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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/5243.txt b/5243.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..67dfe7e --- /dev/null +++ b/5243.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7980 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Tales from the Arabic Volume 2, by John Payne +(#3 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 2 + +Author: John Payne + +Release Date: March, 2004 [EBook #5243] +[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 2 *** + + + + +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 SECOND. + + + + 1901 + + Delhi Edition + + + Contents of The Second Volume. + + + + Breslau Text. + +1. King Shah Bekht and His Vizier Er Rehwan (Continued) + a. Story of the Pious Woman Accused of Lewdness + b. Story of the Journeyman and the Girl + c. Story of the Weaver Who Became a Physician by His + Wife's Commandment + d. Story of the Two Sharpers Who Cheated Each His Fellow + e. Story of the Sharpers with the Money-Changer and the + Ass + f. Story of the Sharper and the Merchants + i. Story of the Hawk and the Locust + g. Story Op the King and His Chamberlain Wife + h. Story of the Old Woman and the Draper's Wife + i. Story of the Foul-favoured Man and His Fair Wife + j. Story of the King Who Lost Kingdom and Wife and Wealth + and God Restored Them To Him + k. Story of Selim and Selma + l. Story of the King of Hind and His Vizier +2. El Melik Ez Zahir Rukneddin Bibers El Bunducdari and the + Sixteen Officers Of Police + a. The First Officer's Story + b. The Second Officer's Story + c. The Third Officer's Story + d. The Fourth Officer's Story + e. The Fifth Officer's Story + f. The Sixth Officer's Story + g. The Seventh Officer's Story + h. The Eighth Officer's Story + i. The Thief's Story + i. The Ninth Officer's Story + j. The Tenth Officer's Story + k. The Eleventh Officer's Story + l. The Twelfth Officer's Story + m. The Thirteenth Officer's Story + n. The Fourteenth Officer's Story + i. A Merry Jest of a Thief + ii. Story of the Old Sharper + o. The Fifteenth Officer's Story + p. The Sixteenth Officer's Story +3. Abdallah Ben Nafi and the King's Son of Cashghar + a. Story of the Damsel Tuhfet El Culoub and the Khalif + Haroun Er Reshid + + Calcutta (1814-8) Text + +4. Women's Craft + + + + Breslau Text. + + + + King Shah Bekht and His Vizier Er Rehwan + (continued). + + + + The Eighteenth Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king summoned the vizier and +required of him the [promised] story; so he said, "It is well. +Know, O king, that + + + + + + + STORY OF THE PIOUS WOMAN ACCUSED OF + LEWDNESS. + + + +There was once a man of Nishapour,[FN#1] who had a wife of the +utmost loveliness and piety, and he was minded to set out on the +pilgrimage. So he commended his wife to the care of his brother +and besought him to aid her in her affairs and further her to her +desires till he should return, so they both abode alive and well. +Then he took ship and departed and his absence was prolonged. +Meanwhile, the brother went in to his brother's wife, at all +times and seasons, and questioned her of her circumstances and +went about her occasions; and when his visits to her were +prolonged and he heard her speech and looked upon her face, the +love of her gat hold upon his heart and he became distraught with +passion for her and his soul prompted him [to evil]. So he +besought her to lie with him, but she refused and chid him for +his foul deed, and he found him no way unto presumption;[FN#2] +wherefore he importuned her with soft speech and gentleness. + +Now she was righteous in all her dealings and swerved not from +one word;[FN#3] so, when he saw that she consented not unto him, +he misdoubted that she would tell his brother, when he returned +from his journey, and said to her, 'An thou consent not to this +whereof I require thee, I will cause thee fall into suspicion and +thou wilt perish.' Quoth she, 'Be God (extolled be His perfection +and exalted be He!) [judge] betwixt me and thee, and know that, +shouldst thou tear me limb from limb, I would not consent to that +whereto thou biddest me.' His folly[FN#4] persuaded him that she +would tell her husband; so, of his exceeding despite, he betook +himself to a company of people in the mosque and told them that +he had witnessed a man commit adultery with his brother's wife. +They believed his saying and took act of his accusation and +assembled to stone her. Then they dug her a pit without the city +and seating her therein, stoned her, till they deemed her dead, +when they left her. + +Presently a villager passed by [the pit and finding] her [alive,] +carried her to his house and tended her, [till she recovered]. +Now, he had a son, and when the young man saw her, he loved her +and besought her of herself; but she refused and consented not to +him, whereupon he redoubled in love and longing and despite +prompted him to suborn a youth of the people of his village and +agree with him that he should come by night and take somewhat +from his father's house and that, when he was discovered, he +should say that she was of accord with him in this and avouch +that she was his mistress and had been stoned on his account in +the city. So he did this and coming by night to the villager's +house, stole therefrom goods and clothes; whereupon the old man +awoke and seizing the thief, bound him fast and beat him, to make +him confess. So he confessed against the woman that she had +prompted him to this and that he was her lover from the city. The +news was bruited abroad and the people of the city assembled to +put her to death; but the old man, with whom she was, forbade +them and said, 'I brought this woman hither, coveting the +recompense [of God,] and I know not [the truth of] that which is +said of her and will not suffer any to hurt her.' Then he gave +her a thousand dirhems, by way of alms, and put her forth of the +village. As for the thief, he was imprisoned for some days; after +which the folk interceded for him with the old man, saying, 'This +is a youth and indeed he erred;' and he released him. + +Meanwhile, the woman went out at hazard and donning devotee's +apparel, fared on without ceasing, till she came to a city and +found the king's deputies dunning the towns-folk for the tribute, +out of season. Presently, she saw a man, whom they were pressing +for the tribute; so she enquired of his case and being acquainted +therewith, paid down the thousand dirhems for him and delivered +him from beating; whereupon he thanked her and those who were +present. When he was set free, he accosted her and besought her +to go with him to his dwelling. So she accompanied him thither +and supped with him and passed the night. When the night darkened +on him, his soul prompted him to evil, for that which he saw of +her beauty and loveliness, and he lusted after her and required +her [of love]; but she repelled him and bade him fear God the +Most High and reminded him of that which she had done with him of +kindness and how she had delivered him from beating and +humiliation. + +However, he would not be denied, and when he saw her [constant] +refusal of herself to him, he feared lest she should tell the +folk of him. So, when he arose in the morning, he took a scroll +and wrote in it what he would of forgery and falsehood and going +up to the Sultan's palace, said, '[I have] an advisement [for the +king].' So he bade admit him and he delivered him the writ that +he had forged, saying, 'I found this letter with the woman, the +devotee, the ascetic, and indeed she is a spy, a secret informer +against the king to his enemy; and I deem the king's due more +incumbent on me than any other and his advisement the first +[duty], for that he uniteth in himself all the people, and but +for the king's presence, the subjects would perish; wherefore I +have brought [thee] warning.' The king put faith in his words and +sent with him those who should lay hands upon the woman and put +her to death; but they found her not. + +As for the woman, whenas the man went out from her, she resolved +to depart; so she went forth, saying in herself, 'There is no +journeying for me in woman's attire.' Then she donned men's +apparel, such as is worn of the pious, and set out and wandered +over the earth; nor did she leave going till she entered a +certain city. Now the king of that city had an only daughter in +whom he gloried and whom he loved, and she saw the devotee and +deeming her a pilgrim youth, said to her father, 'I would fain +have this youth take up his abode with me, so I may learn of him +wisdom and renunciation and religion.' Her father rejoiced in +this and commanded the [supposed] pilgrim to take up his sojourn +with his daughter in his palace. Now they were in one place and +the king's daughter was strenuous to the utterest in continence +and chastity and nobility of mind and magnanimity and devotion to +the worship of God; but the ignorant slandered her[FN#5] and the +folk of the realm said, 'The king's daughter loveth the pilgrim +youth and he loveth her.' + +Now the king was a very old man and destiny decreed the ending of +his term of life; so he died and when he was buried, the folk +assembled and many were the sayings of the people and of the +king's kinsfolk and officers, and they took counsel together to +slay the princess and the young pilgrim, saying, 'This fellow +dishonoureth us with yonder strumpet and none accepteth dishonour +but the base.' So they fell upon them and slew the princess, +without questioning her of aught; whereupon the pious woman (whom +they deemed a boy) said to them, 'Out on ye, O misbelievers I Ye +have slain the pious lady.' Quoth they, 'Lewd fellow that thou +art, dost thou bespeak us thus? Thou lovedst her and she loved +thee, and we will slay thee without mercy.' 'God forbid!' +answered she, 'Indeed, the affair is the contrary of this.' 'What +proof hast thou of that?' asked they, and she said, 'Bring me +women.' So they brought her women, and when they looked on her, +they found her a woman. + +When the townsfolk saw this, they repented of that which they had +done and the affair was grievous to them; so they sought pardon +[of God] and said to her, ' By the virtue of Him whom thou +servest, do thou seek pardon for us [of God!]' Quoth she, 'As for +me, I may no longer abide with you and I am about to depart from +you.' Then they humbled themselves in supplication to her and +wept and said to her, 'We conjure thee, by the virtue of God the +Most High, that thou take upon thyself the governance of the +kingdom and of the subjects.' But she refused; whereupon they +came up to her and wept and gave not over supplicating her, till +she consented and abode in the kingship. Her first commandment +was that they should bury the princess and build over her a +dome[FN#6] and she abode in that palace, worshipping God the Most +High and ruling the people with justice, and God (extolled be His +perfection and exalted be He!) vouchsafed her, by reason of the +excellence of her piety and her patience and continence, the +acceptance of her prayers, so that she sought not aught of Him to +whom belong might and majesty, but He granted her prayer; and her +report was noised abroad in all countries. + +So the folk resorted to her from all parts and she used to pray +God (to whom belong might and majesty) for the oppressed and God +granted him relief, and against his oppressor, and He broke him +in sunder. Moreover, she prayed for the sick and they were made +whole; and on this wise she abode a great space of time. As for +her husband, when he returned from the pilgrimage, his brother +and the neighbours acquainted him with his wife's affair, whereat +he was sore concerned and misdoubted of their story, for that +which he knew of her chastity and prayerfulness; and he wept for +her loss. + +Meanwhile, she prayed to God the Most High that He would +establish her innocence in the eyes of her husband and the folk. +So He sent down upon her husband's brother a sore disease and +none knew a remedy for him; wherefore he said to his brother, ' +In such a city is a pious woman, a recluse, and her prayers are +answered; so do thou carry me to her, that she may pray for me +and God (to whom belong might and majesty) may make me whole of +this sickness.' Accordingly, he took him up and fared on with +him, till they came to the village where dwelt the old man, who +had rescued the woman from the pit and carried her to his +dwelling and tended her there, [till she recovered]. + +Here they halted and took up their lodging with the old man, who +questioned the husband of his case and that of his brother and +the reason of their journey, and he said, 'I purpose to go with +my brother, this sick man, to the holy woman, her whose prayers +are answered, so she may pray for him and God may make him whole +by the blessing of her prayers.' Quoth the villager, 'By Allah, +my son is in a parlous plight for sickness and we have heard that +the holy woman prayeth for the sick and they are made whole. +Indeed, the folk counsel me to carry him to her, and behold, I +will go in company with you. And they said, 'It is well.' So they +passed the night in that intent and on the morrow they set out +for the dwelling of the holy woman, this one carrying his son and +that his brother. + +Now the man who had stolen the clothes and forged a lie against +the pious woman, pretending that he was her lover, sickened of a +sore sickness, and his people took him up and set out with him to +visit the holy woman, and Destiny brought them all together by +the way. So they fared on, till they came to the city wherein the +man dwelt for whom she had paid a thousand dirhems, to deliver +him from torment, and found him about to travel to her, by reason +of a sickness that had betided him. So they all fared on +together, unknowing that the holy woman was she whom they had so +foully wronged, and ceased not going till they came to her city +and foregathered at the gates of her palace, to wit, that wherein +was the tomb of the king's daughter. + +Now the folk used to go in to her and salute her and crave her +prayers; and it was her wont to pray for none till he had +confessed to her his sins, when she would seek pardon for him and +pray for him that he might be healed, and he was straightway made +whole of sickness, by permission of God the Most High. [So, when +the four sick men were brought in to her,] she knew them +forthright, though they knew her not, and said to them, ' Let +each of you confess his sins, so I may crave pardon for him and +pray for him.' And the brother said, 'As for me, I required my +brother's wife of herself and she refused; whereupon despite and +folly[FN#7] prompted me and I lied against her and accused her to +the townsfolk of adultery; so they stoned her and slew her +unjustly and unrighteously; and this is the issue of unright and +falsehood and of the slaying of the [innocent] soul, whose +slaughter God hath forbidden.' + +Then said the young man, the villager's son, 'And I, O holy +woman, my father brought us a woman who had been stoned, and my +people tended her till she recovered. Now she was surpassing of +beauty; so I required her of herself; but she refused and clave +fast to God (to whom belong might and majesty), wherefore +folly[FN#8] prompted me, so that I agreed with one of the youths +that he should steal clothes and coin from my father's house. +Then I laid hands on him [and carried him] to my father and made +him confess. So he avouched that the woman was his mistress from +the city and had been stoned on his account and that she was of +accord with him concerning the theft and had opened the doors to +him, and this was a lie against her, for that she had not yielded +to me in that which I sought of her. So there befell me what ye +see of punishment." And the young man, the thief, said, 'I am he +with whom thou agreedst concerning the theft and to whom thou +openedst the door, and I am he who avouched against her falsely +and calumniously and God (extolled be His perfection and exalted +be He!) knoweth that I never did evil with her, no, nor knew her +in any wise before then.' + +Then said he whom she had delivered from torture and for whom she +had paid a thousand dirhems and who had required her of herself +in his house, for that her beauty pleased him, and [when she +refused to yield to him] had forged a letter against her and +treacherously denounced her to the Sultan and requited her bounty +with ingratitude, 'I am he who wronged her and lied against her, +and this is the issue of the oppressor's affair.' + +When she heard their words, in the presence of the folk, she +said, 'Praise be to God, the King who availeth unto all things, +and blessing upon His prophets and apostles!' Then quoth she [to +the assembly], ' Bear witness, O ye who are present, to these +men's speech, and know that I am that woman whom they confess +that they wronged.' And she turned to her husband's brother and +said to him, 'I am thy brother's wife and God (extolled be His +perfection and exalted be He I) delivered me from that whereinto +thou castedst me of false accusation and suspect and from the +frowardness whereof thou hast spoken, and [now] hath He shown +forth my innocence, of His bounty and generosity. Go, for thou +art absolved of the wrong thou didst me.' Then she prayed for him +and he was made whole of his sickness. + +Then said she to the villager's son, 'Know that I am the woman +whom thy father delivered from harm and stress and whom there +betided from thee of false accusation and frowardness that which +thou hast named.' And she craved pardon for him and he was made +whole of his sickness. [Then said she to the thief, 'I am she +against whom thou liedst, avouching that I was thy mistress, who +had been stoned on thine account, and that I was of accord with +thee concerning the robbing of the villager's house and had +opened the doors to thee.' And she prayed for him and he was made +whole of his sickness.] Then said she to [the townsman], him of +the tribute, 'I am she who gave thee the [thousand] dirhems and +thou didst with me what thou didst.' And she craved pardon for +him and prayed for him and he was made whole; whereupon the folk +marvelled at her oppressors, who had been afflicted alike, so God +(extolled be His perfection and exalted be He!) might show forth +her innocence before witnesses. + +Then she turned to the old man who had delivered her from the pit +and prayed for him and gave him presents galore and among them a +myriad of money;[FN#9] and they all departed from her, except her +husband. When she was alone with him, she made him draw near unto +her and rejoiced in his coming and gave him the choice of abiding +with her. Moreover, she assembled the people of the city and set +out to them his virtue and worth and counselled them to invest +him with the charge of their governance and besought them to make +him king over them. They fell in with her of this and he became +king and took up his abode amongst them, whilst she gave herself +up to her religious exercises and abode with her husband on such +wise as she was with him aforetime.[FN#10] Nor," added the +vizier, "is this story, O king of the time, more extraordinary or +more delightful than that of the journeyman and the girl whose +belly he slit and fled." + +When King Shah Bekht heard this, he said, "Most like all they say +of the vizier is leasing and his innocence will appear, even as +that of the pious woman appeared." Then he comforted the vizier's +heart and bade him go to his house. + + The Nineteenth Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king bade fetch the vizier and +required of him the story of the journeyman and the girl. So he +said, "Hearkening and obedience. Know, O august king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE JOURNEYMAN AND THE GIRL. + + + +There was once, of old time, in one of the tribes of the Arabs, a +woman great with child by her husband, and they had a hired +servant, a man of excellent understanding. When the woman came to +[the time of her] delivery, she gave birth to a maid-child in the +night and they sought fire of the neighbours. So the journeyman +went in quest of fire. + +Now there was in the camp a wise woman,[FN#11] and she questioned +him of the new-born child, if it was male or female. Quoth he, +'It is a girl;' and she said, 'She shall do whoredom with a +hundred men and a journeyman shall marry her and a spider shall +slay her.' When the journeyman heard this, he returned upon his +steps and going in to the woman, took the child from her by wile +and slit its paunch. Then he fled forth into the desert at a +venture and abode in strangerhood what [while] God willed. + +He gained him wealth and returning to his native land, after +twenty years' absence, alighted in the neighbourhood of an old +woman, whom he bespoke fair and entreated with liberality, +requiring of her a wench whom he might lie withal. Quoth she, 'I +know none but a certain fair woman, who is renowned for this +fashion.'[FN#12] Then she described her charms to him and made +him lust after her, and he said, 'Hasten to her forthright and +lavish unto her that which she asketh, [in exchange for her +favours].' So the old woman betook herself to the damsel and +discovered to her the man's wishes and bade her to him; but she +answered, saying, 'It is true that I was on this [fashion of] +whoredom [aforetime]; but now I have repented to God the Most +High and hanker no more after this; nay, I desire lawful +marriage; so, if he be content with that which is lawful, I am at +his service.' + +The old woman returned to the man and told him what the damsel +said; and he lusted after her, by reason of her beauty and her +repentance; so he took her to wife, and when he went in to her, +he loved her and she also loved him. On this wise they abode a +great while, till one day he questioned her of the cause of a +mark[FN#13] he espied on her body, and she said, 'I know nought +thereof save that my mother told me a marvellous thing concerning +it.' 'What was that?' asked he, and she answered, 'She avouched +that she gave birth to me one night of the nights of the winter +and despatched a hired man, who was with us, in quest of fire for +her. He was absent a little while and presently returning, took +me and slit my belly and fled. When my mother saw this, +affliction overcame her and compassion possessed her; so she +sewed up my belly and tended me till, by the ordinance of God (to +whom belong might and majesty), the wound healed up." + +When her husband heard this, he said to her, 'What is thy name +and what are the names of thy father and mother?' She told him +their names and her own, whereby he knew that it was she whose +belly he had slit and said to her, 'And where are thy father and +mother?' 'They are both dead,' answered she, and he said, 'I am +that journeyman who slit thy belly.' Quoth she, 'Why didst thou +that?' And he replied, 'Because of a saying I heard from the wise +woman.' 'What was it?' asked his wife, and he said, 'She avouched +that thou wouldst play the harlot with a hundied men and that I +should after take thee to wife.' Quoth she, 'Ay, I have whored it +with a hundred men, no more and no less, and behold, thou hast +married me.' 'Moreover,' continued her husband, 'the wise woman +foresaid, also, that thou shouldst die, at the last of thy life, +of the bite of a spider. Indeed, her saying hath been verified of +the harlotry and the marriage, and I fear lest her word come true +no less in the matter of thy death.' + +Then they betook themselves to a place without the city, where he +builded him a mansion of solid stone and white plaster and +stopped its inner [walls] and stuccoed them; yea, he left not +therein cranny nor crevice and set in it two serving-women to +sweep and wipe, for fear of spiders. Here he abode with his wife +a great while, till one day he espied a spider on the ceiling and +beat it down. When his wife saw it, she said, 'This is that which +the wise woman avouched would kill me; so, by thy life [I conjure +thee], suffer me to slay it with mine own hand.' Her husband +forbade her from this, but she conjured him to let her kill the +spider; then, of her fear and her eagerness, she took a piece of +wood and smote it. The wood broke in sunder, of the force of the +blow, and a splinter from it entered her hand and wrought upon +it, so that it swelled. Then her arm swelled also and the +swelling spread to her side and thence grew till it reached her +heart and she died. Nor," added the vizier, "is this more +extraordinary or more wonderful than the story of the weaver who +became a physician by his wife's commandment." + +When the king heard this, his admiration redoubled and he said, +"Of a truth, destiny is forewritten to all creatures, and I will +not accept[FN#14] aught that is said against my vizier the loyal +counsellor." And he bade him go to his house. + + The Twentieth Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king let call his vizier and he +presented himself before him, whereupon he required of him the +hearing of the [promised] story. So he said, "Hearkening and +obedience. Know, O king. that + + + + + + STORY OF THE WEAVER WHO BECAME A + PHYSICIAN BY HIS WIFE'S COMMANDMENT. + + + +There was once, in the land of Fars,[FN#15] a man who took to +wife a woman higher than himself in rank and nobler of lineage, +but she had no guardian to preserve her from want. It misliked +her to marry one who was beneath her; nevertheless, she married +him, because of need, and took of him a bond in writing to the +effect that he would still be under her commandment and +forbiddance and would nowise gainsay her in word or deed. Now the +man was a weaver and he bound himself in writing to pay his wife +ten thousand dirhems, [in case he should make default in the +condition aforesaid]. + +On this wise they abode a long while till one day the wife went +out in quest of water, whereof she had need, and espied a +physician who had spread a carpet in the Thereon he had set out +great store of drugs and implements of medicine and he was +speaking and muttering [charms], whilst the folk flocked to him +and compassed him about on every side. The weaver's wife +marvelled at the largeness of the physician's fortune[FN#16] and +said in herself, 'Were my husband thus, he would have an easy +life of it and that wherein we are of straitness and misery would +be enlarged unto him.' + +Then she returned home, troubled and careful; and when her +husband saw her on this wise, he questioned her of her case and +she said to him, 'Verily, my breast is straitened by reason of +thee and of the simpleness of thine intent. Straitness liketh me +not and thou in thy [present] craft gaiuest nought; so either do +thou seek out a craft other than this or pay me my due[FN#17] and +let me go my way.' Her husband chid her for this and admonished +her;[FN#18] but she would not be turned from her intent and said +to him, 'Go forth and watch yonder physician how he doth and leam +from him what he saith.' Quoth he, 'Let not thy heart be +troubled: I will go every day to the physician's assembly.' + +So he fell to resorting daily to the physician and committing to +memory his sayings and that which he spoke of jargon, till he had +gotten a great matter by heart, and all this he studied throughly +and digested it. Then he returned to his wife and said to her, 'I +have committed the physician's sayings to memory and have learned +his fashion of muttering and prescribing and applying +remedies[FN#19] and have gotten by heart the names of the +remedies and of all the diseases, and there abideth nought +[unaccomplished] of thy commandment. What wilt thou have me do +now?' Quoth she, 'Leave weaving and open thyself a physician's +shop.' But he answered, 'The people of my city know me and this +affair will not profit me, save in a land of strangerhood; so +come, let us go out from this city and get us to a strange land +and [there] live.' And she said, 'Do as thou wilt.' + +So he arose and taking his weaving gear, sold it and bought with +the price drugs and simples and wrought himself a carpet, with +which they set out and journeyed to a certain village, where they +took up their abode. Then the man donned a physician's habit and +fell to going round about the hamlets and villages and country +parts; and he began to earn his living and make gain. Their +affairs prospered and their case was bettered; wherefore they +praised God for their present ease and the village became to them +a home. + +[On this wise he abode a pretty while] and the days ceased not +and the nights to transport him from country to country, till he +came to the land of the Greeks and lighted down in a city of the +cities thereof, wherein was Galen the Sage; but the weaver knew +him not, nor was he ware who he was. So he went forth, according +to his wont, in quest of a place where the folk might assemble +together, and hired Galen's courtyard.[FN#20] There he spread his +carpet and setting out thereon his drugs and instruments of +medicine, praised himself and his skill and vaunted himself of +understanding such as none but he might claim. + +Galen heard that which he avouched of his understanding and it +was certified unto him and established in his mind that the man +was a skilled physician of the physicians of the Persians and [he +said in himself], 'Except he had confidence in his knowledge and +were minded to confront me and contend with me, he had not sought +the door of my house neither spoken that which he hath spoken.' +And concern gat hold upon Galen and doubt. Then he looked out +upon[FN#21] the weaver and addressed himself to see what he +should do, whilst the folk began to flock to him and set out to +him their ailments, and he would answer them thereof [and +prescribe for them], hitting the mark one while and missing it +another, so that there appeared unto Galen of his fashion nothing +whereby his mind might be assured that he had formed a just +opinion of his skill. + +Presently, up came a woman with a phial of urine, and when the +[mock] physician saw the phial afar off, he said to her, 'This is +the urine of a man, a stranger.' 'Yes,' answered she; and he +continued, 'Is he not a Jew and is not his ailment indigestion?' +'Yes,' replied the woman, and the folk marvelled at this; +wherefore the man was magnified in Galen's eyes, for that he +heard speech such as was not of the usage of physicians, seeing +that they know not urine but by shaking it and looking into it +anear neither know they a man's water from a woman's water, nor a +stranger's [from a countryman's], nor a Jew's from a +Sherifs.[FN#22] Then said the woman, 'What is the remedy?' Quoth +the weaver, 'Pay down the fee.' So she paid him a dirhem and he +gave her medicines contrary to that ailment and such as would +aggravate the patient's malady. + +When Galen saw what appeared to him of the [mock] physician's +incapacity, he turned to his disciples and pupils and bade them +fetch the other, with all his gear and drugs. So they brought him +into his presence on the speediest wise, and when Galen saw him +before him, he said to him, 'Knowest thou me?' ' No,' answered +the other, 'nor did I ever set eyes on thee before this day.' +Quoth the sage, 'Dost thou know Galen?' And the weaver said, +'No.' Then said Galen, 'What prompted thee to that which thou +dost?' So he related to him his story and gave him to know of the +dowry and the obligation by which he was bound with regard to his +wife, whereat Galen marvelled and certified himself of the matter +of the dower. + +Then he bade lodge him near himself and was bountiful to him and +took him apart and said to him, 'Expound to me the story of the +phial and whence then knewest that the water therein was that of +a man, and he a stranger and a Jew, and that his ailment was +indigestion?' ' It is well,' answered the weaver. ' Thou must +know that we people of Persia are skilled in physiognomy[FN#23] +and I saw the woman to be rosy-cheeked, blue-eyed and tall. Now +these attributes belong to women who are enamoured of a man and +are distraught for love of him;[FN#24] moreover, I saw her +consumed [with anxiety]; wherefore I knew that the patient was +her husband. As for his strangerhood, I observed that the woman's +attire differed from that of the people of the city, wherefore I +knew that she was a stranger; and in the mouth of the phial I +espied a yellow rag,[FN#25] whereby I knew that the patient was a +Jew and she a Jewess. Moreover, she came to me on the first day +[of the week];[FN#26] and it is the Jews' custom to take +pottages[FN#27] and meats that have been dressed overnight[FN#28] +and eat them on the Sabbath day,[FN#29] hot and cold, and they +exceed in eating; wherefore indigestion betideth them. On this +wise I was directed and guessed that which thou hast heard.' + +When Galen heard this, he ordered the weaver the amount of his +wife's dowry and bade him pay it to her and divorce her. +Moreover, he forbade him from returning to the practice of physic +and warned him never again to take to wife a woman of better +condition than himself; and he gave him his spending-money and +bade him return to his [former] craft. Nor," added the vizier, +"is this more extraordinary or rarer than the story of the two +sharpers who cozened each his fellow." + +When King Shah Bekht heard this, he said in himself, "How like is +this story to my present case with this vizier, who hath not his +like!" Then he bade him depart to his own house and come again at +eventide. + + The Twenty-First Night of the Month. + +When came the night, the vizier presented himself before the +king, who bade him relate the [promised] story. So he said, +"Hearkening and obedience. Know, Out + + + + + + STORY OF THE TWO SHARPERS WHO CHEATED + EACH HIS FELLOW. + + + +There was once, in the city of Baghdad, a man, [by name El +Merouzi,][FN#30] who was a sharper and plagued[FN#31] the folk +with his knavish tricks, and he was renowned in all quarters [for +roguery]. [He went out one day], carrying a load of sheep's dung, +and took an oath that he would not return to his lodging till he +had sold it at the price of raisins. Now there was in another +city a second sharper, [by name Er Razi,][FN#32] one of its +people, who [went out the same day], bearing a load of goat's +dung, which he had sworn that he would not sell but at the price +of dried figs. + +So each of them fared on with that which was with him and gave +not over going till they met in one of the inns[FN#33] and each +complained to the other of that which he had abidden of travel +[in quest of custom] and of the lack of demand for his wares. Now +each of them had it in mind to cheat his fellow; so El Merouzi +said to Er Razi, 'Wilt thou sell me that?' 'Yes,' answered he, +and the other continued, 'And wilt thou buy that which is with +me?' Er Razi assented; so they agreed upon this and each of them +sold his fellow that which was with him [in exchange for the +other's ware]; after which they bade each other farewell and +parted. As soon as they were out of each other's sight, they +examined their loads, to see what was therein, and one of them +found that he had a load of sheep's dung and the other that he +had a load of goat's dung; whereupon each of them turned back in +quest of his fellow. They met in the inn aforesaid and laughed at +each other and cancelling their bargain, agreed to enter into +partnership and that all that they had of money and other good +should be in common between them, share and share alike. + +Then said Er Razi to El Merouzi, 'Come with me to my city, for +that it is nearer [than thine].' So he went with him, and when he +came to his lodging, he said to his wife and household and +neighbours, 'This is my brother, who hath been absent in the land +of Khorassan and is come back.' And he abode with him in all +honour and worship three days' space. On the fourth day, Er Razi +said to him, 'Know, O my brother, that I purpose to do somewhat' +'What is it?' asked El Merouzi. Quoth the other, 'I mean to feign +myself dead and do thou go to the market and hire two porters and +a bier. [Then come back and take me up and go round about the +streets and markets with me and collect alms on my +account.][FN#34] + +Accordingly El Merouzi repaired to the market and fetching that +which he sought, returned to Er Razi's house, where he found the +latter cast down in the vestibule, with his beard tied and his +eyes shut; and indeed, his colour was paled and his belly blown +out and his limbs relaxed. So he deemed him in truth dead and +shook him; but he spoke not; and he took a knife and pricked him +in the legs, but he stirred not. Then said Er Razi, 'What is +this, O fool?' And El Merouzi answered, 'Methought thou wast dead +in very sooth.' Quoth Er Razi, 'Get thee to seriousness and leave +jesting.' So he took him up and went with him to the market and +collected [alms] for him that day till eventide, when he carried +him back to his lodging and waited till the morrow. + +Next morning, he again took up the bier and went round with it as +before, in quest of alms. Presently, the master of police, who +was of those who had given alms on account of the supposed dead +man on the previous day, met him; so he was angered and fell on +the porters and beat them and took the [supposed] dead body, +saying, 'I will bury him and earn the reward [of God].'[FN#35] So +his men took him up and carrying him to the prefecture, fetched +grave-diggers, who dug him a grave. Then they bought him a shroud +and perfumes[FN#36] and fetched an old man of the quarter, to +wash him. So he recited over him [the appointed prayers and +portions of the Koran] and laying him on the bench, washed him +and shrouded him. After he had shrouded him, he voided;[FN#37] so +he renewed the washing and went away to make his +ablutions,[FN#38] whilst all the folk departed, likewise, to make +the [obligatory] ablution, previously to the funeral. + +When the dead man found himself alone, he sprang up, as he were a +Satan, and donning the washer's clothes,[FN#39] took the bowls +and water-can and wrapped them up in the napkins. Then be took +his shroud under his arm and went out. The doorkeepers thought +that he was the washer and said to him, 'Hast thou made an end of +the washing, so we may tell the Amir?' 'Yes,' answered the +sharper and made off to his lodging, where he found El Merouzi +soliciting his wife and saying to her, 'Nay, by thy life, thou +wilt never again look upon his face; for that by this time he is +buried. I myself escaped not from them but after travail and +trouble, and if he speak, they will put him to death.' Quoth she, +'And what wilt thou have of me?' 'Accomplish my desire of thee,' +answered he, 'and heal my disorder, for I am better than thy +husband.' And he fell a-toying with her. + +When Er Razi heard this, he said, 'Yonder wittol lusteth after my +wife; but I will do him a mischief.' Then he rushed in upon them, +and when El Merouzi saw him, he marvelled at him and said to him, +'How didst thou make thine escape?' So he told him the trick he +had played and they abode talking of that which they had +collected from the folk [by way of alms], and indeed they had +gotten great store of money. Then said El Merouzi, 'Verily, mine +absence hath been prolonged and fain would I return to my own +country.' Quoth Er Rasi,' As thou wilt;' and the other said, 'Let +us divide the money we have gotten and do thou go with me to my +country, so I may show thee my tricks and my fashions.' 'Come +to-morrow,' replied Er Razi, 'and we will divide the money.' + +So El Merouzi went away and the other turned to his wife and said +to her, 'We have gotten us great plenty of money, and yonder dog +would fain take the half of it; but this shall never be, for that +my mind hath been changed against him, since I heard him solicit +thee; wherefore I purpose to play him a trick and enjoy all the +money; and do not thou cross me.' ' It is well,' answered she, +and he said to her, '[To-morrow] at day-peep I will feign myself +dead and do thou cry out and tear thy hair, whereupon the folk +will flock to me. Then lay me out and bury me, and when the folk +are gone away [from the burial-place], do thou dig down to me and +take me; and have no fear for me, for I can abide two days in the +tomb [without hurt].' And she answered, 'Do what thou wilt.' + +So, when it was the foredawn hour, she tied his beard and +spreading a veil over him, cried out, whereupon the people of the +quarter flocked to her, men and women. Presently, up came El +Merouzi, for the division of the money, and hearing the crying +[of the mourners], said, 'What is to do?" Quoth they, 'Thy +brother is dead;' and he said in himself, 'The accursed fellow +putteth a cheat on me, so he may get all the money for himself, +but I will do with him what shall soon bring him to life again.' +Then he rent the bosom of his gown and uncovered his head, +weeping and saying, 'Alas, my brother! Alas, my chief! Alas, my +lord!' And he went in to the men, who rose and condoled with him. +Then he accosted Er Razi's wife and said to her, 'How came his +death about?' 'I know not,' answered she, 'except that, when I +arose in the morning, I found him dead.' Moreover, he questioned +her of the money and good that was with her, but she said, 'I +have no knowledge of this and no tidings.' + +So he sat down at the sharper's head, and said to him, 'Know, O +Razi, that I will not leave thee till after ten days and their +nights, wherein I will wake and sleep by thy grave. So arise and +be not a fool.' But he answered him not and El Merouzi [drew his +knife and] fell to sticking it into the other's hands and feet, +thinking to make him move; but [he stirred not and] he presently +grew weary of this and concluded that the sharper was dead in +good earnest. [However, he still misdoubted of the case] and said +in himself, 'This fellow is dissembling, so he may enjoy all the +money.' Therewith he addressed himself to prepare him [for +burial] and bought him perfumes and what [not else] was needed. +Then they brought him to the washing-place and El Merouzi came to +him and heating water till it boiled and bubbled and a third of +it was wasted,[FN#40] fell to pouring it on his skin, so that it +turned red and blue and blistered; but he abode still on one case +[and stirred not]. + +So they wrapped him in the shroud and set him on the bier. Then +they took up his bier and bearing him to the burial-place, laid +him in the grave[FN#41] and threw the earth over him; after which +the folk dispersed, but El Merouzi and the widow abode by the +tomb, weeping, and gave not over sitting till sundown, when the +woman said to him, 'Come, let us go to the house, for this +weeping will not profit us, nor will it restore the dead.' 'By +Allah,' answered the sharper, 'I will not budge hence till I have +slept and waked by this tomb ten days, with their nights!' When +she heard this his speech, she feared lest he should keep his +word and his oath, and so her husband perish; but she said in +herself, 'This fellow dissembleth: if I go away and return to my +house, he will abide by him a little while and go away.' And El +Merouzi said to her, 'Arise, thou, and go away.' + +So she arose and returned to her house, whilst El Merouzi abode +in his place till the night was half spent, when he said to +himself, 'How long [is this to last]? Yet how can I let this +knavish dog die and lose the money? Methinks I were better open +the tomb on him and bring him forth and take my due of him by +dint of grievous beating and torment.' Accordingly, he dug him up +and pulled him forth of the tomb; after which he betook himself +to an orchard hard by the burial-ground and cut thence staves and +palm sticks. Then he tied the dead man's legs and came down on +him with the staff and beat him grievously; but he stirred not. +When the time grew long on him, his shoulders became weary and he +feared lest some one of the watch should pass on his round and +surprise him. So he took up Er Razi and carrying him forth of the +cemetery, stayed not till he came to the Magians' burying-place +and casting him down in a sepulchre[FN#42] there, rained heavy +blows upon him till his shoulders failed him, but the other +stirred not Then he sat down by his side and rested; after which +he rose and renewed the beating upon him, [but to no better +effect; and thus he did] till the end of the night + +Now, as destiny would have it, a band of thieves, whose use it +was, whenas they had stolen aught, to resort to that place and +divide [their booty], came thither [that night], as of their +wont; and they were ten in number and had with them wealth +galore, which they were carrying. When they drew near the +sepulchre, they heard a noise of blows within it and the captain +said, 'This is a Magian whom the angels[FN#43] are tormenting.' +So they entered [the burial-ground] and when they came over +against El Merouzi, he feared lest they should be the officers of +the watch come upon him, wherefore he [arose and] fled and stood +among the tombs.[FN#44] The thieves came up to the place and +finding Er Razi bound by the feet and by him near seventy sticks, +marvelled at this with an exceeding wonderment and said, 'God +confound thee! This was sure an infidel, a man of many crimes; +for, behold, the earth hath rejected him from her womb, and by my +life, he is yet fresh! This is his first night [in the tomb] and +the angels were tormenting him but now; so whosoever of you hath +a sin upon his conscience, let him beat him, as a propitiatory +offering to God the Most High.' And the thieves said, 'We all +have sins upon our consciences.' + +So each of them went up to the [supposed] dead man and dealt him +nigh upon a hundred blows, exclaiming the while, one, 'This is +for[FN#45] my father!' and another, 'This is for my grandfather!' +whilst a third said, 'This is for my brother!' and a fourth, +'This is for my mother!' And they gave not over taking turns at +him and beating him, till they were weary, what while El Merouzi +stood laughing and saying in himself, 'It is not I alone who have +entered into sin against him. There is no power and no virtue +save in God the Most High, the Supreme!' + +Then the thieves addressed themselves to sharing their booty and +presently fell out concerning a sword that was among the spoil, +who should take it. Quoth the captain, 'Methinks we were better +prove it; so, if it be good, we shall know its worth, and if it +be ill, we shall know that.' And they said, 'Try it on this dead +man, for he is fresh.' So the captain took the sword and drawing +it, poised it and brandished it; but, when Er Razi saw this, he +made sure of death and said in himself, 'I have borne the washing +and the boiling water and the pricking with the knife and the +grave and its straitness and all this [beating], trusting in God +that I might be delivered from death, and [hitherto] I have been +delivered; but, as for the sword, I may not brook that, for but +one stroke of it, and I am a dead man.' + +So saying, he sprang to his feet and catching up the thigh-bone +of one of the dead, cried out at the top of his voice, saying, 'O +ye dead, take them!' And he smote one of them, whilst his comrade +[El Merouzi] smote another and they cried out at them and +buffeted them on the napes of their necks; whereupon the thieves +left that which was with them of plunder and fled; and indeed +their wits forsook them [for terror] and they stayed not in their +flight till they came forth of the Magians' burial-ground and +left it a parasang's length behind them, when they halted, +trembling and affrighted for the soreness of that which had +betided them of fear and amazement at the dead. + +As for Er Razi and El Merouzi, they made peace with each other +and sat down to share the booty. Quoth El Merouzi, 'I will not +give thee a dirhem of this money, till thou pay me my due of the +money that is in thy house.' And Er Razi said 'I will not do it, +nor will I subtract this from aught of my due.' So they fell out +upon this and disputed with one another and each went saying to +his fellow, 'I will not give thee a dirhem!' And words ran high +between them and contention was prolonged. + +Meanwhile, when the thieves halted, one of them said to the +others, 'Let us return and see;' and the captain said, 'This +thing is impossible of the dead: never heard we that they came to +life on this wise. So let us return and take our good, for that +the dead have no occasion for good.' And they were divided in +opinion as to returning: but [presently they came to a decision +and] said, 'Indeed, our arms are gone and we cannot avail against +them and will not draw near the place where they are: only let +one of us [go thither and] look at it, and if he hear no sound of +them, let him advertise us what we shall do.' So they agreed that +they should send a man of them and assigned him [for this +service] two parts [of the booty]. + +Accordingly, he returned to the burial-ground and gave not over +going till he stood at the door of the sepulchre, when he heard +El Merouzi say to his fellow, 'I will not give thee a single +dirhem of the money!' The other said the like and they were +occupied with contention and mutual revilement and talk. So the +thief returned in haste to his fellows, who said, 'What is behind +thee?' Quoth he, 'Get you gone and flee for your lives and save +yourselves, O fools; for that much people of the dead are come to +life and between them are words and contention.' So the thieves +fled, whilst the two sharpers retained to Er Razi's house and +made peace with one another and laid the thieves' purchase to the +money they had gotten aforetime and lived a while of time. Nor, O +king of the age," added the vizier, "is this rarer or more +marvellous than the story of the four sharpers with the +money-changer and the ass." + +When the king heard this story, he smiled and it pleased him and +he bade the vizier go away to his own house. + + The Twenty-Second Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king summoned the vizier and +required of him the hearing of the [promised] story. So he said, +"Hearkening and obedience. Know, O king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE SHARPERS WITH THE + MONEY-CHANGER AND THE ASS. + + + +Four sharpers once plotted against a money-changer, a man of +abounding wealth, and agreed upon a device for the taking of +somewhat of his money. So one of them took an ass and laying on +it a bag, wherein was money, lighted down at the money-changer's +shop and sought of him change for the money. The money- changer +brought out to him the change and bartered it with him, whilst +the sharper was easy with him in the matter of the exchange, so +he might give him confidence in himself. [As they were thus +engaged,] up came the [other three] sharpers and surrounded the +ass; and one of them said, '[It is] he,' and another said, 'Wait +till I look at him.' Then he fell to looking on the ass and +stroking him from his mane to his crupper; whilst the third went +up to him and handled him and felt him from head to tail, saying, +' Yes, [it is] in him.' Quoth another, ['Nay,] it is not in him.' +And they gave not over doing the like of this. + +Then they accosted the owner of the ass and chaffered with him +and he said, 'I will not sell him but for ten thousand dirhems.' +They offered him a thousand dirhems; but he refused and swore +that he would not sell the ass but for that which he had said. +They ceased not to add to their bidding, till the price reached +five thousand dirhems, whilst their fellow still said, 'I will +not sell him but for ten thousand dirhems.' The money-changer +counselled him to sell, but he would not do this and said to him, +'Harkye, gaffer! Thou hast no knowledge of this ass's case. +Concern thyself with silver and gold and what pertaineth thereto +of change and exchange; for indeed the virtue of this ass passeth +thy comprehension. To every craft its craftsman and to every +means of livelihood its folk.' + +When the affair was prolonged upon the three sharpers, they went +away and sat down a little apart; then they came up to the +money-changer privily and said to him, 'If thou canst buy him for +us, do so, and we will give thee a score of dirhems.' Quoth he, +'Go away and sit down afar from him.' So they did his bidding and +the money-changer went up to the owner of the ass and gave not +over tempting him with money and cajoling him and saying, 'Leave +yonder fellows and sell me the ass, and I will reckon him a gift +from thee,' till he consented to sell him the ass for five +thousand and five hundred dirhems. Accordingly the money-changer +counted down to him five thousand and five hundred dirhems of his +own money, and the owner of the ass took the price and delivered +the ass to him, saying, 'Whatsoever betideth, though he abide a +deposit about thy neck,[FN#46] sell him not to yonder rogues for +less than ten thousand dirhems, for that they would fain buy him +because of a hidden treasure whereof they know, and nought can +guide them thereto but this ass. So close thy hand on him and +gainsay me not, or thou wilt repent.' + +So saying, he left him and went away, whereupon up came the three +other sharpers, the comrades of him of the ass, and said to the +money-changer, 'God requite thee for us with good, for that thou +hast bought him! How can we requite thee!' Quoth he, 'I will not +sell him but for ten thousand dirhems.' When they heard this, +they returned to the ass and fell again to examining him and +handling him. Then said they to the money-changer, 'We were +mistaken in him. This is not the ass we sought and he is not +worth more than half a score paras to us.' Then they left him and +offered to go away, whereat the money-changer was sore chagrined +and cried out at their speech, saying, 'O folk, ye besought me to +buy him for you and now I have bought him, ye say, "We were +deceived [in him], and he is not worth more than ten paras to +us."' Quoth they, 'We supposed that in him was that which we +desired; but, behold, in him is the contrary of that which we +want; and indeed he hath a default, for that he is short of +back.' And they scoffed at him and went away from him and +dispersed. + +The money-changer thought they did but finesse with him, that +they might get the ass at their own price; but, when they went +away from him and he had long in vain awaited their return, he +cried out, saying, 'Woe!' and 'Ruin!' and 'Alack, my sorry +chance!' and shrieked aloud and tore his clothes. So the people +of the market assembled to him and questioned him of his case; +whereupon he acquainted them with his plight and told them what +the sharpers had said and how they had beguiled him and how it +was they who had cajoled him into buying an ass worth half a +hundred dirhems[FN#47] for five thousand and five hundred.[FN#48] +His friends blamed him and a company of the folk laughed at him +and marvelled at his folly and his credulity in accepting the +sharpers' talk, without suspicion, and meddling with that which +he understood not and thrusting himself into that whereof he was +not assured. + +On this wise, O King Shah Bekht," continued the vizier, "is the +issue of eagerness for [the goods of] the world and covetise of +that which our knowledge embraceth not; indeed, [whoso doth thus] +shall perish and repent Nor, O king of the age, (added he) is +this story more extraordinary than that of the sharper and the +merchants." + +When the king heard this story, he said in himself, "Verily, had +I given ear to the sayings of my courtiers and inclined to the +idle prate [of those who counselled me] in the matter of [the +slaying of] my vizier, I had repented to the utterest of +repentance, but praised be God, who hath disposed me to +mansuetude and long-suffering and hath endowed me with patience!" +Then he turned to the vizier and bade him return to his dwelling +and [dismissed] those who were present, as of wont. + + The Twenty-Third Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king sent after the vizier and when +he presented himself before him, he required of him the hearing +of the [promised] story. So he said, "Hearkening and obedience. +Know, O illustrious lord, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE SHARPER AND THE MERCHANTS. + + + +There was once aforetime a certain sharper, who [was so eloquent +that he] would turn the ear inside out, and he was a man of +understanding and quick wit and skill and perfection. It was his +wont to enter a town and [give himself out as a merchant and] +make a show of trafficking and insinuate himself into the +intimacy of people of worth and consort with the merchants, for +he was [apparently] distinguished for virtue and piety. Then he +would put a cheat on them and take [of them] what he might spend +and go away to another city; and he ceased not to do thus a great +while. + +It befell one day that he entered a certain city and sold +somewhat that was with him of merchandise and got him friends of +the merchants of the place and fell to sitting with them and +entertaining them and inviting them to his lodging and his +assembly, whilst they also invited him to their houses. On this +wise he abode a long while, till he was minded to leave the city; +and this was bruited abroad among his friends, who were concerned +for parting from him. Then he betook himself to him of them, who +was the richest of them in substance and the most apparent of +them in generosity, and sat with him and borrowed his goods; and +when he was about to take leave, he desired him to give him the +deposit that he had left with him. 'And what is the deposit?' +asked the merchant. Quoth the sharper, 'It is such a purse, with +the thousand dinars therein.' And the merchant said, 'When didst +thou give it me?' 'Extolled be the perfection of God!' replied +the sharper. 'Was it not on such a day, by such a token, and thus +and thus?' 'I know not of this,' rejoined the merchant, and words +were bandied about between them, whilst the folk [who were +present also] disputed together concerning their affair and their +speech, till their voices rose high and the neighbours had +knowledge of that which passed between them. + +Then said the sharper, 'O folk, this is my friend and I deposited +with him a deposit, but he denieth it; so in whom shall the folk +put trust after this?' And they said, 'This [FN#49] is a man of +worth and we have found in him nought but trustiness and loyality +and good breeding, and he is endowed with understanding and +generosity. Indeed, he avoucheth no falsehood, for that we have +consorted with him and mixed with him and he with us and we know +the sincerity of his religion.' Then quoth one of them to the +merchant, 'Harkye, such an one! Bethink thee and consult thy +memory. It may not be but that thou hast forgotten.' But he said, +'O folk, I know nothing of that which he saith, for indeed he +deposited nought with me.' And the affair was prolonged between +them. Then said the sharper to the merchant, 'I am about to make +a journey and have, praised be God the Most High, wealth galore, +and this money shall not escape me; but do thou swear to me.' And +the folk said, 'Indeed, this man doth justice upon +himself.'[FN#50] Whereupon the merchant fell into that which he +misliked[FN#51] and came near upon [suffering] loss and ill +repute. + +Now he had a friend, who pretended to quickwittedness and +understanding; so he came up to him privily and said to him, 'Let +me do, so I may put the change on this trickster, for I know him +to be a liar and thou art near upon having to pay the money; but +I will turn suspicion from thee and say to him, "The deposit is +with me and thou erredst in imagining that it was with other than +myself," and so divert him from thee.' 'Do so,' replied the +merchant, 'and rid the folk of their [false] debts.' + +So the friend turned to the sharper and said to him, 'O my lord, +O such an one, thou goest under a delusion. The purse is with me, +for it was with me that thou depositedst it, and this elder is +innocent of it.' But the sharper answered him with impatience and +impetuosity, saying, 'Extolled be the perfection of God! As for +the purse that is with thee, O noble and trusty man, I know that +it is in the warrant of God and my heart is at ease concerning +it, for that it is with thee as it were with me; but I began by +demanding that which I deposited with this man, of my knowledge +that he coveteth the folk's good.' At this the friend was +confounded and put to silence and returned not an answer; [and +the] only [result of his interference was that] each of them +[FN#52] paid a thousand dinars. + +So the sharper took the two thousand dinars and made off; and +when he was gone, the merchant said to his friend, the +[self-styled] man of wit and intelligence, 'Harkye, such an one! +Thou and I are like unto the hawk and the locust.' 'What was +their case?' asked the other; and the merchant said, + + + + + + STORY OF THE HAWK AND THE LOCUST. + + + +'There was once, of old time, a hawk who made himself a nest hard +by that of a locust, and the latter gloried in his neighbourhood +and betaking herself to him, saluted him and said, "O my lord and +chief of the birds, indeed the nearness unto thee delighteth me +and thou honourest me with thy neighbourhood and my soul is +fortified with thee." The hawk thanked her for this and there +ensued friendship between them. One day, the locust said to the +hawk, "O chief of the birds, how cometh it that I see thee alone, +solitary, having with thee no friend of thy kind of the birds, to +whom thou mayst incline in time of easance and of whom thou mayst +seek succour in time of stress? Indeed, it is said, 'Man goeth +about seeking the ease of his body and the preservation of his +strength, and in this there is nought more necessary to him than +a friend who shall be the completion of his gladness and the +mainstay of his life and on whom shall be his dependence in his +stress and in his ease.' Now I, albeit I ardently desire thy weal +in that which beseemeth thy condition, yet am I weak [and unable] +unto that which the soul craveth; but, if thou wilt give me +leave, I will seek out for thee one of the birds who shall be +conformable unto thee in thy body and thy strength." And the hawk +said, "I commit this to thee and rely upon thee therein." + +Therewithal, O my brother, the locust fell to going round about +among the company of the birds, but saw nought resembling the +hawk in bulk and body save the kite and deemed well of her. So +she brought the hawk and the kite together and counselled the +former to make friends with the latter. Now it chanced that the +hawk fell sick and the kite abode with him a long while [and +tended him] till he recovered and became whole and strong; +wherefore he thanked her [and she departed from him]. But after +awhile the hawk's sickness returned to him and he needed the +kite's succour. So the locust went out from him and was absent +from him a day, after which she returned to him with a[nother] +locust, [FN#53] saying, "I have brought thee this one." When the +hawk saw her, he said, "God requite thee with good! Indeed, thou +hast done well in the quest and hast been subtle in the choice." + +All this, O my brother,' continued the merchant, 'befell because +the locust had no knowledge of the secret essence that lieth hid +in apparent bodies. As for thee, O my brother, (may God requite +thee with good!) thou wast subtle in device and usedst +precaution; but precaution sufficeth not against fate, and +fortune fore-ordained baffleth contrivance. How excellent is the +saying of the poet! And he recited the following verses: + +It chances whiles that the blind man escapes a pit, Whilst he who + is clear of sight falls into it. +The ignorant man may speak with impunity A word that is death to + the wise and the ripe of wit. +The true believer is pinched for his daily bread, Whilst infidel + rogues enjoy all benefit. +Where is a man's resource and what can he do? It is the + Almighty's will; we most submit. + +Nor," added the vizier, "is this, O king of the age, more +extraordinary or stranger than the story of the king and his +chamberlain's wife; nay, the latter is rarer than this and more +delightsome." + +When the king heard this story, he was fortified in his resolve +to spare the vizier and to leave haste in an affair whereof he +was not assured; so he comforted him and bade him withdraw to his +lodging. + + The Twenty-Fourth Night of the Month. + +When it was night, the king summoned the vizier and sought of him +the hearing of the [promised] story. "Hearkening and obedience," +replied Er Rehwan, "Know, O august king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE KING AND HIS CHAMBERLAIN'S + WIFE. + + + +There was once, of old days and in bygone ages and times, a king +of the kings of the Persians, who was passionately addicted to +the love of women. His courtiers bespoke him of the wife of a +chamberlain of his chamberlains, for that she was endowed with +beauty and loveliness and perfection, and this prompted him to go +in to her. When she saw him, she knew him and said to him, 'What +prompteth the king unto this that he doth?' And he answered, +saying, 'Verily, I yearn after thee with an exceeding yearning +and needs must I enjoy thy favours.' And he gave her of wealth +that after the like whereof women hanker; but she said, 'I cannot +do that whereof the king speaketh, for fear of my husband.' And +she refused herself to him with the most rigorous of refusals and +would not do his desire. So the king went out, full of wrath, and +forgot his girdle in the place. + +Presently, her husband entered and saw the girdle and knew it. +Now he was ware of the king's love for women; so he said to his +wife, ' What is this that I see with thee?' Quoth she, 'I will +tell thee the truth,' and recounted to him the story; but he +believed her not and doubt entered into his heart. As for the +king, he passed that night in chagrin and concern, and when it +morrowed, he summoned the chamberlain and investing him with the +governance of one of his provinces, bade him betake himself +thither, purposing, after he should have departed and come to his +destination, to foregather with his wife. The chamberlain +perceived [his intent] and knew his design; so he answered, +saying, 'Hearkening and obedience. I will go and set my affairs +in order and give such charges as may be necessary for the +welfare of my estate; then will I go about the king's occasion.' +And the king said, 'Do this and hasten.' + +So the chamberlain went about that which he needed and assembling +his wife's kinsfolk, said to them, 'I am resolved to put away my +wife.' They took this ill of him and complained of him and +summoning him before the king, sat pleading with him. Now the +king had no knowledge of that which had passed; so he said to the +chamberlain, 'Why wilt thou put her away and how can thy soul +consent unto this and why takest thou unto thyself a goodly piece +of land and after forsakest it? 'May God amend the king!' +answered the husband. 'By Allah, O king, I saw therein the track +of the lion and fear to enter the land, lest the lion devour me; +and indeed the like of my affair with her is that which befell +between the old woman and the draper's wife.' 'What is their +story?' asked the king; and the chamberlain said, 'Know, O king, +that + + + + + + STORY OF THE OLD WOMAN AND THE DRAPER'S + WIFE. + + + +There was once a man of the drapers, who had a fair wife, and she +was curtained [FN#54] and chaste. A certain young man saw her +coming forth of the bath and loved her and his heart was occupied +with her. So he cast about [to get access to her] with all manner +of devices, but availed not to win to her; and when he was weary +of endeavour and his patience was exhausted for weariness and his +fortitude failed him and he was at an end of his resources +against her, he complained of this to an old woman of ill-omen, +[FN#55] who promised him to bring about union between him and +her. He thanked her for this and promised her all manner of good; +and she said to him, "Get thee to her husband and buy of him a +turban-cloth of fine linen, and let it be of the goodliest of +stuffs." + +So he repaired to the draper and buying of him a turban-cloth of +lawn, returned with it to the old woman, who took it and burned +it in two places. Then she donned devotees' apparel and taking +the turban-cloth with her, went to the draper's house and knocked +at the door. When the draper's wife saw her, she opened to her +and received her kindly and made much of her and welcomed her. So +the old woman went in to her and conversed with her awhile. Then +said she to her, "[I desire to make] the ablution [preparatory] +to prayer." So the wife brought her water and she made the +ablution and standing up to pray, prayed and did her occasion. +When she had made an end of her prayers, she left the +turban-cloth in the place of prayer and went away. + +Presently, in came the draper, at the hour of evening prayer, and +sitting down in the place where the old woman had prayed, looked +about him and espied the turban. He knew it [for that which he +had that day sold to the young man] and misdoubted of the case, +wherefore anger appeared in his face and he was wroth with his +wife and reviled her and abode his day and his night, without +speaking to her, what while she knew not the cause of his anger. +Then she looked and seeing the turban-cloth before him and noting +the traces of burning thereon, understood that his anger was on +account of this and concluded that he was wroth because it was +burnt. + +When the morning morrowed, the draper went out, still angered +against his wife, and the old woman returned to her and found her +changed of colour, pale of face, dejected and heart-broken. [So +she questioned her of the cause of her dejection and she told her +how her husband was angered against her (as she supposed) on +account of the burns in the turban-cloth.] "O my daughter," +rejoined the old woman, "be not concerned; for I have a son, a +fine-drawer, and he, by thy life, shall fine-draw [the holes] and +restore the turban-cloth as it was. "The wife rejoiced in her +saying and said to her, "And when shall this be?" "To-morrow, if +it please God the Most High," answered the old woman, "I will +bring him to thee, at the time of thy husband's going forth from +thee, and he shall mend it and depart forth-right." Then she +comforted her heart and going forth from her, returned to the +young man and told him what had passed. + +Now, when the draper saw the turban-cloth, he resolved to put +away his wife and waited but till he should get together that +which was obligatory on him of the dowry and what not +else,[FN#56] for fear of her people. When the old woman arose in +the morning, she took the young man and carried him to the +draper's house. The wife opened the door to her and the +ill-omened old woman entered with him and said to the lady, "Go, +fetch that which thou wouldst have fine-drawn and give it to my +son." So saying, she locked the door on her, whereupon the young +man forced her and did his occasion of her and went forth. Then +said the old woman to her, "Know that this is my son and that he +loved thee with an exceeding love and was like to lose his life +for longing after thee. So I practised on thee with this device +and came to thee with this turban-cloth, which is not thy +husband's, but my son's. Now have I accomplished my desire; so do +thou trust in me and I will put a trick on thy husband for the +setting thee right with him, and thou wilt be obedient to me and +to him and to my son."[FN#57] And the wife answered, saying, "It +is well. Do so." + +So the old woman returned to the lover and said to him, "I have +skilfully contrived the affair for thee with her; [and now it +behoveth us to amend that we have marred]. So go now and sit with +the draper and bespeak him of the turban-cloth, [saying, 'The +turban-cloth I bought of thee I chanced to burn in two places; so +I gave it to a certain old woman, to get mended, and she took it +and went away, and I know not her dwelling-place.'] When thou +seest me pass by, rise and lay hold of me [and demand of me the +turban-cloth], to the intent that I may amend her case with her +husband and that thou mayst be even with her." So he repaired to +the draper's shop and sat down by him and said to him, "Thou +knowest the turban-cloth I bought of thee?" "Yes," answered the +draper, and the other said, "Knowest thou what is come of it?" +"No," replied the husband, and the youth said, "After I bought it +of thee, I fumigated myself[FN#58] and it befell that the +turban-cloth was burnt in two places. So I gave it to a woman, +whose son, they said, was a fine-drawer, and she took it and went +away with it; and I know not her abiding-place." When the draper +heard this, he misdoubted him [of having wrongly suspected his +wife] and marvelled at the story of the turban-cloth, and his +mind was set at ease concerning her. + +Presently, up came the old woman, whereupon the young man sprang +to his feet and laying hold of her, demanded of her the +turban-cloth. Quoth she, "Know that I entered one of the houses +and made the ablution and prayed in the place of prayer; and I +forgot the turban-cloth there and went out. Now I know not the +house in which I prayed, nor have I been directed[FN#59] thereto, +and I go round about every day till the night, so haply I may +light on it, for I know not its owner." When the draper heard +this, he said to the old woman, "Verily, Allah restoreth unto +thee vhat which thou hast lost. Rejoice, for the turban-cloth is +with me and in my house." And he arose forthright and gave her +the turban-cloth, as it was. She gave it to the young man, and +the draper made his peace with his wife and gave her raiment and +jewellery, [by way of peace-offering], till she was content and +her heart was appeased. [FN#60] + +When the king heard his chamberlain's story, he was confounded +and abashed and said to him, 'Abide on thy wonted service and +till thy land, for that the lion entered it, but marred it not, +and he will never more return thither.'[FN#61] Then he bestowed +on him a dress of honour and made him a sumptuous present; and +the man returned to his wife and people, rejoicing and glad, for +that his heart was set at rest concerning his wife. Nor," added +the vizier, "O king of the age, is this rarer or more +extraordinary than the story of the fair and lovely woman, +endowed with amorous grace, with the foul-favoured man." + +When the king heard the vizier's speech, he deemed it goodly and +it pleased him; so he bade him go away to his house, and there he +abode his day long. + + The Twenty-fifth Night of the Month. + +When the evening evened, the king summoned his vizier and bade +him tell the [promised] story. So he said, "It is well. Know, O +king, that + + + + + + STORY OF THE FOUL-FAVOURED MAN AND HIS + FAIR WIFE. + + + +There was once a man of the Arabs who had a number of sons, and +amongst them a boy, never was seen a fairer than he of favour nor +a more accomplished in loveliness, no, nor a more perfect of wit. +When he came to man's estate, his father married him to the +daughter of one of his uncles, and she excelled not in beauty, +neither was she praiseworthy of attributes; wherefore she pleased +not the youth, but he bore with her, for kinship's sake. + +One day, he went forth in quest of certain stray camels of his +and fared on all his day and night till eventide, when he [came +to an Arab encampment and] was fain to seek hospitality of one of +the inhabitants. So he alighted at one of the tents of the camp +and there came forth to him a man of short stature and loathly +aspect, who saluted him and lodging him in a corner of the tent, +sat entertaining him with talk, the goodliest that might be. When +his food was dressed, the Arab's wife brought it to the guest, +and he looked at the mistress of the tent and saw a favour than +which no goodlier might be. Indeed, her beauty and grace and +symmetry amazed him and he abode confounded, looking now at her +and now at her husband. When his looking grew long, the man said +to him, 'Harkye, O son of the worthy! Occupy thyself with thine +own concerns, for by me and this woman hangeth a rare story, that +is yet goodlier than that which thou seest of her beauty; and +when we have made an end of our food, I will tell it thee.' + +So, when they had made an end of eating and drinking, the young +man asked his host for the story, and he said, 'Know that in my +youth I was even as thou seest me in the matter of loathliness +and foul favour; and I had brethren of the comeliest of the folk; +wherefore my father preferred them over me and used to show them +kindness, to my exclusion, and employ me, in their room [in +menial service], like as one employeth slaves. One day, a +she-camel of his went astray and he said to me, "Go thou forth in +quest of her and return not but with her." Quoth I, "Send other +than I of thy sons." But he would not consent to this and reviled +me and insisted upon me, till the matter came to such a pass with +him that he took a whip and fell to beating me. So I arose and +taking a riding-camel, mounted her and sallied forth at a +venture, purposing to go out into the deserts and return to him +no more. I fared on all my night [and the next day] and coming at +eventide to [the encampment of] this my wife's people, alighted +down with her father, who was a very old man, and became his +guest. + +When the night was half spent, I arose [and went forth the tent] +to do an occasion of mine, and none knew of my case save this +woman. The dogs misdoubted of me and followed me and gave not +over besetting me, till I fell on my back into a deep pit, +wherein was water, and one of the dogs fell in with me. The +woman, who was then a girl in the first bloom of youth, full of +strength and spirit, was moved to pity on me, for that wherein I +was fallen, and coming to me with a rope, said to me, "Lay hold +of this rope." So I laid hold of the rope and clung to it and she +pulled me up; but, when I was halfway up, I pulled her [down] and +she fell with me into the pit; and there we abode three days, she +and I and the dog. + +When her people arose in the morning and saw her not, they sought +her in the camp, but, finding her not and missing me also, +doubted not but she had fled with me. Now she had four brothers, +as they were falcons, and they mounted and dispersed in quest of +us. When the day dawned [on the fourth morning], the dog began to +bark and the other dogs answered him and coming to the mouth of +the pit, stood howling to him. My wife's father, hearing the +howling of the dogs, came up and standing at the brink of the +pit, [looked in and] beheld a marvel. Now he was a man of valour +and understanding, an elder versed[FN#62] in affairs so he +fetched a rope and bringing us both forth, questioned us of our +case. I told him all that had betided and he abode pondering the +affair. + +Presently, her brothers returned, whereupon the old man +acquainted them with the whole case and said to them, "O my sons, +know that your sister purposed not aught but good, and if ye slay +this man, ye will earn abiding reproach and ye will wrong him, +ay, and wrong yourselves and your sister, to boot; for indeed +there appeareth no cause [of offence] such as calleth for +slaughter, and it may not be denied that this incident is a thing +the like whereof may well betide and that he may well have been +baffled by the like of this chance." Then he turned to me and +questioned me of my lineage; so I set forth to him my genealogy +and he said, "A man of equal rank, honourable [and] +understanding." And he offered me [his daughter in] marriage. I +consented to him of this and marrying her, took up my abode with +him and God the Most High hath opened on me the gates of weal and +fortune, so that I am become the most abounding in substance of +the folk of the tribe; and He hath stablished me in that which He +hath given me of His bounties.' + +The young man marvelled at his story and lay the night with him; +and when he arose in the morning, he found his strays. So he took +them and returning [to his family.], acquainted them with what he +had seen and that which had betided him. Nor," added the vizier, +"is this more marvellous or rarer than the story of the king who +lost kingdom and wealth and wife and children and God restored +them unto him and requited him with a kingdom more magnificent +than that which he had lost and goodlier and rarer and greater of +wealth and elevation." + +The vizier's story pleased the king and he bade depart to his +dwelling. + + The Twenty-Sixth Night of the Month. + +When came the night, the king summoned his vizier and bade him +tell the story of the king who lost kingdom and wife and wealth. +"Hearkening and obedience," replied Er Rehwan. "Know, O king, +that + + + + + + STORY OF THE KING WHO LOST KINGDOM AND + WIFE AND WEALTH AND GOD RESTORED THEM TO + HIM. + + + +There was once a king of the kings of Hind, who was goodly of +polity, praiseworthy in administration, just to his subjects, +beneficent to men of learning and piety and asceticism and +devoutness and worship and shunning traitors and froward folk and +those of lewd life. On this wise of polity he abode in his +kingship what God the Most High willed of days and hours and +years, and he married the daughter of his father's brother, a +beautiful and lovesome woman, endowed with brightness and +perfection, who had been reared in the king's house in splendour +and delight. She bore him two sons, the comeliest that might be +of boys. Then came fore-ordained fate, which there is no warding +off, and God the Most High raised up against the king another +king, who came forth upon his realm, and all the folk of the +city, who had a mind unto evil and lewdness, joined themselves +unto him. So he fortified himself against the king and made +himself master of his kingdom, putting his troops to the rout and +slaying his guards. + +The king took his wife, the mother of his sons, and what he might +[of good] and saved himself and fled in the darkness of the +night, unknowing whither he should go. When travel grew sore upon +them, there met them robbers by the way, who took all that was +with them, [even to their clothes], so that there was left unto +each of them but a shirt and trousers; yea, they left them +without victual or camels or [other] riding-cattle, and they +ceased not to fare on afoot, till they came to a coppice, to wit, +a garden of trees, on the shore of the sea. Now the road which +they would have followed was crossed by an arm of the sea, but it +was scant of water. So, when they came to that place, the king +took up one of his children and fording the water with him, set +him down on the other bank and returned for his other son. Him +also he set by his brother and returning for their mother, took +her up and passing the water with her, came to the place [where +he had left his children], but found them not. Then he looked at +the midst of the island and saw there an old man and an old +woman, engaged in making themselves a hut of reeds. So he put +down his wife over against them and set off in quest of his +children, but none gave him news of them and he went round about +right and left, but found not the place where they were. + +Now the children had entered the coppice, to make water, and +there was there a forest of trees, wherein, if a horseman +entered, he might wander by the week, [before finding his way +out], for none knew the first thereof from the last. So the boys +entered therein and knew not how they should return and went +astray in that wood, to an end that was willed of God the Most +High, whilst their father sought them, but found them not. So he +returned to their mother and they abode weeping for their +children. As for these latter, when they entered the wood, it +swallowed them up and they went wandering in it many days, +knowing not where they had entered, till they came forth, at +another side, upon the open country. + +Meanwhile, the king and queen abode in the island, over against +the old man and woman, and ate of the fruits that were in the +island and drank of its waters, till, one day, as they sat, there +came a ship and moored to the side of the island, to fill up with +water, whereupon they[FN#63] looked at each other and spoke. The +master of the ship was a Magian and all that was therein, both +men and goods, belonged to him, for that he was a merchant and +went round about the world. Now covetise deluded the old man, the +owner of the island, and he went up [into the ship] and gave the +Magian news of the king's wife, setting out to him her charms, +till he made him yearn unto her and his soul prompted him to use +treachery and practise upon her and take her from her hnsband. So +he sent to her, saying, 'With us in the ship is a woman with +child, and we fear lest she be delivered this night. Hast thou +skill in the delivering of women?' And she answered, 'Yes.' Now +it was the last of the day; so he sent to her to come up into the +ship and deliver the woman, for that the pangs of labour were +come upon her; and he promised her clothes and spending-money. +Accordingly, she embarked in all assurance, with a heart at ease +for herself, and transported her gear to the ship; but no sooner +was she come thither than the anchors were weighed and the canvas +spread and the ship set sail. + +When the king saw this, he cried out and his wife wept in the +ship and offered to cast herself into the sea; but the Magian +bade the sailors lay hands on her. So they seized her and it was +but a little while ere the night darkened and the ship +disappeared from the king's eyes; whereupon he swooned away for +excess of weeping and lamentation and passed his night bewailing +his wife and children. + +When the morning morrowed, he recited the following verses: + +How long, O Fate, wilt thou oppress and baffle me? +Tell me, was ever yet a mortal spared of thee? + Behold, my loved ones all are ta'en from me away. +They left me and content forthright forsook my heart, +Upon that day my loves my presence did depart; + My pleasant life for loss of friends is troubled aye. +By Allah, I knew not their worth nor yet how dear +A good it is to have one's loved ones ever near, + Until they left my heart on fire without allay. +Ne'er shall I them forget, nay, nor the day they went +And left me all forlorn, to pine for languishment, + My severance to bewail in torment and dismay. +I make a vow to God, if ever day or night +The herald of good news my hearing shall delight, + Announcing the return o' th' absent ones, +I'll lay Upon their threshold's dust my cheeks and to my soul, +"Take comfort, for the loved are come again," +I'll say. If for my loved ones' loss I rent my heart for dole, + Before I rent my clothes, reproach me not, I pray. + +He abode weeping for the loss of his wife and children till the +morning, when he went forth wandering at a venture, knowing not +what he should do, and gave not over faring along the sea-shore +days and nights, unknowing whither he went and taking no food +therein other than the herbs of the earth and seeing neither man +nor beast nor other living thing, till his travel brought him to +the top of a mountain. He took up his sojourn in the mountain and +abode there [awhile] alone, eating of its fruits and drinking of +its waters. Then he came down thence and fared on along the high +road three days, at the end of which time he came upon tilled +fields and villages and gave not over going till he sighted a +great city on the shore of the sea and came to the gate thereof +at the last of the day. The gatekeepers suffered him not to +enter; so he abode his night anhungred, and when he arose in the +morning, be sat down hard by the gate. + +Now the king of the city was dead and had left no son, and the +townsfolk fell out concerning who should be king over them: and +their sayings differed and their counsels, so that turmoil was +like to betide between them by reason of this. At last, after +long dissension, they came to an accord and agreed to leave the +choice to the late king's elephant and that he unto whom he +consented should be king and that they would not contest the +commandment with him. So they made oath of this and on the +morrow, they brought out the elephant and came forth to the +utterward of the city; nor was there man or woman left in the +place but was present at that time. Then they adorned the +elephant and setting up the throne on his back, gave him the +crown in his trunk; and he went round about examining the faces +of the folk, but stopped not with any of them till he came to the +banished king, the forlorn, the exile, him who had lost his +children and his wife, when he prostrated himself to him and +placing the crown on his head, took him up and set him on his +back. + +Thereupon the folk all prostrated themselves and gave one another +joy of this and the drums of good tidings beat before him, and he +entered the city [and went on] till he came to the House of +Justice and the audience-hall of the palace and sat down on the +throne of the kingdom, with the crown on his head; whereupon the +folk came in to him to give him joy and offer up prayers for him. +Then he addressed himself, after his wont in the kingship, to +ordering the affairs of the folk and ranging the troops according +to their ranks and looking into their affairs and those of all +the people. Moreover, he released those who were in the prisons +and abolished the customs dues and gave dresses of honour and +bestowed gifts and largesse and conferred favours on the amirs +and viziers and dignitaries, and the chamberlains and deputies +presented themselves before him and did him homage. So the people +of the city rejoiced in him and said, 'Indeed this is none other +than a king of the greatest of the kings.' + +Moreover, he assembled the sages and the theologians and the sons +of the kings and devised with them and asked them questions and +problems and examined with them into many things of all fashions +that might direct him to well-doing in the kingly office; and he +questioned them also of subtleties and religious obligations and +of the laws of the kingdom and the fashions of administration and +of that which it behoveth the king to do of looking into the +affairs of the people and repelling the enemy [from the realm] +and fending off his malice with war; wherefore the people's +contentment redoubled and their joy in that which God the Most +High had vouchsafed them of his elevation to the kingship over +them. So he upheld the ordinance of the realm and the affairs +thereof abode established upon the accepted customs. + +Now the late king had left a wife and a daughter, and the people +would fain have married the latter to the new king, to the intent +that the kingship might not pass out of the old royal family. So +they proposed to him that he should take her to wife, and he +promised them this, but put them off from him,[FN#64] of his +respect for the covenant he had made with his former wife, to +wit, that he would take none other to wife than herself. Then he +betook himself to fasting by day and standing up by night [to +pray], giving alms galore and beseeching God (extolled be His +perfection and exalted be He!) to reunite him with his children +and his wife, the daughter of his father's brother. + +When a year had elapsed, there came to the city a ship, wherein +were merchants and goods galore. Now it was of their usance, from +time immemorial, that, when there came a ship to the city, the +king sent unto it such of his servants as he trusted in, who took +charge of the goods, so they might be [first of all] shown to the +king, who bought such of them as befitted him and gave the +merchants leave to sell the rest. So he sent, as of wont, one who +should go up to the ship and seal up the goods and set over them +who should keep watch over them. + +To return to the queen his wife. When the Magian fled with her, +he proffered himself to her and lavished unto her wealth galore, +but she rejected his suit and was like to slay herself for +chagrin at that which had befallen and for grief for her +separation from her husband. Moreover, she refused meat and drink +and offered to cast herself into the sea; but the Magian shackled +her and straitened her and clad her in a gown of wool and said to +her, 'I will continue thee in misery and abjection till thou obey +me and consent to my wishes.' So she took patience and looked for +God to deliver her from the hand of that accursed one; and she +ceased not to travel with him from place to place till he came +with her to the city wherein her husband was king and his goods +were put under seal. + +Now the woman was in a chest and two youths of the pages of the +late king, who were now in the new king's service, were those who +had been charged with the guardianship of the vessel and the +goods. When the evening evened on them, the two youths fell +a-talking and recounted that which had befallen them in their +days of childhood and the manner of the going forth of their +father and mother from their country and royal estate, whenas the +wicked overcame their land, and [called to mind] how they had +gone astray in the forest and how fate had made severance between +them and their parents; brief, they recounted their story, from +beginning to end. When the woman heard their talk, she knew that +they were her very sons and cried out to them from the chest, +saying, 'I am your mother such an one, and the token between you +and me is thus and thus.' The young men knew the token and +falling upon the chest, broke the lock and brought out their +mother, who strained them to her breast, and they fell upon her +and swooned away, all three. + +When they came to themselves, they wept awhile and the folk +assembled about them, marvelling at that which they saw, and +questioned them of their case. So the young men vied with each +other who should be the first to discover the story to the folk; +and when the Magian saw this, he came up, crying out, 'Alas!' and +'Woe worth the day!' and said to them, 'Why have ye broken open +my chest? I had in it jewels and ye have stolen them, and this +damsel is my slave-girl and she hath agreed with you upon a +device to take the good.' Then he rent his clothes and called +aloud for succour, saying, 'I appeal to God and to the just king, +so he may quit me of these wrong-doing youths!' Quoth they, 'This +is our mother and thou stolest her.' Then words waxed many +between them and the folk plunged into talk and prate and +discussion concerning their affair and that of the [pretended] +slave-girl, and the strife waxed amain between them, so that [at +last] they carried them up to the king. + +When the two young men presented themselves before him and set +forth their case to him and to the folk and the king heard their +speech, he knew them and his heart was like to fly for joyance in +them: the tears poured from his eyes at their sight and that of +his wife, and he thanked God the Most High and praised Him for +that He had reunited [him with] them. Then he dismissed the folk +who were present about him and bade commit the Magian and the +woman and the two youths to his armoury[FN#65] [for the night], +commanding that they should keep guard over them till God caused +the morning morrow, so he might assemble the cadis and the judges +and assessors and judge between them, according to the Holy Law, +in the presence of the four cadis. So they did his bidding and +the king passed the night praying and praising God the Most High +for that which He had vouchsafed him of kingship and puissance +and victory over[FN#66] him who had wronged him and thanking Him +who had reunited him with his family. + +When the morning morrowed, he assembled the cadis and judges and +assessors and sending for the Magian and the two youths and their +mother, questioned them of their case, whereupon the two young +men began and said, 'We are the sons of the king Such-an-one and +enemies and wicked men got the mastery of out realm; so our +father fled forth with us and wandered at a venture, for fear of +the enemies.' [And they recounted to him all that had betided +them, from beginning to end.] Quoth he, 'Ye tell a marvellous +story; but what hath [Fate] done with your father?' 'We know not +how fortune dealt with him after our loss,' answered they; and he +was silent. + +Then he turned to the woman and said to her, 'And thou, what +sayst thou?' So she expounded to him her case and recounted to +him all that had betided her and her husband, first and last, up +to the time when they took up their abode with the old man and +woman who dwelt on the sea-shore. Then she set out that which the +Magian had practised on her of knavery and how he had carried her +off in the ship and all that had betided her of humiliation and +torment, what while the cadis and judges and deputies hearkened +to her speech. When the king heard the last of his wife's story, +he said, 'Verily, there hath betided thee a grievous matter; but +hast thou knowledge of what thy husband did and what came of his +affair?' 'Nay, by Allah,' answered she; 'I have no knowledge of +him, save that I leave him no hour unremembered in fervent +prayer, and never, whilst I live, will he cease to be to me the +father of my children and my father's brother's son and my flesh +and my blood.' Then she wept and the king bowed his head, whilst +his eyes brimmed over with tears at her story. + +Then he raised his head to the Magian and said to him, 'Say thy +say, thou also.' So the Magian said, 'This is my slave-girl, whom +I bought with my money from such a land and for so many dinars, +and I made her my favourite[FN#67] and loved her with an +exceeding love and gave her charge over my good; but she betrayed +me in my substance and plotted with one of my servants to slay +me, tempting him by promising him that she would be his wife. +When I knew this of her and was certified that she purposed +treason against me, I awoke [from my heedlessness] and did with +her that which I did, of fear for myself from her craft and +perfidy; for indeed she is a beguiler with her tongue and she +hath taught these two youths this pretence, by way of trickery +and of her perfidy and malice: so be thou not deluded by her and +by her talk.' + +'Thou liest, O accursed one,' cried the king and bade lay hands +on him and clap him in irons. Then he turned to the two youths, +his sons, and strained them to his breast, weeping sore and +saying, 'O all ye who are present of cadis and assessors and +officers of state, know that these twain are my sons and that +this is my wife and the daughter of my father's brother; for that +I was king aforetime in such a region.' And he recounted to them +his history from beginning to end, nor is there aught of profit +in repetition; whereupon the folk cried out with weeping and +lamentation for the stress of that which they heard of marvellous +chances and that rare story. As for the king's wife, he caused +carry her into his palace and lavished upon her and upon her sons +all that behoved and beseemed them of bounties, whilst the folk +flocked to offer up prayers for him and give him joy of [his +reunion with] his wife and children. + +When they had made an end of pious wishes and congratulations, +they besought the king to hasten the punishment of the Magian and +heal their hearts of him with torment and humiliation. So he +appointed them for a day on which they should assemble to witness +his punishment and that which should betide him of torment, and +shut himself up with his wife and sons and abode thus private +with them three days, during which time they were sequestered +from the folk. On the fourth day the king entered the bath, and +coming forth, sat down on the throne of his kingship, with the +crown on his head, whereupon the folk came in to him, according +to their wont and after the measure of their several ranks and +degrees, and the amirs and viziers entered, ay, and the +chamberlains and deputies and captains and men of war and the +falconers and armbearers. Then he seated his two sons, one on his +right and the other on his left hand, whilst all the folk stood +before him and lifted up their voices in thanksgiving to God the +Most High and glorification of Him and were strenuous in prayer +for the king and in setting forth his virtues and excellences. + +He returned them the most gracious of answers and bade carry the +Magian forth of the town and set him on a high scaffold that had +been builded for him there; and he said to the folk, 'Behold, I +will torture him with all kinds of fashions of torment.' Then he +fell to telling them that which he had wrought of knavery with +the daughter of his father's brother and what he had caused +betide her of severance between her and her husband and how he +had required her of herself, but she had sought refuge against +him with God (to whom belong might and majesty) and chose rather +humiliation than yield to his wishes, notwithstanding stress of +torment; neither recked she aught of that which he lavished to +her of wealth and raiment and jewels. + +When the king had made an end of his story, he bade the +bystanders spit in the Magian's face and curse him; and they did +this. Then he bade cut out his tongue and on the morrow he bade +cut off his ears and nose and pluck out his eyes. On the third +day he bade cut off his hands and on the fourth his feet; and +they ceased not to lop him limb from limb, and each member they +cast into the fire, after its cutting-off, before his face, till +his soul departed, after he had endured torments of all kinds and +fashions. The king bade crucify his trunk on the city-wall three +days' space; after which he let burn it and reduce its ashes to +powder and scatter them abroad in the air. + +Then the king summoned the cadi and the witnesses and bade them +many the old king's daughter and sister to his own sons; so they +married them, after the king had made a bride-feast three days +and displayed their brides to them from eventide to peep of day. +Then the two princes went in to their brides and did away their +maidenhead and loved them and were vouchsafed children by them. + +As for the king their father, he abode with his wife, their +mother, what while God (to whom belong might and majesty) willed, +and they rejoiced in reunion with each other. The kingship +endured unto them and glory and victory, and the king continued +to rule with justice and equity, so that the people loved him and +still invoked on him and on his sons length of days and durance; +and they lived the most delightsome of lives till there came to +them the Destroyer of Delights and Sunderer of Companies, He who +layeth waste the palaces and peopleth the tombs; and this is all +that hath come down to us of the story of the king and his wife +and children. Nor," added the vizier, "if this story be a solace +and a diversion, is it pleasanter or more diverting than that of +the young man of Khorassan and his mother and sister." + +When King Shah Bekht heard this story, it pleased him and he bade +the vizier go away to his own house. + + The Twenty-Seventh Night of the Month + +When the evening came, the king bade fetch the vizier; so he +presented himself before him and the king bade him tell the +[promised] story. So he said, "Hearkening and obedience. Know, O +king (but God alone knoweth His secret purpose and is versed in +all that is past and was foredone among bygone peoples), that + + + + + + STORY OF SELIM AND SELMA. + + + +There was once, in the parts of Khorassan, a man of the affluent +of the country, who was a merchant of the chiefest of the +merchants and was blessed with two children, a son and a +daughter. He was assiduous in rearing them and making fair their +education, and they grew up and throve after the goodliest +fashion. He used to teach the boy, who taught his sister all that +he learnt, so that the girl became perfect in the knowledge of +the Traditions of the Prophet and in polite letters, by means of +her brother. Now the boy's name was Selim and that of the girl +Selma. When they grew up and waxed, their father built them a +mansion beside his own and lodged them apart therein and +appointed them slave-girls and servants to tend them and assigned +unto each of them pensions and allowances and all that they +needed of high and low, meat and bread and wine and raiment and +vessels and what not else. So Selim and Selma abode in that +mansion, as they were one soul in two bodies, and they used to +sleep on one couch; and rooted in each one's heart was love and +affection and familiar friendship [for the other of them]. + +One night, when the night was half spent, as Selim and Selma sat +talking and devising with each other, they heard a noise below +the house; so they looked out from a lattice that gave upon the +gate of their father's mansion and saw a man of goodly presence, +whose clothes were hidden by a wide cloak, which covered him. He +came up to the gate and laying hold of the door-ring, gave a +light knock; whereupon the door opened and out came their sister, +with a lighted flambeau, and after her their mother, who saluted +the stranger and embraced him, saying, 'O beloved of my heart and +light of mine eyes and fruit of mine entrails, enter.' So he +entered and shut the door, whilst Selim and Selma abode amazed. + +Then Selim turned to Selma and said to her, 'O sister mine, how +deemest thou of this calamity and what counsellest thou +thereanent?' 'O my brother,' answered she, 'indeed I know not +what I shall say concerning the like of this; but he is not +disappointed who seeketh direction [of God], nor doth he repent +who taketh counsel. One getteth not the better of the traces of +burning by[FN#68] haste, and know that this is an affliction that +hath descended on us; and we have need of management to do it +away, yea, and contrivance to wash withal our shame from our +faces.' And they gave not over watching the gate till break of +day, when the young man opened the door and their mother took +leave of him; after which he went his way and she entered, she +and her handmaid. + +Then said Selim to his sister, 'Know that I am resolved to slay +yonder man, if he return this next night, and I will say to the +folk, "He was a thief," and none shall know that which hath +befallen. Moreover, I will address myself to the slaughter of +whosoever knoweth that which is between yonder fellow and my +mother.' But Selma said, ' I fear lest, if thou slay him in our +dwelling-place and he savour not of robberhood,[FN#69] suspicion +will revert upon ourselves, and we cannot be assured but that he +belongeth unto folk whose mischief is to be feared and their +hostility dreaded,[FN#70] and thus wilt thou have fled from privy +shame to open shame and abiding public dishonour.' 'How then +deemest thou we should do?' asked Selim and she said, 'Is there +nothing for it but to slay him? Let us not hasten unto slaughter, +for that the slaughter of a soul without just cause is a grave +[matter].' + +(When Shehriyar heard this, he said in himself, 'By Allah, I have +indeed been reckless in the slaying of women and girls, and +praised be God who hath occupied me with this damsel from the +slaughter of souls, for that the slaughter of souls is a grave +[matter!] By Allah, if Shah Bekht spare the vizier, I will +assuredly spare Shehrzad!' Then he gave ear to the story and +heard her say to her sister:) + +Quoth Selma to Selim, 'Hasten not to slay him, but ponder the +matter and consider the issue to which it may lead; for whoso +considereth not the issues [of his actions], fortune is no friend +to him.' Then they arose on the morrow and occupied themselves +with devising how they should turn away their mother from that +man, and she forebode mischief from them, by reason of that which +she saw in their eyes of alteration, for that she was keen of wit +and crafty. So she took precaution for herself against her +children and Selma said to Selim, 'Thou seest that whereinto we +have fallen through this woman, and indeed she hath gotten wind +of our purpose and knoweth that we have discovered her secret. +So, doubtless, she will plot against us the like of that which we +plot for her; for indeed up to now she had concealed her affair, +and now she will forge lies against us; wherefore, methinks, +there is a thing [fore-]written to us, whereof God (extolled be +His perfection and exalted be He!) knew in His foreknowledge and +wherein He executeth His ordinances.' 'What is that?' asked he, +and she said, 'It is that we arise, I and thou, and go forth this +night from this land and seek us a land wherein we may live and +witness nought of the doings of yonder traitress; for whoso is +absent from the eye is absent from the heart, and quoth one of +the poets in the following verse: + +Twere better and meeter thy presence to leave, For, if the eye + see not, the heart doth not grieve.' + +Quoth Selim to her, 'It is for thee to decide and excellent is +that which thou counsellest; so let us do this, in the name of +God the Most High, trusting in Him for grace and guidance.' So +they arose and took the richest of their clothes and the lightest +of that which was in their treasuries of jewels and things of +price and gathered together a great matter. Then they equipped +them ten mules and hired them servants of other than the people +of the country; and Selim bade his sister Selma don man's +apparel. Now she was the likest of all creatures to him, so that, +[when she was clad in man's attire,] the folk knew no difference +between them, extolled be the perfection of Him who hath no like, +there is no God but He! Then he bade her mount a horse, whilst he +himself bestrode another, and they set out, under cover of the +night. None of their family nor of the people of their house knew +of them; so they fared on into the wide world of God and gave not +over going night and day two months' space, at the end of which +time they came to a city on the sea-shore of the land of Mekran, +by name Es Sherr, and it is the first city in Sind. + +They lighted down without the place and when they arose in the +morning, they saw a populous and goodly city, fair of seeming and +great, abounding in trees and streams and fruits and wide of +suburbs. So the young man said to his sister Selma, 'Abide thou +here in thy place, till I enter the city and examine it and make +assay of its people and seek out a place which we may buy and +whither we may remove. If it befit us, we will take up our abode +therein, else will we take counsel of departing elsewhither.' +Quoth she, 'Do this, trusting in the bounty of God (to whom +belong might and majesty) and in His blessing.' + +So he took a belt, wherein were a thousand dinars, and binding it +about his middle, entered the city and gave not over going round +about its streets and markets and gazing upon its houses and +sitting with those of its folk whose aspect bespoke them men of +worth, till the day was half spent, when he resolved to return to +his sister and said in himself, 'Needs must I buy what we may eat +of ready-[dressed] food] I and my sister.' Accordingly, he +accosted a man who sold roast meat and who was clean [of person], +though odious in his [means of getting a] living, and said to +him, 'Take the price of this dish [of meat] and add thereto of +fowls and chickens and what not else is in your market of meats +and sweetmeats and bread and arrange it in dishes.' So the cook +set apart for him what he desired and calling a porter, laid it +in his basket, and Selim paid the cook the price of his wares, +after the fullest fashion. + +As he was about to go away, the cook said to him, 'O youth, +doubtless thou art a stranger?' And he answered, 'Yes.' Quoth the +cook, 'It is reported in one of the Traditions [of the Prophet +that he said,] "Loyal admonition is [a part] of religion;" and +the understanding say, "Admonition is of the characteristics of +the true believers." And indeed that which I have seen of thy +fashions pleaseth me and I would fain give thee a warning.' +'Speak out thy warning,' rejoined Selim, 'and may God strengthen +thine affair!' Then said the cook, 'Know, O my son, that in this +our country, whenas a stranger entereth therein and eateth of +flesh-meat and drinketh not old wine thereon, this is harmful +unto him and engendereth in him dangerous disorders. Wherefore, +if thou have provided thee somewhat thereof,[FN#71] [it is well;] +but, if not, look thou procure it, ere thou take the meat and +carry it away.' 'May God requite thee with good!' rejoined Selim. +'Canst thou direct me where it is sold?' And the cook said, 'With +me is all that thou seekest thereof.' 'Is there a way for me to +see it?' asked the young man; and the cook sprang up and said, +'Pass on.' So he entered and the cook showed him somewhat of +wine; but he said, 'I desire better than this.' Whereupon he +opened a door and entering, said to Selim, 'Enter and follow me.' + +Selim followed him till he brought him to an underground chamber +and showed him somewhat of wine that was to his mind. So he +occupied him with looking upon it and taking him at unawares, +sprang upon him from behind and cast him to the earth and sat +upon his breast. Then he drew a knife and set it to his jugular; +whereupon there betided Selim [that wherewithal] God made him +forget all that He had decreed [unto him],[FN#72] and he said to +the cook, 'Why dost thou this thing, O man? Be mindful of God the +Most High and fear Him. Seest thou not that I am a stranger? And +indeed [I have left] behind me a defenceless woman. Why wilt thou +slay me?' Quoth the cook, 'Needs must I slay thee, so I may take +thy good.' And Selim said, 'Take my good, but slay me not, +neither enter into sin against me; and do with me kindness, for +that the taking of my money is lighter[FN#73] than the taking of +my life.' + +'This is idle talk,' answered the cook. 'Thou canst not deliver +thyself with this, O youth, for that in thy deliverance is my +destruction.' Quoth Selim, 'I swear to thee and give thee the +covenant of God (to whom belong might and majesty) and His bond, +that He took of His prophets, that I will not discover thy secret +ever.' But the cook answered, saying, 'Away! Away! This may no +wise be.' However, Selim ceased not to conjure him and make +supplication to him and weep, while the cook persisted in his +intent to slaughter him. Then he wept and recited the following +verses: + +Haste not to that thou dost desire, for haste is still unblest; + Be merciful to men, as thou on mercy reckonest; +For no hand is there but the hand of God is over it And no + oppressor but shall be with worse than he opprest. + +Quoth the cook, 'Nothing will serve but I must slay thee, O +fellow; for, if I spare thee, I shall myself be slain.' But Selim +said, 'O my brother, I will counsel thee somewhat[FN#74] other +than this.' 'What is it?' asked the cook. 'Say and be brief, ere +I cut thy throat' And Selim said, '[Do thou suffer me to live +and] keep me, that I may be a servant unto thee, and I will work +at a craft, of the crafts of the skilled workmen, wherefrom there +shall return to thee every day two dinars.' Quoth the cook, 'What +is the craft?' and Selim said, 'The cutting [and polishing] of +jewels.' + +When the cook heard this, he said in himself, 'It will do me no +hurt if I imprison him and shackle him and bring him what he may +work at. If he tell truth, I will let him live, and if he prove a +liar, I will slay him.' So he took a pair of stout shackles and +clapping them on Selim's legs, imprisoned him within his house +and set over him one who should guard him. Then he questioned him +of what tools he needed to work withal. Selim set forth to him +that which he required, and the cook went out from him and +presently returning, brought him all he needed. So Selim sat and +wrought at his craft; and he used every day to earn two dinars; +and this was his wont and usance with the cook, whilst the latter +fed him not but half his fill. + +To return to his sister Selma. She awaited him till the last of +the day, but he came not; and she awaited him a second day and a +third and a fourth, yet there came no news of him, wherefore she +wept and beat with her hands on her breast and bethought her of +her affair and her strangerhood and her brother's absence; and +she recited the following verses: + +Peace on thee! Would our gaze might light on thee once more! So + should our hearts be eased and eyes no longer sore. +Thou only art the whole of our desire; indeed Thy love is hid + within our hearts' most secret core. + +She abode awaiting him thus till the end of the month, but +discovered no tidings of him neither happened upon aught of his +trace; wherefore she was troubled with an exceeding perturbation +and despatching her servants hither and thither in quest of him, +abode in the sorest that might be of grief and concern. When it +was the beginning of the new month, she arose in the morning and +bidding cry him throughout the city, sat to receive visits of +condolence, nor was there any in the city but betook himself to +her, to condole with her; and they were all concerned for her, +nothing doubting but she was a man. + +When three nights had passed over her with their days of the +second month, she despaired of him and her tears dried not up. +Then she resolved to take up her abode in the city and making +choice of a dwelling, removed thither. The folk resorted to her +from all parts, to sit with her and hearken to her speech and +witness her good breeding; nor was it but a little while ere the +king of the city died and the folk fell out concerning whom they +should invest with the kingship after him, so that strife was +like to betide between them. However, the men of judgment and +understanding and the folk of experience counselled them to make +the youth king who had lost his brother, for that they doubted +not but Selma was a man. They all consented unto this and +betaking themselves to Selma, proffered her the kingship. She +refused, but they were instant with her, till she consented, +saying in herself, 'My sole desire in [accepting] the kingship is +[to find] my brother.' Then they seated her on the throne of the +kingdom and set the crown on her head, whereupon she addressed +herself to the business of administration and to the ordinance of +the affairs of the people; and they rejoiced in her with the +utmost joy. + +Meanwhile, Selim abode with the cook a whole year's space, +earning him two dinars every day; and when his affair was +prolonged, the cook inclined unto him and took compassion on him, +on condition that, if he let him go, he should not discover his +fashion to the Sultan, for that it was his wont every little +while to entrap a man and carry him to his house and slay him and +take his money and cook his flesh and give it to the folk to eat. +So he said to him, 'O youth, wilt thou that I release thee from +this thy plight, on condition that thou be reasonable and +discover not aught of thine affair ever?' And Selim answered, 'I +will swear to thee by whatsoever oath thou choosest that I will +keep thy secret and will not speak one syllable against thy due, +what while I abide on life.' Quoth the cook, 'I purpose to send +thee forth with my brother and cause thee travel with him on the +sea, on condition that thou be unto him a boughten slave; and +when he cometh to the land of Hind, he shall sell thee and thus +wilt thou be delivered from prison and slaughter.' And Selim +said, 'It is well: be it as thou sayst, may God the Most High +requite thee with good!' + +Therewithal the cook equipped his brother and freighting him a +ship, embarked therein merchandise. Then he committed Selim unto +him and they set out and departed with the ship. God decreed them +safety, so that they arrived [in due course] at the first city +[of the land of Hind], the which is known as El Mensoureh, and +cast anchor there. Now the king of that city had died, leaving a +daughter and a widow, who was the quickest-witted of women and +gave out that the girl was a boy, so that the kingship might be +stablished unto them. The troops and the amirs doubted not but +that the case was as she avouched and that the princess was a +male child; so they obeyed her and the queen mother took order +for the matter and used to dress the girl in man's apparel and +seat her on the throne of the kingship, so that the folk might +see her. Accordingly, the grandees of the kingdom and the chief +officers of the realm used to go in to her and salute her and do +her service and go away, nothing doubting but she was a boy. + +On this wise they abode months and years and the queen-mother +ceased not to do thus till the cook's brother came to the town in +his ship, and with him Selim. So he landed with the youth and +showed him to the queen, [that she might buy him]. When she saw +him, she augured well of him; so she bought him from the cook's +brother and was kind to him and entreated him with honour. Then +she fell to proving him in his parts and making assay of him in +his affairs and found in him all that is in kings' sons of +understanding and breeding and goodly manners and qualities. + +So she sent for him in private and said to him, 'I purpose to do +thee a service, so thou canst but keep a secret.' He promised her +all that she desired and she discovered to him her secret in the +matter of her daughter, saying, 'I will marry thee to her and +commit to thee the governance of her affair and make thee king +and ruler over this city.' He thanked her and promised to uphold +all that she should order him, and she said to him, 'Go forth to +such an one of the neighbouring provinces privily.' So he went +forth and on the morrow she made ready bales and gear and +presents and bestowed on him a great matter, all of which they +loaded on the backs of camels. + +Then she gave out among the folk that the king's father's +brother's son was come and bade the grandees and troops go forth +to meet him. Moreover, she decorated the city in his honour and +the drums of good tidings beat for him, whilst all the king's +household [went out to meet him and] dismounting before him, +[escorted him to the city and] lodged him with the queen-mother +in her palace. Then she bade the chiefs of the state attend his +assembly; so they presented themselves before him and saw of his +breeding and accomplishments that which amazed them and made them +forget the breeding of those who had foregone him of the kings. + +When they were grown familiar with him, the queen-mother fell to +sending [privily] for the amirs, one by one, and swearing them to +secrecy; and when she was assured of their trustworthiness, she +discovered to them that the king had left but a daughter and that +she had done this but that she might continue the kingship in his +family and that the governance should not go forth from them; +after which she told them that she was minded to marry her +daughter with the new-comer, her father's brother's son, and that +he should be the holder of the kingship. They approved of her +proposal and when she had discovered the secret to the last of +them [and assured herself of their support], she published the +news abroad and sent for the cadis and assessors, who drew up the +contract of marriage between Selim and the princess, and they +lavished gifts upon the troops and overwhelmed them with +bounties. Then was the bride carried in procession to the young +man and the kingship was stablished unto him and the governance +of the realm. + +On this wise they abode a whole year, at the end of which time +Selim said to the queen-mother, 'Know that my life is not +pleasing to me nor can I abide with you in contentment till I get +me tidings of my sister and learn in what issue her affair hath +resulted and how she hath fared after me. Wherefore I will go and +be absent from you a year's space; then will I return to you, so +it please God the Most High and I accomplish of this that which I +hope.' Quoth she, 'I will not trust to thy word, but will go with +thee and help thee to that which thou desirest of this and +further thee myself therein.' So she took a ship and loaded it +with all manner things of price, goods and treasures and what not +else. Moreover, she appointed one of the viziers, a man in whom +she trusted and in his fashion and ordinance, to rule the realm +in their absence, saying to him, 'Abide [in the kingship] a +full-told year and ordain all that whereof thou hast need. + +Then the old queen and her daughter and son-in-law embarked in +the ship and setting sail, fared on till they came to the land of +Mekran. Their arrival there befell at the last of the day; so +they passed the night in the ship, and when the day was near to +break, the young king went down from the ship, that he might go +to the bath, and made for the market. As he drew near the bath, +the cook met him by the way and knew him; so he laid hands on him +and binding his arms fast behind him, carried him to his house, +where he clapped the old shackles on his feet and straightway +cast him back into his whilom place of duresse. + +When Selim found himself in that sorry plight and considered that +wherewith he was afflicted of tribulation and the contrariness of +his fortune, in that he had been a king and was now returned to +shackles and prison and hunger, he wept and groaned and lamented +and recited the following verses: + +My fortitude fails, my endeavour is vain; My bosom is straitened. + To Thee, I complain, +O my God! Who is stronger than Thou in resource? The Subtle, Thou + knowest my plight and my pain. + +To return to his wife and her mother. When the former arose in +the morning and her husband returned not to her with break of +day, she forebode all manner of calamity and straightway +despatched her servants and all who were with her in quest of +him; but they happened not on any trace of him neither fell in +with aught of his news. So she bethought herself concerning her +affair and complained and wept and groaned and sighed and blamed +perfidious fortune, bewailing that sorry chance and reciting +these verses: + +God keep the days of love-delight! How passing 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 she had made an end of her verses, she considered her affair +and said in herself, 'By Allah, all these things have betided by +the ordinance of God the Most High and His providence and this +was written and charactered upon the forehead.' Then she landed +and fared on till she came to a spacious place, where she +enquired of the folk and hired a house. Thither she straightway +transported all that was in the ship of goods and sending for +brokers, sold all that was with her. Then she took part of the +price and fell to enquiring of the folk, so haply she might scent +out tidings [of her lost husband]. Moreover, she addressed +herself to lavishing alms and tending the sick, clothing the +naked and pouring water upon the dry ground of the forlorn. On +this wise she abode a whole year, and every little while she sold +of her goods and gave alms to the sick and the needy; wherefore +her report was bruited abroad in the city and the folk were +lavish in her praise. + +All this while, Selim lay in shackles and strait prison, and +melancholy possessed him by reason of that whereinto he had +fallen of that tribulation. Then, when troubles waxed on him and +affliction was prolonged, he fell sick of a sore sickness. When +the cook saw his plight (and indeed he was like to perish for +much suffering), he loosed him from the shackles and bringing him +forth of the prison, committed him to an old woman, who had a +nose the bigness of a jug, and bade her tend him and medicine him +and serve him and entreat him kindly, so haply he might be made +whole of that his sickness. So the old woman took him and +carrying him to her lodging, fell to tending him and giving him +to eat and drink; and when he was quit of that torment, he +recovered from his malady. + +Now the old woman had heard from the folk of the lady who gave +alms to the sick, and indeed [the news of] her bounties reached +both poor and rich; so she arose and bringing out Selim to the +door of her house, laid him on a mat and wrapped him in a mantle +and sat over against him. Presently, it befell that the +charitable lady passed by them, which when the old woman saw, she +rose to her and offered up prayers for her, saying, 'O my +daughter, O thou to whom pertain goodness and beneficence and +charity and almsdoing, know that this young man is a stranger, +and indeed want and vermin and hunger and nakedness and cold slay +him.' When the lady heard this, she gave her alms of that which +was with her; and indeed her heart inclined unto Selim, [but she +knew him not for her husband]. + +The old woman received the alms from her and carrying it to +Selim, took part thereof herself and with the rest bought him an +old shirt, in which she clad him, after she had stripped him of +that he had on. Then she threw away the gown she had taken from +off him and arising forthright, washed his body of that which was +thereon of filth and scented him with somewhat of perfume. +Moreover, she bought him chickens and made him broth; so he ate +and his life returned to him and he abode with her on the most +solaceful of life till the morrow. + +Next morning, the old woman said to him, 'When the lady cometh to +thee, do thou arise and kiss her hand and say to her, "I am a +strange man and indeed cold and hunger slay me;" so haply she may +give thee somewhat that thou mayst expend upon thy case.' And he +answered, 'Hearkening and obedience.' Then she took him by the +hand and carrying him without her house, seated him at the door. +As he sat, behold, the lady came up to him, whereupon the old +woman rose to her and Selim kissed her hand and offered up +prayers for her. Then he looked on her and when he saw her, he +knew her for his wife; so he cried out and wept and groaned and +lamented; whereupon she came up to him and cast herself upon him; +for indeed she knew him with all knowledge, even as he knew her. +So she laid hold of him and embraced him and called to her +serving-men and attendants and those who were about her; and they +took him up and carried him forth of that place. + +When the old woman saw this, she cried out to the cook from +within the house, and he said to her, 'Go before me.' So she +forewent him and he ran after her till he [overtook the party +and] catching hold of Selim, said [to the latter's wife,] 'What +aileth thee to take my servant?' Whereupon she cried out at him, +saying, 'Know that this is my husband, whom I had lost.' And +Selim also cried out, saying, 'Mercy! Mercy! I appeal to God and +to the Sultan against this Satan!' Therewith the folk gathered +together to them forthright and loud rose the clamours and the +cries between them; but the most part of them said, 'Refer their +affair to the Sultan.' So they referred the case to the Sultan, +who was none other than Selim's sister Selma. + +[Then they went up to the palace and] the interpreter went in to +Selma and said to her, 'O king of the age, here is an Indian +woman, who cometh from the land of Hind, and she hath laid hands +on a young man, a servant, avouching that he is her husband, who +hath been missing these two years, and she came not hither but on +his account, and indeed these many days she hath done almsdeeds +[in the city]. And here is a man, a cook, who avoucheth that the +young man is his slave.' When the queen heard these words, her +entrails quivered and she groaned from an aching heart and called +to mind her brother and that which had betided him. Then she bade +those who were about her bring them before her, and when she saw +them, she knew her brother and was like to cry aloud; but her +reason restrained her; yet could she not contain herself, but she +must needs rise up and sit down. However, she enforced herself +unto patience and said to them, 'Let each of you acquaint me with +his case.' + +So Selim came forward and kissing the earth before the [supposed] +king, praised him and related to him his story from beginning to +end, till the time of their coming to that city, he and his +sister, telling him how he had entered the place and fallen into +the hands of the cook and that which had betided him [with him] +and what he had suffered from him of beating and bonds and +shackles and pinioning. Moreover, he told him how the cook had +made him his brother's slave and how the latter had sold him in +Hind and he had married the princess and become king and how life +was not pleasant to him till he should foregather with his sister +and how the cook had fallen in with him a second time and +acquainted her with that which had betided him of sickness and +disease for the space of a full-told year. + +When he had made an end of his speech, his wife came forward +forthright and told her story, from first to last, how her mother +bought him from the cook's partner and the people of the kingdom +came under his rule; nor did she leave telling till she came, in +her story, to that city [and acquainted the queen with the manner +of her falling in with her lost husband]. When she had made an +end of her story, the cook exclaimed, 'Alack, what impudent liars +there be! By Allah, O king, this woman lieth against me, for this +youth is my rearling[FN#75] and he was born of one of my +slave-girls. He fled from me and I found him again. + +When the queen heard the last of the talk, she said to the cook, +'The judgment between you shall not be but in accordance with +justice.' Then she dismissed all those who were present and +turning to her brother, said to him, 'Indeed thy soothfastness is +established with me and the truth of thy speech, and praised be +God who hath brought about union between thee and thy wife! So +now begone with her to thy country and leave [seeking] thy sister +Selma and depart in peace.' But Selim answered, saying, 'By +Allah, by the virtue of the All-knowing King, I will not turn +back from seeking my sister till I die or find her, if it please +God the Most High!' Then he called his sister to mind and broke +out with the following verses from a heart endolored, afflicted, +disappointed, saying: + +O thou that blamest me for my heart and railest at my ill, Hadst + them but tasted my spirit's grief, thou wouldst excuse me + still. +By Allah, O thou that chid'st my heart concerning my sister's + love, Leave chiding and rather bemoan my case and help me to + my will. +For indeed I am mated with longing love in public and privily, + Nor ever my heart, alas I will cease from mourning, will I + or nill. +A fire in mine entrails burns, than which the fire of the hells + denounced For sinners' torment less scathing is: it seeketh + me to slay. + +When his sister Selma heard what he said, she could no longer +contain herself, but cast herself upon him and discovered to him +her case. When he knew her, he threw himself upon her [and lay +without life] awhile; after which he came to himself and said, +'Praised be God, the Bountiful, the Beneficent!' Then they +complained to each other of that which they had suffered for the +anguish of separation, whilst Selim's wife abode wondered at this +and Selma's patience and constancy pleased her. So she saluted +her and thanked her for her fashion, saying, 'By Allah, O my +lady, all that we are in of gladness is of thy blessing alone; so +praised be God who hath vouchsafed us thy sight!' Then they abode +all three in joy and happiness and delight three days, +sequestered from the folk; and it was bruited abroad in the city +that the king had found his brother, who was lost years agone. + +On the fourth day, all the troops and the people of the realm +assembled together to the [supposed] king and standing at his +gate, craved leave to enter. Selma bade admit them; so they +entered and paid her the service of the kingship and gave her joy +of her brother's safe return. She bade them do suit and service +to Selim, and they consented and paid him homage; after which +they kept silence awhile, so they might hear what the king should +command. Then said Selma, 'Harkye, all ye soldiers and subjects, +ye know that ye enforced me to [accept] the kingship and besought +me thereof and I consented unto your wishes concerning my +investment [with the royal dignity]; and I did this [against my +will]; for know that I am a woman and that I disguised myself and +donned man's apparel, so haply my case might be hidden, whenas I +lost my brother. But now, behold, God hath reunited me with my +brother, and it is no longer lawful to me that I be king and bear +rule over the people, and I a woman; for that there is no +governance for women, whenas men are present. Wherefore, if it +like you, do ye set my brother on the throne of the kingdom, for +this is he; and I will busy myself with the worship of God the +Most High and thanksgiving [to Him] for my reunion with my +brother. Or, if it like you, take your kingship and invest +therewith whom ye will.' + +Thereupon the folk all cried out, saying, 'We accept him to king +over us!' And they did him suit and service and gave him joy of +the kingship. So the preachers preached in his name[FN#76] and +the poets praised him; and he lavished gifts upon the troops and +the officers of his household and overwhelmed them with favours +and bounties and was prodigal to the people of justice and +equitable dealings and goodly usance and polity. When he had +accomplished this much of his desire, he caused bring forth the +cook and his household to the divan, but spared the old woman who +had tended him, for that she had been the cause of his +deliverance. Then they assembled them all without the town and he +tormented the cook and those who were with him with all manner of +torments, after which he put him to death on the sorriest wise +and burning him with fire, scattered his ashes abroad in the air. + +Selim abode in the governance, invested with the sultanate, and +ruled the people a whole year, after which he returned to El +Mensoureh and sojourned there another year. And he [and his wife] +ceased not to go from city to city and abide in this a year and +that a year, till he was vouchsafed children and they grew up, +whereupon he appointed him of his sons, who was found fitting, to +be his deputy in [one] kingdom [and abode himself in the other]; +and he lived, he and his wife and children, what while God the +Most High willed. Nor," added the vizier, "O king of the age, is +this story rarer or more extraordinary than that of the king of +Hind and his wronged and envied vizier." + +When the king heard this, his mind was occupied [with the story +he had heard and that which the vizier promised him], and he bade +the latter depart to his own house. + + The Twenty-Eighth and Last Night of the Month + +When the evening evened, the king summoned the vizier and bade +him tell the story of the King of Hind and his vizier. So he +said, "Hearkening and obedience. Know, O king of august lineage, +that + + + + + + STORY OF THE KING OF HIND AND HIS VIZIER. + + + +There was once in the land of Hind a king of illustrious station, +endowed with understanding and good sense, and his name was Shah +Bekht. He had a vizier, a man of worth and intelligence, prudent +in counsel, conformable to him in his governance and just in his +judgment; wherefore his enviers were many and many were the +hypocrites, who sought in him faults and set snares for him, so +that they insinuated into King Shah Bekht's eye hatred and +rancour against him and sowed despite against him in his heart; +and plot followed after plot, till [at last] the king was brought +to arrest him and lay him in prison and confiscate his good and +avoid his estate.[FN#77] + +When they knew that there was left him no estate that the king +might covet, they feared lest he be brought to release him, by +the incidence of the vizier's [good] counsel upon the king's +heart, and he return to his former case, so should their plots be +marred and their ranks degraded, for that they knew that the king +would have need of that which he had known from that man nor +would forget that wherewith he was familiar in him. Now it befell +that a certain man of corrupt purpose[FN#78] found a way to the +perversion of the truth and a means of glozing over falsehood and +adorning it with a semblance of fair-seeming and there proceeded +from him that wherewith the hearts of the folk were occupied, and +their minds were corrupted by his lying tales; for that he made +use of Indian subtleties and forged them into a proof for the +denial of the Maker, the Creator, extolled be His might and +exalted be He! Indeed, God is exalted and magnified above the +speech of the deniers. He avouched that it is the planets[FN#79] +that order the affairs of all creatures and he set down twelve +mansions to twelve signs [of the Zodiac] and made each sign +thirty degrees, after the number of the days of the month, so +that in twelve mansions there are three hundred and threescore +[degrees], after the number of the days of the year; and he +wrought a scheme, wherein he lied and was an infidel and denied +[God]. Then he got possession of the king's mind and the enviers +and haters aided him against the vizier and insinuated themselves +into his favour and corrupted his counsel against the vizier, so +that he suffered of him that which he suffered and he banished +him and put him away. + +So the wicked man attained that which he sought of the vizier and +the case was prolonged till the affairs of the kingdom became +disordered, by dint of ill governance, and the most part of the +king's empery fell away from him and he came nigh unto ruin. +Therewithal he was certified of the loyalty of his [late] skilful +vizier and the excellence of his governance and the justness of +his judgment. So he sent after him and brought him and the wicked +man before him and summoning the grandees of his realm and the +chiefs of his state to his presence, gave them leave to talk and +dispute and forbade the wicked man from that his lewd +opinion.[FN#80] Then arose that wise and skilful vizier and +praised God the Most High and lauded Him and glorified Him and +hallowed Him and attested His unity and disputed with the wicked +man and overcame him and put him to silence; nor did he cease +from him till he enforced him to make confession of repentance +[and turning away] from that which he had believed. + +Therewith King Shah Bekht rejoiced with an exceeding great joy +and said, 'Praise be to God who hath delivered me from yonder man +and hath preserved me from the loss of the kingship and the +cessation of prosperity from me!' So the affair of the vizier +returned to order and well-being and the king restored him to his +place and advanced him in rank. Moreover, he assembled the folk +who had missaid of him and destroyed them all, to the last man. +And how like," continued the vizier, "is this story unto that of +myself and King Shah Bekht, with regard to that whereinto I am +fallen of the changing of the king's heart and his giving +credence to others against me; but now is the righteousness of my +dealing established in thine eyes, for that God the Most High +hath inspired me with wisdom and endowed thee with longanimity +and patience [to hearken] from me unto that which He allotted +unto those who had foregone us, till He hath shown forth my +innocence and made manifest unto thee the truth. For now the days +are past, wherein it was avouched to the king that I should +endeavour for the destruction of my soul,[FN#81] [to wit,] the +month; and behold, the probation time is over and gone, and past +is the season of evil and ceased, by the king's good fortune." +Then he bowed his head and was silent.[FN#82] + +When King Shah Bekht heard his vizier's speech, he was confounded +before him and abashed and marvelled at the gravity of his +understanding and his patience. So he sprang up to him and +embraced him and the vizier kissed his feet. Then the king called +for a sumptuous dress of honour and cast it over Er Rehwan and +entreated him with the utmost honour and showed him special +favour and restored him to his rank and vizierate. Moreover he +imprisoned those who had sought his destruction with leasing and +committed unto himself to pass judgment upon the interpreter who +had expounded to him the dream. So the vizier abode in the +governance of the realm till there came to them the Destroyer of +Delights; and this (added Shehrzad) is all, O king of the age, +that hath come down to us of King Shah Bekht and his vizier. + + + + + + SHEHRZAD AND SHEHRIYAR. + + + +As for King Shehriyar, he marvelled at Shehrzad with the utmost +wonder and drew her near to his heart, of his much love for her; +and she was magnified in his eyes and he said in himself, "By +Allah, the like of this woman is not deserving of slaughter, for +indeed the time affordeth not her like. By Allah, I have been +heedless of mine affair, and had not God overcome me with His +mercy and put this woman at my service, so she might adduce to me +manifest instances and truthful cases and goodly admonitions and +edifying traits, such as should restore me to the [right] road, +[I had come to perdition!]. Wherefore to God be the praise for +this and I beseech Him to make my end with her like unto that of +the vizier and Shah Bekht." Then sleep overcame the king and +glory be unto Him who sleepeth not! + +When it was the Nine hundred and thirtieth Night, Shehrzad said, +"O king, there is present in my thought a story which treateth of +women's craft and wherein is a warning to whoso will be warned +and an admonishment to whoso will be admonished and whoso hath +discernment; but I fear lest the hearing of this lessen me with +the king and lower my rank in his esteem; yet I hope that this +will not be, for that it is a rare story. Women are indeed +corruptresses; their craft and their cunning may not be set out +nor their wiles known. Men enjoy their company and are not +careful to uphold them [in the right way], neither do they watch +over them with all vigilance, but enjoy their company and take +that which is agreeable and pay no heed to that which is other +than this. Indeed, they are like unto the crooked rib, which if +thou go about to straighten, thou distortest it, and which if +thou persist in seeking to redress, thou breakest it; wherefore +it behoveth the man of understanding to be silent concerning +them." + +"O sister mine," answered Dinarzad, "bring forth that which is +with thee and that which is present to thy mind of the story +concerning the craft of women and their wiles, and have no fear +lest this endamage thee with the king; for that women are like +unto jewels, which are of all kinds and colours. When a [true] +jewel falleth into the hand of him who is knowing therein, he +keepeth it for himself and leaveth that which is other than it. +Moreover, he preferreth some of them over others, and in this he +is like unto the potter, who filleth his oven with all the +vessels [he hath moulded] and kindleth fire thereunder. When the +baking is at an end and he goeth about to take forth that which +is in the oven, he findeth no help for it but that he must break +some thereof, whilst other some are what the folk need and +whereof they make use, and yet other some there be that return to +their whilom case. Wherefore fear thou not to adduce that which +thou knowest of the craft of women, for that in this is profit +for all folk." + +Then said Shehrzad, "They avouch, O king, (but God [alone] +knowest the secret things,) that + + + + + + EL MELIK EZ ZAHIR RUKNEDDIN BIBERS EL + BUNDUCDARI AND THE SIXTEEN OFFICERS OF + POLICE.[FN#83] + + + +There was once in the land [of Egypt and] the city of Cairo, +[under the dynasty] of the Turks,[FN#84] a king of the valiant +kings and the exceeding mighty Sultans, by name El Melik ez Zahir +Rukneddin Bibers el Bunducdari.[FN#85] He was used to storm the +Islamite strongholds and the fortresses of the Coast[FN#86] and +the Nazarene citadels, and the governor of his [capital] city was +just to the folk, all of them. Now El Melik ez Zahir was +passionately fond of stories of the common folk and of that which +men purposed and loved to see this with his eyes and hear their +sayings with his ears, and it befell that he heard one night from +one of his story-tellers[FN#87] that among women are those who +are doughtier than men of valour and greater of excellence and +that among them are those who will do battle with the sword and +others who cozen the quickest-witted of magistrates and baffle +them and bring down on them all manner of calamity; whereupon +quoth the Sultan, 'I would fain hear this of their craft from one +of those who have had to do theiewith, so I may hearken unto him +and cause him tell.' And one of the story-tellers said, 'O king, +send for the chief of the police of the town.' + +Now Ilmeddin Senjer was at that time Master of Police and he was +a man of experience, well versed in affairs: so the king sent for +him and when he came before him, he discovered to him that which +was in his mind. Quoth Ilmeddin Senjer, 'I will do my endeavour +for that which our lord the Sultan seeketh.' Then he arose and +returning to his house, summoned the captains of the watch and +the lieutenants of police and said to them, 'Know that I purpose +to marry my son and make him a bride-feast, and it is my wish +that ye assemble, all of you, in one place. I also will be +present, I and my company, and do ye relate that which ye have +heard of extraordinary occurrences and that which hath betided +you of experiences.' And the captains and sergeants and agents of +police made answer to him, saying, 'It is well: in the name of +God! We will cause thee see all this with thine eyes and hear it +with thine ears.' Then the master of police arose and going up to +El Melik ez Zahir, informed him that the assembly would take +place on such a day at his house; and the Sultan said, 'It is +well,' and gave him somewhat of money for his expenses. + +When the appointed day arrived, the chief of the police set apart +for his officers a saloon, that had windows ranged in order and +giving upon the garden, and El Melik ez Zahir came to him, and he +seated himself, he and the Sultan, in the alcove. Then the tables +were spread unto them for eating and they ate; and when the cup +went round amongst them and their hearts were gladdened with meat +and drink, they related that which was with them and discovered +their secrets from concealment. The first to relate was a man, a +captain of the watch, by name Muineddin, whose heart was +engrossed with the love of women; and he said, 'Harkye, all ye +people of [various] degree, I will acquaint you with an +extraordinary affair which befell me aforetime. Know that + + + + + + THE FIRST OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +When I entered the service of this Amir,[FN#88] I had a great +repute and every lewd fellow feared me of all mankind, and whenas +I rode through the city, all the folk would point at me with +their fingers and eyes. It befell one day, as I sat in the house +of the prefecture, with my back against a wall, considering in +myself, there fell somewhat in my lap, and behold, it was a purse +sealed and tied. So I took it in my hand and behold, it had in it +a hundred dirhems,[FN#89] but I found not who threw it and I +said, "Extolled be the perfection of God, the King of the +Kingdoms!"[FN#90] Another day, [as I sat on like wise,] somewhat +fell on me and startled me, and behold, it was a purse like the +first. So I took it and concealing its affair, made as if I +slept, albeit sleep was not with me. + +One day, as I was thus feigning sleep, I felt a hand in my lap, +and in it a magnificent purse. So I seized the hand and behold, +it was that of a fair woman. Quoth I to her, "O my lady, who art +thou?" And she said, "Rise [and come away] from here, that I may +make myself known to thee." So I arose and following her, fared +on, without tarrying, till she stopped at the door of a lofty +house, whereupon quoth I to her,"O my lady, who art thou? Indeed, +thou hast done me kindness, and what is the reason of this?" "By +Allah," answered she, "O Captain Mum, I am a woman on whom desire +and longing are sore for the love of the daughter of the Cadi +Amin el Hukm. Now there was between us what was and the love of +her fell upon my heart and I agreed with her upon meeting, +according to possibility and convenience. But her father Amin el +Hukm took her and went away, and my heart cleaveth to her and +love-longing and distraction are sore upon me on her account." + +I marvelled at her words and said to her, "What wouldst thou have +me do?" And she answered, "O Captain Muin, I would have thee give +me a helping hand." Quoth I, "What have I to do with the daughter +of the Cadi Amin el Hukm?" And she said, "Know that I would not +have thee intrude upon the Cadi's daughter, but I would fain +contrive for the attainment of my wishes.' This is my intent and +my desire, and my design will not be accomplished but by thine +aid." Then said she, "I mean this night to go with a stout heart +and hire me trinkets of price; then will I go and sit in the +street wherein is the house of Amin el Hukm; and when it is the +season of the round and the folk are asleep, do thou pass, thou +and those who are with thee of the police, and thou wilt see me +sitting and on me fine raiment and ornaments and wilt smell on me +the odour of perfumes; whereupon do thou question me of my case +and I will say, 'I come from the Citadel and am of the daughters +of the deputies[FN#91] and I came down [into the town,] to do an +occasion; but the night overtook me at unawares and the Zuweyleh +gate was shut against me and all the gates and I knew not whither +I should go this night Presently I saw this street and noting the +goodliness of its ordinance and its cleanness, took shelter +therein against break of day.' When I say this to thee with all +assurance[FN#92] the chief of the watch will have no suspicion of +me, but will say, 'Needs must we leave her with one who will take +care of her till morning.' And do thou rejoin, 'It were most +fitting that she pass the night with Amin el Hukm and lie with +his family and children till the morning.' Then do thou +straightway knock at the Cadi's door, and thus shall I have +gained admission into his house, without inconvenience, and +gotten my desire; and peace be on thee!" And I said to her, "By +Allah, this is an easy matter." + +So, when the night darkened, we sallied forth to make our round, +attended by men with sharp swords, and went round about the +streets and compassed the city, till we came to the by-street +where was the woman, and it was the middle of the night Here we +smelt rich scents and heard the clink of earrings; so I said to +my comrades, "Methinks I spy an apparition," And the captain of +the watch said, "See what it is." So I came forward and entering +the lane, came presently out again and said, "I have found a fair +woman and she tells me that she is from the Citadel and that the +night surprised her and she espied this street and seeing its +cleanness and the goodliness of its ordinance, knew that it +appertained to a man of rank and that needs must there be in it a +guardian to keep watch over it, wherefore she took shelter +therein." Quoth the captain of the watch to me, "Take her and +carry her to thy house." But I answered, "I seek refuge with +Allah![FN#93] My house is no place of deposit[FN#94] and on this +woman are trinkets and apparel [of price]. By Allah, we will not +deposit her save with Amin el Hukrn, in whose street she hath +been since the first of the darkness; wherefore do thou leave her +with him till the break of day." And he said, "As thou wilt." +Accordingly, I knocked at the Cadi's door and out came a black +slave of his slaves, to whom said I, "O my lord, take this woman +and let her be with you till break of day, for that the +lieutenant of the Amir Ilmeddin hath found her standing at the +door of your house, with trinkets and apparel [of price] on her, +and we feared lest her responsibility be upon you;[FN#95] +wherefore it is most fit that she pass the night with you." So +the slave opened and took her in with him. + +When the morning morrowed, the first who presented himself before +the Amir was the Cadi Amin el Hukm, leaning on two of his black +slaves; and he was crying out and calling [on God] for aid and +saying, "O crafty and perfidious Amir, thou depositedst with me a +woman [yesternight] and broughtest her into my house and my +dwelling-place, and she arose [in the night] and took from me the +good of the little orphans,[FN#96] six great bags, [containing +each a thousand dinars,[FN#97] and made off;] but as for me, I +will say no more to thee except in the Sultan's presence."[FN#98] +When the Master of the Police heard these words, he was troubled +and rose and sat down; then he took the Cadi and seating him by +his side, soothed him and exhorted him to patience, till he had +made an end of talk, when he turned to the officers and +questioned them. They fixed the affair on me and said, "We know +nothing of this affair but from Captain Muineddin." So the Cadi +turned to me and said, "Thou wast of accord with this woman, for +she said she came from the Citadel." + +As for me, I stood, with my head bowed to the earth, forgetting +both Institutes and Canons,[FN#99] and abode sunk in thought, +saying, "How came I to be the dupe of yonder worthless baggage?" +Then said the Amir to me, "What aileth thee that thou answerest +not?" And I answered, saying, "O my lord, it is a custom among +the folk that he who hath a payment to make at a certain date is +allowed three days' grace; [so do thou have patience with me so +long,] and if, [by the end of that time,] the culprit be not +found, I will be answerable for that which is lost." When the +folk heard my speech, they all deemed it reasonable and the +Master of Police turned to the Cadi and swore to him that he +would do his utmost endeavour to recover the stolen money and +that it should be restored to him. So he went away, whilst I +mounted forthright and fell to going round about the world +without purpose, and indeed I was become under the dominion of a +woman without worth or honour; and I went round about on this +wise all that my day and night, but happened not upon tidings of +her; and thus I did on the morrow. + +On the third day I said to myself, "Thou art mad or witless!" For +I was going about in quest of a woman who knew me and I knew her +not, seeing that indeed she was veiled, [whenas I saw her]. Then +I went round about the third day till the hour of afternoon +prayer, and sore was my concern and my chagrin, for I knew that +there abode to me of my life but [till] the morrow, when the +chief of the police would seek me. When it was the time of +sundown, I passed through one of the streets, and beheld a woman +at a window. Her door was ajar and she was clapping her hands and +casting furtive glances at me, as who should say, "Come up by the +door." So I went up, without suspicion, and when I entered, she +rose and clasped me to her breast 1 marvelled at her affair and +she said to me, "I am she whom thou depositedst with Amin el +Hukm." Quoth I to her, "O my sister, I have been going round and +round in quest of thee, for indeed thou hast done a deed that +will be chronicled in history and hast cast me into +slaughter[FN#100] on thine account." "Sayst thou this to me," +asked she, "and thou captain of men?" And I answered, "How should +I not be troubled, seeing that I am in concern [for an affair] +that I turn over and over [in my mind], more by token that I +abide my day long going about [searching for thee] and in the +night I watch its stars [for wakefulness]?" Quoth she, "Nought +shall betide but good, and thou shalt get the better of him." + +So saying, she rose [and going] to a chest, took out therefrom +six bags full of gold and said to me, "This is what I took from +Amin el Hukm's house. So, if thou wilt, restore it; else the +whole is lawfully thine; and if thou desire other than this, +[thou shalt have it;] for I have wealth in plenty and I had no +design in this but to marry thee." Then she arose and opening +[other] chests, brought out therefrom wealth galore and I said to +her, "O my sister, I have no desire for all this, nor do I covet +aught but to be quit of that wherein I am." Quoth she, "I came +not forth of the [Cadi's] house without [making provision for] +thine acquittance." + +Then said she to me, "To-morrow morning, when Amin el Hukm +cometh, have patience with him till he have made an end of his +speech, and when he is silent, return him no answer; and if the +prefect say to thee, 'What ailest thee that thou answereth him +not?' do thou reply, 'O lord, know that the two words are not +alike, but there is no [helper] for him who is undermost[FN#101], +save God the Most High.'[FN#102] The Cadi will say, 'What is the +meaning of thy saying," The two words are not alike"?' And do +thou make answer, saying, 'I deposited with thee a damsel from +the palace of the Sultan, and most like some losel of thy +household hath transgressed against her or she hath been privily +murdered. Indeed, there were on her jewels and raiment worth a +thousand dinars, and hadst thou put those who are with thee of +slaves and slave-girls to the question, thou hadst assuredly lit +on some traces [of the crime].' When he heareth this from thee, +his agitation will redouble and he will be confounded and will +swear that needs must thou go with him to his house; but do thou +say, 'That will I not do, for that I am the party aggrieved, more +by token that I am under suspicion with thee.' If he redouble in +calling [on God for aid] and conjure thee by the oath of divorce, +saying, 'Needs must thou come,' do thou say, 'By Allah, I will +not go, except the prefect come also.' + +When thou comest to the house, begin by searching the roofs; then +search the closets and cabinets; and if thou find nought, humble +thyself unto the Cadi and make a show of abjection and feign +thyself defeated, and after stand at the door and look as if thou +soughtest a place wherein to make water, for that there is a dark +corner there. Then come forward, with a heart stouter than +granite, and lay hold upon a jar of the jars and raise it from +its place. Thou wilt find under it the skirt of a veil; bring it +out publicly and call the prefect in a loud voice, before those +who are present. Then open it and thou wilt find it full of +blood, exceeding of redness,[FN#103] and in it [thou wilt find +also] a woman's shoes and a pair of trousers and somewhat of +linen." When I heard this from her, I rose to go out and she said +to me, "Take these hundred dinars, so they may advantage thee; +and this is my guest-gift to thee." So I took them and bidding +her farewell, returned to my lodging. + +Next morning, up came the Cadi, with his face like the +ox-eye,[FN#104] and said, "In the name of God, where is my debtor +and where is my money?" Then he wept and cried out and said to +the prefect, "Where is that ill-omened fellow, who aboundeth in +thievery and villainy?" Therewith the prefect turned to me and +said, "Why dost thou not answer the Cadi?" And I replied, "O +Amir, the two heads[FN#105] are not equal, and I, I have no +helper but God; but, if the right be on my side, it will appear." +At this the Cadi cried out and said, "Out on thee, O ill-omened +fellow! How wilt thou make out that the right is on thy side?" "O +our lord the Cadi," answered I, "I deposited with thee a trust, +to wit, a woman whom we found at thy door, and on her raiment and +trinkets of price. Now she is gone, even as yesterday is gone; +and after this thou turnest upon us and makest claim upon me for +six thousand dinars. By Allah, this is none other than gross +unright, and assuredly some losel of thy household hath +transgressed against her!" + +With this the Cadi's wrath redoubled and he swore by the most +solemn of oaths that I should go with him and search his house. +"By Allah," replied I, "I will not go, except the prefect be with +us; for, if he be present, he and the officers, thou wilt not +dare to presume upon me." And the Cadi rose and swore an oath, +saying, "By Him who created mankind, we will not go but with the +Amir!" So we repaired to the Cadi's house, accompanied by the +prefect, and going up, searched high and low, but found nothing; +whereupon fear gat hold upon me and the prefect turned to me and +said, "Out on thee, O ill-omened fellow! Thou puttest us to shame +before the men." And I wept and went round about right and left, +with the tears running down my face, till we were about to go +forth and drew near the door of the house. I looked at the place +[behind the door] and said, "What is yonder dark place that I +see?" And I said to the sergeants, "Lift up this jar with me." +They did as I bade them and I saw somewhat appearing under the +jar and said, "Rummage and see what is under it." So they +searched and found a woman's veil and trousers full of blood, +which when I beheld, I fell down in a swoon. + +When the prefect saw this, he said, "By Allah, the captain is +excused!" Then my comrades came round about me and sprinkled +water on my face, [till I came to myself,] when I arose and +accosting the Cadi, who was covered with confusion, said to him, +"Thou seest that suspicion is fallen on thee, and indeed this +affair is no light matter, for that this woman's family will +assuredly not sit down under her loss." Therewith the Cadi's +heart quaked and he knew that the suspicion had reverted upon +him, wherefore his colour paled and his limbs smote together; and +he paid of his own money, after the measure of that which he had +lost, so we would hush up the matter for him.[FN#106] Then we +departed from him in peace, whilst I said in myself, "Indeed, the +woman deceived me not." + +After that I tarried till three days had elapsed, when 1 went to +the bath and changing my clothes, betook myself to her house, but +found the door locked and covered with dust. So I questioned the +neighbours of her and they said, "This house hath been empty +these many days; but three days agone there came a woman with an +ass, and yesternight, at eventide, she took her gear and went +away." So I turned back, confounded in my wit, and every day +[after this, for many a day,] I inquired of the inhabitants [of +the street] concerning her, but could light on no tidings of her. +And indeed I marvelled at the eloquence of her tongue and [the +readiness of] her speech; and this is the most extraordinary of +that which hath betided me.' + +When El Melik ez Zahir heard Muineddin's story, he marvelled +thereat Then rose another officer and said, 'O lord, bear what +befell me in bygone days. + + + + + + THE SECOND OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +I was once an officer in the household of the Amir Jemaleddin El +Atwesh El Mujhidi, who was invested with the governance of the +Eastern and Western districts,[FN#107] and I was dear to his +heart and he concealed from me nought of that which he purposed +to do; and withal he was master of his reason.[FN#108] It chanced +one day that it was reported to him that the daughter of such an +one had wealth galore and raiment and jewels and she loved a Jew, +whom every day she invited to be private with her, and they +passed the day eating and drinking in company and he lay the +night with her. The prefect feigned to give no credence to this +story, but one night he summoned the watchmen of the quarter and +questioned them of this. Quoth one of them, "O my lord, I saw a +Jew enter the street in question one night; but know not for +certain to whom he went in." And the prefect said, "Keep thine +eye on him henceforth and note what place he entereth." So the +watchman went out and kept his eye on the Jew. + +One day, as the prefect sat [in his house], the watchman came in +to him and said, "O my lord, the Jew goeth to the house of such +an one." Whereupon El Atwesh arose and went forth alone, taking +with him none but myself. As he went along, he said to me, +"Indeed, this [woman] is a fat piece of meat."[FN#109] And we +gave not over going till we came to the door of the house and +stood there till a slave-girl came out, as if to buy them +somewhat. We waited till she opened the door, whereupon, without +further parley, we forced our way into the house and rushed in +upon the girl, whom we found seated with the Jew in a saloon with +four estrades, and cooking-pots and candles therein. When her +eyes fell on the prefect, she knew him and rising to her feet, +said, "Welcome and fair welcome! Great honour hath betided me by +my lord's visit and indeed thou honourest my dwelling." + +Then she carried him up [to the estrade] and seating him on the +couch, brought him meat and wine and gave him to drink; after +which she put off all that was upon her of raiment and jewels and +tying them up in a handkerchief, said to him, "O my lord, this is +thy portion, all of it." Moreover she turned to the Jew and said +to him, "Arise, thou also, and do even as I." So he arose in +haste and went out, scarce crediting his deliverance. When the +girl was assured of his escape, she put out her hand to her +clothes [and jewels] and taking them, said to the prefect, "Is +the requital of kindness other than kindness? Thou hast deigned +[to visit me and eat of my victual]; so now arise and depart from +us without ill-[doing]; or I will give one cry and all who are in +the street will come forth." So the Amir went out from her, +without having gotten a single dirhem; and on this wise she +delivered the Jew by the excellence of her contrivance.' + +The folk marvelled at this story and as for the prefect and El +Melik ez Zahir, they said, 'Wrought ever any the like of this +device?' And they marvelled with the utterest of wonderment Then +arose a third officer and said, 'Hear what betided me, for it is +yet stranger and more extraordinary. + + + + + + THE THIRD OFFICER'S STORY + + + +I was one day abroad on an occasion with certain of my comrades, +and as we went along, we fell in with a company of women, as they +were moons, and among them one, the tallest and handsomest of +them. When I saw her and she saw me, she tarried behind her +companions and waited for me, till I came up to her and bespoke +her. Quoth she, "O my lord, (God favour thee!) I saw thee prolong +thy looking on me and imagined that thou knewest me. If it be +thus, vouchsafe me more knowledge of thee." "By Allah," answered +I, "I know thee not, save that God the Most High hath cast the +love of thee into my heart and the goodliness of thine attributes +hath confounded me and that wherewith God hath gifted thee of +those eyes that shoot with arrows; for thou hast captivated me." +And she rejoined, "By Allah, I feel the like of that which thou +feelest; so that meseemeth I have known thee from childhood." + +Then said I, "A man cannot well accomplish all whereof he hath +need in the market-places." "Hast thou a house?" asked she. "No, +by Allah," answered I; "nor is this town my dwelling-place." "By +Allah," rejoined she, "nor have I a place; but I will contrive +for thee." Then she went on before me and I followed her till she +came to a lodging-house and said to the housekeeper, "Hast thou +an empty chamber?" "Yes," answered she; and my mistress said, +"Give us the key." So we took the key and going up to see the +room, entered it; after which she went out to the housekeeper and +[giving her a dirhem], said to her, "Take the key-money,[FN#110] +for the room pleaseth us, and here is another dirhem for thy +trouble. Go, fetch us a pitcher of water, so we may [refresh +ourselves] and rest till the time of the noonday siesta pass and +the heat decline, when the man will go and fetch the [household] +stuff." Therewith the housekeeper rejoiced and brought us a mat +and two pitchers of water on a tray and a leather rug. + +We abode thus till the setting-in of the time of mid-afternoon, +when she said, "Needs must I wash before I go." Quoth I, "Get +water wherewithal we may wash," and pulled out from my pocket +about a score of dirhems, thinking to give them to her; but she +said, "I seek refuge with God!" and brought out of her pocket a +handful of silver, saying, "But for destiny and that God hath +caused the love of thee fall into my heart, there had not +happened that which hath happened." Quoth I, "Take this in +requital of that which thou hast spent;" and she said, "O my +lord, by and by, whenas companionship is prolonged between us, +thou wilt see if the like of me looketh unto money and gain or +no." Then she took a pitcher of water and going into the +lavatory, washed[FN#111] and presently coming forth, prayed and +craved pardon of God the Most High for that which she had done. + +Now I had questioned her of her name and she answered, "My name +is Rihaneh," and described to me her dwelling-place. When I saw +her make the ablution, I said in myself, "This woman doth on this +wise, and shall I not do the like of her?" Then said I to her, +"Belike thou wilt seek us another pitcher of water?" So she went +out to the housekeeper and said to her, "Take this para and fetch +us water therewith, so we may wash the flags withal." +Accordingly, the housekeeper brought two pitchers of water and I +took one of them and giving her my clothes, entered the lavatory +and washed. + +When I had made an end of washing, I cried out, saying, "Harkye, +my lady Rihaneh!" But none answered me. So I went out and found +her not; and indeed she had taken my clothes and that which was +therein of money, to wit, four hundred dirhems. Moreover, she had +taken my turban and my handkerchief and I found not wherewithal +to cover my nakedness; wherefore I suffered somewhat than which +death is less grievous and abode looking about the place, so +haply I might espy wherewithal to hide my shame. Then I sat a +little and presently going up to the door, smote upon it; +whereupon up came the housekeeper and I said to her, "O my +sister, what hath God done with the woman who was here?" Quoth +she, "She came down but now and said, 'I am going to cover the +boys with the clothes and I have left him sleeping. If he awake, +tell him not to stir till the clothes come to him.'" Then said I, +"O my sister, secrets are [safe] with the worthy and the +freeborn. By Allah, this woman is not my wife, nor ever in my +life have I seen her before this day!" And I recounted to her the +whole affair and begged her to cover me, informing her that I was +discovered of the privities. + +She laughed and cried out to the women of the house, saying, "Ho, +Fatimeh! Ho, Khedijeh! Ho, Herifeh! Ho, Senineh!" Whereupon all +those who were in the place of women and neighbours flocked to me +and fell a-laughing at me and saying, "O blockhead, what ailed +thee to meddle with gallantry?" Then one of them came and looked +in my face and laughed, and another said, "By Allah, thou +mightest have known that she lied, from the time she said she +loved thee and was enamoured of thee? What is there in thee to +love?" And a third said, "This is an old man without +understanding." And they vied with each other in making mock of +me, what while I suffered sore chagrin. + +However, after awhile, one of the women took pity on me and +brought me a rag of thin stuff and cast it on me. With this I +covered my privities, and no more, and abode awhile thus. Then +said I in myself, "The husbands of these women will presently +gather together on me and I shall be disgraced." So I went out by +another door of the house, and young and old crowded about me, +running after me and saying, "A madman! A madman!" till I came to +my house and knocked at the door; whereupon out came my wife and +seeing me naked, tall, bareheaded, cried out and ran in again, +saying,"This is a madman, a Satan!" But, when she and my family +knew me, they rejoiced and said to me, "What aileth thee?" I told +them that thieves had taken my clothes and stripped me and had +been like to kill me; and when I told them that they would have +killed me, they praised God the Most High and gave me joy of my +safety. So consider the craft of this woman and this device that +she practised upon me, for all my pretensions to sleight and +quickwittedness.' + +The company marvelled at this story and at the doings of women. +Then came forward a fourth officer and said, 'Verily, that which +hath betided me of strange adventures is yet more extraordinary +than this; and it was on this wise. + + + + + + THE FOURTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +We were sleeping one night on the roof, when a woman made her way +into the house and gathering into a bundle all that was therein, +took it up, that she might go away with it. Now she was great +with child and near upon her term and the hour of her +deliverance; so, when she made up the bundle and offered to +shoulder it and make off with it, she hastened the coming of the +pangs of labour and gave birth to a child in the dark. Then she +sought for the flint and steel and striking a light, kindled the +lamp and went round about the house with the little one, and it +was weeping. [The noise awoke us,] as we lay on the roof, and we +marvelled. So we arose, to see what was to do, and looking down +through the opening of the saloon,[FN#112] saw a woman, who had +kindled the lamp, and heard the little one weeping. She heard our +voices and raising her eyes to us, said, "Are ye not ashamed to +deal with us thus and discover our nakedness? Know ye not that +the day belongeth to you and the night to us? Begone from us! By +Allah, were it not that ye have been my neighbours these [many] +years, I would bring down the house upon you!" We doubted not but +that she was of the Jinn and drew back our heads; but, when we +arose on the morrow, we found that she had taken all that was +with us and made off with it; wherefore we knew that she was a +thief and had practised [on us] a device, such as was never +before practised; and we repented, whenas repentance advantaged +us not.' + +When the company heard this story, they marvelled thereat with +the utmost wonderment. Then the fifth officer, who was the +lieutenant of the bench,[FN#113] came forward and said, '[This +is] no wonder and there befell me that which is rarer and more +extraordinary than this. + + + + + + THE FIFTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +As I sat one day at the door of the prefecture, a woman entered +and said to me privily, "O my lord, I am the wife of such an one +the physician, and with him is a company of the notables[FN#114] +of the city, drinking wine in such a place." When I heard this, I +misliked to make a scandal; so I rebuffed her and sent her away. +Then I arose and went alone to the place in question and sat +without till the door opened, when I rushed in and entering, +found the company engaged as the woman had set out, and she +herself with them. I saluted them and they returned my greeting +and rising, entreated me with honour and seated me and brought me +to eat. Then I informed them how one had denounced them to me, +but I had driven him[FN#115] away and come to them by myself; +wherefore they thanked me and praised me for my goodness. Then +they brought out to me from among them two thousand +dirhems[FN#116] and I took them and went away. + +Two months after this occurrence, there came to me one of the +Cadi's officers, with a scroll, wherein was the magistrate's +writ, summoning me to him. So I accompanied the officer and went +in to the Cadi, whereupon the plaintiff, to wit, he who had taken +out the summons, sued me for two thousand dirhems, avouching that +I had borrowed them of him as the woman's agent.[FN#117] I denied +the debt, but he produced against me a bond for the amount, +attested by four of those who were in company [on the occasion]; +and they were present and bore witness to the loan. So I reminded +them of my kindness and paid the amount, swearing that I would +never again follow a woman's counsel. Is not this marvellous?' + +The company marvelled at the goodliness of his story and it +pleased El Melik ez Zahir; and the prefect said, 'By Allah, this +story is extraordinary!' Then came forward the sixth officer and +said to the company, 'Hear my story and that which befell me, to +wit, that which befell such an one the assessor, for it is rarer +than this and stranger. + + + + + + THE SIXTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +A certain assessor was one day taken with a woman and much people +assembled before his house and the lieutenant of police and his +men came to him and knocked at the door. The assessor looked out +of window and seeing the folk, said, "What aileth you?" Quoth +they, "[Come,] speak with the lieutenant of police such an one." +So he came down and they said to him, "Bring forth the woman that +is with thee." Quoth he, "Are ye not ashamed? How shall I bring +forth my wife?" And they said, "Is she thy wife by +contract[FN#118] or without contract?" ["By contract,"] answered +he, "according to the Book of God and the Institutes of His +Apostle." "Where is the contract?" asked they; and he replied, +"Her contract is in her mother's house." Quoth they, "Arise and +come down and show us the contract." And he said to them, "Go +from her way, so she may come forth." Now, as soon as he got wind +of the matter, he had written the contract and fashioned it after +her fashion, to suit with the case, and written therein the names +of certain of his friends as witnesses and forged the signatures +of the drawer and the wife's next friend and made it a contract +of marriage with his wife and appointed it for an excuse.[FN#119] +So, when the woman was about to go out from him, he gave her the +contract that be had forged, and the Amir sent with her a servant +of his, to bring her to her father. So the servant went with her +and when she came to her door, she said to him, "I will not +return to the citation of the Amir; but let the witnesses[FN#120] +present themselves and take my contract." + +Accordingly, the servant carried this message to the lieutenant +of police, who was standing at the assessor's door, and he said, +"This is reasonable." Then said [the assessor] to the servant, +"Harkye, O eunuch! Go and fetch us such an one the notary;" for +that he was his friend [and it was he whose name he had forged as +the drawer-up of the contract]. So the lieutenant of police sent +after him and fetched him to the assessor, who, when he saw him, +said to him, "Get thee to such an one, her with whom thou +marriedst me, and cry out upon her, and when she cometh to thee, +demand of her the contract and take it from her and bring it to +us." And he signed to him, as who should say, "Bear me out in the +lie and screen me, for that she is a strange woman and I am in +fear of the lieutenant of police who standeth at the door; and we +beseech God the Most High to screen us and you from the trouble +of this world. Amen." + +So the notary went up to the lieutenant, who was among the +witnesses, and said "It is well. Is she not such an one whose +marriage contract we drew up in such a place?" Then he betook +himself to the woman's house and cried out upon her; whereupon +she brought him the [forged] contract and he took it and returned +with it to the lieutenant of police. When the latter had taken +cognizance [of the document and professed himself satisfied, the +assessor] said [to the notary,] "Go to our lord and master, the +Cadi of the Cadis, and acquaint him with that which befalleth his +assessors." The notary rose to go, but the lieutenant of police +feared [for himself] and was profuse in beseeching the assessor +and kissing his hands, till he forgave him; whereupon the +lieutenant went away in the utterest of concern and affright. On +this wise the assessor ordered the case and carried out the +forgery and feigned marriage with the woman; [and thus was +calamity warded off from him] by the excellence of his +contrivance."[FN#121] + +The folk marvelled at this story with the utmost wonderment and +the seventh officer said, 'There befell me in Alexandria the +[God-]guarded a marvellous thing, [and it was that one told me +the following story]. + + + + + + THE SEVENTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +There came one day an old woman [to the stuff-market], with a +casket of precious workmanship, containing trinkets, and she was +accompanied by a damsel great with child. The old woman sat down +at the shop of a draper and giving him to know that the damsel +was with child by the prefect of police of the city, took of him, +on credit, stuffs to the value of a thousand dinars and deposited +with him the casket as security. [She opened the casket and] +showed him that which was therein; and he found it full of +trinkets [apparently] of price; [so he trusted her with the +goods] and she took leave of him and carrying the stuffs to the +damsel, who was with her, [went her way]. Then the old woman was +absent from him a great while, and when her absence was +prolonged, the draper despaired of her; so he went up to the +prefect's house and enquired of the woman of his household, [who +had taken his stuffs on credit;] but could get no tidings of her +nor lit on aught of her trace. + +Then he brought out the casket of jewellery [and showed it to an +expert,] who told him that the trinkets were gilt and that their +worth was but an hundred dirhems. When he heard this, he was sore +concerned thereat and presenting himself before the Sultan's +deputy, made his complaint to him; whereupon the latter knew that +a trick had been put off upon him and that the folk had cozened +him and gotten the better of him and taken his stuffs. Now the +magistrate in question was a man of good counsel and judgment, +well versed in affairs; so he said to the draper, "Remove +somewhat from thy shop, [and amongst the rest the casket,] and on +the morrow break the lock and cry out and come to me and complain +that they have plundered all thy shop. Moreover, do thou call +[upon God for succour] and cry aloud and acquaint the folk, so +that all the people may resort to thee and see the breach of the +lock and that which is missing from thy shop; and do thou show it +to every one who presenteth himself, so the news may be noised +abroad, and tell them that thy chief concern is for a casket of +great value, deposited with thee by a great man of the town and +that thou standest in fear of him. But be thou not afraid and +still say in thy converse, 'My casket belonged to such an one, +and I fear him and dare not bespeak him; but you, O company and +all ye who are present, I call you to witness of this for me.' +And if there be with thee more than this talk, [say it;] and the +old woman will come to thee." + +The draper answered with "Hearkening and obedience" and going +forth from the deputy's presence, betook himself to his shop and +brought out thence [the casket and] somewhat considerable, which +he removed to his house. At break of day he arose and going to +his shop, broke the lock and cried out and shrieked and called +[on God for help,] till the folk assembled about him and all who +were in the city were present, whereupon he cried out to them, +saying even as the prefect had bidden him; and this was bruited +abroad. Then he made for the prefecture and presenting himself +before the chief of the police, cried out and complained and made +a show of distraction. + +After three days, the old woman came to him and bringing him the +[thousand dinars, the] price of the stuffs, demanded the +casket.[FN#122] When he saw her, he laid hold of her and carried +her to the prefect of the city; and when she came before the +Cadi, he said to her, "O Sataness, did not thy first deed suffice +thee, but thou must come a second time?" Quoth she, "I am of +those who seek their salvation[FN#123] in the cities, and we +foregather every month; and yesterday we foregathered." "Canst +thou [bring me to] lay hold of them?" asked the prefect; and she +answered, "Yes; but, if thou wait till to-morrow, they will have +dispersed. So I will deliver them to thee to-night." Quoth he to +her, "Go;" and she said, "Send with me one who shall go with me +to them and obey me in that which I shall say to him, and all +that I bid him he shall give ear unto and obey me therein." So he +gave her a company of men and she took them and bringing them to +a certain door, said to them, "Stand at this door, and whoso +cometh out to you, lay hands on him; and I will come out to you +last of all." "Hearkening and obedience," answered they and stood +at the door, whilst the old woman went in. They waited a long +while, even as the Sultan's deputy had bidden them, but none came +out to them and their standing was prolonged. When they were +weary of waiting, they went up to the door and smote upon it +heavily and violently, so that they came nigh to break the lock. +Then one of them entered and was absent a long while, but found +nought; so he returned to his comrades and said to them,"This is +the door of a passage, leading to such a street; and indeed she +laughed at you and left you and went away."When they heard his +words, they returned to the Amir and acquainted him with the +case, whereby he knew that the old woman was a crafty trickstress +and that she had laughed at them and cozened them and put a cheat +on them, to save herself. Consider, then, the cunning of this +woman and that which she contrived of wiles, for all her lack of +foresight in presenting herself [a second time] to the draper and +not apprehending that his conduct was but a trick; yet, when she +found herself in danger, she straightway devised a shift for her +deliverance.' + +When the company heard the seventh officer's story, they were +moved to exceeding mirth, and El Melik ez Zahir Bibers rejoiced +in that which he heard and said, 'By Allah, there betide things +in this world, from which kings are shut out, by reason of their +exalted station!" Then came forward another man from amongst the +company and said, 'There hath reached me from one of my friends +another story bearing on the malice of women and their craft, and +it is rarer and more extraordinary and more diverting than all +that hath been told to you." + +Quoth the company, 'Tell us thy story and expound it unto us, so +we may see that which it hath of extraordinary.' And he said +'Know, then, that + + + + + + THE EIGHTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +A friend of mine once invited me to an entertainment; so I went +with him, and when we came into his house and sat down on his +couch, he said to me, "This is a blessed day and a day of +gladness, and [blessed is] he who liveth to [see] the like of +this day. I desire that thou practise with us and deny[FN#124] us +not, for that thou hast been used to hearken unto those who +occupy themselves with this."[FN#125] I fell in with this and +their talk happened upon the like of this subject.[FN#126] +Presently, my friend, who had invited me, arose from among them +and said to them, "Hearken to me and I will tell you of an +adventure that happened to me. There was a certain man who used +to visit me in my shop, and I knew him not nor he me, nor ever in +his life had he seen me; but he was wont, whenever he had need of +a dirhem or two, by way of loan, to come to me and ask me, +without acquaintance or intermediary between me and him, [and I +would give him what he sought]. I told none of him, and matters +abode thus between us a long while, till he fell to borrowing ten +at twenty dirhems [at a time], more or less. + +One day, as I stood in my shop, there came up to me a woman and +stopped before me; and she as she were the full moon rising from +among the stars, and the place was illumined by her light. When I +saw her, I fixed my eyes on her and stared in her face; and she +bespoke me with soft speech. When I heard her words and the +sweetness of her speech, I lusted after her; and when she saw +that I lusted after her, she did her occasion and promising me +[to come again], went away, leaving my mind occupied with her and +fire kindled in my heart. Then I abode, perplexed and pondering +my affair, whilst fire flamed in my heart, till the third day, +when she came again and I scarce credited her coming. When I saw +her, I talked with her and cajoled her and courted her and strove +to win her favour with speech and invited her [to my house]; but +she answered, saying, 'I will not go up into any one's house.' +Quoth I, 'I will go with thee;' and she said, 'Arise and come +with me.' + +So I arose and putting in my sleeve a handkerchief, wherein was a +good sum of money, followed the woman, who went on before me and +gave not over walking till she brought me to a by-street and to a +door, which she bade me open. I refused and she opened it and +brought me into the vestibule. As soon as I had entered, she +locked the door of entrance from within and said to me, 'Sit +[here] till I go in to the slave-girls and cause them enter a +place where they shall not see me.' 'It is well,' answered I and +sat down; whereupon she entered and was absent from me a moment, +after which she returned to me, without a veil, and said, 'Arise, +[enter,] in the name of God.'[FN#127] So I arose and went in +after her and we gave not over going till we entered a saloon. +When I examined the place, I found it neither handsome nor +agreeable, but unseemly and desolate, without symmetry or +cleanliness; nay, it was loathly to look upon and there was a +foul smell in it. + +I seated myself amiddleward the saloon, misdoubting, and as I +sat, there came down on me from the estrade seven naked men, +without other clothing than leather girdles about their waists. +One of them came up to me and took my turban, whilst another took +my handkerchief, that was in my sleeve, with my money, and a +third stripped me of my clothes; after which a fourth came and +bound my hands behind me with his girdle. Then they all took me +up, pinioned as I was, and casting me down, fell a-dragging me +towards a sink-hole that was there and were about to cut my +throat, when, behold, there came a violent knocking at the door. +When they heard this, they were afraid and their minds were +diverted from me by fear; so the woman went out and presently +returning, said to them, 'Fear not; no harm shall betide you this +day. It is only your comrade who hath brought you your +noon-meal.' With this the new-comer entered, bringing with him a +roasted lamb; and when he came in to them, he said to them, 'What +is to do with you, that ye have tucked up [your sleeves and +trousers]?' Quoth they, '[This is] a piece of game we have +caught.' + +When he heard this, he came up to me and looking in my face, +cried out and said, 'By Allah, this is my brother, the son of my +mother and father! Allah! Allah!' Then he loosed me from my bonds +and kissed my head, and behold it was my friend who used to +borrow money of me. When I kissed his head, he kissed mine and +said, 'O my brother, be not affrighted.' Then he called for my +clothes [and money and restored to me all that had been taken +from me] nor was aught missing to me. Moreover, he brought me a +bowl full of [sherbet of] sugar, with lemons therein, and gave me +to drink thereof; and the company came and seated me at a table. +So I ate with them and he said to me, 'O my lord and my brother, +now have bread and salt passed between us and thou hast +discovered our secret and [become acquainted with] our case; but +secrets [are safe] with the noble.' Quoth I, 'As I am a +lawfully-begotten child, I will not name aught [of this] neither +denounce [you!*]' And they assured themselves of me by an oath. +Then they brought me out and I went my way, scarce crediting but +that I was of the dead. + +I abode in my house, ill, a whole month; after which I went to +the bath and coming out, opened my shop [and sat selling and +buying as usual], but saw no more of the man or the woman, till, +one day, there stopped before my shop a young man, [a Turcoman], +as he were the full moon; and he was a sheep-merchant and had +with him a bag, wherein was money, the price of sheep that he had +sold. He was followed by the woman, and when he stopped at my +shop, she stood by his side and cajoled him, and indeed he +inclined to her with a great inclination. As for me, I was +consumed with solicitude for him and fell to casting furtive +glances at him and winked at him, till he chanced to look round +and saw me winking at him; whereupon the woman looked at me and +made a sign with her hand and went away. The Turcoman followed +her and I counted him dead, without recourse; wherefore I feared +with an exceeding fear and shut my shop. Then I journeyed for a +year's space and returning, opened my shop; whereupon, behold, +the woman came up to me and said, 'This is none other than a +great absence.' Quoth I, 'I have been on a journey;' and she +said, 'Why didst thou wink at the Turcoman?' 'God forbid!' +answered I. 'I did not wink at him.' Quoth she, 'Beware lest thou +cross me;' and went away. + + +Awhile after this a friend of mine invited me to his house and +when I came to him, we ate and drank and talked. Then said he to +me, 'O my friend, hath there befallen thee in thy life aught of +calamity?' 'Nay,' answered I; 'but tell me [first], hath there +befallen thee aught?' ['Yes,'] answered he. 'Know that one day I +espied a fair woman; so I followed her and invited her [to come +home with me]. Quoth she, "I will not enter any one's house; but +come thou to my house, if thou wilt, and be it on such a day." +Accordingly, on the appointed day, her messenger came to me, +purposing to carry me to her; so I arose and went with him, till +we came to a handsome house and a great door. He opened the door +and I entered, whereupon he locked the door [behind me] and would +have gone in, but I feared with an exceeding fear and foregoing +him to the second door, whereby he would have had me enter, +locked it and cried out at him, saying, "By Allah, an thou open +not to me, I will kill thee; for I am none of those whom thou +canst cozen!" Quoth he, "What deemest thou of cozenage?" And I +said, "Verily, I am affrighted at the loneliness of the house and +the lack of any at the door thereof; for I see none appear." "O +my lord," answered he, "this is a privy door." "Privy or public," +answered I, "open to me." + +So he opened to me and I went out and had not gone far from the +house when I met a woman, who said to me, "Methinks a long life +was fore-ordained to thee; else hadst thou not come forth of +yonder house." "How so?" asked I, and she answered, "Ask thy +friend [such an one," naming thee,] "and he will acquaint thee +with strange things." So, God on thee, O my friend, tell me what +befell thee of wonders and rarities, for I have told thee what +befell me.' 'O my brother,' answered I, 'I am bound by a solemn +oath.' And he said, 'O my friend, break thine oath and tell me.' +Quoth I, 'Indeed, I fear the issue of this.' [But he importuned +me] till I told him all, whereat he marvelled. Then I went away +from him and abode a long while, [without farther news]. + +One day, another of my friends came to me and said 'A neighbour +of mine hath invited me to hear [music]. [And he would have me go +with him;] but I said, 'I will not foregather with any one.' +However, he prevailed upon me [to accompany him]; so we repaired +to the place and found there a man, who came to meet us and said, +'[Enter,] in the name of God!' Then he pulled out a key and +opened the door, whereupon we entered and he locked the door +after us. Quoth I, 'We are the first of the folk; but where are +their voices?'[FN#128] '[They are] within the house,' answered +he. 'This is but a privy door; so be not amazed at the absence of +the folk.' And my friend said to me, 'Behold, we are two, and +what can they avail to do with us?' [Then he brought us into the +house,] and when we entered the saloon, we found it exceeding +desolate and repulsive of aspect Quoth my friend, 'We are fallen +[into a trap]; but there is no power and no virtue save in God +the Most High, the Supreme!' And I said, 'May God not requite +thee for me with good!' + +Then we sat down on the edge of the estrade and presently I +espied a closet beside me; so I looked into it and my friend said +to me, 'What seest thou?' Quoth I, 'I see therein good galore and +bodies of murdered folk. Look.' So he looked and said, 'By Allah, +we are lost men!' And we fell a-weeping, I and he. As we were +thus, behold, there came in upon us, by the door at which we had +entered, four naked men, with girdles of leather about their +middles, and made for my friend. He ran at them and dealing one +of them a buffet, overthrew him, whereupon the other three fell +all upon him. I seized the opportunity to escape, what while they +were occupied with him, and espying a door by my side, slipped +into it and found myself in an underground chamber, without +window or other issue. So I gave myself up for lost and said, +'There is no power and no virtue save in God the Most High, the +Supreme!' Then I looked to the top of the vault and saw in it a +range of glazed lunettes; so I clambered up for dear life, till I +reached the lunettes, and I distracted [for fear]. I made shift +to break the glass and scrambling out through the frames, found a +wall behind them. So I bestrode the wall and saw folk walking in +the road; whereupon I cast myself down to the ground and God the +Most High preserved me, so that I reached the earth, unhurt. The +folk flocked round me and I acquainted them with my story. + +As fate would have it, the chief of the police was passing +through the market; so the people told him [what was to do] and +he made for the door and burst it open. We entered with a rush +and found the thieves, as they had overthrown my friend and cut +his throat; for they occupied not themselves with me, but said, +'Whither shall yonder fellow go? Indeed, he is in our grasp.' So +the prefect took them with the hand[FN#129] and questioned them, +and they confessed against the woman and against their associates +in Cairo. Then he took them and went forth, after he had locked +up the house and sealed it; and I accompanied him till he came +without the [first] house. He found the door locked from within; +so he bade break it open and we entered and found another door. +This also he caused burst in, enjoining his men to silence till +the doors should be opened, and we entered and found the band +occupied with a new victim, whom the woman had just brought in +and whose throat they were about to cut. + +The prefect released the man and gave him back all that the +thieves had taken from him; and he laid hands on the woman and +the rest and took forth of the house treasures galore. Amongst +the rest, they found the money-bag of the Turcoman +sheep-merchant. The thieves they nailed up incontinent against +the wall of the house, whilst, as for the woman, they wrapped her +in one of her veils and nailing her [to a board, set her] upon a +camel and went round about the town with her. Thus God razed +their dwelling-places and did away from me that which I feared. +All this befell, whilst I looked on, and I saw not my friend who +had saved me from them the first time, whereat I marvelled to the +utterest of marvel. However, some days afterward, he came up to +me, and indeed he had renounced[FN#130] [the world] and donned a +fakir's habit; and he saluted me and went away. + +Then he again began to pay me frequent visits and I entered into +converse with him and questioned him of the band and how he came +to escape, he alone of them all. Quoth he, 'I left them from the +day on which God the Most High delivered thee from them, for that +they would not obey my speech; wherefore I swore that I would no +longer consort with them.' And I said, 'By Allah, I marvel at +thee, for that thou wast the cause of my preservation!' Quoth he, +'The world is full of this sort [of folk]; and we beseech God the +Most High for safety, for that these [wretches] practise upon men +with every kind of device.' Then said I to him, 'Tell me the most +extraordinary adventure of all that befell thee in this villainy +thou wast wont to practise.' And he answered, saying, 'O my +brother, I was not present when they did on this wise, for that +my part with them was to concern myself with selling and buying +and [providing them with] food; but I have heard that the most +extraordinary thing that befell them was on this wise. + + + + + + THE THIEF'S STORY. + + + +The woman who used to act as decoy for them once caught them a +woman from a bride-feast, under pretence that she had a wedding +toward in her own house, and appointed her for a day, whereon she +should come to her. When the appointed day arrived, the woman +presented herself and the other carried her into the house by a +door, avouching that it was a privy door. When she entered [the +saloon], she saw men and champions[FN#131] [and knew that she had +fallen into a trap]; so she looked at them and said, "Harkye, +lads![FN#132] I am a woman and there is no glory in my slaughter, +nor have ye any feud of blood-revenge against me, wherefore ye +should pursue me; and that which is upon me of [trinkets and +apparel] ye are free to take." Quoth they, "We fear thy +denunciation." But she answered, saying, "I will abide with you, +neither coming in nor going out." And they said, "We grant thee +thy life." + +Then the captain looked on her [and she pleased him]; so he took +her for himself and she abode with him a whole year, doing her +endeavour in their service. till they became accustomed to her +[and felt assured of her]. One night she plied them with drink +and they drank [till they became intoxicated]; whereupon she +arose and took her clothes and five hundred dinars from the +captain; after which she fetched a razor and shaved all their +chins. Then she took soot from the cooking-pots and blackening +their faces withal, opened the doors and went out; and when the +thieves awoke, they abode confounded and knew that the woman had +practised upon them.'"' + +The company marvelled at this story and the ninth officer came +forward and said, 'I will tell you a right goodly story I heard +at a wedding. + + + + + + THE NINTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +A certain singing-woman was fair of favour and high in repute, +and it befell one day that she went out apleasuring. As she +sat,[FN#133] behold, a man lopped of the hand stopped to beg of +her, and he entered in at the door. Then he touched her with his +stump, saying, "Charity, for the love of God!" but she answered, +"God open [on thee the gate of subsistence]!" and reviled him. +Some days after this, there came to her a messenger and gave her +the hire of her going forth.[FN#134] So she took with her a +handmaid and an accompanyist;[FN#135] and when she came to the +appointed place, the messenger brought her into a long passage, +at the end whereof was a saloon. So (quoth she) we entered and +found none therein, but saw the [place made ready for an] +entertainment with candles and wine and dessert, and in another +place we saw food and in a third beds. + +We sat down and I looked at him who had opened the door to us, +and behold he was lopped of the hand. I misliked this of him, and +when I had sat a little longer, there entered a man, who filled +the lamps in the saloon and lit the candles; and behold, he also +was handlopped. Then came the folk and there entered none except +he were lopped of the hand, and indeed the house was full of +these. When the assembly was complete, the host entered and the +company rose to him and seated him in the place of honour. Now he +was none other than the man who had fetched me, and he was clad +in sumptuous apparel, but his hands were in his sleeves, so that +I knew not how it was with them. They brought him food and he +ate, he and the company; after which they washed their hands and +the host fell to casting furtive glances at me. + +Then they drank till they were drunken, and when they had taken +leave [of their wits], the host turned to me and said, "Thou +dealtest not friendly with him who sought an alms of thee and +thou saidst to him, 'How loathly thou art!'" I considered him and +behold, he was the lophand who had accosted me in my pleasaunce. +So I said, "O my lord, what is this thou sayest?" And he +answered, saying, "Wait; thou shall remember it." So saying, he +shook his head and stroked his beard, whilst I sat down for fear. +Then he put out his hand to my veil and shoes and laying them by +his side, said to me, "Sing, O accursed one!" So I sang till I +was weary, whilst they occupied themselves with their case and +intoxicated themselves and their heat redoubled.[FN#136] +Presently, the doorkeeper came to me and said, "Fear not, O my +lady; but, when thou hast a mind to go, let me know." Quoth I, +"Thinkest thou to delude me?" And he said, "Nay, by Allah! But I +have compassion on thee for that our captain and our chief +purposeth thee no good and methinketh he will slay thee this +night." Quoth I to him, "An thou be minded to do good, now is the +time." And he answered, saying, "When our chief riseth to do his +occasion and goeth to the draught-house, I will enter before him +with the light and leave the door open; and do thou go +whithersoever thou wilt." + +Then I sang and the captain said, "It is good," Quoth I, "Nay, +but thou art loathly." He looked at me and said, "By Allah, thou +shalt never more scent the odour of the world!" But his comrades +said to him, "Do it not," and appeased him, till he said, "If it +must be so, she shall abide here a whole year, not going forth." +And I said, "I am content to submit to whatsoever pleaseth thee. +If I have erred, thou art of those to whom pertaineth clemency." +He shook his head and drank, then arose and went out to do his +occasion, what while his comrades were occupied with what they +were about of merry-making and drunkenness and sport. So I winked +to my fellows and we slipped out into the corridor. We found the +door open and fled forth, unveiled and knowing not whither we +went; nor did we halt till we had left the house far behind and +happened on a cook cooking, to whom said I, "Hast thou a mind to +quicken dead folk?" And he said, "Come up." So we went up into +the shop, and he said, 'Lie down." Accordingly, we lay down and +he covered us with the grass,[FN#137] wherewith he was used to +kindle [the fire] under the food. + +Hardly had we settled ourselves in the place when we heard a +noise of kicking [at the door] and people running right and left +and questioning the cook and saying, "Hath any one passed by +thee?" "Nay," answered he; "none hath passed by me." But they +ceased not to go round about the shop till the day broke, when +they turned back, disappointed. Then the cook removed the grass +and said to us, "Arise, for ye are delivered from death." So we +arose, and we were uncovered, without mantle or veil; but the +cook carried us up into his house and we sent to our lodgings and +fetched us veils; and we repented unto God the Most High and +renounced singing,[FN#138] for indeed this was a great +deliverance after stress.' + +The company marvelled at this story and the tenth officer came +forward and said, 'As for me, there befell me that which was yet +more extraordinary than all this.' Quoth El Melik ez Zahir, 'What +was that?' And he said, + + + + + + THE TENTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +'A great theft had been committed in the city and I was +cited,[FN#139] I and my fellows. Now it was a matter of +considerable value and they[FN#140] pressed hard upon us; but we +obtained of them some days' grace and dispersed in quest of the +stolen goods. As for me, I sallied forth with five men and went +round about the city that day; and on the morrow we fared forth +[into the suburbs]. When we came a parasang or two parasangs' +distance from the city, we were athirst; and presently we came to +a garden. So I went in and going up to the water-wheel,[FN#141] +entered it and drank and made the ablution and prayed. Presently +up came the keeper of the garden and said to me, "Out on thee! +Who brought thee into this water-wheel?" And he cuffed me and +squeezed my ribs till I was like to die. Then he bound me with +one of his bulls and made me turn in the water-wheel, flogging me +the while with a cattle whip he had with him, till my heart was +on fire; after which he loosed me and I went out, knowing not the +way. + +When I came forth, I swooned away: so I sat down till my trouble +subsided; then I made for my comrades and said to them, "I have +found the booty and the thief, and I affrighted him not neither +troubled him, lest he should flee; but now, come, let us go to +him, so we may make shift to lay hold upon him." Then I took them +and repaired to the keeper of the garden, who had tortured me +with beating, meaning to make him taste the like of that which he +had done with me and lie against him and cause him eat stick. So +we rushed into the water-wheel and seizing the keeper, pinioned +him. + +Now there was with him a youth and he said, "By Allah, I was not +with him and indeed it is six months since I entered the city, +nor did I set eyes on the stuffs until they were brought hither." +Quoth we, "Show us the stuffs." So he carried us to a place +wherein was a pit, beside the water-wheel, and digging there, +brought out the stolen goods, with not a stitch of them missing. +So we took them and carried the keeper to the prefecture, where +we stripped him and beat him with palm-rods till he confessed to +thefts galore. Now I did this by way of mockery against my +comrades, and it succeeded.'[FN#142] + +The company marvelled at this story with the utmost wonderment, +and the eleventh officer rose and said, 'I know a story yet rarer +than this: but it happened not to myself. + + + + + + THE ELEVENTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +There was once aforetime a chief officer [of police] and there +passed by him one day a Jew, with a basket in his hand, wherein +were five thousand dinars; whereupon quoth the officer to one of +his slaves, "Canst thou make shift to take that money from yonder +Jew's basket?" "Yes," answered he, nor did he tarry beyond the +next day before he came to his master, with the basket in his +hand. So (quoth the officer) I said to him, "Go, bury it in such +a place." So he went and buried it and returned and told me. +Hardly had he done this when there arose a clamour and up came +the Jew, with one of the king's officers, avouching that the +money belonged to the Sultan and that he looked to none but us +for it. We demanded of him three days' delay, as of wont, and I +said to him who had taken the money, "Go and lay somewhat in the +Jew's house, that shall occupy him with himself." So he went and +played a fine trick, to wit, he laid in a basket a dead woman's +hand, painted [with henna] and having a gold seal- ring on one of +the fingers, and buried the basket under a flagstone in the Jew's +house. Then came we and searched and found the basket, whereupon +we straightway clapped the Jew in irons for the murder of a +woman. + +When it was the appointed time, there came to us the man of the +Sultan's guards, [who had accompanied the Jew, when he came to +complain of the loss of the money,] and said, "The Sultan biddeth +you nail up[FN#143] the Jew and bring the money, for that there +is no way by which five thousand dinars can be lost." Wherefore +we knew that our device sufficed not. So I went forth and finding +a young man, a Haurani,[FN#144] passing the road, laid hands on +him and stripped him and beat him with palm-rods. Then I clapped +him in irons and carrying him to the prefecture, beat him again, +saying to them, "This is the thief who stole the money." And we +strove to make him confess; but he would not confess. So we beat +him a third and a fourth time, till we were weary and exhausted +and he became unable to return an answer. But, when we had made +an end of beating and tormenting him, he said, "I will fetch the +money forthright." + +So we went with him till he came to the place where my slave had +buried the money and dug there and brought it out; whereat I +marvelled with the utmost wonder and we carried it to the +prefect's house. When the latter saw the money, he rejoiced with +an exceeding joy and bestowed on me a dress of honour. Then he +restored the money straightway to the Sultan and we left the +youth in prison; whilst I said to my slave who had taken the +money, "Did yonder young man see thee, what time thou buriedst +the money?" "No, by the Great God!" answered he. So I went in to +the young man, the prisoner, and plied him with wine till he +recovered, when I said to him, "Tell me how thou stolest the +money." "By Allah," answered he, "I stole it not, nor did I ever +set eyes on it till I brought it forth of the earth!" Quoth I, +"How so?" And he said, "Know that the cause of my falling into +your hands was my mother's imprecation against me; for that I +evil entreated her yesternight and beat her and she said to me, +'By Allah, O my son, God shall assuredly deliver thee into the +hand of the oppressor!' Now she is a pious woman. So I went out +forthright and thou sawest me in the way and didst that which +thou didst; and when beating was prolonged on me, my senses +failed me and I heard one saying to me, 'Fetch it.' So I said to +you what I said and he[FN#145] guided me till I came to the place +and there befell what befell of the bringing out of the money." + +I marvelled at this with the utmost wonderment and knew that he +was of the sons of the pious. So I bestirred myself for his +release and tended him [till he recovered] and besought him of +quittance and absolution of responsibility.' + +All those who were present marvelled at this story with the +utmost marvel, and the twelfth officer came forward and said, 'I +will tell you a pleasant trait that I had from a certain man, +concerning an adventure that befell him with one of the thieves. +(Quoth he) + + + + + + THE TWELFTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +As I was passing one day in the market, I found that a thief had +broken into the shop of a money-changer and taken thence a +casket, with which he had made off to the burial-grounds. So I +followed him thither [and came up to him, as] he opened the +casket and fell a-looking into it; whereupon I accosted him, +saying, "Peace be on thee!" And he was startled at me. Then I +left him and went away from him. + +Some months after this, I met him again under arrest, in the +midst of the guards and officers of the police, and he said to +them, "Seize yonder man." So they laid hands on me and carried me +to the chief of the police, who said, "What hast thou to do with +this fellow?" The thief turned to me and looking a long while in +my face, said, "Who took this man?" Quoth the officers, "Thou +badest us take him; so we took him." And he said, "I seek refuge +with God! I know not this man, nor knoweth he me; and I said not +that to you but of a man other than this." So they released me, +and awhile afterward the thief met me in the street and saluted +me, saying, "O my lord, fright for fright! Hadst thou taken aught +from me, thou hadst had a part in the calamity."[FN#146] And I +said to him, "God [judge] between thee and me!" And this is what +I have to tell' + +Then came forward the thirteenth officer and said, 'I will tell +you a story that a man of my friends told me. (Quoth he) + + + + + + THE THIRTEENTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +I went out one night to the house of one of my friends and when +it was the middle of the night, I sallied forth alone [to go +home]. When I came into the road, I espied a sort of thieves and +they saw me, whereupon my spittle dried up; but I feigned myself +drunken and staggered from side to side, crying out and saying, +"I am drunken." And I went up to the walls right and left and +made as if I saw not the thieves, who followed me till I reached +my house and knocked at the door, when they went away. + +Some days after this, as I stood at the door of my house, there +came up to me a young man, with a chain about his neck and with +him a trooper, and he said to me, "O my lord, charity for the +love of God!" Quoth I, "God open!"[FN#147] and he looked at me a +long while and said, "That which thou shouldst give me would not +come to the value of thy turban or thy waistcloth or what not +else of thy raiment, to say nothing of the gold and the silver +that was about thee." "How so?" asked I, and he said, "On such a +night, when thou fellest into peril and the thieves would have +stripped thee, I was with them and said to them, 'Yonder man is +my lord and my master who reared me.' So was I the cause of thy +deliverance and thus I saved thee from them." When I heard this, +I said to him, "Stop;" and entering my house, brought him that +which God the Most High made easy [to me].[FN#148] So he went his +way. And this is my story.' + +Then came forward the fourteenth officer and said, 'Know that the +story I have to tell is pleasanter and more extraordinary than +this; and it is as follows. + + + + + + THE FOURTEENTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +Before I entered this corporation,[FN#149] I had a draper's shop +and there used to come to me a man whom I knew not, save by his +face, and I would give him what he sought and have patience with +him, till he could pay me. One day, I foregathered with certain +of my friends and we sat down to drink. So we drank and made +merry and played at Tab;[FN#150] and we made one of us Vizier and +another Sultan and a third headsman. + +Presently, there came in upon us a spunger, without leave, and we +went on playing, whilst he played with us. Then quoth the Sultan +to the Vizier, "Bring the spunger who cometh in to the folk, +without leave or bidding, that we may enquire into his case. Then +will I cut off his head." So the headsman arose and dragged the +spunger before the Sultan, who bade cut off his head. Now there +was with them a sword, that would not cut curd;[FN#151] so the +headsman smote him therewith and his head flew from his body. +When we saw this, the wine fled from our heads and we became in +the sorriest of plights. Then my friends took up the body and +went out with it, that they might hide it, whilst I took the head +and made for the river. + +Now I was drunken and my clothes were drenched with the blood; +and as I passed along the road, I met a thief. When he saw me, he +knew me and said to me, "Harkye, such an one!" "Well?" answered +I, and he said, "What is that thou hast with thee?" So I +acquainted him with the case and he took the head from me. Then +we went on till we came to the river, where he washed the head +and considering it straitly, said, "By Allah, this is my brother, +my father's son. and he used to spunge upon the folk." Then he +threw the head into the river. As for me, I was like a dead man +[for fear]; but he said to me, "Fear not neither grieve, for thou +art quit of my brother's blood." + +Then he took my clothes and washed them and dried them, and put +them on me; after which he said to me, "Get thee gone to thy +house." So I returned to my house and he accompanied me, till I +came thither, when he said to me, "May God not forsake thee! I am +thy friend [such an one, who used to take of thee goods on +credit,] and I am beholden to thee for kindness; but henceforward +thou wilt never see me more."' + +The company marvelled at the generosity of this man and his +clemency[FN#152] and courtesy, and the Sultan said, 'Tell us +another of thy stories.'[FN#153] 'It is well,' answered the +officer, 'They avouch that + + + + + + A MERRY JEST OF A THIEF. + + + +A thief of the thieves of the Arabs went [one night] to a certain +man's house, to steal from a heap of wheat there, and the people +of the house surprised him. Now on the heap was a great copper +measure, and the thief buried himself in the corn and covered his +head with the measure, so that the folk found him not and went +away; but, as they were going, behold, there came a great crack +of wind forth of the corn. So they went up to the measure and +[raising it], discovered the thief and laid hands on him. Quoth +he, "I have eased you of the trouble of seeking me: for I +purposed, [in letting wind], to direct you to my [hiding-]place; +wherefore do ye ease me and have compassion on me, so may God +have compassion on you!" So they let him go and harmed him not. + +And for another story of the same kind,' continued the officer, + + + + + + STORY OF THE OLD SHARPER. + + + +'There was once an old man renowned for roguery, and he went, he +and his mates, to one of the markets and stole thence a parcel of +stuffs. Then they separated and returned each to his quarter. +Awhile after this, the old man assembled a company of his fellows +and one of them pulled out a costly piece of stuff and said, +"Will any one of you sell this piece of stuff in its own market +whence it was stolen, that we may confess his [pre-eminence in] +sharping?" Quoth the old man, "I will;" and they said, "Go, and +God the Most High prosper thee!" + +So on the morrow, early, he took the stuff and carrying it to the +market whence it had been stolen, sat down at the shop whence it +had been stolen and gave it to the broker, who took it and cried +it for sale. Its owner knew it and bidding for it, [bought it] +and sent after the chief of the police, who seized the sharper +and seeing him an old man of venerable appearance, handsomely +clad, said to him, "Whence hadst thou this piece of stuff?" "I +had it from this market," answered he, "and from yonder shop +where I was sitting." Quoth the prefect, "Did its owner sell it +to thee?" "Nay," replied the thief; "I stole it and other than +it." Then said the magistrate, "How camest thou to bring it [for +sale] to the place whence thou stolest it?" And he answered, "I +will not tell my story save to the Sultan, for that I have an +advertisement[FN#154] wherewith I would fain bespeak him." Quoth +the prefect, "Name it." And the thief said, "Art thou the +Sultan?" "No," replied the other; and the old man said, "I will +not tell it but to himself." + +So the prefect carried him up to the Sultan and he said, "I have +an advertisement for thee, O my lord." "What is thine +advertisement?" asked the Sultan; and the thief said, "I repent +and will deliver into thy hand all who are evildoers; and +whomsoever I bring not, I will stand in his stead." Quoth the +Sultan, "Give him a dress of honour and accept his profession of +repentance." So he went down from the presence and returning to +his comrades, related to them that which had passed and they +confessed his subtlety and gave him that which they had promised +him. Then he took the rest of the stolen goods and went up with +them to the Sultan. When the latter saw him, he was magnified in +his eyes and he commanded that nought should be taken from him. +Then, when he went down, [the Sultan's] attention was diverted +from him, little by little, till the case was forgotten, and so +he saved the booty [for himself].' The folk marvelled at this and +the fifteenth officer came forward and said, 'Know that among +those who make a trade of knavery are those whom God the Most +High taketh on their own evidence against themselves.' 'How so?' +asked they; and he said. + + + + + + THE FIFTEENTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +'It is told of a certain doughty thief, that he used to rob and +stop the way by himself upon caravans, and whenever the prefect +of police and the magistrates sought him, he would flee from them +and fortify himself in the mountains. Now it befell that a +certain man journeyed along the road wherein was the robber in +question, and this man was alone and knew not the perils that +beset his way. So the highwayman came out upon him and said to +him, "Bring out that which is with thee, for I mean to slay thee +without fail." Quoth the traveller, "Slay me not, but take these +saddle-bags and divide [that which is in] them and take the +fourth part [thereof]." And the thief answered, "I will not take +aught but the whole." "Take half," rejoined the traveller, "and +let me go." But the robber replied, "I will take nought but the +whole, and I will slay thee [to boot]." And the traveller said, +"Take it." + +So the highwayman took the saddle-bags and offered to kill the +traveller, who said, "What is this? Thou hast no blood-feud +against me, that should make my slaughter incumbent [on thee]. +Quoth the other, "Needs must I slay thee;" whereupon the +traveller dismounted from his horse and grovelled on the earth, +beseeching the robber and speaking him fair. The latter hearkened +not to his prayers, but cast him to the ground; whereupon the +traveller [raised his eyes and seeing a francolin flying over +him,] said, in his agony," O francolin, bear witness that this +man slayeth me unjustly and wickedly; for indeed I have given him +all that was with me and besought him to let me go, for my +children's sake; yet would he not consent unto this. But be thou +witness against him, for God is not unmindful of that which is +done of the oppressors." The highwayman paid no heed to this +speech, but smote him and cut off his head. + +After this, the authorities compounded with the highwayman for +his submission, and when he came before them, they enriched him +and he became in such favour with the Sultan's deputy that he +used to eat and drink with him and there befell familiar converse +between them. On this wise they abode a great while, till, one +day, the Sultan's deputy made a banquet, and therein, for a +wonder, was a roasted francolin, which when the robber saw, he +laughed aloud. The deputy was angered against him and said to +him, "What is the meaning of thy laughter? Seest thou default [in +the entertainment] or dost thou mock at us, of thy lack of +breeding?" "Not so, by Allah, O my lord," answered the +highwayman. "But I saw yonder francolin and bethought myself +thereanent of an extraordinary thing; and it was on this wise. In +the days of my youth, I used to stop the way, and one day I fell +in with a man, who had with him a pair of saddle-bags and money +therein. So I said to him, 'Leave these bags, for I mean to kill +thee.' Quoth he, 'Take the fourth part of [that which is in] them +and leave [me] the rest.' And I said, 'Needs must I take the +whole and slay thee, to boot.' Then said he, 'Take the +saddle-bags and let me go my way.' But I answered, 'Needs must I +slay thee.' As we were in this contention, he and I, behold, he +saw a francolin and turning to it, said, 'Bear witness against +him, O francolin, that he slayeth me unjustly and letteth me not +go to my children, for all he hath gotten my money.' However, I +took no pity on him neither hearkened to that which he said, but +slew him and concerned not myself with the francolin's +testimony." + +His story troubled the Sultan's deputy and he was sore enraged +against him; so he drew his sword and smiting him, cut off his +head; whereupon one recited the following verses: + +An you'd of evil be quit, look that no evil yon do; Nay, but do + good, for the like God will still render to you. +All things, indeed, that betide to you are fore-ordered of God; + Yet still in your deeds is the source to which their + fulfilment is due. + +Now this[FN#155] was the francolin that bore witness against +him.' + +The company marvelled at this story and said all, 'Woe to the +oppressor!' Then came forward the sixteenth officer and said, +'And I also will tell you a marvellous story, and it is on this +wise. + + + + + + THE SIXTEENTH OFFICER'S STORY. + + + +I went forth one day, purposing to make a journey, and fell in +with a man whose wont it was to stop the way. When he came up +with me, he offered to slay me and I said to him, "I have nothing +with me whereby thou mayst profit." Quoth he, "My profit shall be +the taking of thy life." "What is the cause of this?" asked I. +"Hath there been feud between us aforetime?" And he answered, +"No; but needs must I slay thee." Therewithal I fled from him to +the river-side; but he overtook me and casting me to the ground, +sat down on my breast. So I sought help of the Sheikh El +Hejjaj[FN#156] and said to him, "Protect me from this oppressor!" +And indeed he had drawn a knife, wherewith to cut my throat, +when, behold, there came a great crocodile forth of the river and +snatching him up from off my breast, plunged with him into the +water, with the knife still in his hand; whilst I abode extolling +the perfection of God the Most High and rendering thanks for my +preservation to Him who had delivered me from the hand of that +oppressor.' + + + + + + ABDALLAH BEN NAFI AND THE KING'S SON OF + CASHGHAR.[FN#157] + + + +There abode once, of old days and in bygone ages and times, in +the city of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace, the Khalif Haroun er +Reshid, and he had boon-companions and story-tellers, to +entertain him by night Among his boon-companions was a man called +Abdallah ben Nan, who was high in favour with him and dear unto +him, so that he was not forgetful of him a single hour. Now it +befell, by the ordinance of destiny, that it became manifest to +Abdallah that he was grown of little account with the Khalif and +that he paid no heed unto him; nor, if he absented himself, did +he enquire concerning him, as had been his wont. This was +grievous to Abdallah and he said in himself, "Verily, the heart +of the Commander of the Faithful and his fashions are changed +towards me and nevermore shall I get of him that cordiality +wherewith he was wont to entreat me." And this was distressful to +him and concern waxed upon him, so that he recited the following +verses: + +If, in his own land, midst his folk, abjection and despite + Afflict a man, then exile sure were better for the wight. +So get thee gone, then, from a house wherein thou art abased And + let not severance from friends lie heavy on thy spright. +Crude amber[FN#158] in its native land unheeded goes, but, when + It comes abroad, upon the necks to raise it men delight. +Kohl[FN#159] in its native country, too, is but a kind of stone; + Cast out and thrown upon the ways, it lies unvalued quite; +But, when from home it fares, forthright all glory it attains And + 'twixt the eyelid and the eye incontinent 'tis dight. + +Then he could brook this no longer; so he went forth from the +dominions of the Commander of the Faithful, under pretence of +visiting certain of his kinsmen, and took with him servant nor +companion, neither acquainted any with his intent, but betook +himself to the road and fared on into the desert and the +sandwastes, knowing not whither he went. After awhile, he fell in +with travellers intending for the land of Hind [and journeyed +with them]. When he came thither, he lighted down [in a city of +the cities of the land and took up his abode] in one of the +lodging-places; and there he abode a while of days, tasting not +food neither solacing himself with the delight of sleep; nor was +this for lack of dirhems or dinars, but for that his mind was +occupied with musing upon [the reverses of] destiny and bemoaning +himself for that the revolving sphere had turned against him and +the days had decreed unto him the disfavour of our lord the +Imam.[FN#160] + +On this wise he abode a space of days, after which he made +himself at home in the land and took to himself comrades and got +him friends galore, with whom he addressed himself to diversion +and good cheer. Moreover, he went a-pleasuring with his friends +and their hearts were solaced [by his company] and he entertained +them with stories and civilities[FN#161] and diverted them with +pleasant verses and told them abundance of histories and +anecdotes. Presently, the report of him reached King Jemhour, +lord of Cashghar of Hind, and great was his desire [for his +company]. So he went in quest of him and Abdallah repaired to his +court and going in to him, kissed the earth before him. Jemhour +welcomed him and entreated him with kindness and bade commit him +to the guest-house, where he abode three days, at the end of +which time the king sent [to him] a chamberlain of his +chamberlains and let bring him to his presence. When he came +before him, he greeted him [with the usual compliment], and the +interpreter accosted him, saying, "King Jemhour hath heard of thy +report, that thou art a goodly boon-companion and an eloquent +story-teller, and he would have thee company with him by night +and entertain him with that which thou knowest of anecdotes and +pleasant stories and verses." And he made answer with "Hearkening +and obedience." + +(Quoth Abdallah ben Nan) So I became his boon-companion and +entertained him by night [with stories and the like]; and this +pleased him to the utmost and he took me into especial favour and +bestowed on me dresses of honour and assigned me a separate +lodging; brief, he was everywise bountiful to me and could not +brook to be parted from me a single hour. So I abode with him a +while of time and every night I caroused with him [and +entertained him], till the most part of the night was past; and +when drowsiness overcame him, he would rise [and betake himself] +to his sleeping-place, saying to me, "Forsake not my service for +that of another than I and hold not aloof from my presence." And +I made answer with "Hearkening and obedience." + +Now the king had a son, a pleasant child, called the Amir +Mohammed, who was comely of youth and sweet of speech; he had +read in books and studied histories and above all things in the +world he loved the telling and hearing of verses and stories and +anecdotes. He was dear to his father King Jemhour, for that he +had none other son than he on life, and indeed he had reared him +in the lap of fondness and he was gifted with the utterest of +beauty and grace and brightness and perfection. Moreover, he had +learnt to play upon the lute and upon all manner instruments of +music and he was used to [carouse and] company with friends and +brethren. Now it was of his wont that, when the king rose to go +to his sleeping-chamber, he would sit in his place and seek of me +that I should entertain him with stories and verses and pleasant +anecdotes; and on this wise I abode with them a great while in +all cheer and delight, and the prince still loved me with an +exceeding great love and entreated me with the utmost kindness. + +It befell one day that the king's son came to me, after his +father had withdrawn, and said to me, "Harkye, Ibn Nafil" "At thy +service, O my lord," answered I; and he said, "I would have thee +tell me an extraordinary story and a rare matter, that thou hast +never related either to me or to my father Jemhour." "O my lord," +rejoined I, "what story is this that thou desirest of me and of +what kind shall it be of the kinds?" Quoth he, "It matters little +what it is, so it be a goodly story, whether it befell of old +days or in these times." "O my lord," said I, "I know many +stories of various kinds; so whether of the kinds preferrest +thou, and wilt thou have a story of mankind or of the Jinn?" "It +is well," answered he; "if thou have seen aught with thine eyes +and heard it with thine ears, [tell it me."Then he bethought +himself] and said to me, "I conjure thee by my life, tell me a +story of the stories of the Jinn and that which thou hast heard +and seen of them!" "O my son," replied I, "indeed thou conjurest +[me] by a mighty conjuration; so [hearken and thou shalt] hear +the goodliest of stories, ay, and the most extraordinary of them +and the pleasantest and rarest." Quoth the prince, "Say on, for I +am attentive to thy speech." And I said, "Know, then, O my son, +that + + + + + + STORY OF THE DAMSEL TUHFET EL CULOUB AND + THE KHALIF HAROUN ER RESHID. + + + +The Vicar of the Lord of the Worlds[FN#162] Haroun er Reshid had +a boon-companion of the number of his boon-companions, by name +Ishac ben Ibrahim en Nedim el Mausili,[FN#163] who was the most +accomplished of the folk of his time in the art of smiting upon +the lute; and of the Commander of the Faithful's love for him, he +assigned him a palace of the choicest of his palaces, wherein he +was wont to instruct slave-girls in the arts of lute-playing and +singing. If any slave-girl became, by his instruction, +accomplished in the craft, he carried her before the Khalif, who +bade her play upon the lute; and if she pleased him, he would +order her to the harem; else would he restore her to Ishac's +palace. + +One day, the Commander of the Faithful's breast was straitened; +so he sent after his Vizier Jaafer the Barmecide and Ishac the +boon-companion and Mesrour the eunuch, the swordsman of his +vengeance; and when they came, he changed his raiment and +disguised himself, whilst Jaafer [and Ishac] and Mesrour and El +Fezll[FN#164] and Younus[FN#165] (who were also present) did the +like. Then he went out, he and they, by the privy gate, to the +Tigris and taking boat, fared on till they came to near Et +Taf,[FN#166] when they landed and walked till they came to the +gate of the thoroughfare street.[FN#167] Here there met them an +old man, comely of hoariness and of a venerable and dignified +bearing, pleasing[FN#168] of aspect and apparel. He kissed the +earth before Ishac el Mausili (for that be knew but him of the +company, the Khalif being disguised, and deemed the others +certain of his friends) and said to him, 'O my lord, there is +presently with me a slave-girl, a lutanist, never saw eyes the +like of her nor the like of her grace, and indeed I was on my way +to pay my respects to thee and give thee to know of her; but +Allah, of His favour, hath spared me the trouble. So now I desire +to show her to thee, and if she be to thy liking, well and good: +else I will sell her.' Quoth Ishac, 'Go before me to thy barrack, +till I come to thee and see her.' + +The old man kissed his hand and went away; whereupon quoth Er +Reshid to him, 'O Ishac, who is yonder man and what is his +occasion?' 'O my lord,' answered the other, 'this is a man called +Said the Slave-dealer, and he it is who buyeth us slave-girls and +mamelukes.[FN#169] He avoucheth that with him is a fair +[slave-girl, a] lutanist, whom he hath withheld from sale, for +that he could not fairly sell her till he had shown her to me.' +'Let us go to him,' said the Khalif,'so we may look on her, by +way of diversion, and see what is in the slave-dealer's barrack +of slave-girls.' And Ishac answered, 'Commandment belongeth to +God and to the Commander of the Faithful.' Then he went on before +them and they followed in his track till they came to the +slave-dealer's barrack and found it high of building and spacious +of continence, with sleeping-cells and chambers therein, after +the number of the slave-girls, and folk sitting upon the benches. + +Ishac entered, he and his company, and seating themselves in the +place of honour, amused themselves by looking on the slave-girls +and mamelukes and watching how they were sold, till the sale came +to an end, when some of the folk went away and other some sat. +Then said the slave-dealer, 'Let none sit with us except him who +buyeth by the thousand [dinars] and upwards.' So those who were +present withdrew and there remained none but Er Reshid and his +company; whereupon the slave-dealer called the damsel, after he +had caused set her a chair of fawwak,[FN#170] furnished with +Greek brocade, and it was as she were the sun shining in the +clear sky. When she entered, she saluted and sitting down, took +the lute and smote upon it, after she had touched its strings and +tuned it, so that all present were amazed. Then she sang thereto +the following verses: + +Wind of the East, if thou pass by the land where my loved ones + dwell, I pray, The fullest of greetings bear to them from + me, their lover, and say +That I am the pledge of passion still and that my longing love + And eke my yearning do overpass all longing that was aye. +O ye who have withered my heart and marred my hearing and my + sight, Desire and transport for your sake wax on me night + and day. +My heart with yearning is ever torn and tortured without cease, + Nor can my lids lay hold on sleep, that Sees from them away. + +'Well done, O damsel!' cried Ishac. 'By Allah, this is a fair +hour!' Whereupon she rose and kissed his hand, saying, 'O my +lord, the hands stand still in thy presence and the tongues at +thy sight, and the eloquent before thee are dumb; but thou art +the looser of the veil.'[FN#171] Then she clung to him and said, +'Stand.' So he stood and said to her, 'Who art thou and what is +thy need?' She raised a corner of the veil, and he beheld a +damsel as she were the rising full moon or the glancing +lightning, with two side locks of hair that fell down to her +anklets. She kissed his hand and said to him, 'O my lord, know +that I have been in this barrack these five months, during which +time I have been withheld[FN#172] from sale till thou shouldst be +present [and see me]; and yonder slave-dealer still made thy +coming a pretext to me[FN#173] and forbade me, for all I sought +of him night and day that he should cause thee come hither and +vouchsafe me thy presence and bring me and thee together.' Quoth +Ishac, 'Say what thou wouldst have.' And she answered, 'I beseech +thee, by God the Most High, that thou buy me, so I may be with +thee, by way of service.' 'Is that thy desire?' asked he, and she +replied, ' Yes.' + +So Ishac returned to the slave-dealer and said to him, 'Harkye, +Gaffer Said!*' 'At thy service, O my lord,' answered the old man; +and Ishac said, 'In the corridor is a cell and therein a damsel +pale of colour. What is her price in money and how much dost thou +ask for her?, Quoth the slave-dealer, 'She whom thou mentionest +is called Tuhfet el Hemca.'[FN#174] 'What is the meaning of El +Hemca?' asked Ishac, and the old man replied, 'Her price hath +been paid down an hundred times and she still saith, "Show me him +who desireth to buy me;" and when I show her to him, she saith, +"This fellow is not to my liking; he hath in him such and such a +default." And in every one who would fain buy her she allegeth +some default or other, so that none careth now to buy her and +none seeketh her, for fear lest she discover some default in +him.' Quoth Ishac, 'She seeketh presently to sell herself; so go +thou to her and enquire of her and see her price and send her to +the palace.' 'O my lord,' answered Said, 'her price is an hundred +dinars, though, were she whole of this paleness that is upon her +face, she would be worth a thousand; but folly and pallor have +diminished her value; and behold, I will go to her and consult +her of this.' So he betook himself to her, and said to her, 'Wilt +thou be sold to Ishac ben Ibrahim el Mausili?' 'Yes,' answered +she, and he said, 'Leave frowardness,[FN#175] for to whom doth it +happen to be in the house of Ishac the boon-companion?'[FN#176] + +Then Ishac went forth of the barrack and overtook Er Reshid [who +had foregone him]; and they walked till they came to their +[landing-]place, where they embarked in the boat and fared on to +Theghr el Khanekah.[FN#177] As for the slave-dealer, he sent the +damsel to the house of Ishac en Nedim, whose slave-girls took her +and carried her to the bath. Then each damsel gave her somewhat +of her apparel and they decked her with earrings and bracelets, +so that she redoubled in beauty and became as she were the moon +on the night of its full. When Ishac returned home from the +Khalifs palace, Tuhfeh rose to him and kissed his hand; and he +saw that which the slave-girls had done with her and thanked them +therefor and said to them, 'Let her be in the house of +instruction and bring her instruments of music, and if she be apt +unto singing, teach her; and may God the Most High vouchsafe her +health and weal!' So there passed over her three months, what +while she abode with him in the house of instruction, and they +brought her the instruments of music. Moreover, as time went on, +she was vouchsafed health and soundness and her beauty waxed many +times greater than before and her pallor was changed to white and +red, so that she became a ravishment to all who looked on her. + +One day, Ishac let bring all who were with him of slave-girls +from the house of instruction and carried them up to Er Reshid's +palace, leaving none in his house save Tuhfeh and a cookmaid; for +that he bethought him not of Tuhfeh, nor did she occur to his +mind, and none of the damsels remembered him of her. When she saw +that the house was empty of the slave-girls, she took the lute +(now she was unique in her time in smiting upon the lute, nor had +she her like in the world, no, not Ishac himself, nor any other) +and sang thereto the following verses: + +Whenas the soul desireth one other than its peer, It winneth not + of fortune the wish it holdeth dear. +Him with my life I'd ransom whose rigours waste away My frame and + cause me languish; yet, if he would but hear, +It rests with him to heal me; and I (a soul he hath Must suffer + that which irks it), go saying, in my fear +Of spies, "How long, O scoffer, wilt mock at my despair, As + 'twere God had created nought else whereat to jeer?" + +Now Ishac had returned to his house upon an occasion that +presented itself to him; and when he entered the vestibule, he +heard a sound of singing, the like whereof he had never heard in +the world, for that it was [soft] as the breeze and +richer[FN#178] than almond oil.[FN#179] So the delight of it gat +hold of him and joyance overcame him, and he fell down aswoon in +the vestibule, Tuhfeh heard the noise of steps and laying the +lute from her hand, went out to see what was to do. She found her +lord Ishac lying aswoon in the vestibule; so she took him up and +strained him to her bosom, saying, 'I conjure thee in God's name, +O my lord, tell me, hath aught befallen thee?' When he heard her +voice, he recovered from his swoon and said to her, 'Who art +thou? ' Quoth she, 'I am thy slave-girl Tuhfeh.' And he said to +her, 'Art thou indeed Tuhfeh?' 'Yes,' answered she; and he, 'By +Allah, I had forgotten thee and remembered thee not till now!' +Then he looked at her and said, 'Indeed, thy case is altered and +thy pallor is grown changed to rosiness and thou hast redoubled +in beauty and lovesomeness. But was it thou who was singing but +now?' And she was troubled and affrighted and answered, 'Even I, +O my lord.' + +Then Ishac seized upon her hand and carrying her into the house, +said to her, 'Take the lute and sing; for never saw I nor heard +thy like in smiting upon the lute; no, not even myself!' 'O my +lord,' answered she, 'thou makest mock of me. Who am I that thou +shouldst say all this to me? Indeed, this is but of thy +kindness.' 'Nay, by Allah,' exclaimed he, 'I said but the truth +to thee and I am none of those on whom pretence imposeth. These +three months hath nature not moved thee to take the lute and sing +thereto, and this is nought but an extraordinary thing. But all +this cometh of strength in the craft and self-restraint.' Then he +bade her sing; and she said, 'Hearkening and obedience.' So she +took the lute and tightening its strings, smote thereon a number +of airs, so that she confounded Ishac's wit and he was like to +fly for delight. Then she returned to the first mode and sang +thereto the following verses: + +Still by your ruined camp a dweller I abide; Ne'er will I change + nor e'er shall distance us divide. +Far though you dwell, I'll ne'er your neighbourhood forget, O + friends, whose lovers still for you are stupefied. +Your image midst mine eye sits nor forsakes me aye; Ye are my + moons in gloom of night and shadowtide. +Still, as my transports wax, grows restlessness on me And woes + have ta'en the place of love-delight denied. + +When she had made an end of her song and laid down the lute, +Ishac looked fixedly on her, then took her hand and offered to +kiss it; but she snatched it from him and said to him, 'Allah, O +my lord, do not that!' Quoth he, 'Be silent. By Allah, I had said +that there was not in the world the like of me; but now I have +found my dinar[FN#180] in the craft but a danic,[FN#181] "for +thou art, beyond comparison or approximation or reckoning, more +excellent of skill than I! This very day will I carry thee up to +the Commander of the Faithful Haroun er Reshid, and whenas his +glance lighteth on thee, thou wilt become a princess of +womankind. So, Allah, Allah upon thee, O my lady, whenas thou +becomest of the household of the Commander of the Faithful, do +not thou forget me!' And she replied, saying, 'Allah, O my lord, +thou art the source of my fortunes and in thee is my heart +fortified.' So he took her hand and made a covenant with her of +this and she swore to him that she would not forget him. + +Then said he to her, 'By Allah, thou art the desire of the +Commander of the Faithful![FN#182] So take the lute and sing a +song that thou shalt sing to the Khalif, whenas thou goest in to +him.' So she took the lute and tuning it, sang the following +verses: + +His love on him took pity and wept for his dismay: Of those that + him did visit she was, as sick he lay. +She let him taste her honey and wine[FN#183] before his death: + This was his last of victual until the Judgment Day. + +Ishac stared at her and seizing her hand, said to her, 'Know that +I am bound by an oath that, when the singing of a damsel pleaseth +me, she shall not make an end of her song but before the +Commander of the Faithful. But now tell me, how came it that thou +abodest with the slave-dealer five months and wast not sold to +any, and thou of this skill, more by token that the price set on +thee was no great matter?' + +She laughed and answered, 'O my lord, my story is a strange one +and my case extraordinary. Know that I belonged aforetime to a +Mughrebi merchant, who bought me, when I was three years old, and +there were in his house many slave-girls and eunuchs; but I was +the dearest to him of them all. So he kept me with him and used +not to call me but "daughterling," and indeed I am presently a +clean maid. Now there was with him a damsel, a lutanist, and she +reared me and taught me the craft, even as thou seest. Then was +my master admitted to the mercy of God the Most High[FN#184] and +his sons divided his good. I fell to the lot of one of them; but +it was only a little while ere he had squandered all his +substance and there was left him no tittle of money. So I left +the lute, fearing lest I should fall into the hand of a man who +knew not my worth, for that I was assured that needs must my +master sell me; and indeed it was but a few days ere he carried +me forth to the barrack of the slave-merchant who buyeth +slave-girls and showeth them to the Commander of the Faithful. +Now I desired to learn the craft; so I refused to be sold to +other than thou, till God (extolled be His perfection and exalted +be He!) vouchsafed me my desire of thy presence; whereupon I came +out to thee, whenas I heard of thy coming, and besought thee to +buy me. Thou healedst my heart and boughtedst me; and since I +entered thy house, O my lord, I have not taken up the lute till +now; but to-day, whenas I was quit of the slave-girls, [I took +it]; and my purpose in this was that I might see if my hand were +changed[FN#185] or no. As I was singing, I heard a step in the +vestibule; so I laid the lute from my hand and going forth to see +what was to do, found thee, O my lord, on this wise.' + +Quoth Ishac, 'Indeed, this was of thy fair fortune. By Allah, I +know not that which thou knowest in this craft!' Then he arose +and going to a chest, brought out therefrom striped clothes of +great price, netted with jewels and great pearls, and said to +her, 'In the name of God, don these, O my lady Tuhfeh.' So she +arose and donned those clothes and veiled herself and went up +[with Ishac] to the palace of the Khalifate, where he made her +stand without, whilst he himself went in to the Commander of the +Faithful (with whom was Jaafer the Barmecide) and kissing the +earth before him, said to him, 'O Commander of the Faithful, I +have brought thee a damsel, never saw eyes her like for +excellence in singing and touching the lute; and her name is +Tuhfeh."[FN#186] 'And where,' asked Er Reshed, 'is this Tuhfeh, +who hath not her like in the world?' Quoth Ishac, 'Yonder she +stands, O Commander of the Faithful;' and he acquainted the +Khalif with her case from first to last. Then said Er Reshid, 'It +is a marvel to hear thee praise a slave-girl after this fashion. +Admit her, so we may see her, for that the morning may not be +hidden.' + +Accordingly, Ishac bade admit her; so she entered, and when her +eyes fell upon the Commander of the Faithful, she kissed the +earth before him and said, 'Peace be upon thee, O Commander of +the Faithful and asylum of the people of the faith and reviver of +justice among all creatures! May God make plain the treading of +thy feet and vouchsafe thee enjoyment of that which He hath +bestowed on thee and make Paradise thy harbourage and the fire +that of thine enemies!' Quoth Er Reshid, 'And on thee be peace, O +damsel! Sit.' So she sat down and he bade her sing; whereupon she +took the lute and tightening its strings, played thereon in many +modes, so that the Commander of the Faithful and Jaafer were +confounded and like to fly for delight. Then she returned to the +first mode and sang the following verses: + +By Him whom I worship, indeed, I swear, O thou that mine eye dost + fill, By Him in whose honour the pilgrims throng and fare to + Arafat's hill, +Though over me be the tombstone laid, if ever thou call on me, + Though rotten my bone should be, thy voice I'll answer, come + what will. +I crave none other than thou for friend, beloved of my heart; So + trust in my speech, for the generous are true and trusty + still. + +Er Reshid considered her beauty and the goodliness of her singing +and her eloquence and what not else she comprised of qualities +and rejoiced with an exceeding joyance; and for the stress of +that which overcame him of delight, he descended from the couch +and sitting down with her upon the ground, said to her, 'Thou +hast done well, O Tuhfeh. By Allah, thou art indeed a +gift'[FN#187] Then he turned to Ishac and said to him, 'Thou +dealtest not equitably, O Ishac, in the description of this +damsel,[FN#188] neither settest out all that she compriseth of +goodliness and skill; for that, by Allah, she is incomparably +more skilful than thou; and I know of this craft that which none +knoweth other than I!' 'By Allah,' exclaimed Jaafer, 'thou sayst +sooth, O my lord, O Commander of the Faithful. Indeed, this +damsel hath done away my wit' Quoth Ishac, 'By Allah, O Commander +of the Faithful, I had said that there was not on the face of the +earth one who knew the craft of the lute like myself; but, when I +heard her, my skill became nothing worth in mine eyes.' + +Then said the Khalif to her, 'Repeat thy playing, O Tuhfeh.' So +she repeated it and he said to her, 'Well done!' Moreover, he +said to Ishac, 'Thou hast indeed brought me that which is +extraordinary and worth in mine eyes the empire of the earth.' +Then he turned to Mesrour the eunuch and said to him, 'Carry +Tuhfeh to the lodging of honour.'[FN#189] Accordingly, she went +away with Mesrour and the Khalif looked at her clothes and seeing +her clad in raiment of choice, said to Ishac, 'O Ishac, whence +hath she these clothes?' 'O my lord, answered he, 'these are +somewhat of thy bounties and thy largesse, and they are a gift to +her from me. By Allah, O Commander of the Faithful, the world, +all of it, were little in comparison with her!' Then the Khalif +turned to the Vizier Jaafer and said to him, 'Give Ishac fifty +thousand dirhems and a dress of honour of the apparel of choice.' +'Hearkening and obedience,' replied Jaafer and gave him that +which the Khalif ordered him. + +As for Er Reshid, he shut himself up with Tuhfeh that night and +found her a clean maid and rejoiced in her; and she took high +rank in his heart, so that he could not endure from her a single +hour and committed to her the keys of the affairs of the realm, +for that which he saw in her of good breeding and wit and +modesty. Moreover, he gave her fifty slave-girls and two hundred +thousand dinars and clothes and trinkets and jewels and precious +stones, worth the kingdom of Egypt; and of the excess of his love +for her, he would not entrust her to any of the slave-girls or +eunuchs; but, whenas he went out from her, he locked the door +upon her and took the key with him, against he should return to +her, forbidding the damsels to go in to her, of his fear lest +they should slay her or practise on her with knife or poison; and +on this wise he abode awhile. + +One day as she sang before the Commander of the Faithful, he was +moved to exceeding delight, so that he took her and offered to +kiss her hand; but she drew it away from him and smote upon her +lute and broke it and wept Er Reshid wiped away her tears and +said, 'O desire of the heart, what is it maketh thee weep? May +God not cause an eye of thine to weep!' 'O my lord,' answered +she, 'what am I that thou shouldst kiss my hand? Wilt thou have +God punish me for this and that my term should come to an end and +my felicity pass away? For this is what none ever attained unto.' +Quoth he, 'Well said, O Tuhfeh. Know that thy rank in my esteem +is mighty and for that which wondered me of what I saw of thee, I +offered to do this, but I will not return unto the like thereof; +so be of good heart and cheerful eye, for I have no desire for +other than thyself and will not die but in the love of thee, and +thou to me art queen and mistress, to the exclusion of all +humankind.' Therewith she fell to kissing his feet; and this her +fashion pleased him, so that his love for her redoubled and he +became unable to brook an hour's severance from her. + +One day he went forth to the chase and left Tuhfeh in her +pavilion. As she sat looking upon a book, with a candlestick of +gold before her, wherein was a perfumed candle, behold, a +musk-apple fell down before her from the top of the +saloon.[FN#190] So she looked up and beheld the Lady Zubeideh +bint el Casim,[FN#191] who saluted her and acquainted her with +herself, whereupon Tuhfeh rose to her feet and said, 'O my lady, +were I not of the number of the upstarts, I had daily sought thy +service; so do not thou bereave me of thine august +visits.'[FN#192] The Lady Zubeideh called down blessings upon her +and answered, 'By the life of the Commander of the Faithful, I +knew this of thee, and but that it is not of my wont to go forth +of my place, I had come out to do my service to thee.' Then said +she to her, 'Know, O Tuhfeh, that the Commander of the Faithful +hath forsaken all his concubines and favourites on thine account, +even to myself. Yea, me also hath he deserted on this wise, and I +am not content to be as one of the concubines; yet hath he made +me of them and forsaken me, and I am come to thee, so thou mayst +beseech him to come to me, though it be but once a month, that I +may not be the like of the handmaids and concubines nor be evened +with the slave-girls; and this is my occasion with thee.' +'Hearkening and obedience,' answered Tuhfeh. 'By Allah, O my +lady, I would well that he might be with thee a whole month and +with me but one night, so thy heart might be comforted, for that +I am one of thy handmaids and thou art my lady in every event.' +The Lady Zubeideh thanked her for this and taking leave of her, +returned to her palace. + +When the Khalif returned from the chase, he betook himself to +Tuhfeh's pavilion and bringing out the key, opened the door and +went in to her. She rose to receive him and kissed his hand, and +he took her to his breast and seated her on his knee. Then food +was brought to them and they ate and washed their hands; after +which she took the lute and sang, till Er Reshid was moved to +sleep. When she was ware of this, she left singing and told him +her adventure with the Lady Zubeideh, saying, 'O Commander of the +Faithful, I would have thee do me a favour and heal my heart and +accept my intercession and reject not my word, but go forthright +to the Lady Zubeideh's lodging.' Now this talk befell after he +had stripped himself naked and she also had put off her clothes; +and he said, 'Thou shouldst have named this before we stripped +ourselves naked.' But she answered, saying, ' O Commander of the +Faithful, I did this not but in accordance with the saying of the +poet in the following verses: + +All intercessions come and all alike do ill succeed, Save + Tuhfeh's, daughter of Merjan, for that, in very deed, +The intercessor who to thee herself presenteth veiled Is not her + like who naked comes with thee to intercede.' + +When the Khalif heard this, her speech pleased him and he +strained her to his bosom. Then he went forth from her and locked +the door upon her, as before; whereupon she took the book and sat +looking in it awhile. Presently, she laid it down and taking the +lute, tightened its strings. Then she smote thereon, after a +wondrous fashion, such as would have moved inanimate things [to +delight], and fell to singing marvellous melodies and chanting +the following verses: + +Rail not at the vicissitudes of Fate, For Fortune still spites + those who her berate. +Be patient under its calamities, For all things have an issue + soon or late. +How many a mirth-exciting joy amid The raiment of ill chances + lies in wait! +How often, too, hath gladness come to light Whence nought but + dole thou didst anticipate! + +Then she turned and saw within the chamber an old man, comely of +hoariness, venerable of aspect, who was dancing on apt and goodly +wise, a dance the like whereof none might avail unto. So she +sought refuge with God the Most High from Satan the +Stoned[FN#193] and said, 'I will not give over what I am about, +for that which God decreeth, He carrieth into execution.' +Accordingly, she went on singing till the old man came up to her +and kissed the earth before her, saying, 'Well done, O Queen of +the East and the West! May the world be not bereaved of thee! By +Allah, indeed thou art perfect of qualities and ingredients, O +Tuhfet es Sudour![FN#194] Dost thou know me?' 'Nay, by Allah,' +answered she; 'but methinks thou art of the Jinn.' Quoth he, +'Thou sayst sooth; I am the Sheikh Aboultawaif[FN#195] Iblis, and +I come to thee every night, and with me thy sister Kemeriyeh, for +that she loveth thee and sweareth not but by thy life; and her +life is not pleasant to her, except she come to thee and see +thee, what while thou seest her not. As for me, I come to thee +upon an affair, wherein thou shall find thine advantage and +whereby thou shalt rise to high rank with the kings of the Jinn +and rule them, even as thou rulest mankind; [and to that end I +would have thee come with me and be present at the festival of my +son's circumcision;[FN#196]] for that the Jinn are agreed upon +the manifestation of thine affair.' And she answered, 'In the +name of God.' + +So she gave him the lute and he forewent her, till he came to the +house of easance, and behold, therein was a door and a stairway. +When Tuhfeh saw this, her reason fled; but Iblis cheered her with +discourse. Then he descended the stair and she followed him to +the bottom thereof, where she found a passage and they fared on +therein, till they came to a horse standing, Teady saddled and +bridled and accoutred. Quoth Iblis, '[Mount], in the name of God, +O my lady Tuhfeh;' and he held the stirrup for her. So she +mounted and the horse shook under her and putting forth wings, +flew up with her, whilst the old man flew by her side; whereat +she was affrighted and clung to the pummel of the saddle; nor was +it but an hour ere they came to a fair green meadow, +fresh-flowered as if the soil thereof were a goodly robe, +embroidered with all manner colours. + +Midmost that meadow was a palace soaring high into the air, with +battlements of red gold, set with pearls and jewels, and a +two-leaved gate; and in the gateway thereof were much people of +the chiefs of the Jinn, clad in sumptuous apparel. When they saw +the old man, they all cried out, saying, 'The Lady Tuhfeh is +come!' And as soon as she reached the palace-gate, they came all +and dismounting her from the horse's back, carried her into the +palace and fell to kissing her hands. When she entered, she +beheld a palace whereof never saw eyes the like; for therein were +four estrades, one facing other, and its walls were of gold and +its ceilings of silver. It was lofty of building, wide of +continence, and those who beheld it would be puzzled to describe +it. At the upper end of the hall stood a throne of red gold, set +with pearls and jewels, unto which led up five steps of silver, +and on the right thereof and on its left were many chairs of gold +and silver; and over the dais was a curtain let down, gold and +silver wrought and broidered with pearls and jewels. + +The old man carried Tuhfeh up [to the dais and seated her] on a +chair of gold beside the throne, whilst she was amazed at that +which she saw in that place and magnified her Lord (extolled be +His perfection and exalted be He!) and hallowed Him. Then the +kings of the Jinn came up to the throne and seated themselves +thereon; and they were in the semblance of mortals, excepting two +of them, who were in the semblance of the Jinn, with eyes slit +endlong and jutting horns and projecting tusks. After this there +came up a young lady, fair of favour and pleasant of parts; the +light of her face outshone that of the flambeaux, and about her +were other three women, than whom there were no fairer on the +face of the earth. They saluted Tuhfeh and she rose to them and +kissed the earth before them; whereupon they embraced her and sat +down on the chairs aforesaid. + +Now the four women who thus accosted Tuhfeh were the princess +Kemeriyeh, daughter of King Es Shisban, and her sisters; and +Kemeriyeh loved Tuhfeh with an exceeding love. So, when she came +up to her, she fell to kissing and embracing her, and Iblis said, +'Fair befall you! Take me between you.' At this Tuhfeh laughed +and Kemeriyeh said, 'O my sister, I love thee and doubtless +hearts have their evidences,[FN#197] for, since I saw thee, I +have loved thee.' 'By Allah,' replied Tuhfeh, 'hearts have +deeps,[FN#198] and thou, by Allah, art dear to me and I am thy +handmaid.' Kemeriyeh thanked her for this and said to her, 'These +are the wives of the kings of the Jinn: salute them. This is +Queen Jemreh,[FN#199] that is Queen Wekhimeh and this other is +Queen Sherareh, and they come not but for thee.' So Tuhfeh rose +to her feet and kissed their hands, and the three queens kissed +her and welcomed her and entreated her with the utmost honour. + +Then they brought trays and tables and amongst the rest a platter +of red gold, inlaid with pearls and jewels; its margents were of +gold and emerald, and thereon were graven the following verses: + +For the uses of food I was fashioned and made; The hands of the + noble me wrought and inlaid. +My maker reserved me for generous men And the niggard and + sland'rer to use me forebade. +So eat what I offer in surety and be The Lord of all things with + thanks- giving repaid! + +So they ate and Tuhfeh looked at the two kings, who had not +changed their favour and said to Kemeriyeh, 'O my lady, what is +yonder wild beast and that other like unto him? By Allah, mine +eye brooketh not the sight of them.' Kemeriyeh laughed and +answered, 'O my sister, that is my father Es Shisban and the +other is Meimoun the Sworder; and of the pride of their souls and +their arrogance, they consented not to change their [natural] +fashion. Indeed, all whom thou seest here are, by nature, like +unto them in fashion; but, on thine account, they have changed +their favour, for fear lest thou be disquieted and for the +comforting of thy mind, so thou mightest make friends with them +and be at thine ease.' 'O my lady,' quoth Tuhfeh, 'indeed I +cannot look at them. How frightful is yonder Meimoun, with his +[one] eye! Mine eye cannot brook the sight of him, and indeed I +am fearful of him.' Kemeriyeh laughed at her speech, and Tuhfeh +said, 'By Allah, O my lady, I cannot fill my eye with +them!'[FN#200] Then said her father Es Shisban to her, 'What is +this laughing?' So she bespoke him in a tongue none understood +but they [two] and acquainted him with that which Tuhfeh had +said; whereat he laughed a prodigious laugh, as it were the +pealing thunder. + +Then they ate and the tables were removed and they washed their +hands; after which Iblis the Accursed came up to Tuhfeh and said +to her, 'O my lady Tuhfeh, thou gladdenest the place and with thy +presence enlightenest and embellishest it; but now fain would +these kings hear somewhat of thy singing, for the night hath +spread its wings for departure and there abideth thereof but a +little.' Quoth she, 'Hearkening and obedience.' So she took the +lute and touching its strings on rare wise, played thereon after +a wondrous fashion, so that it seemed to those who were present +as if the palace stirred with them for the music. Then she fell +a-singing and chanted the following verses: + +Peace on you, people of my troth! With peace I do you greet. Said + ye not truly, aforetime, that we should live and meet? +Ah, then will I begin on you with chiding than the breeze More + soft, ay pleasanter than clear cold water and more sweet. +Indeed, mine eyelids still with tears are ulcered and to you My + bowels yearn to be made whole of all their pain and heat. +Parting hath sundered us, belov'd; indeed, I stood in dread Of + this, whilst yet our happiness in union was complete. +To God of all the woes I've borne I plain me, for I pine For + longing and lament, and Him for solace I entreat + +The kings of the Jinn were moved to delight by that fair singing +and fluent speech and praised Tuhfeh; and Queen Kemeriyeh rose to +her and embraced her and kissed her between the eyes, saying, 'By +Allah, it is good, O my sister and solace of mine eyes and +darling of my heart!' Then said she, 'I conjure thee by Allah, +give us more of this lovely singing.' And Tuhfeh answered with +'Hearkening and obedience.' So she took the lute and playing +thereon after a different fashion from the former one, sang the +following verses: + +Oft as my yearning waxeth, my heart consoleth me With hopes of + thine enjoyment in all security. +Sure God shall yet, in pity, reknit our severed lives, Even as He + did afflict me with loneness after thee. +Thou whose desire possesseth my soul, the love of whom Hold on my + reins hath gotten and will not let me free, +Compared with thine enjoyment, the hardest things are light To + win and all things distant draw near and easy be. +God to a tristful lover be light! A man of wit, Yet perishing for + yearning and body-worn is he. +Were I cut off, beloved, from hope of thy return, Slumber, + indeed, for ever my wakeful lids would flee. +For nought of worldly fortune I weep! my only joy In seeing thee + consisteth and in thy seeing me. + +At this the accursed Iblis was moved to delight and put his +finger to his arse, whilst Meimoun danced and said, 'O Tuhfet es +Sudour, soften the mode;[FN#201] for, as delight, entereth into +my heart, it bewildereth my vital spirits.' So she took the lute +and changing the mode, played a third air; then she returned to +the first and sang the following verses: + +The billows of thy love o'erwhelm me passing sore; I sink and all + in vain for succour I implore. +Ye've drowned me in the sea of love for you; my heart Denies to + be consoled for those whom I adore. +Think not that I forget our trothplight after you. Nay; God to me + decreed remembrance heretofore.[FN#202] +Love to its victim clings without relent, and he Of torments and + unease complaineth evermore. + +The kings and all those who were present rejoiced in this with an +exceeding delight and the accursed Iblis came up to Tuhfeh and +kissing her hand, said to her, 'There abideth but little of the +night; so do thou tarry with us till the morrow, when we will +apply ourselves to the wedding[FN#203] and the circumcision.' +Then all the Jinn went away, whereupon Tuhfeh rose to her feet +and Iblis said, 'Go ye up with Tuhfeh to the garden for the rest +of the night.' So Kemeriyeh took her and carried her into the +garden. Now this garden contained all manner birds, nightingale +and mocking-bird and ringdove and curlew[FN#204] and other than +these of all the kinds, and therein were all kinds of fruits. Its +channels[FN#205] were of gold and silver and the water thereof, +as it broke forth of its conduits, was like unto fleeing +serpents' bellies, and indeed it was as it were the Garden of +Eden.[FN#206] + +When Tuhfeh beheld this, she called to mind her lord and wept +sore and said, 'I beseech God the Most High to vouchsafe me +speedy deliverance, so I may return to my palace and that my high +estate and queendom and glory and be reunited with my lord and +master Er Reshid.' Then she walked in that garden and saw in its +midst a dome of white marble, raised on columns of black teak and +hung with curtains embroidered with pearls and jewels. +Amiddleward this pavilion was a fountain, inlaid with all manner +jacinths, and thereon a statue of gold, and [beside it] a little +door. She opened the door and found herself in a long passage; so +she followed it and behold, a bath lined with all kinds of +precious marbles and floored with a mosaic of pearls and jewels. +Therein were four cisterns of alabaster, one facing other, and +the ceiling of the bath was of glass coloured with all manner +colours, such as confounded the understanding of the folk of +understanding and amazed the wit. + +Tuhfeh entered the bath, after she had put off her clothes, and +behold, the basin thereof was overlaid with gold set with pearls +and red rubies and green emeralds and other jewels; so she +extolled the perfection of God the Most High and hallowed Him for +the magnificence of that which she saw of the attributes of that +bath. Then she made her ablutions in that basin and pronouncing +the Magnification of Prohibition,[FN#207] prayed the morning +prayer and what else had escaped her of prayers;[FN#208] after +which she went out and walked in that garden among jessamine and +lavender and roses and camomile and gillyflowers and thyme and +violets and sweet basil, till she came to the door of the +pavilion aforesaid and sat down therein, pondering that which +should betide Er Reshid after her, whenas he should come to her +pavilion and find her not. She abode sunken in the sea of her +solicitude, till presently sleep took her and she slept + +Presently she felt a breath upon her face; whereupon she awoke +and found Queen Kemeriyeh kissing her, and with her her three +sisters, Queen Jemreh, Queen Wekhimeh and Queen Sherareh. So she +arose and kissed their hands and rejoiced in them with the utmost +joy and they abode, she and they, in talk and converse, what +while she related to them her history, from the time of her +purchase by the Mughrebi to that of her coming to the +slave-dealers' barrack, where she besought Ishac en Nedim to buy +her, and how she won to Er Reshid, till the moment when Iblis +came to her and brought her to them. They gave not over talking +till the sun declined and turned pale and the season of sundown +drew near and the day departed, whereupon Tuhfeh was instant in +supplication to God the Most High, on the occasion of the prayer +of sundown, that He would reunite her with her lord Er Reshid. + +After this, she abode with the four queens, till they arose and +entered the palace, where she found the candles lit and ranged in +candlesticks of gold and silver and censing-vessels of gold and +silver, filled with aloes-wood and ambergris, and there were the +kings of the Jinn sitting. So she saluted them, kissing the earth +before them and doing them worship; and they rejoiced in her and +in her sight. Then she ascended [the estrade] and sat down upon +her chair, whilst King Es Shisban and King El Muzfir and Queen +Louloueh and [other] the kings of the Jinn sat on chairs, and +they brought tables of choice, spread with all manner meats +befitting kings. They ate their fill; after which the tables were +removed and they washed their hands and wiped them with napkins. +Then they brought the wine-service and set on bowls and cups and +flagons and hanaps of gold and silver and beakers of crystal and +gold; and they poured out the wines and filled the flagons. + +Then Iblis took the cup and signed to Tuhfeh to sing; and she +said, 'Hearkening and obedience.' So she took the lute and tuning +it, sang the following verses: + +Drink ever, O lovers, I rede you, of wine And praise his desert + who for yearning doth pine, +Where lavender, myrtle, narcissus entwine, With all sweet-scented + herbs, round the juice of the vine. + +So Iblis the Accursed drank and said, 'Well done, O desire of +hearts! but thou owest me yet another song.' Then he filled the +cup and signed to her to sing. Quoth she, 'Hearkening and +obedience,' and sang the following verses: + +Ye know I'm passion-maddened, racked with love and languishment, + Yet ye torment me, for to you 'tis pleasing to torment. +Between mine eyes and wake ye have your dwelling-place, and thus + My tears flow on unceasingly, my sighs know no relent. +How long shall I for justice sue to you, whilst, with desire For + aid, ye war on me and still on slaying me are bent! +To me your rigour love-delight, your distance nearness is; Ay, + your injustice equity, and eke your wrath consent. +Accuse me falsely, cruelly entreat me; still ye are My heart's + beloved, at whose hands no rigour I resent. + +All who were present were delighted and the sitting-chamber shook +with mirth, and Iblis said, 'Well done, O Tuhfet es Sudour!' Then +they gave not over wine-bibbing and rejoicing and making merry +and tambourining and piping till the night waned and the dawn +drew near; and indeed exceeding delight entered into them. The +most of them in mirth was the Sheikh Iblis, and for the excess of +that which betided him of delight, he put off all that was upon +him of coloured clothes and cast them over Tuhfeh, and among the +rest a robe broidered with jewels and jacinths, worth ten +thousand dinars. Then he kissed the earth and danced and put his +finger to his arse and taking his beard in his hand, said to her, +'Sing about this beard and endeavour after mirth and pleasance, +and no blame shall betide thee for this.' So she improvised and +sang the following verses: + +Beard of the old he-goat, the one-eyed, what shall be My saying + of a knave, his fashion and degree? +I rede thee vaunt thee not of praise from us, for lo! Even as a + docktailed cur thou art esteemed of me. +By Allah, without fail, to-morrow thou shalt see Me with + ox-leather dress and drub the nape of thee! + +All those who were present laughed at her mockery of Iblis and +marvelled at the goodliness of her observation[FN#209] and her +readiness in improvising verses; whilst the Sheikh himself +rejoiced and said to her, 'O Tuhfet es Sudour, the night is gone; +so arise and rest thyself ere the day; and to-morrow all shall be +well.' Then all the kings of the Jinn departed, together with +those who were present of guards, and Tuhfeh abode alone, +pondering the affair of Er Reshid and bethinking her of how it +was with him, after her, and of that which had betided him for +her loss, till the dawn gleamed, when she arose and walked in the +palace. Presently she saw a handsome door; so she opened it and +found herself in a garden goodlier than the first, never saw eyes +a fairer than it. When she beheld this garden, delight moved her +and she called to mind her lord Er Reshid and wept sore, saying, +'I crave of the bounty of God the Most High that my return to him +and to my palace and my home may be near at hand!' + +Then she walked in the garden till she came to a pavilion, lofty +of building and wide of continence, never saw mortal nor heard of +a goodlier than it [So she entered] and found herself in a long +corridor, which led to a bath goodlier than that whereof it hath +been spoken, and the cisterns thereof were full of rose-water +mingled with musk. Quoth Tuhfeh, 'Extolled be the perfection of +God! Indeed, this[FN#210] is none other than a mighty king.' Then +she put off her clothes and washed her body and made her +ablution, after the fullest fashion,[FN#211] and prayed that +which was due from her of prayer from the evening [of the +previous day].[FN#212] When the sun rose upon the gate of the +garden and she saw the wonders thereof, with that which was +therein of all manner flowers and streams, and heard the voices +of its birds, she marvelled at what she saw of the surpassing +goodliness of its ordinance and the beauty of its disposition and +sat meditating the affair of Er Reshid and pondering what was +come of him after her. Her tears ran down upon her cheek and the +zephyr blew on her; so she slept and knew no more till she felt a +breath on her cheek, whereupon she awoke in affright and found +Queen Kemeriyeh kissing her face, and with her her sisters, who +said to her, 'Arise, for the sun hath set.' + +So she arose and making the ablution, prayed that which behoved +her of prayers[FN#213] and accompanied the four queens to the +palace, where she saw the candles lighted and the kings sitting. +She saluted them and seated herself upon her couch; and behold, +King Es Shisban had changed his favour, for all the pride of his +soul. Then came up Iblis (whom God curse!) and Tuhfeh rose to him +and kissed his hands. He in turn kissed her hand and called down +blessings on her and said, 'How deemest thou? Is [not] this place +pleasant, for all its loneliness and desolation?' Quoth she, +'None may be desolate in this place;' and he said, 'Know that no +mortal dare tread [the soil of] this place.' But she answered, 'I +have dared and trodden it, and this is of the number of thy +favours.' Then they brought tables and meats and viands and +fruits and sweetmeats and what not else, to the description +whereof mortal man availeth not, and they ate till they had +enough; after which the tables were removed and the trays and +platters[FN#214] set on, and they ranged the bottles and flagons +and vessels and phials, together with all manner fruits and +sweet-scented flowers. + +The first to take the cup was Iblis the Accursed, who said, 'O +Tuhfet es Sudour, sing over my cup.' So she took the lute and +touching it, sang the following verses: + +Awaken, O ye sleepers all, and profit, whilst it's here By what's + vouchsafed of fortune fair and life untroubled, clear. +Drink of the first-run wine, that shows as very flame it were, + When from the pitcher 'tis outpoured, or ere the day appear. +O skinker of the vine-juice, let the cup 'twixt us go round, For + in its drinking is my hope and all I hold most dear. +What is the pleasance of the world, except it be to see My lady's + face, to drink of wine and ditties still to hear? + +So Iblis drank off his cup, and when he had made an end of his +draught, he waved his hand to Tuhfeh, and putting off that which +was upon him of clothes, delivered them to her. Amongst them was +a suit worth ten thousand dinars and a tray full of jewels worth +a great sum of money. Then he filled again and gave the cup to +his son Es Shisban, who took it from his hand and kissing it, +stood up and sat down again. Now there was before him a tray of +roses; so he said to her 'O Tuhfeh sing upon these roses.' +Hearkening and obedience,' answered she and sang the following +verses: + +O'er all the fragrant flowers that be I have the prefrence aye, + For that I come but once a year, and but a little stay. +And high is my repute, for that I wounded aforetime My + lord,[FN#215] whom God made best of all the treaders of the + clay. + +So Es Shisban drank off the cup in his turn and said, 'Well done, +O desire of hearts!' And he bestowed on her that which was upon +him, to wit, a dress of cloth-of-pearl, fringed with great pearls +and rubies and broidered with precious stones, and a tray wherein +were fifty thousand dinars. Then Meimoun the Sworder took the cup +and fell to gazing intently upon Tuhfeh. Now there was in his +hand a pomegranate-flower and he said to her, 'Sing upon this +pomegranate-flower, O queen of men and Jinn; for indeed thou hast +dominion over all hearts.' Quoth she, 'Hearkening and obedience;' +and she improvised and sang the following verses: + +The zephyr's sweetness on the coppice blew, And as with falling + fire 'twas clad anew; +And to the birds' descant in the foredawns, From out the boughs + it flowered forth and grew, +Till in a robe of sandal green 'twas clad And veil that blended + rose and flame[FN#216] in hue. + +Meinsoun drank off his cup and said to her, 'Well done, O perfect +of attributes!' Then he signed to her and was absent awhile, +after which he returned and with him a tray of jewels worth an +hundred thousand dinars, [which he gave to Tuhfeh]. So Kemeriyeh +arose and bade her slave-girl open the closet behind her, wherein +she laid all that wealth. Then she delivered the key to Tuhfeh, +saying, 'All that cometh to thee of riches, lay thou in this +closet that is by thy side, and after the festival, it shall be +carried to thy palace on the heads of the Jinn.' Tuhfeh kissed +her hand, and another king, by name Munir, took the cup and +filling it, said to her, 'O fair one, sing to me over my cup upon +the jasmine.' 'Hearkening and obedience,' answered she and +improvised the following verses: + +It is as the jasmine, when it I espy, As it glitters and gleams + midst its boughs, were a sky +Of beryl, all glowing with beauty, wherein Thick stars of pure + silver shine forth to the eye. + +Munir drank off his cup and ordered her eight hundred thousand +dinars, whereat Kemeriyeh rejoiced and rising to her feet, kissed +Tuhfeh on her face and said to her, 'May the world not be +bereaved of thee, O thou who lordest it over the hearts of Jinn +and mortals!' Then she returned to her place and the Sheikh Iblis +arose and danced, till all present were confounded; after which +he said to Tuhfeh, 'Indeed, thou embellishest my festival, O thou +who hast commandment over men and Jinn and rejoicest their hearts +with thy loveliness and the excellence of thy faithfulness to thy +lord. All that thy hands possess shall be borne to thee [in thy +palace and placed] at thy service; but now the dawn is near at +hand; so do thou rise and rest thee, as of thy wont' Tuhfeh +turned and found with her none of the Jinn; so she laid her head +on the ground and slept till she had gotten her rest; after which +she arose and betaking herself to the pool, made the ablution and +prayed. Then she sat beside the pool awhile and pondered the +affair of her lord Er Reshid and that which had betided him after +her and wept sore. + +Presently, she heard a blowing behind her; so she turned and +behold, a head without a body and with eyes slit endlong; it was +of the bigness of an elephant's head and bigger and had a mouth +as it were an oven and projecting tusks, as they were grapnels, +and hair that trailed upon the earth. So Tuhfeh said, 'I take +refuge with God from Satan the Stoned!' and recited the Two +Amulets;[FN#217] what while the head drew near her and said to +her, 'Peace be upon thee, O princess of Jinn and men and unique +pearl of her age and her time! May God still continue thee on +life, for all the lapsing of the days, and reunite thee with thy +lord the Imam!'[FN#218] 'And upon thee be peace,' answered she, +'O thou whose like I have not seen among the Jinn!' Quoth the +head, 'We are a people who avail not to change their favours and +we are called ghouls. The folk summon us to their presence, but +we may not present ourselves before them [without leave]. As for +me, I have gotten leave of the Sheikh Aboultawaif to present +myself before thee and I desire of thy favour that thou sing me a +song, so I may go to thy palace and question its haunters[FN#219] +concerning the plight of thy lord after thee and return to thee; +and know, O Tuhfet es Sudour, that between thee and thy lord is a +distance of fifty years' journey to the diligent traveller.' +'Indeed,' rejoined Tuhfeh, 'thou grievest me [for him] between +whom and me is fifty years' journey. And the head said to her, +'Be of good heart and cheerful eye, for the kings of the Jinn +will restore thee to him in less than the twinkling of an eye.' +Quoth she,' I will sing thee an hundred songs, so thou wilt bring +me news of my lord and that which hath befallen him after me.' +And the head answered, saying, 'Do thou favour me and sing me a +song, so I may go to thy lord and bring thee news of him, for +that I desire, before I go, to hear thy voice, so haply my +thirst[FN#220] may be quenched.' So she took the lute and tuning +it, sang the following verses: + +They have departed; but the steads yet full of them remain: Yea, + they have left me, but my heart of them doth not complain. +My heart bereavement of my friends forebode; may God of them The + dwellings not bereave, but send them timely home again! +Though they their journey's goal, alas I have hidden, in their + track Still will I follow on until the very planets wane. +Ye sleep; by Allah, sleep comes not to ease my weary lids; But + from mine eyes, since ye have passed away, the blood doth + rain. +The railers for your loss pretend that I should patient be: + 'Away!' I answer them: ' 'tis I, not you, that feel the + pain.' +What had it irked them, had they'd ta'en farewell of him they've + left Lone, whilst estrangement's fires within his entrails + rage amain? +Great in delight, beloved mine, your presence is with me; Yet + greater still the miseries of parting and its bane. +Ye are the pleasaunce of my soul; or present though you be Or + absent from me, still my heart and thought with you remain. + +The head wept exceeding sore and said, 'O my lady, indeed thou +hast solaced my heart, and I have nought but my life; so take +it.' Quoth she, 'An I but knew that thou wouldst bring me news of +my lord Er Reshid, it were liefer to me than the empery of the +world.' And the head answered her, saying, 'It shall be done as +thou desirest.' Then it disappeared and returning to her at the +last of the night, said, 'Know, O my lady, that I have been to +thy palace and have questioned one of the haunters thereof of the +case of the Commander of the Faithful and that which befell him +after thee; and he said, "When the Commander of the Faithful came +to Tuhfeh's lodging and found her not and saw no sign of her, he +buffeted his face and head and rent his clothes. Now there was in +thy lodging the eunuch, the chief of thy household, and he cried +out at him, saying, 'Bring me Jaafer the Barmecide and his father +and brother forthright.' The eunuch went out, confounded in his +wit for fear of the Commander of the Faithful, and whenas he came +to Jaafer, he said to him, 'Come to the Commander of the +Faithful, thou and thy father and brother.' So they arose in +haste and betaking themselves to the Khalif's presence, said to +him, 'O Commander of the Faithful, what is to do?' Quoth he, +'There is that to do which overpasseth description. Know that I +locked the door and taking the key with me, betook myself to the +daughter of mine uncle, with whom I lay the night; but, when I +arose in the morning and came and opened the door, I found no +sign of Tuhfeh.' 'O Commander of the Faithful,' rejoined Jaafer, +'have patience, for that the damsel hath been snatched away, and +needs must she return, seeing she took the lute with her, and it +is her [own] lute. The Jinn have assuredly carried her off and we +trust in God the Most High that she will return.' Quoth the +Khalif, ' This[FN#221] is a thing that may nowise be' And he +abode in her lodging, eating not neither drinking, what while the +Barmecides besought him to go forth to the folk; and he weepeth +and abideth on this wise till she shall return." This, then, is +that which hath betided him after thee.' + +When Tuhfeh heard this, it was grievous to her and she wept sore; +whereupon quoth the head to her, 'The relief of God the Most High +is near at hand; but now let me hear somewhat of thy speech.' So +she took the lute and sang three songs, weeping the while. 'By +Allah,' said the head, 'thou hast been bountiful to me, may God +be with thee!' Then it disappeared and the season of sundown +came. So she arose [and betook herself] to her place [in the +hall]; whereupon the candles rose up from under the earth and +kindled themselves. Then the kings of the Jinn appeared and +saluted her and kissed her hands and she saluted them. Presently, +up came Kemeriyeh and her three sisters and saluted Tuhfeh and +sat down; whereupon the tables were brought and they ate. Then +the tables were removed and there came the wine-tray and the +drinking-service. So Tuhfeh took the lute and one of the three +queens filled the cup and signed to Tuhfeh [to sing]. Now she had +in her hand a violet; so Tuhfeh sang the following verses: + +Behold, I am clad in a robe of leaves green And a garment of + honour of ultramarine. +Though little, with beauty myself I've adorned; So the flowers + are my subjects and I am their queen. +If the rose be entitled the pride of the morn, Before me nor + after she wins it, I ween. + +The queen drank off her cup and bestowed on Tuhfeh a dress of +cloth-of-pearl, fringed with red rubies, worth twenty thousand +dinars, and a tray wherein were ten thousand dinars. + +All this while Meimoun's eye was upon her and presently he said +to her, 'Harkye, Tuhfeh! Sing to me.' But Queen Zelzeleh cried +out at him and said, 'Desist, O Meimoun. Thou sufferest not +Tuhfeh to pay heed unto us.' Quoth he, 'I will have her sing to +me.' And words waxed between them and Queen Zelzeleh cried out at +him. Then she shook and became like unto the Jinn and taking in +her hand a mace of stone, said to him, 'Out on thee! What art +thou that thou shouldst bespeak us thus? By Allah, but for the +king's worship and my fear of troubling the session and the +festival and the mind of the Sheikh Iblis, I would assuredly beat +the folly out of thy head!' When Meimoun heard these her words, +he rose, with the fire issuing from his eyes, and said, 'O +daughter of Imlac, what art thou that thou shouldst outrage me +with the like of this talk?' 'Out on thee, O dog of the Jinn,' +replied she, 'knowest thou not thy place?' So saying, she ran at +him and offered to strike him with the mace, but the Sheikh Iblis +arose and casting his turban on the ground, said, 'Out on thee, O +Meimoun! Thou still dost with us on this wise. Wheresoever thou +art present, thou troubleth our life! Canst thou not hold thy +peace till thou goest forth of the festival and this +bride-feast[FN#222] be accomplished? When the circumcision is at +an end and ye all return to your dwelling-places, then do as thou +wilt. Out on thee, O Meimoun! Knowest thou not that Imlac is of +the chiefs of the Jinn? But for my worship, thou shouldst have +seen what would have betided thee of humiliation and punishment; +but by reason of the festival none may speak. Indeed thou +exceedest: knowest thou not that her sister Wekhimeh is doughtier +than any of the Jinn? Learn to know thyself: hast thou no regard +for thy life?' + +Meimoun was silent and Iblis turned to Tuhfeh and said to her, +'Sing to the kings of the Jinn this day and to-night until the +morrow, when the boy will be circumcised and each shall return to +his own place.' So she took the lute and Kemeriyeh said to her, +(now she had in her hand a cedrat), 'O my sister, sing to me on +this cedrat.' 'Hearkening and obedience,' replied Tuhfeh, and +improvising, sang the following verses: + +My fruit is a jewel all wroughten of gold, Whose beauty amazeth + all those that behold. +My juice among kings is still drunken for wine And a present am I + betwixt friends, young and old. + +At this Queen Kemeriyeh was moved to exceeding delight and drank +off her cup, saying, 'Well done, O queen of hearts!' Moreover, +she took off a surcoat of blue brocade, fringed with red rubies, +and a necklace of white jewels, worth an hundred thousand dinars, +and gave them to Tuhfeh. Then she passed the cup to her sister +Zelzeleh, who had in her hand sweet basil, and she said to +Tuhfeh, 'Sing to me on this sweet basil.' 'Hearkening and +obedience,' answered she and improvised and sang the following +verses: + +The crown of the flow'rets am I, in the chamber of wine, And +Allah makes mention of me 'mongst the pleasures divine; Yea, ease +and sweet basil and peace, the righteous are told, In Eternity's +Garden of sweets shall to bless them combine.[FN#223] Where, +then, is the worth that in aught with my worth can compare And +where is the rank in men's eyes can be likened to mine? + +Thereat Queen Zelzeleh was moved to exceeding delight and bidding +her treasuress bring a basket, wherein were fifty pairs of +bracelets and the like number of earrings, all of gold, set with +jewels of price, the like whereof nor men nor Jinn possessed, and +an hundred robes of coloured brocade and an hundred thousand +dinars, gave the whole to Tuhfeh. Then she passed the cup to her +sister Sherareh, who had in her hand a stalk of narcissus; so she +took it from her and turning to Tuhfeh, said to her, 'O Tuhfeh, +sing to me on this.' 'Hearkening and obedience,' answered she and +improvised and sang the following verses: + +Most like a wand of emerald my shape it is, trow I; Amongst the + fragrant flow'rets there's none with me can vie. +The eyes of lovely women are likened unto me; Indeed, amongst the + gardens I open many an eye. + +When she had made an end of her song, Sherareh was moved to +exceeding delight and drinking off her cup, said to her, 'Well +done, O gift of hearts!' Then she ordered her an hundred dresses +of brocade and an hundred thousand dinars and passed the cup to +Queen Wekhimeh. Now she had in her hand somewhat of blood-red +anemone; so she took the cup from her sister and turning to +Tuhfeh, said to her, 'O Tuhfeh, sing to me on this.' Quoth she, +'I hear and obey,' and improvised the following verses: + +The Merciful dyed me with that which I wear Of hues with whose + goodliness none may compare. +The earth is my birth-place, indeed; but my place Of abidance is + still in the cheeks of the fair. + +Therewith Wekhimeh was moved to exceeding delight and drinking +off the cup, ordered her twenty dresses of Greek brocade and a +tray, wherein were thirty thousand dinars. Then she gave the cup +to Queen Shuaaeh, Queen of the Fourth Sea, who took it and said, +'O my lady Tuhfeh, sing to me on the gillyflower.' Quoth she +'Hearkening and obedience,' and improvised the following verses: + +The season of my presence is never at an end 'Mongst all their + time in gladness and solacement who spend, +Whenas the folk assemble for birling at the wine, Whether in + morning's splendour or when night's shades descend. +The pitcher then of goblets filled full and brimming o'er With + limpid wine we plunder, that pass from friend to friend. + +Queen Shuaaeh was moved to exceeding delight and emptying her +cup, gave Tuhfeh an hundred thousand dinars. Then arose Iblis +(may God curse him!) and said, 'Verily, the dawn gleameth.' +Whereupon the folk arose and disappeared, all of them, and there +abode not one of them save Tuhfeh, who went forth to the garden +and entering the bath, made her ablutions and prayed that which +had escaped her of prayers. Then she sat down and when the sun +rose, behold, there came up to her near an hundred thousand green +birds; the branches of the trees were filled with their +multitudes and they warbled in various voices, whilst Tuhfeh +marvelled at their fashion. Presently, up came eunuchs, bearing a +throne of gold, set with pearls and jewels and jacinths white and +red and having four steps of gold, together with many carpets of +silk and brocade and Egyptian cloth of silk welted with gold. +These latter they spread amiddleward the garden and setting up +the throne thereon, perfumed the place with virgin musk and aloes +and ambergris. + +After that, there appeared a queen, never saw eyes a goodlier +than she nor than her attributes; she was clad in rich raiment, +embroidered with pearls and jewels, and on her head was a crown +set with various kinds of pearls and jewels. About her were five +hundred slave-girls, high-bosomed maids, as they were moons, +screening her, right and left, and she among them as she were the +moon on the night of its full, for that she was the most of them +in majesty and dignity. She gave not over walking, till she came +to Tuhfeh, whom she found gazing on her in amazement; and when +the latter saw her turn to her, she rose to her, standing on her +feet, and saluted her and kissed the earth before her. + +The queen rejoiced in her and putting out her hand to her, drew +her to herself and seated her by her side on the couch; whereupon +Tuhfeh kissed her hands and the queen said to her, 'Know, O +Tuhfeh, that all that thou treadest of these belong not to any of +the Jinn,[FN#224] for that I am the queen of them all and the +Sheikh Aboultawaif Iblis sought my permission[FN#225] and prayed +me to be present at the circumcision of his son. So I sent to +him, in my stead, a slave-girl of my slave-girls, to wit, +Shuaaeh, Queen of the Fourth Sea, who is vice-queen of my +kingdom. When she was present at the wedding and saw thee and +heard thy singing, she sent to me, giving me to know of thee and +setting forth to me thine elegance and pleasantness and the +goodliness of thy breeding and thy singing. So I am come to thee, +for that which I have heard of thy charms, and this shall bring +thee great worship in the eyes of all the Jinn.'[FN#226] + +Tuhfeh arose and kissed the earth and the queen thanked her for +this and bade her sit. So she sat down and the queen called for +food; whereupon they brought a table of gold, inlaid with pearls +and jacinths and jewels and spread with various kinds of birds +and meats of divers hues, and the queen said, 'O Tuhfeh, in the +name of God, let us eat bread and salt together, thou and I.' So +Tuhfeh came forward and ate of those meats and tasted somewhat +the like whereof she had never eaten, no, nor aught more +delicious than it, what while the slave-girls stood compassing +about the table and she sat conversing and laughing with the +queen. Then said the latter, 'O my sister, a slave-girl told me +of thee that thou saidst, "How loathly is yonder genie Meimoun! +There is no eating [in his presence]."'[FN#227] 'By Allah, O my +lady,' answered Tuhfeh, 'I cannot brook the sight of him,[FN#228] +and indeed I am fearful of him.' When the queen heard this, she +laughed, till she fell backward, and said, 'O my sister, by the +virtue of the inscription upon the seal-ring of Solomon, prophet +of God, I am queen over all the Jinn, and none dare so much as +look on thee a glance of the eye.' And Tuhfeh kissed her hand. +Then the tables were removed and they sat talking. + +Presently up came the kings of the Jinn from every side and +kissed the earth before the queen and stood in her service; and +she thanked them for this, but stirred not for one of them. Then +came the Sheikh Aboultawaif Iblis (God curse him!) and kissed the +earth before her, saying, 'O my lady, may I not be bereft of +these steps!'[FN#229] O Sheikh Aboultawalf,' answered she, 'it +behoveth thee to thank the bounty of the Lady Tuhfeh, who was the +cause of my coming.' 'True,' answered he and kissed the earth. +Then the queen fared on [towards the palace] and there [arose +and] alighted upon the trees an hundred thousand birds of various +colours. Quoth Tuhfeh, 'How many are these birds!' And Queen +Wekhimeh said to her, 'Know, O my sister, that this queen is +called Queen Es Shuhba and that she is queen over all the Jinn +from East to West. These birds that thou seest are of her troops, +and except they came in this shape, the earth would not contain +them. Indeed, they came forth with her and are present with her +presence at this circumcision. She will give thee after the +measure of that which hath betided thee[FN#230] from the first of +the festival to the last thereof; and indeed she honoureth us all +with her presence.' + +Then the queen entered the palace and sat down on the throne of +the circumcision[FN#231] at the upper end of the hall, whereupon +Tuhfeh took the lute and pressing it to her bosom, touched its +strings on such wise that the wits of all present were bewildered +and the Sheikh Iblis said to her, 'O my lady Tuhfeh, I conjure +thee, by the life of this worshipful queen, sing for me and +praise thyself, and gainsay me not.' Quoth she, 'Hearkening and +obedience; yet, but for the adjuration by which thou conjurest +me, I had not done this. Doth any praise himself? What manner of +thing is this?' Then she improvised and sang the following +verses: + +In every rejoicing a boon[FN#232] midst the singers and minstrels + am I; +The folk witness bear of my worth and none can my virtues deny. +My virtues 'mongst men are extolled and my glory and station rank + high. + +Her verses pleased the kings of the Jinn and they said, 'By +Allah, thou sayst sooth!' Then she rose to her feet, with the +lute in her hand, and played and sang, whilst the Jinn and the +Sheikh Aboultawaif danced. Then the latter came up to her and +gave her a carbuncle he had taken from the hidden treasure of +Japhet, son of Noah (on whom be peace), and which was worth the +kingdom of the world; its light was as the light of the sun and +he said to her, 'Take this and glorify thyself withal +over[FN#233] the people of the world.' She kissed his hand and +rejoiced in the jewel and said, 'By Allah, this beseemeth none +but the Commander of the Faithful.' + +Now the dancing of Iblis pleased Queen Es Shuhba and she said to +him, 'By Allah, this is a goodly dancing!' He thanked her for +this and said to Tuhfeh, 'O Tuhfeh, there is not on the face of +the earth a skilfuller than Ishac en Nedim; but thou art more +skilful than he. Indeed, I have been present with him many a time +and have shown him passages[FN#234] on the lute, and there have +betided me such and such things with him.[FN#235] Indeed, the +story of my dealings with him is a long one and this is no time +to repeat it; but now I would fain show thee a passage on the +lute, whereby thou shall be exalted over all the folk.' Quoth she +to him, 'Do what seemeth good to thee.' So he took the lute and +played thereon on wondrous wise, with rare divisions and +extraordinary modulations, and showed her a passage she knew not; +and this was liefer to her than all that she had gotten. Then she +took the lute from him and playing thereon, [sang and] presently +returned to the passage that he had shown her; and he said, 'By +Allah, thou singest better than I!' As for Tuhfeh, it was made +manifest to her that her former usance[FN#236] was all of it +wrong and that what she had learnt from the Sheikh Aboultawaif +Iblis was the origin and foundation [of all perfection] in the +art. So she rejoiced in that which she had gotten of [new skill +in] touching the lute far more than in all that had fallen to her +lot of wealth and raiment and kissed the Sheikh's hand. + +Then said Queen Es Shuhba, 'By Allah, O Sheikh, my sister Tuhfeh +is indeed unique among the folk of her time, and I hear that she +singeth upon all sweet- scented flowers.' 'Yes, O my lady,' +answered Iblis, 'and I am in the utterest of wonderment thereat. +But there remaineth somewhat of sweet-scented flowers, that she +hath not besung, such as the myrtle and the tuberose and the +jessamine and the moss-rose and the like.' Then he signed to her +to sing upon the rest of the flowers, that Queen Es Shuhba might +hear, and she said, 'Hearkening and obedience.' So she took the +lute and played thereon in many modes, then returned to the first +mode and sang the following verses: + +One of the host am I of lovers sad and sere For waiting long + drawn out and expectation drear. +My patience underneath the loss of friends and folk With pallor's + sorry garb hath clad me, comrades dear. +Abasement, misery and heart-break after those I suffer who + endured before me many a year. +All through the day its light and when the night grows dark, My + grief forsakes me not, no, nor my heavy cheer. +My tears flow still, nor aye of bitterness I'm quit, Bewildered + as I am betwixten hope and fear. + +Therewithal Queen Es Shuhba was moved to exceeding delight and +said, 'Well done, O queen of delight! None can avail to describe +thee. Sing to us on the apple,' Quoth Tuhfeh, 'Hearkening and +obedience.' Then she improvised and sang the following verses: + +Endowed with amorous grace past any else am I; Graceful of shape + and lithe and pleasing to the eye. +The hands of noble folk do tend me publicly; With waters clear + and sweet my thirsting tongue they ply. +My clothes of sendal are, my veil of the sun's light, The very + handiwork of God the Lord Most High. +Whenas my sisters dear forsake me, grieved that they Must leave + their native place and far away must hie, +The nobles' hands, for that my place I must forsake, Do solace me + with beds, whereon at ease I lie. +Lo! in the garden-ways, the place of ease and cheer, Still, like + the moon at full, my light thou mayst espy. + +Queen Es Shubha rejoiced in this with an exceeding delight and +said, 'Well done! By Allah, there is none surpasseth thee.' +Tuhfeh kissed the earth, then returned to her place and +improvised on the tuberose, saying: + +My flower a marvel on your heads doth show, Yet homeless[FN#237] + am I in your land, I trow. +Make drink your usance in my company And flout the time that + languishing doth go. +Camphor itself to me doth testify And in my presence owns me + white as snow. +So make me in your morning a delight And set me in your houses, + high and low; +So shall we quaff the cups in ease and cheer, In endless joyance, + quit of care and woe. + +At this Queen Es Shuhba was stirred to exceeding delight and +said, 'Well done, O queen of delight! By Allah, I know not how I +shall do to render thee thy due! May God the Most High grant us +to enjoy thy long continuance [on life]!' Then she strained her +to her breast and kissed her on the cheek; whereupon quoth Iblis +(on whom be malison!), 'Indeed, this is an exceeding honour!' +Quoth the queen, 'Know that this lady Tuhfeh is my sister and +that her commandment is my commandment and her forbiddance my +forbiddance. So hearken all to her word and obey her +commandment.' Therewithal the kings rose all and kissed the earth +before Tuhfeh, who rejoiced in this. Moreover, Queen Es Shuhba +put off on her a suit adorned with pearls and jewels and +jacinths, worth an hundred thousand dinars, and wrote her on a +sheet of paper a patent in her own hand, appointing her her +deputy. So Tuhfeh rose and kissed the earth before the queen, who +said to her, 'Sing to us, of thy favour, concerning the rest of +the sweet-scented flowers and herbs, so I may hear thy singing +and divert myself with witnessing thy skill.' 'Hearkening and +obedience, O lady mine,' answered Tuhfeh and taking the lute, +improvised the following verses: + +Midst colours, my colour excelleth in light And I would every eye + of my charms might have sight. +My place is the place of the fillet and pearls And the fair are + most featly with jasmine bedight, +How bright and how goodly my lustre appears! Yea, my wreaths are + like girdles of silver so white. + +Then she changed the measure and improvised the following: + +I'm the crown of every sweet and fragrant weed; When the loved + one calls, I keep the tryst agreed. +My favours I deny not all the year; Though cessation be desired, + I nothing heed. +I'm the keeper of the promise and the troth, And my gathering is + eath, without impede. + +Then she changed the measure and the mode [and played] so that +she amazed the wits of those who were present, and Queen Es +Shuhba was moved to mirth and said, 'Well done, O queen of +delight!' Then she returned to the first mode and improvised the +following verses on the water-lily: + +I fear to be seen in the air, Without my consent, unaware; +So I stretch out my root neath the flood And my branches turn + back to it there. + +Therewithal Queen Es Shuhba was moved to delight and said, 'Well +done, O Tuhfeh! Let me have more of thy singing.' So she smote +the lute and changing the mode, improvised the following verses +on the moss-rose: + +Look at the moss-rose, on its branches seen, Midmost its leafage, + covered all with green. +Tis gazed at for its slender swaying shape And cherished for its + symmetry and sheen. +Lovely with longing for its love's embrace, The fear of his + estrangement makes it lean. + +Then she changed the measure and the mode and sang the following +verses: + +O thou that questionest the lily of its scent, Give ear unto my + words and verses thereanent. +Th' Amir (quoth it) am I whose charms are still desired; Absent + or present, all in loving me consent. + +When she had made an end of her song, Queen Es Shuhba arose and +said, 'Never heard I from any the like of this.' And she drew +Tuhfeh to her and fell to kissing her. Then she took leave of her +and flew away; and all the birds took flight with her, so that +they walled the world; whilst the rest of the kings tarried +behind. + +When it was the fourth night, there came the boy whom they were +minded to circumcise, adorned with jewels such as never saw eye +nor heard ear of, and amongst the rest a crown of gold, set with +pearls and jewels, the worth whereof was an hundred thousand +dinars. He sat down upon the throne and Tuhfeh sang to him, till +the surgeon came and they circumcised him, in the presence of all +the kings, who showered on him great store of jewels and jacinths +and gold. Queen Kemeriyeh bade the servants gather up all this +and lay it in Tuhfeh's closet, and it was [as much in value as] +all that had fallen to her, from the first of the festival to the +last thereof. Moreover, the Sheikh Iblis (whom God curse!) +bestowed upon Tuhfeh the crown worn by the boy and gave the +latter another, whereat her reason fled. Then the Jinn departed, +in order of rank, whilst Iblis took leave of them, band by band. + +Whilst the Sheikh was thus occupied with taking leave of the +kings, Meimoun sought his opportunity, whenas he saw the place +empty, and taking up Tuhfeh on his shoulders, soared up with her +to the confines of the sky and flew away with her. Presently, +Iblis came to look for Tuhfeh and see what she purposed, but +found her not and saw the slave-girls buffeting their faces; so +he said to them, 'Out on ye! What is to do?' 'O our lord,' +answered they, 'Meimoun hath snatched up Tuhfeh and flown away +with her.' When Iblis heard this, he gave a cry, to which the +earth trembled, and said, 'What is to be done? Out on ye! Shall +he carry off Tuhfeh from my very palace and outrage mine honour? +Doubtless, this Meimoun hath lost his wits.' Then he cried out a +second time, that the earth quaked therefor, and rose up into the +air. + +The news came to the rest of the kings; so they [flew after him +and] overtaking him, found him full of trouble and fear, with +fire issuing from his nostrils, and said to him, 'O Sheikh +Aboultawaif, what is to do?' Quoth he, 'Know that Meimoun hath +carried off Tuhfeh from my palace and outraged mine honour.' When +they heard this, they said, 'There is no power and no virtue but +in God the Most High, the Supreme! By Allah, he hath ventured +upon a grave matter and indeed he destroyeth himself and his +people!' Then the Sheikh Iblis gave not over flying till he fell +in with the tribes of the Jinn, and there gathered themselves +together unto him much people, none may tell the tale of them +save God the Most High. So they came to the Fortress of Copper +and the Citadel of Lead,[FN#238] and the people of the +strongholds saw the tribes of the Jinn issuing from every steep +mountain-pass and said, 'What is to do?' Then Iblis went in to +King Es Shisban and acquainted him with that which had befallen, +whereupon quoth he, 'May God destroy Meimoun and his folk! He +thinketh to possess Tuhfeh, and she is become queen of the Jinn! +But have patience till we contrive that which befitteth in the +matter of Tuhfeh.' Quoth Iblis, 'And what befitteth it to do?' +And Es Shisban said, *We will fall upon him and slay him and his +people with the sword.' + +Then said the Sheikh Iblis, 'We were best acquaint Queen +Kemeriyeh and Queen Zelzeleh and Queen Sherareh and Queen +Wekhimeh; and when they are assembled, God shall ordain [that +which He deemeth] good in the matter of her release.' 'It is well +seen of thee,' answered Es Shisban and despatched to Queen +Kemeriyeh an Afrit called Selheb, who came to her palace and +found her asleep; so he aroused her and she said, 'What is to do, +O Selheb?' 'O my lady,' answered he, 'come to the succour of thy +sister Tuhfeh, for that Meimoun hath carried her off and outraged +thine honour and that of the Sheikh Iblis.' Quoth she, 'What +sayest thou?' And she sat up and cried out with a great cry. And +indeed she feared for Tuhfeh and said, 'By Allah, indeed she used +to say that he looked upon her and prolonged the looking on her; +but ill is that to which his soul hath prompted him.' Then she +arose in haste and mounting a she-devil of her devils, said to +her, 'Fly.' So she flew off and alighted with her in the palace +of her sister Sherareh, whereupon she sent for her sisters +Zelzeleh and Wekhimeh and acquainted them with the news, saying, +'Know that Meimoun hath snatched up Tuhfeh and flown off with her +swiftlier than the blinding lightning.' + +[Then they all flew off in haste and] lighting down in the place +where were their father Es Shisban and their grandfather the +Sheikh Aboultawaif, found the folk on the sorriest of plights. +When their grandfather Iblis saw them, he rose to them and wept, +and they all wept for Tuhfeh. Then said Iblis to them, 'Yonder +dog hath outraged mine honour and taken Tuhfeh, and I doubt not +but that she is like to perish [of concern] for herself and her +lord Er Reshid and saying "All that they said and did[FN#239] was +false."' Quoth Kemeriyeh, 'O grandfather mine, there is nothing +left for it but [to use] stratagem and contrivance for her +deliverance, for that she is dearer to me than everything; and +know that yonder accursed one, whenas he is ware of your coming +upon him, will know that he hath no power to cope with you, he +who is the least and meanest [of the Jinn]; but we fear that, +when he is assured of defeat, he will kill Tuhfeh; wherefore +nothing will serve but that we contrive for her deliverance; else +will she perish.' 'And what hast thou in mind of device?' asked +he; and she answered, 'Let us take him with fair means, and if he +obey, [all will be well]; else will we practise stratagem against +him; and look thou not to other than myself for her deliverance.' +Quoth Iblis, 'The affair is thine; contrive what thou wilt, for +that Tuhfeh is thy sister and thy solicitude for her is more +effectual than [that of] any.' + +So Kemeriyeh cried out to an Afrit of the Afrits and a calamity +of the calamities,[FN#240] by name El Ased et Teyyar,[FN#241] and +said to him, 'Go with my message to the Crescent Mountain, the +abiding-place of Meimoun the Sworder, and enter in to him and +salute him in my name and say to him, "How canst thou be assured +for thyself, O Meimoun?[FN#242] Couldst thou find none on whom to +vent thy drunken humour and whom to maltreat save Tuhfeh, more by +token that she is a queen? But thou art excused, for that thou +didst this not but of thine intoxication, and the Shekh +Aboultawaif pardoneth thee, for that thou wast drunken. Indeed, +thou hast outraged his honour; but now restore her to her palace, +for that she hath done well and favoured us and done us service, +and thou knowest that she is presently our queen. Belike she may +bespeak Queen Es Shuhba, whereupon the matter will be aggravated +and that wherein there is no good will betide. Indeed, thou wilt +get no tittle of profit [from this thine enterprise]; verily, I +give thee good counsel, and so peace be on thee!"' + +'Hearkening and obedience,' answered El Ased and flew till he +came to the Crescent Mountain, when he sought audience of +Meimoun, who bade admit him. So he entered and kissing the earth +before him, gave him Queen Kemeriyeh's message, which when he +heard he said to the Afrit, 'Return whence thou comest and say to +thy mistress, "Be silent and thou wilt do wisely." Else will I +come and seize upon her and make her serve Tuhfeh; and if the +kings of the Jinn assemble together against me and I be overcome +of them, I will not leave her to scent the wind of this world and +she shall be neither mine nor theirs, for that she is presently +my soul[FN#243] from between my ribs; and how shall any part with +his soul?' When the Afrit heard Meimoun's words, he said to him, +'By Allah, O Meimoun, thou hast lost thy wits, that thou speakest +these words of my mistress, and thou one of her servants!' +Whereupon Meimoun cried out and said to him, 'Out on thee, O dog +of the Jinn! Wilt thou bespeak the like of me with these words?' +Then, he bade those who were about him smite El Ased, but he took +flight and soaring into the air, betook himself to his mistress +and told her that which had passed; and she said, 'Thou hast done +well, O cavalier.' + +Then she turned to her father and said to him, 'Give ear unto +that which I shall say to thee.' Quoth he, 'Say on;' and she +said, 'Take thy troops and go to him, for that, when he heareth +this, he in his turn will levy his troops and come forth to thee; +wherepon do thou give him battle and prolong the fighting with +him and make a show to him of weakness and giving way. Meantime, +I will practise a device for winning to Tuhfeh and delivering +her, what while he is occupied with you in battle; and when my +messenger cometh to thee and giveth thee to know that I have +gotten possession of Tuhfeh and that she is with me, do thou +return upon Meimoun forthright and destroy him, him and his +hosts, and take him prisoner. But, if my device succeed not with +him and we avail not to deliver Tuhfeh, he will assuredly go +about to slay her, without recourse, and regret for her will +abide in our hearts.' Quoth Iblis, 'This is the right counsel,' +and let call among the troops to departure, whereupon an hundred +thousand cavaliers, doughty men of war, joined themselves to him +and set out for Meimoun's country. + +As for Queen Kemeriyeh, she flew off to the palace of her sister +Wekhimeh and told her what Meimoun had done and how [he avouched +that], whenas he saw defeat [near at hand], he would slay Tuhfeh; +'and indeed,' added she, 'he is resolved upon this; else had he +not dared to commit this outrage. So do thou contrive the affair +as thou deemest well, for thou hast no superior in judgment.' +Then they sent for Queen Zelzeleh and Queen Sherareh and sat down +to take counsel, one with another, of that which they should do +in the matter. Then said Wekhimeh, 'We were best fit out a ship +in this island [wherein is my palace] and embark therein, in the +guise of mortals, and fare on till we come to a little island, +that lieth over against Meimoun's palace. There will we [take up +our abode and] sit drinking and smiting the lute and singing. Now +Tuhfeh will of a surety be sitting looking upon the sea, and +needs must she see us and come down to us, whereupon we will take +her by force and she will be under our hands, so that none shall +avail more to molest her on any wise. Or, if Meimoun be gone +forth to do battle with the Jinn, we will storm his stronghold +and take Tuhfeh and raze his palace and put to death all who are +therein. When he hears of this, his heart will be rent in sunder +and we will send to let our father know, whereupon he will return +upon him with his troops and he will be destroyed and we shall be +quit of him.' And they answered her, saying, 'This is a good +counsel.' Then they bade fit out a ship from behind the +mountain,[FN#244] and it was fitted out in less than the +twinkling of an eye. So they launched it on the sea and embarking +therein, together with four thousand Afrits, set out, intending +for Meimoun's palace. Moreover, they bade other five thousand +Afrits betake themselves to the island under the Crescent +Mountain and lie in wait for them there. + +Meanwhile, the Sheikh Aboultawaif Iblis and his son Es Shisban +set out, as we have said, with their troops, who were of the +doughtiest of the Jinn and the most accomplished of them in +valour and horsemanship, [and fared on till they drew near the +Crescent Mountain], When the news of their approach reached +Meimoun, he cried out with a great cry to the troops, who were +twenty thousand horse, [and bade them make ready for departure]. +Then he went in to Tuhfeh and kissing her, said to her, 'Know +that thou art presently my life of the world, and indeed the Jinn +are gathered together to wage war on me on thine account. If I am +vouchsafed the victory over them and am preserved alive, I will +set all the kings of the Jinn under thy feet and thou shall +become queen of the world.' But she shook her head and wept; and +he said, 'Weep not, for, by the virtue of the mighty inscription +engraven on the seal-ring of Solomon, thou shall never again see +the land of men! Can any one part with his life? So give ear unto +that which I say; else will I kill thee.' And she was silent. + +Then he sent for his daughter, whose name was Jemreh, and when +she came, he said to her, 'Harkye, Jemreh! Know that I am going +to [meet] the clans of Es Shisban and Queen Kemeriyeh and the +kings of the Jinn. If I am vouchsafed the victory over them, to +Allah be the praise and thou shall have of me largesse; but, if +thou see or hear that I am worsted and any come to thee with news +of me [to this effect], hasten to slay Tuhfeh, so she may fall +neither to me nor to them.' Then he took leave of her and +mounted, saying, 'When this cometh about, pass over to the +Crescent Mountain and take up thine abode there, and await what +shall befall me and what I shall say to thee.' And Jemreh +answered with 'Hearkening and obedience.' + +When Tuhfeh heard this, she fell to weeping and wailing and said, +'By Allah, nought irketh me save separation from my lord Er +Reshid; but, when I am dead, let the world be ruined after me.' +And she doubted not in herself but that she was lost without +recourse. Then Meimoun set forth with his army and departed in +quest of the hosts [of the Jinn], leaving none in the palace save +his daughter Jemreh and Tuhfeh and an Afrit who was dear unto +him. They fared on till they met with the army of Es Shisban; and +when the two hosts came face to face, they fell upon each other +and fought a passing sore battle. After awhile, Es Shisban's +troops began to give back, and when Meimoun saw them do thus, he +despised them and made sure of victory over them. + +Meanwhile, Queen Kemeriyeh and her company sailed on, without +ceasing, till they came under the palace wherein was Tuhfeh, to +wit, that of Meimoun the Sworder; and by the ordinance of +destiny, Tuhfeh herself was then sitting on the belvedere of the +palace, pondering the affair of Haroun er Reshid and her own and +that which had befallen her and weeping for that she was doomed +to slaughter. She saw the ship and what was therein of those whom +we have named, and they in mortal guise, and said, 'Alas, my +sorrow for yonder ship and the mortals that be therein!' As for +Kemeriyeh and her company, when they drew near the palace, they +strained their eyes and seeing Tuhfeh sitting, said, 'Yonder sits +Tuhfeh. May God not bereave [us] of her!' Then they moored their +ship and making for the island, that lay over against the palace, +spread carpets and sat eating and drinking; whereupon quoth +Tuhfeh, 'Welcome and fair welcome to yonder faces! These are my +kinswomen and I conjure thee by Allah, O Jemreh, that thou let me +down to them, so I may sit with them awhile and make friends with +them and return.' Quoth Jemreh, 'I may on no wise do that.' And +Tuhfeh wept. Then the folk brought out wine and drank, what while +Kemeriyeh took the lute and sang the following verses: + +By Allah, but that I trusted that I should meet you again, Your + camel-leader to parting had summoned you in vain! +Parting afar hath borne you, but longing still is fain To bring + you near; meseemeth mine eye doth you contain. + +When Tuhfeh heard this, she gave a great cry, that the folk heard +her and Kemeriyeh said, 'Relief is at hand.' Then she looked out +to them and called to them, saying, 'O daughters of mine uncle, I +am a lonely maid, an exile from folk and country. So, for the +love of God the Most High, repeat that song!' So Kemeriyeh +repeated it and Tuhfeh swooned away. When she came to herself, +she said to Jemreh, 'By the virtue of the Apostle of God (whom +may He bless and preserve!) except thou suffer me go down to them +and look on them and sit with them awhile, [I swear] I will cast +myself down from this palace, for that I am weary of my life and +know that I am slain without recourse; wherefore I will slay +myself, ere thou pass sentence upon me.' And she was instant with +her in asking. + +When Jemreh heard her words, she knew that, if she let her not +down, she would assuredly destroy herself. So she said to her, 'O +Tuhfeh, between thee and them are a thousand fathoms; but I will +bring them up to thee.' 'Nay,' answered Tuhfeh, 'needs must I go +down to them and take my pleasance in the island and look upon +the sea anear; then will we return, thou and I; for that, if thou +bring them up to us, they will be affrighted and there will +betide them neither easance nor gladness. As for me, I do but +wish to be with them, that they may cheer me with their company +neither give over their merrymaking, so haply I may make merry +with them, and indeed I swear that needs must I go down to them; +else will I cast myself upon them.' And she cajoled Jemreh and +kissed her hands, till she said, 'Arise and I will set thee down +beside them.' + +Then she took Tuhfeh under her armpit and flying up, swiftlier +than the blinding lightning, set her down with Kemeriyeh and her +company; whereupon she went up to them and accosted them, saying, +'Fear not, no harm shall betide you; for I am a mortal, like unto +you, and I would fain look on you and talk with you and hear your +singing.' So they welcomed her and abode in their place, whilst +Jemreh sat down beside them and fell a-snuffing their odours and +saying, 'I smell the scent of the Jinn! I wonder whence [it +cometh!'] Then said Wekhimeh to her sister Kemeriyeh, 'Yonder +filthy one [smelleth us] and presently she will take to flight; +so what is this remissness concerning her?'[FN#245] Thereupon +Kemeriyeh put out a hand,[FN#246] as it were a camel's +neck,[FN#247] and dealt Jemreh a buffet on the head, that made it +fly from her body and cast it into the sea. Then said she, 'God +is most great!' And they uncovered their faces, whereupon Tuhfeh +knew them and said to them, 'Protection!' + +Queen Kemeriyeh embraced her, as also did Queen Zelzeleh and +Queen Wekhimeh and Queen Sherareh, and the former said to her, +'Rejoice in assured deliverance, for there abideth no harm for +thee; but this is no time for talk.' Then they cried out, +whereupon up came the Afrits ambushed in the island, with swords +and maces in their hands, and taking up Tuhfeh, flew with her to +the palace and made themselves masters thereof, whilst the Afrit +aforesaid, who was dear to Meimoun and whose name was Dukhan, +fled like an arrow and stayed not in his flight till he carne to +Meimoun and found him engaged in sore battle with the Jinn. When +his lord saw him, he cried out at him, saying, 'Out on thee! Whom +hast thou left in the palace?' And Dukhan answered, saying, 'And +who abideth in the palace? Thy beloved Tuhfeh they have taken and +Jemreh is slain and they have gotten possession of the palace, +all of it.' With this Meimoun buffeted his face and head and +said, 'Out on it for a calamity!' And he cried aloud. Now +Kemeriyeh had sent to her father and acquainted him with the +news, whereat the raven of parting croaked for them. So, when +Meimoun saw that which had betided him, (and indeed the Jinn +smote upon him and the wings of death overspread his host,) he +planted the butt of his spear in the earth and turning the point +thereof to his heart, urged his charger upon it and pressed upon +it with his breast, till the point came forth, gleaming, from his +back. + +Meanwhile the messenger had reached the opposite camp with the +news of Tuhfeh's deliverance, whereat the Sheikh Aboultawaif +rejoiced and bestowed on the bringer of good tidings a sumptuous +dress of honour and made him commander over a company of the +Jinn. Then they fell upon Meimoun's troops and destroyed them to +the last man; and when they came to Meimoun, they found that he +had slain himself and was even as we have said. Presently +Kemeriyeh and her sister [Wekhimeh] came up to their grandfather +and told him what they had done; whereupon he came to Tuhfeh and +saluted her and gave her joy of her deliverance. Then he +delivered Meimoun's palace to Selheb and took all the former's +riches and gave them to Tuhfeh, whilst the troops encamped upon +the Crescent Mountain. Moreover, the Sheikh Aboultawaif said to +Tuhfeh, 'Blame me not,' and she kissed his hands. As they were +thus engaged, there appeared to them the tribes of the Jinn, as +they were clouds, and Queen Es Shuhba flying in their van, with a +drawn sword in her hand. + +When she came in sight of the folk, they kissed the earth before +her and she said to them, 'Tell me what hath betided Queen Tuhfeh +from yonder dog Meimoun and why did ye not send to me and tell +me?' Quoth they, 'And who was this dog that we should send to +thee, on his account? Indeed, he was the least and meanest [of +the Jinn].' Then they told her what Kemeriyeh and her sisters had +done and how they had practised upon Meimoun and delivered Tuhfeh +from his hand, fearing lest he should slay her, whenas he found +himself discomfited; and she said, 'By Allah, the accursed one +was wont to prolong his looking upon her!' And Tuhfeh fell to +kissing Queen Es Shuhba's hand, whilst the latter strained her to +her bosom and kissed her, saying, 'Trouble is past; so rejoice in +assurance of relief.' + +Then they arose and went up to the palace, whereupon the trays of +food were brought and they ate and drank; after which quoth Queen +Es Shuhba, 'O Tuhfeh, sing to us, by way of thankoffering for thy +deliverance, and favour us with that which shall solace our +minds, for that indeed my mind hath been occupied with thee.' +Quoth Tuhfeh 'Hearkening and obedience, O my lady.' So she +improvised and sang the following verses: + +Wind of the East, if thou pass by the land where my loved ones + dwell, I pray, The fullest of greetings bear to them from + me, their lover, and say +That I am the pledge of passion still and that my longing love + And eke my yearning do overpass all longing that was aye. + +Therewithal Queen Es Shuhba rejoiced and all who were present +rejoiced also and admired her speech and fell to kissing her; and +when she had made an end of her song, Queen Kemeriyeh said to +her, 'O my sister, ere thou go to thy palace, I would fain bring +thee to look upon El Anca, daughter of Behram Gour, whom El Anca, +daughter of the wind, carried off, and her beauty; for that there +is not her match on the face of the earth.' And Queen Es Shuhba +said, 'O Kemeriyeh, I [also] have a mind to see her.' Quoth +Kemeriyeh, 'I saw her three years agone; but my sister Wekhimeh +seeth her at all times, for that she is near unto her, and she +saith that there is not in the world a fairer than she. Indeed, +this Queen El Anca is become a byword for loveliness and proverbs +are made upon her beauty and grace' And Wekhimeh said, 'By the +mighty inscription [on the seal-ring of Solomon], there is not +her like in the world!' Then said Queen Es Shuhba, 'If it needs +must be and the affair is as ye say, I will take Tuhfeh and go +with her [to El Anca], so she may see her.' + +So they all arose and repaired to El Anca, who abode in the +Mountain Caf.[FN#248] When she saw them, she rose to them and +saluted them, saying, 'O my ladies, may I not be bereaved of +you!' Quoth Wekhimeh to her, 'Who is like unto thee, O Anca? +Behold, Queen Es Shuhba is come to thee.' So El Anca kissed the +queen's feet and lodged them in her palace; whereupon Tuhfeh came +up to her and fell to kissing her and saying, 'Never saw I a +goodlier than this favour.' Then she set before them somewhat of +food and they ate and washed their hands; after which Tuhfeh took +the lute and played excellent well; and El Anca also played, and +they fell to improvising verses in turns, whilst Tuhfeh embraced +El Anca every moment. Quoth Es Shuhba, 'O my sister, each kiss is +worth a thousand dinars;' and Tuhfeh answered, 'Indeed, a +thousand dinars were little for it.' Whereat El Anca laughed and +on the morrow they took leave of her and went away to Meimoun's +palace.[FN#249] + +Here Queen Es Shuhba bade them farewell and taking her troops, +returned to her palace, whilst the kings also went away to their +abodes and the Sheikh Aboultawaif addressed himself to divert +Tuhfeh till nightfall, when he mounted her on the back of one of +the Afrits and bade other thirty gather together all that she had +gotten of treasure and raiment and jewels and dresses of honour. +[Then they flew off,] whilst Iblis went with her, and in less +than the twinkling of an eye he set her down in her +sleeping-chamber. Then he and those who were with him took leave +of her and went away. When Tuhfeh found herself in her own +chamber and on her couch, her reason fled for joy and it seemed +to her as if she had never stirred thence. Then she took the lute +and tuned it and touched it on wondrous wise and improvised +verses and sang. + +The eunuch heard the smiting of the lute within the chamber and +said, 'By Allah, that is my lady Tuhfeh's touch!' So he arose and +went, as he were a madman, falling down and rising up, till he +came to the eunuch on guard at the door at the Commander of the +Faithful and found him sitting. When the latter saw him, and he +like a madman, falling down and rising up, he said to him, 'What +aileth thee and what bringeth thee hither at this hour?' Quoth +the other, 'Wilt thou not make haste and awaken the Commander of +the Faithful?' And he fell to crying out at him; whereupon the +Khalif awoke and heard them bandying words together and Tuhfeh's +servant saying to the other, 'Out on thee! Awaken the Commander +of the Faithful in haste.' So he said, 'O Sewab, what aileth +thee?' And the chief eunuch answered, saying, 'O our lord, the +eunuch of Tuhfeh's lodging hath taken leave of his wits and +saith, "Awaken the Commander of the Faithful in haste!"' Then +said Er Reshid to one of the slave-girls, 'See what is to do.' + +So she hastened to admit the eunuch, who entered; and when he saw +the Commander of the Faithful, he saluted not neither kissed the +earth, but said, 'Quick, quick! Arise in haste! My lady Tuhfeh +sitteth in her chamber, singing a goodly ditty. Come to her in +haste and see all that I say to thee! Hasten! She sitteth [in her +chamber].' The Khalif was amazed at his speech and said to him, +'What sayst thou?' 'Didst thou not hear the first of the speech?' +replied the eunuch. 'Tuhfeh sitteth in the sleeping-chamber, +singing and playing the lute. Come thy quickliest! Hasten!' So Er +Reshid arose and donned his clothes; but he credited not the +eunuch's words and said to him, 'Out on thee! What is this thou +sayst? Hast thou not seen this in a dream?' 'By Allah,' answered +the eunuch, 'I know not what thou sayest, and I was not asleep.' +Quoth Er Reshid, 'If thy speech be true, it shall be for thy good +luck, for I will enfranchise thee and give thee a thousand +dinars; but, if it be untrue and thou have seen this in sleep, I +will crucify thee.' And the eunuch said in himself, 'O +Protector,[FN#250] let me not have seen this in Sleep!' Then he +left the Khalif and going to the chamber-door, heard the sound of +singing and lute-playing; whereupon he returned to Er Reshid and +said to him, 'Go and hearken and see who is asleep.' + +When Er Reshid drew near the door of the chamber, he heard the +sound of the lute and Tuhfeh's voice singing; whereat he could +not restrain his reason and was like to swoon away for excess of +joy. Then he pulled out the key, but could not bring his hand to +open the door. However, after awhile, he took heart and applying +himself, opened the door and entered, saying, 'Methinks this is +none other than a dream or an illusion of sleep.' When Tuhfeh saw +him, she rose and coming to meet him, strained him to her bosom; +and he cried out with a cry, wherein his soul was like to depart, +and fell down in a swoon. She strained him to her bosom and +sprinkled on him rose-water, mingled with musk, and washed his +face, till he came to himself, as he were a drunken man, for the +excess of his joy in Tuhfeh's return to him, after he had +despaired of her. + +Then she took the lute and smote thereon, after the fashion she +had learnt from the Sheikh Iblis, so that Er Reshid's wit was +dazed for excess of delight and his understanding was confounded +for joy; after which she improvised and sang the following +verses: + +My heart will never credit that I am far from thee; In it thou + art, nor ever the soul can absent be. +Or if to me "I'm absent" thou sayest, "'Tis a lie," My heart + replies, bewildered 'twixt doubt and certainty. + +When she had made an end of her verses, Er Reshid said to her, 'O +Tuhfeh, thine absence was extraordinary, but thy presence[FN#251] +is yet more extraordinary.' 'By Allah, O my lord,' answered she, +'thou sayst sooth.' And she took his hand and said to him, 'See +what I have brought with me.' So he looked and saw riches such as +neither words could describe nor registers avail to set out, +pearls and jewels and jacinths and precious stones and great +pearls and magnificent dresses of honour, adorned with pearls and +jewels and embroidered with red gold. Moreover, she showed him +that which Queen Es Shuhba had bestowed on her of those carpets, +which she had brought with her, and that her throne, the like +whereof neither Chosroes nor Cassar possessed, and those tables +inlaid with pearls and jewels and those vessels, that amazed all +who looked on them, and the crown, that was on the head of the +circumcised boy, and those dresses of honour, which Queen Es +Shuhba and the Sheikh Aboultawaif had put off upon her, and the +trays wherein were those riches; brief, she showed him treasures +the like whereof he had never in his life set eyes on and which +the tongue availeth not to describe and whereat all who looked +thereon were amazed. + +Er Reshid was like to lose his wits for amazement at this sight +and was confounded at this that he beheld and witnessed. Then +said he to Tuhfeh, 'Come, tell me thy story from first to last, +[and let me know all that hath betided thee,] as if I had been +present' She answered with 'Hearkening and obedience,' and fell +to telling him [all that had betided her] first and last, from +the time when she first saw the Sheikh Aboultawaif, how he took +her and descended with her through the side of the draught-house; +and she told him of the horse she had ridden, till she came to +the meadow aforesaid and described it to him, together with the +palace and that which was therein of furniture, and related to +him how the Jinn rejoiced in her and that which she had seen of +the kings of them, men and women, and of Queen Kemeriyeh and her +sisters and Queen Shuaaeh, Queen of the Fourth Sea, and Queen Es +Shuhba, Queen of Queens, and King Es Shisban, and that which each +one of them had bestowed upon her. Moreover, she told him the +story of Meimoun the Sworder and described to him his loathly +favour, which he had not consented to change, and related to him +that which befell her from the kings of the Jinn, men and women, +and the coming of the Queen of Queens, Es Shuhba, and how she had +loved her and appointed her her vice-queen and how she was thus +become ruler over all the kings of the Jinn; and she showed him +the patent of investiture that Queen Es Shuhba had written her +and told him that which had betided her with the Ghoul-head, +whenas it appeared to her in the garden, and how she had +despatched it to her palace, beseeching it to bring her news of +the Commander of the Faithful and that which had betided him +after her. Then she described to him the gardens, wherein she had +taken her pleasure, and the baths inlaid with pearls and jewels +and told him that which had befallen Meimoun the Sworder, whenas +he carried her off, and how he had slain himself; brief, she told +him all that she had seen of wonders and rarities and that which +she had beheld of all kinds and colours among the Jinn. + +Then she told him the story of Anca, daughter of Behram Gour, +with Anca, daughter of the wind, and described to him her +dwelling-place and her island, whereupon quoth Er Reshid, 'O +Tuhfet es Sedr,[FN#252] tell me of El Anca, daughter of Behram +Gour; is she of the Jinn or of mankind or of the birds? For this +long time have I desired to find one who should tell me of her.' +'It is well, O Commander of the Faithful,' answered Tuhfeh. 'I +asked the queen of this and she acquainted me with her case and +told me who built her the palace.' Quoth Er Reshid, 'I conjure +thee by Allah, tell it me.' And Tuhfeh answered, 'It is well,' +and proceeded to tell him. And indeed he was amazed at that which +he heard from her and what she told him and at that which she had +brought back of jewels and jacinths of various colours and +preciots stones of many kinds, such as amazed the beholder and +confounded thought and mind. As for this, it was the means of the +enrichment of the Barmecides and the Abbasicles, and they abode +in their delight. + +Then the Khalif went forth and bade decorate the city: [so they +decorated it] and the drums of glad tidings were beaten. Moreover +they made banquets to the people and the tables were spread seven +days. And Tuhfeh and the Commander of the Faithful ceased not to +be in the most delightsome of life and the most prosperous +thereof till there came to them the Destroyer of Delights and the +Sunderer of Companies; and thu is all that hath come down to as +of their story." + + + + + + Calcutta (1814-18) Text. + + + + NOTE. + + + +The following story occupies the last five Nights (cxcv-cc) of +the unfinished Calcutta Edition of 1814-18. The only other text +of it known to me is that published by Monsieur Langles (Paris, +1814), as an appendix to his Edition of the Voyages of Sindbad, +and of this I have freely availed myself in making the present +translation, comparing and collating with it the Calcutta +(1814-18) Text and filling up and correcting omissions and errors +that occur in the latter. In the Calcutta (1814-18) Text this +story (Vol. II. pp. 367-378) is immediately succeeded by the +Seven Voyages of Sindbad (Vol. II. pp. 378-458), which conclude +the work. + + + + + + WOMEN'S CRAFT. + + + +It is told that there was once, in the city of Baghdad, a comely +and well-bred youth, fair of face, tall of stature and slender of +shape. His name was Alaeddin and he was of the chiefs of the sons +of the merchants and had a shop wherein he sold and bought One +day, as he sat in his shop, there passed by him a girl of the +women of pleasure,[FN#253] who raised her eyes and casting a +glance at the young merchant, saw written in a flowing hand on +the forepart[FN#254] of the door of his shop, these words, +"VERILY, THERE IS NO CRAFT BUT MEN'S CRAFT, FORASMUCH AS IT OVERCOMETH +WOMEN'S CRAFT." When she beheld this, she was wroth and took +counsel with herself, saying, "As my head liveth, I will +assuredly show him a trick of the tricks of women and prove the +untruth of[FN#255] this his inscription!" + +So, on the morrow, she made her ready and donning the costliest +of apparel, adorned herself with the most magnificent of +ornaments and the highest of price and stained her hands with +henna. Then she let down her tresses upon her shoulders and went +forth, walking along with coquettish swimming gait and amorous +grace, followed by her slave-girls, till she came to the young +merchant's shop and sitting down thereat, under colour of seeking +stuffs, saluted him and demanded of him somewhat of merchandise. +So he brought out to her various kinds of stuffs and she took +them and turned them over, talking with him the while. Then said +she to him, "Look at the goodliness of my shape and my symmetry. +Seest thou in me any default?" And he answered, "No, O my lady." +"Is it lawful," continued she, "in any one that he should slander +me and say that I am humpbacked?" + +Then she discovered to him a part of her bosom, and when he saw +her breasts, his reason took flight from his head and he said to +her, "Cover it up, so may God have thee in His safeguard!" Quoth +she, "Is it fair of any one to missay of my charms?" And he +answered, "How shall any missay of thy charms, and thou the sun +of loveliness?" Then said she, "Hath any the right to say of me +that I am lophanded? "And tucking up her sleeves, showed him +forearms, as they were crystal; after which she unveiled to him a +face, as it were a full moon breaking forth on its fourteenth +night, and said to him, "Is it lawful for any to missay of me +[and avouch] that my face is pitted with smallpox or that I am +one-eyed or crop-eared?" And he answered her, saying, "O my lady, +what is it moveth thee to discover unto me that lovely face and +those fair members, [of wont so jealously] veiled and guarded? +Tell me the truth of the matter, may I be thy ransom!" And he +recited the following verses: + +A white one, from her sheath of tresses now laid bare And now + again concealed in black, luxuriant hair;[FN#256] +As if the maid the day resplendent and her locks The night that + o'er it spreads its shrouding darkness were. + +"Know, O my lord," answered she, "that I am a maiden oppressed of +my father, for that he misspeaketh of me and saith to me, 'Thou +art foul of favour and it befitteth not that thou wear rich +clothes; for thou and the slave-girls, ye are equal in rank, +there is no distinguishing thee from them.' Now he is a rich man, +having wealth galore, [and saith not on this wise but] because he +is a niggard and grudgeth the spending of a farthing; [wherefore +he is loath to marry me,] lest he be put to somewhat of charge in +my marriage, albeit God the Most High hath been bountiful to him +and he is a man puissant in his time and lacking nothing of the +goods of the world." "Who is thy father," asked the young +merchant, "and what is his condition?" And she replied, "He is +the Chief Cadi of the Supreme Court, under whose hand are all the +Cadis who administer justice in this city." + +The merchant believed her and she took leave of him and went +away, leaving in his heart a thousand regrets, for that the love +of her had gotten possession of him and he knew not how he should +win to her; wherefore he abode enamoured, love-distraught, +unknowing if he were alive or dead. As soon as she was gone, he +shut his shop and going up to the Court, went in to the Chief +Cadi and saluted him. The magistrate returned his salutation and +entreated him with honour and seated him by his side. Then said +Alaeddin to him, "I come to thee, a suitor, seeking thine +alliance and desiring the hand of thy noble daughter." "O my lord +merchant," answered the Cadi, "indeed my daughter beseemeth not +the like of thee, neither sorteth she with the goodliness of thy +youth and the pleasantness of thy composition and the sweetness +of thy discourse;" but Alaeddin rejoined, saying, "This talk +behoveth thee not, neither is it seemly in thee; if I be content +with her, how should this irk thee?" So they came to an accord +and concluded the treaty of marriage at a dower precedent of five +purses[FN#257] paid down then and there and a dower contingent of +fifteen purses,[FN#258] so it might be uneath unto him to put her +away, forasmuch as her father had given him fair warning, but he +would not be warned. + +Then they drew up the contract of marriage and the merchant said, +"I desire to go in to her this night." So they carried her to him +in procession that very night, and he prayed the prayer of +eventide and entered the privy chamber prepared for him; but, +when he lifted the veil from the face of the bride and looked, he +saw a foul face and a blameworthy aspect; yea, he beheld somewhat +the like whereof may God not show thee! loathly, dispensing from +description, inasmuch as there were reckoned in her all legal +defects.[FN#259] So he repented, whenas repentance availed him +not, and knew that the girl had cheated him. However, he lay with +the bride, against his will, and abode that night sore troubled +in mind, as he were in the prison of Ed Dilem.[FN#260] Hardly had +the day dawned when he arose from her and betaking himself to one +of the baths, dozed there awhile, after which he made the +ablution of defilement[FN#261] and washed his clothes. Then he +went out to the coffee-house and drank a cup of coffee; after +which he returned to his shop and opening the door, sat down, +with discomfiture and chagrin written on his face. + +Presently, his friends and acquaintances among the merchants and +people of the market began to come up to him, by ones and twos, +to give him joy, and said to him, laughing, "God's blessing on +thee! Where an the sweetmeats? Where is the coffee?[FN#262] It +would seem thou hast forgotten us; surely, the charms of the +bride have disordered thy reason and taken thy wit, God help +thee! Well, well; we give thee joy, we give thee joy." And they +made mock of him, whilst he gave them no answer and was like to +tear his clothes and weep for vexation. Then they went away from +him, and when it was the hour of noon, up came his mistress, +trailing her skirts and swaying in her gait, as she were a +cassia-branch in a garden. She was yet more richly dressed and +adorned and more bewitching[FN#263] in her symmetry and grace +than on the previous day, so that she made the passers stop and +stand in ranks to look on her. + +When she came to Alaeddin's shop, she sat down thereat and said +to him, "May the day be blessed to thee, O my lord Alaeddin! God +prosper thee and be good to thee and accomplish thy gladness and +make it a wedding of weal and content!" He knitted his brows and +frowned in answer to her; then said he to her, "Tell me, how have +I failed of thy due, or what have I done to injure thee, that +thou shouldst play me this trick?" Quoth she, "Thou hast no wise +offended against me; but this inscription that is written on the +door of thy shop irketh me and vexeth my heart. If thou wilt +change it and write up the contrary thereof, I will deliver thee +from thy predicament." And he answered, "This that thou seekest +is easy. On my head and eyes be it." So saying, he brought out a +ducat[FN#264] and calling one of his mamelukes, said to him, "Get +thee to such an one the scribe and bid him write us an +inscription, adorned with gold and ultramarine, in these words, +to wit, 'THERE IS NO CRAFT BUT WOMEN'S CRAFT, FOR THAT INDEED THEIR CRAFT IS +A MIGHTY CRAFT AND OVERCOMETH AND HUMBLETH THE FABLES[FN#265] OF MEN.'" And +she said to the servant, "Go forthright." + +So he repaired to the scribe, who wrote him the scroll, and he +brought it to his master, who set it on the door and said to the +damsel, "Art thou satisfied?" "Yes," answered she. "Arise +forthright and get thee to the place before the citadel, where do +thou foregather with all the mountebanks and ape-dancers and +bear-leaders and drummers and pipers and bid them come to thee +to-morrow early, with their drums and pipes, what time thou +drinkest coffee with thy father-in-law the Cadi, and congratulate +thee and wish thee joy, saying, 'A blessed day, O son of our +uncle! Indeed, thou art the vein[FN#266] of our eye! We rejoice +for thee, and if thou be ashamed of us, verily, we pride +ourselves upon thee; so, though thou banish us from thee, know +that we will not forsake thee, albeit thou forsakest us.' And do +thou fall to strewing dinars and dirhems amongst them; whereupon +the Cadi will question thee, and do thou answer him, saying, 'My +father was an ape-dancer and this is our original condition; but +out Lord opened on us [the gate of fortune] and we have gotten us +a name among the merchants and with their provost.' + +Then will he say to thee, 'Then thou art an ape-leader of the +tribe of the mountebanks?' And do thou reply, 'I may in nowise +deny my origin, for the sake of thy daughter and in her honour.' +The Cadi will say, 'It may not be that thou shalt be given the +daughter of a sheikh who sitteth upon the carpet of the Law and +whose descent is traceable by genealogy to the loins of the +Apostle of God,[FN#267] nor is it seemly that his daughter be in +the power of a man who is an ape-dancer, a minstrel.' And do thou +rejoin, 'Nay, O Effendi, she is my lawful wife and every hair of +her is worth a thousand lives, and I will not let her go, though +I be given the kingship of the world.' Then be thou persuaded to +speak the word of divorce and so shall the marriage be dissolved +and ye be delivered from each other." + +Quoth Alaeddin, "Thou counsellest well," and locking up his shop, +betook himself to the place before the citadel, where he +foregathered with the drummers and pipers and instructed them how +they should do, [even as his mistress had counselled him,] +promising them a handsome reward. So they answered him with +"Hearkening and obedience" and on the morrow, after the +morning-prayer, he betook himself to the presence of the Cadi, +who received him with obsequious courtesy and seated him beside +himself. Then he turned to him and fell to conversing with him +and questioning him of matters of selling and buying and of the +price current of the various commodities that were exported to +Baghdad from all parts, whilst Alaeddin replied to him of all +whereof he asked him. + +As they were thus engaged, behold, up came the dancers and +mountebanks, with their pipes and drums, whilst one of their +number forewent them, with a great banner in his hand, and played +all manner antics with his voice and limbs. When they came to the +Courthouse, the Cadi exclaimed, "I seek refuge with God from +yonder Satans!" And the merchant laughed, but said nothing. Then +they entered and saluting his highness the Cadi, kissed +Alaeddin's hands and said, "God's blessing on thee, O son of our +uncle! Indeed, thou solacest our eyes in that which thou dost, +and we beseech God to cause the glory of our lord the Cadi to +endure, who hath honoured us by admitting thee to his alliance +and allotted us a part in his high rank and dignity." When the +Cadi heard this talk, it bewildered his wit and he was confounded +and his face flushed with anger and he said to his son-in-law, +"What words are these?" Quoth the merchant, "Knowest thou not, O +my lord, that I am of this tribe? Indeed this man is the son of +my mother's brother and that other the son of my father's +brother, and I am only reckoned of the merchants [by courtesy]!" + +When the Cadi heard this, his colour changed and he was troubled +and waxed exceeding wroth and was rike to burst for excess of +rage. Then said he to the merchant, "God forbid that this should +be! How shall it be permitted that the daughter of the Cadi of +the Muslims abide with a man of the dancers and vile of origin? +By Allah, except thou divorce her forthright, I will bid beat +thee and cast thee into prison till thou die! Had I foreknown +that thou wast of them, I had not suffered thee to approach me, +but had spat in thy face, for that thou art filthier[FN#268] than +a dog or a hog." Then he gave him a push and casting him down +from his stead, commanded him to divorce; but he said, "Be +clement to me, O Effendi, for that God is clement, and hasten +not. I will not divorce my wife, though thou give me the kingdom +of Irak." + +The Cadi was perplexed and knew that constraint was not permitted +of the law;[FN#269] so he spoke the young merchant fair and said +to him, "Protect me,[FN#270] so may God protect thee. If thou +divorce her not, this disgrace will cleave to me till the end of +time." Then his rage got the better of him and he said to him, +"An thou divorce her not with a good grace, I will bid strike off +thy head forthright and slay myself; rather flame[FN#271] than +shame." The merchant bethought himself awhile, then divorced her +with a manifest divorcement[FN#272] and on this wise he delivered +himself from that vexation. Then he returned to his shop and +sought in marriage of her father her who had played him the trick +aforesaid and who was the daughter of the chief of the guild of +the blacksmiths. So he took her to wife and they abode with each +other and lived the most solaceful of lives, in all prosperity +and contentment and joyance, till the day of death; and God +[alone] is All-Knowing. + + + + + +End of vol. II. + + + + + Tales from the Arabic, Volume 2 + Endnotes + + + + + +[FN#1] A town of Khoiassan. + +[FN#2] i.e., he dared not attempt to force her? + +[FN#3] i.e. her "yes" meant "yes" and her "no" "no." + +[FN#4] Lit. ignorance. + +[FN#5] Lit. spoke against her due. + +[FN#6] i.e. a domed monument. + +[FN#7] Lit "ignorance," often used in the sense of +"forwardness." + +[FN#8] i.e. my present plight. + +[FN#9] i.e. ten thousand dinars. + +[FN#10] A similar story to this, though differing considerably in +detail, will be found in my "Book of the Thousand Nights and One +Night," Vol. V. p. 9, The Jewish Cadi and his pions wife. + +[FN#11] Or divineress (kahinek). + +[FN#12] i.e. whoredom. + +[FN#13] Or "scar" (ather). + +[FN#14] ie. hearken to. + +[FN#15] i.e. Persia. + +[FN#16] i.e. the case with which he earned his living. + +[FN#17] i.e. the ten thousand dirhems of the bond. + +[FN#18] i.e. exhorted her to patience. + +[FN#19] Or performing surgical operations (ilaj). + +[FN#20] i.e. the open space before his house. + +[FN#21] Or "drew near unto." + +[FN#22] i.e. a descendant of Mohammed. + +[FN#23] Or the art of judging from external appearances +(firaseh). + +[FN#24] Sic in the text; but the passage is apparently corrupt. +It is not plain why a rosy complexion, blue eyes and tallness +should be peculiar to women in love. Arab women being commonly +short, swarthy and black eyed, the attributes mentioned appear +rather to denote the foreign origin of the woman; and it is +probable, therefore, that this passage has by a copyist's error, +been mixed up with that which related to the signs by which the +mock physician recognized her strangehood, the clause specifying +the symptoms of her love lorn condition having been crowded out +in the process, an accident of no infrequent occurrence in the +transcription of Oriental works. + +[FN#25] Yellow was the colour prescribed for the wearing of Jews +by the Muslim lawm in accordance with the decree issued by Khalif +Omar ben el Khettab after the taking of Jerusalem in A.D. 636. + +[FN#26] i.e. Sunday. + +[FN#27] Herais, a species of "risotto," made of pounded wheat or +rice and meat in shreds. + +[FN#28] Lit. "That have passed the night," i.e. are stale and +therefore indigestable. + +[FN#29] i.e. Saturday. + +[FN#30] i.e. native of Merv. + +[FN#31] Or "ruined," lit. "destroyed." + +[FN#32] i.e. native of Rei, a city of Khorassia. + +[FN#33] The text has khenadic, ditches or valleys; but this is, +in all probability, a clerical or typographical error for +fenadic, inns or caravanserais. + +[FN#34] It is a paramount duty of the Muslim to provide his dead +brother in the faith with decent interment; it is, therefore, a +common practice for the family of a poor Arab to solicit +contributions toward the expenses of his burial, nor is the +well-to-do true believer safe from imposition of the kind +described in the text. + +[FN#35] i.e. the recompense in the world to come promised to the +performer of a charitable action. + +[FN#36] i.e. camphor and lote-tree leaves dried and powdered +(sometimes mixed with rose-water) which are strewn over the dead +body, before it is wrapped in the shroud. In the case of a man of +wealth, more costly perfumes (such as musk, aloes and ambergris) +are used. + +[FN#37] All the ablutions prescribed by the Mohammedan ritual are +avoided by the occurrence, during the process, of any cause of +ceremonial impurity (such as the mentioned in the text) and must +be recommenced. + +[FN#38] Having handled a corpse, he had become in a state of +legal impurity and it beloved him therefore to make the +prescribed ablution. + +[FN#39] Which he had taken off for the purpose of making +abulution. This was reversing the ordinary course of affairs, the +dead man's clothes being the washer's prequisite. + +[FN#40] i.e. till it was diminished by evaporation to two-thirds +of its original volume. + +[FN#41] The Mohammedan grave is a cell, hollowed out in the sides +of a trench and so constructed as to keep out the earth, that the +deceased may be able to sit up and answer the examining angels +when they visit him in the tomb. There was, therefore, nothing +improbable in Er Razi's boast that he could abide two days in the +tomb. + +[FN#42] Nawous, a sort of overground well or turricle of masonry, +surmounted by an iron grating, on which the Gueber's body is +placed for devoration by the birds. + +[FN#43] Munkir [Munker] and Nakir [Nekir] are the two angels that +preside at 'the examination of the tomb.' They visit a man in his +grave directly after he has been buried and examine him +concerning his faith; if he acknowledge that there is but one God +and that Mohammed is His prophet [apostle], they suffer him to +rest in peace; otherwise they beat him with [red-hot] iron maces, +till he roars so loud[ly] that he is heard by all from east to +west, except by man and Ginns [Jinn]."--Palmer's Koran, +Introduction. + +[FN#44] Lit. the oven (tennour); but this is obviously a mistake +for "tombs" (cubour). + +[FN#45] i.e. as a propitiatory offering on behalf of. + +[FN#46] i.e. though he remain at thy charge or (as we should say) +on thy hands. + +[FN#47] About twenty-five shillings. + +[FN#48] About £137 10s. + +[FN#49] Meaning the sharper. + +[FN#50] i.e. he asketh nought but that which is reasonable. + +[FN#51] The strict Muslim is averse from taking an oath, even in +support at the truth, and will sometimes submit to a heavy loss +rather than do so. For an instance of this, see my "Book of the +Thousand Nights and One Night," Vol. V. p. 44, The King of the +Island. + +[FN#52] To wit, the merchant and his officious friend. + +[FN#53] There appears to be some mistake here, but I have no +means of rectifying it. The passage is probably hopelessly +corrupt and a portion of the conclusion of the story seems to +have dropped out. + +[FN#54] i.e. well-guarded, confined in the harem. + +[FN#55] i.e. an old woman to crafty that she was a calamity to +those against whom she plotted. + +[FN#56] i.e. the amount of the contingent dowry and of the +allowance which he was bound to make her for her support during +the four months and some days which must elapse before she could +lawfully marry again. + +[FN#57] i.e. thou wilt have satisfied us all. + +[FN#58] With the smoke of burning aloes-wood or other perfume, a +common practice among the Arabs. The aloes-wood is placed upon +burning charcoal in a censer perforated with holes, which is +swung towards the person to be fumigated, whose clothes and hair +are thus impregnated with the grateful fragrance of the burning +wood. An accident such as that mentioned in the text might easily +happen during the process of fumigation. + +[FN#59] i.e. by God. The old woman is keeping up her assumption +of the character of a devotee by canting about Divine direction. + +[FN#60] This is the same story as "The House with the Belvedere." +See my "Book of the Thousand Nights and one Night," Vol. V. p. +323. + +[FN#61] See note, Vol. I. p. 212. Also my "Book of the Thousand +Nights and One Night," Vol. V. p. 263, The King and his Vizier's +wife. + +[FN#62] Or experienced. + +[FN#63] i.e. the inhabitants of the island and the sailors? + +[FN#64] i.e. postponed the fulfilment of his promise. + +[FN#65] Sic; but apparently a state-prison or place of +confinement for notable offenders is meant. + +[FN#66] Or "getting hold of." + +[FN#67] Lit. "betrothed." + +[FN#68] Or "in." + +[FN#69] i.e. if his appearance be such as to belie the +possibility of his being a thief. + +[FN#70] i.e. people of power and worship. + +[FN#71] i.e. of wine. + +[FN#72] i.e. all his former afflictions or (perhaps) all His +commandments. + +[FN#73] i.e. a more venial sin. + +[FN#74] i.e. I have a proposal to make thee. + +[FN#75] i.e. he was brought up in my house. + +[FN#76] i.e. prayed for him by name, as the reigning sovereign, +in the Khutbeh, a sort of homily made up of acts of prayer and +praise and of exhortations to the congregation, which forms part +of the Friday prayers. The mention of a newly-appointed +sovereign's name in the Khutbeh is equivalent with the Muslims to +a solemn proclamation of his accession. + +[FN#77] i.e. deprive him of his rank. + +[FN#78] Or perverted belief, i.e. an infidel. + +[FN#79] i.e. not God. + +[FN#80] Or corrupt belief, i.e. that the destinies of mankind +were governed by the planets and not by God alone. + +[FN#81] i.e. "him who is to me even as mine own soul," to wit, +the king. + +[FN#82] The whole of this story (which is apparently intended as +an example of the flowery style (el bediya) of Arab prose) is +terribly corrupt and obscure, and in the absence of a parallel +version, with which to collate it, it is impossible to be sure +that the exact sense has been rendered. + +[FN#83] Breslau Text, vol xi. pp. 321-99, Nights dccccxxx-xl. + +[FN#84] i.e. the first or Beherite dynasty of the Mameluke +Sultans, the founder of which was originally a Turkish (i.e. +Turcoman) slave. + +[FN#85] Fourth Sultan of the above dynasty. + +[FN#86] i.e. Palestine (Es Sahil) so styled by the Arabs. + +[FN#87] Lit. his nightly entertainers, i.e. those whose place it +was to entertain him by night with the relation of stories and +anecdotes and the recitation of verses, etc. + +[FN#88] i.e. the perfect of police. + +[FN#89] About fifty shillings. + +[FN#90] i.e. those of the visible and invisible worlds. + +[FN#91] i.e. of the Sultan's officers of the household. The +Sultan's palace and the lodgings of his chief officers were +situate, according to Eastern custom, in the citadel or central +fortress of the city. + +[FN#92] Lit. [self-]possession (temkin). + +[FN#93] God forbid! + +[FN#94] Or strong place. + +[FN#95] i.e. lest ill-hap betide her and you be held responsible +for her. + +[FN#96] Which was in his custody in his ex-officio capacity of +guardian, orphans in Muslim countries being, by operation of law, +wards of the Cadi of their district. + +[FN#97] Altogether six thousand dinars or about £3000. + +[FN#98] i.e. except thou give me immediate satisfaction, I will +complain of thee to the Sultan. + +[FN#99] i.e. forgetting all that is enjoined upon the +true-believer by the Institutes of the Prophet (Sunneh) and the +Canons (Fers) of the Divine Law, as deduced from the Koran. + +[FN#100] Lit. red i.e. violent or bloody) death. + +[FN#101] Lit. the conquered one. + +[FN#102] i.e. my view of the matter differs from that of the +Cadi, but I cannot expect a hearing against a personage of his +rank. + +[FN#103] And therefore freshly shed. + +[FN#104] For redness. + +[FN#105] Or parties. + +[FN#106] Lit. quench that fire from him. + +[FN#107] Of Cairo or (quære) the two Egyptian provinces known as +Es Sherkiyeh (The Eastward) and El Gherbiyeh (The Westward). + +[FN#108] i.e, he was a man of ready wit and presence of mind. + +[FN#109] Or (in modern slang) "There are good pickings to be had +out of this job." + +[FN#110] Lit "the douceur of the key," i.e. the gratuity which it +is customary to give to the porter or portress on hiring a house +or lodging. Cf. the French denier à Dieu, Old English "God's +penny." + +[FN#111] i.e. made the complete ablution prescribed by the Muslim +law after copulation. + +[FN#112] i.e. the round opening made in the ceiling for +ventilation. + +[FN#113] i.e. he who sits on the bench outside the police-office, +to attend to emergencies. + +[FN#114] Lit. witnesses, i.e. those who are qualified by their +general respectability and the blamelessness of their lives, to +give evidence in the Mohamedan courts of law. + +[FN#115] Sic. + +[FN#116] About 50 pounds. + +[FN#117] Or guardian. + +[FN#118] Syn. book (kitab). + +[FN#119] Or made it a legal deed. + +[FN#120] Lit. assessors. + +[FN#121] This sentence is almost unintelligible, owing to the +corruptness and obscurity of the text; but the sense appears to +be as above. + +[FN#122] Apparently supposing the draper to have lost it and +purposing to require a heavy indemnity for its loss. + +[FN#123] Apparently, a cant phrase for "thieve." + +[FN#124] or disapprove of. + +[FN#125] This passage is unintelligible; the text is here again, +to all appearance, corrupt. + +[FN#126] i.e. women's tricks? + +[FN#127] Muslim formula of invitation. + +[FN#128] i.e. the singers? + +[FN#129] i.e. easily. + +[FN#130] Or made a show of renouncing. + +[FN#131] i.e. strong men (or athletes) armed. + +[FN#132] Fityan, Arab cant name for thieves. + +[FN#133] Apparently in a pavillion in some garden or orchard, the +usual pleasure of the Arabs. + +[FN#134] i.e. engaged her to attend an entertainment and paid her +her hire in advance. + +[FN#135] Lit. a [she-]partner, i.e. one who should relieve her, +when she was weary of singing, and accompany her voice on the +lute. + +[FN#136] i.e. they grew ever more heated with drink. + +[FN#137] Helfeh or helfaa (vulg. Alfa), a kind of coarse, rushy +grass (Pos. multiflora), used in the East as fuel. + +[FN#138] Lit. "we repented to God, etc, of singing." The practice +of music, vocal and instrumental, is deprecated by the strict +Muslim, in accordance with a tradition by which the Prophet is +said to have expressed his disapproval of these arts. + +[FN#139] i.e. required to find the thief or make good the loss. + +[FN#140] i.e. the parties aggrieved. + +[FN#141] Or irrigation-work, usually a bucket-wheel, worked by +oxen. + +[FN#142] Or "came true." + +[FN#143] i.e. crucify. + +[FN#144] i.e. a native of the Hauran, a district East of +Damascus. + +[FN#145] i.e. the mysterious speaker. + +[FN#146] i.e. in the punishment that overtook me. + +[FN#147] The well-known Arab formula of refusal to a beggar, +equivalent to the Spanish "Perdoneme por amor de Dios, hermano!" + +[FN#148] i.e. what I could afford. + +[FN#149] i.e. that of the officers of police. + +[FN#150] A common Oriental game, something like a rude out-door +form of back-gammon, in which the players who throw certain +numbers are dubbed Sultan and Vizier. + +[FN#151] Lit. milk (leben), possibly a copyist's error for jubn +(cheese). + +[FN#152] i.e. his forbearance in relinquishing his blood-revenge +for his brother. + +[FN#153] In the text, by an evident error, Shehriyar is here made +to ask Shehrzad for another story and she to tell it him. + +[FN#154] Nesiheh. + +[FN#155] i.e. the mysterious speaker? + +[FN#156] Apparently some famous saint. The El Hajjaj whose name +is familiar to readers of the Thomsand and One Night (see supra, +Vol. I. p. 53, note 2) was anything but a saint, if we may +believe the popular report of him. + +[FN#157] Breslan Text, vol. xi. pp. 400-473 and vol. xii. pp. +4-50, Nights dccccvli-dcccclvii. + +[FN#158] The usual meaning of the Arab word anber (pronounced +amber) a ambergris, i.e. the morbid secretion of the sperm-whale; +but the context appears to point to amber, i.e. the fossil resin +used for necklaces, etc.; unless, indeed, the allusion of the +second hemistich is to ambergris, as worn, for the sake of the +perfume, in amulets or pomanders (Fr. pomme d'ambre) slung about +the neck. + +[FN#159] i.e. galena or sulphuret of lead, of which, reduced to +powder, alone or in combination with other ingredients, the +well-known cosmetic or eye-powder called kohl consists. + +[FN#160] See supra, Vol. 1. p. 50, note 2. + +[FN#161] Or "accomplishments" (adab). + +[FN#162] Title of the Khalif. + +[FN#163] i.e. Isaac of Mosul, the greatest of Arab musicians. + +[FN#164] Elder brother of Jaafer; see my "Book of the Thousand +Nights and One Night," Vol. IX. p. 342 et seq. + +[FN#165] Yonnus ibn Hebib, a renowned grammarian and philologer +of the day, who taught at Bassora and whose company was much +sought after by distinguished men of letters and others. He was a +friend of Isaac of Mosul. + +[FN#166] Apparently a suburb of Baghdad. + +[FN#167] i.e. the principal street of Et Taf. + +[FN#168] Or "elegant." + +[FN#169] See supra, Vol. I. p. 236, note 1. + +[FN#170] ? + +[FN#171] A passage has apparently dropped out here. The Khalif +seems to have gone away without buying, leaving Ishac behind, +whereupon the latter was accosted by another slave-girl, who came +out of a cell in the corridor. + +[FN#172] Or "have withheld myself." + +[FN#173] For not selling me? + +[FN#174] i.e. Tuhfeh the fool. Hemca is the feminine form of +ahmec, fool. If by a change in the (unwritten) vowels, we read +Humeca, which is the plural form of ahmec, the title will +signify, "Gift (Tuhfeh) of fools" and would thus represent a +jesting alteration of the girl's real name (Tuhfet el Culoub, +Gift of hearts), in allusion to her (from the slave-merchant's +point of view) foolish and vexatious behaviour in refusing to be +sold to the first comer, as set out below. + +[FN#175] Or "folly" (hemakeh). + +[FN#176] i.e. not every one is lucky enough to be in Ishac's +house. + +[FN#177] Apparently some part of Baghdad adjoining the Tigris. +Khanekah means "a convent of dervishes." + +[FN#178] Lit. stronger (acwa). + +[FN#179] The gist of this curious comparison is not very +apparent. Perhaps "blander" is meant. + +[FN#180] About 10s. + +[FN#181] About a penny; i.e. I have found all my skill in the +craft but a trifle in comparison with thine. + +[FN#182] i.e. thou art what he wants. + +[FN#183] i.e. the dews of her mouth, commonly compared by +Oriental writers to wine and honey. + +[FN#184] i.e. he died. + +[FN#185] i.e. if my hand were out for want of practice. + +[FN#186] i.e. a gift or rarity. + +[FN#187] Or "rarity" (tuhfeh) + +[FN#188] i.e. thou didst her not justice. + +[FN#189] i.e. that set apart for the chief of the concubines. + +[FN#190] i.e. from the opening made in the ceiling for +ventilation. Or the saloon in which she sat may have been open to +the sky, as is not uncommon in the East. + +[FN#191] Zubeideh was the daughter of Jaafer, son of El Mensour, +second Khalif of the house of Abbas, and was therefore Er +Reshid's first cousin. It does not appear why she is called +daughter (bint) of El Casim. + +[FN#192] Lit. "of those noble steps." + +[FN#193] So styled by the Muslums, because Abraham is fabled by +them to have driven him away with stones, when he strove to +prevent him from sacrificing Ishmael, whom they substitute for +Isaac as the intended victim. + +[FN#194] i.e. Gift of Breasts. The word "breasts" here is, of +course, used (metonymically) for "hearts." + +[FN#195] i.e. "He (lit. father) of the hosts of tribes." + +[FN#196] See post, passim. + +[FN#197] Lit. witnesses (shawahid). + +[FN#198] Lit. seas (behar). + +[FN#199] Afterwards called Zelzeleh; see post, p. 245 et seq. + +[FN#200] i.e. I cannot look long on them. + +[FN#201] i.e. change the sir to one less poignant? Or (perhaps) +"lower thy voice." + +[FN#202] i.e. from time immemorial, before the creation of the +world. The most minute details of every man's life in the world +are believed by the Mohammedans to have been fore-ordained by God +from all eternity. This belief is summed up in the Koranic +saying, "Verily, the commandment of God is a prevenient decree." + +[FN#203] No mention is afterward made of any wedding, and the +word is, therefore, probably used here in its implied sense of +"festival," "merry-making." I am not, however acquainted with any +instance of this use of the word urs. + +[FN#204] Or "peewit." + +[FN#205] i.e. those that led the water to the roots of the trees, +after the manner of Eastern gardeners. + +[FN#206] One of the seven "Gardens" or stages for the Mohammedan +heaven. + +[FN#207] "God is Most Great!" So called because its +pronunciation, after that of the niyeh or intent (i.e. "I purpose +to pray such and such prayers"), prohibits the speaking of any +words previous to prayer. + +[FN#208] i.e. those of the five daily prayers (due at daybreak, +noon, mid-afternoon, sundown, and nightfall respectively) which +she had been prevented from praying on the previous evening, +through having passed it in carousing with the Jinn. It is +incumbent on the strict Muslim to make up his arrears of prayer +in this manner. + +[FN#209] Lit. skill in physiognomy (firaseh). + +[FN#210] i.e. the owner of this palace. + +[FN#211] The Mohammedan rite of ablution, previous to prayer, is +a very elaborate and complicated process, somewhat "scamped" by +the ordinary "true-believer." See my "Book of the Thousand Nights +and One Night," Vol. IV. pp. 332-4. + +[FN#212] i.e. the prayers of nightfall, in addition to those of +daybreak. + +[FN#213] i.e. those of noon, mid-afternoon and sundown. + +[FN#214] Containing the dessert. + +[FN#215] i.e. Mohammed, who was passionately fond of flowers and +especially of the rose, which is fabled to have blossomed from +his sweat. + +[FN#216] The Arab name (julnar) of the promegranate is made up of +the Persian word for rose (gul) and the Arabic fire (nar). + +[FN#217] i.e. Chapters cxiii. and cxiv. of the Koran, +respectively known as the Chapter of the [Lord of the] Daybreak +and the Chapter of [The Lord of] Men. These chapters, which it is +the habit of the Muslim to recite as a talisman or preventive +against evil, are the last and shortest in the book and run as +follows. Chapter cxiii.--"In the name of the Compassionate, the +Merciful! Say [quoth Gabriel] 'I take refuge with the Lord of the +Daybreak from the evil of that which He hath created and from the +evil of the beginning of the night, whenas it invadeth [the +world], and from the mischief of the women who blow on knots +(i.e. witches) and from the mischief of the envier, whenas he +envieth.'" Chapter cxiv.--"In the name of God the Compassionate, +the Merciful! Say [quoth Gabriel] 'I take refuge with the Lord of +Men, the King of Men, the God of Men, from the mischief of the +stealthy Tempter (i.e. the devil) who whispereth (i.e. +insinuateth evil) into the breasts (hearts) of mankind, from Jinn +and men!'" These two chapters are often written on parchment etc. +and worn as an amulet about the person--hence their name. + +[FN#218] Hieratic title of the Khalif, as foreman (imam) of the +people at prayer. + +[FN#219] i.e. the Jinn that dwell therein. Each house, according +to Muslim belief, has its haunter or domestic spirit. + +[FN#220] i.e. yearning. + +[FN#221] i.e. her return. + +[FN#222] See ante, p. 229, note 2. + +[FN#223] "As for him who is of those brought near unto God, [for +him shall be] easance and sweet basil (syn. victual, rihan), and +a garden of pleasance."--Koran lvi. 87-8. It will be observed +that this verse is somewhat garbled in the quotation. + +[FN#224] Meaning apparently, "None of the Jinn may tread these +carpets, etc., that thou treadest." + +[FN#225] i.e. to hold festival. + +[FN#226] This passage may also be rendered, "And in this I do +thee a great favour [and honour thee] over all the Jinn." + +[FN#227] Lit. "How loathly is that which yonder genie Meimoun +eateth!" But this is evidently a mistake. See ante, p. 226. + +[FN#228] Lit. "I have not an eye that availeth to look upon him." + +[FN#229] i.e. "May I not lack of thy visits!" + +[FN#230] i.e. "As much again as all thou hast given." + +[FN#231] The attainment by a boy of the proper age for +circumcision, or (so to speak) his religious majority, in a +subject for great rejoicing with the Mohammedans, and the +occasion is celebrated by the giving of as splendid an +entertainment as the means of his family will afford, during +which he is displayed to view upon a throne or raised seat, +arrayed in the richest and ornaments that can be found, hired or +borrowed for the purpose. + +[FN#232] Tuhfeh. + +[FN#233] Lit. "be equitable therewith unto;" but the meaning +appears to be as above. + +[FN#234] Lit. "places" (mawazi). Quaere "shifts" or "positions." + +[FN#235] See my "Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night," Vol. +VI. p. 226, Isaac of Mosul and his Mistress and the Devil. + +[FN#236] i.e. method of playing the lute. + +[FN#237] i.e. not indigenous? + +[FN#238] Apparently the residence of King Es Shisban. + +[FN#239] i.e. all the Jinn's professions of affection to me and +promises of protection, etc. + +[FN#240] i.e. one so crafty that he was a calamity to his +enemies, a common Arab phrase used in a complimentary sense. + +[FN#241] i.e. the Flying Lion. + +[FN#242] i.e. How canst thou feel assured of safety, after that +which thou hast done? + +[FN#243] Or "life" (ruh). + +[FN#244] Quaere the mountain Cat. + +[FN#245] i.e. why tarriest thou to make an end of her? + +[FN#246] i.e. arm. + +[FN#247] i.e. for length. + +[FN#248] A fabulous mountain-range, believed by the Arabs to +encompass the world and by which they are supposed to mean the +Caucasus. + +[FN#249] The Anca, phoenix or griffin, is a fabulous bird that +figures largely in Persian romance. It is fabled to have dwelt in +the Mountain Caf and to have once carried off a king's daughter +on her wedding-day. It is to this legend that the story-teller +appears to refer in the text; but I am not aware that the +princess in question is represented to have been the daughter of +Behram Gour, the well-known King of Persia, who reigned in the +first half of the fifth century and was a contemporary of the +Emperors Theodosius the Younger and Honorius. + +[FN#250] One of the names of God. + +[FN#251] i.e. thy return. + +[FN#252] Gift of the Breast (heart). + +[FN#253] Binat el hawa, lit. daughters of love. This is the +ordinary meaning of the phrase; but the girl in question appears +to have been of good repute and the expression, as applied to +her, is probably, therefore, only intended to signify a +sprightly, frolicsome damsel. + +[FN#254] Lit. the forehead, quare the lintel. + +[FN#255] Or "put to nought" + +[FN#256] Comparing her body, now hidden in her flowing stresses +and now showing through them, to a sword, as it flashes in and +out of its sheath. + +[FN#257] About £25. + +[FN#258] About £75. + +[FN#259] i.e. all defects for which a man is by law entitled to +return a slave-girl to her seller. + +[FN#260] Ed Dilem is the ancient Media. The allusion to its +prison or prisons I do not understand. + +[FN#261] i.e. the complete ablution prescribed by the Mohammedan +law after sexual intercourse. + +[FN#262] It is customary for a newly-married man to entertain his +male acquaintances with a collation on the morning after the +wedding. + +[FN#263] Lit. more striking and cutting. + +[FN#264] Sherifi, a small gold coin, worth about 6s. 8d. + +[FN#265] Or "false pretences." + +[FN#266] Or, as we should say, "the apple." + +[FN#267] Apparently the Cadi was our claimed to be a seyyid i.e. +descendant of Mohammed, through his daughter Fatmeh. + +[FN#268] Lit. more ill-omened. + +[FN#269] i.e. that the law would not allow him to compel the +young merchant to divorce his wife. + +[FN#270] i.e. veil in honour. + +[FN#271] Lit the fire, i.e. hell. + +[FN#272] i.e. by an irrevocable divorcement (telacan bainan), to +wit, such a divorcement as estops the husband from taking back +his divorced wife, except with her consent and after the +execution of a fresh contract of marriage. + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, TALES FROM THE ARABIC VOLUME 2 *** + +This file should be named 5243.txt or 5243.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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