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T. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + + h1 {text-align: center; clear: both; font-weight: normal;} + h2 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + h3 {text-align: center; clear: both; padding-top: 1.5em;} + + div.centered table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + + a {text-decoration: none;} + + img {border: none;} + + em {font-style: italic;} + + .hidden {display: none;} + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-style: normal; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 8%; margin-right: 8%;} + + .bbox {border: 2px black solid; padding: 1em; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: .2em; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .cpoem {width: 60%; margin: 0 auto;} /* centers poem and maintains span indentation */ + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + .tdl {text-align: left; vertical-align: top;} /* left align cell */ + .tdr {text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;} /* right align cell */ + .tdlin {text-align: left; vertical-align: top; padding-left: 1.5em;} /* left align indented cell */ + + .sig {text-align: right; margin-right: 4em;} /* author signature aligned right */ + + .smlfont {font-size: 90%;} + .tinyfont {font-size: 50%;} + + .padtop {padding-top: 3em;} + .padbase {padding-bottom: 3em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Folk-Lore and Legends: Oriental, by Charles John Tibbitts + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Folk-Lore and Legends: Oriental + +Author: Charles John Tibbitts + +Release Date: February 20, 2011 [EBook #35334] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOLK-LORE AND LEGENDS: ORIENTAL *** + + + + +Produced by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier, Sam W. and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<h1 class="padtop padbase">FOLK-LORE<br /> +<span class="tinyfont">AND</span><br /> +LEGENDS<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smlfont">ORIENTAL</span></h1> + + +<p class="center"><img src="images/flo01.png" width="52" height="50" alt="Decoration" /></p> + + +<p class="center padtop padbase">W. W. GIBBINGS<br /> +18 BURY ST., LONDON, W.C.<br /> +1889</p> + + + + +<p class="center padtop padbase">——</p> + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>v]</a></span></p> + +<h2>PREFATORY NOTE</h2> + + +<p>The East is rich in Folklore, and the lorist is +not troubled to discover material, but to select +only that which it is best worth his while to +preserve. The conditions under which the people +live are most favourable to the preservation +of the ancient legends, and the cultivation of +the powers of narration fits the Oriental to +present his stories in a more polished style than +is usual in the Western countries. The reader +of these tales will observe many points of similarity +between them and the popular fictions +of the West—similarity of thought and incident—and +nothing, perhaps, speaks more eloquently +the universal brotherhood of man than this +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>vi]</a></span> +oneness of folk-fiction. At the same time, the +Tales of the East are unique, lighted up as they +are by a gorgeous extravagance of imagination +which never fails to attract and delight.</p> + +<p class="sig">C. J. T.</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>vii]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of contents"> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td> + <td class="tdr"><small>PAGE</small></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Cobbler Astrologer,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap01">1</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Legend of the Terrestrial Paradise of Sheddád, the Son of ’A’d,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap02">21</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Tomb of Noosheerwân,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap03">30</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">Ameen and the Ghool,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap04">37</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Relations of Ssidi Kur,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05">47</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The Adventures of the Rich Youth,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt01">53</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The Adventures of the Beggar’s Son,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt02">58</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The Adventures of Massang,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt03">68</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The Magician with the Swine’s Head,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt04">77</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The History of Sunshine and his Brother,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt05">89</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The Wonderful Man who overcame the Chan,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt06">96</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The Bird-Man,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt07">101</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The Painter and the Wood-carver,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt08">106</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The Stealing of the Heart,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt09">110</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">The Man and his Wife,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt10">115</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlin">Of the Maiden Ssuwarandari,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap05pt11">119</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Two Cats,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap06">127</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>viii]</a></span>Legend of Dhurrumnath,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap07">132</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Traveller’s Adventure,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap08">135</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Seven Stages of Roostem,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap09">141</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Man who never Laughed,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap10">151</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Fox and the Wolf,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap11">162</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Shepherd and the Jogie,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap12">184</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl">The Perfidious Vizier,</td> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#chap13">186</a></td> + </tr> +</table> +</div> + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>1]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap01" id="chap01"></a>THE COBBLER ASTROLOGER.</h2> + + +<p>In the great city of Isfahan lived Ahmed the cobbler, +an honest and industrious man, whose wish +was to pass through life quietly; and he might +have done so, had he not married a handsome wife, +who, although she had condescended to accept of +him as a husband, was far from being contented +with his humble sphere of life.</p> + +<p>Sittâra, such was the name of Ahmed’s wife, +was ever forming foolish schemes of riches and +grandeur; and though Ahmed never encouraged +them, he was too fond a husband to quarrel with +what gave her pleasure. An incredulous smile +or a shake of the head was his only answer to her +often-told day-dreams; and she continued to persuade +herself that she was certainly destined to +great fortune.</p> + +<p>It happened one evening, while in this temper of +mind, that she went to the Hemmâm, where she +saw a lady retiring dressed in a magnificent robe, +covered with jewels, and surrounded by slaves. +This was the very condition Sittâra had always +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>2]</a></span> +longed for, and she eagerly inquired the name of +the happy person who had so many attendants and +such fine jewels. She learned it was the wife of +the chief astrologer to the king. With this information +she returned home. Her husband met her at +the door, but was received with a frown, nor could +all his caresses obtain a smile or a word; for several +hours she continued silent, and in apparent misery. +At length she said—</p> + +<p>“Cease your caresses, unless you are ready to give +me a proof that you do really and sincerely love me.”</p> + +<p>“What proof of love,” exclaimed poor Ahmed, +“can you desire which I will not give?”</p> + +<p>“Give over cobbling; it is a vile, low trade, and +never yields more than ten or twelve dinars a day. +Turn astrologer! your fortune will be made, and I +shall have all I wish, and be happy.”</p> + +<p>“Astrologer!” cried Ahmed,—“astrologer! Have +you forgotten who I am—a cobbler, without any +learning—that you want me to engage in a profession +which requires so much skill and knowledge?”</p> + +<p>“I neither think nor care about your qualifications,” +said the enraged wife; “all I know is, that +if you do not turn astrologer immediately I will be +divorced from you to-morrow.”</p> + +<p>The cobbler remonstrated, but in vain. The +figure of the astrologer’s wife, with her jewels and +her slaves, had taken complete possession of Sittâra’s +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>3]</a></span> +imagination. All night it haunted her; she dreamt +of nothing else, and on awaking declared she would +leave the house if her husband did not comply with +her wishes. What could poor Ahmed do? He was +no astrologer, but he was dotingly fond of his wife, +and he could not bear the idea of losing her. He +promised to obey, and, having sold his little stock, +bought an astrolabe, an astronomical almanac, and +a table of the twelve signs of the zodiac. Furnished +with these he went to the market-place, crying, “I +am an astrologer! I know the sun, and the moon, +and the stars, and the twelve signs of the zodiac; I +can calculate nativities; I can foretell everything +that is to happen!”</p> + +<p>No man was better known than Ahmed the +cobbler. A crowd soon gathered round him. “What! +friend Ahmed,” said one, “have you worked till +your head is turned?” “Are you tired of looking +down at your last,” cried another, “that you are +now looking up at the planets?” These and a +thousand other jokes assailed the ears of the poor +cobbler, who, notwithstanding, continued to exclaim +that he was an astrologer, having resolved on doing +what he could to please his beautiful wife.</p> + +<p>It so happened that the king’s jeweller was passing +by. He was in great distress, having lost the +richest ruby belonging to the crown. Every search +had been made to recover this inestimable jewel, +but to no purpose; and as the jeweller knew he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>4]</a></span> +could no longer conceal its loss from the king, he +looked forward to death as inevitable. In this +hopeless state, while wandering about the town, he +reached the crowd around Ahmed and asked what +was the matter. “Don’t you know Ahmed the +cobbler?” said one of the bystanders, laughing; +“he has been inspired, and is become an astrologer.”</p> + +<p>A drowning man will catch at a broken reed: +the jeweller no sooner heard the sound of the word +astrologer, than he went up to Ahmed, told him +what had happened, and said, “If you understand +your art, you must be able to discover the king’s +ruby. Do so, and I will give you two hundred +pieces of gold. But if you do not succeed within +six hours, I will use all my influence at court to +have you put to death as an impostor.”</p> + +<p>Poor Ahmed was thunderstruck. He stood long +without being able to move or speak, reflecting on +his misfortunes, and grieving, above all, that his +wife, whom he so loved, had, by her envy and +selfishness, brought him to such a fearful alternative. +Full of these sad thoughts, he exclaimed +aloud, “O woman, woman! thou art more baneful +to the happiness of man than the poisonous dragon +of the desert!”</p> + +<p>The lost ruby had been secreted by the jeweller’s +wife, who, disquieted by those alarms which ever +attend guilt, sent one of her female slaves to watch +her husband. This slave, on seeing her master +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>5]</a></span> +speak to the astrologer, drew near; and when she +heard Ahmed, after some moments of apparent +abstraction, compare a woman to a poisonous +dragon, she was satisfied that he must know everything. +She ran to her mistress, and, breathless with +fear, cried, “You are discovered, my dear mistress, +you are discovered by a vile astrologer. Before six +hours are past the whole story will be known, and +you will become infamous, if you are even so fortunate +as to escape with life, unless you can find some +way of prevailing on him to be merciful.” She then +related what she had seen and heard; and Ahmed’s +exclamation carried as complete conviction to the +mind of the terrified mistress as it had done to that +of her slave.</p> + +<p>The jeweller’s wife, hastily throwing on her veil, +went in search of the dreaded astrologer. When +she found him, she threw herself at his feet, crying, +“Spare my honour and my life, and I will confess +everything!”</p> + +<p>“What can you have to confess to me?” exclaimed +Ahmed in amazement.</p> + +<p>“Oh, nothing! nothing with which you are not +already acquainted. You know too well that I stole +the ruby from the king’s crown. I did so to punish +my husband, who uses me most cruelly; and I +thought by this means to obtain riches for myself, +and to have him put to death. But you, most +wonderful man, from whom nothing is hidden, have +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>6]</a></span> +discovered and defeated my wicked plan. I beg +only for mercy, and will do whatever you command +me.”</p> + +<p>An angel from heaven could not have brought +more consolation to Ahmed than did the jeweller’s +wife. He assumed all the dignified solemnity that +became his new character, and said, “Woman! I +know all thou hast done, and it is fortunate for thee +that thou hast come to confess thy sin and beg for +mercy before it was too late. Return to thy house, +put the ruby under the pillow of the couch on +which thy husband sleeps; let it be laid on the +side furthest from the door; and be satisfied thy +guilt shall never be even suspected.”</p> + +<p>The jeweller’s wife returned home, and did as she +was desired. In an hour Ahmed followed her, and +told the jeweller he had made his calculations, and +found by the aspect of the sun and moon, and by +the configuration of the stars, that the ruby was at +that moment lying under the pillow of his couch, +on the side furthest from the door. The jeweller +thought Ahmed must be crazy; but as a ray of +hope is like a ray from heaven to the wretched, he +ran to his couch, and there, to his joy and wonder, +found the ruby in the very place described. He +came back to Ahmed, embraced him, called him his +dearest friend and the preserver of his life, and gave +him the two hundred pieces of gold, declaring that +he was the first astrologer of the age.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>7]</a></span> +These praises conveyed no joy to the poor cobbler, +who returned home more thankful to God for his +preservation than elated by his good fortune. The +moment he entered the door his wife ran up to him +and exclaimed, “Well, my dear astrologer! what +success?”</p> + +<p>“There!” said Ahmed, very gravely,—“there are +two hundred pieces of gold. I hope you will be +satisfied now, and not ask me again to hazard my +life, as I have done this morning.” He then related +all that had passed. But the recital made a very +different impression on the lady from what these +occurrences had made on Ahmed. Sittâra saw +nothing but the gold, which would enable her to +vie with the chief astrologer’s wife at the Hemmâm. +“Courage!” she said, “courage! my dearest husband. +This is only your first labour in your new and noble +profession. Go on and prosper, and we shall become +rich and happy.”</p> + +<p>In vain Ahmed remonstrated and represented the +danger; she burst into tears, and accused him of not +loving her, ending with her usual threat of insisting +upon a divorce.</p> + +<p>Ahmed’s heart melted, and he agreed to make +another trial. Accordingly, next morning he sallied +forth with his astrolabe, his twelve signs of the +zodiac, and his almanac, exclaiming, as before, “I +am an astrologer! I know the sun, and the moon, +and the stars, and the twelve signs of the zodiac; I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>8]</a></span> +can calculate nativities; I can foretell everything +that is to happen!” A crowd again gathered round +him, but it was now with wonder, and not ridicule; +for the story of the ruby had gone abroad, and the +voice of fame had converted the poor cobbler Ahmed +into the ablest and most learned astrologer that was +ever seen at Isfahan.</p> + +<p>While everybody was gazing at him, a lady passed +by veiled. She was the wife of one of the richest +merchants in the city, and had just been at the +Hemmâm, where she had lost a valuable necklace +and earrings. She was now returning home in great +alarm lest her husband should suspect her of having +given her jewels to a lover. Seeing the crowd +around Ahmed, she asked the reason of their assembling, +and was informed of the whole story of the +famous astrologer: how he had been a cobbler, was +inspired with supernatural knowledge, and could, +with the help of his astrolabe, his twelve signs of +the zodiac, and his almanac, discover all that ever +did or ever would happen in the world. The story +of the jeweller and the king’s ruby was then told +her, accompanied by a thousand wonderful circumstances +which had never occurred. The lady, quite +satisfied of his skill, went up to Ahmed and mentioned +her loss, saying: “A man of your knowledge +and penetration will easily discover my jewels; find +them, and I will give you fifty pieces of gold.”</p> + +<p>The poor cobbler was quite confounded, and looked +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>9]</a></span> +down, thinking only how to escape without a public +exposure of his ignorance. The lady, in pressing +through the crowd, had torn the lower part of her +veil. Ahmed’s downcast eyes noticed this; and +wishing to inform her of it in a delicate manner, +before it was observed by others, he whispered to +her, “Lady, look down at the rent.” The lady’s head +was full of her loss, and she was at that moment +endeavouring to recollect how it could have occurred. +Ahmed’s speech brought it at once to her mind, and +she exclaimed in delighted surprise: “Stay here a +few moments, thou great astrologer. I will return +immediately with the reward thou so well deservest.” +Saying this, she left him, and soon returned, carrying +in one hand the necklace and earrings, and in +the other a purse with the fifty pieces of gold. +“There is gold for thee,” she said, “thou wonderful +man, to whom all the secrets of Nature are revealed! +I had quite forgotten where I laid the jewels, and +without thee should never have found them. But +when thou desiredst me to look at the rent below, +I instantly recollected the rent near the bottom of +the wall in the bathroom, where, before undressing, I +had hid them. I can now go home in peace and comfort; +and it is all owing to thee, thou wisest of men!”</p> + +<p>After these words she walked away, and Ahmed +returned to his home, thankful to Providence for +his preservation, and fully resolved never again to +tempt it. His handsome wife, however, could not +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>10]</a></span> +yet rival the chief astrologer’s lady in her appearance +at the Hemmâm, so she renewed her entreaties +and threats, to make her fond husband continue his +career as an astrologer.</p> + +<p>About this time it happened that the king’s treasury +was robbed of forty chests of gold and jewels, +forming the greater part of the wealth of the kingdom. +The high treasurer and other officers of state +used all diligence to find the thieves, but in vain. +The king sent for his astrologer, and declared that if +the robbers were not detected by a stated time, he, +as well as the principal ministers, should be put to +death. Only one day of the short period given them +remained. All their search had proved fruitless, and +the chief astrologer, who had made his calculations +and exhausted his art to no purpose, had quite +resigned himself to his fate, when one of his friends +advised him to send for the wonderful cobbler, who +had become so famous for his extraordinary discoveries. +Two slaves were immediately despatched +for Ahmed, whom they commanded to go with them +to their master. “You see the effects of your ambition,” +said the poor cobbler to his wife; “I am +going to my death. The king’s astrologer has heard +of my presumption, and is determined to have me +executed as an impostor.”</p> + +<p>On entering the palace of the chief astrologer, he +was surprised to see that dignified person come forward +to receive him, and lead him to the seat of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>11]</a></span> +honour, and not less so to hear himself thus addressed: +“The ways of Heaven, most learned and +excellent Ahmed, are unsearchable. The high are +often cast down, and the low are lifted up. The +whole world depends upon fate and fortune. It is +my turn now to be depressed by fate; it is thine to +be exalted by fortune.”</p> + +<p>His speech was here interrupted by a messenger +from the king, who, having heard of the cobbler’s +fame, desired his attendance. Poor Ahmed now +concluded that it was all over with him, and followed +the king’s messenger, praying to God that he would +deliver him from this peril. When he came into +the king’s presence, he bent his body to the ground, +and wished his majesty long life and prosperity. +“Tell me, Ahmed,” said the king, “who has stolen +my treasure?”</p> + +<p>“It was not one man,” answered Ahmed, after +some consideration; “there were forty thieves concerned +in the robbery.”</p> + +<p>“Very well,” said the king; “but who were +they? and what have they done with my gold and +jewels?”</p> + +<p>“These questions,” said Ahmed, “I cannot now +answer; but I hope to satisfy your Majesty, if you +will grant me forty days to make my calculations.”</p> + +<p>“I grant you forty days,” said the king; “but +when they are past, if my treasure is not found, +your life shall pay the forfeit.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>12]</a></span> +Ahmed returned to his house well pleased; for +he resolved to take advantage of the time allowed +him to fly from a city where his fame was likely to +be his ruin.</p> + +<p>“Well, Ahmed,” said his wife, as he entered, +“what news at Court?”</p> + +<p>“No news at all,” said he, “except that I am to +be put to death at the end of forty days, unless I +find forty chests of gold and jewels which have +been stolen from the royal treasury.”</p> + +<p>“But you will discover the thieves.”</p> + +<p>“How? By what means am I to find them?”</p> + +<p>“By the same art which discovered the ruby and +the lady’s necklace.”</p> + +<p>“The same art!” replied Ahmed. “Foolish +woman! thou knowest that I have no art, and that +I have only pretended to it for the sake of pleasing +thee. But I have had sufficient skill to gain forty +days, during which time we may easily escape to +some other city; and with the money I now +possess, and the aid of my former occupation, we +may still obtain an honest livelihood.”</p> + +<p>“An honest livelihood!” repeated his lady, with +scorn. “Will thy cobbling, thou mean, spiritless +wretch, ever enable me to go to the Hemmâm like +the wife of the chief astrologer? Hear me, Ahmed! +Think only of discovering the king’s treasure. Thou +hast just as good a chance of doing so as thou hadst +of finding the ruby, and the necklace and earrings. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>13]</a></span> +At all events, I am determined thou shalt not +escape; and shouldst thou attempt to run away, I +will inform the king’s officers, and have thee taken +up and put to death, even before the forty days are +expired. Thou knowest me too well, Ahmed, to +doubt my keeping my word. So take courage, +and endeavour to make thy fortune, and to place +me in that rank of life to which my beauty entitles +me.”</p> + +<p>The poor cobbler was dismayed at this speech; +but knowing there was no hope of changing his +wife’s resolution, he resigned himself to his fate. +“Well,” said he, “your will shall be obeyed. All I +desire is to pass the few remaining days of my life +as comfortably as I can. You know I am no scholar, +and have little skill in reckoning; so there are forty +dates: give me one of them every night after I have +said my prayers, that I may put them in a jar, and, +by counting them may always see how many of the +few days I have to live are gone.”</p> + +<p>The lady, pleased at carrying her point, took the +dates, and promised to be punctual in doing what +her husband desired.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the thieves who had stolen the king’s +treasure, having been kept from leaving the city by +fear of detection and pursuit, had received accurate +information of every measure taken to discover +them. One of them was among the crowd before +the palace on the day the king sent for Ahmed; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>14]</a></span> +and hearing that the cobbler had immediately +declared their exact number, he ran in a fright to +his comrades, and exclaimed, “We are all found +out! Ahmed, the new astrologer, has told the king +that there are forty of us.”</p> + +<p>“There needed no astrologer to tell that,” said +the captain of the gang. “This Ahmed, with all +his simple good-nature, is a shrewd fellow. Forty +chests having been stolen, he naturally guessed that +there must be forty thieves, and he has made a +good hit, that is all; still it is prudent to watch +him, for he certainly has made some strange discoveries. +One of us must go to-night, after dark, to +the terrace of this cobbler’s house, and listen to his +conversation with his handsome wife; for he is said +to be very fond of her, and will, no doubt, tell her +what success he has had in his endeavours to detect +us.”</p> + +<p>Everybody approved of this scheme; and soon +after nightfall one of the thieves repaired to the +terrace. He arrived there just as the cobbler had +finished his evening prayers, and his wife was giving +him the first date. “Ah!” said Ahmed, as he took +it, “there is one of the forty.”</p> + +<p>The thief, hearing these words, hastened in consternation +to the gang, and told them that the +moment he took his post he had been perceived by +the supernatural knowledge of Ahmed, who immediately +told his wife that one of them was there. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>15]</a></span> +The spy’s tale was not believed by his hardened +companions; something was imputed to his fears; +he might have been mistaken;—in short, it was +determined to send two men the next night at the +same hour. They reached the house just as Ahmed, +having finished his prayers, had received the second +date, and heard him exclaim, “My dear wife, to-night +there are two of them!”</p> + +<p>The astonished thieves fled, and told their still +incredulous comrades what they had heard. Three +men were consequently sent the third night, four +the fourth, and so on. Being afraid of venturing +during the day, they always came as evening closed +in, and just as Ahmed was receiving his date, hence +they all in turn heard him say that which convinced +them he was aware of their presence. On the last +night they all went, and Ahmed exclaimed aloud, +“The number is complete! To-night the whole +forty are here!”</p> + +<p>All doubts were now removed. It was impossible +that Ahmed should have discovered them by any +natural means. How could he ascertain their exact +number? and night after night, without ever once +being mistaken? He must have learnt it by his +skill in astrology. Even the captain now yielded, +in spite of his incredulity, and declared his opinion +that it was hopeless to elude a man thus gifted; he +therefore advised that they should make a friend +of the cobbler, by confessing everything to him, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>16]</a></span> +and bribing him to secrecy by a share of the +booty.</p> + +<p>His advice was approved of, and an hour before +dawn they knocked at Ahmed’s door. The poor +man jumped out of bed, and supposing the soldiers +were come to lead him to execution, cried out, +“Have patience! I know what you are come for. +It is a very unjust and wicked deed.”</p> + +<p>“Most wonderful man!” said the captain, as the +door was opened, “we are fully convinced that thou +knowest why we are come, nor do we mean to +justify the action of which thou speakest. Here are +two thousand pieces of gold, which we will give +thee, provided thou wilt swear to say nothing more +about the matter.”</p> + +<p>“Say nothing about it!” said Ahmed. “Do you +think it possible I can suffer such gross wrong and +injustice without complaining, and making it known +to all the world?”</p> + +<p>“Have mercy upon us!” exclaimed the thieves, +falling on their knees; “only spare our lives, and +we will restore the royal treasure.”</p> + +<p>The cobbler started, rubbed his eyes to see if he +were asleep or awake; and being satisfied that he +was awake, and that the men before him were really +the thieves, he assumed a solemn tone, and said: +“Guilty men! ye are persuaded that ye cannot +escape from my penetration, which reaches unto the +sun and moon, and knows the position and aspect of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>17]</a></span> +every star in the heavens. Your timely repentance +has saved you. But ye must immediately restore +all that ye have stolen. Go straightway, and carry +the forty chests exactly as ye found them, and bury +them a foot deep under the southern wall of the old +ruined Hemmâm, beyond the king’s palace. If ye +do this punctually, your lives are spared; but if ye +fail in the slightest degree, destruction will fall upon +you and your families.”</p> + +<p>The thieves promised obedience to his commands +and departed. Ahmed then fell on his knees, and +returned thanks to God for this signal mark of his +favour. About two hours after the royal guards +came, and desired Ahmed to follow them. He said +he would attend them as soon as he had taken leave +of his wife, to whom he determined not to impart +what had occurred until he saw the result. He bade +her farewell very affectionately; she supported herself +with great fortitude on this trying occasion, +exhorting her husband to be of good cheer, and said +a few words about the goodness of Providence. But +the fact was, Sittâra fancied that if God took the +worthy cobbler to himself, her beauty might attract +some rich lover, who would enable her to go to the +Hemmâm with as much splendour as the astrologer’s +lady, whose image, adorned with jewels and fine +clothes, and surrounded by slaves, still haunted her +imagination.</p> + +<p>The decrees of Heaven are just: a reward suited +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>18]</a></span> +to their merits awaited Ahmed and his wife. The +good man stood with a cheerful countenance before +the king, who was impatient for his arrival, and +immediately said, “Ahmed, thy looks are promising; +hast thou discovered my treasure?”</p> + +<p>“Does your Majesty require the thieves or the +treasure? The stars will only grant one or the +other,” said Ahmed, looking at his table of astrological +calculations. “Your Majesty must make +your choice. I can deliver up either, but not +both.”</p> + +<p>“I should be sorry not to punish the thieves,” +answered the king; “but if it must be so, I choose +the treasure.”</p> + +<p>“And you give the thieves a full and free +pardon?”</p> + +<p>“I do, provided I find my treasure untouched.”</p> + +<p>“Then,” said Ahmed, “if your majesty will +follow me, the treasure shall be restored to +you.”</p> + +<p>The king and all his nobles followed the cobbler +to the ruins of the old Hemmâm. There, casting his +eyes towards heaven, Ahmed muttered some sounds, +which were supposed by the spectators to be magical +conjurations, but which were in reality the prayers +and thanksgivings of a sincere and pious heart to +God for his wonderful deliverance. When his +prayer was finished, he pointed to the southern wall, +and requested that his majesty would order his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>19]</a></span> +attendants to dig there. The work was hardly +begun, when the whole forty chests were found in +the same state as when stolen, with the treasurer’s +seal upon them still unbroken.</p> + +<p>The king’s joy knew no bounds; he embraced +Ahmed, and immediately appointed him his chief +astrologer, assigned to him an apartment in the +palace, and declared that he should marry his only +daughter, as it was his duty to promote the man +whom God had so singularly favoured, and had +made instrumental in restoring the treasures of his +kingdom. The young princess, who was more +beautiful than the moon, was not dissatisfied with +her father’s choice; for her mind was stored with +religion and virtue, and she had learnt to value +beyond all earthly qualities that piety and learning +which she believed Ahmed to possess. The royal +will was carried into execution as soon as formed. +The wheel of fortune had taken a complete turn. +The morning had found Ahmed in a wretched hovel, +rising from a sorry bed, in the expectation of losing +his life; in the evening he was the lord of a rich +palace, and married to the only daughter of a powerful +king. But this change did not alter his character. +As he had been meek and humble in adversity, +he was modest and gentle in prosperity. Conscious +of his own ignorance, he continued to ascribe his +good fortune solely to the favour of Providence. +He became daily more attached to the beautiful and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>20]</a></span> +virtuous princess whom he had married; and he +could not help contrasting her character with that of +his former wife, whom he had ceased to love, and of +whose unreasonable and unfeeling vanity he was now +fully sensible.</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>21]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap02" id="chap02"></a>THE LEGEND OF THE TERRESTRIAL PARADISE OF +SHEDDÁD, THE SON OF ’A’D.</h2> + + +<p>It is related that ’Abd Allah, the son of Aboo +Kilábeh, went forth to seek a camel that had run +away, and while he was proceeding over the deserts +of El-Yemen and the district of Seba, he chanced +to arrive at a vast city encompassed by enormous +fortifications, around the circuit of which were +pavilions rising high into the sky. So when he +approached it, he imagined that there must be inhabitants +within it, of whom he might inquire for +his camel; and, accordingly, he advanced, but on +coming to it he found that it was desolate, without +any one to cheer its solitude.</p> + +<p>“I alighted,” says he, “from my she-camel, and +tied up her foot; and then, composing my mind, +entered the city. On approaching the fortifications, +I found that they had two enormous gates, the like +of which, for size and height, have never been seen +elsewhere in the world, set with a variety of jewels +and jacinths, white and red, and yellow and green; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>22]</a></span> +and when I beheld this, I was struck with the +utmost wonder at it, and the sight astonished me. +I entered the fortifications in a state of terror and +with a wandering mind, and saw them to be of the +same large extent as the city, and to comprise +elevated pavilions, every one of these containing +lofty chambers, and all of them constructed of gold +and silver, and adorned with rubies and chrysolites +and pearls and various-coloured jewels. The folding-doors +of these pavilions were like those of the +fortifications in beauty, and the floors were overlaid +with large pearls, and with balls like hazel-nuts, +composed of musk and ambergris and saffron. And +when I came into the midst of the city, I saw not +in it a created being of the sons of Adam; and I +almost died of terror. I then looked down from +the summits of the lofty chambers and pavilions, +and saw rivers running beneath them; and in the +great thoroughfare-streets of the city were fruit-bearing +trees and tall palm-trees. And the construction +of the city was of alternate bricks of gold and +silver; so I said within myself, No doubt this is the +paradise promised in the world to come.</p> + +<p>“I carried away of the jewels which were as its +gravel, and the musk that was as its dust, as much +as I could bear, and returned to my district, where +I acquainted the people with the occurrence. And +the news reached Mo’áwiyeh, the son of Aboo +Sufyán (who was then Caliph), in the Hejáz; so he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>23]</a></span> +wrote to his lieutenant in San’a of El-Yemen, saying, +‘Summon that man, and inquire of him the +truth of the matter!’ His lieutenant therefore +caused me to be brought, and demanded of me an +account of my adventure, and of what had befallen +me; and I informed him of what I had seen. He +then sent me to Mo’áwiyeh, and I acquainted him +also with that which I had seen, but he disbelieved +it; so I produced to him some of those pearls and +the little balls of ambergris and musk and saffron. +The latter retained somewhat of their sweet scent; +but the pearls had become yellow and discoloured.</p> + +<p>“At the sight of these Mo’áwiyeh wondered, and +he sent and caused Kaab el-Ahbár to be brought +before him, and said to him, ‘O Kaab el-Ahbár, I +have called thee on account of a matter of which I +desire to know the truth, and I hope that thou +mayest be able to certify me of it.’ ‘And what is +it, O Prince of the Faithful?’ asked Kaab el-Ahbár. +Mo’áwiyeh said, ‘Hast thou any knowledge of the +existence of a city constructed of gold and silver, +the pillars whereof are of chrysolite and ruby, and +the gravel of which is of pearls, and of balls like +hazel-nuts, composed of musk and ambergris and +saffron?’ He answered, ‘Yes, O Prince of the +Faithful! It is Irem Zat-el-’Emád, the like of +which hath never been constructed in the regions of +the earth; and Sheddád, the son of ’A’d the Greater, +built it.’ ‘Relate to us,’ said Mo’áwiyeh, ‘somewhat +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>24]</a></span> +of its history.’ And Kaab el-Ahbár replied +thus:—</p> + +<p>“‘’A’d the Greater had two sons, Shedeed and +Sheddád, and when their father perished they +reigned conjointly over the countries after him, and +there was no one of the kings of the earth who was +not subject to them. And Shedeed the son of ’A’d +died, so his brother Sheddád ruled alone over the +earth after him. He was fond of reading the +ancient books; and when he met with the description +of the world to come, and of paradise, with its +pavilions and lofty chambers, and its trees and +fruits, and of the other things in paradise, his heart +enticed him to construct its like on the earth, after +this manner which hath been above mentioned. He +had under his authority a hundred thousand kings, +under each of whom were a hundred thousand +valiant chieftains, and under each of these were a +hundred thousand soldiers. And he summoned them +all before him, and said to them, “I find in the +ancient books and histories the description of the +paradise that is in the other world, and I desire to +make its like upon the earth. Depart ye therefore +to the most pleasant and most spacious vacant tract +in the earth, and build for me in it a city of gold +and silver, and spread, as its gravel, chrysolites and +rubies and pearls, and as the supports of the vaulted +roofs of that city make columns of chrysolite, and +fill it with pavilions, and over the pavilions +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>25]</a></span> +construct lofty chambers, and beneath them plant, +in the by-streets and great-thoroughfare streets, +varieties of trees bearing different kinds of ripe +fruits, and make rivers to run beneath them in +channels of gold and silver.” To this they all replied, +“How can we accomplish that which thou hast +described to us, and how can we procure the +chrysolites and rubies and pearls that thou hast +mentioned?” But he said, “Know ye not that the +kings of the world are obedient to me, and under +my authority, and that no one who is in it disobeyeth +my command?” They answered, “Yes, we +know that.” “Depart then,” said he, “to the mines +of chrysolite and ruby, and to the places where +pearls are found, and gold and silver, and take +forth and collect their contents from the earth, and +spare no exertions. Take also for me, from the +hands of me, such of those things as ye find, and +spare none, nor let any escape you; and beware of +disobedience!”</p> + +<p>“‘He then wrote a letter to each of the kings in +the regions of the earth, commanding them to +collect all the articles of the kinds above mentioned +that their subjects possessed, and to repair to the +mines in which these things were found, and extract +the precious stones that they contained, even from +the beds of the seas. And they collected the things +that he required in the space of twenty years; after +which he sent forth the geometricians and sages, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>26]</a></span> +and labourers and artificers, from all the countries +and regions, and they dispersed themselves through +the deserts and wastes, and tracts and districts, +until they came to a desert wherein was a vast open +plain, clear from hills and mountains, and in it were +springs gushing forth, and rivers running. So they +said, “This is the kind of place which the king +commanded us to seek, and called us to find.” They +then busied themselves in building the city according +to the direction of the King Sheddád, king of +the whole earth, in its length and breadth; and +they made through it the channels for the rivers, +and laid the foundations conformably with the prescribed +extent. The kings of the various districts +of the earth sent thither the jewels and stones, and +large and small pearls, and carnelian and pure gold, +upon camels over the deserts and wastes, and sent +great ships with them over the seas; and a quantity +of those things, such as cannot be described nor +calculated nor defined, was brought to the workmen, +who laboured in the construction of this city +three hundred years. And when they had finished +it, they came to the king and acquainted him with +the completion; and he said to them, “Depart, and +make around it impregnable fortifications of great +height, and construct around the circuit of the +fortifications a thousand pavilions, each with a +thousand pillars beneath it, in order that there may +be in each pavilion a vizier.” So they went +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>27]</a></span> +immediately, and did this in twenty years; after which +they presented themselves before Sheddád, and informed +him of the accomplishment of his desire.</p> + +<p>“‘He therefore ordered his viziers, who were a +thousand in number, and his chief officers, and such +of his troops and others as he confided in, to make +themselves ready for departure, and to prepare +themselves for removal to Irem Zat-el-’Emád, in +attendance upon the king of the world, Sheddád, the +son of ’A’d. He ordered also such as he chose of +his women and his hareem, as his female slaves and +his eunuchs, to fit themselves out. And they passed +twenty years in equipping themselves. Then +Sheddád proceeded with his troops, rejoiced at the +accomplishment of his desire, until there remained +between him and Irem Zat-el-’Emád one day’s +journey, when God sent down upon him and upon +the obstinate infidels who accompanied him a loud +cry from the heaven of His power, and it destroyed +them all by the vehemence of its sound. Neither +Sheddád nor any of those who were with him +arrived at the city, or came in sight of it, and God +obliterated the traces of the road that led to it, but +the city remaineth as it was in its place until the +hour of the judgment!’</p> + +<p>“At this narrative, related by Kaab el-Ahbár, +Mo’áwiyeh wondered, and he said to him, ‘Can any +one of mankind arrive at that city?’ ‘Yes,’ answered +Kaab el-Ahbár; ‘a man of the companions +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>28]</a></span> +of Mohammed (upon whom be blessing and peace!), +in appearance like this man who is sitting here, +without any doubt.’ Esh-Shaabee also saith, ‘It is +related, on the authority of the learned men of +Hemyer, in El-Yemen, that when Sheddád and those +who were with him were destroyed by the loud cry, +his son Sheddád the Less reigned after him; for his +father, Sheddád the Greater, had left him as successor +to his kingdom, in the land of Hadramót and Seba, +on his departure with the troops who accompanied +him to Irem Zat-el-’Emád. And as soon as the +news reached him of the death of his father, on the +way before his arrival at the city of Irem, he gave +orders to carry his father’s body from those desert +tracts to Hadramót, and to excavate the sepulchre +for him in a cavern. And when they had done this, +he placed his body in it, upon a couch of gold, and +covered the corpse with seventy robes, interwoven +with gold and adorned with precious jewels; and he +placed at his head a tablet of gold, whereon were +inscribed these verses:—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“‘Be admonished, O thou who art deceived by a prolonged life!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I am Sheddád, the son of ’A’d, the lord of a strong fortress,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The lord of power and might, and of excessive valour.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The inhabitants of the earth obeyed me, fearing my severity and threats;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And I held the east and west under a strong dominion.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And a preacher of the true religion invited us to the right way;<br /></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>29]</a></span> +<span class="i0">But we opposed him, and said, Is there no refuge from it?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And a loud cry assaulted us from a tract of the distant horizon;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Whereupon we fell down like corn in the midst of a plain at harvest;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And now, beneath the earth, we await the threatened day.’<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“Eth-Tha’álibee also saith, ‘It happened that two +men entered this cavern, and found at its upper end +some steps, and having descended these, they found +an excavation, the length whereof was a hundred +cubits, and its breadth forty cubits, and its height a +hundred cubits. And in the midst of this excavation +was a couch of gold, upon which was a man of +enormous bulk, occupying its whole length and +breadth, covered with ornaments and with robes +interwoven with gold and silver; and at his head +was a tablet of gold, whereon was an inscription. +And they took that tablet, and carried away from +the place as much as they could of bars of gold and +silver and other things.’”</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>30]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap03" id="chap03"></a>THE TOMB OF NOOSHEERWÂN.</h2> + + +<p>The caliph Hâroon-oor-Rasheed went to visit the +tomb of the celebrated Noosheerwân, the most +famous of all the monarchs who ever governed +Persia. Before the tomb was a curtain of gold +cloth, which, when Hâroon touched it, fell to pieces. +The walls of the tomb were covered with gold and +jewels, whose splendour illumined its darkness. The +body was placed in a sitting posture on a throne +enchased with jewels, and had so much the +appearance of life that, on the first impulse, +the Commander of the Faithful bent to the +ground, and saluted the remains of the just Noosheerwân.</p> + +<p>Though the face of the departed monarch was like +that of a living man, and the whole of the body in +a state of preservation, which showed the admirable +skill of those who embalmed it, yet when the caliph +touched the garments they mouldered into dust. +Hâroon upon this took his own rich robes and threw +them over the corpse; he also hung up a new curtain +richer than that he had destroyed, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>31]</a></span> +perfumed the whole tomb with camphor, and other +sweet scents.</p> + +<p>It was remarked that no change was perceptible +in the body of Noosheerwân, except that the ears +had become white. The whole scene affected the +caliph greatly; he burst into tears, and repeated +from the Koran—“What I have seen is a warning +to those who have eyes.” He observed some writing +upon the throne, which he ordered the Moobids +(priests), who were learned in the Pehlevee language, to +read and explain. They did so: it was as follows:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>“This world remains not; the man who thinks least of it +is the wisest.</p> + +<p>“Enjoy this world before thou becomest its prey.</p> + +<p>“Bestow the same favour on those below thee as thou +desirest to receive from those above thee.</p> + +<p>“If thou shouldst conquer the whole world, death will at +last conquer thee.</p> + +<p>“Be careful that thou art not the dupe of thine own fortune.</p> + +<p>“Thou shalt be paid exactly for what thou hast done; +no more, no less.”</p> +</div> + +<p>The caliph observed a dark ruby-ring on the finger +of Noosheerwân, on which was written—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>“Avoid cruelty, study good, and never be precipitate in +action.</p> + +<p>“If thou shouldst live for a hundred years, never for one +moment forget death.</p> + +<p>“Value above all things the society of the wise.”</p> +</div> + +<p>Around the right arm of Noosheerwân was a clasp +of gold, on which was engraved—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>“On a certain year, on the 10th day of the month +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>32]</a></span> +Erdebehisht, a caliph of the race of Adean, professing the faith of +Mahomed, accompanied by four good men, and one bad, +shall visit my tomb.”</p> +</div> + +<p>Below this sentence were the names of the forefathers +of the caliph. Another prophecy was added +concerning Hâroon’s pilgrimage to Noosheerwân’s +tomb.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>“This prince will honour me, and do good unto me, +though I have no claim upon him; and he will clothe me in +a new vest, and besprinkle my tomb with sweet-scented +essences, and then depart unto his home. But the bad man +who accompanies him shall act treacherously towards me. +I pray that God may send one of my race to repay the great +favours of the caliph, and to take vengeance on his unworthy +companion. There is, under my throne, an inscription +which the caliph must read and contemplate. Its +contents will remind him of me, and make him pardon my +inability to give him more.”</p> +</div> + +<p>The caliph, on hearing this, put his hand under +the throne, and found the inscription, which consisted +of some lines, inscribed on a ruby as large as +the palm of the hand. The Moobids read this also. +It contained information where would be found concealed +a treasure of gold and arms, with some caskets +of rich jewels; under this was written—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>“These I give to the caliph in return for the good he has +done me; let him take them and be happy.”</p> +</div> + +<p>When Hâroon-oor-Rasheed was about to leave the +tomb, Hoosein-ben-Sâhil, his vizier, said to him: +“O Lord of the Faithful, what is the use of all these +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>33]</a></span> +precious gems which ornament the abode of the +dead, and are of no benefit to the living? Allow +me to take some of them.” The caliph replied with +indignation, “Such a wish is more worthy of a thief +than of a great or wise man.” Hoosein was ashamed +of his speech, and said to the servant who had been +placed at the entrance of the tomb, “Go thou, and +worship the holy shrine within.” The man went +into the tomb; he was above a hundred years old, +but he had never seen such a blaze of wealth. He +felt inclined to plunder some of it, but was at first +afraid; at last, summoning all his courage, he took +a ring from the finger of Noosheerwân, and came +away.</p> + +<p>Hâroon saw this man come out, and observing +him alarmed, he at once conjectured what he had +been doing. Addressing those around him, he said, +“Do not you now see the extent of the knowledge +of Noosheerwân? He prophesied that there should +be one unworthy man with me. It is this fellow. +What have you taken?” said he, in an angry tone. +“Nothing,” said the man. “Search him,” said the +caliph. It was done, and the ring of Noosheerwân +was found. This the caliph immediately took, and, +entering the tomb, replaced it on the cold finger of +the deceased monarch. When he returned, a +terrible sound like that of loud thunder was heard.</p> + +<p>Hâroon came down from the mountain on which +the tomb stood, and ordered the road to be made +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>34]</a></span> +inaccessible to future curiosity. He searched for, +and found, in the place described, the gold, the +arms, and the jewels bequeathed to him by Noosheerwân, +and sent them to Bagdad.</p> + +<p>Among the rich articles found was a golden +crown, which had five sides, and was richly ornamented +with precious stones. On every side a +number of admirable lessons were written. The +most remarkable were as follows:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p class="center"><i>First side.</i></p> + +<p>“Give my regards to those who know themselves.</p> + +<p>“Consider the end before you begin, and before you +advance provide a retreat.</p> + +<p>“Give not unnecessary pain to any man, but study the +happiness of all.</p> + +<p>“Ground not your dignity upon your power to hurt +others.”</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Second side.</i></p> + +<p>“Take counsel before you commence any measure, and +never trust its execution to the inexperienced.</p> + +<p>“Sacrifice your property for your life, and your life for +your religion.</p> + +<p>“Spend your time in establishing a good name; and if +you desire fortune, learn contentment.”</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Third side.</i></p> + +<p>“Grieve not for that which is broken, stolen, burnt, or +lost.</p> + +<p>“Never give orders in another man’s house; and accustom +yourself to eat your bread at your own table.</p> + +<p>“Make not yourself the captive of women.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>35]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Fourth side.</i></p> + +<p>“Take not a wife from a bad family, and seat not thyself +with those who have no shame.</p> + +<p>“Keep thyself at a distance from those who are incorrigible +in bad habits, and hold no intercourse with that man +who is insensible to kindness.</p> + +<p>“Covet not the goods of others.</p> + +<p>“Be guarded with monarchs, for they are like fire which +blazeth but destroyeth.</p> + +<p>“Be sensible to your own value; estimate justly the +worth of others; and war not with those who are far above +thee in fortune.”</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Fifth side.</i></p> + +<p>“Fear kings, women, and poets.</p> + +<p>“Be envious of no man, and habituate not thyself to +search after the faults of others.</p> + +<p>“Make it a habit to be happy, and avoid being out of +temper, or thy life will pass in misery.</p> + +<p>“Respect and protect the females of thy family.</p> + +<p>“Be not the slave of anger; and in thy contests always +leave open the door of conciliation.</p> + +<p>“Never let your expenses exceed your income.</p> + +<p>“Plant a young tree, or you cannot expect to cut down +an old one.</p> + +<p>“Stretch your legs no further than the size of your +carpet.”</p> +</div> + +<p>The caliph Hâroon-oor-Rasheed was more pleased +with the admirable maxims inscribed on this crown +than with all the treasures he had found. “Write +these precepts,” he exclaimed, “in a book, that the +faithful may eat of the fruit of wisdom.” When he +returned to Bagdad, he related to his favourite +vizier, Jaffier Bermekee, and his other chief officers, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>36]</a></span> +all that had passed; and the shade of Noosheerwân +was propitiated by the disgrace of Hoosein-ben-Sâhil +(who had recommended despoiling his tomb), and +the exemplary punishment of the servant who had +committed the sacrilegious act of taking the ring +from the finger of the departed monarch.</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>37]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap04" id="chap04"></a>AMEEN AND THE GHOOL.</h2> + + +<p>There is a dreadful place in Persia called the +“Valley of the Angel of Death.” That terrific +minister of God’s wrath, according to tradition, has +resting-places upon the earth and his favourite +abodes. He is surrounded by ghools, horrid beings +who, when he takes away life, feast upon the +carcasses.</p> + +<p>The natural shape of these monsters is terrible; +but they can assume those of animals, such as cows +or camels, or whatever they choose, often appearing +to men as their relations or friends, and then they +do not only transform their shapes, but their voices +also are altered. The frightful screams and yells +which are often heard amid these dreaded ravines +are changed for the softest and most melodious +notes. Unwary travellers, deluded by the appearance +of friends, or captivated by the forms and charmed +by the music of these demons, are allured from their +path, and after feasting for a few hours on every +luxury, are consigned to destruction.</p> + +<p>The number of these ghools has greatly decreased +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>38]</a></span> +since the birth of the Prophet, and they have no +power to hurt those who pronounce his name in +sincerity of faith. These creatures are the very +lowest of the supernatural world, and, besides being +timid, are extremely stupid, and consequently often +imposed upon by artful men.</p> + +<p>The natives of Isfahan, though not brave, are the +most crafty and acute people upon earth, and often +supply the want of courage by their address. An +inhabitant of that city was once compelled to travel +alone at night through this dreadful valley. He +was a man of ready wit, and fond of adventures, +and, though no lion, had great confidence in his +cunning, which had brought him through a hundred +scrapes and perils that would have embarrassed or +destroyed your simple man of valour.</p> + +<p>This man, whose name was Ameen Beg, had +heard many stories of the ghools of the “Valley of +the Angel of Death,” and thought it likely he might +meet one. He prepared accordingly, by putting an +egg and a lump of salt in his pocket. He had not +gone far amidst the rocks, when he heard a voice +crying, “Holloa, Ameen Beg Isfahânee! you are +going the wrong road, you will lose yourself; come +this way. I am your friend Kerreem Beg; I know +your father, old Kerbela Beg, and the street in +which you were born.” Ameen knew well the +power the ghools had of assuming the shape of any +person they choose; and he also knew their skill as +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>39]</a></span> +genealogists, and their knowledge of towns as well +as families; he had therefore little doubt this was +one of those creatures alluring him to destruction. +He, however, determined to encounter him, and +trust to his art for his escape.</p> + +<p>“Stop, my friend, till I come near you,” was his +reply. When Ameen came close to the ghool, he +said, “You are not my friend Kerreem; you are a +lying demon, but you are just the being I desired to +meet. I have tried my strength against all the men +and all the beasts which exist in the natural world, +and I can find nothing that is a match for me. I +came therefore to this valley in the hope of encountering +a ghool, that I might prove my prowess +upon him.”</p> + +<p>The ghool, astonished at being addressed in this +manner, looked keenly at him, and said, “Son of +Adam, you do not appear so strong.” “Appearances +are deceitful,” replied Ameen, “but I will +give you a proof of my strength. There,” said he, +picking up a stone from a rivulet, “this contains a +fluid; try if you can so squeeze it that it will flow +out.” The ghool took the stone, but, after a short +attempt, returned it, saying, “The thing is impossible.” +“Quite easy,” said the Isfahânee, taking the +stone and placing it in the hand in which he had +before put the egg. “Look there!” And the +astonished ghool, while he heard what he took for +the breaking of the stone, saw the liquid run from +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>40]</a></span> +between Ameen’s fingers, and this apparently without +any effort.</p> + +<p>Ameen, aided by the darkness, placed the stone +upon the ground while he picked up another of a +darker hue. “This,” said he, “I can see contains +salt, as you will find if you can crumble it between +your fingers;” but the ghool, looking at it, confessed +he had neither knowledge to discover its +qualities nor strength to break it. “Give it me,” +said his companion impatiently; and, having put +it into the same hand with the piece of salt, he +instantly gave the latter all crushed to the ghool, +who, seeing it reduced to powder, tasted it, and +remained in stupid astonishment at the skill and +strength of this wonderful man. Neither was he +without alarm lest his strength should be exerted +against himself, and he saw no safety in resorting +to the shape of a beast, for Ameen had warned him +that if he commenced any such unfair dealing, he +would instantly slay him; for ghools, though long-lived, +are not immortal.</p> + +<p>Under such circumstances he thought his best +plan was to conciliate the friendship of his new +companion till he found an opportunity of destroying +him.</p> + +<p>“Most wonderful man,” he said, “will you honour +my abode with your presence? it is quite at hand; +there you will find every refreshment; and after a comfortable +night’s rest you can resume your journey.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>41]</a></span> +“I have no objection, friend ghool, to accept +your offer; but, mark me, I am, in the first place, +very passionate, and must not be provoked by any +expressions which are in the least disrespectful; +and, in the second, I am full of penetration, and +can see through your designs as clearly as I saw +into that hard stone in which I discovered salt. So +take care you entertain none that are wicked, or +you shall suffer.”</p> + +<p>The ghool declared that the ear of his guest should +be pained by no expression to which it did not befit +his dignity to listen; and he swore by the head of +his liege lord, the Angel of Death, that he would +faithfully respect the rights of hospitality and friendship.</p> + +<p>Thus satisfied, Ameen followed the ghool through +a number of crooked paths, rugged cliffs, and deep +ravines, till they came to a large cave, which was +dimly lighted. “Here,” said the ghool, “I dwell, +and here my friend will find all he can want for +refreshment and repose.” So saying, he led him to +various apartments, in which were hoarded every +species of grain, and all kinds of merchandise, +plundered from travellers who had been deluded to +this den, and of whose fate Ameen was too well +informed by the bones over which he now and then +stumbled, and by the putrid smell produced by some +half-consumed carcasses.</p> + +<p>“This will be sufficient for your supper, I hope,” +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>42]</a></span> +said the ghool, taking up a large bag of rice; “a +man of your prowess must have a tolerable appetite.” +“True,” said Ameen, “but I ate a sheep and as +much rice as you have there before I proceeded on +my journey. I am, consequently, not hungry, but +will take a little lest I offend your hospitality.” +“I must boil it for you,” said the demon; “you do +not eat grain and meat raw, as we do. Here is a +kettle,” said he, taking up one lying amongst the +plundered property. “I will go and get wood for a +fire, while you fetch water with that,” pointing to a +bag made of the hides of six oxen.</p> + +<p>Ameen waited till he saw his host leave the cave +for the wood, and then with great difficulty he +dragged the enormous bag to the bank of a dark +stream, which issued from the rocks at the other +end of the cavern, and, after being visible for a few +yards, disappeared underground.</p> + +<p>“How shall I,” thought Ameen, “prevent my +weakness being discovered? This bag I could hardly +manage when empty; when full, it would require +twenty strong men to carry it; what shall I do? I +shall certainly be eaten up by this cannibal ghool, +who is now only kept in order by the impression of +my great strength.” After some minutes’ reflection +the Isfahânee thought of a scheme, and began +digging a small channel from the stream towards +the place where his supper was preparing.</p> + +<p>“What are you doing?” vociferated the ghool, as +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>43]</a></span> +he advanced towards him; “I sent you for water to +boil a little rice, and you have been an hour about +it. Cannot you fill the bag and bring it away?” +“Certainly I can,” said Ameen; “if I were content, +after all your kindness, to show my gratitude merely +by feats of brute strength, I could lift your stream +if you had a bag large enough to hold it. But here,” +said he, pointing to the channel he had begun,—“here +is the commencement of a work in which the +mind of a man is employed to lessen the labour of +his body. This canal, small as it may appear, will +carry a stream to the other end of the cave, in +which I will construct a dam that you can open and +shut at pleasure, and thereby save yourself infinite +trouble in fetching water. But pray let me alone +till it is finished,” and he began to dig. “Nonsense!” +said the ghool, seizing the bag and filling it; “I +will carry the water myself, and I advise you to +leave off your canal, as you call it, and follow me, +that you may eat your supper and go to sleep; you +may finish this fine work, if you like it, to-morrow +morning.”</p> + +<p>Ameen congratulated himself on this escape, and +was not slow in taking the advice of his host. +After having ate heartily of the supper that was +prepared, he went to repose on a bed made of the +richest coverlets and pillows, which were taken from +one of the store-rooms of plundered goods. The +ghool, whose bed was also in the cave, had no sooner +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>44]</a></span> +laid down than he fell into a sound sleep. The +anxiety of Ameen’s mind prevented him from +following his example; he rose gently, and having +stuffed a long pillow into the middle of his bed, +to make it appear as if he was still there, he retired +to a concealed place in the cavern to watch the +proceedings of the ghool. The latter awoke a short +time before daylight, and rising, went, without +making any noise, towards Ameen’s bed, where, not +observing the least stir, he was satisfied that his +guest was in a deep sleep; so he took up one of his +walking-sticks, which was in size like the trunk of +a tree, and struck a terrible blow at what he supposed +to be Ameen’s head. He smiled not to hear +a groan, thinking he had deprived him of life; but +to make sure of his work, he repeated the blow +seven times. He then returned to rest, but had +hardly settled himself to sleep, when Ameen, who +had crept into the bed, raised his head above the +clothes and exclaimed, “Friend ghool, what insect +could it be that has disturbed me by its tapping? +I counted the flap of its little wings seven times on +the coverlet. These vermin are very annoying, for, +though they cannot hurt a man, they disturb his +rest!”</p> + +<p>The ghool’s dismay on hearing Ameen speak at +all was great, but that was increased to perfect fright +when he heard him describe seven blows, any one of +which would have felled an elephant, as seven flaps +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>45]</a></span> +of an insect’s wing. There was no safety, he +thought, near so wonderful a man, and he soon +afterwards arose and fled from the cave, leaving the +Isfahânee its sole master.</p> + +<p>When Ameen found his host gone, he was at no +loss to conjecture the cause, and immediately began +to survey the treasures with which he was surrounded, +and to contrive means for removing them +to his home.</p> + +<p>After examining the contents of the cave, and +arming himself with a matchlock, which had belonged +to some victim of the ghool, he proceeded to survey +the road. He had, however, only gone a short +distance when he saw the ghool returning with a +large club in his hand, and accompanied by a fox. +Ameen’s knowledge of the cunning animal instantly +led him to suspect that it had undeceived his +enemy, but his presence of mind did not forsake +him. “Take that,” said he to the fox, aiming a +ball at him from his matchlock, and shooting him +through the head,—“Take that for your not performing +my orders. That brute,” said he, “promised to +bring me seven ghools, that I might chain them, and +carry them to Isfahan, and here he has only brought +you, who are already my slave.” So saying, he +advanced towards the ghool; but the latter had +already taken to flight, and by the aid of his club +bounded so rapidly over rocks and precipices that +he was soon out of sight.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>46]</a></span> +Ameen having well marked the path from the +cavern to the road, went to the nearest town and +hired camels and mules to remove the property he +had acquired. After making restitution to all who +remained alive to prove their goods, he became, from +what was unclaimed, a man of wealth, all of which +was owing to that wit and art which ever overcome +brute strength and courage.</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>47]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap05" id="chap05"></a>THE RELATIONS OF SSIDI KUR.</h2> + + +<p>Glorified Nangasuna Garbi! thou art radiant +within and without; the holy vessel of sublimity, +the fathomer of concealed thoughts, the second of +instructors, I bow before thee. What wonderful +adventures fell to the lot of Nangasuna, and to the +peaceful wandering Chan, and how instructive and +learned the Ssidi will be found, all this is +developed in thirteen pleasing narratives.</p> + +<p>And I will first relate the origin of these tales:—</p> + +<p>In the central kingdom of India there once lived +seven brothers, who were magicians; and one berren +(a measure of distance) further dwelt two brothers, +who were sons of a Chan. Now the eldest of these +sons of the Chan betook himself to the magicians, +that he might learn their art; but although he +studied under them for seven years, yet the +magicians taught him not the true key to magic.</p> + +<p>And once upon a time it happened that the +youngest brother, going to bring food to the elder, +peeped through the opening of the door, and +obtained the key to magic. Thereupon, without +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>48]</a></span> +delivering to the elder the food which he had +brought for him, he returned home to the palace. +Then said the younger son of the Chan to his +brother, “That we have learned magic, let us keep +to ourselves. We have in the stable a beautiful +horse; take this horse, and ride not with him near +the dwelling-place of the magicians, but sell the +horse in their country, and bring back merchandise.”</p> + +<p>And when he had said thus, he changed himself +into a horse. But the elder son of the Chan heeded +not the words of his brother, but said unto himself: +“Full seven years have I studied magic, and as yet +have learned nothing. Where, then, has my young +brother found so beautiful a horse? and how can I +refuse to ride thereon?”</p> + +<p>With these words he mounted, but the horse +being impelled by the power of magic was not to be +restrained, galloped away to the dwelling-place of +the magicians, and could not be got from the door. +“Well, then, I will sell the horse to the magicians.” +Thus thinking to himself, the elder called out to the +magicians, “Saw ye ever a horse like unto this? +My younger brother it was who found him.” At +these words the magicians communed with one +another. “This is a magic horse; if magic grow at +all common, there will be no wonderful art remaining. +Let us, therefore, take this horse and slay +him.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>49]</a></span> +The magicians paid the price demanded for the +horse, and tied him in a stall; and that he might +not escape out of their hands, they fastened him, +ready for slaughter, by the head, by the tail, and by +the feet. “Ah!” thought the horse to himself, +“my elder brother hearkened not unto me, and +therefore am I fallen into such hands. What form +shall I assume?” While the horse was thus +considering, he saw a fish swim by him in the +water, and immediately he changed himself into +a fish.</p> + +<p>But the seven magicians became seven herons, +and pursued the fish, and were on the point of +catching it, when it looked up and beheld a dove in +the sky, and thereupon transformed itself into a +dove. The seven magicians now became seven +hawks, and followed the dove over mountains and +rivers, and would certainly have seized upon it, but +the dove, flying eastwards to the peaceful cave in +the rock Gulumtschi, concealed itself in the bosom +of Nangasuna Baktschi (the Instructor). Then the +seven hawks became seven beggars, and drew nigh +unto the rock Gulumtschi. “What may this import?” +bethought the Baktschi to himself, “that this dove +has fled hither pursued by seven hawks?” Thus +thinking, the Baktschi said, “Wherefore, O dove, +fliest thou hither in such alarm?” Then the dove +related to him the cause of its flight, and spake +afterwards as follows:—“At the entrance to the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>50]</a></span> +rock Gulumtschi stand seven beggars, and they will +come to the Baktschi and say, ‘We pray thee give +us the rosary of the Baktschi?’ Then will I transform +myself into the Bumba of the rosary; let the +Baktschi then vouchsafe to take this Bumba into +his mouth and to cast the rosary from him.”</p> + +<p>Hereupon the seven beggars drew nigh, and the +Baktschi took the first bead into his mouth and the +rest he cast from him. The beads which were cast +away then became worms, and the seven beggars +became fowls and ate up the worms. Then the +Baktschi let the first bead fall from his mouth, and +thereupon the first bead was transformed into a +man with a sword in his hand. When the seven +fowls were slain and become human corses, the +Baktschi was troubled in his soul, and said these +words, “Through my having preserved one single +man have seven been slain. Of a verity this is not +good.”</p> + +<p>To these words the other replied, “I am the Son of +a Chan. Since, therefore, through the preservation +of my life, several others have lost their lives, I will, +to cleanse me from my sins, and also to reward the +Baktschi, execute whatsoever he shall command me.” +The Baktschi replied thereto, “Now, then, in the +cold Forest of Death there abides Ssidi Kur; the +upper part of his body is decked with gold, the +lower is of brass, his head is covered with silver. +Seize him and hold him fast. Whosoever finds this +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>51]</a></span> +wonderful Ssidi Kur, him will I make for a thousand +years a man upon the earth.”</p> + +<p>Thus spake he, and the youth thereupon began +these words: “The way which I must take, the +food which I require, the means which I must +employ, all these vouchsafe to make known unto +me.” To this the Baktschi replied, “It shall be as +thou demandest. At the distance of a berren (a +measure of distance) from this place you will come to +a gloomy forest, through which you will find there +runs only one narrow path. The place is full of +spirits. When thou reachest the spirits, they will +throng around you; then cry ye with a loud voice, +‘Spirits, chu lu chu lu ssochi!’ And when thou +hast spoken these words, they will all be scattered +like grain. When thou hast proceeded a little +further, you will encounter a crowd of other spirits; +then cry ye, ‘Spirits, chu lu chu lu ssosi!’ And a +little further on you will behold a crowd of child-spirits: +say unto these, ‘Child-spirits, Ri ra pa +dra!’ In the middle of this wood sits Ssidi Kur, +beside an amiri-tree. When he beholds you, he will +climb up it, but you must take the moon-axe, with +furious gestures draw nigh unto the tree, and bid +Ssidi Kur descend. To bring him away you will +require this sack, which would hold a hundred men. +To bind him fast this hundred fathoms of checkered +rope will serve you. This inexhaustible cake will +furnish thee with provender for thy journey. When +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>52]</a></span> +thou hast got thy load upon thy back, wander then +on without speaking, until thou art returned home +again. Thy name is Son of the Chan; and since +thou hast reached the peaceful rock Gulumtschi, +thou shalt be called the peaceful wandering Son of +the Chan.”</p> + +<p>Thus spake the Baktschi, and showed him the +way of expiation. When Ssidi Kur beheld his +pursuer, he speedily climbed up the amiri-tree, but +the Son of the Chan drew nigh unto the foot of the +tree, and spake with threatening words: “My +Baktschi is Nangasuna Garbi; mine axe is called +the white moon; an inexhaustible cake is my provender. +This sack, capable of holding a hundred +men, will serve to carry thee away, this hundred +fathoms of rope will serve to bind thee fast; I myself +am the peaceful wandering Son of the Chan. +Descend, or I will hew down the tree.”</p> + +<p>Then spake Ssidi Kur, “Do not hew down the +tree; I will descend from it.”</p> + +<p>And when he had descended, the Son of the Chan +thrust him into the sack, tied the sack fast with the +rope, ate of the butter-cake, and wandered forth +many days with his burden. At length Ssidi Kur +said to the Son of the Chan, “Since our long +journey is wearisome unto us, I will tell a story unto +you, or do you relate one unto me.”</p> + +<p>The Son of the Chan kept on his way, however, +without speaking a word, and Ssidi began afresh, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>53]</a></span> +“If thou wilt tell a story, nod your head to me; if I +shall relate one, then do you shake your head.”</p> + +<p>But because the Son of the Chan shook his head +from side to side, without uttering a word, Ssidi +began the following tale:—</p> + + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt01" id="chap05pt01"></a>The Adventures of the Rich Youth.</h3> + +<p>“In former times there lived, in a great kingdom, +a rich youth, a calculator, a mechanic, a painter, a +physician, and a smith, and they all departed from +their parents and went forth into a foreign land. +When they at length arrived at the mouth of a great +river, they planted, every one of them, a tree of life; +and each of them, following one of the sources of +the river, set forth to seek their fortunes. ‘Here,’ +said they to one another,—‘here will we meet again. +Should, however, any one of us be missing, and his +tree of life be withered, we will search for him in +the place whither he went to.’</p> + +<p>“Thus they agreed, and separated one from +another. And the rich youth found at the source +of the stream, which he had followed, a pleasure-garden +with a house, in the entrance to which were +seated an old man and an old woman. ‘Good +youth,’ exclaimed they both, ‘whence comest thou—whither +goest thou?’ The youth replied, ‘I come +from a distant country, and am going to seek my +fortune.’ And the old couple said unto him, ‘It is +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>54]</a></span> +well thou hast come hither. We have a daughter, +slender of shape and pleasant of behaviour. Take +her, and be a son unto us!’</p> + +<p>“And when they had so spoken, the daughter +made her appearance. And when the youth beheld +her, he thought unto himself, ‘It is well I left my +father and my mother. This maiden is more beauteous +than a daughter of the Tângâri (god-like spirits +of the male and female sex). I will take the maiden +and dwell here.’ And the maiden said, ‘Youth, it +is well that thou earnest here.’ Thereupon they +conversed together, went together into the house, +and lived peacefully and happily.</p> + +<p>“Now, over the same country there reigned a +mighty Chan. And once in the spring-time, when +his servants went forth together to bathe, they +found, near the mouth of the river, in the water, a +pair of costly earrings, which belonged to the wife +of the rich youth. Because, therefore, these jewels +were so wondrously beautiful, they carried them to +the Chan, who, being greatly surprised thereat, said +unto his servants, ‘Dwells there at the source of +the river a woman such as these belong to? Go, +and bring her unto me.’</p> + +<p>“The servants went accordingly, beheld the +woman, and were amazed at the sight. ‘This +woman,’ said they to one another, ‘one would never +tire of beholding.’ But to the woman they said, +‘Arise! and draw nigh with us unto the Chan.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>55]</a></span> +“Hereupon the rich youth conducted his wife to +the presence of the Chan; but the Chan, when he +beheld her, exclaimed, ‘This maiden is a Tângâri, +compared with her, my wives are but ugly.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spake he, and he was so smitten with love +of her, that he would not let her depart from his +house. But as she remained true and faithful to +the rich youth, the Chan said unto his servants, +‘Remove this rich youth instantly out of my sight.’</p> + +<p>“At these commands the servants went forth, +taking with them the rich youth, whom they led to +the water, where they laid him in a pit by the side +of the stream, covered him with a huge fragment of +the rock, and thus slew him.</p> + +<p>“At length it happened that the other wanderers +returned from all sides, each to his tree of life; and +when the rich youth was missed, and they saw that +his tree of life was withered, they sought him up +the source of the river which he had followed, but +found him not. Hereupon the reckoner discovered, +by his calculations, that the rich youth was lying +dead under a piece of the rock; but as they could +by no means remove the stone, the smith took his +hammer, smote the stone, and drew out the body. +Then the physician mixed a life-inspiring draught, +gave the same to the dead youth, and so restored +him to life.</p> + +<p>“They now demanded of him whom they had +recalled to life, ‘In what manner wert thou slain?’ +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>56]</a></span> +He accordingly related unto them the circumstances; +and they communed one with another, saying, ‘Let +us snatch this extraordinary beautiful woman from +the Chan!’ Thereupon the mechanic constructed a +wooden gerudin, or wonderful bird, which, when +moved upwards from within, ascended into the air; +when moved downwards, descended into the earth; +when moved sideways, flew sideways accordingly. +When this was done, they painted it with different +colours, so that it was pleasant to behold.</p> + +<p>“Then the rich youth seated himself within the +wooden bird, flew through the air, and hovered over +the roof of the royal mansion; and the Chan and +his servants were astonished at the form of the bird, +and said, ‘A bird like unto this we never before saw +or heard of.’ And to his wife the Chan said, ‘Go +ye to the roof of the palace, and offer food of +different kinds unto this strange bird.’ When she +went up to offer food, the bird descended, and the +rich youth opened the door which was in the bird. +Then said the wife of the Chan, full of joy, ‘I had +never hoped or thought to have seen thee again, yet +now have I found thee once more. This has been +accomplished by this wonderful bird.’ After the +youth had related to her all that had happened, he +said unto her, ‘Thou art now the wife of the Chan—but +if your heart now yearns unto me, step thou into +this wooden gerudin, and we will fly hence through +the air, and for the future know care no more.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>57]</a></span> +“After these words the wife said, ‘To the first +husband to whom destiny united me am I inclined +more than ever.’ Having thus spoken they entered +into the wooden gerudin, and ascended into the sky. +The Chan beheld this, and said, ‘Because I sent +thee up that thou mightest feed this beautiful bird, +thou hast betaken thyself to the skies.’ Thus spake +he full of anger, and threw himself weeping on the +ground.</p> + +<p>“The rich youth now turned the peg in the bird +downwards, and descended upon the earth close to +his companions. And when he stepped forth out of +the bird, his companions asked him, ‘Hast thou +thoroughly accomplished all that thou didst desire?’ +Thereupon his wife also stepped forth, and all who +beheld her became in love with her. ‘You, my +companions,’ said the rich youth, ‘have brought help +unto me; you have awakened me from death; you +have afforded me the means of once more finding +my wife. Do not, I beseech you, rob me of my +charmer once again.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spake he; and the calculator began with +these words:—‘Had I not discovered by my calculation +where thou wert lying, thou wouldst never +have recovered thy wife.’</p> + +<p>“‘In vain,’ said the smith, ‘would the calculations +have been, had I not drawn thee out of the rock. +By means of the shattered rock it was that you +obtained your wife. Then your wife belongs to me.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>58]</a></span> +“‘A body,’ said the physician, ‘was drawn from +out of the shattered rock. That this body was +restored to life, and recovered his former wife, it +was my skill accomplished it. I, therefore, should +take the wife.’</p> + +<p>“‘But for the wooden bird,’ said the mechanic, ‘no +one would ever have reached the wife. A numerous +host attend upon the Chan; no one can approach the +house wherein he resides. Through my wooden bird +alone was the wife recovered. Let me, then, take her.’</p> + +<p>“‘The wife,’ said the painter, ‘never would have +carried food to a wooden bird; therefore it was +only through my skill in painting that she was +recovered; I, therefore, claim her.’</p> + +<p>“And when they had thus spoken, they drew +their knives and slew one another.”</p> + +<p>“Alas! poor woman!” exclaimed the son of the +Chan; and Ssidi said, “Ruler of Destiny, thou hast +spoken words:—Ssarwala missbrod jakzang!” Thus +spake he, and burst from the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>Thus Ssidi’s first tale treated of the adventures of +the rich youth.</p> + + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt02" id="chap05pt02"></a>The Adventures of the Beggar’s Son.</h3> + +<p>When the Son of the Chan arrived as before at +the cold Forest of Death, he exclaimed with threatening +gestures at the foot of the amiri-tree, “Thou +dead one, descend, or I will hew down the tree.” +Ssidi descended. The son of Chan placed him in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>59]</a></span> +the sack, bound the sack fast with the rope, ate of +his provender, and journeyed forth with his burden. +Then spake the dead one these words, “Since we +have a long journey before us, do you relate a +pleasant story by the way, or I will do so.” But +the Son of the Chan merely shook his head without +speaking a word. Whereupon Ssidi commenced the +following tale:—</p> + +<p>“A long time ago there was a mighty Chan who +was ruler over a country full of market-places. At +the source of the river which ran through it there +was an immense marsh, and in this marsh there +dwelt two crocodile-frogs, who would not allow the +water to run out of the marsh. And because there +came no water over their fields, every year did both +the good and the bad have cause to mourn, until +such times as a man had been given to the frogs for +the pests to devour. And at length the lot fell +upon the Chan himself to be an offering to them, +and needful as he was to the welfare of the kingdom, +denial availed him not; therefore father and +son communed sorrowfully together, saying, ‘Which +of us two shall go?’</p> + +<p>“‘I am an old man,’ said the father, ‘and shall +leave no one to lament me. I will go, therefore. +Do you remain here, my son, and reign according as +it is appointed.’</p> + +<p>“‘O Tângâri,’ exclaimed the son, ‘verily this +is not as it should be! Thou hast brought me up +with care, O my father! If the Chan and the wife +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>60]</a></span> +of the Chan remain, what need is there of their son? +I then will go, and be as a feast for the frogs.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spake he, and the people walked sorrowfully +round about him, and then betook themselves +back again. Now the son of the Chan had for his +companion the son of a poor man, and he went to +him and said, ‘Walk ye according to the will of your +parents, and remain at home in peace and safety. +I am going, for the good of the kingdom, to serve +as a sacrifice to the frogs.’ At these words the son +of the poor man said, weeping and lamenting, ‘From +my youth up, O Chan, thou hast carefully fostered +me. I will go with thee, and share thy fate.’</p> + +<p>“Then they both arose and went unto the frogs; +and on the verge of the marsh they heard the yellow +frog and the blue frog conversing with one another. +And the frogs said, ‘If the son of the Chan and his +companion did but know that if they only smote off +our heads with the sword, and the son of the Chan +consumed me, the yellow frog, and the son of the +poor man consumed thee, the blue frog, they would +both cast out from their mouths gold and brass, +then would the country be no longer compelled to +find food for frogs.’</p> + +<p>“Now, because the son of the Chan understood all +sorts of languages, he comprehended the discourse +of the frogs, and he and his companion smote the +heads of the frogs with their swords; and when +they had devoured the frogs, they threw out from +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>61]</a></span> +their mouths gold and brass at their heart’s pleasure. +Then said the wanderers, ‘The frogs are both slain—the +course of the waters will be hemmed in no +more. Let us then turn back unto our own country.’ +But the son of the Chan agreed not to this, and +said, ‘Let us not turn back into our own country, +lest they say they are become spirits; therefore it +is better that we journey further.’</p> + +<p>“As they thereupon were walking over a mountain, +they came to a tavern, in which dwelt two +women, beautiful to behold—mother and daughter. +Then said they, ‘We would buy strong liquor that +we might drink.’ The women replied, ‘What have +ye to give in exchange for strong liquor?’ Thereupon +each of them threw forth gold and brass, and +the women found pleasure therein, admitted them +into their dwelling, gave them liquor in abundance, +until they became stupid and slept, took from them +what they had, and then turned them out of doors.</p> + +<p>“Now when they awoke the son of the Chan and +his companion travelled along a river and arrived +in a wood, where they found some children quarrelling +one with another. ‘Wherefore,’ inquired they, +‘do you thus dispute?’</p> + +<p>“‘We have,’ said the children, ‘found a cap in +this wood, and every one desires to possess it.’</p> + +<p>“‘Of what use is the cap?’</p> + +<p>“‘The cap has this wonderful property, that +whosoever places it on his head can be seen neither +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>62]</a></span> +by the Tângâri, nor by men, nor by the Tschadkurrs’ +(evil spirits).</p> + +<p>“‘Now go all of ye to the end of the forest and +run hither, and I will in the meanwhile keep the +cap, and give it to the first of you who reaches +me.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spoke the son of the Chan; and the children +ran, but they found not the cap, for it was +upon the head of the Chan. ‘Even now it was +here,’ said they, ‘and now it is gone.’ And after +they had sought for it, but without finding it, they +went away weeping.</p> + +<p>“And the son of the Chan and his companion +travelled onwards, and at last they came to a forest +in which they found a body of Tschadkurrs quarrelling +one with another, and they said, ‘Wherefore +do ye thus quarrel one with another?’</p> + +<p>“‘I,’ exclaimed each of them, ‘have made myself +master of these boots.’</p> + +<p>“‘Of what use are these boots?’ inquired the +son of the Chan.</p> + +<p>“‘He who wears these boots,’ replied the Tschadkurrs, +‘is conveyed to any country wherein he wishes +himself.’</p> + +<p>“‘Now,’ answered the son of the Chan, ‘go all of +you that way, and he who first runs hither shall +obtain the boots.’</p> + +<p>“And the Tschadkurrs, when they heard these +words, ran as they were told; but the son of the Chan +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>63]</a></span> +had concealed the boots in the bosom of his companion, +who had the cap upon his head. And the +Tschadkurrs saw the boots no more; they sought +them in vain, and went their way.</p> + +<p>“And when they were gone, the prince and his +companion drew on each of them one of the boots, +and they wished themselves near the place of election +in a Chan’s kingdom. They wished their journey, +laid themselves down to sleep, and on their awaking +in the morning they found themselves in the +hollow of a tree, right in the centre of the imperial +place of election. It was, moreover, a day for the +assembling of the people, to throw a Baling (a +sacred figure of dough or paste) under the guidance +of the Tângâri. ‘Upon whose head even the Baling +falls, he shall be our Chan.’ Thus spake they as +they threw it up; but the tree caught the Baling of +Destiny. ‘What means this?’ exclaimed they all +with one accord. ‘Shall we have a tree for our +Chan?’</p> + +<p>“‘Let us examine,’ cried they one to another, +‘whether the tree concealeth any stranger.’ And when +they approached the tree the son of the Chan and +his companion stepped forth. But the people stood +yet in doubt, and said one to another thus, ‘Whosoever +ruleth over the people of this land, this shall be +decided to-morrow morning by what proceedeth +from their mouths.’ And when they had thus +spoken, they all took their departure.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>64]</a></span> +“On the following morning some drank water, +and what they threw from their mouths was white; +others ate grass, and what they threw from their +mouths was green. In short, one threw one thing, +and another another thing. But because the son +of the Chan and his companion cast out from their +mouths gold and brass, the people cried, ‘Let the +one be Chan of this people—let the other be his +minister.’ Thus were they nominated Chan and +minister! And the daughter of the former Chan +was appointed the wife of the new Chan.</p> + +<p>“Now in the neighbourhood of the palace wherein +the Chan dwelt was a lofty building, whither the +wife of the Chan betook herself every day. ‘Wherefore,’ +thought the minister, ‘does the wife of the +Chan betake herself to this spot every day?’ Thus +thinking, he placed the wonderful cap upon his head, +and followed the Chan’s wife through the open +doors, up one step after another, up to the roof. +Here the wife of the Chan gathered together silken +coverlets and pillows, made ready various drinks and +delicate meats, and burnt for their perfume tapers +and frankincense. The minister being concealed by +his cap, which made him invisible, seated himself +by the side of the Chan’s wife, and looked around +on every side.</p> + +<p>“Shortly afterwards a beautiful bird swept through +the sky. The wife of the Chan received it with +fragrance-giving tapers. The bird seated itself +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>65]</a></span> +upon the roof and twittered with a pleasing voice; +but out of the bird came Solangdu, the Son of the +Tângâri, whose beauty was incomparable, and he +laid himself on the silken coverlets and fed of the +dainties prepared for him. Then spake the son of +the Tângâri, ‘Thou hast passed this morning with +the husband whom thy fate has allotted to thee. +What thinkest thou of him?’ The wife of the Chan +answered, ‘I know too little of the prince to speak +of his good qualities or his defects.’ Thus passed +the day, and the wife of the Chan returned home +again.</p> + +<p>“On the following day the minister followed the +wife of the Chan as he had done before, and heard +the son of the Tângâri say unto her, ‘To-morrow I +will come like a bird of Paradise to see thine +husband.’ And the wife of the Chan said, ‘Be +it so.’</p> + +<p>“The day passed over, and the minister said to +the Chan, ‘In yonder palace lives Solangdu, the +beauteous son of the Tângâri.’ The minister then +related all that he had witnessed, and said, ‘To-morrow +early the son of the Tângâri will seek thee, +disguised like a bird of Paradise. I will seize the +bird by the tail, and cast him into the fire; but you +must smite him in pieces with the sword.’</p> + +<p>“On the following morning, the Chan and the +wife of the Chan were seated together, when the +son of the Tângâri, transformed into a bird of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>66]</a></span> +Paradise, appeared before them on the steps that +led to the palace. The wife of the Chan greeted +the bird with looks expressive of pleasure, but the +minister, who had on his invisible-making cap, +seized the bird suddenly by the tail, and cast him +into the fire. And the Chan smote at him violently +with his sword; but the wife of the Chan seized +the hand of her husband, so that only the wings of +the bird were scorched. ‘Alas, poor bird!’ exclaimed +the wife of the Chan, as, half dead, it made +its way, as well as it could, through the air.</p> + +<p>“On the next morning the wife of the Chan +went as usual to the lofty building, and this time, +too, did the minister follow her. She collected together, +as usual, the silken pillows, but waited +longer than she was wont, and sat watching with +staring eyes. At length the bird approached with +a very slow flight, and came down from the birdhouse +covered with blood and wounds, and the wife +of the Chan wept at the sight. ‘Weep not,’ said +the son of the Tângâri; ‘thine husband has a heavy +hand. The fire has so scorched me that I can +never come more.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spoke he, and the wife of the Chan replied, +‘Do not say so, but come as you are wont to +do, at least come on the day of the full moon.’ +Then the son of the Tângâri flew up to the sky +again, and the wife of the Chan began from that +time to love her husband with her whole heart.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>67]</a></span> +“Then the minister placed his wonderful cap +upon his head, and, drawing near to a pagoda, he +saw, through the crevice of the door, a man, who +spread out a figure of an ass, rolled himself over +and over upon the figure, thereupon took upon himself +the form of an ass, and ran up and down braying +like one. Then he began rolling afresh, and +appeared in his human form. At last he folded up +the paper, and placed it in the hand of a burchan +(a Calmuc idol). And when the man came out the +minister went in, procured the paper, and remembering +the ill-treatment which he had formerly received, +he went to the mother and daughter who +had sold him the strong liquor, and said, with +crafty words, ‘I am come to you to reward you for +your good deeds.’ With these words he gave the +women three pieces of gold; and the women asked +him, saying, ‘Thou art, indeed, an honest man, but +where did you procure so much gold?’ Then the +minister answered, ‘By merely rolling backwards +and forwards over this paper did I procure this +gold.’ On hearing these words, the women said, +‘Grant us that we too may roll upon it.’ And +they did so, and were changed into asses. And the +minister brought the asses to the Chan, and the +Chan said, ‘Let them be employed in carrying +stones and earth.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spake he, and for three years were these +two asses compelled to carry stones and earth; and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>68]</a></span> +their backs were sore wounded, and covered with +bruises. Then saw the Chan their eyes filled with +tears, and he said to the minister, ‘Torment the +poor brutes no longer.’</p> + +<p>“Thereupon they rolled upon the paper, and +after they had done so they were changed to two +shrivelled women.”</p> + +<p>“Poor creatures!” exclaimed the Son of the Chan. +Ssidi replied, “Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken +words: Ssarwala missdood jakzank!” Thus spoke +he, and flew out of the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>And Ssidi’s second relation treats of the adventures +of the Poor Man’s Son.</p> + + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt03" id="chap05pt03"></a>The Adventures of Massang.</h3> + +<p>When the Son of the Chan arrived at the foot of +the amiri-tree, and spoke as he had formerly done, +Ssidi approached him, suffered himself to be placed +in the sack, fastened with the rope, and carried +away. Ssidi spoke as before, but the Son of the +Chan shook his head, whereupon Ssidi began as +follows:—</p> + +<p>“A long time ago there lived in a certain country +a poor man, who had nothing in the world but one +cow; and because there was no chance of the cow’s +calving, he was sore grieved, and said, ‘If my cow +does not have a calf, I shall have no more milk, and +I must then die of hunger and thirst.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>69]</a></span> +“But when a certain number of moons had +passed, instead of the calf the poor man had looked +for he found a man with horns, and with a long +tail like a cow. And at the sight of this monster +the owner of the beast was filled with vexation, and +he lifted up his staff to kill him; but the horned +man said, ‘Kill me not, father, and your mercy shall +be rewarded.’</p> + +<p>“And with these words he retreated into the +depth of a forest, and there he found among the +trees a man of sable hue. ‘Who art thou?’ inquired +Massang the horned. ‘I was born of the +forest,’ was the reply, ‘and am called Iddar. I will +follow thee whithersoever thou goest.’</p> + +<p>“And they journeyed forth together, and at last +they reached a thickly-covered grassy plain, and +there they beheld a green man. ‘Who art thou?’ +inquired they. ‘I was born of the grass,’ replied +the green man, ‘and will bear thee company.’</p> + +<p>“Thereupon they all three journeyed forth together, +until they came to a sedgy marsh, and there +they found a white man. ‘Who art thou?’ inquired +they. ‘I was born of the sedges,’ replied the +white man, ‘and will bear thee company.’</p> + +<p>“Thereupon they all four journeyed forth together, +until they reached a desert country, where, +in the very depths of the mountain, they found a +hut; and because they found plenty both to eat +and to drink in the hut, they abode there. Every +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>70]</a></span> +day three of them went out hunting, and left the +fourth in charge of the hut. On the first day, +Iddar, the Son of the Forest, remained in the hut, +and was busied preparing milk, and cooking meat +for his companions, when a little old woman put up +the ladder and came in at the door. ‘Who’s +there?’ exclaimed Iddar, and, upon looking round, +he beheld an old woman about a span high, who +carried on her back a little sack. ‘Oh, what, there +is somebody sitting there?’ said the old woman, +‘and you are cooking meat; let me, I beseech you, +taste a little milk and a little meat.’</p> + +<p>“And though she merely tasted a little of each, +the whole of the food disappeared. When the old +woman thereupon took her departure, the Son of +the Forest was ashamed that the food had disappeared, +and he arose and looked out of the hut. +And as he chanced to perceive two hoofs of a horse, +he made with them a number of horse’s footmarks +around the dwelling, and shot an arrow into the +court; and when the hunters returned home and +inquired of him, ‘Where is the milk and the fatted +meat?’ he answered them, saying, ‘There came a +hundred horsemen, who pressed their way into the +house, and took the milk and the flesh, and they +have beaten me almost to death. Go ye out, and +look around.’ And his companions went out when +they heard these words, looked around, saw the +prints of the horses’ feet and the arrow which he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>71]</a></span> +himself had shot, and said, ‘The words which he +spoke are true.’</p> + +<p>“On the following day the Son of the Grass +remained at home in the hut, and it befell him as it +had befallen his companion on the previous day. +But because he perceived the feet of two bullocks, +he made with them the marks of the feet of many +bullocks around the dwelling, and said to his companions, +‘There came a hundred people with laden +bullocks, and robbed me of the food I had prepared +for you.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spake he falsely. On the third day the +Son of the Sedges remained at home in the hut, and +because he met with no better fortune, he made, +with a couple of the feet of a mule, a number of +prints of mules’ feet around the dwelling, and said +to his companions, ‘A hundred men with laden +mules surrounded the house, and robbed me of the +food I had prepared for you.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spake he falsely. On the following day +Massang remained at home in the hut, and as he was +sitting preparing milk and flesh for his companions, +the little old woman stepped in as before and said, +‘Oh, so there is somebody here this time? Let me, +I pray you, taste a little of the milk and a little of +the meat.’ At these words Massang considered, +‘Of a certainty this old woman has been here before. +If I do what she requires of me, how do I know +that there will be any left?’ And having thus +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>72]</a></span> +considered, he said to the old woman, ‘Old woman, +before thou tastest food, fetch me some water.’ Thus +spoke he, giving her a bucket, of which the bottom +was drilled full of holes, to fetch water in. When +the old woman was gone, Massang looked after her, +and found that the span-high old woman, reaching +now up to the skies, drew the bucket full of water +again and again, but that none of the water remained +in it. While she was thus occupied, Massang peeped +into the little sack which she carried on her +shoulders, and took out of it a coil of rope, an iron +hammer, and a pair of iron pincers, and put in +their place some very rotten cords, a wooden +hammer, and wooden pincers.</p> + +<p>“He had scarcely done so before the old woman +returned, saying, ‘I cannot draw water in your +bucket. If you will not give me a little of your +food to taste, let us try our strength against each +other.’ Then the old woman drew forth the coil of +rotten cords, and bound Massang with them, but +Massang put forth his strength and burst the cords +asunder. But when Massang had bound the old +woman with her own coil, and deprived her of all +power of motion, she said unto him, ‘Herein thou +hast gotten the victory; now let us pinch each other +with the pincers.’</p> + +<p>“Whereupon Massang nipped hold of a piece of +the old woman’s flesh as big as one’s head, and tore +it forcibly from her. ‘Indeed, youth,’ cried the old +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>73]</a></span> +woman, sighing, ‘but thou hast gotten a hand of +stone; now let us hammer away at each other!’</p> + +<p>“So saying, she smote Massang with the wooden +hammer on his breast, but the hammer flew from +the handle, and Massang was left without a wound. +Then drew Massang the iron hammer out of the +fire, and smote the old woman with it in such wise +that she fled from the hut crying and wounded.</p> + +<p>“Shortly after this, the three companions returned +home, and said to Massang, ‘Now, Massang, thou +hast surely had something to suffer?’ But Massang +replied, ‘Ye are all cowardly fellows, and have +uttered lies; I have paid off the old woman. Arise, +and let us follow her!’</p> + +<p>“At these words they arose, followed her by +the traces of her blood, and at length reached a +gloomy pit in a rock. At the bottom of this pit +there were ten double circular pillars, and on the +ground lay the corpse of the old woman, among gold, +brass, and armour, and other costly things. ‘Will +you three descend,’ said Massang, ‘and then pack +together the costly things, and I will draw them up, +or I will pack them, and you shall draw them out.’ +But the three companions said, ‘We will not go +down into the cavern, for of a verity the old woman +is a Schumnu’ (a witch). But Massang, without +being dispirited, allowed himself to be let down +into the cavern, and collected the valuables, which +were then drawn forth by his companions. Then +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>74]</a></span> +his companions spoke with one another, saying, ‘If +we draw forth Massang, he will surely take all these +treasures to himself. It were better, then, that we +should carry away these treasures, and leave Massang +behind in the cavern!’</p> + +<p>“When Massang noticed that his three companions +treated him thus ungratefully, he looked about the +cavern in search of food, but between the pillars he +found nothing but some pieces of bark. Thereupon +Massang planted the bark in the earth, nourished +it as best he might, and said, ‘If I am a true +Massang, then from this bark let there grow forth +three great trees. If I am not, then shall I die +here in this pit.’</p> + +<p>“After these enchanting words, he laid himself +down, but from his having come in contact with the +corse of the old woman, he slept for many years. +When he awoke, he found three great trees which +reached to the mouth of the pit. Joyfully clambered +he up and betook himself to the hut, which was in +the neighbourhood. But, because there was no +longer any one to be found therein, he took his iron +bow and his arrows, and set forth in search of his +companions. These had built themselves houses +and taken wives. ‘Where are your husbands?’ +inquired Massang of their wives. ‘Our husbands +are gone to the chase,’ replied they. Then Massang +took arrow and bow, and set forth. His companions +were returning from the chase with venison, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>75]</a></span> +when they beheld Massang with arrow and bow, +they cried, as with one accord, ‘Thou art the +well-skilled one! take thou our wives and property, +we will now wander forth further!’ At +these words Massang said, ‘Your behaviour was +certainly not what it should have been; but I am +going to reward my father—live on, therefore, as +before.’</p> + +<p>“By the way Massang discovered a brook, and +out of the brook arose a beautiful maiden. The +maiden went her way, and flowers arose out of her +footsteps. Massang followed the maiden until he +arrived in heaven, and when he was come there, +Churmusta Tângâri (the Protector of the Earth) +said unto him, ‘It is well that thou art come hither, +Massang. We have daily to fight with the host of +Schumnu (witches). To-morrow look around; after +to-morrow be companion unto us.’</p> + +<p>“On the following day, when the white host were +sore pressed by the black, Churmusta spake unto +Massang: ‘The white host are the host of the +Tângâri, the black are the host of the Schumnu. +To-day the Tângâri will be pressed by the Schumnu; +draw, therefore, thy bow, and send an arrow into the +eye of the leader of the black host.’ Then Massang +aimed at the eye of the leader of the black host, +and smote him, so that he fled with a mighty cry. +Then spake Churmusta to Massang, ‘Thy deed is +deserving of reward; henceforward dwell with us +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>76]</a></span> +for ever.’ But Massang replied, ‘I go to reward my +father.’</p> + +<p>“Hereupon Churmusta presented to Massang, +Dschindamani, the wonder-stone of the Gods, and +said unto him, ‘By a narrow circuitous path you +will reach the cave of the Schumnu. Go without +fear or trembling therein. Knock at the door and +say, “I am the human physician.” They will then +lead thee to the Schumnu Chan, that you may draw +out the arrow from his eyes; then lay hands upon +the arrow, scatter seven sorts of grain towards +heaven, and drive the arrow yet deeper into his +head.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spake Churmusta authoritatively, and +Massang obeyed his commands; reached, without +erring, the cavern of the Schumnu, and knocked at +the door. ‘What hast thou learned?’ inquired the +woman. ‘I am a physician,’ answered Massang; +and he was conducted into the building. He examined +the wound of the Chan, and laid hands +upon the arrow. ‘Already,’ said the Chan, ‘my +wound feels better.’ But Massang suddenly drove +the arrow further into the head, scattered the seven +grains towards heaven, and a chain fell clattering +from heaven down to earth.</p> + +<p>“But while Massang was preparing to lay hands +upon the chain, the Schumnu woman smote him +with an iron hammer with such force, that from the +blow there sprang forth seven stars.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>77]</a></span> +“Then,” said the Son of the Chan, “he was not +able to reward his father.”</p> + +<p>“Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken words! +Ssarwala missdood jonkzang.” Thus spake Ssidi, +and burst from the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>Thus Ssidi’s third relation treats of the adventures +of Massang.</p> + + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt04" id="chap05pt04"></a>The Magician with the Swine’s Head.</h3> + +<p>When the Son of the Chan had, as before, seized +upon Ssidi, and was carrying him away, Ssidi spoke +as formerly, but the Son of the Chan shook his +head, without uttering a word, and Ssidi began the +following relation:—</p> + +<p>“A long while since there lived in a happy country +a man and a woman. The man had many bad +qualities, and cared for nothing but eating, drinking, +and sleeping. At last his wife said unto him, ‘By +thy mode of life thou hast wasted all thine inheritance. +Arise thee, then, from thy bed, and while I +am in the fields, go you out and look about you!’</p> + +<p>“As he, therefore, according to these words, was +looking about him, he saw a multitude of people +pass behind the pagoda with their herds; and +birds, foxes, and dogs crowding and noising together +around a particular spot. Thither he went, and +there found a bladder of butter; so he took it home +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>78]</a></span> +and placed it upon the shelf. When his wife +returned and saw the bladder of butter upon the +shelf, she asked, ‘Where found you this bladder of +butter?’ To this he replied, ‘I did according to +your word, and found this.’ Then said the woman +‘Thou went out but for an instant, and hast already +found thus much.’</p> + +<p>“Then the man determined to display his +abilities, and said, ‘Procure me then a horse, some +clothes, and a bloodhound.’ The wife provided +them accordingly; and the man taking with him, +besides these, his bow, cap, and mantle, seated himself +on horseback, led the hound in a leash, and rode +forth at random. After he had crossed over several +rivers he espied a fox. ‘Ah,’ thought he, ‘that +would serve my wife for a cap.’</p> + +<p>“So saying, he pursued the fox, and when it fled +into a hamster’s hole, the man got off his horse, +placed his bow, arrows, and clothes upon the saddle, +fastened the bloodhound to the bridle, and covered +the mouth of the hole with his cap. The next +thing he did was to take a large stone, and hammer +over the hole with it; this frightened the fox, which +ran out and fled with the cap upon its head. The +hound followed the fox, and drew the horse along +with it, so that they both vanished in an instant, +and the man was left without any clothes.</p> + +<p>“After he had turned back a long way, he reached +the country of a mighty Chan, entered the Chan’s +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>79]</a></span> +stable, and concealed himself in a stack of hay, so +that merely his eyes were left uncovered. Not long +afterwards, the beloved of the Chan was walking +out, and wishing to look at a favourite horse, she +approached close to the hayrick, placed the talisman +of life of the Chan’s kingdom upon the ground, left +it there, and returned back to the palace without +recollecting it. The man saw the wonderful stone, +but was too lazy to pick it up. At sunset the cows +came by, and the stone was beaten into the ground. +Some time afterwards a servant came and cleansed +the place, and the wonderful stone was cast aside +upon a heap.</p> + +<p>“On the following day the people were informed, +by the beating of the kettledrums, that the beloved +of the Chan had lost the wonderful stone. At the +same time, all the magicians and soothsayers and +interpreters of signs were summoned, and questioned +upon the subject. On hearing this, the man in the +hayrick crept out as far as his breast, and when the +people thronged around him and asked, ‘What hast +thou learned?’ he replied, ‘I am a magician.’ On +hearing these words they exclaimed, ‘Because the +wondrous stone of the Chan is missing, all the +magicians in the country are summoned to appear +before him. Do you then draw nigh unto the Chan.’ +The man said, ‘I have no clothes.’ Hereupon the +whole crowd hastened to the Chan, and announced +unto him thus: ‘In the hayrick there lieth a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>80]</a></span> +magician who has no clothes. This magician would +draw nigh unto you, but he has nought to appear +in.’ The Chan said, ‘Send unto him this robe of +cloth, and let him approach.’ It was done.</p> + +<p>“The man was fetched, and after he had bowed +down to the Chan, he was asked what he needed +for the performance of his magic charms. To this +question he replied, ‘For the performance of my +magic charms, it is needful that I should have the +head of a swine, some cloths of five colours, and +some baling’ (a sacred figure of dough or paste). +When all these things were prepared, the magician +deposited the swine’s head at the foot of a tree, +dressed it with the cloths of five colours, fastened +on the large baling, and passed the whole of three +nights in meditation. On the day appointed, all +the people assembled, and the magician having put +on a great durga (cloak), placed himself, with the +swine’s head in his hand, in the street. When they +were all assembled together, the magician, showing +the swine’s head, said, ‘Here not and there not.’ +All were gladdened at hearing these words. ‘Because, +therefore,’ said the magician, ‘the wonderful +stone is not to be found among the people, we must +seek for it elsewhere.’</p> + +<p>“With these words the magician, still holding +the swine’s head in his hand, drew nigh unto the +palace, and the Chan and his attendants followed +him, singing songs of rejoicing. When, at last, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>81]</a></span> +magician arrived at the heap, he stood suddenly +still, and exclaimed, ‘There lies the wonderful +stone.’ Then, first removing some of the earth, he +drew forth the stone, and cleansed it. ‘Thou art a +mighty magician,’ joyfully exclaimed all who beheld +it. ‘Thou art the master of magic with the swine’s +head. Lift up thyself that thou mayest receive thy +reward.’ The Chan said, ‘Thy reward shall be +whatsoever thou wilt.’ The magician, who thought +only of the property he had lost, said, ‘Give unto +me a horse, with saddle and bridle, a bow and +arrows, a cap, a mantle, a hound, and a fox. Such +things give unto me.’ At these words the +Chan exclaimed, ‘Give him all that he desireth.’ +This was done, and the magician returned home +with all that he desired, and with two elephants, +one carrying meat, and the other butter.</p> + +<p>“His wife met him close to his dwelling, with +brandy for him to drink, and said, ‘Now, indeed, +thou art become a mighty man.’ Thereupon they +went into the house, and when they had laid themselves +down to sleep, the wife said to him, ‘Where +hast thou found so much flesh and so much butter?’ +Then her husband related to her circumstantially +the whole affair, and she answered him saying, +‘Verily, thou art a stupid ass. To-morrow I will +go with a letter to the Chan.’</p> + +<p>“The wife accordingly wrote a letter, and in the +letter were the following words:—‘Because it was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>82]</a></span> +known unto me that the lost wondrous stone retained +some evil influence over the Chan, I have, for the +obviating of that influence, desired of him the dog +and the fox. What I may receive for my reward +depends upon the pleasure of the Chan.’</p> + +<p>“The Chan read the letter through, and sent +costly presents to the magician. And the magician +lived pleasantly and happily.</p> + +<p>“Now in a neighbouring country there dwelt +seven Chans, brethren. Once upon a time they +betook themselves, for pastime, to an extensive +forest, and there they discovered a beauteous maiden +with a buffalo, and they asked, ‘What are you two +doing here? Whence come you?’ The maiden +answered, ‘I come from an eastern country, and am +the daughter of a Chan. This buffalo accompanies +me.’ At these words these others replied, ‘We are +the seven brethren of a Chan, and have no wife. +Wilt thou be our wife?’<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> The maiden answered, +‘So be it.’ But the maiden and the buffalo were +two Mangusch (a species of evil spirit like the +Schumnu), and were seeking out men whom they +might devour. The male Mangusch was a buffalo, +and the female, she who became wife to the +brethren.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> +It is in accordance with the customs of Thibet for a +woman of that country to have several husbands.</p> +</div> + +<p>“After the Mangusch had slain, yearly, one of +the brethren of the Chan, there was only one +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>83]</a></span> +remaining. And because he was suffering from a +grievous sickness, the ministers consulted together +and said, ‘For the sickness of the other Chans we +have tried all means of cure, and yet have found no +help, neither do we in this case know what to +advise. But the magician with the swine’s head +dwells only two mountains off from us, and he is +held in great estimation; let us, without further +delay, send for him to our assistance.’</p> + +<p>“Upon this four mounted messengers were despatched +for the magician, and when they arrived +at his dwelling, they made known to him the object +of their mission. ‘I will,’ said the magician, ‘consider +of this matter in the course of the night, and +will tell you in the morning what is to be done.’</p> + +<p>“During the night he related to his wife what +was required of him, and his wife said, ‘You are +looked upon, up to this time, as a magician of +extraordinary skill; but from this time there is an +end to your reputation. However, it cannot be +helped, so go you must.’</p> + +<p>“On the following morning the magician said +to the messengers, ‘During the night-time I have +pondered upon this matter, and a good omen has +presented itself to me in a dream. Let me not +tarry any longer but ride forth to-day.’ The +magician, thereupon, equipped himself in a large +cloak, bound his hair together on the crown of his +head, carried in his left hand the rosary, and in his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>84]</a></span> +right the swine’s head, enveloped in the cloths of +five colours.</p> + +<p>“When in this guise he presented himself before +the dwelling-place of the Chan, the two Mangusch +were sorely frightened, and thought to themselves, +‘This man has quite the appearance, quite the +countenance, of a man of learning.’ Then the +magician, first placing a baling on the pillow of +the bed, lifted up the swine’s head, and muttered +certain magic words.</p> + +<p>“The wife of the Chan seeing this discontinued +tormenting the soul of the Chan, and fled in all +haste out of the room. The Chan, by this conduct +being freed from the pains of sickness, sank into a +sound sleep. ‘What is this?’ exclaimed the magician, +filled with affright. ‘The disease has grown +worse, the sick man uttereth not a sound; the sick +man hath departed.’ Thus thinking, he cried, +‘Chan, Chan!’ But because the Chan uttered no +sound, the magician seized the swine’s head, +vanished through the door, and entered the treasure-chamber. +No sooner had he done so, than ‘Thief, +thief!’ sounded in his ears, and the magician fled +into the kitchen; but the cry of ‘Stop that thief! +stop that thief!’ still followed him. Thus pursued +the magician thought to himself, ‘This night it is +of no use to think of getting away, so I will, therefore, +conceal myself in a corner of the stable.’ Thus +thinking, he opened the door, and there found a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>85]</a></span> +buffalo, that lay there as if wearied with a long +journey. The magician took the swine’s head, and +struck the buffalo three times between the horns, +whereupon the buffalo sprang up and fled like the +wind.</p> + +<p>“But the magician followed after the buffalo, +and when he approached the spot where he was, he +heard the male Mangusch say to his female companion, +‘Yonder magician knew that I was in the +stable; with his frightful swine’s head he struck +me three blows—so that it was time for me to +escape from him.’ And the Chan’s wife replied, ‘I +too am so afraid, because of his great knowledge, +that I would not willingly return; for, of a certainty, +things will go badly with us. To-morrow +he will gather together the men with weapons and +arms, and will say unto the women, “Bring hither +firing;” when this is done he will say, “Lead the +buffalo hither.” And when thou appearest, he will +say unto thee, “Put off the form thou hast assumed.” +And because all resistance would be useless, the +people perceiving thy true shape will fall upon thee +with swords, and spears, and stones; and when they +have put thee to death, they will consume thee +with fire. At last the magician will cause me to be +dragged forth and consumed with fire. Oh, but I +am sore afraid!’</p> + +<p>“When the magician heard these words, he said +to himself, ‘After this fashion may the thing be +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>86]</a></span> +easily accomplished.’ Upon this he betook himself, +with the swine’s head to the Chan, lifted up the +baling, murmured his words of magic, and asked, +‘How is it now with the sickness of the Chan?’ +And the Chan replied, ‘Upon the arrival of the +master of magic the sickness passed away, and I +have slept soundly.’ Then the magician spake as +follows: ‘To-morrow, then, give this command to +thy ministers, that they collect the whole of the +people together, and that the women be desired to +bring firing with them.’</p> + +<p>“When, in obedience to these directions, there +were two lofty piles of fagots gathered together, +the magician said, ‘Place my saddle upon the +buffalo.’ Then the magician rode upon the saddled +buffalo three times around the assembled people, +then removed the saddle from the buffalo, smote +it three times with the swine’s head, and said, +‘Put off the form thou hast assumed.’</p> + +<p>“At these words the buffalo was transformed +into a fearful ugly Mangusch. His eyes were bloodshot, +his upper tusks descended to his breast, his +bottom tusks reached up to his eyelashes, so that +he was fearful to behold. When the people had +hewed this Mangusch to pieces with sword and +with arrow, with spear and with stone, and his +body was consumed upon one of the piles of fagots, +then said the magician, ‘Bring forth the wife of the +Chan.’ And with loud cries did the wife of the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>87]</a></span> +Chan come forth, and the magician smote her with +the swine’s head, and said, ‘Appear in thine own +form!’ Immediately her long tusks and bloodshot +eyes exhibited the terrific figure of a female Mangusch.</p> + +<p>“After the wife of the Chan had been cut in +pieces, and consumed by fire, the magician mounted +his horse; but the people bowed themselves before +him, and strewed grain over him, presented him +with gifts, and regaled him so on every side, that +he was only enabled to reach the palace of the Chan +on the following morning. Then spake the Chan, +full of joy, to the magician, ‘How can I reward you +for the great deed that thou hast done?’ And the +magician answered, ‘In our country there are but +few nose-sticks for oxen to be found. Give me, I +pray you, some of these nose-sticks.’ Thus spake +he, and the Chan had him conducted home with +three sacks of nose-sticks, and seven elephants +bearing meat and butter.</p> + +<p>“Near unto his dwelling his wife came with +brandy to meet him; and when she beheld the +elephants, she exclaimed, ‘Now, indeed, thou art +become a mighty man.’ Then they betook themselves +to their house, and at night-time the wife of +the magician asked him, ‘How camest thou to be +presented with such gifts?’ The magician replied, +‘I have cured the sickness of the Chan, and consumed +with fire two Mangusch.’ At these words +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>88]</a></span> +she replied, ‘Verily, thou hast behaved very foolishly. +After such a beneficial act, to desire nothing +but nose-sticks for cattle! To-morrow I myself +will go to the Chan.’</p> + +<p>“On the morrow the wife drew near unto the +Chan, and presented unto him a letter from the +magician, and in this letter stood the following +words:—‘Because the magician was aware that of +the great evil of the Chan a lesser evil still remained +behind, he desired of him the nose-sticks. +What he is to receive as a reward depends upon the +pleasure of the Chan.’</p> + +<p>“‘He is right,’ replied the Chan, and he summoned +the magician, with his father and mother, +and all his relations before him, and received them +with every demonstration of honour. ‘But for you +I should have died; the kingdom would have been +annihilated; the ministers and all the people consumed +as the food of the Mangusch. I, therefore, +will honour thee,’ and he bestowed upon him proofs +of his favour.”</p> + +<p>“Both man and wife were intelligent,” exclaimed +the Son of the Chan.</p> + +<p>“Ruler of Destiny,” replied Ssidi, “thou hast +spoken words! Ssarwala missdood jakzang!” Thus +spake he, and burst from the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>Ssidi’s fourth relation treats of the Magician with +the head of the Swine.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>89]</a></span></p> + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt05" id="chap05pt05"></a>The History of Sunshine and his Brother.</h3> + +<p>As the Chan’s Son was journeying along as before, +laden with Ssidi, Ssidi inquired of him as formerly +who should tell a tale. But the Son of the Chan +shook his head without speaking a word, and Ssidi +began as follows:—</p> + +<p>“Many years ago Guchanasschang reigned over +a certain happy land. This Chan had a wife and +a son, whose name was Sunshine (Narrani Garral). +Upon the death of his first wife the Chan married +a second; and by her likewise he had a son, and +the name of his second son was Moonshine (Ssarrani +Garral). And when both these sons were grown +up, the wife of the Chan thought to herself, ‘So +long as Sunshine, the elder brother, lives, Moonshine, +the younger, will never be Chan over this land.’</p> + +<p>“Some time after this the wife of the Chan fell +sick, and tossed and tumbled about on her bed from +the seeming agony she endured. And the Chan +inquired of her, ‘What can be done for you, my +noble spouse?’ To these words the wife of the +Chan replied, ‘Even at the time I dwelt with my +parents I was subject to this sickness. But now it +is become past bearing. I know, indeed, but one +way of removing it; and that way is so impracticable, +that there is nothing left for me but to die.’ +Hereupon spake the Chan, ‘Tell unto me this way +of help, and though it should cost me half my +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>90]</a></span> +kingdom thou shalt have it. Tell me what thou +requirest.’ Thus spake he, and his wife replied +with the following words, ‘If the heart of one of +the Chan’s sons were roasted in the fat of the Gunsa +(a beast); but thou wilt not, of course, sacrifice +Sunshine for this purpose; and I myself bare Moonshine, +his heart I will not consume. So that there +is now nothing left for me but to die.’ The Chan +replied, ‘Of a surety Sunshine is my son, and inexpressibly +dear unto me; but in order that I may +not lose thee, I will to-morrow deliver him over to +the Jargatschi’ (the servants of Justice).</p> + +<p>“Moonshine overheard these words and hastened +to his brother, and said, ‘To-morrow they will +murder thee.’ When he had related all the circumstances, +the brother replied, ‘Since it is so, do you +remain at home, honouring your father and mother. +The time of my flight is come.’ Then said Moonshine +with a troubled heart, ‘Alone I will not remain, +but I will follow thee whithersoever thou +goest.’</p> + +<p>“Because the following day was appointed for +the murder, the two brothers took a sack with +baling-cakes from the altar, crept out at night, for +it was the night of the full moon, from the palace, +and journeyed on day and night through the mountainous +country, until they at length arrived at the +course of a dried-up river. Because their provender +was finished, and the river afforded no water, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>91]</a></span> +Moonshine fell to the earth utterly exhausted. +Then spake the elder brother, full of affliction, ‘I +will go and seek water; but do you watch an +instant until I come down from the high places.’</p> + +<p>“After some vain attempts Sunshine returned, +and found that his brother had departed this life. +After he had with great tenderness covered the +body of his brother with stones, he wandered over +high mountains, and then arrived at the entrance +of a cave. Within the cave sat an aged Arschi. +‘Whence comest thou?’ inquired the old man, ‘thy +countenance betokeneth deep affliction.’ And when +the youth had related all that had passed, the old +man, taking with him the means of awakening the +dead, went with the youth to the grave, and called +Moonshine back to life. ‘Will ye be unto me as +sons?’ Thus spake the old man, and the two young +men became as sons unto him.</p> + +<p>“Not far from this place there reigned a mighty +Chan of fearful power; and the time was approaching +in this country when the fields were watered, +but the crocodiles prevented this. The crocodiles +frequented a marsh at the source of the river, and +would not allow the water to stream forth until +such times as a Son of the Tiger-year<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> had been +offered to them as food. After a time it happened +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>92]</a></span> +that when search had been made in vain for a Son +of the Tiger-year, certain people drew nigh unto +the Chan, and said, ‘Near unto the source of the +river dwelleth the old Arschi, and with him a Son +of the Tiger-year. Thither led we our cattle to +drink, and we saw him.’</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> +Among the Calmucs every year has its peculiar name, +and persons born in any year are called the children of that +year.</p> +</div> + +<p>“When he heard this, the Chan said, ‘Go and +fetch him.’</p> + +<p>“Accordingly the messengers were despatched for +him, and when they arrived at the entrance of the +cave, the Arschi himself came forth. ‘What is it +that ye seek here?’ inquired the aged Arschi. +‘The Chan,’ replied they, ‘speaketh to thee thus: +Thou hast a Son of the Tiger-year. My kingdom +hath need of him: send him unto me.’ But the +Arschi said, ‘Who could have told you so? who, +indeed, would dwell with an old Arschi?’</p> + +<p>“Thus speaking he retired into his cave, closed +the door after him, and concealed the youth in a +stone chest, placed the lid on him, and cemented +up the crevices with clay, as if it was from the distillation +of arrack. But the messengers having +broken down the door, thrust themselves into the +cave, searched it, and then said, ‘Since he whom we +sought is not here, we are determined that nothing +shall be left in the cave.’ Thus speaking, they drew +their swords; and the youth said, out of fear for +the Arschi, ‘Hurt not my father; I am here.’</p> + +<p>“And when the youth was come forth, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>93]</a></span> +messengers took him with them; but the Arschi they +left behind them weeping and sorrowing. When +the youth entered into the palace of the Chan, the +daughter of the Chan beheld him and loved him, +and encircled his neck with her arms. But the +attendants addressed the Chan, saying, ‘To-day is +the day appointed for the casting of the Son of the +Tiger-year into the waters.’ Upon this the Chan +said, ‘Let him then be cast into the waters!’ But +when they would have led him forth for that purpose, +the daughter of the Chan spake and said, +‘Cast him not into the waters, or cast me into the +waters with him.’</p> + +<p>“And when the Chan heard these words, he was +angered, and said, ‘Because this maiden careth so +little for the welfare of the kingdom, over which I +am Chan, let her be bound fast unto the Son of the +Tiger-year, and let them be cast together into the +waters.’ And the attendants said, ‘It shall be +according as you have commanded.’</p> + +<p>“And when the youth was bound fast, and with +the maiden cast into the waters, he cried out, ‘Since +I am the Son of the Tiger-year, it is certainly lawful +for them to cast me into the waters; but why +should this charming maiden die, who so loveth +me?’ But the maiden said, ‘Since I am but an +unworthy creature, it is certainly lawful for them +to cast me into the waters; but wherefore do they +cast in this beauteous youth?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>94]</a></span> +“Now the crocodiles heard these words, felt compassion, +and placed the lovers once more upon the +shore. And no sooner had this happened than the +streams began to flow again. And when they were +thus saved, the maiden said to the youth, ‘Come +with me, I pray you, unto the palace?’ and he +replied, ‘When I have sought out my father Arschi, +then will I come, and we will live together unsevered +as man and wife.’</p> + +<p>“Accordingly the youth returned to the cave of +the old Arschi, and knocked at the door. ‘I am +thy son,’ said he. ‘My son,’ replied the old man, +‘has the Chan taken and slain; therefore it is that +I sit here and weep.’ At these words the son replied, +‘Of a verity I am thy son. The Chan indeed +bade them cast me into the waters; but because the +crocodiles devoured me not, I am returned unto +you. Weep not, O my father!’</p> + +<p>“Arschi then opened the door, but he had suffered +his beard and the hair of his head to grow, +so that he looked like a dead man. Sunshine +washed him therefore with milk and with water, +and aroused him by tender words from his great +sorrow.</p> + +<p>“Now when the maiden returned back again to +the palace, the Chan and the whole people were +exceedingly amazed. ‘The crocodiles,’ they exclaimed, +‘have, contrary to their wont, felt compassion +for this maiden and spared her. This is +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>95]</a></span> +indeed a very wonder.’ So the whole people passed +around the maiden, bowing themselves down before +her. But the Chan said, ‘That the maiden is returned +is indeed very good. But the Son of the +Tiger-year is assuredly devoured.’ At these words +his daughter replied unto him, ‘The Son of the +Tiger-year assuredly is not devoured. On account +of his goodness his life was spared him.’</p> + +<p>“And when she said this, all were more than ever +surprised. ‘Arise!’ said the Chan to his ministers, +‘lead this youth hither.’ Agreeably to these commands, +the ministers hastened to the cave of the +aged Arschi. Both Arschi and the youth arose, and +when they approached unto the dwelling of the +Chan, the Chan said, ‘For the mighty benefits +which this youth has conferred upon us, and upon +our dominions, we feel ourselves bound to go forth +to meet him.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spake he, and he went forth to meet the +youth, and led him into the interior of the palace, +and placed him upon one of the seats appropriated +to the nobles. ‘O thou most wondrous youth!’ +he exclaimed, ‘art thou indeed the son of Arschi?’ +The youth replied, ‘I am the Son of a Chan. But +because my stepmother, out of the love she bare to +her own son, sought to slay me, I fled, and, accompanied +by my younger brother, arrived at the cave +of the aged Arschi.’</p> + +<p>“When the Son of the Chan related all this, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>96]</a></span> +Chan loaded him with honours, and gave his +daughters for wives unto the two brothers, and sent +them, with many costly gifts and a good retinue, +home to their own kingdom. Thither they went, +drew nigh unto the palace, and wrote a letter as +follows:—‘To the Chan their father, the two +brothers are returned back again.’</p> + +<p>“Now the father and mother had for many years +bewailed the loss of both their sons, and their +sorrows had rendered them so gloomy that they +remained ever alone.</p> + +<p>“On receipt of this letter they sent forth a large +body of people to meet their children. But because +the wife of the Chan saw both the youths approaching +with costly gifts and a goodly retinue, so great +was her envy that she died.”</p> + +<p>“She was very justly served!” exclaimed the Son +of the Chan.</p> + +<p>“Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken words! +Ssarwala missdood jonkzang.” Thus spake Ssidi, +and burst from the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>Thus Ssidi’s fifth relation treats of Sunshine and +his brother.</p> + + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt06" id="chap05pt06"></a>The Wonderful Man who overcame the Chan.</h3> + +<p>When the Son of the Chan had proceeded as +formerly to seize the dead one, then spake he the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>97]</a></span> +threatening words, seized upon Ssidi, thrust him +into the sack, tied the sack fast, ate of the butter-cakes, +and journeyed forth with his burden. After +Ssidi had as before asked who should tell the tale, +and the Son of the Chan had replied by merely shaking +his head, Ssidi began the following relation:—</p> + +<p>“A long, long time ago there lived in the land of +Barschiss, a wild, high-spirited man, who would not +allow any one to be above him. Then spake the +Chan of the kingdom to him, full of displeasure, +‘Away with thee, thou good-for-nothing one! Away +with thee to some other kingdom!’ Thus spake he, +and the wild man departed forth out of the country.</p> + +<p>“On his journey he arrived about mid-day at +a forest, where he found the body of a horse, +which had been somehow killed, and he accordingly +cut off its head, fastened it to his girdle, and climbed +up a tree.</p> + +<p>“About midnight there assembled a host of +Tschadkurrs (evil spirits) mounted upon horses of +bark, wearing likewise caps of bark, and they placed +themselves around the tree. Afterwards there +assembled together other Tschadkurrs, mounted +upon horses of paper, and having caps of paper on +their heads, and they likewise placed themselves +around the tree.</p> + +<p>“During the time that those who were assembled +were partaking of various choice wines and liquors, +the man peeped anxiously down from the tree, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>98]</a></span> +as he was doing so, the horse’s head fell down from +his belt. The Tschadkurrs were thereby exceedingly +alarmed; so much that they fled hither and +thither uttering fearful cries.</p> + +<p>“On the following morning the man descended +from the tree, and said, ‘This night there was in +this spot many choice viands and liquors, and now +they are all vanished.’ And while he was thus +speaking, he found a brandy flask, and as he was +anxious for something to drink, he immediately +applied the flask which he had found to his lips; +when suddenly there sprang out of it meat and +cakes and other delicacies fit for eating. ‘This +flask,’ cried he, ‘is of a surety a wishing flask, which +will procure him who has it everything he desires. +I will take the flask with me.’</p> + +<p>“And when he had thus spoken, he continued +his journey until he met with a man holding a +sword in his hand. ‘Wherefore,’ cried he, ‘dost +thou carry that sword in thine hand?’ And the +man answered, ‘This sword is called Kreischwinger; +and when I say to it, “Kreischwinger, thither goes +a man who has taken such a thing from me, follow +him and bring it back,” Kreischwinger goes forth, +kills the man, and brings my property back again.’ +To this the first replied, ‘Out of this vessel springeth +everything you desire; let us exchange.’ So accordingly +they made an exchange; and when the man +went away with the flask, he who now owned the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>99]</a></span> +sword said, ‘Kreischwinger, go forth now and bring +me back my flask.’ So the sword went forth, smote +his former master dead, and brought the golden +vessel back again.</p> + +<p>“When he had journeyed a little further, he met +a man holding in his hand an iron hammer. ‘Wherefore,’ +cried he, ‘dost thou hold this hammer in thy +hand?’ To this question the other replied, ‘When +I strike the earth nine times with this hammer, +there immediately arises a wall of iron, nine pillars +high.’ Then said the first, ‘Let us make an exchange.’ +And when the exchange was made, he +cried out, ‘Kreischwinger, go forth and bring me +back my golden vessel!’</p> + +<p>“After Kreischwinger had slain the man, and +brought back the golden vessel, the man journeyed +on until he encountered another man, carrying in +his bosom a sack, made of goatskin, and he asked +him, ‘Wherefore keepest thou that sack?’ To this +question the other replied, ‘This sack is a very +wonderful thing. When you shake it, it rains +heavily; and if you shake it very hard, it rains very +heavily.’ Hereupon the owner of the flask said, +‘Let us change,’ and they changed accordingly; and +the sword went forth, slew the man, and returned +back to its master with the golden vessel.</p> + +<p>“When the man found himself in the possession +of all these wonderful things, he said unto himself, +‘The Chan of my country is indeed a cruel man; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>100]</a></span> +nevertheless I will turn back unto my native land.’ +When he had thus considered, he turned back again, +and concealed himself in the neighbourhood of the +royal palace.</p> + +<p>“About midnight he struck the earth nine times +with his iron hammer, and there arose an iron wall +nine pillars high.</p> + +<p>“On the following morning the Chan arose, and +said, ‘During the night I have heard a mighty tock, +tock at the back of the palace.’ Thereupon the wife +of the Chan looked out, and said, ‘At the back of +the palace there stands an iron wall nine pillars +high.’ Thus spake she; and the Chan replied, full +of anger, ‘The wild, high-spirited man has of a surety +erected this iron wall; but we shall see whether he +or I will be the conqueror.’</p> + +<p>“When he had spoken these words the Chan +commanded all the people to take fuel and bellows, +and make the iron wall red-hot on every side. +Thereupon there was an immense fire kindled, and +the Wonderful Man found himself, with his mother, +within the wall of iron. He was himself upon the +upper pillars, but his mother was on the eighth. +And because the heat first reached the mother, she +exclaimed unto her son, ‘The fires which the Chan +has commanded the people to kindle will destroy +the iron wall, and we shall both die.’ The son +replied, ‘Have no fear, mother, for I can find means +to prevent it.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>101]</a></span> +“When he had spoken these words he shook the +sack of goatskin, and there descended heavy rain +and extinguished the fire. After that he shook the +sack still more forcibly, and there arose around +them a mighty sea, which carried away both the fuel +and the bellows which the people had collected.”</p> + +<p>“Thus, then, the Wonderful gained the mastery +over the Chan,” exclaimed the Son of the Chan.</p> + +<p>“Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken words! +Ssarwala missdood jakzang!” Thus spake Ssidi, +and burst from the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>Thus Ssidi’s sixth relation treats of the Wonderful +Man who overpowered the Chan.</p> + + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt07" id="chap05pt07"></a>The Bird-man.</h3> + +<p>When the Son of the Chan had done as formerly, +spoken the threatening words, and carried off Ssidi, +Ssidi asked him as before to tell a tale; but the +Son of the Chan shook his head without speaking +a word, and Ssidi began as follows:—</p> + +<p>“In times gone by there lived in a fair country +the father of a family, whose three daughters had +daily by turns to watch over the calves. Now it +once happened, during the time that the eldest +sister should have been watching the calves, that +she fell asleep, and one of them was lost. When +the maiden awoke and missed the calf, she arose and +went forth to seek it, and wandered about until she +reached a large house with a red door.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>102]</a></span> +“She went in, and then came to a golden door, +next to that to a silver one, and last of all to a +brazen door. After she had likewise opened this +door she found, close to the entrance of it, a cage +decorated with gold and all manner of costly jewels, +and within it, on a perch, there stood a white bird.</p> + +<p>“‘I have lost a calf,’ said the maiden, ‘and +am come hither to seek it.’ At these words the +bird said, ‘If thou wilt become my wife I will +find the calf for you, but not without.’ But the +maiden said, ‘That may not be; among men birds +are looked upon but as wild creatures. Therefore I +will not become your wife, even though, through +refusing, I lose the calf for ever.’ And when she +had thus spoken she returned home again.</p> + +<p>“On the following day the second sister went +forth to tend the calves, and she likewise lost one of +them. And it happened unto her as it had done +unto the eldest sister, and she too refused to become +the wife of the bird.</p> + +<p>“At last the youngest sister went forth with the +calves, and when she missed one she too wandered on +until she reached the house wherein the bird resided. +The bird said unto her likewise, ‘If thou wilt become +my wife, I will procure for thee the calf which thou +hast lost.’ ‘Be it according to thy will.’ Thus +spake she, and became the wife of the bird.</p> + +<p>“After some time it happened that a mighty +thirteen days’ feast was held at a large pagoda in +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>103]</a></span> +the neighbourhood, and upon this occasion a number +of persons assembled together, amongst the rest +the wife of the bird. And she was the foremost +among the women; but among the men the most +noticed was an armed man, who rode upon a white +horse three times round the assemblage. And all +who saw him exclaimed, ‘He is the first.’</p> + +<p>“And when the woman returned home again the +white bird demanded of her, ‘Who were the foremost +among the men and the women who were +there assembled together?’ Then said the woman, +‘The foremost among the men was seated upon a +white horse, but I knew him not. The foremost of +the women was myself.’</p> + +<p>“And for eleven days did these things so fall out. +But on the twelfth day, when the wife of the bird +went to the assemblage, she sat herself down near +an old woman. ‘Who,’ said the old woman, ‘is +the first in the assemblage this day?’ To this +question the wife of the bird replied, ‘Among the +men, the rider upon the white horse is beyond all +comparison the foremost. Among the women, I +myself am so. Would that I were bound unto this +man, for my husband is numbered among wild +creatures since he is nothing but a bird.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spake she, weeping, and the old woman +replied as follows:—‘Speak ye no more words like +unto these. Amongst the assembled women thou +art in all things the foremost. But the rider upon +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>104]</a></span> +the white horse is thine own husband. To-morrow +is the thirteenth day of the feast. Come not to-morrow +unto the feast, but remain at home behind +the door until thine husband opens his birdhouse, +takes his steed from the stable, and rides to the +feast. Take ye, then, the open birdhouse and burn +it. And when thou hast done this thy husband +will remain henceforth and for ever in his true +form.’</p> + +<p>“The wife of the bird, thereupon, did as she had +been told; and when the birdhouse was opened, and +her husband had departed, she took the birdhouse +and burnt it upon the hearth. When the sun +bowed down towards the west the bird returned +home, and said to his wife, ‘What, art thou already +returned?’ and she said, ‘I am already returned.’ +Then said her husband, ‘Where is my birdhouse?’ +And the wife replied, ‘I have burnt it.’ And he +said, ‘Barama, that is a pretty business—that birdhouse +was my soul.’</p> + +<p>“And his wife was troubled, and said, ‘What is +now to be done?’ To these words the bird replied, +‘There is nothing can be done now, except you seat +yourself behind the door, and there by day and +night keep clattering a sword. But if the clattering +sword ceases, the Tschadkurrs will carry me away. +Seven days and seven nights must ye thus defend +me from the Tschadkurrs and from the Tângâri.’</p> + +<p>“At these words the wife took the sword, propped +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>105]</a></span> +open her eyelids with little sticks, and watched for +the space of six nights. On the seventh night her +eyelids closed for an instant, but in that instant +the Tschadkurrs and Tângâri suddenly snatched her +husband away.</p> + +<p>“Weeping bitterly, and despising all nourishment, +the distracted wife ran about everywhere, +crying unceasingly, ‘Alas, my bird-husband! Alas, +my bird-husband!’</p> + +<p>“When she had sought for him day and night +without finding him, she heard from the top of a +mountain the voice of her husband. Following the +sound, she discovered that the voice proceeded from +the river. She ran to the river, and then discovered +her husband with a load of tattered boots upon his +back. ‘Oh! my heart is greatly rejoiced,’ said the +husband, ‘at seeing thee once more. I am forced to +draw water for the Tschadkurrs and the Tângâri, +and have worn out all these boots in doing so. If +thou wishest to have me once again, build me a +new birdhouse, and dedicate it to my soul; then I +shall come back again.’</p> + +<p>“With these words he vanished into the air. But +the woman betook herself home to the house again, +made a new birdhouse, and dedicated it to the soul +of her husband. At length the bird-man appeared +and perched himself on the roof of the house.”</p> + +<p>“Truly, his wife was an excellent wife!” exclaimed +the Son of the Chan.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>106]</a></span> +“Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken words! +Ssarwala missdood jakzang!” Thus spake Ssidi, +and burst from the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>Thus Ssidi’s seventh relation treats of the Bird-man.</p> + + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt08" id="chap05pt08"></a>The Painter and the Wood-carver.</h3> + +<p>When the Son of the Chan had, as on all the +former occasions, spoken the words of threatening, +placed the dead one in the sack, and journeyed forth +with him, Ssidi spake this time also as follows:—“The +day is long, and the distant journey will +tire us: do you relate a tale unto me, or I will relate +one unto you.” But the Son of the Chan shook his +head without saying a word, and Ssidi began as +follows:—</p> + +<p>“Many years ago there lived in the land of +Gujassmunn a Chan, whose name was Gunisschang. +This Chan, however, died, and his son Chamuk +Sakiktschi was elected Chan in his place. Now +there lived among the people of that country a +painter and a wood-carver, who bore similar names, +and were evilly disposed towards each other.</p> + +<p>“Once upon a time the painter, Gunga, drew +nigh unto the Chan, and said unto him, ‘Thy father +hath been borne into the kingdom of the Tângâri, +and hath said unto me, “Come unto me!” Thither +I went, and found thy father in great power and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>107]</a></span> +splendour; and I have brought for you this letter +from him.’ With these words the painter delivered +unto the Chan a forged letter, the contents of which +were as follows:—</p> + +<p>“‘This letter is addressed to my son Chamuk +Sakiktschi.</p> + +<p>“‘When I departed this life, I was borne to the +kingdom of the Tângâri. An abundance of all +things reigns in this land; but since I am desirous +of erecting a pagoda, and there are no wood-carvers +to be found here, do you despatch unto me Cunga, +the wood-carver. The means by which he is to +reach this place he may learn from the painter.’</p> + +<p>“After he had perused this letter, the Chan of +Gujassmunn said, ‘If my father has really been +carried into the realms of the Tângâri, that would +indeed be a good thing. Call hither the wood-carver.’ +The wood-carver was called, and appeared +before the Chan, and the Chan said unto him, ‘My +father has been carried into the realms of the +Tângâri. He is desirous of erecting a pagoda, and +because there are no wood-carvers there he is +desirous that you should be despatched unto him.’</p> + +<p>“With these words the Chan displayed the forged +letter, and when he had read it, the wood-carver +said unto himself, ‘Of a surety Gunga, the painter, +has played me this trick; but I will try if I cannot +overreach him.’</p> + +<p>“Thus thinking, he inquired of the painter, ‘By +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>108]</a></span> +what means can I reach the kingdom of the +Tângâri?’</p> + +<p>“To these words, the painter replied, ‘When thou +hast prepared all thy tools and implements of trade, +then place thyself upon a pile of fagots, and when +thou hast sung songs of rejoicing and set light to +the pile of fagots, thus wilt thou be able to reach +the kingdom of the Tângâri.’ Thus spake he, and +the seventh night from that time was appointed for +the carver’s setting forth on his journey.</p> + +<p>“When the wood-carver returned home unto his +wife, he spake unto her these words:—‘The painter +hath conceived wickedness in his mind against me; +yet I shall try means to overreach him.’</p> + +<p>“Accordingly he secretly contrived a subterranean +passage, which reached from his own house into the +middle of his field. Over the aperture in the field +he placed a large stone, covered the stone with +earth, and when the seventh night was come, the +Chan said, ‘This night let the wood-carver draw +nigh unto the Chan, my father.’ Thereupon, agreeably +to the commands of the Chan, every one of the +people brought out a handful of the fat of the +Gunsa (a beast). A huge fire was kindled, and the +wood-cutter, when he had sung the songs of rejoicing, +escaped by the covered way he had made back +to his own house.</p> + +<p>“Meanwhile the painter was greatly rejoiced, and +pointed upwards with his finger, and said, ‘There +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>109]</a></span> +rideth the wood-carver up to heaven.’ All who had +been present, too, betook themselves home, thinking +in their hearts, ‘The wood-carver is dead, and gone +up above to the Chan.’</p> + +<p>“The wood-carver remained concealed at home +a whole month, and allowed no man to set eyes +upon him, but washed his head in milk every day, +and kept himself always in the shade. After that +he put on a garment of white silk, and wrote a +letter, in which stood the following +words:—</p> + +<p>“‘This letter is addressed to my son Chamuk +Sakiktschi. That thou rulest the kingdom in +peace; it is very good. Since thy wood-carver has +completed his work, it is needful that he should be +rewarded according to his deserts. Since, moreover, +for the decoration of the pagoda, many +coloured paintings are necessary, send unto me the +painter, as thou hast already sent this man.’</p> + +<p>“The wood-carver then drew nigh unto the Chan +with this letter. ‘What!’ cried the Chan, ‘art +thou returned from the kingdom of the Tângâri?’ +The wood-carver handed the letter unto him, and +said, ‘I have, indeed, been in the kingdom of the +Tângâri, and from it I am returned home again.’</p> + +<p>“The Chan was greatly rejoiced when he heard +this, and rewarded the wood-carver with costly +presents. ‘Because the painter is now required,’ +said the Chan, ‘for the painting of the pagoda, let +him now be called before me.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>110]</a></span> +“The painter drew nigh accordingly, and when +he saw the wood-carver, fair, and in white-shining +robes, and decorated with gifts, he said unto himself, +‘Then he is not dead!’ And the Chan handed +over to the painter the forged letter, with the seal +thereto, and said, ‘Thou must go now.’</p> + +<p>“And when the seventh night from that time +arrived, the people came forward as before with a +contribution of the fat of the Gunsa; and in the +midst of the field a pile of fagots was kindled. +The painter seated himself in the midst of the fire, +with his materials for painting, and a letter and +gifts of honour for the Chan Gunisschang, and sang +songs of rejoicing; and as the fire kept growing +more and more intolerable, he lifted up his voice +and uttered piercing cries; but the noise of the +instruments overpowered his voice, and at length +the fire consumed him.”</p> + +<p>“He was properly rewarded!” exclaimed the Son +of the Chan.</p> + +<p>“Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken words! +Ssarwala missdood jakzang!” Thus spake Ssidi, +and burst from the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>Thus Ssidi’s eighth relation treats of the Painter +and the Wood-carver.</p> + + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt09" id="chap05pt09"></a>The Stealing of the Heart.</h3> + +<p>When the Son of the Chan was, as formerly, +carrying Ssidi away in the sack, Ssidi inquired of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>111]</a></span> +him as before; but the Son of the Chan shook his +head without speaking a word, so Ssidi proceeded +as follows:—</p> + +<p>“Many, many years ago there ruled over a certain +kingdom a Chan named Guguluktschi. Upon +the death of this Chan his son, who was of great +reputation and worth, was elected Chan in his place.</p> + +<p>“One berren (a measure of distance) from the +residence of the Chan dwelt a man, who had a +daughter of wonderful abilities and extraordinary +beauty. The son of the Chan was enamoured of +this maiden, and visited her daily; until, at length, +he fell sick of a grievous malady, and died, without +the maiden being made aware of it.</p> + +<p>“One night, just as the moon was rising, the +maiden heard a knocking at the door, and the face +of the maiden was gladdened when she beheld the +son of the Chan; and the maiden arose and went +to meet him, and she led him in and placed arrack +and cakes before him. ‘Wife,’ said the son of the +Chan, ‘come with me!’</p> + +<p>“The maiden followed, and they kept going +further and further, until they arrived at the dwelling +of the Chan, from which proceeded the sound of +cymbals and kettledrums.</p> + +<p>“‘Chan, what is this?’ she asked. The son of +the Chan replied to these inquiries of the maiden, +‘Do you not know that they are now celebrating the +feast of my funeral?’ Thus spake he; and the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>112]</a></span> +maiden replied, ‘The feast of thy funeral! Has +anything then befallen the Chan’s son?’ And the +son of the Chan replied, ‘He is departed. Thou +wilt, however, bear a son unto him. And when the +season is come, go into the stable of the elephant, +and let him be born there. In the palace there will +arise a contention betwixt my mother and her +attendants, because of the wonderful stone of the +kingdom. The wonderful stone lies under the table +of sacrifice. After it has been discovered, do you +and my mother reign over this kingdom until such +time as my son comes of age.’</p> + +<p>“Thus spake he, and vanished into air. But his +beloved fell, from very anguish, into a swoon. +‘Chan! Chan!’ exclaimed she sorrowfully, when +she came to herself again. And because she felt +that the time was come, she betook herself to the +stable of the elephants, and there gave birth to a +son.</p> + +<p>“On the following morning, when the keeper of +the elephants entered the stable, he exclaimed, +‘What! has a woman given birth to a son in the +stable of the elephants? This never happened +before. This may be an injury to the elephants.’</p> + +<p>“At these words the maiden said, ‘Go unto the +mother of the Chan, and say unto her, “Arise! +something wonderful has taken place.”’</p> + +<p>“When these words were told unto the mother of +the Chan, then she arose and went unto the stable, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>113]</a></span> +and the maiden related unto her all that had +happened, ‘Wonderful!’ said the mother of the +Chan. ‘Otherwise the Chan had left no successors. +Let us go together into the house.’</p> + +<p>“Thus speaking, she took the maiden with her +into the house, and nursed her, and tended her +carefully. And because her account of the wonderful +stone was found correct, all the rest of her story was +believed. So the mother of the Chan and his wife +ruled over the kingdom.</p> + +<p>“Henceforth, too, it happened that every month, +on the night of the full moon, the deceased Chan +appeared to his wife, remained with her until +morning dawned, and then vanished into air. And +the wife recounted this to his mother, but his mother +believed her not, and said, ‘This is a mere invention. +If it were true my son would, of a surety, show himself +likewise unto me. If I am to believe your +words, you must take care that mother and son +meet one another.’</p> + +<p>“When the son of the Chan came on the night +of the full moon, his wife said unto him, ‘It is well +that thou comest unto me on the night of every full +moon, but it were yet better if thou camest every +night.’ And as she spake thus, with tears in her +eyes, the son of the Chan replied, ‘If thou hadst +sufficient spirit to dare its accomplishment, thou +mightest do what would bring me every night; but +thou art young and cannot do it.’ ‘Then,’ said she, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>114]</a></span> +‘if thou wilt but come every night, I will do all +that is required of me, although I should thereby lose +both flesh and bone.’</p> + +<p>“Thereupon the son of the Chan spake as follows: +‘Then betake thyself on the night of the full moon +a berren from this place to the iron old man, and +give unto him arrack. A little further you will +come unto two rams, to them you must offer +batschimak cakes. A little further on you will +perceive a host of men in coats of mail and other +armour, and there you must share out meat and +cakes. From thence you must proceed to a large +black building, stained with blood; the skin of a +man floats over it instead of a flag. Two aerliks +(fiends) stand at the entrance. Present unto them +both offerings of blood. Within the mansion thou +wilt discover nine fearful exorcists, and nine hearts +upon a throne. “Take me! take me!” will the +eight old hearts exclaim; and the ninth heart will +cry out, “Do not take me!” But leave the old +hearts and take the fresh one, and run home with it +without looking round.’</p> + +<p>“Much as the maiden was alarmed at the task +which she had been enjoined to perform, she set +forth on the night of the next full moon, divided +the offerings, and entered the house. ‘Take me +not!’ exclaimed the fresh heart; but the maiden +seized the fresh heart and fled with it. The exorcists +fled after her, and cried out to those who were +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>115]</a></span> +watching, ‘Stop the thief of the heart!’ And the +two aerlic (fiends) cried, ‘We have received offerings +of blood!’ Then each of the armed men cried out, +‘Stop the thief!’ But the rams said, ‘We have +received batschimak cakes.’ Then they called out +to the iron old man, ‘Stop the thief with the heart!’ +But the old man said, ‘I have received arrack from +her, and shall not stop her.’</p> + +<p>“Thereupon the maiden journeyed on without +fear until she reached home; and she found upon +entering the house the Chan’s son, attired in festive +garments. And the Chan’s son drew nigh, and +threw his arms about the neck of the maiden.”</p> + +<p>“The maiden behaved well indeed!” exclaimed +the Son of the Chan.</p> + +<p>“Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken words! +Ssarwala missdood jakzang.” Thus spake Ssidi, and +burst from the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>Thus Ssidi’s ninth relation treats of the Stealing +of the Heart.</p> + + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt10" id="chap05pt10"></a>The Man and his Wife.</h3> + +<p>When Ssidi had been captured as before, and +was being carried away in the sack, he inquired, +as he had always done, as to telling a tale; but the +Son of the Chan shook his head without speaking a +word. Whereupon Ssidi began the following relation:—</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>116]</a></span> +“Many, many years since, there lived in the +kingdom of Olmilsong two brothers, and they were +both married. Now the elder brother and his wife +were niggardly and envious, while the younger +brother was of quite a different disposition.</p> + +<p>“Once upon a time the elder brother, who had +contrived to gather together abundance of riches, +gave a great feast, and invited many people to +partake of it. When this was known, the younger +thought to himself, ‘Although my elder brother has +hitherto not treated me very well, yet he will now, +no doubt, since he has invited so many people to his +feast, invite also me and my wife.’ This he certainly +expected, but yet he was not invited. ‘Probably,’ +thought he, ‘my brother will summon me to-morrow +morning to the brandy-drinking.’ Because, however, +he was not even invited unto that, he grieved +very sore, and said unto himself, ‘This night, when +my brother’s wife has drunk the brandy, I will go +unto the house and steal somewhat.’</p> + +<p>“When, however, he had glided into the treasure-chamber +of his brother, there lay the wife of his +brother near her husband; but presently she arose +and went into the kitchen, and cooked meat and +sweet food, and went out of the door with it. The +concealed one did not venture at this moment to +steal anything, but said unto himself, ‘Before I +steal anything, I will just see what all this means.’</p> + +<p>“So saying, he went forth and followed the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>117]</a></span> +woman to a mountain where the dead were wont to +be laid. On the top, upon a green mound, lay a +beautiful ornamental tomb over the body of a dead +man. This man had formerly been the lover of the +woman. Even when afar off she called unto the +dead man by name, and when she had come unto +him she threw her arms about his neck; and the +younger brother was nigh unto her, and saw all +that she did.</p> + +<p>“The woman next handed the sweet food which +she had prepared to the dead man, and because the +teeth of the corse did not open, she separated them +with a pair of brazen pincers, and pushed the food +into his mouth. Suddenly the pincers bounced back +from the teeth of the dead man, and snapped off the +tip of the woman’s nose; while, at the same time, +the teeth of the dead man closed together and bit +off the end of the woman’s tongue. Upon this the +woman took up the dish with the food and went +back to her home.</p> + +<p>“The younger brother thereupon followed her +home, and concealed himself in the treasure-chamber, +and the wife laid herself down again by her +husband. Presently the man began to move, when +the wife immediately cried out, ‘Woe is me! woe is +me! was there ever such a man?’ And the man +said, ‘What is the matter now?’ The wife replied, +‘The point of my tongue, and the tip of my nose, +both these thou hast bitten off. What can a woman +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>118]</a></span> +do without these two things? To-morrow the Chan +shall be made acquainted with this conduct.’ Thus +spake she, and the younger brother fled from the +treasure-chamber without stealing anything.</p> + +<p>“On the following morning the woman presented +herself before the Chan, and addressed him, saying, +‘My husband has this night treated me shamefully. +Whatsoever punishment may be awarded to him, I +myself will see it inflicted.’</p> + +<p>“But the husband persisted in asserting, ‘Of all +this I know nothing!’ Because the complaint of the +wife seemed well-founded, and the man could not +exculpate himself, the Chan said, ‘Because of his +evil deeds, let this man be burnt.’</p> + +<p>“When the younger brother heard what had +befallen the elder, he went to see him. And after +the younger one had related to him all the affair, +he betook himself unto the Chan, saying, ‘That the +evildoer may be really discovered, let both the +woman and her husband be summoned before you; +I will clear up the mystery.’</p> + +<p>“When they were both present, the younger +brother related the wife’s visit to the dead man, +and because the Chan would not give credence unto +his story, he said: ‘In the mouth of the dead man +you will find the end of the woman’s tongue; and +the blood-soiled tip of her nose you will find in the +pincers of brass. Send thither, and see if it be not +so.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>119]</a></span> +“Thus spake he, and people were sent to the +place, and confirmed all that he had asserted. Upon +this the Chan said, ‘Since the matter stands thus, +let the woman be placed upon the pile of fagots +and consumed with fire.’ And the woman was +placed upon the pile of fagots and consumed with +fire.”</p> + +<p>“That served her right!” said the Son of the +Chan.</p> + +<p>“Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken words! +Ssarwala missdood jakzang!” Thus spake Ssidi, +and burst from the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>Thus Ssidi’s tenth relation treats of the Man and +his Wife.</p> + + +<h3 class="smcap"><a name="chap05pt11" id="chap05pt11"></a>Of the Maiden Ssuwarandari.</h3> + +<p>When the Son of the Chan was carrying off Ssidi, +as formerly, Ssidi related the following tale:—</p> + +<p>“A long while ago, there was in the very centre +of a certain kingdom an old pagoda, in which stood +the image of Choschim Bodissadoh (a Mongolian +idol), formed of clay. Near unto this pagoda stood +a small house, in which a beautiful maiden resided +with her aged parents. But at the mouth of the +river, which ran thereby, dwelt a poor man, who +maintained himself by selling fruit, which he carried +in an ark upon the river.</p> + +<p>“Now it happened once, that as he was returning +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>120]</a></span> +home he was benighted in the neighbourhood of the +pagoda. He listened at the door of the house in +which the two old people dwelt, and heard the old +woman say unto her husband, ‘We are both grown +exceedingly old; could we now but provide for our +daughter, it would be well.’</p> + +<p>“‘That we have lived so long happily together,’ +said the old man, ‘we are indebted to the talisman +of our daughter. Let us, however, offer up sacrifice +to Bodissadoh, and inquire of him to what condition +we shall dedicate our daughter—to the spiritual +or to the worldly. To-morrow, at the earliest +dawn, we will therefore lay our offering before the +Burchan.’</p> + +<p>“‘Now know I what to do,’ said the listener; so +in the night-time he betook himself to the pagoda, +made an opening in the back of the idol, and concealed +himself therein. When on the following +morning the two old people and the daughter drew +nigh and made their offering, the father bowed himself +to the earth and spake as follows:—</p> + +<p>“‘Deified Bodissadoh! shall this maiden be devoted +to a spiritual or worldly life? If she is to be +devoted to a worldly life, vouchsafe to point out +now or hereafter, in a dream or vision, to whom we +shall give her to wife.’</p> + +<p>“Then he who was concealed in the image exclaimed, +‘It is better that thy daughter be devoted +to a worldly life. Therefore, give her to wife to the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>121]</a></span> +first man who presents himself at thy door in the +morning.’</p> + +<p>“The old people were greatly rejoiced when they +heard these words; and they bowed themselves +again and again down to the earth, and walked +around the idol.</p> + +<p>“On the following morning the man stepped out +of the idol and knocked at the door of the aged +couple. The old woman went out, and when she +saw that it was a man, she turned back again, and +said to her husband, ‘The words of the Burchan +are fulfilled; the man has arrived.’</p> + +<p>“‘Give him entrance!’ said the old man. The +man came in accordingly, and was welcomed with +food and drink; and when they had told him all +that the idol had said, he took the maiden with the +talisman to wife.</p> + +<p>“When he was wandering forth and drew nigh +unto his dwelling, he thought unto himself, ‘I have +with cunning obtained the daughter of the two old +people. Now I will place the maiden in the ark, +and conceal the ark in the sand.’</p> + +<p>“So he concealed the ark, and went and said +unto the people, ‘Though I have ever acted properly, +still it has never availed me yet. I will +therefore now seek to obtain liberal gifts through +my prayers.’ Thus spake he, and after repeating +the Zoka-prayers (part of the Calmuc ritual), he +obtained food and gifts, and said, ‘To-morrow I +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>122]</a></span> +will again wander around, repeat the appointed +Zoka-prayers, and seek food again.’</p> + +<p>“In the meanwhile it happened that the son of the +Chan and two of his companions, with bows and +arrows in their hands, who were following a tiger, +passed by unnoticed, and arrived at the sand-heap +of the maiden Ssuwarandari. ‘Let us shoot at that +heap!’ cried they. Thus spake they, and shot +accordingly, and lost their arrows in the sand. As +they were looking after the arrows, they found the +ark, opened it, and drew out the maiden with the +talisman.</p> + +<p>“‘Who art thou, maiden?’ inquired they. ‘I +am the daughter of Lu.’ The Chan’s son said, +‘Come with me, and be my wife.’ And the maiden +said, ‘I cannot go unless another is placed in the +ark instead of me.’ So they all said, ‘Let us put +in the tiger.’ And when the tiger was placed in +the ark, the Chan’s son took away with him the +maiden, and the talisman with her.</p> + +<p>“In the meanwhile the beggar ended his prayers; +and when he had done so, he thought unto himself, +‘If I take the talisman, slay the maiden, and sell +the talisman, of a surety I shall become rich indeed.’ +Thus thinking he drew nigh unto the sand-heap, +drew forth the ark, carried it home with him, and +said unto his wife, who he thought was within the +ark, ‘I shall pass this night in repeating the Zoka-prayers.’ +He threw off his upper garment. And +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>123]</a></span> +when he had done so, he lifted off the cover of the +ark, and said, ‘Maiden, be not alarmed!’ When +he was thus speaking, he beheld the tiger.</p> + +<p>“When some persons went into the chamber on +the following morning, they found a tiger with his +tusks and claws covered with blood, and the body +of the beggar torn into pieces.</p> + +<p>“And the wife of the Chan gave birth to three +sons, and lived in the enjoyment of plenty of all +things. But the ministers and the people murmured, +and said, ‘It was not well of the Chan +that he drew forth his wife out of the earth. Although +the wife of the Chan has given birth to the +sons of the Chan, still she is but a low-born creature.’ +Thus spoke they, and the wife of the Chan received +little joy therefrom. ‘I have borne three sons,’ +said she, ‘and yet am noways regarded; I will +therefore return home to my parents.’</p> + +<p>“She left the palace on the night of the full +moon, and reached the neighbourhood of her parents +at noontide. Where there had formerly been nothing +to be seen she saw a multitude of workmen +busily employed, and among them a man having +authority, who prepared meat and drink for them. +‘Who art thou, maiden?’ inquired this man. ‘I +come far from hence,’ replied the wife of the Chan; +‘but my parents formerly resided upon this mountain, +and I have come hither to seek them.’</p> + +<p>“At these words the young man said, ‘Thou art +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>124]</a></span> +then their daughter?’ and he received for answer, +‘I am their daughter.’</p> + +<p>“‘I am their son,’ said he. ‘I have been told +that I had a sister older than myself. Art thou +she? Sit thee down, partake of this meat and this +drink, and we will then go together unto our +parents.’</p> + +<p>“When the wife of the Chan arrived at the +summit of the mountain, she found in the place +where the old pagoda stood a number of splendid +buildings, with golden towers full of bells. And +the hut of her parents was changed into a lordly +mansion. ‘All this,’ said her brother, ‘belongs to +us, since you took your departure. Our parents +lived here in health and peace.’</p> + +<p>“In the palace there were horses and mules, and +costly furniture in abundance. The father and +mother were seated on rich pillows of silk, and gave +their daughter welcome, saying, ‘Thou art still well +and happy. That thou hast returned home before +we depart from this life is of a surety very good.’</p> + +<p>“After various inquiries had been made on both +sides, relative to what had transpired during the +separation of the parties, the old parents said, ‘Let +us make these things known unto the Chan and his +ministers.’</p> + +<p>“So the Chan and his ministers were loaded with +presents, and three nights afterwards they were +welcomed with meat and drink of the best. But +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>125]</a></span> +the Chan said, ‘Ye have spoken falsely, the wife +of the Chan had no parents.’ Now the Chan +departed with his retinue, and his wife said, ‘I will +stop one more night with my parents, and then I +will return unto you.’</p> + +<p>“On the following morning the wife of the Chan +found herself on a hard bed, without pillows or +coverlets. ‘What is this?’ exclaimed she; ‘was +I not this night with my father and mother—and +did I not retire to sleep on a bed of silk?’</p> + +<p>“And when she rose up she beheld the ruined +hut of her parents. Her father and mother were +dead, and their bones mouldered; their heads lay +upon a stone. Weeping loudly, she said unto herself, +‘I will now look after the pagoda.’ But she +saw nothing but the ruins of the pagoda and of +the Burchan. ‘A godly providence,’ exclaimed she, +‘has resuscitated my parents. Now since the Chan +and the ministers will be pacified, I will return +home again.’</p> + +<p>“On her arrival in the kingdom of her husband, +the ministers and the people came forth to meet +her, and walked around her. ‘This wife of the +Chan,’ cried they, ‘is descended from noble parents, +has borne noble sons, and is herself welcome, +pleasant, and charming.’ Thus speaking, they +accompanied the wife of the Chan to the palace.”</p> + +<p>“Her merits must have been great.” Thus spake +the Son of the Chan.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>126]</a></span> +“Ruler of Destiny, thou hast spoken words! +Ssarwala missdood jakzang!” Thus spake Ssidi, and +burst from the sack through the air.</p> + +<p>Thus Ssidi’s eleventh relation treats of the Maiden +Ssuwarandari.</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>127]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap06" id="chap06"></a>THE TWO CATS.</h2> + + +<p>In former days there was an old woman, who lived +in a hut more confined than the minds of the ignorant, +and more dark than the tombs of misers. Her +companion was a cat, from the mirror of whose +imagination the appearance of bread had never been +reflected, nor had she from friends or strangers ever +heard its name. It was enough that she now and +then scented a mouse, or observed the print of its +feet on the floor; when, blessed by favouring stars +or benignant fortune, one fell into her claws—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“She became like a beggar who discovers a treasure of gold;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Her cheeks glowed with rapture, and past grief was consumed by present joy.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>This feast would last for a week or more; and while +enjoying it she was wont to exclaim—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Am I, O God, when I contemplate this, in a dream or awake?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Am I to experience such prosperity after such adversity?”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>But as the dwelling of the old woman was in +general the mansion of famine to this cat, she was +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>128]</a></span> +always complaining, and forming extravagant and +fanciful schemes. One day, when reduced to extreme +weakness, she, with much exertion, reached the top +of the hut; when there she observed a cat stalking +on the wall of a neighbour’s house, which, like a +fierce tiger, advanced with measured steps, and was +so loaded with flesh that she could hardly raise her +feet. The old woman’s friend was amazed to see +one of her own species so fat and sleek, and broke +out into the following exclamation:—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Your stately strides have brought you here at last; pray tell me from whence you come?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">From whence have you arrived with so lovely an appearance?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">You look as if from the banquet of the Khan of Khatai.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Where have you acquired such a comeliness? and how came you by that glorious strength?”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The other answered, “I am the Sultan’s crumb-eater. +Each morning, when they spread the convivial +table, I attend at the palace, and there exhibit +my address and courage. From among the rich +meats and wheat-cakes I cull a few choice morsels; +I then retire and pass my time till next day in +delightful indolence.”</p> + +<p>The old dame’s cat requested to know what rich +meat was, and what taste wheat-cakes had? “As for +me,” she added, in a melancholy tone, “during my +life I have neither eaten nor seen anything but the +old woman’s gruel and the flesh of mice.” The +other, smiling, said, “This accounts for the difficulty +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>129]</a></span> +I find in distinguishing you from a spider. Your +shape and stature is such as must make the whole +generation of cats blush; and we must ever feel +ashamed while you carry so miserable an appearance +abroad.</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">You certainly have the ears and tail of a cat,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But in other respects you are a complete spider.<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>Were you to see the Sultan’s palace, and to smell +his delicious viands, most undoubtedly those +withered bones would be restored; you would receive +new life; you would come from behind the +curtain of invisibility into the plane of observation—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">When the perfume of his beloved passes over the tomb of a lover,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Is it wonderful that his putrid bones should be re-animated?”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The old woman’s cat addressed the other in the +most supplicating manner: “O my sister!” she +exclaimed, “have I not the sacred claims of a neighbour +upon you? are we not linked in the ties of +kindred? What prevents your giving a proof of +friendship, by taking me with you when next you +visit the palace? Perhaps from your favour plenty +may flow to me, and from your patronage I may +attain dignity and honour.</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Withdraw not from the friendship of the honourable;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Abandon not the support of the elect.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The heart of the Sultan’s crumb-eater was melted +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>130]</a></span> +by this pathetic address; she promised her new +friend should accompany her on the next visit to +the palace. The latter, overjoyed, went down immediately +from the terrace, and communicated every +particular to the old woman, who addressed her +with the following counsel:—</p> + +<p>“Be not deceived, my dearest friend, with the +worldly language you have listened to; abandon +not your corner of content, for the cup of the covetous +is only to be filled by the dust of the grave, +and the eye of cupidity and hope can only be closed +by the needle of mortality and the thread of fate.</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">It is content that makes men rich;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Mark this, ye avaricious, who traverse the world:<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He neither knows nor pays adoration to his God<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Who is dissatisfied with his condition and fortune.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>But the expected feast had taken such possession +of poor puss’s imagination, that the medicinal counsel +of the old woman was thrown away.</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“The good advice of all the world is like wind in a cage,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Or water in a sieve, when bestowed on the headstrong.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>To conclude: next day, accompanied by her companion, +the half-starved cat hobbled to the Sultan’s +palace. Before this unfortunate wretch came, as it +is decreed that the covetous shall be disappointed, +an extraordinary event had occurred, and, owing to +her evil destiny, the water of disappointment was +poured on the flame of her immature ambition. +The case was this: a whole legion of cats had the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>131]</a></span> +day before surrounded the feast, and made so much +noise that they disturbed the guests; and in consequence +the Sultan had ordered that some archers +armed with bows from Tartary should, on this day, +be concealed, and that whatever cat advanced into +the field of valour, covered with the shield of audacity, +should, on eating the first morsel, be overtaken +with their arrows. The old dame’s puss was not +aware of this order. The moment the flavour of the +viands reached her, she flew like an eagle to the +place of her prey.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had the weight of a mouthful been +placed in the scale to balance her hunger, when a +heart-dividing arrow pierced her breast.</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">A stream of blood rushed from the wound.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">She fled, in dread of death, after having exclaimed,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">“Should I escape from this terrific archer,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I will be satisfied with my mouse and the miserable hut of my old mistress.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My soul rejects the honey if accompanied by the sting.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Content, with the most frugal fare, is preferable.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>132]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap07" id="chap07"></a>LEGEND OF DHURRUMNATH.</h2> + + +<p>During the reign of a mighty rajah named Guddeh +Sing, a celebrated, and as it is now supposed, deified +priest, or hutteet, called Dhurrumnath, came, and +in all the characteristic humility of his sect established +a primitive and temporary resting-place +within a few miles of the rajah’s residence at Runn, +near Mandavie. He was accompanied by his +adopted son, Ghurreeb Nath.</p> + +<p>From this spot Dhurrumnath despatched his son +to seek for charitable contributions from the inhabitants +of the town. To this end Ghurreeb +Nath made several visits; but being unsuccessful, +and at the same time unwilling that his father +should know of the want of liberality in the city, +he at each visit purchased food out of some limited +funds of his own. At length, his little hoard failing, +on the sixth day he was obliged to confess the +deceit he had practised.</p> + +<p>Dhurrumnath, on being acquainted with this, +became extremely vexed, and vowed that from that +day all the rajah’s putteen cities should become +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>133]</a></span> +desolate and ruined. The tradition goes on to +state that in due time these cities were destroyed; +Dhurrumnath, accompanied by his son, left the +neighbourhood, and proceeded to Denodur. Finding +it a desirable place, he determined on performing +Tupseeah, or penance, for twelve years, and chose +the form of standing on his head.</p> + +<p>On commencing to carry out this determination, +he dismissed his son, who established his Doonee +in the jungles, about twenty miles to the north-west +of Bhooj. After Dhurrumnath had remained Tupseeah +for twelve years, he was visited by all the +angels from heaven, who besought him to rise; to +which he replied, that if he did so, the portion of +the country on which his sight would first rest +would become barren: if villages, they would disappear; +if woods or fields, they would equally be +destroyed. The angels then told him to turn his +head to the north-east, where flowed the sea. +Upon this he resumed his natural position, and, +turning his head in the direction he was told, +opened his eyes, when immediately the sea disappeared, +the stately ships became wrecks, and +their crews were destroyed, leaving nothing behind +but a barren, unbroken desert, known as the +Runn.</p> + +<p>Dhurrumnath, too pure to remain on the earth, +partook of an immediate and glorious immortality, +being at once absorbed into the spiritual nature of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>134]</a></span> +the creating, the finishing, the indivisible, all-pervading +Brum.</p> + +<p>This self-imposed penance of Dhurrumnath has +shed a halo of sanctity around the hill of Denodur, +and was doubtless the occasion of its having been +selected as a fitting site for a Jogie establishment, +the members of which, it is probable, were originally +the attendants on a small temple that had been +erected, and which still remains, on the highest +point of the hill, on the spot where the holy Dhurrumnath +is said to have performed his painful +Tupseeah.</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>135]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap08" id="chap08"></a>THE TRAVELLER’S ADVENTURE.</h2> + + +<p>It is related that a man, mounted upon a camel, in +the course of travelling arrived at a place where +others from the same caravan had lighted a fire +before proceeding on their journey. The fan-like +wind, breathing on the embers, had produced a +flame; and the sparks, flying over the jungle, the +dry wood had become ignited, and the whole plain +glowed like a bed of tulips.</p> + +<p>In the midst of this was an enormous snake, +which, encircled by the flames, possessed no means of +escape, and was about to be broiled like a fish, or +kabobed like a partridge for the table. Blood oozed +from its poison-charged eyes; and, seeing the man +and the camel, it thus supplicated for assistance—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“What if in kindness thou vouchsafe me thy pity;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Loosen the knot with which my affairs are entangled.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>Now the traveller was a good man, and one who +feared God. When he heard the complaint of the +snake, and saw its pitiable condition, he reasoned +thus with himself: “This snake is, indeed, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>136]</a></span> +enemy of man, but being in trouble and perplexity, +it would be most commendable in me to drop the +seed of compassion, the fruit of which is prosperity +in this world, and exaltation in the next.” Thus +convinced, he fastened one of his saddle-bags to the +end of his spear, and extended it to the snake, +which, delighted at escape, entered the bag, and was +rescued from the flames. The man then opening +the mouth of the bag, addressed it thus: “Depart +whither thou wilt, but forget not to offer up thanksgiving +for thy preservation; henceforth seek the +corner of retirement, and cease to afflict mankind, +for they who do so are dishonest in this world and +the next—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Fear God—distress no one;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">This indeed is true salvation.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The snake replied, “O young man, hold thy +peace, for truly I will not depart until I have +wounded both thee and this camel.”</p> + +<p>The man cried out, “But how is this? Have I +not rendered thee a benefit? Why, then, is such to +be my recompense?</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">On my part there was faithfulness,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Why then this injustice upon thine?”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The snake said, “True, thou hast shown mercy, +but it was to an unworthy object; thou knowest +me to be an agent of injury to mankind, consequently, +when thou savedst me from destruction, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>137]</a></span> +thou subjectedst thyself to the same rule that +applies to the punishment due for an evil act committed +against a worthy object.</p> + +<p>“Again, between the snake and man there is a +long-standing enmity, and they who employ foresight +hold it as a maxim of wisdom to bruise the +head of an enemy; to thy security my destruction +was necessary, but, in showing mercy, thou hast +forfeited vigilance. It is now necessary that I +should wound thee, that others may learn by thy +example.”</p> + +<p>The man cried, “O snake, call but in the +counsel of justice; in what creed is it written, or +what practice declares, that evil should be returned +for good, or that the pleasure of conferring benefits +should be returned by injury and affliction?”</p> + +<p>The snake replied, “Such is the practice amongst +men. I act according to thy own decree; the same +commodity of retribution I have purchased from +thee I also sell.</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Buy for one moment that which thou sell’st for years.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>In vain did the traveller entreat, the snake ever +replying, “I do but treat thee after the manner of +men.” This the man denied. “But,” said he, “let +us call witnesses: if thou prove thy assertion, I will +yield to thy will.” The snake, looking round, saw +a cow grazing at a distance, and said, “Come, we +will ask this cow the rights of the question.” When +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>138]</a></span> +they came up to the cow, the snake, opening its +mouth, said, “O cow, what is the recompense for +benefits received?”</p> + +<p>The cow said, “If thou ask me after the manner +of men, the return of good is always evil. For +instance, I was for a long time in the service of a +farmer; yearly I brought forth a calf; I supplied his +house with milk and ghee; his sustenance, and the +life of his children, depended upon me. When I +became old, and no longer produced young, he ceased +to shelter me, and thrust me forth to die in a jungle. +After finding forage, and roaming at my ease, I grew +fat, and my old master, seeing my plump condition, +yesterday brought with him a butcher, to whom he +has sold me, and to-day is appointed for my +slaughter.”</p> + +<p>The snake said, “Thou hast heard the cow; prepare +to die quickly.” The man cried, “It is not +lawful to decide a case on the evidence of one +witness, let us then call another.” The snake looked +about and saw a tree, leafless and bare, flinging up +its wild branches to the sky. “Let us,” said it, +“appeal to this tree.” They proceeded together to +the tree; and the snake, opening its mouth, said, +“O tree, what is the recompense for good?”</p> + +<p>The tree said, “Amongst men, for benefits are +returned evil and injury. I will give you a proof of +what I assert. I am a tree which, though growing +on one leg in this sad waste, was once flourishing +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>139]</a></span> +and green, performing service to every one. When +any of the human race, overcome with heat and +travel, came this way, they rested beneath my shade, +and slept beneath my branches; when the weight of +repose abandoned their eyelids, they cast up their +eyes to me, and said to each other, ‘Yon twig would +do well for an arrow; that branch would serve for +a plough; and from the trunk of this tree what +beautiful planks might be made!’ If they had an +axe or a saw, they selected my branches, and carried +them away. Thus they to whom I gave ease and +rest rewarded me only with pain and affliction.</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">Whilst my care overshadows him in perplexity,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He meditates only how best to root me up.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“Well,” said the snake, “here are two witnesses; +therefore, form thy resolution, for I must wound +thee.” The man said, “True; but the love of life +is powerful, and while strength remains, it is difficult +to root the love of it from the heart. Call but one +more witness, and then I pledge myself to submit to +his decree.” Now it so wonderfully happened that +a fox, who had been standing by, had heard all the +argument, and now came forward. The snake on +seeing it exclaimed, “Behold this fox, let us ask +it.” But before the man could speak the fox +cried out, “Dost thou not know that the recompense +for good is always evil? But what good hast thou +done in behalf of this snake, to render thee worthy +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>140]</a></span> +of punishment?” The man related his story. The +fox replied, “Thou seemest an intelligent person, +why then dost thou tell me an untruth?</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">How can it be proper for him that is wise to speak falsely?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">How can it become an intelligent man to state an untruth?”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The snake said, “The man speaks truly, for +behold the bag in which he rescued me.” The +fox, putting on the garb of astonishment, said, “How +can I believe this thing? How could a large snake +such as thou be contained in so small a space?” +The snake said, “If thou doubt me, I will again +enter the bag to prove it.” The fox said, “Truly if +I saw thee there, I could believe it, and afterwards +settle the dispute between thee and this man.” On +this the traveller opened the bag, and the snake, +annoyed at the disbelief of the fox, entered it; +which observing, the fox cried out, “O young +man, when thou hast caught thine enemy, show him +no quarter.</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">When an enemy is vanquished, and in thy power,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">It is the maxim of the wise to show him no mercy.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The traveller took the hint of the fox, fastened +the mouth of the bag, and, dashing it against a +stone, destroyed the snake, and thus saved mankind +from the evil effects of its wicked propensities.</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>141]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap09" id="chap09"></a>THE SEVEN STAGES OF ROOSTEM.</h2> + + +<p>Persia was at peace, and prosperous; but its +king, Ky-Kâoos, could never remain at rest. A +favourite singer gave him one day an animated +account of the beauties of the neighbouring kingdom +of Mazenderan: its ever-blooming roses, its melodious +nightingales, its verdant plains, its mountains shaded +with lofty trees, and adorned to their summits with +flowers which perfumed the air, its clear murmuring +rivulets, and, above all, its lovely damsels and valiant +warriors.</p> + +<p>All these were described to the sovereign in such +glowing colours that he quite lost his reason, and +declared he should never be happy till his power +extended over a country so favoured by Nature. It +was in vain that his wisest ministers and most +attached nobles dissuaded him from so hazardous an +enterprise as that of invading a region which had, +besides other defenders, a number of Deevs, or +demons, who, acting under their renowned chief, +Deev-e-Seffeed, or the White Demon, had hitherto +defeated all enemies.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>142]</a></span> +Ky-Kâoos would not listen to his nobles, who +in despair sent for old Zâl, the father of Roostem, +and prince of Seestan. Zâl came, and used all his +efforts, but in vain; the monarch was involved in +clouds of pride, and closed a discussion he had +with Zâl by exclaiming, “The Creator of the +world is my friend; the chief of the Deevs is my +prey.” This impious boasting satisfied Zâl he could +do no good; and he even refused to become regent +of Persia in the absence of Ky-Kâoos, but promised +to aid with his counsel.</p> + +<p>The king departed to anticipated conquest; but +the prince of Mazenderan summoned his forces, and, +above all, the Deev-e-Seffeed and his band. They +came at his call: a great battle ensued, in which +the Persians were completely defeated. Ky-Kâoos +was made prisoner, and confined in a strong fortress +under the guard of a hundred Deevs, commanded +by Arjeng, who was instructed to ask the Persian +monarch every morning how he liked the roses, +nightingales, flowers, trees, verdant meadows, shady +mountains, clear streams, beautiful damsels, and +valiant warriors of Mazenderan.</p> + +<p>The news of this disaster soon spread over Persia, +and notwithstanding the disgust of old Zâl at the +headstrong folly of his monarch, he was deeply +afflicted at the tale of his misfortune and disgrace. +He sent for Roostem, to whom he said, “Go, my +son, and with thy single arm, and thy good horse, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>143]</a></span> +Reksh, release our sovereign.” Roostem instantly +obeyed. There were two roads, but he chose the +nearest, though it was reported to be by far the +most difficult and dangerous.</p> + +<p>Fatigued with his first day’s journey, Roostem +lay down to sleep, having turned Reksh loose to +graze in a neighbouring meadow, where he was +attacked by a furious lion; but this wonderful +horse, after a short contest, struck his antagonist +to the ground with a blow from his fore-hoof, and +completed the victory by seizing the throat of the +royal animal with his teeth. When Roostem awoke, +he was surprised and enraged. He desired Reksh +never again to attempt, unaided, such an encounter. +“Hadst thou been slain,” asked he of the intelligent +brute, “how should I have accomplished my +enterprise?”</p> + +<p>At the second stage Roostem had nearly died of +thirst, but his prayers to the Almighty were heard. +A fawn appeared, as if to be his guide; and following +it, he was conducted to a clear fountain, where, +after regaling on the flesh of a wild ass, which he +had killed with his bow, he lay down to sleep. In +the middle of the night a monstrous serpent, seventy +yards in length, came out of its hiding-place, and +made at the hero, who was awaked by the neighing +of Reksh; but the serpent had crept back to its +hiding-place, and Roostem, seeing no danger, abused +his faithful horse for disturbing his repose. Another +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>144]</a></span> +attempt of the serpent was defeated in the same +way; but as the monster had again concealed itself, +Roostem lost all patience with Reksh, whom he +threatened to put to death if he again awaked him +by any such unseasonable noises. The faithful +steed, fearing his master’s rage, but strong in his +attachment, instead of neighing when the serpent +again made his appearance, sprang upon it, and +commenced a furious contest. Roostem, hearing +the noise, started up and joined in the combat. +The serpent darted at him, but he avoided it, and, +while his noble horse seized their enemy by the +back, the hero cut off its head with his sword.</p> + +<p>When the serpent was slain, Roostem contemplated +its enormous size with amazement, and, with +that piety which always distinguished him, returned +thanks to the Almighty for his miraculous escape.</p> + +<p>Next day, as Roostem sat by a fountain, he saw +a beautiful damsel regaling herself with wine. He +approached her, accepted her invitation to partake +of the beverage, and clasped her in his arms as if +she had been an angel. It happened, in the course +of their conversation, that the Persian hero mentioned +the name of the great God he adored. At +the sound of that sacred word the fair features and +shape of the female changed, and she became black, +ugly, and deformed. The astonished Roostem +seized her, and after binding her hands, bid her +declare who she was. “I am a sorceress,” was the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>145]</a></span> +reply, “and have been employed by the evil spirit +Aharman for thy destruction; but save my life, and +I am powerful to do thee service.” “I make no +compact with the devil or his agents,” said the +hero, and cut her in twain. He again poured forth +his soul in thanksgiving to God for his deliverance.</p> + +<p>On his fourth stage Roostem lost his way. While +wandering about he came to a clear rivulet, on the +banks of which he lay down to take some repose, +having first turned Reksh loose into a field of grain. +A gardener who had charge of it came and awoke +the hero, telling him in an insolent tone that he +would soon suffer for his temerity, as the field in +which his horse was feeding belonged to a pehloovân, +or warrior, called Oulâd. Roostem, always irascible, +but particularly so when disturbed in his +slumbers, jumped up, tore off the gardener’s ears, +and gave him a blow with his fist that broke his +nose and teeth. “Take these marks of my temper +to your master,” he said, “and tell him to come +here, and he shall have a similar welcome.”</p> + +<p>Oulâd, when informed of what had passed, was +excited to fury, and prepared to assail the Persian +hero, who, expecting him, had put on his armour +and mounted Reksh. His appearance so dismayed +Oulâd that he dared not venture on the combat till +he had summoned his adherents. They all fell +upon Roostem at once; but the base-born caitiffs +were scattered like chaff before the wind; many +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>146]</a></span> +were slain, others fled, among whom was their chief. +Him Roostem came up with at the fifth stage, and +having thrown his noose over him, took him prisoner. +Oulâd, in order to save his life, not only gave him +full information of the place where his sovereign +was confined, and of the strength of the Deev-e-Seffeed, +but offered to give the hero every aid in +the accomplishment of his perilous enterprise. This +offer was accepted, and he proved a most useful +auxiliary.</p> + +<p>On the sixth day they saw in the distance the +city of Mazenderan, near which the Deev-e-Seffeed +resided. Two chieftains, with numerous attendants, +met them; and one had the audacity to ride up to +Roostem, and seize him by the belt. That chief’s +fury at this insolence was unbounded; he disdained, +however, to use his arms against such an enemy, +but, seizing the miscreant’s head, wrenched it from +the body, and hurled it at his companions, who fled +in terror and dismay at this terrible proof of the +hero’s prowess.</p> + +<p>Roostem proceeded, after this action, with his +guide to the castle where the king was confined. +The Deevs who guarded it were asleep, and Ky-Kâoos +was found in a solitary cell, chained to the +ground. He recognised Roostem, and bursting into +tears, pressed his deliverer to his bosom. Roostem +immediately began to knock off his chains. The +noise occasioned by this awoke the Deevs, whose +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>147]</a></span> +leader, Beedâr-Reng, advanced to seize Roostem; +but the appearance and threats of the latter so +overawed him that he consented to purchase his own +safety by the instant release of the Persian king +and all his followers.</p> + +<p>After this achievement Roostem proceeded to the +last and greatest of his labours, the attack of the +Deev-e-Seffeed. Oulâd told him that the Deevs +watched and feasted during the night, but slept +during the heat of the day, hating (according to +our narrator) the sunbeams. Roostem, as he advanced, +saw an immense army drawn out; he +thought it better, before he attacked them, to refresh +himself by some repose. Having laid himself +down, he soon fell into a sound sleep, and at daylight +he awoke quite refreshed. As soon as the +sun became warm, he rushed into the camp. The +heavy blows of his mace soon awoke the surprised +and slumbering guards of the Deev-e-Seffeed; they +collected in myriads, hoping to impede his progress, +but all in vain. The rout became general, and +none escaped but those who fled from the field of +battle.</p> + +<p>When this army was dispersed, Roostem went in +search of the Deev-e-Seffeed, who, ignorant of the +fate of his followers, slumbered in the recess of a +cavern, the entrance to which looked so dark and +gloomy that the Persian hero hesitated whether he +should advance; but the noise of his approach had +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>148]</a></span> +roused his enemy, who came forth, clothed in complete +armour. His appearance was terrible; but +Roostem, recommending his soul to God, struck a +desperate blow, which separated the leg of the Deev +from his body. This would on common occasions +have terminated the contest, but far different was +the result on the present. Irritated to madness by +the loss of a limb, the monster seized his enemy in +his arms, and endeavoured to throw him down. +The struggle was for some time doubtful; but +Roostem, collecting all his strength, by a wondrous +effort dashed his foe to the ground, and seizing him +by one of the horns, unsheathed his dagger and +stabbed him to the heart. The Deev-e-Seffeed +instantly expired; and Roostem, on looking round +to the entrance of the cavern, from whence the +moment before he had seen numberless Deevs issuing +to the aid of their lord, perceived they were all +dead. Oulâd, who stood at a prudent distance +from the scene of combat, now advanced and informed +the hero that the lives of all the Deevs +depended upon that of their chief. When he was +slain, the spell which created and preserved this +band was broken, and they all expired.</p> + +<p>Roostem found little difficulty after these seven +days of toil, of danger, and of glory, in compelling +Mazenderan to submit to Persia. The king of the +country was slain, and Oulâd was appointed its +governor as a reward for his fidelity.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>149]</a></span> +The success of his arms had raised Ky-Kâoos to +the very plenitude of power; not only men, but +Deevs, obeyed his mandates. The latter he employed +in building palaces of crystal, emeralds, and +rubies, till at last they became quite tired of their +toil and abject condition. They sought, therefore, +to destroy him; and to effect this they consulted +with the devil, who, to forward the object, instructed +a Deev, called Dizjkheem, to go to Ky-Kâoos and +raise in his mind a passion for astronomy, and to +promise him a nearer view of the celestial bodies +than had ever yet been enjoyed by mortal eyes. +The Deev fulfilled his commission with such success +that the king became quite wild with a desire to +attain perfection in this sublime science. The devil +then instructed Dizjkheem to train some young +vultures to carry a throne upwards; this was done +by placing spears round the throne, on the points of +which pieces of flesh were fixed in view of the vultures, +who were fastened at the bottom. These +voracious birds, in their efforts to reach the meat, +raised the throne.</p> + +<p>Though he mounted rapidly for a short time, +the vultures became exhausted, and finding their +efforts to reach the meat hopeless, discontinued +them; this altered the direction and equilibrium of +the machine, and it tossed to and fro. Ky-Kâoos +would have been cast headlong and killed had he +not clung to it. The vultures, not being able to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>150]</a></span> +disengage themselves, flew an immense way, and at +last landed the affrighted monarch in one of the +woods of China. Armies marched in every direction +to discover and release the sovereign, who, it was +believed, had again fallen into the hands of Deevs. +He was at last found and restored to his capital. +Roostem, we are told, upbraided his folly, saying—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Have you managed your affairs so well on earth<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That you must needs try your hand in those of heaven?”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>151]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap10" id="chap10"></a>THE MAN WHO NEVER LAUGHED.</h2> + + +<p>There was a man, of those possessed of houses and +riches, who had wealth and servants and slaves and +other possessions; and he departed from the world +to receive the mercy of God (whose name be exalted!), +leaving a young son. And when the son +grew up, he took to eating and drinking, and the +hearing of instruments of music and songs, and was +liberal and gave gifts, and expended the riches that +his father had left to him until all the wealth had +gone. He then betook himself to the sale of the +male black slaves, and the female slaves, and other +possessions, and expended all that he had of his +father’s wealth and other things, and became so +poor that he worked with the labourers. In this +state he remained for a period of years. While he +was sitting one day beneath a wall, waiting to see +who would hire him, lo! a man of comely countenance +and apparel drew near to him and saluted +him. So the youth said to him, “O uncle, hast +thou known me before now?” The man answered +him, “I have not known thee, O my son, at all; +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>152]</a></span> +but I see the traces of affluence upon thee, though +thou art in this condition.” The young man replied, +“O uncle, what fate and destiny have ordained +hath come to pass. But hast thou, O uncle, O +comely-faced, any business in which to employ +me?” The man said to him, “O my son, I desire +to employ thee in an easy business.” The youth +asked, “And what is it, O uncle?” And the man +answered him, “I have with me ten sheykhs in one +abode, and we have no one to perform our wants. +Thou shalt receive from us, of food and clothing, +what will suffice thee, and shalt serve us, and thou +shalt receive of us thy portion of benefits and +money. Perhaps, also, God will restore to thee +thine affluence by our means.” The youth therefore +replied, “I hear and obey.” The sheykh then +said to him, “I have a condition to impose upon +thee.” “And what is thy condition, O uncle?” +asked the youth. He answered him, “O my son, it +is that thou keep our secret with respect to the +things that thou shalt see us do; and when thou +seest us weep, that thou ask us not respecting the +cause of our weeping.” And the young man replied, +“Well, O uncle.”</p> + +<p>So the sheykh said to him, “O my son, come +with us, relying on the blessing of God (whose +name be exalted!).” And the young man followed +the sheykh until the latter conducted him to the +bath; after which he sent a man, who brought him +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>153]</a></span> +a comely garment of linen, and he clad him with it, +and went with him to his abode and his associates. +And when the young man entered, he found it to +be a high mansion, with lofty angles, ample, with +chambers facing one another, and saloons; and in +each saloon was a fountain of water, and birds were +warbling over it, and there were windows overlooking, +on every side, a beautiful garden within the +mansion. The sheykh conducted him into one of the +chambers, and he found it decorated with coloured +marbles, and its ceiling ornamented with blue and +brilliant gold, and it was spread with carpets of +silk; and he found in it ten sheykhs sitting facing +one another, wearing the garments of mourning, +weeping, and wailing. So the young man wondered +at their case, and was about to question the sheykh +who had brought him, but he remembered the +condition, and therefore withheld his tongue. Then +the sheykh committed to the young man a chest, +containing thirty thousand pieces of gold, saying to +him, “O my son, expend upon us out of this chest, +and upon thyself, according to what is just, and be +thou faithful, and take care of that wherewith I +have intrusted thee.” And the young man replied, +“I hear and obey.” He continued to expend upon +them for a period of days and nights, after which +one of them died; whereupon his companions took +him, and washed him and shrouded him, and buried +him in a garden behind the mansion. And death +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>154]</a></span> +ceased not to take of them one after another, until +there remained only the sheykh who had hired the +young man. So he remained with the young man +in that mansion, and there was not with them a +third; and they remained thus for a period of +years. Then the sheykh fell sick; and when the +young man despaired of his life, he addressed him +with courtesy, and was grieved for him, and said to +him, “O uncle, I have served you, and not failed in +your service one hour for a period of twelve years, +but have acted faithfully to you, and served you +according to my power and ability.” The sheykh +replied, “Yes, O my son, thou hast served us until +these sheykhs have been taken unto God (to whom +be ascribed might and glory!), and we must inevitably +die.” And the young man said, “O my master, +thou art in a state of peril, and I desire of thee that +thou inform me what hath been the cause of your +weeping, and the continuance of your wailing and +your mourning and your sorrow.” He replied, “O +my son, thou hast no concern with that, and require +me not to do what I am unable; for I have begged +God (whose name be exalted!) not to afflict any +one with my affliction. Now if thou desire to be +safe from that into which we have fallen, open not +that door,” and he pointed to it with his hand, and +cautioned him against it; “and if thou desire that +what hath befallen us should befall thee, open it, +and thou wilt know the cause of that which thou +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>155]</a></span> +hast beheld in our conduct; but thou wilt repent, +when repentance will not avail thee.” Then the +illness increased upon the sheykh, and he died; +and the young man washed him with his own +hands, and shrouded him, and buried him by his +companions.</p> + +<p>He remained in that place, possessing it and all +the treasure; but notwithstanding this, he was +uneasy, reflecting upon the conduct of the sheykhs. +And while he was meditating one day upon the +words of the sheykh, and his charge to him not to +open the door, it occurred to his mind that he +might look at it. So he went in that direction, +and searched until he saw an elegant door, over +which the spider had woven its webs, and upon it +were four locks of steel. When he beheld it, he +remembered how the sheykh had cautioned him, +and he departed from it. His soul desired him to +open the door, and he restrained it during a period +of seven days; but on the eighth day his soul overcame +him, and he said, “I must open that door, and +see what will happen to me in consequence; for +nothing will repel what God (whose name be +exalted!) decreeth and predestineth, and no event +will happen but by His will.” Accordingly he arose +and opened the door, after he had broken the locks. +And when he had opened the door he saw a narrow +passage, along which he walked for the space of +three hours; and lo! he came forth upon the bank +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>156]</a></span> +of a great river. At this the young man wondered. +And he walked along the bank, looking to the right +and left; and behold! a great eagle descended from +the sky, and taking up the young man with its +talons, it flew with him, between heaven and earth, +until it conveyed him to an island in the midst of +the sea. There it threw him down, and departed +from him.</p> + +<p>So the young man was perplexed at his case, not +knowing whither to go; but while he was sitting +one day, lo! the sail of a vessel appeared to him +upon the sea, like the star in the sky; wherefore +the heart of the young man became intent upon the +vessel, in the hope that his escape might be effected +in it. He continued looking at it until it came +near unto him; and when it arrived, he beheld a +bark of ivory and ebony, the oars of which were +of sandal-wood and aloes-wood, and the whole of it +was encased with plates of brilliant gold. There +were also in it ten damsels, virgins, like moons. +When the damsels saw him, they landed to him +from the bark, and kissed his hands, saying to him, +“Thou art the king, the bridegroom.” Then there +advanced to him a damsel who was like the shining +sun in the clear sky, having in her hand a kerchief +of silk, in which were a royal robe, and a crown of +gold set with varieties of jacinths. Having advanced +to him, she clad him and crowned him; +after which the damsels carried him in their arms +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>157]</a></span> +to the bark, and he found in it varieties of carpets +of silk of divers colours. They then spread the +sails, and proceeded over the depths of the sea.</p> + +<p>“Now when I proceeded with them,” says the +young man, “I felt sure that this was a dream, and +knew not whither they were going with me. And +when they came in sight of the land, I beheld it +filled with troops, the number of which none knew +but God (whose perfection be extolled, and whose +name be exalted!) clad in coats of mail. They +brought forward to me five marked horses, with +saddles of gold, set with varieties of pearls and +precious stones; and I took a horse from among +these and mounted it. The four others proceeded +with me; and when I mounted, the ensigns and +banners were set up over my head, the drums and +the cymbals were beaten, and the troops disposed +themselves in two divisions, right and left. I +wavered in opinion as to whether I were asleep +or awake, and ceased not to advance, not believing +in the reality of my stately procession, but imagining +that it was the result of confused dreams, until +we came in sight of a verdant meadow, in which +were palaces and gardens, and trees and rivers and +flowers, and birds proclaiming the perfection of God, +the One, the Omnipotent. And now there came +forth an army from among those palaces and +gardens, like the torrent when it poureth down, +until it filled the meadow. When the troops drew +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>158]</a></span> +near to me, they hailed, and lo! a king advanced +from among them, riding alone, preceded by some +of his chief officers walking.”</p> + +<p>The king, on approaching the young man, alighted +from his courser; and the young man, seeing him +do so, alighted also; and they saluted each other +with the most courteous salutation. Then they +mounted their horses again, and the king said to +the young man, “Accompany us; for thou art my +guest.” So the young man proceeded with him, +and they conversed together, while the stately trains +in orderly disposition went on before them to the +palace of the king, where they alighted, and all of +them entered, together with the king and the young +man, the young man’s hand being in the hand of the +king, who thereupon seated him on the throne of +gold and seated himself beside him. When the +king removed the litham from his face, lo! this +supposed king was a damsel, like the shining sun in +the clear sky, a lady of beauty and loveliness, and +elegance and perfection, and conceit and amorous +dissimulation. The young man beheld vast affluence +and great prosperity, and wondered at the beauty +and loveliness of the damsel. Then the damsel said +to him, “Know, O king, that I am the queen of +this land, and all these troops that thou hast seen, +including every one, whether of cavalry or infantry, +are women. There are not among them any men. +The men among us, in this land, till and sow and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>159]</a></span> +reap, employing themselves in the cultivation of the +land, and the building and repairing of the towns, +and in attending to the affairs of the people, by the +pursuit of every kind of art and trade; but as to the +women, they are the governors and magistrates and +soldiers.” And the young man wondered at this +extremely. And while they were thus conversing, +the vizier entered; and lo! she was a grey-haired +old woman, having a numerous retinue, of venerable +and dignified appearance; and the queen said to her, +“Bring to us the Kádee and the witnesses.” So +the old woman went for that purpose. And the +queen turned towards the young man, conversing +with him and cheering him, and dispelling his fear +by kind words; and, addressing him courteously, she +said to him, “Art thou content for me to be thy +wife?” And thereupon he arose and kissed the +ground before her; but she forbade him; and he +replied, “O my mistress, I am less than the servants +who serve thee.” She then said to him, “Seest +thou not these servants and soldiers and wealth and +treasures and hoards?” He answered her, “Yes.” +And she said to him, “All these are at thy disposal; +thou shalt make use of them, and give and bestow +as seemeth fit to thee.” Then she pointed to a +closed door, and said to him, “All these things thou +shalt dispose of; but this door thou shalt not open; +for if thou open it, thou wilt repent, when repentance +will not avail thee.” Her words were not +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>160]</a></span> +ended when the vizier, with the Kádee and the +witnesses, entered, and all of them were old women, +with their hair spreading over their shoulders, and +of venerable and dignified appearance. When they +came before the queen, she ordered them to perform +the ceremony of the marriage-contract. So +they married her to the young man. And she prepared +the banquets and collected the troops; and +when they had eaten and drunk, the young man +took her as his wife. And he resided with her +seven years, passing the most delightful, comfortable, +and agreeable life.</p> + +<p>But he meditated one day upon opening the door, +and said, “Were it not that there are within it +great treasures, better than what I have seen, she +had not prohibited me from opening it.” He then +arose and opened the door, and lo! within it was +the bird that had carried him from the shore of the +great river, and deposited him upon the island. +When the bird beheld him, it said to him, “No +welcome to a face that will never be happy!” So, +when he saw it and heard its words, he fled from it; +but it followed him and carried him off, and flew +with him between heaven and earth for the space of +an hour, and at length deposited him in the place +from which it had carried him away; after which it +disappeared. He thereupon sat in that place, and, +returning to his reason, he reflected upon what he +had seen of affluence and glory and honour, and the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>161]</a></span> +riding of the troops before him, and commanding +and forbidding; and he wept and wailed. He +remained upon the shore of the great river, where +that bird had put him, for the space of two months, +wishing that he might return to his wife; but while +he was one night awake, mourning and meditating, +some one spoke (and he heard his voice, but saw +not his person), calling out, “How great were the +delights! Far, far from thee is the return of what +is passed! And how many therefore will be the +sighs!” So when the young man heard it, he +despaired of meeting again that queen, and of the +return to him of the affluence in which he had been +living. He then entered the mansion where the +sheykhs had resided, and knew that they had experienced +the like of that which had happened unto +him, and that this was the cause of their weeping +and their mourning; wherefore he excused them. +Grief and anxiety came upon the young man, and +he entered his chamber, and ceased not to weep and +moan, relinquishing food and drink and pleasant +scents and laughter, until he died; and he was +buried by the side of the sheykhs.</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>162]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap11" id="chap11"></a>THE FOX AND THE WOLF.</h2> + + +<p>A fox and a wolf inhabited the same den, resorting +thither together, and thus they remained a long +time. But the wolf oppressed the fox; and it so +happened that the fox counselled the wolf to assume +benignity, and to abandon wickedness, saying to +him, “If thou persevere in thine arrogance, probably +God will give power over thee to a son of Adam; +for he is possessed of stratagems, and artifice, and +guile; he captureth the birds from the sky, and the +fish from the sea, and cutteth the mountains and +transporteth them; and all this he accomplisheth +through his stratagems. Betake thyself, therefore, +to the practice of equity, and relinquish evil and +oppression; for it will be more pleasant to thy +taste.” The wolf, however, received not his advice; +on the contrary, he returned him a rough reply, +saying to him, “Thou hast no right to speak on +matters of magnitude and importance.” He then +gave the fox such a blow that he fell down senseless; +and when he recovered, he smiled in the wolf’s face, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>163]</a></span> +apologising for his shameful words, and recited these +two verses:—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“If I have been faulty in my affection for you, and committed a deed of a shameful nature,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I repent of my offence, and your clemency will extend to the evildoer who craveth forgiveness.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>So the wolf accepted his apology, and ceased from +ill-treating him, but said to him, “Speak not of that +which concerneth thee not, lest thou hear that which +will not please thee.” The fox replied, “I hear and +obey. I will abstain from that which pleaseth thee +not; for the sage hath said, ‘Offer not information +on a subject respecting which thou art not questioned; +and reply not to words when thou art not +invited; leave what concerneth thee not, to attend +to that which <em>doth</em> concern thee; and lavish not +advice upon the evil, for they will recompense thee +for it with evil.’”</p> + +<p>When the wolf heard these words of the fox, he +smiled in his face; but he meditated upon employing +some artifice against him, and said, “I must strive to +effect the destruction of this fox.” As to the fox, +however, he bore patiently the injurious conduct of +the wolf, saying within himself, “Verily, insolence +and calumny occasion destruction, and betray one +into perplexity; for it hath been said, ‘He who is +insolent suffereth injury, and he who is ignorant +repenteth, and he who feareth is safe: moderation +is one of the qualities of the noble, and good +manners are the noblest gain.’ It is advisable to +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>164]</a></span> +behave with dissimulation towards this tyrant, and +he will inevitably be overthrown.” He then said +to the wolf, “Verily the Lord pardoneth and +becometh propitious unto His servant when he hath +sinned; and I am a weak slave, and have committed +a transgression in offering thee advice. Had I +foreknown the pain that I have suffered from thy +blow, I had known that the elephant could not +withstand nor endure it; but I will not complain of +the pain of that blow, on account of the happiness +that hath resulted unto me from it; for, if it had a +severe effect upon me, its result was happiness; and +the sage hath said, ‘The beating inflicted by the +preceptor is at first extremely grievous; but in the +end it is sweeter than clarified honey!’” So the +wolf said, “I forgive thine offence, and cancel thy +fault; but beware of my power, and confess thyself +my slave; for thou hast experienced my severity +unto him who showeth me hostility.” The fox, +therefore, prostrated himself before him, saying to +him, “May God prolong thy life, and mayest thou +not cease to subdue him who opposeth thee!” And +he continued to fear the wolf, and to dissemble +towards him.</p> + +<p>After this the fox went one day to a vineyard, +and saw in its wall a breach; but he suspected it, +saying unto himself, “There must be some cause for +this breach, and it hath been said, ‘Whoso seeth a +hole in the ground, and doth not shun it, and be +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>165]</a></span> +cautious of advancing to it boldly, exposeth himself +to danger and destruction.’ It is well known that +some men make a figure of the fox in the vineyard, +and even put before it grapes in plates, in order +that a fox may see it, and advance to it, and fall +into destruction. Verily I regard this breach as a +snare; and it hath been said, ‘Caution is the half +of cleverness.’ Caution requireth me to examine this +breach, and to see if I can find there anything that +may lead to perdition. Covetousness doth not +induce me to throw myself into destruction.” He +then approached it, and, going round about examining +it warily, beheld it; and lo! there was a +deep pit, which the owner of the vineyard had dug +to catch in it the wild beasts that despoiled the +vines; and he observed over it a slight covering. +So he drew back from it, and said, “Praise be to +God that I regarded it with caution! I hope that +my enemy, the wolf, who hath made my life miserable, +may fall into it, so that I alone may enjoy +absolute power over the vineyard, and live in it +securely.” Then, shaking his head, and uttering a +loud laugh, he merrily sang these verses—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Would that I beheld at the present moment in this well a wolf,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Who hath long afflicted my heart, and made me drink bitterness perforce!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Would that my life might be spared, and that the wolf might meet his death!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then the vineyard would be free from his presence, and I should find in it my spoil.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>166]</a></span> +Having finished his song, he hurried away until +he came to the wolf, when he said to him, “Verily +God hath smoothed for thee the way to the vineyard +without fatigue. This hath happened through +thy good fortune. Mayest thou enjoy, therefore, +that to which God hath granted thee access, in +smoothing thy way to that plunder and that abundant +sustenance without any difficulty!” So the +wolf said to the fox, “What is the proof of that +which thou hast declared?” The fox answered, +“I went to the vineyard, and found that its owner +had died; and I entered the garden, and beheld the +fruits shining upon the trees.”</p> + +<p>So the wolf doubted not the words of the fox, +and in his eagerness he arose and went to the breach. +His cupidity had deceived him with vain hopes, +and the fox stopped and fell down behind him as +one dead, applying this verse as a proverb suited to +the case—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Dost thou covet an interview with Leyla? It is covetousness that causeth the loss of men’s heads.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>When the wolf came to the breach, the fox said +to him, “Enter the vineyard; for thou art spared +the trouble of breaking down the wall of the garden, +and it remaineth for God to complete the benefit.” +So the wolf walked forward, desiring to enter the +vineyard, and when he came to the middle of the +covering of the hole, he fell into it; whereupon the +fox was violently excited by happiness and joy, his +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>167]</a></span> +anxiety and grief ceased, and in merry tones he +sang these verses—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Fortune hath compassionated my case, and felt pity for the length of my torment,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And granted me what I desired, and removed that which I dreaded.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I will, therefore, forgive its offences committed in former times;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Even the injustice it hath shown in the turning of my hair grey.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">There is no escape for the wolf from utter annihilation;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the vineyard is for me alone, and I have no stupid partner.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>He then looked into the pit, and beheld the wolf +weeping in his repentance and sorrow for himself, +and the fox wept with him. So the wolf raised his +head towards him, and said, “Is it from thy compassion +for me that thou hast wept, O Abu-l-Hoseyn?” +“No,” answered the fox, “by him who +cast thee into this pit; but I weep for the length of +thy past life, and in my regret at thy not having +fallen into this pit before the present day. Hadst +thou fallen into it before I met with thee, I had +experienced refreshment and ease. But thou hast +been spared to the expiration of thy decreed term +and known period.” The wolf, however, said to +him, “Go, O evildoer, to my mother, and acquaint +her with that which hath happened to me; perhaps +she will contrive some means for my deliverance.” +But the fox replied, “The excess of thy covetousness +and eager desire has entrapped thee into +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>168]</a></span> +destruction, since thou hast fallen into a pit from +which thou wilt never be saved. Knowest thou +not, O ignorant wolf, that the author of the proverb +saith, ‘He who thinks not of results will not be +secure from perils?’” “O Abu-l-Hoseyn!” rejoined +the wolf, “thou wast wont to manifest an affection +for me, and to desire my friendship, and fear the +greatness of my power. Be not, then, rancorous +towards me for that which I have done unto thee; +for he who hath one in his power, and yet forgiveth, +will receive a recompense from God, and the poet +hath said—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“‘Sow good, even on an unworthy soil; for it will not be fruitless wherever it is sown.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Verily, good, though it remained long buried, none will reap but him who sowed it.’”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“O most ignorant of the beasts of prey!” said the +fox, “and most stupid of the wild beasts of the +regions of the earth, hast thou forgotten thy haughtiness, +and insolence, and pride, and thy disregarding +the rights of companionship, and thy refusing to be +advised by the saying of the poet?—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“‘Tyrannise not, if thou hast the power to do so; for the tyrannical is in danger of revenge,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thine eye will sleep while the oppressed, wakeful, will call down curses on thee, and God’s eye sleepeth not.’”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“O Abu-l-Hoseyn!” exclaimed the wolf, “be not +angry with me for my former offences, for forgiveness +is required of the generous, and kind conduct +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>169]</a></span> +is among the best means of enriching one’s-self. How +excellent is the saying of the poet—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“‘Haste to do good when thou art able; for at every season thou hast not the power.’”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>He continued to abase himself to the fox, and +said to him, “Perhaps thou canst find some means +of delivering me from destruction.” But the fox +replied, “O artful, guileful, treacherous wolf! hope +not for deliverance; for this is the recompense of +thy base conduct, and a just retaliation.” Then, +shaking his jaws with laughing, he recited these +two verses—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“No longer attempt to beguile me; for thou wilt not attain thy object.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">What thou seekest from me is impossible. Thou hast sown, and reap, then, vexation.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“O gentle one among the beasts of prey!” resumed +the wolf, “thou art in my estimation more +faithful than to leave me in this pit.” He then +shed tears, and repeated this couplet—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“O thou whose favours to me have been many, and whose gifts have been more than can be numbered!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">No misfortune hath ever yet befallen me but I have found thee ready to aid me in it.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The fox replied, “O stupid enemy, how art thou +reduced to humility, submissiveness, abjectness, and +obsequiousness, after thy disdain, pride, tyranny, +and haughtiness! I kept company with thee +through fear of thine oppression, and flattered thee +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>170]</a></span> +without a hope of conciliating thy kindness; but +now terror hath affected thee, and punishment +hath overtaken thee.” And he recited these two +verses—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“O thou who seekest to beguile! thou hast fallen in thy base intention.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Taste, then, the pain of shameful calamity, and be with other wolves cut off.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The wolf still entreated him, saying, “O gentle +one! speak not with the tongue of enmity, nor look +with its eye; but fulfil the covenant of fellowship +with me before the time for discovering a remedy +shall have passed. Arise and procure for me a +rope, and tie one end of it to a tree, and let down +to me its other end, that I may lay hold of it. +Perhaps I may so escape from my present predicament, +and I will give thee all the treasures that I +possess.” The fox, however, replied, “Thou hast +prolonged a conversation that will not procure thy +liberation. Hope not, therefore, for thy escape +through my means; but reflect upon thy former +wicked conduct, and the perfidy and artifice which +thou thoughtest to employ against me, and how +near thou art to being stoned. Know that thy soul +is about to quit the world, and to perish and depart +from it: then wilt thou be reduced to destruction, +and an evil abode is it to which thou goest!” +“O Abu-l-Hoseyn!” rejoined the wolf, “be ready in +returning to friendship, and be not so rancorous. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>171]</a></span> +Know that he who delivereth a soul from destruction +hath saved it alive, and he who saveth a soul +alive is as if he had saved the lives of all mankind. +Follow not a course of evil, for the wise abhor it; +and there is no evil more manifest than my being +in this pit, drinking the suffocating pains of death, +and looking upon destruction, when thou art able +to deliver me from the misery into which I have +fallen.” But the fox exclaimed, “O thou barbarous, +hard-hearted wretch! I compare thee, with respect +to the fairness of thy professions and the baseness +of thine intention, to the falcon with the partridge.” +“And what,” asked the wolf, “is the story of the +falcon and the partridge?”</p> + +<p>The fox answered, “I entered a vineyard one day +to eat of its grapes, and while I was there, I beheld +a falcon pounce upon a partridge; but when he had +captured him, the partridge escaped from him and +entered his nest, and concealed himself in it; +whereupon the falcon followed him, calling out to +him, ‘O idiot! I saw thee in the desert hungry, and, +feeling compassion for thee, I gathered for thee +some grain, and took hold of thee that thou +mightest eat; but thou fleddest from me, and I see +no reason for thy flight unless it be to mortify. +Show thyself, then, and take the grain that I have +brought thee and eat it, and may it be light and +wholesome to thee.’ So when the partridge heard +these words of the falcon, he believed him and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>172]</a></span> +came forth to him; and the falcon stuck his talons +into him, and got possession of him. The partridge +therefore said to him, ‘Is this that of which thou +saidst that thou hadst brought for me from the +desert, and of which thou saidst to me, “Eat it, and +may it be light and wholesome to thee?” Thou +hast lied unto me; and may God make that which +thou eatest of my flesh to be a mortal poison in thy +stomach!’ And when he had eaten it, his feathers +fell off, and his strength failed, and he forthwith +died.”</p> + +<p>The fox then continued, “Know, O wolf, that he +who diggeth a pit for his brother soon falleth into +it himself; and thou behavedst with perfidy to me +first.” “Cease,” replied the wolf, “from addressing +me with this discourse, and propounding fables, and +mention not unto me my former base actions. It is +enough for me to be in this miserable state, since I +have fallen into a calamity for which the enemy +would pity me, much more the true friend. Consider +some stratagem by means of which I may save +myself, and so assist me. If the doing this occasion +thee trouble, thou knowest that the true friend +endureth for his own true friend the severest labour, +and will suffer destruction in obtaining his deliverance; +and it hath been said, ‘An affectionate friend +is even better than a brother.’ If thou procure +means for my escape, I will collect for thee such +things as shall be a store for thee against the time +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>173]</a></span> +of want, and then I will teach thee extraordinary +stratagems by which thou shalt make the plenteous +vineyards accessible, and shalt strip the fruitful +trees: so be happy and cheerful.” But the fox +said, laughing as he spoke, “How excellent is that +which the learned have said of him who is excessively +ignorant like thee!” “And what have the +learned said?” asked the wolf. The fox answered, +“The learned have observed that the rude in body +and in disposition is far from intelligence, and nigh +unto ignorance; for thine assertion, O perfidious +idiot! that the true friend undergoeth trouble for +the deliverance of his own true friend is just as +thou hast said; but acquaint me, with thine ignorance +and thy paucity of sense, how I should bear +sincere friendship towards thee with thy treachery. +Hast thou considered me a true friend unto thee +when I am an enemy who rejoiceth in thy misfortune? +These words are more severe than the +piercing of arrows, if thou understand. And as to +thy saying that thou wilt give me such things as +will be a store for me against the time of want, and +will teach me stratagems by which I shall obtain +access to the plenteous vineyards and strip the +fruitful trees—how is it, O guileful traitor! that +thou knowest not a stratagem by means of which to +save thyself from destruction? How far, then, art +thou from profiting thyself, and how far am I from +receiving thine advice? If thou know of stratagems, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>174]</a></span> +employ them to save thyself from this predicament +from which I pray God to make thine escape far +distant. See, then, O idiot! if thou know any +stratagem, and save thyself by its means from +slaughter, before thou lavish instruction upon +another. But thou art like a man whom a disease +attacked, and to whom there came a man suffering +from the same disease to cure him, saying to him, +‘Shall I cure thee of thy disease?’ The first man, +therefore, said to the other, ‘Why hast thou not +begun by curing thyself?’ So he left him and went +his way. And thou, O wolf, art in the same case. +Remain, then, in thy place, and endure that which +hath befallen thee.”</p> + +<p>Now when the wolf heard these words of the fox, +he knew that he had no kindly feeling for him; so +he wept for himself, and said, “I have been careless +of myself; but if God deliver me from this affliction, +I will assuredly repent of my overbearing conduct +unto him that is weaker than I; and I will certainly +wear wool, and ascend the mountains, commemorating +the praises of God (whose name be +exalted!) and fearing His punishment; and I will +separate myself from all the other wild beasts, and +verily I will feed the warriors in defence of the religion +and the poor.” Then he wept and lamented; +and thereupon the heart of the fox was moved with +tenderness for him. On hearing his humble expressions, +and the words which indicated his repenting +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>175]</a></span> +of arrogance and pride, he was affected with compassion +for him, and, leaping with joy, placed himself +at the brink of the pit, and sat upon his hind-legs +and hung down his tail into the cavity. Upon +this the wolf arose, and stretched forth his paw +towards the fox’s tail, and pulled him down to him; +so the fox was with him in the pit. The wolf then +said to him, “O fox of little compassion! wherefore +didst thou rejoice in my misfortune? Now thou hast +become my companion, and in my power. Thou +hast fallen into the pit with me, and punishment +hath quickly overtaken thee. The sages have said, +‘If any one of you reproach his brother for deriving +his nourishment from miserable means, he shall +experience the same necessity,’ and how excellent +is the saying of the poet—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“‘When fortune throweth itself heavily upon some, and encampeth by the side of others,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Say to those who rejoice over us, “Awake: the rejoicers over us shall suffer as <em>we</em> have done.”’<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“I must now,” he continued, “hasten thy slaughter, +before thou beholdest mine.” So the fox said within +himself, “I have fallen into the snare with this +tyrant, and my present case requireth the employment +of artifice and frauds. It hath been said that +the woman maketh her ornaments for the day of +festivity; and, in a proverb, ‘I have not reserved +thee, O my tear, but for the time of my difficulty!’ +and if I employ not some stratagem in the affair of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>176]</a></span> +this tyrannical wild beast, I perish inevitably. How +good is the saying of the poet—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“‘Support thyself by guile; for thou livest in an age whose sons are like the lions of the forest;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And brandish around the spear of artifice, that the mill of subsistence may revolve;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And pluck the fruits; or if they be beyond thy reach, then content thyself with herbage.’”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>He then said to the wolf, “Hasten not to kill +me, lest thou repent, O courageous wild beast, +endowed with might and excessive fortitude! If +thou delay, and consider what I am about to tell +thee, thou wilt know the desire that I formed; and +if thou hasten to kill me, there will be no profit to +thee in thy doing so, but we shall die here together.” +So the wolf said, “O thou wily deceiver! how is it +that thou hopest to effect my safety and thine own, +that thou askest me to give thee a delay? Acquaint +me with the desire that thou formedst.” The fox +replied, “As to the desire that I formed, it was +such as requireth thee to recompense me for it well, +since, when I heard thy promises, and thy confession +of thy past conduct, and thy regret at not having +before repented and done good; and when I heard +thy vows to abstain from injurious conduct to thy +companions and others, and to relinquish the eating +of the grapes and all other fruits, and to impose +upon thyself the obligation of humility, and to clip +thy claws and break thy dog-teeth, and to wear +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>177]</a></span> +wool and offer sacrifice to God (whose name be +exalted!) if He delivered thee from thy present +state, I was affected with compassion for thee, though +I was before longing for thy destruction. So when +I heard thy profession of repentance, and what thou +vowedst to do if God delivered thee, I felt constrained +to save thee from thy present predicament. +I therefore hung down my tail that thou mightest +catch hold of it and make thine escape. But thou +wouldst not relinquish thy habit of severity and +violence, nor desire escape and safety for thyself by +gentleness. On the contrary, thou didst pull me +in such a way that I thought my soul had departed, +so I became a companion with thee of the abode of +destruction and death; and nothing will effect the +escape of myself and thee but one plan. If thou +approve of this plan that I have to propose, we shall +both save ourselves; and after that, it will be +incumbent on thee to fulfil that which thou hast +vowed to do, and I will be thy companion.” So +the wolf said, “And what is thy proposal that I am +to accept?” The fox answered, “That thou raise +thyself upright; then I will place myself upon thy +head, that I may approach the surface of the earth, +and when I am upon its surface I will go forth and +bring thee something of which to take hold, and +after that thou wilt deliver thyself.” But the wolf +replied, “I put no confidence in thy words; for the +sages have said, ‘He who confideth when he should +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>178]</a></span> +hate is in error’; and it hath been said, ‘He who +confideth in the faithless is deceived, and he who +maketh trial of the trier will repent.’ How excellent +also is the saying of the poet—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“‘Let not your opinion be otherwise than evil; for ill opinion is among the strongest of intellectual qualities.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Nothing casteth a man into a place of danger like the practice of good, and a fair opinion!’<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“And the saying of another—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“‘Always hold an evil opinion, and so be safe.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Whoso liveth vigilantly, his calamities will be few.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Meet the enemy with a smiling and an open face; but raise for him an army in the heart to combat him.’<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“And that of another—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“‘The most bitter of thine enemies is the nearest whom thou trustest in: beware then of men, and associate with them wilily.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thy favourable opinion of fortune is a weakness: think evil of it, therefore, and regard it with apprehension!’”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“Verily,” rejoined the fox, “an evil opinion is +not commendable in every case; but a fair opinion +is among the characteristics of excellence, and its +result is escape from terrors. It is befitting, O wolf, +that thou employ some stratagem for thine escape +from the present predicament; and it will be better +for us both to escape than to die. Relinquish, +therefore, thine evil opinion and thy malevolence; +for if thou think favourably of me, I shall not fail +to do one of two things; either I shall bring thee +something of which to lay hold, and thou wilt escape +from thy present situation, or I shall act perfidiously +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>179]</a></span> +towards thee, and save myself and leave thee; but +this is a thing that cannot be, for I am not secured +from meeting with some such affliction as that which +thou hast met with, and that would be the punishment +of perfidy. It hath been said in a proverb, +‘Fidelity is good, and perfidy is base.’ It is fit, +then, that thou trust in me, for I have not been +ignorant of misfortunes. Delay not, therefore, to +contrive our escape, for the affair is too strait for +thee to prolong thy discourse upon it.”</p> + +<p>The wolf then said, “Verily, notwithstanding my +little confidence in thy fidelity, I knew what was in +thy heart, that thou desiredst my deliverance when +thou wast convinced of my repentance; and I said +within myself, ‘If he be veracious in that which he +asserteth, he hath made amends for his wickedness; +and if he be false, he will be recompensed +by his Lord.’ So now I accept thy proposal to +me, and if thou act perfidiously towards me, thy +perfidy will be the means of thy destruction.” Then +the wolf raised himself upright in the pit, and took +the fox upon his shoulders, so that his head reached +the surface of the ground. The fox thereupon +sprang from the wolf’s shoulders, and found himself +upon the face of the earth, when he fell down +senseless. The wolf now said to him, “O my friend! +forget not my case, nor delay my deliverance.”</p> + +<p>The fox, however, uttered a loud laugh, and +replied, “O thou deceived! it was nothing but my +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>180]</a></span> +jesting with thee and deriding thee that entrapped +me into thy power; for when I heard thy profession +of repentance, joy excited me, and I was moved +with delight, and danced, and my tail hung down +into the pit; so thou didst pull me, and I fell +by thee. Then God (whose name be exalted!) +delivered me from thy hand. Wherefore, then, +should I not aid in thy destruction when thou art +of the associates of the devil? Know that I dreamt +yesterday that I was dancing at thy wedding, and I +related the dream to an interpreter, who said to me, +‘Thou wilt fall into a frightful danger, and escape +from it.’ So I knew that my falling into thy +power and my escape was the interpretation of my +dream. Thou, too, knowest, O deceived idiot! that +I am thine enemy. How, then, dost thou hope, +with thy little sense and thine ignorance, that I will +deliver thee, when thou hast heard what rude +language I used? And how shall I endeavour to +deliver thee, when the learned have said that by +the death of the sinner are produced ease to mankind +and purgation of the earth? Did I not fear +that I should suffer, by fidelity to thee, such +affliction as would be greater than that which may +result from perfidy, I would consider upon means +for thy deliverance.” So when the wolf heard the +words of the fox, he bit his paw in repentance. He +then spoke softly to him, but obtained nothing +thereby. With a low voice he said to him, “Verily, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>181]</a></span> +you tribe of foxes are the sweetest of people in +tongue, and the most pleasant in jesting, and this +is jesting in thee; but every time is not convenient +for sport and joking.” “O idiot!” replied the fox, +“jesting hath a limit which its employer transgresseth +not. Think not that God will give thee +possession of me after He hath delivered me from +thy power.” The wolf then said to him, “Thou art +one in whom it is proper to desire my liberation, +on account of the former brotherhood and friendship +that subsisted between us; and if thou deliver me, +I will certainly recompense thee well.” But the +fox replied, “The sages have said, ‘Take not as thy +brother the ignorant and wicked, for he will +disgrace thee, and not honour thee; and take not as +thy brother the liar, for if good proceed from thee +he will hide it, and if evil proceed from thee he will +publish it!’ And the sages have said, ‘For everything +there is a stratagem, excepting death; and +everything may be rectified excepting the corruption +of the very essence; and everything may be repelled +excepting destiny.’ And as to the recompense +which thou assertest that I deserve of thee, I +compare thee, in thy recompensing, to the serpent +fleeing from the Háwee, when a man saw her in a +state of terror, and said to her, ‘What is the matter +with thee, O serpent?’ She answered, ‘I have +fled from the Háwee, for he seeketh me; and if +thou deliver me from him, and conceal me with +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>182]</a></span> +thee, I will recompense thee well, and do thee every +kindness.’ So the man took her, to obtain the +reward, and eager for the recompense, and put her +into his pocket; and when the Háwee had passed +and gone his way, and what she feared had quitted +her, the man said to her, ‘Where is the recompense, +for I have saved thee from that which thou fearedst +and didst dread?’ The serpent answered him, ‘Tell +me in what member I shall bite thee; for thou +knowest that we exceed not this recompense.’ She +then inflicted upon him a bite, from which he died. +And thee, O idiot!” continued the fox, “I compare +to that serpent with that man. Hast thou not +heard the saying of the poet?—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“‘Trust not a person in whose heart thou hast made anger to dwell, nor think his anger hath ceased.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Verily, the vipers, though smooth to the touch, show graceful motions, and hide mortal poison.’”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>“O eloquent and comely-faced animal!” rejoined +the wolf, “be not ignorant of my condition, and of +the fear with which mankind regard me. Thou +knowest that I assault the strong places, and strip +the vines. Do, therefore, what I have commanded +thee, and attend to me as the slave attendeth to his +master.” “O ignorant idiot! who seekest what is +vain,” exclaimed the fox, “verily I wonder at thy +stupidity, and at the roughness of thy manner, in +thine ordering me to serve thee and to stand before +thee as though I were a slave. But thou shalt soon +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>183]</a></span> +see what will befall thee, by the splitting of thy head +with stones, and the breaking of thy treacherous dog-teeth.”</p> + +<p>The fox then stationed himself upon a mound +overlooking the vineyard, and cried out incessantly +to the people of the vineyard until they perceived +him and came quickly to him. He remained steady +before them until they drew near unto him, +and unto the pit in which was the wolf, and +then he fled. So the owners of the vineyard +looked into the pit, and when they beheld the wolf +in it, they instantly pelted him with heavy stones, +and continued throwing stones and pieces of wood +upon him, and piercing him with the points of +spears, until they killed him, when they departed. +Then the fox returned to the pit, and standing over +the place of the wolf’s slaughter, saw him dead; +whereupon he shook his head in the excess of his +joy, and recited these verses—</p> + +<div class="cpoem"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">“Fate removed the wolf’s soul, and it was snatched away.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Far distant from happiness be his soul that hath perished.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">How long hast thou striven, Abos Tirhán, to destroy me!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But now have burning calamities befallen thee.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Thou hast fallen into a pit into which none shall descend without finding in it the blasts of death.”<br /></span> +</div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>After this the fox remained in the vineyard alone, +and in security, fearing no mischief.</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>184]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap12" id="chap12"></a>THE SHEPHERD AND THE JOGIE.</h2> + + +<p>It is related that during the reign of a king of +Cutch, named Lakeh, a Jogie lived, who was a wise +man, and wonderfully skilled in the preparation of +herbs. For years he had been occupied in searching +for a peculiar kind of grass, the roots of which +should be burnt, and a man be thrown into the +flames. The body so burnt would become gold, and +any of the members might be removed without the +body sustaining any loss, as the parts so taken +would always be self-restored.</p> + +<p>It so occurred that this Jogie, whilst following a +flock of goats, observed one amongst them eating of +the grass he was so anxious to procure. He immediately +rooted it up, and desired the shepherd who +was near to assist him in procuring firewood. +When he had collected the wood and kindled a +flame, into which the grass was thrown, the Jogie, +wishing to render the shepherd the victim of his +avarice, desired him, under some pretence, to make +a few circuits round the fire. The man, however, +suspecting foul play, watched his opportunity, and, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>185]</a></span> +seizing the Jogie himself, he threw him into the fire +and left him to be consumed. Next day, on returning +to the spot, great was his surprise to behold the +golden figure of a man lying amongst the embers. +He immediately chopped off one of the limbs and +hid it. The next day he returned to take another, +when his astonishment was yet greater to see that a +fresh limb had replaced the one already taken. In +short, the shepherd soon became wealthy, and revealed +the secret of his riches to the king, Lakeh, +who, by the same means, accumulated so much gold +that every day he was in the habit of giving one +lac and twenty-five thousand rupees in alms to +fakirs.</p> + + + +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>186]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="chap13" id="chap13"></a>THE PERFIDIOUS VIZIER.</h2> + + +<p>A king of former times had an only son, whom he +contracted in marriage to the daughter of another +king. But the damsel, who was endowed with +great beauty, had a cousin who had sought her in +marriage, and had been rejected; wherefore he sent +great presents to the vizier of the king just mentioned, +requesting him to employ some stratagem by +which to destroy his master’s son, or to induce him +to relinquish the damsel. The vizier consented. +Then the father of the damsel sent to the king’s +son, inviting him to come and introduce himself to +his daughter, to take her as his wife; and the +father of the young man sent him with the +treacherous vizier, attended by a thousand horsemen, +and provided with rich presents. When they +were proceeding over the desert, the vizier remembered +that there was near unto them a spring of +water called Ez-zahra, and that whosoever drank of +it, if he were a man, became a woman. He therefore +ordered the troops to alight near it, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>187]</a></span> +induced the prince to go thither with him. When +they arrived at the spring, the king’s son dismounted +from his courser, and washed his hands, +and drank; and lo! he became a woman; whereupon +he cried out and wept until he fainted. The +vizier asked him what had befallen him, so the +young man informed him; and on hearing his +words, the vizier affected to be grieved for him, and +wept. The king’s son then sent the vizier back to +his father to inform him of this event, determining +not to proceed nor to return until his affliction +should be removed from him, or until he should +die.</p> + +<p>He remained by the fountain during a period of +three days and nights, neither eating nor drinking, +and on the fourth night there came to him a horseman +with a crown upon his head, appearing like one +of the sons of the kings. This horseman said to +him, “Who brought you, O young man, unto this +place?” So the young man told him his story; +and when the horseman heard it, he pitied him, and +said to him, “The vizier of thy father is the person +who hath thrown thee into this calamity; for no +one of mankind knoweth of this spring excepting +one man.” Then the horseman ordered him to +mount with him. He therefore mounted; and the +horseman said to him, “Come with me to my +abode: for thou art my guest this night.” The +young man replied, “Inform me who thou art before +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>188]</a></span> +I go with thee.” And the horseman said, “I am +the son of a king of the Jinn, and thou art son +of a king of mankind. And now, be of good heart +and cheerful eye on account of that which shall +dispel thine anxiety and thy grief, for it is unto +me easy.”</p> + +<p>So the young man proceeded with him from the +commencement of the day, forsaking his troops and +soldiers (whom the vizier had left at their halting-place), +and ceased not to travel on with his conductor +until midnight, when the son of the king of +the Jinn said to him, “Knowest thou what space +we have traversed during this period?” The young +man answered him, “I know not.” The son of the +king of the Jinn said, “We have traversed a space +of a year’s journey to him who travelleth with +diligence.” So the young man wondered thereat, +and asked, “How shall I return to my family?” +The other answered, “This is not thine affair. It +is my affair; and when thou shalt have recovered +from thy misfortune, thou shalt return to thy family +in less time than the twinkling of an eye, for to +accomplish that will be to me easy.” The young +man, on hearing these words from the Jinnee, almost +flew with excessive delight. He thought that the +event was a result of confused dreams, and said, +“Extolled be the perfection of him who is able to +restore the wretched, and render him prosperous!” +They ceased not to proceed until morning, when +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>189]</a></span> +they arrived at a verdant, bright land, with tall +trees, and warbling birds, and gardens of surpassing +beauty, and fair palaces; and thereupon the son of +the king of the Jinn alighted from his courser, +commanding the young man also to dismount. He +therefore dismounted, and the Jinnee took him by +the hand, and they entered one of the palaces, where +the young man beheld an exalted king and a +sultan of great dignity, and he remained with them +that day, eating and drinking, until the approach of +night. Then the son of the king of the Jinn arose +and mounted with him, and they went forth, and +proceeded during the night with diligence until the +morning. And lo! they came to a black land, not +inhabited, abounding with black rocks and stones, +as though it were a part of hell; whereupon the +son of the king of men said to the Jinnee, “What is +the name of this land?” And he answered, “It is +called the Dusky Land, and belongeth to one of the +kings of the Jinn, whose name is Zu-l-Jenáheyn. +None of the kings can attack him, nor doth any one +enter his territory unless by his permission, so stop +in thy place while I ask his permission.” Accordingly +the young man stopped, and the Jinn was +absent from him for a while, and then returned +to him; and they ceased not to proceed until +they came to a spring flowing from black +mountains. The Jinnee said to the young man, +“Alight.” He therefore alighted from his courser, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>190]</a></span> +and the Jinnee said to him, “Drink of this +spring.”</p> + +<p>The young prince drank of it, and immediately +became again a man, as he was at first, by the +power of God (whose name be exalted!), whereat +he rejoiced with great joy, not to be exceeded. +And he said to the Jinn, “O my brother, +what is the name of this spring?” The Jinnee +answered, “It is called the Spring of the Women: +no woman drinketh of it but she becometh a +man; therefore praise God, and thank Him for +thy restoration, and mount thy courser.” So +the king’s son prostrated himself, thanking God +(whose name be exalted!). Then he mounted, +and they journeyed with diligence during the +rest of the day until they had returned to the +land of the Jinnee, and the young man passed the +night in his abode in the most comfortable manner; +after which they ate and drank until the next +night, when the son of the king of the Jinn said +to him, “Dost thou desire to return to thy family +this night?” The young man answered, “Yes.” +So the son of the king of the Jinn called one of his +father’s slaves, whose name was Rájiz, and said to +him, “Take this young man hence, and carry him +upon thy shoulders, and let not the dawn overtake +him before he is with his father-in-law and his +wife.” The slave replied, “I hear and obey, and +with feelings of love and honour will I do it.” +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>191]</a></span> +Then the slave absented himself for a while, and +approached in the form of an ’Efreet. And when the +young man saw him his reason fled, and he was +stupefied; but the son of the king of the Jinn said +to him, “No harm shall befall thee. Mount thy +courser. Ascend upon his shoulders.” The young +man then mounted upon the slave’s shoulders, and +the son of the king of the Jinn said to him, “Close +thine eyes.” So he closed his eyes, and the slave +flew with him between heaven and earth, and ceased +not to fly along with him while the young man +was unconscious, and the last third of the night +came not before he was on the top of the palace of +his father-in-law. Then the ’Efreet said to him, +“Alight.” He therefore alighted. And the ’Efreet +said to him, “Open thine eyes; for this is the palace +of thy father-in-law and his daughter.” Then he +left him and departed. And as soon as the day +shone, and the alarm of the young man subsided, +he descended from the roof of the palace; and when +his father-in-law beheld him, he rose to him and +met him, wondering at seeing him descend from the +top of the palace, and he said to him, “We see +other men come through the doors, but thou comest +down from the sky.” The young man replied, +“What God (whose perfection be extolled, and +whose name be exalted!) desired hath happened.” +And when the sun rose, his father-in-law ordered +his vizier to prepare great banquets, and the wedding +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>192]</a></span> +was celebrated; the young man remained there two +months, and then departed with his wife to the +city of his father. But as to the cousin of the +damsel, he perished by reason of his jealousy and +envy.</p> + + +<p class="center padtop padbase smlfont">——<br /> +Printed by <span class="smcap">T.</span> and <span class="smcap">A. Constable</span>, Printers to Her Majesty,<br /> +<i>at the Edinburgh University Press</i>.</p> + + + +<div class="bbox"> +<p><b>Transcriber's Note</b></p> + +<p>Minor punctuation errors have been repaired.</p> + +<p>Archaic and variable spelling, e.g. corse and corpse, is preserved as +printed where there was no predominance of one form over the other.</p> + +<p>"The Relations of Ssidi Kur" contains phrasing at the end of each +story, beginning with the word 'Ssarwala,' which is similar but not +identical each time it occurs. While two seemingly typographic errors +have been amended for consistency, the phrases are otherwise preserved +as printed in each case.</p> + +<p>The following amendments have been made, for consistency:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>Page <a href="#Page_21">21</a>—El-Yeman amended to El-Yemen—"... and while he +was proceeding over the deserts of El-Yemen ..."</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_58">58</a>—jackzang amended to jakzang—"... thou hast spoken +words:—Ssarwala missbrod jakzang! ..."</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_88">88</a>—Swarwala amended to Ssarwala—"Ssarwala missdood jakzang!"</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_115">115</a>—aerlic amended to aerliks—"And +the two aerliks (fiends) cried, ..."</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_118">118</a>—evil-doer amended to evildoer—"... That the +evildoer may be really discovered, ..."</p> +</div> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Folk-Lore and Legends: Oriental, by +Charles John Tibbitts + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOLK-LORE AND LEGENDS: ORIENTAL *** + +***** This file should be named 35334-h.htm or 35334-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/3/3/35334/ + +Produced by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier, Sam W. and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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