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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5242.txt b/5242.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dc2a5a1 --- /dev/null +++ b/5242.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8377 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales from the Arabic Volume 1, by John Payne +(#2 in our series by John Payne) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Tales from the Arabic Volume 1 + +Author: John Payne + +Release Date: March, 2004 [EBook #5242] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on June 10, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, TALES FROM THE ARABIC VOLUME 1 *** + + + + +Text scanned by JC Byers and proof read by the volunteers of the +Distributed Proofreaders site: http://charlz.dns2go.com/gutenberg/ + + + + TALES FROM THE ARABIC + + Of the Breslau and Calcutta (1814-18) editions of + + The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night + + not occurring in the other printed texts of the work, + + Now first done into English + + By John Payne + + In Three Volumes: + + + + VOLUME THE FIRST. + + + + 1901 + + Delhi Edition + + + Contents of The First Volume. + + + + Breslau Text. + +1. Asleep and Awake + a. Story of the Lackpenny and the Cook +2. The Khalif Omar Ben Abdulaziz and the Poets +3. El Hejjaj and the Three Young Men +4. Haroun Er Reshid and the Woman of the Barmecides +5. The Ten Viziers; or the History of King Azadbekht and His + Son + a. Of the Uselessness of Endeavour Against Persistent Ill + Fortune + i. Story of the Unlucky Merchant + b. Of Looking to the Issues of Affairs + i. Story of the Merchant and His Sons + c. Of the Advantages of Patience + i. Story of Abou Sabir + d. Of the Ill Effects of Precipitation + i. Story of Prince Bihzad + e. Of the Issues of Good and Evil Actions + i. Story of King Dadbin and His Viziers + f. Of Trust in God + i. Story of King Bexhtzeman + g. Of Clemency + i. Story of King Bihkerd + h. Of Envy and Malice + i. Story of Ilan Shah and Abou Temam + i. Of Destiny or That Which Is Written on the Forehead + i. Story of King Abraham and His Son + j. Of the Appointed Term, Which, If it Be Advanced, May + Not Be Deferred and If it Be Deferred, May Not Be + Advanced + i. Story of King Suleiman Shah and His Sons + k. Of the Speedy Relief of God + i. Story of the Prisoner and How God Gave Him Relief +6. Jaafer Ben Yehya and Abdulmelik Ben Salih the Abbaside +7. Er Reshid and the Barmecides +8. Ibn Es Semmak and Er Reshid +9. El Mamoun and Zubeideh +10. En Numan and the Arab of the Benou Tai +11. Firouz and His Wife +12. King Shah Bekht and His Vizier Er Rehwan + a. Story of the Man of Khorassan, His Son and His Governor + b. Story of the Singer and the Druggist + c. Story of the King Who Knew the Quintessence of Things + d. Story of the Rich Man Who Gave His Fair Daughter in + Marriage to the Poor Old Man + e. Story of the Rich Man and His Wasteful Son + f. The King's Son Who Fell in Love with the Picture + g. Story of the Fuller and His Wife + h. Story of the Old Woman, the Merchant and the King + i. Story of the Credulous Husband + j. Story of the Unjust King and the Tither + i. Story of David and Solomon + k. Story of the Thief and the Woman + l. Story of the Three Men and Our Lord Jesus + i. The Disciple's Story + m. Story of the Dethroned King Whose Kingdom and Good Were + Restorfd to Him + n. Story of the Man Whose Caution Was the Cause of His + Death + o. Story of the Man Who Was Lavish of His House and His + Victual to One Whom He Knew Not + p. Story of the Idiot and the Sharper + q. Story of Khelbes and His Wife and the Learned Man + + + + + + + Breslau Text. + + + + ASLEEP AND AWAKE[FN#1] + + + + + +There was once [at Baghdad], in the Khalifate of Haroun er +Reshid, a man, a merchant, who had a son by name Aboulhusn el +Khelia.[FN#2] The merchant died and left his son great store of +wealth, which he divided into two parts, one of which he laid up +and spent of the other half; and he fell to companying with +Persians[FN#3] and with the sons of the merchants and gave +himself up to good eating and good drinking, till all that he had +with him of wealth[FN#4] was wasted and gone; whereupon he betook +himself to his friends and comrades and boon-companions and +expounded to them his case, discovering to them the failure of +that which was in his hand of wealth; but not one of them took +heed of him neither inclined unto him. + +So he returned to his mother (and indeed his spirit was broken), +and related to her that which had happened to him and what had +betided him from his friends, how they, had neither shared with +him nor requited him with speech. "O Aboulhusn," answered she, +"on this wise are the sons[FN#5]of this time: if thou have aught, +they make much of thee,[FN#6] and if thou have nought, they put +thee away [from them]." And she went on to condole with him, what +while he bewailed himself and his tears flowed and he repeated +the following verses: + + An if my substance fail, no one there is will succour me, + But if my wealth abound, of all I'm held in amity. + How many a friend, for money's sake, hath companied with me! + How many an one, with loss of wealth, hath turned mine + enemy! + +Then he sprang up [and going] to the place wherein was the other +half of his good, [took it] and lived with it well; and he swore +that he would never again consort with those whom he knew, but +would company only with the stranger nor entertain him but one +night and that, whenas it morrowed, he would never know him more. +So he fell to sitting every night on the bridge[FN#7] and looking +on every one who passed by him; and if he saw him to be a +stranger, he made friends with him and carried him to his house, +where he caroused with him till the morning. Then he dismissed +him and would never more salute him nor ever again drew near unto +him neither invited him. + +On this wise he continued to do for the space of a whole year, +till, one day, as he sat on the bridge, according to his custom, +expecting who should come to him, so he might take him and pass +the night with him, behold, [up came] the Khalif and Mesrour, the +swordsman of his vengeance, disguised [in merchants' habits] as +of their wont. So he looked at them and rising up, for that he +knew them not, said to them, "What say ye? Will you go with me to +my dwelling-place, so ye may eat what is ready and drink what is +at hand, to wit, bread baked in the platter[FN#8] and meat cooked +and wine clarified?" The Khalif refused this, but he conjured him +and said to him, "God on thee, O my lord, go with me, for thou +art my guest this night, and disappoint not my expectation +concerning thee!" And he ceased not to press him till he +consented to him; whereat Aboulhusn rejoiced and going on before +him, gave not over talking with him till they came to his [house +and he carried the Khalif into the] saloon. Er Reshid entered and +made his servant abide at the door; and as soon as he was seated, +Aboulhusn brought him somewhat to eat; so he ate, and Aboulhusn +ate with him, so eating might be pleasant to him. Then he removed +the tray and they washed their hands and the Khalif sat down +again; whereupon Aboulhusn set on the drinking vessels and +seating himself by his side, fell to filling and giving him to +drink and entertaining him with discourse. + +His hospitality pleased the Khalif and the goodliness of his +fashion, and he said to him, "O youth, who art thou? Make me +acquainted with thyself, so I may requite thee thy kindness." But +Aboulhusn smiled and said, "O my lord, far be it that what is +past should recur and that I be in company with thee at other +than this time!" "Why so?" asked the Khalif. "And why wilt thou +not acquaint me with thy case?" And Aboulhusn said, "Know, O my +lord, that my story is extraordinary and that there is a cause +for this affair." Quoth the Khalif, "And what is the cause?" And +he answered, "The cause hath a tail." The Khalif laughed at his +words and Aboulhusn said, "I will explain to thee this [saying] +by the story of the lackpenny and the cook. Know, O my lord, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE LACKPENNY AND THE COOK. + + + +One of the good-for-noughts found himself one day without aught +and the world was straitened upon him and his patience failed; so +he lay down to sleep and gave not over sleeping till the sun +burnt him and the foam came out upon his mouth, whereupon he +arose, and he was penniless and had not so much as one dirhem. +Presently, he came to the shop of a cook, who had set up therein +his pans[FN#9] [over the fire] and wiped his scales and washed +his saucers and swept his shop and sprinkled it; and indeed his +oils[FN#10] were clear[FN#11] and his spices fragrant and he +himself stood behind his cooking-pots [waiting for custom]. So +the lackpenny went up to him and saluting him, said to him, +'Weigh me half a dirhem's worth of meat and a quarter of a +dirhem's worth of kouskoussou[FN#12] and the like of bread.' So +the cook weighed out to him [that which he sought] and the +lackpenny entered the shop, whereupon the cook set the food +before him and he ate till he had gobbled up the whole and licked +the saucers and abode perplexed, knowing not how he should do +with the cook concerning the price of that which he had eaten and +turning his eyes about upon everything in the shop. + +Presently, he caught sight of an earthen pan turned over upon its +mouth; so he raised it from the ground and found under it a +horse's tail, freshly cut off, and the blood oozing from it; +whereby he knew that the cook adulterated his meat with horses' +flesh. When he discovered this default, he rejoiced therein and +washing his hands, bowed his head and went out; and when the cook +saw that he went and gave him nought, he cried out, saying, +'Stay, O sneak, O slink-thief!' So the lackpenny stopped and said +to him, 'Dost thou cry out upon me and becall [me] with these +words, O cuckold?' Whereat the cook was angry and coming down +from the shop, said, 'What meanest thou by thy speech, O thou +that devourest meat and kouskoussou and bread and seasoning and +goest forth with "Peace[FN#13][be on thee!]," as it were the +thing had not been, and payest down nought for it?' Quoth the +lackpenny, 'Thou liest, O son of a cuckold!' Wherewith the cook +cried out and laying hold of the lackpenny's collar, said, 'O +Muslims, this fellow is my first customer[FN#14] this day and he +hath eaten my food and given me nought.' + +So the folk gathered together to them and blamed the lackpenny +and said to him, 'Give him the price of that which thou hast +eaten.' Quoth he, 'I gave him a dirhem before I entered the +shop;' and the cook said, 'Be everything I sell this day +forbidden[FN#15] to me, if he gave me so much as the name of a +piece of money! By Allah, he gave me nought, but ate my food and +went out and [would have] made off, without aught [said I]' +'Nay,' answered the lackpenny, 'I gave thee a dirhem,' and he +reviled the cook, who returned his abuse; whereupon he dealt him +a cuff and they gripped and grappled and throttled each other. +When the folk saw them on this wise, they came up to them and +said to them, 'What is this strife between you, and no cause for +it?' 'Ay, by Allah,' replied the lackpenny, 'but there is a cause +for it, and the cause hath a tail!' Whereupon, 'Yea, by Allah,' +cried the cook, 'now thou mindest me of thyself and thy dirhem! +Yes, he gave me a dirhem and [but] a quarter of the price is +spent. Come back and take the rest of the price of thy dirhem.' +For that he understood what was to do, at the mention of the +tail; and I, O my brother," added Aboulhusn, "my story hath a +cause, which I will tell thee." + +The Khalif laughed at his speech and said, "By Allah, this is +none other than a pleasant tale! Tell me thy story and the +cause." "With all my heart," answered Aboulhusn. "Know, O my +lord, that my name is Aboulhusn el Khelia and that my father died +and left me wealth galore, of which I made two parts. One I laid +up and with the other I betook myself to [the enjoyment of the +pleasures of] friendship [and conviviality] and consorting with +comrades and boon-companions and with the sons of the merchants, +nor did I leave one but I caroused with him and he with me, and I +spent all my money on companionship and good cheer, till there +remained with me nought [of the first half of my good]; whereupon +I betook myself to the comrades and cup-companions upon whom I +had wasted my wealth, so haply they might provide for my case; +but, when I resorted to them and went round about to them all, I +found no avail in one of them, nor broke any so much as a crust +of bread in my face. So I wept for myself and repairing to my +mother, complained to her of my case. Quoth she, 'On this wise +are friends; if thou have aught, they make much of thee and +devour thee, but, if thou have nought, they cast thee off and +chase thee away.' Then I brought out the other half of my money +and bound myself by an oath that I would never more entertain +any, except one night, after which I would never again salute him +nor take note of him; hence my saying to thee, 'Far be it that +what is past should recur!' For that I will never again +foregather with thee, after this night." + +When the Khalif heard this, he laughed heartily and said, "By +Allah, O my brother, thou art indeed excused in this matter, now +that I know the cause and that the cause hath a tail. +Nevertheless if it please God, I will not sever myself from +thee." "O my guest," replied Aboulhusn, "did I not say to thee, +'Far be it that what is past should recur! For that I will never +again foregather with any'?" Then the Khalif rose and Aboulhusn +set before him a dish of roast goose and a cake of manchet-bread +and sitting down, fell to cutting off morsels and feeding the +Khalif therewith. They gave not over eating thus till they were +content, when Aboulhusn brought bowl and ewer and potash[FN#16] +and they washed their hands. + +Then he lighted him three candles and three lamps and spreading +the drinking-cloth, brought clarified wine, limpid, old and +fragrant, the scent whereof was as that of virgin musk. He filled +the first cup and saying, "O my boon-companion, by thy leave, be +ceremony laid aside between us! I am thy slave; may I not be +afflicted with thy loss!" drank it off and filled a second cup, +which he handed to the Khalif, with a reverence. His fashion +pleased the Khalif and the goodliness of his speech and he said +in himself, "By Allah, I will assuredly requite him for this!" +Then Aboulhusn filled the cup again and handed it to the Khalif, +reciting the following verses: + +Had we thy coming known, we would for sacrifice Have poured thee + out heart's blood or blackness of the eyes; +Ay, and we would have spread our bosoms in thy way, That so thy + feet might fare on eyelids, carpet-wise. + +When the Khalif heard his verses, he took the cup from his hand +and kissed it and drank it off and returned it to Aboulhusn, who +made him an obeisance and filled and drank. Then he filled again +and kissing the cup thrice, recited the following verses: + + Thy presence honoureth us and we Confess thy magnanimity; + If thou forsake us, there is none Can stand to us instead of + thee. + +Then he gave the cup to the Khalif, saying, "Drink [and may] +health and soundness [attend it]! It doth away disease and +bringeth healing and setteth the runnels of health abroach." + +They gave not over drinking and carousing till the middle of the +night, when the Khalif said to his host, "O my brother, hast thou +in thy heart a wish thou wouldst have accomplished or a regret +thou wouldst fain do away?" "By Allah," answered he, "there is no +regret in my heart save that I am not gifted with dominion and +the power of commandment and prohibition, so I might do what is +in my mind!" Quoth the Khalif, "For God's sake, O my brother, +tell me what is in thy mind!" And Aboulhusn said, "I would to God +I might avenge myself on my neighbours, for that in my +neighbourhood is a mosque and therein four sheikhs, who take it +ill, whenas there cometh a guest to me, and vex me with talk and +molest me in words and threaten me that they will complain of me +to the Commander of the Faithful, and indeed they oppress me +sore, and I crave of God the Most High one day's dominion, that I +may beat each of them with four hundred lashes, as well as the +Imam of the mosque, and parade them about the city of Baghdad and +let call before them, 'This is the reward and the least of the +reward of whoso exceedeth [in talk] and spiteth the folk and +troubleth on them their joys.' This is what I wish and no more." + +Quoth the Khalif, "God grant thee that thou seekest! Let us drink +one last cup and rise before the dawn draw near, and to-morrow +night I will be with thee again." "Far be it!" said Aboulhusn. +Then the Khalif filled a cup and putting therein a piece of +Cretan henbane, gave it to his host and said to him, "My life on +thee, O my brother, drink this cup from my hand!" "Ay, by thy +life," answered Aboulhusn, "I will drink it from thy hand." So he +took it and drank it off; but hardly had he done so, when his +head forewent his feet and he fell to the ground like a slain +man; whereupon the Khalif went out and said to his servant +Mesrour, "Go in to yonder young man, the master of the house, and +take him up and bring him to me at the palace; and when thou +goest out, shut the door." + +So saying, he went away, whilst Mesrour entered and taking up +Aboulhusn, shut the door after him, and followed his master, till +he reached the palace, what while the night drew to an end and +the cocks cried out, and set him down before the Commander of the +Faithful, who laughed at him. Then he sent for Jaafer the +Barmecide and when he came before him, he said to him, "Note this +young man and when thou seest him to-morrow seated in my place of +estate and on the throne of my Khalifate and clad in my habit, +stand thou in attendance upon him and enjoin the Amirs and +grandees and the people of my household and the officers of my +realm to do the like and obey him in that which he shall command +them; and thou, if he bespeak thee of anything, do it and hearken +unto him and gainsay him not in aught in this coming day." Jaafer +answered with, "Hearkening and obedience,"[FN#17] and withdrew, +whilst the Khalif went in to the women of the palace, who came to +him, and he said to them, "Whenas yonder sleeper awaketh +to-morrow from his sleep, kiss ye the earth before him and make +obeisance to him and come round about him and clothe him in the +[royal] habit and do him the service of the Khalifate and deny +not aught of his estate, but say to him, 'Thou art the Khalif.'" +Then he taught them what they should say to him and how they +should do with him and withdrawing to a privy place, let down a +curtain before himself and slept. + +Meanwhile, Aboulhusn gave not over snoring in his sleep, till the +day broke and the rising of the sun drew near, when a +waiting-woman came up to him and said to him, "O our lord [it is +the hour of] the morning- prayer." When he heard the girl's +words, he laughed and opening his eyes, turned them about the +place and found himself in an apartment the walls whereof were +painted with gold and ultramarine and its ceiling starred with +red gold. Around it were sleeping-chambers, with curtains of +gold-embroidered silk let down over their doors, and all about +vessels of gold and porcelain and crystal and furniture and +carpets spread and lamps burning before the prayer-niche and +slave-girls and eunuchs and white slaves and black slaves and +boys and pages and attendants. When he saw this, he was +confounded in his wit and said, "By Allah, either I am dreaming, +or this is Paradise and the Abode of Peace!"[FN#18] And he shut +his eyes and went to sleep again. Quoth the waiting-woman, "O my +lord, this is not of thy wont, O Commander of the Faithful!" + +Then the rest of the women of the palace came all to him and +lifted him into a sitting posture, when he found himself upon a +couch, stuffed all with floss-silk and raised a cubit's height +from the ground.[FN#19] So they seated him upon it and propped +him up with a pillow, and he looked at the apartment and its +greatness and saw those eunuchs and slave-girls in attendance +upon him and at his head, whereat he laughed at himself and said, +"By Allah, it is not as I were on wake, and [yet] I am not +asleep!" Then he arose and sat up, whilst the damsels laughed at +him and hid [their laughter] from him; and he was confounded in +his wit and bit upon his finger. The bite hurt him and he cried +"Oh!" and was vexed; and the Khalif watched him, whence he saw +him not, and laughed. + +Presently Aboulhusn turned to a damsel and called to her; +whereupon she came to him and he said to her, "By the protection +of God, O damsel, am I Commander of the Faithful?" "Yes, indeed," +answered she; "by the protection of God thou in this time art +Commander of the Faithful." Quoth he, "By Allah, thou liest, O +thousandfold strumpet!" Then he turned to the chief eunuch and +called to him, whereupon he came to him and kissing the earth +before him, said, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful." "Who is +Commander of the Faithful?" asked Aboulhusn. "Thou," replied the +eunuch and Aboulhusn said, "Thou liest, thousandfold catamite +that thou art!" Then he turned to another eunuch and said to him, +"O my chief,[FN#20] by the protection of God, am I Commander of +the Faithful?" "Ay, by Allah, O my lord!" answered he. "Thou in +this time art Commander of the Faithful and Vicar of the Lord of +the Worlds." Aboulhusn laughed at himself and misdoubted of his +reason and was perplexed at what he saw and said, "In one night I +am become Khalif! Yesterday I was Aboulhusn the Wag, and to-day I +am Commander of the Faithful." Then the chief eunuch came up to +him and said, "O Commander of the Faithful, (the name of God +encompass thee!) thou art indeed Commander of the Faithful and +Vicar of the Lord of the Worlds!" And the slave-girls and eunuchs +came round about him, till he arose and abode wondering at his +case. + +Presently, one of the slave-girls brought him a pair of sandals +wrought with raw silk and green silk and embroidered with red +gold, and he took them and put them in his sleeve, whereat the +slave cried out and said, "Allah! Allah! O my lord, these are +sandals for the treading of thy feet, so thou mayst enter the +draught-house." Aboulhusn was confounded and shaking the sandals +from his sleeve, put them on his feet, whilst the Khalif +[well-nigh] died of laughter at him. The slave forewent him to +the house of easance, where he entered and doing his occasion, +came out into the chamber, whereupon the slave- girls brought him +a basin of gold and an ewer of silver and poured water on his +hands and he made the ablution. + +Then they spread him a prayer-carpet and he prayed. Now he knew +not how to pray and gave not over bowing and prostrating himself, +[till he had prayed the prayers] of twenty inclinations,[FN#21] +pondering in himself the while and saying, "By Allah, I am none +other than the Commander of the Faithful in very sooth! This is +assuredly no dream, for all these things happen not in a dream." +And he was convinced and determined in himself that he was +Commander of the Faithful; so he pronounced the Salutation[FN#22] +and made an end[FN#23] of his prayers; whereupon the slaves and +slave-girls came round about him with parcels of silk and +stuffs[FN#24] and clad him in the habit of the Khalifate and gave +him the royal dagger in his hand. Then the chief eunuch went out +before him and the little white slaves behind him, and they +ceased not [going] till they raised the curtain and brought him +into the hall of judgment and the throne-room of the Khalifate. +There he saw the curtains and the forty doors and El Ijli and Er +Recashi[FN#25] and Ibdan and Jedim and Abou Ishac [FN#26] the +boon-companions and beheld swords drawn and lions [FN#27] +encompassing [the throne] and gilded glaives and death-dealing +bows and Persians and Arabs and Turks and Medes and folk and +peoples and Amirs and viziers and captains and grandees and +officers of state and men of war, and indeed there appeared the +puissance of the house of Abbas [FN#28] and the majesty of the +family of the Prophet. + +So he sat down upon the throne of the Khalifate and laid the +dagger in his lap, whereupon all [present] came up to kiss the +earth before him and called down on him length of life and +continuance [of glory and prosperity]. Then came forward Jaafer +the Barmecide and kissing the earth, said, "May the wide world of +God be the treading of thy feet and may Paradise be thy +dwelling-place and the fire the habitation of thine enemies! May +no neighbour transgress against thee nor the lights of fire die +out for thee, [FN#29] O Khalif of [all] cities and ruler of [all] +countries!" + +Therewithal Aboulhusn cried out at him and said, "O dog of the +sons of Bermek, go down forthright, thou and the master of the +police of the city, to such a place in such a street and deliver +a hundred dinars to the mother of Aboulhusn the Wag and bear her +my salutation. [Then, go to such a mosque] and take the four +sheikhs and the Imam and beat each of them with four hundred +lashes and mount them on beasts, face to tail, and go round with +them about all the city and banish them to a place other than the +city; and bid the crier make proclamation before them, saying, +'This is the reward and the least of the reward of whoso +multiplieth words and molesteth his neighbours and stinteth them +of their delights and their eating and drinking!'" Jaafer +received the order [with submission] and answered with +["Hearkening and] obedience;" after which he went down from +before Aboulhusn to the city and did that whereunto he had bidden +him. + +Meanwhile, Aboulhusn abode in the Khalifate, taking and giving, +ordering and forbidding and giving effect to his word, till the +end of the day, when he gave [those who were present] leave and +permission [to withdraw], and the Amirs and officers of state +departed to their occasions. Then the eunuchs came to him and +calling down on him length of life and continuance [of glory and +prosperity], walked in attendance upon him and raised the +curtain, and he entered the pavilion of the harem, where he found +candles lighted and lamps burning and singing-women smiting [on +instruments of music]. When he saw this, he was confounded in his +wit and said in himself, "By Allah, I am in truth Commander of +the Faithful!" As soon as he appeared, the slave-girls rose to +him and carrying him up on to the estrade,[FN#30] brought him a +great table, spread with the richest meats. So he ate thereof +with all his might, till he had gotten his fill, when he called +one of the slave-girls and said to her, "What is thy name?" "My +name is Miskeh," replied she, and he said to another, "What is +thy name?" Quoth she, "My name is Terkeh." Then said he to a +third, "What is thy name?" "My name is Tuhfeh," answered she; and +he went on to question the damsels of their names, one after +another, [till he had made the round of them all], when he rose +from that place and removed to the wine-chamber. + +He found it every way complete and saw therein ten great trays, +full of all fruits and cakes and all manner sweetmeats. So he sat +down and ate thereof after the measure of his sufficiency, and +finding there three troops of singing-girls, was amazed and made +the girls eat. Then he sat and the singers also seated +themselves, whilst the black slaves and the white slaves and the +eunuchs and pages and boys stood, and the slave-girls, some of +them, sat and some stood. The damsels sang and warbled all manner +melodies and the place answered them for the sweetness of the +songs, whilst the pipes cried out and the lutes made accord with +them, till it seemed to Aboulhusn that he was in Paradise and his +heart was cheered and his breast dilated. So he sported and +joyance waxed on him and he bestowed dresses of honour on the +damsels and gave and bestowed, challenging this one and kissing +that and toying with a third, plying one with wine and another +with meat, till the night fell down. + +All this while the Khalif was diverting himself with watching him +and laughing, and at nightfall he bade one of the slave-girls +drop a piece of henbane in the cup and give it to Aboulhusn to +drink. So she did as he bade her and gave Aboulhusn the cup, +whereof no sooner had he drunken than his head forewent his feet +[and he fell down, senseless]. Therewith the Khalif came forth +from behind the curtain, laughing, and calling to the servant who +had brought Aboulhusn to the palace, said to him, "Carry this +fellow to his own place." So Mesrour took him up [and carrying +him to his own house], set him down in the saloon. Then he went +forth from him and shutting the saloon-door upon him, returned to +the Khalif, who slept till the morrow. + +As for Aboulhusn, he gave not over sleeping till God the Most +High brought on the morning, when he awoke, crying out and +saying, "Ho, Tuffaheh! Ho, Rahet el Culoub! Ho, Miskeh! Ho, +Tuhfeh!" And he gave not over calling upon the slave-girls till +his mother heard him calling upon strange damsels and rising, +came to him and said, "The name of God encompass thee! Arise, O +my son, O Aboulhusn! Thou dreamest." So he opened his eyes and +finding an old woman at his head, raised his eyes and said to +her, "Who art thou?" Quoth she, "I am thy mother;" and he +answered, "Thou liest! I am the Commander of the Faithful, the +Vicar of God." Whereupon his mother cried out and said to him, +"God preserve thy reason! Be silent, O my son, and cause not the +loss of our lives and the spoiling of thy wealth, [as will +assuredly betide,] if any hear this talk and carry it to the +Khalif." + +So he rose from his sleep and finding himself in his own saloon +and his mother by him, misdoubted of his wit and said to her, "By +Allah, O my mother, I saw myself in a dream in a palace, with +slave-girls and servants about me and in attendance upon me, and +I sat upon the throne of the Khalifate and ruled. By Allah, O my +mother, this is what I saw, and verily it was not a dream!" Then +he bethought himself awhile and said, "Assuredly, I am Aboulhusn +el Khelia, and this that I saw was only a dream, and [it was in a +dream that] I was made Khalif and commanded and forbade." Then he +bethought himself again and said, "Nay, but it was no dream and I +am no other than the Khalif, and indeed I gave gifts and bestowed +dresses of honour." Quoth his mother to him, "O my son, thou +sportest with thy reason: thou wilt go to the hospital and become +a gazing-stock. Indeed, that which thou hast seen is only from +the Devil and it was a delusion of dreams, for whiles Satan +sporteth with men's wits in all manner ways." + +Then said she to him, "O my son, was there any one with thee +yesternight?" And he bethought himself and said, "Yes; one lay +the night with me and I acquainted him with my case and told him +my story. Doubtless, he was from the Devil, and I, O my mother, +even as thou sayst truly, am Aboulhusn el Khelia." "O my son," +rejoined she, "rejoice in tidings of all good, for yesterday's +record is that there came the Vivier Jaafer the Barmecide [and +his company] and beat the sheikhs of the mosque and the Imam, +each four hundred lashes; after which they paraded them about the +city, making proclamation before them and saying, 'This is the +reward and the least of the reward of whoso lacketh of goodwill +to his neighbours and troubleth on them their lives!' and +banished them from Baghdad. Moreover, the Khalif sent me a +hundred dinars and sent to salute me." Whereupon Aboulhusn cried +out and said to her, "O old woman of ill-omen, wilt thou +contradict me and tell me that I am not the Commander of the +Faithful? It was I who commanded Jaafer the Barmecide to beat the +sheikhs and parade them about the city and make proclamation +before them and who sent thee the hundred dinars and sent to +salute thee, and I, O beldam of ill-luck, am in very deed the +Commander of the Faithful, and thou art a liar, who would make me +out a dotard." + +So saying, he fell upon her and beat her with a staff of +almond-wood, till she cried out, "[Help], O Muslims!" and he +redoubled the beating upon her, till the folk heard her cries and +coming to her, [found] Aboulhusn beating her and saying to her, +"O old woman of ill-omen, am I not the Commander of the Faithful? +Thou hast enchanted me!" When the folk heard his words, they +said, "This man raveth," and doubted not of his madness. So they +came in upon him and seizing him, pinioned him and carried him to +the hospital. Quoth the superintendant, "What aileth this youth?" +And they said, "This is a madman." "By Allah," cried Aboulhusn, +"they lie against me! I am no madman, but the Commander of the +Faithful." And the superintendant answered him, saying, "None +lieth but thou, O unluckiest of madmen!" + +Then he stripped him of his clothes and clapping on his neck a +heavy chain, bound him to a high lattice and fell to drubbing him +two bouts a day and two anights; and on this wise he abode the +space of ten days. Then his mother came to him and said, "O my +son, O Aboulhusn, return to thy reason, for this is the Devil's +doing." Quoth he, "Thou sayst sooth, O my mother, and bear thou +witness of me that I repent [and forswear] that talk and turn +from my madness. So do thou deliver me, for I am nigh upon +death." So his mother went out to the superintendant and procured +his release and he returned to his own house. + +Now this was at the beginning of the month, and when it was the +end thereof, Aboulhusn longed to drink wine and returning to his +former usance, furnished his saloon and made ready food and let +bring wine; then, going forth to the bridge, he sat there, +expecting one whom he should carouse withal, as of his wont. As +he sat thus, behold, up came the Khalif [and Mesrour] to him; but +Aboulhusn saluted them not and said to them, "No welcome and no +greeting to the perverters![FN#31] Ye are no other than devils." +However, the Khalif accosted him and said to him, "O my brother, +did I not say to thee that I would return to thee?" Quoth +Aboulhusn, "I have no need of thee; and as the byword says in +verse: + +'Twere fitter and better my loves that I leave, For, if the eye + see not, the heart will not grieve. + +And indeed, O my brother, the night thou camest to me and we +caroused together, I and thou, it was as if the Devil came to me +and troubled me that night." "And who is he, the Devil?" asked +the Khalif. "He is none other than thou," answered Aboulhusn; +whereat the Khalif smiled and sitting down by him, coaxed him and +spoke him fair, saying, "O my brother, when I went out from thee, +I forgot [to shut] the door [and left it] open, and belike Satan +came in to thee." Quoth Aboulhusn, "Ask me not of that which hath +betided me. What possessed thee to leave the door open, so that +the Devil came in to me and there befell me with him this and +that?" And he related to him all that had befallen him, from +first to last, aud there is no advantage in the repetition of it; +what while the Khalif laughed and hid his laughter. + +Then said he to Aboulhusn, "Praised be God who hath done away +from thee that which irked thee and that I see thee in weal!" And +Aboulhusn said, "Never again will I take thee to boon-companion +or sitting-mate; for the byword saith, 'Whoso stumbleth on a +stone and returneth thereto, blame and reproach be upon him.' And +thou, O my brother, nevermore will I entertain thee nor use +companionship with thee, for that I have not found thy commerce +propitious to me."[FN#32] But the Khalif blandished him and +conjured him, redoubling words upon him with "Verily, I am thy +guest; reject not the guest," till Aboulhusn took him and +[carrying him home], brought him into the saloon and set food +before him and friendly entreated him in speech. Then he told him +all that had befallen him, whilst the Khalif was like to die of +hidden laughter; after which Aboulhusn removed the tray of food +and bringing the wine-tray, filled a cup and emptied it out three +times, then gave it to the Khalif, saying, "O boon-companion +mine, I am thy slave and let not that which I am about to say irk +thee, and be thou not vexed, neither do thou vex me." And he +recited these verses: + +No good's in life (to the counsel list of one who's + purpose-whole,) An if thou be not drunken still and gladden + not thy soul. +Ay, ne'er will I leave to drink of wine, what while the night on + me Darkens, till drowsiness bow down my head upon my bowl. +In wine, as the glittering sunbeams bright, my heart's + contentment is, That banishes hence, with various joys, all + kinds of care and dole. + +When the Khalif heard these his verses, he was moved to exceeding +delight and taking the cup, drank it off, and they ceased not to +drink and carouse till the wine rose to their heads. Then said +Aboulhusn to the Khalif, "O boon-companion mine, of a truth I am +perplexed concerning my affair, for meseemed I was Commander of +the Faithful and ruled and gave gifts and largesse, and in very +deed, O my brother, it was not a dream." "These were the +delusions of sleep," answered the Khalif and crumbling a piece of +henbane into the cup, said to him, "By my life, do thou drink +this cup." And Aboulhusn said, "Surely I will drink it from thy +hand." Then he took the cup from the Khalifs hand and drank it +off, and no sooner had it settled in his belly than his head +forewent his feet [and he fell down senseless]. + +Now his parts and fashions pleased the Khalif and the excellence +of his composition and his frankness, and he said in himself, "I +will assuredly make him my cup- companion and sitting-mate." So +he rose forthright and saying to Mesrour, "Take him up," +[returned to the palace]. Accordingly, Mesrour took up Aboulhusn +and carrying him to the palace of the Khalifate, set him down +before Er Reshid, who bade the slaves and slave- girls encompass +him about, whilst he himself hid in a place where Aboulhusn could +not see him. + +Then he commanded one of the slave-girls to take the lute and +strike it at Aboulhusn's head, whilst the rest smote upon their +instruments. [So they played and sang,] till Aboulhusn awoke at +the last of the night and heard the noise of lutes and tabrets +and the sound of the pipes and the singing of the slave-girls, +whereupon he opened his eyes and finding himself in the palace, +with the slave-girls and eunuchs about him, exclaimed, 'There is +no power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme! +Verily, I am fearful of the hospital and of that which I suffered +therein aforetime, and I doubt not but the Devil is come to me +again, as before. O my God, put thou Satan to shame!" Then he +shut his eyes and laid his head in his sleeve and fell to +laughing softly and raising his head [bytimes], but [still] found +the apartment lighted and the girls singing. + +Presently, one of the eunuchs sat down at his head and said to +him, "Sit up, O Commander of the Faithful, and look on thy palace +and thy slave-girls." Quoth Aboulhusn, "By the protection of God, +am I in truth Commander of the Faithful and dost thou not lie? +Yesterday, I went not forth neither ruled, but drank and slept, +and this eunuch cometh to rouse me up." Then he sat up and +bethought himself of that which had betided him with his mother +and how he had beaten her and entered the hospital, and he saw +the marks of the beating, wherewithal the superintendant of the +hospital had beaten him, and was perplexed concerning his affair +and pondered in himself, saying, "By Allah, I know not how my +case is nor what is this that betideth me!" + +Then he turned to a damsel of the damsels and said to her, "Who +am I?" Quoth she, "Thou art the Commander of the Faithful;" and +he said, "Thou liest, O calamity![FN#33] If I be indeed the +Commander of the Faithful, bite my finger." So she came to him +and bit it with her might, and he said to her, "It sufficeth." +Then he said to the chief eunuch, "Who am I?" And he answered, +"Thou art the Commander of the Faithful." So he left him and +turning to a little white slave, said to him, "Bite my ear;" and +he bent down to him and put his ear to his mouth. Now the slave +was young and lacked understanding; so he closed his teeth upon +Aboulhusn's ear with his might, till he came near to sever it; +and he knew not Arabic, so, as often as Aboulhusn said to him, +"It sufficeth," he concluded that he said, "Bite harder," and +redoubled his bite and clenched his teeth upon the ear, whilst +the damsels were diverted from him with hearkening to the +singing-girls, and Aboulhusn cried out for succour from the boy +and the Khalif [well-nigh] lost his senses for laughter. + +Then he dealt the boy a cuff and he let go his ear, whereupon +Aboulhusn put off his clothes and abode naked, with his yard and +his arse exposed, and danced among the slave-girls. They bound +his hands and he wantoned among them, what while they [well-nigh] +died of laughing at him and the Khalif swooned away for excess of +laughter. Then he came to himself and going forth to Aboulhusn, +said to him, "Out on thee, O Aboulhusn! Thou slayest me with +laughter." So he turned to him and knowing him, said to him, "By +Allah, it is thou slayest me and slayest my mother and slewest +the sheikhs and the Imam of the Mosque!" + +Then the Khalif took him into his especial favour and married him +and bestowed largesse on him and lodged him with himself in the +palace and made him of the chief of his boon-companions, and +indeed he was preferred with him above them and the Khalif +advanced him over them all. Now they were ten in number, to wit, +El Ijli and Er Recashi and Ibdan and Hassan el Feresdec and El +Lauz and Es Seker and Omar et Tertis and Abou Nuwas[FN#34] and +Abou Ishac en Nedim and Aboulhusn el Khelia, and by each of them +hangeth a story that is told in other than this book. And indeed +Aboulhusn became high in honour with the Khalif and favoured +above all, so that he sat with him and the Lady Zubeideh bint el +Casim and married the latter's treasuress, whose name was Nuzhet +el Fuad. + +Aboulhusn abode with his wife in eating and drinking and all +delight of life, till all that was with them was spent, when he +said to her, "Harkye, O Nuzhet el Fuad!" "At thy service," +answered she, and he said, "I have it in mind to play a trick on +the Khalif and thou shalt do the like with the Lady Zubeideh, and +we will take of them, in a twinkling, two hundred dinars and two +pieces of silk." "As thou wilt," answered she; "but what thinkest +thou to do?" And he said,"We will feign ourselves dead and this +is the trick. I will die before thee and lay myself out, and do +thou spread over me a kerchief of silk and loose [the muslin of] +my turban over me and tie my toes and lay on my heart a knife, +and a little salt.[FN#35] Then let down thy hair and betake +thyself to thy mistress Zubeideh, tearing thy dress and buffeting +thy face and crying out. She will say to thee, 'What aileth +thee?' and do thou answer her, saying, 'May thy head outlive +Aboulhusn el Khelia! For he is dead." She will mourn for me and +weep and bid her treasuress give thee a hundred dinars and a +piece of silk and will say to thee, 'Go lay him out and carry him +forth [to burial].' So do thou take of her the hundred dinars and +the piece of silk and come back, and when thou returnest to me, I +will rise up and thou shalt lie down in my place, and I will go +to the Khalif and say to him, 'May thy head outlive Nuzhet el +Fuad!' and tear my dress and pluck at my beard. He will mourn for +thee and say to his treasurer, 'Give Aboulhusn a hundred dinars +and a piece of silk.' Then he will say to me, 'Go; lay her out +and carry her forth;' and I will come back to thee." + +Therewith Nuzhet el Fuad rejoiced and said, "Indeed, this is an +excellent device." [Then Aboulhusn stretched himself out] +forthright and she shut his eyes and tied his feet and covered +him with the kerchief and did what [else] her lord had bidden +her; after which she rent her dress and uncovering her head, let +down her hair and went in to the Lady Zubeideh, crying out and +weeping, When the princess saw her in this case, she said to her, +"What plight is this [in which I see thee]? What is thy story and +what maketh thee weep?" And Nuzhet el Fuad answered, weeping and +crying out the while, "O my lady, may thy head live and mayst +thou survive Aboulhusn el Khelia! For he is dead." The Lady +Zubeideh mourned for him and said, "Alas for Aboulhusn el +Khelia!" And she wept for him awhile. Then she bade her +treasuress give Nuzhet el Fuad a hundred dinars and a piece of +silk and said to her, "O Nuzhet el Fuad, go, lay him out and +carry him forth." + +So she took the hundred dinars and the piece of silk and returned +to her dwelling, rejoicing, and went in to Aboulhusn and told him +what had befallen, whereupon he arose and rejoiced and girt his +middle and danced and took the hundred dinars and the piece of +silk and laid them up. Then he laid out Nuzhet el Fuad and did +with her even as she had done with him; after which he rent his +clothes and plucked out his beard and disordered his turban [and +went forth] and gave not over running till he came in to the +Khalif, who was sitting in the hall of audience, and he in this +plight, beating upon his breast. Quoth the Khalif to him, "What +aileth thee, O Aboulhusn!" And he wept and said, "Would thy +boon-companion had never been and would his hour had never come!" +"Tell me [thy case,]" said the Khalif; and Aboulhusn said, "O my +lord, may thy head outlive Nuzhet el Fuad!" Quoth the Khalif, +"There is no god but God!" And he smote hand upon hand. Then he +comforted Aboulhusn and said to him, "Grieve not, for we will +give thee a concubine other than she." And he bade the treasurer +give him a hundred dinars and a piece of silk. So the treasurer +gave him what the Khalif bade him, and the latter said to +him,"Go, lay her out and carry her forth and make her a handsome +funeral." So Aboulhusn took that which he had given him and +returning to his house, rejoicing, went in to Nuzhet el Fuad and +said to her, "Arise, for the wish is accomplished unto us." So +she arose and he laid before her the hundred dinars and the piece +of silk, whereat she rejoiced, and they added the gold to the +gold and the silk to the silk and sat talking and laughing at one +another. + +Meanwhile, when Aboulhusn went out from the presence of the +Khalif and went to lay out Nuzhet el Fuad, the prince mourned for +her and dismissing the divan, arose and betook himself, leaning +upon Mesrour, the swordsman of his vengeance, [to the pavilion of +the harem, where he went in] to the Lady Zubeideh, that he might +condole with her for her slave-girl. He found the princess +sitting weeping and awaiting his coming, so she might condole +with him for [his boon-companion] Aboulhusn el Khelia. So he said +to her, "May thy head outlive thy slave-girl Nuzhet el Fuad!" And +she answered, saying, "O my lord, God preserve my slave-girl! +Mayst thou live and long survive thy boon-companion Aboulhusn el +Khelia! For he is dead." + +The Khalif smiled and said to his eunuch, "O Mesrour, verily +women are little of wit. I conjure thee, by Allah, say, was not +Aboulhusn with me but now?" ["Yes, O Commander of the Faithful," +answered Mesrour] Quoth the Lady Zubeideh, laughing from a heart +full of wrath, "Wilt thou not leave thy jesting? Is it not enough +that Aboulhusn is dead, but thou must kill my slave-girl also and +bereave us of the two and style me little of wit?" "Indeed," +answered the Khalif, "it is Nuzhet el Fuad who is dead." And +Zubeideh said, "Indeed he hath not been with thee, nor hast thou +seen him, and none was with me but now but Nuzhet el Fuad, and +she sorrowful, weeping, with her clothes torn. I exhorted her to +patience and gave her a hundred dinars and a piece of silk; and +indeed I was awaiting thy coming, so I might condole with thee +for thy boon- companion Aboulhusn el Khelia, and was about to +send for thee." The Khalif laughed and said, "None is dead but +Nuzhet el Fuad;" and she, "No, no, my lord; none is dead but +Aboulhusn." + +With this the Khalif waxed wroth, and the Hashimi vein[FN#36] +started out from between his eyes and he cried out to Mesrour and +said to him, "Go forth and see which of them is dead." So Mesrour +went out, running, and the Khalif said to Zubeideh, "Wilt thou +lay me a wager?" "Yes," answered she; "I will wager, and I say +that Aboulhusn is dead." "And I," rejoined the Khalif, "wager and +say that none is dead save Nuzhet el Fuad; and the stake shall be +the Garden of Pleasance against thy palace and the Pavilion of +Pictures." So they [agreed upon this and] abode awaiting Mesrour, +till such time as he should return with news. + +As for Mesrour, he gave not over running till he came to the +by-street, [wherein was the house] of Aboulhusn el Khelia. Now +the latter was sitting reclining at the lattice, and chancing to +look round, saw Mesrour running along the street and said to +Nuzhet el Fuad, "Meseemeth the Khalif, when I went forth from +him, dismissed the Divan and went in to the Lady Zubeideh, to +condole with her [for thee;] whereupon she arose and condoled +with him [for me,] saying, 'God greaten thy recompence for [the +loss of] Aboulhusn el Khelia!' And he said to her, 'None is dead +save Nuzhet el Fuad, may thy head outlive her!' Quoth she, 'It is +not she who is dead, but Aboulhusn el Khelia, thy +boon-companion.' And he to her, 'None is dead but Nuzhet el +Fuad.' And they gainsaid one another, till the Khalif waxed wroth +and they laid a wager, and he hath sent Mesrour the sword- bearer +to see who is dead. Wherefore it were best that thou lie down, so +he may see thee and go and acquaint the Khalif and confirm my +saying." So Nuzhet el Fuad stretched herself out and Aboulhusn +covered her with her veil and sat at her head, weeping. + +Presently, in came Mesrour the eunuch to him and saluted him and +seeing Nuzhet el Fuad stretched out, uncovered her face and said, +"There is no god but God! Our sister Nuzhet el Fuad is dead. How +sudden was the [stroke of] destiny! May God have mercy on thee +and acquit thee of responsibility!" Then he returned and related +what had passed before the Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh, and he +laughing. "O accursed one,' said the Khalif, "is this a time for +laughter? Tell us which is dead of them." "By Allah, O my lord," +answered Mesrour, "Aboulhusn is well and none is dead but Nuzhet +el Fuad." Quoth the Khalif to Zubeideh, "Thou hast lost thy +pavilion in thy play," and he laughed at her and said to Mesrour, +"O Mesrour, tell her what thou sawest." "Verily, O my lady," said +the eunuch, "I ran without ceasing till I came in to Aboulhusn in +his house and found Nuzhet el Fuad lying dead and Aboulhusn +sitting at her head, weeping. I saluted him and condoled with him +and sat down by his side and uncovered the face of Nuzhet el Fuad +and saw her dead and her face swollen. So I said to him, 'Carry +her out forthright [to burial], so we may pray over her.' He +answered, 'It is well;' and I left him to lay her out and came +hither, that I might tell you the news." + +The Khalif laughed and said, "Tell it again and again to thy lady +lack-wit." When the Lady Zubeideh heard Mesrour's words [and +those of the Khalif,] she was wroth and said, "None lacketh wit +but he who believeth a black slave." And she reviled Mesrour, +whilst the Khalif laughed. Mesrour was vexed at this and said to +the Khalif, "He spoke sooth who said, 'Women lack wit and +religion.'" Then said the Lady Zubeideh to the Khalif, "O +Commander of the Faithful, thou sportest and jestest with me, and +this slave hoodwinketh me, to please thee; but I will send and +see which is dead of them." And he answered, saying, "Send one +who shall see which is dead of them." So the Lady Zubeideh cried +out to an old woman, a stewardess, and said to her, "Go to the +house of Nuzhet el Fuad in haste and see who is dead and loiter +not." And she railed at her. + +The old woman went out, running, whilst the Khalif and Mesrour +laughed, and gave not over running till she came into the street. +Aboulhusn saw her and knowing her, said to his wife, "O Nuzhet el +Fuad, meseemeth the Lady Zubeideh hath sent to us to see who is +dead and hath not given credence to Mesrour's report of thy +death; so she hath despatched the old woman, her stewardess, to +discover the truth; wherefore it behoveth me to be dead in my +turn, for the sake of thy credit with the Lady Zubeideh." +Accordingly, he lay down and stretched himself out, and she +covered him and bound his eyes and feet and sat at his head, +weeping. + +Presently, the old woman came in to her and saw her sitting at +Aboulhusn's head, weeping and lamenting; and when she saw the old +woman, she cried out and said to her, "See what hath betided me! +Indeed, Aboulhusn is dead and hath left me alone and forlorn!" +Then she cried out and tore her clothes and said to the old +woman, "O my mother, how good he was!" Quoth the other, "Indeed +thou art excused, for thou wast used to him and he to thee." Then +she considered what Mesrour had reported to the Khalif and the +Lady Zubeideh and said to her, "Indeed, Mesrour goeth about to +sow discord between the Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh." "And what +is the [cause of] discord, O my mother?" asked Nuzhet el Fuad. "O +my daughter," answered the old woman, "Mesrour came to the Khalif +and the Lady Zubeideh and gave them news of thee that thou wast +dead and that Aboulhusn was well. "And Nuzhet el Fuad said to +her, "O my aunt, I was with my lady but now and she gave me a +hundred dinars and a piece of silk; and now see my condition and +that which hath befallen me! Indeed, I am bewildered, and how +shall I do, and I alone, forlorn? Would God I had died and he had +lived!" + +Then she wept and the old woman with her and the latter went up +to Aboulhusn and uncovering his face, saw his eyes bound and +swollen for the binding. So she covered him again and said, +"Indeed, O Nuzhet el Fuad, thou art afflicted in Aboulhusn!" Then +she condoled with her and going out from her, ran without ceasing +till she came in to the Lady Zubeideh and related to her the +story; and the princess said to her, laughing, "Tell it over +again to the Khalif, who maketh me out scant of wit and lacking +of religion, and to this ill-omened slave, who presumeth to +contradict me." Quoth Mesrour, "This old woman lieth; for I saw +Aboulhusn well and Nuzhet el Fuad it was who lay dead." "It is +thou that liest," rejoined the stewardess, "and wouldst fain sow +discord between the Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh." And he said, +"None lieth but thou, O old woman of ill-omen, and thy lady +believeth thee, and she doteth." Whereupon the Lady Zubeideh +cried out at him, and indeed she was enraged at him and at his +speech and wept. + +Then said the Khalif to her, "I lie and my eunuch lieth, and thou +liest and thy waiting-woman lieth; so methinks we were best go, +all four of us together, that we may see which of us telleth the +truth." Quoth Mesrour, "Come, let us go, that I may put this +ill-omened old woman to shame[FN#37] and deal her a sound +drubbing for her lying." And she answered him, saying, "O dotard, +is thy wit like unto my wit? Indeed, thy wit is as the hen's +wit." Mesrour was incensed at her words and would have laid +violent hands on her, but the Lady Zubeideh warded him off from +her and said to him, "Her sooth-fastness will presently be +distinguished from thy sooth-fastness and her leasing from thy +leasing." + +Then they all four arose, laying wagers with one another, and +went forth, walking, from the palace-gate [and fared on] till +they came in at the gate of the street in which Aboulhusn el +Khelia dwelt. He saw them and said to his wife Nuzhet el Fuad, +"Verily, all that is sticky is not a pancake and not every time +cometh the jar off safe.[FN#38]' Meseemeth the old woman hath +gone and told her lady and acquainted her with our case and she +hath disputed with Mesrour the eunuch and they have laid wagers +with one another about our death and are come to us, all four, +the Khalif and the eunuch and the Lady Zubeideh and the old +woman." When Nuzhet el Fuad heard this, she started up from her +lying posture and said, "How shall we do?" And he said, "We will +both feign ourselves dead and stretch ourselves out and hold our +breath." So she hearkened unto him and they both lay down on the +siesta[-carpet] and bound their feet and shut their eyes and +covered themselves with the veil and held their breath. + +Presently, up came the Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh and Mesrour +and the old woman and entering, found Aboulhusn and his wife both +stretched out [apparently] dead; which when the Lady Zubeideh +saw, she wept and said, "They ceased not to bring [ill] news of +my slave- girl, till she died; methinketh Aboulhusn's death was +grievous to her and that she died after him."[FN#39]. Quoth the +Khalif, "Thou shalt not forestall me with talk and prate. She +certainly died before Aboulhusn, for he came to me with his +clothes torn and his beard plucked out, beating his breast with +two bricks, and I gave him a hundred dinars and a piece of silk +and said to him, 'Go, carry her forth [and bury her] and I will +give thee a concubine other than she and handsomer, and she shall +be in stead of her.' But it would appear that her death was no +light matter to him and he died after her;[FN#40] so it is I who +have beaten thee and gotten thy stake." + +The Lady Zubeideh answered him many words and the talk waxed +amain between them. At last the Khalif sat down at the heads of +the pair and said, "By the tomb of the Apostle of God (may He +bless and preserve him!) and the sepulchres of my fathers and +forefathers, whoso will tell me which of them died before the +other, I will willingly give him a thousand dinars!" When +Aboulhusn heard the Khalifs words, he sprang up in haste and +said, "I died first, O Commander of the Faithful! Hand over the +thousand dinars and quit thine oath and the conjuration by which +thou sworest." Then Nuzhet el Fuad rose also and stood up before +the Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh, who both rejoiced in this and +in their safety, and the princess chid her slave-girl. Then the +Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh gave them joy at their well-being +and knew that this [pretended] death was a device to get the +money; and the princess said to Nuzhet el Fuad, "Thou shouldst +have sought of me that which thou desiredst, without this +fashion, and not have consumed my heart for thee." And she said, +"Indeed, I was ashamed, O my lady." + +As for the Khalif, he swooned away for laughing and said, "O +Aboulhusn, thou wilt never cease to be a wag and do rarities and +oddities!" Quoth he, "O Commander of the Faithful, I played off +this trick, for that the money was exhausted, which thou gavest +me, and I was ashamed to ask of thee again. When I was single, I +could never keep money; but since thou marriedst me to this +damsel here, if I possessed thy wealth, I should make an end of +it. So, when all that was in my hand was spent, I wrought this +trick, so I might get of thee the hundred dinars and the piece of +silk; and all this is an alms from our lord. But now make haste +to give me the thousand dinars and quit thee of thine oath." + +The Khalif and the Lady Zubeideh laughed and returned to the +palace; and he gave Aboulhusn the thousand dinars, saying, "Take +them as a thank-offering for thy preservation from death," whilst +the princess did the like with Nuzhet el Fuad. Moreover, the +Khalif increased Aboulhusn in his stipends and allowances, and he +[and his wife] ceased not [to live] in joy and contentment, till +there came to them the Destroyer of Delights and Sunderer of +Companies, he who layeth waste the palaces and peopleth the +tombs. + + + + + + THE KHALIF OMAR BEN ABDULAZIZ AND THE + POETS.[FN#41] + + + +It is said that, when the Khalifate devolved on Omar ben +Abdulaziz[FN#42] (of whom God accept), the poets [of the time] +resorted to him, as they had been used to resort to the Khalifs +before him, and abode at his door days and days, but he gave them +not leave to enter, till there came to Omar Adi ben Artah,[FN#43] +who stood high in esteem with him. Jerir[FN#44] accosted him and +begged him to crave admission for them [to the Khalif]. "It is +well," answered Adi and going in to Omar, said to him, "The poets +are at thy door and have been there days and days; yet hast thou +not given them leave to enter, albeit their sayings are +abiding[FN#45] and their arrows go straight to the mark." Quoth +Omar, "What have I to do with the poets?" And Adi answered, +saying, "O Commander of the Faithful, the Prophet (whom God bless +and preserve) was praised [by a poet] and gave [him largesse,] +and therein[FN#46] is an exemplar to every Muslim." Quoth Omar, +"And who praised him?" "Abbas ben Mirdas[FN#47] praised him," +replied Adi, "and he clad him with a suit and said, 'O +Bilal,[FN#48] cut off from me his tongue!'" "Dost thou remember +what he said?" asked the Khalif; and Adi said, "Yes." "Then +repeat it," rejoined Omar. So Adi recited the following verses: + +I saw thee, O thou best of all the human race, display A book + that came to teach the Truth to those in error's way. +Thou madest known to us therein the road of righteousness, When + we had wandered from the Truth, what while in gloom it lay. +A dark affair thou littest up with Islam and with proof + Quenchedst the flaming red-coals of error and dismay. +Mohammed, then, I do confess, God's chosen prophet is, And every + man requited is for that which he doth say. +The road of right thou hast made straight, that erst was crooked + grown; Yea, for its path of old had fall'n to ruin and + decay. +Exalted mayst thou be above th' empyrean heaven of joy And may + God's glory greater grow and more exalted aye! + +"And indeed," continued Adi, "this ode on the Prophet (may God +bless and keep him!) is well known and to comment it would be +tedious." Quoth Omar, "Who is at the door?" "Among them is Omar +ibn [Abi] Rebya the Cureishite,"[FN#49] answered Adi, and the +Khalif said, "May God show him no favour neither quicken him! Was +it not he who said ... ?" And he recited the following verses: + +Would God upon that bitterest day, when my death calls for me, + What's 'twixt thine excrement and blood[FN#50] I still may + smell of thee! +Yea, so but Selma in the dust my bedfellow may prove, Fair fall + it thee! In heaven or hell I reck not if it be. + +"Except," continued the Khalif, "he were the enemy of God, he had +wished for her in this world, so he might after [repent and] +return to righteous dealing. By Allah, he shall not come in to +me! Who is at the door other than he?" Quoth Adi, "Jemil ben +Mamer el Udhri[FN#51] is at the door;" and Omar said, "It is he +who says in one of his odes" ... [And he recited the following:] + +Would we may live together and when we come to die, God grant the + death-sleep bring me within her tomb to lie! +For if "Her grave above her is levelled" it be said, Of life and + its continuance no jot indeed reck I. + +"Away with him from me! Who is at the door?" "Kutheiyir +Azzeh,"[FN#52] replied Adi, and Omar said, "It is he who says in +one of his odes ... " [And he repeated the following verses:] + +Some with religion themselves concern and make it their business + all; Sitting,[FN#53] they weep for the pains of hell and + still for mercy bawl! +If they could hearken to Azzeh's speech, as I, I hearken to it, + They straight would humble themselves to her and prone + before her fall. + +"Leave the mention of him. Who is at the door?" Quoth Adi, "El +Akhwes el Ansari."[FN#54] "God the Most High put him away and +estrange him from His mercy!" cried Omar. "Is it not he who said, +berhyming on a man of Medina his slave-girl, so she might outlive +her master ... ?" [And he repeated the following line:] + +God [judge] betwixt me and her lord! Away With her he flees me + and I follow aye. + +"He shall not come in to me. Who is at the door, other than he?" +"Heman ben Ghalib el Ferezdec,"[FN#55] answered Adi; and Omar +said, "It is he who saith, glorying in adultery ..." [And he +repeated the following verses:] + +The two girls let me down from fourscore fathoms' height, As + swoops a hawk, with wings all open in full flight; +And when my feet trod earth, "Art slain, that we should fear," + Quoth they, "or live, that we may hope again thy sight?" + +"He shall not come in to me. Who is at the door, other than he?" +"El Akhtel et Teghlibi,"[FN#56] answered Adi; and Omar said, "He +is the unbeliever who says in his verse ..." [And he repeated the +following:] + +Ramazan in my life ne'er I fasted, nor e'er Have I eaten of + flesh, save in public[FN#57] it were. +No exhorter am I to abstain from the fair, Nor to love Mecca's + vale for my profit I care; +Nor, like others a little ere morning appear who bawl, "Come to + safety!"[FN#58] I stand up to prayer. +Nay, at daybreak I drink of the wind-freshened wine And prostrate + me[FN#59] instead in the dawn-whitened air. + +"By Allah, he treadeth no carpet of mine! Who is at the door +other than he?" "Jerir ibn el Khetefa," answered Adi; and Omar +said, "It is he who saith ... " [And he recited as follows:] + +But for the spying of the eyes [ill-omened,] we had seen Wild + cattle's eyes and antelopes' tresses of sable sheen. +The huntress of th' eyes[FN#60] by night came to me. "Turn in + peace," [Quoth I to her;] "This is no time for visiting, I + ween." + +"If it must be and no help, admit Jerir." So Adi went forth and +admitted Jerir, who entered, saying: + +He, who Mohammed sent, as prophet to mankind, Hath to a just + high-priest[FN#61] the Khalifate assigned. +His justice and his truth all creatures do embrace; The erring he + corrects and those of wandering mind. +I hope for present[FN#62] good [and bounty at thy hand,] For + souls of men are still to present[FN#63] good inclined. + +Quoth Omar, "O Jerir, keep the fear of God before thine eyes and +say nought but the truth." And Jerir recited the following +verses: + +How many, in Yemameh,[FN#64] dishevelled widows plain! How many a + weakling orphan unsuccoured doth remain, +For whom is thy departure even as a father's loss! To fly or + creep, like nestlings, alone, they strive in vain. +Now that the clouds have broken their promise to our hope, We + trust the Khalif's bounty will stand to us for rain.[FN#65] + +When the Khalif heard this, he said, "By Allah, O Jerir, Omar +possesseth but a hundred dirhems."[FN#66] [And he cried out to +his servant, saying,] "Ho, boy! give them to him." Moreover, he +gave him the ornaments of his sword; and Jerir went forth to the +[other] poets, who said to him, "What is behind thee?"[FN#67] And +he answered, "A man who giveth to the poor and denieth the poets, +and I am well-pleased with him."[FN#68] + + + + + + EL HEJJAJ AND THE THREE YOUNG MEN.[FN#69] + + + +They tell that El Hejjaj[FN#70] once commanded the Master of +Police [of Bassora] to go round about [the city] by night, and +whomsoever he found [abroad] after nightfall, that he should +strike off his head. So he went round one night of the nights and +came upon three youths staggering from side to side, and on them +signs of [intoxication with] wine. So the officers laid hold of +them and the captain of the watch said to them, "Who are ye that +ye transgress the commandment of the [lieutenant of the] +Commander of the Faithful and come abroad at this hour?" Quoth +one of the youths, "I am the son of him to whom [all] +necks[FN#71] abase themselves, alike the nose-pierced[FN#72] of +them and the [bone-]breaker;[FN#73] they come to him in their own +despite, abject and submissive, and he taketh of their +wealth[FN#74] and of their blood." + +The master of police held his hand from him, saying, "Belike he +is of the kinsmen of the Commander of the Faithful," and said to +the second, "Who art thou?" Quoth he, "I am the son of him whose +rank[FN#75] time abaseth not, and if it descend[FN#76] one day, +it will assuredly return [to its former height]; thou seest the +folk [crowd] in troops to the light of his fire, some standing +around it and some sitting." So the master of the police +refrained from slaying him and said to the third, "Who art thou?" +Quoth he, "I am the son of him who plungeth through the +ranks[FN#77] with his might and correcteth[FN#78] them with the +sword,[FN#79] so that they stand straight;[FN#80] his feet are +not loosed from the stirrup,[FN#81] whenas the horsemen on the +day of battle are weary." So the master of police held his hand +from him also, saying, "Belike, he is the son of a champion of +the Arabs." + +Then he kept them under guard, and when the morning morrowed, he +referred their case to El Hejjaj, who caused bring them before +him and enquiring into their affair, found that the first was the +son of a barber-surgeon, the second of a [hot] bean-seller and +the third of a weaver. So he marvelled at their readiness of +speech[FN#82] and said to his session-mates, "Teach your sons +deportment;[FN#83] for, by Allah, but for their ready wit, I had +smitten off their heads!" + + + + + + HAROUN ER RESHID AND THE WOMAN OF THE + BARMECIDES.[FN#84] + + + +They tell that Haroun er Reshid was sitting one day to do away +grievances, when there came up to him a woman and said to him, "O +Commander of the Faithful, may God accomplish thine affair and +cause thee rejoice in that which He hath given thee and increase +thee in elevation! Indeed, thou hast done justice[FN#85] and +wrought equitably."[FN#86] Quoth the Khalif to those who were +present with him, "Know ye what this woman meaneth by her +saying?" And they answered, "Of a surety, she meaneth not +otherwise than well, O Commander of the Faithful." "Nay," +rejoined Haroun; "she purposeth only in this an imprecation +against me. As for her saying, 'God accomplish thine affair!' she +hath taken it from the saying of the poet, 'When an affair is +accomplished, its abatement[FN#87] beginneth. Beware of +cessation, whenas it is said, "It is accomplished."' As for her +saying 'God cause thee rejoice in that which He hath given thee,' +she took it from the saying of God the Most High, 'Till, whenas +they rejoiced in that which they were given, we took them +suddenly and lo, they were confounded!'[FN#88] As for her saying, +'God increase thee in elevation!' she took it from the saying of +the poet, 'No bird flieth and riseth up on high, but, like as he +flieth, he falleth.' And as for her saying, 'Indeed, thou hast +done justice and wrought equitably,' it is from the saying of the +Most High, '[If ye deviate[FN#89] or lag behind or turn aside, +verily, God of that which ye do is aware;'[FN#90] and] 'As for +the transgressors,'[FN#91] they are fuel for hell[-fire]."[FN#92] + +Then he turned to the woman and said to her, "Is it not thus?" +"Yes, O Commander of the Faithful," answered she; and he said, +"What prompted thee to this?" Quoth she, "Thou slewest my father +and my mother and my kinsfolk and tookest their goods." "Whom +meanest thou?" asked the Khalif, and she replied, "I am of the +house of Bermek."[FN#93] Then said he to her, "As for the dead, +they are of those who are past away, and it booteth not to speak +of them; but, as for that which I took of wealth, it shall be +restored to thee, yea, and more than it." And he was bountiful to +her to the utmost of munificence. + + + + + + + THE TEN VIZIERS; OR THE HISTORY OF KING + AZADBEKHT AND HIS SON.[FN#94] + + + +There was once, of old days, a king of the kings, whose name was +Azadbekht; his [capital] city was called Kuneim Mudoud and his +kingdom extended to the confines of Seistan and from the +frontiers of Hindustan to the sea He had ten viziers, who ordered +his state and his dominion, and he was possessed of judgment and +exceeding wisdom. One day he went forth with certain of his +guards to the chase and fell in with an eunuch on horseback, +holding in his hand the halter of a mule, which he led along. On +the mule's back was a litter of gold-inwoven brocade, garded +about with an embroidered band set with gold and jewels, and over +against the litter was a company of horsemen. When King Azadbekht +saw this, he separated himself from his companions and making for +the mule and the horsemen, questioned the latter, saying, "To +whom belongeth this litter and what is therein?". The eunuch +answered, (for he knew not that he was King Azadbekht,) saying, +"This litter belongeth to Isfehend, vizier to King Azadbekht, and +therein is his daughter, whom he purposeth to marry to Zad Shah +the King." + +As the eunuch was speaking with the king, behold, the damsel +raised a corner of the curtain that shut in the litter, so she +might look upon the speaker, and saw the king. When Azadbekht +beheld her and noted her fashion and her loveliness (and indeed +never set story-teller[FN#95] eyes on her like,) his soul +inclined to her and she took hold upon his heart and he was +ravished by her sight. So he said to the eunuch, "Turn the mule's +head and return, for I am King Azadbekht and I will marry her +myself, for that Isfehend her father is my vizier and he will +accept of this affair and it will not be grievous to him." "O +king," answered the eunuch, "may God prolong thy continuance, +have patience till I acquaint my lord her father, and thou shalt +take her in the way of approof, for it befitteth thee not neither +is it seemly unto thee that thou take her on this wise, seeing +that it will be an affront to her father if thou take her without +his knowledge." Quoth Azadbekht, "I have not patience [to wait] +till thou go to her father and return, and no dishonour will +betide him, if I marry her." "O my lord," rejoined the eunuch, +"nought that is done in haste is long of durance nor doth the +heart rejoice therein; and indeed it behoveth thee not to take +her on this foul wise. Whatsoever betideth thee, destroy not +thyself with [undue] haste, for I know that her father's breast +will be straitened by this affair and this that thou dost will +not profit thee." But the king said, "Verily, Isfehend is [my +boughten] servant and a slave of my slaves, and I reck not of her +father, if he be vexed or pleased." So saying, he drew the reins +of the mule and carrying the damsel, whose name was Behrjaur, to +his house, married her. + +Meanwhile, the eunuch betook himself, he and the horsemen, to her +father and said to him, "O my lord, the king is beholden to thee +for many years' service and thou hast not failed him a day of the +days; and now, behold, he hath taken thy daughter against thy +wish and without thy permission." And he related to him what had +passed and how the king had taken her by force. When Isfehend +heard the eunuch's story, he was exceeding wroth and assembling +many troops, said to them, "Whenas the king was occupied with his +women [and concerned not himself with the affairs of his +kingdom], we took no reck of him; but now he putteth out his hand +to our harem; wherefore methinketh we should do well to look us +out a place, wherein we may have sanctuary." + +Then he wrote a letter to King Azadbekht, saying to him, "I am a +servant of thy servants and a slave of thy slaves and my daughter +is a handmaid at thy service, and may God the Most High prolong +thy days and appoint thy times [to be] in delight and +contentment! Indeed, I still went girded of the waist in thy +service and in caring for the preservation of thy dominion and +warding off thine enemies from thee; but now I abound yet more +than before in zeal and watchfulness, for that I have taken this +to charge upon myself, since my daughter is become thy wife." And +he despatched a messenger to the king with the letter and a +present. + +When the messenger came to King Azadbekht and he read the letter +and the present was laid before him, he rejoiced with an +exceeding joy and occupied himself with eating and drinking, hour +after hour. But the chief Vizier of his Viziers came to him and +said, "0 king, know that Isfehend the Vizier is thine enemy, for +that his soul liketh not that which thou hast done with him, and +the message that he hath sent thee [is a trick; so] rejoice thou +not therein, neither be thou deluded by the sweetness of his +words and the softness of his speech." The king hearkened [not] +to his Vizier's speech, but made light of the matter and +presently, [dismissing it from his thought], busied himself with +that which he was about of eating and drinking and merrymaking +and delight + +Meanwhile, Isfehend the Vizier wrote a letter and despatched it +to all the Amirs, acquainting them with that which had betided +him with King Azadbekht and how he had taken his daughter by +force and adding, "And indeed he will do with you more than he +hath done with me." When the letter reached the chiefs [of the +people and troops], they all assembled together to Isfehend and +said to him, "What is to do with him?"[FN#96] So he discovered to +them the affair of his daughter and they all agreed, of one +accord, that they should endeavour for the slaughter of the king +and taking horse with their troops, set out, intending for him. +Azadbekht knew not [of their design] till the noise [of the +invasion] beset his capital city, when he said to his wife +Behrjaur, "How shall we do?" And she answered, saying, "Thou +knowest best and I am at thy commandment." So he let bring two +swift horses and bestrode one himself, whilst his wife mounted +the other. Then they took what they might of gold and went forth, +fleeing, in the night, to the desert of Kerman; what while +Isfehend entered the city and made himself king. + +Now King Azadbekht's wife was big with child and the pains of +labour took her in the mountain; so they alighted at the +mountain-foot, by a spring of water, and she gave birth to a boy +as he were the moon. Behrjaur his mother pulled off a gown of +gold-inwoven brocade and wrapped the child therein, and they +passed the night [in that place], what while she gave him suck +till the morning. Then said the king to her, "We are hampered by +this child and cannot abide here nor can we carry him with us; so +methinks we were better leave him here and go, for Allah is able +to send him one who shall take him and rear him." So they wept +over him exceeding sore and left him beside the spring, wrapped +in the gown of brocade: then they laid at his head a thousand +dinars in a bag and mounting their horses, departed, fleeing. + +Now, by the ordinance of God the Most High, a company of thieves +fell in upon a caravan hard by that mountain and made prize of +that which was with them of merchandise. Then they betook +themselves to the mountain, so they might share their booty, and +looking at the foot thereof, espied the gown of brocade. So they +descended, to see what it was, and finding the child wrapped +therein and the gold laid at his head, marvelled and said, +"Extolled be the perfection of God! By what wickedness cometh +this child here?" Then they divided the money between them and +the captain of the thieves took the boy and made him his son and +fed him with sweet milk and dates, till he came to his house, +when he appointed him a nurse, who should rear him. + +Meanwhile, King Azadbekht and his wife stayed not in their flight +till they came to [the court of] the King of Fars,[FN#97] whose +name was Kutrou.[FN#98] When they presented themselves to him, he +entreated them with honour and entertained them handsomely, and +Azadbekht told him his story, first and last. So he gave him a +great army and wealth galore and he abode with him some days, +till he was rested, when he made ready with his host and setting +out for his own dominions, waged war upon Isfehend and falling in +upon the capital, defeated the rebel vizier and slew him. Then he +entered the city and sat down on the throne of his kingship; and +whenas he was rested and the kingdom was grown peaceful for him, +he despatched messengers to the mountain aforesaid in quest of +the child; but they returned and informed the king that they had +not found him. + +As time went on, the boy, the son of the king, grew up and fell +to stopping the way[FN#99] with the thieves, and they used to +carry him with them, whenas they went a-thieving. They sallied +forth one day upon a caravan in the land of Seistan, and there +were in that caravan strong and valiant men and with them +merchandise galore. Now they had heard that in that land were +thieves; so they gathered themselves together and made ready +their arms and sent out spies, who returned and gave them news of +the thieves. Accordingly, they prepared for battle, and when the +robbers drew near the caravan, they fell in upon them and they +fought a sore battle. At last the folk of the caravan +overmastered the thieves, by dint of numbers, and slew some of +them, whilst the others fled. Moreover they took the boy, the son +of King Azadbekht, and seeing him as he were the moon, possessed +of beauty and grace, brightfaced and comely of fashion, +questioned him, saying, "Who is thy father, and how camest thou +with these thieves?" And he answered, saying, "I am the son of +the captain of the thieves." So they took him and carried him to +the capital of his father King Azadbekht + +When they reached the city, the king heard of their coming and +commanded that they should attend him with what befitted [of +their merchandise]. So they presented themselves before him, [and +the boy with them,] whom when the king saw, he said to them, "To +whom belongeth this boy?" And they answered, "O king, we were +going in such a road, when there came out upon us a sort of +robbers; so we made war upon them and overcame them and took this +boy prisoner. Then we questioned him, saying, 'Who is thy +father?' and he answered, 'I am the captain's son of the +thieves.'" Quoth the king, "I would fain have this boy." And the +captain of the caravan said, "God maketh thee gift of him, O king +of the age, and we all are thy slaves." Then the king dismissed +[the people of] the caravan and let carry the youth into his +palace and he became as one of the servants, what while his +father the king knew not that he was his son. As time went on, +the king observed in him good breeding and understanding and +knowledge[FN#100] galore and he pleased him; so he committed his +treasuries to his charge and straitened the viziers' hand +therefrom, commanding that nought should be taken forth therefrom +except by leave of the youth. On this wise he abode a number of +years and the king saw in him nought but fidelity and +studiousness in well-doing. + +Now the treasuries aforetime had been in the viziers' hand, so +they might do with them what they would, and when they came under +the youth's hand, that of the viziers was straitened from them, +and the youth became dearer to the king than a son and he could +not brook to be separated from him. When the viziers saw this, +they were jealous of him and envied him and cast about for a +device against him whereby they might oust him from the king's +favour, but found no opportunity. At last, when came the destined +hour,[FN#101] it chanced that the youth one day drank wine and +became drunken and wandered from his wits; so he fell to going +round about within the palace of the king and fate led him to the +lodging of the women, in which there was a little +sleeping-chamber, where the king lay with his wife. Thither came +the youth and entering the chamber, found there a couch spread, +to wit, a sleeping place, and a candle burning. So he cast +himself on the couch, marvelling at the paintings that were in +the chamber, and slept and slumbered heavily till eventide, when +there came a slave-girl, bringing with her all the dessert, +eatables and drinkables, that she was wont to make ready for the +king and his wife, and seeing the youth lying on his back, (and +none knowing of his case and he in his drunkenness unknowing +where he was,) thought that he was the king asleep on his bed; so +she set the censing-vessel and laid the essences by the couch, +then shut the door and went away. + +Presently, the king arose from the wine-chamber and taking his +wife by the hand, repaired with her to the chamber in which he +slept. He opened the door and entering, saw the youth lying on +the bed, whereupon he turned to his wife and said to her, "What +doth this youth here? This fellow cometh not hither but on thine +account." Quoth she, "I have no knowledge of him." With this, the +youth awoke and seeing the king, sprang up and prostrated himself +before him, and Azadbekht said to him, "O vile of origin,[FN#102] +O lack-loyalty, what hath prompted thee to outrage my dwelling?" +And he bade imprison him in one place and the woman in another. + + + + + + The First Day. + + + + OF THE USELESSNESS OF ENDEAVOUR AGAINST + PERSISTENT ILL FORTUNE. + + + +When the morning morrowed and the king sat on the throne of his +kingship, he summoned the chief of his viziers and said to him, +"What deemest thou of this that yonder robber-youth hath done? +Behold, he hath entered my house and lain down on my bed and I +fear lest there be an intrigue between him and the woman. How +deemest thou of the affair?" "God prolong the king's +continuance!" replied the vizier. "What sawest thou in this youth +[to make thee trust in him]? Is he not vile of origin, the son of +thieves? Needs must a thief revert to his vile origin, and whoso +reareth the young of the serpent shall get of them nought but +biting. As for the woman, she is not at fault; for, since [the] +time [of her marriage with thee] till now, there hath appeared +from her nought but good breeding and modesty; and now, if the +king give me leave, I will go to her and question her, so I may +discover to thee the affair." + +The king gave him leave for this and the vizier betook himself to +the queen and said to her, "I am come to thee, on account of a +grave reproach, and I would have thee be truthful with me in +speech and tell me how came the youth into the sleeping-chamber." +Quoth she, "I have no knowledge whatsoever [of it]" and swore to +him a solemn oath thereof, whereby he knew that she had no +knowledge of the matter and that she was not at fault and said to +her, "I will teach thee a device, where- with thou mayst acquit +thyself and thy face be whitened before the king." "What is it?" +asked she; and he answered, saying, "When the king calleth for +thee and questioneth thee of this, say thou to him, 'Yonder youth +saw me in the privy-chamber and sent me a message, saying, "I +will give thee a hundred jewels, to whose price money may not +avail, so thou wilt suffer me to foregather with thee." I laughed +at him who bespoke me with these words and rebuffed him; but he +sent again to me, saying, "An thou fall not in with my wishes, I +will come one of the nights, drunken, and enter and lie down in +the sleeping-chamber, and the king will see me and kill me; so +wilt thou be put to shame and thy face will be blackened with him +and thine honour abased."' Be this thy saying to the king, and I +will presently go to him and repeat this to him." Quoth the +queen, "And I also will say thus." + +So the vizier returned to the king and said to him, "Verily, this +youth hath merited grievous punishment, after abundance of bounty +[bestowed on him], and it may not be that a bitter kernel should +ever become sweet; but, as for the woman, I am certified that +there is no fault in her." Then he repeated to the king the story +which he had taught the queen, which when Azadbekht heard, he +rent his clothes and bade fetch the youth. So they brought him +and stationed him before the king, who let bring the headsman, +and the folk all fixed their eyes upon the youth, so they might +see what the king should do with him. + +Then said Azadbekht to him (and indeed his words were [prompted] +by anger and those of the youth by presence of mind and good +breeding), "I bought thee with my money and looked for fidelity +from thee, wherefore I chose thee over all my grandees and +servants and made thee keeper of my treasuries. Why, then, hast +thou outraged my honour and entered my house and played the +traitor with me and tookest no thought unto that which I have +done thee of benefits?" "O king," answered the youth, "I did this +not of my choice and freewill and I had no [evil] intent in being +there; but, of the littleness of my luck, I was driven thither, +for that fate was contrary and fair fortune lacking. Indeed, I +had striven with all endeavour that nought of foul should proceed +from me and kept watch over myself, lest default appear in me; +but none may avail to make head against ill fortune, nor doth +endeavour profit in case of lack of luck, as appeareth by the +example of the merchant who was stricken with ill luck and his +endeavour profited him not and he succumbed to the badness of his +fortune." "What is the story of the merchant," asked the king, +"and how was his luck changed upon him by the sorriness of his +fortune?" "May God prolong the king's continuance!" answered the +youth. + + + + + +Story of the Unlucky Merchant. + + + +"There was once a man, a merchant, who was fortunate in trade, +and at one time his [every] dirhem profited [him] fifty. +Presently, his luck turned against him and he knew it not; so he +said in himself, 'I have wealth galore, yet do I weary myself and +go round about from country to country; I were better abide in my +own country and rest myself in my house from this travail and +affliction and sell and buy at home.' Then he made two parts of +his money, with one whereof he bought wheat in summer, saying, +'When the winter cometh, I will sell it at a great profit.' But, +when the winter came, wheat became at half the price for which he +had bought it, whereat he was sore concerned and left it till the +next year. However, next year, the price fell yet lower and one +of his friends said to him, 'Thou hast no luck in this wheat; so +do thou sell it at whatsoever price.' Quoth the merchant, 'This +long while have I profited and it is allowable that I lose this +time. God is all- knowing! If it abide [with me] half a score +years, I will not sell it save at a profit.' + +Then, in his anger, he walled up the door of the granary with +clay, and by the ordinance of God the Most High, there came a +great rain and descended from the roofs of the house wherein was +the wheat [so that the latter rotted]; and needs must the +merchant give the porters five hundred dirhems from his purse, so +they should carry it forth and cast it without the city, for that +the smell of it was noisome. So his friend said to him, 'How +often did I tell thee thou hadst no luck in wheat? But thou +wouldst not give ear to my speech, and now it behoveth thee to go +to the astrologer and question him of thy star.' Accordingly the +merchant betook himself to the astrologer and questioned him of +his star, and the astrologer said to him, 'Thy star is +unpropitious. Put not thy hand to any business, for thou wilt not +prosper therein.' However, he paid no heed to the astrologer's +words and said in himself, 'If I do my occasion,[FN#103] I am not +afraid of aught.' Then he took the other part of his money, after +he had spent therefrom three years, and built [therewith] a ship, +which he loaded with all that seemed good to him and all that was +with him and embarked on the sea, so he might travel. + +The ship tarried with him some days, till he should be certified +what he would do,[FN#104] and he said, 'I will enquire of the +merchants what this merchandise profiteth and in what country it +lacketh and how much is the gain thereon.' [So he questioned them +and] they directed him to a far country, where his dirhem should +profit a hundredfold. Accordingly, he set sail and steered for +the land in question; but, as he went, there blew on him a +tempestuous wind and the ship foundered. The merchant saved +himself on a plank and the wind cast him up, naked as he was, on +the sea-shore, hard by a town there. So he praised God and gave +Him thanks for his preservation; then, seeing a great village +hard by, he betook himself thither and saw, seated therein, a +very old man, whom he acquainted with his case and that which had +betided him. The old man grieved sore for him, when he heard his +story, and set food before him. So he ate and the old man said to +him, 'Abide here with me, so I may make thee my steward and +factor over a farm I have here, and thou shall have of me five +dirhems [FN#105] a day.' 'God make fair thy reward,' answered the +merchant, 'and requite thee with benefits!' + +So he abode in this employ, till he had sowed and reaped and +threshed and winnowed, and all was sheer in his hand and the +owner appointed neither inspector nor overseer, but relied +altogether upon him. Then he bethought himself and said, '_I_* +misdoubt me the owner of this grain will not give me my due; so I +were better take of it, after the measure of my hire; and if he +give me my due, I will restore him that which I have taken.' So +he took of the grain, after the measure of that which fell to +him, and hid it in a privy place. Then he carried the rest to the +old man and meted it out to him, and he said to him, 'Come, take +[of the grain, after the measure of] thy hire, for which I agreed +with thee, and sell it and buy with the price clothes and what +not else; and though thou abide with me half a score years, yet +shall thou still have this wage and I will acquit it to thee +thus.' Quoth the merchant in himself, 'Indeed, I have done a foul +thing in that I look it without his leave.' + +Then he went to fetch that which he had hidden of the grain, but +found it not and returned, perplexed and sorrowful, to the old +man, who said to him, 'What aileth thee to be sorrowful?' And he +answered, 'Methought thou wouldst not pay me my due; so I took of +the grain, after the measure of my hire; and now thou hast paid +me my due and I went to bring back to thee that which I had +hidden from thee, but found it gone, for those who had happened +upon it had stolen it.' The old man was wroth, when he heard +this, and said to the merchant, 'There is no device [can cope] +with ill luck! I had given thee this, but, of the sorriness of +thy luck and thy fortune, thou hast done this deed, O oppressor +of thine own self! Thou deemedst I would not acquit thee thy +wage; but, by Allah, nevermore will I give thee aught.' And he +drove him away from him. + +So the merchant went forth, afflicted, sorrowful, weeping, [and +wandered on along the sea-shore], till he came to a sort of +divers diving in the sea for pearls. They saw him weeping and +mourning and said to him, 'What is thy case and what maketh thee +weep?' So he acquainted them with his history, from first to +last, whereby they knew him and said to him, 'Art thou [such an +one] son of such an one?' 'Yes,' answered he; whereupon they +condoled with him and wept sore for him and said to him, 'Abide +here till we dive for thy luck this next time and whatsoever +betideth us shall be between us and thee.' Accordingly, they +dived and brought up ten oysters, in each two great pearls; +whereat they marvelled and said to him, 'By Allah, thy luck hath +returned and thy good star is in the ascendant!' Then they gave +him ten pearls and said to him, 'Sell two of them and make them +thy capital [whereon to trade]; and hide the rest against the +time of thy straitness.' So he took them, joyful and contented, +and addressed himself to sew eight of them in his gown, keeping +the two others in his mouth; but a thief saw him and went and +advertised his mates of him; whereupon they gathered together +upon him and took his gown and departed from him. When they were +gone away, he arose, saying, 'These two pearls [in my mouth] will +suffice me,' and made for the [nearest] city, where he brought +out the pearls [and repairing to the jewel- market, gave them to +the broker], that he might sell them. + +Now, as destiny would have it, a certain jeweller of the town had +been robbed of ten pearls, like unto those which were with the +merchant; so, when he saw the two pearls in the broker's hand, he +said to him, 'To whom do these pearls belong?' and the broker +answered, 'To yonder man.' [The jeweller looked at the merchant +and] seeing him in sorry case and clad in tattered clothes, +misdoubted of him and said to him (purposing to surprise him into +confession), 'Where are the other eight pearls?' The merchant +thought he asked him of those which were in the gown and +answered, 'The thieves stole them from me.' When the jeweller +heard his reply, he doubted not but that it was he who had taken +his good; so he laid hold of him and haling him before the chief +of the police, said to him, 'This is the man who stole my pearls: +I have found two of them upon him and he confesseth to the other +eight.' + +Now the magistrate knew of the theft of the pearls; so he bade +clap the merchant in prison. Accordingly they imprisoned him and +flogged him, and he abode in the prison a whole year, till, by +the ordinance of God the Most High, the Master of Police arrested +one of the divers aforesaid and imprisoned him in the prison +where the merchant lay. He saw the latter and knowing him, +questioned him of his case; whereupon he told them his story and +that which had befallen him, and the diver marvelled at the +sorriness of his luck. So, when he came forth of the prison, he +acquainted the Sultan with the merchant's case and told him that +it was he who had given him the pearls. The Sultan bade bring him +forth of the prison and questioned him of his story, whereupon he +told him all that had befallen him and the Sultan pitied him and +assigned him a lodging in his own palace, together with an +allowance for his living. + +Now the lodging in question adjoined the king's house, and whilst +the merchant was rejoicing in this and saying, 'Verily, my luck +hath returned and I shall live in this king's shadow the rest of +my life,' he espied an opening walled up with stones and clay. So +he pulled out the stones and clearing away the earth from the +opening, found that it was a window giving upon the lodging of +the king's women. When he saw this, he was affrighted and rising +in haste, fetched clay and stopped it up again. But one of the +eunuchs saw him and misdoubting of him, repaired to the Sultan +and told him of this. So he came and seeing the stones pulled +out, was wroth with the merchant and said to him, 'Is this my +recompense from thee, that thou seekest to violate my harem?' And +he bade pluck out his eyes. So they did as he commanded and the +merchant took his eyes in his hand and said, 'How long [wilt thou +afflict me], O star of ill-omen? First my wealth and now my +life!' And he bewailed himself, saying, 'Endeavour profiteth me +nought against evil fortune. The Compassionate aided me not and +endeavour was useless.' + +On like wise, O king," continued the youth, "whilst fortune was +favourable to me, all that I did came to good; but now that it is +grown contrary to me, everything turneth against me." + +When the youth had made an end of his story, the king's anger +subsided a little and he said, "Restore him to the prison, for +the day draweth to an end, and tomorrow we will took into his +affair." + + + + + + OF LOOKING TO THE ISSUES OF AFFAIRS. + + + +When it was the second day, the second of the king's viziers, +whose name was Beheroun, came in to him and said, "God advance +the king! This that yonder youth hath done is a grave matter and +a foul deed and a heinous against the household of the king." So +Azadbekht bade fetch the youth, because of the saying of the +vizier; and when he came into his presence, he said to him, "Out +on thee, O youth! Needs must I slay thee by the worst of deaths, +for indeed thou hast committed a grave crime, and I will make +thee a warning to the folk." "O king," answered the youth, +"hasten not, for the looking to the issues of affairs is a pillar +of the realm and [a cause of] continuance and sure stablishment +for the kingship. Whoso looketh not to the issues of affairs, +there befalleth him that which befell the merchant, and whoso +looketh to the issues of affairs, there betideth him of joyance +that which betided the merchant's son." "And what is the story of +the merchant and his son?" asked the king. "O king," answered the +youth, + + + + + +Story of the Merchant and His Sons. + + + +"There was once a man, a merchant, who had a wife and abundant +wealth. He set out one day on a journey with merchandise, leaving +his wife big with child, and said to her, 'If it be the will of +God the Most High, I will return before the birth of the child.' +Then he took leave of her and setting out, journeyed from country +to country till he came to the court of one of the kings and +foregathered with him. Now this king was in need of one who +should order his affairs and those of his kingdom and seeing the +merchant well-bred and intelligent, he charged him abide with him +and entreated him with honour and munificence. After awhile, he +sought of the king leave to go to his own house, but the latter +would not consent to this; whereupon he said to him, 'O king, +suffer me go and see my children and come again.' So he gave him +leave for this and took surety of him for his return. Moreover, +he gave him a purse, wherein were a thousand gold dinars, and the +merchant embarked in a ship and set sail, intending for his own +country. + +Meanwhile, news came to his wife that her husband had taken +service with King Such-an-one; so she arose and taking her two +sons, (for she had given birth to twin boys in his absence,) set +out for those parts. As fate would have it, they happened upon an +island and her husband came thither that very night in the ship. +[When the woman heard of the coming of the ship], she said to her +children, 'This ship cometh from the country where your father +is; so go ye to the sea-shore, that ye may enquire of him.' So +they repaired to the sea-shore and [going up into the ship], fell +to playing about it and occupied themselves with their play till +the evening. + +Now the merchant their father lay asleep in the ship, and the +crying of the boys troubled him; so he rose to call out to them +[and silence them] and let the purse [with the thousand dinars +therein] fall among the bales of merchandise. He sought for it +and finding it not, buffeted his head and seized upon the boys, +saying, 'None took the purse but you. Ye were playing about the +bales, so ye might steal somewhat, and there was none here but +you.' Then he took a staff and laying hold of the children, fell +to beating them and flogging them, whilst they wept, and the +sailors came round about them and said, 'The boys of this island +are all thieves and robbers.' Then, of the greatness of the +merchant's wrath, he swore that, if they brought not out the +purse, he would drown them in the sea; so when [by reason of +their denial] his oath became binding upon him, he took the two +boys and lashing them [each] to a bundle of reeds, cast them into +the sea. + +Presently, the mother of the two boys, finding that they tarried +from her, went searching for them, till she came to the ship and +fell to saying, 'Who hath seen two boys of mine? Their fashion is +thus and thus and their age thus and thus.' When they heard her +words, they said, 'This is the description of the two boys who +were drowned in the sea but now.' Their mother heard and fell to +calling on them and saying, 'Alas, my anguish for your loss, O my +sons! Where was the eye of your father this day, that it might +have seen you?' Then one of the crew questioned her, saying, +'Whose wife art thou?' And she answered, 'I am the wife of such +an one the merchant. I was on my way to him, and there hath +befallen me this calamity.' When the merchant heard her speech, +he knew her and rising to his feet, rent his clothes and buffeted +his head and said to his wife, 'By Allah, I have destroyed my +children with mine own hand! This is the end of whoso looketh not +to the issues of affairs.' Then he fell a-wailing and weeping +over them, he and his wife, and he said, 'By Allah, I shall have +no ease of my life, till I light upon news of them!' And he +betook himself to going round about the sea, in quest of them, +but found them not. + +Meanwhile, the wind carried the two children [out to sea and +thence driving them] towards the land, cast them up on the +sea-shore. As for one of them, a company of the guards of the +king of those parts found him and carried him to their master, +who marvelled at him with an exceeding wonderment and adopted him +to his son, giving out to the folk that he was his [very] son, +whom he had hidden,[FN#106] of his love for him. So the folk +rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy, for the king's sake, and +the latter appointed him his heir-apparent and the inheritor of +his kingdom. On this wise, a number of years passed, till the +king died and they crowned the youth king in his room. So he sat +down on the throne of his kingship and his estate flourished and +his affairs prospered. + +Meanwhile, his father and mother had gone round about all the +islands of the sea in quest of him and his brother, hoping that +the sea might have cast them up, but found no trace of them; so +they despaired of finding them and took up their abode in one of +the islands. One day, the merchant, being in the market, saw a +broker, and in his hand a boy he was calling for sale, and said +in himself, 'I will buy yonder boy, so I may console myself with +him for my sons.' So he bought him and carried him to his house; +and when his wife saw him, she cried out and said, 'By Allah, +this is my son!' So his father and mother rejoiced in him with an +exceeding joy and questioned him of his brother; but he answered, +'The sea parted us and I knew not what became of him.' Therewith +his father and mother consoled themselves with him and on this +wise a number of years passed. + +Now the merchant and his wife had taken up their abode in a city +in the land whereof their [other] son was king, and when the boy +[whom they had found] grew up, his father assigned unto him +merchandise, so he might travel therewith. So he set out and +entered the city wherein his brother was king. News reached the +latter that there was a merchant come thither with merchandise +befitting kings. So he sent for him and the young merchant obeyed +the summons and going in to him, sat down before him. Neither of +them knew the other; but blood stirred between them and the king +said to the young merchant, 'I desire of thee that thou abide +with me and I will exalt thy station and give thee all that thou +desirest and cravest.' So he abode with him awhile, quitting him +not; and when he saw that he would not suffer him to depart from +him, he sent to his father and mother and bade them remove +thither to him. So they addressed them to remove to that island, +and their son increased still in honour with the king, albeit he +knew not that he was his brother. + +It chanced one night that the king sallied forth without the city +and drank and the wine got the mastery of him and he became +drunken. So, of the youth's fearfulness for him, he said, 'I will +keep watch myself over the king this night, seeing that he +deserveth this from me, for that which he hath wrought with me of +kindnesses.' So he arose forthright and drawing his sword, +stationed himself at the door of the king's pavilion. Now one of +the royal servants saw him standing there, with the drawn sword +in his hand, and he was of those who envied him his favour with +the king; so he said to him, 'Why dost thou on this wise at this +season and in the like of this place?' Quoth the youth, 'I am +keeping watch over the king myself, in requital of his bounties +to me.' + +The servant said no more to him, but, when it was morning, he +acquainted a number of the king's servants with this and they +said, 'This is an opportunity for us. Come let us assemble +together and acquaint the king with this, so the young merchant +may lose favour with him and he rid us of him and we be at rest +from him.' So they assembled together and going in to the king, +said to him, 'We have a warning we would give thee.' Quoth he, +'And what is your warning?' And they said, 'Yonder youth, the +merchant, whom thou hast taken into favour and whose rank thou +hast exalted above the chiefs of the people of thy household, we +saw yesterday draw his sword and offer to fall upon thee, so he +might slay thee.' When the king heard this, his colour changed +and he said to them, 'Have ye proof of this?' Quoth they, 'What +proof wouldst thou have? If thou desire this, feign thyself +drunken again this night and lie down, as if asleep, and watch +him, and thou wilt see with thine eyes all that we have named to +thee.' + +Then they went to the youth and said to him, 'Know that the king +thanketh thee for thy dealing yesternight and exceedeth in +[praise of] thy good deed;' and they prompted him to do the like +again. So, when the next night came, the king abode on wake; +watching the youth; and as for the latter, he went to the door of +the pavilion and drawing his sword, stood in the doorway. When +the king saw him do thus, he was sore disquieted and bade seize +him and said to him, 'Is this my requital from thee? I showed +thee favour more than any else and thou wouldst do with me this +vile deed.' Then arose two of the king's servants and said to +him, 'O our lord, if thou command it, we will strike off his +head.' But the king said, 'Haste in slaying is a vile thing, for +it[FN#107] is a grave matter; the quick we can slay, but the +slain we cannot quicken, and needs must we look to the issue of +affairs. The slaying of this [youth] will not escape us.'[FN#108] +Therewith he bade imprison him, whilst he himself returned [to +the city] and despatching his occasions, went forth to the chase. + +Then he returned to the city and forgot the youth; so the +servants went in to him and said to him, 'O king, if thou keep +silence concerning yonder youth, who would have slain thee, all +thy servants will presume upon thee, and indeed the folk talk of +this matter.' With this the king waxed wroth and saying, 'Fetch +him hither,' commanded the headsman to strike off his head. So +they [brought the youth and] bound his eyes; and the headsman +stood at his head and said to the king, 'By thy leave, O my lord, +I will strike off his head.' But the king said, 'Stay, till I +look into his affair. Needs must I put him to death and the +slaying of him will not escape [me].' So he restored him to the +prison and there he abode till it should be the king's will to +put him to death. + +Presently, his father and his mother heard of the matter; +whereupon the former arose and going up to the place, wrote a +letter and [presented it to the king, who] read it, and behold, +therein was written, saying, 'Have pity on me, so may God have +pity on thee, and hasten not in the slaughter [of my son]; for +indeed I acted hastily in a certain affair and drowned his +brother in the sea, and to this day I drink the cup of his +anguish. If thou must needs kill him, kill me in his stead.' +Therewith the old merchant prostrated himself before the king and +wept; and the latter said to him, 'Tell me thy story.' 'O my +lord,' answered the merchant, 'this youth had a brother and I [in +my haste] cast them both into the sea.' And he related to him his +story from first to last, whereupon the king cried out with an +exceeding great cry and casting himself down from the throne, +embraced his father and brother and said to the former, 'By +Allah, thou art my very father and this is my brother and thy +wife is our mother.' And they abode weeping, all three. + +Then the king acquainted the people [of his court] with the +matter and said to them,' O folk, how deem ye of my looking to +the issues of affairs?' And they all marvelled at his wisdom and +foresight. Then he turned to his father and said to him, 'Hadst +thou looked to the issue of thine affair and dealt deliberately +in that which thou didst, there had not betided thee this +repentance and grief all this time.' Then he let bring his mother +and they rejoiced in each other and lived all their days in joy +and gladness. What then," continued the young treasurer, "is more +grievous than the lack of looking to the issues of affairs? +Wherefore hasten thou not in the slaying of me, lest repentance +betide thee and sore concern." + +When the king heard this, he said, "Restore him to the prison +till the morrow, so we may look into his affair; for that +deliberation in affairs is advisable and the slaughter of this +[youth] shall not escape [us]." + + The Third Day. + + + + OF THE ADVANTAGES OF PATIENCE. + + + +When it was the third day, the third vizier came in to the king +and said to him, "O king, delay not the affair of this youth, for +that his deed hath caused us fall into the mouths of the folk, +and it behoveth that thou slay him presently, so the talk may be +estopped from us and it be not said, 'The king saw on his bed a +man with his wife and spared him.'"* The king was chagrined by +this speech and bade bring the youth. So they brought him in +shackles, and indeed the king's anger was roused against him by +the speech of the vizier and he was troubled; so he said to him, +"O base of origin, thou hast dishonoured us and marred our +repute, and needs must I do away thy life from the world." Quoth +the youth, "O king, make use of patience in all thine affairs, so +wilt thou attain thy desire, for that God the Most High hath +appointed the issue of patience [to be] in abounding good, and +indeed by patience Abou Sabir ascended from the pit and sat down +upon the throne." "Who was Abou Sabir," asked the king, "and what +is his story?" And the youth answered, saying, "O king, + + + + + + STORY OF ABOU SABIR. + + + +There was once a man, a headman [of a village], by name Abou +Sabir, and he had much cattle and a fair wife, who had borne him +two sons. They abode in a certain village and there used to come +thither a lion and devour Abou Sabir's cattle, so that the most +part thereof was wasted and his wife said to him one day, 'This +lion hath wasted the most part of our cattle. Arise, mount thy +horse and take thy men and do thine endeavour to kill him, so we +may be at rest from him.' But Abou Sabir said, 'Have patience, O +woman, for the issue of patience is praised. This lion it is that +transgresseth against us, and the transgressor, needs must Allah +destroy him. Indeed, it is our patience that shall slay him, and +he that doth evil, needs must it revert upon him.' A little +after, the king went forth one day to hunt and falling in with +the lion, he and his troops, gave chase to him and ceased not [to +follow] after him till they slew him. This came to Abou Sabir's +knowledge and he said to his wife, 'Said I not to thee, O woman, +that whoso doth evil, it shall revert upon him? Belike, if I had +sought to slay the lion myself, I had not availed against him, +and this is the issue of patience.' + +It befell, after this, that a man was slain in Abou Sabir's +village; wherefore the Sultan caused plunder the village, and +they plundered the headman's goods with the rest So his wife said +to him, 'All the Sultan's officers know thee; so do thou prefer +thy plaint to the king, that he may cause thy beasts to be +restored to thee.' But he said to her, 'O woman, said I not to +thee that he who doth evil shall suffer it? Indeed, the king hath +done evil, and he shall suffer [the consequences of] his deed, +for whoso taketh the goods of the folk, needs must his goods be +taken.' A man of his neighbours heard his speech, and he was an +envier of his; so he went to the Sultan and acquainted him +therewith, whereupon he sent and plundered all [the rest of] his +goods and drove him forth from the village, and his wife [and +children] with him. So they went wandering in the desert and his +wife said to him, 'All that hath befallen us cometh of thy +slothfulness in affairs and thy default.' But he said to her, +'Have patience, for the issue of patience is good.' + +Then they went on a little, and thieves met them and despoiling +them of that which remained with them, stripped them of their +raiment and took the children from them; whereupon the woman wept +and said to her husband, 'O man, put away from thee this folly +and arise, let us follow the thieves, so haply they may have +compassion on us and restore the children to us.' 'O woman,' +answered he, 'have patience, for he who doth evil shall be +requited with evil and his wickedness shall revert upon him. Were +I to follow them, most like one of them would take his sword and +smite off my head and slay me; but have patience, for the issue +of patience is praised.' Then they fared on till they drew near a +village in the land of Kirman, and by it a river of water. So he +said to his wife, 'Abide thou here, whilst I enter the village +and look us out a place wherein we may take up our lodging.' And +he left her by the water and entered the village. + +Presently, up came a horseman in quest of water, so he might +water his horse. He saw the woman and she was pleasing in his +sight; so he said to her, 'Arise, mount with me and I will take +thee to wife and entreat thee kindly.' Quoth she, 'Spare me, so +may God spare thee! Indeed, I have a husband.' But he drew his +sword and said to her, 'An thou obey me not, I will smite thee +and kill thee.' When she saw his malice, she wrote on the ground +in the sand with her finger, saying, 'O Abou Sabir, thou hast not +ceased to be patient, till thy wealth is gone from thee and thy +children and [now] thy wife, who was more precious in thy sight +than everything and than all thy wealth, and indeed thou abidest +in thy sorrow all thy life long, so thou mayst see what thy +patience will profit thee.' Then the horseman took her, and +setting her behind him, went his way. + +As for Abou Sabir, when he returned, he saw not his wife and read +what was written on the ground, wherefore he wept and sat +[awhile] sorrowing. Then said he to himself, 'O Abou Sabir, it +behoveth thee to be patient, for belike there shall betide [thee] +an affair yet sorer than this and more grievous;' and he went +forth wandering at a venture, like to the love-distraught, the +madman, till he came to a sort of labourers working upon the +palace of the king, by way of forced labour. When [the overseers] +saw him, they laid hold of him and said to him, 'Work thou with +these folk at the palace of the king; else will we imprison thee +for life.' So he fell to working with them as a labourer and +every day they gave him a cake of bread. He wrought with them a +month's space, till it chanced that one of the labourers mounted +a ladder and falling, broke his leg; whereupon he cried out and +wept. Quoth Abou Sabir to him, 'Have patience and weep not; for +thou shall find ease in thy patience.' But the man said to him, +'How long shall I have patience?' And he answered, saying, +'Patience bringeth a man forth of the bottom of the pit and +seateth him on the throne of the kingdom.' + +Now the king was seated at the lattice, hearkening to their talk, +and Abou Sabir's words angered him; so he bade bring him before +him and they brought him forthright. Now there was in the king's +palace an underground dungeon and therein a vast deep pit, into +which the king caused cast Abou Sabir, saying to him, 'O lackwit, +now shall we see how thou wilt come forth of the pit to the +throne of the kingdom.' Then he used to come and stand at the +mouth of the pit and say, 'O lackwit, O Abou Sabir, I see thee +not come forth of the pit and sit down on the king's throne!' And +he assigned him each day two cakes of bread, whilst Abou Sabir +held his peace and spoke not, but bore with patience that which +betided him. + +Now the king had a brother, whom he had imprisoned in that pit of +old time, and he had died [there]; but the folk of the realm +thought that he was alive, and when his [supposed] imprisonment +grew long, the king's officers used to talk of this and of the +tyranny of the king, and the report spread abroad that the king +was a tyrant, wherefore they fell upon him one day and slew him. +Then they sought the well and brought out Abou Sabir therefrom, +deeming him the king's brother, for that he was the nearest of +folk to him [in favour] and the likest, and he had been long in +the prison. So they doubted not but that he was the prince in +question and said to him, 'Reign thou in thy brother's room, for +we have slain him and thou art king in his stead.' But Abou Sabir +was silent and spoke not a word; and he knew that this was the +issue of his patience. Then he arose and sitting down on the +king's throne, donned the royal raiment and discovered justice +and equity and the affairs [of the realm] prospered [in his +hand]; wherefore the folk obeyed him and the people inclined to +him and many were his troops. + +Now the king, who had plundered Abou Sabir['s goods] and driven +him forth of his village, had an enemy; and the latter took horse +against him and overcame him and captured his [capital] city; +wherefore he addressed himself to flight and came to Abou Sabir's +city, craving protection of him and seeking that he should +succour him. He knew not that the king of the city was the +headman whom he had despoiled; so he presented himself before him +and made complaint to him; but Abou Sabir knew him and said to +him, 'This is somewhat of the issue of patience. God the Most +High hath given me power over thee.' Then he bade his guards +plunder the [unjust] king and his attendants; so they plundered +them and stripping them of their clothes, put them forth of his +country. When Abou Sabir's troops saw this, they marvelled and +said, 'What is this deed that the king doth? There cometh a king +to him, craving protection, and he despoileth him! This is not of +the fashion of kings.' But they dared not [be]speak [him] of +this. + +After this, news came to the king of robbers in his land; so he +set out in quest of them and ceased not to follow after them, +till he seized on them all, and behold, they were the [very] +thieves who had despoiled him [and his wife] by the way and taken +his children. So he bade bring them before him, and when they +came into his presence, he questioned them, saying, 'Where are +the two boys ye took on such a day?' Quoth they, 'They are with +us and we will present them to our lord the king for slaves to +serve him and give him wealth galore that we have gotten together +and divest ourselves of all that we possess and repent from sin +and fight in thy service.' Abou Sabir, however, paid no heed to +their speech, but took all their good and bade put them all to +death. Moreover, he took the two boys and rejoiced in them with +an exceeding joy, whereat the troops murmured among themselves, +saying, 'Verily, this is a greater tyrant than his brother! There +come to him a sort of robbers and seek to repent and proffer two +boys [by way of peace-offering], and he taketh the two boys and +all their good and slayeth them!' + +After this came the horseman, who had taken Abou Sabir's wife, +and complained of her to the king that she would not give him +possession of herself, avouching that she was his wife. The king +bade bring her before him, that he might hear her speech and +pronounce judgment upon her. So the horseman came with her before +him, and when the king saw her, he knew her and taking her from +her ravisher, bade put the latter to death. Then he became aware +of the troops, that they murmured against him and spoke of him as +a tyrant; so he turned to his officers and viziers and said to +them, 'As for me, by God the Great, I am not the king's brother! +Nay, I am but one whom the king imprisoned upon a word he heard +from me and used every day to taunt me therewith. Ye think that I +am the king's brother; but I am Abou Sabir and God hath given me +the kingship in virtue of my patience. As for the king who sought +protection of me and I despoiled him, it was he who first wronged +me, for that he despoiled me aforetime and drove me forth of my +native land and banished me, without due [cause]; wherefore I +requited him with that which he had done to me, in the way of +lawful vengeance. As for the thieves who proffered repentance, +there was no repentance for them with me, for that they began +upon me with foul [dealing] and waylaid me by the road and +despoiled me and took my good and my sons. Now these two boys, +that I took of them and whom ye deemed slaves, are my very sons; +so I avenged myself on the thieves of that which they did with me +aforetime and requited them with equity. As for the horseman whom +I slew, the woman I took from him was my wife and he took her by +force, but God the Most High hath restored her [to me]; so this +was my right, and my deed that I have done was just, albeit ye, +[judging] by the outward of the matter, deemed that I had done +this by way of tyranny.' When the folk heard this, they marvelled +and fell prostrate before him; and they redoubled in esteem for +him and exceeding affection and excused themselves to him, +marvelling at that which God had done with him and how He had +given him the kingship by reason of his longsuffering and his +patience and how he had raised himself by his patience from the +bottom of the pit to the throne of the kingdom, what while God +cast down the [late] king from the throne into the pit.[FN#109] +Then Abou Sabir foregathered with his wife and said to her, 'How +deemest thou of the fruit of patience and its sweetness and the +fruit of haste and its bitterness? Verily, all that a man doth of +good and evil, he shall assuredly abide.' On like wise, O king," +continued the young treasurer, "it behoveth thee to practise +patience, whenas it is possible to thee, for that patience is of +the fashion of the noble, and it is the chiefest of their +reliance, especially for kings." + +When the king heard this from the youth, his anger subsided; so +he bade restore him to the prison, and the folk dispersed that +day. + + The Fourth Day. + + + + OF THE ILL EFFECTS OF PRECIPITATION. + + + +When it was the fourth day, the fourth vizier, whose name was +Zoushad, made his appearance and prostrating himself to the king, +said to him, "O king, suffer not the talk of yonder youth to +delude thee, for that he is not a truth-teller. So long as he +abideth on life, the folk will not give over talking nor will thy +heart cease to be occupied with him." "By Allah," cried the king, +"thou sayst sooth and I will cause fetch him this day and slay +him before me." Then he commanded to bring the youth; so they +brought him in shackles and he said to him, "Out on thee! +Thinkest thou to appease my heart with thy prate, whereby the +days are spent in talk? I mean to slay thee this day and be quit +of thee." "O king," answered the youth, "it is in thy power to +slay me whensoever thou wilt, but haste is of the fashion of the +base and patience of that of the noble. If thou put me to death, +thou wilt repent, and if thou desire to bring me back to life, +thou wilt not be able thereunto. Indeed, whoso acteth hastily in +an affair, there befalleth him what befell Bihzad, son of the +king." Quoth the king, "And what is his story?" "O king," replied +the young treasurer, + + + + + + STORY OF PRINCE BIHZAD. + + + +"There was once, of old time, a king and he had a son [named +Bihzad], there was not in his day a goodlier than he and he loved +to consort with the folk and to sit with the merchants and +converse with them. One day, as he sat in an assembly, amongst a +number of folk, he heard them talking of his own goodliness and +grace and saying, 'There is not in his time a goodlier than he.' +But one of the company said, 'Indeed, the daughter of King +Such-an-one is handsomer than he.' When Bihzad heard this saying, +his reason fled and his heart fluttered and he called the last +speaker and said to him, 'Repeat to me that which thou saidst and +tell me the truth concerning her whom thou avouchest to be +handsomer than I and whose daughter she is.' Quoth the man, 'She +is the daughter of King Such-an-one;' whereupon Bihzad's heart +clave to her and his colour changed. + +The news reached his father, who said to him, 'O my son, this +damsel to whom thy heart cleaveth is at thy commandment and we +have power over her; so wait till I demand her [in marriage] for +thee.' But the prince said, 'I will not wait.' So his father +hastened in the matter and sent to demand her of her father, who +required of him a hundred thousand dinars to his daughter's +dowry. Quoth Bihzad's father, 'So be it,' and paid down what was +in his treasuries, and there remained to his charge but a little +of the dower. So he said to his son, 'Have patience, O my son, +till we gather together the rest of the money and send to fetch +her to thee, for that she is become thine.' Therewith the prince +waxed exceeding wroth and said, 'I will not have patience;' so he +took his sword and his spear and mounting his horse, went forth +and fell to stopping the way, [so haply that he might win what +lacked of the dowry]. + +It chanced one day that he fell in upon a company of folk and +they overcame him by dint of numbers and taking him prisoner, +pinioned him and carried him to the lord of that country. The +latter saw his fashion and grace and misdoubting of him, said, +'This is no robber's favour. Tell me truly, O youth, who thou +art.' Bihzad thought shame to acquaint him with his condition and +chose rather death for himself; so he answered, 'I am nought but +a thief and a bandit.' Quoth the king, 'It behoveth us not to act +hastily in the matter of this youth, but that we look into his +affair, for that haste still engendereth repentance.' So he +imprisoned him in his palace and assigned him one who should +serve him. + +Meanwhile, the news spread abroad that Bihzad, son of the king, +was lost, whereupon his father sent letters in quest of him [to +all the kings and amongst others to him with whom he was +imprisoned]. When the letter reached the latter, he praised God +the Most High for that he had not anydele hastened in Bihzad's +affair and letting bring him before himself, said to him, 'Art +thou minded to destroy thyself?' Quoth Bihzad, '[I did this] for +fear of reproach;' and the king said, 'An thou fear reproach, +thou shouldst not practise haste [in that thou dost]; knowest +thou not that the fruit of haste is repentance? If we had hasted, +we also, like unto thee, we had repented.' + +Then he conferred on him a dress of honour and engaged to him for +the completion of the dowry and sent to his father, giving him +the glad news and comforting his heart with [the tidings of] his +son's safety; after which he said to Bihzad, Arise, O my son, and +go to thy father.' 'O king,' rejoined the prince, 'complete thy +kindness to me by [hastening] my going-in to my wife; for, if I +go back to my father, till he send a messenger and he return, +promising me, the time will be long.' The king laughed and +marvelled at him and said to him, 'I fear for thee from this +haste, lest thou come to shame and attain not thy desire.' Then +he gave him wealth galore and wrote him letters, commending him +to the father of the princess, and despatched him to them. When +he drew near their country, the king came forth to meet him with +the people of his realm and assigned him a handsome lodging and +bade hasten the going-in of his daughter to him, in compliance +with the other king's letter. Moreover, he advised the prince's +father [of his son's coming] and they busied themselves with the +affair of the damsel. + +When it was the day of the going-in,[FN#110] Bihzad, of his haste +and lack of patience, betook himself to the wall, which was +between himself and the princess's lodging and in which there was +a hole pierced, and looked, so he might see his bride, of his +haste. But the bride's mother saw him and this was grievous to +her; so she took from one of the servants two red-hot iron spits +and thrust them into the hole through which the prince was +looking. The spits ran into his eyes and put them out and he fell +down aswoon and joyance was changed and became mourning and sore +concern. See, then, O king," continued the youth, "the issue of +the prince's haste and lack of deliberation, for indeed his haste +bequeathed him long repentance and his joy was changed to +mourning; and on like wise was it with the woman who hastened to +put out his eyes and deliberated not. All this was the doing of +haste; wherefore it behoveth the king not to be hasty in putting +me to death, for that I am under the grasp of his hand, and what +time soever thou desirest my slaughter, it shall not escape +[thee]." + +When the king heard this, his anger subsided and he said, "Carry +him back to prison till to-morrow, to we may look into his +affair." + + The Fifth Day + + + + OF THE ISSUES OF GOOD AND EVIL ACTIONS. + + + +When it was the fifth day, the fifth Vizier, whose name was +Jehrbaur, came in to the king and prostrating himself before him, +said, "O king, it behoveth thee, if thou see or hear that one +look on thy house,[FN#111] that thou put out his eyes. How then +should it be with him whom thou sawest midmost thy house and on +thy very bed, and he suspected with thy harem, and not of thy +lineage nor of thy kindred? Wherefore do thou away this reproach +by putting him to death. Indeed, we do but urge thee unto this +for the assurance of thine empire and of our zeal for thy loyal +counselling and of our love to thee. How can it be lawful that +this youth should live for a single hour?" + +Therewith the king was filled with wrath and said, "Bring him +forthright," So they brought the youth before him, shackled, and +the king said to him, "Out on thee! Thou hast sinned a great sin +and the time of thy life hath been long;[FN#112] but needs must +we put thee to death, for that there is for us no ease in thy +life after this," "O king," answered he, "know that I, by Allah, +am guiltless, and by reason of this I hope for life, for that he +who is guiltless of offence goeth not in fear of punishment +neither maketh great his mourning and his concern; but whoso hath +sinned, needs must his sin be expiated upon him, though his life +be prolonged, and it shall overtake him, even as it overtook +Dadbin the king and his vizier." "How was that?" asked Azadbekht, +and the youth said, + + + + + + STORY OF KING DADBIN AND HIS VIZIERS. + + + +"There was once a king in the land of Teberistan, by name Dadbin, +and he had two viziers, called one Zourkhan and the other Kardan. +The Vizier Zourkhan had a daughter, there was not in her time a +handsomer than she nor yet a chaster nor a more pious, for she +was a faster, a prayer and a worshipper of God the Most High, and +her name was Arwa. Now Dadbin heard tell of her charms; so his +heart clave to her and he called the vizier [her father] and said +to him, 'I desire of thee that thou marry me to thy daughter.' +Quoth Zourkhan, 'Allow me to consult her, and if she consent, I +will marry thee with her.' And the king said, 'Hasten unto this.' + +So the vizier went in to his daughter and said to her, 'O my +daughter, the king seeketh thee of me and desireth to marry +thee.' 'O my father,' answered she 'I desire not a husband and if +thou wilt marry me, marry me not but with one who shall be below +me in rank and I nobler than he, so he may not turn to other than +myself nor lift his eyes upon me, and marry me not to one who is +nobler than I, lest I be with him as a slave-girl and a +serving-woman.' So the vizier returned to the king and acquainted +him with that which his daughter had said, whereat he redoubled +in desire and love-liking for her and said to her father, 'An +thou marry me not to her of good grace, I will take her by force +in thy despite.' The vizier again betook himself to his daughter +and repeated to her the king's words, but she replied, 'I desire +not a husband.' So he returned to the king and told him what she +said, and he was wroth and threatened the vizier, whereupon the +latter took his daughter and fled with her. + +When this came to the king's knowledge, he despatched troops in +pursuit of Zourkhan, to stop the road upon him, whilst he himself +went out and overtaking the vizier, smote him on the head with +his mace and slew him. Then he took his daughter by force and +returning to his dwelling-place, went in to her and married her. +Arwa resigned herself with patience to that which betided her and +committed her affair to God the Most High; and indeed she was +used to serve Him day and night with a goodly service in the +house of King Dabdin her husband. + +It befell one day that the king had occasion to make a journey; +so he called his Vizier Kardan and said to him, 'I have a trust +to commit to thy care, and it is yonder damsel, my wife, the +daughter of the Vizier [Zourkhan], and I desire that thou keep +her and guard her thyself, for that there is not in the world +aught dearer to me than she.' Quoth Kardan in himself, 'Of a +truth, the king honoureth me with an exceeding honour [in +entrusting me] with this damsel.' And he answered 'With all my +heart.' + +When the king had departed on his journey, the vizier said in +himself, 'Needs must I look upon this damsel whom the king loveth +with all this love.' So he hid himself in a place, that he might +look upon her, and saw her overpassing description; wherefore he +was confounded at her and his wit was dazed and love got the +mastery of him, so that he said to her, saying, 'Have pity on me, +for indeed I perish for the love of thee.' She sent back to him, +saying, 'O vizier, thou art in the place of trust and confidence, +so do not thou betray thy trust, but make thine inward like unto +thine outward[FN#113] and occupy thyself with thy wife and that +which is lawful to thee. As for this, it is lust and [women are +all of] one taste.[FN#114] And if thou wilt not be forbidden from +this talk, I will make thee a byword and a reproach among the +folk.' When the vizier heard her answer, he knew that she was +chaste of soul and body; wherefore he repented with the utmost of +repentance and feared for himself from the king and said, 'Needs +must I contrive a device wherewithal I may destroy her; else +shall I be disgraced with the king.' + +When the king returned from his journey, he questioned his vizier +of the affairs of his kingdom and the latter answered, 'All is +well, O king, save a vile matter, which I have discovered here +and wherewith I am ashamed to confront the king; but, if I hold +my peace thereof, I fear lest other than I discover it and I [be +deemed to] have played traitor to the king in the matter of my +[duty of] loyal warning and my trust.' Quoth Dabdin, 'Speak, for +thou art none other than a truth-teller, a trusty one, a loyal +counsellor in that which thou sayest, undistrusted in aught.' And +the vizier said, 'O king, this woman to whose love thy heart +cleaveth and of whose piety thou talkest and her fasting and +praying, I will make plain to thee that this is craft and guile.' +At this, the king was troubled and said, 'What is to do?' 'Know,' +answered the vizier, 'that some days after thy departure, one +came to me and said to me, "Come, O vizier, and look." So I went +to the door of the [queen's] sleeping-chamber and beheld her +sitting with Aboulkhair, her father's servant, whom she +favoureth, and she did with him what she did, and this is the +manner of that which I saw and heard.' + +When Dabdin heard this, he burnt with rage and said to one of his +eunuchs,[FN#115] 'Go and slay her in her chamber.' But the eunuch +said to him, 'O king, may God prolong thy continuance! Indeed, +the killing of her may not be at this time; but do thou bid one +of thine eunuchs take her up on a camel and carry her to one of +the trackless deserts and cast her down there; so, if she be at +fault, God shall cause her to perish, and if she be innocent, He +will deliver her, and the king shall be free from sin against +her, for that this damsel is dear to thee and thou slewest her +father by reason of thy love for her.' Quoth the king, 'By Allah, +thou sayst sooth!' Then he bade one of his eunuchs carry her on a +camel to one of the far-off deserts and there leave her and go +away, and he forbade [him] to prolong her torment. So he took her +up and betaking himself with her to the desert, left her there +without victual or water and returned, whereupon she made for one +of the [sand-]hills and ranging stones before her [in the form of +a prayer-niche], stood praying. + +Now it chanced that a camel-driver, belonging to Kisra the king, +lost certain camels and the king threatened him, if he found them +not, that he would slay him. So he set out and plunged into the +deserts till he came to the place where the damsel was and seeing +her standing praying, waited till she had made an end of her +prayer, when he went up to her and saluted her, saying, 'Who art +thou?' Quoth she, 'I am a handmaid of God.' 'What dost thou in +this desolate place?' asked he, and she said, 'I serve God the +Most High.' When he saw her beauty and grace, he said to her, +'Harkye! Do thou take me to husband and I will be tenderly +solicitous over thee and use thee with exceeding compassion and I +will further thee in obedience to God the Most High.' But she +answered, saying, 'I have no need of marriage and I desire to +abide here [alone] with my Lord and His service; but, if thou +wouldst deal compassionately with me and further me in the +obedience of God the Most High, carry me to a place where there +is water and thou wilt have done me a kindness.' + +So he carried her to a place wherein was running water and +setting her down on the ground, left her and went away, +marvelling at her. After he left her, he found his camels, by her +blessing, and when he returned, King Kisra asked him, 'Hast thou +found the camels?' ['Yes,' answered he] and acquainted him with +the affair of the damsel and set out to him her beauty and grace; +whereupon the king's heart clave to her and he mounted with a few +men and betook himself to that place, where he found the damsel +and was amazed at her, for that he saw her overpassing the +description wherewith the camel-driver had described her to him. +So he accosted her and said to her, 'I am King Kisra, greatest of +the kings. Wilt thou not have me to husband?' Quoth she, 'What +wilt thou do with me, O king, and I a woman abandoned in the +desert?' And he answered, saying, 'Needs must this be, and if +thou wilt not consent to me, I will take up my sojourn here and +devote myself to God's service and thine and worship Him with +thee.' + +Then he bade set up for her a tent and another for himself, +facing hers, so he might worship God with her, and fell to +sending her food; and she said in herself, 'This is a king and it +is not lawful for me that I suffer him forsake his subjects and +his kingdom for my sake. So she said to the serving-woman, who +used to bring her the food, 'Speak to the king, so he may return +to his women, for he hath no need of me and I desire to abide in +this place, so I may worship God the Most High therein.' The +slave-girl returned to the king and told him this, whereupon he +sent back to her, saying, 'I have no need of the kingship and I +also desire to abide here and worship God with thee in this +desert.' When she found this earnestness in him, she consented to +his wishes and said, 'O king, I will consent unto thee in that +which thou desirest and will be to thee a wife, but on condition +that thou bring me Dadbin the king and his Vizier Kardan and his +chamberlain[FN#116] and that they be present in thine assembly, +so I may speak a word with them in thy presence, to the intent +that thou mayest redouble in affection for me.' Quoth Kisra, 'And +what is thine occasion unto this?' So she related to him her +story from first to last, how she was the wife of Dadbin the king +and how the latter's vizier had miscalled her honour. + +When King Kisra heard this, he redoubled in loveliking for her +and affection and said to her, 'Do what thou wilt.' So he let +bring a litter and carrying her therein to his dwelling-place, +married her and entreated her with the utmost honour. Then he +sent a great army to King Dadbin and fetching him and his vizier +and the chamberlain, caused bring them before him, unknowing what +he purposed with them. Moreover, he caused set up for Arwa a +pavilion in the courtyard of his palace and she entered therein +and let down the curtain before herself. When the servants had +set their seats and they had seated themselves, Arwa raised a +corner of the curtain and said, 'O Kardan, rise to thy feet, for +it befitteth not that thou sit in the like of this assembly, +before this mighty King Kisra.' When the vizier heard these +words, his heart quaked and his joints were loosened and of his +fear, he rose to his feet. Then said she to him, 'By the virtue +of Him who hath made thee stand in this place of standing [up to +judgment], and thou abject and humiliated, I conjure thee speak +the truth and say what prompted thee to lie against me and cause +me go forth from my house and from the hand of my husband and +made thee practise thus against a man,[FN#117] a true believer, +and slay him. This is no place wherein leasing availeth nor may +prevarication be therein.' + +When the vizier was ware that she was Arwa and heard her speech, +he knew that it behoved him not to lie and that nought would +avail him but truth-speaking; so he bowed [his head] to the +ground and wept and said, 'Whoso doth evil, needs must he abide +it, though his day be prolonged. By Allah, I am he who hath +sinned and transgressed, and nought prompted me unto this but +fear and overmastering desire and the affliction written upon my +forehead;[FN#118] and indeed this woman is pure and chaste and +free from all fault.' When King Dadbin heard this, he buffeted +his face and said to his vizier, 'God slay thee! It is thou that +hast parted me and my wife and wronged me!' But Kisra the king +said to him, 'God shall surely slay thee, for that thou +hastenedst and lookedst not into thine affair and knewest not the +guilty from the guiltless. Hadst thou wrought deliberately, the +false had been made manifest to thee from the true; so where was +thy judgment and thy sight?" + +Then said he to Arwa, "What wilt thou that I do with them?" And +she answered, saying, "Accomplish on them the ordinance of God +the Most High;[FN#119] the slayer shall be slain and the +transgressor transgressed against, even as he transgressed +against us; yea, and the well-doer, good shall be done unto him, +even as he did unto us." So she gave [her officers] commandment +concerning Dadbin and they smote him on the head with a mace and +slew him, and she said, "This is for the slaughter of my father." +Then she bade set the vizier on a beast [and carry him] to the +desert whither he had caused carry her [and leave him there +without victual or water]; and she said to him, "An thou be +guilty, thou shalt abide [the punishment of] thy guilt and perish +of hunger and thirst in the desert; but, if there be no guilt in +thee, thou shalt be delivered, even as I was delivered." + +As for the eunuch, the chamberlain, who had counselled King +Dadbin [not to slay her, but] to [cause] carry her to the desert +[and there abandon her], she bestowed on him a sumptuous dress of +honour and said to him, "The like of thee it behoveth kings to +hold in favour and set in high place, for that thou spokest +loyally and well, and a man is still requited according to his +deed." And Kisra the king invested him with the governance of one +of the provinces of his empire. Know, therefore, O king," +continued the youth, "that whoso doth good is requited therewith +and he who is guiltless of sin and reproach feareth not the issue +of his affair. And I, O king, am free from guilt, wherefore I +trust in God that He will show forth the truth and vouchsafe me +the victory over enemies and enviers." + +When the king heard this, his wrath subsided and he said, "Carry +him back to the prison till the morrow, so we may look into his +affair." + + The Sixth Day + + + + OF TRUST IN GOD. + + + +When it was the sixth day, the viziers' wrath redoubled, for that +they had not compassed their desire of the youth and they feared +for themselves from the king; so three of them went in to him and +prostrating themselves before him, said to him, "O king, indeed +we are loyal counsellors to thy dignity and tenderly solicitous +for thee. Verily, thou persistest long in sparing this youth +alive and we know not what is thine advantage therein. Every day +findeth him yet on life and the talk redoubleth suspicions on +thee; so do thou put him to death, that the talk may be made an +end of." When the king heard this speech, he said, "By Allah, +indeed, ye say sooth and speak rightly!" Then he let bring the +young treasurer and said to him, "How long shall I look into +thine affair and find no helper for thee and see them all athirst +for thy blood?" + +"O king," answered the youth, "I hope for succour only from God, +not from created beings: if He aid me, none can avail to harm me, +and if He be with me and on my side, because of the truth, who is +it I shall fear, because of falsehood? Indeed, I have made my +intent with God a pure and sincere intent and have severed my +expectation from the help of the creature; and whoso seeketh help +[of God] findeth of his desire that which Bekhtzeman found." +Quoth the king, "Who was Bekhtzeman and what is his story?" "O +king," replied the youth, + + + + + + STORY OF KING BEKHTZEMAN. + + + +"There was once a king of the kings, whose name was Bekhtzeman, +and he was a great eater and drinker and carouser. Now enemies of +his made their appearance in certain parts of his realm and +threatened him; and one of his friends said to him, 'O king, the +enemy maketh for thee: be on thy guard against him.' Quoth +Bekhtzeman, 'I reck not of him, for that I have arms and wealth +and men and am not afraid of aught.' Then said his friends to +him, 'Seek aid of God, O king, for He will help thee more than +thy wealth and thine arms and thy men.' But he paid no heed to +the speech of his loyal counsellors, and presently the enemy came +upon him and waged war upon him and got the victory over him and +his trust in other than God the Most High profited him nought. So +he fled from before him and seeking one of the kings, said to +him, 'I come to thee and lay hold upon thy skirts and take refuge +with thee, so thou mayst help me against mine enemy.' + +The king gave him money and men and troops galore and Bekhtzeman +said in himself, 'Now am I fortified with this army and needs +must I conquer my enemy therewith and overcome him;' but he said +not, 'With the aid of God the Most High.' So his enemy met him +and overcame him again and he was defeated and put to the rout +and fled at a venture. His troops were dispersed from him and his +money lost and the enemy followed after him. So he sought the sea +and passing over to the other side, saw a great city and therein +a mighty citadel. He asked the name of the city and to whom it +belonged and they said to him, 'It belongeth to Khedidan the +king.' So he fared on till he came to the king's palace aud +concealing his condition, passed himself off for a +horseman[FN#120] and sought service with King Khedidan, who +attached him to his household and entreated him with honour; but +his heart still clave to his country and his home. + +Presently, it chanced that an enemy attacked King Khedidan; so he +sent out his troops to him and made Bekhtzeman head of the army. +Then they went forth to the field and Khedidan also came forth +and ranged his troops and took the spear and sallied out in +person and fought a sore battle and overcame his enemy, who fled, +he and his troops, ignominiously. When the king and his army +returned in triumph, Bekhtzeman said to him, 'Harkye, O king! +Meseemeth this is a strange thing of thee that thou art compassed +about with this vast army, yet dost thou apply thyself in person +to battle and adventurest thyself.' Quoth the king, 'Dost thou +call thyself a cavalier and a man of learning and deemest that +victory is in abundance of troops?' 'Ay,' answered Bekhtzeman; +'that is indeed my belief.' And Khedidan said, 'By Allah, then, +thou errest in this thy belief! Woe and again woe to him whose +trust is in other than God! Indeed, this army is appointed only +for adornment and majesty, and victory is from God alone. I too, +O Bekhtzeman, believed aforetime that victory was in the +multitude of men, and an enemy came out against me with eight +hundred men, whilst I had eight hundred thousand. I trusted in +the number of my troops, whilst mine enemy trusted in God; so he +defeated me and routed me and I was put to a shameful flight and +hid myself in one of the mountains, where I met with a recluse, +[who had] withdrawn [himself from the world]. So I joined myself +to him and complained to him of my case and acquainted him with +all that had befallen me. Quoth he, "Knowest thou why this befell +thee and thou wast defeated?" "I know not," answered I, and he +said, "Because thou puttest thy trust in the multitude of thy +troops and reliedst not upon God the Most High. Hadst thou put +thy trust in God and believed in Him that it is He [alone] who +advantageth and endamageth thee, thine enemy had not availed to +cope with thee. Return unto God." So I returned to myself and +repented at the hands of the solitary, who said to me, "Turn back +with what remaineth to thee of troops and confront thine enemies, +for, if their intents be changed from God, thou wilt overcome +them, wert thou alone." When I heard these words, I put my trust +in God the Most High, and gathering together those who remained +with me, fell upon mine enemies at unawares in the night. They +deemed us many and fled on the shamefullest wise, whereupon I +entered my city and repossessed myself of my place by the might +of God the Most High, and now I fight not but [trusting] in His +aid.' + +When Bekhtzeman heard this, he awoke from his heedlessness and +said, 'Extolled be the perfection of God the Great! O king, this +is my case and my story, nothing added and nought diminished, for +I am King Bekhtzeman and all this happened to me; wherefore I +will seek the gate of God['s mercy] and repent unto Him.' So he +went forth to one of the mountains and there worshipped God +awhile, till one night, as he slept, one appeared to him in a +dream and said to him, 'O Bekhtzeman, God accepteth thy +repentance and openeth on thee [the gate of succour] and will +further thee against thine enemy.' When he was certified of this +in the dream, he arose and turned back, intending for his own +city; and when he drew near thereunto, he saw a company of the +king's retainers, who said to him, 'Whence art thou? We see that +thou art a stranger and fear for thee from this king, for that +every stranger who enters this city, he destroys him, of his fear +of King Bekhtzeman.' Quoth Bekhtzeman, 'None shall hurt him nor +advantage him save God the Most High.' And they answered, saying, +'Indeed, he hath a vast army and his heart is fortified in the +multitude of his troops.' + +When King Bekhtzeman heard this, his heart was comforted and he +said in himself, 'I put my trust in God. If He will, I shall +overcome mine enemy by the might of God the Most High.' So he +said to the folk, ' Know ye not who I am?' and they answered, ' +No, by Allah.' Quoth he, 'I am King Bekhtzeman.' When they heard +this and knew that it was indeed he, they dismounted from their +horses and kissed his stirrup, to do him honour, and said to him, +'O king, why hast thou thus adventured thyself?' Quoth he, +'Indeed, my life is a light matter to me and I put my trust in +God the Most High, looking to Him for protection.' And they +answered him, saying, 'May this suffice thee! We will do with +thee that which is in our power and whereof thou art worthy: +comfort thy heart, for we will succour thee with our goods and +our lives, and we are his chief officers and the most in favour +with him of all folk. So we will take thee with us and cause the +folk follow after thee, for that the inclination of the people, +all of them, is to thee.' Quoth he, 'Do that unto which God the +Most High enableth you.' + +So they carried him into the city and hid him with them. +Moreover, they agreed with a company of the king's chief +officers, who had aforetime been those of Bekhtzeman, and +acquainted them with this; whereat they rejoiced with an +exceeding joy. Then they assembled together to Bekhtzeman and +made a covenant and handfast [of fealty] with him and fell upon +the enemy at unawares and slew him and seated King Bekhtzeman +again on the throne of his kingship. And his affairs prospered +and God amended his estate and restored His bounty to him, and he +ruled his subjects justly and abode in the obedience of the Most +High. On this wise, O king," continued the young treasurer, "he +with whom God is and whose intent is pure, meeteth nought but +good. As for me, I have no helper other than God, and I am +content to submit myself to His ordinance, for that He knoweth +the purity of my intent." + +With this the king's wrath subsided and he said, "Restore him to +the prison till the morrow, so we may look into his affair." + + The Seventh Day. + + + + OF CLEMENCY. + + + +When it was the seventh day, the seventh vizier, whose name was +Bihkemal, came in to the king and prostrating himself to him, +said, "O king, what doth thy long-suffering with this youth +advantage thee? Indeed the folk talk of thee and of him. Why, +then, dost thou postpone the putting him to death?" The vizier's +words aroused the king's anger and he bade bring the youth. So +they brought him before him, shackled, and Azadbekht said to him, +"Out on thee! By Allah, after this day there abideth no +deliverance for thee from my hand, for that thou hast outraged +mine honour, and there can be no forgiveness for thee." + +"O king," answered the youth, "there is no great forgiveness save +in case of a great crime, for according as the offence is great, +in so much is forgiveness magnified and it is no dishonour to the +like of thee if he spare the like of me. Verily, Allah knoweth +that there is no fault in me, and indeed He commandeth unto +clemency, and no clemency is greater than that which spareth from +slaughter, for that thy forgiveness of him whom thou purposest to +put to death is as the quickening of a dead man; and whoso doth +evil shall find it before him, even as it was with King Bihkerd." +"And what is the story of King Bihkerd?" asked the king. "O +king," answered the youth, + + + + + + STORY OF KING BIHKERD. + + + +"There was once a king named Bihkerd aed he had wealth galore and +many troops; but his deeds were evil and he would punish for a +slight offence and never forgave. He went forth one day to hunt +and one of his servants shot an arrow, which lit on the king's +ear and cut it off. Quoth Bihkerd, 'Who shot that arrow?' So the +guards brought him in haste the offender, whose name was Yetrou, +and he of his fear fell down on the ground in a swoon. Then said +the king, 'Put him to death;' but Yetrou said, 'O King, this that +hath befallen was not of my choice nor of my knowledge; so do +thou pardon me, in the hour of thy power over me, for that +clemency is of the goodliest of things and belike it shall be [in +this world] a provision and a good work [for which thou shall be +requited] one of these days, and a treasure [laid up to thine +account] with God in the world to come. Pardon me, therefore, and +fend off evil from me, so shall God fend off from thee evil the +like thereof.' When the king heard this, it pleased him and he +pardoned the servant, albeit he had never before pardoned any. + +Now this servant was of the sons of the kings and had fled from +his father, on account of an offence he had committed. Then he +went and took service with King Bihkerd and there happened to him +what happened. After awhile, it chanced that a man recognized him +and went and told his father, who sent him a letter, comforting +his heart and mind and [beseeching him] to return to him. So he +returned to his father, who came forth to meet him and rejoiced +in him, and the prince's affairs were set right with him. + +It befell, one day of the days, that King Bihkerd embarked in a +ship and put out to sea, so he might fish; but the wind blew on +them and the ship foundered. The king won ashore on a plank, +unknown of any, and came forth, naked, on one of the coasts; and +it chanced that he landed in the country whereof the father of +the youth aforesaid, [his sometime servant], was king. So he came +in the night to the gate of the latter's city and [finding it +shut], took up his lodging [for the night] in a burying-place +there. + +When the morning morrowed and the folk came forth of the city, +they found a murdered man cast down in a corner of the +burial-ground and seeing Bihkerd there, doubted not but it was he +who had slain him; so they laid hands on him and carried him up +to the king and said to him, 'This fellow hath slain a man.' The +king bade imprison him; [so they clapped him in prison] and he +fell a-saying in himself, what while he was in the prison, 'All +that hath befallen me is of the abundance of my sins and my +tyranny, for, indeed, I have slain much people unrighteously and +this is the requital of my deeds and that which I have wrought +aforetime of oppression.' As he was thus pondering in himself, +there came a bird and lighted down on the coign of the prison, +whereupon, of his much eagerness in the chase, he took a stone +and cast it at the bird. + +Now the king's son was playing in the exercise-ground with the +ball and the mall, and the stone lit on his ear and cut it off, +whereupon the prince fell down in a swoon. So they enquired who +had thrown the stone and [finding that it was Bihkerd,] took him +and carried him before the prince, who bade put him to death. +Accordingly, they cast the turban from his head and were about to +bind his eyes, when the prince looked at him and seeing him +cropped of an ear, said to him, 'Except thou wert a lewd fellow, +thine ear had not been cut off.' 'Not so, by Allah!' answered +Bihkerd. 'Nay, but the story [of the loss] of my ear is thus and +thus, and I pardoned him who smote me with an arrow and cut off +my ear.' When the prince heard this, he looked in his face and +knowing him, cried out and said, 'Art thou not Bihkerd the king?' +'Yes,' answered he, and the prince said to him 'What bringeth +thee here?' So he told him all that had betided him and the folk +marvelled and extolled the perfection of God the Most High. + +Then the prince rose to him and embraced him and kissed him and +entreated him with honour. Moreover, he seated him in a chair and +bestowed on him a dress of honour; and he turned to his father +and said to him, 'This is the king who pardoned me and this is +his ear that I cut off with an arrow; and indeed he deserveth +pardon from me, for that he pardoned me.' Then said he to +Bihkerd, 'Verily, the issue of clemency hath been a provision for +thee [in thine hour of need].' And they entreated him with the +utmost kindness and sent him back to his own country in all +honour and worship Know, then, O King," continued the youth, +"that there is no goodlier thing than clemency and that all thou +dost thereof, thou shalt find before thee, a treasure laid up for +thee." + +When the king heard this, his wrath subsided and he said, "Carry +him back to the prison till the morrow, so we may look into his +affair." + + The Eighth Day. + + + + OF ENVY AND MALICE. + + + +When it was the eighth day, the viziers all assembled and took +counsel together and said, "How shall we do with this youth, who +baffleth us with his much talk? Indeed, we fear lest he be saved +and we fall [into perdition]. Wherefore, let us all go in to the +king and unite our efforts to overcome him, ere he appear without +guilt and come forth and get the better of us." So they all went +in to the king and prostrating themselves before him, said to +him, "O king, have a care lest this youth beguile thee with his +sorcery and bewitch thee with his craft. If thou heardest what we +hear, thou wouldst not suffer him live, no, not one day. So pay +thou no heed to his speech, for we are thy viziers, [who +endeavour for] thy continuance, and if thou hearken not to our +word, to whose word wilt thou hearken? See, we are ten viziers +who testify against this youth that he is guilty and entered not +the king's sleeping-chamber but with evil intent, so he might put +the king to shame and outrage his honour; and if the king slay +him not, let him banish him his realm, so the tongue of the folk +may desist from him." + +When the king heard his viziers' words, he was exceeding wroth +and bade bring the youth, and when he came in to the king, the +viziers all cried out with one voice, saying, "O scant o' grace, +thinkest thou to save thyself from slaughter by craft and guile, +that thou beguilest the king with thy talk and hopest pardon for +the like of this great crime which thou hast committed?" Then the +king bade fetch the headsman, so he might smite off his head; +whereupon each of the viziers fell a-saying, "I will slay him;" +and they sprang upon him. Quote the youth, "O king, consider and +ponder these men's eagerness. Is this of envy or no? They would +fain make severance between thee and me, so there may fall to +them what they shall plunder, as aforetime." And the king said to +him, "Consider their testimony against thee." "O king," answered +the young man, "how shall they testify of that which they saw +not? This is but envy and rancour; and thou, if thou slay me, +thou wilt regret me, and I fear lest there betide thee of +repentance that which betided Ilan Shah, by reason of the malice +of his viziers." "And what is his story?" asked Azadbekht. "O +king," replied the youth, + + + + + + STORY OF ILAN SHAH AND ABOU TEMAM. + + + +"There was once a merchant named Abou Temam, and he was a man of +understanding and good breeding, quick-witted and truthful in all +his affairs, and he had wealth galore. Now there was in his land +an unjust king and a jealous, and Abou Temam feared for his +wealth from this king and said, 'I will remove hence to another +place where I shall not be in fear.' So he made for the city of +Ilan Shah and built himself a palace therein and transporting his +wealth thither, took up his abode there. Presently, the news of +him reached King Ilan Shah; so he sent to bid him to his presence +and said to him, 'We know of thy coming to us and thine entry +under our allegiance, and indeed we have heard of thine +excellence and wit and generosity; so welcome to thee and fair +welcome! The land is thy land and at thy commandment, and +whatsoever occasion thou hast unto us, it is [already] +accomplished unto thee; and it behoveth that thou be near our +person and of our assembly.' Abou Temam prostrated himself to the +king and said to him, 'O king, I will serve thee with my wealth +and my life, but do thou excuse me from nearness unto thee, for +that, [if I took service about thy person], I should not be safe +from enemies and enviers.' Then he addressed himself to serve the +king with presents and largesses, and the king saw him to be +intelligent, well-bred and of good counsel; so he committed to +him the ordinance of his affairs and in his hand was the power to +bind and loose. + +Now Ilan Shah had three viziers, in whose hands the affairs [of +the kingdom] were [aforetime] and they had been used to leave not +the king night nor day; but they became shut out from him by +reason of Abou Temam and the king was occupied with him to their +exclusion. So they took counsel together upon the matter and +said, 'What counsel ye we should do, seeing that the king is +occupied from us with yonder man, and indeed he honoureth him +more than us? But now come, let us cast about for a device, +whereby we may remove him from the king.' So each of them spoke +forth that which was in his mind, and one of them said, 'The king +of the Turks hath a daughter, whose like there is not in the +world, and whatsoever messenger goeth to demand her in marriage, +her father slayeth him. Now our king hath no knowledge of this; +so, come, let us foregather with him and bring up the talk of +her. When his heart is taken with her, we will counsel him to +despatch Abou Temam to seek her hand in marriage; whereupon her +father will slay him and we shall be quit of him, for we have had +enough of his affair." + +Accordingly, they all went in to the king one day (and Abou Temam +was present among them,) and mentioned the affair of the damsel, +the king's daughter of the Turks, and enlarged upon her charms, +till the king's heart was taken with her and he said to them, 'We +will send one to demand her in marriage for us; but who shall be +our messenger?' Quoth the viziers, 'There is none for this +business but Abou Temam, by reason of his wit and good breeding;' +and the king said, 'Indeed, even as ye say, none is fitting for +this affair but he.' Then he turned to Abou Temam and said to +him, 'Wilt thou not go with my message and seek me [in marriage] +the king's daughter of the Turks?' and he answered, 'Hearkening +and obedience, O king.' + +So they made ready his affair and the king conferred on him a +dress of honour, and he took with him a present and a letter +under the king's hand and setting out, fared on till he came to +the [capital] city of Turkestan. When the king of the Turks knew +of his coming, he despatched his officers to receive him and +entreated him with honour and lodged him as befitted his rank. +Then he entertained him three days, after which he summoned him +to his presence and Abou Temam went in to him and prostrating +himself before him, as beseemeth unto kings, laid the present +before him and gave him the letter. + +The king read the letter and said to Abou Temam, "We will do what +behoveth in the matter; but, O Abou Temam, needs must thou see my +daughter and she thee, and needs must thou hear her speech and +she thine.' So saying, he sent him to the lodging of the +princess, who had had notice of this; so that they had adorned +her sitting-chamber with the costliest that might be of utensils +of gold and silver and the like, and she seated herself on a +throne of gold, clad in the most sumptuous of royal robes and +ornaments. When Abou Temam entered, he bethought himself and +said, 'The wise say, he who restraineth his sight shall suffer no +evil and he who guardeth his tongue shall hear nought of foul, +and he who keepeth watch over his hand, it shall be prolonged and +not curtailed.'[FN#121] So he entered and seating himself on the +ground, [cast down his eyes and] covered his hands and feet with +his dress.[FN#122] Quoth the king's daughter to him, 'Lift thy +head, O Abou Temam, and look on me and speak with me.' But he +spoke not neither raised his head, and she continued, 'They sent +thee but that thou mightest look on me and speak with me, and +behold, thou speakest not at all. Take of these pearls that be +around thee and of these jewels and gold and silver. But he put +not forth his hand unto aught, and when she saw that he paid no +heed to anything, she was angry and said, 'They have sent me a +messenger, blind, dumb and deaf.' + +Then she sent to acquaint her father with this; whereupon the +king called Abou Temam to him and said to him, 'Thou camest not +but to see my daughter. Why, then, hast thou not looked upon +her?' Quoth Abou Temam, 'I saw everything.' And the king said, +'Why didst thou not take somewhat of that which thou sawest of +jewels and the like? For they were set for thee.' But he +answered, 'It behoveth me not to put out my hand to aught that is +not mine.' When the king heard his speech, he gave him a +sumptuous dress of honour and loved him exceedingly and said to +him, 'Come, look at this pit.' So Abou Temam went up [to the +mouth of the pit] and looked, and behold, it was full of heads of +men; and the king said to him, 'These are the heads of +ambassadors, whom I slew, for that I saw them without loyalty to +their masters, and I was used, whenas I saw an ambassador without +breeding, [FN#123] to say, "He who sent him is less of breeding +than he, for that the messenger is the tongue of him who sendeth +him and his breeding is of his master's breeding; and whoso is on +this wise, it befitteth not that he be akin to me."[FN#124] So, +because of this, I used to put the messengers to death; but, as +for thee, thou hast overcome us and won my daughter, of the +excellence of thy breeding; so be of good heart, for she is thy +master's.' Then he sent him back to king Ilan Shah with presents +and rarities and a letter, saying, 'This that I have done is in +honour of thee and of thine ambassador.' + +When Abou Temam returned with [news of] the accomplishment of his +errand and brought the presents and the letter, King Ilan Shah +rejoiced in this and redoubled in showing him honour and made +much of him. Some days thereafterward, the king of Turkestan sent +his daughter and she went in to King Ilan Shah, who rejoiced in +her with an exceeding joy and Abou Temam's worth was exalted in +his sight. When the viziers saw this, they redoubled in envy and +despite and said, 'An we contrive us not a device to rid us of +this man, we shall perish of rage.' So they bethought them [and +agreed upon] a device they should practise. + +Then they betook themselves to two boys affected to the [special] +service of the king, who slept not but on their knee,[FN#125] and +they lay at his head, for that they were his pages of the +chamber, and gave them each a thousand dinars of gold, saying, +'We desire of you that ye do somewhat for us and take this gold +as a provision against your occasion.' Quoth the boys, 'What is +it ye would have us do?' And the viziers answered, 'This Abou +Temam hath marred our affairs for us, and if his case abide on +this wise, he will estrange us all from the king's favour; and +what we desire of you is that, when ye are alone with the king +and he leaneth back, as he were asleep, one of you say to his +fellow, "Verily, the king hath taken Abou Temam into his especial +favour and hath advanced him to high rank with him, yet is he a +transgressor against the king's honour and an accursed one." Then +let the other of you ask, "And what is his transgression?" And +the first make answer, "He outrageth the king's honour and saith, +'The King of Turkestan was used, whenas one went to him to seek +his daughter in marriage, to slay him; but me he spared, for that +she took a liking to me, and by reason of this he sent her +hither, because she loved me.'" Then let his fellow say, "Knowest +thou this for truth?" And the other reply, "By Allah, this is +well known unto all the folk, but, of their fear of the king, +they dare not bespeak him thereof; and as often as the king is +absent a-hunting or on a journey, Abou Temam comes to her and is +private with her."' And the boys answered, 'We will say this.' + +Accordingly, one night, when they were alone with the king and he +leant back, as he were asleep, they said these words and the king +heard it all and was like to die of rage and said in himself, +'These are young boys, not come to years of discretion, and have +no intrigue with any; and except they had heard these words from +some one, they had not spoken with each other thereof.' When it +was morning, wrath overmastered him, so that he stayed not +neither deliberated, but summoned Abou Temam and taking him +apart, said to him, 'Whoso guardeth not his lord's +honour,[FN#126] what behoveth unto him?' Quoth Abou Temam, 'It +behoveth that his lord guard not his honour.' 'And whoso entereth +the king's house and playeth the traitor with him,' continued the +king, 'what behoveth unto him?' And Abou Temam answered, 'He +shall not be left on life.' Whereupon the king spat in his face +and said to him, 'Both these things hast thou done.' Then he drew +his dagger on him in haste and smiting him in the belly, slit it +and he died forthright; whereupon the king dragged him to a well +that was in his palace and cast him therein. + +After he had slain him, he fell into repentance and mourning and +chagrin waxed upon him, and none, who questioned him, would he +acquaint with the cause thereof, nor, of his love for his wife, +did he tell her of this, and whenas she asked him of [the cause +of] his grief, he answered her not. When the viziers knew of Abou +Temam's death, they rejoiced with an exceeding joy and knew that +the king's grief arose from regret for him. As for Ilan Shah, he +used, after this, to betake himself by night to the +sleeping-chamber of the two boys and spy upon them, so he might +hear what they said concerning his wife. As he stood one night +privily at the door of their chamber, he saw them spread out the +gold before them and play with it and heard one of them say, 'Out +on us! What doth this gold profit us? For that we cannot buy +aught therewith neither spend it upon ourselves. Nay, but we have +sinned against Abou Temam and done him to death unjustly.' And +the other answered, 'Had we known that the king would presently +kill him, we had not done what we did.' + +When the king heard this, he could not contain himself, but +rushed in upon them and said to them, 'Out on you! What did ye? +Tell me.' And they said, 'Pardon, O king.' Quoth he, 'An ye would +have pardon from God and me, it behoveth you to tell me the +truth, for nothing shall save you from me but truth-speaking.' So +they prostrated themselves before him and said, 'By Allah, O +king, the viziers gave us this gold and taught us to lie against +Abou Teman, so thou mightest put him to death, and what we said +was their words.' When the king heard this, he plucked at his +beard, till he was like to tear it up by the roots and bit upon +his fingers, till he well-nigh sundered them in twain, for +repentance and sorrow that he had wrought hastily and had not +delayed with Abou Temam, so he might look into his affair. + +Then he sent for the viziers and said to them, 'O wicked viziers, +ye thought that God was heedless of your deed, but your +wickedness shall revert upon you. Know ye not that whoso diggeth +a pit for his brother shall fall into it? Take from me the +punishment of this world and to-morrow ye shall get the +punishment of the world to come and requital from God.' Then he +bade put them to death; so [the headsman] smote off their heads +before the king, and he went in to his wife and acquainted her +with that wherein he had transgressed against Abou Temam; +whereupon she grieved for him with an exceeding grief and the +king and the people of his household left not weeping and +repenting all their lives. Moreover, they brought Abou Temam +forth of the well and the king built him a dome[FN#127] in his +palace and buried him therein. + +See, then, O august king," continued the youth, "what envy doth +and injustice and how God caused the viziers' malice revert upon +their own necks; and I trust in God that He will succour me +against all who envy me my favour with the king and show forth +the truth unto him. Indeed, I fear not for my life from death; +only I fear lest the king repent of my slaughter, for that I am +guiltless of offence, and if I knew that I were guilty of aught, +my tongue would be mute." + +When the king heard this, he bowed [his head] in perplexity and +confusion and said, "Carry him back to the prison till the +morrow, so we may look into his affair." + + The Ninth Day + + + + OF DESTINY OR THAT WHICH IS WRITTEN ON THE + FOREHEAD. + + + +When it was the ninth day, the viziers [foregathered and] said, +one to another, "Verily, this youth baffleth us, for as often as +the king is minded to put him to death, he beguileth him and +ensorcelleth him with a story; so what deem ye we should do, that +we may slay him and be at rest from him?" Then they took counsel +together and were of accord that they should go to the king's +wife [and prompt her to urge the king to slaughter the youth. So +they betook themselves to her] and said to her, "Thou art +heedless of this affair wherein thou art and this heedlessness +will not profit thee; whilst the king is occupied with eating and +drinking and diversion and forgetteth that the folk beat upon +tabrets and sing of thee and say, 'The king's wife loveth the +youth;' and what while he abideth on life, the talk will increase +and not diminish." Quoth she, "By Allah, it was ye set me on +against him, and what shall I do [now]?" And they answered, "Do +thou go in to the king and weep and say to him, 'Verily, the +women come to me and tell me that I am become a byword in the +city, and what is thine advantage in the sparing of this youth? +If thou wilt not slay him, slay me, so this talk may be estopped +from us.'" + +So she arose and tearing her clothes, went in to the king, in the +presence of the viziers, and cast herself upon him, saying, "O +king, falleth my shame not upon thee and fearest thou not +reproach? Indeed, this is not of the behoof of kings that their +jealousy over their women should be thus [laggard]. Thou art +heedless and all the folk of the realm prate of thee, men and +women. So either slay him, that the talk may be cut off, or slay +me, if thy soul will not consent to his slaughter." Thereupon the +king's wrath waxed hot and he said to her, "I have no pleasure in +his continuance [on life] and needs must I slay him this day. So +return to thy house and comfort thy heart." + +Then he bade fetch the youth; so they brought him before him and +the viziers said, "O base of origin, out on thee! Thy term is at +hand and the earth hungereth for thy body, so it may devour it." +But he answered them, saying, "Death is not in your word nor in +your envy; nay, it is an ordinance written upon the forehead; +wherefore, if aught be written upon my forehead, needs must it +come to pass, and neither endeavour nor thought-taking nor +precaution will deliver me therefrom; [but it will surely happen] +even as happened to King Ibrahim and his son." Quoth the king, +"Who was King Ibrahim and who was his son?" And the youth said, +"O king, + + + + + + STORY OF KING IBRAHIM AND HIS SON. + + + +There was once a king of the kings, by name Ibrahim, to whom the +kings abased themselves and did obedience; but he had no son and +was straitened of breast because of this, fearing lest the +kingship go forth of his hand. He ceased not vehemently to desire +a son and to buy slave-girls and lie with them, till one of them +conceived, whereat he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and gave +gifts and largesse galore. When the girl's months were +accomplished and the season of her delivery drew near, the king +summoned the astrologers and they watched for the hour of her +child-bearing and raised astrolabes [towards the sun] and took +strait note of the time. The damsel gave birth to a male child, +whereat the king rejoiced with an exceeding joy, and the people +heartened each other with the glad news of this. + +Then the astrologers made their calculations and looked into his +nativity and his ascendant, whereupon their colour changed and +they were confounded. Quoth the king to them, 'Acquaint me with +his horoscope and ye shall have assurance and fear ye not of +aught' 'O king,' answered they, 'this child's nativity denotes +that, in the seventh year of his age, there is to be feared for +him from a lion, which will attack him; and if he be saved from +the lion, there will betide an affair yet sorer and more +grievous.' 'What is that?' asked the king; and they said, 'We +will not speak, except the king command us thereto and give us +assurance from [that which we] fear.' Quoth the king, 'God assure +you!' And they said, 'If he be saved from the lion, the king's +destruction will be at his hand.' When the king heard this, his +colour changed and his breast was straitened; but he said in +himself, 'I will be watchful and do my endeavour and suffer not +the lion to eat him. It cannot be that he will kill me, and +indeed the astrologers lied.' + +Then he caused rear him among the nurses and matrons; but withal +he ceased not to ponder the saying of the astrologers and indeed +his life was troubled. So he betook himself to the top of a high +mountain and dug there a deep pit and made in it many +dwelling-places and closets and filled it with all that was +needful of victual and raiment and what not else and made in it +conduits of water from the mountain and lodged the boy therein, +with a nurse who should rear him. Moreover, at the first of each +month he used to go to the mountain and stand at the mouth of the +pit and let down a rope he had with him and draw up the boy to +him and strain him to his bosom and kiss him and play with him +awhile, after which he would let him down again into the pit to +his place and return; and he used to count the days till the +seven years should pass by. + +When came the time [of the accomplishment] of the foreordered +fate and the fortune graven on the forehead and there abode for +the boy but ten days till the seven years should be complete, +there came to the mountain hunters hunting wild beasts and seeing +a lion, gave chase to him. He fled from them and seeking refuge +in the mountain, fell into the pit in its midst. The nurse saw +him forthright and fled from him into one of the closets; +whereupon the lion made for the boy and seizing upon him, tore +his shoulder, after which he sought the closet wherein was the +nurse and falling upon her, devoured her, whilst the boy abode +cast down in a swoon. Meanwhile, when the hunters saw that the +lion had fallen into the pit, they came to the mouth thereof and +heard the shrieking of the boy and the woman; and after awhile +the cries ceased, whereby they knew that the lion had made an end +of them. + +Presently, as they stood by the mouth of the pit, the lion came +scrambling up the sides and would have issued forth; but, as +often as he showed his head, they pelted him with stones, till +they beat him down and he fell; whereupon one of the hunters +descended into the pit and despatched him and saw the boy +wounded; after which he went to the cabinet, where he found the +woman dead, and indeed the lion had eaten his fill of her. Then +he noted that which was therein of clothes and what not else, and +advising his fellows thereof, fell to passing the stuff up to +them. Moreover, he took up the boy and bringing him forth of the +pit, carried him to their dwelling-place, where they dressed his +wounds and he grew up with them, but acquainted them not with his +affair; and indeed, when they questioned him, he knew not what he +should say, for that he was little, when they let him down into +the pit. The hunters marvelled at his speech and loved him with +an exceeding love and one of them took him to son and abode +rearing him with him [and instructing him] in hunting and riding +on horseback, till he attained the age of twelve and became a +champion, going forth with the folk to the chase and to the +stopping of the way. + +It chanced one day that they sallied forth to stop the way and +fell in upon a caravan in the night; but the people of the +caravan were on their guard; so they joined battle with the +robbers and overcame them and slew them and the boy fell wounded +and abode cast down in that place till the morrow, when he opened +his eyes and finding his comrades slain, lifted himself up and +rose to walk in the way. Presently, there met him a man, a +treasure-seeker, and said to him, 'Whither goest thou, O youth?' +So he told him what had betided him and the other said, 'Be of +good heart, for that [the season of] thy fair fortune is come and +God bringeth thee joy and solace. I am one who am in quest of a +hidden treasure, wherein is vast wealth. So come with me, that +thou mayst help me, and I will give thee wealth, wherewith thou +shalt provide thyself thy life long.' Then he carried the youth +to his dwelling and dressed his wound, and he abode with him some +days, till he was rested; when he took him and two beasts and all +that he needed, and they fared on till they came to a precipitous +mountain. + +Here the treasure-seeker brought out a book and reading therein, +dug in the crest of the mountain five cubits deep, whereupon +there appeared to him a stone. He pulled it up and behold, it was +a trap-door covering the mouth of a pit. So he waited till the +[foul] air was come forth from the midst of the pit, when he +bound a rope about the boy's middle and let him down to the +bottom, and with him a lighted flambeau. The boy looked and +beheld, at the upper end of the pit, wealth galore; so the +treasure-seeker let down a rope and a basket and the boy fell to +filling and the man to drawing up, till the latter had gotten his +sufficiency, when he loaded his beasts and did his occasion, +whilst the boy looked for him to let down to him the rope and +draw him up; but he rolled a great stone to the mouth of the pit +and went away. + +When the boy saw what the treasure-seeker had done with him he +committed his affair to God (extolled be His perfection and +exalted be He!) and abode perplexed concerning his case and said, +'How bitter is this death!' For that indeed the world was +darkened on him and the pit was blinded to him. So he fell +a-weeping and saying, 'I was delivered from the lion and the +thieves and now is my death [appointed to be] in this pit, where +I shall die lingeringly.' And he abode confounded and looked for +nothing but death. As he pondered [his affair], behold, he heard +a sound of water running with a mighty noise; so he arose and +walked in the pit, following after the sound, till he came to a +corner and heard the mighty running of water. So he laid his ear +to the sound of the current and hearing it a great strength, said +in himself, 'This is the running of a mighty water and needs must +I die in this place, be it to-day or to-morrow; so I will cast +myself into the water and not die a lingering death in this pit.' + +Then he braced up his courage and gathering his skirts about him, +threw himself into the water, and it bore him along with an +exceeding might and carrying him under the earth, stayed not till +it brought him out into a deep valley, wherethrough ran a great +river, that welled up from under the earth. When he found himself +on the surface of the earth, he abode perplexed and dazed all +that day; after which he came to himself and rising, fared on +along the valley, till he came to an inhabited land and a great +village in the dominions of the king his father. So he entered +the village and foregathered with its inhabitants, who questioned +him of his case; whereupon he related to them his history and +they marvelled at him, how God had delivered him from all this. +Then he took up his abode with them and they loved him +exceedingly. + +To return to the king his father. When he went to the pit, as of +his wont, and called the nurse, she returned him no answer, +whereat his breast was straitened and he let down a man who +[found the nurse dead and the boy gone and] acquainted the king +therewith; which when he heard, he buffeted his head and wept +passing sore and descended into the midst of the pit, so he might +see how the case stood. There he found the nurse slain and the +lion dead, but saw not the boy; so he [returned and] acquainted +the astrologers with the verification of their words, and they +said, 'O king, the lion hath eaten him; destiny hath been +accomplished upon him and thou art delivered from his hand; for, +had he been saved from the lion, by Allah, we had feared for thee +from him, for that the king's destruction should have been at his +hand.' So the king left [sorrowing for] this and the days passed +by and the affair was forgotten. + +Meanwhile, the boy [grew up and] abode with the people of the +village, and when God willed the accomplishment of His ordinance, +the which endeavour availeth not to avert, he went forth with a +company of the villagers, to stop the way. The folk complained of +them to the king, who sallied out with a company of his men and +surrounded the highwaymen and the boy with them, whereupon the +latter drew forth an arrow and launched it at them, and it smote +the king in his vitals and wounded him. So they carried him to +his house, after they had laid hands upon the youth and his +companions and brought them before the king, saying, 'What +biddest thou that we do with them?' Quoth he, 'I am presently in +concern for myself; so bring me the astrologers.' Accordingly, +they brought them before him and He said to them, 'Ye told me +that my death should be by slaying at the hand of my son: how, +then, befalleth it that I have gotten my death-wound on this wise +of yonder thieves?' The astrologers marvelled and said to him, 'O +king, it is not impossible to the lore of the stars, together +with the fore-ordinance of God, that he who hath smitten thee +should be thy son.' + +When Ibrahim heard this, he let fetch the thieves and said to +them, 'Tell me truly, which of you shot the arrow that wounded +me.' Quoth they, 'It was this youth that is with us.' Whereupon +the king fell to looking upon him and said to him, 'O youth, +acquaint me with thy case and tell me who was thy father and thou +shalt have assurance from God.' 'O my lord,' answered the youth, +'I know no father; as for me, my father lodged me in a pit [when +I was little], with a nurse to rear me, and one day, there fell +in upon us a lion, which tore my shoulder, then left me and +occupied himself with the nurse and rent her in pieces; and God +vouchsafed me one who brought me forth of the pit.' Then he +related to him all that had befallen him, first and last; which +when Ibrahim heard, he cried out and said, 'By Allah, this is my +very son!' And he said to him, 'Uncover thy shoulder.' So he +uncovered it and behold, it was scarred. + +Then the king assembled his nobles and commons and the +astrologers and said to them, 'Know that what God hath graven +upon the forehead, be it fair fortune or calamity, none may avail +to efface, and all that is decreed unto a man he must needs +abide. Indeed, this my caretaking and my endeavour profited me +nought, for that which God decreed unto my son, he hath abidden +and that which He decreed unto me hath betided me. Nevertheless, +I praise God and thank Him for that this was at my son's hand and +not at the hand of another, and praised be He for that the +kingship is come to my son!' And he strained the youth to his +breast and embraced him and kissed him, saying, 'O my son, this +matter was on such a wise, and of my care and watchfulness over +thee from destiny, I lodged thee in that pit; but caretaking +availed not.' Then he took the crown of the kingship and set it +on his son's head and caused the folk and the people swear fealty +to him and commended the subjects to his care and enjoined him to +justice and equity. And he took leave of him that night and died +and his son reigned in his stead. + +On like wise, O king," continued the young treasurer, "is it with +thee. If God have written aught on my forehead, needs must it +befall me and my speech to the king shall not profit me, no, nor +my adducing to him of [illustrative] instances, against the +fore-ordinance of God. So with these viziers, for all their +eagerness and endeavour for my destruction, this shall not profit +them; for, if God [be minded to] save me, He will give me the +victory over them." + +When the king heard these words, he abode in perplexity and said, +"Restore him to the prison till the morrow, so we may look into +his affair, for the day draweth to an end and I mean to put him +to death on exemplary wise, and [to-morrow] we will do with him +that which he meriteth." + + The Tenth Day. + + + + OF THE APPOINTED TERM,[FN#128] WHICH, IF IT BE + ADVANCED, MAY NOT BE DEFERRED AND IF IT BE + DEFERRED, MAY NOT BE ADVANCED. + + + +When it was the tenth day, (now this day was called El +Mihrjan[FN#129] and it was the day of the coming in of the folk, +gentle and simple, to the king, so they might give him joy and +salute him and go forth), the counsel of the viziers fell of +accord that they should speak with a company of the notables of +the city [and urge them to demand of the king that he should +presently put the youth to death]. So they said to them, "When ye +go in to-day to the king and salute him, do ye say to him, 'O +king, (to God be the praise!) thou art praiseworthy of policy and +governance, just to all thy subjects; but this youth, to whom +thou hast been bountiful, yet hath he reverted to his base origin +and wrought this foul deed, what is thy purpose in his +continuance [on life]? Indeed, thou hast prisoned him in thy +house, and every day thou hearest his speech and thou knowest not +what the folk say.'" And they answered with "Hearkening and +obedience." + +So, when they entered with the folk and had prostrated themselves +before the king and given him joy and he had raised their rank, +[they sat down]. Now it was the custom of the folk to salute and +go forth, so, when they sat down, the king knew that they had a +word that they would fain say. So he turned to them and said, +"Ask your need." And the viziers also were present. Accordingly, +they bespoke him with all that these latter had taught them and +the viziers also spoke with them; and Azadbekht said to them, "O +folk, I know that this your speech, there is no doubt of it, +proceedeth from love and loyal counsel to me, and ye know that, +were I minded to slay half these folk, I could avail to put them +to death and this would not be difficult to me; so how shall I +not slay this youth and he in my power and under the grip of my +hand? Indeed, his crime is manifest and he hath incurred pain of +death and I have only deferred his slaughter by reason of the +greatness of the offence; for, if I do this with him and my proof +against him be strengthened, my heart is healed and the heart of +the folk; and if I slay him not to-day, his slaughter shall not +escape me to-morrow." + +Then he bade fetch the youth and when he was present before him, +he prostrated himself to him and prayed for him; whereupon quoth +the king to him, "Out on thee! How long shall the folk upbraid me +on thine account and blame me for delaying thy slaughter? Even +the people of my city blame me because of thee, so that I am +grown a talking-stock among them, and indeed they come in to me +and upbraid me [and urge me] to put thee to death. How long shall +I delay this? Indeed, this very day I mean to shed thy blood and +rid the folk of thy prate." + +"O king," answered the youth, "if there have betided thee talk +because of me, by Allah, by Allah the Great, those who have +brought on thee this talk from the folk are these wicked viziers, +who devise with the folk and tell them foul things and evil +concerning the king's house; but I trust in God that He will +cause their malice to revert upon their heads. As for the king's +menace of me with slaughter, I am in the grasp of his hand; so +let not the king occupy his mind with my slaughter, for that I am +like unto the sparrow in the hand of the fowler; if he will, he +slaughtereth him, and if he will, he looseth him. As for the +delaying of my slaughter, it [proceedeth] not [from] the king, +but from Him in whose hand is my life; for, by Allah, O king, if +God willed my slaughter, thou couldst not avail to postpone it, +no, not for a single hour. Indeed, man availeth not to fend off +evil from himself, even as it was with the son of King Suleiman +Shah, whose anxiety and carefulness for the accomplishment of his +desire of the new-born child [availed him nothing], for his last +hour was deferred how many a time! and God saved him until he had +accomplished his [foreordained] period and had fulfilled [the +destined term of] his life." + +"Out on thee!" exclaimed the king. "How great is thy craft and +thy talk! Tell me, what was their story." And the youth said, "O +king, + + + + + + STORY OF KING SULEIMAN SHAH AND HIS SONS. + + + +There was once a king named Suleiman Shah, who was goodly of +polity and judgment, and he had a brother who died and left a +daughter. So Suleiman Shah reared her on the goodliest wise and +the girl grew up, endowed with reason and perfection, nor was +there in her time a fairer than she. Now the king had two sons, +one of whom he had appointed in himself that he would marry her +withal, and the other purposed in himself that he would take her. +The elder son's name was Belehwan and that of the younger Melik +Shah, and the girl was called Shah Khatoun. + +One day, King Suleiman Shah went in to his brother's daughter and +kissing her head, said to her, 'Thou art my daughter and dearer +to me than a child, for the love of thy father deceased; +wherefore I am minded to marry thee to one of my sons and appoint +him my heir apparent, so he may be king after me. Look, then, +which thou wilt have of my sons, for that thou hast been reared +with them and knowest them.' The damsel arose and kissing his +hand, said to him, 'O my lord, I am thine handmaid and thou art +the ruler over me; so whatsoever pleaseth thee, do, for that thy +wish is higher and more honourable and nobler [than mine] and if +thou wouldst have me serve thee, [as a handmaid], the rest of my +life, it were liefer to me than any [husband].' + +The king approved her speech and bestowed on her a dress of +honour and gave her magnificent gifts; after which, for that his +choice had fallen upon his younger son, Melik Shah, he married +her with him and made him his heir apparent and caused the folk +swear fealty to him. When this came to the knowledge of his +brother Belehwan and he was ware that his younger brother had +been preferred over him, his breast was straitened and the affair +was grievous to him and envy entered into him and rancour; but he +concealed this in his heart, whilst fire raged therein because of +the damsel and the kingship. + +Meanwhile Shah Khatoun went in to the king's son and conceived by +him and bore a son, as he were the resplendent moon. When +Belehwan saw this that had betided his brother, jealousy and envy +overcame him; so he went in one night to his father's house and +coming to his brother's lodging, saw the nurse sleeping at the +chamber-door, with the cradle before her and therein his +brother's child asleep. Belehwan stood by him and fell to looking +upon his face, the radiance whereof was as that of the moon, and +Satan insinuated himself into his heart, so that he bethought +himself and said, 'Why is not this child mine? Indeed, I am +worthier of him than my brother, [yea], and of the damsel and the +kingship.' Then envy got the better of him and anger spurred him, +so that he took out a knife and setting it to the child's gullet, +cut his throat and would have severed his windpipe. + +So he left him for dead and entering his brother's chamber, saw +him asleep, with the damsel by his side, and thought to slay her, +but said in himself, 'I will leave the damsel for myself.' Then +he went up to his brother and cutting his throat, severed his +head from his body, after which he left him and went away. +Therewithal the world was straitened upon him and his life was a +light matter to him and he sought his father Suleiman Shah's +lodging, that he might slay him, but could not win to him. So he +went forth from the palace and hid himself in the city till the +morrow, when he repaired to one of his father's strengths and +fortified himself therein. + +Meanwhile, the nurse awoke, that she might give the child suck, +and seeing the bed running with blood, cried out; whereupon the +sleepers and the king awoke and making for the place, found the +child with his throat cut and the cradle running over with blood +and his father slain and dead in his sleeping chamber. So they +examined the child and found life in him and his windpipe whole +and sewed up the place of the wound. Then the king sought his son +Belehwan, but found him not and saw that he had fled; whereby he +knew that it was he who had done this deed, and this was grievous +to the king and to the people of his realm and to the lady Shah +Katoun. So the king laid out his son Melik Shah and buried him +and made him a mighty funeral and they mourned passing sore; +after which he addressed himself to the rearing of the infant + +As for Belehwan, when he fled and fortified himself, his power +waxed amain and there remained for him but to make war upon his +father, who had cast his affection upon the child and used to +rear him on his knees and supplicate God the Most High that he +might live, so he might commit the commandment to him. When he +came to five years of age, the king mounted him on horseback and +the people of the city rejoiced in him and invoked on him length +of life, so he might take his father's leavings[FN#130] and +[heal] the heart of his grandfather. + +Meanwhile, Belehwan the froward addressed himself to pay court to +Caesar, King of the Greeks,[FN#131] and seek help of him in +making war upon his father, and he inclined unto him and gave him +a numerous army. His father the king heard of this and sent to +Caesar, saying, 'O king of illustrious might, succour not an +evil-doer. This is my son and he hath done thus and thus and cut +his brother's throat and that of his brother's son in the +cradle.' But he told not the King of the Greeks that the child +[had recovered and] was alive. When Caesar heard [the truth] of +the matter, it was grievous to him and he sent back to Suleiman +Shah, saying, 'If it be thy will, O king, I will cut off his head +and send it to thee.' But he made answer, saying, 'I reck not of +him: the reward of his deed and his crimes shall surely overtake +him, if not to-day, then to-morrow.' And from that day he +continued to correspond with Caesar and to exchange letters and +presents with him. + +Now the king of the Greeks heard tell of the damsel[FN#132] and +of the beauty and grace wherewith she was gifted, wherefore his +heart clave to her and he sent to seek her in marriage of +Suleiman Shah, who could not refuse him. So he arose and going in +to Shah Khatoun, said to her, 'O my daughter, the king of the +Greeks hath sent to me to seek thee in marriage. What sayst +thou?' She wept and answered, saying, 'O king, how canst thou +find it in thy heart to bespeak me thus? Abideth there husband +for me, after the son of my uncle?' 'O my daughter,' rejoined the +king, 'it is indeed as thou sayest; but let us look to the issues +of affairs. Needs must I take account of death, for that I am an +old man and fear not but for thee and for thy little son; and +indeed I have written to the king of the Greeks and others of the +kings and said, "His uncle slew him," and said not that he [hath +recovered and] is living, but concealed his affair. Now hath the +king of the Greeks sent to demand thee in marriage, and this is +no thing to be refused and fain would we have our back +strengthened with him."[FN#133] And she was silent and spoke not. + +So King Suleiman Shah made answer unto Caesar with 'Hearkening +and obedience.' Then he arose and despatched her to him, and +Cassar went in to her and found her overpassing the description +wherewithal they had described her to him; wherefore he loved her +with an exceeding love and preferred her over all his women and +his love for Suleiman Shah was magnified; but Shah Khatoun's +heart still clave to her son and she could say nought. As for +Suleiman Shah's rebellious son, Belehwan, when he saw that Shah +Khatoun had married the king of the Greeks, this was grievous to +him and he despaired of her. Meanwhile, his father Suleiman Shah +kept strait watch over the child and cherished him and named him +Melik Shah, after the name of his father. When he reached the age +of ten, he made the folk swear fealty to him and appointed him +his heir apparent, and after some days, [the hour of] the old +king's admission [to the mercy of God] drew near and he died. + +Now a party of the troops had banded themselves together for +Belehwan; so they sent to him and bringing him privily, went in +to the little Melik Shah and seized him and seated his uncle +Belehwan on the throne of the kingship. Then they proclaimed him +king and did homage to him all, saying, 'Verily, we desire thee +and deliver to thee the throne of the kingship; but we wish of +thee that thou slay not thy brother's son, for that on our +consciences are the oaths we swore to his father and grandfather +and the covenants we made with them.' So Belehwan granted them +this and imprisoned the boy in an underground dungeon and +straitened him. Presently, the heavy news reached his mother and +this was grievous to her; but she could not speak and committed +her affair to God the Most High, daring not name this to King +Caesar her husband, lest she should make her uncle King Suleiman +Shah a liar. + +So Belehwan the froward abode king in his father's room and his +affairs prospered, what while the young Melik Shah lay in the +underground dungeon four full-told years, till his charms faded +and his favour changed. When God (extolled be His perfection and +exalted be He!) willed to relieve him and bring him forth of the +prison, Belehwan sat one day with his chief officers and the +grandees of his state and discoursed with them of the story of +King Suleiman Shah and what was in his heart. Now there were +present certain viziers, men of worth, and they said to him, 'O +king, verily God hath been bountiful unto thee and hath brought +thee to thy wish, so that thou art become king in thy father's +stead and hast gotten thee that which thou soughtest. But, as for +this boy, there is no guilt in him, for that, from the day of his +coming into the world, he hath seen neither ease nor joyance, and +indeed his favour is faded and his charms changed [with long +prison]. What is his offence that he should merit this +punishment? Indeed, it is others than he who were to blame, and +God hath given thee the victory over them, and there is no fault +in this poor wight.' Quoth Belehwan, 'Indeed, it is as ye say; +but I am fearful of his craft and am not assured from his +mischief; belike the most part of the folk will incline unto +him.' 'O king,' answered they, 'what is this boy and what power +hath he? If thou fear him, send him to one of the frontiers.' And +Belehwan said, 'Ye say sooth: we will send him to be captain over +such an one of the marches.' + +Now over against the place in question was a host of enemies, +hard of heart, and in this he purposed the youth's slaughter. So +he bade bring him forth of the underground dungeon and caused him +draw near to him and saw his case. Then he bestowed on him a +dress of honour and the folk rejoiced in this. Moreover, he tied +him an ensign[FN#134] and giving him a numerous army, despatched +him to the region aforesaid, whither all who went were still +slain or made prisoners. So Melik Shah betook himself thither +with his army and when it was one of the days, behold, the enemy +fell in upon them in the night; whereupon some of his men fled +and the rest the enemy took; and they took Melik Shah also and +cast him into an underground dungeon, with a company of his men. +There he abode a whole year in evil plight, whilst his fellows +mourned over his beauty and grace. + +Now it was the enemy's wont, at every year's end, to bring forth +their prisoners and cast them down from the top of the citadel to +the bottom. So they brought them forth, at the end of the year, +and cast them down, and Melik Shah with them. However, he fell +upon the [other] men and the earth touched him not, for his term +was [God-]guarded. Now those that were cast down there were slain +and their bodies ceased not to lie there till the wild beasts ate +them and the winds dispersed them. Melik Shah abode cast down in +his place, aswoon, all that day and night, and when he recovered +and found himself whole, he thanked God the Most High for his +safety [and rising, fared on at a venture]. He gave not over +walking, unknowing whither he went and feeding upon the leaves of +the trees; and by day he hid himself whereas he might and fared +on all his night at hazard; and thus he did some days, till he +came to an inhabited land and seeing folk there, accosted them +and acquainted them with his case, giving them to know that he +had been imprisoned in the fortress and that they had cast him +down, but God the Most High had delivered him and brought him off +alive. + +The folk took compassion on him and gave him to eat and drink and +he abode with them awhile. Then he questioned them of the way +that led to the kingdom of his uncle Belehwan, but told them not +that he was his uncle. So they taught him the way and he ceased +not to go barefoot, till he drew near his uncle's capital, and he +naked and hungry, and indeed his body was wasted and his colour +changed. He sat down at the gate of the city, and presently up +came a company of King Belehwan's chief officers, who were out +a-hunting and wished to water their horses. So they lighted down +to rest and the youth accosted them, saying, 'I will ask you of +somewhat, wherewith do ye acquaint me.' Quoth they, 'Ask what +thou wilt.' And he said, 'Is King Belehwan well?' They laughed at +him and answered, 'What a fool art thou, O youth! Thou art a +stranger and a beggar, and what concern hast thou with the king's +health?' Quoth he, 'Indeed, he is my uncle;' whereat they +marvelled and said, 'It was one question[FN#135] and now it is +become two.' Then said they to him, 'O youth, it is as thou wert +mad. Whence pretendest thou to kinship with the king? Indeed, we +know not that he hath aught of kinsfolk, except a brother's son, +who was prisoned with him, and he despatched him to wage war upon +the infidels, so that they slew him.' 'I am he,' answered Melik +Shah, 'and they slew me not, but there betided me this and that.' + +They knew him forthright and rising to him, kissed his hands and +rejoiced in him and said to him, 'O our lord, in good sooth, thou +art a king and the son of a king, and we desire thee nought but +good and beseech [God to grant] thee continuance. Consider how +God hath rescued thee from this thy wicked uncle, who sent thee +to a place whence none came ever off alive, purposing not in this +but thy destruction; and indeed thou fellest into [peril of] +death and God delivered thee therefrom. So how wilt thou return +and cast thyself again into thine enemy's hand? By Allah, save +thyself and return not to him again. Belike thou shall abide upon +the face of the earth till it please God the Most High [to +vouchsafe thee relief]; but, if thou fall again into his hand, he +will not suffer thee live a single hour.' + +The prince thanked them and said to them, 'God requite you with +all good, for indeed ye give me loyal counsel; but whither would +ye have me go?' Quoth they, 'Get thee to the land of the Greeks, +the abiding-place of thy mother.' And he said, 'My grandfather +Suleiman Shah, when the King of the Greeks wrote to him, +demanding my mother in marriage, concealed my affair and hid my +secret; [and she hath done the like,] and I cannot make her a +liar.' 'Thou sayst sooth,' rejoined they; 'but we desire thine +advantage, and even if thou tookest service with the folk, it +were a means of thy continuance [on life].' Then each of them +brought out to him money and gave to him and clad him and fed him +and fared on with him a parasang's distance till they brought him +far from the city, and giving him to know that he was safe, +departed from him, whilst he fared on till he came forth of the +dominions of his uncle and entered those [of the king] of the +Greeks. Then he entered a village and taking up his abode +therein, betook himself to serving one there in ploughing and +sowing and the like. + +As for his mother, Shah Khatoun, great was her longing for her +son and she [still] thought of him and news of him was cut off +from her, wherefore her life was troubled and she forswore sleep +and could not make mention of him before King Caesar her husband. +Now she had an eunuch who had come with her from the court of her +uncle King Suleiman Shah, and he was intelligent, quickwitted, a +man of good counsel. So she took him apart one day and said to +him, 'Thou hast been my servant from my childhood to this day; +canst thou not therefore avail to get me news of my son, for that +I cannot speak of his matter?' 'O my lady,' answered he, 'this is +an affair that thou hast concealed from the first, and were thy +son here, it would not be possible for thee to harbour him, lest +thine honour fall into suspicion with the king; for they would +never credit thee, since the news hath been spread abroad that +thy son was slain by his uncle.' Quoth she, 'The case is even as +thou sayst and thou speakest truly; but, provided I know that my +son is alive, let him be in these parts pasturing sheep and let +me not see him nor he me.' And he said to her, 'How shall we +contrive in this affair?' 'Here are my treasures and my wealth,' +answered she. 'Take all thou wilt and bring me my son or else +news of him.' + +Then they agreed upon a device between them, to wit, that they +should feign an occasion in their own country, under pretext that +she had there wealth buried from the time of her husband Melik +Shah and that none knew of it but this eunuch who was with her, +wherefore it behoved that he should go and fetch it. So she +acquainted the king her husband with this and sought of him leave +for the eunuch to go: and the king granted him permission for the +journey and charged him cast about for a device, lest any get +wind of him. Accordingly, the eunuch disguised himself as a +merchant and repairing to Belehwan's city, began to enquire +concerning the youth's case; whereupon they told him that he had +been prisoned in an underground dungeon and that his uncle had +released him and dispatched him to such a place, where they had +slain him. When the eunuch heard this, it was grievous to him and +his breast was straitened and he knew not what he should do. + +It chanced one day that one of the horsemen, who had fallen in +with the young Melik Shah by the water and clad him and given him +spending-money, saw the eunuch in the city, disguised as a +merchant, and recognizing him, questioned him of his case and of +[the reason of] his coming. Quoth he, 'I come to sell +merchandise.' And the horseman said, 'I will tell thee somewhat, +if thou canst keep it secret.' 'It is well,' answered the eunuch; +'what is it?' And the other said, 'We met the king's son Melik +Shah, I and certain of the Arabs who were with me, and saw him by +such a water and gave him spending-money and sent him towards the +land of the Greeks, near his mother, for that we feared for him, +lest his uncle Belehwan should kill him.' Then he told him all +that had passed between them, whereupon the eunuch's countenance +changed and he said to the cavalier, 'Assurance!' 'Thou shalt +have assurance,' answered the other, 'though thou come in quest +of him.' And the eunuch rejoined, saying, 'Truly, that is my +errand, for there abideth no repose for his mother, lying down or +rising up, and she hath sent me to seek news of him.' Quoth the +cavalier, 'Go in safety, for he is in a [certain] part of the +land of the Greeks, even as I said to thee.' + +The eunuch thanked him and blessed him and mounting, returned +upon his way, following the trace, whilst the cavalier rode with +him to a certain road, when he said to him, 'This is where we +left him.' Then he took leave of him and returned to his own +city, whilst the eunuch fared on along the road, enquiring of the +youth in every village he entered by the description which the +cavalier had given him, and he ceased not to do thus till he came +to the village where the young Melik Shah was. So he entered and +lighting down therein, made enquiry after the prince, but none +gave him news of him; whereat he abode perplexed concerning his +affair and addressed himself to depart. Accordingly he mounted +his horse [and set out homeward]; but, as he passed through the +village, he saw a cow bound with a rope and a youth asleep by her +side, with the end of the halter in his hand; so he looked at him +and passed on and took no heed of him in his heart; but presently +he stopped and said in himself; 'If he of whom I am in quest be +come to the like [of the condition] of yonder sleeping youth, by +whom I passed but now, how shall I know him? Alas, the length of +my travail and weariness! How shall I go about in quest of a +wight whom I know not and whom, if I saw him face to face, I +should not know?' + +Then he turned back, pondering upon that sleeping youth, and +coming to him, as he slept, lighted down from his horse and sat +down by him. He fixed his eyes upon his face and considered him +awhile and said in himself, 'For aught I know, this youth may be +Melik Shah.' And he fell a-hemming and saying, 'Harkye, O youth!' +Whereupon the sleeper awoke and sat up; and the eunuch said to +him, 'Who is thy father in this village and where is thy +dwelling?' The youth sighed and answered, 'I am a stranger;' and +the eunuch said, 'From what land art thou and who is thy father?' +Quoth the other, 'I am from such a land,' and the eunuch ceased +not to question him and he to answer him, till he was certified +of him and knew him. So he rose and embraced him and kissed him +and wept over his case. Moreover, he told him that he was going +about in quest of him and informed him that he was come privily +from the king his mother's husband and that his mother would be +content [to know] that he was alive and well, though she saw him +not. + +Then he re-entered the village and buying the prince a horse, +mounted him thereon and they ceased not going, till they came to +the frontier of their own country, where there fell robbers upon +them by the way and took all that was with them and pinioned +them; after which they cast them into a pit hard by the road and +went away and left them to die there, and indeed they had cast +many folk into that pit and they had died. + +The eunuch fell a-weeping in the pit and the youth said to him, +'What is this weeping and what shall it profit here?' Quoth the +eunuch, 'I weep not for fear of death, but of pity for thee and +the sorriness of thy case and because of thy mother's heart and +for that which thou hast suffered of horrors and that thy death +should be this abject death, after the endurance of all manner +stresses.' But the youth said, 'That which hath betided me was +forewrit to me and that which is written none hath power to +efface; and if my term be advanced, none may avail to defer +it.'[FN#136] Then they passed that night and the following day +and the next night and the next day [in the pit], till they were +weak with hunger and came near upon death and could but groan +feebly. + +Now it befell, by the ordinance of God the Most High and His +providence, that Caesar, king of the Greeks, the husband of Melik +Shah's mother Shah Khatoun, [went forth to the chase that day]. +He started a head of game, he and his company, and chased it, +till they came up with it by that pit, whereupon one of them +lighted down from his horse, to slaughter it, hard by the mouth +of the pit. He heard a sound of low moaning from the bottom of +the pit} so he arose and mounting his horse, waited till the +troops were assembled. Then he acquainted the king with this and +he bade one of his servants [descend into the pit]. So the man +descended and brought out the youth [and the eunuch], aswoon. + +They cut their bonds and poured wine into their gullets, till +they came to themselves, when the king looked at the eunuch and +recognizing him, said, 'Harkye, such an one!' 'Yes, O my lord the +king,' replied the man and prostrated himself to him; whereat the +king marvelled with an exceeding wonder and said to him, 'How +earnest thou to this place and what hath befallen thee?" Quoth +the eunuch, 'I went and took out the treasure and brought it +hither; but the [evil] eye was behind me and I unknowing. So the +thieves took us alone here and seized the money and cast us into +this pit, so we might die of hunger, even as they had done with +other than we; but God the Most High sent thee, in pity to us.' + +The king marvelled, he and his company, and praised God the Most +High for that he had come thither; after which he turned to the +eunuch and said to him, 'What is this youth thou hast with thee?' +'O king,' answered he, 'this is the son of a nurse who belonged +to us and we left him little. I saw him to-day and his mother +said to me, 'Take him with thee.' So I brought him with me, that +he might be a servant to the king, for that he is an adroit and +quickwitted youth.' Then the king fared on, he and his company, +and the eunuch and the youth with them, what while he questioned +the former of Belehwan and his dealing with his subjects, and he +answered, saying, 'As thy head liveth, O king, the folk with him +are in sore straits and not one of them desireth to look on him, +gentle or simple.' + +[When the king returned to his palace,] he went in to his wife +Shah Khatoun and said to her, 'I give thee the glad news of thine +eunuch's return.' And he told her what had betided and of the +youth whom he had brought with him. When she heard this, her wits +fled and she would have cried out, but her reason restrained her, +and the king said to her, 'What is this? Art thou overcome with +grief for [the loss of] the treasure or [for that which hath +befallen] the eunuch?' 'Nay, as thy head liveth, O king!' +answered she. 'But women are fainthearted.' Then came the servant +and going in to her, told her all that had befallen him and +acquainted her with her son's case also and with that which he +had suffered of stresses and how his uncle had exposed him to +slaughter and he had been taken prisoner and they had cast him +into the pit and hurled him from the top of the citadel and how +God had delivered him from these perils, all of them; and he went +on to tell her [all that had betided him], whilst she wept. + +Then said she to him, 'When the king saw him and questioned thee +of him, what saidst thou to him?' And he answered, 'I said to +him, "This is the son of a nurse who belonged to us. We left him +little and he grew up; so I brought him, that he might be servant +to the king,"' Quoth she, 'Thou didst well.' And she charged him +to be instant in the service of the prince. As for the king, he +redoubled in kindness to the eunuch and appointed the youth a +liberal allowance and he abode going in to the king's house and +coming out therefrom and standing in his service, and every day +he grew in favour with him; whilst, as for Shah Khatoun, she used +to stand a-watch for him at the windows and balconies and gaze +upon him, and she on coals of fire on his account, yet could she +not speak. + +On this wise she abode a great while and indeed yearning for him +came nigh to slay her; so she stood and watched for him one day +at the door of her chamber and straining him to her bosom, kissed +him on the cheek and breast. At this moment, out came the master +of the king's household and seeing her embracing the youth, abode +amazed. Then he asked to whom that chamber belonged and was +answered, 'To Shah Khatoun, wife of the king,' whereupon he +turned back, trembling as [one smitten by] a thunderbolt. The +king saw him quaking and said to him, 'Out on thee! what is the +matter?' 'O king,' answered he, 'what matter is graver than that +which I see?' 'What seest thou?' asked the king and the officer +said, 'I see that yonder youth, who came with the eunuch, he +brought not with him but on account of Shah Khatoun; for that I +passed but now by her chamber door, and she was standing, +watching; [and when the youth came up,] she rose to him and +clipped him and kissed him on his cheek.' + +When the king heard this, he bowed [his head] in amazement and +perplexity and sinking into a seat, clutched at his beard and +shook it, till he came nigh to pluck it out. Then he arose +forthright and laid hands on the youth and clapped him in prison. +Moreover, he took the eunuch also and cast them both into an +underground dungeon in his house, after which he went in to Shah +Khatoun and said to her, 'Thou hast done well, by Allah, O +daughter of nobles, O thou whom kings sought in marriage, for the +excellence of thy repute and the goodliness of the reports of +thee! How fair is thy semblance! May God curse her whose inward +is the contrary of her outward, after the likeness of thy base +favour, whose outward is comely and its inward foul, fair face +and foul deeds! Verily, I mean to make of thee and of yonder +good-for-nought an example among the folk, for that thou sentest +not thine eunuch but of intent on his account, so that he took +him and brought him into my house and thou hast trampled my head +with him; and this is none other than exceeding hardihood; but +thou shall see what I will do with you.' + +So saying, he spat in her face and went out from her; whilst Shah +Khatoun made him no answer, knowing that, if she spoke at that +time, he would not credit her speech. Then she humbled herself in +supplication to God the Most High and said, 'O God the Great, +Thou knowest the hidden things and the outward parts and the +inward' If an advanced term[FN#137] be [appointed] to me, let it +not be deferred, and if a deferred one, let it not be advanced!' +On this wise she passed some days, whilst the king fell into +perplexity and forswore meat and drink and sleep and abode +knowing not what he should do and saying [in himself], 'If I kill +the eunuch and the youth, my soul will not be solaced, for they +are not to blame, seeing that she sent to fetch him, and my heart +will not suffer me to slay them all three. But I will not be +hasty in putting them to death, for that I fear repentance.' Then +he left them, so he might look into the affair. + +Now he had a nurse, a foster-mother, on whose knees he had been +reared, and she was a woman of understanding and misdoubted of +him, but dared not accost him [with questions]. So she went in to +Shah Khatoun and finding her in yet sorrier plight than he, asked +her what was to do; but she refused to answer. However, the nurse +gave not over coaxing and questioning her, till she exacted of +her an oath of secrecy. So the old woman swore to her that she +would keep secret all that she should say to her, whereupon the +queen related to her her history from first to last and told her +that the youth was her son. With this the old woman prostrated +herself before her and said to her, 'This is an easy matter.' But +the queen answered, saying, 'By Allah, O my mother, I choose my +destruction and that of my son rather than defend myself by +avouching a thing whereof they will not credit me; for they will +say, "She avoucheth this, but that she may fend off reproach from +herself" And nought will avail me but patience.' The old woman +was moved by her speech and her intelligence and said to her, +'Indeed, O my daughter, it is as thou sayst, and I hope in God +that He will show forth the truth. Have patience and I will +presently go in to the king and hear what he saith and contrive +somewhat in this matter, if it be the will of God the Most High.' + +Then she arose and going in to the king, found him with his head +between his knees, and he lamenting. So she sat down by him +awhile and bespoke him with soft words and said to him, 'Indeed, +O my son, thou consumest mine entrails, for that these [many] +days thou hast not mounted to horse, and thou lamentest and I +know not what aileth thee.' 'O my mother,' answered he, '[this my +chagrin] is due to yonder accursed woman, of whom I still deemed +well and who hath done thus and thus.' Then he related to her the +whole story from first to last, and she said to him, 'This thy +concern is on account of a worthless woman.' Quoth he, 'I was but +considering by what death I should slay them, so the folk may [be +admonished by their fate and] repent.' And she said, 'O my son, +beware of haste, for it engendereth repentance and the slaying of +them will not escape [thee]. When thou art assured of this +affair, do what thou wilt.' 'O my mother,' rejoined he; 'there +needeth no assurance concerning him for whom she despatched her +eunuch and he fetched him.' + +But she said, 'There is a thing wherewith we will make her +confess, and all that is in her heart shall be discovered to +thee.' 'What is that?' asked the king, and she answered, 'I will +bring thee a hoopoe's heart,[FN#138] which, when she sleepeth, do +thou lay upon her heart and question her of all thou wilt, and +she will discover this unto thee and show forth the truth to +thee." The king rejoiced in this and said to his nurse, 'Hasten +and let none know of thee.' So she arose and going in to the +queen, said to her, 'I have done thine occasion and it is on this +wise. This night the king will come in to thee and do thou feign +thyself asleep; and if he ask thee of aught, do thou answer him, +as if in thy sleep.' The queen thanked her and the old woman went +away and fetching the hoopoe's heart, gave it to the king. + +Hardly was the night come, when he went in to his wife and found +her lying back, [apparently] asleep; so he sat down by her side +and laying the hoopoe's heart on her breast, waited awhile, so he +might be certified that she slept. Then said he to her, 'Shah +Khatoun, Shah Khatoun, is this my recompense from thee?' Quoth +she, 'What offence have I committed?' And he, 'What offence can +be greater than this? Thou sentest after yonder youth and +broughtest him hither, on account of the desire of thy heart, so +thou mightest do with him that for which thou lustedst.' 'I know +not desire,' answered she. 'Verily, among thy servants are those +who are comelier and handsomer than he; yet have I never desired +one of them.' 'Why, then,' asked he, 'didst thou lay hold of him +and kiss him!' And she said, 'This is my son and a piece of my +heart; and of my longing and love for him, I could not contain +myself, but sprang upon him and kissed him.' When the king heard +this, he was perplexed and amazed and said to her, 'Hast thou a +proof that this youth is thy son? Indeed, I have a letter from +thine uncle King Suleiman Shah, [wherein he giveth me to know] +that his unck Belehwan cut his throat.' 'Yes,' answered she, 'he +did indeed cut his throat, but severed not the windpipe; so my +uncle sewed up the wound and reared him, [and he lived,] for that +his hour was not come.' + +When the king heard this, he said, 'This proof sufficeth me,' and +rising forthright in the night, let bring the youth and the +eunuch. Then he examined the former's throat with a candle and +saw [the scar where] it [had been] cut from ear to ear, and +indeed the place had healed up and it was like unto a +stretched-out thread. Therewithal the king fell down prostrate to +God, [in thanksgiving to Him] for that He had delivered the +prince from all these perils and from the stresses that he had +undergone, and rejoiced with an exceeding joy for that he had +wrought deliberately and had not made haste to slay him, in which +case sore repentance had betided him. As for the youth," +continued the young treasurer, "he was not saved but because his +term was deferred, and on like wise, O king, is it with me; I too +have a deferred term, which I shall attain, and a period which I +shall accomplish, and I trust in God the Most High that He will +give me the victory over these wicked viziers." + +When the youth had made an end of his speech, the king said, +"Carry him back to the prison;" and when they had done this, he +turned to the viziers and said to them, "Yonder youth looseth his +tongue upon you, but I know your affectionate solicitude for the +welfare of my empire and your loyal counsel to me; so be of good +heart, for all that ye counsel me I will do." When they heard +tnese words, they rejoiced and each of them said his say Then +said the king, "I have not deferred his slaughter but to the +intent that the talk might be prolonged and that words might +abound, and I desire [now] that ye sit up for him a gibbet +without the town and make proclamation among the folk that they +assemble and take him and carry him in procession to the gibbet, +with the crier crying before him and saying, 'This is the +recompense of him whom the king delighted to favour and who hath +betrayed him!'" The viziers rejoiced, when they heard this, and +slept not that night, of their joy; and they made proclamation in +the city and set up the gibbet. + + The Eleventh Day. + + + + OF THE SPEEDY RELIEF OF GOD. + + + +When it was the eleventh day, the viziers betook them early in +the morning to the king's gate and said to him, "O king, the folk +are assembled from the king's gate to the gibbet, so they may see +[the execution of] the king's commandment on the youth." So the +king bade fetch the prisoner and they brought him; whereupon the +viziers turned to him and said to him, "O vile of origin, doth +any hope of life remain with thee and lookest thou still for +deliverance after this day?" "O wicked viziers," answered he, +"shall a man of understanding renounce hope in God the Most High? +Indeed, howsoever a man be oppressed, there cometh to him +deliverance from the midst of stress and life from the midst of +death, [as is shown by the case of] the prisoner and how God +delivered him." "What is his story?" asked the king; and the +youth answered, saying, "O king, they tell that + + + + + + STORY OF THE PRISONER AND HOW GOD GAVE + HIM RELIEF. + + + +There was once a king of the kings, who had a high palace, +overlooking a prison of his, and he used to hear in the night one +saying, 'O Ever-present Deliverer, O Thou whose relief is nigh, +relieve Thou me!' One day the king waxed wroth and said, "Yonder +fool looketh for relief from [the consequences of] his crime. +'Then said he to his officers, 'Who is in yonder prison?' And +they answered, 'Folk upon whom blood hath been found.'[FN#139] So +the king bade bring the man in question before him and said to +him, 'O fool, little of wit, how shall thou be delivered from +this prison, seeing that thine offence is great?' Then he +committed him to a company of his guards and said to them, 'Take +this fellow and crucify him without the city.' + +Now it was the night-season. So the soldiers carried him without +the city, thinking to crucify him, when, behold, there came out +upon them thieves and fell in on them with swords and [other] +weapons. Thereupon the guards left him whom they purposed to put +to death [and took to flight], whilst the man who was going to +slaughter fled forth at a venture and plunging into the desert, +knew not whither he went before he found himself in a thicket and +there came out upon him a lion of frightful aspect, which +snatched him up and set him under him. Then he went up to a tree +and tearing it up by the roots, covered the man therewith and +made off into the thicket, in quest of the lioness. + +As for the man, he committed his affair to God the Most High, +relying upon Him for deliverance, and said in himself, 'What is +this affair?' Then he did away the leaves from himself and +rising, saw great plenty of men's bones there, of those whom the +lion had devoured. He looked again and saw a heap of gold lying +alongside a girdle;[FN#140] whereat he marvelled and gathering up +the gold in his skirts, went forth of the thicket and fled in +affright at hazard, turning neither to the right nor to the left, +in his fear of the lion; till he came to a village and cast +himself down, as he were dead. He lay there till the day appeared +and he was rested from his fatigue, when he arose and burying the +gold, entered the village. Thus God gave him relief and he came +by the gold." + +Then said the king, "How long wilt thou beguile us with thy +prate, O youth? But now the hour of thy slaughter is come." And +he bade crucify him upon the gibbet. [So they carried him to the +place of execution] and were about to hoist him up [upon the +cross,] when, behold, the captain of the thieves, who had found +him and reared him,[FN#141] came up at that moment and asked what +was that assembly and [the cause of] the crowds gathered there. +They told him that a servant of the king had committed a great +crime and that he was about to put him to death. So the captain +of the thieves pressed forward and looking upon the prisoner, +knew him, whereupon he went up to him and embraced him and +clipped him and fell to kissing him upon his mouth. Then said he, +"This is a boy whom I found under such a mountain, wrapped in a +gown of brocade, and I reared him and he fell to stopping the way +with us. One day, we set upon a caravan, but they put us to +flight and wounded some of us and took the boy and went their +way. From that day to this I have gone round about the lands in +quest of him, but have not lighted on news of him [till now;] and +this is he." + +When the king heard this, he was certified that the youth was his +very son; so he cried out at the top of his voice and casting +himself upon him, embraced him and wept and said, "Had I put thee +to death, as was my intent, I should have died of regret for +thee." Then he cut his bonds and taking his crown from his head, +set it on that of his son, whereupon the people raised cries of +joy, whilst the trumpets sounded and the drums beat and there +befell a great rejoicing. They decorated the city and it was a +glorious day; the very birds stayed their flight in the air, for +the greatness of the clamour and the noise of the crying. The +army and the folk carried the prince [to the palace] in +magnificent procession, and the news came to his mother Behrjaur, +who came forth and threw herself upon him. Moreover, the king +bade open the prison and bring forth all who were therein, and +they held high festival seven days and seven nights and rejoiced +with a mighty rejoicing; whilst terror and silence and confusion +and affright fell upon the viziers and they gave themselves up +for lost. + +After this the king sat, with his son by his side and the viziers +sitting before him, and summoned his chief officers and the folk +of the city. Then the prince turned to the viziers and said to +them, "See, O wicked viziers, that which God hath done and the +speedy [coming of] relief." But they answered not a word and the +king said, "It sufficeth me that there is nothing alive but +rejoiceth with me this day, even to the birds in the sky, but ye, +your breasts are straitened. Indeed, this is the greatest of +ill-will in you to me, and had I hearkened to you, my regret had +been prolonged and I had died miserably of grief." "O my father," +quoth the prince, "but for the fairness of thy thought and thy +judgment and thy longanimity and deliberation in affairs, there +had not bedded thee this great joyance. Hadst thou slain me in +haste, repentance would have been sore on thee and long grief, +and on this wise doth he who ensueth haste repent." + +Then the king sent for the captain of the thieves and bestowed on +him a dress of honour,[FN#142] commanding that all who loved the +king should put off [their raiment and cast it] upon him.[FN#143] +So there fell dresses of honour [and other presents] on him, till +he was wearied with their much plenty, and Azadbekht invested him +with the mastership of the police of his city. Then he bade set +up other nine gibbets beside the first and said to his son, "Thou +art guiltless, and yet these wicked viziers endeavoured for thy +slaughter." "O my father," answered the prince, "I had no fault +[in their eyes] but that I was a loyal counsellor to thee and +still kept watch over thy good and withheld their hands from thy +treasuries; wherefore they were jealous and envied me and plotted +against me and sought to slay me," Quoth the king, "The time [of +retribution] is at hand, O my son; but what deemest thou we +should do with them in requital of that which they did with thee? +For that they have endeavoured for thy slaughter and exposed thee +to public ignominy and soiled my honour among the kings." + +Then he turned to the viziers and said to them, "Out on ye! What +liars ye are! What excuse is left you?" "O king," answered they, +"there abideth no excuse for us and our sin hath fallen upon us +and broken us in pieces. Indeed we purposed evil to this youth +and it hath reverted upon us, and we plotted mischief against him +and it hath overtaken us; yea, we digged a pit for him and have +fallen ourselves therein." So the king bade hoist up the viziers +upon the gibbets and crucify them there, for that God is just and +ordaineth that which is right. Then Azadbekht and his wife and +son abode in joyance and contentment, till there came to them the +Destroyer of Delights and they died all; and extolled be the +perfection of the [Ever-]Living One, who dieth not, to whom be +glory and whose mercy be upon us for ever and ever! Amen. + + + + + + JAAFER BEN YEHYA AND ABDULMEILIK BEN + SALIH THE ABBASIDE.[FN#144] + + + +It is told of Jaafer ben Yehya the Barmecide that he sat down one +day to drink and being minded to be private (with his friends), +sent for his boon-companions, in whom he delighted, and charged +the chamberlain[FN#145] that he should suffer none of the +creatures of God the Most High to enter, save a man of his +boon-companions, by name Abdulmelik ben Salih,[FN#146] who was +behindhand with them. Then they donned coloured clothes,[FN#147] +for that it was their wont, whenas they sat in the wine-chamber, +to don raiment of red and yellow and green silk, and sat down to +drink, and the cups went round and the lutes pulsed. + +Now there was a man of the kinsfolk of the Khalif [Haroun er +Reshid], by name Abdulmelik ben Salih ben Ali ben Abdallah ben el +Abbas,[FN#148] who was great of gravity and piety and +decorousness, and Er Reshid was used instantly to require of him +that he should keep him company in his carousals and drink with +him and had proffered him, to this end, riches galore, but he +still refused. It chanced that this Abdulmelik es Salih came to +the door of Jaafer ben Yehya, that he might bespeak him of +certain occasions of his, and the chamberlain, doubting not but +he was the Abdulmelik ben Salih aforesaid, whom Jaafer had +charged him admit and that he should suffer none but him to +enter, allowed him to go in to his master. + +When Jaafer saw him, his reason was like to depart for shame and +he knew that the chamberlain had been deceived by the likeness of +the name; and Abdulmelik also perceived how the case stood and +confusion was manifest to him in Jaafer's face. So he put on a +cheerful favour and said, "No harm be upon you![FN#149] Bring us +of these dyed clothes." So they brought him a dyed gown[FN#150] +and he put it on and sat discoursing cheerily with Jaafer and +jesting with him. Then said he, "Give us to drink of your wine." +So they poured him out a pint and he said, "Be ye indulgent with +us, for we have no wont of this." Then he chatted and jested with +them till Jaafer's breast dilated and his constraint ceased from +him and his shamefastness, and he rejoiced in this with an +exceeding joy and said to Abdulmelik, "What is thine errand?" +Quoth the other, "I come (may God amend thee!) on three +occasions, whereof I would have thee bespeak the Khalif; to wit, +firstly, I have on me a debt to the amount of a thousand thousand +dirhems,[FN#151] which I would have discharged; secondly, I +desire for my son the office of governor of a province, whereby +his rank may be raised; and thirdly, I would fain have thee marry +him to a daughter of the Khalif, for that she is his cousin and +he is a match for her." And Jaafer said, "God accomplished! unto +thee these three occasions. As for the money, it shall presently +be carried to thy house; as for the government, I make thy son +viceroy of Egypt; and as for the marriage, I give him to wife +such an one, the daughter of our Lord the Commander of the +Faithful, at a dowry of such and such a sum. So depart in the +assurance of God the Most High." + +So Abdulmelik went away to his house, whither he found that the +money had foregone him, and on the morrow Jaafer presented +himself before the Khalif and acquainted him with what had passed +and that he had appointed Abdulmelik's son governor of Egypt and +had promised him his daughter in marriage. Er Reshid approved of +this and confirmed the appointment and the marriage. [Then he +sent for the young man] and he went not forth of the palace of +the Khalif till he wrote him the patent [of investiture with the +government] of Egypt; and he let bring the Cadis and the +witnesses and drew up the contract of marriage. + + + + + + ER RESHID AND THE BARMECIDES.[FN#152] + + + +It is said that the most extraordinary of that which happened to +Er Reshid was as follows: His brother El Hadi,[FN#153] when he +succeeded to the Khalifate, enquired of a seal-ring of great +price, that had belonged to his father El Mehdi,[FN#154] and it +came to his knowledge that Er Reshid had taken it. So he required +it of the latter, who refused to give it up, and El Hadi insisted +upon him, but he still denied the seal-ring of the Khalifate. Now +this was on the bridge [over the Tigris], and he threw the ring +into the river. When El Hadi died and Er Reshid succeeded to the +Khalifate, he came in person to that bridge, with a seal-ring of +lead, which he threw into the river at the same place, and bade +the divers seek it. So they did [his bidding] and brought up the +first ring, and this was reckoned [an omen] of Er Reshid's good +fortune and [a presage of] the continuance of his reign.[FN#155] + +When Er Reshid came to the throne, he invested Jaafer ben Yehya +ben Khalid el Bermeki[FN#156] with the vizierate. Now Jaafer was +eminently distinguished for generosity and munificence, and the +stories of him to this effect are renowned and are written in the +books. None of the viziers attained to the rank and favour which +he enjoyed with Er Reshid, who was wont to call him +brother[FN#157] and used to carry him with him into his house. +The period of his vizierate was nineteen years,[FN#158] and Yehya +one day said to his son Jaafer, "O my son, what time thy reed +trembleth, water it with kindness."[FN#159] Opinions differ +concerning the reason of Jaafer's slaughter, but the better is as +follows. Er Reshid could not brook to be parted from Jaafer nor +from his [own] sister Abbaseh, daughter of El Mehdi, a single +hour, and she was the loveliest woman of her time; so he said to +Jaafer, "I will marry thee to her, that it may be lawful to thee +to look upon her, but thou shalt not touch her." [Accordingly, +they were married] and they used both to be present in Er +Reshid's sitting chamber. Now the Khalif would rise bytimes [and +go forth] from the chamber, and they being both young and filled +with wine, Jaafer would rise to her and swive her. She conceived +by him and bore a handsome boy and fearing Er Reshid, despatched +the newborn child by one of her confidants to Mecca the Holy, may +God the Most High advance it in honour and increase it in +venerance and nobility and magnification! The affair abode +concealed till there befell despite between Abbaseh and one of +her slave-girls, whereupon the latter discovered the affair of +the child to Er Reshid and acquainted him with its abiding-place. +So, when the Khalif made the pilgrimage, he despatched one who +brought him the boy and found the affair true, wherefore he +caused befall the Barmecides that which befell.[FN#160] + + + + + + IBN ES SEMMAK AND ER RESHID.[FN#161] + + + +It is related that Ibn es Semmak[FN#162] went in one day to Er +Reshid and the Khalif, being athirst, called for drink. So his +cup was brought him, and when he took it, Ibn es Semmak said to +him, "Softly, O Commander of the Faithful! If thou wert denied +this draught, with what wouldst thou buy it?" "With the half of +my kingdom," answered the Khalif; and Ibn es Semmak said, "Drink +and God prosper it to thee!" Then, when he had drunken, he said +to him, "If thou wert denied the going forth of the draught from +thy body, with what wouldst thou buy its issue?" "With the whole +of my kingdom," answered Er Reshid: and Ibn es Semmak said, "O +Commander of the Faithful, verily, a kingdom that weigheth not in +the balance against a draught [of water] or a voiding of urine is +not worth the striving for." And Haroun wept. + + + + + + EL MAMOUN AND ZUBEIDEH[FN#163] + + + +It is said that El Mamoun[FN#164] came one day upon Zubeideh, +mother of El Amin,[FN#165] and saw her moving her lips and +muttering somewhat he understood not; so he said to her, "O +mother mine, dost thou imprecate [curses] upon me, for that I +slew thy son and despoiled him of his kingdom?" "Not so, by +Allah, O Commander of the Faithful!" answered she, and he said, +"What then saidst thou?" Quoth she, "Let the Commander of the +Faithful excuse me." But he was instant with her, saying, "Needs +must thou tell it." And she replied, "I said, 'God confound +importunity!'" "How so?" asked the Khalif, and she said, "I +played one day at chess with the Commander of the Faithful +[Haroun er Reshid] and he imposed on me the condition of +commandment and acceptance.[FN#166] He beat me and bade me put +off my clothes and go round about the palace, naked; so I did +this, and I incensed against him. Then we fell again to playing +and I beat him; so I bade him go to the kitchen and swive the +foulest and sorriest wench of the wenches thereof. [I went to the +kitchen] and found not a slave-girl fouler and filthier than thy +mother;[FN#167] so I bade him swive her. He did as I bade him and +she became with child by him of thee, and thus was I [by my +unlucky insistance] the cause of the slaying of my son and the +despoiling him of his kingdom." When El Mamoun heard this, he +turned away, saying, "God curse the importunate!" to wit, +himself, who had importuned her till she acquainted him with that +matter. + + + + + + EN NUMAN AND THE ARAB OF THE BENOU + TAI.[FN#168] + + + +It is said that En Numan[FN#169] had two boon-companions, one of +whom was called Ibn Saad and the other Amrou ben el Melik, and he +became one night drunken and bade bury them alive; so they buried +them. When he arose on the morrow, he enquired for them and was +acquainted with their case, whereupon he built over them a +monument and appointed to himself a day of ill-luck and a day of +good-luck. If any met him on his day of ill-omen, he slew him and +with his blood he washed the monument aforesaid, the which is a +place well known in Cufa; and if any met him on his day of grace, +he enriched him. + +Now there accosted him once, on his day of ill-omen, an Arab of +the Benou Tai,[FN#170] and En Numan would have put him to death; +but the Arab said, "God quicken the king! I have two little girls +and have made none guardian over them; so, if the king see fit to +grant me leave to go to them, I will give him the covenant of +God[FN#171] that I will return to him, whenas I have appointed +them a guardian." En Numan had compassion on him and said to him, +"If a man will be surety for thee of those who are with us, [I +will let thee go], and if thou return not, I will put him to +death." Now there was with En Numan his vizier Sherik ben Amrou; +so the Tai[FN#172] looked at him and said, + +Sherik ben Amrou, what device avails the hand of death to stay? O + brother of the brotherless, brother of all th' afflicted, + say. +Brother of En Numan, with thee lies an old man's anguish to + allay, A graybeard slain, may God make fair his deeds upon + the Reckoning-Day! +Quoth Sherik, "On me be his warranty, may God assain the king!" + So the Tai departed, after a term had been assigned him for + his coming. + +When the appointed day arrived, En Numan sent for Sherik and said +to him, "Verily the first part of this day is past." And Sherik +answered, "The king hath no recourse against me till it be +eventide." When it evened, there appeared one afar off and En +Numan fell to looking upon him and on Sherik, and the latter said +to him, "Thou hast no right over me till yonder fellow come, for +belike he is my man." As he spoke, up came the Tai in haste and +En Numan said "By Allah, never saw I [any] more generous than you +two! I know not whether of you is the more generous, this one who +became warrant for thee in [danger of] death or thou who +returnest unto slaughter." Then said he to Sherik, "What prompted +thee to become warrant for him, knowing that it was death?" And +he said, "[I did this] lest it be said, 'Generosity hath departed +from viziers.'" Then said En Numan to the Tai, "And thou, what +prompted thee to return, knowing that therein was death and thine +own destruction?" Quoth the Arab, "[I did this] lest it be said, +'Fidelity hath departed from the folk.'" And En Numan said, "By +Allah, I will be the third of you,[FN#173] lest it be said, +'Clemency hath departed from kings.'" So he pardoned him and bade +abolish the day of ill-omen; whereupon the Arab recited the +following verses: + +Full many a man incited me to infidelity, But I refused, for all + the talk wherewith they set on me. +I am a man in whom good faith's a natural attribute; The deeds of + every upright man should with his speech agree. + +Quoth En Numan, "What prompted thee to keep faith, the case being +as thou sayest?" "O king," answered the Arab, "it was my +religion." And En Numan said, "What is thy religion?" "The +Christian," replied the other. Quoth the king, "Expound it unto +me." [So the Tai expounded it to him] and En Numan became a +Christian.[FN#174] + + + + + + FIROUZ AND HIS WIFE[FN#175] + + + +A certain king sat one day on the roof of his palace, diverting +himself with looking about him, and presently, chancing to look +aside, he espied, on [the roof of] a house over against his +palace, a woman, never saw his eyes her like. So he turned to +those who were present and said to them, "To whom belongeth +yonder house?" "To thy servant Firouz," answered they, "and that +is his wife." So he went down, (and indeed love had made him +drunken and he was passionately enamoured of her), and calling +Firouz, said to him, "Take this letter and go with it to such a +city and bring me the answer." Firouz took the letter and going +to his house, laid it under his head and passed that night. When +the morning morrowed, he took leave of his wife and set out for +the city in question, unknowing what the king purposed against +him. + +As for the king, he arose in haste and disguising himself, +repaired to the house of Firouz and knocked at the door. Quoth +Firouz's wife, "Who is at the door?" And he answered, saying, "I +am the king, thy husband's master." So she opened the door and he +entered and sat down, saying, "We are come to visit thee." Quoth +she, "I seek refuge [with God] from this visitation, for indeed I +deem not well thereof." And the king said, "O desire of hearts, I +am thy husband's master and methinks thou knowest me not." "Nay," +answered she, "I know thee, O my lord and master, and I know thy +purpose and that which thou seekest and that thou art my +husband's lord. I understand what thou wishest, and indeed the +poet hath forestalled thee in his saying of the following verses, +in reference to thy case: + +Your water I'll leave without drinking, for there Too many + already have drunken whilere. +When the flies light on food, from the platter my hand I raise, + though my spirit should long for the fare; +And whenas the dogs at a fountain have lapped, The lions to drink + of the water forbear." + +Then said she, "O king, comest thou to a [watering-]place whereat +thy dog hath drunken and wilt thou drink thereof?" The king was +abashed at her and at her words and went out from her, but forgot +his sandal in the house. + +As for Firouz, when he went forth from his house, he sought the +letter, but found it not; so he returned home. Now his return +fell in with the king's going forth and he found the latter's +sandal in his house, whereat his wit was dazed and he knew that +the king had not sent him away but for a purpose of his own. +However, he held his peace and spoke not a word, but, taking the +letter, went on his errand and accomplished it and returned to +the king, who gave him a hundred dinars. So Firouz betook himself +to the market and bought what beseemeth women of goodly gifts and +returning to his wife, saluted her and gave her all that he had +brought and said to her, "Arise [go] to thy father's house." +"Wherefore?" asked she, and he said, "Verily, the king hath been +bountiful to me and I would have thee show forth this, so thy +father may rejoice in that which he seeth upon thee." "With all +my heart," answered she and arising forthright, betook herself to +the house of her father, who rejoiced in her coming and in that +which he saw upon her; and she abode with him a month's space, +and her husband made no mention of her. + +Then came her brother to him and said, "O Firouz, an thou wilt +not acquaint me with the reason of thine anger against thy wife, +come and plead with us before the king." Quoth he, "If ye will +have me plead with you, I will do so." So they went to the king +and found the cadi sitting with him; whereupon quoth the damsel's +brother, "God assist our lord the cadi! I let this man on hire a +high-walled garden, with a well in good case and trees laden with +fruit; but he beat down its walls and ruined its well and ate its +fruits, and now he desireth to return it to me." The cadi turned +to Firouz and said to him, "What sayst thou, O youth?" And he +answered, "Indeed, I delivered him the garden in the goodliest of +case." So the cadi said to the brother, "Hath he delivered thee +the garden, as he saith?" And the other replied, "No; but I +desire to question him of the reason of his returning it." Quoth +the cadi, "What sayst thou, O youth?" And Firouz answered, "I +returned it in my own despite, for that I entered it one day and +saw the track of the lion; wherefore I feared lest, if I entered +it again, the lion should devour me. So that which I did, I did +of reverence to him and for fear of him." + +Now the king was leaning back upon the cushion, when he heard the +man's words, he knew the purport thereof; so he sat up and said, +"Return to thy garden in all assurance and ease of heart; for, by +Allah, never saw I the like of thy garden nor stouter of ward +than its walls over its trees!" So Firouz returned to his wife, +and the cadi knew not the truth of the affair, no, nor any of +those who were in that assembly, save the king and the husband +and the damsel's brother.[FN#176] + + + + + + KING SHAH BEKHT AND HIS VIZIER ER + REHWAN.[FN#177] + + + +There was once, of old days and in bygone ages and times, a king +of the kings of the time, by name Shah Bekht, who had troops and +servants and guards galore and a vizier called Er Rehwan, who was +wise, understanding, a man of good counsel and a cheerful +acceptor of the commandments of God the Most High, to whom belong +might and majesty. The king committed to him the affairs of his +kingdom and his subjects and said according to his word, and on +this wise he abode a long space of time. + +Now this vizier had many enemies, who envied him his high place +and still sought to do him hurt, but found no way thereunto, and +God, in His fore-knowledge and His fore-ordinance from time +immemorial, decreed that the king dreamt that the Vizier Er +Rehwan gave him a fruit from off a tree and he ate it and died. +So he awoke, affrighted and troubled, and when the vizier had +presented himself before him [and withdrawn] and the king was +alone with those in whom he trusted, he related to them his dream +and they counselled him to send for the astrologers and +interpreters [of dreams] and commended to him a sage, for whose +skill and wisdom they vouched. So the king sent for him and +entreated him with honour and made him draw near to himself. Now +there had been private with the sage in question a company of the +vizier's enemies, who besought him to slander the vizier to the +king and counsel him to put him to death, in consideration of +that which they promised him of wealth galore; and he agreed with +them of this and told the king that the vizier would slay him in +the course of the [ensuing] month and bade him hasten to put him +to death, else would he surely slay him. + +Presently, the vizier entered and the king signed to him to cause +avoid the place. So he signed to those who were present to +withdraw, and they departed; whereupon quoth the king to him, +"How deemest thou, O excellent vizier, O loyal counsellor in all +manner of governance, of a vision I have seen in my sleep?" "What +is it, O king?" asked the vizier, and Shah Bekht related to him +his dream, adding, "And indeed the sage interpreted it to me and +said to me, 'An thou put not the vizier to death within a month, +he will slay thee.' Now I am exceeding both to put the like of +thee to death, yet do I fear to leave thee on life. What then +dost thou counsel me that I should do in this matter?" The vizier +bowed his head awhile, then raised it and said, "God prosper the +king! Verily, it skills not to continue him on life of whom the +king is afraid, and my counsel is that thou make haste to put me +to death." + +When the king heard his speech, he turned to him and said, "It is +grievous to me, O vizier of good counsel." And he told him that +the [other] sages testified [to the correctness of their fellow's +interpretation of the dream]; whereupon Er Rehwan sighed and knew +that the king went in fear of him; but he showed him fortitude +and said to him, "God assain the king! My counsel is that the +king accomplish his commandment and execute his ordinance, for +that needs must death be and it is liefer to me that I die, +oppressed, than that I die, an oppressor. But, if the king see +fit to defer the putting of me to death till the morrow and will +pass this night with me and take leave of me, when the morrow +cometh, the king shall do what he will." + +Then he wept till he wet his gray hairs and the king was moved to +compassion for him and granted him that which he sought and +vouchsafed him that night's respite. + + The First Night of the Month + +When it was eventide, the king caused avoid his sitting chamber +and summoned the vizier, who presented himself and making his +obeisance to the king, kissed the earth before him and bespoke +him as follows: + + + + + + STORY OF THE MAN OF KHORASSAN, HIS SON AND + HIS GOVERNOR. + + + +"There was once a man of Khorassan and he had a son, whose +improvement he ardently desired; but the young man sought to be +alone and to remove himself from his father's eye, so he might +give himself up to pleasance and delight. So he sought of his +father [leave to make] the pilgrimage to the Holy House of God +and to visit the tomb of the Prophet (whom God bless and keep!). +Now between them and Mecca was a journey of five hundred +parasangs; but his father could not gainsay him, for that the law +of God made this[FN#178] incumbent on him and because of that +which he hoped for him of improvement [therefrom]. So he joined +unto him a governor, in whom he trusted, and gave him much money +and took leave of him. The son set out on the holy +pilgrimage[FN#179] with the governor and abode on that wise, +spending freely and using not thrift. + +Now there was in his neighbourhood a poor man, who had a +slave-girl of surpassing beauty and loveliness, and the youth +became enamoured of her and suffered grief and concern for the +love of her and her loveliness, so that he was like to perish for +passion; and she also loved him with a love yet greater than his +love for her. So she called an old woman who used to visit her +and acquainted her with her case, saying, 'An I foregather not +with him, I shall die.' The old woman promised her that she would +do her endeavour to bring her to her desire; so she veiled +herself and repairing to the young man, saluted him and +acquainted him with the girl's case, saying, 'Her master is a +covetous man; so do thou invite him [to thy lodging] and tempt +him with money, and he will sell thee the damsel.' + +Accordingly, he made a banquet, and stationing himself in the +man's way, invited him and carried him to his house, where they +sat down and ate and drank and abode in discourse. Presently, the +young man said to the other, 'I hear that thou hast with thee a +slave-girl, whom thou desirest to sell.' And he answered, saying, +'By Allah, O my lord, I have no mind to sell her!' Quoth the +youth, 'I hear that she cost thee a thousand dinars, and I will +give thee six hundred, to boot.' And the other said, 'I sell her +to thee [at that price].' So they fetched notaries, who drew up +the contract of sale, and the young man counted out to the girl's +master half the purchase money, saying, 'Let her be with thee +till I complete to thee the rest of the price and take my +slave-girl.' The other consented to this and took of him a bond +for the rest of the money, and the girl abode with her master, on +deposit. + +As for the youth, he gave his governor a thousand dirhems and +despatched him to his father, to fetch money from him, so he +might pay the rest of the girl's price, saying to him, 'Be not +[long] absent.' But the governor said in himself, 'How shall I go +to his father and say to him, "Thy son hath wasted thy money and +wantoned it away"?[FN#180] With what eye shall I look on him, and +indeed, I am he in whom he confided and to whom he hath entrusted +his son? Indeed, this were ill seen. Nay, I will fare on to the +pilgrimage[FN#181] [with the caravan of pilgrims], in despite of +this fool of a youth; and when he is weary [of waiting], he will +demand back the money [he hath already paid] and return to his +father, and I shall be quit of travail and reproach.' So he went +on with the caravan to the pilgrimage[FN#182] and took up his +abode there. + +Meanwhile, the youth abode expecting his governor's return, but +he returned not; wherefore concern and chagrin waxed upon him, +because of his mistress, and his longing for her redoubled and he +was like to slay himself. She became aware of this and sent him a +messenger, bidding him to her. So he went to her and she +questioned him of the case; whereupon he told her what was to do +of the matter of his governor, and she said to him, 'With me is +longing the like of that which is with thee, and I misdoubt me +thy messenger hath perished or thy father hath slain him; but I +will give thee all my trinkets and my clothes, and do thou sell +them and pay the rest of my price, and we will go, I and thou, to +thy father.' + +So she gave him all that she possessed and he sold it and paid +the rest of her price; after which there remained to him a +hundred dirhems. These he spent and lay that night with the +damsel in all delight of life, and his soul was like to fly for +joy; but when he arose in the morning, he sat weeping and the +damsel said to him, 'What aileth thee to weep?' And he said, 'I +know not if my father be dead, and he hath none other heir but +myself; and how shall I win to him, seeing I have not a dirhem?' +Quoth she, 'I have a bracelet; do thou sell it and buy small +pearls with the price. Then bray them and fashion them into great +pearls, and thereon thou shalt gain much money, wherewith we may +make our way to thy country.' So he took the bracelet and +repairing to a goldsmith, said to him, 'Break up this bracelet +and sell it.' But he said, 'The king seeketh a good[FN#183] +bracelet; I will go to him and bring thee the price thereof.' So +he carried the bracelet to the Sultan and it pleased him greatly, +by reason of the goodliness of its workmanship. Then he called an +old woman, who was in his palace, and said to her, 'Needs must I +have the mistress of this bracelet, though but for a single +night, or I shall die.' And the old woman answered, 'I will bring +her to thee.' + +So she donned a devotee's habit and betaking herself to the +goldsmith, said to him, 'To whom belongeth the bracelet that is +in the king's hand?' Quoth he, 'It belongeth to a man, a +stranger, who hath bought him a slave-girl from this city and +lodgeth with her in such a place.' So the old woman repaired to +the young man's house and knocked at the door. The damsel opened +to her and seeing her clad in devotee's apparel,[FN#184] saluted +her and said to her, ' Belike thou hast an occasion with us?' +'Yes,' answered the old woman; 'I desire privacy and +ablution.'[FN#185] Quoth the girl, 'Enter.' So she entered and +did her occasion and made the ablution and prayed. Then she +brought out a rosary and began to tell her beads thereon, and the +damsel said to her, 'Whence comest thou, O pilgrim?'[FN#186] +Quoth she '[I come] from [visiting] the Idol[FN#187] of the +Absent in such a church.[FN#188] There standeth up no woman [to +prayer] before him, who hath an absent friend and discovereth to +him her need, but he acquainteth her with her case and giveth her +tidings of her absent one.' 'O pilgrim,' said the damsel, 'we +have an absent one, and my lord's heart cleaveth to him and I +desire to go to the idol and question him of him.' Quoth the old +woman, '[Wait] till to-morrow and ask leave of thy husband, and I +will come to thee and go with thee in weal.' + +Then she went away, and when the girl's master came, she sought +his leave to go with the old woman and he granted her leave. So +the beldam took her and carried her to the king's door. The +damsel entered with her, unknowing whither she went, and beheld a +goodly house and chambers adorned [with gold and colours] that +were no idol's chambers. Then came the king and seeing her beauty +and grace, went up to her, to kiss her; whereupon she fell down +in a fit and strove with her hands and feet. When he saw this, he +was solicitous for her and held aloof from her and left her; but +the thing was grievous to her and she refused meat and drink, and +as often as the king drew near her, she fled from him in +affright, wherefore he swore by Allah that he would not approach +her, save with her consent, and fell to guerdoning her with +trinkets and raiment, but she only redoubled in aversion to him. + +Meanwhile, the youth her master abode expecting her; but she +returned not and his heart forbode him of the draught [of +separation]; so he went forth at hazard, distraught and knowing +not what he should do, and fell to strewing dust upon his head +and crying out, 'The old woman hath taken her and gone away!' The +boys followed him with stones and pelted him, saying, 'A madman! +A madman!' Presently, the king's chamberlain, who was a man of +age and worth, met him, and when he saw his youth, he forbade the +boys and drove there away from him, after which he accosted him +and questioned him of his case. So he told him how it was with +him and the chamberlain said to him, 'Fear not: all shall yet be +well with thee. I will deliver thy slave-girl for thee: so calm +thy trouble.' And he went on to speak him fair and comfort him, +till he put faith in his speech. + +Then he carried him to his house and stripping him of his +clothes, clad him in rags; after which he called an old woman, +who was his stewardess, and said to her. 'Take this youth and +clap on his neck this iron chain and go round about with him in +all the thoroughfares of the city; and when thou hast made an end +of this, go up with him to the palace of the king.' And he said +to the youth, 'In whatsoever place thou seest the damsel, speak +not a syllable, but acquaint me with her place and thou shall owe +her deliverance to none but me.' The youth thanked him and went +with the old woman on such wise as the chamberlain bade him. She +fared on with him till they entered the city [and made the round +thereof]; after which she went up to the palace of the king and +fell to saying, 'O people of affluence, look on a youth whom the +devils take twice in the day and pray for preservation from [a +like] affliction!' And she ceased not to go round about with him +till she came to the eastern wing[FN#189] of the palace, +whereupon the slave-girls came out to look upon him and when they +saw him they were amazed at his beauty and grace and wept for +him. + +Then they told the damsel, who came forth and looked upon him and +knew him not. But he knew her; so he bowed his head and wept. She +was moved to compassion for him and gave him somewhat and +returned to her place, whilst the youth returned with the +stewardess to the chamberlain and told him that she was in the +king's house, whereat he was chagrined and said, 'By Allah, I +will assuredly contrive a device for her and deliver her!' +Whereupon the youth kissed his hands and feet. Then he turned to +the old woman and bade her change her apparel and her favour. Now +this old woman was goodly of speech and nimble of wit; so he gave +her costly and delicious perfumes and said to her, 'Get thee to +the king's slave girls and sell them these [perfumes] and make +thy way to the damsel and question her if she desire her master +or not.' So the old woman went out and making her way to the +palace, went in to the damsel and drew near her and recited the +following verses: + +God keep the days of love-delight! How dearly sweet they were! + How joyous and how solaceful was life in them whilere! +Would he were not who sundered us upon the parting day! How many + a body hath he slain, how many a bone laid bare? +Sans fault of mine, my blood and tears he shed and beggared me Of + him I love, yet for himself gained nought thereby whate'er. + + +When the damsel heard these verses, she wept till her clothes +were drenched and drew near the old woman, who said to her, +'Knowest thou such an one?' And wept and said, 'He is my lord. +Whence knowest thou him?' 'O my lady,' answered the old woman, +'sawst thou not the madman who came hither yesterday with the old +woman? He was thy lord. But this is no time for talk. When it is +night, get thee to the top of the palace [and wait] on the roof +till thy lord come to thee and contrive for thy deliverance.' +Then she gave her what she would of perfumes and returning to the +chamberlain, acquainted him with that which had passed, and he +told the youth. + +When it was eventide, the chamberlain let bring two horses and +great store of water and victual and a saddle-camel and a man to +show them the way. These he hid without the town, whilst he and +the young man took with them a long rope, made fast to a staple, +and repaired to the palace. When they came thither, they looked +and beheld the damsel standing on the roof. So they threw her the +rope and the staple; whereupon she [made the latter fast to the +parapet and] wrapping her sleeves about her hands, slid down [the +rope] and landed with them. They carried her without the town, +where they mounted, she and her lord, and fared on, whilst the +guide forewent them, directing them in the way, and they gave not +over going night and day till they entered his father's house. +The young man saluted his father, who rejoiced in him, and he +related to him all that had befallen him, whereupon he rejoiced +in his safety. + +As for the governor, he wasted all that was with him and returned +to the city, where he saw the youth and excused himself to him. +Then he questioned him of what had befallen him and he told him, +whereat he marvelled and returned to companionship with him; but +the youth ceased to have regard for him and gave him not +stipends, as of his [former] wont, neither discovered to him +aught of his secrets. When the governor saw that there was no +profit for him with the young Khorassani, he returned to the +king, the ravisher of the damsel, and told him what the +chamberlain had done and counselled him to slay the latter and +incited him to recover the damsel, [promising] to give his friend +to drink of poison and return. So the king sent for the +chamberlain and upbraided him; whereupon he fell upon him and +slew him and the king's servants fell upon the chamberlain and +slew him. + +Meanwhile, the governor returned to the youth, who questioned him +of his absence, and he told him that he had been in the city of +the king who had taken the damsel. When the youth heard this, he +misdoubted of the governor and never again trusted him in aught, +but was still on his guard against him. Then the governor made +great store of sweetmeats and put in them deadly poison and +presented them to the youth. When the latter saw the sweetmeats, +he said in himself, 'This is an extraordinary thing of the +governor! Needs must there be mischief in this sweetmeat, and I +will make proof of it upon himself.' So he made ready victual and +set on the sweetmeat amongst it and bade the governor to his +house and set food before him. He ate and amongst the rest, they +brought him the poisoned sweetmeat; so he ate thereof and died +forthright; whereby the youth knew that this was a plot against +himself and said, 'He who seeketh his fortune of his own +[unaided] might[FN#190] attaineth it not.' Nor (continued the +vizier) is this, O king of the age, more extraordinary than the +story of the druggist and his wife and the singer." + +When King Shah Bekht heard his vizier's story, he gave him leave +to withdraw to his own house and he abode there the rest of the +night and the next day till the evening. + + The Second Night of the Month + +When the evening evened, the king sat in his privy +sitting-chamber and his mind was occupied with the story of the +singer and the druggist. So he called the vizier and bade him +tell the story. "It is well," answered he, "They tell, O my lord, +that + + + + + + STORY OF THE SINGER AND THE DRUGGIST. + + + +There was once in the city of Hemadan[FN#191] a young man of +comely aspect and excellently skilled in singing to the lute, and +he was well seen of the people of the city. He went forth one day +of his city, with intent to travel, and gave not over journeying +till his travel brought him to a goodly city. Now he had with him +a lute and what pertained thereto,[FN#192] so he entered and went +round about the city till he fell in with a druggist, who, when +he espied him, called to him. So he went up to him and he bade +him sit down. Accordingly, he sat down by him and the druggist +questioned him of his case. The singer told him what was in his +mind and the other took him up into his shop and brought him food +and fed him. Then said he to him, 'Arise and take up thy lute and +beg about the streets, and whenas thou smellest the odour of +wine, break in upon the drinkers and say to them, "I am a +singer." They will laugh and say, "Come, [sing] to us." And when +thou singest, the folk will know thee and bespeak one another of +thee; so shall thou become known in the city and thine affairs +will prosper.' + +So he went round about, as the druggist bade him, till the sun +grew hot, but found none drinking. Then he entered a by-street, +that he might rest himself, and seeing there a handsome and lofty +house, stood in its shade and fell to observing the goodliness of +its ordinance. As he was thus engaged, behold, a window opened +and there appeared thereat a face, as it were the moon. Quoth +she,[FN#193] 'What aileth thee to stand there? Dost thou want +aught?' And he answered, 'I am a stranger,' and acquainted her +with his case; whereupon quoth she, 'What sayst thou to meat and +drink and the enjoyment of a fair-face[d one] and getting thee +what thou mayst spend?' 'O my lady,' answered he, 'this is my +desire and that in quest whereof I am going about.' + +So she opened the door to him and brought him in. Then she seated +him at the upper end of the room and set food before him. So he +ate and drank and lay with her and swived her. Then she sat down +in his lap and they toyed and laughed and kissed till the day was +half spent, when her husband came home and she could find nothing +for it but to hide the singer in a rug, in which she rolled him +up. The husband entered and seeing the place disordered[FN#194] +and smelling the odour of wine, questioned her of this. Quoth +she, 'I had with me a friend of mine and I conjured her [to drink +with me]; so we drank a jar [of wine], she and I, and she went +away but now, before thy coming in.' Her husband, (who was none +other than the singer's friend the druggist, that had invited him +and fed him), deemed her words true and went away to his shop, +whereupon the singer came forth and he and the lady returned to +their sport and abode on this wise till eventide, when she gave +him money and said to him, 'Come hither to-morrow in the +forenoon.' 'It is well,' answered he and departed; and at +nightfall he went to the bath. + +On the morrow, he betook himself to the shop of his friend the +druggist, who welcomed him and questioned him of his case and how +he had fared that day. Quoth the singer, 'May God requite thee +with good, O my brother! For that thou hast directed me unto +easance!' And he related to him his adventure with the woman, +till he came to the mention of her husband, when he said, 'And at +midday came the cuckold her husband and knocked at the door. So +she wrapped me in the mat, and when he had gone about his +business, I came forth and we returned to what we were about.' +This was grievous to the druggist and he repented of having +taught him [how he should do] and misdoubted of his wife. So he +said to the singer, 'And what said she to thee at thy going +away?' And the other answered, 'She bade me come back to her on +the morrow. So, behold, I am going to her and I came not hither +but that I might acquaint thee with this, lest thy heart be +occupied with me.' Then he took leave of him and went his way. As +soon as the druggist was assured that he had reached the house, +he cast the net over his shop[FN#195] and made for his house, +misdoubting of his wife, and knocked at the door. + +Now the singer had entered and the druggist's wife said to him, +'Arise, enter this chest.' So he entered it and she shut the lid +on him and opened to her husband, who came in, in a state of +bewilderment, and searched the house, but found none and +overlooked the chest. So he said in himself, 'The house [of which +the singer spoke] is one which resembleth my house and the woman +is one who resembles my wife,' and returned to his shop; +whereupon the singer came forth of the chest and falling upon the +druggist's wife, did his occasion and paid her her due and +weighed down the scale for her.[FN#196] Then they ate and drank +and kissed and clipped, and on this wise they abode till the +evening, when she gave him money, for that she found his weaving +good,[FN#197] and made him promise to come to her on the morrow. + +So he left her and slept his night and on the morrow he repaired +to the shop of his friend the druggist and saluted him. The other +welcomed him and questioned him of his case; whereupon he told +him how he had fared, till he came to the mention of the woman's +husband, when he said, 'Then came the cuckold her husband and she +clapped me into the chest and shut the lid on me, whilst her +addlepated pimp of a husband went round about the house, top and +bottom; and when he had gone his way, we returned to what we were +about.' With this, the druggist was certified that the house was +his house and the wife his wife, and he said, 'And what wilt thou +do to-day?' Quoth the singer, 'I shall return to her and weave +for her and full her yarn,[FN#198] and I came but to thank thee +for thy dealing with me.' + +Then he went away, whilst the fire was loosed in the heart of the +druggist and he shut his shop and betaking himself to his house, +knocked at the door. Quoth the singer, 'Let me get into the +chest, for he saw me not yesterday.' 'Nay,' answered she, 'wrap +thyself up in the rug.' So he wrapped himself up in the rug and +stood in a corner of the room, whilst the druggist entered and +went straight to the chest, but found it empty. Then he went +round about the house and searched it from top to bottom, but +found nothing and no one and abode between belief and disbelief, +and said in himself, 'Belike, I suspect my wife of that which is +not in her.' So he was certified of her innocence and returned to +his shop, whereupon out came the singer and they abode on their +former case, as of wont, till eventide, when she gave him one of +her husband's shirts and he took it and going away, passed the +night in his lodging. + +On the morrow, he repaired to the druggist, who saluted him and +came to meet him and rejoiced in him and smiled in his face, +deeming his wife innocent. Then he questioned him of his +yesterday's case and he told him how he had fared, saying, 'O my +brother, when the cuckold knocked at the door, I would have +entered the chest; but his wife forbade me and rolled me up in +the rug. The man entered and thought of nothing but the chest; so +he broke it open and abode as he were a madman, going up and +coming down. Then he went his way and I came out and we abode on +our wonted case till eventide, when she gave me this shirt of her +husband's; and behold, I am going to her.' + +When the druggist heard the singer's words, he was certified of +the case and knew that the calamity, all of it, was in his own +house and that the wife was his wife; and he saw the shirt, +whereupon he redoubled in certainty and said to the singer, 'Art +thou now going to her?' 'Yes, O my brother,' answered he and +taking leave of him, went away; whereupon the druggist started +up, as he were a madman, and ungarnished his shop.[FN#199] Whilst +he was thus engaged, the singer won to the house, and presently +up came the druggist and knocked at the door. The singer would +have wrapped himself up in the rug, but she forbade him and said +to him, 'Get thee down to the bottom of the house and enter the +oven[FN#200] and shut the lid upon thyself.' So he did as she +bade him and she went down to her husband and opened the door to +him, whereupon he entered and went round about the house, but +found no one and overlooked the oven. So he stood meditating and +swore that he would not go forth of the house till the morrow. + +As for the singer, when his [stay in the oven] grew long upon +him, he came forth therefrom, thinking that her husband had gone +away. Then he went up to the roof and looking down, beheld his +friend the druggist; whereat he was sore concerned and said in +himself, 'Alas, the disgrace of it! This is my friend the +druggist, who dealt kindly with me and wrought me fair and I have +requited him with foul' And he feared to return to the druggist; +so he went down and opened the first door and would have gone +out; but, when he came to the outer door, he found it locked and +saw not the key. So he stole up again to the roof and cast +himself down into the [next] house. The people of the house heard +him and hastened to him, deeming him a thief. Now the house in +question belonged to a Persian; so they laid hands on him and the +master of the house began to beat him, saying to him, 'Thou art a +thief.' 'Nay,' answered he, 'I am no thief, but a singing-man, a +stranger. I heard your voices and came to sing to you.' + +When the folk heard his words, they talked of letting him go; but +the Persian said, 'O folk, let not his speech beguile you. This +fellow is none other than a thief who knoweth how to sing, and +when he happeneth on the like of us, he is a singer.' 'O our +lord,' answered they, 'this man is a stranger, and needs must we +release him.' Quoth he, 'By Allah, my heart revolteth from this +fellow! Let me make an end of him with beating.' But they said, +'Thou mayst nowise do that' So they delivered the singer from the +Persian, the master of the house, and seated him amongst them, +whereupon he fell to singing to them and they rejoiced in him. + +Now the Persian had a mameluke,[FN#201] as he were the full moon, +and he arose [and went out], and the singer followed him and wept +before him, professing love to him and kissing his hands and +feet. The mameluke took compassion on him and said to him, 'When +the night cometh and my master entereth [the harem] and the folk +go away, I will grant thee thy desire; and I lie in such a +place.' Then the singer returned and sat with the +boon-companions, and the Persian rose and went out, he and the +mameluke beside him. [Then they returned and sat down.][FN#202] +Now the singer knew the place that the mameluke occupied at the +first of the night; but it befell that he rose from his place and +the candle went out. The Persian, who was drunken, fell over on +his face, and the singer, supposing him to be the mameluke, said, +'By Allah, it is good!' and threw himself upon him and clipped +him, whereupon the Persian started up, crying out, and laying +hands on the singer, pinioned him and beat him grievously, after +which he bound him to a tree that was in the house.[FN#203] + +Now there was in the house a fair singing-girl and when she saw +the singer pinioned and bound to the tree, she waited till the +Persian lay down on his couch, when she arose and going to the +singer, fell to condoling with him over what had betided him and +ogling him and handling his yard and rubbing it, till it rose on +end. Then said she to him, 'Do thou swive me and I will loose thy +bonds, lest he return and beat thee again; for he purposeth thee +evil.' Quoth he, 'Loose me and I will do.' But she said, 'I fear +that, [if I loose thee], thou wilt not do. But I will do, and +thou standing; and when I have done, I will loose thee.' So +saying, she pulled up her clothes and sitting down on the +singer's yard, fell to going and coming. + +Now there was in the house a ram, with which the Persian used to +butt, and when he saw what the woman did, he thought she would +butt with him; so he broke his halter and running at her, butted +her and broke her head. She fell on her back and cried out; +whereupon the Persian started up from sleep in haste and seeing +the singing-girl [cast down on her back] and the singer with his +yard on end, said to the latter, 'O accursed one, doth not what +thou hast already done suffice thee?' Then he beat him soundly +and opening the door, put him out in the middle of the night. + +He lay the rest of the night in one of the ruins, and when he +arose in the morning, he said, 'None is to blame. I sought my own +good, and he is no fool who seeketh good for himself; and the +druggist's wife also sought good for herself; but destiny +overcometh precaution and there remaineth no abiding for me in +this town.' So he went forth from the city. Nor (added the +vizier) is this story, extraordinary though it be, more +extraordinary than that of the king and his son and that which +bedded them of wonders and rarities." + +When the king heard this story, he deemed it pleasant and said, +"This story is near unto that which I know and meseemeth I should +do well to have patience and hasten not to slay my vizier, so I +may get of him the story of the king and his son." Then he gave +the vizier leave to go away to his own house; so he thanked him +and abode in his house all that day. + + The Third Night of the Month + +When it was the time of the evening meal, the king repaired to +the sitting-chamber and summoning the vizier, sought of him the +story he had promised him; and the vizier said, "They avouch, O +king, that + + STORY OF THE KING WHO KNEW THE + QUINTESSENCE[FN#204] OF THINGS. + +There came to a king of the kings, in his old age, a son, who +grew up comely, quick-witted and intelligent, and when he came to +years of discretion and became a young man, his father said to +him, 'Take this kingdom and govern it in my stead, for I desire +to flee [from the world] to God the Most High and don the gown of +wool and give myself up to devotion.' Quoth the prince, 'And I +also desire to take refuge with God the Most High.' And the king +said, 'Arise, let us flee forth and make for the mountains and +worship in them, for shamefastness before God the Most High.' + +So they gat them raiment of wool and clothing themselves +therewith, went forth and wandered in the deserts and wastes; +but, when some days had passed over them, they became weak for +hunger and repented them of that which they had done, whenas +repentance profited them not, and the prince complained to his +father of weariness and hunger. 'Dear my son,' answered the king, +'I did with thee that which behoved me,[FN#205] but thou wouldst +not hearken to me, and now there is no means of returning to thy +former estate, for that another hath taken the kingdom and become +its defender; but I will counsel thee of somewhat, wherein do +thou pleasure me.' Quoth the prince, 'What is it?' And his father +said, 'Take me and go with me to the market and sell me and take +my price and do with it what thou wilt, and I shall become the +property of one who will provide for my support,' 'Who will buy +thee of me,' asked the prince, 'seeing thou art a very old man? +Nay, do thou rather sell me, for the demand for me will be +greater.' But the king said, 'An thou wert king, thou wouldst +require me of service.' + +So the youth obeyed his father's commandment and taking him, +carried him to the slave-dealer and said to the latter, 'Sell me +this old man.' Quoth the dealer, 'Who will buy this fellow, and +he a man of fourscore?' Then said he to the king, 'In what crafts +dost thou excel?' Quoth he, 'I know the quintessence of jewels +and I know the quintessence of horses and that of men; brief, I +know the quintessence of all things.' So the dealer took him and +went about, offering him for sale to the folk; but none would +buy. Presently, up came the overseer of the [Sultan's] kitchen +and said, 'What is this man?' And the dealer answered, 'This is a +slave for sale.' The cook marvelled at this and bought the king +for ten thousand dirhems, after questioning him of what he could +do. Then he paid down the money and carried him to his house, but +dared not employ him in aught of service; so he appointed him an +allowance, such as should suffice for his livelihood, and +repented him of having bought him, saying, 'What shall I do with +the like of this fellow?' + +Presently, the king [of the city] was minded to go forth to his +garden,[FN#206] a-pleasuring, and bade the cook forego him +thither and appoint in his stead one who should dress meat for +the king, so that, when he returned, he might find it ready. So +the cook fell a-considering of whom he should appoint and was +bewildered concerning his affair. As he was on this wise, the old +man came to him and seeing him perplexed how he should do, said +to him, 'Tell me what is in thy mind; belike, I may avail to +relieve thee.' So he acquainted him with the king's wishes and he +said, 'Have no care for this, but leave me one of the serving-men +and go thou in peace and surety, for I will suffice thee of +this.' So the cook departed with the king, after he had brought +the old man what he needed and left him a man of the guards. + +When he was gone, the old man bade the trooper wash the +kitchen-vessels and made ready passing goodly food. When the king +returned, he set the meat before him, and he tasted food whose +like he had never known; whereat he marvelled and asked who had +dressed it. So they acquainted him with the old man's case and he +summoned him to his presence and awarded him a handsome +recompense.[FN#207] Moreover, he commanded that they should cook +together, he and the cook, and the old man obeyed his +commandment. + +Awhile after this, there came two merchants to the king with two +pearls of price and each of them avouched that his pearl was +worth a thousand dinars, but there was none who availed to value +them. Then said the cook, 'God prosper the king! Verily, the old +man whom I bought avouched that he knew the quintessence of +jewels and that he was skilled in cookery. We have made proof of +him in cookery and have found him the skilfullest of men; and +now, if we send after him and prove him on jewels, [the truth or +falsehood of] his pretension will be made manifest to us.' + +So the king bade fetch the old man and he came and stood before +the Sultan, who showed him the two pearls. Quoth he, 'As for this +one, it is worth a thousand dinars.' And the king said, 'So saith +its owner.' 'But for this other,' continued the old man, 'it is +worth but five hundred.' The folk laughed and marvelled at his +saying, and the merchant, [the owner of the second pearl], said +to him, 'How can this, which is greater of bulk and purer of +water and more perfect of rondure, be less of worth than that?' +And the old man answered, 'I have said what is with me.'[FN#208] +Then said the king to him, 'Indeed, the outward appearance +thereof is like unto that of the other pearl; why then is it +worth but the half of its price?' 'Yes,' answered the old man, +'[its outward resembleth the other]; but its inward is corrupt.' +'Hath a pearl then an outward and an inward?' asked the merchant, +and the old man said, 'Yes. In its inward is a boring worm; but +the other pearl is sound and secure against breakage.' Quoth the +merchant, 'Give us a token of this and prove to us the truth of +thy saying.' And the old man answered, 'We will break the pearl. +If I prove a, liar, here is my head, and if I speak truth, thou +wilt have lost thy pearl.' And the merchant said, 'I agree to +that.' So they broke the pearl and it was even as the old man had +said, to wit, in its midst was a boring worm. + +The king marvelled at what he saw and questioned him of [how he +came by] the knowledge of this. 'O king,' answered the old man, +'this [kind of] jewel is engendered in the belly of a creature +called the oyster and its origin is a drop of rain and it is firm +to the touch [and groweth not warm, when held in the hand]; so, +when [I took the second pearl and felt that] it was warm to the +touch, I knew that it harboured some living thing, for that live +things thrive not but in heat.'[FN#209] So the king said to the +cook, 'Increase his allowance.' And he appointed to him [fresh] +allowances. + +Awhile after this, two merchants presented themselves to the king +with two horses, and one said, 'I ask a thousand dinars for my +horse,' and the other, 'I seek five thousand for mine.' Quoth the +cook, 'We have experienced the old man's just judgment; what +deemeth the king of fetching him?' So the king bade fetch him, +and when he saw the two horses, he said, 'This one is worth a +thousand and the other two thousand dinars.' Quoth the folk, +'This [horse that thou judgeth the lesser worth] is an evident +thoroughbred and he is younger and swifter and more compact of +limb than the other, ay, and finer of head and clearer of skin +and colour. What token, then, hast thou of the truth of thy +saying?' And the old man said, 'This ye say is all true, but his +sire is old and this other is the son of a young horse. Now, when +the son of an old horse standeth still [to rest,] his breath +returneth not to him and his rider falleth into the hand of him +who followeth after him; but the son of a young horse, if thou +put him to speed and make him run, [then check him] and alight +from off him, thou wilt find him untired, by reason of his +robustness.' + +Quoth the merchant, 'Indeed, it is as the old man avoucheth and +he is an excellent judge.' And the king said, 'Increase his +allowance.' But the old man stood still and did not go away. So +the king said to him, 'Why dost thou not go about thy business?' +And he answered, 'My business is with the king.' 'Name what thou +wouldst have,' said the king, and the other replied, 'I would +have thee question me of the quintessences of men, even as thou +hast questioned me of the quintessences of horses.' Quoth the +king, 'We have no occasion to question thee of [this].' But the +old man replied, 'I have occasion to acquaint thee.' 'Say what +thou pleasest,' rejoined the king, and the old man said, 'Verily, +the king is the son of a baker.' Quoth the king 'How knowest thou +that?' And the other replied, 'Know, O king, that I have examined +into degrees and dignities[FN#210] and have learnt this.' + +Thereupon the king went in to his mother and questioned her of +his father, and she told him that me king her husband was +weak;[FN#211] 'wherefore,' quoth she, 'I feared for the kingdom, +lest it pass away, after his death; so I took to my bed a young +man, a baker, and conceived by him [and bore a son]; and the +kingship came into the hand of my son, to wit, thyself.' So the +king returned to the old man and said to him, 'I am indeed the +son of a baker; so do thou expound to me the means whereby thou +knewest me for this.' Quoth the other, 'I knew that, hadst thou +been a king's son, thou wouldst have given largesse of things of +price, such as rubies [and the like]; and wert thou the son of a +Cadi, thou hadst given largesse of a dirhem or two dirhems, and +wert thou the son of a merchant, thou hadst given wealth galore. +But I saw that thou guerdonest me not but with cakes of bread +[and other victual], wherefore I knew that thou wast the son of a +baker.' Quoth the king, 'Thou hast hit the mark.' And he gave him +wealth galore and advanced him to high estate." + +This story pleased King Shah Bekht and he marvelled thereat; but +the vizier said to him, "This story is not more extraordinary +than that of the rich man who married his fair daughter to the +poor old man." The king's mind was occupied with the [promised] +story and he bade the vizier withdraw to his lodging. So he +[returned to his house and] abode there the rest of the night and +the whole of the following day. + + The Fourth Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king withdrew to his privy +sitting-chamber and bade fetch the vizier. When he presented +himself before him, he said to him, "Tell me the story of the +wealthy man who married his daughter to the poor old man." "It is +well," answered the vizier. "Know, O puissant king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE RICH MAN WHO GAVE HIS FAIR + DAUGHTER IN MARRIAGE TO THE POOR OLD + MAN. + + + +A certain wealthy merchant had a fair daughter, who was as the +full moon, and when she attained the age of fifteen, her father +betook himself to an old man and spreading him a carpet in his +sitting-chamber, gave him to eat and caroused with him. Then said +he to him, 'I desire to marry thee to my daughter.' The other +excused himself, because of his poverty, and said to him, 'I am +not worthy of her nor am I a match for thee.' The merchant was +instant with him, but he repeated his answer to him, saying, 'I +will not consent to this till thou acquaint me with the reason of +thy desire for me. If I find it reasonable, I will fall in with +thy wish; and if not, I will not do this ever.' + +'Know, then,' said the merchant, 'that I am a man from the land +of China and was in my youth well-favoured and well-to-do. Now I +made no account of womankind, one and all, but followed after +boys, and one night I saw, in a dream, as it were a balance set +up, and it was said by it, "This is the portion of such an one." +Presently, I heard my own name; so I looked and beheld a woman of +the utmost loathliness; whereupon I awoke in affright and said, +"I will never marry, lest haply this loathly woman fall to my +lot." Then I set out for this city with merchandise and the +voyage was pleasant to me and the sojourn here, so that I took up +my abode here awhile and got me friends and factors, till I had +sold all my merchandise and taken its price and there was left me +nothing to occupy me till the folk[FN#212] should depart and +depart with them. + +One day, I changed my clothes and putting money in my sleeve, +sallied forth to explore the holes and corners of this city, and +as I was going about, I saw a handsome house. Its goodliness +pleased me; so I stood looking on it, and behold, a lovely woman +[at the lattice]. When she saw me, she made haste and descended, +whilst I abode confounded. Then I betook myself to a tailor there +and questioned him of the house and to whom it belonged. Quoth +he, "It belongeth to such an one the notary, may God curse him!" +"Is he her father?" asked I; [and he replied, "Yes."] So I +repaired in haste to a man, with whom I had been used to deposit +my goods for sale, and told him that I desired to gain access to +such an one the notary. Accordingly he assembled his friends and +we betook ourselves to the notary's house. When we came in to +him, we saluted him and sat with him, and I said to him, "I come +to thee as a suitor, desiring the hand of thy daughter in +marriage." Quoth he, "I have no daughter befitting this man." And +I rejoined, "God aid thee! My desire is for thee and not for +her."[FN#213] But he still refused and his friends said to him, +"This is an honourable man and thine equal in estate, and it is +not lawful to thee that thou hinder the girl of her fortune." +Quoth he to them, "Verily, my daughter whom ye seek is passing +foul-favoured and in her are all blameworthy qualities." And I +said, "I accept her, though she be as thou sayest." Then said the +folk, "Extolled be the perfection of God! A truce to talk! [The +thing is settled;] so say the word, how much wilt thou have [to +her dowry]?" Quoth he, "I must have four thousand dinars." And I +said, "Hearkening and obedience." + +So the affair was concluded and we drew up the contract of +marriage and I made the bride-feast; but on the wedding-night I +beheld a thing[FN#214] than which never made God the Most High +aught more loathly. Methought her people had contrived this by +way of sport; so I laughed and looked for my mistress, whom I had +seen [at the lattice], to make her appearance; but saw her not. +When the affair was prolonged and I found none but her, I was +like to go mad for vexation and fell to beseeching my Lord and +humbling myself in supplication to Him that He would deliver me +from her. When I arose in the morning, there came the +chamber-woman and said to me, "Hast thou occasion for the bath?" +"No," answered I; and she said, "Art thou for breakfast?" But I +replied, "No;" and on this wise I abode three days, tasting +neither meat nor drink. + +When the damsel[FN#215] saw me in this plight, she said to me, "O +man, tell me thy story, for, by Allah, an I may avail to thy +deliverance, I will assuredly further thee thereto." I gave ear +to her speech and put faith in her loyalty and told her the story +of the damsel whom I had seen [at the lattice] and how I had +fallen in love with her; whereupon quoth she, "If the girl belong +to me, that which I possess is thine, and if she belong to my +father, I will demand her of him and deliver her to thee." Then +she fell to calling slave-girl after slave-girl and showing them +to me, till I saw the damsel whom I loved and said, "This is +she." Quoth my wife, "Let not thy heart be troubled, for this is +my slave-girl. My father gave her to me and I give her to thee. +So comfort thyself and be of good heart and cheerful eye." + +Then, when it was night, she brought her to me, after she had +adorned her and perfumed her, and said to her, "Gainsay not this +thy lord in aught that he shall seek of thee." When she came to +bed with me, I said in myself, "Verily, this damsel[FN#216] is +more generous than I!" Then I sent away the slave-girl and drew +not nigh unto her, but arose forthright and betaking myself to my +wife, lay with her and did away her maidenhead. She straightway +conceived by me and accomplishing the time of her pregnancy, gave +birth to this dear little daughter; in whom I rejoiced, for that +she was lovely to the utterest, and she hath inherited her +mother's wit and her father's comeliness. + +Indeed, many of the notables of the people have sought her of me +in marriage, but I would not marry her to any, for that, one +night, I saw, in a dream, the balance aforesaid set up and men +and women being weighed, one against the other, therein, and +meseemed I saw thee [and her] and it was said to me, "This is +such a man,[FN#217] the allotted portion of such a +woman."[FN#218] Wherefore I knew that God the Most High had +allotted unto her none other than thyself, and I choose rather to +marry thee to her in my lifetime than that thou shouldst marry +her after my death.' + +When the poor man heard the merchant's story, he became desirous +of marrying his daughter. So he took her to wife and was +vouchsafed of her exceeding love. Nor," added the vizier, "is +this story more extraordinary than that of the rich man and his +wasteful heir." + +When the king heard his vizier's story, he was assured that he +would not slay him and said, "I will have patience with him, so I +may get of him the story of the rich man and his wasteful heir." +And he bade him depart to his own house. + + The Fifth Night of the Month + +When the evening evened, the king sat in his privy closet and +summoning the vizier, required of him the promised story. So Er +Rehwan said, "Know, O king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE RICH MAN AND HIS WASTEFUL + SON. + + + +There was once a sage of the sages, who had three sons and sons' +sons, and when they waxed many and their posterity multiplied, +there befell dissension between them. So he assembled them and +said to them, 'Be ye one hand[FN#219] against other than you and +despise[FN#220] not [one another,] lest the folk despise you, and +know that the like of you is as the rope which the man cut, when +it was single; then he doubled [it] and availed not to cut it; on +this wise is division and union. And beware lest ye seek help of +others against yourselves[FN#221] or ye will fall into perdition, +for by whosesoever means ye attain your desire,[FN#222] his +word[FN#223] will have precedence of[FN#224] your word. Now I +have wealth which I will bury in a certain place, so it may be a +store for you, against the time of your need.' + +Then they left him and dispersed and one of the sons fell to +spying upon his father, so that he saw him hide the treasure +without the city. When he had made an end of burying it, he +returned to his house; and when the morning morrowed, his son +repaired to the place where he had seen his father bury the +treasure and dug and took it and went his way. When the [hour of +the] old man's admission [to the mercy of God] drew nigh, he +called his sons to him and acquainted them with the place where +he had hidden his riches. As soon as he was dead, they went and +dug up the treasure and found wealth galore, for that the money, +which the first son had taken by stealth, was on the surface and +he knew not that under it was other money. So they took it and +divided it and the first son took his share with the rest and +laid it to that which he had taken aforetime, behind [the backs +of] his father and his brethren. Then he took to wife the +daughter of his father's brother and was vouchsafed by her a male +child, who was the goodliest of the folk of his time. + +When the boy grew up, his father feared for him from poverty and +change of case, so he said to him, 'Dear my son, know that in my +youth I wronged my brothers in the matter of our father's good, +and I see thee in weal; but, if thou [come to] need, ask not of +one of them nor of any other, for I have laid up for thee in +yonder chamber a treasure; but do not thou open it until thou +come to lack thy day's food.' Then he died, and his wealth, which +was a great matter, fell to his son. The young man had not +patience to wait till he had made an end of that which was with +him, but rose and opened the chamber, and behold, it was [empty +and its walls were] whitened, and in its midst was a rope hanging +down and half a score bricks, one upon another, and a scroll, +wherein was written, 'Needs must death betide; so hang thyself +and beg not of any, but kick away the bricks, so there may be no +escape[FN#225] for thee, and thou shall be at rest from the +exultation of enemies and enviers and the bitterness of poverty.' + +When the youth saw this, he marvelled at that which his father +had done and said, 'This is a sorry treasure.' Then he went forth +and fell to eating and drinking with the folk, till nothing was +left him and he abode two days without tasting food, at the end +of which time he took a handkerchief and selling it for two +dirhems, bought bread and milk with the price and left it on the +shelf [and went out. Whilst he was gone,] a dog came and took the +bread and spoiled the milk, and when the man returned and saw +this, he buffeted his face and went forth, distraught, at a +venture. Presently, he met a friend of his, to whom he discovered +his case, and the other said to him, 'Art thou not ashamed to +talk thus? How hast thou wasted all this wealth and now comest +telling lies and saying, "The dog hath mounted on the shelf," and +talking nonsense?' And he reviled him. + +So the youth returned to his house, and indeed the world was +grown black in his eyes and he said, 'My father said sooth.' Then +he opened the chamber door and piling up the bricks under his +feet, put the rope about his neck and kicked away the bricks and +swung himself off; whereupon the rope gave way with him [and he +fell] to the ground and the ceiling clove in sunder and there +poured down on him wealth galore, So he knew that his father +meant to discipline[FN#226] him by means of this and invoked +God's mercy on him. Then he got him again that which he had sold +of lands and houses and what not else and became once more in +good case. Moreover, his friends returned to him and he +entertained them some days. + +Then said he to them one day, 'There was with us bread and the +locusts ate it; so we put in its place a stone, a cubit long and +the like broad, and the locusts came and gnawed away the stone, +because of the smell of the bread.' Quoth one of his friends (and +it was he who had given him the lie concerning the dog and the +bread and milk), 'Marvel not at this, for mice do more than +that.' And he said, 'Go to your houses. In the days of my +poverty, I was a liar [when I told you] of the dog's climbing +upon the shelf and eating the bread and spoiling the milk; and +to-day, for that I am rich again, I say sooth [when I tell you] +that locusts devoured a stone a cubit long and a cubit broad.' +They were confounded at his speech and departed from him; and the +youth's good flourished and his case was amended.[FN#227] Nor," +added the vizier,"is this stranger or more extraordinary than the +story of the king's son who fell in love with the picture." + +Quoth the king, "Belike, if I hear this story, I shall gain +wisdom from it; so I will not hasten in the slaying of this +vizier, nor will I put him to death before the thirty days have +expired." Then he gave him leave to withdraw, and he went away to +his own house. + + + The Sixth Night of the Month + +When the day departed and the evening came, the king sat in his +privy chamber and summoned the vizier, who presented himself to +him and he questioned him of the story. So the vizier said, +"Know, O august king, that + + + + + + THE KING'S SON WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH THE + PICTURE. + + + +There was once, in a province of Persia, a king of the kings, who +was mighty of estate, endowed with majesty and venerance and +having troops and guards at his command; but he was childless. +Towards the end of his life, his Lord vouchsafed him a male +child, and the boy grew up and was comely and learned all manner +of knowledge. He made him a private place, to wit, a lofty +palace, builded with coloured marbles and [adorned with] jewels +and paintings. When the prince entered the palace, he saw in its +ceiling the picture [of a woman], than whom he had never beheld a +fairer of aspect, and she was compassed about with slave-girls; +whereupon he fell down in a swoon and became distraught for love +of her. Then he sat under the picture, till, one day, his father +came in to him and finding him wasted of body and changed of +colour, by reason of his [continual] looking on that picture, +thought that he was ill and sent for the sages and physicians, +that they might medicine him. Moreover, he said to one of his +boon- companions, 'If thou canst learn what aileth my son, thou +shalt have of me largesse.' So the courtier went in to the prince +and spoke him fair and cajoled him, till he confessed to him that +his malady was caused by the picture. Then he returned to the +king and told him what ailed his son, whereupon he transported +the prince to another palace and made his former lodging the +guest-house; and whosoever of the Arabs was entertained therein, +he questioned of the picture, but none could give him tidings +thereof. + +One day, there came a traveller and seeing the picture, said, +'There is no god but God! My brother wrought this picture.' So +the king sent for him and questioned him of the affair of the +picture and where was he who had wrought it. 'O my lord,' +answered the traveller, 'we are two brothers and one of us went +to the land of Hind and fell in love with the king's daughter of +the country, and it is she who is the original of the portrait. +In every city he entereth, he painteth her portrait, and I follow +him, and long is my journey.' When the king's son heard this, he +said,'Needs must I travel to this damsel.' So he took all manner +rarities and store of riches and journeyed days and nights till +he entered the land of Hind, nor did he win thereto save after +sore travail. Then he enquired of the King of Hind and he also +heard of him. + +When the prince came before him, he sought of him his daughter in +marriage, and the king said, 'Indeed, thou art her equal, but +none dare name a man to her, because of her aversion to men.' So +the prince pitched his tents under the windows of the princess's +palace, till one day he got hold of one of her favourite +slave-girls and gave her wealth galore. Quoth she to him, 'Hast +thou a wish?' ‘Yes,' answered he and acquainted her with his +case; and she said, 'Indeed thou puttest thyself in peril.' Then +he abode, flattering himself with false hopes, till all that he +had with him was gone and the servants fled from him; whereupon +quoth he to one in whom he trusted, 'I am minded to go to my +country and fetch what may suffice me and return hither.' And the +other answered, 'It is for thee to decide.' So they set out to +return, but the way was long to them and all that the prince had +with him was spent and his company died and there abode but one +with him, on whom he loaded what remained of the victual and they +left the rest and fared on. Then there came out a lion and ate +the servant, and the prince abode alone. He went on, till his +beast stood still, whereupon he left her and fared on afoot till +his feet swelled. + +Presently he came to the land of the Turks,[FN#228] and he naked +and hungry and having with him nought but somewhat of jewels, +bound about his fore-arm. So he went to the bazaar of the +goldsmiths and calling one of the brokers, gave him the jewels. +The broker looked and seeing two great rubies, said to him, +'Follow me.' So he followed him, till he brought him to a +goldsmith, to whom he gave the jewels, saying, 'Buy these.' Quoth +he, 'Whence hadst thou these?' And the broker replied, 'This +youth is the owner of them.' Then said the goldsmith to the +prince, 'Whence hadst thou these rubies?' And he told him all +that had befallen him and that he was a king's son. The goldsmith +marvelled at his story and bought of him the rubies for a +thousand dinars. + +Then said the prince to him, 'Make ready to go with me to my +country.' So he made ready and went with the prince till he drew +near the frontiers of his father's kingdom, where the people +received him with the utmost honour and sent to acquaint his +father with his son's coming. The king came out to meet him and +they entreated the goldsmith with honour. The prince abode awhile +with his father, then set out, [he and the goldsmith] to return +to the country of the fair one, the daughter of the King of Hind; +but there met him robbers by the way and he fought the sorest of +battles and was slain. The goldsmith buried him and marked his +grave[FN#229] and returned, sorrowing and distraught to his own +country, without telling any of the prince's death. + +To return to the king's daughter of whom the prince went in quest +and on whose account he was slain. She had been used to look out +from the top of her palace and gaze on the youth and on his +beauty and grace; so she said to her slave-girl one day, 'Harkye! +What is come of the troops that were encamped beside my palace?' +Quoth the maid, 'They were the troops of the youth, the king's +son of the Persians, who came to demand thee in marriage, and +wearied himself on thine account, but thou hadst no compassion on +him.' 'Out on thee!' cried the princess. 'Why didst thou not tell +me?' And the damsel answered, 'I feared thy wrath.' Then she +sought an audience of the king her father and said to him, 'By +Allah, I will go in quest of him, even as he came in quest of me; +else should I not do him justice.' + +So she made ready and setting out, traversed the deserts and +spent treasures till she came to Sejestan, where she called a +goldsmith to make her somewhat of trinkets. [Now the goldsmith in +question was none other than the prince's friend]; so, when he +saw her, he knew her (for that the prince had talked with him of +her and had depictured her to him) and questioned her of her +case. She acquainted him with her errand, whereupon he buffeted +his face and rent his clothes and strewed dust on his head and +fell a-weeping. Quoth she, 'Why dost thou thus?' And he +acquainted her with the prince's case and how he was his comrade +and told her that he was dead; whereat she grieved for him and +faring on to his father and mother, [acquainted them with the +case]. + +So the prince's father and his uncle and his mother and the +grandees of the realm repaired to his tomb and the princess made +lamentation over him, crying aloud. She abode by the tomb a whole +month; then she let fetch painters and caused them limn her +portraiture and that of the king's son. Moreover, she set down in +writing their story and that which had befallen them of perils +and afflictions and set it [together with the pictures], at the +head of the tomb; and after a little, they departed from the +place. Nor," added the vizier, "is this more extraordinary, O +king of the age, than the story of the fuller and his wife and +the trooper and what passed between them." + +With this the king bade the vizier go away to his lodging, and +when he arose in the morning, he abode his day in his house. + + The Seventh Night of the Month. + +At eventide the king sat [in his privy sitting-chamber] and +sending for the vizier, said to him, "Tell me the story of the +fuller and his wife." "With all my heart," answered the vizier. +So he came forward and said, "Know, O king of the age, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE FULLER AND HIS WIFE. + + + +There was once in a certain city a woman fair of favour, who had +to lover a trooper. Her husband was a fuller, and when he went +out to his business, the trooper used to come to her and abide +with her till the time of the fuller's return, when he would go +away. On this wise they abode awhile, till one day the trooper +said to his mistress, 'I mean to take me a house near unto thine +and dig an underground passage from my house to thy house, and do +thou say to thy husband, "My sister hath been absent with her +husband and now they have returned from their travels; and I have +made her take up her sojourn in my neighbourhood, so I may +foregather with her at all times. So go thou to her husband the +trooper and offer him thy wares [for sale], and thou wilt see my +sister with him and wilt see that she is I and I am she, without +doubt. So, Allah, Allah, go to my sister's husband and give ear +to that which he shall say to thee."' + +Accordingly, the trooper bought him a house near at hand and made +therein an underground passage communicating with his mistress's +house. When he had accomplished his affair, the wife bespoke her +husband as her lover had lessoned her and he went out to go to +the trooper's house, but turned back by the way, whereupon quoth +she to him, 'By Allah, go forthright, for that my sister asketh +of thee.' So the dolt of a fuller went out and made for the +trooper's house, whilst his wife forewent him thither by the +secret passage, and going up, sat down beside her lover. +Presently, the fuller entered and saluted the trooper and his +[supposed] wife and was confounded at the coincidence of the +case.[FN#230] Then doubt betided him and he returned in haste to +his dwelling; but she forewent him by the underground passage to +her chamber and donning her wonted clothes, sat [waiting] for him +and said to him, 'Did I not bid thee go to my sister and salute +her husband and make friends with them?' Quoth he, 'I did this, +but I misdoubted of my affair, when I saw his wife.' And she +said, 'Did I not tell thee that she resembleth me and I her, and +there is nought to distinguish between us but our clothes? Go +back to her.' + +So, of the heaviness of his wit, he believed her and turning +back, went in to the trooper; but she had foregone him, and when +he saw her beside her lover, he fell to looking on her and +pondering. Then he saluted her and she returned him the +salutation; and when she spoke, he was bewildered. So the trooper +said to him, 'What ails thee to be thus?' And he answered, 'This +woman is my wife and the voice is her voice.' Then he rose in +haste and returning to his own house, saw his wife, who had +foregone him by the secret passage. So he went back to the +trooper's house and saw her sitting as before; whereupon he was +abashed before her and sitting down in the trooper's +sitting-chamber, ate and drank with him and became drunken and +abode without sense all that day till nightfall, when the trooper +arose and shaving off some of the fuller's hair (which was long +and flowing) after the fashion of the Turks, clipped the rest +short and clapped a tarboush on his head. + +Then he thrust his feet into boots and girt him with a sword and +a girdle and bound about his middle a quiver and a bow and +arrows. Moreover, he put money in his pocket and thrust into his +sleeve letters-patent addressed to the governor of Ispahan, +bidding him assign to Rustem Khemartekeni a monthly allowance of +a hundred dirhems and ten pounds of bread and five pounds of meat +and enrol him among the Turks under his commandment. Then he took +him up and carrying him forth, left him in one of the mosques. + +The fuller gave not over sleeping till sunrise, when he awoke and +finding himself in this plight, misdoubted of his affair and +imagined that he was a Turk and abode putting one foot forward +and drawing the other back. Then said he in himself, 'I will go +to my dwelling, and if my wife know me, then am I Ahmed the +fuller; but, if she know me not, I am a Turk.' So he betook +himself to his house; but when the artful baggage his wife saw +him, she cried out in his face, saying, 'Whither away, O trooper? +Wilt thou break into the house of Ahmed the fuller, and he a man +of repute, having a brother-in-law a Turk, a man of high standing +with the Sultan? An thou depart not, I will acquaint my husband +and he will requite thee thy deed.' + +When he heard her words, the dregs of the drunkenness wrought in +him and he imagined that he was indeed a Turk. So he went out +from her and putting his hand to his sleeve, found therein a +scroll and gave it to one who read it to him. When he heard that +which was written in the scroll, his mind was confirmed in the +false supposition; but he said in himself, 'Maybe my wife seeketh +to put a cheat on me; so I will go to my fellows the fullers; and +if they know me not, then am I for sure Khemartekeni the Turk.' +So he betook himself to the fullers and when they espied him afar +off, they thought that he was one of the Turks, who used to wash +their clothes with them without payment and give them nothing. + +Now they had complained of them aforetime to the Sultan, and he +said, 'If any of the Turks come to you, pelt them with stones.' +So, when they saw the fuller, they fell upon him with sticks and +stones and pelted him; whereupon quoth he [in himself], 'Verily, +I am a Turk and knew it not.' Then he took of the money in his +pocket and bought him victual [for the journey] and hired a +hackney and set out for Ispahan, leaving his wife to the trooper. +Nor," added the vizier, "is this more extraordinary than the +story of the merchant and the old woman and the king." + +The vizier's story pleased King Shah Bekht and his heart clave to +the story of the merchant and the old woman; so he bade Er Rehwan +withdraw to his lodging, and he went away to his house and abode +there the next day. + + The Eight Night of the Month + +When the evening evened, the king sat in his privy chamber and +bade fetch the vizier, who presented himself before him, and the +king required of him the promised story. So the vizier answered, +"With all my heart. Know, O king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE OLD WOMAN, THE MERCHANT AND + THE KING. + + + +There was once in a city of Khorassan a family of affluence and +distinction, and the townsfolk used to envy them for that which +God had vouchsafed them. As time went on, their fortune ceased +from them and they passed away, till there remained of them but +one old woman. When she grew feeble and decrepit, the townsfolk +succoured her not with aught, but put her forth of the city, +saying, 'This old woman shall not harbour with us, for that we do +her kindness and she requiteth us with evil.' So she took shelter +in a ruined place and strangers used to bestow alms upon her, and +on this wise she abode a while of time. + +Now the uncle's son of the king of the city had aforetime +disputed [the kingship] with him, and the people misliked the +king; but God the Most High decreed that he should get the better +of his cousin. However, jealousy of him abode in his heart and he +acquainted the vizier, who hid it not and sent [him] money. +Moreover, he fell to summoning [all strangers who came to the +town], man after man, and questioning them of their faith and +their worldly estate, and whoso answered him not [to his liking], +he took his good.[FN#231] Now a certain wealthy man of the +Muslims was on a journey and it befell that he arrived at that +city by night, unknowing what was to do, and coming to the ruin +aforesaid, gave the old woman money and said to her, 'No harm +upon thee.' Whereupon she lifted up her voice and prayed [for +him], He set down his merchandise by her [and abode with her] the +rest of the night and the next day. + +Now thieves had followed him, so they might rob him of his good, +but availed not unto aught; wherefore he went up to the old woman +and kissed her head and exceeded in munificence to her. Then she +[warned him of that which awaited strangers entering the town +and] said to him, 'I like not this for thee and I fear mischief +for thee from these questions that the vizier hath appointed for +the confrontation of the ignorant.' And she expounded to him the +case according to its fashion. Then said she to him, 'But have no +concern: only carry me with thee to thy lodging, and if he +question thee of aught, whilst I am with thee, I will expound the +answers to thee.' Se he carried her with him to the city and +established her in his lodging and entreated her kindly. + +Presently, the vizier heard of the merchant's coming; so he sent +to him and let bring him to his house and talked with him awhile +of his travels and of that which he had abidden therein, and the +merchant answered him thereof. Then said the vizier, 'I will put +certain questions to thee, which if thou answer me, it will be +well [for thee].' And the merchant rose and made him no answer. +Quoth the vizier, 'What is the weight of the elephant?' The +merchant was perplexed and returned him no answer and gave +himself up for lost. Then said he, 'Grant me three days' time.' +So the vizier granted him the delay he sought and he returned to +his lodging and related what had passed to the old woman, who +said, 'When the morrow cometh, go to the vizier and say to him, +"Make a ship and launch it on the sea and put in it an elephant, +and when it sinketh in the water, [under the beast's weight], +mark the place to which the water riseth. Then take out the +elephant and cast in stones in its place, till the ship sink to +the mark aforesaid; whereupon do thou take out the stones and +weigh them and thou wilt know the weight of the elephant"' + +So, when he arose in the morning, he repaired to the vizier and +repeated to him that which the old woman had taught him; whereat +the vizier marvelled and said to him, 'What sayst thou of a man, +who seeth in his house four holes, and in each a viper offering +to come out and kill him, and in his house are four staves and +each hole may not be stopped but with the ends of two staves? How +shall he stop all the holes and deliver himself from the vipers?' +When the merchant heard this, there betided him [of concern] what +made him forget the first and he said to the vizier, 'Grant me +time, so I may consider the answer.' 'Go out,' replied the +vizier, 'and bring me the answer, or I will seize thy good.' + +The merchant went out and returned to the old woman, who, seeing +him changed of colour, said to him, 'What did he ask thee, [may +God confound] his hoariness?' So he acquainted her with the case +and she said to him, 'Fear not; I will bring thee forth of this +[strait].' Quoth he, 'God requite thee with good!' And she said, +'To-morrow go to him with a stout heart and say, "The answer to +that whereof thou askest me is that thou put the heads of two +staves into one of the holes; then take the other two staves and +lay them across the middle of the first two and stop with their +heads the second hole and with their butts the fourth hole. Then +take the butts of the first two staves and stop with them the +third hole."'[FN#232] + +So he repaired to the vizier and repeated to him the answer; and +he marvelled at its justness and said to him, 'Go; by Allah, I +will ask thee no more questions, for thou with thy skill marrest +my foundation.'[FN#233] Then he entreated him friendly and the +merchant acquainted him with the affair of the old woman; +whereupon quoth the vizier, 'Needs must the man of understanding +company with those of understanding.' Thus did this weak woman +restore to that man his life and good on the easiest wise. Nor," +added the vizier, "is this more extraordinary than the story of +the credulous husband." + +When the king heard this story, he said, "How like is this to our +own case!" Then he bade the vizier retire to his lodging; so he +withdrew to his house and on the morrow he abode at home [till +the king should summon him to his presence.] + + The Ninth Night of the Month. + +When the night came, the king sat in his privy chamber and +sending after the vizier, sought of him the promised story; and +he said, "Know, O august king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE CREDULOUS HUSBAND + + + +There was once of old time a foolish, ignorant man, who had +wealth galore, and his wife was a fair woman, who loved a +handsome youth. The latter used to watch for her husband's +absence and come to her, and on this wise he abode a long while. +One day, as the woman was private with her lover, he said to her, +'O my lady and my beloved, if thou desire me and love me, give me +possession of thyself and accomplish my need in thy husband's +presence; else will I never again come to thee nor draw near +thee, what while I abide on life.' Now she loved him with an +exceeding love and could not brook his separation an hour nor +could endure to vex him; so, when she heard his words, she said +to him, ['So be it,] in God's name, O my beloved and solace of +mine eyes, may he not live who would vex thee!' Quoth he, +'To-day?' And she said, 'Yes, by thy life,' and appointed him of +this. + +When her husband came home, she said to him, 'I desire to go +a-pleasuring.' And he said, ' With all my heart.' So he went, +till he came to a goodly place, abounding in vines and water, +whither he carried her and pitched her a tent beside a great +tree; and she betook herself to a place beside the tent and made +her there an underground hiding-place, [in which she hid her +lover]. Then said she to her husband, 'I desire to mount this +tree.' And he said, 'Do so.' So she climbed up and when she came +to the top of the tree, she cried out and buffeted her face, +saying, 'Lewd fellow that thou art, are these thy usages? Thou +sworest [fidelity to me] and liedst.' And she repeated her speech +twice and thrice. + +Then she came down from the tree and rent her clothes and said, +'O villain, if these be thy dealings with me before my eyes, how +dost thou when thou art absent from me?' Quoth he, 'What aileth +thee?' and she said, 'I saw thee swive the woman before my very +eyes.' 'Not so, by Allah!' cried he. 'But hold thy peace till I +go up and see.' So he climbed the tree and no sooner did he begin +to do so than up came the lover [from his hiding-place] and +taking the woman by the legs, [fell to swiving her]. When the +husband came to the top of the tree, he looked and beheld a man +swiving his wife. So he said, 'O strumpet, what doings are +these?' And he made haste to come down from the tree to the +ground; [but meanwhile the lover had returned to his hiding- +place] and his wife said to him, 'What sawest thou?' 'I saw a man +swive thee,' answered he; and she said, 'Thou liest; thou sawest +nought and sayst this but of conjecture.' + +On this wise they did three times, and every time [he climbed the +tree] the lover came up out of the underground place and bestrode +her, whilst her husband looked on and she still said, 'O liar, +seest thou aught?' 'Yes,' would he answer and came down in haste, +but saw no one and she said to him, 'By my life, look and say +nought but the truth!' Then said he to her, 'Arise, let us depart +this place,[FN#234] for it is full of Jinn and Marids.' [So they +returned to their house] and passed the night [there] and the man +arose in the morning, assured that this was all but imagination +and illusion. And so the lover accomplished his desire.[FN#235] +Nor, O king of the age," added the vizier, "is this more +extraordinary than the story of the king and the tither." + +When the king heard this from the vizier, he bade him go away +[and he withdrew to his house]. + + The Tenth Night of the Month. + +When it was eventide, the king summoned the vizier and sought of +him the story of the King and the Tither, and he said, "Know, O +king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE UNJUST KING AND THE TITHER. + + + +There was once a king of the kings of the earth, who dwelt in a +populous[FN#236] city, abounding in good; but he oppressed its +people and used them foully, so that he ruined[FN#237] the city; +and he was named none other than tyrant and misdoer. Now he was +wont, whenas he heard of a masterful man[FN#238] in another land, +to send after him and tempt him with money to take service with +him; and there was a certain tither, who exceeded all his +brethren in oppression of the people and foulness of dealing. So +the king sent after him and when he stood before him, he found +him a mighty man[FN#239] and said to him, 'Thou hast been praised +to me, but meseemeth thou overpassest the description. Set out to +me somewhat of thy sayings and doings, so I may be dispensed +therewith from [enquiring into] all thy circumstance.' 'With all +my heart,' answered the other. 'Know, O king, that I oppress the +folk and people[FN#240] the land, whilst other than I +wasteth[FN#241] it and peopleth it not.' + +Now the king was leaning back; so he sat up and said, 'Tell me of +this.' 'It is well,' answered the tither. 'I go to the man whom I +purpose to tithe and circumvent him and feign to be occupied with +certain business, so that I seclude myself therewith from the +folk; and meanwhile the man is squeezed after the foulest +fashion, till nothing is left him. Then I appear and they come in +to me and questions befall concerning him and I say, "Indeed, I +was ordered worse than this, for some one (may God curse him!) +hath slandered him to the king." Then I take half of his good and +return him the rest publicly before the folk and send him away to +his house, in all honour and worship, and he causeth the money +returned to be carried before him, whilst he and all who are with +him call down blessings on me. So is it published in the city +that I have returned him his money and he himself saith the like, +so he may have a claim on me for the favour due to whoso praiseth +me. Then I feign to forget him till some time[FN#242] hath passed +over him, when I send for him and recall to him somewhat of that +which hath befallen aforetime and demand [of him] somewhat +privily. So he doth this and hasteneth to his dwelling and +sendeth what I bid him, with a glad heart. Then I send to another +man, between whom and the other is enmity, and lay hands upon him +and feign to the first man that it is he who hath traduced him to +the king and taken the half of his good; and the people praise +me.'[FN#243] + +The king marvelled at this and at his dealing and contrivance and +invested him with [the control of] all his affairs and of his +kingdom and the land abode [under his governance] and he said to +him, 'Take and people.'[FN#244] One day, the tither went out and +saw an old man, a woodcutter, and with him wood; so he said to +him, 'Pay a dirhem tithe for thy load.' Quoth the old man, +'Behold, thou killest me and killest my family.' 'What [meanest +thou]?' said the tither. 'Who killeth the folk?' And the other +answered, 'If thou suffer me enter the city, I shall sell the +wood there for three dirhems, whereof I will give thee one and +buy with the other two what will support my family; but, if thou +press me for the tithe without the city, the load will sell but +for one dirhem and thou wilt take it and I shall abide without +food, I and my family. Indeed, thou and I in this circumstance +are like unto David and Solomon, on whom be peace!' ['How so?' +asked the tither, and the woodcutter said], 'Know that + + + + + + + STORY OF DAVID AND SOLOMON. + + + +Certain husbandmen once made complaint to David (on whom be +peace!) against certain owners of sheep, whose flocks had fallen +upon their crops by night and devoured them, and he bade value +the crops [and that the shepherds should make good the amount]. +But Solomon (on whom be peace!) rose and said, "Nay, but let the +sheep be delivered to the husbandmen, so they may take their milk +and wool, till they have repaid themselves the value of their +crops; then let the sheep return to their owners." So David +withdrew his own ordinance and caused execute that of Solomon; +yet was David no oppressor; but Solomon's judgment was more +pertinent and he showed himself therein better versed in +jurisprudence.'[FN#245] + +When the tither heard the old man's speech, he relented towards +him and said to him, 'O old man, I make thee a present of that +which is due from thee, and do thou cleave to me and leave me +not, so haply I may get of thee profit that shall do away from me +my errors and guide me into the way of righteousness.' So the old +man followed him, and there met him another with a load of wood. +Quoth the tither to him, 'Pay what is due from thee.' And he +answered, 'Have patience with me till to-morrow, for I owe the +hire of a house, and I will sell another load of wood and pay +thee two days' tithe.' But he refused him this and the old man +said to him, 'If thou constrain him unto this, thou wilt enforce +him quit thy country, for that he is a stranger here and hath no +domicile; and if he remove on account of one dirhem, thou wilt +lose [of him] three hundred and threescore dirhems a year. Thus +wilt thou lose the much in keeping the little.' Quoth the tither, +'I give him a dirhem every month to the hire of his lodging.' + +Then he went on and presently there met him a third woodcutter +and he said to him, 'Pay what is due from thee.' And he answered, +'I will pay thee a dirhem when I enter the city; or take of me +four danics[FN#246] [now].' Quoth the tither, 'I will not do it,' +but the old man said to him, 'Take of him the four danics +presently, for it is easy to take and hard to restore.' 'By +Allah,' quoth the tither, 'it is good!' and he arose and went on, +crying out, at the top of his voice and saying, 'I have no power +to-day [to do evil].' Then he put off his clothes and went forth +wandering at a venture, repenting unto his Lord. Nor," added the +vizier, "is this story more extraordinary than that of the thief +who believed the woman and sought refuge with God against falling +in with her like, by reason of her cunning contrivance for +herself." + +When the king heard this, he said in himself, "Since the tither +repented, in consequence of the admonitions [of the woodcutter], +it behoves that I spare this vizier, so I may hear the story of +the thief and the woman." And he bade Er Rehwan withdraw to his +lodging. + + The Eleventh Night of the Month. + +When the evening came and the king sat in his privy chamber, he +summoned the vizier and required of him the story of the thief +and the woman. Quoth the vizier, "Know, O king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE THIEF AND THE WOMAN. + + + +A certain thief was a [cunning] workman and used not to steal +aught, till he had spent all that was with him; moreover, he +stole not from his neighbours, neither companied with any of the +thieves, lest some one should come to know him and his case get +wind. On this wise he abode a great while, in flourishing case, +and his secret was concealed, till God the Most High decreed that +he broke in upon a poor man, deeming that he was rich. When he +entered the house, he found nought, whereat he was wroth, and +necessity prompted him to wake the man, who was asleep with his +wife. So he aroused him and said to him, 'Show me thy treasure.' + +Now he had no treasure; but the thief believed him not and +insisted upon him with threats and blows. When he saw that he got +no profit of him, he said to him, 'Swear by the oath of divorce +from thy wife[FN#247] [that thou hast nothing].' So he swore and +his wife said to him, 'Out on thee! Wilt thou divorce me? Is not +the treasure buried in yonder chamber?' Then she turned to the +thief and conjured him to multiply blows upon her husband, till +he should deliver to him the treasure, concerning which he had +sworn falsely. So he drubbed him grievously, till he carried him +to a certain chamber, wherein she signed to him that the treasure +was and that he should take it up. + +So the thief entered, he and the husband; and when they were both +in the chamber, she locked on them the door, which was a stout +one, and said to the thief, 'Out on thee, O fool! Thou hast +fallen [into the trap] and now I have but to cry out and the +officers of the police will come and take thee and thou wilt lose +thy life, O Satan!' Quoth he, 'Let me go forth;' and she said, +'Thou art a man and I am a woman; and in thy hand is a knife and +I am afraid of thee.' Quoth he, 'Take the knife from me.' So she +took the knife from him and said to her husband, 'Art thou a +woman and he a man? Mar his nape with beating, even as he did +with thee; and if he put out his hand to thee, I will cry out and +the police will come and take him and cut him in sunder.' So the +husband said to him, 'O thousand-horned,[FN#248] O dog, O +traitor, I owe thee a deposit,[FN#249] for which thou dunnest +me.' And he fell to beating him grievously with a stick of +live-oak, whilst he called out to the woman for help and besought +her of deliverance; but she said, 'Abide in thy place till the +morning, and thou shalt see wonders.' And her husband beat him +within the chamber, till he [well- nigh] made an end of him and +he swooned away. + +Then he left beating him and when the thief came to himself, the +woman said to her husband, 'O man, this house is on hire and we +owe its owners much money, and we have nought; so how wilt thou +do?' And she went on to bespeak him thus. Quoth the thief, 'And +what is the amount of the rent?' 'It will be fourscore dirhems,' +answered the husband; and the thief said, 'I will pay this for +thee and do thou let me go my way.' Then said the wife, 'O man, +how much do we owe the baker and the greengrocer?' Quoth the +thief, 'What is the sum of this?' And the husband said, 'Sixscore +dirhems.' 'That makes two hundred dirhems,' rejoined the other; +'let me go my way and I will pay them.' But the wife said, 'O my +dear one, and the girl groweth up and needs must we marry her and +equip her and [do] what else is needful' So the thief said to the +husband, 'How much dost thou want?' And he answered, 'A hundred +dirhems, in the way of moderation.'[FN#250] Quoth the thief, +'That makes three hundred dirhems.' And the woman said, 'O my +dear one, when the girl is married, thou wilt need money for +winter expenses, charcoal and firewood and other necessaries.' +'What wouldst thou have?' asked the thief; and she said, 'A +hundred dirhems.' 'Be it four hundred dirhems,' rejoined he; and +she said, 'O my dear one and solace of mine eyes, needs must my +husband have capital in hand, wherewith he may buy merchandise +and open him a shop.' 'How much will that be?' asked he, and she +said, 'A hundred dirhems.' Quoth the thief, '[That makes five +hundred dirhems; I will pay it;] but may I be divorced from my +wife if all my possessions amount to more than this, and that the +savings of twenty years! Let me go my way, so I may deliver them +to thee.' 'O fool,' answered she, 'how shall I let thee go thy +way? Give me a right token.' [So he gave her a token for his +wife] and she cried out to her young daughter and said to her, +'Keep this door.' + +Then she charged her husband keep watch over the thief, till she +should return, and repairing to his wife, acquainted her with his +case and told her that her husband the thief had been taken and +had compounded for his release, at the price of seven hundred +dirhems, and named to her the token. So she gave her the money +and she took it and returned to her house. By this time, the dawn +had broken; so she let the thief go his way, and when he went +out, she said to him, 'O my dear one, when shall I see thee come +and take the treasure?' 'O indebted one,' answered he, 'when thou +needest other seven hundred dirhems, wherewithal to amend thy +case and that of thy children and to discharge thy debts.' And he +went out, hardly believing in his deliverance from her. Nor," +added the vizier, "is this more extraordinary than the story of +the three men and our Lord Jesus." + +And the king bade him depart to his own house. + + The Twelfth Night of the Month. + +When it was eventide, the king summoned the vizier and bade him +tell the [promised] story, "Hearkening and obedience," answered +he. "Know, O king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE THREE MEN AND OUR LORD JESUS. + + + +Three men once went out in quest of riches and came upon a block +of gold, weighing a hundred pounds. When they saw it, they took +it up on their shoulders and fared on with it, till they drew +near a certain city, when one of them said, 'Let us sit in the +mosque, whilst one of us goes and buys us what we may eat." So +they sat down in the mosque and one of them arose and entered the +city. When he came therein, his soul prompted him to play his +fellows false and get the gold for himself alone. So he bought +food and poisoned it; but, when he returned to his comrades, they +fell upon him and slew him, so they might enjoy the gold without +him. Then they ate of the [poisoned] food and died, and the gold +abode cast down over against them. + +Presently, Jesus, son of Mary (on whom be peace!) passed by and +seeing this, besought God the Most High for tidings of their +case; so He told him what had betided them, whereat great was his +wonderment and he related to his disciples what he had seen. +Quoth one of them, 'O Spirit of God,[FN#251] nought resembleth +this but my own story.' 'How so?' asked Jesus, and the other +said, + + + + + THE DISCIPLE'S STORY. + + + +'I was aforetime in such a city and hid a thousand dirhems in a +monastery there. After awhile, I went thither and taking the +money, bound it about my middle. [Then I set out to return] and +when I came to the desert, the carrying of the money was +burdensome to me. Presently, I espied a horseman pricking after +me; so I [waited till he came up and] said to him, "O horseman, +carry this money [for me] and earn reward and recompense [from +God]." "Nay," answered he; "I will not do it, for I should weary +myself and weary my horse." Then he went on, but, before he had +gone far, he said in himself, "If I take up the money and spur my +horse and forego him, how shall he overtake me?" And I also said +in myself, "Verily, I erred [in asking him to carry the money]; +for, had he taken it and made off, I could have done nought." +Then he turned back to me and said to me, "Hand over the money, +that I may carry it for thee." But I answered him, saying, "That +which hath occurred to thy mind hath occurred to mine also; so go +in peace."' + +Quoth Jesus (on whom be peace!), 'Had these dealt prudently, they +had taken thought for themselves; but they neglected the issues +of events; for that whoso acteth prudently is safe and +conquereth,[FN#252] and whoso neglecteth precaution perisheth and +repenteth.' Nor," added the vizier," is this more extraordinary +nor goodlier than the story of the king, whose kingdom was +restored to him and his wealth, after he had become poor, +possessing not a single dirhem." + +When the king heard this, he said in himself "How like is this to +my own story in the matter of the vizier and his slaughter! Had I +not used precaution, I had put him to death." And he bade Er +Rehwan depart to his own house. + + The Thirteenth Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king sent for the vizier to his +privy sitting chamber and bade him [tell] the [promised] story. +So he said, "Hearkening and obedience. They avouch, O king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE DETHRONED KING WHOSE + KINGDOM AND GOOD WERE RESTORED TO HIM. + + + +There was once, in a city of Hind, a just and beneficent king, +and he had a vizier, a man of understanding, just in his +judgment, praiseworthy in his policy, in whose hand was the +governance of all the affairs of the realm; for he was firmly +stablished in the king's favour and high in esteem with the folk +of his time, and the king set great store by him and committed +himself to him in all his affairs, by reason of his contrivance +for his subjects, and he had helpers[FN#253] who were content +with him. + +Now the king had a brother, who envied him and would fain have +been in his place; and when he was weary of looking for his death +and the term of his life seemed distant unto him, he took counsel +with certain of his partisans and they said, 'The vizier is the +king's counsellor and but for him, there would be left the king +no kingdom.' So the king's brother cast about for the ruin of the +vizier, but could find no means of accomplishing his design; and +when the affair grew long upon him, he said to his wife, 'What +deemest thou will advantage us in this?' Quoth she, 'What is it?' +And he replied, 'I mean in the matter of yonder vizier, who +inciteth my brother to devoutness with all his might and biddeth +him thereto, and indeed the king is infatuated with his counsel +and committeth to him the governance of all things and matters.' +Quoth she, 'Thou sayst truly; but how shall we do with him?' And +he answered, 'I have a device, so thou wilt help me in that which +I shall say to thee.' Quoth she, 'Thou shall have my help in +whatsoever thou desirest.' And he said, 'I mean to dig him a pit +in the vestibule and dissemble it artfully.' + +So he did this, and when it was night, he covered the pit with a +light covering, so that, whenas the vizier stepped upon it, it +would give way with him. Then he sent to him and summoned him to +the presence in the king's name, and the messenger bade him enter +by the privy door. So he entered in thereat, alone, and when he +stepped upon the covering of the pit, it gave way with him and he +fell to the bottom; whereupon the king's brother fell to pelting +him with stones. When the vizier saw what had betided him, he +gave himself up for lost; so he stirred not and lay still. The +prince, seeing him make no motion, [deemed him dead]; so he took +him forth and wrapping him up in his clothes, cast him into the +billows of the sea in the middle of the night. When the vizier +felt the water, he awoke from the swoon and swam awhile, till a +ship passed by him, whereupon he cried out to the sailors and +they took him up. + +When the morning morrowed, the people went seeking for him, but +found him not; and when the king knew this, he was perplexed +concerning his affair and abode unknowing what he should do. Then +he sought for a vizier to fill his room, and the king's brother +said, 'I have a vizier, a sufficient man.' 'Bring him to me,' +said the king. So he brought him a man, whom he set at the head +of affairs; but he seized upon the kingdom and clapped the king +in irons and made his brother king in his stead. The new king +gave himself up to all manner of wickedness, whereat the folk +murmured and his vizier said to him, 'I fear lest the Indians +take the old king and restore him to the kingship and we both +perish; wherefore, if we take him and cast him into the sea, we +shall be at rest from him; and we will publish among the folk +that he is dead.' And they agreed upon this. So they took him up +and carrying him out to sea, cast him in. + +When he felt the water, he struck out, and gave not over swimming +till he landed upon an island, where he abode five days, finding +nothing which he might eat or drink; but, on the sixth day, when +he despaired of himself, he caught sight of a passing ship; so he +made signals to the crew and they came and took him up and fared +on with him to an inhabited country, where they set him ashore, +naked as he was. There he saw a man tilling; so he sought +guidance of him and the husbandman said, 'Art thou a stranger?' +'Yes,' answered the king and sat with him and they talked. The +husbandman found him quickwitted and intelligent and said to him, +'If thou sawest a comrade of mine, thou wouldst see him the like +of what I see thee, for his case is even as thy case, and he is +presently my friend.' + +Quoth the king, 'Verily, thou makest me long to see him. Canst +thou not bring us together?' 'With all my heart,' answered the +husbandman, and the king sat with him till he had made an end of +his tillage, when he carried him to his dwelling-place and +brought him in company with the other stranger, aud behold, it +was his vizier. When they saw each other, they wept and embraced, +and the husbandman wept for their weeping; but the king concealed +their affair and said to him, 'This is a man from my country and +he is as my brother.' So they abode with the husbandman and +helped him for a wage, wherewith they supported themselves a long +while. Meanwhile, they sought news of their country and learned +that which its people suffered of straitness and oppression. + +One day, there came a ship and in it a merchant from their own +country, who knew them and rejoiced in them with an exceeding joy +and clad them in goodly apparel. Moreover, he acquainted them +with the manner of the treachery that had been practised upon +them and counselled them to return to their own land, they and he +with whom they had made friends,[FN#254] assuring them that God +the Most High would restore them to their former estate. So the +king returned and the folk joined themselves to him and he fell +upon his brother and his vizier and took them and clapped them in +prison. + +Then he sat down again upon the throne of his kingship, whilst +the vizier stood before him, and they returned to their former +estate, but they had nought of the [goods of the world]. So the +king said to his vizier, 'How shall we avail to abide in this +city, and we in this state of poverty?' And he answered, 'Be at +thine ease and have no concern.' Then he singled out one of the +soldiers[FN#255] and said to him, 'Send us thy service[FN#256] +for the year.' Now there were in the city fifty thousand +subjects[FN#257] and in the hamlets and villages a like number; +and the vizier sent to each of these, saying, 'Let each of you +get an egg and lay it under a hen.' So they did this and it was +neither burden nor grievance to them. + +When twenty days had passed by, each [egg] was hatched, and the +vizier bade them pair the chickens, male and female, and rear +them well. So they did this and it was found a charge unto no +one. Then they waited for them awhile and after this the vizier +enquired of the chickens and was told that they were become +fowls. Moreover, they brought him all their eggs and he bade set +them; and after twenty days there were hatched from each [pair] +of them thirty or five-and-twenty or fifteen [chickens] at the +least. The vizier let note against each man the number of +chickens that pertained to him, and after two months, he took the +old hens and the cockerels, and there came to him from each man +nigh half a score, and he left the [young] hens with them. On +like wise he sent to the country folk and let the cocks abide +with them. So he got him young ones [galore] and appropriated to +himself the sale of the fowls, and on this wise he got him, in +the course of a year, that which the regal estate required of the +king and his affairs were set right for him by the vizier's +contrivance. And he peopled[FN#258] the country and dealt justly +by his subjects and returned to them all that he took from them +and lived a happy and prosperous life. Thus good judgment and +prudence are better than wealth, for that understanding profiteth +at all times and seasons. Nor," added the vizier, "is this more +extraordinary than the story of the man whose caution slew him." + +When the king heard his vizier's words, he marvelled with the +utmost wonderment and bade him retire to his lodging. [So Er +Rehwan withdrew to his house and abode there till eventide of the +next day, when he again presented himself before the king.] + + The Fourteenth Night of the Month. + +When the vizier returned to the king, the latter sought of him +the story of the man whose caution slew him and be said, "Know, O +august king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE MAN WHOSE CAUTION WAS THE + CAUSE OF HIS DEATH. + + + +There was once a man who was exceeding cautious over himself, and +he set out one day on a journey to a land abounding in wild +beasts. The caravan wherein he was came by night to the gate of a +city; but the warders refused to open to them; so they passed the +night without the city, and there were lions there. The man +aforesaid, of the excess of his caution, could not fix upon a +place wherein he should pass the night, for fear of the wild +beasts and reptiles; so he went about seeking an empty place +wherein he might lie. + +Now there was a ruined building hard by and he climbed up on to a +high wall and gave not over clambering hither and thither, of the +excess of his carefulness, till his feet betrayed him and he +slipped [and fell] to the bottom and died, whilst his companions +arose in the morning in health [and weal]. Now, if he had +overmastered his corrupt[FN#259] judgment and submitted himself +to fate and fortune fore-ordained, it had been safer and better +[for him]; but he made light of the folk and belittled their wit +and was not content to take example by them; for his soul +whispered him that he was a man of understanding and he imagined +that, if he abode with them, he would perish; so his folly cast +him into perdition. Nor," added the vizier, "is this more +extraordinary than the story of the man who was lavish of his +house and his victual to one whom he knew not" + +When the king heard this, he said, "I will not isolate myself +from the folk and slay my vizier." And he bade him depart to his +dwelling. + + The Fifteenth Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king let fetch the vizier and +required of him the [promised] story. So he said, "Know, O king, +that + + + + + + STORY OF THE MAN WHO WAS LAVISH OF HIS + HOUSE AND HIS VICTUAL TO ONE WHOM HE + KNEW NOT. + + + +There was once an Arab of [high] rank and [goodly] presence, a +man of exalted generosity and magnanimity, and he had brethren, +with whom he consorted and caroused, and they were wont to +assemble by turns in each other's houses. When it came to his +turn, he made ready in his house all manner goodly and pleasant +meats and dainty drinks and exceeding lovely flowers and +excellent fruits, and made provision of all kinds of instruments +of music and store of rare apothegms and marvellous stories and +goodly instances and histories and witty anedotes and verses and +what not else, for there was none among those with whom he was +used to company but enjoyed this on every goodly wise, and in the +entertainment he had provided was all whereof each had need. Then +he sallied forth and went round about the city, in quest of his +friends, so he might assemble them; but found none of them in his +house. + +Now in that town was a man of good breeding and large generosity, +a merchant of condition, young of years and bright of face, who +had come to that town from his own country with great store of +merchandise and wealth galore. He took up his abode therein and +the place was pleasant to him and he was lavish in expenditure, +so that he came to the end of all his good and there remained +with him nothing save that which was upon him of raiment. So he +left the lodging wherein he had abidden in the days of his +affluence, after he had wasted[FN#260] that which was therein of +furniture, and fell to harbouring in the houses of the townsfolk +from night to night. + +One day, as he went wandering about the streets, he espied a +woman of the utmost beauty and grace, and what he saw of her +charms amazed him and there betided him what made him forget his +present plight. She accosted him and jested with him and he +besought her of foregathering and companionship. She consented to +this and said to him, 'Let us go to thy lodging.' With this he +repented and was perplexed concerning his affair and grieved for +that which must escape him of her company by reason of the +straitness of his hand,[FN#261] for that he had no jot of +spending money. But he was ashamed to say, 'No,' after he had +made suit to her; so he went on before her, bethinking him how he +should rid himself of her and casting about for an excuse which +he might put off on her, and gave not over going from street to +street, till he entered one that had no issue and saw, at the +farther end, a door, whereon was a padlock. + +So he said to her, 'Do thou excuse me, for my servant hath locked +the door, and who shall open to us?' Quoth she, 'O my lord, the +padlock is worth [but] half a score dirhems.' So saying, she +tucked up [her sleeves] from fore-arms as they were crystal and +taking a stone, smote upon the padlock and broke it. Then she +opened the door and said to him, 'Enter, O my lord.' So he +entered, committing his affair to God, (to whom belong might and +majesty,) and she entered after him and locked the door from +within. They found themselves in a pleasant house, comprising +all[FN#262] weal and gladness; and the young man went on, till he +came to the sitting-chamber, and behold, it was furnished with +the finest of furniture [and arrayed on the goodliest wise for +the reception of guests,] as hath before been set out, [for that +it was the house of the man aforesaid]. + +He [seated himself on the divan and] leant upon a cushion, whilst +she put out her hand to her veil and did it off. Then she put off +her heavy outer clothes and discovered her charms, whereupon he +embraced her and kissed her and swived her; after which they +washed and returned to their place and he said to her, 'Know that +I have little knowledge [of what goes on] in my house, for that I +trust to my servant; so arise thou and see what the boy hath made +ready in the kitchen.' Accordingly, she arose and going down into +the kitchen, saw cooking pots over the fire, wherein were all +manner of dainty meats, and manchet-bread and fresh +almond-and-honey cakes. So she set bread on a dish and ladled out +[what she would] from the pots and brought it to him. + +They ate and drank and sported and made merry awhile of the day; +and as they were thus engaged, up came the master of the house, +with his friends, whom he had brought with him, that they might +carouse together, as of wont. He saw the door opened and knocked +lightly, saying to his friends, 'Have patience with me, for some +of my family are come to visit me; wherefore excuse belongeth +[first] to God the Most High, and then to you.'[FN#263] So they +took leave of him and went their ways, whilst he gave another +light knock at the door. When the young man heard this, he +changed colour and the woman said to him, 'Methinks thy servant +hath returned.' 'Yes,' answered he; and she arose and opening the +door to the master of the house, said to him, 'Where hast thou +been? Indeed, thy master is wroth with thee.' 'O my lady,' +answered he, 'I have but been about his occasions.' + +Then he girt his middle with a handkerchief and entering, saluted +the young merchant, who said to him, 'Where hast thou been?' +Quoth he, 'I have done thine errands;' and the youth said, 'Go +and eat and come hither and drink.' So he went away, as he bade +him, and ate. Then he washed and returning to the saloon, sat +down on the carpet and fell to talking with them; whereupon the +young merchant's heart was comforted and his breast dilated and +he addressed himself to joyance. They abode in the most +delightsome life and the most abounding pleasance till a third +part of the night was past, when the master of the house arose +and spreading them a bed, invited them to lie down. So they lay +down and the youth abode on wake, pondering their affair, till +daybreak, when the woman awoke and said to her companion, 'I wish +to go.' So he bade her farewell and she departed; whereupon the +master of the house followed her with a purse of money and gave +it to her, saying, 'Blame not my master,' and made his excuse to +her for the young merchant. + +Then he returned to the youth and said to him, 'Arise and come to +the bath.' And he fell to shampooing his hands and feet, whilst +the youth called down blessings on him and said, 'O my lord, who +art thou? Methinks there is not in the world the like of thee, +no, nor a pleasanter than thy composition.' Then each of them +acquainted the other with his case and condition and they went to +the bath; after which the master of the house conjured the young +merchant to return with him and summoned his friends. So they ate +and drank and he related to them the story, wherefore they +praised the master of the house and glorified him; and their +friendship was complete, what while the young merchant abode in +the town, till God vouchsafed him a commodity of travel, +whereupon they took leave of him and he departed; and this is the +end of his story. Nor," added the vizier, "O king of the age, is +this more marvellous than the story of the rich man who lost his +wealth and his wit." + +When the king heard the vizier's story, it pleased him and he +bade him go to his house. + + The Sixteenth Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king sat in his sitting- chamber and +sending for his vizier, bade him relate the story of the wealthy +man who lost his wealth and his wit. So he said, "Know, O king, +that + + + + + + STORY OF THE IDIOT AND THE SHARPER. + + + +There was once a man of fortune, who lost his wealth, and chagrin +and melancholy got the mastery of him, so that he became an idiot +and lost his wit. There abode with him of his wealth about a +score of dinars and he used to beg alms of the folk, and that +which they gave him he would gather together and lay to the +dinars that were left him. Now there was in that town a vagabond, +who made his living by sharping, and he knew that the idiot had +somewhat of money; so he fell to spying upon him and gave not +over watching him till he saw him put in an earthen pot that +which he had with him of money and enter a deserted ruin, where +he sat down, [as if] to make water, and dug a hole, in which he +laid the pot and covering it up, strewed earth upon the place. +Then he went away and the sharper came and taking what was in the +pot, covered it up again, as it was. + +Presently, the idiot returned, with somewhat to add to his hoard, +but found it not; so he bethought him who had followed him and +remembered that he had found the sharper aforesaid assiduous in +sitting with him and questioning him. So he went in quest of him, +assured that he had taken the pot, and gave not over looking for +him till he espied him sitting; whereupon he ran to him and the +sharper saw him. [Then the idiot stood within earshot] and +muttered to himself and said, 'In the pot are threescore dinars +and I have with me other score in such a place and to-day I will +unite the whole in the pot.' When the sharper heard him say this +to himself, muttering and mumbling after his fashion, he repented +him of having taken the dinars and said, 'He will presently +return to the pot and find it empty; wherefore that[FN#264] for +which I am on the look-out will escape me; and meseemeth I were +best restore the dinars [to their place], so he may see them and +leave all that is with him in the pot, and I can take the whole.' + +Now he feared [to return to the pot then and there], lest the +idiot should follow him to the place and find nothing and so his +plan be marred. So he said to him, 'O Ajlan,[FN#265] I would have +thee come to my lodging and eat bread with me." So the idiot went +with him to his lodging and he seated him there and going to the +market, sold somewhat of his clothes and pawned somewhat from his +house and bought dainty food. Then he betook himself to the ruin +and replacing the money in the pot, buried it again; after which +he returned to his lodging and gave the idiot to eat and drink, +and they went out together. The sharper went away and hid +himself, lest the idiot should see him, whilst the latter +repaired to his hiding- place and took the pot + +Presently, the sharper came to the ruin, rejoicing in that which +he deemed he should get, and dug in the place, but found nothing +and knew that the idiot had tricked him. So he buffeted his face, +for chagrin, and fell to following the other whithersoever he +went, so he might get what was with him, but availed not unto +this, for that the idiot knew what was in his mind and was +certified that he spied upon him, [with intent to rob him]; so he +kept watch over himself. Now, if the sharper had considered [the +consequences of] haste and that which is begotten of loss +therefrom, he had not done thus. Nor," continued the vizier, "is +this story, O king of the age, rarer or more extraordinary or +more diverting than the story of Khelbes and his wife and the +learned man and that which befell between them." + +When the king heard this story, he renounced his purpose of +putting the vizier to death and his soul prompted him to continue +him on life. So he bade him go away to his house. + + The Seventeenth Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king summoned the vizier, and when +he presented himself, he required of him the [promised] story. So +he said, "Hearkening and obedience. Know, O august king, that + + + + + + STORY OF KHELBES AND HIS WIFE AND THE + LEARNED MAN. + + + +There was once a man hight Khelbes, who was a lewd fellow, a +calamity, notorious for this fashion, and he had a fair wife, +renowned for beauty and loveliness. A man of his townsfolk fell +in love with her and she also loved him. Now Khelbes was a crafty +fellow and full of tricks, and there was in his neighbourhood a +learned man, to whom the folk used to resort every day and he +told them stories and admonished them [with moral instances]; and +Khelbes was wont to be present in his assembly, for the sake of +making a show before the folk. + +Now this learned man had a wife renowned for beauty and +loveliness and quickness of wit and understanding and the lover +cast about for a device whereby he might win to Khelbes's wife; +so he came to him and told him, as a secret, what he had seen of +the learned man's wife and confided to him that he was enamoured +of her and besought him of help in this. Khelbes told him that +she was distinguished to the utterest for chastity and continence +and that she exposed herself not to suspicion; but the other +said, 'I cannot renounce her, [firstly,] because the woman +inclineth to me and coveteth my wealth, and secondly, because of +the greatness of my love for her; and nothing is wanting but thy +help.' Quoth Khelbes, 'I will do thy will;' and the other said, +'Thou shalt have of me two dirhems a day, on condition that thou +sit with the learned man and that, when he riseth from the +assembly, thou speak a word notifying the breaking up of the +session.' So they agreed upon this and Khelbes entered and sat in +the assembly, whilst the lover was assured in his heart that the +secret was safe with him, wherefore he rejoiced and was content +to pay the two dirhems. + +Then Khelbes used to attend the learned man's assembly, whilst +the other would go in to his wife and abide with her, on such +wise as he thought good, till the learned man arose from his +session; and when Khelbes saw that he purposed rising, he would +speak a word for the lover to hear, whereupon he went forth from +Khelbes's wife, and the latter knew not that calamity was in his +own house. At last the learned man, seeing Khelbes do on this +wise every day, began to misdoubt of him, more by token of that +which he knew of his character, and suspicion grew upon him; so, +one day, he advanced the time of his rising before the wonted +hour and hastening up to Khelbes, laid hold of him and said to +him, 'By Allah, an thou speak a single syllable, I will do thee a +mischief!' Then he went in to his wife, with Khelbes in his +grasp, and behold, she was sitting, as of her wont, nor was there +about her aught of suspicious or unseemly. + +The learned man bethought him awhile of this, then made for +Khelbes's house, which adjoined his own, still holding the +latter; and when they entered, they found the young man lying on +the bed with Khelbes's wife; whereupon quoth he to him, 'O +accursed one, the calamity is with thee and in thine own house!' +So Khelbes put away his wife and went forth, fleeing, and +returned not to his own land. This, then," continued the vizier, +"is the consequence of lewdness, for whoso purposeth in himself +craft and perfidy, they get possession of him, and had Khelbes +conceived of himself that[FN#266] which he conceived of the folk +of dishonour and calamity, there had betided him nothing of this. +Nor is this story, rare and extraordinary though it be, more +extraordinary or rarer than that of the pious woman whose +husband's brother accused her of lewdness." + +When the king heard this, wonderment gat hold of him and his +admiration for the vizier redoubled; so he bade him go to his +house and return to him [on the morrow], according to his wont. +Accordingly, the vizier withdrew to his lodging, where he passed +the night and the ensuing day. + + + + + +End of Vol. I. + + + + + Tales from the Arabic, Volume 1 + Endnotes + + + +[FN#1] Breslau Text, vol. iv. pp. 134-189, Nights +cclxxii.-ccxci. This is the story familiar to readers of the old +"Arabian Nights" as "Abon Hassan, or the Sleeper Awakened" and is +the only one of the eleven tales added by Galland to his version +of the (incomplete) MS. of the Book of the Thousand Nights and +One Night procured by him from Syria, the Arabic original of +which has yet been discovered. (See my "Book of the Thousand +Nights and One Night," Vol. IX. pp. 264 et seq.) The above title +is of course intended to mark the contrast between the everyday +(or waking) hours of Aboulhusn and his fantastic life in the +Khalif's palace, supposed by him to have passed in a dream, and +may also be rendered "The Sleeper and the Waker." + +[FN#2] i.e. The Wag. + +[FN#3] Always noted for debauchery. + +[FN#4] i.e. the part he had taken for spending money. + +[FN#5] i.e. "those," a characteristic Arab idiom. + +[FN#6] Lit. draw thee near (to them). + +[FN#7] i.e. that over the Tigris. + +[FN#8] "Platter bread," i.e. bread baked in a platter, instead +of, as usual with the Arabs, in an oven or earthen jar previously +heated, to the sides of which the thin cakes of dough are +applied, "is lighter than oven bread, especially if it be made +thin and leavened."--Shecouri, a medical writer quoted by Dozy. + +[FN#9] Or cooking-pots. + +[FN#10] Or fats for frying. + +[FN#11] Or clarified. + +[FN#12] Taam, lit. food, the name given by the inhabitants of +Northern Africa to the preparation of millet-flour (something +like semolina) called kouskoussou, which forms the staple food of +the people. + +[FN#13] Or "In peace." + +[FN#14] Eastern peoples attach great importance, for good or evil +omen, to the first person met or the first thing that happens in +the day. + +[FN#15] Or "attributed as sin." + +[FN#16] A common Eastern substitute for soap. + +[FN#17] This common formula of assent is an abbreviation of +"Hearkening and obedience are due to God and to the Commander of +the Faithful" or other the person addressed. + +[FN#18] Dar es Selam, one of the seven "Gardens" into which the +Mohammedan Paradise is divided. + +[FN#19] i.e. a mattrass eighteen inches thick. + +[FN#20] Complimentary form of address to eunuchs, generally used +by inferiors only. + +[FN#21] The morning-prayer consists of four inclinations (rekäat) +only. A certain fixed succession of prayers and acts of adoration +is called a rekah (sing, of rekäat) from the inclination of the +body that occurs in it. + +[FN#22] i.e. the terminal formula of prayer, "Peace be on us and +on all the righteous servants of God!" + +[FN#23] i.e. said "I purpose to make an end of prayer." + +[FN#24] Or "linen." + +[FN#25] A well-known poet of the time. + +[FN#26] i.e. Ibrahim of Mosul, the greatest musician of his day. + +[FN#27] i.e., doughty men of war, guards. + +[FN#28] The Abbaside Khalifs traced their descent from Abbas, the +uncle of Mohammed, and considered themselves, therefore, as +belonging to the family of the Prophet. + +[FN#29] i.e. May thy dwelling-place never fall into ruin. + +[FN#30] i.e. the raised recess situate at the upper end of an +Oriental saloon, wherein is the place of honour. + +[FN#31] ie, the necromancers. + +[FN#32] Lit. I have not found that thou hast a heel blessed (or +propitious) to me. + +[FN#33] i.e. O thou who art a calamity to those who have to do +with thee! + +[FN#34] Abou Nuwas ibn Hani, the greatest poet of the time. + +[FN#35] As a charm against evil spirits. + +[FN#36] i.e. the vein said to have been peculiar to the +descendants of Hashim, grandfather of Abbas and great-grandson of +Mohammed, and to have started out between their eyes in moments +of anger. + +[FN#37] Lit. that I may do upon her sinister deeds. + +[FN#38] "The pitcher comes not always back unbroken from the +well."--English proverb. + +[FN#39] i.e. of sorrow for his loss. + +[FN#40] i.e. of grief for her loss. + +[FN#41] Breslau Text, vol. vl. pp. 182-188, Nights +ccccxxxii-ccccxxxiv. + +[FN#42] The eighth Khalif (A.D. 717-720) of the house of Umeyyeh +and the best and most single-hearted of all the Khalifs, with the +exception of the second, Omar ben Khettab, from whom he was +descended. + +[FN#43] A celebrated statesman of the time, afterwards governor +of Cuia* and Bassora under Omar ben Abdulaziz. + +[FN#44] The most renowned poet of the first century of the +Hegira. He is said to have been equally skilled in all styles of +composition grave and gay. + +[FN#45] Or eternal. + +[FN#46] Or "in him." + +[FN#47] Chief of the tribe of the Benou Suleim. Et Teberi tells +this story in a different way. According to him, Abbas ben Mirdas +(who was a well-known poet), being dissatisfied with the portion +of booty allotted to him by the Prophet, refused it and composed +a lampoon against Mohammed, who said to Ali, "Cut off this tongue +which attacketh me," i.e. "Silence him by giving what will +satisfy him," whereupon Ali doubled the covetous chief's share. + +[FN#48] Bilal ibn Rebeh was the Prophet's freedman and crier. The +word bilal signifies "moisture" or (metonymically) "beneficence" +and it may well be in this sense (and not as a man's name) that +it is used in the text. + +[FN#49] Said to have been the best poet ever produced by the +tribe of Cureish. His introduction here is an anachronism, as he +died A.D. 712, five years before Omar's accession. + +[FN#50] i.e. odorem pudendorum amicæ? + +[FN#51] A famous poet of the tribe of the Benou Udhreh, renowned +for their passionate sincerity in love-matters. He is celebrated +as the lover of Butheineh, as Petrarch of Laura, and died A.D. +701, sixteen years before Omar's accession. + +[FN#52] A friend of Jemil and a poet of equal renown. He is +celebrated as the lover of Azzeh, whose name is commonly added to +his, and kept a grocer's shop at Medina. + +[FN#53] i.e. in the attitude of prayer. + +[FN#54] A famous satirical poet of the time, afterwards banished +by Omar for the virulence of his lampoons. His name is wrongly +given by the text; it should be El Ahwes. He was a descendant of +the Ansar or (Medinan) helpers of Mohammed. + +[FN#55] A famous poet of the tribe of the Benou Temim and a rival +of Jerir, to whom he was by some preferred. He was a notorious +debauchee and Jerir, in one of the satires that were perpetually +exchanged between himself and El Ferezdec, accuses his rival of +having "never been a guest in any house, but he departed with +ignominy and left behind him disgrace." + +[FN#56] A Christian and a celebrated poet of the time. + +[FN#57] The poet apparently meant to insinuate that those who +professed to keep the fast of Ramazan ate flesh in secret. The +word rendered "in public," i.e. openly, avowedly, may also +perhaps be translated "in the forenoon," and in this El Akhtel +may have meant to contrast his free-thinking disregard of the +ordinances of the fast with the strictness of the orthodox +Muslim, whose only meals in Ramazan-time are made between sunset +and dawn-peep. As soon as a white thread can be distinguished +from a black, the fast is begun and a true believer must not even +smoke or swallow his saliva till sunset. + +[FN#58] Prominent words of the Muezzin's fore-dawn call to +prayer. + +[FN#59] i.e. fall down drunk. + +[FN#60] i.e. she who ensnares [all] eyes. + +[FN#61] Imam, the spiritual title of the Khalif, as head of the +Faith and leader (lit. "foreman") of the people at prayer. + +[FN#62] Or "worldly." + +[FN#63] Or "worldly." + +[FN#64] A town and province of Arabia, of which (inter alia) Omar +ben Abdulaziz was governor, before he came to the Khalifate. + +[FN#65] Syn. munificence. + +[FN#66] About 2 pounds sterling 10 s. + +[FN#67] i.e. what is thy news? + +[FN#68] Or "I approve of him." + +[FN#69] Breslau Text, vol. vi. pp. 188-9, Night ccccxxxiv. + +[FN#70] El Hejjaj ben Yousuf eth Thekefi, a famous statesman and +soldier of the seventh and eighth centuries. He was governor of +Chaldaea (Irak Arabi), under the fifth and sixth Khalifs of the +Ommiade dynasty, and was renowned for his cruelty, but appears to +have been a prudent and capable administrator, who used no more +rigour than was necessary to restrain the proverbially turbulent +populations of Bassora and Cufa, Most of the anecdotes of his +brutality and tyranny, which abound in Arab authors, are, in all +probability, apocryphal. + +[FN#71] Used, by synecdoche, for "heads." + +[FN#72] i.e. the governed, to wit, he who is led by a halter +attached (metaphorically of course) to a ring passed through his +nose, as with a camel. + +[FN#73] i.e. the governor or he who is high of rank. + +[FN#74] i.e. their hair, which may be considered the wealth of +the head. This whole passage is a description a double-entente of +a barber-surgeon. + +[FN#75] Syn. cooking-pot. + +[FN#76] Syn. be lowered. This passage is a similar description of +an itinerant hot bean-seller. + +[FN#77] The rows of threads on a weaver's loom. + +[FN#78] Syn. levelleth. + +[FN#79] i.e. that of wood used by the Oriental weaver to govern +the warp and weft. + +[FN#80] Syn. behave aright. + +[FN#81] The loop of thread so called in which the weaver's foot +rests. + +[FN#82] Syn. eloquence. + +[FN#83] Adeb, one of the terribly comprehensive words which +abound in Arabic literature for the confusion of translators. It +signifies generally all kinds of education and means of mental +and moral discipline and seems here to mean more particularly +readiness of wit and speech or presence of mind. + +[FN#84] Breslau Text, vol. vi. pp. 189-191, Night ccccxxxiv. + +[FN#85] Syn. (Koranic) "Thou hast swerved from justice" or "been +unjust" (adeita). + +[FN#86] Syn. (Koranic) "Thou hast transgressed" (caset-ta). + +[FN#87] Or falling-away. + +[FN#88] Koran vi. 44. + +[FN#89] Or do injustice, tadilou (syn. do justice). + +[FN#90] Koran iv. 134. + +[FN#91] El casitouna (syn. those who act righteously or +equitably). + +[FN#92] Koran lxxii. 15. + +[FN#93] Name of the Persian ancestor of the Barmecide (properly +Bermeki) family. + +[FN#94] Breslau Text, vol. vi. pp. 191-343, Nights +ccccxxv-cccclxxxvii. This is the Arab version of the well-known +story called, in Persian, the Bekhtyar Nameh, i.e. the Book of +Bekhtyar, by which name the prince, whose attempted ruin by the +envious viziers is the central incident of the tale, is +distinguished in that language. The Arab redaction of the story +is, to my mind, far superior to the Persian, both in general +simplicity and directness of style and in the absence of the +irritating conceits and moral digressions with which Persian (as +well as Indian) fiction is so often overloaded. The Persian +origin of the story is apparent, not only in the turn of the +incidents and style and the names of the personages, but in the +fact that not a single line of verse occurs in it. + +[FN#95] Rawi; this is probably a copyist's mistake for raai, a +beholder, one who seeth. + +[FN#96] Lit. what was his affair? It may be here observed that +the word keif (how?) is constantly used in the Breslau Text in +the sense of ma (what?). + +[FN#97] A district of Persia, here probably Persia itself. + +[FN#98] Probably a corruption of Kisra (Chosroës). + +[FN#99] i.e. waylaying travellers, robbing on the high road. + +[FN#100] Or skill. + +[FN#101] Lit. the descended fate. + +[FN#102] The Arabs attribute to a man's parentage absolute power +in the determination of his good and evil qualities; eg. the son +of a slave, according to them, can possess none of the virtues of +the free-born, whilst good qualities are in like manner +considered congenitally inherent in the latter. + +[FN#103] Or "business." + +[FN#104] i.e. whither he should travel. + +[FN#105] About half-a-crown. + +[FN#106] It is a common practice with Eastern nations to keep a +child (especially a son and one of unusual beauty) concealed +until a certain age, for fear of the evil eye. See my "Book of +the Thousand Nights and One Night," Vol. III. p. 234; Vol. IX. p. +67, etc., etc. + +[FN#107] i.e. killing a man. + +[FN#108] i.e., it will always be in our power to slay him, when +we will. + +[FN#109] i.e. the grave. + +[FN#110] i.e. the wedding-day. + +[FN#111] i.e. thy women + +[FN#112] i.e. hath been unduly prolonged. + +[FN#113] i.e. Let thy secret thoughts and purposes be righteous, +even as thine outward profession. + +[FN#114] See my "Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night," Vol. +V. p. 264. + +[FN#115] Afterwards called his "chamberlain," i.e. the keeper of +the door of the harem or chief eunuch. See post, p. III. + +[FN#116] i.e. the eunuch who had dissuaded Dadbin from putting +her to death. + +[FN#117] Apparently referring to Aboulkhair (see ante p. 107), +whom Dabdin would seem to have put to death upon the vizier's +false accusation, although no previous mention of this occurs. + +[FN#118] The Arabs believe that each man's destiny is +charactered, could we decipher it, in the sutures of his skull. + +[FN#119] ie. the lex talionis, which is the essence of Muslim +jurisprudence. + +[FN#120] i.e. a soldier of fortune, going about from court to +court, in quest of service. + +[FN#121] This phrase refers to the Arab idiom, "His hand (or arm) +is long or short," i.e. he is a man of great or little puissance. + +[FN#122] The Arabs consider it a want of respect to allow the +hands or feet to remain exposed in the presence of a superior. + +[FN#123] Adeb. See ante, p. 54, note 9. + +[FN#124] i.e. that he become my son-in-law. + +[FN#125] It is a common Eastern practice to have the feet kneaded +and pressed (shampooed) for the purpose of inducing sleep, and +thus the king would habitually fall asleep with his feet on the +knees of his pages. + +[FN#126] Syn. whoso respecteth not his lord's women. + +[FN#127] i.e. a domed tomb. + +[FN#128] Of a man's life. The Muslims believe each man's last +hour to be written in a book called "The Preserved Tablet." + +[FN#129] i.e, the Autumnal Equinox, one of the two great festival +days (the other being the New Year) of the Persians. See my "Book +of the Thousand Nights and One Night," Vol. IV. p. 144. + +[FN#130] i.e. heritage. + +[FN#131] i.e. The Emperor of the Romans of the Lower Empire, so +called by the Arabs. "Caesar" is their generic term for the +Emperors of Constantinople, as is Kisra (Chosroës) for the +ancient Kings of Persia. + +[FN#132] i.e. Shah Khatoun. + +[FN#133] i.e. our power increased by his alliance, a. familiar +Arab idiom. + +[FN#134] In token of deputation of authority, a ceremony usual on +the appointment of a governor of a province. + +[FN#135] Or enigma. + +[FN#136] i.e. if my death be ordained of destiny to befall on an +early day none may avail to postpone it to a later day. + +[FN#137] Of life. See supra, note, p. 147. + +[FN#138] The hoopoe is fabled by the Muslim chroniclers to have +been to Solomon what Odin's ravens were to the Norse god. It is +said to have known all the secrets of the earth and to have +revealed them to him; hence the magical virtues attributed by the +Mohammedans to its heart. + +[FN#139] This phrase may be read either literally or in its +idiomatic sense, i.e., "Folk convicted or suspected of murder or +complicity in murder." + +[FN#140] Or purse-belt. + +[FN#141] See supra, p. 66. + +[FN#142] Khilaah, lit. that which one takes off from one's own +person, to bestow upon a messenger of good tidings or any other +whom it is desired especially to honour. The literal meaning of +the phrase, here rendered "he bestowed on him a dress of honour," +is "he put off on him [that which was upon himself." A Khilaah +commonly includes a horse, a sword, a girdle or waist-cloth and +other articles, according to the rank of the recipient, and might +more precisely be termed "a complete equipment of honour." + +[FN#143] An economical mode of rewarding merit, much in favour +with Eastern monarchs. + +[FN#144] Breslau Text, vol. vii. pp. 251-4, Night dlxv. + +[FN#145] Syn. doorkeper (hajib). + +[FN#146] Ibn Khelbkan, who tells this story in a somewhat +different style, on the authority of Er Reshid's brother Ibrahim +ben El Mehdi, calls the person whom Jaafer expected "Abdulmelik +ben Behran, the intendant of his demesnes." + +[FN#147] The wearing of silk and bright colours is forbidden to +the strict Muslim and it is generally considered proper, in a man +of position, to wear them only on festive occasions or in +private, as in the text. + +[FN#148] The Abbasides or descendants of El Abbas, the Prophet's +uncle, were noted for their excessive pride and pretensions to +strict orthodoxy in all outward observances. Abdulmelik ben +Salih, who was a well-known general and statesman of the time, +was especially renowned for pietism and austerity of manners. + +[FN#149] i.e. Do not let my presence trouble you. + +[FN#150] As a member of the reigning family, he of course wore +black clothes, that being the especial colour of the house of +Abbas, adopted by them in opposition to the rival (and fallen) +dynasty of the Benou Umeyyeh, whose family colour was white, that +of the house of Ali being green. + +[FN#151] About £25,000. Ibn Khellikan makes the debt four +millions of dirhems or about £100,000 + +[FN#152] Breslau text, vol vii, pp.258-60, Night dlxvii. + +[FN#153] Fourth Khalif of the house of Abbas, A.D. 785-786. + +[FN#154] Third Khalif of the house of Abbas, A.D. 775-785. + +[FN#155] The following is Et Teberi's version of this anecdote. +El Mehdi had presented his son Haroun with a ruby ring, worth a +hundred thousand dinars, and the latter being one day with his +brother [the then reigning Khalif], El Hadi saw the ring on his +finger and desired it. So, when Haroun went out from him, he sent +after him, to seek the ring of him. The Khalif's messenger +overtook Er Reshid on the bridge over the Tigris and acquainted +him with his errand; whereupon the prince enraged at the demand, +pulled off the ring and threw it into the river. When El Hadi +died and Er Reshid succeeded to the throne, he went with his +suite to the bridge in question and bade his Vizier Yehya ben +Khalid send for divers and cause them make search for the ring. +It had then been five months in the water and no one believed it +would be found. However, the divers plunged into the river and +found the ring in the very place where he had thrown it in, +whereat Haroun rejoiced with an exceeding joy, regarding it as a +presage of fair fortune. + +[FN#156] This is an error. Jaafer's father Yehya was appointed by +Haroun his vizier and practically continued to exercise that +office till the fall of the Barmecides (A.D. 803), his sons Fezl +and Jaafer acting only as his assistants or lieutenants. See my +Essay on the History and Character of the Book of the Thousand +Nights and One Night. + +[FN#157] Another mistake. It was Fezl, the Khalif's +foster-brother, to whom he used to give this title. + +[FN#158] A third mistake. The whole period during which the +empire was governed by Yehya and his sons was only seventeen +years, i.e. A.D 786-803, but see my Essay. + +[FN#159] The apparent meaning of this somewhat obscure saying is, +"Since fortune is uncertain, conciliate the favour of those with +whom thou hast to do by kind offices, so thou mayst find refuge +with them in time of need." + +[FN#160] For a detailed account of the Barmecides and of their +fall, see my Essay. + +[FN#161] Breslau Text, vol. vii. pp. 260-1, Night dlxviii. + +[FN#162] Aboulabbas Mohammed Ibn Sabih, surnamed Ibn es Semmak +(son of the fishmonger), a well-known Cufan jurisconsult and +ascetic of the time. He passed the latter part of his life at +Baghdad and enjoyed high favour with Er Reshid, as the only +theological authority whom the latter could induce to promise him +admission to Paradise. + +[FN#163] Breslau Text, vol. vii. pp. 261-2, Night dlxviii. + +[FN#164] Seventh Khalif of the house of Abbas, A.D. 813-33. + +[FN#165] Sixth Khalif of the house of Abbas, A.D. 809-13, a +sanguinary and incapable prince, whose contemplated treachery +against his brother El Mamoun, (whom, by the advice of his +vizier, the worthless intriguer Fezl ben Rebya, the same who was +one of the prime movers in the ruin of the illustrious Barmecide +family and who succeeded Yehya and his sons in the vizierate (see +my Essay), he contemplated depriving of his right of succession +and murdering,) was deservedly requited with the loss of his own +kingdom and life. He was, by the way, put to death by El Mamoun's +general, in contravention of the express orders of that generous +and humane prince, who wished his brother to be sent prisoner to +him, on the capture of Baghdad. + +[FN#166] i.e. forfeits. It is a favourite custom among the Arabs +to impose on the loser of a game, in lieu of stakes, the +obligation of doing whatsoever the winner may command him. For an +illustration of this practice, see my "Book of the Thousand +Nights and One Night," Vol. V. pp. 336-41, Story of the +Sandalwood Merchant and the Sharpers. + +[FN#167] El Mamoun was of a very swarthy complexion and is said +to have been the son of a black slave-girl. Zubeideh was Er +Reshid's cousin, and El Amin was, therefore, a member of the +house of Abbas, both on the father's and mother's side. Of this +purity of descent from the Prophet's family (in which he is said +to have stood alone among the Khalifs of the Abbaside dynasty) +both himself and his mother were exceedingly proud, and it was +doubtless this circumstance which led Er Reshid to prefer El Amin +and to assign him the precedence in the succession over the more +capable and worthier El Mamoun. + +[FN#168] Breslau Text, vol. viii. pp. 226-9, Nights dclx-i. + +[FN#169] A pre-Mohammedan King of the Arab kingdom of Hireh (a +town near Cufa on the Euphrates), under the suzerainty of the +Chosroes of Persia, and a cruel and fantastic tyrant. + +[FN#170] The tribe to which belonged the renowned pre-Mohammedan +chieftain and poet, Hatim Tal, so celebrated in the East for his +extravagant generosity and hospitality. + +[FN#171] i.e. I will make a solemn covenant with him before God. + +[FN#172] i.e. he of the tribe of Tai. + +[FN#173] In generosity. + +[FN#174] A similar anecdote is told of Omar ben el Khettab, +second successor of Mohammed, and will be found in my "Book of +the Thousand Nights and One Night," Vol. IV. p. 239. + +[FN#175] Breslau Text, vol. viii. pp. 273-8, Nights dclxxv--vi. + +[FN#176] A similar story will be found in my "Book of the +Thousand Nights and One Night", Vol. V. p. 263. + +[FN#177] Breslau Text, vol xi. pp. 84-318, Nights +dccclxxv-dccccxxx. + +[FN#178] i.e. A pilgrimage. Pilgrimage is one of a Muslim's +urgent duties. + +[FN#179] By a rhetorical figure, Mecca is sometimes called El +Hejj (the Pilgrimage) and this appears to be the case here. It is +one of the dearest towns in the East and the chief occupation of +its inhabitants a the housing and fleecing of pilgrims. An Arab +proverb says, "There is no place in which money goes [so fast] as +it goes in Mecca." + +[FN#180] lit. loved with it. + +[FN#181] It is not clear what is here meant by El Hejj; perhaps +Medina, though this is a "visitation" and not an obligatory part +of the pilgrimage. The passage is probably corrupt. + +[FN#182] It is not clear what is here meant by El Hejj; perhaps +Medina, though this is a "visitation" and not an obligatory part +of the pilgrimage. The passage is probably corrupt. + +[FN#183] Syn. whole or perfect (sehik). + +[FN#184] i.e. in white woollen garments. + +[FN#185] i.e. I desire a privy place, where I may make the +preliminary ablution and pray. + +[FN#186] It is customary in the East to give old men and women +the complimentary title of "pilgrim," assuming, as a matter of +course, that they have performed the obligatory rite of +pilgrimage. + +[FN#187] Or saint. + +[FN#188] Keniseh, a Christian or other non-Muslim place of +worship. + +[FN#189] Apparently the harem. + +[FN#190] i.e. otherwise than according to God's ordinance. + +[FN#191] A city of Persian Irak. + +[FN#192] Lit. its apparatus, i.e. spare strings, etc.? + +[FN#193] i.e. the woman whose face he saw. + +[FN#194] Lit. the place of battle, i.e. that where they had lain. + +[FN#195] A common Eastern fashion of securing a shop, when left +for a short time. The word shebekeh (net) may also be tendered a +grating or network of iron or other metal. + +[FN#196] i.e. gave her good measure. + +[FN#197] i.e. she found him a good workman. Equivoque erotique, +apparently founded on the to-and-fro movement of the shuttle in +weaving. + +[FN!198] Equivoque érotique. + +[FN#199] i.e. removed the goods exposed for sale and laid them up +in the inner shop or storehouse. + +[FN#200] The Eastern oven is generally a great earthenware jar +sunken in the earth. + +[FN#201] i.e. a boughten white slave (memlouk). + +[FN#202] Apparently changing places. The text is here fearfully +corrupt and (as in many other parts of the Breslau Edition) so +incoherent as to be almost unintelligible. + +[FN#203] i.e. in the (inner) courtyard. + +[FN#204] i.e. the essential nature, lit. jewel. + +[FN#205] i.e. in proffering thee the kingship. + +[FN#206] Without the city. + +[FN#207] According to the conclusion of the story, this +recompense consisted in an augmentation of the old man's +allowances of food. See post, p. 245. + +[FN#208] i.e. I have given my opinion. + +[FN#209] This passage is evidently corrupt. I have amended it, on +conjecture, to the best of my power. + +[FN#210] The words ruteb wa menazil, here rendered "degrees and +dignities," may also be rendered, "stations and mansions (of the +moon and planets)." + +[FN#211] Syn. "ailing" or "sickly." + +[FN#212] i.e. the caravan with which he came. + +[FN#213] i.e. I seek to marry thy daughter, not for her own sake, +but because I desire thine alliance. + +[FN#214] i.e. the face of his bride. + +[FN#215] i.e. his wife. + +[FN#216] i.e. his wife. + +[FN#217] Naming the poor man. + +[FN#218] Naming his daughter. + +[FN#219] i.e. united. + +[FN#220] Or "humble." + +[FN#221] i.e. one another. + +[FN#222] Or "conquer." + +[FN#223] Or "commandment." + +[FN#224] Lit. "will be higher than." + +[FN#225] Syn. device or resource (hileh). + +[FN#226] Syn. chasten or instruct. + +[FN#227] Students of our old popular poetry will recognize, in +the principal incident of this story, the subject of the +well-known ballad, "The Heir of Linne." + +[FN#228] i.e. Turcomans; afterwards called Sejestan. + +[FN#229] With a pile of stones or some such landmark. + +[FN#230] i.e. the extraordinary resemblance of the supposed +sister to his wife. + +[FN#231] The foregoing passage is evidently very corrupt and the +meaning is by no means plain, but, in the absence of a parallel +version, it is impossible to clear up the obscurity of the text. + +[FN#232] This appears to be the sense of the text; but the whole +passage is to obscure and corrupt that it is impossible to make +sure of its exact meaning. + +[FN#233] Meaning apparently, "thou puttest my devices to nought" +or (perhaps) "thou art so skilful that I fear lest thou undermine +my favour with the king and oust me from my post of vizier." + +[FN#234] Lit. "land;" but the meaning is evidently as in the +text. + +[FN#235] The reader will recognize the well-known story used by +Chaucer, Boccaccio and La Fontaine. + +[FN#236] Syn. flourishing. + +[FN#237] Syn. depopulated. + +[FN#238] Lit. an oppressor. + +[FN#239] i.e. a man of commanding presence. + +[FN#240] Syn. cause flourish. + +[FN#241] Syn. depopulateth. + +[FN#242] Lit. the year. + +[FN#243] The whole of the tither's account of himself is terribly +obscure and so corrupt that it is hardly possible to make sense +of it. The same remark applies to much of the rest of the story. + +[FN#244] Or "cause flourish." + +[FN#245] Lit. a better theologian. The Muslim law being entirely +based on the Koran and the Traditions of the Prophet, the terms +"lawyer" and "theologian" are necessarily synonymous among +Mohammedan peoples. + +[FN#246] A danic is the sixth of a dirhem, i.e. about one penny. + +[FN#247] i.e. say, "May I be [triply] divorced from my wife, if +etc.!" By the Muslim law, a divorce three times pronounced is +irrevocable, and in case of its appearing that the user of such +an oath as the above had sworn falsely, his wife would become +divorced by operation of law, without further ceremony. Hence the +frequency and binding nature of the oath in question. + +[FN#248] i.e. thousandfold cuckold. + +[FN#249] i.e. the blows which the thief had given him. + +[FN#250] i.e. at least, at the most moderate reckoning. + +[FN#251] Or "Breath of God," a title given to Jesus by the +Mohammedans. + +[FN#252] i.e. attaineth his desire. + +[FN#253] Syn. guards. + +[FN#254] i.e. the husbandman. + +[FN#255] i.e. those bound to render suit and service to the king, +as holders of fiefs. + +[FN#256] Syn. the revenue or rent-charge of thy fief. + +[FN#257] Heads of families? + +[FN#258] Or "caused flourish." + +[FN#259] Or froward. + +[FN#260] i.e. sold and spent the price of. + +[FN#261] i.e. his lack of means to entertain her. + +[FN#262] i.e. all that can conduce to. + +[FN#263] i.e. it is for you (after God) to excuse me. + +[FN#264] i.e. the [supposed] rest of his hoard. + +[FN#265] Apparently the idiot's name. + +[FN#266] i.e. had he been on his own guard against that, etc. + + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, TALES FROM THE ARABIC VOLUME 1 *** + +This file should be named 5242.txt or 5242.zip + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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