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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/8599.txt b/8599.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..176b3b5 --- /dev/null +++ b/8599.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9393 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Fairy Tales From The Arabian Nights, by E. Dixon + +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: Fairy Tales From The Arabian Nights + +Author: E. Dixon + +Release Date: July, 2005 [EBook #8599] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on July 27, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARABIAN NIGHTS FAIRY TALES *** + + + + +Produce by Wendy Crockett and JC Byers + + + + + + Fairy Tales from the Arabian Nights. + First Series. + + + + Edited by E. Dixon + + + +Note. + +The text of the present selection from the Arabian Nights is that +of Galland, 1821, slightly abridged and edited. The edition is +designed virginibus puerisque. + +E. DIXON. +Cambridge, +Xmas, 1893. + + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +The King of Persia and the Princess of the Sea +Prince Beder and the Princess Giauhara (A Sequel to the Foregoing) +The Three Princes and Princess Nouronnihar +Prince Ahmed and the Fairy (A Sequel to the Foregoing) +Prince Camaralzaman and the Princess of China +The Loss of the Talisman (A Sequel to the Foregoing) +The Story of Zobeide +The Story of the King's Son +The First Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor +The Second Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor +The Third Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor +The Fourth Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor +The Fifth Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor +The Sixth Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor +The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor + + + + + + + THE KING OF PERSIA AND THE PRINCESS OF THE SEA. + + + +There once was a king of Persia, who at the beginning of his reign +had distinguished himself by many glorious and successful +conquests, and had afterwards enjoyed such profound peace and +tranquillity as rendered him the happiest of monarchs. His only +occasion for regret was that he had no heir to succeed him in the +kingdom after his death. One day, according to the custom of his +royal predecessors during their residence in the capital, he held +an assembly of his courtiers, at which all the ambassadors and +strangers of renown at his court were present. Among these there +appeared a merchant from a far-distant country, who sent a message +to the king craving an audience, as he wished to speak to him about +a very important matter. The king gave orders for the merchant to +be instantly admitted; and when the assembly was over, and all the +rest of the company had retired, the king inquired what was the +business which had brought him to the palace. + +'Sire,' replied the merchant, 'I have with me, and beg your majesty +to behold, the most beautiful and charming slave it would be +possible to find if you searched every corner of the earth; if you +will but see her, you will surely wish to make her your wife.' + +The fair slave was, by the king's commands, immediately brought in, +and no sooner had the king beheld a lady whose beauty and grace +surpassed anything he had ever imagined, than he fell passionately +in love with her, and determined to marry her at once. This was +done. + +So the king caused the fair slave to be lodged in the next finest +apartment to his own, and gave particular orders to the matrons and +the women-slaves appointed to attend her, that they should dress +her in the richest robe they could find, and carry her the finest +pearl necklaces, the brightest diamonds, and other the richest +precious stones, that she might choose those she liked best. + +The King of Persia's capital was situated in an island; and his +palace, which was very magnificent, was built upon the sea-shore; +his window looked towards the sea; and the fair slave's, which was +pretty near it, had also the same prospect, and it was the more +pleasant on account of the sea's beating almost against the foot of +the wall. + +At the end of three days the fair slave, magnificently dressed, was +alone in her chamber, sitting upon a sofa, and leaning against one +of the windows that faced the sea, when the king, being informed +that he might visit her, came in. The slave hearing somebody walk +in the room, immediately turned her head to see who it was. She +knew him to be the king; but without showing the least surprise, or +so much as rising from her seat to salute or receive him, she +turned back to the window again as if he had been the most +insignificant person in the world. + +The King of Persia was extremely surprised to see a slave of so +beauteous a form so very ignorant of the world. He attributed this +to the narrowness of her education, and the little care that had +been taken to instruct her in the first rules of civility. He went +to her at the window, where, notwithstanding the coldness and +indifference with which she had just now received him, she suffered +herself to be admired, kissed and embraced as much as he pleased, +but answered him not a word. + +'My dearest life,' said the king, 'you neither answer, nor by any +visible token give me the least reason to believe that you are +listening to me. Why will you still keep to this obstinate silence, +which chills me? Do you mourn for your country, your friends, or +your relations? Alas! is not the King of Persia, who loves and +adores you, capable of comforting, and making you amends for the +loss of everything in the world?' + +But the fair slave continued her astonishing reserve; and keeping +her eyes still fixed upon the ground, would neither look at him nor +utter a word; but after they had dined together in absolute +silence, the king went to the women whom he had assigned to the +fair slave as her attendants, and asked them if they had ever heard +her speak. + +One of them presently made answer, 'Sire, we have neither seen her +open her lips, nor heard her speak any more than your majesty has +just now; we have rendered her our services; we have combed and +dressed her hair, put on her clothes, and waited upon her in her +chamber; but she has never opened her lips, so much as to say, That +is well, or, I like this. We have often asked, Madam, do you want +anything? Is there anything you wish for? Do but ask and command +us: but we have never been able to draw a word from her. We cannot +tell whether her silence proceeds from pride, sorrow, stupidity, or +dumbness; and this is all we can inform your majesty.' + +The King of Persia was more astonished at hearing this than he was +before: however, believing the slave might have some reason for +sorrow, he endeavoured to divert and amuse her, but all in vain. +For a whole year she never afforded him the pleasure of a single +word. + +At length, one day there were great rejoicings in the capital, +because to the king and his silent slave-queen there was born a son +and heir to the kingdom. Once more the king endeavoured to get a +word from his wife. 'My queen,' he said, 'I cannot divine what your +thoughts are; but, for my own part, nothing would be wanting to +complete my happiness and crown my joy but that you should speak to +me one single word, for something within me tells me you are not +dumb: and I beseech, I conjure you, to break through this long +silence, and speak but one word to me; and after that I care not +how soon I die.' + +At this discourse the fair slave, who, according to her usual +custom, had hearkened to the king with downcast eyes, and had given +him cause to believe not only that she was dumb, but that she had +never laughed in her life, began to smile a little. The King of +Persia perceived it with a surprise that made him break forth into +an exclamation of joy; and no longer doubting but that she was +going to speak, he waited for that happy moment with an eagerness +and attention that cannot easily be expressed. + +At last the fair slave, breaking her long-kept silence, thus +addressed herself to the king: 'Sire,' said she, 'I have so many +things to say to your majesty, that, having once broken silence, I +know not where to begin. However, in the first place, I think +myself in duty bound to thank you for all the favours and honours +you have been pleased to confer upon me, and to implore Heaven to +bless and prosper you, to prevent the wicked designs of your +enemies, and not to suffer you to die after hearing me speak, but +to grant you a long life. Had it never been my fortune to have +borne a child, I was resolved (I beg your majesty to pardon the +sincerity of my intention) never to have loved you, as well as to +have kept an eternal silence; but now I love you as I ought to do.' + +The King of Persia, ravished to hear the fair slave speak, embraced +her tenderly. 'Shining light of my eyes,' said he, 'it is +impossible for me to receive a greater joy than what you have now +given me.' + +The King of Persia, in the transport of his joy, said no more to +the fair slave. He left her, but in such a manner as made her +perceive that his intention was speedily to return: and being +willing that his joy should be made public, he sent in all haste +for the grand vizier. As soon as he came, he ordered him to +distribute a thousand pieces of gold among the holy men of his +religion, who had made vows of poverty; as also among the hospitals +and the poor, by way of returning thanks to Heaven: and his will +was obeyed by the direction of that minister. + +After the King of Persia had given this order, he returned to the +fair slave again. 'Madam,' said he, 'pardon me for leaving you so +abruptly, but I hope you will indulge me with some conversation, +since I am desirous to know several things of great consequence. +Tell me, my dearest soul, what were the powerful reasons that +induced you to persist in that obstinate silence for a whole year +together, though you saw me, heard me talk to you, and ate and +drank with me every day.' + +To satisfy the King of Persia's curiosity, 'Think,' replied the +queen, 'whether or no to be a slave, far from my own country, +without any hopes of ever seeing it again,--to have a heart torn +with grief at being separated for ever from my mother, my brother, +my friends, and my acquaintance,--are not these sufficient reasons +for my keeping a silence your majesty has thought so strange and +unaccountable? The love of our native country is as natural to us +as that of our parents; and the loss of liberty is insupportable to +every one who is not wholly destitute of common sense, and knows +how to set a value on it.' + +'Madam,' replied the king, 'I am convinced of the truth of what you +say; but till this moment I was of opinion that a person beautiful +like yourself, whom her evil destiny had condemned to be a slave, +ought to think herself very happy in meeting with a king for her +master.' + +'Sire,' replied the fair slave, 'whatever the slave is, there is no +king on earth who can tyrannise over her will. But when this very +slave is in nothing inferior to the king that bought her, your +majesty shall then judge yourself of her misery, and her sorrow, +and to what desperate attempts the anguish of despair may drive +her.' + +The King of Persia, in great astonishment, said 'Madam, can it be +possible that you are of royal blood? Explain the whole secret to +me, I beseech you, and no longer increase my impatience. Let me +instantly know who are your parents, your brothers, your sisters, +and your relations; but, above all, what your name is.' + +'Sire,' said the fair slave, 'my name is Gulnare, Rose of the Sea; +and my father, who is now dead, was one of the most potent monarchs +of the ocean. When he died, he left his kingdom to a brother of +mine, named Saleh, and to the queen, my mother, who is also a +princess, the daughter of another powerful monarch of the sea. We +enjoyed a profound peace and tranquillity through the whole +kingdom, till a neighbouring prince, envious of our happiness, +invaded our dominions with a mighty army; and penetrating as far as +our capital, made himself master of it; and we had but just time +enough to save ourselves in an impenetrable and inaccessible place, +with a few trusty officers who did not forsake us in our distress. + +'In this retreat my brother contrived all manner of ways to drive +the unjust invader from our dominions. One day "Sister," said he, +"I may fail in the attempt I intend to make to recover my kingdom; +and I shall be less concerned for my own disgrace than for what may +possibly happen to you. To prevent it, and to secure you from all +accident, I would fain see you married first: but in the miserable +condition of our affairs at present, I see no probability of +matching you to any of the princes of the sea; and therefore I +should be very glad if you would think of marrying some of the +princes of the earth I am ready to contribute all that lies in my +power towards it; and I am certain there is not one of them, +however powerful, but would be proud of sharing his crown with +you." + +'At this discourse of my brother's, I fell into a violent passion. +"Brother," said I, "you know that I am descended, as well as you, +by both father's and mother's side, from the kings and queens of +the sea, without any mixture of alliance with those of the earth; +therefore I do not intend to marry below myself, any more than they +did. The condition to which we are reduced shall never oblige me to +alter my resolution; and if you perish in the execution of your +design, I am prepared to fall with you, rather than to follow the +advice I so little expected from you." + +'My brother, who was still earnest for the marriage, however +improper for me, endeavoured to make me believe that there were +kings of the earth who were nowise inferior to those of the sea. +This put me into a more violent passion, which occasioned him to +say several bitter words that stung me to the quick. He left me as +much dissatisfied with myself as he could possibly be with me; and +in this peevish mood I gave a spring from the bottom of the sea up +to the island of the moon. + +'Notwithstanding the violent displeasure that made me cast myself +upon that island, I lived content in retirement. But in spite of +all my precautions, a person of distinction, attended by his +servants, surprised me sleeping, and carried me to his own house, +and wished me to marry him. When he saw that fair means would not +prevail upon me, he attempted to make use of force; but I soon made +him repent of his insolence. So at last he resolved to sell me; +which he did to that very merchant who brought me hither and sold +me to your majesty. This man was a very prudent, courteous, humane +person, and during the whole of the long journey, never gave me the +least reason to complain. + +'As for your majesty,' continued Queen Gulnare, 'if you had not +shown me all the respect you have hitherto paid, and given me such +undeniable marks of your affection that I could no longer doubt of +it, I hesitate not to tell you plainly that I should not have +remained with you. I would have thrown myself into the sea out of +this very window, and I would have gone in search of my mother, my +brother, and the rest of my relations; and, therefore, I hope you +will no longer look upon me as a slave, but as a princess worthy of +your alliance.' + +After this manner Queen Gulnare discovered herself to the King of +Persia, and finished her story. 'My charming, my adorable queen,' +cried he, 'what wonders have I heard! I must ask a thousand +questions concerning those strange and unheard-of things which you +have related to me. I beseech you to tell me more about the kingdom +and people of the sea, who are altogether unknown to me. I have +heard much talk, indeed, of the inhabitants of the sea, but I +always looked upon it as nothing but a tale or fable; but, by what +you have told me, I am convinced there is nothing more true; and I +have a very good proof of it in your own person, who are one of +them, and are pleased to condescend to be my wife; which is an +honour no other inhabitant on the earth can boast of besides +myself. There is one thing yet which puzzles me; therefore I must +beg the favour of you to explain it; that is, I cannot comprehend +how it is possible for you to live or move in the water without +being drowned. There are very few amongst us who have the art of +staying under water; and they would surely perish, if, after a +certain time, they did not come up again.' + +'Sire,' replied Queen Gulnare, 'I shall with pleasure satisfy the +King of Persia. We can walk at the bottom of the sea with as much +ease as you can upon land; and we can breathe in the water as you +do in the air; so that instead of suffocating us, as it does you, +it absolutely contributes to the preservation of our lives. What is +yet more remarkable is, that it never wets our clothes; so that +when we have a mind to visit the earth, we have no occasion to dry +them. Our common language is the same as that of the writing +engraved upon the seal of the great prophet Solomon, the son of +David. + +'I must not forget to tell you, further, that the water does not in +the least hinder us from seeing in the sea; for we can open our +eyes without any inconvenience; and as we have quick, piercing +sight, we can discern any object as clearly in the deepest part of +the sea as upon land. We have also there a succession of day and +night; the moon affords us her light, and even the planets and the +stars appear visible to us. I have already spoken of our kingdoms; +but as the sea is much more spacious than the earth, so there are a +greater number of them, and of greater extent. They are divided +into provinces; and in each province there are several great +cities, well peopled. In short, there are an infinite number of +nations, differing in manners and customs, just as upon the earth. + +'The palaces of the kings and princes are very sumptuous and +magnificent. Some of them are of marble of various colours; others +of rock-crystal, with which the sea abounds, mother of pearl, +coral, and of other materials more valuable; gold, silver, and all +sorts of precious stones are more plentiful there than on earth. I +say nothing of the pearls, since the largest that ever were seen +upon earth would not be valued amongst us; and none but the very +lowest rank of citizens would wear them. + +'As we can transport ourselves whither we please in the twinkling +of an eye, we have no occasion for any carriages or riding-horses; +not but what the king has his stables, and his stud of sea-horses; +but they are seldom made use of, except upon public feasts or +rejoicing days. Some, after they have trained them, take delight in +riding them, and show their skill and dexterity in races; others +put them to chariots of mother-of-pearl, adorned with an infinite +number of shells of all sorts, of the brightest colours. These +chariots are open; and in the middle there is a throne upon which +the king sits, and shows himself to his subjects. The horses are +trained up to draw by themselves; so that there is no occasion for +a charioteer to guide them. I pass over a thousand other curious +particulars relating to these marine countries, which would be very +entertaining to your majesty; but you must permit me to defer it to +a future leisure, to speak of something of much greater +consequence. I should like to send for my mother and my cousins, +and at the same time to desire the king my brother's company, to +whom I have a great desire to be reconciled. They will be very glad +to see me again, after I have related my story to them, and when +they understand I am wife to the mighty king of Persia. I beseech +your majesty to give me leave to send for them: I am sure they will +be happy to pay their respects to you; and I venture to say you +will be extremely pleased to see them.' + +'Madam,' replied the King of Persia, 'you are mistress; do whatever +you please; I will endeavour to receive them with all the honours +they deserve. But I would fain know how you would acquaint them +with what you desire, and when they will arrive, that I may give +orders to make preparation for their reception, and go myself in +person to meet them.' + +'Sire,' replied the Queen Gulnare, 'there is no need of these +ceremonies; they will be here in a moment; and if your Majesty will +but look through the lattice, you shall see the manner of their +arrival.' + +Queen Gulnare then ordered one of her women to bring her a brazier +with a little fire. After that she bade her retire, and shut the +door. When she was alone, she took a piece of aloes out of a box, +and put it into the brazier. As soon as she saw the smoke rise, she +repeated some words unknown to the King of Persia, who from a +recess observe with great attention all that she did. She had no +sooner ended, than the sea began to be disturbed. At length the sea +opened at some distance; and presently there rose out of it a tall, +handsome young man, with moustaches of a sea-green colour; a little +behind him, a lady, advanced in years, but of a majestic air, +attended by five young ladies, nowise inferior in beauty to the +Queen Gulnare. + +Queen Gulnare immediately went to one of the windows, and saw the +king her brother, the queen her mother, and the rest of her +relations, who at the same time perceived her also. The company +came forward, borne, as it were, upon the surface of the waves. +When they came to the edge, they nimbly, one after another, sprang +up to the window, from whence Queen Gulnare had retired to make +room for them. King Saleh, the queen her mother, and the rest of +her relations, embraced her tenderly, with tears in their eyes, on +their first entrance. + +After Queen Gulnare had received them with all imaginable honour, +and made them sit down upon a sofa, the queen her mother addressed +herself to her: 'Daughter,' said she, 'I am overjoyed to see you +again after so long an absence; and I am confident that your +brother and your relations are no less so. Your leaving us without +acquainting anybody with it involved us in inexpressible concern; +and it is impossible to tell you how many tears we have shed upon +that account. We know of no other reason that could induce you to +take such a surprising step, but what your brother told us of the +conversation that passed between him and you. The advice he gave +you seemed to him at that time very advantageous for settling you +handsomely in the world, and very suitable to the then posture of +our affairs. If you had not approved of his proposal, you ought not +to have been so much alarmed; and, give me leave to tell you, you +took the thing in a quite different light from what you ought to +have done. But no more of this; we and you ought now to bury it for +ever in oblivion: give us an account of all that has happened to +you since we saw you last, and of your present situation; but +especially let us know if you are satisfied.' + +Queen Gulnare immediately threw herself at her mother's feet; and +after rising and kissing her hand, 'I own,' said she, 'I have been +guilty of a very great fault, and I am indebted to your goodness +for the pardon which you are pleased to grant me.' She then related +the whole of what had befallen her since she quitted the sea. + +As soon as she had acquainted them with her having been sold to the +King of Persia, in whose palace she was at present; 'Sister,' said +the king her brother, 'you now have it in your power to free +yourself. Rise, and return with us into my kingdom, that I have +reconquered from the proud usurper who had made himself master of +it.' + +The King of Persia, who heard these words from the recess where he +was concealed, was in the utmost alarm. 'Ah!' said he to himself, +'I am ruined; and if my queen, my Gulnare, hearkens to this advice, +and leaves me, I shall surely die.' But Queen Gulnare soon put him +out of his fears. + +'Brother,' said she, smiling, 'I can scarce forbear being angry +with you for advising me to break the engagement I have made with +the most puissant and most renowned monarch in the world. I do not +speak here of an engagement between a slave and her master; it +would be easy to return the ten thousand pieces of gold that I cost +him; but I speak now of a contract between a wife and a husband, +and a wife who has not the least reason to complain. He is a +religious, wise, and temperate king. I am his wife, and he has +declared me Queen of Persia, to share with him in his councils. +Besides, I have a child, the little Prince Beder. I hope then +neither my mother, nor you, nor any of my cousins, will disapprove +of the resolution or the alliance I have made, which will be an +equal honour to the kings of the sea and the earth. Excuse me for +giving you the trouble of coming hither from the bottom of the +deep, to communicate it to you, and for the pleasure of seeing you +after so long a separation.' + +'Sister,' replied King Saleh, 'the proposal I made you of going +back with us into my kingdom was only to let you see how much we +all love you, and how much I in particular honour you, and that +nothing in the world is so dear to me as your happiness.' + +The queen confirmed what her son had just spoken, and addressing +herself to Queen Gulnare, said, 'I am very glad to hear you are +pleased; and I have nothing else to add to what your brother has +just said to you. I should have been the first to have condemned +you, if you had not expressed all the gratitude you owe to a +monarch that loves you so passionately, and has done such great +things for you.' + +When the King of Persia, who was still in the recess, heard this he +began to love her more than ever, and resolved to express his +gratitude in every possible way. + +Presently Queen Gulnare clapped her hands, and in came some of her +slaves, whom she had ordered to bring in a meal: as soon as it was +served up, she invited the queen her mother, the king her brother, +and her cousins, to sit down and take part of it. They began to +reflect, that without asking leave, they had got into the palace of +a mighty king, who had never seen nor heard of them, and that it +would be a great piece of rudeness to eat at his table without him. +This reflection raised a blush in their faces; in their emotion +their eyes glowed like fire, and they breathed flames at their +mouths and nostrils. + +This unexpected sight put the King of Persia, who was totally +ignorant of the cause of it, into a dreadful consternation. Queen +Gulnare suspecting this, and understanding the intention of her +relations, rose from her seat, and told them she would be back in a +moment. She went directly to the recess, and recovered the King of +Persia from his surprise. + +'Sir,' said she, 'give me leave to assure you of the sincere +friendship that the queen my mother and the king my brother are +pleased to honour you with: they earnestly desire to see you, and +tell you so themselves: I intended to have some conversation with +them by ordering a banquet for them, before I introduced them to +your majesty, but they are very impatient to pay their respects to +you: and therefore I desire your majesty would be pleased to walk +in, and honour them with your presence.' + +'Madam,' said the King of Persia, 'I should be very glad to salute +persons that have the honour to be so nearly related to you, but I +am afraid of the flames that they breathe at their mouths and +nostrils.' + +'Sir,' replied the queen, laughing, 'you need not in the least be +afraid of those flames, which are nothing but a sign of their +unwillingness to eat in your palace, without your honouring them +with your presence, and eating with them.' + +The King of Persia, encouraged by these words, rose up, and came +out into the room with his Queen Gulnare. She presented him to the +queen her mother, to the king her brother, and to her other +relations, who instantly threw themselves at his feet, with their +faces to the ground. The King of Persia ran to them, and lifting +them up, embraced them one after another. After they were all +seated, King Saleh began: 'Sir,' said he to the King of Persia, 'we +are at a loss for words to express our joy to think that the queen +my sister should have the happiness of falling under the protection +of so powerful a monarch. We can assure you she is not unworthy of +the high rank you have been pleased to raise her to; and we have +always had so much love and tenderness for her, that we could never +think of parting with her to any of the puissant princes of the +sea, who often demanded her in marriage before she came of age. +Heaven has reserved her for you, Sir, and we have no better way of +returning thanks to it for the favour it has done her, than by +beseeching it to grant your majesty a long and happy life with her, +and to crown you with prosperity and satisfaction.' + +'Certainly,' replied the King of Persia, 'I cannot sufficiently +thank either the queen her mother, or you, Prince, or your whole +family, for the generosity with which you have consented to receive +me into an alliance so glorious to me as yours.' So saying, he +invited them to take part of the luncheon, and he and his queen sat +down at the table with them. After it was over, the King of Persia +conversed with them till it was very late; and when they thought it +time to retire, he waited upon them himself to the several rooms he +had ordered to be prepared for them. + +Next day, as the King of Persia, Queen Gulnare, the queen her +mother, King Saleh her brother, and the princesses their relations, +were discoursing together in her majesty's room, the nurse came in +with the young Prince Beder in her arms. King Saleh no sooner saw +him, than he ran to embrace him; and taking him in his arms, fell +to kissing and caressing him with the greatest demonstration of +tenderness. He took several turns with him about the room, dancing +and tossing him about, when all of a sudden, through a transport of +joy, the window being open, he sprang out, and plunged with him +into the sea. + +The King of Persia, who expected no such sight, set up a hideous +cry, verily believing that he should either see the dear prince his +son no more, or else that he should see him drowned; and he nearly +died of grief and affliction. 'Sir,' said Queen Gulnare (with a +quiet and undisturbed countenance, the better to comfort him), 'let +your majesty fear nothing; the young prince is my son as well as +yours, and I do not love him less than you do. You see I am not +alarmed; neither in truth ought I to be so. He runs no risk, and +you will soon see the king his uncle appear with him again, and +bring him back safe and sound. For he will have the same advantage +his uncle and I have, of living equally in the sea and upon the +land.' The queen his mother and the princesses his relations +confirmed the same thing; yet all they said had no effect on the +king's fright, from which he could not recover till he saw Prince +Beder appear again before him. + +The sea at length became troubled, when immediately King Saleh +arose with the young prince in his arms, and holding him up in the +air, he re-entered at the same window he went out at. The King of +Persia being overjoyed to see Prince Beder again, and astonished +that he was as calm as before he lost sight of him, King Saleh +said, 'Sir, was not your majesty in a great fright, when you first +saw me plunge into the sea with the prince my nephew?' + +'Alas! Prince,' answered the King of Persia, 'I cannot express my +concern. I thought him lost from that very moment, and you now +restore life to me by bringing him again.' + +'I thought as much,' replied King Saleh, 'though you had not the +least reason to apprehend any danger; for, before I plunged into +the sea with him I pronounced over him certain mysterious words, +which were engraven on the seal of the great Solomon, the son of +David. We do the same to all those children that are born in the +regions at the bottom of the sea, by virtue of which they receive +the same privileges that we have over those people who inhabit the +earth. From what your majesty has observed, you may easily see what +advantage your son Prince Beder has acquired by his birth, for as +long as he lives, and as often as he pleases, he will be at liberty +to plunge into the sea, and traverse the vast empires it contains +in its bosom.' + +Having so spoken, King Saleh, who had restored Prince Beder to his +nurse's arms, opened a box he had fetched from his palace in the +little time he had disappeared. It was filled with three hundred +diamonds, as large as pigeons' eggs, a like number of rubies of +extraordinary size, as many emerald wands, each half a foot long, +and thirty strings or necklaces of pearl, consisting each of ten +feet. 'Sir,' said he to the King of Persia, presenting him with +this box, 'when I was first summoned by the queen my sister, I knew +not what part of the earth she was in, or that she had the honour +to be married to so great a monarch. This made us come empty +handed. As we cannot express how much we have been obliged to your +majesty, I beg you to accept this small token of gratitude, in +acknowledgment of the many particular favours you have been pleased +to show her.' + +It is impossible to express how greatly the King of Persia was +surprised at the sight of so much riches, enclosed in so little +compass. 'What! Prince,' cried he, 'do you call so inestimable a +present a small token of your gratitude? I declare once more, you +have never been in the least obliged to me, neither the queen your +mother nor you. Madam,' continued he, turning to Gulnare, 'the king +your brother has put me into the greatest confusion; and I would +beg of him to permit me to refuse his present, were I not afraid of +disobliging him; do you therefore endeavour to obtain his leave +that I may be excused accepting it.' + +'Sir,' replied King Saleh, 'I am not at all surprised that your +majesty thinks this present so extraordinary. I know you are not +accustomed upon earth to see precious stones of this quality and +quantity: but if you knew, as I do, the mines whence these jewels +were taken, and that it is in my power to form a treasure greater +than those of all the kings of the earth, you would wonder we +should have the boldness to make you a present of so small a value. +I beseech you, therefore, not to regard it in that light, but on +account of the sincere friendship which obliges us to offer it to +you not to give us the mortification of refusing it.' This obliged +the King of Persia to accept the present, for which he returned +many thanks both to King Saleh and the queen his mother. + +A few days after, King Saleh gave the King of Persia to understand +that the queen his mother, the princesses his relations and +himself, could have no greater pleasure than to spend their whole +lives at his court; but that having been so long absent from their +own kingdom, where their presence was absolutely necessary, they +begged of him not to take it ill if they took leave of him and +Queen Gulnare. The King of Persia assured them he was very sorry +that it was not in his power to return their visit in their own +dominions; but he added, 'As I am verily persuaded you will not +forget Queen Gulnare, but come and see her now and then, I hope I +shall have the honour to see you again more than once.' + +Many tears were shed on both sides upon their separation. King +Saleh departed first; but the queen his mother, and the princesses +his relations, were fain to force themselves in a manner from the +embraces of Queen Gulnare, who could not prevail upon herself to +let them go. This royal company were no sooner out of sight than +the King of Persia said to Queen Gulnare, 'Madam, I should have +looked with suspicion upon the person that had pretended to pass +those off upon me for true wonders, of which I myself have been an +eye-witness from the time I have been honoured with your +illustrious family at my court. But I cannot refuse to believe my +own eyes; and shall remember it as long as I live, and never cease +to bless Heaven for sending you to me, instead of to any other +prince.' + + + + + + PRINCE BEDER AND THE PRINCESS GIAUHARA. + + + +Young Prince Beder was brought up and educated in the palace under +the care of the King and Queen of Persia. He gave them great +pleasure as he advanced in years by his agreeable manners, and by +the justness of whatever he said; King Saleh his uncle, the queen +his grandmother, and the princesses his relations, came from time +to time to see him. He was easily taught to read and write, and was +instructed in all the sciences that became a prince of his rank. + +When he arrived at the age of fifteen he was very wise and prudent. +The king, who had almost from his cradle discovered in him these +virtues so necessary for a monarch, and who moreover began to +perceive the infirmities of old age coming upon himself every day, +would not wait till death gave him possession of the throne, but +purposed to resign it to him. He had no great difficulty to make +his council consent to it; and the people heard this with so much +the more joy, because they considered Prince Beder worthy to govern +them. They saw that he treated all mankind with that goodness which +invited them to approach him; that he heard favourably all who had +anything to say to him; that he answered everybody with a goodness +that was peculiar to him; and that he refused nobody anything that +had the least appearance of justice. + +The day for the ceremony was appointed. In the midst of the whole +assembly, which was larger than usual, the King of Persia, then +sitting on his throne, came down from it, took the crown from off +his head, put it on that of Prince Beder, and having seated him in +his place, kissed his hand, as a token that he resigned his +authority to him. After which he took his place among the crowd of +viziers and emirs below the throne. + +Hereupon the viziers, emirs, and other principal officers, came +immediately and threw themselves at the new king's feet, taking +each the oath of fidelity according to their rank. Then the grand +vizier made a report of various important matters, on which the +young king gave judgment with admirable prudence and sagacity that +surprised all the council. He next turned out several governors +convicted of mal-administration, and put others in their place, +with wonderful and just discernment. He at length left the council, +accompanied by the late king his father, and went to see his +mother, Queen Gulnare. The queen no sooner saw him coming with his +crown upon his head, than she ran to him, and embraced him with +tenderness, wishing him a long and prosperous reign. + +The first year of his reign King Beder acquitted himself of all his +royal functions with great care. Above all, he took care to inform +himself of the state of his affairs, and all that might in any way +contribute towards the happiness of his people. Next year, having +left the administration to his council, under the direction of the +old king his father, he went out of his capital, under pretext of +diverting himself with hunting; but his real intention was to visit +all the provinces of his kingdom, that he might reform all abuses +there, establish good order and discipline everywhere, and take +from all ill-minded princes, his neighbours, any opportunities of +attempting any thing against the security and tranquillity of his +subjects, by showing himself on his frontiers. + +It required no less than a whole year for this young king to carry +out his plans. Soon after his return, the old king his father fell +so dangerously ill that he knew at once he should never recover. He +waited for his last moment with great tranquillity, and his only +care was to recommend the ministers and other lords of his son's +court to remain faithful to him: and there was not one but +willingly renewed his oath as freely as at first. He died, at +length, to the great grief of King Beder and Queen Gulnare, who +caused his corpse to be borne to a stately mausoleum, worthy of his +rank and dignity. + +The funeral ended, King Beder found no difficulty in complying with +that ancient custom in Persia to mourn for the dead a whole month, +and not to be seen by anybody during all that time. He would have +mourned the death of his father his whole life, had it been right +for a great prince thus to abandon himself to grief. During this +interval the queen, mother to Queen Gulnare, and King Saleh, +together with the princesses their relations, arrived at the +Persian court, and shared their affliction, before they offered any +consolation. + +When the month was expired, the king could not refuse admittance to +the grand vizier and the other lords of his court, who besought him +to lay aside his mourning, to show himself to his subjects, and +take upon him the administration of affairs as before. + +He showed such great reluctance at their request, that the grand +vizier was forced to take upon himself to say to him; 'Sir, neither +our tears nor yours are capable of restoring life to the good king +your father, though we should lament him all our days. He has +undergone the common law of all men, which subjects them to pay the +indispensable tribute of death. Yet we cannot say absolutely that +he is dead, since we see him in your sacred person. He did not +himself doubt, when he was dying, but that he should revive in you, +and to your majesty it belongs to show that he was not deceived.' + +King Beder could no longer oppose such pressing entreaties: he laid +aside his mourning; and after he had resumed the royal habit and +ornaments, he began to provide for the necessities of his kingdom +and subjects with the same care as before his father's death. He +acquitted himself with universal approbation: and as he was exact +in maintaining the ordinances of his predecessor, the people did +not feel they had changed their sovereign. + +King Saleh, who had returned to his dominions in the sea with the +queen his mother and the princesses, no sooner saw that King Beder +had resumed the government, at the end of the month than he came +alone to visit him; and King Beder and Queen Gulnare were overjoyed +to see him. + +One evening when they rose from table, they talked of various +matters. King Saleh began with the praises of the king his nephew, +and expressed to the queen his sister how glad he was to see him +govern so prudently, all of which had acquired him great +reputation, not among his neighbours only, but more remote princes. +King Beder, who could not bear to hear himself so well spoken of, +and not being willing, through good manners, to interrupt the king +his uncle, turned on one side to sleep, leaning his head against a +cushion that was behind him. + +'Sister,' said King Saleh, 'I wonder you have not thought of +marrying him ere this: if I mistake not, he is in his twentieth +year; and, at that age, no prince like him ought to be suffered to +be without a wife. I will think of a wife for him myself, since you +will not, and marry him to some princess of our lower world that +may be worthy of him.' + +'Brother,' replied Queen Gulnare, 'I have never thought of it to +this very moment, and I am glad you have spoken of it to me. I like +your proposing one of our princesses; and I desire you to name one +so beautiful and accomplished that the king my son may be obliged +to love her.' + +'I know one that will suit,' replied King Saleh, softly; 'but I see +many difficulties to be surmounted, not on the lady's part, as I +hope, but on that of her father. I need only mention to you the +Princess Giauhara, daughter of the king of Samandal.' + +'What?' replied Queen Gulnare, 'is not the Princess Giauhara yet +married? I remember to have seen her before I left your palace; she +was then about eighteen months old, and surprisingly beautiful, and +must needs be the wonder of the world. The few years she is older +than the king my son ought not to prevent us from doing our utmost +to bring it about. Let me but know the difficulties that are to be +surmounted, and we will surmount them.' + +'Sister,' replied King Saleh, 'the greatest difficulty is, that the +King of Samandal is insupportably vain, looking upon all others as +his inferiors: it is not likely we shall easily get him to enter +into this alliance. For my part, I will go to him in person, and +demand of him the princess his daughter; and, in case he refuses +her, we will address ourselves elsewhere, where we shall be more +favourably heard. For this reason, as you may perceive,' added he, +'it is as well for the king my nephew not to know anything of our +design, lest he should fall in love with the Princess Giauhara, +till we have got the consent of the King of Samandal, in case, +after all, we should not be able to obtain her for him.' They +discoursed a little longer upon this point, and, before they +parted, agreed that King Saleh should forthwith return to his own +dominions, and demand the Princess Giauhara of the King of Samandal +her father, for the King of Persia his nephew. + +Now King Beder had heard what they said, and he immediately fell in +love with the Princess Giauhara without having even seen her, and +he lay awake thinking all night. Next day King Saleh took leave of +Queen Gulnare and the king his nephew. The young king, who knew the +king his uncle would not have departed so soon but to go and +promote his happiness without loss of time, changed colour when he +heard him mention his departure. He resolved to desire his uncle to +bring the princess away with him: but only asked him to stay with +him one day more, that they might hunt together. The day for +hunting was fixed, and King Beder had many opportunities of being +alone with his uncle, but he had not the courage to open his mouth. +In the heat of the chase, when King Saleh was separated from him, +and not one of his officers and attendants was near, he alighted +near a rivulet; and having tied his horse to a tree, which, with +several others growing along the banks, afforded a very pleasing +shade, he laid himself down on the grass. He remained a good while +absorbed in thought, without speaking a word. + +King Saleh, in the meantime, missing the king his nephew, began to +be much concerned to know what had become of him. He therefore left +his company to go in search of him, and at length perceived him at +a distance. He had observed the day before, and more plainly that +day, that he was not so lively as he used to be; and that if he was +asked a question, he either answered not at all, or nothing to the +purpose. As soon as King Saleh saw him lying in that disconsolate +posture, he immediately guessed he had heard what passed between +him and Queen Gulnare. He hereupon alighted at some distance from +him, and having tied his horse to a tree, came upon him so softly, +that he heard him say to himself: + +'Amiable princess of the kingdom of Samandal, I would this moment +go and offer you my heart, if I knew where to find you.' + +King Saleh would hear no more; he advanced immediately, and showed +himself to King Beder. 'From what I see, nephew,' said he, 'you +heard what the queen your mother and I said the other day of the +Princess Giauhara. It was not our intention you should have known +anything, and we thought you were asleep.' + +'My dear uncle,' replied King Beder, 'I heard every word, but was +ashamed to disclose to you my weakness. I beseech you to pity me, +and not wait to procure me the consent of the divine Giauhara till +you have gained the consent of the King of Samandal that I may +marry his daughter.' + +These words of the King of Persia greatly embarrassed King Saleh. +He represented to him how difficult it was, and that he could not +well do it without carrying him along with him; which might be of +dangerous consequence, since his presence was so absolutely +necessary in his kingdom. He begged him to wait. But these reasons +were not sufficient to satisfy the King of Persia. + +'Cruel Uncle,' said he, 'I find you do not love me so much as you +pretended, and that you had rather see me die than grant the first +request I ever made you.' + +'I am ready to convince your majesty,' replied King Saleh, 'that I +would do anything to serve you; but as for carrying you along with +me, I cannot do that till I have spoken to the queen your mother. +What would she say of you and me? If she consents, I am ready to do +all you would have me, and I will join my entreaties to yours.' + +'If you do really love me,' replied the King of Persia impatiently, +'as you would have me believe you do, you must return to your +kingdom immediately, and carry me along with you.' + +King Saleh, finding himself obliged to yield to his nephew, drew +from his finger a ring, on which were engraven the same mysterious +names that were upon Solomon's seal, that had wrought so many +wonders by their virtue. 'Here, take this ring,' said he, 'put it +upon your finger, and fear neither the waters of the sea, nor their +depth.' + +The King of Persia took the ring, and when he had put it on his +finger, King Saleh said to him, 'Do as I do.' At the same time they +both mounted lightly up into the air, and made towards the sea +which was not far distant, whereinto they both plunged. + +The sea-king was not long in getting to his palace with the King of +Persia, whom he immediately carried to the queen's apartment, and +presented him to her. The King of Persia kissed the queen his +grandmother's hands, and she embraced him with great joy. 'I do not +ask you how you are,' said she to him; 'I see you are very well, +and I am rejoiced at it; but I desire to know how is my daughter, +your mother, Queen Gulnare?' + +The King of Persia told her the queen his mother was in perfect +health. Then the queen presented him to the princesses; and while +he was in conversation with them, she left him, and went with King +Saleh, who told her how the King of Persia was fallen in love with +the Princess Giauhara, and that he had brought him along with him, +without being able to hinder it. + +Although King Saleh was, to do him justice, perfectly innocent, yet +the queen could hardly forgive his indiscretion in mentioning the +Princess Giauhara before him. 'Your imprudence is not to be +forgiven,' said she to him: 'can you think that the King of +Samandal, whose character is so well known, will have greater +consideration for you than the many other kings he has refused his +daughter to with such evident contempt? Would you have him send you +away with the same confusion?' + +'Madam,' replied King Saleh, 'I have already told you it was +contrary to my intention that the king, my nephew, should hear what +I related of the Princess Giauhara to the queen my sister. The +fault is committed; I will therefore do all that I can to remedy +it. I hope, madam, you will approve of my resolution to go myself +and wait upon the King of Samandal, with a rich present of precious +stones, and demand of him the princess, his daughter, for the King +of Persia, your grandson. I have some reason to believe he will not +refuse me, but will be pleased at an alliance with one of the +greatest potentates of the earth.' + +'It were to have been wished,' replied the queen, 'that we had not +been under a necessity of making this demand, since the success of +our attempt is not so certain as we could desire; but since my +grandson's peace and content depend upon it, I freely give my +consent. But, above all, I charge you, since you well know the +temper of the King of Samandal, that you take care to speak to him +with due respect, and in a manner that cannot possibly offend him.' + +The queen prepared the present herself, composed of diamonds, +rubies, emeralds, and strings of pearl; all of which she put into a +very neat and very rich box. Next morning, King Saleh took leave of +her majesty and the King of Persia, and departed with a chosen and +small troop of officers and other attendants. He soon arrived at the +kingdom and the palace of the King of Samandal, who rose from his +throne as soon as he perceived him; and King Saleh, forgetting his +character for some moments, though knowing whom he had to deal with, +prostrated himself at his feet, wishing him the accomplishment of +all his desires. The King of Samandal immediately stooped to raise +him up, and after he had placed him on his left hand, he told him he +was welcome, and asked him if there was anything he could do to +serve him. + +'Sir,' answered King Saleh, 'though I should have no other motive +than that of paying my respects to the most potent, most prudent, +and most valiant prince in the world, feeble would be my +expressions how much I honour your majesty.' Having, spoken these +words, he took the box of jewels from one of his servants and +having opened it, presented it to the king, imploring him to accept +it for his sake. + +'Prince,' replied the King of Samandal, 'you would not make me such +a present unless you had a request to propose. If there be anything +in my power, you may freely command it, and I shall feel the +greatest pleasure in granting it. Speak, and tell me frankly +wherein I can serve you.' + +'I must own,' replied King Saleh, 'I have a boon to ask of your +majesty; and I shall take care to ask nothing but what is in your +power to grant. The thing depends so absolutely on yourself, that +it would be to no purpose to ask it of any other. I ask it then +with all possible earnestness, and I beg of you not to refuse it +me.' + +'If it be so,' replied the King of Samandal, 'you have nothing to +do but acquaint me what it is, and you shall see after what manner +I can oblige when it is in my power.' + +'Sir,' said King Saleh, 'after the confidence your majesty has been +pleased to encourage me to put in your goodwill, I will not +dissemble any longer. I came to beg of you to honour our house with +your alliance by the marriage of your honourable daughter the +Princess Giauhara, and to strengthen the good understanding that +has so long subsisted between our two crowns.' + +At these words the King of Samandal burst out laughing falling back +in his throne against a cushion that supported him, and with an +imperious and scornful air, said to King Saleh: 'King Saleh, I have +always hitherto thought you a prince of great sense; but what you +say convinces me how much I was mistaken. Tell me, I beseech you, +where was your discretion, when you imagined to yourself so great +an absurdity as you have just now proposed to me? Could you +conceive a thought only of aspiring in marriage to a princess, the +daughter of so great and powerful a king as I am? You ought to have +considered better beforehand the great distance between us, and not +run the risk of losing in a moment the esteem I always had for your +person.' + +King Saleh was extremely nettled at this affronting, answer, and +had much ado to restrain his resentment; however, he replied, with +all possible moderation, 'God reward your majesty as you deserve! I +have the honour to inform you, I do not demand the princess your +daughter in marriage for myself; had I done so your majesty and the +princess ought to have been so far from being offended, that you +should have thought it an honour done to both. Your majesty well +knows I am one of the kings of the sea as well as yourself; that +the kings, my ancestors, yield not in antiquity to any other royal +families; and that the kingdom I inherit from them is no less +potent and flourishing than it has ever been. If your majesty had +not interrupted me, you had soon understood that the favour I ask +of you was not for myself, but for the young King of Persia, my +nephew, whose power and grandeur, no less than his personal good +qualities, cannot be unknown to you. Everybody acknowledges the +Princess Giauhara to be the most beautiful person in the world: but +it is no less true that the young King of Persia, my nephew, is the +best and most accomplished prince on the land. Thus the favour that +is asked being likely to redound both to the honour of your majesty +and the princess your daughter, you ought not to doubt that your +consent to an alliance so equal will be unanimously approved in all +the kingdoms of the sea. The princess is worthy of the King of +Persia, and the King of Persia is no less worthy of her. No king or +prince in the world can dispute her with him.' + +The King of Samandal would not have let King Saleh go on so long +after this rate, had not the rage he put him in deprived him of all +power of speech. It was some time before he could find his tongue, +so much was he transported with passion. At length, however, he +broke into outrageous language, unworthy of a great king. 'Dog!' +cried he, 'dare you talk to me after this manner, and so much as +mention my daughter's name in my presence? Can you think the son of +your sister Gulnare worthy to come in competition with my daughter? +Who are you? Who was your father? Who is your sister? And who your +nephew? Was not his father a dog, and a son of a dog, like you? +Guards, seize the insolent wretch, and cut off his head.' + +The few officers that were about the King of Samandal were +immediately going to obey his orders, when King Saleh, who was +nimble and vigorous, got from them before they could draw their +sabres; and having reached the palace gate, he there found a +thousand men of his relations and friends, well armed and equipped, +who had just arrived. The queen his mother having considered the +small number of attendants he took with him, and, moreover, +foreseeing the bad reception he would probably have from the King +of Samandal, had sent these troops to protect and defend him in +case of danger, ordering them to make haste. Those of his relations +who were at the head of this troop had reason to rejoice at their +seasonable arrival, when they beheld him and his attendants come +running in great disorder and pursued. 'Sir,' cried his friends, +the moment he joined them, 'what is the matter? We are ready to +revenge you: you need only command us.' + +King Saleh related his case to them in as few words as he could, +and putting himself at the head of a large troop, he, while some +seized on the gates, re-entered the palace as before. The few +officers and guards who had pursued him being soon dispersed, he +re-entered the King of Samandal's apartment, who, being abandoned +by his attendants, was soon seized. King Saleh left sufficient +guards to secure his person, and then went from apartment to +apartment, in search of the Princess Giauhara. But that princess, +on the first alarm, had, together with her women, sprung up to the +surface of the sea, and escaped to a desert island. + +While this was passing in the palace of the King of Samandal, those +of King Saleh's attendants who had fled at the first menaces of +that king put the queen mother into terrible consternation upon +relating the danger her son was in. King Beder, who was by at that +time, was the more concerned, in that he looked upon himself as the +principal author of all the mischief: therefore, not caring to +abide in the queen's presence any longer, he darted up from the +bottom of the sea; and, not knowing how to find his way to the +kingdom of Persia, he happened to light on the island where the +Princess Giauhara had taken refuge. + +The prince, not a little disturbed in mind, went and seated himself +under the shade of a large tree. Whilst he was endeavouring to +recover himself, he heard somebody talking, but was too far off to +understand what was said. He arose and advanced softly towards the +place whence the sound came, where, among the branches, he +perceived a most beautiful lady. 'Doubtless,' said he, within +himself, stopping and considering her with great attention, 'this +must be the Princess Giauhara, whom fear has obliged to abandon her +father's palace.' This said, he came forward, and approached the +princess with profound reverence. 'Madam,' said he, 'a greater +happiness could not have befallen me than this opportunity to offer +you my most humble services. I beseech you, therefore, madam, to +accept them, it being impossible that a lady in this solitude +should not want assistance.' + +'True, my lord,' replied Giauhara very sorrowfully, 'it is not a +little extraordinary for a lady of my rank to be in this situation. +I am a princess, daughter of the King of Samandal, and my name is +Giauhara. I was in my father's palace, when all of a sudden I heard +a dreadful noise: news was immediately brought me that King Saleh, +I know not for what reason, had forced his way into the palace, +seized the king my father, and murdered all the guards that made +any resistance. I had only time to save myself, and escaped hither +from his violence.' + +At these words of the princess, King Beder began to be concerned +that he had quitted his grandmother so hastily, without staying to +hear from her an explanation of the news that had been brought her. +But he was, on the other hand, overjoyed to find that the king, his +uncle, had rendered himself master of the King of Samandal's +person, not doubting but that he would consent to give up the +princess for his liberty. 'Adorable princess,' continued he, 'your +concern is most just, but it is easy to put an end both to that and +to your father's captivity. You will agree with me when I tell you +that I am Beder, King of Persia, and King Saleh is my uncle; I +assure you, madam, he has no design to seize upon the king your +father's dominions; his only intent is to obtain his consent that I +may have the honour and happiness of being his son-in-law. I had +already given my heart to you, and now, far from repenting of what +I have done, I beg of you to be assured that I will love you as +long as I live. Permit me, then, beauteous princess! to have the +honour to go and present you to the king my uncle; and the king +your father shall no sooner have consented to our marriage, than +King Saleh will leave him sovereign of his dominions as before.' + +This declaration of King Beder did not produce the effect he +expected. When the princess heard from his own mouth that he had +been the occasion of the ill-treatment her father had suffered, of +the grief and fright she had endured, and especially the necessity +she was reduced to of flying her country, she looked upon him as an +enemy with whom she ought to have nothing whatever to do. + +King Beder, believing himself arrived at the very pinnacle of +happiness, stretched forth his hand, and taking that of the +princess' stooped down to kiss it, when she, pushing him back, +said, 'Wretch, quit that form of a man, and take that of a white +bird, with a red bill and feet.' Upon her pronouncing these words, +King Beder was immediately changed into a bird of that sort, to his +great surprise and mortification. 'Take him,' said she to one of +her women, 'and carry him to the Dry Island.' This island was only +one frightful rock, where there was not a drop of water to be had. + +The waiting-woman took the bird, and in executing her princess's +orders had compassion on King Beder's destiny. 'It would be a great +pity,' said she to herself, 'to let a prince, so worthy to live, +die of hunger and thirst. The princess, so good and gentle, will, +it may be, repent of this cruel order when she comes to herself: it +were better that I carried him to a place where he may die a +natural death.' She accordingly carried him to a well-frequented +island, and left him in a charming plain, planted with all sorts of +fruit trees, and watered by several rivulets. + +Let us return to King Saleh. After he had sought a good while for +the Princess Giauhara, and ordered others to seek for her, to no +purpose, he caused the King of Samandal to be shut up in his own +palace, under a strong guard; and having given the necessary orders +for governing the kingdom in his absence, he returned to give the +queen his mother an account of what he had done. The first thing he +asked upon his arrival was of the whereabouts of the king his +nephew, and he learned with great surprise and vexation that he had +disappeared. + +'News being brought me,' said the queen, 'of the danger you were in +at the palace of the King of Samandal, whilst I was giving orders +to send other troops to avenge you, he disappeared. He must have +been frightened at hearing of your being in so great danger, and +did not think himself in sufficient safety with us.' + +This news exceedingly afflicted King Saleh, who now repented of his +being so easily wrought upon by King Beder as to carry him away +with him without his mother's consent. Whilst he was in this +suspense about his nephew, he left his kingdom under the +administration of his mother, and went to govern that of the King +of Samandal, whom he continued to keep under great vigilance, +though with all due respect to his rank. + +The same day that King Saleh returned to the kingdom of Samandal, +Queen Gulnare, mother to King Beder, arrived at the court of the +queen her mother. The princess was not at all surprised to find her +son did not return the same day he set out, it being not uncommon +for him to go further than he proposed in the heat of the chase; +but when she saw that he returned neither the next day, nor the day +after, she began to be alarmed. This alarm was increased when the +officers, who had accompanied the king, and were obliged to return +after they had for a long time sought in vain for both him and his +uncle, came and told her majesty they must of necessity have come +to some harm, or be together in some place which they could not +guess, since they could hear no tidings of them. Their horses, +indeed, they had found, but as for their persons, they knew not +where to look for them. The queen, hearing this, had resolved to +dissemble and conceal her affliction, bidding the officers to +search once more with their utmost diligence; but in the mean time, +saying nothing to anybody, she plunged into the sea, to satisfy +herself as to the suspicion she had that King Saleh must have +carried away his nephew along with him. + +This great queen would have been more affectionately received by +the queen her mother, had she not, upon first sight of her, guessed +the occasion of her coming. 'Daughter,' said she, 'I plainly +perceive you are not come hither to visit me; you come to inquire +after the king your son; and the only news I can tell you will +augment both your grief and mine. I no sooner saw him arrive in our +territories, than I rejoiced; yet, when I came to understand he had +come away without your knowledge, I began to share with you the +concern you must needs feel.' Then she related to her with what +zeal King Saleh went to demand the Princess Giauhara in marriage +for King Beder, and what had happened, till her son disappeared. 'I +have sent diligently after him,' added she, 'and the king my son, +who is but just gone to govern the kingdom of Samandal, has done +all that lay in his power. All our endeavours have hitherto proved +unsuccessful, but we must hope nevertheless to see him again, +perhaps when we least expect it.' + +Queen Gulnare was not satisfied with this hope; she looked upon the +king her dear son as lost, and lamented him bitterly, laying all +the blame upon the king his uncle. The queen her mother made her +consider the necessity of not yielding too much to her grief. 'The +king your brother,' said she, 'ought not, it is true, to have +talked to you so imprudently about that marriage, nor ever have +consented to carry away the king my grandson, without acquainting +you first; yet, since it is not certain that the King of Persia is +absolutely lost, you ought to neglect nothing to preserve his +kingdom for him: lose, then, no more time, but return to your +capital; your presence there will be necessary, and it will not be +hard for you to preserve the public peace, by causing it to be +published that the King of Persia was gone to visit his +grandmother.' + +Queen Gulnare yielded. She took leave of the queen her mother, and +was back in the palace of the capital of Persia before she had been +missed. She immediately despatched persons to recall the officers +she had sent after the king, and to tell them she knew where his +majesty was, and that they should soon see him again. She also +governed with the prime minister and council as quietly as if the +king had been present. + +To return to King Beder, whom the Princess Giauhara's waiting-woman +had carried and left in the island before mentioned; that monarch +was not a little surprised when he found himself alone, and under +the form of a bird. He felt yet more unhappy that he knew not where +he was, nor in what part of the world the kingdom of Persia lay. He +was forced to remain where he was, and live upon such food as birds +of his kind were wont to eat, and to pass the night on a tree. + +A few days after, a peasant that was skilled in taking birds with +nets chanced to come to the place where he was; when perceiving so +fine a bird, the like of which he had never seen before, he began +greatly to rejoice. He employed all his art to catch him, and at +length succeeded. Overjoyed at so great a prize, which he looked +upon as of more worth than all the other birds, because so rare, he +shut it up in a cage, and carried it to the city. As soon as he was +come into the market, a citizen stops him, and asked him how much +he wanted for that bird. + +Instead of answering, the peasant asked the citizen what he would +do with him in case he should buy him? 'What wouldst thou have me +to do with him,' answered the citizen, 'but roast and eat him?' + +'If that be the case,' replied the peasant, 'I suppose you would +think me very well paid if you gave me the smallest piece of silver +for him. I set a much higher value upon him, and you should not +have him for a piece of gold. Although I am advanced in years, I +never saw such a bird in my life. I intend to make a present of him +to the king; he will know the value of him better than you.' + +Without staying any longer in the market, the peasant went directly +to the palace, and placed himself exactly before the king's +apartment. His majesty, being at a window where he could see all +that passed in the court, no sooner cast his eyes on this beautiful +bird, than he sent an officer to buy it for him. The officer, going +to the peasant, asked him how much he wanted for that bird. 'If it +be for his majesty,' answered the peasant, 'I humbly beg of him to +accept it of me as a present, and I desire you to carry it to him.' +The officer took the bird to the king, who found it so great a +rarity that he ordered the same officer to take ten pieces of gold, +and carry them to the peasant, who departed very well satisfied. +The king ordered the bird to be put into a magnificent cage, and +gave it seed and water in rich vessels. + +His majesty being then ready to go hunting, had not time to +consider the bird, therefore had it brought to him as soon as he +came back. The officer brought the cage, and the king, that he +might better see the bird, took it out himself, and perched it upon +his hand. Looking earnestly at it, he asked the officer if he had +seen it eat. 'Sir,' replied the officer, 'your majesty may observe +the vessel with his food is still full, and he has not touched any +of it.' Then the king ordered him meat of various sorts, that he +might take what he liked best. + +The table being spread, and dinner served up just as the king had +given these orders, the bird, flapping his wings, hopped off the +king's hand, and flew on to the table, where he began to peck the +bread and victuals, sometimes on one plate, and sometimes on +another. The king was so surprised, that he immediately sent the +officer to desire the queen to come and see this wonder. The +officer related it to her majesty, and she came forthwith: but she +no sooner saw the bird, than she covered her face with her veil, +and would have retired. The king, surprised at her proceeding, +asked the reason of it. + +'Sir,' answered the queen, 'your majesty will no longer be +surprised when you understand that this bird is not, as you take +it, a bird, but a man.' + +'Madam,' said the king, more astonished than before, 'you are +making fun of me; you shall never persuade me that a bird can be a +man.' + +'Sir,' replied the queen, 'far be it from me to make fun of your +majesty; nothing is more certain than what I have had the honour to +tell you. I can assure your majesty it is the King of Persia, named +Beder, son of the celebrated Gulnare, princess of one of the +largest kingdoms of the sea, nephew of Saleh, king of that kingdom, +and grandson of Queen Farasche, mother of Gulnare and Saleh; and it +was the Princess Giauhara, daughter of the King of Samandal, who +thus metamorphosed him into a bird.' That the king might no longer +doubt of what she affirmed, she told him the whole story, how and +for what reason the Princess Giauhara, had thus revenged herself +for the ill-treatment of King Saleh towards the king of Samandal, +her father. + +The king had less difficulty in believing this assertion of the +queen in that he knew her to be a skilful magician, one of the +greatest in the world. And as she knew everything which took place, +he was always by her means timely informed of the designs of the +kings his neighbours against him, and prevented them. His majesty +had compassion on the King of Persia, and earnestly besought his +queen to break the enchantment, that he might return to his own +form. + +The queen consented to it with great willingness. 'Sir,' said she +to the king, 'be pleased to take the bird into your room, and I +will show you a king worthy of the consideration you have for him.' +The bird, which had ceased eating, and attended to what the king +and queen said, would not give his majesty the trouble to take him, +but hopped into the room before him; and the queen came in soon +after, with a vessel full of water in her hand. She pronounced over +the vessel some words unknown to the king, till the water began to +boil, when she took some of it in her hand, and, sprinkling a +little upon the bird, said, 'By virtue of these holy and mysterious +words I have just pronounced, quit that form of a bird, and +reassume that which thou hast received from thy Creator.' + +The words were scarcely out of the queen's mouth, when, instead of +a bird, the king saw a young prince. King Beder immediately fell on +his knees, and thanked God for the favour that had been bestowed +upon him. Then he took the king's hand, who helped him up, and +kissed it in token of gratitude; but the king embraced him with +great joy. He would then have made his acknowledgments to the +queen, but she had already retired to her apartment. The king made +him sit at the table with him, and, after dinner was over, prayed +him to relate how the Princess Giauhara could have had the +inhumanity to transform into a bird so amiable a prince as he was; +and the King of Persia immediately told him. When he had done, the +king, provoked at the proceeding of the princess, could not help +blaming her. 'It was commendable,' said he, 'in the Princess of +Samandal to feel hurt at the king her father's ill-treatment; but +to carry her vengeance so far, and especially against a prince who +was not guilty, was what she will never be able to justify herself +for. But let us have done with this discourse, and tell me, I +beseech you, in what I can further serve you.' + +'Sir,' answered King Beder, 'my obligation to your majesty is so +great, that I ought to remain with you all my life to testify my +gratitude; but since your majesty sets no limits to your +generosity, I entreat you to grant me one of your ships to +transport me to Persia, where I fear my absence, which has been but +too long, may have occasioned some disorder, and that the queen my +mother, from whom I concealed my departure, may be dead of grief, +under the uncertainty whether I am alive or dead.' + +The king granted what he desired with the best grace imaginable, +and immediately gave orders for equipping one of his largest ships, +and the best sailor in his numerous fleet. The ship was soon +furnished with all its crew, provisions, and ammunition; and as +soon as the wind became fair, King Beder embarked, after having +taken leave of the king, and thanked him for all his favours. + +The ship sailed before the wind for ten days; on the eleventh day +the wind changed, and becoming very violent, there followed a +furious tempest. The ship was not only driven out of its course, +but so violently tossed, that all its masts went by the board; and +driving along at the pleasure of the wind, it at length struck +against a rock and split open. + +The greater part of the people were instantly drowned. Some few +were saved by swimming, and others by getting on pieces of the +wreck. King Beder was among the latter, and, after having been +tossed about for some time by the waves and currents, he at length +perceived himself near the shore, and not far from a city that +seemed large. He exerted his remaining strength to reach the land, +and was at length fortunate to come so near as to be able to touch +the ground with his feet. He immediately abandoned his piece of +wood, which had been of so great service to him; but when he came +near the shore he was greatly surprised to see horses, camels, +mules, asses, oxen, cows, bulls, and other animals crowding to the +shore to oppose his landing. He had the utmost difficulty to +conquer their obstinacy and force his way; but at length he +succeeded, and sheltered himself among the rocks till he had +recovered his breath, and dried his clothes in the sun. + +When the prince advanced to enter the city, he met with the same +opposition from these animals, who seemed to want to make him +understand that it was dangerous to proceed. + +King Beder, however, got into the city soon after, and saw many +fair and spacious streets, but was surprised to find no man there. +This made him think it was not without cause that so many animals +had opposed his passage. Going forward, nevertheless, he observed +several shops open, which gave him reason to believe the place was +not so destitute of inhabitants as he imagined. He approached one +of these shops, where several sorts of fruits were exposed to sale, +and saluted very courteously an old man that was sitting there. + +The old man, who was busy about something, lifted up his head, and +seeing a youth who had an appearance of grandeur, started, and +asked him whence he came, and what business had brought him there. +King Beder satisfied him in a few words; and the old man further +asked him if he had met anybody on the road. 'You are the first +person I have seen,' answered the king; 'and I cannot comprehend +how so fine and large a city comes to be without inhabitants.' + +'Come in, sir; stay no longer upon the threshold,' replied the old +man, 'or peradventure some misfortune may happen to you. I will +satisfy your curiosity at leisure, and give you the reason why it +is necessary you should take this precaution.' + +King Beder would not be bidden twice: he entered the shop, and sat +down by the old man. The latter knew he must want food, therefore +immediately presented him with what was necessary to recover his +strength; and although King Beder was very anxious to know why he +had taken the precaution to make him enter the shop, the old man +nevertheless would not tell him anything till he had done eating, +for fear the sad things he had to relate might take away his +appetite. At last he said to him, 'You have great reason to thank +God you got hither without any misfortune.' + +'Alas! why?' replied king Beder, very much surprised and alarmed. + +'Because,' answered he, 'this city is called the City of +Enchantments, and is governed not by a king, but by a queen, who is +a notorious and dangerous sorceress. You will be convinced of +this,' added he, 'when you know that these horses, mules, and other +animals that you have seen are so many men, like you and me, whom +she has transformed by her diabolical art. And when young men like +you enter the city, she has persons stationed to stop and bring +them, either by fair means or force, before her. She receives them +in the most obliging manner; she caresses them, regales them, and +lodges them magnificently. But she does not suffer them long to +enjoy this happiness. There is not one of them whom she has not +transformed into some animal or bird at the end of forty days. You +told me all these animals opposed your landing and entering, the +city. This was the only way they could make you comprehend the +danger you were going to expose yourself to, and they did all in +their power to save you.' + +This account exceedingly afflicted the young King of Persia. +'Alas!' cried he, 'to what extremities has my ill-fortune reduced +me! I am hardly freed from one enchantment, which I look back upon +with horror, but I find myself exposed to another much more +terrible.' This gave him occasion to relate his story to the old +man more at length, and to acquaint him with his birth, quality, +his falling in love with the Princess of Samandal, and her cruelty +in changing him into a bird the very moment he had seen her and +declared his love to her. + +When the prince came to speak of his good fortune in finding a +queen who broke the enchantment, the old man, to encourage him, +said, 'Notwithstanding all I told you of the magic queen, that +ought not to give you the least disquiet, since I am generally +beloved throughout the city, and am not unknown to the queen +herself, who has much respect for me; therefore it was singularly +fortunate that you addressed yourself to me rather than elsewhere. +You are secure in my house, where I advise you to continue, if you +think fit; and provided you do not stray from hence, I dare assure +you you will have no just cause to complain; so that you are under +no sort of constraint whatsoever.' + +King Beder thanked the old man for his kind reception, and the +protection he was pleased so readily to afford him. He sat down at +the entrance of the shop, where he no sooner appeared than his +youth and handsome looks drew the eyes of all that passed that way. +Many stopped and complimented the old man on his having acquired so +fine a slave, as they imagined the king to be; and they were the +more surprised, because they could not comprehend how so beautiful +a youth could escape the queen's knowledge. 'Believe not,' said the +old man, 'that this is a slave; you all know that I am not rich +enough. He is my nephew, son of a brother of mine that is dead; and +as I had no children of my own, I sent for him to keep me company.' + +They congratulated his good fortune in having so fine a young man +for his relation; but could not help telling him they feared the +queen would take him from him. 'You know her well,' said they, 'and +you cannot be ignorant of the danger to which you are exposed, +after all the examples you have seen. How grieved would you be if +she should serve him as she has done so many others that we know +of!' + +'I am obliged to you,' replied the old man, 'for your good will +towards me, and I heartily thank you for your care; but I shall +never entertain the least thought that the queen will do me any +injury, after all the kindness she has professed for me. In case +she happens to hear of this young man, and speaks to me about him, +I doubt not she will cease to think of him, so soon as she comes to +know he is my nephew.' + +The old man was exceedingly glad to hear the commendations they +bestowed on the young King of Persia. He became as fond of him as +if he had been his own son. They had lived about a month together, +when, King Beder sitting at the shop-door, after his ordinary +manner, Queen Labe (so was this magic queen named) happened to come +by with great pomp. The young king no sooner perceived the guards +coming before her, than he arose, and, going into the shop, asked +the old man what all that show meant. 'The queen is coming by,' +answered he, 'but stand still and fear nothing.' + +The queen's guards, clothed in purple uniform, and well armed and +mounted, marched in four files, with their sabres drawn, to the +number of a thousand, and every one of their officers, as they +passed by the shop, saluted the old man: then followed a like +number habited in brocaded silk, and better mounted, whose officers +did the old man the like honour. Next came as many young ladies on +foot, equally beautiful, richly dressed, and set off with precious +stones. They marched gravely, with half pikes in their hands; and +in the midst of them appeared Queen Labe, on a horse glittering +with diamonds, with a golden saddle, and a harness of inestimable +value. All the young ladies saluted the old man as they passed by +him; and the queen, struck with the good mien of King Beder, +stopped as soon as she came before the shop. 'Abdallah' (so was the +old man named), said she to him, 'tell me, I beseech thee, does +that beautiful and charming slave belong to thee? and is it long +that thou hast been in possession of him?' + +Abdallah, before he answered the queen, threw himself on the +ground, and rising again, said, 'Madam, it is my nephew, son of a +brother I had, who has not long been dead. Having no children, I +look upon him as my son, and sent for him to come and comfort me, +intending to leave him what I have when I die.' + +Queen Labe, who had never yet seen any one to compare with King +Beder, thought immediately of getting the old man to abandon him to +her. 'Father,' quoth she, 'will you not oblige me so far as to make +me a present of this young man? Do not refuse me, I conjure you; +and I swear by the fire and the light, I will make him so great and +powerful that no individual in the world ever arrived at such good +fortune. Although my purpose were to do evil to all mankind, yet he +shall be the sole exception. I trust you will grant me what I +desire, more on the account of the friendship I know you have for +me, than for the esteem you know I always had, and shall ever have +for you.' + +'Madam,' replied the good Abdallah, 'I am infinitely obliged to +your majesty for all your kindness, and the honours you propose to +do my nephew. He is not worthy to approach so great a queen, and I +humbly beseech your majesty to excuse him.' + +'Abdallah,' replied the queen, 'I all along flattered myself you +loved me; and I could never have thought you would have given me so +evident a token of your slighting my request. But I here swear once +more by the fire and light, and even by whatsoever is most sacred +in my religion, that I will pass on no farther till I have +conquered your obstinacy. I understand very well what raises your +apprehensions; but I promise you shall never have any occasion to +repent having obliged me in so sensible a manner.' + +Old Abdallah was exceedingly grieved, both on his own account and +King Beder's, for being in a manner forced to obey the queen. +'Madam,' replied he, 'I would not willingly have your majesty +entertain an ill opinion of the respect I have for you, and my zeal +always to do whatever I can to oblige you. I put entire confidence +in your royal word, and I do not in the least doubt but you will +keep it. I only beg of your majesty to delay doing this great +honour to my nephew till you shall again pass this way.' + +'That shall be to-morrow,' said the queen, who inclined her head, +as a token of being pleased, and so went forward towards her +palace. + +When Queen Labe and all her attendants were out of sight, the good +Abdallah said to King Beder, 'Son, (for so he was wont to call him, +for fear of some time or other betraying him when he spoke of him +in public), 'it has not been in my power, as you may have observed, +to refuse the queen what she demanded of me with so great +earnestness, for fear I might force her to employ her magic both +against you and myself openly or secretly, and treat you, as much +from resentment to you as to me, with more signal cruelty than all +those she has had in her power before. But I have some reason to +believe she will treat you well, as she promised, on account of +that particular esteem she professes for me. This you may have seen +by the respect shown, and the honours paid me by all her court. She +would be a fiendish creature indeed, if she should deceive me; but +she shall not deceive me unrevenged, for I know how to be even with +her.' + +These assurances, which appeared very doubtful, were not sufficient +to raise King Beder's spirits. 'After all you have told me of this +queen's wickedness,' replied he, 'you cannot wonder if I am +somewhat fearful to approach her: I might, it may be, make little +of all you could tell me of her, did I not know by experience what +it is to be at the mercy of a sorceress. The condition I was in, +through the enchantment of the Princess Giauhara, and from whence I +was delivered only to enter almost immediately into another, has +made me look upon such a fate with horror. + +'Son,' replied old Abdallah, 'do not afflict yourself; for though I +must own there is no great faith to be put in the promises and +oaths of so perfidious a queen, yet I must withal tell you that her +power extends not to me. She knows it well herself; and that is the +reason, and no other, that she pays me such great respect. I can +quickly hinder her from doing you the least harm, if she should be +perfidious enough to attempt it. You may depend upon me; and, +provided you follow exactly the advice I shall give you before I +hand you over to her, she shall have no more power over you than +she has over me.' + +The magic queen did not fail to pass by the old man's shop the next +day, with the same pomp as the day before, and Abdallah waited for +her with great respect. 'Father,' cried she, stopping just before +him, 'you may judge of my impatience to have your nephew with me, +by my punctual coming to put you in mind of your promise. I know +you are a man of your word, and I cannot think you will break it +with me.' + +Abdallah, who fell on his face as soon as he saw the queen +approaching, rose up when she had done speaking; and as he wanted +nobody to hear what he had a mind to say to her, he advanced with +great respect as far as her horse's head, and then said softly, +'Powerful queen! I am persuaded your majesty will not be offended +at my seeming unwillingness to trust my nephew with you yesterday, +since you cannot be ignorant of the reasons I had for it; but I +implore you to lay aside the secrets of that art which you possess +in so wonderful a degree. I regard my nephew as my own son; and +your majesty would reduce me to despair if you should deal with him +as you have done with others.' + +'I promise you I will not,' replied the queen; 'and I once more +repeat the oath I made yesterday, that neither you nor your nephew +shall have any cause to be offended with me. I see plainly,' added +she, 'you are not yet well enough acquainted with me; you never saw +me yet but through a veil; but as I find your nephew worthy of my +friendship, I will show you I am not in any way unworthy of his.' +With that she threw off her veil and showed King Beder, who came +near her with Abdallah, incomparable beauty. + +But King Beder was little charmed. 'It is not enough,' said he +within himself, 'to be beautiful; one's actions ought to +correspond.' + +Whilst King Beder was making these reflections, with his eyes fixed +on Queen Labe, the old man turned towards him, and taking him by +the arm, presented him to her majesty. 'Here he is, madam,' said +he, 'and I beg of your majesty once more to remember he is my +nephew, and to let him come and see me sometimes.' The queen +promised he should; and to give a further mark of her gratitude, +she caused a bag of a thousand pieces of gold to be given him. He +excused himself at first from receiving them, but she insisted +absolutely upon it, and he could not refuse her. She had caused a +horse to be brought (as richly harnessed as her own) for the King +of Persia. + +When King Beder was mounted, he would have taken his place behind +the queen, but she would not suffer him, and made him ride on her +left hand. She looked at Abdallah, and after having made him an +inclination with her head, she set forward on her march. + +Instead of observing a satisfaction in the people's faces at the +sight of their sovereign, King Beder took notice that they looked +at her with contempt, and even cursed her. 'The sorceress,' said +some, 'has got a new subject to exercise her wickedness upon: will +Heaven never deliver the world from her tyranny?' 'Poor stranger!' +cried out others, 'thou art much deceived if thou thinkest thine +happiness will last long. It is only to render thy fall most +terrible that thou art raised so high.' This talk gave King Beder +to understand that Abdallah had told him nothing but the truth of +Queen Labe: but as it now depended no longer on himself to escape +the mischief, he committed himself to divine Providence and the +will of Heaven respecting his fate. + +The magic queen arrived at her palace; she alighted, and giving her +hand to King Beder, entered with him, accompanied by her women and +the officers. She herself showed him all her apartments, where +there was nothing to be seen but massy gold, precious stones, and +furniture of wonderful magnificence. Then she led him out into a +balcony, from whence he observed a garden of surprising beauty. +King Beder commended all he saw, but so that he might not be +discovered to be any other than old Abdallah's nephew. They +discoursed of indifferent matters, till the queen was informed that +dinner was upon the table. + +The queen and King Beder arose, and sat down at the table, which +was of massy gold, and the dishes of the same metal. They began to +eat, but drank hardly at all till the dessert came, when the queen +caused a cup to be filled for her with excellent wine. She took it +and drank to King Beder's health; and then, without putting it out +of her hand, caused it to be filled again, and presented it to him. +King Beder received it with profound respect, and by a very low bow +signified to her majesty that he in return drank to her health. + +At the same time ten of Queen Labe's women entered with musical +instruments, with which they made an agreeable concert. At length +both began so to be heated with wine, that King Beder forgot he had +to do with a magic queen, and looked upon her only as the most +beautiful queen he ever saw. + +Next morning the women who had served the king presented him with +fine linen and a magnificent robe. The queen likewise, who was more +splendidly dressed than the day before, came to receive him, and +they went together to her apartments, where they had a good repast +brought them, and spent the remainder of the day in walking in the +garden, and in various other amusements. + +Queen Labe treated King Beder after this manner for forty days, as +she had been accustomed to do to all the others. The fortieth night +she arose without making any noise and came into his room; but he +was awake, and perceiving she had some design upon him, watched all +her motions. She opened a chest, from whence she took a little box +full of a certain yellow powder; taking some of the powder, she +laid a train of it across the chamber, and it immediately flowed in +a rivulet of water, to the great astonishment of King Beder. He +trembled with fear, but still pretended to sleep, that the +sorceress might not discover he was awake. + +Queen Labe next took up some of the water in a vessel, and poured +it into a basin, where there was flour, with which she made a +paste, and kneaded it for a long time: then she mixed with it +certain drugs, which she took from different boxes, and made a +cake, which she put into a covered baking-pan. As she had taken +care first of all to make a good fire, she took some of the coals, +and set the pan upon them; and while the cake was baking, she put +up the vessels and boxes in their places again; and on her +pronouncing certain words, the rivulet, which ran along the end of +the room, appeared no more. When the cake was baked, she took it +off the coals, and carried it into her room, without the least +suspicion that he had seen anything of what she had done. + +King Beder, whom the pleasures and amusements of a court had made +forget his good host Abdallah, began now to think of him again, and +believed he had more than ordinary occasion for his advice, after +all he had seen the queen do that night. As soon as he was up, +therefore, he expressed a great desire to go and see his uncle, and +begged her majesty to permit him. 'What! my dear Beder,' cried the +queen, 'are you then already tired, I will not say with living in +so superb a palace as mine is, where you must find so many +pleasures, but with the company of a queen who is so fond of you as +I am?' + +'Great queen!' answered King Beder, 'how can I be tired of so many +favours and graces as your majesty perpetually heaps upon me? I +must own, however, it is partly for this reason, that, my uncle +loving me so tenderly, as I well know he does, and I having been +absent from him now forty days, without once seeing him, I would +not give him reason to think that I consent to remain longer +without seeing him.' + +'Go,' said the queen, 'you have my consent; but do not be long +before you return.' This said, she ordered him a horse richly +caparisoned, and he departed. + +Old Abdallah was overjoyed to see King Beder; he embraced him +tenderly, and King Beder did the same. As soon as they had sat +down, 'Well,' said Abdallah to the king, 'how have you been, and +how have you passed your time with that infidel sorceress?' + +'Hitherto,' answered King Beder, 'I must needs own she has been +extraordinarily kind to me, but I observed something last night +which gives me just reason to suspect that all her kindness +hitherto is but dissimulation.' He related to Abdallah how and +after what manner he had seen her make the cake; and then added, +'Hitherto, I must needs confess I had almost forgotten, not only +you, but all the advice you gave me concerning the wickedness of +this queen; but this last action of hers gives me reason to fear +she does not intend to observe any of her promises or solemn oaths +to you. I thought of you immediately, and I esteem myself happy in +that I have obtained permission to come to you.' + +'You are not mistaken,' replied old Abdallah with a smile, which +showed he did not himself believe she would have acted otherwise, +'nothing is capable of obliging a treacherous person to amend. But +fear nothing. I know the way to make the mischief she intends for +you fall upon herself. You are alarmed in time; and you could not +have done better than to have recourse to me. It is her ordinary +practice to keep her lovers only forty days, and after that time, +instead of sending them home, to turn them into animals, to stock +her forests and parks; but I thought of measures yesterday to +prevent her doing you the same harm. The earth has borne this +monster long enough, and it is now high time she should be treated +as she deserves.' + +So saying, Abdallah put two cakes into King Beder's hands, bidding +him keep them to make use of as he should direct. 'You told me,' +continued he, 'the sorceress made a cake last night; it was for you +to eat, depend upon it; but take great care you do not touch it. +Nevertheless, do not refuse to receive it when she offers it you; +but instead of tasting it, break off part of one of the two I shall +give you, unobserved, and eat that. As soon as she thinks you have +swallowed it, she will not fail to attempt transforming you into +some animal, but she will not succeed; when she sees that she will +immediately turn the thing into a joke, as if what she had done was +only to frighten you. But she will conceal a mortal grief in her +heart, and think she omitted something in the composition of her +cake. As for the other cake, you shall make a present of it to her +and press her to eat it; which she will not refuse to do, were it +only to convince you she does not mistrust you, though she has +given you so much reason to mistrust her. When she has eaten of it, +take a little water in the hollow of your hand, and throwing it in +her face, say, "Quit that form you now wear, and take that of such +and such an animal" as you think fit; which done, come to me with +the animal, and I will tell you what you shall do afterwards.' + +King Beder thanked Abdallah in the most expressive terms, and took +his leave of him and returned to the palace. Upon his arrival, he +understood that the queen waited for him with great impatience in +the garden. He went to her, and she no sooner perceived him, than +she came in great haste to meet him. 'My dear Beder!' said she, 'it +seems ages since I have been separated from you. If you had stayed +ever so little longer, I was preparing to come and fetch you.' + +'Madam,' replied King Beder, 'I can assure your majesty I was no +less impatient to rejoin you; but I could not refuse to stay a +little longer with an uncle that loves me, and had not seen me for +so long a time. He would have kept me still longer, but I tore +myself away from him, to come where love calls me. Of all he +prepared for me, I have only brought away this cake, which I desire +your majesty to accept.' King Beder had wrapped up one of the two +cakes in a handkerchief very neatly, took it out, and presented it +to the queen, saying, 'I beg your majesty to accept it.' + +'I do accept it with all my heart,' replied the queen, 'and will +eat it with pleasure for your and your good uncle's sake; but +before I taste it, I desire you for my sake to eat a piece of this, +which I have made for you during your absence.' + +'Fair queen,' answered King Beder, receiving it with great respect, +I cannot sufficiently acknowledge the favour you do me.' + +King Beder then artfully substituted in the place of the queen's +cake the other which old Abdallah had given him, and having broken +off a piece, he put it in his mouth, and cried, while he was +eating, 'Ah! queen, I never tasted anything so charming in my +life.' + +Being near a cascade, as the sorceress saw him swallow one bit of +the cake, and ready to eat another, she took a little water in the +palm of her hand, throwing it in the king's face, said, 'Wretch! +quit that form of a man, and take that of a vile horse, blind and +lame.' + +These words not having the desired effect, the sorceress was +strangely surprised to find King Beder still in the same form, and +that he only started for fear. Her cheeks reddened; and as she saw +that she had missed her aim, 'Dear Beder,' cried she, 'this is +nothing; recover yourself. I did not intend you any harm; I only +did it to see what you would say.' + +'Powerful queen,' replied King Beder, 'persuaded as I am that what +your majesty did was only to divert yourself, yet I could not help +being surprised. But, madam,' continued he, 'let us drop this, and +since I have eaten your cake, would you do me the favour to taste +mine?' + +Queen Labe, who could not better justify herself than by showing +this mark of confidence in the King of Persia, broke off a piece of +his cake, and ate it. She had no sooner swallowed it than she +appeared much troubled, and remained as it were motionless. King +Beder lost no time, but took water out of the same basin, and +throwing it in her face, cried, 'Abominable sorceress! quit that +form of a woman, and be turned instantly into a mare.' + +The same instant Queen Labe was transformed into a very beautiful +mare; and her confusion was so great to find herself in that +condition, that she shed tears in great abundance, which perhaps no +mare before had ever been known to do. She bowed her head to the +feet of King Beder, thinking to move him to compassion; but though +he could have been so moved, it was absolutely out of his power to +repair the mischief he had done. He led her into the stable +belonging to the palace, and put her into the hands of a groom, to +bridle and saddle; but of all the bridles which the groom tried +upon her, not one would fit her. This made him cause two horses to +be saddled, one for the groom, and the other for himself; and the +groom led the mare after him to old Abdallah's. + +Abdallah, seeing at a distance King Beder coming with the mare, +doubted not but he had done what he advised him. 'Hateful +sorceress!' said he immediately to himself in a transport of joy, +'Heaven has at length punished thee as thou deservest.' King Beder +alighted at Abdallah's door, and entered the shop, embracing and +thanking him for all the signal services he had done him. He +related to him the whole matter, and told him that he could find no +bridle fit for the mare. Abdallah, who had one for every horse, +bridled the mare himself, and as soon as King Beder had sent back +the groom with the two horses, he said to him, 'My lord, you have +no reason to stay any longer in this city: mount the mare, and +return to your kingdom. I have but one thing more to recommend to +you; and that is, if you should ever happen to part with the mare, +be sure not to give up the bridle.' King Beder promised to remember +it; and having taken leave of the good old man, he departed. + +The young King of Persia no sooner got out of the city, than he +began to reflect with joy on the deliverance he had had, and that +he had the sorceress in his power, who had given him so much cause +to tremble. Three days after he arrived at a great city, where, +entering the suburbs, he met a venerable old man. 'Sir,' said the +old man, stopping him, 'may I presume to ask from what part of the +world you come?' The king stopped to tell him, and as they were +discoursing together, an old woman came up; who, stopping likewise, +wept and sighed bitterly at the sight of the mare. + +King Beder and the old man left off discoursing, to look at the old +woman, whom the king asked what cause she had to lament so much, +'Alas! sir,' replied she, 'it is because your mare resembles so +perfectly one my son had, which I still mourn the loss of on his +account. I should think yours were the same, did I not know she was +dead. Sell her to me, I beseech you: I will give you more than she +is worth, and thank you too.' + +'Good woman,' replied King Beder, 'I am heartily sorry I cannot +comply with your request: my mare is not to be sold.' + +'Alas! sir,' continued the old woman, 'do not refuse me this +favour. My son and I will certainly die with grief if you do not +grant it.' + +'Good mother,' replied the king, 'I would grant it with all my +heart, if I was disposed to part with so good a beast; but if I +were so disposed, I believe you would hardly give a thousand pieces +of gold for her, and I could not sell her for less.' + +'Why should I not give so much?' replied the old woman: 'if that be +the lowest price, you need only say you will take it, and I will +fetch you the money.' + +King Beder, seeing the old woman so poorly dressed, could not +imagine she could find the money; therefore to try her, he said, +'Go, fetch me the money, and the mare is yours.' The old woman +immediately unloosed a purse she had fastened to her girdle, and +desiring him to alight, bade him tell over the money, and in case +he found it came short of the sum demanded, she said her house was +not far off, and she could quickly fetch the rest. + +The surprise of King Beder, at the sight of this purse, was not +small. 'Good woman,' said he, 'do you not perceive I have been +bantering you all this while? I assure you my mare is not to be +sold.' + +The old man, who had been witness to all that was said, now began +to speak. 'Son,' quoth he to King Beder, 'it is necessary you +should know one thing, which I find you are ignorant of; and that +is, that in this city it is not permitted to any one to tell a lie, +on any account whatsoever, on pain of death. You cannot refuse +taking this good woman's money, and delivering your mare, when she +gives you the sum according to the agreement; and this you had +better do without any noise, than expose yourself to what may +happen.' + +King Beder, sorely afflicted to find himself thus trapped by his +rash offer, alighted with great regret. The old woman stood ready +to seize the bridle, and immediately unbridled the mare, and taking +some water in her hand, from a stream that ran in the middle of the +street, she threw it in the mare's face, uttering these words, +'Daughter, quit that strange shape, and re-assume thine own.' The +transformation was effected in a moment, and King Beder, who +swooned as soon as he saw Queen Labe appear, would have fallen to +the ground, if the old man had not caught him. + +The old woman, who was mother to Queen Labe, and had instructed her +in all her magic secrets, had no sooner embraced her daughter, than +to show her fury, she whistled. Immediately rose a genie of +gigantic form and stature. This genie took King Beder on one +shoulder, and the old woman with the magic queen on the other, and +transported them in a few minutes to the palace of Queen Labe in +the City of Enchantments. + +The magic queen immediately fell upon King Beder, 'Is it thus, +ungrateful wretch,' said she, 'that thou and thy unworthy uncle +repay me for all the kindnesses I have done for you? I shall soon +make you both feel what you deserve.' She said no more, but taking +water in her hand, threw it in his face with these words, 'Come out +of that shape, and take that of a vile owl.' These words were +followed by the effect, and immediately she commanded one of her +women to shut up the owl in a cage, and give him neither meat nor +drink. + +The woman took the cage, and without regarding what the queen +ordered, gave him both meat and drink; and being old Abdallah's +friend, she sent him word privately how the queen had treated his +nephew, and of her design to destroy both him and King Beder, that +he might give orders to prevent it and save himself. + +Abdallah knew no common measures would do with Queen Labe: he +therefore did but whistle after a certain manner, and there +immediately arose a vast giant, with four wings, who, presenting +himself before him, asked what he wanted. 'Lightning,' said +Abdallah to him (for so was the genie called), 'I command you to +preserve the life of King Beder, son of Queen Gulnare. Go to the +palace of the magic queen, and transport immediately to the capital +of Persia the compassionate woman who has the cage in custody, so +that she may inform Queen Gulnare of the danger the king her son is +in, and the occasion he has for her assistance. Take care not to +frighten her when you come before her and tell her from me what she +ought to do.' + +Lightning immediately disappeared, and got in an instant to the +palace of the magic queen. He instructed the woman, lifted her up +into the air, and transported her to the capital of Persia, where +he placed her on the terrace near the apartment where Queen Gulnare +was. She went downstairs to the apartment, and she there found +Queen Gulnare and Queen Farasche her mother lamenting their +misfortunes. She made them a profound obeisance and they soon +understood the great need that King Beder was in of their +assistance. + +Queen Gulnare was so overjoyed at the news, that rising from her +seat, she went and embraced the good woman, telling her how much +she was obliged to her for the service she had done. + +Then immediately going out, she commanded the trumpets to sound, +and the drums to beat, to acquaint the city that the King of Persia +would suddenly return safe to his kingdom. She then went again, and +found King Saleh her brother, whom Queen Farasche had caused to +come speedily thither by a certain fumigation. 'Brother,' said she +to him, 'the king your nephew, my dear son, is in the City of +Enchantments, under the power of Queen Labe. Both you and I must go +to deliver him, for there is no time to be lost.' + +King Saleh forthwith assembled a powerful body of his marine +troops, who soon rose out of the sea. He also called to his +assistance the genies, his allies, who appeared with a much more +numerous army than his own. As soon as the two armies were joined, +he put himself at the head of them, with Queen Farasche, Queen +Gulnare, and the princesses. They then lifted themselves up into +the air, and soon poured down on the palace and City of +Enchantments, where the magic queen, her mother, and all the +adorers of fire, were destroyed in an instant. + +Queen Gulnare had ordered the woman who brought her the news of +Queen Labe's transforming and imprisoning her son to follow her +closely, and bade her go, and in the confusion, seize the cage, and +bring it to her. This order was executed as she wished, and Queen +Gulnare was no sooner in possession of the cage than she opened it +and took out the owl, saying, as she sprinkled a little water upon +him, 'My dear son, quit that strange form, and resume thy natural +one of a man.' + +In a moment Queen Gulnare no more saw the hideous owl, but King +Beder her son. She immediately embraced him with an excess of joy. +She could not find in her heart to let him go; and Queen Farasche +was obliged to force him from her in her turn. After her, he was +likewise embraced by the king his uncle and his relations. + +Queen Gulnare's first care was to look out for old Abdallah, to +whom she had been indebted for the recovery of the King of Persia. +When he was brought to her, she said, 'My obligations to you, sir, +have been so great, that there is nothing in my power that I would +not freely do for you, as a token of my acknowledgment. Do but tell +me in what I can serve you.' + +'Great queen,' replied Abdallah, 'if the lady whom I sent to your +majesty will but consent to the marriage I offer her, and the King +of Persia will give me leave to reside at his court, I will spend +the remainder of my days in his service.' + +Then the queen turned to the lady, who was present, and finding +that she was not averse to the match proposed, she caused them to +join hands, and the King of Persia and she took care of their +welfare. + +This marriage occasioned the King of Persia to speak thus to the +queen: 'Madam,' said he, 'I am heartily glad of this match which +your majesty has just made. There remains one more, which I desire +you to think of.' + +Queen Gulnare did not at first comprehend what marriage he meant; +but after a little considering, she said, 'Of yours, you mean, son? +I consent to it with all my heart.' Then turning, and looking on +her brother's sea attendants, and the genies who were still +present, 'Go,' said she, 'and traverse both sea and land, to find +out the most lovely and amiable princess, worthy of the king my +son, and come and tell us.' + +'Madam,' replied King Beder, 'it is to no purpose for them to take +all that pains. You have no doubt heard that I have already given +my heart to the Princess of Samandal. I have seen her, and do not +repent of the present I then made her. In a word, neither earth nor +sea, in my opinion, can furnish a princess like her. It is true +that she treated me in a way that would have extinguished any +affection less strong than mine. But I hold her excused; she could +not treat me with less rigour, after I had had the king her father +imprisoned. But it may be the King of Samandal has changed his +mind; and his daughter the princess may consent to love me when she +sees her father has agreed to it.' + +'Son,' replied Queen Gulnare, 'if only the Princess Giauhara can +make you happy, it is not my design to oppose you. The king your +uncle need only have the King of Samandal brought, and we shall +soon see whether he be still of the same untractable temper.' + +Strictly as the King of Samandal had been kept during his captivity +by King Saleh's orders, yet he always had great respect shown him, +and was become very familiar with the officers who guarded him. +King Saleh caused a chafing-dish of coals to be brought, into which +he threw a certain composition, uttering at the same time some +mysterious words. As soon as the smoke began to arise, the palace +shook, and immediately the King of Samandal, with King Saleh's +officers, appeared. The King of Persia cast himself at the King of +Samandal's feet, and kneeling said, 'It is no longer King Saleh +that demands of your majesty the honour of your alliance for the +King of Persia; it is the King of Persia himself that humbly begs +that boon; and I am sure your majesty will not persist in being the +cause of the death of a king who can no longer live if he does not +share life with the amiable Princess Giauhara.' + +The King of Samandal did not long suffer the King of Persia to +remain at his feet. He embraced him and obliging him to rise, said, +'I should be very sorry to have contributed in the least to the +death of a monarch who is so worthy to live. If it be true that so +precious a life cannot be preserved without my daughter, live, +sir,' said he, 'she is yours. She has always been obedient to my +will, and I cannot think she will now oppose it.' Speaking these +words, he ordered one of his officers, whom King Saleh had +permitted to be about him, to go and look for the Princess +Giauhara, and bring her to him immediately. + +The princess had remained where the King of Persia had left her. +The officer soon perceived her, and brought her with her women. The +King of Samandal embraced her, and said, 'Daughter, I have provided +a husband for you; it is the King of Persia you see there, the most +accomplished monarch at present in the universe. The preference he +has given you over all other Princesses obliges us both to express +our gratitude.' + +'Sir,' replied the Princess Giauhara, 'your majesty well knows I +never have presumed to disobey your will in anything; I shall +always be ready to obey you; and I hope the King of Persia will +forget my ill-treatment of him, and consider it was duty, not +inclination, that forced me to it.' + +The wedding was celebrated in the palace of the City of +Enchantments, with the greater solemnity in that all the lovers of +the magic queen, who resumed their original forms as soon as ever +that queen ceased to live, came to return their thanks to the King +of Persia, Queen Gulnare, and King Saleh. They were all sons of +kings or princes, or persons of high rank. + +King Saleh at length conducted the King of Samandal to his +dominions, and put him in possession of them. The King of Persia +returned to his capital with Queen Gulnare, Queen Farasche, and the +princesses; and Queen Farasche and the princesses continued there +till King Saleh came to reconduct them to his kingdom under the +waves of the sea. + + + + + + THE THREE PRINCES AND THE PRINCESS NOURONNIHAR. + + + +There was once a sultan of India who had three sons. These, with +the princess his niece, were the ornaments of his court. The eldest +of the princes was called Houssain, the second Ali, the youngest +Ahmed, and the princess his niece, Nouronnihar. The Princess +Nouronnihar was the daughter of the younger brother of the sultan, +to whom the sultan in his lifetime allowed a considerable revenue. +But that prince had not been married long before he died, and left +the princess very young. The sultan, out of brotherly love and +friendship, took upon himself the care of his niece's education, +and brought her up in his palace with the three princes, where her +singular beauty and personal accomplishments, joined to a sprightly +disposition and irreproachable conduct, distinguished her among all +the princesses of her time. + +The sultan, her uncle, proposed to get her married, when she +arrived at a proper age, to some neighbouring prince, and was +thinking seriously about it, when he perceived that the three +princes his sons had all fallen in love with her. He was very much +concerned, owing to the difficulty he foresaw whether the two +younger would consent to yield to their elder brother. He spoke to +each of them apart; and after having remonstrated on the +impossibility of one princess being the wife of three persons, and +the troubles they would create if they persisted, he did all he +could to persuade them to abide by a declaration of the princess in +favour of one of them; or to suffer her to be married to a foreign +prince. But as he found them obstinate, he sent for them all +together, and said to them, 'Children, since I have not been able +to persuade you no longer to aspire to marry the princess your +cousin; and as I have no inclination to force her to marry any of +you, I have thought of a plan which will please you all, and +preserve union among you, if you will but follow my advice. I think +it would be best, if every one travelled separately into a +different country, so that you might not meet each other: and as +you know I delight in every thing that is rare and singular, I +promise my niece in marriage to him that shall bring me the most +extraordinary curiosity; and for travelling expenses, I will give +each of you a sum befitting your rank and the purchase of the +curiosity you search.' + +As the three princes were always submissive and obedient to the +sultan's will, and each flattered himself that fortune would favour +him, they all consented. The sultan gave them the money he +promised; and that very day they issued orders in preparation for +their travels, and took leave of the sultan, that they might be +ready to set out early the next morning. They all went out at the +same gate of the city, each dressed like a merchant, attended by a +trusty officer dressed like a slave, all well mounted and equipped. +They went the first day's journey together; and slept at the first +inn, where the road divided into three different tracks. At night +when they were at supper together, they agreed to travel for a +year, and to make that inn their rendezvous; that the first that +came should wait for the rest; that as they had all three taken +leave together of the sultan, they should all return together. The +next morning by break of day, after they had embraced and wished +each other good success, they mounted their horses, and each took a +different road. + +Prince Houssain, the eldest brother, who had heard wonders of the +extent, strength, riches, and splendour of the kingdom of Bisnagar, +bent his course towards the Indian coast; and, after three months +travelling with different caravans, sometimes over deserts and +barren mountains, and sometimes through populous and fertile +countries, he arrived at Bisnagar, the capital of the kingdom of +that name and the residence of its king. He lodged at a khan +appointed for foreign merchants; and having learnt that there were +four principal quarters where merchants of all sorts kept their +shops, in the midst of which stood the castle, or rather the king's +palace, as the centre of the city, surrounded by three courts, and +each gate two leagues distant from the other, he went to one of +these quarters the next day. + +Prince Houssain could not see this quarter without admiration. It +was large, and divided into several streets, all vaulted and shaded +from the sun, and yet very light. The shops were all of the same +size and proportion; and all that dealt in the same sort of +merchandise, as well as the craftsmen, lived in one street. + +The multitude of shops stocked with the finest linens from several +parts of India, some painted in the brightest colours, with men, +landscapes, trees, and flowers; silks and brocades from Persia, +China, and other places; porcelain from Japan and China, foot +carpets of all sizes,--all this surprised him so much that he knew +not how to believe his own eyes; but when he came to the shops of +the goldsmiths and jewellers (for those two trades were exercised +by the same merchants), he was dazzled by the lustre of the pearls, +diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and other precious stones exposed for +sale. But if he was amazed at seeing so many riches in one place, +he was much more surprised when he came to judge of the wealth of +the whole kingdom by considering that except the Brahmins and +ministers of the idols, who profess a life retired from worldly +vanity, there was not an Indian, man or woman, through the extent +of that kingdom, who did not wear necklaces, bracelets, and +ornaments about their legs and feet, made of pearls and other +precious stones. + +Another thing Prince Houssain particularly admired was the great +number of rose-sellers, who crowded the streets; for the Indians +are such lovers of that flower, that not one will stir without a +nosegay in his hand, or a garland on his head; and the merchants +keep them in pots in their shops, so that the air of the whole +quarter, however large, is perfectly perfumed. + +After Prince Houssain had run through the quarter, street by +street, his thoughts fully occupied by the riches he had seen, he +was very much tired, and a merchant civilly invited him to sit down +in his shop. He accepted the offer; but had not been seated long +before he saw a crier pass by with a piece of carpet on his arm, +about six feet square, and cry it at thirty purses. The prince +called to the crier, and asked to see the carpet, which seemed to +him to be valued at an exorbitant price, not only for its size, but +the meanness of the stuff. When he had examined it well, he told +the crier that he could not comprehend how so small and poor a +piece could be priced so high. + +The crier, who took him for a merchant, replied, 'Sir, if this +price seems so extravagant to you, your amazement will be greater +when I tell you I have orders to raise it to forty purses, and not +to part with it for less.' + +'Certainly,' answered Prince Houssain, 'it must have something very +extraordinary about it, which I know nothing of.' + +'You have guessed right, sir,' replied the crier, 'and will own as +much when you come to know that whoever sits on this piece of +carpet may be transported in an instant wherever he desires to go +without being stopped by any obstacle.' + +At this the Prince of the Indies, considering that the principal +motive of his journey was to carry some singular curiosity home to +the sultan his father, thought that be could not meet with anything +which could give him more satisfaction. 'If the carpet,' said he to +the crier, 'has the virtue you assign it, I shall not think forty +purses too much but shall make you a present besides.' + +'Sir,' replied the crier, 'I have told you the truth; and it will +be an easy matter to convince you of it, as soon as you have made +the bargain for forty purses, by experiment. But as I suppose you +have not so much with you, and that I must go with you to the khan +where you lodge, with the leave of the master of the shop we will +go into his back shop, and I will spread the carpet; and when we +have both sat down, and you have formed the wish to be transported +into your room at the khan, if we are not transported thither it +shall be no bargain. As to your present, as I am paid for my +trouble by the seller, I shall receive it as a favour, and be very +much obliged to you for it.' + +The prince accepted the conditions, and concluded the bargain; and +having obtained the master's leave, they went into his back shop; +they both sat down on the carpet, and as soon as the prince wished +to be transported into his room at the khan, he found himself and +the crier there, and as he wanted no more convincing proof of the +virtue of the carpet, he counted to the crier forty purses of gold, +and gave him twenty pieces for himself. + +In this manner Prince Houssain became the possessor of the carpet, +and was overjoyed that on his arrival at Bisnagar he had found so +rare a treasure, which he never doubted would gain him the Princess +Nouronnihar. In short he looked upon it as an impossible thing for +the princes, his younger brothers, to meet with anything to compare +with it. It was in his power, by sitting on this carpet, to be at +the place of rendezvous that very day; but as he was obliged to +wait for his brothers, as they had agreed, and as he was curious to +see the King of Bisnagar and his court, and to learn about the +laws, customs, and religion of the kingdom, he chose to make a +longer abode there. + +It was a custom of the King of Bisnagar to give audience to all +strange merchants once a week; and Prince Houssain, who remained +incognito, saw him often; and as he was handsome, clever, and +extremely polite, he easily distinguished himself among the +merchants, and was preferred before them all by the sultan, who +asked him about the Sultan of the Indies, and the government, +strength, and riches of his dominions. + +The rest of his time the prince spent in seeing what was most +remarkable in and about the city; and among other things he visited +a temple, all built of brass. It was ten cubits square, and fifteen +high; and the greatest ornament to it was an idol of the height of a +man, of massy gold: its eyes were two rubies, set so artificially, +that it seemed to look at those who looked at it, on whichever side +they turned. Besides this, there was another not less curious, in a +village in the midst of a plain of about ten acres, which was a +delicious garden full of roses and the choicest flowers, surrounded +with a small wall breast high, to keep the cattle out. In the midst +of this plain was raised a terrace, a man's height, so nicely paved +that the whole pavement seemed to be but one single stone. A temple +was erected in the middle of this terrace, with a dome about fifty +cubits high, which might be seen for several leagues round. It was +thirty cubits long, and twenty broad, built of red marble, highly +polished. The inside of the dome was adorned with three rows of fine +paintings, in good taste: and there was not a place in the whole +temple but was embellished with paintings, bas-reliefs, and figures +of idols from top to bottom. + +Every night and morning there were ceremonies performed in this +temple, which were always succeeded by sports, concerts, dancing, +singing, and feasts. The ministers of the temple and the inhabitants +of the place had nothing to live on but the offerings of pilgrims, +who came in crowds from the most distant parts of the kingdom to +perform their vows. + +Prince Houssain was also spectator of a solemn feast, which was +celebrated every year at the court of Bisnagar, at which all the +governors of provinces, commanders of fortified places, all the +governors and judges of towns, and the Brahmins most celebrated for +their learning, were obliged to be present; and some lived so far +off that they were four months in coming. This assembly, composed of +innumerable multitudes of Indians, met in a plain of vast extent, as +far as the eye could reach. In the centre of this plain was a square +of great length and breadth, closed on one side by a large +scaffolding of nine stories, supported by forty pillars, raised for +the king and his court, and those strangers whom he admitted to +audience once a week. Inside, it was adorned and furnished +magnificently; and on the outside were painted fine landscapes, +wherein all sorts of beasts, birds, and insects, even flies and +gnats, were drawn as naturally as possible. Other scaffolds of at +least four or five stories, and painted almost all alike, formed the +other three sides. + +On each side of the square, at some little distance from each other, +were ranged a thousand elephants, sumptuously harnessed, each having +upon his back a square wooden castle, finely gilt, in which were +musicians and actors. The trunks, ears, and bodies of these +elephants were painted with cinnabar and other colours, representing +grotesque figures. + +But what Prince Houssain most of all admired was to see the largest +of these elephants stand with his four feet on a post fixed into +the earth, two feet high, playing and beating time with his trunk +to the music. Besides this, he admired another elephant as big, +standing on a board, which was laid across a strong beam about ten +feet high, with a great weight at the other end which balanced him, +while he kept time with the music by the motions of his body and +trunk. + +Prince Houssain might have made a longer stay in the kingdom and +court of Bisnagar, where he would have seen other wonders, till the +last day of the year, whereon he and his brothers had appointed to +meet. But he was so well satisfied with what he had seen, and his +thoughts ran so much upon the Princess Nouronnihar, that he fancied +he should be the more easy and happy the nearer he was to her. +After he had paid the master of the khan for his apartment, and +told him the hour when he might come for the key, without telling +him how he should go, he shut the door, put the key on the outside, +and spreading the carpet, he and the officer he had brought with +him sat down on it, and, as soon as he had wished, were transported +to the inn at which he and his brothers were to meet, where he +passed for a merchant till they came. + +Prince Ali, the second brother, travelled into Persia with a +caravan, and after four months' travelling arrived at Schiraz, +which was then the capital of the kingdom of Persia, and having on +the way made friends with some merchants, passed for a jeweller, +and lodged in the same khan with them. + +The next morning, while the merchants were opening their bales of +merchandise, Prince Ali took a walk into that quarter of the town +where they sold precious stones, gold and silver work, brocades, +silks, fine linens, and other choice and valuable merchandise, +which was at Schiraz called the bezestein. It was a spacious and +well-built place, arched over, and supported by large pillars; +along the walls, within and without, were shops. Prince Ali soon +rambled through the bezestein, and with admiration judged of the +riches of the place by the prodigious quantities of most precious +merchandise there exposed to view. + +But among all the criers who passed backwards and forwards with +several sorts of things to sell, he was not a little surprised to +see one who held in his hand an ivory tube about a foot in length +and about an inch thick, and cried it at thirty purses. At first he +thought the crier mad, and to make sure, went to a shop, and said +to the merchant, who stood at the door, 'Pray, sir, is not that man +mad? If he is not, I am very much deceived.' + +'Indeed, sir,' answered the merchant, 'he was in his right senses +yesterday, and I can assure you he is one of the ablest criers we +have, and the most employed of any when anything valuable is to be +sold; and if he cries the ivory tube at thirty purses, it must be +worth as much, or more, for some reason or other which does not +appear. He will come by presently, and we will call him; in the +meantime sit down on my sofa and rest yourself.' + +Prince Ali accepted the merchant's obliging offer, and presently +the crier passed by. The merchant called him by his name; and +pointing to the prince, said to him, 'Tell that gentleman, who +asked me if you were in your right senses, what you mean by crying +that ivory tube, which seems not to be worth much, at thirty +purses: I should be very much amazed myself, if I did not know you +were a sensible man.' + +The crier, addressing himself to Prince Ali, said, 'Sir, you are +not the only person that takes me for a madman on account of this +tube; you shall judge yourself whether I am or no, when I have told +you its peculiarity. First, sir,' pursued the crier, presenting the +ivory tube to the prince, 'observe that this tube is furnished with +a glass at both ends; by looking through one of them you see +whatever object you wish to behold.' + +'I am,' said the prince, 'ready to make you all proper reparation +for the scandal I have thrown on you, if you will make the truth of +what you say appear'; and as he had the ivory tube in his hand, he +said, 'Show me at which of these ends I must look.' The crier +showed him, and he looked through, wishing at the same time to see +the sultan, his father. He immediately beheld him in perfect +health, sitting on his throne, in the midst of his council. +Afterwards, as there was nothing in the world so dear to him, after +the sultan, as the Princess Nouronnihar, he wished to see her, and +saw her laughing, and in a pleasant humour, with her women about +her. + +Prince Ali needed no other proof to persuade him that this tube was +the most valuable thing, not only in the city of Schiraz, but in +all the world; and he believed that, if he should neglect it, he +would never meet again with such another rarity. He said to the +crier, 'I am very sorry that I should have entertained so bad an +opinion of you, but hope to make you amends by buying the tube, so +tell me the lowest price the seller has fixed upon it. Come with +me, and I will pay you the money.' The crier assured him that his +last orders were to take no less than forty purses; and, if he +disputed the truth of what he said, he would take him to his +employer. The prince believed him, took him to the khan where he +lodged, counted out the money, and received the tube. + +Prince Ali was overjoyed at his bargain; and persuaded himself +that, as his brothers would not be able to meet with anything so +rare and marvellous, the Princess Nouronnihar would be his wife. He +thought now of visiting the court of Persia incognito, and seeing +whatever was curious in and about Schiraz, till the caravan with +which he came returned back to the Indies. When the caravan was +ready to set out, the prince joined them, and arrived without any +accident or trouble at the place of rendezvous, where he found +Prince Houssain, and both waited for Prince Ahmed. + +Prince Ahmed took the road to Samarcand; and the day after his +arrival there went, as his brothers had done, into the bezestein. +He had not walked long before he heard a crier, who had an +artificial apple in his hand, cry it at five-and-thirty purses. He +stopped the crier, and said to him, 'Let me see that apple, and +tell me what virtue or extraordinary property it has, to be valued +at so high a rate.' + +'Sir,' said the crier, putting it into his hand, 'if you look at +the outside of this apple, it is very ordinary; but if you consider +the great use and benefit it is to mankind, you will say it is +invaluable. He who possesses it is master of a great treasure. It +cures all sick persons of the most mortal diseases, fever, +pleurisy, plague, or other malignant distempers; and, if the +patient is dying, it will immediately restore him to perfect +health; and this is done after the easiest manner in the world, +merely by the patient smelling the apple.' + +'If one may believe you,' replied Prince Ahmed, 'the virtues of +this apple are wonderful, and it is indeed valuable: but what +ground has a plain man like myself, who may wish to become the +purchaser, to be persuaded that there is no deception or +exaggeration in the high praise you bestow on it?' + +'Sir,' replied the crier, 'the thing is known and averred by the +whole city of Samarcand; but, without going any further, ask all +these merchants you see here, and hear what they say; several of +them would not have been alive this day if they had not made use of +this excellent remedy. It is the result of the study and experience +of a celebrated philosopher of this city, who applied himself all +his life to the knowledge of plants and minerals, and at last +performed such surprising cures in this city as will never be +forgotten; but he died suddenly himself, before he could apply his +own sovereign remedy, and left his wife and a great many young +children behind him in very indifferent circumstances; to support +her family, and provide for her children, she has resolved to sell +it.' + +While the crier was telling Prince Ahmed the virtues of the +artificial apple, a great many persons came about them, and +confirmed what he said; and one among the rest said he had a friend +dangerously ill, whose life was despaired of, which was a +favourable opportunity to show Prince Ahmed the experiment. Upon +which Prince Ahmed told the crier he would give him forty purses if +he cured the sick person by letting him smell at it. + +The crier, who had orders to sell it at that price, said to Prince +Ahmed, 'Come, sir, let us go and make the experiment, and the apple +shall be yours; it is an undoubted fact that it will always have +the same effect as it already has had in recovering from death many +sick persons whose life was despaired of.' + +The experiment succeeded, and the prince, after he had counted out +to the crier forty purses, and the other had delivered the apple to +him, waited with the greatest impatience for the first caravan that +should return to the Indies. In the meantime he saw all that was +curious in and about Samarcand, especially the valley of Sogda, so +called from the river which waters it, and is reckoned by the +Arabians to be one of the four paradises of this world, for the +beauty of its fields and gardens and fine palaces, and for its +fertility in fruit of all sorts, and all the other pleasures +enjoyed there in the fine season. + +At last Prince Ahmed joined the first caravan that returned to the +Indies, and arrived in perfect health at the inn where the Princes +Houssain and Ali were waiting for him. + +Prince Ali, who was there some time before Prince Ahmed, asked +Prince Houssain, who got there first, how long he had been there; +he told him three months: to which he replied, 'Then certainly you +have not been very far.' + +'I will tell you nothing now,' said Prince Houssain, 'but only +assure you I was more than three months travelling to the place I +went to.' + +'But then,' replied Prince Ali, 'you made a short stay there.' + +'Indeed, brother,' said Prince Houssain, 'you are mistaken: I +resided at one place over four or five months, and might have +stayed longer.' + +'Unless you flew back,' replied Prince Ali again, 'I cannot +comprehend how you can have been three months here, as you would +make me believe.' + +'I tell you the truth,' added Prince Houssain, 'and it is a riddle +which I shall not explain till our brother Ahmed comes; then I will +let you know what curiosity I have brought home from my travels. I +know not what you have got, but believe it to be some trifle, +because I do not see that your baggage is increased.' + +'And pray what have you brought?' replied Prince Ali, 'for I can +see nothing but an ordinary piece of carpet, with which you cover +your sofa, and as you seem to make what you have brought a secret, +you cannot take it amiss that I do the same.' + +'I consider the rarity which I have purchased,' replied Prince +Houssain, 'to excel all others whatever, and should not have any +objection to show it you, and make you agree that it is so, and at +the same time tell you how I came by it, without being in the least +apprehensive that what you have got is better. But we ought to wait +till our brother Ahmed arrives, that we may all communicate our +good fortune to each other.' + +Prince Ali would not enter into a dispute with Prince Houssain, but +was persuaded that, if his perspective glass were not preferable, +it was impossible it should be inferior, and therefore agreed to +wait till Prince Ahmed arrived, to produce his purchase. + +When Prince Ahmed came, they embraced and complimented each other +on the happiness of meeting together at the place they set out +from. Then Prince Houssain, as the elder brother, said, 'Brothers, +we shall have time enough hereafter to entertain ourselves with the +particulars of our travels: let us come to that which is of the +greatest importance for us to know; let us not conceal from each +other the curiosities we have brought home, but show them, that we +may do ourselves justice beforehand and see to which of us the +sultan our father may give the preference. + +'To set the example,' continued Prince Houssain, 'I will tell you +that the rarity which I have brought from my travels to the kingdom +of Bisnagar, is the carpet on which I sit, which looks but ordinary +and makes no show; but, when I have declared its virtues to you, +you will be struck with admiration, and will confess you never +heard of anything like it. Whoever sits on it as we do, and desires +to be transported to any place, be it ever so far off, is +immediately carried thither. I made the experiment myself before I +paid down the forty purses, and when I had fully satisfied my +curiosity at the court of Bisnagar, and had a mind to return, I +made use of no other means than this wonderful carpet for myself +and servant, who can tell you how long we were coming hither. I +will show you both the experiment whenever you please. I expect you +to tell me whether what you have brought is to be compared to this +carpet.' + +Here Prince Houssain ended, and Prince Ali said, 'I must own, +brother, that your carpet is one of the most surprising things +imaginable, if it has, as I do not doubt in the least, that +property you speak of. But you must allow that there may be other +things, I will not say more, but at least as wonderful, in another +way; and to convince you there are, here is an ivory tube, which +appears to the eye no more a rarity than your carpet. It cost me as +much, and I am as well satisfied with my purchase as you can be +with yours; and you will be so just as to own that I have not been +cheated, when you know by experience that by looking at one end you +see whatever you wish to behold. Take it,' added Prince Ali, +presenting the tube to him, 'make trial of it yourself.' + +Prince Houssain took the ivory tube from Prince Ali, and clapped +that end to his eye which Prince Ali showed him, to see the +Princess Nouronnihar, and to know how she was, when Prince Ali and +Prince Ahmed, who kept their eyes fixed upon him, were extremely +surprised to see his countenance change suddenly with extraordinary +pain and grief. Prince Houssain would not give them time to ask +what was the matter, but cried out, 'Alas! princes, to what purpose +have we undertaken long and fatiguing journeys? In a few moments +our lovely princess will breathe her last. I saw her in her bed, +surrounded by her women and attendants, who were all in tears. Take +the tube, behold for yourselves the miserable state she is in.' + +Prince Ali took the tube out of Prince Houssain's hand and after he +had looked, presented it to Prince Ahmed. + +When Prince Ahmed saw that the Princess Nouronnihar's end was so +near, he addressed himself to his two brothers, and said, 'Princes, +the Princess Nouronnihar, the object of all our vows, is indeed at +death's door; but provided we make haste and lose no time, we may +preserve her life.' Then he took out the artificial apple, and +showing it to the princes his brothers, said to them, 'This apple +which you see here cost as much as either the carpet or tube. The +opportunity now presents itself to show you its wonderful virtue. +Not to keep you longer in suspense, if a sick person smells it, +though in the last agonies, it restores him to perfect health +immediately. I have made the experiment, and can show you its +wonderful effect on the Princess Nouronnihar, if we make all haste +to assist her.' + +'If that is all,' replied Prince Houssain, 'we cannot make more +haste than by transporting ourselves instantly into her room by the +means of my carpet. Come, lose no time; sit down on it by me; it is +large enough to hold us all three: but first let us give orders to +our servants to set out immediately, and join us at the palace.' + +As soon as the order was given, Prince Ali and Prince Ahmed went +and sat down by Prince Houssain, and all three framed the same +wish, and were transported into the Princess Nouronnihar's chamber. + +The presence of the three princes, who were so little expected, +frightened the princess's women and attendants, who could not +comprehend by what enchantment three men should be among them; for +they did not know them at first, and the attendants were ready to +fall upon them, as people who had got into a part of the palace +where they were not allowed to come; but they presently recollected +and found their mistake. + +Prince Ahmed no sooner saw himself in Nouronnihar's room, and +perceived the princess dying, than he rose off the tapestry, as did +also the other two princes, and went to the bed-side, and put the +apple under her nose. Some moments after, the princess opened her +eyes, and turned her head from one side to another, looking at the +persons who stood about her; she then rose up in the bed, and asked +to be dressed, just as if she had awaked out of a sound sleep. Her +women informed her, in a manner that showed their joy, that she was +obliged to the three princes her cousins, and particularly to +Prince Ahmed, for the sudden recovery of her health. She +immediately expressed her joy to see them, and thanked them all +together, and afterwards Prince Ahmed in particular, and they then +retired. + +While the princess was dressing, the princes went to throw +themselves at the sultan their father's feet, and pay their +respects to him. The sultan received and embraced them with the +greatest joy, both for their return and for the wonderful recovery +of the princess his niece, whom he loved as if she had been his own +daughter, and who had been given over by the physicians. After the +usual compliments, the princes presented each the curiosity which +he had brought: Prince Houssain his carpet, which he had taken care +not to leave behind him in the princess's chamber; Prince Ali his +ivory tube, and Prince Ahmed the artificial apple; and after each +had commended his present, when they put it into the sultan's +hands, they begged him to pronounce their fate, and declare to +which of them he would give the Princess Nouronnihar for a wife, +according to his promise. + +The Sultan of the Indies having kindly heard all that the princes +had to say, without interrupting them, and being well informed of +what had happened in relation to the Princess Nouronnihar's cure, +remained some time silent, as if he were thinking what answer he +should make. At last he broke silence, and said to them in terms +full of wisdom, 'I would declare for one of you, my children, with +a great deal of pleasure, if I could do so with justice; but +consider whether I can. It is true, Prince Ahmed, the princess my +niece is obliged to your artificial apple for her cure, but let me +ask you, whether you could have been so serviceable to her if you +had not known by Prince Ali's tube the danger she was in, and if +Prince Houssain's carpet had not brought you to her so soon? + +'Your tube, Prince Ali, informed you and your brothers that you +were likely to lose the princess your cousin, and so far she is +greatly obliged to you. You must also grant that that knowledge +would have been of no service without the artificial apple and the +carpet. + +'And for you, Prince Houssain, consider that it would have been of +little use if you had not been acquainted with the princess's +illness by Prince Ali's tube, and Prince Ahmed had not applied his +artificial apple. Therefore, as neither the carpet, the ivory tube, +nor the artificial apple has the least preference one over the +other, but, on the contrary, there is a perfect equality, I cannot +grant the princess to any one of you, and the only fruit you have +reaped from your travels is the glory of having equally contributed +to restore her to health. + +'If this be true,' added the sultan, 'you see that I must have +recourse to other means to determine with certainty in the choice I +ought to make among you, and as there is time enough between this +and night, I will do it to-day. Go, and get each of you a bow and +arrow, and repair to the great plain outside the city, where the +horses are exercised. I will soon come to you, and I declare I will +give the Princess Nouronnihar to him that shoots the farthest. + +'I do not, however, forget to thank you all in general, and each in +particular, for the presents you brought me. I have a great many +rarities in my museum already, but nothing that comes up to the +carpet, the ivory tube, and the artificial apple, which shall have +the first place among them, and shall be preserved carefully, not +only for show, but to make an advantageous use of them upon all +occasions.' + +The three princes had nothing to say against the decision of the +sultan. When they were out of his presence, they each provided +themselves with a bow and arrow, which they delivered to one of +their officers, and went to the plain appointed, followed by a +great concourse of people. + +The sultan did not make them wait long; and as soon as he arrived, +Prince Houssain, as the eldest, took his bow and arrow, and shot +first. Prince Ali shot next, and much beyond him; and Prince Ahmed +last of all; but it so happened, that nobody could see where his +arrow fell; and, notwithstanding all the search of himself and +everybody else, it was not to be found far or near. And though it +was believed that he shot the farthest, and that he therefore +deserved the Princess Nouronnihar, it was necessary that his arrow +should be found, to make the matter evident and certain; so, +notwithstanding his remonstrances, the sultan determined in favour +of Prince Ali, and gave orders for preparations to be made for the +wedding, which was celebrated a few days afterwards with great +magnificence. + + + + + + PRINCE AHMED AND THE FAIRY. + + + +Prince Houssain would not honour the feast with his presence; he +could scarcely endure to see the princess in the arms of Prince +Ali, who, he said, did not deserve her better or love her more than +himself. He left the court, and, renouncing all right of succession +to the crown, turned dervish, and put himself under the discipline +of a famous sheik, who had gained a reputation for his exemplary +life, and had taken up his abode, together with his disciples, +whose number was great, in an agreeable solitude. + +Prince Ahmed did not assist at Prince Ali's and the Princess +Nouronnihar's wedding, any more than his brother Houssain, but did +not renounce the world as he had done. He could not imagine what +had become of his arrow, so he stole away from his attendants, and +resolved to search for it, that he might not have anything to +reproach himself with. With this intention, he went to the place +where the Princes Houssain's and Ali's were gathered up, and going +straight forward from thence, looked carefully on both sides of +him. He went so far, that at last he began to think his labour was +in vain; yet he could not help going forwards, till he came to some +steep, craggy rocks, which would have obliged him to return, had he +been ever so anxious to proceed. They were situated in a barren +country, about four leagues distant from whence he set out. When +Prince Ahmed came near these rocks, he perceived an arrow, which he +picked up, looked earnestly at it, and was in the greatest +astonishment to find it was the same he shot. 'Certainly,' said he +to himself, 'neither I nor any man living could shoot an arrow so +far'; and finding it laid flat, not sticking into the ground, he +judged that it had rebounded from the rock. 'There must be some +mystery in this,' said he to himself again, 'and it may be to my +advantage. Perhaps fortune, to make me amends for depriving me of +what I thought the greatest happiness of my life, may have reserved +a greater blessing for my comfort.' As these rocks were full of +sharp points and crevices between them, the prince, full of these +thoughts, entered a cavity, and looking about, cast his eyes on an +iron door, which seemed to have no lock. He feared it was fastened; +but pushing against it, it opened, and discovered an easy descent, +but no steps. He walked down with his arrow in his hand. At first +he thought he was going into a dark place, but presently a quite +different light succeeded that which he had come out of. Coming +upon a spacious square, fifty or sixty paces distant, he perceived +a magnificent palace; but he had not time to look at it, for at the +same moment a lady of majestic air, and of a beauty to which the +richness of her clothes and the jewels which adorned her person +added nothing, advanced as far as the porch, attended by a troop of +ladies, of whom it was difficult to distinguish which was the +mistress. + +As soon as Prince Ahmed perceived the lady, he hastened to pay his +respects; and the lady, on her part, seeing him coming, was +beforehand with him. Raising her voice, she said, 'Come near, +Prince Ahmed; you are welcome.' + +It was no small surprise to the prince to hear himself named in a +palace he had never heard of, though so near his father's capital, +and he could not comprehend how he should be known to a lady who +was a stranger to him. At last he returned the lady's salutation, +by throwing himself at her feet, and rising up again, said to her, +'Madam, I return you a thousand thanks for welcoming me to a place +where I had reason to believe my imprudent curiosity had made me +penetrate too far. But, madam, may I, without being guilty of +rudeness, presume to ask you how you know me? and why you, who live +in the same neighbourhood should be so little known by me?' + +'Prince,' said the lady, 'let us go into the hall; there I will +gratify your request.' + +After these words, the lady led Prince Ahmed into the hall, the +noble structure of which, and the gold and azure which embellished +the dome, and the inestimable richness of the furniture, appeared +to him so wonderful that he had never in his life beheld anything +like it, and believed that nothing was to be compared to it. 'I can +assure you,' replied the lady, 'that this is but a small part of my +palace, and you will say so when you have seen all the apartments.' +Then she sat down on a sofa; and when the prince at her entreaty +had seated himself, she said, 'You are surprised, you say, that I +should know you, and not be known by you; but you will no longer be +surprised when I inform you who I am. You cannot be ignorant that +the world is inhabited by genies as well as men: I am the daughter +of one of the most powerful and distinguished of these genies, and +my name is Pari Banou: therefore I know you, the sultan your +father, the princes your brothers, and the Princess Nouronnihar. I +am no stranger to your love or your travels, of which I could tell +you all the circumstances, since it was I myself who exposed for +sale the artificial apple which you bought at Samarcand, the carpet +which Prince Houssain met with at Bisnagar, and the tube which +Prince Ali brought from Schiraz. This is sufficient to let you know +that I am not unacquainted with anything that relates to you. The +only thing I have to add is, that you seemed to me worthy of a +still better fortune than that of marrying the Princess +Nouronnihar. I was present when you drew your arrow, and foresaw it +would not go beyond Prince Houssain's. I took it in the air, and +made it strike against the rocks near which you found it. It is in +your power to avail yourself of this favourable opportunity.' + +As the fairy Pari Banou pronounced these words Prince Ahmed began +to consider that the Princess Nouronnihar could never be his, and +that the fairy Pari Banou excelled her infinitely in beauty and +agreeableness, and, so far as he could judge from the magnificence +of the palace where she resided, in immense riches. 'Madam,' +replied he, 'should I, all my life, have had the happiness of being +your slave, I should think myself the happiest of men. Pardon me my +boldness, and do not refuse to admit into your court a prince who +is entirely devoted to you.' + +'Prince,' answered the fairy, 'as I have been a long time my own +mistress, and am not dependent on my parents' consent, it is not as +a slave that I would admit you into my court, but as my husband, +pledging your faith to me. I am, as I said, mistress here; and must +add, that the same customs are not observed among fairies as among +other ladies.' + +Prince Ahmed made no answer, but was so full of gratitude that he +thought he could not express it better than by coming to kiss the +hem of her garment. 'Then,' answered the fairy, 'you are my +husband, and I am your wife. But as I suppose,' continued she, +'that you have eaten nothing to-day, a slight repast shall be +served up for you while preparations are making for our wedding +feast this evening, and then I will show you the apartments of my +palace, and you shall judge if this hall is the smallest part of +it.' + +Some of the fairy's women who came into the hall with them, and +guessed her intentions, immediately went out, and returned +presently with some excellent meat and wine. + +When Prince Ahmed had eaten and drunk as much as he wanted, the +fairy Pari Banou took him through all the rooms, where he saw +diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and all sorts of fine jewels, +intermixed with pearls, agate, jasper, porphyry, and all kinds of +the most precious marbles; not to mention the richness of the +furniture, everything was in such profusion, that the prince +acknowledged that there could not be anything in the world that +could come up to it. 'Prince,' said the fairy, 'if you admire so +much my palace, which is indeed very beautiful, what would you say +to the palaces of the chiefs of our genies, which are much more +beautiful, spacious, and magnificent? I could also charm you with +my garden; but we will leave that till another time. Night draws +near, and it will be time for supper.' + +The next hall into which the fairy led the prince, where the cloth +was laid for the feast, was the only room the prince had not seen, +and it was not in the least inferior to the others. He admired the +infinite number of wax candles perfumed with amber which formed an +agreeable and pleasant sight. A large sideboard was set out with +all sorts of gold plate, so finely wrought that the workmanship was +much more valuable than the weight of the gold. Several beautiful +women richly dressed, whose voices were ravishing, began a concert, +accompanied with all kinds of the most harmonious instruments he +had ever heard. When they had sat down to table, the fairy Pari +Banou took care to help Prince Ahmed to most delicious meats, which +the prince had never heard of, but found so nice that he commended +them in the highest terms, saying that they far surpassed those +among men. He found also the same excellence in the wines, which +neither he nor the fairy tasted till the dessert was served up, +which consisted of the choicest sweetmeats and fruits. + +After the dessert, the fairy Pari Banou and Prince Ahmed rose from +the table, which was immediately carried away, and sat on a sofa +with cushions of fine silk, curiously embroidered with all sorts of +large flowers, at their backs, and a great number of genie and +fairies danced before them. + +The days following the wedding were a continual feast, which the +fairy Pari Banou, who could do it with the utmost ease, knew how to +diversify by new dishes, new concerts, new dances, new shows, and +new diversions; which were all so extraordinary, that Prince Ahmed, +if he had lived a thousand years among men, could not have +imagined. + +At the end of six months, Prince Ahmed, who always loved and +honoured the sultan his father, felt a great desire to know how he +was; and as that desire could not be satisfied without his +absenting himself to go and hear it in person, he mentioned it to +the fairy, and desired she would give him leave. + +This discourse alarmed the fairy, and made her fear it was only an +excuse to leave her. + +'My queen,' replied the prince, 'if you are offended at the leave I +asked, I entreat you to forgive me, and I will make all the +reparation I can. I did not do it with any intention of displeasing +you, but from a motive of respect towards my father, whom I wish to +free from the affliction in which my long absence must have +overwhelmed him; indeed I have reason to think he believes me +dead.' + +'Prince,' said she, 'I am so fully convinced that I can depend upon +your sincerity, that I grant you leave to go, on condition that +your absence shall not be long.' + +Prince Ahmed would have thrown himself at the fairy's feet, to show +his gratitude; but she prevented him. + +'Prince,' said she, 'go when you please; but first do not take it +amiss if I give you some advice how you shall conduct yourself +where you are going. First, I do not think it proper for you to +tell the sultan your father of our marriage, nor what I am, nor the +place where you are settled. Beg him to be satisfied with knowing +that you are happy, and that you desire no more; and let him know +that the sole end of your visit is to make him easy about your +fate.' + +She appointed twenty horsemen, well mounted and equipped, to attend +him. When all was ready, Prince Ahmed took leave of the fairy, +embraced her, and renewed his promise to return soon. Then his +horse, which was as beautiful a creature as any in the Sultan of +the Indies' stables, was brought, and he mounted him with an +extraordinary grace, which gave great pleasure to the fairy, and +after he had bid her a last adieu, set out on his journey. + +As it was not a great way to his father's capital, Prince Ahmed +soon arrived there. The people, glad to see him again, received him +with acclamations, and followed him in crowds to the sultan's +palace. The sultan received and embraced him with great joy; +complaining at the same time with a fatherly tenderness, of the +affliction his long absence had been to him; which he said was the +more grievous, since as fortune had decided in favour of Prince Ali +his brother, he was afraid he might have committed some act of +despair. + +'Sir,' replied Prince Ahmed, 'your majesty knows that when I shot +my arrow the most extraordinary thing that ever befell anybody +happened to me, that in so large and level a plain it should not be +possible to find my arrow. Though thus vanquished, I lost no time +in vain complaints; but to satisfy my perplexed mind, I gave my +attendants the slip, and returned back again alone to look for my +arrow. I sought all about the place where Prince Houssain's and +Prince Ali's arrows were found, and where I imagined mine must have +fallen; but all my labour was in vain, until after having gone four +leagues, to that part of the plain where it is bounded by rocks, I +perceived an arrow. I ran and took it up, and knew it to be the +same which I had shot. Far from thinking your majesty had done me +any injustice in declaring for my brother Prince Ali, I interpreted +what had happened to me quite otherwise, and never doubted but +there was a mystery in it to my advantage; the discovery of which I +ought not to neglect, and which I found out without going further +from the spot. But as to this mystery, I beg your majesty to let me +remain silent, and that you will be satisfied to know from my own +mouth that I am happy and contented. This was the only motive which +brought me hither; the only favour I ask of your majesty is to give +me leave to come often and pay you my respects, and inquire after +your health.' + +'Son,' answered the Sultan of the Indies, 'I cannot refuse you the +leave you ask me; but I would much rather you would resolve to stay +with me. At least tell me where I may hear of you, if you should +fail to come, or when I may think your presence necessary.' + +'Sir,' replied Prince Ahmed, 'what your majesty asks of me is part +of the mystery I spoke of. I beg of you to give me leave to remain +silent on this head; for I shall come so frequently where my duty +calls, that I am afraid I shall sooner be thought troublesome than +be accused of negligence in my duty.' + +The Sultan of the Indies pressed Prince Ahmed no more; but said to +him, 'Son, I penetrate no further into your secrets, but leave you +at your liberty. I can only tell you, that you could not do me a +greater pleasure than to come and by your presence restore to me +the joy I have not felt for a long time, and that you will always +be welcome when you come.' + +Prince Ahmed stayed but three days at the sultan his father's +court, and on the fourth returned to the fairy Pari Banou, who +received him with great joy, as she did not expect him so soon. + +A month after Prince Ahmed's return from paying a visit to his +father, as the fairy Pari Banou had observed that since the time +that the Prince gave her an account of his journey and his +conversation with his father, in which he asked his leave to come +and see him from time to time, he had never spoken of the sultan, +as if there had been no such person in the world, whereas before he +was always speaking of him, she said to him one day, 'Tell me, +prince, have you forgotten the sultan your father? Do you not +remember the promise you made to go and see him from time to time? +For my part, I have not forgotten what you told me at your return, +and put you in mind of it. Pay him another visit to-morrow, and +after that go and see him once a month, without speaking to me, or +waiting for my leave. I readily consent.' + +Prince Ahmed went the next morning with the same attendants as +before, but much finer, and himself more magnificently mounted, +equipped, and dressed, and was received by the sultan with the same +joy and satisfaction. For several months he constantly paid him +visits, and always in a richer and more brilliant equipage. + +At last some viziers, the sultan's favourites, who judged of Prince +Ahmed's grandeur and power by the figure he made, abused the +liberty the sultan gave them of speaking to him, to make him +jealous of his son. They represented to him that it was but common +prudence to know where the prince had retired, and how he could +afford to live at such a rate, since he had no revenue or income +assigned him; that he seemed to come to court only to brave him; +and that it was to be feared he might stir up the people's favour +and dethrone him. + +The Sultan of the Indies was so far from thinking that Prince Ahmed +could be capable of so wicked a design as his favourites would make +him believe, that he said to them, 'You are mistaken; my son loves +me, and I am assured of his tenderness and fidelity. Be it as it +will, I do not believe my son Ahmed is so wicked as you would +persuade me he is; however, I am obliged to you for your good +advice, and do not doubt that it proceeds from a good intention.' + +The Sultan of the Indies said this that his favourites might not +know the impression their hints had made on his mind. He was, +however, so much alarmed that he resolved to have Prince Ahmed +watched, unknown to his grand vizier. For this end he sent for a +sorceress, who was introduced by a private door into his room. 'My +son Ahmed comes to my court every month; but I cannot learn from +him where he resides, and I do not wish to force his secret out of +him; but I believe you are capable of satisfying my curiosity, +without letting him, or any of my court, know anything of the +matter. You know that at present he is here with me, and is used to +go away without taking leave of me, or any of my court. Go +immediately out on the road, find out where he retires, and bring +me word.' + +The magician left the sultan, and knowing the place where Prince +Ahmed found his arrow, went thither and hid herself near the rocks, +so that nobody could see her. + +The next morning Prince Ahmed set out by daybreak, without taking +leave either of the sultan or of any of his court, according to +custom. The magician, seeing him coming, followed him with her +eyes, till all of a sudden she lost sight of him and his +attendants. + +The steepness of the rocks formed an insurmountable barrier to men, +whether on horseback or on foot, so that the magician judged that +there were but two ways; the prince had retired either into some +cavern, or into some place underground, the abode of genies or +fairies. When she thought the prince and his attendants were out of +sight, she came out of the place where she had hidden herself, and +went direct to the hollow where she had seen them go in. She +entered it, and proceeded to the spot where it terminated in many +windings, looking carefully about on all sides. But notwithstanding +all her diligence she could perceive no opening, nor the iron gate +which Prince Ahmed discovered. For this door was to be seen by and +opened to none but men, and only to men whose presence was +agreeable to the fairy Pari Banou, and not at all to women. + +The magician, who saw it was in vain for her to search any further, +was obliged to be satisfied with the discovery she had made, and +returned to give the sultan an account. When she had told him what +she had done, she added, 'Your majesty may easily understand, after +what I have had the honour to tell you, that it will be no +difficult matter to give you the satisfaction you desire concerning +Prince Ahmed's conduct. To do this, I only ask time, and that you +will have patience, and give me leave to do it without inquiring +what measures I intend to take.' + +The sultan was very well pleased with the magician's conduct, and +said to her, 'Do as you think fit: I will wait patiently,' and to +encourage her, he made her a present of a diamond of great value, +telling her it was only an earnest of the ample reward she should +receive when she had done him that important service, which he left +to her management. + +As Prince Ahmed, after he had obtained the fairy Pari Banou's leave +to go to the Sultan of the Indies' court, never failed once a +month, and the magician knew the time, she went a day or two before +to the foot of the rock where she had lost sight of the prince and +his attendants, and waited there with a plan she had formed. + +The next morning Prince Ahmed went out as usual at the iron gate +with the same attendants as before, and passed by the magician, +whom he knew not to be such. Seeing her lie with her head on the +rock, complaining as if she were in great pain, he pitied her, +turned his horse about and went and asked her what was the matter, +and what he could do to relieve her. + +The artful sorceress, without lifting up her head, looked at the +prince, and answered in broken words and sighs, as if she could +hardly fetch her breath, that she was going to the city, but on the +way thither was taken with so violent a fever that her strength +failed her, and she was forced to stop and lie down, far from any +habitation, and without any hope of assistance. + +'Good woman,' replied Prince Ahmed, 'you are not so far from help +as you imagine. I am ready to assist you, and to convey you where +you shall not only have all possible care taken of you, but where +you will find a speedy cure; only get up, and let one of my people +take you.' + +At these words, the magician, who pretended illness only to know +where the prince lived, did not refuse the kind offer he made her +so freely, and to show her acceptance rather by action than by +word, she made many affected efforts to get up, pretending that her +illness prevented her. At the same time two of the prince's +attendants alighted off their horses, helped her up, and set her +behind another. They mounted their horses again, and followed the +prince, who turned back to the iron gate, which was opened by one +of his retinue who rode before. When he came into the outer court +of the fairy's palace, without dismounting, he sent to tell her he +wanted to speak to her. + +The fairy Pari Banou came with all haste, not knowing what made +Prince Ahmed return so soon. Not giving her time to ask him, he +said, 'My princess, I desire you would have compassion on this good +woman,' pointing to the magician, who was taken off the horse by +two of his retinue: 'I found her in the condition you see, and +promised her the assistance she stands in need of. I commend her to +your care, and am persuaded that you will not abandon her.' + +The fairy Pari Banou, who had her eyes fixed upon the pretended +sick woman all the time that the prince was talking, ordered two of +the women who followed her to take her from the two men that held +her up, and carry her into the palace, and take as much care of her +as they could. + +Whilst the two women executed the fairy's commands, she went up to +Prince Ahmed, and whispering in his ear said, 'Prince, I commend +your compassion, which is worthy of you, but give me leave to tell +you that I am afraid it will be but ill rewarded. This woman is not +so ill as she pretends to be; and I am very much mistaken if she is +not sent hither on purpose to cause you great trouble. But do not +be concerned, let what will be devised against you; be persuaded +that I will deliver you out of all the snares that may be laid for +you. Go and pursue your journey.' + +This discourse of the fairy's did not in the least alarm Prince +Ahmed. 'My princess,' said he, 'as I do not remember I ever did, or +designed to do, anybody an injury, I cannot believe anybody can +have a thought of doing me one; but if they have, I shall not +forbear doing good whenever I have an opportunity.' So saying, he +took leave of the fairy, and set out again for his father's +capital, where he soon arrived, and was received as usual by the +sultan, who restrained himself as much as possible, to disguise the +trouble arising from the suspicions suggested by his favourites. + +In the meantime, the two women to whom the fairy Pari Banou had +given her orders carried the magician into a very fine apartment, +richly furnished. First they set her down upon a sofa, with her +back supported with a cushion of gold brocade, while they made a +bed, the quilt of which was finely embroidered with silk, the +sheets of the finest linen, and the coverlid cloth of gold. When +they had put her into bed (for the old sorceress pretended that her +fever was so violent that she could not help herself in the least), +one of the women went out and soon returned again with a china cup +in her hand full of a certain liquor, which she presented to the +magician, while the other helped her to sit up. 'Drink this,' said +she, 'it is the water of the fountain of lions, and a sovereign +remedy against all fevers whatsoever. You will find the effect of +it in less than an hour's time.' + +The magician, to dissemble the better, took it after a great deal +of entreaty, as if she was very much averse to having it, but at +last taking the china cup, and shaking her head, as if she did +great violence to herself, swallowed the liquor. When she had lain +down again, the two women covered her up. 'Lie quiet,' said she who +brought her the china cup, 'and get a little sleep if you can; we +will leave you, and hope to find you perfectly cured when we come +an hour hence.' + +The magician, who came not to act a sick part long, but only to +discover Prince Ahmed's retreat, and what made him leave his +father's court, being fully satisfied in what she wanted to know, +would willingly have declared that the potion had had its effects +then, so great was her desire to return to the sultan, and inform +him of the success of her commission; but as she had been told that +the potion did not operate immediately, she was forced to await the +women's return. + +The two women came again at the time they said they should, and +found the magician up and dressed, and seated on the sofa; when she +saw them open the door she cried out, 'Oh, the admirable potion! it +has wrought its cure much sooner than you told me it would, and I +have waited a long time with impatience, to desire you to take me +to your charitable mistress to thank her for her kindness, for +which I shall always be obliged to her. Being thus cured as by a +miracle, I had rather not lose time, but continue my journey.' + +The two women, who were fairies as well as their mistress, after +they had told the magician how glad they were that she was cured so +soon, walked before her, and conducted her through several +apartments into a large hall, the most richly and magnificently +furnished of all the palace. + +Pari Banou was seated in this hall, on a throne of massy gold, +attended on each hand by a great number of beautiful fairies, all +richly dressed. At the sight of so much majesty, the magician was +so dazzled, that after she had prostrated herself before the +throne, she could not open her lips to thank the fairy, as she +proposed. However, Pari Banou saved her the trouble, and said to +her, 'Good woman, I am glad I had the opportunity of obliging you, +and to see you are able to pursue your journey. I will not detain +you, but perhaps you may not be displeased to see my palace; follow +my women, and they will show it to you.' + +The old sorceress, who had not power nor courage to say a word, +prostrated herself a second time, with her head on the carpet that +covered the foot of the throne, and so took her leave, and was +conducted by the two fairies through all the apartments which were +shown to Prince Ahmed on his first arrival there. But what +surprised her most of all was, that the two fairies told her that +all she saw and admired so much was a mere sketch of their +mistress's grandeur and riches, and that in the extent of her +dominions she had so many palaces that they could not tell the +number of them, all of different architecture, equally magnificent +and superb. They led her at last to the iron gate at which Prince +Ahmed brought her in, and after she had taken her leave of them, +and thanked them for their trouble, they opened it, and wished her +a pleasant journey. + +After the magician had gone a little way, she turned back again to +observe the door and know it again, but all in vain, for, as was +before observed, it was invisible to her and all other women. +Except in this, she was very well satisfied with her work, and +posted away to the sultan. When she came to the capital, she went +by a great many by-ways to the private door of the palace. The +sultan being informed of her arrival, sent for her into his +apartment and perceiving a melancholy look on her countenance, he +thought she had not succeeded, and said to her, 'By your looks I +guess that you have not made the discovery I expected from you.' + +'Sir,' replied the magician, 'your majesty must give me leave to +represent that you ought not to judge by my looks whether or no I +have acquitted myself well as regards the commands you were pleased +to honour me with. The melancholy you observe proceeds from another +cause than the want of success.' + +Then the magician related to the Sultan of the Indies the whole +story of all that happened from beginning to end. + +When the magician had ended, she said, 'What does your majesty +think of these unheard-of riches of the fairy? Perhaps you will say +you rejoice at the good fortune of Prince Ahmed your son. For my +part, sir, I beg of your majesty to forgive me if I take the +liberty to say that I think otherwise, and that I shudder when I +consider the misfortunes which may happen to you. And this is the +cause of the melancholy which you perceived. I would believe that +Prince Ahmed, by his own good disposition, is incapable of +undertaking anything against your majesty; but who can say that the +fairy, by the influence she already has over him, may not inspire +him with a dangerous design of dethroning your majesty, and seizing +the crown of the Indies? This is what your majesty ought to +consider serious and of the utmost importance.' + +Though the Sultan of the Indies was very sure that Prince Ahmed's +natural disposition was good, yet he could not help being uneasy at +the remarks of the old sorceress, and said, 'I thank you for the +pains you have taken, and your wholesome caution. I am so aware of +the great importance it is to me, that I shall take advice upon +it.' + +He had been consulting with his favourites, when he was told of the +magician's arrival. He ordered her to follow him to them. He +acquainted them with what he had learnt, and communicated to them +also the reason he had to fear the fairy's influence over the +prince, and asked them what measures they thought most proper to +prevent so great a misfortune. One of the favourites, taking upon +himself to speak for the rest, said, 'Your majesty knows who must +be the author of this mischief. In order to prevent it, now that he +is in your court, and in your power, you ought not to hesitate to +put him under arrest: I will not say take away his life, for that +would make too much noise; but make him a close prisoner while he +lives.' This advice all the other favourites unanimously applauded. + +The magician, who thought it too violent, asked the sultan leave to +speak, which being granted, she said, 'Sir, I am persuaded that the +zeal of your councillors for your majesty's interest makes them +propose arresting Prince Ahmed: but they will not take it amiss if +I suggest to your and their consideration, that if you arrest the +prince, you must also detain his retinue. But they are all genies. +Do they think it will be so easy to surprise, seize, and secure +their persons? Will they not disappear, by the property they +possess of rendering themselves invisible, and transport themselves +instantly to the fairy, and give her an account of the insult +offered to her husband? And can it be supposed she will let it go +unrevenged? But it would be better, if, by any other means which +might not make so great a noise, the sultan could secure himself +against any ill designs Prince Ahmed may have against him, and not +involve his majesty's honour. If his majesty has any confidence in +my advice, as genies and fairies can do things impracticable to +men, he will touch Prince Ahmed's honour, and engage him, by means +of the fairy, to procure certain advantages. For example, every +time your majesty takes the field you are obliged to go to a great +expense, not only in pavilions and tents for yourself and army, but +likewise in mules and camels, and other beasts of burden, to carry +their baggage. Might you not request him to use his interest with +the fairy to procure you a tent which might be carried in a man's +hand, and which should be large enough to shelter your whole army? + +'I need say no more to your majesty. If the prince brings such a +tent, you may make a great many other demands of the same nature, +so that at last he may sink under the difficulties and the +impossibility of executing them, however fertile in invention the +fairy who has enticed him from you by her enchantments may be; so +that in time he will be ashamed to appear, and will be forced to +pass the rest of his life with his fairy, excluded from any +connection with this world; and then your majesty will have nothing +to fear, and cannot be reproached with so detestable an action as +the shedding of a son's blood, or confining him in a prison for +life.' + +When the magician had finished her speech, the sultan asked his +favourites if they had anything better to propose; and finding them +all silent, determined to follow the magician's advice, as the most +reasonable and the most suited to his mild manner of government. + +The next day, when the prince came into his father's presence and +had sat down by him, after a conversation on different subjects, +the sultan said, 'Son, when you came and dispelled those clouds of +melancholy which your long absence had brought upon me, you made +the place you had chosen for your retreat a mystery to me. I was +satisfied with seeing you again, and knowing that you were content +with your condition, without wishing to penetrate into your secret, +which I found you did not care I should. I know not what reason you +had thus to treat a father. I know your good fortune; I rejoice +with you, and very much approve of your conduct in marrying a fairy +so worthy of your love, and so rich and powerful, as I am informed. +Powerful as I am, it was not possible for me to have procured so +great a match for you. Now that you are raised to so high a rank as +to be envied by everybody but a father like me, I not only desire +you to preserve the good understanding we have lived in hitherto, +but to use all your credit with your fairy to obtain for me her +assistance when I want it. I therefore will make a trial this day. + +'I am persuaded you could easily procure from her a pavilion that +might be carried in a man's hand, yet which would extend over my +whole army; especially when you let her know it is for me. Though +it may be a difficult thing, she will not refuse you. All the world +knows that fairies are capable of doing the most extraordinary +things.' + +Prince Ahmed never expected that the sultan his father would have +asked a thing which, at first sight, appeared to him so difficult, +not to say impossible. Though he knew not absolutely how great the +power of genies and fairies was, he doubted whether it extended so +far as to furnish a tent such as his father desired. Moreover, he +had never asked anything like it of the fairy Pari Banou, but was +satisfied with her continual kindness; therefore he was in the +greatest embarrassment what answer to make. At last he replied, +'If, sir, I have concealed from your majesty what happened to me +and what course I took after finding my arrow, the reason was that +I thought it was of no great importance to you to be informed of +them; and though I know not how this mystery has been revealed to +you, I cannot deny that your information is correct. I have married +the fairy you speak of. I love her, and am persuaded she loves me. +But I can say nothing as to the influence your majesty believes I +have over her. It is what I have not yet made any experiment of or +thought of, and should be very glad if you would dispense with my +undertaking it, and let me enjoy the happiness of loving and being +beloved with all the disinterestedness I proposed to myself. But +the demand of a father is a command upon every child who, like me, +thinks it his duty to obey him in everything. And though it is with +the greatest reluctance imaginable, I will not fail to ask my wife +the favour your majesty desires, but will not promise to obtain it; +and if I should not have the honour to come again to pay you my +respects, that shall be the sign that I have not had success: but I +desire you to forgive me beforehand, and consider that you yourself +have reduced me to this extremity.' + +'Son,' replied the Sultan of the Indies, 'I should be very sorry +that what I ask of you should prevent my ever seeing you again. Go, +only ask her. Think with yourself, that as you love her, you could +refuse her nothing; therefore, if she loves you, she will not deny +your request.' + +All this discourse of the Sultan of the Indies could not persuade +Prince Ahmed, who would rather he had asked anything than the risk +of displeasing his dear Pari Banou; and so great was his vexation, +that he left the court two days sooner than usual. + +When he returned, the fairy, to whom he had always before appeared +with a cheerful countenance, asked him the reason of the +alteration; and finding that instead of answering her, he inquired +after her health to avoid satisfying her, she said to him, 'I will +answer your question when you have answered mine.' The prince +declined it a long time, protesting that nothing was the matter +with him; but the more he denied it, the more she pressed him, and +said, 'I cannot bear to see you in this condition: tell me what +makes you so uneasy, that I may remove the cause of it, whatever it +may be; for it must be very extraordinary if it is out of my +power.' + +Prince Ahmed could not long withstand the fairy. 'Madam,' said he, +'God prolong the sultan my father's life, and bless him to the end +of his days. I left him alive, and in perfect health: therefore +that is not the cause of the melancholy you perceive in me. The +sultan has imposed upon me the disagreeable task of worrying you. +You know the care I have taken, with your approbation, to conceal +from him my happiness at home with you. How he has been informed of +it I cannot tell.' + +Here the fairy Pari Banou interrupted Prince Ahmed, and said, 'But +I know. Remember what I told you of the woman who made you believe +she was ill, on whom you took so much compassion. It is she who has +acquainted the sultan your father with what you took so much care +to hide from him. I told you that she was no more sick than you or +I, for, after the two women whom I charged to take care of her had +given her the water sovereign against all fevers, which, however, +she had no occasion for, she pretended that the water had cured +her, and was brought to take leave of me, that she might go sooner +to give an account of the success of her undertaking. She was in so +much haste that she would have gone away without seeing my palace, +if I had not, by bidding my two women show it her, given her to +understand that it was worth her seeing. But go on and tell me what +is the necessity your father has imposed on you which has made you +feel troublesome to me, which I desire you will be persuaded you +can never be.' + +'Madam,' pursued Prince Ahmed, 'you may have observed that hitherto +I have never asked you any favour, for what, after the possession +of so kind a wife, can I desire more? I know how great your power +is, but I have taken care not to make trial of it. Consider then, I +beg you, that it is not me, but the sultan my father, who, +indiscreetly, as I think, asks of you a pavilion large enough to +shelter him, his court, and his army, from the violence of the +weather, when he takes the field, and yet small enough for a man to +carry in his hand. Once more remember it is not I, but the sultan +my father who asks this favour.' + +'Prince,' replied the fairy, smiling, 'I am sorry that so small a +matter should disturb you, and make you so uneasy. I see plainly +two things have contributed towards it: one is, the law you have +imposed upon yourself, to be content with loving me and being +beloved by me, and to deny yourself the liberty of asking me the +least favour that might try my power. The other, I do not doubt, +whatever you may say, was that you thought what your father asked +of me was out of my power. As to the first, I commend you for it, +and shall love you the better, if possible; and for the second, I +must tell you that what the sultan your father asks of me is a +trifle; and upon occasion, I can do much more difficult things. +Therefore be easy, and persuaded that, far from feeling worried, I +shall always take great pleasure in whatever you can desire me to +do for your sake.' Then the fairy sent for her treasurer, to whom +she said 'Nourgihan' (which was her name), 'bring me the largest +pavilion in my treasury.' Nourgihan returned presently with a +pavilion, which could not only be held but concealed in the palm of +the hand when it was closed, and presented it to her mistress, who +gave it to Prince Ahmed to look at. + +When Prince Ahmed saw the pavilion, which the fairy called the +largest in her treasury, he fancied she was joking, and his +surprise appeared in his face. Pari Banou burst out laughing. +'What! Prince,' cried she, 'do you think I jest with you? You will +see presently that I am in earnest. Nourgihan' said she to her +treasurer, taking the tent out of Prince Ahmed's hands, 'go and set +it up, that the prince may judge whether the sultan his father will +think it large enough.' + +The treasurer immediately went out from the palace, and carried it +to such a distance that when she had set it up one end reached to +the palace. The prince, so far from thinking it small, found it +large enough to shelter two armies as numerous as that of the +sultan his father; and then said to Pari Banou, 'I ask my princess +a thousand pardons for my incredulity: after what I have seen, I +believe there is nothing impossible to you.' + +'You see,' said the fairy, 'that the pavilion is larger than your +father may have occasion for; but you are to observe that it +becomes larger or smaller, according to the army it is to cover, +without being touched.' + +The treasurer took down the tent again, reduced it to its first +size, and brought it and put it into the prince's hands. He took +it, and next day mounted his horse and went with the usual +attendants to the sultan his father. + +The sultan, who was persuaded that such a tent as he asked for was +beyond all possibility, was in great surprise at the prince's +diligence. He took the tent and admired its smallness. But when he +had set it up in the great plain, and found it large enough to +shelter an army twice as large as he could bring into the field, +his amazement was so great that he could not recover himself. As he +thought this might be troublesome in use, Prince Ahmed told him +that its size would always be proportionate to his army. + +To outward appearance the sultan expressed great obligation to the +prince his son for so noble a present, desiring him to return his +thanks to the fairy Pari Banou; and to show what a value he set on +it, he ordered it to be carefully laid up in his treasury. But +within himself he became more jealous than ever; considering that +by the fairy's assistance the prince his son might perform things +that were infinitely above his own power, notwithstanding his +greatness and riches; and, therefore, more intent upon his ruin, he +went to consult the magician again, who advised him to request the +prince to bring him some of the water of the fountain of lions. + +In the evening, when the sultan was surrounded as usual by all his +court, and the prince came to pay his respects among the rest, he +said to him: 'Son, I have already expressed how much I am obliged +to you for the present of the tent you have procured me, which I +look upon as the most valuable thing in my treasury; but you must +do one thing more for me. I am informed that the fairy your wife +makes use of a certain water, called the water of the fountain of +lions, which cures all sorts of fevers, even the most dangerous; +and as I am perfectly sure that my health is dear to you, I do not +doubt that you will ask her for a bottle of that water for me, and +bring it me as a sovereign remedy, which I may make use of when I +have occasion. Do me this service, and complete the duty of a good +son towards a tender father.' + +Prince Ahmed, who had believed that the sultan his father would +have been satisfied with so singular and useful a tent as that +which he had brought, and that he would not have imposed any new +task upon him which might hazard the fairy's displeasure; was +thunderstruck at this new request, notwithstanding the assurance +she had given him of granting him whatever lay in her power. After +a long silence, he said, 'I beg of your majesty to be assured that +there is nothing I would not undertake to prolong your life, but I +wish it might not be by means of my wife. For this reason I dare +not promise to bring the water. All I can do is to assure you I +will ask her; but it will be with as great reluctance as when I +asked for the tent.' + +The next morning Prince Ahmed returned to the fairy Pari Banou, and +related to her sincerely and faithfully all that had passed at the +sultan his father's court, from the giving of the tent, which he +told her he received with the utmost gratitude, to the new request +he had charged him to make, and when he had done, he added: 'but, +my princess, I only tell you this as a plain account of what passed +between me and my father. I leave you to your own discretion to +gratify or reject this new desire. It shall be as you please.' + +'No, no,' replied the fairy Pari Banou, 'whatever advice the +magician can give him (for I see that he hearkens to her), he shall +find no fault with you or me. There is a great deal of wickedness +in this demand, as you will understand by what I am going to tell +you. The fountain of lions is situated in the middle of a court of +a great castle, the entrance into which is guarded by four fierce +lions, two of which sleep while the other two are awake +alternately. But let not that frighten you. I will give you means +to pass by them without any danger.' + +The fairy Pari Banou was at that time hard at work with her needle; +and as she had by her several balls of thread, she took up one, and +presenting it to Prince Ahmed, said, 'First take this ball of +thread; I will tell you presently the use of it. In the second +place, you must have two horses; one you will ride yourself, and +the other you will lead, which must be loaded with a sheep cut into +four quarters, and killed to-day. In the third place, you must be +provided with a bottle, which I will give you, to bring the water +in. Set out early to-morrow morning, and when you have passed the +iron gate, throw before you the ball of thread, which will roll +till it comes to the gates of the castle. When it stops, as the +gates will be open, you will see the four lions. The two that are +awake will, by their roaring, wake the other two. Be not +frightened, but throw each of them a quarter of the sheep, and then +clap spurs to your horse, and ride to the fountain. Fill your +bottle without alighting, and then return with the same speed. The +lions will be so busy eating that they will let you pass.' + +Prince Ahmed set out the next morning at the time appointed by the +fairy, and followed her directions carefully. When he arrived at +the gates of the castle, he distributed the quarters of the sheep +among the four lions, and passing through the midst of them with +haste, got to the fountain, filled his bottle, and returned as safe +and sound as he went. When he was a little distance from the castle +gates, he turned round; and perceiving two of the lions coming +after him, he drew his sabre, and prepared for defence. But as he +went forward, he saw one of them turned off the road, and showed by +his head and tail that he did not come to do him any harm, but only +to go before him, and that the other stayed behind to follow. He +therefore put his sword again into its scabbard. Guarded in this +manner he arrived at the capital of the Indies; but the lions never +left him till they had conducted him to the gates of the sultan's +palace; after which they returned the way they came, though not +without frightening all that saw them, who fled or hid themselves, +though they walked gently, and showed no signs of fierceness. + +A great many officers came to attend the prince while he +dismounted, and conducted him to the apartments of the sultan, who +was at that time conversing with his favourites. He approached the +throne, laid the bottle at the sultan's feet, kissed the rich +carpet which covered the footstool, and rising, said, 'I have +brought you, sir, the health-giving water which your majesty so +much desired to keep in your treasury; but at the same time wish +you such health that you may never have occasion to make use of +it.' + +After the prince had finished speaking, the sultan placed him on +his right hand, and then said, 'Son, I am very much obliged to you +for this valuable present; also for the great danger you have +exposed yourself to upon my account, which I have been informed of +by the magician who knows the fountain of lions; but do me the +pleasure,' continued he, 'to tell me by what incredible power you +have been preserved.' + +'Sir,' replied Prince Ahmed, 'I have no share in the compliment +your majesty is pleased to make me; all the honour is due to the +fairy my wife; I merely followed her good advice.' The sultan +showed outwardly all the demonstrations of joy, but secretly became +more and more jealous, retired into an inner apartment, and sent +for the magician. + +After conferring with her, the sultan next day said to the prince, +in the midst of all his courtiers, 'Son, I have one thing more to +ask of you; after which, I shall expect nothing more from your +obedience, nor your influence with your wife. This request is, to +bring me a man not above a foot and a half high, whose beard is +thirty feet long, who carries upon his shoulders a bar of iron of +five hundredweight which he uses as a quarterstaff, and who can +speak.' + +Prince Ahmed, who did not believe that there was such a man in the +world as his father described, would gladly have excused himself; +but the sultan persisted in his demand, and told him that the fairy +could do more incredible things. + +Next day the prince returned to the subterranean kingdom of Pari +Banou, to whom he told his father's new demand, which, he said, he +looked upon as more impossible than the first two; 'for,' added he, +'I cannot imagine that there is or can be such a man in the world: +either he has a mind to try whether I am silly enough to go and +seek him; or if there is such a man, he seeks my ruin. How can he +suppose that I should get hold of a man so small, armed as he +describes? What arms could I make use of to reduce him to +submission?' + +'Do not affright yourself, prince,' replied the fairy; 'you ran a +risk in fetching the water of the fountain of lions for your +father; but there is no danger in finding this man. It is my +brother, Schaibar, who is so far from being like me, though we both +had the same father, that he is of so violent a nature that nothing +can prevent his giving gory marks of his resentment for a slight +offence; yet, on the other hand, he is so good as to oblige any one +in whatever they desire. He is made exactly as the sultan your +father has described him; and he has no other arms than a bar of +iron five hundred pounds in weight, without which he never stirs, +and which makes him respected. I will send for him, and you shall +judge of the truth of what I tell you; and prepare not to be +frightened when you see him.' + +'What! my queen,' replied Prince Ahmed, 'do you say Schaibar is +your brother? Let him be ever so ugly or deformed, I shall love and +honour him, and consider him as my nearest relation.' + +The fairy ordered a gold chafing-dish to be set with a fire in it +under the porch of her palace, with a box of the same metal. Taking +some incense out of this, and throwing it into the fire, there +arose a thick cloud of smoke. + +Some moments after, the fairy said to Prince Ahmed, 'Prince, here +comes my brother; do you see him?' + +The prince immediately perceived Schaibar, who was but a foot and a +half high, coming gravely with his heavy bar on his shoulder; his +beard, thirty feet long, supported itself before him, and a pair of +thick moustaches were tucked up to his ears, almost covering his +face: his eyes were very small, like a pig's, and sunk deep in his +head, which was of an enormous size, and on which he wore a pointed +cap: besides all this, he had a hump behind and before. + +If Prince Ahmed had not known that Schaibar was Pari Banou's +brother, he would not have been able to look at him without fear; +but knowing beforehand who he was, he waited for him with the +fairy, and received him without the least concern. + +Schaibar, as he came forward, looked at the prince with an eye that +might have chilled his soul in his body, and asked Pari Banou who +that man was. + +To which she replied: 'He is my husband, brother; his name is +Ahmed; he is son to the Sultan of the Indies. The reason why I did +not invite you to my wedding was that I was unwilling to divert you +from the expedition you were engaged in, and from which I heard +with pleasure that you returned victorious; on his account I have +taken the liberty now to send for you.' + +At these words, Schaibar, looking at Prince Ahmed with a favourable +eye, which however diminished neither his fierceness nor his savage +look, said, 'Is there anything, sister, in which I can serve him? +he has only to speak. It is enough for me that he is your husband.' + +'The sultan his father,' replied Pari Banou, 'has a curiosity to +see you, and I desire he may be your guide to the Sultan's court.' + +'He need but lead the way; I will follow him,' replied Schaibar. + +'Brother,' replied Pari Banou, 'it is too late to go to-day, +therefore stay till to-morrow morning; and in the meantime, as it +is desirable that you should know all that has passed between the +Sultan of the Indies and Prince Ahmed since our marriage, I will +tell you this evening.' + +Next morning, after Schaibar had been informed of all that was +proper for him to know, he set out with Prince Ahmed, who was to +present him to the sultan. When they arrived at the gates of the +capital, the people no sooner saw Schaibar than they ran and hid +themselves in their shops and houses, and shut their doors; while +others took to their heels, and communicated their fear to all they +met, who did not wait to look behind them, but ran too; insomuch +that Schaibar and Prince Ahmed, as they went along, found all the +streets and squares deserted, till they came to the palace, where +the porters, instead of preventing Schaibar from entering, also ran +away; so that the prince and he advanced without any obstacle to +the council-hall, where the sultan was seated on his throne giving +audience. Here likewise the officers, at the approach of Schaibar, +abandoned their posts. + +Schaibar, carrying his head erect, went fiercely up to the throne, +without waiting to be introduced by Prince Ahmed, and accosted the +Sultan of the Indies in these words: + +'You have asked for me, see, here I am: what do you want with me?' + +The sultan, instead of answering, clapt his hands before his eyes, +and turned away his head, to avoid the sight of so terrible an +object. Schaibar was so much provoked at this uncivil and rude +reception, after the Sultan had given him the trouble to come so +far, that he instantly lifted up his iron bar, and saying, 'Speak +then,' let it fall on his head, and killed him before Prince Ahmed +could intercede in his behalf. All that he could do was to prevent +his killing the grand vizier, who sat not far from him on his right +hand, representing to him that he had always given the sultan his +father good advice. + +'These are they then,' said Schaibar, 'who gave him bad advice;' +and as he pronounced these words, he killed all the other viziers +on the right and left, flatterers and favourites of the sultan, who +were Prince Ahmed's enemies. Every time he struck, he killed some +one or other, and none escaped but they who, not rendered +motionless by fear, saved themselves by flight. + +When this terrible execution was over, Schaibar came out of the +council-hall into the midst of the court-yard with the iron bar on +his shoulder, and looking at the grand vizier, who owed his life to +Prince Ahmed, he said, 'I know there is a certain sorceress, who is +a greater enemy of the prince my brother-in-law than all those base +favourites I have chastised; let her be brought to me at once.' The +grand vizier immediately sent for her, and as soon as she was +brought, Schaibar said, knocking her down with his iron bar, 'Take +the reward of thy pernicious counsel, and learn to feign illness +again:' and left her dead on the spot. + +After this he said, 'This is not enough; I will treat the whole +city in the same manner, if they do not immediately acknowledge +Prince Ahmed my brother-in-law for their sultan, and Sultan of the +Indies.' Then all that were present made the air ring with the +repeated acclamations of 'Long life to Sultan Ahmed'; and +immediately afterwards he was proclaimed throughout the whole town +Schaibar made him be clothed in the royal vestments, installed him +on the throne, and after he had made all do homage and fidelity to +him, went and fetched his sister Pari Banou, whom he brought with +great pomp, and made her acknowledged Sultaness of the Indies. + +As for Prince Ali and Princess Nouronnihar, as they had no hand in +the conspiracy against Prince Ahmed, nor knew of any such +conspiracy, Prince Ahmed assigned them a considerable province, +with its capital, where they spent the rest of their lives. +Afterwards he sent an officer to Prince Houssain to acquaint him +with the change, and to make him an offer of whichever province he +liked best; but that prince thought himself so happy in his +solitude that he bade the officer return the Sultan his brother +thanks for his kindness, assuring him of his submission; and saying +that the only favour he desired was leave to live retired in the +place he had made choice of for his retreat. + + + + + + PRINCE CAMARALZAMAN AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA. + + + +About twenty days' sail from the coast of Persia, in the Islands of +the Children of Khaledan, there lived a king who had an only son, +Prince Camaralzaman. He was brought up with all imaginable care; +and when he came to a proper age, his father appointed him an +experienced governor and able tutors. As he grew up he learned all +the knowledge which a prince ought to possess, and acquitted +himself so well that he charmed all that saw him, and particularly +the sultan his father. + +When the prince had attained the age of fifteen years, the sultan, +who loved him tenderly, and gave him every day new marks of his +affection, had thoughts of giving him a still greater one, by +resigning to him his throne, and he acquainted his grand vizier +with his intentions. 'I fear,' said he, 'lest my son should lose in +the inactivity of youth those advantages which nature and education +have given him; therefore, since I am advanced in age, and ought to +think of retirement, I have thoughts of resigning the government to +him, and passing the remainder of my days in the satisfaction of +seeing him reign. I have undergone the fatigue of a crown a long +while, and think it is now proper for me to retire.' + +The grand vizier did not wholly dissuade the sultan from such a +proceeding, but sought to modify his intentions. 'Sir,' replied he, +'the prince is yet but young, and it would not be, in my humble +opinion, advisable to burden him with the weight of a crown so +soon. Your majesty fears, with great reason, his youth may be +corrupted in indolence, but to remedy that do not you think it +would be proper to marry him? Your majesty might then admit him to +your council, where he would learn by degrees the art of reigning, +and so be prepared to receive your authority whenever in your +discernment you shall think him qualified.' + +The sultan found this advice of his prime minister highly +reasonable, therefore he summoned the prince to appear before him +at the same time that he dismissed the grand vizier. + +The prince, who had been accustomed to see his father only at +certain times, without being sent for, was a little startled at +this summons; when, therefore, he came before him, he saluted him +with great respect, and stood with his eyes fixed on the ground. + +The sultan perceiving his constraint, said to him in a mild way, +'Do you know, son, for what reason I have sent for you?' + +The prince modestly replied, 'God alone knows the heart; I shall +hear it from your majesty with pleasure.' + +'I sent for you,' said the sultan, 'to inform you that I have an +intention of providing a proper marriage for you; what do you think +of it?' + +Prince Camaralzaman heard this with great uneasiness: it so +surprised him, that he paused and knew not what answer to make. +After a few moments' silence, he replied, 'Sir, I beseech you to +pardon me if I seem surprised at the declaration you have made to +me. I did not expect such proposals to one so young as I am. It +requires time to determine on what your majesty requires of me.' + +Prince Camaralzaman's answer extremely afflicted his father. He was +not a little grieved to see what an aversion he had to marriage, +yet would not charge him with disobedience, nor exert his paternal +authority. He contented himself with telling him he would not force +his inclinations, but give him time to consider the proposal. + +The sultan said no more to the prince: he admitted him into his +council, and gave him every reason to be satisfied. At the end of +the year he took him aside, and said to him, 'My son, have you +thoroughly considered what I proposed to you last year about +marrying? Will you still refuse me that pleasure I expect from your +obedience, and suffer me to die without it?' + +The prince seemed less disconcerted than before, and was not long +answering his father to this effect: 'Sir, I have not neglected to +consider your proposal, but after the maturest reflection find +myself more confirmed in my resolution to continue as I am, so that +I hope your majesty will pardon me if I presume to tell you it will +be in vain to speak to me any further about marriage.' He stopped +here, and went out without staying to hear what the sultan would +answer. + +Any other monarch would have been very angry at such freedom in a +son, and would have made him repent it, but the sultan loved him, +and preferred gentle methods before he proceeded to compulsion. He +communicated this new cause of discontent to his prime minister. 'I +have followed your advice,' said he, 'but Camaralzaman is further +than ever from complying with my desires. He delivered his +resolution in such free terms that it required all my reason and +moderation to keep my temper. Tell me, I beseech you, how I shall +reclaim a disposition so rebellious to my will?' + +'Sir,' answered the grand vizier, 'patience brings many things +about that before seemed impracticable, but it may be this affair +is of a nature not likely to succeed in that way. Your majesty +would have no cause to reproach yourself if you gave the prince +another year to consider the matter. If, in this interval he +returns to his duty, you will have the greater satisfaction, and if +he still continues averse to your proposal when this is expired, +your majesty may propose to him in full council that it is highly +necessary for the good of the state that he should marry, and it is +not likely he will refuse to comply before so grave an assembly, +which you honour with your presence.' + +The year expired, and, to the great regret of the sultan, Prince +Camaralzaman gave not the least proof of having changed his mind. +One day, therefore, when there was a great council held, the prime +vizier, the other viziers, the principal officers of the crown, and +the generals of the army being present, the sultan began to speak +thus to the prince: 'My son, it is now a long while since I have +expressed to you my earnest desire to see you married; and I +imagined you would have had more consideration for a father, who +required nothing unreasonable of you, than to oppose him so long. +But after so long a resistance on your part, which has almost worn +out my patience, I have thought fit to propose the same thing once +more to you in the presence of my council. I would have you +consider that you ought not to have refused this, not merely to +oblige a parent; the well-being of my dominions requires it; and +the assembly here present joins with me to require it of you. +Declare yourself, then; that, according to your answer, I may take +the proper measures.' + +The prince answered with so little reserve, or rather with so much +warmth, that the sultan, enraged to see himself thwarted in full +council, cried out, 'Unnatural son! have you the insolence to talk +thus to your father and sultan?' He ordered the guards to take him +away, and carry him to an old tower that had been unoccupied for a +long while, where he was shut up, with only a bed, a little +furniture, some books, and one slave to attend him. + +Camaralzaman, thus deprived of liberty, was nevertheless pleased +that he had the freedom to converse with his books, and that made +him look on his imprisonment with indifference. In the evening he +bathed and said his prayers; and after having read some chapters in +the Koran, with the same tranquility of mind as if he had been in +the sultan's palace, he undressed himself and went to bed, leaving +his lamp burning by him all the while he slept. + +In this tower was a well, which served in the daytime for a retreat +to a certain fairy, named Maimoune, daughter of Damriat, king or +head of a legion of genies. It was about midnight when Maimoune +sprang lightly to the mouth of the well, to wander about the world +after her wonted custom, where her curiosity led her. She was +surprised to see a light in Prince Camaralzaman's chamber, and +entered, without stopping, over the slave who lay at the door. + +Prince Camaralzaman had but half-covered his face with the +bedclothes, and Maimoune perceived the finest young man she had +seen in all her rambles through the world. 'What crime can he have +committed,' said she to herself, 'that a man of his high rank can +deserve to be treated thus severely?' for she had already heard his +story, and could hardly believe it. + +She could not forbear admiring the prince, till at length, having +kissed him gently on both cheeks and in the middle of the forehead +without waking him, she took her flight into the air. As she +mounted high to the middle region, she heard a great flapping of +wings, which made her fly that way; and when she approached, she +knew it was a genie who made the noise, but it was one of those +that are rebellious. As for Maimoune, she belonged to that class +whom the great Solomon compelled to acknowledge him. + +This genie, whose name was Danhasch, knew Maimoune, and was seized +with fear, being sensible how much power she had over him by her +submission to the Almighty. He would fain have avoided her, but she +was so near him that he must either fight or yield. He therefore +broke silence first. + +'Brave Maimoune,' said he, in the tone of a suppliant, 'swear to me +that you will not hurt me; and I swear also on my part not to do +you any harm.' + +'Cursed genie,' replied Maimoune, 'what hurt canst thou do me? I +fear thee not; but I will grant thee this favour; I will swear not +to do thee any harm. Tell me then, wandering spirit, whence thou +comest, what thou hast seen, and what thou hast done this night.' + +'Fair lady,' answered Danhasch, 'you meet me at a good time to hear +something very wonderful. I come from the utmost limits of China, +which look on the last islands of this hemisphere. But, charming +Maimoune,' said Danhasch, who so trembled with fear at the sight of +this fairy that he could hardly speak, 'promise me at least that +you will forgive me, and let me go on after I have satisfied your +demands.' + +'Go on, go on, cursed spirit,' replied Maimoune; 'go on and fear +nothing. Dost thou think I am as perfidious an elf as thyself, and +capable of breaking the solemn oath I have made? Be sure you tell +nothing but what is true, or I shall clip thy wings, and treat thee +as thou deservest.' + +Danhasch, a little heartened at the words of Maimoune, said, 'My +dear lady, I will tell you nothing but what is strictly true, if +you will but have the goodness to hear me. The country of China, +from whence I come, is one of the largest and most powerful +kingdoms of the earth. The king of this country is at present +Gaiour, who has an only daughter, the finest maiden that ever was +seen in the world since it was a world. Neither you nor I, nor your +class nor mine, nor all our respective genies, have expressions +strong enough, nor eloquence sufficient to describe this brilliant +lady. Any one that did not know the king, father of this +incomparable princess would scarcely be able to imagine the great +respect and kindness he shows her. No one has ever dreamed of such +care as his to keep her from every one but the man who is to marry +her: and, that the retreat which he has resolved to place her in +may not seem irksome to her, he has built for her seven palaces, +the most extraordinary and magnificent that ever were known. + +'The first palace is of rock crystal, the second of copper, the +third of fine steel, the fourth of brass, the fifth of touchstone, +the sixth of silver, and the seventh of massy gold. He has +furnished these palaces most sumptuously, each in a manner suited +to the materials that they are built of. He has filled the gardens +with grass and flowers, intermixed with pieces of water, water- +works, fountains, canals, cascades, and several great groves of +trees, where the eye is lost in the prospect, and where the sun +never enters, and all differently arranged. King Gaiour, in a word, +has shown that he has spared no expense. + +'Upon the fame of this incomparable princess's beauty, the most +powerful neighbouring kings sent ambassadors to request her in +marriage. The King of China received them all in the same obliging +manner; but as he resolved not to compel his daughter to marry +without her consent, and as she did not like any of the suitors, +the ambassadors were forced to return as they came: they were +perfectly satisfied with the great honours and civilities they had +received.' + +'"Sir," said the princess to the king her father, "you have an +inclination to see me married, and think to oblige me by it; but +where shall I find such stately palaces and delicious gardens as I +have with your majesty? Through your good pleasure I am under no +constraint, and have the same honours shown to me as are paid to +yourself. These are advantages I cannot expect to find anywhere +else, to whatsoever husband I should give my hand; men love ever to +be masters, and I do not care to be commanded." + +'At last there came an embassy from the most rich and potent king +of all. This prince the King of China recommended to his daughter +as her husband, urging many powerful arguments to show how much it +would be to her advantage to accept him, but she intreated her +father to dispense with her accepting him for the same reasons as +before, and at last lost all the respect due to the king her +father: "Sir," said she, in anger, "talk to me no more of this or +any other match, unless you would have me plunge this poniard in my +bosom, to deliver myself from your importunities." + +'The king, greatly enraged, said "Daughter, you are mad, and I must +treat you as such." In a word, he had her shut up in a single +apartment of one of his palaces, and allowed her only ten old women +to wait upon her and keep her company, the chief of whom had been +her nurse. And in order that the kings his neighbours, who had sent +embassies to him on this account, might not think any more of her, +he despatched envoys to them severally, to let them know how averse +his daughter was to marriage; and as he did not doubt that she was +really mad, he charged them to make known in every court that if +there were any physician that would undertake to come and cure her, +he should, if he succeeded, marry her for his pains. + +'Fair Maimoune,' continued Danhasch, 'all that I have told you is +true; and I have not failed to go every day regularly to +contemplate this incomparable beauty, to whom I would be very sorry +to do the least harm, notwithstanding my natural inclination to +mischief. Come and see her, I conjure you; it would be well worth +your while; I am ready to wait on you as a guide, and you have only +to command me. I doubt not that you would think yourself obliged to +me for the sight of a princess unequalled for beauty.' + +Instead of answering Danhasch, Maimoune burst out into violent +laughter, which lasted for some time; and Danhasch, not knowing +what might be the occasion of it, was astonished beyond measure. +When she had laughed till she could laugh no more, she cried, +'Good, good, very good! you would have me believe all you have told +me: I thought you intended to tell me something surprising and +extraordinary, and you have been talking all this while of a mad +woman. What would you say, cursed genie, if you had seen the +beautiful prince that I have just come from seeing? I am confident +you would soon give up the contest, and not pretend to compare your +choice with mine.' + +'Agreeable Maimoune,' replied Danhasch, 'may I presume to ask you +who is this prince you speak of?' + +'Know,' answered Maimoune, 'the same thing has happened to him as +to your princess. The king his father would have married him +against his will; but, after much importunity, he frankly told him +he would have nothing to do with a wife. For this reason he is at +this moment imprisoned in an old tower which I make my residence, +and whence I came but just now from admiring him.' + +'I will not absolutely contradict you,' replied Danhasch; 'but, my +pretty lady, you must give me leave to be of opinion, till I have +seen your prince, that no mortal upon earth can come up to the +beauty of my princess.' + +'Hold thy tongue, cursed sprite,' replied Maimoune. 'I tell thee +once more that that can never be.' + +'I will not contend with you,' said Danhasch; 'but the way to be +convinced whether what I say is true or false is to accept the +proposal I made you to go and see my princess, and after that I +will go with you to your prince.' + +'There is no need I should take so much pains' replied Maimoune; +'there is another way to satisfy us both; and that is for you to +bring your princess, and place her in my prince's room; by this +means it will be easy for us to compare them together and determine +the dispute.' + +Danhasch consented to what Maimoune had proposed, and determined to +set out immediately for China upon that errand. But Maimoune told +him she must first show him the tower whither he was to bring the +princess. They flew together to the tower, and when Maimoune had +shown it to Danhasch, she cried, 'Go, fetch your princess, and do +it quickly, for you shall find me here: but listen, you shall pay +the wager if my prince is more beautiful than your princess, and I +will pay it if your princess is more beautiful than my prince.' + +Danhasch left Maimoune, and flew towards China, whence he soon +returned with incredible speed, bringing the fair princess along +with him, asleep. Maimoune received him, and introduced him into +the tower of Prince Camaralzaman, where they placed the princess +still asleep. + +At once there arose a great contest between the genie and the fairy +about their respective beauty. They were some time admiring and +comparing them without speaking: at length Danhasch broke silence, +and said to Maimoune, 'You see, as I have already told you, my +princess is handsomer than your prince; now, I hope, you are +convinced of it.' + +'Convinced of it!' replied Maimoune; 'I am not convinced of it, and +you must be blind if you cannot see that my prince is far +handsomer. The princess is fair, I do not deny; but if you compare +them together without prejudice, you will quickly see the +difference.' + +'Though I should compare them ever so often,' said Danhasch, 'I +could never change my opinion. I saw at first sight what I see now, +and time will not make me see differently: however, this shall not +hinder my yielding to you, charming Maimoune, if you desire it.' + +'Yield to me as a favour? I scorn it,' said Maimoune: 'I would not +receive a favour at the hand of such a wicked genie; I refer the +matter to an umpire, and if you will not consent I shall win by +your refusal.' + +Danhasch no sooner gave his consent than Maimoune stamped with her +foot; the earth opened, and out came a hideous, humpbacked, +squinting, and lame genie, with six horns on his head, and claws on +his hands and feet. As soon as he had come forth, and the earth had +closed up, he, perceiving Maimoune, cast himself at her feet, and +then rising up on one knee asked her what she would please to do +with him. + +'Rise, Caschcasch,' said Maimoune, 'I brought you hither to +determine a difference between me and Danhasch. Look there, and +tell me, without partiality, which is the handsomest of those two +that lie asleep, the young man or the young lady.' + +Caschcasch looked at the prince and princess with great attention, +admiration and surprise; and after he had considered them a good +while, without being able to determine which was the handsomer, he +turned to Maimoune, and said, 'Madam, I must confess I should +deceive you and betray myself, if I pretended to say that one was a +whit handsomer than the other: the more I examine them, the more it +seems to me that each possesses, in a sovereign degree, the beauty +which is betwixt them. But if there be any difference, the best way +to determine it is to awaken them one after the other, and by their +conduct to decide which ought to be deemed the most beautiful.' + +This proposal of Caschcasch's pleased equally both Maimoune and +Danhasch. Maimoune then changed herself into a gnat, and leaping on +the prince's neck stung him so smartly that he awoke, and put up +his hand to the place; but Maimoune skipped away, and resumed her +own form, which, like those of the two genies, was invisible, the +better to observe what he would do. + +In drawing back his hand, the prince chanced to let it fall on that +of the Princess of China, and on opening his eyes, was exceedingly +surprised to perceive a lady of the greatest beauty. He raised his +head and leaned on his elbow, the better to consider her. She was +so beautiful that he could not help crying out, 'What beauty! my +heart! my soul!' In saying which he kissed her with so little +caution that she would certainly have been awaked by it, had she +not slept sounder than ordinary, through the enchantment of +Danhasch. + +He was going to awaken her at that instant, but suddenly refrained +himself. 'Is not this she,' said he, 'that the sultan my father +would have had me marry? He was in the wrong not to let me see her +sooner. I should not have offended him by my disobedience and +passionate language to him in public, and he would have spared +himself the confusion which I have occasioned him.' + +The prince began to repent sincerely of the fault he had committed, +and was once more upon the point of waking the Princess of China. +'It may be,' said he, recollecting himself, 'that the sultan my +father has a mind to surprise me with this young lady. Who knows +but he has brought her himself, and is hidden behind the curtains +to make me ashamed of myself. I will content myself with this ring, +as a remembrance of her.' + +He then gently drew off a fine ring which the princess had on her +finger, and immediately put on one of his own in its place. After +this he fell into a more profound sleep than before through the +enchantment of the genies. + +As soon as Prince Camaralzaman was in a sound sleep, Danhasch +transformed himself, and went and bit the princess so rudely on the +lip that she forthwith awoke, started up, and opening her eyes, was +not a little surprised to see a beautiful young prince. From +surprise she proceeded to admiration, and from admiration to a +transport of joy. + +'What,' cried she, 'is it you the king my father has designed me +for a husband? I am indeed most unfortunate for not knowing it +before, for then I should not have made him so angry with me. Wake +then, wake!' + +So saying, she took Prince Camaralzaman by the arm and shook him so +that he would have awaked, had not Maimoune increased his sleep by +enchantment. She shook him several times, and finding he did not +wake, she seized his hand, and kissing it eagerly, perceived he had +a ring upon his finger which greatly resembled hers, and which she +was convinced was her own, by seeing she had another on her finger +instead of it. She could not comprehend how this exchange could +have been made. Tired with her fruitless endeavours to awaken the +prince, she soon fell asleep. + +When Maimoune saw that she could now speak without fear of awaking +the princess, she cried to Danhasch, 'Ah, cursed genie dost thou +not now see what thy contest has come to? Art thou not now +convinced how much thy princess is inferior to my prince? But I +pardon thee thy wager. Another time believe me when I assert +anything.' Then turning to Caschcasch, 'As for you,' said she, 'I +thank you for your trouble; take the princess, you and Danhasch, +and convey her back whence he has taken her.' Danhasch and +Caschcasch did as they were commanded, and Maimoune retired to her +well. + +Prince Camaralzaman on waking next morning looked to see if the +lady whom he had seen the night before were there. When he found +she was gone, he cried out, 'I thought indeed this was a trick the +king my father designed to play me. I am glad I was aware of it.' +Then he waked the slave, who was still asleep, and bade him come +and dress him, without saying anything. The slave brought a basin +and water, and after he had washed and said his prayers, he took a +book and read for some time. + +After this, he called the slave, and said to him, 'Come hither, and +look you, do not tell me a lie. How came that lady hither, and who +brought her?' + +'My lord,' answered the slave with great astonishment, 'I know not +what lady your highness speaks of.' + +'I speak,' said the prince, 'of her that came, or rather, that was +brought hither.' + +'My lord,' replied the slave, 'I swear I know of no such lady; and +how should she come in without my knowledge, since I lay at the +door?' + +'You are a lying rascal,' replied the prince, 'and in the plot to +vex and provoke me the more.' So saying, he gave him a box on the +ear which knocked him down; and after having stamped upon him for +some time, he at length tied the well-rope under his arms, and +plunged him several times into the water, neck and heels. I will +drown thee,' cried he, 'if thou dost not tell me speedily who this +lady was, and who brought her.' + +The slave, perplexed and half-dead, said within himself, 'The +prince must have lost his senses through grief.' 'My lord, then,' +cried he, in a suppliant tone, 'I beseech your highness to spare my +life, and I will tell you the truth.' + +The prince drew the slave up, and pressed him to tell him. As soon +as he was out of the well, 'My lord,' said he trembling, 'your +highness must perceive that it is impossible for me to satisfy you +in my present condition; I beg you to give me leave to go and +change my clothes first.' + +'I permit you, but do it quickly,' said the prince, 'and be sure +you conceal nothing.' + +The slave went out, and having locked the door upon the prince, ran +to the palace just as he was. The king was at that time in +discourse with his prime vizier, to whom he had just related the +grief in which he had passed the night on account of his son's +disobedience and opposition to his will. The minister endeavoured +to comfort his master by telling him that the prince himself had +given him good cause to be angry. 'Sir,' said he, 'your majesty +need not repent of having treated your son after this sort. Have +but patience to let him continue a while in prison, and assure +yourself his temper will abate, and he will submit to all you +require.' + +The grand vizier had just made an end of speaking when the slave +came in and cast himself at the king's feet. 'My lord,' said he, 'I +am very sorry to be the messenger of ill news to your majesty, +which I know must create you fresh affliction. The prince is +distracted, my lord; and his treatment to me, as you may see, too +plainly proves it.' Then he proceeded to tell all the particulars +of what Prince Camaralzaman had said to him, and the violence with +which he had been treated. + +The king, who did not expect to hear anything of this afflictive +kind, said to the prime minister, 'This is very melancholy, very +different from the hopes you gave me just now: go immediately, +without loss of time, see what is the matter, and come and give me +an account.' + +The grand vizier obeyed instantly; and coming into the prince's +chamber, he found him sitting on his bed in good temper, and with a +book in his hand, which he was reading. + +After mutual salutations, the vizier sat down by him, and said, 'My +lord, I wish that a slave of yours were punished for coming to +frighten the king your father.' + +'What,' replied the prince, 'could give my father alarm? I have +much greater cause to complain of that slave.' + +'Prince,' answered the vizier, 'God forbid that the news which he +has told your father concerning you should be true; indeed, I +myself find it to be false, by the good temper I observe you in.' + +'It may be,' replied the prince, 'that he did not make himself well +understood; but since you are come, who ought to know something of +the matter, give me leave to ask you who was that lady who was here +last night?' + +The grand vizier was thunderstruck at this question; however, he +recovered himself and said, 'My lord, be not surprised at my +astonishment at your question. Is it possible that a lady, or any +other person in the world, should penetrate by night into this +place, without entering at the door and walking over the body of +your slave? I beseech you, recollect yourself, and you will find it +is only a dream which has made this impression on you.' + +'I give no ear to what you say,' said the prince, raising his +voice; 'I must know of you absolutely what is become of the lady; +and if you hesitate to obey me, I shall soon be able to force you +to obey me.' + +At these stern words the grand vizier began to be in greater +confusion than before, and was thinking how to extricate himself. +He endeavoured to pacify the prince by good words, and begged of +him, in the most humble and guarded manner, to tell him if he had +seen this lady. + +'Yes, yes,' answered the prince, 'I have seen her, and am very well +satisfied you sent her. She played the part you had given her +admirably well, for I could not get a word out of her. She +pretended to be asleep, but I was no sooner fallen into a slumber +than she arose and left me. You know all this; for I doubt not she +has been to make her report to you.' + +'My lord,' replied the vizier, 'nothing of this has been done which +you seem to reproach me with; neither your father nor I have sent +this lady you speak of; permit me therefore to remind your highness +once more that you have only seen this lady in a dream.' + +'Do you come to affront and contradict me,' said the prince in a +great rage, 'and to tell me to my face that what I have told you is +a dream?' At the same time he took him by the beard, and loaded him +with blows as long as he could stand. + +The poor grand vizier endured with respectful patience all the +violence of his lord's indignation, and could not help saying +within himself, 'Now am I in as bad a condition as the slave, and +shall think myself happy if I can, like him, escape from any +further danger.' In the midst of repeated blows he cried out for +but a moment's audience, which the prince, after he had nearly +tired himself with beating him, consented to give. + +'I own, my prince,' said the grand vizier, dissembling, 'there is +something in what your highness suspects; but you cannot be +ignorant of the necessity a minister is under to obey his royal +master's orders; yet, if you will but be pleased to set me at +liberty, I will go and tell him anything on your part that you +shall think fit to command me.' + +'Go then,' said the prince, 'and tell him from me that if he +pleases I will marry the lady he sent me. Do this quickly, and +bring me a speedy answer.' The grand vizier made a profound +reverence, and went away, not thinking himself altogether safe till +he had got out of the tower, and shut the door upon the prince. + +He came and presented himself before the king, with a countenance +that sufficiently showed he had been ill-used, which the king could +not behold without concern. 'Well,' said the king, 'in what +condition did you find my son?' + +'Sir,' answered the vizier, 'what the slave reported to your +majesty is but too true.' He then began to relate his interview +with Camaralzaman, how he flew into a passion upon his endeavouring +to persuade him it was impossible that the lady he spoke of should +have got in; the ill-treatment he had received from him; how he had +been used, and by what means he made his escape. + +The king, the more concerned as he loved the prince with excessive +tenderness, resolved to find out the truth of this matter, and +therefore proposed himself to go and see his son in the tower, +accompanied by the grand vizier. + +Prince Camaralzaman received the king his father in the tower with +great respect. The king sat down, and, after he had made his son +the prince sit down by him, put several questions to him, which he +answered with great good sense. The king every now and then looked +at the grand vizier, as intimating that he did not find his son had +lost his wits, but rather thought he had lost his. + +The king at length spoke of the lady to the prince. 'My son,' said +he, 'I desire you to tell me what lady it was that came here, as I +have been told.' + +'Sir,' answered Camaralzaman, 'I beg of your majesty not to give me +more vexation on that head, but rather to oblige me by letting me +have her in marriage: this young lady has charmed me. I am ready to +receive her at your hands with the deepest gratitude.' + +The king was surprised at this answer of the prince, so remote, as +he thought, from the good sense he had shown before. 'My son,' said +he to him, 'you fill me with the greatest astonishment imaginable +by what you now say to me; I declare to you by my crown, that is to +devolve upon you after me, I know not one word of the lady you +mention; and if any such has come to you, it was altogether without +my knowledge. But how could she get into this tower without my +consent? For whatever my grand vizier told you, it was only to +appease you: it must therefore be a mere dream; and I beg of you +not to believe otherwise, but to recover your senses.' + +'Sir,' replied the prince, 'I should be for ever unworthy of your +majesty's favour, if I did not give entire credit to what you are +pleased to say; but I humbly beseech you at the same time to give a +patient hearing to what I shall say to you, and then to judge +whether what I have the honour to tell you be a dream or not.' + +Then Prince Camaralzaman related to the king his father after what +manner he had been awakened, and the pains he took to awaken the +lady without effect, and how he had made the exchange of his ring +with that of the lady: showing the king the ring, he added, 'Sir, +your majesty must needs know my ring very well, you have seen it so +often. After this, I hope you will be convinced that I have not +lost my senses, as you have been almost made to believe.' + +The king was so perfectly convinced of the truth of what his son +had been telling him, that he had not a word to say, remaining +astonished for some time, and not being able to utter a syllable. + +'Son,' at length replied the king, 'after what I have just heard, +and what I see by the ring on your finger, I cannot doubt but that +you have seen this lady. Would I knew who she was, and I would make +you happy from this moment, and I should be the happiest father in +the world! But where shall I find her, and how seek for her? How +could she get in here without my consent? Why did she come? These +things, I must confess, are past my finding out.' So saying, and +taking the prince by the hand, 'Come then, my son,' he said, 'let +us go and be miserable together.' + +The king then led his son out of the tower, and conveyed him to the +palace, where he no sooner arrived than in despair he fell ill, and +took to his bed; the king shut himself up with him, and spent many +a day in weeping, without attending to the affairs of his kingdom. + +The prime minister, who was the only person that had admittance to +him, came one day and told him that the whole court, and even the +people, began to murmur at not seeing him, and that he did not +administer justice every day as he was wont to do. 'I humbly beg +your majesty, therefore,' proceeded he, 'to pay them some +attention; I am aware your majesty's company is a great comfort to +the prince, but then you must not run the risk of letting all be +lost. Permit me to propose to your majesty to remove with the +prince to the castle in a little island near the port, where you +may give audience to your subjects twice a week only; during these +absences the prince will be so agreeably diverted with the beauty, +prospect, and good air of the place, that he will bear them with +the less uneasiness.' + +The king approved this proposal; and after the castle, where he had +not resided for some time, had been furnished, he removed thither +with the prince; and, excepting the times that he gave audience, as +aforesaid, he never left him, but passed all his time by his son's +pillow, endeavouring to comfort him in sharing his grief. + +Whilst matters passed thus, the two genies, Danhasch and +Caschcasch, had carried the Princess of China back to the palace +where the king her father had shut her up. + +When she awoke the next morning, and found by looking to the right +and left that Prince Camaralzaman was not by, she cried out with a +loud voice to her women. Her nurse, who presented herself first, +desired to be informed what she would please to have, and if +anything disagreeable had happened to her. + +'Tell me,' said the princess, 'what is become of the young man whom +I love with all my soul?' + +'Madam,' replied the nurse, 'we cannot understand your highness, +unless you will be pleased to explain yourself.' + +'A young man, the best and most amiable,' said the princess 'whom I +could not awake; I ask you where he is?' + +'Madam,' answered the nurse, 'your highness asks these questions to +jest with us. I beseech you to rise.' + +'I am in earnest,' said the princess, 'and I must know where this +young man is.' + +'Madam,' insisted the nurse, 'how any man could come without our +knowledge we cannot imagine, for we all slept about the door of +your chamber, which was locked, and I had the key in my pocket.' + +At this the princess lost all patience, and catching her nurse by +the hair of her head, and giving her two or three sound cuffs, she +cried, 'You shall tell me where this young man is, old sorceress, +or I will beat your brains out.' + +The nurse struggled to get from her, and at last succeeded; when +she went immediately, with tears in her eyes, to complain to the +queen her mother, who was not a little surprised to see her in this +condition, and asked who had done this. + +'Madam,' began the nurse, 'you see how the princess has treated me; +she would certainly have murdered me, if I had not had the good +fortune to escape out of her hands.' She then began to tell what +had been the cause of all that violent passion in the princess. The +queen was surprised to hear it, and could not guess how she came to +be so senseless as to take that for a reality which could be no +other than a dream. 'Your majesty must conclude from all this, +madam,' continued the nurse, 'that the princess is out of her +senses. You will think so yourself if you go and see her.' + +The queen ordered the nurse to follow her; and they went together +to the princess's palace that very moment. + +The Queen of China sat down by her daughter's bed-side, immediately +upon her arrival in her apartment; and after she had informed +herself about her health, she began to ask what had made her so +angry with her nurse, that she should have treated her in the +manner she had done. 'Daughter,' said she, 'this is not right; and +a great princess like you should not suffer herself to be so +transported by passion.' + +'Madam,' replied the princess, 'I plainly perceive your majesty is +come to mock me; but I declare I will never let you rest till you +consent I shall marry the young man. You must know where he is, and +therefore I beg of your majesty to let him come to me again.' + +'Daughter,' answered the queen, 'you surprise me; I know nothing of +what you talk of.' Then the princess lost all respect for the +queen: 'Madam,' replied she, 'the king my father and you persecuted +me about marrying, when I had no inclination; I now have an +inclination, and I will marry this young man I told you of, or I +will kill myself.' + +Here the queen endeavoured to calm the princess by soft words. +'Daughter,' said she, 'how could any man come to you?' But instead +of hearing her, the princess interrupted her, and flew out into +such violence as obliged the queen to leave her, and retire in +great affliction to inform the king of all that had passed. + +The king hearing it had a mind likewise to be satisfied in person; +and coming to his daughter's apartment, asked her if what he had +just heard was true. 'Sir,' replied the princess, 'let us talk no +more of that; I only beseech your majesty to grant me the favour +that I may marry the young man. He was the finest and best made +youth the sun ever saw. I entreat you, do not refuse me. But that +your majesty may not longer doubt whether I have seen this young +man, whether I did not do my utmost to awake him, without +succeeding, see, if you please, this ring.' She then reached forth +her hand, and showed the king a man's ring on her finger. The king +did not know what to make of all this; but as he had shut her up as +mad, he began to think her more mad than ever: therefore, without +saying anything more to her, for fear she might do violence to +herself or somebody about her, he had her chained, and shut up more +closely than before, allowing her only the nurse to wait on her, +with a good guard at the door. + +The king, exceedingly concerned at this indisposition of his +daughter, sought all possible means to get her cured. He assembled +his council, and after having acquainted them with the condition +she was in, 'If any of you,' said he, 'is capable of undertaking +her cure, and succeeds, I will give her to him in marriage, and +make him heir to my dominions and crown after my decease.' + +The desire of marrying a handsome young princess, and the hopes of +one day governing so powerful a kingdom as that of China, had a +strange effect on an emir, already advanced in age, who was present +at this council. As he was well skilled in magic, he offered to +cure the king's daughter, and flattered himself he should succeed. + +'I consent,' said the king, 'but I forgot to tell you one thing, +and that is, that if you do not succeed you shall lose your head. +It would not be reasonable that you should have so great a reward, +and yet run no risk on your part; and what I say to you,' continued +the king, 'I say to all others that shall come after you, that they +may consider beforehand what they undertake.' + +The emir, however, accepted the condition, and the king conducted +him to where the princess was. She covered her face as soon as she +saw them come in, and cried out, 'Your majesty surprises me by +bringing with you a man whom I do not know, and by whom my religion +forbids me to let myself be seen.' + +'Daughter,' replied the king, 'you need not be scandalized, it is +only one of my emirs who is come to demand you in marriage.' + +'It is not, I perceive, the person that you have already given me, +and whose faith is plighted by the ring I wear,' replied the +princess; 'be not offended that I will never marry any other.' + +The emir expected the princess would have said or done some +extravagant thing, and was not a little disappointed when he heard +her talk so calmly and rationally; for then he understood what was +really the matter. He dared not explain himself to the king, who +would not have suffered the princess to give her hand to any other +than the person to whom he wished to give her with his own hand. He +therefore threw himself at his majesty's feet, and said, 'After +what I have heard and observed, sir, it will be to no purpose for +me to think of curing the princess, since I have no remedies suited +to her malady, for which reason I humbly submit my life to your +majesty's pleasure.' The king, enraged at his incapacity and the +trouble he had given him, caused him immediately to be beheaded. + +Some days afterwards, his majesty, unwilling to have it said that +he had neglected his daughter's cure, put forth a proclamation in +his capital, to the effect that if there were any physician, +astrologer, or magician, who would undertake to restore the +princess to her senses, he need only come, and he should be +employed, on condition of losing his head if he miscarried. He had +the same published in the other principal cities and towns of his +dominions, and in the courts of the princes his neighbours. + +The first that presented himself was an astrologer and magician, +whom the king caused to be conducted to the princess's prison. The +astrologer drew forth out of a bag he carried under his arm an +astrolabe, a small sphere, a chafing dish, several sorts of drugs +for fumigations, a brass pot, with many other things, and desired +he might have a fire lighted. + +The princess demanded what all these preparations were for. + +'Madam,' answered the astrologer, 'they are to exorcise the evil +spirit that possesses you, to shut him up in this pot, and throw +him into the sea.' + +'Foolish astrologer,' replied the princess, 'I have no occasion for +any of your preparations, but am in my perfect senses, and you +alone are mad. If your art can bring him I love to me, I shall be +obliged to you; otherwise you may go about your business, for I +have nothing to do with you.' + +'Madam,' said the astrologer, 'if your case be so, I shall desist +from all endeavours, believing that only the king your father can +remedy your disaster.' So putting up his apparatus again, he +marched away, very much concerned that he had so easily undertaken +to cure an imaginary malady. + +Coming to give an account to the king of what he had done, he began +thus boldly: 'According to what your majesty published in your +proclamation, and what you were pleased to confirm to me yourself, +I thought the princess was distracted, and depended on being able +to recover her by the secrets I have long been acquainted with, but +I soon found that your majesty alone is the physician who can cure +her, by giving her in marriage the person whom she desires.' + +The king was very much enraged at the astrologer, and had his head +cut off upon the spot. Not to make too long a story of it, a +hundred and fifty astrologers, physicians, and magicians all +underwent the same fate, and their heads were set up on poles on +every gate of the city. + +The Princess of China's nurse had a son whose name was Marzavan, +and who had been foster-brother to the princess, and brought up +with her. Their friendship was so great during their childhood, and +all the time they had been together, that they treated each other +as brother and sister as they grew up, even some time after their +separation. + +This Marzavan, among other studies, had from his youth been much +addicted to judicial astrology, geomancy, and the like secret arts, +wherein he became exceedingly skilful. Not content with what he had +learned from masters, he travelled as soon as he was able to bear +the fatigue, and there was hardly any person of note in any science +or art but he sought him in the most remote cities, and kept +company with him long enough to obtain all the information he +desired, so great was his thirst after knowledge. + +After several years' absence in foreign parts on this account, he +returned to the capital city of his native country, China, where +seeing so many heads on the gate by which he entered, he was +exceedingly surprised; and coming home he demanded for what reason +they had been placed there, but more especially he inquired after +the princess his foster-sister, whom he had not forgotten. As he +could not receive an answer to one inquiry without the other, he +heard at length a general account with much sorrow, waiting till he +could learn more from his mother, the princess's nurse. + +Although the nurse, mother to Marzavan, was very much taken up with +the princess, she no sooner heard that her dear son had returned +than she found time to come out, embrace him, and converse with him +a little. Having told him, with tears in her eyes, what a sad +condition the princess was in, and for what reason the king her +father had shut her up, he desired to know of his mother if she +could not procure him a private sight of her royal mistress, +without the king's knowing it. After some pause, she told him she +could say nothing for the present, but if he would meet her the +next day at the same hour, she would give him an answer. + +The nurse knowing that none could approach the princess but herself +without leave of the officer who commanded the guard at the gate, +addressed herself to him, who she knew had been so lately appointed +that he could know nothing of what had passed at the court of +China. 'You know,' said she to him, 'I have brought up the +princess, and you may likewise have heard that I had a daughter +whom I brought up along with her. This daughter has since been +married; yet the princess still does her the honour to love her, +and would fain see her, but without anybody's perceiving her coming +in or out.' + +The nurse would have gone on, but the officer cried, 'Say no more; +I will with pleasure do anything to oblige the princess; go and +fetch your daughter, or send for her about midnight, and the gate +shall be open to you.' + +As soon as night came, the nurse went to look for her son Marzavan, +and having found him, she dressed him so artificially in women's +clothes that nobody could know he was a man. She carried him along +with her, and the officer verily believing it was her daughter, +admitted them together. + +The nurse, before she presented Marzavan, went to the princess, and +said, 'Madam, this is not a woman I have brought to you; it is my +son Marzavan in disguise, newly arrived from his travels, and he +having a great desire to kiss your hand, I hope your highness will +admit him to that honour.' + +'What! my brother Marzavan,' said the princess, with great joy: +'come hither,' cried she, 'and take off that veil; for it is not +unreasonable, surely, that a brother and a sister should see each +other without covering their faces.' + +Marzavan saluted her with profound respect, when she, without +giving him time to speak, cried out, 'I am rejoiced to see you +returned in good health, after so many years' absence without +sending the least account all the while of your welfare, even to +your good mother.' + +'Madam,' replied Marzavan, 'I am infinitely obliged to your +highness for your goodness in rejoicing at my health: I hoped to +have heard a better account of yours than what to my great +affliction I am now witness of. Nevertheless, I cannot but rejoice +that I am come seasonably enough to bring your highness that remedy +of which you stand so much in need; and though I should reap no +other fruit of my studies and long voyage, I should think myself +fully recompensed.' + +Speaking these words, Marzavan drew forth out of his pocket a book +and other things, which he judged necessary to be used, according +to the account he had had from his mother of the princess's +illness. The princess, seeing him make all these preparations, +cried out, 'What! brother, are you then one of those that believe +me mad? Undeceive yourself and hear me.' + +The princess then began to relate to Marzavan all the particulars +of her story, without omitting the least circumstance, even to the +ring which was exchanged for hers, and which she showed him. + +After the princess had done speaking, Marzavan, filled with wonder +and astonishment, continued for some time with his eyes fixed on +the ground, without speaking a word; but at length he lifted up his +head and said, 'If it be as your highness says, which I do not in +the least doubt, I do not despair of procuring you the satisfaction +you desire; but I must first entreat your highness to arm yourself +with patience for some time longer, till I shall return after I +have travelled over kingdoms which I have not yet visited; and when +you hear of my return, be assured that the object of your wishes is +not far off.' So saying, Marzavan took leave of the princess, and +set out next morning on his intended journey. + +He travelled from city to city, from province to province, and from +island to island, and in every place he passed through he could +hear of nothing but the Princess Badoura (which was the Princess of +China's name), and her history. + +About four months afterwards, Marzavan arrived at Torf, a seaport +town, great and populous, where he no more heard of the Princess +Badoura, but where all the talk was of Prince Camaralzaman, who was +ill, and whose history very much resembled hers. Marzavan was +extremely delighted to hear this, and informed himself of the place +where the prince was to be found. There were two ways to it; one by +land and sea, the other by sea only, which was the shortest way. + +Marzavan chose the latter, and embarking on board a merchant ship, +he arrived safe in sight of the capital; but, just before it +entered the port, the ship struck against a rock through the +unskilfulness of the pilot, and foundered. It went down in sight of +Prince Camaralzaman's castle, where were at that time the king and +his grand vizier. + +Marzavan could swim very well, and immediately on the ship's +sinking cast himself into the sea, and got safe to the shore under +the castle, where he was soon relieved by the grand vizier's order. +After he had changed his clothes and been well treated, and had +recovered, he was introduced to the grand vizier, who had sent for +him. + +Marzavan being a young man of good air and address, this minister +received him very civilly; and when he heard him give such just and +fitting answers to what was asked of him, conceived a great esteem +for him. He also gradually perceived that he possessed a great deal +of knowledge, and therefore said to him, 'From what I can +understand, I perceive you are no common man; you have travelled a +great way: would to God you had learned any secret for curing a +certain sick person, who has greatly afflicted this court for a +long while!' + +Marzavan replied that if he knew what malady it was, he might +perhaps find a remedy for it. + +Then the grand vizier related to him the whole story of Prince +Camaralzaman from its origin, and concealed nothing; his birth, his +education, the inclination the king his father had to see him +married early, his resistance and extraordinary aversion to +marriage, his disobeying his father in full council, his +imprisonment, his pretended extravagancies in prison, which were +afterwards changed into a violent madness for a certain unknown +lady, who, he pretended, had exchanged a ring with him; though, for +his part, he verily believed there was no such person in the world. + +Marzavan gave great attention to all the grand vizier said; and was +infinitely rejoiced to find that, by means of his shipwreck, he had +so fortunately lighted on the person he was looking after. He saw +no reason to doubt that Prince Camaralzaman was the man, and the +Princess of China the lady; therefore, without explaining himself +further to the vizier, he desired to see him, that he might be +better able to judge of his illness and its cure. 'Follow me,' said +the grand vizier, 'and you will find the king with him, who has +already desired that I should introduce you.' + +The first thing that struck Marzavan on entering the prince's +chamber was to find him upon his bed languishing, and with his eyes +shut. Although he saw him in that condition, and although the king +his father was sitting by him, he could not help crying out, 'Was +there ever a greater resemblance!' He meant to the Princess of +China; for it seems the princess and prince were much alike. + +The words of Marzavan excited the prince's curiosity so far that he +opened his eyes and looked at him. Marzavan, who had a ready wit, +laid hold of that opportunity, and made his compliment in verse +extempore: but in such a disguised manner, that neither the king +nor grand vizier understood anything of the matter. However, he +represented so nicely what had happened to him with the Princess of +China, that the prince had no reason to doubt that he knew her, and +could give him tidings of her. This made him so joyful, that the +effects of it showed themselves in his eyes and looks. + +After Marzavan had finished his compliment in verse which surprised +Prince Camaralzaman so agreeably, his highness took the liberty to +make a sign to the king his father, to go from the place where he +was, and let Marzavan sit by him. + +The king, overjoyed at this alteration, which gave him hopes of his +son's speedy recovery, quitted his place, and taking Marzavan by +the hand, led him to it. Then his majesty demanded of him who he +was, and whence he came. And upon Marzavan's answering that he was +a subject of China and came from that kingdom, the king cried out, +'Heaven grant that you may be able to cure my son of this profound +melancholy, and I shall be eternally obliged to you; all the world +shall see how handsomely I will reward you.' Having said thus, he +left the prince to converse at full liberty with the stranger, +whilst he went and rejoiced with the grand vizier. + +Marzavan leaning down to the prince, spoke low in his ear, thus: +'Prince,' said he, 'it is time you should cease to grieve. The lady +for whom you suffer is the Princess Badoura, daughter of Gaiour, +King of China. This I can assure your highness from what she has +told me of her adventure, and what I have learned of yours. She has +suffered no less on your account than you have on hers.' Here he +began to relate all that he knew of the princess's story, from the +night of their extraordinary interview. + +He omitted not to acquaint him how the king had treated those who +had failed in their pretensions to cure the princess of her +indisposition. 'But your highness is the only person,' added he, +'that can cure her effectually, and may present yourself without +fear. However, before you undertake so great a voyage, I would have +you perfectly recovered, and then we will take such measures as are +necessary. Think then immediately of the recovery of your health.' + +This discourse had a marvellous effect on the prince. He found such +great relief that he felt he had strength to rise, and begged leave +of his father to dress himself, with such an air as gave the old +king incredible pleasure. + +The king could not refrain from embracing Marzavan, without +inquiring into the means he had used to produce this wonderful +effect, and soon after went out of the prince's chamber with the +grand vizier to publish this agreeable news. He ordered public +rejoicings for several days together, and gave great largesses to +his officers and the people, alms to the poor, and caused the +prisoners to be set at liberty throughout his kingdom. The joy was +soon general in the capital and every corner of his dominions. + +Prince Camaralzaman, though extremely weakened by almost continual +want of sleep and long abstinence from almost all food, soon +recovered his health. When he found himself in a condition to +undertake the voyage, he took Marzavan aside, and said, 'Dear +Marzavan, it is now time to perform the promise you have made me. I +burn with impatience to see the charming princess, and if we do not +set out on our journey immediately I shall soon relapse into my +former condition. One thing still troubles me,' continued he, 'and +that is the difficulty I shall meet with in getting leave of my +father to go. This would be a cruel disappointment to me, if you do +not contrive a way to prevent it. You see he scarcely ever leaves +me.' + +At these words the prince fell to weeping: and Marzavan said, 'I +foresaw this difficulty; let not your highness be grieved at that, +for I will undertake to prevent it. My principal design in this +voyage was to deliver the Princess of China from her malady, and +this from all the reasons of mutual affection which we have borne +to each other from our birth, besides the zeal and affection I +otherwise owe her; and I should be wanting in my duty to her, if I +did not do my best endeavour to effect her cure and yours, and +exert my utmost skill. This then is the means I have contrived to +obtain your liberty. You have not stirred abroad for some time, +therefore let the king your father understand you have a mind to +take the air, and ask his leave to go out on a hunting party for +two or three days with me. No doubt he will grant your request; +when he has done so, order two good horses to be got ready, one to +mount, the other to change, and leave the rest to me.' + +Next day Prince Camaralzarnan took his opportunity. He told the +king he was desirous to take the air, and, if he pleased, would go +and hunt for two or three days with Marzavan. The king gave his +consent, but bade him be sure not to stay out above one night, +since too much exercise at first might impair his health, and a too +long absence create his majesty uneasiness. He then ordered him to +choose the best horses in his stable, and himself took particular +care that nothing should be wanting. When all was ready, his +majesty embraced the prince, and having recommended the care of him +to Marzavan, he let him go. Prince Camaralzaman and Marzavan were +soon mounted, when, to amuse the two grooms that led the fresh +horses, they made as if they would hunt, and so got as far off the +city and out of the road as was possible. When night began to +approach, they alighted at a caravansera or inn, where they supped, +and slept till about midnight; then Marzavan awakened the prince +without awakening the grooms, and desired his highness to let him +have his suit, and to take another for himself, which was brought +in his baggage. Thus equipped, they mounted the fresh horses, and +after Marzavan had taken one of the groom's horses by the bridle, +they set out as hard as their horses could go. + +At daybreak they were in a forest, where, coming to the meeting of +four roads, Marzavan desired the prince to wait for him a little, +and went into the forest. He then killed the groom's horse, and +after having torn the prince's suit, which he had put off, he +besmeared it with blood and threw it into the highway. + +The prince demanded his reason for what he had done. He told his +highness he was sure the king his father would no sooner find that +he did not return, and come to know that he had departed without the +grooms, than he would suspect something, and immediately send people +in quest of them. 'They that come to this place,' said he, 'and find +these blood-stained clothes, will conclude you are devoured by wild +beasts, and that I have escaped to avoid the king's anger. The king, +persuading himself that you are dead will stop further pursuit, and +we may have leisure to continue our journey without fear of being +followed. I must confess,' continued Marzavan, 'that this is a +violent way of proceeding, to alarm an old father with the death of +his son, whom he loves so passionately; but his joy will be the +greater when he hears you are alive and happy.' + +'Brave Marzavan,' replied the prince,' I cannot but approve such an +ingenious stratagem, or sufficiently admire your conduct: I am +under fresh obligations to you for it.' + +The prince and Marzavan, well provided with cash for their +expenses, continued their journey both by land and sea, and found +no other obstacle but the length of time which it necessarily took +up. They, however, arrived at length at the capital of China, where +Marzavan, instead of going to his lodgings, carried the prince to a +public inn. They tarried there incognito for three days to rest +themselves after the fatigue of the voyage; during which time +Marzavan caused an astrologer's dress to be made for the prince. +The three days being expired, the prince put on his astrologer's +habit; and Marzavan left him to go and acquaint his mother, the +Princess Badoura's nurse, of his arrival, to the end that she might +inform the Princess. + +Prince Camaralzaman, instructed by Marzavan as to what he was to +do, and provided with all he wanted as an astrologer, came next +morning to the gate of the king's palace, before the guards and +porters, and cried aloud, 'I am an astrologer, and am come to +effect a cure on the estimable Princess Badoura, daughter of the +most high and mighty monarch Gaiour, King of China, on the +conditions proposed by his majesty, to marry her if I succeed, or +else to lose my life for my fruitless and presumptuous attempt.' + +Besides the guards and porters at the gate, this drew together a +great number of people about Prince Camaralzaman. No physician, +astrologer, nor magician had appeared for a long time, deterred by +the many tragic examples of ill success that appeared before their +eyes; it was therefore thought that there were no more men of these +professions in the world, or that there were no more so mad as +those that had gone before them. + +The prince's good mien, noble air, and blooming youth made +everybody that saw him pity him. 'What mean you, sir,' said some +that were nearest to him, 'thus to expose a life of such promising +expectation to certain death? Cannot the heads you see on all the +gates of this city deter you from such an undertaking? Consider +what you do: abandon this rash attempt, and be gone.' + +The prince continued firm, notwithstanding all these remonstrances; +and as he saw nobody come to introduce him, he repeated the same +cry with a boldness that made everybody tremble. Then they all +cried, 'Let him alone, he is resolved to die; God have mercy upon +his youth and his soul!' He then proceeded to cry out a third time +in the same manner, when the grand vizier came in person, and +introduced him to the King of China. + +As soon as the prince came into the king's presence, he bowed and +kissed the ground. The king, who, of all that had hitherto +presumptuously exposed their lives on this occasion, had not seen +one worthy to cast his eyes upon, felt real compassion for Prince +Camaralzaman on account of the danger he was about to undergo. But +as he thought him more deserving than ordinary, he showed him more +honour, and made him come and sit by him. 'Young man,' said he, 'I +can hardly believe that you, at this age, can have acquired +experience enough to dare attempt the cure of my daughter. I wish +you may succeed; and would give her to you in marriage with all my +heart, with the greatest joy, more willingly than I should have +done to others that have offered themselves before you; but I must +declare to you at the same time, with great concern, that if you do +not succeed in your attempt, notwithstanding your noble appearance +and your youth you must lose your head.' + +'Sir,' replied the prince, 'I am under infinite obligations to your +majesty for the honour you design me, and the great goodness you +show to a stranger; but I desire your majesty to believe that I +would not have come from so remote a country as I have done, the +name of which perhaps may be unknown in your dominions, if I had +not been certain of the cure I propose. What would not the world +say of my fickleness, if, after such great fatigues and dangers as +I have undergone on this account, I should abandon the enterprise? +Even your majesty would soon lose that esteem you have conceived +for me. If I must die, sir, I shall die with the satisfaction of +not having lost your esteem after I have merited it. I beseech your +majesty therefore to keep me no longer impatient to display the +certainty of my art.' + +Then the king commanded the officer who had the custody of the +princess to introduce Prince Camaralzaman into her apartment: but +before he would let him go, he reminded him once more that he was +at liberty to renounce his design; yet the prince paid no heed, +but, with astonishing resolution and eagerness, followed the +officer. + +When they came to a long gallery, at the end of which was the +princess's apartment, the prince, who saw himself so near the +object of the wishes which had occasioned him so many tears, pushed +on, and got before the officer. + +The officer, redoubling his pace, with much ado got up with him. +'Whither away so fast?' cried he, taking him by the arm; 'you +cannot get in without me: and it would seem that you have a great +desire for death thus to run to it headlong. Not one of all those +many astrologers and magicians I have introduced before made such +haste as yourself to a place whither I fear you will come but too +soon.' + +'Friend,' replied the Prince, looking earnestly at the officer, and +continuing his pace, 'this was because none of the astrologers you +speak of were so sure of their art as I am of mine: they were +certain, indeed, that they would die if they did not succeed, but +they had no certainty of their success. On this account they had +reason to tremble on approaching the place whither I go, and where +I am sure to find my happiness.' He had just spoken these words as +he was at the door. The officer opened it, and introduced him into +a great hall, whence was an entrance into the princess's chamber, +divided from it only by a piece of tapestry. + +Prince Camaralzaman stopt before he entered, speaking softly to the +officer for fear of being heard in the princess's chamber. 'To +convince you,' said he, 'that there is neither presumption, nor +whim, nor youthful conceit in my undertaking, I leave it to your +own desire whether I should cure the princess in your presence, or +where we are, without going any further?' + +The officer was amazed to hear the prince talk to him with such +confidence: he left off insulting him, and said seriously, 'It is +no matter whether you do it here or there, provided the business is +done: cure her how you will, you will get immortal honour by it, +not only in this court, but over all the world.' + +The prince replied, 'It will be best then to cure her without +seeing her, that you may be witness of my skill: notwithstanding my +impatience to see a princess of her rank, who is to be my wife, +yet, out of respect to you, I will deprive myself of that pleasure +for a little while.' He was furnished with everything suitable for +an astrologer to carry about him; and taking pen, ink, and paper +out of his pocket, he wrote a letter to the princess. + +When the prince had finished his letter, he folded it up, and +enclosed in it the princess's ring, without letting the officer see +what he did. When he had sealed it, he gave it to him: 'There, +friend,' said he, 'carry it to your mistress; if it does not cure +her as soon as she reads it, and sees what is inclosed in it, I +give you leave to tell everybody that I am the most ignorant and +impudent astrologer that ever was, is, or shall be.' + +The officer, entering the Princess of China's chamber, gave her the +packet he received from Prince Camaralzaman. 'Madam,' said he, 'the +boldest astrologer that ever lived, if I am not mistaken, has +arrived here, and pretends that on reading this letter and seeing +what is in it you will be cured; I wish he may prove neither a liar +nor an impostor.' + +The Princess Badoura took the letter, and opened it with a great +deal of indifference, but when she saw the ring, she had not +patience to read it through; she rose hastily, broke the chain that +held her, ran to the door and opened it. She knew the prince as +soon as she saw him, and he knew her; they at once embraced each +other tenderly, without being able to speak for excess of joy: they +looked on one another a long time, wondering how they met again +after their first interview. The princess's nurse, who ran to the +door with her, made them come into her chamber, where the Princess +Badoura gave the prince her ring, saying, 'Take it; I cannot keep +it without restoring yours, which I will never part with; neither +can it be in better hands.' + +The officer immediately went to tell the King of China what had +happened. 'Sir,' said he, 'all the astrologers and doctors who have +hitherto pretended to cure the princess were fools in comparison +with the last. He made use neither of schemes nor spells or +perfumes, or anything else, but cured her without seeing her.' Then +he told the king how he did it. The monarch was agreeably surprised +at the news, and going forthwith to the princess's chamber embraced +her: he afterwards embraced the prince, and, taking his hand, +joined it to the princess's. + +'Happy stranger,' said the king, 'whoever you are, I will keep my +word, and give you my daughter to marry; though, from what I see in +you, it is impossible for me to believe that you are really what +you appear to be, and would have me believe you.' + +Prince Camaralzaman thanked the king in the most humble tones, that +he might the better show his gratitude. 'As for my person,' said +he, 'I must own I am not an astrologer, as your majesty very +judiciously guessed; I only put on the habit of one, that I might +succeed more easily in my ambition to be allied to the most potent +monarch in the world. I was born a prince, and the son of a king +and queen; my name is Camaralzaman; my father is Schahzaman, who +now reigns over the islands that are well known by the name of the +Islands of the Children of Khaledan.' He then told him his history. + +When the prince had done speaking, the king said to him, 'This +history is so extraordinary that it deserves to be known to +posterity; I will take care it shall be; and the original being +deposited in my royal archives, I will spread copies of it abroad, +that my own kingdoms and the kingdoms around me may know it.' + +The marriage was solemnized the same day, and the rejoicings for it +were universal all over the empire of China. Nor was Marzavan +forgotten: the king immediately gave him an honourable post in his +court, and a promise of further advancement; and held continual +feastings for several months, to show his joy. + + + + + + THE LOSS OF THE TALISMAN. + + + +Soon after his marriage Prince Camaralzaman dreamt one night that +he saw his father Schahzaman on his death-bed, and heard him speak +thus to his attendants: 'My son, my son, whom I so tenderly loved, +has abandoned me.' He awoke with a great sigh, which aroused the +princess, who asked him the cause of it. Next morning the princess +went to her own father, and finding him alone kissed his hand and +thus addressed herself to him: 'Sir, I have a favour to beg of your +majesty; it is that you will give me leave to go with the prince my +husband to see King Schahzaman, my father-in-law.' + +'Daughter,' replied the king, 'though I shall be very sorry to part +with you for so long a time, your resolution is worthy of you: go, +child, I give you leave, but on condition that you stay no longer +than a year in King Schahzaman's court.' + +The princess communicated the King of China's consent to Prince +Camaralzaman, who was transported with joy to hear it. + +The King of China gave orders for preparations to be made for the +journey; and when all things were ready, he accompanied the prince +and princess several days' journey on their way. They parted at +length with great weeping on all sides: the king embraced them, and +having desired the prince to be kind to his daughter, and to love +her always, he left them to proceed on their journey, and, to +divert his thoughts, hunted all the way home. + +Prince Camaralzaman and the Princess Badoura travelled for about a +month, and at last came to a meadow of great extent, planted with +tall trees, forming an agreeable shade. The day being unusually +hot, Camaralzaman thought it best to encamp there. They alighted in +one of the finest spots, and the prince ordered his servants to +pitch their tents, and went himself to give directions. The +princess, weary with the fatigue of the journey, bade her women +untie her girdle, which they laid down by her, and when she fell +asleep, her attendants left her by herself. + +Prince Camaralzaman having seen all things in order came to the +tent where the princess was sleeping; he entered, and sat down +without making any noise, intending to take a nap himself; but +observing the princess's girdle lying by her, he took it up, and +looked at the diamonds and rubies one by one. In doing this, he saw +a little purse hanging to it, sewed neatly on to the stuff, and +tied fast with a ribbon; he felt it, and found there was something +solid inside it. Desirous to know what it was, he opened the purse, +and took out a cornelian, engraven with unknown figures and +characters. 'This cornelian,' said the prince to himself, 'must be +something very valuable, or my princess would not carry it with so +much care.' It was Badoura's talisman, which the Queen of China had +given her daughter as a charm, to keep her, as she said, from any +harm as long as she had it about her. + +The prince, the better to look at the talisman, took it out to the +light, the tent being dark; and while he was holding it up in his +hand, a bird darted down from the air and snatched it away from +him. + +Imagine the concern and grief of Prince Camaralzaman when he saw +the bird fly away with the talisman. He was more troubled at it +than words can express, and cursed his unseasonable curiosity, by +which his dear princess had lost a treasure that was so precious +and so much valued by her. + +The bird having got her prize settled on the ground not far off, +with the talisman in her mouth. The prince drew near, in hopes she +would drop it; but, as he approached, the bird took wing, and +settled again on the ground further off. Camaralzaman followed, and +the bird, having swallowed the talisman, took a further flight: the +prince still followed; the further she flew, the more eager he grew +in pursuing her. Thus the bird drew him along from hill to valley, +and valley to hill all day, every step leading him further away +from the field where he had left his camp and the Princess Badoura; +and instead of perching at night on a bush where he might probably +have taken her, she roosted on a high tree, safe from pursuit. The +prince, vexed to the heart for taking so much pains to no purpose, +thought of returning to the camp; 'but,' said he to himself, 'which +way shall I return? Shall I go down the hills and valleys which I +passed over? Shall I wander in darkness? and will my strength bear +me out? How dare I appear before my princess without her talisman?' +Overwhelmed with such thoughts, and tired with the pursuit, he lay +down under a tree, where he passed the night. + +He awoke the next morning before the bird had left the tree, and, +as soon as he saw her on the wing, followed her again that whole +day, with no better success, eating nothing but herbs and fruits +all the way. He did the same for ten days together, pursuing the +bird, and keeping his eye upon her from morning to night, always +lying under the tree where she roosted. On the eleventh day the +bird continued flying, and came near a great city. When the bird +came to the walls, she flew over them and the prince saw no more of +her; so he despaired of ever recovering the Princess Badoura's +talisman. + +Camaralzaman, whose grief was beyond expression, went into the +city, which was built by the seaside, and had a fine port; he +walked up and down the streets without knowing where he was, or +where to stop. At last he came to the port, in as great uncertainty +as ever what he should do. Walking along the river-side, he +perceived the gate of a garden open, and an old gardener at work. +The good man looked up and saw that he was a stranger and a +Mussulman, so he asked him to come in, and to shut the door after +him. + +Camaralzaman entered, and, as the gardener bade him shut the door, +demanded of the gardener why he was so cautious. + +'Because,' replied the old man, 'I see you are a stranger newly +arrived, and a Mussulman, and this city is inhabited for the most +part by idolaters, who have a mortal aversion to us Mussulmans, and +treat those few of us that are here with great barbarity. I suppose +you did not know this, and it is a miracle that you have escaped as +you have thus far, these idolaters being very apt to fall upon the +Mussulmans that are strangers, or to draw them into a snare, unless +those strangers know how to beware of them.' + +Camaralzaman thanked the honest gardener for his advice, and the +safety he offered him in his house: he would have said more, but +the good man interrupted him, saying, 'You are weary, and must want +to refresh yourself. Come in and rest.' He conducted him into his +little hut, and after the prince had eaten heartily of what he set +before him, he requested him to relate how he came there. + +Camaralzaman complied with his request, and when he had ended his +story, he asked him which was the nearest way to the king his +father's territories; 'for it is in vain,' said he, 'for me to +think of finding my princess where I left her, after wandering +eleven days from the spot. Ah!' continued he, 'how do I know she is +alive?' and so saying, he burst into tears. + +The gardener replied that there was no possibility of his going +thither by land, the roads were so difficult and the journey so +long; besides, he must necessarily pass through the countries of so +many barbarous nations that he would never reach his father's. It +was a year's journey from the city where he was to any country +inhabited only by Mussulmans; the quickest passage for him would be +to go to the Isle of Ebony, whence he might easily transport +himself to the Isles of the Children of Khaledan: a ship sailed +from the port every year to Ebony, and he might take that +opportunity of returning to those islands. 'The ship departed,' +said the gardener, 'but a few days ago: if you had come a little +sooner you might have taken your passage in it. If you will wait +the year round until it makes the voyage again, and will stay with +me in my house, such as it is, you will be as welcome to it as to +your own.' + +Prince Camaralzaman was glad he had met with such a place of +refuge, in a place where he had no acquaintances. He accepted the +offer, and lived with the gardener till the time came that the ship +was to sail to the Isle of Ebony. He spent his time in working all +day in the garden, and all night in sighs, tears and complaints, +thinking of his dear Princess Badoura. + +We must leave him in this place, to return to the princess, whom we +left asleep in her tent. + +The princess slept a long time, and, when she awoke, wondered that +Prince Camaralzaman was not with her; she called her women, and +asked them if they knew where he was. They told her they saw him +enter the tent, but did not see him go out again. While they were +talking to her, she took up her girdle, found the little purse +open, and the talisman gone. She did not doubt but that +Camaralzaman had taken it to see what it was, and that he would +bring it back with him. She waited for him impatiently till night, +and could not imagine what made him stay away from her so long. + +When it was quite dark, and she could hear no news of him, she fell +into violent grief; she cursed the talisman, and the man that made +it. She could not imagine how her talisman should have caused the +prince's separation from her: she did not however lose her +judgment, and came to a courageous decision as to what she should +do. + +She only and her women knew of the prince's being gone; for his men +were asleep in their tents. The princess, fearing they would betray +her if they had any knowledge of it, moderated her grief, and +forbade her women to say or do anything that might create the least +suspicion. She then laid aside her robe, and put on one of Prince +Camaralzaman's, being so like him that next day, when she came out, +his men took her for him. + +She commanded them to pack up their baggage and begin their march; +and when all things were ready, she ordered one of her women to go +into her litter, she herself mounting on horseback, and riding by +her side. + +They travelled for several months by land and sea; the princess +continuing, the journey under the name of Camaralzaman. They took +the Isle of Ebony on their way to the Isles of the Children of +Khaledan. They went to the capital of the Isle of Ebony, where a +king reigned whose name was Armanos. The persons who first landed +gave out that the ship carried Prince Camaralzaman, who was +returning from a long voyage and was driven in there by a storm, +and the news of his arrival was presently carried to the court. + +King Armanos, accompanied by most of his courtiers, went +immediately to meet the prince, and met the princess just as she +was landing, and going to the lodging that had been taken for her. +He received her as the son of a king who was his friend, and +conducted her to the palace, where an apartment was prepared for +her and all her attendants, though she would fain have excused +herself, and have lodged in a private house. He showed her all +possible honour, and entertained her for three days with +extraordinary magnificence. At the end of this time, King Armanos, +understanding that the princess, whom he still took for Prince +Camaralzaman, talked of going on board again to proceed on her +voyage, charmed with the air and qualities of such an accomplished +prince as he took her to be, seized an opportunity when she was +alone, and spoke to her in this manner: 'You see, prince, that I am +old, and cannot hope to live long; and, to my great mortification, +I have not a son to whom I may leave my crown. Heaven has only +blest me with one daughter, the Princess Haiatalnefous whose beauty +cannot be better matched than with a prince of your rank and +accomplishments. Instead of going home, stay and marry her from my +hand, with my crown, which I resign in your favour. It is time for +me to rest, and nothing could be a greater pleasure to me in my +retirement than to see my people ruled by so worthy a successor to +my throne.' + +The King of the Isle of Ebony's generous offer to bestow his only +daughter in marriage, and with her his kingdom, on the Princess +Badoura, put her into unexpected perplexity. She thought it would +not become a princess of her rank to undeceive the king, and to own +that she was not Prince Camaralzaman, but his wife, when she had +assured him that she was he himself, whose part she had hitherto +acted so well. She was also afraid refuse the honour he offered +her, lest, as he was much bent upon the marriage, his kindness +might turn to aversion and hatred, and he might attempt something +even against her life. Besides, she was not sure whether she might +not find Prince Camaralzaman in the court of King Schahzaman his +father. + +These considerations, added to the prospect of obtaining a kingdom +for the prince her husband, in case she found him again, determined +her to accept the proposal of King Armanos, and marry his daughter; +so after having stood silent for some minutes, she with blushes, +which the king took for a sign of modesty, answered, 'Sir, I am +infinitely obliged to your majesty for your good opinion of me, for +the honour you do me, and the great favour you offer me, which I +cannot pretend to merit, and dare not refuse. + +'But, sir,' continued she, 'I cannot accept this great alliance on +any other condition than that your majesty will assist me with your +counsel, and that I do nothing without first having your +approbation.' + +The marriage treaty being thus concluded and agreed on, the +ceremony was put off till next day. In the mean time Princess +Badoura gave notice to her officers, who still took her for Prince +Camaralzaman, of what she was going to do so that they might not be +surprised at it, assuring them that the Princess Badoura consented. +She talked also to her women, and charged them to continue to keep +the secret. + +The King of the Isle of Ebony, rejoicing that he had got a son-in- +law so much to his satisfaction, next morning summoned his council, +and acquainted them with his design of marrying his daughter to +Prince Camaralzaman, whom he introduced to them; and having made +him sit down by his side, told them he resigned the crown to the +prince, and required them to acknowledge him for king, and swear +fealty to him. Having said this, he descended from his throne, and +the Princess Badoura, by his order, ascended it. As soon as the +council broke up, the new king was proclaimed through the city, +rejoicings were appointed for several days, and couriers despatched +all over the kingdom to see the same ceremonies observed with the +same demonstrations of joy. + +As soon as they were alone, the Princess Badoura told the Princess +Haiatalnefous the secret, and begged her to keep it, which she +promised faithfully to do. + +'Princess,' said Haiatalnefous, 'your fortune is indeed strange, +that a marriage, so happy as yours was, should be shortened by so +unaccountable an accident. Pray heaven you may meet with your +husband again soon, and be sure that I will religiously keep the +secret committed to me. It will be to me the greatest pleasure in +the world to be the only person in the great kingdom of the Isle of +Ebony who knows what and who you are, while you go on governing the +people as happily as you have begun. I only ask of you at present +to be your friend.' Then the two princesses tenderly embraced each +other, and after a thousand expressions of mutual friendship lay +down to rest. + +While these things were taking place in the court of the Isle of +Ebony, Prince Camaralzaman stayed in the city of idolaters with the +gardener, who had offered him his house till the ship sailed. + +One morning when the prince was up early, and, as he used to do, +was preparing to work in the garden, the gardener prevented him, +saying, 'This day is a great festival among the idolaters, and +because they abstain from all work themselves, so as to spend the +time in their assemblies and public rejoicings, they will not let +the Mussulmans work. Their shows are worth seeing. You will have +nothing to do to-day: I leave you here. As the time approaches in +which the ship is accustomed to sail for the Isle of Ebony, I will +go and see some of my friends, and secure you a passage in it.' The +gardener put on his best clothes, and went out. + +When Prince Camaralzaman was alone, instead of going out to take +part in the public joy of the city, the solitude he was in brought +to his mind, with more than usual violence, the loss of his dear +princess. He walked up and down the garden sighing and groaning, +till the noise which two birds made on a neighbouring tree tempted +him to lift up his head, and stop to see what was the matter. + +Camaralzaman was surprised to behold a furious battle between these +two birds, fighting one another with their beaks. In a very little +while one of them fell down dead at the foot of a tree; the bird +that was victorious took wing again, and flew away. + +In an instant, two other large birds, that had seen the fight at a +distance, came from the other side of the garden, and pitched on +the ground one at the feet and the other at the head of the dead +bird: they looked at it some time, shaking their heads in token of +grief; after which they dug a grave with their talons, and buried +it. + +When they had filled up the grave with the earth they flew away, +and returned in a few minutes, bringing with them the bird that had +committed the murder, the one holding one of its wings in its beak, +and the other one of its legs; the criminal all the while crying +out in a doleful manner, and struggling to escape. They carried it +to the grave of the bird which it had lately sacrificed to its +rage, and there sacrificed it in just revenge for the murder it had +committed. They killed the murderer with their beaks. They then +opened it, tore out the entrails, left the body on the spot +unburied, and flew away. + +Camaralzaman remained in great astonishment all the time that he +stood beholding this sight. He drew near the tree, and casting his +eyes on the scattered entrails of the bird that was last killed, he +spied something red hanging out of its body. He took it up, and +found it was his beloved Princess Badoura's talisman, which had +cost him so much pain and sorrow and so many sighs since the bird +snatched it out of his hand. 'Ah, cruel monster!' said he to +himself, still looking at the bird, 'thou tookest delight in doing +mischief, so I have the less reason to complain of that which thou +didst to me: but the greater it was, the more do I wish well to +those that revenged my quarrel on thee, in punishing thee for the +murder of one of their own kind.' + +It is impossible to express Prince Camaralzaman's joy: 'Dear +princess,' continued he to himself, 'this happy minute, which +restores to me a treasure so precious to thee, is without doubt a +presage of our meeting again, perhaps even sooner than I think.' + +So saying, he kissed the talisman, wrapped it up in a ribbon, and +tied it carefully about his arm. Till now he had been almost every +night a stranger to rest, his trouble always keeping him awake, but +the next night he slept soundly: he rose somewhat later the next +morning than he was accustomed to do, put on his working clothes, +and went to the gardener for orders. The good man bade him root up +an old tree which bore no fruit. + +Camaralzaman took an axe, and began his work. In cutting off a +branch of the root, he found that his axe struck against something +that resisted the blow and made a great noise. He removed the +earth, and discovered a broad plate of brass, under which was a +staircase of ten steps. He went down, and at the bottom saw a +cavity about six yards square, with fifty brass urns placed in +order around it, each with a cover over it. He opened them all, one +after another, and there was not one of them which was not full of +gold-dust. He came out of the cave, rejoicing that he had found +such a vast treasure: he put the brass plate over the staircase, +and rooted up the tree against the gardener's return. + +The gardener had learned the day before that the ship which was +bound for the Isle of Ebony would sail in a few days, but the exact +time was not yet fixed. His friend promised to let him know the +day, if he called upon him on the morrow; and while Camaralzaman +was rooting up the tree, he went to get his answer. He returned +with a joyful countenance, by which the prince guessed that he +brought him good news. 'Son,' said the old man (so he always called +him, on account of the difference of age between him and the +prince), 'be joyful, and prepare to embark in three days, for the +ship will then certainly set sail: I have arranged with the captain +for your passage.' + +'In my present situation,' replied Camaralzaman, 'you could not +bring me more agreeable news; and in return, I have also tidings +that will be as welcome to you; come along with me, and you shall +see what good fortune heaven has in store for you.' + +The prince led the gardener to the place where he had rooted up the +tree, made him go down into the cave, and when he was there showed +him what a treasure he had discovered, and thanked Providence for +rewarding his virtue, and the labour he had done for so many years. + +'What do you mean?' replied the gardener: 'do you imagine I will +take these riches as mine? They are yours: I have no right to them. +For fourscore years, since my father's death, I have done nothing +but dig in this garden, and could not discover this treasure, which +is a sign that it was destined for you, since you have been +permitted to find it. It suits a prince like you, rather than me: I +have one foot in the grave, and am in no want of anything. +Providence has bestowed it upon you, just when you are returning to +that country which will one day be your own, where you will make a +good use of it.' + +Prince Camaralzaman would not be outdone in generosity by the +gardener. They had a long dispute about it. At last the prince +solemnly protested that he would have none of it, unless the +gardener would divide it with him and take half. The good man, to +please the prince, consented; so they parted it between them, and +each had twenty-five urns. + +Having thus divided it, 'Son,' said the gardener to the prince, 'it +is not enough that you have got this treasure; we must now contrive +how to carry it so privately on board the ship that nobody may know +anything of the matter, otherwise you will run the risk of losing +it. There are no olives in the Isle of Ebony, and those that are +exported hence are wanted there; you know I have plenty of them; +take what you will; fill fifty pots, half with the gold dust, and +half with olives, and I will get them carried to the ship when you +embark.' + +Camaralzaman followed this good advice, and spent the rest of the +day in packing up the gold and the olives in the fifty pots, and +fearing lest the talisman, which he wore on his arm, might be lost +again, he carefully put it into one of the pots, marking it with a +particular mark, to distinguish it from the rest. When they were +all ready to be shipped, the prince retired with the gardener, and +talking together, he related to him the battle of the birds, and +how he had found the Princess Badoura's talisman again. The +gardener was equally surprised and joyful to hear it for his sake. + +Whether the old man was quite worn out with age, or had exhausted +himself too much that day, he had a very bad night; he grew worse +the next day, and on the third day, when the prince was to embark, +was so ill that it was plain he was near his end. As soon as day +broke, the captain of the ship came in person with several seamen +to the gardener's; they knocked at the garden-door, and +Camaralzaman opened it to them. They asked him where the passenger +was that was to go with him. The prince answered, 'I am he; the +gardener who arranged with you for my passage is ill, and cannot be +spoken with: come in, and let your men carry those pots of olives +and my baggage aboard. I will only take leave of the gardener, and +follow you.' + +The seamen took up the pots and the baggage, and the captain bade +the prince make haste, for the wind being fair they were waiting +for nothing but him. + +When the captain and his men were gone, Camaralzaman went to the +gardener, to take leave of him, and thank him for all his good +offices: but he found him in the agonies of death, and had scarcely +time to bid him rehearse the articles of his faith, which all good +Mussulmans do before they die, when the gardener expired in his +presence. + +The prince being under the necessity of embarking immediately +hastened to pay the last duty to the deceased. He washed his body, +buried him in his own garden (for the Mahometans had no cemetery in +the city of the idolaters, where they were only tolerated), and as +he had nobody to assist him it was almost evening before he had put +him in the ground. As soon as he had done it he ran to the water- +side, carrying with him the key of the garden, intending, if he had +time, to give it to the landlord; otherwise to deposit it in some +trusty person's hand before a witness, that he might leave it when +he was gone. When he came to the port, he was told the ship had +sailed several hours before he came and was already out of sight. +It had waited three hours for him, and the wind standing fair, the +captain dared not stay any longer. + +It is easy to imagine that Prince Camaralzaman was exceedingly +grieved to be forced to stay longer in a country where he neither +had nor wished to have any acquaintance: to think that he must wait +another twelvemonth for the opportunity he had lost. But the +greatest affliction of all was his having let go the Princess +Badoura's talisman, which he now gave over for lost. The only +course that was left for him to take was to return to the garden to +rent it of the landlord, and to continue to cultivate it by +himself, deploring his misery and misfortunes. He hired a boy to +help him to do some part of the drudgery; and that he might not +lose the other half of the treasure, which came to him by the death +of the gardener, who died without heirs, he put the gold-dust into +fifty other pots, which he filled up with olives, to be ready +against the time of the ship's return. + +While Prince Camaralzaman began another year of labour, sorrow and +impatience, the ship, having a fair wind, continued her voyage to +the Isle of Ebony, and happily arrived at the capital. + +The palace being by the sea-side, the new king, or rather the +Princess Badoura, espying the ship as she was entering the port, +with all her flags flying, asked what vessel it was; she was told +that it came annually from the city of the idolaters, and was +generally richly laden. + +The princess, who always had Prince Camaralzaman in her mind amidst +the glories which surrounded her, imagined that the prince might be +on board, and resolved to go down to the ship and meet him. Under +presence of inquiring what merchandise was on board, and having the +first sight of the goods, and choosing the most valuable, she +commanded a horse to be brought, which she mounted, and rode to the +port, accompanied by several officers in waiting, and arrived at +the port just as the captain came ashore. She ordered him to be +brought before her, and asked whence he came, how long he had been +on his voyage, and what good or bad fortune he had met with: if he +had any stranger of quality on board, and particularly with what +his ship was laden. + +The captain gave a satisfactory answer to all her demands; and as +to passengers, assured her that there were none but merchants in +his ship, who were used to come every year and bring rich stuffs +from several parts of the world to trade with, the finest linens +painted and plain, diamonds, musk, ambergris, camphor, civet, +spices, drugs, olives, and many other articles. + +The Princess Badoura loved olives extremely: when she heard the +captain speak of them, she said, 'Land them, I will take them off +your hands: as to the other goods, tell the merchants to bring them +to me, and let me see them before they dispose of them, or show +them to any one else.' + +The captain, taking her for the King of the Isle of Ebony, replied, +'Sire, there are fifty great pots of olives, but they belong to a +merchant whom I was forced to leave behind. I gave him notice +myself that I was waiting for him, and waited a long time; but as +he did not come, and the wind was good, I was afraid of losing it, +and so set sail.' + +The princess answered, 'No matter; bring them ashore; we will make +a bargain for them.' + +The captain sent his boat aboard, and in a little time it returned +with the pots of olives. The princess demanded how much the fifty +pots might be worth in the Isle of Ebony. 'Sir,' said the captain, +'the merchant is very poor, and your majesty will do him a singular +favour if you give him a thousand pieces of silver.' + +'To satisfy him,' replied the princess, 'and because you tell me he +is poor, I will order you a thousand pieces of gold for him, which +do you take care to give him.' The money was accordingly, paid, and +the pots carried to the palace in her presence. + +Night was drawing on when the princess withdrew into the inner +palace, and went to the Princess Haiatalnefous' apartment, ordering +the fifty pots of olives to be brought thither. She opened one, to +let the Princess Haiatalnefous taste them, and poured them into a +dish. Great was her astonishment when she found the olives mingled +with gold-dust. 'What can this mean?' said she, 'it is wonderful +beyond comprehension.' Her curiosity increasing, she ordered +Haiatalnefous' women to open and empty all the pots in her +presence; and her wonder was still greater, when she saw that the +olives in all of them were mixed with gold-dust; but when she saw +her talisman drop out of that into which the prince had put it, she +was so surprised that she fainted away. The Princess Haiatalnefous +and her women restored the Princess Badoura by throwing cold water +on her face. When she recovered her senses, she took the talisman +and kissed it again and again; but not being willing that the +Princess Haiatalnefous's women, who were ignorant of her disguise, +should hear what she said, she dismissed them. + +'Princess,' said she to Haiatalnefous, as soon as they were gone, +'you, who have heard my story, surely guessed that it was at the +sight of the talisman that I fainted. This is the talisman, the +fatal cause of my losing my dear husband Prince Camaralzaman; but +as it was that which caused our separation, so I foresee it will be +the means of our meeting again soon.' + +The next day, as soon as it was light, she sent for the captain of +the ship; and when he came she spoke to him thus: 'I want to know +something more of the merchant to whom the olives belong, that I +bought of you yesterday. I think you told me you had left him +behind you in the city of the idolaters: can you tell me what he is +doing there?' + +'Yes, sire,' replied the captain, 'I can speak on my own knowledge. +I arranged for his passage with a very old gardener, who told me I +should find him in his garden, where he worked under him. He showed +me the place, and for that reason I told your majesty he was poor. +I went there to call him. I told him what haste I was in, spoke to +him myself in the garden, and cannot be mistaken in the man.' + +'If what you say is true,' replied the Princess Badoura, 'you must +set sail this very day for the city of idolaters, and fetch me that +gardener's man, who is my debtor; else I will not only confiscate +all your goods and those of your merchants, but your and their +lives shall answer for his. I have ordered my seal to be put on the +warehouses where they are, which shall not be taken off till you +bring me that man. This is all I have to say to you; go, and do as +I command you.' + +The captain could make no reply to this order, the disobeying of +which would be a very great loss to him and his merchants. He told +them about it, and they hastened him away as fast as they could +after he had laid in a stock of provisions and fresh water for his +voyage. They were so diligent, that he set sail the same day. He +had a prosperous voyage to the city of the idolaters, where he +arrived in the night. When he was as near to the city as he thought +convenient, he would not cast anchor, but let the ship ride off the +shore; and going into his boat, with six of his stoutest seamen, he +landed a little way off the port, whence he went directly to +Camaralzaman's garden. + +Though it was about midnight when he arrived there, the prince was +not asleep. His separation from the fair Princess of China his wife +afflicted him as usual. He cursed the minute in which his curiosity +tempted him to touch the fatal girdle. + +Thus did he pass those hours which are devoted to rest, when he +heard somebody knock at the garden door. He ran hastily to it, +half-dressed as he was; but he had no sooner opened it, than the +captain and his seamen took hold of him, and carried him by force +on board the boat, and so to the ship, and as soon as he was safely +lodged, they set sail immediately, and made the best of their way +to the Isle of Ebony. + +Hitherto Camaralzaman, the captain, and his men had not said a word +to one another; at last the prince broke silence, and asked the +captain, whom he recognized, why they had taken him away by force? +The captain in his turn demanded of the prince whether he was not a +debtor of the King of Ebony? + +'I the King of Ebony's debtor!' replied Camaralzaman in amazement; +'I do not know him, I never had anything to do with him in my life, +and never set foot in his kingdom.' + +The captain answered, 'You should know that better than I; you will +talk to him yourself in a little while: till then, stay here and +have patience.' + +Though it was night when he cast anchor in the port, the captain +landed immediately, and taking Prince Camaralzaman with him +hastened to the palace, where he demanded to be introduced to the +king. + +The Princess Badoura had withdrawn into the inner palace; however, +as soon as she had heard of the captain's return and Camaralzaman's +arrival, she came out to speak to him. As soon as she set her eyes +on the prince, for whom she had shed so many tears, she knew him in +his gardener's clothes. As for the prince, who trembled in the +presence of a king, as he thought her, to whom he was to answer for +an imaginary debt, it did not enter into his head that the person +whom he so earnestly desired to see stood before him. If the +princess had followed the dictates of her inclination, she would +have run to him and embraced him, but she put a constraint on +herself, believing that it was for the interest of both that she +should act the part of a king a little longer before she made +herself known. She contented herself for the present with putting +him into the hands of an officer, who was then in waiting, with a +charge to take care of him till the next day. + +When the Princess Badoura had provided for Prince Camaralzaman, she +turned to the captain, whom she was now to reward for the important +service he had done her. She commanded another officer to go +immediately and take the seal off the warehouse where his and his +merchants' goods were, and gave him a rich diamond, worth much more +than the expense of both his voyages. She bade him besides keep the +thousand pieces of gold she had given him for the pots of olives, +telling him she would make up the account with the merchant +herself. + +This done, she retired to the Princess of the Isle of Ebony's +apartment, to whom she communicated her joy, praying her to keep +the secret still. She told her how she intended to manage to reveal +herself to Prince Camaralzaman, and to give him the kingdom. + +The Princess of the Isle of Ebony was so far from betraying her, +that she rejoiced and entered fully into the plan. + +The next morning the Princess of China ordered Prince Camaralzaman +to be apparelled in the robes of an emir or governor of a province. +She commanded him to be introduced into the council, where his fine +person and majestic air drew all the eyes of the lords there +present upon him. + +The Princess Badoura herself was charmed to see him again, as +handsome as she had often seen him, and her pleasure inspired her +to speak the more warmly in his praise. When she addressed herself +to the council, having ordered the prince to take his seat among +the emirs, she spoke to them thus: 'My lords, this emir whom I have +advanced to the same dignity with you is not unworthy the place +assigned him. I have known enough of him in my travels to answer +for him, and I can assure you he will make his merit known to all +of you.' + +Camaralzaman was extremely amazed to hear the King of the Isle of +Ebony, whom he was far from taking for a woman, much less for his +dear princess, name him, and declare that he knew him, while he +thought himself certain that he had never seen him before in his +life. He was much more surprised when he heard him praise him so +excessively. Those praises, however, did not disconcert him, though +he received them with such modesty as showed that he did not grow +vain. He prostrated himself before the throne of the king, and +rising again, 'Sire,' said he, 'I want words to express my +gratitude to your majesty for the honour you have done me: I shall +do all in my power to render myself worthy of your royal favour.' + +From the council-board the prince was conducted to a palace, which +the Princess Badoura had ordered to be fitted up for him; where he +found officers and domestics ready to obey his commands, a stable +full of fine horses, and everything suitable to the rank of an +emir. Then the steward of his household brought him a strong box +full of gold for his expenses. + +The less he understood whence came his great good fortune, the more +he admired it, but never once imagined that he owed it to the +Princess of China. + +Two or three days after, the Princess Badoura, that he might be +nearer to her, and in a more distinguished post, made him high +treasurer, which office had lately become vacant. He behaved +himself in his new charge with so much integrity, yet obliging +everybody, that he not only gained the friendship of the great but +also the affections of the people, by his uprightness and bounty. + +Camaralzaman would have been the happiest man in the world, if he +had had his princess with him. In the midst of his good fortune he +never ceased lamenting her, and grieved that he could hear no +tidings of her, especially in a country where she must necessarily +have come on her way to his father's court after their separation. +He would have suspected something had the Princess Badoura still +gone by the name of Camaralzaman, but on her accession to the +throne she changed it, and took that of Armanos, in honour of the +old king her father-in-law. She was now known only by the name of +the young King Armanos. There were very few courtiers who knew that +she had ever been called Camaralzaman, which name she assumed when +she arrived at the court of the Isle of Ebony, nor had Camaralzaman +so much acquaintance with any of them yet as to learn more of her +history. + +The princess fearing he might do so in time, and desiring that he +should owe the discovery to herself only, resolved to put an end to +her own torment and his; for she had observed that as often as she +discoursed with him about the affairs of his office, he fetched +such deep sighs as could be addressed to nobody but her. She +herself also lived under such constraint that she could endure it +no longer. + +The Princess Badoura had no sooner made this decision with the +Princess Haiatalnefous, than she took Prince Camaralzaman aside, +saying, 'I must talk with you about an affair, Camaralzaman, which +requires much consideration, and on which I want your advice. Come +hither in the evening, and leave word at home that you will not +return; I will take care to provide you a bed.' + +Camaralzaman came punctually to the palace at the hour appointed by +the princess; she took him with her into the inner apartment, and +having told the chief chamberlain, who was preparing to follow her, +that she had no occasion for his service, and that he should only +keep the door shut, she took him into a different apartment. + +When the prince and princess entered the chamber she shut the door, +and, taking the talisman out of a little box, gave it to +Camaralzaman, saying, 'It is not long since an astrologer presented +me with this talisman; you being skilful in all things, may perhaps +tell me its use.' + +Camaralzaman took the talisman, and drew near a lamp to look at it. +As soon as he recollected it, with an astonishment which gave the +princess great pleasure, 'Sire,' said he to the princess, 'your +majesty asked me what this talisman is good for. Alas! it is only +good to kill me with grief and despair, if I do not quickly find +the most charming and lovely princess in the world to whom it +belonged, whose loss it occasioned by a strange adventure, the very +recital of which will move your majesty to pity such an unfortunate +husband and lover, if you would have patience to hear it.' + +'You shall tell me that another time,' replied the princess; 'I am +very glad to tell you I know something of it already; stay here a +little, and I will return to you in a moment.' + +At these words she went into her dressing-room, put off her royal +turban, and in a few minutes dressed herself like a woman; and +having the girdle round her which she wore on the day of their +separation, she entered the chamber. + +Prince Camaralzaman immediately knew his dear princess, ran to her, +and tenderly embraced her, crying out, 'How much I am obliged to +the king, who has so agreeably surprised me!' + +'Do not expect to see the king any more,' replied the princess, +embracing him in her turn, with tears in her eyes; 'you see him in +me: sit down, and I will explain this enigma to you.' + +They sat down, and the princess told the prince the resolution she +came to, in the field where they encamped the last time they were +together, as soon as she perceived that she waited for him to no +purpose; how she went through with it till she arrived at the Isle +of Ebony, where she had been obliged to marry the Princess +Haiatalnefous, and accept the crown which King Armanos offered her +as a condition of the marriage: how the princess, whose merit she +highly extolled, had kept the secret, and how she found the +talisman in the pots of olives mingled with the gold dust, and how +the finding it was the cause of her sending for him to the city of +the idolaters. + +The Princess Badoura and Prince Camaralzaman rose next morning as +soon as it was light, but the princess would no more put on her +royal robes as king; she dressed herself in the dress of a woman, +and then sent the chief chamberlain to King Armanos, her father-in- +law to desire he would be so good as to come to her apartment. + +When the king entered the chamber, he was amazed to see there a +lady who was unknown to him, and the high treasurer with her, who +was not permitted to come within the inner palace. He sat down and +asked where the king was. + +The princess answered, 'Yesterday I was king, sir, and to-day I am +the Princess of China, wife of the true Prince Camaralzaman, the +true son of King Schahzaman. If your majesty will have the patience +to hear both our stories, I hope you will not condemn me for putting +an innocent deceit upon you.' The king bade her go on, and heard her +discourse from the beginning to the end with astonishment. The +princess on finishing it said to him, 'Sir, in our religion men may +have several wives; if your majesty will consent to give your +daughter the Princess Haiatalnefous in marriage to Prince +Camaralzaman, I will with all my heart yield up to her the rank and +quality of queen, which of right belongs to her, and content myself +with the second place. If this precedence was not her due, I would, +however, give it her, after she has kept my secret so generously.' + +King Armanos listened to the princess with astonishment, and when +she had done, turned to Prince Camaralzaman, saying, 'Son, since the +Princess Badoura your wife, whom I have all along thought to be my +son-in-law, through a deceit of which I cannot complain, assures me +that she is willing, I have nothing more to do but to ask you if you +are willing to marry my daughter and accept the crown, which the +Princess Badoura would deservedly wear as long as she lived, if she +did not quit it out of love to you.' + +'Sir,' replied Prince Camaralzaman, 'though I desire nothing so +earnestly as to see the king my father, yet the obligation I am +under to your majesty and the Princess Haiatalnefous are so +weighty, I can refuse her nothing.' Camaralzaman was proclaimed +king, and married the same day with all possible demonstrations of +joy. + +Not long afterwards they all resumed the long interrupted journey +to the Isles of the Children of Khaledan, where they were fortunate +enough to find the old King Schahzaman still alive and overjoyed to +see his son once more; and after several months' rejoicing, King +Camaralzaman and the two queens returned to the Island of Ebony, +where they lived in great happiness for the remainder of their +lives. + + + + + + + THE STORY OF ZOBEIDE TOLD BY HERSELF + + + +The following story is one of the strangest that ever was heard. +Two black dogs long dwelt with me in my house, and were very +affectionately disposed towards me. These two black dogs and myself +were sisters, and I shall acquaint you by what strange accident +they came to be metamorphosed. After our father's death, the estate +that he left was equally divided among us. My two sisters and +myself stayed with our mother, who was still alive, and when she +died she left each of us a thousand sequins. As soon as we received +our portions, the two elder (for I am the youngest), being married, +followed their husbands and left me alone. Some time after, my +eldest sister's husband sold all that he had, and with that money +and my sister's portion they both went into Africa, where her +husband, by riotous living, spent all; and finding himself reduced +to poverty, he found a pretext for divorcing my sister, and sent +her away. + +She returned to this city, and, having suffered incredible +hardships by the way, came to me in so lamentable a condition that +it would have moved the hardest heart to compassion. I received her +with all the tenderness she could expect, and on my inquiring into +the cause of her sad condition, she told me with tears how +inhumanly her husband had dealt with her. I was so much concerned +at her misfortune that it drew tears from my eyes: I clothed her +with my own apparel, and spoke to her thus: 'Sister, you are the +elder, and I esteem you as my mother: during your absence, God has +blessed the portion that fell to my share, and the employment I +follow of feeding and bringing up silk-worms. Assure yourself that +there is nothing I have but is at your service, and as much at your +disposal as my own.' + +We lived very comfortably together for some months; and one day as +we were discoursing together about our third sister, and wondering +we heard no news of her, she came home in as bad a condition as the +elder; her husband had treated her after the same manner: and I +received her likewise with the same affection as I had done the +other. + +Some time after, my two sisters, on the ground that they would not +be an expense to me, told me they intended to marry again. I +answered them, that if their putting me to expense was all the +reason they might lay those thoughts aside, and be very welcome to +stay with me; for what I had would be sufficient to maintain us all +three in a manner suitable to our condition. 'But,' said I, 'I +rather believe you have a mind to marry again. If you do, I am sure +it will very much surprise me: after the experience you have had of +the small satisfaction there is in marriage, is it possible you +dare venture a second time? You know how rare it is to meet with a +husband that is a really honest man. Believe what I say, and let us +live together as comfortably as we can.' All my persuasion was in +vain; they were resolved to marry, and so they did. But after some +months were past they came back again, and begged my pardon a +thousand times for not following my advice. 'You are our youngest +sister,' said they, 'and much wiser than we; but if you will +vouchsafe to receive us once more into your house and account us +your slaves, we shall never commit such a fault again.' My answer +was, 'Dear sisters, I have not altered my mind with respect to you +since we last parted from one another; come again and take part of +what I have.' Upon this I embraced them again, and we lived +together as we did formerly. + +We continued thus a whole year in perfect love and tranquillity; +and seeing that God had increased my small stock, I projected a +voyage by sea, to hazard somewhat by trade. To this end I went with +my two sisters to Balsora, where I bought a ship ready fitted for +sea, and laded her with such merchandise as I brought from Bagdad. +We set sail with a fair wind, and soon cleared the Persian gulf; +and when we got into the ocean we steered our course to the Indies, +and on the twentieth day saw land. It was a very high mountain, at +the foot of which we saw a great town, and having a fresh wind we +soon reached the harbour, where we cast anchor. + +I had not patience to stay till my sisters were ready to go with +me, but went ashore in the boat by myself; and, making directly for +the gate of the town, I saw there a great number of men on guard, +some sitting and others standing, with sticks in their hands; and +they had all such dreadful countenances that it frightened me; but +perceiving they had no motion, not so much as with their eyes, I +took courage, and went nearer, and then found they were all turned +into stone. I entered the town and passed through the several +streets, wherein men stood everywhere in various attitudes, but all +motionless and petrified. On that side where the merchants lived I +found most of the shops shut, and in such as were open I likewise +found the people petrified. I looked up to the chimneys, but saw no +smoke; which made me conjecture that the inhabitants both within +and without were all turned into stone. + +Being come into a vast square in the heart of the city, I perceived +a great gate covered with plates of gold, the two doors of which +stood open, and a curtain of silk stuff seemed to be drawn before +it; I also saw a lamp hanging over the gate. After I had well +considered, I made no doubt but that it was the palace of the +prince who reigned over that country; and being very much +astonished that I had not met with one living creature, I went +thither in hopes to find some one. I entered the gate, and was +still more surprised when I saw none but the guards in the porches, +all petrified, some standing, some sitting, and some lying. + +I crossed over a large court where I saw a stately building just +before me, the windows of which were enclosed with gates of massive +gold: I supposed it to be the queen's apartment, and went into a +large hall, where there stood several black chamberlains turned +into stone. I went from thence into a room richly hung and +furnished, where I perceived a lady. I knew it to be the queen by +the crown of gold that hung over her head, and a necklace of pearls +about her neck, each of them as big as a nut; I went up close to +her to view it, and never beheld a finer sight. + +I stood some time and admired the riches and magnificence of the +room; but above all, the footcloth, the cushions and the sofas, +which were all lined with Indian stuff or gold, with pictures of +men and beasts in silver admirably executed. + +I went out of the chamber where the petrified queen was, and passed +through several other apartments richly furnished, and at last came +into a vast room, where was a throne of massive gold, raised +several steps above the floor and enriched with large emeralds, and +a bed upon the throne of rich stuff embroidered with pearls. What +surprised me more than all the rest was a sparkling light which +came from above the bed. Being curious to know from whence it came, +I mounted the steps, and lifting up my head, I saw a diamond, as +big as the egg of an ostrich, lying upon a low stool; it was so +pure that I could not find the least blemish in it, and it sparkled +so brightly that I could not endure the lustre of it when I saw it +by daylight. + +On each side of the bed's head there stood a lighted torch, but for +what use I could not comprehend; however, it made me imagine that +there was some living creature in this place, for I could not +believe that these torches continued thus burning of themselves. + +The doors being all open, or but half shut, I surveyed some other +apartments that were as fine as those I had already seen. I looked +into the offices and store-rooms, which were full of infinite +riches, and I was so much taken with the sight of all the wonderful +things that I forgot myself; and did not think of my ship or my +sisters; my whole design was to satisfy my curiosity. Meantime +night came on, which put me in mind that it was time to retire. I +was for returning by the way I came in, but I could not find it; I +lost myself among the apartments; and finding I was come back again +to that large room where the throne, the couch, the large diamond, +and the torches stood, I resolved to take my night's lodging there, +and to depart the next morning betimes, to get aboard my ship. I +laid myself down upon the couch, not without some dread of being +alone in a desolate place; and this fear hindered my sleep. + +About midnight I heard a voice like that of a man reading the +Koran, after the same manner and in the same tone as we read in our +mosques. Being extremely glad to hear it, I got up immediately, +and, taking a torch in my hand to light me, I passed from one +chamber to another on that side where the voice came from: I came +to a door, where I stood still, nowise doubting that it came from +thence. I set down my torch upon the ground, and looking through a +window I found it to be an oratory. In short, it had, as we have in +our mosques, a niche that shows where we must turn to say our +prayers; there were also lamps hung up, and two candlesticks with +large tapers of white wax burning. + +I saw a little carpet laid down, like those we have to kneel upon +when we say our prayers, and a comely young man sat upon this +carpet, reading with great devotion the Koran, which lay before him +upon a desk. At the sight of this I was transported with wonder. I +wondered how it came to pass that he should be the only living +creature in a town where all the people were turned into stones, +and I did not doubt but that there was something in it very +extraordinary. + +The door being only half shut, I opened it and went in, and +standing upright before the niche, I said this prayer aloud: +'Praise be to God, who has favoured us with a happy voyage, and may +He be graciously pleased to protect us in the same manner until we +arrive again in our own country. Hear me, O Lord, and grant my +request.' + +The young man cast his eyes upon me, and said, 'My good lady, pray +let me know who you are, and what has brought you to this desolate +city; and, in return, I will tell you who I am, what happened to +me, why the inhabitants of this city are reduced to that state you +see them in, and why I alone am safe and sound in the midst of such +a terrible disaster.' + +I told him in few words from whence I came, what made me undertake +the voyage, and how I had safely arrived at the port after twenty +days' sailing; and when I had done I prayed him to fulfil his +promise, and told him how much I was struck by the frightful +desolation which I had seen in all places as I came along. + +'My dear lady,' said the young man, 'have patience for a moment.' +At these words he shut the Koran, put it into a rich case, and laid +it in the niche. I took that opportunity of observing him, and +perceived so much good-nature and beauty in him that I felt strange +emotion. He made me sit down by him; and before he began his +discourse I could not forbear saying to him, 'Sir, I can scarcely +have patience to wait for an account of all those wonderful things +that I have seen since the first time I came into your city; and my +curiosity cannot be satisfied too soon: therefore pray, sir, let me +know by what miracle you alone are left alive among so many persons +that have died in so strange a manner.' + +'Madam,' said the young man, 'you have given me to understand that +you have a knowledge of the true God by the prayer you have just +now addressed to Him. I will acquaint you with the most remarkable +effect of His greatness and power. You must know that this city was +the metropolis of a mighty kingdom, over which the king, my father, +did reign. He, his whole court, the inhabitants of the city, and +all his other subjects were magi, worshippers of fire, and of +Nardoun, the ancient king of the giants, who rebelled against God. + +'And though I had an idolatrous father and mother, I had the good +fortune in my youth to have a governess who was a good Mussulman; I +learned the Koran by heart, and understood the explanation of it +perfectly. "Dear prince," would she oftentimes say, "there is but +one true God; take heed that you do not acknowledge and adore any +other." She taught me to read Arabic, and the book she gave me to +practice upon was the Koran. As soon as I was capable of +understanding it, she explained to me all the heads of this +excellent book, and infused piety into my mind, unknown to my +father or anybody else. She happened to die, but not before she had +instructed me in all that was necessary to convince me of the truth +of the Mussulman religion. After her death I persisted with +constancy in this belief; and I abhor the false god Nardoun, and +the adoration of fire. + +'It is about three years and some months ago that a thundering +voice was heard, all of a sudden, so distinctly, through the whole +city that nobody could miss hearing it. The words were these: +"Inhabitants, abandon the worship of Nardoun, and of fire, and +worship the only God that shows mercy." + +'This voice was heard for three years successively, but nobody was +converted: so on the last day of the year, at four o'clock in the +morning, all the inhabitants were changed in an instant into stone, +every one in the same condition and posture they happened to be +then in. The king, my father, had the same fate, for he was +metamorphosed into a black stone, as he is to be seen in this +palace; and the queen, my mother, had the like destiny. + +'I am the only person that did not suffer under that heavy +judgment, and ever since I have continued to serve God with more +fervency than before. I am persuaded, dear lady, that He has sent +you hither for my comfort, for which I render Him infinite thanks; +for I must own that this solitary life is very unpleasant.' + +'Prince,' said I, 'there is no doubt that Providence hath brought +me into your port to present you with an opportunity of withdrawing +from this dismal place. The ship that I came in may in some measure +persuade you that I am in some esteem at Bagdad, where I have also +left a considerable estate; and I dare engage to promise you +sanctuary there, until the mighty Commander of the Faithful, who is +vice-regent to our Prophet, whom you acknowledge, shows you the +honour that is due to your merit. This renowned prince lives at +Bagdad, and as soon as he is informed of your arrival in his +capital, you will find that it is not vain to implore his +assistance. It is impossible you can stay any longer in a city +where all the objects you see must renew your grief: my vessel is +at your service, where you may absolutely command as you think +fit.' He accepted the offer, and we discoursed the remaining part +of the night about our sailing. + +As soon as it was day we left the palace, and came aboard my ship, +where we found my sisters, the captain, and the slaves, all very +much troubled at my absence. After I had presented my sisters to +the prince, I told them what had hindered my return to the vessel +the day before, how I had met with the young prince, his story, and +the cause of the desolation of so fine a city. + +The seamen were taken up several days in unlading the merchandise I +had brought with me, and embarking instead all the precious things +in the palace, jewels, gold and money. We left the furniture and +goods, which consisted of an infinite quantity of plate, etc., +because our vessel could not carry it, for it would have required +several vessels more to carry all the riches to Bagdad that we +might have chosen to take with us. + +After we had laden the vessel with what we thought fit, we took +such provisions and water aboard as were necessary for our voyage +(for we had still a great deal of those provisions left that we had +taken in at Balsora): at last we set sail with a wind as favourable +as we could wish. + +The young prince, my sisters and myself enjoyed ourselves for some +time very agreeably; but alas! this good understanding did not last +long, for my sisters grew jealous of the friendship between the +prince and me, and maliciously asked me one day what we should do +with him when we came to Bagdad. I perceived immediately why they +put this question to me; therefore, resolving to put it off with a +jest, I answered them, 'I will take him for my husband'; and upon +that, turning myself to the prince, 'Sir,' said I, 'I humbly beg of +you to give your consent; for as soon as we come to Bagdad I design +to do you all the service that is in my power and to resign myself +wholly to your commands.' + +The prince answered, 'I know not, madam, whether you be in jest or +no; but for my own part I seriously declare, before these ladies +your sisters, that from this moment I heartily accept your offer, +as my lady and mistress. Nor will I pretend to have any power over +your actions.' At these words my sisters changed colour, and I +could perceive afterwards that they did not love me as formerly. + +We had come into the Persian Gulf, not far from Balsora, where I +hoped, considering the fair wind, we might arrive the day +following; but in the night, when I was asleep, my sisters watched +their time and threw me overboard. They did the same to the prince, +who was drowned. I swam for some minutes in the water; but by good +fortune, or rather miracle, I soon felt ground. I went towards a +black place, that, so far as I could discern in the dark, seemed to +be land, and actually was a flat on the coast. When day came, I +found it to be a desert island, lying about twenty miles from +Balsora. I soon dried my clothes in the sun; and as I walked along +I found several sorts of fruit, and likewise fresh water, which +gave me some hope of preserving my life. + +I laid myself down in the shade and soon after I saw a winged +serpent, very large and long, coming towards me, wriggling to the +right and to the left, and hanging out his tongue, which made me +think he was ill. I arose, and saw a larger serpent following him, +holding him by the tail, and endeavouring to devour him. I had +compassion on him, and instead of flying away, I had the boldness +and courage to take up a stone that by chance lay by me, and threw +it with all my strength at the great serpent, whom I hit on the +head, and killed him. The other, finding himself at liberty, took +to his wings and flew away. I looked a long while after him in the +air, as an extraordinary thing; but he flew out of sight, and I lay +down again in another place in the shade, and fell asleep. + +When I awoke, judge how surprised I was to see by me a black woman, +of lively and agreeable looks, who held, tied together in her hand, +two dogs of the same colour. I sat up and asked her who she was. 'I +am,' said she, 'the serpent whom you delivered not long since from +my mortal enemy. I knew not how to acknowledge the great kindness +you did me, but by doing what I have done. I knew the treachery of +your sisters, and, to revenge you on them, as soon as I was set at +liberty by your generous assistance I called several of my +companions together, fairies like myself. We have carried into your +storehouses at Bagdad all your lading that was in your vessel, and +afterwards sunk it. + +'These two black dogs are your sisters, whom I have transformed +into this shape. But this punishment is not sufficient; for I will +have you treat them after such a manner as I shall direct.' + +At those words the fairy took me fast under one of her arms, and +the two dogs in the other, and carried me to my house in Bagdad, +where I found in my storehouses all the riches which were laden on +board my vessel. Before she left me she delivered the two dogs, and +told me, 'If you will not be changed into a dog as they are, I +order you to give each of your sisters every night a hundred lashes +with a rod, for the punishment of the crime they have committed +against your person and the young prince whom they drowned.' I was +forced to promise that I would obey her order. For many months I +whipped them every night, though with regret. I gave evidence by my +tears with how much sorrow and reluctance I must perform this cruel +duty. + +Now the fairy had left with me a bundle of hair, saying withal that +her presence would one day be of use to me; and then, if I only +burnt two tufts of this hair, she would be with me in a moment, +though she were beyond Mount Caucasus. + +Desirous at length to see the fairy and beg her to restore the two +black dogs, my sisters, to their proper shape, I caused fire one +day to be brought in, and threw the whole bundle of hair into it. +The house began to shake at that very instant, and the fairy +appeared in the form of a lady very richly dressed. + +I besought her, with every form of entreaty I could employ, to +restore my sisters to their natural shape, and to release me from +the cruel duty that I had always unwillingly performed. + +The fairy at length consented, and desired a bowl of water to be +brought; she pronounced over it some words which I did not +understand, and then sprinkled the water upon the dogs. They +immediately became two ladies of surprising beauty, and I +recognised in them the sisters to whose human form I had so long +been a stranger. They soon after married the sons of kings, and +lived happily for the rest of their lives. + + + + + + + THE STORY OF THE KING'S SON. + + + +I was scarcely past my infancy when the king my father perceived +that I was endowed with a great deal of sense, and spared nothing +in improving it; he employed all the men in his dominions that +excelled in science and art to be constantly about me. No sooner +was I able to read and write than I learned the Koran from the +beginning to the end by heart; that admirable book which contains +the foundation, the precepts, and the rules of our religion; and +that I might be thoroughly instructed in it, I read the works of +the most approved authors, by whose commentaries it had been +explained. I added to this study that of all the traditions +collected from the mouth of our Prophet by the great men that were +contemporary with him. I was not satisfied with the knowledge of +all that had any relation to our religion, but made also a +particular search into our histories. I made myself perfect in +polite learning, in the works of poets, and in versification. I +applied myself to geography, chronology, and to speak our Arabic +tongue in its purity. But one thing which I was fond of and +succeeded in to a special degree was to form the characters of our +written language, wherein I surpassed all the writing masters of +our kingdom that had acquired the greatest reputation. + +Fame did me more honour than I deserved, for she not only spread +the renown of my talents through all the dominions of the king my +father, but carried it as far as the Indian court, whose potent +monarch, desirous to see me, sent an ambassador with rich presents +to demand me of my father, who was extremely glad of this embassy +for several reasons; he was persuaded that nothing could be more +commendable in a prince of my age than to travel and visit foreign +courts, and he was very glad to gain the friendship of the Indian +sultan. I departed with the ambassador, but with no great retinue, +because of the length and difficulty of the journey. + +When we had travelled about a month, we discovered at a distance a +great cloud of dust, and under that we very soon saw fifty +horsemen, well armed, that were robbers, coming towards us at full +gallop. + +As we had ten horses laden with baggage and presents that I was to +carry to the Indian sultan from the king my father, and my retinue +was but small, these robbers came boldly up to us. Not being in a +position to make any resistance, we told them that we were +ambassadors belonging to the Sultan of the Indies, and hoped they +would attempt nothing contrary to that respect which is due to him, +thinking by this means to save our equipage and our lives. + +But the robbers most insolently replied, 'For what reason would you +have us show any respect to the sultan your master? We are none of +his subjects, nor are we upon his territories.' + +Having spoken thus, they surrounded and fell upon us. I defended +myself as long as I could, but finding myself wounded, and seeing +the ambassador with his servants and mine lying on the ground, I +made use of what strength was yet remaining in my horse, who was +also very much wounded, separated myself from the crowd, and rode +away as fast as he could carry me; but he happened all of a sudden +to give way under me, through weariness and loss of blood, and fell +down dead. I got rid of him in a trice, and finding that I was not +pursued, it made me judge that the robbers were not willing to quit +the booty they had got. + +Here you see me alone, wounded, destitute of help, and in a strange +country: I durst not betake myself to the high road, lest I might +fall again into the hands of these robbers. When I had bound up my +wound, which was not dangerous, I walked on for the rest of the +day, and arrived at the foot of a mountain, where I perceived a +passage into a cave: I went in, and stayed there that night with +little satisfaction, after I had eaten some fruits that I gathered +by the way. + +I continued my journey for several days without finding any place +of abode; but after a month's time, I came to a large town, well +inhabited, and situated so advantageously, as it was surrounded +with several rivers, that it enjoyed perpetual spring. + +The pleasant objects which then presented themselves to my eyes +afforded me joy, and suspended for a time the sorrow with which I +was overwhelmed to find myself in such a condition. My face, hands +and feet were black and sunburnt; and, owing to my long journey, my +shoes and stockings were quite worn out, so that I was forced to +walk bare-footed, and, besides, my clothes were all in rags. I +entered into the town to learn where I was, and addressed myself to +a tailor that was at work in his shop; who, perceiving by my air +that I was a person of more note than my outward appearance bespoke +me to be, made me sit down by him, and asked me who I was, from +whence I came, and what had brought me thither? I did not conceal +anything that had befallen me. + +The tailor listened with attention to my words; but after I had +done speaking, instead of giving me any consolation, he augmented +my sorrow. + +'Take heed,' said he, 'how you discover to any person what you have +now declared to me; for the prince of this country is the greatest +enemy that the king your father has, and he will certainly do you +some mischief when he comes to hear of your being in this city.' + +I made no doubt of the tailor's sincerity, when he named the +prince, and returned him thanks for his good advice: and as he +believed I could not but be hungry, he ordered something to be +brought for me to eat, and offered me at the same time a lodging in +his house, which I accepted. Some days after, finding me pretty +well recovered from the fatigue I had endured by a long and tedious +journey, and reflecting that most princes of our religion applied +themselves to some art or calling that might be serviceable to them +upon occasion, he asked me if I had learnt anything whereby I might +get a livelihood, and not be burdensome to any one? I told him that +I understood the laws, both divine and human; that I was a +grammarian and poet; and, above all, that I understood writing +perfectly. + +'By all this,' said he, 'you will not be able, in this country, to +purchase yourself one morsel of bread; nothing is of less use here +than those sciences: but if you will be advised by me,' said he, +'dress yourself in a labourer's frock; and since you appear to be +strong and of a good constitution, you shall go into the next +forest and cut fire-wood, which you may bring to the market to be +sold; and I can assure you it will turn to such good account that +you may live by it, without dependence upon any man: and by this +means you will be in a condition to wait for the favourable moment +when Heaven shall think fit to dispel those clouds of misfortune +that thwart your happiness, and oblige you to conceal your birth. I +will take care to supply you with a rope and a hatchet.' + +The fear of being known, and the necessity I was under of getting a +livelihood, made me agree to this proposal, notwithstanding all the +hardships that attended it. The day following the tailor bought me +a rope, a hatchet, and a short coat, and recommended me to some +poor people who gained their bread after the same manner, that they +might take me into their company. They conducted me to the wood, +and the first day I brought in as much upon my head as earned me +half a piece of gold, which is the money of that country; for +though the wood is not far distant from the town, yet it was very +scarce there, for few or none would be at the trouble to go and cut +it. I gained a good sum of money in a short time, and repaid my +tailor what he had advanced for me. + +I continued this way of living for a whole year; and one day, when +by chance I had gone farther into the wood than usual, I happened +to light on a very pleasant place, where I began to cut down wood; +and in pulling up the root of a tree, I espied an iron ring, +fastened to a trap-door of the same metal. I took away the earth +that covered it, and having lifted it up, saw stairs, down which I +went, with my axe in my hand. + +When I came to the bottom of the stairs, I found myself in a large +palace, which put me into great consternation, because of a great +light which appeared as clear in it as if it had been above ground +in the open air. I went forward along a gallery supported by +pillars of jasper, the base and capitals of massy gold; but seeing +a lady of a noble and free air and extremely beautiful coming +towards me, my eyes were taken off from beholding any other object +but her alone. + +Being desirous to spare the lady the trouble of coming to me, I +made haste to meet her; and as I was saluting her with a low bow, +she asked me, 'What are you, a man or a genie?' + +'A man, madam,' said I: 'I have no correspondence with genies.' + +'By what adventure,' said she, fetching a deep sigh, 'are you come +hither? I have lived here these twenty-five years, and never saw +any man but yourself during that time.' + +Her great beauty, and the sweetness and civility wherewith she +received me, emboldened me to say to her, 'Madam, before I have the +honour to satisfy your curiosity, give me leave to tell you that I +am infinitely pleased with this unexpected meeting, which offers me +an occasion of consolation in the midst of my affliction; and +perhaps it may give me an opportunity to make you also more happy +than you are.' I gave her a true account by what strange accident +she saw me, the son of a king, in such a condition as I then +presented to her eyes; and how fortune directed that I should +discover the entrance into that magnificent prison where I had +found her according to appearances in an unpleasant situation. + +'Alas! prince,' said she, sighing once more, 'you have just cause +to believe this rich and pompous prison cannot be otherwise than a +most wearisome abode; the most charming place in the world being no +way delightful when we are detained there contrary to our will. You +have heard of the great Epitimarus, King of the Isle of Ebony, so +called from that precious wood, which it produces in abundance: I +am the princess his daughter. + +'The king, my father, had chosen for me a husband, a prince that +was my cousin; but in the midst of the rejoicing at the court, +before I was given to my husband, a genie took me away. I fainted +at the same moment, and lost my senses; and when I came to myself +again, I found myself in this place. I was for a long time +inconsolable, but time and necessity have accustomed me to the +genie. Twenty-five years, as I told you before, I have continued in +this place; where, I must confess, I have everything that I can +wish for necessary to life, and also everything that can satisfy a +princess fond of dress and fashions. + +'Every ten days,' continued the princess, 'the genie comes hither +to see me. Meanwhile, if I have occasion for him by day or night, +as soon as I touch a talisman which is at the entrance into my +chamber, the genie appears. It is now the fourth day since he was +here, and I do not expect him before the end of six more; so, if +you please, you may stay five days and keep me company, and I will +endeavour to entertain you according to your rank and merit.' + +I thought myself too fortunate in having obtained so great a favour +without asking it to refuse so obliging an offer. The princess made +me go into a bath, which was the most sumptuous that could be +imagined; and when I came forth, instead of my own clothes, I found +another very costly suit, which I did not esteem so much for its +richness as because it made me look worthy to be in her company. We +sat down on a sofa covered with rich tapestry, with cushions to +lean upon of the rarest Indian brocade; and soon after she covered +a table with several dishes of delicate meats. We ate together, and +passed the remaining part of the day with much satisfaction. + +The next day, as she contrived every means to please me, she +brought in, at dinner, a bottle of old wine, the most excellent +that ever was tasted; and out of complaisance she drank some part +of it with me. When my head grew hot with the agreeable liquor, +'Fair princess,' said I, 'you have been too long thus buried alive: +follow me, and enjoy the real day, from which you have been +deprived so many years, and abandon this false light that you have +here.' + +'Prince,' replied she, with a smile, 'stop this discourse; if out +of ten days you will grant me nine, and resign the last to the +genie, the fairest day that ever was would be nothing in my +esteem.' + +'Princess,' said I, 'it is the fear of the genie that makes you +speak thus; for my part, I value him so little that I will break +his talisman in pieces. Let him come, I will expect him; and how +brave or redoubtable soever he be, I will make him feel the weight +of my arm: I swear, solemnly that I will extirpate all the genies +in the world, and him first.' The princess, who knew the +consequences, conjured me not to touch the talisman; 'for that +would be a means,' said she, 'to ruin both you and me: I know what +belongs to genies better than you.' The fumes of the wine did not +suffer me to hearken to her reasons; but I gave the talisman a kick +with my foot, and broke it in several pieces. + +The talisman was no sooner broken, than the palace began to shake, +and was ready to fall with a hideous noise like thunder, +accompanied with flashes of lightning and a great darkness. This +terrible noise in a moment dispelled the fumes of my wine, and made +me sensible, but too late, of the folly I had committed. +'Princess,' cried I, 'what means all this?' + +She answered in a fright, and without any concern for her own +misfortune, 'Alas! you are undone, if you do not escape +immediately.' + +I followed her advice, and my fears were so great that I forgot my +hatchet and cords. I had scarcely got to the stairs by which I came +down, when the enchanted palace opened, and made a passage for the +genie: he asked the princess, in great anger, 'What has happened to +you, and why did you call me?' + +'A qualm,' said the princess, 'made me fetch this bottle which you +see here, out of which I drank twice or thrice, and by mischance +made a false step, and fell upon the talisman, which is broken, and +that is all.' + +At this answer the furious genie told her, 'You are a false woman, +and a liar: how came that axe and those cords there?' + +'I never saw them till this moment,' said the princess. 'Your +coming in such an impetuous manner has, it may be, forced them up +in some place as you came along, and so brought them hither without +your knowing it.' + +The genie made no other answer but reproaches and blows of which I +heard the noise. I could not endure to hear the pitiful cries and +shouts of the princess, so cruelly abused; I had already laid off +the suit she made me put on, and taken my own, which I had laid on +the stairs the day before, when I came out of the bath; I made +haste upstairs, distracted with sorrow and compassion, as I had +been the cause of so great a misfortune. For by sacrificing the +fairest princess on earth to the barbarity of a merciless genie, I +was become the most criminal and ungrateful of mankind. 'It is +true,' said I, 'she has been a prisoner these twenty-five years; +but, liberty excepted, she wanted nothing that could make her +happy. My folly has put an end to her happiness, and brought upon +her the cruelty of an unmerciful monster.' I let down the trap- +door, covered it again with earth, and returned to the city with a +burden of wood, which I bound up without knowing what I did, so +great was my trouble and sorrow. + +My landlord, the tailor, was very much rejoiced to see me. 'Your +absence,' said he, 'has disquieted me very much, because you had +entrusted me with the secret of your birth, and I knew not what to +think; I was afraid somebody had discovered you: God be thanked for +your return.' I thanked him for his zeal and affection, but not a +word durst I say of what had passed, nor the reason why I came back +without my hatchet and cords. + +I retired to my chamber, where I reproached myself a thousand times +for my excessive imprudence. 'Nothing,' said I, 'could have +paralleled the princess's good fortune and mine had I forborne to +break the talisman.' + +While I was thus giving myself over to melancholy thoughts, the +tailor came in. 'An old man,' said he, 'whom I do not know, brings +me here your hatchet and cords, which he found in his way, as he +tells me, and understood from your comrades that you lodge here; +come out and speak to him, for he will deliver them to none but +yourself.' + +At this discourse I changed colour, and began to tremble. While the +tailor was asking me the reason, my chamber door opened, and the +old man appeared to us with my hatchet and cords. This was the +genie, the ravisher of the fair princess of the Isle of Ebony, who +had thus disguised himself, after he had treated her with the +utmost barbarity. 'I am a genie,' said he, 'son of the daughter of +Eblis, prince of genies. Is not this your hatchet, and are not +these your cords?' + +After the genie had put the question to me, he gave me no time to +answer, nor was it in my power, so much had his terrible aspect +disordered me. He grasped me by the middle, dragged me out of the +chamber, and mounting into the air, carried me up to the skies with +such swiftness that I was unable to take notice of the way he +carried me. He descended again in like manner to the earth, which +on a sudden he caused to open with a stroke of his foot, and so +sank down at once, where I found myself in the enchanted palace, +before the fair princess of the Isle of Ebony. But alas, what a +spectacle was there! I saw what pierced me to the heart; this poor +princess was weltering in her blood upon the ground, more dead than +alive, with her cheeks bathed in tears. + +'Perfidious wretch,' said the genie to her; pointing at me, 'who is +this?' + +She cast her languishing eyes upon me, and answered mournfully, 'I +do not know him; I never saw him till this moment.' + +'What!' said the genie, 'he is the cause of thy being in the +condition thou art justly in, and yet darest thou say thou dost not +know him?' + +'If I do not know him,' said the princess, 'would you have me tell +a lie on purpose to ruin him?' + +'Oh then,' continued the genie, pulling out a scimitar, and +presenting it to the princess, 'if you never saw him before, take +the scimitar and cut off his head.' + +'Alas!' replied the princess, 'my strength is so far spent that I +cannot lift up my arm, and if I could, how should I have the heart +to take away the life of an innocent man?' + +'This refusal,' said the genie to the princess, 'sufficiently +informs me of your crime.' Upon which, turning to me, 'And thou,' +said he, 'dost thou not know her?' + +I should have been the most ungrateful wretch, and the most +perfidious of all mankind, if I had not shown myself as faithful to +the princess as she was to me who had been the cause of her +misfortunes; therefore I answered the genie, 'How should I know +her?' + +'If it be so,' said he, 'take the scimitar and cut off her head: on +this condition I will set thee at liberty, for then I shall be +convinced that thou didst never see her till this very moment, as +thou sayest.' + +'With all my heart,' replied I, and took the scimitar in my hand. + +But I did it only to demonstrate by my behaviour, as much as +possible, that as she had shown her resolution to sacrifice her +life for my sake, I would not refuse to sacrifice mine for hers. +The princess, notwithstanding her pain and suffering, understood my +meaning, which she signified by an obliging look. Upon this I +stepped back, and threw the scimitar on the ground. 'I should for +ever,' said I to the genie, 'be hateful to all mankind were I to be +so base as to murder a lady like this, who is ready to give up the +ghost: do with me what you please, since I am in your power; I +cannot obey your barbarous commands.' + +'I see,' said the genie, 'that you both outbrave me, but both of +you shall know, by the treatment I give you, what I am capable of +doing.' At these words the monster took up the scimitar and cut off +one of her hands, which left her only so much life as to give me a +token with the other that she bid me adieu for ever, the sight of +which threw me into a fit. When I was come to myself again, I +expostulated with the genie as to why he made me languish in +expectation of death. 'Strike,' cried I, 'for I am ready to receive +the mortal blow, and expect it as the greatest favour you can show +me.' But instead of agreeing to that, 'Look you,' said he, 'how +genies treat their wives whom they suspect: she has received you +here, and were I certain that she had put any further affront upon +me, I would put you to death this minute: but I will be content to +transform you into a dog, ape, lion, or bird. Take your choice of +any of these; I will leave it to yourself.' + +These words gave me some hope to mollify him. 'Oh genie,' said I, +'moderate your passion, and since you will not take away my life, +give it me generously; I shall always remember you, if you pardon +me, as one of the best men in the world.' + +'All that I can do for you,' said he, 'is, not to take your life: +do not flatter yourself that I will send you back safe and sound; I +must let you feel what I am able to do by my enchantments.' So +saying, he laid violent hands on me, and carried me across the +vault of the subterranean palace, which opened to give him passage. +Then he flew up with me so high that the earth seemed to be only a +little white cloud; from thence he came down like lightning, and +alighted upon the ridge of a mountain. + +There he took up a handful of earth, and pronounced, or rather +muttered, some words which I did not understand, and threw it upon +me. 'Quit the shape of a man,' said he to me, 'and take on you that +of an ape.' He vanished immediately, and left me alone, transformed +into an ape, overwhelmed with sorrow in a strange country, and not +knowing whether I was near or far from my father's dominions. + +I went down from the top of the mountain and came into a plain, +which took me a month's time to travel through, and then I came to +the seaside. It happened to be then a great calm, and I espied a +vessel about half a league from the shore. Unwilling to lose this +good opportunity, I broke off a large branch from a tree, which I +carried with me to the seaside, and set myself astride upon it, +with a stick in each hand to serve me for oars. + +I launched out in this posture, and advanced near the ship. When I +was near enough to be known, the seamen and passengers that were +upon the deck thought it an extraordinary sight, and all of them +looked upon me with great astonishment. In the meantime I got +aboard, and laying hold of a rope, I jumped upon the deck, but +having lost my speech, I found myself in great perplexity; and +indeed the risk I ran then was nothing less than when I was at the +mercy of the genie. + +The merchants, being both superstitious and scrupulous, believed I +should occasion some mischief to their voyage if they received me; +'therefore,' said one, 'I will knock him down with a handspike'; +said another, 'I will shoot an arrow through him'; said a third, +'Let us throw him into the sea.' Some of them would not have failed +to do so, if I had not got to that side where the captain was. I +threw myself at his feet, and took him by the coat in a begging +posture. This action, together with the tears which he saw gush +from my eyes, moved his compassion; so that he took me under his +protection, threatening to be revenged on him that would do me the +least hurt; and he himself made very much of me, while I on my +part, though I had no power to speak, showed all possible signs of +gratitude by my gestures. + +The wind that succeeded the calm was gentle and favourable, and did +not change for fifty days, but brought us safe to the port of a +fine city, well peopled, and of great trade, the capital of a +powerful State, where we came to anchor. + +Our vessel was speedily surrounded with an infinite number of boats +full of people, who came to congratulate their friends upon their +safe arrival, or to inquire for those they had left behind them in +the country from whence they came, or out of curiosity to see a +ship that came from a far country. + +Amongst the rest, some officers came on board, desiring to speak +with the merchants in the name of the sultan. The merchants +appearing, one of the officers told them, 'The sultan, our master, +hath commanded us to acquaint you that he is glad of your safe +arrival, and prays you to take the trouble, every one of you, to +write some lines upon this roll of paper. You must know that we had +a prime vizier who, besides having a great capacity to manage +affairs, understood writing to the highest perfection. This +minister is lately dead, at which the sultan is very much troubled; +and since he can never behold his writing without admiration, he +has made a solemn vow not to give the place to any man but to him +who can write as well as he did. Many people have presented their +writings, but, so far, nobody in all this empire has been judged +worthy to supply the vizier's place.' + +Those merchants that believed they could write well enough to +aspire to this high dignity wrote one after another what they +thought fit. After they had done, I advanced, and took the roll out +of the gentleman's hand; but all the people, especially the +merchants, cried out, 'He will tear it, or throw it into the sea,' +till they saw how properly I held the roll, and made a sign that I +would write in my turn; then they were of another opinion, and +their fear turned into admiration. However, since they had never +seen an ape that could write, nor could be persuaded that I was +more ingenious than other apes, they tried to snatch the roll out +of my hand; but the captain took my part once more. 'Let him +alone,' said he; 'suffer him to write. If he only scribbles the +paper, I promise you that I will punish him on the spot. If, on the +contrary, he writes well, as I hope he will, because I never saw an +ape so clever and ingenious and so quick of apprehension, I do +declare that I will own him as my son; I had one that had not half +the wit that he has.' Perceiving that nobody opposed my design, I +took the pen and wrote six sorts of hands used among the Arabians, +and each specimen contained an extemporary verse or poem in praise +of the sultan. My writing did not only excel that of the merchants, +but, I venture to say, they had not before seen any such fair +writing in that country. When I had done, the officers took the +roll, and carried it to the sultan. + +The sultan took little notice of any of the other writings, but he +carefully considered mine, which was so much to his liking that he +said to the officers, 'Take the finest horse in my stable, with the +richest harness, and a robe of the most sumptuous brocade to put +upon that person who wrote the six hands, and bring him hither to +me.' At this command the officers could not forbear laughing. The +sultan grew angry at their boldness, and was ready to punish them, +till they told him, 'Sir, we humbly beg your majesty's pardon; +these hands were not written by a man, but by an ape.' + +'What do you say?' said the sultan. 'Those admirable characters, +are they not written by the hands of a man?' + +'No, sir,' replied the officers; 'we do assure your majesty that it +was an ape, who wrote them in our presence.' + +The sultan was too much surprised at this not to desire a sight of +me, and therefore said, 'Bring me speedily that wonderful ape.' + +The officers returned to the vessel and showed the captain their +order, who answered that the sultan's commands must be obeyed. +Whereupon they clothed me with that rich brocade robe and carried +me ashore, where they set me on horseback, whilst the sultan waited +for me at his palace with a great number of courtiers, whom he +gathered together to do me the more honour. + +The cavalcade having begun, the harbour, the streets, the public +places, windows, terraces, palaces, and houses were filled with an +infinite number of people of all sorts, who flocked from all parts +of the city to see me; for the rumour was spread in a moment that +the sultan had chosen an ape to be his grand vizier; and after +having served for a spectacle to the people, who could not forbear +to express their surprise by redoubling their shouts and cries, I +arrived at the palace of the sultan. + +I found the prince on his throne in the midst of the grandees; I +made my bow three times very low, and at last kneeled and kissed +the ground before him, and afterwards sat down in the posture of an +ape. The whole assembly admired me, and could not comprehend how it +was possible that an ape should understand so well how to pay the +sultan his due respect; and he himself was more astonished than any +one. In short, the usual ceremony of the audience would have been +complete could I have added speech to my behaviour: but apes never +speak, and the advantage I had of having been a man did not allow +me that privilege. + +The sultan dismissed his courtiers, and none remained by him but +the chief of the chamberlains, a young slave, and myself. He went +from his chamber of audience into his own apartment, where he +ordered dinner to be brought. As he sat at table he gave me a sign +to come near and eat with them: to show my obedience I kissed the +ground, stood up, sat down at table, and ate with discretion and +moderation. + +Before the table was uncovered, I espied a writing-desk, which I +made a sign should be brought me: having got it, I wrote upon a +large peach some verses after my way, which testified my +acknowledgment to the sultan, which increased his astonishment. +When the table was uncovered, they brought him a particular liquor, +of which he caused them to give me a glass. I drank, and wrote upon +it some new verses, which explained the state I was reduced to +after many sufferings. The sultan read them likewise, and said, 'A +man that was capable of doing so much would be above the greatest +of men.' + +The sultan caused them to bring in a chess-board, and asked me, by +a sign, if I understood the game, and would play with him. I kissed +the ground, and laying my hand upon my head, signified that I was +ready to receive that honour. He won the first game, but I won the +second and third; and perceiving he was somewhat displeased at it, +I made a poem to pacify him; in which I told him that two potent +armies had been fighting furiously all day, but that they made up a +peace towards the evening, and passed the remaining part of the +night very peaceably together upon the field of battle. + +So many circumstances appearing to the sultan far beyond whatever +any one had either seen or known of the cleverness or sense of +apes, he determined not to be the only witness of those prodigies +himself; but having a daughter, called the Lady of Beauty, on whom +the chief of the chamberlains, then present, waited, 'Go,' said the +sultan to him, 'and bid your lady come hither: I am desirous she +should share my pleasure.' + +The chamberlain went, and immediately brought the princess, who had +her face uncovered; but she had no sooner come into the room than +she put on her veil, and said to the sultan, 'Sir, your majesty +must needs have forgotten yourself: I am very much surprised that +your majesty has sent for me to appear among men.' + +'Nay, daughter,' said the sultan, 'you do not know what you say: +here is nobody but the little slave, the chamberlain your attendant +and myself, who have the liberty to see your face; and yet you +lower your veil, and blame me for having sent for you hither.' + +'Sir,' said the princess, 'your majesty shall soon understand that +I am not in the wrong. That ape you see before you, though he has +the shape of an ape, is a young prince, son of a great king; he has +been metamorphosed into an ape by enchantment. A genie, the son of +the daughter of Eblis, has maliciously done him this wrong, after +having cruelly taken away the life of the Princess of the Isle of +Ebony, daughter to the King Epitimarus.' + +The sultan, astonished at this discourse, turned towards me and +asked no more by signs, but in plain words if it was true what his +daughter said? Seeing I could not speak, I put my hand to my head +to signify that what the princess spoke was true. Upon this the +sultan said again to his daughter, 'How do you know that this +prince has been transformed by enchantments into an ape?' + +'Sir,' replied the Lady of Beauty, 'your majesty may remember that +when I was past my infancy, I had an old lady to wait upon me; she +was a most expert magician, and taught me seventy rules of magic, +by virtue of which I can transport your capital city into the midst +of the sea in the twinkling of an eye, or beyond Mount Caucasus. By +this science I know all enchanted persons at first sight. I know +who they are, and by whom they have been enchanted. Therefore do +not be surprised if I should forthwith relieve this prince, in +spite of the enchantments, from that which hinders him from +appearing in your sight what he naturally is.' + +'Daughter,' said the sultan, 'I did not believe you to have +understood so much.' + +'Sir,' replied the princess, 'these things are curious and worth +knowing, but I think I ought not to boast of them.' + +'Since it is so,' said the sultan, 'you can dispel the prince's +enchantment.' + +'Yes, sir,' said the princess, 'I can restore him to his first +shape again.' + +'Do it then,' said the sultan; 'you cannot do me a greater +pleasure, for I will have him to be my vizier, and he shall marry +you.' + +'Sir,' said the princess, 'I am ready to obey you in all that you +may be pleased to command me.' + +The princess, the Lady of Beauty, went into her apartment, from +whence she brought in a knife, which had some Hebrew words engraven +on the blade; she made the sultan, the master of the chamberlains, +the little slave, and myself, go down into a private court of the +palace, and there left us under a gallery that went round it. She +placed herself in the middle of the court, where she made a great +circle, and within it she wrote several words in Arabic characters, +some of them ancient, and others of those which they call the +characters of Cleopatra. + +When she had finished and prepared the circle as she thought fit, +she placed herself in the centre of it, where she began spells, and +repeated verses out of the Koran. The air grew insensibly dark, as +if it had been night and the whole world about to be dissolved; we +found ourselves struck with a panic, and this fear increased the +more when we saw the genie, the son of the daughter of Eblis, +appear on a sudden in the shape of a lion of a frightful size. + +As soon as the princess perceived this monster, 'You dog,' said +she, 'instead of creeping before me, dare you present yourself in +this shape, thinking to frighten me?' + +'And thou,' replied the lion, 'art thou not afraid to break the +treaty which was solemnly made and confirmed between us by oath, +not to wrong or to do one another any hurt?' + +'Oh! thou cursed creature!' replied the princess, 'I can justly +reproach thee with doing so.' + +The lion answered fiercely, 'Thou shalt quickly have thy reward for +the trouble thou hast given me to return.' With that he opened his +terrible throat, and ran at her to devour her, but she, being on +her guard, leaped backward, got time to pull out one of her hairs +and, by pronouncing three or four words, changed it into a sharp +sword, wherewith she cut the lion through the middle in two pieces. + +The two parts of the lion vanished, and the head only was left, +which changed itself into a large scorpion. Immediately the +princess turned herself into a serpent, and fought the scorpion, +who finding himself worsted, took the shape of an eagle, and flew +away; but the serpent at the same time took also the shape of an +eagle that was black and much stronger, and pursued him, so that we +lost sight of them both. + +Some time after they had disappeared, the ground opened before us, +and out of it came forth a cat, black and white, with her hair +standing upright, and mewing in a frightful manner; a black wolf +followed her close, and gave her no time to rest. The cat, being +thus hard beset, changed herself into a worm, and being nigh to a +pomegranate that had accidentally fallen from a tree that grew on +the side of a canal which was deep but not broad, the worm pierced +the pomegranate in an instant, and hid itself. The pomegranate +swelled immediately, and became as big as a gourd, which, mounting +up to the roof of the gallery, rolled there for some space +backwards and forwards, fell down again into the court, and broke +into several pieces. + +The wolf, which had in the meanwhile transformed itself into a +cock, fell to picking up the seeds of the pomegranate one after +another, but finding no more, he came towards us with his wings +spread, making a great noise, as if he would ask us whether there +were any more seeds. There was one lying on the brink of the canal, +which the cock perceived as he went back, and ran speedily thither, +but just as he was going to pick it up, the seed rolled into the +river, and turned into a little fish. + +The cock jumped into the river and was turned into a pike that +pursued the small fish; they continued both under water for over +two hours, and we knew not what had become of them. All of a sudden +we heard terrible cries, which made us tremble, and a little while +after we saw the genie and princess all in flames. They threw +flashes of fire out of their mouths at each other, till they came +to close quarters; then the two fires increased, with a thick +burning smoke, which mounted so high that we had reason to fear it +would set the palace on fire. But we very soon had a more urgent +reason for fear, for the genie, having got loose from the princess, +came to the gallery where we stood, and blew flames of fire upon +us. We should all have perished if the princess, running to our +assistance, had not by her cries forced him to retire, and defend +himself against her; yet, notwithstanding all her exertions, she +could not hinder the sultan's beard from being burnt, and his face +spoiled, nor the chief of the chamberlains from being stifled and +burnt on the spot. The sultan and I expected nothing but death, +when we heard a cry of 'Victory, victory!' and on a sudden the +princess appeared in her natural shape, but the genie was reduced +to a heap of ashes. + +The princess came near to us that she might not lose time, called +for a cupful of water, which the young slave, who had received no +damage, brought her. She took it, and after pronouncing some words +over it, threw it upon me, saying, 'If thou art become an ape by +enchantment, change thy shape, and take that of a man, which thou +hadst before.' These words were hardly uttered when I became a man +as I was before. + +I was preparing to give thanks to the princess, but she prevented +me by addressing herself to her father, thus: 'Sir, I have gained +the victory over the genie, as your majesty may see; but it is a +victory that costs me dear. I have but a few minutes to live, and +you will not have the satisfaction of making the match you +intended; the fire has pierced me during the terrible combat, and I +find it is consuming me by degrees. This would not have happened +had I perceived the last of the pomegranate seeds, and swallowed it +as I did the others, when I was changed into a cock; the genie had +fled thither as to his last entrenchment, and upon that the success +of the combat depended, without danger to me. This slip obliged me +to have recourse to fire, and to fight with those mighty arms as I +did between heaven and earth, in your presence; for, in spite of +all his redoubtable art and experience, I made the genie know that +I understood more than he. I have conquered and reduced him to +ashes, but I cannot escape death, which is approaching.' + +The sultan suffered the princess, the Lady Or Beauty, to go on with +the recital of her combat, and when she had done he spoke to her in +a tone that sufficiently testified his grief: 'My daughter,' said +he, 'you see in what condition your father is; alas! I wonder that +I am yet alive!' He could speak no more, for his tears, sighs and +sobs made him speechless; his daughter and I wept with him. + +In the meantime, while we were vieing with each other in grief the +princess cried, 'I burn! I burn!' She found that the fire which +consumed her had at last seized upon her whole body, which made her +still cry 'I burn,' until death had made an end of her intolerable +pains. The effect of that fire was so extraordinary that in a few +moments she was wholly reduced to ashes, like the genie. + +How grieved I was at so dismal a spectacle! I had rather all my +life have continued an ape or a dog than to have seen my +benefactress thus miserably perish. The sultan, being afflicted +beyond all that can be imagined, cried out piteously, and beat +himself on his head, until being quite overcome with grief, he +fainted away, which made me fear for his life. In the meantime the +officers came running at the sultan's cries, and with very much ado +brought him to himself again. There was no need for him and me to +give them a long narrative of this adventure, in order to convince +them of their great loss. The two heaps of ashes, into which the +princess and the genie had been reduced, were sufficient +demonstration. The sultan was hardly able to stand, but had to be +supported till he could get to his apartment. + +When the news of the tragical event had spread through the palace +and the city, all the people bewailed the misfortune of the +princess, the Lady of Beauty, and were much affected by the +sultan's affliction. Every one was in deep mourning for seven days, +and many ceremonies were performed. The ashes of the genie were +thrown into the air, but those of the princess were gathered into a +precious urn to be kept, and the urn was set in a stately tomb +which was built for that purpose on the same place where the ashes +had lain. + +The grief which the sultan felt for the loss of his daughter threw +him into a fit of illness, which confined him to his chamber for a +whole month. He had not fully recovered strength when he sent for +me: 'Prince,' said he, 'hearken to the orders that I now give you; +it will cost you your life if you do not put them into execution.' +I assured him of exact obedience, upon which he went on thus: 'I +have constantly lived in perfect felicity, and was never crossed by +any accident: but by your arrival all the happiness I possessed is +vanished; my daughter is dead, her attendant is no more, and it is +through a miracle that I am yet alive. You are the cause of all +those misfortunes, for which it is impossible that I should be +comforted; therefore depart from hence in peace, without farther +delay, for I myself must perish if you stay any longer: I am +persuaded that your presence brings mischief along, with it. This +is all I have to say to you. Depart, and beware of ever appearing +again in my dominions; no consideration whatsoever shall hinder me +from making you repent of it.' I was going to speak, but he stopped +my mouth with words full of anger; and so I was obliged to leave +his palace, rejected, banished, an outcast from the world, and not +knowing what would become of me. And so I became a hermit. + + + + + + + THE FIRST VOYAGE OF SINBAD THE SAILOR. + + + +My father left me a considerable estate, the best part of which I +spent in riotous living during my youth; but I perceived my error, +and reflected that riches were perishable, and quickly consumed by +such ill managers as myself. I further considered that by my +irregular way of living I had wretchedly misspent my time which is +the most valuable thing in the world. Struck with those +reflections, I collected the remains of my furniture, and sold all +my patrimony by public auction to the highest bidder. Then I +entered into a contract with some merchants, who traded by sea: I +took the advice of such as I thought most capable to give it me; +and resolving to improve what money I had, I went to Balsora and +embarked with several merchants on board a ship which we jointly +fitted out. + +We set sail, and steered our course towards the East Indies, +through the Persian Gulf, which is formed by the coasts of Arabia +Felix on the right, and by those of Persia on the left, and, +according to common opinion, is seventy leagues across at the +broadest part. The eastern sea, as well as that of the Indies, is +very spacious: it is bounded on one side by the coasts of +Abyssinia, and is 4,500 leagues in length to the isles of Vakvak. +At first I was troubled with sea-sickness, but speedily recovered +my health, and was not afterwards troubled with that disease. + +In our voyage we touched at several islands, where we sold or +exchanged our goods. One day, whilst under sail, we were becalmed +near a little island, almost even with the surface of the water, +which resembled a green meadow. The captain ordered his sails to be +furled, and permitted such persons as had a mind to do so to land +upon the island, amongst whom I was one. + +But while we were diverting ourselves with eating and drinking, and +recovering ourselves from the fatigue of the sea, the island on a +sudden trembled, and shook us terribly. + +They perceived the trembling of the island on board the ship, and +called us to re-embark speedily, or we should all be lost, for what +we took for an island was only the back of a whale. The nimblest +got into the sloop, others betook themselves to swimming; but for +my part I was still upon the back of the whale when he dived into +the sea, and had time only to catch hold of a piece of wood that we +had brought out of the ship to make a fire. Meanwhile, the captain, +having received those on board who were in the sloop, and taken up +some of those that swam, resolved to use the favourable gale that +had just risen, and hoisting his sails, pursued his voyage, so that +it was impossible for me to regain the ship. + +Thus was I exposed to the mercy of the waves, and struggled for my +life all the rest of the day and the following night. Next morning +I found my strength gone, and despaired of saving my life, when +happily a wave threw me against an island. The bank was high and +rugged, so that I could scarcely have got up had it not been for +some roots of trees, which fortune seemed to have preserved in this +place for my safety. Being got up, I lay down upon the ground half +dead until the sun appeared; then, though I was very feeble, both +by reason of my hard labour and want of food, I crept along to look +for some herbs fit to eat, and had the good luck not only to find +some, but likewise a spring of excellent water, which contributed +much to restore me. After this I advanced farther into the island, +and came at last into a fine plain, where I perceived a horse +feeding at a great distance. I went towards him, between hope and +fear, not knowing whether I was going to lose my life or save it. +Presently I heard the voice of a man from under ground, who +immediately appeared to me, and asked who I was. I gave him an +account of my adventure; after which, taking me by the hand, he led +me into a cave, where there were several other people, no less +amazed to see me than I was to see them. + +I ate some victuals which they offered me, and then asked them what +they did in such a desert place. They answered that they were +grooms belonging to King Mihrage, sovereign of the island, and that +every year they brought thither the king's horses. They added that +they were to get home to-morrow, and had I been one day later I +must have perished, because the inhabited part of the island was at +a great distance, and it would have been impossible for me to have +got thither without a guide. + +Next morning they returned with their horses to the capital of the +island, took me with them, and presented me to King Mihrage. He +asked me who I was, and by what adventure I came into his +dominions? And, after I had satisfied him he told me he was much +concerned for my misfortune, and at the same time ordered that I +should want for nothing, which his officers were so generous and +careful as to see exactly fulfilled. + +Being a merchant, I frequented the society of men of my own +profession, and particularly inquired for those who were strangers, +if perhaps I might hear any news from Bagdad, or find an +opportunity to return thither, for King Mihrage's capital was +situated on the edge of the sea, and had a fine harbour, where +ships arrived daily from the different quarters of the world. I +frequented also the society of the learned Indians, and took +delight in hearing them discourse; but withal I took care to make +my court regularly to the king, and conversed with the governors +and petty kings, his tributaries, that were about him. They asked +me a thousand questions about my country, and I, being willing to +inform myself as to their laws and customs, asked them everything +which I thought worth knowing. + +There belonged to this king an island named Cassel. They assured me +that every night a noise of drums was heard there, whence the +mariners fancied that it was the residence of Degial. I had a great +mind to see this wonderful place, and on my way thither saw fishes +of one hundred and two hundred cubits long, that occasion more fear +than hurt, for they are so timid that they will fly at the rattling +of two sticks or boards. I saw likewise other fishes, about a cubit +in length, that had heads like owls. + +As I was one day at the port after my return, a ship arrived, and +as soon as she cast anchor, they began to unload her, and the +merchants on board ordered their goods to be carried into the +warehouse. As I cast my eye upon some bales, and looked at the +name, I found my own, and perceived the bales to be the same that I +had embarked at Balsora. I also knew the captain; but being +persuaded that he believed me to be drowned, I went and asked him +whose bales they were. He replied: 'They belonged to a merchant of +Bagdad, called Sinbad, who came to sea with us; but one day, being +near an island, as we thought, he went ashore with several other +passengers upon this supposed island, which was only a monstrous +whale that lay asleep upon the surface of the water; but as soon as +he felt the heat of the fire they had kindled on his back to dress +some victuals he began to move, and dived under water: most of the +persons who were upon him perished, and among them unfortunate +Sinbad. Those bales belonged to him, and I am resolved to trade +with them until I meet with some of his family, to whom I may +return the profit.' + +'Captain,' said I, 'I am that Sinbad whom you thought to be dead, +and those bales are mine.' + +When the captain heard me speak thus, 'O heaven,' said he, 'whom +can we ever trust now-a-days? There is no faith left among men. I +saw Sinbad perish with my own eyes, and the passengers on board saw +it as well as I, and yet you tell me you are that Sinbad. What +impudence is this! To look at you, one would take you to be a man +of honesty, and yet you tell a horrible falsehood, in order to +possess yourself of what does not belong to you.' + +'Have patience, captain,' replied I; 'do me the favour to hear what +I have to say.' + +'Very well,' said he, 'speak; I am ready to hear you.' Then I told +him how I escaped, and by what adventure I met with the grooms of +King Mihrage, who brought me to his court. + +He was soon persuaded that I was no cheat, for there came people +from his ship who knew me, paid me great compliments, and expressed +much joy to see me alive. At last he knew me himself, and embracing +me, 'Heaven be praised,' said he, 'for your happy escape; I cannot +enough express my joy for it: there are your goods; take and do +with them what you will.' I thanked him, acknowledged his honesty, +and in return offered him part of my goods as a present, which he +generously refused. + +I took out what was most valuable in my bales, and presented it to +King Mihrage, who, knowing my misfortune, asked me how I came by +such rarities. I acquainted him with the whole story. He was +mightily pleased at my good luck, accepted my present, and gave me +one much more considerable in return. Upon this I took leave of +him, and went aboard the same ship, after I had exchanged my goods +for the commodities of that country. I carried with me wood of +aloes, sandal, camphor, nutmegs, cloves, pepper, and ginger. We +passed by several islands, and at last arrived at Balsora, from +whence I came to this city, with the value of one hundred thousand +sequins. My family and I received one another with transports of +sincere friendship. I bought slaves and fine lands, and built me a +great house. And thus I settled myself, resolving to forget the +miseries I had suffered, and to enjoy the pleasures of life. + + + + + + + THE SECOND VOYAGE OF SINBAD THE SAILOR + + + +I designed, after my first voyage, to spend the rest of my days at +Bagdad; but it was not long ere I grew weary of a quiet life. My +inclination to trade revived. I bought goods suited to the commerce +I intended, and put to sea a second time, with merchants of known +probity. We embarked on board a good ship, and after recommending +ourselves to God, set sail. We traded from island to island, and +exchanged commodities with great profit. One day we landed on an +island covered with several sorts of fruit trees, but so unpeopled, +that we could see neither man nor beast upon it. We went to take a +little fresh air in the meadows, and along the streams that watered +them. Whilst some diverted themselves with gathering flowers, and +others with gathering fruits, I took my wine and provisions, and +sat down by a stream betwixt two great trees, which formed a +curious shape. I made a very good meal, and afterwards fell asleep. +I cannot tell how long I slept, but when I awoke the ship was gone. + +I was very much surprised to find the ship gone. I got up and +looked about everywhere, and could not see one of the merchants who +landed with me. At last I perceived the ship under sail, but at +such a distance that I lost sight of her in a very little time. + +I leave you to guess at my melancholy reflections in this sad +condition. I was ready to die with grief: I cried out sadly, beat +my head and breast, and threw myself down upon the ground, where I +lay some time in a terrible agony. I upbraided myself a hundred +times for not being content with the produce of my first voyage, +that might well have served me all my life. But all this was in +vain, and my repentance out of season. + +At last I resigned myself to the will of God; and not knowing what +to do, I climbed up to the top of a great tree, from whence I +looked about on all sides to see if there was anything that could +give me hope. When I looked towards the sea, I could see nothing +but sky and water, but looking towards the land I saw something +white; and, coming down from the tree, I took up what provision I +had left and went towards it, the distance being so great that I +could not distinguish what it was. + +When I came nearer, I thought it to be a white bowl of a prodigious +height and bigness; and when I came up to it I touched it, and +found it to be very smooth. I went round to see if it was open on +any side, but saw it was not, and that there was no climbing up to +the top of it, it was so smooth. It was at least fifty paces round. + +By this time the sun was ready to set, and all of a sudden the sky +became as dark as if it had been covered with a thick cloud. I was +much astonished at this sudden darkness, but much more when I found +it was occasioned by a bird, of a monstrous size, that came flying +toward me. I remembered a fowl, called roc, that I had often heard +mariners speak of, and conceived that the great bowl, which I so +much admired, must needs be its egg. In short, the bird lighted, +and sat over the egg to hatch it. As I perceived her coming, I +crept close to the egg, so that I had before me one of the legs of +the bird, which was as big as the trunk of a tree. I tied myself +strongly to it with the cloth that went round my turban, in hopes +that when the roc flew away next morning she would carry me with +her out of this desert island. And after having passed the night in +this condition, the bird really flew away next morning, as soon as +it was day, and carried me so high that I could not see the earth. +Then she descended all of a sudden, with so much rapidity that I +lost my senses; but when the roc was settled, and I found myself +upon the ground, I speedily untied the knot, and had scarcely done +so when the bird, having taken up a serpent of a monstrous length +in her bill, flew away. + +The place where she left me was a very deep valley, encompassed on +all sides with mountains, so high that they seemed to reach above +the clouds, and so full of steep rocks that there was no +possibility of getting out of the valley. This was a new +perplexity, so that when I compared this place with the desert +island from which the roc brought me, I found that I had gained +nothing by the change. + +As I walked through this valley I perceived it was strewn with +diamonds, some of which were of surprising bigness. I took a great +deal of pleasure in looking at them; but speedily I saw at a +distance such objects as very much diminished my satisfaction, and +which I could not look upon without terror; they were a great +number of serpents, so big and so long that the least of them was +capable of swallowing an elephant. They retired in the day-time to +their dens, where they hid themselves from the roc, their enemy, +and did not come out but in the night-time. + +I spent the day in walking about the valley, resting myself at +times in such places as I thought most suitable. When night came on +I went into a cave, where I thought I might be in safety. I stopped +the mouth of it, which was low and straight, with a great stone, to +preserve me from the serpents, but not so exactly fitted as to +hinder light from coming in. I supped on part of my provisions, but +the serpents, which began to appear, hissing about in the meantime, +put me into such extreme fear that you may easily imagine I did not +sleep. When day appeared the serpents retired, and I came out of +the cave trembling. I can justly say that I walked a long time upon +diamonds without feeling an inclination to touch any of them. At +last I sat down, and notwithstanding my uneasiness, not having shut +my eyes during the night, I fell asleep, after having eaten a +little more of my provisions; but I had scarcely shut my eyes when +something that fell by me with great noise awakened me. This was a +great piece of fresh meat, and at the same time I saw several +others fall down from the rocks in different places. + +I had always looked upon it as a fable when I heard mariners and +others discourse of the valley of diamonds, and of the stratagems +made use of by some merchants to get jewels from thence; but now I +found it to be true. For, in reality, those merchants come to the +neighbourhood of this valley when the eagles have young ones, and +throwing great joints of meat into the valley, the diamonds, upon +whose points they fall, stick to them; the eagles, which are +stronger in this country than anywhere else, pounce with great +force upon those pieces of meat, and carry them to their nests upon +the top of the rocks to feed their young with, at which time the +merchants, running to their nests, frighten the eagles by their +noise, and take away the diamonds that stick to the meat. And this +stratagem they make use of to get the diamonds out of the valley, +which is surrounded with such precipices that nobody can enter it. + +I believed till then that it was not possible for me to get out of +this abyss, which I looked upon as my grave; but now I changed my +mind, for the falling in of those pieces of meat put me in hopes of +a way of saving my life. + +I began to gather together the largest diamonds that I could see, +and put them into the leathern bag in which I used to carry my +provisions. I afterwards took the largest piece of meat I could +find, tied it close round me with the cloth of my turban, and then +laid myself upon the ground, with my face downward, the bag of +diamonds being tied fast to my girdle, so that it could not +possibly drop off. + +I had scarcely laid me down before the eagles came. Each of them +seized a piece of meat, and one of the strongest having taken me +up, with a piece of meat on my back, carried me to his nest on the +top of the mountain. The merchants fell straightway to shouting, to +frighten the eagles; and when they had obliged them to quit their +prey, one of them came to the nest where I was. He was very much +afraid when he saw me, but recovering himself, instead of inquiring +how I came thither, he began to quarrel with me, and asked why I +stole his goods. 'You will treat me,' replied I, 'with more +civility when you know me better. Do not trouble yourself; I have +diamonds enough for you and myself too, more than all the other +merchants together. If they have any, it is by chance; but I chose +myself in the bottom of the valley all those which you see in this +bag'; and having spoken those words, I showed them to him. I had +scarcely done speaking, when the other merchants came trooping +about us, much astonished to see me; but they were much more +surprised when I told them my story. Yet they did not so much +admire my stratagem to save myself as my courage to attempt it. + +They took me to the place where they were staying all together, and +there having opened my bag, they were surprised at the largeness of +my diamonds, and confessed that in all the courts where they had +been they had never seen any that came near them. I prayed the +merchant to whom the nest belonged (for every merchant had his +own), to take as many for his share as he pleased. He contented +himself with one, and that too the least of them; and when I +pressed him to take more, without fear of doing me any injury, +'No,' said he, 'I am very well satisfied with this, which is +valuable enough to save me the trouble of making any more voyages +to raise as great a fortune as I desire.' + +I spent the night with those merchants, to whom I told my story a +second time, for the satisfaction of those who had not heard it. I +could not moderate my joy when I found myself delivered from the +danger I have mentioned. I thought I was in a dream, and could +scarcely believe myself to be out of danger. + +The merchants had thrown their pieces of meat into the valley for +several days, and each of them being satisfied with the diamonds +that had fallen to his lot, we left the place next morning all +together, and travelled near high mountains, where there were +serpents of a prodigious length, which we had the good fortune to +escape. We took ship at the nearest port and came to the Isle of +Roha, where the trees grow that yield camphor. This tree is so +large, and its branches so thick, that a hundred men may easily sit +under its shade. The juice of which the camphor is made runs out +from a hole bored in the upper part of the tree, is received in a +vessel, where it grows thick, and becomes what we call camphor; and +the juice thus drawn out the tree withers and dies. + +There is in this island the rhinoceros, a creature less than the +elephant, but greater than the buffalo; it has a horn upon its nose +about a cubit long; this horn is solid, and cleft in the middle +from one end to the other, and there are upon it white lines, +representing the figure of a man. The rhinoceros fights with the +elephant, runs his horn into him, and carries him off upon his +head; but the blood of the elephant running into his eyes and +making him blind, he falls to the ground, and then, strange to +relate, the roc comes and carries them both away in her claws to be +food for her young ones. + +Here I exchanged some of my diamonds for good merchandise. From +thence we went to other isles, and at last, having touched at +several trading towns of the main land, we landed at Balsora, from +whence I went to Bagdad. There I immediately gave great alms to the +poor, and lived honourably upon the vast riches I had gained with +so much fatigue. + + + + + + THE THIRD VOYAGE OF SINBAD THE SAILOR. + + + +The pleasures of the life which I then led soon made me forget the +risks I had run in my two former voyages; but, being then in the +flower of my age I grew weary of living without business; and +hardening myself against the thought of any danger I might incur, I +went from Bagdad, with the richest commodities of the country, to +Balsora: there I embarked again with the merchants. We made a long +voyage, and touched at several ports, where we drove a considerable +trade. One day, being out in the main ocean, we were attacked by a +horrible tempest, which made us lose our course. The tempest +continued several days, and brought us before the port of an +island, where the captain was very unwilling to enter; but we were +obliged to cast anchor there. When we had furled our sails the +captain told us that this and some other neighbouring islands were +inhabited by hairy savages, who would speedily attack us; and +though they were but dwarfs, yet our misfortune was that we must +make no resistance, for they were more in number than the locusts; +and if we happened to kill one of them they would all fall upon us +and destroy us. + +This discourse of the captain put the whole company into a great +consternation; and we found very soon, to our cost, that what he +had told us was but too true; an innumerable multitude of frightful +savages, covered all over with red hair, and about two feet high, +came swimming towards us, and in a little time encompassed our +ship. They spoke to us as they came near, but we understood not +their language; they climbed up the sides of the ship with an +agility that surprised us. We beheld all this with mortal fear, +without daring to offer to defend ourselves, or to speak one word +to divert them from their mischievous design. In short, they took +down our sails, cut the cable, and, hauling to the shore, made us +all get out, and afterwards carried the ship into another island, +from whence they had come. All travellers carefully avoided that +island where they left us, it being very dangerous to stay there, +for a reason you shall hear anon; but we were forced to bear our +affliction with patience. + +We went forward into the island, where we found some fruits and +herbs to prolong our lives as long as we could; but we expected +nothing but death. As we went on we perceived at a distance a great +pile of building, and made towards it. We found it to be a palace, +well built, and very lofty, with a gate of ebony with double doors, +which we thrust open. We entered the court, where we saw before us +a vast apartment with a porch, having on one side a heap of men's +bones, and on the other a vast number of roasting spits. We +trembled at this spectacle, and, being weary with travelling, our +legs failed under us: we fell to the ground, seized with deadly +fear, and lay a long time motionless. + +The sun had set, and whilst we were in the lamentable condition +just mentioned, the gate of the apartment opened with a great +noise, and there came out the horrible figure of a black man, as +high as a tall palm tree. He had but one eye, and that in the +middle of his forehead, where it looked as red as a burning coal. +His fore-teeth were very long and sharp, and stood out of his +mouth, which was as deep as that of a horse; his upper lip hung +down upon his breast; his ears resembled those of an elephant, and +covered his shoulders; and his nails were as long and crooked as +the talons of the greatest birds. At the sight of so frightful a +giant we lost all our senses, and lay like men dead. + +At last we came to ourselves, and saw him sitting in the porch, +looking at us. When he had considered us well, he advanced towards +us, and laying his hand upon me, he took me up by the nape of my +neck, and turned me round as a butcher would do a sheep's head. +After having viewed me well, and perceiving me to be so lean that I +had nothing but skin and bone, he let me go. He took up all the +rest, one by one, and viewed them in the same manner; and the +captain being the fattest, he held him with one hand, as I might a +sparrow, and thrusting a spit through him, kindled a great fire, +roasted, and ate him in his apartment for his supper. This being +done, he returned to his porch, where he lay and fell asleep, +snoring louder than thunder. He slept thus till morning. For our +parts, it was not possible for us to enjoy any rest; so that we +passed the night in the most cruel fear that can be imagined. Day +being come, the giant awoke, got up, went out, and left us in the +palace. + +When we thought him at a distance, we broke the melancholy silence +we had kept all night, and every one grieving more than another, we +made the palace resound with our complaints and groans. Though +there were a great many of us, and we had but one enemy, we had not +at first the presence of mind to think of delivering ourselves from +him by his death. + +We thought of several other things, but determined nothing; so +that, submitting to what it should please God to order concerning +us, we spent the day in running about the island for fruit and +herbs to sustain our lives. When evening came, we sought for a +place to lie down in, but found none; so that we were forced, +whether we would or not, to return to the palace. + +The giant failed not to come back, and supped once more upon one of +our companions; after which he slept, and snored till day, and then +went out and left us as formerly. Our condition was so very +terrible that several of my comrades designed to throw themselves +into the sea, rather than die so strange a death. Those who were of +this mind argued with the rest to follow their example; upon which +one of the company answered that we were forbidden to destroy +ourselves; but even if it were lawful, it was more reasonable to +think of a way to rid ourselves of the barbarous tyrant who +designed so cruel a death for us. + +Having thought of a project for that end, I communicated the same +to my comrades, who approved it. 'Brethren,' said I, 'you know +there is a great deal of timber floating upon the coast; if you +will be advised by me, let us make several rafts that may carry us, +and when they are done, leave them there till we think fit to make +use of them. In the meantime we will execute the design to deliver +ourselves from the giant, and if it succeed, we may stay here with +patience till some ship pass by to carry us out of this fatal +island; but if it happen to miscarry, we will speedily get to our +rafts, and put to sea. I confess, that by exposing ourselves to the +fury of the waves, we run a risk of losing our lives; but if we do, +is it not better to be buried in the sea than in the entrails of +this monster, who has already devoured two of us?' My advice was +relished, and we made rafts capable of carrying three persons each. + +We returned to the palace towards evening, and the giant arrived a +little while after. We were forced to see another of our comrades +roasted. But at last we revenged ourselves on the brutish giant +thus. After he had made an end of his cursed supper, he lay down on +his back, and fell asleep. As soon as we heard him snore, according +to his custom, nine of the boldest among us, and myself, took each +of us a spit, and putting the points of them into the fire till +they were burning hot, we thrust them into his eye all at once, and +blinded him. The pain occasioned him to make a frightful cry, and +to get up and stretch out his hands in order to sacrifice some of +us to his rage, but we ran to places where he could not find us; +and after having sought for us in vain, he groped for the gate, and +went out, howling dreadfully. + +We went out of the palace after the giant, and came to the shore, +where we had left our rafts, and put them immediately into the sea. +We waited till day in order to get upon them, in case the giant +came towards us with any guide of his own species; but we hoped +that if he did not appear by sunrise, and gave over his howling, +which we still heard, he would die; and if that happened to be the +case, we resolved to stay in the island, and not to risk our lives +upon the rafts. But day had scarcely appeared when we perceived our +cruel enemy, accompanied by two others almost of the same size +leading him, and a great number more coming before him with a very +quick pace. + +When we saw this, we made no delay, but got immediately upon our +rafts, and rowed off from the shore. The giants, who perceived +this, took up great stones, and running to the shore entered the +water up to their waists, and threw so exactly that they sank all +the rafts but that I was upon, and all my companions, except the +two with me, were drowned. We rowed with all our might, and got out +of the reach of the giants; but when we got out to sea, we were +exposed to the mercy of the waves and winds, and tossed about, +sometimes on one side, and sometimes on another, and spent that +night and the following day under a cruel uncertainty as to our +fate; but next morning we had the good luck to be thrown upon an +island, where we landed with much joy. We found excellent fruit +there, that gave us great relief, so that we pretty well recovered +our strength. + +In the evening we fell asleep on the bank of the sea, but were +awaked by the noise of a serpent as long as a palm tree, whose +scales made a rustling as he crept along. He swallowed up one of my +comrades, notwithstanding his loud cries and the efforts he made to +rid himself from the serpent, which shook him several times against +the ground, and crushed him; and we could hear him gnaw and tear +the poor wretch's bones, when we had fled a great distance from +him. Next day we saw the serpent again, to our great terror, and I +cried out, 'O heaven, to what dangers are we exposed! We rejoiced +yesterday at having escaped from the cruelty of a giant and the +rage of the waves, and now are we fallen into another danger +altogether as terrible.' + +As we walked about we saw a large tall tree, upon which we designed +to pass the following night, for our security; and having satisfied +our hunger with fruit, we mounted it accordingly. A little while +after, the serpent came hissing to the root of the tree, raised +itself up against the trunk of it, and meeting with my comrade, who +sat lower than I, swallowed him at once, and went off. + +I staid upon the tree till it was day, and then came down, more +like a dead man than one alive, expecting the same fate as my two +companions. This filled me with horror, so that I was going to +throw myself into the sea; but nature prompting us to a desire to +live as long as we can, I withstood this temptation to despair, and +submitted myself to the will of God, who disposes of our lives at +His pleasure. + +In the meantime I gathered together a great quantity of small wood, +brambles, and dry thorns, and making them up into faggots made a +great circle with them round the tree, and also tied some of them +to the branches over my head. Having done thus, when the evening +came I shut myself up within this circle, with this melancholy +piece of satisfaction, that I had neglected nothing which could +preserve me from the cruel destiny with which I was threatened. The +serpent failed not to come at the usual hour, and went round the +tree, seeking for an opportunity to devour me, but was prevented by +the rampart I had made, so that he lay till day, like a cat +watching in vain for a mouse that has retreated to a place of +safety. When day appeared he retired, but I dared not to leave my +fort until the sun arose. + +I was fatigued with the toil he had put me to, and suffered so much +from his poisonous breath that, death seeming preferable to me than +the horror of such a condition. I came down from the tree, and not +thinking on the resignation I had made to the will of God the +preceding day, I ran towards the sea, with a design to throw myself +into it headlong. + +God took compassion on my desperate state, for just as I was going +to throw myself into the sea, I perceived a ship at a considerable +distance. I called as loud as I could, and taking the linen from my +turban, displayed it that they might observe me. This had the +desired effect; all the crew perceived me, and the captain sent his +boat for me. As soon as I came aboard, the merchants and seamen +flocked about me to know how I came to that desert island; and +after I had told them of all that befell me, the oldest among them +said they had several times heard of the giants that dwelt in that +island, that they were cannibals and ate men raw as well as +roasted; and as to the serpents, he added, there were abundance in +the isle that hid themselves by day and came abroad by night. After +having testified their joy at my escaping so many dangers, they +brought me the best of what they had to eat; and the captain, +seeing that I was all in rags, was so generous as to give me one of +his own suits. + +We were at sea for some time, touched at several islands, and at +last landed at that of Salabat, where there grows sanders, a wood +of great use in physic. We entered the port, and came to anchor. +The merchants began to unload their goods, in order to sell or +exchange them. In the meantime the captain came to me, and said, +'Brother, I have here a parcel of goods that belonged to a merchant +who sailed some time on board this ship; and he being dead, I +intend to dispose of them for the benefit of his heirs, when I know +them.' The bales he spoke of lay on the deck, and showing them to +me, he said, 'There are the goods; I hope you will take care to +sell them, and you shall have a commission.' I thanked him that he +gave me an opportunity to employ myself, because I hated to be +idle. + +The clerk of the ship took an account of all the bales, with the +names of the merchants to whom they belonged; and when he asked the +captain in whose name he should enter those he gave me the charge +of, 'Enter them,' said the captain, 'in the name of Sinbad the +sailor.' I could not hear myself named without some emotion, and +looking steadfastly on the captain, I knew him to be the person +who, in my second voyage, had left me in the island where I fell +asleep by a brook, and set sail without me, and without sending to +look for me. But I could not remember him at first, he was so much +altered since I saw him. + +And as for him, who believed me to be dead, I could not wonder at +his not knowing me. 'But, captain,' said I, 'was the merchant's +name to whom those goods belonged Sinbad?' + +'Yes,' replied he, 'that was his name; he came from Bagdad, and +embarked on board my ship at Balsora. One day, when we landed at an +island to take in water and other refreshments, I know not by what +mistake I set sail without observing that he did not re-embark with +us; neither I nor the merchants perceived it till four hours after. +We had the wind in our stern and so fresh a gale that it was not +then possible for us to tack about for him.' + +'You believe him then to be dead?' said I. + +'Certainly,' answered he. + +'No, captain,' said I; 'look upon me, and you may know that I am +Sinbad, whom you left in that desert island. I fell asleep by a +brook, and when I awoke I found all the company gone.' + +The captain, having considered me attentively, knew me at last +embraced me, and said, 'God be praised that fortune has supplied my +defect. There are your goods, which I always took care to preserve +and to make the best of at every port where I touched. I restore +them to you, with the profit I have made on them.' I took them from +him, and at the same time acknowledged how much I owed to him. + +From the Isle of Salabat we went to another, where I furnished +myself with cloves, cinnamon, and other spices. As we sailed from +that island we saw a tortoise that was twenty cubits in length and +breadth. We observed also a fish which looked like a cow, and gave +milk, and its skin is so hard that they usually make bucklers of +it. I saw another which had the shape and colour of a camel. In +short, after a long voyage, I arrived at Balsora, and from thence +returned to this city of Bagdad, with so much riches that I knew +not what I had. I gave a great deal to the poor, and bought another +great estate in addition to what I had already. + + + + + + THE FOURTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD THE SAILOR. + + + +The pleasures I took after my third voyage had not charms enough to +divert me from another. I was again prevailed upon by my passion +for traffic and curiosity to see new things. I therefore settled my +affairs, and having provided a stock of goods fit for the places +where I designed to trade, I set out on my journey. I took the way +of Persia, of which I travelled over several provinces, and then +arrived at a port, where I embarked. We set sail, and having +touched at several ports of the mainland and some of the eastern +islands, we put out to sea, and were overtaken by a sudden gust of +wind that obliged the captain to furl his sails, and to take all +other necessary precautions to prevent the danger that threatened +us. But all was in vain; our endeavours had no effect, the sails +were torn into a thousand pieces, and the ship was stranded; so +that a great many of the merchants and seamen were drowned, and the +cargo lost. + +I had the good fortune, with several of the merchants and mariners, +to get a plank, and we were carried by the current to an island +which lay before us: there we found fruit and spring water, which +preserved our lives. We stayed all night near the place where the +sea cast us ashore, without consulting what we should do, our +misfortune had dispirited us so much. + +Next morning, as soon as the sun was up, we walked from the shore, +and advancing into the island, saw some houses, to which we went; +and as soon as we came thither we were encompassed by a great +number of black men, who seized us, shared us among them, and +carried us to their respective habitations. + +I and five of my comrades were carried to one place; they made us +sit down immediately, and gave us a certain herb, which they made +signs to us to eat. My comrades, not taking notice that the black +men ate none of it themselves, consulted only the satisfying of +their own hunger, and fell to eating with greediness: but I, +suspecting some trick, would not so much as taste it, which +happened well for me; for in a little time I perceived my +companions had lost their senses, and that when they spoke to me +they knew not what they said. + +The black men fed us afterwards with rice, prepared with oil of +cocoanuts, and my comrades, who had lost their reason, ate of it +greedily. I ate of it also, but very sparingly. The black men gave +us that herb at first on purpose to deprive us of our senses, that +we might not be aware of the sad destiny prepared for us; and they +gave us rice on purpose to fatten us, for, being cannibals, their +design was to eat us as soon as we grew fat. They did accordingly +eat my comrades, who were not aware of their condition; but my +senses being entire, you may easily guess that instead of growing +fat, as the rest did, I grew leaner every day. The fear of death +under which I laboured turned all my food into poison. I fell into +a languishing illness which proved my safety, for the black men +having killed and eaten up my companions, seeing me to be withered, +lean, and sick, deferred my death till another time. + +Meanwhile, I had a great deal of liberty, so that there was +scarcely any notice taken of what I did, and this gave me an +opportunity one day to get at a distance from the houses, and to +make my escape. An old man who saw me, and suspected my design, +called to me as loud as he could to return, but instead of obeying +him, I redoubled my pace, and quickly got out of sight. At that +time there was none but the old man about the houses, the rest +being away, and not to come home till night, which was pretty usual +with them; therefore, being sure that they could not come in time +to pursue me, I went on till night, when I stopped to rest a +little, and to eat some of the provisions I had taken care to +bring; but I speedily set forward again, and travelled seven days, +avoiding those places which seemed to be inhabited, and living for +the most part upon cocoanuts, which served me for both meat and +drink. On the eighth day I came near the sea, and all of a sudden +saw white people like myself, gathering pepper, of which there was +great plenty in that place. This I took to be a good omen, and went +to them without any scruple. + +The people who gathered pepper came to meet me as soon as they saw +me, and asked me in Arabic who I was, and whence I came. I was +overjoyed to hear them speak in my own language, and satisfied +their curiosity by giving them an account of my shipwreck, and how +I fell into the hands of the black men. 'Those black men,' replied +they, 'are cannibals, and by what miracle did you escape their +cruelty?' I told them the same story I now tell you, at which they +were wonderfully surprised. + +I stayed with them till they had gathered their quantity of pepper, +and then sailed with them to the island from whence they came. They +presented me to their king, who was a good prince. He had the +patience to hear the relation of my adventures, which surprised +him, and he afterwards gave me clothes, and commanded care to be +taken of me. + +The island was very well peopled, plentiful in everything, and the +capital was a place of great trade. This agreeable retreat was very +comfortable to me after my misfortune, and the kindness of this +generous prince towards me completed my satisfaction. In a word, +there was not a person more in favour with him than myself; and, in +consequence, every man in court and city sought to oblige me, so +that in a very little time I was looked upon rather as a native +than a stranger. + +I observed one thing which to me appeared very extraordinary. All +the people, the king himself not excepted, rode their horses +without bridle or stirrups. This made me one day take the liberty +to ask the king how that came to pass. His majesty answered, that I +talked to him of things which nobody knew the use of in his +dominions. I went immediately to a workman, and gave him a model +for making the stock of a saddle. When that was done, I covered it +myself with velvet and leather, and embroidered it with gold. I +afterwards went to a locksmith, who made me a bridle according to +the pattern I showed him, and then he made me also some stirrups. +When I had all things completed, I presented them to the king, and +put them upon one of his horses. His majesty mounted immediately, +and was so pleased with them, that he testified his satisfaction by +large presents to me. I could not avoid making several others for +his ministers and the principal officers of his household, who all +of them made me presents that enriched me in a little time. I also +made some for the people of best quality in the city, which gained +me great reputation and regard. + +As I paid court very constantly to the king, he said to me one day, +'Sinbad, I love thee; and all my subjects who know thee treat thee +according to my example. I have one thing to demand of thee, which +thou must grant.' + +'Sir,' answered I, 'there is nothing but I will do, as a mark of my +obedience to your majesty, whose power over me is absolute.' + +'I have a mind thou shouldst marry,' replied he, 'that so thou +mayst stay in my dominion, and think no more of thy own country.' + +I dared not resist the prince's will, and so he gave me one of the +ladies of his court, a noble, beautiful, and rich lady. The +ceremonies of marriage being over, I went and dwelt with the lady, +and for some time we lived together in perfect harmony. I was not, +however, very well satisfied with my condition, and therefore +designed to make my escape on the first occasion, and to return to +Bagdad, which my present settlement, how advantageous soever, could +not make me forget. + +While I was thinking on this, the wife of one of my neighbours, +with whom I had contracted a very close friendship, fell sick and +died. I went to see and comfort him in his affliction, and finding +him swallowed up with sorrow, I said to him as soon as I saw him, +'God preserve you and grant you a long life.' + +'Alas!' replied he, 'how do you think I should obtain that favour +you wish me? I have not above an hour to live.' + +'Pray,' said I, 'do not entertain such a melancholy thought; I hope +it will not be so, but that I shall enjoy your company for many +years.' + +'I wish you,' said he, 'a long life; but for me my days are at an +end, for I must be buried this day with my wife. This is a law +which our ancestors established in this island, and always observed +inviolably. The living husband is interred with the dead wife, and +the living wife with the dead husband. Nothing can save me; every +one must submit to this law.' + +While he was entertaining me with an account of this barbarous +custom, the very hearing of which frightened me cruelly, his +kindred, friends and neighbours came in a body to assist at the +funerals. They put on the corpse the woman's richest apparel, as if +it had been her wedding-day, and dressed her with all her jewels; +then they put her into an open coffin, and lifting it up, began +their march to the place of burial. The husband walked at the head +of the company, and followed the corpse. They went up to a high +mountain, and when they came thither, took up a great stone, which +covered the mouth of a very deep pit, and let down the corpse, with +all its apparel and jewels. Then the husband, embracing his kindred +and friends, suffered himself to be put into another open coffin +without resistance, with a pot of water, and seven little loaves, +and was let down in the same manner as they let down his wife. The +mountain was pretty long, and reached to the sea. The ceremony +being over, they covered the hole again with the stone, and +returned. + +It is needless to say that I was the only melancholy spectator of +this funeral, whereas the rest were scarcely moved at it, the +practice was so customary to them. I could not forbear speaking my +thoughts on this matter to the king. 'Sir,' said I, 'I cannot but +wonder at the strange custom in this country of burying the living +with the dead. I have been a great traveller, and seen many +countries, but never heard of so cruel a law.' + +'What do you mean, Sinbad?' said the king; 'it is a common law. I +shall be interred with the queen, my wife, if she die first.' + +'But, sir,' said I, 'may I presume to ask your majesty if strangers +be obliged to observe this law?' + +'Without doubt,' replied the king, smiling at my question; 'they +are not exempted, if they are married in this island.' + +I went home very melancholy at this answer, for the fear of my wife +dying first, and my being interred alive with her, occasioned me +very mortifying reflections. But there was no remedy: I must have +patience, and submit to the will of God. I trembled, however, at +every little indisposition of my wife; but alas! in a little time +my fears came upon me all at once, for she fell ill, and died in a +few days. + +You may judge of my sorrow; to be interred alive seemed to me as +deplorable an end as to be devoured by cannibals. But I must +submit; the king and all his court would honour the funeral with +their presence, and the most considerable people of the city would +do the like. When all was ready for the ceremony, the corpse was +put into a coffin, with all her jewels and magnificent apparel. The +cavalcade began, and, as second actor in this doleful tragedy, I +went next to the corpse, with my eyes full of tears, bewailing my +deplorable fate. Before I came to the mountain, I addressed myself +to the king, in the first place, and then to all those who were +round me, and bowing before them to the earth to kiss the border of +their garments, I prayed them to have compassion upon me. +'Consider,' said I, 'that I am a stranger, and ought not to be +subject to this rigorous law, and that I have another wife and +child in my own country.' It was to no purpose for me to speak +thus, no soul was moved at it; on the contrary, they made haste to +let down my wife's corpse into the pit, and put me down the next +moment in an open coffin, with a vessel full of water and seven +loaves. In short, the fatal ceremony being performed, they covered +up the mouth of the pit, notwithstanding the excess of my grief and +my lamentable cries. + +As I came near the bottom, I discovered, by help of the little +light that came from above, the nature of this subterranean place; +it was a vast long cave, and might be about fifty fathoms deep. I +immediately smelt an insufferable stench proceeding from the +multitude of corpses which I saw on the right and left; nay, I +fancied that I heard some of them sigh out their last. However, +when I got down, I immediately left my coffin, and, getting at a +distance from the corpses, lay down upon the ground, where I stayed +a long time, bathed in tears. Then reflecting on my sad lot, 'It is +true,' said I, 'that God disposes all things according to the +decrees of His providence; but, poor Sinbad, art not thou thyself +the cause of thy being brought to die so strange a death? Would to +God thou hadst perished in some of those tempests which thou hast +escaped! Then thy death had not been so lingering and terrible in +all its circumstances. But thou hast drawn all this upon thyself by +thy cursed avarice. Ah! unfortunate wretch, shouldst thou not +rather have stayed at home, and quietly enjoyed the fruits of thy +labour?' + +Such were the vain complaints with which I made the cave echo, +beating my head and breast out of rage and despair, and abandoning +myself to the most afflicting thoughts. Nevertheless, I must tell +you that, instead of calling death to my assistance in that +miserable condition, I felt still an inclination to live, and to do +all I could to prolong my days. I went groping about, with my nose +stopped, for the bread and water that was in my coffin, and took +some of it. Though the darkness of the cave was so great that I +could not distinguish day and night, yet I always found my coffin +again, and the cave seemed to be more spacious and fuller of +corpses than it appeared to me at first. I lived for some days upon +my bread and water, which being all used up at last I prepared for +death. + +As I was thinking of death, I heard something walking, and blowing +or panting as it walked. I advanced towards that side from whence I +heard the noise, and upon my approach the thing puffed and blew +harder, as if it had been running away from me. I followed the +noise, and the thing seemed to stop sometimes, but always fled and +blew as I approached. I followed it so long and so far that at last +I perceived a light resembling a star; I went on towards that +light, and sometimes lost sight of it, but always found it again, +and at last discovered that it came through a hole in the rock +large enough for a man to get out at. + +Upon this I stopped some time to rest myself, being much fatigued +with pursuing this discovery so fast. Afterwards coming up to the +hole I went out at it, and found myself upon the shore of the sea. +I leave you to guess the excess of my joy; it was such that I could +scarce persuade myself of its being real. + +But when I had recovered from my surprise, and was convinced of the +truth of the matter, I found that the thing which I had followed +and heard puff and blow was a creature which came out of the sea, +and was accustomed to enter at that hole to feed upon the dead +carcasses. + +I examined the mountain, and perceived it to be situated betwixt +the sea and the town, but without any passage or way to communicate +with the latter, the rocks on the side of the sea were so rugged +and steep. I fell down upon the shore to thank God for this mercy, +and afterwards entered the cave again to fetch bread and water, +which I did by daylight, with a better appetite than I had done +since my interment in the dark hole. + +I returned thither again, and groped about among the biers for all +the diamonds, rubies, pearls, gold bracelets, and rich stuffs I +could find. These I brought to the shore, and, tying them up neatly +into bales with the cords that let down the coffins, I laid them +together upon the bank to wait till some ship passed by, without +fear of rain, for it was not then the season. + +After two or three days I perceived a ship that had but just come +out of the harbour and passed near the place where I was. I made a +sign with the linen of my turban, and called to them as loud as I +could. They heard me, and sent a boat to bring me on board, when +the mariners asked by what misfortune I came thither. I told them +that I had suffered shipwreck two days ago, and made shift to get +ashore with the goods they saw. It was happy for me that those +people did not consider the place where I was, nor inquire into the +probability of what I told them; but without any more ado took me +on board with my goods. When I came to the ship, the captain was so +well pleased to have saved me, and so much taken up with his own +affairs, that he also took the story of my pretended shipwreck upon +trust, and generously refused some jewels which I offered him. + +We passed with a regular wind by several islands, among others the +one called the Isle of Bells, about ten days' sail from Serendib, +and six from that of Kela, where we landed. This island produces +lead from its mines, Indian canes, and excellent camphor. + +The king of the Isle of Kela is very rich and potent, and the Isle +of Bells, which is about two days' journey in extent, is also +subject to him. The inhabitants are so barbarous that they still +eat human flesh. After we had finished our commerce in that island +we put to sea again, and touched at several other ports. At last I +arrived happily at Bagdad with infinite riches, of which it is +needless to trouble you with the detail. Out of thankfulness to God +for His mercies, I gave great alms for the support of several +mosques, and for the subsistence of the poor, and employed myself +wholly in enjoying the society of my kindred and friends, and in +making merry with them. + + + + + + THE FIFTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD THE SAILOR. + + + +The pleasures I enjoyed again had charm enough to make me forget +all the troubles and calamities I had undergone, without curing me +of my inclination to make new voyages. Therefore I bought goods, +ordered them to be packed up and loaded, and set out with them for +the best seaport; and there, that I might not be obliged to depend +upon a captain, but have a ship at my own command, I waited till +one was built on purpose at my own expense. When the ship was +ready, I went on board with my goods; but not having enough to load +her, I took on board with me several merchants of different +nations, with their merchandise. + +We sailed with the first fair wind, and after a long voyage, the +first place we touched at was a desert island, where we found an +egg of a roc, equal in size to that I formerly mentioned. There was +a young roc in it just ready to be hatched, and the bill of it +began to appear. + +The merchants whom I had taken on board my ship, and who landed +with me, broke the egg with hatchets, and made a hole in it, from +whence they pulled out the young roc piece by piece, and roasted +it. I had earnestly persuaded them not to meddle with the egg, but +they would not listen to me. + +Scarcely had they made an end of their feast, when there appeared +in the air, at a considerable distance from us, two great clouds. +The captain whom I hired to manage my ship, knowing by experience +what it meant, cried that it was the cock and hen roc that belonged +to the young one, and pressed us to re-embark with all speed, to +prevent the misfortune which he saw would otherwise befall us. We +made haste to do so, and set sail with all possible diligence. + +In the meantime the two rocs approached with a frightful noise, +which they redoubled when they saw the egg broken, and their young +one gone. But having a mind to avenge themselves, they flew back +towards the place from whence they came, and disappeared for some +time, while we made all the sail we could to prevent that which +unhappily befell us. + +They returned, and we observed that each of them carried between +their talons stones, or rather rocks, of a monstrous size. When +they came directly over my ship, they hovered, and one of them let +fall a stone; but by the dexterity of the steersman, who turned the +ship with the rudder, it missed us, and falling by the side of the +ship into the sea, divided the water so that we could see almost to +the bottom. The other roc, to our misfortune, threw the stone so +exactly upon the middle of the ship that it split into a thousand +pieces. The mariners and passengers were all killed by the stone, +or sunk. I myself had the last fate; but as I came up again I +fortunately caught hold of a piece of the wreck, and swimming +sometimes with one hand and sometimes with the other, but always +holding fast to my board, the wind and the tide favouring me, I +came to an island, where the beach was very steep. I overcame that +difficulty however, and got ashore. + +I sat down upon the grass, to recover myself a little from my +fatigue, after which I got up, and went into the island to view it. +It seemed to be a delicious garden. I found trees everywhere, some +of them bearing green and others ripe fruits, and streams of fresh +pure water, with pleasant windings and turnings. I ate of the +fruits, which I found excellent, and drank of the water, which was +very pleasant. + +Night being come, I lay down upon the grass in a convenient place +enough, but I could not sleep for an hour at a time, my mind was so +disturbed with the fear of being alone in so desert a place. Thus I +spent the best part of the night in fretting, and reproached myself +for my imprudence in not staying at home, rather than undertaking +this last voyage. These reflections carried me so far, that I began +to form a design against my own life, but daylight dispersed these +melancholy thoughts, and I got up, and walked among the trees, but +not without apprehensions of danger. + +When I was a little advanced into the island, I saw an old man who +appeared very weak and feeble. He sat upon the bank of a stream, +and at first I took him to be one who had been shipwrecked like +myself. I went towards him and saluted him, but he only bowed his +head a little. I asked him what he did there, but instead of +answering he made a sign for me to take him upon my back and carry +him over the brook, signifying that it was to gather fruit. + +I believed him really to stand in need of my help, so took him upon +my back, and having carried him over, bade him get down, and for +that end stooped that he might get off with ease: but instead of +that (which I laugh at every time I think of it), the old man, who +to me had appeared very decrepit, clasped his legs nimbly about my +neck, and then I perceived his skin to resemble that of a cow. He +sat astride upon my shoulders, and held my throat so tight that I +thought he would have strangled me, the fright of which made me +faint away and fall down. + +Notwithstanding my fainting, the ill-natured old fellow kept fast +about my neck, but opened his legs a little to give me time to +recover my breath. When I had done so, he thrust one of his feet +against my stomach, and struck me so rudely on the side with the +other, that he forced me to rise up against my will. Having got up, +he made me walk under the trees, and forced me now and then to +stop, to gather and eat fruit such as we found. He never left me +all day, and when I lay down to rest by night, he laid himself down +with me, always holding fast about my neck. Every morning he pushed +me to make me wake, and afterwards obliged me to get up and walk, +and pressed me with his feet. You may judge then what trouble I was +in, to be loaded with such a burden as I could by no means rid +myself of. + +One day I found in my way several dry calabashes that had fallen +from a tree; I took a large one, and, after cleaning it, pressed +into it some juice of grapes, which abounded in the island. Having +filled the calabash, I set it in a convenient place; and coming +hither again some days after, I took up my calabash, and setting it +to my mouth found the wine to be so good that it presently made me +not only forget my sorrow, but grow vigorous, and so light-hearted +that I began to sing and dance as I walked along. + +The old man, perceiving the effect which this drink had upon me, +and that I carried him with more ease than I did before, made a +sign for me to give him some of it. I gave him the calabash, and +the liquor pleasing his palate, he drank it all off. He became +drunk immediately, and the fumes getting up into his head he began +to sing after his manner, and to dance upon my shoulders. His +jolting about made him sick, and he loosened his legs from about me +by degrees; so finding that he did not press me as before, I threw +him upon the ground, where he lay without motion, and then I took +up a great stone, with which I crushed his head to pieces. + +I was extremely rejoiced to be freed thus for ever from this cursed +old fellow, and walked along the shore of the sea, where I met the +crew of a ship that had cast anchor to take in water to refresh +themselves. They were extremely surprised to see me, and to hear +the particulars of my adventures. 'You fell,' said they, 'into the +hands of the old man of the sea, and are the first that has ever +escaped strangling by him. He never left those he had once made +himself master of till he destroyed them, and he has made this +island famous for the number of men he has slain; so that the +merchants and mariners who landed upon it dared not advance into +the island but in numbers together.' + +After having informed me of these things they carried me with them +to the ship; the captain received me with great satisfaction when +they told him what had befallen me. He put out again to sea, and +after some days' sail we arrived at the harbour of a great city, +where the houses were built of good stone. + +One of the merchants of the ship, who had taken me into his +friendship, asked me to go along with him, and took me to a place +appointed as a retreat for foreign merchants. He gave me a great +bag, and having recommended me to some people of the town, who were +used to gather cocoa-nuts, he desired them to take me with them to +do the like: 'Go,' said he, 'follow them, and do as you see them +do, and do not separate from them, otherwise you endanger your +life.' Having thus spoken, he gave me provisions for the journey, +and I went with them. + +We came to a great forest of trees, extremely straight and tall, +their trunks so smooth that it was not possible for any man to +climb up to the branches that bore the fruit. All the trees were +cocoa-nut trees, and when we entered the forest we saw a great +number of apes of all sizes, that fled as soon as they perceived +us, and climbed up to the top of the trees with surprising +swiftness. + +The merchants with whom I was gathered stones, and threw them at +the apes on the top of the trees. I did the same, and the apes, out +of revenge, threw cocoa-nuts at us as fast and with such gestures +as sufficiently testified their anger and resentment: we gathered +up the cocoa-nuts, and from time to time threw stones to provoke +the apes; so that by this stratagem we filled our bags with cocoa- +nuts, which it had been impossible for us to do otherwise. + +When we had gathered our number, we returned to the city, where the +merchant who sent me to the forest gave me the value of the cocoa- +nuts I had brought; 'Go on,' said he, 'and do the like every day, +until you have money enough to carry you home.' I thanked him for +his good advice, and gathered together as many cocoa-nuts as +amounted to a considerable sum. + +The vessel in which I came sailed with merchants who loaded her +with cocoa-nuts. I expected the arrival of another, whose merchants +landed speedily for the like loading. I embarked on board the same +all the cocoa-nuts that belonged to me, and when she was ready to +sail I went and took leave of the merchant who had been so kind to +me; but he could not embark with me because he had not finished his +business. + +We set sail towards the islands where pepper grows in great plenty. +From thence we went to the Isle of Comari, where the best sort of +wood of aloes grows, and whose inhabitants have made it an +inviolable law to drink no wine themselves, nor to suffer any kind +of improper conduct. I exchanged my cocoa-nuts in those two islands +for pepper and wood of aloes, and went with other merchants pearl- +fishing. I hired divers, who fetched me up those that were very +large and pure. Then I embarked joyfully in a vessel that happily +arrived at Balsora; from thence I returned to Bagdad, where I made +vast sums by my pepper, wood of aloes, and pearls. I gave the tenth +of my gains in alms, as I had done upon my return from other +voyages, and endeavoured to ease myself from my fatigue by +diversions of all sorts. + + + + + + THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD THE SAILOR. + + + +After being shipwrecked five times, and escaping so many dangers, +could I resolve again to try my fortune, and expose myself to new +hardships? I am astonished at it myself when I think of it, and +must certainly have been induced to it by my stars. But be that as +it will, after a year's rest I prepared for a sixth voyage, +notwithstanding the entreaties of my kindred and friends, who did +all that was possible to prevent me. Instead of taking my way by +the Persian Gulf, I travelled once more through several provinces +of Persia and the Indies, and arrived at a sea-port, where I +embarked on board a ship, the captain of which was resolved on a +long voyage. + +It was very long indeed, but at the same time so unfortunate that +the captain and pilot lost their course, and knew not where they +were. They found it at last, but we had no reason to rejoice at it. +We were all seized with extraordinary fear when we saw the captain +quit his post, and cry out. He threw off his turban, pulled his +beard, and beat his head like a madman. We asked him the reason, +and he answered that he was in the most dangerous place in all the +sea. 'A rapid current carries the ship along with it,' he said, +'and we shall all of us perish in less than a quarter of an hour. +Pray to God to deliver us from this danger; we cannot escape it if +He does not take pity on us.' At these words he ordered the sails +to be changed; but all the ropes broke and the ship, without its +being possible to help it, was carried by the current to the foot +of an inaccessible mountain, where she ran ashore, and was broken +to pieces, yet so that we saved our lives, our provisions, and the +best of our goods. + +This being over, the captain said to us, 'God has done what pleased +Him; we may every man dig our grave here, and bid the world adieu, +for we are all in so fatal a place that none shipwrecked here have +ever returned to their homes again.' His discourse afflicted us +sorely, and we embraced each other with tears in our eyes, +bewailing our deplorable lot. + +The mountain at the foot of which we were cast was the coast of a +very long and large island. This coast was covered all over with +wrecks, and from the vast number of men's bones we saw everywhere, +and which filled us with horror, we concluded that abundance of +people had died there. It is also impossible to tell what a +quantity of goods and riches we found cast ashore there. All these +objects served only to augment our grief. Whereas in all other +places rivers run from their channels into the sea, here a great +river of fresh water runs out of the sea into a dark cave, whose +entrance is very high and large. What is most remarkable in this +place is that the stones of the mountain are of crystal, rubies, or +other precious stones. Here is also a sort of fountain of pitch or +bitumen, that runs into the sea, which the fishes swallow, and then +vomit up again, turned into ambergris; and this the waves throw up +on the beach in great quantities. Here also grow trees, most of +which are wood of aloes, equal in goodness to those of Comari. + +To finish the description of this place, which may well be called a +gulf, since nothing ever returns from it--it is not possible for +ships to get away again when once they come near it. If they are +driven thither by a wind from the sea, the wind and the current +ruin them; and if they come into it when a land-wind blows, which +might seem to favour their getting out again, the height of the +mountain stops the wind, and occasions a calm, so that the force of +the current runs them ashore, where they are broken to pieces, as +ours was; and that which completes the misfortune is that there is +no possibility to get to the top of the mountain, or to get out any +manner of way. + +We continued upon the shore, like men out of their senses, and +expected death every day. At first we divided our provisions as +equally as we could, and thus everyone lived a longer or shorter +time, according to their temperance, and the use they made of their +provisions. + +Those who died first were interred by the rest; and, for my part, I +paid the last duty to all my companions. Nor are you to wonder at +this; for besides that I husbanded the provision that fell to my +share better than they, I had provision of my own, which I did not +share with my comrades; yet when I buried the last, I had so little +remaining that I thought I could not hold out long: so I dug a +grave, resolving to lie down in it, because there was none left to +inter me. I must confess to you at the same time that while I was +thus employed I could not but reflect upon myself as the cause of +my own ruin, and repented that I had ever undertaken this last +voyage; nor did I stop at reflections only, but had well nigh +hastened my own death, and began to tear my hands with my teeth. + +But it pleased God once more to take compassion on me, and put it +in my mind to go to the bank of the river which ran into the great +cave; where, considering the river with great attention, I said to +myself, 'This river, which runs thus under ground, must come out +somewhere or other. If I make a raft, and leave myself to the +current, it will bring me to some inhabited country, or drown me. +If I be drowned I lose nothing, but only change one kind of death +for another; and if I get out of this fatal place, I shall not only +avoid the sad fate of my comrades, but perhaps find some new +occasion of enriching myself. Who knows but fortune waits, upon my +getting off this dangerous shelf, to compensate my shipwreck with +interest?' + +I immediately went to work on a raft. I made it of large pieces of +timber and cables, for I had choice of them, and tied them together +so strongly that I had made a very solid little raft. When I had +finished it I loaded it with some bales of rubies, emeralds, +ambergris, rock-crystal, and rich stuffs. Having balanced all my +cargo exactly and fastened it well to the raft, I went on board it +with two little oars that I had made, and, leaving it to the course +of the river, I resigned myself to the will of God. + +As soon as I came into the cave I lost all light, and the stream +carried me I knew not whither. Thus I floated for some days in +perfect darkness, and once found the arch so low that it well nigh +broke my head, which made me very cautious afterwards to avoid the +like danger. All this while I ate nothing but what was just +necessary to support nature; yet, notwithstanding this frugality, +all my provisions were spent. Then a pleasing sleep fell upon me. I +cannot tell how long it continued; but when I awoke, I was +surprised to find myself in the middle of a vast country, at the +bank of a river, where my raft was tied, amidst a great number of +negroes. I got up as soon as I saw them and saluted them. They +spoke to me, but I did not understand their language. I was so +transported with joy that I knew not whether I was asleep or awake; +but being persuaded that I was not asleep, I recited the following +words in Arabic aloud: 'Call upon the Almighty, he will help thee; +thou needest not perplex thyself about anything else; shut thy +eyes, and while thou art asleep, God will change thy bad fortune +into good.' + +One of the blacks, who understood Arabic, hearing me speak thus, +came towards me and said, 'Brother, be not surprised to see us; we +are inhabitants of this country, and came hither to-day to water +our fields, by digging little canals from this river, which comes +out of the neighbouring mountain. We saw something floating upon +the water, went speedily to find out what it was, and perceiving +your raft, one of us swam into the river, and brought it hither, +where we fastened it, as you see, until you should awake. Pray tell +us your history, for it must be extraordinary; how did you venture +into this river, and whence did you come?' + +I begged of them first to give me something to eat, and then I +would satisfy their curiosity. They gave me several sorts of food; +and when I had satisfied my hunger, I gave them a true account of +all that had befallen me, which they listened to with wonder. As +soon as I had finished my discourse, they told me, by the person +who spoke Arabic and interpreted to them what I said, that it was +one of the most surprising stories they ever heard, and that I must +go along with them, and tell it to their king myself; the story was +too extraordinary to be told by any other than the person to whom +it happened. I told them I was ready to do whatever they pleased. + +They immediately sent for a horse, which was brought in a little +time; and having made me get upon him, some of them walked before +me to show me the way, and the rest took my raft and cargo, and +followed me. + +We marched thus altogether, till we came to the city of Serendib, +for it was in that island I landed. The blacks presented me to +their king; I approached his throne, and saluted him as I used to +do the kings of the Indies; that is to say, I prostrated myself at +his feet, and kissed the earth. The prince ordered me to rise up, +received me with an obliging air, and made me come up, and sit down +near him. He first asked me my name, and I answered, 'They call me +Sinbad the sailor, because of the many voyages I have undertaken, +and I am a citizen of Baghdad.' + +'But,' replied he, 'how came you into my dominions, and from whence +came you last?' + +I concealed nothing from the king; I told him all that I have now +told you, and his majesty was so surprised and charmed with it, +that he commanded my adventure to be written in letters of gold, +and laid up in the archives of his kingdom. At last my raft was +brought in, and the bales opened in his presence: he admired the +quantity of wood of aloes and ambergris; but, above all, the rubies +and emeralds, for he had none in his treasury that came near them. + +Observing that he looked on my jewels with pleasure, and viewed the +most remarkable among them one after another, I fell prostrate at +his feet, and took the liberty to say to him, 'Sir, not only my +person is at your majesty's service, but the cargo of the raft, and +I would beg of you to dispose of it as your own.' + +He answered me with a smile, 'Sinbad, I will take care not to covet +anything of yours, nor to take anything from you that God has given +you; far from lessening your wealth, I design to augment it, and +will not let you go out of my dominions without marks of my +liberality.' + +All the answer I returned was prayers for the prosperity of this +prince, and commendations of his generosity and bounty. He charged +one of his officers to take care of me, and ordered people to serve +me at his own charge. The officer was very faithful in the +execution of his orders, and caused all the goods to be carried to +the lodgings provided for me. I went every day at a set hour to pay +court to the king, and spent the rest of my time in seeing the +city, and what was most worthy of notice. + +The Isle of Serendib is situated just under the equinoctial line, +so that the days and nights there are always of twelve hours each, +and the island is eighty parasangs in length, and as many in +breadth. + +The capital city stands at the end of a fine valley formed by a +mountain in the middle of the island, which is the highest in the +world. I made, by way of devotion, a pilgrimage to the place where +Adam was confined after his banishment from Paradise, and had the +curiosity to go to the top of it. + +When I came back to the city, I prayed the king to allow me to +return to my country, which he granted me in the most obliging and +honourable manner. He would needs force a rich present upon me, and +when I went to take my leave of him, he gave me one much more +valuable, and at the same time charged me with a letter for the +Commander of the Faithful, our sovereign, saying to me, 'I pray you +give this present from me and this letter to Caliph Haroun +Alraschid, and assure him of my friendship.' I took the present and +letter in a very respectful manner, and promised his majesty +punctually to execute the commission with which he was pleased to +honour me. Before I embarked, this prince sent for the captain and +the merchants who were to go with me, and ordered them to treat me +with all possible respect. + +The letter from the King of Serendib was written on the skin of a +certain animal of great value, because of its being so scarce, and +of a yellowish colour. The writing was azure, and the contents as +follows:-- + + 'The king of the Indies, before whom march a hundred elephants, +who lives in a palace that shines with a hundred thousand rubies, +and who has in his treasury twenty thousand crowns enriched with +diamonds, to Caliph Haroun Alraschid: + +'Though the present we send you be inconsiderable, receive it as a +brother and a friend, in consideration of the hearty friendship +which we bear to you, and of which we are willing to give you +proof. We desire the same part in your friendship, considering that +we believe it to be our merit, being of the same dignity with +yourself. We conjure you this in the rank of a brother. Farewell.' + +The present consisted first, of one single ruby made into a cup, +about half a foot high, an inch thick, and filled with round +pearls. Secondly, the skin of a serpent, whose scales were as large +as an ordinary piece of gold, and had the virtue to preserve from +sickness those who lay upon it. Thirdly, fifty thousand drachms of +the best wood of aloes, with thirty grains of camphor as big as +pistachios. And fourthly, a she-slave of ravishing beauty, whose +apparel was covered all over with jewels. + +The ship set sail, and after a very long and successful voyage, we +landed at Balsora; from thence I went to Bagdad, where the first +thing I did was to acquit myself of my commission. + +I took the King of Serendib's letter, and went to present myself at +the gate of the Commander of the Faithful, followed by the +beautiful slave and such of my own family as carried the presents. +I gave an account of the reason of my coming, and was immediately +conducted to the throne of the caliph. I made my reverence, and +after a short speech gave him the letter and present. When he had +read what the King of Serendib wrote to him, he asked me if that +prince were really so rich and potent as he had said in this +letter. I prostrated myself a second time, and rising again, +'Commander of the Faithful,' said I, 'I can assure your majesty he +doth not exceed the truth on that head: I am witness of it. There +is nothing more capable of raising a man's admiration than the +magnificence of his palace. When the prince appears in public, he +has a throne fixed on the back of an elephant, and marches betwixt +two ranks of his ministers, favourites, and other people of his +court; before him, upon the same elephant, an officer carries a +golden lance in his hand, and behind the throne there is another, +who stands upright with a column of gold, on the top of which there +is an emerald half a foot long and an inch thick; before him march +a guard of a thousand men, clad in cloth of gold and silk, and +mounted on elephants richly caparisoned. + +'While the king is on his march, the officer who is before him on +the same elephant cries from time to time, with a loud voice, +"Behold the great monarch, the potent and redoubtable Sultan of the +Indies, whose palace is covered with a hundred thousand rubies, and +who possesses twenty thousand crowns of diamonds." After he has +pronounced these words, the officer behind the throne cries in his +turn, "This monarch so great and so powerful, must die, must die, +must die." And the officer in front replies, "Praise be to Him who +lives for ever." + +'Further, the King of Serendib is so just that there are no judges +in his dominions. His people have no need of them. They understand +and observe justice of themselves.' + +The caliph was much pleased with my discourse. 'The wisdom of this +king,' said he, 'appears in his letter, and after what you tell me +I must confess that his wisdom is worthy of his people, and his +people deserve so wise a prince.' Having spoken thus he dismissed +me, and sent me home with a rich present. + + + + + + THE SEVENTH AND LAST VOYAGE OF SINBAD THE SAILOR. + + + +Being returned from my sixth voyage, I absolutely laid aside all +thoughts of travelling any farther; for, besides that my years now +required rest, I was resolved no more to expose myself to such risk +as I had run; so that I thought of nothing but to pass the rest of +my days in quiet. One day, as I was treating some of my friends, +one of my servants came and told me that an officer of the caliph +asked for me. I rose from the table, and went to him. 'The caliph,' +said he, 'has sent me to tell you that he must speak with you.' I +followed the officer to the palace, where, being presented to the +caliph, I saluted him by prostrating myself at his feet. 'Sinbad,' +said he to me, 'I stand in need of you; you must do me the service +to carry my answer and present to the King of Serendib. It is but +just I should return his civility.' + +This command of the caliph to me was like a clap of thunder. +'Commander of the Faithful,' replied I, 'I am ready to do whatever +your majesty shall think fit to command me; but I beseech you most +humbly to consider what I have undergone. I have also made a vow +never to go out of Bagdad.' Here I took occasion to give him a +large and particular account of all my adventures, which he had the +patience to hear out. + +As soon as I had finished, 'I confess,' said he, 'that the things +you tell me are very extraordinary, yet you must for my sake +undertake this voyage which I propose to you. You have nothing to +do but to go to the Isle of Serendib, and deliver the commission +which I give you. After that you are at liberty to return. But you +must go; for you know it would be indecent, and not suitable to my +dignity, to be indebted to the king of that island.' Perceiving +that the caliph insisted upon it, I submitted, and told him that I +was willing to obey. He was very well pleased at it, and ordered me +a thousand sequins for the expense of my journey. + +I prepared for my departure in a few days, and as soon as the +caliph's letter and present were delivered to me, I went to +Balsora, where I embarked, and had a very happy voyage. I arrived +at the Isle of Serendib, where I acquainted the king's ministers +with my commission, and prayed them to get me speedy audience. They +did so, and I was conducted to the palace in an honourable manner, +where I saluted the king by prostration, according to custom. That +prince knew me immediately, and testified very great joy to see me. +'O Sinbad,' said he, 'you are welcome; I swear to you I have many +times thought of you since you went hence; I bless the day upon +which we see one another once more.' I made my compliment to him, +and after having thanked him for his kindness to me, I delivered +the caliph's letter and present, which he received with all +imaginable satisfaction. + +The caliph's present was a complete set of cloth of gold, valued at +one thousand sequins; fifty robes of rich stuff, a hundred others +of white cloth, the finest of Cairo, Suez, Cusa, and Alexandria; a +royal crimson bed, and a second of another fashion; a vessel of +agate broader than deep, an inch thick, and half a foot wide, the +bottom of which represented in bas-relief a man with one knee on +the ground, who held a bow and an arrow, ready to let fly at a +lion. He sent him also a rich table, which, according to tradition, +belonged to the great Solomon. The caliph's letter was as follows: + + 'Greeting in the name of the Sovereign Guide of the Right Way, to +the potent and happy Sultan, from Abdallah Haroun Alraschid, whom +God hath set in the place of honour, after his ancestors of happy +memory: + +'We received your letter with joy, and send you this from the +council of our port, the garden of superior wits. We hope, when you +look upon it, you will find our good intention, and be pleased with +it. Farewell.' + +The King of Serendib was highly pleased that the caliph returned +his friendship. A little time after this audience, I solicited +leave to depart, and had much difficulty to obtain it. I obtained +it, however, at last, and the king, when he dismissed me, made me a +very considerable present. I embarked immediately to return to +Bagdad, but had not the good fortune to arrive there as I hoped. +God ordered it otherwise. + +Three or four days after my departure, we were attacked by pirates, +who easily seized upon our ship. Some of the crew offered +resistance, which cost them their lives. But as for me and the +rest, who were not so imprudent, the pirates saved us on purpose to +make slaves of us. + +We were all stripped, and instead of our own clothes they gave us +sorry rags, and carried us into a remote island, where they sold +us. + +I fell into the hands of a rich merchant, who, as soon as he bought +me, carried me to his house, treated me well, and clad me +handsomely for a slave. Some days after, not knowing who I was, he +asked me if I understood any trade. I answered that I was no +mechanic, but a merchant, and that the pirates who sold me had +robbed me of all I had. + +'But tell me,' replied he, 'can you shoot with a bow?' + +I answered that the bow was one of my exercises in my youth, and I +had not yet forgotten it. Then he gave me a bow and arrows, and, +taking me behind him upon an elephant, carried me to a vast forest +some leagues from the town. We went a great way into the forest, +and where he thought fit to stop he bade me alight; then showing me +a great tree, 'Climb up that tree,' said he, 'and shoot at the +elephants as you see them pass by, for there is a prodigious number +of them in this forest, and, if any of them fall, come and give me +notice of it.' Having spoken thus, he left me victuals, and +returned to the town, and I continued upon the tree all night. + +I saw no elephant during that time, but next morning, as soon as +the sun was up, I saw a great number: I shot several arrows among +them, and at last one of the elephants fell; the rest retired +immediately, and left me at liberty to go and acquaint my patron +with my booty. When I had told him the news, he gave me a good +meal, commended my dexterity, and caressed me highly. We afterwards +went together to the forest, where we dug a hole for the elephant; +my patron intending to return when it was rotten, and to take the +teeth, etc., to trade with. + +I continued this game for two months, and killed an elephant every +day, getting sometimes upon one tree, and sometimes upon another. +One morning, as I looked for the elephants, I perceived with an +extreme amazement that, instead of passing by me across the forest +as usual, they stopped, and came to me with a horrible noise, in +such a number that the earth was covered with them, and shook under +them. They encompassed the tree where I was with their trunks +extended and their eyes all fixed upon me. At this frightful +spectacle I remained immoveable, and was so much frightened that my +bow and arrows fell out of my hand. + +My fears were not in vain; for after the elephants had stared upon +me for some time, one of the largest of them put his trunk round +the root of the tree, and pulled so strong that he plucked it up +and threw it on the ground; I fell with the tree, and the elephant +taking me up with his trunk, laid me on his back, where I sat more +like one dead than alive, with my quiver on my shoulder: then he +put himself at the head of the rest, who followed him in troops, +and carried me to a place where he laid me down on the ground, and +retired with all his companions. Conceive, if you can, the +condition I was in: I thought myself to be in a dream; at last, +after having lain some time, and seeing the elephants gone, I got +up, and found I was upon a long and broad hill, covered all over +with the bones and teeth of elephants. I confess to you that this +furnished me with abundance of reflections. I admired the instinct +of those animals; I doubted not but that this was their burying +place, and that they carried me thither on purpose to tell me that +I should forbear to persecute them, since I did it only for their +teeth. I did not stay on the hill, but turned towards the city, +and, after having travelled a day and a night, I came to my patron; +I met no elephant on my way, which made me think they had retired +farther into the forest, to leave me at liberty to come back to the +hill without any hindrance. + +As soon as my patron saw me: 'Ah, poor Sinbad,' said he, I was in +great trouble to know what had become of you. I have been at the +forest, where I found a tree newly pulled up, and a bow and arrows +on the ground, and after having sought for you in vain I despaired +of ever seeing you more. Pray tell me what befell you, and by what +good hap you are still alive.' + +I satisfied his curiosity, and going both of us next morning to the +hill, he found to his great joy that what I had told him was true. +We loaded the elephant upon which we came with as many teeth as he +could carry; and when we had returned, 'Brother,' said my patron-- +'for I will treat you no more as my slave--after having made such a +discovery as will enrich me, God bless you with all happiness and +prosperity. I declare before Him that I give you your liberty. I +concealed from you what I am now going to tell you. + +'The elephants of our forest have every year killed a great many +slaves, whom we sent to seek ivory. Notwithstanding all the +cautions we could give them, those crafty animals killed them one +time or other. God has delivered you from their fury, and has +bestowed that favour upon you only. It is a sign that He loves you, +and has use for your service in the world. You have procured me +incredible gain. We could not have ivory formerly but by exposing +the lives of our slaves, and now our whole city is enriched by your +means. Do not think I pretend to have rewarded you by giving you +your liberty; I will also give you considerable riches. I could +engage all our city to contribute towards making your fortune, but +I will have the glory of doing it myself.' + +To this obliging discourse I replied, 'Patron, God preserve you. +Your giving me my liberty is enough to discharge what you owe me, +and I desire no other reward for the service I had the good fortune +to do to you and your city, than leave to return to my own +country.' + +'Very well,' said he, 'the monsoon will in a little time bring +ships for ivory. I will send you home then, and give you wherewith +to pay your expenses.' I thanked him again for my liberty, and his +good intentions towards me. I stayed with him until the monsoon; +and during that time we made so many journeys to the hill that we +filled all our warehouses with ivory. The other merchants who +traded in it did the same thing, for it could not be long concealed +from them. + +The ships arrived at last, and my patron himself having made choice +of the ship wherein I was to embark, he loaded half of it with ivory +on my account, laid in provisions in abundance for my passage, and +obliged me besides to accept as a present, curiosities of the +country of great value. After I had returned him a thousand thanks +for all his favours, I went on board. We set sail, and as the +adventure which procured me this liberty was very extraordinary, I +had it continually in my thoughts. + +We stopped at some islands to take in fresh provisions. Our vessel +being come to a port on the main land in the Indies, we touched +there, and not being willing to venture by sea to Balsora, I landed +my proportion of the ivory, resolving to proceed on my journey by +land. I made vast sums by my ivory, I bought several rarities, +which I intended for presents, and when my equipage was ready, I +set out in the company of a large caravan of merchants. I was a +long time on the way, and suffered very much, but endured all with +patience, when I considered that I had nothing to fear from the +seas, from pirates, from serpents, nor from the other perils I had +undergone. + +All these fatigues ended at last, and I came safe to Bagdad. I went +immediately to wait upon the caliph, and gave him an account of my +embassy. That prince told me he had been uneasy, by reason that I +was so long in returning, but that he always hoped God would +preserve me. When I told him the adventure of the elephants, he +seemed to be much surprised at it, and would never have given any +credit to it had he not known my sincerity. He reckoned this story, +and the other narratives I had given him, to be so curious that he +ordered one of his secretaries to write them in characters of gold, +and lay them up in his treasury. I retired very well satisfied with +the honours I received and the presents which he gave me; and after +that I gave myself up wholly to my, family, kindred and friends. + + +End of Fairy Tales from the Arabian Nights + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Fairy Tales From The Arabian Nights, by E. Dixon + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARABIAN NIGHTS FAIRY TALES *** + +This file should be named 8599.txt or 8599.zip + +Produce by Wendy Crockett and JC Byers + +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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