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diff --git a/old/3437-0-2019-05-26.txt b/old/3437-0-2019-05-26.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5e3fff5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/3437-0-2019-05-26.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14899 @@ + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 3, by Richard F. Burton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 3 + +Author: Richard F. Burton + +Release Date: May 20, 2001 [EBook #3437] +Last updated: May 26, 2019 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS *** + + + + +This etext was produced by J.C. Byers. Proofreaders were: J.C. Byers, +Norm Wolcott, Dianne Doefler and Charles Wilson. + + + + +THE BOOK OF THE + THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT + + + +A Plain and Literal Translation + +of the Arabian Nights Entertainments + + +Translated and Annotated by + Richard F. Burton + + + +VOLUME THREE + + +Privately Printed By The Burton Club + + + + Inscribed to the Memory + + + of + + + A Friend + + + Who + + + During A Friendship of Twenty-Six Years + + + Ever Showed Me The Most + + + Unwearied Kindness, + + + Richard Monckton Milnes + + + Baron Houghton. + + + +Contents of the Third Volume + + + The Tale of King Omar Bin Al-Nu'uman and His Sons Sharrkan and Zau Al-Makan (cont) + aa. Continuation of the Tale of Aziz and Azizah + b. Tale of the Hashish Eater + c. Tale of Hammad the Badawi + 10. The Birds and Beasts and the Carpenter + 11. The Hermits + 12. The Water-Fowl and the Tortoise + 13. The Wolf and the Fox + a. Tale of the Falcon and the Partridge + 14. The Mouse and the Ichneumon + 15. The Cat and the Crow + 16. The Fox and the Crow + a. The Flea and the Mouse + b. The Saker and the Birds + c. The Sparrow and the Eagle + 17. The Hedgehog and the Wood Pigeons + a. The Merchant and the Two Sharpers + 18. The Thief and His Monkey + a. The Foolish Weaver + 19. The Sparrow and the Peacock + 20. Ali Bin Bakkar and Shams Al-Nahar + 21. Tale of Kamar Al-Zaman + + + +The Book Of The + +THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT + +When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Night +Shahrazad continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Aziz +pursued to Taj al-Muluk: Then I entered the flower garden and made for +the pavilion, where I found the daughter of Dalilah the Wily One, +sitting with head on knee and hand to cheek. Her colour was changed +and her eyes were sunken; but, when she saw me, she exclaimed, "Praised +be Allah for thy safety!" And she was minded to rise but fell down for +joy. I was abashed before her and hung my head; presently, however, I +went up to her and kissed her and asked, "How knewest thou that I +should come to thee this very night?" She answered, "I knew it not! By +Allah, this whole year past I have not tasted the taste of sleep, but +have watched through every night, expecting thee; and such hath been my +case since the day thou wentest out from me and I gave thee the new +suit of clothes, and thou promisedst me to go to the Hammam and to come +back! So I sat awaiting thee that night and a second night and a third +night; but thou camest not till after so great delay, and I ever +expecting thy coming; for this is lovers' way. And now I would have +thee tell me what hath been the cause of thine absence from me the past +year long?" So I told her. And when she knew that I was married, her +colour waxed yellow, and I added, "I have come to thee this night but I +must leave thee before day." Quoth she, "Doth it not suffice her that +she tricked thee into marrying her and kept thee prisoner with her a +whole year, but she must also make thee swear by the oath of divorce, +that thou wilt return to her on the same night before morning, and not +allow thee to divert thyself with thy mother or me, nor suffer thee to +pass one night with either of us, away from her? How then must it be +with one from whom thou hast been absent a full year, and I knew thee +before she did? But Allah have mercy on thy cousin Azizah, for there +befel her what never befel any and she bore what none other ever bore +and she died by thy ill usage; yet 'twas she who protected thee against +me. Indeed, I thought thou didst love me, so I let thee take thine own +way; else had I not suffered thee to go safe in a sound skin, when I +had it in my power to clap thee in jail and even to slay thee." Then +she wept with sore weeping and waxed wroth and shuddered in my face +with skin bristling[FN#1] and looked at me with furious eyes. When I +saw her in this case I was terrified at her and my side muscles +trembled and quivered, for she was like a dreadful she Ghul, an ogress +in ire, and I like a bean over the fire. Then said she, "Thou art of no +use to me, now thou art married and hast a child; nor art thou any +longer fit for my company; I care only for bachelors and not for +married men:[FN#2] these profit us nothing Thou hast sold me for yonder +stinking armful; but, by Allah, I will make the whore's heart ache for +thee, and thou shalt not live either for me or for her!" Then she cried +a loud cry and, ere I could think, up came the slave girls and threw me +on the ground; and when I was helpless under their hands she rose and, +taking a knife, said, "I will cut thy throat as they slaughter he +goats; and that will be less than thy desert, for thy doings to me and +the daughter of thy uncle before me." When I looked to my life and +found myself at the mercy of her slave women, with my cheeks dust +soiled, and saw her sharpen the knife, I made sure of death.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan +thus continued his tale to Zau al-Makan: Then quoth the youth Aziz to +Taj al-Muluk, Now when I found my life at the mercy of her slave women +with my cheeks dust soiled, and I saw her sharpen the knife, I made +sure of death and cried out to her for mercy. But she only redoubled +in ferocity and ordered the slave girls to pinion my hands behind me, +which they did; and, throwing me on my back, she seated herself on my +middle and held down my head. Then two of them came up and squatted on +my shin bones, whilst other two grasped my hands and arms; and she +summoned a third pair and bade them beat me. So they beat me till I +fainted and my voice failed. When I revived, I said to myself, " +'Twere easier and better for me to have my gullet slit than to be +beaten on this wise!" And I remembered the words of my cousin, and how +she used to say to me, "Allah, keep thee from her mischief!"; and I +shrieked and wept till my voice failed and I remained without power to +breathe or to move. Then she again whetted the knife and said to the +slave girls, "Uncover him." Upon this the Lord inspired me to repeat to +her the two phrases my cousin had taught me, and had bequeathed to me, +and I said, "O my lady, dost thou not know that Faith is fair, Unfaith +is foul?" When she heard this, she cried out and said, "Allah pity +thee, Azizah, and give thee Paradise in exchange for thy wasted youth! +By Allah, of a truth she served thee in her life time and after her +death, and now she hath saved thee alive out of my hands with these two +saws. Nevertheless, I cannot by any means leave thee thus, but needs +must I set my mark on thee, to spite yonder brazen faced piece, who +hath kept thee from me." There upon she called out to the slave women +and bade them bind my feet with cords and then said to them, "Take seat +on him!" They did her bidding, upon which she arose and fetched a pan +of copper and hung it over the brazier and poured into it oil of +sesame, in which she fried cheese.[FN#3] Then she came up to me (and I +still insensible) and, unfastening my bag trousers, tied a cord round +my testicles and, giving it to two of her women, bade them trawl at it. + They did so, and I swooned away and was for excess of pain in a world +other than this. Then she came with a razor of steel and cut off my +member masculine,[FN#4] so that I remained like a woman: after which +she seared the wound with the boiling and rubbed it with a powder, and +I the while unconscious. Now when I came to myself, the blood had +stopped; so she bade the slave girls unbind me and made me drink a cup +of wine. Then said she to me, "Go now to her whom thou hast married and +who grudged me a single night, and the mercy of Allah be on thy cousin +Azizah, who saved thy life and never told her secret love! Indeed, +haddest thou not repeated those words to me, I had surely slit thy +weasand. Go forth this instant to whom thou wilt, for I needed naught +of thee save what I have just cut off; and now I have no part in thee, +nor have I any further want of thee or care for thee. So begone about +thy business and rub thy head[FN#5] and implore mercy for the daughter +of thine uncle!" Thereupon she kicked me with her foot and I rose, +hardly able to walk; and I went, little by little, till I came to the +door of our house. I saw it was open, so I threw myself within it and +fell down in a fainting fit; whereupon my wife came out and lifting me +up, carried me into the saloon and assured herself that I had become +like a woman. Then I fell into a sleep and a deep sleep; and when I +awoke, I found myself thrown down at the garden gate,—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan +pursued to King Zau al-Makan, The youth Aziz thus continued his story +to Taj al-Muluk: When I awoke and found myself thrown down at the +garden gate, I rose, groaning for pain and misery, and made my way to +our home and entering, I came upon my mother weeping for me, and +saying, "Would I knew, O my son, in what land art thou?" So I drew near +and threw myself upon her, and when she looked at me and felt me, she +knew that I was ill; for my face was coloured black and tan. Then I +thought of my cousin and all the kind offices she had been wont to do +me, and I learned when too late that she had truly loved me; so I wept +for her and my mother wept also Presently she said to me, "O my son, +thy sire is dead." At this my fury against Fate redoubled, and I cried +till I fell into a fit. When I came to myself, I looked at the place +where my cousin Azizah had been used to sit and shed tears anew, till I +all but fainted once more for excess of weeping; and I ceased not to +cry and sob and wail till midnight, when my mother said to me, "Thy +father hath been dead these ten days." "I shall never think of any one +but my cousin Azizah," replied I; "and indeed I deserve all that hath +befallen me, for that I neglected her who loved me with love so dear." +Asked she, "What hath befallen thee?" So I told her all that had +happened and she wept awhile, then she rose and set some matter of meat +and drink before me. I ate a little and drank, after which I repeated +my story to her, and told her the whole occurrence; whereupon she +exclaimed, "Praised be Allah, that she did but this to thee and forbore +to slaughter thee!" Then she nursed me and medicined me till I regained +my health; and, when my recovery was complete, she said to me, "O my +son, I will now bring out to thee that which thy cousin committed to me +in trust for thee; for it is thine. She swore me not to give it thee, +till I should see thee recalling her to mind and weeping over her and +thy connection severed from other than herself; and now I know that +these conditions are fulfilled in thee." So she arose, and opening a +chest, took out this piece of linen, with the figures of gazelles +worked thereon, which I had given to Azizah in time past; and taking it +I found written therein these couplets, + +"Lady of beauty, say, who taught thee hard and harsh design, * + To slay with longing Love's excess this hapless lover thine? +An thou fain disremember me beyond our parting day, * Allah will + know, that thee and thee my memory never shall tyne. +Thou blamest me with bitter speech yet sweetest 'tis to me; * + Wilt generous be and deign one day to show of love a sign? +I had not reckoned Love contained so much of pine and pain; * + And soul distress until I came for thee to pain and pine +Never my heart knew weariness, until that eve I fell * In love + wi' thee, and prostrate fell before those glancing eyne! +My very foes have mercy on my case and moan therefor; * But thou, + O heart of Indian steel, all mercy dost decline. +No, never will I be consoled, by Allah, an I die, * Nor yet + forget the love of thee though life in ruins lie!" + +When I read these couplets, I wept with sore weeping and buffeted my +face; then I unfolded the scroll, and there fell from it an other +paper. I opened it and behold, I found written therein, 'Know, O son +of my uncle, that I acquit thee of my blood and I beseech Allah to make +accord between thee and her whom thou lovest; but if aught befal thee +through the daughter of Dalilah the Wily, return thou not to her +neither resort to any other woman and patiently bear thine affliction, +for were not thy fated life tide a long life, thou hadst perished long +ago; but praised be Allah who hath appointed my death day before thine! + My peace be upon thee; preserve this cloth with the gazelles herein +figured and let it not leave thee, for it was my companion when thou +was absent from me;"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan +pursued to King Zau al-Makan, And the youth Aziz continued to Taj +al-Muluk: So I read what my cousin had written and the charge to me +which was, "Preserve this cloth with the gazelles and let it not leave +thee, for it was my companion when thou west absent from me and, Allah +upon thee! if thou chance to fall in with her who worked these +gazelles, hold aloof from her and do not let her approach thee nor +marry her; and if thou happen not on her and find no way to her, look +thou consort not with any of her sex. Know that she who wrought these +gazelles worketh every year a gazelle cloth and despatcheth it to far +countries, that her report and the beauty of her broidery, which none +in the world can match, may be bruited abroad. As for thy beloved, the +daughter of Dalilah the Wily, this cloth came to her hand, and she used +to ensnare folk with it, showing it to them and saying, 'I have a +sister who wrought this.' But she lied in so saying, Allah rend her +veil! This is my parting counsel; and I have not charged thee with +this charge, but because I know[FN#6] that after my death the world +will be straitened on thee and, haply, by reason of this, thou wilt +leave thy native land and wander in foreign parts, and hearing of her +who wrought these figures, thou mayest be minded to fore gather with +her. Then wilt thou remember me, when the memory shall not avail thee; +nor wilt thou know my worth till after my death. And, lastly, learn +that she who wrought the gazelles is the daughter of the King of the +Camphor Islands and a lady of the noblest." Now when I had read that +scroll and understood what was written therein, I fell again to +weeping, and my mother wept because I wept, and I ceased not to gaze +upon it and to shed tears till night fall. I abode in this condition a +whole year, at the end of which the merchants, with whom I am in this +cafilah, prepared to set out from my native town; and my mother +counseled me to equip myself and journey with them, so haply I might be +consoled and my sorrow be dispelled, saying, "Take comfort and put away +from thee this mourning and travel for a year or two or three, till the +caravan return, when perhaps thy breast may be broadened and thy heart +heartened." And she ceased not to persuade me with endearing words, +till I provided myself with merchandise and set out with the caravan. +But all the time of my wayfaring, my tears have never dried; no, never! + and at every halting place where we halt, I open this piece of linen +and look on these gazelles and call to mind my cousin Azizah and weep +for her as thou hast seen; for indeed she loved me with dearest love +and died, oppressed by my unlove. I did her nought but ill and she did +me nought but good. When these merchants return from their journey, I +shall return with them, by which time I shall have been absent a whole +year: yet hath my sorrow waxed greater and my grief and affliction were +but increased by my visit to the Islands of Camphor and the Castle of +Crystal. Now these islands are seven in number and are ruled by a +King, by name Shahriman,[FN#7] who hath a daughter called Dunyá;[FN#8] +and I was told that it was she who wrought these gazelles and that this +piece in my possession was of her embroidery. When I knew this, my +yearning redoubled and I burnt with the slow fire of pining and was +drowned in the sea of sad thought; and I wept over myself for that I +was become even as a woman, without manly tool like other men, and +there was no help for it. From the day of my quitting the Camphor +Islands, I have been tearful eyed and heavy hearted, and such hath been +my case for a long while and I know not whether it will be given me to +return to my native land and die beside my mother or not; for I am sick +from eating too much of the world. Thereupon the young merchant wept +and groaned and complained and gazed upon the gazelles; whilst the +tears rolled down his cheeks in streams and he repeated these two +couplets, + +"Joy needs shall come," a prattler 'gan to prattle: * + "Needs cease thy blame!" I was commoved to rattle: +'In time,' quoth he: quoth I ' 'Tis marvellous! * + Who shall ensure my life, O cold of tattle!'"[FN#9] + +And he repeated also these, + +"Well Allah weets that since our severance day * + I've wept till forced to ask of tears a loan: +'Patience! (the blamer cries): thou'lt have her yet!' * + Quoth I, 'O blamer where may patience wone?'" + +Then said he, "This, O King! is my tale: hast thou ever heard one +stranger?" So Taj al-Muluk marvelled with great marvel at the young +merchant's story, and fire darted into his entrails on hearing the name +of the Lady Dunya and her loveliness.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan +continued to Zau al-Makan: Now when Taj al-Muluk heard the story of the +young merchant, he marvelled with great marvel and fire darted into his +entrails on hearing the name of the Lady Dunya who, as he knew, had +embroidered the gazelles; and his love and longing hourly grew, so he +said to the youth, "By Allah, that hath befallen thee whose like never +befel any save thyself, but thou hast a life term appointed, which thou +must fulfil; and now I would fain ask of thee a question." Quoth Aziz, +"And what is it?" Quoth he, "Wilt thou tell me how thou sawest the +young lady who wrought these gazelles?" Then he, "O my lord, I got me +access to her by a sleight and it was this. When I entered her city +with the caravan, I went forth and wandered about the garths till I +came to a flower garden abounding in trees, whose keeper was a +venerable old man, a Shaykh stricken in years. I addressed him, +saying, 'O ancient sir, whose may be this garden?' and he replied, 'It +belongs to the King's daughter, the Lady Dunya. We are now beneath her +palace and, when she is minded to amuse herself, she openeth the +private wicket and walketh in the garden and smelleth the fragrance of +the flowers.' So I said to him, 'Favour me by allowing me to sit in +this garden till she come; haply I may enjoy a sight of her as she +passeth.' The Shaykh answered, 'There can be no harm in that.' +Thereupon I gave him a dirham or so and said to him, Buy us something +to eat.' He took the money gladly and opened door and, entering +himself, admitted me into the garden, where we strolled and ceased not +strolling till we reached a pleasant spot in which he bade me sit down +and await his going and his returning. Then he brought me somewhat of +fruit and, leaving me, disappeared for an hour; but after a while he +returned to me bringing a roasted lamb, of which we ate till we had +eaten enough, my heart yearning the while for a sight of the lady. +Presently, as we sat, the postern opened and the keeper said to me, +'Rise and hide thee.' I did so; and behold, a black eunuch put his head +out through the garden wicket and asked, 'O Shaykh, there any one with +thee?' 'No,' answered he; and the eunuch said, 'Shut the garden gate.' +So the keeper shut the gate, and lo! the Lady Dunya came in by the +private door. When I saw her, methought the moon had risen above the +horizon and was shining; I looked at her a full hour and longed for her +as one athirst longeth for water. After a while she withdrew and shut +the door; whereupon I left the garden and sought my lodging, knowing +that I could not get at her and that I was no man for her, more +especially as I was become like a woman, having no manly tool: moreover +she was a King's daughter and I but a merchant man; so; how could I +have access to the like of her or— to any other woman? Accordingly, +when these my companions made ready for the road, I also made +preparation and set out with them, and we journeyed towards this city +till we arrived at the place ere we met with thee. Thou askedst me and +I have answered; and these are my adventures and peace be with thee!" +Now when Taj al-Muluk heard that account, fires raged in his bosom and +his heart and thought were occupied love for the Lady Dunya; and +passion and longing were sore upon him. Then he arose and mounted +horse and, taking Aziz with him, returned to his father's capital, +where he settled him in a separate house and supplied him with all he +needed in the way of meat and drink and dress. Then he left him and +returned to his palace, with the tears trickling down his cheeks, for +hearing oftentimes standeth instead of seeing and knowing.[FN#10] And +he ceased not to be in this state till his father came in to him and +finding him wan faced, lean of limb and tearful eyed, knew that +something had occurred to chagrin him and said, "O my son, acquaint me +with thy case and tell me what hath befallen thee, that thy colour is +changed and thy body is wasted. So he told him all that had passed and +what tale he had heard of Aziz and the account of the Princess Dunya; +and how he had fallen in love of her on hearsay, without having set +eyes on her. Quoth his sire, "O my son, she is the daughter of a King +whose land is far from ours: so put away this thought and go in to thy +mother's palace."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Thirtieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan +continued to Zau al-Makan: And the father of Taj al-Muluk spake to him +on this wise, "O my son, her father is a King whose land is far from +ours: so put away this thought and go into thy mother's palace where +are five hundred maidens like moons, and whichsoever of them pleaseth +thee, take her; or else we will seek for thee in marriage some one of +the King's daughters, fairer than the Lady Dunya." Answered Taj +al-Muluk, "O my father, I desire none other, for she it is who wrought +the gazelles which I saw, and there is no help but that I have her; +else I will flee into the world and the waste and I will slay myself +for her sake." Then said his father, "Have patience with me, till I +send to her sire and demand her in marriage, and win thee thy wish as I +did for myself with thy mother. Haply Allah will bring thee to thy +desire; and, if her parent will not consent, I will make his kingdom +quake under him with an army, whose rear shall be with me whilst its +van shall be upon him." Then he sent for the youth Aziz and asked him, +"O my son, tell me dost thou know the way to the Camphor Islands?" He +answered "Yes"; and the King said, "I desire of thee that thou fare +with my Wazir thither." Replied Aziz, "I hear and I obey, O King of the +Age!"; where upon the King summoned his Minister and said to him, +"Devise me some device, whereby my son's affair may be rightly managed +and fare thou forth to the Camphor Islands and demand of their King his +daughter in marriage for my son, Taj al-Muluk." The Wazir replied, +"Hearkening and obedience." Then Taj al-Muluk returned to his dwelling +place and his love and longing redoubled and the delay seemed endless +to him; and when the night darkened around him, he wept and sighed and +complained and repeated this poetry, + +"Dark falls the night: my tears unaided rail * And fiercest + flames of love my heart assail: +Ask thou the nights of me, and they shall tell * An I find aught + to do but weep and wail: +Night long awake, I watch the stars what while * Pour down my + cheeks the tears like dropping hail: +And lone and lorn I'm grown with none to aid; * For kith and kin + the love lost lover fail." + +And when he had ended his reciting he swooned away and did not recover +his senses till the morning, at which time there came to him one of his +father's eunuchs and, standing at his head, summoned him to the King's +presence. So he went with him and his father, seeing that his pallor +had increased, exhorted him to patience and promised him union with her +he loved. Then he equipped Aziz and the Wazir and supplied them with +presents; and they set out and fared on day and night till they drew +near the Isles of Camphor, where they halted on the banks of a stream, +and the Minister despatched a messenger to acquaint the King of his +arrival. The messenger hurried forwards and had not been gone more +than an hour, before they saw the King's Chamberlains and Emirs +advancing towards them, to meet them at a parasang's distance from the +city and escort them into the royal presence. They laid their gifts +before the King and became his guests for three days. And on the +fourth day the Wazir rose and going in to the King, stood between his +hands and acquainted him with the object which induced his visit; +whereat he was perplexed for an answer inasmuch as his daughter +misliked men and disliked marriage. So he bowed his head groundwards +awhile, then raised it and calling one of his eunuchs, said to him, "Go +to thy mistress, the Lady Dunya, and repeat to her what thou hast heard +and the purport of this Wazir's coming." So the eunuch went forth and +returning after a time, said to the King, "O King of the Age, when I +went in to the Lady Dunya and told her what I had heard, she was wroth +with exceeding wrath and rose at me with a staff designing to break my +head; so I fled from her, and she said to me 'If my Father force me to +wed him, whomsoever I wed I will slay.' Then said her sire to the Wazir +and Aziz, "Ye have heard, and now ye know all! So let your King wot of +it and give him my salutations and say that my daughter misliketh men +and disliketh marriage."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Shahriman +thus addressed the Wazir and Aziz, "Salute your King from me and inform +him of what ye have heard, namely that my daughter misliketh marriage." +So they turned away unsuccessful and ceased not faring on till they +rejoined the King and told him what had passed; whereupon he commanded +the chief officers to summon the troops and get them ready for marching +and campaigning. But the Wazir said to him, "O my liege Lord, do not +thus: the King is not at fault because, when his daughter learnt our +business, she sent a message saying, 'If my father force me to wed, +whomsoever I wed I will slay and myself after him.' So the refusal +cometh from her." When the King heard his Minister's words he feared +for Taj al-Muluk and said, "Verily if I make war on the King of the +Camphor Islands and carry off his daughter, she will kill herself and +it will avail me naught." Then he told his son how the case stood, who +hearing it said, "O my father, I cannot live without her; so I will go +to her and contrive to get at her, even though I die in the attempt, +and this only will I do and nothing else." Asked his father, "How wilt +thou go to her?" and he answered, "I will go in the guise of a +merchant."[FN#11] Then said the King, "If thou need must go and there +is no help for it, take with thee the Wazir and Aziz." Then he brought +out money from his treasuries and made ready for his son merchandise to +the value of an hundred thousand dinars. The two had settled upon this +action; and when the dark hours came Taj al-Muluk and Aziz went to +Aziz's lodgings and there passed that night, and the Prince was heart +smitten, taking no pleasure in food or in sleep; for melancholy was +heavy upon him and he was agitated with longing for his beloved. So he +besought the Creator that he would vouch safe to unite him with her and +he wept and groaned and wailed and began versifying, + +"Union, this severance ended, shall I see some day? * Then shall + my tears this love lorn lot of me portray. +While night all care forgets I only minded thee, * And thou didst + gar me wake while all forgetful lay." + +And when his improvising came to an end, he wept with sore weeping and +Aziz wept with him, for that he remembered his cousin; and they both +ceased not to shed tears till morning dawned, whereupon Taj al-Muluk +rose and went to farewell his mother, in travelling dress. She asked +him of his case and he repeated the story to her; so she gave him fifty +thousand gold pieces and bade him adieu; and, as he fared forth, she +put up prayers for his safety and for his union with his lover and his +friends. Then he betook himself to his father and asked his leave to +depart. The King granted him permission and, presenting him with other +fifty thousand dinars, bade set up a tent for him without the city and +they pitched a pavilion wherein the travellers abode two days. Then +all set out on their journey. Now Taj al-Muluk delighted in the company +of Aziz and said to him, "O my brother, henceforth I can never part +from thee." Replied Aziz, "And I am of like mind and fain would I die +under thy feet: but, O my brother, my heart is concerned for my +mother." "When we shall have won our wish," said the Prince, "there +will be naught save what is well!" Now the Wazir continued charging Taj +al-Muluk to be patient, whilst Aziz entertained him every evening with +talk and recited poetry to him and diverted him with histories and +anecdotes. And so they fared on diligently night and day for two whole +months, till the way became tedious to Taj al-Muluk and the fire of +desire redoubled on him; and he broke out, + +"The road is lonesome; grow my grief and need, * While on my + breast love fires for ever feed: +Goal of my hopes, sole object of my wish! * By him who moulded + man from drop o' seed, +I bear such loads of longing for thy love, * Dearest, as weight + of al Shumm Mounts exceed: +O 'Lady of my World'[FN#12] Love does me die; * No breath of life + is left for life to plead; +But for the union hope that lends me strength, * My weary limbs + were weak this way to speed." + +When he had finished his verses, he wept (and Aziz wept with him) from +a wounded heart, till the Minister was moved to pity by their tears and +said, "O my lord, be of good cheer and keep thine eyes clear of tears; +there will be naught save what is well!" Quoth Taj al-Muluk, "O Wazir, +indeed I am weary of the length of the way. Tell me how far we are yet +distant from the city." Quoth Aziz, "But a little way remaineth to us." +Then they continued their journey, cutting across river vales and +plains, words and stony wastes, till one night, as Taj al-Muluk was +sleeping, he dreamt that his beloved was with him and that he embraced +her and pressed her to his bosom; and he awoke quivering, shivering +with pain, delirious with emotion, and improvised these verses, + +"Dear friend, my tears aye flow these cheeks adown, * + With longsome pain and pine, my sorrow's crown: +I plain like keening woman child bereft, * + And as night falls like widow dove I groan: +An blow the breeze from land where thou cost wone, * + I find o'er sunburnt earth sweet coolness blown. +Peace be wi' thee, my love, while zephyr breathes, * + And cushat flies and turtle makes her moan." + +And when he had ended his versifying, the Wazir came to him and said, +"Rejoice; this is a good sign: so be of good cheer and keep thine eyes +cool and clear, for thou shalt surely compass thy desire." And Aziz +also came to him and exhorted him to patience and applied himself to +divert him, talking with him and telling him tales. So they pressed +on, marching day and night, other two months, till there appeared to +them one day at sunrise some white thing in the distance and Taj +al-Muluk said to Aziz, "What is yonder whiteness?" He replied, "O my +lord! yonder is the Castle of Crystal and that is the city thou +seekest." At this the Prince rejoiced, and they ceased not faring +forwards till they drew near the city and, as they approached it, Taj +al-Muluk joyed with exceeding joy, and his care ceased from him. They +entered in trader guise, the King's son being habited as a merchant of +importance; and repaired to a great Khan, known as the Merchants' +Lodging. Quoth Taj al-Muluk to Aziz, "Is this the resort of the +merchants?"; and quoth he, "Yes; 'tis the Khan wherein I lodged +before." So they alighted there and making their baggage camels kneel, +unloaded them and stored their goods in the warehouses.[FN#13] They +abode four days for rest; when the Wazir advised that they should hire +a large house. To this they assented and they found them a spacious +house, fitted up for festivities, where they took up their abode, and +the Wazir and Aziz studied to devise some device for Taj al-Muluk, who +remained in a state of perplexity, knowing not what to do. Now the +Minister could think of nothing but that he should set up as a merchant +on 'Change and in the market of fine stuffs; so he turned to the Prince +and his companion and said to them, "Know ye that if we tarry here on +this wise, assuredly we shall not win our wish nor attain our aim; but +a something occurred to me whereby (if Allah please!) we shall find our +advantage." Replied Taj al-Muluk and Aziz, "Do what seemeth good to +thee, indeed there is a blessing on the grey beard; more specially on +those who, like thyself, are conversant with the conduct of affairs: so +tell us what occurreth to thy mind." Rejoined the Wazir "It is my +counsel that we hire thee a shop in the stuff bazar, where thou mayst +sit to sell and buy. Every one, great and small, hath need of silken +stuffs and other cloths; so if thou patiently abide in thy shop, thine +affairs will prosper, Inshallah! more by token as thou art comely of +aspect. Make, however, Aziz thy factor and set him within the shop, to +hand thee the pieces of cloth and stuffs." When Taj al-Muluk heard +these words, he said, 'This rede is right and a right pleasant +recking." So he took out a handsome suit of merchant's weed, and, +putting it on, set out for the bazar, followed by his servants, to one +of whom he had given a thousand dinars, wherewith to fit up the shop. +They ceased not walking till they came to the stuff market, and when +the merchants saw Taj al-Muluk's beauty and grace, they were confounded +and went about saying, "Of a truth Rizwán[FN#14] hath opened the gates +of Paradise and left them unguarded, so that this youth of passing +comeliness hath come forth." And others, "Peradventure this is one of +the angels." Now when they went in among the traders they asked for the +shop of the Overseer of the market and the merchants directed them +thereto. So they delayed not to repair thither and to salute him, and +he and those who were with him rose to them and seated them and made +much of them, because of the Wazir, whom they saw to be a man in years +and of reverend aspect; and viewing the youths Aziz and Taj al-Muluk in +his company, they said to one another, "Doubtless our Shaykh is the +father of these two youths." Then quoth the Wazir, "Who among you is +the Overseer of the market?" "This is he," replied they; and behold, he +came forward and the Wazir observed him narrowly and saw him to be an +old man of grave and dignified carriage, with eunuchs and servants and +black slaves. The Syndic greeted them with the greeting of friends and +was lavish in his attentions to them: then he seated them by his side +and asked them, "Have ye any business which we[FN#15] may have the +happiness of transacting?" The Minister answered, "Yes; I am an old +man, stricken in years, and have with me these two youths, with whom I +have travelled through every town and country, entering no great city +without tarrying there a full year, that they might take their pleasure +in viewing it and come to know its citizens. Now I have visited your +town intending to sojourn here for a while; so I want of thee a +handsome shop in the best situation, wherein I may establish them, that +they may traffic and learn to buy and sell and give and take, whilst +they divert themselves with the sight of the place, and be come +familiar with the usages of its people." Quoth the Overseer, "There is +no harm in that;" and, looking at the two youths, he was delighted with +them and affected them with a warm affection. Now he was a great +connoisseur of bewitching glances, preferring the love of boys to that +of girls and inclining to the sour rather than the sweet of love. So +he said to himself, "This, indeed, is fine game. Glory be to Him who +created and fashioned them out of vile water!"[FN#16] and rising stood +before them like a servant to do them honour. Then he went out and +made ready for them a shop which was in the very midst of the Exchange; +nor was there any larger or better in the bazar, for it was spacious +and handsomely decorated and fitted with shelves of ivory and ebony +wood. After this he delivered the keys to the Wazir, who was dressed +as an old merchant, saying, "Take them, O my lord, and Allah make it a +blessed abiding place to thy two sons!" The Minister took the keys and +the three returning to the Khan where they had alighted, bade the +servants transport to the shop all their goods and stuffs.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir +took the shop keys, he went accompanied by Taj al-Muluk and Aziz to the +Khan, and they bade the servants transport to the shop all their goods +and stuffs and valuables of which they had great store worth treasures +of money. And when all this was duly done, they went to the shop and +ordered their stock in trade and slept there that night. As soon as +morning morrowed the Wazir took the two young men to the Hammam bath +where they washed them clean; and they donned rich dresses and scented +themselves with essences and enjoyed themselves to the utmost. Now +each of the youths was passing fair to look upon, and in the bath they +were even as saith the poet, + +"Luck to the Rubber, whose deft hand o'erdies * + A frame begotten twixt the lymph and light:[FN#17] +He shows the thaumaturgy of his craft, * + And gathers musk in form of camphor dight."[FN#18] + +After bathing they left; and, when the Overseer heard that they had +gone to the Hammam, he sat down to await the twain, and presently they +came up to him like two gazelles; their cheeks were reddened by the +bath and their eyes were darker than ever; their faces shone and they +were as two lustrous moons or two branches fruit laden. Now when he +saw them he rose forthright and said to them, "O my sons, may your bath +profit you always!"[FN#19] Where upon Taj al-Muluk replied, with the +sweetest of speech, "Allah be bountiful to thee, O my father; why didst +thou not come with us and bathe in our company?" Then they both bent +over his right hand and kissed it and walked before him to the shop, to +entreat him honourably and show their respect for him, for that he was +Chief of the Merchants and the market, and he had done them kindness in +giving them the shop. When he saw their hips quivering as they moved, +desire and longing redoubled on him; and he puffed and snorted and he +devoured them with his eyes, for he could not contain himself, +repeating the while these two couplets, + +"Here the heart reads a chapter of devotion pure; * + Nor reads dispute if Heaven in worship partner take: +No wonder 'tis he trembles walking 'neath such weight! * + How much of movement that revolving sphere must + make.[FN#20]" + +Furthermore he said, + +"I saw two charmers treading humble earth. * + Two I must love an tread they on mine eyes." + +When they heard this, they conjured him to enter the bath with them a +second time. He could hardly believe his ears and hastening thither, +went in with them. The Wazir had not yet left the bath; so when he +heard of the Overseer's coming, he came out and meeting him in the +middle of the bath hall invited him to enter. He refused, whereupon +Taj al-Muluk taking him by the hand walked on one side and Aziz by the +other, and carried him into a cabinet; and that impure old man +submitted to them, whilst his emotion increased on him. He would have +refused, albeit this was what he desired; but the Minister said to him, +"They are thy sons; let them wash thee and cleanse thee." "Allah +preserve them to thee!" exclaimed the Overseer, "By Allah your coming +and the coming of those with you bring down blessing and good luck upon +our city!" And he repeated these two couplets, + +"Thou camest and green grew the hills anew; * + And sweetest bloom to the bridegroom threw, +While aloud cried Earth and her earth-borns too * + 'Hail and welcome who comest with grace to endue.'" + +They thanked him for this, and Taj al-Muluk ceased not to wash him and +to pour water over him and he thought his soul in Paradise. When they +had made an end of his service, he blessed them and sat by the side of +the Wazir, talking but gazing the while on the youths. Presently, the +servants brought them towels, and they dried themselves and donned +their dress. Then they went out, and the Minister turned to the Syndic +and said to him, "O my lord! verily the bath is the Paradise[FN#21] of +this world." Replied the Overseer, "Allah vouchsafe to thee such +Paradise, and health to thy sons and guard them from the evil eye! Do +ye remember aught that the eloquent have said in praise of the bath.?" +Quoth Taj al-Muluk, "I will repeat for thee a pair of couplets;" and he +recited, + +The life of the bath is the joy of man's life,[FN#22] * + Save that time is short for us there to bide: +A Heaven where irksome it were to stay; * + A Hell, delightful at entering-tide." + +When he ended his recital, quoth Aziz, "And I also remember two +couplets in praise of the bath." The Overseer said, "Let me hear them," +so he repeated the following, + +"A house where flowers from stones of granite grow, * + Seen at its best when hot with living lows: +Thou deem'st it Hell but here, forsooth, is Heaven, * + And some like suns and moons within it show." + +And when he had ended his recital, his verses pleased the Overseer and +he wondered at his words and savoured their grace and fecundity and +said to them, "By Allah, ye possess both beauty and eloquence. But now +listen to me, you twain!" And he began chanting, and recited in song +the following verses, + +"O joy of Hell and Heaven! whose tormentry * + Enquickens frame and soul with lively gree: +I marvel so delightsome house to view, * + And most when 'neath it kindled fires I see: +Sojourn of bliss to visitors, withal * + Pools on them pour down tears unceasingly." + +Then his eye-sight roamed and browsed on the gardens of their beauty +and he repeated these two couplets, + +"I went to the house of the keeper-man; * + He was out, but others to smile began: +I entered his Heaven[FN#23] and then his Hell;[FN#24] * + And I said 'Bless Málik[FN#25] and bless Rizwán.' "[FN#26] + +When they heard these verses they were charmed, and the Over seer +invited them to his house; but they declined and returned to their own +place, to rest from the great heat of the bath. So they took their +ease there and ate and drank and passed that night in perfect solace +and satisfaction, till morning dawned, when they arose from sleep and +making their lesser ablution, prayed the dawn- prayer and drank the +morning draught.[FN#27] As soon as the sun had risen and the shops and +markets opened, they arose and going forth from their place to the +bazar opened their shop, which their servants had already furnished, +after the handsomest fashion, and had spread with prayer rugs and +silken carpets and had placed on the divans a pair of mattresses, each +worth an hundred dinars. On every mattress they had disposed a rug of +skin fit for a King and edged with a fringe of gold; and a-middlemost +the shop stood a third seat still richer, even as the place required. +Then Taj al-Muluk sat down on one divan, and Aziz on another, whilst +the Wazir seated himself on that in the centre, and the servants stood +before them. The city people soon heard of them and crowded about +them, so that they sold some of their goods and not a few of their +stuffs; for Taj al-Muluk's beauty and loveliness had become the talk of +the town. Thus they passed a trifle of time, and every day the people +flocked to them and pressed upon them more and more, till the Wazir, +after exhorting Taj al-Muluk to keep his secret, commended him to the +care of Aziz and went home, that he might commune with himself alone +and cast about for some contrivance which might profit them. +Meanwhile, the two young men sat talking and Taj al-Muluk said to Aziz, +"Haply some one will come from the Lady Dunya." So he ceased not +expecting this chance days and nights, but his heart was troubled and +he knew neither sleep nor rest; for desire had got the mastery of him, +and love and longing were sore upon him, so that he renounced the +solace of sleep and abstained from meat and drink; yet ceased he not to +be like the moon on the night of fullness. Now one day as he sat in +the shop, behold, there came up an ancient woman.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan +continued to Zau al-Makan: Now one day as Taj al-Muluk sat in his shop, +behold, there appeared an ancient woman, who came up to him followed by +two slave girls. She ceased not advancing till she stood before the +shop of Taj al-Muluk and, observing his symmetry and beauty and +loveliness, marvelled at his charms and sweated in her petticoat +trousers, exclaiming, "Glory to Him who created thee out of vile water, +and made thee a temptation to all beholders!" And she fixed her eyes on +him and said, "This is not a mortal, he is none other than an angel +deserving the highest respect."[FN#28] Then she drew near and saluted +him, whereupon he returned her salute and rose to his feet to receive +her and smiled in her face (all this by a hint from Aziz); after which +he made her sit down by his side and fanned her with a fan, till she +was rested and refreshed. Then she turned to Taj al-Muluk and said, "O +my son! O thou who art perfect in bodily gifts and spiritual graces; +say me, art thou of this country?" He replied, in voice the sweetest +and in tone the pleasantest, "By Allah, O my mistress, I was never in +this land during my life till this time, nor do I abide here save by +way of diversion." Rejoined she, "May the Granter grant thee all honour +and prosperity! And what stuffs hast thou brought with thee? Show me +something passing fine; for the beauteous should bring nothing but what +is beautiful." When he heard her words, his heart fluttered and he knew +not their inner meaning; but Aziz made a sign to him and he replied, "I +have everything thou canst desire and especially I have goods that +besit none but Kings and King's daughters; so tell me what stuff thou +wantest and for whom, that I may show thee what will be fitting for +him." This he said, that he might learn the meaning of her words; and +she rejoined, "I want a stuff fit for the Princess Dunya, daughter of +King Shahriman." Now when the Prince heard the name of his beloved, he +joyed with great joy and said to Aziz, "Give me such a parcel." So Aziz +brought it and opened it before Taj al-Muluk who said to the old woman, +"Select what will suit her; for these goods are to be found only with +me." She chose stuffs worth a thousand dinars and asked, "How much is +this?"; and she ceased not the while to talk with him and rub what was +inside her thighs with the palm of her hand. Answered Taj al-Muluk, +"Shall I haggle with the like of thee about this paltry price? Praised +be Allah who hath acquainted me with thee!" The old woman rejoined, +"Allah's name be upon thee! I commend thy beautiful face to the +protection of the Lord of the Daybreak.[FN#29] Beautiful face and +eloquent speech! Happy she who lieth in thy bosom and claspeth thy +waist in her arms and enjoyeth thy youth, especially if she be +beautiful and lovely like thyself!" At this, Taj al-Muluk laughed till +he fell on his back and said to himself, "O Thou who fulfillest desires +human by means of pimping old women! They are the true fulfillers of +desires!" Then she asked, "O my son, what is thy name?" and he +answered, "My name is Taj al-Muluk, the Crown of Kings." Quoth she, +"This is indeed a name of Kings and King's sons and thou art clad in +merchant's clothes." Quoth Aziz, "for the love his parents and family +bore him and for the value they set on him, they named him thus." +Replied the old woman, "Thou sayest sooth, Allah guard you both from +the evil eye and the envious, though hearts be broken by your charms!" +Then she took the stuffs and went her way; but she was amazed at his +beauty and stature and symmetry, and she ceased not going till she +found the Lady Dunya and said to her, "O my mistress! I have brought +thee some handsome stuffs." Quoth the Princess, "Show me that same"; +and the old woman, "O apple of my eye, here it is, turn it over and +examine it." Now when the Princess looked at it she was amazed and +said, "O my nurse, this is indeed handsome stuff: I have never seen its +like in our city." "O my lady," replied the old nurse, "he who sold it +me is handsomer still. It would seem as if Rizwan had left the gates +of Paradise open in his carelessness, and as if the youth who sold me +this stuff had come bodily out of Heaven. I would he might sleep this +night with thee and might lie between thy breasts.[FN#30] He hath come +to thy city with these precious stuffs for amusement's sake, and he is +a temptation to all who set eyes on him." The Princess laughed at her +words and said, "Allah afflict thee, O pernicious old hag! Thou dotest +and there is no sense left in thee." Presently, she resumed, "Give me +the stuff that I may look at it anew." So she gave it her and she took +it again and saw that its size was small and its value great. It +pleased her, for she had never in her life seen its like, and she +exclaimed, "By Allah, this is a handsome stuff!" Answered the old +woman, "O my lady, by Allah! if thou sawest its owner thou wouldst know +him for the handsomest man on the face of the earth." Quoth the Lady +Dunya, "Didst thou ask him if he had any need, that he might tell us +and we might satisfy it?" But the nurse shook her head and said, "The +Lord keep thy sagacity! By Allah, he hath a want, may thy skill not +fail thee. What! is any man free from wants?" Rejoined the Princess, +"Go back to him and salute him and say to him, 'Our land and town are +honoured by thy visit and, if thou have any need, we will fulfil it to +thee, on our head and eyes.' " So the old woman at once returned to +Taj al-Muluk, and when he saw her his heart jumped for joy and gladness +and he rose to his feet before her and, taking her hand, seated her by +his side. As soon as she was rested, she told him what Princess Dunya +had said; and he on hearing it joyed with exceeding joy; his breast +dilated to the full; gladness entered his heart and he said to himself, +"Verily, I have my need." Then he asked the old woman, "Haply thou wilt +take her a message from me and bring me her answer?"; and she answered, +"I hear and I obey." So he said to Aziz, "Bring me ink-case and paper +and a brazen pen." And when Aziz brought him what he sought, he hent +the pen in hand and wrote these lines of poetry, + +"I write to thee, O fondest hope! a writ * + Of grief that severance on my soul cloth lay: +Saith its first line, 'Within my heart is [owe!' * + Its second, 'Love and Longing on me prey!' +Its third, 'My patience waste is, fades my life!' * + Its fourth, 'Naught shall my pain and pine allay!' +Its fifth, 'When shall mine eyes enjoy thy sight?' * + Its sixth, 'Say, when shall dawn our meeting-day?' " + +And, lastly, by way of subscription he wrote these words. "This letter +is from the captive of captivation * prisoned in the hold of longing +expectation * wherefrom is no emancipation * but in anticipation and +intercourse and in unification * after absence and separation. * For +from the severance of friends he loveth so fain * he suffereth love +pangs and pining pain. *" Then his tears rushed out, and he indited +these two couplets, + +"I write thee, love, the while my tears pour down; * + Nor cease they ever pouring thick and fleet: +Yet I despair not of my God, whose grace * + Haply some day will grant us twain to meet." + +Then he folded the letter[FN#31] and sealed it with his signet ring and +gave it to the old woman, saying, "Carry it to the Lady Dunya." Quoth +she, "To hear is to obey;" whereupon he gave her a thousand dinars and +said to her, "O my mother! accept this gift from me as a token of my +affection." She took both from him and blessed him and went her way and +never stinted walking till she went in to the Lady Dunya. Now when the +Princess saw her she said to her, "O my nurse, what is it he asketh of +need that we may fulfil his wish to him?" Replied the old woman, "O my +lady, he sendeth thee this letter by me, and I know not what is in it;" +and handed it to her. Then the Princess took the letter and read it; +and when she understood it, she exclaimed, "Whence cometh and whither +goeth this merchant man that he durst address such a letter to me?" And +she slapt her face saying, "'Whence are we that we should come to +shopkeeping? Awah! Awah! By the lord, but that I fear Almighty Allah +I had slain him;" and she added, "Yea, I had crucified[FN#32] him over +his shop door!" Asked the old woman, "What is in this letter to vex thy +heart and move thy wrath on this wise? Doth it contain a complaint of +oppression or demand for the price of the stuff?" Answered the +Princess, "Woe to thee! There is none of this in it, naught but words +of love and endearment. This is all through thee: otherwise whence +should this Satan[FN#33] know me?" Rejoined the old woman, "o my lady, +thou sittest in thy high palace and none may have access to thee; no, +not even the birds of the air. Allah keep thee, and keep thy youth +from blame and reproach! Thou needest not care for the barking of +dogs, for thou art a Princess, the daughter of a King. Be not wroth +with me that I brought thee this letter, knowing not what was in it; +but I opine that thou send him an answer and threaten him with death +and forbid him this foolish talk; surely he will abstain and not do the +like again." Quoth the Lady Dunya, "I fear that, if I write to him, he +will desire me the more." The old woman returned "When he heareth thy +threats and promise of punishment, he will desist from his +persistence." She cried, "Here with the ink case and paper and brazen +pen;" and when they brought them she wrote these couplets, + +"O thou who for thy wakeful nights wouldst claim my love + to boon, * For what of pining thou must feel and + tribulation! +Dost thou, fond fool and proud of sprite, seek meeting with the + Moon? * Say, did man ever win his wish to take in arms the + Moon? +I counsel thee, from soul cast out the wish that dwells + therein, * And cut that short which threatens thee with + sore risk oversoon: +An to such talk thou dare return, I bid thee to expect * + Fro' me such awful penalty as suiteth froward loon: +I swear by Him who moulded man from gout of clotted + blood,[FN#34] * Who lit the Sun to shine by day and lit + for night the moon, +An thou return to mention that thou spakest in thy pride, * + Upon a cross of tree for boon I'll have thee crucified!" + +Then she folded the letter and handing it to the old woman said, "Give +him this and say him, 'Cease from this talk!' " "Hearkening and +obedience," replied she, and taking the letter with joy, returned to +her own house, where she passed the night; and when morning dawned she +betook herself to the shop of Taj al-Muluk whom she found expecting +her. When he saw her, he was ready to fly[FN#35] for delight, and when +she came up to him, he stood to her on his feet and seated her by his +side. Then she brought out the letter and gave it to him, saying, +"Read what is in this;" adding "When Princess Dunya read thy letter she +was angry; but I coaxed her and jested with her till I made her laugh, +and she had pity on thee and she hath returned thee an answer." He +thanked her for her kindness and bade Aziz give her a thousand gold +pieces: then he perused the letter and understanding it fell to weeping +a weeping so sore that the old woman's heart was moved to ruth for him, +and his tears and complaints were grievous to her. Presently she asked +him, "O my son, what is there in this letter to make thee weep?" +Answered he, "She hath threatened me with death and crucifixion and she +forbiddeth me to write to her, but if I write not my death were better +than my life. So take thou my answer to the letter and let her work +her will." Rejoined the old woman, "By the life of thy youth, needs +must I risk my existence for thee, that I may bring thee to thy desire +and help thee to win what thou hast at heart!" And Taj al-Muluk said, +"Whatever thou dost, I will requite thee for it and do thou weigh it in +the scales of thy judgement, for thou art experienced in managing +matters, and skilled in reading the chapters of the book of intrigue: +all hard matters to thee are easy doings; and Allah can bring about +everything." Then he took a sheet of paper and wrote thereon these +improvised couplets, + +"Yestre'en my love with slaughter menaced me, * + But sweet were slaughter and Death's foreordainčd: +Yes, Death is sweet for lover doomed to bear * + Long life, rejected, injured and constrainčd: +By Allah! deign to visit friendless friend! * + Thy thrall am I and like a thrall I'm chainčd: +Mercy, O lady mine, for loving thee! * + Who loveth noble soul should be assainčd." + +Then he sighed heavy sighs and wept till the old woman wept also and +presently taking the letter she said to him, "Be of good cheer and cool +eyes and clear; for needs must I bring thee to thy wish."—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Taj al-Muluk +wept the old woman said to him, "Be of good cheer and cool eyes and +clear; for needs must I bring thee to thy wish." Then she rose and left +him on coals of fire; and returned to Princess Dunya, whom she found +still showing on her changed face rage at Taj al-Muluk's letter. So +she gave her his second letter, whereat her wrath redoubled and she +said, "Did I not say he would desire us the more?" Replied the old +woman, "What thing is this dog that he should aspire to thee?" Quoth +the Princess, "Go back to him and tell him that, if he write me after +this, I will cut off his head." Quoth the nurse, "Write these words in +a letter and I will take it to him that his fear may be the greater." +So she took a sheet of paper and wrote thereon these couplets, + +"Ho thou, who past and bygone risks regardest with uncare! * + Thou who to win thy meeting prize dost overslowly fare! +In pride of spirit thinkest thou to win the star Soha[FN#36]? * + Albe thou may not reach the Moon which shines through + upper air? +How darest thou expect to win my favours, hope to clip * + Upon a lover's burning breast my lance like shape and rare? +Leave this thy purpose lest my wrath come down on thee some + day, * A day of wrath shall hoary turn the partings of + thy hair!" + +Then she folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, who took it +and repaired to Taj al-Muluk. And when he saw her, he rose to his feet +and exclaimed, "May Allah never bereave me of the blessing of thy +coming!" Quoth she, "Take the answer to thy letter." He took it and +reading it, wept with sore weeping and said, "I long for some one to +slay me at this moment and send me to my rest, for indeed death were +easier to me than this my state!" Then he took ink case and pen and +paper and wrote a letter containing these two couplets, + +"O hope of me! pursue me not with rigour and disdain: * + Deign thou to visit lover wight in love of thee is drowned; +Deem not a life so deeply wronged I longer will endure; * My soul + for severance from my friend divorced this frame unsound." + +Lastly he folded the letter and handed it to the old woman, saying, "Be +not angry with me, though I have wearied thee to no purpose." And he +bade Aziz give her other thousand ducats, saying, "O my mother, needs +must this letter result in perfect union or utter severance." Replied +she, "O my son, by Allah, I desire nought but thy weal; and it is my +object that she be thine, for indeed thou art the shining moon, and she +the rising sun.[FN#37] If I do not bring you together, there is no +profit in my existence; and I have lived my life till I have reached +the age of ninety years in the practice of wile and intrigue; so how +should I fail to unite two lovers, though in defiance of right and +law?" Then she took leave of him having comforted his heart, and ceased +not walking till she went in to the Lady Dunya. Now she had hidden the +letter in her hair: so when she sat down by the Princess she rubbed her +head and said, "O my lady, maybe thou wilt untwist my hair knot, for it +is a time since I went to the Hammam." The King's daughter bared her +arms to the elbows and, letting down the old woman's locks, began to +loose the knot of back hair; when out dropped the letter and the Lady +Dunya seeing it, asked, "What is this paper?" Quoth the nurse, "As I +sat in the merchant's shop, this paper must have stuck to me: give it +to me that I may return it to him; possibly it containeth some account +whereof he hath need." But the Princess opened it and read it and, when +she understood it, she cried out, "This is one of thy manifold tricks, +and hadst thou not reared me, I would lay violent hands on thee this +moment! Verily Allah hath afflicted me with this merchant: but all +that hath befallen me with him is on thy head. I know not from what +country this one can have come: no man but he would venture to affront +me thus, and I fear lest this my case get abroad, more by token as it +concerneth one who is neither of my kin nor of my peers." Rejoined the +old woman "None would dare speak of this for fear of thy wrath and for +awe of thy sire; so there can be no harm in sending him an answer." +Quoth the Princess, "O my nurse, verily this one is a perfect Satan! +How durst he use such language to me and not dread the Sultan's rage. +Indeed, I am perplexed about his case: if I order him to be put to +death, it were unjust; and if I leave him alive his boldness will +increase." Quoth the old woman, "Come, write him a letter; it may be he +will desist in dread." So she called for paper and ink case and pen and +wrote these couplets, + +"Thy folly drives thee on though long I chid, * + Writing in verse: how long shall I forbid? +For all forbiddal thou persistest more, * + And my sole grace it is to keep it hid; +Then hide thy love nor ever dare reveal, * + For an thou speak, of thee I'll soon be rid +If to thy silly speech thou turn anew, * + Ravens shall croak for thee the wold amid: +And Death shall come and beat thee down ere long, * + Put out of sight and bury 'neath an earthen lid: +Thy folk, fond fool! thou'lt leave for thee to mourn, * + And through their lives to sorrow all forlorn." + +Then she folded the letter and committed it to the old woman, who took +it and returning to Taj al-Muluk, gave it to him. When he read it, he +knew that the Princess was hard hearted and that he should not win +access to her; so he complained of his case to the Wazir and besought +his counsel. Quoth the Minister, "Know thou that naught will profit +thee save that thou write to her and invoke the retribution of Heaven +upon her." And quoth the Prince, "O my brother, O Aziz, do thou write +to her as if my tongue spake, according to thy knowledge." So Aziz took +a paper and wrote these couplets, + +"By the Five Shaykhs,[FN#38] O Lord, I pray deliver me; * + Let her for whom I suffer bear like misery: +Thou knowest how I fry in flaming lowe of love, * + While she I love hath naught of ruth or clemency: +How long shall I, despite my pain, her feelings spare? * + How long shall she wreak tyranny o'er weakling me? +In pains of never ceasing death I ever grieve: * + O Lord, deign aid; none other helping hand I see. +How fain would I forget her and forget her love! * + But how forget when Love garred Patience death to dree? +O thou who hinderest Love to 'joy fair meeting tide * + Say! art thou safe from Time and Fortune's jealousy? +Art thou not glad and blest with happy life, while I * + From folk and country for thy love am doomed flee?" + +Then Aziz folded the letter and gave it to Taj al-Muluk, who read it +and was pleased with it. So he handed it to the old woman, who took it +and went in with it to Princess Dunya. But when she read it and +mastered the meaning thereof, she was enraged with great rage and said, +"All that hath befallen me cometh by means of this ill omened old +woman!" Then she cried out to the damsels and eunuchs, saying, "Seize +this old hag, this accursed trickstress and beat her with your +slippers!" So they came down upon her till she swooned away; and, when +she came to herself, the Princess said to her, "By the Lord! O wicked +old woman, did I not fear Almighty Allah, I would slay thee." Then +quoth she to them, "Beat her again" and they did so till she fainted a +second time, whereupon she bade them drag her forth and throw her +outside the palace door. So they dragged her along on her face and +threw her down before the gate; but as soon as she revived she got up +from the ground and, walking and sitting by turns, made her way home. +There she passed the night till morning, when she arose and went to Taj +al-Muluk and told them all that had occurred. He was distressed at +this grievous news and said, "O my mother, hard indeed to us is that +which hath befallen thee, but all things are according to fate and +man's lot." Replied she, "Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and +clear, for I will not give over striving till I have brought thee and +her together, and made thee enjoy this wanton who hath burnt my skin +with beating." Asked the Prince "Tell me what caused her to hate men;" +and the old woman answered, "It arose from what she saw in a dream." +"And what was this dream?" "'Twas this: one night, as she lay asleep, +she saw a fowler spread his net upon the ground and scatter wheat grain +round it. Then he sat down hard by, and not a bird in the +neighbourhood but flocked to his toils. Amongst the rest she beheld a +pair of pigeons, male and female; and, whilst she was watching the net, +behold, the male bird's foot caught in the meshes and he began to +struggle; whereupon all the other birds took fright and flew away. But +presently his mate came back and hovered over him, then alighted on the +toils unobserved by the fowler, and fell to pecking with her beak and +pulling at the mesh in which the male bird's foot was tangled, till she +released the toes and they flew away together. Then the fowler came +up, mended his net and seated himself afar off. After an hour or so the +birds flew back and the female pigeon was caught in the net; whereupon +all the other birds took fright and scurried away; and the male pigeon +fled with the rest and did not return to his mate, but the fowler came +up and took the female pigeon and cut her throat. The Princess awoke, +troubled by her dream, and said, 'All males are like this pigeon, +worthless creatures: and men in general lack grace and goodness to +women.'" When the old woman had ended her story, the Prince said to +her, "O my mother, I desire to have one look at her, though it be my +death; so do thou contrive me some contrivance for seeing her." She +replied, "Know then that she hath under her palace windows a garden +wherein she taketh her pleasure; and thither she resorteth once in +every month by the private door. After ten days, the time of her thus +going forth to divert herself will arrive; so when she is about to +visit the garden, I will come and tell thee, that thou mayst go thither +and meet her. And look thou leave not the garden, for haply, an she +see thy beauty and Loveliness, her heart will be taken with love of +thee, and love is the most potent means of union." He said, "I hear and +obey;" whereupon he and Aziz arose and left the shop and, taking the +old woman with them, showed her the place where they lodged. Then said +Taj al- Muluk to Aziz, "O my brother, I have no need of the shop now, +having fulfilled my purpose of it; so I give it to thee with all that +is in it; for that thou hast come abroad with me and hast left thy +native land for my sake." Aziz accepted his gift and then they sat +conversing, while the Prince questioned him of the strange adventures +which had befallen him, and his companion acquainted him with the +particulars thereof. Presently, they went to the Wazir and, reporting +to him Taj al-Muluk's purpose, asked him, "What is to be done?" "Let us +go to the garden," answered he. So each and every donned richest +clothes and went forth, followed by three white slaves to the garden, +which they found thick with thickets and railing its rills. When they +saw the keeper sitting at the gate, they saluted him with the Salam and +he returned their salute. Then the Wazir gave him an hundred gold +pieces, saying, "Prithee, take this small sum and fetch us somewhat to +eat; for we are strangers and I have with me these two lads whom I wish +to divert."[FN#39] The Gardener took the sequins and said to them, +"Enter and amuse yourselves in the garden, for it is all yours; and sit +down till I bring you what food you require." So he went to the market +while the Wazir and Taj al-Muluk and Aziz entered the garden. And +shortly after leaving for the bazar the Gardener returned with a +roasted lamb and cotton white bread, which he placed before them, and +they ate and drank; thereupon he served up sweetmeats, and they ate of +them, and washed their hands and sat talking. Presently the Wazir said +to the garth keeper, "Tell me about this garden: is it thine or dost +thou rent it?" The Shaykh replied, "It doth not belong to me, but to +our King's daughter, the Princess Dunya." "What be thy monthly wages?" +asked the Wazir and he answered, "One diner and no more." Then the +Minister looked round about the garden and, seeing in its midst a +pavilion tall and grand but old and disused, said to the keeper, "O +elder, I am minded to do here a good work, by which thou shalt remember +me. Replied the other, "O my lord, what is the good work thou wouldest +do?" "Take these three hundred diners," rejoined the Wazir When the +Keeper heard speak of the gold, he said, "O my lord, whatso thou wilt, +do!" So the Wazir gave him the monies, saying, "Inshallah, we will make +a good work in this place!" Then they left him and returned to their +lodging, where they passed the night; and when it was the next day, the +Minister sent for a plasterer and a painter and a skilful goldsmith +and, furnishing them with all the tools they wanted, carried them to +the garden, where he bade them whitewash the walls of the pavilion and +decorate it with various kinds of paintings. Moreover he sent for gold +and lapis lazuli[FN#40] and said to the painter, "Figure me on the +wall, at the upper end of this hall, a man fowler with his nets spread +and birds falling into them and a female pigeon entangled in the meshes +by her bill." And when the painter had finished his picture on one +side, the Wazir said, "Figure me on the other side a similar figure and +represent the she pigeon alone in the snare and the fowler seizing her +and setting the knife to her neck; and draw on the third side wall, a +great raptor clutching the male pigeon, her mate, and digging talons +into him." The artist did his bidding, and when he and the others had +finished the designs, they received their hire and went away. Then the +Wazir and his companions took leave of the Gardener and returned to +their place, where they sat down to converse. And Taj al-Muluk said to +Aziz, "O my brother, recite me some verses: perchance it may broaden my +breast and dispel my dolours and quench the fire flaming in my heart." +So Aziz chanted with sweet modulation these couplets, + +"Whate'er they say of grief to lovers came, * + I, weakling I, can single handed claim: +An seek thou watering spot,[FN#41] my streaming eyes * + Pour floods that thirst would quench howe'er it flame +Or wouldest view what ruin Love has wrought * + With ruthless hands, then see this wasted frame." + +And his eyes ran over with tears and he repeated these couplets also, + +"Who loves not swan-neck and gazelle-like eyes, * + Yet claims to know Life's joys, I say he lies: +In Love is mystery, none avail to learn * + Save he who loveth in pure loving wise. +Allah my heart ne'er lighten of this love, * + Nor rob the wakefulness these eyelids prize." + +Then he changed the mode of song and sang these couplets: + +"Ibn Síná[FN#42] in his Canon cloth opine * + Lovers' best cure is found in merry song: +In meeting lover of a like degree, * + Dessert in garden, wine draughts long and strong: +I chose another who of thee might cure * + While Force and Fortune aided well and long +But ah! I learnt Love's mortal ill, wherein * + Ibn Sina's recipe is fond and wrong." + +After hearing them to the end, Taj al-Muluk was pleased with his verses +and wondered at his eloquence and the excellence of his recitation, +saying, "Indeed, thou hast done away with somewhat of my sorrow." Then +quoth the Wazir "Of a truth, there occurred to those of old what +astoundeth those who hear it told." Quoth the Prince, "If thou canst +recall aught of this kind, prithee let us hear thy subtle lines and +keep up the talk." So the Minister chanted in modulated song these +couplets, + +"Indeed I deemed thy favours might be bought * + By gifts of gold and things that joy the sprite +And ignorantly thought thee light-o'-love, * + When can thy love lay low the highmost might; +Until I saw thee choosing one, that one * + Loved with all favour, crowned with all delight: +Then wot I thou by sleight canst ne'er be won * + And under wing my head I hid from sight +And in this nest of passion made my wone, * + Wherein I nestle morning, noon and night." + +So far concerning them; but as regards the old woman she remained shut +up from the world in her house, till it befel that the King's daughter +was taken with a desire to divert herself in the garden. Now she had +never been wont so to do save in company with her nurse; accordingly +she sent for her and made friends with her and soothed her sorrow, +saying, "I wish to go forth to the garden, that I may divert myself +with the sight of its trees and Fruits, and broaden my breast with the +scent of its flowers." Replied the old woman, "I hear and obey; but +first I would go to my house, and soon I will be with thee." The +Princess rejoined, "Go home, but be not long absent from me." So the +old woman left her and, repairing to Taj al-Muluk, said to him, "Get +thee ready and don thy richest dress and go to the garden and find out +the Gardener and salute him and then hide thyself therein." "To hear is +to obey" answered he; and she agreed with him upon a signal, after +which she returned to the Lady Dunya. As soon as she was gone, the +Wazir and Aziz rose and robed Taj al-Muluk in a splendid suit of royal +raiment worth five thousand diners, and girt his middle with a girdle +of gold set with gems and precious metals. Then they repaired to the +garden and found seated at the gate the Keeper who, as soon as he saw +the Prince, sprang to his feet and received him with all respect and +reverence, and opening the gate, said, "Enter and take thy pleasure in +looking at the garden." Now the Gardener knew not that the King's +daughter was to visit the place that day; but when Taj al-Muluk had +been a little while there, he heard a hubbub and ere he could think, +out issued the eunuchs and damsels by the private wicket. The Gardener +seeing this came up to the Prince, informed him of her approach and +said to him, "O my lord, what is to be done? The Princess Dunya, the +King's daughter, is here." Replied the Prince, "Fear not, no harm shall +befal thee; for I will hide me somewhere about the garden." So the +Keeper exhorted him to the utmost prudence and went away. Presently +the Princess entered the garden with her damsels and with the old +woman, who said to herself, "If these eunuchs stay with us, we shall +not attain our end." So quoth she to the King's daughter, "O my lady, I +have somewhat to tell thee which shall ease thy heart." Quoth the +Princess, "Say what thou hast to say." "O my lady, rejoined the old +woman, "thou hast no need of these eunuchs at a time like the present; +nor wilt thou be able to divert thyself at thine ease, whilst they are +with us; so send them away;" and the Lady Dunya replied, "Thou speakest +sooth" Accordingly she dismissed them and presently began to walk +about, whilst Taj al-Muluk looked upon her and fed his eyes on her +beauty and loveliness (but she knew it not); and every time he gazed at +her he fainted by reason of her passing charms.[FN#43] The old woman +drew her on by converse till they reached the pavilion which the Wazir +had bidden be decorated, when the Princess entered and cast a glance +round and perceived the picture of the birds the fowler and the pigeon; +whereupon she cried, "Exalted be Allah! This is the very counterfeit +presentment of what I saw in my dream." She continued to gaze at the +figures of the birds and the fowler with his net, admiring the work, +and presently she said, "O my nurse, I have been wont to blame and hate +men, but look now at the fowler how he hath slaughtered the she bird +who set free her mate; who was minded to return to her and aid her to +escape when the bird of prey met him and tore him to pieces." Now the +old woman feigned ignorance to her and ceased not to occupy her in +converse, till they drew near the place where Taj al-Muluk lay hidden. +Thereupon she signed to him to come out and walk under the windows of +the pavilion, and, as the Lady Dunya stood looking from the casement, +behold, her glance fell that way and she saw him and noting his beauty +of face and form, said to the old woman, "O my nurse, whence cometh +yonder handsome youth?" Replied the old woman, "I know nothing of him +save that I think he must be some great King's son, for he attaineth +comeliness in excess and extreme loveliness." And the Lady Dunya fell +in love with him to distraction; the spells which bound her were loosed +and her reason was overcome by his beauty and grace; and his fine +stature and proportions strongly excited her desires sexual. So she +said, "O my nurse! this is indeed a handsome youth;" and the old woman +replied, "Thou sayest sooth, O my lady," and signed to Taj al-Muluk to +go home. And though desire and longing flamed in him and he was +distraught for love, yet he went away and took leave of the Gardener +and returned to his place, obeying the old woman and not daring to +cross her. When he told the Wazir and Aziz that she had signed him to +depart, they exhorted him to patience, saying, "Did not the ancient +dame know that there was an object to be gained by thy departure, she +had not signalled thee to return home." Such was the case with Taj +al-Muluk, the Wazir and Aziz but as regards the King's daughter, the +Lady Dunya, desire and passion redoubled upon her; she was overcome +with love and longing and she said to her nurse, "I know not how I +shall manage a meeting with this youth, but through thee." Exclaimed +the old woman, "I take refuge with Allah from Satan the stoned! Thou +who art averse from men! How cometh it then that thou art thus +afflicted with hope and fear of this young man? Yet, by Allah, none is +worthy of thy youth but he." Quoth the Lady Dunya, "O my nurse, further +my cause and help me to foregather with him, and thou shalt have of me +a thousand diners and a dress of honour worth as much more: but if thou +aid me not to come at him, I am a dead woman in very sooth." Replied +the ancient dame, "Go to thy palace and leave me to devise means for +bringing you twain together. I will throw away my life to content you +both!" So the Lady Dunya returned to her palace, and the old woman +betook herself to Taj al-Muluk who, when he saw her, rose to receive +her and entreated her with respect and reverence making her sit by his +side. Then she said, "The trick hath succeeded," and told him all that +had passed between herself and the Princess. He asked her, "When is +our meeting to be?"; and she answered, "Tomorrow." So he gave her a +thousand diners and a dress of like value, and she took them and +stinted not walking till she returned to her mistress, who said to her, +"O my nurse! what news of the be loved?" Replied she, "I have learnt +where he liveth and will bring him to thee tomorrow." At this the +Princess was glad and gave her a thousand diners and a dress worth as +much more, and she took them and returned to her own place, where she +passed the night till morning. Then she went to Taj al-Muluk and +dressing him in woman's clothes, said to him, "Follow me and sway from +side to side[FN#44] as thou steppest, and hasten not thy pace nor take +heed of any who speaketh to thee." And after thus charging him she went +out, and the Prince followed her in woman's attire and she continued to +charge and encourage him by the way, that he might not be afraid; nor +ceased they walking till they came to the Palace-gate. She entered and +the Prince after her, and she led him on, passing through doors and +vestibules, till they had passed seven doors.[FN#45] As they approached +the seventh, she said to him, "Hearten thy heart and when I call out to +thee and say, 'O damsel pass on!' do not slacken thy pace, but advance +as if about to run. When thou art in the vestibule, look to thy left +and thou wilt see a saloon with doors: count five doors and enter the +sixth, for therein is thy desire." Asked Taj al-Muluk, "And whither +wilt thou go?"; and she answered, "Nowhere shall I go except that +perhaps I may drop behind thee, and the Chief Eunuch may detain me to +chat with him." She walked on (and he behind her) till she reached the +door where the Chief Eunuch was stationed and he, seeing Taj al-Muluk +with her dressed as a slave girl, said to the old woman, "What business +hath this girl with thee?" Replied she, "This is a slave girl of whom +the Lady Dunya hath heard that she is skilled in different kinds of +work and she hath a mind to buy her." Rejoined the Eunuch, "I know +neither slave girls nor anyone else; and none shall enter here without +my searching according to the King's commands."—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Chamberlain +Eunuch cried to the old woman, "I know neither slave girl nor anyone +else; and none shall enter here without my searching him according to +the King's commands." Then quoth she, feigning to be angry, "I thought +thee a man of sense and good breeding; but, if thou be changed, I will +let the Princess know of it and tell her how thou hinderest her slave +girl;" and she cried out to Taj al-Muluk, saying, "Pass on, O damsel!" +So he passed on into the vestibule as she bade him, whilst the Eunuch +was silent and said no more. The Prince counted five doors and entered +the sixth where he found the Princess Dunya standing and awaiting him. +As soon as she saw him, she knew him and clasped him to her breast, and +he clasped her to his bosom. Presently the old woman came in to them, +having made a pretext to dismiss the Princess's slave girls for fear of +disgrace; and the Lady Dunya said to her, "Be thou our door keeper!" So +she and Taj al- Muluk abode alone together and ceased not kissing and +embracing and twining leg with leg till dawn.[FN#46] When day drew +near, she left him and, shutting the door upon him, passed into another +chamber, where she sat down as was her wont, whilst her slave women +came in to her, and she attended to their affairs and conversed with +them. Then she said to them, "Go forth from me now, for I wish to +amuse myself in privacy." So they withdrew and she betook herself to +Taj al-Muluk, and the old woman brought them food, of which they ate +and returned to amorous dalliance till dawn. Then the door was locked +upon him as on the day before; and they ceased not to do thus for a +whole month. This is how it fared with Taj al-Muluk and the Lady +Dunya; but as regards the Wazir and Aziz when they found that the +Prince had gone to the Palace of the King's daughter and there delayed +all the while, they concluded that he would never return from it and +that he was lost for ever; and Aziz said to the Wazir, "O my father, +what shall we do?" He replied, "O my son, this is a difficult matter, +and except we return to his sire and tell him, he will blame us +therefor." So they made ready at once and forthright set out for the +Green Land and the Country of the Two Columns, and sought Sulayman +Shah's capital. And they traversed the valleys night and day till they +went in to the King, and acquainted him with what had befallen his son +and how from the time he entered the Princess's Palace they had heard +no news of him. At this the King was as though the Day of Doom had +dawned for him and regret was sore upon him, and he proclaimed a Holy +War[FN#47] throughout his realm. After which he sent forth his host +without the town and pitched tents for them and took up his abode in +his pavilion, whilst the levies came from all parts of the kingdom; for +his subjects loved him by reason of his great justice and beneficence. +Then he marched with an army walling the horizon, and departed in quest +of his son. Thus far concerning them; but as regards Taj al-Muluk and +the Lady Dunya the two remained as they were half a year's time, whilst +every day they redoubled in mutual affection; and love and longing and +passion and desire so pressed upon Taj al Muluk, that at last he opened +his mind and said to her, "Know, O beloved of my heart and vitals, that +the longer I abide with thee, the more love and longing and passion and +desire increase on me, for that I have not yet fulfilled the whole of +my wish." Asked she, "What then wouldst thou have, O light of my eyes +and fruit of my vitals? If thou desire aught beside kissing and +embracing and entwining of legs with legs, do what pleaseth thee; for, +by Allah, no partner hath any part in us."[FN#48] But he answered "It +is not that I wish: I would fain acquaint thee with my true story. +Know, then, that I am no merchant, nay, I am a King the son of a King, +and my father's name is the supreme King Sulayman Shah, who sent his +Wazir ambassador to thy father, to demand thee in marriage for me, but +when the news came to thee thou wouldst not consent." Then he told her +his past from first to last, nor is there any avail in a twice told +tale, and he added, "And now I wish to return to my father, that he may +send an ambassador to thy sire, to demand thee in wedlock for me, so we +may be at ease." When she heard these words, she joyed with great joy +because it suited with her own wishes, and they passed the night on +this understanding. But it so befel by the decree of Destiny that +sleep overcame them that night above all nights and they remained till +the sun had risen. Now at this hour, King Shahriman was sitting on his +cushion of estate, with his Emirs and Grandees before him, when the +Syndic of the goldsmiths presented himself between his hands, carrying +a large box. And he advanced and opening it in presence of the King, +brought out therefrom a casket of fine work worth an hundred thousand +diners, for that which was therein of precious stones, rubies and +emeralds beyond the competence of any sovereign on earth to procure. +When the King saw this, he marvelled at its beauty; and, turning to the +Chief Eunuch (him with whom the old woman had had to do), said to him, +"O Kafur,[FN#49] take this casket and wend with it to the Princess +Dunya." The Castrato took the casket and repairing to the apartment of +the King's daughter found the door shut and the old woman lying asleep +on the threshold; whereupon said he, "What! sleeping at this hour?" +When the old woman heard the Eunuch's voice she started from sleep and +was terrified and said to him, "Wait till I fetch the key." Then she +went forth and fled for her life. Such was her case; but as regards +the Epicene he, seeing her alarm, lifted the door off its hinge +pins,[FN#50] and entering found the Lady Dunya with her arms round the +neck of Taj al-Muluk and both fast asleep. At this sight he was +confounded and was preparing to return to the King, when the Princess +awoke, and seeing him, was terrified and changed colour and waxed pale, +and said to him, "O Kafur, veil thou what Allah hath veiled!"[FN#51] +But he replied, "I cannot conceal aught from the King"; and, locking +the door on them, returned to Shahriman, who asked him, "Hast thou +given the casket to the Princess?" Answered the Eunuch, "Take the +casket, here it is for I cannot conceal aught from thee. Know that I +found a handsome young man by the side of the Princess and they two +asleep in one bed and in mutual embrace." The King commanded them to be +brought into the presence and said to them, "What manner of thing is +this?" and, being violently enraged, seized a dagger and was about to +strike Taj al-Muluk with it, when the Lady Dunya threw herself upon him +and said to her father, "Slay me before thou slayest him." The King +reviled her and commended her to be taken back to her chamber: then he +turned to Taj al-Muluk and said to him, "Woe to thee! whence art thou? +Who is thy father and what hath emboldened thee to debauch my +daughter?" Replied the Prince, "Know, O King, that if thou put me to +death, thou art a lost man, and thou and all in thy dominions will +repent the deed." Quoth the King, "How so?"; and quoth Taj al-Muluk +"Know that I am the son of King Sulayman Shah, and ere thou knowest it, +he will be upon thee with his horse and foot." When King Shahriman +heard these words he would have deferred killing Taj al-Muluk and would +rather have put him in prison, till he should look into the truth of +his words; but his Wazir said to him, "O King of the Age, it is my +opinion that thou make haste to slay this gallows bird who dares +debauch the daughters of Kings." So the King cried to the headsman, +"Strike off his head; for he is a traitor." Accordingly, the herdsman +took him and bound him fast and raised his hand to the Emirs, signing +to consult them, a first and a second signal, thinking thereby to gain +time in this matter;[FN#52] but the King cried in anger to him, "How +long wilt thou consult others? If thou consult them again I will +strike off thine own head.;' So the headsman raised his hand till the +hair of his armpit showed' and was about to smite his neck,—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the headsman +raised his hand to smite off his head when behold, loud cries arose and +the folk closed their shops; whereupon the King said to the headsman, +"Wait awhile," and despatched one to learn the news. The messenger +fared forth and presently returned and reported, "I saw an army like +the dashing sea with its clashing surge: and their horses curvetting +till earth trembleth with the tramp; and I know no more of them." When +the King heard this, he was confounded and feared for his realm lest it +should be torn from him; so he turned to his Minister and said, "Have +not any of our army gone forth to meet this army?" But ere he had done +speaking, his Chamberlains entered with messengers from the King who +was approaching, and amongst them the Wazir who had accompanied Taj +al-Muluk. They began by saluting the King, who rose to receive them +and bade them draw near, and asked the cause of their coming; whereupon +the Minister came forward from amongst them and stood before him and +said "Know that he who hath come down upon thy realm is no King like +unto the Kings of yore and the Sultans that went before." "And who is +he?" asked Shahriman, and the Wazir answered, "He is the Lord of +justice and loyalty, the bruit of whose magnanimity the caravans have +blazed abroad, the Sultan Sulayman Shah, Lord of the Green Land and the +Two Columns and the Mountains of Ispahan; he who loveth justice and +equity, and hateth oppression and iniquity. And he saith to thee that +his son is with thee and in thy city; his son, his heart's very core +and the fruit of his loins, and if he find him in safety, his aim is +won and thou shalt have thanks and praise; but if he have been lost +from thy realm or if aught of evil have befallen him, look thou for +ruin and the wasting of thy reign! for this thy city shall become a +wold wherein the raven shall croak. Thus have I done my errand to thee +and peace be with thee!" Now when King Shahriman heard from the +messenger these words, his heart was troubled and he feared for his +kingdom: so he cried out for his Grandees and Ministers, Chamberlains +and Lieutenants; and, when they appeared, he said to them, "Woe to you! + Go down and search for the youth." Now the Prince was still under the +headsman's hands, but he was changed by the fright he had undergone. +Presently, the Wazir, chancing to glance around, saw the Prince on the +rug of blood and recognised him; so he arose and threw himself upon +him, and so did the other envoys. Then they proceeded to loose his +bonds and they kissed his hands and feet, whereupon Taj al-Muluk opened +his eyes and, recognising his father's Wazir and his friend Aziz, fell +down a fainting for excess of delight in them. When King Shahriman +made sure that the coming of this army was indeed because of this +youth, he was confounded and feared with great fear; so he went up to +Taj al- Muluk and, kissing his head, said to him, "O my son, be not +wroth with me, neither blame the sinner for his sin; but have +compassion on my grey hairs, and waste not my realm." Whereupon Taj +al-Muluk drew near unto him and kissing his hand, replied, "No harm +shall come to thee, for indeed thou art to me as my father; but look +that nought befal my beloved, the Lady Dunya!" Rejoined the King, "O my +lord! fear not for her; naught but joy shall betide her;" and he went +on to excuse himself and made his peace with Sulayman Shah's Wazir to +whom he promised much money, if he would conceal from the King what he +had seen. Then he bade his Chief Officers take the Prince with them +and repair to the Hammam and clothe him in one of the best of his own +suits and bring him back speedily. So they obeyed his bidding and bore +him to the bath and clad him in the clothes which King Shahriman had +set apart for him; and brought him back to the presence chamber. When +he entered the King rose to receive him and made all his Grandees stand +in attendance on him. Then Taj al-Muluk sat down to converse with his +father's Wazir and with Aziz, and he acquainted them with what had +befallen him; after which they said to him, "During that delay we +returned to thy father and gave him to know that thou didst enter the +palace of the Princess and didst not return therefrom, and thy case +seemed doubtful to us. But when thy sire heard of this he mustered his +forces; then we came to this land and indeed our coming hath brought to +thee relief in extreme case and to us great joy." Quoth he, "Good +fortune hath attended your every action, first and last." While this +was doing King Shahriman went in to his daughter Princess Dunya, and +found her wailing and weeping for Taj al-Muluk. Moreover, she had taken +a sword and fixed the hilt in the ground and had set the point to the +middle of her heart between her breasts; and she bent over the blade +saying, "Needs must I slay myself and not survive my beloved." When her +father entered and saw her in this case, he cried out to her, saying, +"O Princess of kings' daughters, hold thy hand and have ruth on thy +sire and the folk of thy realm!" Then he came up to her and continued, +"Let it not be that an ill thing befal thy father for thy sake!" And he +told her the whole tale that her lover was the son of King Sulayman +Shah and sought her to wife and he added, "The marriage waiteth only +for thy consent." Thereat she smiled and said, "Did I not tell thee +that he was the son of a Sultan? By Allah, there is no help for it but +that I let him crucify thee on a bit of wood worth two pieces of +silver!" Replied the King, "O my daughter, have mercy on me, so Allah +have mercy on thee!" Rejoined she, "Up with you and make haste and go +bring him to me without delay." Quoth the King, "On my head and eyes be +it!"; and he left her and, going in hastily to Taj al-Muluk, repeated +her words in his ear.[FN#53] So he arose and accompanied the King to +the Princess, and when she caught sight of her lover, she took hold of +him and embraced him in her father's presence and hung upon him and +kissed him, saying, "Thou hast desolated me by thine absence!" Then she +turned to her father and said, "Sawest thou ever any that could do hurt +to the like of this beautiful being, who is moreover a King, the son of +a King and of the free born,[FN#54] guarded against ignoble deeds?" +There upon King Shahriman went out shutting the door on them with his +own hand; and he returned to the Wazir and to the other envoys of +Sulayman Shah and bade them inform their King that his son was in +health and gladness and enjoying all delight of life with his beloved. +So they returned to King Sulayman and acquainted him with this; +whereupon King Shahriman ordered largesse of money and vivers to the +troops of King Sulayman Shah; and, when they had conveyed all he had +commanded, he bade be brought out an hundred coursers and an hundred +dromedaries and an hundred white slaves and an hundred concubines and +an hundred black slaves and an hundred female slaves; all of which he +forwarded to the King as a present. Then he took horse, with his +Grandees and Chief Officers, and rode out of the city in the direction +of the King's camp. As soon as Sultan Sulayman Shah knew of his +approach, he rose and advanced many paces to meet him. Now the Wazir +and Aziz had told him all the tidings, whereat he rejoiced and cried, +"Praise be to Allah who hath granted the dearest wish of my son!" Then +King Sulayman took King Shahriman in his arms and seated him beside +himself on the royal couch, where they conversed awhile and had +pleasure in each other's conversation. Presently food was set before +them, and they ate till they were satisfied; and sweetmeats and dried +fruits were brought, and they enjoyed their dessert. And after a while +came to them Taj al-Muluk, richly dressed and adorned, and when his +father saw him, he stood up and embraced him and kissed him. Then all +who were sitting rose to do him honour; and the two Kings seated him +between them and they sat conversing a while, after which quoth King +Sulayman Shah to King Shahriman, "I desire to have the marriage +contract between my son and thy daughter drawn up in the presence of +witnesses, that the wedding may be made public, even as is the custom +of Kings." "I hear and I obey," quoth King Shahriman and thereon +summoned the Kazi and the witnesses, who came and wrote out the +marriage contract between Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya. Then they +gave bakhshish[FN#55] of money and sweetmeats; and lavished incense and +essences; and indeed it was a day of joy and gladness and all the +grandees and soldiers rejoiced therein. Then King Shahriman proceeded +to dower and equip his daughter; and Taj al-Muluk said to his sire, "Of +a truth, this young man Aziz is of the generous and hath done me a +notable service, having borne weariness with me; and he hath travelled +with me and hath brought me to my desire. He ceased never to show +sufferance with me and exhort me to patience till I accomplished my +intent; and now he hath abided with us two whole years, and he cut off +from his native land. So now I purpose to equip him with merchandise, +that he may depart hence with a light heart; for his country is +nearhand." Replied his father, "Right is thy rede;" so they made ready +an hundred loads of the richest stuffs and the most costly, and Taj +al-Muluk presented them with great store of money to Aziz, and +farewelled him, saying, "O my brother and my true friend! take these +loads and accept them from me by way of gift and token of affection, +and go in peace to thine own country." Aziz accepted the presents and +kissing the ground between the hands of the Prince and his father bade +them adieu. Moreover, Taj al-Muluk mounted and accompanied him three +miles on his homeward way as a proof of amity, after which Aziz +conjured him to turn back, saying, "By Allah, O my master, were it not +for my mother, I never would part from thee! But, good my lord! leave +me not without news of thee." Replied Taj al-Muluk, "So be it!" Then +the Prince returned to the city and Aziz journeyed on till he came to +his native town; and he entered it and ceased not faring till he went +in to his mother and found that she had built him a monument in the +midst of the house and used to visit it continually. When he entered, +he saw her with hair dishevelled and dispread over the tomb, weeping +and repeating these lines, + +"Indeed I'm strong to bear whate'er befal; * + But weak to bear such parting's dire mischance: +What heart estrangement of the friend can bear? * + What strength withstand assault of severance?" + +Then sobs burst from her breast, and she recited also these couplets, + +"What's this? I pass by tombs, and fondly greet * + My friends' last homes, but send they no reply: +For saith each friend, 'Reply how can I make * + When pledged to clay and pawned to stones I lie? +Earth has consumed my charms and I forget * + Thy love, from kith and kin poor banisht I.' " + +While she was thus, behold, Aziz came in to her and when she saw him, +she fell down, fainting for very joy. He sprinkled water on her face +till she revived and rising, took him in her arms and strained him to +her breast, whilst he in like manner embraced her. Then he greeted her +and she greeted him, and she asked the reason of his long absence, +whereupon he told her all that had befallen him from first to last and +informed her how Taj al-Muluk had given him an hundred loads of monies +and stuffs. At this she rejoiced, and Aziz abode with his mother in +his native town, weeping for what mishaps had happened to him with the +daughter of Dalilah the Wily One, even her who had castrated[FN#56] +him. Such was the case with Aziz; but as regards Taj al-Muluk he went +in unto his beloved, the Princess Dunya, and abated her maidenhead. +Then King Shahriman proceeded to equip his daughter for her journey +with her husband and father in law, and bade bring them provaunt and +presents and rarities. So they loaded their beasts and set forth, +whilst King Shahriman escorted them, by way of farewell, three days' +journey on their way, till King Shah Sulayman conjured him to return. +So he took leave of them and turned back, and Taj al-Muluk and his wife +and father fared for wards night and day, with their troops, till they +drew near their capital. As soon as the news of their coming spread +abroad, the folk decorated for them the city,—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Shah +Sulayman drew near his capital, the folk decorated the city for him and +for his son. So they entered in state and the King, sitting on his +throne with his son by his side, gave alms and largesse and loosed all +who were in his jails. Then he held a second bridal for his son, and +the sound of the singing women and players upon instruments was never +silent for a whole month, and the tire women stinted not to adorn the +Lady Dunya and display her in various dresses; and she tired not of the +displaying nor did the women weary of gazing on her. Then Taj +al-Muluk, after having foregathered awhile with his father and mother, +took up his sojourn with his wife, and they abode in all joyance of +life and in fairest fortune, till there came to them the Destroyer of +all delights.[FN#57] Now when the Wazir Dandan had ended the tale of +Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya, Zau al-Makan said to him, "Of a truth, +it is the like of thee who lighten the mourner's heart and who deserve +to be the boon companions of Kings and to guide their policy in the +right way." All this befel and they were still besieging +Constantinople, where they lay four whole years, till they yearned +after their native land; and the troops murmured, being weary of vigil +and besieging and the endurance of fray and foray by night and by day. +Then King Zau al-Makan summoned Rustam and Bahram and Tarkash, and when +they were in presence bespoke them thus, "Know that we have lain here +all these years and we have not won to our wish; nay, we have but +gained increase of care and concern; for indeed we came, thinking to +take our man bote for King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and in so doing my +brother Sharrkan was slain; so is our sorrow grown to sorrows twain and +our affliction to afflictions twain. All this came of the old woman +Zat al-Dawahi, for it was she who slew the Sultan in his kingdom and +carried off his wife, the Queen Sophia; nor did this suffice her, but +she must put another cheat on us and cut the throat of my brother +Sharrkan and indeed I have bound myself and sworn by the solemnest +oaths that there is no help but I take blood wit from her. What say +ye? Ponder my address and answer me." Then they bowed their heads and +answered, "It is for the Wazir Dandan to opine." So the Minister came +forward and said, "Know O King of the Age! it booteth us nought to +tarry here; and 'tis my counsel that we strike camp and return to our +own country, there to abide for a certain time and after that we should +return for a razzia upon the worshippers of idols." Replied the King, +"This rede is right, for indeed the folk weary for a sight of their +families, and I am an other who is also troubled with yearning after my +son Kanmakan and my brother 's daughter Kuzia Fakan, for she is in +Damascus and I know not how is her case." When the troops heard this +report, they rejoiced and blessed the Wazir Dandan. Then the King bade +the crier call the retreat after three days. They fell to preparing +for the march, and, on the fourth day, they beat the big drums and +unfurled the banners and the army set forth, the Wazir Danden in the +van and the King riding in the mid battle, with the Grand Chamberlain +by his side; and all journeyed without ceasing, night and day, till +they reached Baghdad city. The folk rejoiced in their return, and care +and fear ceased from them whilst the stay at homes met the absentees +and each Emir betook him to his own house. As for Zau al-Makan he +marched up to the Palace and went in to his son Kanmakan, who had now +reached the age of seven; and who used to go down to the weapon plain +and ride. As soon as the King was rested of his journey, he entered +the Hammam with his son, and returning, seated himself on his sofa of +state, whilst the Wazir Dandan took up his station before him and the +Emirs and Lords of the realm presented themselves and stood in +attendance upon him. Then Zau al-Makan called for his comrade, the +Fireman, who had befriended him in his wanderings; and, when he came +into presence, the King rose to do him honour and seated him by his +side. Now he had acquainted the Wazir with all the kindness and good +turns which the Stoker had done him; and he found that the wight had +waxed fat and burly with rest and good fare, so that his neck was like +an elephant's throat and his face like a dolphin's belly. Moreover, he +was grown dull of wit, for that he had never stirred from his place; so +at first he knew not the King by his aspect. But Zau al-Makan came up +to him smiling in his face, and greeted him after the friendliest +fashion, saying, "How soon hast thou forgotten me?" With this the +Fireman roused himself and, looking steadfastly at Zau al-Makan, made +sure that he knew him; whereupon he sprang hastily to his feet and +exclaimed, "O my friend, who hath made thee Sultan?" Then Zau al- Makan +laughed at him and the Wazir, coming up to him expounded the whole +story to him and said, "In good sooth he was thy brother and thy +friend; and now he is King of the land and needs must thou get great +good of him. So I charge thee, if he say, 'Ask a boon of me,' ask not +but for some great thing; for thou art very dear to him." Quoth the +Fireman, "I fear lest, if I ask of him aught, he may not choose to give +it or may not be able to grant it." Quoth the Wazir, "Have no care; +whatsoever thou askest he will give thee." Rejoined the Stoker, "By +Allah, I must at once ask of him a thing that is in my thought: every +night I dream of it and implore Almighty Allah to vouchsafe it to me." +Said the Wazir, "Take heart; by Allah, if thou ask of him the +government of Damascus, in place of his brother, he would surely give +it thee and make thee Governor." With this the Stoker rose to is feet +and Zau al-Makan signed to him to sit; but he refused, saying, "Allah +forfend! The days are gone by of my sitting in thy presence.' Answered +the Sultan, "Not so, they endure even now. Thou west in very deed the +cause that I am at present alive and, by Allah, whatever thing most +desired thou requirest of me, I will give that same to thee. But ask +thou first of Allah, and then of me!" He said, "O my lord, I fear" +"Fear not," quoth the Sultan He continued, "I fear to ask aught and +that thou shouldst refuse it to me and it is only" At this the King +laughed and replied, "If thou require of me the half of my kingdom I +would share it with thee: so ask what thou wilt and leave talking." +Repeated the Fireman "I fear" "Don't fear," quoth the King. He went +on, "I fear lest I ask a thing and thou be not able to grant it." Upon +this the Sultan waxed wroth and cried, "Ask what thou wilt." Then said +he, "I ask, first of Allah and then of thee, that thou write me a +patent of Syndicate over all the Firemen of the baths in the Holy City, +Jerusalem." The Sultan and all present laughed and Zau al-Makan said, +"Ask something more than this." He replied, "O my lord, said I not I +feared that thou wouldst not choose to give me what I should ask or +that thou be not able to grant it?" Therewith the Wazir signed him with +his foot once and twice and thrice, and every time he began, "I ask of +thee" Quoth the Sultan, "Ask and be speedy." So he said, "I ask thee to +make me Chief of the Scavengers in the Holy City of Jerusalem, or in. +Damascus town." Then all those who were present fell on their backs +with laughter and the Wazir beat him; whereupon he turned to the +Minister and said to him, "What art thou that thou shouldest beat me? +'Tis no fault of mine: didst thou not thyself bid me ask some important +thing?" And he added, "Let me go to my own land." With this, the Sultan +knew that he was jesting and took patience with him awhile; then turned +to him and said, "O my brother, ask of me some important thing, +befitting our dignity." So the Stoker said, "O King of the Age, I ask +first of Allah and then of thee, that thou make me Viceroy of Damascus +in the place of thy brother;" and the King replied, "Allah granteth +thee this." Thereupon the Fireman kissed ground before him and he bade +set him a chair in his rank and vested him with a viceroy's habit. +Then he wrote him a patent and sealed it with his own seal, and said to +the Wazir Dandan, "None shall go with him but thou; and when thou +makest the return journey, do thou bring with thee my brother's +daughter, Kuzia Fakan." "Hearken ing and obedience," answered the +Minister; and, taking the Fire man, went down with him and made ready +for the march. Then the King appointed for the Stoker servants and +suite, and gave him a new litter and a princely equipage and said to +the Emirs, "Whoso loveth me, let him honour this man and offer him a +handsome present." So each and every of the Emirs brought him his gift +according to his competence; and the King named him Zibl Khán,[FN#58] +and conferred on him the honourable surname of al- Mujáhid.[FN#59] As +soon as the gear was ready, he went up with the Wazir Dandan to the +King, that he might take leave of him and ask his permission to depart. + The King rose to him and embraced him, and charged him to do justice +between his subjects and bade him make ready for fight against the +Infidels after two years. Then they took leave of each other and the +King,[FN#60] the Fighter for the Faith highs Zibl Khan, having been +again exhorted by Zau al-Makan to deal fairly with his subjects, set +out on his journey, after the Emirs had brought him Mamelukes and +eunuchs, even to five thousand in number, who rode after him. The +Grand Chamberlain also took horse, as did Bahram, captain of the +Daylamites, and Rustam, captain of the Persians, and Tarkash, captain +of the Arabs, who attended to do him service; and they ceased not +riding with him three days' journey by way of honour. Then, taking +their leave of him, they returned to Baghdad and the Sultan Zibl Khan +and the Wazir Dandan fared on, with their suite and troops, till they +drew near Damascus. Now news was come, upon the wings of birds, to the +notables of Damascus, that King Zau al-Makan had made Sultan over +Damascus a King named Zibl Khan and surnamed Al-Mujahid; so when he +reached the city he found it dressed in his honour and everyone in the +place came out to gaze on him. The new Sultan entered Damascus in a +splendid progress and went up to the citadel, where he sat down upon +his chair of state, whilst the Wazir Dandan stood in attendance on him, +to acquaint him with the ranks of the Emirs and their stations. Then +the Grandees came in to him and kissed hands and called down blessings +on him. The new King, Zibl Khan, received them graciously and bestowed +on them dresses of honour and various presents and bounties; after +which he opened the treasuries and gave largesse to the troops, great +and small. Then he governed and did justice and proceeded to equip the +Lady Kuzia Fakan, daughter of King Sharrkan, appointing her a litter of +silken stuff. Moreover he furnished the Wazir Dandan equally well for +the return journey and offered him a gift of coin but he refused, +saying, "Thou art near the time appointed by the King, and haply thou +wilt have need of money, or after this we may send to seek of thee +funds for the Holy War or what not." Now when the Wazir was ready to +march, Sultan al-Mujahid mounted to bid the Minister farewell and +brought Kuzia Fakan to him, and made her enter the litter and sent with +her ten damsels to do her service. Thereupon they set forward, whilst +King "Fighter for the Faith" returned to his government that he might +order affairs and get ready his munitions of war, awaiting such time as +King Zau al- Makan should send a requisition to him. Such was the case +with Sultan Zibl Khan, but as regards the Wazir Dandan, he ceased not +faring forward and finishing off the stages, in company with Kuzia +Fakan till they came to Ruhbah[FN#61] after a month's travel and thence +pushed on, till he drew near Baghdad. Then he sent to announce his +arrival to King Zau al-Makan who, when he heard this, took horse and +rode out to meet him. The Wazir Dandan would have dismounted, but the +King conjured him not to do so and urged his steed till he came up to +his side. Then he questioned him of Zibl Khan highs Al-Mujahid, +whereto the Wazir replied that he was well and that he had brought with +him Kuzia Fakan the daughter of his brother. At this the King rejoiced +and said to Dandan, "Down with thee and rest thee from the fatigue of +the journey for three days, after which come to me again." Replied the +Wazir "With joy and gratitude," and betook himself to his own house, +whilst the King rode up to his Palace and went in to his brother's +daughter, Kuzia Fakan, a girl of eight years old. When he saw her, he +rejoiced in her and sorrowed for her sire; then he bade make for her +clothes and gave her splendid jewelry and ornaments, and ordered she be +lodged with his son Kanmakan in one place. So they both grew up the +brightest of the people of their time and the bravest; but Kuzia Fakan +became a maiden of good sense and understanding and knowledge of the +issues of events, whilst Kanmakan approved him a generous youth and +freehanded, taking no care in the issue of aught. And so they +continued till each of them attained the age of twelve. Now Kuzia Fakan +used to ride a horseback and fare forth with her cousin into the open +plain and push forward and range at large with him in the word; and +they both learnt to smite with swords and spike with spears. But when +they had reached the age of twelve, King Zau al-Makan, having completed +his preparations and provisions and munitions for Holy War, summoned +the Wazir Dandan and said to him, "Know that I have set mind on a +thing, which I will discover to thee, and I want shine opinion thereon; +so do thou with speed return me a reply." Asked the Wazir, "What is +that, O King of the Age?"; and the other answered, "I am resolved to +make my son Kanmakan Sultan and rejoice in him in my lifetime and do +battle before him till death overtake me. What reckest thou of this?" +The Wazir kissed the ground before the King and replied, "Know, O King +and Sultan mine, Lord of the Age and the time! that which is in thy +mind is indeed good, save that it is now no tide to carry it out, for +two reasons; the first, that thy son Kanmakan is yet of tender years; +and the second, that it often befalleth him who maketh his son King in +his life time, to live but a little while thereafterward.[FN#62] And +this is my reply." Rejoined the King, "Know, O Wazir that we will make +the Grand Chamberlain guardian over him, for he is now one of the +family and he married my sister, so that he is to me as a brother." +Quoth the Wazir, "Do what seemeth good to thee: we have only to obey +thine orders." Then the King sent for the Grand Chamberlain whom they +brought into the presence together with the Lords of the realm and he +said to them, "Ye know that this my son Kanmakan is the first cavalier +of the age, and that he hath no peer in striking with the sword and +lunging with the lance; and now I appoint him to be Sultan over you and +I make the Grand Chamberlain, his uncle, guardian over him." Replied +the Chamberlain, "I am but a tree which thy bounty hath planted"; and +Zau al-Makan said, "O Chamberlain, verily this my son Kanmakan and my +niece Kuzia Fakan are brothers' children; so I hereby marry her to him +and I call those present to witness thereof." Then he made over to his +son such treasures as no tongue can describe, and going in to his +sister, Nuzhat al-Zaman, told her what he had done, whereat she was a +glad woman and said, "Verily the twain are my children: Allah preserve +thee to them and keep thy life for them many a year!" Replied he, "O my +sister, I have accomplished in this world all my heart desired and I +have no fear for my son! yet it were well thou have an eye on him, and +an eye on his mother." And he charged the Chamberlain and Nuzhat +al-Zaman with the care of his son and niece and wife, and this he +continued to do nights and days till he fell sick and deemed surely +that he was about to drink the cup of death; so he took to his bed, +whilst the Chamberlain busied himself with ordering the folk and realm. + At the end of the year, the King summoned his son Kanmakan and the +Wazir Dandan and said, "O my son, after my death this Wazir is thy +sire; for know that I am about to leave this house of life transitory +for the house of eternity. And indeed I have fulfilled my will of this +world; yet there remaineth in my heart one regret which may Allah +dispel through and by thy hands." Asked his son, "What regret is that, +O my father?" Answered Zau al-Makan, "O my son, the sole regret of me +is that I die without having avenged thy grandfather, Omar bin +al-Nu'uman, and thine uncle, Sharrkan, on an old woman whom they call +Zat al-Dawahi; but, if Allah grant thee aid, sleep not till thou take +thy wreak on her, and so wipe out the shame we have suffered at the +Infidel's hands; and beware of the old hag's wile and do what the Wazir +Dandan shall advise thee; because he from old time hath been the pillar +of our realm." And his son assented to what he said. Then the King's +eyes ran over with tears and his sickness redoubled on him; whereupon +his brother in law, the Chamberlain took charge over the country and, +being a capable man, he judged and bade and forbade for the whole of +that year, while Zau al-Makan was occupied with his malady. And his +sickness was sore upon him for four years, during which the Chief +Chamberlain sat in his stead and gave full satisfaction to the commons +and the nobles; and all the country blessed his rule. Such was the case +with Zau al-Makan and the Chamberlain, but as regards the King's son, +he busied himself only with riding and lunging with lance and shooting +with shaft, and thus also did the daughter of his uncle, Kuzia Fakan; +for he and she were wont to fare forth at the first of the day and +return at nightfall, when she would go in to her mother, and he would +go in to his mother whom he ever found sitting in tears by the head of +his father's couch. Then he would tend his father all night long till +daybreak, when he would go forth again with his cousin according to +their wont. Now Zau al-Makan's pains and sufferings were lonesome upon +him and he wept and began versifying with these couplets, + +"Gone is my strength, told is my tale of days * + And, lookye! I am left as thou dost see: +In honour's day most honoured wont to be, * + And win the race from all my company +Would Heaven before my death I might behold * + My son in seat of empire sit for me +And rush upon his foes, to take his wreak * + With sway of sword and lance lunged gallantly: +In this world and the next I am undone, * + Except the Lord vouchsafe me clemency." + +When he had ended repeating these verses, he laid his head on his +pillow and closed his eyes and slept. Then saw he in his sleep one who +said to him, "Rejoice, for thy son shall fill the lands with justest +sway; and he shall rule them and him shall the lieges obey."; Then he +awoke from his dream gladdened by the good tidings he had seen, and +after a few days, Death smote him, and because of his dying great grief +fell on the people of Baghdad, and simple and gentle mourned for him. +But Time passed over him, as though he had never been[FN#63] and +Kanmakan's estate was changed; for the people of Baghdad set him aside +and put him and his family in a place apart. Now when his mother saw +this, she fell into the sorriest of plights and said, "There is no help +but that I go to the Grand Chamberlain, and I must hope for the aidance +of the Subtle, the All-Wise!" Then she rose from her place and betook +herself to the house of the Chamberlain who was now become Sultan, and +she found him sitting upon his carpet. So she went in to his wife, +Nuzhat al-Zaman, and wept with sore weeping and said unto her, "Verily +the dead hath no friend! May Allah never bring you to want as long as +your age and the years endure, and may you cease not to rule justly +over rich and poor. Thine ears have heard and thine eyes have seen all +that was ours of kingship and honour and dignity and wealth and fair +fortune of life and condition; and now Time hath turned upon us, and +fate and the world have betrayed us and wrought in hostile way with us, +wherefore I come to thee craving thy favours, I from whom favours were +craved: for when a man dieth, women and maidens are brought to +despisal." And she repeated these couplets, + +"Suffice thee Death such marvels can enhance, * + And severed lives make lasting severance: +Man's days are marvels, and their stations are * + But water-pits[FN#64] of misery and mischance. +Naught wrings my heart save loss of noble friends, * + Girt round by rings of hard, harsh circumstance." + +When Nuzhat al-Zaman heard these words, she remembered her brother, Zau +al-Makan, and his son Kanmakan, and, making her draw near to her and +showing her honour, she said, "Verily at this moment, by Allah, I am +grown rich and thou art poor; now by the Lord! we did not cease to +seek thee out, but we feared to wound thy heart lest thou shouldest +fancy our gifts to thee an alms gift. Withal, whatso weal we now enjoy +is from thee and thy husband; so our house is thy house and our place +thy place, and thine is all our wealth and what goods we have belong to +thee." Then she robed her in sumptuous robes and set apart for her a +place in the Palace adjoining her own; and they abode therein, she and +her son, in all delight of life. And Nuzhat al-Zaman clothed him also +in Kings' raiment and gave to them both especial handmaids for their +service. After a little, she related to her husband the sad case of +the widow of her brother, Zau al-Makan, whereat his eyes filled with +tears and he said, "Wouldest thou see the world after thee, look thou +upon the world after other than thyself. Then entreat her honourably +and enrich her poverty."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + +When It was the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nuzhat +Al-Zaman related to her husband the sad case of the widow of her +brother, Zau al-Makan, the Chamberlain said, "Entreat her honourably +and enrich her poverty." Thus far concerning Nuzhat al-Zaman and her +consort and the relict of Zau al-Makan; but as regards Kanmakan and his +cousin Kuzia Fakan, they grew up and flourished till they waxed like +unto two fruit-laden boughs or two shining moons; and they reached the +age of fifteen. And she was indeed the fairest of maids who are +modestly veiled, lovely faced with smooth cheeks graced, and slender +waist on heavy hips based; and her shape was the shaft's thin line and +her lips were sweeter than old wine and the nectar of her mouth as it +were the fountain Salsabíl[FN#65]; even as saith the poet in these two +couplets describing one like her, + +"As though ptisane of wine on her lips honey dew * + Dropt from the ripened grapes her mouth in clusters grew +And, when her frame thou doublest, and low bends her vine, * + Praise her Creator's might no creature ever knew." + +Of a truth Allah had united in her every charm: her shape would shame +the branch of waving tree and the rose before her cheeks craved lenity; +and the honey dew of her lips of wine made jeer, however old and clear, +and she gladdened heart and beholder with joyous cheer, even as saith +of her the poet, + +"Goodly of gifts is she, and charm those perfect eyes, * + With lashes shaming Kohl and all the fair ones Kohl'd[FN#66] +And from those eyne the glances pierce the lover's heart, * + Like sword in Mír al-Muminína Ali's hold." + +And (the relator continueth) as for Kanmakan, he became unique in +loveliness and excelling in perfection no less; none could even him in +qualities as in seemliness and the sheen of velour between his eyes was +espied, testifying for him while against him it never testified. The +hardest hearts inclined to his side; his eyelids bore lashes black as +by Kohl; and he was of surpassing worth in body and soul. And when the +down of lips and cheeks began to sprout bards and poets sang for him +far and near, + +"Appeared not my excuse till hair had clothed his cheek, * + And gloom o'ercrept that side-face (sight to stagger!) +A fawn, when eyes would batten on his charms, * + Each glance deals thrust like point of Khanjar-dagger." + +And saith another, + +"His lovers' souls have drawn upon his cheek * + An ant that perfected its rosy light: +I marvel at such martyrs Lazá-pent * + Who yet with greeny robes of Heaven are dight.''[FN#67] + +Now it chanced one holiday, that Kuzia Fakan fared forth to make +festival with certain kindred of the court, and she went surrounded by +her handmaids. And indeed beauty encompassed her, the roses of her +cheeks dealt envy to their mole; from out her smiling lips levee +flashed white, gleaming like the chamomile[FN#68]; and Kanmakan began +to turn about her and devour her with his sight, for she was the moon +of resplendent light. Then he took heart and giving his tongue a start +began to improvise, + +"When shall the disappointed heart be healed of severance, * + And lips of Union smile at ceasing of our hard mischance? +Would Heaven I knew shall come some night, and with it surely + bring * Meeting with friend who like myself endureth + sufferance."[FN#69] + +When Kuzia Fakan heard these couplets, she showed vexation and +disapproval and, putting on a haughty and angry air, said to him, "Dost +thou name me in thy verse, to shame me amongst folk? By Allah, if thou +turn not from this talk, I will assuredly complain of thee to the Grand +Chamberlain, Sultan of Khorasan and Baghdad and lord of justice and +equity; that disgrace and punishment may befal thee!" Kanmakan made no +reply for anger but he returned to Baghdad; and Kuzia Fakan also +returned to her palace and complained of her cousin to her mother, who +said to her, "O my daughter, haply he meant thee no harm, and is he +aught but an orphan? Withal, he said nought of reproach to thee; so +beware thou tell none of this, lest perchance it come to e Sultan's +ears and he cut short his life and blot out his name and make it even +as yesterday, whose memory hath passed away." However, Kanmakan's love +for Kuzia Fakan spread abroad in Baghdad, so that the women talked of +it. Moreover, his breast became straitened and his patience waned and +he knew not what to do, yet he could not hide his condition from the +world. Then longed he to give vent to the pangs he endured, by reason +of the lowe of separation; but he feared her rebuke and her wrath; so +he began improvising, + +"Now is my dread to incur reproaches, which * + Disturb her temper and her mind obscure, +Patient I'll bear them; e'en as generous youth his case to + cure.'' * Beareth the burn of brand his case to + cure."[FN#70] + +And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Grand +Chamberlain became Sultan they named him King Sásán; and after he had +assumed the throne he governed the people in righteous way. Now as he +was giving audience one day, Kanmakan's verses came to his knowledge. +Thereupon he repented him of the past and going in to his wife Nuzhat +al-Zaman, said to her, "Verily, to join Halfah grass and fire,[FN#71] +is the greatest of risks, and man may not be trusted with woman, so +long as eye glanceth and eyelid quivereth. Now thy brother's son, +Kanmakan, is come to man's estate and it behoveth us to forbid him +access to the rooms where anklets trinkle, and it is yet more needful +to forbid thy daughter the company of men, for the like of her should +be kept in the Harim." Replied she, "Thou sayest sooth, O wise King!" +Next day came Kanmakan according to his wont; and, going in to his aunt +saluted her. She returned his salutation and said to him, "O my son! +I have some what to say to thee which I would fain leave unsaid; yet I +must tell it thee despite my inclination." Quoth he, "Speak;" and quoth +she, Know then that thy sire the Chamberlain, the father of Kuzia +Fakan, hath heard of the verses thou madest anent her, and hath ordered +that she be kept in the Harim and out of thy reach; if therefore, O my +son, thou want anything from us, I will send it to thee from behind the +door; and thou shalt not look upon Kuzia Fakan nor shalt thou return +hither from this day forth." When he heard this he arose and withdrew +with out speaking a single word; and, betaking himself to his mother +related what his aunt had said. She observed, "This all cometh of +thine overtalking. Thou knowest that the news of thy passion for Kuzia +Fakan is noised abroad and the tattle hath spread everywhere how thou +eatest their food and thereafter thou courtest their daughter." +Rejoined he, "And who should have her but I? She is the daughter of my +father's brother and I have the best of rights to her." Retorted his +mother, "These are idle words. Be silent, lest haply thy talk come to +King Sasan's ears and it prove the cause of thy losing her and the +reason of thy ruin and increase of thine affliction. They have not sent +us any supper to-night and we shall die an hungered; and were we in any +land but this, we were already dead of famine or of shame for begging +our bread." When Kanmakan heard these words from his mother, his +regrets redoubled; his eyes ran over with tears and he complained and +began improvising, + +"Minish this blame I ever bear from you: * + My heart loves her to whom all love is due: +Ask not from me of patience jot or little, * + Divorce of Patience by God's House! I rue: +What blamers preach of patience I unheed; * + Here am I, love path firmly to pursue! +Indeed they bar me access to my love, * + Here am I by God's ruth no ill I sue! +Good sooth my bones, whenas they hear thy name, * + Quail as birds quailed when Nisus o'er them flew:[FN#72] +Ah! say to them who blame my love that I * + Will love that face fair cousin till I die." + +And when he had ended his verses he said to his mother, "I have no +longer a place in my aunt's house nor among these people, but I will go +forth from the palace and abide in the corners of the city." So he and +his mother left the court; and, having sought an abode in the +neighbourhood of the poorer sort, there settled; but she used to go +from time to time to King Sasan's palace and thence take daily bread +for herself and her son. As this went on Kuzia Fakan took her aside +one day and said to her, "Alas, O my naunty, how is it with thy son?" +Replied she, "O my daughter, sooth to say, he is tearful-eyed and heavy +hearted, being fallen into the net of thy love." And she repeated to +her the couplets he had made; whereupon Kuzia Fakan wept and said, "By +Allah! I rebuked him not for his words, nor for ill-will to him, but +because I feared for him the malice of foes. Indeed my passion for him +is double that he feeleth for me; my tongue may not describe my +yearning for him; and were it not for the extravagant wilfulness of his +words and the wanderings of his wit, my father had not cut off from him +favours that besit, nor had decreed unto him exclusion and prohibition +as fit. However, man's days bring nought but change, and patience in +all case is most becoming: peradventure He who ordained our severance +will vouchsafe us reunion!" And she began versifying in these two +couplets, + +"O son of mine uncle! same sorrow I bear, * + And suffer the like of thy cark and thy care +Yet hide I from man what I suffer for pine; * + Hide it too, and such secret to man never bare!" + +When his mother heard this from her, she thanked her and blessed her: +then she left her and acquainted her son with what she had said; +whereupon his desire for her increased and he took heart, being eased +of his despair and the turmoil of his love and care. And he said, "By +Allah, I desire none but her!"; and he began improvising, + +"Leave this blame, I will list to no flout of my foe! * + I divulged a secret was told me to keep: +He is lost to my sight for whose union I yearn, * + And I watch all the while he can slumber and sleep." + +So the days and nights went by whilst Kanmakan lay tossing upon coals +of fire,[FN#73] till he reached the age of seventeen; and his beauty +had waxt perfect and his wits were at their brightest. One night, as he +lay awake, he communed with himself and said, "Why should I keep +silence till I waste away and see not my lover? Fault have I none save +poverty; so, by Allah, I am resolved to remove me from this region and +wander over the wild and the word; for my position in this city is a +torture and I have no friend nor lover therein to comfort me; wherefore +I am determined to distract myself by absence from my native land till +I die and take my rest after this shame and tribulation." And he began +to improvise and recited these couplets, + +"Albeit my vitals quiver 'neath this ban; * + Before the foe myself I'll ne'er unman! +So pardon me, my vitals are a writ * + Whose superscription are my tears that ran: +Heigh ho! my cousin seemeth Houri may * + Come down to earth by reason of Rizwan: +'Scapes not the dreadful sword lunge of her look * + Who dares the glancing of those eyne to scan: +O'er Allah's wide spread world I'll roam and roam, * + And from such exile win what bread I can +Yes, o'er broad earth I'll roam and save my soul, * + All but her absence bear ing like a man +With gladsome heart I'll haunt the field of fight, * + And meet the bravest Brave in battle van!" + +So Kanmakan fared forth from the palace barefoot and he walked in a +short sleeved gown, wearing on his head a skull cap of felt[FN#74] +seven years old and carrying a scone three days stale, and in the deep +glooms of night betook himself to the portal of al-Arij of Baghdad. +Here he waited for the gate being opened and when it was opened, he was +the first to pass through it; and he went out at random and wandered +about the wastes night and day. When the dark hours came, his mother +sought him but found him not; whereupon the world waxt strait upon her +for all that it was great and wide, and she took no delight in aught of +weal it supplied. She looked for him a first day and a second day and +a third day till ten days were past, but no news of him reached her. +Then her breast became contracted and she shrieked and shrilled, +saying, "O my son! O my darling! thou hast revived my regrets. +Sufficed not what I endured, but thou must depart from my home? After +thee I care not for food nor joy in sleep, and naught but tears and +mourning are left me. O my son, from what land shall I call thee? And +what town hath given thee refuge?" Then her sobs burst out, and she +began repeating these couplets, + +"Well learnt we, since you left, our grief and sorrow to + sustain, * While bows of severance shot their shafts in + many a railing rain: +They left me, after girthing on their selles of corduwayne * + To fight the very pangs of death while spanned they sandy + plain: +Mysterious through the nightly gloom there came the moan of + dove; * A ring dove, and replied I, 'Cease thy plaint, how + durst complain?' +If, by my life, her heart, like mine, were full of pain and + pine * She had not decks her neck with ring nor sole with + ruddy stain.[FN#75] +Fled is mine own familiar friend, bequeathing me a store * + Of parting pang and absence ache to suffer evermore." + +Then she abstained from food and drink and gave herself up to excessive +tear shedding and lamentation. Her grief became public property far +and wide and all the people of the town and country side wept with her +and cried, "Where is thine eye, O Zau al- Makan?" And they bewailed the +rigours of Time, saying, "Would Heaven we knew what hath befallen +Kanmakan that he fled his native town, and chased himself from the +place where his father used to fill all in hungry case and do justice +and grace?" And his mother redoubled her weeping and wailing till the +news of Kanmakan's departure came to King Sasan.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fortieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that came to King +Sasan the tidings of the departure of Kanmakan, through the Chief Emirs +who said to him, "Verily he is the son of our Sovran and the seed of +King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and it hath reached us that he hath exiled +himself from the land." When King Sasan heard these words, he was wroth +with them and ordered one of them to be hanged by way of silencing him, +whereat the fear of him fell upon the hearts of all the other Grandees +and they dared not speak one word. Then he called to mind all the +kindness that Zau al-Makan had done him, and how he had charged him +with the care of his son; wherefore he grieved for Kanmakan and said, +"Needs must I have search made for him in all countries." So he +summoned Tarkash and bade him choose an hundred horse and wend with +them in quest of the Prince. Accordingly he went out and was absent +ten days, after which he returned and said, "I can learn no tidings of +him and have hit on no trace of him, nor can any tell me aught of him." +Upon this King Sasan repented him of that which he had done by the +Prince; whilst his mother abode in unrest continual nor would patience +come at her call: and thus passed over her twenty days in heaviness +all. This is how it fared with these; but as regards Kanmakan, when he +left Baghdad, he went forth perplexed about his case and knowing not +whither he should go: so he fared on alone through the desert for three +days and saw neither footman nor horseman; withal, his sleep fled and +his wakefulness redoubled, for he pined after his people and his +homestead. He ate of the herbs of the earth and drank of its flowing +waters and siesta'd under its trees at hours of noontide heats, till he +turned from that road to another way and, following it other three +days, came on the fourth to a land of green leas, dyed with the hues of +plants and trees and with sloping valley sides made to please, +abounding with the fruits of the earth. It had drunken of the cups of +the cloud, to the sound of thunders rolling loud and the song of the +turtle-dove gently sough'd, till its hill slopes were brightly verdant +and its fields were sweetly fragrant. Then Kanmakan recalled his +father's city Baghdad, and for excess of emotion he broke out into +verse, + +"I roam, and roaming hope I to return; * + Yet of returning see not how or when: +I went for love of one I could not win, * + Nor way of 'scaping ills that pressed could ken." + +When he ended his recital he wept, but presently he wiped away his +tears and ate of the fruits of the earth enough for his present need. +Then he made the Wuzu-ablution and prayed the ordained prayers which he +had neglected all this time; and he sat resting in that place through +the livelong day. When night came he slept and ceased not sleeping +till midnight, when he awoke and heard a human voice declaiming these +couplets, + +"What's life to me, unless I see the pearly sheen * + Of teeth I love, and sight that glorious mien? +Pray for her Bishops who in convents reign, * + Vying to bow before that heavenly queen. +And Death is lighter than the loved one's wrath, * + Whose phantom haunts me seen in every scene: +O joy of cup companions, when they meet, * + And loved and lover o'er each other lean! +E'en more in time of spring, the lord of flowers, * + When fragrant is the world with bloom and green: +Drainer of vine-juice! up wi' thee, for now * + Earth is a Heaven where sweet waters flow.[FN#76]" + +When Kanmakan heard these distichs his sorrows surged up; his tears ran +down his cheeks like freshets and flames of fire darted into his heart. + So he rose to see who it was that spake these words, but saw none for +the thickness of the gloom; whereupon passion increased on him and he +was frightened and restlessness possessed him. He descended from his +place to the sole of the valley and walked along the banks of the +stream, till he heard the same voice sighing heavy sighs and reciting +these couplets, + +"Tho' 'tis thy wont to hide thy love perforce, * + Yet weep on day of parting and divorce! +Twixt me and my dear love were plighted vows; * + Pledge of reunion, fonder intercourse: +With joy inspires my heart and deals it rest * + Zephyr, whose coolness doth desire enforce. +O Sa'adá,[FN#77] thinks of me that anklet wearer? * + Or parting broke she troth without remorse? +And say! shall nights foregather us, and we * + Of suffered hardships tell in soft discourse? +Quoth she, 'Thou'rt daft for us and fey'; quoth I, * + ' 'Sain thee! how many a friend hast turned to corse!' +If taste mine eyes sweet sleep while she's away, * + Allah with loss of her these eyne accurse. +O wounds in vitals mine! for cure they lack * + Union and dewy lips' sweet theriack."[FN#78] + +When Kanmakan heard this verse again spoken by the same voice yet saw +no one, he knew that the speaker was a lover like unto himself, +debarred from union with her who loved him; and he said to himself, +"'Twere fitting that this man should lay his head to my head and become +my comrade in this my strangerhood."[FN#79] Then he hailed the speaker +and cried out to him, saying, "O thou who farest in sombrest night, +draw near to me and tell me thy tale haply thou shalt find me one who +will succour thee in thy sufferings." And when the owner of the voice +heard these words, he cried out, "O thou that respondest to my +complaint and wouldest hear my history, who art thou amongst the +knights? Art thou human or Jinni? Answer me speedily ere thy death +draw near for I have wandered in this desert some twenty days and have +seen no one nor heard any voice but thy voice." At these words Kanmakan +said to himself, "This one's case is like my case, for I, even I, have +wandered twenty days, nor during my wayfare have I seen man or heard +voice:" and he added, "I will make him no answer till day arise." So he +was silent, and the voice again called out to him, saying, "O thou that +callest, if thou be of the Jinn fare in peace and, if thou be man, stay +awhile till the day break stark and the night flee with the dark." The +speaker abode in his place and Kanmakan did likewise and the twain in +reciting verses never failed, and wept tears that railed till the light +of day began loom and the night departed with its gloom. Then Kanmakan +looked at the other and found him to be of the Badawi Arabs, a youth in +the flower of his age; clad in worn clothes and bearing in baldrick a +rusty sword which he kept sheathed, and the signs of love longing were +apparent on him. He went up to him and accosted him and saluted him, +and the Badawi returned the salute and greeted him with courteous +wishes for his long life, but somewhat despised him, seeing his tender +years and his condition, which was that of a pauper. So he said to +him, "O youth, of what tribe art thou and to whom art thou kin among +the Arabs; and what is thy history that thou goest by night, after the +fashion of knights? Indeed thou spakest to me in the dark words such +as are spoken of none but doughty cavaliers and lion- like warriors; +and now I hold thy life in hand. But I have compassion on thee by +reason of thy green years; so I will make thee my companion and thou +shalt go with me, to do me service." When Kanmakan heard him speak +these unseemly words, after showing him such skill in verse, he knew +that he despised him and would presume with him; therefore he answered +him with soft and well- chosen speech, saying, "O Chief of the Arabs, +leave my tenderness of age and tell me why thou wanderest by night in +the desert reciting verses. Thou talkest, I see, of my serving thee; +who then art thou and what moved thee to talk this wise?" Answered he, +"Hark ye, boy! I am Sabbáh, son of Rammáh bin Humám.[FN#80] My people +are of the Arabs of Syria and I have a cousin, Najmah highs, who to all +that look on her brings delight. And when my father died I was brought +up in the house of his brother, the father of Najmah; but as soon I +grew up and my uncle's daughter became a woman, they secluded her from +me and me from her, seeing that I was poor and without money in pouch. +Then the Chiefs of the Arabs and the heads of the tribes rebuked her +sire, and he was abashed before them and consented to give me my +cousin, but upon condition that I should bring him as her dower fifty +head of horses and fifty dromedaries which travel ten days[FN#81] +without a halt and fifty camels laden with wheat and a like number +laden with barley, together with ten black slaves and ten handmaids. +Thus the weight he set upon me was beyond my power to bear; for he +exacted more than the marriage settlement as by law established. So +here am I, travelling from Syria to Irak, and I have passed twenty days +with out seeing other than thyself; yet I mean to go to Baghdad that I +may ascertain what merchant men of wealth and importance start thence. +Then will I fare forth in their track and loot their goods, and I will +slay their escort and drive off their camels with their loads. But +what manner of man art thou?" Replied Kanmakan, "Thy case is like unto +my case, save that my evil is more grievous than thine ill; for my +cousin is a King's daughter and the dowry of which thou hast spoken +would not content her people, nor would they be satisfied with the like +of that from me." Quoth Sabbah, "Surely thou art a fool or thy wits for +excess of passion are gathering wool! How can thy cousin be a King's +daughter? Thou hast no sign of royal rank on thee, for thou art but a +mendicant." Re joined Kanmakan, "O Chief of the Arabs, let not this my +case seem strange to thee; for what happened, happened;[FN#82] and if +thou desire proof of me, I am Kanmakan, son of King Zau al-Makan, son +of King Omar bin al-Nu'uman Lord of Baghdad and the realm Khorasan; and +Fortune banned me with her tyrant ban, for my father died and my +Sultanate was taken by King Sasan. So I fled forth from Baghdad +secretly, lest I be seen of any man, and have wandered twenty days +without any but thyself to scan. So now I have discovered to thee my +case, and my story is as thy story and my need as thy need." When +Sabbab heard this, he cried out, "O my joy, I have attained my desire! +I will have no loot this day but thy self; for since thou art of the +seed of Kings and hast come out in beggar's garb, there is no help but +thy people will seek thee; and, if they find thee in any one's power, +they will ransom thee with monies galore. So show me thy back, O my +lad, and walk before me." Answered Kanmakan, "O brother of the Arabs, +act not on this wise, for my people will not buy me with silver nor +with gold, not even with a copper dirham; and I am a poor man, having +with me neither much nor little, so cease then to be upon this track +and take me to thy comrade. Fare we forth for the land of Irak and +wander over the world, so haply we may win dower and marriage portion, +and we may seek and enjoy our cousins' kisses and embraces when we come +back." Hearing this, Sabbah waxed angry; his arrogance and fury +redoubled and he said, "Woe to thee! Dost thou bandy words with me, O +vilest of dogs that be? Turn thee thy back, or I will come down on thee +with clack!" Kanmakan smiled and answered, "Why should I turn my back +for thee? Is there no justice in thee? Dost thou not fear to bring +blame upon the Arab men by driving a man like myself captive, in shame +and disdain, before thou hast proved him on the plain, to know if he be +a warrior or of cowardly strain?" Upon this Sabbah laughed and replied, +"By Allah, a wonder! Thou art a boy in years told, but in talk thou +art old. These words should come from none but a champion doughty and +bold: what wantest thou of justice?" Quoth Kanmakan, "If thou wilt have +me thy captive, to wend with thee and serve thee, throw down thine arms +and put off thine outer gear and come on and wrestle with me; and +whichever of us throw his opponent shall have his will of him and make +him his boy." Then Sabbah laughed and said, "I think this waste of +breath de noteth the nearness of thy death." Then he arose and threw +down his weapon and, tucking up his skirt, drew near unto Kanmakan who +also drew near and they gripped each other. But the Badawi found that +the other had the better of him and weighed him down as the quintal +downweighs the diner; and he looked at his legs firmly planted on the +ground, and saw that they were as two minarets[FN#83] strongly based, +or two tent-poles in earth encased, or two mountains which may not he +displaced. So he acknowledged himself to be a failure and repented of +having come to wrestle with him, saying in himself, "Would I had slain +him with my weapon!" Then Kanmakan took hold of him and mastering him, +shook him till the Badawi thought his bowels would burst in his belly, +and he broke out, "Hold thy hand, O boy!" He heeded not his words, but +shook him again and, lifting him from the ground, made with him towards +the stream, that he might throw him therein: where upon the Badawi +roared out, saying, "O thou valiant man, what wilt thou do with +me?"[FN#84] Quoth he, "I mean to throw thee into this stream: it will +bear thee to the Tigris. The Tigris will bring thee to the river Isa +and the Isa will carry thee to the Euphrates, and the Euphrates will +land thee in shine own country; so thy tribe shall see thee and know +thy manly cheer and how thy passion be sincere." Then Sabbah cried +aloud and said, "O Champion of the desert lair, do not with me what +deed the wicked dare but let me go, by the life of thy cousin, the +jewel of the fair!" Hearing this, Kanmakan set him on the ground, but +when he found him self at liberty, he ran to his sword and targe and +taking them up stood plotting in himself treachery and sudden assault +on his adversary.[FN#85] The Prince kenned his intent in his eye and +said to him, "I con what is in thy heart, now thou hast hold of thy +sword and thy targe. Thou hast neither length of hand nor trick of +wrestling, but thou thinkest that, wert thou on thy mare and couldst +wheel about the plain, and ply me with thy skene, I had long ago been +slain. But I will give thee thy requite, so there may be left in thy +heart no despite; now give me the targe and fall on me with thy +whinger; either thou shalt kill me or I shall kill thee." "Here it is," +answered Sabbah and, throwing him the targe, bared his brand and rushed +at him sword in hand; Kanmakan hent the buckler in his right and began +to fend himself with it, whilst Sabbah struck at him, saying at each +stroke, "This is the finishing blow!" But it fell harmless enow, for +Kanmakan took all on his buckler and it was waste work, though he did +not reply lacking the wherewithal to strike and Sabbah ceased not to +smite at him with his sabre, till his arm was weary. When his opponent +saw this, he rushed upon him and, hugging him in his arms, shook him +and threw him to the ground. Then he turned him over on his face and +pinioned his elbows behind him with the baldrick of his sword, and +began to drag him by the feet and to make for the river. Thereupon +cried Sabbah, "What wilt thou do with me, O youth, and cavalier of the +age and brave of the plain where battles rage?" Answered he, "Did I not +tell thee that it was my intent to send thee by the river to thy kin +and to thy tribe, that thy heart be not troubled for them nor their +hearts be troubled for thee, and lest thou miss thy cousin's +bride-feast!" At this Sabbah shrieked aloud and wept and screaming +said, "Do not thus, O champion of the time's braves! Let me go and +make me one of thy slaves!" And he wept and wailed and began reciting +these verses, + +"I'm estranged fro' my folk and estrangement's long: * + Shall I die amid strangers? Ah, would that I kenned! +I die, nor my kinsman shall know where I'm slain, * + Die in exile nor see the dear face of my friend!" + +Thereupon Kanmakan had compassion on him and said, "Make with me a +covenant true and swear me an oath to be a comrade as due and to bear +me company wheresoever I may go." "'Tis well," replied Sabbah and swore +accordingly. Then Kanmakan loosed him and he rose and would have +kissed the Prince's hand; but he forbade him that. Then the Badawi +opened his scrip and, taking out three barley scones, laid them before +Kanmakan and they both sat down on the bank of the stream to +eat.[FN#86] When they had done eating together, they made the lesser +ablution and prayed; after which they sat talking of what had befallen +each of them from his people and from the shifts of Time. Presently +said Kanmakan, "Whither dost thou now intend?" Replied Sabbah, "I +purpose to repair to Baghdad, thy native town, and abide there, until +Allah vouchsafe me the marriage portion." Rejoined the other, "Up then +and to the road! I tarry here." So the Badawi farewelled him and took +the way for Baghdad, whilst Kanmakan remained behind, saying to +himself, "O my soul, with what face shall I return pauper- poor? Now +by Allah, I will not go back empty handed and, if the Almighty please, +I will assuredly work my deliverance." Then he went to the stream and +made the Wuzu-washing and when prostrating he laid his brow in the dust +and prayed to the Lord, saying, "O Allah! Thou who sendest down the +dew, and feedest the worm that homes in the stone, I beseech Thee +vouchsafe me my livelihood of Thine Omnipotence and the Grace of Thy +benevolence!" Then he pronounced the salutation which closes prayer; +yet every road appeared closed to him. And while he sat turning right +and left, behold, he espied a horseman making towards him with bent +back and reins slack. He sat up right and after a time reached the +Prince; and the stranger was at the last gasp and made sure of death, +for he was grievously wounded when he came up; the tears streamed down +his cheeks like water from the mouths of skins, and he said to +Kanmakan, "O Chief of the Arabs, take me to thy friendship as long as I +live, for thou wilt not find my like; and give me a little water though +the drinking of water be harmful to one wounded, especially whilst the +blood is flowing and the life with it. And if I live, I will give thee +what shall heal thy penury and thy poverty: and if I die, mayst thou be +blessed for thy good intent." Now under that horseman was a stallion, +so noble a Rabite[FN#87] the tongue fails to describe him; and as +Kanmakan looked at his legs like marble shafts, he was seized with a +longing and said to himself, "Verily the like of this stallion[FN#88] +is not to be found in our time." Then he helped the rider to alight and +entreated him in friendly guise and gave him a little water to swallow; +after which he waited till he had taken rest and addressed him, saying, +"Who hath dealt thus with thee?" Quoth the rider, "I will tell thee the +truth of the case. I am a horse thief and I have busied myself with +lifting and snatching horses all my life, night and day, and my name is +Ghassan, the plague of every stable and stallion. I heard tell of this +horse, that he was in the land of Roum, with King Afridun, where they +had named him Al-Katúl and surnamed him Al Majnún.[FN#89] So I +journeyed to Constantinople for his sake and watched my opportunity and +whilst I was thus waiting, there came out an old woman, one highly +honoured among the Greeks, and whose word with them is law, by name Zat +al-Dawahi, a past mistress in all manner of trickery. She had with her +this steed and ten slaves, no more, to attend on her and the horse; and +she was bound for Baghdad and Khorasan, there to seek King Sasan and to +sue for peace and pardon from ban. So I went out in their track, +longing to get at the horse,[FN#90] and ceased not to follow them, but +was unable to come by the stallion, because of the strict guard kept by +the slaves, till they reached this country and I feared lest they enter +the city of Baghdad. As I was casting about to steal the stallion lo! +a great cloud of dust arose on them and walled the horizon. Presently +it opened and disclosed fifty horsemen, gathered together to waylay +merchants on the highway, and their captain, by name Kahrdash, was a +lion in daring and dash; a furious lion who layeth knights flat as +carpets in battle-crash."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the wounded rider +spake thus to Kanmakan, "Then came out the same Kahrdash, and fell on +the old woman and her men and bore down upon them bashing them, nor was +it long before they bound her and the ten slaves and bore off their +captives and the horse, rejoicing. When I saw this, I said to myself, +'My pains were in vain nor did I attain my gain.' However, I waited to +see how the affair would fare, and when the old woman found herself in +bonds, she wept and said to the captain, Kahrdash, 'O thou doughty +Champion and furious Knight, what wilt thou do with an old woman and +slaves, now that thou hast thy will of the horse?' And she beguiled him +with soft words and she sware that she would send him horses and +cattle, till he released her and her slaves. Then he went his way, he +and his comrades, and I followed them till they reached this country; +and I watched them, till at last I found an opportunity of stealing the +horse, whereupon I mounted him and, drawing a whip from my wallet, +struck him with it. When the robbers heard this, they came out on me +and surrounded me on all sides and shot arrows and cast spears at me, +whilst I stuck fast on his back and he fended me with hoofs and +forehand,[FN#91] till at last he bolted out with me from amongst them +like unerring shaft or shooting star. But in the stress and stowre I +got sundry grievous wounds and sore; and, since that time, I have +passed on his back three days without tasting food or sleeping aught, +so that my strength is down brought and the world is become to me as +naught. But thou hast dealt kindly with me and hast shown ruth on me; +and I see thee naked stark and sorrow hath set on thee its mark, yet +are signs of wealth and gentle breeding manifest on thee. So tell me, +what and whence art thou and whither art thou bound?" Answered the +Prince, "My name is Kanmakan, son of Zau al-Makan, son of King Omar bin +al-Nu'uman. When my father died and an orphan lot was my fate, a base +man seized the throne and became King over small and great." Then he +told him all his past from first to last; and the horse thief said to +him for he pitied him, "By Allah, thou art one of high degree and +exceeding nobility, and thou shalt surely attain estate sublime and +become the first cavalier of thy time. If thou can lift me on horseback +and mount thee behind me and bring me to my own land, thou shalt have +honour in this world and a reward on the day of band calling to +band,[FN#92] for I have no strength left to steady myself; and if this +be my last day, the steed is thine alway, for thou art worthier of him +than any other." Quoth Kanmakan, By Allah, if I could carry thee on my +shoulders or share my days with thee, I would do this deed without the +steed! For I am of a breed that loveth to do good and to succour those +in need; and one kindly action in Almighty Allah's honour averteth +seventy calamities from its doer. So make ready to set out and put thy +trust in the Subtle, the All- Wise." And he would have lifted him on to +the horse and fared forward trusting in Allah Aider of those who seek +aid, but the horse thief said, "Wait for me awhile. Then he closed his +eyes and opening his hands, said I testify that there is no god but the +God, and I testify that Mohammed is the Apostle of God!" And he added, +"O glorious One, pardon me my mortal sin, for none can pardon mortal +sins save the Immortal!" And he made ready for death and recited these +couplets, + +"I have wronged mankind, and have ranged like wind * + O'er the world, and in wine-cups my life has past: +I've swum torrent course to bear off the horse; * + And my guiles high places on plain have cast. +Much I've tried to win and o'er much my sin, * + And Katul of my winnings is most and last: +I had hoped of this steed to gain wish and need, * + But vain was the end of this journey vast. +I have stolen through life, and my death in strife * + Was doomed by the Lord who doth all forecast +And I've toiled these toils to their fatal end * + For an orphan, a pauper sans kith or friend!" + +And when he had finished his verses he closed his eyes and opened his +mouth; then with a single death-rattling he left this world. Thereupon +Kanmakan rose and dug a grave and laid him in the dust; after which he +went up to the steed and kissed him and wiped his face and joyed with +exceeding joy, saying, "None hath the fellow of this stallion; no, not +even King Sasan." Such was the case with Kanmakan; but as regards King +Sasan, presently news came to him that the Wazir Dandan had thrown off +his allegiance, and with him half the army who swore that they would +have no King but Kanmakan: and the Minister had bound the troops by a +solemn covenant and had gone with them to the Islands of India and to +Berber-land and to Black-land;[FN#93] where he had levied armies from +far and near, like unto the swollen sea for fear and none could tell +the host's van from its rear. And the Minister was resolved to make +for Baghdad and take the kingdom in ward and slay every soul who dare +retard, having sworn not to return the sword of war to its sheath, till +he had made Kanmakan King. When this news came to Sasan, he was +drowned in the sea of appal, knowing that the whole state had turned +against him, great and small; and his trouble redoubled and his care +became despair. So he opened his treasuries and distributed his monies +among his officers; and he prayed for Kanmakan's return, that he might +draw his heart to him with fair usage and bounty; and make him +commander of those troops which ceased not being faithful to him, so +might he quench the sparks ere they became a flame. Now when the news +of this reached Kanmakan by the merchants, he returned in haste to +Baghdad on the back of the aforesaid stallion, and as King Sasan sat +perplexed upon his throne he heard of the coming of Kanmakan; whereupon +he despatched all the troops and head-men of the city to meet him. So +all who were in Baghdad fared forth and met the Prince and escorted him +to the palace and kissed the thresholds, whilst the damsels and the +eunuchs went in to his mother and gave her the fair tidings of his +return. She came to him and kissed him between the eyes, but he said +to her, "O mother mine, let me go to my uncle King Sasan who hath +overwhelmed me with weal and boon." And while he so did, all the +palace-people and head-men marvelled at the beauty of the stallion and +said, "No King is like unto this man." So Kanmakan went in to King +Sasan and saluted him as he rose to receive him; and, kissing his hands +and feet, offered him the horse as a present. The King greeted him, +saying, "Well come and welcome to my son Kanmakan! By Allah, the world +hath been straitened on me by reason of thine absence, but praised be +Allah for thy safety!" And Kanmakan called down blessings on him. Then +the King looked at the stallion, Al-Katul highs, and knew him for the +very horse he had seen in such and such a year whilst beleaguering the +Cross-worshippers of Constantinople with Kanmakan's sire, Zau al- +Makan, that time they slew his uncle Sharrkan. So he said to the +Prince, "If thy father could have come by this courser, he would have +bought it with a thousand blood horses: but now let the honour return +to the honourable. We accept the steed and we give him back to thee as +a gift, for to him thou hast more right than any wight, being +knightliest of knights." Then King Sasan bade bring forth for him +dresses of honour and led horses and appointed to him the chief lodging +in the palace, and showed him the utmost affection and honour, because +he feared the issue of the Wazir Dandan's doings. At this Kanmakan +rejoiced and shame and humiliation ceased from him. Then he went to +his house and, going to his mother, asked, "O my mother, how is it with +the daughter of my uncle?" Answered she, "By Allah, O my son, my +concern for thine absence hath distracted me from any other, even from +thy beloved; especially as she was the cause of thy strangerhood and +thy separation from me." Then he complained to her of his case, saying, +"O my mother, go to her and speak with her; haply she will vouchsafe me +her sight to see and dispel from me this despondency." Replied his +mother, "Idle desires abase men's necks; so put away from thee this +thought that can only vex; for I will not wend to her nor go in to her +with such message.' Now when he heard his mother's words he told her +what said the horse-thief concerning Zat al-Dawahi, how the old woman +was then in their land purposing to make Baghdad, and added, "It was +she who slew my uncle and my grandfather, and needs must I avenge them +with man-bote, that our reproach be wiped out." Then he left her and +repaired to an old woman, a wicked, whorish, pernicious beldam by name +Sa'adánah and complained to her of his case and of what he suffered for +love of his cousin Kuzia Fakan and begged her to go to her and win her +favour for him. "I hear and I obey," answered the old hag and leaving +him betook herself to Kuzia Fakan's palace, that she might intercede +with her in his behalf. Then she returned to him and said, "Of a truth +Kuzia Fakan saluteth thee and promiseth to visit thee this night about +midnight."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old +woman came to Kanmakan and said, "Of a truth the daughter of thine +uncle saluteth thee and she will visit thee this night about midnight;" +he rejoiced and sat down to await the fulfilment of his cousin's +promise. But before the hour of night she came to him, wrapped in a +veil of black silk, and she went in to him and aroused him from sleep, +saying, "How canst thou pretend to love me, when thou art sleeping +heart-free and in complete content?" So he awoke and said, "By Allah, O +desire of my heart, I slept not but in the hope that thine image might +visit my dreams!" Then she chid him with soft words and began +versifying in these couplets, + +"Hadst thou been leaf in love's loyalty, * + Ne'er haddest suffered sleep to seal those eyne: +O thou who claimest lover-loyalty, * + Treading the lover's path of pain and pine! +By Allah, O my cousin, never yet * + Did eyes of lover sleep such sleep indign." + +Now when he heard his cousin's words, he was abashed before her and +rose and excused himself. Then they embraced and complained to each +other of the anguish of separation; and they ceased not thus till dawn +broke and day dispersed itself over the horizon; when she rose +preparing to depart. Upon this Kanmakan wept and sighed and began +improvising these couplets, + +"O thou who deignest come at sorest sync, * + Whose lips those teeth like necklaced pearls enshrine' +I kissed him[FN#94] thousand times and clips his waist, * + And spent the night with cheek to cheek close li'en +Till to depart us twain came dawning day, * + Like sword edge drawn from sheath in radiant line." + +And when he ended his poetry, Kuzia Fakan took leave of him and +returned to her palace. Now certain of her damsels became aware of her +secret, and one of these slave girls disclosed it to King Sasan, who +went into Kuzia Fakan and, drawing his sabre upon her, would have slain +her: but her mother Nuzhat al-Zaman entered and said to him, "By Allah, +do her no harm, for if thou hurt her, the report will be noised among +the folk and thou shalt become a reproach amongst the Kings of the age! + Know thou that Kanmakan is no son of adultery, but a man of honour and +nobility, who would not do aught that could shame him, and she was +reared with him. So be not hasty; for verily the report is spread +abroad, among all the palace-people and all the folk of Baghdad, how +the Wazir Dandan hath levied armies from all countries and is on his +way hither to make Kanmakan King." Quoth Sasan, "By Allah, needs must I +cast him into such calamity that neither earth shall support him nor +sky shall shadow him! I did but speak him fair and show him favour +because of my lieges and my lords, lest they incline to him; but right +soon shalt thou see what shall betide." Then he left her and went out +to order the affairs of the realm. Such, then, was the case with King +Sasan; but as regards Kanmakan, on the next day he came in to his +mother and said, "O my mother! I am resolved to ride forth a raiding +and a looting: and I will cut the road of caravans and lift horses and +flocks, negroes and white slaves and, as soon as I have collected great +store and my case is bettered galore, I will demand my cousin Kuzia +Fakan in marriage of my uncle Sasan." Replied she, "O my son, of a +truth the goods of men are not ready to hand like a scape-camel;[FN#95] +for on this side of them are sword-strokes and lance-lungings and men +that eat the wild beast and lay countries waste and chase lynxes and +hunt lions." Quoth he, Heaven forefend that I turn back from my +resolve, till I have won to my will! Then he despatched the old woman +to Kuzia Fakan, to tell her that he was about to set out in quest of a +marriage settle ment befitting her, saying to the beldam, "Thou needs +must pray her to send me an answer." "I hear and I obey," replied the +old woman and going forth, presently returned with Kuzia Fakan's reply, +which was, "She will come to thee at midnight." So he abode awake till +one half of the night was passed, when restlessness get hold on him, +and before he was aware she came in to him, saying, "My life be thy +ransom from wakefulness!" and he sprang up to receive her, exclaiming, +"O desire of my heart, my life be thy redemption from all ills and +evils!" Then he acquainted her, with his intent, and she wept: but he +said, "Weep not, O daughter of my uncle; for I beseech Him who decreed +our separation to vouchsafe us reunion and fair understanding." Then +Kanmakan, having fixed a day for departure, went in to his mother and +took leave of her, after which came he down from his palace and threw +the baldrick of his sword over his shoulder and donned turband and +face-veil; and mounting his horse, Al-Katul, and looking like the moon +at its full, he threaded the streets of Baghdad, till he reached the +city gate. And behold, here he found Sabbah bin Rammah coming out of +town; and his comrade seeing him, ran to his stirrup and saluted him. +He returned his salutation, and Sabbah asked him, "O my brother, how +camest thou by this good steed and this sword and clothes, whilst I up +to present time have gotten nothing but my sword and target?" Answered +Kanmakan, "The hunter returneth not but with quarry after the measure +of his intention. A little after thy departure, fortune came to me: so +now say, wilt thou go with me and work thine intent in my company and +journey with me in this desert?" Replied Sabbah, "By the Lord of the +Ka'abah, from this time forth I will call thee naught but 'my lord'!" +Then he ran on before the horse, with his sword hanging from his neck +and his budget between his shoulder blades, and Kanmakan rode a little +behind him; and they plunged into the desert, for a space of four days, +eating of the gazelles and drinking water of the springs. On the fifth +day they drew near a high hill, at whose foot was a +spring-encampment[FN#96] and a deep running stream; and the knolls and +hollows were filled with camels and cattle and sheep and horses, and +little children played about the pens and folds. When Kanmakan saw +this, he rejoiced at the sight and his breast was filled with delight; +so he addressed himself to fight, that he might take the camels and the +cattle, and said to Sabbah, "Come, fall with us upon this loot, whose +owners have left it unguarded here, and do we battle for it with near +and far, so haply may fall to our lot of goods some share." Replied +Sabbah, "O my lord, verily they to whom these herds belong be many in +number; and among them are doughty horsemen and fighting footmen; and +if we venture lives in this derring do we shall fall into danger great +and neither of us will return safe from this bate; but we shall both be +cut off by fate and leave our cousins desolate." Then Kanmakan laughed +and knew that he was a coward; so he left him and rode down the rise, +intent on rapine, with loud cries and chanting these couplets, + +"Oh a valiant race are the sons of Nu'umán, * + Braves whose blades shred heads of the foeman-clan![FN#97] +A tribe who, when tried in the tussle of war, * + Taketh prowess stand in the battle-van: +In their tents safe close gaberlunzie's eyne, * + Nor his poverty's ugly features scan: +And I for their aidance sue of Him * + Who is King of Kings and made soul of man." + +Then he rushed upon the she-camels like a he-camel in rut and drove all +before him, sheep and cattle, horses and dromedaries. Therewith the +slaves ran at him with their blades so bright and their lances so long; +and at their head rode a Turkish horseman who was indeed a stout +champion, doughty in fray and in battle chance and skilled to wield the +nut-brown lance and the blade with bright glance. He drove at +Kanmakan, saying, "Woe to thee! Knewest thou to whom these herds belong +thou hadst not done this deed. Know that they are the goods of the +band Grecian, the champions of the ocean and the troop Circassian; and +this troop containeth none but valiant wights numbering an hundred +knights, who have cast off the allegiance of every Sultan. But there +hath been stolen from them a noble stallion, and they have vowed not to +return hence without him." Now when Kanmakan heard these words, he +cried out, saying, "O villain, this I bestride is the steed whereof ye +speak and after which ye seek, and ye would do battle with me for his +sake' So come out against me, all of you at once, and do you dourest +for the nonce!" Then he shouted between the ears of Al-Katul who ran at +them like a Ghul; whereupon Kanmakan let drive at the Turk[FN#98] and +ran him through the body and threw him from his horse and let out his +life; after which he turned upon a second and a third and a fourth, and +also of life bereft them. When the slaves saw this, they were afraid +of him, and he cried out and said to them, "Ho, sons of whores, drive +out the cattle and the stud or I will dye my spear in your blood." So +they untethered the beasts and began to drive them out; and Sabbah came +down to Kanmakan with loud voicing and hugely rejoicing; when lo! there +arose a cloud of dust and grew till it walled the view, and there +appeared under of it riders an hundred, like lions an-hungered. Upon +this Sabbah took flight, and fled to the hill's topmost height, leaving +the assailable site, and enjoyed sight of the fight, saying, "I am no +warrior; but in sport and jest I delight."[FN#99] Then the hundred +cavaliers made towards Kanmakan and surrounded him on all sides, and +one of them accosted him, saying, "Whither goest thou with this loot?" +Quoth he, "I have made it my prize and am carrying it away; and I +forbid you from it, or come on to the combat, for know ye that he who +is before you is a terrible lion and an honourable champion, and a +sword that cutteth wherever it turneth!" When the horseman heard these +words, he looked at Kanmakan and saw that he was a knight like a +mane-clad lion in might, whilst his face was as the full moon rising on +its fourteenth night, and velour shone from between his eyes. Now that +horseman was the captain of the hundred horse, and his name was +Kahrdash; and when he saw in Kanmakan the perfection of cavalarice with +surpassing gifts of comeliness, his beauty reminded him of a beautiful +mistress of his whose name was Fátin.[FN#100] Now she was one of the +fairest of women in face, for Allah had given her charms and grace and +noble qualities of all kinds, such as tongue faileth to explain and +which ravish the hearts of men. Moreover, the cavaliers of the tribe +feared her prowess and all the champions of that land stood in awe of +her high spirit; and she had sworn that she would not marry nor let any +possess her, except he should conquer her in combat (Kahrdash being one +of her suitors); and she said to her father, "None shall approach me, +save he be able to deal me over throw in the field and stead of war +thrust and blow. Now when this news reached Kahrdash, he scorned to +fight with a girl, fearing reproach; and one of his intimates said to +him, "Thou art complete in all conditions of beauty and goodliness; so +if thou contend with her, even though she be stronger than thou, thou +must needs overcome her; for when she seeth thy beauty and grace, she +will be discomfited before thee and yield thee the victory; for verily +women have a need of men e'en as thou heedest full plain." Nevertheless +Kahrdash refused and would not contend with her, and he ceased not to +abstain from her thus, till he met from Kanmakan that which hath been +set down. Now he took the Prince for his beloved Fatin and was afraid; +albeit indeed she loved him for what she had heard of his beauty and +velour; so he went up to him and said, "Woe to thee,[FN#101] O Fatin! +Thou comest here to show me thy prowess; but now alight from thy steed, +that I may talk with thee, for I have lifted these cattle and have +foiled my friends and waylaid many a brave and man of knightly race, +all for the sake of thy beauty of form and face, which are without +peer. So marry me now, that Kings' daughters may serve thee and thou +shalt become Queen of these countries." When Kanmakan heard these +words, the fires of wrath flamed up in him and he cried out, "Woe to +thee, O Persian dog! Leave Fatin and thy trust and mistrust, and come +to cut and thrust, for eftsoon thou shalt lie in the dust;" and so +saying, he began to wheel about him and assail him and feel the way to +prevail. But when Kahrdash observed him closely he knew him for a +doughty knight and a stalwart in fight; and the error of his thought +became manifest to him, whenas he saw the green down on his cheeks +dispread like myrtles springing from the heart of a rose bright-red. +And he feared his onslaught and quoth he to those with him, "Woe to +you! Let one of you charge down upon him and show him the keen sword +and the quivering spear; for know that when many do battle with one man +it is foul shame, even though he be a kemperly wight and an invincible +knight." Upon this, there ran at Kanmakan a horseman like a lion in +fight, mounted on a black horse with hoofs snow-white and a star on his +forehead, the bigness of a dirham, astounding wit and sight, as he were +Abjar, which was Antar's destrier, even as saith of him the poet, + +"The courser chargeth on battling foe, * + Mixing heaven on high with the earth down low:[FN#102] +As though the Morning had blazed his brow, * + And he rends her vitals as quid pro quo." + +He rushed upon Kanmakan, and they wheeled about awhile, giving blows +and taking blows such as confound the sprite and dim the sight; but +Kanmakan was the first to smite the foe a swashing blow, that rove +through turband and iron skull cap and reached his head, and he fell +from his steed with the fall of a camel when he rolleth over. Then a +second came out to him and offered battle, and in like guise a third, a +fourth and a fifth, and he did with them all as he had done with the +first. Thereupon the rest at once rushed upon him, for indeed they +were roused by rage and wild with wrath; but it was not long before he +had pierced them all with the point of his spear. When Kahrdash saw +these feats of arms, he feared death; for he knew that the youth was +stoutest of heart and concluded that he was unique among knights and +braves; and he said to Kanmakan, "I waive my claim to thy blood and I +pardon thee the blood of my comrades: so take what thou wilt of the +cattle and wend thy ways, for thy firmness in fight moveth my ruth and +life is better for thee than death." Replied Kanmakan, "Thou lackest +not of the generosity of the noble! but leave this talk and run for +thy life and reck not of blame nor think to get back the booty; but +take the straight path for thine own safety." Thereupon Kahrdash waxed +exceeding wroth, and rage moved him to the cause of his death; so he +said to Kanmakan, "Woe to thee, an thou knew who I be, thou wouldst not +wield these words in the open field. I am the lion to bash known as +Kahrdash, he who spoileth great Kings and waylayeth all travellings and +seizeth the merchants' preciousest things. And the steed under thee is +that I am seeking; and I call upon thee to tell me how thou camest by +him and hast him in thy keeping." Replied Kan makan, "Know thou that +this steed was being carried to my uncle King Sasan, under the escort +of an ancient dame high in rank attended by ten slaves, when thou +fellest upon her and tookest the horse from her; and I have a debt of +blood against this old woman for the sake of my grandfather King Omar +bin al Nu'uman and my uncle King Sharrkan.' "Woe to thee!" quoth +Kahrdash, "who is thy father, O thou that hast no lawful mother?" Quoth +he, "Know that I am Kanmakan, bin Zau al-Makan, son of Omar bin +al-Nu'uman." But when Kahrdash heard this address he said, "Thy +perfection cannot be denied, nor yet the union in thee of knightly +virtue and seemlihead," and he added, "Fare in peace, for thy father +showed us favour." Rejoined Kanmakan, "By Allah, I will not deign to +honour thee, O wretch I disdain, so far as to overcome thee in battle +plain!" Upon this the Badawi waxed wroth and they drove at each other, +shouting aloud, whilst their horses pricked their ears and raised their +tails.[FN#103] And they ceased not clashing together with such a crash +that it seemed to each as if the firmament were split in sunder, and +they continued to strive like two rams which butt, smiting and +exchanging with their spears thrust and cut. Presently Kahrdash foined +at Kanmakan; but he evaded it and rejoined upon him and so pierced him +through the breast that the spearhead issued from his back. Then he +collected the horses and the plunder, and he cried out to the slaves, +saying, "Up and be driving as hard as ye may!" Hearing this, down came +Sabbah and, accosting Kanmakan, said to him, "Right well hast thou +dight, O Knight of the age! Verily I prayed Allah for thee and the Lord +heard my prayer." Then he cut off Kahrdash's head and Kanmakan laughed +and said, "Woe to thee, O Sabbah! I thought thee a rider fain of +fight." Quoth the Badawi, "Forget not thy slave in the division of the +spoil, so haply therewith I may marry my cousin Najmah." Answered +Kanmakan, "Thou shalt assuredly share in it, but now keep watch over +the booty and the slaves." Then he set out for his home and he ceased +not journeying night and day till he drew near Baghdad city, and all +the troops heard of Kanmakan, and saw what was his of loot and cattle +and the horse-thief's head on the point of Sabbah's spear. Also (for +he was a noted highwayman) the merchants knew Kahrdash's head and +rejoiced, saying, "Allah hath rid mankind of him!"; and they marvelled +at his being slain and blessed his slayer. Thereupon all the people of +Baghdad came to Kanmakan, seeking to know what adventures had befallen +him, and he told them what had passed, whereupon all men were taken +with awe of him and the Knights and champions feared him. Then he +drove his spoil under the palace walls; and, planting the spear heel, +on whose point was Kahrdash's head, over against the royal gate, gave +largesse to the people of Baghdad, distributing horses and camels, so +that all loved him and their hearts inclined to him. Presently he took +Sabbah and lodged him in a spacious dwelling and gave him a share of +the loot; after which he went in to his mother and told her all that +had befallen him in his last journey. Meanwhile the news of him +reached the King, who rose from his levee and, shutting himself up with +his chief officers, said to them, "Know ye that I desire to reveal to +you my secret and acquaint you with the hidden facts of my case. And +further know that Kanmakan will be the cause of our being uprooted from +this kingdom, our birth place; for he hath slain Kahrdash, albeit he +had with him the tribes of the Kurds and the Turks, and our affair with +him will end in our destruction, seeing that the most part of our +troops are his kinsmen and ye weet what the Wazir Dandan hath done; how +he disowneth me, after all I have shown him of favours; and after being +faithful he hath turned traitor. Indeed it hath reached me that he hath +levied an army in the provinces and hath planned to make Kanmakan +Sultan, for that the Sultanate was his father's and his grandfather's; +and assuredly he will slay me without mercy." Now when the Lords of the +Realm heard from him these words, they replied, "O King, verily this +man.[FN#104] is unequal to this, and did we not know him to have been +reared by thee, not one of us would approve of him. And know thou that +we are at thy commandment; if thou desire his death, we will do him +die; and if thou wilt remove him, we will remove him." Now when King +Sasan heard this, he said, "Verily, to slay him were wise; but needs +must ye swear an oath to it." So all sware to slay Kanmakan without +giving him a chance; to the end that, when the Wazir Dandan should come +and hear of his death, his force might be weakened and he fail of his +design. When they had made this compact and covenant with trim, the +king honoured them with the highest honours and presently retired to +his own apartments. But the officers deserted him and the troops +refused their service and would neither mount nor dismount until they +should espy what might befal, for they saw that most of the army was +with the Wazir Dandan. Presently, the news of these things came to +Kuzia Fakan and caused her much concern; so that she sent for the old +woman who was wont to carry messages between her and her cousin, and +when she came, bade her go to him and warn him of the plot. Whereto he +replied, "Bear my salutation to the daughter of my uncle and say to +her, 'Verily the earth is of Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!), +and He giveth it as heritage to whomsoever of His servants He willeth.' +How excellent is the saying of the sayer, + +'Allah holds Kingship! Whoso seeks without Him victory * + Shall be cast out, with soul condemned to Hell of low + degree: +Had I or any other man a finger breadth of land, * + The rule were changed and men a twain of partner gods would + see.' " + +Then the old woman returned to Kuzia Fakan and told her his reply and +acquainted her that he abode in the city. Meanwhile, King Sasan +awaited his faring forth from Baghdad, that he might send after him +some who would slay him; till it befel one morning that Kanmakan went +out to course and chase, accompanied by Sabbah, who would not leave him +night or day. He caught ten gazelles and among them one that had +tender black eyes and turned right and left: so he let her go and +Sabbah said to him, "Why didst thou free this gazelle?" Kanmakan +laughed and set the others free also, saying, "It is only humane to +release gazelles that have young, and this one turned not from side to +side, save to look for her fawns: so I let her go and released the +others in her honour." Quoth Sabbah, "Do thou release me, that I may go +to my people." At this Kanmakan laughed and smote him with the spear +butt on the breast, and he fell to the ground squirming like a snake. +Whilst they were thus doing, behold, they saw a dust cloud spireing +high and heard the tramp of horses; and presently there appeared under +it a plump of knights and braves. Now the cause of their coming was +this. Some of his followers had acquainted King Sasan with Kanmakan's +going out to the chase; so he sent for an Emir of the Daylamites, +called Jámi' and twenty of his horsemen; and gave them money and bade +them slay Kanmaken. So when they drew near the Prince, they charged +down upon him and he met them in mid-charge and killed them all, to the +last man. And behold, King Sasan took horse and riding out to meet his +people, found them all slain, whereat he wondered and turned back; when +lo! the people of the city laid hands on him and bound him straitly. +As for Kanmakan after that adventure, he left the place behind him and +rode onward with Sabbah the Badawi. And the while he went, lo! he saw +a youth sitting at the door of a house on his road and saluted him. +The youth returned his greeting and, going into the house, brought out +two platters, one full of soured milk and the other of brewis swimming +in clarified butter; and he set the platter before Kanmakan, saying +"Favour us by eating of our victual." But he refused and quoth the +young man to him, "What aileth thee, O man, that thou wilt not eat?" +Quoth Kanmakan, "I have a vow upon me." The youth asked, "What is the +cause of thy vow?", and Kanmakan answered, "Know that King Sasan seized +upon my kingdom like a tyrant and an enemy, although it was my father's +and my grand father's before me; yet he became master of it by force +after my father's death and took no count of me, by reason of my tender +years. So I have bound myself by a vow to eat no man's victual till I +have eased my heart of my foe." Rejoined the youth, "Rejoice, for Allah +hath fulfilled thy vow. Know that he hath been prisoned in a certain +place and methinks he will soon die." Asked Kanmakan, "In what house is +he confined?" "Under yon high dome," answered the other. The Prince +looked and saw the folk entering and buffeting Sasan, who was suffering +the agonies of the dying. So he arose and went up to the pavilion and +noted what was therein; after which he returned to his place and, +sitting down to the proferred victual, ate what sufficed him and put +the rest in his wallet. Then he took seat in his own place and ceased +not sitting till it was dark night and the youth, whose guest he was +slept; when he rose and repaired to the pavilion wherein Sasan was +confined. Now about it were dogs guarding it, and one of them sprang +at him; so he took out of his budget a bit of meat and threw it to him. + He ceased not casting flesh to the dogs till he came to the pavilion +and, making his way to where King Sasan was, laid his hand upon his +head; whereupon he said in a loud voice, "Who art thou?" He replied, "I +am Kanmakan whom thou stravest to kill; but Allah made thee fall into +thine evil device. Did it not suffice thee to take my kingdom and the +kingdom of my father, but thou must purpose to slay me?"[FN#105] And +Sasan swore a false oath that he had not plotted his death and that the +bruit was untrue. So Kanmakan forgave him and said to him, "Follow +me." Quoth he, "I cannot walk a single step for weakness." Quoth +Kanmakan, "If the case be thus we will get us two horses and ride +forth, I and thou, and seek the open." So he did as he said, and he +took horse with Sasan and rode till day break, when they prayed the +dawn prayer and fared on, and ceased not faring till they came to a +garden, where they sat down and talked. Then Kanmakan rose to Sasan +and said, "Is aught left to set thy heart against me?" "No, by Allah!" +replied Sasan. So they agreed to return to Baghdad and Sabbah the +Badawi said, "I will go before you, to give folk the fair tidings of +your coming." Then he rode on in advance, acquainting women and men +with the good news; so all the people came out to meet Kanmakan with +tabrets and pipes; and Kuzia Fakan also came out, like the full moon +shining in all her splendour of light through the thick darkness of the +night. So Kanmakan met her, and soul yearned to soul and body longed +for body. There was no talk among the people of the time but of +Kanmakan; for the Knights bore witness of him that he was the most +valiant of the folk of the age and said, "It is not right that other +than Kanmakan should be our Sultan, but the throne of his grandfather +shall revert to him as it began." Meanwhile Sasan went in to his wife, +Nuzhat al-Zaman, who said to him, "I hear that the folk talk of nothing +but Kanmakan and attribute to him such qualities as tongue never can." +He replied, "Hearing of a man is not like seeing a man. I have seen +him, but have noted in him none of the attributes of perfection. Not +all that is heard is said; but folk ape one another in extolling and +cherishing him, and Allah maketh his praises to run on the lips of men, +so that there incline to him the hearts of the people of Baghdad and of +the Wazir Dandan, that perfidious and treacherous man; who hath levied +troops from all lands and taketh to himself the right of naming a King +of the country; and who chooseth that it shall be under the hand of an +orphan ruler whose worth is naught." Asked Nuzhat al-Zaman, "What then +is it that thou purposest to do?"; and the King answered, "I mean to +kill him, that the Wazir may be baulked of his intent and return to his +allegiance, seeing nothing for it but my service." Quoth she, "In good +sooth perfidy with strangers is a foul thing and how much more with +kith and kin! The righteous deed to do would be to marry him to thy +daughter Kuzia Fakan and give heed to what was said of old time, + +'An Fate some person 'stablish o'er thy head, * + And thou being worthier her choice upbraid, +Yet do him honour due to his estate; * + He'll bring thee weal though far or near thou vade: +Nor speak thy thought of him, else shalt thou be * + Of those who self degrade from honour's grade: +Many Haríms are lovelier than the Bride, * + But Time and Fortune lent the Bride their aid.'" + +When Sasan heard these her words and comprehended what her verse +intended, he rose from her in anger and said, "Were it not that thy +death would bring on me dishonour and disgrace, I would take off thy +head with my blade and make an end of thy breath." Quoth she, "Why art +thou wroth with me? I did but jest with thee." Then she rose to him +and bussed his head and hands, saying, "Right is thy foresight, and I +and thou will cast about for some means to kill him forthright." When +he heard this, he was glad and said, "Make haste and contrive some +deceit to relieve me of my grieving: for in my sooth the door of device +is straitened upon me!" Replied she, "At once I will devise for thee to +do away his life." "How so?" asked he; and she answered, "By means of +our female slave the so-called Bákún." Now this Bakun was past mistress +in all kinds of knavery and was one of the most pestilent of old women, +in whose religion to abstain from wickedness was not lawful; she had +brought up Kuzia Fakan and Kanmakan who had her in so great affection +that he used to sleep at her feet. So when King Sasan heard his wife +name her, he said, "Right is this recking"; and, sending for the old +woman, told her what had passed and bade her cast about to kill +Kanmaken, promising her all good. Replied she, "Thy bidding shall be +obeyed; but I would have thee, O my lord, give me a dagger[FN#106] +which hath been tempered in water of death, that I may despatch him the +speedilier for thee." Quoth Sasan, "And welcome to thee!"; and gave her +a hanger that would devance man's destiny. Now this slave women had +heard stories and verses and had learned by rote great store of strange +sayings and anecdotes: so she took the dagger and went out of the room, +considering how she could compass his doom. Then she repaired to +Kanmakan, who was sitting and awaiting news of tryst with the daughter +of his uncle, Kuzia Fakan; so that night his thought was taken up with +her and the fires of love for her raged in his heart. And while he was +thus, behold, the slave woman, Bakun, went in to him and said, "Union +time is at hand and the days of disunion are over and gone." Now when +he heard this he asked, "How is it with Kuzia Fakan?"; and Bakun +answered, "Know that her time is wholly taken up with love of thee." At +this he rose and doffing his outer clothes put them on her and promised +her all good. Then said she, "Know that I mean to pass this night with +thee, that I may tell thee what talk I have heard and console thee with +stories of many passion distraughts whom love hath made sick." "Nay," +quoth he, "rather tell me a tale that will gladden my heart and gar my +cares depart." "With joy and good will," answered she; then she took +seat by his side (and that poniard under her dress) and began to say: +"Know thou that the pleasantest thing my ears ever heard was + + +The Tale of the Hashish Eater. + +A certain man loved fair women, and spent his substance on them, till +he became so poor that nothing remained to him; the world was +straitened upon him and he used to go about the market- streets begging +his daily bread. Once upon a time as he went along, behold, a bit of +iron nail pierced his finger and drew blood; so he sat down and wiping +away the blood, bound up his finger. Then he arose crying out, and +fared forwards till he came to a Hammam and entering took off his +clothes, and when he looked about him he found it clean and empty. So +he sat him down by the fountain-basin, and ceased not pouring water on +his head, till he was tired.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the man sat down +by the fountain basin and ceased not pouring water on his head till he +was tired. Then he went out to the room in which was the cistern of +cold water; and seeing no one there, he found a quiet corner and taking +out a piece of Hashísh,[FN#107] swallowed it. Presently the fumes +mounted to his brain and he rolled over on to the marble floor. Then +the Hashish made him fancy that a great lord was shampooing him and +that two slaves stood at his head, one bearing a bowl and the other +washing gear and all the requisites of the Hammam. When he saw this, he +said in himself, "Meseemeth these here be mistaken in me; or else they +are of the company of us Hashish-eaters."[FN#108] Then he stretched +out his legs and he imagined that the bathman said to him, "O my +master, the time of thy going up to the Palace draweth near and it is +to-day thy turn of service." At this he laughed and said to himself, +"As Allah willeth,[FN#109] O Hashish!" Then he sat and said nothing, +whilst the bathman arose and took him by the hand and girt his middle +with a waist-cloth of black silk, after which the two slaves followed +him with the bowls and gear, and they ceased not escorting him till +they brought him into a cabinet, wherein they set incense and perfumes +a-burning. He found the place full of various kinds of fruits and +sweet-scented flowers, and they sliced him a watermelon and seated him +on a stool of ebony, whilst the bathman stood to wash him and the +slaves poured water on him; after which they rubbed him down well and +said, "O our lord, Sir Wazir, health to thee forever!" Then they went +out and shut the door on him; and in the vanity of phantasy he arose +and removed the waist-cloth from his middle, and laughed till he well +nigh fainted. He gave not over laughing for some time and at last +quoth he to himself, "What aileth them to address me as if I were a +Minister and style me Master, and Sir? Haply they are now blundering; +but after an hour they will know me and say, This fellow is a beggar; +and take their fill of cuffing me on the neck." Presently, feeling hot +he opened the door, whereupon it seemed to him that a little white +slave and an eunuch came in to him carrying a parcel. Then the slave +opened it and brought out three kerchiefs of silk, one of which he +threw over his head, a second over his shoulders and a third he tied +round his waist. Moreover, the eunuch gave him a pair of bath- +clogs,[FN#110] and he put them on; after which in came white slaves and +eunuchs and sup ported him (and he laughing the while) to the outer +hall, which he found hung and spread with magnificent furniture, such +as be seemeth none but kings; and the pages hastened up to him and +seated him on the divan. Then they fell to kneading him till sleep +overcame him; and he dreamt that he had a girl in his arms. So he +kissed her and set her between his thighs; then, sitting to her as a +man sitteth to a woman,[FN#111] he took yard in hand and drew her +towards him and weighed down upon her, when lo! he heard one saying to +him, "Awake, thou ne'er-do-well! The noon hour is come and thou art +still asleep." He opened his eyes and found him self lying on the merge +of the cold-water tank, amongst a crowd of people all laughing at him; +for his prickle was at point and the napkin had slipped from his +middle. So he knew that all this was but a confusion of dreams and an +illusion of Hashish and he was vexed and said to him who had aroused +him, "Would thou hadst waited till I had put it in!" Then said the +folk, "Art thou not ashamed, O Hashish-eater, to be sleeping stark +naked with stiff standing tool?" And they cuffed him till his neck was +red. Now he was starving, yet forsooth had he savoured the flavour of +pleasure in his dream. When Kanmakan heard the bondwoman's tale, he +laughed till he fell backward and said to Bakun, "O my nurse, this is +indeed a rare story and a delectable; I never heard the like of this +anecdote. Say me! hast more?" "Yes," replied she, and she ceased not +to tell him merry adventures and laughable absurdities, till sleep +overcame him. Then she sat by his head till the most part of the night +was past, when she said to herself, "It is time to profit by the +occasion." So she sprang to her feet and unsheathed the hanger and +rushing up to Kanmakan, was about to cut his throat when behold, his +mother came in upon the twain. As soon as Bakun saw her, she rose in +respect and advanced to meet her, and fear get hold of her and she fell +a- trembling, as if he had the ague. When his mother looked at her she +marvelled to see her thus and aroused her son, who awoke and found her +sitting at his head. Now the cause of her coming was that Kuzia Fakan +overheard the conversation and the concert to kill Kanmakan, and she +said to his mother, "O wife of my uncle, go to thy son, ere that wicked +whore Bakun murther him;" and she told her what had passed from first +to last. So she fared forth at once, and she thought of naught and +stayed not for aught till she went in to her son at the very moment +when Bakun was about to slay him in his sleep. When he awoke, he said +to his mother, "O my mother, indeed thou comest at a good time, for +nurse Bakun hath been with me this night." Then he turned to Bakun and +asked her, "By my life! knowest thou any story better than those thou +hast told me?" She answered, "And where is what I have told thee +compared with what I will tell thee?; but however better it be, it must +be told at another time." Then she rose to depart, hardly believing, in +her escape albeit he said, "Go in peace!" for she perceived by her +cunning that his mother knew what had occurred. So she went her way; +whereupon his mother said to him, "O my son, blessed be this night, for +that Almighty Allah hath delivered thee from this accursed woman." "And +how so?" enquired he, and she told him the story from beginning to end. + Quoth he, "O my mother, of a truth the live man findeth no slayer, and +though slain he shall not die; but now it were wiser that we depart +from amongst these enemies and let Allah work what He will." So, when +day dawned he left the city and joined the Wazir Dandan, and after his +departure, certain things befel between King Sasan and Nuzhat al-Zaman, +which compelled her also to quit the city and join herself to them; and +presently they were met by all the high officers of King Sasan who +inclined to their party. Then they sat in counsel together devising +what they should do, and at last all agreed upon a razzia into the land +of Roum there to take their revenge for the death of King Omar bin +al-Nu'uman and his son Sharrkan. So they set out with this in tent +and, after sundry adventures (which it were tedious to tell as will +appear from what follows), they fell into the hands of Rúmzán, King of +the Greeks. Next morning, King Rumzan caused Kanmakan and the Wazir +Dandan and their company to be brought before him and, when they came, +he seated them at his side, and bade spread the tables of food. So +they ate and drank and took heart of grace, after having made sure of +death, when they were summoned to the King's presence; and they had +said to one another, "He hath not sent for us but to slay us." And when +they were comforted the King said, "In truth I have had a dream, which +I related to the monks, and they said, "None can expound it to thee +save the Wazir Dandan." Quoth the Minister, "Weal it was thou didst see +in thy dream, O King of the age!" Quoth the King, "O Wazir, I dreamt +that I was in a pit which seemed a black well where multitudes were +tormenting me; and I would have risen, but when springing up I fell on +my feet and could not get out of that same pit. Then I turned and saw +therein a girdle of gold and I stretched out my hand to take it; but +when I raised it from the ground, I saw it was two girdles. So I girt +my middle with them both and behold, the girdles became one girdle; and +this, O Wazir, is my dream and what I saw when my sleep was deepest." +Said Dandan, "O our Lord the Sultan! know that this thy dream denoteth +thou hast a brother or a brother's son or an uncle's son or other near +kinsman of thy flesh and blood whom thou knowest not; withal he is of +the noblest of you all." Now when the King heard these words he looked +at Kanmakan and Nuzhat al-Zaman and Kuzia Fakan and the Wazir Dandan +and the rest of the captives and said to himself, "If I smite these +people's necks, their troops will lose heart for the destruction of +their chiefs and I shall be able to return speedily to my realm, lest +the Kingship pass out of my hands." So having determined upon this he +called the Sworder and bade him strike off Kanmakan's head upon the +spot and forthright, when lo! up came Rumzan's nurse and said to him, +"O auspicious King, what purposest thou?" Quoth he, "I purpose +slaughtering these prisoners who are in my power; and after that I will +throw their heads among their men: then will I fall upon them, I and +all my army in one body, and kill all we can kill and rout the rest: so +will this be the decisive action of the war and I shall return speedily +to my kingdom ere aught of accident befal among my subjects." When the +nurse heard these words, she came up to him and said in the Frankish +tongue, "How canst thou prevail upon thyself to slay thine own +brother's son, and thy sister, and thy sister's daughter?" When he +heard this language, he was wroth with exceeding wrath and said to her, +"O accursed woman, didst thou not tell me that my mother was murthered +and that my father died by poison? Didst thou not give me a jewel and +say to me, 'Of a truth this jewel was thy father's?' Why didst thou not +tell me the truth?" Replied she, "All that I told thee is true, but my +case and thy case are wonderful and my history and thy his tory are +marvellous. My name is Marjanah and thy mother's name was Abrizah: and +she was gifted with such beauty and loveliness and velour that proverbs +were made of her, and her prowess was renowned among men of war. And +thy father was King Omar bin al- Nu'uman, Lord of Baghdad and Khorasan, +without doubt or double dealing or denial. He sent his son Sharrkan on +a razzia in company with this very Wazir Dandan; and they did all that +men can. But Sharrkan, thy brother, who had preceded the force, +separated himself from the troops and fell in with thy mother Queen +Abrizah in her palace; and we happened to have sought a place apart in +order to wrestle, she and I and her other damsels. He came upon us by +chance while we were in such case, and wrestled with thy mother, who +overcame him by the power of her splendid beauty and by her prowess. +Then she entertained him five days in her palace, till the news of this +came to her father, by the old woman Shawahi, surnamed Zat al-Dawahi, +whereupon she embraced Al-Islam at the hands of Sharrkan, and he took +her and carried her by stealth to Baghdad, and with her myself and +Rayhánab and twenty other damsels, all of us having, like her, followed +the True Faith. When we came into the presence of thy Father, the King +Omar bin al-Nu'uman, and he saw thy mother, Queen Abrizah, he fell in +love with her and going in unto her one night, had connection with her, +and she conceived by him and became with child of thee. Now thy mother +had three jewels which she presented to thy father; and he gave one of +them to his daughter, Nuzhat al-Zaman, another to thy brother, Zau al- +Makan, and the third to thy brother Sharrkan. This last thy mother +took from Sharrkan and kept it for thee. But as the time of her +delivery drew near she yearned after her own people and disclosed to me +her secret; so I went to a black slave called Al- Ghazban; and, privily +telling him our case, bribed him to go with us. Accordingly the negro +took us and fled the city with us, thy mother being near her time. But +as we approached a desert place on the borders of our own country, the +pangs of labour came upon thy mother. Then the slave proved himself a +lustful villain and approaching her sought of her a shameful thing; +whereupon she cried out at him with a loud cry, and was sore affrighted +at him. In the excess of her fright she gave birth to thee at once, and +at that moment there arose, in the direction of our country, a +dust-cloud which towered and flew till it walled the view. Thereupon +the slave feared for his life; so he smote Queen Abrizah with his sword +and slew her in his fury; then mounting his horse he went his way. +Soon after his going, the dust lifted and discovered thy grandfather, +King Hardub, Lord of Grćcia-land, who, seeing thy mother (and his +daughter) lying slain on the plain, was sorely troubled with a distress +that redoubled, and questioned me of the manner of her death and the +cause of her secretly quitting her father's realm. So I told him all +that had passed, first and last; and this is the cause of the feud +between the people of the land of the Greeks and the people of the city +of Baghdad. Then we bore off thy murthered mother and buried her; and +I took thee and reared thee, and hung about thy neck the jewel which +was with Queen Abrizah. But, when being grown up thou camest to man's +estate, I dared not acquaint thee with the truth of the matter, lest +such information stir up a war of blood revenge between you. More +over, thy grandfather had enjoined me to secrecy, and I could not +gainsay the commandment of thy mother's father, Hardub, King of the +Greeks. This, then, is the cause of my concealment and the reason why +I forbore to inform thee that thy father was King Omar bin al-Nu'uman; +but when thou camest to the throne, I told thee what thou knowest; and +I durst not reveal to thee the rest till this moment, O King of the +Age! So now I have discovered to thee my secret and my proof, and I +have acquainted thee with all I know; and thou reckest best what is in +thy mind." Now all the captives had heard the slave woman Marjanah, +nurse to King Rumzan, speaking as she spake; when Nuzhat al-Zaman, +without stay or delay, cried out, saying, "This King Rumzan is my +brother by my father, King Omar bin al-Nu'uman, and his mother was +Queen Abrizah, daughter of King Hardub, Lord of the Greeks; and I know +this slave-woman Marjanah right well." With this, trouble and +perplexity got hold upon Rumzan and he caused Nuzhat al-Zaman to be +brought up to him forthright. When he looked upon her, blood yearned +to blood and he questioned her of his history. She told him the tale +and her story tallied with that of Marjanah, his nurse; whereupon the +King was assured that he was, indeed and without a doubt, of the people +of Irak; and that King Omar bin al-Nu'uman was his father. So without +losing time he caused his sister to be unpinioned, and Nuzhat al-Zaman +came up to him and kissed his hands, whilst her eves ran over with +tears. The King west also to see her weeping, and brotherly love +possessed him and his heart yearned to his brother's son Sultan +Kanmakan. So he sprang to his feet and, taking the sword from the +Sworder's hands (whereat the captives made sure of death), he caused +them to be set close to him and he cut their bonds with the blade and +said to his nurse Marjanah, "Explain the matter to this company, even +as thou hast explained it to me." Replied she, "O King, know that this +Shayth is the Wazir Dandan and he is the best of witnesses to my story, +seeing that he knoweth the facts of the case." Then she turned to the +captives and repeated the whole story to them on the spot and +forthright, and in presence of the Kings of the Greeks and the Kings of +the Franks; whereupon Queen Nuzhat al-Zaman and the Wazir Dandan and +all who were prisoners with them confirmed her words. When Marjanah, +the bond-woman, had finished, chancing to look at Sultan Kanmakan she +saw on his neck the third jewel, fellow to the two which were with +Queen Abrizah; and, recognising it, she cried so loud a cry, that the +palace re-echoed it and said to the King, "O my son, know that now my +certainty is still more assured, for this jewel that is about the neck +of yonder captive is the fellow to that I hung to thy neck; and, these +being the two, this captive is indeed thy brother's son, Kanmakan." +Then the slave women Marjanah turned to Kanmakan and said to him, "Let +me see that jewel, O King of the Age!"; so he took it from his neck and +handed it to her. Then she asked Nuzhat al-Zaman of the third jewel +and she gave it to her; and when the two were in her hand she delivered +them to King Rumzan, and the truth and proof were made manifest to him; +and he was assured that he was indeed Sultan Kanmakan's uncle and that +his father was King Omar bin al- Nu'uman. So he rose at once and on +the spot and, going up to the Wazir Dandan, threw his arms round his +neck; then he embraced King Kanmakan and the twain cried a loud cry for +excess of joy. The glad news was blazed abroad without delay; and they +beat the tabrets and cymbals, whilst the shawms sounded and the people +held high festival. The armies of Irak and Syria heard the clamour of +rejoicing among the Greeks; so they mounted to the last man, and King +Zibl Khan also took horse saying to himself, "Would I knew what can be +the cause of this clamour and rejoicing in the army of the Franks and +the Greeks!" Then the army of Irak dight itself for fight and advanced +into the plain and place of cut and foin. Presently, King Rumzan +turned him round and saw the army deployed and in preparing for battle +employed, so he asked the cause thereof and was told the state of the +case. Thereupon he bade his niece and brother's daughter, Kuzia Fakan, +return at once and forthright to the troops of Syria and Irak and +acquaint them with the plight that had betided and how it was come to +light that King Rumzan was uncle to Sultan Kanmakan. She set out, +putting away from her sorrows and troubles and, coming to King Zibl +Khan,[FN#112] saluted him and told him all that had passed of the good +accord, and how King Rumzan had proved to be her uncle and uncle of +Kanmakan. And when she went in to him she found him tearful eyed, in +fear for the captive Emirs and Princes; but when he heard what had +passed, from first to last, the Moslem's sadness was abated and they +joyed with the more gladness. Then King Zibl Khan and all his officers +and his retinue took horse and followed Princess Kuzia Fakan till they +reached the pavilion of King Rumzan; and when entering they found him +sitting with his nephew, Sultan Kanmakan. Now he had taken counsel +with the Wazir Dandan concerning King Zibl Khan and had agreed to +commit to his charge the city of Damascus of Sham and leave him King +over it as he before had been while they themselves entered Irak. +Accordingly, they confirmed him in the vice royalty of Damascus of +Syria, and bade him set out at once for his government; so he fared +forth with his troops and they rode with him a part of the way to bid +him farewell. Then they returned to their own places whereupon, the +two armies foregathered and gave orders for the march upon Irak; but +the Kings said one to other, "Our hearts will never be at rest nor our +wrath cease to rage till we have taken our wreak of the old woman +Shawahi, surnamed Zat al-Dawahi, and wiped away our shame and blot upon +our honour." Thereupon King Rumzan and his nephew set out, surrounded +by their Nobles and Grandees; and indeed Kanmakan rejoiced in his +uncle, King Rumzan, and called down blessings on nurse Marjanah who had +made them known to each other. They fared on and ceased not faring +till they drew near their home Baghdad, and when the Chief Chamberlain, +Sasan, heard of their approach, he came out to meet them and kissed the +hand of King Rumzan who bestowed on him a dress of honour. Then the +King of Roum sat down on the throne and seated by his side his nephew +Sultan Kanmakan, who said to him, "O my uncle, this Kingdom befitteth +none but thee." Replied Rumzan, "Allah be my refuge and the Lord forbid +that I should supplant thee in thy Kingdom!" Upon this the Wazir Dandan +counselled them to share the throne between the two, ruling each one +day in turn; and with this they were well satisfied.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the two Kings +agreed each to rule one day in turn: then made they feasts and offered +sacrifices of clean beasts and held high festival; and they abode thus +awhile, whilst Sultan Kanmakan spent his nights with his cousin Kuzia +Fakan. And after that period, as the two Kings sat rejoicing in their +condition and in the happy ending of their troubles, behold, they saw a +cloud of dust arise and tower till it walled the world from their eyes. + And out of it came a merchant shrieking and crying aloud for succour +and saying, "O Kings of the Age! how cometh it that I woned safely in +the land of the Infidels and I am plundered in your realm, though it be +the biding place of justice[FN#113] and peace?" Then King Rumzan went +up to him and questioned him of his case and he replied, "I am a +merchant and, like other merchants, I have been long absent from my +native land, travelling in far countries for some twenty years; and I +have a patent of exemption from the city of Damascus which the Viceroy, +King Sharrkan (who hath found mercy) wrote me, for the cause that I had +made him gift of a slave-girl. Now as I was drawing near my home, +having with me an hundred loads of rarities of Hind, when I brought +them near Baghdad, which be the seat of your sovereignty and the place +of your peace and your justice, out there came upon me wild Arabs and +Kurds[FN#114] in band gathered together from every land; and they slew +my many and they robbed my money and this is what they have done me." +Then the trader wept in presence of King Rumzan, saying that he was an +old man and infirm; and he bemoaned himself till the King felt for him +and had compassion on him; and likewise did King Kanmakan and they +swore that they would sally forth upon the thieves. So they set out +amid an hundred horse, each reckoned worth thou sands of men, and the +merchant went before them to guide them in the right way; and they +ceased not faring on all that day and the livelong night till +dawnbreak, when they came to a valley abounding in rills and shady with +trees. Here they found the foray dispersed about the valley, having +divided that merchant's bales among them; but there was yet some of the +goods left. So the hundred horsemen fell upon them and surrounded them +on all sides, and King Rumzan shouted his war cry, and thus also did +his nephew Kanmakan, and ere long they made prize of them all, to the +number of near three hundred horsemen, banded together of the refuse of +rascality.[FN#115] They took what they could find of the merchant's +goods and, binding them tightly, brought them to Baghdad, where King +Rumzan and his nephew, King Kanmakan, sat down together on one throne +and, passing the prisoners in review before them, questioned them of +their case and their chiefs. They said, "We have no chiefs but these +three men and it was they who gathered us together from all corners and +countries." The Kings said to them, "Point out to us your headmen!"; +and, when this was done, they bade lay hands on the leaders and set +their comrades free, after taking from them all the goods in their +possession and restoring them to the merchant, who examined his stuffs +and monies and found that a fourth of his stock was missing. The Kings +engaged to make good the whole of his loss, where upon the trader +pulled out two letters, one in the handwriting of Sharrkan, and the +other in that of Nuzhat al-Zaman; for this was the very merchant who +had bought Nuzhat al-Zaman of the Badawi, when she was a virgin, and +had forwarded her to her brother Sharrkan; and that happened between +them which happened.[FN#116] Hereupon King Kanmakan examined the +letters and recognised the handwriting of his uncle Sharrkan, and, +having heard the history of his aunt, Nuzhat al- Zaman, he went in to +her with the second letter written by her to the merchant who had lost +through her his monies; Kanmakan also told her what had befallen the +trader from first to last. She knew her own handwriting and, +recognising the merchant, despatched to him guest gifts and commended +him to her brother and nephew, who ordered him largesse of money and +black slaves and pages to wait on him; besides which Nuzhat al-Zaman +sent him an hundred thousand dirhams in cash and fifty loads of +merchandise and presented to him other rich presents. Then she sent +for him and when he came, she went up to him and saluted him and told +him that she was the daughter of King Omar bin al- Nu'uman and that her +brother was King Rumzan and that King Kanmakan was her nephew. +Thereupon the merchant rejoiced with great joy, and congratulated her +on her safety and on her re- union with her brother, and kissed her +hands thanking her for her bounty, and said to her, "By Allah! a good +deed is not lost upon thee!" Then she withdrew to her own apartment and +the trader sojourned with them three days, after which he took leave of +them and set out on his return march to the land of Syria. Thereupon +the two Kings sent for the three robber chiefs who were of the highway +men, and questioned them of their case, when one of them came forward +and said, "Know ye that I am a Badawi who am wont to lie in wait, by +the way, to snatch small children[FN#117] and virgin girls and sell +them to merchants; and this I did for many a year until these latter +days, when Satan incited me to join yon two gallows birds in gathering +together all the riff-raff of the Arabs and other peoples, that we +might plunder merchandise and waylay merchants." Said the Kings, "Tell +us the rarest of the adventures that have befallen thee in kidnapping +children and maidens." Replied he, "O Kings of the Age, the strangest +thing that happened to me was that one day, two-and-twenty years ago, I +snatched a girl who belonged to the Holy City; she was gifted with +beauty and comeliness, despite that she was but a servant and was clad +in threadbare clothes, with a piece of camlet-cloth on her head. So I +entrapped her by guile as she came out of the caravanserai; and at that +very hour mounting her on a camel, made off with her, thinking to carry +her to my own people in the Desert and there set her to pasture the +camels and gather their droppings in the valley. But she wept with so +sore a weeping that after coming down upon her with blows, I took her +and carried her to Damascus city where a merchant saw her with me and, +being astounded at her beauty and marvelling at her accomplishments, +wished to buy her of me and kept on bidding me more and more for her, +till at last I sold her to him for an hundred thousand dirhams. After +selling her I heard her display prodigious eloquence; and it reached me +that the merchant clothed her in handsome gear and presented her to the +Viceroy of Damascus, who gave him three times the price which he had +paid to me, and this price, by my life! was but little for such a +damsel. This, O Kings of the Age, is the strangest thing that ever +befel me." When the two Kings heard her story they wondered thereat, +but when Nuzhat al-Zaman heard what the Badawi related, the light +became darkness before her face and she cried out and said to her +brother Rumzan, "Sure and sans doubt this is the very Badawi who +kidnapped me in the Holy City Jerusalem!" Then she told them all that +she had endured from him in her stranger hood of hardship, blows, +hunger, humiliation, contempt, adding, "And now it is lawful for me to +slay him." So saying she seized a sword and made at him to smite him; +and behold, he cried out and said, "O Kings of the Age, suffer her not +to slay me, till I shall have told you the rare adventures that have +betided me." And her nephew Kanmakan said to her, "O my aunt, let him +tell us his tale, and after that do with him as thou wilt." So she held +her hand and the Kings said to him, "Now let us hear thy history." +Quoth he, "O Kings of the Age, if I tell you a rare tale will ye pardon +me?" "Yes," answered they. Then the Badawi robber-chief began, + + +The Tale of Hammad the Badawi. + +And he said:—Know ye that a short while ago, I was sore wakeful one +night and thought the morn would never dawn; so, as soon as it was +break of day I rose, without stay or delay; and, slinging over my +shoulder my sword, mounted horse and set my lance in rest. Then I rode +out to sport and hunt and, as I went along, a company of men accosted +me and asked me whither I was bound I told them and they said, "We will +keep thee company." So we all fared on together, and, whilst we were +faring, lo and behold! up started an ostrich and we gave her chase, +but she escaped our pursuit and spreading wings ceased not to fly +before us (and we following by sight) till she lost us in a desert +wherein there was neither grass nor water, nor heard we aught therein +save hiss of snake and wail of Jinn and howl of Ghul; and when we +reached that place the ostrich disappeared nor could we tell whether +she had flown up into the sky or into the ground had gone down. Then +we turned our horses' heads and thought to return; but found that to +retrace our steps at that time of burning heat would be toilsome and +dangerous; for the sultry air was grievous to us, so that we thirsted +with sore thirst and our steeds stood still. We made sure of death; +but while we were in this case we suddenly espied from afar a spacious +mead where gazelles were frisking Therein was a tent pitched and by the +tent side a horse tethered and a spear was planted with head glittering +in the sun.[FN#118] Upon this our hearts revived after we had +despaired, and we turned our horses' heads towards that tent making for +the meadow and the water which irrigated it; and all my comrades fared +for it and I at their head, and we ceased not faring till we reached +the mead. Then we alighted at the spring and watered our beasts. But I +was seized with a fever of foolish curiosity and went up to the door of +that tent, wherein I saw a young man, without hair on his cheeks, who +fellowed the new moon; and on his right hand was a slender-waisted +maid, as she were a willow-wand. No sooner did I set eyes on her than +love get hold upon my heart and I saluted the youth, who returned my +greeting. Then said I, "O my brother, tell me who thou art and what to +thee is this damsel sitting by thy side?"[FN#119] Thereupon the youth +bent his head groundwards awhile, then raised it and replied, "Tell me +first who thou art and what are these horsemen with thee?" Answered I, +"I am Hammad son of al-Fazari, the renowned knight, who is reckoned +among the Arabs as five hundred horse. We went forth from our place +this morning to sport and chase and were overcome by thirst; so I came +to the door of this tent, thinking haply to get of thee a draught of +water." When he heard these my words, he turned to the fair maiden and +said, "Bring this man water and what food there is ready." So she arose +trailing her skirts, whilst the golden bangles tinkled on her ankles +and her feet stumbled in her long locks, and she disappeared for a +little while. Presently she returned bearing in her right hand a +silver vessel full of cold water and in her left hand a bowl brimming +with milk and dates, together with some flesh of wild cattle. But I +could take of her nor meat nor drink for the excess of my passion, and +I applied to her these two couplets, saying, + +"It was as though the sable dye[FN#120] upon her palms, * + Were raven perching on a swathe of freshest snow; +Thou seest Sun and Moon conjoined in her face, * + While Sun fear-dimmed and Moon fright-pallid show." + +After I had eaten and drunk I said to the youth, "Know thou, O Chief of +the Arabs, that I have told thee in all truth who and what I am, and +now I would fain have thee do the like by me and tell me the truth of +thy case." Replied the young man, "As for this damsel she is my +sister." Quoth I, "It is my desire that thou give me her to wife of thy +free will: else will I slay thee and take her by force." Upon this, he +bowed his head groundwards awhile, then he raised his eyes to me and +answered, "Thou sayest sooth in avouching thyself a renowned knight and +famed in fight and verily thou art the lion of the desert; but if ye +all attack me treacherously and slay me in your wrath and take my +sister by force, it will be a stain upon your honour. An you be, as ye +aver, cavaliers who are counted among the Champions and reck not the +shock of foray and fray, give me a little time to don my armour and +sling on my sword and set lance in rest and mount war steed. Then will +we go forth into the field of fight, I and you; and, if I conquer you, +I will kill you to the last man; but if you overcome me and slay me, +this damsel, my sister, is yours." Hearing such words I replied, "This +is only just, and we oppose it not." Then I turned back my horse's head +(for my love for the damsel waxed hotter and hotter) and returned to my +companions, to whom I set forth her beauty and loveliness as also the +comeliness of the young man who was with her, together with his velour +and strength of soul and how he had avouched himself a match for a +thousand horse. Moreover, I described to my company the tent and all +the riches and rarities therein and said to them, "Know ye that this +youth would not have cut himself off from society and have taken up his +abode alone in this place, were he not a man of great prowess: so I +propose that whoso slayeth the younker shall take his sister." And they +said, "This contenteth us." Then my company armed themselves and +mounting, rode to the tent, where we found that the young man had +donned his gear and backed his steed; but his sister ran up to him (her +veil being drenched with tears), and took hold of his stirrup and cried +out, saying, "Alas!" and, "Woe worth the day!" in her fear for her +brother, and recited these couplets, + +"To Allah will I make my moan of travail and of woe, * + Maybe Iláh of Arsh[FN#121] will smite their faces with + affright: +Fain would they slay thee, brother mine, with purpose + felon-fell; * Albe no cause of vengeance was, nor fault + forewent the fight. +Yet for a rider art thou known to those who back the steed, * + And twixt the East and West of knights thou art the prowess + knight: +Thy sister's honour thou shalt guard though little might be + hers, * For thou'rt her brother and for thee she sueth + Allah's might: +Then let not enemy possess my soul nor 'thrall my frame, * + And work on me their will and treat thy sister with + despight. +I'll ne'er abide, by Allah's truth, in any land or home * + Where thou art not, though dight it be with joyance and + delight +For love and yearning after thee myself I fain will slay, * + And in the gloomy darksome tomb spread bed upon the clay." + +But when her brother heard her verse he wept with sore weeping and +turned his horse's head towards his sister and made this answer to her +poetry, + +"Stand by and see the derring-do which I to-day will show, * + When meet we and I deal them blows that rend and cleave and + split; +E'en though rush out to seek a bout the lion of the war, * + The stoutest hearted brave of all and eke the best in wit; +To him I'll deal without delay a Sa'alabiyan blow,[FN#122] * + And dye my cane-spear's joint in blood by wound of foe + bespit: +If all I beat not off from thee, O sister, may this frame * + Be slain, and cast my corpse to birds, for so it would + befit: +Yes, for thy dearest sake I'll strike my blows with might and + main, * And when we're gone shall this event in many a book + be writ." + +And when he had ended his verse, he said, "O my sister, give ear to +what I shall enjoin on thee"; whereto she replied, "Hearkening and +obedience." Quoth he, "If I fall, let none possess thy person;" and +thereupon she buffeted her face and said, "Allah forbid, O my brother, +that I should see thee laid low and yield myself to thy foe!" With this +the youth put out his hand to her and withdrew her veil from her face, +whereupon it shone forth as the sun shineth out from the white clouds. +Then he kissed her between the eyes and bade her farewell; after which +he turned to us and said, "Holla, Knights! Come ye as guests or crave +ye cuts and thrusts? If ye come to us as your hosts, rejoice ye in the +guest rite; and, if ye covet the shining moon, come ye out against me, +knight by knight, into this plain and place of fight." There upon +rushed out to him a doughty rider and the young man said to him, "Tell +me thy name and thy father's name, for I am under an oath not to slay +any whose name tallies with mine and whose father's name is that of my +father; and if this be the case with thee, I will give thee up the +maid." Quoth the horseman, "My name is Bilál;"[FN#123] and the young +man answered him, saying, + +"Thou liest when speaking of 'benefits,' while * + Thou comest to front with shine evillest will +An of prowess thou'rt prow, to my words give ear, * + I'm he who make' champions in battle-field reel +With keen blade, like the horn of the cusped moon, * + So 'ware thrust the, shall drill through the duress hill!" + +Then they charged down, each at each, and the youth thrust his +adversary in the breast so that the lance head issued from his back. +With tints, another came out, and the youth cried, + +"Ho thou hound, who art rotten with foulness in grain,[FN#124] * + What high meed is there easy for warrior to gain? +'Tis none save the lion of strain purest pure * + Who uncareth for life in the battle plain!" + +Nor was it long before the youth left him drowned in his blood and +cried out, "Who will come forth to me?" So a third horse man rushed out +upon the youth and began saying, + +"To thee come I forth with my heart a-flame, * + And summon my friends and my comrades by name: +When thou slewest the chief of the Arabs this day, * + This day thou remainest the pledge of my claim." + +Now when the youth heard this he answered him in these words, + +"Thou liest, O foulest of Satans that are, * + And with easings calumnious thou comest to war +This day thou shalt fall by a death dealing point * + Where the lances lunge and the scymitars jar!" + +Then he so foined him in the breast that the spear-point issued from +his back and he cried out, saying, "Ho! will none come out? So a +fourth fared forwards and the youth asked him his name and he answered, +"My name is Hilál, the New Moon." And the youth began repeating, + +"Thou hast failed who would sink me in ruin sea, * + Thou who camest in malice with perfidy: +I, whose verses hast heard from the mouth of me, * + Will ravish thy soul though unknown to thee." + +Then they drave at each other and delivered two cuts, but the youth's +stroke devanced that of the rider his adversary and slew him: and thus +he went on to kill all who sallied out against him. Now when I saw my +comrades slain, I said to myself, "If I go down to fight with him, I +shall not be able to prevail against him; and, if I flee, I shall +become a byword of shame among the Arabs." But the youth gave me no +time to think, for he ran at me and dragged me from my saddle and +hurled me to the ground. I fainted at the fall and he raised his sword +designing to cut off my head; but I clung to his skirts, and he lifted +me in his hand as though I were a sparrow. When the maiden saw this, +she rejoiced in her brother's prowess and coming up to him, kissed him +between the eyes. Then he delivered me to her, saying, "Take him and +look to him and entreat him hospitably, for he is come under our rule." +So she took hold of the collar of my hauberk[FN#125] and led me away by +it as one would lead a dog. Then she did off her brother's coat of mail +and clad him in a robe, and set for him a stool of ivory, on which he +sat down; and she said to him, "Allah whiten thy honour and prevent +from thee the shifts of fortune!" And he answered her with these +couplets, + +"My sister said, as saw she how I stood * + In fight, when sun-rays lit my knightlihood +'Allah assain thee for a Brave of braves * + To whom in vale bow lions howso wood!' +Quoth I, 'Go ask the champions of my case, * + When feared the Lords of war my warrior mood! +My name is famed for fortune and for force, * + And soared my spirit to such altitude,' +Ho thou, Hammád, a lion hast upstirred, * + Shall show thee speedy death like viper brood." + +Now when I heard his verse, I was perplexed as to my case and +considering my condition and how I was become a captive, I was lowered +in my own esteem. Then I looked at the damsel, his sister, and seeing +her beauty I said to myself, "'Tis she who caused all this trouble"; +and I fell a-marvelling at her loveliness till the tears streamed from +my eyes and I recited these couplets, + +"Dear friend! ah leave thy loud reproach and blame; * + Such blame but irks me yet may not alarm: +I'm clean distraught for one whom saw I not * + Without her winning me by winsome charm +Yestreen her brother crossed me in her love, * + A Brave stout-hearted and right long of arm." + +Then the maiden set food before her brother and he bade me eat with +him, whereat I rejoiced and felt assured that I should not be slain. +And when he had ended eating, she brought him a flagon of pure wine and +he applied him to it till the fumes of the drink mounted to his head +and his face flushed red. Then he turned to me and said, "Woe to thee, +O Hammad! dost thou know me or not?" Replied I, "By thy life, I am +rich in naught save ignorance!' Quoth he, "O Hammad, I am 'Abbád bin +Tamím bin Sa'labah and indeed Allah giveth thee thy liberty and leadeth +thee to a happy bride and spareth thee confusion." Then he drank to my +long life and gave me a cup of wine and I drank it off; and presently +he filled me a second and a third and a fourth, and I drained them all; +while he made merry with me and swore me never to betray him. So I +sware to him one thousand five hundred oaths that I would never deal +perfidiously with him at any time, but that I would be a friend and a +helper to him. Thereupon he bade his sister bring me ten suits of silk, +so she brought them and laid them on my person, and this dress I have +on my body is one of them. Moreover, he made bring one of the best of +his she- dromedaries[FN#126] carrying stuffs and provaunt, he bade her +also bring a sorrel horse, and when they were brought he gave the whole +of them to me. I abode with them three days, eating and drinking, and +what he gave me of gifts is with me to this present. At the end of the +three days he said to me, "O Hammad, O my brother, I would sleep awhile +and take my rest and verily I trust my life to thee; but, if thou see +horsemen making hither, fear not, for know that they are of the Banu +Sa'labah, seeking to wage war on me." Then he laid his sword under his +head-pillow and slept; and when he was drowned in slumber Iblis tempted +me to slay him; so I arose in haste, and drawing the sword from under +his head, dealt him a blow that made his head fall from his body. But +his sister knew what I had done, and rushing out from within the tent, +threw herself on his corpse, rending her raiment and repeating these +couplets, + +"To kith and kin bear thou sad tidings of our plight; * + From doom th' All-wise decreed shall none of men take + flight: +Low art thou laid, O brother! strewn upon the stones, * + With face that mirrors moon when shining brightest bright! +Good sooth, it is a day accurst, thy slaughter-day * + Shivering thy spear that won the day in many a fight! +Now thou be slain no rider shall delight in steed, * + Nor man child shall the breeding woman bring to light. +This morn Hammád uprose and foully murthered thee, * + Falsing his oath and troth with foulest perjury." + +When she had ended her verse she said to me, "O thou of accursed +forefathers, wherefore didst thou play my brother false and slay him +when he purposed returning thee to thy native land with provisions; and +it was his intent also to marry thee to me at the first of the month?" +Then she drew a sword she had with her, and planting the hilt in the +earth, with the point set to her breast, she bent over it and threw +herself thereon till the blade issued from her back and she fell to the +ground, dead. I mourned for her and wept and repented when repentance +availed me naught. Then I arose in haste and went to the tent and, +taking whatever was light of load and weighty of worth, went my way; +but in my haste and horror I took no heed of my dead comrades, nor did +I bury the maiden and the youth. And this my tale is still more +wondrous than the story of the serving-girl I kidnapped from the Holy +City, Jerusalem. But when Nuzhat al-Zaman heard these words from the +Badawi, the light was changed in her eyes to night.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nuzhat +al-Zaman heard these words from the Badawi, the light was changed in +her eyes to night, and she rose and drawing the sword, smote Hammad the +Arab between the shoulder-blades so that the point issued from the +apple of his throat.[FN#127] And when all present asked her, 'Why hast +thou made haste to slay him;" she answered, "Praised be Allah who hath +granted me in my life tide to avenge myself with mine own hand!" And +she bade the slaves drag the body out by the feet and cast it to the +dogs. Thereupon they turned to the two prisoners who remained of the +three; and one of them was a black slave, so they said to him, What is +thy name, fellow? Tell us the truth of thy case." He replied, "As for +me my name is Al-Ghazbán," and acquainted them what had passed between +himself and Queen Abrizah, daughter of King Hardub, Lord of Greece, and +how he had slain her and fled. Hardly had the negro made an end of his +story, when King Rumzan struck off his head with his scymitar, saying, +Praise to Allah who gave me life! I have avenged my mother with my own +hand." Then he repeated to them what his nurse Marjanah had told him of +this same slave whose name was Al-Ghazban; after which they turned to +the third prisoner. Now this was the very camel- driver[FN#128] whom +the people of the Holy City, Jerusalem, hired to carry Zau al-Makan and +lodge him in the hospital at Damascus of Syria; but he threw him down +on the ashes midden and went his way. And they said to him, "Acquaint +us with thy case and tell the truth." So he related to them all that +had happened to him with Sultan Zau al-Makan; how he had been carried +from the Holy City, at the time when he was sick, till they made +Damascus and he had been thrown into the hospital; how also the +Jerusalem folk had paid the cameleer money to transport the stranger to +Damascus, and he had taken it and fled after casting his charge upon +the midden by the side of the ash-heap of the Hammam. But when he +ended his words, Sultan Kanmakan took his sword forthright and cut off +his head, saying, "Praised be Allah who hath given me life, that I +might requite this traitor what he did with my father, for I have heard +this very story from King Zau al-Makan himself." Then the Kings said +each to other, "It remaineth only for us to wreak our revenge upon the +old woman Shawahi, yclept Zat al-Dawahi, because she is the prime cause +of all these calamities and cast us into adversity on this wise. Who +will deliver her into our hands that we may avenge ourselves upon her +and wipe out our dishonour?" And King Rumzan said, "Needs must we bring +her hither." So without stay or delay he wrote a letter to his +grandmother, the aforesaid ancient woman, giving her to know therein +that he had subdued the kingdoms of Damascus and Mosul and Irak, and +had broken up the host of the Moslems and captured their princes, +adding, "I desire thee of all urgency to come to me, bringing with thee +Queen Sophia, daughter of King Afridun, and whom thou wilt of the +Nazarene chiefs, but no armies; for the country is quiet and wholly +under our hand." And when she read the letter and recognised the +handwriting of King Rumzan, she rejoiced with great joy and forthright +equipping herself and Queen Sophia, set out with their attendants and +journeyed, without stopping, till they drew near Baghdad. Then she +foresent a messenger to acquaint the King of her arrival, whereupon +quoth Rumzan, "We should do well to don the habit of the Franks and +fare forth to meet the old woman, to the intent that we may be assured +against her craft and perfidy." Whereto Kanmakan replied, "Hearing is +consenting." So they clad themselves in Frankish clothes and, when +Kuzia Fakan saw them, she exclaimed, "By the truth of the Lord of +Worship, did I not know you, I should take you to be indeed Franks!" +Then they sallied forth with a thousand horse, King Rumzan riding on +before them, to meet the old woman. As soon as his eyes fell on hers, +he dismounted and walked towards her and she, recognizing him, +dismounted also and embraced him, but he pressed her ribs with his +hands, till he well nigh broke them. Quoth she, "What is this, O my +son?" But before she had done speaking, up came Kanmakan and Dandan; +and the horsemen with them cried out at the women and slaves and took +them all prisoners. Then the two Kings returned to Baghdad, with their +captives, and Rumzan bade them decorate the city which they did for +three days, at the end of which they brought out the old woman Shawahi, +highs Zat al- Dawahi, with a peaked red turband of palm-leaves on her +head, diademed with asses' dung and preceded by a herald proclaiming +aloud, "This is the reward of those who presume to lay hands on Kings +and the sons of Kings!" Then they crucified her on one of the gates of +Baghdad; and, when her companions saw what befel her, all embraced in a +body the faith of Al-Islam. As for Kanmakan and his uncle Rumzan and +his aunt Nuzhat al-Zaman and the Wazir Dandan, they marvelled at the +wonderful events that had betided them and bade the scribes chronicle +them in books that those who came after might read. Then they all +abode for the remainder of their days in the enjoyment of every solace +and comfort of life, till there overtook them the Destroyer of all +delights and the Sunderer of all societies. And this is the whole that +hath come down to us of the dealings of fortune with King Omar bin +al-Nu'uman and his sons Sharrkan and Zau al-Makan and his son's son +Kanmakan and his daughter Nuzhat al-Zaman and her daughter Kuzia Fakan. + Thereupon quoth Shahryar to Shahrazad, "I desire that thou tell me +somewhat about birds;" and hearing this Dunyazad said to her sister, "I +have never seen the Sultan light at heart all this while till the +present night, and his pleasure garreth me hope that the issue for thee +with him may be a happy issue." Then drowsiness overcame the Sultan, so +he slept;[FN#129]—And Shahrazad perceived the approach of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-sixth Night, + +Shahrazad began to relate, in these words, the tale of + + +THE BIRDS AND BEASTS AND THE CARPENTER[FN#130] + +Quoth she, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that in times of yore +and in ages long gone before, a peacock abode with his wife on the +seashore. Now the place was infested with lions and all manner wild +beasts, withal it abounded in trees and streams. So cock and hen were +wont to roost by night upon one of the trees, being in fear of the +beasts, and went forth by day questing food. And they ceased not thus +to do till their fear increased on them and they searched for some +place wherein to dwell other than their old dwelling place; and in the +course of their search behold, they happened on an island abounding in +streams and trees. So they alighted there and ate of its fruits and +drank of its waters. But whilst they were thus engaged, lo! up came to +them a duck in a state of extreme terror, and stayed not faring +forwards till she reached the tree whereon were perched the two +peafowl, when she seemed re assured in mind. The peacock doubted not +but that she had some rare story; so he asked her of her case and the +cause of her concern, whereto she answered, "I am sick for sorrow, and +my horror of the son of Adam:[FN#131] so beware, and again I say beware +of the sons of Adam!" Rejoined the peacock, "Fear not now that thou +hast won our protection." Cried the duck, "Alhamdolillah! glory to God, +who hath done away my cark and care by means of you being near! For +indeed I come of friendship fain with you twain." And when she had +ended her speech the peacock's wife came down to her and said, "Well +come and welcome and fair cheer! No harm shall hurt thee: how can son +of Adam come to us and we in this isle which lieth amiddlemost of the +sea? From the land he cannot reach us neither can he come against us +from the water. So be of good cheer and tell us what hath betided thee +from the child of Adam." Answered the duck, "Know, then, O thou peahen, +that of a truth I have dwelt all my life in this island safely and +peacefully, nor have I seen any disquieting thing, till one night, as I +was asleep, I sighted in my dream the semblance of a son of Adam, who +talked with me and I with him. Then I heard a voice say to me, 'O thou +duck, beware of the son of Adam and be not imposed on by his words nor +by that he may suggest to thee; for he aboundeth in wiles and guiles; +so beware with all wariness of his perfidy, for again I say, he is +crafty and right cunning even as singeth of him the poet, + + He'll offer sweetmeats with his edgčd tongue, * + And fox thee with the foxy guile of fox. + +And know thou that the son of Adam circumventeth the fishes and draweth +them forth of the seas; and he shooteth the birds with a pellet of +clay[FN#132] and trappeth the elephant with his craft. None is safe +from his mischief and neither bird nor beast escapeth him; and on this +wise have I told thee what I have heard concerning the son of Adam.' So +I awoke, fearful and trembling and from that hour to this my heart hath +not known gladness, for dread of the son of Adam, lest he surprise me +unawares by his wile or trap me in his snares. By the time the end of +the day overtook me, my strength was grown weak and my spunk failed me; +so, desiring to eat and drink, I went forth walking, troubled in spirit +and with a heart ill at ease. Now when I reached yonder mountain I saw +a tawny lion whelp at the door of a cave, and sighting me he joyed in +me with great joy, for my colour pleased him and my gracious shape; so +he cried out to me saying, 'Draw nigh unto me.' I went up to him and he +asked me, 'What is thy name, and what is thy nature?' Answered I, 'My +name is Duck, and I am of the bird kind;' and I added, 'But thou, why +tarriest thou in this place till this time?' Answered the whelp, 'My +father the lion hath for many a day warned me against the son of Adam, +and it came to pass this night that I saw in my sleep the semblance of +a son of Adam.' And he went on to tell me the like of that I have told +you. When I heard these words, I said to him, 'O lion, I take asylum +with thee, that thou mayest kill the son of Adam and be steadfast in +resolve to his slaughter; verily I fear him for myself with extreme +fear and to my fright affright is added for that thou also dreadest the +son of Adam, albeit thou art Sultan of savage beasts.' Then I ceased +not, O my sister, to bid the young lion beware of the son of Adam and +urge him to slay him, till he rose of a sudden and at once from his +stead and went out and he fared on, and I after him and I noted him +lashing flanks with tail. We advanced in the same order till we came to +a place where the roads forked and saw a cloud of dust arise which, +presently clearing away, discovered below it a runaway naked ass, now +galloping and running at speed and now rolling in the dust. When the +lion saw the ass, he cried out to him, and he came up to him in all +humility. Then said the lion, 'Harkye, crack brain brute! What is thy +kind and what be the cause of thy coming hither?' He replied, 'O son of +the Sultan! I am by kind an ass— Asinus Caballus—and the cause of my +coming to this place is that I am fleeing from the son of Adam.' Asked +the lion whelp, 'Dost thou fear then that he will kill thee?' Answered +the ass, 'Not so, O son of the Sultan, but I dread lest he put a cheat +on me and mount upon me; for he hath a thing called Pack saddle, which +he setteth on my back; also a thing called Girths which he bindeth +about my belly; and a thing called Crupper which he putteth under my +tail, and a thing called Bit which he placeth in my mouth: and he +fashioneth me a goad[FN#133] and goadeth me with it and maketh me run +more than my strength. If I stumble he curseth me, and if I bray, he +revileth me;[FN#134] and at last when I grow old and can no longer run, +he putteth on me a panel[FN#135] of wood and delivereth me to the water +carriers, who load my back with water from the river in skins and other +vessels, such as jars, and I cease not to wone in misery and abasement +and fatigue till I die, when they cast me on the rubbish-heaps to the +dogs. So what grief can surpass this grief and what calamities can be +greater than these calamities?' Now when I heard, O peahen, the ass's +words, my skin shuddered, and became as gooseflesh at the son of Adam; +and I said to the lion whelp, 'O my lord, the ass of a verity hath +excuse and his words add terror to my terror.' Then quoth the young +lion to the ass, 'Whither goest thou?' Quoth he, 'Before sunrise I +espied the son of Adam afar off, and fled from him; and now I am minded +to flee forth and run without ceasing for the greatness of my fear of +him, so haply I may find me a place of shelter from the perfidious son +of Adam.' Whilst the ass was thus discoursing with the lion whelp, +seeking the while to take leave of us and go away, behold, appeared to +us another cloud of dust, whereat the ass brayed and cried out and +looked hard and let fly a loud fart[FN#136]. After a while the dust +lifted and discovered a black steed finely dight with a blaze on the +forehead like a dirham round and bright;[FN#137] handsomely marked +about the hoof with white and with firm strong legs pleasing to sight +and he neighed with affright. This horse ceased not running till he +stood before the whelp, the son of the lion who, when he saw him, +marvelled and made much of him and said, 'What is thy kind, O majestic +wild beast and wherefore freest thou into this desert wide and vast?' +He replied, O lord of wild beasts, I am a steed of the horse kind, and +the cause of my running is that I am fleeing from the son of Adam.' The +lion whelp wondered at the horse's speech and cried to him Speak not +such words for it is shame to thee, seeing that thou art tall and +stout. And how cometh it that thou fearest the son of Adam, thou, with +thy bulk of body and thy swiftness of running when I, for all my +littleness of stature am resolved to encounter the son of Adam and, +rushing on him, eat his flesh, that I may allay the affright of this +poor duck and make her dwell in peace in her own place? But now thou +hast come here and thou hast wrung my heart with thy talk and turned me +back from what I had resolved to do, seeing that, for all thy bulk, the +son of Adam hath mastered thee and hath feared neither thy height nor +thy breadth, albeit, wert thou to kick him with one hoof thou wouldst +kill him, nor could he prevail against thee, but thou wouldst make him +drink the cup of death.' The horse laughed when he heard the whelps +words and replied, 'Far, far is it from my power to overcome him, O +Prince. Let not my length and my breadth nor yet my bulk delude thee +with respect to the son of Adam; for that he, of the excess of his +guile and his wiles, fashioneth me a thing called Hobble and applieth +to my four legs a pair of ropes made of palm fibres bound with felt, +and gibbeteth me by the head to a high peg, so that I being tied up +remain standing and can neither sit nor lie down. And when he is minded +to ride me, he bindeth on his feet a thing of iron called +Stirrup[FN#138] and layeth on my back another thing called Saddle, +which he fasteneth by two Girths passed under my armpits. Then he +setteth in my mouth a thing of iron he calleth Bit, to which he tieth a +thing of leather called Rein; and, when he sitteth in the saddle on my +back, he taketh the rein in his hand and guideth me with it, goading my +flanks the while with the shovel stirrups till he maketh them bleed. So +do not ask, O son of our Sultan, the hardships I endure from the son of +Adam. And when I grow old and lean and can no longer run swiftly, he +selleth me to the miller who maketh me turn in the mill, and I cease +not from turning night and day till I grow decrepit. Then he in turn +vendeth me to the knacker who cutteth my throat and flayeth off my hide +and plucketh out my tail, which he selleth to the sieve maker; and he +melteth down my fat for tallow candles.' When the young lion heard the +horse's words, his rage and vexation redoubled and he said, 'When didst +thou leave the son of Adam? Replied the horse, 'At midday and he is +upon my track.' Whilst the whelp was thus conversing with the horse lo! +there rose a cloud of dust and, presently opening out, discovered below +it a furious camel gurgling and pawing the earth with his feet and +never ceasing so to do till he came up with us. Now when the lion whelp +saw how big and buxom he was, he took him to be the son of Adam and was +about to spring upon him when I said to him, 'O Prince, of a truth this +is not the son of Adam, this be a camel, and he seemeth to fleeing from +the son of Adam.' As I was thus conversing, O my sister, with the lion +whelp, the camel came up and saluted him; whereupon he returned the +greeting and said, 'What bringeth thee hither?' Replied he, 'I came +here fleeing from the son of Adam.' Quoth the whelp, 'And thou, with +thy huge frame and length and breadth, how cometh it that thou fearest +the son of Adam, seeing that with one kick of thy foot thou wouldst +kill him?' Quoth the camel, 'O son of the Sultan, know that the son of +Adam hath subtleties and wiles, which none can withstand nor can any +prevail against him, save only Death; for he putteth into my nostrils a +twine of goat's hair he calleth Nose- ring,[FN#139] and over my head a +thing he calleth Halter; then he delivereth me to the least of his +little children, and the youngling draweth me along by the nose ring, +my size and strength notwithstanding. Then they load me with the +heaviest of burdens and go long journeys with me and put me to hard +labour through the hours of the night and the day. When I grow old and +stricken in years and disabled from working, my master keepeth me not +with him, but selleth me to the knacker who cutteth my throat and +vendeth my hide to the tanners and my flesh to the cooks: so do not ask +the hardships I suffer from the son of Adam.' 'When didst thou leave +the son of Adam?' asked the young lion; and he answered, 'At sundown, +and I suppose that coming to my place after my departure and not +finding me there, he is now in search of me: wherefore let me go, O son +of the Sultan, that I may flee into the wolds and the wilds.' Said the +whelp, 'Wait awhile, O camel, till thou see how I will tear him, and +give thee to eat of his flesh, whilst I craunch his bones and drink his +blood.' Replied the camel, 'O King's son, I fear for thee from the +child of Adam, for he is wily and guilefull.' And he began repeating +these verses:— + + 'When the tyrant enters the lieges' land, * + Naught remains for the lieges but quick remove!' + +Now whilst the camel was speaking with the lion whelp, behold, there +rose a cloud of dust which, after a time, opened and showed an old man +scanty of stature and lean of limb; and he bore on his shoulder a +basket of carpenter's tools and on his head a branch of a tree and +eight planks. He led little children by the hand and came on at a +trotting pace,[FN#140] never stopping till he drew near the whelp. When +I saw him, O my sister, I fell down for excess of fear; but the young +lion rose and walked forward to meet the carpenter and when he came up +to him, the man smiled in his face and said to him, with a glib tongue +and in courtly terms, 'O King who defendeth from harm and lord of the +long arm, Allah prosper thine evening and thine endeavouring and +increase thy valiancy and strengthen thee! Protect me from that which +hath distressed me and with its mischief hath oppressed me, for I have +found no helper save only thyself.' And the carpenter stood in his +presence weeping and wailing and complaining. When the whelp heard his +sighing and his crying he said, 'I will succour thee from that thou +fearest. Who hath done thee wrong and what art thou, O wild beast, +whose like in my life I never saw, nor ever espied one goodlier of form +or more eloquent of tongue than thou? What is thy case?' Replied the +man, 'O lord of wild beasts, as to myself I am a carpenter; but as to +who hath wronged me, verily he is a son of Adam, and by break of dawn +after this coming night[FN#141] he will be with thee in this place.' +When the lion whelp heard these words of the carpenter, the light was +changed to night before his sight and he snorted and roared with ire +and his eyes cast forth sparks of fire. Then he cried out saying, 'By +Allah, I will assuredly watch through this coming night till dawn, nor +will I return to my father till I have won my will.' Then he turned to +the carpenter and asked, 'Of a truth I see thou art short of step and I +would not hurt thy feelings for that I am generous of heart; yet do I +deem thee unable to keep pace with the wild beasts: tell me then +whither thou goest?' Answered the carpenter, 'Know that I am on my way +to thy father's Wazir, the lynx; for when he heard that the son of Adam +had set foot in this country he feared greatly for himself and sent one +of the wild beasts on a message for me, to make him a house wherein he +should dwell, that it might shelter him and fend off his enemy from +him, so not one of the sons of Adam should come at him. Accordingly I +took up these planks and set forth to find him.' Now when the young +lion heard these words he envied the lynx and said to the carpenter, +'By my life there is no help for it but thou make me a house with these +planks ere thou make one for Sir Lynx! When thou hast done my work, go +to him and make him whatso he wisheth.' The carpenter replied, 'O lord +of wild beasts, I cannot make thee aught till I have made the lynx what +he desireth: then will I return to thy service and build thee a house +as a fort to ward thee from thy foe.' Exclaimed the lion whelp, By +Allah, 'I will not let thee leave this place till thou build me a house +of planks.' So saying he made for the carpenter and sprang upon him, +thinking to jest with him, and cuffed him with his paw knocking the +basket off his shoulder; and threw him down in a fainting fit, +whereupon the young lion laughed at him and said, 'Woe to thee, O +carpenter, of a truth thou art feeble and hast no force; so it is +excusable in thee to fear the son of Adam.' Now when the carpenter fell +on his back, he waxed exceeding wroth; but he dissembled his wrath for +fear of the whelp and sat up and smiled in his face, saying, 'Well, I +will make for thee the house.' With this he took the planks he had +brought and nailed together the house, which he made in the form of a +chest after the measure of the young lion. And he left the door open, +for he had cut in the box a large aperture, to which he made a stout +cover and bored many holes therein. Then he took out some newly wrought +nails and a hammer and said to the young lion, 'Enter the house through +this opening, that I may fit it to thy measure.' Thereat the whelp +rejoiced and went up to the opening, but saw that it was strait; and +the carpenter said to him, 'Enter and crouch down on thy legs and +arms!' So the whelp did thus and entered the chest, but his tail +remained outside. Then he would have drawn back and come . out; but the +carpenter said to him, 'Wait patiently a while till I see if there be +room for thy tail with thee.' The young lion did as he was bid when the +carpenter twisted up his tail and, stuffing it into the chest, whipped +the lid on to the opening and nailed it down; whereat the whelp cried +out and said, 'O carpenter, what is this narrow house thou hast made +me? Let me out, sirrah!' But the carpenter answered, 'Far be it, far be +it from thy thought! Repentance for past avails naught, and indeed of +this place thou shalt not come out.' He then laughed and resumed, +'Verily thou art fallen into the trap and from thy duress there is no +escape, O vilest of wild beasts!' Rejoined the whelp, 'O my brother, +what manner of words are these thou addresses" to me?' The carpenter +replied 'know, O dog of the desert! that thou hast fa]len into that +which thou fearedst: Fate hath upset thee, nor shall caution set thee +up. ' When the whelp heard these words, O my sister, he knew that this +was indeed the very son of Adam, against whom he had been warned by his +sire in waking state and by the mysterious Voice in sleeping while; and +I also was certified that this was indeed he without doubt; wherefore +great fear of him for myself seized me and I withdrew a little apart +from him and waited to see what he would do with the young lion. Then I +saw, O my sister, the son of Adam dig a pit in that place hard by the +chest which held the whelp and, throwing the box into the hole, heap +dry wood upon it and burn the young lion with fire. At this sight, O +sister mine, my fear of the son of Adam redoubled and in my affright I +have been these two days fleeing from him." But when the peahen heard +from the duck this story,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the peahen +heard from the duck this story, she wondered with exceeding wonder and +said to her, "O my sister, here thou art safe from the son of Adam, for +we are in one of the islands of the sea whither there is no way for the +son of Adam; so do thou take up thine abode with us till Allah make +easy thy case and our case. Quoth the duck, "I fear lest some calamity +come upon me by night, for no runaway can rid him of fate by flight." +Rejoined the peahen, "Abide with us, and be like unto, us;" and ceased +not to persuade her, till she yielded, saying, "O my sister, thou +knowest how weak is my resistance; but verily had I not seen thee here, +I had not remained." Said the peahen, "That which is on our +foreheads[FN#142] we must indeed fulfil, and when our doomed day +draweth near, who shall deliver us? But not a soul departeth except it +have accomplished its predestined livelihood and term. Now the while +they talked thus, a cloud of dust appeared and approached them, at +sight of which the duck shrieked aloud and ran down into the sea, +crying out, "Beware! beware! though flight there is not from Fate and +Lot!"[FN#143] After awhile the dust opened out and discovered under it +an antelope; whereat the duck and the peahen were reassured and the +peacock's wife said to her companion, "O my sister, this thou seest and +wouldst have me beware of is an antelope, and here he is, making for +us. He will do us no hurt, for the antelope feedeth upon the herbs of +the earth and, even as thou art of the bird kind, so is he of the beast +kind. Be there fore of good cheer and cease care taking; for care +taking wasteth the body." Hardly had the peahen done speaking, when the +antelope came up to them, thinking to shelter him under the shade of +the tree; and, sighting the peahen and the duck, saluted them and said, +'I came to this island to-day and I have seen none richer in herbage +nor pleasanter for habitation." Then he besought them for company and +amity and, when they saw his friendly behaviour to them, they welcomed +him and gladly accepted his offer. So they struck up a sincere +friendship and sware thereto; and they slept in one place and they ate +and drank together; nor did they cease dwelling in safety, eating and +drinking their fill, till one day there came thither a ship which had +strayed from her course in the sea. She cast anchor near them and the +crew came forth and dispersed about the island. They soon caught sight +of the three friends, antelope, peahen and duck, and made for them; +whereupon the peahen flew up into the tree and thence winged her way +through air; and the antelope fled into the desert, but the duck abode +paralyzed by fear. So they chased her till they caught her and she +cried out and said, "Caution availed me naught against Fate and Lot!'; +and they bore her off to the ship. Now when the peahen saw what had +betided the duck, she removed from the island, saying, "I see that +misfortunes lie in ambush for all. But for yonder ship, parting had not +befallen between me and this duck, because she was one of the truest of +friends." Then she flew off and rejoined the antelope, who saluted her +and gave her joy of her safety and asked for the duck, to which she +replied, "The enemy hath taken her, and I loathe the sojourn of this +island after her." Then she wept for the loss of the duck and began +repeating, + + "The day of parting cut my heart in twain:* + In twain may Allah cut the parting-day! + +And she spake also this couplet, + + "I pray some day that we reunion gain, * + So may I tell him Parting's ugly way." + +The antelope sorrowed with great sorrow, but dissuaded the peahen from +her resolve to remove from the island. So they abode there together +with him, eating and drinking, in peace and safety, except that they +ceased not to mourn for the loss of the duck; and the antelope said to +the peahen, "O my sister, thou seest how the folk who came forth of the +ship were the cause of our severance from the duck and of her +destruction; so do thou beware of them and guard thyself from them and +from the wile of the son of Adam and his guile." But the peahen +replied, I am assured that nought caused her death save her neglecting +to say Subhan' Allah, glory to God; indeed I often said to her, +'Exclaim thou, 'Praised be Allah, and verily I fear for thee, because +thou neglectest to laud the Almighty; for all things created by Allah +glorify Him on this wise, and whoso neglecteth the formula of +praise[FN#144] him destruction waylays.'" When the antelope heard the +peahen's words he exclaimed, "Allah make fair thy face!" and betook +himself to repeating the formula of praise, and ceased not there from a +single hour. And it is said that his form of adoration was as follows, +"Praise be to the Requiter of every good and evil thing, the Lord of +Majesty and of Kings the King!" And a tale is also told on this wise of + + +The Hermits. + +A certain hermit worshipped on a certain mountain, whither resorted a +pair of pigeons; and the worshipper was wont to make two parts of his +daily bread,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the worshipper +was wont to make two parts of his daily bread, eating one half himself +and giving the other to the pigeon pair. He also prayed for them both +that they might be blest with issue so they increased and multiplied +greatly. Now they resorted only to that mountain where the hermit was, +and the reason of their fore- gathering with the holy man was their +assiduity in repeating "Praised be Allah!" for it is recounted that the +pigeon[FN#145] in praise, "Praised be the Creator of all Creatures, the +Distributor of daily bread, the Builder of the heavens and Dispreader +of the earths!" And that couple ceased not to dwell together in the +happiest of life, they and their brood till the holy man died, when the +company of the pigeons was broken up and they dispersed among the towns +and villages and mountains. Now it is told that on a certain other +mountain there dwelt a shepherd, a man of piety and good sense and +chastity; and he had flocks of sheep which he tended, and he made his +living by their milk and wool. The mountain which gave him a home +abounded in trees and pasturage and also in wild beasts, but these had +no power over his flocks; so he ceased not to dwell upon that highland +in full security, taking no thought to the things of the world, by +reason of his beatitude and his assiduity in prayer and devotion, till +Allah ordained that he should fall sick with exceeding sickness. +Thereupon he betook himself to a cavern in the mountain and his sheep +used to go out in the morning to the pasturage and take refuge at night +in the cave. But Allah Almighty, being minded to try him and prove his +patience and his obedience, sent him one of His angels, who came in to +him in the semblance of a fair woman and sat down before him. When the +shepherd saw that woman seated before him, his flesh shuddered at her +with horripilation[FN#146] and he said to her, 'O thou woman, what was +it invited thee to this my retreat? I have no need of thee, nor is +there aught betwixt me and thee which calleth for thy coming in to me." +Quoth she, "O man, cost thou not behold my beauty and loveliness and +the fragrance of my breath; and knowest thou not the need women have of +men and men of women? So who shall forbid thee from me when I have +chosen to be near thee and desire to enjoy thy company? Indeed, I come +to thee willingly and do not withhold myself from thee, and near us +there is none whom we need fear; and I wish to abide with thee as long +as thou sojournest in this mountain, and be thy companion and thy true +friend. I offer myself to thee, for thou needest the service of woman: +and if thou have carnal connection with me and know me, thy sickness +shall be turned from thee and health return to thee; and thou wilt +repent thee of the past for having foresworn the company of women +during the days that are now no more. In very sooth, I give thee good +advice: so incline to my counsel and approach me." Quoth the shepherd, +"Go out from me, O woman deceitful and perfidious! I will not incline +to thee nor approach thee. I want not thy company nor wish for union +with thee; he who coveteth the coming life renounceth thee, for thou +seducest mankind, those of past time and those of present time. Allah +the Most High lieth in wait for His servants and woe unto him who is +cursed with thy company!" Answered she, "O thou that errest from the +truth and wanderest from the way of reason, turn thy face to me and +look upon my charms and take thy full of my nearness, as did the wise +who have gone before thee. Indeed, they were richer than thou in +experience and sharper of wit; withal they rejected not, as thou +rejectest, the enjoyment of women; nay, they took their pleasure of +them and their company even as thou renouncest them, and it did them no +hurt in things temporal or things spiritual. Wherefore do thou recede +from thy resolve and thou shalt praise the issue of thy case." Rejoined +the shepherd, "All thou sayest I deny and abhor, and all thou offerest +I reject: for thou art cunning and perfidious and there is no honesty +in thee nor is there honour. How much of foulness hidest thou under thy +beauty, and how many a pious man hast thou seduced from his duty and +made his end penitence and perdition? Avaunt from me, O thou who +devotest thyself to corrupt others!" Thereupon, he threw his goat's +hair cloak over his head that he might not see her face, and betook +himself to calling upon the name of his Lord. And when the angel saw +the excellence of his submission to the Divine Will, he went out from +him and ascended to heaven. Now hard by the hermit's hill was a village +wherein dwelt a pious man, who knew not the other's station, till one +night he heard in a dream a Voice saying to him, "In such a place near +to thee is a devout man: go thou to him and be at his command!" So when +morning dawned he set out to wend thither, and what time the heat was +grievous upon him, he came to a tree which grew beside a spring of +running water. So he sat down to rest in the shadow of that tree and +behold, he saw beasts and birds coming to that fount to drink, but when +they caught sight of the devotee sitting there, they took fright and +fled from before his face. Then said he, "There is no Majesty and there +is no Might save in Allah! I rest not here but to the hurt of these +beasts and fowls." So he arose, blaming him self and saying, "Verily my +tarrying here this day hath wronged these animals, and what excuse have +I towards my Creator and the Creator of these birds and beasts for that +I was the cause of their flight from their drink and their daily food +and their place of pasturage? Alas for my shame before my Lord on the +day when He shall avenge the hornless sheep on the sheep with +horns!''[FN#147] And he wept and began repeating these couplets, + +"Now an, by Allah, unto man were fully known * + Why he is made, in careless sleep he ne'er would wone: +First Death, then cometh Wake and dreadful Day of Doom, * + Reproof with threats sore terror, frightful malison. +Bid we or else forbid we, all of us are like * + The Cave companions[FN#148] when at length their sleep was + done." + +Then he again wept for that he had driven the birds and beasts from the +spring by sitting down under the tree, and he fared on till he came to +the shepherd's dwelling and going in, saluted him. The shepherd +returned his salutation and embraced him, weeping and saying, "What +hath brought thee to this place where no man hath ever yet come to me." +Quoth the other devotee, "I saw in my sleep one who described to me +this thy stead and bade me repair to thee and salute thee: so I came, +in obedience to the commandment." The shepherd welcomed him, rejoicing +in his company and the twain abode upon that mountain, worshipping +Allah with the best of worship; and they ceased not serving their Lord +in the cavern and living upon the flesh and milk of their sheep, having +clean put away from them riches and children and what not, till the +Certain, the Inevitable became their lot. And this is the end of their +story. Then said King Shahyrar, "O Shahrazad, thou wouldst cause me to +renounce my kingdom and thou makest me repent of having slain so many +women and maidens. Hast thou any bird stories?" "Yes," replied she, and +began to tell the + + +TALE OF THE WATER FOWL AND THE TORTOISE. + +It is related by truthful men, O King, that a certain bird flew high up +firmament wards and presently lit on a rock in the midst of water which +was running. And as he sat there, behold, the current carried to him +the carcass of a man, and lodged it against the rock, for being swollen +it floated. The bird, which was a water fowl, drew near and examining +it, found that it was the dead body of a son of Adam and saw in it sign +of spear and stroke of sword. So he said to himself, "I presume that +this man who hath been slain was some evil doer, and that a company +banded themselves together against him and put him to death and were at +peace from him and his evil doing." And as he continued marvelling at +this, suddenly the vultures and kites came down upon the carcass from +all sides and get round it; which when the water fowl saw, he feared +with sore affright and said, "I cannot abide here any longer." So he +flew away in quest of a place where he might wone, till that carcass +should come to an end and the birds of prey leave it; and he stayed not +in his flight, till he found a river with a tree in its midst. So he +alighted on the tree, troubled and distraught and sore grieved for +departing from his birth place, and said to himself, "Verily sorrows +cease not to follow me: I was at my ease when I saw that carcass, and +rejoiced therein with much joy, saying, 'This is a gift of daily bread +which Allah hath dealt to me:' but my joy became annoy and my gladness +turned to sadness, for the ravenous birds, which are like lions, seized +upon it and tare it to pieces and came between me and my prize So how +can I hope to be secure from misfortune in this world, or put any trust +therein? Indeed, the proverb saith,'The world is the dwelling of him +who hath no dwelling': he who hath no wits is cozened by it and +entrusteth it with his wealth and his child and his family and his +folk; and whoso is cozened ceaseth not to rely upon it, pacing proudly +upon earth until he is laid under earth and the dust is cast over his +corpse by him who of all men was dearest to him and nearest. But naught +is better for generous youth than patience under its cares and +miseries. I have left my native place and it is abhorrent to me to quit +my brethren and friends and loved ones." Now whilst he was thus musing +lo! a male tortoise descended into the river and, approaching the water +fowl, saluted him, saying, "O my lord, what hath exiled thee and driven +thee so far from thy place?" Replied the water fowl, "The descent of +enemies thereon; for the wise brooketh not the neighbourhood of his +foe; and how well saith the poet, + +Whenas on any land the oppressor doth alight, * There's nothing left +for those, that dwell therein, but flight.'''[FN#149] + +Quoth the tortoise, "If the matter be as thou sayest and the case as +thou describest, I will not leave thee nor cease to stand before thee, +that I may do thy need and fulfil thy service; for it is said that +there is no sorer desolation than that of him who is an exile, cut off +from friends and home; and it is also said that no calamity equalleth +that of severance from the good; but the best solace for men of +understanding is to seek companionship in strangerhood and be patient +under sorrows and adversity. Wherefore I hope that thou wilt approve of +my company, for I will be to thee a servant and a helper." Now when the +water fowl heard the tortoise's words he answered, "Verily, thou art +right in what thou sayest for, by my life, I have found grief and pain +in separation, what while I have been parted from my place and sundered +from my brethren and friends; seeing that in severance is an admonition +to him who will be admonished and matter of thought for him who will +take thought. If the generous youth find not a companion to console +him, weal is forever cut off from him and ill is eternally established +with him; and there is nothing for the sage but to solace himself in +every event with brethren and be constant in patience and endurance: +indeed these two are praiseworthy qualities, and both uphold one under +calamities and vicissitudes of the world and ward off startling sorrows +and harrowing cares, come what will." Rejoined the tortoise, "Beware of +sorrow, for it will spoil thy life and waste thy manliness." And the +two gave not over conversing till the bird said, "Never shall I cease +fearing the shifts of time and vicissitudes of events." When the +tortoise heard this, he came up to him and, kissing him between the +eyes, said to him, "Never may the company of the birds cease to be +blest in thee and through thee, and find wisdom in thy good counsel! +How shalt thou be burdened with care and harm?" And he went on to +comfort the water fowl and soothe his terrors till he became reassured. +Then he flew to the place where the carcass was and found on arriving +there the birds of prey gone, and they had left nothing of the body but +bones; whereupon he returned to the tortoise and acquainted him with +the fact that the foe had disappeared from his place, saying, "Know +that of a truth I long for return homewards to enjoy the society of my +friends; for the sage cannot endure separation from his native place." +So they both went thither and found naught to affright them; whereupon +the water fowl began repeating, + +"And haply whenas strait descends on lot of generous youth * + Right sore, with Allah only lies his issue from annoy: +He's straitened, but full oft when rings and meshes straitest + clip, * He 'scapes his strait and joyance finds, albe I see + no joy." + +So the twain abode in that island; and while the water fowl was +enjoying a life of peace and gladness, suddenly Fate led thither a +hungry falcon, which drove its talons into the bird's belly and killed +him, nor did caution avail him when his term of life was ended. Now the +cause of his death was that he neglected to use the formula of praise, +and it is said that his form of adoration was as follows, "Praised be +our Lord in that He ordereth and ordaineth; and praised be our Lord in +that He enricheth and impoverisheth!" Such was the waterfowl's end and +the tale of the ravenous birds. And when it was finished quoth the +Sultan, "O Shahrazad, verily thou overwhelmest me with admonitions and +salutary instances. Hast thou any stories of beasts?" "Yes," answered +she, and began to tell the + + +TALE OF THE WOLF AND THE FOX.[FN#150] + +Know, O King, that a fox and a wolf once cohabited in the same den, +harbouring therein together by day and resorting thither by night; but +the wolf was cruel and oppressive to the fox. They abode thus awhile, +till it so befel that the fox exhorted the wolf to use gentle dealing +and leave off his ill deeds, saying, "If thou persist in thine +arrogance, belike Allah will give the son of Adam power over thee, for +he is past master in guile and wile; and by his artifice he bringeth +down the birds from the firmament and he haleth the mighty fish forth +of the flood-waters: and he cutteth the mountain and transporteth it +from place to place. All this is of his craft and wiliness: wherefore +do thou betake thyself to equity and fair dealing and leave frowardness +and tyranny; and thou shalt fare all the better for it." But the wolf +would not accept his counsel and answered him roughly, saying, "What +right hast thou to speak of matters of weight and importance?" And he +dealt the fox a cuff that laid him senseless; but, when he revived, he +smiled in the wolf's face and, excusing himself for his unseemly +speech, repeated these two couplets, + +"If any sin I sinned, or did I aught * + In love of you, which hateful mischief wrought; +My sin I sore repent and pardon sue; * + So give the sinner gift of pardon sought." + +The wolf accepted his excuse and held his hand from further +ill-treatment, saying, "Speak not of whatso concerneth thee not, lest +thou hear what will please thee not." Answered the fox, "To hear is to +obey!"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the wolf to +the fox, "Speak not of whatso concerneth thee not, lest thou hear what +will please thee not!" Answered the fox, "To hear is to obey! I will +abstain henceforth from what pleaseth thee not; for the sage saith, +'Have a care that thou speak not of that whereof thou art not asked; +leave that which concerneth thee not for that which concerneth thee, +and by no means lavish good counsel on the wrongous, for they will +repay it to thee with wrong.'" And reflecting on the words of the wolf +he smiled in his face, but in his heart he meditated treachery against +him and privily said, "There is no help but that I compass the +destruction of this wolf." So he bore with his injurious usage, saying +to himself, "Verily insolence and evil-speaking are causes of perdition +and cast into confusion, and it is said, 'The insolent is shent and the +ignorant doth repent; and whose feareth, to him safety is sent': +moderation marketh the noble and gentle manners are of gains the +grandest. It behoveth me to dissemble with this tyrant and needs must +he be cast down." Then quoth he to the wolf, "Verily, the Lord +pardoneth his erring servant and relenteth towards him, if he confess +his offences; and I am a weak slave and have offended in presuming to +counsel thee. If thou knewest the pain that befel me by thy buffet, +thou wouldst ken that even the elephant could not stand against it nor +endure it: but I complain not of this blow's hurt, because of the joy +and gladness that hath betided me through it; for though it was to me +exceeding sore yet was its issue of the happiest. And with sooth saith +the sage, 'The blow of the teacher is at first right hurtful, but the +end of it is sweeter than strained honey.'" Quoth the wolf, "I pardon +thine offence and I cancel thy fault; but beware of my force and avow +thyself my thrall; for thou hast learned my severity unto him who +showeth his hostility!" Thereupon the fox prostrated himself before the +wolf, saying, "Allah lengthen thy life and mayst thou never cease to +overthrow thy foes!" And he stinted not to fear the wolf and to wheedle +him and dissemble with him. Now it came to pass that one day, the fox +went to a vineyard and saw a breach in its walls; but he mistrusted it +and said to himself, "Verily, for this breach there must be some cause +and the old saw saith, 'Whoso seeth a cleft in the earth and shunneth +it not and is not wary in approaching it, the same is self-deluded and +exposeth himself to danger and destruction.' Indeed, it is well known +that some folk make the figure of a fox in their vineyards; nay, they +even set before the semblance grapes in plates, that foxes may see it +and come to it and fall into perdition. In very sooth I regard this +breach as a snare and the proverb saith, 'Caution is one half of +cleverness.' Now prudence requireth that I examine this breach and see +if there be aught therein which may lead to perdition; and coveting +shall not make me cast myself into destruction." So he went up to the +hole and walked round it right warily, and lo! it was a deep pit, which +the owner of the vineyard had dug to trap therein the wild beasts which +laid waste his vines. Then he said to himself, "Thou hast gained, for +that thou hast refrained!"; and he looked and saw that the hole was +lightly covered with dust and matting. So he drew back from it saying, +"Praised be Allah that I was wary of it! I hope that my enemy, the +wolf, who maketh my life miserable, will fall into it; so will the +vineyard be left to me and I shall enjoy it alone and dwell therein at +peace." Saying thus, he shook his head and laughed a loud laugh and +began versifying, + + "Would Heaven I saw at this hour * + The Wolf fallen down in this well, + He who anguisht my heart for so long, * + And garred me drain eisel and fel! + Heaven grant after this I may live * + Free of Wolf for long fortunate spell + When I've rid grapes and vineyard of him, * + And in bunch-spoiling happily dwell." + +His verse being finished he returned in haste to the wolf and said to +him, "Allah hath made plain for thee the way into the vineyard without +toil and moil. This is of thine auspicious fortune; so good luck to +thee and mayest thou enjoy the plentiful plunder and the profuse +provaunt which Allah hath opened up to thee without trouble!" Asked the +wolf, "What proof hast thou of what thou assertest?": and the fox +answered, "I went up to the vineyard and found that the owner was dead, +having been torn to pieces by wolves: so I entered the orchard and saw +the fruit shining upon the trees." The wolf doubted not the fox's +report and his gluttony gat hold of him; so he arose and repaired to +the cleft, for that greed blinded him; whilst the fox falling behind +him lay as one dead, quoting to the case the following couplet, + +"For Layla's[FN#151] favour dost thou greed? But, bear in mind * + Greed is a yoke of harmful weight on neck of man." + +And when the wolf had reached the breach the fox said, "Enter the +vineyard: thou art spared the trouble of climbing a ladder, for the +garden-wall is broken down, and with Allah it resteth to fulfil the +benefit." So the wolf went on walking and thought to enter the +vineyard; but when he came to the middle of the pit-covering he fell +through; whereupon the fox shook for joy and gladness; his care and +concern left him and he sang out for delight and improvised these +couplets, + + "Fortune had mercy on the soul of me, * + And for my torments now shows clemency, + Granting whatever gift my heart desired, * + And far removing what I feared to see: + I will, good sooth, excuse her all her sins * + She sinned in days gone by and much sinned she: + Yea, her injustice she hath shown in this, * + She whitened locks that were so black of blee: + But now for this same wolf escape there's none, * + Of death and doom he hath full certainty. + Then all the vineyard comes beneath my rule, * + I'll brook no partner who's so fond a fool." + +Then the fox looked into the cleft and, seeing the wolf weeping in +repentance and sorrow for himself, wept with him; whereupon the wolf +raised his head to him and asked, "Is it of pity for me thou weepest, O +Father of the Fortlet[FN#152]?" Answered the fox, "No, by Him who cast +thee into this pit! I weep for the length of thy past life and for +regret that thou didst not fall into the pit before this day; for hadst +thou done so before I foregathered with thee, I had rested and enjoyed +repose: but thou wast spared till the fulfilment of thine allotted term +and thy destined time." Then the wolf said to him as one jesting, "O +evil-doer, go to my mother and tell her what hath befallen me; haply +she may devise some device for my release." Replied the fox, "Of a +truth thou hast been brought to destruction by the excess of thy greed +and thine exceeding gluttony, since thou art fallen into a pit whence +thou wilt never escape. Knowest thou not the common proverb, O thou +witless wolf, 'Whoso taketh no thought as to how things end, him shall +Fate never befriend nor shall he safe from perils wend." "O Reynard," +quoth the wolf, "thou was wont to show me fondness and covet my +friendliness and fear the greatness of my strength. Hate me not +rancorously because of that I did with thee; for he who hath power and +forgiveth, his reward Allah giveth; even as saith the poet, + + 'Sow kindness-seed in the unfittest stead; * + 'Twill not be wasted whereso thou shalt sow: + For kindness albe buried long, yet none * + Shall reap the crop save sower who garred it grow.'" + +Rejoined the fox, "O witlessest of beasts of prey and stupidest of the +wild brutes which the wolds overstray! Hast thou forgotten thine +arrogance and insolence and tyranny, and thy disregarding the due of +goodfellowship and thy refusing to be advised by what the poet saith? + + 'Wrong not thy neighbour e'en if thou have power; * + The wronger alway vengeance-harvest reaps: + Thine eyes shall sleep, while bides the wronged on wake * + A-cursing thee; and Allah's eye ne'er sleeps.'" + +"O Abu 'l-Hosayn," replied the wolf, "twit me not with my past sins; +for forgiveness is expected of the generous and doing kind deeds is the +truest of treasures. How well saith the poet, + + 'Haste to do kindness while thou hast much power, * + For at all seasons thou hast not such power.'" + +And he ceased not to humble himself before the fox and say, "Haply, +thou canst do somewhat to deliver me from destruction." Replied the +fox, "O thou wolf, thou witless, deluded, deceitful trickster! hope not +for deliverance, for this is but the just reward of thy foul dealing +and its due retaliation." Then he laughed with chops wide open and +repeated these two couplets, + + "No longer beguile me, * + Thou'lt fail of thy will! + What can't be thou seekest; * + Thou hast sown so reap Ill!" + +Quoth the wolf, "O gentlest of ravenous beasts, I fain hold thee too +faithful to leave me in this pit." Then he wept and complained and, +with tears streaming from his eyes, recited these two couplets, + + "O thou whose favours have been out of compt, * + Whose gifts are more than may be numbered! + Never mischance befel me yet from time * + But that I found thy hand right fain to aid." + +"O thou ninny foe," quoth the fox, "how art thou reduced to humiliation +and prostration and abjection and submission, after insolence and pride +and tyranny and arrogance! Verily, I kept company with thee only for +fear of thy fury and I cajoled thee without one hope of fair treatment +from thee: but now trembling is come upon thee and vengeance hath +overtaken thee." And he repeated these two couplets, + + "O thou who seekest innocence to 'guile, * + Thou'rt caught in trap of thine intentions vile: + Now drain the draught of shamefullest mischance, * + And be with other wolves cut off, thou scroyle!" + +Replied the wolf, "O thou clement one, speak not with the tongue of +enemies nor look with their eyes; but fulfil the covenant of fellowship +with me, ere the time of applying remedy cease to be. Rise and make +ready to get me a rope and tie one end of it to a tree; then let the +other down to me, that I may lay hold of it, so haply I shall from this +my strait win free, and I will give thee all my hand possesseth of +wealth and fee." Quoth the fox, "Thou persistest in conversation +concerning what will not procure thy liberation. Hope not for this, for +thou shalt never, never get of me wherewithal to set thee at liberty; +but call to mind thy past misdeeds and the craft and perfidy thou didst +imagine against me and bethink thee how near thou art to being stoned +to death. For know that thy soul is about the world to quit and cease +in it and depart from it; so shalt thou to destruction hie and ill is +the abiding-place thou shalt aby!"[FN#153] Rejoined the wolf, "O Father +of the Fortlet, hasten to return to amity and persist not in this +rancorous enmity. Know that whoso from ruin saveth a soul, is as if he +had quickened it and made it whole; and whoso saveth a soul alive, is +as if he had saved all mankind.[FN#154] Follow not frowardness, for the +wise forbid it: and it were most manifest frowardness to leave me in +this pit draining the agony of death and dight to look upon mine own +doom, whenas it lieth in thy power to deliver me from my stowre. So do +thy best to release me and deal with me benevolently." Answered the +fox, "O thou base and barbarous wretch, I compare thee, because of the +fairness of thy professions and expressions, and the foulness of thy +intentions and thy inventions to the Falcon and the Partridge." Asked +the wolf, "How so?"; and the fox began to tell + + +The Tale of the Falcon[FN#155] and the Partridge.[FN#156] + +Once upon a time I entered a vineyard to eat of its grapes; and, whilst +so doing behold, I saw a falcon stoop upon a partridge and seize him; +but the partridge escaped from the seizer and, entering his nest, hid +himself there. The falcon followed apace and called out to him, saying, +"O imbecile, I saw thee an-hungered in the wold and took pity on thee; +so I picked up for thee some grain and took hold of thee that thou +mightest eat; but thou fleddest from me; and I wot not the cause of thy +flight, except it were to put upon me a slight. Come out, then, and +take the grain I have brought thee to eat and much good may it do thee, +and with thy health agree." When the partridge heard these words, he +believed and came out to him, whereupon the falcon struck his talons +into him and seized him. Cried the partridge, "Is this that which thou +toldest me thou hadst brought me from the wold, and whereof thou badest +me eat, saying, 'Much good may it do thee, and with thy health agree?' +Thou hast lied to me, and may Allah cause what thou eatest of my flesh +to be a killing poison in thy maw!" So when the falcon had eaten the +partridge, his feathers fell off and his strength failed and he died on +the spot. "Know, then, O wolf!" (pursued the fox), "that he who diggeth +for his brother a pit himself soon falleth into it, and thou first +deceivedst me in mode unfit." Quoth the wolf, "Spare me this discourse +nor saws and tales enforce, and remind me not of my former ill course, +for sufficeth me the sorry plight I endure perforce, seeing that I am +fallen into a place, in which even my foe would pity me, much more a +true friend. Rather find some trick to deliver me and be thou thereby +my saviour. If this cause thee trouble, remember that a true friend +will undertake the sorest travail for his true friend's sake and will +risk his life to deliver him from evil; and indeed it hath been said, +'A leal friend is better than a real brother.' So if thou stir thyself +to save me and I be saved, I will forsure gather thee such store as +shall be a provision for thee against want however sore; and truly I +will teach thee rare tricks whereby to open whatso bounteous vineyards +thou please and strip the fruit-laden trees." Rejoined the fox, +laughing, "How excellent is what the learned say of him who aboundeth +in ignorance like unto thee!" Asked the wolf, "What do the wise men +say?" And the fox answered, "They have observed that the gross of body +are gross of mind, far from intelligence and nigh unto ignorance. As +for thy saying, O thou stupid, cunning idiot! that a true friend should +undertake sore travail for his true friend's sake, it is sooth as thou +sayest, but tell me, of thine ignorance and poverty of intelligence, +how can I be a true friend to thee, considering thy treachery. Dost +thou count me thy true friend? Nay, I am thy foe who joyeth in thy woe; +and couldst thou trow it, this word were sorer to thee than slaughter +by shot of shaft. As for thy promise to provide me a store against want +however sore and teach me tricks, to plunder whatso bounteous vineyards +I please, and spoil fruit-laden trees, how cometh it, O guileful +traitor, that thou knowest not a wile to save thyself from destruction? +How far art thou from profiting thyself and how far am I from accepting +thy counsel! If thou have any tricks, make shift for thyself to save +thee from the risk, wherefrom I pray Allah to make thine escape far +distant! So look, O fool, if there be any trick with thee; and +therewith save thyself from death ere thou lavish instruction upon thy +neighbours. But thou art like a certain man attacked by a disease, who +went to another diseased with the same disease, and said to him, 'Shall +I heal thee of thy disease?' Replied the sick man, 'Why dost thou not +begin by healing thyself?' So he left him and went his way. And thou, O +ignorant wolf, art like this; so stay where thou art and under what +hath befallen thee be of good heart!" When the wolf heard what the fox +said, he knew that from him he had no hope of favour; so he wept for +himself, saying, "Verily, I have been heedless of my weal; but if Allah +deliver me from this ill I will assuredly repent of my arrogance +towards those who are weaker than I, and will wear woollens[FN#157] and +go upon the mountains, celebrating the praises of Almighty Allah and +fearing His punishment. And I will withdraw from the company of other +wild beasts and forsure will I feed the poor fighters for the Faith." +Then he wept and wailed, till the heart of the fox softened when he +heard his humble words and his professions of penitence for his past +insolence and arrogance. So he took pity upon him and sprang up +joyfully and, going to the brink of the breach, squatted down on his +hind quarters and let his tail hang in the hole; whereupon the wolf +arose and putting out his paw, pulled the fox's tail, so that he fell +down in the pit with him. Then said the wolf, "O fox of little mercy, +why didst thou exult in my misery, thou that wast my companion and +under my dominion? Now thou art fallen into the pit with me and +retribution hath soon overtaken thee. Verily, the sages have said, 'If +one of you reproach his brother with sucking the dugs of a bitch, he +also shall suck her.' And how well quoth the poet, + + 'When Fortune weighs heavy on some of us, * + And makes camel kneel by some other one,[FN#158] + Say to those who rejoice in our ills: —Awake! * + The rejoicer shall suffer as we have done!' + +And death in company is the best of things;[FN#159] wherefore I will +certainly and assuredly hasten to slay thee ere thou see me slain." +Said the fox to himself, "Ah! Ah! I am fallen into the snare with this +tyrant, and my case calleth for the use of craft and cunning; for +indeed it is said that a woman fashioneth her jewellery for the day of +display, and quoth the proverb, 'I have not kept thee, O my tear, save +for the time when distress draweth near.' And unless I make haste to +circumvent this prepotent beast I am lost without recourse; and how +well saith the poet, + + 'Make thy game by guile, for thou'rt born in a Time * + Whose sons are lions in forest lain; + And turn on the leat[FN#160] of thy knavery * + That the mill of subsistence may grind thy grain; + And pluck the fruits or, if out of reach, * + Why, cram thy maw with the grass on plain.'" + +Then said the fox to the wolf, "Hasten not to slay me, for that is not +the way to pay me and thou wouldst repent it, O thou valiant wild +beast, lord of force and exceeding prowess! An thou accord delay and +consider what I shall say, thou wilt ken what purpose I proposed; but +if thou hasten to kill me it will profit thee naught and we shall both +die in this very place." Answered the wolf "O thou wily trickster, what +garreth thee hope to work my deliverance and thine own, that thou +prayest me to grant thee delay? Speak and propound to me thy purpose." +Replied the fox, "As for the purpose I proposed, it was one which +deserveth that thou guerdon me handsomely for it; for when I heard thy +promises and thy confessions of thy past misdeeds and regrets for not +having earlier repented and done good; and when I heard thee vowing, +shouldst thou escape from this strait, to leave harming thy fellows and +others; forswear the eating of grapes and of all manner fruits; devote +thyself to humility; cut thy claws and break thy dog-teeth; don +woollens and offer thyself as an offering to Almighty Allah, then +indeed I had pity upon thee, for true words are the best words. And +although before I had been anxious for thy destruction, whenas I heard +thy repenting and thy vows of amending should Allah vouchsafe to save +thee, I felt bound to free thee from this thy present plight. So I let +down my tail, that thou mightest grasp it and be saved. Yet wouldest +thou not quit thy wonted violence and habit of brutality; nor soughtest +thou to save thyself by fair means, but thou gavest me a tug which I +thought would sever body from soul, so that thou and I are fallen into +the same place of distress and death. And now there is but one thing +can save us and, if thou accept it of me, we shall both escape; and +after it behoveth thee to fulfil the vows thou hast made and I will be +thy veritable friend." Asked the wolf, "What is it thou proposest for +mine acceptance?" Answered the fox, "It is that thou stand up at full +height till I come nigh on a level with the surface of the earth. Then +will I give a spring and reach the ground; and, when out of the pit, I +will bring thee what thou mayst lay hold of, and thus shalt thou make +thine escape." Rejoined the wolf, "I have no faith in thy word, for +sages have said, 'Whoso practiseth trust in the place of hate, erreth;' +and, 'Whoso trusteth in the untrustworthy is a dupe; he who re-trieth +him who hath been tried shall reap repentance and his days shall go +waste; and he who cannot distinguish between case and case, giving each +its due, and assigneth all the weight to one side, his luck shall be +little and his miseries shall be many.' How well saith the poet, + + 'Let thy thought be ill and none else but ill; * + For suspicion is best of the worldling's skill: + Naught casteth a man into parlous place * + But good opinion and (worse) good-will!' + +And the saying of another, + + 'Be sure all are villains and so bide safe; * + Who lives wide awake on few Ills shall light: + Meet thy foe with smiles and a smooth fair brow, * + And in heart raise a host for the battle dight!' + +And that of yet another,[FN#161] + + 'He thou trusted most is thy worst unfriend; * + 'Ware all and take heed with whom thou wend: + Fair opinion of Fortune is feeble sign; * + So believe her ill and her Ills perpend!'" + +Quoth the fox, "Verily mistrust and ill opinion of others are not to be +commended in every case; nay trust and confidence are the +characteristics of a noble nature and the issue thereof is freedom from +stress of fear. Now it behoveth thee, O thou wolf, to devise some +device for thy deliverance from this thou art in, and our escape will +be better to us both than our death: so quit thy distrust and rancour; +for if thou trust in me one of two things will happen; either I shall +bring thee something whereof to lay hold and escape from this case, or +I shall abandon thee to thy doom. But this thing may not be, for I am +not safe from falling into some such strait as this thou art in, which, +indeed, would be fitting punishment of perfidy. Of a truth the adage +saith, 'Faith is fair and faithlessness is foul.'[FN#162] So it +behoveth thee to trust in me, for I am not ignorant of the haps and +mishaps of the world; and delay not to contrive some device for our +deliverance, as the case is too close to allow further talk." Replied +the wolf, "For all my want of confidence in thy fidelity, verily I knew +what was in thy mind and that thou wast moved to deliver me whenas thou +heardest my repentance, and I said to myself, 'If what he asserteth be +true, he will have repaired the ill he did; and if false, it resteth +with the Lord to requite him.' So, look'ee, I have accepted thy +proposal and, if thou betray me, may thy traitorous deed be the cause +of thy destruction!" Then the wolf stood bolt upright in the pit and, +taking the fox upon his shoulders, raised him to the level of the +ground, whereupon Reynard gave a spring from his back and lighted on +the surface of the earth. When he found himself safely out of the cleft +he fell down senseless and the wolf said to him, "O my friend! neglect +not my case and delay not to deliver me." The fox laughed with a loud +haw-haw and replied, "O dupe, naught threw me into thy hands save my +laughing at thee and making mock of thee; for in good sooth when I +heard thee profess repentance, mirth and gladness seized me and I +frisked about and made merry and danced, so that my tail hung low into +the pit and thou caughtest hold of it and draggedst me down with thee. +And the end was that Allah Almighty delivered me from thy power. Then +why should I be other than a helper in thy destruction, seeing that +thou art of Satan's host? I dreamt yesterday that I danced at thy +wedding and I told my dream to an interpreter who said to me, 'Verily +thou shalt fall into imminent deadly danger and thou shalt escape +therefrom.' So now I know that my falling into thy hand and my escape +are the fulfillment of my dream, and thou, O imbecile, knowest me for +thy foe; so how couldest thou, of thine ignorance and unintelligence, +nurse desire of deliverance at my hands, after all thou hast heard of +harsh words from me; and wherefore should I attempt thy salvation +whenas the sages have said, 'In the death of the wicked is rest for +mankind and a purge for the earth'? But, were it not that I fear to +bear more affliction by keeping faith with thee than the sufferings +which follow perfidy, I had done mine endeavour to save thee." When the +wolf heard this, he bit his forehand for repentance. —And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fiftieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the wolf +heard the fox's words he bit his forehand for repentance. Then he gave +the fox fair words, but this availed naught and he was at his wits' end +for what to do; so he said to him in soft, low accents, "Verily, you +tribe of foxes are the most pleasant people in point of tongue and the +subtlest in jest, and this is but a joke of thine; but all times are +not good for funning and jesting." The fox replied, "O ignoramus, in +good sooth jesting hath a limit which the jester must not overpass; and +deem not that Allah will again give thee possession of me after having +once delivered me from thy hand." Quoth the wolf, "It behoveth thee to +compass my release, by reason of our brotherhood and good fellowship; +and, if thou release me, I will assuredly make fair thy recompense." +Quoth the fox, "Wise men say, 'Take not to brother the wicked fool, for +he will disgrace thee in lieu of gracing thee; nor take to brother the +liar for, if thou do good, he will conceal it; and if thou do ill he +will reveal it.' And again, the sages have said, 'There is help for +everything but death: all may be warded off, except Fate.' As for the +reward thou declarest to be my due from thee, I compare thee herein +with the serpent which fled from the charmer.[FN#163] A man saw her +affrighted and said to her, 'What aileth thee, O thou serpent?' Replied +she, 'I am fleeing from the snake-charmer, for he seeketh to trap me +and, if thou wilt save me and hide me with thee, I will make fair thy +reward and do thee all manner of kindness.' So he took her, incited +thereto by lust for the recompense and eager to find favour with +Heaven, and set her in his breastpocket. Now when the charmer had +passed and had wended his way and the serpent had no longer any cause +to fear, he said to her, 'Where is the reward thou didst promise me? +Behold, I have saved thee from that thou fearedest and soughtest to +fly.' Replied she, 'Tell me in what limb or in what place shall I +strike thee with my fangs, for thou knowest we exceed not that +recompense.' So saying, she gave him a bite whereof he died. And I +liken thee, O dullard, to the serpent in her dealings with that man. +Hast thou not heard what the poet saith? + + 'Trust not to man when thou hast raised his spleen * + And wrath, nor that 'twill cool do thou misween: + Smooth feels the viper to the touch and glides * + With grace, yet hides she deadliest venene.'" + +Quoth the wolf, "O thou glib of gab and fair of face, ignore not my +case and men's fear of me; and well thou weetest how I assault the +strongly walled place and uproot the vines from base. Wherefore, do as +I bid thee, and stand before me even as the thrall standeth before his +lord." Quoth the fox, "O stupid dullard who seekest a vain thing, I +marvel at thy folly and thy front of brass in that thou biddest me +serve thee and stand up before thee as I were a slave bought with thy +silver; but soon shalt thou see what is in store for thee, in the way +of cracking thy sconce with stones and knocking out thy traitorous +dog-teeth." So saying the fox clomb a hill overlooking the vineyard and +standing there, shouted out to the vintagers; nor did he give over +shouting till he woke them and they, seeing him, all came up to him in +haste. He stood his ground till they drew near him and close to the pit +wherein was the wolf; and then he turned and fled. So the folk looked +into the cleft and, spying the wolf, set to pelting him with heavy +stones, and they stinted not smiting him with stones and sticks, and +stabbing him with spears, till they killed him and went away. Thereupon +the fox returned to that cleft and, standing over the spot where his +foe had been slain, saw the wolf dead: so he wagged his head for very +joyance and began to recite these couplets, + + "Fate the Wolf's soul snatched up from wordly stead; * + Far be from bliss his soul that perished! + Abu Sirhan![FN#164] how sore thou sought'st my death; * + Thou, burnt this day in fire of sorrow dread: + Thou'rt fallen into pit, where all who fall * + Are blown by Death-blast down among the dead." + +Thenceforward the aforesaid fox abode alone in the vineyard unto the +hour of his death secure and fearing no hurt. And such are the +adventures of the wolf and the fox. But men also tell a + + +TALE OF THE MOUSE AND THE ICHNEUMON[FN#165] + +A mouse and an ichneumon once dwelt in the house of a peasant who was +very poor; and when one of his friends sickened, the doctor prescribed +him husked sesame. So the hind sought of one of his comrades sesame to +be husked by way of healing the sick man; and, when a measure thereof +was given to him, he carried it home to his wife and bade her dress it. + So she steeped it and husked it and spread it out to dry. Now when +the ichneumon saw the grain, she went up to it and fell to carrying it +away to her hole, and she toiled all day, till she had borne off the +most of it. Presently, in came the peasant's wife and, seeing much of +the grain gone, stood awhile wondering; after which she sat down to +watch and find out who might be the intruder and make him account for +her loss. After a while, out crept the ichneumon to carry off the +grain as was her wont, but spying the woman seated there, knew that she +was on the watch for her and said in her mind, "Verily, this affair is +like to end blameably; and sore I fear me this woman is on the look-out +for me, and Fortune is no friend to who attend not to issue and end: so +there is no help for it but that I do a fair deed, whereby I may +manifest my innocence and wash out all the ill-doings I have done." So +saying, she began to take the sesame out of her hole and carry it forth +and lay it back upon the rest. The woman stood by and, seeing the +ichneumon do thus, said to herself, "Verily this is not the cause of +our loss, for she bringeth it back from the hole of him who stole it +and returneth it to its place; and of a truth she hath done us a +kindness in restoring us the sesame, and the reward of those who do us +good is that we do them the like good. It is clear that it is not she +who stole the grain; but I will not cease my watching till he fall into +my hands and I find out who is the thief." The ichneumon guess what +was in her mind, so she went to the mouse and said to her, "O my +sister, there is no good in one who observeth not the claims of +neighborship and who showeth no constancy in friendship." The mouse +replied, "Even so, O my friend, and I delight in thee and in they +neighborhood; but what be the motive of this speech?" Quoth the +ichneumon, "The house- master hath brought home sesame and hath eaten +his fill of it, he and his family, and hath left much; every living +being hath eaten of it and, if thou take of it in they turn, thou art +worthier thereof than any other." This pleased the mouse and she +squeaked for joy and danced and frisked her ears and tail, and greed +for the grain deluded her; so she rose at once and issuing forth of her +home, saw the sesame husked and dry, shining with whiteness, and the +woman sitting at watch and ward. The mouse, taking no thought to the +issue of the affair (for the woman had armed herself with a cudgel), +and unable to contain herself, ran up to the sesame and began turning +it over and eating of it; whereupon the woman smote her with that club +and cleft her head: so the cause of her destruction were her greed and +heedlessness of consequences. Then said the Sultan, "O Shahrazad, by +Allah! this be a goodly parable! Say me, hast thou any story bearing +on the beauty of true friendship and the observance of its duty in time +of distress and rescuing from destruction?" Answered she:—Yes, it hath +reached me that they tell a tale of + + +THE CAT[FN#166] AND THE CROW + +Once upon a time, a crow and a cat lived in brotherhood; and one day as +they were together under a tree, behold, they spied a leopard making +towards them, and they were not aware of his approach till he was close +upon them. The crow at once flew up to the tree-top; but the cat abode +confounded and said to the crow, "O my friend, hast thou no device to +save me, even as all my hope is in thee?" Replied the crow, "Of very +truth it behoveth brethren, in case of need, to cast about for a device +when peril overtaketh them, and how well saith the poet, + + A friend in need is he who, ever true, * + For they well-doing would himself undo: + One who when Fortune gars us parting rue * + Victimeth self reunion to renew.'" + +Now hard by that tree were shepherds with their dogs; so the crow flew +towards them and smote the face of the earth with his wings, cawing and +crying out. Furthermore he went up to one of the dogs and flapped his +wings in his face and flew up a little way, whilst the dog ran after +him thinking to catch him. Presently, one of the shepherds raised his +head and saw the bird flying near the ground and lighting alternately; +so he followed him, and the crow ceased not flying just high enough to +save himself and to throw out the dogs; and yet tempting them to follow +for the purpose of tearing him to pieces. But as soon as they came +near him, he would fly up a little; and so at last he brought them to +the tree, under which was the leopard. And when the dogs saw him they +rushed upon him and he turned and fled. Now the leopard thought to eat +the cat who was saved by the craft of his friend the crow. This story, +O King, showeth that the friendship of the Brothers of Purity[FN#167] +delivereth and saveth from difficulties and from falling into mortal +dangers. And they also tell a tale of + + +THE FOX AND THE CROW + +A Fox once dwelt in a cave of a certain mountain and, as often as a cub +was born to him and grew stout, he would eat the young one, for he had +died of hunger, had he instead of so doing left the cub alive and bred +it by his side and preserved and cherished his issue. Yet was this +very grievous to him. Now on the crest of the same mountain a crow had +made his nest, and the fox said to himself, "I have a mind to set up a +friendship with this crow and make a comrade of him, that he may help +me to my daily bread; for he can do in such matters what I cannot." So +he drew near the crow's home and, when he came within sound of speech, +he saluted him and said, "O my neighbour, verily a true-believer hath +two claims upon his true-believing neighbour, the right of +neighbourliness and the right of Al-Islam, our common faith; and know, +O my friend, that thou art my neighbour and thou hast a claim upon me +which it behoveth me to observe, the more that I have long been thy +neighbour. Also, there be implanted in my breast a store of love to +thee, which biddeth me speak thee fair and obligeth me to solicit thy +brothership. What sayest thou in reply?" Answered the crow, "Verily, +the truest speech is the best speech; and haply thou speakest with thy +tongue that which is not in thy heart; so I fear lest thy brotherhood +be only of the tongue, outward, and thy enmity be in the heart, inward; +for that thou art the Eater and I the Eaten, and faring apart were +apter to us than friendship and fellowship. What, then, maketh thee +seek that which thou mayst not gain and desire what may not be done, +seeing that I be of the bird-kind and thou be of the beast-kind? +Verily, this thy proffered brotherhood[FN#168] may not be made, neither +were it seemly to make it." Rejoined the fox, "Of a truth whoso knoweth +the abiding-place of excellent things, maketh better choice in what he +chooseth therefrom, so perchance he may advantage his brethren; and +indeed I should love to wone near thee and I have sued for thine +intimacy, to the end that we may help each other to our several +objects; and success shall surely wait upon our amity. I have a many +tales of the goodliness of true friendship, which I will relate to thee +if thou wish the relating." Answered the crow, "Thou hast my leave to +let me hear thy communication; so tell thy tale, and relate it to me +that I may hearken to it and weigh it and judge of thine intent +thereby." Rejoined the fox, "Hear then, O my friend, that which is +told of a flea and a mouse and which beareth out what I have said to +thee." Asked the crow, "How so?" and the fox answered:—They tell this +tale of + + +The Flea and the Mouse + +Once upon a time a mouse dwelt in the house of a merchant who owned +much merchandise and great stories of monies. One night, a flea took +shelter in the merchant's carpet-bed and, finding his body soft, and +being thirsty drank of his blood. The merchant was awakened by the +smart of the bite and sitting up called to his slave-girls and serving +men. So they hastened to him and, tucking up their sleeves, fell to +searching for the flea; but as soon as the bloodsucker was aware of the +search, he turned to flee and coming on the mouse's home, entered it. +When the mouse saw him, she said to him, "What bringeth thee in to me, +thou who art not of my nature nor of my kind, and who canst not be +assured of safety from violence or of not being expelled with roughness +and ill usage?" Answered the flea, "Of a truth, I took refuge in thy +dwelling to save me from slaughter; and I have come to thee seeking thy +protection and on nowise coveting thy house; nor shall any mischief +betide thee from me to make thee leave thy home. Nay I hope right soon +to repay thy favours to me with all good and then shalt thou see and +praise the issue of my words." And when the mouse heard the speech of +the flea, - And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-first Night + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the mouse +heard the words of the flea, she said, "If the case be as thou dost +relate and describe, then be at thine ease here; for naught shall befal +thee save the rain of peace and safety; nor shall aught betide thee but +what shall joy thee and shall not annoy thee, nor shall it annoy me. I +will lavish on thee my affections without stint; and do not thou regret +having lost the merchant's blood nor lament for thy subsistence from +him, but be content with what sustenance thou canst obtain; for indeed +that is the safer for thee. And I have heard, O flea, that one of the +gnomic poets saith as follows in these couplets, + +I have fared content in my solitude * + With wate'er befel, and led life of ease, +On a water-draught and a bite of bread, * + Coarse salt and a gown of tattered frieze: +Allah might, an He pleased, give me easiest life, * + But with whatso pleaseth Him self I please.'" + +Now when the flea heard these words of the mouse, he rejoined, "I +hearken to thy charge and I submit myself to obey thee, nor have I +power to gainsay thee, till life be fulfilled in this righteous +intention." Replied the mouse, "Pure intention sufficeth to sincere +affection." So the tie of love arose and was knitted between them +twain, and after this, the flea used to visit the merchant's bed by +night and not exceed in his diet, and house him by day in the hole of +the mouse. Now it came to pass one night, the merchant brought home +great store of dinars and began to turn them over. When the mouse +heard the chink of the coin, she put her head out of her hole and fell +to gazing at it, till the merchant laid it under his pillow and went to +sleep, when she said to the flea, "Seest thou not the proffered +occasion and the great good fortune? Hast thou any device to bring us +to our desire of yonder dinars? Quoth the flea, "Verily, it is not +good that one strives for aught, unless he be able to win his will; +because, if he lack ability thereto, he falleth into that which he +should avoid and he attaineth not his wish by reason of his weakness, +albeit he use all power of cunning, like the sparrow which picketh up +grain and falleth into the net and is caught by the fowler. Thou hast +no strength to take the dinars and to transport them out of this house, +nor have I force sufficient to do this; I the contrary, I could not +carry a single ducat of them; so what hast thou to do with them?" +Quoth the mouse, "I have made me for my house these seventy openings, +whence I may go out at my desire, and I have set apart a place strong +and safe, for things of price; and if thou can contrive to get the +merchant out of the house, I doubt not of success, an so be that Fate +aid me." Answered the flea, "I will engage to get him out of the house +for thee;" and, going to the merchant's bed, bit him a fearful bite, +such as he had never before felt, then fled to a place of safety, where +he had no fear of the man. So the merchant awoke and sought for the +flea, but finding him not, lay down again on his other side. Then the +flea bit him a second time more painfully than before. So he lost +patience and, leaving his bed, went out and lay down on the bench +before his door and slept there and woke not till the morning. +Meanwhile the mouse came out and fell to carrying the dinars into her +hole, till she left not a single one; and when day dawned the merchant +began to suspect the folk and fancy all manner of fancies. And +(continued the fox) know thou, O wise and experienced crow with the +clear-seeing eyes, that I tell thee this only to the intent that thou +mayst reap the recompense of thy kindness to me, even as the mouse +reaped the reward of her kindness to the flea; for see how he repaid +her and requited her with the goodliest of requitals. Said the crow, +"It lies with the benefactor to show benevolence or not to show it; nor +is it incumbent on us to entreat kindly one who seeketh a connection +that entaileth separation from kith and kin. If I show thee favour who +art my foe by kind, I am the cause of cutting myself off from the +world; and thou, O fox, art full of wiles and guiles. Now those whose +characteristics are craft and cunning, must not be trusted upon oath; +and whoso is not to be trusted upon oath, in him there is no good +faith. The tidings lately reached me of thy treacherous dealing with +one of thy comrades, which was a wolf; and how thou didst deceive him +until thou leddest him into destruction by thy perfidy and stratagems; +and this thou diddest after he was of thine own kind and thou hadst +long consorted with him: yet didst thou not spare him; and if thou +couldst deal thus with thy fellow which was of thine own kind, how can +I have trust in they truth and what would be thy dealing with thy foe +of other kind than thy kind? Nor can I compare thee and me but with the +saker and the birds." "How so?" asked the fox. Answered the crow, +they relate this tale of + + +The Saker[FN#169] and the Birds. + +There was once a saker who was a cruel tyrant"—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-second Night + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the crow pursued, +"They relate that there was once a saker who was a cruel tyrant in the +days of his youth, so that the raveners of the air and the scavengers +of the earth feared him, none being safe from his mischief; and many +were the haps and mishaps of his tyranny and his violence, for this +saker was ever in the habit of oppressing and injuring all the other +birds. As the years passed over him, he grew feeble and his force +failed him, so that he was often famished; but his cunning waxed +stronger with the waning of his strength and redoubled in his endeavour +and determined to be present at the general assembly of the birds, that +he might eat of their orts and leavings; so in this manner he fed by +fraud instead of feeding by fierceness and force. And out, O fox, art +like this: if thy might fail thee, thy sleight faileth thee not; and I +doubt not that thy seeking my society is a fraud to get thy food; but I +am none of those who fall to thee and put fist into thy fist;[FN#170] +for that Allah hath vouchsafed force to my wings and caution to my mind +and sharp sight to my eyes; and I know that whoso apeth a stronger than +he, wearieth himself and haply cometh to ruin. Wherefore I fear for +thee lest, if thou ape a stronger than thyself, there befal thee what +befel the sparrow." Asked the fox, "What befel the sparrow?" Allah +upon thee, tell me his tale." And the crow began to relate the story +of + + +The Sparrow and the Eagle + +I have heard that a sparrow was once flitting over a sheep-fold, when +he looked at it carefully and behold, he saw a great eagle swoop down +upon a newly weaned lamb and carry it off in his claws and fly away. +Thereupon the sparrow clapped his wings and said, "I will do even as +this one did;" and he waxed proud in his own conceit and mimicked a +greater than he. So he flew down forthright and lighted on the back of +a fat ram with a thick fleece that was become matted by his lying in +his dung and stale till it was like woollen felt. As soon as the +sparrow pounced upon the sheep's back he flapped his wings to fly away, +but his feet became tangled in the wool and, however hard he tried, he +could not set himself free. While all this was doing the shepherd was +looking on, having seen what happened first with the eagle and +afterwards with the sparrow; so he came up to the wee birdie in a rage +and seized him. Then he plucked out his wing- feathers and, tying his +feet with a twine, carried him to his children and threw him to them. +"What is this?" asked one of them; and he answered, "This is he that +aped a greater than himself and came to grief." "Now thou, O fox, art +like this and I would have thee beware of aping a greater than thou, +lest thou perish. This is all I have to say to thee; so fare from me +in peace!" When the fox despaired of the crow's friendship, he turned +away, groaning for sorrow and gnashing teeth upon teeth in his +disappointment; and the crow, hearing the sound of weeping and seeing +his grief and profound melancholy, said to him, "O fox, what dole and +dolour make thee gnash thy canines?" Answered the fox, "I gnash my +canines because I find thee a greater rascal than myself;" and so +saying he made off to his house and ceased not to fare until he reached +his home. Quoth the Sultan, "O Shahrazad, how excellent are these thy +stories, and how delightsome! Hast thou more of such edifying tales?" +Answered she:—They tell this legend concerning + + +THE HEDGEHOG AND THE WOOD-PIGEONS + +A hedgehog once too up his abode by the side of a date-palm, whereon +roosted a wood-pigeon and his wife that had built their next there and +lived a life of ease and enjoyment. So he said to himself, "This +pigeon-pair eateth of the fruit of the date tree and I have no means of +getting at it; but needs must I find some fashion of tricking them. +Upon this he dug a hole at the foot of the palm tree and took up his +lodgings there, he and his wife; moreover, he built an oratory beside +the hole and went into retreat there and made a show of devotion and +edification and renunciation of the world. The male pigeon saw him +praying and worshipping, and his heart was softened towards him for his +excess of devoutness; so he said to him, "How many years hast thou been +thus?" Replied the hedgehog, "During the last thirty years." "What is +thy food?" "That which falleth from the palm- tree." "And what is thy +clothing?" "Prickles! and I profit by their roughness." "And why hast +thou chosen this for place rather than another?" "I chose it and +preferred it to all others that I might guide the erring into the right +way and teach the ignorant!" "I had fancied thy case," quoth the +wood-pigeon, "other than this, but now I yearn for that which is with +thee." Quoth the hedgehog, "I fear lest thy deed contradict thy word +and thou be even as the husbandman who, when the seed-season came, +neglected to sow, saying, Verily I dread lest the days bring me not to +my desire and by making hast to sow I shall only waste my substance!' +When harvest-time came and he saw the folk earing their crops, he +repented him of what he had lost by his tardiness and he died of +chagrin and vexation." Asked the wood-pigeon, "What then shall I do +that I may be freed from the bonds of the world and cut myself loose +from all things save the service of my Lord?" Answered the hedgehog, +"Betake thee to preparing for the next world and content thyself with a +pittance of provision." Quoth the pigeon, "How can I do this, I that am +a bird and unable to go beyond the date-tree whereon is my daily bread? + And even could I do so, I know of no other place wherein I may wone." +Quoth the hedgehog, "Thou canst shake down of the fruit of the +date-tree what shall suffice thee and thy wife for a year's provaunt; +then do ye take up your abode in a nest under the trunk, that ye may +prayerfully seek to be guided in the right way, and then turn thou to +what thou hast shaken down and transport it all to thy home and store +it up against what time the dates fail; and when the fruits are spent +and the delay is longsome upon you, address thyself to total +abstinence." Exclaimed the pigeon, "Allah requite thee with good for +the righteous intention wherewith thou hast reminded me of the world to +come and hast directed me into the right way!" Then he and his wife +worked hard at knocking down the dates, till nothing was left on the +palm-tree, whilst the hedgehog, finding whereof to eat, rejoiced and +filled his den with the fruit, storing it up for his subsistence and +saying in his mind, "When the pigeon and his wife have need of their +provision, they will seek it of me and covet what I have, relying upon +thy devoutness and abstinence; and, from what they have heard of my +counsels and admonitions, they will draw near unto me. Then will I make +them my prey and eat them, after which I shall have the place and all +that drops from the date-tree to suffice me." presently, having shaken +down the fruits, the pigeon and his wife descended from the tree-top +and finding that the hedgehog had removed all the dates to his own +place, said to him, "O hedgehog! thou pious preacher and of good +counsel, we can find no sign of the dates and know not on what else we +shall feed." Replied the hedgehog, "Probably the winds have carried +them away; but the turning from the provisions to the Provider is of +the essence of salvation, and He who the mouth-corners cleft, the mouth +without victual hath never left." And he gave not over improving the +occasion to them on this wise, and making a show of piety and cozening +them with fine words and false until they put faith in him and accepted +him and entered his den and had no suspicion of his deceit. Thereupon +he sprang to the door and gnashed his teeth, and the wood-pigeon, +seeing his perfidy manifested, said to him, "What hath to-night to do +with yester-night? Knowest thou not that there is a Helper for the +oppressed? Beware of craft and treachery, lest that mishap befal thee +which befel the sharpers who plotted against the merchant." "What was +that?" asked the hedgehog. Answered the pigeon:—I have heard tell this +tale of + + +The Merchant and the Two Shapers + +In a city called Sindah there was once a very wealthy merchant, who +made ready his camel-loads and equipped himself with goods and set out +with his outfit for such a city, purposing to sell it there. Now he +was followed by two sharpers, who had made up into bales what +merchandise they could get; and, giving out to the merchant that they +also were merchants, wended with him by the way. So halting at the +first halting-place they agreed to play him false and take all he had; +but at the same time, each inwardly plotted foul play to the other, +saying in his mind, "If I can cheat my comrade, times will go well with +me and I shall have all these goods for myself." So after planning +this perfidy, one of them took food and putting therein poison, brought +it to his fellow; the other did the same and they both ate of the +poisoned mess and they both died. Now they had been sitting with the +merchant; so when they left him and were long absent from him, he +sought for tidings of them and found the twain lying dead; whereby he +knew that they were sharpers who had plotted to play him foul, but +their foul play had recoiled upon themselves. So the merchant was +preserved and took what they had. Then quoth the Sultan, "O Shahrazad, +verily thou hast aroused me to all whereof I was negligent! So +continue to edify me with these fables." Quoth she:—It hath reached +me, O King, that men tell this tale of + + +THE THIEF AND HIS MONKEY[FN#171] + +A certain man had a monkey and that man was a thief, who never entered +any of the street-markets of the city wherein he dwelt, but he made off +with great profit. Now it came to pass one day that he saw a man +offering for sale worn clothes, and he went calling them in the market, +but none bid for them and all to whom he showed them refused to buy of +him. Presently the thief who had the monkey saw the man with the +ragged clothes set them in a wrapper and sit down to rest for +weariness; so he made the ape sport before him to catch his eye and, +whilst he was busy gazing at it, stole the parcel from him. Then he +took the ape and made off to a lonely place, where he opened the +wrapper and, taking out the old clothes, folded them in a piece of +costly stuff. This he carried to another bazar and exposed for sale +together with what was therein, making it a condition that it should +not be opened, and tempting the folk with the lowness of the price he +set on it. A certain man saw the wrapper and its beauty pleased him; +so he bought the parcel on these terms and carried it home, doubting +not that he had done well. When his wife saw it she asked, "What is +this?" and he answered, "It is costly stuff, which I have bought at +lowest price, meaning to sell it again and take the profit." Rejoined +she, "O dupe, would this stuff be sold under its value, unless it had +been stolen? Dost thou not know that whoso buyeth aught without +examining it, falleth into error and becometh like unto the weaver?" +Quoth he, "And what is the story of the weaver?"; and quoth she:—I have +heard this take of + + +The Foolish Weaver + +There was once in a certain village a weaver who worked hard but could +not earn his living save by overwork. Now it chanced that one of the +richards of the neighbourhood made a marriage feast and invited the +folk thereto: the weaver also was present and found the guests, who +wore rich gear, served with delicate viands and made much of by the +house-master for what he saw of their fine clothes. So he said in his +mind, "If I change this my craft for another craft easier to compass +and better considered and more highly paid, I shall amass great store +of money and I shall buy splendid attire, so I may rise in rank and be +exalted in men's eyes and become even with these." Presently, he +beheld one of the mountebanks, who was present at the feast, climbing +up to the top of a high and towering wall and throwing himself down to +the ground and alighting on his feet. Whereupon the waver said to +himself, "Needs must I do as this one hath done, for surely I shall not +fail of it." So he arose and swarmed upon the wall and casting himself +down, broke his neck against the ground and died forthright. "Now I +tell thee this that thou sayst get thy living by what way thou knowest +and thoroughly understandest, lest peradventure greed enter into thee +and thou lust after what is not of thy condition." Quoth the woman's +husband, "Not every wise man is saved by his wisdom, nor is every fool +lost by his folly. I have seen it happen to a skilful charmer, well +versed in the ways of serpents, to be struck by the fangs of a +snake[FN#172] and killed, and others prevail over serpents who had no +skill in them and no knowledge of their ways." And he went contrary to +his wife and persisted in buying stolen goods below their value till he +fell under suspicion and perished therefor: even as perished the +sparrow in the tale of + + +THE SPARROW AND THE PEACOCK + +There was once upon a time a sparrow, that used every day to visit a +certain king of the birds and ceased not to wait upon him in the +mornings and not to leave him till the evenings, being the first to go +in and the last to go out. One day, a company of birds chanced to +assemble on a high mountain and one of them said to another, "Verily, +we are waxed many, and many are the differences between us, and there +is no help for it but we have a king to look into our affairs; so shall +we all be at one and our differences will disappear." Thereupon up came +that sparrow and counselled them to choose for King the peacock (that +is, the prince he used to visit). So they chose the peacock to their +King and he, become their sovereign, bestowed largesse upon them and +made the sparrow his secretary and Prime Minister. Now the sparrow was +wont by times to quit his assiduous serve in the presence and look into +matters in general. So one day he absented himself at the usual time, +whereat the peacock was sore troubled; and, while things stood thus, he +returned and the peacock said to him, "What hath delayed thee, and thou +the nearest to me of all my servants and the dearest of all my +dependents?" replied the sparrow, "I have seen a thing which is +doubtful to me and whereat I am affrighted." Asked the peacock, "What +was it thou sawest?"; and the sparrow answered, "I saw a man set up a +net, hard by my nest, peg down its pegs, strew grain in its midst and +withdraw afar off. And I sat watching what he would do when behold, +fate and fortune drave thither a crane and his wife, which fell into +the midst of the net and began to cry out; whereupon the fowler rose up +and took them. This troubled me, and such is the reason for my absence +from thee, O King of the Age, but never again will I abide in that nest +for fear of the net." Rejoined the peacock, "Depart not thy dwelling, +for against fate and lot forethought will avail the naught." And the +sparrow obeyed his bidding and said, "I will forthwith arm myself with +patience and forbear to depart in obedience to the King." So he ceased +not taking care of himself, and carrying food to his sovereign, who +would eat what sufficed him and after feeding drink his water and +dismiss the sparrow. Now one day as he was looking into matters, lo +and behold! he saw two sparrows fighting on the ground and said in his +mind, "How can I, who am the King's Wazir, look on and see sparrows +fighting in my neighbourhood? By Allah, I must make peace between +them!" So he flew down to reconcile them; but the fowler cast the net +over the whole number and the sparrow happened to be in their very +midst. Then the fowler arose and took him and gave him to his comrade, +saying, "Take care of him, " I never saw fatter or finer." But the +sparrow said to himself, "I have fallen into that which I feared and +none but the peacock inspired me with false confidence. It availed me +naught to beware of the stroke of fate and fortune, since even he who +taketh precaution may never flee from destiny. And how well said the +poet in this poetry, + + "Whatso is not to be shall ne'er become; * + No wise! and that to be must come to pass; + Yea it shall come to pass at time ordained, * + And th' Ignoramus[FN#173] aye shall cry Alas!'" + +Whereupon quoth the King, "O Shahrazad, recount me other of these +tales!"; and quoth she, "I will do so during the coming night, if life +be granted to by the King whom Allah bring to honour!"—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-third Night, + +She said:—I will relate the + + +TALE OF ALI BIN BAKKAR AND OF SHAMS AL-NAHAR. + +It hath reached me, O august King, that in days of yore and in times +and ages long gone before, during the Caliphate of Harun al-Rashid, +there was a merchant who named his son Abú al-Hasan[FN#174] Ali bin +Táhir; and the same was great of goods and grace, while his son was +fair of form and face and held in favour by all folk. He used to enter +the royal palace without asking leave, for all the Caliph's concubines +and slave-girls loved him, and he was wont to be companion with +Al-Rashid in his cups and recite verses to him and tell him curious +tales and witty. Withal he sold and bought in the merchants' bazar, and +there used to sit in his shop a youth named Ali bin Bakkár, of the sons +of the Persian Kings[FN#175] who was formous of form and symmetrical of +shape and perfect of figure, with cheeks red as roses and joined +eyebrows; sweet of speech, laughing-lipped and delighting in mirth and +gaiety. Now it chanced one day, as the two sat talking and laughing +behold, there came up ten damsels like moons, every one of them +complete in beauty and loveliness, and elegance and grace; and amongst +them was a young lady riding on a she-mule with a saddle of brocade and +stirrups of gold. She wore an outer veil of fine stuff, and her waist +was girt with a girdle of gold-embroidered silk; and she was even as +saith the poet, + + "Silky her skin and silk that zoned waist; * + Sweet voice; words not o'er many nor too few: + Two eyes quoth Allah 'Be,' and they became; * + And work like wine on hearts they make to rue: + O love I feel! grow greater every night: * + O solace! Doom-day bring our interview." + +And when the cortčge reached Abu al-Hasan's shop, she alighted from her +mule, and sitting down on the front board,[FN#176] saluted him, and he +returned her salam. When Ali bin Bakkar saw her, she ravished his +understanding and he rose to go away; but she said to him, "Sit in thy +place. We came to thee and thou goest away: this is not fair!" Replied +he, "O my lady, by Allah, I flee from what I see; for the tongue of the +case saith, + + 'She is a sun which towereth high a-sky; * + So ease thy heart with cure by Patience lent: + Thou to her skyey height shalt fail to fly; * + Nor she from skyey height can make descent.'" + +When she heard this, she smiled and asked Abu al-Hasan, "What is the +name of this young man?"; who answered, "He is a stranger;" and she +enquired, "What countryman is he?"; whereto the merchant replied, "He +is a descendant of the Persian Kings; his name is Ali son of Bakkar and +the stranger deserveth honour." Rejoined she, "When my damsel comes to +thee, come thou at once to us and bring him with thee, that we may +entertain him in our abode, lest he blame us and say, 'There is no +hospitality in the people of Baghdad'; for niggardliness is the worst +fault a man can have. Thou hearest what I say to thee and, if thou +disobey me, thou wilt incur my displeasure and I will never again visit +thee or salute thee." Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "On my head and my eyes: +Allah preserve me from thy displeasure, fair lady!" Then she rose and +went her way. Such was her case; but as regards Ali bin Bakkar he +remained in a state of bewilderment. Now after an hour the damsel came +to Abu al-Hasan and said to him, "Of a truth my lady Shams al-Nahár, +the favourite of the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, +biddeth thee to her, thee and thy friend, my lord Ali bin Bakkar." So +he rose and, taking Ali with him, followed the girl to the Caliph's +palace, where she carried them into a chamber and made them sit down. +They talked together awhile, when behold, trays of food were set before +them, and they ate and washed their hands. Then she brought them wine, +and they drank deep and made merry; after which she bade them rise and +carried them into another chamber, vaulted upon four columns, furnished +after the goodliest fashion with various kinds of furniture, and +adorned with decorations as it were one of the pavilions of Paradise. +They were amazed at the rarities they saw; and, as they were enjoying a +review of these marvels, suddenly up came ten slave-girls, like moons, +swaying and swimming in beauty's pride, dazzling the sight and +confounding the sprite; and they ranged themselves in two ranks as if +they were of the black-eyed Brides of Paradise. And after a while in +came other ten damsels, bearing in their hands lutes and divers +instruments of mirth and music; and these, having saluted the two +guests, sat down and fell to tuning their lute-strings. Then they rose +and standing before them, played and sang and recited verses: and +indeed each one of them was a seduction to the servants of the Lord. +Whilst they were thus busied there entered other ten damsels like unto +them, high-bosomed maids and of an equal age, with black-eyes and +cheeks like the rose, joined eyebrows and looks languorous; a very +fascination to every faithful wight and to all who looked upon them a +delight; clad in various kinds of coloured silks, with ornaments that +amazed man's intelligence. They took up their station at the door, and +there succeeded them yet other ten damsels even fairer than they, clad +in gorgeous array, such as no tongue can say; and they also stationed +themselves by the doorway. Then in came a band of twenty damsels and +amongst them the lady, Shams al-Nahar hight, as she were the moon among +the stars swaying from side to side, with luring gait and in beauty's +pride. And she was veiled to the middle with the luxuriance of her +locks, and clad in a robe of azure blue and a mantilla of silk +embroidered with gold and gems of price; and her waist was girt with a +zone set with various kinds of precious stones. She ceased not to +advance with her graceful and coquettish swaying, till she came to the +couch that stood at the upper end of the chamber and seated herself +thereon. But when Ali bin Bakkar saw her, he versified with these +verses, + + "Source of mine evils, truly, she alone 's, * + Of long love-longing and my groans and moans; + Near her I find my soul in melting mood, * + For love of her and wasting of my bones." + +And finishing his poetry he said to Abu al-Hasan, "Hadst thou Dealt +more kindly with me thou haddest forewarned me of these things ere I +came hither, that I might have made up my mind and taken patience to +support what hath befallen me." And he wept and groaned and complained. +Replied Abu al-Hasan, "O my brother, I meant thee naught but good; but +I feared to tell thee this, lest such transport should betide thee as +might hinder thee from foregathering with her, and be a stumbling-block +between thee and her. But be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and +clear;[FN#177] for she to thee inclineth and to favour thee designeth." +Asked Ali bin Bakkar, "What is this young lady's name?" Answered Abu +al-Hasan, "She is hight Shams al-Nahar, one of the favourites of the +Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, and this is the palace of +the Caliphate." Then Shams al-Nahar sat gazing upon the charms of Ali +bin Bakkar and he upon hers, till both were engrossed with love for +each other. Presently she commanded the damsels, one and all, to be +seated, each in her rank and place, and all sat on a couch before one +of the windows, and she bade them sing; whereupon one of them took up +the lute and began caroling, + +"Give thou my message twice * Bring clear reply in trice! +To thee, O Prince of Beau * -ty[FN#178] with complaint I rise: +My lord, as heart-blood dear * And Life's most precious prize! +Give me one kiss in gift * Or loan, if thou devise: +And if thou crave for more * Take all that satisfies.[FN#179] +Thou donn'st me sickness-dress * Thee with health's weed I + bless." + +Her singing charmed Ali bin Bakkar, and he said to her, "Sing me more +of the like of these verses." So she struck the strings and began to +chaunt these lines, + + "By stress of parting, O beloved one, * + Thou mad'st these eyelids torment- race to run: + Oh gladness of my sight and dear desire, * + Goal of my wishes, my religion! + Pity the youth whose eyne are drowned in tears * + Of lover gone distraught and clean undone." + +When she had finished her verses, Shams al-Nahar said to another +damsel, "Let us hear something from thee!" So she played a lively +measure and began these couplets, + + "His[FN#180] looks have made me drunken, not his wine; * + His grace of gait disgraced sleep to these eyne: + Dazed me no cup, but cop with curly crop; * + His gifts overcame me not the gifts of vine: + His winding locks my patience-clue unwound: * + His robed beauties robbed all wits of mine." + +When Shams Al-Nahar heard this recital from the damsel, she sighed +heavily and the song pleased her. Then she bade another damsel sing; so +she took the lute and began chanting, + + "Face that with Sol in Heaven lamping vies; * + Youth-tide's fair fountain which begins to rise; + Whose curly side-beard writeth writ of love, * + And in each curl concealeth mysteries: + Cried Beauty, 'When I met this youth I knew * + 'Tis Allah's loom such gorgeous robe supplies.'" + +When she had finished her song, Ali bin Bakkar said to the slave-maiden +nearest him, "Sing us somewhat, thou O damsel." So she took the lute +and began singing, + + "Our trysting-time is all too short * + For this long coyish coquetry: + How long this 'Nay, Nay!' and 'Wait, wait?' * + This is not old nobility! + And now that Time deigns lend delight * + Profit of th' opportunity." + +When she ended, Ali bin Bakkar followed up her song with flowing tears; +and, as Shams al-Nahar saw him weeping and groaning and complaining, +she burned with love-longing and desire; and passion and transport +consumed her. So she rose from the sofa and came to the door of the +alcove, where Ali met her and they embraced with arms round the neck, +and fell down fainting in the doorway; whereupon the damsels came to +them and carrying them into the alcove, sprinkled rose-water upon them +both. When they recovered, they found not Abu al-Hasan who had hidden +himself by the side of a couch, and the young lady said, "Where is Abu +al-Hasan?" So he showed himself to her from beside the couch and she +saluted him, saying, "I pray Allah to give me the means of requiting +thee, O kindest of men!" Then she turned to Ali bin Bakkar and said to +him, "O my lord, passion hath not reached this extreme pass with thee +without my feeling the like; but we have nothing to do save to bear +patiently what calamity hath befallen us." Replied he, "By Allah, O my +lady, union with thee may not content me nor gazing upon thee assuage +the fire thou hast lighted, nor shall leave me the love of thee which +hath mastered my heart but with the leaving of my life." So saying, he +wept and the tears ran down upon his cheeks like thridded pearls; and +when Shams al-Nahar saw him weep, she wept for his weeping. But Abu +al-Hasan exclaimed, "By Allah, I wonder at your case and am confounded +at your condition; of a truth, your affair is amazing and your chance +dazing. What! this weeping while ye are yet together: then how will it +be what time ye are parted and far separated?" And he continued, +"Indeed, this is no tide for weeping and wailing, but a season for +meeting and merry-making; rejoice, therefore, and take your pleasure +and shed no more tears!" Then Shams al-Nahar signed to a slave-girl, +who arose and presently returned with handmaids bearing a table, whose +dishes of silver were full of various rich viands. They set the table +before the pair and Shams al-Nahar began to eat[FN#181] and to place +tid-bits in the mouth of Ali bin Bakkar; and they ceased not so doing +till they were satisfied, when the table was removed and they washed +their hands. Then the waiting-women fetched censers with all manner of +incense, aloe-wood and ambergris and mixed scents; and +sprinkling-flasks full of rose-water were also brought and they were +fumigated and perfumed. After this the slaves set on vessels of graven +gold, containing all kinds of sherbets, besides fruits fresh and dried, +that heart can desire and eye delight in; and lastly one brought a +flagon of carnelion full of old wine. Then Shams al-Nahar chose out ten +handmaids to attend on them and ten singing women; and, dismissing the +rest to their apartments, bade some of those who remained strike the +lute. They did as she bade them and one of them began to sing, + + "My soul to him who smiled back my salute, * + In breast reviving hopes that were no mo'e: + The hand o' Love my secret brought to light, * + And censor's tongues what lies my ribs below:[FN#182] + My tear-drops ever press twixt me and him, * + As though my tear-drops showing love would flow." + +When she had finished her singing, Shams al-Nahar rose and, filling a +goblet, drank it off, then crowned it again and handed it to Ali bin +Bakkar;—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shams al-Nahar +filled a goblet and handed it to Ali bin Bakkar; after which she bade +another damsel sing; and she began singing these couplets, + + "My tears thus flowing rival with my wine, * + Pouring the like of what fills cup to brink:[FN#183] + By Allah wot I not an run these eyne * + Wi' wine, or else it is of tears I drink." + +And when she ended her recitation, Ali bin Bakkar drained his cup and +returned it to Shams al-Nahar. She filled it again and gave it to Abu +al-Hasan who tossed it off. Then she took the lute, saying, "None shall +sing over my cup save myself;" so she screwed up the strings and +intoned these verses, + +"The tears run down his cheeks in double row, * + And in his breast high flameth lover-lowe: +He weeps when near, a-fearing to be far; * + And, whether far or near, his tear-drops flow." + +And the words of another, + +"Our life to thee, O cup-boy Beauty-dight! * + From parted hair to calves; from black to white: +Sol beameth from thy hands, and from thy lips * + Pleiads, and full Moon through thy collar's night,[FN#184] +Good sooth the cups, which made our heads fly round, * + Are those thine eyes pass round to daze the sight: +No wonder lovers hail thee as full moon * + Waning to them, for self e'er waxing bright: +Art thou a deity to kill and quicken, * + Bidding this fere, forbidding other wight? +Allah from model of thy form made Beau * + -ty and the Zephyr scented with thy sprite. +Thou art not of this order of human * + -ity but angel lent by Heaven to man." + +When Ali bin Bakkar and Abu al-Hasan and those present heard Shams +al-Nahar's song, they were like to fly for joy, and sported and +laughed; but while they were thus enjoying themselves lo! up came a +damsel, trembling for fear and said, "O my lady, the Commander of the +Faithful's eunuchs are at the door, Afíf and Masrúr and Marján[FN#185] +and others whom wot I not." When they heard this they were like to die +with fright, but Shams al-Nahar laughed and said, "Have no fear!" Then +quoth she to the damsel, "Keep answering them whilst we remove hence." +And she caused the doors of the alcove to be closed upon Ali and Abu +al-Hasan, and let down the curtains over the entrance (they being still +within); after which she shut the door of the saloon and went out by +the privy wicket into the flower-garden, where she seated herself on a +couch she had there and made one of the damsels knead her feet.[FN#186] +Then she dismissed the rest of her women to their rooms and bade the +portress admit those who were at the door; whereupon Masrur entered, he +and his company of twenty with drawn swords. And when they saluted her, +she asked, "Wherefore come ye?"; whereto they answered, "The Commander +of the Faithful saluteth thee. Indeed he is desolated for want of thy +sight; he letteth thee know that this be to him a day of joy and great +gladness and he wisheth to seal his day and complete his pleasure with +thy company at this very hour. So say, wilt go to him or shall he come +to thee?" Upon this she rose and, kissing the earth, replied, "I hear +and I obey the commandment of the Prince of True Believers!" Then she +summoned the women guards of her household and other slave-damsels, who +lost no time in attending upon her and made a show of obeying the +Caliph's orders. And albeit everything about the place was in +readiness, she said to the eunuchs, "Go to the Commander of the +Faithful and tell him that I await him after a little space, that I may +make ready for him a place with carpets and other matters." So they +returned in haste to the Caliph, whilst Shams al-Nahar, doffing her +outer gear, repaired to her lover, Ali bin Bakkar, and drew him to her +bosom and bade him farewell, whereat he wept sore and said, "O my lady, +this leave-taking will cause the ruin of my very self and the loss of +my very soul; but I pray Allah grant me patience to support the passion +wherewith he hath afflicted me!" Replied she, "By Allah, none shall +suffer perdition save I; for thou wilt fare forth to the bazar and +consort with those that shall divert thee, and thy life will be sound +and thy love hidden forsure; but I shall fall into trouble and +tristesse nor find any to console me, more by token that I have given +the Caliph a tryst, wherein haply great peril shall betide me by reason +of my love for thee and my longing for thee and my grief at being +parted from thee. For with what tongue shall I sing and with what heart +shall I present myself before the Caliph? and with what speech shall I +company the Commander of the Faithful in his cups? and with what eyes +shall I look upon a place where thou art absent? and with what taste +shall I drink wine of which thou drinkest not?" Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "Be +not troubled but take patience and be not remiss in entertaining the +Commander of the Faithful this night, neither show him any neglect, but +be of good heart." Now at this juncture, behold, up came a damsel, who +said to Shams al-Nahar, "O my lady, the Caliph's pages are come." So +she hastily rose to her feet and said to the maid, "Take Abu al-Hasan +and his friend and carry them to the upper balcony[FN#187] giving upon +the garden and there leave them till darkness come on; when do thou +contrive to carry them forth." Accordingly the girl led them up to the +balcony and, locking the door upon them both, went her way. As they sat +looking on the garden lo! the Caliph appeared escorted by near an +hundred eunuchs, with drawn swords in hand and girt about with a score +of damsels, as they were moons, all clad in the richest of raiment and +on each one's head was a crown set with jewels and rubies; while each +carried a lighted flambeau. The Caliph walked in their midst, they +encompassing him about on all sides, and Masrur and Afíf and +Wasíf[FN#188] went before him and he bore himself with a graceful gait. +So Shams al-Nahar and her maidens rose to receive him and, meeting him +at the garden-door, kissed ground between his hands; nor did they cease +to go before him till they brought him to the couch whereon he sat +down, whilst all the waiting-women who were in the garden and the +eunuchs stood before him and there came fair handmaids and concubines +holding in hand lighted candles and perfumes and incense and +instruments of mirth and music. Then the Sovereign bade the singers sit +down, each in her place, and Shams al-Nahar came up and, seating +herself on a stool by the side of the Caliph's couch, began to converse +with him; all this happening whilst Abu al-Hasan and Ali bin Bakkar +looked on and listened, unseen of the King. Presently the Caliph fell +to jesting and toying with Shams al-Nahar and both were in the highest +spirits, glad and gay, when he bade them throw open the garden +pavilion. So they opened the doors and windows and lighted the tapers +till the place shone in the season of darkness even as the day. Then +the eunuchs removed thither the wine-service and (quoth Abu al-Hasan) +"I saw drinking-vessels and rarities whose like mine eyes never beheld, +vases of gold and silver and all manner of noble metals and precious +stones, such as no power of description can describe, till indeed it +seemed to me I was dreaming, for excess of amazement at what I saw!" +But as for Ali bin Bakkar, from the moment Shams al-Nahar left him, he +lay strown on the ground for stress of love and desire; and, when he +revived, he fell to gazing upon these things that had not their like +and saying to Abu al-Hasan, "O my brother, I fear lest the Caliph see +us or come to know of our case; but the most of my fear is for thee. +For myself, of a truth I know that I am about to be lost past recourse, +and the cause of my destruction is naught but love and longing and +excess of desire and distraction, and disunion from my beloved after +union with her; but I beseech Allah to deliver us from this perilous +predicament." And they ceased not to look out of the balcony on the +Caliph who was taking his pleasure, till the banquet was spread before +him, when he turned to one of the damsels and said to her, "O +Gharám,[FN#189] let us hear some of thine enchanting songs." So she +took the lute and tuning it, began singing, + +"The longing of a Bedouin maid, whose folks are far away, * + Who yearns after the willow of the Hejaz and the + bay,[FN#190]— +Whose tears, when she on travellers lights, might for their water + serve * And eke her her passion, with its heat, their + bivouac-fire purvey,— +Is not more fierce nor ardent than my longing for my love, * + Who deems that I commit a crime in loving him + alway."[FN#191] + +Now when Shams al-Nahar heard these verses she slipped off the stool +whereon she sat and fell to the earth fainting and became insensible to +the world around her; upon which the damsels came and lifted her up. +And when Ali bin Bakkar saw this from the balcony he also slipped down +senseless, and Abu al-Hasan said, "Verily Fate hath divided love-desire +equally upon you twain!"[FN#192] As he spoke lo! in came the damsel who +had led them up to the balcony and said to him, "O Abu al-Hasan, arise +thou and thy friend and come down, for of a truth the world hath waxed +strait upon us and I fear lest our case be discovered or the Caliph +become aware of you; unless you descend at once we are dead ones." +Quoth he, "And how shall this youth descend with me seeing that he hath +no strength to rise?" Thereupon the damsel began sprinkling rose-water +on Ali bin Bakkar till he came to his senses, when Abu al-Hasan lifted +him up and the damsel made him lean upon her. So they went down from +the balcony and walked on awhile till the damsel opened a little iron +door, and made the two friends pass through it, and they came upon a +bench by the Tigris' bank. Thereupon the slave-girl clapped her +hands[FN#193] and there came up a man with a little boat to whom said +she, "Take up these two young men and land them on the opposite side." +So both entered the boat and, as the man rowed off with them and they +left the garden behind them, Ali bin Bakkar looked back towards the +Caliph's palace and the pavilion and the grounds; and bade them +farewell with these two couplets, + + "I offered this weak hand as last farewell, * + While to heart-burning fire that hand is guided: + O let not this end union! Let not this * + Be last provision for long road provided!" + +Thereupon the damsel said to the boatman, "Make haste with them both." +So he plied his oars deftly (the slave-girl being still with them);—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawning day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the boatman rowed +them towards the other bank till they reached it and landed, whereupon +she took leave of them, saying, "It were my wish not to abandon you, +but I can go no farther than this." Then she turned back, whilst Ali +bin Bakkar lay prostrate on the ground before Abu al-Hasan and by no +manner of means could he rise, till his friend said to him, "Indeed +this place is not sure and I fear lest we lose our lives in this very +spot, by reason of the lewd fellows who infest it and highwaymen and +men of lawlessness." Upon this Ali bin Bakkar arose and walked a little +but could not continue walking. Now Abu al-Hasan had friends in that +quarter; so he made search for one of them, in whom he trusted, and who +was of his intimates, and knocked at the door. The man came out quickly +and seeing them, bade them welcome and brought them into his house, +where he seated them and talked with them and asked them whence they +came. Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "We came out but now, being obliged thereto +by a person with whom I had dealings and who hath in his hands dirhams +of mine. And it reached me that he designed to flee into foreign parts +with my monies; so I fared forth to-night in quest of him, taking with +me for company this youth, Ali bin Bakkar; but, when we came hoping to +see the debtor, he hid from us and we could get no sight of him. +Accordingly we turned back, empty-handed without a doit, but it was +irksome to us to return home at this hour of the night; so weeting not +whither to go, we came to thee, well knowing thy kindness and wonted +courtesy." "Ye are welcome and well come!" answered the host, and +studied to do them honour; so the twain abode with him the rest of +their night and as soon as the daylight dawned, they left him and made +their way back without aught of delay to the city. When they came to +the house of Abu al-Hasan, he conjured his comrade to enter; so they +went in and lying down on the bed, slept awhile. As soon as they awoke, +Abu al-Hasan bade his servants spread the house with rich carpets, +saying in his mind, "Needs must I divert this youth and distract him +from thinking of his affliction, for I know his case better than +another." Then he called for water for Ali bin Bakkar who, when it was +brought, rose up from his bed and making his ablutions, prayed the +obligatory prayers which he had omitted for the past day and +night[FN#194]; after which he sat down and began to solace himself by +talking with his friend. When Abu al-Hasan saw this, he turned to him +and said, "O my lord, it were fitter for thy case that thou abide with +me this night, so thy breast may be broadened and the distress of +love-longing that is upon thee be dispelled and thou make merry with +us, so haply the fire of thy heart may thus be quenched." Ali replied, +"O my brother, do what seemeth good to thee; for I may not on any wise +escape from what calamity hath befallen me; so act as thou wilt." +Accordingly, Abu al-Hasan arose and bade his servants summon some of +the choicest of his friends and sent for singers and musicians who +came; and meanwhile he made ready meat and drink for them; so they sat +eating and drinking and making merry through the rest of the day till +nightfall. Then they lit the candles, and the cups of friendship and +good fellowship went round amongst them and the time passed pleasantly +with them. Presently, a singing-woman took the lute and began singing, + +"I've been shot by Fortune, and shaft of eye * + Down struck me and parted from fondest friend: +Time has proved him foe and my patience failed, * + Yet I ever expected it thus would end." + +When Ali bin Bakkar heard her words, he fell to the earth in a swoon +and ceased not lying in his fainting fit till day-break; and Abu +al-Hasan despaired of him. But, with the dawning, he came to himself +and sought to go home; nor could his friend hinder him, for fear of the +issue of his affair. So he made his servants bring a she-mule and, +mounting Ali thereon, carried him to his lodgings, he and one of his +men. When he was safe at home, Abu al-Hasan thanked Allah for his +deliverance from that sore peril and sat awhile with him, comforting +him; but Ali could not contain himself, for the violence of his love +and longing. So Abu al-Hasan rose to take leave of him and return to +his own place.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Abu al-Hasan +rose to take leave of him, Ali son of Bakkar exclaimed, "O my brother, +leave me not without news." "I hear and obey," replied the other; and +forthwith went away and, repairing to his shop, opened it and sat there +all day, expecting news of Shams al-Nahar. But none came. He passed the +night in his own house and, when dawned the day, he walked to Ali bin +Bakkar's lodging and went in and found him thrown on his bed, with his +friends about him and physicians around him prescribing something or +other, and the doctors feeling his pulse. When he saw Abu al-Hasan +enter he smiled, and the visitor, after saluting him, enquired how he +did and sat with him till the folk withdrew, when he said to him, "What +plight is this?" Quoth Ali bin Bakkar, "It was bruited abroad that I +was ill and my comrades heard the report; and I have no strength to +rise and walk so as to give him the lie who noised abroad my sickness, +but continue lying strown here as thou seest. So my friends came to +visit me; say, however, O my brother, hast thou seen the slave-girl or +heard any news of her?" He replied, "I have not seen her, since the day +we parted from her on Tigris' bank;" and he presently added, "O my +brother, beware thou of scandal and leave this weeping." Rejoined Ali, +"O my brother, indeed, I have no control over myself;" and he sighed +and began reciting, + +"She gives her woman's hand a force that fails the hand of me, * + And with red dye on wrist she gars my patience fail and + flee: +And for her hand she fears so sore what shafts her eyes + discharge, * She's fain to clothe and guard her hand with + mail-ring panoply:[FN#195] +The leach in ignorance felt my pulse the while to him I cried, * + 'Sick is my heart, so quit my hand which hath no malady:' +Quoth she to that fair nightly vision favoured me and fled, * + 'By Allah picture him nor add nor 'bate in least degree!' +Replied the Dream, 'I leave him though he die of thirst,' + I cry, * 'Stand off from water-pit and say why this + persistency.' +Rained tear-pearls her Narcissus-eyes, and rose on cheek belit * + She made my sherbet, and the lote with bits of hail she + bit."[FN#196] + +And when his recital was ended he said, "O Abu al-Hasan, I am smitten +with an affliction from which I deemed myself in perfect surety, and +there is no greater ease for me than death." Replied he, "Be patient, +haply Allah will heal thee!" Then he went out from him and repairing to +his shop opened it, nor had he sat long, when suddenly up came the +handmaid who saluted him. He returned her salam and looking at her, saw +that her heart was palpitating and that she was in sore trouble and +showed signs of great affliction: so he said to her, "Thou art welcome +and well come! How is it with Shams al-Nahar?" She answered, "I will +presently tell thee, but first let me know how doth Ali bin Bakkar." So +he told her all that had passed and how his case stood, whereat she +grieved and sighed and lamented and marvelled at his condition. Then +said she, "My lady's case is still stranger than this; for when you +went away and fared homewards, I turned back, my heart beating hard on +your account and hardly crediting your escape. On entering I found her +lying prostrate in the pavilion, speaking not nor answering any, whilst +the Commander of the Faithful sat by her head not knowing what ailed +her and finding none who could make known to him aught of her ailment. +She ceased not from her swoon till midnight, when she recovered and the +Prince of the Faithful said to her, 'What harm hath happened to thee, O +Shams al-Nahar, and what hath befallen thee this night?' Now when she +heard the Caliph's words she kissed his feet and said, 'Allah make me +thy ransom, O Prince of True Believers! Verily a sourness of stomach +lighted a fire in my body, so that I lost my senses for excess of pain, +and I know no more of my condition.' Asked the Caliph, 'What hast thou +eaten to-day?'; and she answered, 'I broke my fast on something I had +never tasted before.' Then she feigned to be recovered and calling for +a something of wine, drank it, and begged the Sovereign to resume his +diversion. So he sat down again on his couch in the pavilion and the +sitting was resumed, but when she saw me, she asked me how you fared. I +told her what I had done with you both and repeated to her the verses +which Ali bin Bakkar had composed at parting-tide, whereat she wept +secretly, but presently held her peace. After awhile, the Commander of +the Faithful ordered a damsel to sing, and she began reciting, + + 'Life has no sweet for me since forth ye fared; * + Would Heaven I wot how fare ye who forsake: + 'Twere only fit my tears were tears of blood, * + Since you are weeping for mine absence sake.' + +But when my lady heard this verse she fell back on the sofa in a +swoon,"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl +continued to Abu al-Hasan, "But when my lady heard this verse, she fell +back on the sofa in a swoon, and I seized her hand and sprinkled +rose-water on her face, till she revived, when I said to her, 'O my +lady, expose not thyself and all thy palace containeth. By the life of +thy beloved, be thou patient!' She replied, 'Can aught befal me worse +than death which indeed I seek, for by Allah, my ease is therein?' +Whilst we were thus talking, another damsel sang these words of the +poet, + + 'Quoth they, 'Maybe that Patience lend thee ease!' * + Quoth I, 'Since fared he where is Patience' place? + Covenant he made 'twixt me and him, to cut * + The cords of Patience at our last embrace!'[FN#197] + +And as soon as she had finished her verse Shams al-Nahar swooned away +once more, which when the Caliph saw, he came to her in haste and +commanded the wine to be removed and each damsel to return to her +chamber. He abode with her the rest of the night, and when dawned the +day, he sent for chirurgeons and leaches and bade them medicine her, +knowing not that her sickness arose from love and longing. I tarried +with her till I deemed her in a way of recovery, and this is what kept +me from thee. I have now left her with a number of her body-women, who +were greatly concerned for her, when she bade me go to you two and +bring her news of Ali bin Bakkar and return to her with the tidings." +When Abu al-Hasan heard her story, he marvelled and said, "By Allah, I +have acquainted thee with his whole case; so now return to thy +mistress; and salute her for me and diligently exhort her to have +patience and say to her, 'Keep thy secret!'; and tell her that I know +all her case which is indeed hard and one which calleth for nice +conduct." She thanked him and taking leave of him, returned to her +mistress. So far concerning her; but as regards Abu al-Hasan, he ceased +not to abide in his shop till the end of the day, when he arose and +shut it and locked it and betaking himself to Ali bin Bakkar's house +knocked at the door. One of the servants came out and admitted him; and +when Ali saw him, he smiled and congratulated himself on his coming, +saying, "O Abu al-Hasan, thou hast desolated me by thine absence this +day; for indeed my soul is pledged to thee during the rest of my time." +Answered the other, "Leave this talk! Were thy healing at the price of +my hand, I would cut it off ere thou couldst ask me; and, could I +ransom thee with my life, I had already laid it down for thee. Now this +very day, Shams al-Nahar's handmaid hath been with me and told me that +what hindered her coming ere this was the Caliph's sojourn with her +mistress; and she acquainted me with everything which had betided her." +And he went on to repeat to him all that the girl had told him of Shams +al-Nahar; at which Ali bin Bakkar lamented sore and wept and said to +him, "Allah upon thee, O my brother, help me in this affliction and +teach me what course I shall take. Moreover, I beg thee of thy grace to +abide with me this night, that I may have the solace of thy society." +Abu al-Hasan agreed to this request, replying that he would readily +night there; so they talked together till even-tide darkened, when Ali +bin Bakkar groaned aloud and lamented and wept copious tears, reciting +these couplets, + + "Thine image in these eyne, a-lip thy name, * + My heart thy home; how couldst thou disappear? + How sore I grieve for life which comes to end, * + Nor see I boon of union far or near." + +And these the words of another, + +"She split my casque of courage with eye-swords that sorely + smite; * She pierced my patience' ring-mail with her shape + like cane-spear light: +Patched by the musky mole on cheek was to our sight displayed * + Camphor set round with ambergris, light dawning through the + night.[FN#198] +Her soul was sorrowed and she bit carnelion stone with pearls * + Whose unions in a sugared tank ever to lurk unite:[FN#199] +Restless she sighed and smote with palm the snows that clothe her + breast, * And left a mark whereon I looked and ne'er beheld + such sight, +Pens, fashioned of her coral nails with ambergris for ink, * + Five lines on crystal page of breast did cruelly indite: +O swordsmen armed with trusty steel! I bid you all beware * + When she on you bends deadly glance which fascinates the + sprite: +And guard thyself, O thou of spear! whenas she draweth near * + To tilt with slender quivering shape, likest the nut-brown + spear." + +And when Ali bin Bakkar ended his verse, he cried out with a great cry +and fell down in a fit. Abu al-Hasan thought that his soul had fled his +body and he ceased not from his swoon till day- break, when he came to +himself and talked with his friend, who continued to sit with him till +the forenoon. Then he left him and repaired to his shop; and hardly had +he opened it, when lo! the damsel came and stood by his side. As soon +as he saw her, she made him a sign of salutation which he returned; and +she delivered to him the greeting message of her mistress and asked, +"How doth Ali bin Bakkar?" Answered he, "O handmaid of good, ask me not +of his case nor what he suffereth for excess of love-longing; he +sleepeth not by night neither resteth he by day; wakefulness wasteth +him and care hath conquered him and his condition is a consternation to +his friend." Quoth she, "My lady saluteth thee and him, and she hath +written him a letter, for indeed she is in worse case than he; and she +entrusted the same to me, saying, 'Do not return save with the answer; +and do thou obey my bidding.' Here now is the letter, so say, wilt thou +wend with me to him that we may get his reply?" "I hear and obey," +answered Abu al-Hasan, and locking his shop and taking with him the +girl he went, by a way different from that whereby he came, to Ali bin +Bakkar's house, where he left her standing at the door and walked +in.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu al-Hasan went +with the girl to the house of Ali son of Bakkar, where he left her +standing at the door and walked in to his great joy. And Abu al-Hasan +said to him, "The reason of my coming is that such an one hath sent his +handmaid to thee with a letter, containing his greeting to thee and +mentioning therein that the cause of his not coming to thee was a +matter that hath betided him. The girl standeth even now at the door: +shall she have leave to enter?"; and he signed to him that it was Shams +al-Nahar's slave-girl. Ali understood his signal and answered, "Bring +her in," and when he saw her, he shook for joy and signed to her, "How +doth thy lord?; Allah grant him health and healing!" "He is well," +answered she and pulling out the letter gave it to him. He took it and +kissing it, opened and read it; after which he handed it to Abu +al-Hasan, who found these verses written therein, + + "This messenger shall give my news to thee; * + Patience what while my sight thou canst not see: + A lover leav'st in love's insanity, * + Whose eyne abide on wake incessantly: + I suffer patience-pangs in woes that none * + Of men can medicine;—such my destiny! + Keep cool thine eyes; ne'er shall my heart forget, * + Nor without dream of thee one day shall be. + Look what befel thy wasted frame, and thence * + Argue what I am doomed for love to dree! + +"And afterwards[FN#200]: Without fingers[FN#201] I have written to +thee, and without tongue I have spoken to thee * to resume my case, I +have an eye wherefrom sleeplessness departeth not * and a heart whence +sorrowful thought stirreth not * It is with me as though health I had +never known * nor in sadness ever ceased to wone * nor spent an hour in +pleasant place * but it is as if I were made up of pine and of the pain +of passion and chagrin * Sickness unceasingly troubleth * and my +yearning ever redoubleth * desire still groweth * and longing in my +heart still gloweth * I pray Allah to hasten our union * and dispel of +my mind the confusion * And I would fain thou favour me * with some +words of thine * that I may cheer my heart in pain and repine * +Moreover, I would have thee put on a patience lief, until Allah +vouchsafe relief * And His peace be with thee."[FN#202] When Ali bin +Bakkar had read this letter he said in weak accents and feeble voice, +"With what hand shall I write and with what tongue shall I make moan +and lament? Indeed she addeth sickness to my sickness and draweth death +upon my death!" Then he sat up and taking in hand ink-case and paper, +wrote the following reply, "In the name of Allah, the Compassionating, +the Compassionate![FN#203] Thy letter hath reached me, O my lady, and +hath given ease to a sprite worn out with passion and love-longing, and +hath brought healing to a wounded heart cankered with languishment and +sickness; for indeed I am become even as saith the poet, + + 'Straitened bosom; reveries dispread; * + Slumberless eyelids; body wearied; + Patience cut short; disunion longsomest; * + Reason deranged and heart whose life is fled!' + +And know that complaining is unavailing; but it easeth him whom +love-longing disordereth and separation destroyeth and, with repeating, +'Union,' I keep myself comforted and how fine is the saying of the poet +who said, + + 'Did not in love-plight joys and sorrows meet, * + How would the message or the writ be sweet?'" + +When he had made an end of this letter, he handed it to Abu al-Hasan, +saying, "Read it and give it to the damsel." So he took it and read it +and its words stirred his soul and its meaning wounded his vitals. Then +he committed it to the girl, and when she took it Ali bin Bakkar said +to her, "Salute thy lady for me and acquaint her with my love and +longing and how passion is blended with my flesh and my bones; and say +to her that in very deed I need a woman who shall snatch me from the +sea of destruction and save me from this dilemma; for of a truth +Fortune oppresseth me with her vicissitudes; and is there any helper to +free me from her turpitudes?" And he wept and the damsel wept for his +weeping. Then she took leave of him and went forth and Abu al-Hasan +went out with her and farewelled her. So she ganged her gait and he +returned to his shop, which he opened and sat down there, as was his +wont;—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu al-Hasan +farewelled the slave-girl and returned to his shop which he opened and +sat down there according to his custom; but as he tarried, he found his +heart oppressed and his breast straitened, and he was perplexed about +his case. So he ceased not from melancholy the rest of that day and +night, and on the morrow he betook himself to Ali bin Bakkar, with whom +he sat till the folk withdrew, when he asked him how he did. Ali began +to complain of desire and to descant upon the longing and distraction +which possessed him, and repeated these words of the poet. + + "Men have 'plained of pining before my time, * + Live and dead by parting been terrified: + But such feelings as those which my ribs immure * + I have never heard of, nor ever espied." + +And these of another poet, + + "I have borne for thy love what never bore * + For his fair, Kays the 'Daft one'[FN#204] hight of old: + Yet I chase not the wildlings of wold and wild * + Like Kays, for madness is manifold." + +Thereupon quoth Abu al-Hasan, "Never did I see or hear of one like unto +thee in thy love! When thou sufferest all this transport and sickness +and trouble being enamoured of one who returneth thy passion, how would +it be with thee if she whom thou lovest were contrary and contumelious, +and thy case were discovered through her perfidy?" "And Ali the son of +Bakkar" (says Abu al-Hasan) "was pleased with my words and he relied +upon them and he thanked me for what I had said and done. I had a +friend" (continued Abu al-Hasan), "to whom I discovered my affair and +that of Ali and who knew that we were intimates; but none other than he +was acquainted with what was betwixt us. He was wont to come to me and +enquire how Ali did and after a little, he began to ask me about the +damsel; but I fenced him off, saying, 'She invited him to her and there +was between him and her as much as can possibly take place, and this is +the end of their affair; but I have devised me a plan and an idea which +I would submit to thee.'" Asked his friend, "And what is that?" +Answered Abu al-Hasan, "I am a person well known to have much dealing +among men and women, and I fear, O my brother, lest the affair of these +twain come to light and this lead to my death and the seizure of my +goods and the rending of my repute and that of my family. Wherefore I +have resolved to get together my monies and make ready forthright and +repair to the city of Bassorah and there abide, till I see what cometh +of their case, that none may know of me; for love hath lorded over both +and correspondence passeth between them. At this present their +go-between and confidante is a slave-girl who hath till now kept their +counsel, but I fear lest haply anxiety get the better of her and she +discover their secret to some one and the matter, being bruited abroad, +might bring me to great grief and prove the cause of my ruin; for I +have no excuse to offer my accusers." Rejoined his friend, "Thou hast +acquainted me with a parlous affair, from the like of which the wise +and understanding will shrink with fear. Allah avert from thee the evil +thou dreadest with such dread and save thee from the consequences thou +apprehendest! Assuredly thy recking is aright." So Abu al-Hasan +returned to his place and began ordering his affairs and preparing for +his travel; nor had three days passed ere he made an end of his +business and fared forth Bassorah-wards. His friend came to visit him +three days after but finding him not, asked of him from the neighbours +who answered, "He set out for Bassorah three days ago, for he had +dealings with its merchants and he is gone thither to collect monies +from his debtors; but he will soon return." The young man was +confounded at the news and knew not whither to wend; and he said in his +mind, "Would I had not parted from Abu al-Hasan!" Then he bethought him +of some plan whereby he should gain access to Ali bin Bakkar; so he +went to his lodging, and said to one of his servants, "Ask leave for me +of thy lord that I may go in and salute him." The servant entered and +told his master and presently returning, invited the man to walk in. So +he entered and found Ali bin Bakkar thrown back on the pillow and +saluted him. Ali returned his greeting and bade him welcome; whereupon +the young man began to excuse himself for having held aloof from him +all that while and added, "O my lord, between Abu al-Hasan and myself +there was close friendship, so that I used to trust him with my secrets +and could not sever myself from him an hour. Now it so chanced that I +was absent three days' space on certain business with a company of my +friends; and, when I came back and went to him, I found his shop locked +up; so I asked the neighbours about him and they replied, 'He is gone +to Bassorah.' Now I know he had no surer friend than thou; so, by +Allah, tell me what thou knowest of him." When Ali bin Bakkar heard +this, his colour changed and he was troubled and answered, "I never +heard till this day of his departure and, if the case be as thou +sayest, weariness is come upon me." And he began repeating, + + "For joys that are no more I wont to weep, * + While friends and lovers stood by me unscattered; + This day when disunited me and them * + Fortune, I weep lost loves and friendship shattered." + +Then he hung his head ground-wards in thought awhile and presently +raising it and looking to one of his servants, said, "Go to Abu +al-Hasan's house and enquire anent him whether he be at home or +journeying abroad. If they say, 'He is abroad'; ask whither he be +gone." The servant went out and returning after a while said to his +master, "When I asked for Abu al-Hasan, his people told me that he was +gone on a journey to Bassorah; but I saw a damsel standing at the door +who, knowing me by sight, though I knew her not, said to me, 'Art thou +not servant to Ali bin Bakkar?' 'Even so,' answered I; and she +rejoined, 'I bear a message for him from one who is the dearest of all +folk to him.' So she came with me and she is now standing at the door." +Quoth Ali bin Bakkar, "Bring her in." The servant went out to her and +brought her in, and the man who was with Ali looked at her and found +her pretty. Then she advanced to the son of Bakkar and saluted him.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say, + +When it was the One Hundred and Sixtieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +slave-girl came in to Ali bin Bakkar, she advanced to him and saluted +him and spake with him secretly; and from time to time during the +dialogue he exclaimed with an oath and swore that he had not talked and +tattled of it. Then she took leave of him and went away. Now Abu +al-Hasan's friend was a jeweller,[FN#205] and when she was gone, he +found a place for speech and said to Ali bin Bakkar, "Doubtless and +assuredly the Caliph's household have some demand upon thee or thou +hast dealings therewith?" "Who told thee of this?" asked Ali; and the +jeweller answered, "I know it by yonder damsel who is Shams al-Nahar's +slave-girl; for she came to me a while since with a note wherein was +written that she wanted a necklace of jewels; and I sent her a costly +collar." But when Ali bin Bakkar heard this, he was greatly troubled, +so that the jeweller feared to see him give up the ghost, yet after a +while he recovered himself and said, "O my brother, I conjure thee by +Allah to tell me truly how thou knowest her." Replied he, "Do not press +this question upon me;" and Ali rejoined, "Indeed, I will not turn from +thee till thou tell me the whole truth." Quoth the jeweller, "I will +tell thee all, on condition that thou distrust me not, and that my +words cause thee no restraint; nor will I conceal aught from thee by +way of secret but will discover to thee the truth of the affair, +provided that thou acquaint me with the true state of thy case and the +cause of thy sickness." Then he told him all that had passed from first +to last between Abu al-Hasan and himself, adding, "I acted thus only +out of friendship for thee and of my desire to serve thee;" and assured +him that he would keep his secret and venture life and good in his +service. So Ali in turn told him his story and added, "By Allah, O my +brother, naught moved me to keep my case secret from thee and from +others but my fear lest folk should lift the veils of protection from +certain persons." Rejoined the jeweller, "And I desired not to +foregather with thee but of the great affection I bear thee and my zeal +for thee in every case, and my compassion for the anguish thy heart +endureth from severance. Haply I may be a comforter to thee in the room +of my friend, Abu al-Hasan, during the length of his absence: so be +thou of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear." Thereupon Ali +thanked him and repeated these couplets, + + "An say I, 'Patient I can bear his faring,' * + My tears and sighings give my say the lie; + How can I hide these tears that course adown * + This plain, my cheek, for friend too fain to fly?" + +Then he was silent awhile, and presently said to the jeweller "Knowest +thou what secret the girl whispered to me?" Answered he, "Not I, by +Allah, O my lord!" Quoth Ali, "She fancied that I directed Abu al-Hasan +to go to Bassorah and that I had devised this device to put a stop to +our correspondence and consorting. I swore to her that this was on +nowise so; but she would not credit me and went away to her mistress, +persisting in her injurious suspicions; for she inclined to Abu +al-Hasan and gave ear to his word." Answered the young jeweller, "O my +brother, I understood as much from the girl's manner; but I will win +for thee thy wish, Inshallah!" Rejoined Ali bin Bakkar, "Who can be +with me in this and how wilt thou do with her, when she shies and flies +like a wildling of the wold?" Cried the jeweller "By Allah, needs must +I do my utmost to help thee and contrive to scrape acquaintance with +her without exposure or mischief!" Then he asked leave to depart and +Ali bin Bakkar said, "O my brother, mind thou keep my counsel;" and he +looked at him and wept. The jeweller bade him good-bye and fared +forth.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller bade +him good-bye and fared forth not knowing what he should do to win for +him his wishes; and he ceased not walking, while over-musing the +matter, till he spied a letter lying in the road. He took it up and +looked at its direction and superscription, then read it and behold, it +ran:—"From the least worthy of lovers to the most worthy of beloveds." +So he opened it and found these words written therein, + +"A messenger from thee came bringing union-hope, * + But that he erred somehow with me the thought prevailed; +So I rejoiced not; rather grew my grief still more; * + Weeting my messenger of wits and wit had failed. + +"But afterwards: Know, O my lord! that I ken not the reason why our +correspondence between thee and me hath been broken off: but, if the +cruelty arise from thy part, I will requite it with fidelity, and if +thy love have departed, I will remain constant to my love of the +parted, for I am with thee even as says the poet, + +'Be proud; I'll crouch! Bully; I'll bear! Despise; I'll pray! * + Go; I will come! Speak; I will hear! Bid; I'll obey!'" + +As he was reading lo! up came the slave-girl, looking right and left, +and seeing the paper in the jeweller's hand, said to him, "O my master, +this letter is one I let fall." He made her no answer, but walked on, +and she walked behind him, till he came to his house, when he entered +and she after him, saying, "O my master, give me back this letter, for +it fell from me." Thereon he turned to her and said, "O handmaid of +good, fear not neither grieve, for verily Allah the Protector loveth +those who protect; but tell me in truthful way thy case, as I am one +who keepeth counsel. I conjure thee by an oath not to hide from me +aught of thy lady's affairs; for haply Allah shall help me to further +her wishes and make easy by my hand that which is hard." When the +slave-girl heard these words she said, "O my lord, indeed a secret is +not lost whereof thou art the secretist; nor shall any affair come to +naught for which thou strivest. Know that my heart inclineth to thee +and would interest thee with my tidings, but do thou give me the +letter." Then she told him the whole story, adding, "Allah is witness +to whatso I say." Quoth he, "Thou hast spoken truly, for I am +acquainted with the root of the matter." Then he told her his tale of +Ali bin Bakkar and how he had learned his state of mind; and related to +her all that had passed from first to last, whereat she rejoiced; and +they two agreed that she should take the letter and carry it to Ali and +return and acquaint the jeweller with all that happened. So he gave her +the letter and she took it and sealed it up as it was before, saying, +"My mistress Shams al-Nahar gave it to me sealed; and when he hath read +it and given me its reply, I will bring it to thee." Then she took +leave and repaired to Ali bin Bakkar, whom she found waiting, and gave +him the letter. He read it and writing a paper by way of reply, gave it +to her; and she carried it to the jeweller, who tore asunder the +seal[FN#206] and read it and found written therein these two couplets, + +"The messenger, who kept our commerce hid, * + Hath failed, and showeth wrath without disguise;[FN#207] +Choose one more leal from your many friends * + Who, truth approving, disapproves of lies. + +"To proceed: Verily, I have not entered upon perfidy * nor have I +abandoned fidelity * I have not used cruelty * neither have I out off +lealty * no covenant hath been broken by me * nor hath love-tie been +severed by me * I have not parted from penitence * nor have I found +aught but misery and ruin after severance * I know nothing of that thou +avouchest * nor do I love aught but that which thou lovest * By Him who +knoweth the secret of hidden things none discover *I have no desire +save union with my lover * and my one business is my passion to conceal +* albeit with sore sickness I ail. * This is the exposition of my case +and now all hail!" When the jeweller read this letter and learnt its +contents he wept with sore weeping, and the slave-girl said to him, +"Leave not this place till I return to thee; for he suspecteth me of +such and such things, in which he is excusable; so it is my desire to +bring about a meeting between thee and my mistress, Shams al-Nahar, +howsoever I may trick you to it. For the present I left her prostrate, +awaiting my return with the reply." Then she went away and the jeweller +passed the night with a troubled mind. And when day dawned he prayed +his dawn-prayer and sat expecting the girl's coming; and behold, she +came in to him rejoicing with much joy and he asked her, "What news, O +damsel?" She answered, "After leaving thee I went to my mistress and +gave her the letter written by Ali bin Bakkar; and, when she read it +and understood it, she was troubled and confounded; but I said to her, +'O my lady, have no fear of your affair being frustrated by Abu +al-Hasan's disappearance, for I have found one to take his place, +better than he and more of worth and a good man to keep secrets.' Then +I told her what was between thyself and Abu al-Hasan and how thou +camest by his confidence and that of Ali bin Bakkar and how that note +was dropped and thou camest by it; and I also showed her how we +arranged matters betwixt me and thee." The jeweller marvelled with much +wonder, when she resumed, "And now my mistress would hear whatso thou +sayest, that she may be assured by thy speech of the covenants between +thee and him; so get thee ready to go with me to her forthwith." When +the jeweller heard the slave-girl's words, he saw that the proposed +affair was grave and a great peril to brave, not lightly to be +undertaken or suddenly entered upon, and he said to her, "O my sister, +verily, I am of the ordinary and not like unto Abu al-Hasan; for he +being of high rank and of well-known repute, was wont to frequent the +Caliph's household, because of their need of his merchandise. As for +me, he used to talk with me and I trembled before him the while. So, if +thy mistress would speak with me, our meeting must be in some place +other than the Caliph's palace and far from the abode of the Commander +of the Faithful; for my common sense will not let me consent to what +thou proposest." On this wise he refused to go with her and she went on +to say that she would be surety for his safety, adding, "Take heart and +fear no harm!" and pressed him to courage till he consented to +accompany her; withal, his legs bent and shivered and his hands +quivered and he exclaimed, "Allah forbid that I should go with thee! +Indeed, I have not strength to do this thing!" Replied she, "Hearten +thy heart, if it be hard for thee to go to the Caliph's palace and thou +canst not muster up courage to accompany me, I will make her come to +thee; so budge not from thy place till I return to thee with her." Then +the slave-girl went away and was absent for a while, but a short while, +after which she returned to the jeweller and said to him, "Take thou +care that there be with thee none save thyself, neither man-slave nor +girl-slave." Quoth he, "I have but a negress, who is in years and who +waiteth on me."[FN#208] So she arose and locked the door between his +negress and the jeweller and sent his man-servants out of the place; +after which she fared forth and presently returned, followed by a lady +who, entering the house, filled it with the sweet scent of her +perfumes. When the jeweller saw her, he sprang up and set her a couch +and a cushion; and she sat down while he seated himself before her. She +abode awhile without speaking till she had rested herself, when she +unveiled her face and it seemed to the jeweller's fancy as if the sun +had risen in his home. Then she asked her slave-girl, "Is this the man +of whom thou spakest to me?" "Yes," answered she; whereupon the lady +turned to the jeweller and said to him, "How is it with thee?" Replied +he, "Right well! I pray Allah for thy preservation and that of the +Commander of the Faithful." Quoth she, "Thou hast moved us to come to +thee and possess thee with what we hold secret." Then she questioned +him of his household and family; and he disclosed to her all his +circumstance and his condition and said to her, "I have a house other +than this; and I have set it apart for gathering together my friends +and brethren; and there is none there save the old negress, of whom I +spoke to thy handmaid." She asked him on what wise he came first to +know how the affair began and the matter of Abu al-Hasan and the cause +of his way-faring: accordingly he told her all he knew and how he had +advised the journey. Thereupon she bewailed the loss of Abu al-Hasan +and said to the jeweller, "Know, O such an one,[FN#209] that men's +souls are active in their lusts and that men are still men; and that +deeds are not done without words nor is end ever reached without +endeavour. Rest is won only by work."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shams al-Nahar +thus addressed the jeweller, "Rest is gained only by work and success +is gendered only by help of the generous. Now I have acquainted thee +with our affair and it is in thy hand to expose us or to shield us; I +say no more, because thy generosity requireth naught. Thou knowest that +this my handmaiden keepeth my counsel and therefore occupieth high +place in my favour; and I have selected her to transact my affairs of +importance. So let none be worthier in thy sight than she and acquaint +her with thine affair; and be of good cheer, for on her account thou +art safe from all fear, and there is no place shut upon thee but she +shall open it to thee. She shall bring thee my messages to Ali bin +Bakkar and thou shalt be our intermediary." So saying, she rose, +scarcely able to rise, and fared forth, the jeweller faring before her +to the door of her house, after which he returned and sat down again in +his place, having seen of her beauty and heard of her speech what +dazzled him and dazed his wit, and having witnessed of her grace and +courtesy what bewitched his sprite. He sat musing on her perfections +till his mind waxed tranquil, when he called for food and ate enough to +keep soul and body together. Then he changed his clothes and went out; +and, repairing to the house of the youth Ali bin Bakkar, knocked at the +door. The servants hastened to admit him and walked before him till +they had brought him to their master, whom he found strown upon his +bed. Now when he saw the jeweller, he said to him, "Thou hast tarried +long from me, and that hath heaped care upon my care." Then he +dismissed his servants and bade the doors be shut; after which he said +to the jeweller, "By Allah, O my brother, I have not closed my eyes +since the day I saw thee last; for the slave-girl came to me yesterday +with a sealed letter from her mistress Shams al-Nahar;" and went on to +tell him all that had passed with her, adding, "By the Lord, I am +indeed perplexed concerning mine affair and my patience faileth me: for +Abu al-Hasan was a comforter who cheered me because he knew the +slave-girl." When the jeweller heard his words, he laughed; and Ali +said, "Why dost thou laugh at my words, thou on whose coming I +congratulated myself and to whom I looked for provision against the +shifts of fortune?" Then he sighed and wept and repeated these +couplets,[FN#210] + + "Full many laugh at tears they see me shed * + Who had shed tears an bore they what I bore; + None feeleth pity for th' afflicted's woe, * + Save one as anxious and in woe galore: + My passion, yearning, sighing, thought, repine * + Are for me cornered in my heart's deep core: + He made a home there which he never quits, * + Yet rare our meetings, not as heretofore: + No friend to stablish in his place I see; * + No intimate but only he and —he." + +Now when the jeweller heard these lines and understood their +significance, he wept also and told him all that had passed betwixt +himself and the slave-girl and her mistress since he left him. And Ali +bin Bakkar gave ear to his speech, and at every word he heard his +colour shifted from white to red and his body grew now stronger and +then weaker till the tale came to an end, when he wept and said, "O my +brother, I am a lost man in any case: would mine end were nigh, that I +might be at rest from all this! But I beg thee, of thy favour, to be my +helper and comforter in all my affairs till Allah fulfil whatso be His +will; and I will not gainsay thee with a single word." Quoth the +jeweller, "Nothing will quench thy fire save union with her whom thou +lovest; and the meeting must be in other than this perilous place. +Better it were in a house of mine where the girl and her mistress met +me; which place she chose for herself, to the intent that ye twain may +there meet and complain each to other of what you have suffered from +the pangs of love." Quoth Ali bin Bakkar, "O good Sir, do as thou wilt +and with Allah be thy reward!; and what thou deemest is right do it +forthright: but be not long in doing it, lest I perish of this +anguish." "So I abode with him (said the jeweller) that night +conversing with him till the morning morrowed,"—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller +continued:—"So I abode with him that night conversing with him till the +morning morrowed, when I prayed the dawn-prayers and, going out from +him, returned to my house. Hardly had I settled down when the damsel +came up and saluted me; and I returned her salutation and told her what +had passed between myself and Ali bin Bakkar, and she said, 'Know that +the Caliph hath left us and there is no one in our place and it is +safer for us and better.' Replied I, 'Sooth thou sayest; yet is it not +like my other house which is both fitter and surer for us;' and the +slave-girl rejoined 'Be it as thou seest fit. I am now going to my lady +and will tell her what thou sayest and acquaint her with all thou hast +mentioned.' So she went away and sought her mistress and laid the +project before her, and presently returned and said to me, 'It is to be +as thou sayest: so make us ready the place and expect us.' Then she +took out of her breast-pocket a purse of dinars and gave this message, +'My lady saluteth thee and saith to thee, 'Take this and provide +therewith what the case requireth.' But I swore that I would accept +naught of it; so she took the purse and returning to her mistress, told +her, 'He would not receive the money, but gave it back to me.' 'No +matter,' answered Shams al-Nahar. As soon as the slave-girl was gone" +(continued the jeweller), "I arose and betook myself to my other house +and transported thither all that was needful, by way of vessels and +furniture and rich carpets; and I did not forget china vases and cups +of glass and gold and silver; and I made ready meat and drink required +for the occasion. When the damsel came and saw what I had done, it +pleased her and she bade me fetch Ali bin Bakkar; but I said, 'None +shall bring him save thou.' Accordingly she went to him and brought him +back perfectly dressed and looking his best. I met him and greeted him +and then seated him upon a divan befitting his condition, and set +before him sweet-scented flowers in vases of china and vari-coloured +glass.[FN#211] Then I set on a tray of many-tinted meats such as +broaden the breast with their sight, and sat talking with him and +diverting him, whilst the slave-girl went away and was absent till +after sundown-prayers, when she returned with Shams al-Nahar, attended +by two maids and none else. Now as soon as she saw Ali bin Bakkar and +he saw her, he rose and embraced her, and she on her side embraced him +and both fell in a fit to the ground. They lay for a whole hour +insensible; then, coming to themselves, they began mutually to complain +of the pains of separation. Thereupon they drew near to each other and +sat talking charmingly, softly, tenderly; after which they somewhat +perfumed themselves and fell to thanking me for what I had done for +them. Quoth I, 'Have ye a mind for food?' 'Yes,' quoth they. So I set +before them a small matter of food and they ate till they were +satisfied and then washed their hands; after which I led them to +another sitting-room and brought them wine. So they drank and drank +deep and inclined to each other; and presently Shams al-Nahar said to +me, 'O my master, complete thy kindness by bringing us a lute or other +instrument of mirth and music that the measure of our joy may be fully +filled.' I replied, 'On my head and eyes!' and rising brought her a +lute, which she took and tuned; then laying it in her lap she touched +it with a masterly touch, at once exciting to sadness and changing +sorrow to gladness; after which she sang these two couplets, + + 'My sleeplessness would show I love to bide on wake; * + And would my leanness prove that sickness is my make: + And tear-floods course adown the cheeks they only scald; * + Would I knew union shall disunion overtake!' + +Then she went on to sing the choicest and most affecting poesy to many +and various modes, till our senses were bewitched and the very room +danced with excess of delight and surprise at her sweet singing; and +neither thought nor reason was left in us. When we had sat awhile and +the cup had gone round amongst us, the damsel took the lute and sang to +a lively measure these couplets, + +My love a meeting promised me and kept it faithfully, * + One night as many I shall count in number and degree: +O Night of joyance Fate vouchsafed to faithful lovers tway, * + Uncaring for the railer loon and all his company! +My lover lay the Night with me and clipt me with his right, * + While I with left embraced him, a-faint for ecstasy; +And hugged him to my breast and sucked the sweet wine of his + lips, * Full savouring the honey-draught the honey-man sold + to me.' + +Whilst we were thus drowned in the sea of gladness" (continued the +jeweller) "behold, there came in to us a little maid trembling and +said, 'O my lady, look how you may go away for the folk have found you +out and have surrounded the house; and we know not the cause of this!' +When I heard her words, I arose startled and lo! in rushed a slave-girl +who cried, 'Calamity hath come upon you.' At the same moment the door +was burst open and there rushed in upon us ten men masked in kerchiefs +with hangers in their hands and swords by their sides, and as many more +behind them. When I saw this, the world was straitened on me for all +its wideness, and I looked to the door but saw no issue; so I sprang +from the terrace into the house of one of my neighbours and there hid +myself. Thence I found that folk had entered my lodgings and were +making a mighty hubbub; and I concluded that the Caliph had got wind of +us and had sent his Chief of the Watch to seize us and bring us before +him. So I abode confounded and ceased not remaining in my place, +without any possibility of quitting it till midnight. And presently the +house-master arose, for he had heard me moving, and he feared with +exceeding great fear of me; so he came forth from his room with drawn +brand in hand and made at me, saying, 'Who is this in my house?' Quoth +I, 'I am thy neighbour the jeweller;' and he knew me and retired. Then +he fetched a light and coming up to me, said, 'O my brother, indeed +that which hath befallen thee this night is no light matter to me.' I +replied, 'O my brother, tell me who was in my house and entered it +breaking in my door; for I fled to thee not knowing what was to do.' He +answered, 'Of a truth the robbers who attacked our neighbours yesterday +and slew such an one and took his goods, saw thee on the same day +bringing furniture into this house; so they broke in upon thee and +stole thy goods and slew thy guests.' Then we arose" (pursued the +jeweller), "I and he, and repaired to my house, which we found empty +without a stick remaining in it; so I was confounded at the case and +said to myself, 'As for the gear I care naught about its loss, albeit I +borrowed part of the stuff from my friends and it hath come to grief; +yet is there no harm in that, for they know my excuse in the plunder of +my property and the pillage of my place. But as for Ali bin Bakkar and +the Caliph's favourite concubine, I fear lest their case get bruited +abroad and this cause the loss of my life.' So I turned to my neighbour +and said to him, 'Thou art my brother and my neighbour and wilt cover +my nakedness; what then dost thou advise me to do?' The man answered, +'What I counsel thee to do is to keep quiet and wait; for they who +entered thy house and took thy goods have murdered the best men of a +party from the palace of the Caliphate and have killed not a few of the +watchmen: the government officers and guards are now in quest of them +on every road and haply they will hit upon them, whereby thy wish will +come about without effort of thine.'" The jeweller hearing these words +returned to his other house, that wherein he dwelt,—and Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the jeweller +heard these words he returned to his other house wherein he dwelt, and +said to himself, "Indeed this that hath befallen me is what Abu +al-Hasan feared and from which he fled to Bassorah. And now I have +fallen into it." Presently the pillage of his pleasure-house was noised +abroad among the folk, and they came to him from all sides and places, +some exulting in his misfortune and others excusing him and condoling +with his sorrow; whilst he bewailed himself to them and for grief +neither ate meat nor drank drink. And as he sat, repenting him of what +he had done, behold one of his servants came in to him and said, "There +is a person at the door who asketh for thee; and I know him not." The +jeweller went forth to him and saluted him who was a stranger; and the +man whispered to him, "I have somewhat to say between our two selves." +Thereupon he brought him in and asked him, "What hast thou to tell me?" +Quoth the man, "Come with me to thine other house;" and the jeweller +enquired, "Dost thou then know my other house?" Replied the other, "I +know all about thee and I know that also whereby Allah will dispel thy +dolours." "So I said to myself" (continued the jeweller) "'I will go +with him whither he will;' and went out and walked on till we came to +my second house; and when the man saw it he said to me, 'It is without +door or doorkeeper, and we cannot possibly sit in it; so come thou with +me to another place.' Then the man continued passing from stead to +stead (and I with him) till night overtook us. Yet I put no question to +him of the matter in hand and we ceased not to walk on, till we reached +the open country. He kept saying, 'Follow me,' and quickened his pace +to a trot, whilst I trotted after him heartening my heart to go on, +until we reached the river, where he took boat with me, and the boatman +rowed us over to the other bank. Then he landed from the boat and I +landed after him: and he took my hand and led me to a street which I +had never entered in all my days, nor do I know in what quarter it was. +Presently the man stopped at the door of a house, and opening it +entered and made me enter with him; after which he locked the door with +an iron padlock,[FN#212] and led me along the vestibule, till he +brought me in the presence of ten men who were as though they were one +and the same man; they being brothers. We saluted them" (continued the +jeweller) "and they returned our greeting and bade us be seated; so we +sat down. Now I was like to die for excess of weariness; but they +brought me rose-water and sprinkled it on my face; after which they +gave me a sherbet to drink and set before me food whereof some of them +ate with me. Quoth I to myself, 'Were there aught harmful in the food, +they would not eat with me.' So I ate, and when we had washed our +hands, each of us returned to his place. Then they asked me, 'Dost thou +know us?' and I answered, 'No! nor in my life have I ever seen you; +nay, I know not even him who brought me hither.' Said they, 'Tell us +thy tidings and lie not at all.' Replied I, 'Know then that my case is +wondrous and my affair marvellous; but wot ye anything about me?' They +rejoined, 'Yes! it was we took thy goods yesternight and carried off +thy friend and her who was singing to him.' Quoth I, 'Allah let down +His veil over you! Where be my friend and she who was singing to him?' +They pointed with their hands to one side and replied, 'Yonder, but, by +Allah, O our brother, the secret of their case is known to none save to +thee, for from the time we brought the twain hither up to this day, we +have not looked upon them nor questioned them of their condition, +seeing them to be persons of rank and dignity. Now this and this only +it was that hindered our killing them: so tell us the truth of their +case and thou shalt be assured of thy safety and of theirs.' When I +heard this" (continued the jeweller) "I almost died of fright and +horror, and I said to them, 'Know ye, O my brethren, that if generosity +were lost, it would not be found save with you; and had I a secret +which I feared to reveal, none but your breasts would conceal it.' And +I went on exaggerating their praises in this fashion, till I saw that +frankness and readiness to speak out would profit me more than +concealing facts; so I told them all that had betided me to the very +end of the tale. When they heard it, they said, 'And is this young man +Ali Bakkar-son and this lady Shams al-Nahar?' I replied, 'Yes.' Now +this was grievous to them and they rose and made their excuses to the +two and then they said to me, 'Of what we took from thy house part is +spent, but here is what is left of it.' So speaking, they gave me back +most of my goods and they engaged to return them to their places in my +house, and to restore me the rest as soon as they could. My heart was +set at ease till they split into two parties, one with me and the other +against me; and we fared forth from that house and such was my case. +But as regards Ali bin Bakkar and Shams al-Nahar; they were well-nigh +dying for excess of fear, when I went up to them and saluting them, +asked, 'What happened to the damsel and the two maids, and where be +they gone?', and they answered only, 'We know nothing of them.' Then we +walked on and stinted not till we came to the river-bank where the +barque lay; and we all boarded it, for it was the same which had +brought me over on the day before. The boatman rowed us to the other +side; but hardly had we landed and taken seat on the bank to rest, when +a troop of horse swooped down on us like eagles and surrounded us on +all sides and places, whereupon the robbers with us sprang up in haste +like vultures, and the boat put back for them and took them in and the +boatman pushed off into mid-stream, leaving us on the river bank, +unable to move or to stand still. Then the chief horseman said to us, +'Whence be ye!'; and we were perplexed for an answer, but I said" +(continued the jeweller), "'Those ye saw with us are rogues; we know +them not. As for us, we are singers, and they intended taking us to +sing for them, nor could we get free of them, save by subtlety and soft +words; so on this occasion they let us go, their works being such as +you have seen.' But they looked at Shams al-Nahar and Ali bin Bakkar +and said to me, 'Thou hast not spoken sooth but, if thy tale be true, +tell us who ye are and whence ye are; and what be your place and in +what quarter you dwell.' I knew not what to answer them, but Shams +al-Nahar sprang up and approaching the Captain of the horsemen spoke +with him privily, whereupon he dismounted from his steed and, setting +her on horse-back, took the bridle and began to lead his beast. And two +of his men did the like with the youth, Ali bin Bakkar, and it was the +same with myself. The Commandant of the troop ceased not faring on with +us, till they reached a certain part of the river bank, when he sang +out in some barbarous jargon[FN#213] and there came to us a number of +men with two boats. Then the Captain embarked us in one of them (and he +with us) whilst the rest of his men put off in the other, and rowed on +with us till we arrived at the palace of the Caliphate where Shams +al-Nahar landed. And all the while we endured the agonies of death for +excess of fear, and they ceased not faring till they came to a place +whence there was a way to our quarter. Here we landed and walked on, +escorted by some of the horsemen, till we came to Ali bin Bakkar's +house; and when we entered it, our escort took leave of us and went +their way. We abode there, unable to stir from the place and not +knowing the difference between morning and evening; and in such case we +continued till the dawn of the next day. And when it was again +nightfall, I came to myself and saw Ali bin Bakkar and the women and +men of his household weeping over him, for he was stretched out without +sense or motion. Some of them came to me and thoroughly arousing me +said, 'Tell us what hath befallen our son and say how came he in this +plight?' Replied I, 'O folk, hearken to me!'"—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller +answered them, "'O folk, hearken to my words and give me no trouble and +annoyance! but be patient and he will come to and tell you his tale for +himself.' And I was hard upon them and made them afraid of a scandal +between me and them, but as we were thus, behold, Ali bin Bakkar moved +on his carpet-bed, whereat his friends rejoiced and the stranger folk +withdrew from him; but his people forbade me to go away. Then they +sprinkled rose-water on his face and he presently revived and sensed +the air; whereupon they questioned him of his case, and he essayed to +answer them but his tongue could not speak forthright and he signed to +them to let me go home. So they let me go, and I went forth hardly +crediting my escape and returned to my own house, supported by two men. +When my people saw me thus, they rose up and set to shrieking and +slapping their faces; but I signed to them with my hand to be silent +and they were silent. Then the two men went their way and I threw +myself down on my bed, where I lay the rest of the night and awoke not +till the forenoon, when I found my people gathered round me and saying, +'What calamity befel thee, and what evil with its mischief did fell +thee?' Quoth I 'Bring me somewhat to drink.' So they brought me drink, +and I drank of it what I would and said to them, 'What happened, +happened.' Thereupon they went away and I made my excuses to my +friends, and asked if any of the goods that had been stolen from my +other house had been returned. They answered, 'Yes! some of them have +come back; by token that a man entered and threw them down within the +doorway and we saw him not.' So I comforted myself and abode in my +place two days, unable to rise and leave it; and presently I took +courage and went to the bath, for I was worn out with fatigue and +troubled in mind for Ali bin Bakkar and Shams al-Nahar, because I had +no news of them all this time and could neither get to Ali's house nor, +out of fear for my life, take my rest in mine own. And I repented to +Almighty Allah of what I had done and praised Him for my safety. +Presently my fancy suggested to me to go to such and such a place and +see the folk and solace myself; so I went on foot to the cloth-market +and sat awhile with a friend of mine there. When I rose to go, I saw a +woman standing over against me; so I looked at her, and lo! it was +Shams al-Nahar's slave-girl. When I saw her, the world grew dark in my +eyes and I hurried on. She followed me, but I was seized with affright +and fled from her, and whenever I looked at her, a trembling came upon +me whilst she pursued me, saying. 'Stop, that I may tell thee +somewhat!' But I heeded her not and never ceased walking till I reached +a mosque, and she entered after me. I prayed a two-bow prayer, after +which I turned to her and, sighing, said, 'What cost thou want?' She +asked me how I did, and I told her all that had befallen myself and Ali +bin Bakkar and besought her for news of herself. She answered, 'Know +that when I saw the robbers break open thy door and rush in, I was in +sore terror, for I doubted not but that they were the Caliph's officers +and would seize me and my mistress and we should perish forthwith: so +we fled over the roofs, I and the maids; and, casting ourselves down +from a high place, came upon some people with whom we took refuge; and +they received us and brought us to the palace of the Caliphate, where +we arrived in the sorriest of plights. We concealed our case and abode +on coals of fire till nightfall, when I opened the river-gate and, +calling the boatman who had carried us the night before, said to him, +'I know not what is become of my mistress; so take me in the boat, that +we may go seek her on the river: haply I shall chance on some news of +her. Accordingly he took me into the boat and went about with me and +ceased not wending till midnight, when I spied a barque making towards +the water gate, with one man rowing and another standing up and a woman +lying prostrate between them twain. And they rowed on till they reached +the shore when the woman landed, and I looked at her, and behold, it +was Shams al-Nahar. Thereupon I got out and joined her, dazed for joy +to see her after having lost all hopes of finding her alive.'" —And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl +went on telling the jeweller, "'I was dazed for joy to see her, after +having lost all hopes of finding her alive. When I came up to her, she +bade me give the man who had brought her thither a thousand gold +pieces; and we carried her in, I and the two maids, and laid her on her +bed; where she passed that night in a sorely troubled state; and, when +morning dawned, I forbade the women and eunuchs to go in to her, or +even to draw near her for the whole of that day; but on the next she +revived and somewhat recovered and I found her as if she had come out +of her grave. I sprinkled rose-water upon her face and changed her +clothes and washed her hands and feet; nor did I cease to coax her, +till I brought her to eat a little and drink some wine, though she had +no mind to any such matter. As soon as she had breathed the fresh air +and strength began to return to her, I took to upbraiding her, saying, +'O my lady, consider and have pity on thyself; thou seest what hath +betided us: surely, enough and more than enough of evil hath befallen +thee; for indeed thou hast been nigh upon death. She said, 'By Allah, O +good damsel, in sooth death were easier to me than what hath betided +me; for it seemed as though I should be slain and no power could save +me. When the robbers took us from the jeweller's house they asked me, +Who mayest thou be? and hearing my answer, 'I am a singing girl, they +believed me. Then they turned to Ali bin Bakkar and made enquiries +about him, 'And who art thou and what is thy condition?; whereto he +replied, 'I am of the common kind. So they took us and carried us +along, without our resisting, to their abode; and we hurried on with +them for excess of fear; but when they had us set down with them in the +house, they looked hard at me and seeing the clothes I wore and my +necklaces and jewellery, believed not my account of myself and said to +me, 'Of a truth these necklaces belong to no singing-girl; so be +soothfast and tell us the truth of thy case. I returned them no answer +whatever, saying in my mind, 'Now will they slay me for the sake of my +apparel and ornaments; and I spoke not a word. Then the villains turned +to Ali bin Bakkar, asking, 'And thou, who art thou and whence art thou? +for thy semblance seemeth not as that of the common kind. But he was +silent and we ceased not to keep our counsel and to weep, till Allah +softened the rogues' hearts to pity and they said to us, 'Who is the +owner of the house wherein we were?' We answered, 'Such an one, the +jeweller; whereupon quoth one of them, 'I know him right well and I wot +the other house where he liveth and I will engage to bring him to you +this very hour. Then they agreed to set me in a place by myself and Ali +bin Bakkar in a place by himself, and said to us, 'Be at rest ye twain +and fear not lest your secret be divulged; ye are safe from us. +Meanwhile their comrade went away and returned with the jeweller, who +made known to them our case, and we joined company with him; after +which a man of the band fetched a barque, wherein they embarked us all +three and, rowing us over the river, landed us with scant ceremony on +the opposite bank and went their ways. Thereupon up came a horse-patrol +and asked us who we were; so I spoke with the Captain of the watch and +said to him, 'I am Shams al-Nahar, the Caliph's favourite; I had +drunken strong wine and went out to visit certain of my acquaintance of +the wives of the Wazirs, when yonder rogues came upon me and laid hold +of me and brought me to this place; but when they saw you, they fled as +fast as they could. I met these men with them: so do thou escort me and +them to a place of safety and I will requite thee as I am well able to +do. When the Captain of the watch heard my speech, he knew me and +alighting, mounted me on his horse; and in like manner did two of his +men with Ali bin Bakkar. So I spoke to her' (continued the handmaid) +'and blamed her doings, and bade her beware, and said to her, 'O my +lady, have some care for thy life!' But she was angered at my words and +cried out at me; accordingly I left her and came forth in quest of +thee, but found thee not and dared not go to the house of Ali bin +Bakkar; so stood watching for thee, that I might ask thee of him and +wot how it goes with him. And I pray thee, of thy favour, to take of me +some money, for thou hast doubtless borrowed from thy friends part of +the gear and as it is lost, it behoveth thee to make it good with +folk.' I replied, 'To hear is to obey! go on;' and I walked with her +till we drew near my house, when she said to me, 'Wait here till I come +back to thee.'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after the +slave-girl had addressed the jeweller, "'Wait here till I come back to +thee!' she went away and presently returned with the money, which she +put" (continued the jeweller) "into my hand, saying, 'O my master, in +what place shall we meet?' Quoth I, 'I will start and go to my house at +once and suffer hard things for thy sake and contrive how thou mayst +win access to him, for such access is difficult at this present.' Said +she, 'Let me know some spot, where I shall come to thee,' and I +answered, 'In my other house, I will go thither forthright and have the +doors mended and the place made safe again, and henceforth we will meet +there.' Then she took leave of me and went her way, whilst I carried +the money home, and counting it, found it five thousand dinars. So I +gave my people some of it and to all who had lent me aught I made good +their loss, after which I arose and took my servants and repaired to my +other house whence the things had been stolen; and I brought builders +and carpenters and masons who restored it to its former state. +Moreover, I placed my negress-slave there and forgot the mishaps which +had befallen me. Then I fared forth and repaired to Ali bin Bakkar's +house and, when I reached it, his slave-servants accosted me, saying, +'Our lord calleth for thee night and day, and hath promised to free +whichever of us bringeth thee to him; so they have been wandering about +in quest of thee everywhere but knew not in what part to find thee. Our +master is by way of recovering strength, but at times he reviveth and +at times he relapseth; and whenever he reviveth he nameth thee, and +saith, 'Needs must ye bring him to me, though but for the twinkling of +an eye;' and then he sinketh back into his torpor.' Accordingly" +(continued the jeweller) "I accompanied the slave and went in to Ali +bin Bakkar; and, finding him unable to speak, sat down at his head, +whereupon he opened his eyes and seeing me, wept and said, 'Welcome and +well come!' I raised him and making him sit up, strained him to my +bosom, and he said, 'Know, O my brother, that, from the hour I took to +my bed, I have not sat up till now: praise to Allah that I see thee +again!' And I ceased not to prop him and support him until I made him +stand on his feet and walk a few steps, after which I changed his +clothes and he drank some wine: but all this he did for my +satisfaction. Then, seeing him somewhat restored, I told him what had +befallen me with the slave-girl (none else hearing me), and said to +him, 'Take heart and be of good courage, I know what thou sufferest.' +He smiled and I added, 'Verily nothing shall betide thee save what +shall rejoice thee and medicine thee.' Thereupon he called for food, +which being brought, he signed to his pages, and they withdrew. Then +quoth he to me, 'O my brother, hast thou seen what hath befallen me?'; +and he made excuses to me and asked how I had fared all that while. I +told him everything that had befallen me, from beginning to end, +whereat he wondered and calling his servants, said, 'Bring me such and +such things.' They brought in fine carpets and hangings and, besides +that, vessels of gold and silver, more than I had lost, and he gave +them all to me; so I sent them to my house and abode with him that +night. When the day began to yellow, he said to me, 'Know thou that as +to all things there is an end, so the end of love is either death or +accomplishment of desire. I am nearer unto death, would I had died ere +this befel!; and had not Allah favoured us, we had been found out and +put to shame. And now I know not what shall deliver me from this my +strait, and were it not that I fear Allah, I would hasten my own death; +for know, O my brother, that I am like bird in cage and that my life is +of a surety perished, choked by the distresses which have befallen me; +yet hath it a period stablished firm and an appointed term.' And he +wept and groaned and began repeating, + + 'Enough of tears hath shed the lover-wight, * + When grief outcast all patience from his sprite: + He hid the secrets which united us, * + But now His eye parts what He did unite!'" + +When he had finished his verses, the jeweller said to him, "O my lord, +I now intend returning to my house." He answered, "There be no harm in +that; go and come back to me with news as fast as possible, for thou +seest my case." "So I took leave of him" (continued the jeweller) "and +went home, and hardly had I sat down, when up came the damsel, choked +with long weeping. I asked, 'What is the matter'?; and she answered, 'O +my lord, know then that what we feared hath befallen us; for, when I +left thee yesterday and returned to my lady, I found her in a fury with +one of the two maids who were with us the other night, and she ordered +her to be beaten. The girl was frightened and ran away; but, as she was +leaving the house, one of the door-porters and guards of the gate met +her and took her up and would have sent her back to her mistress. +However, she let fall some hints, which were a disclosure to him; so he +cajoled her and led her on to talk, and she tattled about our case and +let him know of all our doings. This affair came to the ears of the +Caliph, who bade remove my mistress, Shams al-Nahar, and all her gear +to the palace of the Caliphate; and set over her a guard of twenty +eunuchs. Since then to the present hour he hath not visited her nor +hath given her to know the reason of his action, but I suspect this to +be the cause; wherefore I am in fear for my life and am sore troubled, +O my lord, knowing not what I shall do, nor with what contrivance I +shall order my affair and hers; for she hath none by her more trusted +or more trustworthy than myself.'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl +thus addressed the jeweller, "'And in very sooth my lady hath none by +her more trusted or more trustworthy in matter of secrecy than myself. +So go thou, O my master, and speed thee without delay to Ali bin +Bakkar; and acquaint him with this, that he may be on his guard and +ward; and, if the affair be discovered, we will cast about for some +means whereby to save our lives.' On this" (continued the jeweller), "I +was seized with sore trouble and the world grew dark in my sight for +the slave-girl's words; and when she was about to wend, I said to her, +'What reckest thou and what is to be done?' Quoth she, 'My counsel is +that thou hasten to Ali bin Bakkar, if thou be indeed his friend and +desire to save him; thine be it to carry him this news at once without +aught of stay and delay, or regard for far and near; and mine be it to +sniff about for further news.' Then she took her leave of me and went +away: so I rose and followed her track and, betaking myself to Ali bin +Bakkar, found him flattering himself with impossible expectations. When +he saw me returning to him so soon, he said, 'I see thou hast come back +to me forthwith and only too soon.' I answered, 'Patience, and cut +short this foolish connection and shake off the pre-occupation wherein +thou art, for there hath befallen that which may bring about the loss +of thy life and good.' Now when he heard this, he was troubled and +strongly moved; and he said to me, 'O my brother, tell me what hath +happened.' Replied I, 'O my lord, know that such and such things have +happened and thou art lost without recourse, if thou abide in this thy +house till the end of the day.' At this, he was confounded and his soul +well-nigh departed his body, but he recovered himself and said to me, +'What shall I do, O my brother, and what counsel hast thou to offer.' +Answered I, 'My advice is that thou take what thou canst of thy +property and whom of thy slaves thou trustest, and flee with us to a +land other than this, ere this very day come to an end.' And he said, +'I hear and I obey.' So he rose, confused and dazed like one in +epilepsy, now walking and now falling, and took what came under his +hand. Then he made an excuse to his household and gave them his last +injunctions, after which he loaded three camels and mounted his beast; +and I did likewise. We went forth privily in disguise and fared on and +ceased not our wayfare the rest of that day and all its night, till +nigh upon morning, when we unloaded and, hobbling our camels, lay down +to sleep. But we were worn with fatigue and we neglected to keep watch, +so that there fell upon us robbers, who stripped us of all we had and +slew our slaves, when these would have beaten them off, leaving us +naked and in the sorriest of plights, after they had taken our money +and lifted our beasts and disappeared. As soon as they were gone, we +arose and walked on till morning dawned, when we came to a village +which we entered, and finding a mosque took refuge therein for we were +naked. So we sat in a corner all that day and we passed the next night +without meat or drink; and at day-break we prayed our dawn-prayer and +sat down again. Presently behold, a man entered and saluting us prayed +a two-bow prayer, after which he turned to us and said, 'O folk, are ye +strangers?' We replied, 'Yes: the bandits waylaid us and stripped us +naked, and we came to this town but know none here with whom we may +shelter.' Quoth he, 'What say ye? will you come home with me?' And" +(pursued the jeweller) "I said to Ali bin Bakkar, 'Up and let us go +with him, and we shall escape two evils; the first, our fear lest some +one who knoweth us enter this mosque and recognise us, so that we come +to disgrace; and the second, that we are strangers and have no place +wherein to lodge.' And he answered helplessly, 'As thou wilt.' Then the +man said to us again, 'O ye poor folk, give ear unto me and come with +me to my place,' and I replied, 'Hearkening and obedience;' whereupon +he pulled off a part of his own clothes and covered us therewith and +made his excuses to us and spoke kindly to us. Then we arose and +accompanied him to his house and he knocked at the door, whereupon a +little slave-boy came out and opened to us. The host entered and we +followed him;[FN#214] when he called for a bundle of clothes and +muslins for turbands, and gave us each a suit and a piece; so we +dressed and turbanded ourselves and sat us down. Presently, in came a +damsel with a tray of food and set it before us, saying, 'Eat.' We ate +some small matter and she took away the tray: after which we abode with +our host till nightfall, when Ali bin Bakkar sighed and said to me, +'Know, O my brother, that I am a dying man past hope of life and I +would charge thee with a charge: it is that, when thou seest me dead, +thou go to my parent[FN#215] and tell her of my decease and bid her +come hither that she may be here to receive the visits of condolence +and be present at the washing of my corpse, and do thou exhort her to +bear my loss with patience.' Then he fell down in a fainting fit and, +when he recovered he heard a damsel singing afar off and making verses +as she sang. Thereupon he addressed himself to give ear to her and +hearken to her voice; and now he was insensible, absent from the world, +and now he came to himself; and anon he wept for grief and mourning at +the love which had befallen him. Presently, he heard the damsel who was +singing repeat these couplets, + + 'Parting ran up to part from lover-twain * + Free converse, perfect concord, friendship fain: + The Nights with shifting drifted us apart, * + Would heaven I wot if we shall meet again: + How bitter after meeting 'tis to part, * + May lovers ne'er endure so bitter pain! + Death-grip, death-choke, lasts for an hour and ends, * + But parting-tortures aye in heart remain: + Could we but trace where Parting's house is placed, * + We would make Parting eke of parting taste!' + +When Ali son of Bakkar heard the damsel's song, he sobbed one sob and +his soul quitted his body. As soon as I saw that he was dead" +(continued the jeweller), "I committed his corpse to the care of the +house-master and said to him 'Know thou, that I am going to Baghdad, to +tell his mother and kinsfolk, that they may come hither and conduct his +burial.' So I betook myself to Baghdad and, going to my house, changed +my clothes; after which I repaired to Ali bin Bakkar's lodging. Now +when his servants saw me, they came to me and questioned me of him, and +I bade them ask permission for me to go in to his mother. She gave me +leave; so I entered and saluting her, said, 'Verily Allah ordereth the +lives of all creatures by His commandment and when He decreeth aught, +there is no escaping its fulfilment; nor can any soul depart but by +leave of Allah, according to the Writ which affirmeth the appointed +term.'[FN#216] She guessed by these words that her son was dead and +wept with sore weeping, then she said to me, 'Allah upon thee! tell me, +is my son dead?' I could not answer her for tears and excess of grief, +and when she saw me thus, she was choked with weeping and fell to the +ground in a fit. As soon as she came to herself she said to me, 'Tell +me how it was with my son.' I replied, 'May Allah abundantly compensate +thee for his loss!' and I told her all that had befallen him from +beginning to end. She then asked, 'Did he give thee any charge?'; and I +answered, 'Yes,' and told her what he had said, adding, 'Hasten to +perform his funeral.' When she heard these words, she swooned away +again; and, when she recovered, she addressed herself to do as I +charged her. Then I returned to my house; and as I went along musing +sadly upon the fair gifts of his youth, behold, a woman caught hold of +my hand;"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller thus +continued:—"A woman caught hold of my hand; and I looked at her and lo! +it was the slave-girl who used to come from Shams al-Nahar, and she +seemed broken by grief. When we knew each other we both wept and ceased +not weeping till we reached my house, and I said to her, 'Knowest thou +the news of the youth, Ali bin Bakkar?' She replied, 'No, by Allah!'; +so I told her the manner of his death and all that had passed, whilst +we both wept; after which quoth I to her, 'How is it with thy +mistress?' Quoth she, 'The Commander of the Faithful would not hear a +single word against her; but, for the great love he bore her, saw all +her actions in a favourable light, and said to her, 'O Shams al-Nahar, +thou art dear to me and I will bear with thee and bring the noses of +thy foes to the grindstone. Then he bade them furnish her an apartment +decorated with gold and a handsome sleeping-chamber, and she abode with +him in all ease of life and high favour. Now it came to pass that one +day, as he sat at wine according to his custom, with his favourite +concubines in presence, he bade them be seated in their several ranks +and made Shams al-Nahar sit by his side. But her patience had failed +and her disorder had redoubled upon her. Then he bade one of the +damsels sing: so she took a lute and tuning it struck the chords, and +began to sing these verses, + +'One craved my love and I gave all he craved of me, * + And tears on cheek betray how 'twas I came to yield: +Tear-drops, meseemeth, are familiar with our case, * + Revealing what I hide, hiding what I revealed: +How can I hope in secret to conceal my love, * + Which stress of passion ever showeth unconcealed: +Death, since I lost my lover, is grown sweet to me; * + Would I knew what their joys when I shall quit the field! + +Now when Shams al-Nahar heard these verses sung by the slave-girl, she +could not keep her seat; but fell down in a fainting-fit whereupon the +Caliph cast the cup from his hand and drew her to him crying out; and +the damsels also cried out, and the Prince of True Believers turned her +over and shook her, and lo and behold! she was dead. The Caliph grieved +over her death with sore grief and bade break all the vessels and +dulcimers[FN#217] and other instruments of mirth and music which were +in the room; then carrying her body to his closet, he abode with her +the rest of the night. When the day broke, he laid her out and +commanded to wash her and shroud her and bury her. And he mourned for +her with sore mourning, and questioned not of her case nor of what +caused her condition. And I beg thee in Allah's name' (continued the +damsel) 'to let me know the day of the coming of Ali bin Bakkar's +funeral procession that I may be present at his burial.' Quoth I, 'For +myself, where thou wilt thou canst find me; but thou, where art thou to +be found, and who can come at thee where thou art?' She replied, 'On +the day of Shams al-Nahar's death, the Commander of the Faithful freed +all her women, myself among the rest;[FN#218] and I am one of those now +abiding at the tomb in such a place.' So I rose and accompanied her to +the burial-ground and piously visited Shams al-Nahar's tomb; after +which I went my way and ceased not to await the coming of Ali bin +Bakkar's funeral. When it arrived, the people of Baghdad went forth to +meet it and I went forth with them: and I saw the damsel among the +women and she the loudest of them in lamentation, crying out and +wailing with a voice that rent the vitals and made the heart ache. +Never was seen in Baghdad a finer funeral than his; and we ceased not +to follow in crowds till we reached the cemetery and buried him to the +mercy of Almighty Allah; nor from that time to this have I ceased to +visit the tombs of Ali son of Bakkar and of Shams al-Nahar. This, then, +is their story, and Allah Almighty have mercy upon them!"[FN#219] And +yet is not their tale (continued Shahrazad) more wonderful than that of +King Shahriman. The King asked her "And what was his tale?"—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Seventieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, as regards the + + +TALE OF KAMAR AL-ZAMAN. + +That there was in times of yore and in ages long gone before a King +called Shahrimán,[FN#220] who was lord of many troops and guards, and +officers, and who reigned over certain islands, known as the Khálidán +Islands,[FN#221] on the borders of the land of the Persians. But he was +stricken in years and his bones were wasted, without having been +blessed with a son, albeit he had four wives, daughters of Kings, and +threescore concubines, with each of whom he was wont to lie one night +in turn.[FN#222] This preyed upon his mind and disquieted him, so that +he complained thereof to one of his Wazirs, saying, "Verily I fear lest +my kingdom be lost when I die, for that I have no son to succeed me." +The Minister answered, "O King, peradventure Allah shall yet bring +something to pass; so rely upon the Almighty and be instant in prayer. +It is also my counsel that thou spread a banquet and invite to it the +poor and needy, and let them eat of thy food; and supplicate the Lord +to vouchsafe thee a son; for perchance there may be among thy guests a +righteous soul whose prayers find acceptance; and thereby thou shalt +win thy wish." So the King rose, made the lesser ablution, and prayed a +two-bow prayer,[FN#223] then he cried upon Allah with pure intention; +after which he called his chief wife to bed and lay with her +forthright. By grace of God she conceived and, when her months were +accomplished, she bore a male child, like the moon on the night of +fulness. The King named him Kamar al-Zamán,[FN#224] and rejoiced in him +with extreme joy and bade the city be dressed out in his honour; so +they decorated the streets seven days, whilst the drums beat and the +messengers bore the glad tidings abroad. Then wet and dry nurses were +provided for the boy and he was reared in splendour and delight, until +he reached the age of fifteen. He grew up of surpassing beauty and +seemlihead and symmetry, and his father loved him so dear that he could +not brook to be parted from him day or night. One day he complained to +a certain of his Ministers anent the excess of his love for his only +child, saying, "O thou the Wazir, of a truth I fear for my son, Kamar +al-Zaman, the shifts and accidents which befal man and fain would I +marry him in my life-time." Answered the Wazir, "O King, know thou that +marriage is one of the most honourable of moral actions, and thou +wouldst indeed do well and right to marry thy son in thy lifetime, ere +thou make him Sultan." On this quoth the King, "Hither with my son +Kamar al-Zaman;" so he came and bowed his head to the ground in modesty +before his sire. "O Kamar al Zaman," said King Shahriman, "of a truth I +desire to marry thee and rejoice in thee during my lifetime." Replied +he, "O my father, know that I have no lust to marry nor cloth my soul +incline to women; for that concerning their craft and perfidy I have +read many books and heard much talk, even as saith the poet, + +'Now, an of women ask ye, I reply:—* + In their affairs I'm versed a doctor rare! +When man's head grizzles and his money dwindles, * + In their affections he hath naught for share.' + +And another said:— + +'Rebel against women and so shalt thou serve Allah the more; * + The youth who gives women the rein must forfeit all hope to + soar. +They'll baulk him when seeking the strange device, Excelsior, * + Tho' waste he a thousand of years in the study of science + and lore.' " + +And when he had ended his verses he continued, "O my father, wedlock is +a thing whereto I will never consent; no, not though I drink the cup of +death." When Sultan Shahriman heard these words from his son, light +became darkness in his sight and he grieved thereat with great +grief.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King +Shahriman heard these words from his son, the light became darkness in +his sight and he grieved over his son's lack of obedience to his +directions in the matter of marriage; yet, for the great love he bore +him, he was unwilling to repeat his wishes and was not wroth with him, +but caressed him and spake him fair and showed him all manner of +kindness such as tendeth to induce affection. All this, and Kamar +al-Zaman increased daily in beauty and loveliness and amorous grace; +and the King bore with him for a whole year till he became perfect in +eloquence and elegant wit. All men were ravished with his charms; and +every breeze that blew bore the tidings of his gracious favour; his +fair sight was a seduction to the loving and a garden of delight to the +longing, for he was honey-sweet of speech and the sheen of his face +shamed the full moon; he was a model of symmetry and blandishment and +engaging ways; his shape was as the willow-wand or the rattan- cane and +his cheeks might take the place of rose or red anemone. He was, in fine +the pink of perfection, even as the poet hath said of him, + +"He came and cried they, 'Now be Allah blest! * + Praise Him that clad that soul in so fair vest!' +He's King of Beauty where the beauteous be; * + All are his Ryots,[FN#225] all obey his hest: +His lip-dew's sweeter than the virgin honey; * + His teeth are pearls in double row close press: +All charms are congregate in him alone, * + And deals his loveliness to man unrest. +Beauty wrote on those cheeks for worlds to see * + 'I testify there is none good but He.'"[FN#226] + +When the year came to an end, the King called his son to him and said, +"O my son, wilt thou not hearken to me?" Whereupon Kamar al-Zaman fell +down for respect and shame before his sire and replied, "O my father, +how should I not hearken to thee, seeing that Allah commandeth me to +obey thee and not gain-say thee?" Rejoined King Shahriman, "O my son, +know that I desire to marry thee and rejoice in thee whilst yet I live, +and make thee King over my realm, before my death." When the Prince +heard his sire pronounce these words he bowed his head awhile, then +raised it and said, "O my father, this is a thing which I will never +do; no, not though I drink the cup of death! I know of a surety that +the Almighty hath made obedience to thee a duty in religion; but, Allah +upon thee! press me not in this matter of marriage, nor fancy that I +will ever marry my life long; for that I have read the books both of +the ancients and the moderns, and have come to know all the mischiefs +and miseries which have befallen them through women and their endless +artifices. And how excellent is the saying of the poet, + +'He whom the randy motts entrap * + Shall never see deliverance! +Though build he forts a thousand-fold, * + Whose mighty strength lead-plates enhance,[FN#227] +Their force shall be of no avail; * + These fortresses have not a chance! +Women aye deal in treachery * + To far and near o'er earth's expanse +With fingers dipt in Henna-blood * + And locks in braids that mad the glance; +And eyelids painted o'er with Kohl * + They gar us drink of dire mischance.' + +And how excellently saith another, + +'Women, for all the chastity they claim, * + Are offal cast by kites where'er they list: +This night their talk and secret charms are shine, * + That night another joyeth calf and wrist: +Like inn, whence after night thou far'st at dawn, * + And lodges other wight thou hast not wist.'"[FN#228] + +Now when King Shahriman heard these his son's words and learnt the +import of his verses and poetical quotations, he made no answer, of his +excessive love for him, but redoubled in graciousness and kindness to +him. He at once broke up the audience and, as soon as the seance was +over, he summoned his Minister and taking him apart, said to him, "O +thou the Wazir! tell me how I shall deal with my son in the matter of +marriage."- -And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted stay. + +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King summoned +his Minister; and, taking him apart, said to him, "O thou the Wazir, +tell me what I shall do with my son in the matter of marriage. Of a +truth I took counsel with thee thereon and thou didst counsel me to +marry him, before making him King. I have spoken with him of wedlock +time after time and he still gainsaid me; so do thou, O Wazir, +forthright advise me what to do." Answered the Minister, "O King, wait +another year and, if after that thou be minded to speak to him on the +matter of marriage, speak not to him privily, but address him on a day +of state, when all the Emirs and Wazirs are present with the whole of +the army standing before thee. And when all are in crowd then send for +thy son, Kamar al-Zaman, and summon him; and, when he cometh, broach to +him the matter of marriage before the Wazirs and Grandees and Officers +of state and Captains; for he will surely be bashful and daunted by +their presence and will not dare to oppose thy will." Now when King +Shahriman heard his Wazir's words, he rejoiced with exceeding joy, +seeing success in the project, and bestowed on him a splendid robe of +honour. Then he took patience with his son another year, whilst, with +every day that passed over him, Kamar al-Zaman increased in beauty and +loveliness, and elegance and perfect grace, till he was nigh twenty +years old. Indeed Allah had clad him in the cloak of comeliness and had +crowned him with the crown of completion: his eye-glance was more +bewitching than Hárút and Marút[FN#229] and the play of his luring +looks more misleading than Tághút;[FN#230] and his cheeks shone like +the dawn rosy-red and his eyelashes stormed the keen-edged blade: the +whiteness of his brow resembled the moon shining bright, and the +blackness of his locks was as the murky night; and his waist was more +slender than the gossamer[FN#231] and his back parts than two sand +heaps bulkier, making a Babel of the heart with their softness; but his +waist complained of the weight of his hips and loins; and his charms +ravished all mankind, even as one of the poets saith in these couplets, + +"By his eyelash tendril curled, by his slender waist I swear, +By the dart his witchery feathers, fatal hurtling through the + air; +By the just roundness of his shape, by his glances bright and + keen +By the swart limping of his locks, and his fair forehead shining + sheen; +By his eyebrows which deny that she who looks on them should + sleep, +Which now commanding, now forbidding, o'er me high dominion keep; +By the roses of his cheek, his face as fresh as myrtle wreath +His tulip lips, and those pure pearls that hold the places of his + teeth; +By his noble form, which rises featly turned in even swell +To where upon his jutting chest two young pomegranates seem to + dwell +By his supple moving hips, his taper waist, the silky skin, +By all he robbed Perfection of, and holds enchained his form + within; +By his tongue of steadfastness, his nature true, and excellent, +By the greatness of his rank, his noble birth, and high descent, +Musk from my love her savour steals, who musk exhales from every + limb +And all the airs ambergris breathes are but the Zephyr's blow + o'er him. +The sun, methinks, the broad bright sun, as low before my love + should quail +As would my love himself transcend the paltry paring of his + nail!"[FN#232] + +So King Shahriman, having accepted the counsel of his Wazir, waited for +another year and a great festival,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shahriman having +accepted the counsel of his Wazir, waited for another year and a great +festival, a day of state when the audience hall was filled with his +Emirs and Wazirs and Grandees of his reign and Officers of State and +Captains of might and main. Thereupon he sent for his son Kamar +al-Zaman who came, and kissing the ground before him three times, stood +in presence of his sire with his hands behind his back the right +grasping the left.[FN#233] Then said the King to him, "Know O my son, +that I have not sent for thee on this occasion and summoned thee to +appear before this assembly and all these officers of estate here +awaiting our orders save and except that I may lay a commandment on +thee, wherein do thou not disobey me; and my commandment is that thou +marry, for I am minded to wed thee to a King's daughter and rejoice in +thee ere I die." When the Prince heard this much from his royal sire, +he bowed his head groundwards awhile, then raising it towards his +father and being moved thereto at that time by youthful folly and +boyish ignorance, replied, "But for myself I will never marry; no, not +though I drink the cup of death! As for thee, thou art great in age and +small of wit: hast thou not, twice ere this day and before this +occasion, questioned me of the matter of marriage and I refused my +consent? Indeed thou dotest and are not fit to govern a flock of +sheep!" So saying Kamar al-Zaman unclasped his hands from behind his +back and tucked up his sleeves above his elbows before his father, +being in a fit of fury; moreover, he added many words to his sire, +knowing not what he said in the trouble of his spirits. The King was +confounded and ashamed, for that this befel in the presence of his +grandees and soldier-officers assembled on a high festival and a state +occasion; but presently the majesty of Kingship took him, and he cried +out at his son and made him tremble. Then he called to the guards +standing before him and said, "Seize him!' So they came forward and +laid hands on him and, binding him, brought him before his sire, who +bade them pinion his elbows behind his back and in this guise make him +stand before the presence. And the Prince bowed down his head for fear +and apprehension, and his brow and face were beaded and spangled with +sweat; and shame and confusion troubled him sorely. Thereupon his +father abused him and reviled him and cried, "Woe to thee, thou son of +adultery and nursling of abomination![FN#234] How durst thou answer me +on this wise before my captains and soldiers? But hitherto none hath +chastised thee,"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Shahriman +cried out to his son Kamar al-Zaman, "How durst thou answer me on this +wise before my captains and soldiers? But hitherto none hath chastised +thee. Knowest thou not that this deed thou hast done were a disgrace to +him had it been done by the meanest of my subjects?" And the King +commanded his Mamelukes to loose his elbow bonds and imprison him in +one of the bastions of the citadel. So they took the Prince and thrust +him into an old tower, wherein there was a dilapidated saloon and in +its middle a ruined well, after having first swept it and cleansed its +floor-flags and set therein a couch on which they laid a mattress, a +leathern rug and a cushion; and then they brought a great lanthorn and +a wax candle, for that place was dark, even by day. And lastly the +Mamelukes led Kamar al-Zaman thither, and stationed an eunuch at the +door. And when all this was done, the Prince threw himself on the +couch, sad-spirited, and heavy- hearted; blaming himself and repenting +of his injurious conduct to his father, whenas repentance availed him +naught, and saying, "Allah curse marriage and marriageable and married +women, the traitresses all! Would I had hearkened to my father and +accepted a wife! Had I so done it had been better for me than this +jail." This is how it fared with him; but as regards King Shahri man, +he remained seated on his throne all through the day until sundown; +then he took the Minister apart and said to him "Know thou, O Wazir, +that thou and thou only west the cause of all this that hath come to +pass between me and my son by the advice thou west pleased to devise; +and so what dost thou counsel me to do now?" Answered he, "O King, +leave thy son in limbo for the space of fifteen days: then summon him +to thy presence and bid him wed; and assuredly he shall not gainsay +thee again."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir, said +to King Shahriman, "Leave thy son in limbo for the space of fifteen +days; then summon him to thy presence and bid him wed; and assuredly he +shall not gainsay thee again." The King accepted the Wazir's opinion +and lay down to sleep that night troubled at heart concerning his son; +for he loved him with dearest love because he had no other child but +this; and it was his wont every night not to sleep, save after placing +his arm under his son's neck. So he passed that night in trouble and +unease on the Prince 's account, tossing from side to side, as he were +laid on coals of Artemisia-wood[FN#235]: for he was overcome with +doubts and fears and sleep visited him not all that livelong night; but +his eyes ran over with tears and he began repeating, ; + +"While slanderers slumber, longsome is my night; * + Suffice thee a heart so sad in parting-plight; +I say, while night in care slow moments by, * + 'What! no return for thee, fair morning light?'" + +And the saying of another, + +"When saw I Pleiad-stars his glance escape * + And Pole star draught of sleep upon him pour; +And the Bier-daughters[FN#236] wend in mourning dight, * + I knew that morning was for him no more!" + +Such was the case with King Shahriman; but as regards Kamar al- Zaman, +when the night came upon him the eunuch set the lanthorn before him and +lighting the wax-candle, placed it in the candlestick; then brought him +somewhat of food. The Prince ate a little and continually reproached +himself for his unseemly treatment of his father, saying to himself, "O +my soul, knowest thou not that a son of Adam is the hostage of his +tongue, and that a man's tongue is what casteth him into deadly +perils?" Then his eyes ran over with tears and he bewailed that which +he had done, from anguished vitals and aching heart, repenting him with +exceeding repentance of the wrong wherewith he had wronged his father +and repeating, + +"Fair youth shall die by stumbling of the tongue: * + Stumble of foot works not man's life such wrong: +The slip of lip shall oft smite off the head, * + While slip of foot shall never harm one long." + +Now when he had made an end of eating, he asked for the wherewithal to +wash his hands and when the Mameluke had washed them clean of the +remnants of food, he arose and made the Wuzu-ablution and prayed the +prayers of sundown and nightfall, conjoining them in one; after which +he sat down.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + +When it was the Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Prince +Kamar al-Zaman had prayed (conjoining them in one) the prayers of +sundown and nightfall, he sat down on the well and began reciting the +Koran, and he repeated "The Cow," the "House of Imrán," and "Y. S.;" +"The Compassionate," "Blessed be the King," "Unity" and "The two +Talismans''[FN#237]; and he ended with blessing and supplication and +with saying, "I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the stoned."[FN#238] +Then he lay down upon his couch which was covered with a mattress of +satin from al- Ma'adin town, the same on both sides and stuffed with +the raw silk of Irak; and under his head was a pillow filled with +ostrich-down And when ready for sleep, he doffed his outer clothes and +drew off his bag-trousers and lay down in a shirt of delicate stuff +smooth as wax; and he donned a head-kerchief of azure Marázi[FN#239] +cloth; and at such time and on this guise Kamar al-Zaman was like the +full-orbed moon, when it riseth on its fourteenth night. Then, drawing +over his head a coverlet of silk, he fell asleep with the lanthorn +burning at his feet and the wax-candle over his head, and he ceased not +sleeping through the first third of the night, not knowing what lurked +for him in the womb of the Future, and what the Omniscient had decreed +for him. Now, as Fate and Fortune would have it, both tower and saloon +were old and had been many years deserted; and there was therein a +Roman well inhabited by a Jinniyah of the seed of Iblis[FN#240] the +Accursed, by name Maymúnah, daughter of Al- Dimiryát, a renowned King +of the Jánn.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the name of the +Jinniyah in question was Maymunah, daughter of Al-Dimiryat; a renowned +King of the Jann. And as Kamar al-Zaman continued sleeping till the +first third of the night, Maymunah came up out of the Roman well and +made for the firmament, thinking to listen by stealth to the converse +of the angels; but when she reached the mouth of the well, she saw a +light shining in the tower, contrary to custom; and having dwelt there +many years without seeing the like, she said to herself, "Never have I +witnessed aught like this"; and, marvelling much at the matter, +determined that there must be some cause therefor. So she made for the +light and found the eunuch sleeping within the door; and inside she saw +a couch spread, whereon was a human form with the wax-candle burning at +his head and the lanthorn at his feet, and she wondered to see the +light and stole towards it little by little. Then she folded her wings +and stood by the bed and, drawing back the coverlid, discovered Kamar +al-Zaman's face. She was motionless for a full hour in admiration and +wonderment; for the lustre of his visage outshone that of the candle; +his face beamed like a pearl with light; his eyelids were languorous +like those of the gazelle; the pupils of his eyes were intensely black +and brilliant[FN#241]; his cheeks were rosy red; his eye-brows were +arched like bows and his breath exhaled a scent of musk, even as saith +of him the poet, + +"I kissed him: darker grew those pupils,[FN#242] which * + Seduce my soul, and cheeks flushed rosier hue; +O heart, if slanderers dare to deem there be * + His like in chasms, Say 'Bring him hither, you!' " + +Now when Maymunah saw him, she pronounced the formula of +praise,[FN#243] and said, "Blessed be Allah, the best of Creators!"; +for she was of the true-believing Jinn; and she stood awhile gazing on +his face, exclaiming and envying the youth his beauty and loveliness. +And she said in herself, "By Allah! I will do no hurt to him nor let +any harm him; nay, from all of evil will I ransom him, for this fair +face deserveth not but that folk should gaze upon it and for it praise +the Lord. Yet how could his family find it in their hearts to leave him +in such desert place where, if one of our Márids came upon him at this +hour, he would assuredly slay him." Then the Ifritah Maymunah bent over +him and kissed him between the eyes, and presently drew back the sheet +over his face which she covered up; and after this she spread her wings +and soaring into the air, flew upwards. And after rising high from the +circle of the saloon she ceased not winging her way through air and +ascending skywards till she drew near the heaven of this world, the +lowest of the heavens. And behold, she heard the noisy flapping of +wings cleaving the welkin and, directing herself by the sound, she +found when she drew near it that the noise came from an Ifrit called +Dahnash. So she swooped down on him like a sparrow-hawk and, when he +was aware of her and knew her to be Maymunah, the daughter of the King +of the Jinn, he feared her and his side-muscles quivered; and he +implored her forbearance, saying, I conjure thee by the Most Great and +August Name and by the most noble talisman graven upon the seal-ring of +Solomon, entreat me kindly and harm me not!" When she heard these words +her heart inclined to him and she said, "Verily, thou conjurest me, O +accursed, with a mighty conjuration. Nevertheless, I will not let thee +go, till thou tell me whence thou comest at this hour." He replied, "O +Princess, Know that I come from the uttermost end of China-land and +from among the Islands, and I will tell thee of a wonderful thing I +have seen this night. If thou kind my words true, let me wend my way +and write me a patent under thy hand and with thy sign manual that I am +thy freedman, so none of the Jinn-hosts, whether of the upper who fly +or of the lower who walk the earth or of those who dive beneath the +waters, do me let or hindrance." Rejoined Maymunah, "And what is it +thou hast seen this night, O liar, O accursed! Tell me without leasing +and think not to escape from my hand with falses, for I swear to thee +by the letters graven upon the bezel of the seal-ring of Solomon David +son (on both of whom be peace!), except thy speech be true, I will +pluck out thy feathers with mine own hand and strip off thy skin and +break thy bones!" Quoth the Ifrit Dahnash son of Shamhúrish[FN#244] the +Flyer, "I accept, O my lady, these conditions."—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-eight Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Dahnash spoke +thus to Maymunah, "I accept, O my lady, these conditions." Then he +resumed, "Know, O my mistress, that I come to-night from the Islands of +the Inland Sea in the parts of China, which are the realms of King +Ghayúr, lord of the Islands and the Seas and the Seven Palaces. There I +saw a daughter of his, than whom Allah hath made none fairer in her +time: I cannot picture her to thee, for my tongue would fail to +describe her with her due of praise; but I will name to thee a somewhat +of her charms by way of approach. Now her hair is like the nights of +disunion and separation and her face like the days of union and +delectation; and right well hath the poet said when picturing her, + +'She dispread the locks from her head one night, * + Showing four fold nights into one night run +And she turned her visage towards the moon, * + And two moons showed at moment one.' + +She hath a nose like the edge of the burnished blade and cheeks like +purple wine or anemones blood-red: her lips as coral and carnelian +shine and the water of her mouth is sweeter than old wine; its taste +would quench Hell's fiery pain. Her tongue is moved by wit of high +degree and ready repartee: her breast is a seduction to all that see it +(glory be to Him who fashioned it and finished it!); and joined thereto +are two upper arms smooth and rounded; even as saith of her the poet +Al-Walahán,[FN#245] + +'She hath wrists which, did her bangles not contain, * + Would run from out her sleeves in silvern rain.' + +She hath breasts like two globes of ivory, from whose brightness the +moons borrow light, and a stomach with little waves as it were a +figured cloth of the finest Egyptian linen made by the Copts, with +creases like folded scrolls, ending in a waist slender past all power +of imagination; based upon back parts like a hillock of blown sand, +that force her to sit when she would fief stand, and awaken her, when +she fain would sleep, even as saith of her and describeth her the poet, + +'She hath those hips conjoined by thread of waist, * + Hips that o'er me and her too tyrannise +My thoughts they daze whene'er I think of them, * + And weigh her down whene'er she would uprise.'[FN#246] + +And those back parts are upborne by thighs smooth and round and by a +calf like a column of pearl, and all this reposeth upon two feet, +narrow, slender and pointed like spear-blades,[FN#247] the handiwork +of the Protector and Requiter, I wonder how, of their littleness, they +can sustain what is above them. But I cut short my praises of her +charms fearing lest I be tedious."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Ifrit Dahnash +bin Shamhurish said to the Ifritah Maymunah, "Of a truth I cut short my +praises fearing lest I be tedious." Now when Maymunah heard the +description of that Princess and her beauty and loveliness, she stood +silent in astonishment; whereupon Dahnash resumed, "The father of this +fair maiden is a mighty King, a fierce knight, immersed night and day +in fray and fight; for whom death hath no fright and the escape of his +foe no dread, for that he is a tyrant masterful and a conqueror +irresistible, lord of troops and armies and continents and islands, and +cities and villages, and his name is King Ghayur, Lord of the Islands +and of the Seas and of the Seven Palaces. Now he loveth his daughter, +the young maiden whom I have described to thee, with dearest love and, +for affection of her, he hath heaped together the treasures of all the +kings and built her therewith seven palaces, each of a different +fashion; the first of crystal, the second of marble, the third of China +steel, the fourth of precious stones and gems of price, the fifth of +porcelain and many-hued onyxes and ring bezels, the sixth of silver and +the seventh of gold. And he hath filled the seven palaces with all +sorts of sumptuous furniture, rich silken carpets and hangings and +vessels of gold and silver and all manner of gear that kings require; +and hath bidden his daughter to abide in each by turns for a certain +season of the year; and her name is the Princess Budur.[FN#248] Now +when her beauty became known and her name and fame were bruited abroad +in the neighbouring countries, all the kings sent to her father to +demand her of him in marriage, and he consulted her on the matter, but +she disliked the very word wedlock with a manner of abhorrence and +said, O my father, I have no mind to marry; no, not at all; for I am a +sovereign Lady and a Queen suzerain ruling over men, and I have no +desire for a man who shall rule over me. And the more suits she +refused, the more her suitors' eagerness increased and all the +Royalties of the Inner Islands of China sent presents and rarities to +her father with letters asking her in marriage. So he pressed her again +and again with advice on the matter of espousals; but she ever opposed +to him refusals, till at last she turned upon him angrily and cried, 'O +my father, if thou name matrimony to me once more, I will go into my +chamber and take a sword and, fixing its hilt in the ground, will set +its point to my waist; then will I press upon it, till it come forth +from my back, and so slay myself.' Now when the King heard these her +words, the light became darkness in his sight and his heart burned for +her as with a flame of fire, because he feared lest she should kill +herself; and he was filled with perplexity concerning her affair and +the kings her suitors. So he said to her 'If thou be determined not to +marry and there be no help for it abstain from going and coming in and +out.' Then he placed her in a house and shut her up in a chamber, +appointing ten old women as duennas to guard her, and forbade her to go +forth to the Seven Palaces; moreover, he made it appear that he was +incensed against her, and sent letters to all the kings, giving them to +know that she had been stricken with madness by the Jinns; and it is +now a year since she hath thus been secluded." Then continued the Ifrit +Dahnash, addressing the Ifritah Maymunah, "And I, O my lady go to her +every night and take my fill of feeding my sight on her face and I kiss +her between the eyes: yet, of my love to her, I do her no hurt neither +mount her, for that her youth is fair and her grace surpassing: every +one who seeth her jealouseth himself for her. I conjure thee, +therefore, O my lady, to go back with me and look on her beauty and +loveliness and stature and perfection of proportion; and after, if thou +wilt, chastise me or enslave me; and win to thy will, for it is shine +to bid and to forbid." So saying, the Ifrit Dahnash bowed his head +towards the earth and drooped his wings downward; but Maymunah laughed +at his words and spat in his face and answered, "What is this girl of +whom thou pratest but a potsherd wherewith to wipe after making +water?[FN#249] Faugh! Faugh! By Allah, O accursed, I thought thou +hadst some wondrous tale to tell me or some marvellous news to give me. +How would it be if thou were to sight my beloved? Verily, this night I +have seen a young man, whom if thou saw though but in a dream, thou +wouldst be palsied with admiration and spittle would flow from thy +mouth." Asked the Ifrit, "And who and what is this youth?"; and she +answered, "Know, O Dahnash, that there hath befallen the young man the +like of what thou tellest me befel thy mistress; for his father pressed +him again and again to marry, but he refused, till at length his sire +waxed wroth at being opposed and imprisoned him in the tower where I +dwell: and I came up to-night and saw him." Said Dahnash, "O my lady, +shew me this youth, that I may see if he be indeed handsomer than my +mistress, the Princess Budur, or not; for I cannot believe that the +like of her liveth in this our age." Rejoined Maymunah, "Thou liest, O +accursed, O most ill-omened of Marids and vilest of Satans![FN#250] +Sure am I that the like of my beloved is not in this world."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When It was the One Hundred and Eightieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Ifritah +Maymunah spake thus to the Ifrit Dahnash, "Sure am I that the like of +my beloved is not in this world! Art thou mad to fellow thy beloved +with my beloved?" He said, "Allah upon thee, O my lady, go back with me +and look upon my mistress, and after I will with thee and look upon thy +beloved." She answered, "It must needs be so, O accursed, for thou art +a knavish devil; but I will not go with thee nor shalt thou come with +me, save upon condition of a wager which is this. If the lover thou +lovest and of whom thou boastest so bravely, prove handsomer than mine +whom I mentioned and whom I love and of whom I boast, the bet shall be +shine against me; but if my beloved prove the handsomer the bet shall +be mine against thee." Quoth Dahnash the Ifrit, "O my lady, I accept +this thy wager and am satisfied thereat; so come with me to the +Islands." Quoth Maymunah; "No! for the abode of my beloved is nearer +than the abode of shine: here it is under us; so come down with me to +see my beloved and after we will go look upon thy mistress." "I hear +and I obey," said Dahnash. So they descended to earth and alighted in +the saloon which the tower contained; then Maymunah stationed Dahnash +beside the bed and, putting out her hand, drew back the silken coverlet +from Kamar al-Zaman's face, when it glittered and glistened and +shimmered and shone like the rising sun. She gazed at him for a moment, +then turning sharply round upon Dahnash said, "Look, O accursed, and be +not the basest of madmen; I am a maid, yet my heart he hath waylaid." +So Dahnash looked at the Prince and long continued gazing steadfastly +on him then, shaking his head, said to Maymunah, "By Allah, O my lady, +thou art excusable; but there is yet another thing to be considered, +and this is, that the estate female differeth from the male. By Allah's +might, this thy beloved is the likest of all created things to my +mistress in beauty and loveliness and grace and perfection; and it is +as though they were both cast alike in the mould of seemlihead." Now +when Maymunah heard these words, the light became darkness in her sight +and she dealt him with her wing so fierce a buffet on the head as +well-nigh made an end of him. Then quoth she to him, "I conjure thee, +by the light of his glorious countenance, go at once, O accursed, and +bring hither thy mistress whom thou lovest so fondly and foolishly, and +return in haste that we may lay the twain together and look on them +both as they lie asleep side by side; so shall it appear to us which be +the goodlier and more beautiful of the two. Except thou obey me this +very moment, O accursed, I will dart my sparks at thee with my fire and +consume thee; yea, in pieces I will rend thee and into the deserts cast +thee, that to stay at home and wayfarer an example thou be!" Quoth +Dahnash, "O my lady, I will do thy behests, for I know forsure that my +mistress is the fairer and the sweeter." So saying the If rit flew away +and Maymunah flew with him to guard him. They were absent awhile and +presently returned, bearing the young lady, who was clad in a shift of +fine Venetian silk, with a double edging of gold and purfled with the +most exquisite of embroidery having these couplets worked upon the ends +of the sleeves, + +"Three matters hinder her from visiting us, in fear * + Of hate-full, slandering envier and his hired spies: +The shining light of brow, the trinkets' tinkling voice, * + And scent of essences that tell whene'er she tries: +Gi'en that she hide her brow with edge of sleeve, and leave * + At home her trinketry, how shall her scent + disguise?''[FN#251] + +And Dahnash and Maymunah stinted not bearing that young lady till they +had carried her into the saloon and had laid her beside the youth Kamar +al-Zaman.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Ifrit Dahnash +and the Ifritah Maymunah stinted not bearing Princess Budur till they +descended and laid her on the couch beside Kamar al- Zaman. Then they +uncovered both their faces, and they were the likest of all folk, each +to other, as they were twins or an only brother and sister; and indeed +they were a seduction to the pious, even as saith of them the poet +Al-Mubín, + +"O heart! be not thy love confined to one, * + Lest thou by doting or disdain be undone: +Love all the fair, and thou shalt find with them * + If this be lost, to thee that shall be won." + +And quoth another, + +"Mine eyes beheld two lying on the ground; * + Both had I loved if on these eyne they lay!" + +So Dahnash and Maymunah gazed on them awhile, and he said, "By Allah, O +my lady, it is good! My mistress is assuredly the fairer." She replied, +"Not so, my beloved is the fairer; woe to thee, O Dahnash! Art blind of +eye and heart that lean from fat thou canst not depart? Wilt thou hide +the truth? Dost thou not see his beauty and loveliness and fine stature +and symmetry? Out on thee, hear what I purpose to say in praise of my +beloved and, if thou be a lover true to her thou dost love, do thou the +like for her thou Lovest." Then she kissed Kamar al-Zaman again and +again between the eyes and improvised this ode, + +"How is this? Why should the blamer abuse thee in his pride? +What shall console my heart for thee, that art but slender bough? + +A Nature Kohl'd[FN#252] eye thou hast that witcheth far and wide; +From pure platonic love[FN#253] of it deliverance none I trow! + +Those glances, fell as plundering Turk, to heart such havoc deal +As never havocked scymitar made keenest at the curve. + +On me thou layest load of love the heaviest while I feel +So feeble grown that under weight of chemisette I swerve. + +My love for thee as wottest well is habit, and my lowe +Is nature; to all others false is all the love I tender: + +Now were my heart but like to shine I never would say No; +Only my wasted form is like thy waist so gracious slender: + +Out on him who in Beauty's robe for moon like charms hath fame, +And who is claimed by mouth of men as marvel of his tribe! + +'Of man what manner may he be' (ask they who flyte and blame) +'For whom thy heart is so distressed?' I only cry 'Describe!' + +Oh stone-entempered heart of him! learn of his yielding grace +And bending form to show me grace and yielding to consent. + +Oh my Prince Beautiful, thou hast an Overseer in place[FN#254] +Who irketh me, and eke a Groom whose wrong cloth ne'er relent. + +Indeed he lieth who hath said that all of loveliness +Was pent in Joseph: in thy charms there's many and many a Joe! + +The Genii dread me when I stand and face to face address; +But meeting thee my fluttering heart its shame and terror show. + +I take aversion semblance and I turn from thee in fright, +But more aversion I assume, more love from me dost claim; + +That hair of jetty black! That brow e'er raying radiant light! Those +eyne wherein white jostles black![FN#255] That dearling dainty frame!" + +When Dahnash heard the poesy which Maymunah spake in praise of her +beloved, he joyed with exceeding joy and marvelled with excessive +wonderment.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say + +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Ifrit +Dahnash heard the poesy which Maymunah spake in praise of her beloved, +he shook for exceeding joy and said, "Thou hast celebrated thy beloved +in song and thou hast indeed done well in praise of him whom thou +lovest! And there is no help for it but that I also in my turn do my +best to enfame my mistress, and recite somewhat in her honour." Then +the Ifrit went up to the Lady Budur; and' kissing her between the eyes, +looked at Maymunah and at his beloved Princess and recited the +following verses, albeit he had no skill in poesy, + +"Love for my fair they chide in angry way; * + Unjust for ignorance, yea unjustest they! +Ah lavish favours on the love mad, whom * + Taste of thy wrath and parting woe shall slay: +In sooth for love I'm wet with railing tears, * + That rail mine eyelids blood thou mightest say: +No marvel what I bear for love, 'tis marvel * + That any know my "me" while thou'rt away: +Unlawful were our union did I doubt * + Thy love, or heart incline to other May." + +And eke these words:— + +"I feed eyes on their stead by the valley's side, * + And I'm slain and my slaver[FN#256] aside hath tried: +Grief-wine have I drunken, and down my cheeks * + Dance tears to the song of the camel-guide: +For union-blessing I strive though sure, * + In Budur and Su'ad all my bliss shall bide:[FN#257] +Wot I not which of three gave me most to 'plain, * + So hear them numbered ere thou decide: +Those Sworders her eyne, that Lancer her fig- * + -ure, or ring-mail'd Locks which her forehead hide. +Quoth she (and I ask of her what so wights * + Or abide in towns or in desert ride[FN#258] ) +To me, 'In thy heart I dwell, look there!' * + Quoth I, 'Where's my heart ah where? ah where?'" + +When Maymunah heard these lines from the Ifrit, she said, "Thou hast +done well, O Dahnash! But say thou which of the two is the handsomer?" +And he answered, "My mistress Budur is handsomer than thy beloved!" +Cried Maymunah, "Thou liest, O accursed. Nay, my beloved is more +beautiful than shine!" But Dahnash persisted, "Mine is the fairer." And +they ceased not to wrangle and challenge each other's words till +Maymunah cried out at Dahnash and would have laid violent hands on him, +but he humbled himself to her and, softening his speech, said, "Let not +the truth be a grief to thee, and cease we this talk, for all we say is +to testify in favour of our lovers; rather let each of us withdraw the +claim and seek we one who shall judge fairly between us which of the +two be fairer; and by his sentence we will abide." "I agree to this," +answered she and smote the earth with her foot, whereupon there came +out of it an Ifrit blind of an eye, humpbacked and scurvy-skinned, with +eye-orbits slit up and down his face.[FN#259] On his head were seven +horns and four locks of hair fell to his heels; his hands were +pitchfork-like and his legs mast-like and he had nails as the claws of +a lion, and feet as the hoofs of the wild ass.[FN#260] When that If +rit rose out of the earth and sighted Maymunah, he kissed the ground +before her and, standing with his hands clasped behind him, said, "What +is thy will, O my mistress, O daughter of my King?"[FN#261] She +replied, "O Kashkash, I would have thee judge between me and this +accursed Dahnash." And she made known to him the matter, from first to +last, whereupon the Ifrit Kashkash looked at the face of the youth and +then at the face of the girl; and saw them lying asleep, embraced, each +with an arm under the other's neck, alike in beauty and loveliness and +equal in grace and goodliness. The Marid gazed long upon them, +marvelling at their seemlihead; and, after carefully observing the +twain, he turned to Maymunah and Dahnash, and reseated these couplets. + +"Go, visit her thou lovest, and regard not +The words detractors utter, envious churls +Can never favour love. Oh! sure the Merciful +Ne'er made a thing more fair to look upon, +Than two fond lovers in each others' arms, +Speaking their passion in a mute embrace. +When heart has turned to heart, the fools would part them +Strike idly on cold steel. So when thou'st found +One purely, wholly shine, accept her true heart, +And live for her alone. Oh! thou that blamest +The love-struck for their love, give o'er thy talk, +How canst thou minister to a mind diseased?"[FN#262] + +Then he turned again to Maymunah and Dahnash and said to them, "By +Allah, if you will have the truth, I tell you fairly the twain be equal +in beauty, and loveliness and perfect grace and goodliness, nor can I +make any difference between them on account of their being man and +woman. But I have another thought which is that we wake each of them in +turn, without the knowledge of the other, and whichever is the more +enamoured shall be held inferior in seemlihead and comeliness." Quoth +Maymunah, "Right is this recking," and quoth Dahnash, "I consent to +this." Then Dahnash changed himself to the form of a flea and bit Kamar +al-Zaman, whereupon he started from sleep in a fright.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Dahnash changed +himself to the form of a flea and bit Kamar al-Zaman who started from +sleep in a fright and rubbed the bitten part, his neck, and scratched +it hard because of the smart. Then turning sideways, he found lying by +him something whose breath was sweeter than musk and whose skin was +softer than cream. Hereat marvelled he with great marvel and he sat up +and looked at what lay beside him; when he saw it to be a young lady +like an union pearl, or a shining sun, or a dome seen from afar on a +well built wall; for she was five feet tall, with a shape like the +letter Alif[FN#263], bosomed high and rosy checked; even as saith of +her the poet, + +"Four things which ne'er conjoin, unless it be * + To storm my vitals and to shed my blood: +Brow white as day and tresses black as night * + Cheeks rosy red and lips which smiles o'erflood." + +And also quoth another, + +"A Moon she rises, Willow wand she waves, * + Breathes Ambergris, and gazes, a Gazelle: +Meseems that sorrow woes my heart and wins * + And, when she wendeth hastes therein to dwell!" + +And when Kamar al-Zaman saw the Lady Budur, daughter of King Ghayur, +and her beauty and comeliness, she was sleeping clad in a shift of +Venetian silk, without her petticoat-trousers, and wore on her head a +kerchief embroidered with gold and set with stones of price: her ears +were hung with twin earrings which shone like constellations and round +her neck was a collar of union pearls, of size unique, past the +competence of any King. When he saw this, his reason was confounded and +natural heat began to stir in him; Allah awoke in him the desire of +coition and he said to himself, "Whatso Allah willeth, that shall be, +and what He willeth not shall never be!" So saying, he put out his hand +and, turning her over, loosed the collar of her chemise; then arose +before his sight her bosom, with its breasts like double globes of +ivory; whereat his inclination for her redoubled and he desired her +with exceeding hot desire, He would have awakened her but she would not +awake, for Dahnash had made her sleep heavy; so he shook her and moved +her, saying, "O my beloved, awake and look on me; I am Kamar al-Zaman." +But she awoke not, neither moved her head; where-upon he considered her +case for a long hour and said to himself, "If I guess aright, this is +the damsel to whom my father would have married me and these three +years past I have refused her; but Inshallah!—God willing—as soon as it +is dawn, I will say to him, 'Marry me to her, that I may enjoy +her.'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman +said to himself, "By Allah, when I see dawn I will say to my sire, +'Marry me to her that I may enjoy her'; nor will I let half the day +pass ere I possess her and take my fill of her beauty and loveliness." +Then he bent over Budur to buss her, whereat the Jinniyah Maymunah +trembled and was abashed and Dahnash, the Ifrit, was like to fly for +joy. But, as Kamar al- Zaman was about to kiss her upon the mouth, he +was ashamed before Allah and turned away his head and averted his face, +saying to his heart, "Have patience." Then he took thought awhile and +said, "I will be patient; haply my father when he was wroth with me and +sent me to this jail, may have brought my young lady and made her lie +by my side to try me with her, and may have charged her not to be +readily awakened when I would arouse her, and may have said to her, +'Whatever thing Kamar al-Zaman do to thee, make me ware thereof'; or +belike my sire standeth hidden in some stead whence (being himself +unseen) he can see all I do with this young lady; and to morrow he will +scold me and cry, 'How cometh it that thou sayest, I have no mind to +marry; and yet thou didst kiss and embrace yonder damsel?' So I will +withhold myself lest I be ashamed before my sire; and the right and +proper thing to do is not to touch her at this present, nor even to +look upon her, except to take from her somewhat which shall serve as a +token to me and a memorial of her; that some sign endure between me and +her." Then Kamar al-Zaman raised the young lady's hand and took from +her little finger a seal-ring worth an immense amount of money, for +that its bezel was a precious jewel and around it were graven these +couplets, + +"Count not that I your promises forgot, * + Despite the length of your delinquencies +Be generous, O my lord, to me inclining; * + Haply your mouth and cheeks these lips may kiss: +By Allah, ne'er will I relinquish you * + Albe you will transgress love's boundaries." + +Then Kamar al-Zaman took the seal-ring from the little finger of Queen +Budur and set it on his own; then, turning his back to her, went to +sleep.[FN#264] When Maymunah the Jinniyah saw this, she was glad and +said to Dahnash and Kashkash, "Saw ye how my beloved Kamar al-Zaman +bore himself chastely towards this young lady? Verily, this was of the +perfection of his good gifts; for observe you twain how he looked on +her and noted her beauty and loveliness, and yet embraced her not +neither kissed her nor put his hand to her, but turned his back and +slept." Answered they, "Even so!" Thereupon Maymunah changed herself +into a flea and entering into the raiment of Budur, the loved of +Dahnash, crept up her calf and came upon her thigh and, reaching a +place some four carats[FN#265] below her navel, there bit her. +Thereupon she opened her eyes and sitting up in bed, saw a youth lying +beside her and breathing heavily in his sleep, the loveliest of +Almighty Allah's creatures, with eyes that put to shame the fairest +Houris of Heaven; and a mouth like Solomon's seal, whose water was +sweeter to the taste and more efficacious than a theriack, and lips the +colour of coral-stone, and cheeks like the blood red anemone, even as +saith one, describing him in these couplets, + +"My mind's withdrawn from Zaynab and Nawár[FN#266] * + By rosy cheeks that growth of myrtle bear; +I love a fawn, a tunic-vested boy, * + And leave the love of bracelet-wearing Fair: +My mate in hall and closet is unlike * + Her that I play with, as at home we pair. +Oh thou, who blam'st my flight from Hind and Zaynab, * + The cause is clear as dawn uplighting air! +Would'st have me fare[FN#267] a slave, the thrall of thrall, * + Cribbed, pent, confined behind the bar and wall?" + +Now when Princess Budur saw him, she was seized by a transport of +passion and yearning and love-longing,—And Shahrazad per ceived the +dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Princess +Budur saw Kamar al-Zaman she was forthwith seized with a transport of +passion and yearning and love longing, and she said to herself, "Alas, +my shame! This is a strange youth and I know him not. How cometh he to +be lying by my side on one bed?" Then she looked at him a second time +and, noting his beauty and loveliness, said, "By Allah, he is indeed a +comely youth and my heart[FN#268] is well-nigh torn in sunder with +longing for him! But alas, how am I shamed by him! By the Almighty, had +I known it was this youth who sought me in marriage of my father, I had +not rejected him, but had wived with him and enjoyed his loveliness!" +Then she gazed in his face and said, "O my lord and light of mine eyes, +awake from sleep and take thy pleasure in my beauty and grace." And she +moved him with her hand; but Maymunah the Jinniyah let down sleep upon +him as it were a curtain, and pressed heavily on his head with her +wings so that Kamar al-Zaman awoke not. Then Princess Budur shook him +with her hands and said, "My life on thee, hearken to me; awake and up +from thy sleep and look on the narcissus and the tender down thereon, +and enjoy the sight of naked waist and navel; and touzle me and tumble +me from this moment till break of day! Allah upon thee, O my lord, sit +up and prop thee against the pillow and slumber not!" Still Kamar +al-Zaman made her no reply but breathed hard in his sleep. Continued +she, "Alas! Alas! thou art insolent in thy beauty and comeliness and +grace and loving looks! But if thou art handsome, so am I handsome; +what then is this thou dost? Have they taught thee to flout me or hath +my father, the wretched old fellow,[FN#269] made thee swear not to +speak to me to-night?" But Kamar al-Zaman opened not his mouth neither +awoke, whereat her passion for him redoubled and Allah inflamed her +heart with love of him. She stole one glance of eyes that cost her a +thousand sighs: her heart fluttered, and her vitals throbbed and her +hands and feet quivered; and she said to Kamar al-Zaman "Talk to me, O +my lord! Speak to me, O my friend! Answer me, O my beloved, and tell me +thy name, for indeed thou hast ravished my wit!" And during all this +time he abode drowned in sleep and answered her not a word, and +Princess Budur sighed and said, "Alas! Alas! why art thou so proud and +self satisfied?" Then she shook him and turning his hand over, saw her +seal-ring on his little finger, whereat she cried a loud cry, and +followed it with a sigh of passion and said, "Alack! Alack! By Allah, +thou art my beloved and thou lovest me! Yet thou seemest to turn thee +away from me out of coquetry, for all, O my darling, thou camest to me, +whilst I was asleep and knew not what thou didst with me, and tookest +my seal-ring; and yet I will not pull it off thy finger." So saying, +she opened the bosom of his shirt and bent over him and kissed him and +put forth her hand to him, seeking somewhat that she might take as a +token, but found nothing. Then she thrust her hand into his breast and, +because of the smoothness of his body, it slipped down to his waist and +thence to his navel and thence to his yard, whereupon her heart ached +and her vitals quivered and lust was sore upon her, for that the desire +of women is fiercer than the desire of men,[FN#270] and she was ashamed +of her own shamelessness. Then she plucked his seal-ring from his +finger, and put it on her own instead of the ring he had taken, and +bussed his inner lips and hands, nor did she leave any part of him +unkissed; after which she took him to her breast and embraced him and, +laying one of her hands under his neck and the other under his arm-pit, +nestled close to him and fell asleep by his side.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One hundred and Eighty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Princess +Budur fell asleep by the side of Kamar al-Zaman, after doing that which +she did, quoth Maymunah to Dahnash, Night thou, O accursed, how proudly +and coquettishly my beloved bore himself, and how hotly and +passionately thy mistress showed herself to my dearling? There can be +no doubt that my beloved is handsomer than shine; nevertheless I pardon +thee." Then she wrote him a document of manumission and turned to +Kashkash and said, "Go, help Dahnash to take up his mistress and aid +him to carry her back to her own place, for the night waneth apace and +there is but little left of it." "I hear and I obey;" answered +Kashkash. So the two Ifrits went forward to Princess Budur and +upraising her flew away with her; then, bearing her back to her own +place, they laid her on her bed, whilst Maymunah abode alone with Kamar +al-Zaman, gazing upon him as he slept, till the night was all but +spent, when she went her way. As soon as morning morrowed, the Prince +awoke from sleep and turned right and left, but found not the maiden by +him and said in his mind, "What is this business? It is as if my father +would incline me to marriage with the damsel who was with me and have +now taken her away by stealth, to the intent that my desire for wedlock +may redouble." Then he called out to the eunuch who slept at the door, +saying, "Woe to thee, O damned one, arise at once!" So the eunuch rose, +bemused with sleep, and brought him basin and ewer, whereupon Kamar +al-Zaman entered the water closet and did his need;[FN#271] then, +coming out made the Wuzu-ablution and prayed the dawn-prayer, after +which he sat telling on his beads the ninety-and-nine names of Almighty +Allah. Then he looked up and, seeing the eunuch standing in service +upon him, said, "Out on thee, O Sawáb! Who was it came hither and took +away the young lady from my side and I still sleeping?" Asked the +eunuch, 'O my lord, what manner of young lady?" "The young lady who lay +with me last night," replied Kamar al-Zaman. The eunuch was startled at +his words and said to him, "By Allah, there hath been with thee neither +young lady nor other! How should young lady have come in to thee, when +I was sleeping in the doorway and the door was locked? By Allah, O my +lord, neither male nor female hath come in to thee!" Exclaimed the +Prince, "Thou liest, O pestilent slave!: is it of thy competence also +to hoodwink me and refuse to tell me what is become of the young lady +who lay with me last night and decline to inform me who took her away?" +Replied the eunuch (and he was affrighted at him), "By Allah, O my +lord, I have seen neither young lady nor young lord!" His words only +angered Kamar al-Zaman the more and he said to him, "O accursed one, my +father hath indeed taught thee deceit! Come hither." So the eunuch came +up to him, and the Prince took him by the collar and dashed him to the +ground; whereupon he let fly a loud fart[FN#272] and Kamar al-Zaman, +kneeling upon him, kicked him and throttled him till he fainted away. +Then he dragged him forth and tied him to the well-rope, and let him +down like a bucket into the well and plunged him into the water, then +drew him up and lowered him down again. Now it was hard winter weather, +and Kamar al-Zaman ceased not to plunge the eunuch into the water and +pull him up again and douse him and haul him whilst he screamed and +called for help; and the Prince kept on saying "By Allah, O damned one, +I will not draw thee up out of this well till thou tell me and fully +acquaint me with the story of the young lady and who it was took her +away, whilst I slept."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One and Eighty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman +said to the eunuch, "By Allah! I will not draw thee up out of this well +until thou tell me the story of the young lady and who it was took her +away whilst I slept." Answered the eunuch, after he had seen death +staring him in the face; "O my lord, let me go and I will relate to +thee the truth and the whole tale." So Kamar al-Zaman pulled him up out +of the well, all but dead for suffering, what with cold and the pain of +dipping and dousing, drubbing and dread of drowning. He shook like cane +in hurricane, his teeth were clenched as by cramp and his clothes were +drenched and his body befouled and torn by the rough sides of the well: +briefly he was in a sad pickle. Now when Kamar al-Zaman saw him in this +sorry plight, he was concerned for him; but, as soon as the eunuch +found himself on the floor, he said to him, "O my lord, let me go and +doff my clothes and wring them out and spread them in the sun to dry, +and don others; after which I will return to thee forthwith and tell +thee the truth of the matter." Answered the Prince, "O rascal slave! +hadst thou not seen death face to face, never hadst thou confessed to +fact nor told me a word; but go now and do thy will, and then come back +to me at once and tell me the truth." Thereupon the eunuch went out, +hardly crediting his escape, and ceased not running, stumbling and +rising in his haste, till he came in to King Shahriman, whom he found +sitting at talk with his Wazir of Kamar al-Zaman's case. The King was +saying to the Minister, "I slept not last night, for anxiety concerning +my son, Kamar al-Zaman and indeed I fear lest some harm befal him in +that old tower. What good was there in imprisoning him?" Answered the +Wazir, "Have no care for him. By Allah, no harm will befal him! None at +all! Leave him in prison for a month till his temper yield and his +spirit be broken and he return to his senses." As the two spoke behold, +up rushed the eunuch, in the aforesaid plight, making to the King who +was troubled at sight of him; and he cried "O our lord the Sultan! +Verily, thy son's wits are fled and he hath gone mad, he hath dealt +with me thus and thus, so that I am become as thou seest me, and he +kept saying, 'A young lady lay with me this night and stole away +secretly whilst I slept. Where is she?' And he insisteth on my letting +him know where she is and on my telling him who took her away. But I +have seen neither girl nor boy: the door was locked all through the +night, for I slept before it with the key under my head, and I opened +to him in the morning with my own hand. When King Shahriman heard this, +he cried out, saying, "Alas, my son!;" and he was enraged with sore +rage against the Wazir, who had been the cause of all this case and +said to him, "Go up, bring me news of my son and see what hath befallen +his mind." So the Wazir rose and, stumbling over his long skirts, in +his fear of the King's wrath, hastened with the slave to the tower. Now +the sun had risen and when the Minister came in to Kamar al-Zaman, he +found him sitting on the couch reciting the Koran; so he saluted him +and seated himself by his side, and said to him, "O my lord, this +wretched eunuch brought us tidings which troubled and alarmed us and +which incensed the King." Asked Kamar al-Zaman, "And what hath he told +you of me to trouble my father? In good sooth he hath troubled none but +me." Answered the Wazir, "He came to us in fulsome state and told us of +thee a thing which Heaven forfend; and the slave added a lie which it +befitteth not to repeat, Allah preserve thy youth and sound sense and +tongue of eloquence, and forbid to come from thee aught of offense!" +Quoth the Prince, "O Wazir, and what thing did this pestilent slave say +of me?" The Minister replied, "He told us that thy wits had taken leave +of thee and thou wouldst have it that a young lady lay with thee last +night, and thou west instant with him to tell thee whither she went and +thou diddest torture him to that end." But when Kamar al-Zaman heard +these words, he was enraged with sore rage and he said to the Wazir, +"'Tis manifest to me in very deed that you people taught the eunuch to +do as he did."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her per misted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar +al-Zaman heard the words of the Wazir he was enraged with sore rage and +said to him, "'Tis manifest to me in very deed that you people taught +the eunuch to do as he did and forbade him to tell me what became of +the young lady who lay with me last night. But thou, O Wazir, art +cleverer than the eunuch, so do thou tell me without stay or delay, +whither went the young lady who slept on my bosom last night; for it +was you who sent her and bade her steep in my embrace and we lay +together till dawn; but, when I awoke, I found her not. So where is she +now?" Said the Wazir, "O my lord Kamar al-Zaman, Allah's name encompass +thee about! By the Almighty, we sent none to thee last night, but thou +layest alone, with the door locked on thee and the eunuch sleeping +behind it, nor did there come to thee young lady or any other. Regain +thy reason, O my lord, and stablish thy senses and occupy not thy mind +with vanities." Rejoined Kamar al-Zaman who was incensed at his words, +"O Wazir, the young lady in question is my beloved, the fair one with +the black eyes and rosy cheeks, whom I held in my arms all last night." +So the Minister wondered at his words and asked him, "Didst thou see +this damsel last night with shine own eyes on wake or in sleep?" +Answered Kamar al-Zaman, "O ill- omened old man, dost thou fancy I saw +her with my ears? Indeed, I saw her with my very eyes and awake, and I +touched her with my hand, and I watched by her full half the night, +feeding my vision on her beauty and loveliness and grace and tempting +looks. But you had schooled her and charged her to speak no word to me; +so she feigned sleep and I lay by her side till dawn, when I awoke and +found her gone." Rejoined the Wazir, "O my lord Kamar al- Zaman, haply +thou sawest this in thy sleep; it must have been a delusion of dreams +or a deception caused by eating various kinds of food, or a suggestion +of the accursed devils." Cried the Prince, "O pestilent old man! wilt +thou too make a mock of me and tell me this was haply a delusion of +dreams, when that eunuch confessed to the young lady, saying, 'At once +I will return to thee and tell thee all about her?'" With these words, +he sprang up and rushed at the Wazir and gripped hold of his beard +(which was long[FN#273]) and, after gripping it, he twisted his hand in +it and haling him off the couch, threw him on the floor. It seemed to +the Minister as though his soul departed his body for the violent +plucking at his beard; and Kamar al-Zaman ceased not kicking the Wazir +and basting his breast and ribs and cuffing him with open hand on the +nape of his neck till he had well-nigh beaten him to death. Then said +the old man in his mind, "Just as the eunuch-slave saved his life from +this lunatic youth by telling him a lie, thus it is even fitter that I +do likewise; else he will destroy me. So now for my lie to save myself, +he being mad beyond a doubt." Then he turned to Kamar al-Zaman and +said, "O my lord, pardon me; for indeed thy father charged me to +conceal from thee this affair of the young lady; but now I am weak and +weary and wounded with funding; for I am an old man and lack strength +and bottom to endure blows. Have, therefore, a little patience with me +and I will tell thee all and acquaint thee with the story of the young +woman." When the Prince heard this, he left off drubbing him and said, +"Wherefore couldst thou not tell me the tale until after shame and +blows? Rise now, unlucky old man that thou art, and tell me her story." +Quoth the Wazir, "Say, dost thou ask of the young lady with the fair +face and perfect form?" Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, "Even so! Tell me, O +Wazir, who it was that led her to me and laid her by my side, and who +was it that took her away from me by night; and let me know forthright +whither she is gone, that I myself may go to her at once. If my father +did this deed to me that he might try me by means of that beautiful +girl, with a view to our marriage, I consent to wed her and free myself +of this trouble; for he did all these dealings with me only because I +refused wedlock. But now I consent and I say again, I consent to +matrimony: so tell this to my father, O Wazir, and advise him to marry +me to that young lady; for I will have none other and my heart loveth +none save her alone. Now rise up at once and haste thee to my father +and counsel him to hurry on our wedding and bring me his answer within +this very hour." Rejoined the Wazir, "'Tis well!" and went forth from +him, hardly believing himself out of his hands. Then he set off from +the tower, walking and tripping up as he went, for excess of fright and +agitation, and he ceased not hurrying till he came in to King +Shahriman.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-nineth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir, fared +forth from the tower, and ceased not running till he came in to King +Shahriman, who said to him as he sighted him, "O thou Wazir, what man +hath brought thee to grief and whose mischief hath treated thee in way +unlief; how happeneth it that I see thee dumb foundered and coming to +me thus astounded?" Replied the Wazir, "O King! I bring thee good +news." "And what is it?" quoth Shahriman, and quoth the Wazir, "Know +that thy son Kamar al- Zaman's wits are clean gone and that he hath +become stark mad." Now when the King heard these words of the Minister, +light became darkness in his sight and he said, "O Wazir, make clear to +me the nature of his madness." Answered the Wazir, "O my lord, I hear +and I obey." Then he told him that such and such had passed and +acquainted him with all that his son had done; whereupon the King said +to him, "Hear, O Wazir, the good tidings which I give thee in return +for this thy fair news of my son's insanity; and it shall be the +cutting off of thy head and the forfeiture of my favour, O most +ill-omened of Wazirs and foulest of Emirs! for I feel that thou hast +caused my son's disorder by the wicked advice and the sinister counsel +thou hast given me first and last. By Allah, if aught of mischief or +madness have befallen my son I will most assuredly nail thee upon the +palace dome and make thee drain the bitterest draught of death!'' Then +he sprang up and, taking the Wazir, with him, fared straight for the +tower and entered it. And when Kamar al-Zaman saw the two, he rose to +his father in haste from the couch whereon he sat and kissing his hands +drew back and hung down his head and stood before him with his arms +behind him, and thus remained for a full hour. Then he raised his head +towards his sire; the tears gushed from his eyes and streamed down his +cheeks and he began repeating, + +"Forgive the sin 'neath which my limbs are trembling, +For the slave seeks for mercy from his master; +I've done a fault, which calls for free confession, +Where shall it call for mercy, and forgiveness?''[FN#274] + +When the King heard this, he arose and embraced his son, and kissing +him between the eyes, made him sit by his side on the couch; then he +turned to the Wazir, and, looking on him with eyes of wrath, said, "O +dog of Wazirs, how didst thou say of my son such and such things and +make my heart quake for him?" Then he turned to the Prince and said, "O +my son, what is to-day called?" He answered, "O my father, this day is +the Sabbath, and to morrow is First day: then come Second day, Third, +Fourth, Fifth day and lastly Friday."[FN#275] Exclaimed the King, "O my +son, O Kamar al-Zaman, praised be Allah for the preservation of thy +reason! What is the present month called in our Arabic?" "Zú'l +Ka'adah," answered Kamar al-Zaman, "and it is followed by Zú'l hijjah; +then cometh Muharram, then Safar, then Rabí'a the First and Rabí'a the +Second, the two Jamádás, Rajab, Sha'aban, Ramazán and Shawwál." At this +the King rejoiced exceedingly and spat in the Wazir's face, saying, "O +wicked old man, how canst thou say that my son is mad? And now none is +mad but thou." Hereupon the Minister shook his head and would have +spoken, but bethought himself to wait awhile and see what might next +befal. Then the King said to his child, "O my son, what words be these +thou saddest to the eunuch and the Wazir, declaring, 'I was sleeping +with a fair damsel this night?'[FN#276] What damsel is this of whom +thou speakest?" Then Kamar al-Zaman laughed at his father's words and +replied, "O my father, know that I can bear no more jesting; so add me +not another mock or even a single word on the matter, for my temper +hath waxed short by that you have done with me. And know, O my father, +with assured knowledge, that I consent to marry, but on condition that +thou give me to wife her who lay by my side this night; for I am +certain it was thou sentest her to me and madest me in love with her +and then despatchedst a message to her before the dawn and tookest her +away from beside me." Rejoined the King, "The name of Allah encompass +thee about, O my son, and be thy wit preserved from witlessness!"—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Ninetieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth King +Shahriman to his son Kamar al-Zaman, "The name of Allah encompass thee +about, O my son, and be thy wit preserved from witlessness! What thing +be this young lady whom thou fanciest I sent to thee last night and +then again that I sent to withdraw her from thee before dawn? By the +Lord, O my son, I know nothing of this affair, and Allah upon thee, +tell me if it be a delusion of dreaming or a deception caused by +indisposition. For verily thou layest down to sleep last night with thy +mind occupied anent marriage and troubled with the talk of it (Allah +damn marriage and the hour when I spake of it and curse him who +counselled it!); and without doubt or diffidence I can say that being +moved in mind by the mention of wedlock thou dreamedst that a handsome +young lady embraced thee and didst fancy thou sawest her when awake. +But all this, O my son, is but an imbroglio of dreams." Replied Kamar +al-Zaman, "Leave this talk and swear to me by Allah, the All creator, +the Omniscient; the Humbler of the tyrant Caesars and the Destroyer of +the Chosroes, that thou knowest naught of the young lady nor of her +woning-place." Quoth the King, "By the Might of Allah Almighty, the God +of Moses and Abraham, I know naught of all this and never even heard of +it; it is assuredly a delusion of dreams thou hast seen in sleep.' Then +the Prince replied to his sire, "I will give thee a self evident proof +that it happened to me when on wake."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al Zamar +said to his sire, "I will give thee a self-evident proof that this +happened to me when on wake. Now let me ask thee, did it ever befal any +man to dream that he was battling a sore battle and after to awake from +sleep and find in his hand a sword-blade besmeared with blood? Answered +the King, "No, by Allah, O my son, this hath never been." Rejoined +Kamar al-Zaman, "I will tell thee what happened to me and it was this. +Meseemed I awoke from sleep in the middle of the past night and found a +girl lying by my side, whose form was like mine and whose favour was as +mine. I embraced her and turned her about with my hand and took her +seal- ring, which I put on my finger, and she pulled off my ring and +put it on hers. Then I went to sleep by her side, but refrained from +her for shame of thee, deeming that thou hadst sent her to me, +intending to tempt me with her and incline me to marriage, and +suspecting thee to be hidden somewhere whence thou couldst see what I +did with her. And I was ashamed even to kiss her on the mouth for thy +account, thinking over this temptation to wedlock; and, when I awoke at +point of day, I found no trace of her, nor could I come at any news of +her, and there befel me what thou knowest of with the eunuch and with +the Wazir. How then can this case have been a dream and a delusion, +when the ring is a reality? Save for her ring on my finger I should +indeed have deemed it a dream; but here is the ring on my little +finger: look at it, O King, and see what is its worth." So saying he +handed the ring to his father, who examined it and turned it over, then +looked to his son and said, "Verily, there is in this ring some mighty +mystery and some strange secret. What befel thee last night with the +girl is indeed a hard nut to crack, and I know not how intruded upon us +this intruder. None is the cause of all this posher save the Wazir; +but, Allah upon thee, O my son, take patience, so haply the Lord may +turn to gladness this thy grief and to thy sadness bring complete +relief: as quoth one of the poets, + +'Haply shall Fortune draw her rein, and bring * + Fair chance, for she is changeful, jealous, vain: +Still I may woo my want and wishes win, * + And see on heels of care unfair, the fain.' + +And now, O my son, I am certified at this hour that thou art not mad; +but thy case is a strange one which none can clear up for thee save the +Almighty." Cried the Prince, "By Allah, O my father, deal kindly with +me and seek out this young lady and hasten her coming to me; else I +shall die of woe and of my death shall no one know." Then he betrayed +the ardour of his passion; and turned towards his father and repeated +these two couplets, + +"If your promise of personal call prove untrue, * + Deign in vision to grant me an interview: +Quoth they, 'How can phantom[FN#277] appear to the sight * + Of a youth, whose sight is fordone, perdue?'" + +Then, after ending his poetry, Kamar al-Zaman again turned to his +father, with submission and despondency, and shedding tears in flood, +began repeating these lines.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar +al-Zaman had repeated to his father these verses, he wept and +complained and groaned from a wounded heart; and added these lines, + +"Beware that eye glance which hath magic might; * + Wherever turn those orbs it bars our flight: +Nor be deceived by low sweet voice, that breeds * + A fever festering in the heart and sprite: +So soft that silky skin, were rose to touch it * + She'd cry and tear-drops rain for pain and fright: +Did Zephyr e'en in sleep pass o'er her land, * + Scented he'd choose to dwell in scented site: +Her necklets vie with tinkling of her belt; * + Her wrists strike either wristlet dumb with spite: +When would her bangles buss those rings in ear, * + Upon the lover's eyne high mysteries 'light: +I'm blamed for love of her, nor pardon claim; * + Eyes are not profiting which lack foresight: +Heaven strip thee, blamer mine! unjust art thou; * + Before this fawn must every eye low bow."[FN#278] + +After which he said, "By Allah, O my father, I cannot endure to be +parted from her even for an hour." The King smote hand upon hand and +exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, +the Glorious, the Great! No cunning contrivance can profit us in this +affair." Then he took his son by the hand and carried him to the +palace, where Kamar al-Zaman lay down on the bed of languor and the +King sat at his head, weeping and mourning over him and leaving him +not, night or day, till at last the Wazir came in to him and said, "O +King of the age and the time, how long wilt thou remain shut up with +thy son and hide thyself from thy troops. Haply, the order of thy realm +may be deranged, by reason of shine absence from thy Grandees and +Officers of State. It behoveth the man of understanding, if he have +various wounds in his body, to apply him first to medicine the most +dangerous; so it is my counsel to thee that thou remove thy son from +this place to the pavilion which is in the palace overlooking the sea; +and shut thyself up with him there, setting apart in every week two +days, Thursday and Monday, for state receptions and progresses and +reviews. On these days let shine Emirs and Wazirs and Chamberlains and +Viceroys and high Officials and Grandees of the realm and the rest of +the levies and the lieges have access to thee and submit their affairs +to thee; and do thou their needs and judge among them and give and take +with them and bid and forbid. And the rest of the week thou shalt pass +with thy son, Kamar al-Zaman, and cease not thus doing till Allah shall +vouchsafe relief to you twain. Think not, O King, that thou art safe +from the shifts of Time and the strokes of Change which come like a +traveller in the night; for the wise man is ever on his guard and how +well saith the poet, + +'Thou deemedst well of Time when days went well, * + And fearedst not what ills might bring thee Fate: +The Nights so fair and restful cozened thee, * + For peaceful Nights bring woes of heavy weight. +Oh children of mankind whom Time befriends, * + Beware of Time's deceits or soon or late!'''[FN#279] + +When the Sultan heard his Wazir's words he saw that they were right and +deemed his counsel wise, and it had effect upon him for he feared lest +the order of the state be deranged; so he rose at once and bade +transport his son from his sick room to the pavilion in the palace +overlooking the sea. Now this palace was girt round by the waters and +was approached by a causeway twenty cubits wide. It had windows on all +sides commanding an ocean- view; its floor was paved with +parti-coloured marbles and its ceiling was painted in the richest +pigments and figured with gold and lapis-lazuli. They furnished it for +Kamar al-Zaman with splendid upholstery, embroidered rugs and carpets +of the richest silk; and they clothed the walls with choice brocades +and hung curtains bespangled with gems of price. In the midst they set +him a couch of juniper[FN#280]-wood inlaid with pearls and jewels, and +Kamar al-Zaman sat down thereon, but the excess of his concern and +passion for the young lady had wasted his charms and emaciated his +body; he could neither eat nor drink nor sleep; and he was like a man +who had been sick twenty years of sore sickness. His father seated +himself at his head, grieving for him with the deepest grief, and every +Monday and Thursday he gave his Wazirs and Emirs and Chamberlains and +Viceroys and Lords of the realm and levies and the rest of his lieges +leave to come up to him in that pavilion. So they entered and did their +several service and duties and abode with him till the end of the day, +when they went their ways and the King returned to his son in the +pavilion whom he left not night nor day; and he ceased not doing on +this wise for many days and nights. Such was the case with Kamar +al-Zaman, son of King Shahriman; but as regards Princess Budur, +daughter of King Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and the Seven Palaces, when +the two Jinns bore her up and laid her on her bed, she slept till +daybreak, when she awoke and sitting upright looked right and left, but +saw not the youth who had lain in her bosom. At this her vitals +fluttered, her reason fled and she shrieked a loud shriek which awoke +all her slave girls and nurses and duennas. They flocked in to her; and +the chief of them came forward and asked, "What aileth thee, O my +lady?" Answered the Princess, "O wretched old woman, where is my +beloved, the handsome youth who lay last night in my bosom? Tell me +whither he is gone." Now when the duenna heard this, the light +starkened in her sight and she feared from her mischief with sore +affright, and said to her, "O my Lady Budur, what unseemly words are +these?" Cried the Princess, "Woe to thee pestilent crone that thou art! +I ask thee again where is my beloved, the goodly youth with the shining +face and the slender form, the jetty eyes and the joined eyebrows, who +lay with me last night from supper-tide until near daybreak?" She +rejoined "By Allah, O my lady, I have seen no young man nor any other. +I conjure thee, carry not this unseemly jest too far lest we all lose +our lives; for perhaps the joke may come to thy father's ears and who +shall then deliver us from his hand?"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the duenna +bespake the Lady Budur in these words, "Allah upon thee, O my lady! +carry not this unseemly jest too far; for perhaps it may come to thy +father's ears, and who shall then deliver us from his hand?" The +Princess rejoined, "In very sooth a youth lay with me last night, one +of the fairest-faced of men." Exclaimed the duenna, "Heaven preserve +thy reason! indeed no one lay with thee last night." Thereupon the +Princess looked at her hand and, finding Kamar al-Zaman's seal-ring on +her finger in stead of her own, said to her, "Woe to thee, thou +accursed! thou traitress! wilt thou lie to me and tell me that none lay +with me last night and swear to me a falsehood in the name of the +Lord?" Replied the duenna, "By Allah, I do not lie to thee nor have I +sworn falsely." Then the Princess was incensed by her words and, +drawing a sword she had by her, she smote the old woman with it and +slew her;[FN#281] whereupon the eunuch and the waiting-women and the +concubines cried out at her, and ran to her father and, without stay or +delay, acquainted him with her case. So the King went to her, and asked +her, "O my daughter, what aileth thee?"; and she answered, "O my +father, where is the youth who lay with me last night?" Then her reason +fled from her head and she cast her eyes right and left and rent her +raiment even to the skirt. When her sire saw this, he bade the women +lay hands on her; so they seized her and manacled her, then putting a +chain of iron about her neck, made her fast to one of the +palace-windows and there left her.[FN#282] Thus far concerning Princess +Budur; but as regards her father, King Ghayur, the world was straitened +upon him when he saw what had befallen his daughter, for that he loved +her and her case was not a little grievous to him. So he summoned on it +the doctors and astrologers and men skilled in talisman- writing and +said to them, "Whoso healeth my daughter of what ill she hath, I will +marry him to her and give him half of my kingdom; but whoso cometh to +her and cureth her not, I will strike off his head and hang it over her +palace-gate." Accordingly, all who went in to her, but failed to heal +her, he beheaded and hung their heads over the palace-gates, till he +had beheaded on her account forty doctors and crucified forty +astrologers; wherefor the general held aloof from her, all the +physicians having failed to medicine her malady; and her case was a +puzzle to the men of science and the adepts in cabalistic characters. +And as her longing and passion redoubled and love and distraction were +sore upon her, she poured forth tears and repeated these couplets, + +"My fondness, O my moon, for thee my foeman is, * + And to thy comradeship the nights my thought compel: +In gloom I bide with fire that flames below my ribs, * + Whose lowe I make comparison with heat of Hell: +I'm plagued with sorest stress of pine and ecstasy; * + Nor clearest noon tide can that horrid pain dispel." + +Then she sighed and repeated these also, + +"Salams fro' me to friends in every stead; * + Indeed to all dear friends do I incline: +Salams, but not salams that bid adieu; * + Salams that growth of good for you design: +I love you dear, indeed, nor less your land, * + But bide I far from every need of mine!" + +And when the Lady Budur ceased repeating her poetry, she wept till her +eyes waxed sore and her cheeks changed form and hue, and in this +condition she continued three years. Now she had a foster-brother, by +name Marzawán,[FN#283] who was travelling in far lands and absent from +her the whole of this time. He loved her with an exceeding love, +passing the love of brothers; so when he came back he went in to his +mother and asked for his sister, the Princess Budur. She answered him, +"O my son, thy sister hath been smitten with madness and hath passed +these three years with a chain of iron about her neck; and all the +physicians and men of science have failed of healing her." When +Marzawan heard these words he said, "I must needs go in to her; +peradventure I may discover what she hath, and be able to medicine +her;" and his mother replied, "Needs must thou visit her, but wait till +to morrow, that I may contrive some thing to suit thy case." Then she +went a-foot to the palace of the Lady Budur and, accosting the eunuch +in charge of the gates, made him a present and said to him, "I have a +daughter, who was brought up with thy mistress and since then I married +her; and, when that befel the Princess which befel her, she became +troubled and sore concerned, and I desire of thy favour that my +daughter may go in to her for an hour and look on her; and then return +whence she came, so shall none know of it." Quoth the eunuch, "This may +not be except by night, after the King hath visited his child and gone +away; then come thou and thy daughter." So she kissed the eunuch's hand +and, returning home, waited till the morrow at nightfall; and when it +was time she arose and sought her son Marzawan and attired him in +woman's apparel; then, taking his hand in hers, led him towards the +palace, and ceased not walking with him till she came upon the eunuch +after the Sultan had ended his visit to the Princess. Now when the +eunuch saw her, he rose to her, and said, "Enter, but do not prolong +thy stay!" So they went in and when Marzawan beheld the Lady Budur in +the aforesaid plight, he saluted her, after his mother had doffed his +woman's garb: then he took out of their satchel books he had brought +with him; and, lighting a wax- candle, he began to recite certain +conjurations Thereupon the Princess looked at him and recognising him, +said, "O my brother, thou hast been absent on thy travels' and thy news +have been cut off from us." He replied, "True! but Allah hath brought +me back safe and sound, I am now minded to set out again nor hath aught +delayed me but the news I hear of thee; wherefore my heart burned for +thee and I came to thee, so haply I may free thee of thy malady." She +rejoined, O my brother, thinkest thou it is madness aileth me?" "Yes." +answered he, and she said, "Not so, by Allah! 'tis even as saith the +poet, + +'Quoth they 'Thou rav'st on him thou lov'st': quoth I, * + 'The sweets of love are only for th' insane!' +Love never maketh Time his friend befriend; * + Only the Jinn-struck wight such boon can gain: +Well! yes, I'm mad: bring him who madded me * + And, if he cure m: madness, blame restrain!'" + +Then she let Marzawan know that she was love-daft and he said "Tell me +concerning thy tale and what befel thee: haply there may be in my hand +something which shall be a means of deliverance for thee."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of da, and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Marzawar thus +addressed Princess Budur, "Tell me concerning thy tale and what befel +thee: haply Allah may inspire me with a means of deliverance for thee." +Quoth she, "O my brother, hear my story which is this. One night I +awoke from sleep, in the last third of the night[FN#284] and, sitting +up, saw by my side the handsomest of youths that be, and tongue faileth +to describe him, for he was as a willow-wand or an Indian rattan-cane. +So methought it was my father who had done on this wise in order +thereby to try me, for that he had consulted me concerning wedlock, +when the Kings sought me of him to wife, and I had refused. It was this +though withheld me from arousing him, for I feared that, if I did aught +of embraced him, he would peradventure inform my father of m, doings. +But in the morning, I found on my finger his seal-ring, in place of my +own which he had taken. And, O my brother, m, heart was seized with +love of him at first sight; and, for the violence of my passion and +longing, I have never savoured the taste of sleep and have no +occupation save weeping alway and repeating verses night and day. And +this, O my brother, is my story and the cause of my madness." Then she +poured forth tears and repeated these couplets, + +"Now Love hast banished all that bred delight; * + With that heart-nibbling fawn my joys took flight: +Lightest of trifles lover's blood to him * + Who wastes the vitals of the hapless wight! +For him I'm jealous of my sight and thought; * + My heart acts spy upon my thought and sight: +Those long-lashed eyelids rain on me their shafts * + Guileful, destroying hearts where'er they light: +Now, while my portion in the world endures, * + Shall I behold him ere I quit world-site? +What bear I for his sake I'd hide, but tears * + Betray my feelings to the spy's despight. +When near, our union seemeth ever far; * + When far, my thoughts to him aye nearest are." + +And presently she continued, "See then, O my brother, how thou mayest +aid me in mine affliction." So Marzawan bowed his head ground-wards +awhile, wondering and not knowing what to do, then he raised it and +said to her, "All thou hast spoken to me I hold to be true, though the +case of the young man pass my understanding: but I will go round about +all lands and will seek for what may heal thee; haply Allah shall +appoint thy healing to be at my hand. Meanwhile, take patience and be +not disquieted." Thereupon Marzawan farewelled her, praying that she +might be constant and left her repeating these couplets, + +"Thine image ever companies my sprite, * + For all thou'rt distant from the pilgrim's sight: +But my heart-wishes e'er attract thee near: * + What is the lightning's speed to Thought's swift flight? +Then go not thou, my very light of eyes * + Which, when thou'rt gone, lack all the Kohl of light." + +Then Marzawan returned to his mother's house, where he passed the +night. And when the morrow dawned, having equipped himself for his +journey, he fared forth and ceased not faring from city to city and +from island to island for a whole month, till he came to a town named +Al-Tayrab.[FN#285] Here he went about scenting news of the townsfolk, +so haply he might light on a cure for the Princess's malady, for in +every capital he entered or passed by, it was reported that Queen +Budur, daughter of King Ghayur, had lost her wits. But arriving at +Al-Tayrab city, he heard that Kamar al-Zaman, son of King Shahriman, +was fallen sick and afflicted with melancholy madness. So Marzawan +asked the name of the Prince's capital and they said to him, "It is on +the Islands of Khalidan and it lieth distant from our city a whole +month's journey by sea, but by land it is six months' march." So he +went down to the sea in a ship which was bound for the Khalidan Isles, +and she sailed with a favouring breeze for a whole month, till they +came in sight of the capital; and there remained for them but to make +the land when, behold, there came out on them a tempestuous wind which +carried away the masts and rent the canvas, so that the sails fell into +the sea and the ship capsized, with all on board,—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the ship +capsized with all on board, each sought his own safety; and as for +Marzawan the set of the sea carried him under the King's palace, +wherein was Kamar al-Zaman. And by the decree of destiny it so happened +that this was the day on which King Shahriman gave audience to his +Grandees and high officers, and he was sitting, with his son's head on +his lap, whilst an eunuch fanned away the flies; and the Prince had not +spoken neither had he eaten nor drunk for two days, and he was grown +thinner than a spindle.[FN#286] Now the Wazir was standing respectfully +a-foot near the latticed window giving on the sea and, raising his +eyes, saw Marzawan being beaten by the billows and at his last gasp; +whereupon his heart was moved to pity for him, so he drew near to the +King and moving his head towards him said, "I crave thy leave, O King, +to go down to the court of the pavilion and open the water-gate that I +may rescue a man who is at the point of drowning in the sea and bring +him forth of danger into deliverance; peradventure, on this account +Allah may free thy son from what he hath!" The King replied, "O thou +Wazir, enough is that which hath befallen my son through thee and on +shine account. Haply, if thou rescue this drowning man, he will come to +know our affairs, and look on my son who is in this state and exult +over me; but I swear by Allah, that if this half-drowned wretch come +hither and learn our condition and look upon my son and then fare forth +and speak of our secrets to any, I will assuredly strike off thy head +before his; for thou, O my Minister art the cause of all that hath +betided us, first and last. Now do as thou wilt." Thereupon the Wazir +sprang up and, opening the private pastern which gave upon the sea, +descended to the causeway; then walked on twenty steps and came to the +water where he saw Marzawan nigh unto death. So he put out his hand to +him and, catching him by his hair, drew him ashore in a state of +insensibility, with belly full of water and eyes half out of his head. +The Wazir waited till he came to himself, when he pulled off his wet +clothes and clad him in a fresh suit, covering his head with one of his +servants' turbands; after which he said to him, Know that I have been +the means of saving thee from drowning: do not thou requite me by +causing my death and shine own."ÄAnd Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir +did to Marzawan what he did, he thus addressed him Know that I have +been the cause of saving thee from drowning so requite me not by +causing my death and shine own." Asked Marzawan, And how so?"; and the +Wazir answered, "Thou art at this hour about to go up and pass among +Emirs and Wazirs all of them silent and none speaking, because of Kamar +al-Zaman the son of the Sultan." Now when Marzawan heard the name of +Kamar al-Zaman, he knew that this was he whom he had heard spoken of in +sundry cities and of whom he came in search, but he feigned ignorance +and asked the Wazir, "And who is Kamar al-Zaman? Answered the Minister, +"He is the son of Sultan Shahriman and he is sore sick and lieth strown +on his couch restless alway, eating not nor drinking neither sleeping +night or day; indeed he is nigh upon death and we have lost hope of his +living and are certain that he is dying. Beware lest thou look too long +on him, or thou look on any other than that where thou settest thy +feet: else thou art a lost man, and I also." He replied, "Allah upon +thee, O Wazir, I implore thee, of thy favour, acquaint me touching this +youth thou describest, what is the cause of the condition in which he +is." The Wazir replied, "I know none, save that, three years ago, his +father required him to wed, but he refused; whereat the King was wroth +and imprisoned him. And when he awoke on the morrow, he fancied that +during the night he had been roused from sleep and had seen by his side +a young lady of passing loveliness, whose charms tongue can never +express; and he assured us that he had plucked off her seal-ring from +her finger and had put it on his own and that she had done likewise; +but we know not the secret of all this business. So by Allah, O my son, +when thou comest up with me into the palace, look not on the Prince, +but go thy way; for the Sultan's heart is full of wrath against me." So +said Marzawan to himself, "By Allah; this is the one I sought!" Then he +followed the Wazir up to the palace, where the Minister seated himself +at the Prince's feet; but Marzawan found forsooth nothing to do but go +up to Kamar al-Zaman and stand before him at gaze. Upon this the Wazir, +died of affright in his skin, and kept looking at Marzawan and +signalling him to wend his way; but he feigned not to see him and gave +not over gazing upon Kamar al- Zaman, till he was well assured that it +was indeed he whom he was seeking,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Marzawan +looked upon Kamar al-Zaman and knew that it was indeed he whom he was +seeking, he cried, "Exalted be Allah, Who hath made his shape even as +her shape and his complexion as her complexion and his cheek as her +cheek!'' Upon this Kamar al-Zaman opened his eyes and gave earnest ear +to his speech; and, when Marzawan saw him inclining to hear, he +repeated these couplets[FN#287], + +"I see thee full of song and plaint and love's own ecstasy; +Delighting in describing all the charms of loveliness: + +Art smit by stroke of Love or hath shaft-shot wounded thee? +None save the wounded ever show such signals of distress! + +Ho thou! crown the wine cup and sing me singular +Praises to Sulaymá, Al-Rabáb, Tan'oum addrest;[FN#288] + +Go round the grape-vine sun[FN#289] which for mansion hath a jar; +Whose East the cup boy is, and here my mouth that opes for West. + +I'm jealous of the very clothes that dare her sides enroll +When she veils her dainty body of the delicatest grace: + +I envy every goblet of her lips that taketh toll +When she sets the kissing cup on that sweetest kissing-place. + +But deem not by the keen-edged scymitar I'm slain— +The hurts and harms I dree are from arrows of her eyes. + +I found her finger tips, as I met her once again, +Deep-reddened with the juice of the wood that ruddy dyes;[FN#290] + +And cried, 'Thy palms thou stainedst when far away was I +And this is how thou payest one distracted by his pine!' + +Quoth she (enkindling in my heart a flame that burned high +Speaking as one who cannot hide of longing love the sign), + +'By thy life, this is no dye used for dyeing; so forbear +Thy blame, nor in charging me with falsing Love persist! + +But when upon our parting-day I saw thee haste to fare, +The while were bared my hand and my elbow and my wrist; + +'I shed a flood of blood-red tears and with fingers brushed away; Hence +blood-reddened were the tips and still blood-red they remain.' + +Had I wept before she wept, to my longing-love a prey, +Before repentance came, I had quit my soul of pain; + +But she wept before I wept and I wept to see her care +And I said, 'All the merit to precedent;'[FN#291] + +Blame me not for loving her, now on self of Love I swear +For her sake, for her only, these pains my soul torment. + +She hath all the lere of Lukmán[FN#292] and Yúsuf's beauty lief; +Sweet singer David's voice and Maryam's chastity: + +While I've all Jacob's mourning and Jonah's prison-grief, +And the sufferings of Job and old Adam's history: + +Yet kill her not, albeit of my love for her I die; +But ask her why my blood to her was lawful. ask her why?" + +When Marzawan recited this ode, the words fell upon Kamar al- Zaman's +heart as freshness after fever and returning health; and he sighed and, +turning his tongue in his mouth, said to his sire, "O my father, let +this youth come and sit by my side."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman +said to his sire, "O my father, allow this youth to come and sit by my +side." Now when the King heard these words from his son, he rejoiced +with exceeding joy, though at the first his heart had been set against +Marzawan and he had determined that the stranger's head needs must be +stricken off: but when he heard Kamar al-Zaman speak, his anger left +him and he arose and drawing Marzawan to him, seated him by his son and +turning to him said, "Praised be Allah for thy safety!" He replied, +"Allah preserve thee! and preserve thy son to thee!" and called down +blessings on the King. Then the King asked, "From what country art +thou?"; and he answered, "From the Islands of the Inland Sea, the +kingdom of King Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and the Seas and the Seven +Palaces." Quoth King Shahriman, "Maybe thy coming shall be blessed to +my son and Allah vouchsafe to heal what is in him." Quoth Marzawan, +"Inshallah, naught shall be save what shall be well!" Then turning to +Kamar al-Zaman, he said to him in his ear unheard of the King and his +court, 'O my lord! be of good cheer, and hearten thy heart and let +shine eyes be cool and clear and, with respect to her for whose sake +thou art thus, ask not of her case on shine account. But thou keptest +thy secret and fellest sick, while she told her secret and they said +she had gone mad; so she is now in prison, with an iron chain about her +neck, in most piteous plight; but, Allah willing, the healing of both +of you shall come from my hand." Now when Kamar al-Zaman heard these +words, his life returned to him and he took heart and felt a thrill of +joy and signed to his father to help him sit up; and the King was like +to fly for gladness and rose hastily and lifted him up. Presently, of +his fear for his son, he shook the kerchief of dismissal[FN#293]; and +all the Emirs and Wazirs withdrew; then he set two pillows for his son +to lean upon, after which he bade them perfume the palace with saffron +and decorate the city, saying to Marzawan, "By Allah, O my son, of a +truth shine aspect be a lucky and a blessed!" And he made as much of +him as he might and called for food, and when they brought it, Marzawan +came up to the Prince and said, "Rise, eat with me." So he obeyed him +and ate with him, and all the while the King invoked blessings on +Marzawan and said, "How auspicious is thy coming, O my son!" And when +the father saw his boy eat, his joy and gladness redoubled, and he went +out and told the Prince's mother and all the household. Then he spread +throughout the palace the good news of the Prince's recovery and the +King commanded the decoration of the city and it was a day of high +festival. Marzawan passed that night with Kamar al-Zaman, and the King +also slept with them in joy and delight for his son's recovery.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Shahriman +also passed that night with them in the excess of his joy for his son's +recovery. And when the next morning dawned, and the King had gone away +and the two young men were left alone, Kamar al-Zaman told his story +from beginning to end to Marzawan who said, "In very sooth I know her +with whom thou didst foregather; her name is the Princess Budur and she +is daughter to King Ghayur." Then he related to him all that had passed +with the Princess from first to last and acquainted him with the +excessive love she bore him, saying, "All that befel thee with thy +father hath befallen her with hers, and thou art without doubt her +beloved, even as she is shine; so brace up thy resolution and take +heart, for I will bring thee to her and unite you both anon and deal +with you even as saith the poet, + +"Albe to lover adverse be his love, * + And show aversion howso may he care; +Yet will I manage that their persons[FN#294] meet, * + E'en as the pivot of a scissor pair." + +And he ceased not to comfort and solace and encourage Kamar al- Zaman +and urged him to eat and drink till he ate food and drank wine, and +life returned to him and he was saved from his ill case; and Marzawan +cheered him and diverted him with talk and songs and stories, and in +good time he became free of his disorder and stood up and sought to go +to the Hammam.[FN#295] So Marzawan took him by the hand and both went +to the bath, where they washed their bodies and made them clean.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When it was the Two Hundredth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar +al-Zaman, son of King Shahriman, went to the Hammam, his father in his +joy at this event freed the prisoners, and presented splendid dresses +to his grandees and bestowed large alm-gifts upon the poor and bade +decorate the city seven days. Then quoth Marzawan to Kamar al-Zaman, +"Know, O my lord, that I came not from the Lady Budur save for this +purpose, and the object of my journey was to deliver her from her +present case; and it remaineth for us only to devise how we may get to +her, since thy father cannot brook the thought of parting from thee. So +it is my counsel that to-morrow thou ask his leave to go abroad +hunting. Then do thou take with thee a pair of saddle-bags full of +money and mount a swift steed, and lead a spare horse, and I will do +the like, and say to thy sire, 'I have a mind to divert myself with +hunting the desert and to see the open country and there to pass one +night.' Suffer not any servant to follow us, for as soon as we reach +the open country, we will go our ways." Kamar al- Zaman rejoiced in +this plan with great joy and cried, "It is good." Then he stiffened his +back and, going in to his father, sought his leave and spoke as he had +been taught, and the King consented to his going forth a-hunting and +said, "O my son, blessed be the day that restoreth thee to health! I +will not gainsay thee in this; but pass not more than one night in the +desert and return to me on the morrow; for thou knowest that life is +not good to me without thee, and indeed I can hardly believe thee to be +wholly recovered from what thou hadst,[FN#296] because thou art to me +as he of whom quoth the poet, + +'Albe by me I had through day and night * + Solomon's carpet and the Chosroes' might, +Both were in value less than wing of gnat, * + Unless these eyne could hold thee aye in sight.'"[FN#297] + +Then the King equipped his son Kamar al-Zaman and Marzawan for the +excursion, bidding make ready for them four horses, together with a +dromedary to carry the money and a camel to bear the water and belly +timber; and Kamar al-Zaman forbade any of his attendants to follow him. +His father farewelled him and pressed him to his breast and kissed him, +saying, "I ask thee in the name of Allah, be not absent from me more +than one night, wherein sleep will be unlawful to me, for I am even as +saith the poet, + +'Thou present, in the Heaven of heavens I dwell; * + Bearing shine absence is of hells my Hell: +Pledged be for thee my soul! If love for thee * + Be crime, my crime is of the fellest fell. +Does love-lowe burn thy heart as burns it mine, * + Doomed night and day Gehenna-fire to smell?'" + +Answered Kamar al-Zaman, "O my father, Inshallah, I will lie abroad but +one night!" Then he took leave of him, and he and Marzawan mounted and +leading the spare horses, the dromedary with the money and the camel +with the water and victual, turned their faces towards the open +country;—And Shahrazad perceived the dawning day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and First Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman +and Marzawan fared forth and turned their faces towards the open +country; and they travelled from the first of the day till nightfall, +when they halted and ate and drank and fed their beasts and rested +awhile; after which they again took horse and ceased not journeying for +three days, and on the fourth they came to a spacious tract wherein was +a thicket. They alighted in it and Marzawan, taking the camel and one +of the horses, slaughtered them and cut off their flesh and stripped +their bones. Then he doffed from Kamar al-Zaman his shirt and trousers +which he smeared with the horse's blood and he took the Prince's coat +which he tore to shreds and befouled with gore; and he cast them down +in the fork of the road. Then they ate and drank and mounting set +forward again; and, when Kamar al- Zaman asked why this was done, and +said, "What is this O my brother, and how shall it profit us?"; +Marzawan replied, "Know that thy father, when we have outstayed the +second night after the night for which we had his leave, and yet we +return not, will mount and follow in our track till he come hither; +and, when he happeneth upon this blood which I have spilt and he seeth +thy shirt and trousers rent and gore-fouled, he will fancy that some +accident befel thee from bandits or wild-beasts, so he will give up +hope of thee and return to his city, and by this device we shall win +our wishes." Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, "By Allah, this be indeed a rare +device! Thou hast done right well.''[FN#298] Then the two fared on days +and nights and all that while Kamar al-Zaman did naught but complain +when he found himself alone, and he ceased not weeping till they drew +near their journeys end, when he rejoiced and repeated these verses, + +"Wilt tyrant play with truest friend who thinks of thee each + hour, * And after showing love-desire betray indifference? +May I forfeit every favour if in love I falsed thee, * + If thee I left, abandon me by way of recompense: +But I've been guilty of no crime such harshness to deserve, * + And if I aught offended thee I bring my penitence; +Of Fortune's wonders one it is thou hast abandoned me, * + But Fortune never wearieth of showing wonderments." + +When he had made an end of his verses, Marzawan said to him, "Look! +these be King Ghayur's Islands;" whereat Kamar al-Zaman joyed with +exceeding joy and thanked him for what he had done, and kissed him +between the eyes and strained him—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Marzawan +said "Look! these be the Islands of King Ghayur;" Kamar al-Zaman joyed +with exceeding joy and thanked him for what he had done and kissed him +between the eyes and strained him to his bosom. And after reaching the +Islands and entering the city they took up their lodging in a khan, +where they rested three days from the fatigues of their wayfare; after +which Marzawan carried Kamar al-Zaman to the bath and, clothing him in +merchant's gear, provided him with a geomantic tablet of gold,[FN#299] +with a set of astrological instruments and with an astrolabe of silver, +plated with gold. Then he said to him, "Arise, O my lord, and take thy +stand under the walls of the King's palace and cry out, 'I am the ready +Reckoner; I am the Scrivener; I am he who weeteth the Sought and the +Seeker; I am the finished man of Science; I am the Astrologer +accomplished in experience! Where then is he that seeketh?' As soon as +the King heareth this, he will send after thee and carry thee in to his +daughter the Princess Budur, thy lover; but when about going in to her +do thou say to him, 'Grant me three days' delay, and if she recover, +give her to me to wife; and if not, deal with me as thou dealest with +those who forewent me.' He will assuredly agree to this, so as soon as +thou art alone with her, discover thyself to her; and when she seeth +thee, she will recover strength and her madness will cease from her and +she will be made whole in one night. Then do thou give her to eat and +drink. and her father, rejoicing in her recovery, will marry thee to +her and share his kingdom with thee; for he hath imposed on himself +this condition and so peace be upon thee." Now when Kamar al-Zaman +heard these words he exclaimed, "May I never lack thy benefits!", and, +taking the set of instruments aforesaid, sallied forth from the +caravanserai in the dress of his order. He walked on till he stood +under the walls of King Ghayur's palace, where he began to cry out, +saying, "I am the Scribe, I am the ready Reckoner, I am he who knoweth +the Sought and the Seeker; I am he who openeth the Volume and summeth +up the Sums;[FN#300] who Dreams can expound whereby the sought is +found! Where then is the seeker?" Now when the city people heard this, +they flocked to him, for it was long since they had seen Scribe or +Astrologer, and they stood round him and, looking upon him, they saw +one in the prime of beauty and grace and perfect elegance, and they +marvelled at his loveliness, and his fine stature and symmetry. +Presently one of them accosted him and said, "Allah upon thee, O thou +fair and young, with the eloquent tongue! incur not this affray; nor +throw thy life away in thine ambition to marry the Princess Budur. Only +cast shine eyes upon yonder heads hung up; all their owners have lost +their lives in this same venture." Yet Kamar al-Zaman paid no heed to +them, but cried out at the top of his voice, saying, "I am the Doctor, +the Scrivener! I am the Astrologer, the Calculator!" And all the +townsfolk forbade him from this, but he regarded them not at all, +saying in his mind, "None knoweth desire save whoso suffereth it." Then +he began again to cry his loudest, shouting, "I am the Scrivener, I am +the Astrologer!"—And Shahrazad per ceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman +in no wise heeded the words of the citizens, but continued to cry out, +"I am the Calculator! I am the Astrologer!" Thereupon all the townsfolk +were wroth with him and said to him, "Thou art nothing but an imbecile, +silly, self-willed lad! Have pity on shine own youth and tender years +and beauty and loveliness." But he cried all the more, "I am the +Astrologer, I am the Calculator! Is there any one that seeketh?" As he +was thus crying and the people forbidding him, behold, King Ghayur +heard his voice and the clamour of the lieges and said to his Wazir, +"Go down and bring me yon Astrologer." So the Wazir, went down in +haste, and taking Kamar al-Zaman from the midst of the crowd led him up +to the King; and when in the presence he kissed the ground and began +versifying, + +"Eight glories meet, all, all conjoined in thee, * + Whereby may Fortune aye thy servant be: +Lere, lordliness, grace, generosity; * + Plain words, deep meaning, honour, victory!" + +When the King looked upon him, he seated him by his side and said to +him, "By Allah, O my son, an thou be not an astrologer, venture not thy +life nor comply with my condition; for I have bound myself that whoso +goeth in to my daughter and healeth her not of that which hath befallen +her I will strike off his head; but whoso healeth her him I will marry +to her. So let not thy beauty and loveliness delude thee: for, by +Allah! and again, by Allah! If thou cure her not, I will assuredly cut +off thy head." And Kamar al-Zaman replied, "This is thy right; and I +consent, for I wot of this ere came I hither." Then King Ghayur took +the Kazis to witness against him and delivered him to the eunuch, +saying, "Carry this one to the Lady Budur." So the eunuch took him by +the hand and led him along the passage; but Kamar al-Zaman outstripped +him and pushed on before, whilst the eunuch ran after him, saying, "Woe +to thee! Hasten not to shine own ruin: never yet saw I astrologer so +eager for his proper destruction; but thou weetest not what calamities +are before thee." Thereupon Kamar al-Zaman turned away his face from +the eunuch,—And Shah razed perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the eunuch +thus addressed Kamar al-Zaman, "Patience, and no indecent hurry!"; the +Prince turned away his face and began repeating these couplets, + +"A Sage, I feel a fool before thy charms; * + Distraught, I wot not what the words I say: +If say I 'Sun,' away thou dost not pass * + From eyes of me, while suns go down with day: +Thou hast completed Beauty, in whose praise * + Speech-makers fail, and talkers lose their way." + +Then the eunuch stationed Kamar al-Zaman behind the curtain of the +Princess's door and the Prince said to him, "Which of the two ways will +please thee more, treat and cure thy lady from here or go in and heal +her within the curtain?" The eunuch marvelled at his words and +answered, "An thou heal her from here it were better proof of thy +skill." Upon this Kamar al-Zaman sat down behind the curtain and, +taking out ink case, pen and paper, wrote the following: "This is the +writ of one whom passion swayeth,* and whom longing waylayeth * and +wakeful misery slayeth * one who despaireth of living * and looketh for +naught but dying * with whose mourning heart * nor comforter nor helper +taketh part * One whose sleepless eyes * none succoureth from anxieties +* whose day is passed in fire * and his night in torturing desire * +whose body is wasted for much emaciation * and no messenger from his +beloved bringeth him consolation." And after this he indited the +following couplets, + +"I write with heart devoted to thy thought, * + And eyelids chafed by tears of blood they bled; +And body clad, by loving pine and pain, * + In shirt of leanness, and worn down to thread, +To thee complain I of Love's tormentry, * + Which ousted hapless Patience from her stead: +A toi! show favour and some mercy deign, * + For Passion's cruel hands my vitals shred." + +And beneath his lines he wrote these cadenced sentences, "The heart's +pain is removed * by union with the beloved * and whomso his lover +paineth * only Allah assaineth! * If we or you have wrought deceit * +may the deceiver win defeat! * There is naught goodlier than a lover +who keeps faith * with the beloved who works him scathe." Then, by way +of subscription, he wrote, "From the distracted and despairing man * +whom love and longing trepan * from the lover under passion's ban * the +prisoner of transport and distraction * from this Kamar al-Zaman * son +of Shahriman * to the peerless one * of the fair Houris the pearl-union +* to the Lady Budur * daughter of King Al Ghayur * Know thou that by +night I am sleepless * and by day in distress * consumed with +increasing wasting and pain * and longing and love unfain * abounding +in sighs * with tear flooded eyes * by passion captive ta'en * of +Desire the slain * with heart seared by the parting of us twain * the +debtor of longing bane, of sickness cup-companion * I am the sleepless +one, who never closeth eye * the slave of love, whose tears run never +dry * for the fire of my heart is still burning * and never hidden is +the flame of my yearning." Then on the margin Kamar al-Zaman wrote this +admired verse, + +"Salem from graces hoarded by my Lord * + To her, who holds my heart and soul in hoard!" + +And also these, + +"Pray'ee grant me some words from your lips, belike * + Such mercy may comfort and cool these eyne: +From the stress of my love and my pine for you, * + I make light of what makes me despised, indign: +Allah guard a folk whose abode was far, * + And whose secret I kept in the holiest shrine: +Now Fortune in kindness hath favoured me * + Thrown on threshold dust of this love o' mine: +By me bedded I looked on Budúr, whose sun * + The moon of my fortunes hath made to shine." + +Then, having affixed his seal-ring to the missive, he wrote these +couplets in the place of address, + +"Ask of my writ what wrote my pen in dole, * + And hear my tale of misery from this scroll; +My hand is writing while my tears down flow, * + And to the paper 'plains my longing soul: +My tears cease not to roll upon this sheet, * + And if they stopped I'd cause blood-gouts to roll." + +And at the end he added this other verse, + +"I've sent the ring from off thy finger bore * + I when we met, now deign my ring restore!" + +Then Kamar al-Zaman set the Lady Budur's ring inside the letter and +sealed it and gave it to the eunuch, who took it and went in with it to +his mistress.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman, +after setting the seal-ring inside the epistle, gave it to the eunuch +who took it and went in with it to his mistress; and, when the Lady +Budur opened it, she found therein her own very ring. Then she read the +paper and when she understood its purport and knew that it was from her +beloved, and that he in person stood behind the curtain, her reason +began to fly and her breast swelled for joy and rose high; and she +repeated these couplets, + +"Long, long have I bewailed the sev'rance of our loves, * + With tears that from my lids streamed down like burning + rain; +And vowed that, if the days deign reunite us two, * + My lips should never speak of severance again: +Joy hath o'erwhelmed me so that, for the very stress * + Of that which gladdens me to weeping I am fain. +Tears are become to you a habit, O my eyes, * + So that ye weep as well for gladness as for pain.''[FN#301] + +And having finished her verse, the Lady Budur stood up forthwith and, +firmly setting her feet to the wall, strained with all her might upon +the collar of iron, till she brake it from her neck and snapped the +chains. Then going forth from behind the curtain she threw herself on +Kamar al-Zaman and kissed him on the mouth, like a pigeon feeding its +young.[FN#302] And she embraced him with all the stress of her love and +longing and said to him, "O my lord do I wake or sleep and hath the +Almighty indeed vouchsafe] us reunion after disunion? Laud be to Allah +who hath our loves repaired, even after we despaired!" Now when the +eunuch saw her in this case, he went off running to King Ghayur and, +kissing the ground before him, said, "O my lord, know that this +Astrologer is indeed the Shaykh of all astrologers, who are fools to +him, all of them; for verily he hath cured thy daughter while standing +behind the curtain and without going in to her." Quoth the King, "Look +well to it, is this news true?" Answered the eunuch, "O my lord, rise +and come and see for thyself how she hath found strength to break the +iron chains and is come forth to the Astrologer, kissing and embracing +him." Thereupon the King arose and went in to his daughter who, when +she saw him, stood up in haste and covered her head,[FN#303] and +recited these two couplets, + +"The toothstick love I not; for when I say, * + 'Siwák,'[FN#304] I miss thee, for it sounds 'Siwá-ka'. +The caper-tree I love; for when I say, * + 'Arák'[FN#305] it sounds I look on thee, 'Ará-ka.'" + +Thereupon the King was so transported for joy at her recovery that he +felt like to fly and kissed her between the eyes, for he loved her with +dearest love; then, turning to Kamar al-Zaman, he asked him who he was, +and said, "What countryman art thou?" So the Prince told him his name +and rank, and informed him that he was the son of King Shahriman, and +presently related to him the whole story from beginning to end; and +acquainted him with what happened between himself and the Lady Budur; +and how he had taken her seal-ring from her finger and had placed it on +his own; whereat Ghayur marvelled and said, "Verily your story +deserveth in books to be chronicled, and when you are dead and gone age +after age be read." Then he summoned Kazis and witnesses forthright and +married the Lady Budur to Prince Kamar al-Zaman; after which he bade +decorate the city seven days long. So they spread the tables with all +manner of meats, whilst the drums beat and the criers anounced the glad +tidings, and all the troops donned their richest clothes; and they +illuminated the city and held high festival. Then Kamar al-Zaman went +in to the Lady Budur and the King rejoiced in her recovery and in her +marriage; and praised Allah for that He had made her to fall in love +with a goodly youth of the sons of Kings. So they unveiled her and +displayed the bride before the bridegroom; and both were the living +likeness of each other in beauty and comeliness and grace and +love-allurement. Then Kamar al-Zaman lay with her that night and took +his will of her, whilst she in like manner fulfilled her desire of him +and enjoyed his charms and grace; and they slept in each other's arms +till the morning. On the morrow, the King made a wedding-feast to which +he gathered all comers from the Islands of the Inner and Outer Seas, +and he spread the tables with choicest viands nor ceased the +banquetting for a whole month. Now when Kamar al-Zaman had thus +fulfilled his will and attained his inmost desire, and whenas he had +tarried awhile with the Princess Budur, he bethought him of his father, +King Shahriman, and saw him in a dream, saying, "O my son, is it thus +thou dealest with me?" and recited in the vision these two couplets, + +"Indeed to watch the darkness-moon he blighted me, * + And to star-gaze through longsome night he plighted me: +Easy, my heart! for haply he'll unite with thee; * + And patience, Sprite! with whatso ills he dight to thee." + +Now after seeing his father in the dream and hearing his re preaches, +Kamar al-Zaman awoke in the morning, afflicted and troubled, whereupon +the Lady Budur questioned him and he told her what he had seen.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar +al-Zaman acquainted the Lady Budur with what he had seen in his dream, +she and he went in to her sire and, telling him what had passed, +besought his leave to travel. He gave the Prince the permission he +sought; but the Princess said, "O my father, I cannot bear to be parted +from him." Quoth Ghayur, her sire, "Then go thou with him," and gave +her leave to be absent a whole twelvemonth and afterwards to visit him +in every year once; so she kissed his hand and Kamar al-Zaman did the +like. Thereupon King Ghayur proceeded to equip his daughter and her +bridegroom for the journey, and furnished them with outfit and +appointments for the march; and brought out of his stables horses +marked with his own brand, blood-dromedaries[FN#306] which can journey +ten days without water, and prepared a litter for his daughter, besides +loading mules and camels with victual; moreover, he gave them slaves +and eunuchs to serve them and all manner of travellinggear; and on the +day of departure, when King Ghayur took leave of Kamar al-Zaman, he +bestowed on him ten splendid suits of cloth of gold embroidered with +stones of price, together with ten riding horses and ten she-camels, +and a treasury of money;[FN#307] and he charged him to love and cherish +his daughter the Lady Budur. Then the King accompanied them to the +farthest limits of his Islands where, going in to his daughter Budur in +the litter, he kissed her and strained her to his bosom, weeping and +repeating, + +"O thou who wooest Severance, easy fare! * + For love-embrace belongs to lover-friend: +Fare softly! Fortune's nature falsehood is, * + And parting shall love's every meeting end." + +Then leaving his daughter, he went to her husband and bade him farewell +and kissed him; after which he parted from them and, giving the order +for the march he returned to his capital with his troops. The Prince +and Princess and their suite fared on without stopping through the +first day and the second and the third and the fourth, nor did they +cease faring for a whole month till they came to a spacious champaign, +abounding in pasturage, where they pitched their tents; and they ate +and drank and rested, and the Princess Budur lay down to sleep. +Presently, Kamar al-Zaman went in to her and found her lying asleep +clad in a shift of apricot-coloured silk that showed all and +everything; and on her head was a coif of gold-cloth embroidered with +pearls and jewels. The breeze raised her shift which laid bare her +navel and showed her breasts and displayed a stomach whiter than snow, +each one of whose dimples would contain an ounce of benzoin- +ointment.[FN#308] At this sight, his love and longing redoubled, and he +began reating, + +"An were it asked me when by hell-fire burnt, * + When flames of heart my vitals hold and hem, +'Which wouldst thou chose, say wouldst thou rather them, * + Or drink sweet cooling draught?' I'd answer, 'Them!' " + +Then he put his hand to the band of her petticoat-trousers and drew it +and loosed it, for his soul lusted after her, when he saw a jewel, red +as dye-wood, made fast to the band. He untied it and examined it and, +seeing two lines of writing graven thereon, in a character not to be +read, marvelled and said in his mind, "Were not this bezel something to +her very dear she had not bound it to her trousers-band nor hidden it +in the most privy and precious place about her person, that she might +not be parted from it. Would I knew what she cloth with this and what +is the secret that is in it." So saying, he took it and went outside +the tent to look at it in the light,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day, and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when he took the +bezel to look at it in the light, the while he was holding it behold, a +bird swooped down on him and, snatching the same from his hand, flew +off with it and then lighted on the ground. There-upon Kamar al-Zaman +fearing to lose the jewel, ran after the bird; but it flew on before +him, keeping just out of his reach, and ceased not to draw him on from +dale to dale and from hill to hill, till the night starkened and the +firmament darkened, when it roosted on a high tree. So Kamar al-Zaman +stopped under the tree confounded in thought and faint for famine and +fatigue, and giving himself up for lost, would have turned back, but +knew not the way whereby he came, for that darkness had overtaken him. +Then he exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in +Allah, the Glorious the Great!"; and laying him down under the tree +(whereon was the bird) slept till the morning, when he awoke and saw +the bird also wake up and fly away. He arose and walked after it, and +it flew on little by little before him, after the measure of his +faring; at which he smiled and said, "By Allah, a strange thing! +Yesterday, this bird flew before me as fast as I could run, and to-day, +knowing that I have awoke tired and cannot run, he flieth after the +measure of my faring. By Allah, this is wonderful! But I must needs +follow this bird whether it lead me to death or to life; and I will go +wherever it goeth, for at all events it will not abide save in some +inhabited land.[FN#309] So he continued to follow the bird which +roosted every night upon a tree; and he ceased not pursuing it for a +space of ten days, feeding on the fruits of the earth and drinking of +its waters. At the end of this time, he came in sight of an inhabited +city, whereupon the bird darted off like the glance of the eye and, +entering the town, disappeared from Kamar al-Zaman, who knew not what +it meant or whither it was gone; so he marvelled at this and exclaimed, +"Praise be to Allah who hath brought me in safety to this city!" Then +he sat down by a stream and washed his hands and feet and face and +rested awhile; and, recalling his late easy and pleasant life of union +with his beloved and contrasting it with his present plight of trouble +and fatigue and distress and strangerhood and famine and severance, the +tears streamed from his eyes and he began repeating these cinquains, + +"Pain had I hid thy handwork, but it showed, * + Changed sleep for wake, and wake with me abode: +When thou didst spurn my heart I cried aloud * + Pate, hold thy hand and cease to gird and goad: + In dole and danger aye my sprite I spy! + +An but the Lord of Love were just to me, * + Sleep fro' my eyelids ne'er were forced to flee. +Pity, my lady, one for love o' thee * + Prom his tribes darling brought to low degree: + Love came and doomed Wealth beggar-death to die. + +The railers chide at thee: I ne'er gainsay, * + But stop my ears and dumbly sign them Nay: +'Thou lov'st a slender may,' say they; I say, * + 'I've picked her out and cast the rest away:' + Enough; when Fate descends she blinds man's + eye!"[FN#310] + +And as soon as he had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, he +rose and walked on little by little, till he entered the city.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as Kamar +al-Zaman had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, he arose and +entered the city-gate[FN#311] not knowing whither he should wend. He +crossed the city from end to end, entering by the land-gate, and ceased +not faring on till he came out at the sea- gate, for the city stood on +the sea-shore. Yet he met not a single one of its citizens. And after +issuing from the land-gate he fared forwards and ceased not faring till +he found himself among the orchards and gardens of the place; and, +passing among the trees presently came to a garden and stopped before +its door; where-upon the keeper came out to him and saluted him. The +Prince returned his greeting and the gardener bade him welcome, saying, +"Praised be Allah that thou hast come off safe from the dwellers of +this city! Quick, come into the garth, ere any of the townfolk see +thee." Thereupon Kamar al-Zaman entered that garden, wondering in mind, +and asked the keeper, "What may be the history of the people of this +city and who may they be?" The other answered, "Know that the people of +this city are all Magians: but Allah upon thee, tell me how thou camest +to this city and what caused thy coming to our capital." Accordingly +Kamar al-Zaman told the gardener all that had befallen him from +beginning to end, whereat he marvelled with great marvel and said, +"Know, O my son, that the cities of Al-Islam lie far from us; and +between us and them is a four months' voyage by sea and a whole twelve +months' journey by land. We have a ship which saileth every year with +merchandise to the nearest Moslem country and which entereth the seas +of the Ebony Islands and thence maketh the Khalidan Islands, the +dominions of King Shahriman." Thereupon Kamar al- Zaman considered +awhile and concluded that he could not do better than abide in the +garden with the gardener and become his assistant, receiving for pay +one fourth of the produce. So he said to him, "Wilt thou take me into +thy service, to help thee in this garden?" Answered the gardener, "To +hear is to consent;" and began teaching him to lead the water to the +roots of the trees. So Kamar al-Zaman abode with him, watering the +trees and hoeing up the weeds and wearing a short blue frock which +reached to his knees. And he wept floods of tears; for he had no rest +day or night, by reason of his strangerhood and he ceased not to repeat +verses upon his beloved, amongst others the following couplets, + +"Ye promised us and will ye not keep plight? * + Ye said a say and shall not deed be dight? +We wake for passion while ye slumber and sleep; * + Watchers and wakers claim not equal right: +We vowed to keep our loves in secrecy, * + But spake the meddler and you spoke forthright: +O friend in pain and pleasure, joy and grief, * + In all case you, you only, claim my sprite! +Mid folk is one who holds my prisoned heart; * + Would he but show some ruth for me to sight. +Not every eye like mine is wounded sore, * + Not every heart like mine love-pipings blight: +Ye wronged me saying, Love is wrongous aye * + Yea! ye were right, events have proved that quite. +Forget they one love-thralled, whose faith the world * + Robs not, though burn the fires in heart alight: +If an my foeman shall become my judge, * + Whom shall I sue to remedy his despight? +Had not I need of love nor love had sought, * + My heart forsure were not thus love-distraught." + +Such was the case with Kamar al-Zaman; but as regards his wife, the +Lady Budur, when she awoke she sought her husband and found him not: +then she saw her petticoat-trousers undone, for the band had been +loosed and the bezel lost, whereupon she said to herself, "By Allah, +this is strange! Where is my husband? It would seem as if he had taken +the talisman and gone away, knowing not the secret which is in it. +Would to Heaven I knew whither can he have wended! But it must needs +have been some extraordinary matter that drew him away, for he cannot +brook to leave me a moment. Allah curse the stone and damn its hour!" +Then she considered awhile and said in her mind, "If I go out and tell +the varlets and let them learn that my husband is lost they will lust +after me: there is no help for it but that I use stratagem. So she rose +and donned some of her husband's clothes and riding- boots, and a +turband like his, drawing one corner of it across her face for a +mouth-veil.[FN#312] Then, setting a slave-girl in her litter, she went +forth from the tent and called to the pages who brought her Kamar +al-Zaman's steed; and she mounted and bade them load the beasts and +resume the march. So they bound on the burdens and departed; and she +concealed her trick, none doubting but she was Kamar al-Zaman, for she +favoured him in face and form; nor did she cease journeying, she and +her suite, days and nights, till they came in sight of a city +overlooking the Salt Sea, where they pitched their tents without the +walls and halted to rest. The Princess asked the name of the town and +was told, "It is called the City of Ebony; its King is named Armanús, +and he hath a daughter Hayát al-Nufús[FN#313] hight,"—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Lady +Budur halted within sight of the Ebony City to take her rest, King +Armanus sent a messenger, to learn what King it was who had encamped +without his capital; so the messenger, coming to the tents, made +inquiry anent their King, and was told that she was a King's son who +had lost the way being bound for the Khalidan Islands; whereupon he +returned to King Armanus with the tidings; and, when the King heard +them, he straightway rode out with the lords of his land to greet the +stranger on arrival. As he drew near the tents the Lady Budur came to +meet him on foot, whereupon the King alighted and they saluted each +other. Then he took her to the city and, bringing her up to the palace, +bade them spread the tables and trays of food and commanded them to +transport her company and baggage to the guess house. So they abode +there three days; at the end of which time the King came in to the Lady +Budur. Now she had that day gone to the Hammam and her face shone as +the moon at its full, a seduction to the world and a rending of the +veil of shame to mankind; and Armanus found her clad in a -suit of +silk, embroidered with gold and jewels; so he said to her, 'O my son, +know that I am a very old man, decrepit withal, and Allah hath blessed +me with no child save one daughter, who resembleth thee in beauty and +grace; and I am now waxed unfit for the conduct of the state. She is +shine, O my son; and, if this my land please thee and thou be willing +to abide and make thy home here, I will marry thee to her and give thee +my kingdom and so be at rest." When Princess Budur heard this, she +bowed her head and her forehead sweated for shame, and she said to +herself. "How shall I do, and I a woman? If I refuse and depart from +him, I cannot be safe but that haply send after me troops to slay me; +and if I consent, belike I shall be put to shame. I have lost my +beloved Kamar al-Zaman and know not what is become of him; nor can I +escape from this scrape save by holding my peace and consenting and +abiding here, till Allah bring about what is to be." So she raised her +head and made submission to King Armanus, saying, "Hearkening and +obedience!"; whereat he rejoiced and bade the herald make proclamation +throughout the Ebony Islands to hold high festival and decorate the +houses. Then he assembled his Chamberlains and Nabobs, and Emirs and +Wazirs and his officers of state and the Kazis of the city; and, +formally abdicating his Sultanate, endowed Budur therewith and invested +her in all the vestments of royalty. The Emirs and Grandees went in to +her and did her homage, nothing doubting but that she was a young man, +and all who looked on her bepissed their bag-trousers, for the excess +of her beauty and loveliness. Then, after the Lady Budur had been made +Sultan and the drums had been beaten in announcement of the glad event, +and she had been ceremoniously enthroned, King Armanus proceeded to +equip his daughter Hayat al-Nufus for marriage, and in a few days, they +brought the Lady Budur in to her, when they seemed as it were two moons +risen at one time or two suns in conjunction. So they entered the +bridal-chamber and the doors were shut and the curtains let down upon +them, after the attendants had lighted the wax-candles and spread for +them the carpet-bed. When Budur found herself alone with the Princess +Hayat al-Nufus, she called to mind her beloved Kamar al-Zaman and grief +was sore upon her. So she wept for his absence, and estrangement and +she began repeating, + +"O ye who fled and left my heart in pain low li'en, * + No breath of life if found within this frame of mine: +I have an eye which e'er complains of wake, but lo! * + Tears occupy it would that wake content these eyne! +After ye marched forth the lover 'bode behind; * + Question of him what pains your absence could design! +But for the foods of tears mine eyelids rail and rain, * + My fires would flame on high and every land calcine. +To Allah make I moan of loved ones lost for aye, * + Who for my pine and pain no more shall pain and pine: +I never wronged them save that over love I nurst: * + But Love departs us lovers into blest and curst." + +And when she had finished her repeating, the Lady Budur sat down beside +the Princess Hayat al-Nufus and kissed her on the mouth; after which +rising abruptly, she made the minor ablution and betook herself to her +devotions; nor did she leave praying till Hayat al-Nufus fell asleep, +when she slips into bed and lay with her back to her till morning. And +when day had broke the King and Queen came in to their daughter and +asked her how she did. whereupon she told them what she had seen, and +repeated to them the verses she had heard. Thus far concerning Hayat +al-Nufus and her father; but as regards Queen Budur she went forth and +seated herself upon the royal throne and all the Emirs and Captains and +Officers of state came up to her and wished her joy of the kingship, +kissing the earth before her and calling down blessings upon her. And +she accosted them with smiling face and clad them in robes of honour, +augmenting the fiefs of the high officials and giving largesse to the +levies; wherefore all the people loved her and offered up prayers for +the long endurance of her reign, doubting not but that she was a man. +And she ceased not sitting all day in the hall of audience, bidding and +forbidding; dispensing justice, releasing prisoners and remitting the +customs-dues, till nightfall, when she withdrew to the apartment +prepared for her. Here she found Hayat al-Nufus seated, so she sat down +by her side and, clapping her on the back, coaxed and caressed her and +kissed her between the eyes, and fell to versifying in these couplets, + +"What secret kept I these my tears have told, * + And my waste body must my love unfold: +Though hid my pine, my plight on parting day * + To every envious eye my secret sold: +O ye who broke up camp, you've left behind * + My spirit wearied and my heart a-cold: +In my hearts core ye dwell, and now these eyne * + Roll blood-drops with the tears they whilome rolled: +The absent will I ransom with my soul; * + All can my yearning for their sight behold: +I have an eye whose babe,[FN#314] for love of thee, * + Rejected sleep nor hath its tears controlled. +The foeman bids me patient bear his loss, * + Ne'er may mine ears accept the ruth he doled! +I tricks their deme of me, and won my wish * + Of Kamar al-Zaman's joys manifold: +He joins all perfect gifts like none before, * + Boasted such might and main no King of old: +Seeing his gifts, Bin Zá'idah's[FN#315] largesse * + Forget we, and Mu'áwiyah mildest-soul'd:[FN#316] +Were verse not feeble and o'er short the time * + I had in laud of him used all of rhyme." + +Then Queen Budur stood up and wiped away her tears and, making the +lesser ablution,[FN#317] applied her to pray: nor did she give over +praying till drowsiness overcame the Lady Hayat al- Nufus and she +slept, whereupon the Lady Budur came and lay by her till the morning. +At daybreak, she arose and prayed the dawn- prayer; and presently +seated herself on the royal throne and passed the day in ordering and +counter ordering and giving laws and administering justice. This is how +it fared with her; but as regards King Armanus he went in to his +daughter and asked her how she did; so she told him all that had +befallen her and repeated to him the verses which Queen Budur had +recited, adding, "O my father, never saw I one more abounding in sound +sense and modesty than my husband, save that he cloth nothing but weep +and sigh." He answered, "O my daughter, have patience with him yet this +third night, and if he go not in unto thee and do away thy maidenhead, +we shall know how to proceed with him and oust him from the throne and +banish him the country." And on this wise he agreed with his daughter +what course he would take.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Tenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Armanus +had agreed with his daughter on this wise and had determined what +course he would take and night came on, Queen Budur arose from the +throne of her kingdom and betaking herself to the palace, entered the +apartment prepared for her. There she found the wax-candles lighted and +the Princess Hayat al-Nufus seated and awaiting her; whereupon she +bethought her of her husband and what had betided them both of sorrow +and severance in so short a space; she wept and sighed and groaned +groan upon groan, and began improvising these couplets, + +"News of my love fill all the land, I swear, * + As suns on Ghazá[FN#318]-wold rain heat and glare: +Speaketh his geste but hard its sense to say; * + Thus never cease to grow my cark and care: +I hate fair Patience since I loved thee; * + E'er sawest lover hate for love to bear? +A glance that dealt love-sickness dealt me death, * + Glances are deadliest things with torments rare: +He shook his love locks down and bared his chin, * + Whereby I spied his beauties dark and fair: +My care, my cure are in his hands; and he * + Who caused their dolour can their dole repair: +His belt went daft for softness of his waist; * + His hips, for envy, to uprise forbear: +His brow curl-diademed is murky night; * + Unveil 't and lo! bright Morn shows brightest light." + +When she had finished her versifying, she would have risen to pray, +but, lo and behold! Hayat al-Nufus caught her by the skirt and clung to +her saying, "O my lord, art thou not ashamed before my father, after +all his favour, to neglect me at such a time as this?" When Queen Budur +heard her words, she sat down in the same place and said, "O my +beloved, what is this thou sayest?" She replied, "What I say is that I +never saw any so proud of himself as thou. Is every fair one so +disdainful? I say not this to incline thee to me; I say it only of my +fear for thee from King Armanus; because he purposeth, unless thou go +in unto me this very night, and do away my maidenhead, to strip thee of +the kingship on the morrow and banish thee his kingdom; and +peradventure his excessive anger may lead him to slay thee. But I, O my +lord, have ruth on thee and give thee fair warning; and it is thy right +to reck."[FN#319] Now when Queen Budur heard her speak these words, she +bowed her head ground-wards awhile in sore perplexity and said in +herself, "If I refuse I'm lost; and if I obey I'm shamed. But I am now +Queen of all the Ebony Islands and they are under my rule, nor shall I +ever again meet my Kamar al- Zaman save in this place; for there is no +way for him to his native land but through the Ebony Islands. Verily, I +know not what to do in my present case, but I commit my care to Allah +who directeth all for the best, for I am no man that I should arise and +open this virgin girl." Then quoth Queen Budur to Hayat al- Nufus, "O +my beloved, that I have neglected thee and abstained from thee is in my +own despite." And she told her her whole story from beginning to end +and showed her person to her, saying, "I conjure thee by Allah to keep +my counsel, for I have concealed my case only that Allah may reunite me +with my beloved Kamar al- Zaman and then come what may."—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Eleventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Lady +Budur acquainted Hayat al-Nufus with her history and bade her keep it +secret, the Princess heard her with extreme wonderment and was moved to +pity and prayed Allah to reunite her with her beloved, saying, "Fear +nothing, O my sister; but have patience till Allah bring to pass that +which must come to pass:" and she began repeating, + +"None but the men of worth a secret keep; +With worthy men a secret's hidden deep; +As in a room, so secrets lie with me, +Whose door is sealed, lock shot and lost the key."[FN#320] + +And when Hayat al-Nufus had ended her verses, she said, "O my sister, +verily the breasts of the noble and brave are of secrets the grave; and +I will not discover shine." Then they toyed and embraced and kissed and +slept till near the Mu'ezzin's call to dawn prayer, when Hayat al-Nufus +arose and took a pigeon-poult,[FN#321] and cut its throat over her +smock and besmeared herself with its blood. Then she pulled off her +petticoat-trousers and cried aloud, where-upon her people hastened to +her and raised the usual lullilooing and outcries of joy and gladness. +Presently her mother came in to her and asked her how she did and +busied herself about her and abode with her till evening; whilst the +Lady Budur arose with the dawn, and repaired to the bath and, after +washing herself pure, proceeded to the hall of audience, where she sat +down on her throne and dispensed justice among the folk. Now when King +Armanus heard the loud cries of joy, he asked what was the matter and +was informed of the consummation of his daughter's marriage; whereat he +rejoiced and his breast swelled with gladness and he made a great +marriage-feast whereof the merry-making lasted a long time. Such was +their case: but as regards King Shahriman it was on this wise. After +his son had fared forth to the chase accompanied by Marzawan, as before +related, he tarried patiently awaiting their return at nightfall; but +when his son did not appear he passed a sleepless night and the dark +hours were longsome upon him; his restlessness was excessive, his +excitement grew upon him and he thought the morning would never dawn. +Anc when day broke he sat expecting his son and waited till noon, but +he came not; whereat his heart forebode separation and was fired with +fears for Kamar al-Zaman; and he cried, "Alas! my son!" and he wept +till his clothes were drenched with tears, and repeated with a beating +heart, + +"Love's votaries I ceased not to oppose, * + Till doomed to taste Love's bitter and Love's sweet: +I drained his rigour-cup to very dregs, * + Self humbled at its slaves' and freemen's feet: +Fortune had sworn to part the loves of us; * + She kept her word how truly, well I weet!" + +And when he ended his verse, he wiped away his tears and bade his +troops make ready for a march and prepare for a long expedition. So +they all mounted and set forth, headed by the Sultan, whose heart burnt +with grief and was fired with anxiety for his son Kamar al-Zaman; and +they advanced by forced marches. Now the King divided his host into six +divisions, a right wing and a left wing, a vanguard and a rear +guard;[FN#322] and bade them rendezvous for the morrow at the +cross-roads. Accordingly they separated and scoured the country all the +rest of that day till night, and they marched through the night and at +noon of the ensuing day they joined company at the place where four +roads met. But they knew not which the Prince followed, till they saw +the sign of torn clothes and sighted shreds of flesh and beheld blood +still sprinkled by the way and they noted every piece of the clothes +and fragment of mangled flesh scattered on all sides. Now when King +Shahriman saw this, he cried from his heart-core a loud cry, saying, +"Alas, my son!"; and buffeted his face and plucks his beard and rent +his raiment, doubting not but his son was dead. Then he gave himself up +to excessive weeping and wailing, and the troops also wept for his +weeping, all being assured that Prince Kamar al-Zaman had perished. +They threw dust on their heads, and the night surprised them shedding +tears and lamenting till they were like to die. Then the King with a +heart on fire and with burning sighs spake these couplets, + +"Chide not the mourner for bemourning woe; * + Enough is yearning every Ill to show: +He weeps for stress of sorrow and of pain, * + And these to thee best evidence his lowe: +Happy![FN#323] of whom Love sickness swore that ne'er * + Should cease his eye lids loving tears to flow: +He mourns the loss of fairest, fullest Moon, * + Shining o'er all his peers in glorious glow: +But death made drink a brimming cup, what day * + He fared from natal country fain to go: +His home left he and went from us to grief; * + Nor to his brethren could he say adieu: +Yea, his loss wounded me with parting pangs, * + And separation cost me many a throe: +He fared farewelling, as he fared, our eyes; * + Whenas his Lord vouch-safed him Paradise." + +And when King Shahriman had ended his verses, he returned with the +troops to his capital,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Twelfth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King +Shahriman had ended his verses, he returned with the troops to his +capital, giving up his son for lost, and deeming that wild beasts or +banditti had set upon him and torn him to pieces; and made proclamation +that all in the Khalidan Islands should don black in mourning for him. +Moreover, he built, in his memory, a pavilion, naming it House of +Lamentations; and on Mondays and Thursdays he devoted himself to the +business of the state and ordering the affairs of his levies and +lieges; and the rest of the week he was wont to spend in the House of +Lamentations, mourning for his son and bewailing him with elegiac +verses,[FN#324] of which the following are some:— + +"My day of bliss is that when thou appearest; * + My day of bale[FN#325] is that whereon thou farest: +Though through the night I quake in dread of death; * + Union wi' thee is of all bliss the dearest." + +And again he said, + +"My soul be sacrifice for one, whose going * + Afflicted hearts with sufferings sore and dread: +Let joy her widowed term[FN#326] fulfil, for I * + Divorced joy with the divorce thrice-said."[FN#327] + +Such was the case with King Shahriman; but as regards Queen Budur +daughter of King Ghayur, she abode as ruler in the Ebony Islands, +whilst the folk would point to her with their fingers, and say, "Yonder +is the son-in-law of King Armanus." And every night she lay with Hayat +al-Nufus, to whom she lamented her desolate state and longing for her +husband Kamar al-Zaman; weeping and describing to her his beauty and +loveliness, and yearning to enjoy him though but in a dream: And at +times she would repeat, + +"Well Allah wots that since my severance from thee, * + I wept till forced to borrow tears at usury: +'Patience!' my blamer cried, 'Heartsease right soon shalt see!' * + Quoth I, 'Say, blamer, where may home of Patience be?'" + +This is how it fared with Queen Budur; but as regards Kamar al- Zaman, +he abode with the gardener in the garden for no short time, weeping +night and day and repeating verses bewailing the past time of enjoyment +and delight; whilst the gardener kept comforting him and assuring him +that the ship would set sail for the land of the Moslems at the end of +the year. And in this condition he continued till one day he saw the +folk crowding together and wondered at this; but the gardener came in +to him and said, "O my son, give over work for this day nor lead water +to the trees; for it is a festival day, whereon folk visit one another. +So take thy rest and only keep shine eye on the garden, whilst I go +look after the ship for thee; for yet but a little while and I send +thee to the land of the Moslems." Upon this, he went forth from the +garden leaving to himself Kamar al-Zaman, who fell to musing upon his +case till his heart was like to break and the tears streamed from his +eyes. So he wept with excessive weeping till he swooned away and, when +he recovered, he rose and walked about the garden, pondering what Time +had done with him and bewailing the long endurance of his estrangement +and separation from those he loved. As he was thus absorbed in +melancholy thought, his foot stumbled and he fell on his face, his +forehead striking against the projecting root of a tree; and the blow +cut it open and his blood ran down and mingled with his tears Then he +rose and, wiping away the blood, dried his tears and bound his brow +with a piece of rag; then continued his walk about the garden engrossed +by sad reverie. Presently, he looked up at a tree and saw two birds +quarrelling thereon, and one of them rose up and smote the other with +its beak on the neck and severed from its body its head, wherewith it +flew away, whilst the slain bird fell to the ground before Kamar +al-Zaman. As it lay, behold, two great birds swooped down upon it +alighting, one at the head and the other at the tail, and both drooped +their wings and bowed their bills over it and, extending their necks +towards it, wept. Kamar al-Zaman also wept when seeing the birds thus +bewail their mate, and called to mind his wife and father, And +Shahrazed perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman +wept and lamented his separation from spouse and sire, when he beheld +those two birds weeping over their mate. Then he looked at the twain +and saw them dig a grave and therein bury the slain bird; after which +they flew away far into the firmament and disappeared for a while; but +presently they returned with the murtherer-bird and, alighting on the +grave of the murthered, stamped on the slayer till they had done him to +death. Then they rent his belly and tearing out his entrails, poured +the blood on the grave of the slain[FN#328]: moreover, they stripped +off his skin and tare his flesh in pieces and, pulling out the rest of +the bowels, scattered them hither and thither. All this while Kamar +al-Zaman was watching them wonderingly; but presently, chancing to look +at the place where the two birds had slain the third, he saw therein +something gleaming. So he drew near to it and noted that it was the +crop of the dead bird. Whereupon he took it and opened it and found the +talisman which had been the cause of his separation from his wife. But +when he saw it and knew it, he fell to the ground a-fainting for joy; +and, when he revived, he said, "Praised be Allah! This is a foretaste +of good and a presage of reunion with my beloved." Then he examined the +jewel and passed it over his eyes[FN#329]; after which he bound it to +his forearm, rejoicing in coming weal, and walked about till nightfall +awaiting the gardener's return; and when he came not, he lay down and +slept in his wonted place. At daybreak he rose to his work and, girding +his middle with a cord of palm- fibre, took hatchet and basket and +walked down the length of the garden, till he came to a carob-tree and +struck the axe into its roots. The blow rang and resounded; so he +cleared away the soil from the place and discovered a trap-door and +raised it.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When It was the Two Hundred and Fourteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar +al-Zaman raised the trap-door, he found a winding stair, which he +descended and came to an ancient vault of the time of Ad and +Thamúd,[FN#330] hewn out of the rock. Round the vault stood many brazen +vessels of the bigness of a great oil-jar which he found full of +gleaming red gold: whereupon he said to himself, "Verily sorrow is gone +and solace is come!" Then he mounted from the souterrain to the garden +and, replacing the trap-door as it was before, busied himself in +conducting water to the trees till the last of the day, when the +gardener came back and said to him, "O my son, rejoice at the good +tidings of a speedy return to thy native land: the merchants are ready +equipped for the voyage and the ship in three days' time will set sail +for the City of Ebony, which is the first of the cities of the Moslems, +and after making it, thou must travel by land a six months' march till +thou come to the Islands of Khalidan, the dominions of King Shahriman." +At this Kamar al-Zaman rejoiced and began repeating, + +"Part not from one whose wont is not to part from you; * + Nor with your cruel taunts an innocent mortify: +Another so long parted had ta'en heart from you, * + And had his whole condition changed,—but not so I." + +Then he kissed the gardener's hand and said, "O my father, even as thou +hast brought me glad tidings, so I also have great good news for thee,' +and told him anent his discovery of the vault; whereat the gardener +rejoiced and said, "O my son, fourscore years have I dwelt in this +garden and have never hit on aught whilst thou, who hast not sojourned +with me a year, hast discovered this thing; wherefore it is Heaven's +gift to thee, which shall end thy crosses and aid thee to rejoin thy +folk and foregather with her thou lovest." Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, "There +is no help but it must be shared between me and thee." Then he carried +him to the underground-chamber and showed him the gold, which was in +twenty jars: he took ten and the gardener ten, and the old man said to +him, "O my son, fill thyself leather bottles[FN#331] with the +sparrow-olives[FN#332] which grow in this garden, for they are not +found except in our land; and the merchants carry them to all parts. +Lay the gold in the bottles and strew it over with olives: then stop +them and cover them and take them with thee in the ship." So Kamar +al-Zaman arose without stay or delay and took fifty leather bottles and +stored in each somewhat of the gold, and closed each one after placing +a layer of olives over the gold; and at the bottom of one of the +bottles he laid the talisman. Then sat he down to talk with the +gardener, confident of speedy reunion with his own people and saying to +himself, "When I come to the Ebony Islands I will journey thence to my +father's country and enquire for my beloved Budur. Would to Heaven I +knew whether she returned to her own land or journeyed on to my +father's country or whether there befel her any accident by the way." +And he began versifying, + +"Love in my breast they lit and fared away, * + And far the land wherein my love is pent: +Far lies the camp and those who camp therein; * + Par is her tent-shrine, where I ne'er shall tent. +Patience far deaf me when from me they fled; * + Sleep failed mine eyes, endurance was forspent: +They left and with them left my every joy, * + Wending with them, nor find I peace that went: +They made these eyes roll down love tears in flood, * + And lacking them these eyne with tears are drent. +When my taste spins once again would see them, * + When pine and expectation but augment, +In my heart's core their counterfeits I trace, * + With love and yearning to behold their grace." + +Then, while he awaited the end of the term of days, he told the +gardener the tale of the birds and what had passed between them; +whereat the hearer wondered; and they both lay down and slept till the +morning. The gardener awoke sick and abode thus two days; but on the +third day, his sickness increased on him, till they despaired of his +life and Kamar al-Zaman grieved with sore grief for him. Meanwhile +behold, the Master and his crew came and enquired for the gardener; +and, when Kamar al-Zaman told them that he was sick, they asked, "Where +be the youth who is minded to go with us to the Ebony Islands?" "He is +your servent and he standeth before you!" answered the Prince and bade +them carry the bottles of olives to the ship; so they transported them, +saying, "Make haste, thou, for the wind is fair;" and he replied, "I +hear and obey." Then he carried his provaunt on board and, returning to +bid the gardener farewell, found him in the agonies of death; so he sat +down at his head and closed his eyes, and his soul departed his body; +whereupon he laid him out and committed him to the earth unto the mercy +of Allah Almighty. Then he made for the ship but found that she had +already weighed anchor and set sail; nor did she cease to cleave the +seas till she disappeared from his sight. So he went back to whence he +came heavy-hearted with whirling head; and neither would he address a +soul nor return a reply; and reaching the garden and sitting down in +cark and care he threw dust on his head and buffeted his cheeks.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Fifteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the ship +sped on her course, Kamar al-Zaman returned to the garden in cark and +care; but- anon he rented the place of its owner and hired a man to +help him in irrigating the trees. Moreover, he repaired the trap-door +and he went to the underground chamber and bringing the rest of the +gold to grass, stowed it in other fifty bottles which he filled up with +a layer of olives. Then he enquired of the ship and they told him that +it sailed but once a year, at which his trouble of mind redoubled and +he cried sore for that which had betided him, above all for the loss of +the Princess Budur's talisman, and spent his nights and days weeping +and repealing verses. Such was his case; but as regards the ship she +sailed with a favouring wind till she reached the Ebony Islands. Now by +decree of destiny, Queen Budur was sitting at a lattice-window +overlooking the sea and saw the galley cast anchor upon the strand. At +this sight, her heart throbbed and she took horse with the Chamberlains +and Nabobs and, riding down to the shore, halted by the ship, whilst +the sailors broke bulk and bore the bales to the storehouses; after +which she called the captain to her presence and asked what he had with +him. He answered "O King, I have with me in this ship aromatic drugs +and cosmetics and healing powders and ointments and plasters and +precious metals and rich stuffs and rugs of Yemen leather, not to be +borne of mule or camel, and all manner of otters and spices and +perfumes, civet and ambergris and camphor and Sumatra aloes-wood, and +tamerinds[FN#333] and sparrow-olives to boot, such as are rare to find +in this country." When she heard talk of sparrow- olives her heart +longed for them and she said to the ship-master, "How much of olives +hast thou?" He replied, "Fifty bottles full, but their owner is not +with us, so the King shall take what he will of them." Quoth she, +"Bring them ashore, that I may see them.'' Thereupon he called to the +sailors, who brought her the fifty bottles; and she opened one and, +looking at the olives, said to the captain, "I will take the whole +fifty and pay you their value, whatso it be." He answered, "By Allah, O +my lord, they have no value in our country; moreover their shipper +tarried behind us, and he is a poor man." Asked she, "And what are they +worth here?" and he answered "A thousand dirhams." "I will take them at +a thousand," she said and bade them carry the fifty bottles to the +palace. When it was night, she called for a bottle of olives and opened +it, there being none in the room but herself and the Princess Hayat +al-Nufus. Then, placing a dish before her she turned into it the +contents of the jar, when there fell out into the dish with the olives +a heap of red gold; and she said to the Lady Hayat al-Nufus, "This is +naught but gold!" So she sent for the rest of the bottles and found +them all full of precious metal and scarce enough olives to fill a +single jar. Moreover, she sought among the gold and found therein the +talisman, which she took and examined and behold, it was that which +Kamar al- Zaman had taken from off the band of her petticoat trousers. +Thereupon she cried out for joy and slipped down in a swoon;—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Sixteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Budur +saw the talisman she cried out for joy and slipped down in a swoon; and +when she recovered she said to herself, "Verily, this talisman was the +cause of my separation from my beloved Kamar al-Zaman; but now it is an +omen of good." Then she showed it to Hayat al-Nufus and said to her, +"This was the cause of disunion and now, please Allah, it shall be the +cause of reunion." As soon as day dawned she seated herself on the +royal throne and sent for the ship-master, who came into the presence +and kissed the ground before her. Quoth she, "Where didst thou leave +the owner of these olives?" Quoth he, "O King of the age, we left him +in the land of the Magians and he is a gardener there." She rejoined, +"Except thou bring him to me, thou knowest not the harm which awaiteth +thee and thy ship." Then she bade them seal up the magazines of the +merchants and said to them, "Verily the owner of these olives hath +borrowed of me and I have a claim upon him for debt and, unless ye +bring him to me, I will without fail do you all die and seize your +goods." So they went to the captain and promised him the hire of the +ship, if he would go and return a second time, saying, "Deliver us from +this masterful tyrant." Accordingly the skipper embarked and set sail +and Allah decreed him a prosperous voyage, till he came to the Island +of the Magians and, landing by night, went up to the garden. Now the +night was long upon Kamar al-Zaman, and he sat, bethinking him of his +beloved, and bewailing what had befallen him and versifying, + +"A night whose stars refused to run their course, * + A night of those which never seem outworn: +Like Resurrection-day, of longsome length[FN#334] * + To him that watched and waited for the morn." + +Now at this moment, the captain knocked at the garden-gate, and Kamar +al-Zaman opened and went out to him, whereupon the crew seized him and +went down with him on board the ship and set sail forthright; and they +ceased not voyaging days and nights, whilst Kamar al-Zaman knew not why +they dealt thus with him; but when he questioned them they replied, +"Thou hast offended against the Lord of the Ebony Islands, the +son-in-law of King Armanus, and thou hast stolen his monies, miserable +that thou art!" Said he, "By Allah! I never entered that country nor do +I know where it is!" However, they fared on with him, till they made +the Ebony Islands and landing, carried him up to the Lady Budur, who +knew him at sight and said, "Leave him with the eunuchs, that they may +take him to the bath." Then she relieved the merchants of the embargo +and gave the captain a robe of honour worth ten thousand pieces of +gold; and, after returning to the palace, she went in that night to the +Princess Hayat al-Nufus and told her what had passed, saying, "Keep +thou my counsel, till I accomplish my purpose, and do a deed which +shall be recorded and shall be read by Kings and commoners after we be +dead and gone." And when she gave orders that they bear Kamar al-Zaman +to the bath, they did so and clad him in a royal habit so that, when he +came forth, he resembled a willow-bough or a star which shamed the +greater and lesser light[FN#335] and its glow, and his life and soul +returned to his frame. Then he repaired to the palace and went in to +the Princess Budur; and when she saw him she schooled her heart to +patience, till she should have accomplished her purpose; and she +bestowed on him Mamelukes and eunuchs, camels and mules. Moreover, she +gave him a treasury of money and she ceased not advancing him from +dignity to dignity, till she made him Lord High Treasurer and committed +to his charge all the treasures of the state; and she admitted him to +familiar favour and acquainted the Emirs with his rank and dignity. And +all loved him, for Queen Budur did not cease day by day to increase his +allowances. As for Kamar al-Zaman, he was at a loss anent the reason of +her thus honouring him; and he gave gifts and largesse out of the +abundance of the wealth; and he devoted himself to the service of King +Armanus; so that the King and all the Emirs and people, great and +small, adored him and were wont to swear by his life. Nevertheless, he +ever marvelled at the honour and favour shown him by Queen Budur and +said to himself, "By Allah, there needs must be a reason for this +affection! Peradventure, this King favoureth me not with these +immoderate favours save for some ill purpose and, therefore, there is +no help but that I crave leave of him to depart his realm." So he went +in to Queen Budur and said to her, "O King, thou hast overwhelmed me +with favours, but it will fulfil the measure of thy bounties if thou +take from me all thou hast been pleased to bestow upon me, and permit +me to depart." She smiled and asked, "What maketh thee seek to depart +and plunge into new perils, whenas thou art in the enjoyment of the +highest favour and greatest prosperity?" Answered Kamar al- Zaman, "O +King, verily this favour, if there be no reason for it, is indeed a +wonder of wonders, more by token that thou hast advanced me to +dignities such as befit men of age and experience, albeit I am as it +were a young child." And Queen Budur rejoined, "The reason is that I +love thee for shine exceeding loveliness and thy surpassing beauty; and +if thou wilt but grant me my desire of thy body, I will advance thee +yet farther in honour and favour and largesse; and I will make thee +Wazir, for all thy tender age even as the folk made me Sultan over them +and I no older than thou; so that nowadays there is nothing strange +when children take the head and by Allah, he was a gifted man who said, + +'It seems as though of Lot's tribe were our days, * + And crave with love to advance the young in years.'"[FN#336] + +When Kamar al-Zaman heard these words, he was abashed and his cheeks +flushed till they seemed a-flame; and he said, "I need not these +favours which lead to the commission of sin; I will live poor in wealth +but wealthy in virtue and honour." Quoth she, "I am not to be duped by +thy scruples, arising from prudery and coquettish ways; and Allah bless +him who saith, + +'To him I spake of coupling, but he said to me, * + How long this noyous long persistency?' +But when gold piece I showed him, he cried, * + 'Who from the Almighty Sovereign e'er shall flee?'" + +Now when Kamar al-Zaman, heard these words and understood her verses +and their import, he said, "O King, I have not the habit of these +doings, nor have I strength to bear these heavy burthens for which +elder than I have proved unable; then how will it be with my tender +age?" But she smiled at his speech and retorted, "Indeed, it is a +matter right marvellous how error springeth from the disorder of man's +intendiment!! Since thou art a boy, why standest thou in fear of sin or +the doing of things forbidden, seeing that thou art not yet come to +years of canonical responsibility; and the offences of a child incur +neither punishment nor reproof? Verily, thou hast committed thyself to +a quibble for the sake of contention, and it is thy duty to bow before +a proposal of fruition, so henceforward cease from denial and coyness, +for the commandment of Allah is a decree foreordained:[FN#337] indeed, +I have more reason than thou to fear falling and by sin to be misled; +and well inspired was he who said, + +'My prickle is big and the little one said, * + 'Thrust boldly in vitals with lion-like stroke! +Then I, ' 'Tis a sin!; and he, 'No sin to me! * + So I had him at once with a counterfeit poke."[FN#338] + +When Kamar al-Zaman heard these words, the light became darkness in his +sight and he said, "O King, thou hast in thy household fair women and +female slaves, who have not their like in this age: shall not these +suffice thee without me? Do thy will with them and let me go!" She +replied, "Thou sayest sooth, but it is not with them that one who +loveth thee can heal himself of torment and can abate his fever; for, +when tastes and inclinations are corrupted by vice, they hear and obey +other than good advice. So leave arguing and listen to what the poet +saith, + +'Seest not the bazar with its fruit in rows? * + These men are for figs and for sycamore[FN#339] those!' + +And what another saith, + +'Many whose anklet rings are dumb have tinkling belts, * + And this hath all content while that for want must wail: +Thou bidd'st me be a fool and quit thee for her charms; * + Allah forfend I leave The Faith, turn Infidel! +Nay, by thy rights of side-beard mocking all her curls, * + Nor mott nor maid[FN#340] from thee my heart shall spell.' + +And yet another, + +'O beauty's Union! love for thee's my creed, * + Free choice of Faith and eke my best desire: +Women I have forsworn for thee; so may * + Deem me all men this day a shaveling friar.'[FN#341] + +And yet another, + +'Even not beardless one with girl, nor heed * + The spy who saith to thee ''Tis an amiss!' +Far different is the girl whose feet one kisses * + And that gazelle whose feet the earth must kiss.' + +And yet another, + +'A boy of twice ten is fit for a King!' + +And yet another, + +'The penis smooth and round was made with anus best to match it, * Had +it been made for cunnus' sake it had been formed like hatchet!' + +And yet another said, + +'My soul thy sacrifice! I chose thee out * + Who art not menstruous nor oviparous: + Did I with woman mell, I should beget * + Brats till the wide wide world grew strait for us.' + +And yet another, + +'She saith (sore hurt in sense the most acute * + For she had proffered what did not besuit), +'Unless thou stroke as man should swive his wife * + Blame not when horns thy brow shall incornůte! +Thy wand seems waxen, to a limpo grown, * + And more I palm it, softer grows the brute!' + +And yet another, + +'Quoth she (for I to lie with her forbore), * + 'O folly-following fool, O fool to core: +If thou my coynte for Kiblah[FN#342] to thy coigne * + Reject, we'll shall please thee more.'[FN#343] + +And yet another, + +'She proffered me a tender coynte * + Quoth I 'I will not roger thee!' +She drew back, saying, 'From the Faith * + He turns, who's turned by Heaven's decree![FN#344] +And front wise fluttering, in one day, * + Is obsolete persistency!' +Then swung she round and shining rump * + Like silvern lump she showed me! +I cried: 'Well done, O mistress mine! * + No more am I in pain for thee; +O thou of all that Allah oped[FN#345] * + Showest me fairest victory!' + +And yet another, + +'Men craving pardon will uplift their hands; * + Women pray pardon with their legs on high: +Out on it for a pious, prayerful work! * + The Lord shall raise it in the depths to lie.'"[FN#346] + +When Kamar al-Zaman heard her quote this poetry, and was certified that +there was no escaping compliance with what willed she, he said, "O King +of the age, if thou must needs have it so, make covenant with me that +thou wilt do this thing with me but once, though it avail not to +correct thy depraved appetite, and that thou wilt never again require +this thing of me to the end of time; so perchance shall Allah purge me +of the sin." She replied "I promise thee this thing, hoping that Allah +of His favour will relent towards us and blot out our mortal offence; +for the girdle of heaven's forgiveness is not indeed so strait, but it +may compass us around and absolve us of the excess of our heinous sins +and bring us to the light of salvation out of the darkness of error; +and indeed excellently well saith the poet, + +'Of evil thing the folk suspect us twain; * + And to this thought their hearts and souls are bent: +Come, dear! let's justify and free their souls * + That wrong us; one good bout and then—repent!'''[FN#347] + +Thereupon she made him an agreement and a covenant and swore a solemn +oath by Him who is Self-existent, that this thing should befal betwixt +them but once and never again for all time, and that the desire of him +was driving her to death and perdition. So he rose up with her, on this +condition, and went with her to her own boudoir, that she might quench +the lowe of her lust, saying, "There is no Majesty, and there is no +Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! This is the fated decree +of the All- powerful, the All-wise!"; and he doffed his bag-trousers, +shamefull and abashed, with the tears running from his eyes for stress +of affright. Thereat she smiled and making him mount upon a couch with +her, said to him, "After this night, thou shalt see naught that will +offend thee." Then she turned to him bussing and bosoming him and +bending calf over calf, and said to him, "Put thy hand between my +thighs to the accustomed place; so haply it may stand up to prayer +after prostration." He wept and cried, "I am not good at aught of +this," but she said, "By my life, an thou do as I bid thee, it shall +profit thee!" So he put out his hand, with vitals a-fire for confusion, +and found her thighs cooler than cream and softer than silk. The +touching of them pleasured him and he moved his hand hither and +thither, till it came to a dome abounding in good gifts and movements +and shifts, and said in himself, "Perhaps this King is a +hermaphrodite,[FN#348] neither man nor woman quite;" so he said to her, +"O King, I cannot find that thou hast a tool like the tools of men; +what then moved thee to do this deed?" Then loudly laughed Queen Budur +till she fell on her back,[FN#349] and said, "O my dearling, how +quickly thou hast forgotten the nights we have lain together!" Then she +made herself known to him, and he knew her for his wife, the Lady +Budur, daughter of King al-Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and the Seas. So +he embraced her and she embraced him, and he kissed her and she kissed +him; then they lay down on the bed of pleasure voluptuous, repeating +the words of the poet, + +"When his softly bending shape bid him close to my embrace * + Which clips him all about like the tendrils of the vine +And shed a flood of softness on the hardness of his heart, * + He yielded though at first he was minded to decline; +And dreading lest the railer's eye should light upon his form, * + Came armoured with caution to baffle his design: +His waist makes moan of hinder cheeks that weigh upon his feet * + Like heavy load of merchandise upon young camel li'en; +Girt with his glances scymitar which seemed athirst for blood, * + And clad in mail of dusky curls that show the sheeniest + shine, +His fragrance wafted happy news of footstep coming nigh, * + And to him like a bird uncaged I flew in straightest line: +I spread my cheek upon his path, beneath his sandal-shoon, * + And lo! the stibium[FN#350] of their dust healed all my hurt + of eyne. +With one embrace again I bound the banner of our loves[FN#351] * + And loosed the knot of my delight that bound in bonds + malign: +Then bade I make high festival, and straight came flocking in * + Pure joys that know not grizzled age[FN#352] nor aught of + pain and pine: +The full moon dotted with the stars the lips and pearly teeth * + That dance right joyously upon the bubbling face of wine: +So in the prayer-niche of their joys I yielded me to what * + Would make the humblest penitent of sinner most indign. +I swear by all the signs[FN#353] of those glories in his face * + I'll ne'er forget the Chapter entituled Al-Ikhlas."[FN#354] + +Then Queen Budur told Kamar al-Zaman all that had befallen her from +beginning to end and he did likewise; after which he began to upbraid +her, saying, "What moved thee to deal with me as thou hast done this +night?" She replied, "Pardon me! for I did this by way of jest, and +that pleasure and gladness might be increased." And when dawned the +morn and day arose with its sheen and shone, she sent to King Armanus, +sire of the Lady Hayat al-Nufus, and acquainted him with the truth of +the case and that she was wife to Kamar al-Zaman. Moreover, she told +him their tale and the cause of their separation, and how his daughter +was a virgin, pure as when she was born. He marvelled at their story +with exceeding marvel and bade them chronicle it in letters of gold. +Then he turned to Kamar al-Zaman and said, "O King's son, art thou +minded to become my son-in-law by marrying my daughter?" Replied he, "I +must consult the Queen Budur, as she hath a claim upon me for benefits +without stint." And when he took counsel with her, she said, "Right is +thy recking; marry her and I will be her handmaid; for I am her debtor +for kindness and favour and good offices, and obligations manifold, +especially as we are here in her place and as the King her father hath +whelmed us with benefits."[FN#355] Now when he saw that she inclined to +this and was not jealous of Hayat al-Nufus, he agreed with her upon +this matter.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Seventeenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman +agreed with his wife, Queen Budur, upon this matter and told King +Armanus what she had said; whereat he rejoiced with great joy. Then he +went out and, seating himself upon his chair of estate, assembled all +the Wazirs, Emirs, Chamberlains and Grandees, to whom he related the +whole story of Kamar al-Zaman and his wife, Queen Budur, from first to +last; and acquainted them with his desire to marry his daughter Hayat +al-Nufus to the Prince and make him King in the stead of Queen Budur. +Whereupon said they all, "Since he is the husband of Queen Budur, who +hath been our King till now, whilst we deemed her son-in-law to King +Armanus, we are all content to have him to Sultan over us; and we will +be his servants, nor will we swerve from his allegiance." So Armanus +rejoiced hereat and, summoning Kazis and witnesses and the chief +officers of state, bade draw up the contract of marriage between Kamar +al-Zaman and his daughter, the Princess Hayat al-Nufus. Then he held +high festival, giving sumptuous marriage-feasts and bestowing costly +dresses of honour upon all the Emirs and Captains of the host; moreover +he distributed alms to the poor and needy and set free all the +prisoners. The whole world rejoiced in the coming of Kamar al-Zaman to +the throne, blessing him and wishing him endurance of glory and +prosperity, renown and felicity; and, as soon as he became King, he +remitted the customs-dues and released all men who remained in gaol. +Thus he abode a long while, ordering himself worthily towards his +lieges; and he lived with his two wives in peace, happiness, constancy +and content, lying the night with each of them in turn. He ceased not +after this fashion during many years, for indeed all his troubles and +afflictions were blotted out from him and he forgot his father King +Shahriman and his former estate of honour and favour with him. After a +while Almighty Allah blessed him with two boy children, as they were +two shining moons, through his two wives; the elder whose name was +Prince Amjad,[FN#356] by Queen Budur, and the younger whose name was +Prince As'ad by Queen Hayat al-Nufus; and this one was comelier than +his brother. They were reared in splendour and tender affection, in +respectful bearing and in the perfection of training; and they were +instructed in penmanship and science and the arts of government and +horsemanship, till they attained the extreme accomplishments and the +utmost limit of beauty and loveliness; both men and women being +ravished by their charms. They grew up side by side till they reached +the age of seventeen, eating and drinking together and sleeping in one +bed, nor ever parting at any time or tide; wherefore all the people +envied them. Now when they came to man's estate and were endowed with +every perfection, their father was wont, as often as he went on a +journey, to make them sit in his stead by turns in the hall of +judgement; and each did justice among the folk one day at a time. But +it came to pass, by confirmed fate and determined lot, that love for +As'ad (son of Queen Hayat al-Nufus) rose in the heart of Queen Budur, +and that affection for Amjad (son of Queen Budur) rose in the heart of +Queen Hayat al-Nufus.[FN#357] Hence it was that each of the women used +to sport and play with the son of her sister-wife, kissing him and +straining him to her bosom, whilst each mother thought that the other's +behaviour arose but from maternal affection. On this wise passion got +the mastery of the two women's hearts and they became madly in love +with the two youths, so that when the other's son came in to either of +them, she would press him to her breast and long for him never to be +parted from her; till, at last, when waiting grew longsome to them and +they found no path to enjoyment, they refused meat and drink and +banished the solace of sleep. Presently, the King fared forth to course +and chase, bidding his two sons sit to do justice in his stead, each +one day in turn as was their wont.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Eighteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King fared +forth to sport and hunt, bidding his two sons sit to do justice in his +stead, each one day by turn, as was their wont. Now Prince Amjad sat in +judgement the first day, bidding and forbidding, appointing and +deposing, giving and refusing; and Queen Hayat al-Nufus, mother of +As'ad, wrote to him a letter suing for his favour and discovering to +him her passion and devotion; altogether put tiny off the mask and +giving him to know that she desired to enjoy him. So she took a scroll +and thereon indited these cadences, "From the love deranged * the +sorrowful and estranged * whose torment is prolonged for the longing of +thee! * Were I to recount to thee the extent of my care * and what of +sadness I bear * the passion which my heart cloth tear * and all that I +endure for weeping and unrest * and the rending of my sorrowful breast +* my unremitting grief * and my woe without relief * and all my +suffering for severance of thee * and sadness and love's ardency * no +letter could contain it; nor calculation could compass it * Indeed +earth and heaven upon me are strait; and I have no hope and no trust +but what from thee I await * Upon death I am come nigh * and the +horrors of dissolution I aby * Burning upon me is sore * with parting +pangs and estrangement galore * Were I to set forth the yearnings that +possess me more and more * no scrolls would suffice to hold such store +* and of the excess of my pain and pine, I have made the following +lines:- - + +Were I to dwell on heart-consuming heat, * + Unease and transports in my spins meet, +Nothing were left of ink and reeden pen * + Nor aught of paper; no, not e'en a sheet. + +Then Queen Hayat al-Nufus wrapped up her letter in a niece of costly +silk scented with musk and ambergris; and folded it up with her silken +hair-strings[FN#358] whose cost swallowed down treasures laid it in a +handkerchief and gave it to a eunuch bidding him bear it to Prince +Amjad.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Nineteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that she gave her +missive to the eunuch in waiting and bade him bear it to Prince Amjad. +And that eunuch went forth ignoring what the future hid for him (for +the Omniscient ordereth events even as He willeth); and, going in to +the Prince, kissed the ground between his hands and handed to him the +letter. On receiving the kerchief he opened it and, reading the epistle +and recognizing its gist he was ware that his father's wife was +essentially an adulteress and a traitress at heart to her husband, King +Kamar al-Zaman. So he waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and railed at +women and their works, saying, "Allah curse women, the traitresses, the +imperfect in reason and religion!"[FN#359] Then he drew his sword and +said to the eunuch, "Out on thee, thou wicked slave! Dost thou carry +messages of disloyalty for thy lord's wife? By Allah, there is no good +in thee, O black of hue and heart, O foul of face and Nature's +forming!" So he smote him on the neck and severed his head from his +body; then, folding the kerchief over its contents he thrust it into +his breast pocket and went in to his own mother and told her what had +passed, reviling and reproaching her, and saying, "Each one of you is +viler than the other; and, by Allah the Great and Glorious, did I not +fear ill-manneredly to transgress against the rights of my father, +Kamar al-Zaman, and my brother, Prince As'ad, I would assuredly go in +to her and cut off her head, even as I cut off that of her eunuch!" +Then he went forth from his mother in a mighty rage; and when the news +reached Queen Hayat al-Nufus of what he had done with her eunuch, she +abused him[FN#360] and cursed him and plotted perfidy against him. He +passed the night, sick with rage, wrath and concern; nor found he +pleasure in meat, drink or sleep. And when the next morning dawned +Prince As'ad fared forth in his turn to rule the folk in his father's +stead, whilst his mother, Hayat al-Nufus, awoke in feeble plight +because of what she had heard from Prince Amjad concerning the +slaughter of her eunuch. So Prince As'ad sat in the audience-chamber +that day, judging and administering justice, appointing and deposing, +bidding and forbidding, giving and bestowing. And he ceased not thus +till near the time of afternoon-prayer, when Queen Budur sent for a +crafty old woman and, discovering to her what was in her heart, wrote a +letter to Prince As'ad, complaining of the excess of her affection and +desire for him in these cadenced lines, "From her who perisheth for +passion and love-forlorn * to him who in nature and culture is +goodliest born * to him who is conceited of his own loveliness * and +glories in his amorous grace * who from those that seek to enjoy him +averteth his face * and refuseth to show favour unto the self abasing +and base * him who is cruel and of disdainful mood * from the lover +despairing of good * to Prince As'ad * with passing beauty endowed * +and of excelling grace proud * of the face moon bright * and the brow +flower-white * and dazzling splendid light * This is my letter to him +whose love melteth my body * and rendeth my skin and bones! * Know that +my patience faileth me quite * and I am perplexed in my plight * +longing and restlessness weary me * and sleep and patience deny +themselves to me * but mourning and watching stick fast to me * and +desire and passion torment me * and the extremes of languor and +sickness have sheet me * Yet may my life be a ransom for thee * albeit +thy pleasure be to slay her who loveth thee * and Allah prolong the +life of thee * and preserve thee from all infirmity!" And after these +cadences she wrote these couplets, + +"Fate hath commanded I become thy fere, * + O shining like full moon when clearest clear! +All beauty dost embrace, all eloquence; * + Brighter than aught within our worldly sphere: +Content am I my torturer thou be: * + Haply shalt alms me with one lovely leer! +Happy her death who dieth for thy love! * + No good in her who holdeth thee unclear!" + +And also the following couplets, + +"Unto thee, As'ad! I of passion-pangs complain; * + Have ruth on slave of love so burnt with flaming pain: +How long, I ask, shall hands of Love disport with me, * + With longings, dolour, sleepliness and bale and bane? +Anon I 'plain of sea in heart, anon of fire * + In vitals, O strange case, dear wish, my fairest fain! +O blamer, cease thy blame, and seek thyself to fly * + From love, which makes these eyne a rill of tears to rain. +How oft I cry for absence and desire, Ah grief! * + But all my crying naught of gain for me shall gain: +Thy rigours dealt me sickness passing power to bear, * + Thou art my only leach, assain me an thou deign! +O chider, chide me not in caution, for I doubt * + That plaguey Love to thee shall also deal a bout." + +Then Queen Budur perfumed the letter-paper with a profusion of +odoriferous musk and, winding it in her hairstrings which were of Iraki +silk, with pendants of oblong emeralds, set with pearls and stones of +price, delivered it to the old woman, bidding her carry it to Prince +As'ad.[FN#361] She did so in order to pleasure her, and going in to the +Prince, straightway and without stay, found him in his own rooms and +delivered to him the letter in privacy; after which she stood waiting +an hour or so for the answer. When As'ad had read the paper and knew +its purport, he wrapped it up again in the ribbons and put it in his +bosom-pocket: then (for he was wrath beyond all measure of wrath) he +cursed false women and sprang up and drawing his sword, smote the old +trot on the neck and cut off her pate. Thereupon he went in to his +mother, Queen Hayat al-Nufus, whom he found lying on her bed in feeble +case, for that which had betided her with Prince Amjad, and railed at +her and cursed her; after which he left her and fore-gathered with his +brother, to whom he related all that had befallen him with Queen Budur, +adding, "By Allah, O my brother, but that I was ashamed before thee, I +had gone in to her forthright and had smitten her head off her +shoulders!" Replied Prince Amjad, "By Allah, O my brother, yesterday +when I was sitting upon the seat of judgement, the like of what hath +befallen thee this day befel me also with thy mother who sent me a +letter of similar purport." And he told him all that had passed, +adding, "By Allah, O my brother, naught but respect for thee withheld +me from going in to her and dealing with her even as I dealt with the +eunuch!" They passed the rest of the night conversing and cursing +womankind, and agreed to keep the matter secret, lest their father +should hear of it and kill the two women. Yet they ceased not to suffer +trouble and foresee affliction. And when the morrow dawned, the King +returned with his suite from hunting and sat awhile in his chair of +estate; after which he sent the Emirs about their business and went up +to his palace, where he found his two wives lying a-bed and both +exceeding sick and weak. Now they had made a plot against their two +sons and concerted to do away their lives, for that they had exposed +themselves before them and feared to be at their mercy and dependent +upon their forbearance. When Kamar al-Zaman saw them on this wise, he +said to them, "What aileth you?" Whereupon they rose to him and kissing +his hands answered, perverting the case and saying "Know, O King, that +thy two sons, who have been reared in thy bounty, have played thee +false and have dishonoured thee in the persons of thy wives." Now when +he heard this, the light became darkness in his sight, and he raged +with such wrath that his reason fled: then said he to them, "Explain me +this matter." Replied Queen Budur, "O King of the age, know that these +many days past thy son As'ad hath been in the persistent habit of +sending me letters and messages to solicit me to lewdness and adultery +while I still forbade him from this, but he would not be forbidden; +and, when thou wentest forth to hunt, he rushed in on me, drunk and +with a drawn sword in his hand, and smiting my eunuch, slew him. Then +he mounted on my breast, still holding the sword, and I feared lest he +should slay me, if I gainsaid him, even as he had slain my eunuch; so +he took his wicked will of me by force. And now if thou do me not +justice on him, O King, I will slay myself with my own hand, for I have +no need of life in the world after this foul deed." And Queen Hayat +al-Nufus, choking with tears, told him respecting Prince Amjad a story +like that of her sister-wife.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Twentieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Queen Hayat +al-Nufus told her husband, King Kamar al-Zaman, a story like that of +her sister in wedlock, Budur, and, quoth she, "The same thing befel me +with thy son Amjad;" after which she took to weeping and wailing and +said, "Except thou do me justice on him I will tell my father, King +Armanus." Then both women wept with sore weeping before King Kamar +al-Zaman who, when he saw their tears and heard their words, concluded +that their story was true and, waxing wroth beyond measure of wrath, +went forth thinking to fall upon his two sons and put them to death. On +his way he met his father- in-law, King Armanus who, hearing of his +return from the chase, had come to salute him at that very hour and, +seeing him with naked brand in hand and blood dripping from his +nostrils, for excess of rage, asked what ailed him. So Kamar al-Zaman +told him all that his sons Amjad and As'ad had done and added, "And +here I am now going in to them to slay them in the foulest way and make +of them the most shameful of examples." Quoth King Armanus (and indeed +he too was wroth with them), "Thou dost well, O my son, and may Allah +not bless them nor any sons that do such deed against their father's +honour. But, O my son, the sayer of the old saw saith, 'Whoso looketh +not to the end hath not Fortune to friend.' In any case, they are thy +sons, and it befitteth not that thou kill them with shine own hand, +lest thou drink of their death-agony,[FN#362] and anon repent of having +slain them whenas repentance availeth thee naught. Rather do thou send +them with one of thy Mamelukes into the desert and let him kill them +there out of thy sight, for, as saith the adage, 'Out of sight of my +friend is better and pleasanter.'[FN#363] And when Kamar al-Zaman heard +his father-in-law's words, he knew them to be just; so he sheathed his +sword and turning back, sat down upon the throne of his realm. There he +summoned his treasurer, a very old man, versed in affairs and in +fortune's vicissitudes, to whom he said, "Go in to my sons, Amjad and +As'ad; bind their hands behind them with strong bonds, lay them in two +chests and load them upon a mule. Then take horse thou and carry them +into mid desert, where do thou kill them both and fill two vials with +their blood and bring the same to me in haste." Replied the treasurer, +"I hear and I obey," and he rose up hurriedly and went out forthright +to seek the Princes; and, on his road, he met them coming out of the +palace-vestibule, for they had donned their best clothes and their +richest; and they were on their way to salute their sire and give him +joy of his safe return from his going forth to hunt. Now when he saw +them, he laid hands on them, saying, "Omy sons, know ye that I am but a +slave commanded, and that your father hath laid a commandment on me; +will ye obey his commandment?" They said, "Yes"; whereupon he went up +to them and, after pinioning their arms, laid them in the chests which +he loaded on the back of a mule he had taken from the city. And he +ceased not carrying them into the open country till near noon, when he +halted in a waste and desolate place and, dismounting from his mare, +let down the two chests from the mule's back. Then he opened them and +took out Amjad and As'ad; and when he looked upon them he wept sore for +their beauty and loveliness; then drawing his sword he said to them, +"By Allah, O my lords, indeed it is hard for me to deal so evilly by +you; but I am to be excused in this matter, being but a slave +commanded, for that your father King Kamar al-Zaman hath bidden me +strike off your heads." They replied, "O Emir, do the King's bidding, +for we bear with patience that which Allah (to Whom be Honour, Might +and Glory!) hath decreed to us; and thou art quit of our blood." Then +they embraced and bade each other farewell, and As'ad said to the +treasurer, "Allah upon thee, O uncle, spare me the sight of my +brother's death-agony and make me not drink of his anguish, but kill me +first, for that were the easier for me." And Amjad said the like and +entreated the treasurer to kill him before As'ad, saying, "My brother +is younger than I; so make me not taste of his anguish. And they both +wept bitter tears whilst the treasurer wept for their weeping;—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the treasurer +wept for their weeping; then the two brothers embraced and bade +farewell and one said to the other, "All this cometh of the malice of +those traitresses, my mother and thy mother; and this is the reward of +my forbearance towards thy mother and of thy for bearance towards my +mother! But there is no Might and there is no Majesty save in Allah, +the Glorious, the Great! Verily, we are Allah's and unto Him we are +returning."[FN#364] And As'ad em braced his brother, sobbing and +repeating these couplets, + +"O Thou to whom sad trembling wights in fear complain! * + O ever ready whatso cometh to sustain! +The sole resource for me is at Thy door to knock, * + At whose door knock an Thou to open wilt not deign? +O Thou whose grace is treasured in the one word, Be![FN#365] * + Favour me, I beseech, in Thee all weals contain." + +Now when Amjad heard his brother's weeping he wept also and pressing +him to his bosom repeated these two couplets, + +"O Thou whose boons to me are more than one! * + Whose gifts and favours have nor count nor bound! +No stroke of all Fate's strokes e'er fell on me, * + But Thee to take me by the hand I found." + +Then said Amjad to the treasurer, "I conjure thee by the One, +Omnipotent, the Lord of Mercy, the Beneficent! slay me before my +brother As'ad, so haply shall the fire be quencht in my heart's core +and in this life burn no more." But As'ad wept and exclaimed, "Not so: +I will die first;" whereupon quoth Amjad, "It were best that I embrace +thee and thou embrace me, so the sword may fall upon us and slay us +both at a single stroke." Thereupon they embraced, face to face and +clung to each other straitly, whilst the treasurer tied up the twain +and bound them fast with cords, weeping the while. Then he drew his +blade and said to them, "By Allah, O my lords, it is indeed hard to me +to slay you! But have ye no last wishes that I may fulfil or charges +which I may carry out, or message which I may deliver?" Replied Amjad, +"We have no wish; and my only charge to thee is that thou set my +brother below and me above him, that the blow may fall on me first, and +when thou hast killed us and returnest to the King and he asketh thee, +'What heardest thou from them before their death?'; do thou answer, +'Verily thy sons salute thee and say to thee, Thou knewest not if we +were innocent or guilty, yet hast thou put us to death and hast not +certified thyself of our sin nor looked into our case.' Then do thou +repeat to him these two couplets, + +'Women are Satans made for woe o' men; * + I fly to Allah from their devilish scathe: +Source of whatever bale befel our kind, * + In wordly matters and in things of Faith.'" + +Continued Amjad, "We desire of thee naught but that thou repeat to our +sire these two couplets."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was ad the Two Hundred and Twenty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Amjad added, +speaking to the treasurer, "We desire of thee naught but that thou +repeat to our sire these two couplets which thou hast just now heard; +and I conjure thee by Allah to have patience with us, whilst I cite to +my brother this other pair of couplets." Then he wept with sore weeping +and began, + +"The Kings who fared before us showed * + Of instances full many a show: +Of great and small and high and low * + How many this one road have trod!" + +Now when the treasurer heard these words from Amjad, he wept till his +beard was wet, whilst As'ad's eyes brimmed with tears and he in turn +repeated these couplets, + +"Fate frights us when the thing is past and gone; * + Weeping is not for form or face alone[FN#366]: +What ails the Nights?[FN#367] Allah blot out our sin, * + And be the Nights by other hand undone! +Ere this Zubayr-son[FN#368] felt their spiteful hate, * + Who fled for refuge to the House and Stone: +Would that when Khárijah was for Amru slain[FN#369] * + They had ransomed Ali with all men they own." + +Then, with cheeks stained by tears down railing he recited also these +verses, + +"In sooth the Nights and Days are charactered * + By traitor falsehood and as knaves they lie; +The Desert-reek[FN#370] recalls their teeth that shine; * + All horrid blackness is their K of eye: +My sin anent the world which I abhor * + Is sin of sword when sworders fighting hie." + +Then his sobs waxed louder and he said, + +"O thou who woo'st a World[FN#371] unworthy, learn * + 'Tis house of evils, 'tis Perdition's net: +A house where whoso laughs this day shall weep * + The next: then perish house of fume and fret! +Endless its frays and forays, and its thralls * + Are ne'er redeemed, while endless risks beset. +How many gloried in its pomps and pride, * + Till proud and pompous did all bounds forget, +Then showing back of shield she made them swill[FN#372] * + Full draught, and claimed all her vengeance debt. +For know her strokes fall swift and sure, altho' * + Long bide she and forslow the course of Fate: +So look thou to thy days lest life go by * + Idly, and meet thou more than thou hast met; +And cut all chains of world-love and desire * + And save thy soul and rise to secrets higher." + +Now when As'ad made an end of these verses, he strained his brother +Amjad in his arms, till they twain were one body, and the treasurer, +drawing his sword, was about to strike them, when behold, his steed +took fright at the wind of his upraised hand, and breaking its tether, +fled into the desert. Now the horse had cost a thousand gold pieces and +on its back was a splendid saddle worth much money; so the treasurer +threw down his sword, and ran after his beast.—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when his horse +ran away, the treasurer ran after it in huge concern, and ceased not +running to catch the runaway till it entered a thicket. He followed it +whilst it dashed through the wood, smiting the earth with its hoofs +till it raised a dust-cloud which towered high in air; and snorting and +puffing and neighing and waxing fierce and furious. Now there happened +to be in this thicket a lion of terrible might; hideous to sight, with +eyes sparkling light: his look was grim and his aspect struck fright +into man's sprite. Presentry the treasurer turned and saw the lion +making towards him; but found no way of escape nor had he his sword +with him. So he said in himself, "There is no Majesty and there is no +Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! This strait is come upon +me for no other cause but because of Amjad and As'ad; and indeed this +journey was unblest from the first!" Meanwhile the two Princes were +grievously oppressed by the heat and grew sore athirst, so that their +tongues hung out and they cried for succour, but none came to their +relief and they said, "Would to Heaven we had been slain and were at +peace from this pain! But we know not whither the horse hath fled, that +the treasurer is gone and hath left us thus pinioned. If he would but +come back and do us die, it were easier to us than this torture to +aby." Said As'ad, "O my brother, be patient, and the relief of Allah +(extolled and exalted be He!) shall assuredly come to us; for the horse +started not away save of His favour towards us, and naught irketh us +but this thirst." Upon this he stretched and shook himself and strained +right and left, till he burst his pinion-bonds; then he rose and +unbound his brother and catching up the Emir's sword, said, "By Allah, +we will not go hence, till we look after him and learn what is become +of him." Then they took to following on the trail till it led them to +the thicket and they said to each other, "Of a surety, the horse and +the treasurer have not passed out of this wood." Quoth As'ad, "Stay +thou here, whilst I enter the thicket and search it;" and Amjad +replied, "I will not let thee go in alone: nor will we enter it but +together; so if we escape, we shall escape together and if we perish, +we shall perish together." Accordingly both entered and found that the +lion had sprang upon the treasurer, who lay like a sparrow in his grip, +calling upon Allah for aid and signing with his hands to Heaven. Now +when Amjad saw this, he took the sword and, rushing upon the lion, +smote him between the eyes and laid him dead on the ground. The Emir +sprang up, marvelling at this escape and seeing Amjad and As'ad, his +master's sons, standing there, cast himself at their feet and +exclaimed, "By Allah, O my lords, it were intolerable wrong in me to do +you to death. May the man never be who would kill you! Indeed, with my +very life, I will ransom you."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the +treasurer to Amjad and As'ad, "With my life will I ransom you both!" +Then he hastily rose and, at once embracing them, enquired how they had +loosed their bonds and come thither; whereupon they told him how the +bonds of one of them had fallen loose and he had unbound the other, +whereto they were helped by the purity of their intentions, and how +they had tracked his trail till they came upon him. So he thanked them +for their deed and went with them forth of the thicket; and, when they +were in the open country, they said to him, "O uncle, do our father's +bidding." He replied, "Allah forbid that I should draw near to you with +hurt! But know ye that I mean to take your clothes and clothe you with +mine; then will I fill two vials with the lion's blood and go back to +the King and tell him I have out vou to death. But as for you two, fare +ye forth into the lands, for Allah's earth is wide; and know, O my +lords, that it paineth me to part from you." At this, they all fell +a-weeping; then the two youths put off their clothes and the treasurer +habited them with his own. Moreover he made two parcels of their dress +and, filling two vials with the lion's blood, set the parcels before +him on his horse's back. Presently he took leave of them and, making +his way to the city, ceased not faring till he went in to King Kamar +al-Zaman and kissed the ground between his hands. The King saw him +changed in face and troubled (which arose from his adventure with the +lion) and, deeming this came of the slaughter of his two sons, rejoiced +and said to him, "Hast thou done the work?" "Yes, O our lord," replied +the treasurer and gave him the two parcels of clothes and the two vials +full of blood. Asked the King, "What didst thou observe in them; and +did they give thee any charge?" Answered the treasurer, "I found them +patient and resigned to what came down upon them and they said to me, +'Verily, our father is excusable; bear him our salutation and say to +him, 'Thou art quit of our killing. But we charge thee repeat to him +these couplets, + +'Verily women are devils created for us. We seek refuge with God from +the artifice of the devils. They are the source of all the misfortunes +that have appeared among mankind in the affairs of the world and of +religion.'''[FN#373] + +When the King heard these words of the treasurer, he bowed his head +earthwards, a long while and knew his sons' words to mean that they had +been wrongfully put to death. Then he bethought himself of the perfidy +of women and the calamities brought about by them; and he took the two +parcels and opened them and fell to turning over his sons' clothes and +weeping,—And Shahrazed perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Kamar +la-Zaman opened the two bundles and fell to turning over his sons' +clothes and weeping, it so came to pass that he found, in the pocket of +his son As'ad's raiment, a letter in the hand of his wife enclosing her +hair strings; so he opened and read it and understanding the contents +knew that the Prince had been falsely accused and wrongously. Then he +searched Amjad's parcel of dress and found in his pocket a letter in +the handwriting of Queen Hayat al-Nufus enclosing also her +hair-strings; so he opened and read it and knew that Amjad too had been +wronged; whereupon he beat hand upon hand and exclaimed, "There is no +Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I +have slain my sons unjustly." And he buffeted his face, crying out, +"Alas, my sons! Alas, my long grief!" Then he bade them build two tombs +in one house, which he styled "House of Lamentations," and had graved +thereon his sons' names; and he threw himself on Amjad's tomb, weeping +and groaning and lamenting, and improvised these couplets, + +"O moon for ever set this earth below, * + Whose loss bewail the stars which stud the sky! +O wand, which broken, ne'er with bend and wave * + Shall fascinate the ravisht gazer's eye; +These eyne for jealousy I 'reft of thee, * + Nor shall they till next life thy sight descry: +I'm drowned in sea of tears for insomny * + Wherefore, indeed in Sáhirah-stead[FN#374] I lie." + +Then he threw himself on As'ad's tomb, groaning and weeping and +lamenting and versifying with these couplets, + +"Indeed I longed to share unweal with thee, * + But Allah than my will willed otherwise: +My grief all blackens 'twixt mine eyes and space, * + Yet whitens all the blackness from mine eyes:[FN#375] +Of tears they weep these eyne run never dry, * + And ulcerous flow in vitals never dries: +Right sore it irks me seeing thee in stead[FN#376] * + Where slave with sovran for once levelled lies." + +And his weeping and wailing redoubled; and, after he had ended his +lamentations and his verse, he forsook his friends and intimates, and +denying himself to his women and his family, cut himself off from the +world in the House of Lamentations, where he passed his time in weeping +for his sons. Such was his case; but as regards Amjad and As'ad they +fared on into the desert eating of the fruits of the earth and drinking +of the remnants of the rain for a full month, till their travel brought +them to a mountain of black flint[FN#377] whose further end was +unknown; and here the road forked, one line lying along the midway +height and the other leading to its head. They took the way trending to +the top and gave not over following it five days, but saw no end to it +and were overcome with weariness, being unused to walking upon the +mountains or elsewhere.[FN#378] At last, despairing of coming to the +last of the road, they retraced their steps and, taking the other, that +led over the midway heights,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Princes Amjad and +As'ad returned from the path leading to the Mountain- head and took +that which ran along the midway heights, and walked through all that +day till nightfall, when As'ad, weary with much travel, said to Amjad, +"O my brother, I can walk no farther, for I am exceeding weak." Replied +Amjad, "O my brother, take courage! May be Allah will send us relief." +So they walked on part of the night, till the darkness closed in upon +them, when As'ad became weary beyond measure of weariness and cried +out, "O my brother, I am worn out and spent with walking," and threw +himself upon the ground and wept. Amjad took him in his arms and walked +on with him, bytimes sitting down to rest till break of day, when they +came to the mountain-top and found there a stream of running water and +by it a pomegranate-tree and a prayer-niche.[FN#379] They could hardly +believe their eyes when they saw it; but, sitting down by that spring, +drank of its water and ate of the fruit of that granado-tree; after +which they lay on the ground and slept till sunrise, when they washed +and bathed in the spring and, eating of the pomegranates, slept again +till the time of mid-afternoon prayer. Then they thought to continue +their journey, but As'ad could not walk, for both his feet were +swollen. So they abode there three days till they were rested, after +which they set out again and fared on over the mountain days and +nights, tortured by and like to die of thirst, till they sighted a city +gleaming afar off, at which they rejoiced and made towards it. When +they drew near it, they thanked Allah (be His Name exalted!) and Amjad +said to As'ad, "O my brother, sit here, whilst I go to yonder city and +see what it is and whose it is and where we are in Allah's wide world, +that we may know through what lands we have passed in crossing this +mountain, whose skirts had we followed, we had not reached this city in +a whole year. So praised be Allah for safety!" Replied As'ad, "By +Allah, O my brother, none shall go down into that city save myself, and +may I be thy ransom! If thou leave me alone, be it only for an hour, I +shall imagine a thousand things and be drowned in a torrent of anxiety +on shine account, for I cannot brook shine absence from me." Amjad +rejoined, "Go then and tarry not. So As'ad took some gold pieces, and +leaving his brother to await him, descended the mountain and ceased not +faring on till he entered the city. As he threaded the streets he was +met by an old man age-decrepit, whose beard flowed down upon his breast +and forked in twain;[FN#380] he bore a walking-staff in his hand and +was richly clad, with a great red turband on his head. When As'ad saw +him, he wondered at his dress and his mien; nevertheless, he went up to +him and saluting him said, "Where be the way to the market, O my +master?" Hearing these words the Shaykh smiled in his face and replied, +"O my son, meseemeth thou art a stranger?" As'ad rejoined, "Yes, I am a +stranger."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Shaykh who +met As'ad smiled in his face and said to him, "O my son, meseemeth thou +art a stranger?" and As'ad replied, "Yes, I am a stranger." Then +rejoined the old man, "Verily, thou gladdenest our country with thy +presence, O my son, and thou desolatest shine own land by reason of +shine absence. What wantest thou of the market?" Quoth As'ad, "O uncle, +I have a brother, with whom I have come from a far land and with whom I +have journeyed these three months; and, when we sighted this city, I +left him, who is my elder brother, upon the mountain and came hither, +purposing to buy victual and what else, and return therewith to him, +that we might feed thereon." Said the old man, "Rejoice in all good, O +my son, and know thou that to-day I give a marriage-feast, to which I +have bidden many guests, and I have made ready plenty of meats, the +best and most delicious that heart can desire. So if thou wilt come +with me to my place, I will give thee freely all thou lackest without +asking thee a price or aught else. Moreover I will teach thee the ways +of this city; and, praised be Allah, O my son, that I, and none other +have happened upon thee." "As thou wilt," answered As'ad, "do as thou +art disposed, but make haste, for indeed my brother awaiteth me and his +whole heart is with me." The old man took As'ad by the hand and carried +him to a narrow lane, smiling in his face and saying, "Glory be to Him +who hath delivered thee from the people of this city!" And he ceased +not walking till he entered a spacious house, wherein was a saloon and +behold, in the middle of it were forty old men, well stricken in years, +collected together and forming a single ring as they sat round about a +lighted fire, to which they were doing worship and prostrating +themselves.[FN#381] When As'ad saw this, he was confounded and the hair +of his body stood on end though he knew not what they were; and the +Shaykh said to them, "O Elders of the Fire, how blessed is this day!" +Then he called aloud, saying, "Hello, Ghazbán!" Whereupon there came +out to him a tall black slave of frightful aspect, grim-visaged and +flat nosed as an ape who, when the old man made a sign to him, bent +As'ad's arms behind his back and pinioned them; after which the Shaykh +said to him, "Let him down into the vault under the earth and there +leave him and say to my slave girl Such-an-one, 'Torture him night and +day and give him a cake of bread to eat morning and evening against the +time come of the voyage to the Blue Sea and the Mountain of Fire, +whereon we will slaughter him as a sacrifice.'" So the black carried +him out at another door and, raising a flag in the floor, discovered a +flight of twenty steps leading to a chamber[FN#382] under the earth, +into which he descended with him and, laying his feet in irons, gave +him over to the slave girl and went away. Meanwhile, the old men said +to one another, "When the day of the Festival of the Fire cometh, we +will sacrifice him on the mountain, as a propitiatory offering whereby +we shall pleasure the Fire." Presently the damsel went down to him and +beat him a grievous beating, till streams of blood flowed from his +sides and he fainted; after which she set at his head a scone of bread +and a cruse of brackish water and went away and left him. In the middle +of the night, he revived and found himself bound and beaten and sore +with beating: so he wept bitter tears; and recalling his former +condition of honour and prosperity, lordship and dominion, and his +separation from his sire and his exile from his native land.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say, + +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when As'ad found +himself bound and beaten and sore with beating he recalled his whilome +condition of honour and prosperity and dominion and lordship, and he +wept and groaned aloud and recited these couplets, + +"Stand by the ruined stead and ask of us; * + Nor deem we dwell there as was state of us: +The World, that parter, hath departed us; * + Yet soothes not hate-full hearts the fate of us: +With whips a cursed slave girl scourges us, * + And teems her breast with rancorous hate of us: +Allah shall haply deign to unpart our lives, * + Chastise our foes, and end this strait of us." + +And when As'ad had spoken his poetry, he put out his hand towards his +head and finding there the crust and the cruse full of brackish water +he ate a bittock, just enough to keep life in him, and drank a little +water, but could get no sleep till morning for the swarms of +bugs[FN#383] and lice. As soon as it was day, the slave girl came down +to him and changed his clothes, which were drenched with blood and +stuck to him, so that his skin came off with the shirt; wherefor he +shrieked aloud and cried, "Alas!" and said, "O my God, if this be Thy +pleasure, increase it upon me! O Lord, verily Thou art not unmindful of +him that oppresseth me; do Thou then avenge me upon him!" And he +groaned and repeated the following verses, + +"Patient, O Allah! to Thy destiny * + I bow, suffice me what Thou deign decree: +Patient to bear Thy will, O Lord of me, * + Patient to burn on coals of Ghazá-tree: +They wrong me, visit me with hurt and harm; * + Haply Thy grace from them shall set me free: +Far be's, O Lord, from thee to spare the wronger * + O Lord of Destiny my hope's in Thee!" + +And what another saith, + +"Bethink thee not of worldly state, * + Leave everything to course of Fate; +For oft a thing that irketh thee * + Shall in content eventuate; +And oft what strait is shall expand, * + And what expanded is wax strait. +Allah will do what wills His will * + So be not thou importunate! +But 'joy the view of coming weal * + Shall make forget past bale and bate." + +And when he had ended his verse, the slave-girl came down upon him with +blows till he fainted again; and, throwing him a flap of bread and a +gugglet of saltish water, went away and left him sad and lonely, bound +in chains of iron, with the blood streaming from his sides and far from +those he loved. So he wept and called to mind his brother and the +honours he erst enjoyed.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that As'ad called to +mind his brother and the honours he erst enjoyed; so he wept and +groaned and complained and poured forth tears in floods and improvised +these couplets, + +"Easy, O Fate! how long this wrong, this injury, * + Robbing each morn and eve my brotherhood fro' me? +Is't not time now thou deem this length sufficiency * + Of woes and, O thou Heart of Rock, show clemency? +My friends thou wrongedst when thou madst each enemy * + Mock and exult me for thy wrongs, thy tyranny: +My foeman's heart is solaced by the things he saw * + In me, of strangerhood and lonely misery: +Suffice thee not what came upon my head of dole, * + Friends lost for evermore, eyes wan and pale of blee? +But must in prison cast so narrow there is naught * + Save hand to bite, with bitten hand for company; +And tears that tempest down like goodly gift of cloud, * + And longing thirst whose fires weet no satiety. +Regretful yearnings, singulfs and unceasing sighs, * + Repine, remembrance and pain's very ecstacy: +Desire I suffer sore and melancholy deep, * + And I must bide a prey to endless phrenesy: +I find me ne'er a friend who looks with piteous eye, * + And seeks my presence to allay my misery: +Say, liveth any intimate with trusty love * + Who for mine ills will groan, my sleepless malady? +To whom moan I can make and, peradventure, he * + Shall pity eyes that sight of sleep can never see? +The flea and bug suck up my blood, as wight that drinks * + Wine from the proffering hand of fair virginity: +Amid the lice my body aye remindeth me * + Of orphan's good in Kázi's claw of villainy: +My home's a sepulchre that measures cubits three, * + Where pass I morn and eve in chained agony: +My wines are tears, my clank of chains takes music's stead, * + Cares my dessert of fruit and sorrows are my bed." + +And when he had versed his verse and had prosed his prose, he again +groaned and complained and remembered he had been and how he had been +parted from his brother. Thus far concerning him; but as regards his +brother Amjad, he awaited As'ad till mid-day yet he returned not to +him: whereupon Amjad's vitals fluttered, the pangs of parting were sore +upon him and he poured forth abundant tears,—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirtieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Amjad +awaited his brother As'ad till mid-day and he returned not to him, +Amjad's vitals fluttered; the pangs of parting were sore upon him and +he poured forth abundant tears, exclaiming, "Alas, my brother! Alas, my +friend! Alas my grief! How I feared me we should be separated!" Then he +descended from the mountain-top with the tears running down his cheeks; +and, entering the city, ceased not walking till he made the market. He +asked the folk the name of the place and concerning its people and they +said, "This is called the City of the Magians, and its citizens are +mostly given to Fire-worshipping in lieu of the Omnipotent King." Then +he enquired of the City of Ebony and they answered, "Of a truth it is a +year's journey thither by land and six months by sea: it was governed +erst by a King called Armanus; but he took to son- in-law and made King +in his stead a Prince called Kamar al-Zaman distinguished for justice +and munificence, equity and benevolence." When Amjad heard tell of his +father, he groaned and wept and lamented and knew not whither to go. +However, he bought a something of food and carried it to a retired spot +where he sat down thinking to eat; but, recalling his brother, he fell +a- weeping and swallowed but a morsel to keep breath and body together, +and that against his will. Then he rose and walked about the city, +seeking news of his brother, till he saw a Moslem tailor sitting in his +shop so he sat down by him and told him his story; whereupon quoth the +tailor, "If he have fallen into the hands of the Magians, thou shalt +hardly see him again: yet it may be Allah will reunite you twain. But +thou, O my brother," he continued wilt thou lodge with me?" Amjad +answered, "Yes"; and the tailor rejoiced at this. So he abode with him +many days, what while the tailor comforted him and exhorted him to +patience and taught him tailoring, till he became expert in the craft. +Now one day he went forth to the sea-shore and washed his clothes; +after which he entered the bath and put on clean raiment; then he +walked about the city, to divert himself with its sights and presently +there met him on the way a woman of passing beauty and loveliness, +without peer for grace and comeliness. When she saw him she raised her +face-veil and signed to him by moving her eyebrows and her eyes with +luring glances, and versified these couplets, + +"I drooped my glance when seen thee on the way * + As though, O slim-waist! felled by Sol's hot ray: +Thou art the fairest fair that e'er appeared, * + Fairer to-day than fair of yesterday:[FN#384] +Were Beauty parted, a fifth part of it * + With Joseph or a part of fifth would stay; +The rest would fly to thee, shine ownest own; * + Be every soul thy sacrifice, I pray!" + +When Amjad heard these her words, they gladdened his heart which +inclined to her and his bowels yearned towards her and the hands of +love sported with him; so he sighed to her in reply and spoke these +couplets, + +"Above the rose of cheek is thorn of lance;[FN#385] * + Who dareth pluck it, rashest chevisance? +Stretch not thy hand towards it, for night long * + Those lances marred because we snatched a glance! +Say her, who tyrant is and tempter too * + (Though justice might her tempting power enhance):— +Thy face would add to errors were it veiled; * + Unveiled I see its guard hath best of chance! +Eye cannot look upon Sol's naked face; * + But can, when mist-cloud dims his countenance: +The honey-hive is held by honey-bee;[FN#386] * + Ask the tribe-guards what wants their vigilance? +An they would slay me, let them end their ire * + Rancorous, and grant us freely to advance: +They're not more murderous, an charge the whole * + Than charging glance of her who wears the mole." + +And hearing these lines from Amjad she sighed with the deepest sighs +and, signing to him again, repeated these couplets, + +"'Tis thou hast trodden coyness path not I: * + Grant me thy favours for the time draws nigh: +O thou who makest morn with light of brow, * + And with loosed brow-locks night in lift to stye! +Thine idol-aspect made of me thy slave, * + Tempting as temptedst me in days gone by: +'Tis just my liver fry with hottest love: * + Who worship fire for God must fire aby: +Thou sellest like of me for worthless price; * + If thou must sell, ask high of those who buy." + +When Amjad heard these her words he said to her, "Wilt thou come to my +lodging or shall I go with thee to shine?" So she hung her head in +shame to the ground and repeated the words of Him whose Name be +exalted, "Men shall have the pre-eminence above women, because of those +advantages wherein Allah hath caused the one of them to excel the +other."[FN#387] Upon this, Amjad took the hint.—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Amjad took the +woman's hint and understood that she wished to go with him whither he +was going; he felt himself bounder to find a place wherein to receive +her, but was ashamed to carry her to the house of his host, the tailor. +So he walked on and she walked after him, and the two ceased not +walking from street to street and place to place, till she was tired +and said to him, "O my lord, where is thy house?" Answered he, "Before +us a little way." Then he turned aside into a handsome by-street, +followed by the young woman, and walked on till he came to the end, +when he found it was no thoroughfare and exclaimed, "There is no +Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" +Then raising his eyes, he saw, at the upper end of the lane a great +doer with two stone benches; but it was locked. So Amjad sat down on +one of the benches and she on the other; and she said to him, "O my +lord, wherefore waitest thou?" He bowed his head awhile to the ground +then raised it and answered, "I am awaiting my Mameluke who hath the +key; for I bade him make me ready meat and drink and flowers, to deck +the wine-service against my return from the bath." But he said to +himself, "Haply the time will be tedious to her and she will go about +her business, leaving me here, when I will wend my own way." However, +as soon as she was weary of long waiting, she said, "O my lord, thy +Mameluke delayeth; and here are we sitting in the street;" and she +arose and took a stone and went up to the lock. Said Amjad, "Be not in +haste, but have patience till the servant come." However, she hearkened +not to him, but smote the wooden bolt with the stone and broke it in +half, whereupon the door opened. Quoth he, "What possessed thee to do +this deed?" Quoth she, "Pooh, pooh, my lord! what matter it? Is not the +house thy house and thy place?" He said, "There was no need to break +the bolt." Then the damsel entered, to the confusion of Amjad, who knew +not what to do for fear of the people of the house; but she said to +him, "Why dost thou not enter, O light of mine eyes and core of my +heart?" Replied he, "I hear and obey; but my servant tarrieth long and +I know not if he have done aught of what I bade him and specially +enjoined upon him, or not." Hereupon he entered, sore in fear of the +people of the house, and found himself in a handsome saloon with four +dais'd recesses, each facing other, and containing closets and raised +seats, all bespread with stuffs of silk and brocade; and in the midst +was a jetting fountain of costly fashion, on whose margin rested a +covered tray of meats, with a leather tablecloth hanging up and +gem-encrusted dishes, full of fruits and sweet- scented flowers. Hard +by stood drinking vessels and a candlestick with a single wax-candle +therein; and the place was full of precious stuffs and was ranged with +chests and stools, and on each seat lay a parcel of clothes upon which +was a purse full of monies, gold and silver. The floor was paved with +marble and the house bore witness in every part to its owner's fortune. +When Amjad saw all this, he was confounded at his case and said to +himself, "I am a lost man! Verily we are Allah's and to Allah we are +returning!" As for the damsel, when she sighted the place she rejoiced +indeed with a joy nothing could exceed, and said to him, "By Allah, O +my lord, thy servant hath not failed of his duty; for see, he hath +swept the place and cooked the meat and set on the fruit; and indeed I +come at the best of times." But he paid no heed to her, his heart being +taken up with fear of the house- folk; and she said, "Fie, O my lord, O +my heart! What aileth thee to stand thus?" Then she sighed and, giving +him a buss which sounded like the cracking of a walnut, said, "O my +lord, an thou have made an appointment with other than with me, I will +gird my middle and serve her and thee. Amjad laughed from a heart full +of rage and wrath and came forwards and sat down, panting and saying to +himself, "Alack, mine ill death and doom when the owner of the place +shall return!" Then she seated herself by him and fell to toying and +laughing, whilst Amjad sat careful and frowning, thinking a thousand +thoughts and communing with himself, "Assuredly the master of the house +cannot but come, and then what shall I say to him? he needs must kill +me and my life will be lost thus foolishly." Presently she rose and, +tucking up her sleeves, took a tray of food on which she laid the cloth +and then set it before Amjad and began to eat, saying, "Eat, O my +lord." So he came forward and ate; but the food was not pleasant to +him; on the contrary he ceased not to look towards the door, till the +damsel had eaten her fill, when she took away the tray of the meats +and, setting on the dessert, fell to eating of the dried fruits. Then +she brought the wine service and opening the jar, filled a cup and +handed it to Amjad, who took it from her hand saying to him self, ' Ah, +ah! and well away, when the master of the house cometh and seeth me!"; +and he kept his eyes fixed on the threshold, even with cup in hand. +While he was in this case, lo! in came the master of the house, who was +a white slave, one of the chief men of the city, being Master of the +Horse[FN#388] to the King. He had fitted up this saloon for his +pleasures, that he might make merry therein and be private with whom he +would, and he had that day bidden a youth whom he loved and had made +this entertainment for him. Now the name of this slave was +Bahádur,[FN#389] and he was open of hand, generous, munificent and fain +of alms-giving and charitable works.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it wad the Two Hundred and Thirty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Bahadur, the +Master of the Horse and the owner of the house, came to the door of the +saloon and found it open, he entered slowly and softly and looking in, +with head advanced and out stretched neck, saw Amjad and the girl +sitting before the dish of fruit and the wine-jar in front of them. Now +Amjad at that moment had the cup in his hand and his face turned to the +door; and when his glance met Bahadur's eyes his hue turned pale yellow +and his side-muscles quivered, so seeing his trouble Bahadur signed to +him with his finger on his lips, as much as to say, "Be silent and come +hither to me." Whereupon he set down the cup and rose and the damsel +cried, "Whither away?" He shook his head and, signing to her that he +wished to make water, went out into the passage barefoot. Now when he +saw Bahadur he knew him for the master of the house; so he hastened to +him and, kissing his hands, said to him, "Allah upon thee, O my lord, +ere thou do me a hurt, hear what I have to say." Then he told him who +he was from first to last and acquainted him with what caused him to +quit his native land and royal state, and how he had not entered his +house of his free will, but that it was the girl who had broken the +lock-bolt and done all this.[FN#390] When Bahadur heard his story and +knew that he was a King's son, he felt for him and, taking compassion +on him, said, "Hearken to me, O Amjad, and do what I bid thee and I +will guarantee thy safety from that thou fearest; but, if thou cross +me, I will kill thee." Amjad replied, "Command me as thou wilt: I will +not gainsay thee in aught; no, never, for I am the freedman of thy +bounty." Rejoined Bahadur, "Then go back forthwith into the saloon, sit +down in thy place and be at peace and at shine ease; I will presently +come in to thee, and when thou seest me (remember my name is Bahadur) +do thou revile me and rail at me, saying, 'What made thee tarry till so +late?' And accept no excuse from me; nay, so far from it, rise and beat +me; and, if thou spare me, I will do away thy life. Enter now and make +merry and whatsoever thou seekest of me at this time I will bring thee +forthwith; and do thou spend this night as thou wilt and on the morrow +wend thy way. This I do in honour of thy strangerhood, for I love the +stranger and hold myself bounder to do him devoir." So Amjad kissed his +hand, and, returning to the saloon with his face clad in its natural +white and red, at once said to the damsel, "O my mistress, thy presence +hath gladdened this shine own place and ours is indeed a blessed +night." Quoth the girl, "Verily I see a wonderful change in thee, that +thou now welcomest me so cordially!" So Amjad answered, "By Allah, O my +lady, methought my servant Bahadur had robbed me of some necklaces of +jewels, worth ten thousand diners each; however, when I went out but +now in concern for this, I sought for them and found them in their +place. I know not why the slave tarrieth so long and needs must I +punish him for it." She was satisfied with his answer, and they sported +and drank and made merry and ceased not to be so till near sundown, +when Bahadur came in to them, having changed his clothes and girt his +middle and put on shoes, such as are worn of Mamelukes. He saluted and +kissed the ground; then held his hands behind him and stood, with his +head hanging down, as one who confesseth to a fault. So Amjad looked at +him with angry eyes and asked, "Why hast thou tarried till now, O most +pestilent of slaves?" Answered Bahadur, "O my lord, I was busy washing +my clothes and knew not of thy being here; for our appointed time was +nightfall and not day-tide." But Amjad cried out at him, saying, "Thou +liest, O vilest of slaves! By Allah, I must needs beat thee." So he +rose and, throwing Bahadur prone on the ground, took a stick and beat +him gently; but the damsel sprang up and, snatching the stick from his +hand, came down upon Bahadur so lustily, that in extreme pain the tears +ran from his eyes and he ground his teeth together and called out for +succour; whilst Amjad cried out to the girl "Don't"; and she cried out, +"Let me satisfy my anger upon him!" till at last he pulled the stick +out of her hand and pushed her away. So Bahadur rose and, wiping away +his tears from his cheeks, waited upon them the while, after which he +swept the hall and lighted the lamps; but as often as he went in and +out, the lady abused him and cursed him till Amjad was wroth with her +and said, "For Almighty Allah's sake leave my Mameluke; he is not used +to this." Then they sat and ceased not eating and drinking (and Bahadur +waiting upon them) till midnight when, being weary with service and +beating, he fell asleep in the midst of the hall and snored and +snorted; whereupon the damsel, who was drunken with wine, said to +Amjad, "Arise, take the sword hanging yonder and cut me off this +slave's head; and, if thou do it not, I will be the death of thee!" +"What possesseth thee to slay my slave?" asked Amjad; and she answered, +"Our joyaunce will not be complete but by his death. If thou wilt not +kill him, I will do it myself." Quoth Amjad, "By Allah's rights to +thee, do not this thing!" Quoth she, "It must perforce be;" and, taking +down the sword, drew it and made at Bahadur to kill him; but Amjad said +in his mind, "This man hath entreated us courteously and sheltered us +and done us kindness and made himself my slave: shall we requite him by +slaughtering him? This shall never be!" Then he said to the woman, "If +my Mameluke must be killed, better I should kill him than thou." So +saying, he took the sword from her and, raising his hand, smote her on +the neck and made her head fly from her body. It fell upon Bahadur who +awoke and sat up and opened his eyes, when he saw Amjad standing by him +and in his hand the sword dyed with blood, and the damsel lying dead. +He enquired what had passed, and Amjad told him all she had said, +adding, "Nothing would satisfy her but she must slay thee; and this is +her reward." Then Bahadur rose and, kissing the Prince's hand, said to +him, "Would to Heaven thou hadst spared her! but now there is nothing +for it but to rid us of her without stay or delay, before the +day-break." Then he girded his loins and took the body, wrapped it in +an Abá-cloak and, laying it in a large basket of palm-leaves, he +shouldered it saying, "Thou art a stranger here and knowest no one: so +sit thou in this place and await my return till day-break. If I come +back to thee, I will assuredly do thee great good service and use my +endeavours to have news of thy brother; but if by sunrise I return not, +know that all is over with me; and peace be on thee, and the house and +all it containeth of stuffs and money are shine." Then he fared forth +from the saloon bearing the basket; and, threading the streets, he made +for the salt sea, thinking to throw it therein: but as he drew near the +shore, he turned and saw that the Chief of Police and his officers had +ranged themselves around him; and, on recognising him, they wondered +and opened the basket, wherein they found the slain woman. So they +seized him and laid him in bilboes all that night till the morning, +when they carried him and the basket, as it was, to the King and +reported the case. The King was sore enraged when he looked upon the +slain and said to Bahadur, "Woe to thee! Thou art always so doing; thou +killest folk and castest them into the sea and takest their goods. How +many murders hast thou done ere this?" Thereupon Bahadur hung his +head.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Bahadur hung down +his head groundwards before the King, who cried out at him, saying, +"Woe to thee! Who killed this girl?" He replied, "O my lord! I killed +her, and there is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the +Glorious, the Great!"[FN#391] So the King in his anger, commanded to +hang him; and the hangman went down with him by the King's commandment, +and the Chief of Police accompanied him with a crier who called upon +all the folk to witness the execution of Bahadur, the King's Master of +the Horse; and on this wise they paraded him through the main streets +and the market-streets. This is how it fared with Bahadur; but as +regards Amjad, he awaited his host's return till the day broke and the +sun rose, and when he saw that he came not, he exclaimed, "There is no +Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! +Would I knew what is become of him?" And, as he sat musing behold, he +heard the crier proclaiming Bahadur's sentence and bidding the people +to see the spectacle of his hanging at midday; whereat he wept and +exclaimed, "Verily, we are Allah's and to Him we are returning! He +meaneth to sacrifice himself unjustly for my sake, when I it was who +slew her. By Allah, this shall never be!" Then he went from the saloon +and, shutting the door after him, hurriedly threaded the streets till +he overtook Bahadur, when he stood before the Chief of Police and said +to him, "O my lord, put not Bahadur to death, for he is innocent. By +Allah, none killed her but I." Now when the Captain of Police heard +these words, he took them both and, carrying them before the King, +acquainted him with what Amjad had said; whereupon he looked at the +Prince and asked him, "Didst thou kill the damsel?" He answered, "Yes" +and the King said, "Tell me why thou killedst her, and speak the +truth." Replied Amjad, "O King, it is indeed a marvellous event and a +wondrous matter that hath befallen me: were it graven with needles on +the eye-corners, it would serve as a warner to whoso would be warned!" +Then he told him his whole story and informed him of all that had +befallen him and his brother, first and last; whereat the King was much +startled and surprised and said to him, "Know that now I find thee to +be excusable; but list, O youth! Wilt thou be my Wazír?" "Hearkening +and obedience," answered Amjad whereupon the King bestowed magnificent +dresses of honour on him and Bahadur and gave him a handsome house, +with eunuchs and officers and all things needful, appointing him +stipends and allowances and bidding him make search for his brother +As'ad. So Amjad sat down in the seat of the Wazirate and governed and +did justice and invested and deposed and took and gave. Moreover, he +sent out a crier to cry his brother throughout the city, and for many +days made proclamation in the main streets and market-streets, but +heard no news of As'ad nor happened on any trace of him. Such was his +case; but as regards his brother, the Magi ceased not to torture As'ad +night and day and eve and morn for a whole year's space, till their +festival drew near, when the old man Bahram[FN#392] made ready for the +voyage and fitted out a ship for himself.—And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Bahram, the +Magian, having fitted out a ship for the voyage, took As'ad and put him +in a chest which he locked and had it transported on board. Now it so +came to pass that, at the very time of shipping it, Amjad was standing +to divert himself by looking upon the sea; and when he saw the men +carrying the gear and shipping it, his heart throbbed and he called to +his pages to bring him his beast. Then, mounting with a company of his +officers, he rode down to the sea-side and halted before the Magian's +ship, which he commended his men to board and search. They did his +bidding, and boarded the vessel and rummaged in every part, but found +nothing; so they returned and told Amjad, who mounted again and rode +back. But he felt troubled in mind; and when he reached his place and +entered his palace, he cast his eyes on the wall and saw written +thereon two lines which were these couplets, + +"My friends! if ye are banisht from mine eyes, * + From heart and mind ye ne'er go wandering: +But ye have left me in my woe, and rob * + Rest from my eyelids while ye are slumbering." + +And seeing them Amjad thought of his brother and wept. Such was his +case; but as for Bahram, the Magian, he embarked and shouted and bawled +to his crew to make sail in all haste. So they shook out the sails and +departed and ceased not to fare on many days and nights; and, every +other day, Bahram took out As'ad and gave him a bit of bread and made +him drink a sup of water, till they drew near the Mountain of Fire. +Then there came out on them a storm-wind and the sea rose against them, +so that the ship was driven out of her course till she took a wrong +line and fell into strange waters; and, at last they came in sight of a +city builded upon the shore, with a castle whose windows overlooked the +main. Now the ruler of this city was a Queen called Marjánah, and the +captain said to Bahram, "O my lord, we have strayed from our course and +come to the island of Queen Marjanah, who is a devout Moslemah; and, if +she know that we are Magians, she will take our ship and slay us to the +last man. Yet needs must we put in here to rest and refit." Quoth +Bahram, "Right is thy recking, and whatso thou seest fit that will I +do!" Said the ship master, "If the Queen summon us and question us, how +shall we answer her?"; and Bahram replied, "Let us clothe this Moslem +we have with us in a Mameluke's habit and carry him ashore with us, so +that when the Queen sees him, she will suppose and say, 'This is a +slave.' As for me I will tell her that I am a slave-dealer[FN#393] who +buys and sells white slaves, and that I had with me many but have sold +all save this one, whom I retained to keep my accounts, for he can read +and write." And the captain said "This device should serve." Presently +they reached the city and slackened sail and cast the anchors; and the +ship lay still, when behold, Queen Marjanah came down to them, attended +by her guards and, halting before the vessel, called out to the +captain, who landed and kissed the ground before her. Quoth she, "What +is the lading of this thy ship and whom hast thou with thee?"" Quoth +he, "O Queen of the Age, I have with me a merchant who dealeth in +slaves." And she said, "Hither with him to me"; whereupon Bahram came +ashore to her, with As'ad walking behind him in a slave's habit, and +kissed the earth before her. She asked, "What is thy condition?"; and +he answered, "I am a dealer in chattels." Then she looked at As'ad and, +taking him for a Mameluke, asked him, "What is thy name, O youth?" He +answered, "Dost thou ask my present or my former name?" "Hast thou then +two names?" enquired she, and he replied (and indeed his voice was +choked with tears), "Yes; my name aforetime was Al-As'ad, the most +happy, but now it is Al- Mu'tarr—Miserrimus." Her heart inclined to him +and she said, "Canst thou write?" "Yes,'' answered he, and she gave him +ink- case and reed-pen and paper and said to him, "Write somewhat that +I may see it." So he wrote these two couplets, + +"What can the slave do when pursued by Fate, * + O justest Judge! whatever be his state?[FN#394] +Whom God throws hand bound in the depths and says, * + Beware lest water should thy body wet?"[FN#395] + +Now when she read these lines, she had ruth upon him and said to +Bahram, "Sell me this slave." He replied, "O my lady, I cannot sell +him, for I have parted with all the rest and none is left with me but +he." Quoth the Queen, "I must need have him of thee, either by sale or +way of gift." But quoth Bahram, "I will neither sell him nor give him." +Whereat she was wroth and, taking As'ad by the hand, carried him up to +the castle and sent to Bahram, saying, "Except thou set sail and depart +our city this very night, I will seize all thy goods and break up thy +ship." Now when the message reached the Magian, he grieved with sore +grief and cried, "Verily this voyage is on no wise to be commended." +Then he arose and made ready and took all he needed and awaited the +coming of the night to resume his voyage, saying to the sailors, +"Provide yourselves with your things and fill your water-skins, that we +may set sail at the last of the night." So the sailors did their +business and awaited the coming of darkness. Such was their case; but +as regards Queen Marjanah, when she had brought As'ad into the castle, +she opened the casements overlooking the sea and bade her handmaids +bring food. They set food before As'ad and herself and both ate, after +which the Queen called for wine.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Queen +Marjanah bade her handmaids bring wine and they set it before her, she +fell to drinking with As'ad. Now, Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) +filled her heart with love for the Prince and she kept filling his cup +and handing it to him till his reason fled; and presently he rose and +left the hall to satisfy a call of nature. As he passed out of the +saloon he saw an open door through which he went and walked on till his +walk brought him to a vast garden full of all manner fruits and +flowers; and, sitting down under a tree, he did his occasion. Then he +rose and went up to a jetting fountain in the garden and made the +lesser ablution and washed his hands and face, after which he would +have risen to go away; but the air smote him and he fell back, with his +clothes undone and slept, and night overcame him thus. So far +concerning him; but as concerns Bahram, the night being come, he cried +out to his crew, saying, "Set sail and let us away!"; and the' +answered, "We hear and obey, but wait till we fill our water- skins and +then we will set sail." So they landed with their water skins and went +round about the castle, and found nothing but garden-walls: whereupon +they climbed over into the garden and followed the track of feet, which +led them to the fountain; and there they found As'ad lying on his back. +They knew him and were glad to find him; and, after filling their +water-skins, they bore him off and climbed the wall again with him and +carried him back in haste to Bahram to whom they said, "Hear the good +tidings of thy winning thy wish; and gladden thy heart and beat thy +drums and sound thy pipes; for thy prisoner, whom Queen Marjanah took +from thee by force, we have found and brought back to thee"; and they +threw As'ad down before him. When Bahram saw him, his heart leapt for +joy and his breast swelled with gladness. Then he bestowed largesse on +the sailors and bade them set sail in haste. So they sailed forthright, +intending to make the Mountain of Fire and stayed not their course till +the morning. This is how it fared with them; but as regards Queen +Marjanah, she abode awhile, after As'ad went down from her, awaiting +his return in vain for he came not; thereupon she rose and sought him, +yet found no trace of him. Then she bade her women light flambeaux and +look for him, whilst she went forth in person and, seeing the garden- +door open, knew that he had gone thither. So she went out into the +garden and finding his sandals lying by the fountain, searched the +place in every part, but came upon no sign of him; and yet she gave not +over the search till morning. Then she enquired for the ship and they +told her, "The vessel set sail in the first watch of the night"; +wherefor she knew that they had taken As'ad with them, and this was +grievous to her and she was sore an-angered. She bade equip ten great +ships forthwith and, making ready for fight, embarked in one of the ten +with her Mamelukes and slave-women and men-at-arms, all splendidly +accoutred and weaponed for war. They spread the sails and she said to +the captains, "If you overtake the Magian's ship, ye shall have of me +dresses of honour and largesse of money; but if you fail so to do, I +will slay you to the last man." Whereat fear and great hope animated +the crews and they sailed all that day and the night and the second day +and the third day till, on the fourth they sighted the ship of Bahram, +the Magian, and before evening fell the Queen's squadron had surrounded +it on all sides, just as Bahram had taken As'ad forth of the chest and +was beating and torturing him, whilst the Prince cried out for help and +deliverance, but found neither helper nor deliverer: and the grievous +bastinado sorely tormented him. Now while so occupied, Bahram chanced +to look up and, seeing himself encompassed by the Queen's ships, as the +white of the eye encompasseth the black, he gave himself up for lost +and groaned and said, "Woe to thee, O As'ad! This is all out of thy +head." Then taking him by the hand he bade his men throw him overboard +and cried, "By Allah I will slay thee before I die myself!" So they +carried him along by the hands and feet and cast him into the sea and +he sank; but Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) willed that his life +be saved and that his doom be deferred; so He caused him to sink and +rise again and he struck out with his hands and feet, till the Almighty +gave him relief, and sent him deliverance; and the waves bore him far +from the Magian's ship and threw him ashore. He landed, scarce +crediting his escape, and once more on land he doffed his clothes and +wrung them and spread them out to dry; whilst he sat naked and weeping +over his condition, and bewailing his calamities and mortal dangers, +and captivity and stranger hood. And presently he repeated these two +couplets, + +"Allah, my patience fails: I have no ward; * + My breast is straitened and clean cut my cord; +To whom shall wretched slave of case complain * + Save to his Lord? O thou of lords the Lord!" + +Then, having ended his verse, he rose and donned his clothes but he +knew not whither to go or whence to come; so he fed on the herbs of the +earth and the fruits of the trees and he drank of the streams, and +fared on night and day till he came in sight of a city; whereupon he +rejoiced and hastened his pace; but when he reached it,—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + +When it Was the Two Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when he reached +the city the shades of evening closed around him and the gates were +shut. Now by the decrees of Pate and man's lot this was the very city +wherein he had been a prisoner and to whose King his brother Amjad was +Minister. When As'ad saw the gate was locked, he turned back and made +for the burial-ground, where finding a tomb without a door, he entered +therein and lay down and fell asleep, with his face covered by his long +sleeve.[FN#396] Meanwhile, Queen Marjanah, coming up with Bahram's +ship, questioned him of As'ad. Now the Magian, when Queen Marjanah +overtook him with her ships, baffled her by his artifice and gramarye; +swearing to her that he was not with him and that he knew nothing of +him. She searched the ship, but found no trace of her friend, so she +took Bahram and, carrying him back to her castle, would have put him to +death, but he ransomed himself from her with all his good and his ship; +and she released him and his men. They went forth from her hardly +believing in their deliverance, and fared on ten days' journey till +they came to their own city and found the gate shut, it being eventide. +So they made for the burial-ground, thinking to lie the night there +and, going round about the tombs, as Fate and Fortune would have it, +saw the building wherein As'ad lay wide open; whereat Bahram marvelled +and said, "I must look into this sepulchre." Then he entered and found +As'ad lying in a corner fast asleep, with his head covered by his +sleeve; so he raised his head, and looking in his face, knew him for +the man on whose account he had lost his good and his ship, and cried, +"What! art thou yet alive?" Then he bound him and gagged him without +further parley, and carried him to his house, where he clapped heavy +shackles on his feet and lowered him into the underground dungeon +aforesaid prepared for the tormenting of Moslems, and he bade his +daughter by name Bostán,[FN#397] torture him night and day, till the +next year, when they would again visit the Mountain of Fire and there +offer him up as a sacrifice. Then he beat him grievously and locking +the dungeon door upon him, gave the keys to his daughter. By and by, +Bostan opened the door and went down to beat him, but finding him a +comely youth and a sweet-faced with arched brows and eyes black with +nature's Kohl,[FN#398] she fell in love with him and asked him, "What +is thy name?" "My name is As'ad," answered he; whereat she cried, +"Mayst thou indeed be happy as thy name,[FN#399] and happy be thy days! +Thou deservest not torture and blows, and I see thou hast been +injuriously entreated." And she comforted him with kind words and +loosed his bonds. Then she questioned him of the religion of Al-Islam +and he told her that it was the true and right Faith and that our lord +Mohammed had approved himself by surpassing miracles[FN#400] and signs +manifest, and that fire-worship is harmful and not profitable; and he +went on to expound to her the tenets of Al-Islam till she was persuaded +and the love of the True Faith entered her heart. Then, as Almighty +Allah had mixed up with her being a fond affection for As'ad, she +pronounced the Two Testimonies[FN#401] of the Faith and became of the +people of felicity. After this, she brought him meat and drink and +talked with him and they prayed together: moreover, she made him +chicken stews and fed him therewith, till he regained strength and his +sickness left him and he was restored to his former health. Such things +befel him with the daughter of Bahram, the Magian; and so it happened +that one day she left him and stood at the house-door when behold, she +heard the crier crying aloud and saying, "Whoso hath with him a +handsome young man, whose favour is thus and thus, and bringeth him +forth, shall have all he seeketh of money; but if any have him and deny +it, he shall be hanged over his own door and his property shall be +plundered and his blood go for naught." Now As'ad had acquainted Bostan +bint Bahram with his whole history: so, when she heard the crier, she +knew that it was he who was sought for and, going down to him, told him +the news. Then he fared forth and made for the mansion of the Wazir, +whom, when As'ad saw, exclaimed, "By Allah, this Minister is my brother +Amjad!" Then he went up (and the damsel walking behind him) to the +Palace, where he again saw his brother, and threw himself upon him; +whereupon Amjad also knew him and fell upon his neck and they embraced +each other, whilst the Wazir's Mamelukes dismounted and stood round +them. They lay awhile insensible and, when they came to themselves, +Amjad took his brother and carried him to the Sultan, to whom he +related the whole story, and the Sultan charged him to plunder Bahram's +house.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Sultan +ordered Amjad to plunder Bahram's house and to hang its owner. So Amjad +despatched thither for that purpose a company of men, who sacked the +house and took Bahram and brought his daughter to the Wazir by whom she +was received with all honour, for As'ad had told his brother the +torments he had suffered and the kindness she had done him. Thereupon +Amjad related in his turn to As'ad all that had passed between himself +and the damsel; and how he had escaped hanging and had become Wazir; +and they made moan, each to other, of the anguish they had suffered for +separation. Then the Sultan summoned Bahram and bade strike off his +head; but he said, "O most mighty King, art thou indeed resolved to put +me to death?" Replied the King, "Yes, except thou save thyself by +becoming a Moslem." Quoth Bahram, "O King, bear with me a little +while!" Then he bowed his head groundwards and presently raising it +again, made pro fession of The Faith and islamised at the hands of the +Sultan. They all rejoiced at his conversion and Amjad and As'ad told +him all that had befallen them, whereat he wondered and said, "O my +lords, make ready for the journey and I will depart with you and carry +you back to your father's court in a ship." At this they rejoiced and +wept with sore weeping but he said, "O my lords, weep not for your +departure, for it shall reunite you with those you love, even as were +Ni'amah and Naomi." "And what befel Ni'amah and Naomi?" asked they. +"They tell," replied Bahram, "(but Allah alone is All knowing) the +following tale of + +End of Vol. 3 + + Arabian Nights, Volume 3 + Footnotes + +[FN#1] This "horripilation," for which we have the poetical term +"goose-flesh," is often mentioned in Hindu as in Arab literature. + +[FN#2] How often we have heard this in England! + +[FN#3] As a styptic. The scene in the text has often been enacted in +Egypt where a favourite feminine mode of murdering men is by beating +and bruising the testicles. The Fellahs are exceedingly clever in +inventing methods of manslaughter. For some years bodies were found +that bore no outer mark of violence, and only Frankish inquisitiveness +discovered that the barrel of a pistol had been passed up the anus and +the weapon discharged internally Murders of this description are known +in English history; but never became popular practice. + +[FN#4] Arab. "Zakar," that which betokens masculinity. At the end of +the tale we learn that she also gelded him; thus he was a "Sandal)," a +rasé. + +[FN#5] See vol. i. p. 104. {see Volume 1, Note 188} + +[FN#6] The purity and intensity of her love had attained to a something +of prophetic strain. + +[FN#7] Lane corrupts this Persian name to Sháh Zemán (i. 568). + +[FN#8] i.e. the world, which includes the ideas of Fate, Time, +Chance. + +[FN#9] Arab. "Bárid," silly, noyous, contemptible; as in the proverb + + Two things than ice are colder cold:— + An old man young, a young man old. + +A "cold-of-countenance"=a fool: "May Allah make cold thy face!"=may it +show want and misery. "By Allah, a cold speech!"=a silly or abusive +tirade (Pilgrimage, ii. 22). + +[FN#10] The popular form is, "often the ear loveth before the eye." + +[FN#11] Not the first time that royalty has played this prank, nor the +last, perhaps. + +[FN#12] i.e. the Lady Dunya. + +[FN#13] These magazines are small strongly-built rooms on the ground +floor, where robbery is almost impossible. + +[FN#14] Lit. "approbation," "benediction"; also the Angel who keeps the +Gates of Paradise and who has allowed one of the Ghilmán (or Wuldán) +the boys of supernatural beauty that wait upon the Faithful, to wander +forth into this wicked world. + +[FN#15] In Europe this would be a plurale majestatis, used only by +Royalty. In Arabic it has no such significance, and even the lower +orders apply it to themselves; although it often has a soupçon of "I +and thou." + +[FN#16] Man being an "extract of despicable water" (Koran xxxii. 7) ex +spermate genital), which Mr. Rodwell renders "from germs of life," +"from sorry water." + +[FN#17] i.e. begotten by man's seed in the light of salvation +(Núr al-hudá). + +[FN#18] The rolls of white (camphor-like) scarf-skin and sordes which +come off under the bathman's glove become by miracle of Beauty, as +brown musk. The Rubber or Shampooer is called in Egypt "Mukayyis" +(vulgarly "Mukayyisáti") or "bagman," from his "Kís," a bag-glove of +coarse woollen stuff. To "Johnny Raws" he never fails to show the +little rolls which come off the body and prove to them how unclean they +are, but the material is mostly dead scarf-skin + +[FN#19] The normal phrase on such occasions (there is always a +"dovetail" de rigueur) "Allah give thee profit!" + +[FN#20] i.e. We are forced to love him only, and ignore giving him a +rival (referring to Koranic denunciations of "Shirk," or attributing a +partner to Allah, the religion of plurality, syntheism not polytheism): +see, he walks tottering under the weight of his back parts wriggling +them whilst they are rounded like the revolving heavens. + +[FN#21] Jannat al-Na'ím (Garden of Delight); the fifth of the seven +Paradises made of white diamond; the gardens and the plurality being +borrowed from the Talmud. Mohammed's Paradise, by the by, is not a +greater failure than Dante's. Only ignorance or pious fraud asserts it +to be wholly sensual; and a single verse is sufficient refutation: +"Their prayer therein shall be 'Praise unto thee, O. Allah!' and their +salutation therein shall be 'Peace!' and the end of their prayer shall +be, 'Praise unto God, the Lord of all creatures"' (Koran x. 10-11). See +also lvi. 24- 26. It will also be an intellectual condition wherein +knowledge will greatly be increased (lxxxviii viii. 17-20). Moreover +the Moslems, far more logical than Christians, admit into Paradise the +so-called "lower animals." + +[FN#22] Sed vitam faciunt balnea, vine, Venus! The Hammam to Easterns +is a luxury as well as a necessity; men sit there for hours talking +chiefly of money and their prowess with the fair; and women pass half +the day in it complaining of their husbands' over-amativeness and +contrasting their own chaste and modest aversion to camel congress. + +[FN#23] The frigidarium or cold room, coolness being delightful to the +Arab. + +[FN#24] The calidarium or hot room of the bath. + +[FN#25] The Angel who acts door-keeper of Hell; others say he specially +presides over the torments of the damned (Koran xliii. 78). + +[FN#26] The Door-keeper of Heaven before mentioned who, like the Guebre +Zamiyád has charge of the heavenly lads and lasses, and who is often +charged by poets with letting them slip. + +[FN#27] Lane (i. 616), says "of wine, milk, sherbet, or any other +beverage." Here it is wine, a practice famed in Persian poetry, +especially by Hafiz, but most distasteful to a European stomach. We +find the Mu allakah of Imr al-Keys noticing "our morning draught." Nott +(Hafiz) says a "cheerful cup of wine in the morning was a favourite +indulgence with the more luxurious Persians. And it was not uncommon +among the Easterns, to salute friend by saying."May your morning +potation be agreeable to you!" In the present day this practice is +confined to regular debauchees. + +[FN#28] Koran xii. 31. The words spoken by Zulaykhá's women friends and +detractors whom she invited to see Beauty Joseph. + +[FN#29] A formula for averting fascination. Koran, chaps. cxiii. 1. +"Falak" means "cleaving" hence the breaking forth of light from +darkness, a "wonderful instance of the Divine power." + +[FN#30] The usual delicate chaff. + +[FN#31] Such letters are generally written on a full-sized sheet of +paper ("notes" are held slighting in the East) and folded till the +breadth is reduced to about one inch. The edges are gummed, the ink, +much like our Indian ink, is smeared with the finger upon the signet +ring; the place where it is to be applied is slightly wetted with the +tongue and the seal is stamped across the line of junction to secure +privacy. I have given a specimen of an original love-letter of the kind +in "Scinde, or the Unhappy Valley," chaps. iv. + +[FN#32] Arab. "Salb" which may also mean hanging, but the usual term +for the latter in The Nights is "shanak." Crucifixion, abolished by the +superstitious Constantine, was practised as a servile punishment as +late as the days of Mohammed Ali Pasha the Great e malefactors were +nailed and tied to the patibulum or cross-piece without any sup +pedaneum or foot-rest and left to suffer tortures from flies and sun, +thirst and hunger. They often lived three days and died of the wounds +mortifying and the nervous exhaustion brought on by cramps and +convulsions. In many cases the corpses were left to feed the kites and +crows; and this added horror to the death. Moslems care little for mere +hanging. Whenever a fanatical atrocity is to be punished, the +malefactor should be hung in pig-skin, his body burnt and the ashes +publicly thrown into a common cesspool. + +[FN#33] Arab "Shaytán" the insolent or rebellious one is a common +term of abuse. The word I. Koramc, and borrowed as usual from the +Jews. "Satan" occurs four times in the O.T. of which two are in +Job where, however, he is a subordinate angel. + +[FN#34] Arab. "Alak" from the Koran xxii. 5. " O men…consider that we +first created you of dust (Adam); afterwards of seed (Rodwell's "moist +germs of life"); afterwards of a little coagulated (or clots of) +blood." It refers to all mankind except Adam, Eve and Isa. Also chaps. +xcvi. 2, which, as has been said was probably the first composed at +Meccah. Mr. Rodwell (v. 10) translates by 'Servant of God" what should +be "Slave of Allah," alluding to Mohammed's original name Abdullah. See +my learned friend Aloys Sprenger, Leben, etc., i.155. + +[FN#35] The Hindus similarly exaggerate: "He was ready to leap out of +his skin in his delight" (Katha, etc., p. 443). + +[FN#36] A star in the tail of the Great Bear, one of the "Banát +al-Na'ash," or a star close to the second. Its principal use is to act +foil to bright Sohayl (Canopus) as in the beginning of Jámí's +Layla-Majnún:— + + To whom Thou'rt hid, day is darksome night: + To whom shown, Sohá as Sohayl is bright. + +See also al-Hariri (xxxii. and xxxvi.). The saying, "I show her Soha +and she shows me the moon" (A. P. i. 547) arose as follows. In the +Ignorance a beautiful Amazon defied any man to take her maidenhead; and +a certain Ibn al-Ghazz won the game by struggling with her till she was +nearly senseless. He then asked her, "How is thine eye-sight: dost thou +see Soha?" and she, in her confusion, pointed to the moon and said, +"That is it!" + +[FN#37] The moon being masculine (lupus) and the sun feminine. + +[FN#38] The "five Shaykhs" must allude to that number of Saints whose +names are doubtful; it would be vain to offer conjectures. Lane and his +"Sheykh" (i. 617) have tried and failed. + +[FN#39] The beauties of nature seem always to provoke hunger in +Orientals, especially Turks, as good news in Englishmen. + +[FN#40] Pers. "Lájuward": Arab. "Lázuward"; prob. the origin of our +"azure," through the Romaic and the Ital. azzurro; and, more +evidently still, of lapis lazuli, for which do not see the +Dictionaries. + +[FN#41] Arab. "Maurid." the desert-wells where caravans drink: also the +way to water wells. + +[FN#42] The famous Avicenna, whom the Hebrews called Aben Sina. The +early European Arabists, who seem to have learned Arabic through +Hebrew, borrowed their corruption, and it long kept its place in +Southern Europe. + +[FN#43] According to the Hindus there are ten stages of love- sickness: +(1) Love of the eyes (2) Attraction of the Manas or mind; (3) Birth of +desire; (4) Loss of sleep; (5) Loss of flesh; (6) Indifference to +objects of sense; (7) Loss of shame, (8) Distraction of thought (9) +Loss of consciousness; and (10) Death. + +[FN#44] We should call this walk of "Arab ladies" a waddle: I have +never seen it in Europe except amongst the trading classes of Trieste, +who have a "wriggle" of their own. + +[FN#45] In our idiom six doors. + +[FN#46] They refrained from the highest enjoyment, intending to marry. + +[FN#47] Arab. "Jihád," lit. fighting against something; Koranically, +fighting against infidels non- believers in Al-lslam (chaps. Ix. 1). +But the "Mujáhidún" who wage such war are forbidden to act aggressively +(ii. 186). Here it is a war to save a son. + +[FN#48] The lady proposing extreme measures is characteristic: +Egyptians hold, and justly enough, that their women are more amorous +than men. + +[FN#49] "O Camphor," an antiphrase before noticed. The vulgar also say +"Yá Taljí"=O snowy (our snowball), the polite "Ya Abú Sumrah !" =O +father of brownness. + +[FN#50] i.e. which fit into sockets in the threshold and lintel and act +as hinges. These hinges have caused many disputes about how they were +fixed, for instance in caverns without moveable lintel or threshold. +But one may observe that the upper projections are longer than the +lower and that the door never fits close above, so by lifting it up the +inferior pins are taken out of the holes. It is the oldest form and the +only form known to the Ancients. In Egyptian the hinge is called +Akab=the heel, hence the proverb Wakaf' al-báb alá 'akabin; the door +standeth on its heel; i.e. every thing in proper place. + +[FN#51] Hence the addresses to the Deity: Yá Sátir and Yá Sattár- -Thou +who veilest the sins of Thy Servants! said e.g., when a woman is +falling from her donkey, etc. + +[FN#52] A necessary precaution, for the headsman who would certainly +lose his own head by overhaste. + +[FN#53] The passage has also been rendered, "and rejoiced him by what +he said" (Lane i, 600). + +[FN#54] Arab. "Hurr"=noble, independent (opp. to 'Abd=a servile) often +used to express animć nobilitas as in Acts xvii. 11; where the +Berans were "more noble" than the Thessalonians. The Princess means +that the Prince would not lie with her before marriage. + +[FN#55] The Persian word is now naturalized as Anglo-Egypeian. + +[FN#56] Arab. "khassat hu" = removed his testicles, gelded him. + +[FN#57] Here ends the compound tale of Taj al-Muluk cum Aziz plus +Azizah, and we return to the history of King Omar's sons. + +[FN#58] "Zibl" popularly pronounced Zabal, means "dung." Khan is +"Chief," as has been noticed; "Zabbál," which Torrens renders literally +"dung-drawer," is one who feeds the Hammam with bois- de-vache, etc. + +[FN#59] i.e one who fights the Jihád or "Holy War": it is equivalent to +our "good knight." + +[FN#60] Arab. "Malik." Azud al Daulah, a Sultan or regent under the +Abbaside Caliph Al-Tá'i li 'llah (regn. A.H. 363-381) was the first to +take the title of "Malik." The latter in poetry is still written Malík. + +[FN#61] A townlet on the Euphrates, in the "awwal Shám," or frontier of +Syria. + +[FN#62] i.e., the son would look to that. + +[FN#63] A characteristic touch of Arab pathos, tender and true. + +[FN#64] Arab. "Mawarid" from "ward" = resorting to pool or water- pit +(like those of "Gakdúl") for drinking, as opposed to "Sadr"=returning +after having drunk at it. Hence the "Sádir" (part. act.) takes +precedence of the "Wárid" in Al-Hariri (Ass. of the Badawi). + +[FN#65] One of the fountains of Paradise (Koran, chaps. Ixxvi.): the +word lit. means "water flowing pleasantly down the throat." The same +chapter mentions "Zanjabíl," or the Ginger-fount, which to the Infidel +mind unpleasantly suggests "ginger pop." + +[FN#66] Arab. "Takhíl" = adorning with Kohl. + +[FN#67] The allusions are far-fetched and obscure as in Scandinavian +poetry. Mr. Payne (ii. 314) translates "Naml" by "net." I understand +the ant (swarm) creeping up the cheeks, a common simile for a young +beard. The lovers are in the Lazá (hell) of jealousy etc., yet feel in +the Na'ím (heaven) of love and robe in green, the hue of hope, each +expecting to be the favoured one. + +[FN#68] Arab. "Ukhuwán," the classical term. There are two chamomiles, +the white (Bábúnaj) and the yellow (Kaysún), these however are Syrian +names and plants are differently called in almost every Province of +Arabia + +[FN#69] In nomadic life the parting of lovers happens so frequently +that it become. a stock topic in poetry and often, as here, the lover +complains of parting when he is not parted. But the gravamen lies in +the word "Wasl" which may mean union, meeting, reunion Or coition. As +Ka'ab ibn Zuhayr began his famous poem with "Su'ád hath departed," 900 +imitators (says Al-Siyuti) adopted the Násib or address to the beloved +and Su'ad came to signify a cruel, capricious mistress. + +[FN#70] As might be expected from a nation of camel-breeders actual +cautery which can cause only counter-irritation, is a favourite +nostrum; and the Hadis or prophetic saying is "Akhir al-dawá (or +al-tibb) al-Kayy" = cautery is the end of medicine- cure; and "Fire and +sickness cannot cohabit." Most of the Badawi bear upon their bodies +grisly marks Of this heroic treatment, whose abuse not unfrequently +brings on gangrene. The Hadis (Burckhardt, Proverbs, No. 30) also means +"if nothing else avail, take violent measures. + +[FN#71] The Spaniards have the same expression: "Man is fire and woman +is tinder." + +[FN#72] Arab. "Báshik" from Persian "Báshah" (accipiter Nisus) a fierce +little species of sparrow-hawk which I have described in "Falconry in +the Valley of the Indus" (p. 14, etc.). + +[FN#73] Lit. "Coals (fit) for frying pan." + +[FN#74] Arab. "Libdah," the sign of a pauper or religious mendicant. He +is addressed "Yá Abu libdah!" (O father of a felt calotte!) + +[FN#75] In times of mourning Moslem women do not use perfumes or dyes, +like the Henna here alluded to in the pink legs and feet of the dove. + +[FN#76] Koran, chaps. ii. 23. The idea is repeated in some forty +Koranic passages. + +[FN#77] A woman's name, often occurring. The "daughters of Sa'ada" are +zebras, so called because "they resemble women in beauty and graceful +agility." + +[FN#78] Arab. "Tiryák" from Gr. a drug against +venomous bites. It was compounded mainly of treacle, and that of +Baghdad and Irák was long held sovereign. The European equivalent, +"Venice treacle," (Theriaca Andromachi) is an electuary containing many +elements. Badawin eat for counter- poison three heads of garlic in +clarified butter for forty days. (Pilgrimage iii 77 ) + +[FN#79] Could Cervantes have read this? In Algiers he might easily have +heard it recited by the tale-tellers. Kanmakan is the typical Arab +Knight, gentle and valiant as Don Quixote Sabbáh is the Grazioso, a +"Beduin" Sancho Panza. In the "Romance of Antar" we have a similar +contrast with Ocab who says: "Indeed I am no fighter: the sword in my +hand-palm chases only pelicans ;" and, "whenever you kill a satrap, +I'll plunder him." + +[FN#80] i.e. The Comely, son of the Spearman, son of the Lion, or +Hero. + +[FN#81] Arab. "Ushári." Old Purchas (vi., i. 9) says there are three +kinds of camels (1 ) Huguin (=Hejin) of tall stature and able to carry +1,000 lbs. (2) Bechete (=Bukhti) the two-humped Bactrian before +mentioned and, (3) the Raguahill (Rahíl) small dromedaries unfit for +burden but able to cover a hundred miles in a day. The "King of +Timbukhtu" (not "Bukhtu's well" pop. Timbuctoo) had camels which reach +Segelmesse (Sijalmas) or Darha, nine hundred miles in eight days at +most. Lyon makes the Maherry (also called El-Heirie=Mahri) trot nine +miles an hour for a long time. Other travellers in North Africa report +the Sabayee (Saba'i=seven days weeder) as able to get over six hundred +and thirty miles (or thirty-five caravan stages=each eighteen miles) in +five to seven days. One of the dromedaries in the "hamlah" or caravan +of Mr. Ensor (Journey through Nubia and Darfoor—a charming book) +travelled one thousand one hundred and ten miles in twenty- seven days. +He notes that his beasts were better with water every five to seven +days, but in the cold season could do without drink for sixteen. I +found in Al-Hijaz at the end of August that the camels suffered much +after ninety hours without drink (Pilgrimage iii. 14). But these were +"Júdi" fine-haired animals as opposed to "Khawár" (the Khowás of +Chesney, p. 333), coarse-haired, heavy, slow brutes which will not +stand great heat. + +[FN#82] i.e. Fortune so willed it (euphemistically). + +[FN#83] The "minaret" being feminine is usually compared with a fair +young girl. The oldest minaret proper is supposed to have been built in +Damascus by the Ommiade Caliph (No. X.) Al-Walid A.H. 86-96 (=705-715). +According to Ainsworth (ii. 113) the second was at Kuch Hisar in +Chaldea. + +[FN#84] None of the pure Badawi can swim for the best of reasons, want +of waters. + +[FN#85] The baser sort of Badawi is never to be trusted: he is a +traitor born, and looks upon fair play as folly or cowardice. Neither +oath nor kindness can bind him: he unites the cruelty of the cat with +the wildness of the wolf. How many Englishmen have lost their lives by +not knowing these elementary truths! The race has not changed from the +days of Mandeville (A.D. 1322) whose "Arabians, who are called Bedouins +and Ascopards (?), are right felonious and foul, and of a cursed +nature." In his day they "carried but one shield and one spear, without +other arm :" now, unhappily for travellers, they have matchlocks and +most tribes can manufacture a something called by courtesy gunpowder. + +[FN#86] Thus by Arab custom they become friends. + +[FN#87] Our classical term for a noble Arab horse. + +[FN#88] In Arab. "Khayl" is=horse; Husan, a stallion; Hudúd, a brood +stallion; Faras, a mare (but sometimes used as a horse and meaning +"that tears over the ground"), Jiyád a steed (noble); Kadísh, a nag +(ignoble); Mohr a colt and Mohrah, a filly. There are dozens of other +names but these suffice for conversation + +[FN#89] Al-Katúl, the slayer; Al-Majnún, the mad; both high compliments +in the style inverted. + +[FN#90] This was a highly honourable exploit, which would bring the +doer fame as well as gain. + +[FN#91] This is a true and life-like description of horse- stealing in +the Desert: Antar and Burckhardt will confirm every word. A noble Arab +stallion is supposed to fight for his rider and to wake him at night if +he see any sign of danger. The owner generally sleeps under the belly +of the beast which keeps eyes and ears alert till dawn. + +[FN#92] Arab. "Yaum al tanádi," i.e. Resurrection-day. + +[FN#93] Arab. "Bilád al-Súdan"=the Land of the Blacks, negro- land, +whence the slaves came, a word now fatally familiar to English ears. +There are, however, two regions of the same name, the Eastern upon the +Upper Nile and the Western which contains the Niger Valley, and each +considers itself the Sudan. And the reader must not confound the Berber +of the Upper Nile, the Berderino who acts servant in Lower Egypt, with +the Berber of Barbary: the former speaks an African language; the +latter a "Semitic" (Arabic) tongue. + +[FN#94] "Him" for "her." + +[FN#95] Arab. "Sáibah," a she-camel freed from labour under certain +conditions amongst the pagan Arabs; for which see Sale (Prel. Disc. +sect. v.). + +[FN#96] Arab. "Marba'." In early spring the Badawi tribes leave the +Rasm or wintering-place (the Turco-Persian "Kishlák") in the desert, +where winter-rains supply them, and make for the Yaylák, or +summer-quarters, where they find grass and water. Thus the great Ruwala +tribe appears regularly every year on the eastern slopes of the +Anti-Libanus (Unexplored Syria, i. 117), and hence the frequent +"partings." + +[FN#97] This "renowning it" and boasting of one's tribe (and oneself) +before battle is as natural as the war-cry: both are intended to +frighten the foe and have often succeeded. Every classical reader knows +that the former practice dates from the earliest ages. It is still +customary in Arabia during the furious tribal fights, the duello on a +magnificent scale which often ends in half the combatants on either +side being placed hors-de- combat. A fair specimen of "renowning it" is +Amrú's Suspended Poem with its extravagant panegyric of the Taghlab +tribe (p. 64, "Arabian Poetry for English Readers," etc., by W. A. +Clouston, Glasgow: privately printed MDCCCLXXXI.; and transcribed from +Sir William Jones's translation). + +[FN#98] The "Turk" appeared soon amongst the Abbaside Caliphs. Mohammed +was made to prophecy of them under the title Banú Kantúrah, the latter +being a slave-girl of Abraham. The Imam Al- Shafi'i (A.H. 195=A.D. 810) +is said to have foretold their rule in Egypt where an Ottoman defended +him against a donkey-boy. (For details see Pilgrimage i. 216 ) The +Caliph Al-Mu'atasim bi'llah (A.D. 833-842) had more than 10,000 Turkish +slaves and was the first to entrust them with high office; so his Arab +subjects wrote of him:— + + A wretched Turk is thy heart's desire; + And to them thou showest thee dam and sire. + +His successor Al-Wásik (Vathek, of the terrible eyes) was the first to +appoint a Turk his Sultan or regent. After his reign they became +praetorians and led to the downfall of the Abbasides. + +[FN#99] The Persian saying is "First at the feast and last at the +fray." + +[FN#100] i.e. a tempter, a seducer. + +[FN#101] Arab. "Wayl-ak" here probably used in the sense of +"Wayh-ak" an expression of affectionate concern. + +[FN#102] Firdausi, the Homer of Persia, affects the same magnificent +exaggeration. The trampling of men and horses raises such a dust that +it takes one layer (of the seven) from earth and adds it to the (seven +of the) Heavens. The "blaze" on the stallion's forehead (Arab. +"Ghurrah") is the white gleam of the morning. + +[FN#103] A noted sign of excitement in the Arab blood horse, when the +tail looks like a panache covering the hind-quarter. + +[FN#104] i.e. Prince Kanmakan. + +[FN#105] The "quality of mercy" belongs to the noble Arab, whereas the +ignoble and the Bada win are rancorous and revengeful as camels. + +[FN#106] Arab. "Khanjar," the poison was let into the grooves and +hollows of the poniard. + +[FN#107] The Pers. "Bang", Indian "Bhang", Maroccan "Fasúkh" and S. +African "Dakhá." (Pilgrimage i. 64.) I heard of a "Hashish- orgie" in +London which ended in half the experimentalists being on their sofas +for a week. The drug is useful for stokers, having the curious property +of making men insensible to heat. Easterns also use it for "Imsák" +prolonging coition of which I speak presently. + +[FN#108] Arab. "Hashsháshín;" whence De Sacy derived "Assassin." A +notable effect of the Hashish preparation is wildly to excite the +imagination, a kind of delirium imaginans sive phantasticum . + +[FN#109] Meaning "Well done!" Mashallah (Má sháa 'llah) is an +exclamation of many uses, especially affected when praising man or +beast for fear lest flattering words induce the evil eye. + +[FN#110] Arab. "Kabkáb" vulg. "Kubkáb." They are between three and ten +inches high, and those using them for the first time in the slippery +Hammam must be careful. + +[FN#111] Arab. "Majlis"=sitting. The postures of coition, +ethnologically curious and interesting, are subjects so extensive that +they require a volume rather than a note. Full information can be found +in the Ananga-ranga, or Stage of the Bodiless One, a treatise in +Sanskrit verse vulgarly known as Koka Pandit from the supposed author, +a Wazir of the great Rajah Bhoj, or according to others, of the +Maharajah of Kanoj. Under the title Lizzat al-Nisá (The Pleasures—or +enjoying—of Women) it has been translated into all the languages of the +Moslem East, from Hindustani to Arabic. It divides postures into five +great divisions: (1) the woman lying supine, of which there are eleven +subdivisions; (2) lying on her side, right or left, with three +varieties; (3) sitting, which has ten, (4) standing, with three +subdivisions, and (5) lying prone, with two. This total of twenty- +nine, with three forms of "Purusháyit," when the man lies supine (see +the Abbot in Boccaccio i. 4), becomes thirty-two, approaching the +French quarante façons. The Upavishta, majlis, or sitting postures, +when one or both "sit at squat" somewhat like birds, appear utterly +impossible to Europeans who lack the pliability of the Eastern's limbs. +Their object in congress is to avoid tension of the muscles which would +shorten the period of enjoyment. In the text the woman lies supine and +the man sits at squat between her legs: it is a favourite from Marocco +to China. A literal translation of the Ananga range appeared in 1873 +under the name of Káma-Shástra; or the Hindoo Art of Love (Ars Amoris +Indica); but of this only six copies were printed. It was re-issued +(printed but not published) in 1885. The curious in such matters will +consult the Index Librorum Prohibitorum (London, privately printed, +1879) by Pisanus Fraxi (H. S. Ashbee). + +[FN#112] i.e. Le Roi Crotte. + +[FN#113] This seems to be a punning allusion to Baghdad, which in +Persian would mean the Garden (bágh) of Justice (dád). See +"Biographical Notices of Persian Poets" by Sir Gore Ouseley, +London, Oriental Translation Fund, 1846 + +[FN#114] The Kardoukhoi (Carduchi) of Xenophon; also called (Strabo +xv.) "Kárdakís, from a Persian word signifying manliness," which would +be "Kardak"=a doer (of derring do). They also named the Montes Gordći +the original Ararat of Xisisthrus- Noah's Ark. The Kurds are of Persian +race, speaking an old and barbarous Iranian tongue and often of the +Shi'ah sect. They are born bandits, highwaymen, cattle-lifters; yet +they have spread extensively over Syria and Egypt and have produced +some glorious men, witness Sultan Saláh al-Din (Saladin) the Great. +They claim affinity with the English in the East, because both races +always inhabit the highest grounds they can find. + +[FN#115] These irregular bands who belong to no tribe are the most +dangerous bandits in Arabia, especially upon the northern frontier. +Burckhardt, who suffered from them, gives a long account of their +treachery and utter absence of that Arab "pundonor" which is supposed +to characterise Arab thieves. + +[FN#116] An euphemistic form to avoid mentioning the incestuous +marriage. + +[FN#117] The Arab form of our "Kinchin lay." + +[FN#118] These are the signs of a Shaykh's tent. + +[FN#119] These questions, indiscreet in Europe, are the rule throughout +Arabia, as they were in the United States of the last generation. + +[FN#120] Arab. "Khizáb" a paste of quicklime and lamp-black kneaded +with linseed oil which turns the Henna to a dark olive. It is hideously +ugly to unaccustomed eyes and held to be remarkably beautiful in Egypt. + +[FN#121] i.e. the God of the Empyrean. + +[FN#122] A blow worthy of the Sa'alabah tribe to which he belonged. + +[FN#123] i.e. "benefits"; also the name of Mohammed's Mu'ezzin, or +crier to prayer, who is buried outside the Jábiah gate of Damascus. +Hence amongst Moslems, Abyssinians were preferred as mosque-criers in +the early ages of Al-Islam. Egypt chose blind men because they were +abundant and cheap; moreover they cannot take note of what is doing on +the adjoining roof terraces where women and children love to pass the +cool hours that begin and end the day. Stories are told of men who +counterfeited blindness for years in order to keep the employment. In +Moslem cities the stranger required to be careful how he appeared at a +window or on the gallery of a minaret: the people hate to be overlooked +and the whizzing of a bullet was the warning to be off. (Pilgrimage +iii. 185.) + +[FN#124] His instinct probably told him that this opponent was a low +fellow but such insults are common when "renowning it." + +[FN#125] Arab. "Dare' " or "Dira'," a habergeon, a coat of ring- mail, +sometimes worn in pairs. During the wretched "Sudan" campaigns much +naďve astonishment was expressed by the English Press to hear of +warriors armed cap-ŕ-pie in this armour like medieval knights. They did +not know that every great tribe has preserved, possibly from Crusading +times, a number of hauberks, even to hundreds. I have heard of only one +English traveller who had a mail jacket made by Wilkinson of Pall Mall, +imitating in this point Napoleon III. And (according to the +Banker-poet, Rogers) the Duke of Wellington. That of Napoleon is said +to have been made of platinum-wire, the work of a Pole who received his +money and an order to quit Paris. The late Sir Robert Clifton (they +say) tried its value with a Colt after placing it upon one of his +coat-models or mannequins. It is easy to make these hauberks +arrow-proof or sword-proof, even bullet-proof if Arab gunpowder be +used: but against a modern rifle-cone they are worse than worthless as +the fragments would be carried into the wound. The British serjeant was +right in saying that he would prefer to enter battle in his shirt: and +he might even doff that to advantage and return to the primitive custom +of man—gymnomachy. + +[FN#126] Arab. "Jamal" (by Badawin pronounced "Gamal" like the Hebrew) +is the generic term for "Camel" through the Gr. : "Ibl" is also +the camel-species but not so commonly used. "Hajín" is the dromedary +(in Egypt, "Dalúl" in Arabia), not the one- humped camel of the +zoologist (C. dromedarius) as opposed to the two-humped (C. +Bactrianus), but a running i.e. a riding camel. The feminine is Nákah +for like mules females are preferred. "Bakr" (masc.) and "Bakrah" +(fem.) are camel-colts. There are hosts of special names besides those +which are general. Mr. Censor is singular when he states (p.40) "the +male (of the camel) is much the safer animal to choose ;" and the +custom of t e universal Ease disproves his assertion. Mr. McCoan +("Egypt as it is") tells his readers that the Egyptian camel has two +humps, in fact, he describes the camel as it is not. + +[FN#127] So, in the Romance of Dalhamah (Zát al-Himmah, the heroine the +hero Al-Gundubah ("one locust-man") smites off the head of his mother's +servile murderer and cries, I have taken my blood-revenge upon this +traitor slave'" (Lane, M. E. chaps. xx iii.) + +[FN#128] This gathering all the persons upon the stage before the +curtain drops is highly artistic and improbable. + +[FN#129] He ought to have said his dawn prayers. + +[FN#130] Here begins what I hold to be the oldest subject matter in The +Nights, the apologues or fables proper; but I reserve further remarks +for the Terminal Essay. Lane has most objectionably thrown this and +sundry of the following stories into a note (vol. ii., pp. 53-69). + +[FN#131] In beast stories generally when man appears he shows to +disadvantage. + +[FN#132] Shakespeare's "stone bow" not Lane's "cross-bow" (ii. 53). + +[FN#133] The goad still used by the rascally Egyptian donkey-boy is a +sharp nail at the end of a stick; and claims the special attention of +societies for the protection of animals. + +[FN#134] "The most ungrateful of all voices surely is the voice of +asses" (Koran xxxi. 18); and hence the "braying of hell" (Koran +Ixvii.7). The vulgar still believe that the donkey brays when seeing +the Devil. "The last animal which entered the Ark with Noah was the Ass +to whose tail Iblis was clinging. At the threshold the ass seemed +troubled and could enter no further when Noah said to him:—"Fie upon +thee! come in." But as the ass was still troubled and did not advance +Noah cried:—"Come in, though the Devil be with thee!", so the ass +entered and with him Iblis. Thereupon Noah asked:—"O enemy of Allah who +brought thee into the Ark ?", and Iblis answered:—"Thou art the man, +for thou saidest to the ass, come in though the Devil be with thee!" +(Kitáb al-Unwán fi Makáid al-Niswán quoted by Lane ii. 54). + +[FN#135] Arab. "Rihl," a wooden saddle stuffed with straw and matting. +In Europe the ass might complain that his latter end is the sausage. In +England they say no man sees a dead donkey: I have seen dozens and, +unfortunately, my own. + +[FN#136] The English reader will not forget Sterne's old mare. Even +Al-Hariri, the prince of Arab rhetoricians, does not distain to use +"pepedit," the effect being put for the cause—terror. But Mr. Preston +(p. 285) and polite men translate by "fled in haste" the Arabic farted +for fear." + +[FN#137] This is one of the lucky signs and adds to the value of the +beast. There are some fifty of these marks, some of them (like a spiral +of hair in the breast which denotes that the rider is a cuckold) so +ill-omened that the animal can be bought for almost nothing. Of course +great attention is paid to colours, the best being the dark rich bay +("red" of Arabs) with black points, or the flea-bitten grey (termed +Azrak=blue or Akhzar=green) which whitens with age. The worst are dun, +cream coloured, piebald and black, which last are very rare. Yet +according to the Mishkát al- Masábih (Lane 2, 54) Mohammed said, The +best horses are black (dark brown?) with white blazes (Arab. "Ghurrah") +and upper lips; next, black with blaze and three white legs (bad, +because white- hoofs are brittle):next, bay with white blaze and white +fore and hind legs." He also said, "Prosperity is with sorrel horses;" +and praised a sorrel with white forehead and legs; but he dispraised +the "Shikál," which has white stockings (Arab. "Muhajjil") on alternate +hoofs (e.g. right hind and left fore). The curious reader will consult +Lady Anne Blunt's "Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates, with some Account +of the Arabs and their Horses" (1879); but he must remember that it +treats of the frontier tribes. The late Major Upton also left a book +"Gleanings from the Desert of Arabia" (1881); but it is a marvellous +production deriving e.g. Khayl (a horse generically) from Kohl or +antimony (p. 275). What the Editor was dreaming of I cannot imagine. I +have given some details concerning the Arab horse especially in +Al-Yaman, among the Zú Mohammed, the Zú Husayn and the Banu Yam in +Pilgrimage iii. 270. As late as Marco Polo's day they supplied the +Indian market via Aden; but the "Eye o Al-Yaman" has totally lost the +habit of exporting horses. + +[FN#138] The shovel-iron which is the only form of spur. + +[FN#139] Used for the dromedary: the baggage-camel is haltered. + +[FN#140] Arab. "Harwalah," the pas gymnastique affected when +circumambulating the Ka'abah (Pilgrimage iii. 208). + +[FN#141] "This night" would be our "last night": the Arabs, I repeat, +say "night and day," not "day and night." + +[FN#142] The vulgar belief is that man's fate is written upon his +skull, the sutures being the writing. + +[FN#143] Koran ii. 191. + +[FN#144] Arab. "Tasbíh"=saying, "Subhán' Allah." It also means a rosary +(Egypt. Sebhah for Subhah) a string of 99 beads divided by a longer +item into sets of three and much fingered by the would- appear pious. +The professional devotee carries a string of wooden balls the size of +pigeons' eggs. + +[FN#145] The pigeon is usually made to say, ' "Wahhidú Rabba-kumu +''llazi khalaka-kum, yaghfiru lakum zamba-kum" = "Unify (Assert the +Unity of) your Lord who created you; so shall He forgive your sin!" As +might be expected this "language" is differently interpreted. +Pigeon-superstitions are found in all religions and I have noted +(Pilgrimage iii, 218) how the Hindu deity of Destruction- reproduction, +the third Person of their Triad, Shiva and his Spouse (or active +Energy), are supposed to have dwelt at Meccah under the titles of +Kapoteshwara (Pigeon-god) and Kapoteshí (Pigeon-goddess). + +[FN#146] I have seen this absolute horror of women amongst the +Monks of the Coptic Convents. + +[FN#147] After the Day of Doom, when men's actions are registered, that +of mutual retaliation will follow and all creatures (brutes included) +will take vengeance on one another. + +[FN#148] The Comrades of the Cave, famous in the Middle Ages of +Christianity (Gibbon chaps. xxxiii.), is an article of faith with +Moslems, being part subject of chapter xviii., the Koranic Surah termed +the Cave. These Rip Van Winkle-tales begin with Endymion so famous +amongst the Classics and Epimenides of Crete who slept fifty-seven +years; and they extend to modern days as La Belle au Bois dormant. The +Seven Sleepers are as many youths of Ephesus (six royal councillors and +a shepherd, whose names are given on the authority of Ali); and, +accompanied by their dog, they fled the persecutions of Dakianús (the +Emperor Decius) to a cave near Tarsús in Natolia where they slept for +centuries. The Caliph Mu'awiyah when passing the cave sent into it some +explorers who were all killed by a burning wind. The number of the +sleepers remains uncertain, according to the Koran (ibid. v. 21) three, +five or seven and their sleep lasted either three hundred or three +hundred and nine years. The dog (ibid. v. 17) slept at the +cave-entrance with paws outstretched and, according to the general, was +called "Katmir" or "Kitmir;" but Al-Rakím (v. 8) is also applied to it +by some. Others hold this to be the name of the valley or mountain and +others of a stone or leaden tablet on which their names were engraved +by their countrymen who built a chapel on the spot (v. 20). Others +again make the Men of Al-Rakím distinct from the Cave-men, and believe +(with Bayzáwi) that they were three youths who were shut up in a grotto +by a rock-slip. Each prayed for help through the merits of some good +deed: when the first had adjured Allah the mountain cracked till light +appeared; at the second petition it split so that they saw one another +and after the third it opened. However that may be, Kitmir is one of +the seven favoured animals: the others being the Hudhud (hoopoe) of +Solomon (Koran xxii. 20); the she-camel of Sálih (chaps. Ixxxvii.); the +cow of Moses which named the Second Surah; the fish of Jonah; the +serpent of Eve, and the peacock of Paradise. For Koranic revelations of +the Cave see the late Thomas Chenery (p. 414 The Assemblies of +Al-Hariri: Williams and Norgate, 1870) who borrows from the historian +Tabari. + +[FN#149] These lines have occurred in Night cxlvi.: I quote Mr. +Payne by way of variety. + +[FN#150] The wolf (truly enough to nature) is the wicked man without +redeeming traits; the fox of Arab folk-lore is the cunning man who can +do good on occasion. Here the latter is called "Sa'alab" which may, I +have noted, mean the jackal; but further on "Father of a Fortlet" +refers especially to the fox. Herodotus refers to the gregarious Canis +Aureus when he describes Egyptian wolves as being "not much bigger than +foxes" (ii. 67). Canon Rawlinson, in his unhappy version, does not +perceive that the Halicarnassian means the jackal and blunders about +the hyena. + +[FN#151] The older "Leila" or "Leyla": it is a common name and is here +applied to woman in general. The root is evidently "layl"=nox, with, +probably, the idea, "She walks in beauty like the night." + +[FN#152] Arab. Abu 'l-Hosayn; his hole being his fort (Unexplored +Syria, ii. 18). + +[FN#153] A Koranic phrase often occurring. + +[FN#154] Koran v. 35. + +[FN#155] Arab. "Bází," Pers. "Báz" (here Richardson is wrong s.v.); a +term to a certain extent generic, but specially used for the noble +Peregrine (F. Peregrinator) whose tiercel is the Sháhín (or "Royal +Bird"). It is sometimes applied to the goshawk (Astur palumbarius) +whose proper title, however, is Shah-báz (King-hawk). The Peregrine +extends from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin and the best come from the +colder parts: in Iceland I found that the splendid white bird was +sometimes trapped for sending to India. In Egypt "Bazi" is applied to +the kite or buzzard and "Hidyah" (a kite) to the falcon (Burckhardt's +Prov. 159, 581 and 602). Burckhardt translates "Hidáyah," the Egyptian +corruption, by "an ash-grey falcon of the smaller species common +throughout Egypt and Syria." + +[FN#156] Arab. "Hijl," the bird is not much prized in India because it +feeds on the roads. For the Shinnár (caccabis) or magnificent partridge +of Midian as large as a pheasant, see "Midian Revisted" ii. 18. + +[FN#157] Arab. "Súf;" hence "Súfi,"=(etymologically) one who wears +woollen garments, a devotee, a Santon; from =wise; from +=pure, or from Safá=he was pure. This is not the place to enter upon +such a subject as "Tasawwuf," or Sufyism; that singular reaction from +arid Moslem realism and materialism, that immense development of +gnostic and Neo-platonic transcendentalism which is found only +germinating in the Jewish and Christian creeds. The poetry of +Omar-i-Khayyám, now familiar to English readers, is a fair specimen; +and the student will consult the last chapter of the Dabistan "On the +religion of the Sufiahs." The first Moslem Sufi was Abu Háshim of +Kufah, ob. A. H. 150=767, and the first Convent of Sufis called +"Takiyah" (Pilgrimage i. 124) was founded in Egypt by Saladin the +Great. + +[FN#158] i.e. when she encamps with a favourite for the night. + +[FN#159] The Persian proverb is "Marg-i-amboh jashni dáred"—death in a +crowd is as good as a feast. + +[FN#160] Arab. "Kanát", the subterranean water-course called in Persia +"Kyáriz." Lane (ii. 66) translates it "brandish around the spear (Kanát +is also a cane-lance) of artifice," thus making rank nonsense of the +line. Al-Hariri uses the term in the Ass. of the Banu Haram where +"Kanát" may be a pipe or bamboo laid underground. + +[FN#161] From Al-Tughrái, the author of the Lámiyat al-Ajam, the "Lay +of the Outlander;" a Kasidah (Ode) rhyming in Lám (the letter "l" being +the ráwi or binder). The student will find a new translation of it by +Mr. J. W. Redhouse and Dr. Carlyle's old version (No. liii.) in Mr. +Clouston's "Arabian Poetry." Muyid al-Din al-Hasan Abu Ismail nat. +Ispahan ob. Baghdad A.H. 182) derived his surname from the Tughrá, +cypher or flourish (over the "Bismillah" in royal and official papers) +containing the name of the prince. There is an older "Lamiyat al-Arab" +a pre-Islamitic L-poem by the "brigand-poet" Shanfara, of whom Mr. W. +G. Palgrave has given a most appreciative account in his "Essays on +Eastern Questions," noting the indomitable self-reliance and the +absolute individualism of a mind defying its age and all around it. +Al-Hariri quotes from both. + +[FN#162] The words of the unfortunate Azízah, vol. ii., p. 323. + +[FN#163] Arab. "Háwí"=a juggler who plays tricks with snakes: he is +mostly a Gypsy. The "recompense" the man expects is the golden treasure +which the ensorcelled snake is supposed to guard. This idea is as old +as the Dragon in the Garden of the Hesperides—and older. + +[FN#164] The "Father of going out (to prey) by morning"; for dawn is +called Zanab Sirhán the Persian Dum-i-gurg=wolf's tail, i.e. the first +brush of light; the Zodiacal Light shown in morning. Sirhán is a +nickname of the wolf—Gaunt Grim or Gaffer Grim, the German Isengrin or +Eisengrinus (icy grim or iron grim) whose wife is Hersent, as Richent +or Hermeline is Mrs. Fox. In French we have lopez, luppe, leu, e.g. + +Venant ŕ la queue, leu, leu, + +i.e. going in Indian file. Hence the names D'Urfé and Saint-Loup. In +Scandinavian, the elder sister of German, Ulf and in German (where the +Jews were forced to adopt the name) Wolff whence "Guelph." He is also +known to the Arabs as the "sire of a she-lamb," the figure metonymy +called "Kunyat bi 'l-Zidd" (lucus a non lucendo), a patronymic or +by-name given for opposition and another specimen of "inverted speech." + +[FN#165] Arab. "Bint' Arús" = daughter of the bridegroom, the +Hindustani Mungus (vulg. Mongoose); a well-known weasel-like rodent +often kept tame in the house to clear it of vermin. It is supposed to +know an antidote against snake-poison, as the weasel eats rue before +battle (Pliny x. 84; xx. 13). In Modern Egypt this viverra is called +"Kitt (or Katt) Far'aun" = Pharaoh's cat: so the Percnopter becomes +Pharaoh's hen and the unfortunate (?) King has named a host of things, +alive and dead. It was worshipped and mummified in parts of Ancient +Egypt e.g. Heracleopolis, on account of its antipathy to serpents and +because it was supposed to destroy the crocodile, a feat with Ćlian and +others have overloaded with fable. It has also a distinct antipathy to +cats. The ichneumon as a pet becomes too tame and will not leave its +master: when enraged it emits an offensive stench. I brought home for +the Zoological Gardens a Central African specimen prettily barred. +Burckhardt (Prov. 455) quotes a line:— + + Rakas' Ibn Irsin wa zamzama l-Nimsu, + (Danceth Ibn Irs whileas Nims doth sing) + +and explains Nims by ichneumon and Ibn Irs as a "species of small +weasel or ferret, very common in Egypt: it comes into the house, feeds +upon meat, is of gentle disposition although not domesticated and full +of gambols and frolic." + +[FN#166] Arab. "Sinnaur" (also meaning a prince). The common name is +Kitt which is pronounced Katt or Gatt; and which Ibn Dorayd pronounces +a foreign word (Syriac?). Hence, despite Freitag, Catus (which Isidore +derives from catare, to look for) = gatto, chat, cat, an animal unknown +to the Classics of Europe who used the mustela or putorius vulgaris and +different species of viverrć. The Egyptians, who kept the cat to +destroy vermin, especially snakes, called it Mau, Mai, Miao +(onomatopoetic): this descendent of the Felis maniculata originated in +Nubia; and we know from the mummy pits and Herodotus that it was the +same species as ours. The first portraits of the cat are on the +monuments of "Beni Hasan," B.C. 2500. I have ventured to derive the +familiar "Puss" from the Arab. "Biss (fem. :Bissah"), which is a +congener of Pasht (Diana), the cat-faced goddess of Bubastis +(Pi-Pasht), now Zagázig. Lastly, "tabby (brindled)-cat" is derived from +the Attábi (Prince Attab's) quarter at Baghdad where watered silks were +made. It is usually attributed to the Tibbie, Tibalt, Tybalt, Thibert +or Tybert (who is also executioner), various forms of Theobald in the +old Beast Epic; as opposed to Gilbert the gib-cat, either a tom-cat or +a gibbed (castrated) cat. + +[FN#167] Arab. "Ikhwán al-Safá," a popular term for virtuous friends +who perfectly love each other in all purity: it has also a mystic +meaning. Some translate it "Brethren of Sincerity," and hold this +brotherhood to be Moslem Freemasons, a mere fancy (see the Mesnevi of +Mr. Redhouse, Trubner 1881). There is a well-known Hindustani book of +this name printed by Prof. Forbes in Persian character and translated +by Platts and Eastwick. + +[FN#168] Among Eastern men there are especial forms for "making +brotherhood." The "Munhbolá-bhái" (mouth-named brother) of India is +well-known. The intense "associativeness" of these races renders +isolation terrible to them, and being defenceless in a wild state of +society has special horrors. Hence the origin of Caste for which see +Pilgrimage (i. 52). Moslems, however, cannot practise the African rite +of drinking a few drops of each other's blood. This, by the by, was +also affected in Europe, as we see in the Gesta Romanoru, Tale lxvii., +of the wise and foolish knights who "drew blood (to drink) from the +right arm." + +[FN#169] The F. Sacer in India is called "Laghar" and tiercel "Jaghar." +Mr. T.E. Jordan (catalogue of Indian Birds, 1839) says it is rare; but +I found it the contrary. According to Mr. R. Thompson it is flown at +kites and antelope: in Sind it is used upon night-heron (nyctardea +nycticorax), floriken or Hobara (Otis aurita), quail, partridge, curlew +and sometimes hare: it gives excellent sport with crows but requires to +be defended. Indian sportsmen, like ourselves, divide hawks into two +orders: the "Siyáh-chasm," or black-eyed birds, long-winged and noble; +the "Gulábi-chasm" or yellow-eyed (like the goshawk) round-winged and +ignoble. + +[FN#170] i.e. put themselves at thy mercy. + +[FN#171] I have remarked (Pilgrimage iii.307) that all the popular +ape-names in Arabic and Persian, Sa'adán, Maymún, Shádi, etc., express +propitiousness—probably euphemistically applied to our "poor relation." + +[FN#172] The serpent does not "sting" nor does it "bite;" it strikes +with the poison-teeth like a downward stab with a dagger. These fangs +are always drawn by the jugglers but they grow again and thus many +lives are lost. The popular way of extracting the crochets is to grasp +the snake firmly behind the neck with one hand and with the other to +tantalise it by offering and withdrawing a red rag. At last the animal +is allowed to strike it and a sharp jerk tears out both eye-teeth as +rustics used to do by slamming a door. The head is then held downwards +and the venom drains from its bag in the shape of a few drops of +slightly yellowish fluid which, as conjurers know, may be drunk without +danger. The patient looks faint and dazed, but recovers after a few +hours and feels as if nothing had happened. In India I took lessons +from a snake-charmer but soon gave up the practice as too dangerous. + +[FN#173] Arab. "Akh al-Jahálah" = brother of ignorance, an Ignorantin; +one "really and truly" ignorant; which is the value of "Ahk" in such +phrases as a "brother of poverty," or, "of purity." + +[FN#174] Lane (ii. 1) writes "Abu-l-Hasan;" Payne (iii. 49) "Aboulhusn" +which would mean "Father of Beauty (Husn)" and is not a Moslem name. +Hasan (beautiful) and its dimin. Husayn, names now so common, were (it +is said), unknown to the Arabs, although Hassán was that of a Tobba +King, before the days of Mohammed who so called his two only grandsons. +In Anglo-India they have become "Hobson and Jobson." The Bresl. Edit. +(ii. 305) entitles this story "Tale of Abu 'l Hasan the Attár (druggist +and perfumer) with Ali ibn Bakkár and what befel them with the handmaid +(=járiyah) Shams al-Nahár." + +[FN#175] i.e. a descendant, not a Prince. + +[FN#176] The Arab shop is a kind of hole in the wall and buyers sit +upon its outer edge (Pilgrimage i. 99). + +[FN#177] By a similar image the chamćleon is called Abú Kurrat=Father +of coolness; because it is said to have the "coldest" eye of all +animals and insensible to heat and light, since it always looks at the +sun. + +[FN#178] This dividing the hemistich words is characteristic of certain +tales; so I have retained it although inevitably suggesting:— + +I left Matilda at the U- niversity of Gottingen. + +[FN#179] These naďve offers in Eastern tales mostly come from the true +seducer—Eve. Europe and England especially, still talks endless +absurdity upon the subject. A man of the world may "seduce" an utterly +innocent (which means an ignorant) girl. But to "seduce" a married +woman! What a farce! + +[FN#180] Masculine again for feminine: the lines are as full of +word-plays, vulgarly called puns, as Sanskrit verses. + +[FN#181] The Eastern heroine always has a good appetite and eats well. +The sensible Oriental would infinitely despise that maladive Parisienne +in whom our neighbours delight, and whom I long to send to the +Hospital. + +[FN#182] i.e. her rivals have discovered the secret of her heart. + +[FN#183] i.e. blood as red as wine. + +[FN#184] The wine-cup (sun-like) shines in thy hand; thy teeth are +bright as the Pleiads and thy face rises like a moon from the darkness +of thy dress-collar. + +[FN#185] The masculine of Marjánah (Morgiana) "the she coral-branch ;" +and like this a name generally given to negroes. We have seen white +applied to a blackamoor by way of metonomy and red is also connected +with black skins by way of fun. A Persian verse says : + +"If a black wear red, e'en an ass would grin." + +[FN#186] Suggesting that she had been sleeping. + +[FN#187] Arab. "Raushan," a window projecting and latticed: the word is +orig. Persian: so Raushaná (splendour)=Roxana. It appears to me that +this beautiful name gains beauty by being understood. + +[FN#188] The word means any servant, but here becomes a proper name. +"Wasífah" usually= a concubine. + +[FN#189] i.e. eagerness, desire, love-longing. + +[FN#190] Arab. "Rind," which may mean willow (oriental), bay or aloes +wood: Al-Asma'i denies that it ever signifies myrtle. + +[FN#191] These lines occur in Night cxiv.: by way of variety I give +(with permission) Mr. Payne's version (iii. 59). + +[FN#192] Referring to the proverb "Al-Khauf maksúm"=fear (cowardice) is +equally apportioned: i.e. If I fear you, you fear me. + +[FN#193] The fingers of the right hand are struck upon the palm of the +left. + +[FN#194] There are intricate rules for "joining" the prayers; but this +is hardly the place for a subject discussed in all religious treatises. +(Pilgrimage iii. 239.) + +[FN#195] The hands being stained with Henna and perhaps indigo in +stripes are like the ring rows of chain armour. See Lane's illustration +(Mod. Egypt, chaps. i.). + +[FN#196] She made rose-water of her cheeks for my drink and she bit +with teeth like grains of hail those lips like the lotus-fruit, or +jujube: Arab. "Unnab" or "Nabk," the plum of the Sidr or Zizyphus +lotus. + +[FN#197] Meaning to let Patience run away like an untethered camel. + +[FN#198] i.e. her fair face shining through the black hair. "Camphor" +is a favourite with Arab poets: the Persians hate it because connected +in their minds with death; being used for purifying the corpse. We read +in Burckhardt (Prov. 464) "Singing without siller is like a corpse +without Hanút"—this being a mixture of camphor and rose-water sprinkled +over the face of the dead before shrouded. Similarly Persians avoid +speaking of coffee, because they drink it at funerals and use tea at +other times. + +[FN#199] i.e. she is angry and bites her carnelion lips with pearly +teeth. + +[FN#200] Arab. "Wa ba'ad;" the formula which follows "Bismillah"—In the +name of Allah. The French translate it or sus, etc. I have noticed the +legend about its having been first used by the eloquent Koss, Bishop of +Najran. + +[FN#201] i.e. Her mind is so troubled she cannot answer for what she +writes. + +[FN#202] The Bul. Edit. (i. 329) and the Mac. Edit. (i. 780) give to +Shams al-Nahar the greater part of Ali's answer, as is shown by the +Calc. Edit. (230 et seq.) and the Bresl. Edit. (ii. 366 et seq.) Lane +mentions this (ii. 74) but in his usual perfunctory way gives no +paginal references to the Calc. or Bresl.; so that those who would +verify the text may have the displeasure of hunting for it. + +[FN#203] Arab. "Bi'smi 'lláhi' r-Rahmáni'r-Rahím." This auspicatory +formula was borrowed by Al-Islam not from the Jews but from the Guebre +"Ba nám-i-Yezdán bakhsháishgar-i-dádár!" (in the name of +Yezdan-God—All-generous, All-just!). The Jews have, "In the name of the +Great God;" and the Christians, "In the name of the Father, etc." The +so-called Sir John Mandeville begins his book, In the name of God, +Glorious and Almighty. The sentence forms the first of the Koran and +heads every chapter except only the ninth, an exception for which +recondite reasons are adduced. Hence even in the present day it begins +all books, letters and writings in general; and it would be a sign of +Infidelity (i.e. non-Islamism) to omit it. The difference between +"Rahmán" and "Rahím" is that the former represents an accidental +(compassionating), the latter a constant quality (compassionate). Sale +therefore renders it very imperfectly by "In the name of the most +merciful God;" the Latinists better, "In nomine Dei misericordis, +clementissimi" (Gottwaldt in Hamza Ispahanensis); Mr. Badger much +better, "In the name of God, the Pitiful, the Compassionate"—whose only +fault is not preserving the assonance: and Maracci best, "In nomine Dei +miseratoris misericordis." + +[FN#204] Arab. Majnún (i.e. one possessed by a Jinni) the well-known +model lover of Layla, a fictitious personage for whom see D'Herbelot +(s. v. Megnoun). She was celebrated by Abu Mohammed Nizam al-Din of +Ganjah (ob. A.H. 597=1200) pop. known as Nizámi, the caustic and +austere poet who wrote:— + + The weals of this world are the ass's meed! + Would Nizami were of the ass's breed. + +The series in the East begins chronologically with Yúsuf and Zulaykhá +(Potiphar's wife) sung by Jámi (nat. A.H. 817=1414); the next in date +is Khusraw and Shirin (also by Nizami); Farhad and Shirin; and Layla +and Majnun (the Night-black maid and the Maniac-man) are the last. We +are obliged to compare the lovers with "Romeo and Juliet," having no +corresponding instances in modern days: the classics of Europe supply a +host as Hero and Leander, Theagenes and Charicleia, etc. etc. + +[FN#205] The jeweller of Eastern tales from Marocco to Calcutta, is +almost invariably a rascal: here we have an exception. + +[FN#206] This must not be understood of sealing-wax, which, however, is +of ancient date. The Egyptians (Herod. ii. 38) used "sealing earth" ( + ) probably clay, impressed with a signet ( ); the +Greeks mud-clay ( ); and the Romans first cretula and then wax +(Beckmann). Medićval Europe had bees-wax tempered with Venice +turpentine and coloured with cinnabar or similar material. The modern +sealing-wax, whose distinctive is shell-lac, was brought by the Dutch +from India to Europe; and the earliest seals date from about A.D. 1560. +They called it Ziegel-lak, whence the German Siegel-lack, the French +preferring cire-ŕ-cacheter, as distinguished from cire-ŕ-sceller, the +softer material. The use of sealing-wax in India dates from old times +and the material, though coarse and unsightly, is still preferred by +Anglo-Indians because it resists heat whereas the best English softens +like pitch. + +[FN#207] Evidently referring to the runaway Abu al-Hasan, not to the +she-Mercury. + +[FN#208] An unmarried man is not allowed to live in a respectable +quarter of a Moslem city unless he takes such precaution. Lane (Mod. +Egypt. passim) has much to say on this point; and my excellent friend +the late Professor Spitta at Cairo found the native prejudice very +troublesome. + +[FN#209] Arab. "Yá fulán"=O certain person (fulano in Span. and +Port.) a somewhat contemptuous address. + +[FN#210] Mr. Payne remarks, "These verses apparently relate to +Aboulhusn, but it is possible that they may be meant to refer to +Shemsennehar." (iii. 80.) + +[FN#211] Arab. and Pers "Bulúr" (vulg. billaur) retaining the venerable +tradition of the Belus- river. In Al-Hariri (Ass. of Halwán) it means +crystal and there is no need of proposing to translate it by onyx or to +identify it with the Greek , the beryl. + +[FN#212] The door is usually shut with a wooden bolt. + +[FN#213] Arab. "Ritánah," from "Ratan," speaking any tongue not +Arabic, the allusion being to foreign mercenaries, probably +Turks. In later days Turkish was called Muwalla', a pied horse, +from its mixture of languages. + +[FN#214] This is the rule; to guard against the guet-apens. + +[FN#215] Arab. "Wálidati," used when speaking to one not of the family +in lieu of the familiar "Ummi"=my mother. So the father is Wálid=the +begetter. + +[FN#216] This is one of the many euphemistic formulć for such +occasions: they usually begin "May thy head live." etc. + +[FN#217] Arab. "Kánún," an instrument not unlike the Austrian zither; +it is illustrated in Lane (ii. 77). + +[FN#218] This is often done, the merit of the act being transferred to +the soul of the deceased. + +[FN#219] The two amourists were martyrs; and their amours, which appear +exaggerated to the Western mind, have many parallels in the East. The +story is a hopeless affair of love; with only one moral (if any be +wanted) viz., there may be too much of a good thing. It is given very +concisely in the Bul. Edit. vol. i.; and more fully in the Mac. Edit. +aided in places by the Bresl. (ii. 320) and the Calc. (ii. 230). +## +[FN#220] Lane is in error (vol. ii. 78) when he corrects this to "Sháh +Zemán"; the name is fanciful and intended to be old Persian, on the +"weight" of Kahramán. The Bul. Edit. has by misprint "Shahramán." + +[FN#221] The "topothesia" is worthy of Shakespeare's day. "Khálidán" is +evidently a corruption of "Khálidatáni" (for Khálidát), the Eternal, as +Ibn Wardi calls the Fortunate Islands, or Canaries, which owe both +their modern names to the classics of Europe. Their present history +dates from A.D. 1385, unless we accept the Dieppe-Rouen legend of Labat +which would place the discovery in A.D. 1326. I for one thoroughly +believe in the priority on the West African Coast, of the gallant +descendants of the Northmen. + +[FN#222] Four wives are allowed by Moslem law and for this reason. If +you marry one wife she holds herself your equal, answers you and "gives +herself airs"; two are always quarrelling and making a hell of the +house; three are "no company" and two of them always combine against +the nicest to make her hours bitter. Four are company, they can quarrel +and "make it up" amongst themselves, and the husband enjoys comparative +peace. But the Moslem is bound by his law to deal equally with the +four, each must have her dresses her establishment and her night, like +her sister wives. The number is taken from the Jews (Arbah Turim Ev. +Hazaer, i.) "the wise men have given good advice that a man should not +marry more than four wives." Europeans, knowing that Moslem women are +cloistered and appear veiled in public, begin with believing them to be +mere articles of luxury, and only after long residence they find out +that nowhere has the sex so much real liberty and power as in the +Moslem East. They can possess property and will it away without the +husband's leave: they can absent themselves from the house for a month +without his having a right to complain; and they assist in all his +counsels for the best of reasons: a man can rely only on his wives and +children, being surrounded by rivals who hope to rise by his ruin. As +regards political matters the Circassian women of Constantinople really +rule the Sultanate and there soignez la femme! is the first lesson of +getting on in the official world. + +[FN#223] This two-bow prayer is common on the bride-night; and at all +times when issue is desired. + +[FN#224] The older Camaralzaman="Moon of the age." Kamar is the moon +between her third and twenty-sixth day: Hilál during the rest of the +month: Badr (plur. Budúr whence the name of the Princess) is the full +moon. + +[FN#225] Arab "Ra'áyá" plur. of 'Ra'íyat" our Anglo-Indian Ryot, lit. a +liege, a subject; secondarily a peasant, a Fellah. + +[FN#226] Another audacious parody of the Moslem "testification" to the +one God, and to Mohammed the Apostle. + +[FN#227] Showing how long ago forts were armed with metal plates which +we have applied to war-ships only of late years. + +[FN#228] The comparison is abominably true—in the East. + +[FN#229] Two fallen angels who taught men the art of magic. They are +mentioned in the Koran (chaps. ii.), and the commentators have +extensively embroidered the simple text. Popularly they are supposed to +be hanging by their feet in a well in the territory of Babel, hence the +frequent allusions to "Babylonian sorcery" in Moslem writings; and +those who would study the black art at head-quarters are supposed to go +there. They are counterparts of the Egyptian Jamnes and Mambres, the +Jannes and Jambres of St. Paul (2 Tim. iii. 8). + +[FN#230] An idol or idols of the Arabs (Allat and Ozza) before Mohammed +(Koran chaps. ii. 256). Etymologically the word means "error" and the +termination is rather Hebraic than Arabic. + +[FN#231] Arab. "Khayt hamayán" (wandering threads of vanity), or +Mukhát al-Shaytan (Satan's snivel),=our "gossamer"=God's summer +(Mutter Gottes Sommer) or God's cymar (?). + +[FN#232] These lines occur in Night xvii.; so I borrow from +Torrens (p. 163) by way of variety. + +[FN#233] A posture of peculiar submission; contrasting strongly with +the attitude afterwards assumed by Prince Charming. + +[FN#234] A mere term of vulgar abuse not reflecting on either parent: I +have heard a mother call her own son, "Child of adultery." + +[FN#235] Arab. "Ghazá," the Artemisia (Euphorbia ?) before noticed. If +the word be a misprint for Ghadá it means a kind of Euphorbia which, +with the Arák (wild caper-tree) and the Daum palm (Crucifera thebiaca), +is one of the three normal growths of the Arabian desert (Pilgrimage +iii. 22). + +[FN#236] Arab. "Banát al-Na'ash," usually translated daughters of the +bier, the three stars which represent the horses in either Bear, +"Charles' Wain," or Ursa Minor, the waggon being supposed to be a bier. +"Banát" may be also sons, plur. of Ibn, as the word points to +irrational objects. So Job (ix. 9 and xxxviii. 32) refers to U. Major +as "Ash" or "Aysh" in the words, "Canst thou guide the bier with its +sons?" (erroneously rendered "Arcturus with his sons") In the text the +lines are enigmatical, but apparently refer to a death parting. + +[FN#237] The Chapters are: 2, 3, 36, 55, 67 and the two last +("Daybreak" cxiii. and "Men" cxiv.), which are called Al-Mu'izzatáni +(vulgar Al-Mu'izzatayn), the "Two Refuge-takings or Preventives," +because they obviate enchantment. I have translated the two latter as +follows:— + +"Say:—Refuge I take with the Lord of the Day-break * + from mischief of what He did make * + from mischief of moon eclipse-showing * + and from mischief of witches on cord-knots blowing * + and from mischief of envier when envying." + +"Say:—Refuge I take with the Lord of men * + the sovran of men * + the God of men * + from the Tempter, the Demon * + who tempteth in whisper the breasts of men * + and from Jinnis and (evil) men." + +[FN#238] The recitations were Náfilah, or superogatory, two short +chapters only being required and the taking refuge was because he slept +in a ruin, a noted place in the East for Ghuls as in the West for +ghosts. + +[FN#239] Lane (ii. 222) first read "Múroozee" and referred it to the +Murúz tribe near Herat he afterwards (iii. 748) corrected it to +"Marwazee," of the fabric of Marw (Margiana) the place now famed for +"Mervousness." As a man of Rayy (Rhages) becomes Rází (e.g. Ibn Fáris +al-Razí), so a man of Marw is Marázi, not Murúzi nor Márwazi. The +"Mikna' " was a veil forming a kind of "respirator," defending from +flies by day and from mosquitos, dews and draughts by night. Easterns +are too sensible to sleep with bodies kept warm by bedding, and heads +bared to catch every blast. Our grandfathers and grandmothers did well +to wear bonnets-de-nuit, however ridiculous they may have looked. + +[FN#240] Iblis, meaning the Despairer, is called in the Koran (chaps. +xviii. 48) "One of the genii (Jinnis) who departed from the command of +his Lord." Mr. Rodwell (in loco) notes that the Satans and Jinnis +represent in the Koran (ii. 32, etc.) the evil-principle and finds an +admixture of the Semitic Satans and demons with the "Genii from the +Persian (Babylonian ?) and Indian (Egyptian ?) mythologies." + +[FN#241] Of course she could not see his eyes when they were shut; nor +is this mere Eastern inconsequence. The writer means, "had she seen +them, they would have showed," etc. + +[FN#242] The eyes are supposed to grow darker under the influence of +wine and sexual passion. + +[FN#243] To keep off the evil eye. + +[FN#244] Like Dahnash this is a fanciful P. N., fit only for a Jinni. +As a rule the appellatives of Moslem "genii" end inús (oos), as Tarnús, +Huliyánus, the Jewish in—nas, as Jattunas; those of the Tarsá (the +"funkers" i.e. Christians) in—dús, as Sidús, and the Hindus in—tús, as +Naktús (who entered the service of the Prophet Shays, or Seth, and was +converted to the Faith). The King of the Genii is Malik Katshán who +inhabits Mount Kaf; and to the west of him lives his son-in-law, Abd +al-Rahman with 33,000 domestics: these names were given by the Apostle +Mohammed. "Baktanús" is lord of three Moslem troops of the wandering +Jinns, which number a total of twelve bands and extend from Sind to +Europe. The Jinns, Divs, Peris ("fairies") and other pre-Adamitic +creatures were governed by seventy-two Sultans all known as Sulayman +and the last I have said was Ján bin Ján. The angel Háris was sent from +Heaven to chastise him, but in the pride of victory he also revolted +with his followers the Jinns whilst the Peris held aloof. When he +refused to bow down before Adam he and his chiefs were eternally +imprisoned but the other Jinns are allowed to range over earth as a +security for man's obedience. The text gives the three orders. flyers. +walkers and divers. + +[FN#245] i.e. distracted (with love); the Lakab, or poetical name, of +apparently a Spanish poet. + +[FN#246] Nothing is more "anti-pathetic" to Easterns than lean hips and +flat hinder-cheeks in women and they are right in insisting upon the +characteristic difference of the male and female figure. Our modern +sculptors and painters, whose study of the nude is usually most +perfunctory, have often scandalised me by the lank and greyhound-like +fining off of the frame, which thus becomes rather simian than human. + +[FN#247] The small fine foot is a favourite with Easterns as well as +Westerns. Ovid (A.A.) is not ashamed "ad teneros Oscula (not basia or +suavia) ferre pedes." Ariosto ends the august person in + + Il breve, asciutto, e ritondetto piece, + (The short-sized, clean-cut, roundly-moulded foot). + +And all the world over it is a sign of "blood," i.e. the fine nervous +temperament. + +[FN#248] i.e. "full moons": the French have corrupted it to +"Badoure"; we to "Badoura." winch is worse. + +[FN#249] As has been said a single drop of urine renders the clothes +ceremoniously impure, hence a Stone or a handful of earth must be used +after the manner of the torche-cul. Scrupulous Moslems, when squatting +to make water, will prod the ground before them with the point o f +stick or umbrella, so as to loosen it and prevent the spraying of the +urine. + +[FN#250] It is not generally known to Christians that Satan has a wife +called Awwá ("Hawwá" being the Moslem Eve) and, as Adam had three sons, +the Tempter has nine, viz., Zu 'l-baysun who rules in bazars. Wassin +who prevails in times of trouble. Awan who counsels kings; Haffan +patron of wine-bibbers; Marrah of musicians and dancers; Masbut of +news-spreaders (and newspapers ?); Dulhán who frequents places of +worship and interferes with devotion. Dasim, lord of mansions and +dinner tables, who prevents the Faithful saying "Bismillah" and +"Inshallah," as commanded in the Koran (xviii. 23), and Lakís, lord of +Fire worshippers (Herklots, chap. xxix. sect. 4). + +[FN#251] Strong perfumes, such as musk (which we Europeans dislike and +suspect), are always insisted upon in Eastern poetry, and Mohammed's +predilection for them is well known. Moreover the young and the +beautiful are held (justly enough) to exhale a natural fragrance which +is compared with that of the blessed in Paradise. Hence in the +Mu'allakah of Imr al-Keys:— + +Breathes the scent of musk when they rise to rove, * + As the Zephyr's breath with the flavour o'clove. + +It is made evident by dogs and other fine-nosed animals that every +human being has his, or her, peculiar scent which varies according to +age and health. Hence animals often detect the approach of death. + +[FN#252] Arab. "Kahlá." This has been explained. Mohammed is said to +have been born with "Kohl'd eyes." + +[FN#253] Hawá al-'uzrí, before noticed (Night cxiv.). + +[FN#254] These lines, with the Názir (eye or steward), the Hájib (Groom +of the Chambers or Chamberlain) and Joseph, are also repeated from +Night cxiv. For the Nazir see Al-Hariri (Nos. xiii. and xxii.) + +[FN#255] The usual allusion to the Húr (Houris) from "Hangar," the +white and black of the eye shining in contrast. The Persian Magi also +placed in their Heaven (Bihisht or Minu) "Huran," or black-eyed nymphs, +under the charge of the angel Zamiyád. + +[FN#256] In the first hemistich, "bi-shitt 'it wády" (by the +wady-bank): in the second, "wa shatta 'l wády" ("and my slayer"— i.e. +wády act. part. of wady, killing—"hath paced away"). + +[FN#257] The double entendre is from the proper names Budúr and Su'ád +(Beatrice) also meaning "auspicious (or blessed) full moons." + +[FN#258] Arab. "Házir" (also Ahl al-hazer, townsmen) and Bádi, a +Badawi, also called "Ahl al-Wabar," people of the camel's hair (tent) +and A'aráb (Nomadic) as opposed to Arab (Arab settled or not). They +still boast with Ibn Abbas, cousin of Mohammed, that they have +kerchiefs (not turbands) for crowns, tents for houses, loops for walls, +swords for scarves and poems for registers or written laws. + +[FN#259] This is a peculiarity of the Jinn tribe when wearing hideous +forms. It is also found in the Hindu Rakshasa. + +[FN#260] Which, by the by, are small and beautifully shaped. The animal +is very handy with them, as I learnt by experience when trying to +"Rareyfy" one at Bayrut. + +[FN#261] She being daughter of Al-Dimiryát, King of the Jinns. +Mr. W. F. Kirby has made him the subject of a pretty poem. + +[FN#262] These lines have occurred in Night xxii. I give +Torrens's version (p. 223) by way of variety. + +[FN#263] Arab. "Kámat Alfiyyah," like an Alif, the first of the Arabic +alphabet, the Heb. Aleph. The Arabs, I have said, took the flag or +water leaf form and departed very far from the Egyptian original (we +know from Plutarch that the hieroglyphic abecedarium began with "a"), +which was chosen by other imitators, namely the bull's head, and which +in the cursive form, especially the Phnician, became a yoke. In +numerals "Alif" denotes one or one thousand. It inherits the +traditional honours of Alpha (as opposed to Omega) and in books, +letters and writings generally it is placed as a monogram over the +"Bismillah," an additional testimony to the Unity. (See vol. i. p. 1.) +In medićval Christianity this place of honour was occupied by the +cross: none save the wildest countries have preserved it, but our +vocabulary still retains Criss' (Christ-)cross Row, for horn-book, on +account of the old alphabet and nine digits disposed in the form of a +Latin cross. Hence Tickell ("The Horn-book"): + + ——Mortals ne'er shall know + More than contained of old the Chris'-cross Row. + +[FN#264] The young man must have been a demon of chastity. + +[FN#265] Arab. "Kirát" from i.e. bean, the seed of the Abrus +precatorius, in weight=two to three (English) grains; and in length=one +finger-breadth here; 24 being the total. The Moslem system is evidently +borrowed from the Roman "as" and "uncia." + +[FN#266] Names of women. + +[FN#267] Arab. "Amsa" (lit. he passed the evening) like "asbaha" (he +rose in the morning) "Azhá" (he spent the forenoon) and "bata" (he +spent the night), are idiomatically used for "to be in any state, to +continue" without specification of time or season. + +[FN#268] Lit. "my liver ;" which viscus, and not the heart, is held the +seat of passion, a fancy dating from the oldest days. Theocritus says +of Hercules, "In his liver Love had fixed a wound" (Idyl. xiii.). In +the Anthologia "Cease, Love, to wound my liver and my heart" (lib. +vii.). So Horace (Odes, i. 2); his Latin Jecur and the Persian "Jigar" +being evident congeners. The idea was long prevalent and we find in +Shakespeare:— + + Alas, then Love may be called appetite, + No motion of the liver but the palate. + +[FN#269] A marvellous touch of nature, love ousting affection; the same +trait will appear in the lover and both illustrate the deep Italian +saying, "Amor discende, non ascende." The further it goes down the +stronger it becomes as of grand-parent for grand-child and vice versa. + +[FN#270] This tenet of the universal East is at once fact and unfact. +As a generalism asserting that women's passion is ten times greater +than man's (Pilgrimage, ii. 282), it is unfact. The world shows that +while women have more philoprogenitiveness, men have more amativeness; +otherwise the latter would not propose and would nurse the doll and +baby. Pact, however, in low-lying lands, like Persian Mazanderan versus +the Plateau; Indian Malabar compared with Marátha-land; California as +opposed to Utah and especially Egypt contrasted with Arabia. In these +hot damp climates the venereal requirements and reproductive powers of +the female greatly exceed those of the male; and hence the +dissoluteness of morals would be phenomenal, were it not obviated by +seclusion, the sabre and the revolver. In cold-dry or hot-dry +mountainous lands the reverse is the case; hence polygamy there +prevails whilst the low countries require polyandry in either form, +legal or illegal (i,e. prostitution) I have discussed this curious +point of "geographical morality" (for all morality is, like conscience, +both geographical and chronological), a subject so interesting to the +lawgiver, the student of ethics and the anthropologist, in "The City of +the Saints " But strange and unpleasant truths progress slowly, +especially in England. + +[FN#271] This morning evacuation is considered, in the East, a sine quâ +non of health; and old Anglo-Indians are unanimous in their opinion of +the "bard fajar" (as they mispronounce the dawn-clearance). The natives +of India, Hindús (pagans) and Hindís (Moslems), unlike Europeans, +accustom themselves to evacuate twice a day, evening as well as +morning. This may, perhaps, partly account for their mildness and +effeminacy; for:— + +C'est la constipation qui rend l'homme rigoureux. + +The English, since the first invasion of cholera, in October, 1831, are +a different race from their costive grandparents who could not dine +without a "dinner-pill." Curious to say the clyster is almost unknown +to the people of Hindostan although the barbarous West Africans use it +daily to "wash 'um belly," as the Bonney-men say. And, as Sonnini notes +to propose the process in Egypt under the Beys might have cost a +Frankish medico his life. + +[FN#272] The Egyptian author cannot refrain from this characteristic +polissonnerie; and reading it out is always followed by a roar of +laughter. Even serious writers like Al- Hariri do not, as I have noted, +despise the indecency. + +[FN#273] "'Long beard and little wits," is a saying throughout the East +where the Kausaj (= man with thin, short beard) is looked upon as +cunning and tricksy. There is a venerable Joe Miller about a +schoolmaster who, wishing to singe his long beard short, burnt it off +and his face to boot:—which reminded him of the saying. A thick beard +is defined as one which wholly conceals the skin; and in ceremonial +ablution it must be combed out with the fingers till the water reach +the roots. The Sunnat, or practice of the Prophet, was to wear the +beard not longer than one hand and two fingers' breadth. In Persian +"Kúseh" (thin beard) is an insulting term opposed to "Khush-rísh," a +well-bearded man. The Iranian growth is perhaps the finest in the +world, often extending to the waist; but it gives infinite trouble, +requiring, for instance, a bag when travelling. The Arab beard is often +composed of two tufts on the chin-sides and straggling hairs upon the +cheeks; and this is a severe mortification, especially to Shaykhs and +elders, who not only look upon the beard as one of man's +characteristics, but attach a religious importance to the appendage. +Hence the enormity of Kamar al-Zaman's behaviour. The Persian festival +of the vernal equinox was called Kusehnishín (Thin-beard sitting). An +old man with one eye paraded the streets on an ass with a crow in one +hand and a scourge and fan in the other, cooling himself, flogging the +bystanders and crying heat! heat! (garmá! garmá!). For other +particulars see Richardson (Dissertation, p. Iii.). This is the Italian +Giorno delle Vecchie, Thursday in Mid Lent, March 12 (1885), +celebrating the death of Winter and the birth of Spring. + +[FN#274] I quote Torrens (p. 400) as these lines have occurred in +Night xxxviii. + +[FN#275] Moslems have only two names for week days, Friday, +Al-Jum'ah or meeting-day, and Al-Sabt, Sabbath day, that is +Saturday. The others are known by numbers after Quaker fashion +with us, the usage of Portugal and Scandinavia. + +[FN#276] Our last night. + +[FN#277] Arab. "Tayf"=phantom, the nearest approach to our "ghost," +that queer remnant of Fetishism imbedded in Christianity; the +phantasma, the shade (not the soul) of tile dead. Hence the accurate +Niebuhr declares, "apparitions (i.e., of the departed) are unknown in +Arabia." Haunted houses are there tenanted by Ghuls, Jinns and a host +of supernatural creatures; but not by ghosts proper; and a man may live +years in Arabia before he ever hears of the "Tayf." With the Hindus it +is otherwise (Pilgrimage iii. 144). Yet the ghost, the embodied fear of +the dead and of death is common, in a greater or less degree, to all +peoples; and, as modern Spiritualism proves, that ghost is not yet +laid. + +[FN#278] Mr. Payne (iii. 133) omits the lines which are ŕpropos de rein +and read much like "nonsense verses." I retain them simply because they +are in the text. + +[FN#279] The first two couplets are the quatrain (or octave) in +Night xxxv. + +[FN#280] Arab. "Ar'ar," the Heb. "Aroer," which Luther and the A. +V. translate "heath." The modern Aramaic name is "Lizzáb" +(Unexplored Syria. i. 68). + +[FN#281] In the old version and the Bresl. Edit. (iii. 220) the +Princess beats the "Kahramánah," but does not kill her. + +[FN#282] 'This is still the popular Eastern treatment of the insane. + +[FN#283] Pers. "Marz-bán" = Warden of the Marches, Margrave. The +foster-brother in the East is held dear as, and often dearer than, kith +and kin. + +[FN#284] The moderns believe most in the dawn-dream. + —Quirinus + +Post mediam noctem visus, quum somnia vera. + (Horace Sat. i. 10, 33,) + +[FN#285] The Bresl. Edit. (iii. 223) and Galland have "Torf:" +Lane (ii. 115) "El-Tarf." + +[FN#286] Arab. "Maghzal ;" a more favourite comparison is with a tooth +pick. Both are used by Nizami and Al-Hariri, the most "elegant" of Arab +writers. + +[FN#287] These form a Kasídah, Ode or Elegy= rhymed couplets numbering +more than thirteen: If shorter it is called a "Ghazal." I have not +thought it necessary to preserve the monorhyme. + +[FN#288] Sulaymá dim. of Salmá= any beautiful woman Rabáb = the viol +mostly single stringed: Tan'oum=she who is soft and gentle. These +fictitious names are for his old flames. + +[FN#289] i.e. wine. The distich is highly fanciful and the conceits +would hardly occur to a + +[FN#290] Arab. "Andam," a term applied to Brazil-wood (also called +"Bakkam") and to "dragon's blood," but not, I think, to tragacanth, the +"goat's thorn," which does not dye. Andam is often mentioned in The +Nights. + +[FN#291] The superior merit of the first (explorer, etc.) is a lieu +commun with Arabs. So Al-Hariri in Preface quotes his predecessor:— + + Justly of praise the price I pay; + The praise is his who leads the way. + +[FN#292] There were two Lukmans, of whom more in a future page. + +[FN#293] This symbolic action is repeatedly mentioned in The +Nights. + +[FN#294] Arab. "Shakhs"=a person, primarily a dark spot. So +"Sawád"=blackness, in Al-Hariri means a group of people who darken the +ground by their shade. + +[FN#295] The first bath after sickness, I have said, is called +"Ghusl al-Sihhah,"—the Washing of Health. + +[FN#296] The words "malady" and "disease" are mostly avoided during +these dialogues as ill-omened words which may bring on a relapse. + +[FN#297] Solomon's carpet of green silk which carried him and all his +host through the air is a Talmudic legend generally accepted in +Al-Islam though not countenanced by the Koran. chaps xxvii. When the +"gnat's wing" is mentioned, the reference is to Nimrod who, for +boasting that he was lord of all, was tortured during four hundred +years by a gnat sent by Allah up his ear or nostril. + +[FN#298] The absolute want of morality and filial affection in the +chaste young man is supposed to be caused by the violence of his +passion, and he would be pardoned because he "loved much." + +[FN#299] I have noticed the geomantic process in my "History of Sindh" +(chaps. vii.). It is called "Zarb al-Ram!" (strike the sand, the French +say "frapper le sable") because the rudest form is to make on the +ground dots at haphazard, usually in four lines one above the other: +these are counted and, if even-numbered, two are taken ( ** ); if odd +one ( * ); and thus the four lines will form a scheme say * * * * +* * This is repeated three times, producing the same number of +figures; and then the combination is sought in an explanatory table or, +if the practitioner be expert, he pronounces off-hand. The Nights speak +of a "Takht Raml" or a board, like a schoolboy's slate, upon which the +dots are inked instead of points in sand. The moderns use a "Kura'h," +or oblong die, upon whose sides the dots, odd and even, are marked; and +these dice are hand-thrown to form the e figure. By way of complication +Geomancy is mixed up with astrology and then it becomes a most +complicated kind of ariolation and an endless study. "Napoleon's Book +of Fate," a chap-book which appeared some years ago, was Geomancy in +its simplest and most ignorant shape. For the rude African form see my +Mission to Dahome, i. 332, and for that of Darfour, pp. 360-69 of +Shaykh Mohammed's Voyage before quoted. + +[FN#300] Translators understand this of writing marriage contracts; I +take it in a more general sense. + +[FN#301] These lines are repeated from Night Ixxv.: with Mr. Payne's +permission I give his rendering (iii. 153) by way of variety. + +[FN#302] The comparison is characteristically Arab. + +[FN#303] Not her "face": the head, and especially the back of the head, +must always be kept covered, even before the father. + +[FN#304] Arab. "Siwák"=a tooth-stick; "Siwá-ka"=lit. other than thou. + +[FN#305] Arab. "Arák"=tooth stick of the wild caper-tree; "Ará-ka" +lit.=I see thee. The capparis spinosa is a common desert-growth and the +sticks about a span long (usually called Miswák), are sold in +quantities at Meccah after being dipped in Zemzem water. In India many +other woods are used, date-tree, Salvadora, Achyrantes, phyllanthus, +etc. Amongst Arabs peculiar efficacy accompanies the tooth-stick of +olive, "the tree springing from Mount Sinai" (Koran xxiii. 20); and +Mohammed would use no other, because it prevents decay and scents the +mouth. Hence Koran, chaps. xcv. 1. The "Miswák" is held with the unused +end between the ring-finger and minimus, the two others grasp the +middle and the thumb is pressed against the back close to the lips. +These articles have long been sold at the Medical Hall near the +"Egyptian Hall," Piccadilly. They are better than our unclean +tooth-brushes because each tooth gets its own especial rubbing' not a +general sweep; at the same time the operation is longer and more +troublesome. In parts of Africa as well as Asia many men walk about +with the tooth-stick hanging by a string from the neck. + +[FN#306] The "Mehari," of which the Algerine-French speak, are the +dromedaries bred by the Mahrah tribe of Al-Yaman, the descendants of +Mahrat ibn Haydan. They are covered by small wild camels (?) called +Al-Húsh, found between Oman and Al-Shihr: others explain the word to +mean "stallions of the Jinns " and term those savage and supernatural +animals, "Najáib al-Mahriyah"nobles of the Mahrah. + +[FN#307] Arab. "Khaznah"=a thousand purses; now about Ł5000. It denotes +a large sum of money, like the "Badrah," a purse containing 10,000 +dirhams of silver (Al-Hariri), or 80,000 (Burckhardt Prov. 380); +whereas the "Nisáb" is a moderate sum of money, gen. 20 gold dinars=200 +silver dirhams. + +[FN#308] As The Nights show, Arabs admire slender forms; but the hips +and hinder cheeks must be highly developed and the stomach fleshy +rather than lean. The reasons are obvious. The Persians who exaggerate +everything say e.g. (Husayn Váiz in the Anvár-i-Suhayli):— + + How paint her hips and waist ? Who saw + A mountain (Koh) dangling to a straw (káh)? + +In Antar his beloved Abla is a tamarisk (T. Orientalis). Others compare +with the palm-tree (Solomon), the Cypress (Persian, esp. Hafiz and +Firdausi) and the Arák or wild Capparis (Arab.). + +[FN#309] Ubi aves ibi angel). All African travellers know that a few +birds flying about the bush, and a few palm-trees waving in the wind, +denote the neighbourhood of a village or a camp (where angels are +scarce). The reason is not any friendship for man but because food, +animal and vegetable, is more plentiful Hence Albatrosses, Mother +Carey's (Mater Cara, the Virgin) chickens, and Cape pigeons follow +ships. + +[FN#310] The stanza is called Al-Mukhammas=cinquains; the quatrains and +the "bob," or "burden" always preserve the same consonance. It ends +with a Koranic lieu commun of Moslem morality. + +[FN#311] Moslem port towns usually have (or had) only two gates. Such +was the case with Bayrut, Tyre, Sidon and a host of others; the +faubourg-growth of modern days has made these obsolete. The portals +much resemble the entrances of old Norman castles—Arques for instance. +(Pilgrimage i. 185.) + +[FN#312] Arab. "Lisám"; before explained. + +[FN#313] i.e. Life of Souls (persons, etc.). + +[FN#314] Arab. "Insánu-há"=her (i.e. their) man: i.e. the babes of the +eyes: the Assyrian Ishon, dim. of Ish=Man; which the Hebrews call +"Bábat" or "Bit" (the daughter) the Arabs "Bubu (or Hadakat) al-Aye"; +the Persians "Mardumak-i-chashm" (mannikin of the eye); the Greeks +and the Latins pupa, pupula, pupilla. I have noted this in the Lyricks +of Camoens (p. 449). + +[FN#315] Ma'an bin Zá'idah, a soldier and statesman of the eighth +century. + +[FN#316] The mildness of the Caliph Mu'áwiyah, the founder of the +Ommiades, proverbial among the Arabs, much resembles the "meekness" of +Moses the Law-giver, which commentators seem to think has been foisted +into Numbers xii. 3. + +[FN#317] Showing that there had been no consummation of the marriage +which would have demanded "Ghusl," or total ablution, at home or in the +Hammam. + +[FN#318] I have noticed this notable desert-growth. + +[FN#319] 'The "situation" is admirable, solution appearing so difficult +and catastrophe imminent. + +[FN#320] This quatrain occurs in Night ix.: I have borrowed from +Torrens (p. 79) by way of variety. + +[FN#321] The belief that young pigeon's blood resembles the virginal +discharge is universal; but the blood most resembling man's is that of +the pig which in other points is so very human. In our day Arabs and +Hindus rarely submit to inspection the nuptial sheet as practiced by +the Israelites and Persians. The bride takes to bed a white kerchief +with which she staunches the blood and next morning the stains are +displayed in the Harem. In Darfour this is done by the bridegroom. +"Prima Venus debet esse cruenta," say the Easterns with much truth, and +they have no faith in our complaisant creed which allows the +hymen-membrane to disappear by any but one accident. + +[FN#322] Not meaning the two central divisions commanded by the +King and his Wazir. + +[FN#323] Ironicč. + +[FN#324] Arab. "Rasy"=praising in a funeral sermon. + +[FN#325] Arab. "Manáyá," plur. of "Maniyat" = death. Mr. R. S. Poole +(the Academy, April 26, 1879) reproaches Mr. Payne for confounding +"Muniyat" (desire) with "Maniyat" (death) but both are written the same +except when vowel-points are used. + +[FN#326] Arab. "Iddat," alluding to the months of celibacy which, +according to Moslem law, must be passed by a divorced woman before she +can re-marry. + +[FN#327] Arab. "Talák bi'l-Salásah"=a triple divorce which cannot be +revoked; nor can the divorcer re-marry the same woman till after +consummation with another husband. This subject will continually recur. + +[FN#328] An allusion to a custom of the pagan Arabs in the days of +ignorant Heathenism The blood or brain, soul or personality of the +murdered man formed a bird called Sady or Hámah (not the Humá or Humái, +usually translated "phnix") which sprang from the head, where four of +the five senses have their seat, and haunted his tomb, crying +continually, "Uskúni!"=Give me drink (of the slayer's blood) ! and +which disappeared only when the vendetta was accomplished. Mohammed +forbade the belief. Amongst the Southern Slavs the cuckoo is supposed +to be the sister of a murdered man ever calling or vengeance. + +[FN#329] To obtain a blessing and show how he valued it. + +[FN#330] Well-known tribes of proto-historic Arabs who flourished +before the time of Abraham: see Koran (chaps. xxvi. et passim). They +will be repeatedly mentioned in The Nights and notes. + +[FN#331] Arab. "Amtár"; plur. of "Matr," a large vessel of leather or +wood for water, etc. + +[FN#332] Arab. "Asáfírí," so called because they attract sparrows +(asáfír) a bird very fond of the ripe oily fruit. In the Romance of +"Antar" Asáfír camels are beasts that fly like birds in fleetness. The +reader must not confound the olives of the text with the hard unripe +berries ("little plums pickled in stale") which appear at English +tables, nor wonder that bread and olives are the beef-steak and +potatoes of many Mediterranean peoples It is an excellent diet, the +highly oleaginous fruit supplying the necessary carbon, + +[FN#333] Arab. "Tamer al-Hindi"=the "Indian-date," whence our word +"Tamarind." A sherbet of the pods, being slightly laxative, is much +drunk during the great heats; and the dried fruit, made into small +round cakes, is sold in the bazars. The traveller is advised not to +sleep under the tamarind's shade, which is infamous for causing ague +and fever. In Sind I derided the "native nonsense," passed the night +under an "Indian date-tree" and awoke with a fine specimen of ague +which lasted me a week. + +[FN#334] Moslems are not agreed upon the length of the Day of Doom when +all created things, marshalled by the angels, await final judgment; the +different periods named are 40 years, 70, 300 and 50,000. Yet the trial +itself will last no longer than while one may milk an ewe, or than "the +space between two milkings of a she-camel." This is bringing down +Heaven to Earth with a witness; but, after all, the Heaven of all +faiths, including "Spiritualism," the latest development, is only an +earth more or less glorified even as the Deity is humanity more or less +perfected. + +[FN#335] Arab. "Al-Kamaráni," lit. "the two moons." Arab rhetoric +prefers it to "Shamsáni," or {`two suns," because lighter (akhaff), to +pronounce. So, albeit Omar was less worthy than Abu-Bakr the two are +called "Al-Omaráni," in vulgar parlance, Omarayn. + +[FN#336] Alluding to the angels who appeared to the Sodomites in the +shape of beautiful youths (Koran xi.). + +[FN#337] Koran xxxiii. 38. + +[FN#338] "Niktu-hu taklidan" i.e. not the real thing (with a woman). It +may also mean "by his incitement of me." All this scene is written in +the worst form of Persian-Egyptian blackguardism, and forms a curious +anthropological study. The "black joke" of the true and modest wife is +inimitable. + +[FN#339] Arab. "Jamíz" (in Egypt "Jammayz") = the fruit of the true +sycomore (F. Sycomorus) a magnificent tree which produces a small +tasteless fig, eaten by the poorer classes in Egypt and by monkeys. The +"Tín" or real fig here is the woman's parts; the "mulberry- fig," the +anus. Martial (i. 65) makes the following distinction:— + + Dicemus ficus, quas scimus in arbore nasci, + Dicemus ficos, Caeciliane, tuos. + +And Modern Italian preserves a difference between fico and fica. + +[FN#340] Arab. "Ghániyat Azárá" (plur. of Azrá = virgin): the former is +properly a woman who despises ornaments and relies on "beauty +unadorned" (i.e. in bed). + +[FN#341] "Nihil usitatius apud monachos, cardinales, sacrificulos," +says Johannes de la Casa Beneventius Episcopus, quoted by Burton Anat. +of Mel. lib. iii. Sect. 2; and the famous epitaph on the Jesuit, + + Ci-git un Jesuite: + Passant, serre les fesses et passe vite! + +[FN#342] Arab. "Kiblah"=the fronting-place of prayer, Meccah for +Moslems, Jerusalem for Jews and early Christians. See Pilgrimage (ii. +321) for the Moslem change from Jerusalem to Meccah and ibid. (ii. 213) +for the way in which the direction was shown. + +[FN#343] The Koran says (chaps. ii.): "Your wives are your tillage: go +in therefore unto your tillage in what manner so ever ye will." Usually +this is understood as meaning in any posture, standing or sitting, +lying, backwards or forwards. Yet there is a popular saying about the +man whom the woman rides (vulg. St. George, in France, le Postillon); +"Cursed be who maketh woman Heaven and himself earth!" Some hold the +Koranic passage to have been revealed in confutation of the Jews, who +pretended that if a man lay with his wife backwards, he would beget a +cleverer child. Others again understand it of preposterous venery, +which is absurd: every ancient law-giver framed his code to increase +the true wealth of the people—population—and severely punished all +processes, like onanism, which impeded it. The Persians utilise the +hatred of women for such misuse when they would force a wive to demand +a divorce and thus forfeit her claim to Mahr (dowry); they convert them +into catamites till, after a month or so, they lose all patience and +leave the house. + +[FN#344] Koran lit 9: "He will be turned aside from the Faith (or +Truth) who shall be turned aside by the Divine decree;" alluding, in +the text, to the preposterous venery her lover demands. + +[FN#345] Arab. "Futúh" meaning openings, and also victories, benefits. +The lover congratulates her on her mortifying self in order to please +him. + +[FN#346] "And the righteous work will be exalt": (Koran xxxv. 11) +applied ironically. + +[FN#347] A prolepsis of Tommy Moore:— + + Your mother says, my little Venus, + There's something not quite right between us, + And you're in fault as much as I, + Now, on my soul, my little Venus, + I swear 'twould not be right between us, + To let your mother tell a lie. + +But the Arab is more moral than Mr. Little. as he purposes to repent. + +[FN#348] Arab. "Khunsa" flexible or flaccid, from Khans=bending +inwards, i.e. the mouth of a water-skin before drinking. Like +Mukhannas, it is also used for an effeminate man, a passive sodomite +and even for a eunuch. Easterns still believe in what Westerns know to +be an impossibility, human beings with the parts and proportions of +both sexes equally developed and capable of reproduction; and Al-Islam +even provides special rules for them (Pilgrimage iii. 237). We hold +them to be Buffon's fourth class of (duplicate) monsters belonging +essentially to one or the other sex, and related to its opposite only +by some few characteristics. The old Greeks dreamed, after their +fashion, a beautiful poetic dream of a human animal uniting the +contradictory beauties of man and woman. The duality of the generative +organs seems an old Egyptian tradition, at least we find it in Genesis +(i. 27) where the image of the Deity is created male and female, before +man was formed out of the dust of the ground (ii. 7). The old tradition +found its way to India (if the Hindus did not borrow the idea from the +Greeks); and one of the forms of Mahadeva, the third person of their +triad, is entitled "Ardhanárí"=the Half-woman, which has suggested to +them some charming pictures. Europeans, seeing the left breast +conspicuously feminine, have indulged in silly surmises about the +"Amazons." + +[FN#349] This is a mere phrase for our "dying of laughter": the queen +was on her back. And as Easterns sit on carpets, their falling back is +very different from the same movement off a chair. + +[FN#350] Arab. "Ismid," the eye-powder before noticed. + +[FN#351] When the Caliph (e.g. Al-Tá'i li'llah) bound a banner to a +spear and handed it to an officer, he thereby appointed him Sultan or +Viceregent. + +[FN#352] Arab. "Sháib al-ingház"=lit. a gray beard who shakes head in +disapproval. + +[FN#353] Arab. "Ayát" = the Hebr. "Ototh," signs, wonders or +Koranic verses. + +[FN#354] The Chapter "Al-Ikhlás" i.e. clearing (oneself from any faith +but that of Unity) is No. cxii. and runs thus:— + + Say, He is the One God! + The sempiternal God, + He begetteth not, nor is He begot, + And unto Him the like is not. + +It is held to be equal in value to one-third of the Koran, and is daily +used in prayer. Mr. Rodwell makes it the tenth. + +[FN#355] The Lady Budur shows her noble blood by not objecting to her +friend becoming her Zarrat (sister-wife). This word is popularly +derived from "Zarar"=injury; and is vulgarly pronounced in Egypt +"Durrah" sounding like Durrah = a parrot (see Burckhardt's mistake in +Prov. 314). The native proverb says, "Ayshat al-durrah murrah," the +sister-wife hath a bitter life. We have no English equivalent; so I +translate indifferently co-wife, co-consort, sister-wife or sister in +wedlock. + +[FN#356] Lane preserves the article "El-Amjad" and "El-As'ad;" which is +as necessary as to say "the John" or "the James," because neo-Latins +have "il Giovanni" or "il Giacomo." In this matter of the article, +however, it is impossible to lay down a universal rule: in some cases +it must be preserved and only practice in the language can teach its +use. For instance, it is always present in Al-Bahrayn and al-Yaman; but +not necessarily so with Irak and Najd. + +[FN#357] It is hard to say why this ugly episode was introduced. +It is a mere false note in a tune pretty enough. + +[FN#358] The significance of this action will presently appear. + +[FN#359] An "Hadís." + +[FN#360] Arab. "Sabb" = using the lowest language of abuse. chiefly +concerning women-relatives and their reproductive parts. + +[FN#361] The reader will note in the narration concerning the two +Queens the parallelism of the Arab's style which recalls that of the +Hebrew poets. Strings of black silk are plaited into the long locks (an +"idiot-fringe" being worn over the brow) because a woman is cursed "who +joineth her own hair to the hair of another" (especially human hair). +Sending the bands is a sign of affectionate submission; and, in +extremes" cases the hair itself is sent. + +[FN#362] i.e., suffer similar pain at the spectacle, a phrase often +occurring. + +[FN#363] i.e., when the eye sees not, the heart grieves not. + +[FN#364] i.e., unto Him we shall return, a sentence recurring in almost +every longer chapter of the Koran. + +[FN#365] Arab. "Kun," the creative Word (which, by the by, proves the +Koran to be an uncreated Logos); the full sentence being "Kun fa kána" += Be! and it became. The origin is evidently, "And God said, Let there +be light: and there was light" (Gen. i. 3); a line grand in its +simplicity and evidently borrowed from the Egyptians, even as Yahveh +(Jehovah) from "Ankh"=He who lives (Brugsch Hist. ii. 34). + +[FN#366] i.e. but also for the life and the so-called "soul." + +[FN#367] Arab. "Layáli"=lit. nights which, I have said, is often +applied to the whole twenty-four hours. Here it is used in the sense of +"fortune" or "fate ;" like "days" and "days and nights." + +[FN#368] Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr a nephew of Ayishah, who had rebuilt +the Ka'abah in A.H. 64 (A.D. 683), revolted (A.D. 680) against Yezid +and was proclaimed Caliph at Meccah. He was afterwards killed (A.D. +692) by the famous or infamous Hajjáj general of Abd al-Malik bin +Marwan, the fifth Ommiade, surnamed "Sweat of a stone" (skin-flint) and +"Father of Flies," from his foul breath. See my Pilgrimage, etc. (iii. +192-194), where are explained the allusions to the Ka'abah and the holy +Black Stone. + +[FN#369] These lines are part of an elegy on the downfall of one of the +Moslem dynasties in Spain, composed in the twelfth century by Ibn Abdun +al-Andalúsi. The allusion is to the famous conspiracy of the Khárijites +(the first sectarians in Mohammedanism) to kill Ah, Mu'awiyah and Amru +(so written but pronounced "Amr") al-As, in order to abate intestine +feuds m Al-Islam. Ali was slain with a sword-cut by Ibn Muljam a name +ever damnable amongst the Persians; Mu'awiyah escaped with a wound and +Kharijah, the Chief of Police at Fustat or old Cairo was murdered by +mistake for Amru. After this the sectarian wars began. + +[FN#370] Arab. "Saráb"= (Koran, chaps. xxiv.) the reek of the Desert, +before explained. It is called "Lama," the shine, the loom, in +Al-Hariri. The world is compared with the mirage, the painted eye and +the sword that breaks in the sworder's hand. + +[FN#371] Arab. "Dunyá," with the common alliteration "dániyah" (=Pers. +"dún"), in prose as well as poetry means the things or fortune of this +life opp. to "Akhirah"=future life. + +[FN#372] Arab. "Walgh," a strong expression primarily denoting the +lapping of dogs; here and elsewhere "to swill, saufen." + +[FN#373] The lines are repeated from Night ccxxi. I give Lane's version +(ii. 162) by way of contrast and—warning. + +[FN#374] "Sáhirah" is the place where human souls will be gathered on +Doom-day: some understand by it the Hell Sa'ír (No. iv.) intended for +the Sabians or the Devils generally. + +[FN#375] His eyes are faded like Jacob's which, after weeping for +Joseph, "became white with mourning" (Koran, chaps. xxi.). It is a +stock comparison. + +[FN#376] The grave. + +[FN#377] Arab. "Sawwán" (popularly pronounced Suwán) ="Syenite" from +Syrene; generally applied to silex, granite or any hard stone. + +[FN#378] A proceeding fit only for thieves and paupers: "Alpinism" was +then unknown. "You come from the mountain" (al-Jabal) means, "You are a +clod-hopper"; and "I will sit upon the mountain"=turn anchorite or +magician. (Pilgrimage i. 106.) + +[FN#379] Corresponding with wayside chapels in Catholic countries. The +Moslem form would be either a wall with a prayer niche (Mibráb) +fronting Meccah-wards or a small domed room. These little oratories are +often found near fountains, streams or tree-clumps where travellers +would be likely to alight. I have described one in Sind ("Scinde or the +Unhappy Valley" i. 79), and have noted that scrawling on the walls is +even more common in the East than in the West; witness the monuments of +old Egypt bescribbled by the Greeks and Romans. Even the paws of the +Sphinx are covered with such graffiti; and those of Ipsambul or Abu +Símbal have proved treasures to epigraphists. + +[FN#380] In tales this characterises a Persian; and Hero Rustam is +always so pictured. + +[FN#381] The Parsis, who are the representatives of the old Guebres, +turn towards the sun and the fire as their Kiblah or point of prayer; +all deny that they worship it. But, as in the case of saints' images, +while the educated would pray before them for edification (Labia) the +ignorant would adore them (Dulia); and would make scanty difference +between the "reverence of a servant" and the "reverence of a slave." +The human sacrifice was quite contrary to Guebre, although not to +Hindu, custom; although hate and vengeance might prompt an occasional +murder. + +[FN#382] These oubliettes are common in old eastern houses as in the +medieval Castles of Europe, and many a stranger has met his death in +them. They are often so well concealed that even the modern inmates are +not aware of their existence. + +[FN#383] Arab. "Bakk"; hence our "bug" whose derivation (like that of +"cat" "dog" and "hog") is apparently unknown to the dictionaries, +always excepting M. Littré's. + +[FN#384] i.e. thy beauty is ever increasing. + +[FN#385] Alluding, as usual, to the eye-lashes, e.g. + +An eyelash arrow from an eyebrow bow. + +[FN#386] Lane (ii. 168) reads:—"The niggardly female is protected by +her niggardness;" a change of "Nahílah" (bee-hive) into "Bakhílah" (she +skin flint). + +[FN#387] Koran iv. 38. The advantages are bodily strength, +understanding and the high privilege of Holy War. Thus far, and thus +far only, woman amongst Moslems is "lesser + +[FN#388] Arab. "Amir Yákhúr," a corruption of "Akhor"=stable +(Persian). + +[FN#389] A servile name in Persian, meaning "the brave," and a title of +honour at the Court of Delhi when following the name. Many English +officers have made themselves ridiculous (myself amongst the number) by +having it engraved on their seal-rings, e.g. Brown Sáhib Bahádur. To +write the word "Behadir" or "Bahádir" is to adopt the wretched Turkish +corruption. + +[FN#390] "Jerry Sneak" would be the English reader's comment; but in +the East all charges are laid upon women. + +[FN#391] Here the formula means "I am sorry for it, but I couldn't help +it." + +[FN#392] A noble name of the Persian Kings (meaning the planet +Mars) corrupted in Europe to Varanes. + +[FN#393] Arab. "Jalláb," one of the three muharramát or forbiddens, the +Hárik al-hajar (burner of stone) the Káti' al-shajar (cutter of trees, +without reference to Hawarden N. B.) and the Báyi' al-bashar (seller of +men, vulg. Jalláb). The two former worked, like the Italian Carbonari, +in desert places where they had especial opportunities for crime. +(Pilgrimage iii. 140.) None of these things must be practiced during +Pilgrimage on the holy soil of Al-Hijaz—not including Jeddah. + +[FN#394] The verses contain the tenets of the Murjiy sect which +attaches infinite importance to faith and little or none to works. Sale +(sect. viii.) derives his "Morgians" from the "Jabrians" (Jabari), who +are the direct opponents of the "Kadarians" (Kadari), denying free will +and free agency to man and ascribing his actions wholly to Allah. Lane +(ii. 243) gives the orthodox answer to the heretical question:— + +Water could wet him not if God please guard His own; * + Nor need man care though bound of hands in sea he's thrown: +But if His Lord decree that he in sea be drowned; * + He'll drown albeit in the wild and wold he wone. + +It is the old quarrel between Predestination and Freewill which cannot +be solved except by assuming a Law without a Lawgiver. + +[FN#395] Our proverb says: Give a man luck and throw him into the sea. + +[FN#396] As a rule Easterns, I repeat, cover head and face when +sleeping especially in the open air and moonlight. Europeans find the +practice difficult, and can learn it only by long habit. + +[FN#397] Pers. = a flower-garden. In Galland, Bahram has two daughters, +Bostama and Cavam a. In the Bres. Edit. the daughter is "Bostan" and +the slave-girl "Kawám." + +[FN#398] Arab. "Kahíl"=eyes which look as if darkened with antimony: +hence the name of the noble Arab breed of horses "Kuhaylat" (Al-Ajuz, +etc.). + +[FN#399] "As'ad"=more (or most) fortunate. + +[FN#400] This is the vulgar belief, although Mohammed expressly +disclaimed the power in the Koran (chaps. xiii. 8), "Thou art +commissioned to be a preacher only and not a worker of miracles." +"Signs" (Arab. Ayát) may here also mean verses of the Koran, which the +Apostle of Allah held to be his standing miracles. He despised the +common miracula which in the East are of everyday occurrence and are +held to be easy for any holy man. Hume does not believe in miracles +because he never saw one. Had he travelled in the East he would have +seen (and heard of) so many that his scepticism (more likely that +testimony should be false than miracles be true) would have been based +on a firmer foundation. It is one of the marvels of our age that whilst +two-thirds of Christendom (the Catholics and the "Orthodox" Greeks) +believe in "miracles" occurring not only in ancient but even in our +present days, the influential and intelligent third (Protestant) +absolutely "denies the fact." + +[FN#401] Arab. "Al-Shahádatáni"; testifying the Unity and the + +Apostleship. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 3, by Richard F. Burton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT *** + +***** This file should be named 3437-0.txt or 3437-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/3/3437/ + +This etext was produced by J.C. Byers. Proofreaders were: J.C. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.12.12.00*END* + + + + + +This etext was scanned by JC Byers +(http://www.capitalnet.com/~jcbyers/index.htm)and +proofread by Doris Ringbloom, Sara Vazirian, Diane Doerfler, +Nancy Bloomquist, and JC Byers. + + + + + + + THE BOOK OF THE + THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT + A Plain and Literal Translation + of the Arabian Nights Entertainments + + Translated and Annotated by + Richard F. Burton + + VOLUME THREE + Privately Printed By The Burton Club + + + + Inscribed to the Memory + of + A Friend + Who + During A Friendship of Twenty-Six Years + Ever Showed Me The Most + Unwearied Kindness, + Richard Monckton Milnes + Baron Houghton. + + + Contents of the Third Volume + + +The Tale of King Omar Bin Al-Nu'uman and His Sons Sharrkan and +Zau Al-Makan (cont) + aa. Continuation of the Tale of Aziz and Azizah + b. Tale of the Hashish Eater + c. Tale of Hammad the Badawi +10. The Birds and Beasts and the Carpenter +11. The Hermits +12. The Water-Fowl and the Tortoise +13. The Wolf and the Fox + a. Tale of the Falcon and the Partridge +14. The Mouse and the Ichneumon +15. The Cat and the Crow +16. The Fox and the Crow + a. The Flea and the Mouse + b. The Saker and the Birds + c. The Sparrow and the Eagle +17. The Hedgehog and the Wood Pigeons + a. The Merchant and the Two Sharpers +18. The Thief and His Monkey + a. The Foolish Weaver +19. The Sparrow and the Peacock +20. Ali Bin Bakkar and Shams Al-Nahar +21. Tale of Kamar Al-Zaman + + + + + + + The Book Of The + THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT + + + + + When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Night + +Shahrazad continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that +Aziz pursued to Taj al-Muluk: Then I entered the flower garden +and made for the pavilion, where I found the daughter of Dalilah +the Wily One, sitting with head on knee and hand to cheek. Her +colour was changed and her eyes were sunken; but, when she saw +me, she exclaimed, "Praised be Allah for thy safety!" And she was +minded to rise but fell down for joy. I was abashed before her +and hung my head; presently, however, I went up to her and kissed +her and asked, "How knewest thou that I should come to thee this +very night?" She answered, "I knew it not! By Allah, this whole +year past I have not tasted the taste of sleep, but have watched +through every night, expecting thee; and such hath been my case +since the day thou wentest out from me and I gave thee the new +suit of clothes, and thou promisedst me to go to the Hammam and +to come back! So I sat awaiting thee that night and a second +night and a third night; but thou camest not till after so great +delay, and I ever expecting thy coming; for this is lovers' way. +And now I would have thee tell me what hath been the cause of +thine absence from me the past year long?" So I told her. And +when she knew that I was married, her colour waxed yellow, and I +added, "I have come to thee this night but I must leave thee +before day." Quoth she, "Doth it not suffice her that she tricked +thee into marrying her and kept thee prisoner with her a whole +year, but she must also make thee swear by the oath of divorce, +that thou wilt return to her on the same night before morning, +and not allow thee to divert thyself with thy mother or me, nor +suffer thee to pass one night with either of us, away from her? +How then must it be with one from whom thou hast been absent a +full year, and I knew thee before she did? But Allah have mercy +on thy cousin Azizah, for there befel her what never befel any +and she bore what none other ever bore and she died by thy ill +usage; yet 'twas she who protected thee against me. Indeed, I +thought thou didst love me, so I let thee take thine own way; +else had I not suffered thee to go safe in a sound skin, when I +had it in my power to clap thee in jail and even to slay thee." +Then she wept with sore weeping and waxed wroth and shuddered in +my face with skin bristling[FN#1] and looked at me with furious +eyes. When I saw her in this case I was terrified at her and my +side muscles trembled and quivered, for she was like a dreadful +she Ghul, an ogress in ire, and I like a bean over the fire. +Then said she, "Thou art of no use to me, now thou art married +and hast a child; nor art thou any longer fit for my company; I +care only for bachelors and not for married men:[FN#2] these +profit us nothing Thou hast sold me for yonder stinking armful; +but, by Allah, I will make the whore's heart ache for thee, and +thou shalt not live either for me or for her!" Then she cried a +loud cry and, ere I could think, up came the slave girls and +threw me on the ground; and when I was helpless under their hands +she rose and, taking a knife, said, "I will cut thy throat as +they slaughter he goats; and that will be less than thy desert, +for thy doings to me and the daughter of thy uncle before me." +When I looked to my life and found myself at the mercy of her +slave women, with my cheeks dust soiled, and saw her sharpen the +knife, I made sure of death.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir +Dandan thus continued his tale to Zau al-Makan: Then quoth the +youth Aziz to Taj al-Muluk, Now when I found my life at the mercy +of her slave women with my cheeks dust soiled, and I saw her +sharpen the knife, I made sure of death and cried out to her for +mercy. But she only redoubled in ferocity and ordered the slave +girls to pinion my hands behind me, which they did; and, throwing +me on my back, she seated herself on my middle and held down my +head. Then two of them came up and squatted on my shin bones, +whilst other two grasped my hands and arms; and she summoned a +third pair and bade them beat me. So they beat me till I fainted +and my voice failed. When I revived, I said to myself, " 'Twere +easier and better for me to have my gullet slit than to be beaten +on this wise!" And I remembered the words of my cousin, and how +she used to say to me, "Allah, keep thee from her mischief!"; and +I shrieked and wept till my voice failed and I remained without +power to breathe or to move. Then she again whetted the knife +and said to the slave girls, "Uncover him." Upon this the Lord +inspired me to repeat to her the two phrases my cousin had taught +me, and had bequeathed to me, and I said, "O my lady, dost thou +not know that Faith is fair, Unfaith is foul?" When she heard +this, she cried out and said, "Allah pity thee, Azizah, and give +thee Paradise in exchange for thy wasted youth! By Allah, of a +truth she served thee in her life time and after her death, and +now she hath saved thee alive out of my hands with these two +saws. Nevertheless, I cannot by any means leave thee thus, but +needs must I set my mark on thee, to spite yonder brazen faced +piece, who hath kept thee from me." There upon she called out to +the slave women and bade them bind my feet with cords and then +said to them, "Take seat on him!" They did her bidding, upon +which she arose and fetched a pan of copper and hung it over the +brazier and poured into it oil of sesame, in which she fried +cheese.[FN#3] Then she came up to me (and I still insensible) +and, unfastening my bag trousers, tied a cord round my testicles +and, giving it to two of her women, bade them trawl at it. They +did so, and I swooned away and was for excess of pain in a world +other than this. Then she came with a razor of steel and cut off +my member masculine,[FN#4] so that I remained like a woman: after +which she seared the wound with the boiling and rubbed it with a +powder, and I the while unconscious. Now when I came to myself, +the blood had stopped; so she bade the slave girls unbind me and +made me drink a cup of wine. Then said she to me, "Go now to her +whom thou hast married and who grudged me a single night, and the +mercy of Allah be on thy cousin Azizah, who saved thy life and +never told her secret love! Indeed, haddest thou not repeated +those words to me, I had surely slit thy weasand. Go forth this +instant to whom thou wilt, for I needed naught of thee save what +I have just cut off; and now I have no part in thee, nor have I +any further want of thee or care for thee. So begone about thy +business and rub thy head[FN#5] and implore mercy for the +daughter of thine uncle!" Thereupon she kicked me with her foot +and I rose, hardly able to walk; and I went, little by little, +till I came to the door of our house. I saw it was open, so I +threw myself within it and fell down in a fainting fit; whereupon +my wife came out and lifting me up, carried me into the saloon +and assured herself that I had become like a woman. Then I fell +into a sleep and a deep sleep; and when I awoke, I found myself +thrown down at the garden gate,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir +Dandan pursued to King Zau al-Makan, The youth Aziz thus +continued his story to Taj al-Muluk: When I awoke and found +myself thrown down at the garden gate, I rose, groaning for pain +and misery, and made my way to our home and entering, I came upon +my mother weeping for me, and saying, "Would I knew, O my son, in +what land art thou?" So I drew near and threw myself upon her, +and when she looked at me and felt me, she knew that I was ill; +for my face was coloured black and tan. Then I thought of my +cousin and all the kind offices she had been wont to do me, and I +learned when too late that she had truly loved me; so I wept for +her and my mother wept also Presently she said to me, "O my son, +thy sire is dead." At this my fury against Fate redoubled, and I +cried till I fell into a fit. When I came to myself, I looked at +the place where my cousin Azizah had been used to sit and shed +tears anew, till I all but fainted once more for excess of +weeping; and I ceased not to cry and sob and wail till midnight, +when my mother said to me, "Thy father hath been dead these ten +days." "I shall never think of any one but my cousin Azizah," +replied I; "and indeed I deserve all that hath befallen me, for +that I neglected her who loved me with love so dear." Asked she, +"What hath befallen thee?" So I told her all that had happened +and she wept awhile, then she rose and set some matter of meat +and drink before me. I ate a little and drank, after which I +repeated my story to her, and told her the whole occurrence; +whereupon she exclaimed, "Praised be Allah, that she did but this +to thee and forbore to slaughter thee!" Then she nursed me and +medicined me till I regained my health; and, when my recovery was +complete, she said to me, "O my son, I will now bring out to thee +that which thy cousin committed to me in trust for thee; for it +is thine. She swore me not to give it thee, till I should see +thee recalling her to mind and weeping over her and thy +connection severed from other than herself; and now I know that +these conditions are fulfilled in thee." So she arose, and +opening a chest, took out this piece of linen, with the figures +of gazelles worked thereon, which I had given to Azizah in time +past; and taking it I found written therein these couplets, + +"Lady of beauty, say, who taught thee hard and harsh design, * + To slay with longing Love's excess this hapless lover thine? +An thou fain disremember me beyond our parting day, * Allah will + know, that thee and thee my memory never shall tyne. +Thou blamest me with bitter speech yet sweetest 'tis to me; * + Wilt generous be and deign one day to show of love a sign? +I had not reckoned Love contained so much of pine and pain; * + And soul distress until I came for thee to pain and pine +Never my heart knew weariness, until that eve I fell * In love + wi' thee, and prostrate fell before those glancing eyne! +My very foes have mercy on my case and moan therefor; * But thou, + O heart of Indian steel, all mercy dost decline. +No, never will I be consoled, by Allah, an I die, * Nor yet + forget the love of thee though life in ruins lie!" + +When I read these couplets, I wept with sore weeping and buffeted +my face; then I unfolded the scroll, and there fell from it an +other paper. I opened it and behold, I found written therein, +'Know, O son of my uncle, that I acquit thee of my blood and I +beseech Allah to make accord between thee and her whom thou +lovest; but if aught befal thee through the daughter of Dalilah +the Wily, return thou not to her neither resort to any other +woman and patiently bear thine affliction, for were not thy fated +life tide a long life, thou hadst perished long ago; but praised +be Allah who hath appointed my death day before thine! My peace +be upon thee; preserve this cloth with the gazelles herein +figured and let it not leave thee, for it was my companion when +thou was absent from me;"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir +Dandan pursued to King Zau al-Makan, And the youth Aziz continued +to Taj al-Muluk: So I read what my cousin had written and the +charge to me which was, "Preserve this cloth with the gazelles +and let it not leave thee, for it was my companion when thou west +absent from me and, Allah upon thee! if thou chance to fall in +with her who worked these gazelles, hold aloof from her and do +not let her approach thee nor marry her; and if thou happen not +on her and find no way to her, look thou consort not with any of +her sex. Know that she who wrought these gazelles worketh every +year a gazelle cloth and despatcheth it to far countries, that +her report and the beauty of her broidery, which none in the +world can match, may be bruited abroad. As for thy beloved, the +daughter of Dalilah the Wily, this cloth came to her hand, and +she used to ensnare folk with it, showing it to them and saying, +'I have a sister who wrought this.' But she lied in so saying, +Allah rend her veil! This is my parting counsel; and I have not +charged thee with this charge, but because I know[FN#6] that +after my death the world will be straitened on thee and, haply, +by reason of this, thou wilt leave thy native land and wander in +foreign parts, and hearing of her who wrought these figures, thou +mayest be minded to fore gather with her. Then wilt thou +remember me, when the memory shall not avail thee; nor wilt thou +know my worth till after my death. And, lastly, learn that she +who wrought the gazelles is the daughter of the King of the +Camphor Islands and a lady of the noblest." Now when I had read +that scroll and understood what was written therein, I fell again +to weeping, and my mother wept because I wept, and I ceased not +to gaze upon it and to shed tears till night fall. I abode in +this condition a whole year, at the end of which the merchants, +with whom I am in this cafilah, prepared to set out from my +native town; and my mother counseled me to equip myself and +journey with them, so haply I might be consoled and my sorrow be +dispelled, saying, "Take comfort and put away from thee this +mourning and travel for a year or two or three, till the caravan +return, when perhaps thy breast may be broadened and thy heart +heartened." And she ceased not to persuade me with endearing +words, till I provided myself with merchandise and set out with +the caravan. But all the time of my wayfaring, my tears have +never dried; no, never! and at every halting place where we +halt, I open this piece of linen and look on these gazelles and +call to mind my cousin Azizah and weep for her as thou hast seen; +for indeed she loved me with dearest love and died, oppressed by +my unlove. I did her nought but ill and she did me nought but +good. When these merchants return from their journey, I shall +return with them, by which time I shall have been absent a whole +year: yet hath my sorrow waxed greater and my grief and +affliction were but increased by my visit to the Islands of +Camphor and the Castle of Crystal. Now these islands are seven +in number and are ruled by a King, by name Shahriman,[FN#7] who +hath a daughter called Duny;[FN#8] and I was told that it was +she who wrought these gazelles and that this piece in my +possession was of her embroidery. When I knew this, my yearning +redoubled and I burnt with the slow fire of pining and was +drowned in the sea of sad thought; and I wept over myself for +that I was become even as a woman, without manly tool like other +men, and there was no help for it. From the day of my quitting +the Camphor Islands, I have been tearful eyed and heavy hearted, +and such hath been my case for a long while and I know not +whether it will be given me to return to my native land and die +beside my mother or not; for I am sick from eating too much of +the world. Thereupon the young merchant wept and groaned and +complained and gazed upon the gazelles; whilst the tears rolled +down his cheeks in streams and he repeated these two couplets, + +"Joy needs shall come," a prattler 'gan to prattle: * + "Needs cease thy blame!" I was commoved to rattle: +'In time,' quoth he: quoth I ' 'Tis marvellous! * + Who shall ensure my life, O cold of tattle!'"[FN#9] + +And he repeated also these, + +"Well Allah weets that since our severance day * + I've wept till forced to ask of tears a loan: +'Patience! (the blamer cries): thou'lt have her yet!' * + Quoth I, 'O blamer where may patience wone?'" + +Then said he, "This, O King! is my tale: hast thou ever heard +one stranger?" So Taj al-Muluk marvelled with great marvel at the +young merchant's story, and fire darted into his entrails on +hearing the name of the Lady Dunya and her loveliness.--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir +Dandan continued to Zau al-Makan: Now when Taj al-Muluk heard the +story of the young merchant, he marvelled with great marvel and +fire darted into his entrails on hearing the name of the Lady +Dunya who, as he knew, had embroidered the gazelles; and his love +and longing hourly grew, so he said to the youth, "By Allah, that +hath befallen thee whose like never befel any save thyself, but +thou hast a life term appointed, which thou must fulfil; and now +I would fain ask of thee a question." Quoth Aziz, "And what is +it?" Quoth he, "Wilt thou tell me how thou sawest the young lady +who wrought these gazelles?" Then he, "O my lord, I got me access +to her by a sleight and it was this. When I entered her city +with the caravan, I went forth and wandered about the garths till +I came to a flower garden abounding in trees, whose keeper was a +venerable old man, a Shaykh stricken in years. I addressed him, +saying, 'O ancient sir, whose may be this garden?' and he +replied, 'It belongs to the King's daughter, the Lady Dunya. We +are now beneath her palace and, when she is minded to amuse +herself, she openeth the private wicket and walketh in the garden +and smelleth the fragrance of the flowers.' So I said to him, +'Favour me by allowing me to sit in this garden till she come; +haply I may enjoy a sight of her as she passeth.' The Shaykh +answered, 'There can be no harm in that.' Thereupon I gave him a +dirham or so and said to him, Buy us something to eat.' He took +the money gladly and opened door and, entering himself, admitted +me into the garden, where we strolled and ceased not strolling +till we reached a pleasant spot in which he bade me sit down and +await his going and his returning. Then he brought me somewhat +of fruit and, leaving me, disappeared for an hour; but after a +while he returned to me bringing a roasted lamb, of which we ate +till we had eaten enough, my heart yearning the while for a sight +of the lady. Presently, as we sat, the postern opened and the +keeper said to me, 'Rise and hide thee.' I did so; and behold, a +black eunuch put his head out through the garden wicket and +asked, 'O Shaykh, there any one with thee?' 'No,' answered he; +and the eunuch said, 'Shut the garden gate.' So the keeper shut +the gate, and lo! the Lady Dunya came in by the private door. +When I saw her, methought the moon had risen above the horizon +and was shining; I looked at her a full hour and longed for her +as one athirst longeth for water. After a while she withdrew and +shut the door; whereupon I left the garden and sought my lodging, +knowing that I could not get at her and that I was no man for +her, more especially as I was become like a woman, having no +manly tool: moreover she was a King's daughter and I but a +merchant man; so; how could I have access to the like of her or-- +to any other woman? Accordingly, when these my companions made +ready for the road, I also made preparation and set out with +them, and we journeyed towards this city till we arrived at the +place ere we met with thee. Thou askedst me and I have answered; +and these are my adventures and peace be with thee!" Now when Taj +al-Muluk heard that account, fires raged in his bosom and his +heart and thought were occupied love for the Lady Dunya; and +passion and longing were sore upon him. Then he arose and +mounted horse and, taking Aziz with him, returned to his father's +capital, where he settled him in a separate house and supplied +him with all he needed in the way of meat and drink and dress. +Then he left him and returned to his palace, with the tears +trickling down his cheeks, for hearing oftentimes standeth +instead of seeing and knowing.[FN#10] And he ceased not to be in +this state till his father came in to him and finding him wan +faced, lean of limb and tearful eyed, knew that something had +occurred to chagrin him and said, "O my son, acquaint me with thy +case and tell me what hath befallen thee, that thy colour is +changed and thy body is wasted. So he told him all that had +passed and what tale he had heard of Aziz and the account of the +Princess Dunya; and how he had fallen in love of her on hearsay, +without having set eyes on her. Quoth his sire, "O my son, she +is the daughter of a King whose land is far from ours: so put +away this thought and go in to thy mother's palace."--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Thirtieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir +Dandan continued to Zau al-Makan: And the father of Taj al-Muluk +spake to him on this wise, "O my son, her father is a King whose +land is far from ours: so put away this thought and go into thy +mother's palace where are five hundred maidens like moons, and +whichsoever of them pleaseth thee, take her; or else we will seek +for thee in marriage some one of the King's daughters, fairer +than the Lady Dunya." Answered Taj al-Muluk, "O my father, I +desire none other, for she it is who wrought the gazelles which I +saw, and there is no help but that I have her; else I will flee +into the world and the waste and I will slay myself for her +sake." Then said his father, "Have patience with me, till I send +to her sire and demand her in marriage, and win thee thy wish as +I did for myself with thy mother. Haply Allah will bring thee to +thy desire; and, if her parent will not consent, I will make his +kingdom quake under him with an army, whose rear shall be with me +whilst its van shall be upon him." Then he sent for the youth +Aziz and asked him, "O my son, tell me dost thou know the way to +the Camphor Islands?" He answered "Yes"; and the King said, "I +desire of thee that thou fare with my Wazir thither." Replied +Aziz, "I hear and I obey, O King of the Age!"; where upon the +King summoned his Minister and said to him, "Devise me some +device, whereby my son's affair may be rightly managed and fare +thou forth to the Camphor Islands and demand of their King his +daughter in marriage for my son, Taj al-Muluk." The Wazir +replied, "Hearkening and obedience." Then Taj al-Muluk returned +to his dwelling place and his love and longing redoubled and the +delay seemed endless to him; and when the night darkened around +him, he wept and sighed and complained and repeated this poetry, + +"Dark falls the night: my tears unaided rail * And fiercest + flames of love my heart assail: +Ask thou the nights of me, and they shall tell * An I find aught + to do but weep and wail: +Night long awake, I watch the stars what while * Pour down my + cheeks the tears like dropping hail: +And lone and lorn I'm grown with none to aid; * For kith and kin + the love lost lover fail." + +And when he had ended his reciting he swooned away and did not +recover his senses till the morning, at which time there came to +him one of his father's eunuchs and, standing at his head, +summoned him to the King's presence. So he went with him and his +father, seeing that his pallor had increased, exhorted him to +patience and promised him union with her he loved. Then he +equipped Aziz and the Wazir and supplied them with presents; and +they set out and fared on day and night till they drew near the +Isles of Camphor, where they halted on the banks of a stream, and +the Minister despatched a messenger to acquaint the King of his +arrival. The messenger hurried forwards and had not been gone +more than an hour, before they saw the King's Chamberlains and +Emirs advancing towards them, to meet them at a parasang's +distance from the city and escort them into the royal presence. +They laid their gifts before the King and became his guests for +three days. And on the fourth day the Wazir rose and going in to +the King, stood between his hands and acquainted him with the +object which induced his visit; whereat he was perplexed for an +answer inasmuch as his daughter misliked men and disliked +marriage. So he bowed his head groundwards awhile, then raised +it and calling one of his eunuchs, said to him, "Go to thy +mistress, the Lady Dunya, and repeat to her what thou hast heard +and the purport of this Wazir's coming." So the eunuch went forth +and returning after a time, said to the King, "O King of the Age, +when I went in to the Lady Dunya and told her what I had heard, +she was wroth with exceeding wrath and rose at me with a staff +designing to break my head; so I fled from her, and she said to +me 'If my Father force me to wed him, whomsoever I wed I will +slay.' Then said her sire to the Wazir and Aziz, "Ye have heard, +and now ye know all! So let your King wot of it and give him my +salutations and say that my daughter misliketh men and disliketh +marriage."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King +Shahriman thus addressed the Wazir and Aziz, "Salute your King +from me and inform him of what ye have heard, namely that my +daughter misliketh marriage." So they turned away unsuccessful +and ceased not faring on till they rejoined the King and told him +what had passed; whereupon he commanded the chief officers to +summon the troops and get them ready for marching and +campaigning. But the Wazir said to him, "O my liege Lord, do not +thus: the King is not at fault because, when his daughter learnt +our business, she sent a message saying, 'If my father force me +to wed, whomsoever I wed I will slay and myself after him.' So +the refusal cometh from her." When the King heard his Minister's +words he feared for Taj al-Muluk and said, "Verily if I make war +on the King of the Camphor Islands and carry off his daughter, +she will kill herself and it will avail me naught." Then he told +his son how the case stood, who hearing it said, "O my father, I +cannot live without her; so I will go to her and contrive to get +at her, even though I die in the attempt, and this only will I do +and nothing else." Asked his father, "How wilt thou go to her?" +and he answered, "I will go in the guise of a merchant."[FN#11] +Then said the King, "If thou need must go and there is no help +for it, take with thee the Wazir and Aziz." Then he brought out +money from his treasuries and made ready for his son merchandise +to the value of an hundred thousand dinars. The two had settled +upon this action; and when the dark hours came Taj al-Muluk and +Aziz went to Aziz's lodgings and there passed that night, and the +Prince was heart smitten, taking no pleasure in food or in sleep; +for melancholy was heavy upon him and he was agitated with +longing for his beloved. So he besought the Creator that he +would vouch safe to unite him with her and he wept and groaned +and wailed and began versifying, + +"Union, this severance ended, shall I see some day? * Then shall + my tears this love lorn lot of me portray. +While night all care forgets I only minded thee, * And thou didst + gar me wake while all forgetful lay." + +And when his improvising came to an end, he wept with sore +weeping and Aziz wept with him, for that he remembered his +cousin; and they both ceased not to shed tears till morning +dawned, whereupon Taj al-Muluk rose and went to farewell his +mother, in travelling dress. She asked him of his case and he +repeated the story to her; so she gave him fifty thousand gold +pieces and bade him adieu; and, as he fared forth, she put up +prayers for his safety and for his union with his lover and his +friends. Then he betook himself to his father and asked his +leave to depart. The King granted him permission and, presenting +him with other fifty thousand dinars, bade set up a tent for him +without the city and they pitched a pavilion wherein the +travellers abode two days. Then all set out on their journey. +Now Taj al-Muluk delighted in the company of Aziz and said to +him, "O my brother, henceforth I can never part from thee." +Replied Aziz, "And I am of like mind and fain would I die under +thy feet: but, O my brother, my heart is concerned for my +mother." "When we shall have won our wish," said the Prince, +"there will be naught save what is well!" Now the Wazir continued +charging Taj al-Muluk to be patient, whilst Aziz entertained him +every evening with talk and recited poetry to him and diverted +him with histories and anecdotes. And so they fared on +diligently night and day for two whole months, till the way +became tedious to Taj al-Muluk and the fire of desire redoubled +on him; and he broke out, + +"The road is lonesome; grow my grief and need, * While on my + breast love fires for ever feed: +Goal of my hopes, sole object of my wish! * By him who moulded + man from drop o' seed, +I bear such loads of longing for thy love, * Dearest, as weight + of al Shumm Mounts exceed: +O 'Lady of my World'[FN#12] Love does me die; * No breath of life + is left for life to plead; +But for the union hope that lends me strength, * My weary limbs + were weak this way to speed." + +When he had finished his verses, he wept (and Aziz wept with him) +from a wounded heart, till the Minister was moved to pity by +their tears and said, "O my lord, be of good cheer and keep thine +eyes clear of tears; there will be naught save what is well!" +Quoth Taj al-Muluk, "O Wazir, indeed I am weary of the length of +the way. Tell me how far we are yet distant from the city." +Quoth Aziz, "But a little way remaineth to us." Then they +continued their journey, cutting across river vales and plains, +words and stony wastes, till one night, as Taj al-Muluk was +sleeping, he dreamt that his beloved was with him and that he +embraced her and pressed her to his bosom; and he awoke +quivering, shivering with pain, delirious with emotion, and +improvised these verses, + +"Dear friend, my tears aye flow these cheeks adown, * + With longsome pain and pine, my sorrow's crown: +I plain like keening woman child bereft, * + And as night falls like widow dove I groan: +An blow the breeze from land where thou cost wone, * + I find o'er sunburnt earth sweet coolness blown. +Peace be wi' thee, my love, while zephyr breathes, * + And cushat flies and turtle makes her moan." + +And when he had ended his versifying, the Wazir came to him and +said, "Rejoice; this is a good sign: so be of good cheer and keep +thine eyes cool and clear, for thou shalt surely compass thy +desire." And Aziz also came to him and exhorted him to patience +and applied himself to divert him, talking with him and telling +him tales. So they pressed on, marching day and night, other two +months, till there appeared to them one day at sunrise some white +thing in the distance and Taj al-Muluk said to Aziz, "What is +yonder whiteness?" He replied, "O my lord! yonder is the Castle +of Crystal and that is the city thou seekest." At this the Prince +rejoiced, and they ceased not faring forwards till they drew near +the city and, as they approached it, Taj al-Muluk joyed with +exceeding joy, and his care ceased from him. They entered in +trader guise, the King's son being habited as a merchant of +importance; and repaired to a great Khan, known as the Merchants' +Lodging. Quoth Taj al-Muluk to Aziz, "Is this the resort of the +merchants?"; and quoth he, "Yes; 'tis the Khan wherein I lodged +before." So they alighted there and making their baggage camels +kneel, unloaded them and stored their goods in the +warehouses.[FN#13] They abode four days for rest; when the Wazir +advised that they should hire a large house. To this they +assented and they found them a spacious house, fitted up for +festivities, where they took up their abode, and the Wazir and +Aziz studied to devise some device for Taj al-Muluk, who remained +in a state of perplexity, knowing not what to do. Now the +Minister could think of nothing but that he should set up as a +merchant on 'Change and in the market of fine stuffs; so he +turned to the Prince and his companion and said to them, "Know ye +that if we tarry here on this wise, assuredly we shall not win +our wish nor attain our aim; but a something occurred to me +whereby (if Allah please!) we shall find our advantage." Replied +Taj al-Muluk and Aziz, "Do what seemeth good to thee, indeed +there is a blessing on the grey beard; more specially on those +who, like thyself, are conversant with the conduct of affairs: so +tell us what occurreth to thy mind." Rejoined the Wazir "It is my +counsel that we hire thee a shop in the stuff bazar, where thou +mayst sit to sell and buy. Every one, great and small, hath need +of silken stuffs and other cloths; so if thou patiently abide in +thy shop, thine affairs will prosper, Inshallah! more by token +as thou art comely of aspect. Make, however, Aziz thy factor and +set him within the shop, to hand thee the pieces of cloth and +stuffs." When Taj al-Muluk heard these words, he said, 'This rede +is right and a right pleasant recking." So he took out a handsome +suit of merchant's weed, and, putting it on, set out for the +bazar, followed by his servants, to one of whom he had given a +thousand dinars, wherewith to fit up the shop. They ceased not +walking till they came to the stuff market, and when the +merchants saw Taj al-Muluk's beauty and grace, they were +confounded and went about saying, "Of a truth Rizwn[FN#14] hath +opened the gates of Paradise and left them unguarded, so that +this youth of passing comeliness hath come forth." And others, +"Peradventure this is one of the angels." Now when they went in +among the traders they asked for the shop of the Overseer of the +market and the merchants directed them thereto. So they delayed +not to repair thither and to salute him, and he and those who +were with him rose to them and seated them and made much of them, +because of the Wazir, whom they saw to be a man in years and of +reverend aspect; and viewing the youths Aziz and Taj al-Muluk in +his company, they said to one another, "Doubtless our Shaykh is +the father of these two youths." Then quoth the Wazir, "Who among +you is the Overseer of the market?" "This is he," replied they; +and behold, he came forward and the Wazir observed him narrowly +and saw him to be an old man of grave and dignified carriage, +with eunuchs and servants and black slaves. The Syndic greeted +them with the greeting of friends and was lavish in his +attentions to them: then he seated them by his side and asked +them, "Have ye any business which we[FN#15] may have the +happiness of transacting?" The Minister answered, "Yes; I am an +old man, stricken in years, and have with me these two youths, +with whom I have travelled through every town and country, +entering no great city without tarrying there a full year, that +they might take their pleasure in viewing it and come to know its +citizens. Now I have visited your town intending to sojourn here +for a while; so I want of thee a handsome shop in the best +situation, wherein I may establish them, that they may traffic +and learn to buy and sell and give and take, whilst they divert +themselves with the sight of the place, and be come familiar with +the usages of its people." Quoth the Overseer, "There is no harm +in that;" and, looking at the two youths, he was delighted with +them and affected them with a warm affection. Now he was a great +connoisseur of bewitching glances, preferring the love of boys to +that of girls and inclining to the sour rather than the sweet of +love. So he said to himself, "This, indeed, is fine game. Glory +be to Him who created and fashioned them out of vile +water!"[FN#16] and rising stood before them like a servant to do +them honour. Then he went out and made ready for them a shop +which was in the very midst of the Exchange; nor was there any +larger or better in the bazar, for it was spacious and handsomely +decorated and fitted with shelves of ivory and ebony wood. After +this he delivered the keys to the Wazir, who was dressed as an +old merchant, saying, "Take them, O my lord, and Allah make it a +blessed abiding place to thy two sons!" The Minister took the +keys and the three returning to the Khan where they had alighted, +bade the servants transport to the shop all their goods and +stuffs.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Wazir took the shop keys, he went accompanied by Taj al-Muluk and +Aziz to the Khan, and they bade the servants transport to the +shop all their goods and stuffs and valuables of which they had +great store worth treasures of money. And when all this was duly +done, they went to the shop and ordered their stock in trade and +slept there that night. As soon as morning morrowed the Wazir +took the two young men to the Hammam bath where they washed them +clean; and they donned rich dresses and scented themselves with +essences and enjoyed themselves to the utmost. Now each of the +youths was passing fair to look upon, and in the bath they were +even as saith the poet, + +"Luck to the Rubber, whose deft hand o'erdies * + A frame begotten twixt the lymph and light:[FN#17] +He shows the thaumaturgy of his craft, * + And gathers musk in form of camphor dight."[FN#18] + +After bathing they left; and, when the Overseer heard that they +had gone to the Hammam, he sat down to await the twain, and +presently they came up to him like two gazelles; their cheeks +were reddened by the bath and their eyes were darker than ever; +their faces shone and they were as two lustrous moons or two +branches fruit laden. Now when he saw them he rose forthright +and said to them, "O my sons, may your bath profit you +always!"[FN#19] Where upon Taj al-Muluk replied, with the +sweetest of speech, "Allah be bountiful to thee, O my father; why +didst thou not come with us and bathe in our company?" Then they +both bent over his right hand and kissed it and walked before him +to the shop, to entreat him honourably and show their respect for +him, for that he was Chief of the Merchants and the market, and +he had done them kindness in giving them the shop. When he saw +their hips quivering as they moved, desire and longing redoubled +on him; and he puffed and snorted and he devoured them with his +eyes, for he could not contain himself, repeating the while these +two couplets, + +"Here the heart reads a chapter of devotion pure; * + Nor reads dispute if Heaven in worship partner take: +No wonder 'tis he trembles walking 'neath such weight! * + How much of movement that revolving sphere must + make.[FN#20]" + +Furthermore he said, + +"I saw two charmers treading humble earth. * + Two I must love an tread they on mine eyes." + +When they heard this, they conjured him to enter the bath with +them a second time. He could hardly believe his ears and +hastening thither, went in with them. The Wazir had not yet left +the bath; so when he heard of the Overseer's coming, he came out +and meeting him in the middle of the bath hall invited him to +enter. He refused, whereupon Taj al-Muluk taking him by the hand +walked on one side and Aziz by the other, and carried him into a +cabinet; and that impure old man submitted to them, whilst his +emotion increased on him. He would have refused, albeit this was +what he desired; but the Minister said to him, "They are thy +sons; let them wash thee and cleanse thee." "Allah preserve them +to thee!" exclaimed the Overseer, "By Allah your coming and the +coming of those with you bring down blessing and good luck upon +our city!" And he repeated these two couplets, + +"Thou camest and green grew the hills anew; * + And sweetest bloom to the bridegroom threw, +While aloud cried Earth and her earth-borns too * + 'Hail and welcome who comest with grace to endue.'" + +They thanked him for this, and Taj al-Muluk ceased not to wash +him and to pour water over him and he thought his soul in +Paradise. When they had made an end of his service, he blessed +them and sat by the side of the Wazir, talking but gazing the +while on the youths. Presently, the servants brought them +towels, and they dried themselves and donned their dress. Then +they went out, and the Minister turned to the Syndic and said to +him, "O my lord! verily the bath is the Paradise[FN#21] of this +world." Replied the Overseer, "Allah vouchsafe to thee such +Paradise, and health to thy sons and guard them from the evil +eye! Do ye remember aught that the eloquent have said in praise +of the bath.?" Quoth Taj al-Muluk, "I will repeat for thee a pair +of couplets;" and he recited, + +The life of the bath is the joy of man's life,[FN#22] * + Save that time is short for us there to bide: +A Heaven where irksome it were to stay; * + A Hell, delightful at entering-tide." + +When he ended his recital, quoth Aziz, "And I also remember two +couplets in praise of the bath." The Overseer said, "Let me hear +them," so he repeated the following, + +"A house where flowers from stones of granite grow, * + Seen at its best when hot with living lows: +Thou deem'st it Hell but here, forsooth, is Heaven, * + And some like suns and moons within it show." + +And when he had ended his recital, his verses pleased the +Overseer and he wondered at his words and savoured their grace +and fecundity and said to them, "By Allah, ye possess both beauty +and eloquence. But now listen to me, you twain!" And he began +chanting, and recited in song the following verses, + +"O joy of Hell and Heaven! whose tormentry * + Enquickens frame and soul with lively gree: +I marvel so delightsome house to view, * + And most when 'neath it kindled fires I see: +Sojourn of bliss to visitors, withal * + Pools on them pour down tears unceasingly." + +Then his eye-sight roamed and browsed on the gardens of their +beauty and he repeated these two couplets, + +"I went to the house of the keeper-man; * + He was out, but others to smile began: +I entered his Heaven[FN#23] and then his Hell;[FN#24] * + And I said 'Bless Mlik[FN#25] and bless Rizwn.' "[FN#26] + +When they heard these verses they were charmed, and the Over seer +invited them to his house; but they declined and returned to +their own place, to rest from the great heat of the bath. So +they took their ease there and ate and drank and passed that +night in perfect solace and satisfaction, till morning dawned, +when they arose from sleep and making their lesser ablution, +prayed the dawn- prayer and drank the morning draught.[FN#27] As +soon as the sun had risen and the shops and markets opened, they +arose and going forth from their place to the bazar opened their +shop, which their servants had already furnished, after the +handsomest fashion, and had spread with prayer rugs and silken +carpets and had placed on the divans a pair of mattresses, each +worth an hundred dinars. On every mattress they had disposed a +rug of skin fit for a King and edged with a fringe of gold; and +a-middlemost the shop stood a third seat still richer, even as +the place required. Then Taj al-Muluk sat down on one divan, and +Aziz on another, whilst the Wazir seated himself on that in the +centre, and the servants stood before them. The city people soon +heard of them and crowded about them, so that they sold some of +their goods and not a few of their stuffs; for Taj al-Muluk's +beauty and loveliness had become the talk of the town. Thus they +passed a trifle of time, and every day the people flocked to them +and pressed upon them more and more, till the Wazir, after +exhorting Taj al-Muluk to keep his secret, commended him to the +care of Aziz and went home, that he might commune with himself +alone and cast about for some contrivance which might profit +them. Meanwhile, the two young men sat talking and Taj al-Muluk +said to Aziz, "Haply some one will come from the Lady Dunya." So +he ceased not expecting this chance days and nights, but his +heart was troubled and he knew neither sleep nor rest; for desire +had got the mastery of him, and love and longing were sore upon +him, so that he renounced the solace of sleep and abstained from +meat and drink; yet ceased he not to be like the moon on the +night of fullness. Now one day as he sat in the shop, behold, +there came up an ancient woman.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir +Dandan continued to Zau al-Makan: Now one day as Taj al-Muluk sat +in his shop, behold, there appeared an ancient woman, who came up +to him followed by two slave girls. She ceased not advancing +till she stood before the shop of Taj al-Muluk and, observing his +symmetry and beauty and loveliness, marvelled at his charms and +sweated in her petticoat trousers, exclaiming, "Glory to Him who +created thee out of vile water, and made thee a temptation to all +beholders!" And she fixed her eyes on him and said, "This is not +a mortal, he is none other than an angel deserving the highest +respect."[FN#28] Then she drew near and saluted him, whereupon he +returned her salute and rose to his feet to receive her and +smiled in her face (all this by a hint from Aziz); after which he +made her sit down by his side and fanned her with a fan, till she +was rested and refreshed. Then she turned to Taj al-Muluk and +said, "O my son! O thou who art perfect in bodily gifts and +spiritual graces; say me, art thou of this country?" He replied, +in voice the sweetest and in tone the pleasantest, "By Allah, O +my mistress, I was never in this land during my life till this +time, nor do I abide here save by way of diversion." Rejoined +she, "May the Granter grant thee all honour and prosperity! And +what stuffs hast thou brought with thee? Show me something +passing fine; for the beauteous should bring nothing but what is +beautiful." When he heard her words, his heart fluttered and he +knew not their inner meaning; but Aziz made a sign to him and he +replied, "I have everything thou canst desire and especially I +have goods that besit none but Kings and King's daughters; so +tell me what stuff thou wantest and for whom, that I may show +thee what will be fitting for him." This he said, that he might +learn the meaning of her words; and she rejoined, "I want a stuff +fit for the Princess Dunya, daughter of King Shahriman." Now when +the Prince heard the name of his beloved, he joyed with great joy +and said to Aziz, "Give me such a parcel." So Aziz brought it and +opened it before Taj al-Muluk who said to the old woman, "Select +what will suit her; for these goods are to be found only with +me." She chose stuffs worth a thousand dinars and asked, "How +much is this?"; and she ceased not the while to talk with him and +rub what was inside her thighs with the palm of her hand. +Answered Taj al-Muluk, "Shall I haggle with the like of thee +about this paltry price? Praised be Allah who hath acquainted me +with thee!" The old woman rejoined, "Allah's name be upon thee! +I commend thy beautiful face to the protection of the Lord of the +Daybreak.[FN#29] Beautiful face and eloquent speech! Happy she +who lieth in thy bosom and claspeth thy waist in her arms and +enjoyeth thy youth, especially if she be beautiful and lovely +like thyself!" At this, Taj al-Muluk laughed till he fell on his +back and said to himself, "O Thou who fulfillest desires human by +means of pimping old women! They are the true fulfillers of +desires!" Then she asked, "O my son, what is thy name?" and he +answered, "My name is Taj al-Muluk, the Crown of Kings." Quoth +she, "This is indeed a name of Kings and King's sons and thou art +clad in merchant's clothes." Quoth Aziz, "for the love his +parents and family bore him and for the value they set on him, +they named him thus." Replied the old woman, "Thou sayest sooth, +Allah guard you both from the evil eye and the envious, though +hearts be broken by your charms!" Then she took the stuffs and +went her way; but she was amazed at his beauty and stature and +symmetry, and she ceased not going till she found the Lady Dunya +and said to her, "O my mistress! I have brought thee some +handsome stuffs." Quoth the Princess, "Show me that same"; and +the old woman, "O apple of my eye, here it is, turn it over and +examine it." Now when the Princess looked at it she was amazed +and said, "O my nurse, this is indeed handsome stuff: I have +never seen its like in our city." "O my lady," replied the old +nurse, "he who sold it me is handsomer still. It would seem as +if Rizwan had left the gates of Paradise open in his +carelessness, and as if the youth who sold me this stuff had come +bodily out of Heaven. I would he might sleep this night with +thee and might lie between thy breasts.[FN#30] He hath come to +thy city with these precious stuffs for amusement's sake, and he +is a temptation to all who set eyes on him." The Princess laughed +at her words and said, "Allah afflict thee, O pernicious old hag! +Thou dotest and there is no sense left in thee." Presently, she +resumed, "Give me the stuff that I may look at it anew." So she +gave it her and she took it again and saw that its size was small +and its value great. It pleased her, for she had never in her +life seen its like, and she exclaimed, "By Allah, this is a +handsome stuff!" Answered the old woman, "O my lady, by Allah! +if thou sawest its owner thou wouldst know him for the handsomest +man on the face of the earth." Quoth the Lady Dunya, "Didst thou +ask him if he had any need, that he might tell us and we might +satisfy it?" But the nurse shook her head and said, "The Lord +keep thy sagacity! By Allah, he hath a want, may thy skill not +fail thee. What! is any man free from wants?" Rejoined the +Princess, "Go back to him and salute him and say to him, 'Our +land and town are honoured by thy visit and, if thou have any +need, we will fulfil it to thee, on our head and eyes.' " So the +old woman at once returned to Taj al-Muluk, and when he saw her +his heart jumped for joy and gladness and he rose to his feet +before her and, taking her hand, seated her by his side. As soon +as she was rested, she told him what Princess Dunya had said; and +he on hearing it joyed with exceeding joy; his breast dilated to +the full; gladness entered his heart and he said to himself, +"Verily, I have my need." Then he asked the old woman, "Haply +thou wilt take her a message from me and bring me her answer?"; +and she answered, "I hear and I obey." So he said to Aziz, "Bring +me ink-case and paper and a brazen pen." And when Aziz brought +him what he sought, he hent the pen in hand and wrote these lines +of poetry, + +"I write to thee, O fondest hope! a writ * + Of grief that severance on my soul cloth lay: +Saith its first line, 'Within my heart is [owe!' * + Its second, 'Love and Longing on me prey!' +Its third, 'My patience waste is, fades my life!' * + Its fourth, 'Naught shall my pain and pine allay!' +Its fifth, 'When shall mine eyes enjoy thy sight?' * + Its sixth, 'Say, when shall dawn our meeting-day?' " + +And, lastly, by way of subscription he wrote these words. "This +letter is from the captive of captivation * prisoned in the hold +of longing expectation * wherefrom is no emancipation * but in +anticipation and intercourse and in unification * after absence +and separation. * For from the severance of friends he loveth so +fain * he suffereth love pangs and pining pain. *" Then his tears +rushed out, and he indited these two couplets, + +"I write thee, love, the while my tears pour down; * + Nor cease they ever pouring thick and fleet: +Yet I despair not of my God, whose grace * + Haply some day will grant us twain to meet." + +Then he folded the letter[FN#31] and sealed it with his signet +ring and gave it to the old woman, saying, "Carry it to the Lady +Dunya." Quoth she, "To hear is to obey;" whereupon he gave her a +thousand dinars and said to her, "O my mother! accept this gift +from me as a token of my affection." She took both from him and +blessed him and went her way and never stinted walking till she +went in to the Lady Dunya. Now when the Princess saw her she +said to her, "O my nurse, what is it he asketh of need that we +may fulfil his wish to him?" Replied the old woman, "O my lady, +he sendeth thee this letter by me, and I know not what is in it;" +and handed it to her. Then the Princess took the letter and read +it; and when she understood it, she exclaimed, "Whence cometh and +whither goeth this merchant man that he durst address such a +letter to me?" And she slapt her face saying, "'Whence are we +that we should come to shopkeeping? Awah! Awah! By the lord, +but that I fear Almighty Allah I had slain him;" and she added, +"Yea, I had crucified[FN#32] him over his shop door!" Asked the +old woman, "What is in this letter to vex thy heart and move thy +wrath on this wise? Doth it contain a complaint of oppression or +demand for the price of the stuff?" Answered the Princess, "Woe +to thee! There is none of this in it, naught but words of love +and endearment. This is all through thee: otherwise whence +should this Satan[FN#33] know me?" Rejoined the old woman, "o my +lady, thou sittest in thy high palace and none may have access to +thee; no, not even the birds of the air. Allah keep thee, and +keep thy youth from blame and reproach! Thou needest not care +for the barking of dogs, for thou art a Princess, the daughter of +a King. Be not wroth with me that I brought thee this letter, +knowing not what was in it; but I opine that thou send him an +answer and threaten him with death and forbid him this foolish +talk; surely he will abstain and not do the like again." Quoth +the Lady Dunya, "I fear that, if I write to him, he will desire +me the more." The old woman returned "When he heareth thy threats +and promise of punishment, he will desist from his persistence." +She cried, "Here with the ink case and paper and brazen pen;" and +when they brought them she wrote these couplets, + +"O thou who for thy wakeful nights wouldst claim my love + to boon, * For what of pining thou must feel and + tribulation! +Dost thou, fond fool and proud of sprite, seek meeting with the + Moon? * Say, did man ever win his wish to take in arms the + Moon? +I counsel thee, from soul cast out the wish that dwells + therein, * And cut that short which threatens thee with + sore risk oversoon: +An to such talk thou dare return, I bid thee to expect * + Fro' me such awful penalty as suiteth froward loon: +I swear by Him who moulded man from gout of clotted + blood,[FN#34] * Who lit the Sun to shine by day and lit + for night the moon, +An thou return to mention that thou spakest in thy pride, * + Upon a cross of tree for boon I'll have thee crucified!" + +Then she folded the letter and handing it to the old woman said, +"Give him this and say him, 'Cease from this talk!' " "Hearkening +and obedience," replied she, and taking the letter with joy, +returned to her own house, where she passed the night; and when +morning dawned she betook herself to the shop of Taj al-Muluk +whom she found expecting her. When he saw her, he was ready to +fly[FN#35] for delight, and when she came up to him, he stood to +her on his feet and seated her by his side. Then she brought out +the letter and gave it to him, saying, "Read what is in this;" +adding "When Princess Dunya read thy letter she was angry; but I +coaxed her and jested with her till I made her laugh, and she had +pity on thee and she hath returned thee an answer." He thanked +her for her kindness and bade Aziz give her a thousand gold +pieces: then he perused the letter and understanding it fell to +weeping a weeping so sore that the old woman's heart was moved to +ruth for him, and his tears and complaints were grievous to her. +Presently she asked him, "O my son, what is there in this letter +to make thee weep?" Answered he, "She hath threatened me with +death and crucifixion and she forbiddeth me to write to her, but +if I write not my death were better than my life. So take thou +my answer to the letter and let her work her will." Rejoined the +old woman, "By the life of thy youth, needs must I risk my +existence for thee, that I may bring thee to thy desire and help +thee to win what thou hast at heart!" And Taj al-Muluk said, +"Whatever thou dost, I will requite thee for it and do thou weigh +it in the scales of thy judgement, for thou art experienced in +managing matters, and skilled in reading the chapters of the book +of intrigue: all hard matters to thee are easy doings; and Allah +can bring about everything." Then he took a sheet of paper and +wrote thereon these improvised couplets, + +"Yestre'en my love with slaughter menaced me, * + But sweet were slaughter and Death's foreordaind: +Yes, Death is sweet for lover doomed to bear * + Long life, rejected, injured and constraind: +By Allah! deign to visit friendless friend! * + Thy thrall am I and like a thrall I'm chaind: +Mercy, O lady mine, for loving thee! * + Who loveth noble soul should be assaind." + + Then he sighed heavy sighs and wept till the old woman wept also +and presently taking the letter she said to him, "Be of good +cheer and cool eyes and clear; for needs must I bring thee to thy +wish."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Taj +al-Muluk wept the old woman said to him, "Be of good cheer and +cool eyes and clear; for needs must I bring thee to thy wish." +Then she rose and left him on coals of fire; and returned to +Princess Dunya, whom she found still showing on her changed face +rage at Taj al-Muluk's letter. So she gave her his second +letter, whereat her wrath redoubled and she said, "Did I not say +he would desire us the more?" Replied the old woman, "What thing +is this dog that he should aspire to thee?" Quoth the Princess, +"Go back to him and tell him that, if he write me after this, I +will cut off his head." Quoth the nurse, "Write these words in a +letter and I will take it to him that his fear may be the +greater." So she took a sheet of paper and wrote thereon these +couplets, + +"Ho thou, who past and bygone risks regardest with uncare! * + Thou who to win thy meeting prize dost overslowly fare! +In pride of spirit thinkest thou to win the star Soha[FN#36]? * + Albe thou may not reach the Moon which shines through + upper air? +How darest thou expect to win my favours, hope to clip * + Upon a lover's burning breast my lance like shape and rare? +Leave this thy purpose lest my wrath come down on thee some + day, * A day of wrath shall hoary turn the partings of + thy hair!" + +Then she folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, who took +it and repaired to Taj al-Muluk. And when he saw her, he rose to +his feet and exclaimed, "May Allah never bereave me of the +blessing of thy coming!" Quoth she, "Take the answer to thy +letter." He took it and reading it, wept with sore weeping and +said, "I long for some one to slay me at this moment and send me +to my rest, for indeed death were easier to me than this my +state!" Then he took ink case and pen and paper and wrote a +letter containing these two couplets, + +"O hope of me! pursue me not with rigour and disdain: * + Deign thou to visit lover wight in love of thee is drowned; +Deem not a life so deeply wronged I longer will endure; * My soul + for severance from my friend divorced this frame unsound." + +Lastly he folded the letter and handed it to the old woman, +saying, "Be not angry with me, though I have wearied thee to no +purpose." And he bade Aziz give her other thousand ducats, +saying, "O my mother, needs must this letter result in perfect +union or utter severance." Replied she, "O my son, by Allah, I +desire nought but thy weal; and it is my object that she be +thine, for indeed thou art the shining moon, and she the rising +sun.[FN#37] If I do not bring you together, there is no profit in +my existence; and I have lived my life till I have reached the +age of ninety years in the practice of wile and intrigue; so how +should I fail to unite two lovers, though in defiance of right +and law?" Then she took leave of him having comforted his heart, +and ceased not walking till she went in to the Lady Dunya. Now +she had hidden the letter in her hair: so when she sat down by +the Princess she rubbed her head and said, "O my lady, maybe thou +wilt untwist my hair knot, for it is a time since I went to the +Hammam." The King's daughter bared her arms to the elbows and, +letting down the old woman's locks, began to loose the knot of +back hair; when out dropped the letter and the Lady Dunya seeing +it, asked, "What is this paper?" Quoth the nurse, "As I sat in +the merchant's shop, this paper must have stuck to me: give it to +me that I may return it to him; possibly it containeth some +account whereof he hath need." But the Princess opened it and +read it and, when she understood it, she cried out, "This is one +of thy manifold tricks, and hadst thou not reared me, I would lay +violent hands on thee this moment! Verily Allah hath afflicted +me with this merchant: but all that hath befallen me with him is +on thy head. I know not from what country this one can have +come: no man but he would venture to affront me thus, and I fear +lest this my case get abroad, more by token as it concerneth one +who is neither of my kin nor of my peers." Rejoined the old woman +"None would dare speak of this for fear of thy wrath and for awe +of thy sire; so there can be no harm in sending him an answer." +Quoth the Princess, "O my nurse, verily this one is a perfect +Satan! How durst he use such language to me and not dread the +Sultan's rage. Indeed, I am perplexed about his case: if I order +him to be put to death, it were unjust; and if I leave him alive +his boldness will increase." Quoth the old woman, "Come, write +him a letter; it may be he will desist in dread." So she called +for paper and ink case and pen and wrote these couplets, + +"Thy folly drives thee on though long I chid, * + Writing in verse: how long shall I forbid? +For all forbiddal thou persistest more, * + And my sole grace it is to keep it hid; +Then hide thy love nor ever dare reveal, * + For an thou speak, of thee I'll soon be rid +If to thy silly speech thou turn anew, * + Ravens shall croak for thee the wold amid: +And Death shall come and beat thee down ere long, * + Put out of sight and bury 'neath an earthen lid: +Thy folk, fond fool! thou'lt leave for thee to mourn, * + And through their lives to sorrow all forlorn." + +Then she folded the letter and committed it to the old woman, who +took it and returning to Taj al-Muluk, gave it to him. When he +read it, he knew that the Princess was hard hearted and that he +should not win access to her; so he complained of his case to the +Wazir and besought his counsel. Quoth the Minister, "Know thou +that naught will profit thee save that thou write to her and +invoke the retribution of Heaven upon her." And quoth the Prince, +"O my brother, O Aziz, do thou write to her as if my tongue +spake, according to thy knowledge." So Aziz took a paper and +wrote these couplets, + +"By the Five Shaykhs,[FN#38] O Lord, I pray deliver me; * + Let her for whom I suffer bear like misery: +Thou knowest how I fry in flaming lowe of love, * + While she I love hath naught of ruth or clemency: +How long shall I, despite my pain, her feelings spare? * + How long shall she wreak tyranny o'er weakling me? +In pains of never ceasing death I ever grieve: * + O Lord, deign aid; none other helping hand I see. +How fain would I forget her and forget her love! * + But how forget when Love garred Patience death to dree? +O thou who hinderest Love to 'joy fair meeting tide * + Say! art thou safe from Time and Fortune's jealousy? +Art thou not glad and blest with happy life, while I * + From folk and country for thy love am doomed flee?" + +Then Aziz folded the letter and gave it to Taj al-Muluk, who read +it and was pleased with it. So he handed it to the old woman, +who took it and went in with it to Princess Dunya. But when she +read it and mastered the meaning thereof, she was enraged with +great rage and said, "All that hath befallen me cometh by means +of this ill omened old woman!" Then she cried out to the damsels +and eunuchs, saying, "Seize this old hag, this accursed +trickstress and beat her with your slippers!" So they came down +upon her till she swooned away; and, when she came to herself, +the Princess said to her, "By the Lord! O wicked old woman, did +I not fear Almighty Allah, I would slay thee." Then quoth she to +them, "Beat her again" and they did so till she fainted a second +time, whereupon she bade them drag her forth and throw her +outside the palace door. So they dragged her along on her face +and threw her down before the gate; but as soon as she revived +she got up from the ground and, walking and sitting by turns, +made her way home. There she passed the night till morning, when +she arose and went to Taj al-Muluk and told them all that had +occurred. He was distressed at this grievous news and said, "O +my mother, hard indeed to us is that which hath befallen thee, +but all things are according to fate and man's lot." Replied she, +"Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for I will +not give over striving till I have brought thee and her together, +and made thee enjoy this wanton who hath burnt my skin with +beating." Asked the Prince "Tell me what caused her to hate men;" +and the old woman answered, "It arose from what she saw in a +dream." "And what was this dream?" "'Twas this: one night, as she +lay asleep, she saw a fowler spread his net upon the ground and +scatter wheat grain round it. Then he sat down hard by, and not +a bird in the neighbourhood but flocked to his toils. Amongst +the rest she beheld a pair of pigeons, male and female; and, +whilst she was watching the net, behold, the male bird's foot +caught in the meshes and he began to struggle; whereupon all the +other birds took fright and flew away. But presently his mate +came back and hovered over him, then alighted on the toils +unobserved by the fowler, and fell to pecking with her beak and +pulling at the mesh in which the male bird's foot was tangled, +till she released the toes and they flew away together. Then the +fowler came up, mended his net and seated himself afar off. +After an hour or so the birds flew back and the female pigeon was +caught in the net; whereupon all the other birds took fright and +scurried away; and the male pigeon fled with the rest and did not +return to his mate, but the fowler came up and took the female +pigeon and cut her throat. The Princess awoke, troubled by her +dream, and said, 'All males are like this pigeon, worthless +creatures: and men in general lack grace and goodness to women.'" +When the old woman had ended her story, the Prince said to her, +"O my mother, I desire to have one look at her, though it be my +death; so do thou contrive me some contrivance for seeing her." +She replied, "Know then that she hath under her palace windows a +garden wherein she taketh her pleasure; and thither she resorteth +once in every month by the private door. After ten days, the +time of her thus going forth to divert herself will arrive; so +when she is about to visit the garden, I will come and tell thee, +that thou mayst go thither and meet her. And look thou leave not +the garden, for haply, an she see thy beauty and Loveliness, her +heart will be taken with love of thee, and love is the most +potent means of union." He said, "I hear and obey;" whereupon he +and Aziz arose and left the shop and, taking the old woman with +them, showed her the place where they lodged. Then said Taj al- +Muluk to Aziz, "O my brother, I have no need of the shop now, +having fulfilled my purpose of it; so I give it to thee with all +that is in it; for that thou hast come abroad with me and hast +left thy native land for my sake." Aziz accepted his gift and +then they sat conversing, while the Prince questioned him of the +strange adventures which had befallen him, and his companion +acquainted him with the particulars thereof. Presently, they +went to the Wazir and, reporting to him Taj al-Muluk's purpose, +asked him, "What is to be done?" "Let us go to the garden," +answered he. So each and every donned richest clothes and went +forth, followed by three white slaves to the garden, which they +found thick with thickets and railing its rills. When they saw +the keeper sitting at the gate, they saluted him with the Salam +and he returned their salute. Then the Wazir gave him an hundred +gold pieces, saying, "Prithee, take this small sum and fetch us +somewhat to eat; for we are strangers and I have with me these +two lads whom I wish to divert."[FN#39] The Gardener took the +sequins and said to them, "Enter and amuse yourselves in the +garden, for it is all yours; and sit down till I bring you what +food you require." So he went to the market while the Wazir and +Taj al-Muluk and Aziz entered the garden. And shortly after +leaving for the bazar the Gardener returned with a roasted lamb +and cotton white bread, which he placed before them, and they ate +and drank; thereupon he served up sweetmeats, and they ate of +them, and washed their hands and sat talking. Presently the +Wazir said to the garth keeper, "Tell me about this garden: is it +thine or dost thou rent it?" The Shaykh replied, "It doth not +belong to me, but to our King's daughter, the Princess Dunya." +"What be thy monthly wages?" asked the Wazir and he answered, +"One diner and no more." Then the Minister looked round about the +garden and, seeing in its midst a pavilion tall and grand but old +and disused, said to the keeper, "O elder, I am minded to do here +a good work, by which thou shalt remember me. Replied the other, +"O my lord, what is the good work thou wouldest do?" "Take these +three hundred diners," rejoined the Wazir When the Keeper heard +speak of the gold, he said, "O my lord, whatso thou wilt, do!" So +the Wazir gave him the monies, saying, "Inshallah, we will make a +good work in this place!" Then they left him and returned to +their lodging, where they passed the night; and when it was the +next day, the Minister sent for a plasterer and a painter and a +skilful goldsmith and, furnishing them with all the tools they +wanted, carried them to the garden, where he bade them whitewash +the walls of the pavilion and decorate it with various kinds of +paintings. Moreover he sent for gold and lapis lazuli[FN#40] and +said to the painter, "Figure me on the wall, at the upper end of +this hall, a man fowler with his nets spread and birds falling +into them and a female pigeon entangled in the meshes by her +bill." And when the painter had finished his picture on one side, +the Wazir said, "Figure me on the other side a similar figure and +represent the she pigeon alone in the snare and the fowler +seizing her and setting the knife to her neck; and draw on the +third side wall, a great raptor clutching the male pigeon, her +mate, and digging talons into him." The artist did his bidding, +and when he and the others had finished the designs, they +received their hire and went away. Then the Wazir and his +companions took leave of the Gardener and returned to their +place, where they sat down to converse. And Taj al-Muluk said to +Aziz, "O my brother, recite me some verses: perchance it may +broaden my breast and dispel my dolours and quench the fire +flaming in my heart." So Aziz chanted with sweet modulation these +couplets, + +"Whate'er they say of grief to lovers came, * + I, weakling I, can single handed claim: +An seek thou watering spot,[FN#41] my streaming eyes * + Pour floods that thirst would quench howe'er it flame +Or wouldest view what ruin Love has wrought * + With ruthless hands, then see this wasted frame." + +And his eyes ran over with tears and he repeated these couplets +also, + +"Who loves not swan-neck and gazelle-like eyes, * + Yet claims to know Life's joys, I say he lies: +In Love is mystery, none avail to learn * + Save he who loveth in pure loving wise. +Allah my heart ne'er lighten of this love, * + Nor rob the wakefulness these eyelids prize." + +Then he changed the mode of song and sang these couplets: + +"Ibn Sn[FN#42] in his Canon cloth opine * + Lovers' best cure is found in merry song: +In meeting lover of a like degree, * + Dessert in garden, wine draughts long and strong: +I chose another who of thee might cure * + While Force and Fortune aided well and long +But ah! I learnt Love's mortal ill, wherein * + Ibn Sina's recipe is fond and wrong." + +After hearing them to the end, Taj al-Muluk was pleased with his +verses and wondered at his eloquence and the excellence of his +recitation, saying, "Indeed, thou hast done away with somewhat of +my sorrow." Then quoth the Wazir "Of a truth, there occurred to +those of old what astoundeth those who hear it told." Quoth the +Prince, "If thou canst recall aught of this kind, prithee let us +hear thy subtle lines and keep up the talk." So the Minister +chanted in modulated song these couplets, + +"Indeed I deemed thy favours might be bought * + By gifts of gold and things that joy the sprite +And ignorantly thought thee light-o'-love, * + When can thy love lay low the highmost might; +Until I saw thee choosing one, that one * + Loved with all favour, crowned with all delight: +Then wot I thou by sleight canst ne'er be won * + And under wing my head I hid from sight +And in this nest of passion made my wone, * + Wherein I nestle morning, noon and night." + +So far concerning them; but as regards the old woman she remained +shut up from the world in her house, till it befel that the +King's daughter was taken with a desire to divert herself in the +garden. Now she had never been wont so to do save in company +with her nurse; accordingly she sent for her and made friends +with her and soothed her sorrow, saying, "I wish to go forth to +the garden, that I may divert myself with the sight of its trees +and Fruits, and broaden my breast with the scent of its flowers." +Replied the old woman, "I hear and obey; but first I would go to +my house, and soon I will be with thee." The Princess rejoined, +"Go home, but be not long absent from me." So the old woman left +her and, repairing to Taj al-Muluk, said to him, "Get thee ready +and don thy richest dress and go to the garden and find out the +Gardener and salute him and then hide thyself therein." "To hear +is to obey" answered he; and she agreed with him upon a signal, +after which she returned to the Lady Dunya. As soon as she was +gone, the Wazir and Aziz rose and robed Taj al-Muluk in a +splendid suit of royal raiment worth five thousand diners, and +girt his middle with a girdle of gold set with gems and precious +metals. Then they repaired to the garden and found seated at the +gate the Keeper who, as soon as he saw the Prince, sprang to his +feet and received him with all respect and reverence, and opening +the gate, said, "Enter and take thy pleasure in looking at the +garden." Now the Gardener knew not that the King's daughter was +to visit the place that day; but when Taj al-Muluk had been a +little while there, he heard a hubbub and ere he could think, out +issued the eunuchs and damsels by the private wicket. The +Gardener seeing this came up to the Prince, informed him of her +approach and said to him, "O my lord, what is to be done? The +Princess Dunya, the King's daughter, is here." Replied the +Prince, "Fear not, no harm shall befal thee; for I will hide me +somewhere about the garden." So the Keeper exhorted him to the +utmost prudence and went away. Presently the Princess entered +the garden with her damsels and with the old woman, who said to +herself, "If these eunuchs stay with us, we shall not attain our +end." So quoth she to the King's daughter, "O my lady, I have +somewhat to tell thee which shall ease thy heart." Quoth the +Princess, "Say what thou hast to say." "O my lady, rejoined the +old woman, "thou hast no need of these eunuchs at a time like the +present; nor wilt thou be able to divert thyself at thine ease, +whilst they are with us; so send them away;" and the Lady Dunya +replied, "Thou speakest sooth" Accordingly she dismissed them and +presently began to walk about, whilst Taj al-Muluk looked upon +her and fed his eyes on her beauty and loveliness (but she knew +it not); and every time he gazed at her he fainted by reason of +her passing charms.[FN#43] The old woman drew her on by converse +till they reached the pavilion which the Wazir had bidden be +decorated, when the Princess entered and cast a glance round and +perceived the picture of the birds the fowler and the pigeon; +whereupon she cried, "Exalted be Allah! This is the very +counterfeit presentment of what I saw in my dream." She continued +to gaze at the figures of the birds and the fowler with his net, +admiring the work, and presently she said, "O my nurse, I have +been wont to blame and hate men, but look now at the fowler how +he hath slaughtered the she bird who set free her mate; who was +minded to return to her and aid her to escape when the bird of +prey met him and tore him to pieces." Now the old woman feigned +ignorance to her and ceased not to occupy her in converse, till +they drew near the place where Taj al-Muluk lay hidden. +Thereupon she signed to him to come out and walk under the +windows of the pavilion, and, as the Lady Dunya stood looking +from the casement, behold, her glance fell that way and she saw +him and noting his beauty of face and form, said to the old +woman, "O my nurse, whence cometh yonder handsome youth?" Replied +the old woman, "I know nothing of him save that I think he must +be some great King's son, for he attaineth comeliness in excess +and extreme loveliness." And the Lady Dunya fell in love with him +to distraction; the spells which bound her were loosed and her +reason was overcome by his beauty and grace; and his fine stature +and proportions strongly excited her desires sexual. So she +said, "O my nurse! this is indeed a handsome youth;" and the old +woman replied, "Thou sayest sooth, O my lady," and signed to Taj +al-Muluk to go home. And though desire and longing flamed in him +and he was distraught for love, yet he went away and took leave +of the Gardener and returned to his place, obeying the old woman +and not daring to cross her. When he told the Wazir and Aziz +that she had signed him to depart, they exhorted him to patience, +saying, "Did not the ancient dame know that there was an object +to be gained by thy departure, she had not signalled thee to +return home." Such was the case with Taj al-Muluk, the Wazir and +Aziz but as regards the King's daughter, the Lady Dunya, desire +and passion redoubled upon her; she was overcome with love and +longing and she said to her nurse, "I know not how I shall manage +a meeting with this youth, but through thee." Exclaimed the old +woman, "I take refuge with Allah from Satan the stoned! Thou who +art averse from men! How cometh it then that thou art thus +afflicted with hope and fear of this young man? Yet, by Allah, +none is worthy of thy youth but he." Quoth the Lady Dunya, "O my +nurse, further my cause and help me to foregather with him, and +thou shalt have of me a thousand diners and a dress of honour +worth as much more: but if thou aid me not to come at him, I am a +dead woman in very sooth." Replied the ancient dame, "Go to thy +palace and leave me to devise means for bringing you twain +together. I will throw away my life to content you both!" So the +Lady Dunya returned to her palace, and the old woman betook +herself to Taj al-Muluk who, when he saw her, rose to receive her +and entreated her with respect and reverence making her sit by +his side. Then she said, "The trick hath succeeded," and told +him all that had passed between herself and the Princess. He +asked her, "When is our meeting to be?"; and she answered, +"Tomorrow." So he gave her a thousand diners and a dress of like +value, and she took them and stinted not walking till she +returned to her mistress, who said to her, "O my nurse! what +news of the be loved?" Replied she, "I have learnt where he +liveth and will bring him to thee tomorrow." At this the Princess +was glad and gave her a thousand diners and a dress worth as much +more, and she took them and returned to her own place, where she +passed the night till morning. Then she went to Taj al-Muluk and +dressing him in woman's clothes, said to him, "Follow me and sway +from side to side[FN#44] as thou steppest, and hasten not thy +pace nor take heed of any who speaketh to thee." And after thus +charging him she went out, and the Prince followed her in woman's +attire and she continued to charge and encourage him by the way, +that he might not be afraid; nor ceased they walking till they +came to the Palace-gate. She entered and the Prince after her, +and she led him on, passing through doors and vestibules, till +they had passed seven doors.[FN#45] As they approached the +seventh, she said to him, "Hearten thy heart and when I call out +to thee and say, 'O damsel pass on!' do not slacken thy pace, but +advance as if about to run. When thou art in the vestibule, look +to thy left and thou wilt see a saloon with doors: count five +doors and enter the sixth, for therein is thy desire." Asked Taj +al-Muluk, "And whither wilt thou go?"; and she answered, "Nowhere +shall I go except that perhaps I may drop behind thee, and the +Chief Eunuch may detain me to chat with him." She walked on (and +he behind her) till she reached the door where the Chief Eunuch +was stationed and he, seeing Taj al-Muluk with her dressed as a +slave girl, said to the old woman, "What business hath this girl +with thee?" Replied she, "This is a slave girl of whom the Lady +Dunya hath heard that she is skilled in different kinds of work +and she hath a mind to buy her." Rejoined the Eunuch, "I know +neither slave girls nor anyone else; and none shall enter here +without my searching according to the King's commands."--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +Chamberlain Eunuch cried to the old woman, "I know neither slave +girl nor anyone else; and none shall enter here without my +searching him according to the King's commands." Then quoth she, +feigning to be angry, "I thought thee a man of sense and good +breeding; but, if thou be changed, I will let the Princess know +of it and tell her how thou hinderest her slave girl;" and she +cried out to Taj al-Muluk, saying, "Pass on, O damsel!" So he +passed on into the vestibule as she bade him, whilst the Eunuch +was silent and said no more. The Prince counted five doors and +entered the sixth where he found the Princess Dunya standing and +awaiting him. As soon as she saw him, she knew him and clasped +him to her breast, and he clasped her to his bosom. Presently +the old woman came in to them, having made a pretext to dismiss +the Princess's slave girls for fear of disgrace; and the Lady +Dunya said to her, "Be thou our door keeper!" So she and Taj al- +Muluk abode alone together and ceased not kissing and embracing +and twining leg with leg till dawn.[FN#46] When day drew near, +she left him and, shutting the door upon him, passed into another +chamber, where she sat down as was her wont, whilst her slave +women came in to her, and she attended to their affairs and +conversed with them. Then she said to them, "Go forth from me +now, for I wish to amuse myself in privacy." So they withdrew and +she betook herself to Taj al-Muluk, and the old woman brought +them food, of which they ate and returned to amorous dalliance +till dawn. Then the door was locked upon him as on the day +before; and they ceased not to do thus for a whole month. This +is how it fared with Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya; but as +regards the Wazir and Aziz when they found that the Prince had +gone to the Palace of the King's daughter and there delayed all +the while, they concluded that he would never return from it and +that he was lost for ever; and Aziz said to the Wazir, "O my +father, what shall we do?" He replied, "O my son, this is a +difficult matter, and except we return to his sire and tell him, +he will blame us therefor." So they made ready at once and +forthright set out for the Green Land and the Country of the Two +Columns, and sought Sulayman Shah's capital. And they traversed +the valleys night and day till they went in to the King, and +acquainted him with what had befallen his son and how from the +time he entered the Princess's Palace they had heard no news of +him. At this the King was as though the Day of Doom had dawned +for him and regret was sore upon him, and he proclaimed a Holy +War[FN#47] throughout his realm. After which he sent forth his +host without the town and pitched tents for them and took up his +abode in his pavilion, whilst the levies came from all parts of +the kingdom; for his subjects loved him by reason of his great +justice and beneficence. Then he marched with an army walling +the horizon, and departed in quest of his son. Thus far +concerning them; but as regards Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya +the two remained as they were half a year's time, whilst every +day they redoubled in mutual affection; and love and longing and +passion and desire so pressed upon Taj al Muluk, that at last he +opened his mind and said to her, "Know, O beloved of my heart and +vitals, that the longer I abide with thee, the more love and +longing and passion and desire increase on me, for that I have +not yet fulfilled the whole of my wish." Asked she, "What then +wouldst thou have, O light of my eyes and fruit of my vitals? If +thou desire aught beside kissing and embracing and entwining of +legs with legs, do what pleaseth thee; for, by Allah, no partner +hath any part in us."[FN#48] But he answered "It is not that I +wish: I would fain acquaint thee with my true story. Know, then, +that I am no merchant, nay, I am a King the son of a King, and my +father's name is the supreme King Sulayman Shah, who sent his +Wazir ambassador to thy father, to demand thee in marriage for +me, but when the news came to thee thou wouldst not consent." +Then he told her his past from first to last, nor is there any +avail in a twice told tale, and he added, "And now I wish to +return to my father, that he may send an ambassador to thy sire, +to demand thee in wedlock for me, so we may be at ease." When she +heard these words, she joyed with great joy because it suited +with her own wishes, and they passed the night on this +understanding. But it so befel by the decree of Destiny that +sleep overcame them that night above all nights and they remained +till the sun had risen. Now at this hour, King Shahriman was +sitting on his cushion of estate, with his Emirs and Grandees +before him, when the Syndic of the goldsmiths presented himself +between his hands, carrying a large box. And he advanced and +opening it in presence of the King, brought out therefrom a +casket of fine work worth an hundred thousand diners, for that +which was therein of precious stones, rubies and emeralds beyond +the competence of any sovereign on earth to procure. When the +King saw this, he marvelled at its beauty; and, turning to the +Chief Eunuch (him with whom the old woman had had to do), said to +him, "O Kafur,[FN#49] take this casket and wend with it to the +Princess Dunya." The Castrato took the casket and repairing to +the apartment of the King's daughter found the door shut and the +old woman lying asleep on the threshold; whereupon said he, +"What! sleeping at this hour?" When the old woman heard the +Eunuch's voice she started from sleep and was terrified and said +to him, "Wait till I fetch the key." Then she went forth and fled +for her life. Such was her case; but as regards the Epicene he, +seeing her alarm, lifted the door off its hinge pins,[FN#50] and +entering found the Lady Dunya with her arms round the neck of Taj +al-Muluk and both fast asleep. At this sight he was confounded +and was preparing to return to the King, when the Princess awoke, +and seeing him, was terrified and changed colour and waxed pale, +and said to him, "O Kafur, veil thou what Allah hath +veiled!"[FN#51] But he replied, "I cannot conceal aught from the +King"; and, locking the door on them, returned to Shahriman, who +asked him, "Hast thou given the casket to the Princess?" Answered +the Eunuch, "Take the casket, here it is for I cannot conceal +aught from thee. Know that I found a handsome young man by the +side of the Princess and they two asleep in one bed and in mutual +embrace." The King commanded them to be brought into the presence +and said to them, "What manner of thing is this?" and, being +violently enraged, seized a dagger and was about to strike Taj +al-Muluk with it, when the Lady Dunya threw herself upon him and +said to her father, "Slay me before thou slayest him." The King +reviled her and commended her to be taken back to her chamber: +then he turned to Taj al-Muluk and said to him, "Woe to thee! +whence art thou? Who is thy father and what hath emboldened thee +to debauch my daughter?" Replied the Prince, "Know, O King, that +if thou put me to death, thou art a lost man, and thou and all in +thy dominions will repent the deed." Quoth the King, "How so?"; +and quoth Taj al-Muluk "Know that I am the son of King Sulayman +Shah, and ere thou knowest it, he will be upon thee with his +horse and foot." When King Shahriman heard these words he would +have deferred killing Taj al-Muluk and would rather have put him +in prison, till he should look into the truth of his words; but +his Wazir said to him, "O King of the Age, it is my opinion that +thou make haste to slay this gallows bird who dares debauch the +daughters of Kings." So the King cried to the headsman, "Strike +off his head; for he is a traitor." Accordingly, the herdsman +took him and bound him fast and raised his hand to the Emirs, +signing to consult them, a first and a second signal, thinking +thereby to gain time in this matter;[FN#52] but the King cried in +anger to him, "How long wilt thou consult others? If thou +consult them again I will strike off thine own head.;' So the +headsman raised his hand till the hair of his armpit showed' and +was about to smite his neck,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +headsman raised his hand to smite off his head when behold, loud +cries arose and the folk closed their shops; whereupon the King +said to the headsman, "Wait awhile," and despatched one to learn +the news. The messenger fared forth and presently returned and +reported, "I saw an army like the dashing sea with its clashing +surge: and their horses curvetting till earth trembleth with the +tramp; and I know no more of them." When the King heard this, he +was confounded and feared for his realm lest it should be torn +from him; so he turned to his Minister and said, "Have not any of +our army gone forth to meet this army?" But ere he had done +speaking, his Chamberlains entered with messengers from the King +who was approaching, and amongst them the Wazir who had +accompanied Taj al-Muluk. They began by saluting the King, who +rose to receive them and bade them draw near, and asked the cause +of their coming; whereupon the Minister came forward from amongst +them and stood before him and said "Know that he who hath come +down upon thy realm is no King like unto the Kings of yore and +the Sultans that went before." "And who is he?" asked Shahriman, +and the Wazir answered, "He is the Lord of justice and loyalty, +the bruit of whose magnanimity the caravans have blazed abroad, +the Sultan Sulayman Shah, Lord of the Green Land and the Two +Columns and the Mountains of Ispahan; he who loveth justice and +equity, and hateth oppression and iniquity. And he saith to thee +that his son is with thee and in thy city; his son, his heart's +very core and the fruit of his loins, and if he find him in +safety, his aim is won and thou shalt have thanks and praise; but +if he have been lost from thy realm or if aught of evil have +befallen him, look thou for ruin and the wasting of thy reign! +for this thy city shall become a wold wherein the raven shall +croak. Thus have I done my errand to thee and peace be with +thee!" Now when King Shahriman heard from the messenger these +words, his heart was troubled and he feared for his kingdom: so +he cried out for his Grandees and Ministers, Chamberlains and +Lieutenants; and, when they appeared, he said to them, "Woe to +you! Go down and search for the youth." Now the Prince was still +under the headsman's hands, but he was changed by the fright he +had undergone. Presently, the Wazir, chancing to glance around, +saw the Prince on the rug of blood and recognised him; so he +arose and threw himself upon him, and so did the other envoys. +Then they proceeded to loose his bonds and they kissed his hands +and feet, whereupon Taj al-Muluk opened his eyes and, recognising +his father's Wazir and his friend Aziz, fell down a fainting for +excess of delight in them. When King Shahriman made sure that +the coming of this army was indeed because of this youth, he was +confounded and feared with great fear; so he went up to Taj al- +Muluk and, kissing his head, said to him, "O my son, be not wroth +with me, neither blame the sinner for his sin; but have +compassion on my grey hairs, and waste not my realm." Whereupon +Taj al-Muluk drew near unto him and kissing his hand, replied, +"No harm shall come to thee, for indeed thou art to me as my +father; but look that nought befal my beloved, the Lady Dunya!" +Rejoined the King, "O my lord! fear not for her; naught but joy +shall betide her;" and he went on to excuse himself and made his +peace with Sulayman Shah's Wazir to whom he promised much money, +if he would conceal from the King what he had seen. Then he bade +his Chief Officers take the Prince with them and repair to the +Hammam and clothe him in one of the best of his own suits and +bring him back speedily. So they obeyed his bidding and bore him +to the bath and clad him in the clothes which King Shahriman had +set apart for him; and brought him back to the presence chamber. +When he entered the King rose to receive him and made all his +Grandees stand in attendance on him. Then Taj al-Muluk sat down +to converse with his father's Wazir and with Aziz, and he +acquainted them with what had befallen him; after which they said +to him, "During that delay we returned to thy father and gave him +to know that thou didst enter the palace of the Princess and +didst not return therefrom, and thy case seemed doubtful to us. +But when thy sire heard of this he mustered his forces; then we +came to this land and indeed our coming hath brought to thee +relief in extreme case and to us great joy." Quoth he, "Good +fortune hath attended your every action, first and last." While +this was doing King Shahriman went in to his daughter Princess +Dunya, and found her wailing and weeping for Taj al-Muluk. +Moreover, she had taken a sword and fixed the hilt in the ground +and had set the point to the middle of her heart between her +breasts; and she bent over the blade saying, "Needs must I slay +myself and not survive my beloved." When her father entered and +saw her in this case, he cried out to her, saying, "O Princess of +kings' daughters, hold thy hand and have ruth on thy sire and the +folk of thy realm!" Then he came up to her and continued, "Let it +not be that an ill thing befal thy father for thy sake!" And he +told her the whole tale that her lover was the son of King +Sulayman Shah and sought her to wife and he added, "The marriage +waiteth only for thy consent." Thereat she smiled and said, "Did +I not tell thee that he was the son of a Sultan? By Allah, there +is no help for it but that I let him crucify thee on a bit of +wood worth two pieces of silver!" Replied the King, "O my +daughter, have mercy on me, so Allah have mercy on thee!" +Rejoined she, "Up with you and make haste and go bring him to me +without delay." Quoth the King, "On my head and eyes be it!"; and +he left her and, going in hastily to Taj al-Muluk, repeated her +words in his ear.[FN#53] So he arose and accompanied the King to +the Princess, and when she caught sight of her lover, she took +hold of him and embraced him in her father's presence and hung +upon him and kissed him, saying, "Thou hast desolated me by thine +absence!" Then she turned to her father and said, "Sawest thou +ever any that could do hurt to the like of this beautiful being, +who is moreover a King, the son of a King and of the free +born,[FN#54] guarded against ignoble deeds?" There upon King +Shahriman went out shutting the door on them with his own hand; +and he returned to the Wazir and to the other envoys of Sulayman +Shah and bade them inform their King that his son was in health +and gladness and enjoying all delight of life with his beloved. +So they returned to King Sulayman and acquainted him with this; +whereupon King Shahriman ordered largesse of money and vivers to +the troops of King Sulayman Shah; and, when they had conveyed all +he had commanded, he bade be brought out an hundred coursers and +an hundred dromedaries and an hundred white slaves and an hundred +concubines and an hundred black slaves and an hundred female +slaves; all of which he forwarded to the King as a present. Then +he took horse, with his Grandees and Chief Officers, and rode out +of the city in the direction of the King's camp. As soon as +Sultan Sulayman Shah knew of his approach, he rose and advanced +many paces to meet him. Now the Wazir and Aziz had told him all +the tidings, whereat he rejoiced and cried, "Praise be to Allah +who hath granted the dearest wish of my son!" Then King Sulayman +took King Shahriman in his arms and seated him beside himself on +the royal couch, where they conversed awhile and had pleasure in +each other's conversation. Presently food was set before them, +and they ate till they were satisfied; and sweetmeats and dried +fruits were brought, and they enjoyed their dessert. And after a +while came to them Taj al-Muluk, richly dressed and adorned, and +when his father saw him, he stood up and embraced him and kissed +him. Then all who were sitting rose to do him honour; and the +two Kings seated him between them and they sat conversing a +while, after which quoth King Sulayman Shah to King Shahriman, "I +desire to have the marriage contract between my son and thy +daughter drawn up in the presence of witnesses, that the wedding +may be made public, even as is the custom of Kings." "I hear and +I obey," quoth King Shahriman and thereon summoned the Kazi and +the witnesses, who came and wrote out the marriage contract +between Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya. Then they gave +bakhshish[FN#55] of money and sweetmeats; and lavished incense +and essences; and indeed it was a day of joy and gladness and all +the grandees and soldiers rejoiced therein. Then King Shahriman +proceeded to dower and equip his daughter; and Taj al-Muluk said +to his sire, "Of a truth, this young man Aziz is of the generous +and hath done me a notable service, having borne weariness with +me; and he hath travelled with me and hath brought me to my +desire. He ceased never to show sufferance with me and exhort me +to patience till I accomplished my intent; and now he hath abided +with us two whole years, and he cut off from his native land. So +now I purpose to equip him with merchandise, that he may depart +hence with a light heart; for his country is nearhand." Replied +his father, "Right is thy rede;" so they made ready an hundred +loads of the richest stuffs and the most costly, and Taj al-Muluk +presented them with great store of money to Aziz, and farewelled +him, saying, "O my brother and my true friend! take these loads +and accept them from me by way of gift and token of affection, +and go in peace to thine own country." Aziz accepted the presents +and kissing the ground between the hands of the Prince and his +father bade them adieu. Moreover, Taj al-Muluk mounted and +accompanied him three miles on his homeward way as a proof of +amity, after which Aziz conjured him to turn back, saying, "By +Allah, O my master, were it not for my mother, I never would part +from thee! But, good my lord! leave me not without news of +thee." Replied Taj al-Muluk, "So be it!" Then the Prince returned +to the city and Aziz journeyed on till he came to his native +town; and he entered it and ceased not faring till he went in to +his mother and found that she had built him a monument in the +midst of the house and used to visit it continually. When he +entered, he saw her with hair dishevelled and dispread over the +tomb, weeping and repeating these lines, + +"Indeed I'm strong to bear whate'er befal; * + But weak to bear such parting's dire mischance: +What heart estrangement of the friend can bear? * + What strength withstand assault of severance?" + +Then sobs burst from her breast, and she recited also these +couplets, + +"What's this? I pass by tombs, and fondly greet * + My friends' last homes, but send they no reply: +For saith each friend, 'Reply how can I make * + When pledged to clay and pawned to stones I lie? +Earth has consumed my charms and I forget * + Thy love, from kith and kin poor banisht I.' " + +While she was thus, behold, Aziz came in to her and when she saw +him, she fell down, fainting for very joy. He sprinkled water on +her face till she revived and rising, took him in her arms and +strained him to her breast, whilst he in like manner embraced +her. Then he greeted her and she greeted him, and she asked the +reason of his long absence, whereupon he told her all that had +befallen him from first to last and informed her how Taj al-Muluk +had given him an hundred loads of monies and stuffs. At this she +rejoiced, and Aziz abode with his mother in his native town, +weeping for what mishaps had happened to him with the daughter of +Dalilah the Wily One, even her who had castrated[FN#56] him. +Such was the case with Aziz; but as regards Taj al-Muluk he went +in unto his beloved, the Princess Dunya, and abated her +maidenhead. Then King Shahriman proceeded to equip his daughter +for her journey with her husband and father in law, and bade +bring them provaunt and presents and rarities. So they loaded +their beasts and set forth, whilst King Shahriman escorted them, +by way of farewell, three days' journey on their way, till King +Shah Sulayman conjured him to return. So he took leave of them +and turned back, and Taj al-Muluk and his wife and father fared +for wards night and day, with their troops, till they drew near +their capital. As soon as the news of their coming spread +abroad, the folk decorated for them the city,--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Shah +Sulayman drew near his capital, the folk decorated the city for +him and for his son. So they entered in state and the King, +sitting on his throne with his son by his side, gave alms and +largesse and loosed all who were in his jails. Then he held a +second bridal for his son, and the sound of the singing women and +players upon instruments was never silent for a whole month, and +the tire women stinted not to adorn the Lady Dunya and display +her in various dresses; and she tired not of the displaying nor +did the women weary of gazing on her. Then Taj al-Muluk, after +having foregathered awhile with his father and mother, took up +his sojourn with his wife, and they abode in all joyance of life +and in fairest fortune, till there came to them the Destroyer of +all delights.[FN#57] Now when the Wazir Dandan had ended the tale +of Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya, Zau al-Makan said to him, "Of +a truth, it is the like of thee who lighten the mourner's heart +and who deserve to be the boon companions of Kings and to guide +their policy in the right way." All this befel and they were +still besieging Constantinople, where they lay four whole years, +till they yearned after their native land; and the troops +murmured, being weary of vigil and besieging and the endurance of +fray and foray by night and by day. Then King Zau al-Makan +summoned Rustam and Bahram and Tarkash, and when they were in +presence bespoke them thus, "Know that we have lain here all +these years and we have not won to our wish; nay, we have but +gained increase of care and concern; for indeed we came, thinking +to take our man bote for King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and in so doing +my brother Sharrkan was slain; so is our sorrow grown to sorrows +twain and our affliction to afflictions twain. All this came of +the old woman Zat al-Dawahi, for it was she who slew the Sultan +in his kingdom and carried off his wife, the Queen Sophia; nor +did this suffice her, but she must put another cheat on us and +cut the throat of my brother Sharrkan and indeed I have bound +myself and sworn by the solemnest oaths that there is no help but +I take blood wit from her. What say ye? Ponder my address and +answer me." Then they bowed their heads and answered, "It is for +the Wazir Dandan to opine." So the Minister came forward and +said, "Know O King of the Age! it booteth us nought to tarry +here; and 'tis my counsel that we strike camp and return to our +own country, there to abide for a certain time and after that we +should return for a razzia upon the worshippers of idols." +Replied the King, "This rede is right, for indeed the folk weary +for a sight of their families, and I am an other who is also +troubled with yearning after my son Kanmakan and my brother 's +daughter Kuzia Fakan, for she is in Damascus and I know not how +is her case." When the troops heard this report, they rejoiced +and blessed the Wazir Dandan. Then the King bade the crier call +the retreat after three days. They fell to preparing for the +march, and, on the fourth day, they beat the big drums and +unfurled the banners and the army set forth, the Wazir Danden in +the van and the King riding in the mid battle, with the Grand +Chamberlain by his side; and all journeyed without ceasing, night +and day, till they reached Baghdad city. The folk rejoiced in +their return, and care and fear ceased from them whilst the stay +at homes met the absentees and each Emir betook him to his own +house. As for Zau al-Makan he marched up to the Palace and went +in to his son Kanmakan, who had now reached the age of seven; and +who used to go down to the weapon plain and ride. As soon as the +King was rested of his journey, he entered the Hammam with his +son, and returning, seated himself on his sofa of state, whilst +the Wazir Dandan took up his station before him and the Emirs and +Lords of the realm presented themselves and stood in attendance +upon him. Then Zau al-Makan called for his comrade, the Fireman, +who had befriended him in his wanderings; and, when he came into +presence, the King rose to do him honour and seated him by his +side. Now he had acquainted the Wazir with all the kindness and +good turns which the Stoker had done him; and he found that the +wight had waxed fat and burly with rest and good fare, so that +his neck was like an elephant's throat and his face like a +dolphin's belly. Moreover, he was grown dull of wit, for that he +had never stirred from his place; so at first he knew not the +King by his aspect. But Zau al-Makan came up to him smiling in +his face, and greeted him after the friendliest fashion, saying, +"How soon hast thou forgotten me?" With this the Fireman roused +himself and, looking steadfastly at Zau al-Makan, made sure that +he knew him; whereupon he sprang hastily to his feet and +exclaimed, "O my friend, who hath made thee Sultan?" Then Zau al- +Makan laughed at him and the Wazir, coming up to him expounded +the whole story to him and said, "In good sooth he was thy +brother and thy friend; and now he is King of the land and needs +must thou get great good of him. So I charge thee, if he say, +'Ask a boon of me,' ask not but for some great thing; for thou +art very dear to him." Quoth the Fireman, "I fear lest, if I ask +of him aught, he may not choose to give it or may not be able to +grant it." Quoth the Wazir, "Have no care; whatsoever thou askest +he will give thee." Rejoined the Stoker, "By Allah, I must at +once ask of him a thing that is in my thought: every night I +dream of it and implore Almighty Allah to vouchsafe it to me." +Said the Wazir, "Take heart; by Allah, if thou ask of him the +government of Damascus, in place of his brother, he would surely +give it thee and make thee Governor." With this the Stoker rose +to is feet and Zau al-Makan signed to him to sit; but he refused, +saying, "Allah forfend! The days are gone by of my sitting in +thy presence.' Answered the Sultan, "Not so, they endure even +now. Thou west in very deed the cause that I am at present alive +and, by Allah, whatever thing most desired thou requirest of me, +I will give that same to thee. But ask thou first of Allah, and +then of me!" He said, "O my lord, I fear" "Fear not," quoth the +Sultan He continued, "I fear to ask aught and that thou shouldst +refuse it to me and it is only" At this the King laughed and +replied, "If thou require of me the half of my kingdom I would +share it with thee: so ask what thou wilt and leave talking." +Repeated the Fireman "I fear" "Don't fear," quoth the King. He +went on, "I fear lest I ask a thing and thou be not able to grant +it." Upon this the Sultan waxed wroth and cried, "Ask what thou +wilt." Then said he, "I ask, first of Allah and then of thee, +that thou write me a patent of Syndicate over all the Firemen of +the baths in the Holy City, Jerusalem." The Sultan and all +present laughed and Zau al-Makan said, "Ask something more than +this." He replied, "O my lord, said I not I feared that thou +wouldst not choose to give me what I should ask or that thou be +not able to grant it?" Therewith the Wazir signed him with his +foot once and twice and thrice, and every time he began, "I ask +of thee" Quoth the Sultan, "Ask and be speedy." So he said, "I +ask thee to make me Chief of the Scavengers in the Holy City of +Jerusalem, or in. Damascus town." Then all those who were +present fell on their backs with laughter and the Wazir beat him; +whereupon he turned to the Minister and said to him, "What art +thou that thou shouldest beat me? 'Tis no fault of mine: didst +thou not thyself bid me ask some important thing?" And he added, +"Let me go to my own land." With this, the Sultan knew that he +was jesting and took patience with him awhile; then turned to him +and said, "O my brother, ask of me some important thing, +befitting our dignity." So the Stoker said, "O King of the Age, I +ask first of Allah and then of thee, that thou make me Viceroy of +Damascus in the place of thy brother;" and the King replied, +"Allah granteth thee this." Thereupon the Fireman kissed ground +before him and he bade set him a chair in his rank and vested him +with a viceroy's habit. Then he wrote him a patent and sealed it +with his own seal, and said to the Wazir Dandan, "None shall go +with him but thou; and when thou makest the return journey, do +thou bring with thee my brother's daughter, Kuzia Fakan." +"Hearken ing and obedience," answered the Minister; and, taking +the Fire man, went down with him and made ready for the march. +Then the King appointed for the Stoker servants and suite, and +gave him a new litter and a princely equipage and said to the +Emirs, "Whoso loveth me, let him honour this man and offer him a +handsome present." So each and every of the Emirs brought him his +gift according to his competence; and the King named him Zibl +Khn,[FN#58] and conferred on him the honourable surname of al- +Mujhid.[FN#59] As soon as the gear was ready, he went up with +the Wazir Dandan to the King, that he might take leave of him and +ask his permission to depart. The King rose to him and embraced +him, and charged him to do justice between his subjects and bade +him make ready for fight against the Infidels after two years. +Then they took leave of each other and the King,[FN#60] the +Fighter for the Faith highs Zibl Khan, having been again exhorted +by Zau al-Makan to deal fairly with his subjects, set out on his +journey, after the Emirs had brought him Mamelukes and eunuchs, +even to five thousand in number, who rode after him. The Grand +Chamberlain also took horse, as did Bahram, captain of the +Daylamites, and Rustam, captain of the Persians, and Tarkash, +captain of the Arabs, who attended to do him service; and they +ceased not riding with him three days' journey by way of honour. +Then, taking their leave of him, they returned to Baghdad and the +Sultan Zibl Khan and the Wazir Dandan fared on, with their suite +and troops, till they drew near Damascus. Now news was come, +upon the wings of birds, to the notables of Damascus, that King +Zau al-Makan had made Sultan over Damascus a King named Zibl Khan +and surnamed Al-Mujahid; so when he reached the city he found it +dressed in his honour and everyone in the place came out to gaze +on him. The new Sultan entered Damascus in a splendid progress +and went up to the citadel, where he sat down upon his chair of +state, whilst the Wazir Dandan stood in attendance on him, to +acquaint him with the ranks of the Emirs and their stations. +Then the Grandees came in to him and kissed hands and called down +blessings on him. The new King, Zibl Khan, received them +graciously and bestowed on them dresses of honour and various +presents and bounties; after which he opened the treasuries and +gave largesse to the troops, great and small. Then he governed +and did justice and proceeded to equip the Lady Kuzia Fakan, +daughter of King Sharrkan, appointing her a litter of silken +stuff. Moreover he furnished the Wazir Dandan equally well for +the return journey and offered him a gift of coin but he refused, +saying, "Thou art near the time appointed by the King, and haply +thou wilt have need of money, or after this we may send to seek +of thee funds for the Holy War or what not." Now when the Wazir +was ready to march, Sultan al-Mujahid mounted to bid the Minister +farewell and brought Kuzia Fakan to him, and made her enter the +litter and sent with her ten damsels to do her service. +Thereupon they set forward, whilst King "Fighter for the Faith" +returned to his government that he might order affairs and get +ready his munitions of war, awaiting such time as King Zau al- +Makan should send a requisition to him. Such was the case with +Sultan Zibl Khan, but as regards the Wazir Dandan, he ceased not +faring forward and finishing off the stages, in company with +Kuzia Fakan till they came to Ruhbah[FN#61] after a month's +travel and thence pushed on, till he drew near Baghdad. Then he +sent to announce his arrival to King Zau al-Makan who, when he +heard this, took horse and rode out to meet him. The Wazir +Dandan would have dismounted, but the King conjured him not to do +so and urged his steed till he came up to his side. Then he +questioned him of Zibl Khan highs Al-Mujahid, whereto the Wazir +replied that he was well and that he had brought with him Kuzia +Fakan the daughter of his brother. At this the King rejoiced and +said to Dandan, "Down with thee and rest thee from the fatigue of +the journey for three days, after which come to me again." +Replied the Wazir "With joy and gratitude," and betook himself to +his own house, whilst the King rode up to his Palace and went in +to his brother's daughter, Kuzia Fakan, a girl of eight years +old. When he saw her, he rejoiced in her and sorrowed for her +sire; then he bade make for her clothes and gave her splendid +jewelry and ornaments, and ordered she be lodged with his son +Kanmakan in one place. So they both grew up the brightest of the +people of their time and the bravest; but Kuzia Fakan became a +maiden of good sense and understanding and knowledge of the +issues of events, whilst Kanmakan approved him a generous youth +and freehanded, taking no care in the issue of aught. And so +they continued till each of them attained the age of twelve. Now +Kuzia Fakan used to ride a horseback and fare forth with her +cousin into the open plain and push forward and range at large +with him in the word; and they both learnt to smite with swords +and spike with spears. But when they had reached the age of +twelve, King Zau al-Makan, having completed his preparations and +provisions and munitions for Holy War, summoned the Wazir Dandan +and said to him, "Know that I have set mind on a thing, which I +will discover to thee, and I want shine opinion thereon; so do +thou with speed return me a reply." Asked the Wazir, "What is +that, O King of the Age?"; and the other answered, "I am resolved +to make my son Kanmakan Sultan and rejoice in him in my lifetime +and do battle before him till death overtake me. What reckest +thou of this?" The Wazir kissed the ground before the King and +replied, "Know, O King and Sultan mine, Lord of the Age and the +time! that which is in thy mind is indeed good, save that it is +now no tide to carry it out, for two reasons; the first, that thy +son Kanmakan is yet of tender years; and the second, that it +often befalleth him who maketh his son King in his life time, to +live but a little while thereafterward.[FN#62] And this is my +reply." Rejoined the King, "Know, O Wazir that we will make the +Grand Chamberlain guardian over him, for he is now one of the +family and he married my sister, so that he is to me as a +brother." Quoth the Wazir, "Do what seemeth good to thee: we have +only to obey thine orders." Then the King sent for the Grand +Chamberlain whom they brought into the presence together with the +Lords of the realm and he said to them, "Ye know that this my son +Kanmakan is the first cavalier of the age, and that he hath no +peer in striking with the sword and lunging with the lance; and +now I appoint him to be Sultan over you and I make the Grand +Chamberlain, his uncle, guardian over him." Replied the +Chamberlain, "I am but a tree which thy bounty hath planted"; and +Zau al-Makan said, "O Chamberlain, verily this my son Kanmakan +and my niece Kuzia Fakan are brothers' children; so I hereby +marry her to him and I call those present to witness thereof." +Then he made over to his son such treasures as no tongue can +describe, and going in to his sister, Nuzhat al-Zaman, told her +what he had done, whereat she was a glad woman and said, "Verily +the twain are my children: Allah preserve thee to them and keep +thy life for them many a year!" Replied he, "O my sister, I have +accomplished in this world all my heart desired and I have no +fear for my son! yet it were well thou have an eye on him, and +an eye on his mother." And he charged the Chamberlain and Nuzhat +al-Zaman with the care of his son and niece and wife, and this he +continued to do nights and days till he fell sick and deemed +surely that he was about to drink the cup of death; so he took to +his bed, whilst the Chamberlain busied himself with ordering the +folk and realm. At the end of the year, the King summoned his +son Kanmakan and the Wazir Dandan and said, "O my son, after my +death this Wazir is thy sire; for know that I am about to leave +this house of life transitory for the house of eternity. And +indeed I have fulfilled my will of this world; yet there +remaineth in my heart one regret which may Allah dispel through +and by thy hands." Asked his son, "What regret is that, O my +father?" Answered Zau al-Makan, "O my son, the sole regret of me +is that I die without having avenged thy grandfather, Omar bin +al-Nu'uman, and thine uncle, Sharrkan, on an old woman whom they +call Zat al-Dawahi; but, if Allah grant thee aid, sleep not till +thou take thy wreak on her, and so wipe out the shame we have +suffered at the Infidel's hands; and beware of the old hag's wile +and do what the Wazir Dandan shall advise thee; because he from +old time hath been the pillar of our realm." And his son assented +to what he said. Then the King's eyes ran over with tears and +his sickness redoubled on him; whereupon his brother in law, the +Chamberlain took charge over the country and, being a capable +man, he judged and bade and forbade for the whole of that year, +while Zau al-Makan was occupied with his malady. And his +sickness was sore upon him for four years, during which the Chief +Chamberlain sat in his stead and gave full satisfaction to the +commons and the nobles; and all the country blessed his rule. +Such was the case with Zau al-Makan and the Chamberlain, but as +regards the King's son, he busied himself only with riding and +lunging with lance and shooting with shaft, and thus also did the +daughter of his uncle, Kuzia Fakan; for he and she were wont to +fare forth at the first of the day and return at nightfall, when +she would go in to her mother, and he would go in to his mother +whom he ever found sitting in tears by the head of his father's +couch. Then he would tend his father all night long till +daybreak, when he would go forth again with his cousin according +to their wont. Now Zau al-Makan's pains and sufferings were +lonesome upon him and he wept and began versifying with these +couplets, + +"Gone is my strength, told is my tale of days * + And, lookye! I am left as thou dost see: +In honour's day most honoured wont to be, * + And win the race from all my company +Would Heaven before my death I might behold * + My son in seat of empire sit for me +And rush upon his foes, to take his wreak * + With sway of sword and lance lunged gallantly: +In this world and the next I am undone, * + Except the Lord vouchsafe me clemency." + +When he had ended repeating these verses, he laid his head on his +pillow and closed his eyes and slept. Then saw he in his sleep +one who said to him, "Rejoice, for thy son shall fill the lands +with justest sway; and he shall rule them and him shall the +lieges obey."; Then he awoke from his dream gladdened by the good +tidings he had seen, and after a few days, Death smote him, and +because of his dying great grief fell on the people of Baghdad, +and simple and gentle mourned for him. But Time passed over him, +as though he had never been[FN#63] and Kanmakan's estate was +changed; for the people of Baghdad set him aside and put him and +his family in a place apart. Now when his mother saw this, she +fell into the sorriest of plights and said, "There is no help but +that I go to the Grand Chamberlain, and I must hope for the +aidance of the Subtle, the All-Wise!" Then she rose from her +place and betook herself to the house of the Chamberlain who was +now become Sultan, and she found him sitting upon his carpet. So +she went in to his wife, Nuzhat al-Zaman, and wept with sore +weeping and said unto her, "Verily the dead hath no friend! May +Allah never bring you to want as long as your age and the years +endure, and may you cease not to rule justly over rich and poor. +Thine ears have heard and thine eyes have seen all that was ours +of kingship and honour and dignity and wealth and fair fortune of +life and condition; and now Time hath turned upon us, and fate +and the world have betrayed us and wrought in hostile way with +us, wherefore I come to thee craving thy favours, I from whom +favours were craved: for when a man dieth, women and maidens are +brought to despisal." And she repeated these couplets, + +"Suffice thee Death such marvels can enhance, * + And severed lives make lasting severance: +Man's days are marvels, and their stations are * + But water-pits[FN#64] of misery and mischance. +Naught wrings my heart save loss of noble friends, * + Girt round by rings of hard, harsh circumstance." + +When Nuzhat al-Zaman heard these words, she remembered her +brother, Zau al-Makan, and his son Kanmakan, and, making her draw +near to her and showing her honour, she said, "Verily at this +moment, by Allah, I am grown rich and thou art poor; now by the +Lord! we did not cease to seek thee out, but we feared to wound +thy heart lest thou shouldest fancy our gifts to thee an alms +gift. Withal, whatso weal we now enjoy is from thee and thy +husband; so our house is thy house and our place thy place, and +thine is all our wealth and what goods we have belong to thee." +Then she robed her in sumptuous robes and set apart for her a +place in the Palace adjoining her own; and they abode therein, +she and her son, in all delight of life. And Nuzhat al-Zaman +clothed him also in Kings' raiment and gave to them both especial +handmaids for their service. After a little, she related to her +husband the sad case of the widow of her brother, Zau al-Makan, +whereat his eyes filled with tears and he said, "Wouldest thou +see the world after thee, look thou upon the world after other +than thyself. Then entreat her honourably and enrich her +poverty."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + + When It was the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nuzhat +Al-Zaman related to her husband the sad case of the widow of her +brother, Zau al-Makan, the Chamberlain said, "Entreat her +honourably and enrich her poverty." Thus far concerning Nuzhat +al-Zaman and her consort and the relict of Zau al-Makan; but as +regards Kanmakan and his cousin Kuzia Fakan, they grew up and +flourished till they waxed like unto two fruit-laden boughs or +two shining moons; and they reached the age of fifteen. And she +was indeed the fairest of maids who are modestly veiled, lovely +faced with smooth cheeks graced, and slender waist on heavy hips +based; and her shape was the shaft's thin line and her lips were +sweeter than old wine and the nectar of her mouth as it were the +fountain Salsabl[FN#65]; even as saith the poet in these two +couplets describing one like her, + +"As though ptisane of wine on her lips honey dew * + Dropt from the ripened grapes her mouth in clusters grew +And, when her frame thou doublest, and low bends her vine, * + Praise her Creator's might no creature ever knew." + +Of a truth Allah had united in her every charm: her shape would +shame the branch of waving tree and the rose before her cheeks +craved lenity; and the honey dew of her lips of wine made jeer, +however old and clear, and she gladdened heart and beholder with +joyous cheer, even as saith of her the poet, + +"Goodly of gifts is she, and charm those perfect eyes, * + With lashes shaming Kohl and all the fair ones Kohl'd[FN#66] +And from those eyne the glances pierce the lover's heart, * + Like sword in Mr al-Muminna Ali's hold." + +And (the relator continueth) as for Kanmakan, he became unique in +loveliness and excelling in perfection no less; none could even +him in qualities as in seemliness and the sheen of velour between +his eyes was espied, testifying for him while against him it +never testified. The hardest hearts inclined to his side; his +eyelids bore lashes black as by Kohl; and he was of surpassing +worth in body and soul. And when the down of lips and cheeks +began to sprout bards and poets sang for him far and near, + +"Appeared not my excuse till hair had clothed his cheek, * + And gloom o'ercrept that side-face (sight to stagger!) +A fawn, when eyes would batten on his charms, * + Each glance deals thrust like point of Khanjar-dagger." + +And saith another, + +"His lovers' souls have drawn upon his cheek * + An ant that perfected its rosy light: +I marvel at such martyrs Laz-pent * + Who yet with greeny robes of Heaven are dight.''[FN#67] + +Now it chanced one holiday, that Kuzia Fakan fared forth to make +festival with certain kindred of the court, and she went +surrounded by her handmaids. And indeed beauty encompassed her, +the roses of her cheeks dealt envy to their mole; from out her +smiling lips levee flashed white, gleaming like the +chamomile[FN#68]; and Kanmakan began to turn about her and devour +her with his sight, for she was the moon of resplendent light. +Then he took heart and giving his tongue a start began to +improvise, + +"When shall the disappointed heart be healed of severance, * + And lips of Union smile at ceasing of our hard mischance? +Would Heaven I knew shall come some night, and with it surely + bring * Meeting with friend who like myself endureth + sufferance."[FN#69] + +When Kuzia Fakan heard these couplets, she showed vexation and +disapproval and, putting on a haughty and angry air, said to him, +"Dost thou name me in thy verse, to shame me amongst folk? By +Allah, if thou turn not from this talk, I will assuredly complain +of thee to the Grand Chamberlain, Sultan of Khorasan and Baghdad +and lord of justice and equity; that disgrace and punishment may +befal thee!" Kanmakan made no reply for anger but he returned to +Baghdad; and Kuzia Fakan also returned to her palace and +complained of her cousin to her mother, who said to her, "O my +daughter, haply he meant thee no harm, and is he aught but an +orphan? Withal, he said nought of reproach to thee; so beware +thou tell none of this, lest perchance it come to e Sultan's ears +and he cut short his life and blot out his name and make it even +as yesterday, whose memory hath passed away." However, Kanmakan's +love for Kuzia Fakan spread abroad in Baghdad, so that the women +talked of it. Moreover, his breast became straitened and his +patience waned and he knew not what to do, yet he could not hide +his condition from the world. Then longed he to give vent to the +pangs he endured, by reason of the lowe of separation; but he +feared her rebuke and her wrath; so he began improvising, + +"Now is my dread to incur reproaches, which * + Disturb her temper and her mind obscure, +Patient I'll bear them; e'en as generous youth his case to + cure.'' * Beareth the burn of brand his case to + cure."[FN#70] + +And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Grand Chamberlain became Sultan they named him King Ssn; and +after he had assumed the throne he governed the people in +righteous way. Now as he was giving audience one day, Kanmakan's +verses came to his knowledge. Thereupon he repented him of the +past and going in to his wife Nuzhat al-Zaman, said to her, +"Verily, to join Halfah grass and fire,[FN#71] is the greatest of +risks, and man may not be trusted with woman, so long as eye +glanceth and eyelid quivereth. Now thy brother's son, Kanmakan, +is come to man's estate and it behoveth us to forbid him access +to the rooms where anklets trinkle, and it is yet more needful to +forbid thy daughter the company of men, for the like of her +should be kept in the Harim." Replied she, "Thou sayest sooth, O +wise King!" Next day came Kanmakan according to his wont; and, +going in to his aunt saluted her. She returned his salutation +and said to him, "O my son! I have some what to say to thee +which I would fain leave unsaid; yet I must tell it thee despite +my inclination." Quoth he, "Speak;" and quoth she, Know then that +thy sire the Chamberlain, the father of Kuzia Fakan, hath heard +of the verses thou madest anent her, and hath ordered that she be +kept in the Harim and out of thy reach; if therefore, O my son, +thou want anything from us, I will send it to thee from behind +the door; and thou shalt not look upon Kuzia Fakan nor shalt thou +return hither from this day forth." When he heard this he arose +and withdrew with out speaking a single word; and, betaking +himself to his mother related what his aunt had said. She +observed, "This all cometh of thine overtalking. Thou knowest +that the news of thy passion for Kuzia Fakan is noised abroad and +the tattle hath spread everywhere how thou eatest their food and +thereafter thou courtest their daughter." Rejoined he, "And who +should have her but I? She is the daughter of my father's +brother and I have the best of rights to her." Retorted his +mother, "These are idle words. Be silent, lest haply thy talk +come to King Sasan's ears and it prove the cause of thy losing +her and the reason of thy ruin and increase of thine affliction. +They have not sent us any supper to-night and we shall die an +hungered; and were we in any land but this, we were already dead +of famine or of shame for begging our bread." When Kanmakan heard +these words from his mother, his regrets redoubled; his eyes ran +over with tears and he complained and began improvising, + +"Minish this blame I ever bear from you: * + My heart loves her to whom all love is due: +Ask not from me of patience jot or little, * + Divorce of Patience by God's House! I rue: +What blamers preach of patience I unheed; * + Here am I, love path firmly to pursue! +Indeed they bar me access to my love, * + Here am I by God's ruth no ill I sue! +Good sooth my bones, whenas they hear thy name, * + Quail as birds quailed when Nisus o'er them flew:[FN#72] +Ah! say to them who blame my love that I * + Will love that face fair cousin till I die." + +And when he had ended his verses he said to his mother, "I have +no longer a place in my aunt's house nor among these people, but +I will go forth from the palace and abide in the corners of the +city." So he and his mother left the court; and, having sought an +abode in the neighbourhood of the poorer sort, there settled; but +she used to go from time to time to King Sasan's palace and +thence take daily bread for herself and her son. As this went on +Kuzia Fakan took her aside one day and said to her, "Alas, O my +naunty, how is it with thy son?" Replied she, "O my daughter, +sooth to say, he is tearful-eyed and heavy hearted, being fallen +into the net of thy love." And she repeated to her the couplets +he had made; whereupon Kuzia Fakan wept and said, "By Allah! I +rebuked him not for his words, nor for ill-will to him, but +because I feared for him the malice of foes. Indeed my passion +for him is double that he feeleth for me; my tongue may not +describe my yearning for him; and were it not for the extravagant +wilfulness of his words and the wanderings of his wit, my father +had not cut off from him favours that besit, nor had decreed unto +him exclusion and prohibition as fit. However, man's days bring +nought but change, and patience in all case is most becoming: +peradventure He who ordained our severance will vouchsafe us +reunion!" And she began versifying in these two couplets, + +"O son of mine uncle! same sorrow I bear, * + And suffer the like of thy cark and thy care +Yet hide I from man what I suffer for pine; * + Hide it too, and such secret to man never bare!" + +When his mother heard this from her, she thanked her and blessed +her: then she left her and acquainted her son with what she had +said; whereupon his desire for her increased and he took heart, +being eased of his despair and the turmoil of his love and care. +And he said, "By Allah, I desire none but her!"; and he began +improvising, + +"Leave this blame, I will list to no flout of my foe! * + I divulged a secret was told me to keep: +He is lost to my sight for whose union I yearn, * + And I watch all the while he can slumber and sleep." + +So the days and nights went by whilst Kanmakan lay tossing upon +coals of fire,[FN#73] till he reached the age of seventeen; and +his beauty had waxt perfect and his wits were at their brightest. +One night, as he lay awake, he communed with himself and said, +"Why should I keep silence till I waste away and see not my +lover? Fault have I none save poverty; so, by Allah, I am +resolved to remove me from this region and wander over the wild +and the word; for my position in this city is a torture and I +have no friend nor lover therein to comfort me; wherefore I am +determined to distract myself by absence from my native land till +I die and take my rest after this shame and tribulation." And he +began to improvise and recited these couplets, + +"Albeit my vitals quiver 'neath this ban; * + Before the foe myself I'll ne'er unman! +So pardon me, my vitals are a writ * + Whose superscription are my tears that ran: +Heigh ho! my cousin seemeth Houri may * + Come down to earth by reason of Rizwan: +'Scapes not the dreadful sword lunge of her look * + Who dares the glancing of those eyne to scan: +O'er Allah's wide spread world I'll roam and roam, * + And from such exile win what bread I can +Yes, o'er broad earth I'll roam and save my soul, * + All but her absence bear ing like a man +With gladsome heart I'll haunt the field of fight, * + And meet the bravest Brave in battle van!" + +So Kanmakan fared forth from the palace barefoot and he walked in +a short sleeved gown, wearing on his head a skull cap of +felt[FN#74] seven years old and carrying a scone three days +stale, and in the deep glooms of night betook himself to the +portal of al-Arij of Baghdad. Here he waited for the gate being +opened and when it was opened, he was the first to pass through +it; and he went out at random and wandered about the wastes night +and day. When the dark hours came, his mother sought him but +found him not; whereupon the world waxt strait upon her for all +that it was great and wide, and she took no delight in aught of +weal it supplied. She looked for him a first day and a second +day and a third day till ten days were past, but no news of him +reached her. Then her breast became contracted and she shrieked +and shrilled, saying, "O my son! O my darling! thou hast +revived my regrets. Sufficed not what I endured, but thou must +depart from my home? After thee I care not for food nor joy in +sleep, and naught but tears and mourning are left me. O my son, +from what land shall I call thee? And what town hath given thee +refuge?" Then her sobs burst out, and she began repeating these +couplets, + +"Well learnt we, since you left, our grief and sorrow to + sustain, * While bows of severance shot their shafts in + many a railing rain: +They left me, after girthing on their selles of corduwayne * + To fight the very pangs of death while spanned they sandy + plain: +Mysterious through the nightly gloom there came the moan of + dove; * A ring dove, and replied I, 'Cease thy plaint, how + durst complain?' +If, by my life, her heart, like mine, were full of pain and + pine * She had not decks her neck with ring nor sole with + ruddy stain.[FN#75] +Fled is mine own familiar friend, bequeathing me a store * + Of parting pang and absence ache to suffer evermore." + +Then she abstained from food and drink and gave herself up to +excessive tear shedding and lamentation. Her grief became public +property far and wide and all the people of the town and country +side wept with her and cried, "Where is thine eye, O Zau al- +Makan?" And they bewailed the rigours of Time, saying, "Would +Heaven we knew what hath befallen Kanmakan that he fled his +native town, and chased himself from the place where his father +used to fill all in hungry case and do justice and grace?" And +his mother redoubled her weeping and wailing till the news of +Kanmakan's departure came to King Sasan.--And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Fortieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that came to +King Sasan the tidings of the departure of Kanmakan, through the +Chief Emirs who said to him, "Verily he is the son of our Sovran +and the seed of King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and it hath reached us +that he hath exiled himself from the land." When King Sasan heard +these words, he was wroth with them and ordered one of them to be +hanged by way of silencing him, whereat the fear of him fell upon +the hearts of all the other Grandees and they dared not speak one +word. Then he called to mind all the kindness that Zau al-Makan +had done him, and how he had charged him with the care of his +son; wherefore he grieved for Kanmakan and said, "Needs must I +have search made for him in all countries." So he summoned +Tarkash and bade him choose an hundred horse and wend with them +in quest of the Prince. Accordingly he went out and was absent +ten days, after which he returned and said, "I can learn no +tidings of him and have hit on no trace of him, nor can any tell +me aught of him." Upon this King Sasan repented him of that which +he had done by the Prince; whilst his mother abode in unrest +continual nor would patience come at her call: and thus passed +over her twenty days in heaviness all. This is how it fared with +these; but as regards Kanmakan, when he left Baghdad, he went +forth perplexed about his case and knowing not whither he should +go: so he fared on alone through the desert for three days and +saw neither footman nor horseman; withal, his sleep fled and his +wakefulness redoubled, for he pined after his people and his +homestead. He ate of the herbs of the earth and drank of its +flowing waters and siesta'd under its trees at hours of noontide +heats, till he turned from that road to another way and, +following it other three days, came on the fourth to a land of +green leas, dyed with the hues of plants and trees and with +sloping valley sides made to please, abounding with the fruits of +the earth. It had drunken of the cups of the cloud, to the sound +of thunders rolling loud and the song of the turtle-dove gently +sough'd, till its hill slopes were brightly verdant and its +fields were sweetly fragrant. Then Kanmakan recalled his +father's city Baghdad, and for excess of emotion he broke out +into verse, + +"I roam, and roaming hope I to return; * + Yet of returning see not how or when: +I went for love of one I could not win, * + Nor way of 'scaping ills that pressed could ken." + +When he ended his recital he wept, but presently he wiped away +his tears and ate of the fruits of the earth enough for his +present need. Then he made the Wuzu-ablution and prayed the +ordained prayers which he had neglected all this time; and he sat +resting in that place through the livelong day. When night came +he slept and ceased not sleeping till midnight, when he awoke and +heard a human voice declaiming these couplets, + +"What's life to me, unless I see the pearly sheen * + Of teeth I love, and sight that glorious mien? +Pray for her Bishops who in convents reign, * + Vying to bow before that heavenly queen. +And Death is lighter than the loved one's wrath, * + Whose phantom haunts me seen in every scene: +O joy of cup companions, when they meet, * + And loved and lover o'er each other lean! +E'en more in time of spring, the lord of flowers, * + When fragrant is the world with bloom and green: +Drainer of vine-juice! up wi' thee, for now * + Earth is a Heaven where sweet waters flow.[FN#76]" + +When Kanmakan heard these distichs his sorrows surged up; his +tears ran down his cheeks like freshets and flames of fire darted +into his heart. So he rose to see who it was that spake these +words, but saw none for the thickness of the gloom; whereupon +passion increased on him and he was frightened and restlessness +possessed him. He descended from his place to the sole of the +valley and walked along the banks of the stream, till he heard +the same voice sighing heavy sighs and reciting these couplets, + +"Tho' 'tis thy wont to hide thy love perforce, * + Yet weep on day of parting and divorce! +Twixt me and my dear love were plighted vows; * + Pledge of reunion, fonder intercourse: +With joy inspires my heart and deals it rest * + Zephyr, whose coolness doth desire enforce. +O Sa'ad,[FN#77] thinks of me that anklet wearer? * + Or parting broke she troth without remorse? +And say! shall nights foregather us, and we * + Of suffered hardships tell in soft discourse? +Quoth she, 'Thou'rt daft for us and fey'; quoth I, * + ' 'Sain thee! how many a friend hast turned to corse!' +If taste mine eyes sweet sleep while she's away, * + Allah with loss of her these eyne accurse. +O wounds in vitals mine! for cure they lack * + Union and dewy lips' sweet theriack."[FN#78] + +When Kanmakan heard this verse again spoken by the same voice yet +saw no one, he knew that the speaker was a lover like unto +himself, debarred from union with her who loved him; and he said +to himself, "'Twere fitting that this man should lay his head to +my head and become my comrade in this my strangerhood."[FN#79] +Then he hailed the speaker and cried out to him, saying, "O thou +who farest in sombrest night, draw near to me and tell me thy +tale haply thou shalt find me one who will succour thee in thy +sufferings." And when the owner of the voice heard these words, +he cried out, "O thou that respondest to my complaint and +wouldest hear my history, who art thou amongst the knights? Art +thou human or Jinni? Answer me speedily ere thy death draw near +for I have wandered in this desert some twenty days and have seen +no one nor heard any voice but thy voice." At these words +Kanmakan said to himself, "This one's case is like my case, for +I, even I, have wandered twenty days, nor during my wayfare have +I seen man or heard voice:" and he added, "I will make him no +answer till day arise." So he was silent, and the voice again +called out to him, saying, "O thou that callest, if thou be of +the Jinn fare in peace and, if thou be man, stay awhile till the +day break stark and the night flee with the dark." The speaker +abode in his place and Kanmakan did likewise and the twain in +reciting verses never failed, and wept tears that railed till the +light of day began loom and the night departed with its gloom. +Then Kanmakan looked at the other and found him to be of the +Badawi Arabs, a youth in the flower of his age; clad in worn +clothes and bearing in baldrick a rusty sword which he kept +sheathed, and the signs of love longing were apparent on him. He +went up to him and accosted him and saluted him, and the Badawi +returned the salute and greeted him with courteous wishes for his +long life, but somewhat despised him, seeing his tender years and +his condition, which was that of a pauper. So he said to him, "O +youth, of what tribe art thou and to whom art thou kin among the +Arabs; and what is thy history that thou goest by night, after +the fashion of knights? Indeed thou spakest to me in the dark +words such as are spoken of none but doughty cavaliers and lion- +like warriors; and now I hold thy life in hand. But I have +compassion on thee by reason of thy green years; so I will make +thee my companion and thou shalt go with me, to do me service." +When Kanmakan heard him speak these unseemly words, after showing +him such skill in verse, he knew that he despised him and would +presume with him; therefore he answered him with soft and well- +chosen speech, saying, "O Chief of the Arabs, leave my tenderness +of age and tell me why thou wanderest by night in the desert +reciting verses. Thou talkest, I see, of my serving thee; who +then art thou and what moved thee to talk this wise?" Answered +he, "Hark ye, boy! I am Sabbh, son of Rammh bin Humm.[FN#80] +My people are of the Arabs of Syria and I have a cousin, Najmah +highs, who to all that look on her brings delight. And when my +father died I was brought up in the house of his brother, the +father of Najmah; but as soon I grew up and my uncle's daughter +became a woman, they secluded her from me and me from her, seeing +that I was poor and without money in pouch. Then the Chiefs of +the Arabs and the heads of the tribes rebuked her sire, and he +was abashed before them and consented to give me my cousin, but +upon condition that I should bring him as her dower fifty head of +horses and fifty dromedaries which travel ten days[FN#81] without +a halt and fifty camels laden with wheat and a like number laden +with barley, together with ten black slaves and ten handmaids. +Thus the weight he set upon me was beyond my power to bear; for +he exacted more than the marriage settlement as by law +established. So here am I, travelling from Syria to Irak, and I +have passed twenty days with out seeing other than thyself; yet I +mean to go to Baghdad that I may ascertain what merchant men of +wealth and importance start thence. Then will I fare forth in +their track and loot their goods, and I will slay their escort +and drive off their camels with their loads. But what manner of +man art thou?" Replied Kanmakan, "Thy case is like unto my case, +save that my evil is more grievous than thine ill; for my cousin +is a King's daughter and the dowry of which thou hast spoken +would not content her people, nor would they be satisfied with +the like of that from me." Quoth Sabbah, "Surely thou art a fool +or thy wits for excess of passion are gathering wool! How can +thy cousin be a King's daughter? Thou hast no sign of royal rank +on thee, for thou art but a mendicant." Re joined Kanmakan, "O +Chief of the Arabs, let not this my case seem strange to thee; +for what happened, happened;[FN#82] and if thou desire proof of +me, I am Kanmakan, son of King Zau al-Makan, son of King Omar bin +al-Nu'uman Lord of Baghdad and the realm Khorasan; and Fortune +banned me with her tyrant ban, for my father died and my +Sultanate was taken by King Sasan. So I fled forth from Baghdad +secretly, lest I be seen of any man, and have wandered twenty +days without any but thyself to scan. So now I have discovered +to thee my case, and my story is as thy story and my need as thy +need." When Sabbab heard this, he cried out, "O my joy, I have +attained my desire! I will have no loot this day but thy self; +for since thou art of the seed of Kings and hast come out in +beggar's garb, there is no help but thy people will seek thee; +and, if they find thee in any one's power, they will ransom thee +with monies galore. So show me thy back, O my lad, and walk +before me." Answered Kanmakan, "O brother of the Arabs, act not +on this wise, for my people will not buy me with silver nor with +gold, not even with a copper dirham; and I am a poor man, having +with me neither much nor little, so cease then to be upon this +track and take me to thy comrade. Fare we forth for the land of +Irak and wander over the world, so haply we may win dower and +marriage portion, and we may seek and enjoy our cousins' kisses +and embraces when we come back." Hearing this, Sabbah waxed +angry; his arrogance and fury redoubled and he said, "Woe to +thee! Dost thou bandy words with me, O vilest of dogs that be? +Turn thee thy back, or I will come down on thee with clack!" +Kanmakan smiled and answered, "Why should I turn my back for +thee? Is there no justice in thee? Dost thou not fear to bring +blame upon the Arab men by driving a man like myself captive, in +shame and disdain, before thou hast proved him on the plain, to +know if he be a warrior or of cowardly strain?" Upon this Sabbah +laughed and replied, "By Allah, a wonder! Thou art a boy in +years told, but in talk thou art old. These words should come +from none but a champion doughty and bold: what wantest thou of +justice?" Quoth Kanmakan, "If thou wilt have me thy captive, to +wend with thee and serve thee, throw down thine arms and put off +thine outer gear and come on and wrestle with me; and whichever +of us throw his opponent shall have his will of him and make him +his boy." Then Sabbah laughed and said, "I think this waste of +breath de noteth the nearness of thy death." Then he arose and +threw down his weapon and, tucking up his skirt, drew near unto +Kanmakan who also drew near and they gripped each other. But the +Badawi found that the other had the better of him and weighed him +down as the quintal downweighs the diner; and he looked at his +legs firmly planted on the ground, and saw that they were as two +minarets[FN#83] strongly based, or two tent-poles in earth +encased, or two mountains which may not he displaced. So he +acknowledged himself to be a failure and repented of having come +to wrestle with him, saying in himself, "Would I had slain him +with my weapon!" Then Kanmakan took hold of him and mastering +him, shook him till the Badawi thought his bowels would burst in +his belly, and he broke out, "Hold thy hand, O boy!" He heeded +not his words, but shook him again and, lifting him from the +ground, made with him towards the stream, that he might throw him +therein: where upon the Badawi roared out, saying, "O thou +valiant man, what wilt thou do with me?"[FN#84] Quoth he, "I mean +to throw thee into this stream: it will bear thee to the Tigris. +The Tigris will bring thee to the river Isa and the Isa will +carry thee to the Euphrates, and the Euphrates will land thee in +shine own country; so thy tribe shall see thee and know thy manly +cheer and how thy passion be sincere." Then Sabbah cried aloud +and said, "O Champion of the desert lair, do not with me what +deed the wicked dare but let me go, by the life of thy cousin, +the jewel of the fair!" Hearing this, Kanmakan set him on the +ground, but when he found him self at liberty, he ran to his +sword and targe and taking them up stood plotting in himself +treachery and sudden assault on his adversary.[FN#85] The Prince +kenned his intent in his eye and said to him, "I con what is in +thy heart, now thou hast hold of thy sword and thy targe. Thou +hast neither length of hand nor trick of wrestling, but thou +thinkest that, wert thou on thy mare and couldst wheel about the +plain, and ply me with thy skene, I had long ago been slain. But +I will give thee thy requite, so there may be left in thy heart +no despite; now give me the targe and fall on me with thy +whinger; either thou shalt kill me or I shall kill thee." "Here +it is," answered Sabbah and, throwing him the targe, bared his +brand and rushed at him sword in hand; Kanmakan hent the buckler +in his right and began to fend himself with it, whilst Sabbah +struck at him, saying at each stroke, "This is the finishing +blow!" But it fell harmless enow, for Kanmakan took all on his +buckler and it was waste work, though he did not reply lacking +the wherewithal to strike and Sabbah ceased not to smite at him +with his sabre, till his arm was weary. When his opponent saw +this, he rushed upon him and, hugging him in his arms, shook him +and threw him to the ground. Then he turned him over on his face +and pinioned his elbows behind him with the baldrick of his +sword, and began to drag him by the feet and to make for the +river. Thereupon cried Sabbah, "What wilt thou do with me, O +youth, and cavalier of the age and brave of the plain where +battles rage?" Answered he, "Did I not tell thee that it was my +intent to send thee by the river to thy kin and to thy tribe, +that thy heart be not troubled for them nor their hearts be +troubled for thee, and lest thou miss thy cousin's bride-feast!" +At this Sabbah shrieked aloud and wept and screaming said, "Do +not thus, O champion of the time's braves! Let me go and make me +one of thy slaves!" And he wept and wailed and began reciting +these verses, + +"I'm estranged fro' my folk and estrangement's long: * + Shall I die amid strangers? Ah, would that I kenned! +I die, nor my kinsman shall know where I'm slain, * + Die in exile nor see the dear face of my friend!" + +Thereupon Kanmakan had compassion on him and said, "Make with me +a covenant true and swear me an oath to be a comrade as due and +to bear me company wheresoever I may go." "'Tis well," replied +Sabbah and swore accordingly. Then Kanmakan loosed him and he +rose and would have kissed the Prince's hand; but he forbade him +that. Then the Badawi opened his scrip and, taking out three +barley scones, laid them before Kanmakan and they both sat down +on the bank of the stream to eat.[FN#86] When they had done +eating together, they made the lesser ablution and prayed; after +which they sat talking of what had befallen each of them from his +people and from the shifts of Time. Presently said Kanmakan, +"Whither dost thou now intend?" Replied Sabbah, "I purpose to +repair to Baghdad, thy native town, and abide there, until Allah +vouchsafe me the marriage portion." Rejoined the other, "Up then +and to the road! I tarry here." So the Badawi farewelled him and +took the way for Baghdad, whilst Kanmakan remained behind, saying +to himself, "O my soul, with what face shall I return pauper- +poor? Now by Allah, I will not go back empty handed and, if the +Almighty please, I will assuredly work my deliverance." Then he +went to the stream and made the Wuzu-washing and when prostrating +he laid his brow in the dust and prayed to the Lord, saying, "O +Allah! Thou who sendest down the dew, and feedest the worm that +homes in the stone, I beseech Thee vouchsafe me my livelihood of +Thine Omnipotence and the Grace of Thy benevolence!" Then he +pronounced the salutation which closes prayer; yet every road +appeared closed to him. And while he sat turning right and left, +behold, he espied a horseman making towards him with bent back +and reins slack. He sat up right and after a time reached the +Prince; and the stranger was at the last gasp and made sure of +death, for he was grievously wounded when he came up; the tears +streamed down his cheeks like water from the mouths of skins, and +he said to Kanmakan, "O Chief of the Arabs, take me to thy +friendship as long as I live, for thou wilt not find my like; and +give me a little water though the drinking of water be harmful to +one wounded, especially whilst the blood is flowing and the life +with it. And if I live, I will give thee what shall heal thy +penury and thy poverty: and if I die, mayst thou be blessed for +thy good intent." Now under that horseman was a stallion, so +noble a Rabite[FN#87] the tongue fails to describe him; and as +Kanmakan looked at his legs like marble shafts, he was seized +with a longing and said to himself, "Verily the like of this +stallion[FN#88] is not to be found in our time." Then he helped +the rider to alight and entreated him in friendly guise and gave +him a little water to swallow; after which he waited till he had +taken rest and addressed him, saying, "Who hath dealt thus with +thee?" Quoth the rider, "I will tell thee the truth of the case. +I am a horse thief and I have busied myself with lifting and +snatching horses all my life, night and day, and my name is +Ghassan, the plague of every stable and stallion. I heard tell +of this horse, that he was in the land of Roum, with King +Afridun, where they had named him Al-Katl and surnamed him Al +Majnn.[FN#89] So I journeyed to Constantinople for his sake and +watched my opportunity and whilst I was thus waiting, there came +out an old woman, one highly honoured among the Greeks, and whose +word with them is law, by name Zat al-Dawahi, a past mistress in +all manner of trickery. She had with her this steed and ten +slaves, no more, to attend on her and the horse; and she was +bound for Baghdad and Khorasan, there to seek King Sasan and to +sue for peace and pardon from ban. So I went out in their track, +longing to get at the horse,[FN#90] and ceased not to follow +them, but was unable to come by the stallion, because of the +strict guard kept by the slaves, till they reached this country +and I feared lest they enter the city of Baghdad. As I was +casting about to steal the stallion lo! a great cloud of dust +arose on them and walled the horizon. Presently it opened and +disclosed fifty horsemen, gathered together to waylay merchants +on the highway, and their captain, by name Kahrdash, was a lion +in daring and dash; a furious lion who layeth knights flat as +carpets in battle-crash."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Forty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the wounded +rider spake thus to Kanmakan, "Then came out the same Kahrdash, +and fell on the old woman and her men and bore down upon them +bashing them, nor was it long before they bound her and the ten +slaves and bore off their captives and the horse, rejoicing. +When I saw this, I said to myself, 'My pains were in vain nor did +I attain my gain.' However, I waited to see how the affair would +fare, and when the old woman found herself in bonds, she wept and +said to the captain, Kahrdash, 'O thou doughty Champion and +furious Knight, what wilt thou do with an old woman and slaves, +now that thou hast thy will of the horse?' And she beguiled him +with soft words and she sware that she would send him horses and +cattle, till he released her and her slaves. Then he went his +way, he and his comrades, and I followed them till they reached +this country; and I watched them, till at last I found an +opportunity of stealing the horse, whereupon I mounted him and, +drawing a whip from my wallet, struck him with it. When the +robbers heard this, they came out on me and surrounded me on all +sides and shot arrows and cast spears at me, whilst I stuck fast +on his back and he fended me with hoofs and forehand,[FN#91] till +at last he bolted out with me from amongst them like unerring +shaft or shooting star. But in the stress and stowre I got +sundry grievous wounds and sore; and, since that time, I have +passed on his back three days without tasting food or sleeping +aught, so that my strength is down brought and the world is +become to me as naught. But thou hast dealt kindly with me and +hast shown ruth on me; and I see thee naked stark and sorrow hath +set on thee its mark, yet are signs of wealth and gentle breeding +manifest on thee. So tell me, what and whence art thou and +whither art thou bound?" Answered the Prince, "My name is +Kanmakan, son of Zau al-Makan, son of King Omar bin al-Nu'uman. +When my father died and an orphan lot was my fate, a base man +seized the throne and became King over small and great." Then he +told him all his past from first to last; and the horse thief +said to him for he pitied him, "By Allah, thou art one of high +degree and exceeding nobility, and thou shalt surely attain +estate sublime and become the first cavalier of thy time. If +thou can lift me on horseback and mount thee behind me and bring +me to my own land, thou shalt have honour in this world and a +reward on the day of band calling to band,[FN#92] for I have no +strength left to steady myself; and if this be my last day, the +steed is thine alway, for thou art worthier of him than any +other." Quoth Kanmakan, By Allah, if I could carry thee on my +shoulders or share my days with thee, I would do this deed +without the steed! For I am of a breed that loveth to do good +and to succour those in need; and one kindly action in Almighty +Allah's honour averteth seventy calamities from its doer. So +make ready to set out and put thy trust in the Subtle, the All- +Wise." And he would have lifted him on to the horse and fared +forward trusting in Allah Aider of those who seek aid, but the +horse thief said, "Wait for me awhile. Then he closed his eyes +and opening his hands, said I testify that there is no god but +the God, and I testify that Mohammed is the Apostle of God!" And +he added, "O glorious One, pardon me my mortal sin, for none can +pardon mortal sins save the Immortal!" And he made ready for +death and recited these couplets, + +"I have wronged mankind, and have ranged like wind * + O'er the world, and in wine-cups my life has past: +I've swum torrent course to bear off the horse; * + And my guiles high places on plain have cast. +Much I've tried to win and o'er much my sin, * + And Katul of my winnings is most and last: +I had hoped of this steed to gain wish and need, * + But vain was the end of this journey vast. +I have stolen through life, and my death in strife * + Was doomed by the Lord who doth all forecast +And I've toiled these toils to their fatal end * + For an orphan, a pauper sans kith or friend!" + +And when he had finished his verses he closed his eyes and opened +his mouth; then with a single death-rattling he left this world. +Thereupon Kanmakan rose and dug a grave and laid him in the dust; +after which he went up to the steed and kissed him and wiped his +face and joyed with exceeding joy, saying, "None hath the fellow +of this stallion; no, not even King Sasan." Such was the case +with Kanmakan; but as regards King Sasan, presently news came to +him that the Wazir Dandan had thrown off his allegiance, and with +him half the army who swore that they would have no King but +Kanmakan: and the Minister had bound the troops by a solemn +covenant and had gone with them to the Islands of India and to +Berber-land and to Black-land;[FN#93] where he had levied armies +from far and near, like unto the swollen sea for fear and none +could tell the host's van from its rear. And the Minister was +resolved to make for Baghdad and take the kingdom in ward and +slay every soul who dare retard, having sworn not to return the +sword of war to its sheath, till he had made Kanmakan King. When +this news came to Sasan, he was drowned in the sea of appal, +knowing that the whole state had turned against him, great and +small; and his trouble redoubled and his care became despair. So +he opened his treasuries and distributed his monies among his +officers; and he prayed for Kanmakan's return, that he might draw +his heart to him with fair usage and bounty; and make him +commander of those troops which ceased not being faithful to him, +so might he quench the sparks ere they became a flame. Now when +the news of this reached Kanmakan by the merchants, he returned +in haste to Baghdad on the back of the aforesaid stallion, and as +King Sasan sat perplexed upon his throne he heard of the coming +of Kanmakan; whereupon he despatched all the troops and head-men +of the city to meet him. So all who were in Baghdad fared forth +and met the Prince and escorted him to the palace and kissed the +thresholds, whilst the damsels and the eunuchs went in to his +mother and gave her the fair tidings of his return. She came to +him and kissed him between the eyes, but he said to her, "O +mother mine, let me go to my uncle King Sasan who hath +overwhelmed me with weal and boon." And while he so did, all the +palace-people and head-men marvelled at the beauty of the +stallion and said, "No King is like unto this man." So Kanmakan +went in to King Sasan and saluted him as he rose to receive him; +and, kissing his hands and feet, offered him the horse as a +present. The King greeted him, saying, "Well come and welcome to +my son Kanmakan! By Allah, the world hath been straitened on me +by reason of thine absence, but praised be Allah for thy safety!" +And Kanmakan called down blessings on him. Then the King looked +at the stallion, Al-Katul highs, and knew him for the very horse +he had seen in such and such a year whilst beleaguering the +Cross-worshippers of Constantinople with Kanmakan's sire, Zau al- +Makan, that time they slew his uncle Sharrkan. So he said to the +Prince, "If thy father could have come by this courser, he would +have bought it with a thousand blood horses: but now let the +honour return to the honourable. We accept the steed and we give +him back to thee as a gift, for to him thou hast more right than +any wight, being knightliest of knights." Then King Sasan bade +bring forth for him dresses of honour and led horses and +appointed to him the chief lodging in the palace, and showed him +the utmost affection and honour, because he feared the issue of +the Wazir Dandan's doings. At this Kanmakan rejoiced and shame +and humiliation ceased from him. Then he went to his house and, +going to his mother, asked, "O my mother, how is it with the +daughter of my uncle?" Answered she, "By Allah, O my son, my +concern for thine absence hath distracted me from any other, even +from thy beloved; especially as she was the cause of thy +strangerhood and thy separation from me." Then he complained to +her of his case, saying, "O my mother, go to her and speak with +her; haply she will vouchsafe me her sight to see and dispel from +me this despondency." Replied his mother, "Idle desires abase +men's necks; so put away from thee this thought that can only +vex; for I will not wend to her nor go in to her with such +message.' Now when he heard his mother's words he told her what +said the horse-thief concerning Zat al-Dawahi, how the old woman +was then in their land purposing to make Baghdad, and added, "It +was she who slew my uncle and my grandfather, and needs must I +avenge them with man-bote, that our reproach be wiped out." Then +he left her and repaired to an old woman, a wicked, whorish, +pernicious beldam by name Sa'adnah and complained to her of his +case and of what he suffered for love of his cousin Kuzia Fakan +and begged her to go to her and win her favour for him. "I hear +and I obey," answered the old hag and leaving him betook herself +to Kuzia Fakan's palace, that she might intercede with her in his +behalf. Then she returned to him and said, "Of a truth Kuzia +Fakan saluteth thee and promiseth to visit thee this night about +midnight."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Forty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +old woman came to Kanmakan and said, "Of a truth the daughter of +thine uncle saluteth thee and she will visit thee this night +about midnight;" he rejoiced and sat down to await the fulfilment +of his cousin's promise. But before the hour of night she came +to him, wrapped in a veil of black silk, and she went in to him +and aroused him from sleep, saying, "How canst thou pretend to +love me, when thou art sleeping heart-free and in complete +content?" So he awoke and said, "By Allah, O desire of my heart, +I slept not but in the hope that thine image might visit my +dreams!" Then she chid him with soft words and began versifying +in these couplets, + +"Hadst thou been leaf in love's loyalty, * + Ne'er haddest suffered sleep to seal those eyne: +O thou who claimest lover-loyalty, * + Treading the lover's path of pain and pine! +By Allah, O my cousin, never yet * + Did eyes of lover sleep such sleep indign." + +Now when he heard his cousin's words, he was abashed before her +and rose and excused himself. Then they embraced and complained +to each other of the anguish of separation; and they ceased not +thus till dawn broke and day dispersed itself over the horizon; +when she rose preparing to depart. Upon this Kanmakan wept and +sighed and began improvising these couplets, + +"O thou who deignest come at sorest sync, * + Whose lips those teeth like necklaced pearls enshrine' +I kissed him[FN#94] thousand times and clips his waist, * + And spent the night with cheek to cheek close li'en +Till to depart us twain came dawning day, * + Like sword edge drawn from sheath in radiant line." + +And when he ended his poetry, Kuzia Fakan took leave of him and +returned to her palace. Now certain of her damsels became aware +of her secret, and one of these slave girls disclosed it to King +Sasan, who went into Kuzia Fakan and, drawing his sabre upon her, +would have slain her: but her mother Nuzhat al-Zaman entered and +said to him, "By Allah, do her no harm, for if thou hurt her, the +report will be noised among the folk and thou shalt become a +reproach amongst the Kings of the age! Know thou that Kanmakan +is no son of adultery, but a man of honour and nobility, who +would not do aught that could shame him, and she was reared with +him. So be not hasty; for verily the report is spread abroad, +among all the palace-people and all the folk of Baghdad, how the +Wazir Dandan hath levied armies from all countries and is on his +way hither to make Kanmakan King." Quoth Sasan, "By Allah, needs +must I cast him into such calamity that neither earth shall +support him nor sky shall shadow him! I did but speak him fair +and show him favour because of my lieges and my lords, lest they +incline to him; but right soon shalt thou see what shall betide." +Then he left her and went out to order the affairs of the realm. +Such, then, was the case with King Sasan; but as regards +Kanmakan, on the next day he came in to his mother and said, "O +my mother! I am resolved to ride forth a raiding and a looting: +and I will cut the road of caravans and lift horses and flocks, +negroes and white slaves and, as soon as I have collected great +store and my case is bettered galore, I will demand my cousin +Kuzia Fakan in marriage of my uncle Sasan." Replied she, "O my +son, of a truth the goods of men are not ready to hand like a +scape-camel;[FN#95] for on this side of them are sword-strokes +and lance-lungings and men that eat the wild beast and lay +countries waste and chase lynxes and hunt lions." Quoth he, +Heaven forefend that I turn back from my resolve, till I have won +to my will! Then he despatched the old woman to Kuzia Fakan, to +tell her that he was about to set out in quest of a marriage +settle ment befitting her, saying to the beldam, "Thou needs must +pray her to send me an answer." "I hear and I obey," replied the +old woman and going forth, presently returned with Kuzia Fakan's +reply, which was, "She will come to thee at midnight." So he +abode awake till one half of the night was passed, when +restlessness get hold on him, and before he was aware she came in +to him, saying, "My life be thy ransom from wakefulness!" and he +sprang up to receive her, exclaiming, "O desire of my heart, my +life be thy redemption from all ills and evils!" Then he +acquainted her, with his intent, and she wept: but he said, "Weep +not, O daughter of my uncle; for I beseech Him who decreed our +separation to vouchsafe us reunion and fair understanding." Then +Kanmakan, having fixed a day for departure, went in to his mother +and took leave of her, after which came he down from his palace +and threw the baldrick of his sword over his shoulder and donned +turband and face-veil; and mounting his horse, Al-Katul, and +looking like the moon at its full, he threaded the streets of +Baghdad, till he reached the city gate. And behold, here he +found Sabbah bin Rammah coming out of town; and his comrade +seeing him, ran to his stirrup and saluted him. He returned his +salutation, and Sabbah asked him, "O my brother, how camest thou +by this good steed and this sword and clothes, whilst I up to +present time have gotten nothing but my sword and target?" +Answered Kanmakan, "The hunter returneth not but with quarry +after the measure of his intention. A little after thy +departure, fortune came to me: so now say, wilt thou go with me +and work thine intent in my company and journey with me in this +desert?" Replied Sabbah, "By the Lord of the Ka'abah, from this +time forth I will call thee naught but 'my lord'!" Then he ran on +before the horse, with his sword hanging from his neck and his +budget between his shoulder blades, and Kanmakan rode a little +behind him; and they plunged into the desert, for a space of four +days, eating of the gazelles and drinking water of the springs. +On the fifth day they drew near a high hill, at whose foot was a +spring-encampment[FN#96] and a deep running stream; and the +knolls and hollows were filled with camels and cattle and sheep +and horses, and little children played about the pens and folds. +When Kanmakan saw this, he rejoiced at the sight and his breast +was filled with delight; so he addressed himself to fight, that +he might take the camels and the cattle, and said to Sabbah, +"Come, fall with us upon this loot, whose owners have left it +unguarded here, and do we battle for it with near and far, so +haply may fall to our lot of goods some share." Replied Sabbah, +"O my lord, verily they to whom these herds belong be many in +number; and among them are doughty horsemen and fighting footmen; +and if we venture lives in this derring do we shall fall into +danger great and neither of us will return safe from this bate; +but we shall both be cut off by fate and leave our cousins +desolate." Then Kanmakan laughed and knew that he was a coward; +so he left him and rode down the rise, intent on rapine, with +loud cries and chanting these couplets, + +"Oh a valiant race are the sons of Nu'umn, * + Braves whose blades shred heads of the foeman-clan![FN#97] +A tribe who, when tried in the tussle of war, * + Taketh prowess stand in the battle-van: +In their tents safe close gaberlunzie's eyne, * + Nor his poverty's ugly features scan: +And I for their aidance sue of Him * + Who is King of Kings and made soul of man." + +Then he rushed upon the she-camels like a he-camel in rut and +drove all before him, sheep and cattle, horses and dromedaries. +Therewith the slaves ran at him with their blades so bright and +their lances so long; and at their head rode a Turkish horseman +who was indeed a stout champion, doughty in fray and in battle +chance and skilled to wield the nut-brown lance and the blade +with bright glance. He drove at Kanmakan, saying, "Woe to thee! +Knewest thou to whom these herds belong thou hadst not done this +deed. Know that they are the goods of the band Grecian, the +champions of the ocean and the troop Circassian; and this troop +containeth none but valiant wights numbering an hundred knights, +who have cast off the allegiance of every Sultan. But there hath +been stolen from them a noble stallion, and they have vowed not +to return hence without him." Now when Kanmakan heard these +words, he cried out, saying, "O villain, this I bestride is the +steed whereof ye speak and after which ye seek, and ye would do +battle with me for his sake' So come out against me, all of you +at once, and do you dourest for the nonce!" Then he shouted +between the ears of Al-Katul who ran at them like a Ghul; +whereupon Kanmakan let drive at the Turk[FN#98] and ran him +through the body and threw him from his horse and let out his +life; after which he turned upon a second and a third and a +fourth, and also of life bereft them. When the slaves saw this, +they were afraid of him, and he cried out and said to them, "Ho, +sons of whores, drive out the cattle and the stud or I will dye +my spear in your blood." So they untethered the beasts and began +to drive them out; and Sabbah came down to Kanmakan with loud +voicing and hugely rejoicing; when lo! there arose a cloud of +dust and grew till it walled the view, and there appeared under +of it riders an hundred, like lions an-hungered. Upon this +Sabbah took flight, and fled to the hill's topmost height, +leaving the assailable site, and enjoyed sight of the fight, +saying, "I am no warrior; but in sport and jest I +delight."[FN#99] Then the hundred cavaliers made towards Kanmakan +and surrounded him on all sides, and one of them accosted him, +saying, "Whither goest thou with this loot?" Quoth he, "I have +made it my prize and am carrying it away; and I forbid you from +it, or come on to the combat, for know ye that he who is before +you is a terrible lion and an honourable champion, and a sword +that cutteth wherever it turneth!" When the horseman heard these +words, he looked at Kanmakan and saw that he was a knight like a +mane-clad lion in might, whilst his face was as the full moon +rising on its fourteenth night, and velour shone from between his +eyes. Now that horseman was the captain of the hundred horse, +and his name was Kahrdash; and when he saw in Kanmakan the +perfection of cavalarice with surpassing gifts of comeliness, his +beauty reminded him of a beautiful mistress of his whose name was +Ftin.[FN#100] Now she was one of the fairest of women in face, +for Allah had given her charms and grace and noble qualities of +all kinds, such as tongue faileth to explain and which ravish the +hearts of men. Moreover, the cavaliers of the tribe feared her +prowess and all the champions of that land stood in awe of her +high spirit; and she had sworn that she would not marry nor let +any possess her, except he should conquer her in combat (Kahrdash +being one of her suitors); and she said to her father, "None +shall approach me, save he be able to deal me over throw in the +field and stead of war thrust and blow. Now when this news +reached Kahrdash, he scorned to fight with a girl, fearing +reproach; and one of his intimates said to him, "Thou art +complete in all conditions of beauty and goodliness; so if thou +contend with her, even though she be stronger than thou, thou +must needs overcome her; for when she seeth thy beauty and grace, +she will be discomfited before thee and yield thee the victory; +for verily women have a need of men e'en as thou heedest full +plain." Nevertheless Kahrdash refused and would not contend with +her, and he ceased not to abstain from her thus, till he met from +Kanmakan that which hath been set down. Now he took the Prince +for his beloved Fatin and was afraid; albeit indeed she loved him +for what she had heard of his beauty and velour; so he went up to +him and said, "Woe to thee,[FN#101] O Fatin! Thou comest here +to show me thy prowess; but now alight from thy steed, that I may +talk with thee, for I have lifted these cattle and have foiled my +friends and waylaid many a brave and man of knightly race, all +for the sake of thy beauty of form and face, which are without +peer. So marry me now, that Kings' daughters may serve thee and +thou shalt become Queen of these countries." When Kanmakan heard +these words, the fires of wrath flamed up in him and he cried +out, "Woe to thee, O Persian dog! Leave Fatin and thy trust and +mistrust, and come to cut and thrust, for eftsoon thou shalt lie +in the dust;" and so saying, he began to wheel about him and +assail him and feel the way to prevail. But when Kahrdash +observed him closely he knew him for a doughty knight and a +stalwart in fight; and the error of his thought became manifest +to him, whenas he saw the green down on his cheeks dispread like +myrtles springing from the heart of a rose bright-red. And he +feared his onslaught and quoth he to those with him, "Woe to you! +Let one of you charge down upon him and show him the keen sword +and the quivering spear; for know that when many do battle with +one man it is foul shame, even though he be a kemperly wight and +an invincible knight." Upon this, there ran at Kanmakan a +horseman like a lion in fight, mounted on a black horse with +hoofs snow-white and a star on his forehead, the bigness of a +dirham, astounding wit and sight, as he were Abjar, which was +Antar's destrier, even as saith of him the poet, + +"The courser chargeth on battling foe, * + Mixing heaven on high with the earth down low:[FN#102] +As though the Morning had blazed his brow, * + And he rends her vitals as quid pro quo." + +He rushed upon Kanmakan, and they wheeled about awhile, giving +blows and taking blows such as confound the sprite and dim the +sight; but Kanmakan was the first to smite the foe a swashing +blow, that rove through turband and iron skull cap and reached +his head, and he fell from his steed with the fall of a camel +when he rolleth over. Then a second came out to him and offered +battle, and in like guise a third, a fourth and a fifth, and he +did with them all as he had done with the first. Thereupon the +rest at once rushed upon him, for indeed they were roused by rage +and wild with wrath; but it was not long before he had pierced +them all with the point of his spear. When Kahrdash saw these +feats of arms, he feared death; for he knew that the youth was +stoutest of heart and concluded that he was unique among knights +and braves; and he said to Kanmakan, "I waive my claim to thy +blood and I pardon thee the blood of my comrades: so take what +thou wilt of the cattle and wend thy ways, for thy firmness in +fight moveth my ruth and life is better for thee than death." +Replied Kanmakan, "Thou lackest not of the generosity of the +noble! but leave this talk and run for thy life and reck not of +blame nor think to get back the booty; but take the straight path +for thine own safety." Thereupon Kahrdash waxed exceeding wroth, +and rage moved him to the cause of his death; so he said to +Kanmakan, "Woe to thee, an thou knew who I be, thou wouldst not +wield these words in the open field. I am the lion to bash known +as Kahrdash, he who spoileth great Kings and waylayeth all +travellings and seizeth the merchants' preciousest things. And +the steed under thee is that I am seeking; and I call upon thee +to tell me how thou camest by him and hast him in thy keeping." +Replied Kan makan, "Know thou that this steed was being carried +to my uncle King Sasan, under the escort of an ancient dame high +in rank attended by ten slaves, when thou fellest upon her and +tookest the horse from her; and I have a debt of blood against +this old woman for the sake of my grandfather King Omar bin al +Nu'uman and my uncle King Sharrkan.' "Woe to thee!" quoth +Kahrdash, "who is thy father, O thou that hast no lawful mother?" +Quoth he, "Know that I am Kanmakan, bin Zau al-Makan, son of Omar +bin al-Nu'uman." But when Kahrdash heard this address he said, +"Thy perfection cannot be denied, nor yet the union in thee of +knightly virtue and seemlihead," and he added, "Fare in peace, +for thy father showed us favour." Rejoined Kanmakan, "By Allah, I +will not deign to honour thee, O wretch I disdain, so far as to +overcome thee in battle plain!" Upon this the Badawi waxed wroth +and they drove at each other, shouting aloud, whilst their horses +pricked their ears and raised their tails.[FN#103] And they +ceased not clashing together with such a crash that it seemed to +each as if the firmament were split in sunder, and they continued +to strive like two rams which butt, smiting and exchanging with +their spears thrust and cut. Presently Kahrdash foined at +Kanmakan; but he evaded it and rejoined upon him and so pierced +him through the breast that the spearhead issued from his back. +Then he collected the horses and the plunder, and he cried out to +the slaves, saying, "Up and be driving as hard as ye may!" +Hearing this, down came Sabbah and, accosting Kanmakan, said to +him, "Right well hast thou dight, O Knight of the age! Verily I +prayed Allah for thee and the Lord heard my prayer." Then he cut +off Kahrdash's head and Kanmakan laughed and said, "Woe to thee, +O Sabbah! I thought thee a rider fain of fight." Quoth the +Badawi, "Forget not thy slave in the division of the spoil, so +haply therewith I may marry my cousin Najmah." Answered Kanmakan, +"Thou shalt assuredly share in it, but now keep watch over the +booty and the slaves." Then he set out for his home and he ceased +not journeying night and day till he drew near Baghdad city, and +all the troops heard of Kanmakan, and saw what was his of loot +and cattle and the horse-thief's head on the point of Sabbah's +spear. Also (for he was a noted highwayman) the merchants knew +Kahrdash's head and rejoiced, saying, "Allah hath rid mankind of +him!"; and they marvelled at his being slain and blessed his +slayer. Thereupon all the people of Baghdad came to Kanmakan, +seeking to know what adventures had befallen him, and he told +them what had passed, whereupon all men were taken with awe of +him and the Knights and champions feared him. Then he drove his +spoil under the palace walls; and, planting the spear heel, on +whose point was Kahrdash's head, over against the royal gate, +gave largesse to the people of Baghdad, distributing horses and +camels, so that all loved him and their hearts inclined to him. +Presently he took Sabbah and lodged him in a spacious dwelling +and gave him a share of the loot; after which he went in to his +mother and told her all that had befallen him in his last +journey. Meanwhile the news of him reached the King, who rose +from his levee and, shutting himself up with his chief officers, +said to them, "Know ye that I desire to reveal to you my secret +and acquaint you with the hidden facts of my case. And further +know that Kanmakan will be the cause of our being uprooted from +this kingdom, our birth place; for he hath slain Kahrdash, albeit +he had with him the tribes of the Kurds and the Turks, and our +affair with him will end in our destruction, seeing that the most +part of our troops are his kinsmen and ye weet what the Wazir +Dandan hath done; how he disowneth me, after all I have shown him +of favours; and after being faithful he hath turned traitor. +Indeed it hath reached me that he hath levied an army in the +provinces and hath planned to make Kanmakan Sultan, for that the +Sultanate was his father's and his grandfather's; and assuredly +he will slay me without mercy." Now when the Lords of the Realm +heard from him these words, they replied, "O King, verily this +man.[FN#104] is unequal to this, and did we not know him to have +been reared by thee, not one of us would approve of him. And +know thou that we are at thy commandment; if thou desire his +death, we will do him die; and if thou wilt remove him, we will +remove him." Now when King Sasan heard this, he said, "Verily, to +slay him were wise; but needs must ye swear an oath to it." So +all sware to slay Kanmakan without giving him a chance; to the +end that, when the Wazir Dandan should come and hear of his +death, his force might be weakened and he fail of his design. +When they had made this compact and covenant with trim, the king +honoured them with the highest honours and presently retired to +his own apartments. But the officers deserted him and the troops +refused their service and would neither mount nor dismount until +they should espy what might befal, for they saw that most of the +army was with the Wazir Dandan. Presently, the news of these +things came to Kuzia Fakan and caused her much concern; so that +she sent for the old woman who was wont to carry messages between +her and her cousin, and when she came, bade her go to him and +warn him of the plot. Whereto he replied, "Bear my salutation to +the daughter of my uncle and say to her, 'Verily the earth is of +Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!), and He giveth it as +heritage to whomsoever of His servants He willeth.' How excellent +is the saying of the sayer, + +'Allah holds Kingship! Whoso seeks without Him victory * + Shall be cast out, with soul condemned to Hell of low + degree: +Had I or any other man a finger breadth of land, * + The rule were changed and men a twain of partner gods would + see.' " + +Then the old woman returned to Kuzia Fakan and told her his reply +and acquainted her that he abode in the city. Meanwhile, King +Sasan awaited his faring forth from Baghdad, that he might send +after him some who would slay him; till it befel one morning that +Kanmakan went out to course and chase, accompanied by Sabbah, who +would not leave him night or day. He caught ten gazelles and +among them one that had tender black eyes and turned right and +left: so he let her go and Sabbah said to him, "Why didst thou +free this gazelle?" Kanmakan laughed and set the others free +also, saying, "It is only humane to release gazelles that have +young, and this one turned not from side to side, save to look +for her fawns: so I let her go and released the others in her +honour." Quoth Sabbah, "Do thou release me, that I may go to my +people." At this Kanmakan laughed and smote him with the spear +butt on the breast, and he fell to the ground squirming like a +snake. Whilst they were thus doing, behold, they saw a dust +cloud spireing high and heard the tramp of horses; and presently +there appeared under it a plump of knights and braves. Now the +cause of their coming was this. Some of his followers had +acquainted King Sasan with Kanmakan's going out to the chase; so +he sent for an Emir of the Daylamites, called Jmi' and twenty of +his horsemen; and gave them money and bade them slay Kanmaken. +So when they drew near the Prince, they charged down upon him and +he met them in mid-charge and killed them all, to the last man. +And behold, King Sasan took horse and riding out to meet his +people, found them all slain, whereat he wondered and turned +back; when lo! the people of the city laid hands on him and +bound him straitly. As for Kanmakan after that adventure, he +left the place behind him and rode onward with Sabbah the Badawi. +And the while he went, lo! he saw a youth sitting at the door of +a house on his road and saluted him. The youth returned his +greeting and, going into the house, brought out two platters, one +full of soured milk and the other of brewis swimming in clarified +butter; and he set the platter before Kanmakan, saying "Favour us +by eating of our victual." But he refused and quoth the young man +to him, "What aileth thee, O man, that thou wilt not eat?" Quoth +Kanmakan, "I have a vow upon me." The youth asked, "What is the +cause of thy vow?", and Kanmakan answered, "Know that King Sasan +seized upon my kingdom like a tyrant and an enemy, although it +was my father's and my grand father's before me; yet he became +master of it by force after my father's death and took no count +of me, by reason of my tender years. So I have bound myself by a +vow to eat no man's victual till I have eased my heart of my +foe." Rejoined the youth, "Rejoice, for Allah hath fulfilled thy +vow. Know that he hath been prisoned in a certain place and +methinks he will soon die." Asked Kanmakan, "In what house is he +confined?" "Under yon high dome," answered the other. The Prince +looked and saw the folk entering and buffeting Sasan, who was +suffering the agonies of the dying. So he arose and went up to +the pavilion and noted what was therein; after which he returned +to his place and, sitting down to the proferred victual, ate what +sufficed him and put the rest in his wallet. Then he took seat +in his own place and ceased not sitting till it was dark night +and the youth, whose guest he was slept; when he rose and +repaired to the pavilion wherein Sasan was confined. Now about +it were dogs guarding it, and one of them sprang at him; so he +took out of his budget a bit of meat and threw it to him. He +ceased not casting flesh to the dogs till he came to the pavilion +and, making his way to where King Sasan was, laid his hand upon +his head; whereupon he said in a loud voice, "Who art thou?" He +replied, "I am Kanmakan whom thou stravest to kill; but Allah +made thee fall into thine evil device. Did it not suffice thee +to take my kingdom and the kingdom of my father, but thou must +purpose to slay me?"[FN#105] And Sasan swore a false oath that +he had not plotted his death and that the bruit was untrue. So +Kanmakan forgave him and said to him, "Follow me." Quoth he, "I +cannot walk a single step for weakness." Quoth Kanmakan, "If the +case be thus we will get us two horses and ride forth, I and +thou, and seek the open." So he did as he said, and he took horse +with Sasan and rode till day break, when they prayed the dawn +prayer and fared on, and ceased not faring till they came to a +garden, where they sat down and talked. Then Kanmakan rose to +Sasan and said, "Is aught left to set thy heart against me?" "No, +by Allah!" replied Sasan. So they agreed to return to Baghdad +and Sabbah the Badawi said, "I will go before you, to give folk +the fair tidings of your coming." Then he rode on in advance, +acquainting women and men with the good news; so all the people +came out to meet Kanmakan with tabrets and pipes; and Kuzia Fakan +also came out, like the full moon shining in all her splendour of +light through the thick darkness of the night. So Kanmakan met +her, and soul yearned to soul and body longed for body. There +was no talk among the people of the time but of Kanmakan; for the +Knights bore witness of him that he was the most valiant of the +folk of the age and said, "It is not right that other than +Kanmakan should be our Sultan, but the throne of his grandfather +shall revert to him as it began." Meanwhile Sasan went in to his +wife, Nuzhat al-Zaman, who said to him, "I hear that the folk +talk of nothing but Kanmakan and attribute to him such qualities +as tongue never can." He replied, "Hearing of a man is not like +seeing a man. I have seen him, but have noted in him none of the +attributes of perfection. Not all that is heard is said; but +folk ape one another in extolling and cherishing him, and Allah +maketh his praises to run on the lips of men, so that there +incline to him the hearts of the people of Baghdad and of the +Wazir Dandan, that perfidious and treacherous man; who hath +levied troops from all lands and taketh to himself the right of +naming a King of the country; and who chooseth that it shall be +under the hand of an orphan ruler whose worth is naught." Asked +Nuzhat al-Zaman, "What then is it that thou purposest to do?"; +and the King answered, "I mean to kill him, that the Wazir may be +baulked of his intent and return to his allegiance, seeing +nothing for it but my service." Quoth she, "In good sooth perfidy +with strangers is a foul thing and how much more with kith and +kin! The righteous deed to do would be to marry him to thy +daughter Kuzia Fakan and give heed to what was said of old time, + +'An Fate some person 'stablish o'er thy head, * + And thou being worthier her choice upbraid, +Yet do him honour due to his estate; * + He'll bring thee weal though far or near thou vade: +Nor speak thy thought of him, else shalt thou be * + Of those who self degrade from honour's grade: +Many Harms are lovelier than the Bride, * + But Time and Fortune lent the Bride their aid.'" + +When Sasan heard these her words and comprehended what her verse +intended, he rose from her in anger and said, "Were it not that +thy death would bring on me dishonour and disgrace, I would take +off thy head with my blade and make an end of thy breath." Quoth +she, "Why art thou wroth with me? I did but jest with thee." +Then she rose to him and bussed his head and hands, saying, +"Right is thy foresight, and I and thou will cast about for some +means to kill him forthright." When he heard this, he was glad +and said, "Make haste and contrive some deceit to relieve me of +my grieving: for in my sooth the door of device is straitened +upon me!" Replied she, "At once I will devise for thee to do away +his life." "How so?" asked he; and she answered, "By means of our +female slave the so-called Bkn." Now this Bakun was past +mistress in all kinds of knavery and was one of the most +pestilent of old women, in whose religion to abstain from +wickedness was not lawful; she had brought up Kuzia Fakan and +Kanmakan who had her in so great affection that he used to sleep +at her feet. So when King Sasan heard his wife name her, he +said, "Right is this recking"; and, sending for the old woman, +told her what had passed and bade her cast about to kill +Kanmaken, promising her all good. Replied she, "Thy bidding +shall be obeyed; but I would have thee, O my lord, give me a +dagger[FN#106] which hath been tempered in water of death, that I +may despatch him the speedilier for thee." Quoth Sasan, "And +welcome to thee!"; and gave her a hanger that would devance man's +destiny. Now this slave women had heard stories and verses and +had learned by rote great store of strange sayings and anecdotes: +so she took the dagger and went out of the room, considering how +she could compass his doom. Then she repaired to Kanmakan, who +was sitting and awaiting news of tryst with the daughter of his +uncle, Kuzia Fakan; so that night his thought was taken up with +her and the fires of love for her raged in his heart. And while +he was thus, behold, the slave woman, Bakun, went in to him and +said, "Union time is at hand and the days of disunion are over +and gone." Now when he heard this he asked, "How is it with Kuzia +Fakan?"; and Bakun answered, "Know that her time is wholly taken +up with love of thee." At this he rose and doffing his outer +clothes put them on her and promised her all good. Then said +she, "Know that I mean to pass this night with thee, that I may +tell thee what talk I have heard and console thee with stories of +many passion distraughts whom love hath made sick." "Nay," quoth +he, "rather tell me a tale that will gladden my heart and gar my +cares depart." "With joy and good will," answered she; then she +took seat by his side (and that poniard under her dress) and +began to say: "Know thou that the pleasantest thing my ears ever +heard was + + + + + +The Tale of the Hashish Eater. + + + +A certain man loved fair women, and spent his substance on them, +till he became so poor that nothing remained to him; the world +was straitened upon him and he used to go about the market- +streets begging his daily bread. Once upon a time as he went +along, behold, a bit of iron nail pierced his finger and drew +blood; so he sat down and wiping away the blood, bound up his +finger. Then he arose crying out, and fared forwards till he +came to a Hammam and entering took off his clothes, and when he +looked about him he found it clean and empty. So he sat him down +by the fountain-basin, and ceased not pouring water on his head, +till he was tired.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Forty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the man sat +down by the fountain basin and ceased not pouring water on his +head till he was tired. Then he went out to the room in which +was the cistern of cold water; and seeing no one there, he found +a quiet corner and taking out a piece of Hashsh,[FN#107] +swallowed it. Presently the fumes mounted to his brain and he +rolled over on to the marble floor. Then the Hashish made him +fancy that a great lord was shampooing him and that two slaves +stood at his head, one bearing a bowl and the other washing gear +and all the requisites of the Hammam. When he saw this, he said +in himself, "Meseemeth these here be mistaken in me; or else they +are of the company of us Hashish-eaters."[FN#108] Then he +stretched out his legs and he imagined that the bathman said to +him, "O my master, the time of thy going up to the Palace draweth +near and it is to-day thy turn of service." At this he laughed +and said to himself, "As Allah willeth,[FN#109] O Hashish!" Then +he sat and said nothing, whilst the bathman arose and took him by +the hand and girt his middle with a waist-cloth of black silk, +after which the two slaves followed him with the bowls and gear, +and they ceased not escorting him till they brought him into a +cabinet, wherein they set incense and perfumes a-burning. He +found the place full of various kinds of fruits and sweet-scented +flowers, and they sliced him a watermelon and seated him on a +stool of ebony, whilst the bathman stood to wash him and the +slaves poured water on him; after which they rubbed him down well +and said, "O our lord, Sir Wazir, health to thee forever!" Then +they went out and shut the door on him; and in the vanity of +phantasy he arose and removed the waist-cloth from his middle, +and laughed till he well nigh fainted. He gave not over laughing +for some time and at last quoth he to himself, "What aileth them +to address me as if I were a Minister and style me Master, and +Sir? Haply they are now blundering; but after an hour they will +know me and say, This fellow is a beggar; and take their fill of +cuffing me on the neck." Presently, feeling hot he opened the +door, whereupon it seemed to him that a little white slave and an +eunuch came in to him carrying a parcel. Then the slave opened +it and brought out three kerchiefs of silk, one of which he threw +over his head, a second over his shoulders and a third he tied +round his waist. Moreover, the eunuch gave him a pair of bath- +clogs,[FN#110] and he put them on; after which in came white +slaves and eunuchs and sup ported him (and he laughing the while) +to the outer hall, which he found hung and spread with +magnificent furniture, such as be seemeth none but kings; and the +pages hastened up to him and seated him on the divan. Then they +fell to kneading him till sleep overcame him; and he dreamt that +he had a girl in his arms. So he kissed her and set her between +his thighs; then, sitting to her as a man sitteth to a +woman,[FN#111] he took yard in hand and drew her towards him and +weighed down upon her, when lo! he heard one saying to him, +"Awake, thou ne'er-do-well! The noon hour is come and thou art +still asleep." He opened his eyes and found him self lying on the +merge of the cold-water tank, amongst a crowd of people all +laughing at him; for his prickle was at point and the napkin had +slipped from his middle. So he knew that all this was but a +confusion of dreams and an illusion of Hashish and he was vexed +and said to him who had aroused him, "Would thou hadst waited +till I had put it in!" Then said the folk, "Art thou not ashamed, +O Hashish-eater, to be sleeping stark naked with stiff standing +tool?" And they cuffed him till his neck was red. Now he was +starving, yet forsooth had he savoured the flavour of pleasure in +his dream. When Kanmakan heard the bondwoman's tale, he laughed +till he fell backward and said to Bakun, "O my nurse, this is +indeed a rare story and a delectable; I never heard the like of +this anecdote. Say me! hast more?" "Yes," replied she, and she +ceased not to tell him merry adventures and laughable +absurdities, till sleep overcame him. Then she sat by his head +till the most part of the night was past, when she said to +herself, "It is time to profit by the occasion." So she sprang to +her feet and unsheathed the hanger and rushing up to Kanmakan, +was about to cut his throat when behold, his mother came in upon +the twain. As soon as Bakun saw her, she rose in respect and +advanced to meet her, and fear get hold of her and she fell a- +trembling, as if he had the ague. When his mother looked at her +she marvelled to see her thus and aroused her son, who awoke and +found her sitting at his head. Now the cause of her coming was +that Kuzia Fakan overheard the conversation and the concert to +kill Kanmakan, and she said to his mother, "O wife of my uncle, +go to thy son, ere that wicked whore Bakun murther him;" and she +told her what had passed from first to last. So she fared forth +at once, and she thought of naught and stayed not for aught till +she went in to her son at the very moment when Bakun was about to +slay him in his sleep. When he awoke, he said to his mother, "O +my mother, indeed thou comest at a good time, for nurse Bakun +hath been with me this night." Then he turned to Bakun and asked +her, "By my life! knowest thou any story better than those thou +hast told me?" She answered, "And where is what I have told thee +compared with what I will tell thee?; but however better it be, +it must be told at another time." Then she rose to depart, hardly +believing, in her escape albeit he said, "Go in peace!" for she +perceived by her cunning that his mother knew what had occurred. +So she went her way; whereupon his mother said to him, "O my son, +blessed be this night, for that Almighty Allah hath delivered +thee from this accursed woman." "And how so?" enquired he, and +she told him the story from beginning to end. Quoth he, "O my +mother, of a truth the live man findeth no slayer, and though +slain he shall not die; but now it were wiser that we depart from +amongst these enemies and let Allah work what He will." So, when +day dawned he left the city and joined the Wazir Dandan, and +after his departure, certain things befel between King Sasan and +Nuzhat al-Zaman, which compelled her also to quit the city and +join herself to them; and presently they were met by all the high +officers of King Sasan who inclined to their party. Then they +sat in counsel together devising what they should do, and at last +all agreed upon a razzia into the land of Roum there to take +their revenge for the death of King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and his +son Sharrkan. So they set out with this in tent and, after +sundry adventures (which it were tedious to tell as will appear +from what follows), they fell into the hands of Rmzn, King of +the Greeks. Next morning, King Rumzan caused Kanmakan and the +Wazir Dandan and their company to be brought before him and, when +they came, he seated them at his side, and bade spread the tables +of food. So they ate and drank and took heart of grace, after +having made sure of death, when they were summoned to the King's +presence; and they had said to one another, "He hath not sent for +us but to slay us." And when they were comforted the King said, +"In truth I have had a dream, which I related to the monks, and +they said, "None can expound it to thee save the Wazir Dandan." +Quoth the Minister, "Weal it was thou didst see in thy dream, O +King of the age!" Quoth the King, "O Wazir, I dreamt that I was +in a pit which seemed a black well where multitudes were +tormenting me; and I would have risen, but when springing up I +fell on my feet and could not get out of that same pit. Then I +turned and saw therein a girdle of gold and I stretched out my +hand to take it; but when I raised it from the ground, I saw it +was two girdles. So I girt my middle with them both and behold, +the girdles became one girdle; and this, O Wazir, is my dream and +what I saw when my sleep was deepest." Said Dandan, "O our Lord +the Sultan! know that this thy dream denoteth thou hast a +brother or a brother's son or an uncle's son or other near +kinsman of thy flesh and blood whom thou knowest not; withal he +is of the noblest of you all." Now when the King heard these +words he looked at Kanmakan and Nuzhat al-Zaman and Kuzia Fakan +and the Wazir Dandan and the rest of the captives and said to +himself, "If I smite these people's necks, their troops will lose +heart for the destruction of their chiefs and I shall be able to +return speedily to my realm, lest the Kingship pass out of my +hands." So having determined upon this he called the Sworder and +bade him strike off Kanmakan's head upon the spot and forthright, +when lo! up came Rumzan's nurse and said to him, "O auspicious +King, what purposest thou?" Quoth he, "I purpose slaughtering +these prisoners who are in my power; and after that I will throw +their heads among their men: then will I fall upon them, I and +all my army in one body, and kill all we can kill and rout the +rest: so will this be the decisive action of the war and I shall +return speedily to my kingdom ere aught of accident befal among +my subjects." When the nurse heard these words, she came up to +him and said in the Frankish tongue, "How canst thou prevail upon +thyself to slay thine own brother's son, and thy sister, and thy +sister's daughter?" When he heard this language, he was wroth +with exceeding wrath and said to her, "O accursed woman, didst +thou not tell me that my mother was murthered and that my father +died by poison? Didst thou not give me a jewel and say to me, +'Of a truth this jewel was thy father's?' Why didst thou not tell +me the truth?" Replied she, "All that I told thee is true, but my +case and thy case are wonderful and my history and thy his tory +are marvellous. My name is Marjanah and thy mother's name was +Abrizah: and she was gifted with such beauty and loveliness and +velour that proverbs were made of her, and her prowess was +renowned among men of war. And thy father was King Omar bin al- +Nu'uman, Lord of Baghdad and Khorasan, without doubt or double +dealing or denial. He sent his son Sharrkan on a razzia in +company with this very Wazir Dandan; and they did all that men +can. But Sharrkan, thy brother, who had preceded the force, +separated himself from the troops and fell in with thy mother +Queen Abrizah in her palace; and we happened to have sought a +place apart in order to wrestle, she and I and her other damsels. +He came upon us by chance while we were in such case, and +wrestled with thy mother, who overcame him by the power of her +splendid beauty and by her prowess. Then she entertained him +five days in her palace, till the news of this came to her +father, by the old woman Shawahi, surnamed Zat al-Dawahi, +whereupon she embraced Al-Islam at the hands of Sharrkan, and he +took her and carried her by stealth to Baghdad, and with her +myself and Rayhnab and twenty other damsels, all of us having, +like her, followed the True Faith. When we came into the +presence of thy Father, the King Omar bin al-Nu'uman, and he saw +thy mother, Queen Abrizah, he fell in love with her and going in +unto her one night, had connection with her, and she conceived by +him and became with child of thee. Now thy mother had three +jewels which she presented to thy father; and he gave one of them +to his daughter, Nuzhat al-Zaman, another to thy brother, Zau al- +Makan, and the third to thy brother Sharrkan. This last thy +mother took from Sharrkan and kept it for thee. But as the time +of her delivery drew near she yearned after her own people and +disclosed to me her secret; so I went to a black slave called Al- +Ghazban; and, privily telling him our case, bribed him to go with +us. Accordingly the negro took us and fled the city with us, thy +mother being near her time. But as we approached a desert place +on the borders of our own country, the pangs of labour came upon +thy mother. Then the slave proved himself a lustful villain and +approaching her sought of her a shameful thing; whereupon she +cried out at him with a loud cry, and was sore affrighted at him. +In the excess of her fright she gave birth to thee at once, and +at that moment there arose, in the direction of our country, a +dust-cloud which towered and flew till it walled the view. +Thereupon the slave feared for his life; so he smote Queen +Abrizah with his sword and slew her in his fury; then mounting +his horse he went his way. Soon after his going, the dust lifted +and discovered thy grandfather, King Hardub, Lord of Grcia-land, +who, seeing thy mother (and his daughter) lying slain on the +plain, was sorely troubled with a distress that redoubled, and +questioned me of the manner of her death and the cause of her +secretly quitting her father's realm. So I told him all that had +passed, first and last; and this is the cause of the feud between +the people of the land of the Greeks and the people of the city +of Baghdad. Then we bore off thy murthered mother and buried +her; and I took thee and reared thee, and hung about thy neck the +jewel which was with Queen Abrizah. But, when being grown up +thou camest to man's estate, I dared not acquaint thee with the +truth of the matter, lest such information stir up a war of blood +revenge between you. More over, thy grandfather had enjoined me +to secrecy, and I could not gainsay the commandment of thy +mother's father, Hardub, King of the Greeks. This, then, is the +cause of my concealment and the reason why I forbore to inform +thee that thy father was King Omar bin al-Nu'uman; but when thou +camest to the throne, I told thee what thou knowest; and I durst +not reveal to thee the rest till this moment, O King of the Age! +So now I have discovered to thee my secret and my proof, and I +have acquainted thee with all I know; and thou reckest best what +is in thy mind." Now all the captives had heard the slave woman +Marjanah, nurse to King Rumzan, speaking as she spake; when +Nuzhat al-Zaman, without stay or delay, cried out, saying, "This +King Rumzan is my brother by my father, King Omar bin al-Nu'uman, +and his mother was Queen Abrizah, daughter of King Hardub, Lord +of the Greeks; and I know this slave-woman Marjanah right well." +With this, trouble and perplexity got hold upon Rumzan and he +caused Nuzhat al-Zaman to be brought up to him forthright. When +he looked upon her, blood yearned to blood and he questioned her +of his history. She told him the tale and her story tallied with +that of Marjanah, his nurse; whereupon the King was assured that +he was, indeed and without a doubt, of the people of Irak; and +that King Omar bin al-Nu'uman was his father. So without losing +time he caused his sister to be unpinioned, and Nuzhat al-Zaman +came up to him and kissed his hands, whilst her eves ran over +with tears. The King west also to see her weeping, and brotherly +love possessed him and his heart yearned to his brother's son +Sultan Kanmakan. So he sprang to his feet and, taking the sword +from the Sworder's hands (whereat the captives made sure of +death), he caused them to be set close to him and he cut their +bonds with the blade and said to his nurse Marjanah, "Explain the +matter to this company, even as thou hast explained it to me." +Replied she, "O King, know that this Shayth is the Wazir Dandan +and he is the best of witnesses to my story, seeing that he +knoweth the facts of the case." Then she turned to the captives +and repeated the whole story to them on the spot and forthright, +and in presence of the Kings of the Greeks and the Kings of the +Franks; whereupon Queen Nuzhat al-Zaman and the Wazir Dandan and +all who were prisoners with them confirmed her words. When +Marjanah, the bond-woman, had finished, chancing to look at +Sultan Kanmakan she saw on his neck the third jewel, fellow to +the two which were with Queen Abrizah; and, recognising it, she +cried so loud a cry, that the palace re-echoed it and said to the +King, "O my son, know that now my certainty is still more +assured, for this jewel that is about the neck of yonder captive +is the fellow to that I hung to thy neck; and, these being the +two, this captive is indeed thy brother's son, Kanmakan." Then +the slave women Marjanah turned to Kanmakan and said to him, "Let +me see that jewel, O King of the Age!"; so he took it from his +neck and handed it to her. Then she asked Nuzhat al-Zaman of the +third jewel and she gave it to her; and when the two were in her +hand she delivered them to King Rumzan, and the truth and proof +were made manifest to him; and he was assured that he was indeed +Sultan Kanmakan's uncle and that his father was King Omar bin al- +Nu'uman. So he rose at once and on the spot and, going up to the +Wazir Dandan, threw his arms round his neck; then he embraced +King Kanmakan and the twain cried a loud cry for excess of joy. +The glad news was blazed abroad without delay; and they beat the +tabrets and cymbals, whilst the shawms sounded and the people +held high festival. The armies of Irak and Syria heard the +clamour of rejoicing among the Greeks; so they mounted to the +last man, and King Zibl Khan also took horse saying to himself, +"Would I knew what can be the cause of this clamour and rejoicing +in the army of the Franks and the Greeks!" Then the army of Irak +dight itself for fight and advanced into the plain and place of +cut and foin. Presently, King Rumzan turned him round and saw +the army deployed and in preparing for battle employed, so he +asked the cause thereof and was told the state of the case. +Thereupon he bade his niece and brother's daughter, Kuzia Fakan, +return at once and forthright to the troops of Syria and Irak and +acquaint them with the plight that had betided and how it was +come to light that King Rumzan was uncle to Sultan Kanmakan. She +set out, putting away from her sorrows and troubles and, coming +to King Zibl Khan,[FN#112] saluted him and told him all that had +passed of the good accord, and how King Rumzan had proved to be +her uncle and uncle of Kanmakan. And when she went in to him she +found him tearful eyed, in fear for the captive Emirs and +Princes; but when he heard what had passed, from first to last, +the Moslem's sadness was abated and they joyed with the more +gladness. Then King Zibl Khan and all his officers and his +retinue took horse and followed Princess Kuzia Fakan till they +reached the pavilion of King Rumzan; and when entering they found +him sitting with his nephew, Sultan Kanmakan. Now he had taken +counsel with the Wazir Dandan concerning King Zibl Khan and had +agreed to commit to his charge the city of Damascus of Sham and +leave him King over it as he before had been while they +themselves entered Irak. Accordingly, they confirmed him in the +vice royalty of Damascus of Syria, and bade him set out at once +for his government; so he fared forth with his troops and they +rode with him a part of the way to bid him farewell. Then they +returned to their own places whereupon, the two armies +foregathered and gave orders for the march upon Irak; but the +Kings said one to other, "Our hearts will never be at rest nor +our wrath cease to rage till we have taken our wreak of the old +woman Shawahi, surnamed Zat al-Dawahi, and wiped away our shame +and blot upon our honour." Thereupon King Rumzan and his nephew +set out, surrounded by their Nobles and Grandees; and indeed +Kanmakan rejoiced in his uncle, King Rumzan, and called down +blessings on nurse Marjanah who had made them known to each +other. They fared on and ceased not faring till they drew near +their home Baghdad, and when the Chief Chamberlain, Sasan, heard +of their approach, he came out to meet them and kissed the hand +of King Rumzan who bestowed on him a dress of honour. Then the +King of Roum sat down on the throne and seated by his side his +nephew Sultan Kanmakan, who said to him, "O my uncle, this +Kingdom befitteth none but thee." Replied Rumzan, "Allah be my +refuge and the Lord forbid that I should supplant thee in thy +Kingdom!" Upon this the Wazir Dandan counselled them to share the +throne between the two, ruling each one day in turn; and with +this they were well satisfied.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Forty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the two +Kings agreed each to rule one day in turn: then made they feasts +and offered sacrifices of clean beasts and held high festival; +and they abode thus awhile, whilst Sultan Kanmakan spent his +nights with his cousin Kuzia Fakan. And after that period, as +the two Kings sat rejoicing in their condition and in the happy +ending of their troubles, behold, they saw a cloud of dust arise +and tower till it walled the world from their eyes. And out of +it came a merchant shrieking and crying aloud for succour and +saying, "O Kings of the Age! how cometh it that I woned safely +in the land of the Infidels and I am plundered in your realm, +though it be the biding place of justice[FN#113] and peace?" Then +King Rumzan went up to him and questioned him of his case and he +replied, "I am a merchant and, like other merchants, I have been +long absent from my native land, travelling in far countries for +some twenty years; and I have a patent of exemption from the city +of Damascus which the Viceroy, King Sharrkan (who hath found +mercy) wrote me, for the cause that I had made him gift of a +slave-girl. Now as I was drawing near my home, having with me an +hundred loads of rarities of Hind, when I brought them near +Baghdad, which be the seat of your sovereignty and the place of +your peace and your justice, out there came upon me wild Arabs +and Kurds[FN#114] in band gathered together from every land; and +they slew my many and they robbed my money and this is what they +have done me." Then the trader wept in presence of King Rumzan, +saying that he was an old man and infirm; and he bemoaned himself +till the King felt for him and had compassion on him; and +likewise did King Kanmakan and they swore that they would sally +forth upon the thieves. So they set out amid an hundred horse, +each reckoned worth thou sands of men, and the merchant went +before them to guide them in the right way; and they ceased not +faring on all that day and the livelong night till dawnbreak, +when they came to a valley abounding in rills and shady with +trees. Here they found the foray dispersed about the valley, +having divided that merchant's bales among them; but there was +yet some of the goods left. So the hundred horsemen fell upon +them and surrounded them on all sides, and King Rumzan shouted +his war cry, and thus also did his nephew Kanmakan, and ere long +they made prize of them all, to the number of near three hundred +horsemen, banded together of the refuse of rascality.[FN#115] +They took what they could find of the merchant's goods and, +binding them tightly, brought them to Baghdad, where King Rumzan +and his nephew, King Kanmakan, sat down together on one throne +and, passing the prisoners in review before them, questioned them +of their case and their chiefs. They said, "We have no chiefs +but these three men and it was they who gathered us together from +all corners and countries." The Kings said to them, "Point out to +us your headmen!"; and, when this was done, they bade lay hands +on the leaders and set their comrades free, after taking from +them all the goods in their possession and restoring them to the +merchant, who examined his stuffs and monies and found that a +fourth of his stock was missing. The Kings engaged to make good +the whole of his loss, where upon the trader pulled out two +letters, one in the handwriting of Sharrkan, and the other in +that of Nuzhat al-Zaman; for this was the very merchant who had +bought Nuzhat al-Zaman of the Badawi, when she was a virgin, and +had forwarded her to her brother Sharrkan; and that happened +between them which happened.[FN#116] Hereupon King Kanmakan +examined the letters and recognised the handwriting of his uncle +Sharrkan, and, having heard the history of his aunt, Nuzhat al- +Zaman, he went in to her with the second letter written by her to +the merchant who had lost through her his monies; Kanmakan also +told her what had befallen the trader from first to last. She +knew her own handwriting and, recognising the merchant, +despatched to him guest gifts and commended him to her brother +and nephew, who ordered him largesse of money and black slaves +and pages to wait on him; besides which Nuzhat al-Zaman sent him +an hundred thousand dirhams in cash and fifty loads of +merchandise and presented to him other rich presents. Then she +sent for him and when he came, she went up to him and saluted him +and told him that she was the daughter of King Omar bin al- +Nu'uman and that her brother was King Rumzan and that King +Kanmakan was her nephew. Thereupon the merchant rejoiced with +great joy, and congratulated her on her safety and on her re- +union with her brother, and kissed her hands thanking her for her +bounty, and said to her, "By Allah! a good deed is not lost upon +thee!" Then she withdrew to her own apartment and the trader +sojourned with them three days, after which he took leave of them +and set out on his return march to the land of Syria. Thereupon +the two Kings sent for the three robber chiefs who were of the +highway men, and questioned them of their case, when one of them +came forward and said, "Know ye that I am a Badawi who am wont to +lie in wait, by the way, to snatch small children[FN#117] and +virgin girls and sell them to merchants; and this I did for many +a year until these latter days, when Satan incited me to join yon +two gallows birds in gathering together all the riff-raff of the +Arabs and other peoples, that we might plunder merchandise and +waylay merchants." Said the Kings, "Tell us the rarest of the +adventures that have befallen thee in kidnapping children and +maidens." Replied he, "O Kings of the Age, the strangest thing +that happened to me was that one day, two-and-twenty years ago, I +snatched a girl who belonged to the Holy City; she was gifted +with beauty and comeliness, despite that she was but a servant +and was clad in threadbare clothes, with a piece of camlet-cloth +on her head. So I entrapped her by guile as she came out of the +caravanserai; and at that very hour mounting her on a camel, made +off with her, thinking to carry her to my own people in the +Desert and there set her to pasture the camels and gather their +droppings in the valley. But she wept with so sore a weeping +that after coming down upon her with blows, I took her and +carried her to Damascus city where a merchant saw her with me +and, being astounded at her beauty and marvelling at her +accomplishments, wished to buy her of me and kept on bidding me +more and more for her, till at last I sold her to him for an +hundred thousand dirhams. After selling her I heard her display +prodigious eloquence; and it reached me that the merchant clothed +her in handsome gear and presented her to the Viceroy of +Damascus, who gave him three times the price which he had paid to +me, and this price, by my life! was but little for such a +damsel. This, O Kings of the Age, is the strangest thing that +ever befel me." When the two Kings heard her story they wondered +thereat, but when Nuzhat al-Zaman heard what the Badawi related, +the light became darkness before her face and she cried out and +said to her brother Rumzan, "Sure and sans doubt this is the very +Badawi who kidnapped me in the Holy City Jerusalem!" Then she +told them all that she had endured from him in her stranger hood +of hardship, blows, hunger, humiliation, contempt, adding, "And +now it is lawful for me to slay him." So saying she seized a +sword and made at him to smite him; and behold, he cried out and +said, "O Kings of the Age, suffer her not to slay me, till I +shall have told you the rare adventures that have betided me." +And her nephew Kanmakan said to her, "O my aunt, let him tell us +his tale, and after that do with him as thou wilt." So she held +her hand and the Kings said to him, "Now let us hear thy +history." Quoth he, "O Kings of the Age, if I tell you a rare +tale will ye pardon me?" "Yes," answered they. Then the Badawi +robber-chief began, + + + + +The Tale of Hammad the Badawi. + + + +And he said:--Know ye that a short while ago, I was sore wakeful +one night and thought the morn would never dawn; so, as soon as +it was break of day I rose, without stay or delay; and, slinging +over my shoulder my sword, mounted horse and set my lance in +rest. Then I rode out to sport and hunt and, as I went along, a +company of men accosted me and asked me whither I was bound I +told them and they said, "We will keep thee company." So we all +fared on together, and, whilst we were faring, lo and behold! up +started an ostrich and we gave her chase, but she escaped our +pursuit and spreading wings ceased not to fly before us (and we +following by sight) till she lost us in a desert wherein there +was neither grass nor water, nor heard we aught therein save hiss +of snake and wail of Jinn and howl of Ghul; and when we reached +that place the ostrich disappeared nor could we tell whether she +had flown up into the sky or into the ground had gone down. Then +we turned our horses' heads and thought to return; but found that +to retrace our steps at that time of burning heat would be +toilsome and dangerous; for the sultry air was grievous to us, so +that we thirsted with sore thirst and our steeds stood still. We +made sure of death; but while we were in this case we suddenly +espied from afar a spacious mead where gazelles were frisking +Therein was a tent pitched and by the tent side a horse tethered +and a spear was planted with head glittering in the sun.[FN#118] +Upon this our hearts revived after we had despaired, and we +turned our horses' heads towards that tent making for the meadow +and the water which irrigated it; and all my comrades fared for +it and I at their head, and we ceased not faring till we reached +the mead. Then we alighted at the spring and watered our beasts. +But I was seized with a fever of foolish curiosity and went up to +the door of that tent, wherein I saw a young man, without hair on +his cheeks, who fellowed the new moon; and on his right hand was +a slender-waisted maid, as she were a willow-wand. No sooner did +I set eyes on her than love get hold upon my heart and I saluted +the youth, who returned my greeting. Then said I, "O my brother, +tell me who thou art and what to thee is this damsel sitting by +thy side?"[FN#119] Thereupon the youth bent his head groundwards +awhile, then raised it and replied, "Tell me first who thou art +and what are these horsemen with thee?" Answered I, "I am Hammad +son of al-Fazari, the renowned knight, who is reckoned among the +Arabs as five hundred horse. We went forth from our place this +morning to sport and chase and were overcome by thirst; so I came +to the door of this tent, thinking haply to get of thee a draught +of water." When he heard these my words, he turned to the fair +maiden and said, "Bring this man water and what food there is +ready." So she arose trailing her skirts, whilst the golden +bangles tinkled on her ankles and her feet stumbled in her long +locks, and she disappeared for a little while. Presently she +returned bearing in her right hand a silver vessel full of cold +water and in her left hand a bowl brimming with milk and dates, +together with some flesh of wild cattle. But I could take of her +nor meat nor drink for the excess of my passion, and I applied to +her these two couplets, saying, + +"It was as though the sable dye[FN#120] upon her palms, * + Were raven perching on a swathe of freshest snow; +Thou seest Sun and Moon conjoined in her face, * + While Sun fear-dimmed and Moon fright-pallid show." + +After I had eaten and drunk I said to the youth, "Know thou, O +Chief of the Arabs, that I have told thee in all truth who and +what I am, and now I would fain have thee do the like by me and +tell me the truth of thy case." Replied the young man, "As for +this damsel she is my sister." Quoth I, "It is my desire that +thou give me her to wife of thy free will: else will I slay thee +and take her by force." Upon this, he bowed his head groundwards +awhile, then he raised his eyes to me and answered, "Thou sayest +sooth in avouching thyself a renowned knight and famed in fight +and verily thou art the lion of the desert; but if ye all attack +me treacherously and slay me in your wrath and take my sister by +force, it will be a stain upon your honour. An you be, as ye +aver, cavaliers who are counted among the Champions and reck not +the shock of foray and fray, give me a little time to don my +armour and sling on my sword and set lance in rest and mount war +steed. Then will we go forth into the field of fight, I and you; +and, if I conquer you, I will kill you to the last man; but if +you overcome me and slay me, this damsel, my sister, is yours." +Hearing such words I replied, "This is only just, and we oppose +it not." Then I turned back my horse's head (for my love for the +damsel waxed hotter and hotter) and returned to my companions, to +whom I set forth her beauty and loveliness as also the comeliness +of the young man who was with her, together with his velour and +strength of soul and how he had avouched himself a match for a +thousand horse. Moreover, I described to my company the tent and +all the riches and rarities therein and said to them, "Know ye +that this youth would not have cut himself off from society and +have taken up his abode alone in this place, were he not a man of +great prowess: so I propose that whoso slayeth the younker shall +take his sister." And they said, "This contenteth us." Then my +company armed themselves and mounting, rode to the tent, where we +found that the young man had donned his gear and backed his +steed; but his sister ran up to him (her veil being drenched with +tears), and took hold of his stirrup and cried out, saying, +"Alas!" and, "Woe worth the day!" in her fear for her brother, +and recited these couplets, + +"To Allah will I make my moan of travail and of woe, * + Maybe Ilh of Arsh[FN#121] will smite their faces with + affright: +Fain would they slay thee, brother mine, with purpose + felon-fell; * Albe no cause of vengeance was, nor fault + forewent the fight. +Yet for a rider art thou known to those who back the steed, * + And twixt the East and West of knights thou art the prowess + knight: +Thy sister's honour thou shalt guard though little might be + hers, * For thou'rt her brother and for thee she sueth + Allah's might: +Then let not enemy possess my soul nor 'thrall my frame, * + And work on me their will and treat thy sister with + despight. +I'll ne'er abide, by Allah's truth, in any land or home * + Where thou art not, though dight it be with joyance and + delight +For love and yearning after thee myself I fain will slay, * + And in the gloomy darksome tomb spread bed upon the clay." + +But when her brother heard her verse he wept with sore weeping +and turned his horse's head towards his sister and made this +answer to her poetry, + +"Stand by and see the derring-do which I to-day will show, * + When meet we and I deal them blows that rend and cleave and + split; +E'en though rush out to seek a bout the lion of the war, * + The stoutest hearted brave of all and eke the best in wit; +To him I'll deal without delay a Sa'alabiyan blow,[FN#122] * + And dye my cane-spear's joint in blood by wound of foe + bespit: +If all I beat not off from thee, O sister, may this frame * + Be slain, and cast my corpse to birds, for so it would + befit: +Yes, for thy dearest sake I'll strike my blows with might and + main, * And when we're gone shall this event in many a book + be writ." + +And when he had ended his verse, he said, "O my sister, give ear +to what I shall enjoin on thee"; whereto she replied, "Hearkening +and obedience." Quoth he, "If I fall, let none possess thy +person;" and thereupon she buffeted her face and said, "Allah +forbid, O my brother, that I should see thee laid low and yield +myself to thy foe!" With this the youth put out his hand to her +and withdrew her veil from her face, whereupon it shone forth as +the sun shineth out from the white clouds. Then he kissed her +between the eyes and bade her farewell; after which he turned to +us and said, "Holla, Knights! Come ye as guests or crave ye cuts +and thrusts? If ye come to us as your hosts, rejoice ye in the +guest rite; and, if ye covet the shining moon, come ye out +against me, knight by knight, into this plain and place of +fight." There upon rushed out to him a doughty rider and the +young man said to him, "Tell me thy name and thy father's name, +for I am under an oath not to slay any whose name tallies with +mine and whose father's name is that of my father; and if this be +the case with thee, I will give thee up the maid." Quoth the +horseman, "My name is Bill;"[FN#123] and the young man answered +him, saying, + +"Thou liest when speaking of 'benefits,' while * + Thou comest to front with shine evillest will +An of prowess thou'rt prow, to my words give ear, * + I'm he who make' champions in battle-field reel +With keen blade, like the horn of the cusped moon, * + So 'ware thrust the, shall drill through the duress hill!" + +Then they charged down, each at each, and the youth thrust his +adversary in the breast so that the lance head issued from his +back. With tints, another came out, and the youth cried, + +"Ho thou hound, who art rotten with foulness in grain,[FN#124] * + What high meed is there easy for warrior to gain? +'Tis none save the lion of strain purest pure * + Who uncareth for life in the battle plain!" + +Nor was it long before the youth left him drowned in his blood +and cried out, "Who will come forth to me?" So a third horse man +rushed out upon the youth and began saying, + +"To thee come I forth with my heart a-flame, * + And summon my friends and my comrades by name: +When thou slewest the chief of the Arabs this day, * + This day thou remainest the pledge of my claim." + +Now when the youth heard this he answered him in these words, + +"Thou liest, O foulest of Satans that are, * + And with easings calumnious thou comest to war +This day thou shalt fall by a death dealing point * + Where the lances lunge and the scymitars jar!" + +Then he so foined him in the breast that the spear-point issued +from his back and he cried out, saying, "Ho! will none come out? +So a fourth fared forwards and the youth asked him his name and +he answered, "My name is Hill, the New Moon." And the youth +began repeating, + +"Thou hast failed who would sink me in ruin sea, * + Thou who camest in malice with perfidy: +I, whose verses hast heard from the mouth of me, * + Will ravish thy soul though unknown to thee." + +Then they drave at each other and delivered two cuts, but the +youth's stroke devanced that of the rider his adversary and slew +him: and thus he went on to kill all who sallied out against him. +Now when I saw my comrades slain, I said to myself, "If I go down +to fight with him, I shall not be able to prevail against him; +and, if I flee, I shall become a byword of shame among the +Arabs." But the youth gave me no time to think, for he ran at me +and dragged me from my saddle and hurled me to the ground. I +fainted at the fall and he raised his sword designing to cut off +my head; but I clung to his skirts, and he lifted me in his hand +as though I were a sparrow. When the maiden saw this, she +rejoiced in her brother's prowess and coming up to him, kissed +him between the eyes. Then he delivered me to her, saying, "Take +him and look to him and entreat him hospitably, for he is come +under our rule." So she took hold of the collar of my +hauberk[FN#125] and led me away by it as one would lead a dog. +Then she did off her brother's coat of mail and clad him in a +robe, and set for him a stool of ivory, on which he sat down; and +she said to him, "Allah whiten thy honour and prevent from thee +the shifts of fortune!" And he answered her with these couplets, + +"My sister said, as saw she how I stood * + In fight, when sun-rays lit my knightlihood +'Allah assain thee for a Brave of braves * + To whom in vale bow lions howso wood!' +Quoth I, 'Go ask the champions of my case, * + When feared the Lords of war my warrior mood! +My name is famed for fortune and for force, * + And soared my spirit to such altitude,' +Ho thou, Hammd, a lion hast upstirred, * + Shall show thee speedy death like viper brood." + +Now when I heard his verse, I was perplexed as to my case and +considering my condition and how I was become a captive, I was +lowered in my own esteem. Then I looked at the damsel, his +sister, and seeing her beauty I said to myself, "'Tis she who +caused all this trouble"; and I fell a-marvelling at her +loveliness till the tears streamed from my eyes and I recited +these couplets, + +"Dear friend! ah leave thy loud reproach and blame; * + Such blame but irks me yet may not alarm: +I'm clean distraught for one whom saw I not * + Without her winning me by winsome charm +Yestreen her brother crossed me in her love, * + A Brave stout-hearted and right long of arm." + +Then the maiden set food before her brother and he bade me eat +with him, whereat I rejoiced and felt assured that I should not +be slain. And when he had ended eating, she brought him a flagon +of pure wine and he applied him to it till the fumes of the drink +mounted to his head and his face flushed red. Then he turned to +me and said, "Woe to thee, O Hammad! dost thou know me or not?" +Replied I, "By thy life, I am rich in naught save ignorance!' +Quoth he, "O Hammad, I am 'Abbd bin Tamm bin Sa'labah and +indeed Allah giveth thee thy liberty and leadeth thee to a happy +bride and spareth thee confusion." Then he drank to my long life +and gave me a cup of wine and I drank it off; and presently he +filled me a second and a third and a fourth, and I drained them +all; while he made merry with me and swore me never to betray +him. So I sware to him one thousand five hundred oaths that I +would never deal perfidiously with him at any time, but that I +would be a friend and a helper to him. Thereupon he bade his +sister bring me ten suits of silk, so she brought them and laid +them on my person, and this dress I have on my body is one of +them. Moreover, he made bring one of the best of his she- +dromedaries[FN#126] carrying stuffs and provaunt, he bade her +also bring a sorrel horse, and when they were brought he gave the +whole of them to me. I abode with them three days, eating and +drinking, and what he gave me of gifts is with me to this +present. At the end of the three days he said to me, "O Hammad, +O my brother, I would sleep awhile and take my rest and verily I +trust my life to thee; but, if thou see horsemen making hither, +fear not, for know that they are of the Banu Sa'labah, seeking to +wage war on me." Then he laid his sword under his head-pillow and +slept; and when he was drowned in slumber Iblis tempted me to +slay him; so I arose in haste, and drawing the sword from under +his head, dealt him a blow that made his head fall from his body. +But his sister knew what I had done, and rushing out from within +the tent, threw herself on his corpse, rending her raiment and +repeating these couplets, + +"To kith and kin bear thou sad tidings of our plight; * + From doom th' All-wise decreed shall none of men take + flight: +Low art thou laid, O brother! strewn upon the stones, * + With face that mirrors moon when shining brightest bright! +Good sooth, it is a day accurst, thy slaughter-day * + Shivering thy spear that won the day in many a fight! +Now thou be slain no rider shall delight in steed, * + Nor man child shall the breeding woman bring to light. +This morn Hammd uprose and foully murthered thee, * + Falsing his oath and troth with foulest perjury." + +When she had ended her verse she said to me, "O thou of accursed +forefathers, wherefore didst thou play my brother false and slay +him when he purposed returning thee to thy native land with +provisions; and it was his intent also to marry thee to me at the +first of the month?" Then she drew a sword she had with her, and +planting the hilt in the earth, with the point set to her breast, +she bent over it and threw herself thereon till the blade issued +from her back and she fell to the ground, dead. I mourned for +her and wept and repented when repentance availed me naught. +Then I arose in haste and went to the tent and, taking whatever +was light of load and weighty of worth, went my way; but in my +haste and horror I took no heed of my dead comrades, nor did I +bury the maiden and the youth. And this my tale is still more +wondrous than the story of the serving-girl I kidnapped from the +Holy City, Jerusalem. But when Nuzhat al-Zaman heard these words +from the Badawi, the light was changed in her eyes to night.--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nuzhat +al-Zaman heard these words from the Badawi, the light was changed +in her eyes to night, and she rose and drawing the sword, smote +Hammad the Arab between the shoulder-blades so that the point +issued from the apple of his throat.[FN#127] And when all +present asked her, 'Why hast thou made haste to slay him;" she +answered, "Praised be Allah who hath granted me in my life tide +to avenge myself with mine own hand!" And she bade the slaves +drag the body out by the feet and cast it to the dogs. Thereupon +they turned to the two prisoners who remained of the three; and +one of them was a black slave, so they said to him, What is thy +name, fellow? Tell us the truth of thy case." He replied, "As +for me my name is Al-Ghazbn," and acquainted them what had +passed between himself and Queen Abrizah, daughter of King +Hardub, Lord of Greece, and how he had slain her and fled. +Hardly had the negro made an end of his story, when King Rumzan +struck off his head with his scymitar, saying, Praise to Allah +who gave me life! I have avenged my mother with my own hand." +Then he repeated to them what his nurse Marjanah had told him of +this same slave whose name was Al-Ghazban; after which they +turned to the third prisoner. Now this was the very camel- +driver[FN#128] whom the people of the Holy City, Jerusalem, hired +to carry Zau al-Makan and lodge him in the hospital at Damascus +of Syria; but he threw him down on the ashes midden and went his +way. And they said to him, "Acquaint us with thy case and tell +the truth." So he related to them all that had happened to him +with Sultan Zau al-Makan; how he had been carried from the Holy +City, at the time when he was sick, till they made Damascus and +he had been thrown into the hospital; how also the Jerusalem folk +had paid the cameleer money to transport the stranger to +Damascus, and he had taken it and fled after casting his charge +upon the midden by the side of the ash-heap of the Hammam. But +when he ended his words, Sultan Kanmakan took his sword +forthright and cut off his head, saying, "Praised be Allah who +hath given me life, that I might requite this traitor what he did +with my father, for I have heard this very story from King Zau +al-Makan himself." Then the Kings said each to other, "It +remaineth only for us to wreak our revenge upon the old woman +Shawahi, yclept Zat al-Dawahi, because she is the prime cause of +all these calamities and cast us into adversity on this wise. +Who will deliver her into our hands that we may avenge ourselves +upon her and wipe out our dishonour?" And King Rumzan said, +"Needs must we bring her hither." So without stay or delay he +wrote a letter to his grandmother, the aforesaid ancient woman, +giving her to know therein that he had subdued the kingdoms of +Damascus and Mosul and Irak, and had broken up the host of the +Moslems and captured their princes, adding, "I desire thee of all +urgency to come to me, bringing with thee Queen Sophia, daughter +of King Afridun, and whom thou wilt of the Nazarene chiefs, but +no armies; for the country is quiet and wholly under our hand." +And when she read the letter and recognised the handwriting of +King Rumzan, she rejoiced with great joy and forthright equipping +herself and Queen Sophia, set out with their attendants and +journeyed, without stopping, till they drew near Baghdad. Then +she foresent a messenger to acquaint the King of her arrival, +whereupon quoth Rumzan, "We should do well to don the habit of +the Franks and fare forth to meet the old woman, to the intent +that we may be assured against her craft and perfidy." Whereto +Kanmakan replied, "Hearing is consenting." So they clad +themselves in Frankish clothes and, when Kuzia Fakan saw them, +she exclaimed, "By the truth of the Lord of Worship, did I not +know you, I should take you to be indeed Franks!" Then they +sallied forth with a thousand horse, King Rumzan riding on before +them, to meet the old woman. As soon as his eyes fell on hers, +he dismounted and walked towards her and she, recognizing him, +dismounted also and embraced him, but he pressed her ribs with +his hands, till he well nigh broke them. Quoth she, "What is +this, O my son?" But before she had done speaking, up came +Kanmakan and Dandan; and the horsemen with them cried out at the +women and slaves and took them all prisoners. Then the two Kings +returned to Baghdad, with their captives, and Rumzan bade them +decorate the city which they did for three days, at the end of +which they brought out the old woman Shawahi, highs Zat al- +Dawahi, with a peaked red turband of palm-leaves on her head, +diademed with asses' dung and preceded by a herald proclaiming +aloud, "This is the reward of those who presume to lay hands on +Kings and the sons of Kings!" Then they crucified her on one of +the gates of Baghdad; and, when her companions saw what befel +her, all embraced in a body the faith of Al-Islam. As for +Kanmakan and his uncle Rumzan and his aunt Nuzhat al-Zaman and +the Wazir Dandan, they marvelled at the wonderful events that had +betided them and bade the scribes chronicle them in books that +those who came after might read. Then they all abode for the +remainder of their days in the enjoyment of every solace and +comfort of life, till there overtook them the Destroyer of all +delights and the Sunderer of all societies. And this is the +whole that hath come down to us of the dealings of fortune with +King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and his sons Sharrkan and Zau al-Makan +and his son's son Kanmakan and his daughter Nuzhat al-Zaman and +her daughter Kuzia Fakan. Thereupon quoth Shahryar to Shahrazad, +"I desire that thou tell me somewhat about birds;" and hearing +this Dunyazad said to her sister, "I have never seen the Sultan +light at heart all this while till the present night, and his +pleasure garreth me hope that the issue for thee with him may be +a happy issue." Then drowsiness overcame the Sultan, so he +slept;[FN#129]--And Shahrazad perceived the approach of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Forty-sixth Night, + +Shahrazad began to relate, in these words, the tale of + + + + + THE BIRDS AND BEASTS AND THE + CARPENTER[FN#130] + + + +Quoth she, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that in times +of yore and in ages long gone before, a peacock abode with his +wife on the seashore. Now the place was infested with lions and +all manner wild beasts, withal it abounded in trees and streams. +So cock and hen were wont to roost by night upon one of the +trees, being in fear of the beasts, and went forth by day +questing food. And they ceased not thus to do till their fear +increased on them and they searched for some place wherein to +dwell other than their old dwelling place; and in the course of +their search behold, they happened on an island abounding in +streams and trees. So they alighted there and ate of its fruits +and drank of its waters. But whilst they were thus engaged, lo! +up came to them a duck in a state of extreme terror, and stayed +not faring forwards till she reached the tree whereon were +perched the two peafowl, when she seemed re assured in mind. The +peacock doubted not but that she had some rare story; so he asked +her of her case and the cause of her concern, whereto she +answered, "I am sick for sorrow, and my horror of the son of +Adam:[FN#131] so beware, and again I say beware of the sons of +Adam!" Rejoined the peacock, "Fear not now that thou hast won our +protection." Cried the duck, "Alhamdolillah! glory to God, who +hath done away my cark and care by means of you being near! For +indeed I come of friendship fain with you twain." And when she +had ended her speech the peacock's wife came down to her and +said, "Well come and welcome and fair cheer! No harm shall hurt +thee: how can son of Adam come to us and we in this isle which +lieth amiddlemost of the sea? From the land he cannot reach us +neither can he come against us from the water. So be of good +cheer and tell us what hath betided thee from the child of Adam." +Answered the duck, "Know, then, O thou peahen, that of a truth I +have dwelt all my life in this island safely and peacefully, nor +have I seen any disquieting thing, till one night, as I was +asleep, I sighted in my dream the semblance of a son of Adam, who +talked with me and I with him. Then I heard a voice say to me, 'O +thou duck, beware of the son of Adam and be not imposed on by his +words nor by that he may suggest to thee; for he aboundeth in +wiles and guiles; so beware with all wariness of his perfidy, for +again I say, he is crafty and right cunning even as singeth of +him the poet, + + He'll offer sweetmeats with his edgd tongue, * + And fox thee with the foxy guile of fox. + +And know thou that the son of Adam circumventeth the fishes and +draweth them forth of the seas; and he shooteth the birds with a +pellet of clay[FN#132] and trappeth the elephant with his craft. +None is safe from his mischief and neither bird nor beast +escapeth him; and on this wise have I told thee what I have heard +concerning the son of Adam.' So I awoke, fearful and trembling +and from that hour to this my heart hath not known gladness, for +dread of the son of Adam, lest he surprise me unawares by his +wile or trap me in his snares. By the time the end of the day +overtook me, my strength was grown weak and my spunk failed me; +so, desiring to eat and drink, I went forth walking, troubled in +spirit and with a heart ill at ease. Now when I reached yonder +mountain I saw a tawny lion whelp at the door of a cave, and +sighting me he joyed in me with great joy, for my colour pleased +him and my gracious shape; so he cried out to me saying, 'Draw +nigh unto me.' I went up to him and he asked me, 'What is thy +name, and what is thy nature?' Answered I, 'My name is Duck, and +I am of the bird kind;' and I added, 'But thou, why tarriest thou +in this place till this time?' Answered the whelp, 'My father the +lion hath for many a day warned me against the son of Adam, and +it came to pass this night that I saw in my sleep the semblance +of a son of Adam.' And he went on to tell me the like of that I +have told you. When I heard these words, I said to him, 'O lion, +I take asylum with thee, that thou mayest kill the son of Adam +and be steadfast in resolve to his slaughter; verily I fear him +for myself with extreme fear and to my fright affright is added +for that thou also dreadest the son of Adam, albeit thou art +Sultan of savage beasts.' Then I ceased not, O my sister, to bid +the young lion beware of the son of Adam and urge him to slay +him, till he rose of a sudden and at once from his stead and went +out and he fared on, and I after him and I noted him lashing +flanks with tail. We advanced in the same order till we came to a +place where the roads forked and saw a cloud of dust arise which, +presently clearing away, discovered below it a runaway naked ass, +now galloping and running at speed and now rolling in the dust. +When the lion saw the ass, he cried out to him, and he came up to +him in all humility. Then said the lion, 'Harkye, crack brain +brute! What is thy kind and what be the cause of thy coming +hither?' He replied, 'O son of the Sultan! I am by kind an ass-- +Asinus Caballus--and the cause of my coming to this place is that +I am fleeing from the son of Adam.' Asked the lion whelp, 'Dost +thou fear then that he will kill thee?' Answered the ass, 'Not +so, O son of the Sultan, but I dread lest he put a cheat on me +and mount upon me; for he hath a thing called Pack saddle, which +he setteth on my back; also a thing called Girths which he +bindeth about my belly; and a thing called Crupper which he +putteth under my tail, and a thing called Bit which he placeth in +my mouth: and he fashioneth me a goad[FN#133] and goadeth me with +it and maketh me run more than my strength. If I stumble he +curseth me, and if I bray, he revileth me;[FN#134] and at last +when I grow old and can no longer run, he putteth on me a +panel[FN#135] of wood and delivereth me to the water carriers, +who load my back with water from the river in skins and other +vessels, such as jars, and I cease not to wone in misery and +abasement and fatigue till I die, when they cast me on the +rubbish-heaps to the dogs. So what grief can surpass this grief +and what calamities can be greater than these calamities?' Now +when I heard, O peahen, the ass's words, my skin shuddered, and +became as gooseflesh at the son of Adam; and I said to the lion +whelp, 'O my lord, the ass of a verity hath excuse and his words +add terror to my terror.' Then quoth the young lion to the ass, +'Whither goest thou?' Quoth he, 'Before sunrise I espied the son +of Adam afar off, and fled from him; and now I am minded to flee +forth and run without ceasing for the greatness of my fear of +him, so haply I may find me a place of shelter from the +perfidious son of Adam.' Whilst the ass was thus discoursing with +the lion whelp, seeking the while to take leave of us and go +away, behold, appeared to us another cloud of dust, whereat the +ass brayed and cried out and looked hard and let fly a loud +fart[FN#136]. After a while the dust lifted and discovered a +black steed finely dight with a blaze on the forehead like a +dirham round and bright;[FN#137] handsomely marked about the hoof +with white and with firm strong legs pleasing to sight and he +neighed with affright. This horse ceased not running till he +stood before the whelp, the son of the lion who, when he saw him, +marvelled and made much of him and said, 'What is thy kind, O +majestic wild beast and wherefore freest thou into this desert +wide and vast?' He replied, O lord of wild beasts, I am a steed +of the horse kind, and the cause of my running is that I am +fleeing from the son of Adam.' The lion whelp wondered at the +horse's speech and cried to him Speak not such words for it is +shame to thee, seeing that thou art tall and stout. And how +cometh it that thou fearest the son of Adam, thou, with thy bulk +of body and thy swiftness of running when I, for all my +littleness of stature am resolved to encounter the son of Adam +and, rushing on him, eat his flesh, that I may allay the affright +of this poor duck and make her dwell in peace in her own place? +But now thou hast come here and thou hast wrung my heart with thy +talk and turned me back from what I had resolved to do, seeing +that, for all thy bulk, the son of Adam hath mastered thee and +hath feared neither thy height nor thy breadth, albeit, wert thou +to kick him with one hoof thou wouldst kill him, nor could he +prevail against thee, but thou wouldst make him drink the cup of +death.' The horse laughed when he heard the whelps words and +replied, 'Far, far is it from my power to overcome him, O Prince. +Let not my length and my breadth nor yet my bulk delude thee with +respect to the son of Adam; for that he, of the excess of his +guile and his wiles, fashioneth me a thing called Hobble and +applieth to my four legs a pair of ropes made of palm fibres +bound with felt, and gibbeteth me by the head to a high peg, so +that I being tied up remain standing and can neither sit nor lie +down. And when he is minded to ride me, he bindeth on his feet a +thing of iron called Stirrup[FN#138] and layeth on my back +another thing called Saddle, which he fasteneth by two Girths +passed under my armpits. Then he setteth in my mouth a thing of +iron he calleth Bit, to which he tieth a thing of leather called +Rein; and, when he sitteth in the saddle on my back, he taketh +the rein in his hand and guideth me with it, goading my flanks +the while with the shovel stirrups till he maketh them bleed. So +do not ask, O son of our Sultan, the hardships I endure from the +son of Adam. And when I grow old and lean and can no longer run +swiftly, he selleth me to the miller who maketh me turn in the +mill, and I cease not from turning night and day till I grow +decrepit. Then he in turn vendeth me to the knacker who cutteth +my throat and flayeth off my hide and plucketh out my tail, which +he selleth to the sieve maker; and he melteth down my fat for +tallow candles.' When the young lion heard the horse's words, his +rage and vexation redoubled and he said, 'When didst thou leave +the son of Adam? Replied the horse, 'At midday and he is upon my +track.' Whilst the whelp was thus conversing with the horse lo! +there rose a cloud of dust and, presently opening out, discovered +below it a furious camel gurgling and pawing the earth with his +feet and never ceasing so to do till he came up with us. Now when +the lion whelp saw how big and buxom he was, he took him to be +the son of Adam and was about to spring upon him when I said to +him, 'O Prince, of a truth this is not the son of Adam, this be a +camel, and he seemeth to fleeing from the son of Adam.' As I was +thus conversing, O my sister, with the lion whelp, the camel came +up and saluted him; whereupon he returned the greeting and said, +'What bringeth thee hither?' Replied he, 'I came here fleeing +from the son of Adam.' Quoth the whelp, 'And thou, with thy huge +frame and length and breadth, how cometh it that thou fearest the +son of Adam, seeing that with one kick of thy foot thou wouldst +kill him?' Quoth the camel, 'O son of the Sultan, know that the +son of Adam hath subtleties and wiles, which none can withstand +nor can any prevail against him, save only Death; for he putteth +into my nostrils a twine of goat's hair he calleth Nose- +ring,[FN#139] and over my head a thing he calleth Halter; then he +delivereth me to the least of his little children, and the +youngling draweth me along by the nose ring, my size and strength +notwithstanding. Then they load me with the heaviest of burdens +and go long journeys with me and put me to hard labour through +the hours of the night and the day. When I grow old and stricken +in years and disabled from working, my master keepeth me not with +him, but selleth me to the knacker who cutteth my throat and +vendeth my hide to the tanners and my flesh to the cooks: so do +not ask the hardships I suffer from the son of Adam.' 'When didst +thou leave the son of Adam?' asked the young lion; and he +answered, 'At sundown, and I suppose that coming to my place +after my departure and not finding me there, he is now in search +of me: wherefore let me go, O son of the Sultan, that I may flee +into the wolds and the wilds.' Said the whelp, 'Wait awhile, O +camel, till thou see how I will tear him, and give thee to eat of +his flesh, whilst I craunch his bones and drink his blood.' +Replied the camel, 'O King's son, I fear for thee from the child +of Adam, for he is wily and guilefull.' And he began repeating +these verses:-- + + 'When the tyrant enters the lieges' land, * + Naught remains for the lieges but quick remove!' + +Now whilst the camel was speaking with the lion whelp, behold, +there rose a cloud of dust which, after a time, opened and showed +an old man scanty of stature and lean of limb; and he bore on his +shoulder a basket of carpenter's tools and on his head a branch +of a tree and eight planks. He led little children by the hand +and came on at a trotting pace,[FN#140] never stopping till he +drew near the whelp. When I saw him, O my sister, I fell down for +excess of fear; but the young lion rose and walked forward to +meet the carpenter and when he came up to him, the man smiled in +his face and said to him, with a glib tongue and in courtly +terms, 'O King who defendeth from harm and lord of the long arm, +Allah prosper thine evening and thine endeavouring and increase +thy valiancy and strengthen thee! Protect me from that which hath +distressed me and with its mischief hath oppressed me, for I have +found no helper save only thyself.' And the carpenter stood in +his presence weeping and wailing and complaining. When the whelp +heard his sighing and his crying he said, 'I will succour thee +from that thou fearest. Who hath done thee wrong and what art +thou, O wild beast, whose like in my life I never saw, nor ever +espied one goodlier of form or more eloquent of tongue than thou? +What is thy case?' Replied the man, 'O lord of wild beasts, as to +myself I am a carpenter; but as to who hath wronged me, verily he +is a son of Adam, and by break of dawn after this coming +night[FN#141] he will be with thee in this place.' When the lion +whelp heard these words of the carpenter, the light was changed +to night before his sight and he snorted and roared with ire and +his eyes cast forth sparks of fire. Then he cried out saying, 'By +Allah, I will assuredly watch through this coming night till +dawn, nor will I return to my father till I have won my will.' +Then he turned to the carpenter and asked, 'Of a truth I see thou +art short of step and I would not hurt thy feelings for that I am +generous of heart; yet do I deem thee unable to keep pace with +the wild beasts: tell me then whither thou goest?' Answered the +carpenter, 'Know that I am on my way to thy father's Wazir, the +lynx; for when he heard that the son of Adam had set foot in this +country he feared greatly for himself and sent one of the wild +beasts on a message for me, to make him a house wherein he should +dwell, that it might shelter him and fend off his enemy from him, +so not one of the sons of Adam should come at him. Accordingly I +took up these planks and set forth to find him.' Now when the +young lion heard these words he envied the lynx and said to the +carpenter, 'By my life there is no help for it but thou make me a +house with these planks ere thou make one for Sir Lynx! When thou +hast done my work, go to him and make him whatso he wisheth.' The +carpenter replied, 'O lord of wild beasts, I cannot make thee +aught till I have made the lynx what he desireth: then will I +return to thy service and build thee a house as a fort to ward +thee from thy foe.' Exclaimed the lion whelp, By Allah, 'I will +not let thee leave this place till thou build me a house of +planks.' So saying he made for the carpenter and sprang upon him, +thinking to jest with him, and cuffed him with his paw knocking +the basket off his shoulder; and threw him down in a fainting +fit, whereupon the young lion laughed at him and said, 'Woe to +thee, O carpenter, of a truth thou art feeble and hast no force; +so it is excusable in thee to fear the son of Adam.' Now when the +carpenter fell on his back, he waxed exceeding wroth; but he +dissembled his wrath for fear of the whelp and sat up and smiled +in his face, saying, 'Well, I will make for thee the house.' With +this he took the planks he had brought and nailed together the +house, which he made in the form of a chest after the measure of +the young lion. And he left the door open, for he had cut in the +box a large aperture, to which he made a stout cover and bored +many holes therein. Then he took out some newly wrought nails and +a hammer and said to the young lion, 'Enter the house through +this opening, that I may fit it to thy measure.' Thereat the +whelp rejoiced and went up to the opening, but saw that it was +strait; and the carpenter said to him, 'Enter and crouch down on +thy legs and arms!' So the whelp did thus and entered the chest, +but his tail remained outside. Then he would have drawn back and +come . out; but the carpenter said to him, 'Wait patiently a +while till I see if there be room for thy tail with thee.' The +young lion did as he was bid when the carpenter twisted up his +tail and, stuffing it into the chest, whipped the lid on to the +opening and nailed it down; whereat the whelp cried out and said, +'O carpenter, what is this narrow house thou hast made me? Let me +out, sirrah!' But the carpenter answered, 'Far be it, far be it +from thy thought! Repentance for past avails naught, and indeed +of this place thou shalt not come out.' He then laughed and +resumed, 'Verily thou art fallen into the trap and from thy +duress there is no escape, O vilest of wild beasts!' Rejoined the +whelp, 'O my brother, what manner of words are these thou +addresses" to me?' The carpenter replied 'know, O dog of the +desert! that thou hast fa]len into that which thou fearedst: Fate +hath upset thee, nor shall caution set thee up. ' When the whelp +heard these words, O my sister, he knew that this was indeed the +very son of Adam, against whom he had been warned by his sire in +waking state and by the mysterious Voice in sleeping while; and I +also was certified that this was indeed he without doubt; +wherefore great fear of him for myself seized me and I withdrew a +little apart from him and waited to see what he would do with the +young lion. Then I saw, O my sister, the son of Adam dig a pit in +that place hard by the chest which held the whelp and, throwing +the box into the hole, heap dry wood upon it and burn the young +lion with fire. At this sight, O sister mine, my fear of the son +of Adam redoubled and in my affright I have been these two days +fleeing from him." But when the peahen heard from the duck this +story,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Night, + + She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +peahen heard from the duck this story, she wondered with +exceeding wonder and said to her, "O my sister, here thou art +safe from the son of Adam, for we are in one of the islands of +the sea whither there is no way for the son of Adam; so do thou +take up thine abode with us till Allah make easy thy case and our +case. Quoth the duck, "I fear lest some calamity come upon me by +night, for no runaway can rid him of fate by flight." Rejoined +the peahen, "Abide with us, and be like unto, us;" and ceased not +to persuade her, till she yielded, saying, "O my sister, thou +knowest how weak is my resistance; but verily had I not seen thee +here, I had not remained." Said the peahen, "That which is on our +foreheads[FN#142] we must indeed fulfil, and when our doomed day +draweth near, who shall deliver us? But not a soul departeth +except it have accomplished its predestined livelihood and term. +Now the while they talked thus, a cloud of dust appeared and +approached them, at sight of which the duck shrieked aloud and +ran down into the sea, crying out, "Beware! beware! though flight +there is not from Fate and Lot!"[FN#143] After awhile the dust +opened out and discovered under it an antelope; whereat the duck +and the peahen were reassured and the peacock's wife said to her +companion, "O my sister, this thou seest and wouldst have me +beware of is an antelope, and here he is, making for us. He will +do us no hurt, for the antelope feedeth upon the herbs of the +earth and, even as thou art of the bird kind, so is he of the +beast kind. Be there fore of good cheer and cease care taking; +for care taking wasteth the body." Hardly had the peahen done +speaking, when the antelope came up to them, thinking to shelter +him under the shade of the tree; and, sighting the peahen and the +duck, saluted them and said, 'I came to this island to-day and I +have seen none richer in herbage nor pleasanter for habitation." +Then he besought them for company and amity and, when they saw +his friendly behaviour to them, they welcomed him and gladly +accepted his offer. So they struck up a sincere friendship and +sware thereto; and they slept in one place and they ate and drank +together; nor did they cease dwelling in safety, eating and +drinking their fill, till one day there came thither a ship which +had strayed from her course in the sea. She cast anchor near them +and the crew came forth and dispersed about the island. They soon +caught sight of the three friends, antelope, peahen and duck, and +made for them; whereupon the peahen flew up into the tree and +thence winged her way through air; and the antelope fled into the +desert, but the duck abode paralyzed by fear. So they chased her +till they caught her and she cried out and said, "Caution availed +me naught against Fate and Lot!'; and they bore her off to the +ship. Now when the peahen saw what had betided the duck, she +removed from the island, saying, "I see that misfortunes lie in +ambush for all. But for yonder ship, parting had not befallen +between me and this duck, because she was one of the truest of +friends." Then she flew off and rejoined the antelope, who +saluted her and gave her joy of her safety and asked for the +duck, to which she replied, "The enemy hath taken her, and I +loathe the sojourn of this island after her." Then she wept for +the loss of the duck and began repeating, + + "The day of parting cut my heart in twain:* + In twain may Allah cut the parting-day! + +And she spake also this couplet, + + "I pray some day that we reunion gain, * + So may I tell him Parting's ugly way." + +The antelope sorrowed with great sorrow, but dissuaded the peahen +from her resolve to remove from the island. So they abode there +together with him, eating and drinking, in peace and safety, +except that they ceased not to mourn for the loss of the duck; +and the antelope said to the peahen, "O my sister, thou seest how +the folk who came forth of the ship were the cause of our +severance from the duck and of her destruction; so do thou beware +of them and guard thyself from them and from the wile of the son +of Adam and his guile." But the peahen replied, I am assured that +nought caused her death save her neglecting to say Subhan' Allah, +glory to God; indeed I often said to her, 'Exclaim thou, 'Praised +be Allah, and verily I fear for thee, because thou neglectest to +laud the Almighty; for all things created by Allah glorify Him on +this wise, and whoso neglecteth the formula of praise[FN#144] him +destruction waylays.'" When the antelope heard the peahen's words +he exclaimed, "Allah make fair thy face!" and betook himself to +repeating the formula of praise, and ceased not there from a +single hour. And it is said that his form of adoration was as +follows, "Praise be to the Requiter of every good and evil thing, +the Lord of Majesty and of Kings the King!" And a tale is also +told on this wise of + + + + + The Hermits. + + + +A certain hermit worshipped on a certain mountain, whither +resorted a pair of pigeons; and the worshipper was wont to make +two parts of his daily bread,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +worshipper was wont to make two parts of his daily bread, eating +one half himself and giving the other to the pigeon pair. He also +prayed for them both that they might be blest with issue so they +increased and multiplied greatly. Now they resorted only to that +mountain where the hermit was, and the reason of their fore- +gathering with the holy man was their assiduity in repeating +"Praised be Allah!" for it is recounted that the pigeon[FN#145] +in praise, "Praised be the Creator of all Creatures, the +Distributor of daily bread, the Builder of the heavens and +Dispreader of the earths!" And that couple ceased not to dwell +together in the happiest of life, they and their brood till the +holy man died, when the company of the pigeons was broken up and +they dispersed among the towns and villages and mountains. Now it +is told that on a certain other mountain there dwelt a shepherd, +a man of piety and good sense and chastity; and he had flocks of +sheep which he tended, and he made his living by their milk and +wool. The mountain which gave him a home abounded in trees and +pasturage and also in wild beasts, but these had no power over +his flocks; so he ceased not to dwell upon that highland in full +security, taking no thought to the things of the world, by reason +of his beatitude and his assiduity in prayer and devotion, till +Allah ordained that he should fall sick with exceeding sickness. +Thereupon he betook himself to a cavern in the mountain and his +sheep used to go out in the morning to the pasturage and take +refuge at night in the cave. But Allah Almighty, being minded to +try him and prove his patience and his obedience, sent him one of +His angels, who came in to him in the semblance of a fair woman +and sat down before him. When the shepherd saw that woman seated +before him, his flesh shuddered at her with horripilation[FN#146] +and he said to her, 'O thou woman, what was it invited thee to +this my retreat? I have no need of thee, nor is there aught +betwixt me and thee which calleth for thy coming in to me." Quoth +she, "O man, cost thou not behold my beauty and loveliness and +the fragrance of my breath; and knowest thou not the need women +have of men and men of women? So who shall forbid thee from me +when I have chosen to be near thee and desire to enjoy thy +company? Indeed, I come to thee willingly and do not withhold +myself from thee, and near us there is none whom we need fear; +and I wish to abide with thee as long as thou sojournest in this +mountain, and be thy companion and thy true friend. I offer +myself to thee, for thou needest the service of woman: and if +thou have carnal connection with me and know me, thy sickness +shall be turned from thee and health return to thee; and thou +wilt repent thee of the past for having foresworn the company of +women during the days that are now no more. In very sooth, I give +thee good advice: so incline to my counsel and approach me." +Quoth the shepherd, "Go out from me, O woman deceitful and +perfidious! I will not incline to thee nor approach thee. I want +not thy company nor wish for union with thee; he who coveteth the +coming life renounceth thee, for thou seducest mankind, those of +past time and those of present time. Allah the Most High lieth in +wait for His servants and woe unto him who is cursed with thy +company!" Answered she, "O thou that errest from the truth and +wanderest from the way of reason, turn thy face to me and look +upon my charms and take thy full of my nearness, as did the wise +who have gone before thee. Indeed, they were richer than thou in +experience and sharper of wit; withal they rejected not, as thou +rejectest, the enjoyment of women; nay, they took their pleasure +of them and their company even as thou renouncest them, and it +did them no hurt in things temporal or things spiritual. +Wherefore do thou recede from thy resolve and thou shalt praise +the issue of thy case." Rejoined the shepherd, "All thou sayest I +deny and abhor, and all thou offerest I reject: for thou art +cunning and perfidious and there is no honesty in thee nor is +there honour. How much of foulness hidest thou under thy beauty, +and how many a pious man hast thou seduced from his duty and made +his end penitence and perdition? Avaunt from me, O thou who +devotest thyself to corrupt others!" Thereupon, he threw his +goat's hair cloak over his head that he might not see her face, +and betook himself to calling upon the name of his Lord. And when +the angel saw the excellence of his submission to the Divine +Will, he went out from him and ascended to heaven. Now hard by +the hermit's hill was a village wherein dwelt a pious man, who +knew not the other's station, till one night he heard in a dream +a Voice saying to him, "In such a place near to thee is a devout +man: go thou to him and be at his command!" So when morning +dawned he set out to wend thither, and what time the heat was +grievous upon him, he came to a tree which grew beside a spring +of running water. So he sat down to rest in the shadow of that +tree and behold, he saw beasts and birds coming to that fount to +drink, but when they caught sight of the devotee sitting there, +they took fright and fled from before his face. Then said he, +"There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah! I rest +not here but to the hurt of these beasts and fowls." So he arose, +blaming him self and saying, "Verily my tarrying here this day +hath wronged these animals, and what excuse have I towards my +Creator and the Creator of these birds and beasts for that I was +the cause of their flight from their drink and their daily food +and their place of pasturage? Alas for my shame before my Lord on +the day when He shall avenge the hornless sheep on the sheep with +horns!''[FN#147] And he wept and began repeating these couplets, + +"Now an, by Allah, unto man were fully known * + Why he is made, in careless sleep he ne'er would wone: +First Death, then cometh Wake and dreadful Day of Doom, * + Reproof with threats sore terror, frightful malison. +Bid we or else forbid we, all of us are like * + The Cave companions[FN#148] when at length their sleep was + done." + +Then he again wept for that he had driven the birds and beasts +from the spring by sitting down under the tree, and he fared on +till he came to the shepherd's dwelling and going in, saluted +him. The shepherd returned his salutation and embraced him, +weeping and saying, "What hath brought thee to this place where +no man hath ever yet come to me." Quoth the other devotee, "I saw +in my sleep one who described to me this thy stead and bade me +repair to thee and salute thee: so I came, in obedience to the +commandment." The shepherd welcomed him, rejoicing in his company +and the twain abode upon that mountain, worshipping Allah with +the best of worship; and they ceased not serving their Lord in +the cavern and living upon the flesh and milk of their sheep, +having clean put away from them riches and children and what not, +till the Certain, the Inevitable became their lot. And this is +the end of their story. Then said King Shahyrar, "O Shahrazad, +thou wouldst cause me to renounce my kingdom and thou makest me +repent of having slain so many women and maidens. Hast thou any +bird stories?" "Yes," replied she, and began to tell the + + + + + TALE OF THE WATER FOWL AND THE TORTOISE. + + + +It is related by truthful men, O King, that a certain bird flew +high up firmament wards and presently lit on a rock in the midst +of water which was running. And as he sat there, behold, the +current carried to him the carcass of a man, and lodged it +against the rock, for being swollen it floated. The bird, which +was a water fowl, drew near and examining it, found that it was +the dead body of a son of Adam and saw in it sign of spear and +stroke of sword. So he said to himself, "I presume that this man +who hath been slain was some evil doer, and that a company banded +themselves together against him and put him to death and were at +peace from him and his evil doing." And as he continued +marvelling at this, suddenly the vultures and kites came down +upon the carcass from all sides and get round it; which when the +water fowl saw, he feared with sore affright and said, "I cannot +abide here any longer." So he flew away in quest of a place where +he might wone, till that carcass should come to an end and the +birds of prey leave it; and he stayed not in his flight, till he +found a river with a tree in its midst. So he alighted on the +tree, troubled and distraught and sore grieved for departing from +his birth place, and said to himself, "Verily sorrows cease not +to follow me: I was at my ease when I saw that carcass, and +rejoiced therein with much joy, saying, 'This is a gift of daily +bread which Allah hath dealt to me:' but my joy became annoy and +my gladness turned to sadness, for the ravenous birds, which are +like lions, seized upon it and tare it to pieces and came between +me and my prize So how can I hope to be secure from misfortune in +this world, or put any trust therein? Indeed, the proverb +saith,'The world is the dwelling of him who hath no dwelling': he +who hath no wits is cozened by it and entrusteth it with his +wealth and his child and his family and his folk; and whoso is +cozened ceaseth not to rely upon it, pacing proudly upon earth +until he is laid under earth and the dust is cast over his corpse +by him who of all men was dearest to him and nearest. But naught +is better for generous youth than patience under its cares and +miseries. I have left my native place and it is abhorrent to me +to quit my brethren and friends and loved ones." Now whilst he +was thus musing lo! a male tortoise descended into the river and, +approaching the water fowl, saluted him, saying, "O my lord, what +hath exiled thee and driven thee so far from thy place?" Replied +the water fowl, "The descent of enemies thereon; for the wise +brooketh not the neighbourhood of his foe; and how well saith the +poet, + +Whenas on any land the oppressor doth alight, * + There's nothing left for those, that dwell therein, but + flight.'''[FN#149] + +Quoth the tortoise, "If the matter be as thou sayest and the case +as thou describest, I will not leave thee nor cease to stand +before thee, that I may do thy need and fulfil thy service; for +it is said that there is no sorer desolation than that of him who +is an exile, cut off from friends and home; and it is also said +that no calamity equalleth that of severance from the good; but +the best solace for men of understanding is to seek companionship +in strangerhood and be patient under sorrows and adversity. +Wherefore I hope that thou wilt approve of my company, for I will +be to thee a servant and a helper." Now when the water fowl heard +the tortoise's words he answered, "Verily, thou art right in what +thou sayest for, by my life, I have found grief and pain in +separation, what while I have been parted from my place and +sundered from my brethren and friends; seeing that in severance +is an admonition to him who will be admonished and matter of +thought for him who will take thought. If the generous youth find +not a companion to console him, weal is forever cut off from him +and ill is eternally established with him; and there is nothing +for the sage but to solace himself in every event with brethren +and be constant in patience and endurance: indeed these two are +praiseworthy qualities, and both uphold one under calamities and +vicissitudes of the world and ward off startling sorrows and +harrowing cares, come what will." Rejoined the tortoise, "Beware +of sorrow, for it will spoil thy life and waste thy manliness." +And the two gave not over conversing till the bird said, "Never +shall I cease fearing the shifts of time and vicissitudes of +events." When the tortoise heard this, he came up to him and, +kissing him between the eyes, said to him, "Never may the company +of the birds cease to be blest in thee and through thee, and find +wisdom in thy good counsel! How shalt thou be burdened with care +and harm?" And he went on to comfort the water fowl and soothe +his terrors till he became reassured. Then he flew to the place +where the carcass was and found on arriving there the birds of +prey gone, and they had left nothing of the body but bones; +whereupon he returned to the tortoise and acquainted him with the +fact that the foe had disappeared from his place, saying, "Know +that of a truth I long for return homewards to enjoy the society +of my friends; for the sage cannot endure separation from his +native place." So they both went thither and found naught to +affright them; whereupon the water fowl began repeating, + +"And haply whenas strait descends on lot of generous youth * + Right sore, with Allah only lies his issue from annoy: +He's straitened, but full oft when rings and meshes straitest + clip, * He 'scapes his strait and joyance finds, albe I see + no joy." + +So the twain abode in that island; and while the water fowl was +enjoying a life of peace and gladness, suddenly Fate led thither +a hungry falcon, which drove its talons into the bird's belly and +killed him, nor did caution avail him when his term of life was +ended. Now the cause of his death was that he neglected to use +the formula of praise, and it is said that his form of adoration +was as follows, "Praised be our Lord in that He ordereth and +ordaineth; and praised be our Lord in that He enricheth and +impoverisheth!" Such was the waterfowl's end and the tale of the +ravenous birds. And when it was finished quoth the Sultan, "O +Shahrazad, verily thou overwhelmest me with admonitions and +salutary instances. Hast thou any stories of beasts?" "Yes," +answered she, and began to tell the + + + + + TALE OF THE WOLF AND THE FOX.[FN#150] + + + +Know, O King, that a fox and a wolf once cohabited in the same +den, harbouring therein together by day and resorting thither by +night; but the wolf was cruel and oppressive to the fox. They +abode thus awhile, till it so befel that the fox exhorted the +wolf to use gentle dealing and leave off his ill deeds, saying, +"If thou persist in thine arrogance, belike Allah will give the +son of Adam power over thee, for he is past master in guile and +wile; and by his artifice he bringeth down the birds from the +firmament and he haleth the mighty fish forth of the +flood-waters: and he cutteth the mountain and transporteth it +from place to place. All this is of his craft and wiliness: +wherefore do thou betake thyself to equity and fair dealing and +leave frowardness and tyranny; and thou shalt fare all the better +for it." But the wolf would not accept his counsel and answered +him roughly, saying, "What right hast thou to speak of matters of +weight and importance?" And he dealt the fox a cuff that laid him +senseless; but, when he revived, he smiled in the wolf's face +and, excusing himself for his unseemly speech, repeated these two +couplets, + +"If any sin I sinned, or did I aught * + In love of you, which hateful mischief wrought; +My sin I sore repent and pardon sue; * + So give the sinner gift of pardon sought." + +The wolf accepted his excuse and held his hand from further +ill-treatment, saying, "Speak not of whatso concerneth thee not, +lest thou hear what will please thee not." Answered the fox, "To +hear is to obey!"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the +wolf to the fox, "Speak not of whatso concerneth thee not, lest +thou hear what will please thee not!" Answered the fox, "To hear +is to obey! I will abstain henceforth from what pleaseth thee +not; for the sage saith, 'Have a care that thou speak not of that +whereof thou art not asked; leave that which concerneth thee not +for that which concerneth thee, and by no means lavish good +counsel on the wrongous, for they will repay it to thee with +wrong.'" And reflecting on the words of the wolf he smiled in his +face, but in his heart he meditated treachery against him and +privily said, "There is no help but that I compass the +destruction of this wolf." So he bore with his injurious usage, +saying to himself, "Verily insolence and evil-speaking are causes +of perdition and cast into confusion, and it is said, 'The +insolent is shent and the ignorant doth repent; and whose +feareth, to him safety is sent': moderation marketh the noble and +gentle manners are of gains the grandest. It behoveth me to +dissemble with this tyrant and needs must he be cast down." Then +quoth he to the wolf, "Verily, the Lord pardoneth his erring +servant and relenteth towards him, if he confess his offences; +and I am a weak slave and have offended in presuming to counsel +thee. If thou knewest the pain that befel me by thy buffet, thou +wouldst ken that even the elephant could not stand against it nor +endure it: but I complain not of this blow's hurt, because of the +joy and gladness that hath betided me through it; for though it +was to me exceeding sore yet was its issue of the happiest. And +with sooth saith the sage, 'The blow of the teacher is at first +right hurtful, but the end of it is sweeter than strained +honey.'" Quoth the wolf, "I pardon thine offence and I cancel thy +fault; but beware of my force and avow thyself my thrall; for +thou hast learned my severity unto him who showeth his +hostility!" Thereupon the fox prostrated himself before the wolf, +saying, "Allah lengthen thy life and mayst thou never cease to +overthrow thy foes!" And he stinted not to fear the wolf and to +wheedle him and dissemble with him. Now it came to pass that one +day, the fox went to a vineyard and saw a breach in its walls; +but he mistrusted it and said to himself, "Verily, for this +breach there must be some cause and the old saw saith, 'Whoso +seeth a cleft in the earth and shunneth it not and is not wary in +approaching it, the same is self-deluded and exposeth himself to +danger and destruction.' Indeed, it is well known that some folk +make the figure of a fox in their vineyards; nay, they even set +before the semblance grapes in plates, that foxes may see it and +come to it and fall into perdition. In very sooth I regard this +breach as a snare and the proverb saith, 'Caution is one half of +cleverness.' Now prudence requireth that I examine this breach +and see if there be aught therein which may lead to perdition; +and coveting shall not make me cast myself into destruction." So +he went up to the hole and walked round it right warily, and lo! +it was a deep pit, which the owner of the vineyard had dug to +trap therein the wild beasts which laid waste his vines. Then he +said to himself, "Thou hast gained, for that thou hast +refrained!"; and he looked and saw that the hole was lightly +covered with dust and matting. So he drew back from it saying, +"Praised be Allah that I was wary of it! I hope that my enemy, +the wolf, who maketh my life miserable, will fall into it; so +will the vineyard be left to me and I shall enjoy it alone and +dwell therein at peace." Saying thus, he shook his head and +laughed a loud laugh and began versifying, + + "Would Heaven I saw at this hour * + The Wolf fallen down in this well, + He who anguisht my heart for so long, * + And garred me drain eisel and fel! + Heaven grant after this I may live * + Free of Wolf for long fortunate spell + When I've rid grapes and vineyard of him, * + And in bunch-spoiling happily dwell." + +His verse being finished he returned in haste to the wolf and +said to him, "Allah hath made plain for thee the way into the +vineyard without toil and moil. This is of thine auspicious +fortune; so good luck to thee and mayest thou enjoy the plentiful +plunder and the profuse provaunt which Allah hath opened up to +thee without trouble!" Asked the wolf, "What proof hast thou of +what thou assertest?": and the fox answered, "I went up to the +vineyard and found that the owner was dead, having been torn to +pieces by wolves: so I entered the orchard and saw the fruit +shining upon the trees." The wolf doubted not the fox's report +and his gluttony gat hold of him; so he arose and repaired to the +cleft, for that greed blinded him; whilst the fox falling behind +him lay as one dead, quoting to the case the following couplet, + +"For Layla's[FN#151] favour dost thou greed? But, bear in mind * + Greed is a yoke of harmful weight on neck of man." + +And when the wolf had reached the breach the fox said, "Enter the +vineyard: thou art spared the trouble of climbing a ladder, for +the garden-wall is broken down, and with Allah it resteth to +fulfil the benefit." So the wolf went on walking and thought to +enter the vineyard; but when he came to the middle of the +pit-covering he fell through; whereupon the fox shook for joy and +gladness; his care and concern left him and he sang out for +delight and improvised these couplets, + + "Fortune had mercy on the soul of me, * + And for my torments now shows clemency, + Granting whatever gift my heart desired, * + And far removing what I feared to see: + I will, good sooth, excuse her all her sins * + She sinned in days gone by and much sinned she: + Yea, her injustice she hath shown in this, * + She whitened locks that were so black of blee: + But now for this same wolf escape there's none, * + Of death and doom he hath full certainty. + Then all the vineyard comes beneath my rule, * + I'll brook no partner who's so fond a fool." + +Then the fox looked into the cleft and, seeing the wolf weeping +in repentance and sorrow for himself, wept with him; whereupon +the wolf raised his head to him and asked, "Is it of pity for me +thou weepest, O Father of the Fortlet[FN#152]?" Answered the fox, +"No, by Him who cast thee into this pit! I weep for the length of +thy past life and for regret that thou didst not fall into the +pit before this day; for hadst thou done so before I foregathered +with thee, I had rested and enjoyed repose: but thou wast spared +till the fulfilment of thine allotted term and thy destined +time." Then the wolf said to him as one jesting, "O evil-doer, go +to my mother and tell her what hath befallen me; haply she may +devise some device for my release." Replied the fox, "Of a truth +thou hast been brought to destruction by the excess of thy greed +and thine exceeding gluttony, since thou art fallen into a pit +whence thou wilt never escape. Knowest thou not the common +proverb, O thou witless wolf, 'Whoso taketh no thought as to how +things end, him shall Fate never befriend nor shall he safe from +perils wend." "O Reynard," quoth the wolf, "thou was wont to show +me fondness and covet my friendliness and fear the greatness of +my strength. Hate me not rancorously because of that I did with +thee; for he who hath power and forgiveth, his reward Allah +giveth; even as saith the poet, + + 'Sow kindness-seed in the unfittest stead; * + 'Twill not be wasted whereso thou shalt sow: + For kindness albe buried long, yet none * + Shall reap the crop save sower who garred it grow.'" + +Rejoined the fox, "O witlessest of beasts of prey and stupidest +of the wild brutes which the wolds overstray! Hast thou forgotten +thine arrogance and insolence and tyranny, and thy disregarding +the due of goodfellowship and thy refusing to be advised by what +the poet saith? + + 'Wrong not thy neighbour e'en if thou have power; * + The wronger alway vengeance-harvest reaps: + Thine eyes shall sleep, while bides the wronged on wake * + A-cursing thee; and Allah's eye ne'er sleeps.'" + +"O Abu 'l-Hosayn," replied the wolf, "twit me not with my past +sins; for forgiveness is expected of the generous and doing kind +deeds is the truest of treasures. How well saith the poet, + + 'Haste to do kindness while thou hast much power, * + For at all seasons thou hast not such power.'" + +And he ceased not to humble himself before the fox and say, +"Haply, thou canst do somewhat to deliver me from destruction." +Replied the fox, "O thou wolf, thou witless, deluded, deceitful +trickster! hope not for deliverance, for this is but the just +reward of thy foul dealing and its due retaliation." Then he +laughed with chops wide open and repeated these two couplets, + + "No longer beguile me, * + Thou'lt fail of thy will! + What can't be thou seekest; * + Thou hast sown so reap Ill!" + +Quoth the wolf, "O gentlest of ravenous beasts, I fain hold thee +too faithful to leave me in this pit." Then he wept and +complained and, with tears streaming from his eyes, recited these +two couplets, + + "O thou whose favours have been out of compt, * + Whose gifts are more than may be numbered! + Never mischance befel me yet from time * + But that I found thy hand right fain to aid." + +"O thou ninny foe," quoth the fox, "how art thou reduced to +humiliation and prostration and abjection and submission, after +insolence and pride and tyranny and arrogance! Verily, I kept +company with thee only for fear of thy fury and I cajoled thee +without one hope of fair treatment from thee: but now trembling +is come upon thee and vengeance hath overtaken thee." And he +repeated these two couplets, + + "O thou who seekest innocence to 'guile, * + Thou'rt caught in trap of thine intentions vile: + Now drain the draught of shamefullest mischance, * + And be with other wolves cut off, thou scroyle!" + +Replied the wolf, "O thou clement one, speak not with the tongue +of enemies nor look with their eyes; but fulfil the covenant of +fellowship with me, ere the time of applying remedy cease to be. +Rise and make ready to get me a rope and tie one end of it to a +tree; then let the other down to me, that I may lay hold of it, +so haply I shall from this my strait win free, and I will give +thee all my hand possesseth of wealth and fee." Quoth the fox, +"Thou persistest in conversation concerning what will not procure +thy liberation. Hope not for this, for thou shalt never, never +get of me wherewithal to set thee at liberty; but call to mind +thy past misdeeds and the craft and perfidy thou didst imagine +against me and bethink thee how near thou art to being stoned to +death. For know that thy soul is about the world to quit and +cease in it and depart from it; so shalt thou to destruction hie +and ill is the abiding-place thou shalt aby!"[FN#153] Rejoined +the wolf, "O Father of the Fortlet, hasten to return to amity and +persist not in this rancorous enmity. Know that whoso from ruin +saveth a soul, is as if he had quickened it and made it whole; +and whoso saveth a soul alive, is as if he had saved all +mankind.[FN#154] Follow not frowardness, for the wise forbid it: +and it were most manifest frowardness to leave me in this pit +draining the agony of death and dight to look upon mine own doom, +whenas it lieth in thy power to deliver me from my stowre. So do +thy best to release me and deal with me benevolently." Answered +the fox, "O thou base and barbarous wretch, I compare thee, +because of the fairness of thy professions and expressions, and +the foulness of thy intentions and thy inventions to the Falcon +and the Partridge." Asked the wolf, "How so?"; and the fox began +to tell + + + + +The Tale of the Falcon[FN#155] and the Partridge.[FN#156] + + + +Once upon a time I entered a vineyard to eat of its grapes; and, +whilst so doing behold, I saw a falcon stoop upon a partridge and +seize him; but the partridge escaped from the seizer and, +entering his nest, hid himself there. The falcon followed apace +and called out to him, saying, "O imbecile, I saw thee +an-hungered in the wold and took pity on thee; so I picked up for +thee some grain and took hold of thee that thou mightest eat; but +thou fleddest from me; and I wot not the cause of thy flight, +except it were to put upon me a slight. Come out, then, and take +the grain I have brought thee to eat and much good may it do +thee, and with thy health agree." When the partridge heard these +words, he believed and came out to him, whereupon the falcon +struck his talons into him and seized him. Cried the partridge, +"Is this that which thou toldest me thou hadst brought me from +the wold, and whereof thou badest me eat, saying, 'Much good may +it do thee, and with thy health agree?' Thou hast lied to me, and +may Allah cause what thou eatest of my flesh to be a killing +poison in thy maw!" So when the falcon had eaten the partridge, +his feathers fell off and his strength failed and he died on the +spot. "Know, then, O wolf!" (pursued the fox), "that he who +diggeth for his brother a pit himself soon falleth into it, and +thou first deceivedst me in mode unfit." Quoth the wolf, "Spare +me this discourse nor saws and tales enforce, and remind me not +of my former ill course, for sufficeth me the sorry plight I +endure perforce, seeing that I am fallen into a place, in which +even my foe would pity me, much more a true friend. Rather find +some trick to deliver me and be thou thereby my saviour. If this +cause thee trouble, remember that a true friend will undertake +the sorest travail for his true friend's sake and will risk his +life to deliver him from evil; and indeed it hath been said, 'A +leal friend is better than a real brother.' So if thou stir +thyself to save me and I be saved, I will forsure gather thee +such store as shall be a provision for thee against want however +sore; and truly I will teach thee rare tricks whereby to open +whatso bounteous vineyards thou please and strip the fruit-laden +trees." Rejoined the fox, laughing, "How excellent is what the +learned say of him who aboundeth in ignorance like unto thee!" +Asked the wolf, "What do the wise men say?" And the fox answered, +"They have observed that the gross of body are gross of mind, far +from intelligence and nigh unto ignorance. As for thy saying, O +thou stupid, cunning idiot! that a true friend should undertake +sore travail for his true friend's sake, it is sooth as thou +sayest, but tell me, of thine ignorance and poverty of +intelligence, how can I be a true friend to thee, considering thy +treachery. Dost thou count me thy true friend? Nay, I am thy foe +who joyeth in thy woe; and couldst thou trow it, this word were +sorer to thee than slaughter by shot of shaft. As for thy promise +to provide me a store against want however sore and teach me +tricks, to plunder whatso bounteous vineyards I please, and spoil +fruit-laden trees, how cometh it, O guileful traitor, that thou +knowest not a wile to save thyself from destruction? How far art +thou from profiting thyself and how far am I from accepting thy +counsel! If thou have any tricks, make shift for thyself to save +thee from the risk, wherefrom I pray Allah to make thine escape +far distant! So look, O fool, if there be any trick with thee; +and therewith save thyself from death ere thou lavish instruction +upon thy neighbours. But thou art like a certain man attacked by +a disease, who went to another diseased with the same disease, +and said to him, 'Shall I heal thee of thy disease?' Replied the +sick man, 'Why dost thou not begin by healing thyself?' So he +left him and went his way. And thou, O ignorant wolf, art like +this; so stay where thou art and under what hath befallen thee be +of good heart!" When the wolf heard what the fox said, he knew +that from him he had no hope of favour; so he wept for himself, +saying, "Verily, I have been heedless of my weal; but if Allah +deliver me from this ill I will assuredly repent of my arrogance +towards those who are weaker than I, and will wear +woollens[FN#157] and go upon the mountains, celebrating the +praises of Almighty Allah and fearing His punishment. And I will +withdraw from the company of other wild beasts and forsure will I +feed the poor fighters for the Faith." Then he wept and wailed, +till the heart of the fox softened when he heard his humble words +and his professions of penitence for his past insolence and +arrogance. So he took pity upon him and sprang up joyfully and, +going to the brink of the breach, squatted down on his hind +quarters and let his tail hang in the hole; whereupon the wolf +arose and putting out his paw, pulled the fox's tail, so that he +fell down in the pit with him. Then said the wolf, "O fox of +little mercy, why didst thou exult in my misery, thou that wast +my companion and under my dominion? Now thou art fallen into the +pit with me and retribution hath soon overtaken thee. Verily, the +sages have said, 'If one of you reproach his brother with sucking +the dugs of a bitch, he also shall suck her.' And how well quoth +the poet, + + 'When Fortune weighs heavy on some of us, * + And makes camel kneel by some other one,[FN#158] + Say to those who rejoice in our ills: --Awake! * + The rejoicer shall suffer as we have done!' + +And death in company is the best of things;[FN#159] wherefore I +will certainly and assuredly hasten to slay thee ere thou see me +slain." Said the fox to himself, "Ah! Ah! I am fallen into the +snare with this tyrant, and my case calleth for the use of craft +and cunning; for indeed it is said that a woman fashioneth her +jewellery for the day of display, and quoth the proverb, 'I have +not kept thee, O my tear, save for the time when distress draweth +near.' And unless I make haste to circumvent this prepotent beast +I am lost without recourse; and how well saith the poet, + + 'Make thy game by guile, for thou'rt born in a Time * + Whose sons are lions in forest lain; + And turn on the leat[FN#160] of thy knavery * + That the mill of subsistence may grind thy grain; + And pluck the fruits or, if out of reach, * + Why, cram thy maw with the grass on plain.'" + +Then said the fox to the wolf, "Hasten not to slay me, for that +is not the way to pay me and thou wouldst repent it, O thou +valiant wild beast, lord of force and exceeding prowess! An thou +accord delay and consider what I shall say, thou wilt ken what +purpose I proposed; but if thou hasten to kill me it will profit +thee naught and we shall both die in this very place." Answered +the wolf "O thou wily trickster, what garreth thee hope to work +my deliverance and thine own, that thou prayest me to grant thee +delay? Speak and propound to me thy purpose." Replied the fox, +"As for the purpose I proposed, it was one which deserveth that +thou guerdon me handsomely for it; for when I heard thy promises +and thy confessions of thy past misdeeds and regrets for not +having earlier repented and done good; and when I heard thee +vowing, shouldst thou escape from this strait, to leave harming +thy fellows and others; forswear the eating of grapes and of all +manner fruits; devote thyself to humility; cut thy claws and +break thy dog-teeth; don woollens and offer thyself as an +offering to Almighty Allah, then indeed I had pity upon thee, for +true words are the best words. And although before I had been +anxious for thy destruction, whenas I heard thy repenting and thy +vows of amending should Allah vouchsafe to save thee, I felt +bound to free thee from this thy present plight. So I let down my +tail, that thou mightest grasp it and be saved. Yet wouldest thou +not quit thy wonted violence and habit of brutality; nor +soughtest thou to save thyself by fair means, but thou gavest me +a tug which I thought would sever body from soul, so that thou +and I are fallen into the same place of distress and death. And +now there is but one thing can save us and, if thou accept it of +me, we shall both escape; and after it behoveth thee to fulfil +the vows thou hast made and I will be thy veritable friend." +Asked the wolf, "What is it thou proposest for mine acceptance?" +Answered the fox, "It is that thou stand up at full height till I +come nigh on a level with the surface of the earth. Then will I +give a spring and reach the ground; and, when out of the pit, I +will bring thee what thou mayst lay hold of, and thus shalt thou +make thine escape." Rejoined the wolf, "I have no faith in thy +word, for sages have said, 'Whoso practiseth trust in the place +of hate, erreth;' and, 'Whoso trusteth in the untrustworthy is a +dupe; he who re-trieth him who hath been tried shall reap +repentance and his days shall go waste; and he who cannot +distinguish between case and case, giving each its due, and +assigneth all the weight to one side, his luck shall be little +and his miseries shall be many.' How well saith the poet, + + 'Let thy thought be ill and none else but ill; * + For suspicion is best of the worldling's skill: + Naught casteth a man into parlous place * + But good opinion and (worse) good-will!' + +And the saying of another, + + 'Be sure all are villains and so bide safe; * + Who lives wide awake on few Ills shall light: + Meet thy foe with smiles and a smooth fair brow, * + And in heart raise a host for the battle dight!' + +And that of yet another,[FN#161] + + 'He thou trusted most is thy worst unfriend; * + 'Ware all and take heed with whom thou wend: + Fair opinion of Fortune is feeble sign; * + So believe her ill and her Ills perpend!'" + +Quoth the fox, "Verily mistrust and ill opinion of others are not +to be commended in every case; nay trust and confidence are the +characteristics of a noble nature and the issue thereof is +freedom from stress of fear. Now it behoveth thee, O thou wolf, +to devise some device for thy deliverance from this thou art in, +and our escape will be better to us both than our death: so quit +thy distrust and rancour; for if thou trust in me one of two +things will happen; either I shall bring thee something whereof +to lay hold and escape from this case, or I shall abandon thee to +thy doom. But this thing may not be, for I am not safe from +falling into some such strait as this thou art in, which, indeed, +would be fitting punishment of perfidy. Of a truth the adage +saith, 'Faith is fair and faithlessness is foul.'[FN#162] So it +behoveth thee to trust in me, for I am not ignorant of the haps +and mishaps of the world; and delay not to contrive some device +for our deliverance, as the case is too close to allow further +talk." Replied the wolf, "For all my want of confidence in thy +fidelity, verily I knew what was in thy mind and that thou wast +moved to deliver me whenas thou heardest my repentance, and I +said to myself, 'If what he asserteth be true, he will have +repaired the ill he did; and if false, it resteth with the Lord +to requite him.' So, look'ee, I have accepted thy proposal and, +if thou betray me, may thy traitorous deed be the cause of thy +destruction!" Then the wolf stood bolt upright in the pit and, +taking the fox upon his shoulders, raised him to the level of the +ground, whereupon Reynard gave a spring from his back and lighted +on the surface of the earth. When he found himself safely out of +the cleft he fell down senseless and the wolf said to him, "O my +friend! neglect not my case and delay not to deliver me." The fox +laughed with a loud haw-haw and replied, "O dupe, naught threw me +into thy hands save my laughing at thee and making mock of thee; +for in good sooth when I heard thee profess repentance, mirth and +gladness seized me and I frisked about and made merry and danced, +so that my tail hung low into the pit and thou caughtest hold of +it and draggedst me down with thee. And the end was that Allah +Almighty delivered me from thy power. Then why should I be other +than a helper in thy destruction, seeing that thou art of Satan's +host? I dreamt yesterday that I danced at thy wedding and I told +my dream to an interpreter who said to me, 'Verily thou shalt +fall into imminent deadly danger and thou shalt escape +therefrom.' So now I know that my falling into thy hand and my +escape are the fulfillment of my dream, and thou, O imbecile, +knowest me for thy foe; so how couldest thou, of thine ignorance +and unintelligence, nurse desire of deliverance at my hands, +after all thou hast heard of harsh words from me; and wherefore +should I attempt thy salvation whenas the sages have said, 'In +the death of the wicked is rest for mankind and a purge for the +earth'? But, were it not that I fear to bear more affliction by +keeping faith with thee than the sufferings which follow perfidy, +I had done mine endeavour to save thee." When the wolf heard +this, he bit his forehand for repentance. --And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Fiftieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +wolf heard the fox's words he bit his forehand for repentance. +Then he gave the fox fair words, but this availed naught and he +was at his wits' end for what to do; so he said to him in soft, +low accents, "Verily, you tribe of foxes are the most pleasant +people in point of tongue and the subtlest in jest, and this is +but a joke of thine; but all times are not good for funning and +jesting." The fox replied, "O ignoramus, in good sooth jesting +hath a limit which the jester must not overpass; and deem not +that Allah will again give thee possession of me after having +once delivered me from thy hand." Quoth the wolf, "It behoveth +thee to compass my release, by reason of our brotherhood and good +fellowship; and, if thou release me, I will assuredly make fair +thy recompense." Quoth the fox, "Wise men say, 'Take not to +brother the wicked fool, for he will disgrace thee in lieu of +gracing thee; nor take to brother the liar for, if thou do good, +he will conceal it; and if thou do ill he will reveal it.' And +again, the sages have said, 'There is help for everything but +death: all may be warded off, except Fate.' As for the reward +thou declarest to be my due from thee, I compare thee herein with +the serpent which fled from the charmer.[FN#163] A man saw her +affrighted and said to her, 'What aileth thee, O thou serpent?' +Replied she, 'I am fleeing from the snake-charmer, for he seeketh +to trap me and, if thou wilt save me and hide me with thee, I +will make fair thy reward and do thee all manner of kindness.' So +he took her, incited thereto by lust for the recompense and eager +to find favour with Heaven, and set her in his breastpocket. Now +when the charmer had passed and had wended his way and the +serpent had no longer any cause to fear, he said to her, 'Where +is the reward thou didst promise me? Behold, I have saved thee +from that thou fearedest and soughtest to fly.' Replied she, +'Tell me in what limb or in what place shall I strike thee with +my fangs, for thou knowest we exceed not that recompense.' So +saying, she gave him a bite whereof he died. And I liken thee, O +dullard, to the serpent in her dealings with that man. Hast thou +not heard what the poet saith? + + 'Trust not to man when thou hast raised his spleen * + And wrath, nor that 'twill cool do thou misween: + Smooth feels the viper to the touch and glides * + With grace, yet hides she deadliest venene.'" + +Quoth the wolf, "O thou glib of gab and fair of face, ignore not +my case and men's fear of me; and well thou weetest how I assault +the strongly walled place and uproot the vines from base. +Wherefore, do as I bid thee, and stand before me even as the +thrall standeth before his lord." Quoth the fox, "O stupid +dullard who seekest a vain thing, I marvel at thy folly and thy +front of brass in that thou biddest me serve thee and stand up +before thee as I were a slave bought with thy silver; but soon +shalt thou see what is in store for thee, in the way of cracking +thy sconce with stones and knocking out thy traitorous +dog-teeth." So saying the fox clomb a hill overlooking the +vineyard and standing there, shouted out to the vintagers; nor +did he give over shouting till he woke them and they, seeing him, +all came up to him in haste. He stood his ground till they drew +near him and close to the pit wherein was the wolf; and then he +turned and fled. So the folk looked into the cleft and, spying +the wolf, set to pelting him with heavy stones, and they stinted +not smiting him with stones and sticks, and stabbing him with +spears, till they killed him and went away. Thereupon the fox +returned to that cleft and, standing over the spot where his foe +had been slain, saw the wolf dead: so he wagged his head for very +joyance and began to recite these couplets, + + "Fate the Wolf's soul snatched up from wordly stead; * + Far be from bliss his soul that perished! + Abu Sirhan![FN#164] how sore thou sought'st my death; * + Thou, burnt this day in fire of sorrow dread: + Thou'rt fallen into pit, where all who fall * + Are blown by Death-blast down among the dead." + +Thenceforward the aforesaid fox abode alone in the vineyard unto +the hour of his death secure and fearing no hurt. And such are +the adventures of the wolf and the fox. But men also tell a + + + + + TALE OF THE MOUSE AND THE ICHNEUMON[FN#165] + + + +A mouse and an ichneumon once dwelt in the house of a peasant who +was very poor; and when one of his friends sickened, the doctor +prescribed him husked sesame. So the hind sought of one of his +comrades sesame to be husked by way of healing the sick man; and, +when a measure thereof was given to him, he carried it home to +his wife and bade her dress it. So she steeped it and husked it +and spread it out to dry. Now when the ichneumon saw the grain, +she went up to it and fell to carrying it away to her hole, and +she toiled all day, till she had borne off the most of it. +Presently, in came the peasant's wife and, seeing much of the +grain gone, stood awhile wondering; after which she sat down to +watch and find out who might be the intruder and make him account +for her loss. After a while, out crept the ichneumon to carry +off the grain as was her wont, but spying the woman seated there, +knew that she was on the watch for her and said in her mind, +"Verily, this affair is like to end blameably; and sore I fear me +this woman is on the look-out for me, and Fortune is no friend to +who attend not to issue and end: so there is no help for it but +that I do a fair deed, whereby I may manifest my innocence and +wash out all the ill-doings I have done." So saying, she began +to take the sesame out of her hole and carry it forth and lay it +back upon the rest. The woman stood by and, seeing the ichneumon +do thus, said to herself, "Verily this is not the cause of our +loss, for she bringeth it back from the hole of him who stole it +and returneth it to its place; and of a truth she hath done us a +kindness in restoring us the sesame, and the reward of those who +do us good is that we do them the like good. It is clear that it +is not she who stole the grain; but I will not cease my watching +till he fall into my hands and I find out who is the thief." The +ichneumon guess what was in her mind, so she went to the mouse +and said to her, "O my sister, there is no good in one who +observeth not the claims of neighborship and who showeth no +constancy in friendship." The mouse replied, "Even so, O my +friend, and I delight in thee and in they neighborhood; but what +be the motive of this speech?" Quoth the ichneumon, "The house- +master hath brought home sesame and hath eaten his fill of it, he +and his family, and hath left much; every living being hath eaten +of it and, if thou take of it in they turn, thou art worthier +thereof than any other." This pleased the mouse and she squeaked +for joy and danced and frisked her ears and tail, and greed for +the grain deluded her; so she rose at once and issuing forth of +her home, saw the sesame husked and dry, shining with whiteness, +and the woman sitting at watch and ward. The mouse, taking no +thought to the issue of the affair (for the woman had armed +herself with a cudgel), and unable to contain herself, ran up to +the sesame and began turning it over and eating of it; whereupon +the woman smote her with that club and cleft her head: so the +cause of her destruction were her greed and heedlessness of +consequences. Then said the Sultan, "O Shahrazad, by Allah! this +be a goodly parable! Say me, hast thou any story bearing on the +beauty of true friendship and the observance of its duty in time +of distress and rescuing from destruction?" Answered she:--Yes, +it hath reached me that they tell a tale of + + + + + THE CAT[FN#166] AND THE CROW + + + +Once upon a time, a crow and a cat lived in brotherhood; and one +day as they were together under a tree, behold, they spied a +leopard making towards them, and they were not aware of his +approach till he was close upon them. The crow at once flew up +to the tree-top; but the cat abode confounded and said to the +crow, "O my friend, hast thou no device to save me, even as all +my hope is in thee?" Replied the crow, "Of very truth it +behoveth brethren, in case of need, to cast about for a device +when peril overtaketh them, and how well saith the poet, + + A friend in need is he who, ever true, * + For they well-doing would himself undo: + One who when Fortune gars us parting rue * + Victimeth self reunion to renew.'" + +Now hard by that tree were shepherds with their dogs; so the crow +flew towards them and smote the face of the earth with his wings, +cawing and crying out. Furthermore he went up to one of the dogs +and flapped his wings in his face and flew up a little way, +whilst the dog ran after him thinking to catch him. Presently, +one of the shepherds raised his head and saw the bird flying near +the ground and lighting alternately; so he followed him, and the +crow ceased not flying just high enough to save himself and to +throw out the dogs; and yet tempting them to follow for the +purpose of tearing him to pieces. But as soon as they came near +him, he would fly up a little; and so at last he brought them to +the tree, under which was the leopard. And when the dogs saw him +they rushed upon him and he turned and fled. Now the leopard +thought to eat the cat who was saved by the craft of his friend +the crow. This story, O King, showeth that the friendship of the +Brothers of Purity[FN#167] delivereth and saveth from +difficulties and from falling into mortal dangers. And they also +tell a tale of + + + + + THE FOX AND THE CROW + + + +A Fox once dwelt in a cave of a certain mountain and, as often as +a cub was born to him and grew stout, he would eat the young one, +for he had died of hunger, had he instead of so doing left the +cub alive and bred it by his side and preserved and cherished his +issue. Yet was this very grievous to him. Now on the crest of +the same mountain a crow had made his nest, and the fox said to +himself, "I have a mind to set up a friendship with this crow and +make a comrade of him, that he may help me to my daily bread; for +he can do in such matters what I cannot." So he drew near the +crow's home and, when he came within sound of speech, he saluted +him and said, "O my neighbour, verily a true-believer hath two +claims upon his true-believing neighbour, the right of +neighbourliness and the right of Al-Islam, our common faith; and +know, O my friend, that thou art my neighbour and thou hast a +claim upon me which it behoveth me to observe, the more that I +have long been thy neighbour. Also, there be implanted in my +breast a store of love to thee, which biddeth me speak thee fair +and obligeth me to solicit thy brothership. What sayest thou in +reply?" Answered the crow, "Verily, the truest speech is the +best speech; and haply thou speakest with thy tongue that which +is not in thy heart; so I fear lest thy brotherhood be only of +the tongue, outward, and thy enmity be in the heart, inward; for +that thou art the Eater and I the Eaten, and faring apart were +apter to us than friendship and fellowship. What, then, maketh +thee seek that which thou mayst not gain and desire what may not +be done, seeing that I be of the bird-kind and thou be of the +beast-kind? Verily, this thy proffered brotherhood[FN#168] may +not be made, neither were it seemly to make it." Rejoined the +fox, "Of a truth whoso knoweth the abiding-place of excellent +things, maketh better choice in what he chooseth therefrom, so +perchance he may advantage his brethren; and indeed I should love +to wone near thee and I have sued for thine intimacy, to the end +that we may help each other to our several objects; and success +shall surely wait upon our amity. I have a many tales of the +goodliness of true friendship, which I will relate to thee if +thou wish the relating." Answered the crow, "Thou hast my leave +to let me hear thy communication; so tell thy tale, and relate it +to me that I may hearken to it and weigh it and judge of thine +intent thereby." Rejoined the fox, "Hear then, O my friend, that +which is told of a flea and a mouse and which beareth out what I +have said to thee." Asked the crow, "How so?" and the fox +answered:--They tell this tale of + + + + +The Flea and the Mouse + + + +Once upon a time a mouse dwelt in the house of a merchant who +owned much merchandise and great stories of monies. One night, a +flea took shelter in the merchant's carpet-bed and, finding his +body soft, and being thirsty drank of his blood. The merchant +was awakened by the smart of the bite and sitting up called to +his slave-girls and serving men. So they hastened to him and, +tucking up their sleeves, fell to searching for the flea; but as +soon as the bloodsucker was aware of the search, he turned to +flee and coming on the mouse's home, entered it. When the mouse +saw him, she said to him, "What bringeth thee in to me, thou who +art not of my nature nor of my kind, and who canst not be assured +of safety from violence or of not being expelled with roughness +and ill usage?" Answered the flea, "Of a truth, I took refuge in +thy dwelling to save me from slaughter; and I have come to thee +seeking thy protection and on nowise coveting thy house; nor +shall any mischief betide thee from me to make thee leave thy +home. Nay I hope right soon to repay thy favours to me with all +good and then shalt thou see and praise the issue of my words." +And when the mouse heard the speech of the flea, - And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + + When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-first Night + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +mouse heard the words of the flea, she said, "If the case be as +thou dost relate and describe, then be at thine ease here; for +naught shall befal thee save the rain of peace and safety; nor +shall aught betide thee but what shall joy thee and shall not +annoy thee, nor shall it annoy me. I will lavish on thee my +affections without stint; and do not thou regret having lost the +merchant's blood nor lament for thy subsistence from him, but be +content with what sustenance thou canst obtain; for indeed that +is the safer for thee. And I have heard, O flea, that one of the +gnomic poets saith as follows in these couplets, + +I have fared content in my solitude * + With wate'er befel, and led life of ease, +On a water-draught and a bite of bread, * + Coarse salt and a gown of tattered frieze: +Allah might, an He pleased, give me easiest life, * + But with whatso pleaseth Him self I please.'" + +Now when the flea heard these words of the mouse, he rejoined, "I +hearken to thy charge and I submit myself to obey thee, nor have +I power to gainsay thee, till life be fulfilled in this righteous +intention." Replied the mouse, "Pure intention sufficeth to +sincere affection." So the tie of love arose and was knitted +between them twain, and after this, the flea used to visit the +merchant's bed by night and not exceed in his diet, and house him +by day in the hole of the mouse. Now it came to pass one night, +the merchant brought home great store of dinars and began to turn +them over. When the mouse heard the chink of the coin, she put +her head out of her hole and fell to gazing at it, till the +merchant laid it under his pillow and went to sleep, when she +said to the flea, "Seest thou not the proffered occasion and the +great good fortune? Hast thou any device to bring us to our +desire of yonder dinars? Quoth the flea, "Verily, it is not good +that one strives for aught, unless he be able to win his will; +because, if he lack ability thereto, he falleth into that which +he should avoid and he attaineth not his wish by reason of his +weakness, albeit he use all power of cunning, like the sparrow +which picketh up grain and falleth into the net and is caught by +the fowler. Thou hast no strength to take the dinars and to +transport them out of this house, nor have I force sufficient to +do this; I the contrary, I could not carry a single ducat of +them; so what hast thou to do with them?" Quoth the mouse, "I +have made me for my house these seventy openings, whence I may go +out at my desire, and I have set apart a place strong and safe, +for things of price; and if thou can contrive to get the merchant +out of the house, I doubt not of success, an so be that +Fate aid me." Answered the flea, "I will engage to get him out +of the house for thee;" and, going to the merchant's bed, bit him +a fearful bite, such as he had never before felt, then fled to a +place of safety, where he had no fear of the man. So the +merchant awoke and sought for the flea, but finding him not, lay +down again on his other side. Then the flea bit him a second +time more painfully than before. So he lost patience and, +leaving his bed, went out and lay down on the bench before his +door and slept there and woke not till the morning. Meanwhile +the mouse came out and fell to carrying the dinars into her hole, +till she left not a single one; and when day dawned the merchant +began to suspect the folk and fancy all manner of fancies. And +(continued the fox) know thou, O wise and experienced crow with +the clear-seeing eyes, that I tell thee this only to the intent +that thou mayst reap the recompense of thy kindness to me, even +as the mouse reaped the reward of her kindness to the flea; for +see how he repaid her and requited her with the goodliest of +requitals. Said the crow, "It lies with the benefactor to show +benevolence or not to show it; nor is it incumbent on us to +entreat kindly one who seeketh a connection that entaileth +separation from kith and kin. If I show thee favour who art my +foe by kind, I am the cause of cutting myself off from the world; +and thou, O fox, art full of wiles and guiles. Now those whose +characteristics are craft and cunning, must not be trusted upon +oath; and whoso is not to be trusted upon oath, in him there is +no good faith. The tidings lately reached me of thy treacherous +dealing with one of thy comrades, which was a wolf; and how thou +didst deceive him until thou leddest him into destruction by thy +perfidy and stratagems; and this thou diddest after he was of +thine own kind and thou hadst long consorted with him: yet didst +thou not spare him; and if thou couldst deal thus with thy fellow +which was of thine own kind, how can I have trust in they truth +and what would be thy dealing with thy foe of other kind than thy +kind? Nor can I compare thee and me but with the saker and the +birds." "How so?" asked the fox. Answered the crow, they relate +this tale of + + + + +The Saker[FN#169] and the Birds. + + + +There was once a saker who was a cruel tyrant"--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + + When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-second Night + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the crow +pursued, "They relate that there was once a saker who was a cruel +tyrant in the days of his youth, so that the raveners of the air +and the scavengers of the earth feared him, none being safe from +his mischief; and many were the haps and mishaps of his tyranny +and his violence, for this saker was ever in the habit of +oppressing and injuring all the other birds. As the years passed +over him, he grew feeble and his force failed him, so that he was +often famished; but his cunning waxed stronger with the waning of +his strength and redoubled in his endeavour and determined to be +present at the general assembly of the birds, that he might eat +of their orts and leavings; so in this manner he fed by fraud +instead of feeding by fierceness and force. And out, O fox, art +like this: if thy might fail thee, thy sleight faileth thee not; +and I doubt not that thy seeking my society is a fraud to get thy +food; but I am none of those who fall to thee and put fist into +thy fist;[FN#170] for that Allah hath vouchsafed force to my +wings and caution to my mind and sharp sight to my eyes; and I +know that whoso apeth a stronger than he, wearieth himself and +haply cometh to ruin. Wherefore I fear for thee lest, if thou +ape a stronger than thyself, there befal thee what befel the +sparrow." Asked the fox, "What befel the sparrow?" Allah upon +thee, tell me his tale." And the crow began to relate the story +of + + + + +The Sparrow and the Eagle + + + +I have heard that a sparrow was once flitting over a sheep-fold, +when he looked at it carefully and behold, he saw a great eagle +swoop down upon a newly weaned lamb and carry it off in his claws +and fly away. Thereupon the sparrow clapped his wings and said, +"I will do even as this one did;" and he waxed proud in his own +conceit and mimicked a greater than he. So he flew down +forthright and lighted on the back of a fat ram with a thick +fleece that was become matted by his lying in his dung and stale +till it was like woollen felt. As soon as the sparrow pounced +upon the sheep's back he flapped his wings to fly away, but his +feet became tangled in the wool and, however hard he tried, he +could not set himself free. While all this was doing the +shepherd was looking on, having seen what happened first with the +eagle and afterwards with the sparrow; so he came up to the wee +birdie in a rage and seized him. Then he plucked out his wing- +feathers and, tying his feet with a twine, carried him to his +children and threw him to them. "What is this?" asked one of +them; and he answered, "This is he that aped a greater than +himself and came to grief." "Now thou, O fox, art like this and +I would have thee beware of aping a greater than thou, lest thou +perish. This is all I have to say to thee; so fare from me in +peace!" When the fox despaired of the crow's friendship, he +turned away, groaning for sorrow and gnashing teeth upon teeth in +his disappointment; and the crow, hearing the sound of weeping +and seeing his grief and profound melancholy, said to him, "O +fox, what dole and dolour make thee gnash thy canines?" Answered +the fox, "I gnash my canines because I find thee a greater rascal +than myself;" and so saying he made off to his house and ceased +not to fare until he reached his home. Quoth the Sultan, "O +Shahrazad, how excellent are these thy stories, and how +delightsome! Hast thou more of such edifying tales?" Answered +she:--They tell this legend concerning + + + + + THE HEDGEHOG AND THE WOOD-PIGEONS + + + +A hedgehog once too up his abode by the side of a date-palm, +whereon roosted a wood-pigeon and his wife that had built their +next there and lived a life of ease and enjoyment. So he said to +himself, "This pigeon-pair eateth of the fruit of the date tree +and I have no means of getting at it; but needs must I find some +fashion of tricking them. Upon this he dug a hole at the foot of +the palm tree and took up his lodgings there, he and his wife; +moreover, he built an oratory beside the hole and went into +retreat there and made a show of devotion and edification and +renunciation of the world. The male pigeon saw him praying and +worshipping, and his heart was softened towards him for his +excess of devoutness; so he said to him, "How many years hast +thou been thus?" Replied the hedgehog, "During the last thirty +years." "What is thy food?" "That which falleth from the palm- +tree." "And what is thy clothing?" "Prickles! and I profit by +their roughness." "And why hast thou chosen this for place +rather than another?" "I chose it and preferred it to all others +that I might guide the erring into the right way and teach the +ignorant!" "I had fancied thy case," quoth the wood-pigeon, +"other than this, but now I yearn for that which is with thee." +Quoth the hedgehog, "I fear lest thy deed contradict thy word and +thou be even as the husbandman who, when the seed-season came, +neglected to sow, saying, Verily I dread lest the days bring me +not to my desire and by making hast to sow I shall only waste my +substance!' When harvest-time came and he saw the folk earing +their crops, he repented him of what he had lost by his tardiness +and he died of chagrin and vexation." Asked the wood-pigeon, +"What then shall I do that I may be freed from the bonds of the +world and cut myself loose from all things save the service of my +Lord?" Answered the hedgehog, "Betake thee to preparing for the +next world and content thyself with a pittance of provision." +Quoth the pigeon, "How can I do this, I that am a bird and unable +to go beyond the date-tree whereon is my daily bread? And even +could I do so, I know of no other place wherein I may wone." +Quoth the hedgehog, "Thou canst shake down of the fruit of the +date-tree what shall suffice thee and thy wife for a year's +provaunt; then do ye take up your abode in a nest under the +trunk, that ye may prayerfully seek to be guided in the right +way, and then turn thou to what thou hast shaken down and +transport it all to thy home and store it up against what time +the dates fail; and when the fruits are spent and the delay is +longsome upon you, address thyself to total abstinence." +Exclaimed the pigeon, "Allah requite thee with good for the +righteous intention wherewith thou hast reminded me of the world +to come and hast directed me into the right way!" Then he and +his wife worked hard at knocking down the dates, till nothing was +left on the palm-tree, whilst the hedgehog, finding whereof to +eat, rejoiced and filled his den with the fruit, storing it up +for his subsistence and saying in his mind, "When the pigeon and +his wife have need of their provision, they will seek it of me +and covet what I have, relying upon thy devoutness and +abstinence; and, from what they have heard of my counsels and +admonitions, they will draw near unto me. Then will I make them +my prey and eat them, after which I shall have the place and all +that drops from the date-tree to suffice me." presently, having +shaken down the fruits, the pigeon and his wife descended from +the tree-top and finding that the hedgehog had removed all the +dates to his own place, said to him, "O hedgehog! thou pious +preacher and of good counsel, we can find no sign of the dates +and know not on what else we shall feed." Replied the hedgehog, +"Probably the winds have carried them away; but the turning from +the provisions to the Provider is of the essence of salvation, +and He who the mouth-corners cleft, the mouth without victual +hath never left." And he gave not over improving the occasion to +them on this wise, and making a show of piety and cozening them +with fine words and false until they put faith in him and +accepted him and entered his den and had no suspicion of his +deceit. Thereupon he sprang to the door and gnashed his teeth, +and the wood-pigeon, seeing his perfidy manifested, said to him, +"What hath to-night to do with yester-night? Knowest thou not +that there is a Helper for the oppressed? Beware of craft and +treachery, lest that mishap befal thee which befel the sharpers +who plotted against the merchant." "What was that?" asked the +hedgehog. Answered the pigeon:--I have heard tell this tale of + + + + +The Merchant and the Two Shapers + + + +In a city called Sindah there was once a very wealthy merchant, +who made ready his camel-loads and equipped himself with goods +and set out with his outfit for such a city, purposing to sell it +there. Now he was followed by two sharpers, who had made up into +bales what merchandise they could get; and, giving out to the +merchant that they also were merchants, wended with him by the +way. So halting at the first halting-place they agreed to play +him false and take all he had; but at the same time, each +inwardly plotted foul play to the other, saying in his mind, "If +I can cheat my comrade, times will go well with me and I shall +have all these goods for myself." So after planning this +perfidy, one of them took food and putting therein poison, +brought it to his fellow; the other did the same and they both +ate of the poisoned mess and they both died. Now they had been +sitting with the merchant; so when they left him and were long +absent from him, he sought for tidings of them and found the +twain lying dead; whereby he knew that they were sharpers who had +plotted to play him foul, but their foul play had recoiled upon +themselves. So the merchant was preserved and took what they +had. Then quoth the Sultan, "O Shahrazad, verily thou hast +aroused me to all whereof I was negligent! So continue to edify +me with these fables." Quoth she:--It hath reached me, O King, +that men tell this tale of + + + + + THE THIEF AND HIS MONKEY[FN#171] + + + +A certain man had a monkey and that man was a thief, who never +entered any of the street-markets of the city wherein he dwelt, +but he made off with great profit. Now it came to pass one day +that he saw a man offering for sale worn clothes, and he went +calling them in the market, but none bid for them and all to whom +he showed them refused to buy of him. Presently the thief who +had the monkey saw the man with the ragged clothes set them in a +wrapper and sit down to rest for weariness; so he made the ape +sport before him to catch his eye and, whilst he was busy gazing +at it, stole the parcel from him. Then he took the ape and made +off to a lonely place, where he opened the wrapper and, taking +out the old clothes, folded them in a piece of costly stuff. +This he carried to another bazar and exposed for sale together +with what was therein, making it a condition that it should not +be opened, and tempting the folk with the lowness of the price he +set on it. A certain man saw the wrapper and its beauty pleased +him; so he bought the parcel on these terms and carried it home, +doubting not that he had done well. When his wife saw it she +asked, "What is this?" and he answered, "It is costly stuff, +which I have bought at lowest price, meaning to sell it again and +take the profit." Rejoined she, "O dupe, would this stuff be +sold under its value, unless it had been stolen? Dost thou not +know that whoso buyeth aught without examining it, falleth into +error and becometh like unto the weaver?" Quoth he, "And what is +the story of the weaver?"; and quoth she:--I have heard this take +of + + + + +The Foolish Weaver + + + +There was once in a certain village a weaver who worked hard but +could not earn his living save by overwork. Now it chanced that +one of the richards of the neighbourhood made a marriage feast +and invited the folk thereto: the weaver also was present and +found the guests, who wore rich gear, served with delicate viands +and made much of by the house-master for what he saw of their +fine clothes. So he said in his mind, "If I change this my craft +for another craft easier to compass and better considered and +more highly paid, I shall amass great store of money and I shall +buy splendid attire, so I may rise in rank and be exalted in +men's eyes and become even with these." Presently, he beheld one +of the mountebanks, who was present at the feast, climbing up to +the top of a high and towering wall and throwing himself down to +the ground and alighting on his feet. Whereupon the waver said +to himself, "Needs must I do as this one hath done, for surely I +shall not fail of it." So he arose and swarmed upon the wall and +casting himself down, broke his neck against the ground and died +forthright. "Now I tell thee this that thou sayst get thy living +by what way thou knowest and thoroughly understandest, lest +peradventure greed enter into thee and thou lust after what is +not of thy condition." Quoth the woman's husband, "Not every +wise man is saved by his wisdom, nor is every fool lost by his +folly. I have seen it happen to a skilful charmer, well versed +in the ways of serpents, to be struck by the fangs of a +snake[FN#172] and killed, and others prevail over serpents who +had no skill in them and no knowledge of their ways." And he +went contrary to his wife and persisted in buying stolen goods +below their value till he fell under suspicion and perished +therefor: even as perished the sparrow in the tale of + + + + + THE SPARROW AND THE PEACOCK + + + +There was once upon a time a sparrow, that used every day to +visit a certain king of the birds and ceased not to wait upon him +in the mornings and not to leave him till the evenings, being the +first to go in and the last to go out. One day, a company of +birds chanced to assemble on a high mountain and one of them said +to another, "Verily, we are waxed many, and many are the +differences between us, and there is no help for it but we have a +king to look into our affairs; so shall we all be at one and our +differences will disappear." Thereupon up came that sparrow and +counselled them to choose for King the peacock (that is, the +prince he used to visit). So they chose the peacock to their +King and he, become their sovereign, bestowed largesse upon them +and made the sparrow his secretary and Prime Minister. Now the +sparrow was wont by times to quit his assiduous serve in the +presence and look into matters in general. So one day he +absented himself at the usual time, whereat the peacock was sore +troubled; and, while things stood thus, he returned and the +peacock said to him, "What hath delayed thee, and thou the +nearest to me of all my servants and the dearest of all my +dependents?" replied the sparrow, "I have seen a thing which is +doubtful to me and whereat I am affrighted." Asked the peacock, +"What was it thou sawest?"; and the sparrow answered, "I saw a +man set up a net, hard by my nest, peg down its pegs, strew grain +in its midst and withdraw afar off. And I sat watching what he +would do when behold, fate and fortune drave thither a crane and +his wife, which fell into the midst of the net and began to cry +out; whereupon the fowler rose up and took them. This troubled +me, and such is the reason for my absence from thee, O King of +the Age, but never again will I abide in that nest for fear of +the net." Rejoined the peacock, "Depart not thy dwelling, for +against fate and lot forethought will avail the naught." And the +sparrow obeyed his bidding and said, "I will forthwith arm myself +with patience and forbear to depart in obedience to the King." +So he ceased not taking care of himself, and carrying food to his +sovereign, who would eat what sufficed him and after feeding +drink his water and dismiss the sparrow. Now one day as he was +looking into matters, lo and behold! he saw two sparrows fighting +on the ground and said in his mind, "How can I, who am the King's +Wazir, look on and see sparrows fighting in my neighbourhood? By +Allah, I must make peace between them!" So he flew down to +reconcile them; but the fowler cast the net over the whole number +and the sparrow happened to be in their very midst. Then the +fowler arose and took him and gave him to his comrade, saying, +"Take care of him, " I never saw fatter or finer." But the +sparrow said to himself, "I have fallen into that which I feared +and none but the peacock inspired me with false confidence. It +availed me naught to beware of the stroke of fate and fortune, +since even he who taketh precaution may never flee from destiny. +And how well said the poet in this poetry, + + "Whatso is not to be shall ne'er become; * + No wise! and that to be must come to pass; + Yea it shall come to pass at time ordained, * + And th' Ignoramus[FN#173] aye shall cry Alas!'" + +Whereupon quoth the King, "O Shahrazad, recount me other of these +tales!"; and quoth she, "I will do so during the coming night, if +life be granted to by the King whom Allah bring to honour!"--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-third Night, + +She said:--I will relate the + + + + + TALE OF ALI BIN BAKKAR AND OF SHAMS + AL-NAHAR. + + + +It hath reached me, O august King, that in days of yore and in +times and ages long gone before, during the Caliphate of Harun +al-Rashid, there was a merchant who named his son Ab +al-Hasan[FN#174] Ali bin Thir; and the same was great of goods +and grace, while his son was fair of form and face and held in +favour by all folk. He used to enter the royal palace without +asking leave, for all the Caliph's concubines and slave-girls +loved him, and he was wont to be companion with Al-Rashid in his +cups and recite verses to him and tell him curious tales and +witty. Withal he sold and bought in the merchants' bazar, and +there used to sit in his shop a youth named Ali bin Bakkr, of +the sons of the Persian Kings[FN#175] who was formous of form and +symmetrical of shape and perfect of figure, with cheeks red as +roses and joined eyebrows; sweet of speech, laughing-lipped and +delighting in mirth and gaiety. Now it chanced one day, as the +two sat talking and laughing behold, there came up ten damsels +like moons, every one of them complete in beauty and loveliness, +and elegance and grace; and amongst them was a young lady riding +on a she-mule with a saddle of brocade and stirrups of gold. She +wore an outer veil of fine stuff, and her waist was girt with a +girdle of gold-embroidered silk; and she was even as saith the +poet, + + "Silky her skin and silk that zoned waist; * + Sweet voice; words not o'er many nor too few: + Two eyes quoth Allah 'Be,' and they became; * + And work like wine on hearts they make to rue: + O love I feel! grow greater every night: * + O solace! Doom-day bring our interview." + +And when the cortge reached Abu al-Hasan's shop, she alighted +from her mule, and sitting down on the front board,[FN#176] +saluted him, and he returned her salam. When Ali bin Bakkar saw +her, she ravished his understanding and he rose to go away; but +she said to him, "Sit in thy place. We came to thee and thou +goest away: this is not fair!" Replied he, "O my lady, by Allah, +I flee from what I see; for the tongue of the case saith, + + 'She is a sun which towereth high a-sky; * + So ease thy heart with cure by Patience lent: + Thou to her skyey height shalt fail to fly; * + Nor she from skyey height can make descent.'" + +When she heard this, she smiled and asked Abu al-Hasan, "What is +the name of this young man?"; who answered, "He is a stranger;" +and she enquired, "What countryman is he?"; whereto the merchant +replied, "He is a descendant of the Persian Kings; his name is +Ali son of Bakkar and the stranger deserveth honour." Rejoined +she, "When my damsel comes to thee, come thou at once to us and +bring him with thee, that we may entertain him in our abode, lest +he blame us and say, 'There is no hospitality in the people of +Baghdad'; for niggardliness is the worst fault a man can have. +Thou hearest what I say to thee and, if thou disobey me, thou +wilt incur my displeasure and I will never again visit thee or +salute thee." Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "On my head and my eyes: Allah +preserve me from thy displeasure, fair lady!" Then she rose and +went her way. Such was her case; but as regards Ali bin Bakkar he +remained in a state of bewilderment. Now after an hour the damsel +came to Abu al-Hasan and said to him, "Of a truth my lady Shams +al-Nahr, the favourite of the Commander of the Faithful, Harun +al-Rashid, biddeth thee to her, thee and thy friend, my lord Ali +bin Bakkar." So he rose and, taking Ali with him, followed the +girl to the Caliph's palace, where she carried them into a +chamber and made them sit down. They talked together awhile, when +behold, trays of food were set before them, and they ate and +washed their hands. Then she brought them wine, and they drank +deep and made merry; after which she bade them rise and carried +them into another chamber, vaulted upon four columns, furnished +after the goodliest fashion with various kinds of furniture, and +adorned with decorations as it were one of the pavilions of +Paradise. They were amazed at the rarities they saw; and, as they +were enjoying a review of these marvels, suddenly up came ten +slave-girls, like moons, swaying and swimming in beauty's pride, +dazzling the sight and confounding the sprite; and they ranged +themselves in two ranks as if they were of the black-eyed Brides +of Paradise. And after a while in came other ten damsels, bearing +in their hands lutes and divers instruments of mirth and music; +and these, having saluted the two guests, sat down and fell to +tuning their lute-strings. Then they rose and standing before +them, played and sang and recited verses: and indeed each one of +them was a seduction to the servants of the Lord. Whilst they +were thus busied there entered other ten damsels like unto them, +high-bosomed maids and of an equal age, with black-eyes and +cheeks like the rose, joined eyebrows and looks languorous; a +very fascination to every faithful wight and to all who looked +upon them a delight; clad in various kinds of coloured silks, +with ornaments that amazed man's intelligence. They took up their +station at the door, and there succeeded them yet other ten +damsels even fairer than they, clad in gorgeous array, such as no +tongue can say; and they also stationed themselves by the +doorway. Then in came a band of twenty damsels and amongst them +the lady, Shams al-Nahar hight, as she were the moon among the +stars swaying from side to side, with luring gait and in beauty's +pride. And she was veiled to the middle with the luxuriance of +her locks, and clad in a robe of azure blue and a mantilla of +silk embroidered with gold and gems of price; and her waist was +girt with a zone set with various kinds of precious stones. She +ceased not to advance with her graceful and coquettish swaying, +till she came to the couch that stood at the upper end of the +chamber and seated herself thereon. But when Ali bin Bakkar saw +her, he versified with these verses, + + "Source of mine evils, truly, she alone 's, * + Of long love-longing and my groans and moans; + Near her I find my soul in melting mood, * + For love of her and wasting of my bones." + +And finishing his poetry he said to Abu al-Hasan, "Hadst thou +Dealt more kindly with me thou haddest forewarned me of these +things ere I came hither, that I might have made up my mind and +taken patience to support what hath befallen me." And he wept and +groaned and complained. Replied Abu al-Hasan, "O my brother, I +meant thee naught but good; but I feared to tell thee this, lest +such transport should betide thee as might hinder thee from +foregathering with her, and be a stumbling-block between thee and +her. But be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and +clear;[FN#177] for she to thee inclineth and to favour thee +designeth." Asked Ali bin Bakkar, "What is this young lady's +name?" Answered Abu al-Hasan, "She is hight Shams al-Nahar, one +of the favourites of the Commander of the Faithful, Harun +al-Rashid, and this is the palace of the Caliphate." Then Shams +al-Nahar sat gazing upon the charms of Ali bin Bakkar and he upon +hers, till both were engrossed with love for each other. +Presently she commanded the damsels, one and all, to be seated, +each in her rank and place, and all sat on a couch before one of +the windows, and she bade them sing; whereupon one of them took +up the lute and began caroling, + +"Give thou my message twice * Bring clear reply in trice! +To thee, O Prince of Beau * -ty[FN#178] with complaint I rise: +My lord, as heart-blood dear * And Life's most precious prize! +Give me one kiss in gift * Or loan, if thou devise: +And if thou crave for more * Take all that satisfies.[FN#179] +Thou donn'st me sickness-dress * Thee with health's weed I + bless." + +Her singing charmed Ali bin Bakkar, and he said to her, "Sing me +more of the like of these verses." So she struck the strings and +began to chaunt these lines, + + "By stress of parting, O beloved one, * + Thou mad'st these eyelids torment- race to run: + Oh gladness of my sight and dear desire, * + Goal of my wishes, my religion! + Pity the youth whose eyne are drowned in tears * + Of lover gone distraught and clean undone." + +When she had finished her verses, Shams al-Nahar said to another +damsel, "Let us hear something from thee!" So she played a lively +measure and began these couplets, + + "His[FN#180] looks have made me drunken, not his wine; * + His grace of gait disgraced sleep to these eyne: + Dazed me no cup, but cop with curly crop; * + His gifts overcame me not the gifts of vine: + His winding locks my patience-clue unwound: * + His robed beauties robbed all wits of mine." + +When Shams Al-Nahar heard this recital from the damsel, she +sighed heavily and the song pleased her. Then she bade another +damsel sing; so she took the lute and began chanting, + + "Face that with Sol in Heaven lamping vies; * + Youth-tide's fair fountain which begins to rise; + Whose curly side-beard writeth writ of love, * + And in each curl concealeth mysteries: + Cried Beauty, 'When I met this youth I knew * + 'Tis Allah's loom such gorgeous robe supplies.'" + +When she had finished her song, Ali bin Bakkar said to the +slave-maiden nearest him, "Sing us somewhat, thou O damsel." So +she took the lute and began singing, + + "Our trysting-time is all too short * + For this long coyish coquetry: + How long this 'Nay, Nay!' and 'Wait, wait?' * + This is not old nobility! + And now that Time deigns lend delight * + Profit of th' opportunity." + +When she ended, Ali bin Bakkar followed up her song with flowing +tears; and, as Shams al-Nahar saw him weeping and groaning and +complaining, she burned with love-longing and desire; and passion +and transport consumed her. So she rose from the sofa and came to +the door of the alcove, where Ali met her and they embraced with +arms round the neck, and fell down fainting in the doorway; +whereupon the damsels came to them and carrying them into the +alcove, sprinkled rose-water upon them both. When they recovered, +they found not Abu al-Hasan who had hidden himself by the side of +a couch, and the young lady said, "Where is Abu al-Hasan?" So he +showed himself to her from beside the couch and she saluted him, +saying, "I pray Allah to give me the means of requiting thee, O +kindest of men!" Then she turned to Ali bin Bakkar and said to +him, "O my lord, passion hath not reached this extreme pass with +thee without my feeling the like; but we have nothing to do save +to bear patiently what calamity hath befallen us." Replied he, +"By Allah, O my lady, union with thee may not content me nor +gazing upon thee assuage the fire thou hast lighted, nor shall +leave me the love of thee which hath mastered my heart but with +the leaving of my life." So saying, he wept and the tears ran +down upon his cheeks like thridded pearls; and when Shams +al-Nahar saw him weep, she wept for his weeping. But Abu al-Hasan +exclaimed, "By Allah, I wonder at your case and am confounded at +your condition; of a truth, your affair is amazing and your +chance dazing. What! this weeping while ye are yet together: then +how will it be what time ye are parted and far separated?" And he +continued, "Indeed, this is no tide for weeping and wailing, but +a season for meeting and merry-making; rejoice, therefore, and +take your pleasure and shed no more tears!" Then Shams al-Nahar +signed to a slave-girl, who arose and presently returned with +handmaids bearing a table, whose dishes of silver were full of +various rich viands. They set the table before the pair and Shams +al-Nahar began to eat[FN#181] and to place tid-bits in the mouth +of Ali bin Bakkar; and they ceased not so doing till they were +satisfied, when the table was removed and they washed their +hands. Then the waiting-women fetched censers with all manner of +incense, aloe-wood and ambergris and mixed scents; and +sprinkling-flasks full of rose-water were also brought and they +were fumigated and perfumed. After this the slaves set on vessels +of graven gold, containing all kinds of sherbets, besides fruits +fresh and dried, that heart can desire and eye delight in; and +lastly one brought a flagon of carnelion full of old wine. Then +Shams al-Nahar chose out ten handmaids to attend on them and ten +singing women; and, dismissing the rest to their apartments, bade +some of those who remained strike the lute. They did as she bade +them and one of them began to sing, + + "My soul to him who smiled back my salute, * + In breast reviving hopes that were no mo'e: + The hand o' Love my secret brought to light, * + And censor's tongues what lies my ribs below:[FN#182] + My tear-drops ever press twixt me and him, * + As though my tear-drops showing love would flow." + +When she had finished her singing, Shams al-Nahar rose and, +filling a goblet, drank it off, then crowned it again and handed +it to Ali bin Bakkar;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shams +al-Nahar filled a goblet and handed it to Ali bin Bakkar; after +which she bade another damsel sing; and she began singing these +couplets, + + "My tears thus flowing rival with my wine, * + Pouring the like of what fills cup to brink:[FN#183] + By Allah wot I not an run these eyne * + Wi' wine, or else it is of tears I drink." + +And when she ended her recitation, Ali bin Bakkar drained his cup +and returned it to Shams al-Nahar. She filled it again and gave +it to Abu al-Hasan who tossed it off. Then she took the lute, +saying, "None shall sing over my cup save myself;" so she screwed +up the strings and intoned these verses, + +"The tears run down his cheeks in double row, * + And in his breast high flameth lover-lowe: +He weeps when near, a-fearing to be far; * + And, whether far or near, his tear-drops flow." + +And the words of another, + +"Our life to thee, O cup-boy Beauty-dight! * + From parted hair to calves; from black to white: +Sol beameth from thy hands, and from thy lips * + Pleiads, and full Moon through thy collar's night,[FN#184] +Good sooth the cups, which made our heads fly round, * + Are those thine eyes pass round to daze the sight: +No wonder lovers hail thee as full moon * + Waning to them, for self e'er waxing bright: +Art thou a deity to kill and quicken, * + Bidding this fere, forbidding other wight? +Allah from model of thy form made Beau * + -ty and the Zephyr scented with thy sprite. +Thou art not of this order of human * + -ity but angel lent by Heaven to man." + +When Ali bin Bakkar and Abu al-Hasan and those present heard +Shams al-Nahar's song, they were like to fly for joy, and sported +and laughed; but while they were thus enjoying themselves lo! up +came a damsel, trembling for fear and said, "O my lady, the +Commander of the Faithful's eunuchs are at the door, Aff and +Masrr and Marjn[FN#185] and others whom wot I not." When they +heard this they were like to die with fright, but Shams al-Nahar +laughed and said, "Have no fear!" Then quoth she to the damsel, +"Keep answering them whilst we remove hence." And she caused the +doors of the alcove to be closed upon Ali and Abu al-Hasan, and +let down the curtains over the entrance (they being still +within); after which she shut the door of the saloon and went out +by the privy wicket into the flower-garden, where she seated +herself on a couch she had there and made one of the damsels +knead her feet.[FN#186] Then she dismissed the rest of her women +to their rooms and bade the portress admit those who were at the +door; whereupon Masrur entered, he and his company of twenty with +drawn swords. And when they saluted her, she asked, "Wherefore +come ye?"; whereto they answered, "The Commander of the Faithful +saluteth thee. Indeed he is desolated for want of thy sight; he +letteth thee know that this be to him a day of joy and great +gladness and he wisheth to seal his day and complete his pleasure +with thy company at this very hour. So say, wilt go to him or +shall he come to thee?" Upon this she rose and, kissing the +earth, replied, "I hear and I obey the commandment of the Prince +of True Believers!" Then she summoned the women guards of her +household and other slave-damsels, who lost no time in attending +upon her and made a show of obeying the Caliph's orders. And +albeit everything about the place was in readiness, she said to +the eunuchs, "Go to the Commander of the Faithful and tell him +that I await him after a little space, that I may make ready for +him a place with carpets and other matters." So they returned in +haste to the Caliph, whilst Shams al-Nahar, doffing her outer +gear, repaired to her lover, Ali bin Bakkar, and drew him to her +bosom and bade him farewell, whereat he wept sore and said, "O my +lady, this leave-taking will cause the ruin of my very self and +the loss of my very soul; but I pray Allah grant me patience to +support the passion wherewith he hath afflicted me!" Replied she, +"By Allah, none shall suffer perdition save I; for thou wilt fare +forth to the bazar and consort with those that shall divert thee, +and thy life will be sound and thy love hidden forsure; but I +shall fall into trouble and tristesse nor find any to console me, +more by token that I have given the Caliph a tryst, wherein haply +great peril shall betide me by reason of my love for thee and my +longing for thee and my grief at being parted from thee. For with +what tongue shall I sing and with what heart shall I present +myself before the Caliph? and with what speech shall I company +the Commander of the Faithful in his cups? and with what eyes +shall I look upon a place where thou art absent? and with what +taste shall I drink wine of which thou drinkest not?" Quoth Abu +al-Hasan, "Be not troubled but take patience and be not remiss in +entertaining the Commander of the Faithful this night, neither +show him any neglect, but be of good heart." Now at this +juncture, behold, up came a damsel, who said to Shams al-Nahar, +"O my lady, the Caliph's pages are come." So she hastily rose to +her feet and said to the maid, "Take Abu al-Hasan and his friend +and carry them to the upper balcony[FN#187] giving upon the +garden and there leave them till darkness come on; when do thou +contrive to carry them forth." Accordingly the girl led them up +to the balcony and, locking the door upon them both, went her +way. As they sat looking on the garden lo! the Caliph appeared +escorted by near an hundred eunuchs, with drawn swords in hand +and girt about with a score of damsels, as they were moons, all +clad in the richest of raiment and on each one's head was a crown +set with jewels and rubies; while each carried a lighted +flambeau. The Caliph walked in their midst, they encompassing him +about on all sides, and Masrur and Aff and Wasf[FN#188] went +before him and he bore himself with a graceful gait. So Shams +al-Nahar and her maidens rose to receive him and, meeting him at +the garden-door, kissed ground between his hands; nor did they +cease to go before him till they brought him to the couch whereon +he sat down, whilst all the waiting-women who were in the garden +and the eunuchs stood before him and there came fair handmaids +and concubines holding in hand lighted candles and perfumes and +incense and instruments of mirth and music. Then the Sovereign +bade the singers sit down, each in her place, and Shams al-Nahar +came up and, seating herself on a stool by the side of the +Caliph's couch, began to converse with him; all this happening +whilst Abu al-Hasan and Ali bin Bakkar looked on and listened, +unseen of the King. Presently the Caliph fell to jesting and +toying with Shams al-Nahar and both were in the highest spirits, +glad and gay, when he bade them throw open the garden pavilion. +So they opened the doors and windows and lighted the tapers till +the place shone in the season of darkness even as the day. Then +the eunuchs removed thither the wine-service and (quoth Abu +al-Hasan) "I saw drinking-vessels and rarities whose like mine +eyes never beheld, vases of gold and silver and all manner of +noble metals and precious stones, such as no power of description +can describe, till indeed it seemed to me I was dreaming, for +excess of amazement at what I saw!" But as for Ali bin Bakkar, +from the moment Shams al-Nahar left him, he lay strown on the +ground for stress of love and desire; and, when he revived, he +fell to gazing upon these things that had not their like and +saying to Abu al-Hasan, "O my brother, I fear lest the Caliph see +us or come to know of our case; but the most of my fear is for +thee. For myself, of a truth I know that I am about to be lost +past recourse, and the cause of my destruction is naught but love +and longing and excess of desire and distraction, and disunion +from my beloved after union with her; but I beseech Allah to +deliver us from this perilous predicament." And they ceased not +to look out of the balcony on the Caliph who was taking his +pleasure, till the banquet was spread before him, when he turned +to one of the damsels and said to her, "O Gharm,[FN#189] let us +hear some of thine enchanting songs." So she took the lute and +tuning it, began singing, + +"The longing of a Bedouin maid, whose folks are far away, * + Who yearns after the willow of the Hejaz and the + bay,[FN#190]-- +Whose tears, when she on travellers lights, might for their water + serve * And eke her her passion, with its heat, their + bivouac-fire purvey,-- +Is not more fierce nor ardent than my longing for my love, * + Who deems that I commit a crime in loving him + alway."[FN#191] + +Now when Shams al-Nahar heard these verses she slipped off the +stool whereon she sat and fell to the earth fainting and became +insensible to the world around her; upon which the damsels came +and lifted her up. And when Ali bin Bakkar saw this from the +balcony he also slipped down senseless, and Abu al-Hasan said, +"Verily Fate hath divided love-desire equally upon you +twain!"[FN#192] As he spoke lo! in came the damsel who had led +them up to the balcony and said to him, "O Abu al-Hasan, arise +thou and thy friend and come down, for of a truth the world hath +waxed strait upon us and I fear lest our case be discovered or +the Caliph become aware of you; unless you descend at once we are +dead ones." Quoth he, "And how shall this youth descend with me +seeing that he hath no strength to rise?" Thereupon the damsel +began sprinkling rose-water on Ali bin Bakkar till he came to his +senses, when Abu al-Hasan lifted him up and the damsel made him +lean upon her. So they went down from the balcony and walked on +awhile till the damsel opened a little iron door, and made the +two friends pass through it, and they came upon a bench by the +Tigris' bank. Thereupon the slave-girl clapped her hands[FN#193] +and there came up a man with a little boat to whom said she, +"Take up these two young men and land them on the opposite side." +So both entered the boat and, as the man rowed off with them and +they left the garden behind them, Ali bin Bakkar looked back +towards the Caliph's palace and the pavilion and the grounds; and +bade them farewell with these two couplets, + + "I offered this weak hand as last farewell, * + While to heart-burning fire that hand is guided: + O let not this end union! Let not this * + Be last provision for long road provided!" + +Thereupon the damsel said to the boatman, "Make haste with them +both." So he plied his oars deftly (the slave-girl being still +with them);--And Shahrazad perceived the dawning day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the boatman +rowed them towards the other bank till they reached it and +landed, whereupon she took leave of them, saying, "It were my +wish not to abandon you, but I can go no farther than this." Then +she turned back, whilst Ali bin Bakkar lay prostrate on the +ground before Abu al-Hasan and by no manner of means could he +rise, till his friend said to him, "Indeed this place is not sure +and I fear lest we lose our lives in this very spot, by reason of +the lewd fellows who infest it and highwaymen and men of +lawlessness." Upon this Ali bin Bakkar arose and walked a little +but could not continue walking. Now Abu al-Hasan had friends in +that quarter; so he made search for one of them, in whom he +trusted, and who was of his intimates, and knocked at the door. +The man came out quickly and seeing them, bade them welcome and +brought them into his house, where he seated them and talked with +them and asked them whence they came. Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "We +came out but now, being obliged thereto by a person with whom I +had dealings and who hath in his hands dirhams of mine. And it +reached me that he designed to flee into foreign parts with my +monies; so I fared forth to-night in quest of him, taking with me +for company this youth, Ali bin Bakkar; but, when we came hoping +to see the debtor, he hid from us and we could get no sight of +him. Accordingly we turned back, empty-handed without a doit, but +it was irksome to us to return home at this hour of the night; so +weeting not whither to go, we came to thee, well knowing thy +kindness and wonted courtesy." "Ye are welcome and well come!" +answered the host, and studied to do them honour; so the twain +abode with him the rest of their night and as soon as the +daylight dawned, they left him and made their way back without +aught of delay to the city. When they came to the house of Abu +al-Hasan, he conjured his comrade to enter; so they went in and +lying down on the bed, slept awhile. As soon as they awoke, Abu +al-Hasan bade his servants spread the house with rich carpets, +saying in his mind, "Needs must I divert this youth and distract +him from thinking of his affliction, for I know his case better +than another." Then he called for water for Ali bin Bakkar who, +when it was brought, rose up from his bed and making his +ablutions, prayed the obligatory prayers which he had omitted for +the past day and night[FN#194]; after which he sat down and began +to solace himself by talking with his friend. When Abu al-Hasan +saw this, he turned to him and said, "O my lord, it were fitter +for thy case that thou abide with me this night, so thy breast +may be broadened and the distress of love-longing that is upon +thee be dispelled and thou make merry with us, so haply the fire +of thy heart may thus be quenched." Ali replied, "O my brother, +do what seemeth good to thee; for I may not on any wise escape +from what calamity hath befallen me; so act as thou wilt." +Accordingly, Abu al-Hasan arose and bade his servants summon some +of the choicest of his friends and sent for singers and musicians +who came; and meanwhile he made ready meat and drink for them; so +they sat eating and drinking and making merry through the rest of +the day till nightfall. Then they lit the candles, and the cups +of friendship and good fellowship went round amongst them and the +time passed pleasantly with them. Presently, a singing-woman took +the lute and began singing, + +"I've been shot by Fortune, and shaft of eye * + Down struck me and parted from fondest friend: +Time has proved him foe and my patience failed, * + Yet I ever expected it thus would end." + +When Ali bin Bakkar heard her words, he fell to the earth in a +swoon and ceased not lying in his fainting fit till day-break; +and Abu al-Hasan despaired of him. But, with the dawning, he came +to himself and sought to go home; nor could his friend hinder +him, for fear of the issue of his affair. So he made his servants +bring a she-mule and, mounting Ali thereon, carried him to his +lodgings, he and one of his men. When he was safe at home, Abu +al-Hasan thanked Allah for his deliverance from that sore peril +and sat awhile with him, comforting him; but Ali could not +contain himself, for the violence of his love and longing. So Abu +al-Hasan rose to take leave of him and return to his own +place.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Abu +al-Hasan rose to take leave of him, Ali son of Bakkar exclaimed, +"O my brother, leave me not without news." "I hear and obey," +replied the other; and forthwith went away and, repairing to his +shop, opened it and sat there all day, expecting news of Shams +al-Nahar. But none came. He passed the night in his own house +and, when dawned the day, he walked to Ali bin Bakkar's lodging +and went in and found him thrown on his bed, with his friends +about him and physicians around him prescribing something or +other, and the doctors feeling his pulse. When he saw Abu +al-Hasan enter he smiled, and the visitor, after saluting him, +enquired how he did and sat with him till the folk withdrew, when +he said to him, "What plight is this?" Quoth Ali bin Bakkar, "It +was bruited abroad that I was ill and my comrades heard the +report; and I have no strength to rise and walk so as to give him +the lie who noised abroad my sickness, but continue lying strown +here as thou seest. So my friends came to visit me; say, however, +O my brother, hast thou seen the slave-girl or heard any news of +her?" He replied, "I have not seen her, since the day we parted +from her on Tigris' bank;" and he presently added, "O my brother, +beware thou of scandal and leave this weeping." Rejoined Ali, "O +my brother, indeed, I have no control over myself;" and he sighed +and began reciting, + +"She gives her woman's hand a force that fails the hand of me, * + And with red dye on wrist she gars my patience fail and + flee: +And for her hand she fears so sore what shafts her eyes + discharge, * She's fain to clothe and guard her hand with + mail-ring panoply:[FN#195] +The leach in ignorance felt my pulse the while to him I cried, * + 'Sick is my heart, so quit my hand which hath no malady:' +Quoth she to that fair nightly vision favoured me and fled, * + 'By Allah picture him nor add nor 'bate in least degree!' +Replied the Dream, 'I leave him though he die of thirst,' + I cry, * 'Stand off from water-pit and say why this + persistency.' +Rained tear-pearls her Narcissus-eyes, and rose on cheek belit * + She made my sherbet, and the lote with bits of hail she + bit."[FN#196] + +And when his recital was ended he said, "O Abu al-Hasan, I am +smitten with an affliction from which I deemed myself in perfect +surety, and there is no greater ease for me than death." Replied +he, "Be patient, haply Allah will heal thee!" Then he went out +from him and repairing to his shop opened it, nor had he sat +long, when suddenly up came the handmaid who saluted him. He +returned her salam and looking at her, saw that her heart was +palpitating and that she was in sore trouble and showed signs of +great affliction: so he said to her, "Thou art welcome and well +come! How is it with Shams al-Nahar?" She answered, "I will +presently tell thee, but first let me know how doth Ali bin +Bakkar." So he told her all that had passed and how his case +stood, whereat she grieved and sighed and lamented and marvelled +at his condition. Then said she, "My lady's case is still +stranger than this; for when you went away and fared homewards, I +turned back, my heart beating hard on your account and hardly +crediting your escape. On entering I found her lying prostrate in +the pavilion, speaking not nor answering any, whilst the +Commander of the Faithful sat by her head not knowing what ailed +her and finding none who could make known to him aught of her +ailment. She ceased not from her swoon till midnight, when she +recovered and the Prince of the Faithful said to her, 'What harm +hath happened to thee, O Shams al-Nahar, and what hath befallen +thee this night?' Now when she heard the Caliph's words she +kissed his feet and said, 'Allah make me thy ransom, O Prince of +True Believers! Verily a sourness of stomach lighted a fire in my +body, so that I lost my senses for excess of pain, and I know no +more of my condition.' Asked the Caliph, 'What hast thou eaten +to-day?'; and she answered, 'I broke my fast on something I had +never tasted before.' Then she feigned to be recovered and +calling for a something of wine, drank it, and begged the +Sovereign to resume his diversion. So he sat down again on his +couch in the pavilion and the sitting was resumed, but when she +saw me, she asked me how you fared. I told her what I had done +with you both and repeated to her the verses which Ali bin Bakkar +had composed at parting-tide, whereat she wept secretly, but +presently held her peace. After awhile, the Commander of the +Faithful ordered a damsel to sing, and she began reciting, + + 'Life has no sweet for me since forth ye fared; * + Would Heaven I wot how fare ye who forsake: + 'Twere only fit my tears were tears of blood, * + Since you are weeping for mine absence sake.' + +But when my lady heard this verse she fell back on the sofa in a +swoon,"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +slave-girl continued to Abu al-Hasan, "But when my lady heard +this verse, she fell back on the sofa in a swoon, and I seized +her hand and sprinkled rose-water on her face, till she revived, +when I said to her, 'O my lady, expose not thyself and all thy +palace containeth. By the life of thy beloved, be thou patient!' +She replied, 'Can aught befal me worse than death which indeed I +seek, for by Allah, my ease is therein?' Whilst we were thus +talking, another damsel sang these words of the poet, + + 'Quoth they, 'Maybe that Patience lend thee ease!' * + Quoth I, 'Since fared he where is Patience' place? + Covenant he made 'twixt me and him, to cut * + The cords of Patience at our last embrace!'[FN#197] + +And as soon as she had finished her verse Shams al-Nahar swooned +away once more, which when the Caliph saw, he came to her in +haste and commanded the wine to be removed and each damsel to +return to her chamber. He abode with her the rest of the night, +and when dawned the day, he sent for chirurgeons and leaches and +bade them medicine her, knowing not that her sickness arose from +love and longing. I tarried with her till I deemed her in a way +of recovery, and this is what kept me from thee. I have now left +her with a number of her body-women, who were greatly concerned +for her, when she bade me go to you two and bring her news of Ali +bin Bakkar and return to her with the tidings." When Abu al-Hasan +heard her story, he marvelled and said, "By Allah, I have +acquainted thee with his whole case; so now return to thy +mistress; and salute her for me and diligently exhort her to have +patience and say to her, 'Keep thy secret!'; and tell her that I +know all her case which is indeed hard and one which calleth for +nice conduct." She thanked him and taking leave of him, returned +to her mistress. So far concerning her; but as regards Abu +al-Hasan, he ceased not to abide in his shop till the end of the +day, when he arose and shut it and locked it and betaking himself +to Ali bin Bakkar's house knocked at the door. One of the +servants came out and admitted him; and when Ali saw him, he +smiled and congratulated himself on his coming, saying, "O Abu +al-Hasan, thou hast desolated me by thine absence this day; for +indeed my soul is pledged to thee during the rest of my time." +Answered the other, "Leave this talk! Were thy healing at the +price of my hand, I would cut it off ere thou couldst ask me; +and, could I ransom thee with my life, I had already laid it down +for thee. Now this very day, Shams al-Nahar's handmaid hath been +with me and told me that what hindered her coming ere this was +the Caliph's sojourn with her mistress; and she acquainted me +with everything which had betided her." And he went on to repeat +to him all that the girl had told him of Shams al-Nahar; at which +Ali bin Bakkar lamented sore and wept and said to him, "Allah +upon thee, O my brother, help me in this affliction and teach me +what course I shall take. Moreover, I beg thee of thy grace to +abide with me this night, that I may have the solace of thy +society." Abu al-Hasan agreed to this request, replying that he +would readily night there; so they talked together till even-tide +darkened, when Ali bin Bakkar groaned aloud and lamented and wept +copious tears, reciting these couplets, + + "Thine image in these eyne, a-lip thy name, * + My heart thy home; how couldst thou disappear? + How sore I grieve for life which comes to end, * + Nor see I boon of union far or near." + +And these the words of another, + +"She split my casque of courage with eye-swords that sorely + smite; * She pierced my patience' ring-mail with her shape + like cane-spear light: +Patched by the musky mole on cheek was to our sight displayed * + Camphor set round with ambergris, light dawning through the + night.[FN#198] +Her soul was sorrowed and she bit carnelion stone with pearls * + Whose unions in a sugared tank ever to lurk unite:[FN#199] +Restless she sighed and smote with palm the snows that clothe her + breast, * And left a mark whereon I looked and ne'er beheld + such sight, +Pens, fashioned of her coral nails with ambergris for ink, * + Five lines on crystal page of breast did cruelly indite: +O swordsmen armed with trusty steel! I bid you all beware * + When she on you bends deadly glance which fascinates the + sprite: +And guard thyself, O thou of spear! whenas she draweth near * + To tilt with slender quivering shape, likest the nut-brown + spear." + +And when Ali bin Bakkar ended his verse, he cried out with a +great cry and fell down in a fit. Abu al-Hasan thought that his +soul had fled his body and he ceased not from his swoon till day- +break, when he came to himself and talked with his friend, who +continued to sit with him till the forenoon. Then he left him and +repaired to his shop; and hardly had he opened it, when lo! the +damsel came and stood by his side. As soon as he saw her, she +made him a sign of salutation which he returned; and she +delivered to him the greeting message of her mistress and asked, +"How doth Ali bin Bakkar?" Answered he, "O handmaid of good, ask +me not of his case nor what he suffereth for excess of +love-longing; he sleepeth not by night neither resteth he by day; +wakefulness wasteth him and care hath conquered him and his +condition is a consternation to his friend." Quoth she, "My lady +saluteth thee and him, and she hath written him a letter, for +indeed she is in worse case than he; and she entrusted the same +to me, saying, 'Do not return save with the answer; and do thou +obey my bidding.' Here now is the letter, so say, wilt thou wend +with me to him that we may get his reply?" "I hear and obey," +answered Abu al-Hasan, and locking his shop and taking with him +the girl he went, by a way different from that whereby he came, +to Ali bin Bakkar's house, where he left her standing at the door +and walked in.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu +al-Hasan went with the girl to the house of Ali son of Bakkar, +where he left her standing at the door and walked in to his great +joy. And Abu al-Hasan said to him, "The reason of my coming is +that such an one hath sent his handmaid to thee with a letter, +containing his greeting to thee and mentioning therein that the +cause of his not coming to thee was a matter that hath betided +him. The girl standeth even now at the door: shall she have leave +to enter?"; and he signed to him that it was Shams al-Nahar's +slave-girl. Ali understood his signal and answered, "Bring her +in," and when he saw her, he shook for joy and signed to her, +"How doth thy lord?; Allah grant him health and healing!" "He is +well," answered she and pulling out the letter gave it to him. He +took it and kissing it, opened and read it; after which he handed +it to Abu al-Hasan, who found these verses written therein, + + "This messenger shall give my news to thee; * + Patience what while my sight thou canst not see: + A lover leav'st in love's insanity, * + Whose eyne abide on wake incessantly: + I suffer patience-pangs in woes that none * + Of men can medicine;--such my destiny! + Keep cool thine eyes; ne'er shall my heart forget, * + Nor without dream of thee one day shall be. + Look what befel thy wasted frame, and thence * + Argue what I am doomed for love to dree! + +"And afterwards[FN#200]: Without fingers[FN#201] I have written +to thee, and without tongue I have spoken to thee * to resume my +case, I have an eye wherefrom sleeplessness departeth not * and a +heart whence sorrowful thought stirreth not * It is with me as +though health I had never known * nor in sadness ever ceased to +wone * nor spent an hour in pleasant place * but it is as if I +were made up of pine and of the pain of passion and chagrin * +Sickness unceasingly troubleth * and my yearning ever redoubleth +* desire still groweth * and longing in my heart still gloweth * +I pray Allah to hasten our union * and dispel of my mind the +confusion * And I would fain thou favour me * with some words of +thine * that I may cheer my heart in pain and repine * Moreover, +I would have thee put on a patience lief, until Allah vouchsafe +relief * And His peace be with thee."[FN#202] When Ali bin Bakkar +had read this letter he said in weak accents and feeble voice, +"With what hand shall I write and with what tongue shall I make +moan and lament? Indeed she addeth sickness to my sickness and +draweth death upon my death!" Then he sat up and taking in hand +ink-case and paper, wrote the following reply, "In the name of +Allah, the Compassionating, the Compassionate![FN#203] Thy letter +hath reached me, O my lady, and hath given ease to a sprite worn +out with passion and love-longing, and hath brought healing to a +wounded heart cankered with languishment and sickness; for indeed +I am become even as saith the poet, + + 'Straitened bosom; reveries dispread; * + Slumberless eyelids; body wearied; + Patience cut short; disunion longsomest; * + Reason deranged and heart whose life is fled!' + +And know that complaining is unavailing; but it easeth him whom +love-longing disordereth and separation destroyeth and, with +repeating, 'Union,' I keep myself comforted and how fine is the +saying of the poet who said, + + 'Did not in love-plight joys and sorrows meet, * + How would the message or the writ be sweet?'" + +When he had made an end of this letter, he handed it to Abu +al-Hasan, saying, "Read it and give it to the damsel." So he took +it and read it and its words stirred his soul and its meaning +wounded his vitals. Then he committed it to the girl, and when +she took it Ali bin Bakkar said to her, "Salute thy lady for me +and acquaint her with my love and longing and how passion is +blended with my flesh and my bones; and say to her that in very +deed I need a woman who shall snatch me from the sea of +destruction and save me from this dilemma; for of a truth Fortune +oppresseth me with her vicissitudes; and is there any helper to +free me from her turpitudes?" And he wept and the damsel wept for +his weeping. Then she took leave of him and went forth and Abu +al-Hasan went out with her and farewelled her. So she ganged her +gait and he returned to his shop, which he opened and sat down +there, as was his wont;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu +al-Hasan farewelled the slave-girl and returned to his shop which +he opened and sat down there according to his custom; but as he +tarried, he found his heart oppressed and his breast straitened, +and he was perplexed about his case. So he ceased not from +melancholy the rest of that day and night, and on the morrow he +betook himself to Ali bin Bakkar, with whom he sat till the folk +withdrew, when he asked him how he did. Ali began to complain of +desire and to descant upon the longing and distraction which +possessed him, and repeated these words of the poet. + + "Men have 'plained of pining before my time, * + Live and dead by parting been terrified: + But such feelings as those which my ribs immure * + I have never heard of, nor ever espied." + +And these of another poet, + + "I have borne for thy love what never bore * + For his fair, Kays the 'Daft one'[FN#204] hight of old: + Yet I chase not the wildlings of wold and wild * + Like Kays, for madness is manifold." + +Thereupon quoth Abu al-Hasan, "Never did I see or hear of one +like unto thee in thy love! When thou sufferest all this +transport and sickness and trouble being enamoured of one who +returneth thy passion, how would it be with thee if she whom thou +lovest were contrary and contumelious, and thy case were +discovered through her perfidy?" "And Ali the son of Bakkar" +(says Abu al-Hasan) "was pleased with my words and he relied upon +them and he thanked me for what I had said and done. I had a +friend" (continued Abu al-Hasan), "to whom I discovered my affair +and that of Ali and who knew that we were intimates; but none +other than he was acquainted with what was betwixt us. He was +wont to come to me and enquire how Ali did and after a little, he +began to ask me about the damsel; but I fenced him off, saying, +'She invited him to her and there was between him and her as much +as can possibly take place, and this is the end of their affair; +but I have devised me a plan and an idea which I would submit to +thee.'" Asked his friend, "And what is that?" Answered Abu +al-Hasan, "I am a person well known to have much dealing among +men and women, and I fear, O my brother, lest the affair of these +twain come to light and this lead to my death and the seizure of +my goods and the rending of my repute and that of my family. +Wherefore I have resolved to get together my monies and make +ready forthright and repair to the city of Bassorah and there +abide, till I see what cometh of their case, that none may know +of me; for love hath lorded over both and correspondence passeth +between them. At this present their go-between and confidante is +a slave-girl who hath till now kept their counsel, but I fear +lest haply anxiety get the better of her and she discover their +secret to some one and the matter, being bruited abroad, might +bring me to great grief and prove the cause of my ruin; for I +have no excuse to offer my accusers." Rejoined his friend, "Thou +hast acquainted me with a parlous affair, from the like of which +the wise and understanding will shrink with fear. Allah avert +from thee the evil thou dreadest with such dread and save thee +from the consequences thou apprehendest! Assuredly thy recking is +aright." So Abu al-Hasan returned to his place and began ordering +his affairs and preparing for his travel; nor had three days +passed ere he made an end of his business and fared forth +Bassorah-wards. His friend came to visit him three days after but +finding him not, asked of him from the neighbours who answered, +"He set out for Bassorah three days ago, for he had dealings with +its merchants and he is gone thither to collect monies from his +debtors; but he will soon return." The young man was confounded +at the news and knew not whither to wend; and he said in his +mind, "Would I had not parted from Abu al-Hasan!" Then he +bethought him of some plan whereby he should gain access to Ali +bin Bakkar; so he went to his lodging, and said to one of his +servants, "Ask leave for me of thy lord that I may go in and +salute him." The servant entered and told his master and +presently returning, invited the man to walk in. So he entered +and found Ali bin Bakkar thrown back on the pillow and saluted +him. Ali returned his greeting and bade him welcome; whereupon +the young man began to excuse himself for having held aloof from +him all that while and added, "O my lord, between Abu al-Hasan +and myself there was close friendship, so that I used to trust +him with my secrets and could not sever myself from him an hour. +Now it so chanced that I was absent three days' space on certain +business with a company of my friends; and, when I came back and +went to him, I found his shop locked up; so I asked the +neighbours about him and they replied, 'He is gone to Bassorah.' +Now I know he had no surer friend than thou; so, by Allah, tell +me what thou knowest of him." When Ali bin Bakkar heard this, his +colour changed and he was troubled and answered, "I never heard +till this day of his departure and, if the case be as thou +sayest, weariness is come upon me." And he began repeating, + + "For joys that are no more I wont to weep, * + While friends and lovers stood by me unscattered; + This day when disunited me and them * + Fortune, I weep lost loves and friendship shattered." + +Then he hung his head ground-wards in thought awhile and +presently raising it and looking to one of his servants, said, +"Go to Abu al-Hasan's house and enquire anent him whether he be +at home or journeying abroad. If they say, 'He is abroad'; ask +whither he be gone." The servant went out and returning after a +while said to his master, "When I asked for Abu al-Hasan, his +people told me that he was gone on a journey to Bassorah; but I +saw a damsel standing at the door who, knowing me by sight, +though I knew her not, said to me, 'Art thou not servant to Ali +bin Bakkar?' 'Even so,' answered I; and she rejoined, 'I bear a +message for him from one who is the dearest of all folk to him.' +So she came with me and she is now standing at the door." Quoth +Ali bin Bakkar, "Bring her in." The servant went out to her and +brought her in, and the man who was with Ali looked at her and +found her pretty. Then she advanced to the son of Bakkar and +saluted him.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +to say her permitted say, + + When it was the One Hundred and Sixtieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +slave-girl came in to Ali bin Bakkar, she advanced to him and +saluted him and spake with him secretly; and from time to time +during the dialogue he exclaimed with an oath and swore that he +had not talked and tattled of it. Then she took leave of him and +went away. Now Abu al-Hasan's friend was a jeweller,[FN#205] and +when she was gone, he found a place for speech and said to Ali +bin Bakkar, "Doubtless and assuredly the Caliph's household have +some demand upon thee or thou hast dealings therewith?" "Who told +thee of this?" asked Ali; and the jeweller answered, "I know it +by yonder damsel who is Shams al-Nahar's slave-girl; for she came +to me a while since with a note wherein was written that she +wanted a necklace of jewels; and I sent her a costly collar." But +when Ali bin Bakkar heard this, he was greatly troubled, so that +the jeweller feared to see him give up the ghost, yet after a +while he recovered himself and said, "O my brother, I conjure +thee by Allah to tell me truly how thou knowest her." Replied he, +"Do not press this question upon me;" and Ali rejoined, "Indeed, +I will not turn from thee till thou tell me the whole truth." +Quoth the jeweller, "I will tell thee all, on condition that thou +distrust me not, and that my words cause thee no restraint; nor +will I conceal aught from thee by way of secret but will discover +to thee the truth of the affair, provided that thou acquaint me +with the true state of thy case and the cause of thy sickness." +Then he told him all that had passed from first to last between +Abu al-Hasan and himself, adding, "I acted thus only out of +friendship for thee and of my desire to serve thee;" and assured +him that he would keep his secret and venture life and good in +his service. So Ali in turn told him his story and added, "By +Allah, O my brother, naught moved me to keep my case secret from +thee and from others but my fear lest folk should lift the veils +of protection from certain persons." Rejoined the jeweller, "And +I desired not to foregather with thee but of the great affection +I bear thee and my zeal for thee in every case, and my compassion +for the anguish thy heart endureth from severance. Haply I may be +a comforter to thee in the room of my friend, Abu al-Hasan, +during the length of his absence: so be thou of good cheer and +keep thine eyes cool and clear." Thereupon Ali thanked him and +repeated these couplets, + + "An say I, 'Patient I can bear his faring,' * + My tears and sighings give my say the lie; + How can I hide these tears that course adown * + This plain, my cheek, for friend too fain to fly?" + +Then he was silent awhile, and presently said to the jeweller +"Knowest thou what secret the girl whispered to me?" Answered he, +"Not I, by Allah, O my lord!" Quoth Ali, "She fancied that I +directed Abu al-Hasan to go to Bassorah and that I had devised +this device to put a stop to our correspondence and consorting. I +swore to her that this was on nowise so; but she would not credit +me and went away to her mistress, persisting in her injurious +suspicions; for she inclined to Abu al-Hasan and gave ear to his +word." Answered the young jeweller, "O my brother, I understood +as much from the girl's manner; but I will win for thee thy wish, +Inshallah!" Rejoined Ali bin Bakkar, "Who can be with me in this +and how wilt thou do with her, when she shies and flies like a +wildling of the wold?" Cried the jeweller "By Allah, needs must I +do my utmost to help thee and contrive to scrape acquaintance +with her without exposure or mischief!" Then he asked leave to +depart and Ali bin Bakkar said, "O my brother, mind thou keep my +counsel;" and he looked at him and wept. The jeweller bade him +good-bye and fared forth.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +jeweller bade him good-bye and fared forth not knowing what he +should do to win for him his wishes; and he ceased not walking, +while over-musing the matter, till he spied a letter lying in the +road. He took it up and looked at its direction and +superscription, then read it and behold, it ran:--"From the least +worthy of lovers to the most worthy of beloveds." So he opened it +and found these words written therein, + +"A messenger from thee came bringing union-hope, * + But that he erred somehow with me the thought prevailed; +So I rejoiced not; rather grew my grief still more; * + Weeting my messenger of wits and wit had failed. + +"But afterwards: Know, O my lord! that I ken not the reason why +our correspondence between thee and me hath been broken off: but, +if the cruelty arise from thy part, I will requite it with +fidelity, and if thy love have departed, I will remain constant +to my love of the parted, for I am with thee even as says the +poet, + +'Be proud; I'll crouch! Bully; I'll bear! Despise; I'll pray! * + Go; I will come! Speak; I will hear! Bid; I'll obey!'" + +As he was reading lo! up came the slave-girl, looking right and +left, and seeing the paper in the jeweller's hand, said to him, +"O my master, this letter is one I let fall." He made her no +answer, but walked on, and she walked behind him, till he came to +his house, when he entered and she after him, saying, "O my +master, give me back this letter, for it fell from me." Thereon +he turned to her and said, "O handmaid of good, fear not neither +grieve, for verily Allah the Protector loveth those who protect; +but tell me in truthful way thy case, as I am one who keepeth +counsel. I conjure thee by an oath not to hide from me aught of +thy lady's affairs; for haply Allah shall help me to further her +wishes and make easy by my hand that which is hard." When the +slave-girl heard these words she said, "O my lord, indeed a +secret is not lost whereof thou art the secretist; nor shall any +affair come to naught for which thou strivest. Know that my heart +inclineth to thee and would interest thee with my tidings, but do +thou give me the letter." Then she told him the whole story, +adding, "Allah is witness to whatso I say." Quoth he, "Thou hast +spoken truly, for I am acquainted with the root of the matter." +Then he told her his tale of Ali bin Bakkar and how he had +learned his state of mind; and related to her all that had passed +from first to last, whereat she rejoiced; and they two agreed +that she should take the letter and carry it to Ali and return +and acquaint the jeweller with all that happened. So he gave her +the letter and she took it and sealed it up as it was before, +saying, "My mistress Shams al-Nahar gave it to me sealed; and +when he hath read it and given me its reply, I will bring it to +thee." Then she took leave and repaired to Ali bin Bakkar, whom +she found waiting, and gave him the letter. He read it and +writing a paper by way of reply, gave it to her; and she carried +it to the jeweller, who tore asunder the seal[FN#206] and read it +and found written therein these two couplets, + +"The messenger, who kept our commerce hid, * + Hath failed, and showeth wrath without disguise;[FN#207] +Choose one more leal from your many friends * + Who, truth approving, disapproves of lies. + +"To proceed: Verily, I have not entered upon perfidy * nor have I +abandoned fidelity * I have not used cruelty * neither have I out +off lealty * no covenant hath been broken by me * nor hath +love-tie been severed by me * I have not parted from penitence * +nor have I found aught but misery and ruin after severance * I +know nothing of that thou avouchest * nor do I love aught but +that which thou lovest * By Him who knoweth the secret of hidden +things none discover *I have no desire save union with my lover * +and my one business is my passion to conceal * albeit with sore +sickness I ail. * This is the exposition of my case and now all +hail!" When the jeweller read this letter and learnt its contents +he wept with sore weeping, and the slave-girl said to him, "Leave +not this place till I return to thee; for he suspecteth me of +such and such things, in which he is excusable; so it is my +desire to bring about a meeting between thee and my mistress, +Shams al-Nahar, howsoever I may trick you to it. For the present +I left her prostrate, awaiting my return with the reply." Then +she went away and the jeweller passed the night with a troubled +mind. And when day dawned he prayed his dawn-prayer and sat +expecting the girl's coming; and behold, she came in to him +rejoicing with much joy and he asked her, "What news, O damsel?" +She answered, "After leaving thee I went to my mistress and gave +her the letter written by Ali bin Bakkar; and, when she read it +and understood it, she was troubled and confounded; but I said to +her, 'O my lady, have no fear of your affair being frustrated by +Abu al-Hasan's disappearance, for I have found one to take his +place, better than he and more of worth and a good man to keep +secrets.' Then I told her what was between thyself and Abu +al-Hasan and how thou camest by his confidence and that of Ali +bin Bakkar and how that note was dropped and thou camest by it; +and I also showed her how we arranged matters betwixt me and +thee." The jeweller marvelled with much wonder, when she resumed, +"And now my mistress would hear whatso thou sayest, that she may +be assured by thy speech of the covenants between thee and him; +so get thee ready to go with me to her forthwith." When the +jeweller heard the slave-girl's words, he saw that the proposed +affair was grave and a great peril to brave, not lightly to be +undertaken or suddenly entered upon, and he said to her, "O my +sister, verily, I am of the ordinary and not like unto Abu +al-Hasan; for he being of high rank and of well-known repute, was +wont to frequent the Caliph's household, because of their need of +his merchandise. As for me, he used to talk with me and I +trembled before him the while. So, if thy mistress would speak +with me, our meeting must be in some place other than the +Caliph's palace and far from the abode of the Commander of the +Faithful; for my common sense will not let me consent to what +thou proposest." On this wise he refused to go with her and she +went on to say that she would be surety for his safety, adding, +"Take heart and fear no harm!" and pressed him to courage till he +consented to accompany her; withal, his legs bent and shivered +and his hands quivered and he exclaimed, "Allah forbid that I +should go with thee! Indeed, I have not strength to do this +thing!" Replied she, "Hearten thy heart, if it be hard for thee +to go to the Caliph's palace and thou canst not muster up courage +to accompany me, I will make her come to thee; so budge not from +thy place till I return to thee with her." Then the slave-girl +went away and was absent for a while, but a short while, after +which she returned to the jeweller and said to him, "Take thou +care that there be with thee none save thyself, neither man-slave +nor girl-slave." Quoth he, "I have but a negress, who is in years +and who waiteth on me."[FN#208] So she arose and locked the door +between his negress and the jeweller and sent his man-servants +out of the place; after which she fared forth and presently +returned, followed by a lady who, entering the house, filled it +with the sweet scent of her perfumes. When the jeweller saw her, +he sprang up and set her a couch and a cushion; and she sat down +while he seated himself before her. She abode awhile without +speaking till she had rested herself, when she unveiled her face +and it seemed to the jeweller's fancy as if the sun had risen in +his home. Then she asked her slave-girl, "Is this the man of whom +thou spakest to me?" "Yes," answered she; whereupon the lady +turned to the jeweller and said to him, "How is it with thee?" +Replied he, "Right well! I pray Allah for thy preservation and +that of the Commander of the Faithful." Quoth she, "Thou hast +moved us to come to thee and possess thee with what we hold +secret." Then she questioned him of his household and family; and +he disclosed to her all his circumstance and his condition and +said to her, "I have a house other than this; and I have set it +apart for gathering together my friends and brethren; and there +is none there save the old negress, of whom I spoke to thy +handmaid." She asked him on what wise he came first to know how +the affair began and the matter of Abu al-Hasan and the cause of +his way-faring: accordingly he told her all he knew and how he +had advised the journey. Thereupon she bewailed the loss of Abu +al-Hasan and said to the jeweller, "Know, O such an one,[FN#209] +that men's souls are active in their lusts and that men are still +men; and that deeds are not done without words nor is end ever +reached without endeavour. Rest is won only by work."--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shams +al-Nahar thus addressed the jeweller, "Rest is gained only by +work and success is gendered only by help of the generous. Now I +have acquainted thee with our affair and it is in thy hand to +expose us or to shield us; I say no more, because thy generosity +requireth naught. Thou knowest that this my handmaiden keepeth my +counsel and therefore occupieth high place in my favour; and I +have selected her to transact my affairs of importance. So let +none be worthier in thy sight than she and acquaint her with +thine affair; and be of good cheer, for on her account thou art +safe from all fear, and there is no place shut upon thee but she +shall open it to thee. She shall bring thee my messages to Ali +bin Bakkar and thou shalt be our intermediary." So saying, she +rose, scarcely able to rise, and fared forth, the jeweller faring +before her to the door of her house, after which he returned and +sat down again in his place, having seen of her beauty and heard +of her speech what dazzled him and dazed his wit, and having +witnessed of her grace and courtesy what bewitched his sprite. He +sat musing on her perfections till his mind waxed tranquil, when +he called for food and ate enough to keep soul and body together. +Then he changed his clothes and went out; and, repairing to the +house of the youth Ali bin Bakkar, knocked at the door. The +servants hastened to admit him and walked before him till they +had brought him to their master, whom he found strown upon his +bed. Now when he saw the jeweller, he said to him, "Thou hast +tarried long from me, and that hath heaped care upon my care." +Then he dismissed his servants and bade the doors be shut; after +which he said to the jeweller, "By Allah, O my brother, I have +not closed my eyes since the day I saw thee last; for the +slave-girl came to me yesterday with a sealed letter from her +mistress Shams al-Nahar;" and went on to tell him all that had +passed with her, adding, "By the Lord, I am indeed perplexed +concerning mine affair and my patience faileth me: for Abu +al-Hasan was a comforter who cheered me because he knew the +slave-girl." When the jeweller heard his words, he laughed; and +Ali said, "Why dost thou laugh at my words, thou on whose coming +I congratulated myself and to whom I looked for provision against +the shifts of fortune?" Then he sighed and wept and repeated +these couplets,[FN#210] + + "Full many laugh at tears they see me shed * + Who had shed tears an bore they what I bore; + None feeleth pity for th' afflicted's woe, * + Save one as anxious and in woe galore: + My passion, yearning, sighing, thought, repine * + Are for me cornered in my heart's deep core: + He made a home there which he never quits, * + Yet rare our meetings, not as heretofore: + No friend to stablish in his place I see; * + No intimate but only he and --he." + +Now when the jeweller heard these lines and understood their +significance, he wept also and told him all that had passed +betwixt himself and the slave-girl and her mistress since he left +him. And Ali bin Bakkar gave ear to his speech, and at every word +he heard his colour shifted from white to red and his body grew +now stronger and then weaker till the tale came to an end, when +he wept and said, "O my brother, I am a lost man in any case: +would mine end were nigh, that I might be at rest from all this! +But I beg thee, of thy favour, to be my helper and comforter in +all my affairs till Allah fulfil whatso be His will; and I will +not gainsay thee with a single word." Quoth the jeweller, +"Nothing will quench thy fire save union with her whom thou +lovest; and the meeting must be in other than this perilous +place. Better it were in a house of mine where the girl and her +mistress met me; which place she chose for herself, to the intent +that ye twain may there meet and complain each to other of what +you have suffered from the pangs of love." Quoth Ali bin Bakkar, +"O good Sir, do as thou wilt and with Allah be thy reward!; and +what thou deemest is right do it forthright: but be not long in +doing it, lest I perish of this anguish." "So I abode with him +(said the jeweller) that night conversing with him till the +morning morrowed,"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +jeweller continued:--"So I abode with him that night conversing +with him till the morning morrowed, when I prayed the +dawn-prayers and, going out from him, returned to my house. +Hardly had I settled down when the damsel came up and saluted me; +and I returned her salutation and told her what had passed +between myself and Ali bin Bakkar, and she said, 'Know that the +Caliph hath left us and there is no one in our place and it is +safer for us and better.' Replied I, 'Sooth thou sayest; yet is +it not like my other house which is both fitter and surer for +us;' and the slave-girl rejoined 'Be it as thou seest fit. I am +now going to my lady and will tell her what thou sayest and +acquaint her with all thou hast mentioned.' So she went away and +sought her mistress and laid the project before her, and +presently returned and said to me, 'It is to be as thou sayest: +so make us ready the place and expect us.' Then she took out of +her breast-pocket a purse of dinars and gave this message, 'My +lady saluteth thee and saith to thee, 'Take this and provide +therewith what the case requireth.' But I swore that I would +accept naught of it; so she took the purse and returning to her +mistress, told her, 'He would not receive the money, but gave it +back to me.' 'No matter,' answered Shams al-Nahar. As soon as the +slave-girl was gone" (continued the jeweller), "I arose and +betook myself to my other house and transported thither all that +was needful, by way of vessels and furniture and rich carpets; +and I did not forget china vases and cups of glass and gold and +silver; and I made ready meat and drink required for the +occasion. When the damsel came and saw what I had done, it +pleased her and she bade me fetch Ali bin Bakkar; but I said, +'None shall bring him save thou.' Accordingly she went to him and +brought him back perfectly dressed and looking his best. I met +him and greeted him and then seated him upon a divan befitting +his condition, and set before him sweet-scented flowers in vases +of china and vari-coloured glass.[FN#211] Then I set on a tray of +many-tinted meats such as broaden the breast with their sight, +and sat talking with him and diverting him, whilst the slave-girl +went away and was absent till after sundown-prayers, when she +returned with Shams al-Nahar, attended by two maids and none +else. Now as soon as she saw Ali bin Bakkar and he saw her, he +rose and embraced her, and she on her side embraced him and both +fell in a fit to the ground. They lay for a whole hour +insensible; then, coming to themselves, they began mutually to +complain of the pains of separation. Thereupon they drew near to +each other and sat talking charmingly, softly, tenderly; after +which they somewhat perfumed themselves and fell to thanking me +for what I had done for them. Quoth I, 'Have ye a mind for food?' +'Yes,' quoth they. So I set before them a small matter of food +and they ate till they were satisfied and then washed their +hands; after which I led them to another sitting-room and brought +them wine. So they drank and drank deep and inclined to each +other; and presently Shams al-Nahar said to me, 'O my master, +complete thy kindness by bringing us a lute or other instrument +of mirth and music that the measure of our joy may be fully +filled.' I replied, 'On my head and eyes!' and rising brought her +a lute, which she took and tuned; then laying it in her lap she +touched it with a masterly touch, at once exciting to sadness and +changing sorrow to gladness; after which she sang these two +couplets, + + 'My sleeplessness would show I love to bide on wake; * + And would my leanness prove that sickness is my make: + And tear-floods course adown the cheeks they only scald; * + Would I knew union shall disunion overtake!' + +Then she went on to sing the choicest and most affecting poesy to +many and various modes, till our senses were bewitched and the +very room danced with excess of delight and surprise at her sweet +singing; and neither thought nor reason was left in us. When we +had sat awhile and the cup had gone round amongst us, the damsel +took the lute and sang to a lively measure these couplets, + +My love a meeting promised me and kept it faithfully, * + One night as many I shall count in number and degree: +O Night of joyance Fate vouchsafed to faithful lovers tway, * + Uncaring for the railer loon and all his company! +My lover lay the Night with me and clipt me with his right, * + While I with left embraced him, a-faint for ecstasy; +And hugged him to my breast and sucked the sweet wine of his + lips, * Full savouring the honey-draught the honey-man sold + to me.' + +Whilst we were thus drowned in the sea of gladness" (continued +the jeweller) "behold, there came in to us a little maid +trembling and said, 'O my lady, look how you may go away for the +folk have found you out and have surrounded the house; and we +know not the cause of this!' When I heard her words, I arose +startled and lo! in rushed a slave-girl who cried, 'Calamity hath +come upon you.' At the same moment the door was burst open and +there rushed in upon us ten men masked in kerchiefs with hangers +in their hands and swords by their sides, and as many more behind +them. When I saw this, the world was straitened on me for all its +wideness, and I looked to the door but saw no issue; so I sprang +from the terrace into the house of one of my neighbours and there +hid myself. Thence I found that folk had entered my lodgings and +were making a mighty hubbub; and I concluded that the Caliph had +got wind of us and had sent his Chief of the Watch to seize us +and bring us before him. So I abode confounded and ceased not +remaining in my place, without any possibility of quitting it +till midnight. And presently the house-master arose, for he had +heard me moving, and he feared with exceeding great fear of me; +so he came forth from his room with drawn brand in hand and made +at me, saying, 'Who is this in my house?' Quoth I, 'I am thy +neighbour the jeweller;' and he knew me and retired. Then he +fetched a light and coming up to me, said, 'O my brother, indeed +that which hath befallen thee this night is no light matter to +me.' I replied, 'O my brother, tell me who was in my house and +entered it breaking in my door; for I fled to thee not knowing +what was to do.' He answered, 'Of a truth the robbers who +attacked our neighbours yesterday and slew such an one and took +his goods, saw thee on the same day bringing furniture into this +house; so they broke in upon thee and stole thy goods and slew +thy guests.' Then we arose" (pursued the jeweller), "I and he, +and repaired to my house, which we found empty without a stick +remaining in it; so I was confounded at the case and said to +myself, 'As for the gear I care naught about its loss, albeit I +borrowed part of the stuff from my friends and it hath come to +grief; yet is there no harm in that, for they know my excuse in +the plunder of my property and the pillage of my place. But as +for Ali bin Bakkar and the Caliph's favourite concubine, I fear +lest their case get bruited abroad and this cause the loss of my +life.' So I turned to my neighbour and said to him, 'Thou art my +brother and my neighbour and wilt cover my nakedness; what then +dost thou advise me to do?' The man answered, 'What I counsel +thee to do is to keep quiet and wait; for they who entered thy +house and took thy goods have murdered the best men of a party +from the palace of the Caliphate and have killed not a few of the +watchmen: the government officers and guards are now in quest of +them on every road and haply they will hit upon them, whereby thy +wish will come about without effort of thine.'" The jeweller +hearing these words returned to his other house, that wherein he +dwelt,--and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +jeweller heard these words he returned to his other house wherein +he dwelt, and said to himself, "Indeed this that hath befallen me +is what Abu al-Hasan feared and from which he fled to Bassorah. +And now I have fallen into it." Presently the pillage of his +pleasure-house was noised abroad among the folk, and they came to +him from all sides and places, some exulting in his misfortune +and others excusing him and condoling with his sorrow; whilst he +bewailed himself to them and for grief neither ate meat nor drank +drink. And as he sat, repenting him of what he had done, behold +one of his servants came in to him and said, "There is a person +at the door who asketh for thee; and I know him not." The +jeweller went forth to him and saluted him who was a stranger; +and the man whispered to him, "I have somewhat to say between our +two selves." Thereupon he brought him in and asked him, "What +hast thou to tell me?" Quoth the man, "Come with me to thine +other house;" and the jeweller enquired, "Dost thou then know my +other house?" Replied the other, "I know all about thee and I +know that also whereby Allah will dispel thy dolours." "So I said +to myself" (continued the jeweller) "'I will go with him whither +he will;' and went out and walked on till we came to my second +house; and when the man saw it he said to me, 'It is without door +or doorkeeper, and we cannot possibly sit in it; so come thou +with me to another place.' Then the man continued passing from +stead to stead (and I with him) till night overtook us. Yet I put +no question to him of the matter in hand and we ceased not to +walk on, till we reached the open country. He kept saying, +'Follow me,' and quickened his pace to a trot, whilst I trotted +after him heartening my heart to go on, until we reached the +river, where he took boat with me, and the boatman rowed us over +to the other bank. Then he landed from the boat and I landed +after him: and he took my hand and led me to a street which I had +never entered in all my days, nor do I know in what quarter it +was. Presently the man stopped at the door of a house, and +opening it entered and made me enter with him; after which he +locked the door with an iron padlock,[FN#212] and led me along +the vestibule, till he brought me in the presence of ten men who +were as though they were one and the same man; they being +brothers. We saluted them" (continued the jeweller) "and they +returned our greeting and bade us be seated; so we sat down. Now +I was like to die for excess of weariness; but they brought me +rose-water and sprinkled it on my face; after which they gave me +a sherbet to drink and set before me food whereof some of them +ate with me. Quoth I to myself, 'Were there aught harmful in the +food, they would not eat with me.' So I ate, and when we had +washed our hands, each of us returned to his place. Then they +asked me, 'Dost thou know us?' and I answered, 'No! nor in my +life have I ever seen you; nay, I know not even him who brought +me hither.' Said they, 'Tell us thy tidings and lie not at all.' +Replied I, 'Know then that my case is wondrous and my affair +marvellous; but wot ye anything about me?' They rejoined, 'Yes! +it was we took thy goods yesternight and carried off thy friend +and her who was singing to him.' Quoth I, 'Allah let down His +veil over you! Where be my friend and she who was singing to +him?' They pointed with their hands to one side and replied, +'Yonder, but, by Allah, O our brother, the secret of their case +is known to none save to thee, for from the time we brought the +twain hither up to this day, we have not looked upon them nor +questioned them of their condition, seeing them to be persons of +rank and dignity. Now this and this only it was that hindered our +killing them: so tell us the truth of their case and thou shalt +be assured of thy safety and of theirs.' When I heard this" +(continued the jeweller) "I almost died of fright and horror, and +I said to them, 'Know ye, O my brethren, that if generosity were +lost, it would not be found save with you; and had I a secret +which I feared to reveal, none but your breasts would conceal +it.' And I went on exaggerating their praises in this fashion, +till I saw that frankness and readiness to speak out would profit +me more than concealing facts; so I told them all that had +betided me to the very end of the tale. When they heard it, they +said, 'And is this young man Ali Bakkar-son and this lady Shams +al-Nahar?' I replied, 'Yes.' Now this was grievous to them and +they rose and made their excuses to the two and then they said to +me, 'Of what we took from thy house part is spent, but here is +what is left of it.' So speaking, they gave me back most of my +goods and they engaged to return them to their places in my +house, and to restore me the rest as soon as they could. My heart +was set at ease till they split into two parties, one with me and +the other against me; and we fared forth from that house and such +was my case. But as regards Ali bin Bakkar and Shams al-Nahar; +they were well-nigh dying for excess of fear, when I went up to +them and saluting them, asked, 'What happened to the damsel and +the two maids, and where be they gone?', and they answered only, +'We know nothing of them.' Then we walked on and stinted not till +we came to the river-bank where the barque lay; and we all +boarded it, for it was the same which had brought me over on the +day before. The boatman rowed us to the other side; but hardly +had we landed and taken seat on the bank to rest, when a troop of +horse swooped down on us like eagles and surrounded us on all +sides and places, whereupon the robbers with us sprang up in +haste like vultures, and the boat put back for them and took them +in and the boatman pushed off into mid-stream, leaving us on the +river bank, unable to move or to stand still. Then the chief +horseman said to us, 'Whence be ye!'; and we were perplexed for +an answer, but I said" (continued the jeweller), "'Those ye saw +with us are rogues; we know them not. As for us, we are singers, +and they intended taking us to sing for them, nor could we get +free of them, save by subtlety and soft words; so on this +occasion they let us go, their works being such as you have +seen.' But they looked at Shams al-Nahar and Ali bin Bakkar and +said to me, 'Thou hast not spoken sooth but, if thy tale be true, +tell us who ye are and whence ye are; and what be your place and +in what quarter you dwell.' I knew not what to answer them, but +Shams al-Nahar sprang up and approaching the Captain of the +horsemen spoke with him privily, whereupon he dismounted from his +steed and, setting her on horse-back, took the bridle and began +to lead his beast. And two of his men did the like with the +youth, Ali bin Bakkar, and it was the same with myself. The +Commandant of the troop ceased not faring on with us, till they +reached a certain part of the river bank, when he sang out in +some barbarous jargon[FN#213] and there came to us a number of +men with two boats. Then the Captain embarked us in one of them +(and he with us) whilst the rest of his men put off in the other, +and rowed on with us till we arrived at the palace of the +Caliphate where Shams al-Nahar landed. And all the while we +endured the agonies of death for excess of fear, and they ceased +not faring till they came to a place whence there was a way to +our quarter. Here we landed and walked on, escorted by some of +the horsemen, till we came to Ali bin Bakkar's house; and when we +entered it, our escort took leave of us and went their way. We +abode there, unable to stir from the place and not knowing the +difference between morning and evening; and in such case we +continued till the dawn of the next day. And when it was again +nightfall, I came to myself and saw Ali bin Bakkar and the women +and men of his household weeping over him, for he was stretched +out without sense or motion. Some of them came to me and +thoroughly arousing me said, 'Tell us what hath befallen our son +and say how came he in this plight?' Replied I, 'O folk, hearken +to me!'"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +jeweller answered them, "'O folk, hearken to my words and give me +no trouble and annoyance! but be patient and he will come to and +tell you his tale for himself.' And I was hard upon them and made +them afraid of a scandal between me and them, but as we were +thus, behold, Ali bin Bakkar moved on his carpet-bed, whereat his +friends rejoiced and the stranger folk withdrew from him; but his +people forbade me to go away. Then they sprinkled rose-water on +his face and he presently revived and sensed the air; whereupon +they questioned him of his case, and he essayed to answer them +but his tongue could not speak forthright and he signed to them +to let me go home. So they let me go, and I went forth hardly +crediting my escape and returned to my own house, supported by +two men. When my people saw me thus, they rose up and set to +shrieking and slapping their faces; but I signed to them with my +hand to be silent and they were silent. Then the two men went +their way and I threw myself down on my bed, where I lay the rest +of the night and awoke not till the forenoon, when I found my +people gathered round me and saying, 'What calamity befel thee, +and what evil with its mischief did fell thee?' Quoth I 'Bring me +somewhat to drink.' So they brought me drink, and I drank of it +what I would and said to them, 'What happened, happened.' +Thereupon they went away and I made my excuses to my friends, and +asked if any of the goods that had been stolen from my other +house had been returned. They answered, 'Yes! some of them have +come back; by token that a man entered and threw them down within +the doorway and we saw him not.' So I comforted myself and abode +in my place two days, unable to rise and leave it; and presently +I took courage and went to the bath, for I was worn out with +fatigue and troubled in mind for Ali bin Bakkar and Shams +al-Nahar, because I had no news of them all this time and could +neither get to Ali's house nor, out of fear for my life, take my +rest in mine own. And I repented to Almighty Allah of what I had +done and praised Him for my safety. Presently my fancy suggested +to me to go to such and such a place and see the folk and solace +myself; so I went on foot to the cloth-market and sat awhile with +a friend of mine there. When I rose to go, I saw a woman standing +over against me; so I looked at her, and lo! it was Shams +al-Nahar's slave-girl. When I saw her, the world grew dark in my +eyes and I hurried on. She followed me, but I was seized with +affright and fled from her, and whenever I looked at her, a +trembling came upon me whilst she pursued me, saying. 'Stop, that +I may tell thee somewhat!' But I heeded her not and never ceased +walking till I reached a mosque, and she entered after me. I +prayed a two-bow prayer, after which I turned to her and, +sighing, said, 'What cost thou want?' She asked me how I did, and +I told her all that had befallen myself and Ali bin Bakkar and +besought her for news of herself. She answered, 'Know that when I +saw the robbers break open thy door and rush in, I was in sore +terror, for I doubted not but that they were the Caliph's +officers and would seize me and my mistress and we should perish +forthwith: so we fled over the roofs, I and the maids; and, +casting ourselves down from a high place, came upon some people +with whom we took refuge; and they received us and brought us to +the palace of the Caliphate, where we arrived in the sorriest of +plights. We concealed our case and abode on coals of fire till +nightfall, when I opened the river-gate and, calling the boatman +who had carried us the night before, said to him, 'I know not +what is become of my mistress; so take me in the boat, that we +may go seek her on the river: haply I shall chance on some news +of her. Accordingly he took me into the boat and went about with +me and ceased not wending till midnight, when I spied a barque +making towards the water gate, with one man rowing and another +standing up and a woman lying prostrate between them twain. And +they rowed on till they reached the shore when the woman landed, +and I looked at her, and behold, it was Shams al-Nahar. Thereupon +I got out and joined her, dazed for joy to see her after having +lost all hopes of finding her alive.'" --And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +slave-girl went on telling the jeweller, "'I was dazed for joy to +see her, after having lost all hopes of finding her alive. When I +came up to her, she bade me give the man who had brought her +thither a thousand gold pieces; and we carried her in, I and the +two maids, and laid her on her bed; where she passed that night +in a sorely troubled state; and, when morning dawned, I forbade +the women and eunuchs to go in to her, or even to draw near her +for the whole of that day; but on the next she revived and +somewhat recovered and I found her as if she had come out of her +grave. I sprinkled rose-water upon her face and changed her +clothes and washed her hands and feet; nor did I cease to coax +her, till I brought her to eat a little and drink some wine, +though she had no mind to any such matter. As soon as she had +breathed the fresh air and strength began to return to her, I +took to upbraiding her, saying, 'O my lady, consider and have +pity on thyself; thou seest what hath betided us: surely, enough +and more than enough of evil hath befallen thee; for indeed thou +hast been nigh upon death. She said, 'By Allah, O good damsel, in +sooth death were easier to me than what hath betided me; for it +seemed as though I should be slain and no power could save me. +When the robbers took us from the jeweller's house they asked me, +Who mayest thou be? and hearing my answer, 'I am a singing girl, +they believed me. Then they turned to Ali bin Bakkar and made +enquiries about him, 'And who art thou and what is thy +condition?; whereto he replied, 'I am of the common kind. So they +took us and carried us along, without our resisting, to their +abode; and we hurried on with them for excess of fear; but when +they had us set down with them in the house, they looked hard at +me and seeing the clothes I wore and my necklaces and jewellery, +believed not my account of myself and said to me, 'Of a truth +these necklaces belong to no singing-girl; so be soothfast and +tell us the truth of thy case. I returned them no answer +whatever, saying in my mind, 'Now will they slay me for the sake +of my apparel and ornaments; and I spoke not a word. Then the +villains turned to Ali bin Bakkar, asking, 'And thou, who art +thou and whence art thou? for thy semblance seemeth not as that +of the common kind. But he was silent and we ceased not to keep +our counsel and to weep, till Allah softened the rogues' hearts +to pity and they said to us, 'Who is the owner of the house +wherein we were?' We answered, 'Such an one, the jeweller; +whereupon quoth one of them, 'I know him right well and I wot the +other house where he liveth and I will engage to bring him to you +this very hour. Then they agreed to set me in a place by myself +and Ali bin Bakkar in a place by himself, and said to us, 'Be at +rest ye twain and fear not lest your secret be divulged; ye are +safe from us. Meanwhile their comrade went away and returned with +the jeweller, who made known to them our case, and we joined +company with him; after which a man of the band fetched a barque, +wherein they embarked us all three and, rowing us over the river, +landed us with scant ceremony on the opposite bank and went their +ways. Thereupon up came a horse-patrol and asked us who we were; +so I spoke with the Captain of the watch and said to him, 'I am +Shams al-Nahar, the Caliph's favourite; I had drunken strong wine +and went out to visit certain of my acquaintance of the wives of +the Wazirs, when yonder rogues came upon me and laid hold of me +and brought me to this place; but when they saw you, they fled as +fast as they could. I met these men with them: so do thou escort +me and them to a place of safety and I will requite thee as I am +well able to do. When the Captain of the watch heard my speech, +he knew me and alighting, mounted me on his horse; and in like +manner did two of his men with Ali bin Bakkar. So I spoke to her' +(continued the handmaid) 'and blamed her doings, and bade her +beware, and said to her, 'O my lady, have some care for thy +life!' But she was angered at my words and cried out at me; +accordingly I left her and came forth in quest of thee, but found +thee not and dared not go to the house of Ali bin Bakkar; so +stood watching for thee, that I might ask thee of him and wot how +it goes with him. And I pray thee, of thy favour, to take of me +some money, for thou hast doubtless borrowed from thy friends +part of the gear and as it is lost, it behoveth thee to make it +good with folk.' I replied, 'To hear is to obey! go on;' and I +walked with her till we drew near my house, when she said to me, +'Wait here till I come back to thee.'"--And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after the +slave-girl had addressed the jeweller, "'Wait here till I come +back to thee!' she went away and presently returned with the +money, which she put" (continued the jeweller) "into my hand, +saying, 'O my master, in what place shall we meet?' Quoth I, 'I +will start and go to my house at once and suffer hard things for +thy sake and contrive how thou mayst win access to him, for such +access is difficult at this present.' Said she, 'Let me know some +spot, where I shall come to thee,' and I answered, 'In my other +house, I will go thither forthright and have the doors mended and +the place made safe again, and henceforth we will meet there.' +Then she took leave of me and went her way, whilst I carried the +money home, and counting it, found it five thousand dinars. So I +gave my people some of it and to all who had lent me aught I made +good their loss, after which I arose and took my servants and +repaired to my other house whence the things had been stolen; and +I brought builders and carpenters and masons who restored it to +its former state. Moreover, I placed my negress-slave there and +forgot the mishaps which had befallen me. Then I fared forth and +repaired to Ali bin Bakkar's house and, when I reached it, his +slave-servants accosted me, saying, 'Our lord calleth for thee +night and day, and hath promised to free whichever of us bringeth +thee to him; so they have been wandering about in quest of thee +everywhere but knew not in what part to find thee. Our master is +by way of recovering strength, but at times he reviveth and at +times he relapseth; and whenever he reviveth he nameth thee, and +saith, 'Needs must ye bring him to me, though but for the +twinkling of an eye;' and then he sinketh back into his torpor.' +Accordingly" (continued the jeweller) "I accompanied the slave +and went in to Ali bin Bakkar; and, finding him unable to speak, +sat down at his head, whereupon he opened his eyes and seeing me, +wept and said, 'Welcome and well come!' I raised him and making +him sit up, strained him to my bosom, and he said, 'Know, O my +brother, that, from the hour I took to my bed, I have not sat up +till now: praise to Allah that I see thee again!' And I ceased +not to prop him and support him until I made him stand on his +feet and walk a few steps, after which I changed his clothes and +he drank some wine: but all this he did for my satisfaction. +Then, seeing him somewhat restored, I told him what had befallen +me with the slave-girl (none else hearing me), and said to him, +'Take heart and be of good courage, I know what thou sufferest.' +He smiled and I added, 'Verily nothing shall betide thee save +what shall rejoice thee and medicine thee.' Thereupon he called +for food, which being brought, he signed to his pages, and they +withdrew. Then quoth he to me, 'O my brother, hast thou seen what +hath befallen me?'; and he made excuses to me and asked how I had +fared all that while. I told him everything that had befallen me, +from beginning to end, whereat he wondered and calling his +servants, said, 'Bring me such and such things.' They brought in +fine carpets and hangings and, besides that, vessels of gold and +silver, more than I had lost, and he gave them all to me; so I +sent them to my house and abode with him that night. When the day +began to yellow, he said to me, 'Know thou that as to all things +there is an end, so the end of love is either death or +accomplishment of desire. I am nearer unto death, would I had +died ere this befel!; and had not Allah favoured us, we had been +found out and put to shame. And now I know not what shall deliver +me from this my strait, and were it not that I fear Allah, I +would hasten my own death; for know, O my brother, that I am like +bird in cage and that my life is of a surety perished, choked by +the distresses which have befallen me; yet hath it a period +stablished firm and an appointed term.' And he wept and groaned +and began repeating, + + 'Enough of tears hath shed the lover-wight, * + When grief outcast all patience from his sprite: + He hid the secrets which united us, * + But now His eye parts what He did unite!'" + +When he had finished his verses, the jeweller said to him, "O my +lord, I now intend returning to my house." He answered, "There be +no harm in that; go and come back to me with news as fast as +possible, for thou seest my case." "So I took leave of him" +(continued the jeweller) "and went home, and hardly had I sat +down, when up came the damsel, choked with long weeping. I asked, +'What is the matter'?; and she answered, 'O my lord, know then +that what we feared hath befallen us; for, when I left thee +yesterday and returned to my lady, I found her in a fury with one +of the two maids who were with us the other night, and she +ordered her to be beaten. The girl was frightened and ran away; +but, as she was leaving the house, one of the door-porters and +guards of the gate met her and took her up and would have sent +her back to her mistress. However, she let fall some hints, which +were a disclosure to him; so he cajoled her and led her on to +talk, and she tattled about our case and let him know of all our +doings. This affair came to the ears of the Caliph, who bade +remove my mistress, Shams al-Nahar, and all her gear to the +palace of the Caliphate; and set over her a guard of twenty +eunuchs. Since then to the present hour he hath not visited her +nor hath given her to know the reason of his action, but I +suspect this to be the cause; wherefore I am in fear for my life +and am sore troubled, O my lord, knowing not what I shall do, nor +with what contrivance I shall order my affair and hers; for she +hath none by her more trusted or more trustworthy than +myself.'"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +slave-girl thus addressed the jeweller, "'And in very sooth my +lady hath none by her more trusted or more trustworthy in matter +of secrecy than myself. So go thou, O my master, and speed thee +without delay to Ali bin Bakkar; and acquaint him with this, that +he may be on his guard and ward; and, if the affair be +discovered, we will cast about for some means whereby to save our +lives.' On this" (continued the jeweller), "I was seized with +sore trouble and the world grew dark in my sight for the +slave-girl's words; and when she was about to wend, I said to +her, 'What reckest thou and what is to be done?' Quoth she, 'My +counsel is that thou hasten to Ali bin Bakkar, if thou be indeed +his friend and desire to save him; thine be it to carry him this +news at once without aught of stay and delay, or regard for far +and near; and mine be it to sniff about for further news.' Then +she took her leave of me and went away: so I rose and followed +her track and, betaking myself to Ali bin Bakkar, found him +flattering himself with impossible expectations. When he saw me +returning to him so soon, he said, 'I see thou hast come back to +me forthwith and only too soon.' I answered, 'Patience, and cut +short this foolish connection and shake off the pre-occupation +wherein thou art, for there hath befallen that which may bring +about the loss of thy life and good.' Now when he heard this, he +was troubled and strongly moved; and he said to me, 'O my +brother, tell me what hath happened.' Replied I, 'O my lord, know +that such and such things have happened and thou art lost without +recourse, if thou abide in this thy house till the end of the +day.' At this, he was confounded and his soul well-nigh departed +his body, but he recovered himself and said to me, 'What shall I +do, O my brother, and what counsel hast thou to offer.' Answered +I, 'My advice is that thou take what thou canst of thy property +and whom of thy slaves thou trustest, and flee with us to a land +other than this, ere this very day come to an end.' And he said, +'I hear and I obey.' So he rose, confused and dazed like one in +epilepsy, now walking and now falling, and took what came under +his hand. Then he made an excuse to his household and gave them +his last injunctions, after which he loaded three camels and +mounted his beast; and I did likewise. We went forth privily in +disguise and fared on and ceased not our wayfare the rest of that +day and all its night, till nigh upon morning, when we unloaded +and, hobbling our camels, lay down to sleep. But we were worn +with fatigue and we neglected to keep watch, so that there fell +upon us robbers, who stripped us of all we had and slew our +slaves, when these would have beaten them off, leaving us naked +and in the sorriest of plights, after they had taken our money +and lifted our beasts and disappeared. As soon as they were gone, +we arose and walked on till morning dawned, when we came to a +village which we entered, and finding a mosque took refuge +therein for we were naked. So we sat in a corner all that day and +we passed the next night without meat or drink; and at day-break +we prayed our dawn-prayer and sat down again. Presently behold, a +man entered and saluting us prayed a two-bow prayer, after which +he turned to us and said, 'O folk, are ye strangers?' We replied, +'Yes: the bandits waylaid us and stripped us naked, and we came +to this town but know none here with whom we may shelter.' Quoth +he, 'What say ye? will you come home with me?' And" (pursued the +jeweller) "I said to Ali bin Bakkar, 'Up and let us go with him, +and we shall escape two evils; the first, our fear lest some one +who knoweth us enter this mosque and recognise us, so that we +come to disgrace; and the second, that we are strangers and have +no place wherein to lodge.' And he answered helplessly, 'As thou +wilt.' Then the man said to us again, 'O ye poor folk, give ear +unto me and come with me to my place,' and I replied, 'Hearkening +and obedience;' whereupon he pulled off a part of his own clothes +and covered us therewith and made his excuses to us and spoke +kindly to us. Then we arose and accompanied him to his house and +he knocked at the door, whereupon a little slave-boy came out and +opened to us. The host entered and we followed him;[FN#214] when +he called for a bundle of clothes and muslins for turbands, and +gave us each a suit and a piece; so we dressed and turbanded +ourselves and sat us down. Presently, in came a damsel with a +tray of food and set it before us, saying, 'Eat.' We ate some +small matter and she took away the tray: after which we abode +with our host till nightfall, when Ali bin Bakkar sighed and said +to me, 'Know, O my brother, that I am a dying man past hope of +life and I would charge thee with a charge: it is that, when thou +seest me dead, thou go to my parent[FN#215] and tell her of my +decease and bid her come hither that she may be here to receive +the visits of condolence and be present at the washing of my +corpse, and do thou exhort her to bear my loss with patience.' +Then he fell down in a fainting fit and, when he recovered he +heard a damsel singing afar off and making verses as she sang. +Thereupon he addressed himself to give ear to her and hearken to +her voice; and now he was insensible, absent from the world, and +now he came to himself; and anon he wept for grief and mourning +at the love which had befallen him. Presently, he heard the +damsel who was singing repeat these couplets, + + 'Parting ran up to part from lover-twain * + Free converse, perfect concord, friendship fain: + The Nights with shifting drifted us apart, * + Would heaven I wot if we shall meet again: + How bitter after meeting 'tis to part, * + May lovers ne'er endure so bitter pain! + Death-grip, death-choke, lasts for an hour and ends, * + But parting-tortures aye in heart remain: + Could we but trace where Parting's house is placed, * + We would make Parting eke of parting taste!' + +When Ali son of Bakkar heard the damsel's song, he sobbed one sob +and his soul quitted his body. As soon as I saw that he was dead" +(continued the jeweller), "I committed his corpse to the care of +the house-master and said to him 'Know thou, that I am going to +Baghdad, to tell his mother and kinsfolk, that they may come +hither and conduct his burial.' So I betook myself to Baghdad +and, going to my house, changed my clothes; after which I +repaired to Ali bin Bakkar's lodging. Now when his servants saw +me, they came to me and questioned me of him, and I bade them ask +permission for me to go in to his mother. She gave me leave; so I +entered and saluting her, said, 'Verily Allah ordereth the lives +of all creatures by His commandment and when He decreeth aught, +there is no escaping its fulfilment; nor can any soul depart but +by leave of Allah, according to the Writ which affirmeth the +appointed term.'[FN#216] She guessed by these words that her son +was dead and wept with sore weeping, then she said to me, 'Allah +upon thee! tell me, is my son dead?' I could not answer her for +tears and excess of grief, and when she saw me thus, she was +choked with weeping and fell to the ground in a fit. As soon as +she came to herself she said to me, 'Tell me how it was with my +son.' I replied, 'May Allah abundantly compensate thee for his +loss!' and I told her all that had befallen him from beginning to +end. She then asked, 'Did he give thee any charge?'; and I +answered, 'Yes,' and told her what he had said, adding, 'Hasten +to perform his funeral.' When she heard these words, she swooned +away again; and, when she recovered, she addressed herself to do +as I charged her. Then I returned to my house; and as I went +along musing sadly upon the fair gifts of his youth, behold, a +woman caught hold of my hand;"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +jeweller thus continued:--"A woman caught hold of my hand; and I +looked at her and lo! it was the slave-girl who used to come from +Shams al-Nahar, and she seemed broken by grief. When we knew each +other we both wept and ceased not weeping till we reached my +house, and I said to her, 'Knowest thou the news of the youth, +Ali bin Bakkar?' She replied, 'No, by Allah!'; so I told her the +manner of his death and all that had passed, whilst we both wept; +after which quoth I to her, 'How is it with thy mistress?' Quoth +she, 'The Commander of the Faithful would not hear a single word +against her; but, for the great love he bore her, saw all her +actions in a favourable light, and said to her, 'O Shams +al-Nahar, thou art dear to me and I will bear with thee and bring +the noses of thy foes to the grindstone. Then he bade them +furnish her an apartment decorated with gold and a handsome +sleeping-chamber, and she abode with him in all ease of life and +high favour. Now it came to pass that one day, as he sat at wine +according to his custom, with his favourite concubines in +presence, he bade them be seated in their several ranks and made +Shams al-Nahar sit by his side. But her patience had failed and +her disorder had redoubled upon her. Then he bade one of the +damsels sing: so she took a lute and tuning it struck the chords, +and began to sing these verses, + +'One craved my love and I gave all he craved of me, * + And tears on cheek betray how 'twas I came to yield: +Tear-drops, meseemeth, are familiar with our case, * + Revealing what I hide, hiding what I revealed: +How can I hope in secret to conceal my love, * + Which stress of passion ever showeth unconcealed: +Death, since I lost my lover, is grown sweet to me; * + Would I knew what their joys when I shall quit the field! + +Now when Shams al-Nahar heard these verses sung by the +slave-girl, she could not keep her seat; but fell down in a +fainting-fit whereupon the Caliph cast the cup from his hand and +drew her to him crying out; and the damsels also cried out, and +the Prince of True Believers turned her over and shook her, and +lo and behold! she was dead. The Caliph grieved over her death +with sore grief and bade break all the vessels and +dulcimers[FN#217] and other instruments of mirth and music which +were in the room; then carrying her body to his closet, he abode +with her the rest of the night. When the day broke, he laid her +out and commanded to wash her and shroud her and bury her. And he +mourned for her with sore mourning, and questioned not of her +case nor of what caused her condition. And I beg thee in Allah's +name' (continued the damsel) 'to let me know the day of the +coming of Ali bin Bakkar's funeral procession that I may be +present at his burial.' Quoth I, 'For myself, where thou wilt +thou canst find me; but thou, where art thou to be found, and who +can come at thee where thou art?' She replied, 'On the day of +Shams al-Nahar's death, the Commander of the Faithful freed all +her women, myself among the rest;[FN#218] and I am one of those +now abiding at the tomb in such a place.' So I rose and +accompanied her to the burial-ground and piously visited Shams +al-Nahar's tomb; after which I went my way and ceased not to +await the coming of Ali bin Bakkar's funeral. When it arrived, +the people of Baghdad went forth to meet it and I went forth with +them: and I saw the damsel among the women and she the loudest of +them in lamentation, crying out and wailing with a voice that +rent the vitals and made the heart ache. Never was seen in +Baghdad a finer funeral than his; and we ceased not to follow in +crowds till we reached the cemetery and buried him to the mercy +of Almighty Allah; nor from that time to this have I ceased to +visit the tombs of Ali son of Bakkar and of Shams al-Nahar. This, +then, is their story, and Allah Almighty have mercy upon +them!"[FN#219] And yet is not their tale (continued Shahrazad) +more wonderful than that of King Shahriman. The King asked her +"And what was his tale?"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Seventieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, as regards the + + + + + + + TALE OF KAMAR AL ZAMAN, + + + +That there was in times of yore and in ages long gone before a +King called Shahrimn,[FN#220] who was lord of many troops and +guards, and officers, and who reigned over certain islands, known +as the Khlidn Islands,[FN#221] on the borders of the land of +the Persians. But he was stricken in years and his bones were +wasted, without having been blessed with a son, albeit he had +four wives, daughters of Kings, and threescore concubines, with +each of whom he was wont to lie one night in turn.[FN#222] This +preyed upon his mind and disquieted him, so that he complained +thereof to one of his Wazirs, saying, "Verily I fear lest my +kingdom be lost when I die, for that I have no son to succeed +me." The Minister answered, "O King, peradventure Allah shall yet +bring something to pass; so rely upon the Almighty and be instant +in prayer. It is also my counsel that thou spread a banquet and +invite to it the poor and needy, and let them eat of thy food; +and supplicate the Lord to vouchsafe thee a son; for perchance +there may be among thy guests a righteous soul whose prayers find +acceptance; and thereby thou shalt win thy wish." So the King +rose, made the lesser ablution, and prayed a two-bow +prayer,[FN#223] then he cried upon Allah with pure intention; +after which he called his chief wife to bed and lay with her +forthright. By grace of God she conceived and, when her months +were accomplished, she bore a male child, like the moon on the +night of fulness. The King named him Kamar al-Zamn,[FN#224] and +rejoiced in him with extreme joy and bade the city be dressed out +in his honour; so they decorated the streets seven days, whilst +the drums beat and the messengers bore the glad tidings abroad. +Then wet and dry nurses were provided for the boy and he was +reared in splendour and delight, until he reached the age of +fifteen. He grew up of surpassing beauty and seemlihead and +symmetry, and his father loved him so dear that he could not +brook to be parted from him day or night. One day he complained +to a certain of his Ministers anent the excess of his love for +his only child, saying, "O thou the Wazir, of a truth I fear for +my son, Kamar al-Zaman, the shifts and accidents which befal man +and fain would I marry him in my life-time." Answered the Wazir, +"O King, know thou that marriage is one of the most honourable of +moral actions, and thou wouldst indeed do well and right to marry +thy son in thy lifetime, ere thou make him Sultan." On this quoth +the King, "Hither with my son Kamar al-Zaman;" so he came and +bowed his head to the ground in modesty before his sire. "O Kamar +al Zaman," said King Shahriman, "of a truth I desire to marry +thee and rejoice in thee during my lifetime." Replied he, "O my +father, know that I have no lust to marry nor cloth my soul +incline to women; for that concerning their craft and perfidy I +have read many books and heard much talk, even as saith the poet, + +'Now, an of women ask ye, I reply:--* + In their affairs I'm versed a doctor rare! +When man's head grizzles and his money dwindles, * + In their affections he hath naught for share.' + +And another said:-- + +'Rebel against women and so shalt thou serve Allah the more; * + The youth who gives women the rein must forfeit all hope to + soar. +They'll baulk him when seeking the strange device, Excelsior, * + Tho' waste he a thousand of years in the study of science + and lore.' " + +And when he had ended his verses he continued, "O my father, +wedlock is a thing whereto I will never consent; no, not though I +drink the cup of death." When Sultan Shahriman heard these words +from his son, light became darkness in his sight and he grieved +thereat with great grief.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King +Shahriman heard these words from his son, the light became +darkness in his sight and he grieved over his son's lack of +obedience to his directions in the matter of marriage; yet, for +the great love he bore him, he was unwilling to repeat his wishes +and was not wroth with him, but caressed him and spake him fair +and showed him all manner of kindness such as tendeth to induce +affection. All this, and Kamar al-Zaman increased daily in beauty +and loveliness and amorous grace; and the King bore with him for +a whole year till he became perfect in eloquence and elegant wit. +All men were ravished with his charms; and every breeze that blew +bore the tidings of his gracious favour; his fair sight was a +seduction to the loving and a garden of delight to the longing, +for he was honey-sweet of speech and the sheen of his face shamed +the full moon; he was a model of symmetry and blandishment and +engaging ways; his shape was as the willow-wand or the rattan- +cane and his cheeks might take the place of rose or red anemone. +He was, in fine the pink of perfection, even as the poet hath +said of him, + +"He came and cried they, 'Now be Allah blest! * + Praise Him that clad that soul in so fair vest!' +He's King of Beauty where the beauteous be; * + All are his Ryots,[FN#225] all obey his hest: +His lip-dew's sweeter than the virgin honey; * + His teeth are pearls in double row close press: +All charms are congregate in him alone, * + And deals his loveliness to man unrest. +Beauty wrote on those cheeks for worlds to see * + 'I testify there is none good but He.'"[FN#226] + +When the year came to an end, the King called his son to him and +said, "O my son, wilt thou not hearken to me?" Whereupon Kamar +al-Zaman fell down for respect and shame before his sire and +replied, "O my father, how should I not hearken to thee, seeing +that Allah commandeth me to obey thee and not gain-say thee?" +Rejoined King Shahriman, "O my son, know that I desire to marry +thee and rejoice in thee whilst yet I live, and make thee King +over my realm, before my death." When the Prince heard his sire +pronounce these words he bowed his head awhile, then raised it +and said, "O my father, this is a thing which I will never do; +no, not though I drink the cup of death! I know of a surety that +the Almighty hath made obedience to thee a duty in religion; but, +Allah upon thee! press me not in this matter of marriage, nor +fancy that I will ever marry my life long; for that I have read +the books both of the ancients and the moderns, and have come to +know all the mischiefs and miseries which have befallen them +through women and their endless artifices. And how excellent is +the saying of the poet, + +'He whom the randy motts entrap * + Shall never see deliverance! +Though build he forts a thousand-fold, * + Whose mighty strength lead-plates enhance,[FN#227] +Their force shall be of no avail; * + These fortresses have not a chance! +Women aye deal in treachery * + To far and near o'er earth's expanse +With fingers dipt in Henna-blood * + And locks in braids that mad the glance; +And eyelids painted o'er with Kohl * + They gar us drink of dire mischance.' + +And how excellently saith another, + +'Women, for all the chastity they claim, * + Are offal cast by kites where'er they list: +This night their talk and secret charms are shine, * + That night another joyeth calf and wrist: +Like inn, whence after night thou far'st at dawn, * + And lodges other wight thou hast not wist.'"[FN#228] + +Now when King Shahriman heard these his son's words and learnt +the import of his verses and poetical quotations, he made no +answer, of his excessive love for him, but redoubled in +graciousness and kindness to him. He at once broke up the +audience and, as soon as the seance was over, he summoned his +Minister and taking him apart, said to him, "O thou the Wazir! +tell me how I shall deal with my son in the matter of marriage."- +-And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted stay. + + When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King +summoned his Minister; and, taking him apart, said to him, "O +thou the Wazir, tell me what I shall do with my son in the matter +of marriage. Of a truth I took counsel with thee thereon and thou +didst counsel me to marry him, before making him King. I have +spoken with him of wedlock time after time and he still gainsaid +me; so do thou, O Wazir, forthright advise me what to do." +Answered the Minister, "O King, wait another year and, if after +that thou be minded to speak to him on the matter of marriage, +speak not to him privily, but address him on a day of state, when +all the Emirs and Wazirs are present with the whole of the army +standing before thee. And when all are in crowd then send for thy +son, Kamar al-Zaman, and summon him; and, when he cometh, broach +to him the matter of marriage before the Wazirs and Grandees and +Officers of state and Captains; for he will surely be bashful and +daunted by their presence and will not dare to oppose thy will." +Now when King Shahriman heard his Wazir's words, he rejoiced with +exceeding joy, seeing success in the project, and bestowed on him +a splendid robe of honour. Then he took patience with his son +another year, whilst, with every day that passed over him, Kamar +al-Zaman increased in beauty and loveliness, and elegance and +perfect grace, till he was nigh twenty years old. Indeed Allah +had clad him in the cloak of comeliness and had crowned him with +the crown of completion: his eye-glance was more bewitching than +Hrt and Mart[FN#229] and the play of his luring looks more +misleading than Tght;[FN#230] and his cheeks shone like the +dawn rosy-red and his eyelashes stormed the keen-edged blade: the +whiteness of his brow resembled the moon shining bright, and the +blackness of his locks was as the murky night; and his waist was +more slender than the gossamer[FN#231] and his back parts than +two sand heaps bulkier, making a Babel of the heart with their +softness; but his waist complained of the weight of his hips and +loins; and his charms ravished all mankind, even as one of the +poets saith in these couplets, + +"By his eyelash tendril curled, by his slender waist I swear, +By the dart his witchery feathers, fatal hurtling through the + air; +By the just roundness of his shape, by his glances bright and + keen +By the swart limping of his locks, and his fair forehead shining + sheen; +By his eyebrows which deny that she who looks on them should + sleep, +Which now commanding, now forbidding, o'er me high dominion keep; +By the roses of his cheek, his face as fresh as myrtle wreath +His tulip lips, and those pure pearls that hold the places of his + teeth; +By his noble form, which rises featly turned in even swell +To where upon his jutting chest two young pomegranates seem to + dwell +By his supple moving hips, his taper waist, the silky skin, +By all he robbed Perfection of, and holds enchained his form + within; +By his tongue of steadfastness, his nature true, and excellent, +By the greatness of his rank, his noble birth, and high descent, +Musk from my love her savour steals, who musk exhales from every + limb +And all the airs ambergris breathes are but the Zephyr's blow + o'er him. +The sun, methinks, the broad bright sun, as low before my love + should quail +As would my love himself transcend the paltry paring of his + nail!"[FN#232] + +So King Shahriman, having accepted the counsel of his Wazir, +waited for another year and a great festival,--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shahriman +having accepted the counsel of his Wazir, waited for another year +and a great festival, a day of state when the audience hall was +filled with his Emirs and Wazirs and Grandees of his reign and +Officers of State and Captains of might and main. Thereupon he +sent for his son Kamar al-Zaman who came, and kissing the ground +before him three times, stood in presence of his sire with his +hands behind his back the right grasping the left.[FN#233] Then +said the King to him, "Know O my son, that I have not sent for +thee on this occasion and summoned thee to appear before this +assembly and all these officers of estate here awaiting our +orders save and except that I may lay a commandment on thee, +wherein do thou not disobey me; and my commandment is that thou +marry, for I am minded to wed thee to a King's daughter and +rejoice in thee ere I die." When the Prince heard this much from +his royal sire, he bowed his head groundwards awhile, then +raising it towards his father and being moved thereto at that +time by youthful folly and boyish ignorance, replied, "But for +myself I will never marry; no, not though I drink the cup of +death! As for thee, thou art great in age and small of wit: hast +thou not, twice ere this day and before this occasion, questioned +me of the matter of marriage and I refused my consent? Indeed +thou dotest and are not fit to govern a flock of sheep!" So +saying Kamar al-Zaman unclasped his hands from behind his back +and tucked up his sleeves above his elbows before his father, +being in a fit of fury; moreover, he added many words to his +sire, knowing not what he said in the trouble of his spirits. The +King was confounded and ashamed, for that this befel in the +presence of his grandees and soldier-officers assembled on a high +festival and a state occasion; but presently the majesty of +Kingship took him, and he cried out at his son and made him +tremble. Then he called to the guards standing before him and +said, "Seize him!' So they came forward and laid hands on him +and, binding him, brought him before his sire, who bade them +pinion his elbows behind his back and in this guise make him +stand before the presence. And the Prince bowed down his head +for fear and apprehension, and his brow and face were beaded and +spangled with sweat; and shame and confusion troubled him sorely. +Thereupon his father abused him and reviled him and cried, "Woe +to thee, thou son of adultery and nursling of +abomination![FN#234] How durst thou answer me on this wise +before my captains and soldiers? But hitherto none hath chastised +thee,"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King +Shahriman cried out to his son Kamar al-Zaman, "How durst thou +answer me on this wise before my captains and soldiers? But +hitherto none hath chastised thee. Knowest thou not that this +deed thou hast done were a disgrace to him had it been done by +the meanest of my subjects?" And the King commanded his Mamelukes +to loose his elbow bonds and imprison him in one of the bastions +of the citadel. So they took the Prince and thrust him into an +old tower, wherein there was a dilapidated saloon and in its +middle a ruined well, after having first swept it and cleansed +its floor-flags and set therein a couch on which they laid a +mattress, a leathern rug and a cushion; and then they brought a +great lanthorn and a wax candle, for that place was dark, even by +day. And lastly the Mamelukes led Kamar al-Zaman thither, and +stationed an eunuch at the door. And when all this was done, the +Prince threw himself on the couch, sad-spirited, and heavy- +hearted; blaming himself and repenting of his injurious conduct +to his father, whenas repentance availed him naught, and saying, +"Allah curse marriage and marriageable and married women, the +traitresses all! Would I had hearkened to my father and accepted +a wife! Had I so done it had been better for me than this jail." +This is how it fared with him; but as regards King Shahri man, he +remained seated on his throne all through the day until sundown; +then he took the Minister apart and said to him "Know thou, O +Wazir, that thou and thou only west the cause of all this that +hath come to pass between me and my son by the advice thou west +pleased to devise; and so what dost thou counsel me to do now?" +Answered he, "O King, leave thy son in limbo for the space of +fifteen days: then summon him to thy presence and bid him wed; +and assuredly he shall not gainsay thee again."--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir, +said to King Shahriman, "Leave thy son in limbo for the space of +fifteen days; then summon him to thy presence and bid him wed; +and assuredly he shall not gainsay thee again." The King accepted +the Wazir's opinion and lay down to sleep that night troubled at +heart concerning his son; for he loved him with dearest love +because he had no other child but this; and it was his wont every +night not to sleep, save after placing his arm under his son's +neck. So he passed that night in trouble and unease on the Prince +'s account, tossing from side to side, as he were laid on coals +of Artemisia-wood[FN#235]: for he was overcome with doubts and +fears and sleep visited him not all that livelong night; but his +eyes ran over with tears and he began repeating, ; + +"While slanderers slumber, longsome is my night; * + Suffice thee a heart so sad in parting-plight; +I say, while night in care slow moments by, * + 'What! no return for thee, fair morning light?'" + +And the saying of another, + +"When saw I Pleiad-stars his glance escape * + And Pole star draught of sleep upon him pour; +And the Bier-daughters[FN#236] wend in mourning dight, * + I knew that morning was for him no more!" + +Such was the case with King Shahriman; but as regards Kamar al- +Zaman, when the night came upon him the eunuch set the lanthorn +before him and lighting the wax-candle, placed it in the +candlestick; then brought him somewhat of food. The Prince ate a +little and continually reproached himself for his unseemly +treatment of his father, saying to himself, "O my soul, knowest +thou not that a son of Adam is the hostage of his tongue, and +that a man's tongue is what casteth him into deadly perils?" Then +his eyes ran over with tears and he bewailed that which he had +done, from anguished vitals and aching heart, repenting him with +exceeding repentance of the wrong wherewith he had wronged his +father and repeating, + +"Fair youth shall die by stumbling of the tongue: * + Stumble of foot works not man's life such wrong: +The slip of lip shall oft smite off the head, * + While slip of foot shall never harm one long." + +Now when he had made an end of eating, he asked for the +wherewithal to wash his hands and when the Mameluke had washed +them clean of the remnants of food, he arose and made the +Wuzu-ablution and prayed the prayers of sundown and nightfall, +conjoining them in one; after which he sat down.--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Prince Kamar al-Zaman had prayed (conjoining them in one) the +prayers of sundown and nightfall, he sat down on the well and +began reciting the Koran, and he repeated "The Cow," the "House +of Imrn," and "Y. S.;" "The Compassionate," "Blessed be the +King," "Unity" and "The two Talismans''[FN#237]; and he ended +with blessing and supplication and with saying, "I seek refuge +with Allah from Satan the stoned."[FN#238] Then he lay down upon +his couch which was covered with a mattress of satin from al- +Ma'adin town, the same on both sides and stuffed with the raw +silk of Irak; and under his head was a pillow filled with +ostrich-down And when ready for sleep, he doffed his outer +clothes and drew off his bag-trousers and lay down in a shirt of +delicate stuff smooth as wax; and he donned a head-kerchief of +azure Marzi[FN#239] cloth; and at such time and on this guise +Kamar al-Zaman was like the full-orbed moon, when it riseth on +its fourteenth night. Then, drawing over his head a coverlet of +silk, he fell asleep with the lanthorn burning at his feet and +the wax-candle over his head, and he ceased not sleeping through +the first third of the night, not knowing what lurked for him in +the womb of the Future, and what the Omniscient had decreed for +him. Now, as Fate and Fortune would have it, both tower and +saloon were old and had been many years deserted; and there was +therein a Roman well inhabited by a Jinniyah of the seed of +Iblis[FN#240] the Accursed, by name Maymnah, daughter of Al- +Dimiryt, a renowned King of the Jnn.--And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the name of +the Jinniyah in question was Maymunah, daughter of Al-Dimiryat; a +renowned King of the Jann. And as Kamar al-Zaman continued +sleeping till the first third of the night, Maymunah came up out +of the Roman well and made for the firmament, thinking to listen +by stealth to the converse of the angels; but when she reached +the mouth of the well, she saw a light shining in the tower, +contrary to custom; and having dwelt there many years without +seeing the like, she said to herself, "Never have I witnessed +aught like this"; and, marvelling much at the matter, determined +that there must be some cause therefor. So she made for the light +and found the eunuch sleeping within the door; and inside she saw +a couch spread, whereon was a human form with the wax-candle +burning at his head and the lanthorn at his feet, and she +wondered to see the light and stole towards it little by little. +Then she folded her wings and stood by the bed and, drawing back +the coverlid, discovered Kamar al-Zaman's face. She was +motionless for a full hour in admiration and wonderment; for the +lustre of his visage outshone that of the candle; his face beamed +like a pearl with light; his eyelids were languorous like those +of the gazelle; the pupils of his eyes were intensely black and +brilliant[FN#241]; his cheeks were rosy red; his eye-brows were +arched like bows and his breath exhaled a scent of musk, even as +saith of him the poet, + +"I kissed him: darker grew those pupils,[FN#242] which * + Seduce my soul, and cheeks flushed rosier hue; +O heart, if slanderers dare to deem there be * + His like in chasms, Say 'Bring him hither, you!' " + +Now when Maymunah saw him, she pronounced the formula of +praise,[FN#243] and said, "Blessed be Allah, the best of +Creators!"; for she was of the true-believing Jinn; and she stood +awhile gazing on his face, exclaiming and envying the youth his +beauty and loveliness. And she said in herself, "By Allah! I will +do no hurt to him nor let any harm him; nay, from all of evil +will I ransom him, for this fair face deserveth not but that folk +should gaze upon it and for it praise the Lord. Yet how could his +family find it in their hearts to leave him in such desert place +where, if one of our Mrids came upon him at this hour, he would +assuredly slay him." Then the Ifritah Maymunah bent over him and +kissed him between the eyes, and presently drew back the sheet +over his face which she covered up; and after this she spread her +wings and soaring into the air, flew upwards. And after rising +high from the circle of the saloon she ceased not winging her way +through air and ascending skywards till she drew near the heaven +of this world, the lowest of the heavens. And behold, she heard +the noisy flapping of wings cleaving the welkin and, directing +herself by the sound, she found when she drew near it that the +noise came from an Ifrit called Dahnash. So she swooped down on +him like a sparrow-hawk and, when he was aware of her and knew +her to be Maymunah, the daughter of the King of the Jinn, he +feared her and his side-muscles quivered; and he implored her +forbearance, saying, I conjure thee by the Most Great and August +Name and by the most noble talisman graven upon the seal-ring of +Solomon, entreat me kindly and harm me not!" When she heard these +words her heart inclined to him and she said, "Verily, thou +conjurest me, O accursed, with a mighty conjuration. +Nevertheless, I will not let thee go, till thou tell me whence +thou comest at this hour." He replied, "O Princess, Know that I +come from the uttermost end of China-land and from among the +Islands, and I will tell thee of a wonderful thing I have seen +this night. If thou kind my words true, let me wend my way and +write me a patent under thy hand and with thy sign manual that I +am thy freedman, so none of the Jinn-hosts, whether of the upper +who fly or of the lower who walk the earth or of those who dive +beneath the waters, do me let or hindrance." Rejoined Maymunah, +"And what is it thou hast seen this night, O liar, O accursed! +Tell me without leasing and think not to escape from my hand with +falses, for I swear to thee by the letters graven upon the bezel +of the seal-ring of Solomon David son (on both of whom be +peace!), except thy speech be true, I will pluck out thy feathers +with mine own hand and strip off thy skin and break thy bones!" +Quoth the Ifrit Dahnash son of Shamhrish[FN#244] the Flyer, "I +accept, O my lady, these conditions."--And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-eight Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Dahnash +spoke thus to Maymunah, "I accept, O my lady, these conditions." +Then he resumed, "Know, O my mistress, that I come to-night from +the Islands of the Inland Sea in the parts of China, which are +the realms of King Ghayr, lord of the Islands and the Seas and +the Seven Palaces. There I saw a daughter of his, than whom Allah +hath made none fairer in her time: I cannot picture her to thee, +for my tongue would fail to describe her with her due of praise; +but I will name to thee a somewhat of her charms by way of +approach. Now her hair is like the nights of disunion and +separation and her face like the days of union and delectation; +and right well hath the poet said when picturing her, + +'She dispread the locks from her head one night, * + Showing four fold nights into one night run +And she turned her visage towards the moon, * + And two moons showed at moment one.' + +She hath a nose like the edge of the burnished blade and cheeks +like purple wine or anemones blood-red: her lips as coral and +carnelian shine and the water of her mouth is sweeter than old +wine; its taste would quench Hell's fiery pain. Her tongue is +moved by wit of high degree and ready repartee: her breast is a +seduction to all that see it (glory be to Him who fashioned it +and finished it!); and joined thereto are two upper arms smooth +and rounded; even as saith of her the poet Al-Walahn,[FN#245] + +'She hath wrists which, did her bangles not contain, * + Would run from out her sleeves in silvern rain.' + +She hath breasts like two globes of ivory, from whose brightness +the moons borrow light, and a stomach with little waves as it +were a figured cloth of the finest Egyptian linen made by the +Copts, with creases like folded scrolls, ending in a waist +slender past all power of imagination; based upon back parts like +a hillock of blown sand, that force her to sit when she would +fief stand, and awaken her, when she fain would sleep, even as +saith of her and describeth her the poet, + +'She hath those hips conjoined by thread of waist, * + Hips that o'er me and her too tyrannise +My thoughts they daze whene'er I think of them, * + And weigh her down whene'er she would uprise.'[FN#246] + +And those back parts are upborne by thighs smooth and round and +by a calf like a column of pearl, and all this reposeth upon two +feet, narrow, slender and pointed like spear-blades,[FN#247] the +handiwork of the Protector and Requiter, I wonder how, of their +littleness, they can sustain what is above them. But I cut short +my praises of her charms fearing lest I be tedious."--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Ifrit +Dahnash bin Shamhurish said to the Ifritah Maymunah, "Of a truth +I cut short my praises fearing lest I be tedious." Now when +Maymunah heard the description of that Princess and her beauty +and loveliness, she stood silent in astonishment; whereupon +Dahnash resumed, "The father of this fair maiden is a mighty +King, a fierce knight, immersed night and day in fray and fight; +for whom death hath no fright and the escape of his foe no dread, +for that he is a tyrant masterful and a conqueror irresistible, +lord of troops and armies and continents and islands, and cities +and villages, and his name is King Ghayur, Lord of the Islands +and of the Seas and of the Seven Palaces. Now he loveth his +daughter, the young maiden whom I have described to thee, with +dearest love and, for affection of her, he hath heaped together +the treasures of all the kings and built her therewith seven +palaces, each of a different fashion; the first of crystal, the +second of marble, the third of China steel, the fourth of +precious stones and gems of price, the fifth of porcelain and +many-hued onyxes and ring bezels, the sixth of silver and the +seventh of gold. And he hath filled the seven palaces with all +sorts of sumptuous furniture, rich silken carpets and hangings +and vessels of gold and silver and all manner of gear that kings +require; and hath bidden his daughter to abide in each by turns +for a certain season of the year; and her name is the Princess +Budur.[FN#248] Now when her beauty became known and her name and +fame were bruited abroad in the neighbouring countries, all the +kings sent to her father to demand her of him in marriage, and he +consulted her on the matter, but she disliked the very word +wedlock with a manner of abhorrence and said, O my father, I have +no mind to marry; no, not at all; for I am a sovereign Lady and a +Queen suzerain ruling over men, and I have no desire for a man +who shall rule over me. And the more suits she refused, the more +her suitors' eagerness increased and all the Royalties of the +Inner Islands of China sent presents and rarities to her father +with letters asking her in marriage. So he pressed her again and +again with advice on the matter of espousals; but she ever +opposed to him refusals, till at last she turned upon him angrily +and cried, 'O my father, if thou name matrimony to me once more, +I will go into my chamber and take a sword and, fixing its hilt +in the ground, will set its point to my waist; then will I press +upon it, till it come forth from my back, and so slay myself.' +Now when the King heard these her words, the light became +darkness in his sight and his heart burned for her as with a +flame of fire, because he feared lest she should kill herself; +and he was filled with perplexity concerning her affair and the +kings her suitors. So he said to her 'If thou be determined not +to marry and there be no help for it abstain from going and +coming in and out.' Then he placed her in a house and shut her up +in a chamber, appointing ten old women as duennas to guard her, +and forbade her to go forth to the Seven Palaces; moreover, he +made it appear that he was incensed against her, and sent letters +to all the kings, giving them to know that she had been stricken +with madness by the Jinns; and it is now a year since she hath +thus been secluded." Then continued the Ifrit Dahnash, addressing +the Ifritah Maymunah, "And I, O my lady go to her every night and +take my fill of feeding my sight on her face and I kiss her +between the eyes: yet, of my love to her, I do her no hurt +neither mount her, for that her youth is fair and her grace +surpassing: every one who seeth her jealouseth himself for her. I +conjure thee, therefore, O my lady, to go back with me and look +on her beauty and loveliness and stature and perfection of +proportion; and after, if thou wilt, chastise me or enslave me; +and win to thy will, for it is shine to bid and to forbid." So +saying, the Ifrit Dahnash bowed his head towards the earth and +drooped his wings downward; but Maymunah laughed at his words and +spat in his face and answered, "What is this girl of whom thou +pratest but a potsherd wherewith to wipe after making +water?[FN#249] Faugh! Faugh! By Allah, O accursed, I thought +thou hadst some wondrous tale to tell me or some marvellous news +to give me. How would it be if thou were to sight my beloved? +Verily, this night I have seen a young man, whom if thou saw +though but in a dream, thou wouldst be palsied with admiration +and spittle would flow from thy mouth." Asked the Ifrit, "And who +and what is this youth?"; and she answered, "Know, O Dahnash, +that there hath befallen the young man the like of what thou +tellest me befel thy mistress; for his father pressed him again +and again to marry, but he refused, till at length his sire waxed +wroth at being opposed and imprisoned him in the tower where I +dwell: and I came up to-night and saw him." Said Dahnash, "O my +lady, shew me this youth, that I may see if he be indeed +handsomer than my mistress, the Princess Budur, or not; for I +cannot believe that the like of her liveth in this our age." +Rejoined Maymunah, "Thou liest, O accursed, O most ill-omened of +Marids and vilest of Satans![FN#250] Sure am I that the like of +my beloved is not in this world."--And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When It was the One Hundred and Eightieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Ifritah +Maymunah spake thus to the Ifrit Dahnash, "Sure am I that the +like of my beloved is not in this world! Art thou mad to fellow +thy beloved with my beloved?" He said, "Allah upon thee, O my +lady, go back with me and look upon my mistress, and after I will +with thee and look upon thy beloved." She answered, "It must +needs be so, O accursed, for thou art a knavish devil; but I will +not go with thee nor shalt thou come with me, save upon condition +of a wager which is this. If the lover thou lovest and of whom +thou boastest so bravely, prove handsomer than mine whom I +mentioned and whom I love and of whom I boast, the bet shall be +shine against me; but if my beloved prove the handsomer the bet +shall be mine against thee." Quoth Dahnash the Ifrit, "O my lady, +I accept this thy wager and am satisfied thereat; so come with me +to the Islands." Quoth Maymunah; "No! for the abode of my beloved +is nearer than the abode of shine: here it is under us; so come +down with me to see my beloved and after we will go look upon thy +mistress." "I hear and I obey," said Dahnash. So they descended +to earth and alighted in the saloon which the tower contained; +then Maymunah stationed Dahnash beside the bed and, putting out +her hand, drew back the silken coverlet from Kamar al-Zaman's +face, when it glittered and glistened and shimmered and shone +like the rising sun. She gazed at him for a moment, then turning +sharply round upon Dahnash said, "Look, O accursed, and be not +the basest of madmen; I am a maid, yet my heart he hath waylaid." +So Dahnash looked at the Prince and long continued gazing +steadfastly on him then, shaking his head, said to Maymunah, "By +Allah, O my lady, thou art excusable; but there is yet another +thing to be considered, and this is, that the estate female +differeth from the male. By Allah's might, this thy beloved is +the likest of all created things to my mistress in beauty and +loveliness and grace and perfection; and it is as though they +were both cast alike in the mould of seemlihead." Now when +Maymunah heard these words, the light became darkness in her +sight and she dealt him with her wing so fierce a buffet on the +head as well-nigh made an end of him. Then quoth she to him, "I +conjure thee, by the light of his glorious countenance, go at +once, O accursed, and bring hither thy mistress whom thou lovest +so fondly and foolishly, and return in haste that we may lay the +twain together and look on them both as they lie asleep side by +side; so shall it appear to us which be the goodlier and more +beautiful of the two. Except thou obey me this very moment, O +accursed, I will dart my sparks at thee with my fire and consume +thee; yea, in pieces I will rend thee and into the deserts cast +thee, that to stay at home and wayfarer an example thou be!" +Quoth Dahnash, "O my lady, I will do thy behests, for I know +forsure that my mistress is the fairer and the sweeter." So +saying the If rit flew away and Maymunah flew with him to guard +him. They were absent awhile and presently returned, bearing the +young lady, who was clad in a shift of fine Venetian silk, with a +double edging of gold and purfled with the most exquisite of +embroidery having these couplets worked upon the ends of the +sleeves, + +"Three matters hinder her from visiting us, in fear * + Of hate-full, slandering envier and his hired spies: +The shining light of brow, the trinkets' tinkling voice, * + And scent of essences that tell whene'er she tries: +Gi'en that she hide her brow with edge of sleeve, and leave * + At home her trinketry, how shall her scent + disguise?''[FN#251] + +And Dahnash and Maymunah stinted not bearing that young lady till +they had carried her into the saloon and had laid her beside the +youth Kamar al-Zaman.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Ifrit +Dahnash and the Ifritah Maymunah stinted not bearing Princess +Budur till they descended and laid her on the couch beside Kamar +al- Zaman. Then they uncovered both their faces, and they were +the likest of all folk, each to other, as they were twins or an +only brother and sister; and indeed they were a seduction to the +pious, even as saith of them the poet Al-Mubn, + +"O heart! be not thy love confined to one, * + Lest thou by doting or disdain be undone: +Love all the fair, and thou shalt find with them * + If this be lost, to thee that shall be won." + +And quoth another, + +"Mine eyes beheld two lying on the ground; * + Both had I loved if on these eyne they lay!" + +So Dahnash and Maymunah gazed on them awhile, and he said, "By +Allah, O my lady, it is good! My mistress is assuredly the +fairer." She replied, "Not so, my beloved is the fairer; woe to +thee, O Dahnash! Art blind of eye and heart that lean from fat +thou canst not depart? Wilt thou hide the truth? Dost thou not +see his beauty and loveliness and fine stature and symmetry? Out +on thee, hear what I purpose to say in praise of my beloved and, +if thou be a lover true to her thou dost love, do thou the like +for her thou Lovest." Then she kissed Kamar al-Zaman again and +again between the eyes and improvised this ode, + +"How is this? Why should the blamer abuse thee in his pride? +What shall console my heart for thee, that art but slender bough? + +A Nature Kohl'd[FN#252] eye thou hast that witcheth far and wide; +From pure platonic love[FN#253] of it deliverance none I trow! + +Those glances, fell as plundering Turk, to heart such havoc deal +As never havocked scymitar made keenest at the curve. + +On me thou layest load of love the heaviest while I feel +So feeble grown that under weight of chemisette I swerve. + +My love for thee as wottest well is habit, and my lowe +Is nature; to all others false is all the love I tender: + +Now were my heart but like to shine I never would say No; +Only my wasted form is like thy waist so gracious slender: + +Out on him who in Beauty's robe for moon like charms hath fame, +And who is claimed by mouth of men as marvel of his tribe! + +'Of man what manner may he be' (ask they who flyte and blame) +'For whom thy heart is so distressed?' I only cry 'Describe!' + +Oh stone-entempered heart of him! learn of his yielding grace +And bending form to show me grace and yielding to consent. + +Oh my Prince Beautiful, thou hast an Overseer in place[FN#254] +Who irketh me, and eke a Groom whose wrong cloth ne'er relent. + +Indeed he lieth who hath said that all of loveliness +Was pent in Joseph: in thy charms there's many and many a Joe! + +The Genii dread me when I stand and face to face address; +But meeting thee my fluttering heart its shame and terror show. + +I take aversion semblance and I turn from thee in fright, +But more aversion I assume, more love from me dost claim; + +That hair of jetty black! That brow e'er raying radiant light! +Those eyne wherein white jostles black![FN#255] That dearling + dainty frame!" + +When Dahnash heard the poesy which Maymunah spake in praise of +her beloved, he joyed with exceeding joy and marvelled with +excessive wonderment.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say + + When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Ifrit Dahnash heard the poesy which Maymunah spake in praise of +her beloved, he shook for exceeding joy and said, "Thou hast +celebrated thy beloved in song and thou hast indeed done well in +praise of him whom thou lovest! And there is no help for it but +that I also in my turn do my best to enfame my mistress, and +recite somewhat in her honour." Then the Ifrit went up to the +Lady Budur; and' kissing her between the eyes, looked at Maymunah +and at his beloved Princess and recited the following verses, +albeit he had no skill in poesy, + +"Love for my fair they chide in angry way; * + Unjust for ignorance, yea unjustest they! +Ah lavish favours on the love mad, whom * + Taste of thy wrath and parting woe shall slay: +In sooth for love I'm wet with railing tears, * + That rail mine eyelids blood thou mightest say: +No marvel what I bear for love, 'tis marvel * + That any know my "me" while thou'rt away: +Unlawful were our union did I doubt * + Thy love, or heart incline to other May." + +And eke these words:-- + +"I feed eyes on their stead by the valley's side, * + And I'm slain and my slaver[FN#256] aside hath tried: +Grief-wine have I drunken, and down my cheeks * + Dance tears to the song of the camel-guide: +For union-blessing I strive though sure, * + In Budur and Su'ad all my bliss shall bide:[FN#257] +Wot I not which of three gave me most to 'plain, * + So hear them numbered ere thou decide: +Those Sworders her eyne, that Lancer her fig- * + -ure, or ring-mail'd Locks which her forehead hide. +Quoth she (and I ask of her what so wights * + Or abide in towns or in desert ride[FN#258] ) +To me, 'In thy heart I dwell, look there!' * + Quoth I, 'Where's my heart ah where? ah where?'" + +When Maymunah heard these lines from the Ifrit, she said, "Thou +hast done well, O Dahnash! But say thou which of the two is the +handsomer?" And he answered, "My mistress Budur is handsomer than +thy beloved!" Cried Maymunah, "Thou liest, O accursed. Nay, my +beloved is more beautiful than shine!" But Dahnash persisted, +"Mine is the fairer." And they ceased not to wrangle and +challenge each other's words till Maymunah cried out at Dahnash +and would have laid violent hands on him, but he humbled himself +to her and, softening his speech, said, "Let not the truth be a +grief to thee, and cease we this talk, for all we say is to +testify in favour of our lovers; rather let each of us withdraw +the claim and seek we one who shall judge fairly between us which +of the two be fairer; and by his sentence we will abide." "I +agree to this," answered she and smote the earth with her foot, +whereupon there came out of it an Ifrit blind of an eye, +humpbacked and scurvy-skinned, with eye-orbits slit up and down +his face.[FN#259] On his head were seven horns and four locks of +hair fell to his heels; his hands were pitchfork-like and his +legs mast-like and he had nails as the claws of a lion, and feet +as the hoofs of the wild ass.[FN#260] When that If rit rose out +of the earth and sighted Maymunah, he kissed the ground before +her and, standing with his hands clasped behind him, said, "What +is thy will, O my mistress, O daughter of my King?"[FN#261] She +replied, "O Kashkash, I would have thee judge between me and this +accursed Dahnash." And she made known to him the matter, from +first to last, whereupon the Ifrit Kashkash looked at the face of +the youth and then at the face of the girl; and saw them lying +asleep, embraced, each with an arm under the other's neck, alike +in beauty and loveliness and equal in grace and goodliness. The +Marid gazed long upon them, marvelling at their seemlihead; and, +after carefully observing the twain, he turned to Maymunah and +Dahnash, and reseated these couplets. + +"Go, visit her thou lovest, and regard not +The words detractors utter, envious churls +Can never favour love. Oh! sure the Merciful +Ne'er made a thing more fair to look upon, +Than two fond lovers in each others' arms, +Speaking their passion in a mute embrace. +When heart has turned to heart, the fools would part them +Strike idly on cold steel. So when thou'st found +One purely, wholly shine, accept her true heart, +And live for her alone. Oh! thou that blamest +The love-struck for their love, give o'er thy talk, +How canst thou minister to a mind diseased?"[FN#262] + +Then he turned again to Maymunah and Dahnash and said to them, +"By Allah, if you will have the truth, I tell you fairly the +twain be equal in beauty, and loveliness and perfect grace and +goodliness, nor can I make any difference between them on account +of their being man and woman. But I have another thought which is +that we wake each of them in turn, without the knowledge of the +other, and whichever is the more enamoured shall be held inferior +in seemlihead and comeliness." Quoth Maymunah, "Right is this +recking," and quoth Dahnash, "I consent to this." Then Dahnash +changed himself to the form of a flea and bit Kamar al-Zaman, +whereupon he started from sleep in a fright.--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Dahnash +changed himself to the form of a flea and bit Kamar al-Zaman who +started from sleep in a fright and rubbed the bitten part, his +neck, and scratched it hard because of the smart. Then turning +sideways, he found lying by him something whose breath was +sweeter than musk and whose skin was softer than cream. Hereat +marvelled he with great marvel and he sat up and looked at what +lay beside him; when he saw it to be a young lady like an union +pearl, or a shining sun, or a dome seen from afar on a well built +wall; for she was five feet tall, with a shape like the letter +Alif[FN#263], bosomed high and rosy checked; even as saith of her +the poet, + +"Four things which ne'er conjoin, unless it be * + To storm my vitals and to shed my blood: +Brow white as day and tresses black as night * + Cheeks rosy red and lips which smiles o'erflood." + +And also quoth another, + +"A Moon she rises, Willow wand she waves, * + Breathes Ambergris, and gazes, a Gazelle: +Meseems that sorrow woes my heart and wins * + And, when she wendeth hastes therein to dwell!" + +And when Kamar al-Zaman saw the Lady Budur, daughter of King +Ghayur, and her beauty and comeliness, she was sleeping clad in a +shift of Venetian silk, without her petticoat-trousers, and wore +on her head a kerchief embroidered with gold and set with stones +of price: her ears were hung with twin earrings which shone like +constellations and round her neck was a collar of union pearls, +of size unique, past the competence of any King. When he saw +this, his reason was confounded and natural heat began to stir in +him; Allah awoke in him the desire of coition and he said to +himself, "Whatso Allah willeth, that shall be, and what He +willeth not shall never be!" So saying, he put out his hand and, +turning her over, loosed the collar of her chemise; then arose +before his sight her bosom, with its breasts like double globes +of ivory; whereat his inclination for her redoubled and he +desired her with exceeding hot desire, He would have awakened her +but she would not awake, for Dahnash had made her sleep heavy; so +he shook her and moved her, saying, "O my beloved, awake and look +on me; I am Kamar al-Zaman." But she awoke not, neither moved her +head; where-upon he considered her case for a long hour and said +to himself, "If I guess aright, this is the damsel to whom my +father would have married me and these three years past I have +refused her; but Inshallah!--God willing--as soon as it is dawn, +I will say to him, 'Marry me to her, that I may enjoy her.'"--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- +Zaman said to himself, "By Allah, when I see dawn I will say to +my sire, 'Marry me to her that I may enjoy her'; nor will I let +half the day pass ere I possess her and take my fill of her +beauty and loveliness." Then he bent over Budur to buss her, +whereat the Jinniyah Maymunah trembled and was abashed and +Dahnash, the Ifrit, was like to fly for joy. But, as Kamar al- +Zaman was about to kiss her upon the mouth, he was ashamed before +Allah and turned away his head and averted his face, saying to +his heart, "Have patience." Then he took thought awhile and said, +"I will be patient; haply my father when he was wroth with me and +sent me to this jail, may have brought my young lady and made her +lie by my side to try me with her, and may have charged her not +to be readily awakened when I would arouse her, and may have said +to her, 'Whatever thing Kamar al-Zaman do to thee, make me ware +thereof'; or belike my sire standeth hidden in some stead whence +(being himself unseen) he can see all I do with this young lady; +and to morrow he will scold me and cry, 'How cometh it that thou +sayest, I have no mind to marry; and yet thou didst kiss and +embrace yonder damsel?' So I will withhold myself lest I be +ashamed before my sire; and the right and proper thing to do is +not to touch her at this present, nor even to look upon her, +except to take from her somewhat which shall serve as a token to +me and a memorial of her; that some sign endure between me and +her." Then Kamar al-Zaman raised the young lady's hand and took +from her little finger a seal-ring worth an immense amount of +money, for that its bezel was a precious jewel and around it were +graven these couplets, + +"Count not that I your promises forgot, * + Despite the length of your delinquencies +Be generous, O my lord, to me inclining; * + Haply your mouth and cheeks these lips may kiss: +By Allah, ne'er will I relinquish you * + Albe you will transgress love's boundaries." + +Then Kamar al-Zaman took the seal-ring from the little finger of +Queen Budur and set it on his own; then, turning his back to her, +went to sleep.[FN#264] When Maymunah the Jinniyah saw this, she +was glad and said to Dahnash and Kashkash, "Saw ye how my beloved +Kamar al-Zaman bore himself chastely towards this young lady? +Verily, this was of the perfection of his good gifts; for observe +you twain how he looked on her and noted her beauty and +loveliness, and yet embraced her not neither kissed her nor put +his hand to her, but turned his back and slept." Answered they, +"Even so!" Thereupon Maymunah changed herself into a flea and +entering into the raiment of Budur, the loved of Dahnash, crept +up her calf and came upon her thigh and, reaching a place some +four carats[FN#265] below her navel, there bit her. Thereupon she +opened her eyes and sitting up in bed, saw a youth lying beside +her and breathing heavily in his sleep, the loveliest of Almighty +Allah's creatures, with eyes that put to shame the fairest Houris +of Heaven; and a mouth like Solomon's seal, whose water was +sweeter to the taste and more efficacious than a theriack, and +lips the colour of coral-stone, and cheeks like the blood red +anemone, even as saith one, describing him in these couplets, + +"My mind's withdrawn from Zaynab and Nawr[FN#266] * + By rosy cheeks that growth of myrtle bear; +I love a fawn, a tunic-vested boy, * + And leave the love of bracelet-wearing Fair: +My mate in hall and closet is unlike * + Her that I play with, as at home we pair. +Oh thou, who blam'st my flight from Hind and Zaynab, * + The cause is clear as dawn uplighting air! +Would'st have me fare[FN#267] a slave, the thrall of thrall, * + Cribbed, pent, confined behind the bar and wall?" + +Now when Princess Budur saw him, she was seized by a transport of +passion and yearning and love-longing,--And Shahrazad per ceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night, + + She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when +Princess Budur saw Kamar al-Zaman she was forthwith seized with a +transport of passion and yearning and love longing, and she said +to herself, "Alas, my shame! This is a strange youth and I know +him not. How cometh he to be lying by my side on one bed?" Then +she looked at him a second time and, noting his beauty and +loveliness, said, "By Allah, he is indeed a comely youth and my +heart[FN#268] is well-nigh torn in sunder with longing for him! +But alas, how am I shamed by him! By the Almighty, had I known it +was this youth who sought me in marriage of my father, I had not +rejected him, but had wived with him and enjoyed his loveliness!" +Then she gazed in his face and said, "O my lord and light of mine +eyes, awake from sleep and take thy pleasure in my beauty and +grace." And she moved him with her hand; but Maymunah the +Jinniyah let down sleep upon him as it were a curtain, and +pressed heavily on his head with her wings so that Kamar al-Zaman +awoke not. Then Princess Budur shook him with her hands and said, +"My life on thee, hearken to me; awake and up from thy sleep and +look on the narcissus and the tender down thereon, and enjoy the +sight of naked waist and navel; and touzle me and tumble me from +this moment till break of day! Allah upon thee, O my lord, sit up +and prop thee against the pillow and slumber not!" Still Kamar +al-Zaman made her no reply but breathed hard in his sleep. +Continued she, "Alas! Alas! thou art insolent in thy beauty and +comeliness and grace and loving looks! But if thou art handsome, +so am I handsome; what then is this thou dost? Have they taught +thee to flout me or hath my father, the wretched old +fellow,[FN#269] made thee swear not to speak to me to-night?" But +Kamar al-Zaman opened not his mouth neither awoke, whereat her +passion for him redoubled and Allah inflamed her heart with love +of him. She stole one glance of eyes that cost her a thousand +sighs: her heart fluttered, and her vitals throbbed and her hands +and feet quivered; and she said to Kamar al-Zaman "Talk to me, O +my lord! Speak to me, O my friend! Answer me, O my beloved, and +tell me thy name, for indeed thou hast ravished my wit!" And +during all this time he abode drowned in sleep and answered her +not a word, and Princess Budur sighed and said, "Alas! Alas! why +art thou so proud and self satisfied?" Then she shook him and +turning his hand over, saw her seal-ring on his little finger, +whereat she cried a loud cry, and followed it with a sigh of +passion and said, "Alack! Alack! By Allah, thou art my beloved +and thou lovest me! Yet thou seemest to turn thee away from me +out of coquetry, for all, O my darling, thou camest to me, whilst +I was asleep and knew not what thou didst with me, and tookest my +seal-ring; and yet I will not pull it off thy finger." So saying, +she opened the bosom of his shirt and bent over him and kissed +him and put forth her hand to him, seeking somewhat that she +might take as a token, but found nothing. Then she thrust her +hand into his breast and, because of the smoothness of his body, +it slipped down to his waist and thence to his navel and thence +to his yard, whereupon her heart ached and her vitals quivered +and lust was sore upon her, for that the desire of women is +fiercer than the desire of men,[FN#270] and she was ashamed of +her own shamelessness. Then she plucked his seal-ring from his +finger, and put it on her own instead of the ring he had taken, +and bussed his inner lips and hands, nor did she leave any part +of him unkissed; after which she took him to her breast and +embraced him and, laying one of her hands under his neck and the +other under his arm-pit, nestled close to him and fell asleep by +his side.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + + When it was the One hundred and Eighty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when +Princess Budur fell asleep by the side of Kamar al-Zaman, after +doing that which she did, quoth Maymunah to Dahnash, Night thou, +O accursed, how proudly and coquettishly my beloved bore himself, +and how hotly and passionately thy mistress showed herself to my +dearling? There can be no doubt that my beloved is handsomer than +shine; nevertheless I pardon thee." Then she wrote him a document +of manumission and turned to Kashkash and said, "Go, help Dahnash +to take up his mistress and aid him to carry her back to her own +place, for the night waneth apace and there is but little left of +it." "I hear and I obey;" answered Kashkash. So the two Ifrits +went forward to Princess Budur and upraising her flew away with +her; then, bearing her back to her own place, they laid her on +her bed, whilst Maymunah abode alone with Kamar al-Zaman, gazing +upon him as he slept, till the night was all but spent, when she +went her way. As soon as morning morrowed, the Prince awoke from +sleep and turned right and left, but found not the maiden by him +and said in his mind, "What is this business? It is as if my +father would incline me to marriage with the damsel who was with +me and have now taken her away by stealth, to the intent that my +desire for wedlock may redouble." Then he called out to the +eunuch who slept at the door, saying, "Woe to thee, O damned one, +arise at once!" So the eunuch rose, bemused with sleep, and +brought him basin and ewer, whereupon Kamar al-Zaman entered the +water closet and did his need;[FN#271] then, coming out made the +Wuzu-ablution and prayed the dawn-prayer, after which he sat +telling on his beads the ninety-and-nine names of Almighty Allah. +Then he looked up and, seeing the eunuch standing in service upon +him, said, "Out on thee, O Sawb! Who was it came hither and took +away the young lady from my side and I still sleeping?" Asked the +eunuch, 'O my lord, what manner of young lady?" "The young lady +who lay with me last night," replied Kamar al-Zaman. The eunuch +was startled at his words and said to him, "By Allah, there hath +been with thee neither young lady nor other! How should young +lady have come in to thee, when I was sleeping in the doorway and +the door was locked? By Allah, O my lord, neither male nor female +hath come in to thee!" Exclaimed the Prince, "Thou liest, O +pestilent slave!: is it of thy competence also to hoodwink me and +refuse to tell me what is become of the young lady who lay with +me last night and decline to inform me who took her away?" +Replied the eunuch (and he was affrighted at him), "By Allah, O +my lord, I have seen neither young lady nor young lord!" His +words only angered Kamar al-Zaman the more and he said to him, "O +accursed one, my father hath indeed taught thee deceit! Come +hither." So the eunuch came up to him, and the Prince took him by +the collar and dashed him to the ground; whereupon he let fly a +loud fart[FN#272] and Kamar al-Zaman, kneeling upon him, kicked +him and throttled him till he fainted away. Then he dragged him +forth and tied him to the well-rope, and let him down like a +bucket into the well and plunged him into the water, then drew +him up and lowered him down again. Now it was hard winter +weather, and Kamar al-Zaman ceased not to plunge the eunuch into +the water and pull him up again and douse him and haul him whilst +he screamed and called for help; and the Prince kept on saying +"By Allah, O damned one, I will not draw thee up out of this well +till thou tell me and fully acquaint me with the story of the +young lady and who it was took her away, whilst I slept."--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + + When it was the One and Eighty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- +Zaman said to the eunuch, "By Allah! I will not draw thee up out +of this well until thou tell me the story of the young lady and +who it was took her away whilst I slept." Answered the eunuch, +after he had seen death staring him in the face; "O my lord, let +me go and I will relate to thee the truth and the whole tale." So +Kamar al-Zaman pulled him up out of the well, all but dead for +suffering, what with cold and the pain of dipping and dousing, +drubbing and dread of drowning. He shook like cane in hurricane, +his teeth were clenched as by cramp and his clothes were drenched +and his body befouled and torn by the rough sides of the well: +briefly he was in a sad pickle. Now when Kamar al-Zaman saw him +in this sorry plight, he was concerned for him; but, as soon as +the eunuch found himself on the floor, he said to him, "O my +lord, let me go and doff my clothes and wring them out and spread +them in the sun to dry, and don others; after which I will return +to thee forthwith and tell thee the truth of the matter." +Answered the Prince, "O rascal slave! hadst thou not seen death +face to face, never hadst thou confessed to fact nor told me a +word; but go now and do thy will, and then come back to me at +once and tell me the truth." Thereupon the eunuch went out, +hardly crediting his escape, and ceased not running, stumbling +and rising in his haste, till he came in to King Shahriman, whom +he found sitting at talk with his Wazir of Kamar al-Zaman's case. +The King was saying to the Minister, "I slept not last night, for +anxiety concerning my son, Kamar al-Zaman and indeed I fear lest +some harm befal him in that old tower. What good was there in +imprisoning him?" Answered the Wazir, "Have no care for him. By +Allah, no harm will befal him! None at all! Leave him in prison +for a month till his temper yield and his spirit be broken and he +return to his senses." As the two spoke behold, up rushed the +eunuch, in the aforesaid plight, making to the King who was +troubled at sight of him; and he cried "O our lord the Sultan! +Verily, thy son's wits are fled and he hath gone mad, he hath +dealt with me thus and thus, so that I am become as thou seest +me, and he kept saying, 'A young lady lay with me this night and +stole away secretly whilst I slept. Where is she?' And he +insisteth on my letting him know where she is and on my telling +him who took her away. But I have seen neither girl nor boy: the +door was locked all through the night, for I slept before it with +the key under my head, and I opened to him in the morning with my +own hand. When King Shahriman heard this, he cried out, saying, +"Alas, my son!;" and he was enraged with sore rage against the +Wazir, who had been the cause of all this case and said to him, +"Go up, bring me news of my son and see what hath befallen his +mind." So the Wazir rose and, stumbling over his long skirts, in +his fear of the King's wrath, hastened with the slave to the +tower. Now the sun had risen and when the Minister came in to +Kamar al-Zaman, he found him sitting on the couch reciting the +Koran; so he saluted him and seated himself by his side, and said +to him, "O my lord, this wretched eunuch brought us tidings which +troubled and alarmed us and which incensed the King." Asked Kamar +al-Zaman, "And what hath he told you of me to trouble my father? +In good sooth he hath troubled none but me." Answered the Wazir, +"He came to us in fulsome state and told us of thee a thing which +Heaven forfend; and the slave added a lie which it befitteth not +to repeat, Allah preserve thy youth and sound sense and tongue of +eloquence, and forbid to come from thee aught of offense!" Quoth +the Prince, "O Wazir, and what thing did this pestilent slave say +of me?" The Minister replied, "He told us that thy wits had taken +leave of thee and thou wouldst have it that a young lady lay with +thee last night, and thou west instant with him to tell thee +whither she went and thou diddest torture him to that end." But +when Kamar al-Zaman heard these words, he was enraged with sore +rage and he said to the Wazir, "'Tis manifest to me in very deed +that you people taught the eunuch to do as he did."--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her per +misted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar +al-Zaman heard the words of the Wazir he was enraged with sore +rage and said to him, "'Tis manifest to me in very deed that you +people taught the eunuch to do as he did and forbade him to tell +me what became of the young lady who lay with me last night. But +thou, O Wazir, art cleverer than the eunuch, so do thou tell me +without stay or delay, whither went the young lady who slept on +my bosom last night; for it was you who sent her and bade her +steep in my embrace and we lay together till dawn; but, when I +awoke, I found her not. So where is she now?" Said the Wazir, "O +my lord Kamar al-Zaman, Allah's name encompass thee about! By the +Almighty, we sent none to thee last night, but thou layest alone, +with the door locked on thee and the eunuch sleeping behind it, +nor did there come to thee young lady or any other. Regain thy +reason, O my lord, and stablish thy senses and occupy not thy +mind with vanities." Rejoined Kamar al-Zaman who was incensed at +his words, "O Wazir, the young lady in question is my beloved, +the fair one with the black eyes and rosy cheeks, whom I held in +my arms all last night." So the Minister wondered at his words +and asked him, "Didst thou see this damsel last night with shine +own eyes on wake or in sleep?" Answered Kamar al-Zaman, "O ill- +omened old man, dost thou fancy I saw her with my ears? Indeed, I +saw her with my very eyes and awake, and I touched her with my +hand, and I watched by her full half the night, feeding my vision +on her beauty and loveliness and grace and tempting looks. But +you had schooled her and charged her to speak no word to me; so +she feigned sleep and I lay by her side till dawn, when I awoke +and found her gone." Rejoined the Wazir, "O my lord Kamar al- +Zaman, haply thou sawest this in thy sleep; it must have been a +delusion of dreams or a deception caused by eating various kinds +of food, or a suggestion of the accursed devils." Cried the +Prince, "O pestilent old man! wilt thou too make a mock of me and +tell me this was haply a delusion of dreams, when that eunuch +confessed to the young lady, saying, 'At once I will return to +thee and tell thee all about her?'" With these words, he sprang +up and rushed at the Wazir and gripped hold of his beard (which +was long[FN#273]) and, after gripping it, he twisted his hand in +it and haling him off the couch, threw him on the floor. It +seemed to the Minister as though his soul departed his body for +the violent plucking at his beard; and Kamar al-Zaman ceased not +kicking the Wazir and basting his breast and ribs and cuffing him +with open hand on the nape of his neck till he had well-nigh +beaten him to death. Then said the old man in his mind, "Just as +the eunuch-slave saved his life from this lunatic youth by +telling him a lie, thus it is even fitter that I do likewise; +else he will destroy me. So now for my lie to save myself, he +being mad beyond a doubt." Then he turned to Kamar al-Zaman and +said, "O my lord, pardon me; for indeed thy father charged me to +conceal from thee this affair of the young lady; but now I am +weak and weary and wounded with funding; for I am an old man and +lack strength and bottom to endure blows. Have, therefore, a +little patience with me and I will tell thee all and acquaint +thee with the story of the young woman." When the Prince heard +this, he left off drubbing him and said, "Wherefore couldst thou +not tell me the tale until after shame and blows? Rise now, +unlucky old man that thou art, and tell me her story." Quoth the +Wazir, "Say, dost thou ask of the young lady with the fair face +and perfect form?" Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, "Even so! Tell me, O +Wazir, who it was that led her to me and laid her by my side, and +who was it that took her away from me by night; and let me know +forthright whither she is gone, that I myself may go to her at +once. If my father did this deed to me that he might try me by +means of that beautiful girl, with a view to our marriage, I +consent to wed her and free myself of this trouble; for he did +all these dealings with me only because I refused wedlock. But +now I consent and I say again, I consent to matrimony: so tell +this to my father, O Wazir, and advise him to marry me to that +young lady; for I will have none other and my heart loveth none +save her alone. Now rise up at once and haste thee to my father +and counsel him to hurry on our wedding and bring me his answer +within this very hour." Rejoined the Wazir, "'Tis well!" and went +forth from him, hardly believing himself out of his hands. Then +he set off from the tower, walking and tripping up as he went, +for excess of fright and agitation, and he ceased not hurrying +till he came in to King Shahriman.--And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-nineth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir, +fared forth from the tower, and ceased not running till he came +in to King Shahriman, who said to him as he sighted him, "O thou +Wazir, what man hath brought thee to grief and whose mischief +hath treated thee in way unlief; how happeneth it that I see thee +dumb foundered and coming to me thus astounded?" Replied the +Wazir, "O King! I bring thee good news." "And what is it?" quoth +Shahriman, and quoth the Wazir, "Know that thy son Kamar al- +Zaman's wits are clean gone and that he hath become stark mad." +Now when the King heard these words of the Minister, light became +darkness in his sight and he said, "O Wazir, make clear to me the +nature of his madness." Answered the Wazir, "O my lord, I hear +and I obey." Then he told him that such and such had passed and +acquainted him with all that his son had done; whereupon the King +said to him, "Hear, O Wazir, the good tidings which I give thee +in return for this thy fair news of my son's insanity; and it +shall be the cutting off of thy head and the forfeiture of my +favour, O most ill-omened of Wazirs and foulest of Emirs! for I +feel that thou hast caused my son's disorder by the wicked advice +and the sinister counsel thou hast given me first and last. By +Allah, if aught of mischief or madness have befallen my son I +will most assuredly nail thee upon the palace dome and make thee +drain the bitterest draught of death!'' Then he sprang up and, +taking the Wazir, with him, fared straight for the tower and +entered it. And when Kamar al-Zaman saw the two, he rose to his +father in haste from the couch whereon he sat and kissing his +hands drew back and hung down his head and stood before him with +his arms behind him, and thus remained for a full hour. Then he +raised his head towards his sire; the tears gushed from his eyes +and streamed down his cheeks and he began repeating, + +"Forgive the sin 'neath which my limbs are trembling, +For the slave seeks for mercy from his master; +I've done a fault, which calls for free confession, +Where shall it call for mercy, and forgiveness?''[FN#274] + +When the King heard this, he arose and embraced his son, and +kissing him between the eyes, made him sit by his side on the +couch; then he turned to the Wazir, and, looking on him with eyes +of wrath, said, "O dog of Wazirs, how didst thou say of my son +such and such things and make my heart quake for him?" Then he +turned to the Prince and said, "O my son, what is to-day called?" +He answered, "O my father, this day is the Sabbath, and to morrow +is First day: then come Second day, Third, Fourth, Fifth day and +lastly Friday."[FN#275] Exclaimed the King, "O my son, O Kamar +al-Zaman, praised be Allah for the preservation of thy reason! +What is the present month called in our Arabic?" "Z'l Ka'adah," +answered Kamar al-Zaman, "and it is followed by Z'l hijjah; then +cometh Muharram, then Safar, then Rab'a the First and Rab'a the +Second, the two Jamds, Rajab, Sha'aban, Ramazn and Shawwl." +At this the King rejoiced exceedingly and spat in the Wazir's +face, saying, "O wicked old man, how canst thou say that my son +is mad? And now none is mad but thou." Hereupon the Minister +shook his head and would have spoken, but bethought himself to +wait awhile and see what might next befal. Then the King said to +his child, "O my son, what words be these thou saddest to the +eunuch and the Wazir, declaring, 'I was sleeping with a fair +damsel this night?'[FN#276] What damsel is this of whom thou +speakest?" Then Kamar al-Zaman laughed at his father's words and +replied, "O my father, know that I can bear no more jesting; so +add me not another mock or even a single word on the matter, for +my temper hath waxed short by that you have done with me. And +know, O my father, with assured knowledge, that I consent to +marry, but on condition that thou give me to wife her who lay by +my side this night; for I am certain it was thou sentest her to +me and madest me in love with her and then despatchedst a message +to her before the dawn and tookest her away from beside me." +Rejoined the King, "The name of Allah encompass thee about, O my +son, and be thy wit preserved from witlessness!"--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Ninetieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth King +Shahriman to his son Kamar al-Zaman, "The name of Allah encompass +thee about, O my son, and be thy wit preserved from witlessness! +What thing be this young lady whom thou fanciest I sent to thee +last night and then again that I sent to withdraw her from thee +before dawn? By the Lord, O my son, I know nothing of this +affair, and Allah upon thee, tell me if it be a delusion of +dreaming or a deception caused by indisposition. For verily thou +layest down to sleep last night with thy mind occupied anent +marriage and troubled with the talk of it (Allah damn marriage +and the hour when I spake of it and curse him who counselled +it!); and without doubt or diffidence I can say that being moved +in mind by the mention of wedlock thou dreamedst that a handsome +young lady embraced thee and didst fancy thou sawest her when +awake. But all this, O my son, is but an imbroglio of dreams." +Replied Kamar al-Zaman, "Leave this talk and swear to me by +Allah, the All creator, the Omniscient; the Humbler of the tyrant +Caesars and the Destroyer of the Chosroes, that thou knowest +naught of the young lady nor of her woning-place." Quoth the +King, "By the Might of Allah Almighty, the God of Moses and +Abraham, I know naught of all this and never even heard of it; it +is assuredly a delusion of dreams thou hast seen in sleep.' Then +the Prince replied to his sire, "I will give thee a self evident +proof that it happened to me when on wake."--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al +Zamar said to his sire, "I will give thee a self-evident proof +that this happened to me when on wake. Now let me ask thee, did +it ever befal any man to dream that he was battling a sore battle +and after to awake from sleep and find in his hand a sword-blade +besmeared with blood? Answered the King, "No, by Allah, O my son, +this hath never been." Rejoined Kamar al-Zaman, "I will tell thee +what happened to me and it was this. Meseemed I awoke from sleep +in the middle of the past night and found a girl lying by my +side, whose form was like mine and whose favour was as mine. I +embraced her and turned her about with my hand and took her seal- +ring, which I put on my finger, and she pulled off my ring and +put it on hers. Then I went to sleep by her side, but refrained +from her for shame of thee, deeming that thou hadst sent her to +me, intending to tempt me with her and incline me to marriage, +and suspecting thee to be hidden somewhere whence thou couldst +see what I did with her. And I was ashamed even to kiss her on +the mouth for thy account, thinking over this temptation to +wedlock; and, when I awoke at point of day, I found no trace of +her, nor could I come at any news of her, and there befel me what +thou knowest of with the eunuch and with the Wazir. How then can +this case have been a dream and a delusion, when the ring is a +reality? Save for her ring on my finger I should indeed have +deemed it a dream; but here is the ring on my little finger: look +at it, O King, and see what is its worth." So saying he handed +the ring to his father, who examined it and turned it over, then +looked to his son and said, "Verily, there is in this ring some +mighty mystery and some strange secret. What befel thee last +night with the girl is indeed a hard nut to crack, and I know not +how intruded upon us this intruder. None is the cause of all this +posher save the Wazir; but, Allah upon thee, O my son, take +patience, so haply the Lord may turn to gladness this thy grief +and to thy sadness bring complete relief: as quoth one of the +poets, + +'Haply shall Fortune draw her rein, and bring * + Fair chance, for she is changeful, jealous, vain: +Still I may woo my want and wishes win, * + And see on heels of care unfair, the fain.' + +And now, O my son, I am certified at this hour that thou art not +mad; but thy case is a strange one which none can clear up for +thee save the Almighty." Cried the Prince, "By Allah, O my +father, deal kindly with me and seek out this young lady and +hasten her coming to me; else I shall die of woe and of my death +shall no one know." Then he betrayed the ardour of his passion; +and turned towards his father and repeated these two couplets, + +"If your promise of personal call prove untrue, * + Deign in vision to grant me an interview: +Quoth they, 'How can phantom[FN#277] appear to the sight * + Of a youth, whose sight is fordone, perdue?'" + +Then, after ending his poetry, Kamar al-Zaman again turned to his +father, with submission and despondency, and shedding tears in +flood, began repeating these lines.--And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar +al-Zaman had repeated to his father these verses, he wept and +complained and groaned from a wounded heart; and added these +lines, + +"Beware that eye glance which hath magic might; * + Wherever turn those orbs it bars our flight: +Nor be deceived by low sweet voice, that breeds * + A fever festering in the heart and sprite: +So soft that silky skin, were rose to touch it * + She'd cry and tear-drops rain for pain and fright: +Did Zephyr e'en in sleep pass o'er her land, * + Scented he'd choose to dwell in scented site: +Her necklets vie with tinkling of her belt; * + Her wrists strike either wristlet dumb with spite: +When would her bangles buss those rings in ear, * + Upon the lover's eyne high mysteries 'light: +I'm blamed for love of her, nor pardon claim; * + Eyes are not profiting which lack foresight: +Heaven strip thee, blamer mine! unjust art thou; * + Before this fawn must every eye low bow."[FN#278] + +After which he said, "By Allah, O my father, I cannot endure to +be parted from her even for an hour." The King smote hand upon +hand and exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might +save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! No cunning contrivance +can profit us in this affair." Then he took his son by the hand +and carried him to the palace, where Kamar al-Zaman lay down on +the bed of languor and the King sat at his head, weeping and +mourning over him and leaving him not, night or day, till at last +the Wazir came in to him and said, "O King of the age and the +time, how long wilt thou remain shut up with thy son and hide +thyself from thy troops. Haply, the order of thy realm may be +deranged, by reason of shine absence from thy Grandees and +Officers of State. It behoveth the man of understanding, if he +have various wounds in his body, to apply him first to medicine +the most dangerous; so it is my counsel to thee that thou remove +thy son from this place to the pavilion which is in the palace +overlooking the sea; and shut thyself up with him there, setting +apart in every week two days, Thursday and Monday, for state +receptions and progresses and reviews. On these days let shine +Emirs and Wazirs and Chamberlains and Viceroys and high Officials +and Grandees of the realm and the rest of the levies and the +lieges have access to thee and submit their affairs to thee; and +do thou their needs and judge among them and give and take with +them and bid and forbid. And the rest of the week thou shalt pass +with thy son, Kamar al-Zaman, and cease not thus doing till Allah +shall vouchsafe relief to you twain. Think not, O King, that thou +art safe from the shifts of Time and the strokes of Change which +come like a traveller in the night; for the wise man is ever on +his guard and how well saith the poet, + +'Thou deemedst well of Time when days went well, * + And fearedst not what ills might bring thee Fate: +The Nights so fair and restful cozened thee, * + For peaceful Nights bring woes of heavy weight. +Oh children of mankind whom Time befriends, * + Beware of Time's deceits or soon or late!'''[FN#279] + +When the Sultan heard his Wazir's words he saw that they were +right and deemed his counsel wise, and it had effect upon him for +he feared lest the order of the state be deranged; so he rose at +once and bade transport his son from his sick room to the +pavilion in the palace overlooking the sea. Now this palace was +girt round by the waters and was approached by a causeway twenty +cubits wide. It had windows on all sides commanding an ocean- +view; its floor was paved with parti-coloured marbles and its +ceiling was painted in the richest pigments and figured with gold +and lapis-lazuli. They furnished it for Kamar al-Zaman with +splendid upholstery, embroidered rugs and carpets of the richest +silk; and they clothed the walls with choice brocades and hung +curtains bespangled with gems of price. In the midst they set him +a couch of juniper[FN#280]-wood inlaid with pearls and jewels, +and Kamar al-Zaman sat down thereon, but the excess of his +concern and passion for the young lady had wasted his charms and +emaciated his body; he could neither eat nor drink nor sleep; and +he was like a man who had been sick twenty years of sore +sickness. His father seated himself at his head, grieving for him +with the deepest grief, and every Monday and Thursday he gave his +Wazirs and Emirs and Chamberlains and Viceroys and Lords of the +realm and levies and the rest of his lieges leave to come up to +him in that pavilion. So they entered and did their several +service and duties and abode with him till the end of the day, +when they went their ways and the King returned to his son in the +pavilion whom he left not night nor day; and he ceased not doing +on this wise for many days and nights. Such was the case with +Kamar al-Zaman, son of King Shahriman; but as regards Princess +Budur, daughter of King Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and the Seven +Palaces, when the two Jinns bore her up and laid her on her bed, +she slept till daybreak, when she awoke and sitting upright +looked right and left, but saw not the youth who had lain in her +bosom. At this her vitals fluttered, her reason fled and she +shrieked a loud shriek which awoke all her slave girls and nurses +and duennas. They flocked in to her; and the chief of them came +forward and asked, "What aileth thee, O my lady?" Answered the +Princess, "O wretched old woman, where is my beloved, the +handsome youth who lay last night in my bosom? Tell me whither he +is gone." Now when the duenna heard this, the light starkened in +her sight and she feared from her mischief with sore affright, +and said to her, "O my Lady Budur, what unseemly words are +these?" Cried the Princess, "Woe to thee pestilent crone that +thou art! I ask thee again where is my beloved, the goodly youth +with the shining face and the slender form, the jetty eyes and +the joined eyebrows, who lay with me last night from supper-tide +until near daybreak?" She rejoined "By Allah, O my lady, I have +seen no young man nor any other. I conjure thee, carry not this +unseemly jest too far lest we all lose our lives; for perhaps the +joke may come to thy father's ears and who shall then deliver us +from his hand?"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the duenna +bespake the Lady Budur in these words, "Allah upon thee, O my +lady! carry not this unseemly jest too far; for perhaps it may +come to thy father's ears, and who shall then deliver us from his +hand?" The Princess rejoined, "In very sooth a youth lay with me +last night, one of the fairest-faced of men." Exclaimed the +duenna, "Heaven preserve thy reason! indeed no one lay with thee +last night." Thereupon the Princess looked at her hand and, +finding Kamar al-Zaman's seal-ring on her finger in stead of her +own, said to her, "Woe to thee, thou accursed! thou traitress! +wilt thou lie to me and tell me that none lay with me last night +and swear to me a falsehood in the name of the Lord?" Replied the +duenna, "By Allah, I do not lie to thee nor have I sworn +falsely." Then the Princess was incensed by her words and, +drawing a sword she had by her, she smote the old woman with it +and slew her;[FN#281] whereupon the eunuch and the waiting-women +and the concubines cried out at her, and ran to her father and, +without stay or delay, acquainted him with her case. So the King +went to her, and asked her, "O my daughter, what aileth thee?"; +and she answered, "O my father, where is the youth who lay with +me last night?" Then her reason fled from her head and she cast +her eyes right and left and rent her raiment even to the skirt. +When her sire saw this, he bade the women lay hands on her; so +they seized her and manacled her, then putting a chain of iron +about her neck, made her fast to one of the palace-windows and +there left her.[FN#282] Thus far concerning Princess Budur; but +as regards her father, King Ghayur, the world was straitened upon +him when he saw what had befallen his daughter, for that he loved +her and her case was not a little grievous to him. So he summoned +on it the doctors and astrologers and men skilled in talisman- +writing and said to them, "Whoso healeth my daughter of what ill +she hath, I will marry him to her and give him half of my +kingdom; but whoso cometh to her and cureth her not, I will +strike off his head and hang it over her palace-gate." +Accordingly, all who went in to her, but failed to heal her, he +beheaded and hung their heads over the palace-gates, till he had +beheaded on her account forty doctors and crucified forty +astrologers; wherefor the general held aloof from her, all the +physicians having failed to medicine her malady; and her case was +a puzzle to the men of science and the adepts in cabalistic +characters. And as her longing and passion redoubled and love and +distraction were sore upon her, she poured forth tears and +repeated these couplets, + +"My fondness, O my moon, for thee my foeman is, * + And to thy comradeship the nights my thought compel: +In gloom I bide with fire that flames below my ribs, * + Whose lowe I make comparison with heat of Hell: +I'm plagued with sorest stress of pine and ecstasy; * + Nor clearest noon tide can that horrid pain dispel." + +Then she sighed and repeated these also, + +"Salams fro' me to friends in every stead; * + Indeed to all dear friends do I incline: +Salams, but not salams that bid adieu; * + Salams that growth of good for you design: +I love you dear, indeed, nor less your land, * + But bide I far from every need of mine!" + +And when the Lady Budur ceased repeating her poetry, she wept +till her eyes waxed sore and her cheeks changed form and hue, and +in this condition she continued three years. Now she had a +foster-brother, by name Marzawn,[FN#283] who was travelling in +far lands and absent from her the whole of this time. He loved +her with an exceeding love, passing the love of brothers; so when +he came back he went in to his mother and asked for his sister, +the Princess Budur. She answered him, "O my son, thy sister hath +been smitten with madness and hath passed these three years with +a chain of iron about her neck; and all the physicians and men of +science have failed of healing her." When Marzawan heard these +words he said, "I must needs go in to her; peradventure I may +discover what she hath, and be able to medicine her;" and his +mother replied, "Needs must thou visit her, but wait till to +morrow, that I may contrive some thing to suit thy case." Then +she went a-foot to the palace of the Lady Budur and, accosting +the eunuch in charge of the gates, made him a present and said to +him, "I have a daughter, who was brought up with thy mistress and +since then I married her; and, when that befel the Princess which +befel her, she became troubled and sore concerned, and I desire +of thy favour that my daughter may go in to her for an hour and +look on her; and then return whence she came, so shall none know +of it." Quoth the eunuch, "This may not be except by night, after +the King hath visited his child and gone away; then come thou and +thy daughter." So she kissed the eunuch's hand and, returning +home, waited till the morrow at nightfall; and when it was time +she arose and sought her son Marzawan and attired him in woman's +apparel; then, taking his hand in hers, led him towards the +palace, and ceased not walking with him till she came upon the +eunuch after the Sultan had ended his visit to the Princess. Now +when the eunuch saw her, he rose to her, and said, "Enter, but do +not prolong thy stay!" So they went in and when Marzawan beheld +the Lady Budur in the aforesaid plight, he saluted her, after his +mother had doffed his woman's garb: then he took out of their +satchel books he had brought with him; and, lighting a wax- +candle, he began to recite certain conjurations Thereupon the +Princess looked at him and recognising him, said, "O my brother, +thou hast been absent on thy travels' and thy news have been cut +off from us." He replied, "True! but Allah hath brought me back +safe and sound, I am now minded to set out again nor hath aught +delayed me but the news I hear of thee; wherefore my heart burned +for thee and I came to thee, so haply I may free thee of thy +malady." She rejoined, O my brother, thinkest thou it is madness +aileth me?" "Yes." answered he, and she said, "Not so, by Allah! +'tis even as saith the poet, + +'Quoth they 'Thou rav'st on him thou lov'st': quoth I, * + 'The sweets of love are only for th' insane!' +Love never maketh Time his friend befriend; * + Only the Jinn-struck wight such boon can gain: +Well! yes, I'm mad: bring him who madded me * + And, if he cure m: madness, blame restrain!'" + +Then she let Marzawan know that she was love-daft and he said +"Tell me concerning thy tale and what befel thee: haply there may +be in my hand something which shall be a means of deliverance for +thee."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of da, and ceased saying +her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Marzawar +thus addressed Princess Budur, "Tell me concerning thy tale and +what befel thee: haply Allah may inspire me with a means of +deliverance for thee." Quoth she, "O my brother, hear my story +which is this. One night I awoke from sleep, in the last third of +the night[FN#284] and, sitting up, saw by my side the handsomest +of youths that be, and tongue faileth to describe him, for he was +as a willow-wand or an Indian rattan-cane. So methought it was my +father who had done on this wise in order thereby to try me, for +that he had consulted me concerning wedlock, when the Kings +sought me of him to wife, and I had refused. It was this though +withheld me from arousing him, for I feared that, if I did aught +of embraced him, he would peradventure inform my father of m, +doings. But in the morning, I found on my finger his seal-ring, +in place of my own which he had taken. And, O my brother, m, +heart was seized with love of him at first sight; and, for the +violence of my passion and longing, I have never savoured the +taste of sleep and have no occupation save weeping alway and +repeating verses night and day. And this, O my brother, is my +story and the cause of my madness." Then she poured forth tears +and repeated these couplets, + +"Now Love hast banished all that bred delight; * + With that heart-nibbling fawn my joys took flight: +Lightest of trifles lover's blood to him * + Who wastes the vitals of the hapless wight! +For him I'm jealous of my sight and thought; * + My heart acts spy upon my thought and sight: +Those long-lashed eyelids rain on me their shafts * + Guileful, destroying hearts where'er they light: +Now, while my portion in the world endures, * + Shall I behold him ere I quit world-site? +What bear I for his sake I'd hide, but tears * + Betray my feelings to the spy's despight. +When near, our union seemeth ever far; * + When far, my thoughts to him aye nearest are." + +And presently she continued, "See then, O my brother, how thou +mayest aid me in mine affliction." So Marzawan bowed his head +ground-wards awhile, wondering and not knowing what to do, then +he raised it and said to her, "All thou hast spoken to me I hold +to be true, though the case of the young man pass my +understanding: but I will go round about all lands and will seek +for what may heal thee; haply Allah shall appoint thy healing to +be at my hand. Meanwhile, take patience and be not disquieted." +Thereupon Marzawan farewelled her, praying that she might be +constant and left her repeating these couplets, + +"Thine image ever companies my sprite, * + For all thou'rt distant from the pilgrim's sight: +But my heart-wishes e'er attract thee near: * + What is the lightning's speed to Thought's swift flight? +Then go not thou, my very light of eyes * + Which, when thou'rt gone, lack all the Kohl of light." + +Then Marzawan returned to his mother's house, where he passed the +night. And when the morrow dawned, having equipped himself for +his journey, he fared forth and ceased not faring from city to +city and from island to island for a whole month, till he came to +a town named Al-Tayrab.[FN#285] Here he went about scenting news +of the townsfolk, so haply he might light on a cure for the +Princess's malady, for in every capital he entered or passed by, +it was reported that Queen Budur, daughter of King Ghayur, had +lost her wits. But arriving at Al-Tayrab city, he heard that +Kamar al-Zaman, son of King Shahriman, was fallen sick and +afflicted with melancholy madness. So Marzawan asked the name of +the Prince's capital and they said to him, "It is on the Islands +of Khalidan and it lieth distant from our city a whole month's +journey by sea, but by land it is six months' march." So he went +down to the sea in a ship which was bound for the Khalidan Isles, +and she sailed with a favouring breeze for a whole month, till +they came in sight of the capital; and there remained for them +but to make the land when, behold, there came out on them a +tempestuous wind which carried away the masts and rent the +canvas, so that the sails fell into the sea and the ship +capsized, with all on board,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +ship capsized with all on board, each sought his own safety; and +as for Marzawan the set of the sea carried him under the King's +palace, wherein was Kamar al-Zaman. And by the decree of destiny +it so happened that this was the day on which King Shahriman gave +audience to his Grandees and high officers, and he was sitting, +with his son's head on his lap, whilst an eunuch fanned away the +flies; and the Prince had not spoken neither had he eaten nor +drunk for two days, and he was grown thinner than a +spindle.[FN#286] Now the Wazir was standing respectfully a-foot +near the latticed window giving on the sea and, raising his eyes, +saw Marzawan being beaten by the billows and at his last gasp; +whereupon his heart was moved to pity for him, so he drew near to +the King and moving his head towards him said, "I crave thy +leave, O King, to go down to the court of the pavilion and open +the water-gate that I may rescue a man who is at the point of +drowning in the sea and bring him forth of danger into +deliverance; peradventure, on this account Allah may free thy son +from what he hath!" The King replied, "O thou Wazir, enough is +that which hath befallen my son through thee and on shine +account. Haply, if thou rescue this drowning man, he will come to +know our affairs, and look on my son who is in this state and +exult over me; but I swear by Allah, that if this half-drowned +wretch come hither and learn our condition and look upon my son +and then fare forth and speak of our secrets to any, I will +assuredly strike off thy head before his; for thou, O my Minister +art the cause of all that hath betided us, first and last. Now do +as thou wilt." Thereupon the Wazir sprang up and, opening the +private pastern which gave upon the sea, descended to the +causeway; then walked on twenty steps and came to the water where +he saw Marzawan nigh unto death. So he put out his hand to him +and, catching him by his hair, drew him ashore in a state of +insensibility, with belly full of water and eyes half out of his +head. The Wazir waited till he came to himself, when he pulled +off his wet clothes and clad him in a fresh suit, covering his +head with one of his servants' turbands; after which he said to +him, Know that I have been the means of saving thee from +drowning: do not thou requite me by causing my death and shine +own."And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Wazir did to Marzawan what he did, he thus addressed him Know +that I have been the cause of saving thee from drowning so +requite me not by causing my death and shine own." Asked +Marzawan, And how so?"; and the Wazir answered, "Thou art at this +hour about to go up and pass among Emirs and Wazirs all of them +silent and none speaking, because of Kamar al-Zaman the son of +the Sultan." Now when Marzawan heard the name of Kamar al-Zaman, +he knew that this was he whom he had heard spoken of in sundry +cities and of whom he came in search, but he feigned ignorance +and asked the Wazir, "And who is Kamar al-Zaman? Answered the +Minister, "He is the son of Sultan Shahriman and he is sore sick +and lieth strown on his couch restless alway, eating not nor +drinking neither sleeping night or day; indeed he is nigh upon +death and we have lost hope of his living and are certain that he +is dying. Beware lest thou look too long on him, or thou look on +any other than that where thou settest thy feet: else thou art a +lost man, and I also." He replied, "Allah upon thee, O Wazir, I +implore thee, of thy favour, acquaint me touching this youth thou +describest, what is the cause of the condition in which he is." +The Wazir replied, "I know none, save that, three years ago, his +father required him to wed, but he refused; whereat the King was +wroth and imprisoned him. And when he awoke on the morrow, he +fancied that during the night he had been roused from sleep and +had seen by his side a young lady of passing loveliness, whose +charms tongue can never express; and he assured us that he had +plucked off her seal-ring from her finger and had put it on his +own and that she had done likewise; but we know not the secret of +all this business. So by Allah, O my son, when thou comest up +with me into the palace, look not on the Prince, but go thy way; +for the Sultan's heart is full of wrath against me." So said +Marzawan to himself, "By Allah; this is the one I sought!" Then +he followed the Wazir up to the palace, where the Minister seated +himself at the Prince's feet; but Marzawan found forsooth nothing +to do but go up to Kamar al-Zaman and stand before him at gaze. +Upon this the Wazir, died of affright in his skin, and kept +looking at Marzawan and signalling him to wend his way; but he +feigned not to see him and gave not over gazing upon Kamar al- +Zaman, till he was well assured that it was indeed he whom he was +seeking,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when +Marzawan looked upon Kamar al-Zaman and knew that it was indeed +he whom he was seeking, he cried, "Exalted be Allah, Who hath +made his shape even as her shape and his complexion as her +complexion and his cheek as her cheek!'' Upon this Kamar al-Zaman +opened his eyes and gave earnest ear to his speech; and, when +Marzawan saw him inclining to hear, he repeated these +couplets[FN#287], + +"I see thee full of song and plaint and love's own ecstasy; +Delighting in describing all the charms of loveliness: + +Art smit by stroke of Love or hath shaft-shot wounded thee? +None save the wounded ever show such signals of distress! + +Ho thou! crown the wine cup and sing me singular +Praises to Sulaym, Al-Rabb, Tan'oum addrest;[FN#288] + +Go round the grape-vine sun[FN#289] which for mansion hath a jar; +Whose East the cup boy is, and here my mouth that opes for West. + +I'm jealous of the very clothes that dare her sides enroll +When she veils her dainty body of the delicatest grace: + +I envy every goblet of her lips that taketh toll +When she sets the kissing cup on that sweetest kissing-place. + +But deem not by the keen-edged scymitar I'm slain-- +The hurts and harms I dree are from arrows of her eyes. + +I found her finger tips, as I met her once again, +Deep-reddened with the juice of the wood that ruddy dyes;[FN#290] + +And cried, 'Thy palms thou stainedst when far away was I +And this is how thou payest one distracted by his pine!' + +Quoth she (enkindling in my heart a flame that burned high +Speaking as one who cannot hide of longing love the sign), + +'By thy life, this is no dye used for dyeing; so forbear +Thy blame, nor in charging me with falsing Love persist! + +But when upon our parting-day I saw thee haste to fare, +The while were bared my hand and my elbow and my wrist; + +'I shed a flood of blood-red tears and with fingers brushed away; +Hence blood-reddened were the tips and still blood-red they + remain.' + +Had I wept before she wept, to my longing-love a prey, +Before repentance came, I had quit my soul of pain; + +But she wept before I wept and I wept to see her care +And I said, 'All the merit to precedent;'[FN#291] + +Blame me not for loving her, now on self of Love I swear +For her sake, for her only, these pains my soul torment. + +She hath all the lere of Lukmn[FN#292] and Ysuf's beauty lief; +Sweet singer David's voice and Maryam's chastity: + +While I've all Jacob's mourning and Jonah's prison-grief, +And the sufferings of Job and old Adam's history: + +Yet kill her not, albeit of my love for her I die; +But ask her why my blood to her was lawful. ask her why?" + +When Marzawan recited this ode, the words fell upon Kamar al- +Zaman's heart as freshness after fever and returning health; and +he sighed and, turning his tongue in his mouth, said to his sire, +"O my father, let this youth come and sit by my side."--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- +Zaman said to his sire, "O my father, allow this youth to come +and sit by my side." Now when the King heard these words from his +son, he rejoiced with exceeding joy, though at the first his +heart had been set against Marzawan and he had determined that +the stranger's head needs must be stricken off: but when he heard +Kamar al-Zaman speak, his anger left him and he arose and drawing +Marzawan to him, seated him by his son and turning to him said, +"Praised be Allah for thy safety!" He replied, "Allah preserve +thee! and preserve thy son to thee!" and called down blessings on +the King. Then the King asked, "From what country art thou?"; and +he answered, "From the Islands of the Inland Sea, the kingdom of +King Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and the Seas and the Seven +Palaces." Quoth King Shahriman, "Maybe thy coming shall be +blessed to my son and Allah vouchsafe to heal what is in him." +Quoth Marzawan, "Inshallah, naught shall be save what shall be +well!" Then turning to Kamar al-Zaman, he said to him in his ear +unheard of the King and his court, 'O my lord! be of good cheer, +and hearten thy heart and let shine eyes be cool and clear and, +with respect to her for whose sake thou art thus, ask not of her +case on shine account. But thou keptest thy secret and fellest +sick, while she told her secret and they said she had gone mad; +so she is now in prison, with an iron chain about her neck, in +most piteous plight; but, Allah willing, the healing of both of +you shall come from my hand." Now when Kamar al-Zaman heard these +words, his life returned to him and he took heart and felt a +thrill of joy and signed to his father to help him sit up; and +the King was like to fly for gladness and rose hastily and lifted +him up. Presently, of his fear for his son, he shook the kerchief +of dismissal[FN#293]; and all the Emirs and Wazirs withdrew; then +he set two pillows for his son to lean upon, after which he bade +them perfume the palace with saffron and decorate the city, +saying to Marzawan, "By Allah, O my son, of a truth shine aspect +be a lucky and a blessed!" And he made as much of him as he might +and called for food, and when they brought it, Marzawan came up +to the Prince and said, "Rise, eat with me." So he obeyed him and +ate with him, and all the while the King invoked blessings on +Marzawan and said, "How auspicious is thy coming, O my son!" And +when the father saw his boy eat, his joy and gladness redoubled, +and he went out and told the Prince's mother and all the +household. Then he spread throughout the palace the good news of +the Prince's recovery and the King commanded the decoration of +the city and it was a day of high festival. Marzawan passed that +night with Kamar al-Zaman, and the King also slept with them in +joy and delight for his son's recovery.--And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King +Shahriman also passed that night with them in the excess of his +joy for his son's recovery. And when the next morning dawned, and +the King had gone away and the two young men were left alone, +Kamar al-Zaman told his story from beginning to end to Marzawan +who said, "In very sooth I know her with whom thou didst +foregather; her name is the Princess Budur and she is daughter to +King Ghayur." Then he related to him all that had passed with the +Princess from first to last and acquainted him with the excessive +love she bore him, saying, "All that befel thee with thy father +hath befallen her with hers, and thou art without doubt her +beloved, even as she is shine; so brace up thy resolution and +take heart, for I will bring thee to her and unite you both anon +and deal with you even as saith the poet, + +"Albe to lover adverse be his love, * + And show aversion howso may he care; +Yet will I manage that their persons[FN#294] meet, * + E'en as the pivot of a scissor pair." + +And he ceased not to comfort and solace and encourage Kamar al- +Zaman and urged him to eat and drink till he ate food and drank +wine, and life returned to him and he was saved from his ill +case; and Marzawan cheered him and diverted him with talk and +songs and stories, and in good time he became free of his +disorder and stood up and sought to go to the Hammam.[FN#295] So +Marzawan took him by the hand and both went to the bath, where +they washed their bodies and made them clean.--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundredth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar +al-Zaman, son of King Shahriman, went to the Hammam, his father +in his joy at this event freed the prisoners, and presented +splendid dresses to his grandees and bestowed large alm-gifts +upon the poor and bade decorate the city seven days. Then quoth +Marzawan to Kamar al-Zaman, "Know, O my lord, that I came not +from the Lady Budur save for this purpose, and the object of my +journey was to deliver her from her present case; and it +remaineth for us only to devise how we may get to her, since thy +father cannot brook the thought of parting from thee. So it is my +counsel that to-morrow thou ask his leave to go abroad hunting. +Then do thou take with thee a pair of saddle-bags full of money +and mount a swift steed, and lead a spare horse, and I will do +the like, and say to thy sire, 'I have a mind to divert myself +with hunting the desert and to see the open country and there to +pass one night.' Suffer not any servant to follow us, for as soon +as we reach the open country, we will go our ways." Kamar al- +Zaman rejoiced in this plan with great joy and cried, "It is +good." Then he stiffened his back and, going in to his father, +sought his leave and spoke as he had been taught, and the King +consented to his going forth a-hunting and said, "O my son, +blessed be the day that restoreth thee to health! I will not +gainsay thee in this; but pass not more than one night in the +desert and return to me on the morrow; for thou knowest that life +is not good to me without thee, and indeed I can hardly believe +thee to be wholly recovered from what thou hadst,[FN#296] because +thou art to me as he of whom quoth the poet, + +'Albe by me I had through day and night * + Solomon's carpet and the Chosroes' might, +Both were in value less than wing of gnat, * + Unless these eyne could hold thee aye in sight.'"[FN#297] + +Then the King equipped his son Kamar al-Zaman and Marzawan for +the excursion, bidding make ready for them four horses, together +with a dromedary to carry the money and a camel to bear the water +and belly timber; and Kamar al-Zaman forbade any of his +attendants to follow him. His father farewelled him and pressed +him to his breast and kissed him, saying, "I ask thee in the name +of Allah, be not absent from me more than one night, wherein +sleep will be unlawful to me, for I am even as saith the poet, + +'Thou present, in the Heaven of heavens I dwell; * + Bearing shine absence is of hells my Hell: +Pledged be for thee my soul! If love for thee * + Be crime, my crime is of the fellest fell. +Does love-lowe burn thy heart as burns it mine, * + Doomed night and day Gehenna-fire to smell?'" + +Answered Kamar al-Zaman, "O my father, Inshallah, I will lie +abroad but one night!" Then he took leave of him, and he and +Marzawan mounted and leading the spare horses, the dromedary with +the money and the camel with the water and victual, turned their +faces towards the open country;--And Shahrazad perceived the +dawning day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and First Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- +Zaman and Marzawan fared forth and turned their faces towards the +open country; and they travelled from the first of the day till +nightfall, when they halted and ate and drank and fed their +beasts and rested awhile; after which they again took horse and +ceased not journeying for three days, and on the fourth they came +to a spacious tract wherein was a thicket. They alighted in it +and Marzawan, taking the camel and one of the horses, slaughtered +them and cut off their flesh and stripped their bones. Then he +doffed from Kamar al-Zaman his shirt and trousers which he +smeared with the horse's blood and he took the Prince's coat +which he tore to shreds and befouled with gore; and he cast them +down in the fork of the road. Then they ate and drank and +mounting set forward again; and, when Kamar al- Zaman asked why +this was done, and said, "What is this O my brother, and how +shall it profit us?"; Marzawan replied, "Know that thy father, +when we have outstayed the second night after the night for which +we had his leave, and yet we return not, will mount and follow in +our track till he come hither; and, when he happeneth upon this +blood which I have spilt and he seeth thy shirt and trousers rent +and gore-fouled, he will fancy that some accident befel thee from +bandits or wild-beasts, so he will give up hope of thee and +return to his city, and by this device we shall win our wishes." +Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, "By Allah, this be indeed a rare device! +Thou hast done right well.''[FN#298] Then the two fared on days +and nights and all that while Kamar al-Zaman did naught but +complain when he found himself alone, and he ceased not weeping +till they drew near their journeys end, when he rejoiced and +repeated these verses, + +"Wilt tyrant play with truest friend who thinks of thee each + hour, * And after showing love-desire betray indifference? +May I forfeit every favour if in love I falsed thee, * + If thee I left, abandon me by way of recompense: +But I've been guilty of no crime such harshness to deserve, * + And if I aught offended thee I bring my penitence; +Of Fortune's wonders one it is thou hast abandoned me, * + But Fortune never wearieth of showing wonderments." + +When he had made an end of his verses, Marzawan said to him, +"Look! these be King Ghayur's Islands;" whereat Kamar al-Zaman +joyed with exceeding joy and thanked him for what he had done, +and kissed him between the eyes and strained him--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when +Marzawan said "Look! these be the Islands of King Ghayur;" Kamar +al-Zaman joyed with exceeding joy and thanked him for what he had +done and kissed him between the eyes and strained him to his +bosom. And after reaching the Islands and entering the city they +took up their lodging in a khan, where they rested three days +from the fatigues of their wayfare; after which Marzawan carried +Kamar al-Zaman to the bath and, clothing him in merchant's gear, +provided him with a geomantic tablet of gold,[FN#299] with a set +of astrological instruments and with an astrolabe of silver, +plated with gold. Then he said to him, "Arise, O my lord, and +take thy stand under the walls of the King's palace and cry out, +'I am the ready Reckoner; I am the Scrivener; I am he who weeteth +the Sought and the Seeker; I am the finished man of Science; I am +the Astrologer accomplished in experience! Where then is he that +seeketh?' As soon as the King heareth this, he will send after +thee and carry thee in to his daughter the Princess Budur, thy +lover; but when about going in to her do thou say to him, 'Grant +me three days' delay, and if she recover, give her to me to wife; +and if not, deal with me as thou dealest with those who forewent +me.' He will assuredly agree to this, so as soon as thou art +alone with her, discover thyself to her; and when she seeth thee, +she will recover strength and her madness will cease from her and +she will be made whole in one night. Then do thou give her to eat +and drink. and her father, rejoicing in her recovery, will marry +thee to her and share his kingdom with thee; for he hath imposed +on himself this condition and so peace be upon thee." Now when +Kamar al-Zaman heard these words he exclaimed, "May I never lack +thy benefits!", and, taking the set of instruments aforesaid, +sallied forth from the caravanserai in the dress of his order. He +walked on till he stood under the walls of King Ghayur's palace, +where he began to cry out, saying, "I am the Scribe, I am the +ready Reckoner, I am he who knoweth the Sought and the Seeker; I +am he who openeth the Volume and summeth up the Sums;[FN#300] who +Dreams can expound whereby the sought is found! Where then is the +seeker?" Now when the city people heard this, they flocked to +him, for it was long since they had seen Scribe or Astrologer, +and they stood round him and, looking upon him, they saw one in +the prime of beauty and grace and perfect elegance, and they +marvelled at his loveliness, and his fine stature and symmetry. +Presently one of them accosted him and said, "Allah upon thee, O +thou fair and young, with the eloquent tongue! incur not this +affray; nor throw thy life away in thine ambition to marry the +Princess Budur. Only cast shine eyes upon yonder heads hung up; +all their owners have lost their lives in this same venture." Yet +Kamar al-Zaman paid no heed to them, but cried out at the top of +his voice, saying, "I am the Doctor, the Scrivener! I am the +Astrologer, the Calculator!" And all the townsfolk forbade him +from this, but he regarded them not at all, saying in his mind, +"None knoweth desire save whoso suffereth it." Then he began +again to cry his loudest, shouting, "I am the Scrivener, I am the +Astrologer!"--And Shahrazad per ceived the dawn of day and ceased +to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- +Zaman in no wise heeded the words of the citizens, but continued +to cry out, "I am the Calculator! I am the Astrologer!" Thereupon +all the townsfolk were wroth with him and said to him, "Thou art +nothing but an imbecile, silly, self-willed lad! Have pity on +shine own youth and tender years and beauty and loveliness." But +he cried all the more, "I am the Astrologer, I am the Calculator! +Is there any one that seeketh?" As he was thus crying and the +people forbidding him, behold, King Ghayur heard his voice and +the clamour of the lieges and said to his Wazir, "Go down and +bring me yon Astrologer." So the Wazir, went down in haste, and +taking Kamar al-Zaman from the midst of the crowd led him up to +the King; and when in the presence he kissed the ground and began +versifying, + +"Eight glories meet, all, all conjoined in thee, * + Whereby may Fortune aye thy servant be: +Lere, lordliness, grace, generosity; * + Plain words, deep meaning, honour, victory!" + +When the King looked upon him, he seated him by his side and said +to him, "By Allah, O my son, an thou be not an astrologer, +venture not thy life nor comply with my condition; for I have +bound myself that whoso goeth in to my daughter and healeth her +not of that which hath befallen her I will strike off his head; +but whoso healeth her him I will marry to her. So let not thy +beauty and loveliness delude thee: for, by Allah! and again, by +Allah! If thou cure her not, I will assuredly cut off thy head." +And Kamar al-Zaman replied, "This is thy right; and I consent, +for I wot of this ere came I hither." Then King Ghayur took the +Kazis to witness against him and delivered him to the eunuch, +saying, "Carry this one to the Lady Budur." So the eunuch took +him by the hand and led him along the passage; but Kamar al-Zaman +outstripped him and pushed on before, whilst the eunuch ran after +him, saying, "Woe to thee! Hasten not to shine own ruin: never +yet saw I astrologer so eager for his proper destruction; but +thou weetest not what calamities are before thee." Thereupon +Kamar al-Zaman turned away his face from the eunuch,--And Shah +razed perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +eunuch thus addressed Kamar al-Zaman, "Patience, and no indecent +hurry!"; the Prince turned away his face and began repeating +these couplets, + +"A Sage, I feel a fool before thy charms; * + Distraught, I wot not what the words I say: +If say I 'Sun,' away thou dost not pass * + From eyes of me, while suns go down with day: +Thou hast completed Beauty, in whose praise * + Speech-makers fail, and talkers lose their way." + +Then the eunuch stationed Kamar al-Zaman behind the curtain of +the Princess's door and the Prince said to him, "Which of the two +ways will please thee more, treat and cure thy lady from here or +go in and heal her within the curtain?" The eunuch marvelled at +his words and answered, "An thou heal her from here it were +better proof of thy skill." Upon this Kamar al-Zaman sat down +behind the curtain and, taking out ink case, pen and paper, wrote +the following: "This is the writ of one whom passion swayeth,* +and whom longing waylayeth * and wakeful misery slayeth * one who +despaireth of living * and looketh for naught but dying * with +whose mourning heart * nor comforter nor helper taketh part * One +whose sleepless eyes * none succoureth from anxieties * whose day +is passed in fire * and his night in torturing desire * whose +body is wasted for much emaciation * and no messenger from his +beloved bringeth him consolation." And after this he indited the +following couplets, + +"I write with heart devoted to thy thought, * + And eyelids chafed by tears of blood they bled; +And body clad, by loving pine and pain, * + In shirt of leanness, and worn down to thread, +To thee complain I of Love's tormentry, * + Which ousted hapless Patience from her stead: +A toi! show favour and some mercy deign, * + For Passion's cruel hands my vitals shred." + +And beneath his lines he wrote these cadenced sentences, "The +heart's pain is removed * by union with the beloved * and whomso +his lover paineth * only Allah assaineth! * If we or you have +wrought deceit * may the deceiver win defeat! * There is naught +goodlier than a lover who keeps faith * with the beloved who +works him scathe." Then, by way of subscription, he wrote, "From +the distracted and despairing man * whom love and longing trepan +* from the lover under passion's ban * the prisoner of transport +and distraction * from this Kamar al-Zaman * son of Shahriman * +to the peerless one * of the fair Houris the pearl-union * to the +Lady Budur * daughter of King Al Ghayur * Know thou that by night +I am sleepless * and by day in distress * consumed with +increasing wasting and pain * and longing and love unfain * +abounding in sighs * with tear flooded eyes * by passion captive +ta'en * of Desire the slain * with heart seared by the parting of +us twain * the debtor of longing bane, of sickness cup-companion +* I am the sleepless one, who never closeth eye * the slave of +love, whose tears run never dry * for the fire of my heart is +still burning * and never hidden is the flame of my yearning." +Then on the margin Kamar al-Zaman wrote this admired verse, + +"Salem from graces hoarded by my Lord * + To her, who holds my heart and soul in hoard!" + +And also these, + +"Pray'ee grant me some words from your lips, belike * + Such mercy may comfort and cool these eyne: +From the stress of my love and my pine for you, * + I make light of what makes me despised, indign: +Allah guard a folk whose abode was far, * + And whose secret I kept in the holiest shrine: +Now Fortune in kindness hath favoured me * + Thrown on threshold dust of this love o' mine: +By me bedded I looked on Budr, whose sun * + The moon of my fortunes hath made to shine." + +Then, having affixed his seal-ring to the missive, he wrote these +couplets in the place of address, + +"Ask of my writ what wrote my pen in dole, * + And hear my tale of misery from this scroll; +My hand is writing while my tears down flow, * + And to the paper 'plains my longing soul: +My tears cease not to roll upon this sheet, * + And if they stopped I'd cause blood-gouts to roll." + +And at the end he added this other verse, + +"I've sent the ring from off thy finger bore * + I when we met, now deign my ring restore!" + +Then Kamar al-Zaman set the Lady Budur's ring inside the letter +and sealed it and gave it to the eunuch, who took it and went in +with it to his mistress.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- +Zaman, after setting the seal-ring inside the epistle, gave it to +the eunuch who took it and went in with it to his mistress; and, +when the Lady Budur opened it, she found therein her own very +ring. Then she read the paper and when she understood its purport +and knew that it was from her beloved, and that he in person +stood behind the curtain, her reason began to fly and her breast +swelled for joy and rose high; and she repeated these couplets, + +"Long, long have I bewailed the sev'rance of our loves, * + With tears that from my lids streamed down like burning + rain; +And vowed that, if the days deign reunite us two, * + My lips should never speak of severance again: +Joy hath o'erwhelmed me so that, for the very stress * + Of that which gladdens me to weeping I am fain. +Tears are become to you a habit, O my eyes, * + So that ye weep as well for gladness as for pain.''[FN#301] + +And having finished her verse, the Lady Budur stood up forthwith +and, firmly setting her feet to the wall, strained with all her +might upon the collar of iron, till she brake it from her neck +and snapped the chains. Then going forth from behind the curtain +she threw herself on Kamar al-Zaman and kissed him on the mouth, +like a pigeon feeding its young.[FN#302] And she embraced him +with all the stress of her love and longing and said to him, "O +my lord do I wake or sleep and hath the Almighty indeed +vouchsafe] us reunion after disunion? Laud be to Allah who hath +our loves repaired, even after we despaired!" Now when the eunuch +saw her in this case, he went off running to King Ghayur and, +kissing the ground before him, said, "O my lord, know that this +Astrologer is indeed the Shaykh of all astrologers, who are fools +to him, all of them; for verily he hath cured thy daughter while +standing behind the curtain and without going in to her." Quoth +the King, "Look well to it, is this news true?" Answered the +eunuch, "O my lord, rise and come and see for thyself how she +hath found strength to break the iron chains and is come forth to +the Astrologer, kissing and embracing him." Thereupon the King +arose and went in to his daughter who, when she saw him, stood up +in haste and covered her head,[FN#303] and recited these two +couplets, + +"The toothstick love I not; for when I say, * + 'Siwk,'[FN#304] I miss thee, for it sounds 'Siw-ka'. +The caper-tree I love; for when I say, * + 'Ark'[FN#305] it sounds I look on thee, 'Ar-ka.'" + +Thereupon the King was so transported for joy at her recovery +that he felt like to fly and kissed her between the eyes, for he +loved her with dearest love; then, turning to Kamar al-Zaman, he +asked him who he was, and said, "What countryman art thou?" So +the Prince told him his name and rank, and informed him that he +was the son of King Shahriman, and presently related to him the +whole story from beginning to end; and acquainted him with what +happened between himself and the Lady Budur; and how he had taken +her seal-ring from her finger and had placed it on his own; +whereat Ghayur marvelled and said, "Verily your story deserveth +in books to be chronicled, and when you are dead and gone age +after age be read." Then he summoned Kazis and witnesses +forthright and married the Lady Budur to Prince Kamar al-Zaman; +after which he bade decorate the city seven days long. So they +spread the tables with all manner of meats, whilst the drums beat +and the criers anounced the glad tidings, and all the troops +donned their richest clothes; and they illuminated the city and +held high festival. Then Kamar al-Zaman went in to the Lady Budur +and the King rejoiced in her recovery and in her marriage; and +praised Allah for that He had made her to fall in love with a +goodly youth of the sons of Kings. So they unveiled her and +displayed the bride before the bridegroom; and both were the +living likeness of each other in beauty and comeliness and grace +and love-allurement. Then Kamar al-Zaman lay with her that night +and took his will of her, whilst she in like manner fulfilled her +desire of him and enjoyed his charms and grace; and they slept in +each other's arms till the morning. On the morrow, the King made +a wedding-feast to which he gathered all comers from the Islands +of the Inner and Outer Seas, and he spread the tables with +choicest viands nor ceased the banquetting for a whole month. Now +when Kamar al-Zaman had thus fulfilled his will and attained his +inmost desire, and whenas he had tarried awhile with the Princess +Budur, he bethought him of his father, King Shahriman, and saw +him in a dream, saying, "O my son, is it thus thou dealest with +me?" and recited in the vision these two couplets, + +"Indeed to watch the darkness-moon he blighted me, * + And to star-gaze through longsome night he plighted me: +Easy, my heart! for haply he'll unite with thee; * + And patience, Sprite! with whatso ills he dight to thee." + +Now after seeing his father in the dream and hearing his re +preaches, Kamar al-Zaman awoke in the morning, afflicted and +troubled, whereupon the Lady Budur questioned him and he told her +what he had seen.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar +al-Zaman acquainted the Lady Budur with what he had seen in his +dream, she and he went in to her sire and, telling him what had +passed, besought his leave to travel. He gave the Prince the +permission he sought; but the Princess said, "O my father, I +cannot bear to be parted from him." Quoth Ghayur, her sire, "Then +go thou with him," and gave her leave to be absent a whole +twelvemonth and afterwards to visit him in every year once; so +she kissed his hand and Kamar al-Zaman did the like. Thereupon +King Ghayur proceeded to equip his daughter and her bridegroom +for the journey, and furnished them with outfit and appointments +for the march; and brought out of his stables horses marked with +his own brand, blood-dromedaries[FN#306] which can journey ten +days without water, and prepared a litter for his daughter, +besides loading mules and camels with victual; moreover, he gave +them slaves and eunuchs to serve them and all manner of +travellinggear; and on the day of departure, when King Ghayur +took leave of Kamar al-Zaman, he bestowed on him ten splendid +suits of cloth of gold embroidered with stones of price, together +with ten riding horses and ten she-camels, and a treasury of +money;[FN#307] and he charged him to love and cherish his +daughter the Lady Budur. Then the King accompanied them to the +farthest limits of his Islands where, going in to his daughter +Budur in the litter, he kissed her and strained her to his bosom, +weeping and repeating, + +"O thou who wooest Severance, easy fare! * + For love-embrace belongs to lover-friend: +Fare softly! Fortune's nature falsehood is, * + And parting shall love's every meeting end." + +Then leaving his daughter, he went to her husband and bade him +farewell and kissed him; after which he parted from them and, +giving the order for the march he returned to his capital with +his troops. The Prince and Princess and their suite fared on +without stopping through the first day and the second and the +third and the fourth, nor did they cease faring for a whole month +till they came to a spacious champaign, abounding in pasturage, +where they pitched their tents; and they ate and drank and +rested, and the Princess Budur lay down to sleep. Presently, +Kamar al-Zaman went in to her and found her lying asleep clad in +a shift of apricot-coloured silk that showed all and everything; +and on her head was a coif of gold-cloth embroidered with pearls +and jewels. The breeze raised her shift which laid bare her navel +and showed her breasts and displayed a stomach whiter than snow, +each one of whose dimples would contain an ounce of benzoin- +ointment.[FN#308] At this sight, his love and longing redoubled, +and he began reating, + +"An were it asked me when by hell-fire burnt, * + When flames of heart my vitals hold and hem, +'Which wouldst thou chose, say wouldst thou rather them, * + Or drink sweet cooling draught?' I'd answer, 'Them!' " + +Then he put his hand to the band of her petticoat-trousers and +drew it and loosed it, for his soul lusted after her, when he saw +a jewel, red as dye-wood, made fast to the band. He untied it and +examined it and, seeing two lines of writing graven thereon, in a +character not to be read, marvelled and said in his mind, "Were +not this bezel something to her very dear she had not bound it to +her trousers-band nor hidden it in the most privy and precious +place about her person, that she might not be parted from it. +Would I knew what she cloth with this and what is the secret that +is in it." So saying, he took it and went outside the tent to +look at it in the light,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day, and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when he +took the bezel to look at it in the light, the while he was +holding it behold, a bird swooped down on him and, snatching the +same from his hand, flew off with it and then lighted on the +ground. There-upon Kamar al-Zaman fearing to lose the jewel, ran +after the bird; but it flew on before him, keeping just out of +his reach, and ceased not to draw him on from dale to dale and +from hill to hill, till the night starkened and the firmament +darkened, when it roosted on a high tree. So Kamar al-Zaman +stopped under the tree confounded in thought and faint for famine +and fatigue, and giving himself up for lost, would have turned +back, but knew not the way whereby he came, for that darkness had +overtaken him. Then he exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there +is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious the Great!"; and laying +him down under the tree (whereon was the bird) slept till the +morning, when he awoke and saw the bird also wake up and fly +away. He arose and walked after it, and it flew on little by +little before him, after the measure of his faring; at which he +smiled and said, "By Allah, a strange thing! Yesterday, this bird +flew before me as fast as I could run, and to-day, knowing that I +have awoke tired and cannot run, he flieth after the measure of +my faring. By Allah, this is wonderful! But I must needs follow +this bird whether it lead me to death or to life; and I will go +wherever it goeth, for at all events it will not abide save in +some inhabited land.[FN#309] So he continued to follow the bird +which roosted every night upon a tree; and he ceased not pursuing +it for a space of ten days, feeding on the fruits of the earth +and drinking of its waters. At the end of this time, he came in +sight of an inhabited city, whereupon the bird darted off like +the glance of the eye and, entering the town, disappeared from +Kamar al-Zaman, who knew not what it meant or whither it was +gone; so he marvelled at this and exclaimed, "Praise be to Allah +who hath brought me in safety to this city!" Then he sat down by +a stream and washed his hands and feet and face and rested +awhile; and, recalling his late easy and pleasant life of union +with his beloved and contrasting it with his present plight of +trouble and fatigue and distress and strangerhood and famine and +severance, the tears streamed from his eyes and he began +repeating these cinquains, + +"Pain had I hid thy handwork, but it showed, * + Changed sleep for wake, and wake with me abode: +When thou didst spurn my heart I cried aloud * + Pate, hold thy hand and cease to gird and goad: + In dole and danger aye my sprite I spy! + +An but the Lord of Love were just to me, * + Sleep fro' my eyelids ne'er were forced to flee. +Pity, my lady, one for love o' thee * + Prom his tribes darling brought to low degree: + Love came and doomed Wealth beggar-death to die. + +The railers chide at thee: I ne'er gainsay, * + But stop my ears and dumbly sign them Nay: +'Thou lov'st a slender may,' say they; I say, * + 'I've picked her out and cast the rest away:' + Enough; when Fate descends she blinds man's + eye!"[FN#310] + +And as soon as he had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, +he rose and walked on little by little, till he entered the +city.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as +Kamar al-Zaman had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, he +arose and entered the city-gate[FN#311] not knowing whither he +should wend. He crossed the city from end to end, entering by the +land-gate, and ceased not faring on till he came out at the sea- +gate, for the city stood on the sea-shore. Yet he met not a +single one of its citizens. And after issuing from the land-gate +he fared forwards and ceased not faring till he found himself +among the orchards and gardens of the place; and, passing among +the trees presently came to a garden and stopped before its door; +where-upon the keeper came out to him and saluted him. The Prince +returned his greeting and the gardener bade him welcome, saying, +"Praised be Allah that thou hast come off safe from the dwellers +of this city! Quick, come into the garth, ere any of the townfolk +see thee." Thereupon Kamar al-Zaman entered that garden, +wondering in mind, and asked the keeper, "What may be the history +of the people of this city and who may they be?" The other +answered, "Know that the people of this city are all Magians: but +Allah upon thee, tell me how thou camest to this city and what +caused thy coming to our capital." Accordingly Kamar al-Zaman +told the gardener all that had befallen him from beginning to +end, whereat he marvelled with great marvel and said, "Know, O my +son, that the cities of Al-Islam lie far from us; and between us +and them is a four months' voyage by sea and a whole twelve +months' journey by land. We have a ship which saileth every year +with merchandise to the nearest Moslem country and which entereth +the seas of the Ebony Islands and thence maketh the Khalidan +Islands, the dominions of King Shahriman." Thereupon Kamar al- +Zaman considered awhile and concluded that he could not do better +than abide in the garden with the gardener and become his +assistant, receiving for pay one fourth of the produce. So he +said to him, "Wilt thou take me into thy service, to help thee in +this garden?" Answered the gardener, "To hear is to consent;" and +began teaching him to lead the water to the roots of the trees. +So Kamar al-Zaman abode with him, watering the trees and hoeing +up the weeds and wearing a short blue frock which reached to his +knees. And he wept floods of tears; for he had no rest day or +night, by reason of his strangerhood and he ceased not to repeat +verses upon his beloved, amongst others the following couplets, + +"Ye promised us and will ye not keep plight? * + Ye said a say and shall not deed be dight? +We wake for passion while ye slumber and sleep; * + Watchers and wakers claim not equal right: +We vowed to keep our loves in secrecy, * + But spake the meddler and you spoke forthright: +O friend in pain and pleasure, joy and grief, * + In all case you, you only, claim my sprite! +Mid folk is one who holds my prisoned heart; * + Would he but show some ruth for me to sight. +Not every eye like mine is wounded sore, * + Not every heart like mine love-pipings blight: +Ye wronged me saying, Love is wrongous aye * + Yea! ye were right, events have proved that quite. +Forget they one love-thralled, whose faith the world * + Robs not, though burn the fires in heart alight: +If an my foeman shall become my judge, * + Whom shall I sue to remedy his despight? +Had not I need of love nor love had sought, * + My heart forsure were not thus love-distraught." + +Such was the case with Kamar al-Zaman; but as regards his wife, +the Lady Budur, when she awoke she sought her husband and found +him not: then she saw her petticoat-trousers undone, for the band +had been loosed and the bezel lost, whereupon she said to +herself, "By Allah, this is strange! Where is my husband? It +would seem as if he had taken the talisman and gone away, knowing +not the secret which is in it. Would to Heaven I knew whither can +he have wended! But it must needs have been some extraordinary +matter that drew him away, for he cannot brook to leave me a +moment. Allah curse the stone and damn its hour!" Then she +considered awhile and said in her mind, "If I go out and tell the +varlets and let them learn that my husband is lost they will lust +after me: there is no help for it but that I use stratagem. So +she rose and donned some of her husband's clothes and riding- +boots, and a turband like his, drawing one corner of it across +her face for a mouth-veil.[FN#312] Then, setting a slave-girl in +her litter, she went forth from the tent and called to the pages +who brought her Kamar al-Zaman's steed; and she mounted and bade +them load the beasts and resume the march. So they bound on the +burdens and departed; and she concealed her trick, none doubting +but she was Kamar al-Zaman, for she favoured him in face and +form; nor did she cease journeying, she and her suite, days and +nights, till they came in sight of a city overlooking the Salt +Sea, where they pitched their tents without the walls and halted +to rest. The Princess asked the name of the town and was told, +"It is called the City of Ebony; its King is named Armans, and +he hath a daughter Hayt al-Nufs[FN#313] hight,"--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Lady Budur halted within sight of the Ebony City to take her +rest, King Armanus sent a messenger, to learn what King it was +who had encamped without his capital; so the messenger, coming to +the tents, made inquiry anent their King, and was told that she +was a King's son who had lost the way being bound for the +Khalidan Islands; whereupon he returned to King Armanus with the +tidings; and, when the King heard them, he straightway rode out +with the lords of his land to greet the stranger on arrival. As +he drew near the tents the Lady Budur came to meet him on foot, +whereupon the King alighted and they saluted each other. Then he +took her to the city and, bringing her up to the palace, bade +them spread the tables and trays of food and commanded them to +transport her company and baggage to the guess house. So they +abode there three days; at the end of which time the King came in +to the Lady Budur. Now she had that day gone to the Hammam and +her face shone as the moon at its full, a seduction to the world +and a rending of the veil of shame to mankind; and Armanus found +her clad in a -suit of silk, embroidered with gold and jewels; so +he said to her, 'O my son, know that I am a very old man, +decrepit withal, and Allah hath blessed me with no child save one +daughter, who resembleth thee in beauty and grace; and I am now +waxed unfit for the conduct of the state. She is shine, O my son; +and, if this my land please thee and thou be willing to abide and +make thy home here, I will marry thee to her and give thee my +kingdom and so be at rest." When Princess Budur heard this, she +bowed her head and her forehead sweated for shame, and she said +to herself. "How shall I do, and I a woman? If I refuse and +depart from him, I cannot be safe but that haply send after me +troops to slay me; and if I consent, belike I shall be put to +shame. I have lost my beloved Kamar al-Zaman and know not what is +become of him; nor can I escape from this scrape save by holding +my peace and consenting and abiding here, till Allah bring about +what is to be." So she raised her head and made submission to +King Armanus, saying, "Hearkening and obedience!"; whereat he +rejoiced and bade the herald make proclamation throughout the +Ebony Islands to hold high festival and decorate the houses. Then +he assembled his Chamberlains and Nabobs, and Emirs and Wazirs +and his officers of state and the Kazis of the city; and, +formally abdicating his Sultanate, endowed Budur therewith and +invested her in all the vestments of royalty. The Emirs and +Grandees went in to her and did her homage, nothing doubting but +that she was a young man, and all who looked on her bepissed +their bag-trousers, for the excess of her beauty and loveliness. +Then, after the Lady Budur had been made Sultan and the drums had +been beaten in announcement of the glad event, and she had been +ceremoniously enthroned, King Armanus proceeded to equip his +daughter Hayat al-Nufus for marriage, and in a few days, they +brought the Lady Budur in to her, when they seemed as it were two +moons risen at one time or two suns in conjunction. So they +entered the bridal-chamber and the doors were shut and the +curtains let down upon them, after the attendants had lighted the +wax-candles and spread for them the carpet-bed. When Budur found +herself alone with the Princess Hayat al-Nufus, she called to +mind her beloved Kamar al-Zaman and grief was sore upon her. So +she wept for his absence, and estrangement and she began +repeating, + +"O ye who fled and left my heart in pain low li'en, * + No breath of life if found within this frame of mine: +I have an eye which e'er complains of wake, but lo! * + Tears occupy it would that wake content these eyne! +After ye marched forth the lover 'bode behind; * + Question of him what pains your absence could design! +But for the foods of tears mine eyelids rail and rain, * + My fires would flame on high and every land calcine. +To Allah make I moan of loved ones lost for aye, * + Who for my pine and pain no more shall pain and pine: +I never wronged them save that over love I nurst: * + But Love departs us lovers into blest and curst." + +And when she had finished her repeating, the Lady Budur sat down +beside the Princess Hayat al-Nufus and kissed her on the mouth; +after which rising abruptly, she made the minor ablution and +betook herself to her devotions; nor did she leave praying till +Hayat al-Nufus fell asleep, when she slips into bed and lay with +her back to her till morning. And when day had broke the King and +Queen came in to their daughter and asked her how she did. +whereupon she told them what she had seen, and repeated to them +the verses she had heard. Thus far concerning Hayat al-Nufus and +her father; but as regards Queen Budur she went forth and seated +herself upon the royal throne and all the Emirs and Captains and +Officers of state came up to her and wished her joy of the +kingship, kissing the earth before her and calling down blessings +upon her. And she accosted them with smiling face and clad them +in robes of honour, augmenting the fiefs of the high officials +and giving largesse to the levies; wherefore all the people loved +her and offered up prayers for the long endurance of her reign, +doubting not but that she was a man. And she ceased not sitting +all day in the hall of audience, bidding and forbidding; +dispensing justice, releasing prisoners and remitting the +customs-dues, till nightfall, when she withdrew to the apartment +prepared for her. Here she found Hayat al-Nufus seated, so she +sat down by her side and, clapping her on the back, coaxed and +caressed her and kissed her between the eyes, and fell to +versifying in these couplets, + +"What secret kept I these my tears have told, * + And my waste body must my love unfold: +Though hid my pine, my plight on parting day * + To every envious eye my secret sold: +O ye who broke up camp, you've left behind * + My spirit wearied and my heart a-cold: +In my hearts core ye dwell, and now these eyne * + Roll blood-drops with the tears they whilome rolled: +The absent will I ransom with my soul; * + All can my yearning for their sight behold: +I have an eye whose babe,[FN#314] for love of thee, * + Rejected sleep nor hath its tears controlled. +The foeman bids me patient bear his loss, * + Ne'er may mine ears accept the ruth he doled! +I tricks their deme of me, and won my wish * + Of Kamar al-Zaman's joys manifold: +He joins all perfect gifts like none before, * + Boasted such might and main no King of old: +Seeing his gifts, Bin Z'idah's[FN#315] largesse * + Forget we, and Mu'wiyah mildest-soul'd:[FN#316] +Were verse not feeble and o'er short the time * + I had in laud of him used all of rhyme." + +Then Queen Budur stood up and wiped away her tears and, making +the lesser ablution,[FN#317] applied her to pray: nor did she +give over praying till drowsiness overcame the Lady Hayat al- +Nufus and she slept, whereupon the Lady Budur came and lay by her +till the morning. At daybreak, she arose and prayed the dawn- +prayer; and presently seated herself on the royal throne and +passed the day in ordering and counter ordering and giving laws +and administering justice. This is how it fared with her; but as +regards King Armanus he went in to his daughter and asked her how +she did; so she told him all that had befallen her and repeated +to him the verses which Queen Budur had recited, adding, "O my +father, never saw I one more abounding in sound sense and modesty +than my husband, save that he cloth nothing but weep and sigh." +He answered, "O my daughter, have patience with him yet this +third night, and if he go not in unto thee and do away thy +maidenhead, we shall know how to proceed with him and oust him +from the throne and banish him the country." And on this wise he +agreed with his daughter what course he would take.--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Tenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King +Armanus had agreed with his daughter on this wise and had +determined what course he would take and night came on, Queen +Budur arose from the throne of her kingdom and betaking herself +to the palace, entered the apartment prepared for her. There she +found the wax-candles lighted and the Princess Hayat al-Nufus +seated and awaiting her; whereupon she bethought her of her +husband and what had betided them both of sorrow and severance in +so short a space; she wept and sighed and groaned groan upon +groan, and began improvising these couplets, + +"News of my love fill all the land, I swear, * + As suns on Ghaz[FN#318]-wold rain heat and glare: +Speaketh his geste but hard its sense to say; * + Thus never cease to grow my cark and care: +I hate fair Patience since I loved thee; * + E'er sawest lover hate for love to bear? +A glance that dealt love-sickness dealt me death, * + Glances are deadliest things with torments rare: +He shook his love locks down and bared his chin, * + Whereby I spied his beauties dark and fair: +My care, my cure are in his hands; and he * + Who caused their dolour can their dole repair: +His belt went daft for softness of his waist; * + His hips, for envy, to uprise forbear: +His brow curl-diademed is murky night; * + Unveil 't and lo! bright Morn shows brightest light." + +When she had finished her versifying, she would have risen to +pray, but, lo and behold! Hayat al-Nufus caught her by the skirt +and clung to her saying, "O my lord, art thou not ashamed before +my father, after all his favour, to neglect me at such a time as +this?" When Queen Budur heard her words, she sat down in the same +place and said, "O my beloved, what is this thou sayest?" She +replied, "What I say is that I never saw any so proud of himself +as thou. Is every fair one so disdainful? I say not this to +incline thee to me; I say it only of my fear for thee from King +Armanus; because he purposeth, unless thou go in unto me this +very night, and do away my maidenhead, to strip thee of the +kingship on the morrow and banish thee his kingdom; and +peradventure his excessive anger may lead him to slay thee. But +I, O my lord, have ruth on thee and give thee fair warning; and +it is thy right to reck."[FN#319] Now when Queen Budur heard her +speak these words, she bowed her head ground-wards awhile in sore +perplexity and said in herself, "If I refuse I'm lost; and if I +obey I'm shamed. But I am now Queen of all the Ebony Islands and +they are under my rule, nor shall I ever again meet my Kamar al- +Zaman save in this place; for there is no way for him to his +native land but through the Ebony Islands. Verily, I know not +what to do in my present case, but I commit my care to Allah who +directeth all for the best, for I am no man that I should arise +and open this virgin girl." Then quoth Queen Budur to Hayat al- +Nufus, "O my beloved, that I have neglected thee and abstained +from thee is in my own despite." And she told her her whole story +from beginning to end and showed her person to her, saying, "I +conjure thee by Allah to keep my counsel, for I have concealed my +case only that Allah may reunite me with my beloved Kamar al- +Zaman and then come what may."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Eleventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +Lady Budur acquainted Hayat al-Nufus with her history and bade +her keep it secret, the Princess heard her with extreme +wonderment and was moved to pity and prayed Allah to reunite her +with her beloved, saying, "Fear nothing, O my sister; but have +patience till Allah bring to pass that which must come to pass:" +and she began repeating, + +"None but the men of worth a secret keep; +With worthy men a secret's hidden deep; +As in a room, so secrets lie with me, +Whose door is sealed, lock shot and lost the key."[FN#320] + +And when Hayat al-Nufus had ended her verses, she said, "O my +sister, verily the breasts of the noble and brave are of secrets +the grave; and I will not discover shine." Then they toyed and +embraced and kissed and slept till near the Mu'ezzin's call to +dawn prayer, when Hayat al-Nufus arose and took a +pigeon-poult,[FN#321] and cut its throat over her smock and +besmeared herself with its blood. Then she pulled off her +petticoat-trousers and cried aloud, where-upon her people +hastened to her and raised the usual lullilooing and outcries of +joy and gladness. Presently her mother came in to her and asked +her how she did and busied herself about her and abode with her +till evening; whilst the Lady Budur arose with the dawn, and +repaired to the bath and, after washing herself pure, proceeded +to the hall of audience, where she sat down on her throne and +dispensed justice among the folk. Now when King Armanus heard the +loud cries of joy, he asked what was the matter and was informed +of the consummation of his daughter's marriage; whereat he +rejoiced and his breast swelled with gladness and he made a great +marriage-feast whereof the merry-making lasted a long time. Such +was their case: but as regards King Shahriman it was on this +wise. After his son had fared forth to the chase accompanied by +Marzawan, as before related, he tarried patiently awaiting their +return at nightfall; but when his son did not appear he passed a +sleepless night and the dark hours were longsome upon him; his +restlessness was excessive, his excitement grew upon him and he +thought the morning would never dawn. Anc when day broke he sat +expecting his son and waited till noon, but he came not; whereat +his heart forebode separation and was fired with fears for Kamar +al-Zaman; and he cried, "Alas! my son!" and he wept till his +clothes were drenched with tears, and repeated with a beating +heart, + +"Love's votaries I ceased not to oppose, * + Till doomed to taste Love's bitter and Love's sweet: +I drained his rigour-cup to very dregs, * + Self humbled at its slaves' and freemen's feet: +Fortune had sworn to part the loves of us; * + She kept her word how truly, well I weet!" + +And when he ended his verse, he wiped away his tears and bade his +troops make ready for a march and prepare for a long expedition. +So they all mounted and set forth, headed by the Sultan, whose +heart burnt with grief and was fired with anxiety for his son +Kamar al-Zaman; and they advanced by forced marches. Now the King +divided his host into six divisions, a right wing and a left +wing, a vanguard and a rear guard;[FN#322] and bade them +rendezvous for the morrow at the cross-roads. Accordingly they +separated and scoured the country all the rest of that day till +night, and they marched through the night and at noon of the +ensuing day they joined company at the place where four roads +met. But they knew not which the Prince followed, till they saw +the sign of torn clothes and sighted shreds of flesh and beheld +blood still sprinkled by the way and they noted every piece of +the clothes and fragment of mangled flesh scattered on all sides. +Now when King Shahriman saw this, he cried from his heart-core a +loud cry, saying, "Alas, my son!"; and buffeted his face and +plucks his beard and rent his raiment, doubting not but his son +was dead. Then he gave himself up to excessive weeping and +wailing, and the troops also wept for his weeping, all being +assured that Prince Kamar al-Zaman had perished. They threw dust +on their heads, and the night surprised them shedding tears and +lamenting till they were like to die. Then the King with a heart +on fire and with burning sighs spake these couplets, + +"Chide not the mourner for bemourning woe; * + Enough is yearning every Ill to show: +He weeps for stress of sorrow and of pain, * + And these to thee best evidence his lowe: +Happy![FN#323] of whom Love sickness swore that ne'er * + Should cease his eye lids loving tears to flow: +He mourns the loss of fairest, fullest Moon, * + Shining o'er all his peers in glorious glow: +But death made drink a brimming cup, what day * + He fared from natal country fain to go: +His home left he and went from us to grief; * + Nor to his brethren could he say adieu: +Yea, his loss wounded me with parting pangs, * + And separation cost me many a throe: +He fared farewelling, as he fared, our eyes; * + Whenas his Lord vouch-safed him Paradise." + +And when King Shahriman had ended his verses, he returned with +the troops to his capital,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Twelfth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King +Shahriman had ended his verses, he returned with the troops to +his capital, giving up his son for lost, and deeming that wild +beasts or banditti had set upon him and torn him to pieces; and +made proclamation that all in the Khalidan Islands should don +black in mourning for him. Moreover, he built, in his memory, a +pavilion, naming it House of Lamentations; and on Mondays and +Thursdays he devoted himself to the business of the state and +ordering the affairs of his levies and lieges; and the rest of +the week he was wont to spend in the House of Lamentations, +mourning for his son and bewailing him with elegiac +verses,[FN#324] of which the following are some:-- + +"My day of bliss is that when thou appearest; * + My day of bale[FN#325] is that whereon thou farest: +Though through the night I quake in dread of death; * + Union wi' thee is of all bliss the dearest." + +And again he said, + +"My soul be sacrifice for one, whose going * + Afflicted hearts with sufferings sore and dread: +Let joy her widowed term[FN#326] fulfil, for I * + Divorced joy with the divorce thrice-said."[FN#327] + +Such was the case with King Shahriman; but as regards Queen Budur +daughter of King Ghayur, she abode as ruler in the Ebony Islands, +whilst the folk would point to her with their fingers, and say, +"Yonder is the son-in-law of King Armanus." And every night she +lay with Hayat al-Nufus, to whom she lamented her desolate state +and longing for her husband Kamar al-Zaman; weeping and +describing to her his beauty and loveliness, and yearning to +enjoy him though but in a dream: And at times she would repeat, + +"Well Allah wots that since my severance from thee, * + I wept till forced to borrow tears at usury: +'Patience!' my blamer cried, 'Heartsease right soon shalt see!' * + Quoth I, 'Say, blamer, where may home of Patience be?'" + +This is how it fared with Queen Budur; but as regards Kamar al- +Zaman, he abode with the gardener in the garden for no short +time, weeping night and day and repeating verses bewailing the +past time of enjoyment and delight; whilst the gardener kept +comforting him and assuring him that the ship would set sail for +the land of the Moslems at the end of the year. And in this +condition he continued till one day he saw the folk crowding +together and wondered at this; but the gardener came in to him +and said, "O my son, give over work for this day nor lead water +to the trees; for it is a festival day, whereon folk visit one +another. So take thy rest and only keep shine eye on the garden, +whilst I go look after the ship for thee; for yet but a little +while and I send thee to the land of the Moslems." Upon this, he +went forth from the garden leaving to himself Kamar al-Zaman, who +fell to musing upon his case till his heart was like to break and +the tears streamed from his eyes. So he wept with excessive +weeping till he swooned away and, when he recovered, he rose and +walked about the garden, pondering what Time had done with him +and bewailing the long endurance of his estrangement and +separation from those he loved. As he was thus absorbed in +melancholy thought, his foot stumbled and he fell on his face, +his forehead striking against the projecting root of a tree; and +the blow cut it open and his blood ran down and mingled with his +tears Then he rose and, wiping away the blood, dried his tears +and bound his brow with a piece of rag; then continued his walk +about the garden engrossed by sad reverie. Presently, he looked +up at a tree and saw two birds quarrelling thereon, and one of +them rose up and smote the other with its beak on the neck and +severed from its body its head, wherewith it flew away, whilst +the slain bird fell to the ground before Kamar al-Zaman. As it +lay, behold, two great birds swooped down upon it alighting, one +at the head and the other at the tail, and both drooped their +wings and bowed their bills over it and, extending their necks +towards it, wept. Kamar al-Zaman also wept when seeing the birds +thus bewail their mate, and called to mind his wife and father, +And Shahrazed perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Thirteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- +Zaman wept and lamented his separation from spouse and sire, when +he beheld those two birds weeping over their mate. Then he looked +at the twain and saw them dig a grave and therein bury the slain +bird; after which they flew away far into the firmament and +disappeared for a while; but presently they returned with the +murtherer-bird and, alighting on the grave of the murthered, +stamped on the slayer till they had done him to death. Then they +rent his belly and tearing out his entrails, poured the blood on +the grave of the slain[FN#328]: moreover, they stripped off his +skin and tare his flesh in pieces and, pulling out the rest of +the bowels, scattered them hither and thither. All this while +Kamar al-Zaman was watching them wonderingly; but presently, +chancing to look at the place where the two birds had slain the +third, he saw therein something gleaming. So he drew near to it +and noted that it was the crop of the dead bird. Whereupon he +took it and opened it and found the talisman which had been the +cause of his separation from his wife. But when he saw it and +knew it, he fell to the ground a-fainting for joy; and, when he +revived, he said, "Praised be Allah! This is a foretaste of good +and a presage of reunion with my beloved." Then he examined the +jewel and passed it over his eyes[FN#329]; after which he bound +it to his forearm, rejoicing in coming weal, and walked about +till nightfall awaiting the gardener's return; and when he came +not, he lay down and slept in his wonted place. At daybreak he +rose to his work and, girding his middle with a cord of palm- +fibre, took hatchet and basket and walked down the length of the +garden, till he came to a carob-tree and struck the axe into its +roots. The blow rang and resounded; so he cleared away the soil +from the place and discovered a trap-door and raised it.--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + + When It was the Two Hundred and Fourteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar +al-Zaman raised the trap-door, he found a winding stair, which he +descended and came to an ancient vault of the time of Ad and +Thamd,[FN#330] hewn out of the rock. Round the vault stood many +brazen vessels of the bigness of a great oil-jar which he found +full of gleaming red gold: whereupon he said to himself, "Verily +sorrow is gone and solace is come!" Then he mounted from the +souterrain to the garden and, replacing the trap-door as it was +before, busied himself in conducting water to the trees till the +last of the day, when the gardener came back and said to him, "O +my son, rejoice at the good tidings of a speedy return to thy +native land: the merchants are ready equipped for the voyage and +the ship in three days' time will set sail for the City of Ebony, +which is the first of the cities of the Moslems, and after making +it, thou must travel by land a six months' march till thou come +to the Islands of Khalidan, the dominions of King Shahriman." At +this Kamar al-Zaman rejoiced and began repeating, + +"Part not from one whose wont is not to part from you; * + Nor with your cruel taunts an innocent mortify: +Another so long parted had ta'en heart from you, * + And had his whole condition changed,--but not so I." + +Then he kissed the gardener's hand and said, "O my father, even +as thou hast brought me glad tidings, so I also have great good +news for thee,' and told him anent his discovery of the vault; +whereat the gardener rejoiced and said, "O my son, fourscore +years have I dwelt in this garden and have never hit on aught +whilst thou, who hast not sojourned with me a year, hast +discovered this thing; wherefore it is Heaven's gift to thee, +which shall end thy crosses and aid thee to rejoin thy folk and +foregather with her thou lovest." Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, "There is +no help but it must be shared between me and thee." Then he +carried him to the underground-chamber and showed him the gold, +which was in twenty jars: he took ten and the gardener ten, and +the old man said to him, "O my son, fill thyself leather +bottles[FN#331] with the sparrow-olives[FN#332] which grow in +this garden, for they are not found except in our land; and the +merchants carry them to all parts. Lay the gold in the bottles +and strew it over with olives: then stop them and cover them and +take them with thee in the ship." So Kamar al-Zaman arose without +stay or delay and took fifty leather bottles and stored in each +somewhat of the gold, and closed each one after placing a layer +of olives over the gold; and at the bottom of one of the bottles +he laid the talisman. Then sat he down to talk with the gardener, +confident of speedy reunion with his own people and saying to +himself, "When I come to the Ebony Islands I will journey thence +to my father's country and enquire for my beloved Budur. Would to +Heaven I knew whether she returned to her own land or journeyed +on to my father's country or whether there befel her any accident +by the way." And he began versifying, + +"Love in my breast they lit and fared away, * + And far the land wherein my love is pent: +Far lies the camp and those who camp therein; * + Par is her tent-shrine, where I ne'er shall tent. +Patience far deaf me when from me they fled; * + Sleep failed mine eyes, endurance was forspent: +They left and with them left my every joy, * + Wending with them, nor find I peace that went: +They made these eyes roll down love tears in flood, * + And lacking them these eyne with tears are drent. +When my taste spins once again would see them, * + When pine and expectation but augment, +In my heart's core their counterfeits I trace, * + With love and yearning to behold their grace." + +Then, while he awaited the end of the term of days, he told the +gardener the tale of the birds and what had passed between them; +whereat the hearer wondered; and they both lay down and slept +till the morning. The gardener awoke sick and abode thus two +days; but on the third day, his sickness increased on him, till +they despaired of his life and Kamar al-Zaman grieved with sore +grief for him. Meanwhile behold, the Master and his crew came and +enquired for the gardener; and, when Kamar al-Zaman told them +that he was sick, they asked, "Where be the youth who is minded +to go with us to the Ebony Islands?" "He is your servent and he +standeth before you!" answered the Prince and bade them carry the +bottles of olives to the ship; so they transported them, saying, +"Make haste, thou, for the wind is fair;" and he replied, "I hear +and obey." Then he carried his provaunt on board and, returning +to bid the gardener farewell, found him in the agonies of death; +so he sat down at his head and closed his eyes, and his soul +departed his body; whereupon he laid him out and committed him to +the earth unto the mercy of Allah Almighty. Then he made for the +ship but found that she had already weighed anchor and set sail; +nor did she cease to cleave the seas till she disappeared from +his sight. So he went back to whence he came heavy-hearted with +whirling head; and neither would he address a soul nor return a +reply; and reaching the garden and sitting down in cark and care +he threw dust on his head and buffeted his cheeks.--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Fifteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the +ship sped on her course, Kamar al-Zaman returned to the garden in +cark and care; but- anon he rented the place of its owner and +hired a man to help him in irrigating the trees. Moreover, he +repaired the trap-door and he went to the underground chamber and +bringing the rest of the gold to grass, stowed it in other fifty +bottles which he filled up with a layer of olives. Then he +enquired of the ship and they told him that it sailed but once a +year, at which his trouble of mind redoubled and he cried sore +for that which had betided him, above all for the loss of the +Princess Budur's talisman, and spent his nights and days weeping +and repealing verses. Such was his case; but as regards the ship +she sailed with a favouring wind till she reached the Ebony +Islands. Now by decree of destiny, Queen Budur was sitting at a +lattice-window overlooking the sea and saw the galley cast anchor +upon the strand. At this sight, her heart throbbed and she took +horse with the Chamberlains and Nabobs and, riding down to the +shore, halted by the ship, whilst the sailors broke bulk and bore +the bales to the storehouses; after which she called the captain +to her presence and asked what he had with him. He answered "O +King, I have with me in this ship aromatic drugs and cosmetics +and healing powders and ointments and plasters and precious +metals and rich stuffs and rugs of Yemen leather, not to be borne +of mule or camel, and all manner of otters and spices and +perfumes, civet and ambergris and camphor and Sumatra aloes-wood, +and tamerinds[FN#333] and sparrow-olives to boot, such as are +rare to find in this country." When she heard talk of sparrow- +olives her heart longed for them and she said to the ship-master, +"How much of olives hast thou?" He replied, "Fifty bottles full, +but their owner is not with us, so the King shall take what he +will of them." Quoth she, "Bring them ashore, that I may see +them.'' Thereupon he called to the sailors, who brought her the +fifty bottles; and she opened one and, looking at the olives, +said to the captain, "I will take the whole fifty and pay you +their value, whatso it be." He answered, "By Allah, O my lord, +they have no value in our country; moreover their shipper tarried +behind us, and he is a poor man." Asked she, "And what are they +worth here?" and he answered "A thousand dirhams." "I will take +them at a thousand," she said and bade them carry the fifty +bottles to the palace. When it was night, she called for a bottle +of olives and opened it, there being none in the room but herself +and the Princess Hayat al-Nufus. Then, placing a dish before her +she turned into it the contents of the jar, when there fell out +into the dish with the olives a heap of red gold; and she said to +the Lady Hayat al-Nufus, "This is naught but gold!" So she sent +for the rest of the bottles and found them all full of precious +metal and scarce enough olives to fill a single jar. Moreover, +she sought among the gold and found therein the talisman, which +she took and examined and behold, it was that which Kamar al- +Zaman had taken from off the band of her petticoat trousers. +Thereupon she cried out for joy and slipped down in a swoon;--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Sixteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King +Budur saw the talisman she cried out for joy and slipped down in +a swoon; and when she recovered she said to herself, "Verily, +this talisman was the cause of my separation from my beloved +Kamar al-Zaman; but now it is an omen of good." Then she showed +it to Hayat al-Nufus and said to her, "This was the cause of +disunion and now, please Allah, it shall be the cause of +reunion." As soon as day dawned she seated herself on the royal +throne and sent for the ship-master, who came into the presence +and kissed the ground before her. Quoth she, "Where didst thou +leave the owner of these olives?" Quoth he, "O King of the age, +we left him in the land of the Magians and he is a gardener +there." She rejoined, "Except thou bring him to me, thou knowest +not the harm which awaiteth thee and thy ship." Then she bade +them seal up the magazines of the merchants and said to them, +"Verily the owner of these olives hath borrowed of me and I have +a claim upon him for debt and, unless ye bring him to me, I will +without fail do you all die and seize your goods." So they went +to the captain and promised him the hire of the ship, if he would +go and return a second time, saying, "Deliver us from this +masterful tyrant." Accordingly the skipper embarked and set sail +and Allah decreed him a prosperous voyage, till he came to the +Island of the Magians and, landing by night, went up to the +garden. Now the night was long upon Kamar al-Zaman, and he sat, +bethinking him of his beloved, and bewailing what had befallen +him and versifying, + +"A night whose stars refused to run their course, * + A night of those which never seem outworn: +Like Resurrection-day, of longsome length[FN#334] * + To him that watched and waited for the morn." + +Now at this moment, the captain knocked at the garden-gate, and +Kamar al-Zaman opened and went out to him, whereupon the crew +seized him and went down with him on board the ship and set sail +forthright; and they ceased not voyaging days and nights, whilst +Kamar al-Zaman knew not why they dealt thus with him; but when he +questioned them they replied, "Thou hast offended against the +Lord of the Ebony Islands, the son-in-law of King Armanus, and +thou hast stolen his monies, miserable that thou art!" Said he, +"By Allah! I never entered that country nor do I know where it +is!" However, they fared on with him, till they made the Ebony +Islands and landing, carried him up to the Lady Budur, who knew +him at sight and said, "Leave him with the eunuchs, that they may +take him to the bath." Then she relieved the merchants of the +embargo and gave the captain a robe of honour worth ten thousand +pieces of gold; and, after returning to the palace, she went in +that night to the Princess Hayat al-Nufus and told her what had +passed, saying, "Keep thou my counsel, till I accomplish my +purpose, and do a deed which shall be recorded and shall be read +by Kings and commoners after we be dead and gone." And when she +gave orders that they bear Kamar al-Zaman to the bath, they did +so and clad him in a royal habit so that, when he came forth, he +resembled a willow-bough or a star which shamed the greater and +lesser light[FN#335] and its glow, and his life and soul returned +to his frame. Then he repaired to the palace and went in to the +Princess Budur; and when she saw him she schooled her heart to +patience, till she should have accomplished her purpose; and she +bestowed on him Mamelukes and eunuchs, camels and mules. +Moreover, she gave him a treasury of money and she ceased not +advancing him from dignity to dignity, till she made him Lord +High Treasurer and committed to his charge all the treasures of +the state; and she admitted him to familiar favour and acquainted +the Emirs with his rank and dignity. And all loved him, for Queen +Budur did not cease day by day to increase his allowances. As for +Kamar al-Zaman, he was at a loss anent the reason of her thus +honouring him; and he gave gifts and largesse out of the +abundance of the wealth; and he devoted himself to the service of +King Armanus; so that the King and all the Emirs and people, +great and small, adored him and were wont to swear by his life. +Nevertheless, he ever marvelled at the honour and favour shown +him by Queen Budur and said to himself, "By Allah, there needs +must be a reason for this affection! Peradventure, this King +favoureth me not with these immoderate favours save for some ill +purpose and, therefore, there is no help but that I crave leave +of him to depart his realm." So he went in to Queen Budur and +said to her, "O King, thou hast overwhelmed me with favours, but +it will fulfil the measure of thy bounties if thou take from me +all thou hast been pleased to bestow upon me, and permit me to +depart." She smiled and asked, "What maketh thee seek to depart +and plunge into new perils, whenas thou art in the enjoyment of +the highest favour and greatest prosperity?" Answered Kamar al- +Zaman, "O King, verily this favour, if there be no reason for it, +is indeed a wonder of wonders, more by token that thou hast +advanced me to dignities such as befit men of age and experience, +albeit I am as it were a young child." And Queen Budur rejoined, +"The reason is that I love thee for shine exceeding loveliness +and thy surpassing beauty; and if thou wilt but grant me my +desire of thy body, I will advance thee yet farther in honour and +favour and largesse; and I will make thee Wazir, for all thy +tender age even as the folk made me Sultan over them and I no +older than thou; so that nowadays there is nothing strange when +children take the head and by Allah, he was a gifted man who +said, + +'It seems as though of Lot's tribe were our days, * + And crave with love to advance the young in years.'"[FN#336] + +When Kamar al-Zaman heard these words, he was abashed and his +cheeks flushed till they seemed a-flame; and he said, "I need not +these favours which lead to the commission of sin; I will live +poor in wealth but wealthy in virtue and honour." Quoth she, "I +am not to be duped by thy scruples, arising from prudery and +coquettish ways; and Allah bless him who saith, + +'To him I spake of coupling, but he said to me, * + How long this noyous long persistency?' +But when gold piece I showed him, he cried, * + 'Who from the Almighty Sovereign e'er shall flee?'" + +Now when Kamar al-Zaman, heard these words and understood her +verses and their import, he said, "O King, I have not the habit +of these doings, nor have I strength to bear these heavy burthens +for which elder than I have proved unable; then how will it be +with my tender age?" But she smiled at his speech and retorted, +"Indeed, it is a matter right marvellous how error springeth from +the disorder of man's intendiment!! Since thou art a boy, why +standest thou in fear of sin or the doing of things forbidden, +seeing that thou art not yet come to years of canonical +responsibility; and the offences of a child incur neither +punishment nor reproof? Verily, thou hast committed thyself to a +quibble for the sake of contention, and it is thy duty to bow +before a proposal of fruition, so henceforward cease from denial +and coyness, for the commandment of Allah is a decree +foreordained:[FN#337] indeed, I have more reason than thou to +fear falling and by sin to be misled; and well inspired was he +who said, + +'My prickle is big and the little one said, * + 'Thrust boldly in vitals with lion-like stroke! +Then I, ' 'Tis a sin!; and he, 'No sin to me! * + So I had him at once with a counterfeit poke."[FN#338] + +When Kamar al-Zaman heard these words, the light became darkness +in his sight and he said, "O King, thou hast in thy household +fair women and female slaves, who have not their like in this +age: shall not these suffice thee without me? Do thy will with +them and let me go!" She replied, "Thou sayest sooth, but it is +not with them that one who loveth thee can heal himself of +torment and can abate his fever; for, when tastes and +inclinations are corrupted by vice, they hear and obey other than +good advice. So leave arguing and listen to what the poet saith, + +'Seest not the bazar with its fruit in rows? * + These men are for figs and for sycamore[FN#339] those!' + +And what another saith, + +'Many whose anklet rings are dumb have tinkling belts, * + And this hath all content while that for want must wail: +Thou bidd'st me be a fool and quit thee for her charms; * + Allah forfend I leave The Faith, turn Infidel! +Nay, by thy rights of side-beard mocking all her curls, * + Nor mott nor maid[FN#340] from thee my heart shall spell.' + +And yet another, + +'O beauty's Union! love for thee's my creed, * + Free choice of Faith and eke my best desire: +Women I have forsworn for thee; so may * + Deem me all men this day a shaveling friar.'[FN#341] + +And yet another, + +'Even not beardless one with girl, nor heed * + The spy who saith to thee ''Tis an amiss!' +Far different is the girl whose feet one kisses * + And that gazelle whose feet the earth must kiss.' + +And yet another, + +'A boy of twice ten is fit for a King!' + +And yet another, + +'The penis smooth and round was made with anus best to match + it, * Had it been made for cunnus' sake it had been formed + like hatchet!' + +And yet another said, + +'My soul thy sacrifice! I chose thee out * + Who art not menstruous nor oviparous: + Did I with woman mell, I should beget * + Brats till the wide wide world grew strait for us.' + +And yet another, + +'She saith (sore hurt in sense the most acute * + For she had proffered what did not besuit), +'Unless thou stroke as man should swive his wife * + Blame not when horns thy brow shall incornte! +Thy wand seems waxen, to a limpo grown, * + And more I palm it, softer grows the brute!' + +And yet another, + +'Quoth she (for I to lie with her forbore), * + 'O folly-following fool, O fool to core: +If thou my coynte for Kiblah[FN#342] to thy coigne * + Reject, we'll shall please thee more.'[FN#343] + +And yet another, + +'She proffered me a tender coynte * + Quoth I 'I will not roger thee!' +She drew back, saying, 'From the Faith * + He turns, who's turned by Heaven's decree![FN#344] +And front wise fluttering, in one day, * + Is obsolete persistency!' +Then swung she round and shining rump * + Like silvern lump she showed me! +I cried: 'Well done, O mistress mine! * + No more am I in pain for thee; +O thou of all that Allah oped[FN#345] * + Showest me fairest victory!' + +And yet another, + +'Men craving pardon will uplift their hands; * + Women pray pardon with their legs on high: +Out on it for a pious, prayerful work! * + The Lord shall raise it in the depths to lie.'"[FN#346] + +When Kamar al-Zaman heard her quote this poetry, and was +certified that there was no escaping compliance with what willed +she, he said, "O King of the age, if thou must needs have it so, +make covenant with me that thou wilt do this thing with me but +once, though it avail not to correct thy depraved appetite, and +that thou wilt never again require this thing of me to the end of +time; so perchance shall Allah purge me of the sin." She replied +"I promise thee this thing, hoping that Allah of His favour will +relent towards us and blot out our mortal offence; for the girdle +of heaven's forgiveness is not indeed so strait, but it may +compass us around and absolve us of the excess of our heinous +sins and bring us to the light of salvation out of the darkness +of error; and indeed excellently well saith the poet, + +'Of evil thing the folk suspect us twain; * + And to this thought their hearts and souls are bent: +Come, dear! let's justify and free their souls * + That wrong us; one good bout and then--repent!'''[FN#347] + +Thereupon she made him an agreement and a covenant and swore a +solemn oath by Him who is Self-existent, that this thing should +befal betwixt them but once and never again for all time, and +that the desire of him was driving her to death and perdition. So +he rose up with her, on this condition, and went with her to her +own boudoir, that she might quench the lowe of her lust, saying, +"There is no Majesty, and there is no Might save in Allah, the +Glorious, the Great! This is the fated decree of the All- +powerful, the All-wise!"; and he doffed his bag-trousers, +shamefull and abashed, with the tears running from his eyes for +stress of affright. Thereat she smiled and making him mount upon +a couch with her, said to him, "After this night, thou shalt see +naught that will offend thee." Then she turned to him bussing and +bosoming him and bending calf over calf, and said to him, "Put +thy hand between my thighs to the accustomed place; so haply it +may stand up to prayer after prostration." He wept and cried, "I +am not good at aught of this," but she said, "By my life, an thou +do as I bid thee, it shall profit thee!" So he put out his hand, +with vitals a-fire for confusion, and found her thighs cooler +than cream and softer than silk. The touching of them pleasured +him and he moved his hand hither and thither, till it came to a +dome abounding in good gifts and movements and shifts, and said +in himself, "Perhaps this King is a hermaphrodite,[FN#348] +neither man nor woman quite;" so he said to her, "O King, I +cannot find that thou hast a tool like the tools of men; what +then moved thee to do this deed?" Then loudly laughed Queen Budur +till she fell on her back,[FN#349] and said, "O my dearling, how +quickly thou hast forgotten the nights we have lain together!" +Then she made herself known to him, and he knew her for his wife, +the Lady Budur, daughter of King al-Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and +the Seas. So he embraced her and she embraced him, and he kissed +her and she kissed him; then they lay down on the bed of pleasure +voluptuous, repeating the words of the poet, + +"When his softly bending shape bid him close to my embrace * + Which clips him all about like the tendrils of the vine +And shed a flood of softness on the hardness of his heart, * + He yielded though at first he was minded to decline; +And dreading lest the railer's eye should light upon his form, * + Came armoured with caution to baffle his design: +His waist makes moan of hinder cheeks that weigh upon his feet * + Like heavy load of merchandise upon young camel li'en; +Girt with his glances scymitar which seemed athirst for blood, * + And clad in mail of dusky curls that show the sheeniest + shine, +His fragrance wafted happy news of footstep coming nigh, * + And to him like a bird uncaged I flew in straightest line: +I spread my cheek upon his path, beneath his sandal-shoon, * + And lo! the stibium[FN#350] of their dust healed all my hurt + of eyne. +With one embrace again I bound the banner of our loves[FN#351] * + And loosed the knot of my delight that bound in bonds + malign: +Then bade I make high festival, and straight came flocking in * + Pure joys that know not grizzled age[FN#352] nor aught of + pain and pine: +The full moon dotted with the stars the lips and pearly teeth * + That dance right joyously upon the bubbling face of wine: +So in the prayer-niche of their joys I yielded me to what * + Would make the humblest penitent of sinner most indign. +I swear by all the signs[FN#353] of those glories in his face * + I'll ne'er forget the Chapter entituled Al-Ikhlas."[FN#354] + +Then Queen Budur told Kamar al-Zaman all that had befallen her +from beginning to end and he did likewise; after which he began +to upbraid her, saying, "What moved thee to deal with me as thou +hast done this night?" She replied, "Pardon me! for I did this by +way of jest, and that pleasure and gladness might be increased." +And when dawned the morn and day arose with its sheen and shone, +she sent to King Armanus, sire of the Lady Hayat al-Nufus, and +acquainted him with the truth of the case and that she was wife +to Kamar al-Zaman. Moreover, she told him their tale and the +cause of their separation, and how his daughter was a virgin, +pure as when she was born. He marvelled at their story with +exceeding marvel and bade them chronicle it in letters of gold. +Then he turned to Kamar al-Zaman and said, "O King's son, art +thou minded to become my son-in-law by marrying my daughter?" +Replied he, "I must consult the Queen Budur, as she hath a claim +upon me for benefits without stint." And when he took counsel +with her, she said, "Right is thy recking; marry her and I will +be her handmaid; for I am her debtor for kindness and favour and +good offices, and obligations manifold, especially as we are here +in her place and as the King her father hath whelmed us with +benefits."[FN#355] Now when he saw that she inclined to this and +was not jealous of Hayat al-Nufus, he agreed with her upon this +matter.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Seventeenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- +Zaman agreed with his wife, Queen Budur, upon this matter and +told King Armanus what she had said; whereat he rejoiced with +great joy. Then he went out and, seating himself upon his chair +of estate, assembled all the Wazirs, Emirs, Chamberlains and +Grandees, to whom he related the whole story of Kamar al-Zaman +and his wife, Queen Budur, from first to last; and acquainted +them with his desire to marry his daughter Hayat al-Nufus to the +Prince and make him King in the stead of Queen Budur. Whereupon +said they all, "Since he is the husband of Queen Budur, who hath +been our King till now, whilst we deemed her son-in-law to King +Armanus, we are all content to have him to Sultan over us; and we +will be his servants, nor will we swerve from his allegiance." So +Armanus rejoiced hereat and, summoning Kazis and witnesses and +the chief officers of state, bade draw up the contract of +marriage between Kamar al-Zaman and his daughter, the Princess +Hayat al-Nufus. Then he held high festival, giving sumptuous +marriage-feasts and bestowing costly dresses of honour upon all +the Emirs and Captains of the host; moreover he distributed alms +to the poor and needy and set free all the prisoners. The whole +world rejoiced in the coming of Kamar al-Zaman to the throne, +blessing him and wishing him endurance of glory and prosperity, +renown and felicity; and, as soon as he became King, he remitted +the customs-dues and released all men who remained in gaol. Thus +he abode a long while, ordering himself worthily towards his +lieges; and he lived with his two wives in peace, happiness, +constancy and content, lying the night with each of them in turn. +He ceased not after this fashion during many years, for indeed +all his troubles and afflictions were blotted out from him and he +forgot his father King Shahriman and his former estate of honour +and favour with him. After a while Almighty Allah blessed him +with two boy children, as they were two shining moons, through +his two wives; the elder whose name was Prince Amjad,[FN#356] by +Queen Budur, and the younger whose name was Prince As'ad by Queen +Hayat al-Nufus; and this one was comelier than his brother. They +were reared in splendour and tender affection, in respectful +bearing and in the perfection of training; and they were +instructed in penmanship and science and the arts of government +and horsemanship, till they attained the extreme accomplishments +and the utmost limit of beauty and loveliness; both men and women +being ravished by their charms. They grew up side by side till +they reached the age of seventeen, eating and drinking together +and sleeping in one bed, nor ever parting at any time or tide; +wherefore all the people envied them. Now when they came to man's +estate and were endowed with every perfection, their father was +wont, as often as he went on a journey, to make them sit in his +stead by turns in the hall of judgement; and each did justice +among the folk one day at a time. But it came to pass, by +confirmed fate and determined lot, that love for As'ad (son of +Queen Hayat al-Nufus) rose in the heart of Queen Budur, and that +affection for Amjad (son of Queen Budur) rose in the heart of +Queen Hayat al-Nufus.[FN#357] Hence it was that each of the women +used to sport and play with the son of her sister-wife, kissing +him and straining him to her bosom, whilst each mother thought +that the other's behaviour arose but from maternal affection. On +this wise passion got the mastery of the two women's hearts and +they became madly in love with the two youths, so that when the +other's son came in to either of them, she would press him to her +breast and long for him never to be parted from her; till, at +last, when waiting grew longsome to them and they found no path +to enjoyment, they refused meat and drink and banished the solace +of sleep. Presently, the King fared forth to course and chase, +bidding his two sons sit to do justice in his stead, each one day +in turn as was their wont.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Eighteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King +fared forth to sport and hunt, bidding his two sons sit to do +justice in his stead, each one day by turn, as was their wont. +Now Prince Amjad sat in judgement the first day, bidding and +forbidding, appointing and deposing, giving and refusing; and +Queen Hayat al-Nufus, mother of As'ad, wrote to him a letter +suing for his favour and discovering to him her passion and +devotion; altogether put tiny off the mask and giving him to know +that she desired to enjoy him. So she took a scroll and thereon +indited these cadences, "From the love deranged * the sorrowful +and estranged * whose torment is prolonged for the longing of +thee! * Were I to recount to thee the extent of my care * and +what of sadness I bear * the passion which my heart cloth tear * +and all that I endure for weeping and unrest * and the rending of +my sorrowful breast * my unremitting grief * and my woe without +relief * and all my suffering for severance of thee * and sadness +and love's ardency * no letter could contain it; nor calculation +could compass it * Indeed earth and heaven upon me are strait; +and I have no hope and no trust but what from thee I await * Upon +death I am come nigh * and the horrors of dissolution I aby * +Burning upon me is sore * with parting pangs and estrangement +galore * Were I to set forth the yearnings that possess me more +and more * no scrolls would suffice to hold such store * and of +the excess of my pain and pine, I have made the following lines:- +- + +Were I to dwell on heart-consuming heat, * + Unease and transports in my spins meet, +Nothing were left of ink and reeden pen * + Nor aught of paper; no, not e'en a sheet. + +Then Queen Hayat al-Nufus wrapped up her letter in a niece of +costly silk scented with musk and ambergris; and folded it up +with her silken hair-strings[FN#358] whose cost swallowed down +treasures laid it in a handkerchief and gave it to a eunuch +bidding him bear it to Prince Amjad.--And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Nineteenth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that she gave +her missive to the eunuch in waiting and bade him bear it to +Prince Amjad. And that eunuch went forth ignoring what the future +hid for him (for the Omniscient ordereth events even as He +willeth); and, going in to the Prince, kissed the ground between +his hands and handed to him the letter. On receiving the kerchief +he opened it and, reading the epistle and recognizing its gist he +was ware that his father's wife was essentially an adulteress and +a traitress at heart to her husband, King Kamar al-Zaman. So he +waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and railed at women and their +works, saying, "Allah curse women, the traitresses, the imperfect +in reason and religion!"[FN#359] Then he drew his sword and said +to the eunuch, "Out on thee, thou wicked slave! Dost thou carry +messages of disloyalty for thy lord's wife? By Allah, there is no +good in thee, O black of hue and heart, O foul of face and +Nature's forming!" So he smote him on the neck and severed his +head from his body; then, folding the kerchief over its contents +he thrust it into his breast pocket and went in to his own mother +and told her what had passed, reviling and reproaching her, and +saying, "Each one of you is viler than the other; and, by Allah +the Great and Glorious, did I not fear ill-manneredly to +transgress against the rights of my father, Kamar al-Zaman, and +my brother, Prince As'ad, I would assuredly go in to her and cut +off her head, even as I cut off that of her eunuch!" Then he went +forth from his mother in a mighty rage; and when the news reached +Queen Hayat al-Nufus of what he had done with her eunuch, she +abused him[FN#360] and cursed him and plotted perfidy against +him. He passed the night, sick with rage, wrath and concern; nor +found he pleasure in meat, drink or sleep. And when the next +morning dawned Prince As'ad fared forth in his turn to rule the +folk in his father's stead, whilst his mother, Hayat al-Nufus, +awoke in feeble plight because of what she had heard from Prince +Amjad concerning the slaughter of her eunuch. So Prince As'ad sat +in the audience-chamber that day, judging and administering +justice, appointing and deposing, bidding and forbidding, giving +and bestowing. And he ceased not thus till near the time of +afternoon-prayer, when Queen Budur sent for a crafty old woman +and, discovering to her what was in her heart, wrote a letter to +Prince As'ad, complaining of the excess of her affection and +desire for him in these cadenced lines, "From her who perisheth +for passion and love-forlorn * to him who in nature and culture +is goodliest born * to him who is conceited of his own loveliness +* and glories in his amorous grace * who from those that seek to +enjoy him averteth his face * and refuseth to show favour unto +the self abasing and base * him who is cruel and of disdainful +mood * from the lover despairing of good * to Prince As'ad * + with passing beauty endowed * and of excelling grace proud * +of the face moon bright * and the brow flower-white * and +dazzling splendid light * This is my letter to him whose love +melteth my body * and rendeth my skin and bones! * Know that my +patience faileth me quite * and I am perplexed in my plight * +longing and restlessness weary me * and sleep and patience deny +themselves to me * but mourning and watching stick fast to me * +and desire and passion torment me * and the extremes of languor +and sickness have sheet me * Yet may my life be a ransom for thee +* albeit thy pleasure be to slay her who loveth thee * and Allah +prolong the life of thee * and preserve thee from all infirmity!" +And after these cadences she wrote these couplets, + +"Fate hath commanded I become thy fere, * + O shining like full moon when clearest clear! +All beauty dost embrace, all eloquence; * + Brighter than aught within our worldly sphere: +Content am I my torturer thou be: * + Haply shalt alms me with one lovely leer! +Happy her death who dieth for thy love! * + No good in her who holdeth thee unclear!" + +And also the following couplets, + +"Unto thee, As'ad! I of passion-pangs complain; * + Have ruth on slave of love so burnt with flaming pain: +How long, I ask, shall hands of Love disport with me, * + With longings, dolour, sleepliness and bale and bane? +Anon I 'plain of sea in heart, anon of fire * + In vitals, O strange case, dear wish, my fairest fain! +O blamer, cease thy blame, and seek thyself to fly * + From love, which makes these eyne a rill of tears to rain. +How oft I cry for absence and desire, Ah grief! * + But all my crying naught of gain for me shall gain: +Thy rigours dealt me sickness passing power to bear, * + Thou art my only leach, assain me an thou deign! +O chider, chide me not in caution, for I doubt * + That plaguey Love to thee shall also deal a bout." + +Then Queen Budur perfumed the letter-paper with a profusion of +odoriferous musk and, winding it in her hairstrings which were of +Iraki silk, with pendants of oblong emeralds, set with pearls and +stones of price, delivered it to the old woman, bidding her carry +it to Prince As'ad.[FN#361] She did so in order to pleasure her, +and going in to the Prince, straightway and without stay, found +him in his own rooms and delivered to him the letter in privacy; +after which she stood waiting an hour or so for the answer. When +As'ad had read the paper and knew its purport, he wrapped it up +again in the ribbons and put it in his bosom-pocket: then (for he +was wrath beyond all measure of wrath) he cursed false women and +sprang up and drawing his sword, smote the old trot on the neck +and cut off her pate. Thereupon he went in to his mother, Queen +Hayat al-Nufus, whom he found lying on her bed in feeble case, +for that which had betided her with Prince Amjad, and railed at +her and cursed her; after which he left her and fore-gathered +with his brother, to whom he related all that had befallen him +with Queen Budur, adding, "By Allah, O my brother, but that I was +ashamed before thee, I had gone in to her forthright and had +smitten her head off her shoulders!" Replied Prince Amjad, "By +Allah, O my brother, yesterday when I was sitting upon the seat +of judgement, the like of what hath befallen thee this day befel +me also with thy mother who sent me a letter of similar purport." +And he told him all that had passed, adding, "By Allah, O my +brother, naught but respect for thee withheld me from going in to +her and dealing with her even as I dealt with the eunuch!" They +passed the rest of the night conversing and cursing womankind, +and agreed to keep the matter secret, lest their father should +hear of it and kill the two women. Yet they ceased not to suffer +trouble and foresee affliction. And when the morrow dawned, the +King returned with his suite from hunting and sat awhile in his +chair of estate; after which he sent the Emirs about their +business and went up to his palace, where he found his two wives +lying a-bed and both exceeding sick and weak. Now they had made a +plot against their two sons and concerted to do away their lives, +for that they had exposed themselves before them and feared to be +at their mercy and dependent upon their forbearance. When Kamar +al-Zaman saw them on this wise, he said to them, "What aileth +you?" Whereupon they rose to him and kissing his hands answered, +perverting the case and saying "Know, O King, that thy two sons, +who have been reared in thy bounty, have played thee false and +have dishonoured thee in the persons of thy wives." Now when he +heard this, the light became darkness in his sight, and he raged +with such wrath that his reason fled: then said he to them, +"Explain me this matter." Replied Queen Budur, "O King of the +age, know that these many days past thy son As'ad hath been in +the persistent habit of sending me letters and messages to +solicit me to lewdness and adultery while I still forbade him +from this, but he would not be forbidden; and, when thou wentest +forth to hunt, he rushed in on me, drunk and with a drawn sword +in his hand, and smiting my eunuch, slew him. Then he mounted on +my breast, still holding the sword, and I feared lest he should +slay me, if I gainsaid him, even as he had slain my eunuch; so he +took his wicked will of me by force. And now if thou do me not +justice on him, O King, I will slay myself with my own hand, for +I have no need of life in the world after this foul deed." And +Queen Hayat al-Nufus, choking with tears, told him respecting +Prince Amjad a story like that of her sister-wife.--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Twentieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Queen Hayat +al-Nufus told her husband, King Kamar al-Zaman, a story like that +of her sister in wedlock, Budur, and, quoth she, "The same thing +befel me with thy son Amjad;" after which she took to weeping and +wailing and said, "Except thou do me justice on him I will tell +my father, King Armanus." Then both women wept with sore weeping +before King Kamar al-Zaman who, when he saw their tears and heard +their words, concluded that their story was true and, waxing +wroth beyond measure of wrath, went forth thinking to fall upon +his two sons and put them to death. On his way he met his father- +in-law, King Armanus who, hearing of his return from the chase, +had come to salute him at that very hour and, seeing him with +naked brand in hand and blood dripping from his nostrils, for +excess of rage, asked what ailed him. So Kamar al-Zaman told him +all that his sons Amjad and As'ad had done and added, "And here I +am now going in to them to slay them in the foulest way and make +of them the most shameful of examples." Quoth King Armanus (and +indeed he too was wroth with them), "Thou dost well, O my son, +and may Allah not bless them nor any sons that do such deed +against their father's honour. But, O my son, the sayer of the +old saw saith, 'Whoso looketh not to the end hath not Fortune to +friend.' In any case, they are thy sons, and it befitteth not +that thou kill them with shine own hand, lest thou drink of their +death-agony,[FN#362] and anon repent of having slain them whenas +repentance availeth thee naught. Rather do thou send them with +one of thy Mamelukes into the desert and let him kill them there +out of thy sight, for, as saith the adage, 'Out of sight of my +friend is better and pleasanter.'[FN#363] And when Kamar al-Zaman +heard his father-in-law's words, he knew them to be just; so he +sheathed his sword and turning back, sat down upon the throne of +his realm. There he summoned his treasurer, a very old man, +versed in affairs and in fortune's vicissitudes, to whom he said, +"Go in to my sons, Amjad and As'ad; bind their hands behind them +with strong bonds, lay them in two chests and load them upon a +mule. Then take horse thou and carry them into mid desert, where +do thou kill them both and fill two vials with their blood and +bring the same to me in haste." Replied the treasurer, "I hear +and I obey," and he rose up hurriedly and went out forthright to +seek the Princes; and, on his road, he met them coming out of the +palace-vestibule, for they had donned their best clothes and +their richest; and they were on their way to salute their sire +and give him joy of his safe return from his going forth to hunt. +Now when he saw them, he laid hands on them, saying, "Omy sons, +know ye that I am but a slave commanded, and that your father +hath laid a commandment on me; will ye obey his commandment?" +They said, "Yes"; whereupon he went up to them and, after +pinioning their arms, laid them in the chests which he loaded on +the back of a mule he had taken from the city. And he ceased not +carrying them into the open country till near noon, when he +halted in a waste and desolate place and, dismounting from his +mare, let down the two chests from the mule's back. Then he +opened them and took out Amjad and As'ad; and when he looked upon +them he wept sore for their beauty and loveliness; then drawing +his sword he said to them, "By Allah, O my lords, indeed it is +hard for me to deal so evilly by you; but I am to be excused in +this matter, being but a slave commanded, for that your father +King Kamar al-Zaman hath bidden me strike off your heads." They +replied, "O Emir, do the King's bidding, for we bear with +patience that which Allah (to Whom be Honour, Might and Glory!) +hath decreed to us; and thou art quit of our blood." Then they +embraced and bade each other farewell, and As'ad said to the +treasurer, "Allah upon thee, O uncle, spare me the sight of my +brother's death-agony and make me not drink of his anguish, but +kill me first, for that were the easier for me." And Amjad said +the like and entreated the treasurer to kill him before As'ad, +saying, "My brother is younger than I; so make me not taste of +his anguish. And they both wept bitter tears whilst the treasurer +wept for their weeping;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the +treasurer wept for their weeping; then the two brothers embraced +and bade farewell and one said to the other, "All this cometh of +the malice of those traitresses, my mother and thy mother; and +this is the reward of my forbearance towards thy mother and of +thy for bearance towards my mother! But there is no Might and +there is no Majesty save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! +Verily, we are Allah's and unto Him we are returning."[FN#364] +And As'ad em braced his brother, sobbing and repeating these +couplets, + +"O Thou to whom sad trembling wights in fear complain! * + O ever ready whatso cometh to sustain! +The sole resource for me is at Thy door to knock, * + At whose door knock an Thou to open wilt not deign? +O Thou whose grace is treasured in the one word, Be![FN#365] * + Favour me, I beseech, in Thee all weals contain." + +Now when Amjad heard his brother's weeping he wept also and +pressing him to his bosom repeated these two couplets, + +"O Thou whose boons to me are more than one! * + Whose gifts and favours have nor count nor bound! +No stroke of all Fate's strokes e'er fell on me, * + But Thee to take me by the hand I found." + +Then said Amjad to the treasurer, "I conjure thee by the One, +Omnipotent, the Lord of Mercy, the Beneficent! slay me before my +brother As'ad, so haply shall the fire be quencht in my heart's +core and in this life burn no more." But As'ad wept and +exclaimed, "Not so: I will die first;" whereupon quoth Amjad, "It +were best that I embrace thee and thou embrace me, so the sword +may fall upon us and slay us both at a single stroke." Thereupon +they embraced, face to face and clung to each other straitly, +whilst the treasurer tied up the twain and bound them fast with +cords, weeping the while. Then he drew his blade and said to +them, "By Allah, O my lords, it is indeed hard to me to slay you! +But have ye no last wishes that I may fulfil or charges which I +may carry out, or message which I may deliver?" Replied Amjad, +"We have no wish; and my only charge to thee is that thou set my +brother below and me above him, that the blow may fall on me +first, and when thou hast killed us and returnest to the King and +he asketh thee, 'What heardest thou from them before their +death?'; do thou answer, 'Verily thy sons salute thee and say to +thee, Thou knewest not if we were innocent or guilty, yet hast +thou put us to death and hast not certified thyself of our sin +nor looked into our case.' Then do thou repeat to him these two +couplets, + +'Women are Satans made for woe o' men; * + I fly to Allah from their devilish scathe: +Source of whatever bale befel our kind, * + In wordly matters and in things of Faith.'" + +Continued Amjad, "We desire of thee naught but that thou repeat +to our sire these two couplets."--And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was ad the Two Hundred and Twenty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Amjad +added, speaking to the treasurer, "We desire of thee naught but +that thou repeat to our sire these two couplets which thou hast +just now heard; and I conjure thee by Allah to have patience with +us, whilst I cite to my brother this other pair of couplets." +Then he wept with sore weeping and began, + +"The Kings who fared before us showed * + Of instances full many a show: +Of great and small and high and low * + How many this one road have trod!" + +Now when the treasurer heard these words from Amjad, he wept till +his beard was wet, whilst As'ad's eyes brimmed with tears and he +in turn repeated these couplets, + +"Fate frights us when the thing is past and gone; * + Weeping is not for form or face alone[FN#366]: +What ails the Nights?[FN#367] Allah blot out our sin, * + And be the Nights by other hand undone! +Ere this Zubayr-son[FN#368] felt their spiteful hate, * + Who fled for refuge to the House and Stone: +Would that when Khrijah was for Amru slain[FN#369] * + They had ransomed Ali with all men they own." + +Then, with cheeks stained by tears down railing he recited also +these verses, + +"In sooth the Nights and Days are charactered * + By traitor falsehood and as knaves they lie; +The Desert-reek[FN#370] recalls their teeth that shine; * + All horrid blackness is their K of eye: +My sin anent the world which I abhor * + Is sin of sword when sworders fighting hie." + +Then his sobs waxed louder and he said, + +"O thou who woo'st a World[FN#371] unworthy, learn * + 'Tis house of evils, 'tis Perdition's net: +A house where whoso laughs this day shall weep * + The next: then perish house of fume and fret! +Endless its frays and forays, and its thralls * + Are ne'er redeemed, while endless risks beset. +How many gloried in its pomps and pride, * + Till proud and pompous did all bounds forget, +Then showing back of shield she made them swill[FN#372] * + Full draught, and claimed all her vengeance debt. +For know her strokes fall swift and sure, altho' * + Long bide she and forslow the course of Fate: +So look thou to thy days lest life go by * + Idly, and meet thou more than thou hast met; +And cut all chains of world-love and desire * + And save thy soul and rise to secrets higher." + +Now when As'ad made an end of these verses, he strained his +brother Amjad in his arms, till they twain were one body, and the +treasurer, drawing his sword, was about to strike them, when +behold, his steed took fright at the wind of his upraised hand, +and breaking its tether, fled into the desert. Now the horse had +cost a thousand gold pieces and on its back was a splendid saddle +worth much money; so the treasurer threw down his sword, and ran +after his beast.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when his +horse ran away, the treasurer ran after it in huge concern, and +ceased not running to catch the runaway till it entered a +thicket. He followed it whilst it dashed through the wood, +smiting the earth with its hoofs till it raised a dust-cloud +which towered high in air; and snorting and puffing and neighing +and waxing fierce and furious. Now there happened to be in this +thicket a lion of terrible might; hideous to sight, with eyes +sparkling light: his look was grim and his aspect struck fright +into man's sprite. Presentry the treasurer turned and saw the +lion making towards him; but found no way of escape nor had he +his sword with him. So he said in himself, "There is no Majesty +and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! +This strait is come upon me for no other cause but because of +Amjad and As'ad; and indeed this journey was unblest from the +first!" Meanwhile the two Princes were grievously oppressed by +the heat and grew sore athirst, so that their tongues hung out +and they cried for succour, but none came to their relief and +they said, "Would to Heaven we had been slain and were at peace +from this pain! But we know not whither the horse hath fled, that +the treasurer is gone and hath left us thus pinioned. If he would +but come back and do us die, it were easier to us than this +torture to aby." Said As'ad, "O my brother, be patient, and the +relief of Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) shall assuredly +come to us; for the horse started not away save of His favour +towards us, and naught irketh us but this thirst." Upon this he +stretched and shook himself and strained right and left, till he +burst his pinion-bonds; then he rose and unbound his brother and +catching up the Emir's sword, said, "By Allah, we will not go +hence, till we look after him and learn what is become of him." +Then they took to following on the trail till it led them to the +thicket and they said to each other, "Of a surety, the horse and +the treasurer have not passed out of this wood." Quoth As'ad, +"Stay thou here, whilst I enter the thicket and search it;" and +Amjad replied, "I will not let thee go in alone: nor will we +enter it but together; so if we escape, we shall escape together +and if we perish, we shall perish together." Accordingly both +entered and found that the lion had sprang upon the treasurer, +who lay like a sparrow in his grip, calling upon Allah for aid +and signing with his hands to Heaven. Now when Amjad saw this, he +took the sword and, rushing upon the lion, smote him between the +eyes and laid him dead on the ground. The Emir sprang up, +marvelling at this escape and seeing Amjad and As'ad, his +master's sons, standing there, cast himself at their feet and +exclaimed, "By Allah, O my lords, it were intolerable wrong in me +to do you to death. May the man never be who would kill you! +Indeed, with my very life, I will ransom you."--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the +treasurer to Amjad and As'ad, "With my life will I ransom you +both!" Then he hastily rose and, at once embracing them, enquired +how they had loosed their bonds and come thither; whereupon they +told him how the bonds of one of them had fallen loose and he had +unbound the other, whereto they were helped by the purity of +their intentions, and how they had tracked his trail till they +came upon him. So he thanked them for their deed and went with +them forth of the thicket; and, when they were in the open +country, they said to him, "O uncle, do our father's bidding." He +replied, "Allah forbid that I should draw near to you with hurt! +But know ye that I mean to take your clothes and clothe you with +mine; then will I fill two vials with the lion's blood and go +back to the King and tell him I have out vou to death. But as for +you two, fare ye forth into the lands, for Allah's earth is wide; +and know, O my lords, that it paineth me to part from you." At +this, they all fell a-weeping; then the two youths put off their +clothes and the treasurer habited them with his own. Moreover he +made two parcels of their dress and, filling two vials with the +lion's blood, set the parcels before him on his horse's back. +Presently he took leave of them and, making his way to the city, +ceased not faring till he went in to King Kamar al-Zaman and +kissed the ground between his hands. The King saw him changed in +face and troubled (which arose from his adventure with the lion) +and, deeming this came of the slaughter of his two sons, rejoiced +and said to him, "Hast thou done the work?" "Yes, O our lord," +replied the treasurer and gave him the two parcels of clothes and +the two vials full of blood. Asked the King, "What didst thou +observe in them; and did they give thee any charge?" Answered the +treasurer, "I found them patient and resigned to what came down +upon them and they said to me, 'Verily, our father is excusable; +bear him our salutation and say to him, 'Thou art quit of our +killing. But we charge thee repeat to him these couplets, + +'Verily women are devils created for us. We seek refuge with God +from the artifice of the devils. +They are the source of all the misfortunes that have appeared +among mankind in the affairs of the world and of +religion.'''[FN#373] + +When the King heard these words of the treasurer, he bowed his +head earthwards, a long while and knew his sons' words to mean +that they had been wrongfully put to death. Then he bethought +himself of the perfidy of women and the calamities brought about +by them; and he took the two parcels and opened them and fell to +turning over his sons' clothes and weeping,--And Shahrazed +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King +Kamar la-Zaman opened the two bundles and fell to turning over +his sons' clothes and weeping, it so came to pass that he found, +in the pocket of his son As'ad's raiment, a letter in the hand of +his wife enclosing her hair strings; so he opened and read it and +understanding the contents knew that the Prince had been falsely +accused and wrongously. Then he searched Amjad's parcel of dress +and found in his pocket a letter in the handwriting of Queen +Hayat al-Nufus enclosing also her hair-strings; so he opened and +read it and knew that Amjad too had been wronged; whereupon he +beat hand upon hand and exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there +is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I have slain +my sons unjustly." And he buffeted his face, crying out, "Alas, +my sons! Alas, my long grief!" Then he bade them build two tombs +in one house, which he styled "House of Lamentations," and had +graved thereon his sons' names; and he threw himself on Amjad's +tomb, weeping and groaning and lamenting, and improvised these +couplets, + +"O moon for ever set this earth below, * + Whose loss bewail the stars which stud the sky! +O wand, which broken, ne'er with bend and wave * + Shall fascinate the ravisht gazer's eye; +These eyne for jealousy I 'reft of thee, * + Nor shall they till next life thy sight descry: +I'm drowned in sea of tears for insomny * + Wherefore, indeed in Shirah-stead[FN#374] I lie." + +Then he threw himself on As'ad's tomb, groaning and weeping and +lamenting and versifying with these couplets, + +"Indeed I longed to share unweal with thee, * + But Allah than my will willed otherwise: +My grief all blackens 'twixt mine eyes and space, * + Yet whitens all the blackness from mine eyes:[FN#375] +Of tears they weep these eyne run never dry, * + And ulcerous flow in vitals never dries: +Right sore it irks me seeing thee in stead[FN#376] * + Where slave with sovran for once levelled lies." + +And his weeping and wailing redoubled; and, after he had ended +his lamentations and his verse, he forsook his friends and +intimates, and denying himself to his women and his family, cut +himself off from the world in the House of Lamentations, where he +passed his time in weeping for his sons. Such was his case; but +as regards Amjad and As'ad they fared on into the desert eating +of the fruits of the earth and drinking of the remnants of the +rain for a full month, till their travel brought them to a +mountain of black flint[FN#377] whose further end was unknown; +and here the road forked, one line lying along the midway height +and the other leading to its head. They took the way trending to +the top and gave not over following it five days, but saw no end +to it and were overcome with weariness, being unused to walking +upon the mountains or elsewhere.[FN#378] At last, despairing of +coming to the last of the road, they retraced their steps and, +taking the other, that led over the midway heights,--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Princes +Amjad and As'ad returned from the path leading to the Mountain- +head and took that which ran along the midway heights, and walked +through all that day till nightfall, when As'ad, weary with much +travel, said to Amjad, "O my brother, I can walk no farther, for +I am exceeding weak." Replied Amjad, "O my brother, take courage! +May be Allah will send us relief." So they walked on part of the +night, till the darkness closed in upon them, when As'ad became +weary beyond measure of weariness and cried out, "O my brother, I +am worn out and spent with walking," and threw himself upon the +ground and wept. Amjad took him in his arms and walked on with +him, bytimes sitting down to rest till break of day, when they +came to the mountain-top and found there a stream of running +water and by it a pomegranate-tree and a prayer-niche.[FN#379] +They could hardly believe their eyes when they saw it; but, +sitting down by that spring, drank of its water and ate of the +fruit of that granado-tree; after which they lay on the ground +and slept till sunrise, when they washed and bathed in the spring +and, eating of the pomegranates, slept again till the time of +mid-afternoon prayer. Then they thought to continue their +journey, but As'ad could not walk, for both his feet were +swollen. So they abode there three days till they were rested, +after which they set out again and fared on over the mountain +days and nights, tortured by and like to die of thirst, till they +sighted a city gleaming afar off, at which they rejoiced and made +towards it. When they drew near it, they thanked Allah (be His +Name exalted!) and Amjad said to As'ad, "O my brother, sit here, +whilst I go to yonder city and see what it is and whose it is and +where we are in Allah's wide world, that we may know through what +lands we have passed in crossing this mountain, whose skirts had +we followed, we had not reached this city in a whole year. So +praised be Allah for safety!" Replied As'ad, "By Allah, O my +brother, none shall go down into that city save myself, and may I +be thy ransom! If thou leave me alone, be it only for an hour, I +shall imagine a thousand things and be drowned in a torrent of +anxiety on shine account, for I cannot brook shine absence from +me." Amjad rejoined, "Go then and tarry not. So As'ad took some +gold pieces, and leaving his brother to await him, descended the +mountain and ceased not faring on till he entered the city. As he +threaded the streets he was met by an old man age-decrepit, whose +beard flowed down upon his breast and forked in twain;[FN#380] he +bore a walking-staff in his hand and was richly clad, with a +great red turband on his head. When As'ad saw him, he wondered at +his dress and his mien; nevertheless, he went up to him and +saluting him said, "Where be the way to the market, O my master?" +Hearing these words the Shaykh smiled in his face and replied, "O +my son, meseemeth thou art a stranger?" As'ad rejoined, "Yes, I +am a stranger."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Shaykh +who met As'ad smiled in his face and said to him, "O my son, +meseemeth thou art a stranger?" and As'ad replied, "Yes, I am a +stranger." Then rejoined the old man, "Verily, thou gladdenest +our country with thy presence, O my son, and thou desolatest +shine own land by reason of shine absence. What wantest thou of +the market?" Quoth As'ad, "O uncle, I have a brother, with whom I +have come from a far land and with whom I have journeyed these +three months; and, when we sighted this city, I left him, who is +my elder brother, upon the mountain and came hither, purposing to +buy victual and what else, and return therewith to him, that we +might feed thereon." Said the old man, "Rejoice in all good, O my +son, and know thou that to-day I give a marriage-feast, to which +I have bidden many guests, and I have made ready plenty of meats, +the best and most delicious that heart can desire. So if thou +wilt come with me to my place, I will give thee freely all thou +lackest without asking thee a price or aught else. Moreover I +will teach thee the ways of this city; and, praised be Allah, O +my son, that I, and none other have happened upon thee." "As thou +wilt," answered As'ad, "do as thou art disposed, but make haste, +for indeed my brother awaiteth me and his whole heart is with +me." The old man took As'ad by the hand and carried him to a +narrow lane, smiling in his face and saying, "Glory be to Him who +hath delivered thee from the people of this city!" And he ceased +not walking till he entered a spacious house, wherein was a +saloon and behold, in the middle of it were forty old men, well +stricken in years, collected together and forming a single ring +as they sat round about a lighted fire, to which they were doing +worship and prostrating themselves.[FN#381] When As'ad saw this, +he was confounded and the hair of his body stood on end though he +knew not what they were; and the Shaykh said to them, "O Elders +of the Fire, how blessed is this day!" Then he called aloud, +saying, "Hello, Ghazbn!" Whereupon there came out to him a tall +black slave of frightful aspect, grim-visaged and flat nosed as +an ape who, when the old man made a sign to him, bent As'ad's +arms behind his back and pinioned them; after which the Shaykh +said to him, "Let him down into the vault under the earth and +there leave him and say to my slave girl Such-an-one, 'Torture +him night and day and give him a cake of bread to eat morning and +evening against the time come of the voyage to the Blue Sea and +the Mountain of Fire, whereon we will slaughter him as a +sacrifice.'" So the black carried him out at another door and, +raising a flag in the floor, discovered a flight of twenty steps +leading to a chamber[FN#382] under the earth, into which he +descended with him and, laying his feet in irons, gave him over +to the slave girl and went away. Meanwhile, the old men said to +one another, "When the day of the Festival of the Fire cometh, we +will sacrifice him on the mountain, as a propitiatory offering +whereby we shall pleasure the Fire." Presently the damsel went +down to him and beat him a grievous beating, till streams of +blood flowed from his sides and he fainted; after which she set +at his head a scone of bread and a cruse of brackish water and +went away and left him. In the middle of the night, he revived +and found himself bound and beaten and sore with beating: so he +wept bitter tears; and recalling his former condition of honour +and prosperity, lordship and dominion, and his separation from +his sire and his exile from his native land.--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say, + + When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when As'ad +found himself bound and beaten and sore with beating he recalled +his whilome condition of honour and prosperity and dominion and +lordship, and he wept and groaned aloud and recited these +couplets, + +"Stand by the ruined stead and ask of us; * + Nor deem we dwell there as was state of us: +The World, that parter, hath departed us; * + Yet soothes not hate-full hearts the fate of us: +With whips a cursed slave girl scourges us, * + And teems her breast with rancorous hate of us: +Allah shall haply deign to unpart our lives, * + Chastise our foes, and end this strait of us." + +And when As'ad had spoken his poetry, he put out his hand towards +his head and finding there the crust and the cruse full of +brackish water he ate a bittock, just enough to keep life in him, +and drank a little water, but could get no sleep till morning for +the swarms of bugs[FN#383] and lice. As soon as it was day, the +slave girl came down to him and changed his clothes, which were +drenched with blood and stuck to him, so that his skin came off +with the shirt; wherefor he shrieked aloud and cried, "Alas!" and +said, "O my God, if this be Thy pleasure, increase it upon me! O +Lord, verily Thou art not unmindful of him that oppresseth me; do +Thou then avenge me upon him!" And he groaned and repeated the +following verses, + +"Patient, O Allah! to Thy destiny * + I bow, suffice me what Thou deign decree: +Patient to bear Thy will, O Lord of me, * + Patient to burn on coals of Ghaz-tree: +They wrong me, visit me with hurt and harm; * + Haply Thy grace from them shall set me free: +Far be's, O Lord, from thee to spare the wronger * + O Lord of Destiny my hope's in Thee!" + +And what another saith, + +"Bethink thee not of worldly state, * + Leave everything to course of Fate; +For oft a thing that irketh thee * + Shall in content eventuate; +And oft what strait is shall expand, * + And what expanded is wax strait. +Allah will do what wills His will * + So be not thou importunate! +But 'joy the view of coming weal * + Shall make forget past bale and bate." + +And when he had ended his verse, the slave-girl came down upon +him with blows till he fainted again; and, throwing him a flap of +bread and a gugglet of saltish water, went away and left him sad +and lonely, bound in chains of iron, with the blood streaming +from his sides and far from those he loved. So he wept and called +to mind his brother and the honours he erst enjoyed.--And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that As'ad +called to mind his brother and the honours he erst enjoyed; so he +wept and groaned and complained and poured forth tears in floods +and improvised these couplets, + +"Easy, O Fate! how long this wrong, this injury, * + Robbing each morn and eve my brotherhood fro' me? +Is't not time now thou deem this length sufficiency * + Of woes and, O thou Heart of Rock, show clemency? +My friends thou wrongedst when thou madst each enemy * + Mock and exult me for thy wrongs, thy tyranny: +My foeman's heart is solaced by the things he saw * + In me, of strangerhood and lonely misery: +Suffice thee not what came upon my head of dole, * + Friends lost for evermore, eyes wan and pale of blee? +But must in prison cast so narrow there is naught * + Save hand to bite, with bitten hand for company; +And tears that tempest down like goodly gift of cloud, * + And longing thirst whose fires weet no satiety. +Regretful yearnings, singulfs and unceasing sighs, * + Repine, remembrance and pain's very ecstacy: +Desire I suffer sore and melancholy deep, * + And I must bide a prey to endless phrenesy: +I find me ne'er a friend who looks with piteous eye, * + And seeks my presence to allay my misery: +Say, liveth any intimate with trusty love * + Who for mine ills will groan, my sleepless malady? +To whom moan I can make and, peradventure, he * + Shall pity eyes that sight of sleep can never see? +The flea and bug suck up my blood, as wight that drinks * + Wine from the proffering hand of fair virginity: +Amid the lice my body aye remindeth me * + Of orphan's good in Kzi's claw of villainy: +My home's a sepulchre that measures cubits three, * + Where pass I morn and eve in chained agony: +My wines are tears, my clank of chains takes music's stead, * + Cares my dessert of fruit and sorrows are my bed." + +And when he had versed his verse and had prosed his prose, he +again groaned and complained and remembered he had been and how +he had been parted from his brother. Thus far concerning him; but +as regards his brother Amjad, he awaited As'ad till mid-day yet +he returned not to him: whereupon Amjad's vitals fluttered, the +pangs of parting were sore upon him and he poured forth abundant +tears,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Thirtieth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Amjad +awaited his brother As'ad till mid-day and he returned not to +him, Amjad's vitals fluttered; the pangs of parting were sore +upon him and he poured forth abundant tears, exclaiming, "Alas, +my brother! Alas, my friend! Alas my grief! How I feared me we +should be separated!" Then he descended from the mountain-top +with the tears running down his cheeks; and, entering the city, +ceased not walking till he made the market. He asked the folk the +name of the place and concerning its people and they said, "This +is called the City of the Magians, and its citizens are mostly +given to Fire-worshipping in lieu of the Omnipotent King." Then +he enquired of the City of Ebony and they answered, "Of a truth +it is a year's journey thither by land and six months by sea: it +was governed erst by a King called Armanus; but he took to son- +in-law and made King in his stead a Prince called Kamar al-Zaman +distinguished for justice and munificence, equity and +benevolence." When Amjad heard tell of his father, he groaned and +wept and lamented and knew not whither to go. However, he bought +a something of food and carried it to a retired spot where he sat +down thinking to eat; but, recalling his brother, he fell a- +weeping and swallowed but a morsel to keep breath and body +together, and that against his will. Then he rose and walked +about the city, seeking news of his brother, till he saw a Moslem +tailor sitting in his shop so he sat down by him and told him his +story; whereupon quoth the tailor, "If he have fallen into the +hands of the Magians, thou shalt hardly see him again: yet it may +be Allah will reunite you twain. But thou, O my brother," he +continued wilt thou lodge with me?" Amjad answered, "Yes"; and +the tailor rejoiced at this. So he abode with him many days, what +while the tailor comforted him and exhorted him to patience and +taught him tailoring, till he became expert in the craft. Now one +day he went forth to the sea-shore and washed his clothes; after +which he entered the bath and put on clean raiment; then he +walked about the city, to divert himself with its sights and +presently there met him on the way a woman of passing beauty and +loveliness, without peer for grace and comeliness. When she saw +him she raised her face-veil and signed to him by moving her +eyebrows and her eyes with luring glances, and versified these +couplets, + +"I drooped my glance when seen thee on the way * + As though, O slim-waist! felled by Sol's hot ray: +Thou art the fairest fair that e'er appeared, * + Fairer to-day than fair of yesterday:[FN#384] +Were Beauty parted, a fifth part of it * + With Joseph or a part of fifth would stay; +The rest would fly to thee, shine ownest own; * + Be every soul thy sacrifice, I pray!" + +When Amjad heard these her words, they gladdened his heart which +inclined to her and his bowels yearned towards her and the hands +of love sported with him; so he sighed to her in reply and spoke +these couplets, + +"Above the rose of cheek is thorn of lance;[FN#385] * + Who dareth pluck it, rashest chevisance? +Stretch not thy hand towards it, for night long * + Those lances marred because we snatched a glance! +Say her, who tyrant is and tempter too * + (Though justice might her tempting power enhance):-- +Thy face would add to errors were it veiled; * + Unveiled I see its guard hath best of chance! +Eye cannot look upon Sol's naked face; * + But can, when mist-cloud dims his countenance: +The honey-hive is held by honey-bee;[FN#386] * + Ask the tribe-guards what wants their vigilance? +An they would slay me, let them end their ire * + Rancorous, and grant us freely to advance: +They're not more murderous, an charge the whole * + Than charging glance of her who wears the mole." + +And hearing these lines from Amjad she sighed with the deepest +sighs and, signing to him again, repeated these couplets, + +"'Tis thou hast trodden coyness path not I: * + Grant me thy favours for the time draws nigh: +O thou who makest morn with light of brow, * + And with loosed brow-locks night in lift to stye! +Thine idol-aspect made of me thy slave, * + Tempting as temptedst me in days gone by: +'Tis just my liver fry with hottest love: * + Who worship fire for God must fire aby: +Thou sellest like of me for worthless price; * + If thou must sell, ask high of those who buy." + +When Amjad heard these her words he said to her, "Wilt thou come +to my lodging or shall I go with thee to shine?" So she hung her +head in shame to the ground and repeated the words of Him whose +Name be exalted, "Men shall have the pre-eminence above women, +because of those advantages wherein Allah hath caused the one of +them to excel the other."[FN#387] Upon this, Amjad took the +hint.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-first Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Amjad took +the woman's hint and understood that she wished to go with him +whither he was going; he felt himself bounder to find a place +wherein to receive her, but was ashamed to carry her to the house +of his host, the tailor. So he walked on and she walked after +him, and the two ceased not walking from street to street and +place to place, till she was tired and said to him, "O my lord, +where is thy house?" Answered he, "Before us a little way." Then +he turned aside into a handsome by-street, followed by the young +woman, and walked on till he came to the end, when he found it +was no thoroughfare and exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there +is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" Then raising +his eyes, he saw, at the upper end of the lane a great doer with +two stone benches; but it was locked. So Amjad sat down on one of +the benches and she on the other; and she said to him, "O my +lord, wherefore waitest thou?" He bowed his head awhile to the +ground then raised it and answered, "I am awaiting my Mameluke +who hath the key; for I bade him make me ready meat and drink and +flowers, to deck the wine-service against my return from the +bath." But he said to himself, "Haply the time will be tedious to +her and she will go about her business, leaving me here, when I +will wend my own way." However, as soon as she was weary of long +waiting, she said, "O my lord, thy Mameluke delayeth; and here +are we sitting in the street;" and she arose and took a stone and +went up to the lock. Said Amjad, "Be not in haste, but have +patience till the servant come." However, she hearkened not to +him, but smote the wooden bolt with the stone and broke it in +half, whereupon the door opened. Quoth he, "What possessed thee +to do this deed?" Quoth she, "Pooh, pooh, my lord! what matter +it? Is not the house thy house and thy place?" He said, "There +was no need to break the bolt." Then the damsel entered, to the +confusion of Amjad, who knew not what to do for fear of the +people of the house; but she said to him, "Why dost thou not +enter, O light of mine eyes and core of my heart?" Replied he, "I +hear and obey; but my servant tarrieth long and I know not if he +have done aught of what I bade him and specially enjoined upon +him, or not." Hereupon he entered, sore in fear of the people of +the house, and found himself in a handsome saloon with four +dais'd recesses, each facing other, and containing closets and +raised seats, all bespread with stuffs of silk and brocade; and +in the midst was a jetting fountain of costly fashion, on whose +margin rested a covered tray of meats, with a leather tablecloth +hanging up and gem-encrusted dishes, full of fruits and sweet- +scented flowers. Hard by stood drinking vessels and a candlestick +with a single wax-candle therein; and the place was full of +precious stuffs and was ranged with chests and stools, and on +each seat lay a parcel of clothes upon which was a purse full of +monies, gold and silver. The floor was paved with marble and the +house bore witness in every part to its owner's fortune. When +Amjad saw all this, he was confounded at his case and said to +himself, "I am a lost man! Verily we are Allah's and to Allah we +are returning!" As for the damsel, when she sighted the place she +rejoiced indeed with a joy nothing could exceed, and said to him, +"By Allah, O my lord, thy servant hath not failed of his duty; +for see, he hath swept the place and cooked the meat and set on +the fruit; and indeed I come at the best of times." But he paid +no heed to her, his heart being taken up with fear of the house- +folk; and she said, "Fie, O my lord, O my heart! What aileth thee +to stand thus?" Then she sighed and, giving him a buss which +sounded like the cracking of a walnut, said, "O my lord, an thou +have made an appointment with other than with me, I will gird my +middle and serve her and thee. Amjad laughed from a heart full of +rage and wrath and came forwards and sat down, panting and saying +to himself, "Alack, mine ill death and doom when the owner of the +place shall return!" Then she seated herself by him and fell to +toying and laughing, whilst Amjad sat careful and frowning, +thinking a thousand thoughts and communing with himself, +"Assuredly the master of the house cannot but come, and then what +shall I say to him? he needs must kill me and my life will be +lost thus foolishly." Presently she rose and, tucking up her +sleeves, took a tray of food on which she laid the cloth and then +set it before Amjad and began to eat, saying, "Eat, O my lord." +So he came forward and ate; but the food was not pleasant to him; +on the contrary he ceased not to look towards the door, till the +damsel had eaten her fill, when she took away the tray of the +meats and, setting on the dessert, fell to eating of the dried +fruits. Then she brought the wine service and opening the jar, +filled a cup and handed it to Amjad, who took it from her hand +saying to him self, ' Ah, ah! and well away, when the master of +the house cometh and seeth me!"; and he kept his eyes fixed on +the threshold, even with cup in hand. While he was in this case, +lo! in came the master of the house, who was a white slave, one +of the chief men of the city, being Master of the Horse[FN#388] +to the King. He had fitted up this saloon for his pleasures, that +he might make merry therein and be private with whom he would, +and he had that day bidden a youth whom he loved and had made +this entertainment for him. Now the name of this slave was +Bahdur,[FN#389] and he was open of hand, generous, munificent +and fain of alms-giving and charitable works.--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. + + When it wad the Two Hundred and Thirty-second Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when +Bahadur, the Master of the Horse and the owner of the house, came +to the door of the saloon and found it open, he entered slowly +and softly and looking in, with head advanced and out stretched +neck, saw Amjad and the girl sitting before the dish of fruit and +the wine-jar in front of them. Now Amjad at that moment had the +cup in his hand and his face turned to the door; and when his +glance met Bahadur's eyes his hue turned pale yellow and his +side-muscles quivered, so seeing his trouble Bahadur signed to +him with his finger on his lips, as much as to say, "Be silent +and come hither to me." Whereupon he set down the cup and rose +and the damsel cried, "Whither away?" He shook his head and, +signing to her that he wished to make water, went out into the +passage barefoot. Now when he saw Bahadur he knew him for the +master of the house; so he hastened to him and, kissing his +hands, said to him, "Allah upon thee, O my lord, ere thou do me a +hurt, hear what I have to say." Then he told him who he was from +first to last and acquainted him with what caused him to quit his +native land and royal state, and how he had not entered his house +of his free will, but that it was the girl who had broken the +lock-bolt and done all this.[FN#390] When Bahadur heard his story +and knew that he was a King's son, he felt for him and, taking +compassion on him, said, "Hearken to me, O Amjad, and do what I +bid thee and I will guarantee thy safety from that thou fearest; +but, if thou cross me, I will kill thee." Amjad replied, "Command +me as thou wilt: I will not gainsay thee in aught; no, never, for +I am the freedman of thy bounty." Rejoined Bahadur, "Then go back +forthwith into the saloon, sit down in thy place and be at peace +and at shine ease; I will presently come in to thee, and when +thou seest me (remember my name is Bahadur) do thou revile me and +rail at me, saying, 'What made thee tarry till so late?' And +accept no excuse from me; nay, so far from it, rise and beat me; +and, if thou spare me, I will do away thy life. Enter now and +make merry and whatsoever thou seekest of me at this time I will +bring thee forthwith; and do thou spend this night as thou wilt +and on the morrow wend thy way. This I do in honour of thy +strangerhood, for I love the stranger and hold myself bounder to +do him devoir." So Amjad kissed his hand, and, returning to the +saloon with his face clad in its natural white and red, at once +said to the damsel, "O my mistress, thy presence hath gladdened +this shine own place and ours is indeed a blessed night." Quoth +the girl, "Verily I see a wonderful change in thee, that thou now +welcomest me so cordially!" So Amjad answered, "By Allah, O my +lady, methought my servant Bahadur had robbed me of some +necklaces of jewels, worth ten thousand diners each; however, +when I went out but now in concern for this, I sought for them +and found them in their place. I know not why the slave tarrieth +so long and needs must I punish him for it." She was satisfied +with his answer, and they sported and drank and made merry and +ceased not to be so till near sundown, when Bahadur came in to +them, having changed his clothes and girt his middle and put on +shoes, such as are worn of Mamelukes. He saluted and kissed the +ground; then held his hands behind him and stood, with his head +hanging down, as one who confesseth to a fault. So Amjad looked +at him with angry eyes and asked, "Why hast thou tarried till +now, O most pestilent of slaves?" Answered Bahadur, "O my lord, I +was busy washing my clothes and knew not of thy being here; for +our appointed time was nightfall and not day-tide." But Amjad +cried out at him, saying, "Thou liest, O vilest of slaves! By +Allah, I must needs beat thee." So he rose and, throwing Bahadur +prone on the ground, took a stick and beat him gently; but the +damsel sprang up and, snatching the stick from his hand, came +down upon Bahadur so lustily, that in extreme pain the tears ran +from his eyes and he ground his teeth together and called out for +succour; whilst Amjad cried out to the girl "Don't"; and she +cried out, "Let me satisfy my anger upon him!" till at last he +pulled the stick out of her hand and pushed her away. So Bahadur +rose and, wiping away his tears from his cheeks, waited upon them +the while, after which he swept the hall and lighted the lamps; +but as often as he went in and out, the lady abused him and +cursed him till Amjad was wroth with her and said, "For Almighty +Allah's sake leave my Mameluke; he is not used to this." Then +they sat and ceased not eating and drinking (and Bahadur waiting +upon them) till midnight when, being weary with service and +beating, he fell asleep in the midst of the hall and snored and +snorted; whereupon the damsel, who was drunken with wine, said to +Amjad, "Arise, take the sword hanging yonder and cut me off this +slave's head; and, if thou do it not, I will be the death of +thee!" "What possesseth thee to slay my slave?" asked Amjad; and +she answered, "Our joyaunce will not be complete but by his +death. If thou wilt not kill him, I will do it myself." Quoth +Amjad, "By Allah's rights to thee, do not this thing!" Quoth she, +"It must perforce be;" and, taking down the sword, drew it and +made at Bahadur to kill him; but Amjad said in his mind, "This +man hath entreated us courteously and sheltered us and done us +kindness and made himself my slave: shall we requite him by +slaughtering him? This shall never be!" Then he said to the +woman, "If my Mameluke must be killed, better I should kill him +than thou." So saying, he took the sword from her and, raising +his hand, smote her on the neck and made her head fly from her +body. It fell upon Bahadur who awoke and sat up and opened his +eyes, when he saw Amjad standing by him and in his hand the sword +dyed with blood, and the damsel lying dead. He enquired what had +passed, and Amjad told him all she had said, adding, "Nothing +would satisfy her but she must slay thee; and this is her +reward." Then Bahadur rose and, kissing the Prince's hand, said +to him, "Would to Heaven thou hadst spared her! but now there is +nothing for it but to rid us of her without stay or delay, before +the day-break." Then he girded his loins and took the body, +wrapped it in an Ab-cloak and, laying it in a large basket of +palm-leaves, he shouldered it saying, "Thou art a stranger here +and knowest no one: so sit thou in this place and await my return +till day-break. If I come back to thee, I will assuredly do thee +great good service and use my endeavours to have news of thy +brother; but if by sunrise I return not, know that all is over +with me; and peace be on thee, and the house and all it +containeth of stuffs and money are shine." Then he fared forth +from the saloon bearing the basket; and, threading the streets, +he made for the salt sea, thinking to throw it therein: but as he +drew near the shore, he turned and saw that the Chief of Police +and his officers had ranged themselves around him; and, on +recognising him, they wondered and opened the basket, wherein +they found the slain woman. So they seized him and laid him in +bilboes all that night till the morning, when they carried him +and the basket, as it was, to the King and reported the case. The +King was sore enraged when he looked upon the slain and said to +Bahadur, "Woe to thee! Thou art always so doing; thou killest +folk and castest them into the sea and takest their goods. How +many murders hast thou done ere this?" Thereupon Bahadur hung his +head.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-third Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Bahadur +hung down his head groundwards before the King, who cried out at +him, saying, "Woe to thee! Who killed this girl?" He replied, "O +my lord! I killed her, and there is no Majesty and there is no +Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!"[FN#391] So the +King in his anger, commanded to hang him; and the hangman went +down with him by the King's commandment, and the Chief of Police +accompanied him with a crier who called upon all the folk to +witness the execution of Bahadur, the King's Master of the Horse; +and on this wise they paraded him through the main streets and +the market-streets. This is how it fared with Bahadur; but as +regards Amjad, he awaited his host's return till the day broke +and the sun rose, and when he saw that he came not, he exclaimed, +"There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the +Glorious, the Great! Would I knew what is become of him?" And, as +he sat musing behold, he heard the crier proclaiming Bahadur's +sentence and bidding the people to see the spectacle of his +hanging at midday; whereat he wept and exclaimed, "Verily, we are +Allah's and to Him we are returning! He meaneth to sacrifice +himself unjustly for my sake, when I it was who slew her. By +Allah, this shall never be!" Then he went from the saloon and, +shutting the door after him, hurriedly threaded the streets till +he overtook Bahadur, when he stood before the Chief of Police and +said to him, "O my lord, put not Bahadur to death, for he is +innocent. By Allah, none killed her but I." Now when the Captain +of Police heard these words, he took them both and, carrying them +before the King, acquainted him with what Amjad had said; +whereupon he looked at the Prince and asked him, "Didst thou kill +the damsel?" He answered, "Yes" and the King said, "Tell me why +thou killedst her, and speak the truth." Replied Amjad, "O King, +it is indeed a marvellous event and a wondrous matter that hath +befallen me: were it graven with needles on the eye-corners, it +would serve as a warner to whoso would be warned!" Then he told +him his whole story and informed him of all that had befallen him +and his brother, first and last; whereat the King was much +startled and surprised and said to him, "Know that now I find +thee to be excusable; but list, O youth! Wilt thou be my Wazr?" +"Hearkening and obedience," answered Amjad whereupon the King +bestowed magnificent dresses of honour on him and Bahadur and +gave him a handsome house, with eunuchs and officers and all +things needful, appointing him stipends and allowances and +bidding him make search for his brother As'ad. So Amjad sat down +in the seat of the Wazirate and governed and did justice and +invested and deposed and took and gave. Moreover, he sent out a +crier to cry his brother throughout the city, and for many days +made proclamation in the main streets and market-streets, but +heard no news of As'ad nor happened on any trace of him. Such was +his case; but as regards his brother, the Magi ceased not to +torture As'ad night and day and eve and morn for a whole year's +space, till their festival drew near, when the old man +Bahram[FN#392] made ready for the voyage and fitted out a ship +for himself.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +to say her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Bahram, the +Magian, having fitted out a ship for the voyage, took As'ad and +put him in a chest which he locked and had it transported on +board. Now it so came to pass that, at the very time of shipping +it, Amjad was standing to divert himself by looking upon the sea; +and when he saw the men carrying the gear and shipping it, his +heart throbbed and he called to his pages to bring him his beast. +Then, mounting with a company of his officers, he rode down to +the sea-side and halted before the Magian's ship, which he +commended his men to board and search. They did his bidding, and +boarded the vessel and rummaged in every part, but found nothing; +so they returned and told Amjad, who mounted again and rode back. +But he felt troubled in mind; and when he reached his place and +entered his palace, he cast his eyes on the wall and saw written +thereon two lines which were these couplets, + +"My friends! if ye are banisht from mine eyes, * + From heart and mind ye ne'er go wandering: +But ye have left me in my woe, and rob * + Rest from my eyelids while ye are slumbering." + +And seeing them Amjad thought of his brother and wept. Such was +his case; but as for Bahram, the Magian, he embarked and shouted +and bawled to his crew to make sail in all haste. So they shook +out the sails and departed and ceased not to fare on many days +and nights; and, every other day, Bahram took out As'ad and gave +him a bit of bread and made him drink a sup of water, till they +drew near the Mountain of Fire. Then there came out on them a +storm-wind and the sea rose against them, so that the ship was +driven out of her course till she took a wrong line and fell into +strange waters; and, at last they came in sight of a city builded +upon the shore, with a castle whose windows overlooked the main. +Now the ruler of this city was a Queen called Marjnah, and the +captain said to Bahram, "O my lord, we have strayed from our +course and come to the island of Queen Marjanah, who is a devout +Moslemah; and, if she know that we are Magians, she will take our +ship and slay us to the last man. Yet needs must we put in here +to rest and refit." Quoth Bahram, "Right is thy recking, and +whatso thou seest fit that will I do!" Said the ship master, "If +the Queen summon us and question us, how shall we answer her?"; +and Bahram replied, "Let us clothe this Moslem we have with us in +a Mameluke's habit and carry him ashore with us, so that when the +Queen sees him, she will suppose and say, 'This is a slave.' As +for me I will tell her that I am a slave-dealer[FN#393] who buys +and sells white slaves, and that I had with me many but have sold +all save this one, whom I retained to keep my accounts, for he +can read and write." And the captain said "This device should +serve." Presently they reached the city and slackened sail and +cast the anchors; and the ship lay still, when behold, Queen +Marjanah came down to them, attended by her guards and, halting +before the vessel, called out to the captain, who landed and +kissed the ground before her. Quoth she, "What is the lading of +this thy ship and whom hast thou with thee?"" Quoth he, "O Queen +of the Age, I have with me a merchant who dealeth in slaves." And +she said, "Hither with him to me"; whereupon Bahram came ashore +to her, with As'ad walking behind him in a slave's habit, and +kissed the earth before her. She asked, "What is thy condition?"; +and he answered, "I am a dealer in chattels." Then she looked at +As'ad and, taking him for a Mameluke, asked him, "What is thy +name, O youth?" He answered, "Dost thou ask my present or my +former name?" "Hast thou then two names?" enquired she, and he +replied (and indeed his voice was choked with tears), "Yes; my +name aforetime was Al-As'ad, the most happy, but now it is Al- +Mu'tarr--Miserrimus." Her heart inclined to him and she said, +"Canst thou write?" "Yes,'' answered he, and she gave him ink- +case and reed-pen and paper and said to him, "Write somewhat that +I may see it." So he wrote these two couplets, + +"What can the slave do when pursued by Fate, * + O justest Judge! whatever be his state?[FN#394] +Whom God throws hand bound in the depths and says, * + Beware lest water should thy body wet?"[FN#395] + +Now when she read these lines, she had ruth upon him and said to +Bahram, "Sell me this slave." He replied, "O my lady, I cannot +sell him, for I have parted with all the rest and none is left +with me but he." Quoth the Queen, "I must need have him of thee, +either by sale or way of gift." But quoth Bahram, "I will neither +sell him nor give him." Whereat she was wroth and, taking As'ad +by the hand, carried him up to the castle and sent to Bahram, +saying, "Except thou set sail and depart our city this very +night, I will seize all thy goods and break up thy ship." Now +when the message reached the Magian, he grieved with sore grief +and cried, "Verily this voyage is on no wise to be commended." +Then he arose and made ready and took all he needed and awaited +the coming of the night to resume his voyage, saying to the +sailors, "Provide yourselves with your things and fill your +water-skins, that we may set sail at the last of the night." So +the sailors did their business and awaited the coming of +darkness. Such was their case; but as regards Queen Marjanah, +when she had brought As'ad into the castle, she opened the +casements overlooking the sea and bade her handmaids bring food. +They set food before As'ad and herself and both ate, after which +the Queen called for wine.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Queen +Marjanah bade her handmaids bring wine and they set it before +her, she fell to drinking with As'ad. Now, Allah (be He extolled +and exalted!) filled her heart with love for the Prince and she +kept filling his cup and handing it to him till his reason fled; +and presently he rose and left the hall to satisfy a call of +nature. As he passed out of the saloon he saw an open door +through which he went and walked on till his walk brought him to +a vast garden full of all manner fruits and flowers; and, sitting +down under a tree, he did his occasion. Then he rose and went up +to a jetting fountain in the garden and made the lesser ablution +and washed his hands and face, after which he would have risen to +go away; but the air smote him and he fell back, with his clothes +undone and slept, and night overcame him thus. So far concerning +him; but as concerns Bahram, the night being come, he cried out +to his crew, saying, "Set sail and let us away!"; and the' +answered, "We hear and obey, but wait till we fill our water- +skins and then we will set sail." So they landed with their water +skins and went round about the castle, and found nothing but +garden-walls: whereupon they climbed over into the garden and +followed the track of feet, which led them to the fountain; and +there they found As'ad lying on his back. They knew him and were +glad to find him; and, after filling their water-skins, they bore +him off and climbed the wall again with him and carried him back +in haste to Bahram to whom they said, "Hear the good tidings of +thy winning thy wish; and gladden thy heart and beat thy drums +and sound thy pipes; for thy prisoner, whom Queen Marjanah took +from thee by force, we have found and brought back to thee"; and +they threw As'ad down before him. When Bahram saw him, his heart +leapt for joy and his breast swelled with gladness. Then he +bestowed largesse on the sailors and bade them set sail in haste. +So they sailed forthright, intending to make the Mountain of Fire +and stayed not their course till the morning. This is how it +fared with them; but as regards Queen Marjanah, she abode awhile, +after As'ad went down from her, awaiting his return in vain for +he came not; thereupon she rose and sought him, yet found no +trace of him. Then she bade her women light flambeaux and look +for him, whilst she went forth in person and, seeing the garden- +door open, knew that he had gone thither. So she went out into +the garden and finding his sandals lying by the fountain, +searched the place in every part, but came upon no sign of him; +and yet she gave not over the search till morning. Then she +enquired for the ship and they told her, "The vessel set sail in +the first watch of the night"; wherefor she knew that they had +taken As'ad with them, and this was grievous to her and she was +sore an-angered. She bade equip ten great ships forthwith and, +making ready for fight, embarked in one of the ten with her +Mamelukes and slave-women and men-at-arms, all splendidly +accoutred and weaponed for war. They spread the sails and she +said to the captains, "If you overtake the Magian's ship, ye +shall have of me dresses of honour and largesse of money; but if +you fail so to do, I will slay you to the last man." Whereat fear +and great hope animated the crews and they sailed all that day +and the night and the second day and the third day till, on the +fourth they sighted the ship of Bahram, the Magian, and before +evening fell the Queen's squadron had surrounded it on all sides, +just as Bahram had taken As'ad forth of the chest and was beating +and torturing him, whilst the Prince cried out for help and +deliverance, but found neither helper nor deliverer: and the +grievous bastinado sorely tormented him. Now while so occupied, +Bahram chanced to look up and, seeing himself encompassed by the +Queen's ships, as the white of the eye encompasseth the black, he +gave himself up for lost and groaned and said, "Woe to thee, O +As'ad! This is all out of thy head." Then taking him by the hand +he bade his men throw him overboard and cried, "By Allah I will +slay thee before I die myself!" So they carried him along by the +hands and feet and cast him into the sea and he sank; but Allah +(be He extolled and exalted!) willed that his life be saved and +that his doom be deferred; so He caused him to sink and rise +again and he struck out with his hands and feet, till the +Almighty gave him relief, and sent him deliverance; and the waves +bore him far from the Magian's ship and threw him ashore. He +landed, scarce crediting his escape, and once more on land he +doffed his clothes and wrung them and spread them out to dry; +whilst he sat naked and weeping over his condition, and bewailing +his calamities and mortal dangers, and captivity and stranger +hood. And presently he repeated these two couplets, + +"Allah, my patience fails: I have no ward; * + My breast is straitened and clean cut my cord; +To whom shall wretched slave of case complain * + Save to his Lord? O thou of lords the Lord!" + +Then, having ended his verse, he rose and donned his clothes but +he knew not whither to go or whence to come; so he fed on the +herbs of the earth and the fruits of the trees and he drank of +the streams, and fared on night and day till he came in sight of +a city; whereupon he rejoiced and hastened his pace; but when he +reached it,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +to say her permitted say. + + When it Was the Two Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when he +reached the city the shades of evening closed around him and the +gates were shut. Now by the decrees of Pate and man's lot this +was the very city wherein he had been a prisoner and to whose +King his brother Amjad was Minister. When As'ad saw the gate was +locked, he turned back and made for the burial-ground, where +finding a tomb without a door, he entered therein and lay down +and fell asleep, with his face covered by his long +sleeve.[FN#396] Meanwhile, Queen Marjanah, coming up with +Bahram's ship, questioned him of As'ad. Now the Magian, when +Queen Marjanah overtook him with her ships, baffled her by his +artifice and gramarye; swearing to her that he was not with him +and that he knew nothing of him. She searched the ship, but found +no trace of her friend, so she took Bahram and, carrying him back +to her castle, would have put him to death, but he ransomed +himself from her with all his good and his ship; and she released +him and his men. They went forth from her hardly believing in +their deliverance, and fared on ten days' journey till they came +to their own city and found the gate shut, it being eventide. So +they made for the burial-ground, thinking to lie the night there +and, going round about the tombs, as Fate and Fortune would have +it, saw the building wherein As'ad lay wide open; whereat Bahram +marvelled and said, "I must look into this sepulchre." Then he +entered and found As'ad lying in a corner fast asleep, with his +head covered by his sleeve; so he raised his head, and looking in +his face, knew him for the man on whose account he had lost his +good and his ship, and cried, "What! art thou yet alive?" Then he +bound him and gagged him without further parley, and carried him +to his house, where he clapped heavy shackles on his feet and +lowered him into the underground dungeon aforesaid prepared for +the tormenting of Moslems, and he bade his daughter by name +Bostn,[FN#397] torture him night and day, till the next year, +when they would again visit the Mountain of Fire and there offer +him up as a sacrifice. Then he beat him grievously and locking +the dungeon door upon him, gave the keys to his daughter. By and +by, Bostan opened the door and went down to beat him, but finding +him a comely youth and a sweet-faced with arched brows and eyes +black with nature's Kohl,[FN#398] she fell in love with him and +asked him, "What is thy name?" "My name is As'ad," answered he; +whereat she cried, "Mayst thou indeed be happy as thy +name,[FN#399] and happy be thy days! Thou deservest not torture +and blows, and I see thou hast been injuriously entreated." And +she comforted him with kind words and loosed his bonds. Then she +questioned him of the religion of Al-Islam and he told her that +it was the true and right Faith and that our lord Mohammed had +approved himself by surpassing miracles[FN#400] and signs +manifest, and that fire-worship is harmful and not profitable; +and he went on to expound to her the tenets of Al-Islam till she +was persuaded and the love of the True Faith entered her heart. +Then, as Almighty Allah had mixed up with her being a fond +affection for As'ad, she pronounced the Two Testimonies[FN#401] +of the Faith and became of the people of felicity. After this, +she brought him meat and drink and talked with him and they +prayed together: moreover, she made him chicken stews and fed him +therewith, till he regained strength and his sickness left him +and he was restored to his former health. Such things befel him +with the daughter of Bahram, the Magian; and so it happened that +one day she left him and stood at the house-door when behold, she +heard the crier crying aloud and saying, "Whoso hath with him a +handsome young man, whose favour is thus and thus, and bringeth +him forth, shall have all he seeketh of money; but if any have +him and deny it, he shall be hanged over his own door and his +property shall be plundered and his blood go for naught." Now +As'ad had acquainted Bostan bint Bahram with his whole history: +so, when she heard the crier, she knew that it was he who was +sought for and, going down to him, told him the news. Then he +fared forth and made for the mansion of the Wazir, whom, when +As'ad saw, exclaimed, "By Allah, this Minister is my brother +Amjad!" Then he went up (and the damsel walking behind him) to +the Palace, where he again saw his brother, and threw himself +upon him; whereupon Amjad also knew him and fell upon his neck +and they embraced each other, whilst the Wazir's Mamelukes +dismounted and stood round them. They lay awhile insensible and, +when they came to themselves, Amjad took his brother and carried +him to the Sultan, to whom he related the whole story, and the +Sultan charged him to plunder Bahram's house.--And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. + + When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night, + +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Sultan +ordered Amjad to plunder Bahram's house and to hang its owner. So +Amjad despatched thither for that purpose a company of men, who +sacked the house and took Bahram and brought his daughter to the +Wazir by whom she was received with all honour, for As'ad had +told his brother the torments he had suffered and the kindness +she had done him. Thereupon Amjad related in his turn to As'ad +all that had passed between himself and the damsel; and how he +had escaped hanging and had become Wazir; and they made moan, +each to other, of the anguish they had suffered for separation. +Then the Sultan summoned Bahram and bade strike off his head; but +he said, "O most mighty King, art thou indeed resolved to put me +to death?" Replied the King, "Yes, except thou save thyself by +becoming a Moslem." Quoth Bahram, "O King, bear with me a little +while!" Then he bowed his head groundwards and presently raising +it again, made pro fession of The Faith and islamised at the +hands of the Sultan. They all rejoiced at his conversion and +Amjad and As'ad told him all that had befallen them, whereat he +wondered and said, "O my lords, make ready for the journey and I +will depart with you and carry you back to your father's court in +a ship." At this they rejoiced and wept with sore weeping but he +said, "O my lords, weep not for your departure, for it shall +reunite you with those you love, even as were Ni'amah and Naomi." +"And what befel Ni'amah and Naomi?" asked they. "They tell," +replied Bahram, "(but Allah alone is All knowing) the following +tale of + + + + + + +End of Vol. 3 + + + + Arabian Nights, Volume 3 + Footnotes + + + + +[FN#1] This "horripilation," for which we have the poetical term +"goose-flesh," is often mentioned in Hindu as in Arab literature. + +[FN#2] How often we have heard this in England! + +[FN#3] As a styptic. The scene in the text has often been +enacted in Egypt where a favourite feminine mode of murdering men +is by beating and bruising the testicles. The Fellahs are +exceedingly clever in inventing methods of manslaughter. For +some years bodies were found that bore no outer mark of violence, +and only Frankish inquisitiveness discovered that the barrel of a +pistol had been passed up the anus and the weapon discharged +internally Murders of this description are known in English +history; but never became popular practice. + +[FN#4] Arab. "Zakar," that which betokens masculinity. At the +end of the tale we learn that she also gelded him; thus he was a +"Sandal)," a ras. + +[FN#5] See vol. i. p. 104. {see Volume 1, Note 188} + +[FN#6] The purity and intensity of her love had attained to a +something of prophetic strain. + +[FN#7] Lane corrupts this Persian name to Shh Zemn (i. 568). + +[FN#8] i.e. the world, which includes the ideas of Fate, Time, +Chance. + +[FN#9] Arab. "Brid," silly, noyous, contemptible; as in the +proverb + + Two things than ice are colder cold:-- + An old man young, a young man old. + +A "cold-of-countenance"=a fool: "May Allah make cold thy +face!"=may it show want and misery. "By Allah, a cold speech!"=a +silly or abusive tirade (Pilgrimage, ii. 22). + +[FN#10] The popular form is, "often the ear loveth before the +eye." + +[FN#11] Not the first time that royalty has played this prank, +nor the last, perhaps. + +[FN#12] i.e. the Lady Dunya. + +[FN#13] These magazines are small strongly-built rooms on the +ground floor, where robbery is almost impossible. + +[FN#14] Lit. "approbation," "benediction"; also the Angel who +keeps the Gates of Paradise and who has allowed one of the +Ghilmn (or Wuldn) the boys of supernatural beauty that wait +upon the Faithful, to wander forth into this wicked world. + +[FN#15] In Europe this would be a plurale majestatis, used only +by Royalty. In Arabic it has no such significance, and even the +lower orders apply it to themselves; although it often has a +soupon of "I and thou." + +[FN#16] Man being an "extract of despicable water" (Koran xxxii. +7) ex spermate genital), which Mr. Rodwell renders "from germs of +life," "from sorry water." + +[FN#17] i.e. begotten by man's seed in the light of salvation +(Nr al-hud). + +[FN#18] The rolls of white (camphor-like) scarf-skin and sordes +which come off under the bathman's glove become by miracle of +Beauty, as brown musk. The Rubber or Shampooer is called in Egypt +"Mukayyis" (vulgarly "Mukayyisti") or "bagman," from his "Ks," +a bag-glove of coarse woollen stuff. To "Johnny Raws" he never +fails to show the little rolls which come off the body and prove +to them how unclean they are, but the material is mostly dead +scarf-skin + +[FN#19] The normal phrase on such occasions (there is always a +"dovetail" de rigueur) "Allah give thee profit!" + +[FN#20] i.e. We are forced to love him only, and ignore giving +him a rival (referring to Koranic denunciations of "Shirk," or +attributing a partner to Allah, the religion of plurality, +syntheism not polytheism): see, he walks tottering under the +weight of his back parts wriggling them whilst they are rounded +like the revolving heavens. + +[FN#21] Jannat al-Na'm (Garden of Delight); the fifth of the +seven Paradises made of white diamond; the gardens and the +plurality being borrowed from the Talmud. Mohammed's Paradise, by +the by, is not a greater failure than Dante's. Only ignorance or +pious fraud asserts it to be wholly sensual; and a single verse +is sufficient refutation: "Their prayer therein shall be 'Praise +unto thee, O. Allah!' and their salutation therein shall be +'Peace!' and the end of their prayer shall be, 'Praise unto God, +the Lord of all creatures"' (Koran x. 10-11). See also lvi. 24- +26. It will also be an intellectual condition wherein knowledge +will greatly be increased (lxxxviii viii. 17-20). Moreover the +Moslems, far more logical than Christians, admit into Paradise +the so-called "lower animals." + +[FN#22] Sed vitam faciunt balnea, vine, Venus! The Hammam to +Easterns is a luxury as well as a necessity; men sit there for +hours talking chiefly of money and their prowess with the fair; +and women pass half the day in it complaining of their husbands' +over-amativeness and contrasting their own chaste and modest +aversion to camel congress. + +[FN#23] The frigidarium or cold room, coolness being delightful +to the Arab. + +[FN#24] The calidarium or hot room of the bath. + +[FN#25] The Angel who acts door-keeper of Hell; others say he +specially presides over the torments of the damned (Koran xliii. +78). + +[FN#26] The Door-keeper of Heaven before mentioned who, like the +Guebre Zamiyd has charge of the heavenly lads and lasses, and +who is often charged by poets with letting them slip. + +[FN#27] Lane (i. 616), says "of wine, milk, sherbet, or any other +beverage." Here it is wine, a practice famed in Persian poetry, +especially by Hafiz, but most distasteful to a European stomach. +We find the Mu allakah of Imr al-Keys noticing "our morning +draught." Nott (Hafiz) says a "cheerful cup of wine in the +morning was a favourite indulgence with the more luxurious +Persians. And it was not uncommon among the Easterns, to salute +friend by saying."May your morning potation be agreeable to you!" +In the present day this practice is confined to regular +debauchees. + +[FN#28] Koran xii. 31. The words spoken by Zulaykh's women +friends and detractors whom she invited to see Beauty Joseph. + +[FN#29] A formula for averting fascination. Koran, chaps. cxiii. +1. "Falak" means "cleaving" hence the breaking forth of light +from darkness, a "wonderful instance of the Divine power." + +[FN#30] The usual delicate chaff. + +[FN#31] Such letters are generally written on a full-sized sheet +of paper ("notes" are held slighting in the East) and folded till +the breadth is reduced to about one inch. The edges are gummed, +the ink, much like our Indian ink, is smeared with the finger +upon the signet ring; the place where it is to be applied is +slightly wetted with the tongue and the seal is stamped across +the line of junction to secure privacy. I have given a specimen +of an original love-letter of the kind in "Scinde, or the Unhappy +Valley," chaps. iv. + +[FN#32] Arab. "Salb" which may also mean hanging, but the usual +term for the latter in The Nights is "shanak." Crucifixion, +abolished by the superstitious Constantine, was practised as a +servile punishment as late as the days of Mohammed Ali Pasha the +Great e malefactors were nailed and tied to the patibulum or +cross-piece without any sup pedaneum or foot-rest and left to +suffer tortures from flies and sun, thirst and hunger. They often +lived three days and died of the wounds mortifying and the +nervous exhaustion brought on by cramps and convulsions. In many +cases the corpses were left to feed the kites and crows; and this +added horror to the death. Moslems care little for mere hanging. +Whenever a fanatical atrocity is to be punished, the malefactor +should be hung in pig-skin, his body burnt and the ashes publicly +thrown into a common cesspool. + +[FN#33] Arab "Shaytn" the insolent or rebellious one is a common +term of abuse. The word I. Koramc, and borrowed as usual from the +Jews. "Satan" occurs four times in the O.T. of which two are in +Job where, however, he is a subordinate angel. + +[FN#34] Arab. "Alak" from the Koran xxii. 5. " O men...consider +that we first created you of dust (Adam); afterwards of seed +(Rodwell's "moist germs of life"); afterwards of a little +coagulated (or clots of) blood." It refers to all mankind except +Adam, Eve and Isa. Also chaps. xcvi. 2, which, as has been said +was probably the first composed at Meccah. Mr. Rodwell (v. 10) +translates by 'Servant of God" what should be "Slave of Allah," +alluding to Mohammed's original name Abdullah. See my learned +friend Aloys Sprenger, Leben, etc., i.155. + +[FN#35] The Hindus similarly exaggerate: "He was ready to leap +out of his skin in his delight" (Katha, etc., p. 443). + +[FN#36] A star in the tail of the Great Bear, one of the "Bant +al-Na'ash," or a star close to the second. Its principal use is +to act foil to bright Sohayl (Canopus) as in the beginning of +Jm's Layla-Majnn:-- + + To whom Thou'rt hid, day is darksome night: + To whom shown, Soh as Sohayl is bright. + +See also al-Hariri (xxxii. and xxxvi.). The saying, "I show her +Soha and she shows me the moon" (A. P. i. 547) arose as follows. +In the Ignorance a beautiful Amazon defied any man to take her +maidenhead; and a certain Ibn al-Ghazz won the game by struggling +with her till she was nearly senseless. He then asked her, "How +is thine eye-sight: dost thou see Soha?" and she, in her +confusion, pointed to the moon and said, "That is it!" + +[FN#37] The moon being masculine (lupus) and the sun feminine. + +[FN#38] The "five Shaykhs" must allude to that number of Saints +whose names are doubtful; it would be vain to offer conjectures. +Lane and his "Sheykh" (i. 617) have tried and failed. + +[FN#39] The beauties of nature seem always to provoke hunger in +Orientals, especially Turks, as good news in Englishmen. + +[FN#40] Pers. "Ljuward": Arab. "Lzuward"; prob. the origin of +our "azure," through the Romaic and the Ital. azzurro; +and, more evidently still, of lapis lazuli, for which do not see +the Dictionaries. + +[FN#41] Arab. "Maurid." the desert-wells where caravans drink: +also the way to water wells. + +[FN#42] The famous Avicenna, whom the Hebrews called Aben Sina. +The early European Arabists, who seem to have learned Arabic +through Hebrew, borrowed their corruption, and it long kept its +place in Southern Europe. + +[FN#43] According to the Hindus there are ten stages of love- +sickness: (1) Love of the eyes (2) Attraction of the Manas or +mind; (3) Birth of desire; (4) Loss of sleep; (5) Loss of flesh; +(6) Indifference to objects of sense; (7) Loss of shame, (8) +Distraction of thought (9) Loss of consciousness; and (10) Death. + +[FN#44] We should call this walk of "Arab ladies" a waddle: I +have never seen it in Europe except amongst the trading classes +of Trieste, who have a "wriggle" of their own. + +[FN#45] In our idiom six doors. + +[FN#46] They refrained from the highest enjoyment, intending to +marry. + +[FN#47] Arab. "Jihd," lit. fighting against something; +Koranically, fighting against infidels non- believers in Al-lslam +(chaps. Ix. 1). But the "Mujhidn" who wage such war are +forbidden to act aggressively (ii. 186). Here it is a war to save +a son. + +[FN#48] The lady proposing extreme measures is characteristic: +Egyptians hold, and justly enough, that their women are more +amorous than men. + +[FN#49] "O Camphor," an antiphrase before noticed. The vulgar +also say "Y Talj"=O snowy (our snowball), the polite "Ya Ab +Sumrah !" =O father of brownness. + +[FN#50] i.e. which fit into sockets in the threshold and lintel +and act as hinges. These hinges have caused many disputes about +how they were fixed, for instance in caverns without moveable +lintel or threshold. But one may observe that the upper +projections are longer than the lower and that the door never +fits close above, so by lifting it up the inferior pins are taken +out of the holes. It is the oldest form and the only form known +to the Ancients. In Egyptian the hinge is called Akab=the heel, +hence the proverb Wakaf' al-bb al 'akabin; the door standeth on +its heel; i.e. every thing in proper place. + +[FN#51] Hence the addresses to the Deity: Y Stir and Y Sattr- +-Thou who veilest the sins of Thy Servants! said e.g., when a +woman is falling from her donkey, etc. + +[FN#52] A necessary precaution, for the headsman who would +certainly lose his own head by overhaste. + +[FN#53] The passage has also been rendered, "and rejoiced him by +what he said" (Lane i, 600). + +[FN#54] Arab. "Hurr"=noble, independent (opp. to 'Abd=a servile) +often used to express anim nobilitas as in Acts xvii. +11; where the Berans were "more noble" than the Thessalonians. +The Princess means that the Prince would not lie with her before +marriage. + +[FN#55] The Persian word is now naturalized as Anglo-Egypeian. + +[FN#56] Arab. "khassat hu" = removed his testicles, gelded him. + +[FN#57] Here ends the compound tale of Taj al-Muluk cum Aziz plus +Azizah, and we return to the history of King Omar's sons. + +[FN#58] "Zibl" popularly pronounced Zabal, means "dung." Khan is +"Chief," as has been noticed; "Zabbl," which Torrens renders +literally "dung-drawer," is one who feeds the Hammam with bois- +de-vache, etc. + +[FN#59] i.e one who fights the Jihd or "Holy War": it is +equivalent to our "good knight." + +[FN#60] Arab. "Malik." Azud al Daulah, a Sultan or regent under +the Abbaside Caliph Al-T'i li 'llah (regn. A.H. 363-381) was the +first to take the title of "Malik." The latter in poetry is still +written Malk. + +[FN#61] A townlet on the Euphrates, in the "awwal Shm," or +frontier of Syria. + +[FN#62] i.e., the son would look to that. + +[FN#63] A characteristic touch of Arab pathos, tender and true. + +[FN#64] Arab. "Mawarid" from "ward" = resorting to pool or water- +pit (like those of "Gakdl") for drinking, as opposed to +"Sadr"=returning after having drunk at it. Hence the "Sdir" +(part. act.) takes precedence of the "Wrid" in Al-Hariri (Ass. +of the Badawi). + +[FN#65] One of the fountains of Paradise (Koran, chaps. Ixxvi.): +the word lit. means "water flowing pleasantly down the throat." +The same chapter mentions "Zanjabl," or the Ginger-fount, which +to the Infidel mind unpleasantly suggests "ginger pop." + +[FN#66] Arab. "Takhl" = adorning with Kohl. + +[FN#67] The allusions are far-fetched and obscure as in +Scandinavian poetry. Mr. Payne (ii. 314) translates "Naml" by +"net." I understand the ant (swarm) creeping up the cheeks, a +common simile for a young beard. The lovers are in the Laz +(hell) of jealousy etc., yet feel in the Na'm (heaven) of love +and robe in green, the hue of hope, each expecting to be the +favoured one. + +[FN#68] Arab. "Ukhuwn," the classical term. There are two +chamomiles, the white (Bbnaj) and the yellow (Kaysn), these +however are Syrian names and plants are differently called in +almost every Province of Arabia + +[FN#69] In nomadic life the parting of lovers happens so +frequently that it become. a stock topic in poetry and often, as +here, the lover complains of parting when he is not parted. But +the gravamen lies in the word "Wasl" which may mean union, +meeting, reunion Or coition. As Ka'ab ibn Zuhayr began his famous +poem with "Su'd hath departed," 900 imitators (says Al-Siyuti) +adopted the Nsib or address to the beloved and Su'ad came to +signify a cruel, capricious mistress. + +[FN#70] As might be expected from a nation of camel-breeders +actual cautery which can cause only counter-irritation, is a +favourite nostrum; and the Hadis or prophetic saying is "Akhir +al-daw (or al-tibb) al-Kayy" = cautery is the end of medicine- +cure; and "Fire and sickness cannot cohabit." Most of the Badawi +bear upon their bodies grisly marks Of this heroic treatment, +whose abuse not unfrequently brings on gangrene. The Hadis +(Burckhardt, Proverbs, No. 30) also means "if nothing else avail, +take violent measures. + +[FN#71] The Spaniards have the same expression: "Man is fire and +woman is tinder." + +[FN#72] Arab. "Bshik" from Persian "Bshah" (accipiter Nisus) a +fierce little species of sparrow-hawk which I have described in +"Falconry in the Valley of the Indus" (p. 14, etc.). + +[FN#73] Lit. "Coals (fit) for frying pan." + +[FN#74] Arab. "Libdah," the sign of a pauper or religious +mendicant. He is addressed "Y Abu libdah!" (O father of a felt +calotte!) + +[FN#75] In times of mourning Moslem women do not use perfumes or +dyes, like the Henna here alluded to in the pink legs and feet of +the dove. + +[FN#76] Koran, chaps. ii. 23. The idea is repeated in some forty +Koranic passages. + +[FN#77] A woman's name, often occurring. The "daughters of +Sa'ada" are zebras, so called because "they resemble women in +beauty and graceful agility." + +[FN#78] Arab. "Tiryk" from Gr. a drug against +venomous bites. It was compounded mainly of treacle, and that of +Baghdad and Irk was long held sovereign. The European +equivalent, "Venice treacle," (Theriaca Andromachi) is an +electuary containing many elements. Badawin eat for counter- +poison three heads of garlic in clarified butter for forty days. +(Pilgrimage iii 77 ) + +[FN#79] Could Cervantes have read this? In Algiers he might +easily have heard it recited by the tale-tellers. Kanmakan is the +typical Arab Knight, gentle and valiant as Don Quixote Sabbh is +the Grazioso, a "Beduin" Sancho Panza. In the "Romance of Antar" +we have a similar contrast with Ocab who says: "Indeed I am no +fighter: the sword in my hand-palm chases only pelicans ;" and, +"whenever you kill a satrap, I'll plunder him." + +[FN#80] i.e. The Comely, son of the Spearman, son of the Lion, or +Hero. + +[FN#81] Arab. "Ushri." Old Purchas (vi., i. 9) says there are +three kinds of camels (1 ) Huguin (=Hejin) of tall stature and +able to carry 1,000 lbs. (2) Bechete (=Bukhti) the two-humped +Bactrian before mentioned and, (3) the Raguahill (Rahl) small +dromedaries unfit for burden but able to cover a hundred miles in +a day. The "King of Timbukhtu" (not "Bukhtu's well" pop. +Timbuctoo) had camels which reach Segelmesse (Sijalmas) or Darha, +nine hundred miles in eight days at most. Lyon makes the Maherry +(also called El-Heirie=Mahri) trot nine miles an hour for a long +time. Other travellers in North Africa report the Sabayee +(Saba'i=seven days weeder) as able to get over six hundred and +thirty miles (or thirty-five caravan stages=each eighteen miles) +in five to seven days. One of the dromedaries in the "hamlah" or +caravan of Mr. Ensor (Journey through Nubia and Darfoor--a +charming book) travelled one thousand one hundred and ten miles +in twenty- seven days. He notes that his beasts were better with +water every five to seven days, but in the cold season could do +without drink for sixteen. I found in Al-Hijaz at the end of +August that the camels suffered much after ninety hours without +drink (Pilgrimage iii. 14). But these were "Jdi" fine-haired +animals as opposed to "Khawr" (the Khows of Chesney, p. 333), +coarse-haired, heavy, slow brutes which will not stand great +heat. + +[FN#82] i.e. Fortune so willed it (euphemistically). + +[FN#83] The "minaret" being feminine is usually compared with a +fair young girl. The oldest minaret proper is supposed to have +been built in Damascus by the Ommiade Caliph (No. X.) Al-Walid +A.H. 86-96 (=705-715). According to Ainsworth (ii. 113) the +second was at Kuch Hisar in Chaldea. + +[FN#84] None of the pure Badawi can swim for the best of reasons, +want of waters. + +[FN#85] The baser sort of Badawi is never to be trusted: he is a +traitor born, and looks upon fair play as folly or cowardice. +Neither oath nor kindness can bind him: he unites the cruelty of +the cat with the wildness of the wolf. How many Englishmen have +lost their lives by not knowing these elementary truths! The race +has not changed from the days of Mandeville (A.D. 1322) whose +"Arabians, who are called Bedouins and Ascopards (?), are right +felonious and foul, and of a cursed nature." In his day they +"carried but one shield and one spear, without other arm :" now, +unhappily for travellers, they have matchlocks and most tribes +can manufacture a something called by courtesy gunpowder. + +[FN#86] Thus by Arab custom they become friends. + +[FN#87] Our classical term for a noble Arab horse. + +[FN#88] In Arab. "Khayl" is=horse; Husan, a stallion; Hudd, a +brood stallion; Faras, a mare (but sometimes used as a horse and +meaning "that tears over the ground"), Jiyd a steed (noble); +Kadsh, a nag (ignoble); Mohr a colt and Mohrah, a filly. There +are dozens of other names but these suffice for conversation + +[FN#89] Al-Katl, the slayer; Al-Majnn, the mad; both high +compliments in the style inverted. + +[FN#90] This was a highly honourable exploit, which would bring +the doer fame as well as gain. + +[FN#91] This is a true and life-like description of horse- +stealing in the Desert: Antar and Burckhardt will confirm every +word. A noble Arab stallion is supposed to fight for his rider +and to wake him at night if he see any sign of danger. The owner +generally sleeps under the belly of the beast which keeps eyes +and ears alert till dawn. + +[FN#92] Arab. "Yaum al tandi," i.e. Resurrection-day. + +[FN#93] Arab. "Bild al-Sdan"=the Land of the Blacks, negro- +land, whence the slaves came, a word now fatally familiar to +English ears. There are, however, two regions of the same name, +the Eastern upon the Upper Nile and the Western which contains +the Niger Valley, and each considers itself the Sudan. And the +reader must not confound the Berber of the Upper Nile, the +Berderino who acts servant in Lower Egypt, with the Berber of +Barbary: the former speaks an African language; the latter a +"Semitic" (Arabic) tongue. + +[FN#94] "Him" for "her." + +[FN#95] Arab. "Sibah," a she-camel freed from labour under +certain conditions amongst the pagan Arabs; for which see Sale +(Prel. Disc. sect. v.). + +[FN#96] Arab. "Marba'." In early spring the Badawi tribes leave +the Rasm or wintering-place (the Turco-Persian "Kishlk") in the +desert, where winter-rains supply them, and make for the Yaylk, +or summer-quarters, where they find grass and water. Thus the +great Ruwala tribe appears regularly every year on the eastern +slopes of the Anti-Libanus (Unexplored Syria, i. 117), and hence +the frequent "partings." + +[FN#97] This "renowning it" and boasting of one's tribe (and +oneself) before battle is as natural as the war-cry: both are +intended to frighten the foe and have often succeeded. Every +classical reader knows that the former practice dates from the +earliest ages. It is still customary in Arabia during the furious +tribal fights, the duello on a magnificent scale which often ends +in half the combatants on either side being placed hors-de- +combat. A fair specimen of "renowning it" is Amr's Suspended +Poem with its extravagant panegyric of the Taghlab tribe (p. 64, +"Arabian Poetry for English Readers," etc., by W. A. Clouston, +Glasgow: privately printed MDCCCLXXXI.; and transcribed from Sir +William Jones's translation). + +[FN#98] The "Turk" appeared soon amongst the Abbaside Caliphs. +Mohammed was made to prophecy of them under the title Ban +Kantrah, the latter being a slave-girl of Abraham. The Imam Al- +Shafi'i (A.H. 195=A.D. 810) is said to have foretold their rule +in Egypt where an Ottoman defended him against a donkey-boy. (For +details see Pilgrimage i. 216 ) The Caliph Al-Mu'atasim bi'llah +(A.D. 833-842) had more than 10,000 Turkish slaves and was the +first to entrust them with high office; so his Arab subjects +wrote of him:-- + + A wretched Turk is thy heart's desire; + And to them thou showest thee dam and sire. + +His successor Al-Wsik (Vathek, of the terrible eyes) was the +first to appoint a Turk his Sultan or regent. After his reign +they became praetorians and led to the downfall of the Abbasides. + +[FN#99] The Persian saying is "First at the feast and last at the +fray." + +[FN#100] i.e. a tempter, a seducer. + +[FN#101] Arab. "Wayl-ak" here probably used in the sense of +"Wayh-ak" an expression of affectionate concern. + +[FN#102] Firdausi, the Homer of Persia, affects the same +magnificent exaggeration. The trampling of men and horses raises +such a dust that it takes one layer (of the seven) from earth and +adds it to the (seven of the) Heavens. The "blaze" on the +stallion's forehead (Arab. "Ghurrah") is the white gleam of the +morning. + +[FN#103] A noted sign of excitement in the Arab blood horse, when +the tail looks like a panache covering the hind-quarter. + +[FN#104] i.e. Prince Kanmakan. + +[FN#105] The "quality of mercy" belongs to the noble Arab, +whereas the ignoble and the Bada win are rancorous and revengeful +as camels. + +[FN#106] Arab. "Khanjar," the poison was let into the grooves and +hollows of the poniard. + +[FN#107] The Pers. "Bang", Indian "Bhang", Maroccan "Faskh" and +S. African "Dakh." (Pilgrimage i. 64.) I heard of a "Hashish- +orgie" in London which ended in half the experimentalists being +on their sofas for a week. The drug is useful for stokers, having +the curious property of making men insensible to heat. Easterns +also use it for "Imsk" prolonging coition of which I speak +presently. + +[FN#108] Arab. "Hashshshn;" whence De Sacy derived "Assassin." +A notable effect of the Hashish preparation is wildly to excite +the imagination, a kind of delirium imaginans sive phantasticum . + +[FN#109] Meaning "Well done!" Mashallah (M sha 'llah) is an +exclamation of many uses, especially affected when praising man +or beast for fear lest flattering words induce the evil eye. + +[FN#110] Arab. "Kabkb" vulg. "Kubkb." They are between three +and ten inches high, and those using them for the first time in +the slippery Hammam must be careful. + +[FN#111] Arab. "Majlis"=sitting. The postures of coition, +ethnologically curious and interesting, are subjects so extensive +that they require a volume rather than a note. Full information +can be found in the Ananga-ranga, or Stage of the Bodiless One, a +treatise in Sanskrit verse vulgarly known as Koka Pandit from the +supposed author, a Wazir of the great Rajah Bhoj, or according to +others, of the Maharajah of Kanoj. Under the title Lizzat al-Nis +(The Pleasures--or enjoying--of Women) it has been translated +into all the languages of the Moslem East, from Hindustani to +Arabic. It divides postures into five great divisions: (1) the +woman lying supine, of which there are eleven subdivisions; (2) +lying on her side, right or left, with three varieties; (3) +sitting, which has ten, (4) standing, with three subdivisions, +and (5) lying prone, with two. This total of twenty- nine, with +three forms of "Purushyit," when the man lies supine (see the +Abbot in Boccaccio i. 4), becomes thirty-two, approaching the +French quarante faons. The Upavishta, majlis, or sitting +postures, when one or both "sit at squat" somewhat like birds, +appear utterly impossible to Europeans who lack the pliability of +the Eastern's limbs. Their object in congress is to avoid tension +of the muscles which would shorten the period of enjoyment. In +the text the woman lies supine and the man sits at squat between +her legs: it is a favourite from Marocco to China. A literal +translation of the Ananga range appeared in 1873 under the name +of Kma-Shstra; or the Hindoo Art of Love (Ars Amoris Indica); +but of this only six copies were printed. It was re-issued +(printed but not published) in 1885. The curious in such matters +will consult the Index Librorum Prohibitorum (London, privately +printed, 1879) by Pisanus Fraxi (H. S. Ashbee). + +[FN#112] i.e. Le Roi Crotte. + +[FN#113] This seems to be a punning allusion to Baghdad, which in +Persian would mean the Garden (bgh) of Justice (dd). See +"Biographical Notices of Persian Poets" by Sir Gore Ouseley, +London, Oriental Translation Fund, 1846 + +[FN#114] The Kardoukhoi (Carduchi) of Xenophon; also called +(Strabo xv.) "Krdaks, from a Persian word signifying +manliness," which would be "Kardak"=a doer (of derring do). They +also named the Montes Gordi the original Ararat of Xisisthrus- +Noah's Ark. The Kurds are of Persian race, speaking an old and +barbarous Iranian tongue and often of the Shi'ah sect. They are +born bandits, highwaymen, cattle-lifters; yet they have spread +extensively over Syria and Egypt and have produced some glorious +men, witness Sultan Salh al-Din (Saladin) the Great. They claim +affinity with the English in the East, because both races always +inhabit the highest grounds they can find. + +[FN#115] These irregular bands who belong to no tribe are the +most dangerous bandits in Arabia, especially upon the northern +frontier. Burckhardt, who suffered from them, gives a long +account of their treachery and utter absence of that Arab +"pundonor" which is supposed to characterise Arab thieves. + +[FN#116] An euphemistic form to avoid mentioning the incestuous +marriage. + +[FN#117] The Arab form of our "Kinchin lay." + +[FN#118] These are the signs of a Shaykh's tent. + +[FN#119] These questions, indiscreet in Europe, are the rule +throughout Arabia, as they were in the United States of the last +generation. + +[FN#120] Arab. "Khizb" a paste of quicklime and lamp-black +kneaded with linseed oil which turns the Henna to a dark olive. +It is hideously ugly to unaccustomed eyes and held to be +remarkably beautiful in Egypt. + +[FN#121] i.e. the God of the Empyrean. + +[FN#122] A blow worthy of the Sa'alabah tribe to which he +belonged. + +[FN#123] i.e. "benefits"; also the name of Mohammed's Mu'ezzin, +or crier to prayer, who is buried outside the Jbiah gate of +Damascus. Hence amongst Moslems, Abyssinians were preferred as +mosque-criers in the early ages of Al-Islam. Egypt chose blind +men because they were abundant and cheap; moreover they cannot +take note of what is doing on the adjoining roof terraces where +women and children love to pass the cool hours that begin and end +the day. Stories are told of men who counterfeited blindness for +years in order to keep the employment. In Moslem cities the +stranger required to be careful how he appeared at a window or on +the gallery of a minaret: the people hate to be overlooked and +the whizzing of a bullet was the warning to be off. (Pilgrimage +iii. 185.) + +[FN#124] His instinct probably told him that this opponent was a +low fellow but such insults are common when "renowning it." + +[FN#125] Arab. "Dare' " or "Dira'," a habergeon, a coat of ring- +mail, sometimes worn in pairs. During the wretched "Sudan" +campaigns much nave astonishment was expressed by the English +Press to hear of warriors armed cap--pie in this armour like +medieval knights. They did not know that every great tribe has +preserved, possibly from Crusading times, a number of hauberks, +even to hundreds. I have heard of only one English traveller who +had a mail jacket made by Wilkinson of Pall Mall, imitating in +this point Napoleon III. And (according to the Banker-poet, +Rogers) the Duke of Wellington. That of Napoleon is said to have +been made of platinum-wire, the work of a Pole who received his +money and an order to quit Paris. The late Sir Robert Clifton +(they say) tried its value with a Colt after placing it upon one +of his coat-models or mannequins. It is easy to make these +hauberks arrow-proof or sword-proof, even bullet-proof if Arab +gunpowder be used: but against a modern rifle-cone they are worse +than worthless as the fragments would be carried into the wound. +The British serjeant was right in saying that he would prefer to +enter battle in his shirt: and he might even doff that to +advantage and return to the primitive custom of man--gymnomachy. + +[FN#126] Arab. "Jamal" (by Badawin pronounced "Gamal" like the +Hebrew) is the generic term for "Camel" through the Gr. : +"Ibl" is also the camel-species but not so commonly used. "Hajn" +is the dromedary (in Egypt, "Dall" in Arabia), not the one- +humped camel of the zoologist (C. dromedarius) as opposed to the +two-humped (C. Bactrianus), but a running i.e. a riding camel. +The feminine is Nkah for like mules females are preferred. +"Bakr" (masc.) and "Bakrah" (fem.) are camel-colts. There are +hosts of special names besides those which are general. Mr. +Censor is singular when he states (p.40) "the male (of the camel) +is much the safer animal to choose ;" and the custom of t e +universal Ease disproves his assertion. Mr. McCoan ("Egypt as it +is") tells his readers that the Egyptian camel has two humps, in +fact, he describes the camel as it is not. + +[FN#127] So, in the Romance of Dalhamah (Zt al-Himmah, the +heroine the hero Al-Gundubah ("one locust-man") smites off the +head of his mother's servile murderer and cries, I have taken my +blood-revenge upon this traitor slave'" (Lane, M. E. chaps. xx +iii.) + +[FN#128] This gathering all the persons upon the stage before the +curtain drops is highly artistic and improbable. + +[FN#129] He ought to have said his dawn prayers. + +[FN#130] Here begins what I hold to be the oldest subject matter +in The Nights, the apologues or fables proper; but I reserve +further remarks for the Terminal Essay. Lane has most +objectionably thrown this and sundry of the following stories +into a note (vol. ii., pp. 53-69). + +[FN#131] In beast stories generally when man appears he shows to +disadvantage. + +[FN#132] Shakespeare's "stone bow" not Lane's "cross-bow" (ii. +53). + +[FN#133] The goad still used by the rascally Egyptian donkey-boy +is a sharp nail at the end of a stick; and claims the special +attention of societies for the protection of animals. + +[FN#134] "The most ungrateful of all voices surely is the voice +of asses" (Koran xxxi. 18); and hence the "braying of hell" +(Koran Ixvii.7). The vulgar still believe that the donkey brays +when seeing the Devil. "The last animal which entered the Ark +with Noah was the Ass to whose tail Iblis was clinging. At the +threshold the ass seemed troubled and could enter no further when +Noah said to him:--"Fie upon thee! come in." But as the ass was +still troubled and did not advance Noah cried:--"Come in, though +the Devil be with thee!", so the ass entered and with him Iblis. +Thereupon Noah asked:--"O enemy of Allah who brought thee into +the Ark ?", and Iblis answered:--"Thou art the man, for thou +saidest to the ass, come in though the Devil be with thee!" +(Kitb al-Unwn fi Makid al-Niswn quoted by Lane ii. 54). + +[FN#135] Arab. "Rihl," a wooden saddle stuffed with straw and +matting. In Europe the ass might complain that his latter end is +the sausage. In England they say no man sees a dead donkey: I +have seen dozens and, unfortunately, my own. + +[FN#136] The English reader will not forget Sterne's old mare. +Even Al-Hariri, the prince of Arab rhetoricians, does not distain +to use "pepedit," the effect being put for the cause--terror. But +Mr. Preston (p. 285) and polite men translate by "fled in haste" +the Arabic farted for fear." + +[FN#137] This is one of the lucky signs and adds to the value of +the beast. There are some fifty of these marks, some of them +(like a spiral of hair in the breast which denotes that the rider +is a cuckold) so ill-omened that the animal can be bought for +almost nothing. Of course great attention is paid to colours, the +best being the dark rich bay ("red" of Arabs) with black points, +or the flea-bitten grey (termed Azrak=blue or Akhzar=green) which +whitens with age. The worst are dun, cream coloured, piebald and +black, which last are very rare. Yet according to the Mishkt al- +Masbih (Lane 2, 54) Mohammed said, The best horses are black +(dark brown?) with white blazes (Arab. "Ghurrah") and upper lips; +next, black with blaze and three white legs (bad, because white- +hoofs are brittle):next, bay with white blaze and white fore and +hind legs." He also said, "Prosperity is with sorrel horses;" and +praised a sorrel with white forehead and legs; but he dispraised +the "Shikl," which has white stockings (Arab. "Muhajjil") on +alternate hoofs (e.g. right hind and left fore). The curious +reader will consult Lady Anne Blunt's "Bedouin Tribes of the +Euphrates, with some Account of the Arabs and their Horses" +(1879); but he must remember that it treats of the frontier +tribes. The late Major Upton also left a book "Gleanings from the +Desert of Arabia" (1881); but it is a marvellous production +deriving e.g. Khayl (a horse generically) from Kohl or antimony +(p. 275). What the Editor was dreaming of I cannot imagine. I +have given some details concerning the Arab horse especially in +Al-Yaman, among the Z Mohammed, the Z Husayn and the Banu Yam +in Pilgrimage iii. 270. As late as Marco Polo's day they supplied +the Indian market via Aden; but the "Eye o Al-Yaman" has totally +lost the habit of exporting horses. + +[FN#138] The shovel-iron which is the only form of spur. + +[FN#139] Used for the dromedary: the baggage-camel is haltered. + +[FN#140] Arab. "Harwalah," the pas gymnastique affected when +circumambulating the Ka'abah (Pilgrimage iii. 208). + +[FN#141] "This night" would be our "last night": the Arabs, I +repeat, say "night and day," not "day and night." + +[FN#142] The vulgar belief is that man's fate is written upon his +skull, the sutures being the writing. + +[FN#143] Koran ii. 191. + +[FN#144] Arab. "Tasbh"=saying, "Subhn' Allah." It also means a +rosary (Egypt. Sebhah for Subhah) a string of 99 beads divided by +a longer item into sets of three and much fingered by the would- +appear pious. The professional devotee carries a string of wooden +balls the size of pigeons' eggs. + +[FN#145] The pigeon is usually made to say, ' "Wahhid Rabba-kumu +''llazi khalaka-kum, yaghfiru lakum zamba-kum" = "Unify (Assert +the Unity of) your Lord who created you; so shall He forgive your +sin!" As might be expected this "language" is differently +interpreted. Pigeon-superstitions are found in all religions and +I have noted (Pilgrimage iii, 218) how the Hindu deity of +Destruction- reproduction, the third Person of their Triad, Shiva +and his Spouse (or active Energy), are supposed to have dwelt at +Meccah under the titles of Kapoteshwara (Pigeon-god) and +Kapotesh (Pigeon-goddess). + +[FN#146] I have seen this absolute horror of women amongst the +Monks of the Coptic Convents. + +[FN#147] After the Day of Doom, when men's actions are +registered, that of mutual retaliation will follow and all +creatures (brutes included) will take vengeance on one another. + +[FN#148] The Comrades of the Cave, famous in the Middle Ages of +Christianity (Gibbon chaps. xxxiii.), is an article of faith with +Moslems, being part subject of chapter xviii., the Koranic Surah +termed the Cave. These Rip Van Winkle-tales begin with Endymion +so famous amongst the Classics and Epimenides of Crete who slept +fifty-seven years; and they extend to modern days as La Belle au +Bois dormant. The Seven Sleepers are as many youths of Ephesus +(six royal councillors and a shepherd, whose names are given on +the authority of Ali); and, accompanied by their dog, they fled +the persecutions of Dakians (the Emperor Decius) to a cave near +Tarss in Natolia where they slept for centuries. The Caliph +Mu'awiyah when passing the cave sent into it some explorers who +were all killed by a burning wind. The number of the sleepers +remains uncertain, according to the Koran (ibid. v. 21) three, +five or seven and their sleep lasted either three hundred or +three hundred and nine years. The dog (ibid. v. 17) slept at the +cave-entrance with paws outstretched and, according to the +general, was called "Katmir" or "Kitmir;" but Al-Rakm (v. 8) is +also applied to it by some. Others hold this to be the name of +the valley or mountain and others of a stone or leaden tablet on +which their names were engraved by their countrymen who built a +chapel on the spot (v. 20). Others again make the Men of Al-Rakm +distinct from the Cave-men, and believe (with Bayzwi) that they +were three youths who were shut up in a grotto by a rock-slip. +Each prayed for help through the merits of some good deed: when +the first had adjured Allah the mountain cracked till light +appeared; at the second petition it split so that they saw one +another and after the third it opened. However that may be, +Kitmir is one of the seven favoured animals: the others being the +Hudhud (hoopoe) of Solomon (Koran xxii. 20); the she-camel of +Slih (chaps. Ixxxvii.); the cow of Moses which named the Second +Surah; the fish of Jonah; the serpent of Eve, and the peacock of +Paradise. For Koranic revelations of the Cave see the late Thomas +Chenery (p. 414 The Assemblies of Al-Hariri: Williams and +Norgate, 1870) who borrows from the historian Tabari. + +[FN#149] These lines have occurred in Night cxlvi.: I quote Mr. +Payne by way of variety. + +[FN#150] The wolf (truly enough to nature) is the wicked man +without redeeming traits; the fox of Arab folk-lore is the +cunning man who can do good on occasion. Here the latter is +called "Sa'alab" which may, I have noted, mean the jackal; but +further on "Father of a Fortlet" refers especially to the fox. +Herodotus refers to the gregarious Canis Aureus when he describes +Egyptian wolves as being "not much bigger than foxes" (ii. 67). +Canon Rawlinson, in his unhappy version, does not perceive that +the Halicarnassian means the jackal and blunders about the hyena. + +[FN#151] The older "Leila" or "Leyla": it is a common name and is +here applied to woman in general. The root is evidently +"layl"=nox, with, probably, the idea, "She walks in beauty like +the night." + +[FN#152] Arab. Abu 'l-Hosayn; his hole being his fort (Unexplored +Syria, ii. 18). + +[FN#153] A Koranic phrase often occurring. + +[FN#154] Koran v. 35. + +[FN#155] Arab. "Bz," Pers. "Bz" (here Richardson is wrong +s.v.); a term to a certain extent generic, but specially used for +the noble Peregrine (F. Peregrinator) whose tiercel is the Shhn +(or "Royal Bird"). It is sometimes applied to the goshawk (Astur +palumbarius) whose proper title, however, is Shah-bz +(King-hawk). The Peregrine extends from the Himalayas to Cape +Comorin and the best come from the colder parts: in Iceland I +found that the splendid white bird was sometimes trapped for +sending to India. In Egypt "Bazi" is applied to the kite or +buzzard and "Hidyah" (a kite) to the falcon (Burckhardt's Prov. +159, 581 and 602). Burckhardt translates "Hidyah," the Egyptian +corruption, by "an ash-grey falcon of the smaller species common +throughout Egypt and Syria." + +[FN#156] Arab. "Hijl," the bird is not much prized in India +because it feeds on the roads. For the Shinnr (caccabis) or +magnificent partridge of Midian as large as a pheasant, see +"Midian Revisted" ii. 18. + +[FN#157] Arab. "Sf;" hence "Sfi,"=(etymologically) one who +wears woollen garments, a devotee, a Santon; from =wise; +from =pure, or from Saf=he was pure. This is not the place +to enter upon such a subject as "Tasawwuf," or Sufyism; that +singular reaction from arid Moslem realism and materialism, that +immense development of gnostic and Neo-platonic transcendentalism +which is found only germinating in the Jewish and Christian +creeds. The poetry of Omar-i-Khayym, now familiar to English +readers, is a fair specimen; and the student will consult the +last chapter of the Dabistan "On the religion of the Sufiahs." +The first Moslem Sufi was Abu Hshim of Kufah, ob. A. H. 150=767, +and the first Convent of Sufis called "Takiyah" (Pilgrimage i. +124) was founded in Egypt by Saladin the Great. + +[FN#158] i.e. when she encamps with a favourite for the night. + +[FN#159] The Persian proverb is "Marg-i-amboh jashni +dred"--death in a crowd is as good as a feast. + +[FN#160] Arab. "Kant", the subterranean water-course called in +Persia "Kyriz." Lane (ii. 66) translates it "brandish around the +spear (Kant is also a cane-lance) of artifice," thus making rank +nonsense of the line. Al-Hariri uses the term in the Ass. of the +Banu Haram where "Kant" may be a pipe or bamboo laid +underground. + +[FN#161] From Al-Tughri, the author of the Lmiyat al-Ajam, the +"Lay of the Outlander;" a Kasidah (Ode) rhyming in Lm (the +letter "l" being the rwi or binder). The student will find a new +translation of it by Mr. J. W. Redhouse and Dr. Carlyle's old +version (No. liii.) in Mr. Clouston's "Arabian Poetry." Muyid +al-Din al-Hasan Abu Ismail nat. Ispahan ob. Baghdad A.H. 182) +derived his surname from the Tughr, cypher or flourish (over the +"Bismillah" in royal and official papers) containing the name of +the prince. There is an older "Lamiyat al-Arab" a pre-Islamitic +L-poem by the "brigand-poet" Shanfara, of whom Mr. W. G. Palgrave +has given a most appreciative account in his "Essays on Eastern +Questions," noting the indomitable self-reliance and the absolute +individualism of a mind defying its age and all around it. +Al-Hariri quotes from both. + +[FN#162] The words of the unfortunate Azzah, vol. ii., p. 323. + +[FN#163] Arab. "Hw"=a juggler who plays tricks with snakes: he +is mostly a Gypsy. The "recompense" the man expects is the golden +treasure which the ensorcelled snake is supposed to guard. This +idea is as old as the Dragon in the Garden of the Hesperides--and +older. + +[FN#164] The "Father of going out (to prey) by morning"; for dawn +is called Zanab Sirhn the Persian Dum-i-gurg=wolf's tail, i.e. +the first brush of light; the Zodiacal Light shown in morning. +Sirhn is a nickname of the wolf--Gaunt Grim or Gaffer Grim, the +German Isengrin or Eisengrinus (icy grim or iron grim) whose wife +is Hersent, as Richent or Hermeline is Mrs. Fox. In French we +have lopez, luppe, leu, e.g. + + Venant la queue, leu, leu, + +i.e. going in Indian file. Hence the names D'Urf and Saint-Loup. +In Scandinavian, the elder sister of German, Ulf and in German +(where the Jews were forced to adopt the name) Wolff whence +"Guelph." He is also known to the Arabs as the "sire of a +she-lamb," the figure metonymy called "Kunyat bi 'l-Zidd" (lucus +a non lucendo), a patronymic or by-name given for opposition and +another specimen of "inverted speech." + +[FN#165] Arab. "Bint' Ars" = daughter of the bridegroom, the +Hindustani Mungus (vulg. Mongoose); a well-known weasel-like +rodent often kept tame in the house to clear it of vermin. It is +supposed to know an antidote against snake-poison, as the weasel +eats rue before battle (Pliny x. 84; xx. 13). In Modern Egypt +this viverra is called "Kitt (or Katt) Far'aun" = Pharaoh's cat: +so the Percnopter becomes Pharaoh's hen and the unfortunate (?) +King has named a host of things, alive and dead. It was +worshipped and mummified in parts of Ancient Egypt e.g. +Heracleopolis, on account of its antipathy to serpents and +because it was supposed to destroy the crocodile, a feat with +lian and others have overloaded with fable. It has also a +distinct antipathy to cats. The ichneumon as a pet becomes too +tame and will not leave its master: when enraged it emits an +offensive stench. I brought home for the Zoological Gardens a +Central African specimen prettily barred. Burckhardt (Prov. 455) +quotes a line:-- + + Rakas' Ibn Irsin wa zamzama l-Nimsu, + (Danceth Ibn Irs whileas Nims doth sing) + +and explains Nims by ichneumon and Ibn Irs as a "species of small +weasel or ferret, very common in Egypt: it comes into the house, +feeds upon meat, is of gentle disposition although not +domesticated and full of gambols and frolic." + +[FN#166] Arab. "Sinnaur" (also meaning a prince). The common name +is Kitt which is pronounced Katt or Gatt; and which Ibn Dorayd +pronounces a foreign word (Syriac?). Hence, despite Freitag, +Catus (which Isidore derives from catare, to look for) = gatto, +chat, cat, an animal unknown to the Classics of Europe who used +the mustela or putorius vulgaris and different species of +viverr. The Egyptians, who kept the cat to destroy vermin, +especially snakes, called it Mau, Mai, Miao (onomatopoetic): this +descendent of the Felis maniculata originated in Nubia; and we +know from the mummy pits and Herodotus that it was the same +species as ours. The first portraits of the cat are on the +monuments of "Beni Hasan," B.C. 2500. I have ventured to derive +the familiar "Puss" from the Arab. "Biss (fem. :Bissah"), which +is a congener of Pasht (Diana), the cat-faced goddess of Bubastis +(Pi-Pasht), now Zagzig. Lastly, "tabby (brindled)-cat" is +derived from the Attbi (Prince Attab's) quarter at Baghdad where +watered silks were made. It is usually attributed to the Tibbie, +Tibalt, Tybalt, Thibert or Tybert (who is also executioner), +various forms of Theobald in the old Beast Epic; as opposed to +Gilbert the gib-cat, either a tom-cat or a gibbed (castrated) +cat. + +[FN#167] Arab. "Ikhwn al-Saf," a popular term for virtuous +friends who perfectly love each other in all purity: it has also +a mystic meaning. Some translate it "Brethren of Sincerity," and +hold this brotherhood to be Moslem Freemasons, a mere fancy (see +the Mesnevi of Mr. Redhouse, Trubner 1881). There is a well-known +Hindustani book of this name printed by Prof. Forbes in Persian +character and translated by Platts and Eastwick. + +[FN#168] Among Eastern men there are especial forms for "making +brotherhood." The "Munhbol-bhi" (mouth-named brother) of India +is well-known. The intense "associativeness" of these races +renders isolation terrible to them, and being defenceless in a +wild state of society has special horrors. Hence the origin of +Caste for which see Pilgrimage (i. 52). Moslems, however, cannot +practise the African rite of drinking a few drops of each other's +blood. This, by the by, was also affected in Europe, as we see in +the Gesta Romanoru, Tale lxvii., of the wise and foolish knights +who "drew blood (to drink) from the right arm." + +[FN#169] The F. Sacer in India is called "Laghar" and tiercel +"Jaghar." Mr. T.E. Jordan (catalogue of Indian Birds, 1839) says +it is rare; but I found it the contrary. According to Mr. R. +Thompson it is flown at kites and antelope: in Sind it is used +upon night-heron (nyctardea nycticorax), floriken or Hobara (Otis +aurita), quail, partridge, curlew and sometimes hare: it gives +excellent sport with crows but requires to be defended. Indian +sportsmen, like ourselves, divide hawks into two orders: the +"Siyh-chasm," or black-eyed birds, long-winged and noble; the +"Gulbi-chasm" or yellow-eyed (like the goshawk) round-winged and +ignoble. + +[FN#170] i.e. put themselves at thy mercy. + +[FN#171] I have remarked (Pilgrimage iii.307) that all the +popular ape-names in Arabic and Persian, Sa'adn, Maymn, Shdi, +etc., express propitiousness--probably euphemistically applied to +our "poor relation." + +[FN#172] The serpent does not "sting" nor does it "bite;" it +strikes with the poison-teeth like a downward stab with a dagger. +These fangs are always drawn by the jugglers but they grow again +and thus many lives are lost. The popular way of extracting the +crochets is to grasp the snake firmly behind the neck with one +hand and with the other to tantalise it by offering and +withdrawing a red rag. At last the animal is allowed to strike it +and a sharp jerk tears out both eye-teeth as rustics used to do +by slamming a door. The head is then held downwards and the venom +drains from its bag in the shape of a few drops of slightly +yellowish fluid which, as conjurers know, may be drunk without +danger. The patient looks faint and dazed, but recovers after a +few hours and feels as if nothing had happened. In India I took +lessons from a snake-charmer but soon gave up the practice as too +dangerous. + +[FN#173] Arab. "Akh al-Jahlah" = brother of ignorance, an +Ignorantin; one "really and truly" ignorant; which is the value +of "Ahk" in such phrases as a "brother of poverty," or, "of +purity." + +[FN#174] Lane (ii. 1) writes "Abu-l-Hasan;" Payne (iii. 49) +"Aboulhusn" which would mean "Father of Beauty (Husn)" and is not +a Moslem name. Hasan (beautiful) and its dimin. Husayn, names now +so common, were (it is said), unknown to the Arabs, although +Hassn was that of a Tobba King, before the days of Mohammed who +so called his two only grandsons. In Anglo-India they have become +"Hobson and Jobson." The Bresl. Edit. (ii. 305) entitles this +story "Tale of Abu 'l Hasan the Attr (druggist and perfumer) +with Ali ibn Bakkr and what befel them with the handmaid +(=jriyah) Shams al-Nahr." + +[FN#175] i.e. a descendant, not a Prince. + +[FN#176] The Arab shop is a kind of hole in the wall and buyers +sit upon its outer edge (Pilgrimage i. 99). + +[FN#177] By a similar image the chamleon is called Ab +Kurrat=Father of coolness; because it is said to have the +"coldest" eye of all animals and insensible to heat and light, +since it always looks at the sun. + +[FN#178] This dividing the hemistich words is characteristic of +certain tales; so I have retained it although inevitably +suggesting:-- + + I left Matilda at the U- + niversity of Gottingen. + +[FN#179] These nave offers in Eastern tales mostly come from the +true seducer--Eve. Europe and England especially, still talks +endless absurdity upon the subject. A man of the world may +"seduce" an utterly innocent (which means an ignorant) girl. But +to "seduce" a married woman! What a farce! + +[FN#180] Masculine again for feminine: the lines are as full of +word-plays, vulgarly called puns, as Sanskrit verses. + +[FN#181] The Eastern heroine always has a good appetite and eats +well. The sensible Oriental would infinitely despise that +maladive Parisienne in whom our neighbours delight, and whom I +long to send to the Hospital. + +[FN#182] i.e. her rivals have discovered the secret of her heart. + +[FN#183] i.e. blood as red as wine. + +[FN#184] The wine-cup (sun-like) shines in thy hand; thy teeth +are bright as the Pleiads and thy face rises like a moon from the +darkness of thy dress-collar. + +[FN#185] The masculine of Marjnah (Morgiana) "the she +coral-branch ;" and like this a name generally given to negroes. +We have seen white applied to a blackamoor by way of metonomy and +red is also connected with black skins by way of fun. A Persian +verse says : + + "If a black wear red, e'en an ass would grin." + +[FN#186] Suggesting that she had been sleeping. + +[FN#187] Arab. "Raushan," a window projecting and latticed: the +word is orig. Persian: so Raushan (splendour)=Roxana. It appears +to me that this beautiful name gains beauty by being understood. + +[FN#188] The word means any servant, but here becomes a proper +name. "Wasfah" usually= a concubine. + +[FN#189] i.e. eagerness, desire, love-longing. + +[FN#190] Arab. "Rind," which may mean willow (oriental), bay or +aloes wood: Al-Asma'i denies that it ever signifies myrtle. + +[FN#191] These lines occur in Night cxiv.: by way of variety I +give (with permission) Mr. Payne's version (iii. 59). + +[FN#192] Referring to the proverb "Al-Khauf maksm"=fear +(cowardice) is equally apportioned: i.e. If I fear you, you fear +me. + +[FN#193] The fingers of the right hand are struck upon the palm +of the left. + +[FN#194] There are intricate rules for "joining" the prayers; but +this is hardly the place for a subject discussed in all religious +treatises. (Pilgrimage iii. 239.) + +[FN#195] The hands being stained with Henna and perhaps indigo in +stripes are like the ring rows of chain armour. See Lane's +illustration (Mod. Egypt, chaps. i.). + +[FN#196] She made rose-water of her cheeks for my drink and she +bit with teeth like grains of hail those lips like the +lotus-fruit, or jujube: Arab. "Unnab" or "Nabk," the plum of the +Sidr or Zizyphus lotus. + +[FN#197] Meaning to let Patience run away like an untethered +camel. + +[FN#198] i.e. her fair face shining through the black hair. +"Camphor" is a favourite with Arab poets: the Persians hate it +because connected in their minds with death; being used for +purifying the corpse. We read in Burckhardt (Prov. 464) "Singing +without siller is like a corpse without Hant"--this being a +mixture of camphor and rose-water sprinkled over the face of the +dead before shrouded. Similarly Persians avoid speaking of +coffee, because they drink it at funerals and use tea at other +times. + +[FN#199] i.e. she is angry and bites her carnelion lips with +pearly teeth. + +[FN#200] Arab. "Wa ba'ad;" the formula which follows +"Bismillah"--In the name of Allah. The French translate it or +sus, etc. I have noticed the legend about its having been first +used by the eloquent Koss, Bishop of Najran. + +[FN#201] i.e. Her mind is so troubled she cannot answer for what +she writes. + +[FN#202] The Bul. Edit. (i. 329) and the Mac. Edit. (i. 780) give +to Shams al-Nahar the greater part of Ali's answer, as is shown +by the Calc. Edit. (230 et seq.) and the Bresl. Edit. (ii. 366 et +seq.) Lane mentions this (ii. 74) but in his usual perfunctory +way gives no paginal references to the Calc. or Bresl.; so that +those who would verify the text may have the displeasure of +hunting for it. + +[FN#203] Arab. "Bi'smi 'llhi' r-Rahmni'r-Rahm." This +auspicatory formula was borrowed by Al-Islam not from the Jews +but from the Guebre "Ba nm-i-Yezdn bakhshishgar-i-ddr!" (in +the name of Yezdan-God--All-generous, All-just!). The Jews have, +"In the name of the Great God;" and the Christians, "In the name +of the Father, etc." The so-called Sir John Mandeville begins his +book, In the name of God, Glorious and Almighty. The sentence +forms the first of the Koran and heads every chapter except only +the ninth, an exception for which recondite reasons are adduced. +Hence even in the present day it begins all books, letters and +writings in general; and it would be a sign of Infidelity (i.e. +non-Islamism) to omit it. The difference between "Rahmn" and +"Rahm" is that the former represents an accidental +(compassionating), the latter a constant quality (compassionate). +Sale therefore renders it very imperfectly by "In the name of the +most merciful God;" the Latinists better, "In nomine Dei +misericordis, clementissimi" (Gottwaldt in Hamza Ispahanensis); +Mr. Badger much better, "In the name of God, the Pitiful, the +Compassionate"--whose only fault is not preserving the assonance: +and Maracci best, "In nomine Dei miseratoris misericordis." + +[FN#204] Arab. Majnn (i.e. one possessed by a Jinni) the +well-known model lover of Layla, a fictitious personage for whom +see D'Herbelot (s. v. Megnoun). She was celebrated by Abu +Mohammed Nizam al-Din of Ganjah (ob. A.H. 597=1200) pop. known as +Nizmi, the caustic and austere poet who wrote:-- + + The weals of this world are the ass's meed! + Would Nizami were of the ass's breed. + +The series in the East begins chronologically with Ysuf and +Zulaykh (Potiphar's wife) sung by Jmi (nat. A.H. 817=1414); the +next in date is Khusraw and Shirin (also by Nizami); Farhad and +Shirin; and Layla and Majnun (the Night-black maid and the +Maniac-man) are the last. We are obliged to compare the lovers +with "Romeo and Juliet," having no corresponding instances in +modern days: the classics of Europe supply a host as Hero and +Leander, Theagenes and Charicleia, etc. etc. + +[FN#205] The jeweller of Eastern tales from Marocco to Calcutta, +is almost invariably a rascal: here we have an exception. + +[FN#206] This must not be understood of sealing-wax, which, +however, is of ancient date. The Egyptians (Herod. ii. 38) used +"sealing earth" ( ) probably clay, impressed with a +signet ( ); the Greeks mud-clay ( ); and the Romans +first cretula and then wax (Beckmann). Medival Europe had +bees-wax tempered with Venice turpentine and coloured with +cinnabar or similar material. The modern sealing-wax, whose +distinctive is shell-lac, was brought by the Dutch from India to +Europe; and the earliest seals date from about A.D. 1560. They +called it Ziegel-lak, whence the German Siegel-lack, the French +preferring cire--cacheter, as distinguished from cire--sceller, +the softer material. The use of sealing-wax in India dates from +old times and the material, though coarse and unsightly, is still +preferred by Anglo-Indians because it resists heat whereas the +best English softens like pitch. + +[FN#207] Evidently referring to the runaway Abu al-Hasan, not to +the she-Mercury. + +[FN#208] An unmarried man is not allowed to live in a respectable +quarter of a Moslem city unless he takes such precaution. Lane +(Mod. Egypt. passim) has much to say on this point; and my +excellent friend the late Professor Spitta at Cairo found the +native prejudice very troublesome. + +[FN#209] Arab. "Y fuln"=O certain person (fulano in Span. and +Port.) a somewhat contemptuous address. + +[FN#210] Mr. Payne remarks, "These verses apparently relate to +Aboulhusn, but it is possible that they may be meant to refer to +Shemsennehar." (iii. 80.) + +[FN#211] Arab. and Pers "Bulr" (vulg. billaur) retaining the +venerable tradition of the Belus- river. In Al-Hariri (Ass. of +Halwn) it means crystal and there is no need of proposing to +translate it by onyx or to identify it with the Greek , +the beryl. + +[FN#212] The door is usually shut with a wooden bolt. + +[FN#213] Arab. "Ritnah," from "Ratan," speaking any tongue not +Arabic, the allusion being to foreign mercenaries, probably +Turks. In later days Turkish was called Muwalla', a pied horse, +from its mixture of languages. + +[FN#214] This is the rule; to guard against the guet-apens. + +[FN#215] Arab. "Wlidati," used when speaking to one not of the +family in lieu of the familiar "Ummi"=my mother. So the father is +Wlid=the begetter. + +[FN#216] This is one of the many euphemistic formul for such +occasions: they usually begin "May thy head live." etc. + +[FN#217] Arab. "Knn," an instrument not unlike the Austrian +zither; it is illustrated in Lane (ii. 77). + +[FN#218] This is often done, the merit of the act being +transferred to the soul of the deceased. + +[FN#219] The two amourists were martyrs; and their amours, which +appear exaggerated to the Western mind, have many parallels in +the East. The story is a hopeless affair of love; with only one +moral (if any be wanted) viz., there may be too much of a good +thing. It is given very concisely in the Bul. Edit. vol. i.; and +more fully in the Mac. Edit. aided in places by the Bresl. (ii. +320) and the Calc. (ii. 230). +## +[FN#220] Lane is in error (vol. ii. 78) when he corrects this to +"Shh Zemn"; the name is fanciful and intended to be old +Persian, on the "weight" of Kahramn. The Bul. Edit. has by +misprint "Shahramn." + +[FN#221] The "topothesia" is worthy of Shakespeare's day. +"Khlidn" is evidently a corruption of "Khlidatni" (for +Khlidt), the Eternal, as Ibn Wardi calls the Fortunate Islands, +or Canaries, which owe both their modern names to the classics of +Europe. Their present history dates from A.D. 1385, unless we +accept the Dieppe-Rouen legend of Labat which would place the +discovery in A.D. 1326. I for one thoroughly believe in the +priority on the West African Coast, of the gallant descendants of +the Northmen. + +[FN#222] Four wives are allowed by Moslem law and for this +reason. If you marry one wife she holds herself your equal, +answers you and "gives herself airs"; two are always quarrelling +and making a hell of the house; three are "no company" and two of +them always combine against the nicest to make her hours bitter. +Four are company, they can quarrel and "make it up" amongst +themselves, and the husband enjoys comparative peace. But the +Moslem is bound by his law to deal equally with the four, each +must have her dresses her establishment and her night, like her +sister wives. The number is taken from the Jews (Arbah Turim Ev. +Hazaer, i.) "the wise men have given good advice that a man +should not marry more than four wives." Europeans, knowing that +Moslem women are cloistered and appear veiled in public, begin +with believing them to be mere articles of luxury, and only after +long residence they find out that nowhere has the sex so much +real liberty and power as in the Moslem East. They can possess +property and will it away without the husband's leave: they can +absent themselves from the house for a month without his having a +right to complain; and they assist in all his counsels for the +best of reasons: a man can rely only on his wives and children, +being surrounded by rivals who hope to rise by his ruin. As +regards political matters the Circassian women of Constantinople +really rule the Sultanate and there soignez la femme! is the +first lesson of getting on in the official world. + +[FN#223] This two-bow prayer is common on the bride-night; and at +all times when issue is desired. + +[FN#224] The older Camaralzaman="Moon of the age." Kamar is the +moon between her third and twenty-sixth day: Hill during the +rest of the month: Badr (plur. Budr whence the name of the +Princess) is the full moon. + +[FN#225] Arab "Ra'y" plur. of 'Ra'yat" our Anglo-Indian Ryot, +lit. a liege, a subject; secondarily a peasant, a Fellah. + +[FN#226] Another audacious parody of the Moslem "testification" +to the one God, and to Mohammed the Apostle. + +[FN#227] Showing how long ago forts were armed with metal plates +which we have applied to war-ships only of late years. + +[FN#228] The comparison is abominably true--in the East. + +[FN#229] Two fallen angels who taught men the art of magic. They +are mentioned in the Koran (chaps. ii.), and the commentators +have extensively embroidered the simple text. Popularly they are +supposed to be hanging by their feet in a well in the territory +of Babel, hence the frequent allusions to "Babylonian sorcery" in +Moslem writings; and those who would study the black art at +head-quarters are supposed to go there. They are counterparts of +the Egyptian Jamnes and Mambres, the Jannes and Jambres of St. +Paul (2 Tim. iii. 8). + +[FN#230] An idol or idols of the Arabs (Allat and Ozza) before +Mohammed (Koran chaps. ii. 256). Etymologically the word means +"error" and the termination is rather Hebraic than Arabic. + +[FN#231] Arab. "Khayt hamayn" (wandering threads of vanity), or +Mukht al-Shaytan (Satan's snivel),=our "gossamer"=God's summer +(Mutter Gottes Sommer) or God's cymar (?). + +[FN#232] These lines occur in Night xvii.; so I borrow from +Torrens (p. 163) by way of variety. + +[FN#233] A posture of peculiar submission; contrasting strongly +with the attitude afterwards assumed by Prince Charming. + +[FN#234] A mere term of vulgar abuse not reflecting on either +parent: I have heard a mother call her own son, "Child of +adultery." + +[FN#235] Arab. "Ghaz," the Artemisia (Euphorbia ?) before +noticed. If the word be a misprint for Ghad it means a kind of +Euphorbia which, with the Ark (wild caper-tree) and the Daum +palm (Crucifera thebiaca), is one of the three normal growths of +the Arabian desert (Pilgrimage iii. 22). + +[FN#236] Arab. "Bant al-Na'ash," usually translated daughters of +the bier, the three stars which represent the horses in either +Bear, "Charles' Wain," or Ursa Minor, the waggon being supposed +to be a bier. "Bant" may be also sons, plur. of Ibn, as the word +points to irrational objects. So Job (ix. 9 and xxxviii. 32) +refers to U. Major as "Ash" or "Aysh" in the words, "Canst thou +guide the bier with its sons?" (erroneously rendered "Arcturus +with his sons") In the text the lines are enigmatical, but +apparently refer to a death parting. + +[FN#237] The Chapters are: 2, 3, 36, 55, 67 and the two last +("Daybreak" cxiii. and "Men" cxiv.), which are called +Al-Mu'izzatni (vulgar Al-Mu'izzatayn), the "Two Refuge-takings +or Preventives," because they obviate enchantment. I have +translated the two latter as follows:-- + +"Say:--Refuge I take with the Lord of the Day-break * + from mischief of what He did make * + from mischief of moon eclipse-showing * + and from mischief of witches on cord-knots blowing * + and from mischief of envier when envying." + +"Say:--Refuge I take with the Lord of men * + the sovran of men * + the God of men * + from the Tempter, the Demon * + who tempteth in whisper the breasts of men * + and from Jinnis and (evil) men." + +[FN#238] The recitations were Nfilah, or superogatory, two short +chapters only being required and the taking refuge was because he +slept in a ruin, a noted place in the East for Ghuls as in the +West for ghosts. + +[FN#239] Lane (ii. 222) first read "Mroozee" and referred it to +the Murz tribe near Herat he afterwards (iii. 748) corrected it +to "Marwazee," of the fabric of Marw (Margiana) the place now +famed for "Mervousness." As a man of Rayy (Rhages) becomes Rz +(e.g. Ibn Fris al-Raz), so a man of Marw is Marzi, not Murzi +nor Mrwazi. The "Mikna' " was a veil forming a kind of +"respirator," defending from flies by day and from mosquitos, +dews and draughts by night. Easterns are too sensible to sleep +with bodies kept warm by bedding, and heads bared to catch every +blast. Our grandfathers and grandmothers did well to wear +bonnets-de-nuit, however ridiculous they may have looked. + +[FN#240] Iblis, meaning the Despairer, is called in the Koran +(chaps. xviii. 48) "One of the genii (Jinnis) who departed from +the command of his Lord." Mr. Rodwell (in loco) notes that the +Satans and Jinnis represent in the Koran (ii. 32, etc.) the +evil-principle and finds an admixture of the Semitic Satans and +demons with the "Genii from the Persian (Babylonian ?) and Indian +(Egyptian ?) mythologies." + +[FN#241] Of course she could not see his eyes when they were +shut; nor is this mere Eastern inconsequence. The writer means, +"had she seen them, they would have showed," etc. + +[FN#242] The eyes are supposed to grow darker under the influence +of wine and sexual passion. + +[FN#243] To keep off the evil eye. + +[FN#244] Like Dahnash this is a fanciful P. N., fit only for a +Jinni. As a rule the appellatives of Moslem "genii" end ins +(oos), as Tarns, Huliynus, the Jewish in--nas, as Jattunas; +those of the Tars (the "funkers" i.e. Christians) in--ds, as +Sids, and the Hindus in--ts, as Nakts (who entered the service +of the Prophet Shays, or Seth, and was converted to the Faith). +The King of the Genii is Malik Katshn who inhabits Mount Kaf; +and to the west of him lives his son-in-law, Abd al-Rahman with +33,000 domestics: these names were given by the Apostle Mohammed. +"Baktans" is lord of three Moslem troops of the wandering Jinns, +which number a total of twelve bands and extend from Sind to +Europe. The Jinns, Divs, Peris ("fairies") and other pre-Adamitic +creatures were governed by seventy-two Sultans all known as +Sulayman and the last I have said was Jn bin Jn. The angel +Hris was sent from Heaven to chastise him, but in the pride of +victory he also revolted with his followers the Jinns whilst the +Peris held aloof. When he refused to bow down before Adam he and +his chiefs were eternally imprisoned but the other Jinns are +allowed to range over earth as a security for man's obedience. +The text gives the three orders. flyers. walkers and divers. + +[FN#245] i.e. distracted (with love); the Lakab, or poetical +name, of apparently a Spanish poet. + +[FN#246] Nothing is more "anti-pathetic" to Easterns than lean +hips and flat hinder-cheeks in women and they are right in +insisting upon the characteristic difference of the male and +female figure. Our modern sculptors and painters, whose study of +the nude is usually most perfunctory, have often scandalised me +by the lank and greyhound-like fining off of the frame, which +thus becomes rather simian than human. + +[FN#247] The small fine foot is a favourite with Easterns as well +as Westerns. Ovid (A.A.) is not ashamed "ad teneros Oscula (not +basia or suavia) ferre pedes." Ariosto ends the august person in + + Il breve, asciutto, e ritondetto piece, + (The short-sized, clean-cut, roundly-moulded foot). + +And all the world over it is a sign of "blood," i.e. the fine +nervous temperament. + +[FN#248] i.e. "full moons": the French have corrupted it to +"Badoure"; we to "Badoura." winch is worse. + +[FN#249] As has been said a single drop of urine renders the +clothes ceremoniously impure, hence a Stone or a handful of earth +must be used after the manner of the torche-cul. Scrupulous +Moslems, when squatting to make water, will prod the ground +before them with the point o f stick or umbrella, so as to loosen +it and prevent the spraying of the urine. + +[FN#250] It is not generally known to Christians that Satan has a +wife called Aww ("Haww" being the Moslem Eve) and, as Adam had +three sons, the Tempter has nine, viz., Zu 'l-baysun who rules in +bazars. Wassin who prevails in times of trouble. Awan who +counsels kings; Haffan patron of wine-bibbers; Marrah of +musicians and dancers; Masbut of news-spreaders (and newspapers +?); Dulhn who frequents places of worship and interferes with +devotion. Dasim, lord of mansions and dinner tables, who prevents +the Faithful saying "Bismillah" and "Inshallah," as commanded in +the Koran (xviii. 23), and Laks, lord of Fire worshippers +(Herklots, chap. xxix. sect. 4). + +[FN#251] Strong perfumes, such as musk (which we Europeans +dislike and suspect), are always insisted upon in Eastern poetry, +and Mohammed's predilection for them is well known. Moreover the +young and the beautiful are held (justly enough) to exhale a +natural fragrance which is compared with that of the blessed in +Paradise. Hence in the Mu'allakah of Imr al-Keys:-- + +Breathes the scent of musk when they rise to rove, * + As the Zephyr's breath with the flavour o'clove. + +It is made evident by dogs and other fine-nosed animals that +every human being has his, or her, peculiar scent which varies +according to age and health. Hence animals often detect the +approach of death. + +[FN#252] Arab. "Kahl." This has been explained. Mohammed is said +to have been born with "Kohl'd eyes." + +[FN#253] Haw al-'uzr, before noticed (Night cxiv.). + +[FN#254] These lines, with the Nzir (eye or steward), the Hjib +(Groom of the Chambers or Chamberlain) and Joseph, are also +repeated from Night cxiv. For the Nazir see Al-Hariri (Nos. xiii. +and xxii.) + +[FN#255] The usual allusion to the Hr (Houris) from "Hangar," +the white and black of the eye shining in contrast. The Persian +Magi also placed in their Heaven (Bihisht or Minu) "Huran," or +black-eyed nymphs, under the charge of the angel Zamiyd. + +[FN#256] In the first hemistich, "bi-shitt 'it wdy" (by the +wady-bank): in the second, "wa shatta 'l wdy" ("and my slayer"-- +i.e. wdy act. part. of wady, killing--"hath paced away"). + +[FN#257] The double entendre is from the proper names Budr and +Su'd (Beatrice) also meaning "auspicious (or blessed) full +moons." + +[FN#258] Arab. "Hzir" (also Ahl al-hazer, townsmen) and Bdi, a +Badawi, also called "Ahl al-Wabar," people of the camel's hair +(tent) and A'arb (Nomadic) as opposed to Arab (Arab settled or +not). They still boast with Ibn Abbas, cousin of Mohammed, that +they have kerchiefs (not turbands) for crowns, tents for houses, +loops for walls, swords for scarves and poems for registers or +written laws. + +[FN#259] This is a peculiarity of the Jinn tribe when wearing +hideous forms. It is also found in the Hindu Rakshasa. + +[FN#260] Which, by the by, are small and beautifully shaped. The +animal is very handy with them, as I learnt by experience when +trying to "Rareyfy" one at Bayrut. + +[FN#261] She being daughter of Al-Dimiryt, King of the Jinns. +Mr. W. F. Kirby has made him the subject of a pretty poem. + +[FN#262] These lines have occurred in Night xxii. I give +Torrens's version (p. 223) by way of variety. + +[FN#263] Arab. "Kmat Alfiyyah," like an Alif, the first of the +Arabic alphabet, the Heb. Aleph. The Arabs, I have said, took the +flag or water leaf form and departed very far from the Egyptian +original (we know from Plutarch that the hieroglyphic abecedarium +began with "a"), which was chosen by other imitators, namely the +bull's head, and which in the cursive form, especially the +Phnician, became a yoke. In numerals "Alif" denotes one or one +thousand. It inherits the traditional honours of Alpha (as +opposed to Omega) and in books, letters and writings generally it +is placed as a monogram over the "Bismillah," an additional +testimony to the Unity. (See vol. i. p. 1.) In medival +Christianity this place of honour was occupied by the cross: none +save the wildest countries have preserved it, but our vocabulary +still retains Criss' (Christ-)cross Row, for horn-book, on +account of the old alphabet and nine digits disposed in the form +of a Latin cross. Hence Tickell ("The Horn-book"): + + ----Mortals ne'er shall know + More than contained of old the Chris'-cross Row. + +[FN#264] The young man must have been a demon of chastity. + +[FN#265] Arab. "Kirt" from i.e. bean, the seed of the +Abrus precatorius, in weight=two to three (English) grains; and +in length=one finger-breadth here; 24 being the total. The Moslem +system is evidently borrowed from the Roman "as" and "uncia." + +[FN#266] Names of women. + +[FN#267] Arab. "Amsa" (lit. he passed the evening) like "asbaha" +(he rose in the morning) "Azh" (he spent the forenoon) and +"bata" (he spent the night), are idiomatically used for "to be in +any state, to continue" without specification of time or season. + +[FN#268] Lit. "my liver ;" which viscus, and not the heart, is +held the seat of passion, a fancy dating from the oldest days. +Theocritus says of Hercules, "In his liver Love had fixed a +wound" (Idyl. xiii.). In the Anthologia "Cease, Love, to wound my +liver and my heart" (lib. vii.). So Horace (Odes, i. 2); his +Latin Jecur and the Persian "Jigar" being evident congeners. The +idea was long prevalent and we find in Shakespeare:-- + + Alas, then Love may be called appetite, + No motion of the liver but the palate. + +[FN#269] A marvellous touch of nature, love ousting affection; +the same trait will appear in the lover and both illustrate the +deep Italian saying, "Amor discende, non ascende." The further it +goes down the stronger it becomes as of grand-parent for +grand-child and vice versa. + +[FN#270] This tenet of the universal East is at once fact and +unfact. As a generalism asserting that women's passion is ten +times greater than man's (Pilgrimage, ii. 282), it is unfact. The +world shows that while women have more philoprogenitiveness, men +have more amativeness; otherwise the latter would not propose and +would nurse the doll and baby. Pact, however, in low-lying lands, +like Persian Mazanderan versus the Plateau; Indian Malabar +compared with Martha-land; California as opposed to Utah and +especially Egypt contrasted with Arabia. In these hot damp +climates the venereal requirements and reproductive powers of the +female greatly exceed those of the male; and hence the +dissoluteness of morals would be phenomenal, were it not obviated +by seclusion, the sabre and the revolver. In cold-dry or hot-dry +mountainous lands the reverse is the case; hence polygamy there +prevails whilst the low countries require polyandry in either +form, legal or illegal (i,e. prostitution) I have discussed this +curious point of "geographical morality" (for all morality is, +like conscience, both geographical and chronological), a subject +so interesting to the lawgiver, the student of ethics and the +anthropologist, in "The City of the Saints " But strange and +unpleasant truths progress slowly, especially in England. + +[FN#271] This morning evacuation is considered, in the East, a +sine qu non of health; and old Anglo-Indians are unanimous in +their opinion of the "bard fajar" (as they mispronounce the +dawn-clearance). The natives of India, Hinds (pagans) and Hinds +(Moslems), unlike Europeans, accustom themselves to evacuate +twice a day, evening as well as morning. This may, perhaps, +partly account for their mildness and effeminacy; for:-- + + C'est la constipation qui rend l'homme rigoureux. + +The English, since the first invasion of cholera, in October, +1831, are a different race from their costive grandparents who +could not dine without a "dinner-pill." Curious to say the +clyster is almost unknown to the people of Hindostan although the +barbarous West Africans use it daily to "wash 'um belly," as the +Bonney-men say. And, as Sonnini notes to propose the process in +Egypt under the Beys might have cost a Frankish medico his life. + +[FN#272] The Egyptian author cannot refrain from this +characteristic polissonnerie; and reading it out is always +followed by a roar of laughter. Even serious writers like Al- +Hariri do not, as I have noted, despise the indecency. + +[FN#273] "'Long beard and little wits," is a saying throughout +the East where the Kausaj (= man with thin, short beard) is +looked upon as cunning and tricksy. There is a venerable Joe +Miller about a schoolmaster who, wishing to singe his long beard +short, burnt it off and his face to boot:--which reminded him of +the saying. A thick beard is defined as one which wholly conceals +the skin; and in ceremonial ablution it must be combed out with +the fingers till the water reach the roots. The Sunnat, or +practice of the Prophet, was to wear the beard not longer than +one hand and two fingers' breadth. In Persian "Kseh" (thin +beard) is an insulting term opposed to "Khush-rsh," a +well-bearded man. The Iranian growth is perhaps the finest in the +world, often extending to the waist; but it gives infinite +trouble, requiring, for instance, a bag when travelling. The Arab +beard is often composed of two tufts on the chin-sides and +straggling hairs upon the cheeks; and this is a severe +mortification, especially to Shaykhs and elders, who not only +look upon the beard as one of man's characteristics, but attach a +religious importance to the appendage. Hence the enormity of +Kamar al-Zaman's behaviour. The Persian festival of the vernal +equinox was called Kusehnishn (Thin-beard sitting). An old man +with one eye paraded the streets on an ass with a crow in one +hand and a scourge and fan in the other, cooling himself, +flogging the bystanders and crying heat! heat! (garm! garm!). +For other particulars see Richardson (Dissertation, p. Iii.). +This is the Italian Giorno delle Vecchie, Thursday in Mid Lent, +March 12 (1885), celebrating the death of Winter and the birth of +Spring. + +[FN#274] I quote Torrens (p. 400) as these lines have occurred in +Night xxxviii. + +[FN#275] Moslems have only two names for week days, Friday, +Al-Jum'ah or meeting-day, and Al-Sabt, Sabbath day, that is +Saturday. The others are known by numbers after Quaker fashion +with us, the usage of Portugal and Scandinavia. + +[FN#276] Our last night. + +[FN#277] Arab. "Tayf"=phantom, the nearest approach to our +"ghost," that queer remnant of Fetishism imbedded in +Christianity; the phantasma, the shade (not the soul) of tile +dead. Hence the accurate Niebuhr declares, "apparitions (i.e., of +the departed) are unknown in Arabia." Haunted houses are there +tenanted by Ghuls, Jinns and a host of supernatural creatures; +but not by ghosts proper; and a man may live years in Arabia +before he ever hears of the "Tayf." With the Hindus it is +otherwise (Pilgrimage iii. 144). Yet the ghost, the embodied fear +of the dead and of death is common, in a greater or less degree, +to all peoples; and, as modern Spiritualism proves, that ghost is +not yet laid. + +[FN#278] Mr. Payne (iii. 133) omits the lines which are propos +de rein and read much like "nonsense verses." I retain them +simply because they are in the text. + +[FN#279] The first two couplets are the quatrain (or octave) in +Night xxxv. + +[FN#280] Arab. "Ar'ar," the Heb. "Aroer," which Luther and the A. +V. translate "heath." The modern Aramaic name is "Lizzb" +(Unexplored Syria. i. 68). + +[FN#281] In the old version and the Bresl. Edit. (iii. 220) the +Princess beats the "Kahramnah," but does not kill her. + +[FN#282] 'This is still the popular Eastern treatment of the +insane. + +[FN#283] Pers. "Marz-bn" = Warden of the Marches, Margrave. The +foster-brother in the East is held dear as, and often dearer +than, kith and kin. + +[FN#284] The moderns believe most in the dawn-dream. + --Quirinus + +Post mediam noctem visus, quum somnia vera. + (Horace Sat. i. 10, 33,) + +[FN#285] The Bresl. Edit. (iii. 223) and Galland have "Torf:" +Lane (ii. 115) "El-Tarf." + +[FN#286] Arab. "Maghzal ;" a more favourite comparison is with a +tooth pick. Both are used by Nizami and Al-Hariri, the most +"elegant" of Arab writers. + +[FN#287] These form a Kasdah, Ode or Elegy= rhymed couplets +numbering more than thirteen: If shorter it is called a "Ghazal." +I have not thought it necessary to preserve the monorhyme. + +[FN#288] Sulaym dim. of Salm= any beautiful woman Rabb = the +viol mostly single stringed: Tan'oum=she who is soft and gentle. +These fictitious names are for his old flames. + +[FN#289] i.e. wine. The distich is highly fanciful and the +conceits would hardly occur to a + +[FN#290] Arab. "Andam," a term applied to Brazil-wood (also +called "Bakkam") and to "dragon's blood," but not, I think, to +tragacanth, the "goat's thorn," which does not dye. Andam is +often mentioned in The Nights. + +[FN#291] The superior merit of the first (explorer, etc.) is a +lieu commun with Arabs. So Al-Hariri in Preface quotes his +predecessor:-- + + Justly of praise the price I pay; + The praise is his who leads the way. + +[FN#292] There were two Lukmans, of whom more in a future page. + +[FN#293] This symbolic action is repeatedly mentioned in The +Nights. + +[FN#294] Arab. "Shakhs"=a person, primarily a dark spot. So +"Sawd"=blackness, in Al-Hariri means a group of people who +darken the ground by their shade. + +[FN#295] The first bath after sickness, I have said, is called +"Ghusl al-Sihhah,"--the Washing of Health. + +[FN#296] The words "malady" and "disease" are mostly avoided +during these dialogues as ill-omened words which may bring on a +relapse. + +[FN#297] Solomon's carpet of green silk which carried him and all +his host through the air is a Talmudic legend generally accepted +in Al-Islam though not countenanced by the Koran. chaps xxvii. +When the "gnat's wing" is mentioned, the reference is to Nimrod +who, for boasting that he was lord of all, was tortured during +four hundred years by a gnat sent by Allah up his ear or nostril. + +[FN#298] The absolute want of morality and filial affection in +the chaste young man is supposed to be caused by the violence of +his passion, and he would be pardoned because he "loved much." + +[FN#299] I have noticed the geomantic process in my "History of +Sindh" (chaps. vii.). It is called "Zarb al-Ram!" (strike the +sand, the French say "frapper le sable") because the rudest form +is to make on the ground dots at haphazard, usually in four lines +one above the other: these are counted and, if even-numbered, two +are taken ( ** ); if odd one ( * ); and thus the four lines will +form a scheme say * * + * + * + * * +This is repeated three times, producing the same number of +figures; and then the combination is sought in an explanatory +table or, if the practitioner be expert, he pronounces off-hand. +The Nights speak of a "Takht Raml" or a board, like a schoolboy's +slate, upon which the dots are inked instead of points in sand. +The moderns use a "Kura'h," or oblong die, upon whose sides the +dots, odd and even, are marked; and these dice are hand-thrown to +form the e figure. By way of complication Geomancy is mixed up +with astrology and then it becomes a most complicated kind of +ariolation and an endless study. "Napoleon's Book of Fate," a +chap-book which appeared some years ago, was Geomancy in its +simplest and most ignorant shape. For the rude African form see +my Mission to Dahome, i. 332, and for that of Darfour, pp. 360-69 +of Shaykh Mohammed's Voyage before quoted. + +[FN#300] Translators understand this of writing marriage +contracts; I take it in a more general sense. + +[FN#301] These lines are repeated from Night Ixxv.: with Mr. +Payne's permission I give his rendering (iii. 153) by way of +variety. + +[FN#302] The comparison is characteristically Arab. + +[FN#303] Not her "face": the head, and especially the back of the +head, must always be kept covered, even before the father. + +[FN#304] Arab. "Siwk"=a tooth-stick; "Siw-ka"=lit. other than +thou. + +[FN#305] Arab. "Ark"=tooth stick of the wild caper-tree; +"Ar-ka" lit.=I see thee. The capparis spinosa is a common +desert-growth and the sticks about a span long (usually called +Miswk), are sold in quantities at Meccah after being dipped in +Zemzem water. In India many other woods are used, date-tree, +Salvadora, Achyrantes, phyllanthus, etc. Amongst Arabs peculiar +efficacy accompanies the tooth-stick of olive, "the tree +springing from Mount Sinai" (Koran xxiii. 20); and Mohammed would +use no other, because it prevents decay and scents the mouth. +Hence Koran, chaps. xcv. 1. The "Miswk" is held with the unused +end between the ring-finger and minimus, the two others grasp the +middle and the thumb is pressed against the back close to the +lips. These articles have long been sold at the Medical Hall near +the "Egyptian Hall," Piccadilly. They are better than our unclean +tooth-brushes because each tooth gets its own especial rubbing' +not a general sweep; at the same time the operation is longer and +more troublesome. In parts of Africa as well as Asia many men +walk about with the tooth-stick hanging by a string from the +neck. + +[FN#306] The "Mehari," of which the Algerine-French speak, are +the dromedaries bred by the Mahrah tribe of Al-Yaman, the +descendants of Mahrat ibn Haydan. They are covered by small wild +camels (?) called Al-Hsh, found between Oman and Al-Shihr: +others explain the word to mean "stallions of the Jinns " and +term those savage and supernatural animals, "Najib +al-Mahriyah"nobles of the Mahrah. + +[FN#307] Arab. "Khaznah"=a thousand purses; now about 5000. It +denotes a large sum of money, like the "Badrah," a purse +containing 10,000 dirhams of silver (Al-Hariri), or 80,000 +(Burckhardt Prov. 380); whereas the "Nisb" is a moderate sum of +money, gen. 20 gold dinars=200 silver dirhams. + +[FN#308] As The Nights show, Arabs admire slender forms; but the +hips and hinder cheeks must be highly developed and the stomach +fleshy rather than lean. The reasons are obvious. The Persians +who exaggerate everything say e.g. (Husayn Viz in the +Anvr-i-Suhayli):-- + + How paint her hips and waist ? Who saw + A mountain (Koh) dangling to a straw (kh)? + +In Antar his beloved Abla is a tamarisk (T. Orientalis). Others +compare with the palm-tree (Solomon), the Cypress (Persian, esp. +Hafiz and Firdausi) and the Ark or wild Capparis (Arab.). + +[FN#309] Ubi aves ibi angel). All African travellers know that a +few birds flying about the bush, and a few palm-trees waving in +the wind, denote the neighbourhood of a village or a camp (where +angels are scarce). The reason is not any friendship for man but +because food, animal and vegetable, is more plentiful Hence +Albatrosses, Mother Carey's (Mater Cara, the Virgin) chickens, +and Cape pigeons follow ships. + +[FN#310] The stanza is called Al-Mukhammas=cinquains; the +quatrains and the "bob," or "burden" always preserve the same +consonance. It ends with a Koranic lieu commun of Moslem +morality. + +[FN#311] Moslem port towns usually have (or had) only two gates. +Such was the case with Bayrut, Tyre, Sidon and a host of others; +the faubourg-growth of modern days has made these obsolete. The +portals much resemble the entrances of old Norman castles--Arques +for instance. (Pilgrimage i. 185.) + +[FN#312] Arab. "Lism"; before explained. + +[FN#313] i.e. Life of Souls (persons, etc.). + +[FN#314] Arab. "Insnu-h"=her (i.e. their) man: i.e. the babes +of the eyes: the Assyrian Ishon, dim. of Ish=Man; which the +Hebrews call "Bbat" or "Bit" (the daughter) the Arabs "Bubu (or +Hadakat) al-Aye"; the Persians "Mardumak-i-chashm" (mannikin of +the eye); the Greeks and the Latins pupa, pupula, pupilla. I +have noted this in the Lyricks of Camoens (p. 449). + +[FN#315] Ma'an bin Z'idah, a soldier and statesman of the eighth +century. + +[FN#316] The mildness of the Caliph Mu'wiyah, the founder of the +Ommiades, proverbial among the Arabs, much resembles the +"meekness" of Moses the Law-giver, which commentators seem to +think has been foisted into Numbers xii. 3. + +[FN#317] Showing that there had been no consummation of the +marriage which would have demanded "Ghusl," or total ablution, at +home or in the Hammam. + +[FN#318] I have noticed this notable desert-growth. + +[FN#319] 'The "situation" is admirable, solution appearing so +difficult and catastrophe imminent. + +[FN#320] This quatrain occurs in Night ix.: I have borrowed from +Torrens (p. 79) by way of variety. + +[FN#321] The belief that young pigeon's blood resembles the +virginal discharge is universal; but the blood most resembling +man's is that of the pig which in other points is so very human. +In our day Arabs and Hindus rarely submit to inspection the +nuptial sheet as practiced by the Israelites and Persians. The +bride takes to bed a white kerchief with which she staunches the +blood and next morning the stains are displayed in the Harem. In +Darfour this is done by the bridegroom. "Prima Venus debet esse +cruenta," say the Easterns with much truth, and they have no +faith in our complaisant creed which allows the hymen-membrane to +disappear by any but one accident. + +[FN#322] Not meaning the two central divisions commanded by the +King and his Wazir. + +[FN#323] Ironic. + +[FN#324] Arab. "Rasy"=praising in a funeral sermon. + +[FN#325] Arab. "Many," plur. of "Maniyat" = death. Mr. R. S. +Poole (the Academy, April 26, 1879) reproaches Mr. Payne for +confounding "Muniyat" (desire) with "Maniyat" (death) but both +are written the same except when vowel-points are used. + +[FN#326] Arab. "Iddat," alluding to the months of celibacy which, +according to Moslem law, must be passed by a divorced woman +before she can re-marry. + +[FN#327] Arab. "Talk bi'l-Salsah"=a triple divorce which cannot +be revoked; nor can the divorcer re-marry the same woman till +after consummation with another husband. This subject will +continually recur. + +[FN#328] An allusion to a custom of the pagan Arabs in the days +of ignorant Heathenism The blood or brain, soul or personality of +the murdered man formed a bird called Sady or Hmah (not the Hum +or Humi, usually translated "phnix") which sprang from the +head, where four of the five senses have their seat, and haunted +his tomb, crying continually, "Uskni!"=Give me drink (of the +slayer's blood) ! and which disappeared only when the vendetta +was accomplished. Mohammed forbade the belief. Amongst the +Southern Slavs the cuckoo is supposed to be the sister of a +murdered man ever calling or vengeance. + +[FN#329] To obtain a blessing and show how he valued it. + +[FN#330] Well-known tribes of proto-historic Arabs who flourished +before the time of Abraham: see Koran (chaps. xxvi. et passim). +They will be repeatedly mentioned in The Nights and notes. + +[FN#331] Arab. "Amtr"; plur. of "Matr," a large vessel of +leather or wood for water, etc. + +[FN#332] Arab. "Asfr," so called because they attract sparrows +(asfr) a bird very fond of the ripe oily fruit. In the Romance +of "Antar" Asfr camels are beasts that fly like birds in +fleetness. The reader must not confound the olives of the text +with the hard unripe berries ("little plums pickled in stale") +which appear at English tables, nor wonder that bread and olives +are the beef-steak and potatoes of many Mediterranean peoples It +is an excellent diet, the highly oleaginous fruit supplying the +necessary carbon, + +[FN#333] Arab. "Tamer al-Hindi"=the "Indian-date," whence our +word "Tamarind." A sherbet of the pods, being slightly laxative, +is much drunk during the great heats; and the dried fruit, made +into small round cakes, is sold in the bazars. The traveller is +advised not to sleep under the tamarind's shade, which is +infamous for causing ague and fever. In Sind I derided the +"native nonsense," passed the night under an "Indian date-tree" +and awoke with a fine specimen of ague which lasted me a week. + +[FN#334] Moslems are not agreed upon the length of the Day of +Doom when all created things, marshalled by the angels, await +final judgment; the different periods named are 40 years, 70, 300 +and 50,000. Yet the trial itself will last no longer than while +one may milk an ewe, or than "the space between two milkings of a +she-camel." This is bringing down Heaven to Earth with a witness; +but, after all, the Heaven of all faiths, including +"Spiritualism," the latest development, is only an earth more or +less glorified even as the Deity is humanity more or less +perfected. + +[FN#335] Arab. "Al-Kamarni," lit. "the two moons." Arab rhetoric +prefers it to "Shamsni," or {`two suns," because lighter +(akhaff), to pronounce. So, albeit Omar was less worthy than +Abu-Bakr the two are called "Al-Omarni," in vulgar parlance, +Omarayn. + +[FN#336] Alluding to the angels who appeared to the Sodomites in +the shape of beautiful youths (Koran xi.). + +[FN#337] Koran xxxiii. 38. + +[FN#338] "Niktu-hu taklidan" i.e. not the real thing (with a +woman). It may also mean "by his incitement of me." All this +scene is written in the worst form of Persian-Egyptian +blackguardism, and forms a curious anthropological study. The +"black joke" of the true and modest wife is inimitable. + +[FN#339] Arab. "Jamz" (in Egypt "Jammayz") = the fruit of the +true sycomore (F. Sycomorus) a magnificent tree which produces a +small tasteless fig, eaten by the poorer classes in Egypt and by +monkeys. The "Tn" or real fig here is the woman's parts; the +"mulberry- fig," the anus. Martial (i. 65) makes the following +distinction:-- + + Dicemus ficus, quas scimus in arbore nasci, + Dicemus ficos, Caeciliane, tuos. + +And Modern Italian preserves a difference between fico and fica. + +[FN#340] Arab. "Ghniyat Azr" (plur. of Azr = virgin): the +former is properly a woman who despises ornaments and relies on +"beauty unadorned" (i.e. in bed). + +[FN#341] "Nihil usitatius apud monachos, cardinales, +sacrificulos," says Johannes de la Casa Beneventius Episcopus, +quoted by Burton Anat. of Mel. lib. iii. Sect. 2; and the famous +epitaph on the Jesuit, + + Ci-git un Jesuite: + Passant, serre les fesses et passe vite! + +[FN#342] Arab. "Kiblah"=the fronting-place of prayer, Meccah for +Moslems, Jerusalem for Jews and early Christians. See Pilgrimage +(ii. 321) for the Moslem change from Jerusalem to Meccah and +ibid. (ii. 213) for the way in which the direction was shown. + +[FN#343] The Koran says (chaps. ii.): "Your wives are your +tillage: go in therefore unto your tillage in what manner so ever +ye will." Usually this is understood as meaning in any posture, +standing or sitting, lying, backwards or forwards. Yet there is a +popular saying about the man whom the woman rides (vulg. St. +George, in France, le Postillon); "Cursed be who maketh woman +Heaven and himself earth!" Some hold the Koranic passage to have +been revealed in confutation of the Jews, who pretended that if a +man lay with his wife backwards, he would beget a cleverer child. +Others again understand it of preposterous venery, which is +absurd: every ancient law-giver framed his code to increase the +true wealth of the people--population--and severely punished all +processes, like onanism, which impeded it. The Persians utilise +the hatred of women for such misuse when they would force a wive +to demand a divorce and thus forfeit her claim to Mahr (dowry); +they convert them into catamites till, after a month or so, they +lose all patience and leave the house. + +[FN#344] Koran lit 9: "He will be turned aside from the Faith (or +Truth) who shall be turned aside by the Divine decree;" alluding, +in the text, to the preposterous venery her lover demands. + +[FN#345] Arab. "Futh" meaning openings, and also victories, +benefits. The lover congratulates her on her mortifying self in +order to please him. + +[FN#346] "And the righteous work will be exalt": (Koran xxxv. 11) +applied ironically. + +[FN#347] A prolepsis of Tommy Moore:-- + + Your mother says, my little Venus, + There's something not quite right between us, + And you're in fault as much as I, + Now, on my soul, my little Venus, + I swear 'twould not be right between us, + To let your mother tell a lie. + +But the Arab is more moral than Mr. Little. as he purposes to +repent. + +[FN#348] Arab. "Khunsa" flexible or flaccid, from Khans=bending +inwards, i.e. the mouth of a water-skin before drinking. Like +Mukhannas, it is also used for an effeminate man, a passive +sodomite and even for a eunuch. Easterns still believe in what +Westerns know to be an impossibility, human beings with the parts +and proportions of both sexes equally developed and capable of +reproduction; and Al-Islam even provides special rules for them +(Pilgrimage iii. 237). We hold them to be Buffon's fourth class +of (duplicate) monsters belonging essentially to one or the other +sex, and related to its opposite only by some few +characteristics. The old Greeks dreamed, after their fashion, a +beautiful poetic dream of a human animal uniting the +contradictory beauties of man and woman. The duality of the +generative organs seems an old Egyptian tradition, at least we +find it in Genesis (i. 27) where the image of the Deity is +created male and female, before man was formed out of the dust of +the ground (ii. 7). The old tradition found its way to India (if +the Hindus did not borrow the idea from the Greeks); and one of +the forms of Mahadeva, the third person of their triad, is +entitled "Ardhanr"=the Half-woman, which has suggested to them +some charming pictures. Europeans, seeing the left breast +conspicuously feminine, have indulged in silly surmises about the +"Amazons." + +[FN#349] This is a mere phrase for our "dying of laughter": the +queen was on her back. And as Easterns sit on carpets, their +falling back is very different from the same movement off a +chair. + +[FN#350] Arab. "Ismid," the eye-powder before noticed. + +[FN#351] When the Caliph (e.g. Al-T'i li'llah) bound a banner to +a spear and handed it to an officer, he thereby appointed him +Sultan or Viceregent. + +[FN#352] Arab. "Shib al-inghz"=lit. a gray beard who shakes +head in disapproval. + +[FN#353] Arab. "Ayt" = the Hebr. "Ototh," signs, wonders or +Koranic verses. + +[FN#354] The Chapter "Al-Ikhls" i.e. clearing (oneself from any +faith but that of Unity) is No. cxii. and runs thus:-- + + Say, He is the One God! + The sempiternal God, + He begetteth not, nor is He begot, + And unto Him the like is not. + +It is held to be equal in value to one-third of the Koran, and is +daily used in prayer. Mr. Rodwell makes it the tenth. + +[FN#355] The Lady Budur shows her noble blood by not objecting to +her friend becoming her Zarrat (sister-wife). This word is +popularly derived from "Zarar"=injury; and is vulgarly pronounced +in Egypt "Durrah" sounding like Durrah = a parrot (see +Burckhardt's mistake in Prov. 314). The native proverb says, +"Ayshat al-durrah murrah," the sister-wife hath a bitter life. We +have no English equivalent; so I translate indifferently co-wife, +co-consort, sister-wife or sister in wedlock. + +[FN#356] Lane preserves the article "El-Amjad" and "El-As'ad;" +which is as necessary as to say "the John" or "the James," +because neo-Latins have "il Giovanni" or "il Giacomo." In this +matter of the article, however, it is impossible to lay down a +universal rule: in some cases it must be preserved and only +practice in the language can teach its use. For instance, it is +always present in Al-Bahrayn and al-Yaman; but not necessarily so +with Irak and Najd. + +[FN#357] It is hard to say why this ugly episode was introduced. +It is a mere false note in a tune pretty enough. + +[FN#358] The significance of this action will presently appear. + +[FN#359] An "Hads." + +[FN#360] Arab. "Sabb" = using the lowest language of abuse. +chiefly concerning women-relatives and their reproductive parts. + +[FN#361] The reader will note in the narration concerning the two +Queens the parallelism of the Arab's style which recalls that of +the Hebrew poets. Strings of black silk are plaited into the long +locks (an "idiot-fringe" being worn over the brow) because a +woman is cursed "who joineth her own hair to the hair of another" +(especially human hair). Sending the bands is a sign of +affectionate submission; and, in extremes" cases the hair itself +is sent. + +[FN#362] i.e., suffer similar pain at the spectacle, a phrase +often occurring. + +[FN#363] i.e., when the eye sees not, the heart grieves not. + +[FN#364] i.e., unto Him we shall return, a sentence recurring in +almost every longer chapter of the Koran. + +[FN#365] Arab. "Kun," the creative Word (which, by the by, proves +the Koran to be an uncreated Logos); the full sentence being "Kun +fa kna" = Be! and it became. The origin is evidently, "And God +said, Let there be light: and there was light" (Gen. i. 3); a +line grand in its simplicity and evidently borrowed from the +Egyptians, even as Yahveh (Jehovah) from "Ankh"=He who lives +(Brugsch Hist. ii. 34). + +[FN#366] i.e. but also for the life and the so-called "soul." + +[FN#367] Arab. "Layli"=lit. nights which, I have said, is often +applied to the whole twenty-four hours. Here it is used in the +sense of "fortune" or "fate ;" like "days" and "days and nights." + +[FN#368] Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr a nephew of Ayishah, who had +rebuilt the Ka'abah in A.H. 64 (A.D. 683), revolted (A.D. 680) +against Yezid and was proclaimed Caliph at Meccah. He was +afterwards killed (A.D. 692) by the famous or infamous Hajjj +general of Abd al-Malik bin Marwan, the fifth Ommiade, surnamed +"Sweat of a stone" (skin-flint) and "Father of Flies," from his +foul breath. See my Pilgrimage, etc. (iii. 192-194), where are +explained the allusions to the Ka'abah and the holy Black Stone. + +[FN#369] These lines are part of an elegy on the downfall of one +of the Moslem dynasties in Spain, composed in the twelfth century +by Ibn Abdun al-Andalsi. The allusion is to the famous +conspiracy of the Khrijites (the first sectarians in +Mohammedanism) to kill Ah, Mu'awiyah and Amru (so written but +pronounced "Amr") al-As, in order to abate intestine feuds m +Al-Islam. Ali was slain with a sword-cut by Ibn Muljam a name +ever damnable amongst the Persians; Mu'awiyah escaped with a +wound and Kharijah, the Chief of Police at Fustat or old Cairo +was murdered by mistake for Amru. After this the sectarian wars +began. + +[FN#370] Arab. "Sarb"= (Koran, chaps. xxiv.) the reek of the +Desert, before explained. It is called "Lama," the shine, the +loom, in Al-Hariri. The world is compared with the mirage, the +painted eye and the sword that breaks in the sworder's hand. + +[FN#371] Arab. "Duny," with the common alliteration "dniyah" +(=Pers. "dn"), in prose as well as poetry means the things or +fortune of this life opp. to "Akhirah"=future life. + +[FN#372] Arab. "Walgh," a strong expression primarily denoting +the lapping of dogs; here and elsewhere "to swill, saufen." + +[FN#373] The lines are repeated from Night ccxxi. I give Lane's +version (ii. 162) by way of contrast and--warning. + +[FN#374] "Shirah" is the place where human souls will be +gathered on Doom-day: some understand by it the Hell Sa'r (No. +iv.) intended for the Sabians or the Devils generally. + +[FN#375] His eyes are faded like Jacob's which, after weeping for +Joseph, "became white with mourning" (Koran, chaps. xxi.). It is +a stock comparison. + +[FN#376] The grave. + +[FN#377] Arab. "Sawwn" (popularly pronounced Suwn) ="Syenite" +from Syrene; generally applied to silex, granite or any hard +stone. + +[FN#378] A proceeding fit only for thieves and paupers: +"Alpinism" was then unknown. "You come from the mountain" +(al-Jabal) means, "You are a clod-hopper"; and "I will sit upon +the mountain"=turn anchorite or magician. (Pilgrimage i. 106.) + +[FN#379] Corresponding with wayside chapels in Catholic +countries. The Moslem form would be either a wall with a prayer +niche (Mibrb) fronting Meccah-wards or a small domed room. These +little oratories are often found near fountains, streams or +tree-clumps where travellers would be likely to alight. I have +described one in Sind ("Scinde or the Unhappy Valley" i. 79), and +have noted that scrawling on the walls is even more common in the +East than in the West; witness the monuments of old Egypt +bescribbled by the Greeks and Romans. Even the paws of the Sphinx +are covered with such graffiti; and those of Ipsambul or Abu +Smbal have proved treasures to epigraphists. + +[FN#380] In tales this characterises a Persian; and Hero Rustam +is always so pictured. + +[FN#381] The Parsis, who are the representatives of the old +Guebres, turn towards the sun and the fire as their Kiblah or +point of prayer; all deny that they worship it. But, as in the +case of saints' images, while the educated would pray before them +for edification (Labia) the ignorant would adore them (Dulia); +and would make scanty difference between the "reverence of a +servant" and the "reverence of a slave." The human sacrifice was +quite contrary to Guebre, although not to Hindu, custom; although +hate and vengeance might prompt an occasional murder. + +[FN#382] These oubliettes are common in old eastern houses as in +the medieval Castles of Europe, and many a stranger has met his +death in them. They are often so well concealed that even the +modern inmates are not aware of their existence. + +[FN#383] Arab. "Bakk"; hence our "bug" whose derivation (like +that of "cat" "dog" and "hog") is apparently unknown to the +dictionaries, always excepting M. Littr's. + +[FN#384] i.e. thy beauty is ever increasing. + +[FN#385] Alluding, as usual, to the eye-lashes, e.g. + + An eyelash arrow from an eyebrow bow. + +[FN#386] Lane (ii. 168) reads:--"The niggardly female is +protected by her niggardness;" a change of "Nahlah" (bee-hive) +into "Bakhlah" (she skin flint). + +[FN#387] Koran iv. 38. The advantages are bodily strength, +understanding and the high privilege of Holy War. Thus far, and +thus far only, woman amongst Moslems is "lesser + +[FN#388] Arab. "Amir Ykhr," a corruption of "Akhor"=stable +(Persian). + +[FN#389] A servile name in Persian, meaning "the brave," and a +title of honour at the Court of Delhi when following the name. +Many English officers have made themselves ridiculous (myself +amongst the number) by having it engraved on their seal-rings, +e.g. Brown Shib Bahdur. To write the word "Behadir" or +"Bahdir" is to adopt the wretched Turkish corruption. + +[FN#390] "Jerry Sneak" would be the English reader's comment; but +in the East all charges are laid upon women. + +[FN#391] Here the formula means "I am sorry for it, but I +couldn't help it." + +[FN#392] A noble name of the Persian Kings (meaning the planet +Mars) corrupted in Europe to Varanes. + +[FN#393] Arab. "Jallb," one of the three muharramt or +forbiddens, the Hrik al-hajar (burner of stone) the Kti' +al-shajar (cutter of trees, without reference to Hawarden N. B.) +and the Byi' al-bashar (seller of men, vulg. Jallb). The two +former worked, like the Italian Carbonari, in desert places where +they had especial opportunities for crime. (Pilgrimage iii. 140.) +None of these things must be practiced during Pilgrimage on the +holy soil of Al-Hijaz--not including Jeddah. + +[FN#394] The verses contain the tenets of the Murjiy sect which +attaches infinite importance to faith and little or none to +works. Sale (sect. viii.) derives his "Morgians" from the +"Jabrians" (Jabari), who are the direct opponents of the +"Kadarians" (Kadari), denying free will and free agency to man +and ascribing his actions wholly to Allah. Lane (ii. 243) gives +the orthodox answer to the heretical question:-- + +Water could wet him not if God please guard His own; * + Nor need man care though bound of hands in sea he's thrown: +But if His Lord decree that he in sea be drowned; * + He'll drown albeit in the wild and wold he wone. + +It is the old quarrel between Predestination and Freewill which +cannot be solved except by assuming a Law without a Lawgiver. + +[FN#395] Our proverb says: Give a man luck and throw him into the +sea. + +[FN#396] As a rule Easterns, I repeat, cover head and face when +sleeping especially in the open air and moonlight. Europeans find +the practice difficult, and can learn it only by long habit. + +[FN#397] Pers. = a flower-garden. In Galland, Bahram has two +daughters, Bostama and Cavam a. In the Bres. Edit. the daughter +is "Bostan" and the slave-girl "Kawm." + +[FN#398] Arab. "Kahl"=eyes which look as if darkened with +antimony: hence the name of the noble Arab breed of horses +"Kuhaylat" (Al-Ajuz, etc.). + +[FN#399] "As'ad"=more (or most) fortunate. + +[FN#400] This is the vulgar belief, although Mohammed expressly +disclaimed the power in the Koran (chaps. xiii. 8), "Thou art +commissioned to be a preacher only and not a worker of miracles." +"Signs" (Arab. Ayt) may here also mean verses of the Koran, +which the Apostle of Allah held to be his standing miracles. He +despised the common miracula which in the East are of everyday +occurrence and are held to be easy for any holy man. Hume does +not believe in miracles because he never saw one. Had he +travelled in the East he would have seen (and heard of) so many +that his scepticism (more likely that testimony should be false +than miracles be true) would have been based on a firmer +foundation. It is one of the marvels of our age that whilst +two-thirds of Christendom (the Catholics and the "Orthodox" +Greeks) believe in "miracles" occurring not only in ancient but +even in our present days, the influential and intelligent third +(Protestant) absolutely "denies the fact." + +[FN#401] Arab. "Al-Shahdatni"; testifying the Unity and the +Apostleship. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, V1 + diff --git a/old/3437-8-2002-09-01.zip b/old/3437-8-2002-09-01.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..92a3e33 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/3437-8-2002-09-01.zip diff --git a/old/3437-h-2019-05-26.htm b/old/3437-h-2019-05-26.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5c8a97d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/3437-h-2019-05-26.htm @@ -0,0 +1,18081 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 3, by Richard F. 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Burton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 3 + +Author: Richard F. Burton + +Release Date: May 20, 2001 [EBook #3437] +Last updated: May 26, 2019 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS *** + + + + +This etext was produced by J.C. Byers. Proofreaders were: J.C. Byers, +Norm Wolcott, Dianne Doefler and Charles Wilson. + + + + + + + +</pre> + +<h1>THE BOOK OF THE<br/> THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT</h1> + +<h4>A Plain and Literal Translation<br/> +of the Arabian Nights Entertainments<br/></h4> + +<h2>Translated and Annotated by<br/> Richard F. Burton </h2> + +<h3>VOLUME THREE</h3> + +<h5>Privately Printed By The Burton Club</h5> + +<p> + Inscribed to the Memory<br/> + + of<br/> + + A Friend<br/> + + Who<br/> + + During A Friendship of Twenty-Six Years<br/> + + Ever Showed Me The Most<br/> + + Unwearied Kindness,<br/> + + Richard Monckton Milnes<br/> + + Baron Houghton.<br/> + +</p> + +<h3> +Contents of the Third Volume +</h3> + +<table summary="" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: auto"> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">The Tale of King Omar Bin Al-Nu'uman and His Sons Sharrkan and Zau Al-Makan (cont)</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">aa. Continuation of the Tale of Aziz and Azizah</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">b. Tale of the Hashish Eater</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">c. Tale of Hammad the Badawi</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">10. The Birds and Beasts and the Carpenter</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">11. The Hermits</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">12. The Water-Fowl and the Tortoise</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">13. The Wolf and the Fox</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">a. Tale of the Falcon and the Partridge</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">14. The Mouse and the Ichneumon</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap11">15. The Cat and the Crow</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap12">16. The Fox and the Crow</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap13">a. The Flea and the Mouse</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap14">b. The Saker and the Birds</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap15">c. The Sparrow and the Eagle</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap16">17. The Hedgehog and the Wood Pigeons</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap17">a. The Merchant and the Two Sharpers</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap18">18. The Thief and His Monkey</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap19">a. The Foolish Weaver</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap20">19. The Sparrow and the Peacock</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap21">20. Ali Bin Bakkar and Shams Al-Nahar</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap22">21. Tale of Kamar Al-Zaman</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3> +The Book Of The<br/> +THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT +</h3> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p class="center"> +<a name="chap01"></a>When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Night +</p> + +<p> +Shahrazad continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Aziz pursued +to Taj al-Muluk: Then I entered the flower garden and made for the pavilion, +where I found the daughter of Dalilah the Wily One, sitting with head on knee +and hand to cheek. Her colour was changed and her eyes were sunken; but, when +she saw me, she exclaimed, "Praised be Allah for thy safety!" And she was +minded to rise but fell down for joy. I was abashed before her and hung my +head; presently, however, I went up to her and kissed her and asked, "How +knewest thou that I should come to thee this very night?" She answered, "I knew +it not! By Allah, this whole year past I have not tasted the taste of sleep, +but have watched through every night, expecting thee; and such hath been my +case since the day thou wentest out from me and I gave thee the new suit of +clothes, and thou promisedst me to go to the Hammam and to come back! So I sat +awaiting thee that night and a second night and a third night; but thou camest +not till after so great delay, and I ever expecting thy coming; for this is +lovers' way. And now I would have thee tell me what hath been the cause of +thine absence from me the past year long?" So I told her. And when she knew +that I was married, her colour waxed yellow, and I added, "I have come to thee +this night but I must leave thee before day." Quoth she, "Doth it not suffice +her that she tricked thee into marrying her and kept thee prisoner with her a +whole year, but she must also make thee swear by the oath of divorce, that thou +wilt return to her on the same night before morning, and not allow thee to +divert thyself with thy mother or me, nor suffer thee to pass one night with +either of us, away from her? How then must it be with one from whom thou hast +been absent a full year, and I knew thee before she did? But Allah have mercy +on thy cousin Azizah, for there befel her what never befel any and she bore +what none other ever bore and she died by thy ill usage; yet 'twas she who +protected thee against me. Indeed, I thought thou didst love me, so I let thee +take thine own way; else had I not suffered thee to go safe in a sound skin, +when I had it in my power to clap thee in jail and even to slay thee." Then she +wept with sore weeping and waxed wroth and shuddered in my face with skin +bristling[FN#1] and looked at me with furious eyes. When I saw her in this +case I was terrified at her and my side muscles trembled and quivered, for she +was like a dreadful she Ghul, an ogress in ire, and I like a bean over the +fire. Then said she, "Thou art of no use to me, now thou art married and hast a +child; nor art thou any longer fit for my company; I care only for bachelors +and not for married men:[FN#2] these profit us nothing Thou hast sold me for +yonder stinking armful; but, by Allah, I will make the whore's heart ache for +thee, and thou shalt not live either for me or for her!" Then she cried a loud +cry and, ere I could think, up came the slave girls and threw me on the ground; +and when I was helpless under their hands she rose and, taking a knife, said, +"I will cut thy throat as they slaughter he goats; and that will be less than +thy desert, for thy doings to me and the daughter of thy uncle before me." When +I looked to my life and found myself at the mercy of her slave women, with my +cheeks dust soiled, and saw her sharpen the knife, I made sure of death.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan thus +continued his tale to Zau al-Makan: Then quoth the youth Aziz to Taj al-Muluk, +Now when I found my life at the mercy of her slave women with my cheeks dust +soiled, and I saw her sharpen the knife, I made sure of death and cried out to +her for mercy. But she only redoubled in ferocity and ordered the slave girls +to pinion my hands behind me, which they did; and, throwing me on my back, she +seated herself on my middle and held down my head. Then two of them came up +and squatted on my shin bones, whilst other two grasped my hands and arms; and +she summoned a third pair and bade them beat me. So they beat me till I +fainted and my voice failed. When I revived, I said to myself, " 'Twere easier +and better for me to have my gullet slit than to be beaten on this wise!" And I +remembered the words of my cousin, and how she used to say to me, "Allah, keep +thee from her mischief!"; and I shrieked and wept till my voice failed and I +remained without power to breathe or to move. Then she again whetted the knife +and said to the slave girls, "Uncover him." Upon this the Lord inspired me to +repeat to her the two phrases my cousin had taught me, and had bequeathed to +me, and I said, "O my lady, dost thou not know that Faith is fair, Unfaith is +foul?" When she heard this, she cried out and said, "Allah pity thee, Azizah, +and give thee Paradise in exchange for thy wasted youth! By Allah, of a truth +she served thee in her life time and after her death, and now she hath saved +thee alive out of my hands with these two saws. Nevertheless, I cannot by any +means leave thee thus, but needs must I set my mark on thee, to spite yonder +brazen faced piece, who hath kept thee from me." There upon she called out to +the slave women and bade them bind my feet with cords and then said to them, +"Take seat on him!" They did her bidding, upon which she arose and fetched a +pan of copper and hung it over the brazier and poured into it oil of sesame, in +which she fried cheese.[FN#3] Then she came up to me (and I still insensible) +and, unfastening my bag trousers, tied a cord round my testicles and, giving it +to two of her women, bade them trawl at it. They did so, and I swooned away +and was for excess of pain in a world other than this. Then she came with a +razor of steel and cut off my member masculine,[FN#4] so that I remained like a +woman: after which she seared the wound with the boiling and rubbed it with a +powder, and I the while unconscious. Now when I came to myself, the blood had +stopped; so she bade the slave girls unbind me and made me drink a cup of wine. +Then said she to me, "Go now to her whom thou hast married and who grudged me +a single night, and the mercy of Allah be on thy cousin Azizah, who saved thy +life and never told her secret love! Indeed, haddest thou not repeated those +words to me, I had surely slit thy weasand. Go forth this instant to whom thou +wilt, for I needed naught of thee save what I have just cut off; and now I have +no part in thee, nor have I any further want of thee or care for thee. So +begone about thy business and rub thy head[FN#5] and implore mercy for the +daughter of thine uncle!" Thereupon she kicked me with her foot and I rose, +hardly able to walk; and I went, little by little, till I came to the door of +our house. I saw it was open, so I threw myself within it and fell down in a +fainting fit; whereupon my wife came out and lifting me up, carried me into the +saloon and assured herself that I had become like a woman. Then I fell into a +sleep and a deep sleep; and when I awoke, I found myself thrown down at the +garden gate,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan pursued +to King Zau al-Makan, The youth Aziz thus continued his story to Taj al-Muluk: +When I awoke and found myself thrown down at the garden gate, I rose, groaning +for pain and misery, and made my way to our home and entering, I came upon my +mother weeping for me, and saying, "Would I knew, O my son, in what land art +thou?" So I drew near and threw myself upon her, and when she looked at me and +felt me, she knew that I was ill; for my face was coloured black and tan. Then +I thought of my cousin and all the kind offices she had been wont to do me, and +I learned when too late that she had truly loved me; so I wept for her and my +mother wept also Presently she said to me, "O my son, thy sire is dead." At +this my fury against Fate redoubled, and I cried till I fell into a fit. When +I came to myself, I looked at the place where my cousin Azizah had been used to +sit and shed tears anew, till I all but fainted once more for excess of +weeping; and I ceased not to cry and sob and wail till midnight, when my mother +said to me, "Thy father hath been dead these ten days." "I shall never think of +any one but my cousin Azizah," replied I; "and indeed I deserve all that hath +befallen me, for that I neglected her who loved me with love so dear." Asked +she, "What hath befallen thee?" So I told her all that had happened and she +wept awhile, then she rose and set some matter of meat and drink before me. I +ate a little and drank, after which I repeated my story to her, and told her +the whole occurrence; whereupon she exclaimed, "Praised be Allah, that she did +but this to thee and forbore to slaughter thee!" Then she nursed me and +medicined me till I regained my health; and, when my recovery was complete, she +said to me, "O my son, I will now bring out to thee that which thy cousin +committed to me in trust for thee; for it is thine. She swore me not to give +it thee, till I should see thee recalling her to mind and weeping over her and +thy connection severed from other than herself; and now I know that these +conditions are fulfilled in thee." So she arose, and opening a chest, took out +this piece of linen, with the figures of gazelles worked thereon, which I had +given to Azizah in time past; and taking it I found written therein these +couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Lady of beauty, say, who taught thee hard and harsh design, *<br/> + + To slay with longing Love's excess this hapless lover thine?<br/> + +An thou fain disremember me beyond our parting day, * Allah will<br/> + + know, that thee and thee my memory never shall tyne.<br/> + +Thou blamest me with bitter speech yet sweetest 'tis to me; *<br/> + + Wilt generous be and deign one day to show of love a sign?<br/> + +I had not reckoned Love contained so much of pine and pain; *<br/> + + And soul distress until I came for thee to pain and pine<br/> + +Never my heart knew weariness, until that eve I fell * In love<br/> + + wi' thee, and prostrate fell before those glancing eyne!<br/> + +My very foes have mercy on my case and moan therefor; * But thou,<br/> + + O heart of Indian steel, all mercy dost decline.<br/> + +No, never will I be consoled, by Allah, an I die, * Nor yet<br/> + + forget the love of thee though life in ruins lie!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When I read these couplets, I wept with sore weeping and buffeted my face; then +I unfolded the scroll, and there fell from it an other paper. I opened it and +behold, I found written therein, 'Know, O son of my uncle, that I acquit thee +of my blood and I beseech Allah to make accord between thee and her whom thou +lovest; but if aught befal thee through the daughter of Dalilah the Wily, +return thou not to her neither resort to any other woman and patiently bear +thine affliction, for were not thy fated life tide a long life, thou hadst +perished long ago; but praised be Allah who hath appointed my death day before +thine! My peace be upon thee; preserve this cloth with the gazelles herein +figured and let it not leave thee, for it was my companion when thou was absent +from me;"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan pursued +to King Zau al-Makan, And the youth Aziz continued to Taj al-Muluk: So I read +what my cousin had written and the charge to me which was, "Preserve this cloth +with the gazelles and let it not leave thee, for it was my companion when thou +west absent from me and, Allah upon thee! if thou chance to fall in with her +who worked these gazelles, hold aloof from her and do not let her approach thee +nor marry her; and if thou happen not on her and find no way to her, look thou +consort not with any of her sex. Know that she who wrought these gazelles +worketh every year a gazelle cloth and despatcheth it to far countries, that +her report and the beauty of her broidery, which none in the world can match, +may be bruited abroad. As for thy beloved, the daughter of Dalilah the Wily, +this cloth came to her hand, and she used to ensnare folk with it, showing it +to them and saying, 'I have a sister who wrought this.' But she lied in so +saying, Allah rend her veil! This is my parting counsel; and I have not +charged thee with this charge, but because I know[FN#6] that after my death the +world will be straitened on thee and, haply, by reason of this, thou wilt leave +thy native land and wander in foreign parts, and hearing of her who wrought +these figures, thou mayest be minded to fore gather with her. Then wilt thou +remember me, when the memory shall not avail thee; nor wilt thou know my worth +till after my death. And, lastly, learn that she who wrought the gazelles is +the daughter of the King of the Camphor Islands and a lady of the noblest." Now +when I had read that scroll and understood what was written therein, I fell +again to weeping, and my mother wept because I wept, and I ceased not to gaze +upon it and to shed tears till night fall. I abode in this condition a whole +year, at the end of which the merchants, with whom I am in this cafilah, +prepared to set out from my native town; and my mother counseled me to equip +myself and journey with them, so haply I might be consoled and my sorrow be +dispelled, saying, "Take comfort and put away from thee this mourning and +travel for a year or two or three, till the caravan return, when perhaps thy +breast may be broadened and thy heart heartened." And she ceased not to +persuade me with endearing words, till I provided myself with merchandise and +set out with the caravan. But all the time of my wayfaring, my tears have +never dried; no, never! and at every halting place where we halt, I open this +piece of linen and look on these gazelles and call to mind my cousin Azizah and +weep for her as thou hast seen; for indeed she loved me with dearest love and +died, oppressed by my unlove. I did her nought but ill and she did me nought +but good. When these merchants return from their journey, I shall return with +them, by which time I shall have been absent a whole year: yet hath my sorrow +waxed greater and my grief and affliction were but increased by my visit to the +Islands of Camphor and the Castle of Crystal. Now these islands are seven in +number and are ruled by a King, by name Shahriman,[FN#7] who hath a daughter +called Dunyá;[FN#8] and I was told that it was she who wrought these gazelles +and that this piece in my possession was of her embroidery. When I knew this, +my yearning redoubled and I burnt with the slow fire of pining and was drowned +in the sea of sad thought; and I wept over myself for that I was become even as +a woman, without manly tool like other men, and there was no help for it. From +the day of my quitting the Camphor Islands, I have been tearful eyed and heavy +hearted, and such hath been my case for a long while and I know not whether it +will be given me to return to my native land and die beside my mother or not; +for I am sick from eating too much of the world. Thereupon the young merchant +wept and groaned and complained and gazed upon the gazelles; whilst the tears +rolled down his cheeks in streams and he repeated these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Joy needs shall come," a prattler 'gan to prattle: *<br/> + + "Needs cease thy blame!" I was commoved to rattle:<br/> + +'In time,' quoth he: quoth I ' 'Tis marvellous! *<br/> + + Who shall ensure my life, O cold of tattle!'"[FN#9]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And he repeated also these, +</p> + +<p> +"Well Allah weets that since our severance day *<br/> + + I've wept till forced to ask of tears a loan:<br/> + +'Patience! (the blamer cries): thou'lt have her yet!' *<br/> + + Quoth I, 'O blamer where may patience wone?'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then said he, "This, O King! is my tale: hast thou ever heard one stranger?" +So Taj al-Muluk marvelled with great marvel at the young merchant's story, and +fire darted into his entrails on hearing the name of the Lady Dunya and her +loveliness.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan +continued to Zau al-Makan: Now when Taj al-Muluk heard the story of the young +merchant, he marvelled with great marvel and fire darted into his entrails on +hearing the name of the Lady Dunya who, as he knew, had embroidered the +gazelles; and his love and longing hourly grew, so he said to the youth, "By +Allah, that hath befallen thee whose like never befel any save thyself, but +thou hast a life term appointed, which thou must fulfil; and now I would fain +ask of thee a question." Quoth Aziz, "And what is it?" Quoth he, "Wilt thou +tell me how thou sawest the young lady who wrought these gazelles?" Then he, "O +my lord, I got me access to her by a sleight and it was this. When I entered +her city with the caravan, I went forth and wandered about the garths till I +came to a flower garden abounding in trees, whose keeper was a venerable old +man, a Shaykh stricken in years. I addressed him, saying, 'O ancient sir, +whose may be this garden?' and he replied, 'It belongs to the King's daughter, +the Lady Dunya. We are now beneath her palace and, when she is minded to amuse +herself, she openeth the private wicket and walketh in the garden and smelleth +the fragrance of the flowers.' So I said to him, 'Favour me by allowing me to +sit in this garden till she come; haply I may enjoy a sight of her as she +passeth.' The Shaykh answered, 'There can be no harm in that.' Thereupon I gave +him a dirham or so and said to him, Buy us something to eat.' He took the money +gladly and opened door and, entering himself, admitted me into the garden, +where we strolled and ceased not strolling till we reached a pleasant spot in +which he bade me sit down and await his going and his returning. Then he +brought me somewhat of fruit and, leaving me, disappeared for an hour; but +after a while he returned to me bringing a roasted lamb, of which we ate till +we had eaten enough, my heart yearning the while for a sight of the lady. +Presently, as we sat, the postern opened and the keeper said to me, 'Rise and +hide thee.' I did so; and behold, a black eunuch put his head out through the +garden wicket and asked, 'O Shaykh, there any one with thee?' 'No,' answered +he; and the eunuch said, 'Shut the garden gate.' So the keeper shut the gate, +and lo! the Lady Dunya came in by the private door. When I saw her, methought +the moon had risen above the horizon and was shining; I looked at her a full +hour and longed for her as one athirst longeth for water. After a while she +withdrew and shut the door; whereupon I left the garden and sought my lodging, +knowing that I could not get at her and that I was no man for her, more +especially as I was become like a woman, having no manly tool: moreover she was +a King's daughter and I but a merchant man; so; how could I have access to the +like of her or— to any other woman? Accordingly, when these my companions made +ready for the road, I also made preparation and set out with them, and we +journeyed towards this city till we arrived at the place ere we met with thee. +Thou askedst me and I have answered; and these are my adventures and peace be +with thee!" Now when Taj al-Muluk heard that account, fires raged in his bosom +and his heart and thought were occupied love for the Lady Dunya; and passion +and longing were sore upon him. Then he arose and mounted horse and, taking +Aziz with him, returned to his father's capital, where he settled him in a +separate house and supplied him with all he needed in the way of meat and drink +and dress. Then he left him and returned to his palace, with the tears +trickling down his cheeks, for hearing oftentimes standeth instead of seeing +and knowing.[FN#10] And he ceased not to be in this state till his father came +in to him and finding him wan faced, lean of limb and tearful eyed, knew that +something had occurred to chagrin him and said, "O my son, acquaint me with thy +case and tell me what hath befallen thee, that thy colour is changed and thy +body is wasted. So he told him all that had passed and what tale he had heard +of Aziz and the account of the Princess Dunya; and how he had fallen in love of +her on hearsay, without having set eyes on her. Quoth his sire, "O my son, she +is the daughter of a King whose land is far from ours: so put away this thought +and go in to thy mother's palace."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Thirtieth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan +continued to Zau al-Makan: And the father of Taj al-Muluk spake to him on this +wise, "O my son, her father is a King whose land is far from ours: so put away +this thought and go into thy mother's palace where are five hundred maidens +like moons, and whichsoever of them pleaseth thee, take her; or else we will +seek for thee in marriage some one of the King's daughters, fairer than the +Lady Dunya." Answered Taj al-Muluk, "O my father, I desire none other, for she +it is who wrought the gazelles which I saw, and there is no help but that I +have her; else I will flee into the world and the waste and I will slay myself +for her sake." Then said his father, "Have patience with me, till I send to her +sire and demand her in marriage, and win thee thy wish as I did for myself with +thy mother. Haply Allah will bring thee to thy desire; and, if her parent will +not consent, I will make his kingdom quake under him with an army, whose rear +shall be with me whilst its van shall be upon him." Then he sent for the youth +Aziz and asked him, "O my son, tell me dost thou know the way to the Camphor +Islands?" He answered "Yes"; and the King said, "I desire of thee that thou +fare with my Wazir thither." Replied Aziz, "I hear and I obey, O King of the +Age!"; where upon the King summoned his Minister and said to him, "Devise me +some device, whereby my son's affair may be rightly managed and fare thou forth +to the Camphor Islands and demand of their King his daughter in marriage for my +son, Taj al-Muluk." The Wazir replied, "Hearkening and obedience." Then Taj +al-Muluk returned to his dwelling place and his love and longing redoubled and +the delay seemed endless to him; and when the night darkened around him, he +wept and sighed and complained and repeated this poetry, +</p> + +<p> +"Dark falls the night: my tears unaided rail * And fiercest<br/> + + flames of love my heart assail:<br/> + +Ask thou the nights of me, and they shall tell * An I find aught<br/> + + to do but weep and wail:<br/> + +Night long awake, I watch the stars what while * Pour down my<br/> + + cheeks the tears like dropping hail:<br/> + +And lone and lorn I'm grown with none to aid; * For kith and kin<br/> + + the love lost lover fail."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he had ended his reciting he swooned away and did not recover his +senses till the morning, at which time there came to him one of his father's +eunuchs and, standing at his head, summoned him to the King's presence. So he +went with him and his father, seeing that his pallor had increased, exhorted +him to patience and promised him union with her he loved. Then he equipped +Aziz and the Wazir and supplied them with presents; and they set out and fared +on day and night till they drew near the Isles of Camphor, where they halted on +the banks of a stream, and the Minister despatched a messenger to acquaint the +King of his arrival. The messenger hurried forwards and had not been gone more +than an hour, before they saw the King's Chamberlains and Emirs advancing +towards them, to meet them at a parasang's distance from the city and escort +them into the royal presence. They laid their gifts before the King and became +his guests for three days. And on the fourth day the Wazir rose and going in +to the King, stood between his hands and acquainted him with the object which +induced his visit; whereat he was perplexed for an answer inasmuch as his +daughter misliked men and disliked marriage. So he bowed his head groundwards +awhile, then raised it and calling one of his eunuchs, said to him, "Go to thy +mistress, the Lady Dunya, and repeat to her what thou hast heard and the +purport of this Wazir's coming." So the eunuch went forth and returning after a +time, said to the King, "O King of the Age, when I went in to the Lady Dunya +and told her what I had heard, she was wroth with exceeding wrath and rose at +me with a staff designing to break my head; so I fled from her, and she said to +me 'If my Father force me to wed him, whomsoever I wed I will slay.' Then said +her sire to the Wazir and Aziz, "Ye have heard, and now ye know all! So let +your King wot of it and give him my salutations and say that my daughter +misliketh men and disliketh marriage."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-first Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Shahriman thus +addressed the Wazir and Aziz, "Salute your King from me and inform him of what +ye have heard, namely that my daughter misliketh marriage." So they turned away +unsuccessful and ceased not faring on till they rejoined the King and told him +what had passed; whereupon he commanded the chief officers to summon the troops +and get them ready for marching and campaigning. But the Wazir said to him, "O +my liege Lord, do not thus: the King is not at fault because, when his daughter +learnt our business, she sent a message saying, 'If my father force me to wed, +whomsoever I wed I will slay and myself after him.' So the refusal cometh from +her." When the King heard his Minister's words he feared for Taj al-Muluk and +said, "Verily if I make war on the King of the Camphor Islands and carry off +his daughter, she will kill herself and it will avail me naught." Then he told +his son how the case stood, who hearing it said, "O my father, I cannot live +without her; so I will go to her and contrive to get at her, even though I die +in the attempt, and this only will I do and nothing else." Asked his father, +"How wilt thou go to her?" and he answered, "I will go in the guise of a +merchant."[FN#11] Then said the King, "If thou need must go and there is no +help for it, take with thee the Wazir and Aziz." Then he brought out money from +his treasuries and made ready for his son merchandise to the value of an +hundred thousand dinars. The two had settled upon this action; and when the +dark hours came Taj al-Muluk and Aziz went to Aziz's lodgings and there passed +that night, and the Prince was heart smitten, taking no pleasure in food or in +sleep; for melancholy was heavy upon him and he was agitated with longing for +his beloved. So he besought the Creator that he would vouch safe to unite him +with her and he wept and groaned and wailed and began versifying, +</p> + +<p> +"Union, this severance ended, shall I see some day? * Then shall<br/> + + my tears this love lorn lot of me portray.<br/> + +While night all care forgets I only minded thee, * And thou didst<br/> + + gar me wake while all forgetful lay."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when his improvising came to an end, he wept with sore weeping and Aziz +wept with him, for that he remembered his cousin; and they both ceased not to +shed tears till morning dawned, whereupon Taj al-Muluk rose and went to +farewell his mother, in travelling dress. She asked him of his case and he +repeated the story to her; so she gave him fifty thousand gold pieces and bade +him adieu; and, as he fared forth, she put up prayers for his safety and for +his union with his lover and his friends. Then he betook himself to his father +and asked his leave to depart. The King granted him permission and, presenting +him with other fifty thousand dinars, bade set up a tent for him without the +city and they pitched a pavilion wherein the travellers abode two days. Then +all set out on their journey. Now Taj al-Muluk delighted in the company of Aziz +and said to him, "O my brother, henceforth I can never part from thee." Replied +Aziz, "And I am of like mind and fain would I die under thy feet: but, O my +brother, my heart is concerned for my mother." "When we shall have won our +wish," said the Prince, "there will be naught save what is well!" Now the Wazir +continued charging Taj al-Muluk to be patient, whilst Aziz entertained him +every evening with talk and recited poetry to him and diverted him with +histories and anecdotes. And so they fared on diligently night and day for two +whole months, till the way became tedious to Taj al-Muluk and the fire of +desire redoubled on him; and he broke out, +</p> + +<p> +"The road is lonesome; grow my grief and need, * While on my<br/> + + breast love fires for ever feed:<br/> + +Goal of my hopes, sole object of my wish! * By him who moulded<br/> + + man from drop o' seed,<br/> + +I bear such loads of longing for thy love, * Dearest, as weight<br/> + + of al Shumm Mounts exceed:<br/> + +O 'Lady of my World'[FN#12] Love does me die; * No breath of life<br/> + + is left for life to plead;<br/> + +But for the union hope that lends me strength, * My weary limbs<br/> + + were weak this way to speed."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When he had finished his verses, he wept (and Aziz wept with him) from a +wounded heart, till the Minister was moved to pity by their tears and said, "O +my lord, be of good cheer and keep thine eyes clear of tears; there will be +naught save what is well!" Quoth Taj al-Muluk, "O Wazir, indeed I am weary of +the length of the way. Tell me how far we are yet distant from the city." +Quoth Aziz, "But a little way remaineth to us." Then they continued their +journey, cutting across river vales and plains, words and stony wastes, till +one night, as Taj al-Muluk was sleeping, he dreamt that his beloved was with +him and that he embraced her and pressed her to his bosom; and he awoke +quivering, shivering with pain, delirious with emotion, and improvised these +verses, +</p> + +<p> +"Dear friend, my tears aye flow these cheeks adown, *<br/> + + With longsome pain and pine, my sorrow's crown:<br/> + +I plain like keening woman child bereft, *<br/> + + And as night falls like widow dove I groan:<br/> + +An blow the breeze from land where thou cost wone, *<br/> + + I find o'er sunburnt earth sweet coolness blown.<br/> + +Peace be wi' thee, my love, while zephyr breathes, *<br/> + + And cushat flies and turtle makes her moan."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he had ended his versifying, the Wazir came to him and said, "Rejoice; +this is a good sign: so be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, +for thou shalt surely compass thy desire." And Aziz also came to him and +exhorted him to patience and applied himself to divert him, talking with him +and telling him tales. So they pressed on, marching day and night, other two +months, till there appeared to them one day at sunrise some white thing in the +distance and Taj al-Muluk said to Aziz, "What is yonder whiteness?" He replied, +"O my lord! yonder is the Castle of Crystal and that is the city thou +seekest." At this the Prince rejoiced, and they ceased not faring forwards till +they drew near the city and, as they approached it, Taj al-Muluk joyed with +exceeding joy, and his care ceased from him. They entered in trader guise, the +King's son being habited as a merchant of importance; and repaired to a great +Khan, known as the Merchants' Lodging. Quoth Taj al-Muluk to Aziz, "Is this +the resort of the merchants?"; and quoth he, "Yes; 'tis the Khan wherein I +lodged before." So they alighted there and making their baggage camels kneel, +unloaded them and stored their goods in the warehouses.[FN#13] They abode four +days for rest; when the Wazir advised that they should hire a large house. To +this they assented and they found them a spacious house, fitted up for +festivities, where they took up their abode, and the Wazir and Aziz studied to +devise some device for Taj al-Muluk, who remained in a state of perplexity, +knowing not what to do. Now the Minister could think of nothing but that he +should set up as a merchant on 'Change and in the market of fine stuffs; so he +turned to the Prince and his companion and said to them, "Know ye that if we +tarry here on this wise, assuredly we shall not win our wish nor attain our +aim; but a something occurred to me whereby (if Allah please!) we shall find +our advantage." Replied Taj al-Muluk and Aziz, "Do what seemeth good to thee, +indeed there is a blessing on the grey beard; more specially on those who, like +thyself, are conversant with the conduct of affairs: so tell us what occurreth +to thy mind." Rejoined the Wazir "It is my counsel that we hire thee a shop in +the stuff bazar, where thou mayst sit to sell and buy. Every one, great and +small, hath need of silken stuffs and other cloths; so if thou patiently abide +in thy shop, thine affairs will prosper, Inshallah! more by token as thou art +comely of aspect. Make, however, Aziz thy factor and set him within the shop, +to hand thee the pieces of cloth and stuffs." When Taj al-Muluk heard these +words, he said, 'This rede is right and a right pleasant recking." So he took +out a handsome suit of merchant's weed, and, putting it on, set out for the +bazar, followed by his servants, to one of whom he had given a thousand dinars, +wherewith to fit up the shop. They ceased not walking till they came to the +stuff market, and when the merchants saw Taj al-Muluk's beauty and grace, they +were confounded and went about saying, "Of a truth Rizwán[FN#14] hath opened +the gates of Paradise and left them unguarded, so that this youth of passing +comeliness hath come forth." And others, "Peradventure this is one of the +angels." Now when they went in among the traders they asked for the shop of the +Overseer of the market and the merchants directed them thereto. So they +delayed not to repair thither and to salute him, and he and those who were with +him rose to them and seated them and made much of them, because of the Wazir, +whom they saw to be a man in years and of reverend aspect; and viewing the +youths Aziz and Taj al-Muluk in his company, they said to one another, +"Doubtless our Shaykh is the father of these two youths." Then quoth the Wazir, +"Who among you is the Overseer of the market?" "This is he," replied they; and +behold, he came forward and the Wazir observed him narrowly and saw him to be +an old man of grave and dignified carriage, with eunuchs and servants and black +slaves. The Syndic greeted them with the greeting of friends and was lavish in +his attentions to them: then he seated them by his side and asked them, "Have +ye any business which we[FN#15] may have the happiness of transacting?" The +Minister answered, "Yes; I am an old man, stricken in years, and have with me +these two youths, with whom I have travelled through every town and country, +entering no great city without tarrying there a full year, that they might take +their pleasure in viewing it and come to know its citizens. Now I have visited +your town intending to sojourn here for a while; so I want of thee a handsome +shop in the best situation, wherein I may establish them, that they may traffic +and learn to buy and sell and give and take, whilst they divert themselves with +the sight of the place, and be come familiar with the usages of its people." +Quoth the Overseer, "There is no harm in that;" and, looking at the two youths, +he was delighted with them and affected them with a warm affection. Now he was +a great connoisseur of bewitching glances, preferring the love of boys to that +of girls and inclining to the sour rather than the sweet of love. So he said +to himself, "This, indeed, is fine game. Glory be to Him who created and +fashioned them out of vile water!"[FN#16] and rising stood before them like a +servant to do them honour. Then he went out and made ready for them a shop +which was in the very midst of the Exchange; nor was there any larger or better +in the bazar, for it was spacious and handsomely decorated and fitted with +shelves of ivory and ebony wood. After this he delivered the keys to the +Wazir, who was dressed as an old merchant, saying, "Take them, O my lord, and +Allah make it a blessed abiding place to thy two sons!" The Minister took the +keys and the three returning to the Khan where they had alighted, bade the +servants transport to the shop all their goods and stuffs.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-second Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir took the +shop keys, he went accompanied by Taj al-Muluk and Aziz to the Khan, and they +bade the servants transport to the shop all their goods and stuffs and +valuables of which they had great store worth treasures of money. And when all +this was duly done, they went to the shop and ordered their stock in trade and +slept there that night. As soon as morning morrowed the Wazir took the two +young men to the Hammam bath where they washed them clean; and they donned rich +dresses and scented themselves with essences and enjoyed themselves to the +utmost. Now each of the youths was passing fair to look upon, and in the bath +they were even as saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> +"Luck to the Rubber, whose deft hand o'erdies *<br/> + + A frame begotten twixt the lymph and light:[FN#17]<br/> + +He shows the thaumaturgy of his craft, *<br/> + + And gathers musk in form of camphor dight."[FN#18]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +After bathing they left; and, when the Overseer heard that they had gone to the +Hammam, he sat down to await the twain, and presently they came up to him like +two gazelles; their cheeks were reddened by the bath and their eyes were darker +than ever; their faces shone and they were as two lustrous moons or two +branches fruit laden. Now when he saw them he rose forthright and said to +them, "O my sons, may your bath profit you always!"[FN#19] Where upon Taj +al-Muluk replied, with the sweetest of speech, "Allah be bountiful to thee, O +my father; why didst thou not come with us and bathe in our company?" Then they +both bent over his right hand and kissed it and walked before him to the shop, +to entreat him honourably and show their respect for him, for that he was Chief +of the Merchants and the market, and he had done them kindness in giving them +the shop. When he saw their hips quivering as they moved, desire and longing +redoubled on him; and he puffed and snorted and he devoured them with his eyes, +for he could not contain himself, repeating the while these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Here the heart reads a chapter of devotion pure; *<br/> + + Nor reads dispute if Heaven in worship partner take:<br/> + +No wonder 'tis he trembles walking 'neath such weight! *<br/> + + How much of movement that revolving sphere must<br/> + + make.[FN#20]"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Furthermore he said, +</p> + +<p> +"I saw two charmers treading humble earth. *<br/> + + Two I must love an tread they on mine eyes."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When they heard this, they conjured him to enter the bath with them a second +time. He could hardly believe his ears and hastening thither, went in with +them. The Wazir had not yet left the bath; so when he heard of the Overseer's +coming, he came out and meeting him in the middle of the bath hall invited him +to enter. He refused, whereupon Taj al-Muluk taking him by the hand walked on +one side and Aziz by the other, and carried him into a cabinet; and that impure +old man submitted to them, whilst his emotion increased on him. He would have +refused, albeit this was what he desired; but the Minister said to him, "They +are thy sons; let them wash thee and cleanse thee." "Allah preserve them to +thee!" exclaimed the Overseer, "By Allah your coming and the coming of those +with you bring down blessing and good luck upon our city!" And he repeated +these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Thou camest and green grew the hills anew; *<br/> + + And sweetest bloom to the bridegroom threw,<br/> + +While aloud cried Earth and her earth-borns too *<br/> + + 'Hail and welcome who comest with grace to endue.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +They thanked him for this, and Taj al-Muluk ceased not to wash him and to pour +water over him and he thought his soul in Paradise. When they had made an end +of his service, he blessed them and sat by the side of the Wazir, talking but +gazing the while on the youths. Presently, the servants brought them towels, +and they dried themselves and donned their dress. Then they went out, and the +Minister turned to the Syndic and said to him, "O my lord! verily the bath is +the Paradise[FN#21] of this world." Replied the Overseer, "Allah vouchsafe to +thee such Paradise, and health to thy sons and guard them from the evil eye! +Do ye remember aught that the eloquent have said in praise of the bath.?" Quoth +Taj al-Muluk, "I will repeat for thee a pair of couplets;" and he recited, +</p> + +<p> +The life of the bath is the joy of man's life,[FN#22] *<br/> + + Save that time is short for us there to bide:<br/> + +A Heaven where irksome it were to stay; *<br/> + + A Hell, delightful at entering-tide."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When he ended his recital, quoth Aziz, "And I also remember two couplets in +praise of the bath." The Overseer said, "Let me hear them," so he repeated the +following, +</p> + +<p> +"A house where flowers from stones of granite grow, *<br/> + + Seen at its best when hot with living lows:<br/> + +Thou deem'st it Hell but here, forsooth, is Heaven, *<br/> + + And some like suns and moons within it show."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he had ended his recital, his verses pleased the Overseer and he +wondered at his words and savoured their grace and fecundity and said to them, +"By Allah, ye possess both beauty and eloquence. But now listen to me, you +twain!" And he began chanting, and recited in song the following verses, +</p> + +<p> +"O joy of Hell and Heaven! whose tormentry *<br/> + + Enquickens frame and soul with lively gree:<br/> + +I marvel so delightsome house to view, *<br/> + + And most when 'neath it kindled fires I see:<br/> + +Sojourn of bliss to visitors, withal *<br/> + + Pools on them pour down tears unceasingly."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then his eye-sight roamed and browsed on the gardens of their beauty and he +repeated these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"I went to the house of the keeper-man; *<br/> + + He was out, but others to smile began:<br/> + +I entered his Heaven[FN#23] and then his Hell;[FN#24] *<br/> + + And I said 'Bless Málik[FN#25] and bless Rizwán.' "[FN#26]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When they heard these verses they were charmed, and the Over seer invited them +to his house; but they declined and returned to their own place, to rest from +the great heat of the bath. So they took their ease there and ate and drank +and passed that night in perfect solace and satisfaction, till morning dawned, +when they arose from sleep and making their lesser ablution, prayed the dawn- +prayer and drank the morning draught.[FN#27] As soon as the sun had risen and +the shops and markets opened, they arose and going forth from their place to +the bazar opened their shop, which their servants had already furnished, after +the handsomest fashion, and had spread with prayer rugs and silken carpets and +had placed on the divans a pair of mattresses, each worth an hundred dinars. +On every mattress they had disposed a rug of skin fit for a King and edged with +a fringe of gold; and a-middlemost the shop stood a third seat still richer, +even as the place required. Then Taj al-Muluk sat down on one divan, and Aziz +on another, whilst the Wazir seated himself on that in the centre, and the +servants stood before them. The city people soon heard of them and crowded +about them, so that they sold some of their goods and not a few of their +stuffs; for Taj al-Muluk's beauty and loveliness had become the talk of the +town. Thus they passed a trifle of time, and every day the people flocked to +them and pressed upon them more and more, till the Wazir, after exhorting Taj +al-Muluk to keep his secret, commended him to the care of Aziz and went home, +that he might commune with himself alone and cast about for some contrivance +which might profit them. Meanwhile, the two young men sat talking and Taj +al-Muluk said to Aziz, "Haply some one will come from the Lady Dunya." So he +ceased not expecting this chance days and nights, but his heart was troubled +and he knew neither sleep nor rest; for desire had got the mastery of him, and +love and longing were sore upon him, so that he renounced the solace of sleep +and abstained from meat and drink; yet ceased he not to be like the moon on the +night of fullness. Now one day as he sat in the shop, behold, there came up an +ancient woman.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-third Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Dandan +continued to Zau al-Makan: Now one day as Taj al-Muluk sat in his shop, behold, +there appeared an ancient woman, who came up to him followed by two slave +girls. She ceased not advancing till she stood before the shop of Taj al-Muluk +and, observing his symmetry and beauty and loveliness, marvelled at his charms +and sweated in her petticoat trousers, exclaiming, "Glory to Him who created +thee out of vile water, and made thee a temptation to all beholders!" And she +fixed her eyes on him and said, "This is not a mortal, he is none other than an +angel deserving the highest respect."[FN#28] Then she drew near and saluted +him, whereupon he returned her salute and rose to his feet to receive her and +smiled in her face (all this by a hint from Aziz); after which he made her sit +down by his side and fanned her with a fan, till she was rested and refreshed. +Then she turned to Taj al-Muluk and said, "O my son! O thou who art perfect in +bodily gifts and spiritual graces; say me, art thou of this country?" He +replied, in voice the sweetest and in tone the pleasantest, "By Allah, O my +mistress, I was never in this land during my life till this time, nor do I +abide here save by way of diversion." Rejoined she, "May the Granter grant thee +all honour and prosperity! And what stuffs hast thou brought with thee? Show +me something passing fine; for the beauteous should bring nothing but what is +beautiful." When he heard her words, his heart fluttered and he knew not their +inner meaning; but Aziz made a sign to him and he replied, "I have everything +thou canst desire and especially I have goods that besit none but Kings and +King's daughters; so tell me what stuff thou wantest and for whom, that I may +show thee what will be fitting for him." This he said, that he might learn the +meaning of her words; and she rejoined, "I want a stuff fit for the Princess +Dunya, daughter of King Shahriman." Now when the Prince heard the name of his +beloved, he joyed with great joy and said to Aziz, "Give me such a parcel." So +Aziz brought it and opened it before Taj al-Muluk who said to the old woman, +"Select what will suit her; for these goods are to be found only with me." She +chose stuffs worth a thousand dinars and asked, "How much is this?"; and she +ceased not the while to talk with him and rub what was inside her thighs with +the palm of her hand. Answered Taj al-Muluk, "Shall I haggle with the like of +thee about this paltry price? Praised be Allah who hath acquainted me with +thee!" The old woman rejoined, "Allah's name be upon thee! I commend thy +beautiful face to the protection of the Lord of the Daybreak.[FN#29] Beautiful +face and eloquent speech! Happy she who lieth in thy bosom and claspeth thy +waist in her arms and enjoyeth thy youth, especially if she be beautiful and +lovely like thyself!" At this, Taj al-Muluk laughed till he fell on his back +and said to himself, "O Thou who fulfillest desires human by means of pimping +old women! They are the true fulfillers of desires!" Then she asked, "O my +son, what is thy name?" and he answered, "My name is Taj al-Muluk, the Crown of +Kings." Quoth she, "This is indeed a name of Kings and King's sons and thou art +clad in merchant's clothes." Quoth Aziz, "for the love his parents and family +bore him and for the value they set on him, they named him thus." Replied the +old woman, "Thou sayest sooth, Allah guard you both from the evil eye and the +envious, though hearts be broken by your charms!" Then she took the stuffs and +went her way; but she was amazed at his beauty and stature and symmetry, and +she ceased not going till she found the Lady Dunya and said to her, "O my +mistress! I have brought thee some handsome stuffs." Quoth the Princess, "Show +me that same"; and the old woman, "O apple of my eye, here it is, turn it over +and examine it." Now when the Princess looked at it she was amazed and said, "O +my nurse, this is indeed handsome stuff: I have never seen its like in our +city." "O my lady," replied the old nurse, "he who sold it me is handsomer +still. It would seem as if Rizwan had left the gates of Paradise open in his +carelessness, and as if the youth who sold me this stuff had come bodily out of +Heaven. I would he might sleep this night with thee and might lie between thy +breasts.[FN#30] He hath come to thy city with these precious stuffs for +amusement's sake, and he is a temptation to all who set eyes on him." The +Princess laughed at her words and said, "Allah afflict thee, O pernicious old +hag! Thou dotest and there is no sense left in thee." Presently, she resumed, +"Give me the stuff that I may look at it anew." So she gave it her and she took +it again and saw that its size was small and its value great. It pleased her, +for she had never in her life seen its like, and she exclaimed, "By Allah, this +is a handsome stuff!" Answered the old woman, "O my lady, by Allah! if thou +sawest its owner thou wouldst know him for the handsomest man on the face of +the earth." Quoth the Lady Dunya, "Didst thou ask him if he had any need, that +he might tell us and we might satisfy it?" But the nurse shook her head and +said, "The Lord keep thy sagacity! By Allah, he hath a want, may thy skill not +fail thee. What! is any man free from wants?" Rejoined the Princess, "Go back +to him and salute him and say to him, 'Our land and town are honoured by thy +visit and, if thou have any need, we will fulfil it to thee, on our head and +eyes.' " So the old woman at once returned to Taj al-Muluk, and when he saw +her his heart jumped for joy and gladness and he rose to his feet before her +and, taking her hand, seated her by his side. As soon as she was rested, she +told him what Princess Dunya had said; and he on hearing it joyed with +exceeding joy; his breast dilated to the full; gladness entered his heart and +he said to himself, "Verily, I have my need." Then he asked the old woman, +"Haply thou wilt take her a message from me and bring me her answer?"; and she +answered, "I hear and I obey." So he said to Aziz, "Bring me ink-case and paper +and a brazen pen." And when Aziz brought him what he sought, he hent the pen in +hand and wrote these lines of poetry, +</p> + +<p> +"I write to thee, O fondest hope! a writ *<br/> + + Of grief that severance on my soul cloth lay:<br/> + +Saith its first line, 'Within my heart is [owe!' *<br/> + + Its second, 'Love and Longing on me prey!'<br/> + +Its third, 'My patience waste is, fades my life!' *<br/> + + Its fourth, 'Naught shall my pain and pine allay!'<br/> + +Its fifth, 'When shall mine eyes enjoy thy sight?' *<br/> + + Its sixth, 'Say, when shall dawn our meeting-day?' "<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And, lastly, by way of subscription he wrote these words. "This letter is from +the captive of captivation * prisoned in the hold of longing expectation * +wherefrom is no emancipation * but in anticipation and intercourse and in +unification * after absence and separation. * For from the severance of friends +he loveth so fain * he suffereth love pangs and pining pain. *" Then his tears +rushed out, and he indited these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"I write thee, love, the while my tears pour down; *<br/> + + Nor cease they ever pouring thick and fleet:<br/> + +Yet I despair not of my God, whose grace *<br/> + + Haply some day will grant us twain to meet."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he folded the letter[FN#31] and sealed it with his signet ring and gave it +to the old woman, saying, "Carry it to the Lady Dunya." Quoth she, "To hear is +to obey;" whereupon he gave her a thousand dinars and said to her, "O my +mother! accept this gift from me as a token of my affection." She took both +from him and blessed him and went her way and never stinted walking till she +went in to the Lady Dunya. Now when the Princess saw her she said to her, "O +my nurse, what is it he asketh of need that we may fulfil his wish to him?" +Replied the old woman, "O my lady, he sendeth thee this letter by me, and I +know not what is in it;" and handed it to her. Then the Princess took the +letter and read it; and when she understood it, she exclaimed, "Whence cometh +and whither goeth this merchant man that he durst address such a letter to me?" +And she slapt her face saying, "'Whence are we that we should come to +shopkeeping? Awah! Awah! By the lord, but that I fear Almighty Allah I had +slain him;" and she added, "Yea, I had crucified[FN#32] him over his shop +door!" Asked the old woman, "What is in this letter to vex thy heart and move +thy wrath on this wise? Doth it contain a complaint of oppression or demand +for the price of the stuff?" Answered the Princess, "Woe to thee! There is +none of this in it, naught but words of love and endearment. This is all +through thee: otherwise whence should this Satan[FN#33] know me?" Rejoined the +old woman, "o my lady, thou sittest in thy high palace and none may have access +to thee; no, not even the birds of the air. Allah keep thee, and keep thy +youth from blame and reproach! Thou needest not care for the barking of dogs, +for thou art a Princess, the daughter of a King. Be not wroth with me that I +brought thee this letter, knowing not what was in it; but I opine that thou +send him an answer and threaten him with death and forbid him this foolish +talk; surely he will abstain and not do the like again." Quoth the Lady Dunya, +"I fear that, if I write to him, he will desire me the more." The old woman +returned "When he heareth thy threats and promise of punishment, he will desist +from his persistence." She cried, "Here with the ink case and paper and brazen +pen;" and when they brought them she wrote these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"O thou who for thy wakeful nights wouldst claim my love<br/> + + to boon, * For what of pining thou must feel and<br/> + + tribulation!<br/> + +Dost thou, fond fool and proud of sprite, seek meeting with the<br/> + + Moon? * Say, did man ever win his wish to take in arms the<br/> + + Moon?<br/> + +I counsel thee, from soul cast out the wish that dwells<br/> + + therein, * And cut that short which threatens thee with<br/> + + sore risk oversoon:<br/> + +An to such talk thou dare return, I bid thee to expect *<br/> + + Fro' me such awful penalty as suiteth froward loon:<br/> + +I swear by Him who moulded man from gout of clotted<br/> + + blood,[FN#34] * Who lit the Sun to shine by day and lit<br/> + + for night the moon,<br/> + +An thou return to mention that thou spakest in thy pride, *<br/> + + Upon a cross of tree for boon I'll have thee crucified!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then she folded the letter and handing it to the old woman said, "Give him this +and say him, 'Cease from this talk!' " "Hearkening and obedience," replied she, +and taking the letter with joy, returned to her own house, where she passed the +night; and when morning dawned she betook herself to the shop of Taj al-Muluk +whom she found expecting her. When he saw her, he was ready to fly[FN#35] for +delight, and when she came up to him, he stood to her on his feet and seated +her by his side. Then she brought out the letter and gave it to him, saying, +"Read what is in this;" adding "When Princess Dunya read thy letter she was +angry; but I coaxed her and jested with her till I made her laugh, and she had +pity on thee and she hath returned thee an answer." He thanked her for her +kindness and bade Aziz give her a thousand gold pieces: then he perused the +letter and understanding it fell to weeping a weeping so sore that the old +woman's heart was moved to ruth for him, and his tears and complaints were +grievous to her. Presently she asked him, "O my son, what is there in this +letter to make thee weep?" Answered he, "She hath threatened me with death and +crucifixion and she forbiddeth me to write to her, but if I write not my death +were better than my life. So take thou my answer to the letter and let her +work her will." Rejoined the old woman, "By the life of thy youth, needs must I +risk my existence for thee, that I may bring thee to thy desire and help thee +to win what thou hast at heart!" And Taj al-Muluk said, "Whatever thou dost, I +will requite thee for it and do thou weigh it in the scales of thy judgement, +for thou art experienced in managing matters, and skilled in reading the +chapters of the book of intrigue: all hard matters to thee are easy doings; and +Allah can bring about everything." Then he took a sheet of paper and wrote +thereon these improvised couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Yestre'en my love with slaughter menaced me, *<br/> + + But sweet were slaughter and Death's foreordainčd:<br/> + +Yes, Death is sweet for lover doomed to bear *<br/> + + Long life, rejected, injured and constrainčd:<br/> + +By Allah! deign to visit friendless friend! *<br/> + + Thy thrall am I and like a thrall I'm chainčd:<br/> + +Mercy, O lady mine, for loving thee! *<br/> + + Who loveth noble soul should be assainčd."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he sighed heavy sighs and wept till the old woman wept also and presently +taking the letter she said to him, "Be of good cheer and cool eyes and clear; +for needs must I bring thee to thy wish."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Taj al-Muluk wept +the old woman said to him, "Be of good cheer and cool eyes and clear; for needs +must I bring thee to thy wish." Then she rose and left him on coals of fire; +and returned to Princess Dunya, whom she found still showing on her changed +face rage at Taj al-Muluk's letter. So she gave her his second letter, whereat +her wrath redoubled and she said, "Did I not say he would desire us the more?" +Replied the old woman, "What thing is this dog that he should aspire to thee?" +Quoth the Princess, "Go back to him and tell him that, if he write me after +this, I will cut off his head." Quoth the nurse, "Write these words in a letter +and I will take it to him that his fear may be the greater." So she took a +sheet of paper and wrote thereon these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Ho thou, who past and bygone risks regardest with uncare! *<br/> + + Thou who to win thy meeting prize dost overslowly fare!<br/> + +In pride of spirit thinkest thou to win the star Soha[FN#36]? *<br/> + + Albe thou may not reach the Moon which shines through<br/> + + upper air?<br/> + +How darest thou expect to win my favours, hope to clip *<br/> + + Upon a lover's burning breast my lance like shape and rare?<br/> + +Leave this thy purpose lest my wrath come down on thee some<br/> + + day, * A day of wrath shall hoary turn the partings of<br/> + + thy hair!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then she folded the letter and gave it to the old woman, who took it and +repaired to Taj al-Muluk. And when he saw her, he rose to his feet and +exclaimed, "May Allah never bereave me of the blessing of thy coming!" Quoth +she, "Take the answer to thy letter." He took it and reading it, wept with sore +weeping and said, "I long for some one to slay me at this moment and send me to +my rest, for indeed death were easier to me than this my state!" Then he took +ink case and pen and paper and wrote a letter containing these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"O hope of me! pursue me not with rigour and disdain: *<br/> + + Deign thou to visit lover wight in love of thee is drowned;<br/> + +Deem not a life so deeply wronged I longer will endure; * My soul<br/> + + for severance from my friend divorced this frame unsound."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Lastly he folded the letter and handed it to the old woman, saying, "Be not +angry with me, though I have wearied thee to no purpose." And he bade Aziz give +her other thousand ducats, saying, "O my mother, needs must this letter result +in perfect union or utter severance." Replied she, "O my son, by Allah, I +desire nought but thy weal; and it is my object that she be thine, for indeed +thou art the shining moon, and she the rising sun.[FN#37] If I do not bring you +together, there is no profit in my existence; and I have lived my life till I +have reached the age of ninety years in the practice of wile and intrigue; so +how should I fail to unite two lovers, though in defiance of right and law?" +Then she took leave of him having comforted his heart, and ceased not walking +till she went in to the Lady Dunya. Now she had hidden the letter in her hair: +so when she sat down by the Princess she rubbed her head and said, "O my lady, +maybe thou wilt untwist my hair knot, for it is a time since I went to the +Hammam." The King's daughter bared her arms to the elbows and, letting down the +old woman's locks, began to loose the knot of back hair; when out dropped the +letter and the Lady Dunya seeing it, asked, "What is this paper?" Quoth the +nurse, "As I sat in the merchant's shop, this paper must have stuck to me: give +it to me that I may return it to him; possibly it containeth some account +whereof he hath need." But the Princess opened it and read it and, when she +understood it, she cried out, "This is one of thy manifold tricks, and hadst +thou not reared me, I would lay violent hands on thee this moment! Verily +Allah hath afflicted me with this merchant: but all that hath befallen me with +him is on thy head. I know not from what country this one can have come: no +man but he would venture to affront me thus, and I fear lest this my case get +abroad, more by token as it concerneth one who is neither of my kin nor of my +peers." Rejoined the old woman "None would dare speak of this for fear of thy +wrath and for awe of thy sire; so there can be no harm in sending him an +answer." Quoth the Princess, "O my nurse, verily this one is a perfect Satan! +How durst he use such language to me and not dread the Sultan's rage. Indeed, +I am perplexed about his case: if I order him to be put to death, it were +unjust; and if I leave him alive his boldness will increase." Quoth the old +woman, "Come, write him a letter; it may be he will desist in dread." So she +called for paper and ink case and pen and wrote these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Thy folly drives thee on though long I chid, *<br/> + + Writing in verse: how long shall I forbid?<br/> + +For all forbiddal thou persistest more, *<br/> + + And my sole grace it is to keep it hid;<br/> + +Then hide thy love nor ever dare reveal, *<br/> + + For an thou speak, of thee I'll soon be rid<br/> + +If to thy silly speech thou turn anew, *<br/> + + Ravens shall croak for thee the wold amid:<br/> + +And Death shall come and beat thee down ere long, *<br/> + + Put out of sight and bury 'neath an earthen lid:<br/> + +Thy folk, fond fool! thou'lt leave for thee to mourn, *<br/> + + And through their lives to sorrow all forlorn."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then she folded the letter and committed it to the old woman, who took it and +returning to Taj al-Muluk, gave it to him. When he read it, he knew that the +Princess was hard hearted and that he should not win access to her; so he +complained of his case to the Wazir and besought his counsel. Quoth the +Minister, "Know thou that naught will profit thee save that thou write to her +and invoke the retribution of Heaven upon her." And quoth the Prince, "O my +brother, O Aziz, do thou write to her as if my tongue spake, according to thy +knowledge." So Aziz took a paper and wrote these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"By the Five Shaykhs,[FN#38] O Lord, I pray deliver me; *<br/> + + Let her for whom I suffer bear like misery:<br/> + +Thou knowest how I fry in flaming lowe of love, *<br/> + + While she I love hath naught of ruth or clemency:<br/> + +How long shall I, despite my pain, her feelings spare? *<br/> + + How long shall she wreak tyranny o'er weakling me?<br/> + +In pains of never ceasing death I ever grieve: *<br/> + + O Lord, deign aid; none other helping hand I see.<br/> + +How fain would I forget her and forget her love! *<br/> + + But how forget when Love garred Patience death to dree?<br/> + +O thou who hinderest Love to 'joy fair meeting tide *<br/> + + Say! art thou safe from Time and Fortune's jealousy?<br/> + +Art thou not glad and blest with happy life, while I *<br/> + + From folk and country for thy love am doomed flee?"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then Aziz folded the letter and gave it to Taj al-Muluk, who read it and was +pleased with it. So he handed it to the old woman, who took it and went in +with it to Princess Dunya. But when she read it and mastered the meaning +thereof, she was enraged with great rage and said, "All that hath befallen me +cometh by means of this ill omened old woman!" Then she cried out to the +damsels and eunuchs, saying, "Seize this old hag, this accursed trickstress and +beat her with your slippers!" So they came down upon her till she swooned away; +and, when she came to herself, the Princess said to her, "By the Lord! O +wicked old woman, did I not fear Almighty Allah, I would slay thee." Then quoth +she to them, "Beat her again" and they did so till she fainted a second time, +whereupon she bade them drag her forth and throw her outside the palace door. +So they dragged her along on her face and threw her down before the gate; but +as soon as she revived she got up from the ground and, walking and sitting by +turns, made her way home. There she passed the night till morning, when she +arose and went to Taj al-Muluk and told them all that had occurred. He was +distressed at this grievous news and said, "O my mother, hard indeed to us is +that which hath befallen thee, but all things are according to fate and man's +lot." Replied she, "Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for I +will not give over striving till I have brought thee and her together, and made +thee enjoy this wanton who hath burnt my skin with beating." Asked the Prince +"Tell me what caused her to hate men;" and the old woman answered, "It arose +from what she saw in a dream." "And what was this dream?" "'Twas this: one +night, as she lay asleep, she saw a fowler spread his net upon the ground and +scatter wheat grain round it. Then he sat down hard by, and not a bird in the +neighbourhood but flocked to his toils. Amongst the rest she beheld a pair of +pigeons, male and female; and, whilst she was watching the net, behold, the +male bird's foot caught in the meshes and he began to struggle; whereupon all +the other birds took fright and flew away. But presently his mate came back +and hovered over him, then alighted on the toils unobserved by the fowler, and +fell to pecking with her beak and pulling at the mesh in which the male bird's +foot was tangled, till she released the toes and they flew away together. Then +the fowler came up, mended his net and seated himself afar off. After an hour +or so the birds flew back and the female pigeon was caught in the net; +whereupon all the other birds took fright and scurried away; and the male +pigeon fled with the rest and did not return to his mate, but the fowler came +up and took the female pigeon and cut her throat. The Princess awoke, troubled +by her dream, and said, 'All males are like this pigeon, worthless creatures: +and men in general lack grace and goodness to women.'" When the old woman had +ended her story, the Prince said to her, "O my mother, I desire to have one +look at her, though it be my death; so do thou contrive me some contrivance for +seeing her." She replied, "Know then that she hath under her palace windows a +garden wherein she taketh her pleasure; and thither she resorteth once in every +month by the private door. After ten days, the time of her thus going forth to +divert herself will arrive; so when she is about to visit the garden, I will +come and tell thee, that thou mayst go thither and meet her. And look thou +leave not the garden, for haply, an she see thy beauty and Loveliness, her +heart will be taken with love of thee, and love is the most potent means of +union." He said, "I hear and obey;" whereupon he and Aziz arose and left the +shop and, taking the old woman with them, showed her the place where they +lodged. Then said Taj al- Muluk to Aziz, "O my brother, I have no need of the +shop now, having fulfilled my purpose of it; so I give it to thee with all that +is in it; for that thou hast come abroad with me and hast left thy native land +for my sake." Aziz accepted his gift and then they sat conversing, while the +Prince questioned him of the strange adventures which had befallen him, and his +companion acquainted him with the particulars thereof. Presently, they went to +the Wazir and, reporting to him Taj al-Muluk's purpose, asked him, "What is to +be done?" "Let us go to the garden," answered he. So each and every donned +richest clothes and went forth, followed by three white slaves to the garden, +which they found thick with thickets and railing its rills. When they saw the +keeper sitting at the gate, they saluted him with the Salam and he returned +their salute. Then the Wazir gave him an hundred gold pieces, saying, +"Prithee, take this small sum and fetch us somewhat to eat; for we are +strangers and I have with me these two lads whom I wish to divert."[FN#39] The +Gardener took the sequins and said to them, "Enter and amuse yourselves in the +garden, for it is all yours; and sit down till I bring you what food you +require." So he went to the market while the Wazir and Taj al-Muluk and Aziz +entered the garden. And shortly after leaving for the bazar the Gardener +returned with a roasted lamb and cotton white bread, which he placed before +them, and they ate and drank; thereupon he served up sweetmeats, and they ate +of them, and washed their hands and sat talking. Presently the Wazir said to +the garth keeper, "Tell me about this garden: is it thine or dost thou rent +it?" The Shaykh replied, "It doth not belong to me, but to our King's daughter, +the Princess Dunya." "What be thy monthly wages?" asked the Wazir and he +answered, "One diner and no more." Then the Minister looked round about the +garden and, seeing in its midst a pavilion tall and grand but old and disused, +said to the keeper, "O elder, I am minded to do here a good work, by which thou +shalt remember me. Replied the other, "O my lord, what is the good work thou +wouldest do?" "Take these three hundred diners," rejoined the Wazir When the +Keeper heard speak of the gold, he said, "O my lord, whatso thou wilt, do!" So +the Wazir gave him the monies, saying, "Inshallah, we will make a good work in +this place!" Then they left him and returned to their lodging, where they +passed the night; and when it was the next day, the Minister sent for a +plasterer and a painter and a skilful goldsmith and, furnishing them with all +the tools they wanted, carried them to the garden, where he bade them whitewash +the walls of the pavilion and decorate it with various kinds of paintings. +Moreover he sent for gold and lapis lazuli[FN#40] and said to the painter, +"Figure me on the wall, at the upper end of this hall, a man fowler with his +nets spread and birds falling into them and a female pigeon entangled in the +meshes by her bill." And when the painter had finished his picture on one side, +the Wazir said, "Figure me on the other side a similar figure and represent the +she pigeon alone in the snare and the fowler seizing her and setting the knife +to her neck; and draw on the third side wall, a great raptor clutching the male +pigeon, her mate, and digging talons into him." The artist did his bidding, and +when he and the others had finished the designs, they received their hire and +went away. Then the Wazir and his companions took leave of the Gardener and +returned to their place, where they sat down to converse. And Taj al-Muluk +said to Aziz, "O my brother, recite me some verses: perchance it may broaden my +breast and dispel my dolours and quench the fire flaming in my heart." So Aziz +chanted with sweet modulation these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Whate'er they say of grief to lovers came, *<br/> + + I, weakling I, can single handed claim:<br/> + +An seek thou watering spot,[FN#41] my streaming eyes *<br/> + + Pour floods that thirst would quench howe'er it flame<br/> + +Or wouldest view what ruin Love has wrought *<br/> + + With ruthless hands, then see this wasted frame."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And his eyes ran over with tears and he repeated these couplets also, +</p> + +<p> +"Who loves not swan-neck and gazelle-like eyes, *<br/> + + Yet claims to know Life's joys, I say he lies:<br/> + +In Love is mystery, none avail to learn *<br/> + + Save he who loveth in pure loving wise.<br/> + +Allah my heart ne'er lighten of this love, *<br/> + + Nor rob the wakefulness these eyelids prize."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he changed the mode of song and sang these couplets: +</p> + +<p> +"Ibn Síná[FN#42] in his Canon cloth opine *<br/> + + Lovers' best cure is found in merry song:<br/> + +In meeting lover of a like degree, *<br/> + + Dessert in garden, wine draughts long and strong:<br/> + +I chose another who of thee might cure *<br/> + + While Force and Fortune aided well and long<br/> + +But ah! I learnt Love's mortal ill, wherein *<br/> + + Ibn Sina's recipe is fond and wrong."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +After hearing them to the end, Taj al-Muluk was pleased with his verses and +wondered at his eloquence and the excellence of his recitation, saying, +"Indeed, thou hast done away with somewhat of my sorrow." Then quoth the Wazir +"Of a truth, there occurred to those of old what astoundeth those who hear it +told." Quoth the Prince, "If thou canst recall aught of this kind, prithee let +us hear thy subtle lines and keep up the talk." So the Minister chanted in +modulated song these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed I deemed thy favours might be bought *<br/> + + By gifts of gold and things that joy the sprite<br/> + +And ignorantly thought thee light-o'-love, *<br/> + + When can thy love lay low the highmost might;<br/> + +Until I saw thee choosing one, that one *<br/> + + Loved with all favour, crowned with all delight:<br/> + +Then wot I thou by sleight canst ne'er be won *<br/> + + And under wing my head I hid from sight<br/> + +And in this nest of passion made my wone, *<br/> + + Wherein I nestle morning, noon and night."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +So far concerning them; but as regards the old woman she remained shut up from +the world in her house, till it befel that the King's daughter was taken with a +desire to divert herself in the garden. Now she had never been wont so to do +save in company with her nurse; accordingly she sent for her and made friends +with her and soothed her sorrow, saying, "I wish to go forth to the garden, +that I may divert myself with the sight of its trees and Fruits, and broaden my +breast with the scent of its flowers." Replied the old woman, "I hear and obey; +but first I would go to my house, and soon I will be with thee." The Princess +rejoined, "Go home, but be not long absent from me." So the old woman left her +and, repairing to Taj al-Muluk, said to him, "Get thee ready and don thy +richest dress and go to the garden and find out the Gardener and salute him and +then hide thyself therein." "To hear is to obey" answered he; and she agreed +with him upon a signal, after which she returned to the Lady Dunya. As soon as +she was gone, the Wazir and Aziz rose and robed Taj al-Muluk in a splendid suit +of royal raiment worth five thousand diners, and girt his middle with a girdle +of gold set with gems and precious metals. Then they repaired to the garden +and found seated at the gate the Keeper who, as soon as he saw the Prince, +sprang to his feet and received him with all respect and reverence, and opening +the gate, said, "Enter and take thy pleasure in looking at the garden." Now the +Gardener knew not that the King's daughter was to visit the place that day; but +when Taj al-Muluk had been a little while there, he heard a hubbub and ere he +could think, out issued the eunuchs and damsels by the private wicket. The +Gardener seeing this came up to the Prince, informed him of her approach and +said to him, "O my lord, what is to be done? The Princess Dunya, the King's +daughter, is here." Replied the Prince, "Fear not, no harm shall befal thee; +for I will hide me somewhere about the garden." So the Keeper exhorted him to +the utmost prudence and went away. Presently the Princess entered the garden +with her damsels and with the old woman, who said to herself, "If these eunuchs +stay with us, we shall not attain our end." So quoth she to the King's +daughter, "O my lady, I have somewhat to tell thee which shall ease thy heart." +Quoth the Princess, "Say what thou hast to say." "O my lady, rejoined the old +woman, "thou hast no need of these eunuchs at a time like the present; nor wilt +thou be able to divert thyself at thine ease, whilst they are with us; so send +them away;" and the Lady Dunya replied, "Thou speakest sooth" Accordingly she +dismissed them and presently began to walk about, whilst Taj al-Muluk looked +upon her and fed his eyes on her beauty and loveliness (but she knew it not); +and every time he gazed at her he fainted by reason of her passing +charms.[FN#43] The old woman drew her on by converse till they reached the +pavilion which the Wazir had bidden be decorated, when the Princess entered and +cast a glance round and perceived the picture of the birds the fowler and the +pigeon; whereupon she cried, "Exalted be Allah! This is the very counterfeit +presentment of what I saw in my dream." She continued to gaze at the figures of +the birds and the fowler with his net, admiring the work, and presently she +said, "O my nurse, I have been wont to blame and hate men, but look now at the +fowler how he hath slaughtered the she bird who set free her mate; who was +minded to return to her and aid her to escape when the bird of prey met him and +tore him to pieces." Now the old woman feigned ignorance to her and ceased not +to occupy her in converse, till they drew near the place where Taj al-Muluk lay +hidden. Thereupon she signed to him to come out and walk under the windows of +the pavilion, and, as the Lady Dunya stood looking from the casement, behold, +her glance fell that way and she saw him and noting his beauty of face and +form, said to the old woman, "O my nurse, whence cometh yonder handsome youth?" +Replied the old woman, "I know nothing of him save that I think he must be some +great King's son, for he attaineth comeliness in excess and extreme +loveliness." And the Lady Dunya fell in love with him to distraction; the +spells which bound her were loosed and her reason was overcome by his beauty +and grace; and his fine stature and proportions strongly excited her desires +sexual. So she said, "O my nurse! this is indeed a handsome youth;" and the +old woman replied, "Thou sayest sooth, O my lady," and signed to Taj al-Muluk +to go home. And though desire and longing flamed in him and he was distraught +for love, yet he went away and took leave of the Gardener and returned to his +place, obeying the old woman and not daring to cross her. When he told the +Wazir and Aziz that she had signed him to depart, they exhorted him to +patience, saying, "Did not the ancient dame know that there was an object to be +gained by thy departure, she had not signalled thee to return home." Such was +the case with Taj al-Muluk, the Wazir and Aziz but as regards the King's +daughter, the Lady Dunya, desire and passion redoubled upon her; she was +overcome with love and longing and she said to her nurse, "I know not how I +shall manage a meeting with this youth, but through thee." Exclaimed the old +woman, "I take refuge with Allah from Satan the stoned! Thou who art averse +from men! How cometh it then that thou art thus afflicted with hope and fear +of this young man? Yet, by Allah, none is worthy of thy youth but he." Quoth +the Lady Dunya, "O my nurse, further my cause and help me to foregather with +him, and thou shalt have of me a thousand diners and a dress of honour worth as +much more: but if thou aid me not to come at him, I am a dead woman in very +sooth." Replied the ancient dame, "Go to thy palace and leave me to devise +means for bringing you twain together. I will throw away my life to content +you both!" So the Lady Dunya returned to her palace, and the old woman betook +herself to Taj al-Muluk who, when he saw her, rose to receive her and entreated +her with respect and reverence making her sit by his side. Then she said, "The +trick hath succeeded," and told him all that had passed between herself and the +Princess. He asked her, "When is our meeting to be?"; and she answered, +"Tomorrow." So he gave her a thousand diners and a dress of like value, and she +took them and stinted not walking till she returned to her mistress, who said +to her, "O my nurse! what news of the be loved?" Replied she, "I have learnt +where he liveth and will bring him to thee tomorrow." At this the Princess was +glad and gave her a thousand diners and a dress worth as much more, and she +took them and returned to her own place, where she passed the night till +morning. Then she went to Taj al-Muluk and dressing him in woman's clothes, +said to him, "Follow me and sway from side to side[FN#44] as thou steppest, and +hasten not thy pace nor take heed of any who speaketh to thee." And after thus +charging him she went out, and the Prince followed her in woman's attire and +she continued to charge and encourage him by the way, that he might not be +afraid; nor ceased they walking till they came to the Palace-gate. She entered +and the Prince after her, and she led him on, passing through doors and +vestibules, till they had passed seven doors.[FN#45] As they approached the +seventh, she said to him, "Hearten thy heart and when I call out to thee and +say, 'O damsel pass on!' do not slacken thy pace, but advance as if about to +run. When thou art in the vestibule, look to thy left and thou wilt see a +saloon with doors: count five doors and enter the sixth, for therein is thy +desire." Asked Taj al-Muluk, "And whither wilt thou go?"; and she answered, +"Nowhere shall I go except that perhaps I may drop behind thee, and the Chief +Eunuch may detain me to chat with him." She walked on (and he behind her) till +she reached the door where the Chief Eunuch was stationed and he, seeing Taj +al-Muluk with her dressed as a slave girl, said to the old woman, "What +business hath this girl with thee?" Replied she, "This is a slave girl of whom +the Lady Dunya hath heard that she is skilled in different kinds of work and +she hath a mind to buy her." Rejoined the Eunuch, "I know neither slave girls +nor anyone else; and none shall enter here without my searching according to +the King's commands."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Chamberlain Eunuch +cried to the old woman, "I know neither slave girl nor anyone else; and none +shall enter here without my searching him according to the King's commands." +Then quoth she, feigning to be angry, "I thought thee a man of sense and good +breeding; but, if thou be changed, I will let the Princess know of it and tell +her how thou hinderest her slave girl;" and she cried out to Taj al-Muluk, +saying, "Pass on, O damsel!" So he passed on into the vestibule as she bade +him, whilst the Eunuch was silent and said no more. The Prince counted five +doors and entered the sixth where he found the Princess Dunya standing and +awaiting him. As soon as she saw him, she knew him and clasped him to her +breast, and he clasped her to his bosom. Presently the old woman came in to +them, having made a pretext to dismiss the Princess's slave girls for fear of +disgrace; and the Lady Dunya said to her, "Be thou our door keeper!" So she and +Taj al- Muluk abode alone together and ceased not kissing and embracing and +twining leg with leg till dawn.[FN#46] When day drew near, she left him and, +shutting the door upon him, passed into another chamber, where she sat down as +was her wont, whilst her slave women came in to her, and she attended to their +affairs and conversed with them. Then she said to them, "Go forth from me now, +for I wish to amuse myself in privacy." So they withdrew and she betook herself +to Taj al-Muluk, and the old woman brought them food, of which they ate and +returned to amorous dalliance till dawn. Then the door was locked upon him as +on the day before; and they ceased not to do thus for a whole month. This is +how it fared with Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya; but as regards the Wazir and +Aziz when they found that the Prince had gone to the Palace of the King's +daughter and there delayed all the while, they concluded that he would never +return from it and that he was lost for ever; and Aziz said to the Wazir, "O my +father, what shall we do?" He replied, "O my son, this is a difficult matter, +and except we return to his sire and tell him, he will blame us therefor." So +they made ready at once and forthright set out for the Green Land and the +Country of the Two Columns, and sought Sulayman Shah's capital. And they +traversed the valleys night and day till they went in to the King, and +acquainted him with what had befallen his son and how from the time he entered +the Princess's Palace they had heard no news of him. At this the King was as +though the Day of Doom had dawned for him and regret was sore upon him, and he +proclaimed a Holy War[FN#47] throughout his realm. After which he sent forth +his host without the town and pitched tents for them and took up his abode in +his pavilion, whilst the levies came from all parts of the kingdom; for his +subjects loved him by reason of his great justice and beneficence. Then he +marched with an army walling the horizon, and departed in quest of his son. +Thus far concerning them; but as regards Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya the +two remained as they were half a year's time, whilst every day they redoubled +in mutual affection; and love and longing and passion and desire so pressed +upon Taj al Muluk, that at last he opened his mind and said to her, "Know, O +beloved of my heart and vitals, that the longer I abide with thee, the more +love and longing and passion and desire increase on me, for that I have not yet +fulfilled the whole of my wish." Asked she, "What then wouldst thou have, O +light of my eyes and fruit of my vitals? If thou desire aught beside kissing +and embracing and entwining of legs with legs, do what pleaseth thee; for, by +Allah, no partner hath any part in us."[FN#48] But he answered "It is not that +I wish: I would fain acquaint thee with my true story. Know, then, that I am +no merchant, nay, I am a King the son of a King, and my father's name is the +supreme King Sulayman Shah, who sent his Wazir ambassador to thy father, to +demand thee in marriage for me, but when the news came to thee thou wouldst not +consent." Then he told her his past from first to last, nor is there any avail +in a twice told tale, and he added, "And now I wish to return to my father, +that he may send an ambassador to thy sire, to demand thee in wedlock for me, +so we may be at ease." When she heard these words, she joyed with great joy +because it suited with her own wishes, and they passed the night on this +understanding. But it so befel by the decree of Destiny that sleep overcame +them that night above all nights and they remained till the sun had risen. Now +at this hour, King Shahriman was sitting on his cushion of estate, with his +Emirs and Grandees before him, when the Syndic of the goldsmiths presented +himself between his hands, carrying a large box. And he advanced and opening +it in presence of the King, brought out therefrom a casket of fine work worth +an hundred thousand diners, for that which was therein of precious stones, +rubies and emeralds beyond the competence of any sovereign on earth to procure. +When the King saw this, he marvelled at its beauty; and, turning to the Chief +Eunuch (him with whom the old woman had had to do), said to him, "O +Kafur,[FN#49] take this casket and wend with it to the Princess Dunya." The +Castrato took the casket and repairing to the apartment of the King's daughter +found the door shut and the old woman lying asleep on the threshold; whereupon +said he, "What! sleeping at this hour?" When the old woman heard the Eunuch's +voice she started from sleep and was terrified and said to him, "Wait till I +fetch the key." Then she went forth and fled for her life. Such was her case; +but as regards the Epicene he, seeing her alarm, lifted the door off its hinge +pins,[FN#50] and entering found the Lady Dunya with her arms round the neck of +Taj al-Muluk and both fast asleep. At this sight he was confounded and was +preparing to return to the King, when the Princess awoke, and seeing him, was +terrified and changed colour and waxed pale, and said to him, "O Kafur, veil +thou what Allah hath veiled!"[FN#51] But he replied, "I cannot conceal aught +from the King"; and, locking the door on them, returned to Shahriman, who asked +him, "Hast thou given the casket to the Princess?" Answered the Eunuch, "Take +the casket, here it is for I cannot conceal aught from thee. Know that I found +a handsome young man by the side of the Princess and they two asleep in one bed +and in mutual embrace." The King commanded them to be brought into the presence +and said to them, "What manner of thing is this?" and, being violently enraged, +seized a dagger and was about to strike Taj al-Muluk with it, when the Lady +Dunya threw herself upon him and said to her father, "Slay me before thou +slayest him." The King reviled her and commended her to be taken back to her +chamber: then he turned to Taj al-Muluk and said to him, "Woe to thee! whence +art thou? Who is thy father and what hath emboldened thee to debauch my +daughter?" Replied the Prince, "Know, O King, that if thou put me to death, +thou art a lost man, and thou and all in thy dominions will repent the deed." +Quoth the King, "How so?"; and quoth Taj al-Muluk "Know that I am the son of +King Sulayman Shah, and ere thou knowest it, he will be upon thee with his +horse and foot." When King Shahriman heard these words he would have deferred +killing Taj al-Muluk and would rather have put him in prison, till he should +look into the truth of his words; but his Wazir said to him, "O King of the +Age, it is my opinion that thou make haste to slay this gallows bird who dares +debauch the daughters of Kings." So the King cried to the headsman, "Strike off +his head; for he is a traitor." Accordingly, the herdsman took him and bound +him fast and raised his hand to the Emirs, signing to consult them, a first and +a second signal, thinking thereby to gain time in this matter;[FN#52] but the +King cried in anger to him, "How long wilt thou consult others? If thou +consult them again I will strike off thine own head.;' So the headsman raised +his hand till the hair of his armpit showed' and was about to smite his +neck,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the headsman raised his +hand to smite off his head when behold, loud cries arose and the folk closed +their shops; whereupon the King said to the headsman, "Wait awhile," and +despatched one to learn the news. The messenger fared forth and presently +returned and reported, "I saw an army like the dashing sea with its clashing +surge: and their horses curvetting till earth trembleth with the tramp; and I +know no more of them." When the King heard this, he was confounded and feared +for his realm lest it should be torn from him; so he turned to his Minister and +said, "Have not any of our army gone forth to meet this army?" But ere he had +done speaking, his Chamberlains entered with messengers from the King who was +approaching, and amongst them the Wazir who had accompanied Taj al-Muluk. They +began by saluting the King, who rose to receive them and bade them draw near, +and asked the cause of their coming; whereupon the Minister came forward from +amongst them and stood before him and said "Know that he who hath come down +upon thy realm is no King like unto the Kings of yore and the Sultans that went +before." "And who is he?" asked Shahriman, and the Wazir answered, "He is the +Lord of justice and loyalty, the bruit of whose magnanimity the caravans have +blazed abroad, the Sultan Sulayman Shah, Lord of the Green Land and the Two +Columns and the Mountains of Ispahan; he who loveth justice and equity, and +hateth oppression and iniquity. And he saith to thee that his son is with thee +and in thy city; his son, his heart's very core and the fruit of his loins, and +if he find him in safety, his aim is won and thou shalt have thanks and praise; +but if he have been lost from thy realm or if aught of evil have befallen him, +look thou for ruin and the wasting of thy reign! for this thy city shall become +a wold wherein the raven shall croak. Thus have I done my errand to thee and +peace be with thee!" Now when King Shahriman heard from the messenger these +words, his heart was troubled and he feared for his kingdom: so he cried out +for his Grandees and Ministers, Chamberlains and Lieutenants; and, when they +appeared, he said to them, "Woe to you! Go down and search for the youth." Now +the Prince was still under the headsman's hands, but he was changed by the +fright he had undergone. Presently, the Wazir, chancing to glance around, saw +the Prince on the rug of blood and recognised him; so he arose and threw +himself upon him, and so did the other envoys. Then they proceeded to loose his +bonds and they kissed his hands and feet, whereupon Taj al-Muluk opened his +eyes and, recognising his father's Wazir and his friend Aziz, fell down a +fainting for excess of delight in them. When King Shahriman made sure that the +coming of this army was indeed because of this youth, he was confounded and +feared with great fear; so he went up to Taj al- Muluk and, kissing his head, +said to him, "O my son, be not wroth with me, neither blame the sinner for his +sin; but have compassion on my grey hairs, and waste not my realm." Whereupon +Taj al-Muluk drew near unto him and kissing his hand, replied, "No harm shall +come to thee, for indeed thou art to me as my father; but look that nought +befal my beloved, the Lady Dunya!" Rejoined the King, "O my lord! fear not for +her; naught but joy shall betide her;" and he went on to excuse himself and +made his peace with Sulayman Shah's Wazir to whom he promised much money, if he +would conceal from the King what he had seen. Then he bade his Chief Officers +take the Prince with them and repair to the Hammam and clothe him in one of the +best of his own suits and bring him back speedily. So they obeyed his bidding +and bore him to the bath and clad him in the clothes which King Shahriman had +set apart for him; and brought him back to the presence chamber. When he +entered the King rose to receive him and made all his Grandees stand in +attendance on him. Then Taj al-Muluk sat down to converse with his father's +Wazir and with Aziz, and he acquainted them with what had befallen him; after +which they said to him, "During that delay we returned to thy father and gave +him to know that thou didst enter the palace of the Princess and didst not +return therefrom, and thy case seemed doubtful to us. But when thy sire heard +of this he mustered his forces; then we came to this land and indeed our coming +hath brought to thee relief in extreme case and to us great joy." Quoth he, +"Good fortune hath attended your every action, first and last." While this was +doing King Shahriman went in to his daughter Princess Dunya, and found her +wailing and weeping for Taj al-Muluk. Moreover, she had taken a sword and fixed +the hilt in the ground and had set the point to the middle of her heart between +her breasts; and she bent over the blade saying, "Needs must I slay myself and +not survive my beloved." When her father entered and saw her in this case, he +cried out to her, saying, "O Princess of kings' daughters, hold thy hand and +have ruth on thy sire and the folk of thy realm!" Then he came up to her and +continued, "Let it not be that an ill thing befal thy father for thy sake!" And +he told her the whole tale that her lover was the son of King Sulayman Shah and +sought her to wife and he added, "The marriage waiteth only for thy consent." +Thereat she smiled and said, "Did I not tell thee that he was the son of a +Sultan? By Allah, there is no help for it but that I let him crucify thee on a +bit of wood worth two pieces of silver!" Replied the King, "O my daughter, have +mercy on me, so Allah have mercy on thee!" Rejoined she, "Up with you and make +haste and go bring him to me without delay." Quoth the King, "On my head and +eyes be it!"; and he left her and, going in hastily to Taj al-Muluk, repeated +her words in his ear.[FN#53] So he arose and accompanied the King to the +Princess, and when she caught sight of her lover, she took hold of him and +embraced him in her father's presence and hung upon him and kissed him, saying, +"Thou hast desolated me by thine absence!" Then she turned to her father and +said, "Sawest thou ever any that could do hurt to the like of this beautiful +being, who is moreover a King, the son of a King and of the free born,[FN#54] +guarded against ignoble deeds?" There upon King Shahriman went out shutting the +door on them with his own hand; and he returned to the Wazir and to the other +envoys of Sulayman Shah and bade them inform their King that his son was in +health and gladness and enjoying all delight of life with his beloved. So they +returned to King Sulayman and acquainted him with this; whereupon King +Shahriman ordered largesse of money and vivers to the troops of King Sulayman +Shah; and, when they had conveyed all he had commanded, he bade be brought out +an hundred coursers and an hundred dromedaries and an hundred white slaves and +an hundred concubines and an hundred black slaves and an hundred female slaves; +all of which he forwarded to the King as a present. Then he took horse, with +his Grandees and Chief Officers, and rode out of the city in the direction of +the King's camp. As soon as Sultan Sulayman Shah knew of his approach, he rose +and advanced many paces to meet him. Now the Wazir and Aziz had told him all +the tidings, whereat he rejoiced and cried, "Praise be to Allah who hath +granted the dearest wish of my son!" Then King Sulayman took King Shahriman in +his arms and seated him beside himself on the royal couch, where they conversed +awhile and had pleasure in each other's conversation. Presently food was set +before them, and they ate till they were satisfied; and sweetmeats and dried +fruits were brought, and they enjoyed their dessert. And after a while came to +them Taj al-Muluk, richly dressed and adorned, and when his father saw him, he +stood up and embraced him and kissed him. Then all who were sitting rose to do +him honour; and the two Kings seated him between them and they sat conversing a +while, after which quoth King Sulayman Shah to King Shahriman, "I desire to +have the marriage contract between my son and thy daughter drawn up in the +presence of witnesses, that the wedding may be made public, even as is the +custom of Kings." "I hear and I obey," quoth King Shahriman and thereon +summoned the Kazi and the witnesses, who came and wrote out the marriage +contract between Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya. Then they gave +bakhshish[FN#55] of money and sweetmeats; and lavished incense and essences; +and indeed it was a day of joy and gladness and all the grandees and soldiers +rejoiced therein. Then King Shahriman proceeded to dower and equip his +daughter; and Taj al-Muluk said to his sire, "Of a truth, this young man Aziz +is of the generous and hath done me a notable service, having borne weariness +with me; and he hath travelled with me and hath brought me to my desire. He +ceased never to show sufferance with me and exhort me to patience till I +accomplished my intent; and now he hath abided with us two whole years, and he +cut off from his native land. So now I purpose to equip him with merchandise, +that he may depart hence with a light heart; for his country is nearhand." +Replied his father, "Right is thy rede;" so they made ready an hundred loads of +the richest stuffs and the most costly, and Taj al-Muluk presented them with +great store of money to Aziz, and farewelled him, saying, "O my brother and my +true friend! take these loads and accept them from me by way of gift and token +of affection, and go in peace to thine own country." Aziz accepted the presents +and kissing the ground between the hands of the Prince and his father bade them +adieu. Moreover, Taj al-Muluk mounted and accompanied him three miles on his +homeward way as a proof of amity, after which Aziz conjured him to turn back, +saying, "By Allah, O my master, were it not for my mother, I never would part +from thee! But, good my lord! leave me not without news of thee." Replied Taj +al-Muluk, "So be it!" Then the Prince returned to the city and Aziz journeyed +on till he came to his native town; and he entered it and ceased not faring +till he went in to his mother and found that she had built him a monument in +the midst of the house and used to visit it continually. When he entered, he +saw her with hair dishevelled and dispread over the tomb, weeping and repeating +these lines, +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed I'm strong to bear whate'er befal; *<br/> + + But weak to bear such parting's dire mischance:<br/> + +What heart estrangement of the friend can bear? *<br/> + + What strength withstand assault of severance?"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then sobs burst from her breast, and she recited also these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"What's this? I pass by tombs, and fondly greet *<br/> + + My friends' last homes, but send they no reply:<br/> + +For saith each friend, 'Reply how can I make *<br/> + + When pledged to clay and pawned to stones I lie?<br/> + +Earth has consumed my charms and I forget *<br/> + + Thy love, from kith and kin poor banisht I.' "<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +While she was thus, behold, Aziz came in to her and when she saw him, she fell +down, fainting for very joy. He sprinkled water on her face till she revived +and rising, took him in her arms and strained him to her breast, whilst he in +like manner embraced her. Then he greeted her and she greeted him, and she +asked the reason of his long absence, whereupon he told her all that had +befallen him from first to last and informed her how Taj al-Muluk had given him +an hundred loads of monies and stuffs. At this she rejoiced, and Aziz abode +with his mother in his native town, weeping for what mishaps had happened to +him with the daughter of Dalilah the Wily One, even her who had +castrated[FN#56] him. Such was the case with Aziz; but as regards Taj al-Muluk +he went in unto his beloved, the Princess Dunya, and abated her maidenhead. +Then King Shahriman proceeded to equip his daughter for her journey with her +husband and father in law, and bade bring them provaunt and presents and +rarities. So they loaded their beasts and set forth, whilst King Shahriman +escorted them, by way of farewell, three days' journey on their way, till King +Shah Sulayman conjured him to return. So he took leave of them and turned +back, and Taj al-Muluk and his wife and father fared for wards night and day, +with their troops, till they drew near their capital. As soon as the news of +their coming spread abroad, the folk decorated for them the city,—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Shah Sulayman drew +near his capital, the folk decorated the city for him and for his son. So they +entered in state and the King, sitting on his throne with his son by his side, +gave alms and largesse and loosed all who were in his jails. Then he held a +second bridal for his son, and the sound of the singing women and players upon +instruments was never silent for a whole month, and the tire women stinted not +to adorn the Lady Dunya and display her in various dresses; and she tired not +of the displaying nor did the women weary of gazing on her. Then Taj al-Muluk, +after having foregathered awhile with his father and mother, took up his +sojourn with his wife, and they abode in all joyance of life and in fairest +fortune, till there came to them the Destroyer of all delights.[FN#57] Now when +the Wazir Dandan had ended the tale of Taj al-Muluk and the Lady Dunya, Zau +al-Makan said to him, "Of a truth, it is the like of thee who lighten the +mourner's heart and who deserve to be the boon companions of Kings and to guide +their policy in the right way." All this befel and they were still besieging +Constantinople, where they lay four whole years, till they yearned after their +native land; and the troops murmured, being weary of vigil and besieging and +the endurance of fray and foray by night and by day. Then King Zau al-Makan +summoned Rustam and Bahram and Tarkash, and when they were in presence bespoke +them thus, "Know that we have lain here all these years and we have not won to +our wish; nay, we have but gained increase of care and concern; for indeed we +came, thinking to take our man bote for King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and in so +doing my brother Sharrkan was slain; so is our sorrow grown to sorrows twain +and our affliction to afflictions twain. All this came of the old woman Zat +al-Dawahi, for it was she who slew the Sultan in his kingdom and carried off +his wife, the Queen Sophia; nor did this suffice her, but she must put another +cheat on us and cut the throat of my brother Sharrkan and indeed I have bound +myself and sworn by the solemnest oaths that there is no help but I take blood +wit from her. What say ye? Ponder my address and answer me." Then they bowed +their heads and answered, "It is for the Wazir Dandan to opine." So the +Minister came forward and said, "Know O King of the Age! it booteth us nought +to tarry here; and 'tis my counsel that we strike camp and return to our own +country, there to abide for a certain time and after that we should return for +a razzia upon the worshippers of idols." Replied the King, "This rede is right, +for indeed the folk weary for a sight of their families, and I am an other who +is also troubled with yearning after my son Kanmakan and my brother 's daughter +Kuzia Fakan, for she is in Damascus and I know not how is her case." When the +troops heard this report, they rejoiced and blessed the Wazir Dandan. Then the +King bade the crier call the retreat after three days. They fell to preparing +for the march, and, on the fourth day, they beat the big drums and unfurled the +banners and the army set forth, the Wazir Danden in the van and the King riding +in the mid battle, with the Grand Chamberlain by his side; and all journeyed +without ceasing, night and day, till they reached Baghdad city. The folk +rejoiced in their return, and care and fear ceased from them whilst the stay at +homes met the absentees and each Emir betook him to his own house. As for Zau +al-Makan he marched up to the Palace and went in to his son Kanmakan, who had +now reached the age of seven; and who used to go down to the weapon plain and +ride. As soon as the King was rested of his journey, he entered the Hammam +with his son, and returning, seated himself on his sofa of state, whilst the +Wazir Dandan took up his station before him and the Emirs and Lords of the +realm presented themselves and stood in attendance upon him. Then Zau al-Makan +called for his comrade, the Fireman, who had befriended him in his wanderings; +and, when he came into presence, the King rose to do him honour and seated him +by his side. Now he had acquainted the Wazir with all the kindness and good +turns which the Stoker had done him; and he found that the wight had waxed fat +and burly with rest and good fare, so that his neck was like an elephant's +throat and his face like a dolphin's belly. Moreover, he was grown dull of +wit, for that he had never stirred from his place; so at first he knew not the +King by his aspect. But Zau al-Makan came up to him smiling in his face, and +greeted him after the friendliest fashion, saying, "How soon hast thou +forgotten me?" With this the Fireman roused himself and, looking steadfastly at +Zau al-Makan, made sure that he knew him; whereupon he sprang hastily to his +feet and exclaimed, "O my friend, who hath made thee Sultan?" Then Zau al- +Makan laughed at him and the Wazir, coming up to him expounded the whole story +to him and said, "In good sooth he was thy brother and thy friend; and now he +is King of the land and needs must thou get great good of him. So I charge +thee, if he say, 'Ask a boon of me,' ask not but for some great thing; for thou +art very dear to him." Quoth the Fireman, "I fear lest, if I ask of him aught, +he may not choose to give it or may not be able to grant it." Quoth the Wazir, +"Have no care; whatsoever thou askest he will give thee." Rejoined the Stoker, +"By Allah, I must at once ask of him a thing that is in my thought: every night +I dream of it and implore Almighty Allah to vouchsafe it to me." Said the +Wazir, "Take heart; by Allah, if thou ask of him the government of Damascus, in +place of his brother, he would surely give it thee and make thee Governor." +With this the Stoker rose to is feet and Zau al-Makan signed to him to sit; but +he refused, saying, "Allah forfend! The days are gone by of my sitting in thy +presence.' Answered the Sultan, "Not so, they endure even now. Thou west in +very deed the cause that I am at present alive and, by Allah, whatever thing +most desired thou requirest of me, I will give that same to thee. But ask thou +first of Allah, and then of me!" He said, "O my lord, I fear" "Fear not," quoth +the Sultan He continued, "I fear to ask aught and that thou shouldst refuse it +to me and it is only" At this the King laughed and replied, "If thou require of +me the half of my kingdom I would share it with thee: so ask what thou wilt and +leave talking." Repeated the Fireman "I fear" "Don't fear," quoth the King. He +went on, "I fear lest I ask a thing and thou be not able to grant it." Upon +this the Sultan waxed wroth and cried, "Ask what thou wilt." Then said he, "I +ask, first of Allah and then of thee, that thou write me a patent of Syndicate +over all the Firemen of the baths in the Holy City, Jerusalem." The Sultan and +all present laughed and Zau al-Makan said, "Ask something more than this." He +replied, "O my lord, said I not I feared that thou wouldst not choose to give +me what I should ask or that thou be not able to grant it?" Therewith the Wazir +signed him with his foot once and twice and thrice, and every time he began, "I +ask of thee" Quoth the Sultan, "Ask and be speedy." So he said, "I ask thee to +make me Chief of the Scavengers in the Holy City of Jerusalem, or in. Damascus +town." Then all those who were present fell on their backs with laughter and +the Wazir beat him; whereupon he turned to the Minister and said to him, "What +art thou that thou shouldest beat me? 'Tis no fault of mine: didst thou not +thyself bid me ask some important thing?" And he added, "Let me go to my own +land." With this, the Sultan knew that he was jesting and took patience with +him awhile; then turned to him and said, "O my brother, ask of me some +important thing, befitting our dignity." So the Stoker said, "O King of the +Age, I ask first of Allah and then of thee, that thou make me Viceroy of +Damascus in the place of thy brother;" and the King replied, "Allah granteth +thee this." Thereupon the Fireman kissed ground before him and he bade set him +a chair in his rank and vested him with a viceroy's habit. Then he wrote him a +patent and sealed it with his own seal, and said to the Wazir Dandan, "None +shall go with him but thou; and when thou makest the return journey, do thou +bring with thee my brother's daughter, Kuzia Fakan." "Hearken ing and +obedience," answered the Minister; and, taking the Fire man, went down with him +and made ready for the march. Then the King appointed for the Stoker servants +and suite, and gave him a new litter and a princely equipage and said to the +Emirs, "Whoso loveth me, let him honour this man and offer him a handsome +present." So each and every of the Emirs brought him his gift according to his +competence; and the King named him Zibl Khán,[FN#58] and conferred on him the +honourable surname of al- Mujáhid.[FN#59] As soon as the gear was ready, he +went up with the Wazir Dandan to the King, that he might take leave of him and +ask his permission to depart. The King rose to him and embraced him, and +charged him to do justice between his subjects and bade him make ready for +fight against the Infidels after two years. Then they took leave of each other +and the King,[FN#60] the Fighter for the Faith highs Zibl Khan, having been +again exhorted by Zau al-Makan to deal fairly with his subjects, set out on his +journey, after the Emirs had brought him Mamelukes and eunuchs, even to five +thousand in number, who rode after him. The Grand Chamberlain also took horse, +as did Bahram, captain of the Daylamites, and Rustam, captain of the Persians, +and Tarkash, captain of the Arabs, who attended to do him service; and they +ceased not riding with him three days' journey by way of honour. Then, taking +their leave of him, they returned to Baghdad and the Sultan Zibl Khan and the +Wazir Dandan fared on, with their suite and troops, till they drew near +Damascus. Now news was come, upon the wings of birds, to the notables of +Damascus, that King Zau al-Makan had made Sultan over Damascus a King named +Zibl Khan and surnamed Al-Mujahid; so when he reached the city he found it +dressed in his honour and everyone in the place came out to gaze on him. The +new Sultan entered Damascus in a splendid progress and went up to the citadel, +where he sat down upon his chair of state, whilst the Wazir Dandan stood in +attendance on him, to acquaint him with the ranks of the Emirs and their +stations. Then the Grandees came in to him and kissed hands and called down +blessings on him. The new King, Zibl Khan, received them graciously and +bestowed on them dresses of honour and various presents and bounties; after +which he opened the treasuries and gave largesse to the troops, great and +small. Then he governed and did justice and proceeded to equip the Lady Kuzia +Fakan, daughter of King Sharrkan, appointing her a litter of silken stuff. +Moreover he furnished the Wazir Dandan equally well for the return journey and +offered him a gift of coin but he refused, saying, "Thou art near the time +appointed by the King, and haply thou wilt have need of money, or after this we +may send to seek of thee funds for the Holy War or what not." Now when the +Wazir was ready to march, Sultan al-Mujahid mounted to bid the Minister +farewell and brought Kuzia Fakan to him, and made her enter the litter and sent +with her ten damsels to do her service. Thereupon they set forward, whilst King +"Fighter for the Faith" returned to his government that he might order affairs +and get ready his munitions of war, awaiting such time as King Zau al- Makan +should send a requisition to him. Such was the case with Sultan Zibl Khan, but +as regards the Wazir Dandan, he ceased not faring forward and finishing off the +stages, in company with Kuzia Fakan till they came to Ruhbah[FN#61] after a +month's travel and thence pushed on, till he drew near Baghdad. Then he sent +to announce his arrival to King Zau al-Makan who, when he heard this, took +horse and rode out to meet him. The Wazir Dandan would have dismounted, but +the King conjured him not to do so and urged his steed till he came up to his +side. Then he questioned him of Zibl Khan highs Al-Mujahid, whereto the Wazir +replied that he was well and that he had brought with him Kuzia Fakan the +daughter of his brother. At this the King rejoiced and said to Dandan, "Down +with thee and rest thee from the fatigue of the journey for three days, after +which come to me again." Replied the Wazir "With joy and gratitude," and betook +himself to his own house, whilst the King rode up to his Palace and went in to +his brother's daughter, Kuzia Fakan, a girl of eight years old. When he saw +her, he rejoiced in her and sorrowed for her sire; then he bade make for her +clothes and gave her splendid jewelry and ornaments, and ordered she be lodged +with his son Kanmakan in one place. So they both grew up the brightest of the +people of their time and the bravest; but Kuzia Fakan became a maiden of good +sense and understanding and knowledge of the issues of events, whilst Kanmakan +approved him a generous youth and freehanded, taking no care in the issue of +aught. And so they continued till each of them attained the age of twelve. +Now Kuzia Fakan used to ride a horseback and fare forth with her cousin into +the open plain and push forward and range at large with him in the word; and +they both learnt to smite with swords and spike with spears. But when they had +reached the age of twelve, King Zau al-Makan, having completed his preparations +and provisions and munitions for Holy War, summoned the Wazir Dandan and said +to him, "Know that I have set mind on a thing, which I will discover to thee, +and I want shine opinion thereon; so do thou with speed return me a reply." +Asked the Wazir, "What is that, O King of the Age?"; and the other answered, "I +am resolved to make my son Kanmakan Sultan and rejoice in him in my lifetime +and do battle before him till death overtake me. What reckest thou of this?" +The Wazir kissed the ground before the King and replied, "Know, O King and +Sultan mine, Lord of the Age and the time! that which is in thy mind is indeed +good, save that it is now no tide to carry it out, for two reasons; the first, +that thy son Kanmakan is yet of tender years; and the second, that it often +befalleth him who maketh his son King in his life time, to live but a little +while thereafterward.[FN#62] And this is my reply." Rejoined the King, "Know, +O Wazir that we will make the Grand Chamberlain guardian over him, for he is +now one of the family and he married my sister, so that he is to me as a +brother." Quoth the Wazir, "Do what seemeth good to thee: we have only to obey +thine orders." Then the King sent for the Grand Chamberlain whom they brought +into the presence together with the Lords of the realm and he said to them, "Ye +know that this my son Kanmakan is the first cavalier of the age, and that he +hath no peer in striking with the sword and lunging with the lance; and now I +appoint him to be Sultan over you and I make the Grand Chamberlain, his uncle, +guardian over him." Replied the Chamberlain, "I am but a tree which thy bounty +hath planted"; and Zau al-Makan said, "O Chamberlain, verily this my son +Kanmakan and my niece Kuzia Fakan are brothers' children; so I hereby marry her +to him and I call those present to witness thereof." Then he made over to his +son such treasures as no tongue can describe, and going in to his sister, +Nuzhat al-Zaman, told her what he had done, whereat she was a glad woman and +said, "Verily the twain are my children: Allah preserve thee to them and keep +thy life for them many a year!" Replied he, "O my sister, I have accomplished +in this world all my heart desired and I have no fear for my son! yet it were +well thou have an eye on him, and an eye on his mother." And he charged the +Chamberlain and Nuzhat al-Zaman with the care of his son and niece and wife, +and this he continued to do nights and days till he fell sick and deemed surely +that he was about to drink the cup of death; so he took to his bed, whilst the +Chamberlain busied himself with ordering the folk and realm. At the end of the +year, the King summoned his son Kanmakan and the Wazir Dandan and said, "O my +son, after my death this Wazir is thy sire; for know that I am about to leave +this house of life transitory for the house of eternity. And indeed I have +fulfilled my will of this world; yet there remaineth in my heart one regret +which may Allah dispel through and by thy hands." Asked his son, "What regret +is that, O my father?" Answered Zau al-Makan, "O my son, the sole regret of me +is that I die without having avenged thy grandfather, Omar bin al-Nu'uman, and +thine uncle, Sharrkan, on an old woman whom they call Zat al-Dawahi; but, if +Allah grant thee aid, sleep not till thou take thy wreak on her, and so wipe +out the shame we have suffered at the Infidel's hands; and beware of the old +hag's wile and do what the Wazir Dandan shall advise thee; because he from old +time hath been the pillar of our realm." And his son assented to what he said. +Then the King's eyes ran over with tears and his sickness redoubled on him; +whereupon his brother in law, the Chamberlain took charge over the country and, +being a capable man, he judged and bade and forbade for the whole of that year, +while Zau al-Makan was occupied with his malady. And his sickness was sore +upon him for four years, during which the Chief Chamberlain sat in his stead +and gave full satisfaction to the commons and the nobles; and all the country +blessed his rule. Such was the case with Zau al-Makan and the Chamberlain, but +as regards the King's son, he busied himself only with riding and lunging with +lance and shooting with shaft, and thus also did the daughter of his uncle, +Kuzia Fakan; for he and she were wont to fare forth at the first of the day and +return at nightfall, when she would go in to her mother, and he would go in to +his mother whom he ever found sitting in tears by the head of his father's +couch. Then he would tend his father all night long till daybreak, when he +would go forth again with his cousin according to their wont. Now Zau +al-Makan's pains and sufferings were lonesome upon him and he wept and began +versifying with these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Gone is my strength, told is my tale of days *<br/> + + And, lookye! I am left as thou dost see:<br/> + +In honour's day most honoured wont to be, *<br/> + + And win the race from all my company<br/> + +Would Heaven before my death I might behold *<br/> + + My son in seat of empire sit for me<br/> + +And rush upon his foes, to take his wreak *<br/> + + With sway of sword and lance lunged gallantly:<br/> + +In this world and the next I am undone, *<br/> + + Except the Lord vouchsafe me clemency."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When he had ended repeating these verses, he laid his head on his pillow and +closed his eyes and slept. Then saw he in his sleep one who said to him, +"Rejoice, for thy son shall fill the lands with justest sway; and he shall rule +them and him shall the lieges obey."; Then he awoke from his dream gladdened by +the good tidings he had seen, and after a few days, Death smote him, and +because of his dying great grief fell on the people of Baghdad, and simple and +gentle mourned for him. But Time passed over him, as though he had never +been[FN#63] and Kanmakan's estate was changed; for the people of Baghdad set +him aside and put him and his family in a place apart. Now when his mother saw +this, she fell into the sorriest of plights and said, "There is no help but +that I go to the Grand Chamberlain, and I must hope for the aidance of the +Subtle, the All-Wise!" Then she rose from her place and betook herself to the +house of the Chamberlain who was now become Sultan, and she found him sitting +upon his carpet. So she went in to his wife, Nuzhat al-Zaman, and wept with +sore weeping and said unto her, "Verily the dead hath no friend! May Allah +never bring you to want as long as your age and the years endure, and may you +cease not to rule justly over rich and poor. Thine ears have heard and thine +eyes have seen all that was ours of kingship and honour and dignity and wealth +and fair fortune of life and condition; and now Time hath turned upon us, and +fate and the world have betrayed us and wrought in hostile way with us, +wherefore I come to thee craving thy favours, I from whom favours were craved: +for when a man dieth, women and maidens are brought to despisal." And she +repeated these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Suffice thee Death such marvels can enhance, *<br/> + + And severed lives make lasting severance:<br/> + +Man's days are marvels, and their stations are *<br/> + + But water-pits[FN#64] of misery and mischance.<br/> + +Naught wrings my heart save loss of noble friends, *<br/> + + Girt round by rings of hard, harsh circumstance."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Nuzhat al-Zaman heard these words, she remembered her brother, Zau +al-Makan, and his son Kanmakan, and, making her draw near to her and showing +her honour, she said, "Verily at this moment, by Allah, I am grown rich and +thou art poor; now by the Lord! we did not cease to seek thee out, but we +feared to wound thy heart lest thou shouldest fancy our gifts to thee an alms +gift. Withal, whatso weal we now enjoy is from thee and thy husband; so our +house is thy house and our place thy place, and thine is all our wealth and +what goods we have belong to thee." Then she robed her in sumptuous robes and +set apart for her a place in the Palace adjoining her own; and they abode +therein, she and her son, in all delight of life. And Nuzhat al-Zaman clothed +him also in Kings' raiment and gave to them both especial handmaids for their +service. After a little, she related to her husband the sad case of the widow +of her brother, Zau al-Makan, whereat his eyes filled with tears and he said, +"Wouldest thou see the world after thee, look thou upon the world after other +than thyself. Then entreat her honourably and enrich her poverty."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When It was the One Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nuzhat Al-Zaman +related to her husband the sad case of the widow of her brother, Zau al-Makan, +the Chamberlain said, "Entreat her honourably and enrich her poverty." Thus far +concerning Nuzhat al-Zaman and her consort and the relict of Zau al-Makan; but +as regards Kanmakan and his cousin Kuzia Fakan, they grew up and flourished +till they waxed like unto two fruit-laden boughs or two shining moons; and they +reached the age of fifteen. And she was indeed the fairest of maids who are +modestly veiled, lovely faced with smooth cheeks graced, and slender waist on +heavy hips based; and her shape was the shaft's thin line and her lips were +sweeter than old wine and the nectar of her mouth as it were the fountain +Salsabíl[FN#65]; even as saith the poet in these two couplets describing one +like her, +</p> + +<p> +"As though ptisane of wine on her lips honey dew *<br/> + + Dropt from the ripened grapes her mouth in clusters grew<br/> + +And, when her frame thou doublest, and low bends her vine, *<br/> + + Praise her Creator's might no creature ever knew."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Of a truth Allah had united in her every charm: her shape would shame the +branch of waving tree and the rose before her cheeks craved lenity; and the +honey dew of her lips of wine made jeer, however old and clear, and she +gladdened heart and beholder with joyous cheer, even as saith of her the poet, +</p> + +<p> +"Goodly of gifts is she, and charm those perfect eyes, *<br/> + + With lashes shaming Kohl and all the fair ones Kohl'd[FN#66]<br/> + +And from those eyne the glances pierce the lover's heart, *<br/> + + Like sword in Mír al-Muminína Ali's hold."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And (the relator continueth) as for Kanmakan, he became unique in loveliness +and excelling in perfection no less; none could even him in qualities as in +seemliness and the sheen of velour between his eyes was espied, testifying for +him while against him it never testified. The hardest hearts inclined to his +side; his eyelids bore lashes black as by Kohl; and he was of surpassing worth +in body and soul. And when the down of lips and cheeks began to sprout bards +and poets sang for him far and near, +</p> + +<p> +"Appeared not my excuse till hair had clothed his cheek, *<br/> + + And gloom o'ercrept that side-face (sight to stagger!)<br/> + +A fawn, when eyes would batten on his charms, *<br/> + + Each glance deals thrust like point of Khanjar-dagger."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And saith another, +</p> + +<p> +"His lovers' souls have drawn upon his cheek *<br/> + + An ant that perfected its rosy light:<br/> + +I marvel at such martyrs Lazá-pent *<br/> + + Who yet with greeny robes of Heaven are dight.''[FN#67]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now it chanced one holiday, that Kuzia Fakan fared forth to make festival with +certain kindred of the court, and she went surrounded by her handmaids. And +indeed beauty encompassed her, the roses of her cheeks dealt envy to their +mole; from out her smiling lips levee flashed white, gleaming like the +chamomile[FN#68]; and Kanmakan began to turn about her and devour her with his +sight, for she was the moon of resplendent light. Then he took heart and giving +his tongue a start began to improvise, +</p> + +<p> +"When shall the disappointed heart be healed of severance, *<br/> + + And lips of Union smile at ceasing of our hard mischance?<br/> + +Would Heaven I knew shall come some night, and with it surely<br/> + + bring * Meeting with friend who like myself endureth<br/> + + sufferance."[FN#69]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Kuzia Fakan heard these couplets, she showed vexation and disapproval and, +putting on a haughty and angry air, said to him, "Dost thou name me in thy +verse, to shame me amongst folk? By Allah, if thou turn not from this talk, I +will assuredly complain of thee to the Grand Chamberlain, Sultan of Khorasan +and Baghdad and lord of justice and equity; that disgrace and punishment may +befal thee!" Kanmakan made no reply for anger but he returned to Baghdad; and +Kuzia Fakan also returned to her palace and complained of her cousin to her +mother, who said to her, "O my daughter, haply he meant thee no harm, and is he +aught but an orphan? Withal, he said nought of reproach to thee; so beware +thou tell none of this, lest perchance it come to e Sultan's ears and he cut +short his life and blot out his name and make it even as yesterday, whose +memory hath passed away." However, Kanmakan's love for Kuzia Fakan spread +abroad in Baghdad, so that the women talked of it. Moreover, his breast became +straitened and his patience waned and he knew not what to do, yet he could not +hide his condition from the world. Then longed he to give vent to the pangs he +endured, by reason of the lowe of separation; but he feared her rebuke and her +wrath; so he began improvising, +</p> + +<p> +"Now is my dread to incur reproaches, which *<br/> + + Disturb her temper and her mind obscure,<br/> + +Patient I'll bear them; e'en as generous youth his case to<br/> + + cure.'' * Beareth the burn of brand his case to<br/> + + cure."[FN#70]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Grand +Chamberlain became Sultan they named him King Sásán; and after he had assumed +the throne he governed the people in righteous way. Now as he was giving +audience one day, Kanmakan's verses came to his knowledge. Thereupon he +repented him of the past and going in to his wife Nuzhat al-Zaman, said to her, +"Verily, to join Halfah grass and fire,[FN#71] is the greatest of risks, and +man may not be trusted with woman, so long as eye glanceth and eyelid +quivereth. Now thy brother's son, Kanmakan, is come to man's estate and it +behoveth us to forbid him access to the rooms where anklets trinkle, and it is +yet more needful to forbid thy daughter the company of men, for the like of her +should be kept in the Harim." Replied she, "Thou sayest sooth, O wise King!" +Next day came Kanmakan according to his wont; and, going in to his aunt saluted +her. She returned his salutation and said to him, "O my son! I have some what +to say to thee which I would fain leave unsaid; yet I must tell it thee despite +my inclination." Quoth he, "Speak;" and quoth she, Know then that thy sire the +Chamberlain, the father of Kuzia Fakan, hath heard of the verses thou madest +anent her, and hath ordered that she be kept in the Harim and out of thy reach; +if therefore, O my son, thou want anything from us, I will send it to thee from +behind the door; and thou shalt not look upon Kuzia Fakan nor shalt thou return +hither from this day forth." When he heard this he arose and withdrew with out +speaking a single word; and, betaking himself to his mother related what his +aunt had said. She observed, "This all cometh of thine overtalking. Thou +knowest that the news of thy passion for Kuzia Fakan is noised abroad and the +tattle hath spread everywhere how thou eatest their food and thereafter thou +courtest their daughter." Rejoined he, "And who should have her but I? She is +the daughter of my father's brother and I have the best of rights to her." +Retorted his mother, "These are idle words. Be silent, lest haply thy talk +come to King Sasan's ears and it prove the cause of thy losing her and the +reason of thy ruin and increase of thine affliction. They have not sent us any +supper to-night and we shall die an hungered; and were we in any land but this, +we were already dead of famine or of shame for begging our bread." When +Kanmakan heard these words from his mother, his regrets redoubled; his eyes ran +over with tears and he complained and began improvising, +</p> + +<p> +"Minish this blame I ever bear from you: *<br/> + + My heart loves her to whom all love is due:<br/> + +Ask not from me of patience jot or little, *<br/> + + Divorce of Patience by God's House! I rue:<br/> + +What blamers preach of patience I unheed; *<br/> + + Here am I, love path firmly to pursue!<br/> + +Indeed they bar me access to my love, *<br/> + + Here am I by God's ruth no ill I sue!<br/> + +Good sooth my bones, whenas they hear thy name, *<br/> + + Quail as birds quailed when Nisus o'er them flew:[FN#72]<br/> + +Ah! say to them who blame my love that I *<br/> + + Will love that face fair cousin till I die."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he had ended his verses he said to his mother, "I have no longer a +place in my aunt's house nor among these people, but I will go forth from the +palace and abide in the corners of the city." So he and his mother left the +court; and, having sought an abode in the neighbourhood of the poorer sort, +there settled; but she used to go from time to time to King Sasan's palace and +thence take daily bread for herself and her son. As this went on Kuzia Fakan +took her aside one day and said to her, "Alas, O my naunty, how is it with thy +son?" Replied she, "O my daughter, sooth to say, he is tearful-eyed and heavy +hearted, being fallen into the net of thy love." And she repeated to her the +couplets he had made; whereupon Kuzia Fakan wept and said, "By Allah! I +rebuked him not for his words, nor for ill-will to him, but because I feared +for him the malice of foes. Indeed my passion for him is double that he +feeleth for me; my tongue may not describe my yearning for him; and were it not +for the extravagant wilfulness of his words and the wanderings of his wit, my +father had not cut off from him favours that besit, nor had decreed unto him +exclusion and prohibition as fit. However, man's days bring nought but change, +and patience in all case is most becoming: peradventure He who ordained our +severance will vouchsafe us reunion!" And she began versifying in these two +couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"O son of mine uncle! same sorrow I bear, *<br/> + + And suffer the like of thy cark and thy care<br/> + +Yet hide I from man what I suffer for pine; *<br/> + + Hide it too, and such secret to man never bare!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When his mother heard this from her, she thanked her and blessed her: then she +left her and acquainted her son with what she had said; whereupon his desire +for her increased and he took heart, being eased of his despair and the turmoil +of his love and care. And he said, "By Allah, I desire none but her!"; and he +began improvising, +</p> + +<p> +"Leave this blame, I will list to no flout of my foe! *<br/> + + I divulged a secret was told me to keep:<br/> + +He is lost to my sight for whose union I yearn, *<br/> + + And I watch all the while he can slumber and sleep."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +So the days and nights went by whilst Kanmakan lay tossing upon coals of +fire,[FN#73] till he reached the age of seventeen; and his beauty had waxt +perfect and his wits were at their brightest. One night, as he lay awake, he +communed with himself and said, "Why should I keep silence till I waste away +and see not my lover? Fault have I none save poverty; so, by Allah, I am +resolved to remove me from this region and wander over the wild and the word; +for my position in this city is a torture and I have no friend nor lover +therein to comfort me; wherefore I am determined to distract myself by absence +from my native land till I die and take my rest after this shame and +tribulation." And he began to improvise and recited these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Albeit my vitals quiver 'neath this ban; *<br/> + + Before the foe myself I'll ne'er unman!<br/> + +So pardon me, my vitals are a writ *<br/> + + Whose superscription are my tears that ran:<br/> + +Heigh ho! my cousin seemeth Houri may *<br/> + + Come down to earth by reason of Rizwan:<br/> + +'Scapes not the dreadful sword lunge of her look *<br/> + + Who dares the glancing of those eyne to scan:<br/> + +O'er Allah's wide spread world I'll roam and roam, *<br/> + + And from such exile win what bread I can<br/> + +Yes, o'er broad earth I'll roam and save my soul, *<br/> + + All but her absence bear ing like a man<br/> + +With gladsome heart I'll haunt the field of fight, *<br/> + + And meet the bravest Brave in battle van!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +So Kanmakan fared forth from the palace barefoot and he walked in a short +sleeved gown, wearing on his head a skull cap of felt[FN#74] seven years old +and carrying a scone three days stale, and in the deep glooms of night betook +himself to the portal of al-Arij of Baghdad. Here he waited for the gate being +opened and when it was opened, he was the first to pass through it; and he went +out at random and wandered about the wastes night and day. When the dark hours +came, his mother sought him but found him not; whereupon the world waxt strait +upon her for all that it was great and wide, and she took no delight in aught +of weal it supplied. She looked for him a first day and a second day and a +third day till ten days were past, but no news of him reached her. Then her +breast became contracted and she shrieked and shrilled, saying, "O my son! O +my darling! thou hast revived my regrets. Sufficed not what I endured, but +thou must depart from my home? After thee I care not for food nor joy in +sleep, and naught but tears and mourning are left me. O my son, from what land +shall I call thee? And what town hath given thee refuge?" Then her sobs burst +out, and she began repeating these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Well learnt we, since you left, our grief and sorrow to<br/> + + sustain, * While bows of severance shot their shafts in<br/> + + many a railing rain:<br/> + +They left me, after girthing on their selles of corduwayne *<br/> + + To fight the very pangs of death while spanned they sandy<br/> + + plain:<br/> + +Mysterious through the nightly gloom there came the moan of<br/> + + dove; * A ring dove, and replied I, 'Cease thy plaint, how<br/> + + durst complain?'<br/> + +If, by my life, her heart, like mine, were full of pain and<br/> + + pine * She had not decks her neck with ring nor sole with<br/> + + ruddy stain.[FN#75]<br/> + +Fled is mine own familiar friend, bequeathing me a store *<br/> + + Of parting pang and absence ache to suffer evermore."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then she abstained from food and drink and gave herself up to excessive tear +shedding and lamentation. Her grief became public property far and wide and +all the people of the town and country side wept with her and cried, "Where is +thine eye, O Zau al- Makan?" And they bewailed the rigours of Time, saying, +"Would Heaven we knew what hath befallen Kanmakan that he fled his native town, +and chased himself from the place where his father used to fill all in hungry +case and do justice and grace?" And his mother redoubled her weeping and +wailing till the news of Kanmakan's departure came to King Sasan.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fortieth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that came to King Sasan the +tidings of the departure of Kanmakan, through the Chief Emirs who said to him, +"Verily he is the son of our Sovran and the seed of King Omar bin al-Nu'uman +and it hath reached us that he hath exiled himself from the land." When King +Sasan heard these words, he was wroth with them and ordered one of them to be +hanged by way of silencing him, whereat the fear of him fell upon the hearts of +all the other Grandees and they dared not speak one word. Then he called to +mind all the kindness that Zau al-Makan had done him, and how he had charged +him with the care of his son; wherefore he grieved for Kanmakan and said, +"Needs must I have search made for him in all countries." So he summoned +Tarkash and bade him choose an hundred horse and wend with them in quest of the +Prince. Accordingly he went out and was absent ten days, after which he +returned and said, "I can learn no tidings of him and have hit on no trace of +him, nor can any tell me aught of him." Upon this King Sasan repented him of +that which he had done by the Prince; whilst his mother abode in unrest +continual nor would patience come at her call: and thus passed over her twenty +days in heaviness all. This is how it fared with these; but as regards +Kanmakan, when he left Baghdad, he went forth perplexed about his case and +knowing not whither he should go: so he fared on alone through the desert for +three days and saw neither footman nor horseman; withal, his sleep fled and his +wakefulness redoubled, for he pined after his people and his homestead. He ate +of the herbs of the earth and drank of its flowing waters and siesta'd under +its trees at hours of noontide heats, till he turned from that road to another +way and, following it other three days, came on the fourth to a land of green +leas, dyed with the hues of plants and trees and with sloping valley sides made +to please, abounding with the fruits of the earth. It had drunken of the cups +of the cloud, to the sound of thunders rolling loud and the song of the +turtle-dove gently sough'd, till its hill slopes were brightly verdant and its +fields were sweetly fragrant. Then Kanmakan recalled his father's city +Baghdad, and for excess of emotion he broke out into verse, +</p> + +<p> +"I roam, and roaming hope I to return; *<br/> + + Yet of returning see not how or when:<br/> + +I went for love of one I could not win, *<br/> + + Nor way of 'scaping ills that pressed could ken."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When he ended his recital he wept, but presently he wiped away his tears and +ate of the fruits of the earth enough for his present need. Then he made the +Wuzu-ablution and prayed the ordained prayers which he had neglected all this +time; and he sat resting in that place through the livelong day. When night +came he slept and ceased not sleeping till midnight, when he awoke and heard a +human voice declaiming these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"What's life to me, unless I see the pearly sheen *<br/> + + Of teeth I love, and sight that glorious mien?<br/> + +Pray for her Bishops who in convents reign, *<br/> + + Vying to bow before that heavenly queen.<br/> + +And Death is lighter than the loved one's wrath, *<br/> + + Whose phantom haunts me seen in every scene:<br/> + +O joy of cup companions, when they meet, *<br/> + + And loved and lover o'er each other lean!<br/> + +E'en more in time of spring, the lord of flowers, *<br/> + + When fragrant is the world with bloom and green:<br/> + +Drainer of vine-juice! up wi' thee, for now *<br/> + + Earth is a Heaven where sweet waters flow.[FN#76]"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Kanmakan heard these distichs his sorrows surged up; his tears ran down +his cheeks like freshets and flames of fire darted into his heart. So he rose +to see who it was that spake these words, but saw none for the thickness of the +gloom; whereupon passion increased on him and he was frightened and +restlessness possessed him. He descended from his place to the sole of the +valley and walked along the banks of the stream, till he heard the same voice +sighing heavy sighs and reciting these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Tho' 'tis thy wont to hide thy love perforce, *<br/> + + Yet weep on day of parting and divorce!<br/> + +Twixt me and my dear love were plighted vows; *<br/> + + Pledge of reunion, fonder intercourse:<br/> + +With joy inspires my heart and deals it rest *<br/> + + Zephyr, whose coolness doth desire enforce.<br/> + +O Sa'adá,[FN#77] thinks of me that anklet wearer? *<br/> + + Or parting broke she troth without remorse?<br/> + +And say! shall nights foregather us, and we *<br/> + + Of suffered hardships tell in soft discourse?<br/> + +Quoth she, 'Thou'rt daft for us and fey'; quoth I, *<br/> + + ' 'Sain thee! how many a friend hast turned to corse!'<br/> + +If taste mine eyes sweet sleep while she's away, *<br/> + + Allah with loss of her these eyne accurse.<br/> + +O wounds in vitals mine! for cure they lack *<br/> + + Union and dewy lips' sweet theriack."[FN#78]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Kanmakan heard this verse again spoken by the same voice yet saw no one, +he knew that the speaker was a lover like unto himself, debarred from union +with her who loved him; and he said to himself, "'Twere fitting that this man +should lay his head to my head and become my comrade in this my +strangerhood."[FN#79] Then he hailed the speaker and cried out to him, saying, +"O thou who farest in sombrest night, draw near to me and tell me thy tale +haply thou shalt find me one who will succour thee in thy sufferings." And when +the owner of the voice heard these words, he cried out, "O thou that respondest +to my complaint and wouldest hear my history, who art thou amongst the knights? +Art thou human or Jinni? Answer me speedily ere thy death draw near for I +have wandered in this desert some twenty days and have seen no one nor heard +any voice but thy voice." At these words Kanmakan said to himself, "This one's +case is like my case, for I, even I, have wandered twenty days, nor during my +wayfare have I seen man or heard voice:" and he added, "I will make him no +answer till day arise." So he was silent, and the voice again called out to +him, saying, "O thou that callest, if thou be of the Jinn fare in peace and, if +thou be man, stay awhile till the day break stark and the night flee with the +dark." The speaker abode in his place and Kanmakan did likewise and the twain +in reciting verses never failed, and wept tears that railed till the light of +day began loom and the night departed with its gloom. Then Kanmakan looked at +the other and found him to be of the Badawi Arabs, a youth in the flower of his +age; clad in worn clothes and bearing in baldrick a rusty sword which he kept +sheathed, and the signs of love longing were apparent on him. He went up to +him and accosted him and saluted him, and the Badawi returned the salute and +greeted him with courteous wishes for his long life, but somewhat despised him, +seeing his tender years and his condition, which was that of a pauper. So he +said to him, "O youth, of what tribe art thou and to whom art thou kin among +the Arabs; and what is thy history that thou goest by night, after the fashion +of knights? Indeed thou spakest to me in the dark words such as are spoken of +none but doughty cavaliers and lion- like warriors; and now I hold thy life in +hand. But I have compassion on thee by reason of thy green years; so I will +make thee my companion and thou shalt go with me, to do me service." When +Kanmakan heard him speak these unseemly words, after showing him such skill in +verse, he knew that he despised him and would presume with him; therefore he +answered him with soft and well- chosen speech, saying, "O Chief of the Arabs, +leave my tenderness of age and tell me why thou wanderest by night in the +desert reciting verses. Thou talkest, I see, of my serving thee; who then art +thou and what moved thee to talk this wise?" Answered he, "Hark ye, boy! I am +Sabbáh, son of Rammáh bin Humám.[FN#80] My people are of the Arabs of Syria and +I have a cousin, Najmah highs, who to all that look on her brings delight. And +when my father died I was brought up in the house of his brother, the father of +Najmah; but as soon I grew up and my uncle's daughter became a woman, they +secluded her from me and me from her, seeing that I was poor and without money +in pouch. Then the Chiefs of the Arabs and the heads of the tribes rebuked her +sire, and he was abashed before them and consented to give me my cousin, but +upon condition that I should bring him as her dower fifty head of horses and +fifty dromedaries which travel ten days[FN#81] without a halt and fifty camels +laden with wheat and a like number laden with barley, together with ten black +slaves and ten handmaids. Thus the weight he set upon me was beyond my power to +bear; for he exacted more than the marriage settlement as by law established. +So here am I, travelling from Syria to Irak, and I have passed twenty days with +out seeing other than thyself; yet I mean to go to Baghdad that I may ascertain +what merchant men of wealth and importance start thence. Then will I fare +forth in their track and loot their goods, and I will slay their escort and +drive off their camels with their loads. But what manner of man art thou?" +Replied Kanmakan, "Thy case is like unto my case, save that my evil is more +grievous than thine ill; for my cousin is a King's daughter and the dowry of +which thou hast spoken would not content her people, nor would they be +satisfied with the like of that from me." Quoth Sabbah, "Surely thou art a fool +or thy wits for excess of passion are gathering wool! How can thy cousin be a +King's daughter? Thou hast no sign of royal rank on thee, for thou art but a +mendicant." Re joined Kanmakan, "O Chief of the Arabs, let not this my case +seem strange to thee; for what happened, happened;[FN#82] and if thou desire +proof of me, I am Kanmakan, son of King Zau al-Makan, son of King Omar bin +al-Nu'uman Lord of Baghdad and the realm Khorasan; and Fortune banned me with +her tyrant ban, for my father died and my Sultanate was taken by King Sasan. +So I fled forth from Baghdad secretly, lest I be seen of any man, and have +wandered twenty days without any but thyself to scan. So now I have discovered +to thee my case, and my story is as thy story and my need as thy need." When +Sabbab heard this, he cried out, "O my joy, I have attained my desire! I will +have no loot this day but thy self; for since thou art of the seed of Kings and +hast come out in beggar's garb, there is no help but thy people will seek thee; +and, if they find thee in any one's power, they will ransom thee with monies +galore. So show me thy back, O my lad, and walk before me." Answered Kanmakan, +"O brother of the Arabs, act not on this wise, for my people will not buy me +with silver nor with gold, not even with a copper dirham; and I am a poor man, +having with me neither much nor little, so cease then to be upon this track and +take me to thy comrade. Fare we forth for the land of Irak and wander over the +world, so haply we may win dower and marriage portion, and we may seek and +enjoy our cousins' kisses and embraces when we come back." Hearing this, Sabbah +waxed angry; his arrogance and fury redoubled and he said, "Woe to thee! Dost +thou bandy words with me, O vilest of dogs that be? Turn thee thy back, or I +will come down on thee with clack!" Kanmakan smiled and answered, "Why should I +turn my back for thee? Is there no justice in thee? Dost thou not fear to +bring blame upon the Arab men by driving a man like myself captive, in shame +and disdain, before thou hast proved him on the plain, to know if he be a +warrior or of cowardly strain?" Upon this Sabbah laughed and replied, "By +Allah, a wonder! Thou art a boy in years told, but in talk thou art old. +These words should come from none but a champion doughty and bold: what wantest +thou of justice?" Quoth Kanmakan, "If thou wilt have me thy captive, to wend +with thee and serve thee, throw down thine arms and put off thine outer gear +and come on and wrestle with me; and whichever of us throw his opponent shall +have his will of him and make him his boy." Then Sabbah laughed and said, "I +think this waste of breath de noteth the nearness of thy death." Then he arose +and threw down his weapon and, tucking up his skirt, drew near unto Kanmakan +who also drew near and they gripped each other. But the Badawi found that the +other had the better of him and weighed him down as the quintal downweighs the +diner; and he looked at his legs firmly planted on the ground, and saw that +they were as two minarets[FN#83] strongly based, or two tent-poles in earth +encased, or two mountains which may not he displaced. So he acknowledged +himself to be a failure and repented of having come to wrestle with him, saying +in himself, "Would I had slain him with my weapon!" Then Kanmakan took hold of +him and mastering him, shook him till the Badawi thought his bowels would burst +in his belly, and he broke out, "Hold thy hand, O boy!" He heeded not his +words, but shook him again and, lifting him from the ground, made with him +towards the stream, that he might throw him therein: where upon the Badawi +roared out, saying, "O thou valiant man, what wilt thou do with me?"[FN#84] +Quoth he, "I mean to throw thee into this stream: it will bear thee to the +Tigris. The Tigris will bring thee to the river Isa and the Isa will carry thee +to the Euphrates, and the Euphrates will land thee in shine own country; so thy +tribe shall see thee and know thy manly cheer and how thy passion be sincere." +Then Sabbah cried aloud and said, "O Champion of the desert lair, do not with +me what deed the wicked dare but let me go, by the life of thy cousin, the +jewel of the fair!" Hearing this, Kanmakan set him on the ground, but when he +found him self at liberty, he ran to his sword and targe and taking them up +stood plotting in himself treachery and sudden assault on his adversary.[FN#85] +The Prince kenned his intent in his eye and said to him, "I con what is in thy +heart, now thou hast hold of thy sword and thy targe. Thou hast neither length +of hand nor trick of wrestling, but thou thinkest that, wert thou on thy mare +and couldst wheel about the plain, and ply me with thy skene, I had long ago +been slain. But I will give thee thy requite, so there may be left in thy +heart no despite; now give me the targe and fall on me with thy whinger; either +thou shalt kill me or I shall kill thee." "Here it is," answered Sabbah and, +throwing him the targe, bared his brand and rushed at him sword in hand; +Kanmakan hent the buckler in his right and began to fend himself with it, +whilst Sabbah struck at him, saying at each stroke, "This is the finishing +blow!" But it fell harmless enow, for Kanmakan took all on his buckler and it +was waste work, though he did not reply lacking the wherewithal to strike and +Sabbah ceased not to smite at him with his sabre, till his arm was weary. When +his opponent saw this, he rushed upon him and, hugging him in his arms, shook +him and threw him to the ground. Then he turned him over on his face and +pinioned his elbows behind him with the baldrick of his sword, and began to +drag him by the feet and to make for the river. Thereupon cried Sabbah, "What +wilt thou do with me, O youth, and cavalier of the age and brave of the plain +where battles rage?" Answered he, "Did I not tell thee that it was my intent to +send thee by the river to thy kin and to thy tribe, that thy heart be not +troubled for them nor their hearts be troubled for thee, and lest thou miss thy +cousin's bride-feast!" At this Sabbah shrieked aloud and wept and screaming +said, "Do not thus, O champion of the time's braves! Let me go and make me one +of thy slaves!" And he wept and wailed and began reciting these verses, +</p> + +<p> +"I'm estranged fro' my folk and estrangement's long: *<br/> + + Shall I die amid strangers? Ah, would that I kenned!<br/> + +I die, nor my kinsman shall know where I'm slain, *<br/> + + Die in exile nor see the dear face of my friend!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon Kanmakan had compassion on him and said, "Make with me a covenant +true and swear me an oath to be a comrade as due and to bear me company +wheresoever I may go." "'Tis well," replied Sabbah and swore accordingly. Then +Kanmakan loosed him and he rose and would have kissed the Prince's hand; but he +forbade him that. Then the Badawi opened his scrip and, taking out three +barley scones, laid them before Kanmakan and they both sat down on the bank of +the stream to eat.[FN#86] When they had done eating together, they made the +lesser ablution and prayed; after which they sat talking of what had befallen +each of them from his people and from the shifts of Time. Presently said +Kanmakan, "Whither dost thou now intend?" Replied Sabbah, "I purpose to repair +to Baghdad, thy native town, and abide there, until Allah vouchsafe me the +marriage portion." Rejoined the other, "Up then and to the road! I tarry +here." So the Badawi farewelled him and took the way for Baghdad, whilst +Kanmakan remained behind, saying to himself, "O my soul, with what face shall I +return pauper- poor? Now by Allah, I will not go back empty handed and, if the +Almighty please, I will assuredly work my deliverance." Then he went to the +stream and made the Wuzu-washing and when prostrating he laid his brow in the +dust and prayed to the Lord, saying, "O Allah! Thou who sendest down the dew, +and feedest the worm that homes in the stone, I beseech Thee vouchsafe me my +livelihood of Thine Omnipotence and the Grace of Thy benevolence!" Then he +pronounced the salutation which closes prayer; yet every road appeared closed +to him. And while he sat turning right and left, behold, he espied a horseman +making towards him with bent back and reins slack. He sat up right and after a +time reached the Prince; and the stranger was at the last gasp and made sure of +death, for he was grievously wounded when he came up; the tears streamed down +his cheeks like water from the mouths of skins, and he said to Kanmakan, "O +Chief of the Arabs, take me to thy friendship as long as I live, for thou wilt +not find my like; and give me a little water though the drinking of water be +harmful to one wounded, especially whilst the blood is flowing and the life +with it. And if I live, I will give thee what shall heal thy penury and thy +poverty: and if I die, mayst thou be blessed for thy good intent." Now under +that horseman was a stallion, so noble a Rabite[FN#87] the tongue fails to +describe him; and as Kanmakan looked at his legs like marble shafts, he was +seized with a longing and said to himself, "Verily the like of this +stallion[FN#88] is not to be found in our time." Then he helped the rider to +alight and entreated him in friendly guise and gave him a little water to +swallow; after which he waited till he had taken rest and addressed him, +saying, "Who hath dealt thus with thee?" Quoth the rider, "I will tell thee the +truth of the case. I am a horse thief and I have busied myself with lifting and +snatching horses all my life, night and day, and my name is Ghassan, the plague +of every stable and stallion. I heard tell of this horse, that he was in the +land of Roum, with King Afridun, where they had named him Al-Katúl and surnamed +him Al Majnún.[FN#89] So I journeyed to Constantinople for his sake and watched +my opportunity and whilst I was thus waiting, there came out an old woman, one +highly honoured among the Greeks, and whose word with them is law, by name Zat +al-Dawahi, a past mistress in all manner of trickery. She had with her this +steed and ten slaves, no more, to attend on her and the horse; and she was +bound for Baghdad and Khorasan, there to seek King Sasan and to sue for peace +and pardon from ban. So I went out in their track, longing to get at the +horse,[FN#90] and ceased not to follow them, but was unable to come by the +stallion, because of the strict guard kept by the slaves, till they reached +this country and I feared lest they enter the city of Baghdad. As I was +casting about to steal the stallion lo! a great cloud of dust arose on them and +walled the horizon. Presently it opened and disclosed fifty horsemen, gathered +together to waylay merchants on the highway, and their captain, by name +Kahrdash, was a lion in daring and dash; a furious lion who layeth knights flat +as carpets in battle-crash."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-first Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the wounded rider spake +thus to Kanmakan, "Then came out the same Kahrdash, and fell on the old woman +and her men and bore down upon them bashing them, nor was it long before they +bound her and the ten slaves and bore off their captives and the horse, +rejoicing. When I saw this, I said to myself, 'My pains were in vain nor did I +attain my gain.' However, I waited to see how the affair would fare, and when +the old woman found herself in bonds, she wept and said to the captain, +Kahrdash, 'O thou doughty Champion and furious Knight, what wilt thou do with +an old woman and slaves, now that thou hast thy will of the horse?' And she +beguiled him with soft words and she sware that she would send him horses and +cattle, till he released her and her slaves. Then he went his way, he and his +comrades, and I followed them till they reached this country; and I watched +them, till at last I found an opportunity of stealing the horse, whereupon I +mounted him and, drawing a whip from my wallet, struck him with it. When the +robbers heard this, they came out on me and surrounded me on all sides and shot +arrows and cast spears at me, whilst I stuck fast on his back and he fended me +with hoofs and forehand,[FN#91] till at last he bolted out with me from amongst +them like unerring shaft or shooting star. But in the stress and stowre I got +sundry grievous wounds and sore; and, since that time, I have passed on his +back three days without tasting food or sleeping aught, so that my strength is +down brought and the world is become to me as naught. But thou hast dealt +kindly with me and hast shown ruth on me; and I see thee naked stark and sorrow +hath set on thee its mark, yet are signs of wealth and gentle breeding manifest +on thee. So tell me, what and whence art thou and whither art thou bound?" +Answered the Prince, "My name is Kanmakan, son of Zau al-Makan, son of King +Omar bin al-Nu'uman. When my father died and an orphan lot was my fate, a base +man seized the throne and became King over small and great." Then he told him +all his past from first to last; and the horse thief said to him for he pitied +him, "By Allah, thou art one of high degree and exceeding nobility, and thou +shalt surely attain estate sublime and become the first cavalier of thy time. +If thou can lift me on horseback and mount thee behind me and bring me to my +own land, thou shalt have honour in this world and a reward on the day of band +calling to band,[FN#92] for I have no strength left to steady myself; and if +this be my last day, the steed is thine alway, for thou art worthier of him +than any other." Quoth Kanmakan, By Allah, if I could carry thee on my +shoulders or share my days with thee, I would do this deed without the steed! +For I am of a breed that loveth to do good and to succour those in need; and +one kindly action in Almighty Allah's honour averteth seventy calamities from +its doer. So make ready to set out and put thy trust in the Subtle, the All- +Wise." And he would have lifted him on to the horse and fared forward trusting +in Allah Aider of those who seek aid, but the horse thief said, "Wait for me +awhile. Then he closed his eyes and opening his hands, said I testify that +there is no god but the God, and I testify that Mohammed is the Apostle of +God!" And he added, "O glorious One, pardon me my mortal sin, for none can +pardon mortal sins save the Immortal!" And he made ready for death and recited +these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"I have wronged mankind, and have ranged like wind *<br/> + + O'er the world, and in wine-cups my life has past:<br/> + +I've swum torrent course to bear off the horse; *<br/> + + And my guiles high places on plain have cast.<br/> + +Much I've tried to win and o'er much my sin, *<br/> + + And Katul of my winnings is most and last:<br/> + +I had hoped of this steed to gain wish and need, *<br/> + + But vain was the end of this journey vast.<br/> + +I have stolen through life, and my death in strife *<br/> + + Was doomed by the Lord who doth all forecast<br/> + +And I've toiled these toils to their fatal end *<br/> + + For an orphan, a pauper sans kith or friend!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he had finished his verses he closed his eyes and opened his mouth; +then with a single death-rattling he left this world. Thereupon Kanmakan rose +and dug a grave and laid him in the dust; after which he went up to the steed +and kissed him and wiped his face and joyed with exceeding joy, saying, "None +hath the fellow of this stallion; no, not even King Sasan." Such was the case +with Kanmakan; but as regards King Sasan, presently news came to him that the +Wazir Dandan had thrown off his allegiance, and with him half the army who +swore that they would have no King but Kanmakan: and the Minister had bound the +troops by a solemn covenant and had gone with them to the Islands of India and +to Berber-land and to Black-land;[FN#93] where he had levied armies from far +and near, like unto the swollen sea for fear and none could tell the host's van +from its rear. And the Minister was resolved to make for Baghdad and take the +kingdom in ward and slay every soul who dare retard, having sworn not to return +the sword of war to its sheath, till he had made Kanmakan King. When this news +came to Sasan, he was drowned in the sea of appal, knowing that the whole state +had turned against him, great and small; and his trouble redoubled and his care +became despair. So he opened his treasuries and distributed his monies among +his officers; and he prayed for Kanmakan's return, that he might draw his heart +to him with fair usage and bounty; and make him commander of those troops which +ceased not being faithful to him, so might he quench the sparks ere they became +a flame. Now when the news of this reached Kanmakan by the merchants, he +returned in haste to Baghdad on the back of the aforesaid stallion, and as King +Sasan sat perplexed upon his throne he heard of the coming of Kanmakan; +whereupon he despatched all the troops and head-men of the city to meet him. +So all who were in Baghdad fared forth and met the Prince and escorted him to +the palace and kissed the thresholds, whilst the damsels and the eunuchs went +in to his mother and gave her the fair tidings of his return. She came to him +and kissed him between the eyes, but he said to her, "O mother mine, let me go +to my uncle King Sasan who hath overwhelmed me with weal and boon." And while +he so did, all the palace-people and head-men marvelled at the beauty of the +stallion and said, "No King is like unto this man." So Kanmakan went in to King +Sasan and saluted him as he rose to receive him; and, kissing his hands and +feet, offered him the horse as a present. The King greeted him, saying, "Well +come and welcome to my son Kanmakan! By Allah, the world hath been straitened +on me by reason of thine absence, but praised be Allah for thy safety!" And +Kanmakan called down blessings on him. Then the King looked at the stallion, +Al-Katul highs, and knew him for the very horse he had seen in such and such a +year whilst beleaguering the Cross-worshippers of Constantinople with +Kanmakan's sire, Zau al- Makan, that time they slew his uncle Sharrkan. So he +said to the Prince, "If thy father could have come by this courser, he would +have bought it with a thousand blood horses: but now let the honour return to +the honourable. We accept the steed and we give him back to thee as a gift, +for to him thou hast more right than any wight, being knightliest of knights." +Then King Sasan bade bring forth for him dresses of honour and led horses and +appointed to him the chief lodging in the palace, and showed him the utmost +affection and honour, because he feared the issue of the Wazir Dandan's doings. +At this Kanmakan rejoiced and shame and humiliation ceased from him. Then he +went to his house and, going to his mother, asked, "O my mother, how is it with +the daughter of my uncle?" Answered she, "By Allah, O my son, my concern for +thine absence hath distracted me from any other, even from thy beloved; +especially as she was the cause of thy strangerhood and thy separation from +me." Then he complained to her of his case, saying, "O my mother, go to her and +speak with her; haply she will vouchsafe me her sight to see and dispel from me +this despondency." Replied his mother, "Idle desires abase men's necks; so put +away from thee this thought that can only vex; for I will not wend to her nor +go in to her with such message.' Now when he heard his mother's words he told +her what said the horse-thief concerning Zat al-Dawahi, how the old woman was +then in their land purposing to make Baghdad, and added, "It was she who slew +my uncle and my grandfather, and needs must I avenge them with man-bote, that +our reproach be wiped out." Then he left her and repaired to an old woman, a +wicked, whorish, pernicious beldam by name Sa'adánah and complained to her of +his case and of what he suffered for love of his cousin Kuzia Fakan and begged +her to go to her and win her favour for him. "I hear and I obey," answered the +old hag and leaving him betook herself to Kuzia Fakan's palace, that she might +intercede with her in his behalf. Then she returned to him and said, "Of a +truth Kuzia Fakan saluteth thee and promiseth to visit thee this night about +midnight."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-second Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old woman came +to Kanmakan and said, "Of a truth the daughter of thine uncle saluteth thee and +she will visit thee this night about midnight;" he rejoiced and sat down to +await the fulfilment of his cousin's promise. But before the hour of night she +came to him, wrapped in a veil of black silk, and she went in to him and +aroused him from sleep, saying, "How canst thou pretend to love me, when thou +art sleeping heart-free and in complete content?" So he awoke and said, "By +Allah, O desire of my heart, I slept not but in the hope that thine image might +visit my dreams!" Then she chid him with soft words and began versifying in +these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Hadst thou been leaf in love's loyalty, *<br/> + + Ne'er haddest suffered sleep to seal those eyne:<br/> + +O thou who claimest lover-loyalty, *<br/> + + Treading the lover's path of pain and pine!<br/> + +By Allah, O my cousin, never yet *<br/> + + Did eyes of lover sleep such sleep indign."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when he heard his cousin's words, he was abashed before her and rose and +excused himself. Then they embraced and complained to each other of the +anguish of separation; and they ceased not thus till dawn broke and day +dispersed itself over the horizon; when she rose preparing to depart. Upon +this Kanmakan wept and sighed and began improvising these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"O thou who deignest come at sorest sync, *<br/> + + Whose lips those teeth like necklaced pearls enshrine'<br/> + +I kissed him[FN#94] thousand times and clips his waist, *<br/> + + And spent the night with cheek to cheek close li'en<br/> + +Till to depart us twain came dawning day, *<br/> + + Like sword edge drawn from sheath in radiant line."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he ended his poetry, Kuzia Fakan took leave of him and returned to her +palace. Now certain of her damsels became aware of her secret, and one of +these slave girls disclosed it to King Sasan, who went into Kuzia Fakan and, +drawing his sabre upon her, would have slain her: but her mother Nuzhat +al-Zaman entered and said to him, "By Allah, do her no harm, for if thou hurt +her, the report will be noised among the folk and thou shalt become a reproach +amongst the Kings of the age! Know thou that Kanmakan is no son of adultery, +but a man of honour and nobility, who would not do aught that could shame him, +and she was reared with him. So be not hasty; for verily the report is spread +abroad, among all the palace-people and all the folk of Baghdad, how the Wazir +Dandan hath levied armies from all countries and is on his way hither to make +Kanmakan King." Quoth Sasan, "By Allah, needs must I cast him into such +calamity that neither earth shall support him nor sky shall shadow him! I did +but speak him fair and show him favour because of my lieges and my lords, lest +they incline to him; but right soon shalt thou see what shall betide." Then he +left her and went out to order the affairs of the realm. Such, then, was the +case with King Sasan; but as regards Kanmakan, on the next day he came in to +his mother and said, "O my mother! I am resolved to ride forth a raiding and a +looting: and I will cut the road of caravans and lift horses and flocks, +negroes and white slaves and, as soon as I have collected great store and my +case is bettered galore, I will demand my cousin Kuzia Fakan in marriage of my +uncle Sasan." Replied she, "O my son, of a truth the goods of men are not ready +to hand like a scape-camel;[FN#95] for on this side of them are sword-strokes +and lance-lungings and men that eat the wild beast and lay countries waste and +chase lynxes and hunt lions." Quoth he, Heaven forefend that I turn back from +my resolve, till I have won to my will! Then he despatched the old woman to +Kuzia Fakan, to tell her that he was about to set out in quest of a marriage +settle ment befitting her, saying to the beldam, "Thou needs must pray her to +send me an answer." "I hear and I obey," replied the old woman and going forth, +presently returned with Kuzia Fakan's reply, which was, "She will come to thee +at midnight." So he abode awake till one half of the night was passed, when +restlessness get hold on him, and before he was aware she came in to him, +saying, "My life be thy ransom from wakefulness!" and he sprang up to receive +her, exclaiming, "O desire of my heart, my life be thy redemption from all ills +and evils!" Then he acquainted her, with his intent, and she wept: but he said, +"Weep not, O daughter of my uncle; for I beseech Him who decreed our separation +to vouchsafe us reunion and fair understanding." Then Kanmakan, having fixed a +day for departure, went in to his mother and took leave of her, after which +came he down from his palace and threw the baldrick of his sword over his +shoulder and donned turband and face-veil; and mounting his horse, Al-Katul, +and looking like the moon at its full, he threaded the streets of Baghdad, till +he reached the city gate. And behold, here he found Sabbah bin Rammah coming +out of town; and his comrade seeing him, ran to his stirrup and saluted him. +He returned his salutation, and Sabbah asked him, "O my brother, how camest +thou by this good steed and this sword and clothes, whilst I up to present time +have gotten nothing but my sword and target?" Answered Kanmakan, "The hunter +returneth not but with quarry after the measure of his intention. A little +after thy departure, fortune came to me: so now say, wilt thou go with me and +work thine intent in my company and journey with me in this desert?" Replied +Sabbah, "By the Lord of the Ka'abah, from this time forth I will call thee +naught but 'my lord'!" Then he ran on before the horse, with his sword hanging +from his neck and his budget between his shoulder blades, and Kanmakan rode a +little behind him; and they plunged into the desert, for a space of four days, +eating of the gazelles and drinking water of the springs. On the fifth day they +drew near a high hill, at whose foot was a spring-encampment[FN#96] and a deep +running stream; and the knolls and hollows were filled with camels and cattle +and sheep and horses, and little children played about the pens and folds. When +Kanmakan saw this, he rejoiced at the sight and his breast was filled with +delight; so he addressed himself to fight, that he might take the camels and +the cattle, and said to Sabbah, "Come, fall with us upon this loot, whose +owners have left it unguarded here, and do we battle for it with near and far, +so haply may fall to our lot of goods some share." Replied Sabbah, "O my lord, +verily they to whom these herds belong be many in number; and among them are +doughty horsemen and fighting footmen; and if we venture lives in this derring +do we shall fall into danger great and neither of us will return safe from this +bate; but we shall both be cut off by fate and leave our cousins desolate." +Then Kanmakan laughed and knew that he was a coward; so he left him and rode +down the rise, intent on rapine, with loud cries and chanting these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Oh a valiant race are the sons of Nu'umán, *<br/> + + Braves whose blades shred heads of the foeman-clan![FN#97]<br/> + +A tribe who, when tried in the tussle of war, *<br/> + + Taketh prowess stand in the battle-van:<br/> + +In their tents safe close gaberlunzie's eyne, *<br/> + + Nor his poverty's ugly features scan:<br/> + +And I for their aidance sue of Him *<br/> + + Who is King of Kings and made soul of man."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he rushed upon the she-camels like a he-camel in rut and drove all before +him, sheep and cattle, horses and dromedaries. Therewith the slaves ran at him +with their blades so bright and their lances so long; and at their head rode a +Turkish horseman who was indeed a stout champion, doughty in fray and in battle +chance and skilled to wield the nut-brown lance and the blade with bright +glance. He drove at Kanmakan, saying, "Woe to thee! Knewest thou to whom these +herds belong thou hadst not done this deed. Know that they are the goods of +the band Grecian, the champions of the ocean and the troop Circassian; and this +troop containeth none but valiant wights numbering an hundred knights, who have +cast off the allegiance of every Sultan. But there hath been stolen from them +a noble stallion, and they have vowed not to return hence without him." Now +when Kanmakan heard these words, he cried out, saying, "O villain, this I +bestride is the steed whereof ye speak and after which ye seek, and ye would do +battle with me for his sake' So come out against me, all of you at once, and do +you dourest for the nonce!" Then he shouted between the ears of Al-Katul who +ran at them like a Ghul; whereupon Kanmakan let drive at the Turk[FN#98] and +ran him through the body and threw him from his horse and let out his life; +after which he turned upon a second and a third and a fourth, and also of life +bereft them. When the slaves saw this, they were afraid of him, and he cried +out and said to them, "Ho, sons of whores, drive out the cattle and the stud or +I will dye my spear in your blood." So they untethered the beasts and began to +drive them out; and Sabbah came down to Kanmakan with loud voicing and hugely +rejoicing; when lo! there arose a cloud of dust and grew till it walled the +view, and there appeared under of it riders an hundred, like lions an-hungered. +Upon this Sabbah took flight, and fled to the hill's topmost height, leaving +the assailable site, and enjoyed sight of the fight, saying, "I am no warrior; +but in sport and jest I delight."[FN#99] Then the hundred cavaliers made +towards Kanmakan and surrounded him on all sides, and one of them accosted him, +saying, "Whither goest thou with this loot?" Quoth he, "I have made it my prize +and am carrying it away; and I forbid you from it, or come on to the combat, +for know ye that he who is before you is a terrible lion and an honourable +champion, and a sword that cutteth wherever it turneth!" When the horseman +heard these words, he looked at Kanmakan and saw that he was a knight like a +mane-clad lion in might, whilst his face was as the full moon rising on its +fourteenth night, and velour shone from between his eyes. Now that horseman +was the captain of the hundred horse, and his name was Kahrdash; and when he +saw in Kanmakan the perfection of cavalarice with surpassing gifts of +comeliness, his beauty reminded him of a beautiful mistress of his whose name +was Fátin.[FN#100] Now she was one of the fairest of women in face, for Allah +had given her charms and grace and noble qualities of all kinds, such as tongue +faileth to explain and which ravish the hearts of men. Moreover, the cavaliers +of the tribe feared her prowess and all the champions of that land stood in awe +of her high spirit; and she had sworn that she would not marry nor let any +possess her, except he should conquer her in combat (Kahrdash being one of her +suitors); and she said to her father, "None shall approach me, save he be able +to deal me over throw in the field and stead of war thrust and blow. Now when +this news reached Kahrdash, he scorned to fight with a girl, fearing reproach; +and one of his intimates said to him, "Thou art complete in all conditions of +beauty and goodliness; so if thou contend with her, even though she be stronger +than thou, thou must needs overcome her; for when she seeth thy beauty and +grace, she will be discomfited before thee and yield thee the victory; for +verily women have a need of men e'en as thou heedest full plain." Nevertheless +Kahrdash refused and would not contend with her, and he ceased not to abstain +from her thus, till he met from Kanmakan that which hath been set down. Now he +took the Prince for his beloved Fatin and was afraid; albeit indeed she loved +him for what she had heard of his beauty and velour; so he went up to him and +said, "Woe to thee,[FN#101] O Fatin! Thou comest here to show me thy prowess; +but now alight from thy steed, that I may talk with thee, for I have lifted +these cattle and have foiled my friends and waylaid many a brave and man of +knightly race, all for the sake of thy beauty of form and face, which are +without peer. So marry me now, that Kings' daughters may serve thee and thou +shalt become Queen of these countries." When Kanmakan heard these words, the +fires of wrath flamed up in him and he cried out, "Woe to thee, O Persian dog! +Leave Fatin and thy trust and mistrust, and come to cut and thrust, for eftsoon +thou shalt lie in the dust;" and so saying, he began to wheel about him and +assail him and feel the way to prevail. But when Kahrdash observed him closely +he knew him for a doughty knight and a stalwart in fight; and the error of his +thought became manifest to him, whenas he saw the green down on his cheeks +dispread like myrtles springing from the heart of a rose bright-red. And he +feared his onslaught and quoth he to those with him, "Woe to you! Let one of +you charge down upon him and show him the keen sword and the quivering spear; +for know that when many do battle with one man it is foul shame, even though he +be a kemperly wight and an invincible knight." Upon this, there ran at Kanmakan +a horseman like a lion in fight, mounted on a black horse with hoofs snow-white +and a star on his forehead, the bigness of a dirham, astounding wit and sight, +as he were Abjar, which was Antar's destrier, even as saith of him the poet, +</p> + +<p> +"The courser chargeth on battling foe, *<br/> + + Mixing heaven on high with the earth down low:[FN#102]<br/> + +As though the Morning had blazed his brow, *<br/> + + And he rends her vitals as quid pro quo."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +He rushed upon Kanmakan, and they wheeled about awhile, giving blows and taking +blows such as confound the sprite and dim the sight; but Kanmakan was the first +to smite the foe a swashing blow, that rove through turband and iron skull cap +and reached his head, and he fell from his steed with the fall of a camel when +he rolleth over. Then a second came out to him and offered battle, and in like +guise a third, a fourth and a fifth, and he did with them all as he had done +with the first. Thereupon the rest at once rushed upon him, for indeed they +were roused by rage and wild with wrath; but it was not long before he had +pierced them all with the point of his spear. When Kahrdash saw these feats of +arms, he feared death; for he knew that the youth was stoutest of heart and +concluded that he was unique among knights and braves; and he said to Kanmakan, +"I waive my claim to thy blood and I pardon thee the blood of my comrades: so +take what thou wilt of the cattle and wend thy ways, for thy firmness in fight +moveth my ruth and life is better for thee than death." Replied Kanmakan, "Thou +lackest not of the generosity of the noble! but leave this talk and run for +thy life and reck not of blame nor think to get back the booty; but take the +straight path for thine own safety." Thereupon Kahrdash waxed exceeding wroth, +and rage moved him to the cause of his death; so he said to Kanmakan, "Woe to +thee, an thou knew who I be, thou wouldst not wield these words in the open +field. I am the lion to bash known as Kahrdash, he who spoileth great Kings +and waylayeth all travellings and seizeth the merchants' preciousest things. +And the steed under thee is that I am seeking; and I call upon thee to tell me +how thou camest by him and hast him in thy keeping." Replied Kan makan, "Know +thou that this steed was being carried to my uncle King Sasan, under the escort +of an ancient dame high in rank attended by ten slaves, when thou fellest upon +her and tookest the horse from her; and I have a debt of blood against this old +woman for the sake of my grandfather King Omar bin al Nu'uman and my uncle King +Sharrkan.' "Woe to thee!" quoth Kahrdash, "who is thy father, O thou that hast +no lawful mother?" Quoth he, "Know that I am Kanmakan, bin Zau al-Makan, son of +Omar bin al-Nu'uman." But when Kahrdash heard this address he said, "Thy +perfection cannot be denied, nor yet the union in thee of knightly virtue and +seemlihead," and he added, "Fare in peace, for thy father showed us favour." +Rejoined Kanmakan, "By Allah, I will not deign to honour thee, O wretch I +disdain, so far as to overcome thee in battle plain!" Upon this the Badawi +waxed wroth and they drove at each other, shouting aloud, whilst their horses +pricked their ears and raised their tails.[FN#103] And they ceased not +clashing together with such a crash that it seemed to each as if the firmament +were split in sunder, and they continued to strive like two rams which butt, +smiting and exchanging with their spears thrust and cut. Presently Kahrdash +foined at Kanmakan; but he evaded it and rejoined upon him and so pierced him +through the breast that the spearhead issued from his back. Then he collected +the horses and the plunder, and he cried out to the slaves, saying, "Up and be +driving as hard as ye may!" Hearing this, down came Sabbah and, accosting +Kanmakan, said to him, "Right well hast thou dight, O Knight of the age! +Verily I prayed Allah for thee and the Lord heard my prayer." Then he cut off +Kahrdash's head and Kanmakan laughed and said, "Woe to thee, O Sabbah! I +thought thee a rider fain of fight." Quoth the Badawi, "Forget not thy slave in +the division of the spoil, so haply therewith I may marry my cousin Najmah." +Answered Kanmakan, "Thou shalt assuredly share in it, but now keep watch over +the booty and the slaves." Then he set out for his home and he ceased not +journeying night and day till he drew near Baghdad city, and all the troops +heard of Kanmakan, and saw what was his of loot and cattle and the +horse-thief's head on the point of Sabbah's spear. Also (for he was a noted +highwayman) the merchants knew Kahrdash's head and rejoiced, saying, "Allah +hath rid mankind of him!"; and they marvelled at his being slain and blessed +his slayer. Thereupon all the people of Baghdad came to Kanmakan, seeking to +know what adventures had befallen him, and he told them what had passed, +whereupon all men were taken with awe of him and the Knights and champions +feared him. Then he drove his spoil under the palace walls; and, planting the +spear heel, on whose point was Kahrdash's head, over against the royal gate, +gave largesse to the people of Baghdad, distributing horses and camels, so that +all loved him and their hearts inclined to him. Presently he took Sabbah and +lodged him in a spacious dwelling and gave him a share of the loot; after which +he went in to his mother and told her all that had befallen him in his last +journey. Meanwhile the news of him reached the King, who rose from his levee +and, shutting himself up with his chief officers, said to them, "Know ye that I +desire to reveal to you my secret and acquaint you with the hidden facts of my +case. And further know that Kanmakan will be the cause of our being uprooted +from this kingdom, our birth place; for he hath slain Kahrdash, albeit he had +with him the tribes of the Kurds and the Turks, and our affair with him will +end in our destruction, seeing that the most part of our troops are his kinsmen +and ye weet what the Wazir Dandan hath done; how he disowneth me, after all I +have shown him of favours; and after being faithful he hath turned traitor. +Indeed it hath reached me that he hath levied an army in the provinces and hath +planned to make Kanmakan Sultan, for that the Sultanate was his father's and +his grandfather's; and assuredly he will slay me without mercy." Now when the +Lords of the Realm heard from him these words, they replied, "O King, verily +this man.[FN#104] is unequal to this, and did we not know him to have been +reared by thee, not one of us would approve of him. And know thou that we are +at thy commandment; if thou desire his death, we will do him die; and if thou +wilt remove him, we will remove him." Now when King Sasan heard this, he said, +"Verily, to slay him were wise; but needs must ye swear an oath to it." So all +sware to slay Kanmakan without giving him a chance; to the end that, when the +Wazir Dandan should come and hear of his death, his force might be weakened and +he fail of his design. When they had made this compact and covenant with trim, +the king honoured them with the highest honours and presently retired to his +own apartments. But the officers deserted him and the troops refused their +service and would neither mount nor dismount until they should espy what might +befal, for they saw that most of the army was with the Wazir Dandan. +Presently, the news of these things came to Kuzia Fakan and caused her much +concern; so that she sent for the old woman who was wont to carry messages +between her and her cousin, and when she came, bade her go to him and warn him +of the plot. Whereto he replied, "Bear my salutation to the daughter of my +uncle and say to her, 'Verily the earth is of Allah (to whom belong Might and +Majesty!), and He giveth it as heritage to whomsoever of His servants He +willeth.' How excellent is the saying of the sayer, +</p> + +<p> +'Allah holds Kingship! Whoso seeks without Him victory *<br/> + + Shall be cast out, with soul condemned to Hell of low<br/> + + degree:<br/> + +Had I or any other man a finger breadth of land, *<br/> + + The rule were changed and men a twain of partner gods would<br/> + + see.' "<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then the old woman returned to Kuzia Fakan and told her his reply and +acquainted her that he abode in the city. Meanwhile, King Sasan awaited his +faring forth from Baghdad, that he might send after him some who would slay +him; till it befel one morning that Kanmakan went out to course and chase, +accompanied by Sabbah, who would not leave him night or day. He caught ten +gazelles and among them one that had tender black eyes and turned right and +left: so he let her go and Sabbah said to him, "Why didst thou free this +gazelle?" Kanmakan laughed and set the others free also, saying, "It is only +humane to release gazelles that have young, and this one turned not from side +to side, save to look for her fawns: so I let her go and released the others in +her honour." Quoth Sabbah, "Do thou release me, that I may go to my people." At +this Kanmakan laughed and smote him with the spear butt on the breast, and he +fell to the ground squirming like a snake. Whilst they were thus doing, +behold, they saw a dust cloud spireing high and heard the tramp of horses; and +presently there appeared under it a plump of knights and braves. Now the cause +of their coming was this. Some of his followers had acquainted King Sasan with +Kanmakan's going out to the chase; so he sent for an Emir of the Daylamites, +called Jámi' and twenty of his horsemen; and gave them money and bade them slay +Kanmaken. So when they drew near the Prince, they charged down upon him and he +met them in mid-charge and killed them all, to the last man. And behold, King +Sasan took horse and riding out to meet his people, found them all slain, +whereat he wondered and turned back; when lo! the people of the city laid +hands on him and bound him straitly. As for Kanmakan after that adventure, he +left the place behind him and rode onward with Sabbah the Badawi. And the while +he went, lo! he saw a youth sitting at the door of a house on his road and +saluted him. The youth returned his greeting and, going into the house, +brought out two platters, one full of soured milk and the other of brewis +swimming in clarified butter; and he set the platter before Kanmakan, saying +"Favour us by eating of our victual." But he refused and quoth the young man to +him, "What aileth thee, O man, that thou wilt not eat?" Quoth Kanmakan, "I have +a vow upon me." The youth asked, "What is the cause of thy vow?", and Kanmakan +answered, "Know that King Sasan seized upon my kingdom like a tyrant and an +enemy, although it was my father's and my grand father's before me; yet he +became master of it by force after my father's death and took no count of me, +by reason of my tender years. So I have bound myself by a vow to eat no man's +victual till I have eased my heart of my foe." Rejoined the youth, "Rejoice, +for Allah hath fulfilled thy vow. Know that he hath been prisoned in a certain +place and methinks he will soon die." Asked Kanmakan, "In what house is he +confined?" "Under yon high dome," answered the other. The Prince looked and +saw the folk entering and buffeting Sasan, who was suffering the agonies of the +dying. So he arose and went up to the pavilion and noted what was therein; +after which he returned to his place and, sitting down to the proferred +victual, ate what sufficed him and put the rest in his wallet. Then he took +seat in his own place and ceased not sitting till it was dark night and the +youth, whose guest he was slept; when he rose and repaired to the pavilion +wherein Sasan was confined. Now about it were dogs guarding it, and one of +them sprang at him; so he took out of his budget a bit of meat and threw it to +him. He ceased not casting flesh to the dogs till he came to the pavilion and, +making his way to where King Sasan was, laid his hand upon his head; whereupon +he said in a loud voice, "Who art thou?" He replied, "I am Kanmakan whom thou +stravest to kill; but Allah made thee fall into thine evil device. Did it not +suffice thee to take my kingdom and the kingdom of my father, but thou must +purpose to slay me?"[FN#105] And Sasan swore a false oath that he had not +plotted his death and that the bruit was untrue. So Kanmakan forgave him and +said to him, "Follow me." Quoth he, "I cannot walk a single step for weakness." +Quoth Kanmakan, "If the case be thus we will get us two horses and ride forth, +I and thou, and seek the open." So he did as he said, and he took horse with +Sasan and rode till day break, when they prayed the dawn prayer and fared on, +and ceased not faring till they came to a garden, where they sat down and +talked. Then Kanmakan rose to Sasan and said, "Is aught left to set thy heart +against me?" "No, by Allah!" replied Sasan. So they agreed to return to +Baghdad and Sabbah the Badawi said, "I will go before you, to give folk the +fair tidings of your coming." Then he rode on in advance, acquainting women and +men with the good news; so all the people came out to meet Kanmakan with +tabrets and pipes; and Kuzia Fakan also came out, like the full moon shining in +all her splendour of light through the thick darkness of the night. So +Kanmakan met her, and soul yearned to soul and body longed for body. There was +no talk among the people of the time but of Kanmakan; for the Knights bore +witness of him that he was the most valiant of the folk of the age and said, +"It is not right that other than Kanmakan should be our Sultan, but the throne +of his grandfather shall revert to him as it began." Meanwhile Sasan went in to +his wife, Nuzhat al-Zaman, who said to him, "I hear that the folk talk of +nothing but Kanmakan and attribute to him such qualities as tongue never can." +He replied, "Hearing of a man is not like seeing a man. I have seen him, but +have noted in him none of the attributes of perfection. Not all that is heard +is said; but folk ape one another in extolling and cherishing him, and Allah +maketh his praises to run on the lips of men, so that there incline to him the +hearts of the people of Baghdad and of the Wazir Dandan, that perfidious and +treacherous man; who hath levied troops from all lands and taketh to himself +the right of naming a King of the country; and who chooseth that it shall be +under the hand of an orphan ruler whose worth is naught." Asked Nuzhat +al-Zaman, "What then is it that thou purposest to do?"; and the King answered, +"I mean to kill him, that the Wazir may be baulked of his intent and return to +his allegiance, seeing nothing for it but my service." Quoth she, "In good +sooth perfidy with strangers is a foul thing and how much more with kith and +kin! The righteous deed to do would be to marry him to thy daughter Kuzia +Fakan and give heed to what was said of old time, +</p> + +<p> +'An Fate some person 'stablish o'er thy head, *<br/> + + And thou being worthier her choice upbraid,<br/> + +Yet do him honour due to his estate; *<br/> + + He'll bring thee weal though far or near thou vade:<br/> + +Nor speak thy thought of him, else shalt thou be *<br/> + + Of those who self degrade from honour's grade:<br/> + +Many Haríms are lovelier than the Bride, *<br/> + + But Time and Fortune lent the Bride their aid.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Sasan heard these her words and comprehended what her verse intended, he +rose from her in anger and said, "Were it not that thy death would bring on me +dishonour and disgrace, I would take off thy head with my blade and make an end +of thy breath." Quoth she, "Why art thou wroth with me? I did but jest with +thee." Then she rose to him and bussed his head and hands, saying, "Right is +thy foresight, and I and thou will cast about for some means to kill him +forthright." When he heard this, he was glad and said, "Make haste and contrive +some deceit to relieve me of my grieving: for in my sooth the door of device is +straitened upon me!" Replied she, "At once I will devise for thee to do away +his life." "How so?" asked he; and she answered, "By means of our female slave +the so-called Bákún." Now this Bakun was past mistress in all kinds of knavery +and was one of the most pestilent of old women, in whose religion to abstain +from wickedness was not lawful; she had brought up Kuzia Fakan and Kanmakan who +had her in so great affection that he used to sleep at her feet. So when King +Sasan heard his wife name her, he said, "Right is this recking"; and, sending +for the old woman, told her what had passed and bade her cast about to kill +Kanmaken, promising her all good. Replied she, "Thy bidding shall be obeyed; +but I would have thee, O my lord, give me a dagger[FN#106] which hath been +tempered in water of death, that I may despatch him the speedilier for thee." +Quoth Sasan, "And welcome to thee!"; and gave her a hanger that would devance +man's destiny. Now this slave women had heard stories and verses and had +learned by rote great store of strange sayings and anecdotes: so she took the +dagger and went out of the room, considering how she could compass his doom. +Then she repaired to Kanmakan, who was sitting and awaiting news of tryst with +the daughter of his uncle, Kuzia Fakan; so that night his thought was taken up +with her and the fires of love for her raged in his heart. And while he was +thus, behold, the slave woman, Bakun, went in to him and said, "Union time is +at hand and the days of disunion are over and gone." Now when he heard this he +asked, "How is it with Kuzia Fakan?"; and Bakun answered, "Know that her time +is wholly taken up with love of thee." At this he rose and doffing his outer +clothes put them on her and promised her all good. Then said she, "Know that I +mean to pass this night with thee, that I may tell thee what talk I have heard +and console thee with stories of many passion distraughts whom love hath made +sick." "Nay," quoth he, "rather tell me a tale that will gladden my heart and +gar my cares depart." "With joy and good will," answered she; then she took +seat by his side (and that poniard under her dress) and began to say: "Know +thou that the pleasantest thing my ears ever heard was +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap03"></a>The Tale of the Hashish Eater.</h3> + +<p> +A certain man loved fair women, and spent his substance on them, till he became +so poor that nothing remained to him; the world was straitened upon him and he +used to go about the market- streets begging his daily bread. Once upon a time +as he went along, behold, a bit of iron nail pierced his finger and drew blood; +so he sat down and wiping away the blood, bound up his finger. Then he arose +crying out, and fared forwards till he came to a Hammam and entering took off +his clothes, and when he looked about him he found it clean and empty. So he +sat him down by the fountain-basin, and ceased not pouring water on his head, +till he was tired.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-third Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the man sat down by the +fountain basin and ceased not pouring water on his head till he was tired. +Then he went out to the room in which was the cistern of cold water; and seeing +no one there, he found a quiet corner and taking out a piece of +Hashísh,[FN#107] swallowed it. Presently the fumes mounted to his brain and he +rolled over on to the marble floor. Then the Hashish made him fancy that a +great lord was shampooing him and that two slaves stood at his head, one +bearing a bowl and the other washing gear and all the requisites of the Hammam. +When he saw this, he said in himself, "Meseemeth these here be mistaken in me; +or else they are of the company of us Hashish-eaters."[FN#108] Then he +stretched out his legs and he imagined that the bathman said to him, "O my +master, the time of thy going up to the Palace draweth near and it is to-day +thy turn of service." At this he laughed and said to himself, "As Allah +willeth,[FN#109] O Hashish!" Then he sat and said nothing, whilst the bathman +arose and took him by the hand and girt his middle with a waist-cloth of black +silk, after which the two slaves followed him with the bowls and gear, and they +ceased not escorting him till they brought him into a cabinet, wherein they set +incense and perfumes a-burning. He found the place full of various kinds of +fruits and sweet-scented flowers, and they sliced him a watermelon and seated +him on a stool of ebony, whilst the bathman stood to wash him and the slaves +poured water on him; after which they rubbed him down well and said, "O our +lord, Sir Wazir, health to thee forever!" Then they went out and shut the door +on him; and in the vanity of phantasy he arose and removed the waist-cloth from +his middle, and laughed till he well nigh fainted. He gave not over laughing +for some time and at last quoth he to himself, "What aileth them to address me +as if I were a Minister and style me Master, and Sir? Haply they are now +blundering; but after an hour they will know me and say, This fellow is a +beggar; and take their fill of cuffing me on the neck." Presently, feeling hot +he opened the door, whereupon it seemed to him that a little white slave and an +eunuch came in to him carrying a parcel. Then the slave opened it and brought +out three kerchiefs of silk, one of which he threw over his head, a second over +his shoulders and a third he tied round his waist. Moreover, the eunuch gave +him a pair of bath- clogs,[FN#110] and he put them on; after which in came +white slaves and eunuchs and sup ported him (and he laughing the while) to the +outer hall, which he found hung and spread with magnificent furniture, such as +be seemeth none but kings; and the pages hastened up to him and seated him on +the divan. Then they fell to kneading him till sleep overcame him; and he +dreamt that he had a girl in his arms. So he kissed her and set her between +his thighs; then, sitting to her as a man sitteth to a woman,[FN#111] he took +yard in hand and drew her towards him and weighed down upon her, when lo! he +heard one saying to him, "Awake, thou ne'er-do-well! The noon hour is come and +thou art still asleep." He opened his eyes and found him self lying on the +merge of the cold-water tank, amongst a crowd of people all laughing at him; +for his prickle was at point and the napkin had slipped from his middle. So he +knew that all this was but a confusion of dreams and an illusion of Hashish and +he was vexed and said to him who had aroused him, "Would thou hadst waited till +I had put it in!" Then said the folk, "Art thou not ashamed, O Hashish-eater, +to be sleeping stark naked with stiff standing tool?" And they cuffed him till +his neck was red. Now he was starving, yet forsooth had he savoured the +flavour of pleasure in his dream. When Kanmakan heard the bondwoman's tale, he +laughed till he fell backward and said to Bakun, "O my nurse, this is indeed a +rare story and a delectable; I never heard the like of this anecdote. Say me! +hast more?" "Yes," replied she, and she ceased not to tell him merry adventures +and laughable absurdities, till sleep overcame him. Then she sat by his head +till the most part of the night was past, when she said to herself, "It is time +to profit by the occasion." So she sprang to her feet and unsheathed the hanger +and rushing up to Kanmakan, was about to cut his throat when behold, his mother +came in upon the twain. As soon as Bakun saw her, she rose in respect and +advanced to meet her, and fear get hold of her and she fell a- trembling, as if +he had the ague. When his mother looked at her she marvelled to see her thus +and aroused her son, who awoke and found her sitting at his head. Now the +cause of her coming was that Kuzia Fakan overheard the conversation and the +concert to kill Kanmakan, and she said to his mother, "O wife of my uncle, go +to thy son, ere that wicked whore Bakun murther him;" and she told her what had +passed from first to last. So she fared forth at once, and she thought of +naught and stayed not for aught till she went in to her son at the very moment +when Bakun was about to slay him in his sleep. When he awoke, he said to his +mother, "O my mother, indeed thou comest at a good time, for nurse Bakun hath +been with me this night." Then he turned to Bakun and asked her, "By my life! +knowest thou any story better than those thou hast told me?" She answered, "And +where is what I have told thee compared with what I will tell thee?; but +however better it be, it must be told at another time." Then she rose to +depart, hardly believing, in her escape albeit he said, "Go in peace!" for she +perceived by her cunning that his mother knew what had occurred. So she went +her way; whereupon his mother said to him, "O my son, blessed be this night, +for that Almighty Allah hath delivered thee from this accursed woman." "And how +so?" enquired he, and she told him the story from beginning to end. Quoth he, +"O my mother, of a truth the live man findeth no slayer, and though slain he +shall not die; but now it were wiser that we depart from amongst these enemies +and let Allah work what He will." So, when day dawned he left the city and +joined the Wazir Dandan, and after his departure, certain things befel between +King Sasan and Nuzhat al-Zaman, which compelled her also to quit the city and +join herself to them; and presently they were met by all the high officers of +King Sasan who inclined to their party. Then they sat in counsel together +devising what they should do, and at last all agreed upon a razzia into the +land of Roum there to take their revenge for the death of King Omar bin +al-Nu'uman and his son Sharrkan. So they set out with this in tent and, after +sundry adventures (which it were tedious to tell as will appear from what +follows), they fell into the hands of Rúmzán, King of the Greeks. Next +morning, King Rumzan caused Kanmakan and the Wazir Dandan and their company to +be brought before him and, when they came, he seated them at his side, and bade +spread the tables of food. So they ate and drank and took heart of grace, +after having made sure of death, when they were summoned to the King's +presence; and they had said to one another, "He hath not sent for us but to +slay us." And when they were comforted the King said, "In truth I have had a +dream, which I related to the monks, and they said, "None can expound it to +thee save the Wazir Dandan." Quoth the Minister, "Weal it was thou didst see in +thy dream, O King of the age!" Quoth the King, "O Wazir, I dreamt that I was in +a pit which seemed a black well where multitudes were tormenting me; and I +would have risen, but when springing up I fell on my feet and could not get out +of that same pit. Then I turned and saw therein a girdle of gold and I +stretched out my hand to take it; but when I raised it from the ground, I saw +it was two girdles. So I girt my middle with them both and behold, the girdles +became one girdle; and this, O Wazir, is my dream and what I saw when my sleep +was deepest." Said Dandan, "O our Lord the Sultan! know that this thy dream +denoteth thou hast a brother or a brother's son or an uncle's son or other near +kinsman of thy flesh and blood whom thou knowest not; withal he is of the +noblest of you all." Now when the King heard these words he looked at Kanmakan +and Nuzhat al-Zaman and Kuzia Fakan and the Wazir Dandan and the rest of the +captives and said to himself, "If I smite these people's necks, their troops +will lose heart for the destruction of their chiefs and I shall be able to +return speedily to my realm, lest the Kingship pass out of my hands." So having +determined upon this he called the Sworder and bade him strike off Kanmakan's +head upon the spot and forthright, when lo! up came Rumzan's nurse and said to +him, "O auspicious King, what purposest thou?" Quoth he, "I purpose +slaughtering these prisoners who are in my power; and after that I will throw +their heads among their men: then will I fall upon them, I and all my army in +one body, and kill all we can kill and rout the rest: so will this be the +decisive action of the war and I shall return speedily to my kingdom ere aught +of accident befal among my subjects." When the nurse heard these words, she +came up to him and said in the Frankish tongue, "How canst thou prevail upon +thyself to slay thine own brother's son, and thy sister, and thy sister's +daughter?" When he heard this language, he was wroth with exceeding wrath and +said to her, "O accursed woman, didst thou not tell me that my mother was +murthered and that my father died by poison? Didst thou not give me a jewel +and say to me, 'Of a truth this jewel was thy father's?' Why didst thou not +tell me the truth?" Replied she, "All that I told thee is true, but my case and +thy case are wonderful and my history and thy his tory are marvellous. My name +is Marjanah and thy mother's name was Abrizah: and she was gifted with such +beauty and loveliness and velour that proverbs were made of her, and her +prowess was renowned among men of war. And thy father was King Omar bin al- +Nu'uman, Lord of Baghdad and Khorasan, without doubt or double dealing or +denial. He sent his son Sharrkan on a razzia in company with this very Wazir +Dandan; and they did all that men can. But Sharrkan, thy brother, who had +preceded the force, separated himself from the troops and fell in with thy +mother Queen Abrizah in her palace; and we happened to have sought a place +apart in order to wrestle, she and I and her other damsels. He came upon us by +chance while we were in such case, and wrestled with thy mother, who overcame +him by the power of her splendid beauty and by her prowess. Then she +entertained him five days in her palace, till the news of this came to her +father, by the old woman Shawahi, surnamed Zat al-Dawahi, whereupon she +embraced Al-Islam at the hands of Sharrkan, and he took her and carried her by +stealth to Baghdad, and with her myself and Rayhánab and twenty other damsels, +all of us having, like her, followed the True Faith. When we came into the +presence of thy Father, the King Omar bin al-Nu'uman, and he saw thy mother, +Queen Abrizah, he fell in love with her and going in unto her one night, had +connection with her, and she conceived by him and became with child of thee. +Now thy mother had three jewels which she presented to thy father; and he gave +one of them to his daughter, Nuzhat al-Zaman, another to thy brother, Zau al- +Makan, and the third to thy brother Sharrkan. This last thy mother took from +Sharrkan and kept it for thee. But as the time of her delivery drew near she +yearned after her own people and disclosed to me her secret; so I went to a +black slave called Al- Ghazban; and, privily telling him our case, bribed him +to go with us. Accordingly the negro took us and fled the city with us, thy +mother being near her time. But as we approached a desert place on the borders +of our own country, the pangs of labour came upon thy mother. Then the slave +proved himself a lustful villain and approaching her sought of her a shameful +thing; whereupon she cried out at him with a loud cry, and was sore affrighted +at him. In the excess of her fright she gave birth to thee at once, and at that +moment there arose, in the direction of our country, a dust-cloud which towered +and flew till it walled the view. Thereupon the slave feared for his life; so +he smote Queen Abrizah with his sword and slew her in his fury; then mounting +his horse he went his way. Soon after his going, the dust lifted and +discovered thy grandfather, King Hardub, Lord of Grćcia-land, who, seeing thy +mother (and his daughter) lying slain on the plain, was sorely troubled with a +distress that redoubled, and questioned me of the manner of her death and the +cause of her secretly quitting her father's realm. So I told him all that had +passed, first and last; and this is the cause of the feud between the people of +the land of the Greeks and the people of the city of Baghdad. Then we bore off +thy murthered mother and buried her; and I took thee and reared thee, and hung +about thy neck the jewel which was with Queen Abrizah. But, when being grown +up thou camest to man's estate, I dared not acquaint thee with the truth of the +matter, lest such information stir up a war of blood revenge between you. More +over, thy grandfather had enjoined me to secrecy, and I could not gainsay the +commandment of thy mother's father, Hardub, King of the Greeks. This, then, is +the cause of my concealment and the reason why I forbore to inform thee that +thy father was King Omar bin al-Nu'uman; but when thou camest to the throne, I +told thee what thou knowest; and I durst not reveal to thee the rest till this +moment, O King of the Age! So now I have discovered to thee my secret and my +proof, and I have acquainted thee with all I know; and thou reckest best what +is in thy mind." Now all the captives had heard the slave woman Marjanah, nurse +to King Rumzan, speaking as she spake; when Nuzhat al-Zaman, without stay or +delay, cried out, saying, "This King Rumzan is my brother by my father, King +Omar bin al-Nu'uman, and his mother was Queen Abrizah, daughter of King Hardub, +Lord of the Greeks; and I know this slave-woman Marjanah right well." With +this, trouble and perplexity got hold upon Rumzan and he caused Nuzhat al-Zaman +to be brought up to him forthright. When he looked upon her, blood yearned to +blood and he questioned her of his history. She told him the tale and her +story tallied with that of Marjanah, his nurse; whereupon the King was assured +that he was, indeed and without a doubt, of the people of Irak; and that King +Omar bin al-Nu'uman was his father. So without losing time he caused his +sister to be unpinioned, and Nuzhat al-Zaman came up to him and kissed his +hands, whilst her eves ran over with tears. The King west also to see her +weeping, and brotherly love possessed him and his heart yearned to his +brother's son Sultan Kanmakan. So he sprang to his feet and, taking the sword +from the Sworder's hands (whereat the captives made sure of death), he caused +them to be set close to him and he cut their bonds with the blade and said to +his nurse Marjanah, "Explain the matter to this company, even as thou hast +explained it to me." Replied she, "O King, know that this Shayth is the Wazir +Dandan and he is the best of witnesses to my story, seeing that he knoweth the +facts of the case." Then she turned to the captives and repeated the whole +story to them on the spot and forthright, and in presence of the Kings of the +Greeks and the Kings of the Franks; whereupon Queen Nuzhat al-Zaman and the +Wazir Dandan and all who were prisoners with them confirmed her words. When +Marjanah, the bond-woman, had finished, chancing to look at Sultan Kanmakan she +saw on his neck the third jewel, fellow to the two which were with Queen +Abrizah; and, recognising it, she cried so loud a cry, that the palace +re-echoed it and said to the King, "O my son, know that now my certainty is +still more assured, for this jewel that is about the neck of yonder captive is +the fellow to that I hung to thy neck; and, these being the two, this captive +is indeed thy brother's son, Kanmakan." Then the slave women Marjanah turned to +Kanmakan and said to him, "Let me see that jewel, O King of the Age!"; so he +took it from his neck and handed it to her. Then she asked Nuzhat al-Zaman of +the third jewel and she gave it to her; and when the two were in her hand she +delivered them to King Rumzan, and the truth and proof were made manifest to +him; and he was assured that he was indeed Sultan Kanmakan's uncle and that his +father was King Omar bin al- Nu'uman. So he rose at once and on the spot and, +going up to the Wazir Dandan, threw his arms round his neck; then he embraced +King Kanmakan and the twain cried a loud cry for excess of joy. The glad news +was blazed abroad without delay; and they beat the tabrets and cymbals, whilst +the shawms sounded and the people held high festival. The armies of Irak and +Syria heard the clamour of rejoicing among the Greeks; so they mounted to the +last man, and King Zibl Khan also took horse saying to himself, "Would I knew +what can be the cause of this clamour and rejoicing in the army of the Franks +and the Greeks!" Then the army of Irak dight itself for fight and advanced into +the plain and place of cut and foin. Presently, King Rumzan turned him round +and saw the army deployed and in preparing for battle employed, so he asked the +cause thereof and was told the state of the case. Thereupon he bade his niece +and brother's daughter, Kuzia Fakan, return at once and forthright to the +troops of Syria and Irak and acquaint them with the plight that had betided and +how it was come to light that King Rumzan was uncle to Sultan Kanmakan. She +set out, putting away from her sorrows and troubles and, coming to King Zibl +Khan,[FN#112] saluted him and told him all that had passed of the good accord, +and how King Rumzan had proved to be her uncle and uncle of Kanmakan. And when +she went in to him she found him tearful eyed, in fear for the captive Emirs +and Princes; but when he heard what had passed, from first to last, the +Moslem's sadness was abated and they joyed with the more gladness. Then King +Zibl Khan and all his officers and his retinue took horse and followed Princess +Kuzia Fakan till they reached the pavilion of King Rumzan; and when entering +they found him sitting with his nephew, Sultan Kanmakan. Now he had taken +counsel with the Wazir Dandan concerning King Zibl Khan and had agreed to +commit to his charge the city of Damascus of Sham and leave him King over it as +he before had been while they themselves entered Irak. Accordingly, they +confirmed him in the vice royalty of Damascus of Syria, and bade him set out at +once for his government; so he fared forth with his troops and they rode with +him a part of the way to bid him farewell. Then they returned to their own +places whereupon, the two armies foregathered and gave orders for the march +upon Irak; but the Kings said one to other, "Our hearts will never be at rest +nor our wrath cease to rage till we have taken our wreak of the old woman +Shawahi, surnamed Zat al-Dawahi, and wiped away our shame and blot upon our +honour." Thereupon King Rumzan and his nephew set out, surrounded by their +Nobles and Grandees; and indeed Kanmakan rejoiced in his uncle, King Rumzan, +and called down blessings on nurse Marjanah who had made them known to each +other. They fared on and ceased not faring till they drew near their home +Baghdad, and when the Chief Chamberlain, Sasan, heard of their approach, he +came out to meet them and kissed the hand of King Rumzan who bestowed on him a +dress of honour. Then the King of Roum sat down on the throne and seated by +his side his nephew Sultan Kanmakan, who said to him, "O my uncle, this Kingdom +befitteth none but thee." Replied Rumzan, "Allah be my refuge and the Lord +forbid that I should supplant thee in thy Kingdom!" Upon this the Wazir Dandan +counselled them to share the throne between the two, ruling each one day in +turn; and with this they were well satisfied.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-fourth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the two Kings agreed each +to rule one day in turn: then made they feasts and offered sacrifices of clean +beasts and held high festival; and they abode thus awhile, whilst Sultan +Kanmakan spent his nights with his cousin Kuzia Fakan. And after that period, +as the two Kings sat rejoicing in their condition and in the happy ending of +their troubles, behold, they saw a cloud of dust arise and tower till it walled +the world from their eyes. And out of it came a merchant shrieking and crying +aloud for succour and saying, "O Kings of the Age! how cometh it that I woned +safely in the land of the Infidels and I am plundered in your realm, though it +be the biding place of justice[FN#113] and peace?" Then King Rumzan went up to +him and questioned him of his case and he replied, "I am a merchant and, like +other merchants, I have been long absent from my native land, travelling in far +countries for some twenty years; and I have a patent of exemption from the city +of Damascus which the Viceroy, King Sharrkan (who hath found mercy) wrote me, +for the cause that I had made him gift of a slave-girl. Now as I was drawing +near my home, having with me an hundred loads of rarities of Hind, when I +brought them near Baghdad, which be the seat of your sovereignty and the place +of your peace and your justice, out there came upon me wild Arabs and +Kurds[FN#114] in band gathered together from every land; and they slew my many +and they robbed my money and this is what they have done me." Then the trader +wept in presence of King Rumzan, saying that he was an old man and infirm; and +he bemoaned himself till the King felt for him and had compassion on him; and +likewise did King Kanmakan and they swore that they would sally forth upon the +thieves. So they set out amid an hundred horse, each reckoned worth thou sands +of men, and the merchant went before them to guide them in the right way; and +they ceased not faring on all that day and the livelong night till dawnbreak, +when they came to a valley abounding in rills and shady with trees. Here they +found the foray dispersed about the valley, having divided that merchant's +bales among them; but there was yet some of the goods left. So the hundred +horsemen fell upon them and surrounded them on all sides, and King Rumzan +shouted his war cry, and thus also did his nephew Kanmakan, and ere long they +made prize of them all, to the number of near three hundred horsemen, banded +together of the refuse of rascality.[FN#115] They took what they could find of +the merchant's goods and, binding them tightly, brought them to Baghdad, where +King Rumzan and his nephew, King Kanmakan, sat down together on one throne and, +passing the prisoners in review before them, questioned them of their case and +their chiefs. They said, "We have no chiefs but these three men and it was +they who gathered us together from all corners and countries." The Kings said +to them, "Point out to us your headmen!"; and, when this was done, they bade +lay hands on the leaders and set their comrades free, after taking from them +all the goods in their possession and restoring them to the merchant, who +examined his stuffs and monies and found that a fourth of his stock was +missing. The Kings engaged to make good the whole of his loss, where upon the +trader pulled out two letters, one in the handwriting of Sharrkan, and the +other in that of Nuzhat al-Zaman; for this was the very merchant who had bought +Nuzhat al-Zaman of the Badawi, when she was a virgin, and had forwarded her to +her brother Sharrkan; and that happened between them which happened.[FN#116] +Hereupon King Kanmakan examined the letters and recognised the handwriting of +his uncle Sharrkan, and, having heard the history of his aunt, Nuzhat al- +Zaman, he went in to her with the second letter written by her to the merchant +who had lost through her his monies; Kanmakan also told her what had befallen +the trader from first to last. She knew her own handwriting and, recognising +the merchant, despatched to him guest gifts and commended him to her brother +and nephew, who ordered him largesse of money and black slaves and pages to +wait on him; besides which Nuzhat al-Zaman sent him an hundred thousand dirhams +in cash and fifty loads of merchandise and presented to him other rich +presents. Then she sent for him and when he came, she went up to him and +saluted him and told him that she was the daughter of King Omar bin al- Nu'uman +and that her brother was King Rumzan and that King Kanmakan was her nephew. +Thereupon the merchant rejoiced with great joy, and congratulated her on her +safety and on her re- union with her brother, and kissed her hands thanking her +for her bounty, and said to her, "By Allah! a good deed is not lost upon +thee!" Then she withdrew to her own apartment and the trader sojourned with +them three days, after which he took leave of them and set out on his return +march to the land of Syria. Thereupon the two Kings sent for the three robber +chiefs who were of the highway men, and questioned them of their case, when one +of them came forward and said, "Know ye that I am a Badawi who am wont to lie +in wait, by the way, to snatch small children[FN#117] and virgin girls and sell +them to merchants; and this I did for many a year until these latter days, when +Satan incited me to join yon two gallows birds in gathering together all the +riff-raff of the Arabs and other peoples, that we might plunder merchandise and +waylay merchants." Said the Kings, "Tell us the rarest of the adventures that +have befallen thee in kidnapping children and maidens." Replied he, "O Kings of +the Age, the strangest thing that happened to me was that one day, +two-and-twenty years ago, I snatched a girl who belonged to the Holy City; she +was gifted with beauty and comeliness, despite that she was but a servant and +was clad in threadbare clothes, with a piece of camlet-cloth on her head. So I +entrapped her by guile as she came out of the caravanserai; and at that very +hour mounting her on a camel, made off with her, thinking to carry her to my +own people in the Desert and there set her to pasture the camels and gather +their droppings in the valley. But she wept with so sore a weeping that after +coming down upon her with blows, I took her and carried her to Damascus city +where a merchant saw her with me and, being astounded at her beauty and +marvelling at her accomplishments, wished to buy her of me and kept on bidding +me more and more for her, till at last I sold her to him for an hundred +thousand dirhams. After selling her I heard her display prodigious eloquence; +and it reached me that the merchant clothed her in handsome gear and presented +her to the Viceroy of Damascus, who gave him three times the price which he had +paid to me, and this price, by my life! was but little for such a damsel. +This, O Kings of the Age, is the strangest thing that ever befel me." When the +two Kings heard her story they wondered thereat, but when Nuzhat al-Zaman heard +what the Badawi related, the light became darkness before her face and she +cried out and said to her brother Rumzan, "Sure and sans doubt this is the very +Badawi who kidnapped me in the Holy City Jerusalem!" Then she told them all +that she had endured from him in her stranger hood of hardship, blows, hunger, +humiliation, contempt, adding, "And now it is lawful for me to slay him." So +saying she seized a sword and made at him to smite him; and behold, he cried +out and said, "O Kings of the Age, suffer her not to slay me, till I shall have +told you the rare adventures that have betided me." And her nephew Kanmakan +said to her, "O my aunt, let him tell us his tale, and after that do with him +as thou wilt." So she held her hand and the Kings said to him, "Now let us hear +thy history." Quoth he, "O Kings of the Age, if I tell you a rare tale will ye +pardon me?" "Yes," answered they. Then the Badawi robber-chief began, +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap04"></a>The Tale of Hammad the Badawi.</h3> + +<p> +And he said:—Know ye that a short while ago, I was sore wakeful one night and +thought the morn would never dawn; so, as soon as it was break of day I rose, +without stay or delay; and, slinging over my shoulder my sword, mounted horse +and set my lance in rest. Then I rode out to sport and hunt and, as I went +along, a company of men accosted me and asked me whither I was bound I told +them and they said, "We will keep thee company." So we all fared on together, +and, whilst we were faring, lo and behold! up started an ostrich and we gave +her chase, but she escaped our pursuit and spreading wings ceased not to fly +before us (and we following by sight) till she lost us in a desert wherein +there was neither grass nor water, nor heard we aught therein save hiss of +snake and wail of Jinn and howl of Ghul; and when we reached that place the +ostrich disappeared nor could we tell whether she had flown up into the sky or +into the ground had gone down. Then we turned our horses' heads and thought to +return; but found that to retrace our steps at that time of burning heat would +be toilsome and dangerous; for the sultry air was grievous to us, so that we +thirsted with sore thirst and our steeds stood still. We made sure of death; +but while we were in this case we suddenly espied from afar a spacious mead +where gazelles were frisking Therein was a tent pitched and by the tent side a +horse tethered and a spear was planted with head glittering in the sun.[FN#118] +Upon this our hearts revived after we had despaired, and we turned our horses' +heads towards that tent making for the meadow and the water which irrigated it; +and all my comrades fared for it and I at their head, and we ceased not faring +till we reached the mead. Then we alighted at the spring and watered our +beasts. But I was seized with a fever of foolish curiosity and went up to the +door of that tent, wherein I saw a young man, without hair on his cheeks, who +fellowed the new moon; and on his right hand was a slender-waisted maid, as she +were a willow-wand. No sooner did I set eyes on her than love get hold upon my +heart and I saluted the youth, who returned my greeting. Then said I, "O my +brother, tell me who thou art and what to thee is this damsel sitting by thy +side?"[FN#119] Thereupon the youth bent his head groundwards awhile, then +raised it and replied, "Tell me first who thou art and what are these horsemen +with thee?" Answered I, "I am Hammad son of al-Fazari, the renowned knight, who +is reckoned among the Arabs as five hundred horse. We went forth from our +place this morning to sport and chase and were overcome by thirst; so I came to +the door of this tent, thinking haply to get of thee a draught of water." When +he heard these my words, he turned to the fair maiden and said, "Bring this man +water and what food there is ready." So she arose trailing her skirts, whilst +the golden bangles tinkled on her ankles and her feet stumbled in her long +locks, and she disappeared for a little while. Presently she returned bearing +in her right hand a silver vessel full of cold water and in her left hand a +bowl brimming with milk and dates, together with some flesh of wild cattle. +But I could take of her nor meat nor drink for the excess of my passion, and I +applied to her these two couplets, saying, +</p> + +<p> +"It was as though the sable dye[FN#120] upon her palms, *<br/> + + Were raven perching on a swathe of freshest snow;<br/> + +Thou seest Sun and Moon conjoined in her face, *<br/> + + While Sun fear-dimmed and Moon fright-pallid show."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +After I had eaten and drunk I said to the youth, "Know thou, O Chief of the +Arabs, that I have told thee in all truth who and what I am, and now I would +fain have thee do the like by me and tell me the truth of thy case." Replied +the young man, "As for this damsel she is my sister." Quoth I, "It is my desire +that thou give me her to wife of thy free will: else will I slay thee and take +her by force." Upon this, he bowed his head groundwards awhile, then he raised +his eyes to me and answered, "Thou sayest sooth in avouching thyself a renowned +knight and famed in fight and verily thou art the lion of the desert; but if ye +all attack me treacherously and slay me in your wrath and take my sister by +force, it will be a stain upon your honour. An you be, as ye aver, cavaliers +who are counted among the Champions and reck not the shock of foray and fray, +give me a little time to don my armour and sling on my sword and set lance in +rest and mount war steed. Then will we go forth into the field of fight, I and +you; and, if I conquer you, I will kill you to the last man; but if you +overcome me and slay me, this damsel, my sister, is yours." Hearing such words +I replied, "This is only just, and we oppose it not." Then I turned back my +horse's head (for my love for the damsel waxed hotter and hotter) and returned +to my companions, to whom I set forth her beauty and loveliness as also the +comeliness of the young man who was with her, together with his velour and +strength of soul and how he had avouched himself a match for a thousand horse. +Moreover, I described to my company the tent and all the riches and rarities +therein and said to them, "Know ye that this youth would not have cut himself +off from society and have taken up his abode alone in this place, were he not a +man of great prowess: so I propose that whoso slayeth the younker shall take +his sister." And they said, "This contenteth us." Then my company armed +themselves and mounting, rode to the tent, where we found that the young man +had donned his gear and backed his steed; but his sister ran up to him (her +veil being drenched with tears), and took hold of his stirrup and cried out, +saying, "Alas!" and, "Woe worth the day!" in her fear for her brother, and +recited these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"To Allah will I make my moan of travail and of woe, *<br/> + + Maybe Iláh of Arsh[FN#121] will smite their faces with<br/> + + affright:<br/> + +Fain would they slay thee, brother mine, with purpose<br/> + + felon-fell; * Albe no cause of vengeance was, nor fault<br/> + + forewent the fight.<br/> + +Yet for a rider art thou known to those who back the steed, *<br/> + + And twixt the East and West of knights thou art the prowess<br/> + + knight:<br/> + +Thy sister's honour thou shalt guard though little might be<br/> + + hers, * For thou'rt her brother and for thee she sueth<br/> + + Allah's might:<br/> + +Then let not enemy possess my soul nor 'thrall my frame, *<br/> + + And work on me their will and treat thy sister with<br/> + + despight.<br/> + +I'll ne'er abide, by Allah's truth, in any land or home *<br/> + + Where thou art not, though dight it be with joyance and<br/> + + delight<br/> + +For love and yearning after thee myself I fain will slay, *<br/> + + And in the gloomy darksome tomb spread bed upon the clay."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +But when her brother heard her verse he wept with sore weeping and turned his +horse's head towards his sister and made this answer to her poetry, +</p> + +<p> +"Stand by and see the derring-do which I to-day will show, *<br/> + + When meet we and I deal them blows that rend and cleave and<br/> + + split;<br/> + +E'en though rush out to seek a bout the lion of the war, *<br/> + + The stoutest hearted brave of all and eke the best in wit;<br/> + +To him I'll deal without delay a Sa'alabiyan blow,[FN#122] *<br/> + + And dye my cane-spear's joint in blood by wound of foe<br/> + + bespit:<br/> + +If all I beat not off from thee, O sister, may this frame *<br/> + + Be slain, and cast my corpse to birds, for so it would<br/> + + befit:<br/> + +Yes, for thy dearest sake I'll strike my blows with might and<br/> + + main, * And when we're gone shall this event in many a book<br/> + + be writ."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he had ended his verse, he said, "O my sister, give ear to what I +shall enjoin on thee"; whereto she replied, "Hearkening and obedience." Quoth +he, "If I fall, let none possess thy person;" and thereupon she buffeted her +face and said, "Allah forbid, O my brother, that I should see thee laid low and +yield myself to thy foe!" With this the youth put out his hand to her and +withdrew her veil from her face, whereupon it shone forth as the sun shineth +out from the white clouds. Then he kissed her between the eyes and bade her +farewell; after which he turned to us and said, "Holla, Knights! Come ye as +guests or crave ye cuts and thrusts? If ye come to us as your hosts, rejoice +ye in the guest rite; and, if ye covet the shining moon, come ye out against +me, knight by knight, into this plain and place of fight." There upon rushed +out to him a doughty rider and the young man said to him, "Tell me thy name and +thy father's name, for I am under an oath not to slay any whose name tallies +with mine and whose father's name is that of my father; and if this be the case +with thee, I will give thee up the maid." Quoth the horseman, "My name is +Bilál;"[FN#123] and the young man answered him, saying, +</p> + +<p> +"Thou liest when speaking of 'benefits,' while *<br/> + + Thou comest to front with shine evillest will<br/> + +An of prowess thou'rt prow, to my words give ear, *<br/> + + I'm he who make' champions in battle-field reel<br/> + +With keen blade, like the horn of the cusped moon, *<br/> + + So 'ware thrust the, shall drill through the duress hill!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then they charged down, each at each, and the youth thrust his adversary in the +breast so that the lance head issued from his back. With tints, another came +out, and the youth cried, +</p> + +<p> +"Ho thou hound, who art rotten with foulness in grain,[FN#124] *<br/> + + What high meed is there easy for warrior to gain?<br/> + +'Tis none save the lion of strain purest pure *<br/> + + Who uncareth for life in the battle plain!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Nor was it long before the youth left him drowned in his blood and cried out, +"Who will come forth to me?" So a third horse man rushed out upon the youth and +began saying, +</p> + +<p> +"To thee come I forth with my heart a-flame, *<br/> + + And summon my friends and my comrades by name:<br/> + +When thou slewest the chief of the Arabs this day, *<br/> + + This day thou remainest the pledge of my claim."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when the youth heard this he answered him in these words, +</p> + +<p> +"Thou liest, O foulest of Satans that are, *<br/> + + And with easings calumnious thou comest to war<br/> + +This day thou shalt fall by a death dealing point *<br/> + + Where the lances lunge and the scymitars jar!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he so foined him in the breast that the spear-point issued from his back +and he cried out, saying, "Ho! will none come out? So a fourth fared forwards +and the youth asked him his name and he answered, "My name is Hilál, the New +Moon." And the youth began repeating, +</p> + +<p> +"Thou hast failed who would sink me in ruin sea, *<br/> + + Thou who camest in malice with perfidy:<br/> + +I, whose verses hast heard from the mouth of me, *<br/> + + Will ravish thy soul though unknown to thee."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then they drave at each other and delivered two cuts, but the youth's stroke +devanced that of the rider his adversary and slew him: and thus he went on to +kill all who sallied out against him. Now when I saw my comrades slain, I said +to myself, "If I go down to fight with him, I shall not be able to prevail +against him; and, if I flee, I shall become a byword of shame among the Arabs." +But the youth gave me no time to think, for he ran at me and dragged me from my +saddle and hurled me to the ground. I fainted at the fall and he raised his +sword designing to cut off my head; but I clung to his skirts, and he lifted me +in his hand as though I were a sparrow. When the maiden saw this, she rejoiced +in her brother's prowess and coming up to him, kissed him between the eyes. +Then he delivered me to her, saying, "Take him and look to him and entreat him +hospitably, for he is come under our rule." So she took hold of the collar of +my hauberk[FN#125] and led me away by it as one would lead a dog. Then she did +off her brother's coat of mail and clad him in a robe, and set for him a stool +of ivory, on which he sat down; and she said to him, "Allah whiten thy honour +and prevent from thee the shifts of fortune!" And he answered her with these +couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"My sister said, as saw she how I stood *<br/> + + In fight, when sun-rays lit my knightlihood<br/> + +'Allah assain thee for a Brave of braves *<br/> + + To whom in vale bow lions howso wood!'<br/> + +Quoth I, 'Go ask the champions of my case, *<br/> + + When feared the Lords of war my warrior mood!<br/> + +My name is famed for fortune and for force, *<br/> + + And soared my spirit to such altitude,'<br/> + +Ho thou, Hammád, a lion hast upstirred, *<br/> + + Shall show thee speedy death like viper brood."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when I heard his verse, I was perplexed as to my case and considering my +condition and how I was become a captive, I was lowered in my own esteem. Then +I looked at the damsel, his sister, and seeing her beauty I said to myself, +"'Tis she who caused all this trouble"; and I fell a-marvelling at her +loveliness till the tears streamed from my eyes and I recited these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Dear friend! ah leave thy loud reproach and blame; *<br/> + + Such blame but irks me yet may not alarm:<br/> + +I'm clean distraught for one whom saw I not *<br/> + + Without her winning me by winsome charm<br/> + +Yestreen her brother crossed me in her love, *<br/> + + A Brave stout-hearted and right long of arm."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then the maiden set food before her brother and he bade me eat with him, +whereat I rejoiced and felt assured that I should not be slain. And when he +had ended eating, she brought him a flagon of pure wine and he applied him to +it till the fumes of the drink mounted to his head and his face flushed red. +Then he turned to me and said, "Woe to thee, O Hammad! dost thou know me or +not?" Replied I, "By thy life, I am rich in naught save ignorance!' Quoth he, +"O Hammad, I am 'Abbád bin Tamím bin Sa'labah and indeed Allah giveth thee thy +liberty and leadeth thee to a happy bride and spareth thee confusion." Then he +drank to my long life and gave me a cup of wine and I drank it off; and +presently he filled me a second and a third and a fourth, and I drained them +all; while he made merry with me and swore me never to betray him. So I sware +to him one thousand five hundred oaths that I would never deal perfidiously +with him at any time, but that I would be a friend and a helper to him. +Thereupon he bade his sister bring me ten suits of silk, so she brought them +and laid them on my person, and this dress I have on my body is one of them. +Moreover, he made bring one of the best of his she- dromedaries[FN#126] +carrying stuffs and provaunt, he bade her also bring a sorrel horse, and when +they were brought he gave the whole of them to me. I abode with them three +days, eating and drinking, and what he gave me of gifts is with me to this +present. At the end of the three days he said to me, "O Hammad, O my brother, +I would sleep awhile and take my rest and verily I trust my life to thee; but, +if thou see horsemen making hither, fear not, for know that they are of the +Banu Sa'labah, seeking to wage war on me." Then he laid his sword under his +head-pillow and slept; and when he was drowned in slumber Iblis tempted me to +slay him; so I arose in haste, and drawing the sword from under his head, dealt +him a blow that made his head fall from his body. But his sister knew what I +had done, and rushing out from within the tent, threw herself on his corpse, +rending her raiment and repeating these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"To kith and kin bear thou sad tidings of our plight; *<br/> + + From doom th' All-wise decreed shall none of men take<br/> + + flight:<br/> + +Low art thou laid, O brother! strewn upon the stones, *<br/> + + With face that mirrors moon when shining brightest bright!<br/> + +Good sooth, it is a day accurst, thy slaughter-day *<br/> + + Shivering thy spear that won the day in many a fight!<br/> + +Now thou be slain no rider shall delight in steed, *<br/> + + Nor man child shall the breeding woman bring to light.<br/> + +This morn Hammád uprose and foully murthered thee, *<br/> + + Falsing his oath and troth with foulest perjury."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When she had ended her verse she said to me, "O thou of accursed forefathers, +wherefore didst thou play my brother false and slay him when he purposed +returning thee to thy native land with provisions; and it was his intent also +to marry thee to me at the first of the month?" Then she drew a sword she had +with her, and planting the hilt in the earth, with the point set to her breast, +she bent over it and threw herself thereon till the blade issued from her back +and she fell to the ground, dead. I mourned for her and wept and repented when +repentance availed me naught. Then I arose in haste and went to the tent and, +taking whatever was light of load and weighty of worth, went my way; but in my +haste and horror I took no heed of my dead comrades, nor did I bury the maiden +and the youth. And this my tale is still more wondrous than the story of the +serving-girl I kidnapped from the Holy City, Jerusalem. But when Nuzhat +al-Zaman heard these words from the Badawi, the light was changed in her eyes +to night.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nuzhat al-Zaman +heard these words from the Badawi, the light was changed in her eyes to night, +and she rose and drawing the sword, smote Hammad the Arab between the +shoulder-blades so that the point issued from the apple of his throat.[FN#127] +And when all present asked her, 'Why hast thou made haste to slay him;" she +answered, "Praised be Allah who hath granted me in my life tide to avenge +myself with mine own hand!" And she bade the slaves drag the body out by the +feet and cast it to the dogs. Thereupon they turned to the two prisoners who +remained of the three; and one of them was a black slave, so they said to him, +What is thy name, fellow? Tell us the truth of thy case." He replied, "As for +me my name is Al-Ghazbán," and acquainted them what had passed between himself +and Queen Abrizah, daughter of King Hardub, Lord of Greece, and how he had +slain her and fled. Hardly had the negro made an end of his story, when King +Rumzan struck off his head with his scymitar, saying, Praise to Allah who gave +me life! I have avenged my mother with my own hand." Then he repeated to them +what his nurse Marjanah had told him of this same slave whose name was +Al-Ghazban; after which they turned to the third prisoner. Now this was the +very camel- driver[FN#128] whom the people of the Holy City, Jerusalem, hired +to carry Zau al-Makan and lodge him in the hospital at Damascus of Syria; but +he threw him down on the ashes midden and went his way. And they said to him, +"Acquaint us with thy case and tell the truth." So he related to them all that +had happened to him with Sultan Zau al-Makan; how he had been carried from the +Holy City, at the time when he was sick, till they made Damascus and he had +been thrown into the hospital; how also the Jerusalem folk had paid the +cameleer money to transport the stranger to Damascus, and he had taken it and +fled after casting his charge upon the midden by the side of the ash-heap of +the Hammam. But when he ended his words, Sultan Kanmakan took his sword +forthright and cut off his head, saying, "Praised be Allah who hath given me +life, that I might requite this traitor what he did with my father, for I have +heard this very story from King Zau al-Makan himself." Then the Kings said each +to other, "It remaineth only for us to wreak our revenge upon the old woman +Shawahi, yclept Zat al-Dawahi, because she is the prime cause of all these +calamities and cast us into adversity on this wise. Who will deliver her into +our hands that we may avenge ourselves upon her and wipe out our dishonour?" +And King Rumzan said, "Needs must we bring her hither." So without stay or +delay he wrote a letter to his grandmother, the aforesaid ancient woman, giving +her to know therein that he had subdued the kingdoms of Damascus and Mosul and +Irak, and had broken up the host of the Moslems and captured their princes, +adding, "I desire thee of all urgency to come to me, bringing with thee Queen +Sophia, daughter of King Afridun, and whom thou wilt of the Nazarene chiefs, +but no armies; for the country is quiet and wholly under our hand." And when +she read the letter and recognised the handwriting of King Rumzan, she rejoiced +with great joy and forthright equipping herself and Queen Sophia, set out with +their attendants and journeyed, without stopping, till they drew near Baghdad. +Then she foresent a messenger to acquaint the King of her arrival, whereupon +quoth Rumzan, "We should do well to don the habit of the Franks and fare forth +to meet the old woman, to the intent that we may be assured against her craft +and perfidy." Whereto Kanmakan replied, "Hearing is consenting." So they clad +themselves in Frankish clothes and, when Kuzia Fakan saw them, she exclaimed, +"By the truth of the Lord of Worship, did I not know you, I should take you to +be indeed Franks!" Then they sallied forth with a thousand horse, King Rumzan +riding on before them, to meet the old woman. As soon as his eyes fell on +hers, he dismounted and walked towards her and she, recognizing him, dismounted +also and embraced him, but he pressed her ribs with his hands, till he well +nigh broke them. Quoth she, "What is this, O my son?" But before she had done +speaking, up came Kanmakan and Dandan; and the horsemen with them cried out at +the women and slaves and took them all prisoners. Then the two Kings returned +to Baghdad, with their captives, and Rumzan bade them decorate the city which +they did for three days, at the end of which they brought out the old woman +Shawahi, highs Zat al- Dawahi, with a peaked red turband of palm-leaves on her +head, diademed with asses' dung and preceded by a herald proclaiming aloud, +"This is the reward of those who presume to lay hands on Kings and the sons of +Kings!" Then they crucified her on one of the gates of Baghdad; and, when her +companions saw what befel her, all embraced in a body the faith of Al-Islam. +As for Kanmakan and his uncle Rumzan and his aunt Nuzhat al-Zaman and the Wazir +Dandan, they marvelled at the wonderful events that had betided them and bade +the scribes chronicle them in books that those who came after might read. Then +they all abode for the remainder of their days in the enjoyment of every solace +and comfort of life, till there overtook them the Destroyer of all delights and +the Sunderer of all societies. And this is the whole that hath come down to us +of the dealings of fortune with King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and his sons Sharrkan +and Zau al-Makan and his son's son Kanmakan and his daughter Nuzhat al-Zaman +and her daughter Kuzia Fakan. Thereupon quoth Shahryar to Shahrazad, "I desire +that thou tell me somewhat about birds;" and hearing this Dunyazad said to her +sister, "I have never seen the Sultan light at heart all this while till the +present night, and his pleasure garreth me hope that the issue for thee with +him may be a happy issue." Then drowsiness overcame the Sultan, so he +slept;[FN#129]—And Shahrazad perceived the approach of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +Shahrazad began to relate, in these words, the tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap05"></a>THE BIRDS AND BEASTS AND THE CARPENTER[FN#130]</h3> + +<p> +Quoth she, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that in times of yore and in +ages long gone before, a peacock abode with his wife on the seashore. Now the +place was infested with lions and all manner wild beasts, withal it abounded in +trees and streams. So cock and hen were wont to roost by night upon one of the +trees, being in fear of the beasts, and went forth by day questing food. And +they ceased not thus to do till their fear increased on them and they searched +for some place wherein to dwell other than their old dwelling place; and in the +course of their search behold, they happened on an island abounding in streams +and trees. So they alighted there and ate of its fruits and drank of its +waters. But whilst they were thus engaged, lo! up came to them a duck in a +state of extreme terror, and stayed not faring forwards till she reached the +tree whereon were perched the two peafowl, when she seemed re assured in mind. +The peacock doubted not but that she had some rare story; so he asked her of +her case and the cause of her concern, whereto she answered, "I am sick for +sorrow, and my horror of the son of Adam:[FN#131] so beware, and again I say +beware of the sons of Adam!" Rejoined the peacock, "Fear not now that thou hast +won our protection." Cried the duck, "Alhamdolillah! glory to God, who hath +done away my cark and care by means of you being near! For indeed I come of +friendship fain with you twain." And when she had ended her speech the +peacock's wife came down to her and said, "Well come and welcome and fair +cheer! No harm shall hurt thee: how can son of Adam come to us and we in this +isle which lieth amiddlemost of the sea? From the land he cannot reach us +neither can he come against us from the water. So be of good cheer and tell us +what hath betided thee from the child of Adam." Answered the duck, "Know, then, +O thou peahen, that of a truth I have dwelt all my life in this island safely +and peacefully, nor have I seen any disquieting thing, till one night, as I was +asleep, I sighted in my dream the semblance of a son of Adam, who talked with +me and I with him. Then I heard a voice say to me, 'O thou duck, beware of the +son of Adam and be not imposed on by his words nor by that he may suggest to +thee; for he aboundeth in wiles and guiles; so beware with all wariness of his +perfidy, for again I say, he is crafty and right cunning even as singeth of him +the poet, +</p> + +<p> + He'll offer sweetmeats with his edgčd tongue, *<br/> + + And fox thee with the foxy guile of fox.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And know thou that the son of Adam circumventeth the fishes and draweth them +forth of the seas; and he shooteth the birds with a pellet of clay[FN#132] and +trappeth the elephant with his craft. None is safe from his mischief and +neither bird nor beast escapeth him; and on this wise have I told thee what I +have heard concerning the son of Adam.' So I awoke, fearful and trembling and +from that hour to this my heart hath not known gladness, for dread of the son +of Adam, lest he surprise me unawares by his wile or trap me in his snares. By +the time the end of the day overtook me, my strength was grown weak and my +spunk failed me; so, desiring to eat and drink, I went forth walking, troubled +in spirit and with a heart ill at ease. Now when I reached yonder mountain I +saw a tawny lion whelp at the door of a cave, and sighting me he joyed in me +with great joy, for my colour pleased him and my gracious shape; so he cried +out to me saying, 'Draw nigh unto me.' I went up to him and he asked me, 'What +is thy name, and what is thy nature?' Answered I, 'My name is Duck, and I am of +the bird kind;' and I added, 'But thou, why tarriest thou in this place till +this time?' Answered the whelp, 'My father the lion hath for many a day warned +me against the son of Adam, and it came to pass this night that I saw in my +sleep the semblance of a son of Adam.' And he went on to tell me the like of +that I have told you. When I heard these words, I said to him, 'O lion, I take +asylum with thee, that thou mayest kill the son of Adam and be steadfast in +resolve to his slaughter; verily I fear him for myself with extreme fear and to +my fright affright is added for that thou also dreadest the son of Adam, albeit +thou art Sultan of savage beasts.' Then I ceased not, O my sister, to bid the +young lion beware of the son of Adam and urge him to slay him, till he rose of +a sudden and at once from his stead and went out and he fared on, and I after +him and I noted him lashing flanks with tail. We advanced in the same order +till we came to a place where the roads forked and saw a cloud of dust arise +which, presently clearing away, discovered below it a runaway naked ass, now +galloping and running at speed and now rolling in the dust. When the lion saw +the ass, he cried out to him, and he came up to him in all humility. Then said +the lion, 'Harkye, crack brain brute! What is thy kind and what be the cause of +thy coming hither?' He replied, 'O son of the Sultan! I am by kind an ass— +Asinus Caballus—and the cause of my coming to this place is that I am fleeing +from the son of Adam.' Asked the lion whelp, 'Dost thou fear then that he will +kill thee?' Answered the ass, 'Not so, O son of the Sultan, but I dread lest he +put a cheat on me and mount upon me; for he hath a thing called Pack saddle, +which he setteth on my back; also a thing called Girths which he bindeth about +my belly; and a thing called Crupper which he putteth under my tail, and a +thing called Bit which he placeth in my mouth: and he fashioneth me a +goad[FN#133] and goadeth me with it and maketh me run more than my strength. If +I stumble he curseth me, and if I bray, he revileth me;[FN#134] and at last +when I grow old and can no longer run, he putteth on me a panel[FN#135] of wood +and delivereth me to the water carriers, who load my back with water from the +river in skins and other vessels, such as jars, and I cease not to wone in +misery and abasement and fatigue till I die, when they cast me on the +rubbish-heaps to the dogs. So what grief can surpass this grief and what +calamities can be greater than these calamities?' Now when I heard, O peahen, +the ass's words, my skin shuddered, and became as gooseflesh at the son of +Adam; and I said to the lion whelp, 'O my lord, the ass of a verity hath excuse +and his words add terror to my terror.' Then quoth the young lion to the ass, +'Whither goest thou?' Quoth he, 'Before sunrise I espied the son of Adam afar +off, and fled from him; and now I am minded to flee forth and run without +ceasing for the greatness of my fear of him, so haply I may find me a place of +shelter from the perfidious son of Adam.' Whilst the ass was thus discoursing +with the lion whelp, seeking the while to take leave of us and go away, behold, +appeared to us another cloud of dust, whereat the ass brayed and cried out and +looked hard and let fly a loud fart[FN#136]. After a while the dust lifted and +discovered a black steed finely dight with a blaze on the forehead like a +dirham round and bright;[FN#137] handsomely marked about the hoof with white +and with firm strong legs pleasing to sight and he neighed with affright. This +horse ceased not running till he stood before the whelp, the son of the lion +who, when he saw him, marvelled and made much of him and said, 'What is thy +kind, O majestic wild beast and wherefore freest thou into this desert wide and +vast?' He replied, O lord of wild beasts, I am a steed of the horse kind, and +the cause of my running is that I am fleeing from the son of Adam.' The lion +whelp wondered at the horse's speech and cried to him Speak not such words for +it is shame to thee, seeing that thou art tall and stout. And how cometh it +that thou fearest the son of Adam, thou, with thy bulk of body and thy +swiftness of running when I, for all my littleness of stature am resolved to +encounter the son of Adam and, rushing on him, eat his flesh, that I may allay +the affright of this poor duck and make her dwell in peace in her own place? +But now thou hast come here and thou hast wrung my heart with thy talk and +turned me back from what I had resolved to do, seeing that, for all thy bulk, +the son of Adam hath mastered thee and hath feared neither thy height nor thy +breadth, albeit, wert thou to kick him with one hoof thou wouldst kill him, nor +could he prevail against thee, but thou wouldst make him drink the cup of +death.' The horse laughed when he heard the whelps words and replied, 'Far, far +is it from my power to overcome him, O Prince. Let not my length and my breadth +nor yet my bulk delude thee with respect to the son of Adam; for that he, of +the excess of his guile and his wiles, fashioneth me a thing called Hobble and +applieth to my four legs a pair of ropes made of palm fibres bound with felt, +and gibbeteth me by the head to a high peg, so that I being tied up remain +standing and can neither sit nor lie down. And when he is minded to ride me, he +bindeth on his feet a thing of iron called Stirrup[FN#138] and layeth on my +back another thing called Saddle, which he fasteneth by two Girths passed under +my armpits. Then he setteth in my mouth a thing of iron he calleth Bit, to +which he tieth a thing of leather called Rein; and, when he sitteth in the +saddle on my back, he taketh the rein in his hand and guideth me with it, +goading my flanks the while with the shovel stirrups till he maketh them bleed. +So do not ask, O son of our Sultan, the hardships I endure from the son of +Adam. And when I grow old and lean and can no longer run swiftly, he selleth me +to the miller who maketh me turn in the mill, and I cease not from turning +night and day till I grow decrepit. Then he in turn vendeth me to the knacker +who cutteth my throat and flayeth off my hide and plucketh out my tail, which +he selleth to the sieve maker; and he melteth down my fat for tallow candles.' +When the young lion heard the horse's words, his rage and vexation redoubled +and he said, 'When didst thou leave the son of Adam? Replied the horse, 'At +midday and he is upon my track.' Whilst the whelp was thus conversing with the +horse lo! there rose a cloud of dust and, presently opening out, discovered +below it a furious camel gurgling and pawing the earth with his feet and never +ceasing so to do till he came up with us. Now when the lion whelp saw how big +and buxom he was, he took him to be the son of Adam and was about to spring +upon him when I said to him, 'O Prince, of a truth this is not the son of Adam, +this be a camel, and he seemeth to fleeing from the son of Adam.' As I was thus +conversing, O my sister, with the lion whelp, the camel came up and saluted +him; whereupon he returned the greeting and said, 'What bringeth thee hither?' +Replied he, 'I came here fleeing from the son of Adam.' Quoth the whelp, 'And +thou, with thy huge frame and length and breadth, how cometh it that thou +fearest the son of Adam, seeing that with one kick of thy foot thou wouldst +kill him?' Quoth the camel, 'O son of the Sultan, know that the son of Adam +hath subtleties and wiles, which none can withstand nor can any prevail against +him, save only Death; for he putteth into my nostrils a twine of goat's hair he +calleth Nose- ring,[FN#139] and over my head a thing he calleth Halter; then he +delivereth me to the least of his little children, and the youngling draweth me +along by the nose ring, my size and strength notwithstanding. Then they load me +with the heaviest of burdens and go long journeys with me and put me to hard +labour through the hours of the night and the day. When I grow old and stricken +in years and disabled from working, my master keepeth me not with him, but +selleth me to the knacker who cutteth my throat and vendeth my hide to the +tanners and my flesh to the cooks: so do not ask the hardships I suffer from +the son of Adam.' 'When didst thou leave the son of Adam?' asked the young +lion; and he answered, 'At sundown, and I suppose that coming to my place after +my departure and not finding me there, he is now in search of me: wherefore let +me go, O son of the Sultan, that I may flee into the wolds and the wilds.' Said +the whelp, 'Wait awhile, O camel, till thou see how I will tear him, and give +thee to eat of his flesh, whilst I craunch his bones and drink his blood.' +Replied the camel, 'O King's son, I fear for thee from the child of Adam, for +he is wily and guilefull.' And he began repeating these verses:— +</p> + +<p> + 'When the tyrant enters the lieges' land, *<br/> + + Naught remains for the lieges but quick remove!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now whilst the camel was speaking with the lion whelp, behold, there rose a +cloud of dust which, after a time, opened and showed an old man scanty of +stature and lean of limb; and he bore on his shoulder a basket of carpenter's +tools and on his head a branch of a tree and eight planks. He led little +children by the hand and came on at a trotting pace,[FN#140] never stopping +till he drew near the whelp. When I saw him, O my sister, I fell down for +excess of fear; but the young lion rose and walked forward to meet the +carpenter and when he came up to him, the man smiled in his face and said to +him, with a glib tongue and in courtly terms, 'O King who defendeth from harm +and lord of the long arm, Allah prosper thine evening and thine endeavouring +and increase thy valiancy and strengthen thee! Protect me from that which hath +distressed me and with its mischief hath oppressed me, for I have found no +helper save only thyself.' And the carpenter stood in his presence weeping and +wailing and complaining. When the whelp heard his sighing and his crying he +said, 'I will succour thee from that thou fearest. Who hath done thee wrong and +what art thou, O wild beast, whose like in my life I never saw, nor ever espied +one goodlier of form or more eloquent of tongue than thou? What is thy case?' +Replied the man, 'O lord of wild beasts, as to myself I am a carpenter; but as +to who hath wronged me, verily he is a son of Adam, and by break of dawn after +this coming night[FN#141] he will be with thee in this place.' When the lion +whelp heard these words of the carpenter, the light was changed to night before +his sight and he snorted and roared with ire and his eyes cast forth sparks of +fire. Then he cried out saying, 'By Allah, I will assuredly watch through this +coming night till dawn, nor will I return to my father till I have won my +will.' Then he turned to the carpenter and asked, 'Of a truth I see thou art +short of step and I would not hurt thy feelings for that I am generous of +heart; yet do I deem thee unable to keep pace with the wild beasts: tell me +then whither thou goest?' Answered the carpenter, 'Know that I am on my way to +thy father's Wazir, the lynx; for when he heard that the son of Adam had set +foot in this country he feared greatly for himself and sent one of the wild +beasts on a message for me, to make him a house wherein he should dwell, that +it might shelter him and fend off his enemy from him, so not one of the sons of +Adam should come at him. Accordingly I took up these planks and set forth to +find him.' Now when the young lion heard these words he envied the lynx and +said to the carpenter, 'By my life there is no help for it but thou make me a +house with these planks ere thou make one for Sir Lynx! When thou hast done my +work, go to him and make him whatso he wisheth.' The carpenter replied, 'O lord +of wild beasts, I cannot make thee aught till I have made the lynx what he +desireth: then will I return to thy service and build thee a house as a fort to +ward thee from thy foe.' Exclaimed the lion whelp, By Allah, 'I will not let +thee leave this place till thou build me a house of planks.' So saying he made +for the carpenter and sprang upon him, thinking to jest with him, and cuffed +him with his paw knocking the basket off his shoulder; and threw him down in a +fainting fit, whereupon the young lion laughed at him and said, 'Woe to thee, O +carpenter, of a truth thou art feeble and hast no force; so it is excusable in +thee to fear the son of Adam.' Now when the carpenter fell on his back, he +waxed exceeding wroth; but he dissembled his wrath for fear of the whelp and +sat up and smiled in his face, saying, 'Well, I will make for thee the house.' +With this he took the planks he had brought and nailed together the house, +which he made in the form of a chest after the measure of the young lion. And +he left the door open, for he had cut in the box a large aperture, to which he +made a stout cover and bored many holes therein. Then he took out some newly +wrought nails and a hammer and said to the young lion, 'Enter the house through +this opening, that I may fit it to thy measure.' Thereat the whelp rejoiced and +went up to the opening, but saw that it was strait; and the carpenter said to +him, 'Enter and crouch down on thy legs and arms!' So the whelp did thus and +entered the chest, but his tail remained outside. Then he would have drawn back +and come . out; but the carpenter said to him, 'Wait patiently a while till I +see if there be room for thy tail with thee.' The young lion did as he was bid +when the carpenter twisted up his tail and, stuffing it into the chest, whipped +the lid on to the opening and nailed it down; whereat the whelp cried out and +said, 'O carpenter, what is this narrow house thou hast made me? Let me out, +sirrah!' But the carpenter answered, 'Far be it, far be it from thy thought! +Repentance for past avails naught, and indeed of this place thou shalt not come +out.' He then laughed and resumed, 'Verily thou art fallen into the trap and +from thy duress there is no escape, O vilest of wild beasts!' Rejoined the +whelp, 'O my brother, what manner of words are these thou addresses" to me?' +The carpenter replied 'know, O dog of the desert! that thou hast fa]len into +that which thou fearedst: Fate hath upset thee, nor shall caution set thee up. +' When the whelp heard these words, O my sister, he knew that this was indeed +the very son of Adam, against whom he had been warned by his sire in waking +state and by the mysterious Voice in sleeping while; and I also was certified +that this was indeed he without doubt; wherefore great fear of him for myself +seized me and I withdrew a little apart from him and waited to see what he +would do with the young lion. Then I saw, O my sister, the son of Adam dig a +pit in that place hard by the chest which held the whelp and, throwing the box +into the hole, heap dry wood upon it and burn the young lion with fire. At this +sight, O sister mine, my fear of the son of Adam redoubled and in my affright I +have been these two days fleeing from him." But when the peahen heard from the +duck this story,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the peahen heard +from the duck this story, she wondered with exceeding wonder and said to her, +"O my sister, here thou art safe from the son of Adam, for we are in one of +the islands of the sea whither there is no way for the son of Adam; so do thou +take up thine abode with us till Allah make easy thy case and our case. Quoth +the duck, "I fear lest some calamity come upon me by night, for no runaway can +rid him of fate by flight." Rejoined the peahen, "Abide with us, and be like +unto, us;" and ceased not to persuade her, till she yielded, saying, "O my +sister, thou knowest how weak is my resistance; but verily had I not seen thee +here, I had not remained." Said the peahen, "That which is on our +foreheads[FN#142] we must indeed fulfil, and when our doomed day draweth near, +who shall deliver us? But not a soul departeth except it have accomplished its +predestined livelihood and term. Now the while they talked thus, a cloud of +dust appeared and approached them, at sight of which the duck shrieked aloud +and ran down into the sea, crying out, "Beware! beware! though flight there is +not from Fate and Lot!"[FN#143] After awhile the dust opened out and +discovered under it an antelope; whereat the duck and the peahen were +reassured and the peacock's wife said to her companion, "O my sister, this +thou seest and wouldst have me beware of is an antelope, and here he is, +making for us. He will do us no hurt, for the antelope feedeth upon the herbs +of the earth and, even as thou art of the bird kind, so is he of the beast +kind. Be there fore of good cheer and cease care taking; for care taking +wasteth the body." Hardly had the peahen done speaking, when the antelope came +up to them, thinking to shelter him under the shade of the tree; and, sighting +the peahen and the duck, saluted them and said, 'I came to this island to-day +and I have seen none richer in herbage nor pleasanter for habitation." Then he +besought them for company and amity and, when they saw his friendly behaviour +to them, they welcomed him and gladly accepted his offer. So they struck up a +sincere friendship and sware thereto; and they slept in one place and they ate +and drank together; nor did they cease dwelling in safety, eating and drinking +their fill, till one day there came thither a ship which had strayed from her +course in the sea. She cast anchor near them and the crew came forth and +dispersed about the island. They soon caught sight of the three friends, +antelope, peahen and duck, and made for them; whereupon the peahen flew up +into the tree and thence winged her way through air; and the antelope fled +into the desert, but the duck abode paralyzed by fear. So they chased her till +they caught her and she cried out and said, "Caution availed me naught against +Fate and Lot!'; and they bore her off to the ship. Now when the peahen saw +what had betided the duck, she removed from the island, saying, "I see that +misfortunes lie in ambush for all. But for yonder ship, parting had not +befallen between me and this duck, because she was one of the truest of +friends." Then she flew off and rejoined the antelope, who saluted her and +gave her joy of her safety and asked for the duck, to which she replied, "The +enemy hath taken her, and I loathe the sojourn of this island after her." Then +she wept for the loss of the duck and began repeating, +</p> + +<p> + "The day of parting cut my heart in twain:*<br/> + + In twain may Allah cut the parting-day!<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And she spake also this couplet, +</p> + +<p> + "I pray some day that we reunion gain, *<br/> + + So may I tell him Parting's ugly way."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +The antelope sorrowed with great sorrow, but dissuaded the peahen from her +resolve to remove from the island. So they abode there together with him, +eating and drinking, in peace and safety, except that they ceased not to mourn +for the loss of the duck; and the antelope said to the peahen, "O my sister, +thou seest how the folk who came forth of the ship were the cause of our +severance from the duck and of her destruction; so do thou beware of them and +guard thyself from them and from the wile of the son of Adam and his guile." +But the peahen replied, I am assured that nought caused her death save her +neglecting to say Subhan' Allah, glory to God; indeed I often said to her, +'Exclaim thou, 'Praised be Allah, and verily I fear for thee, because thou +neglectest to laud the Almighty; for all things created by Allah glorify Him on +this wise, and whoso neglecteth the formula of praise[FN#144] him destruction +waylays.'" When the antelope heard the peahen's words he exclaimed, "Allah make +fair thy face!" and betook himself to repeating the formula of praise, and +ceased not there from a single hour. And it is said that his form of adoration +was as follows, "Praise be to the Requiter of every good and evil thing, the +Lord of Majesty and of Kings the King!" And a tale is also told on this wise of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap06"></a>The Hermits.</h3> + +<p> +A certain hermit worshipped on a certain mountain, whither resorted a pair of +pigeons; and the worshipper was wont to make two parts of his daily bread,—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the worshipper was wont +to make two parts of his daily bread, eating one half himself and giving the +other to the pigeon pair. He also prayed for them both that they might be blest +with issue so they increased and multiplied greatly. Now they resorted only to +that mountain where the hermit was, and the reason of their fore- gathering +with the holy man was their assiduity in repeating "Praised be Allah!" for it +is recounted that the pigeon[FN#145] in praise, "Praised be the Creator of all +Creatures, the Distributor of daily bread, the Builder of the heavens and +Dispreader of the earths!" And that couple ceased not to dwell together in the +happiest of life, they and their brood till the holy man died, when the company +of the pigeons was broken up and they dispersed among the towns and villages +and mountains. Now it is told that on a certain other mountain there dwelt a +shepherd, a man of piety and good sense and chastity; and he had flocks of +sheep which he tended, and he made his living by their milk and wool. The +mountain which gave him a home abounded in trees and pasturage and also in wild +beasts, but these had no power over his flocks; so he ceased not to dwell upon +that highland in full security, taking no thought to the things of the world, +by reason of his beatitude and his assiduity in prayer and devotion, till Allah +ordained that he should fall sick with exceeding sickness. Thereupon he betook +himself to a cavern in the mountain and his sheep used to go out in the morning +to the pasturage and take refuge at night in the cave. But Allah Almighty, +being minded to try him and prove his patience and his obedience, sent him one +of His angels, who came in to him in the semblance of a fair woman and sat down +before him. When the shepherd saw that woman seated before him, his flesh +shuddered at her with horripilation[FN#146] and he said to her, 'O thou woman, +what was it invited thee to this my retreat? I have no need of thee, nor is +there aught betwixt me and thee which calleth for thy coming in to me." Quoth +she, "O man, cost thou not behold my beauty and loveliness and the fragrance of +my breath; and knowest thou not the need women have of men and men of women? So +who shall forbid thee from me when I have chosen to be near thee and desire to +enjoy thy company? Indeed, I come to thee willingly and do not withhold myself +from thee, and near us there is none whom we need fear; and I wish to abide +with thee as long as thou sojournest in this mountain, and be thy companion and +thy true friend. I offer myself to thee, for thou needest the service of woman: +and if thou have carnal connection with me and know me, thy sickness shall be +turned from thee and health return to thee; and thou wilt repent thee of the +past for having foresworn the company of women during the days that are now no +more. In very sooth, I give thee good advice: so incline to my counsel and +approach me." Quoth the shepherd, "Go out from me, O woman deceitful and +perfidious! I will not incline to thee nor approach thee. I want not thy +company nor wish for union with thee; he who coveteth the coming life +renounceth thee, for thou seducest mankind, those of past time and those of +present time. Allah the Most High lieth in wait for His servants and woe unto +him who is cursed with thy company!" Answered she, "O thou that errest from the +truth and wanderest from the way of reason, turn thy face to me and look upon +my charms and take thy full of my nearness, as did the wise who have gone +before thee. Indeed, they were richer than thou in experience and sharper of +wit; withal they rejected not, as thou rejectest, the enjoyment of women; nay, +they took their pleasure of them and their company even as thou renouncest +them, and it did them no hurt in things temporal or things spiritual. Wherefore +do thou recede from thy resolve and thou shalt praise the issue of thy case." +Rejoined the shepherd, "All thou sayest I deny and abhor, and all thou offerest +I reject: for thou art cunning and perfidious and there is no honesty in thee +nor is there honour. How much of foulness hidest thou under thy beauty, and how +many a pious man hast thou seduced from his duty and made his end penitence and +perdition? Avaunt from me, O thou who devotest thyself to corrupt others!" +Thereupon, he threw his goat's hair cloak over his head that he might not see +her face, and betook himself to calling upon the name of his Lord. And when the +angel saw the excellence of his submission to the Divine Will, he went out from +him and ascended to heaven. Now hard by the hermit's hill was a village wherein +dwelt a pious man, who knew not the other's station, till one night he heard in +a dream a Voice saying to him, "In such a place near to thee is a devout man: +go thou to him and be at his command!" So when morning dawned he set out to +wend thither, and what time the heat was grievous upon him, he came to a tree +which grew beside a spring of running water. So he sat down to rest in the +shadow of that tree and behold, he saw beasts and birds coming to that fount +to drink, but when they caught sight of the devotee sitting there, they took +fright and fled from before his face. Then said he, "There is no Majesty and +there is no Might save in Allah! I rest not here but to the hurt of these +beasts and fowls." So he arose, blaming him self and saying, "Verily my +tarrying here this day hath wronged these animals, and what excuse have I +towards my Creator and the Creator of these birds and beasts for that I was the +cause of their flight from their drink and their daily food and their place of +pasturage? Alas for my shame before my Lord on the day when He shall avenge the +hornless sheep on the sheep with horns!''[FN#147] And he wept and began +repeating these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Now an, by Allah, unto man were fully known *<br/> + + Why he is made, in careless sleep he ne'er would wone:<br/> + +First Death, then cometh Wake and dreadful Day of Doom, *<br/> + + Reproof with threats sore terror, frightful malison.<br/> + +Bid we or else forbid we, all of us are like *<br/> + + The Cave companions[FN#148] when at length their sleep was<br/> + + done."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he again wept for that he had driven the birds and beasts from the spring +by sitting down under the tree, and he fared on till he came to the shepherd's +dwelling and going in, saluted him. The shepherd returned his salutation and +embraced him, weeping and saying, "What hath brought thee to this place where +no man hath ever yet come to me." Quoth the other devotee, "I saw in my sleep +one who described to me this thy stead and bade me repair to thee and salute +thee: so I came, in obedience to the commandment." The shepherd welcomed him, +rejoicing in his company and the twain abode upon that mountain, worshipping +Allah with the best of worship; and they ceased not serving their Lord in the +cavern and living upon the flesh and milk of their sheep, having clean put away +from them riches and children and what not, till the Certain, the Inevitable +became their lot. And this is the end of their story. Then said King Shahyrar, +"O Shahrazad, thou wouldst cause me to renounce my kingdom and thou makest me +repent of having slain so many women and maidens. Hast thou any bird stories?" +"Yes," replied she, and began to tell the +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap07"></a>TALE OF THE WATER FOWL AND THE TORTOISE.</h3> + +<p> +It is related by truthful men, O King, that a certain bird flew high up +firmament wards and presently lit on a rock in the midst of water which was +running. And as he sat there, behold, the current carried to him the carcass of +a man, and lodged it against the rock, for being swollen it floated. The bird, +which was a water fowl, drew near and examining it, found that it was the dead +body of a son of Adam and saw in it sign of spear and stroke of sword. So he +said to himself, "I presume that this man who hath been slain was some evil +doer, and that a company banded themselves together against him and put him to +death and were at peace from him and his evil doing." And as he continued +marvelling at this, suddenly the vultures and kites came down upon the carcass +from all sides and get round it; which when the water fowl saw, he feared with +sore affright and said, "I cannot abide here any longer." So he flew away in +quest of a place where he might wone, till that carcass should come to an end +and the birds of prey leave it; and he stayed not in his flight, till he found +a river with a tree in its midst. So he alighted on the tree, troubled and +distraught and sore grieved for departing from his birth place, and said to +himself, "Verily sorrows cease not to follow me: I was at my ease when I saw +that carcass, and rejoiced therein with much joy, saying, 'This is a gift of +daily bread which Allah hath dealt to me:' but my joy became annoy and my +gladness turned to sadness, for the ravenous birds, which are like lions, +seized upon it and tare it to pieces and came between me and my prize So how +can I hope to be secure from misfortune in this world, or put any trust +therein? Indeed, the proverb saith,'The world is the dwelling of him who hath +no dwelling': he who hath no wits is cozened by it and entrusteth it with his +wealth and his child and his family and his folk; and whoso is cozened ceaseth +not to rely upon it, pacing proudly upon earth until he is laid under earth and +the dust is cast over his corpse by him who of all men was dearest to him and +nearest. But naught is better for generous youth than patience under its cares +and miseries. I have left my native place and it is abhorrent to me to quit my +brethren and friends and loved ones." Now whilst he was thus musing lo! a male +tortoise descended into the river and, approaching the water fowl, saluted him, +saying, "O my lord, what hath exiled thee and driven thee so far from thy +place?" Replied the water fowl, "The descent of enemies thereon; for the wise +brooketh not the neighbourhood of his foe; and how well saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> +Whenas on any land the oppressor doth alight, * There's nothing left for those, +that dwell therein, but flight.'''[FN#149] +</p> + +<p> +Quoth the tortoise, "If the matter be as thou sayest and the case as thou +describest, I will not leave thee nor cease to stand before thee, that I may do +thy need and fulfil thy service; for it is said that there is no sorer +desolation than that of him who is an exile, cut off from friends and home; and +it is also said that no calamity equalleth that of severance from the good; but +the best solace for men of understanding is to seek companionship in +strangerhood and be patient under sorrows and adversity. Wherefore I hope that +thou wilt approve of my company, for I will be to thee a servant and a helper." +Now when the water fowl heard the tortoise's words he answered, "Verily, thou +art right in what thou sayest for, by my life, I have found grief and pain in +separation, what while I have been parted from my place and sundered from my +brethren and friends; seeing that in severance is an admonition to him who will +be admonished and matter of thought for him who will take thought. If the +generous youth find not a companion to console him, weal is forever cut off +from him and ill is eternally established with him; and there is nothing for +the sage but to solace himself in every event with brethren and be constant in +patience and endurance: indeed these two are praiseworthy qualities, and both +uphold one under calamities and vicissitudes of the world and ward off +startling sorrows and harrowing cares, come what will." Rejoined the tortoise, +"Beware of sorrow, for it will spoil thy life and waste thy manliness." And the +two gave not over conversing till the bird said, "Never shall I cease fearing +the shifts of time and vicissitudes of events." When the tortoise heard this, +he came up to him and, kissing him between the eyes, said to him, "Never may +the company of the birds cease to be blest in thee and through thee, and find +wisdom in thy good counsel! How shalt thou be burdened with care and harm?" And +he went on to comfort the water fowl and soothe his terrors till he became +reassured. Then he flew to the place where the carcass was and found on +arriving there the birds of prey gone, and they had left nothing of the body +but bones; whereupon he returned to the tortoise and acquainted him with the +fact that the foe had disappeared from his place, saying, "Know that of a truth +I long for return homewards to enjoy the society of my friends; for the sage +cannot endure separation from his native place." So they both went thither and +found naught to affright them; whereupon the water fowl began repeating, +</p> + +<p> +"And haply whenas strait descends on lot of generous youth *<br/> + + Right sore, with Allah only lies his issue from annoy:<br/> + +He's straitened, but full oft when rings and meshes straitest<br/> + + clip, * He 'scapes his strait and joyance finds, albe I see<br/> + + no joy."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +So the twain abode in that island; and while the water fowl was enjoying a life +of peace and gladness, suddenly Fate led thither a hungry falcon, which drove +its talons into the bird's belly and killed him, nor did caution avail him when +his term of life was ended. Now the cause of his death was that he neglected to +use the formula of praise, and it is said that his form of adoration was as +follows, "Praised be our Lord in that He ordereth and ordaineth; and praised be +our Lord in that He enricheth and impoverisheth!" Such was the waterfowl's end +and the tale of the ravenous birds. And when it was finished quoth the Sultan, +"O Shahrazad, verily thou overwhelmest me with admonitions and salutary +instances. Hast thou any stories of beasts?" "Yes," answered she, and began to +tell the +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap08"></a>TALE OF THE WOLF AND THE FOX.[FN#150]</h3> + +<p> +Know, O King, that a fox and a wolf once cohabited in the same den, harbouring +therein together by day and resorting thither by night; but the wolf was cruel +and oppressive to the fox. They abode thus awhile, till it so befel that the +fox exhorted the wolf to use gentle dealing and leave off his ill deeds, +saying, "If thou persist in thine arrogance, belike Allah will give the son of +Adam power over thee, for he is past master in guile and wile; and by his +artifice he bringeth down the birds from the firmament and he haleth the mighty +fish forth of the flood-waters: and he cutteth the mountain and transporteth it +from place to place. All this is of his craft and wiliness: wherefore do thou +betake thyself to equity and fair dealing and leave frowardness and tyranny; +and thou shalt fare all the better for it." But the wolf would not accept his +counsel and answered him roughly, saying, "What right hast thou to speak of +matters of weight and importance?" And he dealt the fox a cuff that laid him +senseless; but, when he revived, he smiled in the wolf's face and, excusing +himself for his unseemly speech, repeated these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"If any sin I sinned, or did I aught *<br/> + + In love of you, which hateful mischief wrought;<br/> + +My sin I sore repent and pardon sue; *<br/> + + So give the sinner gift of pardon sought."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +The wolf accepted his excuse and held his hand from further ill-treatment, +saying, "Speak not of whatso concerneth thee not, lest thou hear what will +please thee not." Answered the fox, "To hear is to obey!"—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Forty-ninth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the wolf to the +fox, "Speak not of whatso concerneth thee not, lest thou hear what will please +thee not!" Answered the fox, "To hear is to obey! I will abstain henceforth +from what pleaseth thee not; for the sage saith, 'Have a care that thou speak +not of that whereof thou art not asked; leave that which concerneth thee not +for that which concerneth thee, and by no means lavish good counsel on the +wrongous, for they will repay it to thee with wrong.'" And reflecting on the +words of the wolf he smiled in his face, but in his heart he meditated +treachery against him and privily said, "There is no help but that I compass +the destruction of this wolf." So he bore with his injurious usage, saying to +himself, "Verily insolence and evil-speaking are causes of perdition and cast +into confusion, and it is said, 'The insolent is shent and the ignorant doth +repent; and whose feareth, to him safety is sent': moderation marketh the noble +and gentle manners are of gains the grandest. It behoveth me to dissemble with +this tyrant and needs must he be cast down." Then quoth he to the wolf, +"Verily, the Lord pardoneth his erring servant and relenteth towards him, if he +confess his offences; and I am a weak slave and have offended in presuming to +counsel thee. If thou knewest the pain that befel me by thy buffet, thou +wouldst ken that even the elephant could not stand against it nor endure it: +but I complain not of this blow's hurt, because of the joy and gladness that +hath betided me through it; for though it was to me exceeding sore yet was its +issue of the happiest. And with sooth saith the sage, 'The blow of the teacher +is at first right hurtful, but the end of it is sweeter than strained honey.'" +Quoth the wolf, "I pardon thine offence and I cancel thy fault; but beware of +my force and avow thyself my thrall; for thou hast learned my severity unto him +who showeth his hostility!" Thereupon the fox prostrated himself before the +wolf, saying, "Allah lengthen thy life and mayst thou never cease to overthrow +thy foes!" And he stinted not to fear the wolf and to wheedle him and dissemble +with him. Now it came to pass that one day, the fox went to a vineyard and saw +a breach in its walls; but he mistrusted it and said to himself, "Verily, for +this breach there must be some cause and the old saw saith, 'Whoso seeth a +cleft in the earth and shunneth it not and is not wary in approaching it, the +same is self-deluded and exposeth himself to danger and destruction.' Indeed, +it is well known that some folk make the figure of a fox in their vineyards; +nay, they even set before the semblance grapes in plates, that foxes may see it +and come to it and fall into perdition. In very sooth I regard this breach as a +snare and the proverb saith, 'Caution is one half of cleverness.' Now prudence +requireth that I examine this breach and see if there be aught therein which +may lead to perdition; and coveting shall not make me cast myself into +destruction." So he went up to the hole and walked round it right warily, and +lo! it was a deep pit, which the owner of the vineyard had dug to trap therein +the wild beasts which laid waste his vines. Then he said to himself, "Thou hast +gained, for that thou hast refrained!"; and he looked and saw that the hole was +lightly covered with dust and matting. So he drew back from it saying, "Praised +be Allah that I was wary of it! I hope that my enemy, the wolf, who maketh my +life miserable, will fall into it; so will the vineyard be left to me and I +shall enjoy it alone and dwell therein at peace." Saying thus, he shook his +head and laughed a loud laugh and began versifying, +</p> + +<p> + "Would Heaven I saw at this hour *<br/> + + The Wolf fallen down in this well,<br/> + + He who anguisht my heart for so long, *<br/> + + And garred me drain eisel and fel!<br/> + + Heaven grant after this I may live *<br/> + + Free of Wolf for long fortunate spell<br/> + + When I've rid grapes and vineyard of him, *<br/> + + And in bunch-spoiling happily dwell."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +His verse being finished he returned in haste to the wolf and said to him, +"Allah hath made plain for thee the way into the vineyard without toil and +moil. This is of thine auspicious fortune; so good luck to thee and mayest thou +enjoy the plentiful plunder and the profuse provaunt which Allah hath opened up +to thee without trouble!" Asked the wolf, "What proof hast thou of what thou +assertest?": and the fox answered, "I went up to the vineyard and found that +the owner was dead, having been torn to pieces by wolves: so I entered the +orchard and saw the fruit shining upon the trees." The wolf doubted not the +fox's report and his gluttony gat hold of him; so he arose and repaired to the +cleft, for that greed blinded him; whilst the fox falling behind him lay as one +dead, quoting to the case the following couplet, +</p> + +<p> +"For Layla's[FN#151] favour dost thou greed? But, bear in mind *<br/> + + Greed is a yoke of harmful weight on neck of man."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when the wolf had reached the breach the fox said, "Enter the vineyard: +thou art spared the trouble of climbing a ladder, for the garden-wall is broken +down, and with Allah it resteth to fulfil the benefit." So the wolf went on +walking and thought to enter the vineyard; but when he came to the middle of +the pit-covering he fell through; whereupon the fox shook for joy and gladness; +his care and concern left him and he sang out for delight and improvised these +couplets, +</p> + +<p> + "Fortune had mercy on the soul of me, *<br/> + + And for my torments now shows clemency,<br/> + + Granting whatever gift my heart desired, *<br/> + + And far removing what I feared to see:<br/> + + I will, good sooth, excuse her all her sins *<br/> + + She sinned in days gone by and much sinned she:<br/> + + Yea, her injustice she hath shown in this, *<br/> + + She whitened locks that were so black of blee:<br/> + + But now for this same wolf escape there's none, *<br/> + + Of death and doom he hath full certainty.<br/> + + Then all the vineyard comes beneath my rule, *<br/> + + I'll brook no partner who's so fond a fool."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then the fox looked into the cleft and, seeing the wolf weeping in repentance +and sorrow for himself, wept with him; whereupon the wolf raised his head to +him and asked, "Is it of pity for me thou weepest, O Father of the +Fortlet[FN#152]?" Answered the fox, "No, by Him who cast thee into this pit! I +weep for the length of thy past life and for regret that thou didst not fall +into the pit before this day; for hadst thou done so before I foregathered with +thee, I had rested and enjoyed repose: but thou wast spared till the fulfilment +of thine allotted term and thy destined time." Then the wolf said to him as one +jesting, "O evil-doer, go to my mother and tell her what hath befallen me; +haply she may devise some device for my release." Replied the fox, "Of a truth +thou hast been brought to destruction by the excess of thy greed and thine +exceeding gluttony, since thou art fallen into a pit whence thou wilt never +escape. Knowest thou not the common proverb, O thou witless wolf, 'Whoso taketh +no thought as to how things end, him shall Fate never befriend nor shall he +safe from perils wend." "O Reynard," quoth the wolf, "thou was wont to show me +fondness and covet my friendliness and fear the greatness of my strength. Hate +me not rancorously because of that I did with thee; for he who hath power and +forgiveth, his reward Allah giveth; even as saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> + 'Sow kindness-seed in the unfittest stead; *<br/> + + 'Twill not be wasted whereso thou shalt sow:<br/> + + For kindness albe buried long, yet none *<br/> + + Shall reap the crop save sower who garred it grow.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Rejoined the fox, "O witlessest of beasts of prey and stupidest of the wild +brutes which the wolds overstray! Hast thou forgotten thine arrogance and +insolence and tyranny, and thy disregarding the due of goodfellowship and thy +refusing to be advised by what the poet saith? +</p> + +<p> + 'Wrong not thy neighbour e'en if thou have power; *<br/> + + The wronger alway vengeance-harvest reaps:<br/> + + Thine eyes shall sleep, while bides the wronged on wake *<br/> + + A-cursing thee; and Allah's eye ne'er sleeps.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +"O Abu 'l-Hosayn," replied the wolf, "twit me not with my past sins; for +forgiveness is expected of the generous and doing kind deeds is the truest of +treasures. How well saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> + 'Haste to do kindness while thou hast much power, *<br/> + + For at all seasons thou hast not such power.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And he ceased not to humble himself before the fox and say, "Haply, thou canst +do somewhat to deliver me from destruction." Replied the fox, "O thou wolf, +thou witless, deluded, deceitful trickster! hope not for deliverance, for this +is but the just reward of thy foul dealing and its due retaliation." Then he +laughed with chops wide open and repeated these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> + "No longer beguile me, *<br/> + + Thou'lt fail of thy will!<br/> + + What can't be thou seekest; *<br/> + + Thou hast sown so reap Ill!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Quoth the wolf, "O gentlest of ravenous beasts, I fain hold thee too faithful +to leave me in this pit." Then he wept and complained and, with tears streaming +from his eyes, recited these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> + "O thou whose favours have been out of compt, *<br/> + + Whose gifts are more than may be numbered!<br/> + + Never mischance befel me yet from time *<br/> + + But that I found thy hand right fain to aid."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +"O thou ninny foe," quoth the fox, "how art thou reduced to humiliation and +prostration and abjection and submission, after insolence and pride and tyranny +and arrogance! Verily, I kept company with thee only for fear of thy fury and I +cajoled thee without one hope of fair treatment from thee: but now trembling is +come upon thee and vengeance hath overtaken thee." And he repeated these two +couplets, +</p> + +<p> + "O thou who seekest innocence to 'guile, *<br/> + + Thou'rt caught in trap of thine intentions vile:<br/> + + Now drain the draught of shamefullest mischance, *<br/> + + And be with other wolves cut off, thou scroyle!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Replied the wolf, "O thou clement one, speak not with the tongue of enemies nor +look with their eyes; but fulfil the covenant of fellowship with me, ere the +time of applying remedy cease to be. Rise and make ready to get me a rope and +tie one end of it to a tree; then let the other down to me, that I may lay hold +of it, so haply I shall from this my strait win free, and I will give thee all +my hand possesseth of wealth and fee." Quoth the fox, "Thou persistest in +conversation concerning what will not procure thy liberation. Hope not for +this, for thou shalt never, never get of me wherewithal to set thee at liberty; +but call to mind thy past misdeeds and the craft and perfidy thou didst imagine +against me and bethink thee how near thou art to being stoned to death. For +know that thy soul is about the world to quit and cease in it and depart from +it; so shalt thou to destruction hie and ill is the abiding-place thou shalt +aby!"[FN#153] Rejoined the wolf, "O Father of the Fortlet, hasten to return to +amity and persist not in this rancorous enmity. Know that whoso from ruin +saveth a soul, is as if he had quickened it and made it whole; and whoso saveth +a soul alive, is as if he had saved all mankind.[FN#154] Follow not +frowardness, for the wise forbid it: and it were most manifest frowardness to +leave me in this pit draining the agony of death and dight to look upon mine +own doom, whenas it lieth in thy power to deliver me from my stowre. So do thy +best to release me and deal with me benevolently." Answered the fox, "O thou +base and barbarous wretch, I compare thee, because of the fairness of thy +professions and expressions, and the foulness of thy intentions and thy +inventions to the Falcon and the Partridge." Asked the wolf, "How so?"; and the +fox began to tell +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap09"></a>The Tale of the Falcon[FN#155] and the Partridge.[FN#156]</h3> + +<p> +Once upon a time I entered a vineyard to eat of its grapes; and, whilst so +doing behold, I saw a falcon stoop upon a partridge and seize him; but the +partridge escaped from the seizer and, entering his nest, hid himself there. +The falcon followed apace and called out to him, saying, "O imbecile, I saw +thee an-hungered in the wold and took pity on thee; so I picked up for thee +some grain and took hold of thee that thou mightest eat; but thou fleddest from +me; and I wot not the cause of thy flight, except it were to put upon me a +slight. Come out, then, and take the grain I have brought thee to eat and much +good may it do thee, and with thy health agree." When the partridge heard these +words, he believed and came out to him, whereupon the falcon struck his talons +into him and seized him. Cried the partridge, "Is this that which thou toldest +me thou hadst brought me from the wold, and whereof thou badest me eat, saying, +'Much good may it do thee, and with thy health agree?' Thou hast lied to me, +and may Allah cause what thou eatest of my flesh to be a killing poison in thy +maw!" So when the falcon had eaten the partridge, his feathers fell off and his +strength failed and he died on the spot. "Know, then, O wolf!" (pursued the +fox), "that he who diggeth for his brother a pit himself soon falleth into it, +and thou first deceivedst me in mode unfit." Quoth the wolf, "Spare me this +discourse nor saws and tales enforce, and remind me not of my former ill +course, for sufficeth me the sorry plight I endure perforce, seeing that I am +fallen into a place, in which even my foe would pity me, much more a true +friend. Rather find some trick to deliver me and be thou thereby my saviour. If +this cause thee trouble, remember that a true friend will undertake the sorest +travail for his true friend's sake and will risk his life to deliver him from +evil; and indeed it hath been said, 'A leal friend is better than a real +brother.' So if thou stir thyself to save me and I be saved, I will forsure +gather thee such store as shall be a provision for thee against want however +sore; and truly I will teach thee rare tricks whereby to open whatso bounteous +vineyards thou please and strip the fruit-laden trees." Rejoined the fox, +laughing, "How excellent is what the learned say of him who aboundeth in +ignorance like unto thee!" Asked the wolf, "What do the wise men say?" And the +fox answered, "They have observed that the gross of body are gross of mind, far +from intelligence and nigh unto ignorance. As for thy saying, O thou stupid, +cunning idiot! that a true friend should undertake sore travail for his true +friend's sake, it is sooth as thou sayest, but tell me, of thine ignorance and +poverty of intelligence, how can I be a true friend to thee, considering thy +treachery. Dost thou count me thy true friend? Nay, I am thy foe who joyeth in +thy woe; and couldst thou trow it, this word were sorer to thee than slaughter +by shot of shaft. As for thy promise to provide me a store against want however +sore and teach me tricks, to plunder whatso bounteous vineyards I please, and +spoil fruit-laden trees, how cometh it, O guileful traitor, that thou knowest +not a wile to save thyself from destruction? How far art thou from profiting +thyself and how far am I from accepting thy counsel! If thou have any tricks, +make shift for thyself to save thee from the risk, wherefrom I pray Allah to +make thine escape far distant! So look, O fool, if there be any trick with +thee; and therewith save thyself from death ere thou lavish instruction upon +thy neighbours. But thou art like a certain man attacked by a disease, who went +to another diseased with the same disease, and said to him, 'Shall I heal thee +of thy disease?' Replied the sick man, 'Why dost thou not begin by healing +thyself?' So he left him and went his way. And thou, O ignorant wolf, art like +this; so stay where thou art and under what hath befallen thee be of good +heart!" When the wolf heard what the fox said, he knew that from him he had no +hope of favour; so he wept for himself, saying, "Verily, I have been heedless +of my weal; but if Allah deliver me from this ill I will assuredly repent of my +arrogance towards those who are weaker than I, and will wear woollens[FN#157] +and go upon the mountains, celebrating the praises of Almighty Allah and +fearing His punishment. And I will withdraw from the company of other wild +beasts and forsure will I feed the poor fighters for the Faith." Then he wept +and wailed, till the heart of the fox softened when he heard his humble words +and his professions of penitence for his past insolence and arrogance. So he +took pity upon him and sprang up joyfully and, going to the brink of the +breach, squatted down on his hind quarters and let his tail hang in the hole; +whereupon the wolf arose and putting out his paw, pulled the fox's tail, so +that he fell down in the pit with him. Then said the wolf, "O fox of little +mercy, why didst thou exult in my misery, thou that wast my companion and under +my dominion? Now thou art fallen into the pit with me and retribution hath soon +overtaken thee. Verily, the sages have said, 'If one of you reproach his +brother with sucking the dugs of a bitch, he also shall suck her.' And how well +quoth the poet, +</p> + +<p> + 'When Fortune weighs heavy on some of us, *<br/> + + And makes camel kneel by some other one,[FN#158]<br/> + + Say to those who rejoice in our ills: —Awake! *<br/> + + The rejoicer shall suffer as we have done!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And death in company is the best of things;[FN#159] wherefore I will certainly +and assuredly hasten to slay thee ere thou see me slain." Said the fox to +himself, "Ah! Ah! I am fallen into the snare with this tyrant, and my case +calleth for the use of craft and cunning; for indeed it is said that a woman +fashioneth her jewellery for the day of display, and quoth the proverb, 'I have +not kept thee, O my tear, save for the time when distress draweth near.' And +unless I make haste to circumvent this prepotent beast I am lost without +recourse; and how well saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> + 'Make thy game by guile, for thou'rt born in a Time *<br/> + + Whose sons are lions in forest lain;<br/> + + And turn on the leat[FN#160] of thy knavery *<br/> + + That the mill of subsistence may grind thy grain;<br/> + + And pluck the fruits or, if out of reach, *<br/> + + Why, cram thy maw with the grass on plain.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then said the fox to the wolf, "Hasten not to slay me, for that is not the way +to pay me and thou wouldst repent it, O thou valiant wild beast, lord of force +and exceeding prowess! An thou accord delay and consider what I shall say, thou +wilt ken what purpose I proposed; but if thou hasten to kill me it will profit +thee naught and we shall both die in this very place." Answered the wolf "O +thou wily trickster, what garreth thee hope to work my deliverance and thine +own, that thou prayest me to grant thee delay? Speak and propound to me thy +purpose." Replied the fox, "As for the purpose I proposed, it was one which +deserveth that thou guerdon me handsomely for it; for when I heard thy promises +and thy confessions of thy past misdeeds and regrets for not having earlier +repented and done good; and when I heard thee vowing, shouldst thou escape from +this strait, to leave harming thy fellows and others; forswear the eating of +grapes and of all manner fruits; devote thyself to humility; cut thy claws and +break thy dog-teeth; don woollens and offer thyself as an offering to Almighty +Allah, then indeed I had pity upon thee, for true words are the best words. And +although before I had been anxious for thy destruction, whenas I heard thy +repenting and thy vows of amending should Allah vouchsafe to save thee, I felt +bound to free thee from this thy present plight. So I let down my tail, that +thou mightest grasp it and be saved. Yet wouldest thou not quit thy wonted +violence and habit of brutality; nor soughtest thou to save thyself by fair +means, but thou gavest me a tug which I thought would sever body from soul, so +that thou and I are fallen into the same place of distress and death. And now +there is but one thing can save us and, if thou accept it of me, we shall both +escape; and after it behoveth thee to fulfil the vows thou hast made and I will +be thy veritable friend." Asked the wolf, "What is it thou proposest for mine +acceptance?" Answered the fox, "It is that thou stand up at full height till I +come nigh on a level with the surface of the earth. Then will I give a spring +and reach the ground; and, when out of the pit, I will bring thee what thou +mayst lay hold of, and thus shalt thou make thine escape." Rejoined the wolf, +"I have no faith in thy word, for sages have said, 'Whoso practiseth trust in +the place of hate, erreth;' and, 'Whoso trusteth in the untrustworthy is a +dupe; he who re-trieth him who hath been tried shall reap repentance and his +days shall go waste; and he who cannot distinguish between case and case, +giving each its due, and assigneth all the weight to one side, his luck shall +be little and his miseries shall be many.' How well saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> + 'Let thy thought be ill and none else but ill; *<br/> + + For suspicion is best of the worldling's skill:<br/> + + Naught casteth a man into parlous place *<br/> + + But good opinion and (worse) good-will!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And the saying of another, +</p> + +<p> + 'Be sure all are villains and so bide safe; *<br/> + + Who lives wide awake on few Ills shall light:<br/> + + Meet thy foe with smiles and a smooth fair brow, *<br/> + + And in heart raise a host for the battle dight!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And that of yet another,[FN#161] +</p> + +<p> + 'He thou trusted most is thy worst unfriend; *<br/> + + 'Ware all and take heed with whom thou wend:<br/> + + Fair opinion of Fortune is feeble sign; *<br/> + + So believe her ill and her Ills perpend!'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Quoth the fox, "Verily mistrust and ill opinion of others are not to be +commended in every case; nay trust and confidence are the characteristics of a +noble nature and the issue thereof is freedom from stress of fear. Now it +behoveth thee, O thou wolf, to devise some device for thy deliverance from this +thou art in, and our escape will be better to us both than our death: so quit +thy distrust and rancour; for if thou trust in me one of two things will +happen; either I shall bring thee something whereof to lay hold and escape from +this case, or I shall abandon thee to thy doom. But this thing may not be, for +I am not safe from falling into some such strait as this thou art in, which, +indeed, would be fitting punishment of perfidy. Of a truth the adage saith, +'Faith is fair and faithlessness is foul.'[FN#162] So it behoveth thee to trust +in me, for I am not ignorant of the haps and mishaps of the world; and delay +not to contrive some device for our deliverance, as the case is too close to +allow further talk." Replied the wolf, "For all my want of confidence in thy +fidelity, verily I knew what was in thy mind and that thou wast moved to +deliver me whenas thou heardest my repentance, and I said to myself, 'If what +he asserteth be true, he will have repaired the ill he did; and if false, it +resteth with the Lord to requite him.' So, look'ee, I have accepted thy +proposal and, if thou betray me, may thy traitorous deed be the cause of thy +destruction!" Then the wolf stood bolt upright in the pit and, taking the fox +upon his shoulders, raised him to the level of the ground, whereupon Reynard +gave a spring from his back and lighted on the surface of the earth. When he +found himself safely out of the cleft he fell down senseless and the wolf said +to him, "O my friend! neglect not my case and delay not to deliver me." The fox +laughed with a loud haw-haw and replied, "O dupe, naught threw me into thy +hands save my laughing at thee and making mock of thee; for in good sooth when +I heard thee profess repentance, mirth and gladness seized me and I frisked +about and made merry and danced, so that my tail hung low into the pit and thou +caughtest hold of it and draggedst me down with thee. And the end was that +Allah Almighty delivered me from thy power. Then why should I be other than a +helper in thy destruction, seeing that thou art of Satan's host? I dreamt +yesterday that I danced at thy wedding and I told my dream to an interpreter +who said to me, 'Verily thou shalt fall into imminent deadly danger and thou +shalt escape therefrom.' So now I know that my falling into thy hand and my +escape are the fulfillment of my dream, and thou, O imbecile, knowest me for +thy foe; so how couldest thou, of thine ignorance and unintelligence, nurse +desire of deliverance at my hands, after all thou hast heard of harsh words +from me; and wherefore should I attempt thy salvation whenas the sages have +said, 'In the death of the wicked is rest for mankind and a purge for the +earth'? But, were it not that I fear to bear more affliction by keeping faith +with thee than the sufferings which follow perfidy, I had done mine endeavour +to save thee." When the wolf heard this, he bit his forehand for repentance. +—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fiftieth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the wolf heard the +fox's words he bit his forehand for repentance. Then he gave the fox fair +words, but this availed naught and he was at his wits' end for what to do; so +he said to him in soft, low accents, "Verily, you tribe of foxes are the most +pleasant people in point of tongue and the subtlest in jest, and this is but a +joke of thine; but all times are not good for funning and jesting." The fox +replied, "O ignoramus, in good sooth jesting hath a limit which the jester must +not overpass; and deem not that Allah will again give thee possession of me +after having once delivered me from thy hand." Quoth the wolf, "It behoveth +thee to compass my release, by reason of our brotherhood and good fellowship; +and, if thou release me, I will assuredly make fair thy recompense." Quoth the +fox, "Wise men say, 'Take not to brother the wicked fool, for he will disgrace +thee in lieu of gracing thee; nor take to brother the liar for, if thou do +good, he will conceal it; and if thou do ill he will reveal it.' And again, the +sages have said, 'There is help for everything but death: all may be warded +off, except Fate.' As for the reward thou declarest to be my due from thee, I +compare thee herein with the serpent which fled from the charmer.[FN#163] A man +saw her affrighted and said to her, 'What aileth thee, O thou serpent?' Replied +she, 'I am fleeing from the snake-charmer, for he seeketh to trap me and, if +thou wilt save me and hide me with thee, I will make fair thy reward and do +thee all manner of kindness.' So he took her, incited thereto by lust for the +recompense and eager to find favour with Heaven, and set her in his +breastpocket. Now when the charmer had passed and had wended his way and the +serpent had no longer any cause to fear, he said to her, 'Where is the reward +thou didst promise me? Behold, I have saved thee from that thou fearedest and +soughtest to fly.' Replied she, 'Tell me in what limb or in what place shall I +strike thee with my fangs, for thou knowest we exceed not that recompense.' So +saying, she gave him a bite whereof he died. And I liken thee, O dullard, to +the serpent in her dealings with that man. Hast thou not heard what the poet +saith? +</p> + +<p> + 'Trust not to man when thou hast raised his spleen *<br/> + + And wrath, nor that 'twill cool do thou misween:<br/> + + Smooth feels the viper to the touch and glides *<br/> + + With grace, yet hides she deadliest venene.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Quoth the wolf, "O thou glib of gab and fair of face, ignore not my case and +men's fear of me; and well thou weetest how I assault the strongly walled place +and uproot the vines from base. Wherefore, do as I bid thee, and stand before +me even as the thrall standeth before his lord." Quoth the fox, "O stupid +dullard who seekest a vain thing, I marvel at thy folly and thy front of brass +in that thou biddest me serve thee and stand up before thee as I were a slave +bought with thy silver; but soon shalt thou see what is in store for thee, in +the way of cracking thy sconce with stones and knocking out thy traitorous +dog-teeth." So saying the fox clomb a hill overlooking the vineyard and +standing there, shouted out to the vintagers; nor did he give over shouting +till he woke them and they, seeing him, all came up to him in haste. He stood +his ground till they drew near him and close to the pit wherein was the wolf; +and then he turned and fled. So the folk looked into the cleft and, spying the +wolf, set to pelting him with heavy stones, and they stinted not smiting him +with stones and sticks, and stabbing him with spears, till they killed him and +went away. Thereupon the fox returned to that cleft and, standing over the spot +where his foe had been slain, saw the wolf dead: so he wagged his head for very +joyance and began to recite these couplets, +</p> + +<p> + "Fate the Wolf's soul snatched up from wordly stead; *<br/> + + Far be from bliss his soul that perished!<br/> + + Abu Sirhan![FN#164] how sore thou sought'st my death; *<br/> + + Thou, burnt this day in fire of sorrow dread:<br/> + + Thou'rt fallen into pit, where all who fall *<br/> + + Are blown by Death-blast down among the dead."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Thenceforward the aforesaid fox abode alone in the vineyard unto the hour of +his death secure and fearing no hurt. And such are the adventures of the wolf +and the fox. But men also tell a +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap10"></a>TALE OF THE MOUSE AND THE ICHNEUMON[FN#165]</h3> + +<p> +A mouse and an ichneumon once dwelt in the house of a peasant who was very +poor; and when one of his friends sickened, the doctor prescribed him husked +sesame. So the hind sought of one of his comrades sesame to be husked by way +of healing the sick man; and, when a measure thereof was given to him, he +carried it home to his wife and bade her dress it. So she steeped it and +husked it and spread it out to dry. Now when the ichneumon saw the grain, she +went up to it and fell to carrying it away to her hole, and she toiled all day, +till she had borne off the most of it. Presently, in came the peasant's wife +and, seeing much of the grain gone, stood awhile wondering; after which she sat +down to watch and find out who might be the intruder and make him account for +her loss. After a while, out crept the ichneumon to carry off the grain as was +her wont, but spying the woman seated there, knew that she was on the watch for +her and said in her mind, "Verily, this affair is like to end blameably; and +sore I fear me this woman is on the look-out for me, and Fortune is no friend +to who attend not to issue and end: so there is no help for it but that I do a +fair deed, whereby I may manifest my innocence and wash out all the ill-doings +I have done." So saying, she began to take the sesame out of her hole and +carry it forth and lay it back upon the rest. The woman stood by and, seeing +the ichneumon do thus, said to herself, "Verily this is not the cause of our +loss, for she bringeth it back from the hole of him who stole it and returneth +it to its place; and of a truth she hath done us a kindness in restoring us the +sesame, and the reward of those who do us good is that we do them the like +good. It is clear that it is not she who stole the grain; but I will not cease +my watching till he fall into my hands and I find out who is the thief." The +ichneumon guess what was in her mind, so she went to the mouse and said to her, +"O my sister, there is no good in one who observeth not the claims of +neighborship and who showeth no constancy in friendship." The mouse replied, +"Even so, O my friend, and I delight in thee and in they neighborhood; but what +be the motive of this speech?" Quoth the ichneumon, "The house- master hath +brought home sesame and hath eaten his fill of it, he and his family, and hath +left much; every living being hath eaten of it and, if thou take of it in they +turn, thou art worthier thereof than any other." This pleased the mouse and +she squeaked for joy and danced and frisked her ears and tail, and greed for +the grain deluded her; so she rose at once and issuing forth of her home, saw +the sesame husked and dry, shining with whiteness, and the woman sitting at +watch and ward. The mouse, taking no thought to the issue of the affair (for +the woman had armed herself with a cudgel), and unable to contain herself, ran +up to the sesame and began turning it over and eating of it; whereupon the +woman smote her with that club and cleft her head: so the cause of her +destruction were her greed and heedlessness of consequences. Then said the +Sultan, "O Shahrazad, by Allah! this be a goodly parable! Say me, hast thou +any story bearing on the beauty of true friendship and the observance of its +duty in time of distress and rescuing from destruction?" Answered she:—Yes, it +hath reached me that they tell a tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap11"></a>THE CAT[FN#166] AND THE CROW</h3> + +<p> +Once upon a time, a crow and a cat lived in brotherhood; and one day as they +were together under a tree, behold, they spied a leopard making towards them, +and they were not aware of his approach till he was close upon them. The crow +at once flew up to the tree-top; but the cat abode confounded and said to the +crow, "O my friend, hast thou no device to save me, even as all my hope is in +thee?" Replied the crow, "Of very truth it behoveth brethren, in case of need, +to cast about for a device when peril overtaketh them, and how well saith the +poet, +</p> + +<p> + A friend in need is he who, ever true, *<br/> + + For they well-doing would himself undo:<br/> + + One who when Fortune gars us parting rue *<br/> + + Victimeth self reunion to renew.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now hard by that tree were shepherds with their dogs; so the crow flew towards +them and smote the face of the earth with his wings, cawing and crying out. +Furthermore he went up to one of the dogs and flapped his wings in his face and +flew up a little way, whilst the dog ran after him thinking to catch him. +Presently, one of the shepherds raised his head and saw the bird flying near +the ground and lighting alternately; so he followed him, and the crow ceased +not flying just high enough to save himself and to throw out the dogs; and yet +tempting them to follow for the purpose of tearing him to pieces. But as soon +as they came near him, he would fly up a little; and so at last he brought them +to the tree, under which was the leopard. And when the dogs saw him they +rushed upon him and he turned and fled. Now the leopard thought to eat the cat +who was saved by the craft of his friend the crow. This story, O King, showeth +that the friendship of the Brothers of Purity[FN#167] delivereth and saveth +from difficulties and from falling into mortal dangers. And they also tell a +tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap12"></a>THE FOX AND THE CROW</h3> + +<p> +A Fox once dwelt in a cave of a certain mountain and, as often as a cub was +born to him and grew stout, he would eat the young one, for he had died of +hunger, had he instead of so doing left the cub alive and bred it by his side +and preserved and cherished his issue. Yet was this very grievous to him. Now +on the crest of the same mountain a crow had made his nest, and the fox said to +himself, "I have a mind to set up a friendship with this crow and make a +comrade of him, that he may help me to my daily bread; for he can do in such +matters what I cannot." So he drew near the crow's home and, when he came +within sound of speech, he saluted him and said, "O my neighbour, verily a +true-believer hath two claims upon his true-believing neighbour, the right of +neighbourliness and the right of Al-Islam, our common faith; and know, O my +friend, that thou art my neighbour and thou hast a claim upon me which it +behoveth me to observe, the more that I have long been thy neighbour. Also, +there be implanted in my breast a store of love to thee, which biddeth me speak +thee fair and obligeth me to solicit thy brothership. What sayest thou in +reply?" Answered the crow, "Verily, the truest speech is the best speech; and +haply thou speakest with thy tongue that which is not in thy heart; so I fear +lest thy brotherhood be only of the tongue, outward, and thy enmity be in the +heart, inward; for that thou art the Eater and I the Eaten, and faring apart +were apter to us than friendship and fellowship. What, then, maketh thee seek +that which thou mayst not gain and desire what may not be done, seeing that I +be of the bird-kind and thou be of the beast-kind? Verily, this thy proffered +brotherhood[FN#168] may not be made, neither were it seemly to make it." +Rejoined the fox, "Of a truth whoso knoweth the abiding-place of excellent +things, maketh better choice in what he chooseth therefrom, so perchance he may +advantage his brethren; and indeed I should love to wone near thee and I have +sued for thine intimacy, to the end that we may help each other to our several +objects; and success shall surely wait upon our amity. I have a many tales of +the goodliness of true friendship, which I will relate to thee if thou wish the +relating." Answered the crow, "Thou hast my leave to let me hear thy +communication; so tell thy tale, and relate it to me that I may hearken to it +and weigh it and judge of thine intent thereby." Rejoined the fox, "Hear then, +O my friend, that which is told of a flea and a mouse and which beareth out +what I have said to thee." Asked the crow, "How so?" and the fox +answered:—They tell this tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap13"></a>The Flea and the Mouse</h3> + +<p> +Once upon a time a mouse dwelt in the house of a merchant who owned much +merchandise and great stories of monies. One night, a flea took shelter in the +merchant's carpet-bed and, finding his body soft, and being thirsty drank of +his blood. The merchant was awakened by the smart of the bite and sitting up +called to his slave-girls and serving men. So they hastened to him and, +tucking up their sleeves, fell to searching for the flea; but as soon as the +bloodsucker was aware of the search, he turned to flee and coming on the +mouse's home, entered it. When the mouse saw him, she said to him, "What +bringeth thee in to me, thou who art not of my nature nor of my kind, and who +canst not be assured of safety from violence or of not being expelled with +roughness and ill usage?" Answered the flea, "Of a truth, I took refuge in thy +dwelling to save me from slaughter; and I have come to thee seeking thy +protection and on nowise coveting thy house; nor shall any mischief betide thee +from me to make thee leave thy home. Nay I hope right soon to repay thy +favours to me with all good and then shalt thou see and praise the issue of my +words." And when the mouse heard the speech of the flea, - And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-first Night +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the mouse heard the +words of the flea, she said, "If the case be as thou dost relate and describe, +then be at thine ease here; for naught shall befal thee save the rain of peace +and safety; nor shall aught betide thee but what shall joy thee and shall not +annoy thee, nor shall it annoy me. I will lavish on thee my affections without +stint; and do not thou regret having lost the merchant's blood nor lament for +thy subsistence from him, but be content with what sustenance thou canst +obtain; for indeed that is the safer for thee. And I have heard, O flea, that +one of the gnomic poets saith as follows in these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +I have fared content in my solitude *<br/> + + With wate'er befel, and led life of ease,<br/> + +On a water-draught and a bite of bread, *<br/> + + Coarse salt and a gown of tattered frieze:<br/> + +Allah might, an He pleased, give me easiest life, *<br/> + + But with whatso pleaseth Him self I please.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when the flea heard these words of the mouse, he rejoined, "I hearken to +thy charge and I submit myself to obey thee, nor have I power to gainsay thee, +till life be fulfilled in this righteous intention." Replied the mouse, "Pure +intention sufficeth to sincere affection." So the tie of love arose and was +knitted between them twain, and after this, the flea used to visit the +merchant's bed by night and not exceed in his diet, and house him by day in the +hole of the mouse. Now it came to pass one night, the merchant brought home +great store of dinars and began to turn them over. When the mouse heard the +chink of the coin, she put her head out of her hole and fell to gazing at it, +till the merchant laid it under his pillow and went to sleep, when she said to +the flea, "Seest thou not the proffered occasion and the great good fortune? +Hast thou any device to bring us to our desire of yonder dinars? Quoth the +flea, "Verily, it is not good that one strives for aught, unless he be able to +win his will; because, if he lack ability thereto, he falleth into that which +he should avoid and he attaineth not his wish by reason of his weakness, albeit +he use all power of cunning, like the sparrow which picketh up grain and +falleth into the net and is caught by the fowler. Thou hast no strength to +take the dinars and to transport them out of this house, nor have I force +sufficient to do this; I the contrary, I could not carry a single ducat of +them; so what hast thou to do with them?" Quoth the mouse, "I have made me for +my house these seventy openings, whence I may go out at my desire, and I have +set apart a place strong and safe, for things of price; and if thou can +contrive to get the merchant out of the house, I doubt not of success, an so be +that Fate aid me." Answered the flea, "I will engage to get him out of the +house for thee;" and, going to the merchant's bed, bit him a fearful bite, such +as he had never before felt, then fled to a place of safety, where he had no +fear of the man. So the merchant awoke and sought for the flea, but finding +him not, lay down again on his other side. Then the flea bit him a second time +more painfully than before. So he lost patience and, leaving his bed, went out +and lay down on the bench before his door and slept there and woke not till the +morning. Meanwhile the mouse came out and fell to carrying the dinars into her +hole, till she left not a single one; and when day dawned the merchant began to +suspect the folk and fancy all manner of fancies. And (continued the fox) know +thou, O wise and experienced crow with the clear-seeing eyes, that I tell thee +this only to the intent that thou mayst reap the recompense of thy kindness to +me, even as the mouse reaped the reward of her kindness to the flea; for see +how he repaid her and requited her with the goodliest of requitals. Said the +crow, "It lies with the benefactor to show benevolence or not to show it; nor +is it incumbent on us to entreat kindly one who seeketh a connection that +entaileth separation from kith and kin. If I show thee favour who art my foe +by kind, I am the cause of cutting myself off from the world; and thou, O fox, +art full of wiles and guiles. Now those whose characteristics are craft and +cunning, must not be trusted upon oath; and whoso is not to be trusted upon +oath, in him there is no good faith. The tidings lately reached me of thy +treacherous dealing with one of thy comrades, which was a wolf; and how thou +didst deceive him until thou leddest him into destruction by thy perfidy and +stratagems; and this thou diddest after he was of thine own kind and thou hadst +long consorted with him: yet didst thou not spare him; and if thou couldst deal +thus with thy fellow which was of thine own kind, how can I have trust in they +truth and what would be thy dealing with thy foe of other kind than thy kind? +Nor can I compare thee and me but with the saker and the birds." "How so?" +asked the fox. Answered the crow, they relate this tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap14"></a>The Saker[FN#169] and the Birds.</h3> + +<p> +There was once a saker who was a cruel tyrant"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-second Night +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the crow pursued, "They +relate that there was once a saker who was a cruel tyrant in the days of his +youth, so that the raveners of the air and the scavengers of the earth feared +him, none being safe from his mischief; and many were the haps and mishaps of +his tyranny and his violence, for this saker was ever in the habit of +oppressing and injuring all the other birds. As the years passed over him, he +grew feeble and his force failed him, so that he was often famished; but his +cunning waxed stronger with the waning of his strength and redoubled in his +endeavour and determined to be present at the general assembly of the birds, +that he might eat of their orts and leavings; so in this manner he fed by fraud +instead of feeding by fierceness and force. And out, O fox, art like this: if +thy might fail thee, thy sleight faileth thee not; and I doubt not that thy +seeking my society is a fraud to get thy food; but I am none of those who fall +to thee and put fist into thy fist;[FN#170] for that Allah hath vouchsafed +force to my wings and caution to my mind and sharp sight to my eyes; and I know +that whoso apeth a stronger than he, wearieth himself and haply cometh to ruin. +Wherefore I fear for thee lest, if thou ape a stronger than thyself, there +befal thee what befel the sparrow." Asked the fox, "What befel the sparrow?" +Allah upon thee, tell me his tale." And the crow began to relate the story of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap15"></a>The Sparrow and the Eagle</h3> + +<p> +I have heard that a sparrow was once flitting over a sheep-fold, when he looked +at it carefully and behold, he saw a great eagle swoop down upon a newly weaned +lamb and carry it off in his claws and fly away. Thereupon the sparrow clapped +his wings and said, "I will do even as this one did;" and he waxed proud in his +own conceit and mimicked a greater than he. So he flew down forthright and +lighted on the back of a fat ram with a thick fleece that was become matted by +his lying in his dung and stale till it was like woollen felt. As soon as the +sparrow pounced upon the sheep's back he flapped his wings to fly away, but his +feet became tangled in the wool and, however hard he tried, he could not set +himself free. While all this was doing the shepherd was looking on, having +seen what happened first with the eagle and afterwards with the sparrow; so he +came up to the wee birdie in a rage and seized him. Then he plucked out his +wing- feathers and, tying his feet with a twine, carried him to his children +and threw him to them. "What is this?" asked one of them; and he answered, +"This is he that aped a greater than himself and came to grief." "Now thou, O +fox, art like this and I would have thee beware of aping a greater than thou, +lest thou perish. This is all I have to say to thee; so fare from me in +peace!" When the fox despaired of the crow's friendship, he turned away, +groaning for sorrow and gnashing teeth upon teeth in his disappointment; and +the crow, hearing the sound of weeping and seeing his grief and profound +melancholy, said to him, "O fox, what dole and dolour make thee gnash thy +canines?" Answered the fox, "I gnash my canines because I find thee a greater +rascal than myself;" and so saying he made off to his house and ceased not to +fare until he reached his home. Quoth the Sultan, "O Shahrazad, how excellent +are these thy stories, and how delightsome! Hast thou more of such edifying +tales?" Answered she:—They tell this legend concerning +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap16"></a>THE HEDGEHOG AND THE WOOD-PIGEONS</h3> + +<p> +A hedgehog once too up his abode by the side of a date-palm, whereon roosted a +wood-pigeon and his wife that had built their next there and lived a life of +ease and enjoyment. So he said to himself, "This pigeon-pair eateth of the +fruit of the date tree and I have no means of getting at it; but needs must I +find some fashion of tricking them. Upon this he dug a hole at the foot of the +palm tree and took up his lodgings there, he and his wife; moreover, he built +an oratory beside the hole and went into retreat there and made a show of +devotion and edification and renunciation of the world. The male pigeon saw +him praying and worshipping, and his heart was softened towards him for his +excess of devoutness; so he said to him, "How many years hast thou been thus?" +Replied the hedgehog, "During the last thirty years." "What is thy food?" +"That which falleth from the palm- tree." "And what is thy clothing?" +"Prickles! and I profit by their roughness." "And why hast thou chosen this +for place rather than another?" "I chose it and preferred it to all others +that I might guide the erring into the right way and teach the ignorant!" "I +had fancied thy case," quoth the wood-pigeon, "other than this, but now I yearn +for that which is with thee." Quoth the hedgehog, "I fear lest thy deed +contradict thy word and thou be even as the husbandman who, when the +seed-season came, neglected to sow, saying, Verily I dread lest the days bring +me not to my desire and by making hast to sow I shall only waste my substance!' +When harvest-time came and he saw the folk earing their crops, he repented him +of what he had lost by his tardiness and he died of chagrin and vexation." +Asked the wood-pigeon, "What then shall I do that I may be freed from the bonds +of the world and cut myself loose from all things save the service of my Lord?" +Answered the hedgehog, "Betake thee to preparing for the next world and +content thyself with a pittance of provision." Quoth the pigeon, "How can I do +this, I that am a bird and unable to go beyond the date-tree whereon is my +daily bread? And even could I do so, I know of no other place wherein I may +wone." Quoth the hedgehog, "Thou canst shake down of the fruit of the date-tree +what shall suffice thee and thy wife for a year's provaunt; then do ye take up +your abode in a nest under the trunk, that ye may prayerfully seek to be guided +in the right way, and then turn thou to what thou hast shaken down and +transport it all to thy home and store it up against what time the dates fail; +and when the fruits are spent and the delay is longsome upon you, address +thyself to total abstinence." Exclaimed the pigeon, "Allah requite thee with +good for the righteous intention wherewith thou hast reminded me of the world +to come and hast directed me into the right way!" Then he and his wife worked +hard at knocking down the dates, till nothing was left on the palm-tree, whilst +the hedgehog, finding whereof to eat, rejoiced and filled his den with the +fruit, storing it up for his subsistence and saying in his mind, "When the +pigeon and his wife have need of their provision, they will seek it of me and +covet what I have, relying upon thy devoutness and abstinence; and, from what +they have heard of my counsels and admonitions, they will draw near unto me. +Then will I make them my prey and eat them, after which I shall have the place +and all that drops from the date-tree to suffice me." presently, having shaken +down the fruits, the pigeon and his wife descended from the tree-top and +finding that the hedgehog had removed all the dates to his own place, said to +him, "O hedgehog! thou pious preacher and of good counsel, we can find no sign +of the dates and know not on what else we shall feed." Replied the hedgehog, +"Probably the winds have carried them away; but the turning from the provisions +to the Provider is of the essence of salvation, and He who the mouth-corners +cleft, the mouth without victual hath never left." And he gave not over +improving the occasion to them on this wise, and making a show of piety and +cozening them with fine words and false until they put faith in him and +accepted him and entered his den and had no suspicion of his deceit. Thereupon +he sprang to the door and gnashed his teeth, and the wood-pigeon, seeing his +perfidy manifested, said to him, "What hath to-night to do with yester-night? +Knowest thou not that there is a Helper for the oppressed? Beware of craft and +treachery, lest that mishap befal thee which befel the sharpers who plotted +against the merchant." "What was that?" asked the hedgehog. Answered the +pigeon:—I have heard tell this tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap17"></a>The Merchant and the Two Shapers</h3> + +<p> +In a city called Sindah there was once a very wealthy merchant, who made ready +his camel-loads and equipped himself with goods and set out with his outfit for +such a city, purposing to sell it there. Now he was followed by two sharpers, +who had made up into bales what merchandise they could get; and, giving out to +the merchant that they also were merchants, wended with him by the way. So +halting at the first halting-place they agreed to play him false and take all +he had; but at the same time, each inwardly plotted foul play to the other, +saying in his mind, "If I can cheat my comrade, times will go well with me and +I shall have all these goods for myself." So after planning this perfidy, one +of them took food and putting therein poison, brought it to his fellow; the +other did the same and they both ate of the poisoned mess and they both died. +Now they had been sitting with the merchant; so when they left him and were +long absent from him, he sought for tidings of them and found the twain lying +dead; whereby he knew that they were sharpers who had plotted to play him foul, +but their foul play had recoiled upon themselves. So the merchant was +preserved and took what they had. Then quoth the Sultan, "O Shahrazad, verily +thou hast aroused me to all whereof I was negligent! So continue to edify me +with these fables." Quoth she:—It hath reached me, O King, that men tell this +tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap18"></a>THE THIEF AND HIS MONKEY[FN#171]</h3> + +<p> +A certain man had a monkey and that man was a thief, who never entered any of +the street-markets of the city wherein he dwelt, but he made off with great +profit. Now it came to pass one day that he saw a man offering for sale worn +clothes, and he went calling them in the market, but none bid for them and all +to whom he showed them refused to buy of him. Presently the thief who had the +monkey saw the man with the ragged clothes set them in a wrapper and sit down +to rest for weariness; so he made the ape sport before him to catch his eye +and, whilst he was busy gazing at it, stole the parcel from him. Then he took +the ape and made off to a lonely place, where he opened the wrapper and, taking +out the old clothes, folded them in a piece of costly stuff. This he carried to +another bazar and exposed for sale together with what was therein, making it a +condition that it should not be opened, and tempting the folk with the lowness +of the price he set on it. A certain man saw the wrapper and its beauty +pleased him; so he bought the parcel on these terms and carried it home, +doubting not that he had done well. When his wife saw it she asked, "What is +this?" and he answered, "It is costly stuff, which I have bought at lowest +price, meaning to sell it again and take the profit." Rejoined she, "O dupe, +would this stuff be sold under its value, unless it had been stolen? Dost thou +not know that whoso buyeth aught without examining it, falleth into error and +becometh like unto the weaver?" Quoth he, "And what is the story of the +weaver?"; and quoth she:—I have heard this take of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap19"></a>The Foolish Weaver</h3> + +<p> +There was once in a certain village a weaver who worked hard but could not earn +his living save by overwork. Now it chanced that one of the richards of the +neighbourhood made a marriage feast and invited the folk thereto: the weaver +also was present and found the guests, who wore rich gear, served with delicate +viands and made much of by the house-master for what he saw of their fine +clothes. So he said in his mind, "If I change this my craft for another craft +easier to compass and better considered and more highly paid, I shall amass +great store of money and I shall buy splendid attire, so I may rise in rank and +be exalted in men's eyes and become even with these." Presently, he beheld one +of the mountebanks, who was present at the feast, climbing up to the top of a +high and towering wall and throwing himself down to the ground and alighting on +his feet. Whereupon the waver said to himself, "Needs must I do as this one +hath done, for surely I shall not fail of it." So he arose and swarmed upon +the wall and casting himself down, broke his neck against the ground and died +forthright. "Now I tell thee this that thou sayst get thy living by what way +thou knowest and thoroughly understandest, lest peradventure greed enter into +thee and thou lust after what is not of thy condition." Quoth the woman's +husband, "Not every wise man is saved by his wisdom, nor is every fool lost by +his folly. I have seen it happen to a skilful charmer, well versed in the ways +of serpents, to be struck by the fangs of a snake[FN#172] and killed, and +others prevail over serpents who had no skill in them and no knowledge of their +ways." And he went contrary to his wife and persisted in buying stolen goods +below their value till he fell under suspicion and perished therefor: even as +perished the sparrow in the tale of +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap20"></a>THE SPARROW AND THE PEACOCK</h3> + +<p> +There was once upon a time a sparrow, that used every day to visit a certain +king of the birds and ceased not to wait upon him in the mornings and not to +leave him till the evenings, being the first to go in and the last to go out. +One day, a company of birds chanced to assemble on a high mountain and one of +them said to another, "Verily, we are waxed many, and many are the differences +between us, and there is no help for it but we have a king to look into our +affairs; so shall we all be at one and our differences will disappear." +Thereupon up came that sparrow and counselled them to choose for King the +peacock (that is, the prince he used to visit). So they chose the peacock to +their King and he, become their sovereign, bestowed largesse upon them and made +the sparrow his secretary and Prime Minister. Now the sparrow was wont by +times to quit his assiduous serve in the presence and look into matters in +general. So one day he absented himself at the usual time, whereat the peacock +was sore troubled; and, while things stood thus, he returned and the peacock +said to him, "What hath delayed thee, and thou the nearest to me of all my +servants and the dearest of all my dependents?" replied the sparrow, "I have +seen a thing which is doubtful to me and whereat I am affrighted." Asked the +peacock, "What was it thou sawest?"; and the sparrow answered, "I saw a man set +up a net, hard by my nest, peg down its pegs, strew grain in its midst and +withdraw afar off. And I sat watching what he would do when behold, fate and +fortune drave thither a crane and his wife, which fell into the midst of the +net and began to cry out; whereupon the fowler rose up and took them. This +troubled me, and such is the reason for my absence from thee, O King of the +Age, but never again will I abide in that nest for fear of the net." Rejoined +the peacock, "Depart not thy dwelling, for against fate and lot forethought +will avail the naught." And the sparrow obeyed his bidding and said, "I will +forthwith arm myself with patience and forbear to depart in obedience to the +King." So he ceased not taking care of himself, and carrying food to his +sovereign, who would eat what sufficed him and after feeding drink his water +and dismiss the sparrow. Now one day as he was looking into matters, lo and +behold! he saw two sparrows fighting on the ground and said in his mind, "How +can I, who am the King's Wazir, look on and see sparrows fighting in my +neighbourhood? By Allah, I must make peace between them!" So he flew down to +reconcile them; but the fowler cast the net over the whole number and the +sparrow happened to be in their very midst. Then the fowler arose and took him +and gave him to his comrade, saying, "Take care of him, " I never saw fatter or +finer." But the sparrow said to himself, "I have fallen into that which I +feared and none but the peacock inspired me with false confidence. It availed +me naught to beware of the stroke of fate and fortune, since even he who taketh +precaution may never flee from destiny. And how well said the poet in this +poetry, +</p> + +<p> + "Whatso is not to be shall ne'er become; *<br/> + + No wise! and that to be must come to pass;<br/> + + Yea it shall come to pass at time ordained, *<br/> + + And th' Ignoramus[FN#173] aye shall cry Alas!'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Whereupon quoth the King, "O Shahrazad, recount me other of these tales!"; and +quoth she, "I will do so during the coming night, if life be granted to by the +King whom Allah bring to honour!"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-third Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said:—I will relate the +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap21"></a>TALE OF ALI BIN BAKKAR AND OF SHAMS AL-NAHAR.</h3> + +<p> +It hath reached me, O august King, that in days of yore and in times and ages +long gone before, during the Caliphate of Harun al-Rashid, there was a merchant +who named his son Abú al-Hasan[FN#174] Ali bin Táhir; and the same was great of +goods and grace, while his son was fair of form and face and held in favour by +all folk. He used to enter the royal palace without asking leave, for all the +Caliph's concubines and slave-girls loved him, and he was wont to be companion +with Al-Rashid in his cups and recite verses to him and tell him curious tales +and witty. Withal he sold and bought in the merchants' bazar, and there used to +sit in his shop a youth named Ali bin Bakkár, of the sons of the Persian +Kings[FN#175] who was formous of form and symmetrical of shape and perfect of +figure, with cheeks red as roses and joined eyebrows; sweet of speech, +laughing-lipped and delighting in mirth and gaiety. Now it chanced one day, as +the two sat talking and laughing behold, there came up ten damsels like moons, +every one of them complete in beauty and loveliness, and elegance and grace; +and amongst them was a young lady riding on a she-mule with a saddle of brocade +and stirrups of gold. She wore an outer veil of fine stuff, and her waist was +girt with a girdle of gold-embroidered silk; and she was even as saith the +poet, +</p> + +<p> + "Silky her skin and silk that zoned waist; *<br/> + + Sweet voice; words not o'er many nor too few:<br/> + + Two eyes quoth Allah 'Be,' and they became; *<br/> + + And work like wine on hearts they make to rue:<br/> + + O love I feel! grow greater every night: *<br/> + + O solace! Doom-day bring our interview."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when the cortčge reached Abu al-Hasan's shop, she alighted from her mule, +and sitting down on the front board,[FN#176] saluted him, and he returned her +salam. When Ali bin Bakkar saw her, she ravished his understanding and he rose +to go away; but she said to him, "Sit in thy place. We came to thee and thou +goest away: this is not fair!" Replied he, "O my lady, by Allah, I flee from +what I see; for the tongue of the case saith, +</p> + +<p> + 'She is a sun which towereth high a-sky; *<br/> + + So ease thy heart with cure by Patience lent:<br/> + + Thou to her skyey height shalt fail to fly; *<br/> + + Nor she from skyey height can make descent.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When she heard this, she smiled and asked Abu al-Hasan, "What is the name of +this young man?"; who answered, "He is a stranger;" and she enquired, "What +countryman is he?"; whereto the merchant replied, "He is a descendant of the +Persian Kings; his name is Ali son of Bakkar and the stranger deserveth +honour." Rejoined she, "When my damsel comes to thee, come thou at once to us +and bring him with thee, that we may entertain him in our abode, lest he blame +us and say, 'There is no hospitality in the people of Baghdad'; for +niggardliness is the worst fault a man can have. Thou hearest what I say to +thee and, if thou disobey me, thou wilt incur my displeasure and I will never +again visit thee or salute thee." Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "On my head and my eyes: +Allah preserve me from thy displeasure, fair lady!" Then she rose and went her +way. Such was her case; but as regards Ali bin Bakkar he remained in a state of +bewilderment. Now after an hour the damsel came to Abu al-Hasan and said to +him, "Of a truth my lady Shams al-Nahár, the favourite of the Commander of the +Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, biddeth thee to her, thee and thy friend, my lord +Ali bin Bakkar." So he rose and, taking Ali with him, followed the girl to the +Caliph's palace, where she carried them into a chamber and made them sit down. +They talked together awhile, when behold, trays of food were set before them, +and they ate and washed their hands. Then she brought them wine, and they drank +deep and made merry; after which she bade them rise and carried them into +another chamber, vaulted upon four columns, furnished after the goodliest +fashion with various kinds of furniture, and adorned with decorations as it +were one of the pavilions of Paradise. They were amazed at the rarities they +saw; and, as they were enjoying a review of these marvels, suddenly up came ten +slave-girls, like moons, swaying and swimming in beauty's pride, dazzling the +sight and confounding the sprite; and they ranged themselves in two ranks as if +they were of the black-eyed Brides of Paradise. And after a while in came other +ten damsels, bearing in their hands lutes and divers instruments of mirth and +music; and these, having saluted the two guests, sat down and fell to tuning +their lute-strings. Then they rose and standing before them, played and sang +and recited verses: and indeed each one of them was a seduction to the servants +of the Lord. Whilst they were thus busied there entered other ten damsels like +unto them, high-bosomed maids and of an equal age, with black-eyes and cheeks +like the rose, joined eyebrows and looks languorous; a very fascination to +every faithful wight and to all who looked upon them a delight; clad in various +kinds of coloured silks, with ornaments that amazed man's intelligence. They +took up their station at the door, and there succeeded them yet other ten +damsels even fairer than they, clad in gorgeous array, such as no tongue can +say; and they also stationed themselves by the doorway. Then in came a band of +twenty damsels and amongst them the lady, Shams al-Nahar hight, as she were the +moon among the stars swaying from side to side, with luring gait and in +beauty's pride. And she was veiled to the middle with the luxuriance of her +locks, and clad in a robe of azure blue and a mantilla of silk embroidered with +gold and gems of price; and her waist was girt with a zone set with various +kinds of precious stones. She ceased not to advance with her graceful and +coquettish swaying, till she came to the couch that stood at the upper end of +the chamber and seated herself thereon. But when Ali bin Bakkar saw her, he +versified with these verses, +</p> + +<p> + "Source of mine evils, truly, she alone 's, *<br/> + + Of long love-longing and my groans and moans;<br/> + + Near her I find my soul in melting mood, *<br/> + + For love of her and wasting of my bones."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And finishing his poetry he said to Abu al-Hasan, "Hadst thou Dealt more kindly +with me thou haddest forewarned me of these things ere I came hither, that I +might have made up my mind and taken patience to support what hath befallen +me." And he wept and groaned and complained. Replied Abu al-Hasan, "O my +brother, I meant thee naught but good; but I feared to tell thee this, lest +such transport should betide thee as might hinder thee from foregathering with +her, and be a stumbling-block between thee and her. But be of good cheer and +keep thine eyes cool and clear;[FN#177] for she to thee inclineth and to favour +thee designeth." Asked Ali bin Bakkar, "What is this young lady's name?" +Answered Abu al-Hasan, "She is hight Shams al-Nahar, one of the favourites of +the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, and this is the palace of the +Caliphate." Then Shams al-Nahar sat gazing upon the charms of Ali bin Bakkar +and he upon hers, till both were engrossed with love for each other. Presently +she commanded the damsels, one and all, to be seated, each in her rank and +place, and all sat on a couch before one of the windows, and she bade them +sing; whereupon one of them took up the lute and began caroling, +</p> + +<p> +"Give thou my message twice * Bring clear reply in trice!<br/> + +To thee, O Prince of Beau * -ty[FN#178] with complaint I rise:<br/> + +My lord, as heart-blood dear * And Life's most precious prize!<br/> + +Give me one kiss in gift * Or loan, if thou devise:<br/> + +And if thou crave for more * Take all that satisfies.[FN#179]<br/> + +Thou donn'st me sickness-dress * Thee with health's weed I<br/> + + bless."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Her singing charmed Ali bin Bakkar, and he said to her, "Sing me more of the +like of these verses." So she struck the strings and began to chaunt these +lines, +</p> + +<p> + "By stress of parting, O beloved one, *<br/> + + Thou mad'st these eyelids torment- race to run:<br/> + + Oh gladness of my sight and dear desire, *<br/> + + Goal of my wishes, my religion!<br/> + + Pity the youth whose eyne are drowned in tears *<br/> + + Of lover gone distraught and clean undone."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When she had finished her verses, Shams al-Nahar said to another damsel, "Let +us hear something from thee!" So she played a lively measure and began these +couplets, +</p> + +<p> + "His[FN#180] looks have made me drunken, not his wine; *<br/> + + His grace of gait disgraced sleep to these eyne:<br/> + + Dazed me no cup, but cop with curly crop; *<br/> + + His gifts overcame me not the gifts of vine:<br/> + + His winding locks my patience-clue unwound: *<br/> + + His robed beauties robbed all wits of mine."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Shams Al-Nahar heard this recital from the damsel, she sighed heavily and +the song pleased her. Then she bade another damsel sing; so she took the lute +and began chanting, +</p> + +<p> + "Face that with Sol in Heaven lamping vies; *<br/> + + Youth-tide's fair fountain which begins to rise;<br/> + + Whose curly side-beard writeth writ of love, *<br/> + + And in each curl concealeth mysteries:<br/> + + Cried Beauty, 'When I met this youth I knew *<br/> + + 'Tis Allah's loom such gorgeous robe supplies.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When she had finished her song, Ali bin Bakkar said to the slave-maiden nearest +him, "Sing us somewhat, thou O damsel." So she took the lute and began singing, +</p> + +<p> + "Our trysting-time is all too short *<br/> + + For this long coyish coquetry:<br/> + + How long this 'Nay, Nay!' and 'Wait, wait?' *<br/> + + This is not old nobility!<br/> + + And now that Time deigns lend delight *<br/> + + Profit of th' opportunity."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When she ended, Ali bin Bakkar followed up her song with flowing tears; and, as +Shams al-Nahar saw him weeping and groaning and complaining, she burned with +love-longing and desire; and passion and transport consumed her. So she rose +from the sofa and came to the door of the alcove, where Ali met her and they +embraced with arms round the neck, and fell down fainting in the doorway; +whereupon the damsels came to them and carrying them into the alcove, sprinkled +rose-water upon them both. When they recovered, they found not Abu al-Hasan who +had hidden himself by the side of a couch, and the young lady said, "Where is +Abu al-Hasan?" So he showed himself to her from beside the couch and she +saluted him, saying, "I pray Allah to give me the means of requiting thee, O +kindest of men!" Then she turned to Ali bin Bakkar and said to him, "O my lord, +passion hath not reached this extreme pass with thee without my feeling the +like; but we have nothing to do save to bear patiently what calamity hath +befallen us." Replied he, "By Allah, O my lady, union with thee may not content +me nor gazing upon thee assuage the fire thou hast lighted, nor shall leave me +the love of thee which hath mastered my heart but with the leaving of my life." +So saying, he wept and the tears ran down upon his cheeks like thridded pearls; +and when Shams al-Nahar saw him weep, she wept for his weeping. But Abu +al-Hasan exclaimed, "By Allah, I wonder at your case and am confounded at your +condition; of a truth, your affair is amazing and your chance dazing. What! +this weeping while ye are yet together: then how will it be what time ye are +parted and far separated?" And he continued, "Indeed, this is no tide for +weeping and wailing, but a season for meeting and merry-making; rejoice, +therefore, and take your pleasure and shed no more tears!" Then Shams al-Nahar +signed to a slave-girl, who arose and presently returned with handmaids bearing +a table, whose dishes of silver were full of various rich viands. They set the +table before the pair and Shams al-Nahar began to eat[FN#181] and to place +tid-bits in the mouth of Ali bin Bakkar; and they ceased not so doing till they +were satisfied, when the table was removed and they washed their hands. Then +the waiting-women fetched censers with all manner of incense, aloe-wood and +ambergris and mixed scents; and sprinkling-flasks full of rose-water were also +brought and they were fumigated and perfumed. After this the slaves set on +vessels of graven gold, containing all kinds of sherbets, besides fruits fresh +and dried, that heart can desire and eye delight in; and lastly one brought a +flagon of carnelion full of old wine. Then Shams al-Nahar chose out ten +handmaids to attend on them and ten singing women; and, dismissing the rest to +their apartments, bade some of those who remained strike the lute. They did as +she bade them and one of them began to sing, +</p> + +<p> + "My soul to him who smiled back my salute, *<br/> + + In breast reviving hopes that were no mo'e:<br/> + + The hand o' Love my secret brought to light, *<br/> + + And censor's tongues what lies my ribs below:[FN#182]<br/> + + My tear-drops ever press twixt me and him, *<br/> + + As though my tear-drops showing love would flow."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When she had finished her singing, Shams al-Nahar rose and, filling a goblet, +drank it off, then crowned it again and handed it to Ali bin Bakkar;—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shams al-Nahar filled a +goblet and handed it to Ali bin Bakkar; after which she bade another damsel +sing; and she began singing these couplets, +</p> + +<p> + "My tears thus flowing rival with my wine, *<br/> + + Pouring the like of what fills cup to brink:[FN#183]<br/> + + By Allah wot I not an run these eyne *<br/> + + Wi' wine, or else it is of tears I drink."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when she ended her recitation, Ali bin Bakkar drained his cup and returned +it to Shams al-Nahar. She filled it again and gave it to Abu al-Hasan who +tossed it off. Then she took the lute, saying, "None shall sing over my cup +save myself;" so she screwed up the strings and intoned these verses, +</p> + +<p> +"The tears run down his cheeks in double row, *<br/> + + And in his breast high flameth lover-lowe:<br/> + +He weeps when near, a-fearing to be far; *<br/> + + And, whether far or near, his tear-drops flow."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And the words of another, +</p> + +<p> +"Our life to thee, O cup-boy Beauty-dight! *<br/> + + From parted hair to calves; from black to white:<br/> + +Sol beameth from thy hands, and from thy lips *<br/> + + Pleiads, and full Moon through thy collar's night,[FN#184]<br/> + +Good sooth the cups, which made our heads fly round, *<br/> + + Are those thine eyes pass round to daze the sight:<br/> + +No wonder lovers hail thee as full moon *<br/> + + Waning to them, for self e'er waxing bright:<br/> + +Art thou a deity to kill and quicken, *<br/> + + Bidding this fere, forbidding other wight?<br/> + +Allah from model of thy form made Beau *<br/> + + -ty and the Zephyr scented with thy sprite.<br/> + +Thou art not of this order of human *<br/> + + -ity but angel lent by Heaven to man."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Ali bin Bakkar and Abu al-Hasan and those present heard Shams al-Nahar's +song, they were like to fly for joy, and sported and laughed; but while they +were thus enjoying themselves lo! up came a damsel, trembling for fear and +said, "O my lady, the Commander of the Faithful's eunuchs are at the door, Afíf +and Masrúr and Marján[FN#185] and others whom wot I not." When they heard this +they were like to die with fright, but Shams al-Nahar laughed and said, "Have +no fear!" Then quoth she to the damsel, "Keep answering them whilst we remove +hence." And she caused the doors of the alcove to be closed upon Ali and Abu +al-Hasan, and let down the curtains over the entrance (they being still +within); after which she shut the door of the saloon and went out by the privy +wicket into the flower-garden, where she seated herself on a couch she had +there and made one of the damsels knead her feet.[FN#186] Then she dismissed +the rest of her women to their rooms and bade the portress admit those who were +at the door; whereupon Masrur entered, he and his company of twenty with drawn +swords. And when they saluted her, she asked, "Wherefore come ye?"; whereto +they answered, "The Commander of the Faithful saluteth thee. Indeed he is +desolated for want of thy sight; he letteth thee know that this be to him a day +of joy and great gladness and he wisheth to seal his day and complete his +pleasure with thy company at this very hour. So say, wilt go to him or shall he +come to thee?" Upon this she rose and, kissing the earth, replied, "I hear and +I obey the commandment of the Prince of True Believers!" Then she summoned the +women guards of her household and other slave-damsels, who lost no time in +attending upon her and made a show of obeying the Caliph's orders. And albeit +everything about the place was in readiness, she said to the eunuchs, "Go to +the Commander of the Faithful and tell him that I await him after a little +space, that I may make ready for him a place with carpets and other matters." +So they returned in haste to the Caliph, whilst Shams al-Nahar, doffing her +outer gear, repaired to her lover, Ali bin Bakkar, and drew him to her bosom +and bade him farewell, whereat he wept sore and said, "O my lady, this +leave-taking will cause the ruin of my very self and the loss of my very soul; +but I pray Allah grant me patience to support the passion wherewith he hath +afflicted me!" Replied she, "By Allah, none shall suffer perdition save I; for +thou wilt fare forth to the bazar and consort with those that shall divert +thee, and thy life will be sound and thy love hidden forsure; but I shall fall +into trouble and tristesse nor find any to console me, more by token that I +have given the Caliph a tryst, wherein haply great peril shall betide me by +reason of my love for thee and my longing for thee and my grief at being parted +from thee. For with what tongue shall I sing and with what heart shall I +present myself before the Caliph? and with what speech shall I company the +Commander of the Faithful in his cups? and with what eyes shall I look upon a +place where thou art absent? and with what taste shall I drink wine of which +thou drinkest not?" Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "Be not troubled but take patience and +be not remiss in entertaining the Commander of the Faithful this night, neither +show him any neglect, but be of good heart." Now at this juncture, behold, up +came a damsel, who said to Shams al-Nahar, "O my lady, the Caliph's pages are +come." So she hastily rose to her feet and said to the maid, "Take Abu al-Hasan +and his friend and carry them to the upper balcony[FN#187] giving upon the +garden and there leave them till darkness come on; when do thou contrive to +carry them forth." Accordingly the girl led them up to the balcony and, locking +the door upon them both, went her way. As they sat looking on the garden lo! +the Caliph appeared escorted by near an hundred eunuchs, with drawn swords in +hand and girt about with a score of damsels, as they were moons, all clad in +the richest of raiment and on each one's head was a crown set with jewels and +rubies; while each carried a lighted flambeau. The Caliph walked in their +midst, they encompassing him about on all sides, and Masrur and Afíf and +Wasíf[FN#188] went before him and he bore himself with a graceful gait. So +Shams al-Nahar and her maidens rose to receive him and, meeting him at the +garden-door, kissed ground between his hands; nor did they cease to go before +him till they brought him to the couch whereon he sat down, whilst all the +waiting-women who were in the garden and the eunuchs stood before him and there +came fair handmaids and concubines holding in hand lighted candles and perfumes +and incense and instruments of mirth and music. Then the Sovereign bade the +singers sit down, each in her place, and Shams al-Nahar came up and, seating +herself on a stool by the side of the Caliph's couch, began to converse with +him; all this happening whilst Abu al-Hasan and Ali bin Bakkar looked on and +listened, unseen of the King. Presently the Caliph fell to jesting and toying +with Shams al-Nahar and both were in the highest spirits, glad and gay, when he +bade them throw open the garden pavilion. So they opened the doors and windows +and lighted the tapers till the place shone in the season of darkness even as +the day. Then the eunuchs removed thither the wine-service and (quoth Abu +al-Hasan) "I saw drinking-vessels and rarities whose like mine eyes never +beheld, vases of gold and silver and all manner of noble metals and precious +stones, such as no power of description can describe, till indeed it seemed to +me I was dreaming, for excess of amazement at what I saw!" But as for Ali bin +Bakkar, from the moment Shams al-Nahar left him, he lay strown on the ground +for stress of love and desire; and, when he revived, he fell to gazing upon +these things that had not their like and saying to Abu al-Hasan, "O my brother, +I fear lest the Caliph see us or come to know of our case; but the most of my +fear is for thee. For myself, of a truth I know that I am about to be lost past +recourse, and the cause of my destruction is naught but love and longing and +excess of desire and distraction, and disunion from my beloved after union with +her; but I beseech Allah to deliver us from this perilous predicament." And +they ceased not to look out of the balcony on the Caliph who was taking his +pleasure, till the banquet was spread before him, when he turned to one of the +damsels and said to her, "O Gharám,[FN#189] let us hear some of thine +enchanting songs." So she took the lute and tuning it, began singing, +</p> + +<p> +"The longing of a Bedouin maid, whose folks are far away, *<br/> + + Who yearns after the willow of the Hejaz and the<br/> + + bay,[FN#190]—<br/> + +Whose tears, when she on travellers lights, might for their water<br/> + + serve * And eke her her passion, with its heat, their<br/> + + bivouac-fire purvey,—<br/> + +Is not more fierce nor ardent than my longing for my love, *<br/> + + Who deems that I commit a crime in loving him<br/> + + alway."[FN#191]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when Shams al-Nahar heard these verses she slipped off the stool whereon +she sat and fell to the earth fainting and became insensible to the world +around her; upon which the damsels came and lifted her up. And when Ali bin +Bakkar saw this from the balcony he also slipped down senseless, and Abu +al-Hasan said, "Verily Fate hath divided love-desire equally upon you +twain!"[FN#192] As he spoke lo! in came the damsel who had led them up to the +balcony and said to him, "O Abu al-Hasan, arise thou and thy friend and come +down, for of a truth the world hath waxed strait upon us and I fear lest our +case be discovered or the Caliph become aware of you; unless you descend at +once we are dead ones." Quoth he, "And how shall this youth descend with me +seeing that he hath no strength to rise?" Thereupon the damsel began sprinkling +rose-water on Ali bin Bakkar till he came to his senses, when Abu al-Hasan +lifted him up and the damsel made him lean upon her. So they went down from the +balcony and walked on awhile till the damsel opened a little iron door, and +made the two friends pass through it, and they came upon a bench by the Tigris' +bank. Thereupon the slave-girl clapped her hands[FN#193] and there came up a +man with a little boat to whom said she, "Take up these two young men and land +them on the opposite side." So both entered the boat and, as the man rowed off +with them and they left the garden behind them, Ali bin Bakkar looked back +towards the Caliph's palace and the pavilion and the grounds; and bade them +farewell with these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> + "I offered this weak hand as last farewell, *<br/> + + While to heart-burning fire that hand is guided:<br/> + + O let not this end union! Let not this *<br/> + + Be last provision for long road provided!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon the damsel said to the boatman, "Make haste with them both." So he +plied his oars deftly (the slave-girl being still with them);—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawning day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the boatman rowed them +towards the other bank till they reached it and landed, whereupon she took +leave of them, saying, "It were my wish not to abandon you, but I can go no +farther than this." Then she turned back, whilst Ali bin Bakkar lay prostrate +on the ground before Abu al-Hasan and by no manner of means could he rise, till +his friend said to him, "Indeed this place is not sure and I fear lest we lose +our lives in this very spot, by reason of the lewd fellows who infest it and +highwaymen and men of lawlessness." Upon this Ali bin Bakkar arose and walked a +little but could not continue walking. Now Abu al-Hasan had friends in that +quarter; so he made search for one of them, in whom he trusted, and who was of +his intimates, and knocked at the door. The man came out quickly and seeing +them, bade them welcome and brought them into his house, where he seated them +and talked with them and asked them whence they came. Quoth Abu al-Hasan, "We +came out but now, being obliged thereto by a person with whom I had dealings +and who hath in his hands dirhams of mine. And it reached me that he designed +to flee into foreign parts with my monies; so I fared forth to-night in quest +of him, taking with me for company this youth, Ali bin Bakkar; but, when we +came hoping to see the debtor, he hid from us and we could get no sight of him. +Accordingly we turned back, empty-handed without a doit, but it was irksome to +us to return home at this hour of the night; so weeting not whither to go, we +came to thee, well knowing thy kindness and wonted courtesy." "Ye are welcome +and well come!" answered the host, and studied to do them honour; so the twain +abode with him the rest of their night and as soon as the daylight dawned, they +left him and made their way back without aught of delay to the city. When they +came to the house of Abu al-Hasan, he conjured his comrade to enter; so they +went in and lying down on the bed, slept awhile. As soon as they awoke, Abu +al-Hasan bade his servants spread the house with rich carpets, saying in his +mind, "Needs must I divert this youth and distract him from thinking of his +affliction, for I know his case better than another." Then he called for water +for Ali bin Bakkar who, when it was brought, rose up from his bed and making +his ablutions, prayed the obligatory prayers which he had omitted for the past +day and night[FN#194]; after which he sat down and began to solace himself by +talking with his friend. When Abu al-Hasan saw this, he turned to him and said, +"O my lord, it were fitter for thy case that thou abide with me this night, so +thy breast may be broadened and the distress of love-longing that is upon thee +be dispelled and thou make merry with us, so haply the fire of thy heart may +thus be quenched." Ali replied, "O my brother, do what seemeth good to thee; +for I may not on any wise escape from what calamity hath befallen me; so act as +thou wilt." Accordingly, Abu al-Hasan arose and bade his servants summon some +of the choicest of his friends and sent for singers and musicians who came; and +meanwhile he made ready meat and drink for them; so they sat eating and +drinking and making merry through the rest of the day till nightfall. Then they +lit the candles, and the cups of friendship and good fellowship went round +amongst them and the time passed pleasantly with them. Presently, a +singing-woman took the lute and began singing, +</p> + +<p> +"I've been shot by Fortune, and shaft of eye *<br/> + + Down struck me and parted from fondest friend:<br/> + +Time has proved him foe and my patience failed, *<br/> + + Yet I ever expected it thus would end."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Ali bin Bakkar heard her words, he fell to the earth in a swoon and ceased +not lying in his fainting fit till day-break; and Abu al-Hasan despaired of +him. But, with the dawning, he came to himself and sought to go home; nor could +his friend hinder him, for fear of the issue of his affair. So he made his +servants bring a she-mule and, mounting Ali thereon, carried him to his +lodgings, he and one of his men. When he was safe at home, Abu al-Hasan thanked +Allah for his deliverance from that sore peril and sat awhile with him, +comforting him; but Ali could not contain himself, for the violence of his love +and longing. So Abu al-Hasan rose to take leave of him and return to his own +place.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Abu al-Hasan rose to +take leave of him, Ali son of Bakkar exclaimed, "O my brother, leave me not +without news." "I hear and obey," replied the other; and forthwith went away +and, repairing to his shop, opened it and sat there all day, expecting news of +Shams al-Nahar. But none came. He passed the night in his own house and, when +dawned the day, he walked to Ali bin Bakkar's lodging and went in and found him +thrown on his bed, with his friends about him and physicians around him +prescribing something or other, and the doctors feeling his pulse. When he saw +Abu al-Hasan enter he smiled, and the visitor, after saluting him, enquired how +he did and sat with him till the folk withdrew, when he said to him, "What +plight is this?" Quoth Ali bin Bakkar, "It was bruited abroad that I was ill +and my comrades heard the report; and I have no strength to rise and walk so as +to give him the lie who noised abroad my sickness, but continue lying strown +here as thou seest. So my friends came to visit me; say, however, O my brother, +hast thou seen the slave-girl or heard any news of her?" He replied, "I have +not seen her, since the day we parted from her on Tigris' bank;" and he +presently added, "O my brother, beware thou of scandal and leave this weeping." +Rejoined Ali, "O my brother, indeed, I have no control over myself;" and he +sighed and began reciting, +</p> + +<p> +"She gives her woman's hand a force that fails the hand of me, *<br/> + + And with red dye on wrist she gars my patience fail and<br/> + + flee:<br/> + +And for her hand she fears so sore what shafts her eyes<br/> + + discharge, * She's fain to clothe and guard her hand with<br/> + + mail-ring panoply:[FN#195]<br/> + +The leach in ignorance felt my pulse the while to him I cried, *<br/> + + 'Sick is my heart, so quit my hand which hath no malady:'<br/> + +Quoth she to that fair nightly vision favoured me and fled, *<br/> + + 'By Allah picture him nor add nor 'bate in least degree!'<br/> + +Replied the Dream, 'I leave him though he die of thirst,'<br/> + + I cry, * 'Stand off from water-pit and say why this<br/> + + persistency.'<br/> + +Rained tear-pearls her Narcissus-eyes, and rose on cheek belit *<br/> + + She made my sherbet, and the lote with bits of hail she<br/> + + bit."[FN#196]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when his recital was ended he said, "O Abu al-Hasan, I am smitten with an +affliction from which I deemed myself in perfect surety, and there is no +greater ease for me than death." Replied he, "Be patient, haply Allah will heal +thee!" Then he went out from him and repairing to his shop opened it, nor had +he sat long, when suddenly up came the handmaid who saluted him. He returned +her salam and looking at her, saw that her heart was palpitating and that she +was in sore trouble and showed signs of great affliction: so he said to her, +"Thou art welcome and well come! How is it with Shams al-Nahar?" She answered, +"I will presently tell thee, but first let me know how doth Ali bin Bakkar." So +he told her all that had passed and how his case stood, whereat she grieved and +sighed and lamented and marvelled at his condition. Then said she, "My lady's +case is still stranger than this; for when you went away and fared homewards, I +turned back, my heart beating hard on your account and hardly crediting your +escape. On entering I found her lying prostrate in the pavilion, speaking not +nor answering any, whilst the Commander of the Faithful sat by her head not +knowing what ailed her and finding none who could make known to him aught of +her ailment. She ceased not from her swoon till midnight, when she recovered +and the Prince of the Faithful said to her, 'What harm hath happened to thee, O +Shams al-Nahar, and what hath befallen thee this night?' Now when she heard the +Caliph's words she kissed his feet and said, 'Allah make me thy ransom, O +Prince of True Believers! Verily a sourness of stomach lighted a fire in my +body, so that I lost my senses for excess of pain, and I know no more of my +condition.' Asked the Caliph, 'What hast thou eaten to-day?'; and she answered, +'I broke my fast on something I had never tasted before.' Then she feigned to +be recovered and calling for a something of wine, drank it, and begged the +Sovereign to resume his diversion. So he sat down again on his couch in the +pavilion and the sitting was resumed, but when she saw me, she asked me how you +fared. I told her what I had done with you both and repeated to her the verses +which Ali bin Bakkar had composed at parting-tide, whereat she wept secretly, +but presently held her peace. After awhile, the Commander of the Faithful +ordered a damsel to sing, and she began reciting, +</p> + +<p> + 'Life has no sweet for me since forth ye fared; *<br/> + + Would Heaven I wot how fare ye who forsake:<br/> + + 'Twere only fit my tears were tears of blood, *<br/> + + Since you are weeping for mine absence sake.'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +But when my lady heard this verse she fell back on the sofa in a swoon,"—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl continued +to Abu al-Hasan, "But when my lady heard this verse, she fell back on the sofa +in a swoon, and I seized her hand and sprinkled rose-water on her face, till +she revived, when I said to her, 'O my lady, expose not thyself and all thy +palace containeth. By the life of thy beloved, be thou patient!' She replied, +'Can aught befal me worse than death which indeed I seek, for by Allah, my ease +is therein?' Whilst we were thus talking, another damsel sang these words of +the poet, +</p> + +<p> + 'Quoth they, 'Maybe that Patience lend thee ease!' *<br/> + + Quoth I, 'Since fared he where is Patience' place?<br/> + + Covenant he made 'twixt me and him, to cut *<br/> + + The cords of Patience at our last embrace!'[FN#197]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And as soon as she had finished her verse Shams al-Nahar swooned away once +more, which when the Caliph saw, he came to her in haste and commanded the wine +to be removed and each damsel to return to her chamber. He abode with her the +rest of the night, and when dawned the day, he sent for chirurgeons and leaches +and bade them medicine her, knowing not that her sickness arose from love and +longing. I tarried with her till I deemed her in a way of recovery, and this is +what kept me from thee. I have now left her with a number of her body-women, +who were greatly concerned for her, when she bade me go to you two and bring +her news of Ali bin Bakkar and return to her with the tidings." When Abu +al-Hasan heard her story, he marvelled and said, "By Allah, I have acquainted +thee with his whole case; so now return to thy mistress; and salute her for me +and diligently exhort her to have patience and say to her, 'Keep thy secret!'; +and tell her that I know all her case which is indeed hard and one which +calleth for nice conduct." She thanked him and taking leave of him, returned to +her mistress. So far concerning her; but as regards Abu al-Hasan, he ceased not +to abide in his shop till the end of the day, when he arose and shut it and +locked it and betaking himself to Ali bin Bakkar's house knocked at the door. +One of the servants came out and admitted him; and when Ali saw him, he smiled +and congratulated himself on his coming, saying, "O Abu al-Hasan, thou hast +desolated me by thine absence this day; for indeed my soul is pledged to thee +during the rest of my time." Answered the other, "Leave this talk! Were thy +healing at the price of my hand, I would cut it off ere thou couldst ask me; +and, could I ransom thee with my life, I had already laid it down for thee. Now +this very day, Shams al-Nahar's handmaid hath been with me and told me that +what hindered her coming ere this was the Caliph's sojourn with her mistress; +and she acquainted me with everything which had betided her." And he went on to +repeat to him all that the girl had told him of Shams al-Nahar; at which Ali +bin Bakkar lamented sore and wept and said to him, "Allah upon thee, O my +brother, help me in this affliction and teach me what course I shall take. +Moreover, I beg thee of thy grace to abide with me this night, that I may have +the solace of thy society." Abu al-Hasan agreed to this request, replying that +he would readily night there; so they talked together till even-tide darkened, +when Ali bin Bakkar groaned aloud and lamented and wept copious tears, reciting +these couplets, +</p> + +<p> + "Thine image in these eyne, a-lip thy name, *<br/> + + My heart thy home; how couldst thou disappear?<br/> + + How sore I grieve for life which comes to end, *<br/> + + Nor see I boon of union far or near."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And these the words of another, +</p> + +<p> +"She split my casque of courage with eye-swords that sorely<br/> + + smite; * She pierced my patience' ring-mail with her shape<br/> + + like cane-spear light:<br/> + +Patched by the musky mole on cheek was to our sight displayed *<br/> + + Camphor set round with ambergris, light dawning through the<br/> + + night.[FN#198]<br/> + +Her soul was sorrowed and she bit carnelion stone with pearls *<br/> + + Whose unions in a sugared tank ever to lurk unite:[FN#199]<br/> + +Restless she sighed and smote with palm the snows that clothe her<br/> + + breast, * And left a mark whereon I looked and ne'er beheld<br/> + + such sight,<br/> + +Pens, fashioned of her coral nails with ambergris for ink, *<br/> + + Five lines on crystal page of breast did cruelly indite:<br/> + +O swordsmen armed with trusty steel! I bid you all beware *<br/> + + When she on you bends deadly glance which fascinates the<br/> + + sprite:<br/> + +And guard thyself, O thou of spear! whenas she draweth near *<br/> + + To tilt with slender quivering shape, likest the nut-brown<br/> + + spear."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when Ali bin Bakkar ended his verse, he cried out with a great cry and fell +down in a fit. Abu al-Hasan thought that his soul had fled his body and he +ceased not from his swoon till day- break, when he came to himself and talked +with his friend, who continued to sit with him till the forenoon. Then he left +him and repaired to his shop; and hardly had he opened it, when lo! the damsel +came and stood by his side. As soon as he saw her, she made him a sign of +salutation which he returned; and she delivered to him the greeting message of +her mistress and asked, "How doth Ali bin Bakkar?" Answered he, "O handmaid of +good, ask me not of his case nor what he suffereth for excess of love-longing; +he sleepeth not by night neither resteth he by day; wakefulness wasteth him and +care hath conquered him and his condition is a consternation to his friend." +Quoth she, "My lady saluteth thee and him, and she hath written him a letter, +for indeed she is in worse case than he; and she entrusted the same to me, +saying, 'Do not return save with the answer; and do thou obey my bidding.' Here +now is the letter, so say, wilt thou wend with me to him that we may get his +reply?" "I hear and obey," answered Abu al-Hasan, and locking his shop and +taking with him the girl he went, by a way different from that whereby he came, +to Ali bin Bakkar's house, where he left her standing at the door and walked +in.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu al-Hasan went with +the girl to the house of Ali son of Bakkar, where he left her standing at the +door and walked in to his great joy. And Abu al-Hasan said to him, "The reason +of my coming is that such an one hath sent his handmaid to thee with a letter, +containing his greeting to thee and mentioning therein that the cause of his +not coming to thee was a matter that hath betided him. The girl standeth even +now at the door: shall she have leave to enter?"; and he signed to him that it +was Shams al-Nahar's slave-girl. Ali understood his signal and answered, "Bring +her in," and when he saw her, he shook for joy and signed to her, "How doth thy +lord?; Allah grant him health and healing!" "He is well," answered she and +pulling out the letter gave it to him. He took it and kissing it, opened and +read it; after which he handed it to Abu al-Hasan, who found these verses +written therein, +</p> + +<p> + "This messenger shall give my news to thee; *<br/> + + Patience what while my sight thou canst not see:<br/> + + A lover leav'st in love's insanity, *<br/> + + Whose eyne abide on wake incessantly:<br/> + + I suffer patience-pangs in woes that none *<br/> + + Of men can medicine;—such my destiny!<br/> + + Keep cool thine eyes; ne'er shall my heart forget, *<br/> + + Nor without dream of thee one day shall be.<br/> + + Look what befel thy wasted frame, and thence *<br/> + + Argue what I am doomed for love to dree!<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +"And afterwards[FN#200]: Without fingers[FN#201] I have written to thee, and +without tongue I have spoken to thee * to resume my case, I have an eye +wherefrom sleeplessness departeth not * and a heart whence sorrowful thought +stirreth not * It is with me as though health I had never known * nor in +sadness ever ceased to wone * nor spent an hour in pleasant place * but it is +as if I were made up of pine and of the pain of passion and chagrin * Sickness +unceasingly troubleth * and my yearning ever redoubleth * desire still groweth +* and longing in my heart still gloweth * I pray Allah to hasten our union * +and dispel of my mind the confusion * And I would fain thou favour me * with +some words of thine * that I may cheer my heart in pain and repine * Moreover, +I would have thee put on a patience lief, until Allah vouchsafe relief * And +His peace be with thee."[FN#202] When Ali bin Bakkar had read this letter he +said in weak accents and feeble voice, "With what hand shall I write and with +what tongue shall I make moan and lament? Indeed she addeth sickness to my +sickness and draweth death upon my death!" Then he sat up and taking in hand +ink-case and paper, wrote the following reply, "In the name of Allah, the +Compassionating, the Compassionate![FN#203] Thy letter hath reached me, O my +lady, and hath given ease to a sprite worn out with passion and love-longing, +and hath brought healing to a wounded heart cankered with languishment and +sickness; for indeed I am become even as saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> + 'Straitened bosom; reveries dispread; *<br/> + + Slumberless eyelids; body wearied;<br/> + + Patience cut short; disunion longsomest; *<br/> + + Reason deranged and heart whose life is fled!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And know that complaining is unavailing; but it easeth him whom love-longing +disordereth and separation destroyeth and, with repeating, 'Union,' I keep +myself comforted and how fine is the saying of the poet who said, +</p> + +<p> + 'Did not in love-plight joys and sorrows meet, *<br/> + + How would the message or the writ be sweet?'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When he had made an end of this letter, he handed it to Abu al-Hasan, saying, +"Read it and give it to the damsel." So he took it and read it and its words +stirred his soul and its meaning wounded his vitals. Then he committed it to +the girl, and when she took it Ali bin Bakkar said to her, "Salute thy lady for +me and acquaint her with my love and longing and how passion is blended with my +flesh and my bones; and say to her that in very deed I need a woman who shall +snatch me from the sea of destruction and save me from this dilemma; for of a +truth Fortune oppresseth me with her vicissitudes; and is there any helper to +free me from her turpitudes?" And he wept and the damsel wept for his weeping. +Then she took leave of him and went forth and Abu al-Hasan went out with her +and farewelled her. So she ganged her gait and he returned to his shop, which +he opened and sat down there, as was his wont;—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu al-Hasan farewelled +the slave-girl and returned to his shop which he opened and sat down there +according to his custom; but as he tarried, he found his heart oppressed and +his breast straitened, and he was perplexed about his case. So he ceased not +from melancholy the rest of that day and night, and on the morrow he betook +himself to Ali bin Bakkar, with whom he sat till the folk withdrew, when he +asked him how he did. Ali began to complain of desire and to descant upon the +longing and distraction which possessed him, and repeated these words of the +poet. +</p> + +<p> + "Men have 'plained of pining before my time, *<br/> + + Live and dead by parting been terrified:<br/> + + But such feelings as those which my ribs immure *<br/> + + I have never heard of, nor ever espied."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And these of another poet, +</p> + +<p> + "I have borne for thy love what never bore *<br/> + + For his fair, Kays the 'Daft one'[FN#204] hight of old:<br/> + + Yet I chase not the wildlings of wold and wild *<br/> + + Like Kays, for madness is manifold."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon quoth Abu al-Hasan, "Never did I see or hear of one like unto thee in +thy love! When thou sufferest all this transport and sickness and trouble being +enamoured of one who returneth thy passion, how would it be with thee if she +whom thou lovest were contrary and contumelious, and thy case were discovered +through her perfidy?" "And Ali the son of Bakkar" (says Abu al-Hasan) "was +pleased with my words and he relied upon them and he thanked me for what I had +said and done. I had a friend" (continued Abu al-Hasan), "to whom I discovered +my affair and that of Ali and who knew that we were intimates; but none other +than he was acquainted with what was betwixt us. He was wont to come to me and +enquire how Ali did and after a little, he began to ask me about the damsel; +but I fenced him off, saying, 'She invited him to her and there was between him +and her as much as can possibly take place, and this is the end of their +affair; but I have devised me a plan and an idea which I would submit to +thee.'" Asked his friend, "And what is that?" Answered Abu al-Hasan, "I am a +person well known to have much dealing among men and women, and I fear, O my +brother, lest the affair of these twain come to light and this lead to my death +and the seizure of my goods and the rending of my repute and that of my family. +Wherefore I have resolved to get together my monies and make ready forthright +and repair to the city of Bassorah and there abide, till I see what cometh of +their case, that none may know of me; for love hath lorded over both and +correspondence passeth between them. At this present their go-between and +confidante is a slave-girl who hath till now kept their counsel, but I fear +lest haply anxiety get the better of her and she discover their secret to some +one and the matter, being bruited abroad, might bring me to great grief and +prove the cause of my ruin; for I have no excuse to offer my accusers." +Rejoined his friend, "Thou hast acquainted me with a parlous affair, from the +like of which the wise and understanding will shrink with fear. Allah avert +from thee the evil thou dreadest with such dread and save thee from the +consequences thou apprehendest! Assuredly thy recking is aright." So Abu +al-Hasan returned to his place and began ordering his affairs and preparing for +his travel; nor had three days passed ere he made an end of his business and +fared forth Bassorah-wards. His friend came to visit him three days after but +finding him not, asked of him from the neighbours who answered, "He set out for +Bassorah three days ago, for he had dealings with its merchants and he is gone +thither to collect monies from his debtors; but he will soon return." The young +man was confounded at the news and knew not whither to wend; and he said in his +mind, "Would I had not parted from Abu al-Hasan!" Then he bethought him of some +plan whereby he should gain access to Ali bin Bakkar; so he went to his +lodging, and said to one of his servants, "Ask leave for me of thy lord that I +may go in and salute him." The servant entered and told his master and +presently returning, invited the man to walk in. So he entered and found Ali +bin Bakkar thrown back on the pillow and saluted him. Ali returned his greeting +and bade him welcome; whereupon the young man began to excuse himself for +having held aloof from him all that while and added, "O my lord, between Abu +al-Hasan and myself there was close friendship, so that I used to trust him +with my secrets and could not sever myself from him an hour. Now it so chanced +that I was absent three days' space on certain business with a company of my +friends; and, when I came back and went to him, I found his shop locked up; so +I asked the neighbours about him and they replied, 'He is gone to Bassorah.' +Now I know he had no surer friend than thou; so, by Allah, tell me what thou +knowest of him." When Ali bin Bakkar heard this, his colour changed and he was +troubled and answered, "I never heard till this day of his departure and, if +the case be as thou sayest, weariness is come upon me." And he began repeating, +</p> + +<p> + "For joys that are no more I wont to weep, *<br/> + + While friends and lovers stood by me unscattered;<br/> + + This day when disunited me and them *<br/> + + Fortune, I weep lost loves and friendship shattered."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he hung his head ground-wards in thought awhile and presently raising it +and looking to one of his servants, said, "Go to Abu al-Hasan's house and +enquire anent him whether he be at home or journeying abroad. If they say, 'He +is abroad'; ask whither he be gone." The servant went out and returning after a +while said to his master, "When I asked for Abu al-Hasan, his people told me +that he was gone on a journey to Bassorah; but I saw a damsel standing at the +door who, knowing me by sight, though I knew her not, said to me, 'Art thou not +servant to Ali bin Bakkar?' 'Even so,' answered I; and she rejoined, 'I bear a +message for him from one who is the dearest of all folk to him.' So she came +with me and she is now standing at the door." Quoth Ali bin Bakkar, "Bring her +in." The servant went out to her and brought her in, and the man who was with +Ali looked at her and found her pretty. Then she advanced to the son of Bakkar +and saluted him.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say, +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Sixtieth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the slave-girl came +in to Ali bin Bakkar, she advanced to him and saluted him and spake with him +secretly; and from time to time during the dialogue he exclaimed with an oath +and swore that he had not talked and tattled of it. Then she took leave of him +and went away. Now Abu al-Hasan's friend was a jeweller,[FN#205] and when she +was gone, he found a place for speech and said to Ali bin Bakkar, "Doubtless +and assuredly the Caliph's household have some demand upon thee or thou hast +dealings therewith?" "Who told thee of this?" asked Ali; and the jeweller +answered, "I know it by yonder damsel who is Shams al-Nahar's slave-girl; for +she came to me a while since with a note wherein was written that she wanted a +necklace of jewels; and I sent her a costly collar." But when Ali bin Bakkar +heard this, he was greatly troubled, so that the jeweller feared to see him +give up the ghost, yet after a while he recovered himself and said, "O my +brother, I conjure thee by Allah to tell me truly how thou knowest her." +Replied he, "Do not press this question upon me;" and Ali rejoined, "Indeed, I +will not turn from thee till thou tell me the whole truth." Quoth the jeweller, +"I will tell thee all, on condition that thou distrust me not, and that my +words cause thee no restraint; nor will I conceal aught from thee by way of +secret but will discover to thee the truth of the affair, provided that thou +acquaint me with the true state of thy case and the cause of thy sickness." +Then he told him all that had passed from first to last between Abu al-Hasan +and himself, adding, "I acted thus only out of friendship for thee and of my +desire to serve thee;" and assured him that he would keep his secret and +venture life and good in his service. So Ali in turn told him his story and +added, "By Allah, O my brother, naught moved me to keep my case secret from +thee and from others but my fear lest folk should lift the veils of protection +from certain persons." Rejoined the jeweller, "And I desired not to foregather +with thee but of the great affection I bear thee and my zeal for thee in every +case, and my compassion for the anguish thy heart endureth from severance. +Haply I may be a comforter to thee in the room of my friend, Abu al-Hasan, +during the length of his absence: so be thou of good cheer and keep thine eyes +cool and clear." Thereupon Ali thanked him and repeated these couplets, +</p> + +<p> + "An say I, 'Patient I can bear his faring,' *<br/> + + My tears and sighings give my say the lie;<br/> + + How can I hide these tears that course adown *<br/> + + This plain, my cheek, for friend too fain to fly?"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he was silent awhile, and presently said to the jeweller "Knowest thou +what secret the girl whispered to me?" Answered he, "Not I, by Allah, O my +lord!" Quoth Ali, "She fancied that I directed Abu al-Hasan to go to Bassorah +and that I had devised this device to put a stop to our correspondence and +consorting. I swore to her that this was on nowise so; but she would not credit +me and went away to her mistress, persisting in her injurious suspicions; for +she inclined to Abu al-Hasan and gave ear to his word." Answered the young +jeweller, "O my brother, I understood as much from the girl's manner; but I +will win for thee thy wish, Inshallah!" Rejoined Ali bin Bakkar, "Who can be +with me in this and how wilt thou do with her, when she shies and flies like a +wildling of the wold?" Cried the jeweller "By Allah, needs must I do my utmost +to help thee and contrive to scrape acquaintance with her without exposure or +mischief!" Then he asked leave to depart and Ali bin Bakkar said, "O my +brother, mind thou keep my counsel;" and he looked at him and wept. The +jeweller bade him good-bye and fared forth.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-first Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller bade him +good-bye and fared forth not knowing what he should do to win for him his +wishes; and he ceased not walking, while over-musing the matter, till he spied +a letter lying in the road. He took it up and looked at its direction and +superscription, then read it and behold, it ran:—"From the least worthy of +lovers to the most worthy of beloveds." So he opened it and found these words +written therein, +</p> + +<p> +"A messenger from thee came bringing union-hope, *<br/> + + But that he erred somehow with me the thought prevailed;<br/> + +So I rejoiced not; rather grew my grief still more; *<br/> + + Weeting my messenger of wits and wit had failed.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +"But afterwards: Know, O my lord! that I ken not the reason why our +correspondence between thee and me hath been broken off: but, if the cruelty +arise from thy part, I will requite it with fidelity, and if thy love have +departed, I will remain constant to my love of the parted, for I am with thee +even as says the poet, +</p> + +<p> +'Be proud; I'll crouch! Bully; I'll bear! Despise; I'll pray! *<br/> + + Go; I will come! Speak; I will hear! Bid; I'll obey!'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +As he was reading lo! up came the slave-girl, looking right and left, and +seeing the paper in the jeweller's hand, said to him, "O my master, this letter +is one I let fall." He made her no answer, but walked on, and she walked behind +him, till he came to his house, when he entered and she after him, saying, "O +my master, give me back this letter, for it fell from me." Thereon he turned to +her and said, "O handmaid of good, fear not neither grieve, for verily Allah +the Protector loveth those who protect; but tell me in truthful way thy case, +as I am one who keepeth counsel. I conjure thee by an oath not to hide from me +aught of thy lady's affairs; for haply Allah shall help me to further her +wishes and make easy by my hand that which is hard." When the slave-girl heard +these words she said, "O my lord, indeed a secret is not lost whereof thou art +the secretist; nor shall any affair come to naught for which thou strivest. +Know that my heart inclineth to thee and would interest thee with my tidings, +but do thou give me the letter." Then she told him the whole story, adding, +"Allah is witness to whatso I say." Quoth he, "Thou hast spoken truly, for I am +acquainted with the root of the matter." Then he told her his tale of Ali bin +Bakkar and how he had learned his state of mind; and related to her all that +had passed from first to last, whereat she rejoiced; and they two agreed that +she should take the letter and carry it to Ali and return and acquaint the +jeweller with all that happened. So he gave her the letter and she took it and +sealed it up as it was before, saying, "My mistress Shams al-Nahar gave it to +me sealed; and when he hath read it and given me its reply, I will bring it to +thee." Then she took leave and repaired to Ali bin Bakkar, whom she found +waiting, and gave him the letter. He read it and writing a paper by way of +reply, gave it to her; and she carried it to the jeweller, who tore asunder the +seal[FN#206] and read it and found written therein these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"The messenger, who kept our commerce hid, *<br/> + + Hath failed, and showeth wrath without disguise;[FN#207]<br/> + +Choose one more leal from your many friends *<br/> + + Who, truth approving, disapproves of lies.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +"To proceed: Verily, I have not entered upon perfidy * nor have I abandoned +fidelity * I have not used cruelty * neither have I out off lealty * no +covenant hath been broken by me * nor hath love-tie been severed by me * I have +not parted from penitence * nor have I found aught but misery and ruin after +severance * I know nothing of that thou avouchest * nor do I love aught but +that which thou lovest * By Him who knoweth the secret of hidden things none +discover *I have no desire save union with my lover * and my one business is my +passion to conceal * albeit with sore sickness I ail. * This is the exposition +of my case and now all hail!" When the jeweller read this letter and learnt its +contents he wept with sore weeping, and the slave-girl said to him, "Leave not +this place till I return to thee; for he suspecteth me of such and such things, +in which he is excusable; so it is my desire to bring about a meeting between +thee and my mistress, Shams al-Nahar, howsoever I may trick you to it. For the +present I left her prostrate, awaiting my return with the reply." Then she went +away and the jeweller passed the night with a troubled mind. And when day +dawned he prayed his dawn-prayer and sat expecting the girl's coming; and +behold, she came in to him rejoicing with much joy and he asked her, "What +news, O damsel?" She answered, "After leaving thee I went to my mistress and +gave her the letter written by Ali bin Bakkar; and, when she read it and +understood it, she was troubled and confounded; but I said to her, 'O my lady, +have no fear of your affair being frustrated by Abu al-Hasan's disappearance, +for I have found one to take his place, better than he and more of worth and a +good man to keep secrets.' Then I told her what was between thyself and Abu +al-Hasan and how thou camest by his confidence and that of Ali bin Bakkar and +how that note was dropped and thou camest by it; and I also showed her how we +arranged matters betwixt me and thee." The jeweller marvelled with much wonder, +when she resumed, "And now my mistress would hear whatso thou sayest, that she +may be assured by thy speech of the covenants between thee and him; so get thee +ready to go with me to her forthwith." When the jeweller heard the slave-girl's +words, he saw that the proposed affair was grave and a great peril to brave, +not lightly to be undertaken or suddenly entered upon, and he said to her, "O +my sister, verily, I am of the ordinary and not like unto Abu al-Hasan; for he +being of high rank and of well-known repute, was wont to frequent the Caliph's +household, because of their need of his merchandise. As for me, he used to talk +with me and I trembled before him the while. So, if thy mistress would speak +with me, our meeting must be in some place other than the Caliph's palace and +far from the abode of the Commander of the Faithful; for my common sense will +not let me consent to what thou proposest." On this wise he refused to go with +her and she went on to say that she would be surety for his safety, adding, +"Take heart and fear no harm!" and pressed him to courage till he consented to +accompany her; withal, his legs bent and shivered and his hands quivered and he +exclaimed, "Allah forbid that I should go with thee! Indeed, I have not +strength to do this thing!" Replied she, "Hearten thy heart, if it be hard for +thee to go to the Caliph's palace and thou canst not muster up courage to +accompany me, I will make her come to thee; so budge not from thy place till I +return to thee with her." Then the slave-girl went away and was absent for a +while, but a short while, after which she returned to the jeweller and said to +him, "Take thou care that there be with thee none save thyself, neither +man-slave nor girl-slave." Quoth he, "I have but a negress, who is in years and +who waiteth on me."[FN#208] So she arose and locked the door between his +negress and the jeweller and sent his man-servants out of the place; after +which she fared forth and presently returned, followed by a lady who, entering +the house, filled it with the sweet scent of her perfumes. When the jeweller +saw her, he sprang up and set her a couch and a cushion; and she sat down while +he seated himself before her. She abode awhile without speaking till she had +rested herself, when she unveiled her face and it seemed to the jeweller's +fancy as if the sun had risen in his home. Then she asked her slave-girl, "Is +this the man of whom thou spakest to me?" "Yes," answered she; whereupon the +lady turned to the jeweller and said to him, "How is it with thee?" Replied he, +"Right well! I pray Allah for thy preservation and that of the Commander of the +Faithful." Quoth she, "Thou hast moved us to come to thee and possess thee with +what we hold secret." Then she questioned him of his household and family; and +he disclosed to her all his circumstance and his condition and said to her, "I +have a house other than this; and I have set it apart for gathering together my +friends and brethren; and there is none there save the old negress, of whom I +spoke to thy handmaid." She asked him on what wise he came first to know how +the affair began and the matter of Abu al-Hasan and the cause of his +way-faring: accordingly he told her all he knew and how he had advised the +journey. Thereupon she bewailed the loss of Abu al-Hasan and said to the +jeweller, "Know, O such an one,[FN#209] that men's souls are active in their +lusts and that men are still men; and that deeds are not done without words nor +is end ever reached without endeavour. Rest is won only by work."—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-second Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shams al-Nahar thus +addressed the jeweller, "Rest is gained only by work and success is gendered +only by help of the generous. Now I have acquainted thee with our affair and it +is in thy hand to expose us or to shield us; I say no more, because thy +generosity requireth naught. Thou knowest that this my handmaiden keepeth my +counsel and therefore occupieth high place in my favour; and I have selected +her to transact my affairs of importance. So let none be worthier in thy sight +than she and acquaint her with thine affair; and be of good cheer, for on her +account thou art safe from all fear, and there is no place shut upon thee but +she shall open it to thee. She shall bring thee my messages to Ali bin Bakkar +and thou shalt be our intermediary." So saying, she rose, scarcely able to +rise, and fared forth, the jeweller faring before her to the door of her house, +after which he returned and sat down again in his place, having seen of her +beauty and heard of her speech what dazzled him and dazed his wit, and having +witnessed of her grace and courtesy what bewitched his sprite. He sat musing on +her perfections till his mind waxed tranquil, when he called for food and ate +enough to keep soul and body together. Then he changed his clothes and went +out; and, repairing to the house of the youth Ali bin Bakkar, knocked at the +door. The servants hastened to admit him and walked before him till they had +brought him to their master, whom he found strown upon his bed. Now when he saw +the jeweller, he said to him, "Thou hast tarried long from me, and that hath +heaped care upon my care." Then he dismissed his servants and bade the doors be +shut; after which he said to the jeweller, "By Allah, O my brother, I have not +closed my eyes since the day I saw thee last; for the slave-girl came to me +yesterday with a sealed letter from her mistress Shams al-Nahar;" and went on +to tell him all that had passed with her, adding, "By the Lord, I am indeed +perplexed concerning mine affair and my patience faileth me: for Abu al-Hasan +was a comforter who cheered me because he knew the slave-girl." When the +jeweller heard his words, he laughed; and Ali said, "Why dost thou laugh at my +words, thou on whose coming I congratulated myself and to whom I looked for +provision against the shifts of fortune?" Then he sighed and wept and repeated +these couplets,[FN#210] +</p> + +<p> + "Full many laugh at tears they see me shed *<br/> + + Who had shed tears an bore they what I bore;<br/> + + None feeleth pity for th' afflicted's woe, *<br/> + + Save one as anxious and in woe galore:<br/> + + My passion, yearning, sighing, thought, repine *<br/> + + Are for me cornered in my heart's deep core:<br/> + + He made a home there which he never quits, *<br/> + + Yet rare our meetings, not as heretofore:<br/> + + No friend to stablish in his place I see; *<br/> + + No intimate but only he and —he."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when the jeweller heard these lines and understood their significance, he +wept also and told him all that had passed betwixt himself and the slave-girl +and her mistress since he left him. And Ali bin Bakkar gave ear to his speech, +and at every word he heard his colour shifted from white to red and his body +grew now stronger and then weaker till the tale came to an end, when he wept +and said, "O my brother, I am a lost man in any case: would mine end were nigh, +that I might be at rest from all this! But I beg thee, of thy favour, to be my +helper and comforter in all my affairs till Allah fulfil whatso be His will; +and I will not gainsay thee with a single word." Quoth the jeweller, "Nothing +will quench thy fire save union with her whom thou lovest; and the meeting must +be in other than this perilous place. Better it were in a house of mine where +the girl and her mistress met me; which place she chose for herself, to the +intent that ye twain may there meet and complain each to other of what you have +suffered from the pangs of love." Quoth Ali bin Bakkar, "O good Sir, do as thou +wilt and with Allah be thy reward!; and what thou deemest is right do it +forthright: but be not long in doing it, lest I perish of this anguish." "So I +abode with him (said the jeweller) that night conversing with him till the +morning morrowed,"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-third Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller +continued:—"So I abode with him that night conversing with him till the morning +morrowed, when I prayed the dawn-prayers and, going out from him, returned to +my house. Hardly had I settled down when the damsel came up and saluted me; and +I returned her salutation and told her what had passed between myself and Ali +bin Bakkar, and she said, 'Know that the Caliph hath left us and there is no +one in our place and it is safer for us and better.' Replied I, 'Sooth thou +sayest; yet is it not like my other house which is both fitter and surer for +us;' and the slave-girl rejoined 'Be it as thou seest fit. I am now going to my +lady and will tell her what thou sayest and acquaint her with all thou hast +mentioned.' So she went away and sought her mistress and laid the project +before her, and presently returned and said to me, 'It is to be as thou sayest: +so make us ready the place and expect us.' Then she took out of her +breast-pocket a purse of dinars and gave this message, 'My lady saluteth thee +and saith to thee, 'Take this and provide therewith what the case requireth.' +But I swore that I would accept naught of it; so she took the purse and +returning to her mistress, told her, 'He would not receive the money, but gave +it back to me.' 'No matter,' answered Shams al-Nahar. As soon as the slave-girl +was gone" (continued the jeweller), "I arose and betook myself to my other +house and transported thither all that was needful, by way of vessels and +furniture and rich carpets; and I did not forget china vases and cups of glass +and gold and silver; and I made ready meat and drink required for the occasion. +When the damsel came and saw what I had done, it pleased her and she bade me +fetch Ali bin Bakkar; but I said, 'None shall bring him save thou.' Accordingly +she went to him and brought him back perfectly dressed and looking his best. I +met him and greeted him and then seated him upon a divan befitting his +condition, and set before him sweet-scented flowers in vases of china and +vari-coloured glass.[FN#211] Then I set on a tray of many-tinted meats such as +broaden the breast with their sight, and sat talking with him and diverting +him, whilst the slave-girl went away and was absent till after sundown-prayers, +when she returned with Shams al-Nahar, attended by two maids and none else. Now +as soon as she saw Ali bin Bakkar and he saw her, he rose and embraced her, and +she on her side embraced him and both fell in a fit to the ground. They lay for +a whole hour insensible; then, coming to themselves, they began mutually to +complain of the pains of separation. Thereupon they drew near to each other and +sat talking charmingly, softly, tenderly; after which they somewhat perfumed +themselves and fell to thanking me for what I had done for them. Quoth I, 'Have +ye a mind for food?' 'Yes,' quoth they. So I set before them a small matter of +food and they ate till they were satisfied and then washed their hands; after +which I led them to another sitting-room and brought them wine. So they drank +and drank deep and inclined to each other; and presently Shams al-Nahar said to +me, 'O my master, complete thy kindness by bringing us a lute or other +instrument of mirth and music that the measure of our joy may be fully filled.' +I replied, 'On my head and eyes!' and rising brought her a lute, which she took +and tuned; then laying it in her lap she touched it with a masterly touch, at +once exciting to sadness and changing sorrow to gladness; after which she sang +these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> + 'My sleeplessness would show I love to bide on wake; *<br/> + + And would my leanness prove that sickness is my make:<br/> + + And tear-floods course adown the cheeks they only scald; *<br/> + + Would I knew union shall disunion overtake!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then she went on to sing the choicest and most affecting poesy to many and +various modes, till our senses were bewitched and the very room danced with +excess of delight and surprise at her sweet singing; and neither thought nor +reason was left in us. When we had sat awhile and the cup had gone round +amongst us, the damsel took the lute and sang to a lively measure these +couplets, +</p> + +<p> +My love a meeting promised me and kept it faithfully, *<br/> + + One night as many I shall count in number and degree:<br/> + +O Night of joyance Fate vouchsafed to faithful lovers tway, *<br/> + + Uncaring for the railer loon and all his company!<br/> + +My lover lay the Night with me and clipt me with his right, *<br/> + + While I with left embraced him, a-faint for ecstasy;<br/> + +And hugged him to my breast and sucked the sweet wine of his<br/> + + lips, * Full savouring the honey-draught the honey-man sold<br/> + + to me.'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Whilst we were thus drowned in the sea of gladness" (continued the jeweller) +"behold, there came in to us a little maid trembling and said, 'O my lady, look +how you may go away for the folk have found you out and have surrounded the +house; and we know not the cause of this!' When I heard her words, I arose +startled and lo! in rushed a slave-girl who cried, 'Calamity hath come upon +you.' At the same moment the door was burst open and there rushed in upon us +ten men masked in kerchiefs with hangers in their hands and swords by their +sides, and as many more behind them. When I saw this, the world was straitened +on me for all its wideness, and I looked to the door but saw no issue; so I +sprang from the terrace into the house of one of my neighbours and there hid +myself. Thence I found that folk had entered my lodgings and were making a +mighty hubbub; and I concluded that the Caliph had got wind of us and had sent +his Chief of the Watch to seize us and bring us before him. So I abode +confounded and ceased not remaining in my place, without any possibility of +quitting it till midnight. And presently the house-master arose, for he had +heard me moving, and he feared with exceeding great fear of me; so he came +forth from his room with drawn brand in hand and made at me, saying, 'Who is +this in my house?' Quoth I, 'I am thy neighbour the jeweller;' and he knew me +and retired. Then he fetched a light and coming up to me, said, 'O my brother, +indeed that which hath befallen thee this night is no light matter to me.' I +replied, 'O my brother, tell me who was in my house and entered it breaking in +my door; for I fled to thee not knowing what was to do.' He answered, 'Of a +truth the robbers who attacked our neighbours yesterday and slew such an one +and took his goods, saw thee on the same day bringing furniture into this +house; so they broke in upon thee and stole thy goods and slew thy guests.' +Then we arose" (pursued the jeweller), "I and he, and repaired to my house, +which we found empty without a stick remaining in it; so I was confounded at +the case and said to myself, 'As for the gear I care naught about its loss, +albeit I borrowed part of the stuff from my friends and it hath come to grief; +yet is there no harm in that, for they know my excuse in the plunder of my +property and the pillage of my place. But as for Ali bin Bakkar and the +Caliph's favourite concubine, I fear lest their case get bruited abroad and +this cause the loss of my life.' So I turned to my neighbour and said to him, +'Thou art my brother and my neighbour and wilt cover my nakedness; what then +dost thou advise me to do?' The man answered, 'What I counsel thee to do is to +keep quiet and wait; for they who entered thy house and took thy goods have +murdered the best men of a party from the palace of the Caliphate and have +killed not a few of the watchmen: the government officers and guards are now in +quest of them on every road and haply they will hit upon them, whereby thy wish +will come about without effort of thine.'" The jeweller hearing these words +returned to his other house, that wherein he dwelt,—and Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the jeweller heard +these words he returned to his other house wherein he dwelt, and said to +himself, "Indeed this that hath befallen me is what Abu al-Hasan feared and +from which he fled to Bassorah. And now I have fallen into it." Presently the +pillage of his pleasure-house was noised abroad among the folk, and they came +to him from all sides and places, some exulting in his misfortune and others +excusing him and condoling with his sorrow; whilst he bewailed himself to them +and for grief neither ate meat nor drank drink. And as he sat, repenting him of +what he had done, behold one of his servants came in to him and said, "There is +a person at the door who asketh for thee; and I know him not." The jeweller +went forth to him and saluted him who was a stranger; and the man whispered to +him, "I have somewhat to say between our two selves." Thereupon he brought him +in and asked him, "What hast thou to tell me?" Quoth the man, "Come with me to +thine other house;" and the jeweller enquired, "Dost thou then know my other +house?" Replied the other, "I know all about thee and I know that also whereby +Allah will dispel thy dolours." "So I said to myself" (continued the jeweller) +"'I will go with him whither he will;' and went out and walked on till we came +to my second house; and when the man saw it he said to me, 'It is without door +or doorkeeper, and we cannot possibly sit in it; so come thou with me to +another place.' Then the man continued passing from stead to stead (and I with +him) till night overtook us. Yet I put no question to him of the matter in hand +and we ceased not to walk on, till we reached the open country. He kept saying, +'Follow me,' and quickened his pace to a trot, whilst I trotted after him +heartening my heart to go on, until we reached the river, where he took boat +with me, and the boatman rowed us over to the other bank. Then he landed from +the boat and I landed after him: and he took my hand and led me to a street +which I had never entered in all my days, nor do I know in what quarter it was. +Presently the man stopped at the door of a house, and opening it entered and +made me enter with him; after which he locked the door with an iron +padlock,[FN#212] and led me along the vestibule, till he brought me in the +presence of ten men who were as though they were one and the same man; they +being brothers. We saluted them" (continued the jeweller) "and they returned +our greeting and bade us be seated; so we sat down. Now I was like to die for +excess of weariness; but they brought me rose-water and sprinkled it on my +face; after which they gave me a sherbet to drink and set before me food +whereof some of them ate with me. Quoth I to myself, 'Were there aught harmful +in the food, they would not eat with me.' So I ate, and when we had washed our +hands, each of us returned to his place. Then they asked me, 'Dost thou know +us?' and I answered, 'No! nor in my life have I ever seen you; nay, I know not +even him who brought me hither.' Said they, 'Tell us thy tidings and lie not at +all.' Replied I, 'Know then that my case is wondrous and my affair marvellous; +but wot ye anything about me?' They rejoined, 'Yes! it was we took thy goods +yesternight and carried off thy friend and her who was singing to him.' Quoth +I, 'Allah let down His veil over you! Where be my friend and she who was +singing to him?' They pointed with their hands to one side and replied, +'Yonder, but, by Allah, O our brother, the secret of their case is known to +none save to thee, for from the time we brought the twain hither up to this +day, we have not looked upon them nor questioned them of their condition, +seeing them to be persons of rank and dignity. Now this and this only it was +that hindered our killing them: so tell us the truth of their case and thou +shalt be assured of thy safety and of theirs.' When I heard this" (continued +the jeweller) "I almost died of fright and horror, and I said to them, 'Know +ye, O my brethren, that if generosity were lost, it would not be found save +with you; and had I a secret which I feared to reveal, none but your breasts +would conceal it.' And I went on exaggerating their praises in this fashion, +till I saw that frankness and readiness to speak out would profit me more than +concealing facts; so I told them all that had betided me to the very end of the +tale. When they heard it, they said, 'And is this young man Ali Bakkar-son and +this lady Shams al-Nahar?' I replied, 'Yes.' Now this was grievous to them and +they rose and made their excuses to the two and then they said to me, 'Of what +we took from thy house part is spent, but here is what is left of it.' So +speaking, they gave me back most of my goods and they engaged to return them to +their places in my house, and to restore me the rest as soon as they could. My +heart was set at ease till they split into two parties, one with me and the +other against me; and we fared forth from that house and such was my case. But +as regards Ali bin Bakkar and Shams al-Nahar; they were well-nigh dying for +excess of fear, when I went up to them and saluting them, asked, 'What happened +to the damsel and the two maids, and where be they gone?', and they answered +only, 'We know nothing of them.' Then we walked on and stinted not till we came +to the river-bank where the barque lay; and we all boarded it, for it was the +same which had brought me over on the day before. The boatman rowed us to the +other side; but hardly had we landed and taken seat on the bank to rest, when a +troop of horse swooped down on us like eagles and surrounded us on all sides +and places, whereupon the robbers with us sprang up in haste like vultures, and +the boat put back for them and took them in and the boatman pushed off into +mid-stream, leaving us on the river bank, unable to move or to stand still. +Then the chief horseman said to us, 'Whence be ye!'; and we were perplexed for +an answer, but I said" (continued the jeweller), "'Those ye saw with us are +rogues; we know them not. As for us, we are singers, and they intended taking +us to sing for them, nor could we get free of them, save by subtlety and soft +words; so on this occasion they let us go, their works being such as you have +seen.' But they looked at Shams al-Nahar and Ali bin Bakkar and said to me, +'Thou hast not spoken sooth but, if thy tale be true, tell us who ye are and +whence ye are; and what be your place and in what quarter you dwell.' I knew +not what to answer them, but Shams al-Nahar sprang up and approaching the +Captain of the horsemen spoke with him privily, whereupon he dismounted from +his steed and, setting her on horse-back, took the bridle and began to lead his +beast. And two of his men did the like with the youth, Ali bin Bakkar, and it +was the same with myself. The Commandant of the troop ceased not faring on with +us, till they reached a certain part of the river bank, when he sang out in +some barbarous jargon[FN#213] and there came to us a number of men with two +boats. Then the Captain embarked us in one of them (and he with us) whilst the +rest of his men put off in the other, and rowed on with us till we arrived at +the palace of the Caliphate where Shams al-Nahar landed. And all the while we +endured the agonies of death for excess of fear, and they ceased not faring +till they came to a place whence there was a way to our quarter. Here we landed +and walked on, escorted by some of the horsemen, till we came to Ali bin +Bakkar's house; and when we entered it, our escort took leave of us and went +their way. We abode there, unable to stir from the place and not knowing the +difference between morning and evening; and in such case we continued till the +dawn of the next day. And when it was again nightfall, I came to myself and saw +Ali bin Bakkar and the women and men of his household weeping over him, for he +was stretched out without sense or motion. Some of them came to me and +thoroughly arousing me said, 'Tell us what hath befallen our son and say how +came he in this plight?' Replied I, 'O folk, hearken to me!'"—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller answered +them, "'O folk, hearken to my words and give me no trouble and annoyance! but +be patient and he will come to and tell you his tale for himself.' And I was +hard upon them and made them afraid of a scandal between me and them, but as we +were thus, behold, Ali bin Bakkar moved on his carpet-bed, whereat his friends +rejoiced and the stranger folk withdrew from him; but his people forbade me to +go away. Then they sprinkled rose-water on his face and he presently revived +and sensed the air; whereupon they questioned him of his case, and he essayed +to answer them but his tongue could not speak forthright and he signed to them +to let me go home. So they let me go, and I went forth hardly crediting my +escape and returned to my own house, supported by two men. When my people saw +me thus, they rose up and set to shrieking and slapping their faces; but I +signed to them with my hand to be silent and they were silent. Then the two men +went their way and I threw myself down on my bed, where I lay the rest of the +night and awoke not till the forenoon, when I found my people gathered round me +and saying, 'What calamity befel thee, and what evil with its mischief did fell +thee?' Quoth I 'Bring me somewhat to drink.' So they brought me drink, and I +drank of it what I would and said to them, 'What happened, happened.' Thereupon +they went away and I made my excuses to my friends, and asked if any of the +goods that had been stolen from my other house had been returned. They +answered, 'Yes! some of them have come back; by token that a man entered and +threw them down within the doorway and we saw him not.' So I comforted myself +and abode in my place two days, unable to rise and leave it; and presently I +took courage and went to the bath, for I was worn out with fatigue and troubled +in mind for Ali bin Bakkar and Shams al-Nahar, because I had no news of them +all this time and could neither get to Ali's house nor, out of fear for my +life, take my rest in mine own. And I repented to Almighty Allah of what I had +done and praised Him for my safety. Presently my fancy suggested to me to go to +such and such a place and see the folk and solace myself; so I went on foot to +the cloth-market and sat awhile with a friend of mine there. When I rose to go, +I saw a woman standing over against me; so I looked at her, and lo! it was +Shams al-Nahar's slave-girl. When I saw her, the world grew dark in my eyes and +I hurried on. She followed me, but I was seized with affright and fled from +her, and whenever I looked at her, a trembling came upon me whilst she pursued +me, saying. 'Stop, that I may tell thee somewhat!' But I heeded her not and +never ceased walking till I reached a mosque, and she entered after me. I +prayed a two-bow prayer, after which I turned to her and, sighing, said, 'What +cost thou want?' She asked me how I did, and I told her all that had befallen +myself and Ali bin Bakkar and besought her for news of herself. She answered, +'Know that when I saw the robbers break open thy door and rush in, I was in +sore terror, for I doubted not but that they were the Caliph's officers and +would seize me and my mistress and we should perish forthwith: so we fled over +the roofs, I and the maids; and, casting ourselves down from a high place, came +upon some people with whom we took refuge; and they received us and brought us +to the palace of the Caliphate, where we arrived in the sorriest of plights. We +concealed our case and abode on coals of fire till nightfall, when I opened the +river-gate and, calling the boatman who had carried us the night before, said +to him, 'I know not what is become of my mistress; so take me in the boat, that +we may go seek her on the river: haply I shall chance on some news of her. +Accordingly he took me into the boat and went about with me and ceased not +wending till midnight, when I spied a barque making towards the water gate, +with one man rowing and another standing up and a woman lying prostrate between +them twain. And they rowed on till they reached the shore when the woman +landed, and I looked at her, and behold, it was Shams al-Nahar. Thereupon I got +out and joined her, dazed for joy to see her after having lost all hopes of +finding her alive.'" —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying +her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl went on +telling the jeweller, "'I was dazed for joy to see her, after having lost all +hopes of finding her alive. When I came up to her, she bade me give the man who +had brought her thither a thousand gold pieces; and we carried her in, I and +the two maids, and laid her on her bed; where she passed that night in a sorely +troubled state; and, when morning dawned, I forbade the women and eunuchs to go +in to her, or even to draw near her for the whole of that day; but on the next +she revived and somewhat recovered and I found her as if she had come out of +her grave. I sprinkled rose-water upon her face and changed her clothes and +washed her hands and feet; nor did I cease to coax her, till I brought her to +eat a little and drink some wine, though she had no mind to any such matter. As +soon as she had breathed the fresh air and strength began to return to her, I +took to upbraiding her, saying, 'O my lady, consider and have pity on thyself; +thou seest what hath betided us: surely, enough and more than enough of evil +hath befallen thee; for indeed thou hast been nigh upon death. She said, 'By +Allah, O good damsel, in sooth death were easier to me than what hath betided +me; for it seemed as though I should be slain and no power could save me. When +the robbers took us from the jeweller's house they asked me, Who mayest thou +be? and hearing my answer, 'I am a singing girl, they believed me. Then they +turned to Ali bin Bakkar and made enquiries about him, 'And who art thou and +what is thy condition?; whereto he replied, 'I am of the common kind. So they +took us and carried us along, without our resisting, to their abode; and we +hurried on with them for excess of fear; but when they had us set down with +them in the house, they looked hard at me and seeing the clothes I wore and my +necklaces and jewellery, believed not my account of myself and said to me, 'Of +a truth these necklaces belong to no singing-girl; so be soothfast and tell us +the truth of thy case. I returned them no answer whatever, saying in my mind, +'Now will they slay me for the sake of my apparel and ornaments; and I spoke +not a word. Then the villains turned to Ali bin Bakkar, asking, 'And thou, who +art thou and whence art thou? for thy semblance seemeth not as that of the +common kind. But he was silent and we ceased not to keep our counsel and to +weep, till Allah softened the rogues' hearts to pity and they said to us, 'Who +is the owner of the house wherein we were?' We answered, 'Such an one, the +jeweller; whereupon quoth one of them, 'I know him right well and I wot the +other house where he liveth and I will engage to bring him to you this very +hour. Then they agreed to set me in a place by myself and Ali bin Bakkar in a +place by himself, and said to us, 'Be at rest ye twain and fear not lest your +secret be divulged; ye are safe from us. Meanwhile their comrade went away and +returned with the jeweller, who made known to them our case, and we joined +company with him; after which a man of the band fetched a barque, wherein they +embarked us all three and, rowing us over the river, landed us with scant +ceremony on the opposite bank and went their ways. Thereupon up came a +horse-patrol and asked us who we were; so I spoke with the Captain of the watch +and said to him, 'I am Shams al-Nahar, the Caliph's favourite; I had drunken +strong wine and went out to visit certain of my acquaintance of the wives of +the Wazirs, when yonder rogues came upon me and laid hold of me and brought me +to this place; but when they saw you, they fled as fast as they could. I met +these men with them: so do thou escort me and them to a place of safety and I +will requite thee as I am well able to do. When the Captain of the watch heard +my speech, he knew me and alighting, mounted me on his horse; and in like +manner did two of his men with Ali bin Bakkar. So I spoke to her' (continued +the handmaid) 'and blamed her doings, and bade her beware, and said to her, 'O +my lady, have some care for thy life!' But she was angered at my words and +cried out at me; accordingly I left her and came forth in quest of thee, but +found thee not and dared not go to the house of Ali bin Bakkar; so stood +watching for thee, that I might ask thee of him and wot how it goes with him. +And I pray thee, of thy favour, to take of me some money, for thou hast +doubtless borrowed from thy friends part of the gear and as it is lost, it +behoveth thee to make it good with folk.' I replied, 'To hear is to obey! go +on;' and I walked with her till we drew near my house, when she said to me, +'Wait here till I come back to thee.'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after the slave-girl had +addressed the jeweller, "'Wait here till I come back to thee!' she went away +and presently returned with the money, which she put" (continued the jeweller) +"into my hand, saying, 'O my master, in what place shall we meet?' Quoth I, 'I +will start and go to my house at once and suffer hard things for thy sake and +contrive how thou mayst win access to him, for such access is difficult at this +present.' Said she, 'Let me know some spot, where I shall come to thee,' and I +answered, 'In my other house, I will go thither forthright and have the doors +mended and the place made safe again, and henceforth we will meet there.' Then +she took leave of me and went her way, whilst I carried the money home, and +counting it, found it five thousand dinars. So I gave my people some of it and +to all who had lent me aught I made good their loss, after which I arose and +took my servants and repaired to my other house whence the things had been +stolen; and I brought builders and carpenters and masons who restored it to its +former state. Moreover, I placed my negress-slave there and forgot the mishaps +which had befallen me. Then I fared forth and repaired to Ali bin Bakkar's +house and, when I reached it, his slave-servants accosted me, saying, 'Our lord +calleth for thee night and day, and hath promised to free whichever of us +bringeth thee to him; so they have been wandering about in quest of thee +everywhere but knew not in what part to find thee. Our master is by way of +recovering strength, but at times he reviveth and at times he relapseth; and +whenever he reviveth he nameth thee, and saith, 'Needs must ye bring him to me, +though but for the twinkling of an eye;' and then he sinketh back into his +torpor.' Accordingly" (continued the jeweller) "I accompanied the slave and +went in to Ali bin Bakkar; and, finding him unable to speak, sat down at his +head, whereupon he opened his eyes and seeing me, wept and said, 'Welcome and +well come!' I raised him and making him sit up, strained him to my bosom, and +he said, 'Know, O my brother, that, from the hour I took to my bed, I have not +sat up till now: praise to Allah that I see thee again!' And I ceased not to +prop him and support him until I made him stand on his feet and walk a few +steps, after which I changed his clothes and he drank some wine: but all this +he did for my satisfaction. Then, seeing him somewhat restored, I told him what +had befallen me with the slave-girl (none else hearing me), and said to him, +'Take heart and be of good courage, I know what thou sufferest.' He smiled and +I added, 'Verily nothing shall betide thee save what shall rejoice thee and +medicine thee.' Thereupon he called for food, which being brought, he signed to +his pages, and they withdrew. Then quoth he to me, 'O my brother, hast thou +seen what hath befallen me?'; and he made excuses to me and asked how I had +fared all that while. I told him everything that had befallen me, from +beginning to end, whereat he wondered and calling his servants, said, 'Bring me +such and such things.' They brought in fine carpets and hangings and, besides +that, vessels of gold and silver, more than I had lost, and he gave them all to +me; so I sent them to my house and abode with him that night. When the day +began to yellow, he said to me, 'Know thou that as to all things there is an +end, so the end of love is either death or accomplishment of desire. I am +nearer unto death, would I had died ere this befel!; and had not Allah favoured +us, we had been found out and put to shame. And now I know not what shall +deliver me from this my strait, and were it not that I fear Allah, I would +hasten my own death; for know, O my brother, that I am like bird in cage and +that my life is of a surety perished, choked by the distresses which have +befallen me; yet hath it a period stablished firm and an appointed term.' And +he wept and groaned and began repeating, +</p> + +<p> + 'Enough of tears hath shed the lover-wight, *<br/> + + When grief outcast all patience from his sprite:<br/> + + He hid the secrets which united us, *<br/> + + But now His eye parts what He did unite!'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When he had finished his verses, the jeweller said to him, "O my lord, I now +intend returning to my house." He answered, "There be no harm in that; go and +come back to me with news as fast as possible, for thou seest my case." "So I +took leave of him" (continued the jeweller) "and went home, and hardly had I +sat down, when up came the damsel, choked with long weeping. I asked, 'What is +the matter'?; and she answered, 'O my lord, know then that what we feared hath +befallen us; for, when I left thee yesterday and returned to my lady, I found +her in a fury with one of the two maids who were with us the other night, and +she ordered her to be beaten. The girl was frightened and ran away; but, as she +was leaving the house, one of the door-porters and guards of the gate met her +and took her up and would have sent her back to her mistress. However, she let +fall some hints, which were a disclosure to him; so he cajoled her and led her +on to talk, and she tattled about our case and let him know of all our doings. +This affair came to the ears of the Caliph, who bade remove my mistress, Shams +al-Nahar, and all her gear to the palace of the Caliphate; and set over her a +guard of twenty eunuchs. Since then to the present hour he hath not visited her +nor hath given her to know the reason of his action, but I suspect this to be +the cause; wherefore I am in fear for my life and am sore troubled, O my lord, +knowing not what I shall do, nor with what contrivance I shall order my affair +and hers; for she hath none by her more trusted or more trustworthy than +myself.'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl thus +addressed the jeweller, "'And in very sooth my lady hath none by her more +trusted or more trustworthy in matter of secrecy than myself. So go thou, O my +master, and speed thee without delay to Ali bin Bakkar; and acquaint him with +this, that he may be on his guard and ward; and, if the affair be discovered, +we will cast about for some means whereby to save our lives.' On this" +(continued the jeweller), "I was seized with sore trouble and the world grew +dark in my sight for the slave-girl's words; and when she was about to wend, I +said to her, 'What reckest thou and what is to be done?' Quoth she, 'My counsel +is that thou hasten to Ali bin Bakkar, if thou be indeed his friend and desire +to save him; thine be it to carry him this news at once without aught of stay +and delay, or regard for far and near; and mine be it to sniff about for +further news.' Then she took her leave of me and went away: so I rose and +followed her track and, betaking myself to Ali bin Bakkar, found him flattering +himself with impossible expectations. When he saw me returning to him so soon, +he said, 'I see thou hast come back to me forthwith and only too soon.' I +answered, 'Patience, and cut short this foolish connection and shake off the +pre-occupation wherein thou art, for there hath befallen that which may bring +about the loss of thy life and good.' Now when he heard this, he was troubled +and strongly moved; and he said to me, 'O my brother, tell me what hath +happened.' Replied I, 'O my lord, know that such and such things have happened +and thou art lost without recourse, if thou abide in this thy house till the +end of the day.' At this, he was confounded and his soul well-nigh departed his +body, but he recovered himself and said to me, 'What shall I do, O my brother, +and what counsel hast thou to offer.' Answered I, 'My advice is that thou take +what thou canst of thy property and whom of thy slaves thou trustest, and flee +with us to a land other than this, ere this very day come to an end.' And he +said, 'I hear and I obey.' So he rose, confused and dazed like one in epilepsy, +now walking and now falling, and took what came under his hand. Then he made an +excuse to his household and gave them his last injunctions, after which he +loaded three camels and mounted his beast; and I did likewise. We went forth +privily in disguise and fared on and ceased not our wayfare the rest of that +day and all its night, till nigh upon morning, when we unloaded and, hobbling +our camels, lay down to sleep. But we were worn with fatigue and we neglected +to keep watch, so that there fell upon us robbers, who stripped us of all we +had and slew our slaves, when these would have beaten them off, leaving us +naked and in the sorriest of plights, after they had taken our money and lifted +our beasts and disappeared. As soon as they were gone, we arose and walked on +till morning dawned, when we came to a village which we entered, and finding a +mosque took refuge therein for we were naked. So we sat in a corner all that +day and we passed the next night without meat or drink; and at day-break we +prayed our dawn-prayer and sat down again. Presently behold, a man entered and +saluting us prayed a two-bow prayer, after which he turned to us and said, 'O +folk, are ye strangers?' We replied, 'Yes: the bandits waylaid us and stripped +us naked, and we came to this town but know none here with whom we may +shelter.' Quoth he, 'What say ye? will you come home with me?' And" (pursued +the jeweller) "I said to Ali bin Bakkar, 'Up and let us go with him, and we +shall escape two evils; the first, our fear lest some one who knoweth us enter +this mosque and recognise us, so that we come to disgrace; and the second, that +we are strangers and have no place wherein to lodge.' And he answered +helplessly, 'As thou wilt.' Then the man said to us again, 'O ye poor folk, +give ear unto me and come with me to my place,' and I replied, 'Hearkening and +obedience;' whereupon he pulled off a part of his own clothes and covered us +therewith and made his excuses to us and spoke kindly to us. Then we arose and +accompanied him to his house and he knocked at the door, whereupon a little +slave-boy came out and opened to us. The host entered and we followed +him;[FN#214] when he called for a bundle of clothes and muslins for turbands, +and gave us each a suit and a piece; so we dressed and turbanded ourselves and +sat us down. Presently, in came a damsel with a tray of food and set it before +us, saying, 'Eat.' We ate some small matter and she took away the tray: after +which we abode with our host till nightfall, when Ali bin Bakkar sighed and +said to me, 'Know, O my brother, that I am a dying man past hope of life and I +would charge thee with a charge: it is that, when thou seest me dead, thou go +to my parent[FN#215] and tell her of my decease and bid her come hither that +she may be here to receive the visits of condolence and be present at the +washing of my corpse, and do thou exhort her to bear my loss with patience.' +Then he fell down in a fainting fit and, when he recovered he heard a damsel +singing afar off and making verses as she sang. Thereupon he addressed himself +to give ear to her and hearken to her voice; and now he was insensible, absent +from the world, and now he came to himself; and anon he wept for grief and +mourning at the love which had befallen him. Presently, he heard the damsel who +was singing repeat these couplets, +</p> + +<p> + 'Parting ran up to part from lover-twain *<br/> + + Free converse, perfect concord, friendship fain:<br/> + + The Nights with shifting drifted us apart, *<br/> + + Would heaven I wot if we shall meet again:<br/> + + How bitter after meeting 'tis to part, *<br/> + + May lovers ne'er endure so bitter pain!<br/> + + Death-grip, death-choke, lasts for an hour and ends, *<br/> + + But parting-tortures aye in heart remain:<br/> + + Could we but trace where Parting's house is placed, *<br/> + + We would make Parting eke of parting taste!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Ali son of Bakkar heard the damsel's song, he sobbed one sob and his soul +quitted his body. As soon as I saw that he was dead" (continued the jeweller), +"I committed his corpse to the care of the house-master and said to him 'Know +thou, that I am going to Baghdad, to tell his mother and kinsfolk, that they +may come hither and conduct his burial.' So I betook myself to Baghdad and, +going to my house, changed my clothes; after which I repaired to Ali bin +Bakkar's lodging. Now when his servants saw me, they came to me and questioned +me of him, and I bade them ask permission for me to go in to his mother. She +gave me leave; so I entered and saluting her, said, 'Verily Allah ordereth the +lives of all creatures by His commandment and when He decreeth aught, there is +no escaping its fulfilment; nor can any soul depart but by leave of Allah, +according to the Writ which affirmeth the appointed term.'[FN#216] She guessed +by these words that her son was dead and wept with sore weeping, then she said +to me, 'Allah upon thee! tell me, is my son dead?' I could not answer her for +tears and excess of grief, and when she saw me thus, she was choked with +weeping and fell to the ground in a fit. As soon as she came to herself she +said to me, 'Tell me how it was with my son.' I replied, 'May Allah abundantly +compensate thee for his loss!' and I told her all that had befallen him from +beginning to end. She then asked, 'Did he give thee any charge?'; and I +answered, 'Yes,' and told her what he had said, adding, 'Hasten to perform his +funeral.' When she heard these words, she swooned away again; and, when she +recovered, she addressed herself to do as I charged her. Then I returned to my +house; and as I went along musing sadly upon the fair gifts of his youth, +behold, a woman caught hold of my hand;"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of +day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the jeweller thus +continued:—"A woman caught hold of my hand; and I looked at her and lo! it was +the slave-girl who used to come from Shams al-Nahar, and she seemed broken by +grief. When we knew each other we both wept and ceased not weeping till we +reached my house, and I said to her, 'Knowest thou the news of the youth, Ali +bin Bakkar?' She replied, 'No, by Allah!'; so I told her the manner of his +death and all that had passed, whilst we both wept; after which quoth I to her, +'How is it with thy mistress?' Quoth she, 'The Commander of the Faithful would +not hear a single word against her; but, for the great love he bore her, saw +all her actions in a favourable light, and said to her, 'O Shams al-Nahar, thou +art dear to me and I will bear with thee and bring the noses of thy foes to the +grindstone. Then he bade them furnish her an apartment decorated with gold and +a handsome sleeping-chamber, and she abode with him in all ease of life and +high favour. Now it came to pass that one day, as he sat at wine according to +his custom, with his favourite concubines in presence, he bade them be seated +in their several ranks and made Shams al-Nahar sit by his side. But her +patience had failed and her disorder had redoubled upon her. Then he bade one +of the damsels sing: so she took a lute and tuning it struck the chords, and +began to sing these verses, +</p> + +<p> +'One craved my love and I gave all he craved of me, *<br/> + + And tears on cheek betray how 'twas I came to yield:<br/> + +Tear-drops, meseemeth, are familiar with our case, *<br/> + + Revealing what I hide, hiding what I revealed:<br/> + +How can I hope in secret to conceal my love, *<br/> + + Which stress of passion ever showeth unconcealed:<br/> + +Death, since I lost my lover, is grown sweet to me; *<br/> + + Would I knew what their joys when I shall quit the field!<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when Shams al-Nahar heard these verses sung by the slave-girl, she could +not keep her seat; but fell down in a fainting-fit whereupon the Caliph cast +the cup from his hand and drew her to him crying out; and the damsels also +cried out, and the Prince of True Believers turned her over and shook her, and +lo and behold! she was dead. The Caliph grieved over her death with sore grief +and bade break all the vessels and dulcimers[FN#217] and other instruments of +mirth and music which were in the room; then carrying her body to his closet, +he abode with her the rest of the night. When the day broke, he laid her out +and commanded to wash her and shroud her and bury her. And he mourned for her +with sore mourning, and questioned not of her case nor of what caused her +condition. And I beg thee in Allah's name' (continued the damsel) 'to let me +know the day of the coming of Ali bin Bakkar's funeral procession that I may be +present at his burial.' Quoth I, 'For myself, where thou wilt thou canst find +me; but thou, where art thou to be found, and who can come at thee where thou +art?' She replied, 'On the day of Shams al-Nahar's death, the Commander of the +Faithful freed all her women, myself among the rest;[FN#218] and I am one of +those now abiding at the tomb in such a place.' So I rose and accompanied her +to the burial-ground and piously visited Shams al-Nahar's tomb; after which I +went my way and ceased not to await the coming of Ali bin Bakkar's funeral. +When it arrived, the people of Baghdad went forth to meet it and I went forth +with them: and I saw the damsel among the women and she the loudest of them in +lamentation, crying out and wailing with a voice that rent the vitals and made +the heart ache. Never was seen in Baghdad a finer funeral than his; and we +ceased not to follow in crowds till we reached the cemetery and buried him to +the mercy of Almighty Allah; nor from that time to this have I ceased to visit +the tombs of Ali son of Bakkar and of Shams al-Nahar. This, then, is their +story, and Allah Almighty have mercy upon them!"[FN#219] And yet is not their +tale (continued Shahrazad) more wonderful than that of King Shahriman. The King +asked her "And what was his tale?"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Seventieth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, as regards the +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap22"></a>TALE OF KAMAR AL-ZAMAN.</h3> + +<p> +That there was in times of yore and in ages long gone before a King called +Shahrimán,[FN#220] who was lord of many troops and guards, and officers, and +who reigned over certain islands, known as the Khálidán Islands,[FN#221] on the +borders of the land of the Persians. But he was stricken in years and his bones +were wasted, without having been blessed with a son, albeit he had four wives, +daughters of Kings, and threescore concubines, with each of whom he was wont to +lie one night in turn.[FN#222] This preyed upon his mind and disquieted him, +so that he complained thereof to one of his Wazirs, saying, "Verily I fear lest +my kingdom be lost when I die, for that I have no son to succeed me." The +Minister answered, "O King, peradventure Allah shall yet bring something to +pass; so rely upon the Almighty and be instant in prayer. It is also my counsel +that thou spread a banquet and invite to it the poor and needy, and let them +eat of thy food; and supplicate the Lord to vouchsafe thee a son; for perchance +there may be among thy guests a righteous soul whose prayers find acceptance; +and thereby thou shalt win thy wish." So the King rose, made the lesser +ablution, and prayed a two-bow prayer,[FN#223] then he cried upon Allah with +pure intention; after which he called his chief wife to bed and lay with her +forthright. By grace of God she conceived and, when her months were +accomplished, she bore a male child, like the moon on the night of fulness. The +King named him Kamar al-Zamán,[FN#224] and rejoiced in him with extreme joy and +bade the city be dressed out in his honour; so they decorated the streets seven +days, whilst the drums beat and the messengers bore the glad tidings abroad. +Then wet and dry nurses were provided for the boy and he was reared in +splendour and delight, until he reached the age of fifteen. He grew up of +surpassing beauty and seemlihead and symmetry, and his father loved him so dear +that he could not brook to be parted from him day or night. One day he +complained to a certain of his Ministers anent the excess of his love for his +only child, saying, "O thou the Wazir, of a truth I fear for my son, Kamar +al-Zaman, the shifts and accidents which befal man and fain would I marry him +in my life-time." Answered the Wazir, "O King, know thou that marriage is one +of the most honourable of moral actions, and thou wouldst indeed do well and +right to marry thy son in thy lifetime, ere thou make him Sultan." On this +quoth the King, "Hither with my son Kamar al-Zaman;" so he came and bowed his +head to the ground in modesty before his sire. "O Kamar al Zaman," said King +Shahriman, "of a truth I desire to marry thee and rejoice in thee during my +lifetime." Replied he, "O my father, know that I have no lust to marry nor +cloth my soul incline to women; for that concerning their craft and perfidy I +have read many books and heard much talk, even as saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> +'Now, an of women ask ye, I reply:—*<br/> + + In their affairs I'm versed a doctor rare!<br/> + +When man's head grizzles and his money dwindles, *<br/> + + In their affections he hath naught for share.'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And another said:— +</p> + +<p> +'Rebel against women and so shalt thou serve Allah the more; *<br/> + + The youth who gives women the rein must forfeit all hope to<br/> + + soar.<br/> + +They'll baulk him when seeking the strange device, Excelsior, *<br/> + + Tho' waste he a thousand of years in the study of science<br/> + + and lore.' "<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he had ended his verses he continued, "O my father, wedlock is a thing +whereto I will never consent; no, not though I drink the cup of death." When +Sultan Shahriman heard these words from his son, light became darkness in his +sight and he grieved thereat with great grief.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-first Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Shahriman heard +these words from his son, the light became darkness in his sight and he grieved +over his son's lack of obedience to his directions in the matter of marriage; +yet, for the great love he bore him, he was unwilling to repeat his wishes and +was not wroth with him, but caressed him and spake him fair and showed him all +manner of kindness such as tendeth to induce affection. All this, and Kamar +al-Zaman increased daily in beauty and loveliness and amorous grace; and the +King bore with him for a whole year till he became perfect in eloquence and +elegant wit. All men were ravished with his charms; and every breeze that blew +bore the tidings of his gracious favour; his fair sight was a seduction to the +loving and a garden of delight to the longing, for he was honey-sweet of speech +and the sheen of his face shamed the full moon; he was a model of symmetry and +blandishment and engaging ways; his shape was as the willow-wand or the rattan- +cane and his cheeks might take the place of rose or red anemone. He was, in +fine the pink of perfection, even as the poet hath said of him, +</p> + +<p> +"He came and cried they, 'Now be Allah blest! *<br/> + + Praise Him that clad that soul in so fair vest!'<br/> + +He's King of Beauty where the beauteous be; *<br/> + + All are his Ryots,[FN#225] all obey his hest:<br/> + +His lip-dew's sweeter than the virgin honey; *<br/> + + His teeth are pearls in double row close press:<br/> + +All charms are congregate in him alone, *<br/> + + And deals his loveliness to man unrest.<br/> + +Beauty wrote on those cheeks for worlds to see *<br/> + + 'I testify there is none good but He.'"[FN#226]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When the year came to an end, the King called his son to him and said, "O my +son, wilt thou not hearken to me?" Whereupon Kamar al-Zaman fell down for +respect and shame before his sire and replied, "O my father, how should I not +hearken to thee, seeing that Allah commandeth me to obey thee and not gain-say +thee?" Rejoined King Shahriman, "O my son, know that I desire to marry thee and +rejoice in thee whilst yet I live, and make thee King over my realm, before my +death." When the Prince heard his sire pronounce these words he bowed his head +awhile, then raised it and said, "O my father, this is a thing which I will +never do; no, not though I drink the cup of death! I know of a surety that the +Almighty hath made obedience to thee a duty in religion; but, Allah upon thee! +press me not in this matter of marriage, nor fancy that I will ever marry my +life long; for that I have read the books both of the ancients and the moderns, +and have come to know all the mischiefs and miseries which have befallen them +through women and their endless artifices. And how excellent is the saying of +the poet, +</p> + +<p> +'He whom the randy motts entrap *<br/> + + Shall never see deliverance!<br/> + +Though build he forts a thousand-fold, *<br/> + + Whose mighty strength lead-plates enhance,[FN#227]<br/> + +Their force shall be of no avail; *<br/> + + These fortresses have not a chance!<br/> + +Women aye deal in treachery *<br/> + + To far and near o'er earth's expanse<br/> + +With fingers dipt in Henna-blood *<br/> + + And locks in braids that mad the glance;<br/> + +And eyelids painted o'er with Kohl *<br/> + + They gar us drink of dire mischance.'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And how excellently saith another, +</p> + +<p> +'Women, for all the chastity they claim, *<br/> + + Are offal cast by kites where'er they list:<br/> + +This night their talk and secret charms are shine, *<br/> + + That night another joyeth calf and wrist:<br/> + +Like inn, whence after night thou far'st at dawn, *<br/> + + And lodges other wight thou hast not wist.'"[FN#228]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when King Shahriman heard these his son's words and learnt the import of +his verses and poetical quotations, he made no answer, of his excessive love +for him, but redoubled in graciousness and kindness to him. He at once broke up +the audience and, as soon as the seance was over, he summoned his Minister and +taking him apart, said to him, "O thou the Wazir! tell me how I shall deal with +my son in the matter of marriage."- -And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted stay. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-second Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King summoned his +Minister; and, taking him apart, said to him, "O thou the Wazir, tell me what I +shall do with my son in the matter of marriage. Of a truth I took counsel with +thee thereon and thou didst counsel me to marry him, before making him King. I +have spoken with him of wedlock time after time and he still gainsaid me; so do +thou, O Wazir, forthright advise me what to do." Answered the Minister, "O +King, wait another year and, if after that thou be minded to speak to him on +the matter of marriage, speak not to him privily, but address him on a day of +state, when all the Emirs and Wazirs are present with the whole of the army +standing before thee. And when all are in crowd then send for thy son, Kamar +al-Zaman, and summon him; and, when he cometh, broach to him the matter of +marriage before the Wazirs and Grandees and Officers of state and Captains; for +he will surely be bashful and daunted by their presence and will not dare to +oppose thy will." Now when King Shahriman heard his Wazir's words, he rejoiced +with exceeding joy, seeing success in the project, and bestowed on him a +splendid robe of honour. Then he took patience with his son another year, +whilst, with every day that passed over him, Kamar al-Zaman increased in beauty +and loveliness, and elegance and perfect grace, till he was nigh twenty years +old. Indeed Allah had clad him in the cloak of comeliness and had crowned him +with the crown of completion: his eye-glance was more bewitching than Hárút and +Marút[FN#229] and the play of his luring looks more misleading than +Tághút;[FN#230] and his cheeks shone like the dawn rosy-red and his eyelashes +stormed the keen-edged blade: the whiteness of his brow resembled the moon +shining bright, and the blackness of his locks was as the murky night; and his +waist was more slender than the gossamer[FN#231] and his back parts than two +sand heaps bulkier, making a Babel of the heart with their softness; but his +waist complained of the weight of his hips and loins; and his charms ravished +all mankind, even as one of the poets saith in these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"By his eyelash tendril curled, by his slender waist I swear,<br/> + +By the dart his witchery feathers, fatal hurtling through the<br/> + + air;<br/> + +By the just roundness of his shape, by his glances bright and<br/> + + keen<br/> + +By the swart limping of his locks, and his fair forehead shining<br/> + + sheen;<br/> + +By his eyebrows which deny that she who looks on them should<br/> + + sleep,<br/> + +Which now commanding, now forbidding, o'er me high dominion keep;<br/> + +By the roses of his cheek, his face as fresh as myrtle wreath<br/> + +His tulip lips, and those pure pearls that hold the places of his<br/> + + teeth;<br/> + +By his noble form, which rises featly turned in even swell<br/> + +To where upon his jutting chest two young pomegranates seem to<br/> + + dwell<br/> + +By his supple moving hips, his taper waist, the silky skin,<br/> + +By all he robbed Perfection of, and holds enchained his form<br/> + + within;<br/> + +By his tongue of steadfastness, his nature true, and excellent,<br/> + +By the greatness of his rank, his noble birth, and high descent,<br/> + +Musk from my love her savour steals, who musk exhales from every<br/> + + limb<br/> + +And all the airs ambergris breathes are but the Zephyr's blow<br/> + + o'er him.<br/> + +The sun, methinks, the broad bright sun, as low before my love<br/> + + should quail<br/> + +As would my love himself transcend the paltry paring of his<br/> + + nail!"[FN#232]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +So King Shahriman, having accepted the counsel of his Wazir, waited for another +year and a great festival,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-third Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shahriman having accepted +the counsel of his Wazir, waited for another year and a great festival, a day +of state when the audience hall was filled with his Emirs and Wazirs and +Grandees of his reign and Officers of State and Captains of might and main. +Thereupon he sent for his son Kamar al-Zaman who came, and kissing the ground +before him three times, stood in presence of his sire with his hands behind his +back the right grasping the left.[FN#233] Then said the King to him, "Know O +my son, that I have not sent for thee on this occasion and summoned thee to +appear before this assembly and all these officers of estate here awaiting our +orders save and except that I may lay a commandment on thee, wherein do thou +not disobey me; and my commandment is that thou marry, for I am minded to wed +thee to a King's daughter and rejoice in thee ere I die." When the Prince heard +this much from his royal sire, he bowed his head groundwards awhile, then +raising it towards his father and being moved thereto at that time by youthful +folly and boyish ignorance, replied, "But for myself I will never marry; no, +not though I drink the cup of death! As for thee, thou art great in age and +small of wit: hast thou not, twice ere this day and before this occasion, +questioned me of the matter of marriage and I refused my consent? Indeed thou +dotest and are not fit to govern a flock of sheep!" So saying Kamar al-Zaman +unclasped his hands from behind his back and tucked up his sleeves above his +elbows before his father, being in a fit of fury; moreover, he added many words +to his sire, knowing not what he said in the trouble of his spirits. The King +was confounded and ashamed, for that this befel in the presence of his grandees +and soldier-officers assembled on a high festival and a state occasion; but +presently the majesty of Kingship took him, and he cried out at his son and +made him tremble. Then he called to the guards standing before him and said, +"Seize him!' So they came forward and laid hands on him and, binding him, +brought him before his sire, who bade them pinion his elbows behind his back +and in this guise make him stand before the presence. And the Prince bowed down +his head for fear and apprehension, and his brow and face were beaded and +spangled with sweat; and shame and confusion troubled him sorely. Thereupon his +father abused him and reviled him and cried, "Woe to thee, thou son of adultery +and nursling of abomination![FN#234] How durst thou answer me on this wise +before my captains and soldiers? But hitherto none hath chastised thee,"—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Shahriman cried out +to his son Kamar al-Zaman, "How durst thou answer me on this wise before my +captains and soldiers? But hitherto none hath chastised thee. Knowest thou not +that this deed thou hast done were a disgrace to him had it been done by the +meanest of my subjects?" And the King commanded his Mamelukes to loose his +elbow bonds and imprison him in one of the bastions of the citadel. So they +took the Prince and thrust him into an old tower, wherein there was a +dilapidated saloon and in its middle a ruined well, after having first swept it +and cleansed its floor-flags and set therein a couch on which they laid a +mattress, a leathern rug and a cushion; and then they brought a great lanthorn +and a wax candle, for that place was dark, even by day. And lastly the +Mamelukes led Kamar al-Zaman thither, and stationed an eunuch at the door. And +when all this was done, the Prince threw himself on the couch, sad-spirited, +and heavy- hearted; blaming himself and repenting of his injurious conduct to +his father, whenas repentance availed him naught, and saying, "Allah curse +marriage and marriageable and married women, the traitresses all! Would I had +hearkened to my father and accepted a wife! Had I so done it had been better +for me than this jail." This is how it fared with him; but as regards King +Shahri man, he remained seated on his throne all through the day until sundown; +then he took the Minister apart and said to him "Know thou, O Wazir, that thou +and thou only west the cause of all this that hath come to pass between me and +my son by the advice thou west pleased to devise; and so what dost thou counsel +me to do now?" Answered he, "O King, leave thy son in limbo for the space of +fifteen days: then summon him to thy presence and bid him wed; and assuredly he +shall not gainsay thee again."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir, said to King +Shahriman, "Leave thy son in limbo for the space of fifteen days; then summon +him to thy presence and bid him wed; and assuredly he shall not gainsay thee +again." The King accepted the Wazir's opinion and lay down to sleep that night +troubled at heart concerning his son; for he loved him with dearest love +because he had no other child but this; and it was his wont every night not to +sleep, save after placing his arm under his son's neck. So he passed that night +in trouble and unease on the Prince 's account, tossing from side to side, as +he were laid on coals of Artemisia-wood[FN#235]: for he was overcome with +doubts and fears and sleep visited him not all that livelong night; but his +eyes ran over with tears and he began repeating, ; +</p> + +<p> +"While slanderers slumber, longsome is my night; *<br/> + + Suffice thee a heart so sad in parting-plight;<br/> + +I say, while night in care slow moments by, *<br/> + + 'What! no return for thee, fair morning light?'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And the saying of another, +</p> + +<p> +"When saw I Pleiad-stars his glance escape *<br/> + + And Pole star draught of sleep upon him pour;<br/> + +And the Bier-daughters[FN#236] wend in mourning dight, *<br/> + + I knew that morning was for him no more!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Such was the case with King Shahriman; but as regards Kamar al- Zaman, when the +night came upon him the eunuch set the lanthorn before him and lighting the +wax-candle, placed it in the candlestick; then brought him somewhat of food. +The Prince ate a little and continually reproached himself for his unseemly +treatment of his father, saying to himself, "O my soul, knowest thou not that a +son of Adam is the hostage of his tongue, and that a man's tongue is what +casteth him into deadly perils?" Then his eyes ran over with tears and he +bewailed that which he had done, from anguished vitals and aching heart, +repenting him with exceeding repentance of the wrong wherewith he had wronged +his father and repeating, +</p> + +<p> +"Fair youth shall die by stumbling of the tongue: *<br/> + + Stumble of foot works not man's life such wrong:<br/> + +The slip of lip shall oft smite off the head, *<br/> + + While slip of foot shall never harm one long."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when he had made an end of eating, he asked for the wherewithal to wash his +hands and when the Mameluke had washed them clean of the remnants of food, he +arose and made the Wuzu-ablution and prayed the prayers of sundown and +nightfall, conjoining them in one; after which he sat down.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Prince Kamar +al-Zaman had prayed (conjoining them in one) the prayers of sundown and +nightfall, he sat down on the well and began reciting the Koran, and he +repeated "The Cow," the "House of Imrán," and "Y. S.;" "The Compassionate," +"Blessed be the King," "Unity" and "The two Talismans''[FN#237]; and he ended +with blessing and supplication and with saying, "I seek refuge with Allah from +Satan the stoned."[FN#238] Then he lay down upon his couch which was covered +with a mattress of satin from al- Ma'adin town, the same on both sides and +stuffed with the raw silk of Irak; and under his head was a pillow filled with +ostrich-down And when ready for sleep, he doffed his outer clothes and drew off +his bag-trousers and lay down in a shirt of delicate stuff smooth as wax; and +he donned a head-kerchief of azure Marázi[FN#239] cloth; and at such time and +on this guise Kamar al-Zaman was like the full-orbed moon, when it riseth on +its fourteenth night. Then, drawing over his head a coverlet of silk, he fell +asleep with the lanthorn burning at his feet and the wax-candle over his head, +and he ceased not sleeping through the first third of the night, not knowing +what lurked for him in the womb of the Future, and what the Omniscient had +decreed for him. Now, as Fate and Fortune would have it, both tower and saloon +were old and had been many years deserted; and there was therein a Roman well +inhabited by a Jinniyah of the seed of Iblis[FN#240] the Accursed, by name +Maymúnah, daughter of Al- Dimiryát, a renowned King of the Jánn.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the name of the Jinniyah +in question was Maymunah, daughter of Al-Dimiryat; a renowned King of the Jann. +And as Kamar al-Zaman continued sleeping till the first third of the night, +Maymunah came up out of the Roman well and made for the firmament, thinking to +listen by stealth to the converse of the angels; but when she reached the mouth +of the well, she saw a light shining in the tower, contrary to custom; and +having dwelt there many years without seeing the like, she said to herself, +"Never have I witnessed aught like this"; and, marvelling much at the matter, +determined that there must be some cause therefor. So she made for the light +and found the eunuch sleeping within the door; and inside she saw a couch +spread, whereon was a human form with the wax-candle burning at his head and +the lanthorn at his feet, and she wondered to see the light and stole towards +it little by little. Then she folded her wings and stood by the bed and, +drawing back the coverlid, discovered Kamar al-Zaman's face. She was motionless +for a full hour in admiration and wonderment; for the lustre of his visage +outshone that of the candle; his face beamed like a pearl with light; his +eyelids were languorous like those of the gazelle; the pupils of his eyes were +intensely black and brilliant[FN#241]; his cheeks were rosy red; his eye-brows +were arched like bows and his breath exhaled a scent of musk, even as saith of +him the poet, +</p> + +<p> +"I kissed him: darker grew those pupils,[FN#242] which *<br/> + + Seduce my soul, and cheeks flushed rosier hue;<br/> + +O heart, if slanderers dare to deem there be *<br/> + + His like in chasms, Say 'Bring him hither, you!' "<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when Maymunah saw him, she pronounced the formula of praise,[FN#243] and +said, "Blessed be Allah, the best of Creators!"; for she was of the +true-believing Jinn; and she stood awhile gazing on his face, exclaiming and +envying the youth his beauty and loveliness. And she said in herself, "By +Allah! I will do no hurt to him nor let any harm him; nay, from all of evil +will I ransom him, for this fair face deserveth not but that folk should gaze +upon it and for it praise the Lord. Yet how could his family find it in their +hearts to leave him in such desert place where, if one of our Márids came upon +him at this hour, he would assuredly slay him." Then the Ifritah Maymunah bent +over him and kissed him between the eyes, and presently drew back the sheet +over his face which she covered up; and after this she spread her wings and +soaring into the air, flew upwards. And after rising high from the circle of +the saloon she ceased not winging her way through air and ascending skywards +till she drew near the heaven of this world, the lowest of the heavens. And +behold, she heard the noisy flapping of wings cleaving the welkin and, +directing herself by the sound, she found when she drew near it that the noise +came from an Ifrit called Dahnash. So she swooped down on him like a +sparrow-hawk and, when he was aware of her and knew her to be Maymunah, the +daughter of the King of the Jinn, he feared her and his side-muscles quivered; +and he implored her forbearance, saying, I conjure thee by the Most Great and +August Name and by the most noble talisman graven upon the seal-ring of +Solomon, entreat me kindly and harm me not!" When she heard these words her +heart inclined to him and she said, "Verily, thou conjurest me, O accursed, +with a mighty conjuration. Nevertheless, I will not let thee go, till thou tell +me whence thou comest at this hour." He replied, "O Princess, Know that I come +from the uttermost end of China-land and from among the Islands, and I will +tell thee of a wonderful thing I have seen this night. If thou kind my words +true, let me wend my way and write me a patent under thy hand and with thy sign +manual that I am thy freedman, so none of the Jinn-hosts, whether of the upper +who fly or of the lower who walk the earth or of those who dive beneath the +waters, do me let or hindrance." Rejoined Maymunah, "And what is it thou hast +seen this night, O liar, O accursed! Tell me without leasing and think not to +escape from my hand with falses, for I swear to thee by the letters graven upon +the bezel of the seal-ring of Solomon David son (on both of whom be peace!), +except thy speech be true, I will pluck out thy feathers with mine own hand and +strip off thy skin and break thy bones!" Quoth the Ifrit Dahnash son of +Shamhúrish[FN#244] the Flyer, "I accept, O my lady, these conditions."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-eight Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Dahnash spoke thus to +Maymunah, "I accept, O my lady, these conditions." Then he resumed, "Know, O my +mistress, that I come to-night from the Islands of the Inland Sea in the parts +of China, which are the realms of King Ghayúr, lord of the Islands and the Seas +and the Seven Palaces. There I saw a daughter of his, than whom Allah hath made +none fairer in her time: I cannot picture her to thee, for my tongue would fail +to describe her with her due of praise; but I will name to thee a somewhat of +her charms by way of approach. Now her hair is like the nights of disunion and +separation and her face like the days of union and delectation; and right well +hath the poet said when picturing her, +</p> + +<p> +'She dispread the locks from her head one night, *<br/> + + Showing four fold nights into one night run<br/> + +And she turned her visage towards the moon, *<br/> + + And two moons showed at moment one.'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +She hath a nose like the edge of the burnished blade and cheeks like purple +wine or anemones blood-red: her lips as coral and carnelian shine and the water +of her mouth is sweeter than old wine; its taste would quench Hell's fiery +pain. Her tongue is moved by wit of high degree and ready repartee: her breast +is a seduction to all that see it (glory be to Him who fashioned it and +finished it!); and joined thereto are two upper arms smooth and rounded; even +as saith of her the poet Al-Walahán,[FN#245] +</p> + +<p> +'She hath wrists which, did her bangles not contain, *<br/> + + Would run from out her sleeves in silvern rain.'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +She hath breasts like two globes of ivory, from whose brightness the moons +borrow light, and a stomach with little waves as it were a figured cloth of the +finest Egyptian linen made by the Copts, with creases like folded scrolls, +ending in a waist slender past all power of imagination; based upon back parts +like a hillock of blown sand, that force her to sit when she would fief stand, +and awaken her, when she fain would sleep, even as saith of her and describeth +her the poet, +</p> + +<p> +'She hath those hips conjoined by thread of waist, *<br/> + + Hips that o'er me and her too tyrannise<br/> + +My thoughts they daze whene'er I think of them, *<br/> + + And weigh her down whene'er she would uprise.'[FN#246]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And those back parts are upborne by thighs smooth and round and by a calf like +a column of pearl, and all this reposeth upon two feet, narrow, slender and +pointed like spear-blades,[FN#247] the handiwork of the Protector and +Requiter, I wonder how, of their littleness, they can sustain what is above +them. But I cut short my praises of her charms fearing lest I be tedious."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Ifrit Dahnash bin +Shamhurish said to the Ifritah Maymunah, "Of a truth I cut short my praises +fearing lest I be tedious." Now when Maymunah heard the description of that +Princess and her beauty and loveliness, she stood silent in astonishment; +whereupon Dahnash resumed, "The father of this fair maiden is a mighty King, a +fierce knight, immersed night and day in fray and fight; for whom death hath no +fright and the escape of his foe no dread, for that he is a tyrant masterful +and a conqueror irresistible, lord of troops and armies and continents and +islands, and cities and villages, and his name is King Ghayur, Lord of the +Islands and of the Seas and of the Seven Palaces. Now he loveth his daughter, +the young maiden whom I have described to thee, with dearest love and, for +affection of her, he hath heaped together the treasures of all the kings and +built her therewith seven palaces, each of a different fashion; the first of +crystal, the second of marble, the third of China steel, the fourth of precious +stones and gems of price, the fifth of porcelain and many-hued onyxes and ring +bezels, the sixth of silver and the seventh of gold. And he hath filled the +seven palaces with all sorts of sumptuous furniture, rich silken carpets and +hangings and vessels of gold and silver and all manner of gear that kings +require; and hath bidden his daughter to abide in each by turns for a certain +season of the year; and her name is the Princess Budur.[FN#248] Now when her +beauty became known and her name and fame were bruited abroad in the +neighbouring countries, all the kings sent to her father to demand her of him +in marriage, and he consulted her on the matter, but she disliked the very word +wedlock with a manner of abhorrence and said, O my father, I have no mind to +marry; no, not at all; for I am a sovereign Lady and a Queen suzerain ruling +over men, and I have no desire for a man who shall rule over me. And the more +suits she refused, the more her suitors' eagerness increased and all the +Royalties of the Inner Islands of China sent presents and rarities to her +father with letters asking her in marriage. So he pressed her again and again +with advice on the matter of espousals; but she ever opposed to him refusals, +till at last she turned upon him angrily and cried, 'O my father, if thou name +matrimony to me once more, I will go into my chamber and take a sword and, +fixing its hilt in the ground, will set its point to my waist; then will I +press upon it, till it come forth from my back, and so slay myself.' Now when +the King heard these her words, the light became darkness in his sight and his +heart burned for her as with a flame of fire, because he feared lest she should +kill herself; and he was filled with perplexity concerning her affair and the +kings her suitors. So he said to her 'If thou be determined not to marry and +there be no help for it abstain from going and coming in and out.' Then he +placed her in a house and shut her up in a chamber, appointing ten old women as +duennas to guard her, and forbade her to go forth to the Seven Palaces; +moreover, he made it appear that he was incensed against her, and sent letters +to all the kings, giving them to know that she had been stricken with madness +by the Jinns; and it is now a year since she hath thus been secluded." Then +continued the Ifrit Dahnash, addressing the Ifritah Maymunah, "And I, O my lady +go to her every night and take my fill of feeding my sight on her face and I +kiss her between the eyes: yet, of my love to her, I do her no hurt neither +mount her, for that her youth is fair and her grace surpassing: every one who +seeth her jealouseth himself for her. I conjure thee, therefore, O my lady, to +go back with me and look on her beauty and loveliness and stature and +perfection of proportion; and after, if thou wilt, chastise me or enslave me; +and win to thy will, for it is shine to bid and to forbid." So saying, the +Ifrit Dahnash bowed his head towards the earth and drooped his wings downward; +but Maymunah laughed at his words and spat in his face and answered, "What is +this girl of whom thou pratest but a potsherd wherewith to wipe after making +water?[FN#249] Faugh! Faugh! By Allah, O accursed, I thought thou hadst some +wondrous tale to tell me or some marvellous news to give me. How would it be if +thou were to sight my beloved? Verily, this night I have seen a young man, whom +if thou saw though but in a dream, thou wouldst be palsied with admiration and +spittle would flow from thy mouth." Asked the Ifrit, "And who and what is this +youth?"; and she answered, "Know, O Dahnash, that there hath befallen the +young man the like of what thou tellest me befel thy mistress; for his father +pressed him again and again to marry, but he refused, till at length his sire +waxed wroth at being opposed and imprisoned him in the tower where I dwell: and +I came up to-night and saw him." Said Dahnash, "O my lady, shew me this youth, +that I may see if he be indeed handsomer than my mistress, the Princess Budur, +or not; for I cannot believe that the like of her liveth in this our age." +Rejoined Maymunah, "Thou liest, O accursed, O most ill-omened of Marids and +vilest of Satans![FN#250] Sure am I that the like of my beloved is not in this +world."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When It was the One Hundred and Eightieth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Ifritah Maymunah +spake thus to the Ifrit Dahnash, "Sure am I that the like of my beloved is not +in this world! Art thou mad to fellow thy beloved with my beloved?" He said, +"Allah upon thee, O my lady, go back with me and look upon my mistress, and +after I will with thee and look upon thy beloved." She answered, "It must needs +be so, O accursed, for thou art a knavish devil; but I will not go with thee +nor shalt thou come with me, save upon condition of a wager which is this. If +the lover thou lovest and of whom thou boastest so bravely, prove handsomer +than mine whom I mentioned and whom I love and of whom I boast, the bet shall +be shine against me; but if my beloved prove the handsomer the bet shall be +mine against thee." Quoth Dahnash the Ifrit, "O my lady, I accept this thy +wager and am satisfied thereat; so come with me to the Islands." Quoth +Maymunah; "No! for the abode of my beloved is nearer than the abode of shine: +here it is under us; so come down with me to see my beloved and after we will +go look upon thy mistress." "I hear and I obey," said Dahnash. So they +descended to earth and alighted in the saloon which the tower contained; then +Maymunah stationed Dahnash beside the bed and, putting out her hand, drew back +the silken coverlet from Kamar al-Zaman's face, when it glittered and glistened +and shimmered and shone like the rising sun. She gazed at him for a moment, +then turning sharply round upon Dahnash said, "Look, O accursed, and be not the +basest of madmen; I am a maid, yet my heart he hath waylaid." So Dahnash looked +at the Prince and long continued gazing steadfastly on him then, shaking his +head, said to Maymunah, "By Allah, O my lady, thou art excusable; but there is +yet another thing to be considered, and this is, that the estate female +differeth from the male. By Allah's might, this thy beloved is the likest of +all created things to my mistress in beauty and loveliness and grace and +perfection; and it is as though they were both cast alike in the mould of +seemlihead." Now when Maymunah heard these words, the light became darkness in +her sight and she dealt him with her wing so fierce a buffet on the head as +well-nigh made an end of him. Then quoth she to him, "I conjure thee, by the +light of his glorious countenance, go at once, O accursed, and bring hither thy +mistress whom thou lovest so fondly and foolishly, and return in haste that we +may lay the twain together and look on them both as they lie asleep side by +side; so shall it appear to us which be the goodlier and more beautiful of the +two. Except thou obey me this very moment, O accursed, I will dart my sparks at +thee with my fire and consume thee; yea, in pieces I will rend thee and into +the deserts cast thee, that to stay at home and wayfarer an example thou be!" +Quoth Dahnash, "O my lady, I will do thy behests, for I know forsure that my +mistress is the fairer and the sweeter." So saying the If rit flew away and +Maymunah flew with him to guard him. They were absent awhile and presently +returned, bearing the young lady, who was clad in a shift of fine Venetian +silk, with a double edging of gold and purfled with the most exquisite of +embroidery having these couplets worked upon the ends of the sleeves, +</p> + +<p> +"Three matters hinder her from visiting us, in fear *<br/> + + Of hate-full, slandering envier and his hired spies:<br/> + +The shining light of brow, the trinkets' tinkling voice, *<br/> + + And scent of essences that tell whene'er she tries:<br/> + +Gi'en that she hide her brow with edge of sleeve, and leave *<br/> + + At home her trinketry, how shall her scent<br/> + + disguise?''[FN#251]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And Dahnash and Maymunah stinted not bearing that young lady till they had +carried her into the saloon and had laid her beside the youth Kamar +al-Zaman.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-first Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Ifrit Dahnash and the +Ifritah Maymunah stinted not bearing Princess Budur till they descended and +laid her on the couch beside Kamar al- Zaman. Then they uncovered both their +faces, and they were the likest of all folk, each to other, as they were twins +or an only brother and sister; and indeed they were a seduction to the pious, +even as saith of them the poet Al-Mubín, +</p> + +<p> +"O heart! be not thy love confined to one, *<br/> + + Lest thou by doting or disdain be undone:<br/> + +Love all the fair, and thou shalt find with them *<br/> + + If this be lost, to thee that shall be won."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And quoth another, +</p> + +<p> +"Mine eyes beheld two lying on the ground; *<br/> + + Both had I loved if on these eyne they lay!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +So Dahnash and Maymunah gazed on them awhile, and he said, "By Allah, O my +lady, it is good! My mistress is assuredly the fairer." She replied, "Not so, +my beloved is the fairer; woe to thee, O Dahnash! Art blind of eye and heart +that lean from fat thou canst not depart? Wilt thou hide the truth? Dost thou +not see his beauty and loveliness and fine stature and symmetry? Out on thee, +hear what I purpose to say in praise of my beloved and, if thou be a lover true +to her thou dost love, do thou the like for her thou Lovest." Then she kissed +Kamar al-Zaman again and again between the eyes and improvised this ode, +</p> + +<p> +"How is this? Why should the blamer abuse thee in his pride?<br/> + +What shall console my heart for thee, that art but slender bough?<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +A Nature Kohl'd[FN#252] eye thou hast that witcheth far and wide;<br/> + +From pure platonic love[FN#253] of it deliverance none I trow!<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Those glances, fell as plundering Turk, to heart such havoc deal<br/> + +As never havocked scymitar made keenest at the curve.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +On me thou layest load of love the heaviest while I feel<br/> + +So feeble grown that under weight of chemisette I swerve.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +My love for thee as wottest well is habit, and my lowe<br/> + +Is nature; to all others false is all the love I tender:<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now were my heart but like to shine I never would say No;<br/> + +Only my wasted form is like thy waist so gracious slender:<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Out on him who in Beauty's robe for moon like charms hath fame,<br/> + +And who is claimed by mouth of men as marvel of his tribe!<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +'Of man what manner may he be' (ask they who flyte and blame)<br/> + +'For whom thy heart is so distressed?' I only cry 'Describe!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Oh stone-entempered heart of him! learn of his yielding grace<br/> + +And bending form to show me grace and yielding to consent.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Oh my Prince Beautiful, thou hast an Overseer in place[FN#254]<br/> + +Who irketh me, and eke a Groom whose wrong cloth ne'er relent.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Indeed he lieth who hath said that all of loveliness<br/> + +Was pent in Joseph: in thy charms there's many and many a Joe!<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +The Genii dread me when I stand and face to face address;<br/> + +But meeting thee my fluttering heart its shame and terror show.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +I take aversion semblance and I turn from thee in fright,<br/> + +But more aversion I assume, more love from me dost claim;<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +That hair of jetty black! That brow e'er raying radiant light! Those eyne +wherein white jostles black![FN#255] That dearling dainty frame!" +</p> + +<p> +When Dahnash heard the poesy which Maymunah spake in praise of her beloved, he +joyed with exceeding joy and marvelled with excessive wonderment.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-second Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Ifrit Dahnash +heard the poesy which Maymunah spake in praise of her beloved, he shook for +exceeding joy and said, "Thou hast celebrated thy beloved in song and thou hast +indeed done well in praise of him whom thou lovest! And there is no help for it +but that I also in my turn do my best to enfame my mistress, and recite +somewhat in her honour." Then the Ifrit went up to the Lady Budur; and' kissing +her between the eyes, looked at Maymunah and at his beloved Princess and +recited the following verses, albeit he had no skill in poesy, +</p> + +<p> +"Love for my fair they chide in angry way; *<br/> + + Unjust for ignorance, yea unjustest they!<br/> + +Ah lavish favours on the love mad, whom *<br/> + + Taste of thy wrath and parting woe shall slay:<br/> + +In sooth for love I'm wet with railing tears, *<br/> + + That rail mine eyelids blood thou mightest say:<br/> + +No marvel what I bear for love, 'tis marvel *<br/> + + That any know my "me" while thou'rt away:<br/> + +Unlawful were our union did I doubt *<br/> + + Thy love, or heart incline to other May."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And eke these words:— +</p> + +<p> +"I feed eyes on their stead by the valley's side, *<br/> + + And I'm slain and my slaver[FN#256] aside hath tried:<br/> + +Grief-wine have I drunken, and down my cheeks *<br/> + + Dance tears to the song of the camel-guide:<br/> + +For union-blessing I strive though sure, *<br/> + + In Budur and Su'ad all my bliss shall bide:[FN#257]<br/> + +Wot I not which of three gave me most to 'plain, *<br/> + + So hear them numbered ere thou decide:<br/> + +Those Sworders her eyne, that Lancer her fig- *<br/> + + -ure, or ring-mail'd Locks which her forehead hide.<br/> + +Quoth she (and I ask of her what so wights *<br/> + + Or abide in towns or in desert ride[FN#258] )<br/> + +To me, 'In thy heart I dwell, look there!' *<br/> + + Quoth I, 'Where's my heart ah where? ah where?'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Maymunah heard these lines from the Ifrit, she said, "Thou hast done well, +O Dahnash! But say thou which of the two is the handsomer?" And he answered, +"My mistress Budur is handsomer than thy beloved!" Cried Maymunah, "Thou liest, +O accursed. Nay, my beloved is more beautiful than shine!" But Dahnash +persisted, "Mine is the fairer." And they ceased not to wrangle and challenge +each other's words till Maymunah cried out at Dahnash and would have laid +violent hands on him, but he humbled himself to her and, softening his speech, +said, "Let not the truth be a grief to thee, and cease we this talk, for all we +say is to testify in favour of our lovers; rather let each of us withdraw the +claim and seek we one who shall judge fairly between us which of the two be +fairer; and by his sentence we will abide." "I agree to this," answered she and +smote the earth with her foot, whereupon there came out of it an Ifrit blind of +an eye, humpbacked and scurvy-skinned, with eye-orbits slit up and down his +face.[FN#259] On his head were seven horns and four locks of hair fell to his +heels; his hands were pitchfork-like and his legs mast-like and he had nails as +the claws of a lion, and feet as the hoofs of the wild ass.[FN#260] When that +If rit rose out of the earth and sighted Maymunah, he kissed the ground before +her and, standing with his hands clasped behind him, said, "What is thy will, O +my mistress, O daughter of my King?"[FN#261] She replied, "O Kashkash, I would +have thee judge between me and this accursed Dahnash." And she made known to +him the matter, from first to last, whereupon the Ifrit Kashkash looked at the +face of the youth and then at the face of the girl; and saw them lying asleep, +embraced, each with an arm under the other's neck, alike in beauty and +loveliness and equal in grace and goodliness. The Marid gazed long upon them, +marvelling at their seemlihead; and, after carefully observing the twain, he +turned to Maymunah and Dahnash, and reseated these couplets. +</p> + +<p> +"Go, visit her thou lovest, and regard not<br/> + +The words detractors utter, envious churls<br/> + +Can never favour love. Oh! sure the Merciful<br/> + +Ne'er made a thing more fair to look upon,<br/> + +Than two fond lovers in each others' arms,<br/> + +Speaking their passion in a mute embrace.<br/> + +When heart has turned to heart, the fools would part them<br/> + +Strike idly on cold steel. So when thou'st found<br/> + +One purely, wholly shine, accept her true heart,<br/> + +And live for her alone. Oh! thou that blamest<br/> + +The love-struck for their love, give o'er thy talk,<br/> + +How canst thou minister to a mind diseased?"[FN#262]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he turned again to Maymunah and Dahnash and said to them, "By Allah, if +you will have the truth, I tell you fairly the twain be equal in beauty, and +loveliness and perfect grace and goodliness, nor can I make any difference +between them on account of their being man and woman. But I have another +thought which is that we wake each of them in turn, without the knowledge of +the other, and whichever is the more enamoured shall be held inferior in +seemlihead and comeliness." Quoth Maymunah, "Right is this recking," and quoth +Dahnash, "I consent to this." Then Dahnash changed himself to the form of a +flea and bit Kamar al-Zaman, whereupon he started from sleep in a fright.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-third Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Dahnash changed himself +to the form of a flea and bit Kamar al-Zaman who started from sleep in a fright +and rubbed the bitten part, his neck, and scratched it hard because of the +smart. Then turning sideways, he found lying by him something whose breath was +sweeter than musk and whose skin was softer than cream. Hereat marvelled he +with great marvel and he sat up and looked at what lay beside him; when he saw +it to be a young lady like an union pearl, or a shining sun, or a dome seen +from afar on a well built wall; for she was five feet tall, with a shape like +the letter Alif[FN#263], bosomed high and rosy checked; even as saith of her +the poet, +</p> + +<p> +"Four things which ne'er conjoin, unless it be *<br/> + + To storm my vitals and to shed my blood:<br/> + +Brow white as day and tresses black as night *<br/> + + Cheeks rosy red and lips which smiles o'erflood."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And also quoth another, +</p> + +<p> +"A Moon she rises, Willow wand she waves, *<br/> + + Breathes Ambergris, and gazes, a Gazelle:<br/> + +Meseems that sorrow woes my heart and wins *<br/> + + And, when she wendeth hastes therein to dwell!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when Kamar al-Zaman saw the Lady Budur, daughter of King Ghayur, and her +beauty and comeliness, she was sleeping clad in a shift of Venetian silk, +without her petticoat-trousers, and wore on her head a kerchief embroidered +with gold and set with stones of price: her ears were hung with twin earrings +which shone like constellations and round her neck was a collar of union +pearls, of size unique, past the competence of any King. When he saw this, his +reason was confounded and natural heat began to stir in him; Allah awoke in him +the desire of coition and he said to himself, "Whatso Allah willeth, that shall +be, and what He willeth not shall never be!" So saying, he put out his hand +and, turning her over, loosed the collar of her chemise; then arose before his +sight her bosom, with its breasts like double globes of ivory; whereat his +inclination for her redoubled and he desired her with exceeding hot desire, He +would have awakened her but she would not awake, for Dahnash had made her sleep +heavy; so he shook her and moved her, saying, "O my beloved, awake and look on +me; I am Kamar al-Zaman." But she awoke not, neither moved her head; where-upon +he considered her case for a long hour and said to himself, "If I guess aright, +this is the damsel to whom my father would have married me and these three +years past I have refused her; but Inshallah!—God willing—as soon as it is +dawn, I will say to him, 'Marry me to her, that I may enjoy her.'"—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman said to +himself, "By Allah, when I see dawn I will say to my sire, 'Marry me to her +that I may enjoy her'; nor will I let half the day pass ere I possess her and +take my fill of her beauty and loveliness." Then he bent over Budur to buss +her, whereat the Jinniyah Maymunah trembled and was abashed and Dahnash, the +Ifrit, was like to fly for joy. But, as Kamar al- Zaman was about to kiss her +upon the mouth, he was ashamed before Allah and turned away his head and +averted his face, saying to his heart, "Have patience." Then he took thought +awhile and said, "I will be patient; haply my father when he was wroth with me +and sent me to this jail, may have brought my young lady and made her lie by my +side to try me with her, and may have charged her not to be readily awakened +when I would arouse her, and may have said to her, 'Whatever thing Kamar +al-Zaman do to thee, make me ware thereof'; or belike my sire standeth hidden +in some stead whence (being himself unseen) he can see all I do with this young +lady; and to morrow he will scold me and cry, 'How cometh it that thou sayest, +I have no mind to marry; and yet thou didst kiss and embrace yonder damsel?' So +I will withhold myself lest I be ashamed before my sire; and the right and +proper thing to do is not to touch her at this present, nor even to look upon +her, except to take from her somewhat which shall serve as a token to me and a +memorial of her; that some sign endure between me and her." Then Kamar al-Zaman +raised the young lady's hand and took from her little finger a seal-ring worth +an immense amount of money, for that its bezel was a precious jewel and around +it were graven these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Count not that I your promises forgot, *<br/> + + Despite the length of your delinquencies<br/> + +Be generous, O my lord, to me inclining; *<br/> + + Haply your mouth and cheeks these lips may kiss:<br/> + +By Allah, ne'er will I relinquish you *<br/> + + Albe you will transgress love's boundaries."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then Kamar al-Zaman took the seal-ring from the little finger of Queen Budur +and set it on his own; then, turning his back to her, went to sleep.[FN#264] +When Maymunah the Jinniyah saw this, she was glad and said to Dahnash and +Kashkash, "Saw ye how my beloved Kamar al-Zaman bore himself chastely towards +this young lady? Verily, this was of the perfection of his good gifts; for +observe you twain how he looked on her and noted her beauty and loveliness, and +yet embraced her not neither kissed her nor put his hand to her, but turned his +back and slept." Answered they, "Even so!" Thereupon Maymunah changed herself +into a flea and entering into the raiment of Budur, the loved of Dahnash, crept +up her calf and came upon her thigh and, reaching a place some four +carats[FN#265] below her navel, there bit her. Thereupon she opened her eyes +and sitting up in bed, saw a youth lying beside her and breathing heavily in +his sleep, the loveliest of Almighty Allah's creatures, with eyes that put to +shame the fairest Houris of Heaven; and a mouth like Solomon's seal, whose +water was sweeter to the taste and more efficacious than a theriack, and lips +the colour of coral-stone, and cheeks like the blood red anemone, even as saith +one, describing him in these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"My mind's withdrawn from Zaynab and Nawár[FN#266] *<br/> + + By rosy cheeks that growth of myrtle bear;<br/> + +I love a fawn, a tunic-vested boy, *<br/> + + And leave the love of bracelet-wearing Fair:<br/> + +My mate in hall and closet is unlike *<br/> + + Her that I play with, as at home we pair.<br/> + +Oh thou, who blam'st my flight from Hind and Zaynab, *<br/> + + The cause is clear as dawn uplighting air!<br/> + +Would'st have me fare[FN#267] a slave, the thrall of thrall, *<br/> + + Cribbed, pent, confined behind the bar and wall?"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when Princess Budur saw him, she was seized by a transport of passion and +yearning and love-longing,—And Shahrazad per ceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Princess Budur saw +Kamar al-Zaman she was forthwith seized with a transport of passion and +yearning and love longing, and she said to herself, "Alas, my shame! This is a +strange youth and I know him not. How cometh he to be lying by my side on one +bed?" Then she looked at him a second time and, noting his beauty and +loveliness, said, "By Allah, he is indeed a comely youth and my heart[FN#268] +is well-nigh torn in sunder with longing for him! But alas, how am I shamed by +him! By the Almighty, had I known it was this youth who sought me in marriage +of my father, I had not rejected him, but had wived with him and enjoyed his +loveliness!" Then she gazed in his face and said, "O my lord and light of mine +eyes, awake from sleep and take thy pleasure in my beauty and grace." And she +moved him with her hand; but Maymunah the Jinniyah let down sleep upon him as +it were a curtain, and pressed heavily on his head with her wings so that +Kamar al-Zaman awoke not. Then Princess Budur shook him with her hands and +said, "My life on thee, hearken to me; awake and up from thy sleep and look on +the narcissus and the tender down thereon, and enjoy the sight of naked waist +and navel; and touzle me and tumble me from this moment till break of day! +Allah upon thee, O my lord, sit up and prop thee against the pillow and +slumber not!" Still Kamar al-Zaman made her no reply but breathed hard in his +sleep. Continued she, "Alas! Alas! thou art insolent in thy beauty and +comeliness and grace and loving looks! But if thou art handsome, so am I +handsome; what then is this thou dost? Have they taught thee to flout me or +hath my father, the wretched old fellow,[FN#269] made thee swear not to speak +to me to-night?" But Kamar al-Zaman opened not his mouth neither awoke, +whereat her passion for him redoubled and Allah inflamed her heart with love +of him. She stole one glance of eyes that cost her a thousand sighs: her heart +fluttered, and her vitals throbbed and her hands and feet quivered; and she +said to Kamar al-Zaman "Talk to me, O my lord! Speak to me, O my friend! +Answer me, O my beloved, and tell me thy name, for indeed thou hast ravished +my wit!" And during all this time he abode drowned in sleep and answered her +not a word, and Princess Budur sighed and said, "Alas! Alas! why art thou so +proud and self satisfied?" Then she shook him and turning his hand over, saw +her seal-ring on his little finger, whereat she cried a loud cry, and followed +it with a sigh of passion and said, "Alack! Alack! By Allah, thou art my +beloved and thou lovest me! Yet thou seemest to turn thee away from me out of +coquetry, for all, O my darling, thou camest to me, whilst I was asleep and +knew not what thou didst with me, and tookest my seal-ring; and yet I will not +pull it off thy finger." So saying, she opened the bosom of his shirt and bent +over him and kissed him and put forth her hand to him, seeking somewhat that +she might take as a token, but found nothing. Then she thrust her hand into +his breast and, because of the smoothness of his body, it slipped down to his +waist and thence to his navel and thence to his yard, whereupon her heart +ached and her vitals quivered and lust was sore upon her, for that the desire +of women is fiercer than the desire of men,[FN#270] and she was ashamed of her +own shamelessness. Then she plucked his seal-ring from his finger, and put it +on her own instead of the ring he had taken, and bussed his inner lips and +hands, nor did she leave any part of him unkissed; after which she took him to +her breast and embraced him and, laying one of her hands under his neck and +the other under his arm-pit, nestled close to him and fell asleep by his +side.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One hundred and Eighty-sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Princess Budur fell +asleep by the side of Kamar al-Zaman, after doing that which she did, quoth +Maymunah to Dahnash, Night thou, O accursed, how proudly and coquettishly my +beloved bore himself, and how hotly and passionately thy mistress showed +herself to my dearling? There can be no doubt that my beloved is handsomer than +shine; nevertheless I pardon thee." Then she wrote him a document of +manumission and turned to Kashkash and said, "Go, help Dahnash to take up his +mistress and aid him to carry her back to her own place, for the night waneth +apace and there is but little left of it." "I hear and I obey;" answered +Kashkash. So the two Ifrits went forward to Princess Budur and upraising her +flew away with her; then, bearing her back to her own place, they laid her on +her bed, whilst Maymunah abode alone with Kamar al-Zaman, gazing upon him as he +slept, till the night was all but spent, when she went her way. As soon as +morning morrowed, the Prince awoke from sleep and turned right and left, but +found not the maiden by him and said in his mind, "What is this business? It is +as if my father would incline me to marriage with the damsel who was with me +and have now taken her away by stealth, to the intent that my desire for +wedlock may redouble." Then he called out to the eunuch who slept at the door, +saying, "Woe to thee, O damned one, arise at once!" So the eunuch rose, bemused +with sleep, and brought him basin and ewer, whereupon Kamar al-Zaman entered +the water closet and did his need;[FN#271] then, coming out made the +Wuzu-ablution and prayed the dawn-prayer, after which he sat telling on his +beads the ninety-and-nine names of Almighty Allah. Then he looked up and, +seeing the eunuch standing in service upon him, said, "Out on thee, O Sawáb! +Who was it came hither and took away the young lady from my side and I still +sleeping?" Asked the eunuch, 'O my lord, what manner of young lady?" "The young +lady who lay with me last night," replied Kamar al-Zaman. The eunuch was +startled at his words and said to him, "By Allah, there hath been with thee +neither young lady nor other! How should young lady have come in to thee, when +I was sleeping in the doorway and the door was locked? By Allah, O my lord, +neither male nor female hath come in to thee!" Exclaimed the Prince, "Thou +liest, O pestilent slave!: is it of thy competence also to hoodwink me and +refuse to tell me what is become of the young lady who lay with me last night +and decline to inform me who took her away?" Replied the eunuch (and he was +affrighted at him), "By Allah, O my lord, I have seen neither young lady nor +young lord!" His words only angered Kamar al-Zaman the more and he said to him, +"O accursed one, my father hath indeed taught thee deceit! Come hither." So the +eunuch came up to him, and the Prince took him by the collar and dashed him to +the ground; whereupon he let fly a loud fart[FN#272] and Kamar al-Zaman, +kneeling upon him, kicked him and throttled him till he fainted away. Then he +dragged him forth and tied him to the well-rope, and let him down like a bucket +into the well and plunged him into the water, then drew him up and lowered him +down again. Now it was hard winter weather, and Kamar al-Zaman ceased not to +plunge the eunuch into the water and pull him up again and douse him and haul +him whilst he screamed and called for help; and the Prince kept on saying "By +Allah, O damned one, I will not draw thee up out of this well till thou tell me +and fully acquaint me with the story of the young lady and who it was took her +away, whilst I slept."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One and Eighty-seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman said to +the eunuch, "By Allah! I will not draw thee up out of this well until thou tell +me the story of the young lady and who it was took her away whilst I slept." +Answered the eunuch, after he had seen death staring him in the face; "O my +lord, let me go and I will relate to thee the truth and the whole tale." So +Kamar al-Zaman pulled him up out of the well, all but dead for suffering, what +with cold and the pain of dipping and dousing, drubbing and dread of drowning. +He shook like cane in hurricane, his teeth were clenched as by cramp and his +clothes were drenched and his body befouled and torn by the rough sides of the +well: briefly he was in a sad pickle. Now when Kamar al-Zaman saw him in this +sorry plight, he was concerned for him; but, as soon as the eunuch found +himself on the floor, he said to him, "O my lord, let me go and doff my clothes +and wring them out and spread them in the sun to dry, and don others; after +which I will return to thee forthwith and tell thee the truth of the matter." +Answered the Prince, "O rascal slave! hadst thou not seen death face to face, +never hadst thou confessed to fact nor told me a word; but go now and do thy +will, and then come back to me at once and tell me the truth." Thereupon the +eunuch went out, hardly crediting his escape, and ceased not running, stumbling +and rising in his haste, till he came in to King Shahriman, whom he found +sitting at talk with his Wazir of Kamar al-Zaman's case. The King was saying to +the Minister, "I slept not last night, for anxiety concerning my son, Kamar +al-Zaman and indeed I fear lest some harm befal him in that old tower. What +good was there in imprisoning him?" Answered the Wazir, "Have no care for him. +By Allah, no harm will befal him! None at all! Leave him in prison for a month +till his temper yield and his spirit be broken and he return to his senses." As +the two spoke behold, up rushed the eunuch, in the aforesaid plight, making to +the King who was troubled at sight of him; and he cried "O our lord the Sultan! +Verily, thy son's wits are fled and he hath gone mad, he hath dealt with me +thus and thus, so that I am become as thou seest me, and he kept saying, 'A +young lady lay with me this night and stole away secretly whilst I slept. Where +is she?' And he insisteth on my letting him know where she is and on my telling +him who took her away. But I have seen neither girl nor boy: the door was +locked all through the night, for I slept before it with the key under my head, +and I opened to him in the morning with my own hand. When King Shahriman heard +this, he cried out, saying, "Alas, my son!;" and he was enraged with sore rage +against the Wazir, who had been the cause of all this case and said to him, "Go +up, bring me news of my son and see what hath befallen his mind." So the Wazir +rose and, stumbling over his long skirts, in his fear of the King's wrath, +hastened with the slave to the tower. Now the sun had risen and when the +Minister came in to Kamar al-Zaman, he found him sitting on the couch reciting +the Koran; so he saluted him and seated himself by his side, and said to him, +"O my lord, this wretched eunuch brought us tidings which troubled and alarmed +us and which incensed the King." Asked Kamar al-Zaman, "And what hath he told +you of me to trouble my father? In good sooth he hath troubled none but me." +Answered the Wazir, "He came to us in fulsome state and told us of thee a thing +which Heaven forfend; and the slave added a lie which it befitteth not to +repeat, Allah preserve thy youth and sound sense and tongue of eloquence, and +forbid to come from thee aught of offense!" Quoth the Prince, "O Wazir, and +what thing did this pestilent slave say of me?" The Minister replied, "He told +us that thy wits had taken leave of thee and thou wouldst have it that a young +lady lay with thee last night, and thou west instant with him to tell thee +whither she went and thou diddest torture him to that end." But when Kamar +al-Zaman heard these words, he was enraged with sore rage and he said to the +Wazir, "'Tis manifest to me in very deed that you people taught the eunuch to +do as he did."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +per misted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar al-Zaman heard +the words of the Wazir he was enraged with sore rage and said to him, "'Tis +manifest to me in very deed that you people taught the eunuch to do as he did +and forbade him to tell me what became of the young lady who lay with me last +night. But thou, O Wazir, art cleverer than the eunuch, so do thou tell me +without stay or delay, whither went the young lady who slept on my bosom last +night; for it was you who sent her and bade her steep in my embrace and we lay +together till dawn; but, when I awoke, I found her not. So where is she now?" +Said the Wazir, "O my lord Kamar al-Zaman, Allah's name encompass thee about! +By the Almighty, we sent none to thee last night, but thou layest alone, with +the door locked on thee and the eunuch sleeping behind it, nor did there come +to thee young lady or any other. Regain thy reason, O my lord, and stablish thy +senses and occupy not thy mind with vanities." Rejoined Kamar al-Zaman who was +incensed at his words, "O Wazir, the young lady in question is my beloved, the +fair one with the black eyes and rosy cheeks, whom I held in my arms all last +night." So the Minister wondered at his words and asked him, "Didst thou see +this damsel last night with shine own eyes on wake or in sleep?" Answered Kamar +al-Zaman, "O ill- omened old man, dost thou fancy I saw her with my ears? +Indeed, I saw her with my very eyes and awake, and I touched her with my hand, +and I watched by her full half the night, feeding my vision on her beauty and +loveliness and grace and tempting looks. But you had schooled her and charged +her to speak no word to me; so she feigned sleep and I lay by her side till +dawn, when I awoke and found her gone." Rejoined the Wazir, "O my lord Kamar +al- Zaman, haply thou sawest this in thy sleep; it must have been a delusion of +dreams or a deception caused by eating various kinds of food, or a suggestion +of the accursed devils." Cried the Prince, "O pestilent old man! wilt thou too +make a mock of me and tell me this was haply a delusion of dreams, when that +eunuch confessed to the young lady, saying, 'At once I will return to thee and +tell thee all about her?'" With these words, he sprang up and rushed at the +Wazir and gripped hold of his beard (which was long[FN#273]) and, after +gripping it, he twisted his hand in it and haling him off the couch, threw him +on the floor. It seemed to the Minister as though his soul departed his body +for the violent plucking at his beard; and Kamar al-Zaman ceased not kicking +the Wazir and basting his breast and ribs and cuffing him with open hand on the +nape of his neck till he had well-nigh beaten him to death. Then said the old +man in his mind, "Just as the eunuch-slave saved his life from this lunatic +youth by telling him a lie, thus it is even fitter that I do likewise; else he +will destroy me. So now for my lie to save myself, he being mad beyond a +doubt." Then he turned to Kamar al-Zaman and said, "O my lord, pardon me; for +indeed thy father charged me to conceal from thee this affair of the young +lady; but now I am weak and weary and wounded with funding; for I am an old man +and lack strength and bottom to endure blows. Have, therefore, a little +patience with me and I will tell thee all and acquaint thee with the story of +the young woman." When the Prince heard this, he left off drubbing him and +said, "Wherefore couldst thou not tell me the tale until after shame and blows? +Rise now, unlucky old man that thou art, and tell me her story." Quoth the +Wazir, "Say, dost thou ask of the young lady with the fair face and perfect +form?" Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, "Even so! Tell me, O Wazir, who it was that led +her to me and laid her by my side, and who was it that took her away from me by +night; and let me know forthright whither she is gone, that I myself may go to +her at once. If my father did this deed to me that he might try me by means of +that beautiful girl, with a view to our marriage, I consent to wed her and free +myself of this trouble; for he did all these dealings with me only because I +refused wedlock. But now I consent and I say again, I consent to matrimony: so +tell this to my father, O Wazir, and advise him to marry me to that young lady; +for I will have none other and my heart loveth none save her alone. Now rise up +at once and haste thee to my father and counsel him to hurry on our wedding and +bring me his answer within this very hour." Rejoined the Wazir, "'Tis well!" +and went forth from him, hardly believing himself out of his hands. Then he set +off from the tower, walking and tripping up as he went, for excess of fright +and agitation, and he ceased not hurrying till he came in to King +Shahriman.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Eighty-nineth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir, fared forth +from the tower, and ceased not running till he came in to King Shahriman, who +said to him as he sighted him, "O thou Wazir, what man hath brought thee to +grief and whose mischief hath treated thee in way unlief; how happeneth it that +I see thee dumb foundered and coming to me thus astounded?" Replied the Wazir, +"O King! I bring thee good news." "And what is it?" quoth Shahriman, and quoth +the Wazir, "Know that thy son Kamar al- Zaman's wits are clean gone and that he +hath become stark mad." Now when the King heard these words of the Minister, +light became darkness in his sight and he said, "O Wazir, make clear to me the +nature of his madness." Answered the Wazir, "O my lord, I hear and I obey." +Then he told him that such and such had passed and acquainted him with all that +his son had done; whereupon the King said to him, "Hear, O Wazir, the good +tidings which I give thee in return for this thy fair news of my son's +insanity; and it shall be the cutting off of thy head and the forfeiture of my +favour, O most ill-omened of Wazirs and foulest of Emirs! for I feel that thou +hast caused my son's disorder by the wicked advice and the sinister counsel +thou hast given me first and last. By Allah, if aught of mischief or madness +have befallen my son I will most assuredly nail thee upon the palace dome and +make thee drain the bitterest draught of death!'' Then he sprang up and, taking +the Wazir, with him, fared straight for the tower and entered it. And when +Kamar al-Zaman saw the two, he rose to his father in haste from the couch +whereon he sat and kissing his hands drew back and hung down his head and stood +before him with his arms behind him, and thus remained for a full hour. Then he +raised his head towards his sire; the tears gushed from his eyes and streamed +down his cheeks and he began repeating, +</p> + +<p> +"Forgive the sin 'neath which my limbs are trembling,<br/> + +For the slave seeks for mercy from his master;<br/> + +I've done a fault, which calls for free confession,<br/> + +Where shall it call for mercy, and forgiveness?''[FN#274]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When the King heard this, he arose and embraced his son, and kissing him +between the eyes, made him sit by his side on the couch; then he turned to the +Wazir, and, looking on him with eyes of wrath, said, "O dog of Wazirs, how +didst thou say of my son such and such things and make my heart quake for him?" +Then he turned to the Prince and said, "O my son, what is to-day called?" He +answered, "O my father, this day is the Sabbath, and to morrow is First day: +then come Second day, Third, Fourth, Fifth day and lastly Friday."[FN#275] +Exclaimed the King, "O my son, O Kamar al-Zaman, praised be Allah for the +preservation of thy reason! What is the present month called in our Arabic?" +"Zú'l Ka'adah," answered Kamar al-Zaman, "and it is followed by Zú'l hijjah; +then cometh Muharram, then Safar, then Rabí'a the First and Rabí'a the Second, +the two Jamádás, Rajab, Sha'aban, Ramazán and Shawwál." At this the King +rejoiced exceedingly and spat in the Wazir's face, saying, "O wicked old man, +how canst thou say that my son is mad? And now none is mad but thou." Hereupon +the Minister shook his head and would have spoken, but bethought himself to +wait awhile and see what might next befal. Then the King said to his child, "O +my son, what words be these thou saddest to the eunuch and the Wazir, +declaring, 'I was sleeping with a fair damsel this night?'[FN#276] What damsel +is this of whom thou speakest?" Then Kamar al-Zaman laughed at his father's +words and replied, "O my father, know that I can bear no more jesting; so add +me not another mock or even a single word on the matter, for my temper hath +waxed short by that you have done with me. And know, O my father, with assured +knowledge, that I consent to marry, but on condition that thou give me to wife +her who lay by my side this night; for I am certain it was thou sentest her to +me and madest me in love with her and then despatchedst a message to her before +the dawn and tookest her away from beside me." Rejoined the King, "The name of +Allah encompass thee about, O my son, and be thy wit preserved from +witlessness!"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Ninetieth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth King Shahriman to +his son Kamar al-Zaman, "The name of Allah encompass thee about, O my son, and +be thy wit preserved from witlessness! What thing be this young lady whom thou +fanciest I sent to thee last night and then again that I sent to withdraw her +from thee before dawn? By the Lord, O my son, I know nothing of this affair, +and Allah upon thee, tell me if it be a delusion of dreaming or a deception +caused by indisposition. For verily thou layest down to sleep last night with +thy mind occupied anent marriage and troubled with the talk of it (Allah damn +marriage and the hour when I spake of it and curse him who counselled it!); and +without doubt or diffidence I can say that being moved in mind by the mention +of wedlock thou dreamedst that a handsome young lady embraced thee and didst +fancy thou sawest her when awake. But all this, O my son, is but an imbroglio +of dreams." Replied Kamar al-Zaman, "Leave this talk and swear to me by Allah, +the All creator, the Omniscient; the Humbler of the tyrant Caesars and the +Destroyer of the Chosroes, that thou knowest naught of the young lady nor of +her woning-place." Quoth the King, "By the Might of Allah Almighty, the God of +Moses and Abraham, I know naught of all this and never even heard of it; it is +assuredly a delusion of dreams thou hast seen in sleep.' Then the Prince +replied to his sire, "I will give thee a self evident proof that it happened to +me when on wake."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-first Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al Zamar said to +his sire, "I will give thee a self-evident proof that this happened to me when +on wake. Now let me ask thee, did it ever befal any man to dream that he was +battling a sore battle and after to awake from sleep and find in his hand a +sword-blade besmeared with blood? Answered the King, "No, by Allah, O my son, +this hath never been." Rejoined Kamar al-Zaman, "I will tell thee what happened +to me and it was this. Meseemed I awoke from sleep in the middle of the past +night and found a girl lying by my side, whose form was like mine and whose +favour was as mine. I embraced her and turned her about with my hand and took +her seal- ring, which I put on my finger, and she pulled off my ring and put it +on hers. Then I went to sleep by her side, but refrained from her for shame of +thee, deeming that thou hadst sent her to me, intending to tempt me with her +and incline me to marriage, and suspecting thee to be hidden somewhere whence +thou couldst see what I did with her. And I was ashamed even to kiss her on the +mouth for thy account, thinking over this temptation to wedlock; and, when I +awoke at point of day, I found no trace of her, nor could I come at any news of +her, and there befel me what thou knowest of with the eunuch and with the +Wazir. How then can this case have been a dream and a delusion, when the ring +is a reality? Save for her ring on my finger I should indeed have deemed it a +dream; but here is the ring on my little finger: look at it, O King, and see +what is its worth." So saying he handed the ring to his father, who examined it +and turned it over, then looked to his son and said, "Verily, there is in this +ring some mighty mystery and some strange secret. What befel thee last night +with the girl is indeed a hard nut to crack, and I know not how intruded upon +us this intruder. None is the cause of all this posher save the Wazir; but, +Allah upon thee, O my son, take patience, so haply the Lord may turn to +gladness this thy grief and to thy sadness bring complete relief: as quoth one +of the poets, +</p> + +<p> +'Haply shall Fortune draw her rein, and bring *<br/> + + Fair chance, for she is changeful, jealous, vain:<br/> + +Still I may woo my want and wishes win, *<br/> + + And see on heels of care unfair, the fain.'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And now, O my son, I am certified at this hour that thou art not mad; but thy +case is a strange one which none can clear up for thee save the Almighty." +Cried the Prince, "By Allah, O my father, deal kindly with me and seek out this +young lady and hasten her coming to me; else I shall die of woe and of my death +shall no one know." Then he betrayed the ardour of his passion; and turned +towards his father and repeated these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"If your promise of personal call prove untrue, *<br/> + + Deign in vision to grant me an interview:<br/> + +Quoth they, 'How can phantom[FN#277] appear to the sight *<br/> + + Of a youth, whose sight is fordone, perdue?'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then, after ending his poetry, Kamar al-Zaman again turned to his father, with +submission and despondency, and shedding tears in flood, began repeating these +lines.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-second Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar al-Zaman had +repeated to his father these verses, he wept and complained and groaned from a +wounded heart; and added these lines, +</p> + +<p> +"Beware that eye glance which hath magic might; *<br/> + + Wherever turn those orbs it bars our flight:<br/> + +Nor be deceived by low sweet voice, that breeds *<br/> + + A fever festering in the heart and sprite:<br/> + +So soft that silky skin, were rose to touch it *<br/> + + She'd cry and tear-drops rain for pain and fright:<br/> + +Did Zephyr e'en in sleep pass o'er her land, *<br/> + + Scented he'd choose to dwell in scented site:<br/> + +Her necklets vie with tinkling of her belt; *<br/> + + Her wrists strike either wristlet dumb with spite:<br/> + +When would her bangles buss those rings in ear, *<br/> + + Upon the lover's eyne high mysteries 'light:<br/> + +I'm blamed for love of her, nor pardon claim; *<br/> + + Eyes are not profiting which lack foresight:<br/> + +Heaven strip thee, blamer mine! unjust art thou; *<br/> + + Before this fawn must every eye low bow."[FN#278]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +After which he said, "By Allah, O my father, I cannot endure to be parted from +her even for an hour." The King smote hand upon hand and exclaimed, "There is +no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! No +cunning contrivance can profit us in this affair." Then he took his son by the +hand and carried him to the palace, where Kamar al-Zaman lay down on the bed of +languor and the King sat at his head, weeping and mourning over him and leaving +him not, night or day, till at last the Wazir came in to him and said, "O King +of the age and the time, how long wilt thou remain shut up with thy son and +hide thyself from thy troops. Haply, the order of thy realm may be deranged, by +reason of shine absence from thy Grandees and Officers of State. It behoveth +the man of understanding, if he have various wounds in his body, to apply him +first to medicine the most dangerous; so it is my counsel to thee that thou +remove thy son from this place to the pavilion which is in the palace +overlooking the sea; and shut thyself up with him there, setting apart in every +week two days, Thursday and Monday, for state receptions and progresses and +reviews. On these days let shine Emirs and Wazirs and Chamberlains and Viceroys +and high Officials and Grandees of the realm and the rest of the levies and the +lieges have access to thee and submit their affairs to thee; and do thou their +needs and judge among them and give and take with them and bid and forbid. And +the rest of the week thou shalt pass with thy son, Kamar al-Zaman, and cease +not thus doing till Allah shall vouchsafe relief to you twain. Think not, O +King, that thou art safe from the shifts of Time and the strokes of Change +which come like a traveller in the night; for the wise man is ever on his guard +and how well saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> +'Thou deemedst well of Time when days went well, *<br/> + + And fearedst not what ills might bring thee Fate:<br/> + +The Nights so fair and restful cozened thee, *<br/> + + For peaceful Nights bring woes of heavy weight.<br/> + +Oh children of mankind whom Time befriends, *<br/> + + Beware of Time's deceits or soon or late!'''[FN#279]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When the Sultan heard his Wazir's words he saw that they were right and deemed +his counsel wise, and it had effect upon him for he feared lest the order of +the state be deranged; so he rose at once and bade transport his son from his +sick room to the pavilion in the palace overlooking the sea. Now this palace +was girt round by the waters and was approached by a causeway twenty cubits +wide. It had windows on all sides commanding an ocean- view; its floor was +paved with parti-coloured marbles and its ceiling was painted in the richest +pigments and figured with gold and lapis-lazuli. They furnished it for Kamar +al-Zaman with splendid upholstery, embroidered rugs and carpets of the richest +silk; and they clothed the walls with choice brocades and hung curtains +bespangled with gems of price. In the midst they set him a couch of +juniper[FN#280]-wood inlaid with pearls and jewels, and Kamar al-Zaman sat down +thereon, but the excess of his concern and passion for the young lady had +wasted his charms and emaciated his body; he could neither eat nor drink nor +sleep; and he was like a man who had been sick twenty years of sore sickness. +His father seated himself at his head, grieving for him with the deepest grief, +and every Monday and Thursday he gave his Wazirs and Emirs and Chamberlains and +Viceroys and Lords of the realm and levies and the rest of his lieges leave to +come up to him in that pavilion. So they entered and did their several service +and duties and abode with him till the end of the day, when they went their +ways and the King returned to his son in the pavilion whom he left not night +nor day; and he ceased not doing on this wise for many days and nights. Such +was the case with Kamar al-Zaman, son of King Shahriman; but as regards +Princess Budur, daughter of King Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and the Seven +Palaces, when the two Jinns bore her up and laid her on her bed, she slept till +daybreak, when she awoke and sitting upright looked right and left, but saw not +the youth who had lain in her bosom. At this her vitals fluttered, her reason +fled and she shrieked a loud shriek which awoke all her slave girls and nurses +and duennas. They flocked in to her; and the chief of them came forward and +asked, "What aileth thee, O my lady?" Answered the Princess, "O wretched old +woman, where is my beloved, the handsome youth who lay last night in my bosom? +Tell me whither he is gone." Now when the duenna heard this, the light +starkened in her sight and she feared from her mischief with sore affright, and +said to her, "O my Lady Budur, what unseemly words are these?" Cried the +Princess, "Woe to thee pestilent crone that thou art! I ask thee again where is +my beloved, the goodly youth with the shining face and the slender form, the +jetty eyes and the joined eyebrows, who lay with me last night from supper-tide +until near daybreak?" She rejoined "By Allah, O my lady, I have seen no young +man nor any other. I conjure thee, carry not this unseemly jest too far lest we +all lose our lives; for perhaps the joke may come to thy father's ears and who +shall then deliver us from his hand?"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-third Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the duenna bespake the +Lady Budur in these words, "Allah upon thee, O my lady! carry not this unseemly +jest too far; for perhaps it may come to thy father's ears, and who shall then +deliver us from his hand?" The Princess rejoined, "In very sooth a youth lay +with me last night, one of the fairest-faced of men." Exclaimed the duenna, +"Heaven preserve thy reason! indeed no one lay with thee last night." Thereupon +the Princess looked at her hand and, finding Kamar al-Zaman's seal-ring on her +finger in stead of her own, said to her, "Woe to thee, thou accursed! thou +traitress! wilt thou lie to me and tell me that none lay with me last night and +swear to me a falsehood in the name of the Lord?" Replied the duenna, "By +Allah, I do not lie to thee nor have I sworn falsely." Then the Princess was +incensed by her words and, drawing a sword she had by her, she smote the old +woman with it and slew her;[FN#281] whereupon the eunuch and the waiting-women +and the concubines cried out at her, and ran to her father and, without stay or +delay, acquainted him with her case. So the King went to her, and asked her, "O +my daughter, what aileth thee?"; and she answered, "O my father, where is the +youth who lay with me last night?" Then her reason fled from her head and she +cast her eyes right and left and rent her raiment even to the skirt. When her +sire saw this, he bade the women lay hands on her; so they seized her and +manacled her, then putting a chain of iron about her neck, made her fast to one +of the palace-windows and there left her.[FN#282] Thus far concerning Princess +Budur; but as regards her father, King Ghayur, the world was straitened upon +him when he saw what had befallen his daughter, for that he loved her and her +case was not a little grievous to him. So he summoned on it the doctors and +astrologers and men skilled in talisman- writing and said to them, "Whoso +healeth my daughter of what ill she hath, I will marry him to her and give him +half of my kingdom; but whoso cometh to her and cureth her not, I will strike +off his head and hang it over her palace-gate." Accordingly, all who went in to +her, but failed to heal her, he beheaded and hung their heads over the +palace-gates, till he had beheaded on her account forty doctors and crucified +forty astrologers; wherefor the general held aloof from her, all the physicians +having failed to medicine her malady; and her case was a puzzle to the men of +science and the adepts in cabalistic characters. And as her longing and passion +redoubled and love and distraction were sore upon her, she poured forth tears +and repeated these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"My fondness, O my moon, for thee my foeman is, *<br/> + + And to thy comradeship the nights my thought compel:<br/> + +In gloom I bide with fire that flames below my ribs, *<br/> + + Whose lowe I make comparison with heat of Hell:<br/> + +I'm plagued with sorest stress of pine and ecstasy; *<br/> + + Nor clearest noon tide can that horrid pain dispel."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then she sighed and repeated these also, +</p> + +<p> +"Salams fro' me to friends in every stead; *<br/> + + Indeed to all dear friends do I incline:<br/> + +Salams, but not salams that bid adieu; *<br/> + + Salams that growth of good for you design:<br/> + +I love you dear, indeed, nor less your land, *<br/> + + But bide I far from every need of mine!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when the Lady Budur ceased repeating her poetry, she wept till her eyes +waxed sore and her cheeks changed form and hue, and in this condition she +continued three years. Now she had a foster-brother, by name Marzawán,[FN#283] +who was travelling in far lands and absent from her the whole of this time. He +loved her with an exceeding love, passing the love of brothers; so when he came +back he went in to his mother and asked for his sister, the Princess Budur. She +answered him, "O my son, thy sister hath been smitten with madness and hath +passed these three years with a chain of iron about her neck; and all the +physicians and men of science have failed of healing her." When Marzawan heard +these words he said, "I must needs go in to her; peradventure I may discover +what she hath, and be able to medicine her;" and his mother replied, "Needs +must thou visit her, but wait till to morrow, that I may contrive some thing to +suit thy case." Then she went a-foot to the palace of the Lady Budur and, +accosting the eunuch in charge of the gates, made him a present and said to +him, "I have a daughter, who was brought up with thy mistress and since then I +married her; and, when that befel the Princess which befel her, she became +troubled and sore concerned, and I desire of thy favour that my daughter may go +in to her for an hour and look on her; and then return whence she came, so +shall none know of it." Quoth the eunuch, "This may not be except by night, +after the King hath visited his child and gone away; then come thou and thy +daughter." So she kissed the eunuch's hand and, returning home, waited till the +morrow at nightfall; and when it was time she arose and sought her son Marzawan +and attired him in woman's apparel; then, taking his hand in hers, led him +towards the palace, and ceased not walking with him till she came upon the +eunuch after the Sultan had ended his visit to the Princess. Now when the +eunuch saw her, he rose to her, and said, "Enter, but do not prolong thy stay!" +So they went in and when Marzawan beheld the Lady Budur in the aforesaid +plight, he saluted her, after his mother had doffed his woman's garb: then he +took out of their satchel books he had brought with him; and, lighting a wax- +candle, he began to recite certain conjurations Thereupon the Princess looked +at him and recognising him, said, "O my brother, thou hast been absent on thy +travels' and thy news have been cut off from us." He replied, "True! but Allah +hath brought me back safe and sound, I am now minded to set out again nor hath +aught delayed me but the news I hear of thee; wherefore my heart burned for +thee and I came to thee, so haply I may free thee of thy malady." She rejoined, +O my brother, thinkest thou it is madness aileth me?" "Yes." answered he, and +she said, "Not so, by Allah! 'tis even as saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> +'Quoth they 'Thou rav'st on him thou lov'st': quoth I, *<br/> + + 'The sweets of love are only for th' insane!'<br/> + +Love never maketh Time his friend befriend; *<br/> + + Only the Jinn-struck wight such boon can gain:<br/> + +Well! yes, I'm mad: bring him who madded me *<br/> + + And, if he cure m: madness, blame restrain!'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then she let Marzawan know that she was love-daft and he said "Tell me +concerning thy tale and what befel thee: haply there may be in my hand +something which shall be a means of deliverance for thee."—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of da, and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Marzawar thus addressed +Princess Budur, "Tell me concerning thy tale and what befel thee: haply Allah +may inspire me with a means of deliverance for thee." Quoth she, "O my brother, +hear my story which is this. One night I awoke from sleep, in the last third of +the night[FN#284] and, sitting up, saw by my side the handsomest of youths that +be, and tongue faileth to describe him, for he was as a willow-wand or an +Indian rattan-cane. So methought it was my father who had done on this wise in +order thereby to try me, for that he had consulted me concerning wedlock, when +the Kings sought me of him to wife, and I had refused. It was this though +withheld me from arousing him, for I feared that, if I did aught of embraced +him, he would peradventure inform my father of m, doings. But in the morning, I +found on my finger his seal-ring, in place of my own which he had taken. And, O +my brother, m, heart was seized with love of him at first sight; and, for the +violence of my passion and longing, I have never savoured the taste of sleep +and have no occupation save weeping alway and repeating verses night and day. +And this, O my brother, is my story and the cause of my madness." Then she +poured forth tears and repeated these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Now Love hast banished all that bred delight; *<br/> + + With that heart-nibbling fawn my joys took flight:<br/> + +Lightest of trifles lover's blood to him *<br/> + + Who wastes the vitals of the hapless wight!<br/> + +For him I'm jealous of my sight and thought; *<br/> + + My heart acts spy upon my thought and sight:<br/> + +Those long-lashed eyelids rain on me their shafts *<br/> + + Guileful, destroying hearts where'er they light:<br/> + +Now, while my portion in the world endures, *<br/> + + Shall I behold him ere I quit world-site?<br/> + +What bear I for his sake I'd hide, but tears *<br/> + + Betray my feelings to the spy's despight.<br/> + +When near, our union seemeth ever far; *<br/> + + When far, my thoughts to him aye nearest are."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And presently she continued, "See then, O my brother, how thou mayest aid me in +mine affliction." So Marzawan bowed his head ground-wards awhile, wondering and +not knowing what to do, then he raised it and said to her, "All thou hast +spoken to me I hold to be true, though the case of the young man pass my +understanding: but I will go round about all lands and will seek for what may +heal thee; haply Allah shall appoint thy healing to be at my hand. Meanwhile, +take patience and be not disquieted." Thereupon Marzawan farewelled her, +praying that she might be constant and left her repeating these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Thine image ever companies my sprite, *<br/> + + For all thou'rt distant from the pilgrim's sight:<br/> + +But my heart-wishes e'er attract thee near: *<br/> + + What is the lightning's speed to Thought's swift flight?<br/> + +Then go not thou, my very light of eyes *<br/> + + Which, when thou'rt gone, lack all the Kohl of light."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then Marzawan returned to his mother's house, where he passed the night. And +when the morrow dawned, having equipped himself for his journey, he fared forth +and ceased not faring from city to city and from island to island for a whole +month, till he came to a town named Al-Tayrab.[FN#285] Here he went about +scenting news of the townsfolk, so haply he might light on a cure for the +Princess's malady, for in every capital he entered or passed by, it was +reported that Queen Budur, daughter of King Ghayur, had lost her wits. But +arriving at Al-Tayrab city, he heard that Kamar al-Zaman, son of King +Shahriman, was fallen sick and afflicted with melancholy madness. So Marzawan +asked the name of the Prince's capital and they said to him, "It is on the +Islands of Khalidan and it lieth distant from our city a whole month's journey +by sea, but by land it is six months' march." So he went down to the sea in a +ship which was bound for the Khalidan Isles, and she sailed with a favouring +breeze for a whole month, till they came in sight of the capital; and there +remained for them but to make the land when, behold, there came out on them a +tempestuous wind which carried away the masts and rent the canvas, so that the +sails fell into the sea and the ship capsized, with all on board,—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the ship capsized +with all on board, each sought his own safety; and as for Marzawan the set of +the sea carried him under the King's palace, wherein was Kamar al-Zaman. And by +the decree of destiny it so happened that this was the day on which King +Shahriman gave audience to his Grandees and high officers, and he was sitting, +with his son's head on his lap, whilst an eunuch fanned away the flies; and the +Prince had not spoken neither had he eaten nor drunk for two days, and he was +grown thinner than a spindle.[FN#286] Now the Wazir was standing respectfully +a-foot near the latticed window giving on the sea and, raising his eyes, saw +Marzawan being beaten by the billows and at his last gasp; whereupon his heart +was moved to pity for him, so he drew near to the King and moving his head +towards him said, "I crave thy leave, O King, to go down to the court of the +pavilion and open the water-gate that I may rescue a man who is at the point of +drowning in the sea and bring him forth of danger into deliverance; +peradventure, on this account Allah may free thy son from what he hath!" The +King replied, "O thou Wazir, enough is that which hath befallen my son through +thee and on shine account. Haply, if thou rescue this drowning man, he will +come to know our affairs, and look on my son who is in this state and exult +over me; but I swear by Allah, that if this half-drowned wretch come hither and +learn our condition and look upon my son and then fare forth and speak of our +secrets to any, I will assuredly strike off thy head before his; for thou, O my +Minister art the cause of all that hath betided us, first and last. Now do as +thou wilt." Thereupon the Wazir sprang up and, opening the private pastern +which gave upon the sea, descended to the causeway; then walked on twenty steps +and came to the water where he saw Marzawan nigh unto death. So he put out his +hand to him and, catching him by his hair, drew him ashore in a state of +insensibility, with belly full of water and eyes half out of his head. The +Wazir waited till he came to himself, when he pulled off his wet clothes and +clad him in a fresh suit, covering his head with one of his servants' turbands; +after which he said to him, Know that I have been the means of saving thee from +drowning: do not thou requite me by causing my death and shine own."ÄAnd +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir did to +Marzawan what he did, he thus addressed him Know that I have been the cause of +saving thee from drowning so requite me not by causing my death and shine own." +Asked Marzawan, And how so?"; and the Wazir answered, "Thou art at this hour +about to go up and pass among Emirs and Wazirs all of them silent and none +speaking, because of Kamar al-Zaman the son of the Sultan." Now when Marzawan +heard the name of Kamar al-Zaman, he knew that this was he whom he had heard +spoken of in sundry cities and of whom he came in search, but he feigned +ignorance and asked the Wazir, "And who is Kamar al-Zaman? Answered the +Minister, "He is the son of Sultan Shahriman and he is sore sick and lieth +strown on his couch restless alway, eating not nor drinking neither sleeping +night or day; indeed he is nigh upon death and we have lost hope of his living +and are certain that he is dying. Beware lest thou look too long on him, or +thou look on any other than that where thou settest thy feet: else thou art a +lost man, and I also." He replied, "Allah upon thee, O Wazir, I implore thee, +of thy favour, acquaint me touching this youth thou describest, what is the +cause of the condition in which he is." The Wazir replied, "I know none, save +that, three years ago, his father required him to wed, but he refused; whereat +the King was wroth and imprisoned him. And when he awoke on the morrow, he +fancied that during the night he had been roused from sleep and had seen by his +side a young lady of passing loveliness, whose charms tongue can never express; +and he assured us that he had plucked off her seal-ring from her finger and had +put it on his own and that she had done likewise; but we know not the secret of +all this business. So by Allah, O my son, when thou comest up with me into the +palace, look not on the Prince, but go thy way; for the Sultan's heart is full +of wrath against me." So said Marzawan to himself, "By Allah; this is the one I +sought!" Then he followed the Wazir up to the palace, where the Minister seated +himself at the Prince's feet; but Marzawan found forsooth nothing to do but go +up to Kamar al-Zaman and stand before him at gaze. Upon this the Wazir, died of +affright in his skin, and kept looking at Marzawan and signalling him to wend +his way; but he feigned not to see him and gave not over gazing upon Kamar al- +Zaman, till he was well assured that it was indeed he whom he was seeking,—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Marzawan looked upon +Kamar al-Zaman and knew that it was indeed he whom he was seeking, he cried, +"Exalted be Allah, Who hath made his shape even as her shape and his complexion +as her complexion and his cheek as her cheek!'' Upon this Kamar al-Zaman opened +his eyes and gave earnest ear to his speech; and, when Marzawan saw him +inclining to hear, he repeated these couplets[FN#287], +</p> + +<p> +"I see thee full of song and plaint and love's own ecstasy;<br/> + +Delighting in describing all the charms of loveliness:<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Art smit by stroke of Love or hath shaft-shot wounded thee?<br/> + +None save the wounded ever show such signals of distress!<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Ho thou! crown the wine cup and sing me singular<br/> + +Praises to Sulaymá, Al-Rabáb, Tan'oum addrest;[FN#288]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Go round the grape-vine sun[FN#289] which for mansion hath a jar;<br/> + +Whose East the cup boy is, and here my mouth that opes for West.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +I'm jealous of the very clothes that dare her sides enroll<br/> + +When she veils her dainty body of the delicatest grace:<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +I envy every goblet of her lips that taketh toll<br/> + +When she sets the kissing cup on that sweetest kissing-place.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +But deem not by the keen-edged scymitar I'm slain—<br/> + +The hurts and harms I dree are from arrows of her eyes.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +I found her finger tips, as I met her once again,<br/> + +Deep-reddened with the juice of the wood that ruddy dyes;[FN#290]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And cried, 'Thy palms thou stainedst when far away was I<br/> + +And this is how thou payest one distracted by his pine!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Quoth she (enkindling in my heart a flame that burned high<br/> + +Speaking as one who cannot hide of longing love the sign),<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +'By thy life, this is no dye used for dyeing; so forbear<br/> + +Thy blame, nor in charging me with falsing Love persist!<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +But when upon our parting-day I saw thee haste to fare,<br/> + +The while were bared my hand and my elbow and my wrist;<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +'I shed a flood of blood-red tears and with fingers brushed away; Hence +blood-reddened were the tips and still blood-red they remain.' +</p> + +<p> +Had I wept before she wept, to my longing-love a prey,<br/> + +Before repentance came, I had quit my soul of pain;<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +But she wept before I wept and I wept to see her care<br/> + +And I said, 'All the merit to precedent;'[FN#291]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Blame me not for loving her, now on self of Love I swear<br/> + +For her sake, for her only, these pains my soul torment.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +She hath all the lere of Lukmán[FN#292] and Yúsuf's beauty lief;<br/> + +Sweet singer David's voice and Maryam's chastity:<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +While I've all Jacob's mourning and Jonah's prison-grief,<br/> + +And the sufferings of Job and old Adam's history:<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Yet kill her not, albeit of my love for her I die;<br/> + +But ask her why my blood to her was lawful. ask her why?"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Marzawan recited this ode, the words fell upon Kamar al- Zaman's heart as +freshness after fever and returning health; and he sighed and, turning his +tongue in his mouth, said to his sire, "O my father, let this youth come and +sit by my side."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman said to +his sire, "O my father, allow this youth to come and sit by my side." Now when +the King heard these words from his son, he rejoiced with exceeding joy, though +at the first his heart had been set against Marzawan and he had determined that +the stranger's head needs must be stricken off: but when he heard Kamar +al-Zaman speak, his anger left him and he arose and drawing Marzawan to him, +seated him by his son and turning to him said, "Praised be Allah for thy +safety!" He replied, "Allah preserve thee! and preserve thy son to thee!" and +called down blessings on the King. Then the King asked, "From what country art +thou?"; and he answered, "From the Islands of the Inland Sea, the kingdom of +King Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and the Seas and the Seven Palaces." Quoth King +Shahriman, "Maybe thy coming shall be blessed to my son and Allah vouchsafe to +heal what is in him." Quoth Marzawan, "Inshallah, naught shall be save what +shall be well!" Then turning to Kamar al-Zaman, he said to him in his ear +unheard of the King and his court, 'O my lord! be of good cheer, and hearten +thy heart and let shine eyes be cool and clear and, with respect to her for +whose sake thou art thus, ask not of her case on shine account. But thou +keptest thy secret and fellest sick, while she told her secret and they said +she had gone mad; so she is now in prison, with an iron chain about her neck, +in most piteous plight; but, Allah willing, the healing of both of you shall +come from my hand." Now when Kamar al-Zaman heard these words, his life +returned to him and he took heart and felt a thrill of joy and signed to his +father to help him sit up; and the King was like to fly for gladness and rose +hastily and lifted him up. Presently, of his fear for his son, he shook the +kerchief of dismissal[FN#293]; and all the Emirs and Wazirs withdrew; then he +set two pillows for his son to lean upon, after which he bade them perfume the +palace with saffron and decorate the city, saying to Marzawan, "By Allah, O my +son, of a truth shine aspect be a lucky and a blessed!" And he made as much of +him as he might and called for food, and when they brought it, Marzawan came up +to the Prince and said, "Rise, eat with me." So he obeyed him and ate with him, +and all the while the King invoked blessings on Marzawan and said, "How +auspicious is thy coming, O my son!" And when the father saw his boy eat, his +joy and gladness redoubled, and he went out and told the Prince's mother and +all the household. Then he spread throughout the palace the good news of the +Prince's recovery and the King commanded the decoration of the city and it was +a day of high festival. Marzawan passed that night with Kamar al-Zaman, and the +King also slept with them in joy and delight for his son's recovery.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the One Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Shahriman also +passed that night with them in the excess of his joy for his son's recovery. +And when the next morning dawned, and the King had gone away and the two young +men were left alone, Kamar al-Zaman told his story from beginning to end to +Marzawan who said, "In very sooth I know her with whom thou didst foregather; +her name is the Princess Budur and she is daughter to King Ghayur." Then he +related to him all that had passed with the Princess from first to last and +acquainted him with the excessive love she bore him, saying, "All that befel +thee with thy father hath befallen her with hers, and thou art without doubt +her beloved, even as she is shine; so brace up thy resolution and take heart, +for I will bring thee to her and unite you both anon and deal with you even as +saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> +"Albe to lover adverse be his love, *<br/> + + And show aversion howso may he care;<br/> + +Yet will I manage that their persons[FN#294] meet, *<br/> + + E'en as the pivot of a scissor pair."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And he ceased not to comfort and solace and encourage Kamar al- Zaman and urged +him to eat and drink till he ate food and drank wine, and life returned to him +and he was saved from his ill case; and Marzawan cheered him and diverted him +with talk and songs and stories, and in good time he became free of his +disorder and stood up and sought to go to the Hammam.[FN#295] So Marzawan took +him by the hand and both went to the bath, where they washed their bodies and +made them clean.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundredth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar al-Zaman, son +of King Shahriman, went to the Hammam, his father in his joy at this event +freed the prisoners, and presented splendid dresses to his grandees and +bestowed large alm-gifts upon the poor and bade decorate the city seven days. +Then quoth Marzawan to Kamar al-Zaman, "Know, O my lord, that I came not from +the Lady Budur save for this purpose, and the object of my journey was to +deliver her from her present case; and it remaineth for us only to devise how +we may get to her, since thy father cannot brook the thought of parting from +thee. So it is my counsel that to-morrow thou ask his leave to go abroad +hunting. Then do thou take with thee a pair of saddle-bags full of money and +mount a swift steed, and lead a spare horse, and I will do the like, and say to +thy sire, 'I have a mind to divert myself with hunting the desert and to see +the open country and there to pass one night.' Suffer not any servant to follow +us, for as soon as we reach the open country, we will go our ways." Kamar al- +Zaman rejoiced in this plan with great joy and cried, "It is good." Then he +stiffened his back and, going in to his father, sought his leave and spoke as +he had been taught, and the King consented to his going forth a-hunting and +said, "O my son, blessed be the day that restoreth thee to health! I will not +gainsay thee in this; but pass not more than one night in the desert and return +to me on the morrow; for thou knowest that life is not good to me without thee, +and indeed I can hardly believe thee to be wholly recovered from what thou +hadst,[FN#296] because thou art to me as he of whom quoth the poet, +</p> + +<p> +'Albe by me I had through day and night *<br/> + + Solomon's carpet and the Chosroes' might,<br/> + +Both were in value less than wing of gnat, *<br/> + + Unless these eyne could hold thee aye in sight.'"[FN#297]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then the King equipped his son Kamar al-Zaman and Marzawan for the excursion, +bidding make ready for them four horses, together with a dromedary to carry the +money and a camel to bear the water and belly timber; and Kamar al-Zaman +forbade any of his attendants to follow him. His father farewelled him and +pressed him to his breast and kissed him, saying, "I ask thee in the name of +Allah, be not absent from me more than one night, wherein sleep will be +unlawful to me, for I am even as saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> +'Thou present, in the Heaven of heavens I dwell; *<br/> + + Bearing shine absence is of hells my Hell:<br/> + +Pledged be for thee my soul! If love for thee *<br/> + + Be crime, my crime is of the fellest fell.<br/> + +Does love-lowe burn thy heart as burns it mine, *<br/> + + Doomed night and day Gehenna-fire to smell?'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Answered Kamar al-Zaman, "O my father, Inshallah, I will lie abroad but one +night!" Then he took leave of him, and he and Marzawan mounted and leading the +spare horses, the dromedary with the money and the camel with the water and +victual, turned their faces towards the open country;—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawning day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and First Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman and +Marzawan fared forth and turned their faces towards the open country; and they +travelled from the first of the day till nightfall, when they halted and ate +and drank and fed their beasts and rested awhile; after which they again took +horse and ceased not journeying for three days, and on the fourth they came to +a spacious tract wherein was a thicket. They alighted in it and Marzawan, +taking the camel and one of the horses, slaughtered them and cut off their +flesh and stripped their bones. Then he doffed from Kamar al-Zaman his shirt +and trousers which he smeared with the horse's blood and he took the Prince's +coat which he tore to shreds and befouled with gore; and he cast them down in +the fork of the road. Then they ate and drank and mounting set forward again; +and, when Kamar al- Zaman asked why this was done, and said, "What is this O my +brother, and how shall it profit us?"; Marzawan replied, "Know that thy father, +when we have outstayed the second night after the night for which we had his +leave, and yet we return not, will mount and follow in our track till he come +hither; and, when he happeneth upon this blood which I have spilt and he seeth +thy shirt and trousers rent and gore-fouled, he will fancy that some accident +befel thee from bandits or wild-beasts, so he will give up hope of thee and +return to his city, and by this device we shall win our wishes." Quoth Kamar +al-Zaman, "By Allah, this be indeed a rare device! Thou hast done right +well.''[FN#298] Then the two fared on days and nights and all that while Kamar +al-Zaman did naught but complain when he found himself alone, and he ceased not +weeping till they drew near their journeys end, when he rejoiced and repeated +these verses, +</p> + +<p> +"Wilt tyrant play with truest friend who thinks of thee each<br/> + + hour, * And after showing love-desire betray indifference?<br/> + +May I forfeit every favour if in love I falsed thee, *<br/> + + If thee I left, abandon me by way of recompense:<br/> + +But I've been guilty of no crime such harshness to deserve, *<br/> + + And if I aught offended thee I bring my penitence;<br/> + +Of Fortune's wonders one it is thou hast abandoned me, *<br/> + + But Fortune never wearieth of showing wonderments."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When he had made an end of his verses, Marzawan said to him, "Look! these be +King Ghayur's Islands;" whereat Kamar al-Zaman joyed with exceeding joy and +thanked him for what he had done, and kissed him between the eyes and strained +him—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Second Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Marzawan said "Look! +these be the Islands of King Ghayur;" Kamar al-Zaman joyed with exceeding joy +and thanked him for what he had done and kissed him between the eyes and +strained him to his bosom. And after reaching the Islands and entering the city +they took up their lodging in a khan, where they rested three days from the +fatigues of their wayfare; after which Marzawan carried Kamar al-Zaman to the +bath and, clothing him in merchant's gear, provided him with a geomantic tablet +of gold,[FN#299] with a set of astrological instruments and with an astrolabe +of silver, plated with gold. Then he said to him, "Arise, O my lord, and take +thy stand under the walls of the King's palace and cry out, 'I am the ready +Reckoner; I am the Scrivener; I am he who weeteth the Sought and the Seeker; I +am the finished man of Science; I am the Astrologer accomplished in experience! +Where then is he that seeketh?' As soon as the King heareth this, he will send +after thee and carry thee in to his daughter the Princess Budur, thy lover; but +when about going in to her do thou say to him, 'Grant me three days' delay, and +if she recover, give her to me to wife; and if not, deal with me as thou +dealest with those who forewent me.' He will assuredly agree to this, so as +soon as thou art alone with her, discover thyself to her; and when she seeth +thee, she will recover strength and her madness will cease from her and she +will be made whole in one night. Then do thou give her to eat and drink. and +her father, rejoicing in her recovery, will marry thee to her and share his +kingdom with thee; for he hath imposed on himself this condition and so peace +be upon thee." Now when Kamar al-Zaman heard these words he exclaimed, "May I +never lack thy benefits!", and, taking the set of instruments aforesaid, +sallied forth from the caravanserai in the dress of his order. He walked on +till he stood under the walls of King Ghayur's palace, where he began to cry +out, saying, "I am the Scribe, I am the ready Reckoner, I am he who knoweth the +Sought and the Seeker; I am he who openeth the Volume and summeth up the +Sums;[FN#300] who Dreams can expound whereby the sought is found! Where then is +the seeker?" Now when the city people heard this, they flocked to him, for it +was long since they had seen Scribe or Astrologer, and they stood round him +and, looking upon him, they saw one in the prime of beauty and grace and +perfect elegance, and they marvelled at his loveliness, and his fine stature +and symmetry. Presently one of them accosted him and said, "Allah upon thee, O +thou fair and young, with the eloquent tongue! incur not this affray; nor throw +thy life away in thine ambition to marry the Princess Budur. Only cast shine +eyes upon yonder heads hung up; all their owners have lost their lives in this +same venture." Yet Kamar al-Zaman paid no heed to them, but cried out at the +top of his voice, saying, "I am the Doctor, the Scrivener! I am the Astrologer, +the Calculator!" And all the townsfolk forbade him from this, but he regarded +them not at all, saying in his mind, "None knoweth desire save whoso suffereth +it." Then he began again to cry his loudest, shouting, "I am the Scrivener, I +am the Astrologer!"—And Shahrazad per ceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Third Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman in no +wise heeded the words of the citizens, but continued to cry out, "I am the +Calculator! I am the Astrologer!" Thereupon all the townsfolk were wroth with +him and said to him, "Thou art nothing but an imbecile, silly, self-willed lad! +Have pity on shine own youth and tender years and beauty and loveliness." But +he cried all the more, "I am the Astrologer, I am the Calculator! Is there any +one that seeketh?" As he was thus crying and the people forbidding him, behold, +King Ghayur heard his voice and the clamour of the lieges and said to his +Wazir, "Go down and bring me yon Astrologer." So the Wazir, went down in haste, +and taking Kamar al-Zaman from the midst of the crowd led him up to the King; +and when in the presence he kissed the ground and began versifying, +</p> + +<p> +"Eight glories meet, all, all conjoined in thee, *<br/> + + Whereby may Fortune aye thy servant be:<br/> + +Lere, lordliness, grace, generosity; *<br/> + + Plain words, deep meaning, honour, victory!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When the King looked upon him, he seated him by his side and said to him, "By +Allah, O my son, an thou be not an astrologer, venture not thy life nor comply +with my condition; for I have bound myself that whoso goeth in to my daughter +and healeth her not of that which hath befallen her I will strike off his head; +but whoso healeth her him I will marry to her. So let not thy beauty and +loveliness delude thee: for, by Allah! and again, by Allah! If thou cure her +not, I will assuredly cut off thy head." And Kamar al-Zaman replied, "This is +thy right; and I consent, for I wot of this ere came I hither." Then King +Ghayur took the Kazis to witness against him and delivered him to the eunuch, +saying, "Carry this one to the Lady Budur." So the eunuch took him by the hand +and led him along the passage; but Kamar al-Zaman outstripped him and pushed on +before, whilst the eunuch ran after him, saying, "Woe to thee! Hasten not to +shine own ruin: never yet saw I astrologer so eager for his proper destruction; +but thou weetest not what calamities are before thee." Thereupon Kamar al-Zaman +turned away his face from the eunuch,—And Shah razed perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Fourth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the eunuch thus +addressed Kamar al-Zaman, "Patience, and no indecent hurry!"; the Prince turned +away his face and began repeating these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"A Sage, I feel a fool before thy charms; *<br/> + + Distraught, I wot not what the words I say:<br/> + +If say I 'Sun,' away thou dost not pass *<br/> + + From eyes of me, while suns go down with day:<br/> + +Thou hast completed Beauty, in whose praise *<br/> + + Speech-makers fail, and talkers lose their way."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then the eunuch stationed Kamar al-Zaman behind the curtain of the Princess's +door and the Prince said to him, "Which of the two ways will please thee more, +treat and cure thy lady from here or go in and heal her within the curtain?" +The eunuch marvelled at his words and answered, "An thou heal her from here it +were better proof of thy skill." Upon this Kamar al-Zaman sat down behind the +curtain and, taking out ink case, pen and paper, wrote the following: "This is +the writ of one whom passion swayeth,* and whom longing waylayeth * and wakeful +misery slayeth * one who despaireth of living * and looketh for naught but +dying * with whose mourning heart * nor comforter nor helper taketh part * One +whose sleepless eyes * none succoureth from anxieties * whose day is passed in +fire * and his night in torturing desire * whose body is wasted for much +emaciation * and no messenger from his beloved bringeth him consolation." And +after this he indited the following couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"I write with heart devoted to thy thought, *<br/> + + And eyelids chafed by tears of blood they bled;<br/> + +And body clad, by loving pine and pain, *<br/> + + In shirt of leanness, and worn down to thread,<br/> + +To thee complain I of Love's tormentry, *<br/> + + Which ousted hapless Patience from her stead:<br/> + +A toi! show favour and some mercy deign, *<br/> + + For Passion's cruel hands my vitals shred."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And beneath his lines he wrote these cadenced sentences, "The heart's pain is +removed * by union with the beloved * and whomso his lover paineth * only Allah +assaineth! * If we or you have wrought deceit * may the deceiver win defeat! * +There is naught goodlier than a lover who keeps faith * with the beloved who +works him scathe." Then, by way of subscription, he wrote, "From the distracted +and despairing man * whom love and longing trepan * from the lover under +passion's ban * the prisoner of transport and distraction * from this Kamar +al-Zaman * son of Shahriman * to the peerless one * of the fair Houris the +pearl-union * to the Lady Budur * daughter of King Al Ghayur * Know thou that +by night I am sleepless * and by day in distress * consumed with increasing +wasting and pain * and longing and love unfain * abounding in sighs * with tear +flooded eyes * by passion captive ta'en * of Desire the slain * with heart +seared by the parting of us twain * the debtor of longing bane, of sickness +cup-companion * I am the sleepless one, who never closeth eye * the slave of +love, whose tears run never dry * for the fire of my heart is still burning * +and never hidden is the flame of my yearning." Then on the margin Kamar +al-Zaman wrote this admired verse, +</p> + +<p> +"Salem from graces hoarded by my Lord *<br/> + + To her, who holds my heart and soul in hoard!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And also these, +</p> + +<p> +"Pray'ee grant me some words from your lips, belike *<br/> + + Such mercy may comfort and cool these eyne:<br/> + +From the stress of my love and my pine for you, *<br/> + + I make light of what makes me despised, indign:<br/> + +Allah guard a folk whose abode was far, *<br/> + + And whose secret I kept in the holiest shrine:<br/> + +Now Fortune in kindness hath favoured me *<br/> + + Thrown on threshold dust of this love o' mine:<br/> + +By me bedded I looked on Budúr, whose sun *<br/> + + The moon of my fortunes hath made to shine."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then, having affixed his seal-ring to the missive, he wrote these couplets in +the place of address, +</p> + +<p> +"Ask of my writ what wrote my pen in dole, *<br/> + + And hear my tale of misery from this scroll;<br/> + +My hand is writing while my tears down flow, *<br/> + + And to the paper 'plains my longing soul:<br/> + +My tears cease not to roll upon this sheet, *<br/> + + And if they stopped I'd cause blood-gouts to roll."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And at the end he added this other verse, +</p> + +<p> +"I've sent the ring from off thy finger bore *<br/> + + I when we met, now deign my ring restore!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then Kamar al-Zaman set the Lady Budur's ring inside the letter and sealed it +and gave it to the eunuch, who took it and went in with it to his mistress.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Fifth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman, after +setting the seal-ring inside the epistle, gave it to the eunuch who took it and +went in with it to his mistress; and, when the Lady Budur opened it, she found +therein her own very ring. Then she read the paper and when she understood its +purport and knew that it was from her beloved, and that he in person stood +behind the curtain, her reason began to fly and her breast swelled for joy and +rose high; and she repeated these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Long, long have I bewailed the sev'rance of our loves, *<br/> + + With tears that from my lids streamed down like burning<br/> + + rain;<br/> + +And vowed that, if the days deign reunite us two, *<br/> + + My lips should never speak of severance again:<br/> + +Joy hath o'erwhelmed me so that, for the very stress *<br/> + + Of that which gladdens me to weeping I am fain.<br/> + +Tears are become to you a habit, O my eyes, *<br/> + + So that ye weep as well for gladness as for pain.''[FN#301]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And having finished her verse, the Lady Budur stood up forthwith and, firmly +setting her feet to the wall, strained with all her might upon the collar of +iron, till she brake it from her neck and snapped the chains. Then going forth +from behind the curtain she threw herself on Kamar al-Zaman and kissed him on +the mouth, like a pigeon feeding its young.[FN#302] And she embraced him with +all the stress of her love and longing and said to him, "O my lord do I wake or +sleep and hath the Almighty indeed vouchsafe] us reunion after disunion? Laud +be to Allah who hath our loves repaired, even after we despaired!" Now when the +eunuch saw her in this case, he went off running to King Ghayur and, kissing +the ground before him, said, "O my lord, know that this Astrologer is indeed +the Shaykh of all astrologers, who are fools to him, all of them; for verily he +hath cured thy daughter while standing behind the curtain and without going in +to her." Quoth the King, "Look well to it, is this news true?" Answered the +eunuch, "O my lord, rise and come and see for thyself how she hath found +strength to break the iron chains and is come forth to the Astrologer, kissing +and embracing him." Thereupon the King arose and went in to his daughter who, +when she saw him, stood up in haste and covered her head,[FN#303] and recited +these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"The toothstick love I not; for when I say, *<br/> + + 'Siwák,'[FN#304] I miss thee, for it sounds 'Siwá-ka'.<br/> + +The caper-tree I love; for when I say, *<br/> + + 'Arák'[FN#305] it sounds I look on thee, 'Ará-ka.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon the King was so transported for joy at her recovery that he felt like +to fly and kissed her between the eyes, for he loved her with dearest love; +then, turning to Kamar al-Zaman, he asked him who he was, and said, "What +countryman art thou?" So the Prince told him his name and rank, and informed +him that he was the son of King Shahriman, and presently related to him the +whole story from beginning to end; and acquainted him with what happened +between himself and the Lady Budur; and how he had taken her seal-ring from her +finger and had placed it on his own; whereat Ghayur marvelled and said, "Verily +your story deserveth in books to be chronicled, and when you are dead and gone +age after age be read." Then he summoned Kazis and witnesses forthright and +married the Lady Budur to Prince Kamar al-Zaman; after which he bade decorate +the city seven days long. So they spread the tables with all manner of meats, +whilst the drums beat and the criers anounced the glad tidings, and all the +troops donned their richest clothes; and they illuminated the city and held +high festival. Then Kamar al-Zaman went in to the Lady Budur and the King +rejoiced in her recovery and in her marriage; and praised Allah for that He had +made her to fall in love with a goodly youth of the sons of Kings. So they +unveiled her and displayed the bride before the bridegroom; and both were the +living likeness of each other in beauty and comeliness and grace and +love-allurement. Then Kamar al-Zaman lay with her that night and took his will +of her, whilst she in like manner fulfilled her desire of him and enjoyed his +charms and grace; and they slept in each other's arms till the morning. On the +morrow, the King made a wedding-feast to which he gathered all comers from the +Islands of the Inner and Outer Seas, and he spread the tables with choicest +viands nor ceased the banquetting for a whole month. Now when Kamar al-Zaman +had thus fulfilled his will and attained his inmost desire, and whenas he had +tarried awhile with the Princess Budur, he bethought him of his father, King +Shahriman, and saw him in a dream, saying, "O my son, is it thus thou dealest +with me?" and recited in the vision these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed to watch the darkness-moon he blighted me, *<br/> + + And to star-gaze through longsome night he plighted me:<br/> + +Easy, my heart! for haply he'll unite with thee; *<br/> + + And patience, Sprite! with whatso ills he dight to thee."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now after seeing his father in the dream and hearing his re preaches, Kamar +al-Zaman awoke in the morning, afflicted and troubled, whereupon the Lady Budur +questioned him and he told her what he had seen.—And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar al-Zaman +acquainted the Lady Budur with what he had seen in his dream, she and he went +in to her sire and, telling him what had passed, besought his leave to travel. +He gave the Prince the permission he sought; but the Princess said, "O my +father, I cannot bear to be parted from him." Quoth Ghayur, her sire, "Then go +thou with him," and gave her leave to be absent a whole twelvemonth and +afterwards to visit him in every year once; so she kissed his hand and Kamar +al-Zaman did the like. Thereupon King Ghayur proceeded to equip his daughter +and her bridegroom for the journey, and furnished them with outfit and +appointments for the march; and brought out of his stables horses marked with +his own brand, blood-dromedaries[FN#306] which can journey ten days without +water, and prepared a litter for his daughter, besides loading mules and camels +with victual; moreover, he gave them slaves and eunuchs to serve them and all +manner of travellinggear; and on the day of departure, when King Ghayur took +leave of Kamar al-Zaman, he bestowed on him ten splendid suits of cloth of gold +embroidered with stones of price, together with ten riding horses and ten +she-camels, and a treasury of money;[FN#307] and he charged him to love and +cherish his daughter the Lady Budur. Then the King accompanied them to the +farthest limits of his Islands where, going in to his daughter Budur in the +litter, he kissed her and strained her to his bosom, weeping and repeating, +</p> + +<p> +"O thou who wooest Severance, easy fare! *<br/> + + For love-embrace belongs to lover-friend:<br/> + +Fare softly! Fortune's nature falsehood is, *<br/> + + And parting shall love's every meeting end."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then leaving his daughter, he went to her husband and bade him farewell and +kissed him; after which he parted from them and, giving the order for the march +he returned to his capital with his troops. The Prince and Princess and their +suite fared on without stopping through the first day and the second and the +third and the fourth, nor did they cease faring for a whole month till they +came to a spacious champaign, abounding in pasturage, where they pitched their +tents; and they ate and drank and rested, and the Princess Budur lay down to +sleep. Presently, Kamar al-Zaman went in to her and found her lying asleep clad +in a shift of apricot-coloured silk that showed all and everything; and on her +head was a coif of gold-cloth embroidered with pearls and jewels. The breeze +raised her shift which laid bare her navel and showed her breasts and displayed +a stomach whiter than snow, each one of whose dimples would contain an ounce of +benzoin- ointment.[FN#308] At this sight, his love and longing redoubled, and +he began reating, +</p> + +<p> +"An were it asked me when by hell-fire burnt, *<br/> + + When flames of heart my vitals hold and hem,<br/> + +'Which wouldst thou chose, say wouldst thou rather them, *<br/> + + Or drink sweet cooling draught?' I'd answer, 'Them!' "<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he put his hand to the band of her petticoat-trousers and drew it and +loosed it, for his soul lusted after her, when he saw a jewel, red as dye-wood, +made fast to the band. He untied it and examined it and, seeing two lines of +writing graven thereon, in a character not to be read, marvelled and said in +his mind, "Were not this bezel something to her very dear she had not bound it +to her trousers-band nor hidden it in the most privy and precious place about +her person, that she might not be parted from it. Would I knew what she cloth +with this and what is the secret that is in it." So saying, he took it and went +outside the tent to look at it in the light,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day, and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when he took the bezel to +look at it in the light, the while he was holding it behold, a bird swooped +down on him and, snatching the same from his hand, flew off with it and then +lighted on the ground. There-upon Kamar al-Zaman fearing to lose the jewel, ran +after the bird; but it flew on before him, keeping just out of his reach, and +ceased not to draw him on from dale to dale and from hill to hill, till the +night starkened and the firmament darkened, when it roosted on a high tree. So +Kamar al-Zaman stopped under the tree confounded in thought and faint for +famine and fatigue, and giving himself up for lost, would have turned back, but +knew not the way whereby he came, for that darkness had overtaken him. Then he +exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the +Glorious the Great!"; and laying him down under the tree (whereon was the bird) +slept till the morning, when he awoke and saw the bird also wake up and fly +away. He arose and walked after it, and it flew on little by little before him, +after the measure of his faring; at which he smiled and said, "By Allah, a +strange thing! Yesterday, this bird flew before me as fast as I could run, and +to-day, knowing that I have awoke tired and cannot run, he flieth after the +measure of my faring. By Allah, this is wonderful! But I must needs follow this +bird whether it lead me to death or to life; and I will go wherever it goeth, +for at all events it will not abide save in some inhabited land.[FN#309] So he +continued to follow the bird which roosted every night upon a tree; and he +ceased not pursuing it for a space of ten days, feeding on the fruits of the +earth and drinking of its waters. At the end of this time, he came in sight of +an inhabited city, whereupon the bird darted off like the glance of the eye +and, entering the town, disappeared from Kamar al-Zaman, who knew not what it +meant or whither it was gone; so he marvelled at this and exclaimed, "Praise be +to Allah who hath brought me in safety to this city!" Then he sat down by a +stream and washed his hands and feet and face and rested awhile; and, recalling +his late easy and pleasant life of union with his beloved and contrasting it +with his present plight of trouble and fatigue and distress and strangerhood +and famine and severance, the tears streamed from his eyes and he began +repeating these cinquains, +</p> + +<p> +"Pain had I hid thy handwork, but it showed, *<br/> + + Changed sleep for wake, and wake with me abode:<br/> + +When thou didst spurn my heart I cried aloud *<br/> + + Pate, hold thy hand and cease to gird and goad:<br/> + + In dole and danger aye my sprite I spy!<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +An but the Lord of Love were just to me, *<br/> + + Sleep fro' my eyelids ne'er were forced to flee.<br/> + +Pity, my lady, one for love o' thee *<br/> + + Prom his tribes darling brought to low degree:<br/> + + Love came and doomed Wealth beggar-death to die.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +The railers chide at thee: I ne'er gainsay, *<br/> + + But stop my ears and dumbly sign them Nay:<br/> + +'Thou lov'st a slender may,' say they; I say, *<br/> + + 'I've picked her out and cast the rest away:'<br/> + + Enough; when Fate descends she blinds man's<br/> + + eye!"[FN#310]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And as soon as he had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, he rose and +walked on little by little, till he entered the city.—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Eighth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as Kamar al-Zaman +had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, he arose and entered the +city-gate[FN#311] not knowing whither he should wend. He crossed the city from +end to end, entering by the land-gate, and ceased not faring on till he came +out at the sea- gate, for the city stood on the sea-shore. Yet he met not a +single one of its citizens. And after issuing from the land-gate he fared +forwards and ceased not faring till he found himself among the orchards and +gardens of the place; and, passing among the trees presently came to a garden +and stopped before its door; where-upon the keeper came out to him and saluted +him. The Prince returned his greeting and the gardener bade him welcome, +saying, "Praised be Allah that thou hast come off safe from the dwellers of +this city! Quick, come into the garth, ere any of the townfolk see thee." +Thereupon Kamar al-Zaman entered that garden, wondering in mind, and asked the +keeper, "What may be the history of the people of this city and who may they +be?" The other answered, "Know that the people of this city are all Magians: +but Allah upon thee, tell me how thou camest to this city and what caused thy +coming to our capital." Accordingly Kamar al-Zaman told the gardener all that +had befallen him from beginning to end, whereat he marvelled with great marvel +and said, "Know, O my son, that the cities of Al-Islam lie far from us; and +between us and them is a four months' voyage by sea and a whole twelve months' +journey by land. We have a ship which saileth every year with merchandise to +the nearest Moslem country and which entereth the seas of the Ebony Islands and +thence maketh the Khalidan Islands, the dominions of King Shahriman." Thereupon +Kamar al- Zaman considered awhile and concluded that he could not do better +than abide in the garden with the gardener and become his assistant, receiving +for pay one fourth of the produce. So he said to him, "Wilt thou take me into +thy service, to help thee in this garden?" Answered the gardener, "To hear is +to consent;" and began teaching him to lead the water to the roots of the +trees. So Kamar al-Zaman abode with him, watering the trees and hoeing up the +weeds and wearing a short blue frock which reached to his knees. And he wept +floods of tears; for he had no rest day or night, by reason of his strangerhood +and he ceased not to repeat verses upon his beloved, amongst others the +following couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Ye promised us and will ye not keep plight? *<br/> + + Ye said a say and shall not deed be dight?<br/> + +We wake for passion while ye slumber and sleep; *<br/> + + Watchers and wakers claim not equal right:<br/> + +We vowed to keep our loves in secrecy, *<br/> + + But spake the meddler and you spoke forthright:<br/> + +O friend in pain and pleasure, joy and grief, *<br/> + + In all case you, you only, claim my sprite!<br/> + +Mid folk is one who holds my prisoned heart; *<br/> + + Would he but show some ruth for me to sight.<br/> + +Not every eye like mine is wounded sore, *<br/> + + Not every heart like mine love-pipings blight:<br/> + +Ye wronged me saying, Love is wrongous aye *<br/> + + Yea! ye were right, events have proved that quite.<br/> + +Forget they one love-thralled, whose faith the world *<br/> + + Robs not, though burn the fires in heart alight:<br/> + +If an my foeman shall become my judge, *<br/> + + Whom shall I sue to remedy his despight?<br/> + +Had not I need of love nor love had sought, *<br/> + + My heart forsure were not thus love-distraught."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Such was the case with Kamar al-Zaman; but as regards his wife, the Lady Budur, +when she awoke she sought her husband and found him not: then she saw her +petticoat-trousers undone, for the band had been loosed and the bezel lost, +whereupon she said to herself, "By Allah, this is strange! Where is my husband? +It would seem as if he had taken the talisman and gone away, knowing not the +secret which is in it. Would to Heaven I knew whither can he have wended! But +it must needs have been some extraordinary matter that drew him away, for he +cannot brook to leave me a moment. Allah curse the stone and damn its hour!" +Then she considered awhile and said in her mind, "If I go out and tell the +varlets and let them learn that my husband is lost they will lust after me: +there is no help for it but that I use stratagem. So she rose and donned some +of her husband's clothes and riding- boots, and a turband like his, drawing one +corner of it across her face for a mouth-veil.[FN#312] Then, setting a +slave-girl in her litter, she went forth from the tent and called to the pages +who brought her Kamar al-Zaman's steed; and she mounted and bade them load the +beasts and resume the march. So they bound on the burdens and departed; and she +concealed her trick, none doubting but she was Kamar al-Zaman, for she favoured +him in face and form; nor did she cease journeying, she and her suite, days and +nights, till they came in sight of a city overlooking the Salt Sea, where they +pitched their tents without the walls and halted to rest. The Princess asked +the name of the town and was told, "It is called the City of Ebony; its King is +named Armanús, and he hath a daughter Hayát al-Nufús[FN#313] hight,"—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Ninth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Lady Budur +halted within sight of the Ebony City to take her rest, King Armanus sent a +messenger, to learn what King it was who had encamped without his capital; so +the messenger, coming to the tents, made inquiry anent their King, and was told +that she was a King's son who had lost the way being bound for the Khalidan +Islands; whereupon he returned to King Armanus with the tidings; and, when the +King heard them, he straightway rode out with the lords of his land to greet +the stranger on arrival. As he drew near the tents the Lady Budur came to meet +him on foot, whereupon the King alighted and they saluted each other. Then he +took her to the city and, bringing her up to the palace, bade them spread the +tables and trays of food and commanded them to transport her company and +baggage to the guess house. So they abode there three days; at the end of which +time the King came in to the Lady Budur. Now she had that day gone to the +Hammam and her face shone as the moon at its full, a seduction to the world and +a rending of the veil of shame to mankind; and Armanus found her clad in a +-suit of silk, embroidered with gold and jewels; so he said to her, 'O my son, +know that I am a very old man, decrepit withal, and Allah hath blessed me with +no child save one daughter, who resembleth thee in beauty and grace; and I am +now waxed unfit for the conduct of the state. She is shine, O my son; and, if +this my land please thee and thou be willing to abide and make thy home here, I +will marry thee to her and give thee my kingdom and so be at rest." When +Princess Budur heard this, she bowed her head and her forehead sweated for +shame, and she said to herself. "How shall I do, and I a woman? If I refuse and +depart from him, I cannot be safe but that haply send after me troops to slay +me; and if I consent, belike I shall be put to shame. I have lost my beloved +Kamar al-Zaman and know not what is become of him; nor can I escape from this +scrape save by holding my peace and consenting and abiding here, till Allah +bring about what is to be." So she raised her head and made submission to King +Armanus, saying, "Hearkening and obedience!"; whereat he rejoiced and bade the +herald make proclamation throughout the Ebony Islands to hold high festival and +decorate the houses. Then he assembled his Chamberlains and Nabobs, and Emirs +and Wazirs and his officers of state and the Kazis of the city; and, formally +abdicating his Sultanate, endowed Budur therewith and invested her in all the +vestments of royalty. The Emirs and Grandees went in to her and did her homage, +nothing doubting but that she was a young man, and all who looked on her +bepissed their bag-trousers, for the excess of her beauty and loveliness. Then, +after the Lady Budur had been made Sultan and the drums had been beaten in +announcement of the glad event, and she had been ceremoniously enthroned, King +Armanus proceeded to equip his daughter Hayat al-Nufus for marriage, and in a +few days, they brought the Lady Budur in to her, when they seemed as it were +two moons risen at one time or two suns in conjunction. So they entered the +bridal-chamber and the doors were shut and the curtains let down upon them, +after the attendants had lighted the wax-candles and spread for them the +carpet-bed. When Budur found herself alone with the Princess Hayat al-Nufus, +she called to mind her beloved Kamar al-Zaman and grief was sore upon her. So +she wept for his absence, and estrangement and she began repeating, +</p> + +<p> +"O ye who fled and left my heart in pain low li'en, *<br/> + + No breath of life if found within this frame of mine:<br/> + +I have an eye which e'er complains of wake, but lo! *<br/> + + Tears occupy it would that wake content these eyne!<br/> + +After ye marched forth the lover 'bode behind; *<br/> + + Question of him what pains your absence could design!<br/> + +But for the foods of tears mine eyelids rail and rain, *<br/> + + My fires would flame on high and every land calcine.<br/> + +To Allah make I moan of loved ones lost for aye, *<br/> + + Who for my pine and pain no more shall pain and pine:<br/> + +I never wronged them save that over love I nurst: *<br/> + + But Love departs us lovers into blest and curst."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when she had finished her repeating, the Lady Budur sat down beside the +Princess Hayat al-Nufus and kissed her on the mouth; after which rising +abruptly, she made the minor ablution and betook herself to her devotions; nor +did she leave praying till Hayat al-Nufus fell asleep, when she slips into bed +and lay with her back to her till morning. And when day had broke the King and +Queen came in to their daughter and asked her how she did. whereupon she told +them what she had seen, and repeated to them the verses she had heard. Thus far +concerning Hayat al-Nufus and her father; but as regards Queen Budur she went +forth and seated herself upon the royal throne and all the Emirs and Captains +and Officers of state came up to her and wished her joy of the kingship, +kissing the earth before her and calling down blessings upon her. And she +accosted them with smiling face and clad them in robes of honour, augmenting +the fiefs of the high officials and giving largesse to the levies; wherefore +all the people loved her and offered up prayers for the long endurance of her +reign, doubting not but that she was a man. And she ceased not sitting all day +in the hall of audience, bidding and forbidding; dispensing justice, releasing +prisoners and remitting the customs-dues, till nightfall, when she withdrew to +the apartment prepared for her. Here she found Hayat al-Nufus seated, so she +sat down by her side and, clapping her on the back, coaxed and caressed her and +kissed her between the eyes, and fell to versifying in these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"What secret kept I these my tears have told, *<br/> + + And my waste body must my love unfold:<br/> + +Though hid my pine, my plight on parting day *<br/> + + To every envious eye my secret sold:<br/> + +O ye who broke up camp, you've left behind *<br/> + + My spirit wearied and my heart a-cold:<br/> + +In my hearts core ye dwell, and now these eyne *<br/> + + Roll blood-drops with the tears they whilome rolled:<br/> + +The absent will I ransom with my soul; *<br/> + + All can my yearning for their sight behold:<br/> + +I have an eye whose babe,[FN#314] for love of thee, *<br/> + + Rejected sleep nor hath its tears controlled.<br/> + +The foeman bids me patient bear his loss, *<br/> + + Ne'er may mine ears accept the ruth he doled!<br/> + +I tricks their deme of me, and won my wish *<br/> + + Of Kamar al-Zaman's joys manifold:<br/> + +He joins all perfect gifts like none before, *<br/> + + Boasted such might and main no King of old:<br/> + +Seeing his gifts, Bin Zá'idah's[FN#315] largesse *<br/> + + Forget we, and Mu'áwiyah mildest-soul'd:[FN#316]<br/> + +Were verse not feeble and o'er short the time *<br/> + + I had in laud of him used all of rhyme."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then Queen Budur stood up and wiped away her tears and, making the lesser +ablution,[FN#317] applied her to pray: nor did she give over praying till +drowsiness overcame the Lady Hayat al- Nufus and she slept, whereupon the Lady +Budur came and lay by her till the morning. At daybreak, she arose and prayed +the dawn- prayer; and presently seated herself on the royal throne and passed +the day in ordering and counter ordering and giving laws and administering +justice. This is how it fared with her; but as regards King Armanus he went in +to his daughter and asked her how she did; so she told him all that had +befallen her and repeated to him the verses which Queen Budur had recited, +adding, "O my father, never saw I one more abounding in sound sense and modesty +than my husband, save that he cloth nothing but weep and sigh." He answered, "O +my daughter, have patience with him yet this third night, and if he go not in +unto thee and do away thy maidenhead, we shall know how to proceed with him and +oust him from the throne and banish him the country." And on this wise he +agreed with his daughter what course he would take.—And Shahrazad perceived the +dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Tenth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Armanus had +agreed with his daughter on this wise and had determined what course he would +take and night came on, Queen Budur arose from the throne of her kingdom and +betaking herself to the palace, entered the apartment prepared for her. There +she found the wax-candles lighted and the Princess Hayat al-Nufus seated and +awaiting her; whereupon she bethought her of her husband and what had betided +them both of sorrow and severance in so short a space; she wept and sighed and +groaned groan upon groan, and began improvising these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"News of my love fill all the land, I swear, *<br/> + + As suns on Ghazá[FN#318]-wold rain heat and glare:<br/> + +Speaketh his geste but hard its sense to say; *<br/> + + Thus never cease to grow my cark and care:<br/> + +I hate fair Patience since I loved thee; *<br/> + + E'er sawest lover hate for love to bear?<br/> + +A glance that dealt love-sickness dealt me death, *<br/> + + Glances are deadliest things with torments rare:<br/> + +He shook his love locks down and bared his chin, *<br/> + + Whereby I spied his beauties dark and fair:<br/> + +My care, my cure are in his hands; and he *<br/> + + Who caused their dolour can their dole repair:<br/> + +His belt went daft for softness of his waist; *<br/> + + His hips, for envy, to uprise forbear:<br/> + +His brow curl-diademed is murky night; *<br/> + + Unveil 't and lo! bright Morn shows brightest light."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When she had finished her versifying, she would have risen to pray, but, lo and +behold! Hayat al-Nufus caught her by the skirt and clung to her saying, "O my +lord, art thou not ashamed before my father, after all his favour, to neglect +me at such a time as this?" When Queen Budur heard her words, she sat down in +the same place and said, "O my beloved, what is this thou sayest?" She replied, +"What I say is that I never saw any so proud of himself as thou. Is every fair +one so disdainful? I say not this to incline thee to me; I say it only of my +fear for thee from King Armanus; because he purposeth, unless thou go in unto +me this very night, and do away my maidenhead, to strip thee of the kingship on +the morrow and banish thee his kingdom; and peradventure his excessive anger +may lead him to slay thee. But I, O my lord, have ruth on thee and give thee +fair warning; and it is thy right to reck."[FN#319] Now when Queen Budur heard +her speak these words, she bowed her head ground-wards awhile in sore +perplexity and said in herself, "If I refuse I'm lost; and if I obey I'm +shamed. But I am now Queen of all the Ebony Islands and they are under my rule, +nor shall I ever again meet my Kamar al- Zaman save in this place; for there is +no way for him to his native land but through the Ebony Islands. Verily, I know +not what to do in my present case, but I commit my care to Allah who directeth +all for the best, for I am no man that I should arise and open this virgin +girl." Then quoth Queen Budur to Hayat al- Nufus, "O my beloved, that I have +neglected thee and abstained from thee is in my own despite." And she told her +her whole story from beginning to end and showed her person to her, saying, "I +conjure thee by Allah to keep my counsel, for I have concealed my case only +that Allah may reunite me with my beloved Kamar al- Zaman and then come what +may."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Eleventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Lady Budur +acquainted Hayat al-Nufus with her history and bade her keep it secret, the +Princess heard her with extreme wonderment and was moved to pity and prayed +Allah to reunite her with her beloved, saying, "Fear nothing, O my sister; but +have patience till Allah bring to pass that which must come to pass:" and she +began repeating, +</p> + +<p> +"None but the men of worth a secret keep;<br/> + +With worthy men a secret's hidden deep;<br/> + +As in a room, so secrets lie with me,<br/> + +Whose door is sealed, lock shot and lost the key."[FN#320]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when Hayat al-Nufus had ended her verses, she said, "O my sister, verily +the breasts of the noble and brave are of secrets the grave; and I will not +discover shine." Then they toyed and embraced and kissed and slept till near +the Mu'ezzin's call to dawn prayer, when Hayat al-Nufus arose and took a +pigeon-poult,[FN#321] and cut its throat over her smock and besmeared herself +with its blood. Then she pulled off her petticoat-trousers and cried aloud, +where-upon her people hastened to her and raised the usual lullilooing and +outcries of joy and gladness. Presently her mother came in to her and asked her +how she did and busied herself about her and abode with her till evening; +whilst the Lady Budur arose with the dawn, and repaired to the bath and, after +washing herself pure, proceeded to the hall of audience, where she sat down on +her throne and dispensed justice among the folk. Now when King Armanus heard +the loud cries of joy, he asked what was the matter and was informed of the +consummation of his daughter's marriage; whereat he rejoiced and his breast +swelled with gladness and he made a great marriage-feast whereof the +merry-making lasted a long time. Such was their case: but as regards King +Shahriman it was on this wise. After his son had fared forth to the chase +accompanied by Marzawan, as before related, he tarried patiently awaiting their +return at nightfall; but when his son did not appear he passed a sleepless +night and the dark hours were longsome upon him; his restlessness was +excessive, his excitement grew upon him and he thought the morning would never +dawn. Anc when day broke he sat expecting his son and waited till noon, but he +came not; whereat his heart forebode separation and was fired with fears for +Kamar al-Zaman; and he cried, "Alas! my son!" and he wept till his clothes were +drenched with tears, and repeated with a beating heart, +</p> + +<p> +"Love's votaries I ceased not to oppose, *<br/> + + Till doomed to taste Love's bitter and Love's sweet:<br/> + +I drained his rigour-cup to very dregs, *<br/> + + Self humbled at its slaves' and freemen's feet:<br/> + +Fortune had sworn to part the loves of us; *<br/> + + She kept her word how truly, well I weet!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he ended his verse, he wiped away his tears and bade his troops make +ready for a march and prepare for a long expedition. So they all mounted and +set forth, headed by the Sultan, whose heart burnt with grief and was fired +with anxiety for his son Kamar al-Zaman; and they advanced by forced marches. +Now the King divided his host into six divisions, a right wing and a left wing, +a vanguard and a rear guard;[FN#322] and bade them rendezvous for the morrow at +the cross-roads. Accordingly they separated and scoured the country all the +rest of that day till night, and they marched through the night and at noon of +the ensuing day they joined company at the place where four roads met. But they +knew not which the Prince followed, till they saw the sign of torn clothes and +sighted shreds of flesh and beheld blood still sprinkled by the way and they +noted every piece of the clothes and fragment of mangled flesh scattered on all +sides. Now when King Shahriman saw this, he cried from his heart-core a loud +cry, saying, "Alas, my son!"; and buffeted his face and plucks his beard and +rent his raiment, doubting not but his son was dead. Then he gave himself up to +excessive weeping and wailing, and the troops also wept for his weeping, all +being assured that Prince Kamar al-Zaman had perished. They threw dust on their +heads, and the night surprised them shedding tears and lamenting till they were +like to die. Then the King with a heart on fire and with burning sighs spake +these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Chide not the mourner for bemourning woe; *<br/> + + Enough is yearning every Ill to show:<br/> + +He weeps for stress of sorrow and of pain, *<br/> + + And these to thee best evidence his lowe:<br/> + +Happy![FN#323] of whom Love sickness swore that ne'er *<br/> + + Should cease his eye lids loving tears to flow:<br/> + +He mourns the loss of fairest, fullest Moon, *<br/> + + Shining o'er all his peers in glorious glow:<br/> + +But death made drink a brimming cup, what day *<br/> + + He fared from natal country fain to go:<br/> + +His home left he and went from us to grief; *<br/> + + Nor to his brethren could he say adieu:<br/> + +Yea, his loss wounded me with parting pangs, *<br/> + + And separation cost me many a throe:<br/> + +He fared farewelling, as he fared, our eyes; *<br/> + + Whenas his Lord vouch-safed him Paradise."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when King Shahriman had ended his verses, he returned with the troops to +his capital,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Twelfth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Shahriman had +ended his verses, he returned with the troops to his capital, giving up his son +for lost, and deeming that wild beasts or banditti had set upon him and torn +him to pieces; and made proclamation that all in the Khalidan Islands should +don black in mourning for him. Moreover, he built, in his memory, a pavilion, +naming it House of Lamentations; and on Mondays and Thursdays he devoted +himself to the business of the state and ordering the affairs of his levies and +lieges; and the rest of the week he was wont to spend in the House of +Lamentations, mourning for his son and bewailing him with elegiac +verses,[FN#324] of which the following are some:— +</p> + +<p> +"My day of bliss is that when thou appearest; *<br/> + + My day of bale[FN#325] is that whereon thou farest:<br/> + +Though through the night I quake in dread of death; *<br/> + + Union wi' thee is of all bliss the dearest."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And again he said, +</p> + +<p> +"My soul be sacrifice for one, whose going *<br/> + + Afflicted hearts with sufferings sore and dread:<br/> + +Let joy her widowed term[FN#326] fulfil, for I *<br/> + + Divorced joy with the divorce thrice-said."[FN#327]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Such was the case with King Shahriman; but as regards Queen Budur daughter of +King Ghayur, she abode as ruler in the Ebony Islands, whilst the folk would +point to her with their fingers, and say, "Yonder is the son-in-law of King +Armanus." And every night she lay with Hayat al-Nufus, to whom she lamented her +desolate state and longing for her husband Kamar al-Zaman; weeping and +describing to her his beauty and loveliness, and yearning to enjoy him though +but in a dream: And at times she would repeat, +</p> + +<p> +"Well Allah wots that since my severance from thee, *<br/> + + I wept till forced to borrow tears at usury:<br/> + +'Patience!' my blamer cried, 'Heartsease right soon shalt see!' *<br/> + + Quoth I, 'Say, blamer, where may home of Patience be?'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +This is how it fared with Queen Budur; but as regards Kamar al- Zaman, he abode +with the gardener in the garden for no short time, weeping night and day and +repeating verses bewailing the past time of enjoyment and delight; whilst the +gardener kept comforting him and assuring him that the ship would set sail for +the land of the Moslems at the end of the year. And in this condition he +continued till one day he saw the folk crowding together and wondered at this; +but the gardener came in to him and said, "O my son, give over work for this +day nor lead water to the trees; for it is a festival day, whereon folk visit +one another. So take thy rest and only keep shine eye on the garden, whilst I +go look after the ship for thee; for yet but a little while and I send thee to +the land of the Moslems." Upon this, he went forth from the garden leaving to +himself Kamar al-Zaman, who fell to musing upon his case till his heart was +like to break and the tears streamed from his eyes. So he wept with excessive +weeping till he swooned away and, when he recovered, he rose and walked about +the garden, pondering what Time had done with him and bewailing the long +endurance of his estrangement and separation from those he loved. As he was +thus absorbed in melancholy thought, his foot stumbled and he fell on his face, +his forehead striking against the projecting root of a tree; and the blow cut +it open and his blood ran down and mingled with his tears Then he rose and, +wiping away the blood, dried his tears and bound his brow with a piece of rag; +then continued his walk about the garden engrossed by sad reverie. Presently, +he looked up at a tree and saw two birds quarrelling thereon, and one of them +rose up and smote the other with its beak on the neck and severed from its body +its head, wherewith it flew away, whilst the slain bird fell to the ground +before Kamar al-Zaman. As it lay, behold, two great birds swooped down upon it +alighting, one at the head and the other at the tail, and both drooped their +wings and bowed their bills over it and, extending their necks towards it, +wept. Kamar al-Zaman also wept when seeing the birds thus bewail their mate, +and called to mind his wife and father, And Shahrazed perceived the dawn of day +and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirteenth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman wept and +lamented his separation from spouse and sire, when he beheld those two birds +weeping over their mate. Then he looked at the twain and saw them dig a grave +and therein bury the slain bird; after which they flew away far into the +firmament and disappeared for a while; but presently they returned with the +murtherer-bird and, alighting on the grave of the murthered, stamped on the +slayer till they had done him to death. Then they rent his belly and tearing +out his entrails, poured the blood on the grave of the slain[FN#328]: moreover, +they stripped off his skin and tare his flesh in pieces and, pulling out the +rest of the bowels, scattered them hither and thither. All this while Kamar +al-Zaman was watching them wonderingly; but presently, chancing to look at the +place where the two birds had slain the third, he saw therein something +gleaming. So he drew near to it and noted that it was the crop of the dead +bird. Whereupon he took it and opened it and found the talisman which had been +the cause of his separation from his wife. But when he saw it and knew it, he +fell to the ground a-fainting for joy; and, when he revived, he said, "Praised +be Allah! This is a foretaste of good and a presage of reunion with my +beloved." Then he examined the jewel and passed it over his eyes[FN#329]; after +which he bound it to his forearm, rejoicing in coming weal, and walked about +till nightfall awaiting the gardener's return; and when he came not, he lay +down and slept in his wonted place. At daybreak he rose to his work and, +girding his middle with a cord of palm- fibre, took hatchet and basket and +walked down the length of the garden, till he came to a carob-tree and struck +the axe into its roots. The blow rang and resounded; so he cleared away the +soil from the place and discovered a trap-door and raised it.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When It was the Two Hundred and Fourteenth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Kamar al-Zaman +raised the trap-door, he found a winding stair, which he descended and came to +an ancient vault of the time of Ad and Thamúd,[FN#330] hewn out of the rock. +Round the vault stood many brazen vessels of the bigness of a great oil-jar +which he found full of gleaming red gold: whereupon he said to himself, "Verily +sorrow is gone and solace is come!" Then he mounted from the souterrain to the +garden and, replacing the trap-door as it was before, busied himself in +conducting water to the trees till the last of the day, when the gardener came +back and said to him, "O my son, rejoice at the good tidings of a speedy return +to thy native land: the merchants are ready equipped for the voyage and the +ship in three days' time will set sail for the City of Ebony, which is the +first of the cities of the Moslems, and after making it, thou must travel by +land a six months' march till thou come to the Islands of Khalidan, the +dominions of King Shahriman." At this Kamar al-Zaman rejoiced and began +repeating, +</p> + +<p> +"Part not from one whose wont is not to part from you; *<br/> + + Nor with your cruel taunts an innocent mortify:<br/> + +Another so long parted had ta'en heart from you, *<br/> + + And had his whole condition changed,—but not so I."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he kissed the gardener's hand and said, "O my father, even as thou hast +brought me glad tidings, so I also have great good news for thee,' and told him +anent his discovery of the vault; whereat the gardener rejoiced and said, "O my +son, fourscore years have I dwelt in this garden and have never hit on aught +whilst thou, who hast not sojourned with me a year, hast discovered this thing; +wherefore it is Heaven's gift to thee, which shall end thy crosses and aid thee +to rejoin thy folk and foregather with her thou lovest." Quoth Kamar al-Zaman, +"There is no help but it must be shared between me and thee." Then he carried +him to the underground-chamber and showed him the gold, which was in twenty +jars: he took ten and the gardener ten, and the old man said to him, "O my son, +fill thyself leather bottles[FN#331] with the sparrow-olives[FN#332] which grow +in this garden, for they are not found except in our land; and the merchants +carry them to all parts. Lay the gold in the bottles and strew it over with +olives: then stop them and cover them and take them with thee in the ship." So +Kamar al-Zaman arose without stay or delay and took fifty leather bottles and +stored in each somewhat of the gold, and closed each one after placing a layer +of olives over the gold; and at the bottom of one of the bottles he laid the +talisman. Then sat he down to talk with the gardener, confident of speedy +reunion with his own people and saying to himself, "When I come to the Ebony +Islands I will journey thence to my father's country and enquire for my beloved +Budur. Would to Heaven I knew whether she returned to her own land or journeyed +on to my father's country or whether there befel her any accident by the way." +And he began versifying, +</p> + +<p> +"Love in my breast they lit and fared away, *<br/> + + And far the land wherein my love is pent:<br/> + +Far lies the camp and those who camp therein; *<br/> + + Par is her tent-shrine, where I ne'er shall tent.<br/> + +Patience far deaf me when from me they fled; *<br/> + + Sleep failed mine eyes, endurance was forspent:<br/> + +They left and with them left my every joy, *<br/> + + Wending with them, nor find I peace that went:<br/> + +They made these eyes roll down love tears in flood, *<br/> + + And lacking them these eyne with tears are drent.<br/> + +When my taste spins once again would see them, *<br/> + + When pine and expectation but augment,<br/> + +In my heart's core their counterfeits I trace, *<br/> + + With love and yearning to behold their grace."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then, while he awaited the end of the term of days, he told the gardener the +tale of the birds and what had passed between them; whereat the hearer +wondered; and they both lay down and slept till the morning. The gardener awoke +sick and abode thus two days; but on the third day, his sickness increased on +him, till they despaired of his life and Kamar al-Zaman grieved with sore grief +for him. Meanwhile behold, the Master and his crew came and enquired for the +gardener; and, when Kamar al-Zaman told them that he was sick, they asked, +"Where be the youth who is minded to go with us to the Ebony Islands?" "He is +your servent and he standeth before you!" answered the Prince and bade them +carry the bottles of olives to the ship; so they transported them, saying, +"Make haste, thou, for the wind is fair;" and he replied, "I hear and obey." +Then he carried his provaunt on board and, returning to bid the gardener +farewell, found him in the agonies of death; so he sat down at his head and +closed his eyes, and his soul departed his body; whereupon he laid him out and +committed him to the earth unto the mercy of Allah Almighty. Then he made for +the ship but found that she had already weighed anchor and set sail; nor did +she cease to cleave the seas till she disappeared from his sight. So he went +back to whence he came heavy-hearted with whirling head; and neither would he +address a soul nor return a reply; and reaching the garden and sitting down in +cark and care he threw dust on his head and buffeted his cheeks.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Fifteenth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the ship sped on her +course, Kamar al-Zaman returned to the garden in cark and care; but- anon he +rented the place of its owner and hired a man to help him in irrigating the +trees. Moreover, he repaired the trap-door and he went to the underground +chamber and bringing the rest of the gold to grass, stowed it in other fifty +bottles which he filled up with a layer of olives. Then he enquired of the ship +and they told him that it sailed but once a year, at which his trouble of mind +redoubled and he cried sore for that which had betided him, above all for the +loss of the Princess Budur's talisman, and spent his nights and days weeping +and repealing verses. Such was his case; but as regards the ship she sailed +with a favouring wind till she reached the Ebony Islands. Now by decree of +destiny, Queen Budur was sitting at a lattice-window overlooking the sea and +saw the galley cast anchor upon the strand. At this sight, her heart throbbed +and she took horse with the Chamberlains and Nabobs and, riding down to the +shore, halted by the ship, whilst the sailors broke bulk and bore the bales to +the storehouses; after which she called the captain to her presence and asked +what he had with him. He answered "O King, I have with me in this ship aromatic +drugs and cosmetics and healing powders and ointments and plasters and precious +metals and rich stuffs and rugs of Yemen leather, not to be borne of mule or +camel, and all manner of otters and spices and perfumes, civet and ambergris +and camphor and Sumatra aloes-wood, and tamerinds[FN#333] and sparrow-olives to +boot, such as are rare to find in this country." When she heard talk of +sparrow- olives her heart longed for them and she said to the ship-master, "How +much of olives hast thou?" He replied, "Fifty bottles full, but their owner is +not with us, so the King shall take what he will of them." Quoth she, "Bring +them ashore, that I may see them.'' Thereupon he called to the sailors, who +brought her the fifty bottles; and she opened one and, looking at the olives, +said to the captain, "I will take the whole fifty and pay you their value, +whatso it be." He answered, "By Allah, O my lord, they have no value in our +country; moreover their shipper tarried behind us, and he is a poor man." Asked +she, "And what are they worth here?" and he answered "A thousand dirhams." "I +will take them at a thousand," she said and bade them carry the fifty bottles +to the palace. When it was night, she called for a bottle of olives and opened +it, there being none in the room but herself and the Princess Hayat al-Nufus. +Then, placing a dish before her she turned into it the contents of the jar, +when there fell out into the dish with the olives a heap of red gold; and she +said to the Lady Hayat al-Nufus, "This is naught but gold!" So she sent for the +rest of the bottles and found them all full of precious metal and scarce enough +olives to fill a single jar. Moreover, she sought among the gold and found +therein the talisman, which she took and examined and behold, it was that which +Kamar al- Zaman had taken from off the band of her petticoat trousers. +Thereupon she cried out for joy and slipped down in a swoon;—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Sixteenth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Budur saw the +talisman she cried out for joy and slipped down in a swoon; and when she +recovered she said to herself, "Verily, this talisman was the cause of my +separation from my beloved Kamar al-Zaman; but now it is an omen of good." Then +she showed it to Hayat al-Nufus and said to her, "This was the cause of +disunion and now, please Allah, it shall be the cause of reunion." As soon as +day dawned she seated herself on the royal throne and sent for the ship-master, +who came into the presence and kissed the ground before her. Quoth she, "Where +didst thou leave the owner of these olives?" Quoth he, "O King of the age, we +left him in the land of the Magians and he is a gardener there." She rejoined, +"Except thou bring him to me, thou knowest not the harm which awaiteth thee and +thy ship." Then she bade them seal up the magazines of the merchants and said +to them, "Verily the owner of these olives hath borrowed of me and I have a +claim upon him for debt and, unless ye bring him to me, I will without fail do +you all die and seize your goods." So they went to the captain and promised him +the hire of the ship, if he would go and return a second time, saying, "Deliver +us from this masterful tyrant." Accordingly the skipper embarked and set sail +and Allah decreed him a prosperous voyage, till he came to the Island of the +Magians and, landing by night, went up to the garden. Now the night was long +upon Kamar al-Zaman, and he sat, bethinking him of his beloved, and bewailing +what had befallen him and versifying, +</p> + +<p> +"A night whose stars refused to run their course, *<br/> + + A night of those which never seem outworn:<br/> + +Like Resurrection-day, of longsome length[FN#334] *<br/> + + To him that watched and waited for the morn."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now at this moment, the captain knocked at the garden-gate, and Kamar al-Zaman +opened and went out to him, whereupon the crew seized him and went down with +him on board the ship and set sail forthright; and they ceased not voyaging +days and nights, whilst Kamar al-Zaman knew not why they dealt thus with him; +but when he questioned them they replied, "Thou hast offended against the Lord +of the Ebony Islands, the son-in-law of King Armanus, and thou hast stolen his +monies, miserable that thou art!" Said he, "By Allah! I never entered that +country nor do I know where it is!" However, they fared on with him, till they +made the Ebony Islands and landing, carried him up to the Lady Budur, who knew +him at sight and said, "Leave him with the eunuchs, that they may take him to +the bath." Then she relieved the merchants of the embargo and gave the captain +a robe of honour worth ten thousand pieces of gold; and, after returning to the +palace, she went in that night to the Princess Hayat al-Nufus and told her what +had passed, saying, "Keep thou my counsel, till I accomplish my purpose, and do +a deed which shall be recorded and shall be read by Kings and commoners after +we be dead and gone." And when she gave orders that they bear Kamar al-Zaman to +the bath, they did so and clad him in a royal habit so that, when he came +forth, he resembled a willow-bough or a star which shamed the greater and +lesser light[FN#335] and its glow, and his life and soul returned to his frame. +Then he repaired to the palace and went in to the Princess Budur; and when she +saw him she schooled her heart to patience, till she should have accomplished +her purpose; and she bestowed on him Mamelukes and eunuchs, camels and mules. +Moreover, she gave him a treasury of money and she ceased not advancing him +from dignity to dignity, till she made him Lord High Treasurer and committed to +his charge all the treasures of the state; and she admitted him to familiar +favour and acquainted the Emirs with his rank and dignity. And all loved him, +for Queen Budur did not cease day by day to increase his allowances. As for +Kamar al-Zaman, he was at a loss anent the reason of her thus honouring him; +and he gave gifts and largesse out of the abundance of the wealth; and he +devoted himself to the service of King Armanus; so that the King and all the +Emirs and people, great and small, adored him and were wont to swear by his +life. Nevertheless, he ever marvelled at the honour and favour shown him by +Queen Budur and said to himself, "By Allah, there needs must be a reason for +this affection! Peradventure, this King favoureth me not with these immoderate +favours save for some ill purpose and, therefore, there is no help but that I +crave leave of him to depart his realm." So he went in to Queen Budur and said +to her, "O King, thou hast overwhelmed me with favours, but it will fulfil the +measure of thy bounties if thou take from me all thou hast been pleased to +bestow upon me, and permit me to depart." She smiled and asked, "What maketh +thee seek to depart and plunge into new perils, whenas thou art in the +enjoyment of the highest favour and greatest prosperity?" Answered Kamar al- +Zaman, "O King, verily this favour, if there be no reason for it, is indeed a +wonder of wonders, more by token that thou hast advanced me to dignities such +as befit men of age and experience, albeit I am as it were a young child." And +Queen Budur rejoined, "The reason is that I love thee for shine exceeding +loveliness and thy surpassing beauty; and if thou wilt but grant me my desire +of thy body, I will advance thee yet farther in honour and favour and largesse; +and I will make thee Wazir, for all thy tender age even as the folk made me +Sultan over them and I no older than thou; so that nowadays there is nothing +strange when children take the head and by Allah, he was a gifted man who said, +</p> + +<p> +'It seems as though of Lot's tribe were our days, *<br/> + + And crave with love to advance the young in years.'"[FN#336]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Kamar al-Zaman heard these words, he was abashed and his cheeks flushed +till they seemed a-flame; and he said, "I need not these favours which lead to +the commission of sin; I will live poor in wealth but wealthy in virtue and +honour." Quoth she, "I am not to be duped by thy scruples, arising from prudery +and coquettish ways; and Allah bless him who saith, +</p> + +<p> +'To him I spake of coupling, but he said to me, *<br/> + + How long this noyous long persistency?'<br/> + +But when gold piece I showed him, he cried, *<br/> + + 'Who from the Almighty Sovereign e'er shall flee?'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when Kamar al-Zaman, heard these words and understood her verses and their +import, he said, "O King, I have not the habit of these doings, nor have I +strength to bear these heavy burthens for which elder than I have proved +unable; then how will it be with my tender age?" But she smiled at his speech +and retorted, "Indeed, it is a matter right marvellous how error springeth from +the disorder of man's intendiment!! Since thou art a boy, why standest thou in +fear of sin or the doing of things forbidden, seeing that thou art not yet come +to years of canonical responsibility; and the offences of a child incur neither +punishment nor reproof? Verily, thou hast committed thyself to a quibble for +the sake of contention, and it is thy duty to bow before a proposal of +fruition, so henceforward cease from denial and coyness, for the commandment of +Allah is a decree foreordained:[FN#337] indeed, I have more reason than thou to +fear falling and by sin to be misled; and well inspired was he who said, +</p> + +<p> +'My prickle is big and the little one said, *<br/> + + 'Thrust boldly in vitals with lion-like stroke!<br/> + +Then I, ' 'Tis a sin!; and he, 'No sin to me! *<br/> + + So I had him at once with a counterfeit poke."[FN#338]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Kamar al-Zaman heard these words, the light became darkness in his sight +and he said, "O King, thou hast in thy household fair women and female slaves, +who have not their like in this age: shall not these suffice thee without me? +Do thy will with them and let me go!" She replied, "Thou sayest sooth, but it +is not with them that one who loveth thee can heal himself of torment and can +abate his fever; for, when tastes and inclinations are corrupted by vice, they +hear and obey other than good advice. So leave arguing and listen to what the +poet saith, +</p> + +<p> +'Seest not the bazar with its fruit in rows? *<br/> + + These men are for figs and for sycamore[FN#339] those!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And what another saith, +</p> + +<p> +'Many whose anklet rings are dumb have tinkling belts, *<br/> + + And this hath all content while that for want must wail:<br/> + +Thou bidd'st me be a fool and quit thee for her charms; *<br/> + + Allah forfend I leave The Faith, turn Infidel!<br/> + +Nay, by thy rights of side-beard mocking all her curls, *<br/> + + Nor mott nor maid[FN#340] from thee my heart shall spell.'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And yet another, +</p> + +<p> +'O beauty's Union! love for thee's my creed, *<br/> + + Free choice of Faith and eke my best desire:<br/> + +Women I have forsworn for thee; so may *<br/> + + Deem me all men this day a shaveling friar.'[FN#341]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And yet another, +</p> + +<p> +'Even not beardless one with girl, nor heed *<br/> + + The spy who saith to thee ''Tis an amiss!'<br/> + +Far different is the girl whose feet one kisses *<br/> + + And that gazelle whose feet the earth must kiss.'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And yet another, +</p> + +<p> +'A boy of twice ten is fit for a King!' +</p> + +<p> +And yet another, +</p> + +<p> +'The penis smooth and round was made with anus best to match it, * Had it been +made for cunnus' sake it had been formed like hatchet!' +</p> + +<p> +And yet another said, +</p> + +<p> +'My soul thy sacrifice! I chose thee out *<br/> + + Who art not menstruous nor oviparous:<br/> + + Did I with woman mell, I should beget *<br/> + + Brats till the wide wide world grew strait for us.'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And yet another, +</p> + +<p> +'She saith (sore hurt in sense the most acute *<br/> + + For she had proffered what did not besuit),<br/> + +'Unless thou stroke as man should swive his wife *<br/> + + Blame not when horns thy brow shall incornůte!<br/> + +Thy wand seems waxen, to a limpo grown, *<br/> + + And more I palm it, softer grows the brute!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And yet another, +</p> + +<p> +'Quoth she (for I to lie with her forbore), *<br/> + + 'O folly-following fool, O fool to core:<br/> + +If thou my coynte for Kiblah[FN#342] to thy coigne *<br/> + + Reject, we'll shall please thee more.'[FN#343]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And yet another, +</p> + +<p> +'She proffered me a tender coynte *<br/> + + Quoth I 'I will not roger thee!'<br/> + +She drew back, saying, 'From the Faith *<br/> + + He turns, who's turned by Heaven's decree![FN#344]<br/> + +And front wise fluttering, in one day, *<br/> + + Is obsolete persistency!'<br/> + +Then swung she round and shining rump *<br/> + + Like silvern lump she showed me!<br/> + +I cried: 'Well done, O mistress mine! *<br/> + + No more am I in pain for thee;<br/> + +O thou of all that Allah oped[FN#345] *<br/> + + Showest me fairest victory!'<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And yet another, +</p> + +<p> +'Men craving pardon will uplift their hands; *<br/> + + Women pray pardon with their legs on high:<br/> + +Out on it for a pious, prayerful work! *<br/> + + The Lord shall raise it in the depths to lie.'"[FN#346]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Kamar al-Zaman heard her quote this poetry, and was certified that there +was no escaping compliance with what willed she, he said, "O King of the age, +if thou must needs have it so, make covenant with me that thou wilt do this +thing with me but once, though it avail not to correct thy depraved appetite, +and that thou wilt never again require this thing of me to the end of time; so +perchance shall Allah purge me of the sin." She replied "I promise thee this +thing, hoping that Allah of His favour will relent towards us and blot out our +mortal offence; for the girdle of heaven's forgiveness is not indeed so strait, +but it may compass us around and absolve us of the excess of our heinous sins +and bring us to the light of salvation out of the darkness of error; and indeed +excellently well saith the poet, +</p> + +<p> +'Of evil thing the folk suspect us twain; *<br/> + + And to this thought their hearts and souls are bent:<br/> + +Come, dear! let's justify and free their souls *<br/> + + That wrong us; one good bout and then—repent!'''[FN#347]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon she made him an agreement and a covenant and swore a solemn oath by +Him who is Self-existent, that this thing should befal betwixt them but once +and never again for all time, and that the desire of him was driving her to +death and perdition. So he rose up with her, on this condition, and went with +her to her own boudoir, that she might quench the lowe of her lust, saying, +"There is no Majesty, and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the +Great! This is the fated decree of the All- powerful, the All-wise!"; and he +doffed his bag-trousers, shamefull and abashed, with the tears running from his +eyes for stress of affright. Thereat she smiled and making him mount upon a +couch with her, said to him, "After this night, thou shalt see naught that will +offend thee." Then she turned to him bussing and bosoming him and bending calf +over calf, and said to him, "Put thy hand between my thighs to the accustomed +place; so haply it may stand up to prayer after prostration." He wept and +cried, "I am not good at aught of this," but she said, "By my life, an thou do +as I bid thee, it shall profit thee!" So he put out his hand, with vitals +a-fire for confusion, and found her thighs cooler than cream and softer than +silk. The touching of them pleasured him and he moved his hand hither and +thither, till it came to a dome abounding in good gifts and movements and +shifts, and said in himself, "Perhaps this King is a hermaphrodite,[FN#348] +neither man nor woman quite;" so he said to her, "O King, I cannot find that +thou hast a tool like the tools of men; what then moved thee to do this deed?" +Then loudly laughed Queen Budur till she fell on her back,[FN#349] and said, "O +my dearling, how quickly thou hast forgotten the nights we have lain together!" +Then she made herself known to him, and he knew her for his wife, the Lady +Budur, daughter of King al-Ghayur, Lord of the Isles and the Seas. So he +embraced her and she embraced him, and he kissed her and she kissed him; then +they lay down on the bed of pleasure voluptuous, repeating the words of the +poet, +</p> + +<p> +"When his softly bending shape bid him close to my embrace *<br/> + + Which clips him all about like the tendrils of the vine<br/> + +And shed a flood of softness on the hardness of his heart, *<br/> + + He yielded though at first he was minded to decline;<br/> + +And dreading lest the railer's eye should light upon his form, *<br/> + + Came armoured with caution to baffle his design:<br/> + +His waist makes moan of hinder cheeks that weigh upon his feet *<br/> + + Like heavy load of merchandise upon young camel li'en;<br/> + +Girt with his glances scymitar which seemed athirst for blood, *<br/> + + And clad in mail of dusky curls that show the sheeniest<br/> + + shine,<br/> + +His fragrance wafted happy news of footstep coming nigh, *<br/> + + And to him like a bird uncaged I flew in straightest line:<br/> + +I spread my cheek upon his path, beneath his sandal-shoon, *<br/> + + And lo! the stibium[FN#350] of their dust healed all my hurt<br/> + + of eyne.<br/> + +With one embrace again I bound the banner of our loves[FN#351] *<br/> + + And loosed the knot of my delight that bound in bonds<br/> + + malign:<br/> + +Then bade I make high festival, and straight came flocking in *<br/> + + Pure joys that know not grizzled age[FN#352] nor aught of<br/> + + pain and pine:<br/> + +The full moon dotted with the stars the lips and pearly teeth *<br/> + + That dance right joyously upon the bubbling face of wine:<br/> + +So in the prayer-niche of their joys I yielded me to what *<br/> + + Would make the humblest penitent of sinner most indign.<br/> + +I swear by all the signs[FN#353] of those glories in his face *<br/> + + I'll ne'er forget the Chapter entituled Al-Ikhlas."[FN#354]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then Queen Budur told Kamar al-Zaman all that had befallen her from beginning +to end and he did likewise; after which he began to upbraid her, saying, "What +moved thee to deal with me as thou hast done this night?" She replied, "Pardon +me! for I did this by way of jest, and that pleasure and gladness might be +increased." And when dawned the morn and day arose with its sheen and shone, +she sent to King Armanus, sire of the Lady Hayat al-Nufus, and acquainted him +with the truth of the case and that she was wife to Kamar al-Zaman. Moreover, +she told him their tale and the cause of their separation, and how his daughter +was a virgin, pure as when she was born. He marvelled at their story with +exceeding marvel and bade them chronicle it in letters of gold. Then he turned +to Kamar al-Zaman and said, "O King's son, art thou minded to become my +son-in-law by marrying my daughter?" Replied he, "I must consult the Queen +Budur, as she hath a claim upon me for benefits without stint." And when he +took counsel with her, she said, "Right is thy recking; marry her and I will be +her handmaid; for I am her debtor for kindness and favour and good offices, and +obligations manifold, especially as we are here in her place and as the King +her father hath whelmed us with benefits."[FN#355] Now when he saw that she +inclined to this and was not jealous of Hayat al-Nufus, he agreed with her upon +this matter.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Seventeenth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kamar al- Zaman agreed +with his wife, Queen Budur, upon this matter and told King Armanus what she had +said; whereat he rejoiced with great joy. Then he went out and, seating himself +upon his chair of estate, assembled all the Wazirs, Emirs, Chamberlains and +Grandees, to whom he related the whole story of Kamar al-Zaman and his wife, +Queen Budur, from first to last; and acquainted them with his desire to marry +his daughter Hayat al-Nufus to the Prince and make him King in the stead of +Queen Budur. Whereupon said they all, "Since he is the husband of Queen Budur, +who hath been our King till now, whilst we deemed her son-in-law to King +Armanus, we are all content to have him to Sultan over us; and we will be his +servants, nor will we swerve from his allegiance." So Armanus rejoiced hereat +and, summoning Kazis and witnesses and the chief officers of state, bade draw +up the contract of marriage between Kamar al-Zaman and his daughter, the +Princess Hayat al-Nufus. Then he held high festival, giving sumptuous +marriage-feasts and bestowing costly dresses of honour upon all the Emirs and +Captains of the host; moreover he distributed alms to the poor and needy and +set free all the prisoners. The whole world rejoiced in the coming of Kamar +al-Zaman to the throne, blessing him and wishing him endurance of glory and +prosperity, renown and felicity; and, as soon as he became King, he remitted +the customs-dues and released all men who remained in gaol. Thus he abode a +long while, ordering himself worthily towards his lieges; and he lived with his +two wives in peace, happiness, constancy and content, lying the night with each +of them in turn. He ceased not after this fashion during many years, for indeed +all his troubles and afflictions were blotted out from him and he forgot his +father King Shahriman and his former estate of honour and favour with him. +After a while Almighty Allah blessed him with two boy children, as they were +two shining moons, through his two wives; the elder whose name was Prince +Amjad,[FN#356] by Queen Budur, and the younger whose name was Prince As'ad by +Queen Hayat al-Nufus; and this one was comelier than his brother. They were +reared in splendour and tender affection, in respectful bearing and in the +perfection of training; and they were instructed in penmanship and science and +the arts of government and horsemanship, till they attained the extreme +accomplishments and the utmost limit of beauty and loveliness; both men and +women being ravished by their charms. They grew up side by side till they +reached the age of seventeen, eating and drinking together and sleeping in one +bed, nor ever parting at any time or tide; wherefore all the people envied +them. Now when they came to man's estate and were endowed with every +perfection, their father was wont, as often as he went on a journey, to make +them sit in his stead by turns in the hall of judgement; and each did justice +among the folk one day at a time. But it came to pass, by confirmed fate and +determined lot, that love for As'ad (son of Queen Hayat al-Nufus) rose in the +heart of Queen Budur, and that affection for Amjad (son of Queen Budur) rose in +the heart of Queen Hayat al-Nufus.[FN#357] Hence it was that each of the women +used to sport and play with the son of her sister-wife, kissing him and +straining him to her bosom, whilst each mother thought that the other's +behaviour arose but from maternal affection. On this wise passion got the +mastery of the two women's hearts and they became madly in love with the two +youths, so that when the other's son came in to either of them, she would press +him to her breast and long for him never to be parted from her; till, at last, +when waiting grew longsome to them and they found no path to enjoyment, they +refused meat and drink and banished the solace of sleep. Presently, the King +fared forth to course and chase, bidding his two sons sit to do justice in his +stead, each one day in turn as was their wont.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Eighteenth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King fared forth to +sport and hunt, bidding his two sons sit to do justice in his stead, each one +day by turn, as was their wont. Now Prince Amjad sat in judgement the first +day, bidding and forbidding, appointing and deposing, giving and refusing; and +Queen Hayat al-Nufus, mother of As'ad, wrote to him a letter suing for his +favour and discovering to him her passion and devotion; altogether put tiny off +the mask and giving him to know that she desired to enjoy him. So she took a +scroll and thereon indited these cadences, "From the love deranged * the +sorrowful and estranged * whose torment is prolonged for the longing of thee! * +Were I to recount to thee the extent of my care * and what of sadness I bear * +the passion which my heart cloth tear * and all that I endure for weeping and +unrest * and the rending of my sorrowful breast * my unremitting grief * and my +woe without relief * and all my suffering for severance of thee * and sadness +and love's ardency * no letter could contain it; nor calculation could compass +it * Indeed earth and heaven upon me are strait; and I have no hope and no +trust but what from thee I await * Upon death I am come nigh * and the horrors +of dissolution I aby * Burning upon me is sore * with parting pangs and +estrangement galore * Were I to set forth the yearnings that possess me more +and more * no scrolls would suffice to hold such store * and of the excess of +my pain and pine, I have made the following lines:- - +</p> + +<p> +Were I to dwell on heart-consuming heat, *<br/> + + Unease and transports in my spins meet,<br/> + +Nothing were left of ink and reeden pen *<br/> + + Nor aught of paper; no, not e'en a sheet.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then Queen Hayat al-Nufus wrapped up her letter in a niece of costly silk +scented with musk and ambergris; and folded it up with her silken +hair-strings[FN#358] whose cost swallowed down treasures laid it in a +handkerchief and gave it to a eunuch bidding him bear it to Prince Amjad.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Nineteenth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that she gave her missive to +the eunuch in waiting and bade him bear it to Prince Amjad. And that eunuch +went forth ignoring what the future hid for him (for the Omniscient ordereth +events even as He willeth); and, going in to the Prince, kissed the ground +between his hands and handed to him the letter. On receiving the kerchief he +opened it and, reading the epistle and recognizing its gist he was ware that +his father's wife was essentially an adulteress and a traitress at heart to her +husband, King Kamar al-Zaman. So he waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and railed +at women and their works, saying, "Allah curse women, the traitresses, the +imperfect in reason and religion!"[FN#359] Then he drew his sword and said to +the eunuch, "Out on thee, thou wicked slave! Dost thou carry messages of +disloyalty for thy lord's wife? By Allah, there is no good in thee, O black of +hue and heart, O foul of face and Nature's forming!" So he smote him on the +neck and severed his head from his body; then, folding the kerchief over its +contents he thrust it into his breast pocket and went in to his own mother and +told her what had passed, reviling and reproaching her, and saying, "Each one +of you is viler than the other; and, by Allah the Great and Glorious, did I not +fear ill-manneredly to transgress against the rights of my father, Kamar +al-Zaman, and my brother, Prince As'ad, I would assuredly go in to her and cut +off her head, even as I cut off that of her eunuch!" Then he went forth from +his mother in a mighty rage; and when the news reached Queen Hayat al-Nufus of +what he had done with her eunuch, she abused him[FN#360] and cursed him and +plotted perfidy against him. He passed the night, sick with rage, wrath and +concern; nor found he pleasure in meat, drink or sleep. And when the next +morning dawned Prince As'ad fared forth in his turn to rule the folk in his +father's stead, whilst his mother, Hayat al-Nufus, awoke in feeble plight +because of what she had heard from Prince Amjad concerning the slaughter of her +eunuch. So Prince As'ad sat in the audience-chamber that day, judging and +administering justice, appointing and deposing, bidding and forbidding, giving +and bestowing. And he ceased not thus till near the time of afternoon-prayer, +when Queen Budur sent for a crafty old woman and, discovering to her what was +in her heart, wrote a letter to Prince As'ad, complaining of the excess of her +affection and desire for him in these cadenced lines, "From her who perisheth +for passion and love-forlorn * to him who in nature and culture is goodliest +born * to him who is conceited of his own loveliness * and glories in his +amorous grace * who from those that seek to enjoy him averteth his face * and +refuseth to show favour unto the self abasing and base * him who is cruel and +of disdainful mood * from the lover despairing of good * to Prince As'ad * with +passing beauty endowed * and of excelling grace proud * of the face moon bright +* and the brow flower-white * and dazzling splendid light * This is my letter +to him whose love melteth my body * and rendeth my skin and bones! * Know that +my patience faileth me quite * and I am perplexed in my plight * longing and +restlessness weary me * and sleep and patience deny themselves to me * but +mourning and watching stick fast to me * and desire and passion torment me * +and the extremes of languor and sickness have sheet me * Yet may my life be a +ransom for thee * albeit thy pleasure be to slay her who loveth thee * and +Allah prolong the life of thee * and preserve thee from all infirmity!" And +after these cadences she wrote these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Fate hath commanded I become thy fere, *<br/> + + O shining like full moon when clearest clear!<br/> + +All beauty dost embrace, all eloquence; *<br/> + + Brighter than aught within our worldly sphere:<br/> + +Content am I my torturer thou be: *<br/> + + Haply shalt alms me with one lovely leer!<br/> + +Happy her death who dieth for thy love! *<br/> + + No good in her who holdeth thee unclear!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And also the following couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Unto thee, As'ad! I of passion-pangs complain; *<br/> + + Have ruth on slave of love so burnt with flaming pain:<br/> + +How long, I ask, shall hands of Love disport with me, *<br/> + + With longings, dolour, sleepliness and bale and bane?<br/> + +Anon I 'plain of sea in heart, anon of fire *<br/> + + In vitals, O strange case, dear wish, my fairest fain!<br/> + +O blamer, cease thy blame, and seek thyself to fly *<br/> + + From love, which makes these eyne a rill of tears to rain.<br/> + +How oft I cry for absence and desire, Ah grief! *<br/> + + But all my crying naught of gain for me shall gain:<br/> + +Thy rigours dealt me sickness passing power to bear, *<br/> + + Thou art my only leach, assain me an thou deign!<br/> + +O chider, chide me not in caution, for I doubt *<br/> + + That plaguey Love to thee shall also deal a bout."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then Queen Budur perfumed the letter-paper with a profusion of odoriferous musk +and, winding it in her hairstrings which were of Iraki silk, with pendants of +oblong emeralds, set with pearls and stones of price, delivered it to the old +woman, bidding her carry it to Prince As'ad.[FN#361] She did so in order to +pleasure her, and going in to the Prince, straightway and without stay, found +him in his own rooms and delivered to him the letter in privacy; after which +she stood waiting an hour or so for the answer. When As'ad had read the paper +and knew its purport, he wrapped it up again in the ribbons and put it in his +bosom-pocket: then (for he was wrath beyond all measure of wrath) he cursed +false women and sprang up and drawing his sword, smote the old trot on the neck +and cut off her pate. Thereupon he went in to his mother, Queen Hayat al-Nufus, +whom he found lying on her bed in feeble case, for that which had betided her +with Prince Amjad, and railed at her and cursed her; after which he left her +and fore-gathered with his brother, to whom he related all that had befallen +him with Queen Budur, adding, "By Allah, O my brother, but that I was ashamed +before thee, I had gone in to her forthright and had smitten her head off her +shoulders!" Replied Prince Amjad, "By Allah, O my brother, yesterday when I was +sitting upon the seat of judgement, the like of what hath befallen thee this +day befel me also with thy mother who sent me a letter of similar purport." And +he told him all that had passed, adding, "By Allah, O my brother, naught but +respect for thee withheld me from going in to her and dealing with her even as +I dealt with the eunuch!" They passed the rest of the night conversing and +cursing womankind, and agreed to keep the matter secret, lest their father +should hear of it and kill the two women. Yet they ceased not to suffer trouble +and foresee affliction. And when the morrow dawned, the King returned with his +suite from hunting and sat awhile in his chair of estate; after which he sent +the Emirs about their business and went up to his palace, where he found his +two wives lying a-bed and both exceeding sick and weak. Now they had made a +plot against their two sons and concerted to do away their lives, for that they +had exposed themselves before them and feared to be at their mercy and +dependent upon their forbearance. When Kamar al-Zaman saw them on this wise, he +said to them, "What aileth you?" Whereupon they rose to him and kissing his +hands answered, perverting the case and saying "Know, O King, that thy two +sons, who have been reared in thy bounty, have played thee false and have +dishonoured thee in the persons of thy wives." Now when he heard this, the +light became darkness in his sight, and he raged with such wrath that his +reason fled: then said he to them, "Explain me this matter." Replied Queen +Budur, "O King of the age, know that these many days past thy son As'ad hath +been in the persistent habit of sending me letters and messages to solicit me +to lewdness and adultery while I still forbade him from this, but he would not +be forbidden; and, when thou wentest forth to hunt, he rushed in on me, drunk +and with a drawn sword in his hand, and smiting my eunuch, slew him. Then he +mounted on my breast, still holding the sword, and I feared lest he should slay +me, if I gainsaid him, even as he had slain my eunuch; so he took his wicked +will of me by force. And now if thou do me not justice on him, O King, I will +slay myself with my own hand, for I have no need of life in the world after +this foul deed." And Queen Hayat al-Nufus, choking with tears, told him +respecting Prince Amjad a story like that of her sister-wife.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Twentieth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Queen Hayat al-Nufus told +her husband, King Kamar al-Zaman, a story like that of her sister in wedlock, +Budur, and, quoth she, "The same thing befel me with thy son Amjad;" after +which she took to weeping and wailing and said, "Except thou do me justice on +him I will tell my father, King Armanus." Then both women wept with sore +weeping before King Kamar al-Zaman who, when he saw their tears and heard their +words, concluded that their story was true and, waxing wroth beyond measure of +wrath, went forth thinking to fall upon his two sons and put them to death. On +his way he met his father- in-law, King Armanus who, hearing of his return from +the chase, had come to salute him at that very hour and, seeing him with naked +brand in hand and blood dripping from his nostrils, for excess of rage, asked +what ailed him. So Kamar al-Zaman told him all that his sons Amjad and As'ad +had done and added, "And here I am now going in to them to slay them in the +foulest way and make of them the most shameful of examples." Quoth King Armanus +(and indeed he too was wroth with them), "Thou dost well, O my son, and may +Allah not bless them nor any sons that do such deed against their father's +honour. But, O my son, the sayer of the old saw saith, 'Whoso looketh not to +the end hath not Fortune to friend.' In any case, they are thy sons, and it +befitteth not that thou kill them with shine own hand, lest thou drink of their +death-agony,[FN#362] and anon repent of having slain them whenas repentance +availeth thee naught. Rather do thou send them with one of thy Mamelukes into +the desert and let him kill them there out of thy sight, for, as saith the +adage, 'Out of sight of my friend is better and pleasanter.'[FN#363] And when +Kamar al-Zaman heard his father-in-law's words, he knew them to be just; so he +sheathed his sword and turning back, sat down upon the throne of his realm. +There he summoned his treasurer, a very old man, versed in affairs and in +fortune's vicissitudes, to whom he said, "Go in to my sons, Amjad and As'ad; +bind their hands behind them with strong bonds, lay them in two chests and load +them upon a mule. Then take horse thou and carry them into mid desert, where do +thou kill them both and fill two vials with their blood and bring the same to +me in haste." Replied the treasurer, "I hear and I obey," and he rose up +hurriedly and went out forthright to seek the Princes; and, on his road, he met +them coming out of the palace-vestibule, for they had donned their best clothes +and their richest; and they were on their way to salute their sire and give him +joy of his safe return from his going forth to hunt. Now when he saw them, he +laid hands on them, saying, "Omy sons, know ye that I am but a slave commanded, +and that your father hath laid a commandment on me; will ye obey his +commandment?" They said, "Yes"; whereupon he went up to them and, after +pinioning their arms, laid them in the chests which he loaded on the back of a +mule he had taken from the city. And he ceased not carrying them into the open +country till near noon, when he halted in a waste and desolate place and, +dismounting from his mare, let down the two chests from the mule's back. Then +he opened them and took out Amjad and As'ad; and when he looked upon them he +wept sore for their beauty and loveliness; then drawing his sword he said to +them, "By Allah, O my lords, indeed it is hard for me to deal so evilly by you; +but I am to be excused in this matter, being but a slave commanded, for that +your father King Kamar al-Zaman hath bidden me strike off your heads." They +replied, "O Emir, do the King's bidding, for we bear with patience that which +Allah (to Whom be Honour, Might and Glory!) hath decreed to us; and thou art +quit of our blood." Then they embraced and bade each other farewell, and As'ad +said to the treasurer, "Allah upon thee, O uncle, spare me the sight of my +brother's death-agony and make me not drink of his anguish, but kill me first, +for that were the easier for me." And Amjad said the like and entreated the +treasurer to kill him before As'ad, saying, "My brother is younger than I; so +make me not taste of his anguish. And they both wept bitter tears whilst the +treasurer wept for their weeping;—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and +ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-first Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the treasurer wept for +their weeping; then the two brothers embraced and bade farewell and one said to +the other, "All this cometh of the malice of those traitresses, my mother and +thy mother; and this is the reward of my forbearance towards thy mother and of +thy for bearance towards my mother! But there is no Might and there is no +Majesty save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Verily, we are Allah's and unto +Him we are returning."[FN#364] And As'ad em braced his brother, sobbing and +repeating these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"O Thou to whom sad trembling wights in fear complain! *<br/> + + O ever ready whatso cometh to sustain!<br/> + +The sole resource for me is at Thy door to knock, *<br/> + + At whose door knock an Thou to open wilt not deign?<br/> + +O Thou whose grace is treasured in the one word, Be![FN#365] *<br/> + + Favour me, I beseech, in Thee all weals contain."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when Amjad heard his brother's weeping he wept also and pressing him to his +bosom repeated these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"O Thou whose boons to me are more than one! *<br/> + + Whose gifts and favours have nor count nor bound!<br/> + +No stroke of all Fate's strokes e'er fell on me, *<br/> + + But Thee to take me by the hand I found."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then said Amjad to the treasurer, "I conjure thee by the One, Omnipotent, the +Lord of Mercy, the Beneficent! slay me before my brother As'ad, so haply shall +the fire be quencht in my heart's core and in this life burn no more." But +As'ad wept and exclaimed, "Not so: I will die first;" whereupon quoth Amjad, +"It were best that I embrace thee and thou embrace me, so the sword may fall +upon us and slay us both at a single stroke." Thereupon they embraced, face to +face and clung to each other straitly, whilst the treasurer tied up the twain +and bound them fast with cords, weeping the while. Then he drew his blade and +said to them, "By Allah, O my lords, it is indeed hard to me to slay you! But +have ye no last wishes that I may fulfil or charges which I may carry out, or +message which I may deliver?" Replied Amjad, "We have no wish; and my only +charge to thee is that thou set my brother below and me above him, that the +blow may fall on me first, and when thou hast killed us and returnest to the +King and he asketh thee, 'What heardest thou from them before their death?'; do +thou answer, 'Verily thy sons salute thee and say to thee, Thou knewest not if +we were innocent or guilty, yet hast thou put us to death and hast not +certified thyself of our sin nor looked into our case.' Then do thou repeat to +him these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +'Women are Satans made for woe o' men; *<br/> + + I fly to Allah from their devilish scathe:<br/> + +Source of whatever bale befel our kind, *<br/> + + In wordly matters and in things of Faith.'"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Continued Amjad, "We desire of thee naught but that thou repeat to our sire +these two couplets."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say +her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was ad the Two Hundred and Twenty-second Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Amjad added, speaking to +the treasurer, "We desire of thee naught but that thou repeat to our sire these +two couplets which thou hast just now heard; and I conjure thee by Allah to +have patience with us, whilst I cite to my brother this other pair of +couplets." Then he wept with sore weeping and began, +</p> + +<p> +"The Kings who fared before us showed *<br/> + + Of instances full many a show:<br/> + +Of great and small and high and low *<br/> + + How many this one road have trod!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when the treasurer heard these words from Amjad, he wept till his beard was +wet, whilst As'ad's eyes brimmed with tears and he in turn repeated these +couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Fate frights us when the thing is past and gone; *<br/> + + Weeping is not for form or face alone[FN#366]:<br/> + +What ails the Nights?[FN#367] Allah blot out our sin, *<br/> + + And be the Nights by other hand undone!<br/> + +Ere this Zubayr-son[FN#368] felt their spiteful hate, *<br/> + + Who fled for refuge to the House and Stone:<br/> + +Would that when Khárijah was for Amru slain[FN#369] *<br/> + + They had ransomed Ali with all men they own."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then, with cheeks stained by tears down railing he recited also these verses, +</p> + +<p> +"In sooth the Nights and Days are charactered *<br/> + + By traitor falsehood and as knaves they lie;<br/> + +The Desert-reek[FN#370] recalls their teeth that shine; *<br/> + + All horrid blackness is their K of eye:<br/> + +My sin anent the world which I abhor *<br/> + + Is sin of sword when sworders fighting hie."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then his sobs waxed louder and he said, +</p> + +<p> +"O thou who woo'st a World[FN#371] unworthy, learn *<br/> + + 'Tis house of evils, 'tis Perdition's net:<br/> + +A house where whoso laughs this day shall weep *<br/> + + The next: then perish house of fume and fret!<br/> + +Endless its frays and forays, and its thralls *<br/> + + Are ne'er redeemed, while endless risks beset.<br/> + +How many gloried in its pomps and pride, *<br/> + + Till proud and pompous did all bounds forget,<br/> + +Then showing back of shield she made them swill[FN#372] *<br/> + + Full draught, and claimed all her vengeance debt.<br/> + +For know her strokes fall swift and sure, altho' *<br/> + + Long bide she and forslow the course of Fate:<br/> + +So look thou to thy days lest life go by *<br/> + + Idly, and meet thou more than thou hast met;<br/> + +And cut all chains of world-love and desire *<br/> + + And save thy soul and rise to secrets higher."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when As'ad made an end of these verses, he strained his brother Amjad in +his arms, till they twain were one body, and the treasurer, drawing his sword, +was about to strike them, when behold, his steed took fright at the wind of his +upraised hand, and breaking its tether, fled into the desert. Now the horse had +cost a thousand gold pieces and on its back was a splendid saddle worth much +money; so the treasurer threw down his sword, and ran after his beast.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-third Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when his horse ran away, +the treasurer ran after it in huge concern, and ceased not running to catch the +runaway till it entered a thicket. He followed it whilst it dashed through the +wood, smiting the earth with its hoofs till it raised a dust-cloud which +towered high in air; and snorting and puffing and neighing and waxing fierce +and furious. Now there happened to be in this thicket a lion of terrible might; +hideous to sight, with eyes sparkling light: his look was grim and his aspect +struck fright into man's sprite. Presentry the treasurer turned and saw the +lion making towards him; but found no way of escape nor had he his sword with +him. So he said in himself, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in +Allah, the Glorious, the Great! This strait is come upon me for no other cause +but because of Amjad and As'ad; and indeed this journey was unblest from the +first!" Meanwhile the two Princes were grievously oppressed by the heat and +grew sore athirst, so that their tongues hung out and they cried for succour, +but none came to their relief and they said, "Would to Heaven we had been slain +and were at peace from this pain! But we know not whither the horse hath fled, +that the treasurer is gone and hath left us thus pinioned. If he would but come +back and do us die, it were easier to us than this torture to aby." Said As'ad, +"O my brother, be patient, and the relief of Allah (extolled and exalted be +He!) shall assuredly come to us; for the horse started not away save of His +favour towards us, and naught irketh us but this thirst." Upon this he +stretched and shook himself and strained right and left, till he burst his +pinion-bonds; then he rose and unbound his brother and catching up the Emir's +sword, said, "By Allah, we will not go hence, till we look after him and learn +what is become of him." Then they took to following on the trail till it led +them to the thicket and they said to each other, "Of a surety, the horse and +the treasurer have not passed out of this wood." Quoth As'ad, "Stay thou here, +whilst I enter the thicket and search it;" and Amjad replied, "I will not let +thee go in alone: nor will we enter it but together; so if we escape, we shall +escape together and if we perish, we shall perish together." Accordingly both +entered and found that the lion had sprang upon the treasurer, who lay like a +sparrow in his grip, calling upon Allah for aid and signing with his hands to +Heaven. Now when Amjad saw this, he took the sword and, rushing upon the lion, +smote him between the eyes and laid him dead on the ground. The Emir sprang up, +marvelling at this escape and seeing Amjad and As'ad, his master's sons, +standing there, cast himself at their feet and exclaimed, "By Allah, O my +lords, it were intolerable wrong in me to do you to death. May the man never be +who would kill you! Indeed, with my very life, I will ransom you."—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the treasurer to +Amjad and As'ad, "With my life will I ransom you both!" Then he hastily rose +and, at once embracing them, enquired how they had loosed their bonds and come +thither; whereupon they told him how the bonds of one of them had fallen loose +and he had unbound the other, whereto they were helped by the purity of their +intentions, and how they had tracked his trail till they came upon him. So he +thanked them for their deed and went with them forth of the thicket; and, when +they were in the open country, they said to him, "O uncle, do our father's +bidding." He replied, "Allah forbid that I should draw near to you with hurt! +But know ye that I mean to take your clothes and clothe you with mine; then +will I fill two vials with the lion's blood and go back to the King and tell +him I have out vou to death. But as for you two, fare ye forth into the lands, +for Allah's earth is wide; and know, O my lords, that it paineth me to part +from you." At this, they all fell a-weeping; then the two youths put off their +clothes and the treasurer habited them with his own. Moreover he made two +parcels of their dress and, filling two vials with the lion's blood, set the +parcels before him on his horse's back. Presently he took leave of them and, +making his way to the city, ceased not faring till he went in to King Kamar +al-Zaman and kissed the ground between his hands. The King saw him changed in +face and troubled (which arose from his adventure with the lion) and, deeming +this came of the slaughter of his two sons, rejoiced and said to him, "Hast +thou done the work?" "Yes, O our lord," replied the treasurer and gave him the +two parcels of clothes and the two vials full of blood. Asked the King, "What +didst thou observe in them; and did they give thee any charge?" Answered the +treasurer, "I found them patient and resigned to what came down upon them and +they said to me, 'Verily, our father is excusable; bear him our salutation and +say to him, 'Thou art quit of our killing. But we charge thee repeat to him +these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +'Verily women are devils created for us. We seek refuge with God from the +artifice of the devils. They are the source of all the misfortunes that have +appeared among mankind in the affairs of the world and of religion.'''[FN#373] +</p> + +<p> +When the King heard these words of the treasurer, he bowed his head earthwards, +a long while and knew his sons' words to mean that they had been wrongfully put +to death. Then he bethought himself of the perfidy of women and the calamities +brought about by them; and he took the two parcels and opened them and fell to +turning over his sons' clothes and weeping,—And Shahrazed perceived the dawn of +day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Kamar la-Zaman +opened the two bundles and fell to turning over his sons' clothes and weeping, +it so came to pass that he found, in the pocket of his son As'ad's raiment, a +letter in the hand of his wife enclosing her hair strings; so he opened and +read it and understanding the contents knew that the Prince had been falsely +accused and wrongously. Then he searched Amjad's parcel of dress and found in +his pocket a letter in the handwriting of Queen Hayat al-Nufus enclosing also +her hair-strings; so he opened and read it and knew that Amjad too had been +wronged; whereupon he beat hand upon hand and exclaimed, "There is no Majesty +and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I have slain my +sons unjustly." And he buffeted his face, crying out, "Alas, my sons! Alas, my +long grief!" Then he bade them build two tombs in one house, which he styled +"House of Lamentations," and had graved thereon his sons' names; and he threw +himself on Amjad's tomb, weeping and groaning and lamenting, and improvised +these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"O moon for ever set this earth below, *<br/> + + Whose loss bewail the stars which stud the sky!<br/> + +O wand, which broken, ne'er with bend and wave *<br/> + + Shall fascinate the ravisht gazer's eye;<br/> + +These eyne for jealousy I 'reft of thee, *<br/> + + Nor shall they till next life thy sight descry:<br/> + +I'm drowned in sea of tears for insomny *<br/> + + Wherefore, indeed in Sáhirah-stead[FN#374] I lie."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then he threw himself on As'ad's tomb, groaning and weeping and lamenting and +versifying with these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed I longed to share unweal with thee, *<br/> + + But Allah than my will willed otherwise:<br/> + +My grief all blackens 'twixt mine eyes and space, *<br/> + + Yet whitens all the blackness from mine eyes:[FN#375]<br/> + +Of tears they weep these eyne run never dry, *<br/> + + And ulcerous flow in vitals never dries:<br/> + +Right sore it irks me seeing thee in stead[FN#376] *<br/> + + Where slave with sovran for once levelled lies."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And his weeping and wailing redoubled; and, after he had ended his lamentations +and his verse, he forsook his friends and intimates, and denying himself to his +women and his family, cut himself off from the world in the House of +Lamentations, where he passed his time in weeping for his sons. Such was his +case; but as regards Amjad and As'ad they fared on into the desert eating of +the fruits of the earth and drinking of the remnants of the rain for a full +month, till their travel brought them to a mountain of black flint[FN#377] +whose further end was unknown; and here the road forked, one line lying along +the midway height and the other leading to its head. They took the way trending +to the top and gave not over following it five days, but saw no end to it and +were overcome with weariness, being unused to walking upon the mountains or +elsewhere.[FN#378] At last, despairing of coming to the last of the road, they +retraced their steps and, taking the other, that led over the midway +heights,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her +permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Princes Amjad and As'ad +returned from the path leading to the Mountain- head and took that which ran +along the midway heights, and walked through all that day till nightfall, when +As'ad, weary with much travel, said to Amjad, "O my brother, I can walk no +farther, for I am exceeding weak." Replied Amjad, "O my brother, take courage! +May be Allah will send us relief." So they walked on part of the night, till +the darkness closed in upon them, when As'ad became weary beyond measure of +weariness and cried out, "O my brother, I am worn out and spent with walking," +and threw himself upon the ground and wept. Amjad took him in his arms and +walked on with him, bytimes sitting down to rest till break of day, when they +came to the mountain-top and found there a stream of running water and by it a +pomegranate-tree and a prayer-niche.[FN#379] They could hardly believe their +eyes when they saw it; but, sitting down by that spring, drank of its water and +ate of the fruit of that granado-tree; after which they lay on the ground and +slept till sunrise, when they washed and bathed in the spring and, eating of +the pomegranates, slept again till the time of mid-afternoon prayer. Then they +thought to continue their journey, but As'ad could not walk, for both his feet +were swollen. So they abode there three days till they were rested, after which +they set out again and fared on over the mountain days and nights, tortured by +and like to die of thirst, till they sighted a city gleaming afar off, at which +they rejoiced and made towards it. When they drew near it, they thanked Allah +(be His Name exalted!) and Amjad said to As'ad, "O my brother, sit here, whilst +I go to yonder city and see what it is and whose it is and where we are in +Allah's wide world, that we may know through what lands we have passed in +crossing this mountain, whose skirts had we followed, we had not reached this +city in a whole year. So praised be Allah for safety!" Replied As'ad, "By +Allah, O my brother, none shall go down into that city save myself, and may I +be thy ransom! If thou leave me alone, be it only for an hour, I shall imagine +a thousand things and be drowned in a torrent of anxiety on shine account, for +I cannot brook shine absence from me." Amjad rejoined, "Go then and tarry not. +So As'ad took some gold pieces, and leaving his brother to await him, descended +the mountain and ceased not faring on till he entered the city. As he threaded +the streets he was met by an old man age-decrepit, whose beard flowed down upon +his breast and forked in twain;[FN#380] he bore a walking-staff in his hand and +was richly clad, with a great red turband on his head. When As'ad saw him, he +wondered at his dress and his mien; nevertheless, he went up to him and +saluting him said, "Where be the way to the market, O my master?" Hearing these +words the Shaykh smiled in his face and replied, "O my son, meseemeth thou art +a stranger?" As'ad rejoined, "Yes, I am a stranger."—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Shaykh who met As'ad +smiled in his face and said to him, "O my son, meseemeth thou art a stranger?" +and As'ad replied, "Yes, I am a stranger." Then rejoined the old man, "Verily, +thou gladdenest our country with thy presence, O my son, and thou desolatest +shine own land by reason of shine absence. What wantest thou of the market?" +Quoth As'ad, "O uncle, I have a brother, with whom I have come from a far land +and with whom I have journeyed these three months; and, when we sighted this +city, I left him, who is my elder brother, upon the mountain and came hither, +purposing to buy victual and what else, and return therewith to him, that we +might feed thereon." Said the old man, "Rejoice in all good, O my son, and know +thou that to-day I give a marriage-feast, to which I have bidden many guests, +and I have made ready plenty of meats, the best and most delicious that heart +can desire. So if thou wilt come with me to my place, I will give thee freely +all thou lackest without asking thee a price or aught else. Moreover I will +teach thee the ways of this city; and, praised be Allah, O my son, that I, and +none other have happened upon thee." "As thou wilt," answered As'ad, "do as +thou art disposed, but make haste, for indeed my brother awaiteth me and his +whole heart is with me." The old man took As'ad by the hand and carried him to +a narrow lane, smiling in his face and saying, "Glory be to Him who hath +delivered thee from the people of this city!" And he ceased not walking till he +entered a spacious house, wherein was a saloon and behold, in the middle of it +were forty old men, well stricken in years, collected together and forming a +single ring as they sat round about a lighted fire, to which they were doing +worship and prostrating themselves.[FN#381] When As'ad saw this, he was +confounded and the hair of his body stood on end though he knew not what they +were; and the Shaykh said to them, "O Elders of the Fire, how blessed is this +day!" Then he called aloud, saying, "Hello, Ghazbán!" Whereupon there came out +to him a tall black slave of frightful aspect, grim-visaged and flat nosed as +an ape who, when the old man made a sign to him, bent As'ad's arms behind his +back and pinioned them; after which the Shaykh said to him, "Let him down into +the vault under the earth and there leave him and say to my slave girl +Such-an-one, 'Torture him night and day and give him a cake of bread to eat +morning and evening against the time come of the voyage to the Blue Sea and the +Mountain of Fire, whereon we will slaughter him as a sacrifice.'" So the black +carried him out at another door and, raising a flag in the floor, discovered a +flight of twenty steps leading to a chamber[FN#382] under the earth, into which +he descended with him and, laying his feet in irons, gave him over to the slave +girl and went away. Meanwhile, the old men said to one another, "When the day +of the Festival of the Fire cometh, we will sacrifice him on the mountain, as a +propitiatory offering whereby we shall pleasure the Fire." Presently the damsel +went down to him and beat him a grievous beating, till streams of blood flowed +from his sides and he fainted; after which she set at his head a scone of bread +and a cruse of brackish water and went away and left him. In the middle of the +night, he revived and found himself bound and beaten and sore with beating: so +he wept bitter tears; and recalling his former condition of honour and +prosperity, lordship and dominion, and his separation from his sire and his +exile from his native land.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased +to say her permitted say, +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when As'ad found himself +bound and beaten and sore with beating he recalled his whilome condition of +honour and prosperity and dominion and lordship, and he wept and groaned aloud +and recited these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Stand by the ruined stead and ask of us; *<br/> + + Nor deem we dwell there as was state of us:<br/> + +The World, that parter, hath departed us; *<br/> + + Yet soothes not hate-full hearts the fate of us:<br/> + +With whips a cursed slave girl scourges us, *<br/> + + And teems her breast with rancorous hate of us:<br/> + +Allah shall haply deign to unpart our lives, *<br/> + + Chastise our foes, and end this strait of us."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when As'ad had spoken his poetry, he put out his hand towards his head and +finding there the crust and the cruse full of brackish water he ate a bittock, +just enough to keep life in him, and drank a little water, but could get no +sleep till morning for the swarms of bugs[FN#383] and lice. As soon as it was +day, the slave girl came down to him and changed his clothes, which were +drenched with blood and stuck to him, so that his skin came off with the shirt; +wherefor he shrieked aloud and cried, "Alas!" and said, "O my God, if this be +Thy pleasure, increase it upon me! O Lord, verily Thou art not unmindful of him +that oppresseth me; do Thou then avenge me upon him!" And he groaned and +repeated the following verses, +</p> + +<p> +"Patient, O Allah! to Thy destiny *<br/> + + I bow, suffice me what Thou deign decree:<br/> + +Patient to bear Thy will, O Lord of me, *<br/> + + Patient to burn on coals of Ghazá-tree:<br/> + +They wrong me, visit me with hurt and harm; *<br/> + + Haply Thy grace from them shall set me free:<br/> + +Far be's, O Lord, from thee to spare the wronger *<br/> + + O Lord of Destiny my hope's in Thee!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And what another saith, +</p> + +<p> +"Bethink thee not of worldly state, *<br/> + + Leave everything to course of Fate;<br/> + +For oft a thing that irketh thee *<br/> + + Shall in content eventuate;<br/> + +And oft what strait is shall expand, *<br/> + + And what expanded is wax strait.<br/> + +Allah will do what wills His will *<br/> + + So be not thou importunate!<br/> + +But 'joy the view of coming weal *<br/> + + Shall make forget past bale and bate."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he had ended his verse, the slave-girl came down upon him with blows +till he fainted again; and, throwing him a flap of bread and a gugglet of +saltish water, went away and left him sad and lonely, bound in chains of iron, +with the blood streaming from his sides and far from those he loved. So he wept +and called to mind his brother and the honours he erst enjoyed.—And Shahrazad +perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that As'ad called to mind his +brother and the honours he erst enjoyed; so he wept and groaned and complained +and poured forth tears in floods and improvised these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Easy, O Fate! how long this wrong, this injury, *<br/> + + Robbing each morn and eve my brotherhood fro' me?<br/> + +Is't not time now thou deem this length sufficiency *<br/> + + Of woes and, O thou Heart of Rock, show clemency?<br/> + +My friends thou wrongedst when thou madst each enemy *<br/> + + Mock and exult me for thy wrongs, thy tyranny:<br/> + +My foeman's heart is solaced by the things he saw *<br/> + + In me, of strangerhood and lonely misery:<br/> + +Suffice thee not what came upon my head of dole, *<br/> + + Friends lost for evermore, eyes wan and pale of blee?<br/> + +But must in prison cast so narrow there is naught *<br/> + + Save hand to bite, with bitten hand for company;<br/> + +And tears that tempest down like goodly gift of cloud, *<br/> + + And longing thirst whose fires weet no satiety.<br/> + +Regretful yearnings, singulfs and unceasing sighs, *<br/> + + Repine, remembrance and pain's very ecstacy:<br/> + +Desire I suffer sore and melancholy deep, *<br/> + + And I must bide a prey to endless phrenesy:<br/> + +I find me ne'er a friend who looks with piteous eye, *<br/> + + And seeks my presence to allay my misery:<br/> + +Say, liveth any intimate with trusty love *<br/> + + Who for mine ills will groan, my sleepless malady?<br/> + +To whom moan I can make and, peradventure, he *<br/> + + Shall pity eyes that sight of sleep can never see?<br/> + +The flea and bug suck up my blood, as wight that drinks *<br/> + + Wine from the proffering hand of fair virginity:<br/> + +Amid the lice my body aye remindeth me *<br/> + + Of orphan's good in Kázi's claw of villainy:<br/> + +My home's a sepulchre that measures cubits three, *<br/> + + Where pass I morn and eve in chained agony:<br/> + +My wines are tears, my clank of chains takes music's stead, *<br/> + + Cares my dessert of fruit and sorrows are my bed."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And when he had versed his verse and had prosed his prose, he again groaned and +complained and remembered he had been and how he had been parted from his +brother. Thus far concerning him; but as regards his brother Amjad, he awaited +As'ad till mid-day yet he returned not to him: whereupon Amjad's vitals +fluttered, the pangs of parting were sore upon him and he poured forth abundant +tears,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirtieth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Amjad awaited his +brother As'ad till mid-day and he returned not to him, Amjad's vitals +fluttered; the pangs of parting were sore upon him and he poured forth abundant +tears, exclaiming, "Alas, my brother! Alas, my friend! Alas my grief! How I +feared me we should be separated!" Then he descended from the mountain-top with +the tears running down his cheeks; and, entering the city, ceased not walking +till he made the market. He asked the folk the name of the place and concerning +its people and they said, "This is called the City of the Magians, and its +citizens are mostly given to Fire-worshipping in lieu of the Omnipotent King." +Then he enquired of the City of Ebony and they answered, "Of a truth it is a +year's journey thither by land and six months by sea: it was governed erst by a +King called Armanus; but he took to son- in-law and made King in his stead a +Prince called Kamar al-Zaman distinguished for justice and munificence, equity +and benevolence." When Amjad heard tell of his father, he groaned and wept and +lamented and knew not whither to go. However, he bought a something of food and +carried it to a retired spot where he sat down thinking to eat; but, recalling +his brother, he fell a- weeping and swallowed but a morsel to keep breath and +body together, and that against his will. Then he rose and walked about the +city, seeking news of his brother, till he saw a Moslem tailor sitting in his +shop so he sat down by him and told him his story; whereupon quoth the tailor, +"If he have fallen into the hands of the Magians, thou shalt hardly see him +again: yet it may be Allah will reunite you twain. But thou, O my brother," he +continued wilt thou lodge with me?" Amjad answered, "Yes"; and the tailor +rejoiced at this. So he abode with him many days, what while the tailor +comforted him and exhorted him to patience and taught him tailoring, till he +became expert in the craft. Now one day he went forth to the sea-shore and +washed his clothes; after which he entered the bath and put on clean raiment; +then he walked about the city, to divert himself with its sights and presently +there met him on the way a woman of passing beauty and loveliness, without peer +for grace and comeliness. When she saw him she raised her face-veil and signed +to him by moving her eyebrows and her eyes with luring glances, and versified +these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"I drooped my glance when seen thee on the way *<br/> + + As though, O slim-waist! felled by Sol's hot ray:<br/> + +Thou art the fairest fair that e'er appeared, *<br/> + + Fairer to-day than fair of yesterday:[FN#384]<br/> + +Were Beauty parted, a fifth part of it *<br/> + + With Joseph or a part of fifth would stay;<br/> + +The rest would fly to thee, shine ownest own; *<br/> + + Be every soul thy sacrifice, I pray!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Amjad heard these her words, they gladdened his heart which inclined to +her and his bowels yearned towards her and the hands of love sported with him; +so he sighed to her in reply and spoke these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Above the rose of cheek is thorn of lance;[FN#385] *<br/> + + Who dareth pluck it, rashest chevisance?<br/> + +Stretch not thy hand towards it, for night long *<br/> + + Those lances marred because we snatched a glance!<br/> + +Say her, who tyrant is and tempter too *<br/> + + (Though justice might her tempting power enhance):—<br/> + +Thy face would add to errors were it veiled; *<br/> + + Unveiled I see its guard hath best of chance!<br/> + +Eye cannot look upon Sol's naked face; *<br/> + + But can, when mist-cloud dims his countenance:<br/> + +The honey-hive is held by honey-bee;[FN#386] *<br/> + + Ask the tribe-guards what wants their vigilance?<br/> + +An they would slay me, let them end their ire *<br/> + + Rancorous, and grant us freely to advance:<br/> + +They're not more murderous, an charge the whole *<br/> + + Than charging glance of her who wears the mole."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And hearing these lines from Amjad she sighed with the deepest sighs and, +signing to him again, repeated these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"'Tis thou hast trodden coyness path not I: *<br/> + + Grant me thy favours for the time draws nigh:<br/> + +O thou who makest morn with light of brow, *<br/> + + And with loosed brow-locks night in lift to stye!<br/> + +Thine idol-aspect made of me thy slave, *<br/> + + Tempting as temptedst me in days gone by:<br/> + +'Tis just my liver fry with hottest love: *<br/> + + Who worship fire for God must fire aby:<br/> + +Thou sellest like of me for worthless price; *<br/> + + If thou must sell, ask high of those who buy."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +When Amjad heard these her words he said to her, "Wilt thou come to my lodging +or shall I go with thee to shine?" So she hung her head in shame to the ground +and repeated the words of Him whose Name be exalted, "Men shall have the +pre-eminence above women, because of those advantages wherein Allah hath caused +the one of them to excel the other."[FN#387] Upon this, Amjad took the +hint.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-first Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Amjad took the woman's +hint and understood that she wished to go with him whither he was going; he +felt himself bounder to find a place wherein to receive her, but was ashamed to +carry her to the house of his host, the tailor. So he walked on and she walked +after him, and the two ceased not walking from street to street and place to +place, till she was tired and said to him, "O my lord, where is thy house?" +Answered he, "Before us a little way." Then he turned aside into a handsome +by-street, followed by the young woman, and walked on till he came to the end, +when he found it was no thoroughfare and exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and +there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" Then raising his +eyes, he saw, at the upper end of the lane a great doer with two stone benches; +but it was locked. So Amjad sat down on one of the benches and she on the +other; and she said to him, "O my lord, wherefore waitest thou?" He bowed his +head awhile to the ground then raised it and answered, "I am awaiting my +Mameluke who hath the key; for I bade him make me ready meat and drink and +flowers, to deck the wine-service against my return from the bath." But he said +to himself, "Haply the time will be tedious to her and she will go about her +business, leaving me here, when I will wend my own way." However, as soon as +she was weary of long waiting, she said, "O my lord, thy Mameluke delayeth; and +here are we sitting in the street;" and she arose and took a stone and went up +to the lock. Said Amjad, "Be not in haste, but have patience till the servant +come." However, she hearkened not to him, but smote the wooden bolt with the +stone and broke it in half, whereupon the door opened. Quoth he, "What +possessed thee to do this deed?" Quoth she, "Pooh, pooh, my lord! what matter +it? Is not the house thy house and thy place?" He said, "There was no need to +break the bolt." Then the damsel entered, to the confusion of Amjad, who knew +not what to do for fear of the people of the house; but she said to him, "Why +dost thou not enter, O light of mine eyes and core of my heart?" Replied he, "I +hear and obey; but my servant tarrieth long and I know not if he have done +aught of what I bade him and specially enjoined upon him, or not." Hereupon he +entered, sore in fear of the people of the house, and found himself in a +handsome saloon with four dais'd recesses, each facing other, and containing +closets and raised seats, all bespread with stuffs of silk and brocade; and in +the midst was a jetting fountain of costly fashion, on whose margin rested a +covered tray of meats, with a leather tablecloth hanging up and gem-encrusted +dishes, full of fruits and sweet- scented flowers. Hard by stood drinking +vessels and a candlestick with a single wax-candle therein; and the place was +full of precious stuffs and was ranged with chests and stools, and on each seat +lay a parcel of clothes upon which was a purse full of monies, gold and silver. +The floor was paved with marble and the house bore witness in every part to its +owner's fortune. When Amjad saw all this, he was confounded at his case and +said to himself, "I am a lost man! Verily we are Allah's and to Allah we are +returning!" As for the damsel, when she sighted the place she rejoiced indeed +with a joy nothing could exceed, and said to him, "By Allah, O my lord, thy +servant hath not failed of his duty; for see, he hath swept the place and +cooked the meat and set on the fruit; and indeed I come at the best of times." +But he paid no heed to her, his heart being taken up with fear of the house- +folk; and she said, "Fie, O my lord, O my heart! What aileth thee to stand +thus?" Then she sighed and, giving him a buss which sounded like the cracking +of a walnut, said, "O my lord, an thou have made an appointment with other than +with me, I will gird my middle and serve her and thee. Amjad laughed from a +heart full of rage and wrath and came forwards and sat down, panting and saying +to himself, "Alack, mine ill death and doom when the owner of the place shall +return!" Then she seated herself by him and fell to toying and laughing, whilst +Amjad sat careful and frowning, thinking a thousand thoughts and communing with +himself, "Assuredly the master of the house cannot but come, and then what +shall I say to him? he needs must kill me and my life will be lost thus +foolishly." Presently she rose and, tucking up her sleeves, took a tray of food +on which she laid the cloth and then set it before Amjad and began to eat, +saying, "Eat, O my lord." So he came forward and ate; but the food was not +pleasant to him; on the contrary he ceased not to look towards the door, till +the damsel had eaten her fill, when she took away the tray of the meats and, +setting on the dessert, fell to eating of the dried fruits. Then she brought +the wine service and opening the jar, filled a cup and handed it to Amjad, who +took it from her hand saying to him self, ' Ah, ah! and well away, when the +master of the house cometh and seeth me!"; and he kept his eyes fixed on the +threshold, even with cup in hand. While he was in this case, lo! in came the +master of the house, who was a white slave, one of the chief men of the city, +being Master of the Horse[FN#388] to the King. He had fitted up this saloon for +his pleasures, that he might make merry therein and be private with whom he +would, and he had that day bidden a youth whom he loved and had made this +entertainment for him. Now the name of this slave was Bahádur,[FN#389] and he +was open of hand, generous, munificent and fain of alms-giving and charitable +works.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted +say. +</p> + +<p> +When it wad the Two Hundred and Thirty-second Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Bahadur, the Master +of the Horse and the owner of the house, came to the door of the saloon and +found it open, he entered slowly and softly and looking in, with head advanced +and out stretched neck, saw Amjad and the girl sitting before the dish of fruit +and the wine-jar in front of them. Now Amjad at that moment had the cup in his +hand and his face turned to the door; and when his glance met Bahadur's eyes +his hue turned pale yellow and his side-muscles quivered, so seeing his trouble +Bahadur signed to him with his finger on his lips, as much as to say, "Be +silent and come hither to me." Whereupon he set down the cup and rose and the +damsel cried, "Whither away?" He shook his head and, signing to her that he +wished to make water, went out into the passage barefoot. Now when he saw +Bahadur he knew him for the master of the house; so he hastened to him and, +kissing his hands, said to him, "Allah upon thee, O my lord, ere thou do me a +hurt, hear what I have to say." Then he told him who he was from first to last +and acquainted him with what caused him to quit his native land and royal +state, and how he had not entered his house of his free will, but that it was +the girl who had broken the lock-bolt and done all this.[FN#390] When Bahadur +heard his story and knew that he was a King's son, he felt for him and, taking +compassion on him, said, "Hearken to me, O Amjad, and do what I bid thee and I +will guarantee thy safety from that thou fearest; but, if thou cross me, I will +kill thee." Amjad replied, "Command me as thou wilt: I will not gainsay thee in +aught; no, never, for I am the freedman of thy bounty." Rejoined Bahadur, "Then +go back forthwith into the saloon, sit down in thy place and be at peace and at +shine ease; I will presently come in to thee, and when thou seest me (remember +my name is Bahadur) do thou revile me and rail at me, saying, 'What made thee +tarry till so late?' And accept no excuse from me; nay, so far from it, rise +and beat me; and, if thou spare me, I will do away thy life. Enter now and make +merry and whatsoever thou seekest of me at this time I will bring thee +forthwith; and do thou spend this night as thou wilt and on the morrow wend thy +way. This I do in honour of thy strangerhood, for I love the stranger and hold +myself bounder to do him devoir." So Amjad kissed his hand, and, returning to +the saloon with his face clad in its natural white and red, at once said to the +damsel, "O my mistress, thy presence hath gladdened this shine own place and +ours is indeed a blessed night." Quoth the girl, "Verily I see a wonderful +change in thee, that thou now welcomest me so cordially!" So Amjad answered, +"By Allah, O my lady, methought my servant Bahadur had robbed me of some +necklaces of jewels, worth ten thousand diners each; however, when I went out +but now in concern for this, I sought for them and found them in their place. I +know not why the slave tarrieth so long and needs must I punish him for it." +She was satisfied with his answer, and they sported and drank and made merry +and ceased not to be so till near sundown, when Bahadur came in to them, having +changed his clothes and girt his middle and put on shoes, such as are worn of +Mamelukes. He saluted and kissed the ground; then held his hands behind him and +stood, with his head hanging down, as one who confesseth to a fault. So Amjad +looked at him with angry eyes and asked, "Why hast thou tarried till now, O +most pestilent of slaves?" Answered Bahadur, "O my lord, I was busy washing my +clothes and knew not of thy being here; for our appointed time was nightfall +and not day-tide." But Amjad cried out at him, saying, "Thou liest, O vilest of +slaves! By Allah, I must needs beat thee." So he rose and, throwing Bahadur +prone on the ground, took a stick and beat him gently; but the damsel sprang up +and, snatching the stick from his hand, came down upon Bahadur so lustily, that +in extreme pain the tears ran from his eyes and he ground his teeth together +and called out for succour; whilst Amjad cried out to the girl "Don't"; and she +cried out, "Let me satisfy my anger upon him!" till at last he pulled the stick +out of her hand and pushed her away. So Bahadur rose and, wiping away his tears +from his cheeks, waited upon them the while, after which he swept the hall and +lighted the lamps; but as often as he went in and out, the lady abused him and +cursed him till Amjad was wroth with her and said, "For Almighty Allah's sake +leave my Mameluke; he is not used to this." Then they sat and ceased not eating +and drinking (and Bahadur waiting upon them) till midnight when, being weary +with service and beating, he fell asleep in the midst of the hall and snored +and snorted; whereupon the damsel, who was drunken with wine, said to Amjad, +"Arise, take the sword hanging yonder and cut me off this slave's head; and, if +thou do it not, I will be the death of thee!" "What possesseth thee to slay my +slave?" asked Amjad; and she answered, "Our joyaunce will not be complete but +by his death. If thou wilt not kill him, I will do it myself." Quoth Amjad, "By +Allah's rights to thee, do not this thing!" Quoth she, "It must perforce be;" +and, taking down the sword, drew it and made at Bahadur to kill him; but Amjad +said in his mind, "This man hath entreated us courteously and sheltered us and +done us kindness and made himself my slave: shall we requite him by +slaughtering him? This shall never be!" Then he said to the woman, "If my +Mameluke must be killed, better I should kill him than thou." So saying, he +took the sword from her and, raising his hand, smote her on the neck and made +her head fly from her body. It fell upon Bahadur who awoke and sat up and +opened his eyes, when he saw Amjad standing by him and in his hand the sword +dyed with blood, and the damsel lying dead. He enquired what had passed, and +Amjad told him all she had said, adding, "Nothing would satisfy her but she +must slay thee; and this is her reward." Then Bahadur rose and, kissing the +Prince's hand, said to him, "Would to Heaven thou hadst spared her! but now +there is nothing for it but to rid us of her without stay or delay, before the +day-break." Then he girded his loins and took the body, wrapped it in an +Abá-cloak and, laying it in a large basket of palm-leaves, he shouldered it +saying, "Thou art a stranger here and knowest no one: so sit thou in this place +and await my return till day-break. If I come back to thee, I will assuredly do +thee great good service and use my endeavours to have news of thy brother; but +if by sunrise I return not, know that all is over with me; and peace be on +thee, and the house and all it containeth of stuffs and money are shine." Then +he fared forth from the saloon bearing the basket; and, threading the streets, +he made for the salt sea, thinking to throw it therein: but as he drew near the +shore, he turned and saw that the Chief of Police and his officers had ranged +themselves around him; and, on recognising him, they wondered and opened the +basket, wherein they found the slain woman. So they seized him and laid him in +bilboes all that night till the morning, when they carried him and the basket, +as it was, to the King and reported the case. The King was sore enraged when he +looked upon the slain and said to Bahadur, "Woe to thee! Thou art always so +doing; thou killest folk and castest them into the sea and takest their goods. +How many murders hast thou done ere this?" Thereupon Bahadur hung his head.—And +Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-third Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Bahadur hung down his +head groundwards before the King, who cried out at him, saying, "Woe to thee! +Who killed this girl?" He replied, "O my lord! I killed her, and there is no +Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!"[FN#391] +So the King in his anger, commanded to hang him; and the hangman went down with +him by the King's commandment, and the Chief of Police accompanied him with a +crier who called upon all the folk to witness the execution of Bahadur, the +King's Master of the Horse; and on this wise they paraded him through the main +streets and the market-streets. This is how it fared with Bahadur; but as +regards Amjad, he awaited his host's return till the day broke and the sun +rose, and when he saw that he came not, he exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and +there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Would I knew what is +become of him?" And, as he sat musing behold, he heard the crier proclaiming +Bahadur's sentence and bidding the people to see the spectacle of his hanging +at midday; whereat he wept and exclaimed, "Verily, we are Allah's and to Him we +are returning! He meaneth to sacrifice himself unjustly for my sake, when I it +was who slew her. By Allah, this shall never be!" Then he went from the saloon +and, shutting the door after him, hurriedly threaded the streets till he +overtook Bahadur, when he stood before the Chief of Police and said to him, "O +my lord, put not Bahadur to death, for he is innocent. By Allah, none killed +her but I." Now when the Captain of Police heard these words, he took them both +and, carrying them before the King, acquainted him with what Amjad had said; +whereupon he looked at the Prince and asked him, "Didst thou kill the damsel?" +He answered, "Yes" and the King said, "Tell me why thou killedst her, and speak +the truth." Replied Amjad, "O King, it is indeed a marvellous event and a +wondrous matter that hath befallen me: were it graven with needles on the +eye-corners, it would serve as a warner to whoso would be warned!" Then he told +him his whole story and informed him of all that had befallen him and his +brother, first and last; whereat the King was much startled and surprised and +said to him, "Know that now I find thee to be excusable; but list, O youth! +Wilt thou be my Wazír?" "Hearkening and obedience," answered Amjad whereupon +the King bestowed magnificent dresses of honour on him and Bahadur and gave him +a handsome house, with eunuchs and officers and all things needful, appointing +him stipends and allowances and bidding him make search for his brother As'ad. +So Amjad sat down in the seat of the Wazirate and governed and did justice and +invested and deposed and took and gave. Moreover, he sent out a crier to cry +his brother throughout the city, and for many days made proclamation in the +main streets and market-streets, but heard no news of As'ad nor happened on any +trace of him. Such was his case; but as regards his brother, the Magi ceased +not to torture As'ad night and day and eve and morn for a whole year's space, +till their festival drew near, when the old man Bahram[FN#392] made ready for +the voyage and fitted out a ship for himself.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn +of day and ceased to say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Bahram, the Magian, +having fitted out a ship for the voyage, took As'ad and put him in a chest +which he locked and had it transported on board. Now it so came to pass that, +at the very time of shipping it, Amjad was standing to divert himself by +looking upon the sea; and when he saw the men carrying the gear and shipping +it, his heart throbbed and he called to his pages to bring him his beast. Then, +mounting with a company of his officers, he rode down to the sea-side and +halted before the Magian's ship, which he commended his men to board and +search. They did his bidding, and boarded the vessel and rummaged in every +part, but found nothing; so they returned and told Amjad, who mounted again and +rode back. But he felt troubled in mind; and when he reached his place and +entered his palace, he cast his eyes on the wall and saw written thereon two +lines which were these couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"My friends! if ye are banisht from mine eyes, *<br/> + + From heart and mind ye ne'er go wandering:<br/> + +But ye have left me in my woe, and rob *<br/> + + Rest from my eyelids while ye are slumbering."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And seeing them Amjad thought of his brother and wept. Such was his case; but +as for Bahram, the Magian, he embarked and shouted and bawled to his crew to +make sail in all haste. So they shook out the sails and departed and ceased not +to fare on many days and nights; and, every other day, Bahram took out As'ad +and gave him a bit of bread and made him drink a sup of water, till they drew +near the Mountain of Fire. Then there came out on them a storm-wind and the sea +rose against them, so that the ship was driven out of her course till she took +a wrong line and fell into strange waters; and, at last they came in sight of a +city builded upon the shore, with a castle whose windows overlooked the main. +Now the ruler of this city was a Queen called Marjánah, and the captain said to +Bahram, "O my lord, we have strayed from our course and come to the island of +Queen Marjanah, who is a devout Moslemah; and, if she know that we are Magians, +she will take our ship and slay us to the last man. Yet needs must we put in +here to rest and refit." Quoth Bahram, "Right is thy recking, and whatso thou +seest fit that will I do!" Said the ship master, "If the Queen summon us and +question us, how shall we answer her?"; and Bahram replied, "Let us clothe this +Moslem we have with us in a Mameluke's habit and carry him ashore with us, so +that when the Queen sees him, she will suppose and say, 'This is a slave.' As +for me I will tell her that I am a slave-dealer[FN#393] who buys and sells +white slaves, and that I had with me many but have sold all save this one, whom +I retained to keep my accounts, for he can read and write." And the captain +said "This device should serve." Presently they reached the city and slackened +sail and cast the anchors; and the ship lay still, when behold, Queen Marjanah +came down to them, attended by her guards and, halting before the vessel, +called out to the captain, who landed and kissed the ground before her. Quoth +she, "What is the lading of this thy ship and whom hast thou with thee?"" Quoth +he, "O Queen of the Age, I have with me a merchant who dealeth in slaves." And +she said, "Hither with him to me"; whereupon Bahram came ashore to her, with +As'ad walking behind him in a slave's habit, and kissed the earth before her. +She asked, "What is thy condition?"; and he answered, "I am a dealer in +chattels." Then she looked at As'ad and, taking him for a Mameluke, asked him, +"What is thy name, O youth?" He answered, "Dost thou ask my present or my +former name?" "Hast thou then two names?" enquired she, and he replied (and +indeed his voice was choked with tears), "Yes; my name aforetime was Al-As'ad, +the most happy, but now it is Al- Mu'tarr—Miserrimus." Her heart inclined to +him and she said, "Canst thou write?" "Yes,'' answered he, and she gave him +ink- case and reed-pen and paper and said to him, "Write somewhat that I may +see it." So he wrote these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"What can the slave do when pursued by Fate, *<br/> + + O justest Judge! whatever be his state?[FN#394]<br/> + +Whom God throws hand bound in the depths and says, *<br/> + + Beware lest water should thy body wet?"[FN#395]<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Now when she read these lines, she had ruth upon him and said to Bahram, "Sell +me this slave." He replied, "O my lady, I cannot sell him, for I have parted +with all the rest and none is left with me but he." Quoth the Queen, "I must +need have him of thee, either by sale or way of gift." But quoth Bahram, "I +will neither sell him nor give him." Whereat she was wroth and, taking As'ad by +the hand, carried him up to the castle and sent to Bahram, saying, "Except thou +set sail and depart our city this very night, I will seize all thy goods and +break up thy ship." Now when the message reached the Magian, he grieved with +sore grief and cried, "Verily this voyage is on no wise to be commended." Then +he arose and made ready and took all he needed and awaited the coming of the +night to resume his voyage, saying to the sailors, "Provide yourselves with +your things and fill your water-skins, that we may set sail at the last of the +night." So the sailors did their business and awaited the coming of darkness. +Such was their case; but as regards Queen Marjanah, when she had brought As'ad +into the castle, she opened the casements overlooking the sea and bade her +handmaids bring food. They set food before As'ad and herself and both ate, +after which the Queen called for wine.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day +and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Queen Marjanah bade +her handmaids bring wine and they set it before her, she fell to drinking with +As'ad. Now, Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) filled her heart with love for +the Prince and she kept filling his cup and handing it to him till his reason +fled; and presently he rose and left the hall to satisfy a call of nature. As +he passed out of the saloon he saw an open door through which he went and +walked on till his walk brought him to a vast garden full of all manner fruits +and flowers; and, sitting down under a tree, he did his occasion. Then he rose +and went up to a jetting fountain in the garden and made the lesser ablution +and washed his hands and face, after which he would have risen to go away; but +the air smote him and he fell back, with his clothes undone and slept, and +night overcame him thus. So far concerning him; but as concerns Bahram, the +night being come, he cried out to his crew, saying, "Set sail and let us +away!"; and the' answered, "We hear and obey, but wait till we fill our water- +skins and then we will set sail." So they landed with their water skins and +went round about the castle, and found nothing but garden-walls: whereupon they +climbed over into the garden and followed the track of feet, which led them to +the fountain; and there they found As'ad lying on his back. They knew him and +were glad to find him; and, after filling their water-skins, they bore him off +and climbed the wall again with him and carried him back in haste to Bahram to +whom they said, "Hear the good tidings of thy winning thy wish; and gladden thy +heart and beat thy drums and sound thy pipes; for thy prisoner, whom Queen +Marjanah took from thee by force, we have found and brought back to thee"; and +they threw As'ad down before him. When Bahram saw him, his heart leapt for joy +and his breast swelled with gladness. Then he bestowed largesse on the sailors +and bade them set sail in haste. So they sailed forthright, intending to make +the Mountain of Fire and stayed not their course till the morning. This is how +it fared with them; but as regards Queen Marjanah, she abode awhile, after +As'ad went down from her, awaiting his return in vain for he came not; +thereupon she rose and sought him, yet found no trace of him. Then she bade her +women light flambeaux and look for him, whilst she went forth in person and, +seeing the garden- door open, knew that he had gone thither. So she went out +into the garden and finding his sandals lying by the fountain, searched the +place in every part, but came upon no sign of him; and yet she gave not over +the search till morning. Then she enquired for the ship and they told her, "The +vessel set sail in the first watch of the night"; wherefor she knew that they +had taken As'ad with them, and this was grievous to her and she was sore +an-angered. She bade equip ten great ships forthwith and, making ready for +fight, embarked in one of the ten with her Mamelukes and slave-women and +men-at-arms, all splendidly accoutred and weaponed for war. They spread the +sails and she said to the captains, "If you overtake the Magian's ship, ye +shall have of me dresses of honour and largesse of money; but if you fail so to +do, I will slay you to the last man." Whereat fear and great hope animated the +crews and they sailed all that day and the night and the second day and the +third day till, on the fourth they sighted the ship of Bahram, the Magian, and +before evening fell the Queen's squadron had surrounded it on all sides, just +as Bahram had taken As'ad forth of the chest and was beating and torturing him, +whilst the Prince cried out for help and deliverance, but found neither helper +nor deliverer: and the grievous bastinado sorely tormented him. Now while so +occupied, Bahram chanced to look up and, seeing himself encompassed by the +Queen's ships, as the white of the eye encompasseth the black, he gave himself +up for lost and groaned and said, "Woe to thee, O As'ad! This is all out of thy +head." Then taking him by the hand he bade his men throw him overboard and +cried, "By Allah I will slay thee before I die myself!" So they carried him +along by the hands and feet and cast him into the sea and he sank; but Allah +(be He extolled and exalted!) willed that his life be saved and that his doom +be deferred; so He caused him to sink and rise again and he struck out with his +hands and feet, till the Almighty gave him relief, and sent him deliverance; +and the waves bore him far from the Magian's ship and threw him ashore. He +landed, scarce crediting his escape, and once more on land he doffed his +clothes and wrung them and spread them out to dry; whilst he sat naked and +weeping over his condition, and bewailing his calamities and mortal dangers, +and captivity and stranger hood. And presently he repeated these two couplets, +</p> + +<p> +"Allah, my patience fails: I have no ward; *<br/> + + My breast is straitened and clean cut my cord;<br/> + +To whom shall wretched slave of case complain *<br/> + + Save to his Lord? O thou of lords the Lord!"<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Then, having ended his verse, he rose and donned his clothes but he knew not +whither to go or whence to come; so he fed on the herbs of the earth and the +fruits of the trees and he drank of the streams, and fared on night and day +till he came in sight of a city; whereupon he rejoiced and hastened his pace; +but when he reached it,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to +say her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it Was the Two Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when he reached the city +the shades of evening closed around him and the gates were shut. Now by the +decrees of Pate and man's lot this was the very city wherein he had been a +prisoner and to whose King his brother Amjad was Minister. When As'ad saw the +gate was locked, he turned back and made for the burial-ground, where finding a +tomb without a door, he entered therein and lay down and fell asleep, with his +face covered by his long sleeve.[FN#396] Meanwhile, Queen Marjanah, coming up +with Bahram's ship, questioned him of As'ad. Now the Magian, when Queen +Marjanah overtook him with her ships, baffled her by his artifice and gramarye; +swearing to her that he was not with him and that he knew nothing of him. She +searched the ship, but found no trace of her friend, so she took Bahram and, +carrying him back to her castle, would have put him to death, but he ransomed +himself from her with all his good and his ship; and she released him and his +men. They went forth from her hardly believing in their deliverance, and fared +on ten days' journey till they came to their own city and found the gate shut, +it being eventide. So they made for the burial-ground, thinking to lie the +night there and, going round about the tombs, as Fate and Fortune would have +it, saw the building wherein As'ad lay wide open; whereat Bahram marvelled and +said, "I must look into this sepulchre." Then he entered and found As'ad lying +in a corner fast asleep, with his head covered by his sleeve; so he raised his +head, and looking in his face, knew him for the man on whose account he had +lost his good and his ship, and cried, "What! art thou yet alive?" Then he +bound him and gagged him without further parley, and carried him to his house, +where he clapped heavy shackles on his feet and lowered him into the +underground dungeon aforesaid prepared for the tormenting of Moslems, and he +bade his daughter by name Bostán,[FN#397] torture him night and day, till the +next year, when they would again visit the Mountain of Fire and there offer him +up as a sacrifice. Then he beat him grievously and locking the dungeon door +upon him, gave the keys to his daughter. By and by, Bostan opened the door and +went down to beat him, but finding him a comely youth and a sweet-faced with +arched brows and eyes black with nature's Kohl,[FN#398] she fell in love with +him and asked him, "What is thy name?" "My name is As'ad," answered he; whereat +she cried, "Mayst thou indeed be happy as thy name,[FN#399] and happy be thy +days! Thou deservest not torture and blows, and I see thou hast been +injuriously entreated." And she comforted him with kind words and loosed his +bonds. Then she questioned him of the religion of Al-Islam and he told her that +it was the true and right Faith and that our lord Mohammed had approved himself +by surpassing miracles[FN#400] and signs manifest, and that fire-worship is +harmful and not profitable; and he went on to expound to her the tenets of +Al-Islam till she was persuaded and the love of the True Faith entered her +heart. Then, as Almighty Allah had mixed up with her being a fond affection for +As'ad, she pronounced the Two Testimonies[FN#401] of the Faith and became of +the people of felicity. After this, she brought him meat and drink and talked +with him and they prayed together: moreover, she made him chicken stews and fed +him therewith, till he regained strength and his sickness left him and he was +restored to his former health. Such things befel him with the daughter of +Bahram, the Magian; and so it happened that one day she left him and stood at +the house-door when behold, she heard the crier crying aloud and saying, "Whoso +hath with him a handsome young man, whose favour is thus and thus, and bringeth +him forth, shall have all he seeketh of money; but if any have him and deny it, +he shall be hanged over his own door and his property shall be plundered and +his blood go for naught." Now As'ad had acquainted Bostan bint Bahram with his +whole history: so, when she heard the crier, she knew that it was he who was +sought for and, going down to him, told him the news. Then he fared forth and +made for the mansion of the Wazir, whom, when As'ad saw, exclaimed, "By Allah, +this Minister is my brother Amjad!" Then he went up (and the damsel walking +behind him) to the Palace, where he again saw his brother, and threw himself +upon him; whereupon Amjad also knew him and fell upon his neck and they +embraced each other, whilst the Wazir's Mamelukes dismounted and stood round +them. They lay awhile insensible and, when they came to themselves, Amjad took +his brother and carried him to the Sultan, to whom he related the whole story, +and the Sultan charged him to plunder Bahram's house.—And Shahrazad perceived +the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. +</p> + +<p> +When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night, +</p> + +<p> +She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Sultan ordered Amjad +to plunder Bahram's house and to hang its owner. So Amjad despatched thither +for that purpose a company of men, who sacked the house and took Bahram and +brought his daughter to the Wazir by whom she was received with all honour, for +As'ad had told his brother the torments he had suffered and the kindness she +had done him. Thereupon Amjad related in his turn to As'ad all that had passed +between himself and the damsel; and how he had escaped hanging and had become +Wazir; and they made moan, each to other, of the anguish they had suffered for +separation. Then the Sultan summoned Bahram and bade strike off his head; but +he said, "O most mighty King, art thou indeed resolved to put me to death?" +Replied the King, "Yes, except thou save thyself by becoming a Moslem." Quoth +Bahram, "O King, bear with me a little while!" Then he bowed his head +groundwards and presently raising it again, made pro fession of The Faith and +islamised at the hands of the Sultan. They all rejoiced at his conversion and +Amjad and As'ad told him all that had befallen them, whereat he wondered and +said, "O my lords, make ready for the journey and I will depart with you and +carry you back to your father's court in a ship." At this they rejoiced and +wept with sore weeping but he said, "O my lords, weep not for your departure, +for it shall reunite you with those you love, even as were Ni'amah and Naomi." +"And what befel Ni'amah and Naomi?" asked they. "They tell," replied Bahram, +"(but Allah alone is All knowing) the following tale of +</p> + +<p> +End of Vol. 3 +</p> + +<p> + Arabian Nights, Volume 3<br/> + + Footnotes<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#1] This "horripilation," for which we have the poetical term "goose-flesh," +is often mentioned in Hindu as in Arab literature. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#2] How often we have heard this in England! +</p> + +<p> +[FN#3] As a styptic. The scene in the text has often been enacted in Egypt +where a favourite feminine mode of murdering men is by beating and bruising the +testicles. The Fellahs are exceedingly clever in inventing methods of +manslaughter. For some years bodies were found that bore no outer mark of +violence, and only Frankish inquisitiveness discovered that the barrel of a +pistol had been passed up the anus and the weapon discharged internally Murders +of this description are known in English history; but never became popular +practice. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#4] Arab. "Zakar," that which betokens masculinity. At the end of the tale +we learn that she also gelded him; thus he was a "Sandal)," a rasé. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#5] See vol. i. p. 104. {see Volume 1, Note 188} +</p> + +<p> +[FN#6] The purity and intensity of her love had attained to a something of +prophetic strain. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#7] Lane corrupts this Persian name to Sháh Zemán (i. 568). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#8] i.e. the world, which includes the ideas of Fate, Time,<br/> + +Chance.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#9] Arab. "Bárid," silly, noyous, contemptible; as in the proverb +</p> + +<p> + Two things than ice are colder cold:—<br/> + + An old man young, a young man old.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +A "cold-of-countenance"=a fool: "May Allah make cold thy face!"=may it show +want and misery. "By Allah, a cold speech!"=a silly or abusive tirade +(Pilgrimage, ii. 22). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#10] The popular form is, "often the ear loveth before the eye." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#11] Not the first time that royalty has played this prank, nor the last, +perhaps. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#12] i.e. the Lady Dunya. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#13] These magazines are small strongly-built rooms on the ground floor, +where robbery is almost impossible. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#14] Lit. "approbation," "benediction"; also the Angel who keeps the Gates +of Paradise and who has allowed one of the Ghilmán (or Wuldán) the boys of +supernatural beauty that wait upon the Faithful, to wander forth into this +wicked world. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#15] In Europe this would be a plurale majestatis, used only by Royalty. In +Arabic it has no such significance, and even the lower orders apply it to +themselves; although it often has a soupçon of "I and thou." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#16] Man being an "extract of despicable water" (Koran xxxii. 7) ex spermate +genital), which Mr. Rodwell renders "from germs of life," "from sorry water." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#17] i.e. begotten by man's seed in the light of salvation<br/> + +(Núr al-hudá).<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#18] The rolls of white (camphor-like) scarf-skin and sordes which come off +under the bathman's glove become by miracle of Beauty, as brown musk. The +Rubber or Shampooer is called in Egypt "Mukayyis" (vulgarly "Mukayyisáti") or +"bagman," from his "Kís," a bag-glove of coarse woollen stuff. To "Johnny Raws" +he never fails to show the little rolls which come off the body and prove to +them how unclean they are, but the material is mostly dead scarf-skin +</p> + +<p> +[FN#19] The normal phrase on such occasions (there is always a "dovetail" de +rigueur) "Allah give thee profit!" +</p> + +<p> +[FN#20] i.e. We are forced to love him only, and ignore giving him a rival +(referring to Koranic denunciations of "Shirk," or attributing a partner to +Allah, the religion of plurality, syntheism not polytheism): see, he walks +tottering under the weight of his back parts wriggling them whilst they are +rounded like the revolving heavens. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#21] Jannat al-Na'ím (Garden of Delight); the fifth of the seven Paradises +made of white diamond; the gardens and the plurality being borrowed from the +Talmud. Mohammed's Paradise, by the by, is not a greater failure than Dante's. +Only ignorance or pious fraud asserts it to be wholly sensual; and a single +verse is sufficient refutation: "Their prayer therein shall be 'Praise unto +thee, O. Allah!' and their salutation therein shall be 'Peace!' and the end of +their prayer shall be, 'Praise unto God, the Lord of all creatures"' (Koran x. +10-11). See also lvi. 24- 26. It will also be an intellectual condition wherein +knowledge will greatly be increased (lxxxviii viii. 17-20). Moreover the +Moslems, far more logical than Christians, admit into Paradise the so-called +"lower animals." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#22] Sed vitam faciunt balnea, vine, Venus! The Hammam to Easterns is a +luxury as well as a necessity; men sit there for hours talking chiefly of money +and their prowess with the fair; and women pass half the day in it complaining +of their husbands' over-amativeness and contrasting their own chaste and modest +aversion to camel congress. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#23] The frigidarium or cold room, coolness being delightful to the Arab. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#24] The calidarium or hot room of the bath. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#25] The Angel who acts door-keeper of Hell; others say he specially +presides over the torments of the damned (Koran xliii. 78). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#26] The Door-keeper of Heaven before mentioned who, like the Guebre Zamiyád +has charge of the heavenly lads and lasses, and who is often charged by poets +with letting them slip. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#27] Lane (i. 616), says "of wine, milk, sherbet, or any other beverage." +Here it is wine, a practice famed in Persian poetry, especially by Hafiz, but +most distasteful to a European stomach. We find the Mu allakah of Imr al-Keys +noticing "our morning draught." Nott (Hafiz) says a "cheerful cup of wine in +the morning was a favourite indulgence with the more luxurious Persians. And it +was not uncommon among the Easterns, to salute friend by saying."May your +morning potation be agreeable to you!" In the present day this practice is +confined to regular debauchees. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#28] Koran xii. 31. The words spoken by Zulaykhá's women friends and +detractors whom she invited to see Beauty Joseph. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#29] A formula for averting fascination. Koran, chaps. cxiii. 1. "Falak" +means "cleaving" hence the breaking forth of light from darkness, a "wonderful +instance of the Divine power." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#30] The usual delicate chaff. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#31] Such letters are generally written on a full-sized sheet of paper +("notes" are held slighting in the East) and folded till the breadth is reduced +to about one inch. The edges are gummed, the ink, much like our Indian ink, is +smeared with the finger upon the signet ring; the place where it is to be +applied is slightly wetted with the tongue and the seal is stamped across the +line of junction to secure privacy. I have given a specimen of an original +love-letter of the kind in "Scinde, or the Unhappy Valley," chaps. iv. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#32] Arab. "Salb" which may also mean hanging, but the usual term for the +latter in The Nights is "shanak." Crucifixion, abolished by the superstitious +Constantine, was practised as a servile punishment as late as the days of +Mohammed Ali Pasha the Great e malefactors were nailed and tied to the +patibulum or cross-piece without any sup pedaneum or foot-rest and left to +suffer tortures from flies and sun, thirst and hunger. They often lived three +days and died of the wounds mortifying and the nervous exhaustion brought on by +cramps and convulsions. In many cases the corpses were left to feed the kites +and crows; and this added horror to the death. Moslems care little for mere +hanging. Whenever a fanatical atrocity is to be punished, the malefactor should +be hung in pig-skin, his body burnt and the ashes publicly thrown into a common +cesspool. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#33] Arab "Shaytán" the insolent or rebellious one is a common<br/> + +term of abuse. The word I. Koramc, and borrowed as usual from the<br/> + +Jews. "Satan" occurs four times in the O.T. of which two are in<br/> + +Job where, however, he is a subordinate angel.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#34] Arab. "Alak" from the Koran xxii. 5. " O men…consider that we first +created you of dust (Adam); afterwards of seed (Rodwell's "moist germs of +life"); afterwards of a little coagulated (or clots of) blood." It refers to +all mankind except Adam, Eve and Isa. Also chaps. xcvi. 2, which, as has been +said was probably the first composed at Meccah. Mr. Rodwell (v. 10) translates +by 'Servant of God" what should be "Slave of Allah," alluding to Mohammed's +original name Abdullah. See my learned friend Aloys Sprenger, Leben, etc., +i.155. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#35] The Hindus similarly exaggerate: "He was ready to leap out of his skin +in his delight" (Katha, etc., p. 443). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#36] A star in the tail of the Great Bear, one of the "Banát al-Na'ash," or +a star close to the second. Its principal use is to act foil to bright Sohayl +(Canopus) as in the beginning of Jámí's Layla-Majnún:— +</p> + +<p> + To whom Thou'rt hid, day is darksome night:<br/> + + To whom shown, Sohá as Sohayl is bright.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +See also al-Hariri (xxxii. and xxxvi.). The saying, "I show her Soha and she +shows me the moon" (A. P. i. 547) arose as follows. In the Ignorance a +beautiful Amazon defied any man to take her maidenhead; and a certain Ibn +al-Ghazz won the game by struggling with her till she was nearly senseless. He +then asked her, "How is thine eye-sight: dost thou see Soha?" and she, in her +confusion, pointed to the moon and said, "That is it!" +</p> + +<p> +[FN#37] The moon being masculine (lupus) and the sun feminine. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#38] The "five Shaykhs" must allude to that number of Saints whose names are +doubtful; it would be vain to offer conjectures. Lane and his "Sheykh" (i. 617) +have tried and failed. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#39] The beauties of nature seem always to provoke hunger in<br/> + +Orientals, especially Turks, as good news in Englishmen.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#40] Pers. "Lájuward": Arab. "Lázuward"; prob. the origin of our "azure," +through the Romaic and the Ital. azzurro; and, more evidently still, +of lapis lazuli, for which do not see the Dictionaries. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#41] Arab. "Maurid." the desert-wells where caravans drink: also the way to +water wells. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#42] The famous Avicenna, whom the Hebrews called Aben Sina. The early +European Arabists, who seem to have learned Arabic through Hebrew, borrowed +their corruption, and it long kept its place in Southern Europe. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#43] According to the Hindus there are ten stages of love- sickness: (1) +Love of the eyes (2) Attraction of the Manas or mind; (3) Birth of desire; (4) +Loss of sleep; (5) Loss of flesh; (6) Indifference to objects of sense; (7) +Loss of shame, (8) Distraction of thought (9) Loss of consciousness; and (10) +Death. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#44] We should call this walk of "Arab ladies" a waddle: I have never seen +it in Europe except amongst the trading classes of Trieste, who have a +"wriggle" of their own. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#45] In our idiom six doors. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#46] They refrained from the highest enjoyment, intending to marry. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#47] Arab. "Jihád," lit. fighting against something; Koranically, fighting +against infidels non- believers in Al-lslam (chaps. Ix. 1). But the "Mujáhidún" +who wage such war are forbidden to act aggressively (ii. 186). Here it is a war +to save a son. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#48] The lady proposing extreme measures is characteristic: Egyptians hold, +and justly enough, that their women are more amorous than men. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#49] "O Camphor," an antiphrase before noticed. The vulgar also say "Yá +Taljí"=O snowy (our snowball), the polite "Ya Abú Sumrah !" =O father of +brownness. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#50] i.e. which fit into sockets in the threshold and lintel and act as +hinges. These hinges have caused many disputes about how they were fixed, for +instance in caverns without moveable lintel or threshold. But one may observe +that the upper projections are longer than the lower and that the door never +fits close above, so by lifting it up the inferior pins are taken out of the +holes. It is the oldest form and the only form known to the Ancients. In +Egyptian the hinge is called Akab=the heel, hence the proverb Wakaf' al-báb alá +'akabin; the door standeth on its heel; i.e. every thing in proper place. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#51] Hence the addresses to the Deity: Yá Sátir and Yá Sattár- -Thou who +veilest the sins of Thy Servants! said e.g., when a woman is falling from her +donkey, etc. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#52] A necessary precaution, for the headsman who would certainly lose his +own head by overhaste. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#53] The passage has also been rendered, "and rejoiced him by what he said" +(Lane i, 600). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#54] Arab. "Hurr"=noble, independent (opp. to 'Abd=a servile) often used to +express animć nobilitas as in Acts xvii. 11; where the Berans were +"more noble" than the Thessalonians. The Princess means that the Prince would +not lie with her before marriage. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#55] The Persian word is now naturalized as Anglo-Egypeian. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#56] Arab. "khassat hu" = removed his testicles, gelded him. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#57] Here ends the compound tale of Taj al-Muluk cum Aziz plus<br/> + +Azizah, and we return to the history of King Omar's sons.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#58] "Zibl" popularly pronounced Zabal, means "dung." Khan is "Chief," as +has been noticed; "Zabbál," which Torrens renders literally "dung-drawer," is +one who feeds the Hammam with bois- de-vache, etc. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#59] i.e one who fights the Jihád or "Holy War": it is equivalent to our +"good knight." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#60] Arab. "Malik." Azud al Daulah, a Sultan or regent under the Abbaside +Caliph Al-Tá'i li 'llah (regn. A.H. 363-381) was the first to take the title of +"Malik." The latter in poetry is still written Malík. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#61] A townlet on the Euphrates, in the "awwal Shám," or frontier of Syria. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#62] i.e., the son would look to that. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#63] A characteristic touch of Arab pathos, tender and true. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#64] Arab. "Mawarid" from "ward" = resorting to pool or water- pit (like +those of "Gakdúl") for drinking, as opposed to "Sadr"=returning after having +drunk at it. Hence the "Sádir" (part. act.) takes precedence of the "Wárid" in +Al-Hariri (Ass. of the Badawi). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#65] One of the fountains of Paradise (Koran, chaps. Ixxvi.): the word lit. +means "water flowing pleasantly down the throat." The same chapter mentions +"Zanjabíl," or the Ginger-fount, which to the Infidel mind unpleasantly +suggests "ginger pop." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#66] Arab. "Takhíl" = adorning with Kohl. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#67] The allusions are far-fetched and obscure as in Scandinavian poetry. +Mr. Payne (ii. 314) translates "Naml" by "net." I understand the ant (swarm) +creeping up the cheeks, a common simile for a young beard. The lovers are in +the Lazá (hell) of jealousy etc., yet feel in the Na'ím (heaven) of love and +robe in green, the hue of hope, each expecting to be the favoured one. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#68] Arab. "Ukhuwán," the classical term. There are two chamomiles, the +white (Bábúnaj) and the yellow (Kaysún), these however are Syrian names and +plants are differently called in almost every Province of Arabia +</p> + +<p> +[FN#69] In nomadic life the parting of lovers happens so frequently that it +become. a stock topic in poetry and often, as here, the lover complains of +parting when he is not parted. But the gravamen lies in the word "Wasl" which +may mean union, meeting, reunion Or coition. As Ka'ab ibn Zuhayr began his +famous poem with "Su'ád hath departed," 900 imitators (says Al-Siyuti) adopted +the Násib or address to the beloved and Su'ad came to signify a cruel, +capricious mistress. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#70] As might be expected from a nation of camel-breeders actual cautery +which can cause only counter-irritation, is a favourite nostrum; and the Hadis +or prophetic saying is "Akhir al-dawá (or al-tibb) al-Kayy" = cautery is the +end of medicine- cure; and "Fire and sickness cannot cohabit." Most of the +Badawi bear upon their bodies grisly marks Of this heroic treatment, whose +abuse not unfrequently brings on gangrene. The Hadis (Burckhardt, Proverbs, No. +30) also means "if nothing else avail, take violent measures. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#71] The Spaniards have the same expression: "Man is fire and woman is +tinder." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#72] Arab. "Báshik" from Persian "Báshah" (accipiter Nisus) a fierce little +species of sparrow-hawk which I have described in "Falconry in the Valley of +the Indus" (p. 14, etc.). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#73] Lit. "Coals (fit) for frying pan." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#74] Arab. "Libdah," the sign of a pauper or religious mendicant. He is +addressed "Yá Abu libdah!" (O father of a felt calotte!) +</p> + +<p> +[FN#75] In times of mourning Moslem women do not use perfumes or dyes, like the +Henna here alluded to in the pink legs and feet of the dove. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#76] Koran, chaps. ii. 23. The idea is repeated in some forty<br/> + +Koranic passages.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#77] A woman's name, often occurring. The "daughters of Sa'ada" are zebras, +so called because "they resemble women in beauty and graceful agility." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#78] Arab. "Tiryák" from Gr. a drug against venomous +bites. It was compounded mainly of treacle, and that of Baghdad and Irák was +long held sovereign. The European equivalent, "Venice treacle," (Theriaca +Andromachi) is an electuary containing many elements. Badawin eat for counter- +poison three heads of garlic in clarified butter for forty days. (Pilgrimage +iii 77 ) +</p> + +<p> +[FN#79] Could Cervantes have read this? In Algiers he might easily have heard +it recited by the tale-tellers. Kanmakan is the typical Arab Knight, gentle and +valiant as Don Quixote Sabbáh is the Grazioso, a "Beduin" Sancho Panza. In the +"Romance of Antar" we have a similar contrast with Ocab who says: "Indeed I am +no fighter: the sword in my hand-palm chases only pelicans ;" and, "whenever +you kill a satrap, I'll plunder him." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#80] i.e. The Comely, son of the Spearman, son of the Lion, or<br/> + +Hero.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#81] Arab. "Ushári." Old Purchas (vi., i. 9) says there are three kinds of +camels (1 ) Huguin (=Hejin) of tall stature and able to carry 1,000 lbs. (2) +Bechete (=Bukhti) the two-humped Bactrian before mentioned and, (3) the +Raguahill (Rahíl) small dromedaries unfit for burden but able to cover a +hundred miles in a day. The "King of Timbukhtu" (not "Bukhtu's well" pop. +Timbuctoo) had camels which reach Segelmesse (Sijalmas) or Darha, nine hundred +miles in eight days at most. Lyon makes the Maherry (also called +El-Heirie=Mahri) trot nine miles an hour for a long time. Other travellers in +North Africa report the Sabayee (Saba'i=seven days weeder) as able to get over +six hundred and thirty miles (or thirty-five caravan stages=each eighteen +miles) in five to seven days. One of the dromedaries in the "hamlah" or caravan +of Mr. Ensor (Journey through Nubia and Darfoor—a charming book) travelled one +thousand one hundred and ten miles in twenty- seven days. He notes that his +beasts were better with water every five to seven days, but in the cold season +could do without drink for sixteen. I found in Al-Hijaz at the end of August +that the camels suffered much after ninety hours without drink (Pilgrimage iii. +14). But these were "Júdi" fine-haired animals as opposed to "Khawár" (the +Khowás of Chesney, p. 333), coarse-haired, heavy, slow brutes which will not +stand great heat. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#82] i.e. Fortune so willed it (euphemistically). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#83] The "minaret" being feminine is usually compared with a fair young +girl. The oldest minaret proper is supposed to have been built in Damascus by +the Ommiade Caliph (No. X.) Al-Walid A.H. 86-96 (=705-715). According to +Ainsworth (ii. 113) the second was at Kuch Hisar in Chaldea. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#84] None of the pure Badawi can swim for the best of reasons, want of +waters. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#85] The baser sort of Badawi is never to be trusted: he is a traitor born, +and looks upon fair play as folly or cowardice. Neither oath nor kindness can +bind him: he unites the cruelty of the cat with the wildness of the wolf. How +many Englishmen have lost their lives by not knowing these elementary truths! +The race has not changed from the days of Mandeville (A.D. 1322) whose +"Arabians, who are called Bedouins and Ascopards (?), are right felonious and +foul, and of a cursed nature." In his day they "carried but one shield and one +spear, without other arm :" now, unhappily for travellers, they have matchlocks +and most tribes can manufacture a something called by courtesy gunpowder. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#86] Thus by Arab custom they become friends. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#87] Our classical term for a noble Arab horse. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#88] In Arab. "Khayl" is=horse; Husan, a stallion; Hudúd, a brood stallion; +Faras, a mare (but sometimes used as a horse and meaning "that tears over the +ground"), Jiyád a steed (noble); Kadísh, a nag (ignoble); Mohr a colt and +Mohrah, a filly. There are dozens of other names but these suffice for +conversation +</p> + +<p> +[FN#89] Al-Katúl, the slayer; Al-Majnún, the mad; both high compliments in the +style inverted. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#90] This was a highly honourable exploit, which would bring the doer fame +as well as gain. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#91] This is a true and life-like description of horse- stealing in the +Desert: Antar and Burckhardt will confirm every word. A noble Arab stallion is +supposed to fight for his rider and to wake him at night if he see any sign of +danger. The owner generally sleeps under the belly of the beast which keeps +eyes and ears alert till dawn. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#92] Arab. "Yaum al tanádi," i.e. Resurrection-day. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#93] Arab. "Bilád al-Súdan"=the Land of the Blacks, negro- land, whence the +slaves came, a word now fatally familiar to English ears. There are, however, +two regions of the same name, the Eastern upon the Upper Nile and the Western +which contains the Niger Valley, and each considers itself the Sudan. And the +reader must not confound the Berber of the Upper Nile, the Berderino who acts +servant in Lower Egypt, with the Berber of Barbary: the former speaks an +African language; the latter a "Semitic" (Arabic) tongue. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#94] "Him" for "her." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#95] Arab. "Sáibah," a she-camel freed from labour under certain conditions +amongst the pagan Arabs; for which see Sale (Prel. Disc. sect. v.). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#96] Arab. "Marba'." In early spring the Badawi tribes leave the Rasm or +wintering-place (the Turco-Persian "Kishlák") in the desert, where winter-rains +supply them, and make for the Yaylák, or summer-quarters, where they find grass +and water. Thus the great Ruwala tribe appears regularly every year on the +eastern slopes of the Anti-Libanus (Unexplored Syria, i. 117), and hence the +frequent "partings." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#97] This "renowning it" and boasting of one's tribe (and oneself) before +battle is as natural as the war-cry: both are intended to frighten the foe and +have often succeeded. Every classical reader knows that the former practice +dates from the earliest ages. It is still customary in Arabia during the +furious tribal fights, the duello on a magnificent scale which often ends in +half the combatants on either side being placed hors-de- combat. A fair +specimen of "renowning it" is Amrú's Suspended Poem with its extravagant +panegyric of the Taghlab tribe (p. 64, "Arabian Poetry for English Readers," +etc., by W. A. Clouston, Glasgow: privately printed MDCCCLXXXI.; and +transcribed from Sir William Jones's translation). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#98] The "Turk" appeared soon amongst the Abbaside Caliphs. Mohammed was +made to prophecy of them under the title Banú Kantúrah, the latter being a +slave-girl of Abraham. The Imam Al- Shafi'i (A.H. 195=A.D. 810) is said to have +foretold their rule in Egypt where an Ottoman defended him against a +donkey-boy. (For details see Pilgrimage i. 216 ) The Caliph Al-Mu'atasim +bi'llah (A.D. 833-842) had more than 10,000 Turkish slaves and was the first to +entrust them with high office; so his Arab subjects wrote of him:— +</p> + +<p> + A wretched Turk is thy heart's desire;<br/> + + And to them thou showest thee dam and sire.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +His successor Al-Wásik (Vathek, of the terrible eyes) was the first to appoint +a Turk his Sultan or regent. After his reign they became praetorians and led to +the downfall of the Abbasides. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#99] The Persian saying is "First at the feast and last at the fray." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#100] i.e. a tempter, a seducer. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#101] Arab. "Wayl-ak" here probably used in the sense of<br/> + +"Wayh-ak" an expression of affectionate concern.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#102] Firdausi, the Homer of Persia, affects the same magnificent +exaggeration. The trampling of men and horses raises such a dust that it takes +one layer (of the seven) from earth and adds it to the (seven of the) Heavens. +The "blaze" on the stallion's forehead (Arab. "Ghurrah") is the white gleam of +the morning. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#103] A noted sign of excitement in the Arab blood horse, when the tail +looks like a panache covering the hind-quarter. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#104] i.e. Prince Kanmakan. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#105] The "quality of mercy" belongs to the noble Arab, whereas the ignoble +and the Bada win are rancorous and revengeful as camels. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#106] Arab. "Khanjar," the poison was let into the grooves and hollows of +the poniard. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#107] The Pers. "Bang", Indian "Bhang", Maroccan "Fasúkh" and S. African +"Dakhá." (Pilgrimage i. 64.) I heard of a "Hashish- orgie" in London which +ended in half the experimentalists being on their sofas for a week. The drug is +useful for stokers, having the curious property of making men insensible to +heat. Easterns also use it for "Imsák" prolonging coition of which I speak +presently. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#108] Arab. "Hashsháshín;" whence De Sacy derived "Assassin." A notable +effect of the Hashish preparation is wildly to excite the imagination, a kind +of delirium imaginans sive phantasticum . +</p> + +<p> +[FN#109] Meaning "Well done!" Mashallah (Má sháa 'llah) is an exclamation of +many uses, especially affected when praising man or beast for fear lest +flattering words induce the evil eye. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#110] Arab. "Kabkáb" vulg. "Kubkáb." They are between three and ten inches +high, and those using them for the first time in the slippery Hammam must be +careful. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#111] Arab. "Majlis"=sitting. The postures of coition, ethnologically +curious and interesting, are subjects so extensive that they require a volume +rather than a note. Full information can be found in the Ananga-ranga, or Stage +of the Bodiless One, a treatise in Sanskrit verse vulgarly known as Koka Pandit +from the supposed author, a Wazir of the great Rajah Bhoj, or according to +others, of the Maharajah of Kanoj. Under the title Lizzat al-Nisá (The +Pleasures—or enjoying—of Women) it has been translated into all the languages +of the Moslem East, from Hindustani to Arabic. It divides postures into five +great divisions: (1) the woman lying supine, of which there are eleven +subdivisions; (2) lying on her side, right or left, with three varieties; (3) +sitting, which has ten, (4) standing, with three subdivisions, and (5) lying +prone, with two. This total of twenty- nine, with three forms of "Purusháyit," +when the man lies supine (see the Abbot in Boccaccio i. 4), becomes thirty-two, +approaching the French quarante façons. The Upavishta, majlis, or sitting +postures, when one or both "sit at squat" somewhat like birds, appear utterly +impossible to Europeans who lack the pliability of the Eastern's limbs. Their +object in congress is to avoid tension of the muscles which would shorten the +period of enjoyment. In the text the woman lies supine and the man sits at +squat between her legs: it is a favourite from Marocco to China. A literal +translation of the Ananga range appeared in 1873 under the name of +Káma-Shástra; or the Hindoo Art of Love (Ars Amoris Indica); but of this only +six copies were printed. It was re-issued (printed but not published) in 1885. +The curious in such matters will consult the Index Librorum Prohibitorum +(London, privately printed, 1879) by Pisanus Fraxi (H. S. Ashbee). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#112] i.e. Le Roi Crotte. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#113] This seems to be a punning allusion to Baghdad, which in<br/> + +Persian would mean the Garden (bágh) of Justice (dád). See<br/> + +"Biographical Notices of Persian Poets" by Sir Gore Ouseley,<br/> + +London, Oriental Translation Fund, 1846<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#114] The Kardoukhoi (Carduchi) of Xenophon; also called (Strabo xv.) +"Kárdakís, from a Persian word signifying manliness," which would be "Kardak"=a +doer (of derring do). They also named the Montes Gordći the original Ararat of +Xisisthrus- Noah's Ark. The Kurds are of Persian race, speaking an old and +barbarous Iranian tongue and often of the Shi'ah sect. They are born bandits, +highwaymen, cattle-lifters; yet they have spread extensively over Syria and +Egypt and have produced some glorious men, witness Sultan Saláh al-Din +(Saladin) the Great. They claim affinity with the English in the East, because +both races always inhabit the highest grounds they can find. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#115] These irregular bands who belong to no tribe are the most dangerous +bandits in Arabia, especially upon the northern frontier. Burckhardt, who +suffered from them, gives a long account of their treachery and utter absence +of that Arab "pundonor" which is supposed to characterise Arab thieves. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#116] An euphemistic form to avoid mentioning the incestuous marriage. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#117] The Arab form of our "Kinchin lay." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#118] These are the signs of a Shaykh's tent. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#119] These questions, indiscreet in Europe, are the rule throughout Arabia, +as they were in the United States of the last generation. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#120] Arab. "Khizáb" a paste of quicklime and lamp-black kneaded with +linseed oil which turns the Henna to a dark olive. It is hideously ugly to +unaccustomed eyes and held to be remarkably beautiful in Egypt. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#121] i.e. the God of the Empyrean. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#122] A blow worthy of the Sa'alabah tribe to which he belonged. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#123] i.e. "benefits"; also the name of Mohammed's Mu'ezzin, or crier to +prayer, who is buried outside the Jábiah gate of Damascus. Hence amongst +Moslems, Abyssinians were preferred as mosque-criers in the early ages of +Al-Islam. Egypt chose blind men because they were abundant and cheap; moreover +they cannot take note of what is doing on the adjoining roof terraces where +women and children love to pass the cool hours that begin and end the day. +Stories are told of men who counterfeited blindness for years in order to keep +the employment. In Moslem cities the stranger required to be careful how he +appeared at a window or on the gallery of a minaret: the people hate to be +overlooked and the whizzing of a bullet was the warning to be off. (Pilgrimage +iii. 185.) +</p> + +<p> +[FN#124] His instinct probably told him that this opponent was a low fellow but +such insults are common when "renowning it." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#125] Arab. "Dare' " or "Dira'," a habergeon, a coat of ring- mail, +sometimes worn in pairs. During the wretched "Sudan" campaigns much naďve +astonishment was expressed by the English Press to hear of warriors armed +cap-ŕ-pie in this armour like medieval knights. They did not know that every +great tribe has preserved, possibly from Crusading times, a number of hauberks, +even to hundreds. I have heard of only one English traveller who had a mail +jacket made by Wilkinson of Pall Mall, imitating in this point Napoleon III. +And (according to the Banker-poet, Rogers) the Duke of Wellington. That of +Napoleon is said to have been made of platinum-wire, the work of a Pole who +received his money and an order to quit Paris. The late Sir Robert Clifton +(they say) tried its value with a Colt after placing it upon one of his +coat-models or mannequins. It is easy to make these hauberks arrow-proof or +sword-proof, even bullet-proof if Arab gunpowder be used: but against a modern +rifle-cone they are worse than worthless as the fragments would be carried into +the wound. The British serjeant was right in saying that he would prefer to +enter battle in his shirt: and he might even doff that to advantage and return +to the primitive custom of man—gymnomachy. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#126] Arab. "Jamal" (by Badawin pronounced "Gamal" like the Hebrew) is the +generic term for "Camel" through the Gr. : "Ibl" is also the +camel-species but not so commonly used. "Hajín" is the dromedary (in Egypt, +"Dalúl" in Arabia), not the one- humped camel of the zoologist (C. dromedarius) +as opposed to the two-humped (C. Bactrianus), but a running i.e. a riding +camel. The feminine is Nákah for like mules females are preferred. "Bakr" +(masc.) and "Bakrah" (fem.) are camel-colts. There are hosts of special names +besides those which are general. Mr. Censor is singular when he states (p.40) +"the male (of the camel) is much the safer animal to choose ;" and the custom +of t e universal Ease disproves his assertion. Mr. McCoan ("Egypt as it is") +tells his readers that the Egyptian camel has two humps, in fact, he describes +the camel as it is not. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#127] So, in the Romance of Dalhamah (Zát al-Himmah, the heroine the hero +Al-Gundubah ("one locust-man") smites off the head of his mother's servile +murderer and cries, I have taken my blood-revenge upon this traitor slave'" +(Lane, M. E. chaps. xx iii.) +</p> + +<p> +[FN#128] This gathering all the persons upon the stage before the curtain drops +is highly artistic and improbable. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#129] He ought to have said his dawn prayers. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#130] Here begins what I hold to be the oldest subject matter in The Nights, +the apologues or fables proper; but I reserve further remarks for the Terminal +Essay. Lane has most objectionably thrown this and sundry of the following +stories into a note (vol. ii., pp. 53-69). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#131] In beast stories generally when man appears he shows to disadvantage. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#132] Shakespeare's "stone bow" not Lane's "cross-bow" (ii. 53). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#133] The goad still used by the rascally Egyptian donkey-boy is a sharp +nail at the end of a stick; and claims the special attention of societies for +the protection of animals. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#134] "The most ungrateful of all voices surely is the voice of asses" +(Koran xxxi. 18); and hence the "braying of hell" (Koran Ixvii.7). The vulgar +still believe that the donkey brays when seeing the Devil. "The last animal +which entered the Ark with Noah was the Ass to whose tail Iblis was clinging. +At the threshold the ass seemed troubled and could enter no further when Noah +said to him:—"Fie upon thee! come in." But as the ass was still troubled and +did not advance Noah cried:—"Come in, though the Devil be with thee!", so the +ass entered and with him Iblis. Thereupon Noah asked:—"O enemy of Allah who +brought thee into the Ark ?", and Iblis answered:—"Thou art the man, for thou +saidest to the ass, come in though the Devil be with thee!" (Kitáb al-Unwán fi +Makáid al-Niswán quoted by Lane ii. 54). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#135] Arab. "Rihl," a wooden saddle stuffed with straw and matting. In +Europe the ass might complain that his latter end is the sausage. In England +they say no man sees a dead donkey: I have seen dozens and, unfortunately, my +own. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#136] The English reader will not forget Sterne's old mare. Even Al-Hariri, +the prince of Arab rhetoricians, does not distain to use "pepedit," the effect +being put for the cause—terror. But Mr. Preston (p. 285) and polite men +translate by "fled in haste" the Arabic farted for fear." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#137] This is one of the lucky signs and adds to the value of the beast. +There are some fifty of these marks, some of them (like a spiral of hair in the +breast which denotes that the rider is a cuckold) so ill-omened that the animal +can be bought for almost nothing. Of course great attention is paid to colours, +the best being the dark rich bay ("red" of Arabs) with black points, or the +flea-bitten grey (termed Azrak=blue or Akhzar=green) which whitens with age. +The worst are dun, cream coloured, piebald and black, which last are very rare. +Yet according to the Mishkát al- Masábih (Lane 2, 54) Mohammed said, The best +horses are black (dark brown?) with white blazes (Arab. "Ghurrah") and upper +lips; next, black with blaze and three white legs (bad, because white- hoofs +are brittle):next, bay with white blaze and white fore and hind legs." He also +said, "Prosperity is with sorrel horses;" and praised a sorrel with white +forehead and legs; but he dispraised the "Shikál," which has white stockings +(Arab. "Muhajjil") on alternate hoofs (e.g. right hind and left fore). The +curious reader will consult Lady Anne Blunt's "Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates, +with some Account of the Arabs and their Horses" (1879); but he must remember +that it treats of the frontier tribes. The late Major Upton also left a book +"Gleanings from the Desert of Arabia" (1881); but it is a marvellous production +deriving e.g. Khayl (a horse generically) from Kohl or antimony (p. 275). What +the Editor was dreaming of I cannot imagine. I have given some details +concerning the Arab horse especially in Al-Yaman, among the Zú Mohammed, the Zú +Husayn and the Banu Yam in Pilgrimage iii. 270. As late as Marco Polo's day +they supplied the Indian market via Aden; but the "Eye o Al-Yaman" has totally +lost the habit of exporting horses. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#138] The shovel-iron which is the only form of spur. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#139] Used for the dromedary: the baggage-camel is haltered. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#140] Arab. "Harwalah," the pas gymnastique affected when circumambulating +the Ka'abah (Pilgrimage iii. 208). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#141] "This night" would be our "last night": the Arabs, I repeat, say +"night and day," not "day and night." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#142] The vulgar belief is that man's fate is written upon his skull, the +sutures being the writing. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#143] Koran ii. 191. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#144] Arab. "Tasbíh"=saying, "Subhán' Allah." It also means a rosary (Egypt. +Sebhah for Subhah) a string of 99 beads divided by a longer item into sets of +three and much fingered by the would- appear pious. The professional devotee +carries a string of wooden balls the size of pigeons' eggs. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#145] The pigeon is usually made to say, ' "Wahhidú Rabba-kumu ''llazi +khalaka-kum, yaghfiru lakum zamba-kum" = "Unify (Assert the Unity of) your Lord +who created you; so shall He forgive your sin!" As might be expected this +"language" is differently interpreted. Pigeon-superstitions are found in all +religions and I have noted (Pilgrimage iii, 218) how the Hindu deity of +Destruction- reproduction, the third Person of their Triad, Shiva and his +Spouse (or active Energy), are supposed to have dwelt at Meccah under the +titles of Kapoteshwara (Pigeon-god) and Kapoteshí (Pigeon-goddess). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#146] I have seen this absolute horror of women amongst the<br/> + +Monks of the Coptic Convents.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#147] After the Day of Doom, when men's actions are registered, that of +mutual retaliation will follow and all creatures (brutes included) will take +vengeance on one another. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#148] The Comrades of the Cave, famous in the Middle Ages of Christianity +(Gibbon chaps. xxxiii.), is an article of faith with Moslems, being part +subject of chapter xviii., the Koranic Surah termed the Cave. These Rip Van +Winkle-tales begin with Endymion so famous amongst the Classics and Epimenides +of Crete who slept fifty-seven years; and they extend to modern days as La +Belle au Bois dormant. The Seven Sleepers are as many youths of Ephesus (six +royal councillors and a shepherd, whose names are given on the authority of +Ali); and, accompanied by their dog, they fled the persecutions of Dakianús +(the Emperor Decius) to a cave near Tarsús in Natolia where they slept for +centuries. The Caliph Mu'awiyah when passing the cave sent into it some +explorers who were all killed by a burning wind. The number of the sleepers +remains uncertain, according to the Koran (ibid. v. 21) three, five or seven +and their sleep lasted either three hundred or three hundred and nine years. +The dog (ibid. v. 17) slept at the cave-entrance with paws outstretched and, +according to the general, was called "Katmir" or "Kitmir;" but Al-Rakím (v. 8) +is also applied to it by some. Others hold this to be the name of the valley or +mountain and others of a stone or leaden tablet on which their names were +engraved by their countrymen who built a chapel on the spot (v. 20). Others +again make the Men of Al-Rakím distinct from the Cave-men, and believe (with +Bayzáwi) that they were three youths who were shut up in a grotto by a +rock-slip. Each prayed for help through the merits of some good deed: when the +first had adjured Allah the mountain cracked till light appeared; at the second +petition it split so that they saw one another and after the third it opened. +However that may be, Kitmir is one of the seven favoured animals: the others +being the Hudhud (hoopoe) of Solomon (Koran xxii. 20); the she-camel of Sálih +(chaps. Ixxxvii.); the cow of Moses which named the Second Surah; the fish of +Jonah; the serpent of Eve, and the peacock of Paradise. For Koranic revelations +of the Cave see the late Thomas Chenery (p. 414 The Assemblies of Al-Hariri: +Williams and Norgate, 1870) who borrows from the historian Tabari. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#149] These lines have occurred in Night cxlvi.: I quote Mr.<br/> + +Payne by way of variety.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#150] The wolf (truly enough to nature) is the wicked man without redeeming +traits; the fox of Arab folk-lore is the cunning man who can do good on +occasion. Here the latter is called "Sa'alab" which may, I have noted, mean the +jackal; but further on "Father of a Fortlet" refers especially to the fox. +Herodotus refers to the gregarious Canis Aureus when he describes Egyptian +wolves as being "not much bigger than foxes" (ii. 67). Canon Rawlinson, in his +unhappy version, does not perceive that the Halicarnassian means the jackal and +blunders about the hyena. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#151] The older "Leila" or "Leyla": it is a common name and is here applied +to woman in general. The root is evidently "layl"=nox, with, probably, the +idea, "She walks in beauty like the night." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#152] Arab. Abu 'l-Hosayn; his hole being his fort (Unexplored<br/> + +Syria, ii. 18).<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#153] A Koranic phrase often occurring. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#154] Koran v. 35. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#155] Arab. "Bází," Pers. "Báz" (here Richardson is wrong s.v.); a term to a +certain extent generic, but specially used for the noble Peregrine (F. +Peregrinator) whose tiercel is the Sháhín (or "Royal Bird"). It is sometimes +applied to the goshawk (Astur palumbarius) whose proper title, however, is +Shah-báz (King-hawk). The Peregrine extends from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin +and the best come from the colder parts: in Iceland I found that the splendid +white bird was sometimes trapped for sending to India. In Egypt "Bazi" is +applied to the kite or buzzard and "Hidyah" (a kite) to the falcon +(Burckhardt's Prov. 159, 581 and 602). Burckhardt translates "Hidáyah," the +Egyptian corruption, by "an ash-grey falcon of the smaller species common +throughout Egypt and Syria." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#156] Arab. "Hijl," the bird is not much prized in India because it feeds on +the roads. For the Shinnár (caccabis) or magnificent partridge of Midian as +large as a pheasant, see "Midian Revisted" ii. 18. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#157] Arab. "Súf;" hence "Súfi,"=(etymologically) one who wears woollen +garments, a devotee, a Santon; from =wise; from =pure, or from +Safá=he was pure. This is not the place to enter upon such a subject as +"Tasawwuf," or Sufyism; that singular reaction from arid Moslem realism and +materialism, that immense development of gnostic and Neo-platonic +transcendentalism which is found only germinating in the Jewish and Christian +creeds. The poetry of Omar-i-Khayyám, now familiar to English readers, is a +fair specimen; and the student will consult the last chapter of the Dabistan +"On the religion of the Sufiahs." The first Moslem Sufi was Abu Háshim of +Kufah, ob. A. H. 150=767, and the first Convent of Sufis called "Takiyah" +(Pilgrimage i. 124) was founded in Egypt by Saladin the Great. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#158] i.e. when she encamps with a favourite for the night. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#159] The Persian proverb is "Marg-i-amboh jashni dáred"—death in a crowd is +as good as a feast. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#160] Arab. "Kanát", the subterranean water-course called in Persia +"Kyáriz." Lane (ii. 66) translates it "brandish around the spear (Kanát is also +a cane-lance) of artifice," thus making rank nonsense of the line. Al-Hariri +uses the term in the Ass. of the Banu Haram where "Kanát" may be a pipe or +bamboo laid underground. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#161] From Al-Tughrái, the author of the Lámiyat al-Ajam, the "Lay of the +Outlander;" a Kasidah (Ode) rhyming in Lám (the letter "l" being the ráwi or +binder). The student will find a new translation of it by Mr. J. W. Redhouse +and Dr. Carlyle's old version (No. liii.) in Mr. Clouston's "Arabian Poetry." +Muyid al-Din al-Hasan Abu Ismail nat. Ispahan ob. Baghdad A.H. 182) derived his +surname from the Tughrá, cypher or flourish (over the "Bismillah" in royal and +official papers) containing the name of the prince. There is an older "Lamiyat +al-Arab" a pre-Islamitic L-poem by the "brigand-poet" Shanfara, of whom Mr. W. +G. Palgrave has given a most appreciative account in his "Essays on Eastern +Questions," noting the indomitable self-reliance and the absolute individualism +of a mind defying its age and all around it. Al-Hariri quotes from both. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#162] The words of the unfortunate Azízah, vol. ii., p. 323. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#163] Arab. "Háwí"=a juggler who plays tricks with snakes: he is mostly a +Gypsy. The "recompense" the man expects is the golden treasure which the +ensorcelled snake is supposed to guard. This idea is as old as the Dragon in +the Garden of the Hesperides—and older. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#164] The "Father of going out (to prey) by morning"; for dawn is called +Zanab Sirhán the Persian Dum-i-gurg=wolf's tail, i.e. the first brush of light; +the Zodiacal Light shown in morning. Sirhán is a nickname of the wolf—Gaunt +Grim or Gaffer Grim, the German Isengrin or Eisengrinus (icy grim or iron grim) +whose wife is Hersent, as Richent or Hermeline is Mrs. Fox. In French we have +lopez, luppe, leu, e.g. +</p> + +<p> +Venant ŕ la queue, leu, leu, +</p> + +<p> +i.e. going in Indian file. Hence the names D'Urfé and Saint-Loup. In +Scandinavian, the elder sister of German, Ulf and in German (where the Jews +were forced to adopt the name) Wolff whence "Guelph." He is also known to the +Arabs as the "sire of a she-lamb," the figure metonymy called "Kunyat bi +'l-Zidd" (lucus a non lucendo), a patronymic or by-name given for opposition +and another specimen of "inverted speech." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#165] Arab. "Bint' Arús" = daughter of the bridegroom, the Hindustani Mungus +(vulg. Mongoose); a well-known weasel-like rodent often kept tame in the house +to clear it of vermin. It is supposed to know an antidote against snake-poison, +as the weasel eats rue before battle (Pliny x. 84; xx. 13). In Modern Egypt +this viverra is called "Kitt (or Katt) Far'aun" = Pharaoh's cat: so the +Percnopter becomes Pharaoh's hen and the unfortunate (?) King has named a host +of things, alive and dead. It was worshipped and mummified in parts of Ancient +Egypt e.g. Heracleopolis, on account of its antipathy to serpents and because +it was supposed to destroy the crocodile, a feat with Ćlian and others have +overloaded with fable. It has also a distinct antipathy to cats. The ichneumon +as a pet becomes too tame and will not leave its master: when enraged it emits +an offensive stench. I brought home for the Zoological Gardens a Central +African specimen prettily barred. Burckhardt (Prov. 455) quotes a line:— +</p> + +<p> + Rakas' Ibn Irsin wa zamzama l-Nimsu,<br/> + + (Danceth Ibn Irs whileas Nims doth sing)<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +and explains Nims by ichneumon and Ibn Irs as a "species of small weasel or +ferret, very common in Egypt: it comes into the house, feeds upon meat, is of +gentle disposition although not domesticated and full of gambols and frolic." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#166] Arab. "Sinnaur" (also meaning a prince). The common name is Kitt which +is pronounced Katt or Gatt; and which Ibn Dorayd pronounces a foreign word +(Syriac?). Hence, despite Freitag, Catus (which Isidore derives from catare, to +look for) = gatto, chat, cat, an animal unknown to the Classics of Europe who +used the mustela or putorius vulgaris and different species of viverrć. The +Egyptians, who kept the cat to destroy vermin, especially snakes, called it +Mau, Mai, Miao (onomatopoetic): this descendent of the Felis maniculata +originated in Nubia; and we know from the mummy pits and Herodotus that it was +the same species as ours. The first portraits of the cat are on the monuments +of "Beni Hasan," B.C. 2500. I have ventured to derive the familiar "Puss" from +the Arab. "Biss (fem. :Bissah"), which is a congener of Pasht (Diana), the +cat-faced goddess of Bubastis (Pi-Pasht), now Zagázig. Lastly, "tabby +(brindled)-cat" is derived from the Attábi (Prince Attab's) quarter at Baghdad +where watered silks were made. It is usually attributed to the Tibbie, Tibalt, +Tybalt, Thibert or Tybert (who is also executioner), various forms of Theobald +in the old Beast Epic; as opposed to Gilbert the gib-cat, either a tom-cat or a +gibbed (castrated) cat. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#167] Arab. "Ikhwán al-Safá," a popular term for virtuous friends who +perfectly love each other in all purity: it has also a mystic meaning. Some +translate it "Brethren of Sincerity," and hold this brotherhood to be Moslem +Freemasons, a mere fancy (see the Mesnevi of Mr. Redhouse, Trubner 1881). There +is a well-known Hindustani book of this name printed by Prof. Forbes in Persian +character and translated by Platts and Eastwick. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#168] Among Eastern men there are especial forms for "making brotherhood." +The "Munhbolá-bhái" (mouth-named brother) of India is well-known. The intense +"associativeness" of these races renders isolation terrible to them, and being +defenceless in a wild state of society has special horrors. Hence the origin of +Caste for which see Pilgrimage (i. 52). Moslems, however, cannot practise the +African rite of drinking a few drops of each other's blood. This, by the by, +was also affected in Europe, as we see in the Gesta Romanoru, Tale lxvii., of +the wise and foolish knights who "drew blood (to drink) from the right arm." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#169] The F. Sacer in India is called "Laghar" and tiercel "Jaghar." Mr. +T.E. Jordan (catalogue of Indian Birds, 1839) says it is rare; but I found it +the contrary. According to Mr. R. Thompson it is flown at kites and antelope: +in Sind it is used upon night-heron (nyctardea nycticorax), floriken or Hobara +(Otis aurita), quail, partridge, curlew and sometimes hare: it gives excellent +sport with crows but requires to be defended. Indian sportsmen, like ourselves, +divide hawks into two orders: the "Siyáh-chasm," or black-eyed birds, +long-winged and noble; the "Gulábi-chasm" or yellow-eyed (like the goshawk) +round-winged and ignoble. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#170] i.e. put themselves at thy mercy. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#171] I have remarked (Pilgrimage iii.307) that all the popular ape-names in +Arabic and Persian, Sa'adán, Maymún, Shádi, etc., express +propitiousness—probably euphemistically applied to our "poor relation." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#172] The serpent does not "sting" nor does it "bite;" it strikes with the +poison-teeth like a downward stab with a dagger. These fangs are always drawn +by the jugglers but they grow again and thus many lives are lost. The popular +way of extracting the crochets is to grasp the snake firmly behind the neck +with one hand and with the other to tantalise it by offering and withdrawing a +red rag. At last the animal is allowed to strike it and a sharp jerk tears out +both eye-teeth as rustics used to do by slamming a door. The head is then held +downwards and the venom drains from its bag in the shape of a few drops of +slightly yellowish fluid which, as conjurers know, may be drunk without danger. +The patient looks faint and dazed, but recovers after a few hours and feels as +if nothing had happened. In India I took lessons from a snake-charmer but soon +gave up the practice as too dangerous. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#173] Arab. "Akh al-Jahálah" = brother of ignorance, an Ignorantin; one +"really and truly" ignorant; which is the value of "Ahk" in such phrases as a +"brother of poverty," or, "of purity." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#174] Lane (ii. 1) writes "Abu-l-Hasan;" Payne (iii. 49) "Aboulhusn" which +would mean "Father of Beauty (Husn)" and is not a Moslem name. Hasan +(beautiful) and its dimin. Husayn, names now so common, were (it is said), +unknown to the Arabs, although Hassán was that of a Tobba King, before the days +of Mohammed who so called his two only grandsons. In Anglo-India they have +become "Hobson and Jobson." The Bresl. Edit. (ii. 305) entitles this story +"Tale of Abu 'l Hasan the Attár (druggist and perfumer) with Ali ibn Bakkár and +what befel them with the handmaid (=járiyah) Shams al-Nahár." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#175] i.e. a descendant, not a Prince. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#176] The Arab shop is a kind of hole in the wall and buyers sit upon its +outer edge (Pilgrimage i. 99). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#177] By a similar image the chamćleon is called Abú Kurrat=Father of +coolness; because it is said to have the "coldest" eye of all animals and +insensible to heat and light, since it always looks at the sun. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#178] This dividing the hemistich words is characteristic of certain tales; +so I have retained it although inevitably suggesting:— +</p> + +<p> +I left Matilda at the U- niversity of Gottingen. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#179] These naďve offers in Eastern tales mostly come from the true +seducer—Eve. Europe and England especially, still talks endless absurdity upon +the subject. A man of the world may "seduce" an utterly innocent (which means +an ignorant) girl. But to "seduce" a married woman! What a farce! +</p> + +<p> +[FN#180] Masculine again for feminine: the lines are as full of word-plays, +vulgarly called puns, as Sanskrit verses. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#181] The Eastern heroine always has a good appetite and eats well. The +sensible Oriental would infinitely despise that maladive Parisienne in whom our +neighbours delight, and whom I long to send to the Hospital. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#182] i.e. her rivals have discovered the secret of her heart. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#183] i.e. blood as red as wine. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#184] The wine-cup (sun-like) shines in thy hand; thy teeth are bright as +the Pleiads and thy face rises like a moon from the darkness of thy +dress-collar. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#185] The masculine of Marjánah (Morgiana) "the she coral-branch ;" and like +this a name generally given to negroes. We have seen white applied to a +blackamoor by way of metonomy and red is also connected with black skins by way +of fun. A Persian verse says : +</p> + +<p> +"If a black wear red, e'en an ass would grin." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#186] Suggesting that she had been sleeping. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#187] Arab. "Raushan," a window projecting and latticed: the word is orig. +Persian: so Raushaná (splendour)=Roxana. It appears to me that this beautiful +name gains beauty by being understood. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#188] The word means any servant, but here becomes a proper name. "Wasífah" +usually= a concubine. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#189] i.e. eagerness, desire, love-longing. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#190] Arab. "Rind," which may mean willow (oriental), bay or aloes wood: +Al-Asma'i denies that it ever signifies myrtle. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#191] These lines occur in Night cxiv.: by way of variety I give (with +permission) Mr. Payne's version (iii. 59). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#192] Referring to the proverb "Al-Khauf maksúm"=fear (cowardice) is equally +apportioned: i.e. If I fear you, you fear me. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#193] The fingers of the right hand are struck upon the palm of the left. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#194] There are intricate rules for "joining" the prayers; but this is +hardly the place for a subject discussed in all religious treatises. +(Pilgrimage iii. 239.) +</p> + +<p> +[FN#195] The hands being stained with Henna and perhaps indigo in stripes are +like the ring rows of chain armour. See Lane's illustration (Mod. Egypt, chaps. +i.). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#196] She made rose-water of her cheeks for my drink and she bit with teeth +like grains of hail those lips like the lotus-fruit, or jujube: Arab. "Unnab" +or "Nabk," the plum of the Sidr or Zizyphus lotus. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#197] Meaning to let Patience run away like an untethered camel. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#198] i.e. her fair face shining through the black hair. "Camphor" is a +favourite with Arab poets: the Persians hate it because connected in their +minds with death; being used for purifying the corpse. We read in Burckhardt +(Prov. 464) "Singing without siller is like a corpse without Hanút"—this being +a mixture of camphor and rose-water sprinkled over the face of the dead before +shrouded. Similarly Persians avoid speaking of coffee, because they drink it at +funerals and use tea at other times. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#199] i.e. she is angry and bites her carnelion lips with pearly teeth. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#200] Arab. "Wa ba'ad;" the formula which follows "Bismillah"—In the name of +Allah. The French translate it or sus, etc. I have noticed the legend about its +having been first used by the eloquent Koss, Bishop of Najran. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#201] i.e. Her mind is so troubled she cannot answer for what she writes. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#202] The Bul. Edit. (i. 329) and the Mac. Edit. (i. 780) give to Shams +al-Nahar the greater part of Ali's answer, as is shown by the Calc. Edit. (230 +et seq.) and the Bresl. Edit. (ii. 366 et seq.) Lane mentions this (ii. 74) but +in his usual perfunctory way gives no paginal references to the Calc. or +Bresl.; so that those who would verify the text may have the displeasure of +hunting for it. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#203] Arab. "Bi'smi 'lláhi' r-Rahmáni'r-Rahím." This auspicatory formula was +borrowed by Al-Islam not from the Jews but from the Guebre "Ba nám-i-Yezdán +bakhsháishgar-i-dádár!" (in the name of Yezdan-God—All-generous, All-just!). +The Jews have, "In the name of the Great God;" and the Christians, "In the name +of the Father, etc." The so-called Sir John Mandeville begins his book, In the +name of God, Glorious and Almighty. The sentence forms the first of the Koran +and heads every chapter except only the ninth, an exception for which recondite +reasons are adduced. Hence even in the present day it begins all books, letters +and writings in general; and it would be a sign of Infidelity (i.e. +non-Islamism) to omit it. The difference between "Rahmán" and "Rahím" is that +the former represents an accidental (compassionating), the latter a constant +quality (compassionate). Sale therefore renders it very imperfectly by "In the +name of the most merciful God;" the Latinists better, "In nomine Dei +misericordis, clementissimi" (Gottwaldt in Hamza Ispahanensis); Mr. Badger much +better, "In the name of God, the Pitiful, the Compassionate"—whose only fault +is not preserving the assonance: and Maracci best, "In nomine Dei miseratoris +misericordis." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#204] Arab. Majnún (i.e. one possessed by a Jinni) the well-known model +lover of Layla, a fictitious personage for whom see D'Herbelot (s. v. Megnoun). +She was celebrated by Abu Mohammed Nizam al-Din of Ganjah (ob. A.H. 597=1200) +pop. known as Nizámi, the caustic and austere poet who wrote:— +</p> + +<p> + The weals of this world are the ass's meed!<br/> + + Would Nizami were of the ass's breed.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +The series in the East begins chronologically with Yúsuf and Zulaykhá +(Potiphar's wife) sung by Jámi (nat. A.H. 817=1414); the next in date is +Khusraw and Shirin (also by Nizami); Farhad and Shirin; and Layla and Majnun +(the Night-black maid and the Maniac-man) are the last. We are obliged to +compare the lovers with "Romeo and Juliet," having no corresponding instances +in modern days: the classics of Europe supply a host as Hero and Leander, +Theagenes and Charicleia, etc. etc. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#205] The jeweller of Eastern tales from Marocco to Calcutta, is almost +invariably a rascal: here we have an exception. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#206] This must not be understood of sealing-wax, which, however, is of +ancient date. The Egyptians (Herod. ii. 38) used "sealing earth" ( ) +probably clay, impressed with a signet ( ); the Greeks mud-clay ( +); and the Romans first cretula and then wax (Beckmann). Medićval Europe had +bees-wax tempered with Venice turpentine and coloured with cinnabar or similar +material. The modern sealing-wax, whose distinctive is shell-lac, was brought +by the Dutch from India to Europe; and the earliest seals date from about A.D. +1560. They called it Ziegel-lak, whence the German Siegel-lack, the French +preferring cire-ŕ-cacheter, as distinguished from cire-ŕ-sceller, the softer +material. The use of sealing-wax in India dates from old times and the +material, though coarse and unsightly, is still preferred by Anglo-Indians +because it resists heat whereas the best English softens like pitch. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#207] Evidently referring to the runaway Abu al-Hasan, not to the +she-Mercury. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#208] An unmarried man is not allowed to live in a respectable quarter of a +Moslem city unless he takes such precaution. Lane (Mod. Egypt. passim) has much +to say on this point; and my excellent friend the late Professor Spitta at +Cairo found the native prejudice very troublesome. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#209] Arab. "Yá fulán"=O certain person (fulano in Span. and<br/> + +Port.) a somewhat contemptuous address.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#210] Mr. Payne remarks, "These verses apparently relate to<br/> + +Aboulhusn, but it is possible that they may be meant to refer to<br/> + +Shemsennehar." (iii. 80.)<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#211] Arab. and Pers "Bulúr" (vulg. billaur) retaining the venerable +tradition of the Belus- river. In Al-Hariri (Ass. of Halwán) it means crystal +and there is no need of proposing to translate it by onyx or to identify it +with the Greek , the beryl. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#212] The door is usually shut with a wooden bolt. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#213] Arab. "Ritánah," from "Ratan," speaking any tongue not<br/> + +Arabic, the allusion being to foreign mercenaries, probably<br/> + +Turks. In later days Turkish was called Muwalla', a pied horse,<br/> + +from its mixture of languages.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#214] This is the rule; to guard against the guet-apens. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#215] Arab. "Wálidati," used when speaking to one not of the family in lieu +of the familiar "Ummi"=my mother. So the father is Wálid=the begetter. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#216] This is one of the many euphemistic formulć for such occasions: they +usually begin "May thy head live." etc. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#217] Arab. "Kánún," an instrument not unlike the Austrian zither; it is +illustrated in Lane (ii. 77). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#218] This is often done, the merit of the act being transferred to the soul +of the deceased. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#219] The two amourists were martyrs; and their amours, which appear +exaggerated to the Western mind, have many parallels in the East. The story is +a hopeless affair of love; with only one moral (if any be wanted) viz., there +may be too much of a good thing. It is given very concisely in the Bul. Edit. +vol. i.; and more fully in the Mac. Edit. aided in places by the Bresl. (ii. +320) and the Calc. (ii. 230). +## +[FN#220] Lane is in error (vol. ii. 78) when he corrects this to "Sháh Zemán"; +the name is fanciful and intended to be old Persian, on the "weight" of +Kahramán. The Bul. Edit. has by misprint "Shahramán." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#221] The "topothesia" is worthy of Shakespeare's day. "Khálidán" is +evidently a corruption of "Khálidatáni" (for Khálidát), the Eternal, as Ibn +Wardi calls the Fortunate Islands, or Canaries, which owe both their modern +names to the classics of Europe. Their present history dates from A.D. 1385, +unless we accept the Dieppe-Rouen legend of Labat which would place the +discovery in A.D. 1326. I for one thoroughly believe in the priority on the +West African Coast, of the gallant descendants of the Northmen. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#222] Four wives are allowed by Moslem law and for this reason. If you marry +one wife she holds herself your equal, answers you and "gives herself airs"; +two are always quarrelling and making a hell of the house; three are "no +company" and two of them always combine against the nicest to make her hours +bitter. Four are company, they can quarrel and "make it up" amongst themselves, +and the husband enjoys comparative peace. But the Moslem is bound by his law to +deal equally with the four, each must have her dresses her establishment and +her night, like her sister wives. The number is taken from the Jews (Arbah +Turim Ev. Hazaer, i.) "the wise men have given good advice that a man should +not marry more than four wives." Europeans, knowing that Moslem women are +cloistered and appear veiled in public, begin with believing them to be mere +articles of luxury, and only after long residence they find out that nowhere +has the sex so much real liberty and power as in the Moslem East. They can +possess property and will it away without the husband's leave: they can absent +themselves from the house for a month without his having a right to complain; +and they assist in all his counsels for the best of reasons: a man can rely +only on his wives and children, being surrounded by rivals who hope to rise by +his ruin. As regards political matters the Circassian women of Constantinople +really rule the Sultanate and there soignez la femme! is the first lesson of +getting on in the official world. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#223] This two-bow prayer is common on the bride-night; and at all times +when issue is desired. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#224] The older Camaralzaman="Moon of the age." Kamar is the moon between +her third and twenty-sixth day: Hilál during the rest of the month: Badr (plur. +Budúr whence the name of the Princess) is the full moon. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#225] Arab "Ra'áyá" plur. of 'Ra'íyat" our Anglo-Indian Ryot, lit. a liege, +a subject; secondarily a peasant, a Fellah. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#226] Another audacious parody of the Moslem "testification" to the one God, +and to Mohammed the Apostle. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#227] Showing how long ago forts were armed with metal plates which we have +applied to war-ships only of late years. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#228] The comparison is abominably true—in the East. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#229] Two fallen angels who taught men the art of magic. They are mentioned +in the Koran (chaps. ii.), and the commentators have extensively embroidered +the simple text. Popularly they are supposed to be hanging by their feet in a +well in the territory of Babel, hence the frequent allusions to "Babylonian +sorcery" in Moslem writings; and those who would study the black art at +head-quarters are supposed to go there. They are counterparts of the Egyptian +Jamnes and Mambres, the Jannes and Jambres of St. Paul (2 Tim. iii. 8). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#230] An idol or idols of the Arabs (Allat and Ozza) before Mohammed (Koran +chaps. ii. 256). Etymologically the word means "error" and the termination is +rather Hebraic than Arabic. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#231] Arab. "Khayt hamayán" (wandering threads of vanity), or<br/> + +Mukhát al-Shaytan (Satan's snivel),=our "gossamer"=God's summer<br/> + +(Mutter Gottes Sommer) or God's cymar (?).<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#232] These lines occur in Night xvii.; so I borrow from<br/> + +Torrens (p. 163) by way of variety.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#233] A posture of peculiar submission; contrasting strongly with the +attitude afterwards assumed by Prince Charming. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#234] A mere term of vulgar abuse not reflecting on either parent: I have +heard a mother call her own son, "Child of adultery." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#235] Arab. "Ghazá," the Artemisia (Euphorbia ?) before noticed. If the word +be a misprint for Ghadá it means a kind of Euphorbia which, with the Arák (wild +caper-tree) and the Daum palm (Crucifera thebiaca), is one of the three normal +growths of the Arabian desert (Pilgrimage iii. 22). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#236] Arab. "Banát al-Na'ash," usually translated daughters of the bier, the +three stars which represent the horses in either Bear, "Charles' Wain," or Ursa +Minor, the waggon being supposed to be a bier. "Banát" may be also sons, plur. +of Ibn, as the word points to irrational objects. So Job (ix. 9 and xxxviii. +32) refers to U. Major as "Ash" or "Aysh" in the words, "Canst thou guide the +bier with its sons?" (erroneously rendered "Arcturus with his sons") In the +text the lines are enigmatical, but apparently refer to a death parting. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#237] The Chapters are: 2, 3, 36, 55, 67 and the two last ("Daybreak" cxiii. +and "Men" cxiv.), which are called Al-Mu'izzatáni (vulgar Al-Mu'izzatayn), the +"Two Refuge-takings or Preventives," because they obviate enchantment. I have +translated the two latter as follows:— +</p> + +<p> +"Say:—Refuge I take with the Lord of the Day-break *<br/> + + from mischief of what He did make *<br/> + + from mischief of moon eclipse-showing *<br/> + + and from mischief of witches on cord-knots blowing *<br/> + + and from mischief of envier when envying."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +"Say:—Refuge I take with the Lord of men *<br/> + + the sovran of men *<br/> + + the God of men *<br/> + + from the Tempter, the Demon *<br/> + + who tempteth in whisper the breasts of men *<br/> + + and from Jinnis and (evil) men."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#238] The recitations were Náfilah, or superogatory, two short chapters only +being required and the taking refuge was because he slept in a ruin, a noted +place in the East for Ghuls as in the West for ghosts. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#239] Lane (ii. 222) first read "Múroozee" and referred it to the Murúz +tribe near Herat he afterwards (iii. 748) corrected it to "Marwazee," of the +fabric of Marw (Margiana) the place now famed for "Mervousness." As a man of +Rayy (Rhages) becomes Rází (e.g. Ibn Fáris al-Razí), so a man of Marw is +Marázi, not Murúzi nor Márwazi. The "Mikna' " was a veil forming a kind of +"respirator," defending from flies by day and from mosquitos, dews and draughts +by night. Easterns are too sensible to sleep with bodies kept warm by bedding, +and heads bared to catch every blast. Our grandfathers and grandmothers did +well to wear bonnets-de-nuit, however ridiculous they may have looked. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#240] Iblis, meaning the Despairer, is called in the Koran (chaps. xviii. +48) "One of the genii (Jinnis) who departed from the command of his Lord." Mr. +Rodwell (in loco) notes that the Satans and Jinnis represent in the Koran (ii. +32, etc.) the evil-principle and finds an admixture of the Semitic Satans and +demons with the "Genii from the Persian (Babylonian ?) and Indian (Egyptian ?) +mythologies." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#241] Of course she could not see his eyes when they were shut; nor is this +mere Eastern inconsequence. The writer means, "had she seen them, they would +have showed," etc. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#242] The eyes are supposed to grow darker under the influence of wine and +sexual passion. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#243] To keep off the evil eye. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#244] Like Dahnash this is a fanciful P. N., fit only for a Jinni. As a rule +the appellatives of Moslem "genii" end inús (oos), as Tarnús, Huliyánus, the +Jewish in—nas, as Jattunas; those of the Tarsá (the "funkers" i.e. Christians) +in—dús, as Sidús, and the Hindus in—tús, as Naktús (who entered the service of +the Prophet Shays, or Seth, and was converted to the Faith). The King of the +Genii is Malik Katshán who inhabits Mount Kaf; and to the west of him lives his +son-in-law, Abd al-Rahman with 33,000 domestics: these names were given by the +Apostle Mohammed. "Baktanús" is lord of three Moslem troops of the wandering +Jinns, which number a total of twelve bands and extend from Sind to Europe. The +Jinns, Divs, Peris ("fairies") and other pre-Adamitic creatures were governed +by seventy-two Sultans all known as Sulayman and the last I have said was Ján +bin Ján. The angel Háris was sent from Heaven to chastise him, but in the pride +of victory he also revolted with his followers the Jinns whilst the Peris held +aloof. When he refused to bow down before Adam he and his chiefs were eternally +imprisoned but the other Jinns are allowed to range over earth as a security +for man's obedience. The text gives the three orders. flyers. walkers and +divers. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#245] i.e. distracted (with love); the Lakab, or poetical name, of +apparently a Spanish poet. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#246] Nothing is more "anti-pathetic" to Easterns than lean hips and flat +hinder-cheeks in women and they are right in insisting upon the characteristic +difference of the male and female figure. Our modern sculptors and painters, +whose study of the nude is usually most perfunctory, have often scandalised me +by the lank and greyhound-like fining off of the frame, which thus becomes +rather simian than human. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#247] The small fine foot is a favourite with Easterns as well as Westerns. +Ovid (A.A.) is not ashamed "ad teneros Oscula (not basia or suavia) ferre +pedes." Ariosto ends the august person in +</p> + +<p> + Il breve, asciutto, e ritondetto piece,<br/> + + (The short-sized, clean-cut, roundly-moulded foot).<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And all the world over it is a sign of "blood," i.e. the fine nervous +temperament. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#248] i.e. "full moons": the French have corrupted it to<br/> + +"Badoure"; we to "Badoura." winch is worse.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#249] As has been said a single drop of urine renders the clothes +ceremoniously impure, hence a Stone or a handful of earth must be used after +the manner of the torche-cul. Scrupulous Moslems, when squatting to make water, +will prod the ground before them with the point o f stick or umbrella, so as to +loosen it and prevent the spraying of the urine. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#250] It is not generally known to Christians that Satan has a wife called +Awwá ("Hawwá" being the Moslem Eve) and, as Adam had three sons, the Tempter +has nine, viz., Zu 'l-baysun who rules in bazars. Wassin who prevails in times +of trouble. Awan who counsels kings; Haffan patron of wine-bibbers; Marrah of +musicians and dancers; Masbut of news-spreaders (and newspapers ?); Dulhán who +frequents places of worship and interferes with devotion. Dasim, lord of +mansions and dinner tables, who prevents the Faithful saying "Bismillah" and +"Inshallah," as commanded in the Koran (xviii. 23), and Lakís, lord of Fire +worshippers (Herklots, chap. xxix. sect. 4). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#251] Strong perfumes, such as musk (which we Europeans dislike and +suspect), are always insisted upon in Eastern poetry, and Mohammed's +predilection for them is well known. Moreover the young and the beautiful are +held (justly enough) to exhale a natural fragrance which is compared with that +of the blessed in Paradise. Hence in the Mu'allakah of Imr al-Keys:— +</p> + +<p> +Breathes the scent of musk when they rise to rove, *<br/> + + As the Zephyr's breath with the flavour o'clove.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +It is made evident by dogs and other fine-nosed animals that every human being +has his, or her, peculiar scent which varies according to age and health. Hence +animals often detect the approach of death. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#252] Arab. "Kahlá." This has been explained. Mohammed is said to have been +born with "Kohl'd eyes." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#253] Hawá al-'uzrí, before noticed (Night cxiv.). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#254] These lines, with the Názir (eye or steward), the Hájib (Groom of the +Chambers or Chamberlain) and Joseph, are also repeated from Night cxiv. For the +Nazir see Al-Hariri (Nos. xiii. and xxii.) +</p> + +<p> +[FN#255] The usual allusion to the Húr (Houris) from "Hangar," the white and +black of the eye shining in contrast. The Persian Magi also placed in their +Heaven (Bihisht or Minu) "Huran," or black-eyed nymphs, under the charge of the +angel Zamiyád. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#256] In the first hemistich, "bi-shitt 'it wády" (by the wady-bank): in the +second, "wa shatta 'l wády" ("and my slayer"— i.e. wády act. part. of wady, +killing—"hath paced away"). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#257] The double entendre is from the proper names Budúr and Su'ád +(Beatrice) also meaning "auspicious (or blessed) full moons." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#258] Arab. "Házir" (also Ahl al-hazer, townsmen) and Bádi, a Badawi, also +called "Ahl al-Wabar," people of the camel's hair (tent) and A'aráb (Nomadic) +as opposed to Arab (Arab settled or not). They still boast with Ibn Abbas, +cousin of Mohammed, that they have kerchiefs (not turbands) for crowns, tents +for houses, loops for walls, swords for scarves and poems for registers or +written laws. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#259] This is a peculiarity of the Jinn tribe when wearing hideous forms. It +is also found in the Hindu Rakshasa. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#260] Which, by the by, are small and beautifully shaped. The animal is very +handy with them, as I learnt by experience when trying to "Rareyfy" one at +Bayrut. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#261] She being daughter of Al-Dimiryát, King of the Jinns.<br/> + +Mr. W. F. Kirby has made him the subject of a pretty poem.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#262] These lines have occurred in Night xxii. I give<br/> + +Torrens's version (p. 223) by way of variety.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#263] Arab. "Kámat Alfiyyah," like an Alif, the first of the Arabic +alphabet, the Heb. Aleph. The Arabs, I have said, took the flag or water leaf +form and departed very far from the Egyptian original (we know from Plutarch +that the hieroglyphic abecedarium began with "a"), which was chosen by other +imitators, namely the bull's head, and which in the cursive form, especially +the Phnician, became a yoke. In numerals "Alif" denotes one or one thousand. It +inherits the traditional honours of Alpha (as opposed to Omega) and in books, +letters and writings generally it is placed as a monogram over the "Bismillah," +an additional testimony to the Unity. (See vol. i. p. 1.) In medićval +Christianity this place of honour was occupied by the cross: none save the +wildest countries have preserved it, but our vocabulary still retains Criss' +(Christ-)cross Row, for horn-book, on account of the old alphabet and nine +digits disposed in the form of a Latin cross. Hence Tickell ("The Horn-book"): +</p> + +<p> + ——Mortals ne'er shall know<br/> + + More than contained of old the Chris'-cross Row.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#264] The young man must have been a demon of chastity. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#265] Arab. "Kirát" from i.e. bean, the seed of the Abrus +precatorius, in weight=two to three (English) grains; and in length=one +finger-breadth here; 24 being the total. The Moslem system is evidently +borrowed from the Roman "as" and "uncia." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#266] Names of women. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#267] Arab. "Amsa" (lit. he passed the evening) like "asbaha" (he rose in +the morning) "Azhá" (he spent the forenoon) and "bata" (he spent the night), +are idiomatically used for "to be in any state, to continue" without +specification of time or season. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#268] Lit. "my liver ;" which viscus, and not the heart, is held the seat of +passion, a fancy dating from the oldest days. Theocritus says of Hercules, "In +his liver Love had fixed a wound" (Idyl. xiii.). In the Anthologia "Cease, +Love, to wound my liver and my heart" (lib. vii.). So Horace (Odes, i. 2); his +Latin Jecur and the Persian "Jigar" being evident congeners. The idea was long +prevalent and we find in Shakespeare:— +</p> + +<p> + Alas, then Love may be called appetite,<br/> + + No motion of the liver but the palate.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#269] A marvellous touch of nature, love ousting affection; the same trait +will appear in the lover and both illustrate the deep Italian saying, "Amor +discende, non ascende." The further it goes down the stronger it becomes as of +grand-parent for grand-child and vice versa. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#270] This tenet of the universal East is at once fact and unfact. As a +generalism asserting that women's passion is ten times greater than man's +(Pilgrimage, ii. 282), it is unfact. The world shows that while women have more +philoprogenitiveness, men have more amativeness; otherwise the latter would not +propose and would nurse the doll and baby. Pact, however, in low-lying lands, +like Persian Mazanderan versus the Plateau; Indian Malabar compared with +Marátha-land; California as opposed to Utah and especially Egypt contrasted +with Arabia. In these hot damp climates the venereal requirements and +reproductive powers of the female greatly exceed those of the male; and hence +the dissoluteness of morals would be phenomenal, were it not obviated by +seclusion, the sabre and the revolver. In cold-dry or hot-dry mountainous lands +the reverse is the case; hence polygamy there prevails whilst the low countries +require polyandry in either form, legal or illegal (i,e. prostitution) I have +discussed this curious point of "geographical morality" (for all morality is, +like conscience, both geographical and chronological), a subject so interesting +to the lawgiver, the student of ethics and the anthropologist, in "The City of +the Saints " But strange and unpleasant truths progress slowly, especially in +England. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#271] This morning evacuation is considered, in the East, a sine quâ non of +health; and old Anglo-Indians are unanimous in their opinion of the "bard +fajar" (as they mispronounce the dawn-clearance). The natives of India, Hindús +(pagans) and Hindís (Moslems), unlike Europeans, accustom themselves to +evacuate twice a day, evening as well as morning. This may, perhaps, partly +account for their mildness and effeminacy; for:— +</p> + +<p> +C'est la constipation qui rend l'homme rigoureux. +</p> + +<p> +The English, since the first invasion of cholera, in October, 1831, are a +different race from their costive grandparents who could not dine without a +"dinner-pill." Curious to say the clyster is almost unknown to the people of +Hindostan although the barbarous West Africans use it daily to "wash 'um +belly," as the Bonney-men say. And, as Sonnini notes to propose the process in +Egypt under the Beys might have cost a Frankish medico his life. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#272] The Egyptian author cannot refrain from this characteristic +polissonnerie; and reading it out is always followed by a roar of laughter. +Even serious writers like Al- Hariri do not, as I have noted, despise the +indecency. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#273] "'Long beard and little wits," is a saying throughout the East where +the Kausaj (= man with thin, short beard) is looked upon as cunning and +tricksy. There is a venerable Joe Miller about a schoolmaster who, wishing to +singe his long beard short, burnt it off and his face to boot:—which reminded +him of the saying. A thick beard is defined as one which wholly conceals the +skin; and in ceremonial ablution it must be combed out with the fingers till +the water reach the roots. The Sunnat, or practice of the Prophet, was to wear +the beard not longer than one hand and two fingers' breadth. In Persian "Kúseh" +(thin beard) is an insulting term opposed to "Khush-rísh," a well-bearded man. +The Iranian growth is perhaps the finest in the world, often extending to the +waist; but it gives infinite trouble, requiring, for instance, a bag when +travelling. The Arab beard is often composed of two tufts on the chin-sides and +straggling hairs upon the cheeks; and this is a severe mortification, +especially to Shaykhs and elders, who not only look upon the beard as one of +man's characteristics, but attach a religious importance to the appendage. +Hence the enormity of Kamar al-Zaman's behaviour. The Persian festival of the +vernal equinox was called Kusehnishín (Thin-beard sitting). An old man with one +eye paraded the streets on an ass with a crow in one hand and a scourge and fan +in the other, cooling himself, flogging the bystanders and crying heat! heat! +(garmá! garmá!). For other particulars see Richardson (Dissertation, p. Iii.). +This is the Italian Giorno delle Vecchie, Thursday in Mid Lent, March 12 +(1885), celebrating the death of Winter and the birth of Spring. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#274] I quote Torrens (p. 400) as these lines have occurred in<br/> + +Night xxxviii.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#275] Moslems have only two names for week days, Friday,<br/> + +Al-Jum'ah or meeting-day, and Al-Sabt, Sabbath day, that is<br/> + +Saturday. The others are known by numbers after Quaker fashion<br/> + +with us, the usage of Portugal and Scandinavia.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#276] Our last night. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#277] Arab. "Tayf"=phantom, the nearest approach to our "ghost," that queer +remnant of Fetishism imbedded in Christianity; the phantasma, the shade (not +the soul) of tile dead. Hence the accurate Niebuhr declares, "apparitions +(i.e., of the departed) are unknown in Arabia." Haunted houses are there +tenanted by Ghuls, Jinns and a host of supernatural creatures; but not by +ghosts proper; and a man may live years in Arabia before he ever hears of the +"Tayf." With the Hindus it is otherwise (Pilgrimage iii. 144). Yet the ghost, +the embodied fear of the dead and of death is common, in a greater or less +degree, to all peoples; and, as modern Spiritualism proves, that ghost is not +yet laid. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#278] Mr. Payne (iii. 133) omits the lines which are ŕpropos de rein and +read much like "nonsense verses." I retain them simply because they are in the +text. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#279] The first two couplets are the quatrain (or octave) in<br/> + +Night xxxv.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#280] Arab. "Ar'ar," the Heb. "Aroer," which Luther and the A.<br/> + +V. translate "heath." The modern Aramaic name is "Lizzáb"<br/> + +(Unexplored Syria. i. 68).<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#281] In the old version and the Bresl. Edit. (iii. 220) the<br/> + +Princess beats the "Kahramánah," but does not kill her.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#282] 'This is still the popular Eastern treatment of the insane. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#283] Pers. "Marz-bán" = Warden of the Marches, Margrave. The foster-brother +in the East is held dear as, and often dearer than, kith and kin. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#284] The moderns believe most in the dawn-dream.<br/> + + —Quirinus<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +Post mediam noctem visus, quum somnia vera.<br/> + + (Horace Sat. i. 10, 33,)<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#285] The Bresl. Edit. (iii. 223) and Galland have "Torf:"<br/> + +Lane (ii. 115) "El-Tarf."<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#286] Arab. "Maghzal ;" a more favourite comparison is with a tooth pick. +Both are used by Nizami and Al-Hariri, the most "elegant" of Arab writers. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#287] These form a Kasídah, Ode or Elegy= rhymed couplets numbering more +than thirteen: If shorter it is called a "Ghazal." I have not thought it +necessary to preserve the monorhyme. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#288] Sulaymá dim. of Salmá= any beautiful woman Rabáb = the viol mostly +single stringed: Tan'oum=she who is soft and gentle. These fictitious names are +for his old flames. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#289] i.e. wine. The distich is highly fanciful and the conceits would +hardly occur to a +</p> + +<p> +[FN#290] Arab. "Andam," a term applied to Brazil-wood (also called "Bakkam") +and to "dragon's blood," but not, I think, to tragacanth, the "goat's thorn," +which does not dye. Andam is often mentioned in The Nights. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#291] The superior merit of the first (explorer, etc.) is a lieu commun with +Arabs. So Al-Hariri in Preface quotes his predecessor:— +</p> + +<p> + Justly of praise the price I pay;<br/> + + The praise is his who leads the way.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#292] There were two Lukmans, of whom more in a future page. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#293] This symbolic action is repeatedly mentioned in The<br/> + +Nights.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#294] Arab. "Shakhs"=a person, primarily a dark spot. So "Sawád"=blackness, +in Al-Hariri means a group of people who darken the ground by their shade. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#295] The first bath after sickness, I have said, is called<br/> + +"Ghusl al-Sihhah,"—the Washing of Health.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#296] The words "malady" and "disease" are mostly avoided during these +dialogues as ill-omened words which may bring on a relapse. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#297] Solomon's carpet of green silk which carried him and all his host +through the air is a Talmudic legend generally accepted in Al-Islam though not +countenanced by the Koran. chaps xxvii. When the "gnat's wing" is mentioned, +the reference is to Nimrod who, for boasting that he was lord of all, was +tortured during four hundred years by a gnat sent by Allah up his ear or +nostril. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#298] The absolute want of morality and filial affection in the chaste young +man is supposed to be caused by the violence of his passion, and he would be +pardoned because he "loved much." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#299] I have noticed the geomantic process in my "History of Sindh" (chaps. +vii.). It is called "Zarb al-Ram!" (strike the sand, the French say "frapper le +sable") because the rudest form is to make on the ground dots at haphazard, +usually in four lines one above the other: these are counted and, if +even-numbered, two are taken ( ** ); if odd one ( * ); and thus the four lines +will form a scheme say * * * * * * This is repeated three times, +producing the same number of figures; and then the combination is sought in an +explanatory table or, if the practitioner be expert, he pronounces off-hand. +The Nights speak of a "Takht Raml" or a board, like a schoolboy's slate, upon +which the dots are inked instead of points in sand. The moderns use a "Kura'h," +or oblong die, upon whose sides the dots, odd and even, are marked; and these +dice are hand-thrown to form the e figure. By way of complication Geomancy is +mixed up with astrology and then it becomes a most complicated kind of +ariolation and an endless study. "Napoleon's Book of Fate," a chap-book which +appeared some years ago, was Geomancy in its simplest and most ignorant shape. +For the rude African form see my Mission to Dahome, i. 332, and for that of +Darfour, pp. 360-69 of Shaykh Mohammed's Voyage before quoted. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#300] Translators understand this of writing marriage contracts; I take it +in a more general sense. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#301] These lines are repeated from Night Ixxv.: with Mr. Payne's permission +I give his rendering (iii. 153) by way of variety. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#302] The comparison is characteristically Arab. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#303] Not her "face": the head, and especially the back of the head, must +always be kept covered, even before the father. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#304] Arab. "Siwák"=a tooth-stick; "Siwá-ka"=lit. other than thou. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#305] Arab. "Arák"=tooth stick of the wild caper-tree; "Ará-ka" lit.=I see +thee. The capparis spinosa is a common desert-growth and the sticks about a +span long (usually called Miswák), are sold in quantities at Meccah after being +dipped in Zemzem water. In India many other woods are used, date-tree, +Salvadora, Achyrantes, phyllanthus, etc. Amongst Arabs peculiar efficacy +accompanies the tooth-stick of olive, "the tree springing from Mount Sinai" +(Koran xxiii. 20); and Mohammed would use no other, because it prevents decay +and scents the mouth. Hence Koran, chaps. xcv. 1. The "Miswák" is held with the +unused end between the ring-finger and minimus, the two others grasp the middle +and the thumb is pressed against the back close to the lips. These articles +have long been sold at the Medical Hall near the "Egyptian Hall," Piccadilly. +They are better than our unclean tooth-brushes because each tooth gets its own +especial rubbing' not a general sweep; at the same time the operation is longer +and more troublesome. In parts of Africa as well as Asia many men walk about +with the tooth-stick hanging by a string from the neck. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#306] The "Mehari," of which the Algerine-French speak, are the dromedaries +bred by the Mahrah tribe of Al-Yaman, the descendants of Mahrat ibn Haydan. +They are covered by small wild camels (?) called Al-Húsh, found between Oman +and Al-Shihr: others explain the word to mean "stallions of the Jinns " and +term those savage and supernatural animals, "Najáib al-Mahriyah"nobles of the +Mahrah. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#307] Arab. "Khaznah"=a thousand purses; now about Ł5000. It denotes a large +sum of money, like the "Badrah," a purse containing 10,000 dirhams of silver +(Al-Hariri), or 80,000 (Burckhardt Prov. 380); whereas the "Nisáb" is a +moderate sum of money, gen. 20 gold dinars=200 silver dirhams. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#308] As The Nights show, Arabs admire slender forms; but the hips and +hinder cheeks must be highly developed and the stomach fleshy rather than lean. +The reasons are obvious. The Persians who exaggerate everything say e.g. +(Husayn Váiz in the Anvár-i-Suhayli):— +</p> + +<p> + How paint her hips and waist ? Who saw<br/> + + A mountain (Koh) dangling to a straw (káh)?<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +In Antar his beloved Abla is a tamarisk (T. Orientalis). Others compare with +the palm-tree (Solomon), the Cypress (Persian, esp. Hafiz and Firdausi) and the +Arák or wild Capparis (Arab.). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#309] Ubi aves ibi angel). All African travellers know that a few birds +flying about the bush, and a few palm-trees waving in the wind, denote the +neighbourhood of a village or a camp (where angels are scarce). The reason is +not any friendship for man but because food, animal and vegetable, is more +plentiful Hence Albatrosses, Mother Carey's (Mater Cara, the Virgin) chickens, +and Cape pigeons follow ships. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#310] The stanza is called Al-Mukhammas=cinquains; the quatrains and the +"bob," or "burden" always preserve the same consonance. It ends with a Koranic +lieu commun of Moslem morality. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#311] Moslem port towns usually have (or had) only two gates. Such was the +case with Bayrut, Tyre, Sidon and a host of others; the faubourg-growth of +modern days has made these obsolete. The portals much resemble the entrances of +old Norman castles—Arques for instance. (Pilgrimage i. 185.) +</p> + +<p> +[FN#312] Arab. "Lisám"; before explained. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#313] i.e. Life of Souls (persons, etc.). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#314] Arab. "Insánu-há"=her (i.e. their) man: i.e. the babes of the eyes: +the Assyrian Ishon, dim. of Ish=Man; which the Hebrews call "Bábat" or "Bit" +(the daughter) the Arabs "Bubu (or Hadakat) al-Aye"; the Persians +"Mardumak-i-chashm" (mannikin of the eye); the Greeks and the Latins pupa, +pupula, pupilla. I have noted this in the Lyricks of Camoens (p. 449). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#315] Ma'an bin Zá'idah, a soldier and statesman of the eighth century. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#316] The mildness of the Caliph Mu'áwiyah, the founder of the Ommiades, +proverbial among the Arabs, much resembles the "meekness" of Moses the +Law-giver, which commentators seem to think has been foisted into Numbers xii. +3. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#317] Showing that there had been no consummation of the marriage which +would have demanded "Ghusl," or total ablution, at home or in the Hammam. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#318] I have noticed this notable desert-growth. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#319] 'The "situation" is admirable, solution appearing so difficult and +catastrophe imminent. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#320] This quatrain occurs in Night ix.: I have borrowed from<br/> + +Torrens (p. 79) by way of variety.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#321] The belief that young pigeon's blood resembles the virginal discharge +is universal; but the blood most resembling man's is that of the pig which in +other points is so very human. In our day Arabs and Hindus rarely submit to +inspection the nuptial sheet as practiced by the Israelites and Persians. The +bride takes to bed a white kerchief with which she staunches the blood and next +morning the stains are displayed in the Harem. In Darfour this is done by the +bridegroom. "Prima Venus debet esse cruenta," say the Easterns with much truth, +and they have no faith in our complaisant creed which allows the hymen-membrane +to disappear by any but one accident. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#322] Not meaning the two central divisions commanded by the<br/> + +King and his Wazir.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#323] Ironicč. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#324] Arab. "Rasy"=praising in a funeral sermon. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#325] Arab. "Manáyá," plur. of "Maniyat" = death. Mr. R. S. Poole (the +Academy, April 26, 1879) reproaches Mr. Payne for confounding "Muniyat" +(desire) with "Maniyat" (death) but both are written the same except when +vowel-points are used. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#326] Arab. "Iddat," alluding to the months of celibacy which, according to +Moslem law, must be passed by a divorced woman before she can re-marry. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#327] Arab. "Talák bi'l-Salásah"=a triple divorce which cannot be revoked; +nor can the divorcer re-marry the same woman till after consummation with +another husband. This subject will continually recur. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#328] An allusion to a custom of the pagan Arabs in the days of ignorant +Heathenism The blood or brain, soul or personality of the murdered man formed a +bird called Sady or Hámah (not the Humá or Humái, usually translated "phnix") +which sprang from the head, where four of the five senses have their seat, and +haunted his tomb, crying continually, "Uskúni!"=Give me drink (of the slayer's +blood) ! and which disappeared only when the vendetta was accomplished. +Mohammed forbade the belief. Amongst the Southern Slavs the cuckoo is supposed +to be the sister of a murdered man ever calling or vengeance. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#329] To obtain a blessing and show how he valued it. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#330] Well-known tribes of proto-historic Arabs who flourished before the +time of Abraham: see Koran (chaps. xxvi. et passim). They will be repeatedly +mentioned in The Nights and notes. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#331] Arab. "Amtár"; plur. of "Matr," a large vessel of leather or wood for +water, etc. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#332] Arab. "Asáfírí," so called because they attract sparrows (asáfír) a +bird very fond of the ripe oily fruit. In the Romance of "Antar" Asáfír camels +are beasts that fly like birds in fleetness. The reader must not confound the +olives of the text with the hard unripe berries ("little plums pickled in +stale") which appear at English tables, nor wonder that bread and olives are +the beef-steak and potatoes of many Mediterranean peoples It is an excellent +diet, the highly oleaginous fruit supplying the necessary carbon, +</p> + +<p> +[FN#333] Arab. "Tamer al-Hindi"=the "Indian-date," whence our word "Tamarind." +A sherbet of the pods, being slightly laxative, is much drunk during the great +heats; and the dried fruit, made into small round cakes, is sold in the bazars. +The traveller is advised not to sleep under the tamarind's shade, which is +infamous for causing ague and fever. In Sind I derided the "native nonsense," +passed the night under an "Indian date-tree" and awoke with a fine specimen of +ague which lasted me a week. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#334] Moslems are not agreed upon the length of the Day of Doom when all +created things, marshalled by the angels, await final judgment; the different +periods named are 40 years, 70, 300 and 50,000. Yet the trial itself will last +no longer than while one may milk an ewe, or than "the space between two +milkings of a she-camel." This is bringing down Heaven to Earth with a witness; +but, after all, the Heaven of all faiths, including "Spiritualism," the latest +development, is only an earth more or less glorified even as the Deity is +humanity more or less perfected. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#335] Arab. "Al-Kamaráni," lit. "the two moons." Arab rhetoric prefers it to +"Shamsáni," or {`two suns," because lighter (akhaff), to pronounce. So, albeit +Omar was less worthy than Abu-Bakr the two are called "Al-Omaráni," in vulgar +parlance, Omarayn. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#336] Alluding to the angels who appeared to the Sodomites in the shape of +beautiful youths (Koran xi.). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#337] Koran xxxiii. 38. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#338] "Niktu-hu taklidan" i.e. not the real thing (with a woman). It may +also mean "by his incitement of me." All this scene is written in the worst +form of Persian-Egyptian blackguardism, and forms a curious anthropological +study. The "black joke" of the true and modest wife is inimitable. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#339] Arab. "Jamíz" (in Egypt "Jammayz") = the fruit of the true sycomore +(F. Sycomorus) a magnificent tree which produces a small tasteless fig, eaten +by the poorer classes in Egypt and by monkeys. The "Tín" or real fig here is +the woman's parts; the "mulberry- fig," the anus. Martial (i. 65) makes the +following distinction:— +</p> + +<p> + Dicemus ficus, quas scimus in arbore nasci,<br/> + + Dicemus ficos, Caeciliane, tuos.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +And Modern Italian preserves a difference between fico and fica. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#340] Arab. "Ghániyat Azárá" (plur. of Azrá = virgin): the former is +properly a woman who despises ornaments and relies on "beauty unadorned" (i.e. +in bed). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#341] "Nihil usitatius apud monachos, cardinales, sacrificulos," says +Johannes de la Casa Beneventius Episcopus, quoted by Burton Anat. of Mel. lib. +iii. Sect. 2; and the famous epitaph on the Jesuit, +</p> + +<p> + Ci-git un Jesuite:<br/> + + Passant, serre les fesses et passe vite!<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#342] Arab. "Kiblah"=the fronting-place of prayer, Meccah for Moslems, +Jerusalem for Jews and early Christians. See Pilgrimage (ii. 321) for the +Moslem change from Jerusalem to Meccah and ibid. (ii. 213) for the way in which +the direction was shown. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#343] The Koran says (chaps. ii.): "Your wives are your tillage: go in +therefore unto your tillage in what manner so ever ye will." Usually this is +understood as meaning in any posture, standing or sitting, lying, backwards or +forwards. Yet there is a popular saying about the man whom the woman rides +(vulg. St. George, in France, le Postillon); "Cursed be who maketh woman Heaven +and himself earth!" Some hold the Koranic passage to have been revealed in +confutation of the Jews, who pretended that if a man lay with his wife +backwards, he would beget a cleverer child. Others again understand it of +preposterous venery, which is absurd: every ancient law-giver framed his code +to increase the true wealth of the people—population—and severely punished all +processes, like onanism, which impeded it. The Persians utilise the hatred of +women for such misuse when they would force a wive to demand a divorce and thus +forfeit her claim to Mahr (dowry); they convert them into catamites till, after +a month or so, they lose all patience and leave the house. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#344] Koran lit 9: "He will be turned aside from the Faith (or Truth) who +shall be turned aside by the Divine decree;" alluding, in the text, to the +preposterous venery her lover demands. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#345] Arab. "Futúh" meaning openings, and also victories, benefits. The +lover congratulates her on her mortifying self in order to please him. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#346] "And the righteous work will be exalt": (Koran xxxv. 11) applied +ironically. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#347] A prolepsis of Tommy Moore:— +</p> + +<p> + Your mother says, my little Venus,<br/> + + There's something not quite right between us,<br/> + + And you're in fault as much as I,<br/> + + Now, on my soul, my little Venus,<br/> + + I swear 'twould not be right between us,<br/> + + To let your mother tell a lie.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +But the Arab is more moral than Mr. Little. as he purposes to repent. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#348] Arab. "Khunsa" flexible or flaccid, from Khans=bending inwards, i.e. +the mouth of a water-skin before drinking. Like Mukhannas, it is also used for +an effeminate man, a passive sodomite and even for a eunuch. Easterns still +believe in what Westerns know to be an impossibility, human beings with the +parts and proportions of both sexes equally developed and capable of +reproduction; and Al-Islam even provides special rules for them (Pilgrimage +iii. 237). We hold them to be Buffon's fourth class of (duplicate) monsters +belonging essentially to one or the other sex, and related to its opposite only +by some few characteristics. The old Greeks dreamed, after their fashion, a +beautiful poetic dream of a human animal uniting the contradictory beauties of +man and woman. The duality of the generative organs seems an old Egyptian +tradition, at least we find it in Genesis (i. 27) where the image of the Deity +is created male and female, before man was formed out of the dust of the ground +(ii. 7). The old tradition found its way to India (if the Hindus did not borrow +the idea from the Greeks); and one of the forms of Mahadeva, the third person +of their triad, is entitled "Ardhanárí"=the Half-woman, which has suggested to +them some charming pictures. Europeans, seeing the left breast conspicuously +feminine, have indulged in silly surmises about the "Amazons." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#349] This is a mere phrase for our "dying of laughter": the queen was on +her back. And as Easterns sit on carpets, their falling back is very different +from the same movement off a chair. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#350] Arab. "Ismid," the eye-powder before noticed. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#351] When the Caliph (e.g. Al-Tá'i li'llah) bound a banner to a spear and +handed it to an officer, he thereby appointed him Sultan or Viceregent. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#352] Arab. "Sháib al-ingház"=lit. a gray beard who shakes head in +disapproval. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#353] Arab. "Ayát" = the Hebr. "Ototh," signs, wonders or<br/> + +Koranic verses.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#354] The Chapter "Al-Ikhlás" i.e. clearing (oneself from any faith but that +of Unity) is No. cxii. and runs thus:— +</p> + +<p> + Say, He is the One God!<br/> + + The sempiternal God,<br/> + + He begetteth not, nor is He begot,<br/> + + And unto Him the like is not.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +It is held to be equal in value to one-third of the Koran, and is daily used in +prayer. Mr. Rodwell makes it the tenth. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#355] The Lady Budur shows her noble blood by not objecting to her friend +becoming her Zarrat (sister-wife). This word is popularly derived from +"Zarar"=injury; and is vulgarly pronounced in Egypt "Durrah" sounding like +Durrah = a parrot (see Burckhardt's mistake in Prov. 314). The native proverb +says, "Ayshat al-durrah murrah," the sister-wife hath a bitter life. We have no +English equivalent; so I translate indifferently co-wife, co-consort, +sister-wife or sister in wedlock. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#356] Lane preserves the article "El-Amjad" and "El-As'ad;" which is as +necessary as to say "the John" or "the James," because neo-Latins have "il +Giovanni" or "il Giacomo." In this matter of the article, however, it is +impossible to lay down a universal rule: in some cases it must be preserved and +only practice in the language can teach its use. For instance, it is always +present in Al-Bahrayn and al-Yaman; but not necessarily so with Irak and Najd. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#357] It is hard to say why this ugly episode was introduced.<br/> + +It is a mere false note in a tune pretty enough.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#358] The significance of this action will presently appear. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#359] An "Hadís." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#360] Arab. "Sabb" = using the lowest language of abuse. chiefly concerning +women-relatives and their reproductive parts. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#361] The reader will note in the narration concerning the two Queens the +parallelism of the Arab's style which recalls that of the Hebrew poets. Strings +of black silk are plaited into the long locks (an "idiot-fringe" being worn +over the brow) because a woman is cursed "who joineth her own hair to the hair +of another" (especially human hair). Sending the bands is a sign of +affectionate submission; and, in extremes" cases the hair itself is sent. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#362] i.e., suffer similar pain at the spectacle, a phrase often occurring. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#363] i.e., when the eye sees not, the heart grieves not. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#364] i.e., unto Him we shall return, a sentence recurring in almost every +longer chapter of the Koran. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#365] Arab. "Kun," the creative Word (which, by the by, proves the Koran to +be an uncreated Logos); the full sentence being "Kun fa kána" = Be! and it +became. The origin is evidently, "And God said, Let there be light: and there +was light" (Gen. i. 3); a line grand in its simplicity and evidently borrowed +from the Egyptians, even as Yahveh (Jehovah) from "Ankh"=He who lives (Brugsch +Hist. ii. 34). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#366] i.e. but also for the life and the so-called "soul." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#367] Arab. "Layáli"=lit. nights which, I have said, is often applied to the +whole twenty-four hours. Here it is used in the sense of "fortune" or "fate ;" +like "days" and "days and nights." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#368] Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr a nephew of Ayishah, who had rebuilt the +Ka'abah in A.H. 64 (A.D. 683), revolted (A.D. 680) against Yezid and was +proclaimed Caliph at Meccah. He was afterwards killed (A.D. 692) by the famous +or infamous Hajjáj general of Abd al-Malik bin Marwan, the fifth Ommiade, +surnamed "Sweat of a stone" (skin-flint) and "Father of Flies," from his foul +breath. See my Pilgrimage, etc. (iii. 192-194), where are explained the +allusions to the Ka'abah and the holy Black Stone. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#369] These lines are part of an elegy on the downfall of one of the Moslem +dynasties in Spain, composed in the twelfth century by Ibn Abdun al-Andalúsi. +The allusion is to the famous conspiracy of the Khárijites (the first +sectarians in Mohammedanism) to kill Ah, Mu'awiyah and Amru (so written but +pronounced "Amr") al-As, in order to abate intestine feuds m Al-Islam. Ali was +slain with a sword-cut by Ibn Muljam a name ever damnable amongst the Persians; +Mu'awiyah escaped with a wound and Kharijah, the Chief of Police at Fustat or +old Cairo was murdered by mistake for Amru. After this the sectarian wars +began. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#370] Arab. "Saráb"= (Koran, chaps. xxiv.) the reek of the Desert, before +explained. It is called "Lama," the shine, the loom, in Al-Hariri. The world is +compared with the mirage, the painted eye and the sword that breaks in the +sworder's hand. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#371] Arab. "Dunyá," with the common alliteration "dániyah" (=Pers. "dún"), +in prose as well as poetry means the things or fortune of this life opp. to +"Akhirah"=future life. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#372] Arab. "Walgh," a strong expression primarily denoting the lapping of +dogs; here and elsewhere "to swill, saufen." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#373] The lines are repeated from Night ccxxi. I give Lane's version (ii. +162) by way of contrast and—warning. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#374] "Sáhirah" is the place where human souls will be gathered on Doom-day: +some understand by it the Hell Sa'ír (No. iv.) intended for the Sabians or the +Devils generally. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#375] His eyes are faded like Jacob's which, after weeping for Joseph, +"became white with mourning" (Koran, chaps. xxi.). It is a stock comparison. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#376] The grave. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#377] Arab. "Sawwán" (popularly pronounced Suwán) ="Syenite" from Syrene; +generally applied to silex, granite or any hard stone. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#378] A proceeding fit only for thieves and paupers: "Alpinism" was then +unknown. "You come from the mountain" (al-Jabal) means, "You are a +clod-hopper"; and "I will sit upon the mountain"=turn anchorite or magician. +(Pilgrimage i. 106.) +</p> + +<p> +[FN#379] Corresponding with wayside chapels in Catholic countries. The Moslem +form would be either a wall with a prayer niche (Mibráb) fronting Meccah-wards +or a small domed room. These little oratories are often found near fountains, +streams or tree-clumps where travellers would be likely to alight. I have +described one in Sind ("Scinde or the Unhappy Valley" i. 79), and have noted +that scrawling on the walls is even more common in the East than in the West; +witness the monuments of old Egypt bescribbled by the Greeks and Romans. Even +the paws of the Sphinx are covered with such graffiti; and those of Ipsambul or +Abu Símbal have proved treasures to epigraphists. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#380] In tales this characterises a Persian; and Hero Rustam is always so +pictured. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#381] The Parsis, who are the representatives of the old Guebres, turn +towards the sun and the fire as their Kiblah or point of prayer; all deny that +they worship it. But, as in the case of saints' images, while the educated +would pray before them for edification (Labia) the ignorant would adore them +(Dulia); and would make scanty difference between the "reverence of a servant" +and the "reverence of a slave." The human sacrifice was quite contrary to +Guebre, although not to Hindu, custom; although hate and vengeance might prompt +an occasional murder. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#382] These oubliettes are common in old eastern houses as in the medieval +Castles of Europe, and many a stranger has met his death in them. They are +often so well concealed that even the modern inmates are not aware of their +existence. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#383] Arab. "Bakk"; hence our "bug" whose derivation (like that of "cat" +"dog" and "hog") is apparently unknown to the dictionaries, always excepting M. +Littré's. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#384] i.e. thy beauty is ever increasing. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#385] Alluding, as usual, to the eye-lashes, e.g. +</p> + +<p> +An eyelash arrow from an eyebrow bow. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#386] Lane (ii. 168) reads:—"The niggardly female is protected by her +niggardness;" a change of "Nahílah" (bee-hive) into "Bakhílah" (she skin +flint). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#387] Koran iv. 38. The advantages are bodily strength, understanding and +the high privilege of Holy War. Thus far, and thus far only, woman amongst +Moslems is "lesser +</p> + +<p> +[FN#388] Arab. "Amir Yákhúr," a corruption of "Akhor"=stable<br/> + +(Persian).<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#389] A servile name in Persian, meaning "the brave," and a title of honour +at the Court of Delhi when following the name. Many English officers have made +themselves ridiculous (myself amongst the number) by having it engraved on +their seal-rings, e.g. Brown Sáhib Bahádur. To write the word "Behadir" or +"Bahádir" is to adopt the wretched Turkish corruption. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#390] "Jerry Sneak" would be the English reader's comment; but in the East +all charges are laid upon women. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#391] Here the formula means "I am sorry for it, but I couldn't help it." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#392] A noble name of the Persian Kings (meaning the planet<br/> + +Mars) corrupted in Europe to Varanes.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +[FN#393] Arab. "Jalláb," one of the three muharramát or forbiddens, the Hárik +al-hajar (burner of stone) the Káti' al-shajar (cutter of trees, without +reference to Hawarden N. B.) and the Báyi' al-bashar (seller of men, vulg. +Jalláb). The two former worked, like the Italian Carbonari, in desert places +where they had especial opportunities for crime. (Pilgrimage iii. 140.) None of +these things must be practiced during Pilgrimage on the holy soil of +Al-Hijaz—not including Jeddah. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#394] The verses contain the tenets of the Murjiy sect which attaches +infinite importance to faith and little or none to works. Sale (sect. viii.) +derives his "Morgians" from the "Jabrians" (Jabari), who are the direct +opponents of the "Kadarians" (Kadari), denying free will and free agency to man +and ascribing his actions wholly to Allah. Lane (ii. 243) gives the orthodox +answer to the heretical question:— +</p> + +<p> +Water could wet him not if God please guard His own; *<br/> + + Nor need man care though bound of hands in sea he's thrown:<br/> + +But if His Lord decree that he in sea be drowned; *<br/> + + He'll drown albeit in the wild and wold he wone.<br/> + +</p> + +<p> +It is the old quarrel between Predestination and Freewill which cannot be +solved except by assuming a Law without a Lawgiver. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#395] Our proverb says: Give a man luck and throw him into the sea. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#396] As a rule Easterns, I repeat, cover head and face when sleeping +especially in the open air and moonlight. Europeans find the practice +difficult, and can learn it only by long habit. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#397] Pers. = a flower-garden. In Galland, Bahram has two daughters, Bostama +and Cavam a. In the Bres. Edit. the daughter is "Bostan" and the slave-girl +"Kawám." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#398] Arab. "Kahíl"=eyes which look as if darkened with antimony: hence the +name of the noble Arab breed of horses "Kuhaylat" (Al-Ajuz, etc.). +</p> + +<p> +[FN#399] "As'ad"=more (or most) fortunate. +</p> + +<p> +[FN#400] This is the vulgar belief, although Mohammed expressly disclaimed the +power in the Koran (chaps. xiii. 8), "Thou art commissioned to be a preacher +only and not a worker of miracles." "Signs" (Arab. Ayát) may here also mean +verses of the Koran, which the Apostle of Allah held to be his standing +miracles. He despised the common miracula which in the East are of everyday +occurrence and are held to be easy for any holy man. Hume does not believe in +miracles because he never saw one. Had he travelled in the East he would have +seen (and heard of) so many that his scepticism (more likely that testimony +should be false than miracles be true) would have been based on a firmer +foundation. It is one of the marvels of our age that whilst two-thirds of +Christendom (the Catholics and the "Orthodox" Greeks) believe in "miracles" +occurring not only in ancient but even in our present days, the influential and +intelligent third (Protestant) absolutely "denies the fact." +</p> + +<p> +[FN#401] Arab. "Al-Shahádatáni"; testifying the Unity and the<br/> +Apostleship.<br/> +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 3, by Richard F. Burton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT *** + +***** This file should be named 3437-h.htm or 3437-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/3/3437/ + +This etext was produced by J.C. Byers. Proofreaders were: J.C. 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