon which she made a sign to him that he +should walk beneath the windows of the pavilion; and while the lady +Dunya stood there, she looked aside, and saw him, and, observing the +beauty of his face, and his elegant form, she said, O my nurse, whence +is this handsome youth? The old woman answered, I know him not; but I +imagine that he is the son of a great King; for he is of the utmost +beauty and loveliness. And the lady Dunya was enraptured with him. The +spells that bound her were dissolved, her reason was overcome by his +beauty and loveliness and his elegant person, and she was affected by +violent love: so she said to the old woman, O my nurse, verily this +young man is handsome. The old woman replied, Thou hast spoken truth, O +my mistress. And she made a sign to the King's son to return to his +house. The fire of desire flamed within him, and his rapture and +distraction became excessive; but he went, and bade farewell to the +superintendent, and departed to his abode, that he might not disobey the +old woman, and acquainted the Wezeer and 'Azeez that she had made a sign +to him to depart. And they both exhorted him to be patient, saying to +him, If the old woman did not know that there was an object to be +attained by thy return, she had not made a sign to thee to do so. + +Now to return to the lady Dunya.--Desire overcame her, and her rapture +and distraction increased; so she said to the old woman, I know not how +to obtain an interview with this young man but through thy means. The +old woman exclaimed, I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed! +Thou hast no desire for men; and how, then, have fears affected thee in +consequence of the love of him? But, by Allah, none other than he is +suited to thy youth.--O my nurse, rejoined the lady Dunya, assist me to +obtain an interview with him, and thou shalt receive from me a thousand +pieces of gold, and a dress of the same value: if thou assist me not to +gain him, I shall die inevitably. So the old woman replied, Go thou to +thy palace, and I will devise means to bring you together, and give my +life to satisfy you both. The lady Dunya then returned to her palace, +while the old woman repaired to Taj-el-Mulook; and when he saw her, he +rose to her, and stood, and received her with respect and honour, +seating her by his side; and she said to him, The stratagem hath +succeeded. She then related to him what had occurred between her and +the lady Dunya; and he said to her, When shall be the interview? She +answered, To-morrow. And he gave her a thousand pieces of gold, and a +garment of the same value: and she took them, and departed, and stopped +not until she went in to the lady Dunya, who said to her, O my nurse, +what news hast thou brought from the beloved?--I have discovered his +abode, she answered; and to-morrow I will bring him to thee. And at this +the lady Dunya rejoiced, and gave her a thousand pieces of gold, and a +garment of the same value; and she took them, and returned to her house. + +She passed the next night, and in the morning she went forth and +repaired to Taj-el-Mulook, and, having clad him in women's apparel, said +to him, Walk behind me, and incline thy body from side to side as thou +steppest,[VIII_65] and proceed not with a hasty pace, nor take +notice of any one who may speak to thee. And after she had thus charged +him, she went forth, and he behind her in his female attire; and she +proceeded to instruct him, on the way, how to act, that he might not +fear. She continued on her way, he following her, until they arrived at +the entrance of the palace, when she entered, and he also after her, and +she passed through successive doors and antechambers until she had +conducted him through seven doors. And when she arrived at the seventh +door, she said to Taj-el-Mulook, Fortify thy heart, and if I call out to +thee, and say to thee, O slave-girl, advance!--be not tardy in thy pace, +but hasten on, and when thou hast entered the antechamber beyond, look +to thy left: thou wilt see a saloon with seven doors; and do thou count +five doors, and enter the sixth; for within it is the object of thy +desire.--And whither goest _thou_? said Taj-el-Mulook. She answered, I +have no place to go to; but perhaps I may wait after thee and speak with +the chief eunuch. She then proceeded, and he followed her, until they +arrived at the door where was the chief eunuch; and he saw with her +Taj-el-Mulook in the attire of a female slave, and said to her, What is +the business of this slave-girl who is with thee? She answered him, The +lady Dunya hath heard that this girl is skilled in different kinds of +work, and she desireth to purchase her. But the eunuch replied, I know +neither slave-girl nor any other person; and no one shall enter without +being searched by me, as the King hath commanded me. Upon this, the old +woman, manifesting anger, said to him, I knew that thou wast a man of +sense and of good manners; and if thou art changed I will acquaint her +with this, and inform her that thou hast offered opposition to her +female slave. She then called out to Taj-el-Mulook, and said to him, +Advance, O slave-girl! And immediately he entered the antechamber, as +she had commanded him, and the eunuch was silent, and said no more. So +Taj-el-Mulook counted five doors, and entered the sixth, and found the +lady Dunya standing expecting him. + +[Illustration] + +As soon as she beheld him, she knew him, and pressed him to her bosom, +and he embraced her in like manner; and the old woman, coming in to +them, contrived a pretext to dismiss the female slaves; after which the +lady Dunya said to her, Be thou keeper of the door. She then remained +alone with Taj-el-Mulook, and they passed the whole night in innocent +dalliance.[VIII_66] And on the following morning she closed the +door upon him and the old woman, and entering another apartment, sat +there according to her custom; and her female slaves came to her, and +she transacted their affairs and conversed with them, and then said to +them, Go forth from me now; for I desire to amuse myself in solitude. So +they left her, and she returned to Taj-el-Mulook and the old woman, +taking with her some food for them; and thus they ceased not to do for a +whole month. + +As to the Wezeer, however, and 'Azeez, when Taj-el-Mulook had gone to +the palace of the King's daughter and remained all this time, they +concluded that he would never return from it, and that he was inevitably +lost; and 'Azeez said to the Wezeer, O my father, what wilt thou do? The +Wezeer answered, O my son, this affair is one of difficulty, and if we +return not to his father to acquaint him, he will blame us for our +negligence. So they prepared themselves immediately, and journeyed +towards El-Ar[d.] el-Kha[d.]ra and El-'Amoodeyn[VIII_67] and the +royal residence of the King Suleyman Shah, and traversed the valleys +night and day until they went in and presented themselves before the +King Suleyman Shah; and they informed him of that which had happened to +his son, and that they had learnt no news of him since he had entered +the palace of the King's daughter. On hearing this, he was as though the +day of resurrection had surprised him: his sorrow was intense, and he +gave orders to make a proclamation of war throughout his dominions. He +then sent forth his troops outside the city, and caused the tents to be +pitched for them, and remained in his pavilion until the forces had +assembled from all the quarters of his kingdom. His subjects loved him +for his great justice and beneficence, and he departed with an army that +covered the earth as far as the eye could reach, for the purpose of +demanding his son Taj-el-Mulook. + +In the meantime, Taj-el-Mulook and the lady Dunya continued together for +half a year, every day increasing in mutual love; and the love and +distraction and rapture of Taj-el-Mulook so augmented that he opened to +her his mind, and said to her, Know, O beloved of my heart, that the +longer I remain with thee, the more do my distraction and ecstasy and +desire increase; for I have not altogether attained my wish. So she +said, What dost thou wish, O light of my eye, and delight of my heart? +He answered, I desire to acquaint thee with my true history: know, then, +that I am not a merchant, but a King, son of a King, and the name of my +father is the Supreme King Suleyman Shah, who sent the Wezeer as +ambassador to thy father to demand thee for me in marriage; and when the +news came to thee thou refusedst to consent.--He then related to her his +story from first to last; and added, I desire now to repair to my +father, that he may send an ambassador again to thy father, to demand +thee in marriage from him, and so we shall remain at ease.--And when she +heard this, she rejoiced exceedingly: for it coincided with her wish; +and they passed the next night determined upon this proceeding. + +But it happened, in accordance with destiny, that sleep overcame them +unusually that night, and they remained until the sun had risen. The +King Shah-Zeman was then upon his royal seat, with the emeers of his +empire before him, and the chief of the goldsmiths presented himself, +having in his hand a large round casket: and he advanced, and, opening +it before the King, took forth from it an elegant box worth a hundred +thousand pieces of gold for the jewels it contained, and rubies and +emeralds, such as no King of the earth could procure. And when the King +saw it, he wondered at its beauty; and he looked towards the chief +eunuch, to whom the affair with the old woman had happened (as above +described), and said to him, O Kafoor,[VIII_68] take this box, and +go with it to the lady Dunya. So the eunuch took it, and proceeded until +he arrived at the chamber of the King's daughter, when he found its door +closed, and the old woman sleeping at its threshold, and he exclaimed, +Until this hour are ye sleeping? And when the old woman heard what he +said, she awoke from her sleep, and, in her fear of him, said, Wait +until I bring the key. She then went forth and fled. The eunuch, +therefore, knew that she was alarmed, and he displaced the +door,[VIII_69] and, entering the chamber, found the lady Dunya +asleep with Taj-el-Mulook. At the sight of this, he was perplexed at his +case, and was meditating to return to the King, when the lady Dunya +awoke, and found him by her; and she was troubled, and her countenance +became pale, and she said, O Kafoor, veil what God hath veiled. But he +replied, I cannot conceal anything from the King. And he closed the door +upon them, and returned to the King. So the King said to him, Hast thou +given the box to thy mistress? The eunuch answered, Take the box: here +it is. I cannot conceal from thee anything. Know that I beheld, with the +lady Dunya, a handsome young man, sleeping in the same chamber. The King +therefore ordered that they should be both brought before him; and when +they had come into his presence, he said to them, What are these deeds? +And he was violently enraged, and, seizing a dagger,[VIII_70] was +about to strike with it Taj-el-Mulook; but the lady Dunya threw her head +upon him, and said to her father, Slay me before him. The King, however, +chid her, and ordered them to convey her back to her chamber. Then +looking towards Taj-el-Mulook, he said to him, Wo to thee! Whence art +thou, and who is thy father, and what hath emboldened thee to act thus +towards my daughter?--Know, O King, answered Taj-el-Mulook, that, if +thou put me to death, thou wilt perish, and thou and all in thy +dominions will repent.--And why so? said the King. He answered, Know +that I am the son of the King Suleyman Shah, and thou wilt not be aware +of the consequence when he will approach thee with his horsemen and his +infantry. And when King Shah-Zeman heard this, he desired to defer +putting him to death; and to imprison him until he should see whether +his assertion were true; but his Wezeer said to him, O King of the age, +it is my advice that thou hasten the execution of this young wretch, +since he hath been guilty of presumption towards the daughters of Kings. +So he said to the executioner, Strike off his head; for he is a traitor. +And the executioner took him, and, having bound him firmly, raised his +hand, and made a sign of consultation to the emeers a first and a second +time, desiring by this that some delay might take place; but the King +called out to him, How long wilt thou consult? If thou do so again I +will strike off thy head. + +[Illustration] + +The executioner, therefore, raised his hand until his arm-pit appeared, +and was about to strike off his head, when loud cries were heard, and, +the people closed their shops. So the King said to the executioner, +Hasten not. And he sent a person to learn the news for him; and the +messenger went, and, soon returning, said to the King, I beheld an army +like the roaring sea agitated with waves; their horses are prancing, and +the earth trembleth beneath them, and I know not wherefore they are +come. And the King was amazed, and feared lest he should be deposed from +his throne. He then said to his Wezeer, Have none of our troops gone +forth to meet this army? But his words were not finished when his +chamberlains came in to him accompanied by the messengers of the +approaching King, and among them was the Wezeer who had been with +Taj-el-Mulook. He commenced by salutation; and the King rose to him, +and, calling them near to him, asked them respecting the cause of their +coming: whereupon the Wezeer advanced from among them, and approached +the King, and said to him, Know that he who hath alighted in thy +territories is a King not like the Kings who have preceded him, nor like +the Sul[t.]ans of former times.--And who is he? said the King. The +Wezeer answered, He is the lord of justice and security, the fame of +whose magnanimity the caravans have spread abroad, the Sul[t.]an +Suleyman Shah, the lord of El-Ar[d.] el-Kha[d.]ra and El-'Amoodeyn and +the mountains of I[s.]pahan, who loveth justice and equity, and hateth +tyranny and oppression; and he saith to thee, that his son is in thy +dominions and in thy city, and he is the vital spirit of his heart, and +its delight; and if he find him in safety, it is what he desireth, and +thou wilt be thanked and praised; but if he be not found in thy country, +or if any evil hath befallen him, receive tidings of destruction and of +the ruin of thy territories; for thy country shall become a desert in +which the raven shall croak. Thus I have delivered to thee the message; +and peace be on thee.--When the King Shah-Zeman heard these words of the +envoy, his heart was troubled, and he feared for his kingdom, and called +out to the lords of his empire, and his wezeers and chamberlains and +lieutenants; and when they had come before him he said to them, Wo unto +you! Go down and search for this young man.--But he was under the hand +of the executioner, and his appearance was changed through the fear that +he suffered. The Wezeer then, looking aside, found the King's son upon +the skin of blood,[VIII_71] and he recognised him, and arose, and +threw himself upon him. So also did the other messengers: they then +unbound him, and kissed his hands and his feet; whereupon Taj-el-Mulook +opened his eyes, and, recognising the Wezeer and his companion 'Azeez, +fell down in a swoon through the excess of his joy at their presence. + +The King Shah-Zeman was perplexed at his situation, and in great fear, +on discovering that the coming of the army was on account of this young +man; and he arose and walked forward to Taj-el-Mulook, and kissed his +head, and, with weeping eyes, said to him, O my son, be not angry with +me: be not angry with the evil-doer for his deed; but have compassion on +my gray hairs, and lay not waste my dominions. And Taj-el-Mulook +approached him, and kissed his hand, saying to him, No harm shall befall +thee; for thou art in my estimation as my father; but beware that no +evil befall my beloved, the lady Dunya.--O my lord, rejoined the King, +fear not for her; for nought but happiness awaiteth her. And he +proceeded to excuse himself to him, and to soothe the mind of the Wezeer +of the King Suleyman Shah, promising him a large sum of money that he +might conceal from the King what he had seen; after which he ordered the +grandees of his empire to take Taj-el-Mulook and to conduct him to the +bath, to clothe him in a suit of the best of royal apparel, and bring +him back quickly. So they did this: they conducted him into the bath, +and, having clad him in the suit which the King Shah-Zeman had allotted +him, brought him back to the hall of audience; and when he came in, the +King rose to him, he and all the lords of his empire, and they all stood +to wait upon him. Then Taj-el-Mulook sat and conversed with his father's +Wezeer and with 'Azeez respecting the events which had happened to him; +and they replied, During that period we went to thy father, and informed +him that thou hadst entered the palace of the King's daughter, and not +come forth from it, and that thy case appeared doubtful to us; and when +he heard this, he made ready the troops, and we came to this country, +and on our arrival have experienced joy and happiness. So he said to +them, Good fortune hath attended your actions, first and last. + +The King, in the meantime, had gone into his daughter, the lady Dunya, +and found her weeping for Taj-el-Mulook. She had taken a sword, and put +its hilt to the floor, and its point to the middle of her bosom, and was +leaning over it, saying, I must kill myself, and not live after my +beloved. When her father, therefore, went in to her, and beheld her in +this state, he called out to her, and said, O mistress of the daughters +of Kings, do it not; but have mercy upon thy father and the people of +thy country! Then advancing to her, he said to her, I conjure thee to +abstain, lest evil befall thy father on thy account. And he acquainted +her with the case, telling her that her beloved, the son of the King +Suleyman Shah, desired to celebrate his marriage with her, and adding, +The affair of the betrothal and marriage is committed to thy judgment. +And she smiled, and said to him, Did I not tell thee that he was the son +of a Sul[t.]an? I will make him crucify thee upon a piece of wood worth +a couple of pieces of silver. I conjure thee by Allah, he exclaimed, +that thou have mercy upon thy father!--Go to him, she rejoined, and +bring him to me. He replied, On the head and the eye. And he returned +from her quickly, and, going in to Taj-el-Mulook, rejoiced him by what +he said. He then arose with him, and went to her again; and when she +beheld Taj-el-Mulook, she embraced him in the presence of her father, +and clung to him, and said to him, Thou hast made me desolate by thine +absence. Then looking at her father, she said, Can any one act +injuriously towards such a person as this handsome youth, and he a King, +a son of a King? And upon this the King Shah-Zeman went forth, and +closed the door upon them, and, repairing to the Wezeer and the other +messengers of the father of Taj-el-Mulook, ordered them to inform the +Sul[t.]an Suleyman Shah that his son was in prosperity and health, and +enjoying a life of the utmost delight. He gave orders also to carry +forth provisions and pay to the troops of the Sul[t.]an Suleyman Shah; +and after they had conveyed all that he commanded them to take forth, he +brought out a hundred coursers, and a hundred dromedaries, and a hundred +memlooks, and a hundred concubine slaves, and a hundred male black +slaves, and a hundred female slaves, and sent them all to him as a +present. + +[Illustration] + +He then repaired to him, with the lords of his empire, and his chief +attendants, and they proceeded until they arrived outside the city; and +when the Sul[t.]an Suleyman Shah became acquainted with this he advanced +some paces to meet him. The Wezeer and 'Azeez had informed him of the +news, and he rejoiced, and exclaimed, Praise be to God who hath granted +my son the accomplishment of his wish! And he embraced the King +Shah-Zeman, and seated him by his side upon the couch, and they +conversed together; after which the attendants placed before; them the +food, and when they had eaten to satisfaction they brought them the +sweetmeats. Soon after, Taj-el-Mulook came, approaching in his rich and +ornamented dress; and when his father beheld him, he rose to him and +kissed him, and all who were present rose to him; and after he had sat +with them a while conversing, the King Suleyman Shah said, I desire to +perform my son's contract of marriage to thy daughter in the presence of +witnesses. And King Shah-Zeman replied, I hear and obey. So he summoned +the [K.]a[d.]ee and witnesses, and they came, and wrote the +marriage-contract; and the troops rejoiced at this. And King Shah-Zeman +began to fit out his daughter. + +Then Taj-el-Mulook said to his father, Verily, 'Azeez is a generous +person; he hath performed for me a great service, and wearied himself, +and journeyed with me, and enabled me to attain the object of my search, +ceasing not to exhort me to patience until I accomplished my wish, and +he hath been with us two years separated from his country: it is my +desire, therefore, that we should prepare for him merchandise; for his +country is near. His father replied, Thy opinion is excellent. So they +prepared for him a hundred loads of the most costly stuffs; and +Taj-el-Mulook bade him farewell, saying to him, O my brother, accept +this as a present. And he accepted it, and kissed the ground before him +and before his father. Taj-el-Mulook then mounted his horse, and +proceeded with 'Azeez for the space of three miles; after which, 'Azeez +conjured him to return, and said, Were it not for my mother, I could not +endure thy separation; and by Allah, I entreat thee not to cease +acquainting me with thy state. Having thus said, he bade him farewell, +and repaired to his city. He found that his mother had built for him a +tomb in the midst of the house, and she frequently visited it; and when +he entered the house, he found that she had dishevelled her hair and +spread it upon the tomb, and, with streaming eyes, was reciting these +verses:-- + + By Allah, O tomb, have his charms perished; and hath that brilliant + countenance changed? + O tomb, thou art neither a garden nor a firmament: how then can + the full moon and flowers be united in thee? + +She then groaned, and recited some other verses; but before she had +finished, 'Azeez went in to her: and when she beheld him, she rose to +him and embraced him, and asked him respecting his long absence: so he +acquainted her with all the events that had happened to him from first +to last, and told her that Taj-el-Mulook had given him, of wealth and +stuffs, a hundred loads; and she rejoiced at this.--Such was the history +of 'Azeez. + +Now as to Taj-el-Mulook, he returned to his beloved, the lady Dunya, and +King Shah-Zeman fitted her out for the journey with her husband and her +father-in-law: he sent to them provisions and presents and rarities, and +they loaded their beasts and departed; and King Shah-Zeman accompanied +them three days' journey to bid them farewell. The King Suleyman Shah +then conjured him to return: so he returned; and Taj-el-Mulook and his +father and his wife continued their journey night and day until they +came in sight of their country. The city was decorated for them, and +they entered it; and the King Suleyman Shah sat upon his throne with his +son Taj-el-Mulook by his side; and he gave presents, and liberated the +persons confined in the prisons; after which he celebrated for his son a +second wedding-festivity: the songs and instrumental music were +continued for a whole month, and the tire-women crowded around the lady +Dunya, and she was not tired with the display, nor were they with gazing +at her. Taj-el-Mulook then took up his abode with her, after an +interview with his father and mother together; and they passed a life of +the utmost delight and enjoyment. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + +NOTES TO CHAPTER EIGHTH. + +NOTE 1. The next story to that of Ghanim, in my original, is one of very +great length, comprising the greater part of the forty-fourth night and +extending to the end of the hundred and forty-fifth; but interrupted by +the contents of my eighth chapter, which consists of two stories of a +very different kind, that appear to have been introduced to relieve its +tediousness. With these, it occupies nearly 162 pages, or not much less +than an eighth part of the whole work. It is the story of the King 'Omar +En-No[a.]man, and his two sons Sharr-kan[360] and [D.]o-el-Mekan,[361] +and his daughter Nuzhet-ez-Zeman,[362] &c. It is entirely a fiction, +professedly relating to the first century of the Mohammadan era, "before +the reign of the Khaleefeh 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan;" and its +main subject is a war with two Greek Kings. Taken altogether, I deem it +unworthy of a place in the present series of tales; and so much of it +depends upon incidents of a most objectionable nature, that I cannot +attempt to abridge it; but a pleasant tale might be composed from it by +considerable _alterations_. + +One of the two stories which I have extracted from it, that of +Taj-el-Mulook and the Lady Dunya, bears apparent indications of a +Persian origin; but in their present state, the manners and customs &c. +which both exhibit are Arab. The scenes of the events narrated in the +story of Taj-el-Mulook are in Persia and, probably, in India; but +imaginary names appear to be given to the several kingdoms mentioned in +it: the kingdom of El-Ar[d.] el-Kha[d.]ra ("the Green Country") and +El-'Amoodeyn (which signifies "the Two Columns") is said to include the +mountains of I[s.]pahan, and its locality is thereby sufficiently +indicated: that of El-Ar[d.] el-Bey[d.]a ("the White Country") I suppose +to be in Persia or India: and as to the Islands of Camphor, I fancy we +must be content to consider them vaguely as appertaining to India: the +country in which 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh resided is said to have been near +to the Islands of Camphor; but their story is perfectly Arab.--The +Island of Camphor is also mentioned in the Story of [H.]asan of +El-Ba[s.]rah. + +NOTE 2. "El-Medeeneh el-Kha[d.]ra" signifies "the Green City." See the +above note. + +NOTE 3. "The Compassionate" is an epithet here applied to God. + +NOTE 4. See the first note in this series.--"Zahr," in Arabic, signifies +"a Flower." + +NOTE 5.--_On Coats of Mail, and other Armour worn by the Arabs._ The +Prophet David is said to have been the first person who manufactured +coats of mail; and the cause of his applying himself to the art was +this.--"He used to go forth in disguise; and when he found any people +who knew him not, he approached them and asked them respecting the +conduct of Daood (or David), and they praised him and prayed for him; +but one day as he was asking questions respecting himself as usual, God +sent to him an angel in the form of a human being, who said, 'An +excellent man were Daood if he did not take from the public +treasury:'--whereupon the heart of Daood was contracted, and he begged +of God to render him independent: so He made iron soft to him, and it +became in his hands as thread; and he used to sell a coat of mail for +four thousand [pieces of money--whether gold or silver is not said], and +with part of this he obtained food for himself, and part he gave in +alms, and with part he fed his family."[363]--Hence an excellent coat of +mail is often called by the Arabs "Daoodee," _i. e._ "Davidean." This +kind of armour is worn by some Arabs of the Desert in the present day; +but the best specimens, I believe, are mostly found in India. Burckhardt +mentions one tribe of Arabs who have about twenty-five; another, two +hundred; and two others, between thirty and forty. "The dora [properly +dir[a.]] is," he remarks, "of two sorts, one covering the whole body +like a long gown from the elbow, over the shoulders, down to the knees: +this is the sirgh: the other, called kembaz, covers the body only to the +waist; the arms from the elbows downwards being covered with two pieces +of steel, fitting into each other, with iron fingers. Thus clad, the +Arab completes his armour by putting on his head an iron cap (tas), +which is but rarely adorned with feathers. The price of a coat of mail +fluctuates from two hundred to fifteen hundred piastres.... Those of the +best quality are capable of resisting a ball."[364] The coat of mail is +sometimes worn within the ordinary outer tunic. + +NOTE 6. This implies that his parents were dead. + +NOTE 7.--_On Public Royal Feasts._ On certain periodical festivals, and +on other occasions (as those of the kind here described), it has long +been, and still is, a custom of Muslim princes to give public feasts to +all classes of their subjects, in the palace. El-Ma[k.]reezee quotes a +curious account of the feasts which were given on the festival following +Rama[d.]an to the inhabitants of Cairo, by the Fa[t.]imee +Khaleefehs.[365] At the upper end of a large saloon was placed the +sereer (or couch) of the monarch, upon which he sat with the Wezeer on +his right. Upon this seat was placed a round silver table, with various +delicacies, of which they alone ate. Before it, and extending nearly +from the seat to the other extremity of the saloon, was set up a kind of +table or platform (sima[t.]) of painted wood, resembling a number of +benches placed together, ten cubits (or about eighteen or nineteen feet) +in width. Along the middle of this were arranged twenty-one enormous +dishes, each containing twenty-one baked sheep, three years old, and +fat; together with fowls, chickens, and young pigeons, in number three +hundred and fifty of each kind; all of which were piled together in an +oblong form, to the height of the stature of a man, and enclosed with +dry sweetmeat. The spaces between these dishes were occupied by nearly +five hundred other dishes of earthenware; each of which contained seven +fowls, and was filled up with sweetmeats of various kinds. The table +was strewn with flowers; and cakes of bread made of the finest flower +were arranged along each side. There were also two great edifices of +sweetmeats, each weighing seventeen hundred-weights, which were carried +thither by porters with shoulder-poles; and one of these was placed at +the commencement, and the other at the close, of this sumptuous banquet. +When the Khaleefeh and Wezeer had taken their seats upon the couch, the +officers of state who were distinguished by neck-rings or collars,[366] +and the inferior members of the court, seated themselves in the order of +their respective ranks; and when they had eaten, they gave place to +others. Two such feasts, given on the festival after Rama[d.]an and on +the "great festival," cost four thousand deenars, or about two thousand +pounds sterling.--Two military officers, named Ibn-Faiz and Ed-Deylemee, +distinguished themselves at these feasts in a very remarkable manner. +Each of them used to eat a baked sheep, and ten fowls dressed with +sweetmeats, and ten pounds of sweetmeats besides, and was presented with +a quantity of food carried away from the feast to his house, together +with a large sum of money. One of them had been a prisoner at +'As[k.]alan; and after he had remained there some time, the person into +whose power he had fallen jestingly told him that if he would eat a calf +belonging to him, the flesh of which weighed several hundred-weights, he +would emancipate him. This feat he accomplished, and thus he obtained +his liberation.[367] + +Several cases of a similar kind to those just mentioned are instanced in +a late work. One of a man who, as related by Vopiscus, was brought +before the Emperor Maximilian [_sic_], and who devoured a whole calf, +and was proceeding to eat up a sheep, but was prevented. Another, of a +man who commenced his repast (in the presence of Dr. Boehmen, of +Wittenberg,) by eating a raw sheep and a sucking pig, and, by way of +dessert, swallowed sixty pounds of prunes, stones and all. A third, of +an attendant of the menagerie of the Botanical Garden in Paris, who used +to devour all the offals of the Theatre of Comparative Anatomy, and ate +a dead lion in one day.[368] + +NOTE 8.--_On Litters for Travelling._ The kind of litter borne by mules +is generally one resembling the palkee (or palanquin): it is borne by +four of these animals, two before and two behind, or by two only, or +more commonly by two camels, and sometimes by two horses. When borne by +camels, the head of the hindmost of these animals is painfully bent +down, under the vehicle. It is the most comfortable kind of litter; and +two light persons may travel in it. The name generally given to it is +"takhtarawan," or "takht-rawan;" but the term employed in the passage +to which this note refers is "mi[h.]affeh," which is often used +as a general name for a camel-litter, and particularly applied to +one with a flat top.--A very common kind of camel-litter, called +"musa[t.][t.]a[h.]," or "[h.]eml musa[t.][t.]a[h.]," resembles a small +square tent, and is chiefly composed of two long chests, each of which +has a high back: these are placed on the camel in the same manner as a +pair of panniers, one on each side; and the high backs, which are placed +outwards, together with a small pole resting on the camel's pack-saddle, +support the covering which forms what may be called the tent. This +vehicle accommodates two persons. It is generally open at the front; and +may also be opened at the back. Though it appears comfortable, the +motion is uneasy; especially when it is placed upon a camel that has +been accustomed to carry heavy burdens: but camels of easy pace are +generally chosen for bearing litters.--Another kind of litter, called +"shibreeyeh," is composed of a small square platform with an arched +covering. This accommodates but one person; and is placed on the back of +the camel: two sa[h.][h.]arahs (or square camel-chests), one on each +side of the animal, generally form a foundation for it.--The +musa[t.][t.]a[h.] and shibreeyeh (but particularly the latter) are also +called "hodaj." + +NOTE 9. See Note 43 to Chapter iv. + +NOTE 10. See Note 54 to Chapter iv. + +NOTE 11. "Taj-el-Mulook" signifies "the Crown of the Kings." + +NOTE 12. Lynxes were often employed in the chase in Arabian and other +Eastern countries in former times; but I do not know if they are at +present. See Note 24 to Chapter ii. + +NOTE 13. By this word are meant "oblong, cylindrical, hollow beads:" +"[k.]a[s.]abeh" signifying originally "a reed," "cane," &c. + +NOTE 14. The words "who hath taught men," &c., are from the [K.]ur-an, +ch. xcvi. v. 5. + +NOTE 15. "'Azeez" and "'Azeezeh" (masculine and feminine) signify +"Dear," "Excellent," &c. + +NOTE 16. The handkerchief is generally oblong, and each of its two ends +is embroidered with a border of coloured silks and gold; the other two +edges being plain. + +NOTE 17. My sheykh has remarked in a marginal note, that this sign may +allude to her heart, or to her sighing because she enjoys not the union +she desires (as expressed immediately after); and that the latter is +more probable, as the action is one common with persons in grief. + +NOTE 18.--_On Conversing and Corresponding by means of Signs, Emblems, +Metaphors, &c._ Many persons of the instructed classes, and some others, +among the Arabs, often take delight, and shew much ingenuity and +quickness of apprehension, in conversing and corresponding by means of +signs, emblems, &c., or in a conventional, metaphorical, language, not +understood by the vulgar in general, and sometimes not by any except the +parties engaged in the intercourse. In some cases, when the main +metaphor employed is understood, the rest of the conversation becomes +easily intelligible without any previous explanation; and I have +occasionally succeeded in carrying on a conversation of this kind +(though not in cases such as that described in the tale referred to by +this note); but I have more frequently been unsuccessful in attempting +to divine the nature of a topic in which other persons were engaged. One +simple mode of secret conversation or correspondence is by substituting +certain letters for other letters. + +Many of the women are said to be adepts in this art, or science, and to +convey messages, declarations of love, &c., by means of fruits, flowers, +and other emblems. The inability of numbers of females in families of +the middle classes to write or read, as well as the difficulty or +impossibility frequently existing of conveying written letters, may have +given rise to such modes of communication. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, in +one of her charming letters from the East, has gratified our curiosity +by a Turkish love-letter of this kind.[369] A specimen of one from an +Arab, with its answer, may be here added.--An Arab lover sent to his +mistress a fan, a bunch of flowers, a silk tassel, some sugar-candy, and +a piece of a chord of a musical instrument; and she returned for answer +a piece of an aloe-plant, three black cumin-seeds, and a piece of a +plant used in washing.[370] His communication is thus interpreted:--The +fan, being called "mirwa[h.]ah," a word derived from a root which has +among its meanings that of "going to any place in the evening," +signified his wish to pay her an evening visit: the flowers, that the +interview should be in her garden: the tassel, being called "shurrabeh," +that they should have sharab[371] (or wine): the sugar-candy, being +termed "sukkar nebat," and "nebat" also signifying "we will pass the +night," denoted his desire to remain in her company until the morning: +and the piece of a chord, that they should be entertained by music. The +interpretation of her answer is as follows:--The piece of an aloe-plant, +which is called "[s.]abbarah" (from "[s.]abr," which signifies +"patience"--because it will live for many months together without +water), implied that he must wait: the three black cumin-seeds explained +to him that the period of delay should be three nights: and the plant +used in washing informed him that she should then have gone to the bath, +and would meet him.[372]--I have omitted one symbol in the lady's +answer, as it conveys an allusion not so consistent with European as +with Arab notions of female delicacy. + +The language of flowers employed by the Turks does not exactly agree +with the system illustrated in the story of 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh; for the +former consists of a collection of words and phrases or sentences which +rhyme with the names of the objects used as the signs.[373] This system +is also employed by the Arabs; but I believe not so commonly as the +other. + +A remarkable faculty is displayed by some Arabs in catching the meaning +of secret signs employed in written communications to them; such signs +being often used in political and other intrigues. The following is a +curious instance.--The celebrated poet El-Mutanebbee, having written +some verses in dispraise of Kafoor El-Ikhsheedee the independent +Governor of Egypt, was obliged to flee, and hide himself in a distant +town. Kafoor was informed of his retreat, and desired his secretary to +write to him a letter promising him pardon, and commanding him to +return; but told the writer at the same time, that when the poet came he +would punish him. The secretary was a friend of the poet, and, being +obliged to read the letter to the Prince when he had written it, was +perplexed how to convey to El-Mutanebbee some indication of the danger +that awaited him: he could only venture to do so in the exterior +address; and having written this in the usual form, commencing "In +shaa-llah" (If it be the will of God) "this shall arrive," &c., he put a +small mark of reduplication over the "n" in the first word, which he +thus converted into "Inna;" the filial vowel being understood. The poet +read the letter, and was rejoiced to see a promise of pardon; but on +looking a second time at the address, was surprised to observe the mark +of reduplication over the "n." Knowing the writer to be his friend, he +immediately suspected a secret meaning, and rightly conceived that the +sign conveyed an allusion to a passage in the [K.]ur-an commencing with +the word "Inna," and this he divined to be the following:--"Verily the +magistrates are deliberating concerning thee, to put thee to +death."[374] Accordingly, he fled to another town.--Some authors add, +that he wrote a reply, conveying, by a similar sign, to his friend, an +allusion to another passage in the [K.]ur-an:--"We will never enter the +country while they remain therein."[375]--It is probable that signs thus +employed were used by many persons to convey allusions to certain words; +and such may have been the case in the above-mentioned instance: if not, +the poet was indeed a wonderful guesser. + +NOTE 19. Perhaps it is unnecessary to explain that the actions here +described are those of a dyer, dipping a piece of linen into a red dye, +and then wringing it. The shop of the dyer is generally, like most other +shops, a small chamber or recess open towards the street. Pans +containing the different dyes are imbedded in its floor. + +NOTE 20. "Ma[k.]'ad" is a name generally given to a chamber in which +male guests or visiters are received, having an open front with two or +more arches, and looking into the court or garden of the house. Its +floor is elevated about ten or more feet above the ground, and the front +is usually towards the north, or nearly so. + +NOTE 21. I suppose it to be meant, that these designs were executed in a +kind of mosaic work; for the pool of the fountain is generally +ornamented with black and white marble, and pieces of fine red tile, +inlaid in complicated and tasteful patterns. A view and plan of a +fountain of this kind are inserted in the Introduction to my work on the +Modern Egyptians. + +NOTE 22. "Ba[k.]laweh," from the Turkish "ba[k.]lava," is a name given +to a kind of pastry, which is generally thus prepared:--A paste made of +fine flour with clarified butter is rolled thin, and laid upon a tray: +upon this paste is then spread a composition of clarified butter and +blanched almonds (and sometimes walnuts and currants) beaten small; and +over this is put another layer of paste. Eight of these double layers of +paste with the composition above mentioned between them are placed one +upon another, making the whole about an inch thick. It is baked in an +oven; cut into lozenge-shaped pieces, about three inches long, and two +inches wide; and after it is thus cut, some honey or treacle is poured +over. + +NOTE 23. See Note 99 to Chapter v. + +NOTE 24. It is a general belief of the Muslims that the wicked will rise +to judgment with their faces black; and hence the origin of the +imprecation, "May God blacken thy face!" But it is often used to signify +"May God disgrace thee!" for a person's face is said to be black when he +is in any disgrace; and in the reverse case, it is said to be +white.[376] + +NOTE 25. "Zardeh" (which is a Persian word) is a name given to rice +dressed with honey and saffron; but here it appears to be applied to a +sweet drink infused with saffron. + +NOTE 26. By the play-bone and the [t.]ab-stick an allusion is conveyed +to two games common among the Arabs. The play-bones are used in the same +manner as dice, of which they are probably the origin; and both bear the +same name in the Arabic, in the singular "ka[a.]b" or "ka[a.]beh," that +is, "a cube." Of the game of [t.]ab I have given a full account in my +work on the Modern Egyptians (vol. ii. ch. iv.). I need only mention +here, that the [t.]ab-stick is of a flat form, about a span (or eight +inches) in length, and two-thirds of an inch in breadth, generally +formed of a piece of a palm-branch; one side of which, being cut flat +and smooth, is white; the other, green, or, if not fresh, of a dull +yellow colour. Four such sticks are used in playing the game. + +NOTE 27. The more simple interpretation is this:--Idle games are more +suited to thee than affairs of love. + +NOTE 28. El-[K.]azweenee makes a remark somewhat similar to this at the +close of his account of the date; but the interpretation of the meaning +conveyed by the date-stone in our text is very far-fetched: my sheykh, +in a marginal note, gives one perfectly apposite: the date-stone is +called "nawayeh," and more properly "nawah" and "nawa;" and the last of +these words signifies also "distance," "absence," &c., and is often used +to express the state of one who is far from loving or being a lover: it +implies also, in this case, that, if he slept again, she would cast him +off. + +NOTE 29. The locust-fruit, by its dark colour, and the length of time it +remains in a state of preservation after it has been plucked, is +rendered a fit emblem of a heart long enduring separation from the +object of its love. + +NOTE 30. "Dirhem," I have before mentioned, is the name of a silver +coin: it is also the name of a weight, very nearly equivalent to +forty-eight English grains; and being here described as of iron, we must +understand it in the latter sense. + +NOTE 31. I suppose the iron dirhem to be symbolic of the eye because it +is round, and perhaps likewise because the Arabic term for "iron" +(namely "[h.]adeed") has also the signification of "sharp" or +"piercing;" in which sense it is often applied to the sight (as in the +[K.]ur-an, ch. l. v. 21). See the next note. + +NOTE 32. From this double oath, it seems to me probable, that, by the +circular form of the dirhem, an allusion was meant to God (as being +without beginning or end), and that the matter of which it was composed +(from what I have said in the note immediately preceding), as well as +its form, conveyed the allusion to the eye. + +NOTE 33. This gentle kneading or pressing of the limbs, which is one of +the operations performed in the bath, is often practised by the Arabs +for the purpose of inducing sleep. + +NOTE 34. This is a kind of nebeedh. (See Note 22 to Chapter iii.) The +same fruit is also stewed with meat. It is called in Arabic "'onnab." + +NOTE 35. See Note 18 to Chapter vii. + +NOTE 36. It is seen that 'Azeezeh speaks of herself in the masculine +gender in the verses here inserted; but this is in accordance with a +common Arab custom. + +NOTE 37.--_On the Ceremony called Zikr._ Zikrs are very often performed +after a death; the merit of the performance being transferred to the +soul of the deceased. + +I have before mentioned these ceremonies (in Note 63 to Chapter iii.); +but in a vague manner; and as it is my object in the present work to +give such illustrations as will satisfy the general reader, without +obliging him to refer to other books, I shall here insert an abridged +extract, descriptive of a zikr, from my Account of the Manners and +Customs of the Modern Egyptians. + +The zikkeers (or performers of the zikr), who were about thirty in +number, sat, cross-legged, upon matting extended close to the houses on +one side of the street, in the form of an oblong ring.[377] Within this +ring, along the middle of the matting, were placed three very large wax +candles; each about four feet high, and stuck in a low candlestick. Most +of the zikkeers were A[h.]medee darweeshes, persons of the lower orders, +and meanly dressed: many of them wore green turbans. At one end of the +ring were four munshids (or singers of religious odes), and with them +was a player on the kind of flute called "nay." I procured a small seat +of palm-sticks from a coffee-shop close by, and, by means of a little +pushing, and the assistance of my servant, obtained a place with the +munshids, and sat there to hear a complete act, or "meglis," of the +zikr; which act commenced at about three o'clock (or three hours after +sunset), and continued two hours. + +The performers began by reciting the Fat'[h.]ah (or opening chapter of +the [K.]ur-an) all together; their sheykh, or chief, first exclaiming, +"El-Fat'[h.]ah!" They then chanted the following words;--"O God, bless +our lord Mo[h.]ammad among the former generations; and bless our +lord Mo[h.]ammad among the latter generations; and bless our lord +Mo[h.]ammad in every time and period; and bless our lord Mo[h.]ammad in +the highest degree, unto the day of judgment; and bless all the prophets +and apostles among the inhabitants of the heavens and of the earth; and +may God (whose name be blessed and exalted!) be well pleased with our +lords and our masters, those persons of illustrious estimation, +Aboo-Bekr and 'Omar and 'Osman and 'Alee, and with all the favourites of +God. God is our sufficiency; and excellent is the Guardian! There is no +strength nor power but in God, the High, the Great! O God! O our Lord! O +Thou liberal of pardon! O Thou most bountiful of the most bountiful! O +God! Amen!"--They were then silent for three or four minutes; and again +recited the Fat'[h.]ah; but silently. This form of prefacing the zikr is +commonly used, by almost all orders of darweeshes in Egypt. + +The performers now commenced the zikr. Sitting in the manner above +described, they chanted, in slow measure, "La ilaha illa-llah" ("There +is no deity but God") to the following air:-- + +[Illustration: Lyrics: + + La i - la - ha illa - l - lah. + La i - la - ha i - l - la - l - la - h. + La i - la - ha illa - l - lah. + +] + +bowing the head and body twice in each repetition of "La ilaha +illa-llah." Thus they continued about a quarter of an hour; and then, +for about the same space of time, they repeated the same words to the +same air, but in a quicker measure, and with correspondingly quicker +motions. In the meantime, the munshids frequently sang, to the same, or +a variation of the same, air, portions of a [k.]a[s.]eedeh, or of a +muweshsha[h.]; an ode of a similar nature to the Song of Solomon, +generally alluding to the Prophet as the object of love and praise; and +at frequent intervals, one of them sang out the word "meded," implying +an invocation for spiritual or supernatural aid. + +The zikkeers, after having performed as above described, next repeated +the same words to a different air for about the same length of time; +first, very slowly; then, quickly. The air was as follows:-- + +[Illustration: Lyrics: + + La i - la - ha illa - l - la - h. + La i - la - ha illa - l - la - h. + La i - la - ha illa - l - lah. + +] + +Then they repeated these words again, to the following air, in the same +manner:-- + +[Illustration: Lyrics: + + La i - la - ha il - la - l - lah. + La i - la - ha il - la - l - lah. + +] + +They next rose, and, standing in the same order in which they had been +sitting, repeated the same words to another air. After which, still +standing, they repeated these words in a very deep and hoarse tone; +laying the principal emphasis upon the word "La" and the first syllable +of the last word "Allah;" and uttering it, apparently, with a +considerable effort: the sound much resembled that which is produced by +beating the rim of a tambourine. Each zikkeer turned his head +alternately to the right and left at each repetition of "La ilaha +illa-llah." One of them, a eunuch, at this part of the zikr, was seized +with an epileptic fit, evidently the result of a high state of religious +excitement; but nobody seemed surprised at it; for occurrences of this +kind at zikrs are not uncommon. All the performers now seemed much +excited; repeating their ejaculations with greater rapidity, violently +turning their heads, and sinking the whole body at the same time: some +of them jumping. The eunuch above mentioned again was seized with fits +several times; and I generally remarked that this happened after one of +the munshids had sung a line or two and exerted himself more than +usually to excite his hearers: the singing was, indeed, to my taste, +very pleasing. The contrast presented by the vehement and distressing +exertions of the performers at the close of the zikr, and their calm +gravity and solemnity of manner at the commencement, was particularly +striking. Money was collected during the performance for the munshids. +The zikkeers receive no pay. + +NOTE 38. From the last of these verses it appears that the flowers are +described as _laid_ upon the tomb (in accordance with the custom +mentioned in the last paragraph of Note 16 to Chapter i.), and not as +_planted_ upon it; though this is frequently done in some countries of +the East; the monument being filled with mould, and the whole of its top +open. + +NOTE 39. See Note 25 to Chapter v. + +NOTE 40. See Note 35 to Chapter ii. + +NOTE 41. The "rod" (in Arabic "[k.]a[s.]abeh") was, according to the +Egyptian measurement, until lately reduced, about twelve English feet +and a half. + +NOTE 42. See Note 12 to Chapter iii. + +NOTE 43. It is common (as my sheykh has remarked) to say, of a very +spacious chamber, that a horseman might gallop in it. The playing at +goff by horsemen has been mentioned in a former tale. It was a common +exercise in Egypt as well as Persia and other Eastern countries. + +NOTE 44. "Deleeleh" is an epithet used in modern Arabic as indicative of +artifice, machination, or fraud.[378] It is often employed as a female +nickname. + +NOTE 45. From this point to the end of the story of 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh +I omit some portions which are tedious, and others which are more +objectionable. + +NOTE 46. Any one may enter the public bath, but none can go out of it, +without paying.[379] + +NOTE 47. The "ka[a.]k," commonly called "ka[h.]k," has been described in +Note 16 to Chapter i. De Sacy has remarked that our English word "cake" +seems to be from the same origin. + +NOTE 48.--_On Oaths._ To explain this passage, I must repeat, with a few +slight additions, some remarks which I have made in a former +publication.[380]--Among a people by whom falsehood, in certain cases, +is not only allowed but commended,[381] oaths of different kinds are +more or less binding. In considering this subject, we should also +remember that oaths may sometimes be expiated.[382] There are some +oaths which, I believe, few Muslims would falsely take; such as saying, +three times, "By God the Great!" (Wa-llahi-l-A[z.]eem), and the oath +upon the mu[s.]-[h.]af (or copy of the [K.]ur-an), saying, "By what this +contains of the word of God!" This latter is rendered more binding by +placing a sword with the sacred volume; and still more so, by the +addition of a cake, or piece, of bread, and a handful of salt. But a +form of oath which is generally yet more to be depended upon is that of +saying, "I impose upon myself divorcement!" (that is, "the divorce of my +wife, if what I say be false"); or, "I impose upon myself interdiction!" +which has a similar meaning ("My wife be unlawful to me!"); or, "I +impose upon myself a triple divorcement!" which binds a man by the +irrevocable divorce of his wife. If a man use any of these three forms +of oath falsely, his wife, if he have but one, is divorced by the oath +itself, if proved to be false, without the absolute necessity of any +further ceremony; and if he have two or more wives, he must, under such +circumstances, choose one of them to put away. + +In the case which this note is principally intended to illustrate, the +wife of 'Azeez makes him swear by the sword and the [K.]ur-an in the +hope of inducing him to return to her; and by the oath of divorce, to +make the inducement more strong, and that she might be enabled, in case +he did not fulfil his vow, legally to contract another marriage as soon +as she should have waited the period which the law requires. + +NOTE 49. The verses I have omitted as they are the same (with the +exception of some slight variations) as the first, second, third, and +fifth, of those commencing at page 185 in this volume; and the contents +of the accompanying paper as being tiresome and in some parts unmeaning. + +NOTE 50. See the first note in the present series. + +NOTE 51. I have substituted "Shah-Zeman" (signifying "King of the Age") +for Shahraman; the latter being evidently a mistake of a copyist. + +NOTE 52. "Dunya" signifies the "world." + +NOTE 53. "Ri[d.]wan," which signifies "approbation," "complacency," &c., +is the name of the Guardian of Paradise.--The meaning of this passage +is, "Surely this handsome young person is one of the Wildan, or Weleeds, +those beautiful youths prepared to wait upon the faithful in Paradise; +and he hath escaped thence through the inadvertence of Ri[d.]wan." The +very meanest in Paradise is promised eighty thousand of these servants, +besides seventy-two [H.]ooreeyehs, &c. + +NOTE 54. A compliment of this kind is generally uttered on letting a +shop or house, and on selling an article of dress, &c.; and "God bless +thee!" is usually said in reply. In like manner, a merchant selling +goods to be re-sold says, "May God grant thee a profit upon them!" + +NOTE 55. The word thus translated signifies taking a morning-draught of +wine, milk, sherbet, or any other beverage. + +NOTE 56. When Zeleekha invited her female friends that they might behold +Yoosuf (or Joseph) and excuse her for inclining to him, at the sight of +him they cut their own hands, and praised God, ejaculating these words, +"This is not a mortal," &c. ([K.]ur-an, ch. xii. v. 31). + +NOTE 57. To persons more or less above him in rank, the shopkeeper rises +and stands, or merely makes a slight motion as if he were about to rise. + +NOTE 58. This is a common invocation, for the protection of a person +from envy, or the evil eye, founded upon the last chapter but one of the +[K.]ur-an, in which the believer is desired to "seek refuge with the +Lord of the Daybreak" from various evils, and among these "from the +mischief of the envious." It is very often said to imply admiration of a +child, that the mother may not fear. + +NOTE 59. This ejaculation is addressed to God. + +NOTE 60. This alludes to one of the stages of the creation of man +explained in the [K.]ur-an, ch. xxii. v. 5. + +NOTE 61. The old woman is described as being "full of joy" because, +having induced her mistress to answer the letter, she saw a prospect of +continuing the correspondence, and so obtaining additional presents. + +NOTE 62. "Es-Suha" is an obscure star in the Greater Bear, at which +people look to try their powers of sight. It is the star 80, by [Greek: +z]. + +NOTE 63. My sheykh has remarked in a marginal note on the "Five Elders" +or Sheykhs here mentioned, "the known number is the four; namely the +[first four] Khaleefehs; or the Four Welees (eminent saints), the seyyid +El-Bedawee and the seyyid Ed-Dasoo[k.]ee and Er-Rifa'ee and El-Geelanee". +The latter four are often mentioned together as being the saints +generally most esteemed in the present day and the founders of the four +principal orders of Darweeshes.--Who, then, can be meant by "the Five +Elders" I do not know; but I have retained this number as it occurs +again in a variation of the same verses in a subsequent tale, which is +almost exactly the same as that of Taj-el-Mulook. + +NOTE 64. "Ibn-Seena" ("Son of Seena") is the true name of the great +physician called by us "Avicenna." + +NOTE 65. The gait of Arab ladies is very remarkable: they incline the +lower part of the body from side to side as they step, and with the +hands raised to the level of the bosom they hold the edges of their +outer covering. Their pace is slow, and they look not about them, but +keep their eyes towards the ground in the direction to which they are +going. + +NOTE 66. It should be remarked here, that the private room of an Eastern +princess is not to be regarded as a Western bed-room. In the East, a +guest may lay himself down upon a deewan in the presence of another, to +pass the night, without any infringement of decorum. + +NOTE 67. See the latter paragraph of the first note in the present +series. + +NOTE 68. See Note 9 to Chapter vii. + +NOTE 69. The doors in Eastern houses generally turn on two wooden pins; +one fitting into a hole in the lintel; the other, into a hole +immediately behind the threshold; and the latter is very short. It is +therefore often easy to displace a door by raising it a little, which +may be done by means of a projecting wooden lock; and in many cases, +when the door cannot be displaced from its sockets, it may be raised +sufficiently to remove the inner latch from its catch. The doors of the +ancient temples and tombs in Egypt were formed as above described, with +pins, which were often made of bronze. + +NOTE 70. I here read "nimsheh" (also written "nimjeh" and "nimjah"--from +the Persian "neemjah") instead of "[k.]amsheh." The latter is described +by my sheykh, in a marginal note, as "a strip of leather divided into +two, and tied together and nailed at the upper end to a piece of wood;" +but the use of such an instrument in this case would be ridiculous. The +name of "nimsheh" is often given to a royal dagger. + +NOTE 71. As persons are often decapitated in an Eastern palace, a skin +is made use of to receive the head and the blood. I believe it to be +similar to the round skin used by travellers to eat upon; which is +converted into a bag by means of a running string round the edge. + +In concluding the present series of notes, I may state my opinion, that +the two stories to which they relate are fully worthy of insertion in +this collection, as extending the picture of _Arab_ life and manners, +whatever may be thought of their _origin_. + + + [360] Thus commonly pronounced for "Sharrun kan," signifying + "an evil hath come into existence." Names of this kind are + sometimes given by the Arabs not in dispraise, but as prophetic + of great achievements. + + [361] "Light of the Place." + + [362] "Delight of the Age." + + [363] Mir-at ez-Zeman. + + [364] "Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys," 8vo. vol. i. pp. 55 + and 56. + + [365] The Dynasty of the Fa[t.]imee Khaleefehs was founded by + El-Mahdee in Western Africa, in the year of the Flight 297. His + third successor, El-Mo'ezz li-deeni-llah, conquered Egypt in + the year 358, and the seat of his government was transferred to + Cairo. As they claimed descent from Fa[t.]imeh, and were of the + Shiya'ee sect, their possession of the fairest province of the + orthodox (or 'Abbasee) Khaleefehs forms a strange episode in + the history of El-Islam.--Their power was overthrown by + [S.]ala[h.]-ed-Deen, in the year 567.--ED. + + [366] See Note 15 to Chapter ii. + + [367] "El-Khi[t.]a[t.]:" Account of the Palaces of the + Khaleefehs. + + [368] Dr. Millengen's Curiosities of Medical Experience, quoted + in the Literary Gazette, No. 1043. + + [369] The art here mentioned was first made known to Europeans + by a Frenchman, M. Du Vigneau, in a work entitled "Secretaire + Turc, contenant l'Art d'exprimer ses pensees sans se voir, sans + se parler, et sans s'ecrire:" Paris, 1688: in-12.--Von Hammer + has also given an interesting paper on this subject in the + "Mines de l'Orient," No. 1: Vienna, 1809. (Note to Marcel's + "Contes du Cheykh El-Mohdy," vol. iii. pp. 327 and 328: Paris, + 1833.) + + [370] Called "ghasool el-azrar." In Delile's Flora AEgyptiaca, + the name of ghasool is given to the mesembryanthemum + nodiflorum, class icosandria, order pentagynia. + + [371] This name is now given to sherbet. + + [372] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. x.--The aloe-plant is called + "[s.]abir," "[s.]abr," "[s.]ibr," and "[s.]abbarah." The second + of these words signifies "patience;" and so does the root of + _all_ of them: and the last signifies "very patient." The + _reason_ of its having these appellations cannot, of course, be + _proved_. + + [373] See Marcel, _ubi supra_. He states that Von Hammer's + vocabulary of flowers and other hieroglyphic objects contains + 120 articles; and that of Du Vigneau, 179; almost all of the + former being the same as those of the latter. + + [374] Ch. xxviii. v. 19. + + [375] Ch. v. v. 27.--This anecdote is from the [H.]albet + el-Kumeyt, ch. viii.--[Kafoor was a black eunuch purchased by + El-Ikhsheed, the first of the virtually-independent dynasty of + the Ikhsheedeeyeh, which fell before the Fa[t.]imee Khaleefehs. + Kafoor was regent of Egypt for upwards of twenty years, during + the reigns of his master's two sons; and was actual governor + from the year of the Flight 355 to 357.--ED.] + + [376] Sometimes, also, it means "May God cause thee to + experience grief!" or "sorrow!" and, used in this sense, it is + similar to the phrase, often occurring in this work, "the world + became black before his face." + + [377] The zikr here described was performed near the tomb of a + saint, for whose sake it was celebrated. The ceremony is often + performed in a sepulchral mosque, and often in the court, or in + a chamber, of a private house. + + [378] Marginal note by my sheykh. + + [379] Idem. + + [380] The "Modern Egyptians." + + [381] See Note 57 to Chapter iii. + + [382] As shewn in Note 68 to Chapter iv. + + +[Illustration] + + +END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. + + + LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, + DUKE STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.E., AND GREAT WINDMILL STREET, W. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I., by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS *** + +***** This file should be named 34206.txt or 34206.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/2/0/34206/ + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Turgut Dincer and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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